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Sunday,
August 19, 2001, Chandigarh, India  
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75 die in Philippine
hotel blaze
India, China in competition to develop new Russian fighter One dead in Gaza Strip clash USA to lift curbs against India soon Curfew, searches to recover illegal arms No visa extension for
diplomats, say Taliban |
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75 die in Philippine hotel blaze The group from several rural provinces was staying at the budget, six-storey Manor Hotel in Quezon City while attending a “Dawn Flower Destiny Conference” for born-again Christians in Manila. Many of the victims, including children, died of suffocation in their rooms as they were overcome by thick fumes and unable to escape due to lack of fire exits. The fire, believed to have been caused by an electrical fault, started at 4:30 am (0200 IST) on the third floor of the hotel and spread quickly to several other floors, the police said. At the height of the three-hour blaze, scores of trapped guests were seen weeping and waving to firemen along the hotel’s balcony, crying for help and shaking grilles and iron bars on their windows. “It was a very depressing scene, especially it was sad to see the victims just helpless,” Johnny Yu, Metro Manila director for Civil Defence, said. Yu, who helped coordinate operations at the scene, said “unconfirmed reports so far showed 75 persons had died, many of them adults ranging from 30 to 40 years of age”. Firemen had to train their hoses on desperate guests crowding along the balconies waiting for help as waves of fire spread behind them. They used special saws to cut the grilles before rescuing the victims using long ladders mounted on fire engines.
AFP |
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India, China in competition to develop new Russian fighter London, August 18 India and Russia have held advanced discussions on the joint development of the fighter, based on the Sukhoi Design Bureau’s S-37 Berkut (Golden Eagle) jet, according to defence sources here. The status of Chinese discussions with the Russian design team is not known. The Russians are looking to a new aircraft that can beat the American F-22 Raptor stealth fighter, which has high
maneuverability and is capable of long flights at supersonic speeds. The first Raptors are expected to be inducted in the U.S. Air Force in 2005. Russian Aerospace Agency Director Yuri Koptev said Moscow needed to begin work urgently on a new fighter. “Such planes as the Su-27 and the MiG-29 and their modifications can stay competitive only for another seven to eight years, as the U.S.A. is developing new-generation planes,” he said. “We need a new plane both for defence purposes and for preserving our position in the arms market.” On being asked specifically whether Russia was teaming up with the Chinese to develop this fifth generation fighter, Koptev said: “Russia has been holding talks with its strategic partners concerning their participation in the development of such aircraft.” The new aircraft will be developed at the Sukhoi Design Bureau, according to information that emerged at the air show held in Le Bourget near Paris in June. Sukhoi is in the process of supplying 50 Su-30MKI fighters to the Indian Air Force (IAF) and has signed another contract to transfer technology to India for the licensed manufacture of 140 more aircraft by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) over the next 15 years. The Russian firm is now keen to involve HAL and India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in the fifth generation fighter project, defence sources said. The project will use technology from the S-37 Berkut, according to the sources. The project is reported to have been discussed in detail when Defence Minister Jaswant Singh visited Russia in June. The S-37 has been test flown several times since October 1997, but is yet to enter serial production. Like may other Russian defence projects, its progress has been affected by lack of funds. The discussions between India and Russia also centred on the development of a new missile system, according to the sources. On June 12, Indian and Russian military scientists tested a new version of the Yakhont anti-ship missile, named the PJ-10, in waters off the Indian state of Orissa. The mach 2.1 sea-skimming missile has a range of 280 km and can carry multiple warheads. The missile is also capable of carrying a nuclear warhead. It has a greater range if fired from the air.
IANS |
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One dead in Gaza Strip clash Jerusalem, August 18 One Palestinian was killed and 10 were injured, according to Palestinian doctors at Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis town, where the clash took place. The Israeli military had no immediate comment, but Israeli forces have ventured into Palestinian areas in Gaza on numerous occasions during the current conflict, often to tear down houses and buildings being used for cover by the militants. Shortly after midnight yesterday, the Israelis moved about 150 metres into Palestinian territory on the outskirts of Khan Yunis, the Palestinian security sources said on condition of anonymity. Palestinian gunmen fired on the Israeli forces as they moved in, the security sources added. The Israeli incursions have drawn international condemnation, and in the past, the Israeli forces have retreated, usually after only a few hours. The Israeli action came after Prime Minister Ariel Sharon made a military tour of the Gaza Strip yesterday to visit Israeli soldiers in the volatile region. Mr Sharon toured Gush Katif, a collection of Jewish settlements in the southern Gaza Strip, his office said. Also, Israeli forces and Palestinians clashed yesterday in Rafah, a town along Gaza’s southern border with Egypt, not far from the spot Mr Sharon visited. WASHINGTON: Egypt has agreed to resist an Arab attempt to send international observers to West Asia over Israel’s objections. The USA, Israel’s closest and sometimes only ally at the United Nations, is gearing up to oppose the Arab move next week at the United Nations. Osama el-Baz, who is President Hosni Mubarak’s National Security Adviser, said on Friday after a 40-minute meeting with Secretary of State Colin Powell that “we are not thinking of getting the UN to impose anything.” Only moves coordinated with Israel and the Palestinians “could lead to a real change on the ground,” the Egyptian official said.
AP |
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USA to lift curbs against India soon Washington, August 18 “With the advice of Congress, they will be coming off; some of the sanctions... certainly the post-May, 1998, nuclear detonations sanctions will be the first to go,” US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage said in Sydney (Australia) yesterday. Mr Armitage, however, said under the American system, it was not just a matter for the President to decide. It would be something that the administration would consult with Congress. He said the USA was looking forward, “hopefully”, to a meeting between President Bush and Prime Minister Vajpayee at the UN General Assembly meeting. “Beyond that there will be a series of meetings and developments in our relationship,” he said. Asked whether his remarks about the sanctions would also apply to Pakistan, Mr Armitage said, “I think they can. We have some similar sanctions against Pakistan and some different, because Pakistan is not a democracy. “When (Pakistan President Pervez) Musharraf did away with the democratic process, no matter how shaky it was, then some other sanctions came into play,” he said. Mr Armitage said, “The USA is not interested in Pakistan coming more under the influence of Afghanistan. There has to be a way out for Pakistan”. “We are going to try to play an effective role,” he said. Analysts said it was an indirect way of saying that Pakistan was in danger of going the
Taliban way if it was not engaged by the USA and some sanctions were not removed. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Inamul Haq had met top US State Department officials on Thursday and pressed the view that sanctions imposed after India and Pakistan’s nuclear tests in 1998 were obsolete. “These sanctions are not serving any purpose and it would be better if they are removed,” he said.
PTI |
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Curfew, searches to recover illegal arms Dhaka, August 18 Fifty persons were arrested at Feni, a district town, 150 km south of Dhaka, during house-to-house raids under curfew. The search was on till the filing of this report. Security forces also raided houses at Satkania subdistrict town, 200 km south of Dhaka, almost at the same time on Friday at dawn and recovered unspecified number of a arms and arrested 21 persons. The police claimed that they were supporters of the Jamat-e-Islami and wanted in criminal cases. Paramilitary the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) with the local police imposed curfew on four residential areas of Feni town at 2 a.m. on Friday and raided houses and recovered arms. The security agencies broke into the Masterpara residence of Jainal Hazari, former Awami League legislator, in the presence of the Deputy Commissioner and Police Superintendent and recovered a number of fire arms and ammunition. The authorities told media that a list of the seized arms was being prepared and would be released later. It is not known whether he has been arrested. He earlier secured a anticipatory bail from the High Court. Fifty others have been taken into the police custody. During the raid all telephones and cellular phones were disconnected so that the holders of arms could not communicate. Curfew was relaxed for four hours from 10 a.m. for Friday noon special prayer. Later curfew was re-imposed and house to house raids were made at Masterpara, Sahadevpur, Daktar-para and Academy area. The latter is known as the den of Hazari. Hazari was known for his terror in at the small town that became popular as the abode of terror. Bangladesh Nationalist Party Chairperson Ms. Khaleda Zia recently urged the caretaker government to arrest Hazari and recovered arms from his possession. He was aspiring to contest the coming polls as Awami League candidate. The BDR and the Police raided many houses at Satkania, a small subdistrict town in southern Chittagong district on Friday morning and claimed that 21 armed cadres of a Jamat were arrested all of them wanted in criminal cases. The number of arms recovered has not yet been disclosed. Recently, there were attacks on the supporters of the Awami League at the place in which three young men were killed by these armed hooligans. These the raids was hailed by non-political elements. All political parties have urged the caretaker government to launch a serious drive to recover illegal arms for peaceful atmosphere to hold free and fair elections. The first month long drive did not succeed because of mass transfer of police officials. Political observers apprehend poll violence during the next two months before and after the general election. Now six Advisers of the Advisory Council of the caretaker government have been assigned to conduct combing operation by the BDR. More sensational arrests and recovery of arms are expected in coming days. |
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No visa extension for diplomats, say Taliban Karachi, August 18 Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) quoted Taliban Foreign Minister Wakil Ahmed Muttawakil as saying that the Taliban had already told the Western diplomats that as the detainees were being investigated, consular access would not be granted. “They had talked to us... and they had completed their mission, after that there is no need to extend their visas,” AIP quoted Muttawakil as saying. The diplomats’ visas to stay in Afghanistan expire on August 21. UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations Secretary-General, Mr Kofi Annan, has indicated that the critical humanitarian aid to Afghanistan could be severely affected if the Taliban militia continued the detention of foreign aid workers and said the denial of consular access to them was in violation of international laws. Regretting that contrary to customary international law, consular access and legal representation was being denied to the foreign aid workers, Mr Annan said, “This gives a signal that could have severe consequences on critical humanitarian assistance.” “This might come at a time when Afghans are suffering the combined effects of war, extreme poverty, massive displacement and severe drought,” a UN spokesman said. Reuters |
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Manila, August 18