The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	India to get first C-17 military aircraft from US by May 2013 KV Prasad/TNS Long Beach (US), August 1 India’s ability to move strategic and other heavy material, including for humanitarian aid, will get a significant boost by the middle of next year with the Indian Air Force getting delivery of the first of the 10 airlifters. Barely six months after it began work to produce the first of the C-17 Globemaster-III heavy-lift transport aircraft, Boeing on Tuesday held an event to mark the ‘major join’ of the plane in the presence of India’s Consul General in San Francisco N Parthasarthi, US Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, India’s Air Attache Air Commodore Sanjay Nimesh and senior Boeing officials. “The event literally rivets the relationship between India and the United States,” Parthasarathi remarked as the event allowed the dignitaries to drive ceremonial rivets into a section of the front fuselage of the cavernous aircraft. Interestingly, while Ambassador Parthasarathi underscored the defence relationships between New Delhi and Washington as an important dimension of bilateral strategic partnership, Republican Congressman Rohrabacher said the US is on the side of India in its fight against terrorism. The aircraft can accommodate a maximum of 74,000 kg of payload. The plane can be operated by three crew members, including two pilots and one loadmaster, and can land a short strip or take off from a rough and short strip. India had ordered 10 C-17 Globemaster-III planes, a deal US president Barack Obama described as one that would allow thousands of Americans across several states to keep their jobs. The current order will allow Boeing to keep open the assembly lines till the September 2014, just about when it would complete delivery of all the planes to India. The IAF will have these aircraft at the Hindan airbase, on the outskirts of Delhi, and the first batch of 30 crew members are currently undergoing training in the United States. The test-flight of the first plane will be held by January next year and expected to be handed over by May 2013. As for maintenance, India will join the unique international virtual fleet system that the US has by having 7 international hubs where spares are located to service the aircraft operated by several countries. Boeing has delivered 245 C-17s worldwide, including 217 to the US Air Force active duty, Guard and Reserve units. A total of 28 C-17s have been delivered to Australia, Canada, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the 12-member Strategic Airlift Capability initiative of NATO and Partnership for Peace nations. The Globemaster * The aicraft is operated by three crew members, including two pilots and one loadmaster * The plane can accommodate a maximum of 74,000 kg payload * It can land on a short strip or take off from a rough and short strip
	ISI chief in US to hold talks with Petraeus Washington, August 1 Pakistan's ISI chief Lt Gen Zaheer-ul-Islam today arrived here on his maiden visit to the US as the spy agency head to hold crucial talks with his CIA counterpart Gen (retd) David Petraeus. Islam is scheduled to hold his first official meeting with Petraeus later today. Islam is expected to raise the issue of opposition of continued drone strikes by the US in the tribal areas of the country, and the recent increasing incidents of alleged crossing over of terrorist based in Afghanistan. The CIA refused to comment on the meeting between the two intelligence chiefs. Islam is also expected to drive down to the Capitol Hill to meet top Congressmen, in particular members of the intelligence and foreign affairs committees. The ISI chief is expected to "strongly articulate" the viewpoint of the ISI to the US lawmakers, who of late have been strongly critical of the Pakistani spy agency's role in the war against terrorism. Islam is also expected to demand an end to drone strikes. In lieu, the Pakistani spy chief is likely to offer to take action against terrorist networks and to "deploy F-16s" in the tribal areas, but would seek greater intelligence sharing from the United States. "Petraeus and General Islam will seek to rebuild a counter-terrorism relationship that has severely frayed, Pakistani and American officials said," The New York Times said ahead of the meeting. — PTI US warns of LeT threat, asks Pak to act The Lashkar-e-Toiba is a threat to stability in South Asia, a top US counter-terrorism official has said urging Pakistan to take stronger steps against the outfit responsible for the Mumbai carnage.
	Indian students in Oz down by 24% Melbourne, August 1 Australia's international student numbers continue to plummet with Indian students' enrolments dropping by over 24 per cent during January-June 2012 as compared to previous year, according to government figures. Australian education providers saw a drop of 8.5 per cent in enrolments during January to June 2012 as compared with the same period last year. The significant decline is said to be in contrast to the average yearly growth rates since 2002 of 6.6 per cent. — PTI
	Obama slaps additional sanctions on Iran Washington, August 1 US President Barack Obama has slapped new tough sanctions against Iran targeting its energy and petrochemical sectors, which he said are part of efforts to isolate the Iranian government for its failure to meet its international obligations over its nuclear programme. Obama yesterday said he has approved a new Executive Order that imposes new sanctions against the Iranian energy and petrochemical sectors. "This action is designed to deter Iran from establishing payment mechanisms for the purchase of Iranian oil to circumvent existing sanctions, and utilises the existing structure of our sanctions law, including exceptions for significant reductions in the purchase of Iranian oil," Obama said in a statement. Additionally, existing sanctions on Iran's petrochemical industry are expanded by making sanctionable the purchase or acquisition of Iranian oil, he added. "Sanctions are also authorised for those who may seek to avoid the impact of these sanctions, including against individuals and entities that provide material support to the National Iranian Oil Company, Naftiran Intertrade Company, or the Central Bank of Iran, or for the purchase or acquisition of US bank notes or precious metals by the Government of Iran," he said. "Second, we have also taken a significant step to hold responsible institutions that knowingly enable financial transactions for designated Iranian banks," Obama said. The Department of the Treasury yesterday imposed sanctions on Bank of Kunlun in China and Elaf Islamic Bank in Iraq under the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010 (CISADA). "Bank of Kunlun and Elaf Islamic Bank have facilitated transactions worth millions of dollars on behalf of Iranian banks that are subject to sanctions for their links to Iran's illicit proliferation activities," he said. "By cutting off these financial institutions from the US, today's action makes it clear that we will expose any financial institution, no matter where they are located, that allows the increasingly desperate Iranian regime to retain access to the international financial system," Obama argued. He said the Iranian government has been presented with a clear choice and will hold the Iranian government accountable for its actions. "The United States remains committed to a diplomatic solution, but the onus is on Iran to abide by its international obligations. If the Iranian government continues its defiance, there should be no doubt that the United States and our partners will continue to impose increasing consequences," Obama said. — PTI restricting Iran * The US has imposed new sanctions against the Iranian energy and petrochemical sectors * It will also hold responsible institutions that knowingly enable financial transactions for designated Iranian banks
	American author Gore Vidal dies Los Angeles, August 1 Writer Gore Vidal, who filled his novels and essays with acerbic observations on politics, sex and American culture while carrying on feuds with big-name literary rivals, died on Tuesday at home in Los Angeles of complications from pneumonia. He was 86 years old. Vidal's literary legacy includes a series of historical novels - "Burr," "1876," "Lincoln" and "The Golden Age" among them - as well as the campy transsexual comedy "Myra Breckinridge". He started writing as a 19-year-old soldier stationed in Alaska, basing "Williwaw" on his World War II experiences. His third book "The City and the Pillar" created a sensation in 1948 because it was one of the first open portrayals of a homosexual main character. Confirming his death, his official website posted a memoriam with two pictures of Vidal, one as a young military warrant officer during World War II and another as the iconoclastic writer he would become. He referred to himself as a "gentleman bitch" and was as egotistical and caustic as he was elegant and brilliant. In addition to rubbing shoulders with great writers of his time, he banged heads with many. Vidal considered Ernest Hemingway a joke and compared Truman Capote to a "filthy animal that has found its way into the house". — Reuters
	Pak SC stops probe in Arsalan-Riaz graft case Afzal Khan in Islamabad The Supreme Court of Pakistan has stopped a Joint Investigation Team’s (JIT) inquiry into the Arsalan-Riaz graft case for two days after one of the members of the team was accused of being partial. Arsalan, son of Chief Justice Iftikhar M Chaudhry, is facing probe under on charges levelled by tycoon Malik Riaz. Arsalan has expressed lack of trust in the JIT set up by the National Accountability Bureau as both are under government influence.