S P O T L I G H T

Fever toll 200
SANAA, Oct 31 (AFP) — The toll from Rift Valley fever has reached 109 in Yemen and 91 in Saudi Arabia since it first appeared in early September, ministries in the two neighbouring Arabian peninsula states announced today. In Yemen, the Health and Agriculture Ministries said “109 persons have died and 2,742 head of livestock have been put down since the disease appeared”.

Leadership issue for high command
NEW DELHI, Oct 31 (PTI) — BJP MLAs from Uttaranchal today left the issue of leadership of the new state to the party high command which declared that ‘’all options are open’’ in the matter. BJP President Bangaru Laxman, after a lengthy meeting with the MLAs, MLCs and MPs from Uttaranchal, said a decision on the leadership issue would be taken after consulting senior leaders. He disagreed with a suggestion the Chief Minister of the new state should be from among the legislators.

JMM (Soren) threat
NEW DELHI, Oct 31 (PTI) — The JMM (Soren Group) on Tuesday night threatened to severe links with the ruling NDA at the centre if the combine failed to “honour” its commitment to give the post of Chief Minister of the new state to the party by tomorrow. “We must know about the NDA’s decision before we (JMM legislators) meet in Patna tomorrow with Mr Shibu Soren, MP, in the chair,” a JMM spokesman said here.

Cargo ship sinks
CHERBOURG (France), Oct 31 (AP) — An Italian cargo ship carrying chemicals was sinking today northwest of Alderney, one of the Channel islands, the port authority of the English Channel and the North Sea said. The Ievoli Sun tanker, which is carrying 6,000 metric tonnes of chemical products, had sent out distress signals yesterday off the coast of France as gale-force winds lashed the Atlantic coast.

Ruling reserved
BANGALORE, Oct 31 (PTI) — Karnataka Assembly Speaker M.V. Venkatappa today reserved ruling on a breach of privilege motion moved by a JDU member against a minister. Mr A.R. Krishnamurthy (JDU) representing the Santhemarahally Assembly constituency had moved the motion against the Minister for Textiles and Sericulture, Mr M. Mahadev, saying that the minister’s actions in preventing officials from participating in a function, which was cancelled later in a village in his constituency, had infringed upon his privileges.

H.M. Ershad
DHAKA, Oct 31 (PTI) — The Supreme Court of Bangladesh today extended time by one week for former military ruler Hussain Mohammad Ershad to surrender to accept the five-year jail term imposed on him in a corruption case. The Appealiate Division of the Supreme Court, chaired by Chief Justice Latifur Rahman, ordered the extension on a petition by former president Ershad seeking relief from appearing before the trial court which was to send him to jail in line with a high court verdict in August.

300 volunteers held
CHENNAI, Oct 31 (UNI) — About 300 volunteers of AITUC were arrested when they attempted to embark on a picketing agitation in the city against the Centre’s decision enforcing a hike in the prices of petroleum products. The police said AITUC volunteers, led by Tamil Nadu unit President Thyagarajan, were apprehended when they took out a procession to picket the Madras Stock Exchange in Parry’s corner in north Chennai.