tribuneindia...Spotlight

			Monday, May 24, 1999
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US jets hit Iraqi defence systems
ANKARA (Turkey), May 23 (AP) — US warplans struck at Iraqi artillery sites today, responding to Iraqi artillery fire during a routine patrol of the no-fly zone in northern Iraq, the US military said. Air force F-15ES bombed the Iraqi defence systems West of the Iraqi city of Mosul, 400 km North of Baghdad, said a statement from the Incirlik air base in southern Turkey. It said the jets left the scene safey.

Cannes award
CANNES, FRANCE, May 23 (AFP) — Indian director Murali Nair today was awarded the Cannes film festival's Golden Camera Award for "Marana Simhasanam" (throne of death), a tale about the misadventures of a poor labourer used as a political ploy during an electoral campaign. The award is aimed at recognising first-time films by a director in any of the festival's sections or side events.

5 burnt in Pak
LAHORE, May 23 (AFP) — The Pakistani police today recovered the charred bodies of five persons, including a senior official of the Income Tax Department, murdered in a pre-dawn attack here. The assailants apparently strangled Zulfiqar Ali, his wife, two children and a servant and then burnt them.

Lightning kills 4
KATIHAR (Bihar), May 23 (PTI) — Four children were killed after being struck by lightning at Mednipur village in Katihar district today, official sources said. The children were playing in an orchard when the mishap occurred.

71 Tamils held
COLOMBO, May 23 (UNI) — Sri Lankan navy intercepted a fishing trawler and took all 71 Sri Lankan Tamils on board into custody for questioning, naval sources said today. The trawler which was spotted by the navy near Vidathalthivu off Jafana was carrying 35 men, 25 women and 11 children. The trawler was heading towards Rameshwaram.

Fishermen missing
SURAT, May 23 (PTI) — Around 400 fishermen on board 43 boats were reportedly missing in the Arabian Sea following the cyclonic storm that passed the Gujarat coast, according to a spokesman of the fishermen's organisation, Umarsadi Machhi Mahajan Sangh (UMMS). The Bulsar district authorities have sent an SOS to the Kutch-Saurashtra authorities to find their whereabouts.

Protest in Hong Kong
HONG KONG, May 23 (AP) — About 7,000 Hong Kong government employees and their supporters staged a march today to protest proposed reforms in the civil service that the government says will increase efficiency and cut costs. Led by Mr Lee Cheuk-Yan Secretary-General, Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions, the demonstrators accused the government of colluding with the private sector to bring down wages.

Pak leaders held
ISLAMABAD, May 23 (PTI) — The police today arrested the chief of Pakistan's largest religio-political party, Jamaat-e-Islami, when he was trying to enter a tribal area in the North-West frontier province where political activities are banned. Mr Qazi Hussain Ahmed was arrested along with Mr Shabir Ahmed Khan chief, Shabab-e-Milli, when he was going to Mohmand agency this morning, a spokesman of JI said adding he has been kept at a rest house in Peshawar.

Indian submarine
MOSCOW, May 23 (Reuters) — A Russian dry dock cargo ship struck an Indian submarine docked for repaires in Russia's second largest city of St Petersburg today the Emergencies Ministry said. A ministry spokesman said the submarine was only slightly damaged but the impact tore a hole in the ship's engine compartment and it was partially submerged. However, there were no casualties.

Pappu Yadav held
PATNA, May 23 (PTI) — The CBI today arrested former Lok Sabha member Rajesh Ranjan, alias Pappu Yadav, in connection with the murder of CPM leader Ajit Sarkar at Purnea on January 14 last year. A team of CBI officials raided a house unauthorisedly occupied by Mr Yadav in Punaichak locality here and took him into custody, CBI sources said.