S P O T L I G H T

Pakistanis' protest against PM
London, October 12
A handful of Pakistani expatriates today demonstrated outside 10, Downing Street, the official residence of British Prime Minister Tony Blair, to protest against Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s visit to London. Carrying Pakistani flags and banners, the demonstrators, who included women, also shouted slogans against “the illegal occupation of Kashmir by India”. UNI

Pentagon orders
Washington, October 12
The Pentagon has issued orders to send hundreds of US army and marine planners to Kuwait for coordinating and quickening possible attacks by American land forces on Iraq. The Army’s V Corps and 1st Marine Expeditionary Force have been issued orders by the Pentagon to deploy headquarters staffs in Kuwait, marking the first non-routine dispatch of conventional ground forces to the Persian Gulf region in anticipation of possible military action against Iraq, US Defence officials told reporters here yesterday. PTI

US N-power
Moscow, October 12
The USA might use nuclear power against Iraq if Baghdad mounted resistance against Washington’s strikes, according to a Russian expert. Academy of Geopolitical Studies Vice-President Col-Gen Leonid Ivashov told a news conference that the USA would use possible Iraqi resistance as an excuse for a nuclear strike against Baghdad. UNI

Pak poll 'flawed' Islamabad, October 12 European Union observers said today that this week’s general election in Pakistan, designed to return the country to civilian rule, had been seriously flawed. “The holding of a general election does not in itself guarantee the establishment of a democracy,” the EU’s Chief Election Observer John Cushnahan told a news conference. Reuters John Cushnahan, Europan Union observers mission chief, speaks during a news conference in Islamabad on Saturday. Cushnahan said this week's general election in Pakistan, designed to return the country to civilian rule, was seriously flawed. — Reuters photo

ISI agent remanded
Coochbehar, October 12
ISI agent Nazrul was today remanded in police custody till October 19 by a local court. The Investigating Officer had prayed for seven days’ police custody of Nazrul, which Mekhliganj SDJM Rabindranath Samanta granted. PTI

Iraq 'relenting'
London, October 12
The threat of military action against Iraq is having the desired effect on leader Saddam Hussein, US Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said today. Mr Straw, recently returned from a trip to the Middle East to garner support for potential military strikes against Iraq, said Saddam’s latest letter to the United Nations inviting weapons inspectors to return showed he was backing down. AP

14 dead in blasts
Jakarta, October 12
At least 14 persons have been killed and 120 wounded in a series of explosions on Indonesia’s Bali island, at least one of them caused by a bomb, police sources said. “At this stage we have 14 persons dead. There are around 120 badly and lightly wounded,” Yatim Suyatmo, police spokesperson for Bali, said by telephone. Reuters