Ulster talks deadlocked
LONDON, July 2 — The Northern Ireland peace talks were deadlocked today, forcing the British and Irish Governments to decide the next step in search of an agreement on terms for IRA disarmament.

MIG-29 sale worries USA
WASHINGTON, July 2 — The USA which refused to sell Bangladesh its F-16 warplanes several years ago, is concerned about Dhaka’s plan to buy eight Russian MIG-29s, State Department officials said yesterday.

Ceiling on foreign workers in Kuwait
KUWAIT CITY, July 2 — In a move likely to affect the 2.8 lakh-strong Indian community here, Kuwait has approved a draft decree to boost job opportunities for Kuwaitis in the private sector and impose a ceiling on the number of foreign workers hired by Kuwaiti employers.

Chilean rights activist dead
SANTIAGO, July 2 — Ms Sola Sierra, a top Chilean human rights campaigner whose husband disappeared during dictator Augusto Pinochet’s rule and who later fought to put Pinochet behind bars, died yesterday of a heart attack.

Buses from Dhaka to arrive on July 5
DHAKA, July 2 — The maiden passenger bus run to Calcutta from Dhaka under the direct Dhaka-Calcutta bus service has now been scheduled to take place on July 5, a top official of the Bangladesh Communication Ministry said today.

Duma to ratify pacts with India
MOSCOW, July 2 — The Russian President, Mr Boris Yeltsin, yesterday forwarded drafts of two treaties with India to the Russian Duma for ratification after approving them, reports Novosti, quoting presidential press service.

Milosevic still in control: Gen Clark
WASHINGTON, July 2 — The NATO Supreme Commander, Gen Wesley Clark, has said that political opposition in Yugoslavia is weak and divided and that President Slobodan Milosevic still controls “the sinews of power” in Belgrade.

Joshua Nkomo is no more
HARARE, Zimbabwe, July 2 — Vice-President Joshua Nkomo, father of Zimbabwe’s fight for independence from white colonial rule, died yesterday, the government announced. He was 82.

Sino-US trade may revive
WASHINGTON, July 2 — A powerful US congressional committee yesterday backed President Bill Clinton’s decision to renew trade ties with China despite spying allegations and human rights concerns.

Ulster talks deadlocked

LONDON, July 2 (DPA) — The Northern Ireland peace talks were deadlocked today, forcing the British and Irish Governments to decide the next step in search of an agreement on terms for IRA disarmament.

Despite four days of intensive negotiations, the Ulster Unionists and Sinn Fein were unable to agree on a formula to end the deadlock, delaying the transfer of legislative powers from London to Belfast.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Ireland’s Prime Minister Bertie Ahern planned today to assess a report by the head of the International Decommisioning Body, General John de Chastelain, and papers submitted by all sides involved at Castle buildings.

They will then make a statement outlining what they believe is the best way forward. It could mean putting the process on hold, probably until the autumn.

A deal would have cleared the way for the setting up of a power sharing executive in charge of a new administration.

Further delay would be a major blow to Mr Blair’s unprecedented effort to find a settlement in northern Ireland, but his official spokesman made it clear London and Dublin are not without hope.

He said: “we know where the parties are and as I said before, we do not believe the gap is unbridgeable.”

The Prime Minister had a 20-minute telephone conversation with US President Bill Clinton following the adjournment of talks at Stormont Castle.

Mr Blair briefed the President on the way the talks had progressed through the day, said the Prime Minister’s spokesman.

He told him there was now “a very positive mood and the real possibility of an agreement” to take the process forward.

Mr Clinton is ready to intervene in the deadlocked peace process if he is asked, White House spokesman Joe Lockhart said.

The mood of the talks was ‘’reasonably optimistic”, Mr Clinton said, and both parties were exploring new ideas. Though the talks were very difficult, it would be very hard for the world to understand if they were broken off without success.

“If it falls apart over sequencing, it would be more than a tragedy,” Mr Clinton said during a news conference.

Mr Lockhart said Mr Clinton had been in constant contact with British Prime Minister, and had spoken several times by phone with protestant unionist leader David Trimble and Catholic Republican leader Gerry Adams.

MIG-29 sale worries USA

WASHINGTON, July 2 (Reuters) — The USA which refused to sell Bangladesh its F-16 warplanes several years ago, is concerned about Dhaka’s plan to buy eight Russian MIG-29s, State Department officials said yesterday.

“The United States and Bangladesh’s other development partners will certainly want to discuss the implications of this purchase with the government,” spokesman James Foley told reporters at his daily briefing.

“We’ve already had a number of conversations with Bangladeshi officials to explain our concerns. We’ve also declined to sell high-performance aircraft to Bangladesh for our part,” he added.

Another State Department official said Bangladesh had wanted to buy several F-16s but the USA felt the planes were “not really appropriate” for Bangladesh. The discussions did not reach the stage of negotiations and were not publicised at the time, he added.

Mr Foley cited a debate within Bangladesh on the wisdom of spending so much money on the planes.

“The debate ... accurately reflects questions about whether there is a legitimate military mission for these high-performance aircraft and also whether Bangladesh can afford to buy them,” he said.

The Bangladesh Government and Opposition lawmakers squared off in Parliament on Wednesday over the decision to buy the MIGs.

Members of the Opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party and Jatiya Party said the deal, struck this week, was “unnecessary and expensive compared to the country’s defence needs.”

But Finance Minister S.A.M.S. Kibria said Bangladesh needed strong armed forces to defend its independence.

Ceiling on foreign workers in Kuwait

KUWAIT CITY, July 2 (PTI) — In a move likely to affect the 2.8 lakh-strong Indian community here, Kuwait has approved a draft decree to boost job opportunities for Kuwaitis in the private sector and impose a ceiling on the number of foreign workers hired by Kuwaiti employers.

The decree, which needs the Amir’s ratification before becoming law, calls for imposing high charges on new work permits for expatriates and hopes Kuwaitis would constitute at least 5 per cent of the 6,50,000-strong workforce in the private sector in the next five years, newspaper reports today said.

Every non-government establishment must employ a certain percentage of Kuwaitis to be determined by the Civil Service Commission.

However, the organisations could choose between employing that percentage or paying an additional charge for every expatriate employee exceeding the prescribed quota. The government will issue all necessary details to implement this clause, The Arab Times said.

The decree provides non-governmental sectors which employ a certain percentage of Kuwaitis a priority in state contracts. These contracts will not be awarded to government and private firms unless they pledge that they will employ a certain percentage of Kuwaitis, the report said.

India orders spares for Bofors guns

STOCKHOLM, July 2 (AP) — India ordered spareparts for its Bofors Howitzers, the company said today apparently ending a 13-year virtual embargo.

The 155 mm cannon has been the workhorse of India’s army in its nearly two-month-long border clash with Pakistan.

After buying several hundred of the Howitzers in 1986, India alleged that Bofors paid kickbacks to government officials to obtain the $1.2 billion contract.

However, the charge has not been proven in court, but India virtually ceased all weapons purchases from Bofors, now a division of Celsius corporation.

The current order is for just 1 million Kronor ($120,000), Bofors division chief Magnus Ingesson said today in a phone interview. But it possibly could be the start of much larger purchases.

"They haven’t bought spareparts in a long time, possibly ever", for the equipment from the 1986 sale, he said. "It’s very important to us because it’s the first order from them in a long time."

Chilean rights activist dead

SANTIAGO, July 2 (Reuters) — Ms Sola Sierra, a top Chilean human rights campaigner whose husband disappeared during dictator Augusto Pinochet’s rule and who later fought to put Pinochet behind bars, died yesterday of a heart attack.

Ms Sierra, (63), president of the protest group Families of the Detained and Disappeared, died during back surgery, sources at the organisation said.

The diminutive Ms Sierra was a fixture at the head of marches and human rights demonstrations in Chile for more than two decades. She won international prominence and led demonstrations in Britain last year when Pinochet was arrested in London.

As head of the Santiago-based protest group, she flew to London in November to support Spanish prosecutors’ bid to have Pinochet extradited to Spain and face charges of human rights abuses during his 17-year rule.

She held Pinochet responsible for the deaths or disappearances of more than 3,000 persons during the 1973-1990 military rule.

Her husband was among those who disappeared. At marches she carried a photograph of him around her neck.

Pinochet, (83), is under house arrest near London while he awaits an extradition hearing to begin on September 27. A Spanish judge wants to try him for human rights abuses.

The former army Commander-in-chief came to power in a bloody coup in 1973 and launched a crackdown against Leftists.

“Ms Sola Sierra, like many Chileans, suffered a very tough personal tragedy, and she did not let adversity get the best of her,’’ said presidential Chief-of-Staff Jose Miguel Insulza.

“She fought for justice. She became the symbol for the detained and disappeared.’’

Ms Sierra was one of the first to applaud a British high court judge’s refusal to block extradition of the retired general to Spain in May. That step opened the way for full extradition proceedings in September.

Buses from Dhaka to arrive on July 5

DHAKA, July 2 (PTI) — The maiden passenger bus run to Calcutta from Dhaka under the direct Dhaka-Calcutta bus service has now been scheduled to take place on July 5, a top official of the Bangladesh Communication Ministry said today.

Two buses with officials, professionals and passengers will leave for Calcutta from the Kamalapur bus depot in Dhaka city at 7 a.m local time on that day, Joint Secretary in the Communication Ministry Karar Mahmudul Hassan told PTI.

According to the programme, the two buses with 40-seater each will carry 72 passengers. Among the passengers, at least 30 are going as official team which will be led by Mr Hassan.

Another 42 seats in two buses have been kept reserved for revenue passengers. In addition to the drivers, there would also be two stewards and four security staff in these buses.

Mr Hassan, who signed the agreement for the introduction of the Dhaka-Calcutta bus service on behalf of his government, said after staying in Calcutta for two days they will return home by the same buses on Wednesday.

Duma to ratify pacts with India

MOSCOW, July 2 (UNI) — The Russian President, Mr Boris Yeltsin, yesterday forwarded drafts of two treaties with India to the Russian Duma for ratification after approving them, reports Novosti, quoting presidential press service.

The first treaty concerns strengthening cooperation in the legal sphere, providing the basis for protection of rights of citizens of Russia and India living in each other’s countries.

The treaty provides conditions for bodies concerned to cooperate in cases before them.

India had ratified the treaty on March 24, 1999.

The other treaty forwarded to the Duma for ratification deals with extradition of criminals. Delhi had ratified it also on the same day it put its seal of approval on it.

While forwarding the treaties to the Duma for final adoption, Mr Yeltsin told the speaker of the Duma that these documents reflected the mutual desire of both India and Russia to strengthen legal assistance to each other for dealing with criminal cases and collaborating in combating crimes.

Milosevic still in control: Gen Clark

WASHINGTON, July 2 (Reuters) — The NATO Supreme Commander, Gen Wesley Clark, has said that political opposition in Yugoslavia is weak and divided and that President Slobodan Milosevic still controls “the sinews of power” in Belgrade.

General Clark also said yesterday that Russia had tried to renegotiate a deal on participation of its forces in the NATO-led Kosovo peacekeeping force, but NATO had apparently succeeded in rebuffing that attempt and Russian troops would probably join next week.

The general, who oversaw NATO’S 78-day bombing compaign to reverse Yugoslavia’s campaign against ethnic Albanians in Kosovo, said he believed Mr Milosevic would eventually end up in the international court that had indicted him for war crimes.

United Nations (Reuters): With returning refugees in Kosovo reaching the half-million mark on Thursday, the UN sharply criticised NATO countries for spending billions to bomb Yugoslavia but not paying for the peace.

Mr Soren Jessen-Petersen, assistant UN High Commissioner for Refugees, told a news conference that his agency received only $ 140 million of the $400 million requested for Kosovo in 1999.

Belgrade(DPA): Serbian Opposition leader Vuk Draskovic has called for the immediate formation in Serbia and Yugoslavia of democratic and pro-European transition governments.

There will be no room in such governments for politicians who had started the conflict with NATO and misled the Serbian public for years, Mr Draskovic said on Thursday in reference to Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic and extremist leader Vojislav Seselj.

Joshua Nkomo is no more

HARARE, Zimbabwe, July 2 (AP) — Vice-President Joshua Nkomo, father of Zimbabwe’s fight for independence from white colonial rule, died yesterday, the government announced. He was 82.

State radio interrupted morning programmes to play the national anthem and liberation songs, and broadcast a tribute by president Robert Mugabe.

Mr Nkomo was suffering from prostate cancer and had undergone treatment in South Africa and Egypt since 1996. Ailing health had forced Mr Nkomo largely to withdraw from political life last year. He spent several weeks in hospital in recent months.

Mr Mugabe said Mr Nkomo’s health had deteriorated sharply on Sunday.

Sino-US trade may revive

WASHINGTON, July 2 (Reuters) — A powerful US congressional committee yesterday backed President Bill Clinton’s decision to renew trade ties with China despite spying allegations and human rights concerns.

Yesterday vote by the House Ways and Means Committee was a victory for Mr Clinton, who is eager to renew Beijing’s normal-trade-relations (NTR) status for another year.

NTR, which used to be called most-favoured-nation trade status, gives China the same low-tariff access to US markets enjoyed by nearly every other country.

Man faces death
LOS ANGELES: An Iranian immigrant to the USA has been found guilty of murdering his wife and six children in an early-morning arson fire and could face the death penalty, The Los Angeles Times reported. Jorjik Avanesian (43) set the family’s one-bedroom apartment on fire in 1996 because he was under the delusion that his wife and eldest daughters were taking illicit drugs and making pornographic videos. The jurors took only one hour to decide on the verdict and will convene next week to decide whether to give Avanesian the death penalty. — DPA

Dmytryk dead
LOS ANGELES: Film director Edward Dmytryk, a member of the Hollywood 10 who served prison time during the Red scare-era witch hunts of the 1940s and was blacklisted until he gave names of his Communist Comrades, died at the age of 90. Dmytryk, who worked with some of Hollywood’s biggest stars, had been ill for a year and succumbed to heart and kidney failure at his home last night, said his wife, Jean Porter. — AP

Key stolen
SYDNEY: The original key to the Bastille, grabbed by Madame Tussaud the day after the prison-fortress was stormed by Parisian mob in 1789, has been stolen from a wax work exhibition in Sydney. The police said on Friday the large metal key was stolen from the old Sydney Casino building last weekend by a thief or thieves who had cut two wires securing it to a wall. — Reuters

Flu outbreak
ATLANTA: A flu outbreak has stricken at least 532 persons in Alaska and Canada’s Yukon territory, most of them tourists on Cruises to see the region’s glaciers and other panoramic sights, US Health officials said on Thursday. — Reuters

Dennis Brown dead
KINGSTON: Jamaican singer Dennis Brown, a dreadlocked reggae icon whose lyrics epitomised Jamaica’s signature sound, died on Thursday at age 42, the University Hospital of West Indies said. An autopsy will be carried out later to determine the cause of death. Brown had been ailing for some time, according to hospital source. — Reuters

Nanny convicted
MINNEAPOLIS: A German-born nanny has been convicted of unintentional second-degree murder in the death of an infant in her care. Sentencing was scheduled for August 11 for Manuela Etzel (31), in the January 1998 death of 18-month-old Katharina Brown. — DPA

Heat wave in Russia
MOSCOW: Record high temperatures during a month-long heatwave in Russia have left scores of people dead from drowning and heatstroke and threaten more deaths as forest fires spread. As many as 11 Muscovites drowned after flocking to the city’s reservoirs to escape the heat, raising the total number of drowning victims in the heatwave to 140, Interfax reported on Thursday. — AFP

Johannes Rau
BONN: Mr Johannes Rau, one of Germany’s most prominent social Democrats, was on Thursday sworn as the country’s ninth post-war President on a day when Parliament bid good-bye to Bonn after holding its last session before shifting to Berlin. Mr Rau (68), who succeeds Mr Roman Herzog, was elected on May 23 at a national convention in Berlin’s rebuilt Reichstag that marked another historic landmark in the government’s return to Germany’s pre-war capital. — PTI

Bull slaughtered
WINDSOR: A New Hampshire man was charged with animal cruelty after allegedly stabbing a “pet’’ bull to death, the Windsor police said. Charles Buskirk, (45), a carpenter, confessed to the police that he slaughtered the animal, while drunk. He faces up to three years in prison and a 5,000 fine, the police said on Thursday. — Reuters