S P O T L I G H T

AIADMK to contest all three seats in byelections
Chennai, Jan 26 (PTI) — The AIADMK today decided to contest all three byelections to the Tamil Nadu Assembly on February 17 and claimed it had got the support of several prominent political parties to 'defeat' the DMK-BJP combine. Nearly 45 parties, big and small, met AIADMK supremo Jayalalitha today at the party headquarters and extended their 'unanimous' support in writing. Prominent parties included Congress, CPI, RJD, INL, AIFB and UCPI. However, the Tamil Maanila congress (TMC) and the CPM did not attend the meeting. Later, speaking to newsmen, Jayalalitha announced the names of the candidates for the three seats.

Karmapa entered India through Nepal: ITBP
Bareilly, Jan 25 (PTI) — The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has discounted the possibility of Tibetan religious leader Ugyen Trinley Dorje entering India through areas guarded by it and said the Lama might have entered the country from Nepal. "The Karmapa may have crossed the border from Nepal," ITBP DIG M P Vasudev told newsmen here yesterday. The DIG emphasised the need for more ITBP battalions to be posted in the Kashmir valley for checking terrorism.

Extremists could target Pak
NEW YORK, Jan 26 (PTI) — If extremists operating within Pakistan's territory are not brought under control, their next target could be the country itself, The New York Times warned today. In an editorial entitled "Danger within Pakistan," the paper said military ruler Gen. Pervez Musharraf might find it politically difficult to crack down on these radicals but stressed that it was in his own interest to oust them. The Times lauded the restraint shown by India in the recent conflict with Pakistan and said it was now Islamabad's turn to show similar restraint. Referring to the forthcoming visit of US President Bill Clinton to South Asia, the paper said the administration should use as much leverage as possible to get Musharraf to expel those groups whose only interest was to fan hostilities. Lauding India's restraint, it said when Pakistani infiltrators violated the line of control last spring, New Delhi did not retaliate by invading Islamabad's territory.