tribuneindia...Spotlight

			Thursday, November 12, 1998
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Britain defends USA's decision
BANGALORE, Nov 11 (PTI) — The UK today defended the US decision to lift some of the sanctions imposed against Pakistan and India and described 'discrimination' against the latter as Clinton Administration's recognition that there was a difference between the two countries' economies. "I think the USA recognises that there is a difference between the Indian and Pakistan economies. Indeed, this is being recognised here that Indian economy is bigger and in stronger condition," Britain's Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Derek Fatchett, said here. It's a very sensible and humane decision," Fatchett said.

9 Tigers killed
COLOMBO, Nov 11 (PTI) — Nine LTTE rebels and two soldiers had been killed in separate confrontations in northern Sri Lanka, a defence press communique said here today. It said eight rebels and two soldiers were killed and 12 others injured in heavy fighting on November 9 near northern Paranthan. Another LTTE cadre was killed near northern Mankulam yesterday, the communique added. Naval boats on patrol attacked four LTTE boats off the Chalai coast in Mullaithivu district and destroyed one boat, it said.

Pleas dismissed
NEW DELHI, Nov 11 (PTI) — The Delhi High Court today dismissed review petitions of 10 persons who were allotted petrol pumps, cooking gas and kerosene dealerships from the discretionary quota of MPs by former Petroleum Minister, Capt Satish Sharma. A Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Y K Sabharwal and Justice D K Jain said there was no merit in the petitions for review of their cases. The court by an order in August last year, had cancelled over 100 petrol pump, cooking gas and kerosene dealerships allotted by Captain Sharma from his discretionary quota between 1991 and 1995.

Fire orders
MANILA, Nov 11 (AFP) — Philippine navy ships on patrol in the disputed Spratly Islands are under orders to fire a warning shot across the bow of Chinese vessels which get closer than five nautical miles, the Filipino military chief said today. "Beyond the distance of five nautical miles, warning shots will be fired to deter enemy ships from getting near," Major General Joselin Nazareno told reporters. President Joseph Estrada yesterday ordered increased navy air force patrols around the reef.

World Tel plea
NEW DELHI, Nov 11 (PTI) — The Delhi High Court today dismissed a petition by World Tel Inc claiming over Rs 80 lakh from Doordarshan as custom duty on the temporary import of their equipment for telecast of Challengers Cup cricket tournament in March 1995. A Division Bench comprising Justice R C Lahoti and Justice C K Mahajan, in a judgement said: "In our opinion the claim of World Tel for the refund of the amount from DD is not tenable in law on any of the grounds urged by the petitioner."

Fishermen released
KARACHI, Nov 11 (AFP) — Pakistan today released 151 Indian fishermen and 34 boats as part of a swap agreed between the two countries, officials said. The boats and their crew were seized last year for alleged illegal fishing in Pakistani territorial waters in the Arabian Sea, president of the Pakistan Fishermen Cooperative Society, Haji Ghazanfar Ali Boota, said. Pakistani premier Nawaz Sharif ordered the release of the Indian fishermen as a gesture of goodwill when India and Pakistan resumed bilateral talks last month.

Plane crash
MOSCOW, Nov 11 (AFP) — Up to 13 persons died today when a Russian transport plane crashed shortly after take-off near the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk, news agencies reported quoting the ministry of emergency situations. An Antonov 12 plane carrying produce from Krasnoyarsk to the neighbouring town of Mirny crashed four minutes after take-off with seven crew and six packers on board, Interfax reported. Earlier reports put the number of dead at 10.

Espionage case
ISLAMABAD, Nov 11 (PTI) — A Pakistani court today awarded 10 years' rigorous imprisonment each to four employees of the Pakistani Foreign Office for supplying sensitive documents to India in a 10-year old espionage case. Special Judge, Central Rawalpindi, Abdul Hameed Khattak, passed the judgement today in the famous espionage case sentencing all the four accused, Babu Ali, Tawar Ali, Abdul Bari and Shamsul Haq, for 10 years rigorous imprisonment each on the charges of providing key documents about Pakistan's security to India in 1989, the NNI news agency said.