tribuneindia...Spotlight

			Monday, December 7, 1998
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11 Army men may be freed today
NEW DELHI, Dec 6 (PTI) — Eleven Indian Army personnel of the UN peacekeeping force, being held hostage by rebel Unita forces in Angola, are likely to be released tomorrow, official sources said here today. An assurance to this effect has been given by Unita chief Jonas Swavimbi to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) and UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, the sources said, quoting reports received here. Two officers and nine personnel of the Indian Army, were taken hostage by rebel forces on Friday.

Hoshiar Singh dead
JAIPUR, Dec 6 (PTI) — A Paramveer Chakra (PVC) recipient, Col-Gen of Army Staff (Retd) Hoshiar Singh died this evening of a massive heart attack at a private hospital here, his family sources said. Hoshiar Singh (62) received the PVC in 1971 after exemplary courage shown by him during the Indo-Pakistan war as the head of the Army unit at Shakargarh sector (Jarpal).

Indian soldiers taken hostage
NEW DELHI, Dec 6 (PTI) — Ten Indian Army personnel, serving under the UN peace-keeping operations in Angola, have been taken hostage by rebel forces and New Delhi and the United Nations are making all efforts to secure their release, official sources said today. Army Chief Gen V.P. Malik this morning held a meeting with his senior colleagues and officials of the External Affairs Ministry to review the situation arising out of the detention of one officer and nine others from the Indian Army on Friday.

Karim Tunda
DHAKA, Dec 6 (DPA) — Senior Indian officials were expected in Dhaka today to help identify a body said to be that of a top Indian terrorist. The body, with a wire around the neck and a missing arm was found by the police beside a railroad in the Bangladesh capital late on Thursday and taken to a local morgue. The Bangladesh Interior Ministry would not confirm or deny press reports that the victim was Abdul Karim Tunda, reportedly a prominent member of the Indian underworld.

Missiles grounded
SEOUL, Dec 6 (AFP) — South Korea has grounded all 200 Nike-Hercules missiles for a check following last week’s accidental firing of one that left seven persons injured, military officials said today. "Military and civilian experts have launched a special investigation into all Nike-Hercules missiles deployed by South Korean troops," a defence ministry official told AFP. "Investigators suspect the ageing US-made missile may have functional problems".

40 visa-busters held
RIYADH, Dec 6 (AFP) — Some 140 illegal foreign workers have been arrested in Saudi Arabia in the latest crackdown aimed at ridding the country of expatriate visa-busters, newspapers said today. The illegal foreigners were arrested yesterday in the Red Sea port of Jeddah. The latest swoops, part of a new drive launched on Friday, bring total arrests so far to more than 200. The week-long drive is part of a prolonged campaign, first announced in October 1997. According to the last official figures published in July, more than 800,000 people, mostly Indians and Pakistanis, have left or been expelled.

Narcotics haul
NEW DELHI, Dec 6 (PTI) — Customs authorities have arrested a British national carrying seven kg of hashish worth Rs 70 lakh in the international market at Dabolim Airport in Goa. The British national was about to board a chartered flight to London when he was nabbed by the officials at the airport yesterday, Sarvjeet S. Rana, Commissioner of Customs and Central Excise, Goa, said in a press note here today.