16/10/99 09:11 HBT
Russian troops today regrouped near the Terek River and fortified
their
positions in advance of what a Russian general said would be the
second
stage of the campaign against insurgents in Chechnya.
A Russian military spokesman said Chechen guerrillas were suffering
"serious losses" in the latest fighting.
Russian troops appear to be gaining the upper hand in this war.
A new stage of their offensive has begun, after a fortnight spent
securing the territory they have taken already in Northern Chechnya.
An armoured column is now heading towards the Chechen capital, Grozny.
The commander of Russian forces in the region, General Viktor Kazantsev,
said the aim was to destroy the Islamic rebel groups wherever they
might be.
Until now, the Russians have been reluctant to push in to the hilly
terrain
on the route to Grozny, fearing they might suffer heavy losses from
the
well-entrenched rebels.
Peacekeepers from the international force in East Timor killed three
members of a pro-Indonesian militia in a new skirmish Saturday along
the
border with Indonesian-controlled West Timor.
A powerful tremor has been felt in Los Angeles,jolting residents
out of
their beds and rocking houses. The earthquake measured 7.0 on the
Richter scale knocking out power to parts of Los Angeles, more than
100
miles from the epicentre.
Severe flooding has been causing devastation in Mexico. At least
425 people
are known to have died. Torrential rains have caused the countries
worst
natural disaster this decade. There have been huge mud slides and
even
crocodiles have invaded the city.
The US Senate has voted against a ban on nuclear testing. It is an
embarrassing defeat for Bill Clinton but the President says that
America
will not be carrying out any tests while he's in power.
In the first report of its kind, the Clinton administration has informed
a
UN committee there are instances of torture in the United
States. Areas of concern include instances of police abuse, excessive
use of
force, brutality and death of prisoners in custody.
The military in Pakistan is moving against people and institutions
previously loyal to the ousted prime minister,Nawaz Sharif.
Eighteen Pakistani diplomats appointed by Mr Sharif have been asked
to
resign, and a number of senior bureaucrats and officials have been
detained.
Thank You
Tia