W O R L D

Rebels open fire at church, kill three
Bogota, September 6
Suspected Marxist guerrillas in Colombia stormed into a church and opened fire, killing at least three persons and injuring 14, police officials said. “They opened the doors and started shooting indiscriminately at the churchgoers,” said Col. Raul Buitrago, acting police commander for the rural Putumayo province near the border with Ecuador, where the attack occurred on Saturday night.

National mourning in Russia
Moscow, September 6
A stunned Russia, reeling from the deadly terrorist strike at a Beslan school which claimed over 300 innocent lives, half of them children, today observed the first day of national mourning with flags flying at half-mast at Kremlin palaces, Parliament and all official buildings.

A boy stands in front of a wreath during the funeral of a hostage killed in Russia's school siege, in Beslan on Monday. — Reuters photo

Musharraf may not quit as army chief
Islamabad, September 6
Indicating that he would not stick to his promise to quit as army chief by the year end, President Pervez Musharraf today claimed that most Pakistanis wanted him to retain the top post to maintain national stability.

Curfew lifted in Nepal as life returns to normal
Kathmandu, September 6
Nepal today lifted the five-day curfew in Kathmandu and Lalitpur districts imposed after the country was rocked by violent protests against the killing of 12 Nepalese by Islamic militants in Iraq. The government stepped up security arrangements in various sensitive places. Armed police and soldiers patrolled the cities and security was heavy, but authorities said the situation was calm and was returning to normal with no reports of violence.

BRIEFLY

An Iraqi militiaman, supporter of radical Iraqi cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, prepares a mortar launcher during clashes with the US army on the outskirts of Baghdad on Monday. Attackers targeted a US convoy with a blast near the Falluja on Monday. Witnesses said as many as eight American soldiers were killed or wounded. — Reuters

	Russia school toll 335; 260 missing September 6v, 2004
	Manmohan Singh, Bush deplore hostages’ killings September 5, 2004
	Bush accepts nomination, defends Iraq war September 4, 2004
	US air strike on Fallujah kills 20 September 3, 2004
	10 killed in Moscow suicide attack September 2, 2004
	Republican convention opens, lauds Bush September 1, 2004
	Anti-war protesters take to streets August 31, 2004
	Chechnya goes to the polls August 30, 2004
	Maoists bomb Indian joint venture firm August 29, 2004
	Police takes control of Najaf August 28, 2004

Janmashtami celebrated in Bangladesh

Dhaka, September 6 Bangladesh President Iajuddin Ahmed and Prime Minister Khaleda Zia today greeted the Hindu community on the occasion of Janmashtami which is being celebrated amidst tight security in this Muslim-majority country. Devotees dance at a procession on the eve of Janmashtami in Dhaka on Monday. — Reuters photo

Clinton undergoes heart surgery
New York, September 6
Surgeons at a New York hospital today began a heart bypass operation on former US President Bill Clinton that was expected to take several hours, CNN reported.

Kerry seeks Clinton’s advice
New York, September 6
Battered at polls by President George W. Bush, his Democratic challenger John Kerry is now turning to former President Bill Clinton, considered among the best campaigners, for advice on how to reinvigorate his sagging campaign.

Visitors look at Kanzo, a 31-year-old polar bear, from an acryl capsule at Asahiyama zoo in Asahikawa, Japan, on Monday. — AP/PTI

Rebels open fire at church, kill three

Bogota, September 6
Suspected Marxist guerrillas in Colombia stormed into a church and opened fire, killing at least three persons and injuring 14, police officials said. “They opened the doors and started shooting indiscriminately at the churchgoers,” said Col. Raul Buitrago, acting police commander for the rural Putumayo province near the border with Ecuador, where the attack occurred on Saturday night.

Colonel Buitrago said he suspected Colombia’s main rebel group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, was to blame because pamphlets containing FARC propaganda were found scattered amid the bloodshed at the Christian Alliance church.

“For the moment, it looks like the victims were innocent churchgoers; humble people with no interest in the armed conflict,” the police official said, referring to Colombia’s four-decade war between the government and left-wing and right-wing armed groups that kills some 3,500 persons a year, most of them civilians.

Pilar Castro, a doctor at the hospital in the town of Puerto Asis, where the attack occurred, told local radio that four persons were killed. She said five of the injured were in a critical condition.

“We need blood because in this little hospital there are no reserves,” Dr Castro said.

Much of Colombia’s coca — the main ingredient for cocaine — is grown in the Putumayo province. — AP

National mourning in Russia
Vinay Shukla

Moscow, September 6
A stunned Russia, reeling from the deadly terrorist strike at a Beslan school which claimed over 300 innocent lives, half of them children, today observed the first day of national mourning with flags flying at half-mast at Kremlin palaces, Parliament and all official buildings.

Russian President Vladimir Putin decreed an official two-day mourning from today as the toll in the country’s worst-ever hostage drama mounted to 335, including 156 children.

Independent sources said the toll could climb to 400 as Channel One TV reported that 89 children were in serious condition.

Funerals continued in the grieving South Russian town of Belsan for the second day as bereaved families were preparing to bury 170 of the victims in hastily prepared graves.

Nearly 377 survivors of the three-day ordeal were admitted to local hospitals in North Ossetia.

Meanwhile, Russian television showed footage of an alleged hostage-taker.

“I swear by Allah, I want to live! I swear by Allah, I did not shoot children!” speaking in typical Chechen accent, the man repeated. — PTI

Musharraf may not quit as army chief

Islamabad, September 6
Indicating that he would not stick to his promise to quit as army chief by the year end, President Pervez Musharraf today claimed that most Pakistanis wanted him to retain the top post to maintain national stability.

“Ninetysix percent (of people) will say do not take off (uniform). You should go and ask this. They will say I should not remove uniform,” General Musharraf said in an interview to Pakistan’s ARY TV channel, which will be telecast tonight.

“These are things of significant national importance. If my uniform was needed for stability in this, I will take that decision then,” he said.

General Musharraf had last year given a commitment to quit the army post by December, 2004, leading the Islamist alliance Mutahida Majlis Amal to support his controversial constitutional proposals Legal Framework Order and helped the government ratify them in parliament.

The Pakistani President said he would take a decision on his uniform according to the constitution. “Now I have to see what people demand, what they think, what are their views, what they want and the second thing, which is very important, we have taken important decisions,” he said. — PTI

Curfew lifted in Nepal as life returns to normal

Kathmandu, September 6
Nepal today lifted the five-day curfew in Kathmandu and Lalitpur districts imposed after the country was rocked by violent protests against the killing of 12 Nepalese by Islamic militants in Iraq.

The government stepped up security arrangements in various sensitive places. Armed police and soldiers patrolled the cities and security was heavy, but authorities said the situation was calm and was returning to normal with no reports of violence.

The curfew imposed five days ago was lifted from 3 am today easing public life in the capital city and adjoining Lalitpur municipality.

Transport services resumed, private offices opened and business activities started in full swing. However, government offices and schools and colleges remained closed today as the Hindu kingdom observed the Sri Krishna Janmastami, a national holiday.

The Home Ministry, in a statement, appealed to the public not to get involved in undesirable activities such as hooliganism, vandalising and arson and not to encourage such activities to ensure social, religious and communal goodwill. — PTI

Janmashtami celebrated in Bangladesh

Dhaka, September 6
Bangladesh President Iajuddin Ahmed and Prime Minister Khaleda Zia today greeted the Hindu community on the occasion of Janmashtami which is being celebrated amidst tight security in this Muslim-majority country.

The members of the Hindu community, who constitute about 12 per cent of Bangladesh’s 130-million population, have planned special prayers on the occasion though the festivities have been curtailed due to the recent floods and the tense political situation.

The festival which marks the birthday of Lord Krishna is a public holiday in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh’s President Iajuddin Ahmed, Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and main opposition leader Sheikh Hasina Wajed greeted the Hindu community on the festival.

“Purging society of jealousy and cementing its bonds with fraternity is the ideal of Lord Krishna and this is the inspiration to his disciples,” Ahmed said in a statement.

Tight security was in place around the festival grounds and temples. According to the Festival Committee, festivities has been curtailed due to recent floods and the country’s tense political situation.

Bangladesh was rocked by violent protests following a grenade attack in August on an Awami League rally in Dhaka that killed 20 persons. — PTI

Clinton undergoes heart surgery

New York, September 6
Surgeons at a New York hospital today began a heart bypass operation on former US President Bill Clinton that was expected to take several hours, CNN reported.

The network announced around 1715 IST that it had got confirmation of the start of the operation on the 58-year-old Clinton, who was hospitalised on Friday after suffering chest pains and shortness of breath.

US media reported that despite his condition, the relentless politician spent 90 minutes over the weekend talking to Democratic presidential challenger John Kerry from his hospital bed.

Mr Clinton spent the weekend with his wife, US Senator Hillary Clinton, and their daughter Chelsea at a secure wing at New York Presbyterian Hospital.

The entire ninth floor and selected elevators were sealed off, and extra security staff were on hand throughout the hospital, according to the medical staff. — AFP

Kerry seeks Clinton’s advice

New York, September 6
Battered at polls by President George W. Bush, his Democratic challenger John Kerry is now turning to former President Bill Clinton, considered among the best campaigners, for advice on how to reinvigorate his sagging campaign.

Clinton offered the advice on Saturday to Kerry during their 90-minute conversation — to take on Bush on his domestic agenda, including job loss and healthcare and slow down on Vietnam record, a media report said.

The conversation with the former President came even as Kerry enlisted more Clinton advisors to help shape his strategy for the remaining period of the campaign, the New York Times reported. — PTI

BRIEFLY

Hindus protest use of deities on dress
DURBAN: The Hindu community in South Africa is up in arms over the use of deities on a dress worn by a model during a fashion show recently. “The imprints on the outfit were reflections of the divine and the manner in which this was done was nothing more than blasphemous”, said Borasamy Moodley, secretary of the South Africa Hindu Maha Sabha — PTI

2 Pak soldiers killed in blast
ISLAMABAD: Two Pakistani soldiers and a tribesman were killed in a landmine blast in the country’s tribal region bordering Afghanistan, where the Pakistan army is conducting operations to flush out foreign Al-Qaida suspects holed up there. “I can confirm that two soldiers and a civilian have been killed in the incident,” an army official here told the media on Monday. — PTI

Senior Maoist leaders killed
KATHMANDU: At least six Maoists, including a brigade commissar, have been killed in an encounter with security forces in Siraha district in eastern Terai, according to the Defence Ministry. Six Maoists, including Sherman Kawar, alias Bishal, commissar of Solu-Salleri Brigade active in the eastern districts and Kumar Poudel, were killed during an encounter on Sunday. — UNI