tribuneindia...Spotlight

			Saturday, May 22, 1999
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Over 1000 rescued from burning ship
PENANG (Malaysia), May 21 (AFP) — More than 1,000 persons, including 126 Indians, were rescued in the early hours of today from a burning cruise ship that sank off the coast of Malaysia. All of the approximately 470 passengers — mainly British, Indians and Australians — and 630 crew from the 'Sun Vista' were picked up from lifeboats by passing freighters and the Malaysian police and Navy vessels. The police said 20 passengers were hospitalised with minor injuries but all passengers and crew were otherwise safe.
Three dead
KARACHI, May 21 (AFP) — Soldiers joined rescue operations today along Pakistan's cyclone-hit southern coast as the police confirmed three deaths and fishermen said hundreds (over 3500, says AP) of their colleagues were missing feared drowned. The cyclone yesterday struck the areas of Ketty Bandar and Shah Bandar, 195 km southeast of Karachi, with fierce winds and heavy rain also lashing a string of other towns and villages.

Lakhubhai case
NEW DELHI, May 21 (UNI) — A Delhi court today deferred till August 13 its order on the petition of tantrik Chandraswami and his secretary K.N. Aggarwal, alias 'Mamaji,' seeking closure of the $ 100,000 Lakhubhai Pathak cheating case. Additional Sessions Judge Ajit Bharihoke gave the ruling after the accused said their application may be kept pending till the Supreme Court clarified whether the apex court verdict in the Rajdeo Sharma case was applicable in the Pathak cheating case.
More Cong 'rebels'
PANAJI, May 21 (PTI) — The Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) has suspended 25 'rebel Congress candidates' who are contesting the official party nominees for the June 4 elections to the state legislative assembly.
JMM case
NEW DELHI, May 21 (PTI) — A city court today deferred till May 31 the hearing on the plea of former Union Minister Ajit Singh and eight former MPs seeking discharge from the JMM MPs bribery case on the basis of a Supreme Court judgement which gave immunity to MPs from prosecution.
7 killed in mishap
BAHRAICH, May 21(UNI) — Seven persons were killed and 15 injured in a collision between a truck and a jeep in the district today. According to SP Sanjay Singhal, the accident took place near Ahiraura village on the Bahraich-Balrampur road when the truck tried to overtake the jeep.
Defence tribunal
NEW DELHI, May 21 (TNS) — The Armed Forces Tribunal, a long pending demand of service personnel which was also strongly recommended by the Law Commission, is to be set up soon. All matters pertaining to the Armed Forces Tribunal were cleared at a meeting held between officials of the Defence and Law Ministries today. The tribunal will hear appeals against the sentence, findings and orders of court martials.
14 soldiers hurt
COLOMBO, May 21 (AP) — Suspected Tamil rebels triggered a land mine explosion today, seriously wounding 14 soldiers travelling in an armoured vehicle in northern Sri Lanka, the police said. Another three suffered minor injuries.
Czech President ill
PRAGUE, May 21 (DPA) — Czech President Vaclav Havel is being treated with antibiotics after his admission to Prague's military hospital suffering from bronchitis, his doctors said today. It remained to be seen if the bronchitis could be prevented from turning into pneumonia. Pneumonia could be life-threatening for Mr Havel who suffers from a chronic lung condition.
JD meeting put off
NEW DELHI, May 21 — The fast changing political scenario in the country has forced the Janata Dal to put off its two-day national executive meeting scheduled for May 24 and 25, the Secretary-General of the party, Mr Bapu Kaldate said.
Nepal poll
KATHMANDU, May 21 (Reuters) — The Nepali Congress party has got an absolute majority by winning 103 seats out of the 188 results declared so far in the 205-member House of Representatives in the country’s third general election since mutli-party democracy was established nine years ago. The arch-rival of NC, the Communist United Marxist-Leninist Party, had won 64 seats to become a strong opposition in Parliament.
Bus burnt
HYDERABAD, May 21 (UNI) — Naxalites of the People’s War Group set fire to a state-owned bus at Metpally village in Jammikunta Mandal, while a fake naxalite was shot dead in an encounter with police near Bhoopalpatnam village in Choppadandi Mandal in separate incidents in Karimnagar district of Andhra Pradesh late last night. The police today said the naxalites burnt the state road transport corporation bus as the corporation did not heed its bandh call.