Pact on East Timor’s freedom signed
UNITED NATIONS, May 6 — More than 23 years after Indonesia invaded the former Portuguese colony of East Timor, the two countries signed a historic agreement yesterday allowing the Timorese to decide whether they want autonomy or independence.

Pak harassing scribes: report
ISLAMABAD, May 6 — The US-based Committee to Protect Journalists accused Pakistan’s rulers today of waging a campaign of intimidation and harassment against journalists, who criticise the Government.

North Korea allows US ‘inspectors’ in
SEOUL, May 6 — A group of US officials and nuclear experts will fly to North Korea on May 18 to visit a suspected underground nuclear facility, an official in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said today.

Film star’s murder: producer gets bail

Mallory died after fall

Russia, G-8 nearing accord: Clinton
Military force for Kosovo

INGELHEIM (Germany) May 6 (AP) — U.S. President Bill Clinton today commiserated with ethnic Albanian refugees and said Russia was nearing agreement with G-8 nations on a military force “so you can go home again and be safe and free once the fighting stops in Kosovo.

At a refugee processing centre, Mr Clinton sat on metal chairs with about a dozen refugees and heard their gratitude to NATO for its efforts to stop ethnic cleansing in Kosovo.

“Even if we die, dying would be easier because we know that somebody knows what we’re going through,’’ a student told the President after describing how she was alone when armed Serb police forced her from her home.

Before coming here, Mr Clinton raised the possibility of an agreement between Western powers and Russia on an international security force to protect ethnic Albanians if and when the fighting ended.

“They’re getting closer and I wouldn’t be surprised if it happens today,’’ Mr Clinton said in an interview with European TV correspondents. “If it doesn’t happen today, I think it will happen soon.’’

At his meeting with the refugees, Mr Clinton marvelled at how much they resembled Americans, especially one woman he spotted wearing a T-shirt from the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.

“I could imagine that any of you could be my neighbours in America,’’ Mr Clinton said. He promised that NATO was acting “so you can go home again and be safe and free.’’ He invited them to share their horrific stories of the ethnic cleansing of Kosovo.

“I realise that all of you have been through a terrible time and it must be even harder to talk about,’’ but it is very important that your story be told,’’ the President pointed out.

One man with a brother still in Kosovo told Mr Clinton: “I beg you to do whatever you think is best to help us.’’ Another asked him to forgive the refugees’ emotional pleas. It’s not easy for Albanians to cry. But for people who have seen massacres, it’s just impossible to say without feeling pretty emotional.’’

On the diplomatic front, Mr Clinton reiterated that NATO must be at the core’’ of any international security force in Kosovo because otherwise, I don’t think the Kosovars will go home and it would be a terrible thing to set this up and not have it work’’ but he welcomed participation by Russian forces.

Pact on East Timor’s freedom signed

UNITED NATIONS, May 6 (AP) — More than 23 years after Indonesia invaded the former Portuguese colony of East Timor, the two countries signed a historic agreement yesterday allowing the Timorese to decide whether they want autonomy or independence.

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who played a key personal role in bringing 15 years of UN sponsored talks between the two countries to a successful conclusion, said he hoped the agreement would “open a new and more peaceful chapter in the history of this troubled territory.”

He urged an end to the recent upsurge in violence in East Timor, an issue that dominated the signing ceremony and threatens the UN supervised vote scheduled for August 8.

Fighting has escalated in the half-island territory since the Indonesian government “in a surprise policy reversal” announced in January that it would offer the 800,000 East Timorese independence if they reject a proposal for wide-ranging autonomy within the country.

The agreement, signed by Foreign Ministers Ali Alatas of Indonesia and Jaime Gama of Portugal and witnessed by Mr Annan, enshrines that pledge and spells out in a 59-article annex details of the autonomy which Indonesia is offering.

A 600-strong UN mission will oversee voting and a UN advance team has already arrived in East Timor, UN officials said.

Mr Gama handed over a 10 million dollars check from the Portuguese government to help finance the UN Mission.

“Security is from now on the essential matter because without security there is no freedom of choice,” Mr Gama said.

The main agreement “on the question of East Timor” states that Indonesia will be responsible for maintaining peace and security to ensure that a ballot will be carried out “in a fair and peaceful way in an atmosphere free of intimidation, violence or interference from any side.” UN police advisers are expected to assist with security.

Agni-III to have 3500-km range

LONDON, May 6 (PTI) — Indian scientists are reportedly developing a longer version of the intermediate range ballistic missile Agni-III with 3,500 km reach capable of engaging targets deep inside China, according to Janes Defence Weekly.

“Together with the just test-fired two stage solid fuel 2,000-km range Agni-II, designed to carry nuclear warhead, Agni-I, already test fired three times, and short range surface-to-surface missiles Prithvi one and two, surface-to-air Akash and Trishul missiles and to be acquired Russian-300v anti-tactical ballistic missile, the under development Agni-III will form India’s minimum nuclear deterrent (MND),” it said in a country defence profile on India.

The defence journal claimed that along with land based missiles, India was also on the threshold of deploying submarine launched ballistic missile ‘Dhanush’ which would be later deployed on surface warships.

Quoting Indian sources, it said defence planners were working out estimates to develop a hugely expensive command structure of the country’s first ever minimum nuclear deterrent force.

The weekly, however, reported squabbling between the army and the air force over rights to command such a force.

But the IAF seems to have taken a march over the Army by proposing recently a new strategic command based on its own long range assets like multi-role Sukhoi 30, Agni one, two and three and Prithvi II missiles.

Pak harassing scribes: report

ISLAMABAD, May 6 (AP) — The US-based Committee to Protect Journalists accused Pakistan’s rulers today of waging a campaign of intimidation and harassment against journalists, who criticise the Government.

The complaint, in a two-page letter to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, accused the Government of intimidating, harassing and threatening several journalists, many of whom have been aiding the British Broadcasting Corporation to produce a documentary on government corruption.

A journalist, Mehmood Lodhi, who works for the Independent English-language newspaper, The News, said he was picked up earlier this week by government intelligence agents and held for two days.

During that time Mr Lodhi, who is based in the Punjab provincial capital of Lahore, said he was asked about the documentary being prepared by the BBC and his role in assisting the television team.

Also in Lahore, a second journalist, Imtiaz Alam, who loudly criticised the arrest of Mr Lodhi and demanded his release, was targeted by two men, who set fire to his vehicle.

Mr Ejaz Haider, a news editor of the English-language weekly Friday Times, also a strong critic of the Government, received a handwritten warning saying “put up bullet-proof windows on your car”, said the committee’s letter to Mr Sharif.

The Punjab Law Minister Raja Bisharat Elahi, denied the charges of intimidation and said he had ordered an inquiry into the arrest of Mr Lodhi and the alleged threats.

“I’ve ordered the police and intelligence agencies to hold an inquiry and in three days I will have a report and answers for you,” he said.

Also arrested in recent days was opposition politician Hussain Haqqani, who also writes columns in Pakistan’s English and Urdu-language newspapers.

Mr Haqqani was taken by intelligence agents on Wednesday and for nearly 24 hours, neither his family nor lawyer were able to locate him.

The controversial Head of the government’s Accountability Commission, Saif-ur Rehman, said Mr Haqqani was arrested on charges of embezzlement of public funds during Benazir Bhutto’s last term in office.

North Korea allows US ‘inspectors’ in

SEOUL, May 6 (Oana-Yonhap) — A group of US officials and nuclear experts will fly to North Korea on May 18 to visit a suspected underground nuclear facility, an official in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said today.

The 15-member delegation will stay in Pyongyang while conducting an inspection of the suspected site in Kumchang-RI.

Washington and Pyongyang agreed in March on US access to the site. In return, the USA offered over 600,000 tons of food aid to North Korea on humanitarian grounds.

Under the agreement reached in New York between Charles Kartman, US Special Envoy for Korean Affairs and North Korean Vice-Foreign Minister Kim Gye-Gwan, the US will send another inspection team to Kumchang-RI in May next year.

Film star’s murder: producer gets bail

DHAKA, May 6 (PTI) — Businessman and film producer Aziz Mohammad Bhai has been released from the Dhaka central jail after a Bangladesh court granted him bail in the murder case of a film star, jail officials said today.

Bhai and his relative Bunty Islam, who were allegedly involved in the killing of popular cine star Sohel Chowdhury last year, were released yesterday following the bail granted to them by Metropolitan Sessions Judge Sheikh Rezwan Ali on Monday.

Mallory died after fall

WASHINGTON, May 6 (AFP) — British Climber George Mallory, whose body was found on the Mount Everest after 75 years, probably died after a fall, the expedition team that found him said.

The discovery of Mallory’s remains on Saturday reopened a debate on who was first to climb the world’s tallest mountain.

In a long report published on “The Mountain Zone,” a commercial website dedicated to mountaineering, members of the expedition yesterday revealed new details of the state of his body, found at 8,300 metres.

US women abuse
WASHINGTON: Nearly two out of every five women in the USA have been physically or sexually assaulted during their lifetimes, according to a national survey on women’s health care. The survey, released on Wednesday, also reported a jump in the number of working women without health insurance. — AP

Balloon record
LAUSANNE (Switzerland): An international aeronautics body has confirmed that a Swiss-British team was the first to circle the Earth non-stop and said Brian Jones and Bertrand Piccard had flown, further, faster and longer by balloon than anyone. The study of the recording equipment sealed aboard the Breitling Orbiter 3 during the March flight confirmed that it was the first balloon to go around the world without refuelling or stopping, said FAI spokesman Mathiew Fouvy. — AP

Baby alarm
GENEVA: A Canadian-made sound monitor and movement detector for new-born babies aimed at preventing crib deaths, took the top prize on Wednesday at Geneva’s International Inventions Fair. The 60-member jury picked out the “angelcare” security unit, developed by engineers David Dredge and Maurice Pinsonnault and designed by Michel Dallaire from about 1,000 new ideas on display. An alarm activates within 10 seconds if the child stops breathing or makes no noise or movement. The parents unit can receive signals up to 60 metres away from the baby. — AP

5-lakh-year old tools
LONDON: The oldest known human tools, going back half-a-million years before those previously held to be the most ancient have been found in nothern Kenya, the periodical Nature reported on Thursday. It said French scientists had put the age of the stone tools at 2.34 million years, at a time when man’s ancestors were not thought to have the mental and physical ability to fashion them. — AFP

Woman kills lover
BANGKOK: The Thai police today arrested a singer who confessed to stabbing her businessman lover to death after suspecting he infected her with the virus which can lead to AIDS. The 35-year-old woman was picked and confessed to the police that her lover deserved to die, a police spokesman said. — Reuters