WASHINGTON, Nov 4: President Bill Clinton’s Democratic Party staged some upset victories, even as the Republicans retained their majority in the Congress, whose 435-member Lower House and 34 seats of the Senate... ......more

Moving the bail petition yesterday before magistrate Lokman Ahmed, Taslima’s lawyer Idrisur Rahman said she could not appear before the court as certain groups of people staged demonstrations and issued threats against her. They would lynch her, he argued.

But the magistrate rejected the bail petition and asked her to appear in the court before January 5, the next date for hearing of the case.

The magistrate told the counsel that there was no provision of granting bail in absentia.

Taslima went into hiding ever since she returned home on September 14 from abroad. (PTI)

China’s strategy is to fight with decisive force and tactics to win a quick military solution of a conflict before outside powers could intervene and vital trade and investment were disrupted, Pentagon said in a report to the US Congress.

The Pentagon warned Congress that Chinese plan is to be pre-eminent political power in Asia and is directed at weakening of US political influence in the region.

Beijing hopes to achieve a position where Asian countries and those with interests in Asia take no action which conflict with China’s interests, it said, adding China considers its nuclear weapons and a UN security council seat as attributes of being a great power.

The report, a classified document whose 20-page summary was made available to the media, did not indicate the possible strike targets which China may feel called upon to launch.

The Chinese doctrine, though defensive in nature, requires the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to possess a limited offensive and force projection capability, including the option of pre-emptive military action, it said.

Beijing is seeking to acquire such force multipliers as mobile ballistic missile system, land-attack cruise missiles, and advanced surface-to-air missiles.

Inspired by the US military success in the Gulf war, the PLA has begun a massive modernisation plan aimed at cutting down its strength to 500,000 and acquiring state-of-the-art weapons, Pentagon said.

China’s ballistic missile modernisation programme and warhead modernization programme are meant to complement its missile programme, it said, adding Beijing has purchased from russia two variants of the SA-10/grumble long-range Surface to Air Missile (SAM) system and the SA-15/gauntlet short-range tactical air defence missile system.

The Pentagon said Beijing espouses a multipolar view of the world where power is shared equally among five or six nations or blocs and is engaged in acquiring political clout.

Chinese look forward to achieving a status of parity in economic, political and military strength with the world’s leading powers by middle of the next century.

Beijing envisages, the Pentagon said, the continued governance of China by the Chinese Communist Party.

The PLA has shown an exceptional interest in information warfare at the operational and tactical levels of war in recent years and views electronic warfare as the fourth dimension of gound, naval and air combat, it said.

It’s seeking to procure state-of-the-art intercept, direction finding and jamming equipment to upgrade its ground-based, shipborne and airborne forces, and has entered close commercial ties with electronic firms abroad, it added. (PTI)

The US has been pressuring Russia and Israel not to sell defence items to India as long as the US sanctions are in effect. Russia has rejected the plea and Israel is expected to do the same, according to current indications cited by the Defense News.

An Israeli defence official said: Let’s be clear here, this is not a prohibition. It is a temporary, voluntary freeze that may or may not be adhered to depending on the circumstances.

Defense News quoting Israeli military sources said: Israeli Government officials are gingerly, yet resolutely, resisting repeated US calls for a ban on arms sales and military technology transfers to India, insisting that they reserve the right to consider each proposal on a case-by-case basis.

The latest US appeals to halt Israeli transfers to India, the weekly said, were presented at the semi-annual meeting of the joint political military group in caesaria, a coastal town North of Tel Aviv.

Israel, said the paper, has been a particular target of Washington’s efforts because of several sensitive arms deals in the offing, including a potential one billion dollar airborne early warning package that mates Israel’s Phalcon sensor system with a Russian il-76 jet. (PTI)

Democratic Rep. Charles Schumer, who like D’amato was first elected in 1980, dispatched D’amato in this year’s most expensive Senate race and one of its most bitter.

The race saw Schumer relentlessly challenge D’amato’s credibility, while the Republican boasted of his constituent service and accused his rival of missing numerous votes.

The Republicans’ 55 seats in the current Congress already represent the most the party has held since they held 56 seats in 1930 and 1931.

In North Carolina, the Republicans lost a Senate seat. John Edwards, a 45-year-old attorney, won his first bid for public office by defeating Faircloth, a Conservative elected to the Senate in 1992.

Faircloth repeatedly tried linking Edwards to President Bill Clinton and painting him as a liberal, but Edwards cast himself as a moderate interested in boosting Federal efforts for education and managed-care patients.

In South Carolina, 32-year veteran Sen Ernest Hollings, a Democrat, withstood what had been expected to be a strong challenge by Conservative Rep. Bob Inglis. Republicans had been counting on an Inglis victory in a longshot bid for a Filibuster-proof 60-seat Senate majority.

Though Republicans were certain to retain their Senate majority for two more years, their chances of making more than modest gains in their strength in the chamber were diminishing.

Even so, Senate majority leader Trent Lott of Mississippi told Republicans at an election night celebration in Washington,

Before the night is out, we will see our agenda be confirmed. ... Before the night is out, we will have a victory to celebrate.

Earlier, Republican Ohio Gov. George Voinovich grabbed the seat of a retiring Lawmaker who was literally above the fray: Democratic Sen. John Glenn, orbiting the earth aboard the space shuttle discovery.

That offset a victory by Democrat Evan Bayh of Indiana, who nabbed the seat being vacated by Republican Sen Dan Coats. The 42-year-old former Governor captured the seat held for 18 years by his father, Democrat Birch Bayh.

In another open-seat contest, two House members Democrat Scotty Baesler and Republican Jim Bunning were running neck-and-neck for the Kentucky seat of Sen Wendell Ford, the 74-year-old no. two Senate Democratic leader, who is retiring.

Of the 34 races on the ballot, most seats were expected to be retained easily by incumbents, largely a sign of voter satisfaction with the hearty economy.

Among those re-elected to six-year terms were Sens. Tom Daschle of South Dakota, the Senate Democratic leader Republican John Mccain of Arizona Democrat John Breaux of Louisiana Democrat Byron Dorgan of North Dakota and Republican Ben Nighthorse Campbell of Colorado.

Also returning will be Sens Don Nickles of Oklahoma, the Senate’s no. two Republican, and fellow Republicans Judd Gregg of new Hampshire Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania Sam Brownback of Kansas and Richard Shelby of Alabama. Also re-elected were Democrats Christopher Dodd of connecticut and Barbara Mikulski of Maryland.

Re-elected earlier were Democratic Sens Bob Graham of Florida and Patrick Leahy of Vermont.

Several Democratic Senators were also struggling to hold their seats. These included Carol Moseley-Braun of Illinois, Russell Feingold of Wisconsin, Harry Reid of Nevada and Barbara Boxer of California. (AP)

WASHINGTON, Nov 4: President Bill Clinton’s Democratic Party staged some upset victories, even as the Republicans retained their majority in the Congress, whose 435-member Lower House and 34 seats of the Senate went to polls yesterday in, what was seen as, a referendum on Clinton’s impeachment trial.

According to the early results and trends, the Republicans, while maintaining their majority status, were tipped to lose upto 12 seats in the House of Representatives, but keep their 55 to 45 advantage in the Upper House.

The results, however, have dashed the Republicans’ hopes of passing the three-third margin of 66 seats in the 100-member Senate which could give them power to block a bill or resolution.

The Republican Party also a major suffered a reverse in the election for governorship in California, where its 16-year old rule ended with the victory of Democrat Gray Davis.

Among the most important victories for the Democrats were in New York and North Carolina, whose Republican Senate representatives were the most vocal critics of Clinton urging his impeachment.

While Charles Schumer threw out three-time Republican Senator Alfonse D’Amato in New York, Senator Lauch Faircloth lost to Democrat John Edwards in North Carolina. Besides the all 435 seats of House of Representatives and 34 seats of the Senate, 36 governorships were also at stake in the elections, whose results were being closely monitored by Clinton.

In Wisconsin, Democrat Tammy Baldwin became the first openly gay non-incumbent to win election to the House of Representatives.

The surprises also included the election of Wrestler Jesse the body Ventura as Governor of Minnesota defeating Democrat Hubert Humphrey, son of a former Republican vice president.

Two sons of former President George Bush, Jeb and George Jr., won Gubernatorial races in Texas and Florida.

Preliminary results also showed stunning Democratic upsets in Senate races in New York and North Carolina, as well as in Governors’ contests in Alabama and South Carolina.

With the results pouring in, an upbeat mood swept the White House. Vice President Al Gore hailed the results as a great night for Democrats and a great night for the country and suggested that the voters were sending a message that Republicans should put the Monica Lewinsky investigation behind them.

The ability of the Democrats to avoid the feared heavy losses in the elections is attributed mainly to Clinton’s consistent and emotional support to minorities on issues ranging from education to immigration and welfare payments and the general lack of sympathy for them among the Republicans with some exceptions. (PTI)

Mr Cohen arrived in Saudi Arabia yesterday to discuss the latest standoff between Iraq and the United Nations arms inspectors, the Saudi press agency reported.

"The Saudi leadership conveyed to Mr Cohen its total refusal to have Saudi territory used as a springboard for striking Iraq," said the source yesterday on condition of anonymity.

Mr Cohen is also expected to meet crown prince Abdullah before traveling today to Kuwait, the next leg of his tour through the Gulf countries to consult with US allies in the area.

Regional diplomats said Mr Cohen is also likely to visit Bahrain.

Earlier this year Saudi Arabia declined to grant the United States permission to launch air strikes from its soil before US military action was averted against Iraq through the signing of a weapons inspection agreement between United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan and the Iraqi leadership in Baghdad. (DPA)

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