Japan's
defence chief heads to Pakistan for talks
TOKYO, Aug 21: Japan's defence
minister headed today to Pakistan for
talks on Tokyo's role in the "war on
terror," which has come under
criticism at home.
Defence
Minister Yuriko Koike, who left as Prime
Minister Shinzo Abe was due in
neighbouring India, comes as Abe tries to
extend Japanese support to US-led
operations in Afghanistan, in which
Pakistan plays a pivotal role.
Japan's
centre-left opposition seized control of
one house of parliament in elections last
month following a raft of domestic
scandals. It has vowed to fight against
prolonging Japan's mission supporting the
"war on terror."
"We
believe Japan has a very big presence in
fighting against terrorism. I want to
hear the views of Pakistani people and
exchange opinions on how we should
cooperate," Koike told reporters
before leaving Japan.
Japanese
ships in the Indian Ocean provide
refuelling and other support to US-led
forces in Afghanistan, including
Pakistani vessels, under legislation
passed after the September 11, 2001
terrorist attacks.
The laws
are set to expire November 1. Abe's
coalition still controls the more
powerful lower house,but theoretically
the upper house could indefinitely stall
legislation.
Abe, an
outspoken conservative, has supported a
greater military role for Japan, which
has been officially pacifist since its
defeat in World War II.
Koike is
expected to meet President Pervez
Musharraf as well as Defence Minister Rao
Sikandar Iqbal.
She will
go on to India, where she will meet her
Indian counterpart A K Antony on Friday.
(AGENCIES)
Rocket
attack during Indian delegation's visit
to Israel
SEDEROT, ISRAEL ,
Aug 21: An Indian Muslim leaders'
delegation, on a rare visit to Israel,
today had to scramble behind the
mountains to take shelter to escape from
Hamas rocket attack from Gaza Strip.
Sirens
warning an impending rocket attack went
off when the Indian delegation during its
visit to the southern Israeli city of
Sederot.
"We
heard a warning shot which was followed
by a siren. We were immediately rushed to
take shelter behind the mountains where
we heard the sound of another rocket
attack which hit the city," Maulana
Umair Ilyasi, leader of the delegation,
said after the attack which took place
yesterday.
The
delegation is visiting Israel on the
invitation of the American Jewish
Committee (AJC) and the Australian Israel
Jewish Affairs Council, (AIJAFC).
The AJC
and the AIJAC had arranged a trip for the
visiting Indian delegation to the
southern city of Sederot, which is just
800 metres away from Gaza border.
"We
were just watching the Gaza Strip from
the top of a mountain when the rockets
were fired from the Hamas controlled
territory," Ilyasi, General
Secretary of the All India Organisation
of Imams of Mosques, said.
"There
were two rockets which hit the city
today," an official said. On an
average three rockets are fired from Gaza
every day, he said.
Later, in
an operation the Israeli forces killed
six Hamas activist, the local news
channels reported. (PTI)
Shuttle
Endeavour heads home after shorter,
successful mission
CAPE CANAVERAL,
FLORIDA, Aug 21: NASA cleared the
shuttle Endeavour for landing today,
after a two-week mission to the
International Space Station (ISS) cut
short 24 hours by menacing Hurricane
Dean.
Landing
was initially set for Wednesday, but the
US space agency rescheduled it for today
fearing that its control centre in
Houston, Texas may have to be evacuated
if it is grazed by Hurricane Dean, now
roaring across the Caribbean.
The
hurricane, on track to strike Mexico
early today, missing Texas altogether,
"poses little hazard or little risk
to the Johnson Space Centre mission
control area," NASA said in
yesterday a statement.
Nevertheless,
it added, "mission managers continue
to monitor Hurricane Dean as it moves
westward."
Endeavour
is to land at the Kennedy Space Center in
Cape Canaveral, Florida, which is less
well equipped than Houston for ground
control operations in the event the
Johson Space Centre has to be shut down
if the hurricane strikes.
The
Endeavour crew will have two chances to
land -- at 2202 IST and 2336 IST, the
National Aeronautics and Space
Administration said.
The
weather forecast for today at the Cape
was relatively dry and any possible
showers "probably not expected to be
a concern ... So the weather looks
good" for a landing, said NASA
spokesman Mike Curie in Houston.
Should
landing here be called off, the shuttle
would try again tomorrow at Edwards Air
Force Base, in California, or at the
White Sands Space Harbor, in New Mexico.
The
Endeavour and ISS crews finished a
shortened, fourth spacewalk on Sore the
shuttle with its crew of seven undocked
from the ISS without performing the usual
fly-past of the station to take pictures.
(AGENCIES)
Pakistan's
Premier to stand for re-election in
upcoming polls
ISLAMABAD, Aug 21: Pakistani Prime
Minister Shaukat Aziz has announced that
he would stand for re-election in the
upcoming general polls, days after Pervez
Musharraf decided to run for the
presidency for another five-year term.
"I
will always be a candidate for the Prime
Minister's office. But, the constituency
from where I would contest the elections
is yet to be decided," the 'Dawn'
reported today, quoting Aziz as saying in
Lahore.
However,
the 58-year-old Premier hinted that he
might be a candidate for more than one
National Assembly seat in the general
elections slated for later this year in
Pakistan. He has been serving as the
country's Prime Minister since 2004.
Reiterating
that the Government was committed to
holding free and fair Presidential and
general elections on time, Aziz ruled out
the imposition of emergency and martial
law on the Islamic nation "for
now".
He also
played down the recent tensions between
the judiciary and the President, saying
that "Musharraf's re-election is
crucial to the continuity of the efforts
that have propped up the country to its
current economic position".
Pointing
out that it would be the first time in
Pakistan's history that an interim
Government would oversee a general
election, Aziz said, "An interim
Government is different from a caretaker
set-up under the Constitution."
He clearly
declined that a deal was struck between
Musharraf and self-exiled former Premier
Benazir Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party.
"We'll contest the elections along
with our current allies and see what
happens after the polls."
Aziz also
said that though Bhutto was free to
return, former deposed Premier Nawaz
Sharif had entered into an agreement with
the Government to go abroad into exile
for having charges against him dropped.
(PTI)
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