The Tribune...Spotlight

			Monday, July 13, 1998
weather today's calendar

Mahanta escapes
GUWAHATI, July 12 (PTI) — Assam Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta and four of his Cabinet colleagues along with six officers had a miraculous escape today, when their IAF helicopter developed trouble in mid-air, but landed back safely at Borjhar airport here. Official sources said the MI-8 helicopter, within five minutes of take-off from Borjhar airport for aerial survey of floods in upper Assam's Dhemaji district, developed serious trouble with its rotor-blades and propeller, preventing the chopper from flying further.
3 shot dead in Karachi
KARACHI, July 12 (AFP) — At least three persons, including two policemen, were gunned down today in renewed violence here, the police said. A policeman from the government's crime investigation agency was shot dead in the western district of Orangi, the police said, adding that gunmen also killed a policeman in a central district. A 20-year-old man was also shot dead in the Liaquatabad area.

Japanese poll
TOKYO, July 14 (Reuters) — Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) won only 44 seats, 17 short of its target, in the Upper House elections today, official final results showed. The disastrous showing, far worse than anyone expected, was an almost certain guarantee that Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto would resign to take responsibility for a result expected to set off turmoil tomorrow in global financial markets.
Key city captured
ISLAMABAD, July 12 (AFP) — The Taliban militia today captured a key city in northern Afghanistan after heavy fighting with opposition troops loyal to ethnic Uzbek General Abdul Rashid Dostam, a private Afghan news service reported. The Islamic fighters entered Maimana, capital of the northwestern Faryab province around noon, the Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) said.
Winnie's threat
JOHANNESBURG, July 12 (AFP) — Winnie Madikizela-Mandela has threatened to quit the party for which her ex-husband, South African President Nelson Mandela, spent 27 years in apartheid jails, according to press reports today. The controversial "mother of the nation" made the threat in what The Sunday Times newspaper described as "an extraordinary letter" to the provincial structures of the ruling African National Congress (ANC). She said her decision had been spurred by a history of harsh treatment meted out to her by certain leaders within the ANC.
Sexual abuse case
CHENNAI, July 12 (PTI) — The National Commission for Women (NCW) has recommended to the Tamil Nadu Government to initiate criminal proceedings against a government doctor in a sexual harassment case. The case pertains to alleged sexual harassment of some village health nurses by the doctor in Poyyar in Permabalur district.
Hashish netted
DUBAI, July 12 (AFP) — The police in the southern Gulf Emirate of Dubai has netted more than 680 kg of hashish and arrested five foreigners, three of them Pakistanis, the police and newspapers said today. Two Pakistanis were arrested in mid-June in possession of 435 kg of the drug which they planned to smuggle into a neighbouring Gulf Arab state, the police said in a statement.
Leader airlifted
COLOMBO, July 12 (PTI) — Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP) leader Douglas Devananda, who was seriously injured in a murderous attack by LTTE prisoners at high security jail at Kaluthura on June 30, was airlifted today to Singapore for further treatment. Hospital sources here said that Mr Devananda had recovered from a serious stab injuries on his head but he was sent to Singapore for treatment of one of his eye and ear which was also partly damaged during the attack.
Sino-US meeting
BEIJING, July 12 (PTI) — China and the USA will hold the first annual meeting under the military maritime consultative agreement to promote safety in naval and air operations next week. Mr Qian Shugen, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) today left on a tour of the USA at the invitation of Mr Joseph Prueher, Commander-in-Chief of the US Pacific Command to discuss issues of common concern.