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Sunday,
July 6, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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USA plans more army bases in Africa
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Pervez raises Kashmir with world leaders Land for kin of Pak soldiers killed in Kargil
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Six priests held
in China
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USA plans more army bases in Africa New York, July 5 It is also seeking to gain long-term access to bases in countries like Mali and Algeria, which American forces can use for periodic training or to strike terrorists, a report said. The Pentagon also aims to build on aircraft refuelling agreements in places like Senegal and Uganda, two countries that President Bush is to visit on his five-nation swing through Africa that begins on Tuesday, The New York Times quoted the officials as saying. The officials said there were no plans to build permanent American bases in Africa. Instead, the US European Command, which oversees military operations in most of Africa, wanted troops now in Europe to rotate more frequently into bare-bones camps or airfields in Africa. Marines may spend more time sailing off the West African coast. This fall, the report said, the command would send trainers to work with soldiers from four North African nations on patrolling and gathering intelligence. Some plans were still on the drawing board and need the approval of Defence Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld or his top aides, it added. But other military initiatives in Africa were already under way or would soon begin. Since late last year, for example, more than 1,800 members of the American military had been placed in Djibouti to conduct counterterrorism operations on the Horn of Africa, the Times said. “As we pursue the global war on terrorism,” the General said, “we’re going to have to go where the terrorists are. And we’re seeing some evidence, at least preliminary, that more and more of these large uncontrolled, ungoverned areas are going to be potential havens for that kind of activity.” Intelligence officials said vast swaths of Sahara were becoming areas of choice for terrorist groups, including Al-Qaida. —
PTI |
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Pervez raises Kashmir with world leaders Islamabad, July 5 Addressing a press conference after his return from an 18-day-long tour to the UK, the USA, Germany and France, General Musharraf said the Kashmir issue figured in the talks with the leaders of these countries. He said he had informed the leaders he met that the Indo-Pakistan peace overtures should lead to initiation of talks on all outstanding issues. However, he said “without talks on Kashmir, the dialogue would not progress. I told them clearly and everyone understands this”. He said there was no discussion on any roadmap for Kashmir during his talks with leaders of the four nations, but they understood that Kashmir was the main issue and “offered” to facilitate talks. On his reported statement that Pakistan had agreed in principle to send two brigades of its troops to Iraq, General Musharraf said the UK and the USA separately wanted a brigade each of the Pakistani army for deployment in Iraq. “We have not committed at all. We have said we need to go into the modalities of it. It is a sensitive issue in Iraq,” he said, adding that “we need to address sensitive issues before taking a decision”. Besides building a national consensus on the issue, Pakistan would also consult Muslim states, he said. However, Pakistan would like to see a UN cover or that of the OIC or the GCC to commit troops, he added. Asked about the speculation on Pakistan recognising Israel, General Musharraf said it was a contentious issue and there should be a national debate on it. “Pakistan will also consult other Muslim countries and then take a decision,” he said. —
PTI |
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Land for kin of Pak soldiers killed in Kargil Islamabad, July 5 “Pakistan’s provincial Punjab Government has allocated 12,000 acres of agriculture land for the families of Shuhada-i-Kargil,” Punjab Minister for Colonies Manazir Ali Ranjah said. “The army has demanded 31,000 acres to accommodate the relatives of soldiers, who were killed during the Kargil war with India but the provincial government has allotted 12,000 acres in various districts,” Mr Ranjah was quoted as saying in the daily, The News. He, however, was not sure how many martyred soldiers’ families would be accommodated. “The army has its own schedule for its schemes,” he said. —
PTI |
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SARS contained, says WHO Beijing, July 5 “We do not mark the end of SARS today but we observe a milestone — the global outbreak of SARS has been contained,” WHO Director-General Harlem Brundtland said in a statement. “Taiwan is the last area to be removed from the list. It Has been 20 days, or two consecutive 10-day incubation periods, since the last case on June 15,” the statement said while noting that based on country surveillance reports, the Human chains of SARS virus transmission appear to have been broken everywhere in the world. However, the UN agency also warned that “the world is not yet SARS-free.” The WHO chief was quoted as saying that “there are still close to 200 SARS patients in hospitals” and “it is possible that cases have slipped through the net.” “WHO warns that continued global vigilance for SARS is crucial for the future.” the UN agency said. —
PTI |
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Govt bankrupt, Mugabe gets 7 times pay hike Harare, July 5 The state-controlled daily Herald newspaper said Mr Mugabe’s annual salary went up from 3 million Zimbabwe dollars ($ 3,750) to 20.2 million Zimbabwe dollars with effect from this month. An array of allowances pushes his annual take-home pay to 25.5 million Zimbabwe dollars ($ 32,000). Mr Mugabe pays no tax on his pay whereas top executives pay about 55 per cent. —
DPA |
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‘Maestro of Love’ Barry dead Los Angeles, July 5 Ned Shankman said White died in the Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre in Los Angeles after a prolonged battle against bad health. The rhythm and blues crooner had been awaiting a kidney transplant since last September and suffered a stroke in May which had impaired his speech. White, best known for international hits such as Can’t Get Enough of Your Love” and “You’re The First, The Last, My Everything”, grew up in Los Angeles and saw his career take off with the growth of disco music in the seventies. He called himself the “Maestro of Love” and concerts by White and his Love Unlimited Orchestra became known as events at which female fans would throw their underwear at the larger than life figure on stage. —
Reuters |
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Six priests held
in China Beijing, July 5 The five Catholic clergy were arrested on July 1 at Siliying village in Hebei province’s Boading city, about 113 km from Beijing, the Connecticut-based Cardinal Kung Foundation said in a statement. Fathers Kang Fuliang, Chen Guozhen, Pang Guangzhao, Joseph Yin and deacon Wang Lijun, all between the ages of 25 and 32, were arrested by Chinese authorities as they were on their way to visit Father Lu Genjun. —
AFP |
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