tribuneindia...Spotlight

			Friday, June 4, 1999
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Maharashtra Cong splits
MUMBAI, June 3 (UNI) — The 103-member Congress Legislature Party (CLP) in Maharashtra formally split today with the rebel group supporting Mr Sharad Pawar parading themselves before the legislative assembly chairman Datta Nalawade and legislative council chairman N.S. Pharande and forming a separate group called Congress (R). The Speaker and the chairman met all 45 rebel MLAs and 15 MLCs, including one associate member of the CLP Ramdas Tadas, individually and verified their signatures on a memorandum submitted in this regard.

Militants torch houses in Assam
GUWAHATI, June 3 (PTI) - Four persons, including three militants, have been killed and several houses of tribesmen torched in separate incidents in Assam since last night, official sources said today. Troops of the Army’s 21st Mountain Division shot dead two National Democratic Front of Bodoland militants during an encounter last night. In another incident, suspected Bodo militants torched houses of 27 tribesmen at Fistimati village in Bongaigaon district.

Hosni Mubarak
CAIRO, June 3 (PTI) — Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has been overwhelmingly nominated for a fourth successive term in office for another six years by the country’s Parliament, saying the leader was chosen for his values of "absolute heroism, nationalism, belief in God, sincerity and pure conscience." According to the final tally, 443 members of the 454 strong people’s assembly voted in favour of Mr Mubarak’s nomination last evening.

9 die in air crash
LITTLE ROCK (Arkansas), June 3 (Reuters) — At least nine persons died in the crash of an American airlines jetliner as it tried to land in a storm with gale-force winds at Little Rock national airport, officials said today.

Ties with Fiji
SUVA, June 3 (AFP) — India today officially restored its diplomatic ties with Fiji, nine years after its Suva Embassy staff were given 24 hours notice to leave the country. India’s new Ambassador Ishwar Chauhan presented his credentials to President Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, who as Prime Minister in 1990 ordered the mission closed, claiming it was interfering in Fiji’s internal affairs.

Major cremated
AJMER (Rajasthan), June 3 (PTI) — Martyr Major Kamlesh Prasad of Artillery Regiment, Nasirabad was today cremated with full military honours at the Ramsar Road crematorium in Nasirabad Cantonment here. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, was also present.

Tansi land case
CHENNAI, June 3 (PTI) — A special judge today adjourned proceedings in the Tansi land deal case to June 8, accepting a defence counsel’s plea for the adjournment on the ground that the judge’s order directing Mohammad Asif, an accused in the case, to be examined by a panel of government doctors, had been challenged in the Madras High Court.

5 tribesmen killed
QUETTA, (Pakistan) June 3 (DPA) — At least five tribesmen were killed here and two others injured when two groups of Bugti tribesmen clashed over the laying of electric cables, newspaper reports said today.

Home Guards hurt
HYDERABAD, June 3 (PTI) — Seven Home Guards were injured when a mob, infuriated over the death of a man after he was released from police custody, pelted stones at a police station at Sadasivapet in Medak district, the police said today. District Collector Rajiv Ranjan Mishra has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident.