tribuneindia...Spotlight

			Sunday, June 20, 1999
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Pak accuses India of ‘rigidity’
ISLAMABAD, June 19 (PTI) — Pakistan President Rafiq Tarar has accused India of having an "inflexible and rigid" stance on the Kashmir issue and said this has resulted in the lack of progress in negotiations between the two countries. On the other hand, he claimed, Pakistan had not only extended several proposals for peaceful settlement of the dispute through negotiations, but had also requested for a third party mediation to achieve settlement of the conflict. Tarar was addressing the 23rd convocation ceremony of the National Defence College here yesterday. On the Kargil crisis, he claimed that Pakistan had made several overtures of peace but "it is unfortunate that India has not responded to it.

MIG crash: pilot dead
JAIPUR, June 19 (PTI) — A MIG-21 fighter of the Indian Air Force crashed in Barmer district today killing its pilot, reports reaching the state police headquarters here said. The pilot was identified as Flying Officer Amit Singh, they said. The crash occurred near Sohra village in Barmer district while the plane developed a technical snag and crashed after taking off from Uttarlai Air base at around 10, am. the reports said.
15 killed in clash
LHOKSEUMAWE (Indonesia), June 19 (Reuters) — Up to 15 men died today in Indonesia’s troubled Aceh province in a battle between the police and separatists, the police and rebels said. The clash occurred mid-morning as an elite police unit patrolled near Matang Sejuk village in North Aceh, around 80 km east of Lhokseumawe, an official said. The area is a stronghold of the pro-independence Free Aceh Movement. Guerrillas said 12 police were shot dead and the police said they killed three rebels.
Edward weds Sophie
WINDSOR, England, June 19 (Reuters) — Prince Edward, the last of Queen Elizabeth’s children to marry, today wedded public relations executive Sophie Rhys-Jones in a ceremony short on pomp but full of show business glitter. On the day of their marriage, Queen Elizabeth made her youngest son the Earl of Wessex and Viscount Severn. Sophie will be her royal highness the Countess of Wessex. Bucking tradition, the young couple cut down on the pomp and circumstance and trimmed the military trappings. They also opted for a late afternoon wedding. Prince Edward, undeterred by the dismal track record of his divorced sister and two brothers, married after a six-year romance with the poised and self-confident career woman.
Laloo's denial
RANCHI, June 19 (PTI) — Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Laloo Prasad Yadav today refuted reports in a section of the Press recently that the RJD had finalised its alliance with Congress for the coming Lok Sabha polls. "Nothing final has happened. Right now our attention is fixed on Kargil,’’ he said. However, he indicated that an alliance with the Congress may be finalised after June 26 when the RJD chief is scheduled to meet the AICC President, Ms Sonia Gandhi, in New Delhi.
Lizard skin seized
MUMBAI, June 19 (PTI) — The police arrested a person and seized large consignment of the skin of monitor lizard, a protected animal, worth around Rs 9 lakh from him here yesterday. Acting on an information that a huge consignment of animal skin was being smuggled from here in a van, the police laid a trap near the eastern express highway, DCP (detection), Sunil Paraskar told newspersons today. A thorough search of the van revealed six gunny bags containing 11,000 skins of monitor lizard, he said.
Daler denies threat
From Our Correspondent
NEW DELHI, June 19 — Punjabi pop singer, Mr Daler Mehndi has denied that he was threatened by Abu Salem, Ibrahim Dawood’s right hand man. A few weeks back newspapers had carried a report that there was threat on Daler’s life by Abu Salem who wanted money from him. Mendi said these reports were baseless were hampering his business. His concert in Orissa was recently cancelled when the local police refused to take the responsibility of providing security to him.