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I-Day celebrated by Indians abroad
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50 persons linked to terror plot: report
UK police hold new suspect
in planes’ bomb plot
3 Bangla militants sentenced to death for blasts
Koizumi’s war shrine visit draws flak
Queen considered abdicating throne after Diana’s death
Cuban TV airs first video of ailing Castro
US court annuls death penalty for Sikh’s killer
India, Bahrain for stronger ties
NASA can’t find original tape of moon landing
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I-Day celebrated by Indians abroad
Melbourne, August 15 After unfurling the national Tricolour, the heads of the missions read out President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam’s address to the nation. In Australia, while the Indian High Commissioner P.P. Shukla hoisted the Indian flag at the Chancery building in Yarralumla suburb of Canberra, Honorary Indian Consul General Dr T.J. Rao performed the solemn act in Melbourne. In Thailand, Indian Ambassador Vivek Katju hoisted the Tricolour before a gathering of over 300 members of the Indian community at the embassy in Bangkok. In Singapore, more than 600 Indians attended the flag hoisting ceremony at the High Commission. High Commissioner Alok Prasad read out President’s address to the nation, while children from Indian schools in Singapore rendered patriotic songs. Indian High Commissioner Nirupama Rao, in Sri Lanka, hoisted the Tricolour in Colombo. The gathering consisted of distinguished Indian citizens, including the Shillong Chamber Choir group. Earlier, the Indian cricket team, at present here for the triangular series, was supposed to be present at the function, but the plan was dropped due to the prevailing situation and security concerns. In Bangladesh, High Commissioner Veena Sikri read out the Independence Day speech of Dr Kalam in a function at the High Commission premises attended by some 300 guest officials of the mission and members of the Indian community. In Bhutan, the Tricolour was hoisted by Ambassador Sudhir Vyas at the Embassy Residence in Thimpu. Chamberlain to the Bhutan King, Dasho Dorji Gyeltshen, presented a scarf to Mr Vyas on the occasion. In Nepal, a public function was addressed by Ambassador Shiv Shankar Mukherjee to mark the occasion at the Indian Mission in Kathmandu.
— UNI
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Lebanon ceasefire: Israel begins troop pullout
Beirut/Jerusalem, August 15 About four mortar rounds were fired in southern Lebanon after the truce came into effect early yesterday while Hezbollah men fired about 10 rockets but none hit Israeli territory. Minor clashes between the Hezbollah and Israeli soldiers were reported, and at least six Hezbollah men were killed yesterday. UN troops expanded their presence in southern Lebanon as the Israeli troops began leaving and there was pressure on Beirut to deploy its soldiers in the area in line with the peace plan approved by the UN Security Council to end the 34-day conflict that claimed over 1,000 lives. Thousands of Lebanese were on the highways, trying to return home despite warnings from the Israeli military that it was not safe yet. Lebanese officials said the fighting had displaced 8,00,000 people. Lebanon’s Defence Minister Elias Murr said 15,000 troops could be on the north bank of the Litani river by the end of the week. Israeli army officials said captured positions would be handed over on Wednesday and the troop pullout would be completed by the next week. The UN plan envisages 30,000 troops — comprising an equal number of Lebanese troops and multinational peacekeeping forces — patrolling a 30-km buffer zone between the Litani and Israeli border.
— PTI
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Mass wedding in Israel after ceasefire
Tel Aviv, August 15 The mass wedding yesterday for couples from Israel’s north, who had to cancel their weddings as more than 4,000 Hezbollah rockets hit their region in the past month, was planned during the war but happened on the first day of the cease-fire. This was added cause for celebration. Brides danced with fathers, grooms danced with mothers. Women in body paint and dressed as flowers danced on pedestals as part of the entertainment. And it was all free, with Israeli companies pouring in some $2.5 million, organisers said.
— AFP
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50 persons linked to terror plot: report
London, August 15 A briefing document from the counter-terrorism section of the New York Police Department also said three terrorists would have been assigned to each plane. “Bombs were to be placed on up to 10 different airliners. Explosives were to be detonated mid-flight over the Atlantic... liquid explosives were to be used as the main charge... (they) would have been smuggled on board... then assembled on board,” The Guardian newspaper quoted the document as saying. In another sign of the global nature of the probe, 15 more persons were reported to have been arrested in Pakistan. Known militants already serving sentences are also believed to have been interviewed in Pakistani prisons, the report said. Prisoners in jails in Karachi and Rawalpindi were reported to have been interviewed although the Pakistan government has so far released little information on the arrests. Sir Ian Blair, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, said: “We have been behind this group of people for some time. What we always have to do is balance waiting to gather more evidence and make sure you get all people, against the risk to public by not moving in earlier.” “That’s the decision that was reached last Wednesday evening. There’s a point where the information reaches a level of concern that means if you don’t take action it is indefensible.”
— PTI
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UK police hold new suspect in planes’ bomb plot London, August 15 The British police — who have been scouring houses in at least three parts of the country — said they had arrested the suspect in the Thames Valley area in southeastern Britain, where police raided several houses last week. The 23 people already being held are all British-born Muslims, mainly of Pakistani descent. No details were immediately available on the latest person arrested. One of the houses raided in High Wycombe, according to the British media, may have been used by the alleged plotters to mix the chemicals to blow up as many as 10 US-bound aircrafts. — Reuters
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3 Bangla militants sentenced to death for blasts Dhaka, August 15 District and Sessions Judge A.K. Roy at Lakshmipur in southern Bangladesh handed down the sentences on Ataur Rahman Sunny, and two other group members. Blasts at the district court premises in August and October last year killed one person and injured 11. Five others, including an absconding militant, were sentenced to life imprisonment. Sunny (35) is the younger brother of JMB chief Shaikh Abdur Rahman, who was sentenced to death in May for the murder of two judges. At least 28 persons including four suicide bombers, died when JMB, seeking to replace Bangladesh’s secular legal system with Islamic law, carried out the attacks targetting the police, judiciary and government buildings. Rahman and his second in command Siddiqul Islam, who has also received the death penalty, are awaiting trial in a number of other cases. — PTI
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Koizumi’s war shrine visit draws flak
Tokyo, August 15 “Our country caused huge damage and suffering to a number of countries, particularly people in Asia,” he told a secular official ceremony marking the 61st anniversary of Japan’s surrender, which was attended by 7,000 people, including Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko. Meanwhile, China and South Korea has strongly condemned Koizumi’s sixth visit to the controversial war shrine. Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing summoned Japanese Ambassador to China Miyamoto Yuji here to lodge the strong indignation of Beijing against Koizumi’s repeated visits to the Yasukuni Shrine. South Korean President Roh Moo-Hyun has urged Tokyo to back its apologies for wartime aggression with action as anger mounted here over Koizumi’s war shrine visit. “Japan must repent sincerely and prove clearly it will not repeat its past wrongdoing by translating apologies into action,” Roh said in a speech on the anniversary of Japan’s surrender in World War II. Koizumi has visited the shrine, which honours war dead, including convicted war criminals, once a year since taking office in 2001, each time infuriating China and South Korea which remain bitter over Japanese imperialism.
— AFP/PTI
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Queen considered abdicating throne after Diana’s death
London, August 15 Entitled "The Queen", the film by director Stephen Frears focuses on the week following Diana's death. It alleges that public anger towards the Royal family left the Queen so shocked that she considered abdicating the throne. In it, the Queen is walking with her mother in the gardens of her Scottish residence of Balmoral when she says: "When you no longer understand your people, maybe it's time to hand over to the next generation." The Queen Mother counsels her not to, adding that she should not be taken in by "that silly Mr (British Prime Minister Tony) Blair with his Cheshire cat grin". The filmmakers insist the scene is the result of research. The Queen is played by Dame Helen Mirren, while Blair is played by Michael Sheen. Prince Philip, the Queen's husband and the Duke of Edinburgh, is played by James Cromwell. No actress plays the role of Princess Diana but she is instead featured in news and archive documentary footage.
— AFP
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Cuban TV airs first video of ailing Castro
Havana, August 15 Castro appeared tired and pale, yet alert in the videotaped encounter aired yesterday, speaking quietly but clearly enjoying himself as he chatted with Chavez, his close friend and political ally. Acting President Raul Castro was also present for the encounter on Sunday, his brother's 80th birthday. Chavez told Castro, "I sat down to pray" when he learned of his illness and operation. "That was a horrible day." But the Venezuelan leader also expressed optimism, saying, "Your capacity to recover is impressive." The two friends looked at photographs taken together, including one from a trip Castro took to Venezuela during an earlier birthday, and shared a snack. Sentimental music accompanied the footage, which lasted about 10 minutes.
— AP
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US court annuls death penalty for Sikh’s killer
Washington, August 15 Frank Silva Roque’s convictions for murder and other crimes, including attempted murder and endangerment, were unanimously upheld as also prison sentences that add up to 36 years for the other crimes. Roque was found guilty of killing Sodhi, a Mesa gas station owner. Prosecutors argued that Sodhi was targeted because Roque thought him to be an Arab. The court overturned the death sentence because of “substantial mitigating evidence” that included Roque’s low IQ and experts’ testimony that Roque was insane or suffering from mental illnesses.
— PTI
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India, Bahrain for stronger ties
Dubai, August 15 Bahrain’s Crown Prince and BDF Commander-in-Chief Shaikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa will open his country’s embassy in New Delhi in November, to be followed by an official visit of King Hamad to India early next year. Indian Ambassador Balkrishna Shetty said these high level visits would open a new colourful chapter in the history of Indo-Bahrain relationship. Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa will visit New Delhi next month to prepare for the Crown Prince’s visit to India, said Shetty. “We consider such high-level visits not merely as a reaffirmation of deep friendship between our countries, but also as an opportunity opening doors to new forms of co-operation,” Indian envoy said.
— PTI
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NASA can’t find original tape of moon landing
Washington, August 15 Armstrong's famous space walk, seen by millions of viewers on July 20, 1969, is among transmissions that NASA has failed to turn up in a year of searching, spokesman Grey Hautaloma said yesterday. “We haven't seen them for quite a while. We've been looking for over a year and they haven't turned up,” Hautaloma said. The tapes also contain data about the health of the astronauts and the condition of the spacecraft. In all, some 700 boxes of transmissions from the Apollo lunar missions are missing, he said. “I wouldn't say we're worried — we've got all the data. Everything on the tapes we have in one form or another,” Hautaloma said. NASA has retained copies of the television broadcasts and offers several clips on its Web site. But those images are of lower quality than the originals stored on the missing magnetic tapes.
— Reuters |
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