tribuneindia...Spotlight

			Thursday, March 11, 1999
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Paint thrown on Khatami's car
ROME March 10 (Reuters) — An official car carrying Iranian President Mohammad Khatami was today hit by an egg filled with yellow paint, Italian news agency Ansa reported. Unidentified protesters threw the egg, which spewed paint on the right side of the bonnet of Mr Khatami’s Maserati car while it was travelling from his hotel in the smart area of Via Veneto. There were no immediate reports of arrests over the incident, though three Iranians carrying banners and denouncing Mr Khatami’s visit were detained near Piazza Venezia, where the President later laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Nepal poll
KATHMANDU, March 10 (AFP) — A second phase of general polls in Nepal will be held on May 17, despite opposition to the polls amid fears of violence and vote-rigging, the Election Commission said today. The second phase of the polls will follow two weeks after the first stage on May 3 — a date fixed by King Birendra after he dissolved parliament on the recommendation of the Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, in January.

FCI staff stir
NEW DELHI, March 10 (PTI) — Employees of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) today threatened to go on a strike on March 26 to protest against the management’s indifferent attitude towards their demands including a time-bound promotion policy. The call for the agitation was given by the National Committee of FCI Employees Union, which has around 35,000 employees. Banks, affiliated to the FCI employees' union, would also participate in the strike, the press note said. They will also organise an employees rally on Friday in the capital, it said.
Central rule okayed
NEW DELHI, March 10 (PTI) — The Rajya Sabha today adopted the resolution imposing President's rule in Goa by a voice vote. Replying to a brief discussion, the Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, said the government was committed to hold elections in the state at the earliest.
File papers
BANGALORE, March 10 (PTI) — Three Janata Dal candidates have filed nomination papers for tomorrow's election to Deputy Speaker's post of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly. Those who filed papers today are: Chandrasekhara Reddy Deshmukh Madan, JDLP Secretary, Jyothi Reddy and C.S. Putte Gowda.
AP House
HYDERABAD, March 10 (PTI) — The Majlis Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) members today stalled the proceedings in Andhra Pradesh Assembly for over 40 minutes contesting Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu's statement yesterday that one of the accused in the sensational fake currency racket was an MIM sympathiser. Making a special mention in the house, MIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi clarified that his party had nothing to do with Syed Hyder, the city-based businessman named as one of the accused in the printing and circulation of fake currency of Rs 500 denomination.
Pak military courts
ISLAMABAD, March 10 (PTI) — The Nawaz Sharif government looked all set to revive the controversial military tribunals, declared illegal by the Supreme Court earlier, with a senior member of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League calling for a joint session of Parliament on the issue. Zafar Ali Shah, a senior member of Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League and Parliamentary Secretary for Law and Parliamentary Affairs, in a clear indication of the government’s mood told mediapersons yesterday that a joint session of the Parliament should be summoned to consider the presidential ordinance which had been struck down by the apex court.
Blasts in Colombo
COLOMBO, March 10 (PTI) — Suspected LTTE guerrillas exploded a series of bombs here yesterday killing one person and injuring 14 others, and later blew up an Army vehicle with a land mine in the recently captured area in Sri Lanka’s northern Vanni in which two Army personnel were killed. Three bombs went off in the span of three hours at various places.