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Pak quake-hit being
sexually abused: UN report
Court awards death sentence to Al-Zarqawi
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Cheney ducks for cover after
shooting
Bush looks forward to visit India, Pak: White House
“Teheran could consider
Russian plan”
Iran confirms date for Russian N-talks
India suspends excise
duty refund to Nepal
3 Chinese engineers shot in Pak
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Pak quake-hit being sexually abused: UN report
Islamabad, February 15 There was also evidence that there was an increased risk of domestic violence in these areas because of lack of employment and growing poverty, the report added. According to it, children in the quake-affected areas were vulnerable to psychological problems, drug use, crime, sexual and economic exploitation and human trafficking, and face risks of forced displacement and human rights violations. They reportedly don’t have equal access to relief supplies, services and economic opportunities. Marginalised groups in relief camps, such as the disabled, the elderly, ethnic and religious minorities, the illiterate and drug addicts, are also vulnerable, the report added. The Daily Times quoted the UN report as saying that there was a possibility of increase in crime, social injustice and poverty in the NWFP and PoK. It warned that issues such as human trafficking were a key concern. “As time goes on, some risks evolve while others might disappear. Long-term displacement and poverty make people vulnerable to substance abuse, HIV/AIDS, domestic violence, crime and human trafficking,” the paper quoted it as saying further. “Women’s entitlement to property is of particular concern in earthquake-affected areas given the discriminatory inheritance practices,” it added. Quoting the figures of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the report claimed that around 17,000 pregnant women in these areas were expected to give birth in the next two months, even as 1200 of them might face major complications and around 400 would require surgical assistance. The UNFPA also warned that the health of these pregnant women was at risk due to the shock and trauma they suffered in the October 8 earthquake. — ANI
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Court awards death sentence to Al-Zarqawi
Amman (Jordan), February 15 Al-Zarqawi and three others received the death penalty in absentia. It is the third death penalty that Jordanian courts have handed down to Al-Zarqawi, who runs the most notorious insurgent group in Iraq. But the plot’s alleged mastermind, Azmi Al-Jayousi, and four co-defendants were in the dock when the Judge condemned them to death for the 2004 plot. The court sentenced two of the 13 defendants to prison terms of betwen one and three years, and acquitted another two defendants. The 13 were charged with conspiring to attack various sites in Jordan by setting off a cloud of toxic chemicals that would have killed thousands of people, according to the authorities. The prosecution told the court that Al-Zarqawi sent more than $ 118,000 to buy two vehicles which the plotters were to use in the attack. Suicide bombers were to drive the vehicles, loaded with explosives and chemicals, into the grounds of the General
Intelligence Department in Amman and detonate them. The indictment said that when
investigators conducted an experiment with small amounts of the chemicals found with the defendants they found it produced “a strong explosion and a poison cloud that spread over an area of 500 square meters.”
— AP |
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Cheney ducks for cover after
shooting
Washington, February 15 Cheney — who has yet to express regret publicly for wounding prominent Texas lawyer Harry Whittington in the neck, chest and face — called him yesterday in his hospital room to offer help and best wishes, the Vice-President’s Office said. Doctors blamed birdshot that shifted to Whittington’s heart for the episode, and said that while his life was not in immediate danger and no surgery was needed to remove the lodged metal, he would have to stay in hospital for another week. Cheney had no public events on his schedule but managed to dodge a battalion of reporters staking out a meeting he had with lawmakers.
— AFP |
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Bush looks forward to visit India, Pak: White House
Washington, February 15 On whether the President would cancel the visit in view of the violent demonstrations in Pakistan over the cartoons, Mr McClellan at a breifing here yesterday, said, ‘’We have full confidence in the President’s security detail and the job that they do.’’ Regarding the cartoons and the controversy in South Asia, particularly Pakistan, the spokesman said: ‘’I think we’ve expressed what our views are. And the President has made it clear that all governments need to act to prevent violence.’’ ‘’There have been some peaceful demonstrations. Peaceful demonstrations are one thing, but there’s no justification for engaging in violence.’’ ‘’I think we all need to work together, and we can all look to the Olympics to see an example of the kind of events that promote better understanding of people of all backgrounds and all races and all religions, and we ought to keep that in mind during this time, as well,’’ McClellan added. — UNI
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“Teheran could consider
Russian plan”
Caracas (Venezuela), February 15 Iranian Parliament Speaker Gholam Ali Haddad Adel yesterday also called for Venezuela to join his country in forming an alliance to counter threats from the world’s nuclear powers. He accused the U.S. of attacking Iran’s nuclear programme in order to undermine Iran’s independence.
—AP |
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Iran confirms date for Russian N-talks
Moscow, February 15 “The Iranian side has given an official notification of arrival on February 20 and it was accepted by the Russian side,” said Mr Vyacheslav Moshkalo, a counsellor at the Russian Embassy in Tehran, according to Interfax. Iran earlier asked Russia to postpone the talks until February 20. The talks will concentrate on Russia’s proposal to process nuclear fuel for Iranian reactors on Russian soil. — Reuters
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India suspends excise
duty refund to Nepal
Kathmandu, February 15 Quoting reliable sources, ‘The Kathmandu Post’ said Nepal is supposed to get millions of dollars from India as excise duty refund on goods imported from third country under the
DRP, which has now accumulated to $ 28 million. But New Delhi has refused to pay the amount, it said. When contacted, Indian Embassy confirmed that New Delhi was required to refund the money to Nepal saying “that has been under the process.” The Embassy staff, however, declined to further comment on the matter. India supplied Royal Nepalese Army about $ 110 million worth arms and other security equipments between 2002 and 2005 under 70-30 ratio military cooperation. The Nepal government needs to pay only 30 per cent of the military equipment it procured from India under the cooperation. But Nepal has not paid that amount, whereas last year Nepal purchased 18 truckloads of arms and ammunitions from China by paying cash, according to officials. This has displeased India, which is under constant pressure from private arms dealers in the country for quick payment of the pending amount, the newspaper said. India, along with USA, UK and Belgium has suspended lethal arms supplies to Nepal following last year’s seizure of power by King Gyanendra and has joined the international community in demanding restoration of democracy, Press freedom and civil liberties in the country. — PTI |
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3 Chinese engineers shot in Pak
Islamabad, February 15 The three were killed and another Chinese engineer seriously inured when gunmen riding on a motorbike sprayed bullets on the jeep they were travelling in. The attack, which took place in hub town of Balochistan where Pakistan security forces were battling the nationalist rebels, came ahead of President Pervez Musharraf’s five-day visit to China beginning from February 19. A local driver of the jeep was also killed, the private Geo TV quoted a police official from Balochistan as saying. The incident occurred when the Chinese, who were well-protected with heavy security, ventured out without alerting their security personnel, the police official said. One Chinese engineer was killed and another rescued from suspected al-Qaeda extremists in Wajiristan, the tribal agency where the Pakistan security forces were attempting to flush out foreign militants. — PTI
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