S P O T L I G H T

14 labourers killed
VIJAYAWADA, Nov 18 (PTI) — Fourteen labourers were killed on the spot and 15 injured when a tractor-trolley in which they were travelling overturned at Nandivada village in Krishna district tonight, the police said. The labourers, who had migrated to Krishna district from Vizianagaram, were on their way back home after working in the fields, the police said. The injured were admitted to Gudivada Government General Hospital, the police added.

Major arms haul in West Bengal
CALCUTTA, Nov 18 (PTI) — Rocket launchers, missiles, hand grenades and firearms were seized in a major arms haul in recent times from Arambagh in West Bengal’s Hooghly district, Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharjee said today. The police unearthed 169 missiles, nine rocket launchers with guards, one hand grenade, seven muskets, 40 bombs, six improvised rifles and other weapons from Saprajole village under Arambagh police station yesterday.

30 feared dead
CAIRO, Nov 18 (Reuters) — Up to 30 persons were feared dead after their bus overturned in an irrigation canal in northern Egypt, the security sources said today. The sources said rescuers had found the bodies of four children — including two sisters aged five and 10 and their three-year-old brother. “The bus, carrying families from a trip to Cairo back to their Nile Delta hometown of Damietta, collided with a tractor and overturned in the canal at midnight,” one source said.

Pak Air Marshals
ISLAMABAD, Nov 18 (PTI) — Five Air Marshals in Pakistan, who have sought premature retirement after being superseded, would retire on Monday when the new Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Mushaf Ali Mir takes over, media reports here said today. Military ruler General Pervez Musharraf has accepted the request of premature retirement of Air Marshal Farooq Qari, Air Marshal Zahid Anis, Air Marshal Gazi Javed, Air Marshal Mohammad Pervez and Air Marshal Riaz Shaikh, English daily “The News” said.

Census from Feb 9
INDORE, Nov 18 (UNI) — The new census will be conducted from February 9 to 28 next year throughout the country. This was disclosed at a training camp on census here today. The reference period for the new census will be 0000 hours on March 1, 2001. Detailed training about filling the family forms and various other aspects connected with the census was imparted to all officers who would be heading the activity, which takes place in a decade. As per the provisions of the Census Act, 1948, the collected information would be kept secret.

57 activists arrested
COIMBATORE, Nov 18 (PTI) — As many as 57 activists belonging to the Dravida Kazhagham (Ramakrishnan group) were arrested in two places in the district today while attempting to burn effigies of Kerala Chief Minister E.K. Nayanar, protesting against the alleged assault on Tamil Nadu PWD officials near Periyar Dam in that state. While 16 DK workers were arrested at Udumalpet, 41 activists were taken into preventive custody from Pollachi. Two effigies were also seized from them, the police said.