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Govt can impeach Mush: Zardari
Talks on with militants to restore peace, Pak tells US
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Notices issued to Sharif, his brother
Phoenix lands in Mars’ polar region
Blasts rock Kathmandu
45,000 Sikhs
visit Malaysia to honour saint
Former B’desh army chief arrested
Myanmar’s charter sails through referendum
A soldier checks the identification cards of bus passengers at a checkpoint leading to the city in Colombo on Monday. Sri Lanka intensified its vigilance on public transport after two bombs were found on two passenger buses over the weekend. — Reuters
Hasina’s party seeks her release before talks
Bird flu alert in eastern Nepal
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Govt can impeach Mush: Zardari
Claiming that the coalition has the numbers to impeach President Pervez Musharraf, PPP co-chairman Asif Zardari has said the party has a working relationship with President Musharraf and does not want any confrontation. “Economic and political stability is our first priority," Zardai said in separate interviews with TV channel, the Express News. Earlier, talking to PTI last week, Zardari said Musharraf was a relic of the past and that he was under tremendous popular pressure to oust Musharraf. Zardari said his party favoured political reconciliation and wanted to resolve the judicial crisis on the negotiation table, adding that he was ready to hold talks with any political entity, including Musharraf. Zardari said the PPP's draft of its constitutional reforms package was not a final document and might be changed if required, adding that he hoped it would be in final approved form by July. He said he had invited Supreme Court Bar Association president Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan for dialogue over the reinstatement of sacked judges. He said the coalition government was ready for dialogue, but would not give in to "pressure groups". Meanwhile, the PPP has renewed formal contact with the PML-N since the latter withdrew from federal cabinet over the breakdown of Zardari-Nawaz Sharif talks in London over the restoration of judges early this month. Senator Ishaq Dar last night met Zardari at latter's request and discussed the possibility of an early meeting between him and Sharif in view of perceptible change in Zardari's attitude towards President Musharraf and deposed judges. The PPP co-chairman later expressed the confidence that the PML-N would soon return to the cabinet. He said finance minister Ishaq Dar had done commendable job in the preparation of the budget for fiscal 2008-09. Zardari reiterated his commitment to restore judges in accordance with the Bhurban Declaration he signed with Nawaz Sharif on March 9. In a major shift, he also agreed to enhance the proposed tenure of chief justices from three to five years. He spelled out salient features of the proposed 62-point constitution reforms package his party has proposed and sought PML-N's support.
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Talks on with militants to restore peace, Pak tells US
Pakistan’s political leadership in separate meetings with visiting US senators has reaffirmed their commitment to fight terrorism but said peace deal with militants in tribal areas were meant to restore peace within the country. The government is talking to only those militants who are ready to lay down their weapons, PPP co-chairman Zardari told United States senators Carl Levin and Robert Casey. He said the Constitution package was designed to strengthen parliamentary democracy in the country and remove distortions caused by amendments made by military rulers Pervez Musharraf and Zia-ul -Haq that tilted the power balance in favour of the President. Parliamentary leader of PML-N Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan talking to reporters after the meeting said he explained to the senators that anti-US sentiments in the country were the product of US support for one person instead of popular elected parties. He said he had told the senators that the people in Pakistan generally considered the US, a main hurdle to the restoration of judges sacked by President Pervez Musharraf last year. The PML-N leader said the visiting senators said the US respected the mandate given to political parties by thee people. “They also supported the coalition government and said the US would continue its support for the democratic government in Pakistan,” Nisar added.
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Notices issued to Sharif, his brother
An election tribunal of the Rawalpindi Bench of the Lahore High Court today admitted for hearing appeals challenging the candidatures of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)leaders Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif.
The tribunal issued notices to Sharif brothers to appear on May 28. Nawaz Sharif is a candidate for National Assembly seat NA 52 in Rawalpindi suburbs. Shahbaz is contesting for the same provincial Assembly constituency. Sharifs are currently wrestling with their consistent position not to appear before the provisional constitutional order (PCO) judges but lawyers, including Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan, have proposed that they must defend their cases. The counsel for Raja Nasir, rival candidate against Nawaz, argued that the former premier was convicted on charges of hijacking Musharraf’s plane. His sentence was pardoned but the conviction had disqualified him to contest an election.
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Phoenix lands in Mars’ polar region
New York, May 26 Flight controllers and NASA scientists broke into cheers as Phoenix sent the first signal to confirm its landing late last night after traversing a distance of 423 million miles over a 10-month period. Prasun Desai, an Indian American engineer who put four years of work to get the solar-powered lander to the red planet, said: “It felt like a really fast roller-coaster.” The most difficult part, the scientists said, was to land the spacecraft since it was for the first time that the probe touched the ground on its three legs without using a cushion after it entered the Martian atmosphere at over 12,000 miles per hour. The parachute of the spacecraft opened as the atmosphere slowed it down. It shed its heat-shield and fired jet thrusters to break its speed down to five miles per hour before landing. But after “seven minutes of terror,” as scientists put it,it performed as expected and unfurled its solar panels when the dust settled down. A critical manoeuvre will be the first use of the 7.7-foot robot arm capable of digging trenches to get samples of soil and ice into the laboratory instruments on the deck of the spacecraft. Phoenix was launched on August 4 last year with the mission to land for the first time in a polar region which scientists considered as the most likely to have frozen water under a thin layer of soil. The landing is a major success for NASA since more than half of all attempts to land on Martian surface have failed. — PTI
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Blasts rock Kathmandu Just a few hours after the government declared the riot-prone zone outside the Birendra International Convention Centre (BICC) in Kathmandu, where the parliamentary secretariat is going to start the historic session of the newly elected constituent assembly on May 28, an unidentified group defied it by detonating two bombs outside the southern gate of the centre this evening. D.B. Kunwar, SP of the Armed Police, who was also present at the incident site, said two socket bombs went-off at 5.25 and 5.27 pm, respectively, in two different sites. Eyewitnesses said two unidentified youths riding on a motorbike hurled the explosive devices wrapped in plastic bag and threw some pamphlets in the name of G. F .P Ranabir Army (Nepal), a little-known group of Hindu fundamentalists in Nepal. In pamphlets they have warned the major political parties not to play politics with Hindu religion. However, no human casualty is reported so far. The police suspected that the pro-monarchists and Hindu fundamentalists might be involved in the incident to terrorise people ahead of the first meeting of assembly. Meanwhile, the government has beefed up the security at the BICC Hall where the historic session of the CA is going to start on Wednesday to declare the country a republic state by abolishing 240-year-old Hindu monarchy from the Himalayan Kingdom and proceed ahead to draft a new constitution.
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45,000 Sikhs visit Malaysia to honour saint Malacca, May 26 The temple grounds were converted into a meal hall for the event, which was held from May 22 to 25. Food was prepared and served round the clock for the visitors, who were also treated to the continuous recital of the Guru Granth Sahib, reports the New Strait Times. Former Malacca Sikh Temple Committee president Balbir Singh said preparations for the event swung into motion three months ago to cope with the anticipated influx of devotees. Singaporeans Harbans Kaur, 60, and Lily Goh, 57, were among the visitors who volunteered after meditating in the prayer hall. Goh said she had first heard of barsi from her friend Harbans, and was attracted by the concept of selfless service. About 200 volunteers work in rotation, preparing up to 300 kg of rice, 150 kg of chapattis and other dishes to serve a 20,000-strong crowd per meal. Food is procured through offerings to the temple or is bought by the temple using donations. Late Sant Sohan Singh was an eminent Sikh priest who was born in Punjab in 1902. He had dedicated his life to spreading Sikhism in Malaysia and Singapore and was declared a saint after his death in Malacca in 1972. In honour of his memory, a two-year project was carried out which saw people from around the world being interviewed for a glimpse into Sant Sohan Singh's life. — ANI
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Former B’desh army chief arrested Dhaka, May 26 Rahman, an accused in a defence purchase scam along with detained former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has been charged with "misusing" public money amounting to Taka 700 crore (Rs 420 crore) in the purchase of MIG 29 jet fighters from Russia without following the procedure. A team of police was deployed since Sunday noon outside Rahman's room in the hospital where he was admitted last week after complaining of chest pain, sources close to Rahman's family said. A special graft court here had scrapped a bail order on May 20 and ordered Rahman's arrest after he failed to appear for indictment for the third time citing "illness". Besides Hasina and Rahman, former air chief Jamaluddin Ahmed and four others have been charged in the case. Rahman and Ahmed were chiefs of army and air force, respectively, during the Awami League government led by Hasina that ruled the country from 1996 to 2001. The case was lodged in December, 2001, when Hasina's arch-rival Khaleda Zia of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) was in power. Khaleda and Hasina were arrested last year by the military-backed interim government under its massive anti-graft drive. — PTI
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Myanmar’s charter sails through referendum Yangon, May 26 Balloting was held on Saturday in regions where 2.4 million people needed emergency food, shelter and medicine, after cyclone Nargis pounded the country more than three weeks ago, leaving 1,33,000 dead or missing. Some 4.5 million voters were eligible to cast ballots in the cyclone zone, and state media said 93 per cent turned out for the poll, with 92.93 per cent endorsing the charter. A first round of voting had been held on May 10 in regions spared by the storm. The state media said the constitution was approved by 92.48 per cent, with a 98 per cent turnout. Myanmar ignored international calls to delay the referendum, even though the UN says most cyclone victims have yet to receive any aid. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon spent three days here to press the regime to accept a full-scale cyclone relief effort, although he left the country on Saturday to avoid being in Myanmar during the balloting. The poll was held on the eve of an international donor conference that raised tens of millions of dollars for cyclone aid, and where participants carefully avoided mentioning politics in discussions of the relief effort. The results were announced as the regime was believed to be preparing to extend the house arrest of democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been locked away for the last 18 years. — AFP
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Seven killed, 62 hurt in Colombo bomb blast Colombo, May 26 “As of now seven bodies have been recovered and 62 persons have sustained injuries in the blast inside a train at 4.55 pm,” a police official said. The explosion occurred inside the Colombo-Panadura train when it was about to reach the Dehiwala railway station. The injured have been rushed to Kalubowila hospital. Security officials have been cautioning people not to pick up any unattended objects and to inform the police about unclaimed packets in the streets or buildings fearing they could be bombs or other explosives. — PTI 35 killed in clashes, says army At least 34 LTTE cadres and a soldier were killed in fierce clashes between the security forces and tiger rebels in the embattled Northern Sri Lanka, officials said here today. “Air-Force this morning launched an attack using MI-24 fighter helicopters on a LTTE tart and communication, navigation and surveillance systems and a brand new integrated terminal building to cater to 20 mill by the AAI. The Rs 1,942.51 crore Kolkata project was approved by the Prime Minister’s Committee on Infrastructure in April. — PTI
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Hasina’s party seeks her release before talks Dhaka, May 26 The Awami League leaders also threatened to launch a street campaign if Hasina, who had been under detention for nearly a year over charges of corruption and extortion, was not freed immediately. “We cannot hold dialogue with the government, while our chief is languishing in prison,” Qumrul Islam, a leader of the party’s Dhaka city unit told a meeting of partymen from across the country. The Awami League will formally announce a decision tomorrow whether to participate in the talks, after evaluating the opinions of partymen drawn from across the country. Bangladesh’s army-backed interim government has begun talks with political parties to switch back to popular rule after an election promised for December. — Reuters
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Bird flu alert in eastern Nepal Kathmandu, May 26 “As we are just 15 km far from virus outbreak area in India, there is high risk of transferring virus to the country,” Dr Dhan R Ratala, programme director of Livestock Training Service Centre, said. “We are trying to prevent the virus from entering our country”, he added. Nepal has already banned import of poultry products from India after the bird flu virus outbreak was reported. Authorities have issued high precaution in eastern districts of Jhapa and Ilam, officials said. Six other districts of eastern Nepal have been put under direct observation, they said. So far, no bird flu case has been detected in Nepal. Bird flu outbreak was reported in West Bengal and other north-eastern Indian states in January this year, following which the Indian government undertook a massive culling operation. However, fresh outbreak of avian influenza was reported in March and the government is still coping with the menace. — PTI
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Soothsayers to face the heat as UK enforces new rules Gangster sentenced to death for shooting Mayor Passport to Baloch leader Suicide bomber kills 6 Indian art exhibition in Oman 
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