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Toll 520
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Journalists access to Gaza Strip sought
Hasina absolved of graft
B’desh govt to be sworn in today
Indo-Pak Tension
3 armed groups call off ceasefire in Pakistan
Now, mobile phones to keep eye on people
Pak not taking Kasab’s letter seriously
Sikh Inaugural Ball in Washington on January 20
Boy, 12, convicted of mother’s murder
Protesters, fans greet Obama in US capital
Organised people ‘live longer’
Guatemala landslide kills 33
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Toll 520
Gaza/Tel Aviv, January 5 A tank shell destroyed a house during fighting in Gaza City’s southeastern Zaytoun neighbourhood before dawn, killing 13 members of a family, including eight children aged four to 15, hospital officials said. Ambulances were able to reach the house only after daylight, witnesses said. A naval shell later also struck a house in western Gaza City’s Beach refugee camp on Monday morning, killing a couple and their five children, hospital authorities said. In Beit Hanoun, in northern Gaza city near the border with Israel, four more civilians died when a tank shell hit a mourning tent set up near the home of a paramedic killed Sunday, the town's hospital said. French President Nicolas Sarkozy was due to arrive in Israel late on Monday as part of a trip to the Middle East that was to include talks in Cairo, Ramallah and Jerusalem for achieving a diplomatic solution to the crisis. But keeping up the pressure, Israeli fighter jets meanwhile struck some 30 more targets in the coastal enclave overnight, the military said. Israeli ground troops, which entered the strip late on Saturday under the cover of darkness, have taken control of areas from which Palestinian militants had been firing rockets at southern Israel. The troop’s advance sparked heavy clashes with local Hamas fighters. Since Israel launched its Operation “Cast Lead” nine days ago - aimed at curbing seven years of rocket and mortar attacks against its southern towns and villages - more than 520 Palestinians have been killed. Hamas, which has kept one Israeli soldier captive in Gaza since June 2005 as a bargaining chip to free Palestinian militants from Israeli prisons, has threatened to use the ground offensive to capture more Israeli soldiers. Israel Radio reported Monday that the Israeli army foiled one such attempt by Hamas fighters the previous day. One Israeli soldier was killed and some 31 injured in the fighting Sunday. Four Israelis have also died by Palestinian rocket attacks since the Israeli operation began on December 27. — IANS
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Journalists access to Gaza Strip sought
New York, January 5 In a statement here yesterday, it said since early November 2008, when the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas began to deteriorate, the Israeli government has sharply restricted access to Gaza for foreign journalists and human rights monitors, and none has been permitted entry since the current military campaign began on December 27. Israeli journalists have been denied access to Gaza for the past two years because of the Israeli government's policy of prohibiting its citizens from entering Gaza on security grounds, it noted. "Journalists and rights monitors should be allowed into Gaza to investigate and report on the conduct of both sides. Israel's excessive restrictions on access to Gaza only end up impeding the deterrent effect and placing civilians at greater risk," said Fred Abrahams, senior emergencies researcher for HRW. It also wanted Israel to abide by the December 31, 2008 high court ruling to allow 12 foreign journalists into Gaza. The Israeli government had said it will allow eight journalists into Gaza every time it opens the border at the Erez crossing, but HRW said so far the crossing has remained closed to entry. The decision by the high court came in response to a petition by the Israeli Foreign Press Association, which represents more than 400 members from the world's leading international print and electronic media. International human rights law, applicable during armed conflict, upholds the right to freedom of expression of journalists and human rights monitors. States may restrict freedom of expression to protect national security, but only as permitted by law and as necessary for genuine and specific security reasons, the rights watchdog said. — PTI
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Hasina absolved of graft charge
Bangladesh’s Prime Minister-elect Sheikh Hasina was cleared of an extortion charge on Monday, a day before she is due to be sworn in as the country’s leader.
Hasina, who leads the Awami League, was accused by the outgoing caretaker government of extorting Taka 3 crore from Westmont, a Malaysian power company, during her tenure as Prime Minister between 1996 and 2001. The police submitted a report to the court on Monday, stating the charges were false and Hasina was cleared of all wrongdoing. Hasina still faces another 10 corruption charges and a murder case, for which she was jailed for a year by the army-backed government. She is set to be sworn in as Prime Minister on Tuesday along with a brand new cabinet, which is likely to comprise new faces who won last week’s elections. But, opposition MPs belonging to the BNP and its right-wing allies, Jamaat-e Islami, have delayed their swearing-in ceremony in a bid to build pressure on the new government. They are due to meet January 7 to decide their fate, leaving the fate of the next parliament hanging despite statements assuring cooperation with the new government. The uncertainty follows post-poll violence which has claimed at least 8 lives and injured hundreds. Meanwhile, international support continues to pour in for the new Awami League-led government, with India announcing that External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee will visit Dhaka around mid-January.
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B’desh govt to be sworn in today
Dhaka, January 5 Bangladesh President Iajuddin Ahmad today formally invited her to form the new government, which would be sworn in at Bangabhaban Presidential palace, a President’s spokesman said here. A formal appointment letter would be handed over to her tomorrow ahead of the ceremony amidst speculations rife in the city about the strength and composition of the new ministry. Though no indication was given about who would be included in the ministry, party sources said that Hasina wanted to restrict her council of ministers to 40. It was expected to be a medium size cabinet, Awami League spokesman HT Imam told mediapersons as the previous government of Khaleda Zia was widely criticised for its huge size, appointing 70 members. Hasina led Awami League grand alliance won 262 seats in the 300-member Parliament in the elections held on December 29. — PTI
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Indo-Pak Tension Vice-President-elect Joseph R Biden Jr will travel to Pakistan this week in a high-profile diplomatic effort to defuse tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad, according to press reports from Islamabad. Biden is expected to arrive in Islamabad on January 9 and meet with President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani. Biden, who will take the oath as Vice-President of the United States on January 20 is expected to press the Pakistanis to cooperate with India on the investigation into the Mumbai terror attack. Marvin
Weinbaum, a former Afghanistan and Pakistan Analyst at the Bureau of Intelligence Research at the State Department and currently at the Middle East Institute, told The Tribune the only reason for a Biden trip to Islamabad would be ‘if there is a reason to believe the crisis is going to get serious soon. That is the only reason to get a jump on this.’ Weinbaum did not know if Biden would be making the trip this week but admitted the vice-president elect ‘has been looking for a role here’. The Bush Administration, meanwhile, ratcheted up pressure on Pakistan. Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher arrived in Islamabad on Monday. The Mumbai terror investigation was reportedly on his agenda for talks. Asked whether the US will ask Pakistan to hand over suspects wanted by India in the Mumbai attacks, David
Mulford, the US ambassador in New Delhi, told reporters the ‘US is supporting India.’ Indian officials say they have turned over to Pakistan evidence gleaned from investigations into the Mumbai attack and interrogations of the lone terrorist captured alive. A one-time president candidate who chaired the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Biden touted his expertise on Pakistan during the course of the campaign. He chided his opponents in the Democratic presidential primaries for not knowing even the basics about the situation on the ground. “We have a number of candidates who are well-intended, but don't even understand Pakistan,” Biden said. Biden has pointed to the Afghan-Pakistan border region as the Number One battlefield in the war on terror.
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3 armed groups call off ceasefire in Pakistan
Islamabad, Jan 5 Bibarg spoke to journalists on satellite phone from an undisclosed location yesterday. The three Baloch groups, which have been conducting a violent campaign in the province, had announced the truce in September last year, ending a cycle of targeted killings and bomb attacks. He said the groups had decided to unconditionally halt their operations in the hope that the government would concede to their demands. The groups had sincerely adhered to their pledge of not launching attacks but the government continued its military operations, exploitation of the natural resources of the province and the killing of innocent people, he alleged. "We have decided to end the ceasefire in the wake of fresh attacks in Dera Bugti and Sui areas, which have killed more than 50 people, mainly women and children," he said. He claimed the situation in the violence-hit areas is worse than what is being reported by the media. The government used the ceasefire as an opportunity to expand the military operations to Gwadar, Turbat and Mashky, he alleged. — PTI
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Now, mobile phones to keep eye on people
London, January 5 Murray-Smith has already created prototypes of the 'magic wand' phones, and he predicts they will be on the shelves by the end of this year. Users will simply have to wave the mobile phone in the air to get information about the world around them, as the next generation phones will adopt the technology of the Nintendo Wii to make them easier to use than ever. — ANI
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Pak not taking Kasab’s letter seriously
Islamabad, January 5 “Such material cannot be treated as ample proof,” a source in the foreign office was quoted as saying by 'The News' daily. The statement of Iman alias Ajmal Kasab does not amount to admissible proof under “any penal code anywhere in the world, including India or Pakistan”, it said. Indian authorities should produce “credible evidence” to establish Iman's identity as some “Indian papers” had reported that he is an Indian national, the anonymous source claimed. The foreign ministry did not take Iman's letter or confessional statement seriously, the sources said. Sources in the interior ministry told the newspaper that Pakistani authorities have not concluded their investigations into Iman's claims and would respond to his request for legal assistance shortly. They also claimed the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) does not “verify Kasab's claim of being a Pakistani national as it lacks official data to prove his assertion”. However, NADRA's database covers only 60 million of Pakistan's total population of over 160 million. The report also said the Pakistan government was “in a fix as to how to react to” Iman's letter, in which he said he is a Pakistani belonging to Faridkot village in Punjab province and a Lashker-e-Taiba operative who participated in the Mumbai attacks. — PTI
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Sikh Inaugural Ball in Washington on January 20
Washington, January 5 Being held a few blocks away from White House, Sikh Inaugural Ball would honour several Indian-Americans who played an important role in the victory of Obama in the November 4 presidential election. “This is the only community event happening for Obama. This is an occasion for the Sikh community to celebrate the victory of Barack Obama,” Gurveen Vohra, main organiser of the event, said. Among those to be felicitated on the occasion are Sonal Shah, who serves on the 15-member Presidential Transition Team; Nick Rathod, National Outreach Director of South Asians for Obama and one of its founding members; and Arti Rai, a professor of patent law at the Duke University and a classmate of Obama at Harvard Law School. The event would also honour Charmaine Manansala, a Filipina-American immigrant, serves on the Presidential Inaugural Committee. She served as the National Director of the Obama for American AAPI Vote Team. — PTI
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Boy, 12, convicted of mother’s murder
Washington, January 5 Alfonso MuOoz, Madrid’s boyfriend of 10 years, who helped raise the child, said he had taught him how to use the pistol for self-defence. The boy was tried as a minor after the court heard evidence that Ms Madrid had verbally abused him for years. Madrid did not want him living with her. Her sister testified that he is “a docile, sweet boy” and that “Sara said [the boy] was stupid”. The trial heard that after the last argument when MuOoz and Madrid returned home, the boy was waiting for them in a parked vehicle in the driveway. Madrid approached him and asked why he was not doing his jobs around the house. MuOoz said he heard noises like “firecrackers” and realised the boy had shot his mother. He is due to be sentenced on January 23. Under Arizona law, the boy can be held only until he turns 18. —
By arrangement with The Independent
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Protesters, fans greet Obama in US capital
Washington, January 5 A heavy security presence encircled the historic Hays-Adam hotel near the White House, as police set up barriers and kept onlookers at a city block's distance. "He waved! That's cool! Awesome!" said Keith Slade (43), who was having a drink at a nearby bar when he caught a glimpse of Obama passing by in the motorcade yesterday. Obama left Chicago aboard a Boeing 757 plane piloted by Colonel Scott Turner, who will be his Air Force One pilot, and arrived at Andrews Air Force base at 7:00 pm before being driven to downtown Washington. — AFP
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Organised people ‘live longer’
London, January 5 An international team has carried out the study and found people who are ambitious, organised and conscientious live longer than those who are impulsive, the latest edition of the ‘Health Psychology’ journal reported. According to researchers, the study has suggested that psychological traits can be as important in predicting health as medical and social factors, and conscientious people can live up to four years longer. Moreover, highly conscientious people are less likely to smoke or drink alcohol to excess, and live more stable and less stressful lives, it found. “Not only do conscientious individuals have better health habits and less risk-taking, but they also have more stable jobs and marriages and may even have a biological predisposition toward good health,” lead researcher Professor Howard Friedman was quoted by ‘The Daily Telegraph’ as saying. To reach the conclusion, the researchers looked at the three facets of conscientiousness: Self-control, organisation and industriousness in the study, involving 8,900 participants from the US, Canada, Japan, Germany, Norway and Sweden. They found the second two were most closely linked to longevity. Other traits included thoroughness, reliability, deliberation, competence and dutifulness. “There is some evidence that people can become more conscientious, especially as they enter stable jobs or good marriages. We think our findings can challenge people to think about their lives and what may result from actions they do. “Even though conscientiousness cannot be changed in the short term, improvements can emerge over the long run as individuals enter responsible relationships, careers and associations,” co-researcher Margaret Kern said. — PTI
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Guatemala City, January 5 Arvizu said reports from villagers in the area, close to the small indigenous town of San Cristobal Verapaz, suggested as many as 60 other people being missing. The massive landslide, triggered by a geological fault, brought some 10 million tonnes of rock crashing down onto the road in a sparsely populated area of Alta Verapaz department, around 200 km north of Guatemala City. — Reuters
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