tribuneindia...Spotlight

			Sunday, May 2, 1999
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6 killed in building collapse
THANE, May 1 (UNI) — At least six persons of a family including three children, were killed and nine injured when a three-storeyed residential complex collapsed in early hours of today. Four more persons were feared trapped under the debris of the Pradip Smruti building in the main Mahagiri locality which collapsed at around 2 a.m.
8 LTTE men killed
COLOMBO, May 1 (PTI) — Eight LTTE activists were killed in two separate encounters with Sri Lankan troops in the northern region, defence sources said today. Lankan troops ambushed a group of Tamil rebels and killed four of them in northern Vanni where the Army was attempting to open a land route to Jaffna. Four others were killed in a similar attack by soldiers at Tadducakoddy in Jaffna peninsula a defence release said.

Nazia Hassan ill
ISLAMABAD, May 1 (PTI) — Nazia Hassan, the noted pop singer from Pakistan who became a rage in India in 70s, is struggling for her life in a London hospital as she slipped into coma, according to information available here. Hassan, who is in her late 30s, is suffering from blood cancer for last couple of years and was under treatment in London. But on Friday her condition deteriorated and she went into coma.
Osama bin Laden
DUBAI, May 1 (AFP) — Fugitive Saudi Islamist Osama bin Laden is seeking asylum in Somalia because of a falling-out with his present hosts, Afghanistan’s Taliban Militia, the Arab daily Al-Sharq Al-Awsat said today. Citing London-based "informed sources", it said Bin Laden had disappeared from his base in Afghanistan in February and had visited Somalia, Yemen and Sudan following "serious disagreements with the Taliban." Once the us state department realised what was happening, it contacted Somalian warlord Hussein Mohammad Aidid and warned that it would withdraw his and his family’s American passports if he offered help to Bin Laden, it said.
Pak CJ’s son shot
LAHORE, May 1 (AFP) — A son of the Chief Justice in the Pakistan province of Punjab was critically wounded in an attempt on his life that left one person dead, the police said today. Unknown assailants opened fire on Imran Aziz (30), an advocate and son of Punjab Chief Justice Rashid Aziz, near his office in the provincial capital Lahore, late yesterday, the police said.
TN to appeal
CHENNAI, May 1 (UNI) — The Tamil Nadu Government will file an appeal against the Madras High Court order, discharging former Finance Minister V.R. Nedunchezhiyan from the Rs 10.16 crore "colour television scam", Chief Minister M. Arunanidhi said today. Talking to reporters after the DMK’s administrative committee meeting here, he said the court, while discharging Mr Nedunchezhiyan, had implicitly held that Ms Jayalalitha, the first accused in the case, had committed irregularities for pecuniary advantage.
Life term for 5
AHMEDABAD, May 1 (PTI) — Five members of the Abdul Latif gang have been sentenced to life imprisonment for their involvement in a bomb explosion in the city in January 1993 that claimed three lives. Designated Sessions Judge A.J. Bhatt in his recent order said the five — Mohammad Fighter, Hussain Bhurio, Ishtiaq Tarzan, Gulam Mohammed and Ahmed Painter — ought not be hanged as they were only acting on the directive of the main accused, late Abdul Latif.
PPP men detained
LAHORE, May 1 (AFP) — The police today rounded up some 400 workers of the main Opposition Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, a party spokesman said. The crackdown was aimed at blocking a planned "peaceful" protest against the "victimisation" of PPP leaders by the government, spokesman, Munir Ahmed Khan told AFP. A police official confirmed the swoop, but said only 120 PPP activists were rounded up.
Threatening letter
MADURAI, May 1 (PTI) — An AIADMK MLA and his family members have lodged a complaint with the police here alleging that they had received a life-threatening letter from a terrorist outfit, the police said here today. Srivilliputhur MLA Tamaraikkani said in the complaint that the letter warned him against "criticising the Puthiya Tamizhagam leader Krishnaswamy" and said he and his family members would be "blasted to death" if any of his criticisms about Krishnaswamy appeared in newspapers, the police said. The letter was signed by the suicide squad of the Devendrakula Vellalar Extremists Force (a Dalit organisation), the police added.
Kerala CM ill
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, May 1 (PTI) — Kerala Chief Minister E.K. Nayanar, presently on a tour of Gulf countries, was today admitted to a private hospital in Kuwait following a mild indisposition, according to CPI(M) sources here. Doctors have advised him a day’s rest. Mr Nayanar, who was supposed to leave Kuwait for home tonight has postponed his return by a day, the sources said.