IOC expels members
LAUSANNE, Jan 24 (DPA) — The International Olympic Committee (IOC) today decided to expel seven members from the 113-member body in connection with the bribery scandal surrounding the awarding of the 2002 winter Olympics to Salt Lake City. The move was divulged at the IOC's Lausanne headquarters in Switzerland while the IOC executive board was still reviewing a report over an internal inquiry into the allegations.

Gunmen kill 11
JOHANNESBURG, Jan 24 (PTI) — At least eleven persons were killed and seven injured when certain gunmen opened fire on them at a township near Richmond, 150 km from Durban, in South Africa’s Kwazulu-Natal province yesterday, the police said today. The killings followed the assassination of Sifiso Nkabinde, a senior leader of the new United Democratic Movement (UDM) earlier in the day. Gunmen opened fire on the mourners attending the funeral at Deputy Chairperson of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) Mamkhize Ndabazitha’s home.

Japan rocked
TOKYO, Jan 24 (AFP) — A strong earthquake measuring 5.9 on the open-ended Richter Scale hit southern Japan today, but there were no reports of casualties or tidal wave warnings, the meteorological agency said. The epicentre of the quake, which struck at 6.07 a.m., was in the sea bed off Taneqashima island in Kagoshima prefecture, some 1,000 km south-west of Tokyo, the agency said. The only damage reported was a fallen shrine archway on Taneqashima, the official said.

Pamela cancels tour
BUENOS AIRES (Argentina), Jan 24 (AP) — Former "Baywatch’’ star Pamela Anderson cut short a South American tour after being mobbed by scores of teenage boys on a beach in Uruguay, a news agency reported. Ms Anderson immediately cancelled the filming of a Sun-tan lotion commercial in Uruguay and a guest appearance on a TV show in the neighbouring Argentina. She is frightened, and though we offered to suspend her open-air presentations she just wants to go home,’’ tour manager Diego Cassagne said.

Threats to Taslima
DHAKA, Jan 24 (PTI) — Controversial feminist writer Taslima Nasreen has received fresh death threats from Muslim fundamentalists even as the police claimed today that 10 persons arrested in this connection with the recent attempt on a veteran poet’s life had connections with terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden and targeted top writers, including Nasreen.

Myanmar arrests
YANGON, Jan 24 (Reuters) — Myanmar has arrested members of the main Opposition, the National League for Democracy (NLD), and an exiled anti-government group for allegedly inciting student riots in November and December, 1998, the official Myanmar News Agency (MNA) reported today. The agency did not said how many persons had been arrested, but it published photographs of 11 persons said to be held by the country’s military rulers. The exiled group has been identified as the People’s Defence Force.

Stabbed to death
NASIK, Jan 24 (PTI) — Nitin Sonawane, a son of Satana city Congress chief, was stabbed to death in Gangaram Colony on Satara-Malegaon road yesterday following a dispute over a plot of land, the police said today. Four persons have been arrested in this connection, the police added.

Arab meeting opens
CAIRO, Jan 24 (AFP) — A meeting of Arab Foreign Ministers to discuss the crisis in Iraq opened at the headquarters of the 22-member Arab League here today. In a speech opening the session, Arab League Secretary-General Esmat Abdel Mequid stressed the need to avoid a repetition of such operations as desert fox — the four days of the US-British air strikes on Iraq last month. The meeting is being presided over by Syrian Foreign Minister Faruq al-Shara. A report from Baghdad said the Iraqi press urged Arab Foreign Ministers to unilaterally lift the crippling UN embargo imposed more than eight years ago and to condemn the US-British air strike.

Tripura security
AGARTALA, Jan 24 (PTI) — Security has been beefed up in Tripura for the Republic Day celebrations following a boycott call given by several militant organisations. Army and paramilitary forces deployed in different parts of the state have been put on the maximum alert, Inspector- General of Police Salim Ali said today.

Bodo ultras kill 7
GUWAHATI, Jan 24 (PTI) — Outlawed Bodo insurgents shot dead seven persons, including four members of a family, in separate incidents in Assam since last night, official sources said today. Armed National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) militants gunned down Protima Das, a minor girl, her mother Bala Das, 32-year-old Dhiren Das, 20-year-old Sapan Das after the family failed to comply with their demand for money at Namtipara village of Darrang district last night, the sources said. Another group of NDFB militants gunned down Pradeep Thapa and his brother Papu Thapa at Laisingh Gaon in the same district.