Kathmandu, January 4
Fissures seemed to be appearing in Nepal’s ruling coalition today with a key ally flaying Maoists for trying to “capture” Pashupatinath temple, but the Premier sought to calm tempers saying appointment of Nepalese priests in place of Indians was being “pointlessly politicised”.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ said he did not intend to displace the south Indian ‘Bhatta’ brahmins, who had overseen rituals at the temple for the past 300 years.

The appointment of Nepalese priests in place of Indians was a “mere coincidence” and not intended to oust the former, he told reporters here.

The former guerrilla leader’s comments came a day after Nepal’s dethroned King Gyanendra, who was once seen as the incarnation of Lord Vishnu, appealed to the people not to “politicise” the dispute at the temple, which was stormed by Maoist cadres to install local priests defying a court order.

However, another Maoist minister seemed to be taking a tougher stand when he said the government would allow Nepalese priests to conduct worship despite a stay by Supreme Court.

Gopal Kirati, Minister for Culture and State Restructuring, said he would not re-instate the sacked Indian priests and file a petition against the interim order.

He also said he would launch a three-month long awareness campaign here to press for reforms in the temple management and hold rallies in support for the move, which had sparked protests in the country as well as in India.

Upendra Yadav, Foreign Minister and leader of a party representing Indian-origin Madhesi people, today launched a scathing attack on Maoists, saying they were trying to “capture” Nepal’s holiest Hindu shrine.

Another Indian priest, Ganesh Bhat, quit today as Maoists forcibly escorted two more Nepalese Brahmins into the temple to assist the new priests. — PTI

Kathmandu, January 4
Some 100 Maoist cadres today attacked the Pashupatinath temple caretakers who were protesting appointment of local priests in place of Indians, injuring 10 people in their latest assault on the shrine.

The attack came even as the ruling party activists faced much flak after storming the temple earlier this week to install Nepalese priests defying a Supreme Court stay order on removal of Indian priests, who had been overseeing traditional rituals at the shrine for the past 300 years.

The local ‘Bhandaris’, or temple caretakers, who vowed to launch a struggle to save the temple from “Maoist intrusion”, faced the wrath of the party men as they were set to organise a press conference, Kantipur online reported.

At least 100 Maoists attacked the Bhandaris and some local devotees on the
temple premises, injuring 10 people, including one member of the state-owned
Nepal Television crew.

The fresh assault came hours after Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ said he did not intend to displace the South Indian ‘Bhatta’ brahmins, who had overseen rituals at the temple for the past 300 years. — PTI

Jakarta, January 4
A series of powerful earthquakes off the northern coast of West Papua, Indonesia, early today killed four people, injuring several others and flattening buildings, officials and local television said.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) said a quake measuring 7.6 on Richter scale occurred some 150 km (95 miles) northeast of Manokwari in the Indonesian half of the island of New Guinea, at a depth of 35 km (21.7 miles). An official at Indonesia's meteorology agency said there were several quakes in the area during the night.

"Hotel Mutiara and tens of houses are flattened to the ground," Pitsau Amafnini, an eyewitness, told Reuters. However, an important BP-led liquefied natural gas (LNG) project close to the area was not affected, a spokesman told.

Local media reported that several ministers flew to the affected area to take medicine, food, tents and cash for victims, and to inspect the local airport following a report that it had been damaged.

Manokwari, with a population of about 1,61,000, is in a remote, sparsely populated part of Papua that attracts tourists from round the world, thanks to its diving sites, wildlife and spectacular scenery.

The quake triggered a small tsunami that hit the Japanese coast but there was no damage, Japan's Meteorological Agency said.

The Indonesian authorities also issued a tsunami warning for Papua, but lifted it shortly afterwards. — Reuters

London, January 4
The FBI has given to Pakistan evidence amassed by it on involvement of elements based in that country in the Mumbai strikes, including on the LeT handlers’ warning to the attackers about the arrival of Indian commandos while watching the mayhem live on TV, a media report here said today.

Stating that evidence is growing to prove that the Mumbai strikes were orchestrated by militants based in Pakistan, ‘The Sunday Times’ reported that Zarar Shah, a communications specialist of Lashkar-e-Taiba, admitted under interrogation in Pakistan that he advised the terrorists by phone as the attacks unfolded.

Controllers in Pakistan watched live television and warned the gunmen of the arrival of Indian commandos, the report said, citing evidence amassed by the FBI and handed over to the Pakistani government.

The FBI had decoded Skype calls over the internet that were made between the gunmen in two five-star hotels and a Jewish centre in Mumbai with their LeT controllers in Pakistan, identified as Shah, Abu Hamza and Abu Qafa, it said.

Talking in colloquial Punjabi, the controllers repeatedly told the attackers “Aag lagao” (light the fire), which has been interpreted in India as a way of maximising casualties, the paper said.

During the conversation, the men were also instructed to kill all the Israelis held captive in the Jewish hostel, but to spare all the Muslims, it said.

Shah revealed that the 10 assailants were trained in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir and travelled by boat from Karachi to Mumbai. He implicated several other Lashkar men.

According to the report, Islamabad rejected the alleged FBI evidence and dismissed India’s contention about close ties between LeT and ISI. — PTI

Jerusalem, January 4
Describing the ground offensive in Gaza as “unavoidable”, Israel has pledged to extend and “intensify” the operation, even as the heavy exchange of fire between troops and the Hamas militants that have taken the death toll in the coastal territory beyond 500.

Palestinian sources in Gaza said 23 Palestinians had been killed in the Israeli offensive, three of them being the top Hamas militants, as Israeli troops targeted traffic routes bisecting the Hamas-ruled territory in two parts.

Shells fired by Israel Defence Forces (IDF) troops exploded at the center of Gaza city’s main shopping area, leaving five dead and dozens wounded, the sources said.

An Israeli reconnaissance plane fired a missile at the home of Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Muhammad Abid Barbakh, killing him and four others, Palestinian news agency Ma’an reported.

They were identified Barbakh’s father, Abid, his two brothers Mahdi and Yousif and his nephew Mousa. 30 IDF soldiers were also wounded in the clashes.

Black smoke billowed all across the Strip as Israeli tanks and troops from elite brigades marched into the Hamas-ruled territory yesterday evening, following bomb-sniffing dogs to ensure that their routes had not been booby-trapped.

Defence Minister Ehud Barak told the cabinet that while the operation was bound to be difficult, it “will be extended and intensified as necessary”.

“War is full of surprises and difficult challenges but our best fighters are leading the operation,” Barak said. — PTI

The causeway will also provide a connection for future high-speed freight and passenger rail lines between the countries. — PTI

Islamabad, January 4
Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari, the 18-year-old daughter of slain former Pakistani premier Benazir Bhutto, has poured out her anguish at the death of her mother by writing and performing a rap song in her memory.

Bakhtawar, who was introduced to Grammy award-winning rapper Puff Daddy shortly before Benazir was assassinated in December 2007, sings about the pain she and her family felt at the sudden and shocking death of her mother in the song titled "I Would Take The Pain Away".

"Dear mom, I've got a few things to say to you...things I never got a chance to say...But if I could have you...I would take the pain away, I would take the pain, I would take the pain away..." goes the five-minute song with a rap set against hip hop beats. The song is currently being aired on state-run PTV and has been posted on Youtube.

Bakhtawar, encouraged by Benazir to take up singing as a career, sings: "...murdered legendary mother...you had beauty and intelligence...shot at the back of your ear, so young in 54th year, murdered with three kids left behind, a hopeless nation without you..."

The video for the song features footage of the election rally Benazir addressed at the historic Liaquat Bagh ground in Rawalpindi shortly before she was killed by a suicide bomber. — PTI

Washington, January 4
Incoming US President Barack Obama and his family arrive in Washington this weekend, in time for him to work on an urgent economic recovery plan and his daughters to start classes at their new school.

After less that 48 hours in their south Chicago home following their luxury Hawaii Christmas vacation, the President-elect's wife Michelle and daughters Sasha, 10, and Malia, 7, flew to Washington late yesterday, a transition aide confirmed to AFP.

Obama, two weeks before the 44th American President will be sworn in on January 20, is to join his family today.

They are moving temporarily into the historic Hay-Adams Hotel in downtown Washington, which overlooks their new home at the White House on 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. It was unclear why the family was travelling separately.

Sasha and Malia are set to begin their classes tomorrow at the exclusive Sidwell Friends School, as dad Obama heads for meetings on Capitol Hill to hammer out the final points of a recovery package in a bid to turn around the country's crumbling economy. — AFP