W O R L D

N-pact with India right deal, says US
Washington, December 2
The Bush Administration has said the civilian nuclear agreement with India is the “right deal” for the US and that the pact is a “net gain for non-proliferation” efforts, while it assured sceptics that there will be a full discussion on the issue.

Israel tests missile defence system
Jerusalem, December 2
Israel today successfully tested its indigenous Arrow
anti-missile system, carrying out the most complicated interception so far, the army said.

Funeral service personnel carry the body of hanged Australian heroin smuggler Nguyen Tuong Van, 25, for embalming in Singapore on Friday. Singapore hanged an Australian heroin smuggler who pleaded that he was trying to pay off his twin brother's debts, ignoring a high-level diplomatic campaign to save his life. Nguyen Tuong Van was put to death behind closed doors in a prison in Singapore which leads the world in per capita executions. — AFP

Ban on teaching militancy in Pak madrasas
Islamabad, December 2
Tightening the noose on Islamic seminaries in Pakistan, President Pervez Musharraf has promulgated an ordinance prohibiting madrasas from teaching or publishing any literature which promoted militancy, spread sectarianism and religious hatred.

Karan Thapar wins Asian Television Award Singapore, December 2 At a glittering ceremony in Singapore on Thursday night, Karan Thapar won the Asian Television Award for Best Current Affairs Presenter for the year 2005. This is the first time in the 10-year history of the Asian Television Awards, the most highly regarded in the Asian continent, that someone has won the coveted trophy for Best Current Affairs Presenter three times.

UK opens up to gay marriages
London, December 2
Debbie and Elaine, Roger and Percy will be among the first to break new ground in Britain, taking advantage of new laws that come into force on Monday allowing them to marry their gay partners.

A child waves a flag at an election-eve rally in Panchiao, Taipei, on Friday. Taiwan voters go to the polls on Saturday to elect 23 local county and city chiefs. — Reuters

N-pact with India right deal, says US

Washington, December 2
The Bush Administration has said the civilian nuclear agreement with India is the “right deal” for the US and that the pact is a “net gain for non-proliferation” efforts, while it assured sceptics that there will be a full discussion on the issue.

Responding to a question on a letter written to Congress by former US officials and non-proliferation experts, in which they expressed apprehension on the passage of the deal as it has been structured, State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack stressed the deal was the right one for America.

“We have received a letter. I think that this is...going to be a topic of discussion in coming months. We came to an agreement with the Indian Government after a long, long period of discussion concerning this issue. I think that in our view the reason why we did come to this ...is that we believe it is a net gain for non-proliferation efforts.”

“I would expect that there is going to be a full discussion about this issue, but we think at the end of the day that this is the right deal for the United States. We believe it’s the right deal for non-proliferation efforts”, he told mediapersons yesterday.

Under the agreement, reached between President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on July 18, the US would lift restrictions on the supply of reactors and fuel for India’s civilian nuclear programme provided New Delhi fulfilled a series of obligations.

Mr McCormac said the Administration was working on a variety of avenues on the issue.

“We’re working within the Nuclear Suppliers Group. We have made some preliminary discussions within the Nuclear Suppliers Group on this issue. Under Secretary (Nicholas) Burns and Under Secretary (Robert) Joseph has some initial consultations with the Hill on the issue.”

He said an “important” component of this accord was the eventual separation of the Indian civilian and military nuclear programmes. — PTI

Israel tests missile defence system

Jerusalem, December 2
Israel today successfully tested its indigenous Arrow anti-missile system, carrying out the most complicated interception so far, the army said.

India is also said to have evinced interest in the system which was tested at a secret location in the centre of the country and is being seen by many as a response to the growing threat from Iran.

The Arrow system was activated to intercept a long range ballistic test missile of sophisticated manoeuvring capabilities, which it intercepted and destroyed, defence sources said.

Defence Ministry officials told daily Ha’aretz that the test was a response to the increasing threat of ballistic missiles in the region, in an oblique reference to Iran, but similar sources denied any such connection in interviews to ‘Ynet’ calling it a “routine test”.

The test launch comes amid reports that Iran has signed a deal to buy Russian tactical surface-to-air missile systems and a day after Prime Minister Ariel Sharon warned of the dangers of a nuclear Iran.

“The success of the test will improve the operational capabilities that already exist today in the Arrow system, which will be able to successfully cope with future threats,” Defence Ministry Director-General Yaakov Toran was quoted by Ha’aretz as saying.

The simulated enemy missile used in the test resembles the Iranian Shahab-3 and is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, the daily’s online version said. — PTI

Ban on teaching militancy in Pak madrasas
K J M Varma

Islamabad, December 2
Tightening the noose on Islamic seminaries in Pakistan, President Pervez Musharraf has promulgated an ordinance prohibiting madrasas from teaching or publishing any literature which promoted militancy, spread sectarianism and religious hatred.

The ordinance, called the ‘Societies Registration (Second Amendment) Ordinance-2005,’ will come into force with immediate effect in the Islamabad Capital Territory. Similar ordinances were expected to be issued by the four provincial governments.

The amendment to the ordinance makes it mandatory for every madrasa in Islamabad to register with the government and submit audit reports of their accounts as well as educational activities. Also, all madrasas, if not already registered, should do so before the end of this year.

Official estimates said Pakistan has over 25,000 madrasas across the country. The Capital itself has several hundreds, most of them located in prime locations.

The ordinance was worked out in the aftermath of the 7/7 London bombings in which some of the suicide bombers allegedly underwent training in Pakistan madrasas.

It would be applicable to religious institutions meant primarily for religious education, Jamia, Darul Uloom, school, college or university or called by any other name, set up for the purpose of imparting religious education with boarding and lodging facilities. — PTI

Karan Thapar wins Asian Television Award

Singapore, December 2
At a glittering ceremony in Singapore on Thursday night, Karan Thapar won the Asian Television Award for Best Current Affairs Presenter for the year 2005. This is the first time in the 10-year history of the Asian Television Awards, the most highly regarded in the Asian continent, that someone has won the coveted trophy for Best Current Affairs Presenter three times. Mr Thapar first won the award in 1999 and then again in 2003.

This year, Karan Thapar won the Best Current Affairs Presenter award for a HARDtalk India interview broadcast on BBC World in April with former Law Minister and BJP general secretary Arun Jaitley. Competing against him were almost 1500 other entries from a total of 14 different Asian countries. The runners-up included entries from the CNN and Singapore’s Channel NewsAsia.

HARDtalk India, which started in 1999, is the BBC World’s principal political programme covering current affairs events in India. Karan Thapar has presented it without break from its inception.

Indian news channel NDTV bagged two awards.

NDTV was also the winner in the Best News Programme category for its programme Waves of Destruction, on last year’s devastating tsunami.

UTV’s programme “Gol Gol Gullam,” a game show involving children, won the top prize, pipping broadcasters from Taiwan and Japan. — PTI

UK opens up to gay marriages

London, December 2
Debbie and Elaine, Roger and Percy will be among the first to break new ground in Britain, taking advantage of new laws that come into force on Monday allowing them to marry their gay partners.

According to official predictions, some 22,000 people will sign so-called civil partnerships between now and 2010, giving them the same rights and privileges as married, heterosexual couples.

Britain is the fifth country to introduce legislation allowing gay unions, following Belgium, Canada, Spain and the Netherlands.

In Brighton — Britain’s self-styled “gay capital” where 40,000 of its 161,000 inhabitants are homosexual — vicar Debbie Gaston will marry Elaine Cook, her companion of 16 years.

The town’s local authority believes choosing a woman of the cloth will reinforce the message. — AFP