M A I N   N E W S

Israeli threat to USA

JERUSALEM, June 15 (AFP) — Israel warned today that it would reduce its purchases of US military supplies if Washington cut aid to Israel in relation for the planned sale of a radar-equipped surveillance airplane to China.

Deputy Defence Minister Ephraim Sneh, speaking on public radio, said: “This is not a threat, but a fact.”

Mr Sneh said if the Congress approved that measure “I will personally recommend that (Israel’s army) buys its supplies, particularly boots, from Israeli companies rather than on the American market.”

In April, House Appropriations Foreign Operations subcommittee Chairman Sonny Callahan warned he would seek to withhold some $ 250 million in aid to Israel until US authorities certify that the sale does not threaten national security.

Second phase poll put off

LUCKNOW, June 15 (UNI, PTI) — The second phase of polling for panchayat elections in Shravasti district has been postponed following violent incidents there during the first phase.

A state Election Commission release said today that the administration had been asked to beef up security for the second phase of polling in the districts where the violent incidents occurred yesterday.

Meanwhile, the state government today ordered the transfer of Shravasti SP, Ram Kishore Tripathi. Mr PBK Prasad, SP, Kanpur city, will take over in his place.

Meanwhile, repolling has been ordered in 800 booths in UP where polling for the first phase of panchayat elections was held yesterday even as the toll in poll-related violence rose to 15 with six more deaths reported till today.

Official reports said repolling would be held in 105 booths in Mainpuri where four deaths were reported yesterday.

The reports said today three persons were killed during polling in Badaun while a polling official died during a shootout between two candidates in Rampur. One death each was reported from Moradabad and Sultanpur districts.