tribuneindia...Spotlight

			Thursday, June 17, 1999
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Mbeki takes over from Mandela
JOHANNESBURG, June 16 (PTI) — Elder statesman Nelson Mandela smilingly stepped down from office today as his chosen deputy Thabo Mbeki took over as post-apartheid South Africa's second President, vowing to press on with Mr Mandela's policies of reconciliation and liberation. "I swear that I will be faithful to the Constitution of South Africa and will obey, observe, uphold and maintain the Constitution and all other law of the republic," Mr Mbeki, 56, vowed at a ceremony in capital Pretoria as Mr Mandela and a host of world leaders, including Indian Vice-President Krishan Kant, looked on. Guns boomed in the background and jets and helicopters flew past the imposing union building housing the South African Parliament in salute to the country's second ever black President and hundreds of cheering South Africans watched as the Mandela mantle passed on to Mr Mbeki. In an impassioned speech soon after the swearing in ceremony, Mr Mbeki promised to address the pressing issues of poverty, unemployment and crime and continue with his distinguished predecessor's policies of reconciliation to bring together the country's warring blacks and whites.

Narrow escape for Rabri, Laloo
LUCKNOW, June 16 (UNI) — Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi, Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Laloo Prasad Yadav and their daughter were among the 59 persons people who had a narrow escape when an Indian Airlines aircraft met with an accident just before take-off at the Amausi airport here today. Official sources said all 59 persons, including six crew, were safe. Flight IC 412 from Calcutta was en route to Delhi via Patna. Airport Officer S.K. Gupta said as the plane was about to take off two birds hit the right engine, the pilot immediately slowed down, he added.

Anwar plea fails
KUALA LUMPUR, June 16 (AFP) — A Malaysian High Court Judge today tossed out an appeal by ousted Deputy Premier Anwar Ibrahim to dismiss a sodomy charge against him. "I have with anxiety, scrutinised the evidence in affidavits filed by the applicant and I have carefully considered the lengthy submissions of both sides," said Justice Arifin Jaka. "The application is devoid of merits. I have no choice but to dismiss the application. The trial is to proceed." The Judge rejected a defence bid to delay the trial for another 12 days for them to prepare a new alibi.

Korea tensions ease
SEOUL, June 16 (Reuters) — North Korean fishing boats briefly moved up to the Yellow Sea boundary with the south today but Northern Navy ships were keeping their distance day after the two sides clashed, officials in Seoul said. Ten North Korean fishing boats were reported on the boundary this morning but later pulled back into northern waters, an official at South Korea's joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said South Korean ships sank a North Korean gunboat and heavily damaged several others yesterday in the first naval clash between the Koreans in the Yellow Sea since their 1950-53 war.

Rs 10 lakh relief
PATNA, June 16 (PTI) — Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi has handed over a cheque of Rs 10 lakh to the widow of Hardeo Prasad of Bihar Regiment who died in the action in Kargil. Accompanied by RJD president Laloo Prasad Yadav and party spokesman Shivanand Tiwari, the Chief Minister went to Prasad's native Kukur Har village under Ikanagar Sarai block in Nalanda district to hand over the cheque to Munni Devi, Prasad's widow yesterday. The Chief Minister also announced that Munni Devi would be given a job with the Nalanda district collectorate.