Tuesday, September 22, 1998
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W O R L D | Tuesday, September 22, 1998 |
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Clinton's videotapes
released WASHINGTON, Sept 21 — US President Bill Clinton told a grand jury that he had an "inappropriate intimate contact" with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky and regretted his conduct, a statement made to the grand jury on August 17 and released today said. Ousted
Deputy PM’s arrest sparks riots |
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Gates
fifth richest American in history Annan
flays India, Pak for N-tests Di’s
personal papers ‘destroyed’ Attack
on Pak religious meeting leaves 6 dead MQM
deal with PML-N Seoul
Peace Prize for Annan |
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Clinton's videotapes released WASHINGTON, Sept 21 (Reuters, DPA) — US President Bill Clinton told a grand jury that he had an "inappropriate intimate contact" with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky and regretted his conduct, a statement made to the grand jury on August 17 and released today said. Mr Clinton acknowledged the "inappropriate intimate contact" and said that it was "wrong". He also said "these encounters did not consist of sexual intercourse" and that the relationship began as "friendship". The House of Representatives Judiciary Committee released the videotapes of Mr Clinton’s testimony last month before a grand jury in the White House sex-and-lies probe. The tapes of the August 17 testimony were handed over to the media at 6.43 p.m. and posted on internet, and their broadcast began on four national television networks — CNN, MSNBC, Fox and C-Span — 12 minutes later. The committee also handed over the 2,800-page report of the Lewinsky case evidence prepared by independent counsel Kenneth Starr, which includes the 25-year-old former intern’s own account of her sexual encounters with Mr Clinton. Mr Clinton gave the testimony from the map room of the White House by video link to a court house several km away. The Republicans, who dominate the House of Representatives, say the American people have the right to see the tape, to judge for themselves whether Mr Clinton lied to the grand jury. Many democrats say their real motive is to embarrass the President. Meanwhile a defensive White House today accused the Republicans of a smear campaign against the President. Deputy White House Chief of Staff John Podesta said the House Judiciary Committee had authorised a "garbage dump" on Friday when it voted to release the four-hour videotape along with 2,800 pages of other material. "I think people are going to wonder about the judgement of people who decided to put (out) a good deal of salacious material that is completely irrelevant," Mr Podesta said on NBC Television. "At the core is a political goal to embarrass this President," said White House Adviser Rahm Emmanuel on the CBS. Democratic Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts told NBC that the Republicans were engaging in "political water torture" by slowing down the process instead of voting swiftly on whether to impeach the President. In turn, Republican Senator John Ashcroft of Missouri accused the President of dragging out the matter by misleading the American people for eight months. "To say that the Republican Party has been involved in some sort of water torture for America is to simply ignore the fact that this water torture has been inflicted by the President, he said on the NBC. Meanwhile, the videotaped grand jury testimony of President Bill Clinton has already become a bestseller. The online bookstore Amazon, Com said yesterday the advance orders for the videotape, which it intended to sell for about $ 10 had placed the testimony in its top-seller list, even ahead of the new book by popular horror writer Stephen King. Amazon has listed the
title as, "The grand jury testimony of William
Jefferson Clinton: August 17, 1998". On the tape, Mr
Clinton is described by sources who have seen it as being
at times angry and contrite as he answers questions about
his sexual relationship with Monica Lewinsky. |
Ousted Deputy PM’s arrest
sparks riots KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 21 (AFP) — The indefinite detention of ousted Deputy Premier Anwar Ibrahim sparked a second day of clashes here today as Malaysia was put under the international spotlight. Riot police battled with more than 1,000 people waiting in vain for Anwar outside the main courthouse after the police announced he would be held under the draconian Internal Security Act (ISA). Several thousands congregated at Anwar’s home amid threats of demonstrations at the national stadium, where Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II was to close the 70-nation Commonwealth Games later today. The authorities threw up a huge security operation around the Queen on the first full day of her state visit. Anwar’s wife raised fears for the safety of the imprisoned former Deputy Premier, saying she had even heard he might be injected with the HIV virus. Rumours that Anwar might have been infected spread like wildfire across the capital after notices were posted on the gate of Anwar’s house and an Internet site made the same claim. The authorities, however, dismissed the allegation. Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad also chaired a crisis meeting of the ruling United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) to discuss the country’s worst disturbances in three decades. Security forces threw a huge security around Queen Elizabeth today to stop mounting political disturbances disrupting her state visit. While clashes between Anwar’s supporters and police broke out, the Queen went ahead with a formal welcoming ceremony and went up the world’s tallest building. Clashes broke out about half a mile from Parliament Square, where Mahathir and King Tunku Jafaar gave a formal welcome to the Queen with a 21-gun salute. The police fired water cannon and tear gas to disperse crowds outside the central court building. Anwar’s two right-hand men in the youth wing of Prime Minister’s UMNO together with four leaders of a Muslim youth movement which Anwar had once headed were also picked up, officials said.@ least 50 people were detained during three hours of street battles. One man running in the street brandishing a Malaysian flag was kicked and beaten as he was hauled away. The police were later seen beating onlookers and workers leaving their offices to return home. LONDON: The Malaysian authorities are censoring television coverage of rioting in Kuala Lumpur taken by foreign broadcasters, the British foreign office said today. The BBC and Britain’s independent television news channel ITN, which are covering a state visit by the Queen to Malaysia reported that pictures taken of the unrest were being blanked from screens as it was transmitted to Britain. “We can confirm that this is happening and we are urgently pursuing the matter with the Malaysian authorities,” a foreign office spokesman said. A Kuala Lumpur report quoting the BBC said the network’s television pictures of civil unrest in Malaysia were being jammed on government orders. Television New Zealand (TVNZ) in Auckland also reported that its broadcasts of riot police cracking down on supporters of ousted Finance Minister Anwar Ibrahim were being censored. “As soon as any images of the rioting are shown the circuit is switched, making it impossible to transmit,” said BBC News Editor Paul Newman at the Commonwealth Games International Broadcasting Centre here. “Engineers in the
master control room have been told by the Minister of
Information to monitor output,” he added. |
Truce reached in gurdwaras’ dispute VANCOUVER (British Columbia), Sept 21 — There is no more tussle and scuffle over furniture in gurdwaras in the Canadian province of British Columbia and a truce has been established. It’s all quiet now on the issue of chairs and tables which embroiled a segment of the Sikh community, labelled as moderates and fundamentalists, into heated and violent encounters this summer, and in the process wounded the image of the entire Indo-Canadian population. The prevailing calm on the controversial and sensitive debate of removing or retaining furniture in dining halls of local gurdwaras does not mean that the issue has been resolved. It has rather been contained in a civilised manner and directed towards democratic solution through the Canadian legal system. The Vancouver police, which exercised its force in an admirable non-partisan manner, successfully obtained an injunction earlier this month preventing anyone from gathering on or around the Ross Street Sikh temple premises on Sundays. As a result all opposing factions as well as general public have expressed their endorsement and joy over the calm prevailing in the gurdwara vicinity in the midst of police force. The tension is further eased by two uncontested rulings from the Supreme Court of British Columbia. The court ruled in favour of the moderate faction to continue its control over this largest and oldest Sikh institution in Canada with a reported membership of 27,000. The Supreme Court has also ruled that for the upcoming December bi-annual election to select a new ruling body, measures must be put in place to ensure complete fairness. Holding of fair vote is certainly a democratic route to tackle the chair and table issue, and which has been hailed by both parties. Together, through their lawyers, they’re working on written proposals to the court on a procedure which would ensure a fair election. In the meantime the continued bickering between Akal Takht chief Bhai Ranjit Singh on one hand and Takht Kesgarh Sahib chief Bhai Manjit Singh and Takht Damdama Sahib chief Bhai Kewal Singh on the other has cast some haze over the controversial ‘Hukamnama’ (edict) on removal of chairs and tables. While Bhai Ranjit Singh accused the other two high priests of financial irregularities, the latter in turn accused the former of misbehaviour, use of rude language and disrespect. Moreover, both Bhai Manjit Singh and Bhai Kewal Singh expressed their dissent in excommunicating the local Sikh leaders and a Punjabi journalist. They even reportedly disapproved the way the chair and table issue was handled by issuing an edict. The infighting at the high priests’ level has encouraged local debate to seek a solution to the problem from within the Sikh community settled here. In this regard, a totally neutral group of “hurt” Sikhs is being formalised to help resolve the issue and thus restore the image of the Indo-Canadian community, particularly its Sikh members. Canadian Cabinet Minister Herb Dhaliwal, who’s in touch with equally concerned Moe Sihota, Canadian Member of Parliament, on this issue, has expressed his support to the group. He told The Link newspaper that even if “I’ve to go to Punjab to help resolve the tension I’m prepared any time.” The emergence of a new and
neutral leadership and the involvement of the two
prominent Indo-Canadian elected politicians, together
with court rulings, are certainly the welcome signs
towards peace in the community. — IANS |
Gates fifth richest American in history NEW YORK, Sept 21 (AP) — Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates may be the richest American now, but a new study finds that Gates ranks only fifth on the list of the richest men throughout US history. The survey by American Heritage, a magazine published by Forbes Inc., found that the great titans of American industry John D. Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie, Cornelius Vanderbilt and John Jacob Astor had amassed far greater wealth when compared to the size of the US economy of their time. Sure, Gates’ fortune of $ 62 billion looks pretty good now. But while fortunes have been growing larger over time, so has the overall size of the US economy. The survey in the magazine’s October 12 issue found that Gates’ holdings are a far smaller share of today’s economy than Rockefeller’s was at the time of his death in 1937. Adjusting for the tremendous growth in America’s economy since then, the survey found that Rockefeller’s wealth would be worth a whopping $ 190 billion today, including all of his charitable contributions. In addition to the Rockefeller’s oil, other key industries were also represented on the list of the 40 richest Americans throughout history: Carnegie’s steel, Vanderbilt’s railroads and Astor’s real estate. Gates should still feel lucky, though he’s one of only three Americans on the list who are still alive today, along with superstar investor Warren Buffett at No. 13 and fellow Microsoft bigwig Paul G. Allen at No 22. Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton, No. 11, died in 1992. The list includes other well-known financiers and industrialists such as Banker J.P. Morgan and automaker Henry Ford. But it also includes some figures who are lesser-known today, such as sewing machine King Edward Clark and sugar magnate Claus Spreckels. The study of Michael
Klepper and Robert Gunther grew out of research the two
did for a 1996 book. “The Wealthy 100: from Benjamin
Franklin to Bill Gates, a ranking of the richest
Americans, past and present.” The authors updated
their data for the magazine article. |
Annan flays India, Pak for N-tests NEW YORK, Sept 21 (PTI) — The UN Secretary-General, Mr Kofi Annan, today made a veiled attack on the nuclear tests by India and Pakistan early this year and said concerted international action was needed to fight the "global menace" of terrorism. Opening the 53rd session of the UN General Assembly, Annan said the "spectre of nuclear annihilation continues to haunt the world... you know two new countries have chosen this year to conduct their first nuclear tests." Without naming India and Pakistan, Mr Annan referred to the nuclear tests as he was speaking on conflicts in various parts of the world. Speaking on terrorism, he condemned the networks of terrorism and trafficking and the August 7 US Embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania that killed hundreds of people Assailing the retaliatory action by the USA against the bomb attacks, the Secretary-General said, "Individual actions by member states, whether aimed at state or non-state actors, cannot in themselves provide solution. We must meet the threat together." "Terrorism is a
global menace which clearly calls for global
action," he asserted. |
Di’s personal papers ‘destroyed’ LONDON, Sept 21 (AFP) — The family of Diana, Princess of Wales, destroyed her intimate letters and medical records in order to protect her sons and her memory, The Mail has reported here. The executors of Diana’s will, her mother, Frances Shand Kydd and sister Sarah McCorquodale, are currently sorting through Diana’s private papers before handing them over to the Royal Archives. Among the papers that have been removed are love letters, including from Diana’s former lover James Hewitt, and documents relating to her health, the paper said yesterday. Diana had admitted suffering from an eating disorder and depression after her marriage to Prince Charles began to fall apart. Traditionally documents belonging to the Royal family, both personal and official, are stored in the Royal Archives at Windsor Castle where they are classified and only released for public viewing after 30 years. However, a Buckingham
Palace spokesperson said: “It is not compulsory for
the estate to hand over any papers. But they ought to
pass on official papers at least for the sake of historic
records. It will be up to her family and nobody except
her family”. |
Attack on Pak religious meeting leaves 6 dead Lahore, Sept 21 (ANI) — In an outbreak of sectarian violence in Pakistan, terrorists gunned down six persons and injured several others in an attack on a religious congregation, 60 km from here. The police and eyewitnesses said that the attackers rode four motor cycles and opened indiscriminate fire from automatic weapons on the religious service of Shia Muslims in Fazal Sarain town. The attack by the masked terrorists left four persons dead on the spot and 10 injured. Two of the injured reportedly died after reaching a nearby hospital. While no one has claimed responsibility for the killings, the police suspects the involvement of a Sunni extremist party, the Sipah-e-Sahaba, in an apparent attempt to avenge the murder of one of its senior leaders in Islamabad last week. The Tehrik-e-Jafria, representative of the Shia community in Pakistan, has condemned the attack and demanded that the government arrest the culprits within 24 hours. Sectarian rivalries and clashes in Pakistan have claimed nearly 200 lives in the current year and failure of the Nawaz Sharif government to curb the trend has one of its major embarrassments despite the passage of tough anti-terrorism laws. Karachi: The police has arrested two terrorists and recovered a huge quantity of weapons from them after a raid on a house in Malir district. Twenty Kalashnikovs, 5500 bullets and other sophisticated weapons were seized in the raid. The two terrorists, Faisal and Ghafar, apparently sneaked into the city from Turbat with their cache of weapons. When they were interrogated, they said that some other terrorists had also entered the port city with 60 Kalashnikovs. Police officials also said
that the terrorists had contacts with the Muttahida Quami
Movement (Altaf). MQM deal with PML-N ISLAMABAD, Sept 21 (PTI) — Nawaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) has struck a deal with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) ensuring that the PML-N-led Sindh provincial government will be able to ward off a Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) no-confidence motion on Wednesday. After days of hectic negotiations in London, Mr Sharif’s special emissary and federal minister Choudhury Nisar Ali Khan yesterday struck the deal with self-exiled MQM chief Altaf Hussain, thus managing to ward off one of the many crises faced by the ruling party. In a joint statement, it
was announced the MQM would not rejoin the Sindh
government but sit in the treasury benches, thus almost
ensuring that the minority government of Chief Minister
Liaqat Ali Jatoi would survive the no-confidence motion
brought in the wake of an earlier announcement by MQM to
break off from the alliance. |
Seoul Peace Prize for Annan SEOUL, Sept 21 (AFP) — UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan was selected today to receive the 1998 Seoul Peace Prize in recognition of his contribution to world peace, officials said. Annan, born in Ghana in 1938, was chosen from some 90 prominent nominees, including former and incumbent heads of state, political and religious figures, prize committee head Lee Chul-Seung said. He is the fourth recipient of the $ 200,000 prize, established in 1990 to celebrate the 1988 Olympics in Seoul. The first prize went to International Olympic Committee supremo Juan Antonio Samaranch in 1990, followed by former US State Secretary George Shultz in 1992 and Medicines Sans Frontiers (doctors without borders) in 1996. Annan made the highest
score for his contributions to world peace, the committee
said. He successfully negotiated the release of hostages
during the Gulf war in 1990 and also played a role in
inter-Korean affairs. |
Swedish poll STOCKHOLM, Sept 21
(Reuters) — Prime Minister Goran Persson has claimed
victory in Sweden’s general election. “We are
going to continue governing,” Persson said
yesterday, cheering members of his Social Democratic
Party (SDP) after the SDP and other Left-leaning parties
secured a majority in the election. The SDP alone saw its
share of vote fall to 36.6 per cent — its worst
result since World War II — from 45.3 per cent at
the last election in 1994. |
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| Albanian reward to find killers LONDON: Albania has announced a reward of $ 200,000 — more than double the previously announced bounty — for anyone giving information leading to the arrest of those responsible for killing Albanian Opposition leader Azem Hajdari. The leader of the Democratic Party, Mr Sali Berisha, blamed socialist Prime Minister Fatos Nano for the killing on September 12 and demanded his resignation. — ANI Newspapers closed Spyplane made
public Madonna’s
daughter World kissing
record Women in police Defence budget cut |
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