The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Saturday, March 18, 2000,
Chandigarh, India

THE TRIBUNE SPECIALS

50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE

TERCENTENARY CELEBRATIONS

S P O T L I G H T

Pak shelling in Uri sector
SRINAGAR, March 17 (UNI) — Several houses were damaged overnight in the Pakistani mortar and artillery shelling on forward Indian positions along the Line of Control in the Uri sector of North Kashmir, official sources said today. Pakistani shells landed in Balakote, Trikote and its adjoining villages damaging a number of houses. Sources said the shelling started at around 11 p.m. yesterday and continued for about four hours. The window panes of many houses were smashed and many houses developed cracks. Indian troops returned the fire, but the damage on the other side was not known.

US-Iran ties
Washington, March 17 (AFP) — The USA eased sanctions against Iran today and moved toward returning Iranian assets frozen here since 1979 in a renewed bid for dialogue with the Islamic republic. In a major policy address, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright announced a lifting of import bans on Iranian caviar, carpets nuts and dried fruit and took the unusual step of acknowledging past US interference the country’s internal affairs

New Nepalese PM
KATHMANDU, March 17 (AFP) — The Nepali Congress (NC) Parliamentary Party will elect a new parliamentary party leader on Monday who will take over from outgoing Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, a senior party source said today. The parliamentary party met here under the chairmanship of NC President Girija Prasad Koirala. Nepal’s King Birendra has accepted Mr Bhattarai’s resignation.

Students taken ill
CHENNAI, March 17 (PTI) — Nearly 50 students, who complained of giddiness, vomiting and nausea after partaking dinner in the school hostel were hospitalised at Thiruvarur in Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu late last night. Information reaching the police here said the children belonging to a higher secondary school for Dalits were given eggs with the dinner.

Hosiery items burnt
LUDHIANA, March 17 (FOC) — Hosiery goods worth lakhs of rupees were destroyed in a fire that broke out in Samundar Fabrics, Aman Nagar, around 3 p.m. today. Fire engines were called to control the fire, which had not been controlled till the reports came in last.

Tremors in Mandi
MANDI, March 17 (FOC) — Moderate intensity tremors rocked the Mandi region of Himachal Pradesh at 3.15 p.m. today. People came out of their houses and shops in panic in the town and its suburbs. No loss of life or property has been reported so far.