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3 Sikhs killed in
California park Putin sacks
Russian govt Pleas to free
scientists dismissed
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Pak holds talks
with Hizb chief Conservatives
gain majority in Iran Three Iraqis shot
dead
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3 Sikhs killed in California park Washington, February 24 The police said the incident occurred at 2.45 on Sunday afternoon when the assailant approached the group at Overfelt Gardens Park in San Jose, less than 50 miles South of San Francisco. He then reportedly said something to the men and proceeded to spray them with bullets from a semi-automatic weapon until the gun jammed or ran out of ammunition. Six people were hit. Two died on the spot, one died in a hospital and three more were wounded. The police said they did not find any gunshot wounds on the killer, a 43-year-old man whose identity they did not release, but that he was dead when they found him. Bystanders who overpowered the gunman after he stopped shooting had apparently beaten him to death. The three victims included a 46-year-old San Jose man, a 65-year-old Milpitas resident and a 70-year-old man whose address was not provided. Three others, ages 80, 78 and 62, were sent to Regional Medical Center in San Jose with non-life threatening injuries. “These fellows play cards at this park regularly, and on typical Sunday afternoons we have never had any trouble before,” said a San Jose police spokesman. While the police withheld the names of those involved in the incident, attorney and community leader Mohinder Mann said the alleged shooter was Ranbir Singh, a San Jose resident. Ranbir Singh is believed to have worked as a van driver at San Jose airport. According to initial reports, the shooter was not
well known in the closely-knit San Francisco Bay area Sikh community of 1,50,000. As news of the killings spread, many in the community feared it might be another hate crime. After the September 11 attacks on the USA, Sikhs have been the targets of hate crimes. The realization that the gunman was a Sikh brought with it an unnatural calm. “The whole community is in shock,” said Balbir Singh Dhillon, vice president of the gurdwara in San Jose. |
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Moscow, February 24 “In line with Article 117 of the Russian Constitution, I have decided to dismiss the government,” Mr Putin said. “This decision is not linked to the government’s achievements, which on the whole I consider satisfactory. This is linked to my wish to set out my position on what the country’s course will be after March 14, 2004,” he added. Mr Putin signed a decree, dismissing the government and appointing Deputy Prime Minister Viktor Khristenko as acting Prime Minister to replace Mr Mikhail Kasyanov. The Russian President added that he would submit a candidate for the prime minister’s post to the State Duma .
— AFP |
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Pleas to free
scientists dismissed Islamabad, February 24 After hearing the defence and government lawyers, the Rawalpindi Bench of the court dismissed the petitions in a short order yesterday. The scientists and officials were part of the 11 former staff members of the country’s premier nuclear installation, Khan Research Laboratories, who were being questioned for the past several months for transferring nuclear technology. Most of the detained men were the associates of top nuclear scientist, Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan, who has confessed proliferating nuclear technology.
— PTI |
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Hunt on to nab militants in Pak Islamabad, February 24 “In an early morning operation we have arrested 15 to 20 persons,” Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad said, adding as far as Osama bin Laden and Mullah Omar were concerned “we do not have any information”. Among the arrested, he said, were a few foreigners but “we do not know which country they belong to or who they are. We are investigating and when we will get the results we will get back to the media.” The military issued a statement saying the troops had recovered weapons, ammunition and audio cassettes during the operation.
— PTI |
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Pak holds talks with Hizb chief Islamabad, February 24 After successful talks between President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in
January here, the authorities are in close touch with the jehadi groups to give up armed struggle. The government has initiated back channel diplomacy in an attempt to make them fall in line and not mount attacks against the Indian troops and paramilitary personnel, reports Friday Times. Government representative Syed Salahuddin said the rapidly changing geopolitical circumstances required a change of strategy. Jehad or to seek settlement of the Kashmir dispute was not a good strategy any more, the paper said.
— UNI |
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Conservatives gain majority in Iran Tehran, February 24 It said 20 conservative candidates had garnered enough votes in ballot boxes for Tehran counted so far to give the conservative camp an overall majority in the 290-seat Assembly.
— Reuters |
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Three Iraqis shot dead Mosul, February 24 “Two Iraqis working as translators and a third employed as a computer technician with the Americans were killed yesterday in southern Mosul,” he said.
— AFP |
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Russian President Vladimir Putin announced
today in a television address to the nation that he was dismissing his
government and would choose a new Prime Minister before next month’s
presidential elections.
