tribuneindia...Spotlight

			Wednesday, November 17, 1999
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S.D. Sharma to get award
CALCUTTA, Nov 16 (PTI) — Former President Dr Shankar Dayal Sharma will receive "Seva Chakra Award", highest honour of the Indian Board of Alternative Medicine for 1999 for his contribution to national solidarity. Announcing this today, the board said here it will also award Medha Patkar, Chandrababu Naidu, Justice K.M. Yusuf and Prof Amalendu Guha for Achievements in their respective fields at the board’s seventh international congress on December 1 and 2.

Pak-Taliban links
NEW DELHI, Nov 16 (PTI) — Britain has said links of the Pakistani military regime with the Taliban and terrorist groups led by Osama bin Laden were "very worrying signs". These links have brought down Pakistan’s reputation, British Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Peter Hain said in an interview to Doordarshan’s "Worldview India" on the eve of his visit to India.

Quake toll 547
ANKARA, Nov 16 (Reuters) — The death toll from last week’s earthquake in northwest Turkey jumped to 547 today, state-run Anatolian news agency said. The number of injured in the 7.2 Richter scale quake was 3,299. The death toll yesterday stood at 452. Thousands made homeless by the tremor are struggling against the cold and rain as the authorities try to house them in tents.

Manmohan Singh
NEW DELHI, Nov 16 (PTI) — Senior Congress leader Manmohan Singh today expressed concern over "grave threats" confronting religious freedom in the country, saying that "fair play" must prevail and people of all religions should be accepted as "full-fledged" citizens. "The picture today is not so bright," he said inaugurating a three-day conference on "Religious Freedom — A Fundamental Right" here.

B’desh strike
DHAKA, Nov 16 (Reuters) — The latest Opposition-led general strike aimed at forcing the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina gripped Bangladesh today. The strike, which followed a three-day countrywide stoppage last week, shut down most transport, businesse and schools. Opposition parties led by former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia accuse Ms Hasina of bad government and corruption, charges the premier has denied.

Wheat shortage
ISLAMABAD, Nov 16 (AFP) — Afghan Foreign Minister Wakil Ahmed Mutawakel today said that the current shortage of wheat flour in Afghanistan had worsened and many people might starve to death in remote parts of the country. The shortage has already triggered a price hike in Kabul and other cities. Attributed the shortage to drought and curbs clamped down by Pakistan on illegal trade with Afghanistan.

100 taken ill
HYDERABAD, Nov 16 (PTI) — Nearly 100 students suffered from food poisoning after consuming stale food in Nizamabad district last week, reports said here today. The students fell ill after eating food left over from a housewarming ceremony in Navipet mandal headquarters in the district on Sunday night. However, they were stated to be out of danger.