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Merapi opens up again, most powerful eruption in century
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Friday massacre in Pak mosques
Black box of crashed Cuban plane found
India ‘concerned’ over Nepal Maoists’ link with Naxalites
Appreciate Pak’s anti-terror efforts: Gilani to India
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After 20 yrs, Myanmar votes today
Spotlight on Suu Kyi Confined to her crumbling lakeside home, long-detained Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi poses little threat to Myanmar's first election in 20 years, but her possible release in a week could shake things up. While elections are drawing Western scorn for draconian curbs on pro-democracy parties and bans on foreign media, Suu Kyi's scheduled release a week later gives allies China and Southeast Asia a chance to praise Myanmar for a poll. Long road to elections The National League for Democracy party, led by Aung San Suu Kyi, won a 1990 election with a landslide, securing 392 of the 485 parliamentary seats in the first multi-party general election in 30 years. The military refused to hand over power, saying a new constitution first had to be drafted. 37 parties in the fray A total of 37 political parties have been given the go-ahead to run in Myanmar's elections. However, few will field enough candidates to mount a significant challenge to two big parties seen as proxies for the junta, which is unlikely to cede real power. Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy has boycotted the vote because of what it said were unfair rules.
Yangon, November 6 Ethnic minority groups added their voices to opposition complaints that the main junta-backed party was "cheating" ahead of tomorrow's poll, already criticised by many as a charade to camouflage army rule. Two parties aligned to the military are together fielding about two-thirds of the total candidates and the weakened opposition has slim chance of success with democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi locked up. The Democratic Party (Myanmar) and National Democratic Force (NDF) yesterday accused the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) of illegally collecting advance ballots by coercion. Signs of voter intimidation were also reported by the Chin Human Rights Organisation, which said that in a ward in Chin State, in western Myanmar, one of the polling stations was at an army checkpoint. "How can people feel free to vote for the party of their choice if soldiers are watching them?" said programme director Salai Za Uk Ling. According to exile news website Irrawaddy, two major ethnic minority parties have threatened to contest the result of the vote if concerns over alleged USDP abuses are not dealt with. The All Mon Region Democracy Party, based in Mon State in the southeast, and the Rakhine National Development Party (RNDP), in Rakhine State in the west, have voiced complaints about the party. "If the USDP wins the polls due to the influence and resources of the government, then ethnic and other pro-democracy parties will boycott the election results," RNDP chairman Aye Maung was quoted as saying. The USDP, formed by ministers who retired from the military in April, has allegedly been helped by local authorities to force people, from teachers to factory workers, to vote early and for the junta party. Democratic Party chairman Thu Wai told AFP yesterday that his party was "deeply concerned" about stories of voter intimidation across the country and has filed an official complaint.
— Agencies
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Merapi opens up again, most powerful eruption in century
Flights to Jakarta
cancelled
Singapore: Singapore Airlines (SIA) and Malaysia Airlines on Saturday cancelled flights to Jakarta because of the violent eruption of Indonesia's most active volcano. "Due to volcanic ash from Mount Merapi in Indonesia, flights to and from Jakarta are being temporarily suspended," Singapore Airlines said on its website. "We have cancelled flights to Jakarta for Saturday and one flight on Sunday... because of the ash," a Malaysia Airlines spokeswoman
said.
Mount Merapi, November 6 The only sign of life in one man, who's eyes were milky gray in colour and never blinked, was the shallow rising and falling of his chest. Others, their lungs choked with abrasive volcanic ash, struggled to breathe. Indonesia's most volatile mountain unleashed a surge of searing gas, rocks and debris yesterday that raced down its slopes at highway speeds, torching houses and trees and incinerating villagers caught in its path. With more than 90 killed, many of them after succumbing to their injuries, it was Merapi's deadliest day in decades, but Sigit Priohutomo, who works at Sardjito hospital, predicted the toll would rise. With nearby airports closed because of poor visibility, ventilators needed for burn victims were stuck in the capital, Jakarta, he said. In meantime, nursing students were using emergency respirators pumped by hand.
— AP
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Friday massacre in Pak mosques
Peshawar, November 6 In the first attack, the bomber struck while Friday prayers were underway in the mosque at Attariwal village in Akhorwal area, 45 km south of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa capital Peshawar. Part of the mosque’s ceiling collapsed and people were buried under the debris, officials said. Sixty-seven people were killed and 70 others injured, Assistant Political Agent Sayed Gul Jamal said. The death toll could rise as many of the injured are in a critical condition, Kohat district chief Shahidullah Khan said. Officials said the bomber was a youth aged about 17 or 18 years who managed to enter the mosque, located near the ‘hujra’ (guest house) of pro-government tribal elder Malik Wali Khan.
— PTI
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Black box of crashed Cuban plane found
Havana, November 6 Aero Caribbean Flight 883, en route to Havana from the eastern city of Santiago de Cuba, crashed late Thursday in the central province of Sancti Spiritus shortly after the crew reported an emergency and contact was lost. The plane, a twin-engine ATR-72, is used for regional and short-duration flights and has a maximum seating capacity of 74 people.
— IANS
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India ‘concerned’ over Nepal Maoists’ link with Naxalites Kathmandu, November 6 Indian Ambassador to Nepal Rakesh Sood had handed over separate letters to Nepal Home Secretary and Foreign Secretary in late October, expressing India's concern over the issue, Indian embassy sources said. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Koirala confirmed the receipt of a letter from the India which expressed concern over the Maoists involvement in imparting training to the Naxalites, and said the government will investigate the matter. She, however said that she has not yet gone through it. "If this is true, it is a very serious matter," Koirala told PTI. "I will also ask the Home Ministry to investigate into the matter seriously," she said, adding the investigations will begin after the Deepawali holidays. "If the Nepalese Maoists are involved in providing training to the Indian Maoists then the government will take steps to stop such activities," she said. According to a report in The Kathmandu Post, some 200 Naxalites from India have taken part in training being provided by Nepalese Maoists in different districts of Terai, including Nawalparasi, Dang, Udaypur and Makwanpur. Maoists from different Naxalite-infested areas in India received ideological and warfare training at different camps in Nepal, the daily had reported. Foreign Ministry sources also admitted that high-level Maoists from Nepal may be involved in imparting training to the Indian Maoists. — PTI
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Appreciate Pak’s anti-terror efforts: Gilani to India Islamabad, November 6 Gilani, who made the remarks while addressing participants at a national conference of the Pakistan chapter of the South Asia Free Media Association this evening, said Pakistan and India should resolve all outstanding disputes through peaceful means. "I call upon India to appreciate our efforts in curbing terrorism that poses the biggest internal threat to our national interests, ethos and values. Pakistan and India should resolve their disputes, especially on Kashmir, through peaceful means and productive dialogue," he said. "We should de-link the peace process from incidents of terrorism to make composite dialogue a sustainable proposition." Pakistan, he said, wants "peaceful coexistence and friendly relations" with the countries of South Asia and the world. "My government is for normalising relations with India. We believe that terrorism and extremism constitute the major challenge for not only Pakistan and India but also all peoples of South Asia," he pointed out. Gilani also said Pakistan wants the resumption of the stalled composite dialogue with India, "who must reciprocate our good intentions". The premier's remarks on better relations and the call for New Delhi to appreciate Islamabad's efforts to curb terrorism coincided with a visit to India by US President Barack Obama. — PTI
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Al Qaida’s Yemen wing claims parcel plot Bush thinks Palin ‘unqualified’ Wikileaks may soon have a rival 
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