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Yeltsin holds high MOSCOW, Nov 26: Seriously ill Russian President Yeltsin Boris has held.....more
Russia to enhance MOSCOW, Nov 26: Russia is to enhance its naval....more
Sharif says Army regime ISLAMABAD, Nov 26: Pakistan’s deposed Prime Minister..more |
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India’s moratorium is TOKYO, Nov 26: India today declared that its voluntarily-announced moratorium on nuclear-testing was de-facto acceptance of the CTBT and asserted that last year’s Pokhran tests were conducted in response to Pakistan’s nuclear programme. ...more India considering to acquire Russia’s wonder weapon MOSCOW, Nov 26: In the post Kargil scenario, India is seriously considering to acquire Russia’s wonder weapon ‘Smerch’ (Tornado) to enhance the country’s fire power. ...more China still intends to BEIJING, Nov 26: Despite the US Senate’s rejection of the Comprehensive....more LTTE to release COLOMBO, Nov 26: The LTTE has decided to release seven Sri Lankan...more English-language SINGAPORE, Nov 26: English- language examinations.....more |
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Yeltsin holds high level meeting MOSCOW, Nov 26: Seriously ill Russian President Yeltsin Boris has held high-level consultations in a late-night meeting with senior Ministers to strengthen Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s hands on the Chechnya conflict, Moscow Radio has reported. The sudden meeting has given rise to speculations among observers on the deteriorating health of Mr Yeltsin. Though Prime Minister Putin in a T V talk said that the President’s health problem was not serious, but ‘Novosti’ quoting Kremlin sources said, Mr Yeltsin’s voice continues to be hoarse. His aides also said, "the President needs one or two weeks’ hospitalisation." Early in the morning Mr Yeltsin had to be rushed to the central polyclinic after he complained of uneasiness. He was later sent home. Mr Yeltsin was due to meet Bylo-russian President Alexander Lukeshenko, but due to his throat problem the meeting had to be cancelled, his aides said. Voice of Russia also said that the November 25 signing of the preliminary agreement on reunification of Russia and Belarus has been deferred to the first week of December. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Putin has reiterated that the Chechnya conflict would continue till the objective of flushing out the last traces of terrorism is achieved. His comment came in the wake of growing concerns over rumours that the Caucasus war might be halted abruptly owing to western pressure, the Radio added.(UNI) |
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Russia to enhance naval presence MOSCOW, Nov 26: Russia is to enhance its naval presence in the high seas to play a formidable role in the world fora, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has said. Addressing a special session of the National Security Council to discuss the growth of the navy, Mr Putin told Naval commanders, Russia’s naval presence in the pacific and baltic zones has declined dramatically, thus putting to risk national security. Mr Putin’s concern emanates from the NATO’s recent plans to increase its presence in the black sea and adjoining areas and hinting at prospects of turning both caucusus and adjoining seas into a zone of defence, comment sources. Besides, the growing chasm between the West and Russia over the recent Chechnya crisis and on the Yugoslavia imbroglio last year has forced Russia to formulate its own initiative for its security concerns, feel observers. After Wednesday’s Council meeting, National Security Council secretary, Sergei Ivanov, told mediapersons that the long-term strategy for the navy was discussed at the Council meet. The draft of strategy would be presented to President Boyis Yeltsin, and it would form the basis of the ‘Naval doctrine’ for the country. Meanwhile naval commander-in-chief, admiral Vladimir Kuroyedev informed that soon missile cruiser ‘Moscow’ would join Russian forces in the black sea zone, also the naval component in the country’s nuclear forces would be increased to 55 per cent to enforce proper nuclear deterrence on the naval front. (UNI) |
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Sharif says Army regime trying
to break ISLAMABAD, Nov 26: Pakistan’s deposed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has alleged that the military regime was trying to break him psychologically and finish him politically but asserted that the conspiracy would not succeed. A conspiracy is being hatched by the military Government to finish me politically, Sharif told his lawyers and party leaders when he was produced before a Karachi magistrate yesterday to hear recording of prosecution witnesses in the plane hijacking case, according to leading Urdu daily ‘Nawa-e-Waqt’. The former Premier alleged that the authorities were trying to break him psychologically and said that is why I have been kept in a small cage-like room which is full of mosquitoes and there isn’t even clean water to drink. Sharif said he had mosquito bite marks all over his body and that he has not been provided newspapers or television to know about happenings in the outside world. The deposed Premier’s younger brother and former Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, who has been made a co-accused in the plane hijacking case, strongly dismissed charges against him and Nawaz Sharif. Shahbaz, who was produced before the anti-terrorism court yesterday after his formal arrest the previous day and was sent to police remand, looked agitated. He started shouting in the court room while pointing out the treatment meted out to him during the one-and-a-half-month detention since the October 12 coup, media reports said. The special judge Rehmat Hussain Jaffri on more than one occasion had to ask Shahbaz to maintain the decorum of the court and speak only about the present case. Shahbaz rejected the allegations that Nawaz had ordered that the plane carrying General Musharraf and others should not be allowed to land at Karachi airport. The Prime Minister ordered the landing of the plane at Karachi airport. I will tell this to the court, Shahbaz told newsmen outside the anti-terrorism court. Shahbaz said he or his brother had not done anything wrong and that he had full confidence in the judiciary and they would get them justice. (PTI) |
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India’s moratorium is
de-facto acceptance of TOKYO, Nov 26: India today declared that its voluntarily-announced moratorium on nuclear-testing was de-facto acceptance of the CTBT and asserted that last year’s Pokhran tests were conducted in response to Pakistan’s nuclear programme. India has voluntarily announced a moratorium on nuclear tests after the May 1998 explosions and it is being honoured and would continue to be honoured, External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh told a gathering of Japanese intellectuals at the Japan Institute of International Affairs here. Our moratorium is de-facto acceptance of the CTBT, the Minister said. He said India’s national identity and security could not be negotiated nor could it be lost in globalisation. Alleging that Pakistan’s nuclear programme was India-centric, he said New Delhi had to go nuclear for a minimum deterrence in answer to security environment which was not India’s doing. Stressing that India’s nuclear programme was not directed against any country, far less Pakistan, Singh said New Delhi has assured the world that its nuclear arms would not be used first nor would these be used against a non-nuclear weapons State. He said India’s basic goal was to protect its national identity and ensure security. India has been subject to foreign aggression and occupation. The lesson India learned from its own historical experience was never again to lose its national identity and neglect security, he said. Stating that guarding India’s vast borders was an enormous task, the External Affairs Minister said New Delhi’s policy to ensure security and protect national identity should not cause anyone any concern. In its long history, India never sought to conquer a foreign land, never tried to export ideologies except messages of peace and amity and never occupied another country, Singh said. He said Jammu and Kashmir was an Indian State, part of Indian territory but parts of it were now under Pakistani and Chinese occupation. Referring to Pakistan’s announcement last month about withdrawing its troops from the border, Singh said the pullback had not taken place along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir. I must correct a wrong notion in Japan that Pakistan has withdrawn its border troops. They may have withdrawn some from International Border but not one from the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir, he said. Stating that India had best of relations with all its neighbours, he said you can change friends, but not neighbours. He added that India wished Pakistan well. He added that despite tension on India-Pakistan border and cross-border terrorism, India’s growth rate last year was 6.5 percent and it would be more this year. He also pointed out that India’s defence spending was limited to 2.6 percent of its GDP, one of the lowest in the world. (PTI) |
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India considering to acquire Russia’s wonder weapon MOSCOW, Nov 26: In the post Kargil scenario, India is seriously considering to acquire Russia’s wonder weapon ‘Smerch’ (Tornado) to enhance the country’s fire power. Designed by Splav State Enterprise Tula, Smerch is a new generation multiple rocket launcher system capable of destroying various enemy targets over the territory of 67 hectares in one volley of its 12 barrels capable of firing smart weapons between the range of 20-90 kilometres. Two Indian military delegations have already visited Tula in July and September this year to evaluate the system and have already shortlisted four types of rockets from the wide range of weapons offered by Russia, Indian military sources told PTI here. If we had ‘Smerch’ during Kargil crisis we would have flattened the Tiger Hill in one volley, for which we had to sacrifice many lives, an Indian military diplomat said speaking on the conditions of anonymity. By using ‘Smerch’ with its massive volume of fire delivered in short time, India could have recaptured its territory in Kargil within a far shorter time and with fewer casualties, Smerch’s Chief Designer, Dr Gennady Denezhkin told Indian journalists here. Russia’s Premier arms exporting agency ‘Rosvoorouzhenie’ had formally offered ‘Smerch’ to India in 1998, but it was in the aftermath of Kargil that talks gathered momentum. ‘Smerch’ has been included in the Indo-Russian protocol on military-technical cooperation signed in New Delhi in November and Russia was willing to supply license for its production in India, ‘Splav’ General Manager, Academician Nikolai Makarovets said. ‘Smerch’ is a very powerful weapon with a variety of warheads and advanced fire control system. The 300-mm rocket launcher can deliver a whole dozen of 7.5 metre missiles in a single Salvo over highest mountain ridges to a distance of 90 km wiping out enemy targets and hardware on an area of over 67 hectares. ‘Smerch’ is highly effective in mountain warefare due to its thermobaric or so-called vacuum charges. They spray out fuel-air explosive which upon detonation pulverises enemy manpower sheltered in caves, concrete bunkers and pill boxes or armoured vehicles. (PTI) |
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China still intends to ratify CTBT: Official BEIJING, Nov 26: Despite the US Senate’s rejection of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), China intends to go ahead with its ratification process and pledged not to conduct more nuclear tests, China’s top arms control official has said. China’s determination to get CTBT ratified remains in place, Director-General of the Department of Arms Control and Disarmament of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Sha Zukang said. He, however, did not give a timeframe for signing CTBT and said the treaty was currently before Chinese Parliament, the National People’s Congress (NPC) and that the US Senate’s rejection of the CTBT would not affect China’s stand. The Chinese Government has pledged to push the ratification process forward, but it is up to the NPC to decide whether or not and when to ratify the treaty, Sha told official Xinhua news agency yesterday. The NPC will decide after careful study of the text and a thorough deliberation of the current international security situation, he said. In the meantime, Sha said China would not carry out further nuclear tests. China solemnly vows not to carry out any nuclear test before ratifying the CTBT, and to honour all obligations under it after its ratification, Sha said. Sha also criticised the US for dilly-dallying on the CTBT after taking the initiative. It’s typical practice of the US — sign the treaty first and then have reservations on key decisons. Superpower though it may be, the US is not supposed to possess super rights. All nations are equal and Washington’s action would leave psychological and political scars on nations concerned and threaten ongoing and future CTBT negotiations. He called for complete prohibition and destruction of nuclear weapons and urged the United States and Russia to take the lead to implement various arms reduction treaties. The treaty on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons is a key pre-requisite for the smooth running of nuclear reduction and the international community should work together to ensure its implementation, he said. The US and Russia, the world’s two top nuclear powers, should take the lead in implementing the package of strategic arms control treaties they have signed, and continue to negotiate for treaties for further strategic arms control so as to create favourable conditions for other nuclear powers to join the process of nuclear reduction as early as possible, he said. (PTI) |
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LTTE to release 7 Lankan soldiers COLOMBO, Nov 26: The LTTE has decided to release seven Sri Lankan Army soldiers whom they have captured in the recent battles with security forces in the northern Wanni, on the occasion of their "Heroes’ Day’ tomorrow. The LTTE today conveyed the decision to the International Committee of Red Cross ((ICRC) which is now in touch with the Army for finalising arrangements for the handing over of the soldiers. ICRC spokesman Harsh Gunawardene said the LTTE had expressed their willingness to hand over the soldiers and "we are now in touch with the Sri Lanakan Army to make arrangements." Last year also, the LTTE handed over seven soldiers to the Army. The LTTE, however, would not say how many more soldiers are with them. The LTTE observe November 27 every year as ‘Heroes Day’ to commemorate their cadres killed in action. (UNI) English-language exams criticised as archaic SINGAPORE, Nov 26: English-language examinations that millions of overseas students take to enter US Universities were criticized today as an archaic and "subordinate to big business interests." Language expert Keith Morrow, a consultant to the University of Cambridge local examinations syndicate, said the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) has not been changed in the last 20 years and those who pass it may not be able to speak English well. In Singapore for a three-day regional conference involving 160 English-language experts from a dozen countries, Morrow said the TOEFL format teaches students only how to prepare for the test, not how to use the language. The test has not been changed because powerful institutional forces want to keep it in its present form, he told the Straits Times. "This means that the best testing method is subordinate to big business interests, because it makes millions of dollars for the agencies that run it," he was quoted as saying. Morrow said the Cambridge examination system changes the content frequently and seeks to offer new forms of examinations. (DPA) |
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