Hamas stages sit-in in Gaza: seven hundred sympathisers of the Islamic resistance movement Hamas staged a sit-in in Gaza City on Saturday calling for the dismissal of the new head of the local authority. AFP reports from Gaza City.
Oun Al-Shawa was appointed to chair the Local council by PLO leader Yasser Arafat on July 27.
Tanker blast kills 2 in S Lebanon: a bomb concealed in a fuel tanker exploded near a police station in this southern Lebanese market town on Sunday, killing two people and wounding seven, police said. AP reports from Nabatiyeh.
The bomb went off at 10:20 am (0720 GMT) as the tanker, towed by a tractor, was negotiating a road bend in front of the police station at Nabatiyeh s Hussainiyeh Square. There was no immediate claim of responsibility.
3 climbers die in Pakistan: Three • Ukrainian climbers have died during an expedition to K-2 mountain in northern Pakistan, a Pakistani newspaper said on Saturday. AFP reports from Islamabad.
The three climbers died last month during their descent of the 18.611-metre (28.4 F6-foot) mountain, the world's second highest, the Nation newspaper quoted expedition leader Sviridenko as saying.
55 tonnes of drugs seized in Iran: Police seized 55 tonnes of drugs in four months up to July 21. a 10 per cent leap on the same period in 1993. the official IRNA news agency said on Saturday, AFP reports from Tehran.
According to official sources, some 10.000 drug traffickers — including 128 foreigners — and 15.000 drug addicts have been arrested since the beginning of this year.
11 die in El Salvador blast: Elever people died and at least 16 were wounded on Saturday when a grenade exploded during a bus robbery in western El Salvador, law enforcement authorities said. Reuter reports from San Salvador.
The grenade apparently went oil accidentally while eight shotgun toting men robbed the passengers of a bus oh the highway near the town of Nahulingo about 40 miles (67 km) west of San Salvador, police spokesman'Jose Maria Hidalgo told Reuters.
New party launched in Sikkim: The launching of a new regional party. United Liberation Front, by the former president of the Sikkim Pradesh Congress (1) A K Subba and revival of the dormant rising Sun Party by R C Poudyal have broadened the pre-poll political scenario in Sikkim. PTI reports from Gangtok.
So far. six political organisations — four regional and two national parties — are in the race for the assembly elections sc heduled to be held in November Jordan-Israel phone links: jordan s King Hussein and Israeli President Ezer Weizman formally Inaugurated direct telephone links between their two countries on Sunday in a chat broadcast live on Israeli's army radio. Reuter reports from Jerusalem.
During the short, awkward conversation. Weizman said he enjoyed watching the King s plane fly over Israel last week as Hussein returned to Ammah from Europe, and twice Invited the monarch to Jerusalem
Shalikashvili, Tipper Gore in Goma: The chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff. General John Shalikashvili. accompanied by the US Vice-President's wife Tipper Gore, arrived in Goma yesterday. AFP reports from Gania
Shalikashvtli said he had come "to thank our soldiers and afiybody deeply involved'" in the international operation to deal with the 850.000 Rwandan refugees who remain in the Goma region
He was welcomed at Goma Airport by the commander ol the French humanitarian mission in Rwanda, general Jean Claude Lafourcade.
70 British troops leave for Rwanda: Seventy Briush troops left overnight lor Rwanda as part of a planned 600-strong force to provide medical, logistical and technics! aid to the UN mission there, the Defence Ministry said AFP reports from London.
The engineers and medical personnel travelled on trans port planes loaded with construction equipment and troop carriers
They will join around 60 British troops who hav^ been in northwest Rwanda since Tuesday
Magic festival in Bihar Aug 21: Nearly 70 magicians from different countries will participate in the three day magic festival beginning at Boaro tn Bihar on August 21. PTI reports from Bokaro.
The secretary to the Magic Society of Bokaro. J C Dhar a renowned magician, told PTI here that magicians from the USA. Singapore. Srl Lana Bangladesh and India were ex peeled to participate in the festival to be organised for the k first time in Bihar.