tribuneindia...Spotlight

			Tuesday, September 7, 1999
weather today's calendar

Vyjayanthimala joins BJP
CHENNAI, Sept 6 (UNI) — Rajya Sabha MP and popular filmstar of yesteryear Vyjayanthimala Bali today joined the BJP in the presence of Union Home Minister L.K. Advani. Ms Bali, whose Rajya Sabha term is about to end, had recently announced her decision to quit the Congress. She had also associated herself for sometime with the Tamil Maanila Congress led by Mr G.K. Moopanar.

220 feared dead
BEIJING, Sept 6 (AFP) — More than 220 persons are feared dead after their houses were swept in mudslides caused by torrential rain in South-East China, official media reported today. The China Daily said 118 people had been killed and another 104 were still missing near the town of Wenzhou in Zhejiang province. More than 600 people were injured in storms, provoked by tropical storm Wendy.

Bombing kills 25
GROZNY (Russia), Sep 6 (Reuters) — Mr Kazbek Makhashev, Deputy Prime Minister of Russia’s breakaway region of Chechnya today said Russian warplanes had bombed several villages on its territory, killing 25 civilians. "Last night the Russian air force carried out attacks against villages in Nozhay-Yurt district, killing 25 and wounding 40 persons," Mr Makhashev told reporters. A Russian Defence Ministry spokesman said he had no information about such an attack.

Food poisoning
KARUR, Sept 6 (UNI) — About 30 persons, including 20 children, were taken ill after eating sweets distributed by political workers at Rachandarthirumalai in Karur district of Tamil Nadu yesterday. The police said the patients were treated at the Dr K.A.P. Viswanatham Government Medical College Hospital at Tiruchirapalli after they complained of nausea, vomitting and giddiness.

shot, 20 abducted
AGARTALA, Sept 6 (UNI) — Outlawed tribal guerrillas shot dead two tribal youths, injured one and kidnapped at least 20 persons in separate incidents in Tripura today. The police said two tribal youths were shot dead and one was injured when armed militants ambushed a state-owned passenger bus at Taichama on the Teliamura-Amarpur highway in South Tripura district.

Hosni Mubarak
CAIRO, Sept 6 (PTI) — Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak today escaped a bid on his life after security guards shot dead a knife-wielding man who charged at him near here, eyewitnesses said. Security guards sprayed bullets at the knife-wielding man who threatened Mr Mubarak while the President was waving to the crowd from the window of his car in the neighbouring town of Port, eyewitnesses said. The President was reported safe.