W O R L D

Cyclone plays havoc in Balochistan
Quetta (Pakistan), June 27
Tens of thousands of people have moved to safer places after cyclone Yemyin and high tides hit major parts of Balochistan coast and Ormara on Monday and caused havoc in Pasni and Gwadar towns in southwestern Balochistan province.

US Senate votes for debate
Immigration Bill, hopes revive
Washington, June 27
Raising the hopes of millions of illegal immigrants, including Indians, the US Senate has revived a stalled immigration bill that could pave the way for legalisation of their status. The Senate voted 64-35 yesterday to resume debate on the bill, which ties tough border security and workplace enforcement measures to a plan to legalise an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants.

CJ petition hearing adjourned
Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan, lead counsel of suspended chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, on Wednesday concluded his arguments in the Constitutional petitions of the CJ challenging his removal that raised possibility of the 13-member full court bench of the Supreme Court may pronounce its verdict next week after hearing President's counsel.

Pakistani fishermen step down from a helicopter as they arrive at a military base in Karachi on Wednesday after they were rescued by the Pakistan Navy in the cyclone-hit area of Gadani. — AFP

7,000 Indians benefit from Kuwait amnesty
Dubai, June 27
As the two-month amnesty for illegal immigrants residing in Kuwait ends on June 30, the Indian embassy in the Gulf country has already issued nearly 7,000 emergency certificates to benefit from the scheme.

Iranian authorities arrest 17 Indians
Dubai, June 27
Seventeen Indians have been arrested by Iran for allegedly fishing off the coast of an island that is disputed between Iran and the UAE.

Iran told to stop child executions
London, June 27
Amnesty International appealed for Iran to stop executing children and those who committed their crimes before they turned 18, in a report published today.

UN inspectors to visit N Korean reactor site
Seoul, June 27
UN inspectors visiting North Korea were given permission to visit the communist nation's key nuclear reactor for the first time in nearly five years, the head of the delegation said today, while the communist country reportedly test fired a short-range missile.

Noose tightens around ‘Dr Death’
Melbourne, June 27
The noose around Indian-born US surgeon Jayant Patel, charged with multiple manslaughter in the deaths of several patients, appeared to be tightening with Australian Premier John Howard saying the government was moving “swiftly” to ensure that he is brought to justice.

Cyclone plays havoc in Balochistan

Quetta (Pakistan), June 27
Tens of thousands of people have moved to safer places after cyclone Yemyin and high tides hit major parts of Balochistan coast and Ormara on Monday and caused havoc in Pasni and Gwadar towns in southwestern Balochistan province.

The cyclone caused widespread damage but did not claim any life. Home secretary Tariq Ayub said no one died in the cyclone as the government had taken maximum precautionary measures, forewarned the people and helped them to move to safer places, Dawn newspaper reported.

As many as nine persons, including a policeman and two Hindu pilgrims to Hinglaj temple, lost their lives in floods and rain-related incidents in different parts of Balochistan.

The met office’s announcement of a powerful cyclone moving towards the coast caused panic among the people, yesterday, prompting them to flee to safer places.

Tidal waves lashed the other side of Gwadar coastline inundating the airport area of Shambey Ismail. The tides also lashed the Pasni airport and adjoining areas.

According to the met office, the cyclone was subsiding and forming into a low pressure causing massive rains. Heavy rains played havoc with life, property and infrastructure, disrupting Balochistan’s road links with the rest of the country.

The major bridge linking Quetta with Karachi, near Bela Town, was washed away by floods. More than 800 vehicles, passenger coaches, buses and trucks were stranded.

Quetta Chief Minister Jam Mir Mohammad Yusuf said a large number of persons were marooned in Lasbela district and it was impossible for government officials to provide them immediate relief. — UNI

US Senate votes for debate
Immigration Bill, hopes revive

Washington, June 27
Raising the hopes of millions of illegal immigrants, including Indians, the US Senate has revived a stalled immigration bill that could pave the way for legalisation of their status.

The Senate voted 64-35 yesterday to resume debate on the bill, which ties tough border security and workplace enforcement measures to a plan to legalise an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants.

The controversial Senate Immigration Reform Bill passed a major legislative test when the democratic leadership managed to round up enough votes to invoke cloture on the Bill.

According to the rules of the Senate, a cloture vote that seeks to reopen debate on the Bill's amendments and seeing a final vote, requires the backing of 60 lawmakers.

Democratic Majority Leader Harry Reid has assured that every one of the amendments would be debated and voted upon in the coming days. The original version of the bipartisan Bill had a provision to increase the H-1B numbers to 1,15,000 with built-in annual increases.

But two Senators, Richard Durbin and Chuck Grassley, have an amendment to the Immigration Bill on the H1B and the L-1 visas that seeks to tighten considerably what potential employers can and cannot do with high-skilled jobs. — PTI

CJ petition hearing adjourned
Afzal Khan writes from Islamabad

Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan, lead counsel of suspended chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, on Wednesday concluded his arguments in the Constitutional petitions of the CJ challenging his removal that raised possibility of the 13-member full court bench of the Supreme Court may pronounce its verdict next week after hearing President's counsel.

Intervening during Ahsan's arguments, the presiding judge Khalil Ramday observed, “It is not just a case but a national crisis which needs be resolved through collective wisdom of the nation with a spirit of understanding and conciliation.”

The court adjourned the hearing till Monday because the CJ is coming to the SC on Thursday for a tea reception being hosted by the SC Bar Association. It, however, reversed its decision after Aitzaz informed the court that the reception has been cancelled.

7,000 Indians benefit from Kuwait amnesty

Dubai, June 27
As the two-month amnesty for illegal immigrants residing in Kuwait ends on June 30, the Indian embassy in the Gulf country has already issued nearly 7,000 emergency certificates to benefit from the scheme.

So far, the embassy has issued 7,000 emergency certificates (travel documents needed for people who do not have passports) to take advantage of the amnesty, P.M. Thomas, first secretary at the Indian embassy in Kuwait said. The official, however, did not give the exact number of persons who have left under the scheme.

Initially, the mission received as many as 7,000 EC applications on a given day, but gradually, the rush has trickled down to just 30-40 ECs a day, he added.

A senior Kuwaiti immigration official said more than 24,000 illegal immigrants, mostly Asians, have taken advantage of the amnesty to legalise their residency status or leave the country without paying fines or being blacklisted to return. — PTI

Iranian authorities arrest 17 Indians

Dubai, June 27
Seventeen Indians have been arrested by Iran for allegedly fishing off the coast of an island that is disputed between Iran and the UAE.

“Three boats were seized by the coastguards, 17 nautical miles towards Bandar Lenge,” the head of Hormozgan province fisheries, Musa Badilee, was quoted as saying.

Indian embassies in the UAE and Iran stated that they were aware of the incident, but had received no official confirmation from either of the governments.

However, embassy sources said: “Seventeen Indians and six Emiratis were arrested for illegal entry into Iranian waters and illegal fishing.”

“We are trying to get details from the Iranian foreign ministry and the Indian consulate in Bandar Abbas is trying to get information on the incident,” an official of the Indian embassy in Teheran said.

Indian embassy in Abu Dhabi stated that had sought information from the local authorities. — PTI

Iran told to stop child executions

London, June 27
Amnesty International appealed for Iran to stop executing children and those who committed their crimes before they turned 18, in a report published today.

The London-based human rights group said 71 children, indicted for a variety of offences, were awaiting the death penalty in Iran, and added that Iran had executed the most minors of any country in the world since 1990. — AFP

UN inspectors to visit N Korean reactor site

Seoul, June 27
UN inspectors visiting North Korea were given permission to visit the communist nation's key nuclear reactor for the first time in nearly five years, the head of the delegation said today, while the communist country reportedly test fired a short-range missile.

North Korea has allowed monitors from the UN nuclear watchdog to visit its Yongbyon nuclear facility tomorrow, International Atomic Energy Agency deputy director Olli Heinonen said.

He declined to comment on discussions with North Korean officials so far, but expressed satisfaction.

“The atmosphere is good,” he said. “We held meetings today and expect to have more later.” — AP

Noose tightens around ‘Dr Death’

Melbourne, June 27
The noose around Indian-born US surgeon Jayant Patel, charged with multiple manslaughter in the deaths of several patients, appeared to be tightening with Australian Premier John Howard saying the government was moving “swiftly” to ensure that he is brought to justice.

The move will trigger the arrest the arrest of the 57-year-old medico, dubbed as ‘Dr Death’ by the media, in Oregon, his hometown in the US. — PTI