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UN hostages in Afghanistan freed
UK plans steps against
cases of racism
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They feel proud of being law-abiding
Five killed in Maoist attack
Second Sunni cleric
gunned down in Iraq
Sherpa brothers scale Everest 24 times
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UN hostages in Afghanistan freed
Kabul, November 23 The release was a relief to foreign aid workers and UN staffers among Kabul’s 2,000-strong expatriate community, under virtual lockdown since the kidnapping. Large tracts of the country are already off-limits to aid organisations because of a stubborn Taliban-led insurgency. “They are out,” UN spokesman Manoel de Almeida e Silva said. “I’m told they are in good spirits and they seem to be fine.” Philippine diplomat Angelito Nayan, British-Irish citizen Annetta Flanigan and Shqipe Hebibi of Kosovo were seized at gunpoint from a UN vehicle on October 28 in Kabul. They were the first foreigners seized in the Afghan capital since the Taliban were driven from power three years ago, and their abductions raised fears that the country could fall prey to the kind of deadly kidnappings by insurgents that have plagued Iraq. Afghan Interior Minister Ali Ahmad Jalali said the trio were “abandoned in one location inside Kabul” at around 6 AM (local time) today. Mr Jalali said discussions had been held with the kidnappers, whom he declined to identify, but insisted no deal was done and that the releases were unconditional. Afghan officials have said they believe a criminal gang carried out the abductions, and that a ransom had been demanded. — AP
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UK plans steps against cases of racism
London, November 23 "We need to change the attitude of those who indulge in crime and racist activities," Blunkett said while speaking at the 16th Asian Trader's annual awards, organised by the Asian Marketing Group here last night. Blunkett complemented the Asian trading community for their entrepreneurship and hard work, which has brought about a change in the lifestyle in Britain. Ramniklal Solanki, OBE, Editor-in-Chief of the Asian Trader Magazine, said the awards were set up to showcase the very best in independent retailing and to encourage excellence throughout the sector. The awards were presented by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Paul Boateng. Dubbed as 'the Oscars of Retailing,' these awards recognise the very best of Britain's corner shops, newsagents, off licences and convenience stores. They carry total cash prizes of £ 37,500 and are fiercely contested. — PTI |
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They feel proud of being law-abiding
SINGAPORE: “I am Wee and you are in the city-state founded by Raffles. Ours is a tiny country, but it can compare well with the best in the world in terms of development indices”.
Beginning with these words, tour guide Wee took us, a group of journalists from India, to different parts of Singapore from morning till evening for three days. The first thing that surprised me was that I could not come across an ugly sight though I kept looking for it. There were no overflowing garbage bins as we see in parts of Chandigarh. Whether it was a tourist spot or a market place I could not find a single piece of paper on the road. It was amazing to move around in a city bustling with life and yet wearing a neat and clean look. Things were slightly different when we entered the area called Little India. One could notice a few pieces of paper here and there, but not much. The reason is not that littering, like spitting in a public place, is an offence inviting severe punishment in Singapore. The truth is that living as a law-abiding citizen is a way of life. People feel proud of it. Anyone who dares to violate the law is treated as an enemy of society. I noticed this on the third day of our short visit when our taxi driver got angry on finding a vehicle violating traffic rules. He chased the offender for a while and honked but only twice. This was the first time I came across a driver honking on a busy lane. Our taxi driver told us that people in Singapore rarely violated the speed limit. There were cameras installed at the traffic lights to catch hold of an offender. One could see people driving in accordance with the prescribed speed limit, yet traffic movement was faster enough. “A traffic jam is a rare happening on Singapore roads. If at all it occurs, it ends soon”, the taxi driver informed us. On another day we were passing through a more busy area when we saw boys and girls walking in large numbers. Though it was night, we hardly noticed any signs of fear or uneasiness on the faces of the girls. A Singapore Tourism Board (STB) official informed us that eveteasing was a rare thing there. “People know that anyone who is caught indulging in this heinous activity will have to suffer harsh punishment”, he said. But that is not the only factor that deters people from this dangerous path. The truth is that everybody is involved in his or her work so much that there is no time to think of such activities. There is cut-throat competition in every area. One has to only think of how to excel and nothing else”. This tells us enough about how the Singaporeans have developed a culture of excellence, which can be found only in Japan in The East or in the developed West. One could see some Romeos and Juliets here and there, but they would behave within the limits of decency. The STB official, an eligible bachelor, told us that in Singapore most people preferred arranged marriages. He proudly said that “we love Asian values”. Development does not mean that one should abandon one’s culture. |
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Five killed in Maoist attack
Kathmandu, November 23 The incident occurred yesterday at Belwa forest in Parsa district, 300 km south of Kathmandu, when a jeep belonging to the Parsa Wildlife Reserve ran over the underground bomb, sources at the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation said. The jeep, used for anti-poaching patrol, was completely damaged in the blast which left two forest rangers, two game scouts and the driver of the vehicle dead, they said. Meanwhile, locals of Dullu village in Dailekh district in western Nepal organised anti-Maoists demonstrations denouncing the acts of violence and terror, state-run Radio Nepal said. They shouted slogans against Maoists and called for restoration of peace in the country, the radio said. Home Minister Purna Bahadur Khadka has assured the locals of full government support for their initiative to defend themselves against the Maoist attacks. He also witnessed the surrender by some six dozen Maoist cadres in Dailekh district. In a statement, Nepal Communist Party (Masal) leader Mohan Bikram Singh condemned the Maoists’ act of killing of innocent people in Dailekh district, where the rebels recently shot dead three civilians, including an eight-year-old boy.
— PTI |
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Second Sunni cleric
gunned down in Iraq
Baqouba (Iraq), November 23 Sheik Ghalib Ali al-Zuhairi
was a member of the Association of Muslim Scholars, an influential Sunni
cleric group that has spoken out against nationwide elections to be held
on January 30. — AP |
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Sherpa brothers scale Everest 24 times
Kathmandu, November 23 Two of the Sherpa brothers Nimagombu Sherpa and Mingma Chhiri Sherpa climbed the Everest 10 times each and the other four brothers Ang Chhiri Sherpa, Thumdum Sherpa, Nimatemba Sherpa and Pasang Tenjen Sherpa scaled the summit once each, state-run Rising Nepal quoted Nabang Yangden Sherpa, President of the Summiteers’ Club as saying.
— PTI |
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