World ill-prepared to counter bio-attacks

CARDIFF, Oct 3: The world has rushed to defend itself against bio-terrorist attack since September 11, 2001 but is still woefully ill-prepared, experts have said.

National agencies remain highly compartmentalised within their own special fields — chemical, biological and nuclear — and there is even less cooperation internationally, they told the fifth international conference on chemical incidents yesterday.

"There is no single country in Europe with the appropriate horizontal coordination system," World Health Organisation (WHO) expert Dinko Kello told the conference in the Welsh capital.

"There are also inappropriate command and control mechanisms to respond to terrorist attacks," he added.

Kello said that although there had been no known intentional use of chemical or biological agents apart from the anthrax letters in the United States after the Kamikaze attacks on New York and Washington, there was no time for complacency.

"Transatlantic collaboration among the relevant public health services...Is still more sporadic than planned," he said.

Gary Coleman, head of the British chemical accident agency. The national focus for chemical incidents, said co-ordination had improved nationally and to an extent internationally since September 11, 2001 but much was still required.

"We have always been prepared for the release of toxic chemicals. The difference since September 11 has been the scale," he told media on the margins of the conference.

"Since then, the major change is that we are now working much more closely with our colleagues working on communicable diseases.

"Our mind-set has changed. We have to prepare and plan for deliberate releases," he said. Iraq is known to have used chemical weapons in the past and is suspected still to possess them.

Security experts believe that a possible response to any military attack on Iraq to oust President Saddam Hussein would be chemical or biological retaliation in Europe or the United States.

Coleman said Britain’s chemical response unit — to be replaced next April by the integrated health protection agency — was unique in Europe.

But even then the new agency will only cover England and Wales, not Scotland or Northern Ireland although they may be included at a later stage.

The WHO in Geneva has a central reporting system for communicable diseases, and the European Union in Brussels has a central reporting system for the accidental release of certain chemicals from factories.

But for the most part, countries have honed their own reporting and response systems and ignored their neighbours.

"If you have a problem or a perceived threat, you deal with it from a national perspective first. Only belatedly have people begun to develop — or at least talk about developing — an international notification procedure," Coleman said.

"You see we have never faced terrorism like this before. Our lives have been dedicated to saving lives after accidents not deliberate releases. We have had to change our mind-sets, and it has not been a comfortable experience I can tell you," he added.

WHO expert Kersten Gutschmidt said there was still no global database for chemical incidents and only an informal mechanism for reporting them.

In an effort to counter this lack of knowledge, the WHO had developed a "web crawler" to sweep the internet for news of disease outbreaks that that might indicate an accidental or deliberate release. (AGENCIES)

Hollywood edging out Bollywood in the Gulf

DUBAI, Oct 3: In what could be a major concern for the recession-hit Indian film industry, Bollywood movies are apparently being edged out by Hollywood films in the Gulf.

For the the first time in Qatar, Hollywood films beat Bollywood and became the top revenue earners during the first eight months of this year.

American films accounted for 62 per cent revenue while Indian films, including Hindi, Malayalam and Tamil, accounted for only 24 per cent and Arabic films generated 12 per cent from January to August 2002, the Hulf Times daily reported.

The figures could be a matter of concern for the Indian cinema as overseas rights including that from the Gulf was a major source of income.

In 1996, Indian films had 72 per cent share, while Hollywood had 24 per cent and Arabic 4 per cent, Abdulrahman Mohsen Al-Mokkadam, general manager of Qatar Cinema and Film Distribution Company which runs 10 cinemas, told the daily.

Hollywood’s share possibly went up as the company could bring latest blockbusters like Spiderman, Men in Black II and Scorpion King, he added.

While the availability of Arabic films had improved over the years, Bollywood, world’s major movie industry based in Mumbai, had been facing a lot of problems, and most of the big budget films failing at the box office, he said. (PTI)

Pop star Adam Ant walks free from court

LONDON, Oct 3: Former British pop star Adam Ant walked free from court after a judge ruled that he had used to a gun to threaten pub customers who laughed at his cowboy attire because he was suffering mental problems.

The judge at London’s Old Bailey decided that the 1980s pop star, who had pleaded guilty to affray in August, should not be treated as a criminal over the incident because he was suffering from an episode of mental illness at the time.

Ant, who appeared under his real name Stuart Goddard, had marched into the Prince of Wales pub in North London last January dressed in a cowboy hat and combat jacket.

Pub regulars began laughing at him and humming the theme tune to the Spaghetti western "the good, the bad and the ugly".

Irate, he returned some hours later with a gun, which turned out to be a starting pistol, and threw a car alternator through the pub window, hitting greek musician plato contostavlos.

Ant was chased by pub customers but scared them off by pulling the starting pistol from his pocket. The court heard that the background to the case involved a woman called Kerry Ryan whom ant had befriended. Her husband had become jealous about their relationship and had allegedly begun harassing ant, who was also being bothered by a deranged woman fan at the time.

These harassment episodes were said to have aggravated Ant’s fragile mental state and he had decided to confront the husband at the pub.

The court was told that three psychiatrists had examined ant and described him as being in a "hyper-manic state".

"If I looked at only the facts of what you did a prison sentence would be justified," Judge Jeremy Roberts told the portly, balding, grey haired and bespectacled singer who looked little like the heartthrob who sold more than 15 million records including hits like "Prince Charming" and "Stand and Deliver".

"But psychiatrists have agreed that at the time you were suffering from a temporary episode of mental illness, which impaired your responsibility for what you did. Happily you are now recovered."

He ordered Ant to serve a 12 month community rehabilitation order and pay 500 pounds (780 dollars) compensation to contostavlos. (AGENCIES)

Yamamoto back in the fray with secondary label Y’s

PARIS, Oct 3: Japanese designer Yohji Yamamoto proved you can have your cake and eat it, unveiling his secondary line Y’s just three months after declaring he would forfeit the hubbub of the semi-annual Paris Fashion Shows.

Yamamoto had previewed his main Spring-Summer 2003 ready-to-wear collection in July, latching on to the French capital’s exclusive haute couture displays, but he was back in the fray yesterday with the younger, utilitarian Y’s label.

The master of minimalism was one of several designers showing on the eve of the official start of Paris fashion week, which has fallen victim to its own success with a head-spinning schedule of 95 official presentations in 9 days.

Guests gathered in a musty basement of the museum of cinema, where models ambled past in oversized black coats and slouchy boiler suits that were paired with asymetric wool singlets in an avant-garde take on the workman’s uniform.

Dungarees featured dropped sleeves that slipped off the shoulders to tie around the waist. A waxed cotton pinafore dress with leather braces bulged with a multitude of wide pockets, drawing inspiration from a fisherman’s overalls.

Colours were muted, with khaki, navy and walnut brightened only occasionally by a splash of turquoise or lime green. It was all part of Yamamoto’s less-is-more approach to sexuality, which he prefers deliberately oblique and secretive.

"When you hide it, it looks very mysterious, so it brings you back to your imagination," the designer, wearing a cranberry fedora hat, said. "If it’s too obvious, it is always ugly."

Models used to baring their skeletal frames for the cameras were swathed instead in layers of khaki silk or soiled felt that looked as if it had spent the night on a rough cement floor.

If diffusion lines are supposed to incarnate the more commercial side of a designer’s work, then it was hard to see who Yamamoto was targeting with this brand of homeless chic.

Look beyond the street urchin styling, however, and there was plenty to pick from this graceful and romantic collection.

Slim blazers were paired with cigarette trousers for a boyish, yet elegant day look. Ample cotton poplin skirts in muted shades of slate, olive and ink were gathered at the waist with broad strips of fabric that tied into sculptural bows.

Ruffles made an unexpected appearance, trailing from the hem of a simple white shirt or flouncing on the back of slate grey hipster trousers.

"Spiritually and conceptually there is no difference," Yamamoto said of his two ready-to-wear labels. "One is for special occasions, once in a while, but this collection is for everyday. The spirit of making the clothing is no different."

Retailers, who gave the collection a rapturous reception, were of the same opinion.

"I was surprised, it’s really a complete collection and it’s very close to the spirit of Yohji but at the same time younger, different, sportier," said Carla Sozzani, head of the Milanese Fashion Emporium 10 Corso Como.

Yamamoto, who recently confessed that he had considered retiring last year, seems to have found a fresh energy which he is channeling into a strong bid for the lucrative youth market.

The designer is scheduled to unveil next week a new sportswear collection, designed in conjunction with Adidas, that will introduce his lofty designs to the masses.(AGENCIES)

Nawaz Sharif says he rejected deal by Musharraf

ISLAMABAD, Oct 3: Deposed Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has disclosed that he was offered a deal to contest the upcoming general elections by President Pervez Musharraf but he turned it down.

In an exclusive interview with the BBC Urdu service, Sharif who was ousted in a military coup three years ago, said Musharraf had sent an envoy earlier this year inviting him to return to Pakistan to contest the Parliamentary elections under a deal but he turned it down.

He, however, refused to go into details.

The former Premier, who went into exile in Saudi Arabia two years ago, said he would continue his fight against, what he called the dictatorship of Musharraf.

He alleged that Musharraf sent Majid Nizami, a newspaper owner close to the Sharif family, with a specific proposal for political reapprochement.

Appearing defiant and emotional, Sharif said that as Prime Minister he had administered the oath of office to Musharraf when he became the army commander under which he promised to uphold the Constitution and serve the Government of the day and not get involved in politics.

"Musharraf had betrayed his oath and the people of Pakistan won’t forget it," Sharif said and made it clear that he could not even think about a deal with him.

He said he now regretted appointing him Army Chief, promoting him over three senior Generals.

Sharif branded next week’s general elections in Pakistan as "farcical", adding even the European Union monitors have declared Musharraf’s actions illegal.

The former Premier, who recently withdrew his nomination papers for the general elections to show his solidarity with his former rival Benazir Bhutto after the election authorities also rejected her candidacy, said it was now time for the Pakistan Peoples’ Party and all other democracy loving people to join hands together against dictatorial rule.

On asked if leaving Pakistan in order to escape being jailed was a betrayal of the masses, he replied that everything was decided by god, so when god decided to send them to Saudi Arabia, the family accepted it as a blessing in disguise.

Sharif spoke at length on political and non-political matters but refused to allow his voice to be recorded, saying he had to consider his Saudi hosts.

"I do not want to embarrass my hosts," he said.

The two-time former Prime Minister and his family of 20 headed into exile in the oil-rich kingdom in December 2000 under a deal brokered by the Saudi royal family.

The exile agreement, which released Sharif from prison on hijacking and tax evasion convictions, has however, never been made public. (PTI)

NEW YORK, Oct 3: The US-based educational testing service has cancelled a graduate-level computer science test for Indian and Chinese students because some Asian websites had posted answers to earlier papers, but said the general test has not been restricted in any manner in India.

Some misunderstanding had arisen among Indian students who mistakenly believed that upcoming administrations of the GRE (Graduate Record Examinations) general test have been cancelled, the Educational Testing Service (ETS), based in New Jersy, said.

The confusion, ETS said, followed its instruction to GRE board to cancel the computer science test in India and China in the 2002-03 testing year.

The students who had registered for the test would be sent full refund of the money they deposited, it said.

ETS said it expects to resume the test in the fall of 2003.

In the absence of GRE computer science test scores, the GRE board says applicants to graduate programmes in computer science are to highlight their other key credentials like grade point average in relevant courses, work experience, and letters of recommendation.

The GRE board is also informing computer science test score users that students from India and China will not have an opportunity to take the computer science subject test and that institutions should use other evidence presented by the applicant in their decision making process. (PTI)

US sticking to dual policy in relations with India, Pak: Rice

WASHINGTON, Oct 3: Sticking to a dual policy in its relations with India and Pakistan, the US has said it is cooperating with New Delhi on a range of issues while simultaneously working closely with Islamabad.

Stating that US hoped to use great power cooperation to solve Kashmir and other conflicts, US National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice said "the confluence of common interests and increasingly common values creates a moment of enormous opportunities."

"Instead of repeating the historic pattern where great power rivalry exacerbates local conflicts, we can use great power cooperation to solve conflicts, from the Middle East to Kashmir, Congo and beyond," she said while delivering the Wriston lecture at the Manhattan Institute in New York.

Defending President George W Bush’s national strategy of preemptive or preventive wars, Rice said: "preemption is not a new concept. There has never been a moral or legal requirement that a country wait to be attacked before it can address existential threats.... The US has long affirmed the right to anticipatory self-defence — from the Cuban missile crisis in 1962 to the crisis on the Korean peninsula in 1994."

"But," she said, "this approach must be treated with great caution. The number of cases in which it might be justified will always be small. It does not give a green light — to the United States or any other nation — to act first without exhausting other means, including diplomacy.

"Preemptive action does not come at the beginning of a long chain of effort. The threat must be very grave. And the risks of waiting must far outweigh the risks of action." To support all these means of defending peace, Rice said, the US will build and maintain 21st century military forces that are beyond challenge.

"We will seek to dissuade any potential adversary from pursuing a military build-up in the hope of surpassing, or equalling, the power of US and our allies," she said, adding "the burden of maintaining a balance of power that favours freedom should be shouldered by all nations that favour freedom."

Rice also said the US rejects the "condescending view" that freedom will not grow in the soil of the Middle East, "or that Muslims somehow do not share in the desire to be free."

The United States, she said, does not seek to impose democracy on others. "We seek only to help create conditions in which people can claim a freer future for themselves."

Rice said that no place evokes values of America such as freedom, tolerance, openness and diversity better than New York, adding there are in New York, not far from each other, churches of different denominations, a Hindu temple, a Jewiswh synagogue, a Buddhist temple and an Islamic cultural centre.

On the terrorist threat and its implications, she said "perhaps most fundamentally, 9/11 cystallized America’s vulnerability...There is no longer any doubt that today America faces an existential threat to it security."

In fighting global terror, she said, "we will work with coalition partners on every continent, using every tool in our arsenal, from diplomacy and better defences to law enforcement, intelligence, cutting off terrorist financing and, if needed, military power." (PTI)

Chinese animals fly to Kabul bound for shabby zoo

KABUL, Oct 3: A group of animals donated by China arrived in Afghanistan yesterday en route to the country’s shabby and war-battered zoo in the capital Kabul.

A turkmen cargo plane chartered by China flew from Beijing carrying two lions, two bears, two pigs, two deer and a wolf.

"With these animals, we are conveying our best wishes for everlasting peace, prosperity and well-being to Afghanistan," Sun Yuxi, China’s ambassador to Kabul, told reporters as the animals arrived at the city’s airport.

He said Chinese veterinary experts would make trips to Kabul to help local zoo officials raise the animals that will live in the zoo’s dilapidated cages.

It was the first time in nearly a decade that a foreign country had donated animals to the zoo, which like much of Afghanistan suffered material damage and heavy loss of life during 23 years of civil war and occupation. The zoo’s veteran inmates witnessed bitter clashes during the civil conflict of the early 1990s when the zoo often found itself in the frontline of fighting between rival factions.

Zoo officials said the two lions would be kept in the cage which once housed Marjan, a lonely lame and half-blind male lion who died on a cold winter night earlier this year in a blaze of international publicity.

Marjan, after surviving years of war, was badly hurt in 1995 when a fighter threw a hand grenade into his cage in revenge for the death of a cousin who had climbed into the cage to show his bravery only to be killed by Marjan and his partner.

Marjan’s partner died of disease several years later.

The zoo, with no running water or electricity, is in a sorry state, with just a few birds, several monkeys, a fox and a wolf. (AGENCIES)

| home | state | national | business | editorial | advertisement | sports
| international | weather | mailbag | suggestions | search | subscribe | send mail |