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Sanctions Widened
Pak will fight till the end, says Zardari
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Pak defence spending rises by
15.3 pc
Displaced civilians to be resettled soon, says Rajapaksa
Taliban claim responsibility for bomb attacks
Indian envoy meets Rehman Malik
Power Sharing
Troops destroy stronghold of Taliban commander
India for
25-member Security Council NASA cancels
shuttle launch No early solution
for Tamils in sight
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Sanctions Widened
Seoul, June 13 North Korea also threatened military action if the United States and its allies tried to isolate it. The UN Security Council approved a resolution on Friday, which banned all weapons exports from North Korea and most arms imports into the state. It authorised UN member states to inspect North Korean sea, air and land cargo, requiring them to seize and destroy goods shipped that violate the sanctions. In Washington, a US State Department official said,"(North Korea) needs to cease provocative actions and rhetoric, and return unconditionally to the six-party process." The six-party nuclear disarmament talks involve the two Koreas, the United States, Russia, Japan and China. In Lecce, Italy, finance ministers of the Group of Eight wealthy countries said they were "committed to the effective and timely implementation of financial measures against North Korea" as set out in the Security Council resolution. KCNA news agency quoted an unnamed North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman as saying in a statement, "We'll take firm military action if the United States and its allies try to isolate us." He also said North Korea would start a programme to enrich uranium for a light-water reactor. Experts said North Korea does not have the technology or the resources to build one of the costly reactors but may use the programme as cover to enrich uranium for weapons. The spokesman added that North Korea would "weaponise allplutonium and we've reprocessed more than one-third of our spent nuclear fuel rods." Studies have shown that UN sanctions imposed on North Korea for missile testing and its only prior nuclear test in 2006 had almost no impact, while its meager trade actually increased due to lax enforcement of those measures. "The success of financial sanctions depends heavily on how far China and the United States are willing to go to pressure North Korea," said Jeong Hyung-gon, a research fellow at the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy. — Reauters
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Pak will fight till the end, says Zardari
Islamabad, June 13 "We are fighting a war for our sovereignty," Zardari said in a late-night television address to the nation. "We will continue this war until the end, and we will win it at any cost." “We are waging war against those suspected extremists who want to impose their agenda on us through use of force”, the President asserted, adding “the so-called Taliban are actually against the dissemination of knowledge and pursuit of education as they have torn down many schools and colleges," Geo TV reported. Zardari's pledge came after suicide bombings at two mosques killed at least six persons, including a prominent Muslim cleric, and injured more than 100 others.— IANS
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Pak defence spending rises by 15.3 pc The government on Saturday announced federal budget with a total outlay of Rs 2.89 trillion for the fiscal year 2009-10 with defence spending rising by 15.3 per cent to Rs 342.9 billion compared to previous year. Revenue receipts have been projected at Rs 1,377.5 billion reflecting fiscal deficit at 5.3 per cent, but the government would try to bring it down to 4.9 per cent as pledged to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The GDP is expected to grow by 3.3 per cent in 2009-10. For the Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) Rs 646 billion have been allocated. It includes Rs 447.440 million for five ongoing nuclear projects and for strengthening security of nuclear assets. Junior minister for finance Hina Rabbani Khar presented the budget before the national assembly saying she felt honoured to be the first woman in the country’s history to present the budget. She described it as people friendly, development, investment and growth oriented budget with twin objectives of stability for welfare of the people and equitable growth. Hina Khar said Pakistan was confronted with severe insurgency on its western border that had already cost it 35 billion dollars in the war against terrorism. A total of Rs 50 billion have allocated for the relief and rehabilitation of internally displaced persons of Swat and Malakand division, where the military operation is underway.
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Displaced civilians to be resettled soon, says Rajapaksa
Colombo, June 13 There are around three lakh internally displaced people (IDPs) put up in welfare camps and villages in Vavuniya, Mannar and Jaffna. “The resettlements of IDPs in the main relief villages would begin as soon as the required areas were cleared of all landmines,” Rajapaksa told Japanese special envoy Yasushi Akashi here. Akashi appreciated the programme for welfare and resettlement of IDPs in the North, despite the challenges the government faced due to the arrival of large numbers within a short period.
— PTI
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Kaka gets IIFA Lifetime Achievement award Macau, June 13 The 66-year-old thespian attained the heights of superstardom in the 70’s with his remarkable performances in films like Amar Prem, Aradhana, Kati Patang and others. Once touted as the ultimate romantic actor of Bollywood, Khanna became extremely emotional as he accepted the award. Meanwhile, Ashutosh Gowariker won the best director award for ‘Jodhaa Akbar’, Hrithik Roshan bagged the best actor award for his film ‘Jodhaa Akbar’, while Priyanka Chopra was declared the best actress for her role in ‘Fashion’. Arjun Rampal won the best supporting actor award for his role of a rockstar in ‘Rock On’. Rampal piped Irrfan Khan, Sonu Sood and Vinay Pathak, who were nominated for same, to win the award. The best supporting actress award went to Kangana Ranaut for her role of a supermodel who becomes a drug-addict in ‘Fashion’. Her co-nominees were Ila Arun, Kirron Kher and Shahana Goswami. Akshay Khanna won the best actor award in a negative role for the sleek thriller ‘Race’. Farhan Akhtar won the best newcomer award (male) for ‘Rock On’ while Asin Thottumkal got the best newcomer award (female) for her role of a do-gooder in ‘Ghajini’. Director Ashutosh Gowariker’s magnum opus ‘Jodhaa Akbar’ bagged the maximum awards in the technical category at the IIFA awards here. While ace designer Neeta Lulla walked away with the best costume design award for ‘Jodhaa Akbar’, best editing trophy went to Ballu Saluja and best art direction to Nitin Chandrakant Desai for the Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai starrer historical romance. Resul Pokkutty, who made history by winning an Oscar for his work in ‘Slumdog Millionaire’, bagged the best editing trophy for Aamir Khan starrer ‘Ghajini’. The best cinematography award went to Jason West for ‘Rock On’ and the best choreography award went to Farah Khan for hit the song ‘desi girl’ featuring Abhishek Bachchan, Priyanka Chopra and John Abraham in ‘Dostana’. — PTI
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Taliban claim responsibility for bomb attacks
Islamabad, June 13 "We claimed responsibility for these attacks," said a telephone caller who introduced himself as Saeed Hafiz, a deputy of Hakeemullah Mehsud based in the Orakzai tribal region. "We claimed responsibility of suicide attacks at the seminary in Lahore and a mosque in Nowshera," the Tahrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) leader was quoted as saying by the Dawn newspaper.He said the Taliban outfit owned responsibility for the hotel bombing in Peshawar on Tuesday night and added that video of bomb attack would be released soon. — PTI
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Indian envoy meets Rehman Malik
Islamabad, June 13 The Indian envoy had sought the meeting with Malik in the backdrop of the release of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) founder and Jamaat-ud-Daawa (JuD) chief Hafeez Mohammed Saeed, suspected to be behind the Mumbai attacks, from detention following a court order. The talks between Malik and Sabharwal come just three days ahead of a meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari on the sidelines of BRIC Summit in Russia. Immediately after Saeed was released, India had voiced its disappointment, saying it raised serious doubts over Pakistan’s sincerity in acting with determination against terrorist groups and individuals operating from its territory. Saeed was put under house arrest on December 11 last year after the UN Security Council banned the JuD, declaring it as a front for the LeT, which is blamed by India for the attacks. Aout five LeT activists, including Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi and Zarar Shah, are currently being tried by an anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi for alleged involvement in the attacks. — PTI
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Power Sharing
Kathmandu, June 13 The Nepali Congress, the CPN-UML and the Madhesi People’s Rights Forum (MPRF) agreed for a deal to expand the Madhav Kumar Nepal-led cabinet, sources close to the coalition said. The strength of the cabinet is likely to be 25. NC president Girija Prasad Koirala and Prime Minister Madav Nepal held a meeting and agreed to distribute key portfolios among themselves, Congress sources said. — PTI
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Troops destroy stronghold of Taliban commander
Islamabad, June 13 The military said it carried out air strikes in the militant stronghold of South Waziristan in retaliation for a suicide attack that killed a leading anti-Taliban scholar even as 41 rebels and a soldier were killed in fresh fighting in Swat valley and nearby areas.
— PTI
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India for 25-member Security Council
United Nations, June 13 "A reorganisation is definitely long overdue, hence inevitable," said Hardeep Singh Puri, India's Permanent Representative at the UN Friday noting the world order has been transformed beyond recognition since 1945 when the UNSC was set up. "No one, however vociferous, can arrest the movement of history," he said during an informal plenary meeting on the question of equitable representation on and increase in the membership of the Security Council. "There are a few who oppose real change, either by filibustering or attempting to put roadblocks," Puri said. "While they may succeed in slightly deferring the change that is inevitable, they do so at the cost of making the UNSC lose more credibility and effectiveness. Such actions also do a disservice to multi-lateralism." The UNSC can truly reflect contemporary world realities only with new permanent members, and thereby enhance the credibility, legitimacy and representativity of the UNSC, he said.
— IANS
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Cape Canaveral, June 13 The leak was found as technicians neared completion of the loading of 5,00,000 gallons (1.9 million litres) of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen into the shuttle’s fuel tank for a launch attempt at 7.17 am EDT (1117 GMT), said Kennedy Space Center spokesman Allard Beutel. The problem is similar to a hydrogen leak that occurred while shuttle Discovery was being prepared for launch in March. — Reuters
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No early
solution for Tamils in sight After the military defeat of the Tamil Tigers, the hopes of an early
political solution to address the grievances of the Tamil community
remains dim with opinion divided among some of the Government allies on
how far the unit of devolution should go. Two powerful factions in the government, the National Freedom Front and the Jathika Hela Urumaya have voiced fears that devolving full powers that were granted under the Indo-Lanka Accord of 1987 that created the PCs would tantamount to “federalism”, a word anathema to many hard line Sinhalese politicians and groups. President Mahinda Rajapaksa has promised a “home grown “solution to address the problems that lead to a secessionist movement taking hold in the country but what shape that would take is not clear. Meanwhile the All Party Representative Committee that was entrusted to come up with proposals for devolving power has decided that the unit of devolution of power to the regions be based on provincial councils, according to political sources.
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Islamabad, June 13
