Vietnam seizes biggest drug haul from Asian ring

HANOI, May 15: Vietnamese police found tonnes of hashish covered by jeans in cartons shipped from Pakistan en route to China in what they described as Vietnam's largest drug haul, newspapers reported today.

The 8.8 tonnes of cannabis resin had a street value of nearly 90 million dollars, several state-run newspapers quoted anti-narcotics police officers as saying about the seizure on Monday in a warehouse in Mong Cai town on the border with China.

Vietnam has strict drug trafficking laws, including in some cases the death penalty, but it has long been used as a transit point for trade in heroin, hash, opium, amphetamine pills and other illegal drugs.

Police detained five people carrying Indonesian or Chinese passports on suspicion of being owners of two containers used to transport cannabis resin, also known as hashish.

The hash was covered by jeans in 400 cartons, police said. Cannabis resin is derived from the Cannabis sativa plant and is usually smoked.

''This is the biggest volume of drugs transported into Vietnam by sea,'' the Anti-Drug National Committee said.

The shipment came from Pakistan to Vietnam's northeastern city of Haiphong, the nearest port to China.

In February, a government review of drug-related crimes and trafficking said border provinces have strengthened cooperation with officials in neighbouring countries to prevent the transport of drugs.

In the past decade, police broke 245 drug trafficking rings with 26,597 offenders, including 61 dangerous fugitives, a Voice of Vietnam Radio report of the review said. (AGENCIES)

Czech Republic gets US guarantees against missile strikes

PRAGUE, May 15: The Czech Republic has received from the US guarantees to protection from possible strikes by ballistic missiles. The draft treaty on deployment of the US anti-missile radar in the republic records these obligations by Washington on ensuring Czech security.

This is an exclusive guarantee, given during the bilateral talks, reported press secretary of the Czech Foreign Ministry Zuzana Opletalova Wednesday evening.

The document also provides for preferential protection of the Czech territory in case of inflicting "terrorist strikes" with ballistic missiles on European NATO countries. This means in practice that if 11 missiles are flying on those countries, while elements of the global anti-missile defence system in the region has ten interceptor missiles, the Czech side gets a chance to influence on a decision-making process on their levelling at aims.

According to provisions of the draft treaty which, as Prague expects, will be signed in June, protection of the territory, adjacent to the radar station, is provided by the Czech side. The base's inside grounds and the radar itself is to be guarded by American servicemen. They also enforce law and order at the radar station.

The decision-making on the deployment of the radar is the competence of the Czech parliament. The republican government intends to submit, without delay, a signed document to the legislature. (AGENCIES)

Pakistan Army soldier beheaded

ISLAMABAD, May 15: A Pakistan Army soldier was beheaded in the restive North Waziristan tribal region by suspected Taliban militants who put a note on his body saying that he was killed for being a "American spy".

Feroz Khan, who hailed from Mir Ali town of North Waziristan, was kidnapped on April 23 and found dead 15 km east of Miranshah.

"Feroz, member of the Khushali Toorikhel tribe in Mir Ali town, was an American spy and the video of his confession will soon be made available in Miranshah's markets," read the note found on his body.

The body had bullet wounds and the severed head was found lying nearby. Witnesses said the soldier was beheaded by the local Taliban. No group has claimed responsibility for his death.

The Pakistani Taliban have beheaded several security personnel in the northwestern tribal areas and the Swat valley of the North West Frontier Province, accusing them of working as spies for the US. (PTI)

US to consult S Korea, Japan over N Korea nuke problem

WASHINGTON, May 15: The US will hold here consultations with South Korea and Japan May 18-19 on the North Korean nuclear problem, said on Wednesday deputy head of the State Department press service Tom Casey at a regular briefing for reporters.

According to the spokesman, head of the US delegation at the six-party talks on denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula Christopher Hill will discuss the latest developments in this sphere with his colleagues from Seoul and Tokyo.

Head of the Korean section of the State Department Sung Kim visited Pyongyang last week. He was received by the North Korean leadership and was supplied with technical documentation - nearly 19,000 pages - from the nuclear research centre in Yongbyen.

Sung Kim told reporters Tuesday that North Korean officials agreed to cooperate with other partners in the six-party talks in verifying its declaration on nuclear development studies. Pyongyang was to submit such a declaration back at the end of the last year.

According to the diplomat, the package of documents, received from North Korea, is the first important move, called upon to help come to a consensus on what quantities of plutonium were produced by the reactor in Yongbyen. Pyongyang claimed that the figure stands at 30 kilos. But Washington believes that North Korea produced 50 kilos.

Sung Kim emphasised that he had very substantive talks on all aspects of the declaration. But he added that it is too early to say that the document would be ready in the near future. (AGENCIES)

Najib rejects opposition claims of corruption, murder ties

KUALA LUMPUR, May 15: Malaysia's deputy prime minister defended himself against accusations of corruption and involvement in a murder case that the opposition says make him unfit to become the country's leader.

Najib Razak, who is also defence minister, has been increasingly targeted by the opposition, which has sought to link him to scandals, including allegedly dubious defence contracts and the slaying of a Mongolian woman.

In a speech to Parliament late yesterday, Najib said the opposition has made "completely baseless" claims that major military procurements conducted by his ministry were tainted by graft.

Many politicians expect Najib to succeed Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. After their ruling coalition suffered stinging losses in March general elections, Abdullah pledged to hand over power to Najib in a leadership transition they would start planning after December.

Najib rejected accusations that his ministry misled the public about deals to buy French submarines in 2002 and Russian fighter aircraft in 2003. Opposition leaders have claimed massive commissions were paid to facilitators of the two deals.

The opposition's allegations are "a concerted attempt at confusing the people for their own political gain," Najib said.

Rivals have also claimed Najib was involved in the slaying of a Mongolian interpreter, Altantuya Shaariibuu, in late 2006. Two policemen are on trial for allegedly using explosives to destroy Shaariibuu's remains in a jungle clearing near Kuala Lumpur.

Opposition activists have not produced solid evidence to substantiate their claims against Najib, but have widely spread their criticism through public speeches and Websites. (AGENCIES)

Najib rejects opposition claims of corruption, murder ties

KUALA LUMPUR, May 15: Malaysia's deputy prime minister defended himself against accusations of corruption and involvement in a murder case that the opposition says make him unfit to become the country's leader.

Najib Razak, who is also defence minister, has been increasingly targeted by the opposition, which has sought to link him to scandals, including allegedly dubious defence contracts and the slaying of a Mongolian woman.

In a speech to Parliament late yesterday, Najib said the opposition has made "completely baseless" claims that major military procurements conducted by his ministry were tainted by graft.

Many politicians expect Najib to succeed Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. After their ruling coalition suffered stinging losses in March general elections, Abdullah pledged to hand over power to Najib in a leadership transition they would start planning after December.

Najib rejected accusations that his ministry misled the public about deals to buy French submarines in 2002 and Russian fighter aircraft in 2003. Opposition leaders have claimed massive commissions were paid to facilitators of the two deals.

The opposition's allegations are "a concerted attempt at confusing the people for their own political gain," Najib said.

Rivals have also claimed Najib was involved in the slaying of a Mongolian interpreter, Altantuya Shaariibuu, in late 2006. Two policemen are on trial for allegedly using explosives to destroy Shaariibuu's remains in a jungle clearing near Kuala Lumpur.

Opposition activists have not produced solid evidence to substantiate their claims against Najib, but have widely spread their criticism through public speeches and Websites. (AGENCIES)

India, Russia, China FMs discussing wide range of issues

YEKATERINBURG, RUSSIA, May 15: India, Russia and China today kicked off a trilateral meeting here to discuss a wide range of regional and global issues including counter- terrorism, food and energy security and the rapidly unfolding economic scenario on the backdrop of US subprime crisis.

Warmly welcoming External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Chinese colleague Yang Jiechi, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov invited them for informal discussions on the issues touched upon in their earlier Vladivostok, New Delhi and Harbin meetings.

At the end of RIC ministerial meeting, a joint communique stating the common stand of India, Russia and China will be issued.

According to sources, for the first time, the three nations are expected to express a common stand on the nuclear issues of Iran, North Korea and the situation in Afghanistan.

Mukherjee arrived here yesterday on a three-day visit.

Earlier this morning, he had a one-to-one meeting with his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi.

Yang, who personally welcomed Mukherjee at the entrance of his hotel, described the bilateral Sino-Indian relations as "steady".

Later today, Mukherjee is to hold a one-to-one meeting with Lavrov, who has been reappointed following the change of power configuration in the Kremlin after the inauguration of President Dmitry Medvedev on May 7.

Tomorrow, RIC ministers will be joined by the Brazilian Foreign Minister for the first-ever stand-alone meeting of BRIC-a forum of the world’s fastest growing economies. (PTI)

Indian Railways’ success has amazed management experts: Lalu

KUALA LUMPUR, May 15: Indian Railways has intrigued leading management institutes worldwide by turning the accepted principles of management upside down, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad said here today.

They are amazed at the turnaround achieved by Indian Railways, which has transformed itself from a loss-making to a profit making venture, without raising fares and cutting jobs, he said.

"Harvard, MIT, INSEAD, Ahmedabad are all eager to know the Ramayan of the Indian Railways success," he told senior officials of public sector unit IRCON and representatives of Malaysian Railway ministry.

The treatment usually given to any loss making company was to raise fares and cut manpower, he said, adding "we have proved the sceptics wrong, we cut fares and did not cut manpower."

IRCON, which has already undertaken 12 projects in Malaysia, has won the biggest ever contract of USD one billion from the Malaysian Government for executing an electrified double tracking project between Seremban and Gemas.

The major features of the project include 34 river bridges, and a 1.8 km long tunnel, among others.

The minister, who will be witness to the signing of the landmark deal between IRCON and Malaysian authorities said this was just the "beginning for the Indian Railways," and much was still to be done.

"There are a number of national railway projects to be undertaken too," Lalu said, dedicating IRCON’s office premises here to the projects it has bagged in Malaysia.

The minister will also take a ride on the city’s overhead monorail system, besides meeting Indian expatriates here. (PTI)

Parents lose only hope for the future in China quake disaster

HANWANG, CHINA, May 15: The loss of a child is always unbearable, but the grief of parents in China's earthquake zone has been deepened by the government's controversial one-child birth control policy.

The most searing images of this massive disaster are of ruined school buildings and numbed parents waiting outside as small broken bodies are lifted from the wreckage.

China's Premier Wen Jiabao, directing the rescue operation from one of the worst hit areas near here, has focused on the young victims and urged rescuers on by saying: "One minute could mean a child's life."

Classrooms were packed for afternoon lessons when Monday's 7.9-magnitude earthquake ripped through southwest China and brought school buildings crashing down on top of children and teachers.

More than 40,000 people are dead or buried under rubble with time running out to save the living, with many of the victims children.

Here in Hangwang, a town of 70,000 just 50 kilometres (30 miles) from the epicentre, whole neighbourhoods including schools were wiped out.

Most heart-rending for rescue workers and parents have been the voices heard under the wreckage of schools that are slowly falling silent as time passes.

"Before, we could still hear their voices. If they had worked faster they would have already rescued my daughter," said a frustrated and angry Wen Huayoung, 39, who was waiting for news of her 18-year-old daughter.

A friend, holding her hand, explained one of the reasons that made Wen's heartbreak even worse: "You know, in China, we are only allowed to have one child." (AGENCIES)

Asian natural disasters bring sombre note to Cannes glitz

CANNES, FRANCE, May 15: The tragedies of the real world -- the quake that rocked China and the cyclone that devastated Myanmar -- invaded the fantasy world of movies as the Cannes film festival moved into top gear today.

The red-carpet gala opening was as star-studded as ever but despite the glitz the party got off to a sombre start with a nightmarish parable of the apocalypse.

"Blindness," a Brazilian movie in which the government of an unnamed country locks up and then abandons citizens afflicted by a blinding plague, opened the 12-day bonanza whose centrepiece will be the long-awaited return of "Indiana Jones."

The Latin American film is "a metaphor that applies to any official neglect," said its scriptwriter Don McKellar.

There were obvious parallels between the story, starring Julianne Moore, and the reaction to disasters such as the cyclone in Myanmar, where the junta is blocking foreign aid offered to help survivors of the cyclone that killed tens of thousands, said director Fernando Meirelles.

The earthquake that struck this week in China leaving more than 40,000 dead, missing or buried under rubble was also felt in Cannes.

"24 City," a movie by China's Jia Zhangke set in Chengdu city in the quake-hit province, is among the 22 films in the running for the coveted Palme d'Or top prize.

Sean Penn, the US actor and director heading the jury that will decide on the prize, said events like the earthquake and the Myanmar cyclone showed the inefficiency of government responses to such disasters.

"When these things happen, all these governments, and I include mine, their control over people ... Their keeping people from getting help when they need it, they've got to be pushed out of the way by people," he told reporters. (AGENCIES)

China flays Tibetan protestors

KATHMANDU, May 15: China today slammed Tibetan protestors in Nepal for continuing with their anti-Beijing demonstrations even after a massive earthquake killed tens of thousands of people in the communist state, accusing them of showing "neither sympathy nor grief" over the tragedy.

"On the same day of earthquake and on Tuesday, despite the fact that they were also Chinese, the Tibetans continued the so-called protests and demonstrations in the Nepalese soil with the support of international human rights bodies," a press release from the Chinese Embassy said here.

Hundreds of Tibetans have been carrying out protests in front of the Chinese Embassy almost every day, disturbing its normal working order, it said.

"These harassers ignored the pain of their compatriots and showed neither sympathy nor grief over the tragedy," read the statement.

"They took pleasure in this misfortune and pressed on with their activities," the Embassy said. (PTI)

Australian ambassador to Fiji receives second death threat

SUVA, May 15: Australia's ambassador to Fiji received a second death threat today amid strains in the relationship between Canberra and the military-ruled South Pacific nation, officials said.

But Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said Australia would not be intimidated into softening its attitude to the military regime.

Australia's High Commissioner (ambassador) James Batley received the first death threat in a letter delivered by taxi on Wednesday last week and a second was received in the mail today, the high commission said in a statement.

"The High Commission is reviewing current security arrangements and will be restricting access to the High Commission forthwith," the statement said.

Fijian police and government officials had been informed of the latest threat and urgent high level discussions were being sought with the Fijian authorities, it said.

Fijian police were seen patrolling the area around the high commission in Suva today afternoon.

Last week, the high commission said the initial threat appeared to be motivated by the Australian government's policy opposing the military regime in Fiji.

Smith told the Australian parliament in Canberra today the government was concerned about the "credible" threats.

"The safety, security and welfare of all high commission staff and their families is paramount in Australia's response to these threats," he said.

Australia has been one of the most outspoken international critics of military chief Voreqe Bainimarama's regime since the elected government was toppled in a bloodless coup in December 2006. (AGENCIES)