The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Taliban stage comeback in Pak’s Bajaur tribal region
Islamabad, May 18
Months after the Pakistani army declared that the Taliban had been flushed out of Bajaur, the outfit's militants have resurfaced in the insurgency-hit tribal region and resumed broadcasts on their illegal FM radio channel warning the women against casting votes.

Sri Lanka’s former Army chief Fonseka gets bail
Colombo, May 18
Sarath Fonseka, who led the Army to victory against the LTTE, fell out with his commander-in-chief, President Mahinda Rajaspaksa, after the war. Jailed former Sri Lankan Army chief Sarath Fonseka was today granted bail by the High Court here in a case for harbouring military deserters, ahead of an imminent presidential pardon for him. Fonseka, 61, was in detention since early February 2010 soon after he had unsuccessfully challenged President Mahinda Rajaspaksa in the snap presidential election of January 2010.

Sarath Fonseka, who led the Army to victory against the LTTE, fell out with his commander-in-chief, President Mahinda Rajaspaksa, after the war. — AFP

‘Disco Queen’ dead at 63
Los Angeles, May 18
"Queen of Disco" Donna Summer, who shot to fame with iconic hits like "Last Dance", "Bad Girls" and "Love to Love You Baby" in the '70s, died after losing her battle with lung cancer. Summer, 63, whose real name is LaDonna Adrian Gaines, died at her Naples, Florida home yesterday.

End of an era: Donna Summer

Sikhs protest BBC presenter’s claim
London, May 18
Sikh community in Britain has protested against an "irresponsible and misleading" claim made by a presenter on BBC's Asian Network that their faith was "made up from other religions" such as Islam and Hinduism, prompting the broadcaster to express regret over it.

Italy recalls envoy to India
Rome, May 18
Rome has recalled its ambassador to New Delhi over the detention of two Italian marines who allegedly shot dead two Indian fisherman they mistook for pirates, Italy’s foreign ministry said today.

Security tightened at Wagah following LeT threats
Lahore, May 18
India and Pakistan have beefed up security at the Wagah land border crossing after receiving a letter from the banned Lashkar-e-Toiba that threatened to blow up the Integrated Check Post that was recently opened to boost bilateral trade.

4 Indians charged with trafficking woman in UK
London, May 18
Scotland Yard today charged four Indian citizens and two Ghana citizens of Indian-origin, all based in London, for allegedly trafficking a woman from Hyderabad for sex.

	US imposes sanctions on 2 Taliban, Haqqani leaders Washington, May 18 The US has slapped sanctions on two individuals linked with the Taliban and the Haqqani network based along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, barring American citizens from any dealings with them. Bakht Gul, a Haqqani Network communications official, has been designated for acting for or on behalf of Badruddin Haqqani. Abdul Baqi Bari, a Taliban financier, is being designated for providing financial support for or financial services to, the Taliban, Adam Szubin, Director of Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control said yesterday. "By designating these individuals today, Treasury is taking another step to ensure all those who perpetuate ongoing violence and terrorist activities in Afghanistan and Pakistan will continue to be marginalised and cut off from the international financial system, and they will find it increasingly difficult to carry out their objectives," Szubin said. As a result of today's action, all property in the US or in the possession or control of US persons in which Bakht Gul or Abdul Baqi Bari has an interest is blocked, and US persons are prohibited from engaging in transactions with them. The Treasury said Bakht Gul has been a key Haqqani Network communications official since at least 2009. Gul works directly for senior Haqqani Network leader Badruddin Haqqani and has served as a gatekeeper for Badruddin. "Gul's responsibilities include relaying reports from commanders in Afghanistan to senior Haqqani Network officials, Taliban media officials, and legitimate media outlets in Afghanistan," he said. — PTI
	NATO summit to decide on Afghan transition: US Washington, May 18 The NATO Summit, which begins over the weekend in Chicago, will focus on Afghanistan, in particular on the next steps of transition and the post-2014 Afghanistan, a top White House official has said. This summit is about the next steps in transition, role of international community post 2014, and discussion of, and agreement on the structure and sustainability of the Afghan national forces, the US National Security Advisor Tom Donilon told reporters here during a news conference yesterday. "So Chicago is a critical milestone in the next step towards a responsible ending of this war, towards our achieving, very importantly, our goals in this effort in Afghanistan," Donilon said in his briefing on the NATO Summit. The top Obama aide said that with respect to the next steps in transition, the next steps toward 2014, is that the alliance will decide that in 2013 that the mission will shift for its forces. "That is that the mission will shift from the ISAF forces, the United States forces, as part of ISAF, being in the combat lead to stepping back and getting into principally a train-and-advise mode, with the Afghans going into the combat lead all over the country," he said. "That's essential if you think about how you get to the end of 2014 with full Afghan responsibility for their security. You need to start that process. You need to get the Afghans out front with the United States and its allies and partners supporting them moving forward. That's the first element of what will be talked about and decided at Chicago," he said. The second element would be a discussion of and agreement on the structure and sustainability of the Afghan national forces past 2014. — PTI Zardari leaves for summit Islamabad: President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday left for Chicago to attend a crucial NATO Summit that will focus on the Afghan war, amid hectic negotiations between Pakistani and American officials on a deal to reopen supply routes for foreign troops in Afghanistan. — TNS
	Taliban stage comeback in Pak’s Bajaur tribal region Islamabad, May 18 Months after the Pakistani army declared that the Taliban had been flushed out of Bajaur, the outfit's militants have resurfaced in the insurgency-hit tribal region and resumed broadcasts on their illegal FM radio channel warning the women against casting votes. Tribesmen in Bajaur's Salarzai subdivision said they heard the Taliban's FM channel after a long time yesterday, The News daily reported today. "We are back in Bajaur and would like to warn women to refrain from acquiring the computerised national identity cards and casting votes, otherwise they will pay the price," Taliban commander Maulvi Gul was quoted as saying by a tribesman. The tribesman said the broadcast included 'jihadi' songs and threatening speeches by the Taliban. Other tribesmen too confirmed that the Taliban's FM channel was again being heard in Bajaur tribal agency. They said the Taliban militants were reportedly seen addressing funeral ceremonies in remote and mountainous villages of Salarzai sub-division of Bajaur. Besides Salarzai, the Taliban's FM broadcasts were heard in parts of Utmankhel and even in the sub-division of Khar, which is the headquarters of Bajaur. The military had earlier said the Taliban had been flushed out of Bajaur and that the militants had sought refuge across the border in Kunar province of Afghanistan. — PTI
	Sri Lanka’s former Army chief Fonseka gets bail Colombo, May 18 Jailed former Sri Lankan Army chief Sarath Fonseka was today granted bail by the High Court here in a case for harbouring military deserters, ahead of an imminent presidential pardon for him. Fonseka, 61, was in detention since early February 2010 soon after he had unsuccessfully challenged President Mahinda Rajaspaksa in the snap presidential election of January 2010. Rajapaksa is expected to free Fonseka within the next few days, Fonseka's wife Anoma told reporters yesterday. The presidential pardon would set him free from jail where he is serving a three-year term on a conviction in a different case. Fonseka, who led the Army to victory against LTTE in the war which crushed the Tamil separatist outfit, fell out with his commander-in-chief Rajapaksa after war victory. The former army chief was arrested and convicted by both military and civil courts and stripped off military ranks in August 2010. Served with a 30-month jail term beginning September 2010 Foseka was convicted again last November for breaching national security and handed a three year sentence. Rajapaksa ignored mass protests for his release including international pressure. A US green card holder, Fonseka was named a political prisoner in the US State Department's 2010 human rights report. — PTI
	‘Disco Queen’ dead at 63 Los Angeles, May 18 "Queen of Disco" Donna Summer, who shot to fame with iconic hits like "Last Dance", "Bad Girls" and "Love to Love You Baby" in the '70s, died after losing her battle with lung cancer. Summer, 63, whose real name is LaDonna Adrian Gaines, died at her Naples, Florida home yesterday. "Early this morning, surrounded by family, we lost Donna Summer Sudano, a woman of many gifts, the greatest being her faith. While we grieve her passing, we are at peace celebrating her extraordinary life and her continued legacy," Summer's family said in a statement. The five-time Grammy winner was the first artiste to have three consecutive albums reach No 1 on the US Billboard chart. Her other hits during the era include "Hot Stuff", "I Feel Love" and "She Works Hard for the Money". Leading a tribute to Summer, President Barack Obama said her death was a huge loss to the music industry. — PTI
	Sikhs protest BBC presenter’s claim London, May 18 Sikh community in Britain has protested against an "irresponsible and misleading" claim made by a presenter on BBC's Asian Network that their faith was "made up from other religions" such as Islam and Hinduism, prompting the broadcaster to express regret over it. The claim was made by presenter DJ Nihal Arthanayake during a phone-in broadcast in March. The programme had discussed the relationship between Sikhism and the other two major religions in India — Hinduism and Islam. A BBC Asian Network spokesperson said: "We have reviewed the transmission and agree that this short excerpt was less than satisfactory. The show deals with difficult subjects on a daily basis and very occasionally we don't get the tone exactly right." — PTI
	Italy recalls envoy to India Rome, May 18 Rome has recalled its ambassador to New Delhi over the detention of two Italian marines who allegedly shot dead two Indian fisherman they mistook for pirates, Italy’s foreign ministry said today. “The Italian ambassador to New Delhi has been recalled to Rome for consultations on the matter of the marines,” who are currently in jail in the southern Indian state of Kerala, the ministry said in a statement. — AFP
	Security tightened at Wagah following LeT threats Lahore, May 18 India and Pakistan have beefed up security at the Wagah land border crossing after receiving a letter from the banned Lashkar-e-Toiba that threatened to blow up the Integrated Check Post that was recently opened to boost bilateral trade. The letter warned that the multi-crore rupee Integrated Check Post would be attacked as Pakistan had increased trade with India before resolving the Kashmir dispute, the Daily Times newspaper quoted security sources as saying. The sources told the daily that they had received reports about banned groups planning to attack some public personalities or key sites. This info had been forwarded to the authorities concerned so that adequate security measures could be adopted, they said. India's Border Security Forces, in cooperation with Pakistani authorities, has tightened security at the Integrated Check Post and put rescue teams, ambulances and fire brigade vehicles on alert to deal with any emergency, the report said. — PTI