tribuneindia...Spotlight

			Tuesday, June 8, 1999
weather today's calendar

28 drowned as bus falls into tank
DAVANAGERE, June 7 (PTI) — At least 28 persons drowned when a crowded bus plunged into a tank at a village, about 200 km from Bangalore, in Karnataka's Davanagere district this evening, the police said. The private bus, carrying 65 passengers, was headed for Malebennur from here when the mishap occurred at Devarebelakere, village. The police said 26 persons were rescued while the fate of the remaining passengers was not known. Twenty-eight bodies had been recovered so far, they said adding massive rescue operations were on to locate the survivors or the dead.

US rejection
WASHINGTON, June 7 (PTI) — The USA has rejected Pakistan's letter protesting Washington's description of Pak-backed militants, that crossed into Indian territory in Kashmir escalating tension between the two South Asian neighbours, as "infiltrators". "We are confident of the basis on which we make our statements", a senior State Department spokesman told PTI today referring to State Department spokesman James Rubin's description of the militants as "infiltrators" in a recent statement.

4 SU-30 planes airlifted
MOSCOW, June 7 (PTI) — Russia today began the delivery of 10 state-of-the-art ‘Sukhoi’ SU-30K multi-role fighter jets to India by airlifting the first batch of four aircraft to the country, radio ‘Ekho Moskvy’ reported today. Under an additional $ 300 million deal signed last year, the fighter jets costing $ 30 million would be sent to India in ‘undocked’ shape. The aircraft would be reassembled in India by Russian technicians before delivery to the IAF. Russia had already supplied eight ‘SU-30MK’ multi-role jets to the IAF in May 1997 under a $ 1.6 billion deal for the supply of 40 SU-30MKI fighters being specially developed for India.

Change in portfolios
SHILLONG, June 7 (UNI) — Meghalaya Governor M.M. Jacob today reallocated the portfolios amongst the eight ministers on the advice of Chief Minister B.B. Lyngdho. Mr C.B. Mark will hold soil conservation, information and community and rural development, Mr Kitdor Syiem, forest and environment and general administration; Mr M.N. Mukhim, power, non-conventional energy and border areas development; Mr Tony Curtis Lyngdoh, social welfare, evaluation and election and Dr Mukul Sangma co-operation, fisheries and taxation.

5 killed in tribal clash in Pak
KARACHI, June 7 (DPA) — Clashes over a watercourse in a village near Sukkar city, about 500 km north-east of Karachi in southern Sindh province, claimed five lives and the battle for control of disputed watercourse was continuing, newspaper reports said today. Maher and Shar tribes had been fighting since Thursday and so far five persons had been killed in exchanges of fire, the police said. Fifteen persons have been arrested and additional police force has been sent to the area to control the violence.

BJP's refusal
RANCHI, June 7 (UNI) — The BJP today refused to adjust with the Samata Party from the Lok Sabha constituencies of south Bihar. A party release quoting BJP Vananchal Committee spokesman Uma Shanker Kedia said the party would contest all 14 seats of south Bihar on its own.

4 killed
PATNA, June 7 (PTI) — Four persons were killed in a clash between supporters of CPI-ML and residents of Basaunkala village in Buxur district of Bihar last night, officials said here today. State Home Secretary U. N. Panjiyar said heavily armed CPI-ML activists swooped down on the village and opened fire. Armed villagers also returned the fire and in the ensuing encounter two CPI-ML men and two villagers were killed.

2 Cong ministers quit
SHILLONG, June 7 (UNI) — Two more Congress ministers — E.D. Marak and Monindra Rava — today tendered their resignations from B.B. Lyngdoh ministry. These two ministers in a letter to Governor M. M. Jacob expressed their desire to join the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) floated by Mr Sharad Pawar.