The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	HK govt may resume on Monday ON BOIL: Big pro-democracy rally defiant, critical of earlier violence Hong Kong, October 4 Hong Kong pro-democracy protest leaders said they would unblock access to government buildings to allow civil servants to go back to work next week, but defied calls from the Chinese-controlled city's leaders to end their demonstrations. Tens of thousands of protesters have staged sit-ins across Hong Kong over the past week, demanding the city's pro-Beijing leader Leung Chun-ying step down and calling on China to reverse its decision to select the candidates for the city's 2017 leadership election. Leung has warned that the situation, which has seen the worst unrest in Hong Kong since the former British colony was handed back to Chinese rule in 1997, could get "out of control, causing serious consequence to public safety and social order". In a statement on local television on Saturday, he said "the most urgent thing" was to clear access to the government headquarters on Monday "so 3,000 government staff can go to work normally and serve citizens". Addressing a mass rally late on Saturday, Benny Tai, a leader of the "Occupy Central" movement, said protesters who have blocked off key parts of the city would allow government officials to return to work. "We only target CY (Leung), not other government officials. By opening a route, CY will have no reason or excuse to clear our occupation and spread foul rumours," he told thousands of mainly young protesters holding smartphone torchlights aloft. Some were critical of the clashes that erupted late on Friday with supporters of the city's pro-Beijing government the crowded, working class neighbourhood of Mong Kok, and vowed to keep up their demands for democracy. "How long will we stay? Until we win this war," Jericho Li, a 19-year-old student, told Reuters. "I don't think we will leave. All the people here are ready (for the consequences)." Others at the rally at Admiralty, at the heart of Hong Kong's government district, agreed. Dunhill Lam, a 22-year-old TV production assistant and filmmaker, said the crowd was too big for the police to clear. "Our freedom to vote, to choose who we want to be our leader, to live our lifestyle, is worth it. We're all afraid of tear gas or that the Chinese army will come out, but we're like slaves of China. That's why we fight for our freedom," he said. The protests brought much of Hong Kong to a standstill during what is traditionally a busy week-long shopping holiday. Many residents now want the protests to end or to move elsewhere so that workers, schools and civil servants can return to normal. — Reuters China’s warning: ‘Illegal’ protests can cause havoc * Terming the volatile pro-democracy demonstrations in Hong Kong "illegal", China on Saturday warned the protests would end up creating havoc as it launched a media campaign highlighting economic losses in the former British colony. * Democracy and the rule of law are interdependent, and a democracy without the rule of law will only bring havoc, said a new commentary in People's Daily, a mouthpiece of China's ruling Communist Party. * In recent days, protests have been staged in Hong Kong in the name of seeking "real universal suffrage," causing traffic jams, fewer tourists, the stock market plunging and the suspension of schools and stores. * “All these chaotic scenes have caused worries and irritation among Hong Kong citizens,” excerpts of a commentary carried by state-run Xinhua news agency said ‘Democracy Dogs’ add bite to protests Dogs added additional bite to the on going pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong as the demonstrators blocking the central part of the city for about a week brought their pets into the agitation fondly calling them “democracy dogs”. The dogs added colour and banter to otherwise tense week-long Occupy Central agitation by thousands of youth and students which was marred by confrontation with the police who used pepper spray and tear gas. “Democracy dogs” also made an appearance in Mong Kok, drawing large crowds hoping for a photo opportunity.
	Brazil chooses its President today Brasilia, October 4 Pro-business candidate Aecio Neves has overtaken environmentalist Marina Silva in voter support ahead of Sunday's election and would face President Dilma Rousseff in a likely second-round runoff, a new poll showed on Saturday. Rousseff would win the runoff by 46 per cent of the votes against 40.8 per cent for Neves, the survey by polling firm MDA said. In first-round voting, leftist incumbent Rousseff has 40.6 per cent voter support, and Neves has moved into second place with 24 per cent, ahead of Silva who is now third with 21.4 per cent. The difference between Neves and Silva is within the margin of error of the poll, but MDA said the trend was firm because Neves' rejection numbers have come down markedly. The polling firm projects that the presidential election will be decided in a runoff between Rousseff and Neves. If no candidate wins an outright majority as expected in the first round on Sunday, the election will be go to a runoff between the top two vote-getters on October 26. The MDA poll commissioned by the transport industry lobby CNT surveyed 2,002 people between Thursday and Friday and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.2 percentage points. — Reuters Opinion poll Dilma Rousseff would win the runoff by 46 per cent of the votes against 40.8 per cent for Aecio Neves, the survey by polling firm MDA said. Marina Silva is trailing at third position.
	North Korea’s No 2 visits South for rare talks Seoul, October 4 North Korea's presumptive No 2 and other members of Pyongyang's inner circle met with South Korean officials today in the rivals' highest level face-to-face talks in five years, a possible indication that both sides are interested in pursuing better ties after months of animosity. There appeared to be no major breakthrough from the meeting that came as the North's delegation made a surprise visit to the close of the Asian Games in the South Korean port city of Incheon. But the countries agreed to hold another round of talks between the end of October and the beginning of November, according to a South Korean statement. The specific topics of today's discussions weren't immediately known. Still, just the fact that North Koreans at the highest levels visited the South was significant, allowing valuable contact between confidants of North Korea's authoritarian leader and senior South Korean officials after a year that has seen a steady stream of insults between the divided neighbours and an unusual number of North Korean missile and rocket test firings. — AP
	China test-fires 10,000-km range N- missile Beijing, October 4 China has test-fired an upgraded version of its 10,000-km range intercontinental ballistic missile which could reach most of the US and European cities, days ahead of its National Day on October 1 to demonstrate its nuclear capability. The People's Liberation Army (PLA) launched a Dongfeng-31B on September 25 from the Wuzhai Missile and Space Test Centre also known as the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre in Shanxi province, Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported quoting US media reports. The first flight test of an upgraded mobile intercontinental ballistic missile in the lead-up to National Day aimed to show the world that China was reinforcing its nuclear deterrent. — PTI
	US identifies 10 people at high risk to Ebola Houston, October 4 US health officials were monitoring 50 persons for Ebola exposure, 10 of whom are at "high risk" of the disease after close contact with the first diagnosed American patient. The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified 10 persons who had contact with Thomas Eric Duncan, America's first diagnosed case of Ebola. The CDC made contact with about 100 persons that had possible contact with Duncan, and narrowed to 50 the list of people it needs to monitor daily. The agency will continue to monitor all 50 of them for the full 21-day incubation period of the virus and see if they develop symptoms such as fever, aches, vomiting or diarrhoea. The CDC said none of the people under observation are currently sick. Late yesterday, four family members related to the Dallas Ebola patient were removed from their apartment, according to City of Dallas spokesperson Sana Syed. Cleanup effort is still ongoing. The family members are asymptomatic. Daily monitoring includes a temperature reading twice a day. The CDC has 10 disease control experts on the ground in Dallas in response to Duncan's Ebola diagnosis, confirmed Tuesday. — PTI
	Ebola casts pall over Eid holiday in West Africa Conakry, October 4 The raging Ebola outbreak that has killed more than 3,400 people in West Africa cast a pall today over celebrations in the region of Eid al-Adha, one of Islam's most important holidays. In Guinea, the day appeared almost as any other. The usual fields and squares where people gather to pray on the holiday were empty, as people heeded their government's warning to avoid large gatherings. People slaughtered their sheep the traditional rite of Eid in small groups at home, rather than at the usual large parties. Merchants complained that few people bought new clothes, as is typical for the holiday, called Tabaski in many parts of West Africa. "Look at how people are unkempt. Poorly dressed. Have you ever seen Tabaski celebration like this? I never have," said a 28-year-old who sells car parts in Conakry. In Sierra Leone, the United Council of Imams warned believers not to shake hands or embrace. It was a reminder that even on holidays, the Health Ministry's "ABC" guidelines Avoid Bodily Contact must be followed. Ebola spreads through contact with the bodily fluids of the sick, and with no licensed treatment available, the only way to stop an outbreak is to completely isolate those who are infected. — Reuters
	Jihadists pound key Syrian town after beheading Briton Mursitpinar (Turkey), Oct 4 Kurdish fighters supported by US led air strikes held back jihadists attacking a Syrian border town today, following an international outcry at the murder of a British hostage by the Islamic State group. Dozens of militants with the Islamic State (IS) organisation which has seized large parts of Syria and Iraq were reported killed in the latest coalition air raids. The dusty Syrian town of Kobane on the frontier with Turkey has become a key battleground between IS jihadists and their opponents, who include local Kurdish fighters as well as the United States and its allies. The US military said four air strikes hit the Kobane area overnight. Fighting raged Saturday as IS militants attempted to seize a strategic hilltop that would give them access to the town, activists said. Mortar rounds pounded the town as smoke rose above it, according to an AFP team on the Turkish side of the border. "The resistance is continuing. The danger has not yet been overcome," Sebahat Tuncel, a Kurdish member of Turkey's parliament, told reporters after visiting Kobane. Five jihadists were killed in American air raids near the town, as well as 30 more around Shadadi in northeastern Syria, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. IS militants fired at least 80 mortar rounds into Kobane, also known as Ain al-Arab, on yesterday. The fighting killed at least 10 Kurdish militia members, according to the Britain-based Observatory, which monitors the conflict. But activist Mustafa Ebdi said Kurdish fighters had been buoyed by their success at holding off the assault so far, noting that the jihadists had hoped to capture the town by Saturday for the Muslim Eid al-Adha festival. "So far they have failed to enter the town," Ebdi said. — AFP
	Conspiracy to derail democracy will fail: Nawaz Afzal Khan in Islamabad Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday said those creating hurdles in the development and progress of the country would not succeed in their designs adding that democracy would ultimately flourish. Addressing a gathering at the site of the development projects being undertaken in Murree, Nawaz Sharif expressed the confidence that his government would overcome all odds it faced at present and make Pakistan a welfare state. He said the hill resort would have a university of international standard, a modern hospital and improved water supply system. A large number of people gathered to see Nawaz Sharif when he visited the under-construction building of General Post Office on the Mall. The building is being restored to its original British era design of over 100 years old. Meanwhile, PPP co-chairman and former President Asif Ali Zardari has said that some people were trying to cash in on the current political crisis by holding large public meetings. In an obvious reference to PTI chief Imran Khan, who is attracting massive crowds at public rallies, Zardari said the people attends them to voice their resentment against the government than for any love of Imran Khan whose sit-in has flopped. Dismissing criticism that he and PM Sharif are projecting only dynastic politics, Zardari said his son Bilawal Bhutto Zardari was taking extreme risk by entering active politics.
	Facebook remark angers Malaysian Sikhs Kuala Lumpur, October 4 The Malaysian police are investigating reports lodged by members of the minority Sikh community against a Facebook user for allegedly posting an offensive comment against a Sikh religious figure. Lawyer Gurmukh Singh, who lodged the report, said the Facebook comment was in “bad taste and disrespectful”, and that the user should not have made such insensitive remarks. “We are a peaceful religion and live in harmony with other races and religions...But that does not give others permission to put us down,” he added. Deputy Superintendent M Gunalan said they were looking into the matter. Amarjit Singh Gill, the Secretary General of Ipoh state based Malaysia National Sikhs Movement, said: “Malaysia is a peaceful and harmonious country. We have grown to respect one another for so many years and it is shocking that you still get individuals making such derogatory and insulting remarks.” Muslim majority Malaysia has 60% Malays who are all Muslims, 25% ethnic Chinese who are mostly Christian or Buddhists, 8% ethnic Indians, a majority of who are Hindus. Reports say, around 230,000 Sikhs reside in Malaysia. — PTI
	AI flight grounded at Melbourne due to clogged toilets Melbourne, October 4 Air India’s spate of trouble with its Dreamliner fleets continued on Friday as the airline was forced to cancel its Melbourne-Delhi flight and delay the departure of its Singapore-Chennai service by over six hours. While the Melbourne-Delhi flight AI-301 had clogged toilets in the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and had to be grounded at the Australian city, the other aircraft of the same make, AI-347 developed technical trouble at Singapore and reached Chennai on Saturday evening, instead of its scheduled arrival time of 10.50 am, sources said. Many passengers of the Melbourne flight were given hotel accommodation, while some others were put on alternate flights after the cancellation, they said. The airline had to arrange a team of alternate crew members as the flight duty time limitation for those already on board had come to an end, the sources said. The recurrent problems with the Dreamliners is understood to have figured in the one-on-on meeting PM Narendra Modi had with Boeing CEO W James McNerney on September 29 in Washington. AI chairman Rohit Nandan was also in Washington during PM Modi’s meeting, after which McNerney said Boeing wanted to “accelerate engagement with India”. — PTI
	In a first, Swede gives birth after womb transplant Paris, October 4 A 36-year-old Swede has become the world’s first woman to give birth after receiving a womb transplant, doctors said today, describing the event as a breakthrough for infertile women. “It was breathtaking. I think all of us felt that,” surgeon Liza Johannesson said in a video supplied by her university. “It was like having your own child, actually, it was the same feeling. No one could really believe it.” The healthy baby boy was born last month at the University of Gothenburg’s hospital. Both mother and infant are doing well. Weighing 1.775 kg, the baby was born by Caesarean section at 31 weeks after the mother developed pre-eclampsia, a pregnancy condition, according to the medical journal The Lancet. Because of a genetic condition called Rokitansky syndrome, the new mother was born without a womb, although her ovaries were intact. The surgeons said the exploit smashes through the last major barrier of female infertility — the absence of a uterus as a result of heredity or surgical removal for medical reasons. “Absolute uterine factor infertility is the only major type of female infertility that is still viewed as untreatable,” they said in a paper published by the British journal. The replacement organ came from a woman (61), a close family friend who had been through menopause seven years earlier. The organ was transplanted in a 10-hour operation last year. The recipient underwent in-vitro fertilisation, in which eggs were harvested from her ovaries and fertilised using sperm from her partner, and then cryogenically preserved. — AFP