tribuneindia...Spotlight

			Wednesday, August 11, 1999
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Pak expels Indian envoy
ISLAMABAD, Aug 10 (Reuters) — Pakistan today expelled an Indian diplomat for "activities incompatible with his official status" — diplomatic language for espionage. It said Mr Maden Mohan Jetty, an official at the Indian High Commission (Embassy), had been given until August 17 to leave.

Gowda's ‘tractor’
BANGALORE, Aug 10 (UNI) — In an attempt to keep the party symbol rolling on the electoral path, former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) President H.D. Deve Gowda today drove a tractor to his party office to address a farmers' assembly. His party has been allotted the "Tractor" symbol by the Election Commission, which froze the JD's "Charkha" recently, to contest the coming Lok Sabha elections.

9 more bodies found
CHHINDWARA (MP), Aug 10 (UNI) — As many as 9 bodies have been fished out from the Jaam river in which a Madhya Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation bus carrying 60 passengers had plunged into while trying to cross a bridge near Saunsar town yesterday. Officials supervising the search operations at the accident site said intensive efforts were being made by Army divers and others to fish out the bodies of remaining passengers.

All hostages freed
FREETOWN, Aug 10 (DPA) — All hostages being held by Sierra Leone rebels were today freed as the week-long drama came to a bloodless end, the British Foreign Office confirmed in London. It said 20 peacekeeping soldiers and AUN liaison officer were released, plus 200 civilians, after the rebels were assured that their leader, former military junta leader Johnny Paul Koroma, was not held prisoner.

6 LTTE men killed
COLOMBO, Aug 10 (PTI) — The Sri Lankan army today said its troops had killed six LTTE rebels in different incidents of confrontation in the North and the East of the Island nation. A defence press note said troops attacked LTTE militants in two places of Jaffna and killed six of them in another attack at Puttankulam in Eastern Trincomalee district.

4 more hostages freed
FREETOWN, Aug 10 (Reuters) — Rebels in Sierra Leone have freed four more hostages from a group they have been holding in the West African bush for nearly a week, a government official said. The Presidential Aide told Reuters the four released yesterday, included a local journalist and three UN military observers, whose nationality he did not disclose. In London, the BBC Television reported the release of four hostages and said they included some or all of the remaining three British soldiers who had been held since last Wednesday.

Bihar flood toll 212
PATNA, Aug 10 (UNI) — The flood situation in Bihar today remained grim with fresh areas reeling under water in Sitamarhi district as the toll in the current flood rose to 212. Official sources said the Bagmati river breached its right embankment near the Kothiya retired line in Sitamarhi district inundating low-lying areas. Central Water Commission sources said the Ganga was overflowing the danger mark at Farakka by 27 cm. The river was, however, likely to recede by 12 cm by tomorrow morning.