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| Chinese bird flu town comes out of isolation BEIJING, Feb 22: China today eased restrictions on the movement of people and poultry near a bird flu-stricken town for.....more Indonesian
politician JAKARTA, Feb 22: The leader of Indonesia’s Muslim-based welfare and justice party has threatened to sue the United.....more Several
dead in JERUSALEM, Feb 22: An explosion tore through an Israeli bus in Jerusalem today, killing several people and wounding....more Iraq-bound
KUWAIT, Feb 22: The largest contingent to date of Japanese troops bound for a controversial mission to Iraq arrived in......more |
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Malaysia offers to help IAEA question nuke suspect KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 22: Malaysia’s Police are willing to help the UN nuclear watchdog question a suspected middle......more Winning
lottery WASHINGTON, Feb 22: The winning ticket in the mega millions lottery is worth at least 230 million dollars, a record for.....more Agitation
will end KATHMANDU, Feb 22: Asserting the political parties were ready to face King Gyanendra’s....more Prostitute
confesses WARSAW/KATOWICE, Feb 22: A 27-year-old prostitute confessed to axing a 66-year-old client to death and stealing a....more |
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Chinese bird flu town comes out of isolation BEIJING, Feb 22: China today eased restrictions on the movement of people and poultry near a bird flu-stricken town for the first time during the deadly outbreak, but said this did not mean the health scare was over. Officials on Friday confirmed two more suspected cases of the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu that has killed 22 people and spread to eight countries in Asia. A Magistrate in the southern Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous region announced "the ending of isolation" imposed on the town of Dingdang, Xinhua News Agency reported. "It is the first bird flu-affected area in China relieved out of isolation," Xinhua said. Ducks on a farm in Dingdang were confirmed last month to have died from the H5N1 strain. About 14,000 poultry within a radius of three Km of the farm were culled by burying them dead or alive. Fowl within a radius of five Km were vaccinated. Xinhua quoted Jia Youling, a spokesman for the Agriculture Ministry’s bird flu prevention team, as saying people and poultry could now move more freely near Dingdang. "But the ending of the isolation of the bird-flu hit town doesn’t mean the end of the bird-flu alarm," Jia was quoted as saying, adding that it would be six months before affected farms could resume breeding. Sixteen of China’s 31 provinces and major cities have confirmed outbreaks of Avian influenza, which has killed 15 Vietnamese and seven Thais. China has so far reported no human deaths. (AGENCIES) |
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Indonesian
politician to sue UN over JAKARTA, Feb 22: The leader of Indonesia’s Muslim-based welfare and justice party has threatened to sue the United Nations Security Council unless it retracks a claim that his "Al Hairiman Al Khariyah"foundation had been linked to Al-Qaeda, news reports said today. "In one or two weeks the UN Security Council must correct the accusation and if they fail to do so, a lawsuit will be filed," Hidayat Nurwahid, president the welfare and justice party, told the state-run Antara News Agency. Nurwahid said the foundation he leads was not connected with the Al-Hairiman-al-Khariyah foundation headquartered in Saudi Arabia, which the UN had accused of collecting funds for Al-Qaeda. "The similarity in name is no problem because the name is very popular among Muslims," he said. Nurwahid said he suspected the issue has been raised to discredit his party prior to the upcoming general election on April 5 of this year. The welfare and justice party, which has been campaigning on a strong anti-corruption platform, is expected to do well in the polls given growing appeal among moderate moslems in Indonesia. (DPA) |
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Several dead in Jerusalem bus blast JERUSALEM, Feb 22: An explosion tore through an Israeli bus in Jerusalem today, killing several people and wounding dozens of others, rescue services said. Army radio said it appears a suicide bomber blew up on the number 14 bus near the Inbal hotel on Jabotinsky street during the morning rush hour. "There are many casualties — about 30 — some of them are dead," ambulance service spokesman Avi Zohar told Army Radio. A Spokesman for the fire brigade said: "There are a number of dead." Ambulances raced to the scene, near the Inbal hotel. A Palestinian suicide bomber last struck in Jerusalem on January 29, killing 11 people on a bus. (AGENCIES) |
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Iraq-bound Japanese troops arrive in Kuwait KUWAIT, Feb 22: The largest contingent to date of Japanese troops bound for a controversial mission to Iraq arrived in Kuwait today. About 140 ground troops arrived at Mubarak Air base on their way to Iraq to take part in a humanitarian mission that has been criticised as a violation of Japan’s Pacifist Constitution. They will join about 100 troops who are constructing a base near Samawa in southern Iraq. Japan is to send a total of up to 1,000 troops including air force and navy personnel. The dispatch of the troops has divided public opinion and sparked demonstrations. Under the Constitution, its troops have not fired a shot in battle or suffered a casualty abroad since World War 2. Security was tight in Japan as the troops left the northern island of Hokkaido. A national police agency official said security had been stepped up at key sites around Japan on Friday, including Government offices, US bases and nuclear power plants, to guard against a possible terror attack. Media reports last year said Al-Qaeda had threatened to "strike at the heart of Tokyo" if Japanese troops entered Iraq. (AGENCIES) |
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Malaysia offers to help IAEA question nuke suspect KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 22: Malaysia’s Police are willing to help the UN nuclear watchdog question a suspected middleman in Pakistan’s illicit nuclear parts trade, a newspaper reported today. Businessman Buhary Syed Abu Tahir told police of a 3 million dollars sale to Iran of nuclear centrifuge parts made in Malaysia, according to a police report released on Friday. Tahir, a Sri Lankan resident in the Malaysian capital, also told how Pakistani atomic scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan arranged the shipment of enriched uranium to Libya. "He has not been arrested, that much I can say. Neither is he prevented from leaving the country," police chief Mohamad Bakri Omar said, according to the newspaper. But the police are willing to help the International Atomic Energy Agency if it wishes to question Tahir, he said. The Inspector General said investigations showed that Tahir had misled Malaysian firm scope on a contract to make centrifuge parts. "However, it is up to scope and not US to take action from here on," Mohamad Bakri said. The firm is part of publicly listed Scomi Group BHD, which is controlled by the Malaysian Prime Minister’s son, Kamaluddin Abdullah, and two other investors. Tahir’s passport had not been impounded, Mohamad Bakri said. A Malaysian intelligence source said on Friday Tahir had left his house but remained in Kuala Lumpur. (AGENCIES) |
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Winning lottery ticket worth quarter billion WASHINGTON, Feb 22: The winning ticket in the mega millions lottery is worth at least 230 million dollars, a record for the lottery, news reports said. As of late last night, no one had come forward to claim the prize. The ticket was purchased at a convenience store in Stephens city, a small town in the eastern state of Virginia. The winning prize is likely to be north of 230 million dollars, depending on how many people participated in the lottery, officials said. The numbers in the Friday night lottery were: 1, 13, 20, 21, 30. The mega ball was 24. There was only one winning ticket. The odds of winning were 1:135,145,920, the lottery’s web site said. (DPA) |
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Agitation will end only after
restoration KATHMANDU, Feb 22: Asserting the political parties were ready to face King Gyanendra’s ‘challenge,’ former Nepali Prime Minister and president of the Nepali Congress Girija Prasad Koirala has said that their struggle against the monarchy would end only after the revival of democracy and restoration of people’s rights. The unarmed struggle for democracy would make the King Kneel down before the people, Mr Koirala said in his address to party workers at Panauti in Kavre district, 70 kilometres east of Kathmandu, the Himalayan Times today reported. "If the King’s Nepalgunj speech is a challenge, we are ready to face it," he said and called on the King "to abdicate and come to the streets." "King Tribhuvan gave democracy in 2007 bs, but his son, King Mahendra, usurped the power in 2017 King Birendra yielded to people’s wish, but the present King usurped the power again," Mr Koirala pointed out, adding there was no need for the people to shoulder the King’s mistake. "The King has rebuffed his late brother by accusing the political parties of taking advantage of his well-meant move," he said. The veteran leader also called on the parents and guardians to let the children take part in the students’ agitation against regression. Nepal’s five leading party including the Nepali Congress, CPN,UML, a faction of the Nepal Sadbhavana Party, Nepal peasants and workers party and Janamorcha Nepal have been continuing their protest against the King’s step of October 4. The parties have been demanding the formation of an all party Government, reinstatement of the dissolved House of Representatives and holding talks with the Maoists to end the crisis in the country. (UNI) |
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Prostitute confesses to axe murder of client in Poland WARSAW/KATOWICE, Feb 22: A 27-year-old prostitute confessed to axing a 66-year-old client to death and stealing a considerable sum of money and a CD player from the victim, Poland’s Pap news agency reported. The man’s mutilated corpse was discovered by his son in his home in the southern Silesian town of Wlodzislaw on Monday. An analysis of the man’s telephone records led police to the woman, a mother of a 9-year-old girl. According to the Pap report yesterday, woman confessed to the murder, describing in detail her motives and revealed where she had hidden the axe. The woman reportedly spent the stolen money on housewares and to pay off debts. (DPA) |
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Thailand to grant citizenship to
Vietnamese BANGKOK, Feb 22: Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said his Government was ready to grant citizenship to some 3,000 Vietnamese immigrants to improve relations between the once bitter cold war enemies. Speaking at a joint cabinet meeting with his Vietnamese counterpart, Prime Minister Phan Van Khai, Thaksin said yesterday the two Governments had concluded four major agreements on economic cooperation, transportation, construction and health. In addition, Thaksin told reporters gathered at the site of the meeting in Nakhon Phanom province, 645 kilometres northeast of Bangkok, it was time to grant Thai citizenship to about 3,000 Vietnamese who have been living in the area for generations. "The Government will check their biographical data and determine if they are loyal to Thailand," Thaksin said. "If they qualify, we should give them citizenship. They have been living here for three generations already." The Vietnamese settled in northeastern Thailand in several waves, including thousands who fled after the French defeat in Vietnam in the 1950s and more who fled the American defeat in the 1970s. The site of yesterday’s joint Thai-Vietnamese cabinet meeting was at a hotel in the provincial capital of Nakhon Phanom. The two leaders also visited the village of Ban Na Chok, where Vietnamese revolutionary leader Ho Chi Minh stayed in the 1920s. The village was re-named "Thai-Vietnamese friendship village" to mark the warming of relations between the two countries. The warm bilateral ties mark a sharp contrast with the past, when Thailand hosted several major bases used by US forces to fight against the Vietnamese communists. Thaksin said he discussed a wide range of issues with Vietnamese leaders during the cabinet meeting, including joint strategies for fighting the bird flu epidemic. Both Governments have been accused of under-estimating the severity of the outbreak and failing to take prompt action against it. The first part of the joint cabinet meeting was held in the Central Vietnamese city of Danang on Friday. Thaksin has promoted joint cabinet meetings between members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and has hosted meetings with the Governments of Cambodia, Singapore and Malaysia as well as Vietnam. (DPA) President Bush’s family dog, spot, dies WASHINGTON, Feb 22: US President George W Bush and his wife, Laura, were mourning the death of their dog spot, which was born at the White House during the administration of Bush’s father, George H W Bush. "The President and Mrs Bush and the entire Bush family are deeply saddened by the passing of spot," the White House said in a statement yesterday. Spot, an English Springer Spaniel, was among three pets of the bushes. Their other pets are Barney, a Scottish terrier, and India, a black cat. Spot, which would have turned 15 in March, is a daughter of Millie, a pet of the former President Bush. Spot had a series of strokes recently and the Veterinarian recommended she be put to sleep, which the bushes did yesterday, a US official said. (AGENCIES) India’s nuclear bunkers
give it military WASHINGTON, Feb 22: India’s proposal to build "nuclear fallout shelters" along its border with Pakistan is more than a defensive maneuver, according to US geopolitical analysts. With Pakistan possessing nuclear weapons, the move would seem a logical defensive mechanism but the size and the scope of the bunkers "indicate their possible use in conventional warfare," analysts at Strategic Forecasting (STRATFOR) said. The Indian military has attempted over the last six months to significantly widen its technological advantages over the Pakistani military, STRATFOR said, and the proposed shelter construction is another step in that direction. Although as shelters they do not offer a significant tactical advantage, it was likely that the bunkers would be used for "purposes not entirely related to protection from nuclear fallout." Indian Defence Ministry officials have alluded to using underground border facilities to protect command centers and other key facilities. Representatives of Dass Hitachi — the construction company for the shelters — outlined plans for large bunkers that would contain decontamination facilities separate from areas that could house and sustain approximately 30 personnel. "This description — with separate decontamination, housing and communications facilities — not only gives an idea of a bunker’s size, but also makes it seem like something more than a fallout shelter," STRATFOR said. (UNI) Iran’s supreme leader says poll a blow to US TEHRAN, Feb 22: Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei hailed a Parliamentary election in which conservatives surged towards victory as a defeat for the Islamic Republic’s Arch-Foes, the United States and Israel. Interior Ministry figures showed conservatives, hostile to President Mohammad Khatami’s liberal reforms, had won 133 out of the first 194 seats declared, Deputy Parliament speaker Behzad Nabavi said yesterday. A total of 289 seats were at stake. Khamenei, Iran’s highest authority, was quoted on television as saying the February 20 election in the oil-producing state had been held under the "bombardment of enemy propaganda". "The losers in this election are the United States, Israeli Zionists and the country’s enemies," Khamenei said. Washington and the European union voiced concern over the way the election was held. Reformists, in the majority in the outgoing Parliament, said the poll was rigged and many boycotted it after the unelected hardline guardian council banned 2,500 mainly reformist candidates. A conservative majority could spell an end to Khatami’s seven-year experiment in allowing greater freedom of speech and loosening Islamic cultural and social restrictions, a drive that hardliners have tried to obstruct at every turn. Parliament convenes on Sunday when Iranians will learn whether defeated reformists will go through with resignation threats or use their two remaining months in office as a platform for speaking out. State radio and television, keen to show the reformist boycott had no impact on the poll, announced a 60 percent turnout. (AGENCIES) |
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