Hu takes China’s helm with Jiang in shadows

BEIJING, Nov 15: China’s Hu Jintao took the helm of the world’s most populous nation today to steer its booming economy and maintain tight communist party control with predecessor Jiang Zemin pulling strings from retirement.

Hu, 59, was formally appointed Communist Party chief and head of the "fourth generation" of leaders — following chairman Mao Zedong, Deng Xiaoping and Jiang — after months of secretive jockeying for power among the retiring old guard.

The new lineup emerged from behind a carved wooden screen in the Soviet-style great hall of the people in the final act of the first succession in communist China untainted by purges, plots or bloodshed.

The televised ceremony was the first many ordinary Chinese learned of the most sweeping shakeup since Jiang took power in 1989 after a bloody crackdown on student protests on Siananmen square.

The new politburo standing committee, expanded from seven to nine members, was stacked with six Jiang allies, guaranteeing him a say in decision making as China grapples with rising unemployment and emerges as a world power.

"The more people you have, the less power each individual has," said one Chinese political scientist, who declined to be identified. "And the more allies Jiang has, the more he can influence decision-making after retirement.

Jiang also kept his post as head of the Central Military Commission (CMC), which commands the world’s biggest armed forces, as Deng did for two years after leaving the standing committee in 1987. Vice Premier Wu Bangguo, 61, emerged second and is expected to take over the Parliament in March next year, when the old guard leaders step down from their Government posts.

Vice Premier Wen Jiabao, backed by Premier Zhu Rongji, was third in line and could take over the reins of Asia’s fastest growing economy next year.

Parliament chief Li Peng’s protege, internal security Tsar Luo Gan, 67, was the last in the lineup.

The rest were all allies of Jiang, either through personal friendship or as part of a "Shanghai gang" of natives and former officials from the country’s financial centre and surrounding provinces, Chinese sources said.

Jiang’s main protege and hatchet man, Zeng Qinghong, 63, took the number five slot and is expected to take over the day-to-day running of the party.

Beijing’s former party boss, Jia Qinglin, 62, a close friend of Jiang, joined the standing committee despite being tainted by a huge smuggling scandal that unfolded when he was party boss in the southeastern province of Fujian.

He is expected to take a back seat role in the leadership — most likely as head of the toothless Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, Chinese sources say.

Huang Ju, 64, who stepped down as Shanghai party chief last month, took the number six slot. Wu Guanzheng, 64, party boss in the eastern province of Shandong, was number seven and took over the party’s anti-corruption body.

Number eight was Li Changchun, 58, party boss of the southern province of Guangdong.

With so many of Jiang’s allies in the new leadership, Hu will have to defer to his predecessor for the next few years — just as Jiang ruled in the shadow of Deng until his death in 1997.

Jiang will also wield power as author of the "three represents" political theory written into the party constitution on Thursday, putting him on a symbolic plane with Mao and Deng, whose theories are also enshrined in the charter.

Having the theory, which allows the party to recruit private entrepreneurs, in the constitution boosts Jiang’s power in retirement, requiring him to be consulted on any further reforms. (AGENCIES)

Troops take control of Khalanga after Maoist attack, 34 dead

KATHMANDU, Nov 15: Security forces in Nepal have repulsed a massive attack by Maoists rebels on Khalanga, the district headquarters of Jumla, in which 34 people, including 22 policemen, were killed, the state-run Radio Nepal said.

Security forces have established control over Khalanga after it was attacked by the rebels late last night.

In the retaliatory attack by security forces, dozens of Maoists have been killed, the radio quoted official souces as saying.

"There have been heavy rebel casualties", an official source said. The army is continuing pursuing and blocking operations against the insurgents.

The radio did not mention any loss to the security forces side.

However, unofficial sources put the number of securitymen killed at 22.

Hundreds of insurgents attacked the district headquarters at about 2200 hrs last night using long range and automatic weapons. The attack resulted in disruption of communications with the rest of the country.

Communication contact with the police was lost after fighting began. Though communications with the army were still operational, helicopters sent in for reinforcement were unable to land during the night. The army barracks lie strategically on top of the valley while the police facilities are vulnerable in the valley.

The fighting continued up to 5 am(local time) this morning.

A night vision-equipped helicopter was flown to the area and the security forces report having sighted insurgents carrying many bodies of the slain maoists rebels, the radio said.

The helicopters from Nepalgunj also assisted the ground troops. Though troops are now in firm control of the town, Government buildings and other facilities lie in ruins. The Maoists were also said to have attacked the airport and the tower there was still on fire.

The town houses several Government offices and there are army as well as police posts. However, the main target of the attack is said to have been the district police office.

Army reinforcements have been dropped by helicopters around 2-3 kilometers away from the core city area where the Maoists had launched another deadly attack last night.

About 800 security personnel from police, armed police and the army are deployed in the town.

Unconfirmed reports say there might have been civilian casualties, as helicopters had fired into residential areas from where the Maoists were shooting at the troops and helicopters.

Meanwhile, at least 8 policemen suffered serious injuries after Maoists attacked a police post in Gorkha district. All eight injured policemen have been airlifted to Kathmandu and Pokhara for treatment.

This is the first attack on the district headquarter by the Maoists since the sacking of the Sher Bahadur Deuba Government in September. The attack comes even after offer for peace talks by the new Government head to negotiate an end to the seven-year insurgency that has sapped the nation’s economy.

The attack followed a three-day national general strike earlier this week called by the rebels, wherein the Maoists reiterated their demand for the formation of a new national assembly to draft a fresh constitution that would abolish the monarchy as a condition for ending their strikes.

The attack is also the latest in a series of guerrilla assaults on security posts.

The rebels killed Chakra Bahadur Dagaura Chaudhary, an ex parliamentarian in Kailali district yesterday. Chaudhary was shot by the insurgents and who died on the way to hospital.

Two insurgents were killed in an explosion in eastern sindhupalchowk district while trying to set an ambush the radio quoted the local security official as saying.

In September, the rebels attacked two security posts, killing at least 109 soldiers. Officials said about 100 guerrillas were killed in those attacks.

During the seven-year-long insurgency, there have been nearly 7000 casualities from both sides (UNI)

Pak man executed for 1993 killing of 2 CIA employees

NEW YORK, Nov 15: A 38-year-old Pakistani national was executed today by lethal injection for the 1993 killing of two CIA employees as the US ignored warnings that it could have serious consequences for Americans across the world and hinder the war against terrorism.

Ajmal Khan Kasi’s execution was carried out at Greensville Correctional Centre in Virginia state at 0737 IST amidst tight security.

Several Pakistani leaders had said sparing Kasi’s life would help the US "win the hearts of millions" which in turn would assist them in their war against terrorism. But his execution could lead to serious repercussions as it would anger people, they said.

Hundreds of students held demonstrations during last few days in Pakistan warning of serious consequences for Americans. Kasi’s tribe members too had pleaded for his life.

Recognising that the execution could raise ire of people in Pakistan, the State Department had also issued a warning a week ago that it could lead to vengeance against Americans.

Four workers of an American oil company were shot and killed two days after Kasi was convicted.

The execution came a few hours after the US Supreme Court dismissed his final petition for clemency with remark that he had shown no remorse.

"God is great," Kasi, dressed in a blue prison outfit with his hands and feet chained, chanted till his death.

Kasi’s lawyers did not immediately reveal plans for his funeral but his tribe members had said earlier that he would be buried by the side of the his father in the family graveyard in his native land.

Hours before he was executed, Kasi met with his brothers, lawyers and priest, corrections spokesman Larry Traylor said.

Family members of the victims did not attend the execution.

Kasi’s family near Quetta, Pakistan, and the family of Judy Becker-Darling, widow of Frank Darling who was one of the two CIA employees killed by him, appealed for calm.

Kasi, with an AK 47, shot dead CIA communications worker Darling, 28, and CIA analyst and physician Lansing Bennet, 66, as they sat in their cars at a traffic light.

He then fled the United States and went into hiding in Afghanistan. Kasi was arrested four and a half years later from a hotel in Pakistan and brought to the US to stand trial.

The US had offered a four and half million-dollar reward for his arrest. He was nabbed following a tip off.

Kasi was said to have confessed to the killing, saying he was angry over CIA meddling in Muslim nations. He was convicted in November, 1997. (PTI)

Iraq asks Indian inspectors to join UN team

NEW DELHI, Nov 15: Faced with UN inspection for weapons of mass destruction, Iraq today appealed to India to prevail upon the US and other key members of the international community to protect its sovereignty and demanded that Indian inspectors should join the world body’s team to lend credibility to the process.

"India, which is a major player in the international community, has established good relations with the US and has traditional linkages with Iraq. India should play its role to ensure that the US and other countries adhere to the UN charter and the international law," Iraqi ambassador here Salah Al-Mukhtar told reporters.

Asked if Baghdad was satisfied with New Delhi’s role, he said "yes, we are satisfied. We hope India will a play a more active role than what it is currently doing".

Replying to questions, Al-Mukhtar said Indian weapons inspectors should join the UN team to "prevent" the world body from coming under US and British "pressure" to "defy" the international law.

Dismissing as "totally fabricated" the charge that Baghdad might possess nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction, the envoy accused the US of threatening to launch a war against Iraq with the "root cause" being controlling the oil fields which have huge reserves, probably more than Saudi Arabia’s.

Observing that India has always supported Iraq’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, he said Baghdad would also want New Delhi to help defuse any crisis that might arise during the inspection exercise. (PTI)

FBI warns of ‘spectacular’ terrorist attacks in US

WASHINGTON, Nov 15: The US Federal Bureau of Investigation has issued a bulletin warning that Osama bin Laden’s Al-Qaeda network may pursue "spectacular attacks" with "high symbolic value" in the United States.

"In selecting its next targets, sources suggest Al-Qaeda may favor spectacular attacks that meet several criteria: high symbolic value, mass casualties, severe damage to the US economy and maximum psychological trauma," the FBI said in a bulletin posted on the internet today.

"The highest-priority targets remain within the aviation, petroleum and nuclear sectors, as well as significant national landmarks," it added. (AFP)

Pakistani Parliament to be sworn in today

ISLAMABAD, Nov 15: After weeks of bickering and "behind the scenes" inter-party efforts to form a coalition Government, almost 336 newly-elected lawmakers are set to take the oath in Parliament house tomorrow.

However, it was not clear if the speaker, head of the National Assembly - lower house - would be elected the same day.

The election of the future Prime Minister is likely to take place sometime next week.

The Parliament house has remained shut for the past three years after military ruler Pervez Musharraf toppled civilian Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in a bloodless coup in October 1999. Sharif was later exiled to Saudi Arabia.

The 342-member National Assembly is led by the pro-establishment Quaid faction of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q) which won 103 seats but fell short of required 172 seats to form the Government.

Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) - a proxy of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto’s PPP - secured 81 seats, followed by an alliance of six religious parties, Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) winning 59 seats.

Other political groups and independent candidates, including Sharif’s PML-N and Sindh-based nationalist party Mutahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), shared the remaining seats. (DPA)

British Treasury Secretary to visit India

LONDON, Nov 15: Combating terrorism and curbing ‘hawala’ transactions by terrorist outfits will be among the subjects British Treasury Secretary Paul Boeteng will discuss with Indian leaders during his one-week long visit to India from November 20.

"Terrorism is a threat to India, the UK and all democratic countries and we have to face the threat together," boeteng, who will lead the British delegation at the G-20 meeting in New Delhi from November 22, told reporters today.

This will be the first visit of boeteng to Delhi and also the first time he is visiting India as a British Minister. He visited Chennai and Mumbai 13 years ago when he had gone to attend the World Council of Churches meeting in Chennai, then Madras.

Boeteng would visit Hyderabad on Nov 20 and hold discussions with the State Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu on various developmental issues including it and how to combat HIV AIDS. The next day he will be in Mumbai where he would meet representatives of London and Mumbai Stock Exchanges.

During the G-20 meeting in New Delhi from November 22, he will also have bilateral discussions with India’s Finance Minister Jaswant Singh and other central leaders.

This is also part of the series of high-level ministerial visits that has been taking place between the two countries as a sequel to the signing of the New Delhi declaration by British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee in New Delhi earlier this year. (PTI)

Pak President revives Constitution

ISLAMABAD, Nov 15: Pakistan’s President Pervez Musharraf today revived the country’s 1973 constitution, which has been in abeyance since he seized power in a bloodless 1999 coup, a Government statement said.

"The President and Chief Executive has revived the Constitution of Pakistan except a few articles pertaining to the provincial Governments, the senate of Pakistan, etc, with effect from November 16, 2002, which will be restored later," the full statement said.

The statement did not mention whether 29 amendments introduced unilaterally by Musharraf under the legal framework order were included, but the Government has said the constitution would automatically incorporate the controversial amendments once it was revived. (AFP)

Rockets hit school, airport in Jalalabad

PESHAWAR, Nov 15: Four rockets were fired at the Eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad today, hitting a school and the airport but causing no casualties, police said.

Authorities searched an area about 15 kms south of the city after the attack, which happened around dusk, but made no arrests, police chief Haji Ajab Shah told the associated press by satellite telephone.

He said two of the rockets fell on a high school in the city, damaging classrooms and other buildings. No one was injured because the school was empty at the time, he said.

The other two rockets fell at the city’s airport, breaking windows and causing other minor damage to the buildings, Shah said. The runway and other key facilities were not damaged.

Shah blamed Al-Qaeda or Taliban fugitives for the attack, and said that supporters of the terrorist network distributed pamphlets late yesterday in Jalalabad warning local authorities to close cinemas and shops selling music in the city. The former Taliban regime banned movies and most music as against Islam. (AP)

Baghdad had no choice but to accept
"unjust" UN resolution

BAGHDAD, Nov 15: President Saddam Hussein’s Government told Iraqis today they must welcome new UN weapons inspections to spare the country from harm, but also warned the war-wary nation to prepare for the worst.

"If the evil people want to attack us, we are up to it," Muslim cleric Abdul-Ghafour Al-Qaissi warned in a sermon broadcast nationally by state television.

The advance team of inspectors, backed by a tough new UN resolution ordering Iraq to cooperate in declaring and dismantling its weapons of mass destruction or face "serious consequences," is gathering in Cyprus and is expected in Baghdad on Monday.

On Wednesday, Saddam accepted the resolution, while insisting Iraq has no chemical, biological and nuclear arms.

US officials, who say they want Saddam toppled, were dismissive. In Washington, Defence Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said yesterday the United States was "prepared and concerned" about the possibility Iraq could launch chemical or biological attacks against US troops or sponsor a terrorist attack in America if the United States takes military action to disarm Saddam.

"Iraq’s acceptance of the resolution is an attempt to save our people from any harm." Al-Iraq state-run newspaper said Friday . "This is the most important thing."

At the same time, the Government made clear that it is unhappy with the resolution, which was approved unanimously by the 15-member Security Council. (AP)

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