tribuneindia...Spotlight

			Saturday, August 28, 1999
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New front formed in Bihar
PATNA, Aug 27 (UNI) — A new political front consisting of the Bharatiya Jan Congress, the Bihar Vikas Party, the Janata Dal (Secular), the Forward Block, the Samajwadi Janata Party and the Nationalist Congress Party was formed in Bihar today to fight "casteist and communal" forces in the elections. Addressing pressmen here, front convener and SJP leader Ramsunder Das said a 13-member committee had been constituted which would meet here tomorrow for seat sharing among coalition partners, besides discussing strategy for the elections. The front would maintain equidistance from both the Rashtriya Janata Dal-led coalition and the National Democratic Alliance.

Crackdown
KARACHI, Aug 27 (AFP) — Pakistan police today continued a crackdown against two opposition parties for the second day, arresting hundreds of workers, political sources said. The dragnet targeted activists of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto’s main opposition Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the ethnic Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) in the cities of Karachi and Hyderabad in Sindh province.

19 miners killed
BEIJING, Aug 27 (Reuters) — A huge gas explosion at a state-owned mine in China’s central Henan province has killed at least 19 miners the workers daily reported today. It said only 19 of the 74 miners working underground in the mine near the city of Pingdingshan were known to have survived and 36 were still missing after the blast on August 24.

Mir crew head home
MOSCOW, Aug 27 (AP) — On a day for the Russian space programme, the crew of the Mir space station prepared today to head back to Earth and leave the orbiter unmanned in preparations for its abandonment next year. The decision to abandon the 13-year-old Mir came after the cash-stragged government decided to stop financing its operation and all attempts to attract private funds failed.

Bangla firing
NEW DELHI, Aug 27 (UNI) — In an effort to ensure peace and traquillity on the border, India and Bangladesh today agreed not to resort to firing if any border problem arose between both the countries.

ULFA militants
GUWAHATI, Aug 27 (UNI) — At least three suspected ULFA militants were killed in an encounter with the police near Rangiya today. The encounter took place at Tokoonkata village.