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37 Tamil Tigers, seven soldiers killed in Lanka
Russians
vote to make Putin the kingmaker
Myanmar’s no to role for Suu Kyi in new charter
UK honour for Suu Kyi
Malaysian PM steps up attack on Hindu outfit |
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JUI-F decides to contest polls on separate symbol
‘Woman killed in first Pak poll clash’
Pak says its nuclear assets are safe
A Pak bride for John Abraham?
Missing Indian student in Nepal found
Australia ratifies Kyoto Protocol
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37 Tamil Tigers, seven soldiers killed in Lanka
Colombo, December 3 Thirtyfive Tiger rebels were killed and 25 others injured in a clash with government forces this morning in Adampam in Mannar, an official of the media centre for national security said.Six soldiers were killed and 20 others wounded in the battle, he said. Two LTTE rebels were killed when they tried to breach the security forces' defence line at Muhamalai in Jaffna, the army said, adding, the troops also destroyed two rebel bunkers. A suspected LTTE suicide bomber killed himself at a civilian house at Vadiri, Jaffna, yesterday after the security forces laid a cordon in the area. The troops, acting on information provided by a civilian about presence of rebels, had rushed there and cordoned off the area, the army said.The LTTE cadre has been identified as Darani, a 19-year-old youth from Thumpalai, Point Pedro. Troops have recovered another unexploded suicide belt and a hand-grenade from the possession of the deceased. In a separate incident in Jaffna, a soldier lost his life in the explosion of a Claymore mine suspected to be planted by LTTE rebels to target a group of Sri Lankan troops.In eastern Batticaloa,a former Tamil Tiger rebel,identified as Thambimuththu Nadaraja,was hacked to death by suspected LTTE men yesterday morning,the army said. Meanwhile,security personnel recovered a radio communication set while conducting a search operation at Purisuddakulam in Vavuniya yesterday,the army said quoting defence sources — PTI
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Russians vote to make Putin the kingmaker Moscow, December 3 The Communist party (KPRF), which won 11.6 per cent of votes, losing almost half of the seats in the new house, said that it would challenge the results in court and kept open the option of boycotting the new Parliament. KPRF leader Gennady Zyuganov, who claimed “numerous irregularities and fraud”, said, “We will hold our own parallel count and seek the Supreme Court’s verdict.” Western observers led by the Organisation of Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) also declared that the elections were “not fair” but the charges were rejected by the Russian Election Commission saying those who were attacking the vote were fulfilling “a political order”. “Elections in Russia could not conform to numerous European elections criteria, that is why they were not fair,” Jorann Lennmarker, who was leading OSCE parliamentary team of 350 poll observers, said.
— PTI
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Myanmar’s no to role for Suu Kyi in new charter
Naypyidaw (Myanmar), December 3 "No assistance or advice from other persons is required," information minister Brigadier General Kyaw Hsan said at a rare press conference in the country's remote new capital Naypyidaw. Kyaw Hsan said that a constitution drafting committee began work today on writing a new charter based on guidelines laid out by an earlier national convention gathering delegates chosen by the military. The ruling junta says the charter will eventually lead to elections under its own "road map" to democracy. Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) withdrew from the convention to protest her continued house arrest, and western countries have dismissed the charter talks a sham. Kyaw Hsan insisted that the delegates to the so-called national convention represented the all of Myanmar's people and that they would not alter the principles already set out for the new charter.— AFP
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UK honour for Suu Kyi
London, December 3 Suu Kyi was given a lifetime achievement award in politics by the Political Studies Association of the UK last week. “Her championing the cause of democracy in Myanmar has been at a huge personal cost, having spent more than 10 years in detention under a repressive military regime. Suu Kyi has become an international symbol of resistance via her principled leadership of the National League for Democracy,” the citation said. Zoya Phan of the Burma Campaign UK accepted the award on behalf of detained Suu Kyi.
— PTI
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Malaysian PM steps up attack on Hindu outfit
Kuala Lumpur, December 3 “The government’s success in developing Malaysia is a key element in efforts to counter baseless accusations levelled by HINDRAF, which are aimed at creating chaos in the country,” Badawi said here as Kuala Lumpur showed no signs of relenting on the issue which has caused furore in India. Addressing the monthly assembly for Prime Minister’s department staff, he said the non-government organisation was spreading “blatant lies” with the intention of arousing hatred among multiracial Malaysians. Indians make-up eight per cent of Muslim majority Malaysia’s 27 million persons, which also includes ethnic Malays and Chinese. Abdullah said HINDRAF had gone overboard in making wild accusations and causing chaos to further their narrow political interests, adding that the government would not allow lies to spread among the people. Adding to the tough comments emanating from Kuala Lumpur, foreign minister Syed Hamid Albar again warned against any foreign interference over the issue, saying it was an internal matter and aggrieved citizens should approach the government and not seek outside help. — PTI
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JUI-F decides to contest polls on separate symbol
In an another indication of continued rupture in the religious grouping, the Muttahida Majlise Amal, its largest component, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) led by Maulana Fazlur Rehman, has decided to contest the January elections with a separate election symbol. Fazl, who is also secretary-general of the MMA, has talked to deputy MMA leader and chief of another component Jamaat Islami, Liaquat Baloch and asked him to convey to MMA president Qazi Hussain Ahmed his desire to contest the elections with a separate election symbol. However, the last date to apply for an election symbol has already passed. The JUI-F now needs a letter from the MMA allowing it to get a separate symbol in order meet commission’s conditions for changing the symbol. “Fazl wants a letter from Ahmed, allowing the JUI-F to contest the elections on a separate election symbol,” Baloch told reporters here. He said he had forwarded Fazl’s message to Ahmed. Fazl has had an uneasy relationship with Qazi and his party for past couple of years since local government elections when his party even faced JI candidates in the NWFP. Last year both developed serious differences when Qazi personally resigned from National Assembly seat after adoption of Women’s Rights Bill which the MMA had opposed. Fazl was opposed to resignation. The widening gulf reached a pitch during presidential election on October 6. Fazl was opposed to opposition’s move for resignation but did act on the decision which resulted in loss of his governments in NWFP and Balochistan. The fresh schism has occurred on the question of boycott of elections and support for reinstatement of deposed judges. Fazl is opposed to both while Qazi is very firm. Fazl is also negotiating with PML-Q for seat adjustments in all four provinces. It has already signed an agreement in Sindh in this contest while talks are continuing regarding similar arrangements in Punjab, NWFP and Balochistan.
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‘Woman killed in first Pak poll clash’
Peshawar, December 3 The rival groups started raising slogans at each other during a doorstep campaign in a neighbourhood of the city, which led to scuffles and the arrest of a Bhutto supporter. “The two then traded fire in which a woman passerby was killed and three Pakistan People’s Party workers were wounded,” the police said. Bhutto, who returned from eight years in self-exile in October, launched her election campaign in Peshawar at the weekend.
— AFP
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Pak says its nuclear assets are safe
Islamabad, December 3 “Pakistan’s strategic assets are as safe as that of any other nuclear weapon state,” foreign ministry spokesman Muhammad Sadiq said here today. He said these assets were fully safeguarded and secured under the protection of a well established command and control system. He dismissed the contents of a news story published by The Guardian on Saturday, regarding the safety of Pakistan’s strategic assets, as “outlandish musings by an academic.” He said these were very dangerous ideas and people espousing them should be aware that Pakistan possessed adequate retaliatory capacity to defend its strategic assets and sovereignty.
— UNI
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A Pak bride for John Abraham?
Islamabad, December 3 "Why did John and Bipasha split, is Begum the culprit?" ran the previews on Aaj TV, which airs the "Late Night Begum Nawazish Ali Show" every Saturday. Begum Nawazish aka Ali Saleem flew to Mumbai to meet John whose "Goal" the first film to be simultaneously released in India and Pak -- has been a hit across the border. There was no escape for John from the Begum's flirtatious ways in the hour-long show. When John, who was asked about his plans to marry, said "not any time soon", the Begum offered to look for a suitable Pakistani girl.
— PTI
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Missing Indian student in Nepal found
Kathmandu, December 3 On October 28, Tarim reportedly hopped into a cab around 7.30 p.m. to go shopping but never returned.When his anxious friends informed the college authorities, they contacted his family at Bagdogra in West Bengal's Darjeeling
district. Tarim's frantic father rushed to Pokhara to search for him. He also advertised in the local papers, offering a reward for information about his son's whereabouts.On Sunday, his younger son in Bagdogra received a call from Nepal. Made from a mobile phone, the call was from his missing brother.Tarim told him the taxi went into a different direction and he was overpowered by a group of men. However, he had the impression that it was a case of mistaken identity.
— IANS
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Australia ratifies Kyoto Protocol
Melbourne, December 3 “Today I have signed the instrument of ratification of the Kyoto Protocol,” Rudd, the Labour Party leader, said after taking oath as the 26th Prime Minister of the country. “This is the first official act of the new Australian government, demonstrating my government’s commitment to tackle climate change,” said Rudd, who came to power ousting Conservative leader John Howard in elections nine days ago. Rudd, who had promised during his campaign to reverse the previous government’s policy and to ratify the Kyoto pact, said the ratification was considered and approved by the first executive council meeting of the government this morning. Under the UN guidelines, ratification comes into force 90 days after the instrument of ratification is received by the UN, which means Australia will be a full member of the Kyoto Protocol by the end of March 2008.
— PTI
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