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			Tuesday, October 12, 1999
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Blobel wins Nobel for Medicine
STOCKHOLM, Oct 11 (AP) — Guenter Blobel of Rockefeller University in New York won the Nobel Prize for Medicine today for his research on proteins which shed new light on human diseases including cystic fibrosis and early development of kidney stones. Blobel (63), a native of Germany, was cited for the discovery that proteins have intrinsic signals that govern their transport and localisation in the cell. "A number of human hereditary diseases are caused by errors in these signals and transport mechanisms," the Nobel Assembly said in announcing the prize. "Blobel’s research has also contributed to the development of a more effective use of cells as ‘protein factories’ for the production of important drugs." The prize announcement said his work had several implications. "One example is the hereditary disease primary hyperoxaluria, which causes kidney stones at an early age.. ... Other hereditary diseases, e.g., cystic fibrosis, are caused by the fact that proteins do not reach their proper destination." Winners of the Nobel Prize in Physics and Chemistry are to be announced tomorrow, followed by Economics on Wednesday and the Peace prize on Friday. All prize announcements are in Stockholm, except for the Peace prize, which is announced in Oslo, Norway.

SC cases on Net
NEW DELHI, Oct 11 (PTI) — The Supreme Court today went hi-tech with the Chief Justice of India putting the daily and advance list of cases on Internet which would help litigants across the country to know when their cases would be heard without coming to the Capital. Chief Justice A.S. Anand, who completed one year in the highest post in the judiciary today, after inaugurating the Supreme Court cause list on Internet said, ‘‘It is a step forward as we enter the new millennium.’’

Phones for aged
NEW DELHI, Oct 11 (PTI) — The government has decided to give telephone connections to senior citizens aged 65 and above on a priority basis. As a welfare measure, senior citizens would be entitled to one telephone connection in the name under ‘‘non-OYT-special’’ category, an official release said here today. The telephone provided under this category would be transferable only in the name of his/her spouse after the death of the subscriber.

Yeltsin discharged
MOSCOW, Oct 11 (PTI) — Ailing President Boris Yeltsin was discharged today from the Central Clinic here amidst calls for transferring his powers to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. Mr Yeltsin was admitted to Moscow's elite clinic on Saturday with high temperature and flue. Russian TV channels showed footage of Mr Yeltsin talking to his press spokesman Dmitry Yakushkin and taking leave from Chief Presidential Medical Officer Mironov.

S.D. Sharma stable
NEW DELHI, Oct 11 (UNI) — Former President S.D. Sharma, admitted to hospital here, was in a stable condition today, his family said. Dr Sharma was admitted to the Escorts Heart Institute and Hospital on Saturday following complaints of uneasiness and breathlessness.

Editor jailed
TEHERAN, Oct 11 (AFP) — Iranian courts have imprisoned a female newspaper editor for the first time after her weekly published items in connection with a theatre piece satirising Shia Islam, newspapers reported here today. Ms Jaleh Oskui, head of the Penj-Shanbeh (Thursday) weekly, faces 11 accusations of violating Iran's tough press laws, the papers said without specifying the nature of the charges.

Pole arrested
NEW DELHI, Oct 11 (UNI) — A Polish national was arrested at IGI Airport here early this morning for trying to smuggle out heroin worth Rs 50 lakh which he had hid in his knee caps. The police said the 38-year-old Polish national, Miroskaw, was nabbed when he was getting his luggage cleared at the airport security. He confessed he had bought the contraband in Palika Bazaar, a busy shopping complex in the commercial hub of Connaught Place.

Typhoon kills 34
BEIJING, Oct 11 (DPA) — A Typhoon claimed at least 34 lives and left hundreds stranded by floods after it devastated parts of south-eastern China before fizzling out over the Yellow Sea, local officials said today. The China Daily claimed life had returned to normal in Fujian province, two days after Typhoon Dan, the 14th and strongest such storm of the season, slammed into the coastal cities of Zhangzhou, Quanzhou and Xiamen.

Film director dead
PUNE, Oct 11 (UNI) — Dadasaheb Phalke awardee and Marathi film maker Ramakant Kavathekar (57) passed away this morning following a prolonged illness. Mr Kavathekar had started off as a professor in the Abhinava Kala Arts college here but later gave up teaching to take up film-making. He had produced three films "Nagin", "Aghat" and "Pandharichi Vart".