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| Sunday, November 26, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
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US SC jumps into poll fray Major shot dead
in Gaza Strip ‘Abnormality’ in Mandela’s
blood ‘Pak trampling two-nation theory’ Probe launched into Rajan’s escape
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| Sharif apologises
to Benazir Rebels kidnap 20
in Colombia Oppn asks Estrada
to resign PML expels four
dissidents
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US SC jumps into poll fray WASHINGTON, Nov 25 — Ignoring Democratic presidential nominee Al Gore’s objections, the US Supreme Court last night agreed to hear one of the two appeals filed by his Republican rival George W. Bush, questioning the constitutionality of the hand counts currently under way in Florida. The federal apex court asked for both the Gore and Bush campaigns to complete briefs on the issue by November 30 with oral arguments set for December 1. The unexpected decision — in which for the first time any federal court has claimed jurisdiction in the presidential election dispute — gave a new twist to the battle for the state’s 25 electoral votes, the winner of which will be the next US President. The Supreme Court rejected the second challenge filed by Mr Bush to a federal judge’s ruling that had let the hand recounts go forward. Mr Bush did not ask the court to halt the manual recounts immediately, so they apparently can continue while the court prepares to hear the case. The Gore campaign had opposed the Bush move, saying that there was no federal interest in raising an issue that should properly be confined to the Florida state court system. The Florida State Supreme Court had ordered the continuation of the hand counts in three Democratic-leaning counties until this weekend. If the US Supreme Court rules that manual recounting should not go forward, there is little prospect of Mr Gore being declared the winner in Florida, says The New York Times. The Bush campaign has argued that by letting the recounts continue past the seven-day deadline invoked by Florida’s Secretary of State Katherine Harris, the state’s top election official, on the basis of a provision in the state code, the Florida Supreme Court in effect rewrote the state law and disregarded federal law in the process. The state Supreme Court had set November 26 as the date for certification, rather than November 14 as envisaged in the state law. Gore attorney David Boies said he did not see the development as bad news for the Vice-President, saying that the justices would provide the much-needed constitutional guidance. “I am confident the United States Supreme Court is not going to overturn this election,” he said. Meanwhile, Republican lawyers have urged a court in Leon county to order election officials to reconsider about 500 disqualified absentee ballots cast by US military personnel serving abroad. These ballots are expected to favour Mr Bush. Mr Gore’s campaign did not oppose the suit. Nor did its lawyers turn up at the hearing. Judge Ralph Smith said he would not rule until after more briefs were submitted. In another development, leaders of Florida’s Republican-dominated legislature have discussed the possibility of holding a special session to consider whether it can appoint Florida’s Electoral College representatives on its own. With all 609 precincts and absentees recounted along with 832 of about 1,800 questionable ballots in Democratic-leaning Broward county, Mr Gore has a net gain of 324 votes. Mr Bush had gained eight votes in Palm Beach county, with results released from 243 of 637 precincts recounted. If all the changes stand they would bring down Mr Bush’s lead to 704 votes from 930 votes at present. The Bush campaign is also relieved that Republican Vice-Presidential nominee Dick Cheney who had a mild heart attack was yesterday released from hospital. He will be allowed to resume normal work soon.
— IANS
JERUSALEM, Nov 25 (Reuters) — Palestinian gunmen have shot dead an Israeli Army officer near the Jewish settlement of Gush Katif in the southern Gaza Strip, the Army said. It said in a statement yesterday that Major Sharon Arameh (25), was cut down “by Palestinian gunfire” directed at an army unit from the Palestinian self-rule town of Khan Younis close to the Mediterranean Coast. His death raised to 267 the toll in two months of clashes between the Israeli Army and Palestinians fighting against the occupation of Gaza and the West Bank. Most of the dead have been Palestinians. Israeli troops and the Palestinian police and security forces waged a pitched battle for much of the day in Khan Younis, which abuts the Gush Katif settlement. Meanwhile, a report from Moscow said Russia had asked Israel to pull out its troops from Palestinian territory and end its blockade to find a “sensible solution” to the West Asian crisis. “No other sensible solution exists,” Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Vasili Sredin said yesterday briefing mediapersons about President Vladimir Putin’s talks with visiting Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat. Mr Arafat, who was on a one-day visit to Russia, was told by Mr Putin that violence must end immediately to pave the way for restoring normalcy to the affected areas. “Israel and Palestine must meet each other half way,” Voice of Russia quoted Mr Sredin as saying. According to Mr Arafat’s top adviser, Nabil Abu Rudeina, on the eve of his visit, he sent an urgent message to the Russian President asking him to take emergency measures to “stop Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people”. Russia is a co-sponsor of the West Asian peace process. Prior to the arrival of Mr Arafat here, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov had visited a number of Arab states to persuade them to take appropriate steps to ensure peace between Israel and Palestine. Mr Sredin said the warring sides “no more trust each other” and were guided by “emotions rather than common sense”. In Damascus, the leader of the Islamic Jihad has said that Palestinians will carry out further car bombings and suicide attacks against Israelis, following three deadly bombings in the last month. “We will root the Jewish thorn out from the Gaza Strip, West Bank, Jerusalem and Hadera with car bombs and men strapped with explosives,” said Ramadan Shalah yesterday, the leader of Islamic Jihad, at the Palestinian refugee camp in Yarmuk, near Damascus. “The Palestinian operations unleashed in Hadera and Jerusalem will not be the last,” Shalah told the crowd on the occasion of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine’s (PFLP) 33rd anniversary. |
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‘Abnormality’ in Mandela’s blood JOHANNESBURG, Nov 25 (AFP) — Doctors have said they had found an ‘abnormality’ in the blood of 82-year-old former South African President Nelson Mandela, but that it presented no threat to his life. Dr Mandela himself, frail, but beaming, said yesterday: “I feel good... I know that I’m not going to die tonight”. Later, however, when asked if he felt unwell, he replied: “not really... I had a little bit of a flu two-three weeks ago”. Doctors Michael Kew and Michael Plit told journalists at Dr Mandela’s Johannesburg home yesterday that they found an abnormally high level of prostate-specific antigen during a routine examination about 10 days ago. Dr Mandela underwent an operation in 1994 in which part of his prostate was removed. Said Dr Plit: “A panel of urologists will now be looking at the prostate and make further tests on that abnormality. Dr Mandela remains very well. He has no symptoms whatsoever. “There is no question on any threat at all to Madiba’s life”, he added, using the clan name by which the former President is affectionately known. “It is very common for someone of Madiba’s age and background”, Dr Plit said, adding that the tests had shown Dr Mandela’s heart and liver were both in good shape. Both doctors refused to speculate on any diseases ahead of the next tests when asked if the antigen could indicate cancer of the prostate. |
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‘Pak trampling two-nation theory’ LONDON, Nov 25 (PTI) — The Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) has said Pakistan’s ruling establishment, popularly known as the “Punjabi establishment”, has begun its plan of a “Greater Punjab”, proving the two-nation theory as “spurious”. “This is an eye-opener for Mohajirs and Muslims of India,” it said in a statement here yesterday, adding that “they can very well analyse that the two-nation slogan was raised to deceive them.” “By granting permission to replace the Masjid Shaheed Ganj with a Sikh Gurdwara, inviting Sikhs to dinners and declaring them as brothers and believers of one God the Punjabi establishment has practically proved the two-nation concept as spurious”, MQM convener Imran Farooq told a delegation of party workers and Mohajirs. “It has been advocated since the presentation of the two-nation concept that Muslims and Hindus belong to two diverse nations. “Then how today it is being declared that the beliefs, culture and civilisation of Sikhs and Muslims are the same? “he asked. The MQM convener, in his attack on Pakistan’s ruling establishment, said if Sikhs and Muslims were brothers, then why was a separate state demanded for Muslims only?” For the past 53 years, under the pretext of the two-nation theory and defence of ideological boundaries, blood of people who had raised their voices for their rights had been shed in erstwhile East Pakistan, Interior Sindh, Baluchistan and then in the urban centres of Sindh, the MQM said. However, now when the “Punjabi establishment” needed the support of Sikhs to create the “Greater Punjab”, then the same two-nation concept which was declared sacrosanct, was being trampled badly, the statement said. Probe launched into Rajan’s escape BANGKOK, Nov 25 (Reuters) — The Thai police, humiliated by the escape of a suspected Indian gangster, said today it had launched an investigation into how he climbed out of a tightly guarded fourth floor Bangkok hospital room. A member of the investigation team said there was evidence that Chhota Rajan used rock climbing gear to descend from a fourth floor window yesterday without being noticed by seven policemen guarding his room. “The climbing rope was used and we found several pieces of climbing gear such as hooks at the site,” he told Reuters. Yesterday, hospital sources had said Rajan, awaiting a hearing to decide if he should be extradited to India to face 17 counts of murder and other mob-related charges, used a makeshift rope made from bedsheets to make his getaway. Rajan suffered gunshot wounds during a Bangkok shootout in mid-September and had been in hospital for treatment since then. The escape has humiliated the Thai national police force and high-ranking officers have ordered a prompt probe. At least two of the seven guards face disciplinary hearings. Thai media quoted unnamed police sources on Saturday as saying that the getaway had been well-planned by Rajan’s friends in Bangkok and the fugitive might now be in Cambodia. MUMBAI (UNI): The Mumbai police was trying to find out from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and Interpol the details of the dramatic escape of gangster Chhota Rajan from a Bangkok hospital but their response was not yet forthcoming, sources said. “We will again try on Monday, the weekend being a holiday,” top police sources added. According to them, Rajan’s escape might be a fact but there was “hardly a thing the Mumbai police can do about it”. “To ascertain whether the Thai police guarding him was bribed we cannot directly approach them. The police here has to go through proper channels, such as the MEA or Interpol,” they said. |
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SANTIAGO, Nov 25 (AFP) — In a videotaped message marking his 85th birthday, Chile’s former Augusto Pinochet appeared to acknowledge excesses committed under the military junta he led from 1973-1990, without saying that he was personally culpable for any misdeeds. “I can tell you sirs, that I accept, as former President of the Republic, all of the actions said to have been committed by the Army and armed forces,” Pinochet said, without elaboration, at a dinner gathering of some 1,500 supporters in Santiago yesterday. Many of his remarks focused on his arrest and lengthy detention in London, which he described as “disagreeable.” “I always had the dignity to say that I did not accept British law,” said the former Chilean President, who was unable to attend the event because of recent health problems. Pinochet was arrested in October, 1998, during a private visit to Britain under a warrant issued by a Spanish judge seeking to try him for human rights abuses during his rule in Chile. He was held in Britain until March while a succesion of courts debated whether he should be extradited to Spain. The British Government eventually let him return home after deciding he was too frail to stand trial. The former dictator, recently released from hospital after treatment for pneumonia, must answer to more than 170 charges filed on behalf of some of the 3,000 opponents to his military regime who were killed or abducted and presumed killed while he was in power. |
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Sharif apologises
to Benazir DUBAI, Nov 25 (PTI) — Deposed Pakistani Premier and leader of Pakistan Muslim League (PML) Nawaz Sharif has sent a taped apology to Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) leader Benazir Bhutto to meet a precondition to forge a political alliance between the two parties. During the 30-minute taped apology recorded earlier this year, Mr Sharif termed Benazir as his “good sister.” Mrs Bhutto had demanded a taped apology which was recorded and handed over by Mr Sharif through his wife, Mrs Kulsoom Nawaz, during one of her visits to the Attock Fort, the Gulf News said quoting “well-placed sources”. The tape was later sent to Benazir in a foreign country. But the tape, which was only meant for Benazir, had come into wider circulation though Kulsoom has denied the existence of any such tape, the daily said. Criticising the apology, PML sources said “within our party culture, an apology in such phrases by a man to a woman is especially awkward.”
PML rebels have threatened to air the tape in public, the daily added.
Rebels kidnap 20
in Colombia BOGOTA, Nov 25 (AP) — An obscure rebel faction kidnapped 20 persons along a highway in northern Colombia, the authorities said. Four of the persons kidnapped at a roadblock yesterday by the Peoples Revolutionary Army were freed as troops pursued the kidnappers into mountains, the military said. The other 16 persons remain in captivity. The small rebel group laid a roadblock along a road in Sucre state, about 563 km north-east of Bogota. Many of the victims were pulled from taxis, Sucre police commander Col Norman Arango told RCN television. Colombian guerrillas routinely set up roadblocks on rural highways and stop cars, seeking to kidnap victims for ransom. The strategy is mockingly termed here as “fishing for miracles”. |
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MANILA, Nov 25 (Reuters) — Opponents of impeached Philippine President Joseph Estrada tried to mail him a giant Christmas card today urging him to resign and give Filipinos some festive cheer, but the post office wouldn’t accept it. “This Yuletide season, give the Filipino people something to look forward to. Step down now so that we may have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year,’’ the card said. Members of the Leftist May I Movement trooped to the central post office in Manila with the card but were turned away. The card was addressed “to his notoriety, soon-to-be ousted’’ President. On the front, an irate angel is blowing a trumpet into Estrada’s ear with the message “resign now!’’ Estrada, who has denied the impeachment charges of bribery and corruption, on Saturday appealed for calm, saying that the resignation calls were hurting the economy. The charges follow allegations he took pay-offs worth millions of dollars from illegal gambling syndicates. |
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ISLAMABAD, Nov 25 (PTI) — Deposed Premier Nawaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League (PML) has expelled four dissidents from the party for their failure to respond to show-cause notices on the charge of masterminding the take-over of the PML House in Islamabad. “Their membership has been terminated as they failed to respond to the notices within the stipulated period”, party secretary-general Saranjam Khan told reporters here yesterday. The expelled leaders include senior vice-president Ijazul Haq, former Punjab Governor Mian Azhar, former Interior Minister Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and PML labour wing president Faqir Hussain Bukhari. They had been served with show-cause notices on November 20, ahead of the party’s central working committee meeting held to settle the contentious issue of joining the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA), the PML functionary said. The deadline for responding to the notices expired yesterday, Mr Saranjam said. However, expelled leaders could rejoin the party after making a public apology, he added. Meanwhile, Mr Sharif has accused the military regime of preventing his lawyer from meeting him, saying that it was an attempt to deny him his constitutional and legal right to seek legal opinion. “By not allowing my counsel Nihal Hashmi to meet me in connection with the plane-conspiracy case, the regime has vindicated the fact that it is still afraid of a man who is behind bars,” Mr Sharif said in a statement which was issued here by his advocate, Mr Malik Rafique, who met him at Attock Fort Jail yesterday. |
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Mason laid to rest
after 16 years LONDON, Nov 25 (Reuters) — Hollywood Screen legend James Mason has been finally laid to rest
— 16 years after his death, the Daily Telegraph newspaper reported today.
Mason’s children buried his ashes in a Swiss cemetery yesterday after an acrimonious legal battle over the British actor’s estate with their stepmother Clarissa Kaye, and later with the administrators of her estate, the paper said.
The wrangle became so bitter that for many years Mason’s children, daughter Portland and son Morgan, had no idea of the whereabouts of their father’s ashes. Portland finally tracked them to a bank vault in Geneva. Anwar in hospital KUALA LUMPUR, nov 25 (DPA) — Malaysia’s sacked deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim, who was jailed for 15 years on corruption and sodomy charges, was admitted to a local hospital today for severe back pain, one of his lawyers said.
Mr Sankaran Nair, who is among Anwar’s nine-member defence team, said Anwar was taken from Sungei Buloh prison and admitted to the state- run Kuala Lumpur General Hospital this morning.
“He was admitted for suspected slipped disc. He’s been suffering this persistent pain since October,’’ Mr Nair said. |
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