NEW YORK: Alternative music ruled the nominations for the 14th annual MTV video music awards yesterday, with the British dance band Jamiroquai racking up ten, Beck receiving seven and Nine Inch Nails getting five.

Those three, along with Jewel and No Doubt, were nominated in the best video of the year category.

Jamiroquai was cited for its inventive ``virtual insanity'' video, in which singer Jay Kay performs in a room where the floors, the walls and the furniture all move simultaneously. Jewel, who received three nominations, was also cited in the viewer's choice category, an award based on votes from the music channel's audience. In the best video category, Beck was nominated for The New Pollution, Nine Inch Nails for The Perfect Drug and No Doubt for Don't Speak. The awards will be given at a function tobe organised next month.

Nazi mortar

BUDAPEST: A rusting Nazi mortar shell buried for more than 50 years exploded, killing the two Hungarian soldiers who were trying to deduce it.

Officials said about 2,000 explosives left over from the war are found every year, but this accident caused the first deaths from World War II ordnance in 33 years.

The shell was found by a man digging a ditch in his yard in Dunaharaszti, just a few kilometers south of Budapest. The army was summoned, but it exploded when the two soldiers tried to dismantle it. However, no one else was injured.

Ostrich fare

PHOENIX: The sheriff who dresses inmates in pink underwear, houses some outdoors in army tents and keeps them in check with cameras mounted on dog patrols, has a new treat for prisoners: ostrich casserole.

Maricopa county sheriff Joe Arpaio agreed to accept a donation today of nearly 40 ostriches and emu from a Phoenix couple who operate an ostrich farm and want to reduce their inventory.

``I almost hate giving inmates such a fine quality meat product, but at least it's free,'' Arpaio said. The birds should provide enough meat to feed nearly 7,000 inmates two meals of ostrich casserole, Arpaio says. He has ordered his kitchen staff to begin experimenting with recipes for the meat.

Guard the veil

JEDDAH: The Information Ministry reminded men in Saudi Arabia that they have a responsibility to ensure that their women relatives are properly covered in public.

The Ministry of Information said the directive was addressed to men because they are responsible for women in Islamic societies.According to Islamic teachings, the fathers, husbands and guardians are responsible for the care of their families. There was no explanation for why the warning was issued now, though some women, especially in large cities, have become more casual about how they wear their traditional head scarves.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.