The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Yemen suicide bombing kills 42 at village funeral

Aden, August 5
A suicide bombing killed 42 persons in a southern town recently recaptured by the army from the jihadists, hospital and local government sources said today.

In the east of the country, meanwhile, a suspected US drone strike late yesterday killed five Al-Qaida militants, a local official said.

The bomber struck yesterday in Jaar, one of a string of towns in Abyan province that were retaken by government troops in June after being held by Qaida loyalists for more than a year.

"An Al-Qaida suicide bomber detonated his explosives belt during a funeral organised by the Popular Resistance Committees," a local militia that fought alongside the army in its month-long counter-offensive, said provincial governor Jamal al-Aqal.

An official at the Razi hospital in Jaar said it had received 24 bodies, while medics said 12 persons died of their wounds in three hospitals in the main southern city Aden.

Relatives took the bodies of six of the dead directly from the scene of the attack for burial, local official Mohsen bin Jamila told AFP.

The 37 wounded were being treated in hospitals in Jaar and Aden. "The victims' bodies were flying in all directions because the explosion was so powerful," a witness said.

The deputy head of the municipal authority in Jaar held the government partially responsible for the attack because of its slowness in deploying police to the town after its recapture by the army. — AFP

Indians in Leicester: Unwelcome in 1972, hailed in 2012

London, August 5
It was in August 1972, 40 years ago, that nearly 10,000 people of Indian-origin fled Idi Amin's Uganda and arrived in the depressed, deprived and unwelcoming town of Leicester on a cold, misty morning.

Officially, they were not welcome. That year, the Leicester City Council had asked them in a newspaper advertisement that it was "in your own interests and those of your family... not come to Leicester."

Forty years on, the situation could not be more different, not only has the Indian community worked hard and prospered over the years, it has also transformed a declining town into a buzzing multicultural haven that is the subject of study by several European towns.

It is today seen as one of the major success stories of the Indian diaspora anywhere in the world.

The mostly educated Indians from Uganda had fled with nothing but literally built an empire in Leicester, with hard work and diligence.

Arriving in Leicester with minimal belongings and money, the community, predominantly of Gujarat origin, had been dispossessed of their houses and wealth after being told by Idi Amin to leave the country within 90 days and with no more than £55 in cash.

Today, Leicester is Britain's multicultural poster town, with Indians and Asians holding top positions across professions.

The same city council that advised them not to move to the town today hails their contribution and actively encourages multicultural activities.

The 'then and now' transformation of the town is symbolised by the large annual celebrations for Diwali, when the city council sponsors festivities that attract thousands of people across Britain and elsewhere, besides the local Asian and non-Asian communities.

Goa-origin Labour MP Keith Vaz, who represents Leicester East, is one of many representatives of the Asian community who hold top offices in local and national politics, business, bureaucracy and the arts (Parminder Nagra, star of 'Bend It Like Beckam', hails from Leicester).

In 2008, Ludhiana-born Manjula Sood became the first Asian woman to become the Lord Mayor when she was elected to the ceremonial post which has a history of over 800 years.

The city council, inspired by the Gujarati community's links back home, officially twinned Leicester with Rajkot in 1996.

Leicester Mercury, a leading local daily, wrote of the change in the town's fortunes: "Forty years ago today, East African dictator Idi Amin made a decision that would change Leicester forever. In August 1972, the leader of Uganda decided to expel all the Asians living in his country, most of whom held British passports and boarded planes for England".

It added: "Leicester City Council's reaction was to place an advert in the Uganda Argus warning that Leicester was full of immigrants already and that they should not move here.

However, between 6,000 and 10,000 Ugandan Asians came to the city. They brought with them a wealth of skills and business know-how that would boost Leicester's fortunes".

Passengers at the Leicester train station are greeted with welcome signs in Hindi, Urdu and Gujarati, among other languages, while local radio stations Sabras Radio and BBC Asian network belt out latest Bollywood numbers and interviewers with stars.

Significantly, the first town Queen Elizabeth visited during her diamond jubilee celebrations earlier this year was Leicester, where she was welcomed by Bollywood songs and Indian dance, among other performances. — PTI

Changing fortunes

In 2008, Ludhiana-born Manjula Sood became the first Asian woman to become the Lord Mayor when she was elected to the ceremonial post which has a history of over 800 years

The city council, inspired by the Gujarati community's links back home, officially twinned Leicester with Rajkot in 1996

Parminder Nagra, star of ‘Bend It Like Beckam’, hails from Leicester

TARGETING HAQQANI NETWORK
US, Pak ‘plan’ joint operations
Afzal Khan in Islamabad

Following intensive meetings between ISI chief Lt Gen Zaheer-ul-Islam and his CIA counterpart David Petraeus, the two spy chiefs agreed on joint counter-terrorism campaigns and operations in Afghanistan and Pakistan, the Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday.

During the series of meetings that also involved senior State Department and Pentagon officials, US and Pakistani officials hoped that the latest move would mark an upswing in cooperation after more than a year of "rancorous" relations, the American newspaper reported.

"The campaigns would be intended to help stamp out major security threats facing each country, targeting what the US says are sanctuaries for the Haqqani network, and what Pakistan says are sanctuaries for the Pakistani Taliban in Afghanistan," the report said.

The plans are considered, at best, promising, the paper said, pointing out that US officials have long pressed their Pakistani counterparts to target the Haqqani group, but without success.

The Wall Street Journal also quoted Pakistani Ambassador to the United States Sherry Rehman as saying: "Pakistan's democratic government is committed to moving forward with the US in many shared goals." The envoy added that her government was working to reshape its relationships in the region.

Also discussed at the meeting was Pakistan's demand for a halt to CIA drone strikes in Pakistan, but no agreement was reached on any changes to the programme, the Journal said, citing officials.

According to the dispatch, US and Pakistani officials both described this week's meetings as productive and indicative of a higher level of trust than in previous meetings.

3 killed in Pak blast

Islamabad, August 5
At least three persons, including a woman, were killed and 12 others injured by a powerful explosion on the outskirts of Quetta city of southwest Pakistan today, officials and witnesses said.

The blast occurred in Faizabad area of Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province. Several children were among the injured.

Officials said a preliminary investigation had suggested that the explosives were hidden in a car parked inside a compound.

The blast razed the compound and footage of television showed people searching for survivors under the debris. Three nearby houses were damaged. Officials said up to 80 kg of explosives was used in the attack. — PTI

Syrian quagmire
Iran warns against foreign intervention

Demonstrators hold placards during a march held in support of the Syrian regime in Sydney. — AFP

Dubai, August 5
Iran warned against foreign intervention in Syria on Sunday and said the conflict there could engulf Israel, Iranian media said.

Iran Parliament's Speaker Ali Larijani accused the United States and regional countries he did not name of providing military support to rebels fighting to topple Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, an ally of Iran.

Syria has accused Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia of backing rebels in Syria and fuelling violence there. Iran has supported Assad's efforts to crush the 17-month revolt and has accused Western countries and Israel of interfering in the crisis.

"The fire that has been ignited in Syria will take the fearful (Israelis) with it," Larijani said on Sunday, according to the Islamic Republic News Agency .

"What really allows these countries to interfere in internal Syrian affairs?" Larijani was quoted as saying. Larijani is considered a moderate conservative and a close follower of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the most powerful man in Iran who decides foreign policy. Larijani is also a critic of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and widely expected to run for president in 2013.

Gholam-Ali Haddad Adel, a key ally of Khamenei and father-in-law to the paramount leader's son, Mojtaba, said on Sunday the people of Syria should not allow the United States and Israel to break the "resistance front", IRNA reported. — Reuters

China’s future lies in reform, not a return to Mao era: Hu

Chinese President Hu Jintao, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China, is set to retire later this year along with the top leadership

Beijing, August 5
Bracing for his retirement after a decade-long stint at the helm, President Hu Jintao has virtually ruled out China reverting to hard-line policies of Mao Zedong saying the path of reform and opening up pioneered by moderate leader Deng Xiaoping should continue as they created "miracles".

Asserting that China should stick to Deng's path, Hu told a meeting of the ministers and provincial officials that "by following the socialist theory with Chinese characteristics, we have continuously created 'miracles' in improving people's living conditions".

Hu, who is also the General Secretary of the ruling Communist Party of China, said considering the success achieved by China by following Deng's line of socialism in the party and the country should stick to the path to deal with problems like global financial crisis.

"By embarking on the socialist road with Chinese characteristics, we have developed ourselves into the world's second largest economy, established the world's largest social security system, succeeded in combating the sudden outbreak of SARS and overcome the deadly Wenchuan earthquake," Hu said.

"By adhering to socialism with Chinese characteristics, we have given a satisfactory answer to how we have overcome the global financial crisis, he said.

Though the conference was held few days ago, his speech was published by the state run media here today.

The name of Mao and his era was conspicuously absent in Hu's speech. Deng, who was sidelined and sent on exile to a tractor repairing workshop by Mao, took charge of the CPC after the party founder's death in 1976.

He gave a new ideological direction to the party and the sate which ensured unlimited economic reforms but only under the total political control of the party.

"The reform and opening-up are a crucial choice that has decided the fate of contemporary China and contributed to its rapid development over the past 30-odd years. We should continue unswervingly to adhere to this initiative for further development," Hu said.

His advocacy of the continuation of reform and opening up ahead of the crucial leadership change makes it clear that Hu and present set of leaders who would be retiring later this year strongly pitches of continuation of Deng's line and wants to ensure there was no return to Mao's era nor giving up the one-party system in which CPC remained supreme ruler.

Speculation is rife since early this year that sections of the party headed by the disgraced leader Bo Xilai tried to revive Mao's Marxian policies playing up on the growing rich poor divide. — PTI