The Tribune...Spotlight

			Wednesday, July 8, 1998
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Postal strike
NEW DELHI, July 7 (UNI) — Despite appeals by Communication Minister Sushma Swaraj, the joint platform of action (JPA), covering over 6 lakh postal employees in the country, today resolved to go ahead with the nationwide indefinite strike from July 9 in support of its 10-point charter of demands. Earlier, the strike was scheduled to begin from tomorrow which has now been declared a holiday. The All-India convener of JPA Achintya Sinha said: "We stand firmly by the struggling postal employees and call upon them to carry on the struggle till their demands, particularly the demand of extra-departmental employees for their recognition as government employees, are achieved fully and unconditionally."

Six gunned down
PATNA, July 7 (PTI) — Six persons were killed and two injured by activists of the banned Maoist Communist Centre (MCC) at Gadmaua village of Bihar's Giridih district today, officials said. State's DGP K.A. Jacob told PTI that MCC activists, wielding AK-47 rifles, attacked the villagers killing six on the spot and injuring two others. A meeting to resolve a land dispute was in progress at the village when the MCC men attacked. The deceased included the mukhiya (headman) of the Atkari panchayat.

JMM (S) threat
PATNA, July 7 (PTI) — The JMM (S) today threatened to review its support to the Rabri Devi Government if the latter did not revoke the transfer orders of some officials who were under the Jharkhand Area Autonomous Council (JAAC). Nine MLAs of the party in a statement here set July 10 as the deadline for withdrawing the transfer orders of officials by the government, allegedly issued in contravention of the JAAC Act. "The Act clearly defines 23 departments handed over to the JAAC under the Act which empowers the council to effect the transfers of officials... the government has encroached upon the powers of the JAAC," they said.

Army deployed
GUWAHATI, July 7 (UNI) — The Army was deployed in Nalbari district today following a sudden deterioration in the situation since morning. The Pagladiya river breached its embankment at Khatkotra innundating about 15 villages, forcing the Army to use mechanised boats to rescue the mardoned people. The breach has also affected communication on the national highway as a 1-km stretch near Paikarkuchi was overtopped by the water. Traffic has been diverted through an alternative route. Civil and Army authorities are providing relief material.

Status upgraded
UNITED NATIONS, July 7 (PTI) — The UN General Assembly, despite objections by the USA and Israel, today upgraded the status of the Palestine, giving it the rights virtually equal to member states. However, the 124-4 vote with 10 abstentions in favour of Palestine does not give it the right to vote or nominate candidates to the General Assembly's various panels. Apart from the USA and Israel those voting against the move were Micronesia and the Marshall Islands.

LTTE kills 12 STF men
COLOMBO, July 7 (UNI) — Tamil Tiger militants attacked a police special task force (STF) patrol in eastern Sri Lanka today, killing 12 constables and losing 12 of their own cadres, officials said.
LTTE gunmen attacked the STF "route clearing" patrol near the village of Pulukunawa triggering a heavy exchange of fire, officials said. "Another 14 STF men and constables were wounded during the attack," a local police official said.
He said intercepts of rebel radio communications indicated that the Tigers lost 12 of their fighters, including four area leaders.

25 feared dead
JOJANESBURG, July 7 (Reuters) — At least 25 persons are feared dead after a bridge under construction collapsed in South Africa’s eastern Mpumalanga province, a rescue official said today. Emergency official Will Lane said the death toll stood at 13, but another 12 persons were thought to be trapped under the rubble of the bridge, which collapsed while under construction over a dam yesterday. "Site engineers and the police are assessing the site; it’s very unstable," Mr Lane said on National Radio.

AAPSU threat
ITANAGAR, July 7 (PTI) — The All-Arunanachal Pradesh Students Union (AAPSU) has not ruled out a fresh agitation if the situation in the state so warranted, AAPSU president Nabam Jollaw said here yesterday. AAPSU was "disappointed" with the attitude of central leaders. The association submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister on June 30 demanding a solution to the problems confronting the state, Mr Jollaw said.

Links snapped
ITANAGAR, July 7 (PTI) — With torrential rain snapping links to East Kameng district, eight of the 13 districts of Arunachal Pradesh remained cut off from the state capital. Torrential rains swept away Awahari bridge, connecting the district headquarters Seppa, in East Kameng yesterday, official reports received here said.

Villages flooded
GANDHINAGAR, July 7 (PTI) — A few villages in Porbander and Jamnagar districts of the Saurashtra region of Gujarat were flooded by the overflowing Khodarnesh dam today. A heavy rainfall in Gujarat in the past few days has resulted in the overflowing of several medium and small-sized reservoirs and dams, official sources said, adding that with no rain-related deaths reported from any part of the state in the past 48 hours, the monsoon toll was static at 11.

MTNL Director
NEW DELHI, July 7 (PTI) — The CBI has filed an FIR against a Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) Director in a city court in a disproportionate assets case. The FIR, filed in a designated court, alleged that Director Bhim Sain had acquired assets worth over Rs 68 lakh, which is highly disproportionate to his known sources of income.