W O R L D

South Sudan gets warning from UN
Juba, December 24
United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon has warned warring factions in South Sudan that reports of crimes against humanity will be investigated, as eyewitnesses spoke of a wave of brutal ethnic killings.

A UN peacekeeper stands guard as civilians move towards a UN refugee camp on Monday. Reuters

Musharraf's trial adjourned after bomb scare
Islamabad, December 24
Former Pakistani military ruler Pervez Musharraf's treason trial was adjourned today till January 1 by a special court here after he failed to appear before it citing security threats following the recovery of explosives on his pre-scheduled route.

Pakistani paramilitary personnel stand guard outside a court in Islamabad on Tuesday. AP/PTI

China pledges $6.5 bn for Pak nuclear project
Islamabad, December 24
China has committed $6.5 billion to finance the construction of a major nuclear power project in Pakistan's port city of Karachi as it seeks to strengthen ties with its strategic partner, Pakistani officials said.

Deadly attack: A powerful bomb explosion tore through a police building at Mansura in Egypt on Monday, killing at least 14 persons. Blaming the Muslim Brotherhood for the attack, the authorities said it was aimed at derailing the country’s transition to democracy. AFP

Storm batters France: A man walks through a flooded street in Britanny on Tuesday. Gale and rain lashed Britain and France, disrupting Christmas travel and leaving 2,40,000 French homes without electricity. AFP

US presidential award for two Indian-origin scientists
Washington, December 24
President Barack Obama has named two Indian-Americans among 102 scientists as recipients of a presidential award -- the highest honour bestowed by the US on young science and engineering professionals.

Maoists in Nepal agree to join House
Kathmandu, December 24
Nepal's sulking Maoist party today agreed to join the recently elected Constituent Assembly (CA), ending months of political turmoil to pave the way for a new government and drafting of a fresh Constitution.

Thai anti-govt protesters warned of arrest
Bangkok, December 24
Thailand's leading anti-government protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban and 37 supporters were today warned they would face arrest if they do not acknowledge charges against them, including creating chaos and libelling representatives of foreign countries.

Fresh protest in Bangladesh
Dhaka, December 24
Bangladesh's main opposition BNP party chief Khaleda Zia today asked people across the country to march to the capital on December 29 to force the Awami League-led government to scrap the January 5 polls.

South Sudan gets warning from UN
Secy Gen Ban says ‘ethnic kiilings’ to be probed; UN mission strength to be doubled

JUBA, December 24
United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon has warned warring factions in South Sudan that reports of crimes against humanity will be investigated, as eyewitnesses spoke of a wave of brutal ethnic killings.

Ban asked the security council to nearly double the size of the UN mission in the country, which has been hit by more than a week of escalating battles between troops loyal to President Salva Kiir and those backing his rival Riek Machar, a former vice-president who was sacked in July.

With fighting ongoing, badly overstretched UN bases in the capital Juba and across the country have been flooded with at least 45,000 civilians, some of whom have recounted an orchestrated campaign of mass killings and rape by government forces. The official toll is 500 dead, although the real figure is believed to be far higher, aid workers say. Hundreds of thousands of others have fled to the countryside, prompting warnings of an imminent humanitarian disaster. Fighting has spread to half of the young nation's 10 states, the UN said on Tuesday.

Rebel fighters are also reported to have committed atrocities in areas they control, as the oil-rich but impoverished nation, which won independence from Sudan to much fanfare just two years ago, appeared to be sliding deeper into civil war. "The world is watching all sides in South Sudan," Ban told reporters ahead of emergency security council talks on the crisis. "The United Nations will investigate reports of grave human rights violations and crimes against humanity. " he said. — PTI

S Sudan President ‘ready’ for talks to end crisis

Washington: South Sudan President Salva Kiir has said he was ready to hold talks with country's former vice-president Riek Machar “without preconditions” to end the crisis in the country.

Mass grave found

Juba: United Nations rights chief Navi Pillay has said a mass grave has been found in the rebel-held town of Bentiu, while there were “reportedly at least two other mass graves” in the capital Juba. 

Musharraf's trial adjourned after bomb scare

Islamabad, December 24
Former Pakistani military ruler Pervez Musharraf's treason trial was adjourned today till January 1 by a special court here after he failed to appear before it citing security threats following the recovery of explosives on his pre-scheduled route.

“The hearing has been postponed till January 1,” Musharraf's lawyer Mohammad Ali Saif said.

At the outset of the proceedings‚ 70-year-old Musharraf's legal team filed a petition raising objections on the constitution of a special court and appointment of the prosecutor. The team also told the court that he could not appear before it due to security threats. Asked if a decision was taken on its new petition, Saif told PTI, "The petition would be argued upon on January 1.”

The court also has ordered fool-proof security arrangements for January 1 hearing. The special court had summoned the former army chief to appear before it to face charges of high treason for imposing emergency in 2007.

Earlier in the morning, a bomb weighing 5 kg along with two loaded guns were recovered from the route Musharraf was scheduled to take to the court.

The bomb was recovered near the National Institute of Health by Pakistani rangers during a security check. TV footage showed two black pistols and a bomb. However, the bomb was not live. This is the first time in Pakistan's history that a former military dictator is facing trial for treason. If convicted, Musharraf could face life imprisonment or the death penalty. — PTI

China pledges $6.5 bn for Pak nuclear project

Islamabad, December 24
China has committed $6.5 billion to finance the construction of a major nuclear power project in Pakistan's port city of Karachi as it seeks to strengthen ties with its strategic partner, Pakistani officials said.

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif broke ground on the $9.59 billion project last month but officials have provided few details of how they plan to finance it. Financing documents seen by Reuters showed China National Nuclear Cooperation (CNNC) has promised to grant a loan of at least $6.5 billion to finance the project which will have two reactors with a capacity of 1,100 MW each.

Two members of the government's energy team and three sources close to the deal confirmed this. CNNC was not available for comment. “China has complete confidence in Pakistan's capacity to run a nuclear power plant with all checks in place," said Ansar Parvez, chairman of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission which runs the civilian nuclear programme.

“As things stand, the capacity of nuclear power plants in Pakistan is far better compared to non-nuclear plants.” Parvez declined to give more details of the funding but said it would be completed by 2019 and each of the two reactors would be larger than the combined power of all nuclear reactors now operating in Pakistan.

As part of the deal, China has also waived a $250,000 insurance premium on the loan, said two sources in the Energy Ministry with knowledge of the project. They declined to be identified as they are not authorised to speak to the media about the financing.

Pakistan and China, both nuclear-armed nations, consider each oth er close friends and their ties have been underpinned by common wariness of India and a desire to hedge against US influence in South Asia. Pakistan sees nuclear energy as key to its efforts to solve power shortages that have crippled its economy. — Reuters

Pak gets $554 m from IMF as bailout loan

Karachi: Pakistan has received $554 million as the second tranche of a $6.7 billion bailout loan from the IMF to help Islamabad implement economic reforms and solve an energy crisis. “Pakistan received the second tranche from IMF under the ongoing Extended Fund Facility on December 23, a spokesman for the Central Bank of Pakistan said on Tuesday. The bank said the IMF had made an initial payment of $540 million.

US presidential award for two Indian-origin scientists

Washington, December 24
President Barack Obama has named two Indian-Americans among 102 scientists as recipients of a presidential award -- the highest honour bestowed by the US on young science and engineering professionals.

The winners, including Karunesh Ganguly of San Francisco VA Medical Center and Hardeep Singh of Houston VA Medical Center, will receive the Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers at a ceremony here next year.

"The impressive achievements of these early-stage scientists and engineers are promising indicators of even greater successes ahead," Obama said in a White House statement.

"We are grateful for their commitment to generating the scientific and technical advancements that will ensure America's global leadership for many years to come," he said.

The awards, established by President Bill Clinton in 1996, are coordinated by the Office of Science and Technology Policy within the Executive Office of the President. — PTI

Maoists in Nepal agree to join House

Kathmandu, December 24
Nepal's sulking Maoist party today agreed to join the recently elected Constituent Assembly (CA), ending months of political turmoil to pave the way for a new government and drafting of a fresh Constitution.

The Nepali Congress, the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) and the United Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (UCPN-M) agreed on a four-point accord.

The new agreement includes the formation of a parliamentary board to look into alleged poll rigging, a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to investigate atrocities committed by state forces and former rebels during the civil war, UCPN-M leader Narayan Kaji Shrestha said.

The agreement does not mention who will head the probe into the rigging allegations. The Maoists have been demanding that party chief Prachanda should be made the permanent head of the mechanism.

With this agreement in place, the parties are likely to request the Election Commission once again to extend the deadline to submit the final name lists of their candidates under the Proportional Representation category of the CA. — PTI

Thai anti-govt protesters warned of arrest

Bangkok, December 24
Thailand's leading anti-government protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban and 37 supporters were today warned they would face arrest if they do not acknowledge charges against them, including creating chaos and libelling representatives of foreign countries.

Department of Special Investigation (DSI) said it will seek the Criminal Court's approval to arrest and detain Suthep and 37 members of the People's Democratic Reform Committee if they fail to report as summoned.

DSI chief Tarit Pengdit said an arrest warrant for Suthep had already been issued while 37 core protesters have been summoned to acknowledge charges against. — PTI

Fresh protest in Bangladesh

Dhaka, December 24
Bangladesh's main opposition BNP party chief Khaleda Zia today asked people across the country to march to the capital on December 29 to force the Awami League-led government to scrap the January 5 polls.

Warning the government not to create any obstacles for the movement she dubbed the "March for Democracy", Zia said the upcoming general election "could be the last nail in the coffin of democracy". The BNP is boycotting the polls and political violence during nationwide strikes and blockades enforced by an opposition alliance have left over 100 people dead and crippled the economy. — PTI