tribuneindia...Spotlight

			Sunday, November 21, 1999
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6 killed in blast
ISLAMABAD, Nov 20 (UNI) — Six persons were killed and more than 15 injured in a powerful bomb blast inside walled city bazar in Lahore this afternoon. The blast occurred at a cycle repair shop inside Lahori Gate when a person brought his bike to be set right. The packet on the carrier of the bike is said to have exploded. Those killed included two children and three young men. The injured were rushed to Earby Hospital.

22 burnt to death
LAGOS, Nov 20 (AFP) — Twenty two persons, including an infant, were burnt to death and 15 others seriously injured when two commuter buses collided on a highway in southwest Nigeria, newspapers reported today.Federal Road Safety Commission commander Umar Bello Ajingi told reporters the crash occured yesterday and that 16 of the 22 dead were burned beyond recognition.

Rajasthan Plan curtailed
JAIPUR, Nov 20 (PTI) — The Rajasthan Government today announced the curtailment of its current year’s Plan size by Rs 1,222 crore to tide over the present fiscal crisis. The government had to resort to such "drastic and harsh austerity measures" because the state was reeling under grave financial stringency due to non-availability of central assistance and the burden of Fifth Pay Commission recommendations on the exchequer, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot told reporters.

3 jawans hurt
IMPHAL, Nov 20 (UNI) — Three CRPF personnel were seriously injured when a powerful bomb exploded on national highway 39 at Nilkuthi in Manipur, about 10 km from here, today. The police said the device, planted by miscreants suspected to be members of an underground organisation, exploded when the CRPF vehicle passed over it during patrolling. The injured were rushed to J.N. Hospital, Imphal.

AIADMK MP hurt
KANCHEEPURAM, Nov 20 (UNI) — AIADMK leader and Rajya Sabha member T.M. Venkatachalam and six others were critically injured in a road accident near Koovathur in the district today. The police said Mr Venkatachalam was driving to Pondicherry in his car when it collided with a van on the Sikanakuppam East Coast road. He was rushed to Chengalpattu Government Hospital, where the other injured were being treated.

Sino-Indian hotline
GANGTOK, Nov 20 (UNI) — India and China today opened a hotline between its army commanders on the Sino-Indian border post of Nathula for regular interaction. The first call declaring the link open was exchanged between the two garrisons at 9 a.m., official sources said. The telelink would be tested daily and be used to keep each other informed of activities along the border and defuse border tension.

Mendonca fined
NAGPUR, Nov 20 (UNI) — The Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court has slapped a fine of Rs 5000 on Mumbai’s Police Commissioner R.H. Mendonca for the inordinate delay in filing a reply to a notice issued by the court. A Division Bench of the court comprising Mr Justice J.N. Patel and Mr Justice S.G. Mahajan slapped the fine while hearing a criminal writ petition filed by Sunil Ghate, a close accomplice of gangster-turned-politician, Arun Gawli, yesterday.

UP portfolios
LUCKNOW, Nov 20 (PTI) — Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Ram Prakash Gupta today distributed portfolios among the ministers in his jumbo-sized 91-member coalition ministry, keeping 19 departments, including Home, Vigilance and Information with himself. Ending week-long speculation, Mr Gupta, who had inducted most of the ministers in former Chief Minister Kalyan Singh’s ministry, made minor changes in their portfolios giving the key Fianance Ministry to Harish Chandra Srivastava.

George authorised
PATNA, Nov 20 (PTI) — The Bihar unit of the Samata Party today authorised senior party leaders George Fernandes and Nitish Kumar to finalise modalities for its formal merger with the Janata Dal (United). "The Bihar unit of the party has authorised Mr Fernandes and Mr Nitish Kumar to chalk out modalities for the merger," state Samata President Raghunath Jha, MP, told reporters at the conclusion of a one-day meeting of the state executive of the party.