tribuneindia...Spotlight

			Monday, February 22, 1999
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Jathedar's BP normal
Tribune News Service
AMRITSAR, Feb 21 — The acting Jathedar of Akal Takht, Giani Puran Singh, is making steady progress and is much better. The Government Medical College Principal, Dr O.P. Mahajan, who visited him this evening, told TNS he found the Jathedar cheerful. The Jathedar had been permitted to walk about in his room. His blood pressure was normal. The Board of Directors constituted by him continues to monitor his health and reports to the Principal. Giani Puran Singh has been admitted to Guru Nanak Dev Hospital after being shifted from Guru Ram Das Hospital, which is run by the SGPC.

Bihar Governor
PATNA, Feb 21 (UNI) — The Bihar Governor, Mr Sunder Singh Bhandari, arrived here this morning after the four-day-long controversy sparked by reported moves to remove him from office. Mr Bhandari was given a warm welcome at the airport by BJP leaders and senior government officials. Mr Bhandari had left for New Delhi in a huff on Wednesday declaring that he would not return to Patna as the Governor in view of the Union Home Minister's plans to appoint a non-political person in his place. The matter was, however, resolved following intervention by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.

7 Tigers killed
COLOMBO, Feb 21 (AFP) —At least seven Tamil Tiger guerrillas were killed in renewed fighting in the north of Sri Lanka, the Defence Ministry said here today. Three guerrillas of the LTTE were killed by the army during a confrontation in the northern peninsula of Jaffna yesterday, the ministry said. It did not say if the security forces suffered any casualties. However, the ministry said four more rebels were shot dead in two separate attacks in the north.

Copter crash
ILIGAN, Philippines, Feb 21 (AFP) — A Philippine air force helicopter crashed today in the southern city of Cagayan de Oro, killing four persons and critically injuring one. Air force spokesman Colonel Jose Mendoza said the UH-1H "Huey" chopper was on its way to nearby Zamboanga city from Fagayan de Oro when bad weather forced it back. The helicopter plunged into a rice field in Iponan village while trying to return to the Camp Evangelista air force base, he said.

BJP meeting
NEW DELHI, Feb 21 (PTI) — A meeting of the BJP and its allies will be held here on Tuesday to discuss issues likely to figure in the Budget session of Parliament. The meeting will be addressed by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee who is expected to inform the members of his historic bus journey to Lahore and the talks held with his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif, party sources said.

Laloo Yadav
NEW DELHI, Feb 21 (PTI) — The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) President, Mr Laloo Prasad Yadav, today contested Bihar Governor Sunder Singh Bhandari's assertion that he had carried out a major administrative shake-up to strike a balance between all sections of society. "The first thing Bhandari did was to replace the Director-General of Police who belonged to a minority community and the Chief Secretary from depressed sections with officials belonging to upper castes," Mr Yadav said.

Filmfare Awards
MUMBAI, Feb 21 (PTI) — The film "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai", capturing the various hues of love, proved to be the winner all the way, bagging several awards, including the top four honours for Best Film, Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Director at the Filmfare Awards-98 here today. The light-eyed Kajol bagged the Best Actress award for her tomboyish role in the film, while Shahrukh Khan walked away with the Best Actor award. Karan Johar won the Best Director award.

Serial blast case
COIMBATORE, Feb 21 (PTI) — Mujibur Rehman allegedly responsible for the killing of nine persons near the venue where BJP leader LK Advani was to address a public meeting on February 14, 1998, was arrested today. He was arrested near Athuppalam on the outskirts of the city by the special investigation team (SIT) of CBI-CID, which is probing the blast related cases, SIT sources said.