tribuneindia...Spotlight

			Friday, August 28, 1998
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NAM Summit from Sept 2
DURBAN, Aug 27 (UNI) — More than 75 heads of state or government, including Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Pakistani Premier Nawaz Sharif, will attend the 12th Non-Aligned Movement Summit here, beginning September 2, to discuss democratisation of the United Nations, trade issues confronting the developing nations and international security scenario, including the US missile attack on Sudan and Afghanistan. Foreign and senior ministers of 112-member countries and nearly 4,000 senior officials will attend the summit to chalk out the plan of action to face new political and economic challenges encountered by developing nations, South African officials said.
Flood toll 202
PATNA, Aug 27 (PTI) — A vital road link between the north-eastern states and the rest of the country has been snapped as flood waters submerged the National Highway No 31 near Kursela at Katihar in Bihar, where the overall flood situation has further aggravated with the toll reaching 202, official sources said. Some portions of the highway were reported to have been "washed away" by the Kosi river, State Water Resource Department Secretary Radha Singh said.

Docking successful
MOSCOW, Aug 27 (Reuters) — The Soyuz emergency landing capsule flew around the Mir space station today and docked 20 minutes later in a different area without incident, a mission control spokesman said. "Everything went normally with the docking," said Irina Manshilina. "They always do such a manoeuvre to create space for the progress of the cargo ship."
Notice to RGF
NEW DELHI, Aug 27 (PTI) — The Delhi High Court today issued show cause notices to the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF) and its trustees, including Congress President Sonia Gandhi, former President Shanker Dayal Sharma and film star Amitabh Bachchan on a plaint alleging breach of trust committed by them. Justice S.K. Mahajan issued notices in a suit in which it is alleged that the foundation has committed "breach of trust" by failing to spend Rs 31 crore out of the Rs 41 crore of its total income for charity purposes. The notices are returnable by October 5.
Tai Situ’s entry
NEW DELHI, Aug 27 (PTI) — Government’s decision to permit controversial Tibetan monk Tai Situ to visit India revoking an earlier ban order was today challenged in the Supreme Court. A three-judge Bench comprising Chief Justice M.M. Punchhi, Justice K.T. Thomas and Justice M. Srinivasan heard the petition filed by Dugo Bhutia, a resident of Sikkim, and posted the matter for further hearing on Monday. It was alleged that Tai Situ in 1992 had supported the Chinese nominee as the 17th Karampa to head the Rumtek monastery in Sikkim which was established by 16th Gyalwa Karampa who left Tibet in the wake of Chinese invasion.
Looting in Indonesia
SURABAYA (Indonesia), Aug 27 (Reuters) — Thousands of people rampaged through several rice mills owned by ethnic Chinese in Indonesia’s East Java province in a fresh outbreak of looting, witnesses said today. About 2,000 persons, including women, children and old people, looted a rice mill yesterday in the town of Wonosari, Bondowoso, about 280 KM East of Surabaya. Surabaya is Indonesia’s second largest city.
"The crowds looted several score tonnes of rice at the Sumber Tani rice mill in a matter of minutes," a witness said.
Balayogi on Iraq
DUBAI, Aug 27 (PTI) — The Lok Sabha Speaker, Mr G.M.C. Balayogi, today said he would impress upon the government on the need to take the initiative to get UN sanctions against Iraq lifted on humanitarian grounds. Mr Balayogi, who led a parliamentary delegation to Iraq, quoted Iraqi President Saddam Hussein as saying that India should, along with other friendly countries, play a greater role in getting the sanctions lifted.
Fighting near Kinshasa
KINSHASA, Aug 27 (Reuters) — Fresh fighting erupted around the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo today as the allies sent reinforcements to help President Laurent Kabila fend off a Tutsi-led uprising that threatens to ignite the region. The sound of automatic gunfire could be heard in the background as one resident in the sprawling suburb of Masina told Reuters that locals were joining in efforts to clear knots of rebels from Kinshasa. Some rebels had been beaten to death.
Pak dollar bonds
KARACHI, Aug 27 (AFP) — Pakistan has started issuing special US dollar bonds targeted at people whose foreign currency bank accounts were frozen in May after the country’s nuclear tests, officials said today. The Central State Bank of Pakistan said it had issued bonds worth $ 15.6 million to foreign and local banks over the past two days. "The response is good as we are receiving requests for more bonds from the banks," a spokesman said.