tribuneindia...Spotlight

			Sunday, December 6, 1998
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12 run over by train, killed
CHAPRA (Bihar), Dec 5 (UNI) — At least 12 persons were killed when the Sadhbhavna Express ran over them near Manjihi station of North-Eastern Railway in Chapra district today. According to Railway sources, the accident occurred when about 15 persons crossing a river bridge were run over by the speeding train.
Indo-Nepalese pact
NEW DELHI, Dec 5 (UNI) — India and Nepal have agreed to renew the 1991 Indo-Nepalese treaty of transit, expiring tomorrow, with mutually agreed modifications. An official press note said today that pending formal signing of documents after completion of the relevant procedures, the two governments had agreed to extend the validity of the existing treaty by month.

10 Tigers killed
COLOMBO, Dec 5 (PTI) — Ten Tamil rebels were killed as the Sri Lankan Army launched a new operation capturing Oddusddan, a key town near the LTTE held north-eastern Mullaithivu. Soon after announcing it was terminating its biggest ever offensive against the LTTE guerrillas. The Defence Ministry last night said a fresh operation code named 'Ravi Bala' was launched to take control of Oddusddam, a small but key town which was famous for its proximity to LTTE leader V. Prabhakaran's underground military and communication centre 'The one four base'.
BJP meeting
NEW DELHI, Dec 5 (PTI) — The meeting of the BJP National Executive which was to have been held here on December 19 and 20 has been put off till January in view of the "changed political situation" following the party's setback in the assembly elections in Rajasthan, Delhi and Madhya Pradesh. The National Executive which was to have discussed the prevailing political situation is likely to meet in the first week of January in Bangalore after it gets reports from the state units concerned, party sources said.
Jharkhand blockade
RANCHI, Dec 5 (UNI) — Barring the ransacking of an office of Central Coalfield Limited (CCL) and sporadic incidents of obstruction of transportation of coal in some areas, the 100-hours economic blockade called by different Jharkhand factions passed off peacefully today. According to CCL sources, the office of the Bachara Siding was ransacked by some villagers, partially affecting coal despatch. However, work was restored soon, sources added.
Cops kill Maoists
KATHMANDU, Dec 5 (Reuters) — The Nepal police gunned down 13 suspected members of an extreme Communist Maoist group opposing the Himalayan kingdom's constitutional monarchy, a local newspaper said today. The daily Kantipur said eight persons were killed in three incidents in Rolpa district of western Nepal on Thursday and five in the neighbouring Sallayan district on Wednesday.
Kabul jolted
KABUL, Dec 5 (AFP) — Kabul residents were jolted out of their beds as a powerful earthquake and a series of after-shocks rocked the Afghan capital in the early hours today. Residents described the tremors as the most frightening in years. The earthquake stuck at 2015 GMT on Friday and was followed by several after-shocks. There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.
Krishna is PIO
NEW DELHI, Dec 5 (PTI) — Principal Information Officer to the Government of India S. Narendra has been removed and Director-General of the Directorate of Advertisement and Visual Publicity N.J. Krishna is being appointed in his place, official sources said today. Mr Narendra who had a long stint of a little short of seven years in the post heading the Press Information Bureau (PIB) is yet to be given his new assignment, sources said.
Pak wargames
ISLAMABAD, Dec 5 (PTI) — The Pakistan Army has launched its massive military manoeuvres to counter Indian wargames close to the Rajasthan border with a warning that it was capable of repelling any "misadventure" from across the border. "Pakistan Army was trained and equipped to repulse any aggression by the enemy and if war is thrust upon the country, it fully possessed the capability to end such conflict on a favourable note". Army Chief Gen Pervez Musharraf told officers and jawans of the units participating in the ongoing exercise in the arid desert terrain of southern Punjab and upper Sindh close to the Indo-Pak border.
Rajiv case
NEW DELHI, Dec 5 (PTI) — A Multi-Disciplinary Monitoring Agency (MDMA) headed by a CBI Joint Director has been formed to further probe various angles of the conspiracy behind the Rajiv Gandhi assassination, official sources said today. The specialised agency, headed by R.N. Kaul, would be assisted by senior police officials, including two deputy inspectors general of police, and would function as a unit of the CBI with its headquarters in Delhi, the sources said.
Narrow escape
TIRUPATI, Dec 5 (PTI) — Nearly 45 pilgrims bound for the famous Venkateswara temple near here had a miraculous escape today when their bus went out of control and hit the parapet wall at a height of 2,000 feet on the Ghat road leading to the hill shrine. According to temple sources, the bus driver lost control over the vehicle while trying to avoid running over three persons on a scooter.
'Fire' to be reviewed
NEW DELHI, Dec 5 (PTI) — Deepa Mehta's controversial film "Fire" has been sent back to the Censor Board for review following violent protests against its screening. Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said today. "The film has been sent back for recertifying to the Censor Board. We will wait for their comments," the minister said, brushing aside reporters' questions on his reaction to contents of the film.
Thackeray case
MUMBAI, Dec 5 (PTI) — A metropolitan court today discharged Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray and Editor of the party's mouthpiece Saamna in a criminal case in which they were accused of abetting communal riots in suburban Jogeshwari here seven years ago. Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate K.H. Holambe Patil also discharged Subhash Desai, Printer-Publisher of Saamna. Both Thackeray and Desai, accused of inciting communal passions through articles in the newspaper, were let off on the ground that the case was barred by the law of limitation.
No-trust motion
GUWAHATI, Dec 5 (UNI) — The 30-month-old AGP-led four-party alliance Government headed by Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta survived a no-confidence motion in the Assam Assembly today. The motion was put to vote after a marathon discussion. In all, 64 members voted against the motion while 34 voted in favour in a House of 126. The motion was brought jointly by the main opposition Congress and United Minority Front (UMF).