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| Friday, January 5, 2001, Chandigarh, India   
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Arafat briefs Arab heads on Clinton plan Thousands of Czechs streamed into Wenceslas Square in Prague, last night to show their support for the journalists involved in an increasingly bitter newsroom strike at the state-owned Czech Television (CT). Rioters kill 14 in Indonesia US Congress meets Rapper Eminem leads Grammy nominations |
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| Arafat briefs Arab heads on Clinton plan CAIRO, Jan 4 (Reuters, AFP) — Palestinian President Yasser Arafat began consulting Arab leaders here today about US President Bill Clinton’s peace proposals before announcing whether he accepts them. Mr Arafat began his discussions by meeting Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak after arriving from talks in Washington with Clinton, who is trying to clinch a last-minute peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians before he leaves office on January 20. White House spokesman Jake Siewert told reporters that progress had been made at the talks with Arafat because the Palestinian leader had accepted Clinton’s proposals with some reservations. Israel remained doubtful a peace agreement was imminent. But it decided to send senior envoy Gilead Sher to Washington for talks and a Western diplomat said a Palestinian negotiator would probably go to Washington for talks next week. Senior Palestinian negotiator Nabil Shaath said Arafat would issue his response to Clinton’s proposals, which are intended to provide the basis for Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, only after consulting Arab Foreign Ministers meeting in Cairo. “President Arafat will come back to brief his Arab brothers and only after...Will we declare our final position regarding the American ideas,” Mr Shaath told newsmen by telephone from the Egyptian capital. He told reporters the talks in Washington had been “positive”. Israeli Foreign Minister Shlomo Ben-Ami, his country’s chief negotiator, told Israel Radio time had been wasted. Even if the Palestinians accepted the US Plan, only a miracle could produce a peace treaty before Clinton bows out, he said. “It is almost beyond human capability to end the negotiations in this short period,” Mr Ben-Ami said by telephone from Stockholm. Israel was non-committal on whether it saw a change in the Palestinian position on Clinton’s ideas. Mr Ben-Ami said Arafat had agreed to reduce violence before any negotiations resumed. “In light of the recent meeting between President Clinton and Mr Arafat, we understand that the decision is there will be a struggle to uproot the violence in the next few days and based on this we will study the continuation of the negotiations,” he said. Mr Barak’s office said an Israeli-US-Palestinian committee would be formed to try to “prevent terrorism”. Israel Radio said Sher would meet US Middle East envoy Dennis Ross. Earlier, White House said Arafat had accepted the plan with reservations — apparently over the fate of refugees in particular — after meeting with Clinton on Tuesday. Mr Clinton has proposed giving Palestinians control of the Arab neighbourhoods of East Jerusalem and shared control of the Temple Mount, an area that contains sites sacred to Jews, Muslims and Christians. The plan also provides for Palestinian control over 95 per cent of the West Bank and 100 per cent of the Gaza Strip. However, the Palestinians will be required to waive the right of return of refugees who fled Israel in the wake of the creation of the Jewish state in 1948. GAZA CITY (AFP): Top Israeli and Palestinian security officials will meet in Cairo on Sunday with the US CIA director to try to reduce violence in West Arab a senior Palestinian official said. “After a suggestion by President Clinton to reduce the violence and start security cooperation, there will be a security meeting in Cairo,” the Palestinian official told AFP. Nearly 370 people have been killed since the Palestinian Intifada, or uprising against Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories, started on September 28. Most of those killed have been Palestinians. |
| Czechs rally to save state TV Thousands of Czechs streamed into Wenceslas Square in Prague, last night to show their support for the journalists involved in an increasingly bitter newsroom strike at the state-owned Czech Television (CT). Holding banners and chanting, an estimated 100,000 persons — the largest gathering in the square since the Velvet Revolution against the Communist rule in November 1989 — demanded that the country’s political leaders end the standoff between the CT director, Jiri Hodac, and the journalists. The journalists have been occupying the studios since Christmas Eve. With the open support of President Vaclav Havel, they are demanding the dismissal of Mr Hodac, who has close political links to the main opposition group, the Civic Democratic Party. The party’s leader, former Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus, who is favourite to become President after the elections due next year, intends to privatise the television service, which is seen as a watchdog for democracy. The journalists regard Mr Hodac’s appointment as a threat to their livelihood and the beginning of the end for the station’s editorial independence. Some of their management colleagues have already been removed since his appointment. “All of us face a danger that... Czech TV will become an obedient instrument of the people who are in power,’’ they said in a statement. They accused Mr Hodac of exercising political bias in his news reporting, purging the editorial department of "undesirables’’, and dismissing key managers. In August, Mr Hodac resigned as News Editor after complaints about his slanted news judgement. Although he was given his new position by a committee appointed by Parliament, he denied any political bias. The mood in the newsroom remained defiant yesterday, as reporters insisted they would continue their sit-in until Mr Hodac resigned. “We won’t leave until they send in the tanks,’’ said Adam Komers - alluding to the Spring of 1968, when Soviet tanks rolled into Prague, crushing a popular uprising against the Communist rule. Mr Hodac, a former head of the BBC’s Czech Service, has been deserted by most of his correspondents and is failing to fill even half of the news slots. The journalists are backed by a petition signed by more than 150,000 persons calling for “television for the people, not for the parties’’. Supporters are placing supplies of food, toiletries and clean clothes in a bucket which is pulled up to the studio on a rope by the journalists, who have been camping on the floor in sleeping bags. Mobile toilets have been set up in a sound studio. — The Guardian, London. |
| Rioters kill 14 in Indonesia JAKARTA, Jan 4 (Reuters) — Communal clashes have erupted in eastern Indonesia, killing 14 persons and injuring 12 in a grim reminder of the tensions gripping the world’s largest archipelago, the police and official media said today. Seven villagers were killed on the holiday island of Lombok, near the world famous resort island of Bali, in fighting that broke out yesterday following a local dispute, the police said. “At least seven persons have been killed since yesterday. The villagers were fighting until 3 o’clock in the morning using firearms,” police Capt Frans Nois said by telephone from the island’s main town of Mataram. Captain Nois insisted that the clashes, which took place near Mataram, were not sparked by religious or ethnic differences, triggers behind much of the violence that has hobbled Indonesia since it plunged into crisis three years ago. |
| US Congress meets WASHINGTON, Jan 4 (AP) — Only minutes after the closely divided 107th US Congress convened, House Democrats were accusing Republicans (GOP) of violating the spirit of bipartisanship and cooperation pledged by party leaders. In the Senate, split 50-50 for the first time, the parties struggled over how to divide power and Democrats sought something close to equality in committee assignments. At the same time, the House Republican leadership faced the formidable task today of choosing among Republicans vying for a dozen committee chairmanships, including the Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over taxes, and the Budget Committee, which sets spending priorities. In addition, Republican sources said the leaders had contacted the incoming Bush administration to discuss a possible job for New Jersey Rep. Marge Roukema, signalling that the veteran lawmaker probably would be passed over when chairmanships were assigned. Ms Roukema, a 20-year veteran of the House, is the senior Republican on the Banking Committee, and under the seniority would be in line to chair the panel. Mrs Hillary Rodham Clinton took her first oath of government office last evening becoming a US Senator at the same moment that her husband became the first US President with a spouse in the Senate. Though 97th in the 100-member Senate in terms of seniority, the First Lady was plainly first among equals during the swearing-in ceremony at Capitol Hill. |
| Rapper Eminem leads Grammy nominations BEVERLY HILLS, Jan 4 (AP) — Controversial rapper Eminem received a leading four nominations for the 43rd Annual Grammy Awards yesterday on the strength of “The Marshall Mathers LP,” a work that has enraged some listeners but won critical acclaim. The work was nominated for album of the year, rap album and rap solo performance. The rapper, who faces an assault charge in Michigan, also was nominated for best rap performance by a duo or group for “Forgot About Dre” on the album “Dr Dre — 2001.” Vince Gill also had four nominations, including best country album for “Let’s Make Sure We Kiss Goodbye,” and country song for “Feels Like Love.” He was also nominated for country male vocalist for “Feels Like Love” and country collaboration with vocals, for a duet with his wife, Amy Grant, on the song “When I Look Into Your Heart.” Nominations in the top categories included a range of young and established artistes. Nominated for record of the year were pop acts Destiny’s Child for “Say My Name” and ‘N Sync for “Bye Bye Bye” and veterans Madonna for “Music” and U2 for “Beautiful Day.” Macy Gray received a bid for “I Try.” Competing with Eminem for album of the year are Beck for “Midnite Vultures,” Radiohead for “Kid A,” Paul Simon for “You’re The One” and Steely Dan for “Two Against Nature.” Song of the year nominations went to the writers of U2’s “Beautiful Day,” Faith Hill’s “Breathe,” Lee Ann Womack’s “I Hope You Dance,” Macy Gray’s “I Try” and Destiny’s Child’s “Say My Name.” The nominees for the best new artiste were Shelby Lynne, Brad Paisley, Papa Roach, Jill Scott and Sisqo. Britney Spears, one of the year’s leading album sellers, was nominated for pop vocal album for “Oops! ... I Did It Again” and female pop vocal performance for the song of the same name. ‘N Sync, the boy-band sensation whose “No Strings Attached” was the year’s biggest-selling album, was also nominated for pop performance by a duo or group for “Bye Bye Bye” and pop vocal album. Steely Dan’s three nominations for album of the year, pop performance by a group and pop vocal album capped a comeback year for the group, which reached the height of its popularity in the 1970s. Newly-wed Madonna has a chance for her first Grammy in a major category. She has won three Grammys in the past. In 1999, she won for best pop album for her excursion into electronica, “Ray of Light,” as well as best dance recording and best short-form music video. |
| Suspected Manila bombers held MANILA, Jan 4 (Reuters) — Philippine soldiers swooped on a Muslim community in a Manila suburb early today and arrested a group of residents in connection with weekend bomb attacks which killed 22 persons, officials said. Manila radio station said 17 persons were taken into custody during the raid and an assault rifle was seized. Koirala survives no-trust vote KATHMANDU, Jan 4 (AP) — Nepal’s Prime Minister today survived a no-confidence vote brought against him by rebel members of his party, protesting political instability in the country. The rebelling lawmakers themselves boycotted the voting in which 69 of the total 113 party lawmakers voted against the motion to dislodge Mr Girija Prasad Koirala. There were no votes favouring the motion. Three members were absent. |
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