Taliban capture two more towns
KABUL, Aug 12 — The Taliban movement captured two key northern towns today dealing a further blow to the Opposition, a Taliban official said.

Iraq sets conditions before UN envoy
BAGHDAD, Aug 12 — An official Iraqi newspaper said today that the sanctions-hit country would no longer accept bargaining over weapons inspections ahead of the arrival of the UN special envoy in Baghdad.
Sihanouk ready to
host talks
PHNOM PENH, Aug 12 — Cambodia’s King Norodom Sihanouk is prepared to host talks between the country’s feuding three main political parties in order to prevent a political crisis.

Suu Kyi stopped by securitymen
YANGOON, Aug 12 — Myanmar security forces stopped Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi today while she was travelling in a car to meet supporters in the west of the country, government officials said.
Clinton’s friend questioned
WASHINGTON, Aug 12 —Prosecutors questioned Hollywood producer Harry Thomason and White House lawyer Cheryl Mills before a grand jury, examining damage control efforts in the early days of the Monica Lewinsky controversy.
Habitat Award for 2 African groups
NAIROBI, Aug 12 — Two East African groups are among the 10 organisations which will receive the 1998 Habitat Award for the best practices in improving the living environment.

Taliban capture two more towns

KABUL, Aug 12 (Reuters) — The Taliban movement captured two key northern towns today dealing a further blow to the Opposition, a Taliban official said.

Taliban spokesman Abdul Hayee Mutmaen said by telephone from Kandahar, the militia headquarters in southern Afghanistan, that Pul-i-Khumri in Ghaglan province was seized by its fighters.

The Pakistan-based Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) news agency reported that the Taliban had also seized Hairatan, a river port town on Afghanistan’s northern border with the former Soviet republic of Uzbekistan. It said the Taliban had arrested 200 Opposition fighters after a brief clash with the forces of ethnic Uzbek faction leader, Rashid Dostum. There was no independent confirmation of the report.

Mutmaen said the Taliban forces were rapidly advancing in the south after fighters loyal to Ahmed Shah Masood, the military chief of the ousted Afghan Government, fled towards neighbouring Bamiyan and Samangan provinces.

Pakistan-based Afghan Islamic press earlier reported the fall of Nahrin, one of Masood’s military headquarters, to militia fighters today morning.

The Taliban fighters passed through Nahrin to reach Pul-i-Khumri, which is less than 51 km south.

Pul-i-Khumri, about 230 km north of Kabul, is a key town on the Salang highway connecting the Afghan capital with the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif that was captured by the Taliban on Saturday.

AIP said the militia had arrested about 600 Masood fighters who had surrendered to Taliban at Nahrin. The militia also said they had seized 12 Opposition tanks and thousands of guns. Nahrin’s fall deprives Masood of a key supply route to his stronghold — the Pansher valley — some 90 km northeast of Kabul from where he defied the Soviet invaders.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s Taliban movement has said it could put captured Iranians on trial on charges of spying as they had not been registered as diplomats.

The Taliban Foreign Ministry issued the statement while reacting to Iran’s charge that Taliban forces had detained 11 of its diplomats and a correspondent of the official news agency Irna in the northern Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif after capturing it on Saturday.

The Taliban Government of what it calls the Islamic emirate of Afghanistan on Monday denied capturing any Iranian diplomats but said it had arrested 35 Iranian truck drivers who had been delivering ammunition to opposition forces.

MOSCOW, (AFP): The Ambassador in Russia of Afghanistan’s deposed President Burhanuddin Rabbani has accused Pakistan of “virtually occupying Afghanistan”, the Russian Interfax news agency reported.

Ambassador Abdul Wahhab Assessi told a press conference that the current offensive by the radical Islamic Taliban militia had been launched “under the command of Pakistan and with the direct involvement of its armed forces”.

“The Afghan people has reached a new stage when all ethnic, religious and other groups must unite to fight the invaders, as was the case during the war against British and Soviet invaders,” Mr Assessi said.

He urged “all Afghan wherever they are to fight to defend their country”, and called for “pressure” to be brought to bear on Pakistan “to force it to stop aiding the Taliban”.

“A victory of the Taliban could lead to an explosion of terrorism in Europe where there are many Muslims,” Interfax quoted him as saying.

Iraq sets conditions before UN envoy

BAGHDAD, Aug 12 (AFP) — An official Iraqi newspaper said today that the sanctions-hit country would no longer accept bargaining over weapons inspections ahead of the arrival of the UN special envoy in Baghdad.

“Iraq appreciates the efforts exerted by the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to arrive at a balanced compromise but hopes he realises that it can no longer tolerate bargaining or partial solutions,” said Babel newspaper, owned by Uday Saddam Hussein, the elder son of the Iraqi President.

“Iraq will listen attentively to UN Special Envoy Prakash Shah who will see a determined effort by Iraq to obtain all its legitimate rights, chiefly the lifting of the oil embargo and the closing of all the disarmament files,” Babel said.

VIENNA: Iraq’s decision to end cooperation with United Nations weapons inspectors has made it impossible to fully investigate the country’s nuclear programme, weapons inspectors said today.

“Iraq’s refusal to co-operate in any activity involving investigation of its clandestine nuclear programme makes it impossible for the IAEA to investigate, in the context of its OMV, the remaining questions and concerns relevant to that programme,” the IAEA said in a statement.

From snooker hall to Sultan’s throne
from Nick Cumming-Bruce

TO the boom of cannon and the drone of Muslim prayers, a snooker-crazy 24-year-old former Oxford student with a passion for Bon Jovi became heir on Monday to the throne of the tiny, oil-rich and scandal-rocked sultanate of Brunei.

At a 75-minute investiture ceremony in Brunei’s sprawling 1,788-room royal palace, Prince al-Muhtadee Billah Bolkiah heard an uncle read the proclamation from a silk scroll borne on a golden cushion, before receiving a jewel-encrusted kris, or dagger, putting him in line to become the 30th ruler of one of the world’s last absolute monarchies and certainly its richest.

Until last year, Prince Billah enjoyed the carefree life of a student at Oxford and sometime competitor at international snooker meets, with a fondness for soccer, badminton and rock music — all indulged under the assumed commoner’s name of Omar Hassan to ward off unwanted attention.

On Monday before 4,000 royal relatives, dignitaries and diplomats in a cavernous palace hall with gold-painted walls, Prince Billah heard a 10-minute prayer, then kissed the hands of his 52-year-old father, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, his mother, and the part-British former airline hostess who became his father’s second wife.

Sporting a gold crown and a gold tunic in place of the natty waistcoats he donned for snooker, the sombre-looking prince climbed on to a chariot-born throne to be pulled through the rain-soaked streets of the Bruneian capital under the gaze of its pampered populace.

Sultan Hassanal, who turned out in military uniform complete with sword, has taken some care to give his son respectable Muslim credentials instead of the extravagant appetite for fast cars, casinos and call-girls reputedly indulged by some of the royal brothers.

On the eve of his investiture, he spent nearly three hours at prayers in Brunei’s mosque. But after two years of studies, it seems he now finds himself plunged into local palace politics and the arts of running a semi-feudal sultanate blessed with lavish wealth but buffeted by scandal and the backlash of Asia’s economic turmoil.

Conspicuous by his absence at Monday’s ceremony was Prince Billah’s uncle Jefri. He is locked in a row with the Sultan, who has ordered an investigation into murky financial transactions by which Jefri is rumoured to have lost US $ 16 billion.

In the meantime, he has stripped Jefri of control of Brunei’s flagship holding company, Amandeo, with a portfolio of investments that ranges from London’s Dorchester Hotel, acquired for pounds 40 million (US $ 64 m at today’s rates) in the mid-1980s, to Asprey’s, the London jewellers, the New York Palace Hotel, and huge telecommunications assets.

Few details would normally emerge in public in this secretive sultanate, which gives its citizens free education and health care but no say on government, and has been run by royal decree under a state of emergency ever since the first stirrings of democracy in 1962 brought an abortive anti-monarchist revolt. — The Guardian, London

Sihanouk ready to host talks

PHNOM PENH, Aug 12 (AFP) — Cambodia’s King Norodom Sihanouk is prepared to host talks between the country’s feuding three main political parties in order to prevent a political crisis following last month’s election, leading dissident Sam Rainsy said today.

The 75-year-old monarch gave his assent during an audience with members of Sam Rainsy’s self-named opposition party in Siem Reap town where the King is now staying, Sam Rainsy said.

“The King said he would be prepared if requested to do so, to host a Siem Reap informal meeting, or Sim where he would play the role of bridge between the leaders of the political parties,” he said.

“He said he wants to see a dialogue established between the main parties and if that dialogue cannot take place in Phnom Penh he would be happy to create the condition for such a dialogue to take place,” Mr Rainsy added.

He said his party would support a call for such talks but there was no immediate reaction to the idea from the other two parties involved; the de facto ruling Combodian People’s Party of strongman Hun Sen and the royalist ‘Funcinpec’ Party of the King’s son, deposed co-Premier Prince Norodom Ranariddh.

Suu Kyi stopped by securitymen

YANGOON, Aug 12 (Reuters) — Myanmar security forces stopped Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi today while she was travelling in a car to meet supporters in the west of the country, government officials said.

They said the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize winner was stopped close to Anyarsu village, west of Yangoon.

Earlier, Suu Kyi defied the military government today by leaving her home here to visit supporters outside the capital.

Officials said that Suu Kyi was stopped near the same point on a similar trip in late July. Anyarsu is west of Yangoon and close to a bridge which was the site of a six-day stand-off between Suu Kyi and securitymen last month.

Clinton’s friend questioned

WASHINGTON, Aug 12 (AP) —Prosecutors questioned Hollywood producer Harry Thomason and White House lawyer Cheryl Mills before a grand jury, examining damage control efforts in the early days of the Monica Lewinsky controversy.

Mr Thomason, a longtime friend and informal adviser to President Bill Clinton, was warned early on by lawyers not to learn too much about the President’s relationship with Ms Lewinsky because he might have to testify about it, said sources familiar with Mr Thomason’s role.

The sources said he told prosecutors he had general political conversations with First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton about the Lewinsky controversy, but didn’t talk to her about specifics.

sources also said Mr Thomason had testified that he was told Mr Clinton’s aides, the President should give a more forceful statement about the Lewinsky matter.

Habitat Award for 2 African groups

NAIROBI, Aug 12 (IPS) — Two East African groups are among the 10 organisations which will receive the 1998 Habitat Award for the best practices in improving the living environment.

The Kipepeo project of Kenya and the Community Infrastructure-upgrading Programme (CIP) of Tanzania are among this year’s award winners, Mr Arcot Ramachandaran, a former Under Secretary of the Nairobi-based United Nations centre for human settlements (Habitat) announced.

Mr Ramachandaran, who chaired the jury, told journalists here that the awards would be presented by Dubai Municipality, with each winner receiving a $ 30,000 prize, a trophy and a certificate.

Two representatives of each winning organisation will be flown to Dubai to attend a special ceremony, which will coincide with the global celebration of World Habitat Day on October 5.

2 Indian Americans among victims
WASHINGTON: Among the victims of the bombing in Kenya were two Indian Americans working as US Government officials at the embassy, the press office at the State Department had said. While India-born Prabhi Kavaler was attached with general service office looking after administrative matters, Uttamlal Tom Shah had been in political section, according to the press office. — PTI

Boys convicted
JONESBORO (Arkansas): Two young boys have been convicted here of murdering five persons in a school ambush last March and were sentenced to juvenile detention until they turn 18. Mitchell Johnson (14) and Andrew Golden (12) appeared under tight security in courthouse in connection with the March 24 sniper attack that left a teacher and four students dead. Another teacher and nine other students were wounded. A nervous-looking Johnson entered a guilty plea. When asked by Judge Ralph Wilson whether he realised he would have to be held accountable, the 14-year-old replied, “I understand. I’m guilty”. — AFP

Clinton visit
MOSCOW: US President Bill Clinton is to visit Moscow for a summit with Russian President Boris Yeltsin from September 1 to 3, the Kremlin said on Tuesday. The summit, the first between the two leaders since March, 1997, comes three weeks after US Vice-President Al Gore visited the Russian capital. A Clinton-Yeltsin summit had been in doubt earlier this year after the US President linked the trip with ratification of Start II nuclear arms reduction treaty by Duma. — AFP

Titanic expedition
TORONTO: The scientists who raised a large piece of the hull of the Titanic have vowed to continue their study of the world’s most famous ocean grave despite mounting criticism of the commercial expedition. A team of about 100 researchers and scientists, following two previous failed attempts, brought a 20-tonne section of the storied liner’s starboard plate out of the Atlantic on Monday, about 600 km southeast of Newfoundland. The scientists have said they will probe the site for the next two weeks to help determine what happened when the ship struck an iceberg on April 15, 1912, killing more than 1,500 of the 2,200 persons on board. — Reuters

Eight drowned
JAKARTA: Eight persons were confirmed drowned and seven were missing two days after a passenger ship capsized and sank in eastern Indonesia, the official Antara news agency reported on Tuesday. The ship, The Diamond Star, sank on Sunday in strong winds and huge waves during a voyage between the islands of the Tual and Elat in southeastern Maluku province, about 2,000 km east of Jakarta. Antara said 174 passengers and an unspecified number of crew were aboard. Most were rescued by other vessels in the area. — AP

Nazi symbols
MOSCOW: The government has sent its Bill outlawing Nazi symbols and literature to Parliament, the Interfax news agency has reported. The legislation would prohibit the import, manufacture and distribution of Nazi symbols, literature and videos. People could keep Nazi materials at home, but giving them to others would be illegal under the law. Nazi Germany’s invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II caused tremendous suffering. Yet since the Soviet collapse in 1991, Russia has seen the rise of ultranationalist movements that have appropriated Nazi slogans and symbols. — AP

Mandela marriage
MAPUTO: Three weeks after their surprise wedding, South African President Nelson Mandela and his new wife, Graca Machel, said they married under “unbearable” pressure from friends. “Even in Parliament in my country, deputies told me I should get married,” Mandela told reporters on Monday in the Mozambican capital Maputo. “The pressure became unbearable”. The couple’s open two-year relationship drew fire from South African clergy, who complained it set a bad example for younger people. — AP

Diana fund
LONDON: Buckingham Palace has poured cold water on reports that Princes William and Harry might take over a private fund by their late mother, Princess Diana. The Times and The Express said on Tuesday that the trustees of the fund, which Diana used to make donations for causes dear to her heart, has asked her two sons to become its patrons and to take over the work of vetting grants. A spokeswoman said she was unable to confirm whether the trustees had written to William and Harry, perhaps as a matter of courtesy, but ruled out the possibility of an active role in the fund. — Reuters

Bacteria discovery
SYDNEY: A colony of bacteria has been found thriving in ancient rock deep in the earth’s crust, an international scientific team has said in a find that could help explain how life on the planet began. The crew of the Joides Resolution, a scientific drill ship funded by 22 nations, docked in Sydney with core samples obtained from an active fault zone off the coast of Papua New Guinea, where an undersea earthquake last month triggered a killer Tsunami. — AFP