tribuneindia...Spotlight

			Friday, September 25, 1998
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70 die in Dominican Republic hurricane
SANTO DOMINGO (Dominican Republic), Sept 24 (AP) — Hurricane Georges killed 70 persons in the Dominican Republic and left hundreds missing before sweeping over Cuba and threatening the Florida Keys. In all, more than 110 persons were killed in the storm’s three-day rampage through the Caribbean. Dominican Republic President Leonel Fernandez, in a televised address to the nation last night, confirmed the 70 dead and the missing, including 45 who disappeared when a school being used as a shelter was washed away yesterday.

Indians flee Lesotho
JOHANNESBURG, Sept 24 (PTI) — Scores of Indians fled Lesotho to escape the wrath of rioting mobs as political turmoil gripped the tiny land-locked kingdom. Many of these businessmen have fled to the town of Ladybrand on the border between South Africa and Lesotho, after the business centres of Maseru, the capital, were destroyed by rioting mobs.

25 rebels killed
ALGIERS, Sept 24 (Reuters) — Algerian troops killed more than 25 Muslim rebels during a large scale military operation, a local newspaper said today. Le Quotidien D’Oran daily said the raid took place in Saida province within the past few days. In another report of violence, Liberte said two soldiers were killed and several injured when their truck ran over a bomb 20 km from the northwestern town of Oran.

Bridge blasted
KOKARJHAR, Sept 24 (PTI) — One person was killed when National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) militants blew up a wooden bridge with a remote-controlled bomb in Lower Assam’s Kokrajhar district today, officials said. The destruction of the bridge over river Tarang disrupted road communication in the area. The police recovered some batteries from the blast site.

UN for truce
UNITED NATIONS, Sept 24 (Reuters) — The Security Council has demanded an immediate ceasefire and negotiations to end the conflict in Kosovo, where the Serb authorities have cracked down on a separatist movement in the ethnic Albanian majority. The vote in the 15-nation council was 14-0 with China abstaining. The resolution, brought yesterday, aimed at Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, was adopted under the provisions of Chapter VII of the UN Charter, which provides for possible punitive measures in the event of non-compliance.

11 kidnapped
AGARTALA, Sept 24 (PTI) — A bus passenger was killed and 11 others abducted at gunpoint by militants of the National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) in an early morning attack at Gachhiacherra in South Tripura district today. The passenger was killed when he was trying to escape, the police said. Army and para-military forces have rushed to the spot.

Taslima Nasreen
DHAKA, Sept 24 (PTI) — A Bangladeshi court today ordered the execution of an earlier arrest warrant against controversial feminist writer Taslima Nasreen, still in hiding days after her return here fearing death threats from Muslim fundamentalists for blasphemy. The Dhaka magistrate court also ordered the attachment of her properties.