W O R L D

LTTE kills 19 civilians
As many as 19 Tamil civilians were killed and 69 others injured when the LTTE opened fire on group of people crossing over to the government-controlled areas at Puthukkuduyiruppu in northern Sri Lanka today morning, military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakara said.

‘Black Tiger’ looked composed before wreaking havoc
Colombo, February 10
The young LTTE female suicide bomber, who blew herself up killing 29 persons in Sri Lanka’s embattled north, sported “a girl next door look” and could hardly be distinguished from the hundreds of Tamil civilians who had fled the war zone. “She quietly hid among the people escaping from the war zone further north realising that she would get caught the moment she entered the security check area,” officials said today.

Suicide bomb kills two NATO soldiers
Khost (Afghanistan), February 10
A suicide bomb hit a convoy of NATO-led troops and killed two soldiers in southeastern Afghanistan today, officials said. Another soldier was wounded by the blast which happened in Khost province near the border with Pakistan, said a spokesman for the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).

‘Terror threat from Pak needs to be neutralised’
Moscow, February 10
Russia should intensify international efforts to prevent and neutralise terror threat emanating from Pakistan and Afghanistan, a top security official said here today.

Poland blames Pak for geologist’s killing
Warsaw (Poland), February 10
Perturbed by a video released by the Taliban showing militants beheading a Polish geologist, the Polish government has vowed to bring the perpetrators of the 'inhuman crime' to book. Warsaw has promised to issue international arrest warrants for Taliban militants who executed Piotr Stanczak in Pakistan, four months after his abduction.

Australia bushfire toll may cross 200
Melbourne, February 10
The toll from the deadliest wildfires in Australia’s history may surpass 200, the authorities said today as firefighters scrambled to halt the advance of some of the blazes still threatening to devour villages in the country’s southeast.

Over 200 hurt in B’desh campus violence
Dhaka, February 10
More than 200 persons, including several policemen, were injured in clashes with students of technical colleges across Bangladesh today over a new and more stringent academic policy.

LTTE kills 19 civilians
Chandani Kirinde writes from Colombo

As many as 19 Tamil civilians were killed and 69 others injured when the LTTE opened fire on group of people crossing over to the government-controlled areas at Puthukkuduyiruppu in northern Sri Lanka today morning, military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakara said.

This attack came less than 24 hours after a LTTE female suicide bomber exploded herself amidst a group of civilians killing 29 persons, including 20 soldiers, in the same area.

The increasing number of attacks comes as hundreds of Tamil civilians have started to flood into government-controlled areas as the military tightens its noose around the Tigers in their remaining areas.

Women and children are the major causalities, he said.

The total numbers of civilians who have crossed over in the past two weeks amount to over 28,000. They are being housed in temporary shelters in the northern town of Vavuniya.

Suicide bomb kills two NATO soldiers

Khost (Afghanistan), February 10
A suicide bomb hit a convoy of NATO-led troops and killed two soldiers in southeastern Afghanistan today, officials said. Another soldier was wounded by the blast which happened in Khost province near the border with Pakistan, said a spokesman for the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).

The Afghan interior ministry said the blast was caused by a suicide bomb. Most troops in eastern Afghanistan are American.

Afghanistan is in the grip of the worst violence since the Taliban were toppled from power in late 2001. Taliban insurgents and their allies have made a comeback in the last two years in their campaign to drive out foreign forces and topple the Afghan government. — Reuters

‘Terror threat from Pak needs to be neutralised’

Moscow, February 10
Russia should intensify international efforts to prevent and neutralise terror threat emanating from Pakistan and Afghanistan, a top security official said here today.

“Keeping in view the global character of terrorism, there is a need for stepping up efforts jointly with the international anti-terror community for preventing and neutralising the terror threats emanating from the region of Afghanistan and Pakistan,” Director of Russia’s elite FSB security service, General Alexander Bortnikov, was quoted as saying by ITAR-TASS.

Addressing a meeting of the National Anti-terrorism Committee of which he is ex-officio chairman, Gen Bortnikov called for Russia’s active interaction with the foreign secret services and law enforcement agencies in the “new and prospective” formats of anti-terror combat. Gen Bortnikov noted growing anti-terror cooperation with the member states of post-Soviet collective security organisation (CSTO) and Russia, China-led Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). — PTI

Australia bushfire toll may cross 200
It’s murder on grand scale, says PM Rudd

Melbourne, February 10
The toll from the deadliest wildfires in Australia’s history may surpass 200, the authorities said today as firefighters scrambled to halt the advance of some of the blazes still threatening to devour villages in the country’s southeast.

With the police suspecting that some of the 400 bushfires were caused by arson, an enraged premier Kevin Rudd termed it “murder on a grand scale.” Victoria state Premier John Brumby said more than 50 persons were believed by the coroner to be “already deceased but not yet identified”, and the final toll “would exceed 200 deaths”. At present, the official toll stands at 181.

Firemen fought to save rural communities in Healesville, about 50 km northeast of Melbourne, as also in Gippsland in the further east as some 24 fires still raged. The police has formed a task force to investigate the possibility of arson and were reported to be preparing to release the sketch of at least one suspect.

“We are left speechless at the thought and the possibility that some of these fires may have been deliberately lit,” premier Rudd said in Parliament.

“This is simply murder on a grand scale. Let us attend to this unfinished business of the nation and come to grips with this evil thing,” he said.

He said the fires left 500 injured, over 5,000 homeless, 1,000 homes destroyed and 365,000 hectares burnt.

The rising number of bodies has forced authorities to set up a temporary morgue in Melbourne which has admitted 101 victims so far, the Victoria state coroner said. US President Barack Obama called up Rudd to offer his condolences, the White House said.

Reports said a group of US firefighters are flying to Australia to join the operations.

The bushfires were fanned by sudden wind changes and extreme heat, reports said.

The blazes travelling in high speed aided by a 100 kph wind engulfed buildings and many fleeing victims were found charred in their cars.

The inferno also triggered calls for a change for the current disaster management policy followed by the authorities here.

“It is the application of that policy and a lack of an alternative that we need to work on,” Country Fire Authority chief Russel Rees told reporters. — PTI

Over 200 hurt in B’desh campus violence 

Dhaka, February 10
More than 200 persons, including several policemen, were injured in clashes with students of technical colleges across Bangladesh today over a new and more stringent academic policy.

At least 30 vehicles, including at least four police vans, were damaged as the police fired teargas shells to disperse stone-throwing students. The violence was reported from at least 10 cities and towns in the country’s north, south and eastern regions. The police arrested at least 20 students for resorting to violence.

Most people were injured in Rajshahi city, some 300 km northwest of Dhaka. “The situation is now under control and the security has been tightened across the country, especially around technical colleges,” said a senior police officer in Dhaka. — Reuters