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India Day Parade wows Americans
Three-nation pipeline talks likely by Nov
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Terrorist training camps continue in Pak
Washington, August 22 Shadowy “terrorist training camps” continue to operate in Pakistan’s Mansehra border area, despite official assertions to the contrary. According to a Washington Post report, the details of the Mansehra camp have been provided by a 28-year old Pakistani, Sher Ali, who was captured recently in a joint American-Afghan operation while crossing into the Kunar province.
Gaza pullout: troops enter last enclave
Australian model jailed in Bali drug bust
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India Day Parade wows Americans
New York, August 22 Waving the Indian flag and marching to the chants of Vande Mataram across the streets of Manhattan, the marchers displayed a brand of patriotism that projected strong ties between the USA and India. "God Bless India" and "God Bless America" were the constant refrain of the crowd at the parade, which was televised live by all major American television networks. Considered the largest parade outside India that celebrates Indian independence, the organisers left no stone unturned to make it a success, as this was the silver jubilee year of the event conducted annually by the Federation of Indian Associations (FIA), an umbrella body of Indian organisations across the Tri-state area. Celebrities at the event included New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Congressmen Joseph Crawley and Anthony D. Weiner while the Indian contingent comprised several Members of Parliament, including N.N. Krishnadas and Abdullah Kutty, stars from Bollywood besides hundreds of community leaders led by FIA president Sudhir Parikh. Easily recognisable faces in the crowd were those of movie stars Anil Kapoor, Shashi Kapoor, Randhir Kapoor and actor-politician Shatrughan Sinha. New Jersey Assemblyman Updendra Chivukula was the another attraction. At the review, Krishnadas read out Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's message to the FIA and the special greetings for all those who had reached Manhattan to celebrate India's Independence Day. "It is very satisfying to learn that the FIA is continuing with its longstanding tradition of organising India Day parade in New York and is celebrating the silver jubilee of the parade this year.” “There has been a transformation in India-US relations. During my recent visit to the US, I noted the important role played by the Indian American community in this process. The great achievements and significant strides made by the Indian community in the US have enhanced Indians' prestige abroad and internationally,” Dr Singh said in his statement.
— IANS |
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Three-nation pipeline talks likely by Nov
Islamabad, August 22 Informed sources told Dawn that the three countries had agreed to enter into trilateral discussions on the project to minimise negotiation time so that work on the project could start by April 2006. The sources said India had earlier suggested three sets of bilateral negotiations but this was not considered viable. Pakistan has already offered transit facility for Iranian piped gas to India subject to a negotiable fee. This is the only issue where Pakistan has made an ‘‘unbundled offer’’ for negotiations without linking it to the progress on the issue of Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan, the sources said, had conveyed to Iran and India that it was ready to enter into trilateral negotiations by October this year, although a final decision on a gas import option would be taken by December. However, India has told Iran that it could start trilateral discussions on the project by November. By that time, India expects a report from its consultants on transaction structure, related risks and risk mitigation measures, the sources said. On the basis of the report, India would take a final decision whether to join the multi-billion dollar project, although it had already indicated its willingness to take part in any of the three proposed pipelines — from Iran, Qatar and Turkmenistan. The sources said India’s priority was to be only a gas buyer without sharing any responsibility of the project execution, but it was also ready to encourage Indian companies to become part of the project consortium if such an option promised any economic benefit. Pakistan, the sources said, had also agreed to allow Iran to keep the overall proprietorship of the project except of the land in its territory that would be used for laying the pipeline for taking Iranian gas to India. The three countries have yet to decide whether to firm up separate consortiums for the 2,670-km pipeline in their respective territories or a joint consortium. The estimated $ 7.2 billion pipeline is to run about 1115 km in Iran, 705 km in Pakistan and 850 km in India. In Pakistan, the Interstate Gas Company Limited (IGCL) which has been assigned the task of gas import pipelines is well placed to raise about $2 billion from the surplus liquidity available with the local banking sector against government guarantees. India, the sources said, was now convinced that it needed a gas import plan for its western regions like Haryana, Delhi and up to Uttar Pradesh because transportation of liquefied natural gas from Qatar and Iran through its southern regions would not be economically feasible. The sources said that while Pakistan would start facing real gas shortages by 2010, India was already facing the problem in its western region. Its total shortage is being estimated to increase to up to three TCF in the coming years. |
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Terrorist training camps continue in Pak
Washington, August 22 According to a Washington Post report, the details of the Mansehra camp have been provided by a 28-year old Pakistani, Sher Ali, who was captured recently in a joint American-Afghan operation while crossing into the Kunar province. Ali, squatting on all fours, told the Post in Kabul that he attended a 20-day weapons training course at a secret mountain camp in Pakistan’s North-West Frontier Province (NWFP). Though Ali’s story could not be verified independently, there appears to be some credence to what Afghan authorities charge is a shadowy Pakistani network that continues to fuel the insurgency with fresh recruits as fast as US and Afghan forces kill or capture their predecessors. Ali is said to have spoken in the presence of an Afghan intelligence official, but did not show any signs of having been mistreated. Some details, such as the existence of jihadist training camps and the recruitment of Islamic fighters, have been reported separately in the Pakistani press or described by prisoners after their release. We know where a lot of these training camps are. We have their names. And we’ve given the Pakistanis all information we have, said a senior Afghan intelligence official. “We’re waiting for Pakistan to show the willingness to fight.” According to Ali, he was introduced to a Pakistani instructor who never gave his name, though others referred to him as Maqsud. The instructor never gave the name of the group that was training him. Every day, the trainees awoke before dawn and did sprinting exercises for 20 minutes. They spent several hours learning how to assemble, aim and fire weapons, from Kalashnikov rifles to rocket-propelled grenade launchers. After his training, Ali returned to Peshawar, where he met Zubair, who took him to Afghanistan. They were caught and the Afghan intelligence later disclosed that Zubair was working for Taliban commander Jalaluddin Haqqani.
— ANI |
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Gaza pullout: troops enter last enclave
Jerusalem, August 22 Marking the end of 38-years of Jewish presence in the area, thousands of evacuation troops arrived in Netzarim to evict residents. Israel Defence Forces Major-General Dan Harel, overall military commander of the Gaza Strip pullout, said he believed the evacuation of the settlement would proceed smoothly. “Its brave residents have withstood years under the threat of terrorism, shoulder to shoulder with us. Both residents of Netzarim and we paid with lives in defending the settlement,” Harel said. The settlement of about 100 families is likely to resort to symbolic protests and hold a ceremony and communal worship service later during the day before leaving the Strip. However, police and army officials expressed concerns that approximately 200 infiltrators, who entered the settlement illegally make the evacuation operation more
difficult. — PTI |
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6 Indians held for
possessing drug
Kuala Lumpur, August 22 The six were arrested on Thursday. The arrests come close on the heels of the arrest of three Indian nationals along with 156 kg of ketamine on August 6. Investigators believe that following the first seizure, drug syndicates are dealing with smaller quantities, New Straits Times reported. The police has declined to speculate who could be behind the syndicate’s activities but has not ruled out the possibility that its members may be affiliated to mafia gangs led by Chhota Rajan and Dawood Ibrahim. Ketamine is smuggled into Malaysia in its raw form which apparently is easily available in India, the newspaper said adding that syndicate members in Malaysia processed the contraband producing amphetamine type pills most of which were smuggled to China.
— PTI |
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Australian model jailed in Bali drug bust
Sydney, August 22 The 24-year-old, who has modelled for sassy lingerie line Antz Pantz and works under the name Michelle Lee, was arrested at a party near Bali’s popular Kuta beach at the weekend, they said. Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said while the charge had not yet been proven, “people should understand that if you’re going anywhere in Asia you should never have drugs with you — the consequences can be quite dire. In this particular case, in Michelle Leslie’s case, if she were convicted she could serve up to 10 years maximum in jail.
— AFP |
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