G-15 summit
NEW DELHI, Feb 3 (UNI) — The ninth G-15 summit to be held at Jamaica from February 10-12 will focus on the current state of the world economy, international monetary and financial system reforms and prospects of trade and economic cooperation between developing countries, besides the multilateral trading system. The G-15 at Montego Bay (Jamaica) will take stock of its past activities and chalk out its future progress into the 21st century. Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee will be leaving for the summit on Sunday, according to official sources here today.

Pastors attacked
PATHANAMTHITTA, Feb 3 (UNI) — Three persons, including two pastors belonging to the Indian Pentecost Daiva Sabha, were attacked allegedly by activists of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), at Kumbazha in this district of Kerala, last night. The police said the pastors — Cryil Thomas Mathew (27) of Manneera and Eby John (35) of Myladupara — were returning in an autorickshaw after a prayer session when they were attacked by a 12-member gang wielding iron rods and sticks. The autorickshaw driver was also injured in the attack.

Judges appointed
NEW DELHI, Feb 3 (UNI) — The President yesterday appointed 20 Judges to the Allahabad High Court. The Judges appointed were Mr Ajay Kumar Yog, Mr Ram Prakash Mishra, Mr Pradeep Kant, Mr Shashi Kant Agarwal, Mr Udai Krishna Dhaon, Mr Yatindra Singh, Mr Vijay Manohar Sahni, Mr Sushil Harkauli, Mr Prakash Chandra Verma, Mr Rajesh Kumar Agarwal, Ms Lakshmi Bihari, Mr Ikram-ul Bari, Mr Mahesh Chand Jain, Mr Kamal Kishore, Mr Bhupendra Kumar Rathi, Mr Ravindra Dayal Mathur, Mr Satish Kumar Jain, Mr Uma Shankar Tripathi, Mr Naseemuddin and Mr Ramesh Dutt Shukla.

8 killed in Tripura
AGARTALA, Feb 3 (PTI) — Eight persons were killed, two seriously injured and several others reported missing while at least 200 huts were set on fire in violence by insurgents and irate mobs of Kanchanmala and neighbouring villages, about 12 km from here yesterday, the police said today. Four non-tribals were killed and two others seriously injured when a group of at least 25 ultras of the banned National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) swooped down upon Kanchanmala market last night, the police said.

Bihar bandh partial
PATNA, Feb 3 (PTI) — The dawn-to-dusk Bihar bandh called by the BJP-Samata combine today to press for immediate dismissal of the Rabri Devi Ministry following the Jehanabad massacre, evoked a "partial response", official sources said. Functioning in the offices of state and central government was "unaffected" with attendance being "near normal", the sources said. Though the private bus operators suspended their services across the state as a "precautionary measure", state-run buses plied with police security. No untoward incident was reported from anywhere till 1.30 pm, the sources said.

13 die in boat mishap
SHANGHAI, Feb 3 (AFP) — Thirteen persons feared dead after a boat collision on China's Yangtze river at Wuhu city in Eastern Anhui province, official reports said today. A high-speed ferry on Monday collided with an iron cargo barge just 200 metres short of its destination, the north bank of the broad river, the Wenhui daily said. The impact flipped the ferry, throwing its 22 passengers and two crew members into the water. Eleven were saved by nearby vessels.

44 rebels killed
ALGIERS, Feb 3 (Reuters) — Algerian troops have killed 44 Muslim rebels in two provinces and seized weapons guerrillas had snatched from soldiers they shot dead in an ambush, newspapers reported today. More than 1,400 soldiers backed by heavy artillery and helicopters stormed a rebel base on the Lala Oumsaad mountain in Bouira province some 60 km east of Algiers, killing 40 Muslim guerrillas on Monday.