tribuneindia...Spotlight

			Sunday, August 22, 1999
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Retd judge to probe Gaisal mishap
NEW DELHI, Aug 21 (PTI) — Justice G.N. Ray, a retired judge of the Supreme Court, will head the one-man commission to inquire into the causes leading to the Gaisal train accident early this month in which 286 persons were killed, official sources said today. Sources said the commission would suggest safeguards for prevention of accidents of similar nature in future. The panel would submit its report to the government within the "shortest possible time," keeping in view the nature of the tragedy.

6 killed in mishap
AMRITSAR, Aug 21 (TNS) — At least six persons died and one injured when the roof of a textile mill under repair collapsed near Gheo Mandi here today. The dead were identified as Lakhwinder Singh, a contractor, Sewa Singh, a mason, Ram and Lavkush. The sixth body is yet to be identified. Senior district officers including Mr Narinderjit Singh, Deputy Commissioner, rushed to the spot.

Saudi prince dead
RIYADH, Aug 21 (AFP) — Prince Faisal bin Fahd bin Abdelaziz, eldest son of King Fahd and head of the Arab Confederation of Sporting Games, died today at the age of 61, a Saudi sporting official told AFP. The prince died of "internal bleeding", an official from his department said. He was admitted to the King Faisal hospital earlier in the day and died at 3 p.m. local time (5.30 p.m. IST), the sources added.

Pak strikes deal
ISLAMABAD, Aug 21 (PTI) — In a bid to upgrade its air force, Pakistan had struck a deal with its traditional defence ally China and will receive about 100 Chinese F-7 MG light fighter aircraft within two months, media reports here said quoting a highly placed source. "The aircraft are ready for delivery at Chengdu aircraft industry and (Pakistan’s) Chief of the Air Staff Air Marshal Pervez Mehdi Qureshi has expressed satisfaction after flying one of the birds himself," The Pakistan Observer said quoting the NNI private news agency report. It is expected that the delivery of these aircraft will be completed by October, the source said.

Afghan fighting
KABUL, Aug 21 (PTI) — While Afghanistan’s Opposition today said it repulsed at least three military assaults by the Taliban, the ruling militia were issuing words of reassurance on its official Radio Shariat. According to the Opposition spokesman, who identified himself only as Abdullah, a bitter battle raged in northern Takhar province, where the Taliban have used helicopter gunships. Battles between the Opposition and the Taliban also were being fought in northern Kunar province and north of Kabul.

Wife concerned
BEIJING, Aug 21 (AFP) — The wife of a US researcher on Tibet seriously injured while trying to escape from Chinese police custody today expressed strong fears for the husband’s state of mind, a report said. Ms Phuntsog, the Tibetan wife of 29-year-old Daja Meston, said she could not imagine what circumstances drove her husband to take such a risk after he was detained near Tibet. Meston is one of two Western researchers detained for allegedly conducting illegal investigations into a World Bank project to relocate 60,000 people near Tibet.