|
|
| IA reopens Lahore, Karachi offices, ready for Jan 1 air links NEW DELHI, Dec 21: Indian Airlines (IA) has re-opened its offices in Lahore and Karachi.....more Bin Laden
tape airs CIA DUBAI, Dec 21: An audiotape purportedly by Osama bin Laden broadcast accused Arab Governments heeding US calls for.....more US
continues to enjoy WASHINGTON, Dec 21: The US invasion of Iraq ignoring the United Nations to oust Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, a.....more Majority
of Jordanian AMMAN, Dec 21: A majority of Jordan’s lower House of Parliament has denounced.....more |
|
Hu to Bush: No chance BEIJING, Dec 21: Chinese President Hu Jintao said in a telephone conversation with his US counterpart, George W Bush, that his Government ....more Malaysian PM supports merger of Chinese parties KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 21: Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi backed the merger of two ethnic Chinese. ....more NY priests challenge cardinal over sex cases NEW YORK, Dec 21: Scores of New York priests accused cardinal Edward Egan of failing to support fellow priests .. ....more Toll in Philippine landslides, floods rises to 77 123 missing MANILA, Dec 21: The death toll in landslides and flashfloods that struck the central....more |
 |
||
|
IA
reopens Lahore, Karachi offices, ready NEW DELHI, Dec 21: Indian Airlines (IA) has re-opened its offices in Lahore and Karachi and is planning to launch two flights a week on the Delhi-Lahore sector and two on the Mumbai-Karachi sector from the new year, senior officials said today. The initiative comes ahead of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s visit to Islamabad to attend the 12th summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). A final technical decision on the resumption of air links is expected this week. The flight frequencies may increase in future as India and Pakistan restore direct and overflight links that were suspended two years ago after terror strike on the Parliament building. New Delhi blamed the attack on militant groups it claimed were supported by Pakistan. According to bilateral air services agreements, India can mount five flights on the Mumbai-Karachi route, four on the Delhi-Lahore route and four on the Delhi-Karachi route. For airlines, the Mumbai-Karachi sector is the most lucrative. The flights will be launched subject to airspace clearance and approval from the Indian Ministries of Defence, External Affairs and Civil Aviation, the officials said. While a decision is yet to be taken on upgrading the bilateral air services agreement between the two neighbours, it is not yet clear how many flights would be allowed to be operated by the IA and how many shared by domestic private carriers in India. IA is also considering starting two flights a week on the Delhi-Kabul-Delhi sector, including one via Amritsar. Even private airlines Jet airways and Air Sahara are eyeing a share of the pie. They are awaiting final technical approvals to fly to Pakistani destinations, and both say they are prepared to launch operations in January. After the Union Cabinet decided to permit private domestic operators to fly to south Asian countries, Jet and Sahara had already started working on flights to Nepal, Bangladesh and the Maldives. "We are definitely ready to fly to Pakistan, a Jet Airways official said. We are waiting for a formal approval which we hope is on its way." Added Sahara’s Chief Executive Officer U K Bose: "We are confident of getting some of these routes when the two countries sign the bilateral air services agreements." Meanwhile, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has said the airline will operate two flights each on its Karachi-New Delhi, Karachi-Mumbai and Lahore-New Delhi routes. Over 15 PIA flights to southeast Asia and the Gulf will also begin using Indian skies, benefitting from the lifting of the ban on overflights by both the countries. On the other hand, IA and Air India (AI) operating 120 flights to the far east and Europe will use Pakistani skies that would reduce the flying time, thus saving a considerable amount of money. Officials estimate AI could save Rs 40 crore per annum while IA will save Rs 10 crore. Apart from additional fuel needed to take a longer flight path, the airspace ban was also affecting the utilisation of the AI and IA Aircraft. The two airlines also faced additional costs in terms allowances paid to crew members. Passengers were also suffering since they had to spend more time on the aircraft. While AI as well as ia carried on with their operations despite having to take a circuitous route to avoid Pakistan’s airspace, PIA had to scarp bulk of its east-bound operations. Pakistan’s national carrier faced a major setback as compared to the Indian national carriers, officials said. (UNI) |
|
Bin Laden tape airs CIA says appears old DUBAI, Dec 21: An audiotape purportedly by Osama bin Laden broadcast accused Arab Governments heeding US calls for democracy of being "infidel" agents of America, but the CIA cast doubt on the tape saying it appeared to be old. The voice on the tape, aired on Al-Arabiya television station and said to belong to the Al-Qaeda leader, also criticised moves toward Parliamentary representation and democracy in the Gulf and west Asia. In a sign the tape could be several months old, the speaker made no mention of specific events occurring after September when former Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas resigned. A CIA official said the tape appeared to be one that was previously broadcast. "It appears that what Al-Arabiya has aired was aired in October," the official told in Washington. Analysts in the Gulf say the tape could have been an edited version of an October 18 message aired by Al-Jazeera, another Arab satellite station, put together with some other old messages purportedly from Bin Laden. Al-Arabiya declined to say how it obtained the tape. Al-Arabiya and Al-Jazeera have in the past broadcast similar statements said to be from Bin Laden. The CIA has said some of those appeared to be authentic. Although some phrases were a repeat of rhetoric in previous tapes, much of the material in this tape was new. "(Voices) in Iraq, as before in Palestine, Egypt, Jordan, Yemen and others are calling for a peaceful democratic solution in dealing with apostate governments," he said, referring to the West. "We need to be aware of the seriousness of this humiliating, errant path which contradicts the law of God...Those who have entered the ‘assembly of idolatry’ — legislative assemblies —have torn down Islam," the voice on the tape said. "They are making a big mistake. God knows that Islam has nothing to do with their actions. Islam is the religion of God and the legislative assemblies are the religion of the ‘age of ignorance’," he added. "age of ignorance" is an Islamic term used to refer to the pre-Islamic era, fourteen centuries ago. US President George W Bush has said the US war in Iraq would be part of a new move towards democracy in the west Asia, where autocratic Government has been the norm for decades as the Arab-Israeli conflict has drowned out calls for reform. But many Arabs and Muslims view the Iraq invasion as an act carried out to serve the interests of Washington’s ally Israel. "Any Government formed by America is a Government of agents and traitors," the voice on the tape said, citing the Afghan leader Hamid Karzai and Abbas’ short-lived Government. Al-Jazeera aired on Friday an audiotape by Al-Zawahri, Al-Qaeda’s second in command, in which he said his group was chasing Americans everywhere, including the United States. A CIA official in Washington said technical analysis of that tape showed it was "most likely" authentic. The White House said on Friday it had warned security personnel to be extra vigilant for terror attacks during the Christmas holidays. The European union’s police agency europol said Al-Qaeda-linked groups were very active in Europe and regarded it as a potential target. (AGENCIES) |
|
US continues to enjoy supreme power in 2003 WASHINGTON, Dec 21: The US invasion of Iraq ignoring the United Nations to oust Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, a task which President George W Bush’s father failed to accomplish, and the elusive run of the most-wanted terrorist Osama bin Laden were the highlights of the American war against global terrorism in the year gone by. Though the us forces succeeded in overthrowing Saddam Hussein’s regime within three weeks of invasion without facing mush resistance, the Iraqi leader remained out of their reach for nearly nine months to be arrested on December 13 from an underground hide-out on a farm near his hometown of Tikrit. The US also failed to detect any Weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq, the reason it cited for invading the country. Saddam’s arrest has given a big boost to Bush and has virtually ensured his re-election for a second term in November next year. While the war in Afghanistan against the cruel and ruthless religious zealotry of the Taliban allied with Bin Laden’s Al-Qaeda was widely accepted as a just war, the invasion on Iraq drew the active support only from Britain and a few smaller allies. The US went ahead with the war against Iraq despite failing to secure un endorsement, putting a question mark on the relevance of the world body. Majority of Security Council members, including 3 veto-wielding states - France, Russia and China, opposed the war. But, the spectacular American military victories in Afghanistan and Iraq did not bring peace. US is still fighting the Taliban, which operates from Pakistani territory in the tribal areas, and is in the grip of a seemingly endless guerrilla war which has spread from the Sunni strongholds of Saddam to other areas of Iraq. Another success for Bush came at the end of the year when Libya agreed to abandon its programme to develop Weapons of Mass Destruction, after nine months of secret negotiations with US and Britain. The US remained active to resolve the Middle East conflict with Bush urging Israel not to create obstacles for a peaceful solution to the problem. It also took serious note of Iran’s nuclear programme and wanted Tehran to give up its nuclear infrastucture under IAEA Inspection. But with regard to North Korea, which is believed to have one or two bombs as also short, medium and possibly long-range ballistic missiles and considered to be a major nuclear proliferator, us has not taken any firm stance. North Korea had offered to freeze its nuclear weapons programme in return for concessions from US but Washington bluntly rejected the proposal. After the US turned down its offer, North Korea pledged to strengthen its nuclear deterrent force, criticising Bush for authorising development of mini nuclear weapons. Bush had lifted a decade-old ban on research into low-yield nuclear weapons and authorised USd 15 million for research into a nuclear weapon able to destroy deep underground bunkers. (PTI) |
|
Majority of Jordanian parliament condemns Saddam’s arrest AMMAN, Dec 21: A majority of Jordan’s lower House of Parliament has denounced the detention of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, considered his pictures as published by the US-led military coalition "humiliating for both the Arab and Islamic nations" and called for the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq and the entire Gulf region. "The Jordanian House of Representatives condemns the behaviour of the US troops in Iraq and considers the television footage of the subdued Iraqi President as published by the American forces is humiliating for both the Arab and Islamic nations," a statement signed by 65 members of the 110-member House said. The Jordanian lawmakers, who represented various segments of the country’s political spectrum, recalled statements by US officials protesting Iraq’s publication of pictures of coalition war prisoners captured in the early days of the war the United States led against the former Iraqi regime in March. "We hold the US administration responsible for the safety of the arrested Iraqi President," the statement said. "The occupation forces should leave the entire region so as its peoples can live aloof of American hegemony, arrogance and the undeclared political and geographical objectives of the United States which seeks to realize Israel’s targets in dominating the economic and oil capabilities of the region," the Jordanian members of Parliament said. They also urged the Government to press for "an end of the foreign occupation in Iraq and allowing its people to assume sovereignty and choose the system of Government they want". (DPA) |
|
Hu to Bush: No chance for independent Taiwan BEIJING, Dec 21: Chinese President Hu Jintao said in a telephone conversation with his US counterpart, George W Bush, that his Government would never tolerate an independent Taiwan, the state-run news agency Xinhua reported today. Bush assured Hu in last night’s conversation that Washington was against any one-sided change in the status quo on Taiwan, which China considers a breakaway province. Although Washington is Taiwan’s greatest ally and defence supplier and US-sino relations are continually tense over ideological and human-rights issues as well as Taiwan, the United States recognizes Beijing as the capital of China. Hu said, however, that China would seek a peaceful reunification with the island. "The Chinese Government is willing to achieve the reunification peacefully with its utmost sincerity and greatest efforts," Hu was quoted by Xinhua as saying, "but Taiwan’s independence will definitely not be tolerated." During their telephone call, the two Presidents also discussed Iraq and North Korea’s nuclear programme. Hu assured Bush that China would keep in close contact with all affected parties on the North Korea question with the aim of holding a new round of six-nation talks as soon as possible, Xinhua said. The mediators in the talks involving China, the United States, North and South Korea, Japan and Russia are looking for a second round could be held in January or February. The first round in August achieved no discernable progress. The top points of contention are North Korea’s demands for security guarantees from the United States and Washington’s demands for inspections to verify an end to Pyongyang’s nuclear programme. Hu also spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday. On Iraq, Hu said China was "ready to maintain contact and coordination with relevant parties on the reconstruction". (DPA) |
|
Malaysian PM supports merger of Chinese parties KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 21: Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi backed the merger of two ethnic Chinese parties in his Government, and officials said today the move could boost support for the coalition ahead of polls next year. The Malaysian Chinese association and Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia are among the biggest pro-Government parties, but they have at times clashed amid rivalry for the ethnic chinese vote bank of about a third of the 25 million population. The two announced plans last week to merge, saying a marriage would strengthen them before the eyes of the Chinese community, although they said the process could take time and may not happen before general elections due by November. "It is a good idea," Abdullah told reporters late last night in his first remarks on the matter. "We should leave it to them to see how they manage it." Chinese voters helped the 14-party Barisan Nasional coalition return to power in the last elections in 1999 after many native Malays, who account for about 60 percent of population, turned against former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad for ousting his popular deputy, Anwar Ibrahim. Officials said the proposal would lend support to the coalition. "We always hear political parties talk about unity but these guys are actually doing something," said a campaign official with Abdullah’s united Malays National Organisation, which heads the ruling coalition. Abdullah, who took over the Deputy Premier’s job after Anwar was sacked and jailed on charges he denied, succeeded Mahathir as on October 31. The new Premier has yet to give a date for the elections but speculation is widespread that it may happen by April, analysts said. (AGENCIES) |
|
NY priests challenge cardinal over sex cases NEW YORK, Dec 21: Scores of New York priests accused cardinal Edward Egan of failing to support fellow priests charged with sexual abuse of minors, one of the priests said. A Dec 12 petition signed by 69 priests says the archdiocese has given the impression that men who stand accused are "damaged goods." in one case, a priest "seems to have been coerced" into signing a document asking to be removed from the priesthood before trial, the petition says. "We need to tell you again what you already know the morale of the New York presbyterate is at an all-time low," says the document, parts of which were published by the New York Times yesterday. Rev Edward Byrne of St Ann’s Church in ossining, New York, who signed a cover letter accompanying the petition, confirmed the content of the document. He declined to comment further until the priests get a response from the cardinal. But archdiocese spokesman Joseph Zwilling said the document has not yet been received. "We went through every piece of mail last night and no letter," he told . The Roman Catholic Church has been rocked in recent years by allegations of sex crimes by priests. Since easter 2002, New York’s cardinal egan has suspended at least 14 priests in active ministry who had been accused of abuse. (AGENCIES) |
|
Toll in Philippine landslides, floods rises to 77 123 missing MANILA, Dec 21: The death toll in landslides and flashfloods that struck the central and southern Philippines has risen to 77 while 123 other people remained missing, a disaster relief agency said today. Most of the casualties and missing were in southern Leyte province, about 540 kilometres south of Manila, according to the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC). NDCC executive director Melchor Rosales said 61 people were killed in the landslides caused by continuous heavy rains in southern Leyte while 114 others were missing. The missing included 65 people from the town of San Francisco, which was worst hit by the landslides, and 49 from the town of San Ricardo, which was reportedly hit by a Tornado. Fifteen people were also killed in landslides and flashfloods in the southern provinces of Surigao Del Norte, Surigao Del Sur, Agusan Del Sur and Agusan Del Norte. Nine people were still missing in the four provinces, the NDCC added. Rosales said rescuers were rushing to find the 65 people missing in San Francisco. "The operations were being hampered by continuous rains," he said. "Rescue teams have been unable to reach some of the affected areas, which were isolated by the landslides." "We have been unable to use helicopters because of the cloudy skies, and the seas are still choppy, so we also have not been able to use boats to get to the affected areas," he added. The landslides cut off electricity and communication lines in the affected municipalities while many roads, bridges, houses and commercial establishments were destroyed. (DPA) |
|
Ex-waitress’ outsize talent wins UK pop idol LONDON, Dec 21: Michelle Mcmanus, a former waitress from Scotland who has attracted as much attention for her weight as her voice, won the final of Britain’s "pop idol" TV talent show. Mcmanus, 23, was the bookmakers’ tip to win a lucrative record deal after a campaign which has seen headlines focus on her 210-lb (95-Kg) frame. She burst into tears after winning the contest yesterday but went on to perform "all this time", which will be her first single. "I just want to say thanks. And to everyone who said I couldn’t do it, I’ve done it," she said Triumphantly. The show’s producers said more than 10.2 million votes were cast yesterday by members of the public to choose the winner. Mcmanus faced a showdown final with former salesman Mark Rhodes, 22, from central England, who described himself as a Robbie Williams fan with a penchant for "food, sleep and football". The pair beat more than 20,000 hopefuls to reach the final, in which they performed three songs each. Mcmanus, whose own idol is Canadian singer Celine Dion, has said she is "very secure" about her look, which challenges the slim stereotypes of the image-obsessed pop world. "You can always change your look — if you have got a crap voice that is it," Mcmanus told the Guardian newspaper. "It has taken a while to get people to accept me for who I am, not just the way I look." (AGENCIES) Drug boats seized in Arabian Sea, coalition forces say WASHINGTON, Dec 21: US-led coalition ships operating in support of operations in Iraq intercepted two boats in the north Arabian Sea that were carrying illegal drugs for the second such seizure in five days, the US military said. The drugs found aboard the boats were believed to be pure heroin and methamphetamines, US officials said yesterday. "We are investigating potential Al-Qaeda connections to these operations," said US rear Admiral Jim Stavridis, commander of the USS enterprise aircraft carrier strike group, which is operating in the Gulf. On December 15, an estimated 10 million dollars’ worth of Hashish was seized on another Dhow in the Gulf, US officials said. Intelligence from that raid led coalition forces to the two dhows caught Saturday, the US military said. The chase began Thursday when royal New Zealand air force aircraft located the two boats and tracked them along with aircraft from Australia, Britain and the United States. The USS Philippine sea guided-missile cruiser was ordered to intercept the boats. US navy seamen boarded the first boat and found about 70 kilograms of methamphetamines, the US military said. The second Dhow, however, tried to outrun its pursuers. As it did, US navy personnel videotaped people on board throwing about 200 bags overboard, the US military said. The video was later shown on television networks. The second boat was eventually stopped and boarded by US forces who found one 23-kilogram bag and one 16-kilogram bag of a substance believed to be pure heroin, the US military added. Fourteen people from the first boat and seven from the second were taken into US navy custody, it said. Meanwhile, US troops mistakenly killed three Iraqi police officers Saturday and seriously wounded two others in northern Iraq, media reports said. US soldiers mistakenly identified the officers south of Kirkuk as a group of militants as they were manning a checkpoint, the reports said, quoting Iraqi police. (DPA) China reiterates opposition to independent Taiwan BEIJING, Dec 21: China told the United States it would never allow an independent Taiwan, its diplomatic and ideological rival for more than half a century, but would work for peaceful reunification. Chinese President Hu Jintao told US President George W Bush overnight he appreciated the US reaffirmation of the "one-China" policy and opposition to "the words and actions of Taiwan authorities aimed at altering Taiwan’s status", Xinhua News Agency reported today. Since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949, China has considered Taiwan a breakaway province that must be brought back into the fold — by force if necessary. The United States is Taiwan’s biggest ally and arms supplier but recognises Beijing’s one-China policy. Bush told Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao this month he opposed any unilateral decision by China or Taiwan to change the status quo. "On the Taiwan question, the Chinese Government is willing to achieve the reunification peacefully with utmost sincerity and greatest efforts, but Taiwan independence cannot be tolerated," Xinhua quoted hu as telling Bush in an overnight phone call. "Bush said the stance of the US Government on the Taiwan issue was clear cut, and the US side opposed any words and actions to change the status quo of Taiwan unilaterally," the agency said. Despite diplomatic friction and rhetoric, two-way trade between China and Taiwan has soared over recent years and is expected to top 50 billion dollars this year, the financial news said on Sunday, citing Commerce Ministry figures. Two-way trade amounted to 46.63 billion dollars in the first 10 months of this year, up 29.4 per cent from the year-earlier period, it said. China’s exports to Taiwan rose 33.5 per cent to 7.04 billion dollars between January and October, while imports from the island rose 28.7 per cent to 39.59 billion dollars, it said. (AGENCIES) Helicopter record bid ends with antarctic crash LONDON, Dec 21: A British grandmother’s bid to make a record-setting pole to pole helicopter flight ended with a crash landing in Antarctica in which she and her British co-pilot were injured. Jennifer Murray, 63, dislocated her arm in the crash 193 kilometres north of the Patriot hills base and Colin Bodill suffered more severe but unspecified and non-life-threatening injuries. "They are both now in hospital in Chile for treatment. Jennifer did not break her arm, as previously thought, but dislocated it. Colin’s injuries are still being assessed," a spokeswoman for the support team told yesterday. The pair were rescued by a team from Patriot hills and flown to Punta Arenas in Chile for treatment. The crash happened just four days after they arrived at the South Pole, about one third of the way through their planned 32,000 nautical mile aerial marathon. Murray briefly stopped off on Monday to visit her husband Simon, also 63, who is walking unsupported to the South Pole with intrepid fellow Briton Pen Hadow. Simon sent her a message of support from his blizzard-bound tent on the Antarctic ice where winds of 50 knots were keeping the walkers pinned down. "Jennifer is one of the most level-headed people I know and her inner strength comes to the fore in situations like this," he said by e-mail. "Of course, I would love to be at her side and give her a massive hug." (AGENCIES) |
|
|
