The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

US to rush missiles, troops to help Turkey counter Syria

Incirlik Air Base, Dec 14
The Pentagon says it will send Patriot air defence missiles and 400 troops to Turkey as part of a NATO force meant to protect Turkish territory from potential Syrian missile attack.

Pentagon press secretary George Little said Defence Secretary Leon Panetta signed a deployment order today en route to Turkey from Afghanistan.

The order calls for 400 US soldiers to operate two batteries of Patriots at undisclosed locations in Turkey, Little told reporters flying with Panetta.

Turkey is a founding member of NATO and requested that the alliance provide Patriots. They will be sent by NATO members Germany and the Netherlands as well as the US for an undetermined period.

During a brief stop at Incirlik Air Base, Panetta told US troops that Turkey might need the Patriots, which are capable of shooting down shorter-range ballistic missiles as well as aircraft.

He said he approved the deployment "so that we can help Turkey have the kind of missile defence it may very well need to deal with the threats coming out of Syria," he said.

Panetta did not mention how soon the two Patriot batteries will head to Turkey or how long they might stay. Incirlik is about 60 miles from the Syrian border. —AP

Assad will go, says NATO official

Moscow: Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is unlikely to be able to stay in power, a senior NATO official said on Friday. Knud Bartels, a Danish general who chairs NATO's Military Committee, also said the Western alliance was drafting plans for safeguarding Syria's chemical weapons stocks if Assad stepped down or was forced from power.

Will help Syrian rebels: Eu

Brussels: All options are on the table to support the Syrian opposition fighting President Bashar al-Assad, European Union leaders said on Friday, raising the possibility that non-lethal military equipment or even arms could eventually be supplied.

No shift in policy on Syria: Russia

Moscow: Russia denied on Friday that it has changed its position on Syria, trying to dampen speculation that remarks by a senior envoy point to policy differences in Moscow as the civil war turns against President Bashar al-Assad. Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, a Kremlin envoy to the Middle East, made unusually pessimistic assessment of the situation in Syria on Thursday when he acknowledged that Assad's opponents might win.

N Korea holds mass rally, vows more rocket launches

Seoul, December 14
Hundreds of thousands North Koreans held a mass rally today to celebrate the nuclear-armed state's rocket launch, as its youthful leader vowed new launches in defiance of US- led outrage.

Days before his first anniversary in charge of the isolated country, Kim Jong-Un upheld North Korea's "unshakable stand" that the rocket programme will continue despite UN condemnation and calls for new sanctions.

The huge rally in Pyongyang, shown on state television, came two days after the launch of the three-stage rocket and just ahead of the anniversary on Monday of his father Kim Jong-Il's death.

The huge crowd standing in organised ranks in Kim Il-Sung Square -- named after Kim Jong-Un's grandfather -- cheered as top officials hailed the success of the launch and praised the "bravery and wisdom" of the dynasty's scion.

Refuelling its criticism of Wednesday's launch, the US State Department said Kim had the chance as new leader "to take his country back into the 21st century" but instead was making the "wrong choices".

Unbowed, Kim stressed the need "to launch satellites in the future... to develop the country's science, technology and economy", according to the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

It gave new details of the launch of the rocket to propel a satellite into space, which the United States, China and others on the UN Security Council said violated a ban on long-range ballistic missile tests by North Korea.

Kim had issued the final written order for the launch on Wednesday morning and "keenly observed" the whole process, the KCNA said.

By placing a satellite in orbit, North Korea "showed at home and abroad the unshakable stand... to exercise the country's legitimate right to use space for peaceful purposes", Kim said according to the agency. — AFP

Egypt braces for referendum today, rival rallies staged

Cairo, December 14
On the eve of a crucial referendum in Egypt over a contentious draft Constitution, Islamists backing President Muhamed Mursi and the secular opposition held rival rallies and clashed while making last-ditch efforts to swing the vote in their favour.

Nearly 51 million voters will participate in the two-stage vote over the Islamist draft Constitution that may seal the fate of the deeply polarised nation.

Clashes erupted between opponents and supporters of the referendum on the draft Constitution outside the Al-Qaed Ibrahim Mosque in Alexandria. The clashes broke out with demonstrators on both sides throwing stones. Hundreds of anti-constitution protesters had gathered earlier outside the mosque.

Alexandria is among the 10 governorates, where the first stage of the public vote will take place tomorrow. The other nine are Cairo, Daqahlia, Sharqiya, Assiut, Sohag, Aswan, Gharbiya, North Sinai and South Sinai, state-run MENA news agency reported. The second stage, to take place on December 22, will be held in the remaining 17 governorates. — PTI

Japan to boost surveillance of disputed isles

Tokyo, December 14
Japan today said it will strengthen the surveillance power of its air force, a day after the first-ever intrusion into the country's airspace by a Chinese government aircraft. "We will take all possible steps for the defence of our airspace," Osamu Fujimura, chief Cabinet secretary, told a news conference, noting that the Defence Ministry is considering "more effective operations" of the Air Self-Defence Force's Airborne Warning and Control Systems, as well as the E-2C airborne early-warning aircraft, Kyodo news reported.

Yesterday, a Chinese government airplane entered Japan's airspace over the Senkaku Islands, the sovereignty of which is claimed by Beijing, for the first time since the ministry started keeping such records in 1958. Japanese fighter jets were scrambled after the plane was spotted by the country's coast guard about 15 km south of one of the uninhabited islands in the East China Sea. — Kyodo

Mumbai among world’s dirtiest cities: Survey

Washington, December 14
India's commercial capital, Mumbai, has been named among the world's ‘dirtiest’ cities, ranking last in the “cleanest streets” category, a global survey of 40 key tourist cities has found.

According to TripAdvisor's Cities Survey, Tokyo grabbed the first place while Mumbai ranked last in the list of “cleanest streets”.

Similarly, in the category of “ease of getting around”, Mumbai was ranked at the last position while Zurich stood at first place, the company said in a press release.

The cities with the rudest locals, the dirtiest streets and the worst shopping have been revealed by the survey which found that the least-friendly locals were from Moscow.

The Russian city ranked last in a number of categories, including "friendliest locals".

Tokyo was the most decorated world city, ranking number one for best taxi services, friendliest taxi drivers, best public transportation, cleanest streets and safety.

“New York City's global reputation as a shopping mecca was reinforced by the opinions of the TripAdvisor community worldwide,” said Brooke Ferencsik, director of communications of TripAdvisor.

The survey, completed by more than 75,000 people, looked into how travellers and locals viewed 40 key tourist cities around the world. — PTI

Best & worst

In the “ease of getting around” category, Mumbai ranked last, while Zurich stood first

Moscow ranked last in the “friendliest locals” category

Tokyo was the most decorated world city, ranking number one for friendliest taxi drivers, best public transportation and safety

New York City’s global reputation as a shopping Mecca reinforced in the survey

Royal hoax call: Indian-origin nurse’s body flown to India
Criticised colleagues’ role after prank call in suicide note

London, December 14
The body of an Indian-origin nurse, who died after being duped by a prank call to a UK hospital treating a pregnant Princess Kate, was today flown to India, official sources said, amid reports that the mum-of-two had criticised her senior colleagues in one of the three emotional suicide notes she left behind.

A candle-light vigil for Jacintha Saldanha in Mangalore. — AFP

Jacintha Saldanha's body was transported by a Jet Airways flight to Mumbai, sources said. It will be flown to Mangalore on December 16 for funeral to be held at Surve near Udipi, they said.

Saldanha wrote three emotional notes revealing the anguish that led to her suicide after she was duped by two Australian radio DJs into believing they were royalty.

In one of the notes, the distraught mum-of-two outlines how she struggled to come to terms with the prank call by Australian DJs Mel Greig and Michael Christian to the hospital where 30-year-old Kate was being treated for severe morning sickness, the Daily Mirror reported.

But in another she criticises her senior colleagues at the King Edward VII hospital over her treatment after the pair had pretended to be the Queen and Prince Charles asking about the duchess' condition.

However, the hospital said it had offered support to the nurse after she fell victim to the hoax call and that she was not reprimanded.

In a statement released after a memorial service for the nurse, the hospital said it could not comment on the contents of the notes found in her room because it had not seen them but insisted that she was not subject to any disciplinary procedure and that there had been no criticism of her.

"Following the hoax call, hospital management offered her their support and told her that they considered her the victim of a cruel hoax. They stood by her actions, and made it clear there was no criticism of her, and that there would be no disciplinary action of any kind," it said.

Saldanha's third suicide letter is more of a practical one which deals with her funeral arrangements. — PTI

Italy summons Indian envoy over detained marines
Sailors seek permission to go to Italy for Christmas, want passports released

Rome/Kochi, December 14
Italy has summoned India’s Ambassador to insist that the Indian Supreme Court should passes an early decision in the case of two Italian marines detained since February for the death of two Indian fishermen.

Italy maintains the shooting occurred in international waters, so Rome should have jurisdiction. India, on the other hand, claims the ship was in Indian territorial waters so the Indian Supreme Court would decide on Italy’s petition to try the sailors at home.

In a statement issued yesterday, the Foreign Ministry of Italy said it was “profoundly bewildered” why the court hasn’t ruled although the arguments ended three months ago. It asked for a decision before Christmas.

The sailors were providing security on a cargo ship when they allegedly shot the fishermen. The dispute has strained diplomatic relations between the two nations.

Meanwhile, the two Italian marines, who are now on bail, today filed a petition in the high court seeking relaxation of bail conditions to enable them visit their homes in Italy for Christmas.

The marines said their families had arranged special mass and prayers and they wanted to participate in the religious ceremony of Christmas in the last two weeks of this month.

The petitioners — Latore Massimilliano and Salvatore Girone — also undertook to return to India within two weeks from the day of departure. The two also filed separate affidavits in that regard.

According to the petitioners, Italy has taken full responsibility to ensure that they will comply with the high court order in letter and spirit.

They also produced an undertaking sworn by Consul General of Italy in India, stating the two would be kept under “round-the-clock” custody under the control and supervision of Republic of Italy, which would take full responsibility of their return.

The marines also sought to facilitate international passage from Kochi and sought release of their passports. —AP/PTI