NEW YORK: American Express says it will cut 7,000 jobs, or about 10 per cent of its work force, as part of an effort to slash costs by $1.8 billion
in 2009.
The New York-based credit card issuer says it is also suspending management level salary increases next year and instituting a hiring freeze.
It plans to scale back investments in technology, marketing and business development and streamline costs tied to some rewards programs. It also expects to cut expenses for consulting and other professional services.
As a result, the company expects to take a restructuring charge of $240 million to $290 million in the fourth quarter.
American Express earlier this month reported a 24 per cent drop in third-quarter profit as cardholders restrained their spending.
Oil prices fall below $66
LONDON: Oil prices fell below $66 a barrel on Thursday after data showed the US economy shrinking in the last quarter.
Light, sweet crude for December delivery fell $1.83 to $65.67 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange by mid-afternoon in Europe. The contract rose $4.77 overnight to settle at $67.50. Oil prices have fallen about 54 per cent since peaking at nearly $150 a barrel in mid-July.
Oil prices had gained earlier on Thursday after the US Federal Reserve cut interest rates Wednesday to boost the world's largest economy. But figures from the US Commerce Department showed the economy jolted into reverse during the third quarter as Americans cut back on spending by the biggest amount in 28 years, the strongest signal yet the US has hurtled into recession.
Phil Flynn, analyst at Alaron Trading Corp., attributed the decline in oil prices Thursday to the weak reading in the broadest barometer of the nation's economic health, gross domestic product. It shrank at a 0.3 per cent annual rate in the July-September quarter.
``We were smacked with the short term reality that demand is just not going to be there,'' he said.
Even though GDP was not as bad as some analysts feared, Flynn said the number is subject to revision and the consumer readings in the report were awful with consumer spending reporting the first decline in 17 years and the biggest drop in 28 years.
``If the consumers are struggling that bad, the outlook for gasoline demand is not that strong,'' he said.
There are persistent concerns of a global economic recession, said David Moore, a commodities strategist at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia.
``It's possible we might see some more dips in prices in the very near term but in the longer run, by 2009, we expect oil prices to recover,'' he said.
Thursday's earlier gains were supported by the Fed's half point cut in its key interest rate to 1.0 per cent on Wednesday to stem the worst U.S. financial crisis in decades. Lower rates help an economy recover from a downturn, helping demand for oil recover.
The Fed also announced it will supply new lines of credit worth up to $30 billion to the central banks of South Korea, Brazil, Mexico and Singapore to shore up confidence and help deal with the global credit crisis.
Despite the interest rate cut, the Dow Jones industrial average, which soared nearly 900 points or 11 per cent Tuesday, fell 74.16 points or 0.8 per cent on Wednesday.
Some analysts said the drop partly reflected growing worries about whether the government's actions will be sufficient to avert a deep and prolonged recession.
In other Nymex trading, gasoline futures fell 6.35 cents to $1.47 a gallon, while heating oil gained 4.58 cents to fetch $1.96 a gallon. Natural gas for November delivery fell 14.2 cents to $6.636 per 1,000 cubic feet.
In London, December Brent crude rose $2.03 to $63.44 a barrel on the ICE Futures exchange.
Light, sweet crude for December delivery fell $1.83 to $65.67 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange by mid-afternoon in Europe. The contract rose $4.77 overnight to settle at $67.50. Oil prices have fallen about 54 per cent since peaking at nearly $150 a barrel in mid-July.
Oil prices had gained earlier on Thursday after the US Federal Reserve cut interest rates Wednesday to boost the world's largest economy. But figures from the US Commerce Department showed the economy jolted into reverse during the third quarter as Americans cut back on spending by the biggest amount in 28 years, the strongest signal yet the US has hurtled into recession.
Phil Flynn, analyst at Alaron Trading Corp., attributed the decline in oil prices Thursday to the weak reading in the broadest barometer of the nation's economic health, gross domestic product. It shrank at a 0.3 per cent annual rate in the July-September quarter.
``We were smacked with the short term reality that demand is just not going to be there,'' he said.
Even though GDP was not as bad as some analysts feared, Flynn said the number is subject to revision and the consumer readings in the report were awful with consumer spending reporting the first decline in 17 years and the biggest drop in 28 years.
``If the consumers are struggling that bad, the outlook for gasoline demand is not that strong,'' he said.
There are persistent concerns of a global economic recession, said David Moore, a commodities strategist at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia.
``It's possible we might see some more dips in prices in the very near term but in the longer run, by 2009, we expect oil prices to recover,'' he said.
Thursday's earlier gains were supported by the Fed's half point cut in its key interest rate to 1.0 per cent on Wednesday to stem the worst U.S. financial crisis in decades. Lower rates help an economy recover from a downturn, helping demand for oil recover.
The Fed also announced it will supply new lines of credit worth up to $30 billion to the central banks of South Korea, Brazil, Mexico and Singapore to shore up confidence and help deal with the global credit crisis.
Despite the interest rate cut, the Dow Jones industrial average, which soared nearly 900 points or 11 per cent Tuesday, fell 74.16 points or 0.8 per cent on Wednesday.
Some analysts said the drop partly reflected growing worries about whether the government's actions will be sufficient to avert a deep and prolonged recession.
In other Nymex trading, gasoline futures fell 6.35 cents to $1.47 a gallon, while heating oil gained 4.58 cents to fetch $1.96 a gallon. Natural gas for November delivery fell 14.2 cents to $6.636 per 1,000 cubic feet.
In London, December Brent crude rose $2.03 to $63.44 a barrel on the ICE Futures exchange.
Japanese mom confined daughter for 8 years
TOKYO: A Japanese girl was held captive at home for eight years by her mother, officials revealed for the first time Thursday, acknowledging that
authorities repeatedly missed the abuse despite several warning signs.
The girl was first locked away in 1998 — when she was just 11 — and kept in confinement until 2006, when she was rescued after a neighbour reported possible abuse, officials in northern Sapporo city said.
Officials had planned to keep the case from the public to protect her privacy, Sapporo official Hisashi Okada said. But after it was reported in local media on Thursday, the officials gave a news conference.
Okada said the victim, now 21 years old, has lost all memory of the confinement — a typical symptom of trauma — but that the abuse has left its mark, and she is still undergoing rehabilitation. Among the effects of the abuse are intellectual disabilities: The woman only has the reading ability of a 6-year-old.
Okada said on Thursday that authorities missed several opportunities to catch the abuse.
``Regrettably, we had repeatedly missed important signs, even though we had a feeling that something was wrong with the family,'' Okada said. ``We should have taken another look and gone a step further.''
The mother started pulling her daughter out of school in her third year of elementary school. In the sixth grade, she attended only one day of school and just two the following year. In 2000, she stopped attending altogether. But teachers did not suspect abuse.
School officials contacted the mother by phone and arranged house visits, Okada said, but the woman never let them see her daughter.
At the behest of city officials, the girl — by then a young woman of 19 — was finally rescued by her father and other relatives in August 2006, when a neighbor reported hearing yelling and hitting coming from the home.
She was found sitting against the wall inside a room, unable to talk or stand, despite having no obvious injuries, Okada said. She did not show signs of malnutrition either. No other details were given of her condition.
Kazunaga Shibata, director of the city's juvenile center, said she is considered a victim of neglect, rather than physical abuse.
Authorities have not pursued criminal charges against the woman's parents. But her mother has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and hospitalized.
The victim's father, who separated from his wife in 2004, contacted city officials several times but consultations only focused on his wife's mental state, Okada said.
Child abuse is a growing problem in Japan, where the number of cases rose to a new record high of more than 40,000 in the year through March, nearly a 10 percent jump from the previous year, according to the health ministry.
Government efforts to fight abuse have been hindered because children were long considered the belongings of their parents, who often justified the use of violence as discipline.
Child abuse has grabbed headlines in recent years with several shocking cases. Last year police arrested a mother whose 3-year-old son died after she allegedly forced him to swallow large amounts of hot red pepper.
authorities repeatedly missed the abuse despite several warning signs.
The girl was first locked away in 1998 — when she was just 11 — and kept in confinement until 2006, when she was rescued after a neighbour reported possible abuse, officials in northern Sapporo city said.
Officials had planned to keep the case from the public to protect her privacy, Sapporo official Hisashi Okada said. But after it was reported in local media on Thursday, the officials gave a news conference.
Okada said the victim, now 21 years old, has lost all memory of the confinement — a typical symptom of trauma — but that the abuse has left its mark, and she is still undergoing rehabilitation. Among the effects of the abuse are intellectual disabilities: The woman only has the reading ability of a 6-year-old.
Okada said on Thursday that authorities missed several opportunities to catch the abuse.
``Regrettably, we had repeatedly missed important signs, even though we had a feeling that something was wrong with the family,'' Okada said. ``We should have taken another look and gone a step further.''
The mother started pulling her daughter out of school in her third year of elementary school. In the sixth grade, she attended only one day of school and just two the following year. In 2000, she stopped attending altogether. But teachers did not suspect abuse.
School officials contacted the mother by phone and arranged house visits, Okada said, but the woman never let them see her daughter.
At the behest of city officials, the girl — by then a young woman of 19 — was finally rescued by her father and other relatives in August 2006, when a neighbor reported hearing yelling and hitting coming from the home.
She was found sitting against the wall inside a room, unable to talk or stand, despite having no obvious injuries, Okada said. She did not show signs of malnutrition either. No other details were given of her condition.
Kazunaga Shibata, director of the city's juvenile center, said she is considered a victim of neglect, rather than physical abuse.
Authorities have not pursued criminal charges against the woman's parents. But her mother has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and hospitalized.
The victim's father, who separated from his wife in 2004, contacted city officials several times but consultations only focused on his wife's mental state, Okada said.
Child abuse is a growing problem in Japan, where the number of cases rose to a new record high of more than 40,000 in the year through March, nearly a 10 percent jump from the previous year, according to the health ministry.
Government efforts to fight abuse have been hindered because children were long considered the belongings of their parents, who often justified the use of violence as discipline.
Child abuse has grabbed headlines in recent years with several shocking cases. Last year police arrested a mother whose 3-year-old son died after she allegedly forced him to swallow large amounts of hot red pepper.
Shanghai launches fisheries' inspection fearing melamine contamination
BEIJING: Shanghai city authorities have launched a massive inspection in the fisheries industry out of fear that melamine contamination may spread
to the seafood industry. Melamine, a plastic industry chemical, has been found in milk and eggs in China resulting in wide-spread panic among consumers.
Shanghai's Livestock Office today announced that its inspection programme will cover more than 100 feed producers. It will launch more detailed investigations into the quality of seafood if the feed given to fish is found to be contaminated with melamine.
Investigations into quality of eggs have revealed that the toxic chemical is present in the products of several poultry farms. Egg contamination came to light after health authorities in Hong Kong said on Monday that have found melamine in eggs supplied by one of the major hatcheries. But subsequent investigations showed that the problem exists in eggs produced by four different companies selling under different brands.
Meanwhile, the State media reported that a local government in northeast China has banned the media from publishing reports about the discovery of melamine-tainted eggs for weeks until the matter was exposed in Hong Kong late last week. The suppression of information has resulted in delay in official action to stop the spread of the contamination, sources said.
The discovery was made by the animal sanitation inspection department of Liaoning province, which was investigating the quality of animal feed produced by a local company, Mingxing Feed Company.
Melamine is believed to cause kidney stones in people who consume it beyond the permissible limits.
Melamine poisoning of milk has resulted in illness of over 50,000 infants and death to four of them in China so far. Melamine was used as adulteration material in order to boost the protein content of milk. However, eggs contaminated by melamine have not caused any reported illnesses so far.
Industry sources said that use of melamine, which was banned by a government order last year, is widespread in China. It is used in feed given to cows, sheep, poultry, pigs and fish. Even soft-shelled turtles and eels are also on the list, especially in southern China.
Use of melamine helps producers of animal feed enhance its protein content and dramatically boost profits, sources said. An important question in whether there has been any inspection on this matter
to the seafood industry. Melamine, a plastic industry chemical, has been found in milk and eggs in China resulting in wide-spread panic among consumers.
Shanghai's Livestock Office today announced that its inspection programme will cover more than 100 feed producers. It will launch more detailed investigations into the quality of seafood if the feed given to fish is found to be contaminated with melamine.
Investigations into quality of eggs have revealed that the toxic chemical is present in the products of several poultry farms. Egg contamination came to light after health authorities in Hong Kong said on Monday that have found melamine in eggs supplied by one of the major hatcheries. But subsequent investigations showed that the problem exists in eggs produced by four different companies selling under different brands.
Meanwhile, the State media reported that a local government in northeast China has banned the media from publishing reports about the discovery of melamine-tainted eggs for weeks until the matter was exposed in Hong Kong late last week. The suppression of information has resulted in delay in official action to stop the spread of the contamination, sources said.
The discovery was made by the animal sanitation inspection department of Liaoning province, which was investigating the quality of animal feed produced by a local company, Mingxing Feed Company.
Melamine is believed to cause kidney stones in people who consume it beyond the permissible limits.
Melamine poisoning of milk has resulted in illness of over 50,000 infants and death to four of them in China so far. Melamine was used as adulteration material in order to boost the protein content of milk. However, eggs contaminated by melamine have not caused any reported illnesses so far.
Industry sources said that use of melamine, which was banned by a government order last year, is widespread in China. It is used in feed given to cows, sheep, poultry, pigs and fish. Even soft-shelled turtles and eels are also on the list, especially in southern China.
Use of melamine helps producers of animal feed enhance its protein content and dramatically boost profits, sources said. An important question in whether there has been any inspection on this matter
Nepal: Fresh tragedy brings Paras home
KATHMANDU: Three months after he left his homeland smarting under the abolition of monarchy and his shattered dreams of becoming the king of Nepal
some day, ousted crown prince Paras made a grim return to Kathmandu on Thursday, compelled by a fresh tragedy in the family.
“Only yesterday, he had refused to return from Singapore,” said Kishor Shrestha, editor of Nepali tabloid Jana Aastha, known for ferreting out skeletons in the former royals’ cupboards. “His wife, former crown princess Himani went to Singapore to persuade him to return and join the family for the ongoing festivities. But he refused and so on Wednesday, she returned alone.”
However, 24 hours later, the former playboy prince had returned to Kathmandu to head for Arryaghat at the famed temple of Pashupatinath, where Hindus perform the last rites for their dear departed. Like a bolt from the blue, Paras’s confidant and brother-in-law Abhinesh Shah passed away in the early hours of Thursday after a massive heart attack.
Shah, 32, was married to former princess Sitashma, Paras’s cousin. Sitashma is the daughter of the late prince Dhirendra, desposed king Gyanendra’s youngest brother. While Dhirendra died in the shootout in the royal palace in June 2001, less than six months later, Sitashma’s mother, princess Prekshya, had also perished in a helicopter crash in Nepal’s remote Mugu district.
Shrestha said Shah, who owned a health club and was planning to foray into real estate, had had a nose operation recently and was suffering from nerve as well as bone problems. He leaves behind his wife and a daughter.
Sitashma was married to Shah in 2003 with Gyanendra, then the omnipotent king of Nepal, giving away the bride.
On Thursday, the royal family came together again to pay their last respects to Shah and to watch his cremation at Arryaghat.
some day, ousted crown prince Paras made a grim return to Kathmandu on Thursday, compelled by a fresh tragedy in the family.
“Only yesterday, he had refused to return from Singapore,” said Kishor Shrestha, editor of Nepali tabloid Jana Aastha, known for ferreting out skeletons in the former royals’ cupboards. “His wife, former crown princess Himani went to Singapore to persuade him to return and join the family for the ongoing festivities. But he refused and so on Wednesday, she returned alone.”
However, 24 hours later, the former playboy prince had returned to Kathmandu to head for Arryaghat at the famed temple of Pashupatinath, where Hindus perform the last rites for their dear departed. Like a bolt from the blue, Paras’s confidant and brother-in-law Abhinesh Shah passed away in the early hours of Thursday after a massive heart attack.
Shah, 32, was married to former princess Sitashma, Paras’s cousin. Sitashma is the daughter of the late prince Dhirendra, desposed king Gyanendra’s youngest brother. While Dhirendra died in the shootout in the royal palace in June 2001, less than six months later, Sitashma’s mother, princess Prekshya, had also perished in a helicopter crash in Nepal’s remote Mugu district.
Shrestha said Shah, who owned a health club and was planning to foray into real estate, had had a nose operation recently and was suffering from nerve as well as bone problems. He leaves behind his wife and a daughter.
Sitashma was married to Shah in 2003 with Gyanendra, then the omnipotent king of Nepal, giving away the bride.
On Thursday, the royal family came together again to pay their last respects to Shah and to watch his cremation at Arryaghat.
UN votes to lift US embargo on Cuba
UNITED NATIONS: The UN General Assembly on Wednesday voted overwhelmingly for the 17th year in a row in favour of lifting the 46-year-old US trade
embargo on communist-ruled Cuba, as Havana hoped for improved ties with a new US administration.
Some 185 of the assembly's 192 members approved a resolution, which reiterated a "call upon all states to refrain from promulgating and applying laws and measures (such as those in the US embargo) in conformity with their obligations under the Charter of the United Nations and international law."
The United States, Israel and Palau voted against the resolution, while Micronesia and the Marshall Islands abstained.
As in previous years, the assembly urged "states that have and continue to apply such laws and measures to take the necessary steps to repeal or invalidate them as soon as possible in accordance with their legal regime."
The margin of support for ending the embargo has grown steadily since 1992, when 59 countries voted in favour of the resolution. The figure was 179 in 2004, 182 in 2005 and 184 in 2007.
Ronald Godard, the US State Department's senior advisor for Latin American affairs, defended the embargo and blamed the communist regime in Havana for Cuba's woes.
"The real reason the Cuban economy is in terrible condition and that so many Cubans remain mired in poverty is that Cuba's regime continues to deny its people their basic human and economic rights," he told the General Assembly.
Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque welcomed the assembly vote but also looked ahead to future US-Cuba relations after next week's White House election between Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain.
The US economic, trade and financial sanctions were imposed 46 years ago following the failed Bay of Pigs invasion of the Caribbean island nation by US-backed Cuban exiles.
Noting that the US embargo is "older than Barack Obama and my entire generation," Perez Roque said the new US president "will have to decide whether to concede that the embargo is a failed policy which each time creates greater isolation and discredits his country or whether he continues, with obstinacy and cruelty, to try to wear out the Cuban people with hunger and diseases."
embargo on communist-ruled Cuba, as Havana hoped for improved ties with a new US administration.
Some 185 of the assembly's 192 members approved a resolution, which reiterated a "call upon all states to refrain from promulgating and applying laws and measures (such as those in the US embargo) in conformity with their obligations under the Charter of the United Nations and international law."
The United States, Israel and Palau voted against the resolution, while Micronesia and the Marshall Islands abstained.
As in previous years, the assembly urged "states that have and continue to apply such laws and measures to take the necessary steps to repeal or invalidate them as soon as possible in accordance with their legal regime."
The margin of support for ending the embargo has grown steadily since 1992, when 59 countries voted in favour of the resolution. The figure was 179 in 2004, 182 in 2005 and 184 in 2007.
Ronald Godard, the US State Department's senior advisor for Latin American affairs, defended the embargo and blamed the communist regime in Havana for Cuba's woes.
"The real reason the Cuban economy is in terrible condition and that so many Cubans remain mired in poverty is that Cuba's regime continues to deny its people their basic human and economic rights," he told the General Assembly.
Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque welcomed the assembly vote but also looked ahead to future US-Cuba relations after next week's White House election between Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain.
The US economic, trade and financial sanctions were imposed 46 years ago following the failed Bay of Pigs invasion of the Caribbean island nation by US-backed Cuban exiles.
Noting that the US embargo is "older than Barack Obama and my entire generation," Perez Roque said the new US president "will have to decide whether to concede that the embargo is a failed policy which each time creates greater isolation and discredits his country or whether he continues, with obstinacy and cruelty, to try to wear out the Cuban people with hunger and diseases."
The Barack and Bill roadshow wows Dem partisans
WASHINGTON: Americans finally got to see the Bill and Barack show as Democrats surged towards a possible ideological makeover of the United States US Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama with former President Bill Clinton at a campaign rally in Kissimmee.
on the back of deep economic troubles.
Two of the most eloquent men in politics, both masters of the uplifting discourse, teamed up for the first time as the party began its final run to recapture the White House and establish a stranglehold on the national agenda for at least four more years. Their joint appearance in a Florida city with the appropriate sounding name of Kissimmee also set to rest speculation about a Clintonian pique at being sidelined or overshadowed.
With the youthful Obama gazing worshipfully at him -- suitably from the left -- Clinton lavished praise on the man who beat his wife for the Democratic nomination, saying he had examined his philosophy and plans for the country and they were worthy of support. "Folks," he told the typically partisan crowd, "we can't fool with this, our country hangs in the balance...this man should be our president."
A rapturous crowd of faithfuls in a state that Bush won dubiously in 2000 and more convincingly in 2004 responded with enthusiasm, as Clinton made one of the most understated points in the campaign – an important reason why a young mixed-race man looks set to become the president of the United States. The country’s ethnic and racial profile is changing, and it’s as much evident in Florida as in many states leaning towards Obama.
"Look at this crowd! It's not only big it is highly diverse," Clinton said, joking, "You've even got a few old gray headed white guys like me. You haven't shut my demographic out yet." Florida is also home to a significant senior population (many of them Jewish) who retire there for the warm weather. Obama maintains a slight 48-45 lead in the state and taking its 27 electoral votes will almost certainly finish McCain's hopes for victory.
Obama on his part was equally effusive about Clinton, calling him a great president and a statesman, and signaling that the wounds between them had healed. "We all wish the last eight years looked more like the Clinton years," he said, as they both milked the nostalgia of the boom years in America.
The Clinton-Obama love-fest came on a day the Democratic front-runner saturated the media with a half-hour infomercial aimed at assuring the American people, especially independents and skeptics, that he could be trusted for the White House. The $4 million supersized ad humanized Obama and cast him in a presidential setting, conveying vision, intelligence, and empathy. Pundits reckoned it wouldn't necessarily sway hardcore Republicans, but it would appeal to independents and energize Democratic partisans.
With less than 150 hours to go for Election Day, Obama and McCain also took to the airways through other channels, booking appearances in shows like Larry King Live (McCain) and Jon Stewart's Daily Show (Obama). They were careful to stick to their well-rehearsed script in the final few days of campaigning as polls continued to show Obama in the lead.
Obama took the opportunity to mock conservative charges of him being a socialist or communist, joking on the Daily Show that "they found proof that I was sharing toys with my friends when I was in kindergarten and that's clearly a sign of subversive activity."
While some polls showed a slight tightening of the race, others indicated that Obama had actually made advances in states hitherto seen as being toss-up or even leaning towards McCain, such as Georgia and Montana.
The surest sign that McCain was on the backfoot was the decision by his campaign to crank up robocalls and advertising in his own home state of Arizona which was written into his column. The enormous $ 600 million war chest that Obama has generated has enabled him to outspend McCain 4-to-1 in the final days, causing panic in the Republican camp. Some are hoping that there will actually be a backlash against such spending, but that doesn't seem to be happening since it is the electorate itself that is bankrolling Obama.
66 dead, 470 injured as 13 blasts rock Assam
GUWAHATI: In the deadliest terror attacks in Assam, 66 people were killed and about 470 injured in 13 near-simultaneous blasts in Guwahati and three An injured being rushed to hospital after a bomb blast at Ganeshguri in Guwahati, Assam. (PTI)
other towns on Thursday by suspected Bangladesh-based HuJi militants.
The first of the explosions went off at around 11.30 am near the Ganeshguri flyover near the high-security capital complex housing the assembly building, followed by explosions at Paltan Bazar and Fancy Bazar here--all within five minutes.
Around the same time, bombs also went off in crowded market places of Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon and Barpeta in lower Assam. Official sources put the toll at 66 dead and 470 injured.
Of the six blasts in Guwahati, RDX was used in two of the explosions, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said adding a special task force has been set up to unearth the conspiracy behind the blasts.
Black smoke billowed from the deputy commissioner's office housing the district courts, which bore the brunt of the attacks in Guwahati, as vehicles, including a number of cars, turned into mangled heaps of metal.
Police suspected that the bomb was planted in the court complex on a two-wheeler.
At least 33 people were killed in the blasts in Guwahati where an indefinite curfew was clamped following protests by residents, who accused the police of delayed action, official sources said.
Assam has witnessed massive ethnic violence since early 1980s and ULFA-sponsored insurgency but this is the first time that a terror attack in the form of serial blasts rocked the state in such a magnitude.
Bodies of the many of the dead were charred beyond recognition. The blast sites were stewn with severed limbs and blood of the victims.
A red alert has been sounded across the state and Army has also been put on alert in view of the security situation, he said after Gogoi held a review meeting with his cabinet colleagues and top officials.
Militant outfit ULFA denied its involvement in the blasts and IGP (Special Branch) Khagen Sharma said the needle of suspicion was towards jehadi An injured being rushed to hospital after a bomb blast at Ganeshguri in Guwahati, Assam. (PTI)
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elements including Bangladesh-based HuJI.
Nurse Anjana Saikia at the Guwahati Medical College Hospital, where 200 injured were admitted, went about doing her work in a state of daze changing saline bottles muttering that in 20 years of her career she had not seen so many people suffering such severe burn injuries.
Raju Balmiki, a sweeper in the hospital, said he carried several bodies to the mortuary but had not seen bodies so severly mutliated like this before.
A wailing Malti Devi, whose 22-year old vegetable seller son was missing from Ganeshguri area, could not identify any of the bodies as that of her son and was seen asking several people whether they had seen him or not.
Airport red tape strangles HIV+ Mizo girl's last wish
MANGALORE/KOLKATA: A 22-year-old HIV-positive Mizo girl — counting her last breaths — tried desperately to reach home to see her parents, but
airport red tape strangled her last wish. Mawii died at Kolkata airport on Tuesday after being turned away by Air India officials on Monday.
Mawii was being treated at Bangalore's Bowring Hospital and had taken a fit-to-fly certificate from there, said former Bangalore police commissioner and ex-MP H T Sangliana. But in Kolkata, AI officials wanted another fitness certificate when she tried to catch the connecting flight to Aizawl. "I tried to reason with the airline officials, but to no avail. I again got a medical fitness certificate and faxed it to them, but they still refused to relent," said Sangliana.
Mawii was booked on a Kolkata-Aizawl Kingfisher flight on Tuesday, but died before she could board the plane. AI officials maintained that they could not bend rules laid down by the Director General of Civil Aviation.
According to Sangliana, who had made Mawii's travel arrangements, she boarded a flight from Bangalore without hassle at 6 am on Monday. The connecting flight from Kolkata to Aizawl was at 11 am. But AI officials wanted a fitness certificate taken in Kolkata before she could board the flight. She went back disheartened.
On Tuesday morning, Mawii returned to take a Kingfisher flight. She was sitting in the domestic lounge, when she suddenly seem-ed to fall asleep. When she could not be roused, two family members called a doctor, who declared her dead. Her body was taken to Mizoram House and is likely to be flown to Aizawl on Wednesday morning.
AI officials in Kolkata said the wheelchair-bound woman was "fit" when she travelled from Bangalore to Kolkata but fell ill later on Monday morning. "Mawii had a through boarding pass and went to the security hold but fell ill. Doctors at Kolkata airport refused to issue her a fit-to-fly certificate and referred her to a nursing home. We took her to a private hospital, where she was advised to take admission. But her family refused and shifted her to Mizoram House instead," said a spokesperson.
He also claimed that Mawii possessed only a paper that stated "she is ill and be kindly permitted to fly". "It was not a valid certificate as the doctor's registration number was not mentioned. If she had to fly, a doctor should have accompanied her. We acted as per DGCA norms."
A Kingfisher Airlines official in Kolkata said Mawii's relatives had not declared that she was a patient. "If we had found her unwell during boarding, we would have demanded a fit-to-fly certificate as well," he said.
A furious Sangliana lashed out at the airline officials, saying it was "inhuman not to grant a person her last wish". "Now, the body has to be embalmed and sent to her parents, the cost of which they cannot afford. All these inconveniences could have been avoided if the officials had shown a little understanding," he said.
airport red tape strangled her last wish. Mawii died at Kolkata airport on Tuesday after being turned away by Air India officials on Monday.
Mawii was being treated at Bangalore's Bowring Hospital and had taken a fit-to-fly certificate from there, said former Bangalore police commissioner and ex-MP H T Sangliana. But in Kolkata, AI officials wanted another fitness certificate when she tried to catch the connecting flight to Aizawl. "I tried to reason with the airline officials, but to no avail. I again got a medical fitness certificate and faxed it to them, but they still refused to relent," said Sangliana.
Mawii was booked on a Kolkata-Aizawl Kingfisher flight on Tuesday, but died before she could board the plane. AI officials maintained that they could not bend rules laid down by the Director General of Civil Aviation.
According to Sangliana, who had made Mawii's travel arrangements, she boarded a flight from Bangalore without hassle at 6 am on Monday. The connecting flight from Kolkata to Aizawl was at 11 am. But AI officials wanted a fitness certificate taken in Kolkata before she could board the flight. She went back disheartened.
On Tuesday morning, Mawii returned to take a Kingfisher flight. She was sitting in the domestic lounge, when she suddenly seem-ed to fall asleep. When she could not be roused, two family members called a doctor, who declared her dead. Her body was taken to Mizoram House and is likely to be flown to Aizawl on Wednesday morning.
AI officials in Kolkata said the wheelchair-bound woman was "fit" when she travelled from Bangalore to Kolkata but fell ill later on Monday morning. "Mawii had a through boarding pass and went to the security hold but fell ill. Doctors at Kolkata airport refused to issue her a fit-to-fly certificate and referred her to a nursing home. We took her to a private hospital, where she was advised to take admission. But her family refused and shifted her to Mizoram House instead," said a spokesperson.
He also claimed that Mawii possessed only a paper that stated "she is ill and be kindly permitted to fly". "It was not a valid certificate as the doctor's registration number was not mentioned. If she had to fly, a doctor should have accompanied her. We acted as per DGCA norms."
A Kingfisher Airlines official in Kolkata said Mawii's relatives had not declared that she was a patient. "If we had found her unwell during boarding, we would have demanded a fit-to-fly certificate as well," he said.
A furious Sangliana lashed out at the airline officials, saying it was "inhuman not to grant a person her last wish". "Now, the body has to be embalmed and sent to her parents, the cost of which they cannot afford. All these inconveniences could have been avoided if the officials had shown a little understanding," he said.
Seven injured in northwest Delhi fire
NEW DELHI: Seven people were injured, including four firemen, when a major fire broke out in a slum cluster in Jehangirpuri area of northwest Delhi, fire brigade officials said. The fire broke out at around 10:30 last night, gutting several hutments, officials said.
The injured were admitted to Babu Jagjivan Ram Hospital, they said adding there were no reports of any death. According to the fire brigade officials, the firemen were injured in the stone-pelting by angry mob. Around 25 fire tenders were rushed to the spot to douse the fire, the officials said.
The fire broke out in the E-block of the locality which also houses a Delhi Jal Board office, they said. The cause of the fire is yet to be known, they added.
The injured were admitted to Babu Jagjivan Ram Hospital, they said adding there were no reports of any death. According to the fire brigade officials, the firemen were injured in the stone-pelting by angry mob. Around 25 fire tenders were rushed to the spot to douse the fire, the officials said.
The fire broke out in the E-block of the locality which also houses a Delhi Jal Board office, they said. The cause of the fire is yet to be known, they added.
Chartered plane crashes in Ludhiana; 2 pilots killed
CHANDIGARH: A six-seater aircraft of Punjab government crashed, killing its pilot and a co-pilot in Ludhiana district on Wednesday morning, police said.
"The C-90 aircraft had taken off from Chandigarh at 10:50am and crashed in Jugiana village before it could reach Sahnewal airport in Ludhiana," Ludhiana's police chief RK Jaiswal said over phone. Those killed have been identified as Manjit Singh Khokhar and co-pilot Dalip Singh Kataria, he said, adding they were the only two people on board the state government aircraft. The cause of the crash was not immediately known, Jaiswal said.
Senior district officials had reached the site of the accident.
"The C-90 aircraft had taken off from Chandigarh at 10:50am and crashed in Jugiana village before it could reach Sahnewal airport in Ludhiana," Ludhiana's police chief RK Jaiswal said over phone. Those killed have been identified as Manjit Singh Khokhar and co-pilot Dalip Singh Kataria, he said, adding they were the only two people on board the state government aircraft. The cause of the crash was not immediately known, Jaiswal said.
Senior district officials had reached the site of the accident.
Pay up your first SAS instalment in 60 days
BANGALORE: Quite in the manner of a Diwali gift, the Self Assessment Scheme (SAS) for property tax collection exclusively for Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) limits came into effect on Tuesday. An ordinance promulgated by governor Rameshwar Thakur allows BBMP to classify its jurisdiction into six zones based on guidance value published by the stamps and registration department.
Under the new scheme, property tax can be paid in two equal instalments. The first instalment should be paid before May 30 and the second by November 29 of each financial year. There is an option to pay the entire amount at one go. For the current financial year, the first instalment has to be paid within 60 days of the ordinance being promulgated. However, the government order specifies that for 2008-09, the first instalment must be paid within 60 days from the commencement of the ordinance (it has already been gazetted) and the second instalment within 30 days thereafter.
Tax calculation The ordinance allows insertion of new clause section 108A into the Karnataka Municipal Act which says: 'Tax being less than 20% and not more than 25% of the taxable annual value of a building, vacant land or both. The taxable part shall be calculated by multiplying the corresponding "unit area value" with the total built-up area of a building, vacant land or both for 10 months, minus depreciation at such rate, depending on the age of a building'. The 'Unit Area Value' is calculated by taking an average rate of expected returns from the property per sqft per month on the basis of the average market rate determined through mass appraisal method or real estate market information. BBMP will bring out a handbook which explains the salient features of the new system.
Valuation under the new SAS has been revised by 20% compared to previous rates. Other features include doubling the tax on vacant plots and 50% rebate for self-occupied residential properties.
Under the new scheme, property tax can be paid in two equal instalments. The first instalment should be paid before May 30 and the second by November 29 of each financial year. There is an option to pay the entire amount at one go. For the current financial year, the first instalment has to be paid within 60 days of the ordinance being promulgated. However, the government order specifies that for 2008-09, the first instalment must be paid within 60 days from the commencement of the ordinance (it has already been gazetted) and the second instalment within 30 days thereafter.
Tax calculation The ordinance allows insertion of new clause section 108A into the Karnataka Municipal Act which says: 'Tax being less than 20% and not more than 25% of the taxable annual value of a building, vacant land or both. The taxable part shall be calculated by multiplying the corresponding "unit area value" with the total built-up area of a building, vacant land or both for 10 months, minus depreciation at such rate, depending on the age of a building'. The 'Unit Area Value' is calculated by taking an average rate of expected returns from the property per sqft per month on the basis of the average market rate determined through mass appraisal method or real estate market information. BBMP will bring out a handbook which explains the salient features of the new system.
Valuation under the new SAS has been revised by 20% compared to previous rates. Other features include doubling the tax on vacant plots and 50% rebate for self-occupied residential properties.
Priest murdered on Diwali eve
BANGALORE: Diwali function at a temple near Anekal turned out to be gruesome, with the murder of the priest and theft of jewellery and money early on Monday. The incident happened at Bommandahalli village, where there are two temples. On Diwali eve, there were grand celebrations in the temples and the deities were decorated with gold and diamond ornaments. Since the festival was to continue for two more days, the expensive items were left on the idols. On Monday night, Kabbalamma temple priest Honnappa (65) locked the temple door and was sleeping inside. On hearing noise, Honnappa came out and tried to prevent the robbers. He was beaten to death by the gang, which made away with the jewellery and the hundi, where the offerings were made. Later, they went to Sadeshwara temple, broke it open and looted it.
Online money firm under lens
BANGALORE: After unregulated private finance companies, it is the turn of online finance firms which lure people with high returns, to come under police scanner. As a first step, police say they are keeping tabs on www.citylimozines.com, an online financial institute, which is offering 7.7 per cent interest per month.
They have written to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to ensure the institute is registered and also requested the CoD to probe the legitimacy of the company. Police commissioner Shankar M Bidari on Tuesday said preliminary inquiries showed that the online institute hadn't registered itself with RBI. "We have requested CoD DGP Ajai Kumar Singh to investigate so as to ensure investors' money is safe," he said.
The existence of the company came to light at a meeting with East zone police personnel. Officers said the institute was offering Rs 7,700 interest per month, for every Rs 1 lakh investment.
They have written to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to ensure the institute is registered and also requested the CoD to probe the legitimacy of the company. Police commissioner Shankar M Bidari on Tuesday said preliminary inquiries showed that the online institute hadn't registered itself with RBI. "We have requested CoD DGP Ajai Kumar Singh to investigate so as to ensure investors' money is safe," he said.
The existence of the company came to light at a meeting with East zone police personnel. Officers said the institute was offering Rs 7,700 interest per month, for every Rs 1 lakh investment.
India Inc may cut jobs by 25-30% soon: Assocham
NEW DELHI: After Diwali festivities, India Inc is set to show pink slips to 25-30 per cent employees in businesses like IT, aviation, steel, financial services, real estate, cement and construction as part of their cost-cutting measures, industry body Assocham has said. These seven sectors are no longer in a position to sustain their operations with existing manpower strength, Assocham said in its study on 'Jobs Scenario Post-Diwali.'
"HR heads of these sectors have drawn up conclusive plans to curtail their workforce by 25-30 per cent, announcements for which is likely in the next 10 days or so," Assocham president Sajjan Jindal said. Without naming the companies which would take this step, the chamber said the corporates have no other alternatives to sustain operations with squeezed margins after drastic cost-cutting measures like denying bonus and ex-gratia.
Placement agencies have already deferred their plans as crisis ridden sectors have stopped requisitioning about their human resource requirement in view of current meltdown and job seekers are well aware of this factor, which has created confidence crisis in most of them.
The chamber further said that the negative sentiments in the seven sectors could be turned into opportunities provided the Reserve Bank discontinues with its tight monetary policy and cut the interests rates by at least three per cent.
"HR heads of these sectors have drawn up conclusive plans to curtail their workforce by 25-30 per cent, announcements for which is likely in the next 10 days or so," Assocham president Sajjan Jindal said. Without naming the companies which would take this step, the chamber said the corporates have no other alternatives to sustain operations with squeezed margins after drastic cost-cutting measures like denying bonus and ex-gratia.
Placement agencies have already deferred their plans as crisis ridden sectors have stopped requisitioning about their human resource requirement in view of current meltdown and job seekers are well aware of this factor, which has created confidence crisis in most of them.
The chamber further said that the negative sentiments in the seven sectors could be turned into opportunities provided the Reserve Bank discontinues with its tight monetary policy and cut the interests rates by at least three per cent.
Pak rescuers pull 160 bodies out of quake rubble
KARACHI: Pakistani rescuers have pulled 160 bodies from the rubble of hundreds of mud-walled homes in Baluchistan province after a powerful Video grab of earthquake victims digging through rubble after an earthquake in Pakistan.More Pictures earthquake hit the area on Wednesday, a district government official said.
The US Geological Survey said a 6.4 magnitude quake hit 60 km (40 miles) northeast of the provincial capital, Quetta. Pakistan's Meteorological Department put the magnitude at 6.5 and said the quake struck at 5.10 am. (2310 GMT).
Many people were believed to be buried under rubble, officials said. Pakistan is no stranger to natural disasters. In October 2005, about 73,000 people were killed when a 7.6 magnitude quake hit northern mountains. Last year, the worst floods on record in Baluchistan killed hundreds.
The epicentre of Wednesday's quake was near the scenic valley of Ziarat, one of the main tourist spots in Baluchistan. "Our rescuers are still working but we've recovered 160 bodies from various villages in Ziarat," said the district's chief administrator, Dilawar Khan.
The quake injured scores of people and triggered landslides that destroyed about 1,500 houses and blocked roads. Rescuers were still trying to reach some remote places in mountains above the Ziarat valley, where many people were believed to be buried.
Ziarat district has a population of about 50,000. The army had sent helicopters and a medical team and paramilitary troops were also helping with the rescue, the military said.
Another senior official in Ziarat, Sohail-ur-Rehman, said authorities were scrambling to help about 12,000 homeless people and to bury the dead.
"Graves are being dug with excavators as we can't keep dead bodies in the open," Rehman said.
Five people had been killed in neighbouring Pishin district, to the north of Quetta, district government officials
said. "We were fast asleep when the tremor struck. We grabbed the children and ran outside. The earth continued shaking for more than a minute," said Habibullah, a resident of Pishin.
He said no one had been hurt in his neighbourhood, which was being hit by aftershocks. The head of a national disaster management team, Farooq Ahmed Khan, said about 300 rescue workers had reached Ziarat. Tents, blankets and clothing were being flown in.
Officials and hospital staff said scores of people had been injured, most when houses collapsed or in the panic when people rushed from their homes.
The Meteorological Department said two tremors had struck before dawn, the second one bigger than the first. Quetta resident Amjad Hussain said there had been panic in the city.
"There were two tremors, the second one was serious and people rushed out of their houses," Hussain said. In 1935, about 30,000 people were killed and Quetta was largely destroyed by a severe earthquake.
Large parts of south Asia are seismically active because a tectonic plate, known as the Indian plate, is pushing north into the Eurasian plate.
Baluchistan is Pakistan's largest province but its most thinly populated. It has the country's biggest reserves of
natural gas but there were no reports of damage to gas facilities.
10 booked for lynching UP man on Mumbai train
NEW DELHI: Government railway police have registered a case of rioting and murder against 10 to 12 unknown people a day after a 25-year-old labourer
from Uttar Pradesh was lynched on a Mumbai local train. Sketches of the assailants are being drawn based on witness accounts.
The Centre has demanded a probe into the incident with minister of state for home Shakeel Ahmed writing to the Maharashtra government to begin investigations. "We have asked the state govt to give a detailed report on the incident of lynching of a Uttar Pradesh labourer in Mumbai," he said.
A post-mortem report has revealed that Dharamdev Rai, a resident of Gauri Ghat in Uttar Pradesh’s Gorakhpur district, died of a punctured liver after being reportedly attacked by Marathi-speaking men.
"We have filed a case of rioting and murder against 10 to 12 unknown persons at the Karjat railway police station," A K Sharma, commissioner of the government railway police, said. "Some persons have been brought in for questioning at Karjat police station but no arrests have been made yet in the case," he added.
Following a telephonic conversation with union home minister Shivraj Patil, chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh said chief secretary Johny Joseph would probe the lynching of Dharamdev Rai.
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati has written to the home ministry demanding Central intervention, Times Now reported. She has also written to her Maharashtra counterpart Vilasrao Deshmukh.
Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh has condemned today’s attack and the recent shooting of Rahul Raj inside a BEST bus. "Raj Thackeray is nothing more than a criminal. He wants to outdo his uncle Bal Thackeray. There is competition between these two outfits and others are suffering..." he said.
Railway police commissioner Sharma has told TOI that Rai, who suffered no external injuries, had boarded a Mumbai-bound train at Khopoli station along with fellow workers Veerendra Ramgopal Rai, Satyaprakash Kaushal Rai and Shivkumar Verma who worked at the same factory in Khopoli. They were all heading back to Uttar Pradesh and were scheduled to board the Kushinagar express from Lokmanya Tilak Terminus at Kurla.
"The four north Indians were punched and kicked by the group. They alighted at Badlapur station where Rai was admitted to Dubey Hospital. He died two to three hours after his admission to the hospital," the commissioner said.
Asked if it was a hate attack, Sharma said: "The three who were accompanying Rai have said that the attackers were all speaking Marathi."
Verma told a private television channel that he and his three colleagues were quizzed by fellow passengers when they boarded the local train at 1.55pm with suitcases. "When the Marathi-speaking youths learnt that we were going to UP, they taunted us and angrily told us not to return. When we protested, we were humiliated and beaten up by the group which got off the train at Karjat station," he said.
After the attackers left, one of Rai’s colleagues rung up the Railway Protection Force (RPF) control number displayed inside the train. RPF officials then boarded the train at Badlapur and Rai was rushed to hospital.
from Uttar Pradesh was lynched on a Mumbai local train. Sketches of the assailants are being drawn based on witness accounts.
The Centre has demanded a probe into the incident with minister of state for home Shakeel Ahmed writing to the Maharashtra government to begin investigations. "We have asked the state govt to give a detailed report on the incident of lynching of a Uttar Pradesh labourer in Mumbai," he said.
A post-mortem report has revealed that Dharamdev Rai, a resident of Gauri Ghat in Uttar Pradesh’s Gorakhpur district, died of a punctured liver after being reportedly attacked by Marathi-speaking men.
"We have filed a case of rioting and murder against 10 to 12 unknown persons at the Karjat railway police station," A K Sharma, commissioner of the government railway police, said. "Some persons have been brought in for questioning at Karjat police station but no arrests have been made yet in the case," he added.
Following a telephonic conversation with union home minister Shivraj Patil, chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh said chief secretary Johny Joseph would probe the lynching of Dharamdev Rai.
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati has written to the home ministry demanding Central intervention, Times Now reported. She has also written to her Maharashtra counterpart Vilasrao Deshmukh.
Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh has condemned today’s attack and the recent shooting of Rahul Raj inside a BEST bus. "Raj Thackeray is nothing more than a criminal. He wants to outdo his uncle Bal Thackeray. There is competition between these two outfits and others are suffering..." he said.
Railway police commissioner Sharma has told TOI that Rai, who suffered no external injuries, had boarded a Mumbai-bound train at Khopoli station along with fellow workers Veerendra Ramgopal Rai, Satyaprakash Kaushal Rai and Shivkumar Verma who worked at the same factory in Khopoli. They were all heading back to Uttar Pradesh and were scheduled to board the Kushinagar express from Lokmanya Tilak Terminus at Kurla.
"The four north Indians were punched and kicked by the group. They alighted at Badlapur station where Rai was admitted to Dubey Hospital. He died two to three hours after his admission to the hospital," the commissioner said.
Asked if it was a hate attack, Sharma said: "The three who were accompanying Rai have said that the attackers were all speaking Marathi."
Verma told a private television channel that he and his three colleagues were quizzed by fellow passengers when they boarded the local train at 1.55pm with suitcases. "When the Marathi-speaking youths learnt that we were going to UP, they taunted us and angrily told us not to return. When we protested, we were humiliated and beaten up by the group which got off the train at Karjat station," he said.
After the attackers left, one of Rai’s colleagues rung up the Railway Protection Force (RPF) control number displayed inside the train. RPF officials then boarded the train at Badlapur and Rai was rushed to hospital.
Tigers accuse Lanka of shelling hospital
Colombo reassures Delhi of protecting Tamils
Afp, Colombo/ New Delhi
In this handout picture received from the Pro-Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) website Tamilnet, a man looks at damage to a hospital compound allegedly caused by Sri Lankan government forces' shelling in Kilinochchi on Saturday. Photo: AFP
Separatist Tamil Tigers yesterday accused Sri Lankan troops of shelling a hospital inside rebel-held territory, putting scores of patients at risk.
The report on a pro-Tiger website said at least five artillery shells fell close to the Kilinochchi hospital on Saturday, destroying part of its boundary wall.
"At least 170 patients, including 60 warded inpatients with the staff of the Kilinochchi hospital narrowly escaped Saturday evening an artillery attack launched by the Sri Lanka army," Tamil.net said.
The website, which released pictures it said were of the attack, said the hospital buildings were undamaged and that patients and staff had not been evacuated.
There was no immediate comment from Sri Lanka's defence ministry.
However, the ministry said troops fought pitched battles on Saturday as they moved closer to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam's (LTTE) political capital of Kilinochchi.
The ministry did not release details of troops wounded or killed in the battles. The defence ministry last week said it will not release casualty figures because of the "need for operational security."
According to a defence ministry map, government troops are about 10 to 15 kilometres (six to 10 miles) southwest of Kilinochchi.
Meanwhile, a senior Sri Lankan minister held talks on Sunday with the Indian foreign minister over the safety of the island nation's minority Tamils as its conflict with Tamil Tiger rebels escalates.
Sri Lanka's Tamils share close cultural and religious links with the 55 million Tamils in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
New Delhi has expressed concern over the conflict and legislators from Tamil Nadu threatened to resign unless the Indian government took action.
Basil Rajapakse, a top aide of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse, said he had held "very positive" talks with Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee.
Rajapakse told reporters after the meeting he had given India "every assurance" that Tamils' needs would be met.
India had used the talks to convey "its concern at the humanitarian situation" in northern Sri Lanka and had "emphasised the need for unhindered essential relief supplies," the Indian foreign ministry said in a statement.
Tens of thousands of people have died on both sides since the LTTE launched a military campaign in 1972 to carve out a homeland for minority Tamils.
US, EC sign MoU to protect Sundarbans environment
The United States government, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the European Commission (EC) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) yesterday to continue joint activities in the natural resources and protected area management sector in Bangladesh.
At a signing ceremony at the European Commission office, Ambassador Stefan Frowein, head of Delegation of the EC to Bangladesh and Denise Rollins, Mission Director of USAID Bangladesh, signed the MoU to facilitate work on collaborative natural resource and protected area management programmes in Bangladesh, particularly in the Sundarbans, in line with the government of Bangladesh's policy and programmes.
USAID and the EC will work together to implement and monitor progress of the Sundarbans Environmental and Livelihood Security Project (SEALS), with 7.5 million euro from the EC, and the Integrated Protected Area Co-management Project (IPAC), with a USAID project grant of US$15.5 million.
These five-year projects include the creation of various alternate income generation opportunities for people living in and around the Sundarbans and infrastructure rehabilitation in the cyclone Sidr-affected areas.
Other project activities include promoting conservation of the Sundarbans Reserve Forest, including the Sundarbans East, Sundarbans South, and Sundarbans West Wildlife Sanctuaries, and helping people living in these areas adapt to the impact of global climate change.
The US government has a long commitment to helping Bangladesh recover from disasters, escape from the unending cycle of poverty, and to strengthen its democracy, said a release. Through USAID, the US government's assistance to Bangladesh includes support for a return to democracy through free, fair and credible elections and more transparent and accountable governance, the release said.
US assistance to Bangladesh also helps to foster a better educated, healthier and more productive population, increase economic opportunities through equitable economic growth (including energy, private sector competitiveness and conservation), and enhance food security and improved disaster preparation and mitigation.
At a signing ceremony at the European Commission office, Ambassador Stefan Frowein, head of Delegation of the EC to Bangladesh and Denise Rollins, Mission Director of USAID Bangladesh, signed the MoU to facilitate work on collaborative natural resource and protected area management programmes in Bangladesh, particularly in the Sundarbans, in line with the government of Bangladesh's policy and programmes.
USAID and the EC will work together to implement and monitor progress of the Sundarbans Environmental and Livelihood Security Project (SEALS), with 7.5 million euro from the EC, and the Integrated Protected Area Co-management Project (IPAC), with a USAID project grant of US$15.5 million.
These five-year projects include the creation of various alternate income generation opportunities for people living in and around the Sundarbans and infrastructure rehabilitation in the cyclone Sidr-affected areas.
Other project activities include promoting conservation of the Sundarbans Reserve Forest, including the Sundarbans East, Sundarbans South, and Sundarbans West Wildlife Sanctuaries, and helping people living in these areas adapt to the impact of global climate change.
The US government has a long commitment to helping Bangladesh recover from disasters, escape from the unending cycle of poverty, and to strengthen its democracy, said a release. Through USAID, the US government's assistance to Bangladesh includes support for a return to democracy through free, fair and credible elections and more transparent and accountable governance, the release said.
US assistance to Bangladesh also helps to foster a better educated, healthier and more productive population, increase economic opportunities through equitable economic growth (including energy, private sector competitiveness and conservation), and enhance food security and improved disaster preparation and mitigation.
City commuters to pay same fare as before
The fare of CNG-run buses is unlikely to come down despite cuts in fuel prices, meaning that most commuters in cities Dhaka and Chittagong will have to pay the same as before, operators said yesterday.But the fare of diesel-driven buses will decline according to a government decision yesterday.“The majority of town-service buses in Dhaka are driven by CNG.
If the price of CNG is not reduced, it is unlikely that the CNG fare will decline,” said Harun-ur Rashid Bhuiyan, director of Trans Millennium, a bus-service provider that operates on the Motijheel-Nabinagar route.According to officials of Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), about 5,000 buses now operate in the capital, with over 80 percent running on CNG.Bhuiyan's remark came as the government slashed the fare of diesel-run inter-district and long-haul buses by Tk 0.07 each kilometre in line with its cut in fuel prices.
The reduction in fuel prices -- by 10 percent to 13 percent each litre -- came after a gradual slide in petroleum prices on the global market amid global recession fears.Declining demand for fuels in some countries such as India and China helped cut oil prices. Oil surged to a record high of $147 a barrel in July.From today, the price of each litre of diesel will be Tk 48, down from Tk 55. For petrol, it has come down to Tk 78 from Tk 87. Octane prices were reduced to Tk 80 from Tk 90, according to an announcement by the government yesterday.
The caretaker administration cut the fuel prices after raising the prices on June 30 to narrow down its burden of subsidy in the wake of surging oil prices on the world market.The hike also pushed the transport fares up from Tk 0.87 each kilometre to Tk 1.05 on average for long-haul buses.“We will cut the fare proportionately in line with the government move to reduce fuel prices,” said GM Siraj, chairman of Bus Truck Owners' Association.“We will make rate cuts effective soon.
"Commuters in Chittagong city are also expected to face the same charge as most buses are also driven by CNG.City bus operators in Chittagong said about 350 buses, out of 450 on the road, are CNG-run.
If the price of CNG is not reduced, it is unlikely that the CNG fare will decline,” said Harun-ur Rashid Bhuiyan, director of Trans Millennium, a bus-service provider that operates on the Motijheel-Nabinagar route.According to officials of Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), about 5,000 buses now operate in the capital, with over 80 percent running on CNG.Bhuiyan's remark came as the government slashed the fare of diesel-run inter-district and long-haul buses by Tk 0.07 each kilometre in line with its cut in fuel prices.
The reduction in fuel prices -- by 10 percent to 13 percent each litre -- came after a gradual slide in petroleum prices on the global market amid global recession fears.Declining demand for fuels in some countries such as India and China helped cut oil prices. Oil surged to a record high of $147 a barrel in July.From today, the price of each litre of diesel will be Tk 48, down from Tk 55. For petrol, it has come down to Tk 78 from Tk 87. Octane prices were reduced to Tk 80 from Tk 90, according to an announcement by the government yesterday.
The caretaker administration cut the fuel prices after raising the prices on June 30 to narrow down its burden of subsidy in the wake of surging oil prices on the world market.The hike also pushed the transport fares up from Tk 0.87 each kilometre to Tk 1.05 on average for long-haul buses.“We will cut the fare proportionately in line with the government move to reduce fuel prices,” said GM Siraj, chairman of Bus Truck Owners' Association.“We will make rate cuts effective soon.
"Commuters in Chittagong city are also expected to face the same charge as most buses are also driven by CNG.City bus operators in Chittagong said about 350 buses, out of 450 on the road, are CNG-run.
Fuel prices slashed by 10-13pc
Diesel-run transport fares also go downThe government has slashed petroleum prices by 10 to 13 percent following the recent drastic price fall in the global market.
In an announcement yesterday, chief adviser's special assistant for energy M Tamim said prices of per litre diesel and kerosene will come down to Tk 48 from Tk 55, petrol to Tk 78 from Tk 87 and octane to Tk 80 from Tk 90.
The new fuel prices effective from Sunday midnight will also reduce diesel-run transport fares by Tk 0.05 to Tk 0.07 per kilometre, he added.
"The petroleum prices have been reduced following fall of prices in the global market; it will be readjusted in the same way in future," said Dr M Tamim at a press conference after announcing the new petroleum prices.
The government increased petroleum prices by 35 percent on average in July this year as the fuel price in the global market hit record high $179 per barrel. But from September, the international petroleum prices began to go down and reached $61 as of yesterday.
Examining the global market trend, the government decided to readjust the fuel prices.
According to the new announcement, diesel and kerosene prices have been cut by 12.73 percent, petrol by 10.34 percent, and octane price slashed by 11.11 percent per litre.
Dr Tamim said the government has decided to review petroleum prices every three months and will provide subsidy for diesel and kerosene as usual.
The prices of octane and petrol will be adjusted based on imported price of Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC), he added.
The government allocated Tk 4,000 crore in the budget 2008-09 For subsidising diesel and kerosene. Dr Tamim said Tk 1,400 crore has been spent so far for subsidising fuel in the first quarter of this fiscal year.
On transport fares, Tamim said Bangladesh Road and Transport Authority (BRTA) has already met the bus owners' association and the new bus fares will be announced today or tomorrow.
The present government has so far adjusted petroleum prices three times. Since independence fuel prices have been adjusted 30 times -- cut four times and upped 26 times.
In 1986, petrol price was reduced to Tk 12.14 from Tk 14.67, and diesel and kerosene to Tk 6.71 from Tk 7.22.
The price of petrol was reduced drastically to Tk 7.51 from Tk 12.88 in 1990. The price was readjusted to Tk 14 the same year. In 1992, price of petrol was again reduced to Tk 13.7.
Later in 1994, diesel and kerosene prices were reduced to Tk 12.7 from Tk 13.7.
Cyclone Reshmi looms large
Depression-turned-storm now moves towards Khulna-Barisal coast; city life crippled by gales, rains
Launches remain stationary at Sadar Ghat in the capital yesterday as the government prevented them from operating in the inclement weather. Photo: STAR
The deep depression over the Bay of Bengal grew into Cyclone Reshmi yesterday, and was approaching the country's south-western coast with the possibility of making landfall by noon today.
According to the Met office, the storm has lost much of its strength for expansion. As of last evening, it was spinning over a radius of 250 kilometres. The wind speed at the core was ranging between 60 and 80 kms an hour.
A special warning issued by the Met office said the cyclone was about 460 kms west-southwest off Chittagong port, 435 kms west-southwest off Cox's Bazar and 280 kms southwest off Mongla port.
Moving north-northwesterly at up to 10 kms an hour, it might cross Khulna-Barisal coast in between morning and noon.
Talking to The Daily Star around midnight, weather officials said the chance of the storm gaining strength was little as it was already pretty close to the land.
They said hopefully there would be fewer casualties and minor damage as the Sundarbans might prove a bulwark too strong for Reshmi to wreak havoc.
As per the last release, the cautionary signal for maritime ports was raised to four from three at daytime. The river port authorities were asked to hoist signal number two.
It also said the storm may cause sea surges at least four feet higher than normal astronomical tides.
Besides, heavy rains were forecast to lash the country over the 24 hours that began at 5:00pm yesterday.
Many low-lying areas in Cox's Bazar, Chittagong, Noakhali, Laxmipur, Feni, Chandpur, Barguna, Patuakhali, Barisal, Bhola, Pirojpur, Jhalakathi, Bagerhat, Khulna and Satkhira might be flooded.
Cyclone Reshmi developed from a well-marked depression on the west-central and adjoining northwest Bay over the last three days.
Meanwhile, ceaseless gales and rains crippled life in the capital and elsewhere for the second consecutive day yesterday.
School- and office-goers suffered a lot as road conditions were awful due to rain. Vehicles were hard to find. CNG-run three-wheelers and rickshaws charged almost double their normal fares.
Many had to wait for hours by the roadside and at bus stop during the rush hours. For those who managed to get one it took way longer than usual to reach destination.
The day labourers were forced to stay indoors, and could not go for work for two days in a row.
Inland water transport service remained suspended for the inclement weather.
Mongla port officials said loading and offloading of cargoes were suspended throughout the day.
The warning for the fishing boats and trawlers to keep close to the coast and negotiate the sea cautiously remained in force as the Bay continued to be blustery.
Of 5,000 trawlers of Cox's Bazar, around 4,000 have already come ashore while the rest were due to reach by the evening, according to the Cox's Bazar Boat Owners' Association.
UNB reports: Three ships berthed at the Mongla port as the sea remained rough. Besides, hundreds of fishermen from Dublar Char, Kachikhali and other places in the Sundarbans took shelter near the port.
Our Barisal correspondent adds: If rain continues for a few more days, seedlings of winter vegetables in the region would be badly damaged. He was citing agriculture officials.
More than 40 thousand people in over 20 chars in Barguna district were marooned due to flooding caused by the rains in the last two days.
Abdul Barek Molla, union parishad chairman of Lata Chapli in Patuakhali district, said around 80 percent of the levees built to prevent saline water have been breached severely due to downpours.
Launches remain stationary at Sadar Ghat in the capital yesterday as the government prevented them from operating in the inclement weather. Photo: STAR
The deep depression over the Bay of Bengal grew into Cyclone Reshmi yesterday, and was approaching the country's south-western coast with the possibility of making landfall by noon today.
According to the Met office, the storm has lost much of its strength for expansion. As of last evening, it was spinning over a radius of 250 kilometres. The wind speed at the core was ranging between 60 and 80 kms an hour.
A special warning issued by the Met office said the cyclone was about 460 kms west-southwest off Chittagong port, 435 kms west-southwest off Cox's Bazar and 280 kms southwest off Mongla port.
Moving north-northwesterly at up to 10 kms an hour, it might cross Khulna-Barisal coast in between morning and noon.
Talking to The Daily Star around midnight, weather officials said the chance of the storm gaining strength was little as it was already pretty close to the land.
They said hopefully there would be fewer casualties and minor damage as the Sundarbans might prove a bulwark too strong for Reshmi to wreak havoc.
As per the last release, the cautionary signal for maritime ports was raised to four from three at daytime. The river port authorities were asked to hoist signal number two.
It also said the storm may cause sea surges at least four feet higher than normal astronomical tides.
Besides, heavy rains were forecast to lash the country over the 24 hours that began at 5:00pm yesterday.
Many low-lying areas in Cox's Bazar, Chittagong, Noakhali, Laxmipur, Feni, Chandpur, Barguna, Patuakhali, Barisal, Bhola, Pirojpur, Jhalakathi, Bagerhat, Khulna and Satkhira might be flooded.
Cyclone Reshmi developed from a well-marked depression on the west-central and adjoining northwest Bay over the last three days.
Meanwhile, ceaseless gales and rains crippled life in the capital and elsewhere for the second consecutive day yesterday.
School- and office-goers suffered a lot as road conditions were awful due to rain. Vehicles were hard to find. CNG-run three-wheelers and rickshaws charged almost double their normal fares.
Many had to wait for hours by the roadside and at bus stop during the rush hours. For those who managed to get one it took way longer than usual to reach destination.
The day labourers were forced to stay indoors, and could not go for work for two days in a row.
Inland water transport service remained suspended for the inclement weather.
Mongla port officials said loading and offloading of cargoes were suspended throughout the day.
The warning for the fishing boats and trawlers to keep close to the coast and negotiate the sea cautiously remained in force as the Bay continued to be blustery.
Of 5,000 trawlers of Cox's Bazar, around 4,000 have already come ashore while the rest were due to reach by the evening, according to the Cox's Bazar Boat Owners' Association.
UNB reports: Three ships berthed at the Mongla port as the sea remained rough. Besides, hundreds of fishermen from Dublar Char, Kachikhali and other places in the Sundarbans took shelter near the port.
Our Barisal correspondent adds: If rain continues for a few more days, seedlings of winter vegetables in the region would be badly damaged. He was citing agriculture officials.
More than 40 thousand people in over 20 chars in Barguna district were marooned due to flooding caused by the rains in the last two days.
Abdul Barek Molla, union parishad chairman of Lata Chapli in Patuakhali district, said around 80 percent of the levees built to prevent saline water have been breached severely due to downpours.
US starts training Pak forces how to fight Taliban, al-Qaeda
Ap, Islamabad
US special forces have begun teaching a Pakistani paramilitary unit how to fight the Taliban and al-Qaeda, hoping to strengthen a key front-line force as violence surges on both sides of the border with Afghanistan.
The sensitive mission puts rare American boots on the ground in a key theatre in the war against extremist groups, but it risks fanning anti-US sentiment among Pakistani Muslims already angry over suspected CIA missile attacks on militants in the same frontier region.
"The American special forces failed in Afghanistan and Iraq," said Ameerul Azim, an official in the hard-line Islamic party Jamaat-e-Islami. "Those who failed everywhere cannot train our people."
Despite such complaints, the training programme comes as some tribes in the frontier zone are setting up militias to help the Pakistani government combat extremist movements. The new forces have been compared to the Sunni Arab militias in Iraq that helped beat back the insurgency there.
Still, the US training programme is reportedly smaller than originally proposed and was delayed, apparently reflecting misgivings in Pakistan's government about allowing US troops on its territory.
Its start has not been officially announced. But Pakistani army officers confirmed Saturday that 32 Americans were training 116 senior personnel of the paramilitary Frontier Corps at an undisclosed location in the restive northwest, adjacent to Afghanistan.
US special forces have begun teaching a Pakistani paramilitary unit how to fight the Taliban and al-Qaeda, hoping to strengthen a key front-line force as violence surges on both sides of the border with Afghanistan.
The sensitive mission puts rare American boots on the ground in a key theatre in the war against extremist groups, but it risks fanning anti-US sentiment among Pakistani Muslims already angry over suspected CIA missile attacks on militants in the same frontier region.
"The American special forces failed in Afghanistan and Iraq," said Ameerul Azim, an official in the hard-line Islamic party Jamaat-e-Islami. "Those who failed everywhere cannot train our people."
Despite such complaints, the training programme comes as some tribes in the frontier zone are setting up militias to help the Pakistani government combat extremist movements. The new forces have been compared to the Sunni Arab militias in Iraq that helped beat back the insurgency there.
Still, the US training programme is reportedly smaller than originally proposed and was delayed, apparently reflecting misgivings in Pakistan's government about allowing US troops on its territory.
Its start has not been officially announced. But Pakistani army officers confirmed Saturday that 32 Americans were training 116 senior personnel of the paramilitary Frontier Corps at an undisclosed location in the restive northwest, adjacent to Afghanistan.
Tobacco cultivation expands in CHT
It reduces soil fertility, damages environment, replaces other crops: Occupied 2626 hectares of plain land last year against 2000 hectares in FY 2004-5A vast tobacco field in Dighinala upazila in Khagrachhari. Photo: Star File PhotoCommercial cultivation of tobacco is increasing in the three hill districts despite protests by environmentalists, damaging the environment, reducing soil fertility and occupying more and plain lands earlier used for growing rice and other crops.Besides, at least 30 to 40 thousand tonnes of firewood are burnt in about 2000 tobacco processing kilns (chulli) a year, depleting natural forests, environmentalists said. Over 2626 hectares of land were brought under tobacco cultivation in the three districts last year against 2000 hectares in 2004-2005 financial year, sources in Agriculture Extension Department (AED) said.
The area will increase in the coming season, they said. Last year's break-up areas under tobacco cultivation was 2312 hectares in Bandarban, 209 in Khagrachhari and 105 in Rangamati. Unofficial estimate will be much more, other sources said.Last year, total production was 5758 tonnes worth about Tk 100 crore, of which 5440 tonnes were produced in Bandarban, 209 in Khagrachhari and 109 in Rangamati.
Market price of a kilogram of tobacco is Tk 150 to Tk 200. Tow varieties --virginia and local variety are cultivated in CHT, AED sources said. Its cultivation starts in November.“We are discouraging farmers not to cultivate tobacco as it seriously affects soil fertility and environment,” an official in Rangamati AED told this correspondent seeking anonymity. Tobacco needs more fertiliser than other crops. At least 150 kilograms of fertilisers is applied per hectare and in addition, high-power pesticides like Diconal and DDT powder are used in tobacco farms, threatening public health and environment, he said.
Tobacco is normally cultivated on low-lying plain lands areas, occupying lands suitable for other crops. The sources said farmers are now virtually captive to tobacco companies who supply all inputs either in cash or in kind and buys the product. Some 7,000 farmers are involved in tobacco farming in CHT, AED sources said. Staffs of tobacco companies visit from door to door and woo farmers, assuring all support and buy back facility, some farmers told this correspondent.
Each farmer gets assistance worth Tk 7000 for 40 decimals lands to cultivate tobacco, an official of a tobacco company said. Contacted, Dewan Aminul Islam Nasim, assistant leaf officer of British American Tobacco in Khagrachhari said tobacco is a cash crop for farmers and its cultivation is not banned. Besides, BAT, there are six other companies involved with tobacco farrners. Pradip Chowdhury, convenor of Khagrachhari Paribesh Suraksha Andolan, said we are trying to motivate farmers against tobacco cultivation.
He said huge quantities of vegetables were produced in Dighinala and Mohalchhari ten years ago. Now tobacco has occupied a substantial portion of the lands.Md. Abu Daud, member of Bangladesh Paribesh Ainjibi Samity in Khagrachhari said green forests are shrinking as huge quantities of firewood are burnt in numerous tobacco processing kilns (chulli).Contacted, TM Monjurul Islam, Deputy Director of AED, in Khagrachhari said besides use of more fortiliser, tobacco keeps the land occupied for about 130 days as the companies buy the crop in phases. AED Deputy Director in Bandarban KM Lokman Hossain said roots of tobacco plants usually penetrate about 10 inches into the soil, which seriously affects fertility.
Roots of other crops normally does go beyond four inches into the soil, he added. “We are encouraging farmers to cultivate maize and wheat and giving them seeds”, he added. In Bandarban, tobacco is grown extensively in Ruma, Lama, Alikadam, Thanchi, Nikhyangchhari, Rowangchhari and Sadar upazilas. Kolabuniya, Gorosthan and Bhusionchhar in Barkal upazila and some areas in Longdu, Baghaichhari and Jurachhari are tobacco growing areas in Rangamati. In Khagrachhari, it is grown in Dighinala, Mainee valley, Panchhari, and Ramgarh.
The tobacco companies have already distributed seeds, fertiliser, polythene bags, pesticide and loans to their registered farmers, who have started preparing seed beds. Jagat Jyoti Chakma, chairman of Rangamati Hill District Council, farmers should be discouraged from tobacco cultivation. This can be done by giving more assistance for other crops.
Policymakers' ICT know-how key to e-govt
The government policymakers' ICT awareness and knowledge development are crucial for successful implementation of e-government in Bangladesh, according to a study.The four-year academic research styled 'e-Government for Bangladesh: A Strategic Pathway to Success' was launched on October 18 in Dhaka.The research work was funded by Australian government's AusAID Public Sector Linkage Program (PSLP) and conducted by National Centre for Information Systems Research of the Australian National University.
The study found that the highest number of its respondents (26 percent) identified 'lack of knowledge' about ICT among public sector stakeholders as the major hindrance to e-government adoption, followed by 'attitude and mindset', which was ranked as second important barrier.The research identified 11 major barriers to introducing e-government in the context of Bangladesh.
The other barriers include lack of political will and leadership, lack of planning and strategy, weak infrastructure, lack of expertise and professionals, bureaucratic business process, lack of laws and rules, lack of citizen demand, and lack of championship and model.In Bangladesh the issue of introducing e-commerce and e-government was talked about much in the last few years, but these are yet to take off to the right direction.E-government in general term implies the use of information and communication technology (ICT) to improve the operation of government and dissemination of government information and services.
"The traditional business process and piles of documents that we usually see at a government office could be eased if we start to reengineer some of the selected activities within government agencies by introducing e-government system," said Ahmed Imran, key author and the project manager of PSLP eGov Capacity Building.Imran said in the 21st century's globalised economic environment no government would be able to avoid the idea of e-government if it wants to survive as a modern government. "The letter 'e' of e-government will be irrelevant in future as every modern government will be essentially an e-government."
Now in Bangladesh there is a lack of integration and collaboration in work process between the various government agencies, which should improve inter and intra governmental services. "Often the government works as a collection of autonomous units rather than one synergistic system," he said. "This lack of collaboration between departments impedes networking procedures and efficiencies, which is critical for e-government to succeed."Imran and two of his research fellows -- Prof Shirley Gregory and Tim Turner -- presented their research findings and suggested strategies.About the top-down approach to educate the government officials and decision makers first, Imran said, “In a least developed country like Bangladesh we can't educate 150 million people overnight. But if we empower one decision maker with proper knowledge, sometimes it's equivalent to educating millions, as his one decision may impact millions of people."
"Unless the decision makers and government officials are adequately aware and convinced to embrace the new innovation like e-government, most advanced system is not likely to give the expected outcome.”About whether Bangladesh's bureaucracy is ready for adopting e-government system as holding files without any valid reason is often very common practice in government offices, Imran said perceptions are changing slowly among the decision makers, and some are very positive.
According to UN Global E-government Readiness Report-2008, Bangladesh improved its position from 162 to 142 among world's 192 countries.
Abducted Brac staff yet to be traced
Brac, Afghan govt make joint search
Staff Correspondent
Bangladeshi Brac employees Akhter Ali and Mohammad Shahjahan Ali, who were abducted in Afghanistan two days ago, are yet to be located.
There was no government move as of last night to expedite their release and Brac officials in Dhaka failed to say anything specific about their fate.
Unidentified gunmen abducted the two in Ghanzi province of Afghanistan Thursday afternoon.
Their family members said they went to the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (Brac) head office in Dhaka and tried to communicate with officials but none was available.
Shahjahan's only son, Sharif went to the Brac office but failed to get any information as yesterday was the weekend holiday.
“I came to Dhaka from Ghatail [in Tangail] today [yesterday] to know what actually happened to my father but there was none to tell me anything," he told The Daily Star.
Shahidul Haq, father of Akhter Ali, said, "We are really concerned about my son's fate." He said he along with his family is now in Dhaka to get information about Akhter.
Members of both families would go to the Brac office in Dhaka today in the hope of getting information about the latest developments.
Brac officials and Afghan authorities were making joint efforts to locate the two Brac employees, said officials in Dhaka yesterday.
They said telecommunication with Ghanzi province remains snapped for the last few days and this prevented them from having information of the latest developments regarding the kidnapping.
"Akhter and Shahjahan were abducted at gunpoint by four men from Brac Afghanistan's Moi Mobarok branch office in Ghazni City," said a Brac press release yesterday. They went to the office according to their regular office visit schedule.
The gunmen severely beat up manager of the branch office Hasmatullah, an Afghan national, said the press release issued by Zia Hashan, manager of Brac media affairs.
Akhter and Shahjahan have been working as area managers for the last three years in Ghazni, south-west of Afghan capital Kabul. Akhter hails from Ahmedpur of Boalia upazila in Rajshahi while Shahjahan is from Alamnagar under Gopalpur upazila in Tangail.
This is the third time Bangladeshi Brac officials have become victims of atrocities in Afghanistan. One Brac official was shot dead and another was kidnapped in September last year.
Afghan interior minister Hanif Atmar assured Brac officials of assistance when they contacted him and sought his cooperation Thursday night.
Brac Afghanistan authorities informed the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan and the Afghan Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development of the matter.
The Brac press release said a high-level team was sent to Ghazni from its Afghanistan head office in Kabul to gather information and to liaise with the Afghani authorities, including the governor and chief security officer of Ghazni province, to expedite their release.
Senior Brac officials will also meet Afghan Minister for Rural Rehabilitation and Development Ehsan Zia today.
Brac officials in the press release claimed that they have been communicating with the families of Akhter and Shahjahan to keep them informed of the latest situation and to provide all necessary support.
Our Kushtia correspondent reports: Akhter's family, who were living in Stadiumpara in the town, went to Dhaka Friday.
Akhter is married to Shamsunnahar and is the father of 11-year-old Nishat Anjum Oyishee. He moved to Afghanistan in November, 2005. He visited his family in April this year and was supposed to come home next month.
Ashraf Ali Palash, younger brother of Akhter, said that he talked to Kabul-based Brac official Akhteruzzaman over telephone. "He told me that the abducted officials are still alive and they might be released soon," said Palash.
Brac, the largest NGO in the world, has a huge network in Afghanistan with over 251 offices in the 24 provinces of the country. Around 4,300 Afghans and Bangladeshis are working there. Around 200 of them are Bangladeshis.
Since 2002, Brac has been working in Afghanistan with programmes like micro-credit for the poor and in sectors like health, education and empowerment of women.
The Taliban, which controlled Afghanistan until it was ousted by a US invasion in 2001, has been behind a string of abductions of Afghan and foreign nationals in the war-torn country. The Taliban have tried to use hostages to barter with the government. They have killed a number of hostages.
Staff Correspondent
Bangladeshi Brac employees Akhter Ali and Mohammad Shahjahan Ali, who were abducted in Afghanistan two days ago, are yet to be located.
There was no government move as of last night to expedite their release and Brac officials in Dhaka failed to say anything specific about their fate.
Unidentified gunmen abducted the two in Ghanzi province of Afghanistan Thursday afternoon.
Their family members said they went to the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (Brac) head office in Dhaka and tried to communicate with officials but none was available.
Shahjahan's only son, Sharif went to the Brac office but failed to get any information as yesterday was the weekend holiday.
“I came to Dhaka from Ghatail [in Tangail] today [yesterday] to know what actually happened to my father but there was none to tell me anything," he told The Daily Star.
Shahidul Haq, father of Akhter Ali, said, "We are really concerned about my son's fate." He said he along with his family is now in Dhaka to get information about Akhter.
Members of both families would go to the Brac office in Dhaka today in the hope of getting information about the latest developments.
Brac officials and Afghan authorities were making joint efforts to locate the two Brac employees, said officials in Dhaka yesterday.
They said telecommunication with Ghanzi province remains snapped for the last few days and this prevented them from having information of the latest developments regarding the kidnapping.
"Akhter and Shahjahan were abducted at gunpoint by four men from Brac Afghanistan's Moi Mobarok branch office in Ghazni City," said a Brac press release yesterday. They went to the office according to their regular office visit schedule.
The gunmen severely beat up manager of the branch office Hasmatullah, an Afghan national, said the press release issued by Zia Hashan, manager of Brac media affairs.
Akhter and Shahjahan have been working as area managers for the last three years in Ghazni, south-west of Afghan capital Kabul. Akhter hails from Ahmedpur of Boalia upazila in Rajshahi while Shahjahan is from Alamnagar under Gopalpur upazila in Tangail.
This is the third time Bangladeshi Brac officials have become victims of atrocities in Afghanistan. One Brac official was shot dead and another was kidnapped in September last year.
Afghan interior minister Hanif Atmar assured Brac officials of assistance when they contacted him and sought his cooperation Thursday night.
Brac Afghanistan authorities informed the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan and the Afghan Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development of the matter.
The Brac press release said a high-level team was sent to Ghazni from its Afghanistan head office in Kabul to gather information and to liaise with the Afghani authorities, including the governor and chief security officer of Ghazni province, to expedite their release.
Senior Brac officials will also meet Afghan Minister for Rural Rehabilitation and Development Ehsan Zia today.
Brac officials in the press release claimed that they have been communicating with the families of Akhter and Shahjahan to keep them informed of the latest situation and to provide all necessary support.
Our Kushtia correspondent reports: Akhter's family, who were living in Stadiumpara in the town, went to Dhaka Friday.
Akhter is married to Shamsunnahar and is the father of 11-year-old Nishat Anjum Oyishee. He moved to Afghanistan in November, 2005. He visited his family in April this year and was supposed to come home next month.
Ashraf Ali Palash, younger brother of Akhter, said that he talked to Kabul-based Brac official Akhteruzzaman over telephone. "He told me that the abducted officials are still alive and they might be released soon," said Palash.
Brac, the largest NGO in the world, has a huge network in Afghanistan with over 251 offices in the 24 provinces of the country. Around 4,300 Afghans and Bangladeshis are working there. Around 200 of them are Bangladeshis.
Since 2002, Brac has been working in Afghanistan with programmes like micro-credit for the poor and in sectors like health, education and empowerment of women.
The Taliban, which controlled Afghanistan until it was ousted by a US invasion in 2001, has been behind a string of abductions of Afghan and foreign nationals in the war-torn country. The Taliban have tried to use hostages to barter with the government. They have killed a number of hostages.
Parents toil in long queue for fresh milk
Blast govt role over the issuePeople start placing containers in queue at this dairy farm in Chankharpul as early as 4:00am to buy milk although sale begins at 8:00am. Controversy over melamine in powdered milk increased demand for fresh milk many folds. Photo:
Anisur RahmanFarzana Parvin was eagerly waiting in the corner of a dairy farm. Carrying her 19-month-old daughter Tumpa on her lap, she came here from Kayettuli about two hours ago.By the time she arrived more than one hundred plastic bottles were already lying on the floor in front of the manager's table.
"It'll take still more than an hour to get the milk," commented Farzana. Asked how long she has been buying milk from the farm, she said, "Just a few days when I heard about the poison in the powdered milk."If she buys one litre of milk at Tk 60, she can manage two days with that.More than one hundred people crowded into that small space to buy milk. Wearing black veil, Amena Begum came from Nazimuddin Road, Badrul Hossain from Azimpur, Suman from Chankharpool with more to join the queue.
The customers were different in age, profession, economic class and culture, but they all shared the same worry for their children. Everyone wanted risk-free fresh milk for their kids. Even a few days ago these people used to buy formula for their children. But the sudden outbreak of melamine fear forces them to turn their back on milk powder. As they realised the presence of a newsman among them, all of them suddenly started complaining about the role of the government on the issue.
Test results prove that the milk is adulterated, but the government is not taking any action against anyone, they said in anger."There are over 30 brands of milk powder on sale in Bangladesh. But the government is testing only eight. Though they found melamine in those brands, they just let the culprits go. And how could they be so sure there is no melamine in the other brands?" said Badrul Hossain.It was around 4:00pm. The farm-workers were busy washing the floor. Some were feeding the cows.
Milking will start soon. The farm authorities have put up a new signboard that reads, "Nobody is allowed to buy more than one litre at a time."The demand for liquid milk is increasing every day. The farm sold more than 200 litres in the morning and another 200 litres that afternoon.Some people even show up just after the morning prayers to queue up at the gate of the farm, which starts selling milk at 8:00am.
The owner of the farm located in Nimtali does not want publicity at all. "If you write the name and location of our farm, more people will come here. We are already struggling to meet the existing demand," he said. "We used to produce sweetmeats and yogurt with this milk. But now we are giving maximum priority on selling milk as it is very necessary for our young ones," the owner said requesting to remain unnamed.
Australia to reduce immigration permits
SYDNEY: A slowing economy may compel Australia to tighten its borders, Immigration Minister Chris Evans said on Sunday.
The nation's immigration will be reassessed by the government next month when the mid-year economic data is released. The global financial crisis has resulted in an increased interest in migrating to Australia, especially from Britain and New Zealand.
"I think the downturn in Great Britain over the last year or two has actually seen a renewed interest from Great Britain in people looking to migrate either temporarily or permanently," Evans told Channel Nine. "We are a global labour market these days, we compete for migrants with other countries and so changes in the global economic conditions will affect our migration programme and those who are seeking to come here," the minister said.
Meanwhile, opposition Liberal Party immigration spokeswoman Sharman Stone is urging the government to immediately scale down immigration intake by one quarter as a slowing economy is likely to increase unemployment. But Evan argued that migrants have a positive economic impact. "What we know is most migrants have better job outcomes than Australians locally. We know that they consume, they buy property and they're a net positive to the budget.
"So while it's easy to call for a slowdown in migration, there are actually very strong, positive economic impacts that come from migration, particularly if you are bringing in skills that allow you to build the economy. "And a lot of the skills that are coming in at the moment are in the mining sector, which has allowed us to increase our exports," the minister said, reports the Australian Associated Press (AAP) news agency.
The 2008-09 migration and humanitarian programme is expected to total 203,000 visa grants, with 133,500 allocated for skilled migrants, 56,500 places in the family stream and a further 13,500 places for refugee and humanitarian entrants. The opposition is urging the government to reduce the number to the 2005-2006 level of 142,930.
"The program was designed in the light of the forecasts for this year: strong economic growth, high inflation and a real skills' crisis," Evans said. "If those parameters are changing, the government will take a sober look at those issues and make a decision when we have got proper information."
The nation's immigration will be reassessed by the government next month when the mid-year economic data is released. The global financial crisis has resulted in an increased interest in migrating to Australia, especially from Britain and New Zealand.
"I think the downturn in Great Britain over the last year or two has actually seen a renewed interest from Great Britain in people looking to migrate either temporarily or permanently," Evans told Channel Nine. "We are a global labour market these days, we compete for migrants with other countries and so changes in the global economic conditions will affect our migration programme and those who are seeking to come here," the minister said.
Meanwhile, opposition Liberal Party immigration spokeswoman Sharman Stone is urging the government to immediately scale down immigration intake by one quarter as a slowing economy is likely to increase unemployment. But Evan argued that migrants have a positive economic impact. "What we know is most migrants have better job outcomes than Australians locally. We know that they consume, they buy property and they're a net positive to the budget.
"So while it's easy to call for a slowdown in migration, there are actually very strong, positive economic impacts that come from migration, particularly if you are bringing in skills that allow you to build the economy. "And a lot of the skills that are coming in at the moment are in the mining sector, which has allowed us to increase our exports," the minister said, reports the Australian Associated Press (AAP) news agency.
The 2008-09 migration and humanitarian programme is expected to total 203,000 visa grants, with 133,500 allocated for skilled migrants, 56,500 places in the family stream and a further 13,500 places for refugee and humanitarian entrants. The opposition is urging the government to reduce the number to the 2005-2006 level of 142,930.
"The program was designed in the light of the forecasts for this year: strong economic growth, high inflation and a real skills' crisis," Evans said. "If those parameters are changing, the government will take a sober look at those issues and make a decision when we have got proper information."
Asia, Europe resolve to overcome financial crisis
BEIJING: Leaders of Asia and Europe on Saturday resolved that products of financial innovation such as the ones that have resulted in the subprime crisis in United States should not be allowed to get out of hand and result in world financial crisis.
They also called for strengthening the role of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund so they can play a role in diffusing the current financial turmoil. European Commission President Jose Barroso told a press conference at the end of the Asia Europe Meeting that the coming G-20 dialogue in Washington on November 14 will focus on finding solutions to the problem by using the feedback obtained at the ASEM.
G-20 will look at areas like strengthening the World Bank and IMF, improving financial supervision and dealing with the sharp fluctuations in the currency market. "Leaders were of the view that to resolve the financial crisis it is imperative to handle properly the relationship between financial innovation and regulation and to maintain sound macroeconomic policy," a statement issued on the concluding day of the seventh Asia Europe Meeting here said. "They recognized the need to improve the supervision and regulation of all financial actors, in particular their accountability," it said.
There were clear indications that Asian and European nations will try to prevail upon the US government to bring about major changes in its regulatory mechanism in order to control investment banks that have played a key role in the financial crisis. Leaders of the two continents expressed "full confidence that the crisis could be overcome through such concerted efforts". ASEM called on governments the world over to demonstrate vision and resolution and take firm, decisive and effective measures in a responsible and timely manner to rise to the challenge of the financial crisis.
"Asian and European nations are an important force to safeguard international financial stability and promote world economic growth," Chinese premier Wen Jiabao, who chaired the ASEM sessions, said. "We should make concerted effort to show the world our confidence, unity and cooperation," he said. The IMF and other international financial institutions should bring into play their mandated role in the international financial system, to help stabilize the international financial situation, the ASEM statement said.
"Leaders pledged to undertake effective and comprehensive reform of the international monetary and financial systems," it said. Governments in Asia and Europe agreed to take quickly appropriate initiatives in this respect, in consultation with all stakeholders and the relevant international financial institutions.
ASEM leaders expressed support over US decision to convene an international summit on in Washington to address the current crisis and principles of reform of the international financial system as well as long-term stability and development of the world economy.
They also agreed to make full use of ASEM and other cooperation mechanisms to enhance information sharing, policy exchange, and pragmatic cooperation on supervision and management in the financial sector and effectively monitor, prevent and respond to financial risks to ensure sustained, stable and sound economic growth.
They also called for strengthening the role of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund so they can play a role in diffusing the current financial turmoil. European Commission President Jose Barroso told a press conference at the end of the Asia Europe Meeting that the coming G-20 dialogue in Washington on November 14 will focus on finding solutions to the problem by using the feedback obtained at the ASEM.
G-20 will look at areas like strengthening the World Bank and IMF, improving financial supervision and dealing with the sharp fluctuations in the currency market. "Leaders were of the view that to resolve the financial crisis it is imperative to handle properly the relationship between financial innovation and regulation and to maintain sound macroeconomic policy," a statement issued on the concluding day of the seventh Asia Europe Meeting here said. "They recognized the need to improve the supervision and regulation of all financial actors, in particular their accountability," it said.
There were clear indications that Asian and European nations will try to prevail upon the US government to bring about major changes in its regulatory mechanism in order to control investment banks that have played a key role in the financial crisis. Leaders of the two continents expressed "full confidence that the crisis could be overcome through such concerted efforts". ASEM called on governments the world over to demonstrate vision and resolution and take firm, decisive and effective measures in a responsible and timely manner to rise to the challenge of the financial crisis.
"Asian and European nations are an important force to safeguard international financial stability and promote world economic growth," Chinese premier Wen Jiabao, who chaired the ASEM sessions, said. "We should make concerted effort to show the world our confidence, unity and cooperation," he said. The IMF and other international financial institutions should bring into play their mandated role in the international financial system, to help stabilize the international financial situation, the ASEM statement said.
"Leaders pledged to undertake effective and comprehensive reform of the international monetary and financial systems," it said. Governments in Asia and Europe agreed to take quickly appropriate initiatives in this respect, in consultation with all stakeholders and the relevant international financial institutions.
ASEM leaders expressed support over US decision to convene an international summit on in Washington to address the current crisis and principles of reform of the international financial system as well as long-term stability and development of the world economy.
They also agreed to make full use of ASEM and other cooperation mechanisms to enhance information sharing, policy exchange, and pragmatic cooperation on supervision and management in the financial sector and effectively monitor, prevent and respond to financial risks to ensure sustained, stable and sound economic growth.
Every fifth Briton admits to having sex at work
LONDON: Almost half of all Britons have had a one-night stand, while one out of five Britons had sex at work, according to a new survey on sexual relations in Britain. One out of four men, and one out of 10 women, were prepared to sleep with someone to advance their careers, according to a special poll conducted for the Observer.
Just under 50 percent of the people surveyed said they had a one-night stand. Of them, 57 percent were men and 42 percent women. Among the surveyed group, 64 percent of those who said they had a one-night stand fell in the age group of 25 to 44, compared with 24 percent of those aged 65 and above.
The survey found that one in five people did not believe that monogamy was desirable, while three out of 10 did not even think it was natural.
However, people remained socially conservative on some issues, with 45 percent of Britons feeling that gay couples should not be allowed to get married. Surprisingly, almost one in four Britons (24 percent) believed homosexual sex should be made illegal, a one percent increase in the proportion of people who believed this since 2002.
The survey also showed Britons were losing virginity a little earlier than before. Over 40 percent said they had lost their virginity when they were 16-17, while among the over-65 age group, virginity was lost at 19.
Just under 50 percent of the people surveyed said they had a one-night stand. Of them, 57 percent were men and 42 percent women. Among the surveyed group, 64 percent of those who said they had a one-night stand fell in the age group of 25 to 44, compared with 24 percent of those aged 65 and above.
The survey found that one in five people did not believe that monogamy was desirable, while three out of 10 did not even think it was natural.
However, people remained socially conservative on some issues, with 45 percent of Britons feeling that gay couples should not be allowed to get married. Surprisingly, almost one in four Britons (24 percent) believed homosexual sex should be made illegal, a one percent increase in the proportion of people who believed this since 2002.
The survey also showed Britons were losing virginity a little earlier than before. Over 40 percent said they had lost their virginity when they were 16-17, while among the over-65 age group, virginity was lost at 19.
World Bank to double loans to poor countries
TOKYO: The World Bank plans to increase loans to poor countries to make up for dwindling private fund flows to these economies, Japan's business daily Nikkei reported on Sunday.
The international lender aims to double its long-term loans to those countries from $13.5 billion in 2007 to help them cope with the global credit crisis, the paper said. The move came as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), another Washington-based multinational lender, offered help to crisis-struck countries, such as Iceland and Ukraine.
The World Bank loans will be targeted at around 10 poor countries in Asia and Africa, such as Ghana, Bangladesh and Cambodia, as the IMF focuses on emerging, middle-income economies, the Japanese daily said. The World Bank will offer long-term loans of 15 to 20 years at an interest rate roughly on a par with London Inter-bank Offered Rate, or LIBOR.
The bank is also considering emergency loans to these countries, the paper added.
The international lender aims to double its long-term loans to those countries from $13.5 billion in 2007 to help them cope with the global credit crisis, the paper said. The move came as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), another Washington-based multinational lender, offered help to crisis-struck countries, such as Iceland and Ukraine.
The World Bank loans will be targeted at around 10 poor countries in Asia and Africa, such as Ghana, Bangladesh and Cambodia, as the IMF focuses on emerging, middle-income economies, the Japanese daily said. The World Bank will offer long-term loans of 15 to 20 years at an interest rate roughly on a par with London Inter-bank Offered Rate, or LIBOR.
The bank is also considering emergency loans to these countries, the paper added.
Two of a kind: Shades of Maya in Obama's rise
Barack Hussein Obama could not have been older than he is. He is 47. Four years after he was born, America enacted the first set of electoral and positive discrimination reforms that lifted blacks from the deep depression into which they had been cast after their escape from slavery. President Lyndon Johnson, a Texan who understood the virulence of half of America, led the momentum of radical change.
Martin Luther King's assassination was the last great crime of white racists. It proved the tipping point. A new generation of blacks answered with arson and terrorism. That rage was calmed by care. Obama is a child of that remarkable achievement of democracy, a child wafted towards his destiny on the silent engine of a peaceful revolution. The genuis of any minority is wasted without the chemistry of circumstance.
We will never know how many Obamas existed before Obama, for their talent was poisoned prematurely by prejudice - just as we in India will never know how many Mayawatis existed before Mayawati. She too is a combination of individual genius and six decades of social engineering through reservations on electoral and academic maps that has empowered a people enslaved for thousands of years by the inequities of the caste system. Obama and Mayawati, despite their vastly different temperaments and trajectories, have understood two critical aspects of the transition from the margins to centrestage.
First, you cannot achieve this by unidimensional community mobilisation. You have to consolidate your base, of course, but that is only the first layer of a pyramid that needs the support of many communities. Obama reached out to white liberals, of course, but that was the easy part. He had the courage and wisdom to have faith also in middle class America in the middle west, and it has responded in sufficient numbers to take him so close to victory that now only a major self-goal can stop Obama.
Mayawati could not have become chief minister of Uttar Pradesh without substantive support from Brahmins and Muslims. Her future progress in national politics will depend on how sustainable her alliance with others is. Muslims will be the hinge to her future.
The second realisation is that you cannot defeat the entrenched power of establishment without money. Their methods seem completely different, but they are not as different as you might think. Obama does not convert his donations into real estate in Washington, and I doubt if he likes diamonds. But the principal source of funding for both is grassroots donations - the expanse of the dribble effect. Mayawati of course has exploited power to add to her stash, but in this she is no more culpable than any other Indian politician.
You cannot hold her to different standards just because she is a Dalit. She probably has complete contempt for conventional political morality in any case; that is what kept her community in bondage. Obama has left Republicans reeling, when they are not seething, with the amount of money he has raised in small donations - $150 million in October alone.
Republicans are used to a money advantage. They are now whining in self-pity compounded by disbelief. Republicans might have reconciled themselves to defeat against a traditional white Democrat. But to be upstaged by an "upstart" has churned their souls and turned them visceral. They have run through a range of slurs. They accused Obama of being an ally of a black racist, white terrorist, red socialist and finally green Islamist. This is yesterday ranting against tomorrow. Obama also has that unique distinction that Napoleon demanded from his generals: luck. Victory belongs to he who can spice his talent with good fortune.
Hillary Clinton should have stopped him in the primaries; instead she mismanaged her way to defeat. The fact that he had to fight every inch enabled a nationwide network that is paying dividends today. But his biggest stroke of luck was John McCain's choice of Sarah Palin as running mate. Bill Clinton called her "hot", a view endorsed by his soulmate Asif Zardari. But America wants a cool hand at the top at this moment of grave economic peril.
The Wall Street meltdown could not have been better timed for a Democrat triumph. Moreover, Palin is, to put it correctly, ignorant and politically foolish. As if she had not done enough harm, she bought $150,000 worth of clothes for the campaign from expensive stores. This is the kind of morsel that feeds a million conversations. Obama is the dream that Martin Luther King had for his nation. The dream has come true within a single generation, against huge odds. Mayawati is the dream that Babasaheb Ambedkar had for his India. It is still a work in progress, but the odds against Mayawati could not have been greater.
The Muslims of the subcontinent saw the realisation of Jinnah's dream in 1947. In 2008 we can only ask a question: was that a dream or a nightmare?
Martin Luther King's assassination was the last great crime of white racists. It proved the tipping point. A new generation of blacks answered with arson and terrorism. That rage was calmed by care. Obama is a child of that remarkable achievement of democracy, a child wafted towards his destiny on the silent engine of a peaceful revolution. The genuis of any minority is wasted without the chemistry of circumstance.
We will never know how many Obamas existed before Obama, for their talent was poisoned prematurely by prejudice - just as we in India will never know how many Mayawatis existed before Mayawati. She too is a combination of individual genius and six decades of social engineering through reservations on electoral and academic maps that has empowered a people enslaved for thousands of years by the inequities of the caste system. Obama and Mayawati, despite their vastly different temperaments and trajectories, have understood two critical aspects of the transition from the margins to centrestage.
First, you cannot achieve this by unidimensional community mobilisation. You have to consolidate your base, of course, but that is only the first layer of a pyramid that needs the support of many communities. Obama reached out to white liberals, of course, but that was the easy part. He had the courage and wisdom to have faith also in middle class America in the middle west, and it has responded in sufficient numbers to take him so close to victory that now only a major self-goal can stop Obama.
Mayawati could not have become chief minister of Uttar Pradesh without substantive support from Brahmins and Muslims. Her future progress in national politics will depend on how sustainable her alliance with others is. Muslims will be the hinge to her future.
The second realisation is that you cannot defeat the entrenched power of establishment without money. Their methods seem completely different, but they are not as different as you might think. Obama does not convert his donations into real estate in Washington, and I doubt if he likes diamonds. But the principal source of funding for both is grassroots donations - the expanse of the dribble effect. Mayawati of course has exploited power to add to her stash, but in this she is no more culpable than any other Indian politician.
You cannot hold her to different standards just because she is a Dalit. She probably has complete contempt for conventional political morality in any case; that is what kept her community in bondage. Obama has left Republicans reeling, when they are not seething, with the amount of money he has raised in small donations - $150 million in October alone.
Republicans are used to a money advantage. They are now whining in self-pity compounded by disbelief. Republicans might have reconciled themselves to defeat against a traditional white Democrat. But to be upstaged by an "upstart" has churned their souls and turned them visceral. They have run through a range of slurs. They accused Obama of being an ally of a black racist, white terrorist, red socialist and finally green Islamist. This is yesterday ranting against tomorrow. Obama also has that unique distinction that Napoleon demanded from his generals: luck. Victory belongs to he who can spice his talent with good fortune.
Hillary Clinton should have stopped him in the primaries; instead she mismanaged her way to defeat. The fact that he had to fight every inch enabled a nationwide network that is paying dividends today. But his biggest stroke of luck was John McCain's choice of Sarah Palin as running mate. Bill Clinton called her "hot", a view endorsed by his soulmate Asif Zardari. But America wants a cool hand at the top at this moment of grave economic peril.
The Wall Street meltdown could not have been better timed for a Democrat triumph. Moreover, Palin is, to put it correctly, ignorant and politically foolish. As if she had not done enough harm, she bought $150,000 worth of clothes for the campaign from expensive stores. This is the kind of morsel that feeds a million conversations. Obama is the dream that Martin Luther King had for his nation. The dream has come true within a single generation, against huge odds. Mayawati is the dream that Babasaheb Ambedkar had for his India. It is still a work in progress, but the odds against Mayawati could not have been greater.
The Muslims of the subcontinent saw the realisation of Jinnah's dream in 1947. In 2008 we can only ask a question: was that a dream or a nightmare?
McCain says Obama doing premature victory lap, promises no surrender
WASHINGTON: At a most dismal moment in his presidential nomination campaign early this year, Senator John McCain, down on money and momentum, dumped his hi-tech multi-million dollar Straight Talk Express bus that cost $10,000 a day to run and opted for a pared down substitute which he named "No Surrender."
Straight Talk Express was pressed back into service after his campaign rebounded and he clinched the party nomination, but now, with the wheels coming off his drive to the White House and all poll numbers pointing to an Obama victory, McCain invoked the feisty theme that has been his life’s signature: No Surrender. At a campaign rally in New Mexico on Saturday, the Republican candidate accused his Democratic rival of prematurely taking a victory lap and preparing an inaugural address even before the votes were fully cast and counted.
"Well, my friends, when I pull this thing off I have a request for my opponent," McCain said, "I want him to save that manuscript of his inaugural address and donate it to the Smithsonian and put it right next to the Chicago paper that said, 'Dewey Defeats Truman.'" The reference was to the famous banner headline in the Chicago Tribune in 1948 when the paper went to bed with the ‘Dewey Defeats Truman’ headline based on overnight leads in the presidential election but Truman had won a last-gasp come-from-behind election.
McCain’s charge arose from stories in the media about the transition plans for a prospective Obama administration reportedly being mapped out by John Podesta, former White House Chief of Staff under President Clinton. The political scuttlebutt is that Podesta has already written an inaugural address for Obama several months back. But the Obama camp strenuously denied the charge, pointing out that Podesta was actually working for Hillary Clinton (and against Obama) at the time he reportedly prepared the address.
Podesta himself called the charge a complete fabrication and said "No one involved in pre-transition work has written one word of any address, inaugural or otherwise." "While this charge is completely false and there is no draft of an inaugural address for Sen. Obama, the last thing we need is a candidate like John McCain who just plans on rereading George Bush’s," the Obama campaign sneered in response. It transpires that Podesta has indeed written an inaugural address, but as a literary device he used to sum up the arguments in his book Power of Progress which he finished before he came to work for Obama.
Podesta thanked McCain for the free publicity for his book. However, the Obama camp is trying hard not to project any impression of premature celebrations. Obama himself told his supporters last week not to underestimate the Democrats ability to screw things up at the last minute and snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
But with poll numbers still favoring Obama and more and more battleground states starting to lean Democratic, some of his supporters can barely suppress the sense of anticipation. "The Democrats are poised on the brink of victory. And they cannot stand it. The news is too good. Something has to go wrong," one partisan commentator snickered at the Democrats sense of foreboding on Friday, pointing to various reports and polls that have all but called the election for Obama. "This plunged the Democrats into a deep gloom.
Good news is always bad news for them." Latest polls showed Obama having made deep inroads into Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada and Florida, states which Republicans won last time and which were considered battleground till recently. One poll showed Obama getting more than 350 electoral votes.
The winning candidate needs only 270 out of 538 to make it to the White House. Republicans also picked a new line of attack, warning voters about paving way for one-party rule if Democrat won the White House in addition to retaining control of the Senate and the House of Representatives -- from all accounts, a likely scenario.
Straight Talk Express was pressed back into service after his campaign rebounded and he clinched the party nomination, but now, with the wheels coming off his drive to the White House and all poll numbers pointing to an Obama victory, McCain invoked the feisty theme that has been his life’s signature: No Surrender. At a campaign rally in New Mexico on Saturday, the Republican candidate accused his Democratic rival of prematurely taking a victory lap and preparing an inaugural address even before the votes were fully cast and counted.
"Well, my friends, when I pull this thing off I have a request for my opponent," McCain said, "I want him to save that manuscript of his inaugural address and donate it to the Smithsonian and put it right next to the Chicago paper that said, 'Dewey Defeats Truman.'" The reference was to the famous banner headline in the Chicago Tribune in 1948 when the paper went to bed with the ‘Dewey Defeats Truman’ headline based on overnight leads in the presidential election but Truman had won a last-gasp come-from-behind election.
McCain’s charge arose from stories in the media about the transition plans for a prospective Obama administration reportedly being mapped out by John Podesta, former White House Chief of Staff under President Clinton. The political scuttlebutt is that Podesta has already written an inaugural address for Obama several months back. But the Obama camp strenuously denied the charge, pointing out that Podesta was actually working for Hillary Clinton (and against Obama) at the time he reportedly prepared the address.
Podesta himself called the charge a complete fabrication and said "No one involved in pre-transition work has written one word of any address, inaugural or otherwise." "While this charge is completely false and there is no draft of an inaugural address for Sen. Obama, the last thing we need is a candidate like John McCain who just plans on rereading George Bush’s," the Obama campaign sneered in response. It transpires that Podesta has indeed written an inaugural address, but as a literary device he used to sum up the arguments in his book Power of Progress which he finished before he came to work for Obama.
Podesta thanked McCain for the free publicity for his book. However, the Obama camp is trying hard not to project any impression of premature celebrations. Obama himself told his supporters last week not to underestimate the Democrats ability to screw things up at the last minute and snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
But with poll numbers still favoring Obama and more and more battleground states starting to lean Democratic, some of his supporters can barely suppress the sense of anticipation. "The Democrats are poised on the brink of victory. And they cannot stand it. The news is too good. Something has to go wrong," one partisan commentator snickered at the Democrats sense of foreboding on Friday, pointing to various reports and polls that have all but called the election for Obama. "This plunged the Democrats into a deep gloom.
Good news is always bad news for them." Latest polls showed Obama having made deep inroads into Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada and Florida, states which Republicans won last time and which were considered battleground till recently. One poll showed Obama getting more than 350 electoral votes.
The winning candidate needs only 270 out of 538 to make it to the White House. Republicans also picked a new line of attack, warning voters about paving way for one-party rule if Democrat won the White House in addition to retaining control of the Senate and the House of Representatives -- from all accounts, a likely scenario.
Sri Lanka assures India, Tamils will be protected
NEW DELHI: Assuring India that it will ensure the safety and security of ethnic Tamils, Sri Lanka has expressed readiness to allow Indian medicalPranab Mukherjee with Sri Lankan President's senior adviser in New Delhi. (PTI Photo)aid to the affected people in the island country's embattled north. Basil Rajapaksa, special adviser of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, met external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee and apprised him of the steps being taken by the government to ensure that the rights of Tamils are not compromised during the ongoing military offensive against the LTTE.
Basil also held talks with foreign secretary Shivshankar Menon in the morning. "Every assurance we have given (to) look after the human behaviour needs and whichever way we can," Basil, the brother of President Rajapakasa, told reporters after the meeting. Asked about the medical aid from India, the President's adviser said "yes, that issue was brought up and we will take a positive look on it." "Yes," he said when asked whether the Sri Lankan government will allow Indian medical aid to Sri Lanka. Meanwhile, Pranab Mukherjee on Sunday rushed to Chennai to apprise Chief Minister M Karunanidhi of the steps being taken to ensure the safety and well-being of Tamils there.
The top UPA leadership decided to send Mukherjee to Chennai and meet Karunanidhi soon after he held talks with Basil Rajapaksa, special advisor of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, on the condition of ethnic Tamils in the island nation. The visit was not scheduled earlier and the decision was taken after Mukherjee's talks with Basil, sources said here. Basil's visit to New Delhi comes in the wake of India expressing concern over the humanitarian situation in the island nation and asking it to protect the rights of the civilian Tamils. UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi also spoke to Karunanidhi over telephone on Sunday and told him that he would be briefed by Mukherjee on the issue.
The Chief Minister thanked the Congress chief, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Mukherjee for the steps being taken by the Centre, the release added. An all-party meeting on the Sri Lankan Tamils issue held here on October 14 issued an ultimatum that all MPs from the state would resign if the Centre did not take steps to ensure a ceasefire in Sri Lanka's embattled north by October 29.
Terror techie wants to turn approver: Police
NEW DELHI: In a new twist in the terror email case, IT professional from Pune, Mohammed Mansoor Asghar Peerbhoy who was arrested for sending terrorMohammed Mansoor Asghar Peerbhoy (TIMES NOW Photo)emails prior to the Ahmedabad and Delhi serial blasts, is poised to turn approver, according to Times Now .Rakesh Maria, Joint Commissioner Mumbai police confirmed that Mansoor Peerbhoy has filed an application in the MCOCA court indicating that he wants to turn an approver and help the police build a case against other accused.
Peerbhoy wrote an application in the MCOCA court on October 8 and submitted it only on October 21. The court has to decide on Peerbhoy's application. Maria said, "Peerbhoy has filed an application in MCOCA court. He wrote the application on Oct 8, submitted it on Oct 21.
His decision is pending in MCOCA court but this will help us considerably in exposing IM." According to Times Now sources Mumbai police are happy that Peerbhoy is actively considering turning an approver because the terror techie, as he is called, is one of the nodal members of the conspiracy hatched by the Indian Mujahideen to carry blasts across the country.
31-year-old Mohammed Peerbhoy was working at an IT company belonging to the Yahoo group and was drawing a hefty pay packet of around 19 lakh rupees a year. He was considered a whiz in web server technology and used his knowledge to hack into unprotected wi-fi connections to send terror emails on behalf of the Indian Mujahideen (IM).
Market mayhem: How much poorer have the Ambanis become?
MUMBAI: The next time Forbes announces its list of billionaires (assuming it dares to do so even amid a massive wealth destruction globally),
chances are that many Indian tycoons will find to their dismay that their rankings have slipped a few notches.
Even if they managed to retain their slots, or even climb up a few rungs, it would still be cold comfort, as few billion of their wealth would evaporate amid the ongoing turmoil in the stock market.
As the late British financier Sir James Goldsmith remarked when congratulated for cashing out before the stock market crash of 1987, "It is like winning a game of bridge on the decks of the Titanic."
The Sensex recorded the second-biggest single-day fall in absolute terms on Friday when it crashed by 1,071 points, or 11%, to close at 8,701. With this, the index has crashed more than 12,000 points, or nearly 60%, since its peak of 20,873 achieved on January 8, 2008.
Market cap of all the companies traded on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) has evaporated by a staggering Rs 46 lakh crore, or $940bn during the period. So, how poorer have top industrialists like the Ambanis, Tatas and Birlas become after the meltdown in the share prices of their companies?
An ET analysis of promoter wealth loss between January 8 and October 24, 2008, shows that the two Ambani brothers bore the brunt of the stock market mayhem, witnessing the highest wealth erosion among promoters of the top business houses in the country.
Though still dominating the market cap ranking, RIL chairman Mukesh Ambani saw his personal wealth crash from $57.6bn as on January 8 to $14.4bn as on Friday, a fall of 75% since January 8.
A major part of the wealth erosion happened in the flagship company, RIL, whose market cap has declined by Rs 2.8 lakh crore, or $57bn. The market cap of two other group companies Reliance Petroleum and Reliance Industrial Infrastructure fell by $15.3bn and $0.7bn during the period.
Mukesh’s younger brother Anil Ambani of the ADAG group saw his wealth tumble from $48.4bn to $8.4bn, a loss of 83%. His five companies, Reliance Communication, Reliance Capital, RNRL, Reliance Infrastructure and Adlabs Films, recorded an aggregate market cap loss of $53.7bn.
Realty major DLF is the third-biggest loser where the promoter wealth has eroded from $44bn to as low as $6bn. DLF is followed by Tatas who saw their wealth in 27 listed companies plunge from $38.2bn to $12.8bn, a loss of 67%.
TCS, Tata Motors, Tata Power, Tata Communications and Tata Teleservices are among the key companies in the Tata group to have taken a big hit on market cap during January 8 to October 24 2008.
chances are that many Indian tycoons will find to their dismay that their rankings have slipped a few notches.
Even if they managed to retain their slots, or even climb up a few rungs, it would still be cold comfort, as few billion of their wealth would evaporate amid the ongoing turmoil in the stock market.
As the late British financier Sir James Goldsmith remarked when congratulated for cashing out before the stock market crash of 1987, "It is like winning a game of bridge on the decks of the Titanic."
The Sensex recorded the second-biggest single-day fall in absolute terms on Friday when it crashed by 1,071 points, or 11%, to close at 8,701. With this, the index has crashed more than 12,000 points, or nearly 60%, since its peak of 20,873 achieved on January 8, 2008.
Market cap of all the companies traded on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) has evaporated by a staggering Rs 46 lakh crore, or $940bn during the period. So, how poorer have top industrialists like the Ambanis, Tatas and Birlas become after the meltdown in the share prices of their companies?
An ET analysis of promoter wealth loss between January 8 and October 24, 2008, shows that the two Ambani brothers bore the brunt of the stock market mayhem, witnessing the highest wealth erosion among promoters of the top business houses in the country.
Though still dominating the market cap ranking, RIL chairman Mukesh Ambani saw his personal wealth crash from $57.6bn as on January 8 to $14.4bn as on Friday, a fall of 75% since January 8.
A major part of the wealth erosion happened in the flagship company, RIL, whose market cap has declined by Rs 2.8 lakh crore, or $57bn. The market cap of two other group companies Reliance Petroleum and Reliance Industrial Infrastructure fell by $15.3bn and $0.7bn during the period.
Mukesh’s younger brother Anil Ambani of the ADAG group saw his wealth tumble from $48.4bn to $8.4bn, a loss of 83%. His five companies, Reliance Communication, Reliance Capital, RNRL, Reliance Infrastructure and Adlabs Films, recorded an aggregate market cap loss of $53.7bn.
Realty major DLF is the third-biggest loser where the promoter wealth has eroded from $44bn to as low as $6bn. DLF is followed by Tatas who saw their wealth in 27 listed companies plunge from $38.2bn to $12.8bn, a loss of 67%.
TCS, Tata Motors, Tata Power, Tata Communications and Tata Teleservices are among the key companies in the Tata group to have taken a big hit on market cap during January 8 to October 24 2008.
Tata, Mahindra interested in Hummer
NEW YORK: General Motors Corp and Chrysler have moved closer on Friday to offloading two niche vehicle brands associated with the era of cheap
gasoline and big profits for Detroit, even as both sides intensified talks on a merger that would combine the struggling automakers.
GM will send out a sales prospectus for Hummer to possible bidders in the next few days and Indian automakers Tata Motors Ltd and Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd are among those who will take a look, a source familiar with the matter said.
Parties interested in looking at the prospectus have signed nondisclosure agreements and sent them in. That step is usually taken just before the financial data is sent out and books are typically sent to a wide range of parties.
Many companies look at the sales prospectus, not necessarily implying they would bid for it.
In fact, Mahindra & Mahindra, which plans to enter the US auto market with its own vehicle next year, denied interest in Hummer earlier this year.
GM declined comment. Tata and Mahindra & Mahindra could not be immediately reached for comment.
Chrysler, which has identified about $1bn in non- earning assets for potential sale to raise cash, said on Friday it received multiple bids for its Viper sports car business and was reviewing the offers.
Chrysler, which did not disclose the number of bids or the timeline of the sale, began reviewing strategic options for the unit in August in an effort to raise cash to ride out a deepening US auto industry downturn.
One person familiar with the process said no additional bids were likely to be considered.
Both GM and Chrysler have been losing sales and market share amid a bruising decline in the US market that has forced both to cut jobs, close factories and unload assets.
The step to provide financial data to Hummer buyers comes four months after Chief Executive Rick Wagoner said GM would look to sell the military-derived SUV brand that had become an emblem of gas-guzzling excess for many consumers.
GM has said it plans to raise up to $15bn in cash through cost-cutting, borrowing and asset sales through the end of next year to ride out a slump in US auto sales expected to drop to 18-year-lows in October.
At the same time GM is selling Hummer, the automaker is also looking at a potentially bigger deal to acquire Chrysler's auto operations from its majority owner Cerberus Capital Management, according to people familiar with those talks.
Chrysler's best-known and most-valuable brand is Jeep and some analysts have questioned why GM would be considering a Chrysler acquisition at the same time it is trying to sell Hummer, an off-road competitor to Jeep with its macho, don't-tread-on-me styling.
Hummer sales have plunged 47% through September and two dozen Hummer dealers have closed their doors in the United States this year.
Analysts and bankers have said they expect GM to face a tough sell with Hummer because of the slump in global auto sales, frozen credit markets and the brand's niche status.
The original Humvees were multipurpose, off-road military vehicles, but maker AM General launched Hummer for civilians in 1992. GM bought the brand in 1999 and went on to sell the H1, H2 and H3 models.
The current line-up of Hummer models runs from roughly $31,000 to about $71,000 before incentives.
The Dodge Viper, also an iconic brand in the United States, is a low-volume V10-powered sports car first produced in 1992.
gasoline and big profits for Detroit, even as both sides intensified talks on a merger that would combine the struggling automakers.
GM will send out a sales prospectus for Hummer to possible bidders in the next few days and Indian automakers Tata Motors Ltd and Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd are among those who will take a look, a source familiar with the matter said.
Parties interested in looking at the prospectus have signed nondisclosure agreements and sent them in. That step is usually taken just before the financial data is sent out and books are typically sent to a wide range of parties.
Many companies look at the sales prospectus, not necessarily implying they would bid for it.
In fact, Mahindra & Mahindra, which plans to enter the US auto market with its own vehicle next year, denied interest in Hummer earlier this year.
GM declined comment. Tata and Mahindra & Mahindra could not be immediately reached for comment.
Chrysler, which has identified about $1bn in non- earning assets for potential sale to raise cash, said on Friday it received multiple bids for its Viper sports car business and was reviewing the offers.
Chrysler, which did not disclose the number of bids or the timeline of the sale, began reviewing strategic options for the unit in August in an effort to raise cash to ride out a deepening US auto industry downturn.
One person familiar with the process said no additional bids were likely to be considered.
Both GM and Chrysler have been losing sales and market share amid a bruising decline in the US market that has forced both to cut jobs, close factories and unload assets.
The step to provide financial data to Hummer buyers comes four months after Chief Executive Rick Wagoner said GM would look to sell the military-derived SUV brand that had become an emblem of gas-guzzling excess for many consumers.
GM has said it plans to raise up to $15bn in cash through cost-cutting, borrowing and asset sales through the end of next year to ride out a slump in US auto sales expected to drop to 18-year-lows in October.
At the same time GM is selling Hummer, the automaker is also looking at a potentially bigger deal to acquire Chrysler's auto operations from its majority owner Cerberus Capital Management, according to people familiar with those talks.
Chrysler's best-known and most-valuable brand is Jeep and some analysts have questioned why GM would be considering a Chrysler acquisition at the same time it is trying to sell Hummer, an off-road competitor to Jeep with its macho, don't-tread-on-me styling.
Hummer sales have plunged 47% through September and two dozen Hummer dealers have closed their doors in the United States this year.
Analysts and bankers have said they expect GM to face a tough sell with Hummer because of the slump in global auto sales, frozen credit markets and the brand's niche status.
The original Humvees were multipurpose, off-road military vehicles, but maker AM General launched Hummer for civilians in 1992. GM bought the brand in 1999 and went on to sell the H1, H2 and H3 models.
The current line-up of Hummer models runs from roughly $31,000 to about $71,000 before incentives.
The Dodge Viper, also an iconic brand in the United States, is a low-volume V10-powered sports car first produced in 1992.
Oscar-winning actress family killed
CHICAGO: The mother and brother of Academy Award-winning actress Jennifer Hudson were found shot to death in the mother's Chicago home on Friday,
media reported.
Police said they were searching for a suspect in the double homicide and also a seven-year-old boy, possibly Hudson's nephew, who was missing from the house on Chicago's South Side where the victims were found.
The Chicago Tribune said one of the victims was Hudson's mother, Darnell Donnerson. The entertainment website TMZ, citing a neighbour, said Hudson's brother Jason also was found dead. Police said neighbours reported hearing shots in the area during the morning but the bodies were not found until mid-afternoon.
"A missing child was possibly abducted from the scene ... and may be in the company of William Balfour, a suspect in the double homicide investigation," police said in a statement, adding that the man was "considered armed and dangerous."
The statement listed two vehicles Balfour may be driving. It did not say who Balfour was or whether he was related to the family.
Police said the child was identified as Julian King, adding they believed he was the grandson of the woman found slain.
The Tribune, quoting police, said the killings may be linked to a domestic disturbance. Hudson gained notice as a contestant on No 1-rated US television talent show "American Idol" during its third season in 2005.
She was one of 12 finalists but was voted off. Still, her booming voice and popularity kept her touring in live shows and eventually she earned the role as Effie White in the 2006 film version of stage musical "Dreamgirls."
The role of soulful singer White, who is kicked out of an all-girl 1960s singing group, earned Hudson the Oscar for best supporting actress and made her an instant star in Hollywood.
Since then Hudson has appeared in the movie version of "Sex and the City," and is currently in "The Secret Life of Bees."
Media reports said Hudson was in Florida when she was told of the shootings and was headed back to Chicago.
media reported.
Police said they were searching for a suspect in the double homicide and also a seven-year-old boy, possibly Hudson's nephew, who was missing from the house on Chicago's South Side where the victims were found.
The Chicago Tribune said one of the victims was Hudson's mother, Darnell Donnerson. The entertainment website TMZ, citing a neighbour, said Hudson's brother Jason also was found dead. Police said neighbours reported hearing shots in the area during the morning but the bodies were not found until mid-afternoon.
"A missing child was possibly abducted from the scene ... and may be in the company of William Balfour, a suspect in the double homicide investigation," police said in a statement, adding that the man was "considered armed and dangerous."
The statement listed two vehicles Balfour may be driving. It did not say who Balfour was or whether he was related to the family.
Police said the child was identified as Julian King, adding they believed he was the grandson of the woman found slain.
The Tribune, quoting police, said the killings may be linked to a domestic disturbance. Hudson gained notice as a contestant on No 1-rated US television talent show "American Idol" during its third season in 2005.
She was one of 12 finalists but was voted off. Still, her booming voice and popularity kept her touring in live shows and eventually she earned the role as Effie White in the 2006 film version of stage musical "Dreamgirls."
The role of soulful singer White, who is kicked out of an all-girl 1960s singing group, earned Hudson the Oscar for best supporting actress and made her an instant star in Hollywood.
Since then Hudson has appeared in the movie version of "Sex and the City," and is currently in "The Secret Life of Bees."
Media reports said Hudson was in Florida when she was told of the shootings and was headed back to Chicago.
Bush and First Lady cast early ballots
WASHINGTON: US President George W Bush and First Lady Laura Bush on cast absentee ballots in the November 4 election that will decide who succeeds
him, according to White House spokeswoman Dana Perino.
"Today the president and Mrs Bush cast their ballots for the 2008 election during the early voting process. The ballots will be mailed back to Texas today," she said in a brief statement emailed to reporters.
"They plan to be here at the White House on election night," she said.
Later, Perino sent a follow up message. "I find this hard to believe ... But so many reporters have asked just who the president voted for, I guess have to make it clear," she said.
"For months the president has said he supports John McCain for president and of course he voted for him."
him, according to White House spokeswoman Dana Perino.
"Today the president and Mrs Bush cast their ballots for the 2008 election during the early voting process. The ballots will be mailed back to Texas today," she said in a brief statement emailed to reporters.
"They plan to be here at the White House on election night," she said.
Later, Perino sent a follow up message. "I find this hard to believe ... But so many reporters have asked just who the president voted for, I guess have to make it clear," she said.
"For months the president has said he supports John McCain for president and of course he voted for him."
India Inc alarmed by pace of rupee fall
NEW DELHI: Indian industry is divided in its approach to a sliding rupee which breached the crucial 50 level against the dollar on Friday amidst a
melting stock market, sustained dollar purchases by foreign banks, a stronger dollar overseas and redemption pressures faced by FIIs.
While exporters normally stand to benefit from a depreciating rupee, these gains are being offset by a strong pressure on their order books in a climate of global recession.
The rupee has fallen 25% since 1st April or the start of this fiscal year and the bottom is still not in sight. "FII outflows of $12 billion have contributed to the rupee sliding from 40 to 50, which severely tests theories supporting the inherent strength of our economy. The ferocity and pace of the decline is alarming. The rupee has fallen the sharpest compared to other currencies," says Ficci president, Rajeev Chandrasekhar.
"Nobody knows where the bottom is. It will be difficult to arrest the rupee's fall as it is linked to the global economy where more trouble is expected to emerge in the financial space," says Sanjeev Krishnan, ED, PWC. According to Krishnan, the impact of the global financial crisis will only emerge in the third quarter as it starts to reflect a debilitating slowdown of the real economy, particularly in the IT, consumer goods and capital goods sectors.
"The BSE sensex will go down to 4000 levels last seen in 2003, economic growth will slow to 6% or lower. The globAL economy is moving to its worst performance in 80 years," says another global consultant.
"It's tough to predict a bottom, but the RBI needs to intervene to bring the rupee back to below 50," agrees Chandrajit Bannerjee, DG, CII. According to him, the 25% depreciation implies a higher trade deficit, oil bill and import costs, while the interest payment burden and debt repayment by government and corporates also go up by 25%.
"Cost of infrastructure projects are up 5% with imported equipment costs up 25% and equipment accounting for 20% of the project costs", he says. According to him, increased government spending in infrastructure is critical to counter the impact of a sliding rupee. An indirect benefit of a higher import bill in rupee terms is that customs duty collections will be up, says CII.
melting stock market, sustained dollar purchases by foreign banks, a stronger dollar overseas and redemption pressures faced by FIIs.
While exporters normally stand to benefit from a depreciating rupee, these gains are being offset by a strong pressure on their order books in a climate of global recession.
The rupee has fallen 25% since 1st April or the start of this fiscal year and the bottom is still not in sight. "FII outflows of $12 billion have contributed to the rupee sliding from 40 to 50, which severely tests theories supporting the inherent strength of our economy. The ferocity and pace of the decline is alarming. The rupee has fallen the sharpest compared to other currencies," says Ficci president, Rajeev Chandrasekhar.
"Nobody knows where the bottom is. It will be difficult to arrest the rupee's fall as it is linked to the global economy where more trouble is expected to emerge in the financial space," says Sanjeev Krishnan, ED, PWC. According to Krishnan, the impact of the global financial crisis will only emerge in the third quarter as it starts to reflect a debilitating slowdown of the real economy, particularly in the IT, consumer goods and capital goods sectors.
"The BSE sensex will go down to 4000 levels last seen in 2003, economic growth will slow to 6% or lower. The globAL economy is moving to its worst performance in 80 years," says another global consultant.
"It's tough to predict a bottom, but the RBI needs to intervene to bring the rupee back to below 50," agrees Chandrajit Bannerjee, DG, CII. According to him, the 25% depreciation implies a higher trade deficit, oil bill and import costs, while the interest payment burden and debt repayment by government and corporates also go up by 25%.
"Cost of infrastructure projects are up 5% with imported equipment costs up 25% and equipment accounting for 20% of the project costs", he says. According to him, increased government spending in infrastructure is critical to counter the impact of a sliding rupee. An indirect benefit of a higher import bill in rupee terms is that customs duty collections will be up, says CII.
The sixth James Bond, Daniel Craig gets up, close and personal about his sex appeal
The sixth James Bond, Daniel Craig gets up, close and personal about his sex appeal and his favourite Bond girl.Daniel Craig in a still from 'Quantum of Solace'
1. You're the sixth actor to portray the fictional secret agent James Bond. Is there a legacy to live upto? What do you bring to the world's favourite secret agent?
The character of James bond has been very successful in creating an everlasting impression in the minds of its fans. Previously this character was portrayed elegantly by actors like Sean Connery; George Lazenby, Sir Roger Moore and Pierce Brosnan. So, definitely there was a fame and legacy that had to be lived up to.
2. You've been touted as the sexiest man alive - what's your sex appeal? Does your macho image add to your popularity amongst women?
Personally, I believe that the sexuality of a person lies in how well he gets along with his colleagues and how in the simplest possible manner he attracts the fairer sex. I believe my sex appeal lies in my eyes and my macho image, which attracts women towards me.
3. Do you miss playing vulnerable, romantic heroes? Does being James Bond limit your acting possibilities?
No, it does not; rather it adds a unique dimension to it. Though I would love to play romantic roles, but I really am very excited to play Bond for the second time.
Playing different types of characters is always a dream for any actor and the same applies to me. I do roles, which excite me be it romantic or be it action. As an actor, you perform to your best in a role that's accepted by your heart and in which your audience would genuinely appreciate your skills.
4. In the sequel 'Quantam of Solace' what shade of James Bond are we likely to see?
In 'Quantum of Solace', James Bond is the same elegant secret agent investigating the death of his lady-love Vesper Lynd who had betrayed him.
The film has captured the spirit of the decade like no other films - exotic locations, glamorous girls, exciting car chases, larger than life villains and clever gadgets. In the midst of all of this, James Bond himself, can be seen drinking a dry martini and as usual immaculately dressed in a tuxedo, with a beautiful woman on his arm.
5. Does action excite you? You have sustained a physical injury because of which you even underwent a plastic surgery; what went wrong?
It's definitely a game for action, there were plenty of action sequences in 'Quantum of Solace' where in I chopped off the end of my finger, and I literally lost the power in that finger.
But it's really healed amazingly. There's a postage stamp scar. I was slamming a door on Mathieu's face so I probably deserved it. I also received eight stitches in my face from a kick. That was nothing really. I was back at work immediately. It's tiny stuff.
1. You're the sixth actor to portray the fictional secret agent James Bond. Is there a legacy to live upto? What do you bring to the world's favourite secret agent?
The character of James bond has been very successful in creating an everlasting impression in the minds of its fans. Previously this character was portrayed elegantly by actors like Sean Connery; George Lazenby, Sir Roger Moore and Pierce Brosnan. So, definitely there was a fame and legacy that had to be lived up to.
2. You've been touted as the sexiest man alive - what's your sex appeal? Does your macho image add to your popularity amongst women?
Personally, I believe that the sexuality of a person lies in how well he gets along with his colleagues and how in the simplest possible manner he attracts the fairer sex. I believe my sex appeal lies in my eyes and my macho image, which attracts women towards me.
3. Do you miss playing vulnerable, romantic heroes? Does being James Bond limit your acting possibilities?
No, it does not; rather it adds a unique dimension to it. Though I would love to play romantic roles, but I really am very excited to play Bond for the second time.
Playing different types of characters is always a dream for any actor and the same applies to me. I do roles, which excite me be it romantic or be it action. As an actor, you perform to your best in a role that's accepted by your heart and in which your audience would genuinely appreciate your skills.
4. In the sequel 'Quantam of Solace' what shade of James Bond are we likely to see?
In 'Quantum of Solace', James Bond is the same elegant secret agent investigating the death of his lady-love Vesper Lynd who had betrayed him.
The film has captured the spirit of the decade like no other films - exotic locations, glamorous girls, exciting car chases, larger than life villains and clever gadgets. In the midst of all of this, James Bond himself, can be seen drinking a dry martini and as usual immaculately dressed in a tuxedo, with a beautiful woman on his arm.
5. Does action excite you? You have sustained a physical injury because of which you even underwent a plastic surgery; what went wrong?
It's definitely a game for action, there were plenty of action sequences in 'Quantum of Solace' where in I chopped off the end of my finger, and I literally lost the power in that finger.
But it's really healed amazingly. There's a postage stamp scar. I was slamming a door on Mathieu's face so I probably deserved it. I also received eight stitches in my face from a kick. That was nothing really. I was back at work immediately. It's tiny stuff.
Market mayhem: How poorer have the Ambanis become?
MUMBAI: The next time Forbes announces its list of billionaires (assuming it dares to do so even amid a massive wealth destruction globally),
chances are that many Indian tycoons will find to their dismay that their rankings have slipped a few notches.
Even if they managed to retain their slots, or even climb up a few rungs, it would still be cold comfort, as few billion of their wealth would evaporate amid the ongoing turmoil in the stock market.
As the late British financier Sir James Goldsmith remarked when congratulated for cashing out before the stock market crash of 1987, "It is like winninlg a game of bridge on the decks of the Titanic."
The Sensex recorded the second-biggest single-day fall in absolute terms on Friday when it crashed by 1,071 points, or 11%, to close at 8,701. With this, the index has crashed more than 12,000 points, or nearly 60%, since its peak of 20,873 achieved on January 8, 2008.
Market cap of all the companies traded on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) has evaporated by a staggering Rs 46 lakh crore, or $940bn during the period. So, how poorer have top industrialists like the Ambanis, Tatas and Birlas become after the meltdown in the share prices of their companies?
An ET analysis of promoter wealth loss between January 8 and October 24, 2008, shows that the two Ambani brothers bore the brunt of the stock market mayhem, witnessing the highest wealth erosion among promoters of the top business houses in the country.
Though still dominating the market cap ranking, RIL chairman Mukesh Ambani saw his personal wealth crash from $57.6bn as on January 8 to $14.4bn as on Friday, a fall of 75% since January 8.
A major part of the wealth erosion happened in the flagship company, RIL, whose market cap has declined by Rs 2.8 lakh crore, or $57bn. The market cap of two other group companies Reliance Petroleum and Reliance Industrial Infrastructure fell by $15.3bn and $0.7bn during the period.
Mukesh’s younger brother Anil Ambani of the ADAG group saw his wealth tumble from $48.4bn to $8.4bn, a loss of 83%. His five companies, Reliance Communication, Reliance Capital, RNRL, Reliance Infrastructure and Adlabs Films, recorded an aggregate market cap loss of $53.7bn.
Realty major DLF is the third-biggest loser where the promoter wealth has eroded from $44bn to as low as $6bn. DLF is followed by Tatas who saw their wealth in 27 listed companies plunge from $38.2bn to $12.8bn, a loss of 67%.
TCS, Tata Motors, Tata Power, Tata Communications and Tata Teleservices are among the key companies in the Tata group to have taken a big hit on market cap during January 8 to October 24 2008.
chances are that many Indian tycoons will find to their dismay that their rankings have slipped a few notches.
Even if they managed to retain their slots, or even climb up a few rungs, it would still be cold comfort, as few billion of their wealth would evaporate amid the ongoing turmoil in the stock market.
As the late British financier Sir James Goldsmith remarked when congratulated for cashing out before the stock market crash of 1987, "It is like winninlg a game of bridge on the decks of the Titanic."
The Sensex recorded the second-biggest single-day fall in absolute terms on Friday when it crashed by 1,071 points, or 11%, to close at 8,701. With this, the index has crashed more than 12,000 points, or nearly 60%, since its peak of 20,873 achieved on January 8, 2008.
Market cap of all the companies traded on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) has evaporated by a staggering Rs 46 lakh crore, or $940bn during the period. So, how poorer have top industrialists like the Ambanis, Tatas and Birlas become after the meltdown in the share prices of their companies?
An ET analysis of promoter wealth loss between January 8 and October 24, 2008, shows that the two Ambani brothers bore the brunt of the stock market mayhem, witnessing the highest wealth erosion among promoters of the top business houses in the country.
Though still dominating the market cap ranking, RIL chairman Mukesh Ambani saw his personal wealth crash from $57.6bn as on January 8 to $14.4bn as on Friday, a fall of 75% since January 8.
A major part of the wealth erosion happened in the flagship company, RIL, whose market cap has declined by Rs 2.8 lakh crore, or $57bn. The market cap of two other group companies Reliance Petroleum and Reliance Industrial Infrastructure fell by $15.3bn and $0.7bn during the period.
Mukesh’s younger brother Anil Ambani of the ADAG group saw his wealth tumble from $48.4bn to $8.4bn, a loss of 83%. His five companies, Reliance Communication, Reliance Capital, RNRL, Reliance Infrastructure and Adlabs Films, recorded an aggregate market cap loss of $53.7bn.
Realty major DLF is the third-biggest loser where the promoter wealth has eroded from $44bn to as low as $6bn. DLF is followed by Tatas who saw their wealth in 27 listed companies plunge from $38.2bn to $12.8bn, a loss of 67%.
TCS, Tata Motors, Tata Power, Tata Communications and Tata Teleservices are among the key companies in the Tata group to have taken a big hit on market cap during January 8 to October 24 2008.
Obama views India's moon mission as a challenge
WASHINGTON: As the White House hailed India's maiden moon mission as "encouraging" and "exciting", Democratic presidential hopeful, Barack Obama saw
it as a reminder to revitalise the US space programme and not let other countries surpass it.
"I haven't spoken to the President (George Bush) about it. I saw that story, it was very interesting," White House spokesperson Dana Perino said on Wednesday. "We noted it's very encouraging for India, I'm sure, very exciting."
However, Obama viewed Wednesday's historic launch of India's moon mission Chandrayaan I from Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh as a challenge.
"With India's launch of its first unmanned lunar spacecraft following closely on the heels of China's first spacewalk, we are reminded just how urgently the United States must revitalise its space programme if we are to remain the undisputed leader in space, science, and technology," he said.
Obama said his comprehensive plan to revitalise the US "space programme and close the gap between the Space Shuttle's retirement and its next-generation replacement includes $2 billion more for NASA - but more money alone is not enough."
"We must not only retain our space workforce so that we don't let other countries surpass our technical capabilities; we must train new scientists and engineers for the next generation," he said.
Obama said his "comprehensive space policy focuses on reaching new frontiers through human space exploration, tapping the ingenuity of our commercial space entrepreneurs, fostering a broad research agenda to break new ground on the world's leading scientific discoveries, and engaging students through educational programmes that excite them about space and science."
"As a child, I remember sitting on my grandfather's shoulders and watching the Apollo astronauts return from a splashdown to Hickam Air Force Base, dreaming of where they had been," he added.
"It inspired my imagination and gave me confidence in what we as Americans could achieve. It's time for a space programme that inspires our children again," said the Democratic nominee who is leading over his Republican rival John McCain in most opinion polls.
"As president, I will lead our space programme boldly into the 21st century - so when my daughters, and all our children, look up to the skies, they see Americans leading the way into the deepest reaches of our solar system," Obama said.
The United States India Business Council (USIBC), representing 280 of the largest US companies investing in India, has also hailed India's maiden moon mission with two US instruments on board as the beginning of long "relationship promoting the opening of the frontier of outer space."
"This unique technology partnership in civil space exploration, which taps India's highly skilled scientific expertise with American instrumentation furnished by Raytheon, beckons what we hope will be a long and mutually beneficial relationship promoting the opening of the frontier of outer space," USIBC president Ron Somers said.
it as a reminder to revitalise the US space programme and not let other countries surpass it.
"I haven't spoken to the President (George Bush) about it. I saw that story, it was very interesting," White House spokesperson Dana Perino said on Wednesday. "We noted it's very encouraging for India, I'm sure, very exciting."
However, Obama viewed Wednesday's historic launch of India's moon mission Chandrayaan I from Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh as a challenge.
"With India's launch of its first unmanned lunar spacecraft following closely on the heels of China's first spacewalk, we are reminded just how urgently the United States must revitalise its space programme if we are to remain the undisputed leader in space, science, and technology," he said.
Obama said his comprehensive plan to revitalise the US "space programme and close the gap between the Space Shuttle's retirement and its next-generation replacement includes $2 billion more for NASA - but more money alone is not enough."
"We must not only retain our space workforce so that we don't let other countries surpass our technical capabilities; we must train new scientists and engineers for the next generation," he said.
Obama said his "comprehensive space policy focuses on reaching new frontiers through human space exploration, tapping the ingenuity of our commercial space entrepreneurs, fostering a broad research agenda to break new ground on the world's leading scientific discoveries, and engaging students through educational programmes that excite them about space and science."
"As a child, I remember sitting on my grandfather's shoulders and watching the Apollo astronauts return from a splashdown to Hickam Air Force Base, dreaming of where they had been," he added.
"It inspired my imagination and gave me confidence in what we as Americans could achieve. It's time for a space programme that inspires our children again," said the Democratic nominee who is leading over his Republican rival John McCain in most opinion polls.
"As president, I will lead our space programme boldly into the 21st century - so when my daughters, and all our children, look up to the skies, they see Americans leading the way into the deepest reaches of our solar system," Obama said.
The United States India Business Council (USIBC), representing 280 of the largest US companies investing in India, has also hailed India's maiden moon mission with two US instruments on board as the beginning of long "relationship promoting the opening of the frontier of outer space."
"This unique technology partnership in civil space exploration, which taps India's highly skilled scientific expertise with American instrumentation furnished by Raytheon, beckons what we hope will be a long and mutually beneficial relationship promoting the opening of the frontier of outer space," USIBC president Ron Somers said.
Undecided Asian voters play key role in US election
WASHINGTON: Minority Asians may be the biggest group of undecided voters in the upcoming US presidential and congressional elections and will play a
key role in the outcome of the ballot, officials say.
With the current economic trouble their top concern, many of the seven million eligible Asian American voters are likely to choose Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama, and are clamoring to send more of their representatives to Congress and state legislatures, the officials said.
Among those who have made up their mind ahead of the November 4 elections, 41 % are likely to vote for Obama and 24 % for Republican Senator John McCain, polls showed.
Obama, who spent part of his childhood in Asia, has sent a personal message to the voters, saying he considered himself "an honorary" member of the community.
"I was born in Hawaii, a majority Asian American state, where I spent much of my childhood, and I've lived in Indonesia ... I had college roommates who were Indian and Pakistani," he said in a "blueprint for the change we need" for the 13 million strong community.
"My sister is half Indonesian, and she is married to a Chinese Canadian," he added.
McCain also has powerful Asian connections, including having served in the Vietnam War and having an adopted 17-year-old Bangladeshi daughter.
And many Asian-Americans are attracted by his immigration reforms and bipartisanship.
The 71-year-old Vietnam War hero enjoys two-thirds of Vietnamese Americans' support, according to polls.
Despite the two candidates' strong lobbying efforts, 34 % of all likely Asian American voters remain undecided on who to send to the White House, compared to about eight percent among the general population, a recent national survey revealed.
"With such a high proportion of undecided voters, Asian Americans are a critical source of potential votes for either candidate in the final weeks of the campaign," said Karthick Ramakrishnan from the University of California, Riverside, among four universities that conducted the poll.
Also, the number of eligible Asian American voters has exceeded the margin of victory in about 50 congressional races, said Naomi Tacuyan, deputy director of the APIAVote, a group campaigning for greater community participation in electoral and public policy processes.
Asian Americans are contesting 11 seats for the House of Representatives, including six seats they currently hold.
The top five states where Asian Americans reside are California, New York, Texas, Hawaii and New Jersey, and all, with the exception of Hawaii, are significant in the elections.
But recent studies show the community can also be a "deciding factor" in states such as Ohio, Pennsylvania, Washington, Virginia, Nevada and Minnesota, Tacuyan said.
About 80 percent of potential Asian American voters list the struggling economy as one of the most important problems the nation faces, followed by the Iraq war, according to the survey by the universities.
On both issues, there are "strongly divided opinions" between Obama and McCain supporters, said the poll which covered the six largest ethnic subgroups: Indians, Chinese, Filipinos, Japanese, Koreans and Vietnamese.
"No matter what boat you came over on, we're all in the same boat now," said Toby Chaudhuri, an Indian American Democratic strategist.
"Asian Americans are increasingly worried about their economic future and like most people across the country, believe McCain's policies could create a depression," he said.
key role in the outcome of the ballot, officials say.
With the current economic trouble their top concern, many of the seven million eligible Asian American voters are likely to choose Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama, and are clamoring to send more of their representatives to Congress and state legislatures, the officials said.
Among those who have made up their mind ahead of the November 4 elections, 41 % are likely to vote for Obama and 24 % for Republican Senator John McCain, polls showed.
Obama, who spent part of his childhood in Asia, has sent a personal message to the voters, saying he considered himself "an honorary" member of the community.
"I was born in Hawaii, a majority Asian American state, where I spent much of my childhood, and I've lived in Indonesia ... I had college roommates who were Indian and Pakistani," he said in a "blueprint for the change we need" for the 13 million strong community.
"My sister is half Indonesian, and she is married to a Chinese Canadian," he added.
McCain also has powerful Asian connections, including having served in the Vietnam War and having an adopted 17-year-old Bangladeshi daughter.
And many Asian-Americans are attracted by his immigration reforms and bipartisanship.
The 71-year-old Vietnam War hero enjoys two-thirds of Vietnamese Americans' support, according to polls.
Despite the two candidates' strong lobbying efforts, 34 % of all likely Asian American voters remain undecided on who to send to the White House, compared to about eight percent among the general population, a recent national survey revealed.
"With such a high proportion of undecided voters, Asian Americans are a critical source of potential votes for either candidate in the final weeks of the campaign," said Karthick Ramakrishnan from the University of California, Riverside, among four universities that conducted the poll.
Also, the number of eligible Asian American voters has exceeded the margin of victory in about 50 congressional races, said Naomi Tacuyan, deputy director of the APIAVote, a group campaigning for greater community participation in electoral and public policy processes.
Asian Americans are contesting 11 seats for the House of Representatives, including six seats they currently hold.
The top five states where Asian Americans reside are California, New York, Texas, Hawaii and New Jersey, and all, with the exception of Hawaii, are significant in the elections.
But recent studies show the community can also be a "deciding factor" in states such as Ohio, Pennsylvania, Washington, Virginia, Nevada and Minnesota, Tacuyan said.
About 80 percent of potential Asian American voters list the struggling economy as one of the most important problems the nation faces, followed by the Iraq war, according to the survey by the universities.
On both issues, there are "strongly divided opinions" between Obama and McCain supporters, said the poll which covered the six largest ethnic subgroups: Indians, Chinese, Filipinos, Japanese, Koreans and Vietnamese.
"No matter what boat you came over on, we're all in the same boat now," said Toby Chaudhuri, an Indian American Democratic strategist.
"Asian Americans are increasingly worried about their economic future and like most people across the country, believe McCain's policies could create a depression," he said.
Mumbai second to Paris on Net check-ins
MUMBAI: If you thought that air passengers use the internet only to book tickets, then think again. The use of web check-in and self-service check-in
is on the rise at Mumbai airport. In fact, a global survey says that the percentage of passengers at Mumbai airport who use these facilities is much higher than any other airport in the world.
In a global survey carried out at six of the world’s busiest airports across five continents, the passengers of Mumbai airport have clearly indicated that selfservice check-in and web check-in is growing in popularity. According to the SITA/Air Transport World Passenger Self-Service Survey, the use of self-service check-in at Mumbai (28.7%) rivals that of one of mainland Europe’s main gateways—Paris Charles De Gaulle (29.9%).
But significantly, Mumbai leads all six airports when it comes to web check-in with a score of 19.3% just ahead of Atlanta (18%). Though Mumbai scores high percentage-wise, it may be noted that when it comes to actual numbers, Mumbai would be far behind airports like Atlanta, for instance, as the sheer volume of passengers the latter handles is much higher than what Mumbai does.
The survey takes an in-depth look at the attitudes and habits of a representative sample of the 232m passengers who use six of the world’s busiest airports across five continents: Hartsfield-Jackson, Atlanta; Mumbai International; Charles de Gaulle, Paris; Moscow Domodedovo; Sao Paulo Guarulhos, Brazil; and Johannesburg O R Tambo International Airport. The data is extracted from interviews with 2,143 passengers from over 60 countries travelling on over 100 airlines, conducted at the departure gates earlier this year.
The survey found that 61.7% of Mumbai passengers made online bookings, which was ahead of all other surveyed airports except the world’s busiest, Atlanta, where 73.4% booked online. Only 19.7% of respondents interviewed at Mumbai airport had never used online booking. Among those who did use online booking when it was available, 30% found it cheaper to book offline, 28% did not have a credit card; and 20% had no internet access. Ease of use and time saved were the main reasons cited for online booking.
Maneesh Jaikrishna, SITA director for India and South Asia, said: "This survey confirms that self-service is here to stay with potential for truly explosive growth in emerging markets." He added that despite low internet penetration in India, almost 20% of passengers at the country’s largest airport—Mumbai, that is—are using the web to check-in.
"The survey demonstrates that Indian travellers are among the most technologically savvy. Globally, 93% of the passengers surveyed were carrying a mobile device,’’ he added.
However, the major obstacles to selfservice check-in adoption were lack of availability of self-service for a particular flight (27.5%). Besides, 24.7% could not tell if self-service check-in was available.
is on the rise at Mumbai airport. In fact, a global survey says that the percentage of passengers at Mumbai airport who use these facilities is much higher than any other airport in the world.
In a global survey carried out at six of the world’s busiest airports across five continents, the passengers of Mumbai airport have clearly indicated that selfservice check-in and web check-in is growing in popularity. According to the SITA/Air Transport World Passenger Self-Service Survey, the use of self-service check-in at Mumbai (28.7%) rivals that of one of mainland Europe’s main gateways—Paris Charles De Gaulle (29.9%).
But significantly, Mumbai leads all six airports when it comes to web check-in with a score of 19.3% just ahead of Atlanta (18%). Though Mumbai scores high percentage-wise, it may be noted that when it comes to actual numbers, Mumbai would be far behind airports like Atlanta, for instance, as the sheer volume of passengers the latter handles is much higher than what Mumbai does.
The survey takes an in-depth look at the attitudes and habits of a representative sample of the 232m passengers who use six of the world’s busiest airports across five continents: Hartsfield-Jackson, Atlanta; Mumbai International; Charles de Gaulle, Paris; Moscow Domodedovo; Sao Paulo Guarulhos, Brazil; and Johannesburg O R Tambo International Airport. The data is extracted from interviews with 2,143 passengers from over 60 countries travelling on over 100 airlines, conducted at the departure gates earlier this year.
The survey found that 61.7% of Mumbai passengers made online bookings, which was ahead of all other surveyed airports except the world’s busiest, Atlanta, where 73.4% booked online. Only 19.7% of respondents interviewed at Mumbai airport had never used online booking. Among those who did use online booking when it was available, 30% found it cheaper to book offline, 28% did not have a credit card; and 20% had no internet access. Ease of use and time saved were the main reasons cited for online booking.
Maneesh Jaikrishna, SITA director for India and South Asia, said: "This survey confirms that self-service is here to stay with potential for truly explosive growth in emerging markets." He added that despite low internet penetration in India, almost 20% of passengers at the country’s largest airport—Mumbai, that is—are using the web to check-in.
"The survey demonstrates that Indian travellers are among the most technologically savvy. Globally, 93% of the passengers surveyed were carrying a mobile device,’’ he added.
However, the major obstacles to selfservice check-in adoption were lack of availability of self-service for a particular flight (27.5%). Besides, 24.7% could not tell if self-service check-in was available.
Goldman Sachs to cut 10 pc of work force
NEW YORK: Investment banking major Goldman Sachs is expected to slash about 10 per cent of its total 32,500-strong work force.
Quoting people familiar with the matter, The Wall Street Journal said the firm is preparing to cut about 10 per cent of its 32,500 employees, a sign of deepening job losses on Wall Street.
"The cuts, expected throughout the New York-based company, underscore how much even the mightiest securities firms have been shaken by the 16-month credit crisis.
Despite avoiding the catastrophic mistakes that sank Bear Stearns and Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc, Goldman is suffering from the drought in investment banking and trading," the report added.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Goldman Sachs, which had recently converted itself into a bank holding company, has in recent months been less willing to put its capital on the line for both itself and its clients, which will result in lower profits going forward.
"In September, with the company's work force at a record high, Chief Financial Officer David Viniar indicated he expected the company's head count to be flat or higher for the rest of the year. But the credit crisis has deepened since then, forcing Goldman to make the cuts," the report noted.
Quoting people familiar with the matter, The Wall Street Journal said the firm is preparing to cut about 10 per cent of its 32,500 employees, a sign of deepening job losses on Wall Street.
"The cuts, expected throughout the New York-based company, underscore how much even the mightiest securities firms have been shaken by the 16-month credit crisis.
Despite avoiding the catastrophic mistakes that sank Bear Stearns and Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc, Goldman is suffering from the drought in investment banking and trading," the report added.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Goldman Sachs, which had recently converted itself into a bank holding company, has in recent months been less willing to put its capital on the line for both itself and its clients, which will result in lower profits going forward.
"In September, with the company's work force at a record high, Chief Financial Officer David Viniar indicated he expected the company's head count to be flat or higher for the rest of the year. But the credit crisis has deepened since then, forcing Goldman to make the cuts," the report noted.
Suspected US missile strike kills 11 in Pakistan: Officials
MIRANSHAH, PAKISTAN: Suspected US spy drones fired missiles early on Thursday into a school set up by a top Taliban commander in a tribal area border
ing Afghanistan, killing 11 people, security officials said.
The air strike apparently targeting veteran militant Jalaluddin Haqqani, a major target for US forces, was the latest in a string of attacks on Pakistani soil that have raised tensions between Islamabad and Washington.
It came hours after parliament passed a special resolution calling for an urgent review of Pakistan's anti-terror policy, including more talks with militants and a vow to defend Pakistan's territorial sovereignty.
Security officials said the madrassa, or religious school, near Miranshah, the main town in troubled North Waziristan region, was set up by Haqqani during the 1980s "jihad" against Soviet forces in Afghanistan.
It was currently run by one of Haqqani's own commanders, Mullah Mansoor, and was recently used as a guest house for "international and local students traveling from other areas".
"At 2:25 am, two spy drones fired three missiles at the madrassa of Mullah Mansoor. Eleven people have been killed in the missile strike," a security official said.
"Locals are still looking for more people in the rubble," he said.
A similar missile strike targeting another house owned by Haqqani on September 8 killed 23 people, including members of Haqqani's extended family, security officials said.
Haqqani was one of the most prominent Afghan commanders who fought the Red Army between 1978 and 1989. He subsequently became close to Mullah Omar, the leader of the 1996-2001 Taliban regime in Afghanistan.
Since the fall of the Taliban, Haqqani has become one of the most active Taliban commanders launching attacks on international forces in Afghanistan from safe havens in Pakistan, security officials said.
His son Sirajuddin, also a leading Taliban commander, was an occasional visitor at the madrassa that was hit on Thursday, a senior security official handling tribal unrest said.
The Pakistani army said it was gathering details about an "incident" in North Waziristan. "Details are being gathered about the exact number of casualties," chief military spokesman Major General Athar Abbas said.
Residents said that all of the victims were local tribesmen, adding that locals had fired at two suspected US drones hovering above.
Missile strikes targeting militants in Pakistan in recent weeks have been blamed on US-led coalition forces or CIA drones based in Afghanistan.
ing Afghanistan, killing 11 people, security officials said.
The air strike apparently targeting veteran militant Jalaluddin Haqqani, a major target for US forces, was the latest in a string of attacks on Pakistani soil that have raised tensions between Islamabad and Washington.
It came hours after parliament passed a special resolution calling for an urgent review of Pakistan's anti-terror policy, including more talks with militants and a vow to defend Pakistan's territorial sovereignty.
Security officials said the madrassa, or religious school, near Miranshah, the main town in troubled North Waziristan region, was set up by Haqqani during the 1980s "jihad" against Soviet forces in Afghanistan.
It was currently run by one of Haqqani's own commanders, Mullah Mansoor, and was recently used as a guest house for "international and local students traveling from other areas".
"At 2:25 am, two spy drones fired three missiles at the madrassa of Mullah Mansoor. Eleven people have been killed in the missile strike," a security official said.
"Locals are still looking for more people in the rubble," he said.
A similar missile strike targeting another house owned by Haqqani on September 8 killed 23 people, including members of Haqqani's extended family, security officials said.
Haqqani was one of the most prominent Afghan commanders who fought the Red Army between 1978 and 1989. He subsequently became close to Mullah Omar, the leader of the 1996-2001 Taliban regime in Afghanistan.
Since the fall of the Taliban, Haqqani has become one of the most active Taliban commanders launching attacks on international forces in Afghanistan from safe havens in Pakistan, security officials said.
His son Sirajuddin, also a leading Taliban commander, was an occasional visitor at the madrassa that was hit on Thursday, a senior security official handling tribal unrest said.
The Pakistani army said it was gathering details about an "incident" in North Waziristan. "Details are being gathered about the exact number of casualties," chief military spokesman Major General Athar Abbas said.
Residents said that all of the victims were local tribesmen, adding that locals had fired at two suspected US drones hovering above.
Missile strikes targeting militants in Pakistan in recent weeks have been blamed on US-led coalition forces or CIA drones based in Afghanistan.
Fuel price reduction within a week: Government
NEW DELHI: An announcement on the reduction of fuel prices will be made within a week in the wake of decline in global crude prices, petroleum minist
er Murli Deora told the Lok Sabha on Thursday.
"The matter is being examined and an announcement would be made within a week," Deora said during Question Hour in reply to a spate of supplementaries on the issue as Opposition members insisted that the fuel prices be brought down forthwith.
BJD member Braj Kishore Tripathy asked "what is the policy of the government when global crude prices have declined."
Rupchand Pal of the CPM wanted to know whether the government, which has given a "bailout package" to the aviation companies, would "bail out" the common man, hit hard by the rising prices.
Similar was the query from Ram Kirpal Yadav of the RJD, an ally of the ruling Congress.
Deora said the government was waiting for further reduction in global crude prices and would consider the matter later. But as members got agitated and wanted an immediate response he said a decision would be taken within a week.
Deora denied that his ministry had given any bailout package to the airlines and said it had only allowed them to make deferred payments to oil companies.
"You ask the civil aviation department," he shot back to some questions on the "bailout package" to private airliners.
er Murli Deora told the Lok Sabha on Thursday.
"The matter is being examined and an announcement would be made within a week," Deora said during Question Hour in reply to a spate of supplementaries on the issue as Opposition members insisted that the fuel prices be brought down forthwith.
BJD member Braj Kishore Tripathy asked "what is the policy of the government when global crude prices have declined."
Rupchand Pal of the CPM wanted to know whether the government, which has given a "bailout package" to the aviation companies, would "bail out" the common man, hit hard by the rising prices.
Similar was the query from Ram Kirpal Yadav of the RJD, an ally of the ruling Congress.
Deora said the government was waiting for further reduction in global crude prices and would consider the matter later. But as members got agitated and wanted an immediate response he said a decision would be taken within a week.
Deora denied that his ministry had given any bailout package to the airlines and said it had only allowed them to make deferred payments to oil companies.
"You ask the civil aviation department," he shot back to some questions on the "bailout package" to private airliners.
Islamic challenge to Indonesia's democracy
Sadanand Dhume
AGAINST the backdrop of carnage at Islamabad's Marriott hotel, terrorist attacks on the US embassy in San'a and the Indian embassy in Kabul, and the resurgence of Al Qaeda in Algeria, few places in the Muslim world appear as placid as Indonesia. It's been three years since the country's last major terrorist bombing; Al Qaeda's local affiliate, Jemaah Islamiyah, is on the run. Democracy has blossomed: Parliamentary and presidential elections scheduled for 2009 will be the third consecutive free ballot since the end of General Suharto's 32-year reign in 1998.
Both the president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, and the principal opposition leader, Megawati Sukarnoputri, reflect the principles of tolerance and inclusiveness bequeathed to the country by its founding fathers at independence. The Indonesian press is Southeast Asia's freest, its cinema the region's most vibrant.
Beneath the surface, though, Indonesian society is in ferment. Earlier this year, clerical diktats and repeated mob violence forced the government to effectively ban the Ahmadiyya, a beleaguered Islamic sect considered "heretical" by some Muslims for revering its founder alongside the prophet Mohammed.
In June, in an incident rich with irony, members of the vigilante group Islamic Defenders Front, wielding bamboo staves, attacked peaceful demonstrators rallying for religious freedom at the National Monument, an iconic symbol of Indonesian unity. Dozens of district governments have enacted sharia-inspired regulations, including mandatory dress codes, compulsory Koran reading tests for students and couples seeking to marry, and vice squads loosely modeled on those in Saudi Arabia and Taliban-era Afghanistan.
In September, protesters from the Hindu island of Bali took to the streets to force parliament to postpone passage of a so-called anti-pornography bill whose broadly worded restrictions on clothing and artistic expression could potentially penalise Balinese culture and jeopardise its tourism-dependent economy. Bali contributes the lion's share of Indonesia's tourism earnings, estimated at $5.3 billion in 2007.
Behind the anti-pornography bill stands the fundamentalist Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the dark bloom at the heart of Indonesia's democratic flowering. Modeled on Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood and fired by the same utopian dream of bringing all aspects of society and the state in line with the allegedly God-given commands of sharia law, the party subscribes to an assertive credo increasingly visible from Morocco to Mindanao: Islam is the solution.
Powered by highly motivated cadres, aided by an image of sea-green incorruptibility and helped along by the disunity and ideological incoherence of mainstream parties, the PKS has taken just 10 years to transform itself from a bit player to a major force in national politics.
Currently it's the seventh largest party in parliament and holds three seats in President Yudhoyono's cabinet. Trained party cadres multiplied twelvefold from 60,000 in 1999 to 720,000 in 2007. Earlier this year, the PKS capped a run of local and provincial electoral victories by claiming the governorships of populous West Java and North Sumatra. Armed with this momentum, it stands poised to become the third or fourth largest party in next year's parliamentary elections.
The PKS juggernaut raises questions about the ability of Indonesia's moderate mainstream to contain a strident minority whose ultimate goals are at odds with the nation's founding principles and with the respect for individual rights at the heart of liberal democracy. To be sure, many PKS supporters exhibit a certain idealism; they're usually more concerned with ending graft in government than with stoning adulterers.
Nonetheless, party cadres and top leaders -- often educated in Middle Eastern or Pakistani institutions -- hew to the harsh vision of Egyptian Islamists Sayyid Qutb and Hassan al-Banna and their Pakistani contemporary Abul Ala Maududi. To them, the faith makes no distinction between religion and politics.
It's a complete belief system that concerns itself not merely with prayer, fasting, alms for the poor and the Haj pilgrimage, but also with elections, governance, commerce and diplomacy. At an individual level, personal decisions are surrendered to the collective: All women must don the headscarf and embrace segregation. Men are forbidden gold, silk, cigarettes and alcohol.
PKS leaders, aware that their imported ideology goes against the grain of Indonesia's traditionally open and inclusive ethos, downplay their pedigree by emphasising their anti-corruption credentials. Nonetheless, the party's claims of moderation are belied by its record.
It has been full-throated in support for Jemaah Islamiyah kingpin Abu Bakar Bashir, who spent 26 months in jail for involvement in the 2002 Bali bombings. It consistently backs sharia values over human rights, supporting the persecution of the Ahmadiyya and stoutly opposing attempts to have sharia-inspired bylaws declared unconstitutional.
It displays a self-conscious attachment to pan-Islamic causes from Palestine to the southern Philippines. In Indonesia, the PKS project sends a disquieting signal to religious minorities, non-conformist women, and secular and heterodox Muslims. For the region more broadly, where economic development has long been based upon political predictability and a pro-Western outlook, it signals a period of uncertainty and flux.
Nor does the PKS need to claim formal power to diminish Indonesia's prospects. The examples of Egypt and Pakistan, where the Islamist movement has gained social and political clout over the past 35 years without ever taking office, serve as a caution.
In both countries, as in Indonesia, Islamists consistently stoke anti-Western sentiment. Scriptural certainty has gradually stifled science and the spirit of inquiry. Foreign investors shy away from long-term commitments, especially in manufacturing. Non-Muslims live circumscribed and, at times perilous, lives. Terrorism and periodic outbreaks of religious violence are facts of life, and the state's response is often ineffectual.
The crux of the problem lies in Islamism's incompatibility with modernity. In the PKS version of women's rights, for instance, the decision whether or not to wear the headscarf is made by society or the state rather than the individual. Similarly, when it comes to minorities, the party ideology replaces the modern ideal of equality for all with the medieval concept of de facto second-class status as "protected peoples."
Though the party, packed with engineers and doctors, cultivates a technology-savvy image, its ethos is in fact antithetical to scientific advancement. PKS cadres show not the slightest skepticism toward the unverifiable claims of religion. They overwhelmingly reject the theory of evolution in favor of the crackpot creationism espoused by the Turkish pamphleteer Harun Yahya.
In economics, though the party leadership makes the right noises about free markets, the rank and file is overwhelmingly suspicious of the largely non-Muslim ethnic Chinese business community. In foreign policy, the rise of PKS signals a shift of focus from Southeast Asia toward largely symbolic pan-Islamic concerns.
The early signs are already visible in high profile visits to Jakarta by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the Muslim Brotherhood's spiritual leader Yusuf al-Qaradawi, and the use of Indonesia's place on the UN Security Council to water down criticism of Iran's rogue nuclear program.
The jury is still out on whether Indonesia will evolve into a benign liberal democracy or an Islamist-dominated state that permits elections but suppresses individual rights, whether it will regain its focus on the economic betterment of its people or dissipate its energies on the emotive politics of pan-Islamism, whether it will emulate manufacturing-driven Vietnam or commodities-dependent Nigeria.
Unlike most Muslim-majority nations, Indonesia can draw on the strengths of a non-sectarian constitution, a secular elite, an essentially open-minded population and examples of successful multicultural neighbors such as Singapore and Australia. Unfortunately, as recent history shows, these may not be enough to blunt the rise of a shrewd and disciplined movement determined to remake the nation in its image.
Sadanand Dhume is a fellow at the Asia Society in Washington, DC, and the author of My Friend the Fanatic: Travels with an Indonesian Islamist.
AGAINST the backdrop of carnage at Islamabad's Marriott hotel, terrorist attacks on the US embassy in San'a and the Indian embassy in Kabul, and the resurgence of Al Qaeda in Algeria, few places in the Muslim world appear as placid as Indonesia. It's been three years since the country's last major terrorist bombing; Al Qaeda's local affiliate, Jemaah Islamiyah, is on the run. Democracy has blossomed: Parliamentary and presidential elections scheduled for 2009 will be the third consecutive free ballot since the end of General Suharto's 32-year reign in 1998.
Both the president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, and the principal opposition leader, Megawati Sukarnoputri, reflect the principles of tolerance and inclusiveness bequeathed to the country by its founding fathers at independence. The Indonesian press is Southeast Asia's freest, its cinema the region's most vibrant.
Beneath the surface, though, Indonesian society is in ferment. Earlier this year, clerical diktats and repeated mob violence forced the government to effectively ban the Ahmadiyya, a beleaguered Islamic sect considered "heretical" by some Muslims for revering its founder alongside the prophet Mohammed.
In June, in an incident rich with irony, members of the vigilante group Islamic Defenders Front, wielding bamboo staves, attacked peaceful demonstrators rallying for religious freedom at the National Monument, an iconic symbol of Indonesian unity. Dozens of district governments have enacted sharia-inspired regulations, including mandatory dress codes, compulsory Koran reading tests for students and couples seeking to marry, and vice squads loosely modeled on those in Saudi Arabia and Taliban-era Afghanistan.
In September, protesters from the Hindu island of Bali took to the streets to force parliament to postpone passage of a so-called anti-pornography bill whose broadly worded restrictions on clothing and artistic expression could potentially penalise Balinese culture and jeopardise its tourism-dependent economy. Bali contributes the lion's share of Indonesia's tourism earnings, estimated at $5.3 billion in 2007.
Behind the anti-pornography bill stands the fundamentalist Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the dark bloom at the heart of Indonesia's democratic flowering. Modeled on Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood and fired by the same utopian dream of bringing all aspects of society and the state in line with the allegedly God-given commands of sharia law, the party subscribes to an assertive credo increasingly visible from Morocco to Mindanao: Islam is the solution.
Powered by highly motivated cadres, aided by an image of sea-green incorruptibility and helped along by the disunity and ideological incoherence of mainstream parties, the PKS has taken just 10 years to transform itself from a bit player to a major force in national politics.
Currently it's the seventh largest party in parliament and holds three seats in President Yudhoyono's cabinet. Trained party cadres multiplied twelvefold from 60,000 in 1999 to 720,000 in 2007. Earlier this year, the PKS capped a run of local and provincial electoral victories by claiming the governorships of populous West Java and North Sumatra. Armed with this momentum, it stands poised to become the third or fourth largest party in next year's parliamentary elections.
The PKS juggernaut raises questions about the ability of Indonesia's moderate mainstream to contain a strident minority whose ultimate goals are at odds with the nation's founding principles and with the respect for individual rights at the heart of liberal democracy. To be sure, many PKS supporters exhibit a certain idealism; they're usually more concerned with ending graft in government than with stoning adulterers.
Nonetheless, party cadres and top leaders -- often educated in Middle Eastern or Pakistani institutions -- hew to the harsh vision of Egyptian Islamists Sayyid Qutb and Hassan al-Banna and their Pakistani contemporary Abul Ala Maududi. To them, the faith makes no distinction between religion and politics.
It's a complete belief system that concerns itself not merely with prayer, fasting, alms for the poor and the Haj pilgrimage, but also with elections, governance, commerce and diplomacy. At an individual level, personal decisions are surrendered to the collective: All women must don the headscarf and embrace segregation. Men are forbidden gold, silk, cigarettes and alcohol.
PKS leaders, aware that their imported ideology goes against the grain of Indonesia's traditionally open and inclusive ethos, downplay their pedigree by emphasising their anti-corruption credentials. Nonetheless, the party's claims of moderation are belied by its record.
It has been full-throated in support for Jemaah Islamiyah kingpin Abu Bakar Bashir, who spent 26 months in jail for involvement in the 2002 Bali bombings. It consistently backs sharia values over human rights, supporting the persecution of the Ahmadiyya and stoutly opposing attempts to have sharia-inspired bylaws declared unconstitutional.
It displays a self-conscious attachment to pan-Islamic causes from Palestine to the southern Philippines. In Indonesia, the PKS project sends a disquieting signal to religious minorities, non-conformist women, and secular and heterodox Muslims. For the region more broadly, where economic development has long been based upon political predictability and a pro-Western outlook, it signals a period of uncertainty and flux.
Nor does the PKS need to claim formal power to diminish Indonesia's prospects. The examples of Egypt and Pakistan, where the Islamist movement has gained social and political clout over the past 35 years without ever taking office, serve as a caution.
In both countries, as in Indonesia, Islamists consistently stoke anti-Western sentiment. Scriptural certainty has gradually stifled science and the spirit of inquiry. Foreign investors shy away from long-term commitments, especially in manufacturing. Non-Muslims live circumscribed and, at times perilous, lives. Terrorism and periodic outbreaks of religious violence are facts of life, and the state's response is often ineffectual.
The crux of the problem lies in Islamism's incompatibility with modernity. In the PKS version of women's rights, for instance, the decision whether or not to wear the headscarf is made by society or the state rather than the individual. Similarly, when it comes to minorities, the party ideology replaces the modern ideal of equality for all with the medieval concept of de facto second-class status as "protected peoples."
Though the party, packed with engineers and doctors, cultivates a technology-savvy image, its ethos is in fact antithetical to scientific advancement. PKS cadres show not the slightest skepticism toward the unverifiable claims of religion. They overwhelmingly reject the theory of evolution in favor of the crackpot creationism espoused by the Turkish pamphleteer Harun Yahya.
In economics, though the party leadership makes the right noises about free markets, the rank and file is overwhelmingly suspicious of the largely non-Muslim ethnic Chinese business community. In foreign policy, the rise of PKS signals a shift of focus from Southeast Asia toward largely symbolic pan-Islamic concerns.
The early signs are already visible in high profile visits to Jakarta by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the Muslim Brotherhood's spiritual leader Yusuf al-Qaradawi, and the use of Indonesia's place on the UN Security Council to water down criticism of Iran's rogue nuclear program.
The jury is still out on whether Indonesia will evolve into a benign liberal democracy or an Islamist-dominated state that permits elections but suppresses individual rights, whether it will regain its focus on the economic betterment of its people or dissipate its energies on the emotive politics of pan-Islamism, whether it will emulate manufacturing-driven Vietnam or commodities-dependent Nigeria.
Unlike most Muslim-majority nations, Indonesia can draw on the strengths of a non-sectarian constitution, a secular elite, an essentially open-minded population and examples of successful multicultural neighbors such as Singapore and Australia. Unfortunately, as recent history shows, these may not be enough to blunt the rise of a shrewd and disciplined movement determined to remake the nation in its image.
Sadanand Dhume is a fellow at the Asia Society in Washington, DC, and the author of My Friend the Fanatic: Travels with an Indonesian Islamist.
Obama to break campaign for sick grandma
Afp, West Palm Beach, Florida
Democrat Barack Obama will leave the White House trail later this week to head to the side of his gravely ill 85-year-old grandmother in Hawaii, just 11 days before the election.
The Illinois senator will cancel events in midwestern Iowa and Wisconsin and head to his native Hawaii on Thursday, before throwing himself back into full bore campaigning Saturday, advisor Robert Gibbs said.
Obama's grandmother Madelyn Dunham played an instrumental role in his upbringing and he lauded her as an anchor of his life in his convention speech in August.
"In the last few weeks her health has deteriorated to the point where her situation is very serious," Gibbs told reporters on Obama's plane in Florida, declining to give further details of Dunham's condition.
"It is for that reason Senator Obama has decided to change his schedule on Thursday and Friday so that he can see her and spend some time with her. He will be returning to the campaign trail on Saturday," said Gibbs, describing Dunham as "one of the most important people in his (Obama's) life."
Obama has a healthy lead in polls in Iowa and Wisconsin, so cancelling stops in the two states would not seem to pose too much of a risk politically. He will campaign in Virginia on Wednesday and add a stop in swing state Indiana on Thursday before heading to Hawaii.
Earlier, Obama accused Republican John McCain of launching an "ugly" bid to stave off defeat as he blitzed the crucial swing state of Florida, where early voting opened Monday, with one-time foe Hillary Clinton.
"In the final days of campaigns, the say-anything, do-anything politics too often takes over," Obama said in Tampa.
"We've seen it before and we're seeing it again -- ugly phone calls, misleading mail, misleading TV ads, careless, outrageous comments," Obama said.
"It's getting so bad that even Senator McCain's running mate denounced his tactics last night ... You really have to work hard to violate Governor Palin's standards on negative campaigning."
Sarah Palin, who has launched some of the most stinging attacks against Obama, said Sunday that if she were in charge, she would not rely on "the old conventional ways of campaigning, that includes those robo-calls."
The McCain campaign has been using automated calls to question Obama's character and values in a bid to drive up his negative ratings in swing states.
A nationwide poll by CNN and Opinion Research Corporation found that three in four Americans think things are going badly in the country and are angry about it, while 67 percent said they were either "very scared" or "somewhat scared."
Obama meanwhile basked in his high-power endorsement by former secretary of state Colin Powell, who is a Republican, and the news that Obama raked in a staggering 150 million dollars in fundraising in September.
The Democrat leads national polls and appears to be in a position to squeeze McCain across the electoral map, with time running out for the Republican to launch a comeback.
Democrat Barack Obama will leave the White House trail later this week to head to the side of his gravely ill 85-year-old grandmother in Hawaii, just 11 days before the election.
The Illinois senator will cancel events in midwestern Iowa and Wisconsin and head to his native Hawaii on Thursday, before throwing himself back into full bore campaigning Saturday, advisor Robert Gibbs said.
Obama's grandmother Madelyn Dunham played an instrumental role in his upbringing and he lauded her as an anchor of his life in his convention speech in August.
"In the last few weeks her health has deteriorated to the point where her situation is very serious," Gibbs told reporters on Obama's plane in Florida, declining to give further details of Dunham's condition.
"It is for that reason Senator Obama has decided to change his schedule on Thursday and Friday so that he can see her and spend some time with her. He will be returning to the campaign trail on Saturday," said Gibbs, describing Dunham as "one of the most important people in his (Obama's) life."
Obama has a healthy lead in polls in Iowa and Wisconsin, so cancelling stops in the two states would not seem to pose too much of a risk politically. He will campaign in Virginia on Wednesday and add a stop in swing state Indiana on Thursday before heading to Hawaii.
Earlier, Obama accused Republican John McCain of launching an "ugly" bid to stave off defeat as he blitzed the crucial swing state of Florida, where early voting opened Monday, with one-time foe Hillary Clinton.
"In the final days of campaigns, the say-anything, do-anything politics too often takes over," Obama said in Tampa.
"We've seen it before and we're seeing it again -- ugly phone calls, misleading mail, misleading TV ads, careless, outrageous comments," Obama said.
"It's getting so bad that even Senator McCain's running mate denounced his tactics last night ... You really have to work hard to violate Governor Palin's standards on negative campaigning."
Sarah Palin, who has launched some of the most stinging attacks against Obama, said Sunday that if she were in charge, she would not rely on "the old conventional ways of campaigning, that includes those robo-calls."
The McCain campaign has been using automated calls to question Obama's character and values in a bid to drive up his negative ratings in swing states.
A nationwide poll by CNN and Opinion Research Corporation found that three in four Americans think things are going badly in the country and are angry about it, while 67 percent said they were either "very scared" or "somewhat scared."
Obama meanwhile basked in his high-power endorsement by former secretary of state Colin Powell, who is a Republican, and the news that Obama raked in a staggering 150 million dollars in fundraising in September.
The Democrat leads national polls and appears to be in a position to squeeze McCain across the electoral map, with time running out for the Republican to launch a comeback.
Teacher cleared of sexual abuse charge assaulted
Students of Jahangirnagar University (JU) yesterday assaulted drama and dramatics (D&D) department head Sanowar Hossain Sunny, who had been cleared of sexual harassment charges by the syndicate .Five students were injured as armed cadres of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) and Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) swooped on the agitating students allegedly at the dictate of a section of the university teachers.
An emergency meeting of the university syndicate was convened on the campus following the incident. The meeting was on till filing of the report at 9:00 last night. Sunny submitted a written statement to acting vice-chancellor Prof Moniruzzaman demanding a fair probe into the attack. I
n the statement he accuses 22 students mentioning names of seven of the attack, sources said.Students agitating for dismissal of Sunny, against who 17 female students of his department brought charges of sexual harassment, became furious soon after Sunny arrived on the campus and went to his office around noon.The students chased Sunny, who took shelter in the teachers' lounge at the old Arts Faculty building. The students held him at the lounge and beat up him until some colleagues of Sunny came to his rescue.As students continued agitating, some teachers allegedly sought help from JCD and BCL cadres, who rushed to the scene and swooped on the agitating students.
The cadres also went on a rampage at the department and vandalised windowpanes and teachers rooms. At one stage the agitating students took shelter in a classroom locking from inside to escape from the mayhem caused by the cadres.Witnesses said Prof Mozzammel Haque Chowdhury and ex-proctor Kamrul Ahsan Tito rescued sunny and took him away from the spot guarded by BCL cadres at 1:20pm. JCD cadres on the other hand staged an armed showdown on the campus searching for the agitating students and activists of the left-leaning political parties' student wings. During the showdown the JCD cadres beat up former president of Bangladesh Chhatra Union Kollol Bonik, Samajtantrik Chhatra Front general secretary Jubayer Hossain Prince, activist Ariful Islam and student of drama Shahadat Sarker.
Another student of the department, Rusho was also beat up in his dormitory Shaheed Salam Barkat Hall. The injured were given first aid. Contacted, Proctor Mafruhi Sattar Titu told journalists, "Legal steps will be taken against those involved in teacher's harassment and attacks on the students.
The assaulted teacher has already applied for a probe into the incident." The JCD and BCL cadres brought out a procession on the campus last evening under the banner of general students and demanded punishment of the students who assaulted Sunny.Jahangirnagar University Teachers' Association called an emergency meeting today to take a decision over the incident.Classes and examinations of drama and dramatics department remained suspended since the students began agitation in May. Four female students of the department submitted a written statement accusing Sunny of harassing them sexually on May 3.Sunny was cleared of the charges on September 13 when agitating students were observing a fast unto death programme to press home their two-point demand.
The demands are dismissal of Sunny and implementation of a policy against sexual harassment on the campus. The students observed fast unto death programmes several times but called off the agitation as the university authorities had assured them of looking into the matter. The university authorities, however, took a decision in favour of Sunny, sparking huge protests from intellectuals, political and social organisations and students, who rejected the decision straightaway. Sources say the role of the university authorities has been controversial since the very beginning with formation of a fact-finding committee.
The students kept eight syndicate members including the acting VC confined to the university administrative building for 16 hours on July 30 to press home their demands.As a testimony to the controversial role the university authorities in an unusual move formed separate probe bodies like a 'fact-finding committee' and a 'stronger fact-finding committee'. None of the committees found "enough" evidence to charge Sunny with the allegations.
In the wake of further agitation the authorities were forced to form a high-powered probe-body headed by the VC and the committee finally declared Sunny "innocent" saying enough evidence was not available.Meanwhile, the JU syndicate at an emergency meeting yesterday suspended six students of the dramatics department following a complainant by Sunny.The six are Nazmul Islam Anik, Anjali Islam Shimu, Inunnahar Putul, Fahim Sharmin Dipti, Shahdatullah Rumon and Chinmoy Gupta.
An emergency meeting of the university syndicate was convened on the campus following the incident. The meeting was on till filing of the report at 9:00 last night. Sunny submitted a written statement to acting vice-chancellor Prof Moniruzzaman demanding a fair probe into the attack. I
n the statement he accuses 22 students mentioning names of seven of the attack, sources said.Students agitating for dismissal of Sunny, against who 17 female students of his department brought charges of sexual harassment, became furious soon after Sunny arrived on the campus and went to his office around noon.The students chased Sunny, who took shelter in the teachers' lounge at the old Arts Faculty building. The students held him at the lounge and beat up him until some colleagues of Sunny came to his rescue.As students continued agitating, some teachers allegedly sought help from JCD and BCL cadres, who rushed to the scene and swooped on the agitating students.
The cadres also went on a rampage at the department and vandalised windowpanes and teachers rooms. At one stage the agitating students took shelter in a classroom locking from inside to escape from the mayhem caused by the cadres.Witnesses said Prof Mozzammel Haque Chowdhury and ex-proctor Kamrul Ahsan Tito rescued sunny and took him away from the spot guarded by BCL cadres at 1:20pm. JCD cadres on the other hand staged an armed showdown on the campus searching for the agitating students and activists of the left-leaning political parties' student wings. During the showdown the JCD cadres beat up former president of Bangladesh Chhatra Union Kollol Bonik, Samajtantrik Chhatra Front general secretary Jubayer Hossain Prince, activist Ariful Islam and student of drama Shahadat Sarker.
Another student of the department, Rusho was also beat up in his dormitory Shaheed Salam Barkat Hall. The injured were given first aid. Contacted, Proctor Mafruhi Sattar Titu told journalists, "Legal steps will be taken against those involved in teacher's harassment and attacks on the students.
The assaulted teacher has already applied for a probe into the incident." The JCD and BCL cadres brought out a procession on the campus last evening under the banner of general students and demanded punishment of the students who assaulted Sunny.Jahangirnagar University Teachers' Association called an emergency meeting today to take a decision over the incident.Classes and examinations of drama and dramatics department remained suspended since the students began agitation in May. Four female students of the department submitted a written statement accusing Sunny of harassing them sexually on May 3.Sunny was cleared of the charges on September 13 when agitating students were observing a fast unto death programme to press home their two-point demand.
The demands are dismissal of Sunny and implementation of a policy against sexual harassment on the campus. The students observed fast unto death programmes several times but called off the agitation as the university authorities had assured them of looking into the matter. The university authorities, however, took a decision in favour of Sunny, sparking huge protests from intellectuals, political and social organisations and students, who rejected the decision straightaway. Sources say the role of the university authorities has been controversial since the very beginning with formation of a fact-finding committee.
The students kept eight syndicate members including the acting VC confined to the university administrative building for 16 hours on July 30 to press home their demands.As a testimony to the controversial role the university authorities in an unusual move formed separate probe bodies like a 'fact-finding committee' and a 'stronger fact-finding committee'. None of the committees found "enough" evidence to charge Sunny with the allegations.
In the wake of further agitation the authorities were forced to form a high-powered probe-body headed by the VC and the committee finally declared Sunny "innocent" saying enough evidence was not available.Meanwhile, the JU syndicate at an emergency meeting yesterday suspended six students of the dramatics department following a complainant by Sunny.The six are Nazmul Islam Anik, Anjali Islam Shimu, Inunnahar Putul, Fahim Sharmin Dipti, Shahdatullah Rumon and Chinmoy Gupta.
17 dead in bomb blast in northeast India
AFP, GuwahatiAt least 17 people were killed and 30 injured in a powerful bomb blast near a police barracks in the northeast Indian city of Imphal, police said Wednesday.
The bomb, concealed inside a parked scooter, exploded near the compound of a police commando unit and a paramilitary complex in Imphal, the capital of Manipur state, city police chief Radheshyam Singh told AFP.
"Eleven people died on the spot, while six of the injured succumbed to their injuries in different hospitals," Singh said. The explosion occurred at 7:45pm on Tuesday.
Doctors said three of the 30 injured were in a critical condition.
The blast came two days after a grenade attack outside the fortified home of Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh. No one was injured in that explosion.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Tuesday's attack, but 19 rebel groups in Manipur are spearheading separate campaigns pressing for changes ranging from homelands for tribal groups to the repeal of anti-terror legislation.
The bomb, concealed inside a parked scooter, exploded near the compound of a police commando unit and a paramilitary complex in Imphal, the capital of Manipur state, city police chief Radheshyam Singh told AFP.
"Eleven people died on the spot, while six of the injured succumbed to their injuries in different hospitals," Singh said. The explosion occurred at 7:45pm on Tuesday.
Doctors said three of the 30 injured were in a critical condition.
The blast came two days after a grenade attack outside the fortified home of Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh. No one was injured in that explosion.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Tuesday's attack, but 19 rebel groups in Manipur are spearheading separate campaigns pressing for changes ranging from homelands for tribal groups to the repeal of anti-terror legislation.
Asian markets lower on recession fears
AFP, Tokyo
Asian stock markets stumbled in early trade Wednesday after fears of a US recession and weak corporate earnings knocked shares lower on Wall Street overnight.
While hopes were growing that authorities have thwarted a financial system meltdown, investors were worried that the global economy faces a sharp slowdown that will leave company revenues hard hit.
Japan's Nikkei share index sank 2.85 percent by lunch, turning lower after three days of gains. Stocks dropped 1.3 percent in Sydney, 2.0 percent in Singapore, 2.0 percent in Taipei and 0.5 percent in Seoul.
Hong Kong managed to buck the trend with a gain of 0.4 percent.
The US Federal Reserve offered up to 540 billion dollars of help to money market mutual funds in its latest response to the credit crunch.
The market for these assets, which in normal times are considered safe investments offering modest returns, has frozen up in recent weeks as the global financial crisis worsened.
But while credit markets have showed signs of a thaw recently, analysts warned that companies will still find it harder to gain access to credit, while the outlook for their profits is also growing bleaker.
"Credit conditions remain fragile, despite coordinated monetary easing and a series of capital injections by (the Group of Seven rich nations) to support their banks," Nomura equity strategist Sean Darby wrote in a note.
He said consumer spending in the major economies was being hit by falling asset prices and rising unemployment.
"We expect a hard landing for the global economy," he warned.
Wall Street's Dow Jones index sank 2.50 percent on Tuesday after several US companies posted weaker-than-expected quarterly earnings. Most European exchanges also ended with losses.
The Tokyo market was spooked by media reports that auto giant Toyota Motor and megabank Mitsubishi UFJ are likely to suffer sharp falls in earnings.
"The report about Mitsubishi UFJ sparked some selling because (the bank) was considered to be holding up in the turmoil," said Kazuhiro Takahashi, equity information head at Daiwa Securities SMBC.
"There are no strong fears (about the health of Japanese megabanks) but investors are feeling disappointed," he said.
Sentiment on Wall Street was dampened Tuesday by a wave of corporate financial results highlighting the challenging economic conditions.
The Canadian central bank declared the US economy in recession as it announced a second unscheduled interest rate cut this month to stimulate domestic demand.
The contracting US economy would lead to a "mild" global recession, the bank warned, following weeks of turmoil on financial markets and tightening credit.
But an International Monetary Fund senior official said that Europe should avoid the biggest risks posed by the global financial shock thanks to its coordinated "crisis management" measures.
Asian stock markets stumbled in early trade Wednesday after fears of a US recession and weak corporate earnings knocked shares lower on Wall Street overnight.
While hopes were growing that authorities have thwarted a financial system meltdown, investors were worried that the global economy faces a sharp slowdown that will leave company revenues hard hit.
Japan's Nikkei share index sank 2.85 percent by lunch, turning lower after three days of gains. Stocks dropped 1.3 percent in Sydney, 2.0 percent in Singapore, 2.0 percent in Taipei and 0.5 percent in Seoul.
Hong Kong managed to buck the trend with a gain of 0.4 percent.
The US Federal Reserve offered up to 540 billion dollars of help to money market mutual funds in its latest response to the credit crunch.
The market for these assets, which in normal times are considered safe investments offering modest returns, has frozen up in recent weeks as the global financial crisis worsened.
But while credit markets have showed signs of a thaw recently, analysts warned that companies will still find it harder to gain access to credit, while the outlook for their profits is also growing bleaker.
"Credit conditions remain fragile, despite coordinated monetary easing and a series of capital injections by (the Group of Seven rich nations) to support their banks," Nomura equity strategist Sean Darby wrote in a note.
He said consumer spending in the major economies was being hit by falling asset prices and rising unemployment.
"We expect a hard landing for the global economy," he warned.
Wall Street's Dow Jones index sank 2.50 percent on Tuesday after several US companies posted weaker-than-expected quarterly earnings. Most European exchanges also ended with losses.
The Tokyo market was spooked by media reports that auto giant Toyota Motor and megabank Mitsubishi UFJ are likely to suffer sharp falls in earnings.
"The report about Mitsubishi UFJ sparked some selling because (the bank) was considered to be holding up in the turmoil," said Kazuhiro Takahashi, equity information head at Daiwa Securities SMBC.
"There are no strong fears (about the health of Japanese megabanks) but investors are feeling disappointed," he said.
Sentiment on Wall Street was dampened Tuesday by a wave of corporate financial results highlighting the challenging economic conditions.
The Canadian central bank declared the US economy in recession as it announced a second unscheduled interest rate cut this month to stimulate domestic demand.
The contracting US economy would lead to a "mild" global recession, the bank warned, following weeks of turmoil on financial markets and tightening credit.
But an International Monetary Fund senior official said that Europe should avoid the biggest risks posed by the global financial shock thanks to its coordinated "crisis management" measures.
India launches first moon mission
AFP, Sriharikota
India successfully launched its first lunar mission Wednesday, marking a major boost for the country's space programme and a new step in the fast-developing Asian space race.
There were cheers in mission control as the unmanned lunar orbiting spacecraft Chandrayaan-1 was launched with an Indian-built rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota on the southeastern coast.
Officials said the lift-off, which took place in cloudy skies at 6:22am (0052 GMT), was a "great success", with the rocket placing the craft into a transfer orbit around the globe within 19 minutes.
"Our scientific community has once again done the country proud and the entire nation salutes them," India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said in a message.
The head of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Madhavan Nair, said it was a "historic moment" for the country.
"It has been a remarkable performance by the launch vehicle," he said of the lift-off from the national space centre, in the state of Andhra Pradesh and 80 kilometres (50 miles) north of Chennai.
ISRO is sending the Chandrayaan-1 on a two-year orbital mission to provide a detailed map of the mineral, chemical and topographical characteristics of the moon's surface. It is expected to reach lunar orbit in 15 days.
The mission, which will also include the sending of a probe onto the lunar surface, will cost India 80 million dollars.
"Today what we have charted is a remarkable journey for an Indian spacecraft to go to the moon and try to unravel the mysteries of the Earth's closest celestial body and its only natural satellite," Nair said.
India is hoping the mission will boost its space programme into the same league as regional powerhouses Japan and China.
As well as looking to carve out a larger slice of the lucrative commercial satellite launch market, India, Japan and China also see their space programmes as an important symbol of their international stature and economic development.
The launch was carried live on most Indian television channels -- with one channel using the emotive theme music for "Star Wars" to accompany the count down.
Some critics, however, have questioned the sense in spending so much money on space when hundreds of millions of Indians still live in dire poverty.
India started its space programme in 1963, developing its own satellites and launch vehicles to reduce dependence on overseas agencies.
It first staked its case for a share of the commercial launch market by sending an Italian satellite into orbit in April last year. In January, it launched an Israeli spy satellite in the face of Iranian protests.
But it still has a long way to go to catch up with China, which together with the United States, Russia and the European Space Agency, is already well established in the commercial launch sector.
India successfully launched its first lunar mission Wednesday, marking a major boost for the country's space programme and a new step in the fast-developing Asian space race.
There were cheers in mission control as the unmanned lunar orbiting spacecraft Chandrayaan-1 was launched with an Indian-built rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota on the southeastern coast.
Officials said the lift-off, which took place in cloudy skies at 6:22am (0052 GMT), was a "great success", with the rocket placing the craft into a transfer orbit around the globe within 19 minutes.
"Our scientific community has once again done the country proud and the entire nation salutes them," India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said in a message.
The head of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Madhavan Nair, said it was a "historic moment" for the country.
"It has been a remarkable performance by the launch vehicle," he said of the lift-off from the national space centre, in the state of Andhra Pradesh and 80 kilometres (50 miles) north of Chennai.
ISRO is sending the Chandrayaan-1 on a two-year orbital mission to provide a detailed map of the mineral, chemical and topographical characteristics of the moon's surface. It is expected to reach lunar orbit in 15 days.
The mission, which will also include the sending of a probe onto the lunar surface, will cost India 80 million dollars.
"Today what we have charted is a remarkable journey for an Indian spacecraft to go to the moon and try to unravel the mysteries of the Earth's closest celestial body and its only natural satellite," Nair said.
India is hoping the mission will boost its space programme into the same league as regional powerhouses Japan and China.
As well as looking to carve out a larger slice of the lucrative commercial satellite launch market, India, Japan and China also see their space programmes as an important symbol of their international stature and economic development.
The launch was carried live on most Indian television channels -- with one channel using the emotive theme music for "Star Wars" to accompany the count down.
Some critics, however, have questioned the sense in spending so much money on space when hundreds of millions of Indians still live in dire poverty.
India started its space programme in 1963, developing its own satellites and launch vehicles to reduce dependence on overseas agencies.
It first staked its case for a share of the commercial launch market by sending an Italian satellite into orbit in April last year. In January, it launched an Israeli spy satellite in the face of Iranian protests.
But it still has a long way to go to catch up with China, which together with the United States, Russia and the European Space Agency, is already well established in the commercial launch sector.
World oil prices continue falling on demand worries
AFP, London
Oil prices fell further on Wednesday on renewed worries about energy demand in the face of slowing global growth and despite a likely Opec output cut later this week, analysts said.
Traders were also awaiting the latest weekly snapshot on crude reserves in key energy consumer the United States.
New York's main contract, light sweet crude for December delivery, fell 2.74 dollars to 69.44 dollars per barrel. The November contract expired Tuesday, plunging 3.36 dollars to finish at 70.89 dollars.
London's Brent North Sea crude for December delivery dropped 2.32 dollars to 67.40 dollars a barrel, after shedding 2.31 dollars the previous day.
Crude futures have rallied in recent sessions amid growing signals that Opec is likely to cut production when the oil producers' cartel meets in Vienna on Friday.
However, worries about weaker energy consumption as the world's developed economies hit a weak patch have investors fretting, dealers said.
Oil prices fell further on Wednesday on renewed worries about energy demand in the face of slowing global growth and despite a likely Opec output cut later this week, analysts said.
Traders were also awaiting the latest weekly snapshot on crude reserves in key energy consumer the United States.
New York's main contract, light sweet crude for December delivery, fell 2.74 dollars to 69.44 dollars per barrel. The November contract expired Tuesday, plunging 3.36 dollars to finish at 70.89 dollars.
London's Brent North Sea crude for December delivery dropped 2.32 dollars to 67.40 dollars a barrel, after shedding 2.31 dollars the previous day.
Crude futures have rallied in recent sessions amid growing signals that Opec is likely to cut production when the oil producers' cartel meets in Vienna on Friday.
However, worries about weaker energy consumption as the world's developed economies hit a weak patch have investors fretting, dealers said.
India, Japan sign pact on security
TOKYO: Reaffirming their commitment to fight terrorism and trans-national crimes, India and Japan on Wednesday signed a joint declaration on security
cooperation that will intensify interaction between their militaries and expand the scope of strategic dialogue between the two Asian powers.
Cooperation between coast guards, defence dialogue, coordination on issues relating to disarmament and non-proliferation and disaster management are some of crucial elements of the security cooperation pact signed here by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Japanese counterpart Taro Aso.
According to the joint declaration, mechanisms will be concretized whereby there will be a strategic dialogue at the level of foreign ministers, the defence ministries and periodic consultations by the national security advisors of the two countries.
The coast guards in the two countries will cooperate in maritime security and safety. Bilateral consultations will be intensified to enhance cooperation in the crucial area of counter-terrorism. Japan has also agreed to help develop a tsunami disaster map in India.
There will also be cooperation between the Indian Space Research Organisation and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency in the field of disaster management.
An action plan with specific measures to advance security cooperation in all these areas will be presented to both prime ministers soon.
cooperation that will intensify interaction between their militaries and expand the scope of strategic dialogue between the two Asian powers.
Cooperation between coast guards, defence dialogue, coordination on issues relating to disarmament and non-proliferation and disaster management are some of crucial elements of the security cooperation pact signed here by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Japanese counterpart Taro Aso.
According to the joint declaration, mechanisms will be concretized whereby there will be a strategic dialogue at the level of foreign ministers, the defence ministries and periodic consultations by the national security advisors of the two countries.
The coast guards in the two countries will cooperate in maritime security and safety. Bilateral consultations will be intensified to enhance cooperation in the crucial area of counter-terrorism. Japan has also agreed to help develop a tsunami disaster map in India.
There will also be cooperation between the Indian Space Research Organisation and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency in the field of disaster management.
An action plan with specific measures to advance security cooperation in all these areas will be presented to both prime ministers soon.
US dispatches observers to monitor Bangladesh polls
UNB, Dhaka
The United States will dispatch 120 observers on a long-term mission to monitor the December 18 parliamentary elections in Bangladesh and first batch will be here in the first week of November.
US Ambassador James F Moriarty told this to reporters after holding a meeting with Foreign Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury and renewed his hope that the conditions were going to be in place for holding a free, fair and credible election.
Asked whether the state of emergency would make any difference in decision-making about sending the election observers, the ambassador said, “No, no. We’ve made the commitment. We think we need to get the people out here and that’s going to happen. They are going to be on their way.”
Asked whether the US has changed its position on the elections under emergency or without emergency, Moriarty laughed out, and said Bangladeshis should determine how the elections can be free and fair.
He noted the half a million Bangladeshi people live in the United States and half of them support BNP and another half Awami League. It is important that they should be assured that the elections are going to be credible.
The ambassador and the foreign adviser of the caretaker government also discussed the upcoming presidential elections in the USA.
The United States will dispatch 120 observers on a long-term mission to monitor the December 18 parliamentary elections in Bangladesh and first batch will be here in the first week of November.
US Ambassador James F Moriarty told this to reporters after holding a meeting with Foreign Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury and renewed his hope that the conditions were going to be in place for holding a free, fair and credible election.
Asked whether the state of emergency would make any difference in decision-making about sending the election observers, the ambassador said, “No, no. We’ve made the commitment. We think we need to get the people out here and that’s going to happen. They are going to be on their way.”
Asked whether the US has changed its position on the elections under emergency or without emergency, Moriarty laughed out, and said Bangladeshis should determine how the elections can be free and fair.
He noted the half a million Bangladeshi people live in the United States and half of them support BNP and another half Awami League. It is important that they should be assured that the elections are going to be credible.
The ambassador and the foreign adviser of the caretaker government also discussed the upcoming presidential elections in the USA.
Samples of 8 brands sent to FAO for further test
Melamine Contaminated Milk
Samples of powdered milk of eight brands that had tested positive for melamine contamination were handed over to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) yesterday for further testing.
A 12-member experts committee formed Monday to supervise the matter also sent samples of these products to the laboratories of Bangladesh Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR) and Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) for re-test as confusions arose over differing test results from local laboratories.
The test results are expected to be available to the government in 9-10 days and the government will take a decision on the eight popular brands on the basis of those reports, an official of the commerce ministry told The Daily Star yesterday.
Meanwhile, Nestlé Bangladesh Ltd, which markets Nido fortified instant, and New Zealand Dairy Products, which sells Fonterra brands Red Cow, Diploma and Anlene, yesterday questioned the results of the tests conducted by the chemistry department of Dhaka University (DU) two days ago.
The DU chemistry department found unacceptable levels of melamine in all the eight brands in question--Nido fortified instant, Red Cow, Yashili 1, Sweet Baby, Diploma, Anlene, Yashili 2 and Dano. Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) found the toxic element in Yashili 1 while private laboratory Plasma Plus found it in one of the four coded samples sent to it by the BSTI.
An inter-ministerial meeting decided Sunday to test samples of the same batches of these products again.
Commerce Adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman yesterday gave necessary instructions to the experts committee convenor, commerce ministry joint secretary Mohammad Ali Patwari, asking him to send the samples to the FAO.
Sohel Shahriar Rana, brand manager of Fonterra's Bangladesh representative New Zealand Dairy, yesterday said, "No toxic element has been found in the products Fonterra is selling in Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Australia and New Zealand and these products bear the same batch codes. The method the Dhaka University chemistry department applied was definitely wrong."
Questioning the security arrangement of the DU chemistry department, he said some people might have contaminated the samples there.
"Besides, the department is not internationally authorised to carry out such tests," he added.
Nestlé Bangladesh Managing Director Laurent Therond also expressed doubts about the DU chemistry department findings and claimed Nido fortified instant to be safe and free from melamine.
"It might have been for them [DU chemistry department] the first time they were doing research. I cannot judge," Therond said.
He said Nestlé Bangladesh sent samples of the same batch of this product for testing in Thailand, India and New Zealand and found no melamine.
However, talking to The Daily Star yesterday, Dr Nilufar Nahar, who carried out the tests at the DU department's laboratory, said the results are 100 percent correct.
"We are confident about the results of our tests detecting melamine in the samples of powdered milk provided by the BSTI," she said.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Neonatal Forum yesterday expressed deep concern at the news of baby formula containing melamine and asked parents to stop feeding all alternative food items including powdered milk and milk products to their children.
After only breastfeeding babies for six months, the parents should give them soft food like suji, khichuri, fruits and eggs, they said.
Samajtantrik Mohila Forum and Kendrio Khelaghar Asar yesterday demanded banning different brands of powdered milk tainted with melamine and punishment to those corrupt traders for playing with the life of children who are the future of a nation.
The government cannot avoid its responsibility of ensuring citizens' safety, the forum members said at a press conference. They demanded testing of other brands of powdered milk available in the market.
Samples of powdered milk of eight brands that had tested positive for melamine contamination were handed over to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) yesterday for further testing.
A 12-member experts committee formed Monday to supervise the matter also sent samples of these products to the laboratories of Bangladesh Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR) and Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) for re-test as confusions arose over differing test results from local laboratories.
The test results are expected to be available to the government in 9-10 days and the government will take a decision on the eight popular brands on the basis of those reports, an official of the commerce ministry told The Daily Star yesterday.
Meanwhile, Nestlé Bangladesh Ltd, which markets Nido fortified instant, and New Zealand Dairy Products, which sells Fonterra brands Red Cow, Diploma and Anlene, yesterday questioned the results of the tests conducted by the chemistry department of Dhaka University (DU) two days ago.
The DU chemistry department found unacceptable levels of melamine in all the eight brands in question--Nido fortified instant, Red Cow, Yashili 1, Sweet Baby, Diploma, Anlene, Yashili 2 and Dano. Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) found the toxic element in Yashili 1 while private laboratory Plasma Plus found it in one of the four coded samples sent to it by the BSTI.
An inter-ministerial meeting decided Sunday to test samples of the same batches of these products again.
Commerce Adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman yesterday gave necessary instructions to the experts committee convenor, commerce ministry joint secretary Mohammad Ali Patwari, asking him to send the samples to the FAO.
Sohel Shahriar Rana, brand manager of Fonterra's Bangladesh representative New Zealand Dairy, yesterday said, "No toxic element has been found in the products Fonterra is selling in Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Australia and New Zealand and these products bear the same batch codes. The method the Dhaka University chemistry department applied was definitely wrong."
Questioning the security arrangement of the DU chemistry department, he said some people might have contaminated the samples there.
"Besides, the department is not internationally authorised to carry out such tests," he added.
Nestlé Bangladesh Managing Director Laurent Therond also expressed doubts about the DU chemistry department findings and claimed Nido fortified instant to be safe and free from melamine.
"It might have been for them [DU chemistry department] the first time they were doing research. I cannot judge," Therond said.
He said Nestlé Bangladesh sent samples of the same batch of this product for testing in Thailand, India and New Zealand and found no melamine.
However, talking to The Daily Star yesterday, Dr Nilufar Nahar, who carried out the tests at the DU department's laboratory, said the results are 100 percent correct.
"We are confident about the results of our tests detecting melamine in the samples of powdered milk provided by the BSTI," she said.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Neonatal Forum yesterday expressed deep concern at the news of baby formula containing melamine and asked parents to stop feeding all alternative food items including powdered milk and milk products to their children.
After only breastfeeding babies for six months, the parents should give them soft food like suji, khichuri, fruits and eggs, they said.
Samajtantrik Mohila Forum and Kendrio Khelaghar Asar yesterday demanded banning different brands of powdered milk tainted with melamine and punishment to those corrupt traders for playing with the life of children who are the future of a nation.
The government cannot avoid its responsibility of ensuring citizens' safety, the forum members said at a press conference. They demanded testing of other brands of powdered milk available in the market.
Markets end sharply lower; Sensex down 513 points
MUMBAI: Markets ended sharply lower on Wednesday as traders booked profits after global sentiments turned bearish. Realty and metals stock ended with
major losses.
Bombay Stock Exchange’s Sensex ended at 10,169.90, down 513.49 points or 4.81 per cent. The index touched a low of 10,128.22 and a high of 10,484.85.
National Stock Exchange’s Nifty closed at 3065.15, down 169.75 points. The broader index touched a low of 3051.80 and a high of 3235.75.
BSE Midcap Index closed 2.82 per cent lower and BSE Smallcap Index declined 1.94 per cent.
Among frontline stocks, Tata Steel (-14.18%), Sterlite Industries (-10.45%), Reliance Communications (-9.18%), Tata Motors (-8.82%) and Jaiprakash Associates (-8.39%) were the worst hit.
ITC (0.62%), Hindustan Unilever (0.52%) and BHEL (0.5%) were the only gainers in the 30-share index.
Market breadth remained weak through the day. On BSE, 1710 declines outnumbered 791 advances.
major losses.
Bombay Stock Exchange’s Sensex ended at 10,169.90, down 513.49 points or 4.81 per cent. The index touched a low of 10,128.22 and a high of 10,484.85.
National Stock Exchange’s Nifty closed at 3065.15, down 169.75 points. The broader index touched a low of 3051.80 and a high of 3235.75.
BSE Midcap Index closed 2.82 per cent lower and BSE Smallcap Index declined 1.94 per cent.
Among frontline stocks, Tata Steel (-14.18%), Sterlite Industries (-10.45%), Reliance Communications (-9.18%), Tata Motors (-8.82%) and Jaiprakash Associates (-8.39%) were the worst hit.
ITC (0.62%), Hindustan Unilever (0.52%) and BHEL (0.5%) were the only gainers in the 30-share index.
Market breadth remained weak through the day. On BSE, 1710 declines outnumbered 791 advances.
No job cuts in Air India:Praful Patel (CAM)
CHENNAI: Civil aviation minister Praful Patel on Monday ruled out retrenchment among employees in public sector Air India and blamed rising fuel prices as the reason behind the present crisis in the aviation sector. "I have categorically denied that there will be any retrenchment in Air India," he told reporters here after the inauguration of the Rs 1808-crore Chennai airport expansion and modernisation project.
He, however, declined to comment on the issue in the private sector. Jet Airways had last week decided to lay off about 1900 of its employees but withdrew the move promptly. Kingfisher Airlines has announced a salary cut of its trainee pilots as part of cost-cutting measures. Patel said prices of Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) have gone out of control and called for "rationalisation" of the same to manage the present crisis.
The rising prices have put an extra burden of Rs 7,000 to Rs 8,000 crore on the airlines operators who have in turn passed on the burden to passengers, he said and stressed the need for states to reduce the sales tax levied on ATF. "Most states levy a sales tax of 29 per cent on a commodity whose value has gone up, which also adds up to the overall cost," he said. He also demanded a cut in other taxes, including customs and excise. "States should understand that better rational pricing brings more flights into their cities, helping in increased revenue...I hope all understand," he said.
He also said that unless a permanent solution was found, fears of retrenchment "will hang in the air."
He, however, declined to comment on the issue in the private sector. Jet Airways had last week decided to lay off about 1900 of its employees but withdrew the move promptly. Kingfisher Airlines has announced a salary cut of its trainee pilots as part of cost-cutting measures. Patel said prices of Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) have gone out of control and called for "rationalisation" of the same to manage the present crisis.
The rising prices have put an extra burden of Rs 7,000 to Rs 8,000 crore on the airlines operators who have in turn passed on the burden to passengers, he said and stressed the need for states to reduce the sales tax levied on ATF. "Most states levy a sales tax of 29 per cent on a commodity whose value has gone up, which also adds up to the overall cost," he said. He also demanded a cut in other taxes, including customs and excise. "States should understand that better rational pricing brings more flights into their cities, helping in increased revenue...I hope all understand," he said.
He also said that unless a permanent solution was found, fears of retrenchment "will hang in the air."
World could lose 20m jobs from financial crisis: ILO
GENEVA: The global financial crisis could cost some 20m jobs worldwide, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) warned on Monday.
ILO Director-General Juan Somavia issued the warning in Geneva, coupled with the advice that "we need prompt and coordinated government actions to avert a social crisis that could be severe, long-lasting and global". By current calculations, worldwide unemployment could rise from 190 million last year to a level of 210m by the end of 2009.
The number of those people having to exist on less than $1 a day could rise by 40 million, he warned, "and those at $2 a day by more than 100m". Construction, automotive, tourism, finance, services and real estate would be among the sectors to be hit hardest by the current crisis. Somavia also said that projections might even be underestimated unless "the effects of the current economic contraction and looming recession are not quickly confronted. "This is not simply a crisis on Wall Street, this is a crisis on all streets.
We need an economic rescue plan for working families and the real economy, with rules and policies that deliver decent jobs. We must link better productivity to salaries and growth to employment," he argued.
ILO Director-General Juan Somavia issued the warning in Geneva, coupled with the advice that "we need prompt and coordinated government actions to avert a social crisis that could be severe, long-lasting and global". By current calculations, worldwide unemployment could rise from 190 million last year to a level of 210m by the end of 2009.
The number of those people having to exist on less than $1 a day could rise by 40 million, he warned, "and those at $2 a day by more than 100m". Construction, automotive, tourism, finance, services and real estate would be among the sectors to be hit hardest by the current crisis. Somavia also said that projections might even be underestimated unless "the effects of the current economic contraction and looming recession are not quickly confronted. "This is not simply a crisis on Wall Street, this is a crisis on all streets.
We need an economic rescue plan for working families and the real economy, with rules and policies that deliver decent jobs. We must link better productivity to salaries and growth to employment," he argued.
Parliament had record low of 32 sittings in '08
NEW DELHI: The telltale signs of Parliament's decline have been visible for a while — now they stare you in the face. Till date, Parliament has met for just 32 days this year, the lowest in its history.
This is shocking considering that in 1956, the Lok Sabha met for a record 151 days. And as years have passed, and issues become more complicated for the country, our legislators appear to be taking less and less interest in Parliament. Even if Parliament sits for a couple of more weeks in the last two months of the year, 2008 will go down in history as the year that saw the shortest duration of business in Parliament. This, at a time when issues have become economically and politically graver, and the need for our MPs to put their minds together to find a national consensus to these is being felt by all. In the early years, Parliament — as figures show — functioned far more robustly. From 1952, the year the Lok Sabha was constituted, Parliament met for more than 100 days every year. In 1953 and 1954, it met for 137 days each.
Even during the Emergency year of 1976, it met 98 times. The real decline began in 1999 when the Lok Sabha had only 51 sittings. And the trend has persisted since then. The trend of decline in the number of sittings of Parliament was a disease that afflicted the state assemblies first. Haryana, Goa and some of the North-Eastern states were notorious for skirting the assembly. In presiding officers' conferences, the issue has come up again and again.
Now the virus seems to have struck Parliament. This has happened despite a political consensus that Parliament should meet for a minimum of 100 days in a year. Given the current trend, this won't be achieved this year. Experts believe that the alarm bell should be pressed for the largescale "infiltration" of criminal elements into Parliament. Expert Subhash Kashyap says that the decline of the LS has happened not just because of the fewer number of days it has met to transact business and legislate, but also because of the changing House composition. He points out that 125 MPs in the present LS have criminal backgrounds.
This is shocking considering that in 1956, the Lok Sabha met for a record 151 days. And as years have passed, and issues become more complicated for the country, our legislators appear to be taking less and less interest in Parliament. Even if Parliament sits for a couple of more weeks in the last two months of the year, 2008 will go down in history as the year that saw the shortest duration of business in Parliament. This, at a time when issues have become economically and politically graver, and the need for our MPs to put their minds together to find a national consensus to these is being felt by all. In the early years, Parliament — as figures show — functioned far more robustly. From 1952, the year the Lok Sabha was constituted, Parliament met for more than 100 days every year. In 1953 and 1954, it met for 137 days each.
Even during the Emergency year of 1976, it met 98 times. The real decline began in 1999 when the Lok Sabha had only 51 sittings. And the trend has persisted since then. The trend of decline in the number of sittings of Parliament was a disease that afflicted the state assemblies first. Haryana, Goa and some of the North-Eastern states were notorious for skirting the assembly. In presiding officers' conferences, the issue has come up again and again.
Now the virus seems to have struck Parliament. This has happened despite a political consensus that Parliament should meet for a minimum of 100 days in a year. Given the current trend, this won't be achieved this year. Experts believe that the alarm bell should be pressed for the largescale "infiltration" of criminal elements into Parliament. Expert Subhash Kashyap says that the decline of the LS has happened not just because of the fewer number of days it has met to transact business and legislate, but also because of the changing House composition. He points out that 125 MPs in the present LS have criminal backgrounds.
India, Pakistan begin cross-LoC trade today
SALAMABAD: Trucks laden with fruit, honey and spices from the Kashmir Valley waited near the heavily armed frontier on Tuesday as India and Pakistan opened a trade route between the two sides for the first time in six decades. ``I was 12-years-old when I last saw baskets of fruits being packed to be sent to Rawalpindi in Pakistan,'' said Haji Abdul Ahad Bhat, a 74-year-old apple farmer from the Indian side.
The opening of the trade route was meant to bolster a 2004 peace agreement between the rivals, which has appeared increasingly fragile in recent months amid dozens of cross-border shootings and charges from New Delhi that Islamabad backed attacks in India. Separatists on the Indian side, who have stepped up demands for a trade route between Indian and Pakistani-controlled sections of Kashmir during recent mass protests against Indian rule, also hailed it as a victory. The trade route follows the introduction of other confidence-building measures in recent years, including the opening of rail and bus links between the two sides.
On Tuesday the mood was festive as the crowd waited for the governor of Jammu & Kashmir to flag off the 13 pickup trucks heading to the Pakistani side. Four trucks were expected from Pakistan, carrying rock salt and raisins. “I'm completely hopeful that this will remove a lot of difficulties and create an atmosphere of friendship on the two sides,'' said the governor, Narendra Nath Vohra. Dozens of school children lined the road in Salamabad, a town near the Line of Control,, where a specially designed trading post has been set up with warehouses and security checks for the goods. The trucks were decorated with flags and banners reading ``Long live trade across the two sides.''
The head of a fruit growers' association said he hoped the renewed trade would ``transform the relationship between India and Pakistan to a more friendly one'' and extend trade opportunities for all. ``I hope our products will not just be sent to the other side, but eventually but to Central Asia and the Gulf,'' Gulam Rasool said. On Pakistan's side of the LoC, more than a dozen trucks carrying rock salt, garments and raisins waited to make the crossing. “We want that the people of Kashmir should come closer to each other,'' said Sardar Attique, a top official of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir as he waited in the border town of Chakothi for the Indian trucks to arrive. “We hope the process we are starting today would ultimately lead to the resolution of Kashmir issue,'' he said. For now, the route remains largely symbolic.
After the inaugural exchange Tuesday, only four trucks will be allowed across from each side once a week. Kashmiri separatists claimed the move as a victory. ``This is the first step toward achieving economic independence for Kashmir,'' said separatist leader Mirwaiz Omer Farooq. Separatist groups have been fighting since 1989 to end Indian rule, leaving an estimated 68,000 people, most of them civilians, dead.
The opening of the trade route was meant to bolster a 2004 peace agreement between the rivals, which has appeared increasingly fragile in recent months amid dozens of cross-border shootings and charges from New Delhi that Islamabad backed attacks in India. Separatists on the Indian side, who have stepped up demands for a trade route between Indian and Pakistani-controlled sections of Kashmir during recent mass protests against Indian rule, also hailed it as a victory. The trade route follows the introduction of other confidence-building measures in recent years, including the opening of rail and bus links between the two sides.
On Tuesday the mood was festive as the crowd waited for the governor of Jammu & Kashmir to flag off the 13 pickup trucks heading to the Pakistani side. Four trucks were expected from Pakistan, carrying rock salt and raisins. “I'm completely hopeful that this will remove a lot of difficulties and create an atmosphere of friendship on the two sides,'' said the governor, Narendra Nath Vohra. Dozens of school children lined the road in Salamabad, a town near the Line of Control,, where a specially designed trading post has been set up with warehouses and security checks for the goods. The trucks were decorated with flags and banners reading ``Long live trade across the two sides.''
The head of a fruit growers' association said he hoped the renewed trade would ``transform the relationship between India and Pakistan to a more friendly one'' and extend trade opportunities for all. ``I hope our products will not just be sent to the other side, but eventually but to Central Asia and the Gulf,'' Gulam Rasool said. On Pakistan's side of the LoC, more than a dozen trucks carrying rock salt, garments and raisins waited to make the crossing. “We want that the people of Kashmir should come closer to each other,'' said Sardar Attique, a top official of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir as he waited in the border town of Chakothi for the Indian trucks to arrive. “We hope the process we are starting today would ultimately lead to the resolution of Kashmir issue,'' he said. For now, the route remains largely symbolic.
After the inaugural exchange Tuesday, only four trucks will be allowed across from each side once a week. Kashmiri separatists claimed the move as a victory. ``This is the first step toward achieving economic independence for Kashmir,'' said separatist leader Mirwaiz Omer Farooq. Separatist groups have been fighting since 1989 to end Indian rule, leaving an estimated 68,000 people, most of them civilians, dead.
Indonesia court rejects Bali bombers' appeal
JAKARTA: An Indonesian court rejected on Tuesday an appeal by three Islamic militants on death row for the 2002 Bali bombings challenging the country's method of executing convicts by firing squad. The three men -- Imam Samudra, Amrozi and Mukhlas, also known as Ali Ghufron -- lodged the legal challenge in August, saying execution by firing squad was inhumane. The head of the constitutional court in Jakarta rejected their appeal, saying there is no method of execution that is painless.
"The pain death convicts endure is a logical consequence inherent in a death process ... so it is not categorised as torture," said Constitutional Court chief Mohammad Mahfud. The lawyers of the bombers had argued that beheading, their clients' preferred way of execution, or lethal injection was less painful. Attorney General Hendarman Supandji has said he will announce the execution time for the three on Friday, a move seen as breaking tradition because in the past the government has never announced dates of execution.
A Bali court initially sentenced the three men to death in 2003, but their lawyers have used a number of legal avenues that have delayed the executions. Some critics say their execution would cause just a minor ripple in the most populous Muslim country, but others say there is a growing fear of a hardline backlash because of the executions.
"The pain death convicts endure is a logical consequence inherent in a death process ... so it is not categorised as torture," said Constitutional Court chief Mohammad Mahfud. The lawyers of the bombers had argued that beheading, their clients' preferred way of execution, or lethal injection was less painful. Attorney General Hendarman Supandji has said he will announce the execution time for the three on Friday, a move seen as breaking tradition because in the past the government has never announced dates of execution.
A Bali court initially sentenced the three men to death in 2003, but their lawyers have used a number of legal avenues that have delayed the executions. Some critics say their execution would cause just a minor ripple in the most populous Muslim country, but others say there is a growing fear of a hardline backlash because of the executions.
Japanese PM hopes India will not test nuclear weapons
TOKYO: Ahead of summit talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Japanese Premier Taro Aso voiced hope that India would stick to its unilateral moratorium on atomic tests and "implement" commitments made to the NSG for securing the waiver that ended its 34-year nuclear apartheid. Aso also expressed confidence that Singh's visit to Japan will give a "renewed momentum" to the enhancement of bilateral relations. "Japan thinks the most important thing is that, in order to maintain and strengthen the international non- proliferation system, India will implement its commitments and actions which presuppose the NSG Statement, including the continuation of its unilateral moratorium on nuclear testing," Aso said in an e-mail interview. Singh and Aso are due to meet here tomorrow.
The Japanese government had boldly supported the Indo-US civil nuclear deal at the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) despite a public outcry in the only nation to have suffered atomic bombings during World War II.
Though Aso did not directly respond to whether Tokyo would allow Japanese nuclear power companies to engage in nuclear commerce with India, he highlighted that Japanese nuclear power industry was strong and had proven credentials. "Japan has pursued steadily the construction of nuclear power plants, while making an effort to conform with and ensure 3S, i.e. Non-proliferation/Safeguards, Nuclear Safety and Nuclear Security, and seeking international understanding and trust," the Japanese Premier said.
The Japanese government had boldly supported the Indo-US civil nuclear deal at the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) despite a public outcry in the only nation to have suffered atomic bombings during World War II.
Though Aso did not directly respond to whether Tokyo would allow Japanese nuclear power companies to engage in nuclear commerce with India, he highlighted that Japanese nuclear power industry was strong and had proven credentials. "Japan has pursued steadily the construction of nuclear power plants, while making an effort to conform with and ensure 3S, i.e. Non-proliferation/Safeguards, Nuclear Safety and Nuclear Security, and seeking international understanding and trust," the Japanese Premier said.
Zardari a hit among spoof writers
ISLAMABAD: Like his predecessor Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has become a favourite of sorts with those churning out spoof news items. After reams of fiction and non-fiction were devoted to Zardari's meeting with the "gorgeous" Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin in the US, writers are having a field day generating spoofs on the new president.
"Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari has issued a warning to the United States that it had better stay out of Pakistani territory," reads a news item on the spoof.com. "We are tired of the Americans coming over here and acting like they own the place," the spoof news report quoted Zardari as saying. US President George W Bush reacts to the warning by calling the President a "Pakistani dude" who doesn't realise who he is dealing with.
"And let me say that when I get through bombing his country, parts of it are gonna end up in India, parts are gonna end up in the Arabian Sea, and parts are gonna be strewn all over western China from Tibet to the 'Haemoglobin Mountains'," is Bush's fictional retort. The spoof news item concludes with a note from the editor clarifying that the "Haemoglobin" with mountains are the "Himalayan Mountains".
Another spoof news item clocking hits on the website is about Zardari's meeting with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly last month.
"Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari has issued a warning to the United States that it had better stay out of Pakistani territory," reads a news item on the spoof.com. "We are tired of the Americans coming over here and acting like they own the place," the spoof news report quoted Zardari as saying. US President George W Bush reacts to the warning by calling the President a "Pakistani dude" who doesn't realise who he is dealing with.
"And let me say that when I get through bombing his country, parts of it are gonna end up in India, parts are gonna end up in the Arabian Sea, and parts are gonna be strewn all over western China from Tibet to the 'Haemoglobin Mountains'," is Bush's fictional retort. The spoof news item concludes with a note from the editor clarifying that the "Haemoglobin" with mountains are the "Himalayan Mountains".
Another spoof news item clocking hits on the website is about Zardari's meeting with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly last month.
Japanese PM hopes India will not test nuclear weapons
TOKYO: Ahead of summit talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Japanese Premier Taro Aso voiced hope that India would stick to its unilateral moratorium on atomic tests and "implement" commitments made to the NSG for securing the waiver that ended its 34-year nuclear apartheid. Aso also expressed confidence that Singh's visit to Japan will give a "renewed momentum" to the enhancement of bilateral relations.
"Japan thinks the most important thing is that, in order to maintain and strengthen the international non- proliferation system, India will implement its commitments and actions which presuppose the NSG Statement, including the continuation of its unilateral moratorium on nuclear testing," Aso said in an e-mail interview.
Singh and Aso are due to meet here tomorrow. The Japanese government had boldly supported the Indo-US civil nuclear deal at the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) despite a public outcry in the only nation to have suffered atomic bombings during World War II. Though Aso did not directly respond to whether Tokyo would allow Japanese nuclear power companies to engage in nuclear commerce with India, he highlighted that Japanese nuclear power industry was strong and had proven credentials.
"Japan has pursued steadily the construction of nuclear power plants, while making an effort to conform with and ensure 3S, i.e. Non-proliferation/Safeguards, Nuclear Safety and Nuclear Security, and seeking international understanding and trust," the Japanese Premier said.
"Japan thinks the most important thing is that, in order to maintain and strengthen the international non- proliferation system, India will implement its commitments and actions which presuppose the NSG Statement, including the continuation of its unilateral moratorium on nuclear testing," Aso said in an e-mail interview.
Singh and Aso are due to meet here tomorrow. The Japanese government had boldly supported the Indo-US civil nuclear deal at the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) despite a public outcry in the only nation to have suffered atomic bombings during World War II. Though Aso did not directly respond to whether Tokyo would allow Japanese nuclear power companies to engage in nuclear commerce with India, he highlighted that Japanese nuclear power industry was strong and had proven credentials.
"Japan has pursued steadily the construction of nuclear power plants, while making an effort to conform with and ensure 3S, i.e. Non-proliferation/Safeguards, Nuclear Safety and Nuclear Security, and seeking international understanding and trust," the Japanese Premier said.
Politics and prose: US electioneering in a few words
WASHINGTON: The next time you read that John McCain or Barack Obama is making a stump speech, don’t get the idea that they are on a cricket pitch and the stump mike has picked up their words. Stumping isn’t just a cricket term; it’s an American expression for a campaign speech -- one of the many colorful phrases this country’s electoral politics has contributed to the English lexicon. Stumping originated from the time candidates would make speeches standing on tree stumps. Campaigning politicians were said to be ''on the stump.''
In time, maverick American leaders were soon stumping on whistle stop tours through bellwether states hoping to ride to victory on the back of pork barrel politics. Occasionally, they would even go barnstorming, trying to win elections by gerrymandering districts (constituencies.) Maverick, the term appropriated by John McCain, originates from the 1860s Texas lawyer Samuel Maverick who was considered independent minded by his fellow ranchers because he refused to brand his cattle like others did. Actually, Maverick's failure to brand his cattle had little to do with independent mindedness; he just wasn’t interested in ranching. Still, he was different. He also was a signatory to Texas’ declaration of independence.
Bellwether is an indicator of a trend, a state that tends to historically vote for the winner. A good example of a bellwether state is Missouri, which has voted for the winner in every US presidential election since 1904 -- except 1956. The term derives from the name for a sheep which shepherds would fit with a bell. By listening out for this sheep, the bellwether, shepherds were able to locate the position of the entire flock.
Whistle stop tour comes from the 1800s, when long distance trains were the best means of covering the vast continental United States. Politicians would charter trains and go from town to town making speeches, often from the train itself without ever setting foot on the ground. Whistle stop tours took place as recently as 1980s when Ronald Reagan was elected. While some of these expressions have made their way into the political lexicon of other democracies such as India, others haven’t.
Not for India is pork barrel politics, shorthand for needless public spending and pre-election handouts, originated from the pre-Civil War practice of giving slaves a barrel of salted pork as a reward. Similar expressions are used in Scandinavian countries (Danish valgflæsk, Swedish valfläsk and Norwegian valgflesk) where they mean promises made before an election. But in England and Australia they are ''sweeteners.''
In India, they are merely ''pre-poll promises.'' Gerrymandering, which means to create electoral districts to give an unfair advantage to a political party, came from former Massachusetts Governor Elbridge Gerry, who rearranged the electoral district boundaries for a candidate who reportedly resembled a salamander. Although re-districting happens in many places, most recently in India, newspapers seldom use the term gerrymandering.
''The wide use of American idioms and metaphors shows American English is starting to dominate the world,'' says Anu Garg, an etymologist who runs the site wordsmith.com and is the author of the book ''The Dord, the Diglot, and an Avocado or Two: The Hidden Lives and Strange Origins of Common and Not-So-Common Words.'' ''It’s fair to say American politics has given English a lot of colorful terms.'' Inasmuch as American politics has engendered elegant expressions, its leaders are usually terse, compared to their more long-winded counterparts in India.
Democratic politicians in U.S tend do be more verbose than Republicans -- a standout example being Bill Clinton. According to a recent survey by the Economist, Barack Obama, thought to be eloquence personified, is unusually long-winded: in the debate last week he crammed more than 19 words into an average sentence, nearly five more than John McCain. The best among American politicians in this matter: George Bush, who used the shortest sentences of any candidate in the last three elections. Of course, there may have been other reasons for that.
In time, maverick American leaders were soon stumping on whistle stop tours through bellwether states hoping to ride to victory on the back of pork barrel politics. Occasionally, they would even go barnstorming, trying to win elections by gerrymandering districts (constituencies.) Maverick, the term appropriated by John McCain, originates from the 1860s Texas lawyer Samuel Maverick who was considered independent minded by his fellow ranchers because he refused to brand his cattle like others did. Actually, Maverick's failure to brand his cattle had little to do with independent mindedness; he just wasn’t interested in ranching. Still, he was different. He also was a signatory to Texas’ declaration of independence.
Bellwether is an indicator of a trend, a state that tends to historically vote for the winner. A good example of a bellwether state is Missouri, which has voted for the winner in every US presidential election since 1904 -- except 1956. The term derives from the name for a sheep which shepherds would fit with a bell. By listening out for this sheep, the bellwether, shepherds were able to locate the position of the entire flock.
Whistle stop tour comes from the 1800s, when long distance trains were the best means of covering the vast continental United States. Politicians would charter trains and go from town to town making speeches, often from the train itself without ever setting foot on the ground. Whistle stop tours took place as recently as 1980s when Ronald Reagan was elected. While some of these expressions have made their way into the political lexicon of other democracies such as India, others haven’t.
Not for India is pork barrel politics, shorthand for needless public spending and pre-election handouts, originated from the pre-Civil War practice of giving slaves a barrel of salted pork as a reward. Similar expressions are used in Scandinavian countries (Danish valgflæsk, Swedish valfläsk and Norwegian valgflesk) where they mean promises made before an election. But in England and Australia they are ''sweeteners.''
In India, they are merely ''pre-poll promises.'' Gerrymandering, which means to create electoral districts to give an unfair advantage to a political party, came from former Massachusetts Governor Elbridge Gerry, who rearranged the electoral district boundaries for a candidate who reportedly resembled a salamander. Although re-districting happens in many places, most recently in India, newspapers seldom use the term gerrymandering.
''The wide use of American idioms and metaphors shows American English is starting to dominate the world,'' says Anu Garg, an etymologist who runs the site wordsmith.com and is the author of the book ''The Dord, the Diglot, and an Avocado or Two: The Hidden Lives and Strange Origins of Common and Not-So-Common Words.'' ''It’s fair to say American politics has given English a lot of colorful terms.'' Inasmuch as American politics has engendered elegant expressions, its leaders are usually terse, compared to their more long-winded counterparts in India.
Democratic politicians in U.S tend do be more verbose than Republicans -- a standout example being Bill Clinton. According to a recent survey by the Economist, Barack Obama, thought to be eloquence personified, is unusually long-winded: in the debate last week he crammed more than 19 words into an average sentence, nearly five more than John McCain. The best among American politicians in this matter: George Bush, who used the shortest sentences of any candidate in the last three elections. Of course, there may have been other reasons for that.
Sensex up 500 points on global cues
MUMBAI: Buying in frontline stocks on renewed bullish sentiments pushed indices to the day’s high but Tier II stocks underperformed. All the sectoral indices were in the green. Fresh spell of buying by funds and retail investors, sparked by RBI's move to cut short-term lending rate, Repo, by 100 basis points amid positive cues from global markets led to the surge. At 2 pm, Bombay Stock Exchange’s Sensex was at 10,732.26 up 509.17 points or 4.98 per cent.
The index touched a new intra-day high of 10744.39 and a low of 10250.23. National Stock Exchange’s Nifty was 3.39 per cent or 105.75 points up at 3,228.55. The broader index touched a high of 3,251.55 and a low of 3,117.35. Market experts said trading sentiments were buoyed following monetary measures initiated by the Reserve Bank of India are expected to improve liquidity in the financial market and lower borrowing costs for corporates.
The RBI yesterday announced a 100 basis points cut in repo rate for the first time in over four years apart from 250 basis points cut in the CRR earlier. BSE Midcap Index was up 1.93 per cent and BSE Smallcap Index gained 1.34 per cent. Jaiprakash Associates (12.56%), TCS (10.37%), Reliance Communications (10.15%), Tata Power (9.80%), Satyam Computers (9.33%) and Tata Steel (8.22%) were the major Sensex gainers.
Mahindra & Mahindra (-3.91%), Hindalco (-3.36%) and ONGC (-1.26%) were the top losers. Jaiprakash Associates has decided to raise Rs 1,800 crore through the rights issue to meet the company's requirements of funds for its capital expenditure and other general corporate purposes including investments, instead of issuing further warrants to the promoters on preferential basis. Promoters have given a firm commitment to subscribe for the unsubscribed portion, if any, of the said rights issue.
The company has posted a net profit of Rs 203.13 crore for the quarter ended September, up 95.32 per cent against Rs 104 crore for the quarter ended September 2007. Net sales increased 37.19 per cent to Rs 1182.60 crore in Jul-Sep quarter of 2008 compared with Rs 862 crore in the same quarter of previous year. Market breadth on BSE showed 1522 advances against 900 declines. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke told Congress on Monday that another wave of government spending may be needed as the US economy limps through what could be an extended period of subpar growth.
The US government sent out about $100 billion in tax rebates over the summer to try to jumpstart the economy, but consumer spending has been sluggish since then. The Dow Jones industrial average was up 413.21 points, or 4.67 percent, to end at 9,265.43. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index rose 44.83 points, or 4.77 per cent, to finish at 985.37. The Nasdaq Composite Index gained 58.74 points, or 3.43 per cent, to close at 1,770.03. Asian markets advanced on optimism the U.S. and Japan will expand efforts to stimulate the economy. The Nikkei climbed 2 per cent, the broader Topix rose 2.48 per cent, Hang Seng added 0.66 per cent and Straits Times gained 1.03 per cent.
The index touched a new intra-day high of 10744.39 and a low of 10250.23. National Stock Exchange’s Nifty was 3.39 per cent or 105.75 points up at 3,228.55. The broader index touched a high of 3,251.55 and a low of 3,117.35. Market experts said trading sentiments were buoyed following monetary measures initiated by the Reserve Bank of India are expected to improve liquidity in the financial market and lower borrowing costs for corporates.
The RBI yesterday announced a 100 basis points cut in repo rate for the first time in over four years apart from 250 basis points cut in the CRR earlier. BSE Midcap Index was up 1.93 per cent and BSE Smallcap Index gained 1.34 per cent. Jaiprakash Associates (12.56%), TCS (10.37%), Reliance Communications (10.15%), Tata Power (9.80%), Satyam Computers (9.33%) and Tata Steel (8.22%) were the major Sensex gainers.
Mahindra & Mahindra (-3.91%), Hindalco (-3.36%) and ONGC (-1.26%) were the top losers. Jaiprakash Associates has decided to raise Rs 1,800 crore through the rights issue to meet the company's requirements of funds for its capital expenditure and other general corporate purposes including investments, instead of issuing further warrants to the promoters on preferential basis. Promoters have given a firm commitment to subscribe for the unsubscribed portion, if any, of the said rights issue.
The company has posted a net profit of Rs 203.13 crore for the quarter ended September, up 95.32 per cent against Rs 104 crore for the quarter ended September 2007. Net sales increased 37.19 per cent to Rs 1182.60 crore in Jul-Sep quarter of 2008 compared with Rs 862 crore in the same quarter of previous year. Market breadth on BSE showed 1522 advances against 900 declines. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke told Congress on Monday that another wave of government spending may be needed as the US economy limps through what could be an extended period of subpar growth.
The US government sent out about $100 billion in tax rebates over the summer to try to jumpstart the economy, but consumer spending has been sluggish since then. The Dow Jones industrial average was up 413.21 points, or 4.67 percent, to end at 9,265.43. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index rose 44.83 points, or 4.77 per cent, to finish at 985.37. The Nasdaq Composite Index gained 58.74 points, or 3.43 per cent, to close at 1,770.03. Asian markets advanced on optimism the U.S. and Japan will expand efforts to stimulate the economy. The Nikkei climbed 2 per cent, the broader Topix rose 2.48 per cent, Hang Seng added 0.66 per cent and Straits Times gained 1.03 per cent.
Fearing repeat of tie in 2000 polls, rivals line up lawyers
Barack Obama and John McCain have a litigation game plan to accompany their election strategy.
Both candidates have armies of volunteers to ring doorbells and get voters to the polls. They are also forming squadrons of lawyers who are filing challenges and preparing in case Election Day doesn’t settle the contest for the White House.
Legal battles unfolding in Ohio, Indiana and Wisconsin provide fresh evidence of the potential fights to come over ballot access in an election marked by unprecedented spending to increase the number of voters in strategically important states. The millions of dollars that have been poured into registration drives have yielded millions of new voters across the country.
Those same efforts have now generated heated battles in both parties with cries of voter fraud and intimidation that may threaten the integrity of the election. Election officials, meanwhile, are braced for huge turnout and the problems that could create with long lines, malfunctioning machines and challenges to voters.
Already, the US supreme court has handed Ohio Democrats a victory, dissolving a court order obtained by Republicans to force state officials to release the list of 200,000 new voters whose names or addresses don’t match government databases. Democrats accused Republicans of trying to improperly disqualify voters. In Florida, Democratic lawyer Charles Lichtman has assembled almost 5,000 lawyers to monitor precincts, assist voters turned away at the polls and litigate any disputes that can’t be resolved out of court.
"On Election Day, I will be managing the largest law firm in the country, albeit for one day,’’ said Lichtman, 53, a veteran of the five-week recount after the 2000 election when Florida eventually delivered the presidency to George Bush. Obama’s lawyers also have pressed allegations that Michigan Republicans planned to use mortgage-foreclosure lists to challenge voters.
Both candidates have armies of volunteers to ring doorbells and get voters to the polls. They are also forming squadrons of lawyers who are filing challenges and preparing in case Election Day doesn’t settle the contest for the White House.
Legal battles unfolding in Ohio, Indiana and Wisconsin provide fresh evidence of the potential fights to come over ballot access in an election marked by unprecedented spending to increase the number of voters in strategically important states. The millions of dollars that have been poured into registration drives have yielded millions of new voters across the country.
Those same efforts have now generated heated battles in both parties with cries of voter fraud and intimidation that may threaten the integrity of the election. Election officials, meanwhile, are braced for huge turnout and the problems that could create with long lines, malfunctioning machines and challenges to voters.
Already, the US supreme court has handed Ohio Democrats a victory, dissolving a court order obtained by Republicans to force state officials to release the list of 200,000 new voters whose names or addresses don’t match government databases. Democrats accused Republicans of trying to improperly disqualify voters. In Florida, Democratic lawyer Charles Lichtman has assembled almost 5,000 lawyers to monitor precincts, assist voters turned away at the polls and litigate any disputes that can’t be resolved out of court.
"On Election Day, I will be managing the largest law firm in the country, albeit for one day,’’ said Lichtman, 53, a veteran of the five-week recount after the 2000 election when Florida eventually delivered the presidency to George Bush. Obama’s lawyers also have pressed allegations that Michigan Republicans planned to use mortgage-foreclosure lists to challenge voters.
British princes begin motorbike rally for charity
PORT EDWARD, South Africa: Britain's Prince William and Prince Harry have set off on an endurance motorcycle rally for charity in South Africa.Britain's Prince Harry (right) and Prince William prepare to start a charity motorcycle ride in Port Edward. (AFP) The princes are among more than 80 riders taking part in a gruelling eight-day, 1,000-mile (1,610-kilometer) adventure. Dressed in helmets, goggles and protective gear, the princes revved the engines of their red Honda bikes at the race's deafening start on Saturday. People cheered the bikers on as they left the holiday resort of Port Edward on South Africa's southeast coast and hit the winding road. The race ends in the southern coastal city of Port Elizabeth. Funds raised through the princes' participation will be divided among UNICEF, the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund and Sentebale, a charity established by Prince Harry.
McCain casts himself as middle-class guardian
TOLEDO, Ohio: Evoking "Joe the Plumber" near his hometown in this pivotal state, Republican John McCain on Sunday cast himself as the guardian of middle-class workers and small-business owners who fuel the economy. "If I'm elected president, I won't raise taxes on small businesses, as Sen. (Barack) Obama proposes, and force them to cut jobs," McCain said of his Democratic opponent during a rally at the convention center. "I will keep small business taxes where they are, help them keep their costs low and let them spend their earnings to create more jobs, not send to Washington."
McCain flew to Toledo, near where "Joe the Plumber" Wurzelbacher lives, from the state capital of Columbus amid the GOP's push for this swing state and its 20 electoral votes. The Holland, Ohio, plumber was in New York making the media rounds with his family, but McCain has been evoking his spirit after making him the focal point the final presidential debate between McCain and Obama.
McCain also mentions Wurzelbacher at his rallies after the plumber was videotaped questioning Obama about whether his tax plan would keep him from buying the two-man plumbing shop where he works. While some analyses showed Wurzelbacher faring better under Obama's plan than McCain's, McCain has lashed out at Obama for saying that while his policies may force some to pay higher taxes, they were designed to "spread the wealth around" by targeting only families making over $250,000 annually. "Sen. Obama is more interested in controlling who gets your piece of the pie than he is growing the pie," McCain told a crowd of several thousand. During an earlier rally at Otterbein College in Westerville, Ohio, McCain drew cheers when he proclaimed that he was campaigning "on behalf of Joe the Plumber and Rose the Teacher and Phil the Bricklayer and Wendy the Waitress." Obama, in North Carolina, said he is the one worried about "the cops and firefighters who keep us safe, ... the waitresses who work double shifts, the cashiers at Wal-Mart, the plumbers fighting for the American Dream." He added: "John McCain thinks that giving these Americans a break is socialism.
Well I call it opportunity, and there is nothing more American than that." McCain complained during a nationally televised interview that the vast sums of money Obama is raising risk the post-Watergate financing reforms. Speaking on "Fox News Sunday" hours after Obama's campaign reported raising a record $150 million in September, McCain said the overall sum his Democratic rival has raised - $605 million - showed the "dam has broken" for future White House races. McCain also complained that the identities of people who contributed more than $200 million of Obama's total take have not been reported, although that is allowable under federal law because the individual donations fall under the $200 reporting limit. "I'm saying it's laying a predicate for the future that can be very dangerous," McCain said. "History shows us where unlimited amounts of money are in political campaigns, it leads to scandal."
The Arizona senator has been limited to spending $84 million for the general election campaign after he accepted federal funds under a program created after the Watergate scandal. Obama initially indicated he would adhere to the same limit, but reversed course and became the first post-Watergate candidate to finance a general-election campaign with private funding. McCain, a former Vietnam prisoner of war, also sloughed off Obama's endorsement by one of the country's best known black Republicans and former military leaders, Colin Powell, who was President Bush's first secretary of state.
Appearing on NBC's "Meet the Press," Powell expressed personal affection for McCain but chided his friend of 25 years for the type of campaign he has run against Obama, who is black. McCain said: "I've always admired and respected Gen. Powell," before noting his endorsement by four other former secretaries of state. Asked whether Powell's endorsement undercut McCain's stance that Obama, a freshman senator from Illinois, is not ready to lead, McCain said of Powell: "We have a respectful disagreement." On other topics, McCain: -Distinguished between anti-Obama automated calls he is making in battleground states and similar calls made against him by George W. Bush during the 2000 Republican primary in South Carolina.
Those calls suggested McCain was mentally unstable and had fathered a black daughter out of wedlock. The senator had adopted an orphan from Bangladesh. McCain is now employing someone who made those calls against him to highlight Obama's association with a Vietnam War radical. "These are legitimate and truthful, and they are far different than the phone calls that were made about my family," McCain said. -Defended his selection of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate and cast her in a fresh ideological role.
"She is a direct counterpoint to the liberal feminist agenda for America," he said. McCain also held a conference call with Jewish leaders and was endorsed by The Columbus Dispatch.
McCain flew to Toledo, near where "Joe the Plumber" Wurzelbacher lives, from the state capital of Columbus amid the GOP's push for this swing state and its 20 electoral votes. The Holland, Ohio, plumber was in New York making the media rounds with his family, but McCain has been evoking his spirit after making him the focal point the final presidential debate between McCain and Obama.
McCain also mentions Wurzelbacher at his rallies after the plumber was videotaped questioning Obama about whether his tax plan would keep him from buying the two-man plumbing shop where he works. While some analyses showed Wurzelbacher faring better under Obama's plan than McCain's, McCain has lashed out at Obama for saying that while his policies may force some to pay higher taxes, they were designed to "spread the wealth around" by targeting only families making over $250,000 annually. "Sen. Obama is more interested in controlling who gets your piece of the pie than he is growing the pie," McCain told a crowd of several thousand. During an earlier rally at Otterbein College in Westerville, Ohio, McCain drew cheers when he proclaimed that he was campaigning "on behalf of Joe the Plumber and Rose the Teacher and Phil the Bricklayer and Wendy the Waitress." Obama, in North Carolina, said he is the one worried about "the cops and firefighters who keep us safe, ... the waitresses who work double shifts, the cashiers at Wal-Mart, the plumbers fighting for the American Dream." He added: "John McCain thinks that giving these Americans a break is socialism.
Well I call it opportunity, and there is nothing more American than that." McCain complained during a nationally televised interview that the vast sums of money Obama is raising risk the post-Watergate financing reforms. Speaking on "Fox News Sunday" hours after Obama's campaign reported raising a record $150 million in September, McCain said the overall sum his Democratic rival has raised - $605 million - showed the "dam has broken" for future White House races. McCain also complained that the identities of people who contributed more than $200 million of Obama's total take have not been reported, although that is allowable under federal law because the individual donations fall under the $200 reporting limit. "I'm saying it's laying a predicate for the future that can be very dangerous," McCain said. "History shows us where unlimited amounts of money are in political campaigns, it leads to scandal."
The Arizona senator has been limited to spending $84 million for the general election campaign after he accepted federal funds under a program created after the Watergate scandal. Obama initially indicated he would adhere to the same limit, but reversed course and became the first post-Watergate candidate to finance a general-election campaign with private funding. McCain, a former Vietnam prisoner of war, also sloughed off Obama's endorsement by one of the country's best known black Republicans and former military leaders, Colin Powell, who was President Bush's first secretary of state.
Appearing on NBC's "Meet the Press," Powell expressed personal affection for McCain but chided his friend of 25 years for the type of campaign he has run against Obama, who is black. McCain said: "I've always admired and respected Gen. Powell," before noting his endorsement by four other former secretaries of state. Asked whether Powell's endorsement undercut McCain's stance that Obama, a freshman senator from Illinois, is not ready to lead, McCain said of Powell: "We have a respectful disagreement." On other topics, McCain: -Distinguished between anti-Obama automated calls he is making in battleground states and similar calls made against him by George W. Bush during the 2000 Republican primary in South Carolina.
Those calls suggested McCain was mentally unstable and had fathered a black daughter out of wedlock. The senator had adopted an orphan from Bangladesh. McCain is now employing someone who made those calls against him to highlight Obama's association with a Vietnam War radical. "These are legitimate and truthful, and they are far different than the phone calls that were made about my family," McCain said. -Defended his selection of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate and cast her in a fresh ideological role.
"She is a direct counterpoint to the liberal feminist agenda for America," he said. McCain also held a conference call with Jewish leaders and was endorsed by The Columbus Dispatch.
Sex charge probe fuels IMF crisis
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has been plunged into a leadership crisis at the height of world financial turmoil by allegations that its managing director had an affair with a married employee. The IMF has begun an investigation into whether Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the former French Socialist finance minister, acted improperly by showing favouritism to Piroska Nagy, a Hungarian official in the fund’s Africa department.
Investigators are also examining a pay-off received by Nagy when she resigned in August before taking a job with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in London.Robert Litt, her lawyer, denied that she had received “special treatment”. The affair is reported to have come to light when Nagy’s husband Mario Blejer, an Argentine-born economist who once worked at the Bank of England, discovered compromising emails. Strauss-Kahn, 59, who is married to Anne Sinclair, one of France’s most popular television presenters, said in a statement on Saturday that he was “continuing to cooperate” with the investigation into what he described as an “incident which occurred in my private life”.
He added: “At no time did I abuse my position as the fund’s managing director.” The wrangle threatens serious embarrassment for French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who campaigned vigorously last year to install his former political rival as the IMF’s chief executive. Yet Paris insiders were warning that the charming and charismatic leftwinger — widely known by his initials, DSK — had a potentially perilous weakness for women. Strauss-Kahn had combined a glamorous Parisian lifestyle with a high-flying political career that was once expected to earn him the French presidency.
Jean Quatremer, veteran Brussels correspondent of Liberation, the French daily newspaper, stirred a row about politicians’ private lives when he wrote that DSK’s “only real problem” was his fondness for women.
Investigators are also examining a pay-off received by Nagy when she resigned in August before taking a job with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in London.Robert Litt, her lawyer, denied that she had received “special treatment”. The affair is reported to have come to light when Nagy’s husband Mario Blejer, an Argentine-born economist who once worked at the Bank of England, discovered compromising emails. Strauss-Kahn, 59, who is married to Anne Sinclair, one of France’s most popular television presenters, said in a statement on Saturday that he was “continuing to cooperate” with the investigation into what he described as an “incident which occurred in my private life”.
He added: “At no time did I abuse my position as the fund’s managing director.” The wrangle threatens serious embarrassment for French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who campaigned vigorously last year to install his former political rival as the IMF’s chief executive. Yet Paris insiders were warning that the charming and charismatic leftwinger — widely known by his initials, DSK — had a potentially perilous weakness for women. Strauss-Kahn had combined a glamorous Parisian lifestyle with a high-flying political career that was once expected to earn him the French presidency.
Jean Quatremer, veteran Brussels correspondent of Liberation, the French daily newspaper, stirred a row about politicians’ private lives when he wrote that DSK’s “only real problem” was his fondness for women.
Drug killings torment school kids in Mexico
TIJUANA (Mexico): The little boy, his school uniform neatly pressed and his friends gathered around, held up 10 little fingers, each one representing a dead body he said he saw outside his school one recent morning. He was not finished, though. He put down the 10 fingers and then put up 2 more. Twelve bodies in all.
"They chopped out the tongues," the boy said, seemingly fascinated by what he saw at the mass-killing scene outside Valentín Gómez Farías primary school three weeks ago. "I saw the blood," offered a classmate, enthusiastically. "They were tied," piped in another. Mexico’s explosion of drug-related violence has caught the attention of the country’s children. Experts say the atrocities that young people are hearing about, and all too frequently witnessing, are hardening them, traumatizing them, filling their heads with images that are hard to shake. Such exposure to violence can hinder learning, interrupt sleep and linger for years, experts say.
Across Mexico, the carnage is impossible to hide, with severed heads and decapitated bodies turning up, sometimes nearly a dozen at a time. Exchanging gruesome stories is nothing new for schoolchildren, who have a way of overstating their brushes with danger. In the early hours of September 29, the bodies of 11 men and one woman were found in an abandoned lot opposite the school. The headmaster, Miguel Ángel González Tovar, canceled classes soon after the bodies were discovered, but that did not stop some students from getting a glimpse of them and many others from hearing about them.
"There’s no doubt these images affect the children," said González, who met with government psychologists to plan counseling sessions with the students. "Some of them are very quiet now. Some are asking us, 'Why did they die?’" González’s biggest fear is that the awful scenes are so common they will eventually lose their shock value among the young, making killing an expected, acceptable, part of life. "They are sending some kind of perverse message," González speculated on why the 12 bodies were dumped near the front gate of his school. "They want attention, and they know leaving bodies in front of a school has impact. Now we’re worried that at any school at any time a body could turn up."
"They chopped out the tongues," the boy said, seemingly fascinated by what he saw at the mass-killing scene outside Valentín Gómez Farías primary school three weeks ago. "I saw the blood," offered a classmate, enthusiastically. "They were tied," piped in another. Mexico’s explosion of drug-related violence has caught the attention of the country’s children. Experts say the atrocities that young people are hearing about, and all too frequently witnessing, are hardening them, traumatizing them, filling their heads with images that are hard to shake. Such exposure to violence can hinder learning, interrupt sleep and linger for years, experts say.
Across Mexico, the carnage is impossible to hide, with severed heads and decapitated bodies turning up, sometimes nearly a dozen at a time. Exchanging gruesome stories is nothing new for schoolchildren, who have a way of overstating their brushes with danger. In the early hours of September 29, the bodies of 11 men and one woman were found in an abandoned lot opposite the school. The headmaster, Miguel Ángel González Tovar, canceled classes soon after the bodies were discovered, but that did not stop some students from getting a glimpse of them and many others from hearing about them.
"There’s no doubt these images affect the children," said González, who met with government psychologists to plan counseling sessions with the students. "Some of them are very quiet now. Some are asking us, 'Why did they die?’" González’s biggest fear is that the awful scenes are so common they will eventually lose their shock value among the young, making killing an expected, acceptable, part of life. "They are sending some kind of perverse message," González speculated on why the 12 bodies were dumped near the front gate of his school. "They want attention, and they know leaving bodies in front of a school has impact. Now we’re worried that at any school at any time a body could turn up."
Fearing repeat of tie in 2000 polls, rivals line up lawyers
Barack Obama and John McCain have a litigation game plan to accompany their election strategy.
Both candidates have armies of volunteers to ring doorbells and get voters to the polls. They are also forming squadrons of lawyers who are filing challenges and preparing in case Election Day doesn’t settle the contest for the White House. Legal battles unfolding in Ohio, Indiana and Wisconsin provide fresh evidence of the potential fights to come over ballot access in an election marked by unprecedented spending to increase the number of voters in strategically important states.
The millions of dollars that have been poured into registration drives have yielded millions of new voters across the country. Those same efforts have now generated heated battles in both parties with cries of voter fraud and intimidation that may threaten the integrity of the election. Election officials, meanwhile, are braced for huge turnout and the problems that could create with long lines, malfunctioning machines and challenges to voters.
Already, the US supreme court has handed Ohio Democrats a victory, dissolving a court order obtained by Republicans to force state officials to release the list of 200,000 new voters whose names or addresses don’t match government databases. Democrats accused Republicans of trying to improperly disqualify voters.
In Florida, Democratic lawyer Charles Lichtman has assembled almost 5,000 lawyers to monitor precincts, assist voters turned away at the polls and litigate any disputes that can’t be resolved out of court. "On Election Day, I will be managing the largest law firm in the country, albeit for one day,’’ said Lichtman, 53, a veteran of the five-week recount after the 2000 election when Florida eventually delivered the presidency to George Bush. Obama’s lawyers also have pressed allegations that Michigan Republicans planned to use mortgage-foreclosure lists to challenge voters.
Both candidates have armies of volunteers to ring doorbells and get voters to the polls. They are also forming squadrons of lawyers who are filing challenges and preparing in case Election Day doesn’t settle the contest for the White House. Legal battles unfolding in Ohio, Indiana and Wisconsin provide fresh evidence of the potential fights to come over ballot access in an election marked by unprecedented spending to increase the number of voters in strategically important states.
The millions of dollars that have been poured into registration drives have yielded millions of new voters across the country. Those same efforts have now generated heated battles in both parties with cries of voter fraud and intimidation that may threaten the integrity of the election. Election officials, meanwhile, are braced for huge turnout and the problems that could create with long lines, malfunctioning machines and challenges to voters.
Already, the US supreme court has handed Ohio Democrats a victory, dissolving a court order obtained by Republicans to force state officials to release the list of 200,000 new voters whose names or addresses don’t match government databases. Democrats accused Republicans of trying to improperly disqualify voters.
In Florida, Democratic lawyer Charles Lichtman has assembled almost 5,000 lawyers to monitor precincts, assist voters turned away at the polls and litigate any disputes that can’t be resolved out of court. "On Election Day, I will be managing the largest law firm in the country, albeit for one day,’’ said Lichtman, 53, a veteran of the five-week recount after the 2000 election when Florida eventually delivered the presidency to George Bush. Obama’s lawyers also have pressed allegations that Michigan Republicans planned to use mortgage-foreclosure lists to challenge voters.
Powell endorses Obama for president
Republican ex-secretary of state calls Democrat ‘transformational figure’WASHINGTON - Former Secretary of State Colin Powell endorsed Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., for president on Sunday, criticizing his own Republican Party for what he called its narrow focus on irrelevant personal attacks over a serious approach to challenges he called unprecedented.
Powell, who for many years was considered the most likely candidate to become the first African-American president, said in an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that he was not supporting Obama because of his race. He said he had watched both Obama and his Republican opponent, Sen. John McCain of Arizona, for many months and thought “either one of them would be a good president.”
Powell, who for many years was considered the most likely candidate to become the first African-American president, said in an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that he was not supporting Obama because of his race. He said he had watched both Obama and his Republican opponent, Sen. John McCain of Arizona, for many months and thought “either one of them would be a good president.”
But he said McCain’s choices in the last few weeks — especially his selection of Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska as his vice presidential running mate — had raised questions in his mind about McCain’s judgment.
“I don’t believe [Palin] is ready to be president of the United States,” Powell said flatly. By contrast, Obama’s running mate, Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware, “is ready to be president on day one.”
Powell also told NBC’s Tom Brokaw that he was “troubled” by Republicans’ personal attacks on Obama, especially false intimations that Obama was Muslim and the recent focus on Obama’s alleged connections to William Ayers, a co-founder of the radical ’60 Weather Underground.
Stressing that Obama was a lifelong Christian, Powell denounced Republican tactics that he said were insulting not only to to Obama but also to Muslims.
Stressing that Obama was a lifelong Christian, Powell denounced Republican tactics that he said were insulting not only to to Obama but also to Muslims.
“The really right answer is what if he is?” Powell said, praising the contributions of millions of Muslim citizens to American society.
“I look at these kind of approaches to the campaign, and they trouble me,” Powell said. “Over the last seven weeks, the approach of the Republican Party has become narrower and narrower.”
In an interview Sunday on Fox News, McCain said he was not surprised by the announcement.
“I’ve always admired and respected General Powell,” said McCain, who cited the endorsements he had received from former Secretaries of State Henry Kissinger, Alexander Haig, James Baker and Lawrence Eagleburger. “We have a respectful disagreement.”
“I’ve always admired and respected General Powell,” said McCain, who cited the endorsements he had received from former Secretaries of State Henry Kissinger, Alexander Haig, James Baker and Lawrence Eagleburger. “We have a respectful disagreement.”
Bolstering Obama’s international credentialsObama said in an interview airing Monday on NBC’s TODAY that he welcomed Powell’s support and looked forward to discussing what role, if any, Powell might have in an Obama administration should he be elected.
“Here is what I can say for certain: He will have a role as one of my advisers. He has already served in that function even before he endorsed me,” Obama told NBC’s Matt Lauer. “Whether he wants to take a formal role — whether there’s something that’s a good fit for him — I think is something that he and I would have to discuss.”
Powell, a retired Army general who was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under the first President Bush before becoming secretary of state in the current administration, is one of the most highly decorated military officers of modern times and an admired figure in both parties. The Obama campaign is likely to cite the endorsement as an answer to critics and undecided voters who have questioned the foreign policy credentials of Obama, a first-term senator whose national experience amounts to four years in the Senate.
Powell said a major part of his decision to turn his back on his own party was his conclusion that Obama was the better option to repair frayed U.S. relations with allies overseas.
“This is the time for outreach,” Powell said, saying the next president would have to “reach out and show the world there is a new administration that is willing to reach out.”
In particular, he said, he welcomed Obama’s president to “talk to people we haven’t talked to,” a reference to Obama’s controversial statement that he would be open to direct diplomacy with Iranian leaders.
“I think that [Obama] has a definite way of doing business that will serve us well,” Powell said.
UK pledges Tk 900cr for char livelihood
Unb, Dhaka
The UK will provide Bangladesh with an additional grant of £70 million (around Tk 900 crore) to help implement the extended phase of the Char Livelihood Programme (CLP).
The CLP is designed to protect the livelihoods of thousands of poor families living on islands (char) in the Jamuna.
UK International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander announced the assistance at a recent Labour Party conference in the UK, said a press release yesterday.
Alexander in his announcement mentioned that rising food prices were particularly bad for those whose lives were dependent on the shifting sands of Bangladesh's rivers and coasts.
"The additional funding will give the poorest people in these areas a chance to grow vegetables, raise cattle and work for food during the hunger season and, in the longer term, insure themselves against the effects of the annual floods," it said.
Over a million of the poorest people in Bangladesh will benefit from this additional £70 million given for extending the current CLP until 2015.
The current phase, which is funded by the UK through the rural development and cooperatives division of the LGRD and cooperatives ministry, is expected to end by late 2009 or early 2010.
This programme transfers productive livelihood assets to extremely poor people, provides them employment during the monga season and raises plinths to protect them from rising river levels during floods.
The new programme will provide the char residents with the chance to help themselves by investing in cattle, goats and seeds as long-term dependable sources of food.
The second phase will be built on the success of the programme's first phase which has increased household income for half a million char residents and helped even more to grow and buy food, particularly during the monga or seasonal hunger.
"It will also help fight the impact of climate change in a part of the world particularly very vulnerable to flooding," says the release.
The scheme will help raise homesteads, vegetable gardens and cow shelters onto plinths above flood levels to ensure people can eat when the waters rise.
Over half of the new CLP funding will go directly to ultra-poor households, many of them women, to help them buy cows, other animals and seeds for food crops.
A further amount will go into social protection cash stipends for the very poorest to ensure that they can survive in the period before their plants and animals produce food.
The rest will go into (1) veterinary support and food for the animals (ii) community groups that bring poor women villagers together to share ideas, resources and knowledge (iii) a scheme that provides cash for earth-lifting employment to raise the homes and possessions of people on the chars.
The UK will provide Bangladesh with an additional grant of £70 million (around Tk 900 crore) to help implement the extended phase of the Char Livelihood Programme (CLP).
The CLP is designed to protect the livelihoods of thousands of poor families living on islands (char) in the Jamuna.
UK International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander announced the assistance at a recent Labour Party conference in the UK, said a press release yesterday.
Alexander in his announcement mentioned that rising food prices were particularly bad for those whose lives were dependent on the shifting sands of Bangladesh's rivers and coasts.
"The additional funding will give the poorest people in these areas a chance to grow vegetables, raise cattle and work for food during the hunger season and, in the longer term, insure themselves against the effects of the annual floods," it said.
Over a million of the poorest people in Bangladesh will benefit from this additional £70 million given for extending the current CLP until 2015.
The current phase, which is funded by the UK through the rural development and cooperatives division of the LGRD and cooperatives ministry, is expected to end by late 2009 or early 2010.
This programme transfers productive livelihood assets to extremely poor people, provides them employment during the monga season and raises plinths to protect them from rising river levels during floods.
The new programme will provide the char residents with the chance to help themselves by investing in cattle, goats and seeds as long-term dependable sources of food.
The second phase will be built on the success of the programme's first phase which has increased household income for half a million char residents and helped even more to grow and buy food, particularly during the monga or seasonal hunger.
"It will also help fight the impact of climate change in a part of the world particularly very vulnerable to flooding," says the release.
The scheme will help raise homesteads, vegetable gardens and cow shelters onto plinths above flood levels to ensure people can eat when the waters rise.
Over half of the new CLP funding will go directly to ultra-poor households, many of them women, to help them buy cows, other animals and seeds for food crops.
A further amount will go into social protection cash stipends for the very poorest to ensure that they can survive in the period before their plants and animals produce food.
The rest will go into (1) veterinary support and food for the animals (ii) community groups that bring poor women villagers together to share ideas, resources and knowledge (iii) a scheme that provides cash for earth-lifting employment to raise the homes and possessions of people on the chars.
Obama wins Colin Powell endorsement
Afp, Fayetteville
Democrat Barack Obama won the coveted endorsement of former secretary of state Colin Powell Sunday as he entered the final fortnight before election day flush with cash to unleash against Republican John McCain.The Illinois senator, who is riding high in the polls ahead of the November 4 election, more than doubled his fundraising record with a mammoth September haul of more than 150 million dollars, aides said.
The extravaganza of giving enabled Obama to demolish his previous one-month record of 66 million dollars in August, which had already set him fair to hit McCain hard with a nationwide advertising blitz in the closing stages.The Republican Powell, on NBC program "Meet the Press," said Obama had "met the standard" to be commander-in-chief "because of his ability to inspire" Americans of all ages and ethnic and political stripes."
I think he would be a transformational president. For that reason I will be voting for Senator Barack Obama," said Powell, who was the first African-American to serve as chairman of the joint chiefs of staff.Should the mixed-race Obama win in just over two weeks, "all Americans should be proud, not just African-Americans," he added."It would not just electrify our country, it would electrify the world."It was a stinging rebuff to McCain, the former Vietnam War prisoner and national security veteran whose White House hopes have dimmed as economic crisis has stalked the United States.
Speaking on Fox television, McCain said he had "always admired and respected General Powell." "We're long-time friends. This doesn't come as a surprise," the Arizona senator said, while touting his endorsement by other former secretaries of state including Henry Kissinger, James Baker and Lawrence Eagleburger.Powell had harsh words about the rightward lurch the Republican Party has taken in recent years and extended under McCain and his running mate Sarah Palin -- who he said was not ready to be president.McCain's shifting positions on the crisis did not reflect well on his calm under fire, and his choice of the Alaska governor as vice presidential nominee "raised in my mind some question as to the judgment that Senator McCain made." Powell said that Obama, in contrast, had come out of recent weeks looking presidential."He displayed a steadiness, an intellectual curiosity, a depth of knowledge and an approach to looking at (economic) problems like this, and picking a vice president (Joseph Biden) that I think is ready to be president on day one.
"There was no immediate comment from the Obama campaign to the endorsement from Powell, who was tarnished by his role in promoting the US invasion of Iraq but remains a respected figure among moderates in both parties.The Democrat's campaign was crowing over its September fundraising record, after added 632,000 new donors for a total of more than 3.1 million, as Obama pursued an audacious hunt for votes in Republican states like North Carolina."Because of your great generosity we had a record-breaking September," Obama's campaign manager David Plouffe said as he prepared to file the month's fundraising figures with the Federal Election Commission.
"We are going to report tomorrow to the FEC that we raised over 150 million dollars in September, which has allowed us to run such a strong campaign in all of these battleground states," he said in a video message to supporters.Obama's ability to build an army of small donors informed his controversial decision to become the first presidential candidate to forgo public financing.McCain did take public money, and so is limited to spending no more than 84 million dollars on his general election campaign.
Despite Obama's bumper haul, Plouffe appealed to donors to keep stumping up on the election's home straight.New funds were needed to unleash campaign resources in suddenly competitive states such as Georgia, North Dakota and West Virginia, he said in the video."You have probably seen -- if you live in a battleground state, you have certainly seen this -- the robo-calls, the mail pieces and the nasty ads and the nasty radio ads," Plouffe said."They are just going to increase in intensity and so we have to have the ability to fight back against that.”
Democrat Barack Obama won the coveted endorsement of former secretary of state Colin Powell Sunday as he entered the final fortnight before election day flush with cash to unleash against Republican John McCain.The Illinois senator, who is riding high in the polls ahead of the November 4 election, more than doubled his fundraising record with a mammoth September haul of more than 150 million dollars, aides said.
The extravaganza of giving enabled Obama to demolish his previous one-month record of 66 million dollars in August, which had already set him fair to hit McCain hard with a nationwide advertising blitz in the closing stages.The Republican Powell, on NBC program "Meet the Press," said Obama had "met the standard" to be commander-in-chief "because of his ability to inspire" Americans of all ages and ethnic and political stripes."
I think he would be a transformational president. For that reason I will be voting for Senator Barack Obama," said Powell, who was the first African-American to serve as chairman of the joint chiefs of staff.Should the mixed-race Obama win in just over two weeks, "all Americans should be proud, not just African-Americans," he added."It would not just electrify our country, it would electrify the world."It was a stinging rebuff to McCain, the former Vietnam War prisoner and national security veteran whose White House hopes have dimmed as economic crisis has stalked the United States.
Speaking on Fox television, McCain said he had "always admired and respected General Powell." "We're long-time friends. This doesn't come as a surprise," the Arizona senator said, while touting his endorsement by other former secretaries of state including Henry Kissinger, James Baker and Lawrence Eagleburger.Powell had harsh words about the rightward lurch the Republican Party has taken in recent years and extended under McCain and his running mate Sarah Palin -- who he said was not ready to be president.McCain's shifting positions on the crisis did not reflect well on his calm under fire, and his choice of the Alaska governor as vice presidential nominee "raised in my mind some question as to the judgment that Senator McCain made." Powell said that Obama, in contrast, had come out of recent weeks looking presidential."He displayed a steadiness, an intellectual curiosity, a depth of knowledge and an approach to looking at (economic) problems like this, and picking a vice president (Joseph Biden) that I think is ready to be president on day one.
"There was no immediate comment from the Obama campaign to the endorsement from Powell, who was tarnished by his role in promoting the US invasion of Iraq but remains a respected figure among moderates in both parties.The Democrat's campaign was crowing over its September fundraising record, after added 632,000 new donors for a total of more than 3.1 million, as Obama pursued an audacious hunt for votes in Republican states like North Carolina."Because of your great generosity we had a record-breaking September," Obama's campaign manager David Plouffe said as he prepared to file the month's fundraising figures with the Federal Election Commission.
"We are going to report tomorrow to the FEC that we raised over 150 million dollars in September, which has allowed us to run such a strong campaign in all of these battleground states," he said in a video message to supporters.Obama's ability to build an army of small donors informed his controversial decision to become the first presidential candidate to forgo public financing.McCain did take public money, and so is limited to spending no more than 84 million dollars on his general election campaign.
Despite Obama's bumper haul, Plouffe appealed to donors to keep stumping up on the election's home straight.New funds were needed to unleash campaign resources in suddenly competitive states such as Georgia, North Dakota and West Virginia, he said in the video."You have probably seen -- if you live in a battleground state, you have certainly seen this -- the robo-calls, the mail pieces and the nasty ads and the nasty radio ads," Plouffe said."They are just going to increase in intensity and so we have to have the ability to fight back against that.”
Tamil Tigers launch gas attack
Lankan army claims major success
Afp, Pti, Colombo
Troops and Tamil Tiger rebels were locked in intense fighting in northern Sri Lanka yesterday after government forces smashed through the "last major defences" of the guerrillas, the military said.The rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) launched "poisonous gas attacks" to blunt the military offensive aimed at capturing the rebels' political capital of Kilinochchi, the defence ministry said in a statement.
Soldiers stepped up their offensive on Saturday and captured a two-kilometre (1.25-mile) stretch of the defence line set up by the Tigers near Kilinochchi, the ministry said.It said the fighting was at Akkarayankulam, about 13 kilometres southwest of Kilinochchi. Three weeks ago, the military had said it was within striking distance of Kilinochchi."Army's 57 division troops yesterday pierced the LTTE-built earth bund in Akkarayankulam, the terrorists' last major defence south of Kilinochchi," the defence ministry said in a statement.It said the Tigers "launched poisonous gas attacks" on the troops. Military sources said that the Tigers had used a type of tear gas commonly used during riot control."
However, troops withstood the chemical attack and beat off the terrorists," the ministry said.It gave no details of casualties for both sides, but added: "Several soldiers made their ultimate sacrifice for the nation while many others suffered injuries during this battle."There was no immediate comment from the Tigers.In separate statement, the ministry said soldiers along two other fronts in the north of the island had also stepped up attacks against Tamil Tiger positions over the weekend.Soldiers had encircled a sea base of the Tamil Tigers along the northwest coast while troops on the other side of the island in northeastern Mullaitivu had also stepped up attacks, the ministry said."Troops also suffered casualties during those confrontations and were being evacuated for treatment," the statement said.
Government soldiers fell victim to booby-trapped devices, anti-personnel mines and mortar fire, the ministry said."Battlefield sources confirmed that the terrorists suffered significant attrition in terms of men and material," the ministry said.Claiming that the LTTE was on the verge of "defeat" after suffering huge casualties at the hands of Sri Lankan security forces, the government has said that the Tamil tigers are making desperate efforts to rope in Indian leaders to stop the ongoing offensives against them."It is very clear that the LTTE is at a decisive stage. And no one can stop them getting defeated.
So, they are trying their maximum to get Tamil Nadu (leaders) to pressurise the Indian government to pressurise the Sri Lankan government," Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, powerful defence secretary and brother of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, said. "That is what the LTTE want and that is why this sudden pressure is coming. The (Sri Lankan) government expects this situation as we know there is no other way for the LTTE. Anyway, the LTTE cannot escape facing military offensives now," he said. Military officials said both sides continued to trade gunfire and long-range attacks throughout the weekend, but monsoon rains had left heavy weapons ineffective.Neither side could also use trenches for cover as most were flooded with rain water.
The Sri Lankan government pulled out of a Norwegian-backed truce with the rebels in January.Tens of thousands of people have died on both sides since the LTTE launched its campaign for an independent state in 1972.
Afp, Pti, Colombo
Troops and Tamil Tiger rebels were locked in intense fighting in northern Sri Lanka yesterday after government forces smashed through the "last major defences" of the guerrillas, the military said.The rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) launched "poisonous gas attacks" to blunt the military offensive aimed at capturing the rebels' political capital of Kilinochchi, the defence ministry said in a statement.
Soldiers stepped up their offensive on Saturday and captured a two-kilometre (1.25-mile) stretch of the defence line set up by the Tigers near Kilinochchi, the ministry said.It said the fighting was at Akkarayankulam, about 13 kilometres southwest of Kilinochchi. Three weeks ago, the military had said it was within striking distance of Kilinochchi."Army's 57 division troops yesterday pierced the LTTE-built earth bund in Akkarayankulam, the terrorists' last major defence south of Kilinochchi," the defence ministry said in a statement.It said the Tigers "launched poisonous gas attacks" on the troops. Military sources said that the Tigers had used a type of tear gas commonly used during riot control."
However, troops withstood the chemical attack and beat off the terrorists," the ministry said.It gave no details of casualties for both sides, but added: "Several soldiers made their ultimate sacrifice for the nation while many others suffered injuries during this battle."There was no immediate comment from the Tigers.In separate statement, the ministry said soldiers along two other fronts in the north of the island had also stepped up attacks against Tamil Tiger positions over the weekend.Soldiers had encircled a sea base of the Tamil Tigers along the northwest coast while troops on the other side of the island in northeastern Mullaitivu had also stepped up attacks, the ministry said."Troops also suffered casualties during those confrontations and were being evacuated for treatment," the statement said.
Government soldiers fell victim to booby-trapped devices, anti-personnel mines and mortar fire, the ministry said."Battlefield sources confirmed that the terrorists suffered significant attrition in terms of men and material," the ministry said.Claiming that the LTTE was on the verge of "defeat" after suffering huge casualties at the hands of Sri Lankan security forces, the government has said that the Tamil tigers are making desperate efforts to rope in Indian leaders to stop the ongoing offensives against them."It is very clear that the LTTE is at a decisive stage. And no one can stop them getting defeated.
So, they are trying their maximum to get Tamil Nadu (leaders) to pressurise the Indian government to pressurise the Sri Lankan government," Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, powerful defence secretary and brother of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, said. "That is what the LTTE want and that is why this sudden pressure is coming. The (Sri Lankan) government expects this situation as we know there is no other way for the LTTE. Anyway, the LTTE cannot escape facing military offensives now," he said. Military officials said both sides continued to trade gunfire and long-range attacks throughout the weekend, but monsoon rains had left heavy weapons ineffective.Neither side could also use trenches for cover as most were flooded with rain water.
The Sri Lankan government pulled out of a Norwegian-backed truce with the rebels in January.Tens of thousands of people have died on both sides since the LTTE launched its campaign for an independent state in 1972.
Indian EC announces 7-phased polls in Kashmir
Pti, New Delhi
Resolving differences within, the Election Commission on Sunday announced a seven-phased election in Jammu and Kashmir beginning November 17 till December 24, saying it has taken a "risk" on the issue of participation of political parties in the exercise.Announcing the poll schedule, Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami said that the snow-bound Leh and Kargil regions would go polls in the initial two phases.The polling for the 87-member assembly will be held on November 17, 23, 30, December 7, 13, 17 and 24.
Counting of votes will take place on December 28.Against the backdrop of parties and outfits in the Kashmir Valley expressing themselves against polls at this juncture, the CEC said the Commission has taken a "risk".This was in apparent reference to political parties in Kashmir like the PDP which said no to polls and another mainstream party, National Conference (NC) which gave its nod after having voiced initial reservation.
On the issue of lack of consensus among the political parties, he said "first you need to ask if political parties are ready. We are not conducting election in a vacuum. To start with there were one no, one yes and one yes-no. After that one no became one yes. So we have two yes and we have taken a risk".
Resolving differences within, the Election Commission on Sunday announced a seven-phased election in Jammu and Kashmir beginning November 17 till December 24, saying it has taken a "risk" on the issue of participation of political parties in the exercise.Announcing the poll schedule, Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami said that the snow-bound Leh and Kargil regions would go polls in the initial two phases.The polling for the 87-member assembly will be held on November 17, 23, 30, December 7, 13, 17 and 24.
Counting of votes will take place on December 28.Against the backdrop of parties and outfits in the Kashmir Valley expressing themselves against polls at this juncture, the CEC said the Commission has taken a "risk".This was in apparent reference to political parties in Kashmir like the PDP which said no to polls and another mainstream party, National Conference (NC) which gave its nod after having voiced initial reservation.
On the issue of lack of consensus among the political parties, he said "first you need to ask if political parties are ready. We are not conducting election in a vacuum. To start with there were one no, one yes and one yes-no. After that one no became one yes. So we have two yes and we have taken a risk".
Pakistani forces kill 40 Taliban militants
Boucher meets Pak officials
Afp, Peshawar
Pakistani forces killed about 40 Taliban militants yesterday, security officials said, as the top US diplomat for South Asia visited the volatile country for talks.US Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher met Pakistani officials after a series of US missile strikes into Pakistan's tribal regions that have strained bilateral relations.Ties between the "war on terror" allies have also been tested by US special forces in Afghanistan launching a raid into Pakistan last month that killed several Pakistanis.Boucher's visit was for "routine talks planned in advance," the US embassy said without giving further details.He met interior ministry chief Rehman Malik on Saturday for "cordial and friendly" discussions, according to Pakistani officials, and was scheduled to hold talks with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Monday.
It was unclear whether he would meet with President Asif Ali Zardari.Pakistan is facing major economic problems as well as rising attacks by al-Qaeda-linked Taliban militants, and has been seeking support from allies to stabilise the country.
The US says insurgents striking international troops in Afghanistan are based in Pakistan's border tribal belt, and has stepped up its missile attacks since a new civilian government came to power in Islamabad in March.Zardari has vowed zero tolerance against violations of his country's sovereignty amid the attacks, which have stoked anti-US sentiment in Pakistan.In the latest clashes of Pakistan's own military operations against Islamic militants, jets bombed a hideout in the northwestern Swat valley, killing two rebel commanders and about 25 other men, officials said.
The two rebel leaders killed in the air strike were closely associated with pro-Taliban cleric Maulana Fazlullah, a security official said, adding an ammunition dump at the hideout had exploded.The official said that intelligence had indicated a large militant gathering in the area, a stronghold of extremists loyal to Fazlullah, who has declared a jihad or holy war against the government.Also in Swat on Sunday three militants and a soldier were killed in a Taliban attack on a security forces convoy, a separate security official said.
The mountainous Swat valley was until last year a popular tourist destination where many Pakistani city dwellers went for their annual holidays.In the tribal district of Bajaur, which borders Afghanistan, a combined land and air assault killed at least 10 al-Qaeda linked Taliban militants.The casualties occurred in fighting which began late Saturday after militants fired at troop positions, a security official told AFP.The United Nations refugee agency recently said almost 190,000 people had been displaced from the Bajaur region in recent fighting.Pakistan's military said in late September that the fighting had killed at least 1,000 militants since early August.
Afp, Peshawar
Pakistani forces killed about 40 Taliban militants yesterday, security officials said, as the top US diplomat for South Asia visited the volatile country for talks.US Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher met Pakistani officials after a series of US missile strikes into Pakistan's tribal regions that have strained bilateral relations.Ties between the "war on terror" allies have also been tested by US special forces in Afghanistan launching a raid into Pakistan last month that killed several Pakistanis.Boucher's visit was for "routine talks planned in advance," the US embassy said without giving further details.He met interior ministry chief Rehman Malik on Saturday for "cordial and friendly" discussions, according to Pakistani officials, and was scheduled to hold talks with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Monday.
It was unclear whether he would meet with President Asif Ali Zardari.Pakistan is facing major economic problems as well as rising attacks by al-Qaeda-linked Taliban militants, and has been seeking support from allies to stabilise the country.
The US says insurgents striking international troops in Afghanistan are based in Pakistan's border tribal belt, and has stepped up its missile attacks since a new civilian government came to power in Islamabad in March.Zardari has vowed zero tolerance against violations of his country's sovereignty amid the attacks, which have stoked anti-US sentiment in Pakistan.In the latest clashes of Pakistan's own military operations against Islamic militants, jets bombed a hideout in the northwestern Swat valley, killing two rebel commanders and about 25 other men, officials said.
The two rebel leaders killed in the air strike were closely associated with pro-Taliban cleric Maulana Fazlullah, a security official said, adding an ammunition dump at the hideout had exploded.The official said that intelligence had indicated a large militant gathering in the area, a stronghold of extremists loyal to Fazlullah, who has declared a jihad or holy war against the government.Also in Swat on Sunday three militants and a soldier were killed in a Taliban attack on a security forces convoy, a separate security official said.
The mountainous Swat valley was until last year a popular tourist destination where many Pakistani city dwellers went for their annual holidays.In the tribal district of Bajaur, which borders Afghanistan, a combined land and air assault killed at least 10 al-Qaeda linked Taliban militants.The casualties occurred in fighting which began late Saturday after militants fired at troop positions, a security official told AFP.The United Nations refugee agency recently said almost 190,000 people had been displaced from the Bajaur region in recent fighting.Pakistan's military said in late September that the fighting had killed at least 1,000 militants since early August.
'Increase edn facilities for CHT children'
Civil society members at a seminar on child rights held at Bandarban Shishu Academy yesterday stressed on increasing educational facilities for children in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT).Organised by Shishu Academy, the seminar was presided by district women affairs officer Anjana Bhattcharya while it was attended by child specialists Dr Aung Sa Lu and Dr M Mozammel Haque, The Daily Shachitra Maitree Editor Prof Osman Goni and Shishu Academy district organiser Nargis Ahasan as special guests. Academician Dr Shishir Mallik presented a key-note paper while journalist Monirul Islam Monu acted as moderator in the seminar.Speakers urged for building institutional capacity in rural areas in the CHT region for ensuring a brighter future for children. They disclosed that the literacy rate in CHT is much below than other regions of the country. The number of school dropouts is also higher in this region due to extreme poverty and illiteracy of parents of both tribal and non-tribal children. Ultimately, the dropouts engage themselves as child labour, they said.
1,207 found HIV positive in country: Study
A total of 1,207 people have been found HIV positive across the country while 12,000 are believed to be carrying the virus, says a surveillance study report.The rate of HIV positive among injecting drug users (IDUs) in Dhaka city is seven percent, it added.Quoting the government's 7th round of HIV surveillance study and UNAIDS study, experts revealed the information at a seminar on 'HIV/AIDS for students' at Brac Centre Inn in the city yesterday.Centre for Gender, Sexuality and HIV/AIDS, a UNAIDS collaborating centre at the James P Grant School of Public Health at Brac University, organised the seminar.Around 200 students, doctors and professionals from all the private and public universities in the city took part in the programme.The organisers said, “The objective of the seminar is to build awareness and disseminate widespread information among young people, especially those who are most vulnerable to be infected in HIV/AIDS.”According to UNAIDS study, some 10 million youths from 15 to 24 years of age are HIV positive across the globe and every day 6,000 youths are infected with the virus. The majority lack access to effective prevention programme, while many cannot access condoms.Experts said HIV in Bangladesh remains at a relatively low level, but its prevalence among IDUs continues to grow. The study showed that around 20,000 to 40,000 people across the country are IDUs and of them, 7, 400 are living in the city.They stressed the importance of increasing awareness among the people of taking drug, as it has the most possibility to be infected with HIV.Terming awareness the only vaccine for preventing HIV, the speakers called on the government and other organisations to come forward to raise awareness by holding more meetings, seminars and symposia on HIV/AIDS.Brac University Pro-Vice Chancellor Dr Salehuddin Ahmed, Centre for Gender, Sexuality and HIV/AIDS Coordinator Sabina Faiz Rashid and representatives of Unicef, UNAIDS and UNFPA spoke at the programme.
Leaders line up finance summits as South Korea shores up banks
Afp,WashingtonCustomers shop at a Mervyn's store in California. The department store chain will close its doors and liquidate its 149 stores. Photo: AFPWorld leaders lined up a series of summits looking at reforming global finance in the wake of the turmoil on the markets as South Korea became the latest country to shore up troubled banks on Sunday.The summits, announced following talks on Saturday between US President George W. Bush and French President Nicolas Sarkozy, are the latest fruit of efforts to bring about more a coordinated international response to the crisis.But there were already signs of different visions for the summits, with European leaders pushing for a radical overhaul of the whole financial architecture while Bush said the foundations must be preserved."As we make the regulatory and institutional changes necessary to avoid a repeat of this crisis," Bush told Sarkozy and EU commision chief Jose Manuel Barroso, "it is essential that we preserve the foundations of democratic capitalism -- the commitment to free markets, free enterprise and free trade."We must resist the dangerous temptation of economic isolationism and continue the policies of open markets that have lifted standards of living and helped millions of people escape poverty around the world.
"The tone of Bush's remarks after the talks in Camp David, Maryland, was markedly different from those from Sarkozy who has been urging a broad overhaul of the so-called Bretton Woods system of international finance and commerce put in place during World War II."We must avoid at all costs that those who have led us to where we are today should be allowed to do so once again," said Sarkozy.Sarkozy, who has been an increasingly vocal advocate of fundamental financial reforms, stressed it was urgent that "we must stabilize the marketplace as swiftly as possible by coming up with answers.""Once calm has been restored, we must avoid at all costs that those who have led us to where we are today should be allowed to do so once again."Although no date has yet been set, the first of the summits will likely be held next month, after the presidential election on November 4, White House spokesman Tony Fratto said.
Critics say the institutions sketched out after the Great Depression -- the World Bank and International Monetary Fund -- are ill-equipped to deal with the globalised economy and the complexities of modern finance.The calls for fundamental reforms by Sarkozy, whose country is the current holder of the revolving EU presidency, received backing from Spain's leader Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero."There has to be a stricter regulation and international supervision, at least at the level of the European Union," the Socialist prime minister was quoted as saying in the newspaper Publico."It is a question of in-depth reform of the financial system.
"The current crisis began with high-risk or subprime US home loans last year. The loans, repackaged as complex investment instruments loosely known as derivatives, were resold to investors and banks around the world.
Price hike fuels credit growth
Bankers sayCommercial banks said yesterday the price hike of consumer items had driven up the credit growth. The comment came against the backdrop of the central bank's worry about high growth in credit to "unproductive sectors".The commodities that were selling at Tk 100 earlier cost Tk 200 now, bankers said, adding that the price hike had led consumers to take more loans from banks than before.“The growth rate on the percentage basis shows high growth in credit to unproductive sectors, but the credit volume doesn't reflect that the credit growth is so high,” K Mahmood Sattar, president of Association of Bankers Bangladesh (ABB), told reporters after a meeting with Bangladesh Bank (BB).
The central bank yesterday sat with different commercial banks to review the situation of local banks in view of the financial debacle in the Western economies, largely caused by huge credit flows into housing and consumers spending.According to a BB review of internal credit situation during June 2007-June 2008, the private sector witnessed robust growth in non-productive sectors such as credit card, consumer products, apartment buying and land purchase, which the central bank considers 'risky'.The break-up of the percentages of credit growth on non-productive fronts is: Credit cards-121 percent, consumer products-93.30 percent, land purchase-44.50 and flat procurement-44.12 percent.According to BB statistics, in the specific period of last one year the average bank credit growth rate was 19.52 percent.Private commercial banks experienced the highest credit growth of 38.03 percent, while foreign banks witnessed 23.83 percent growth, specialised banks 15.31 percent and state-owned banks 7.63 percent.Mahmood Sattar, also the managing director of City Bank, said: “We will respond to the BB's request on reducing high credit growth.”Officials at the meeting however said some of the bankers argued with the central bank saying that all sectors are productive, as the sectors help develop the standards of life.
As there is demand for such loans from middle-class, these sectors are not unproductive, said the bankers.In response, the central bank told the bankers that it does not discourage banks to give loans. If the credit growth is too high, it raises doubt over the loan quality, the BB governor told the bankers.Meanwhile, Muhammad A Rumee Ali, BRAC Bank chairman, told The Daily Star that the total consumer credit recipient in the country is not more than five percent, which contributes a little to the rise in inflation.The high inflation rate is not a result of credit growth at non-productive sectors, but it is a price-pushed inflation.
“Although excess credit growth is not good in any particular sector, Bangladesh Bank should identify why banks go to non-productive sectors,” he said.Industrial credit has some limits in interest rates, which discourage private banks to go to other sectors, he observed.Defending the real estate sector, Rumee Ali said he does not believe the real estate is unproductive. “It's a booming sector where a huge number of people work and a lot of income generating activities are going on."Ali, also a former deputy governor of Bangladesh Bank, said BRAC Bank maintains good balance in distributing credit among SMEs, industrial and rural sectors.K Mahmood Sattar, the ABB president, said at the meeting with the BB the private sector credit growth would increase in the coming days amid demand from the private sector.
On banking services, Sattar said the banks could reach international standards. “We are always trying to improve our services and the efforts will continue,” he added.At the meeting, the central bank asked the commercial banks to remain careful about the credit-deposit ratio.The BB cannot ask banks not to give loans to unproductive sectors, said BB Governor Salehuddin Ahmed. “I've asked the banks to be cautious and give loans after proper scrutiny so no bad loan is created,” he said. "The recent global financial turmoil is blamed on bad loans."The BB governor also instructed the bankers to lend to such productive sectors as agriculture and small and medium enterprises. Credit to the farm sector will draw production, create employments, contribute to GDP growth and help tame inflation, he explained.“The banks will have to be cautious about those credits that will not create goods and services,” he suggested.“Increase in credit to the productive sectors will help banks reduce their surplus liquidity,” Salehuddin said.
The response came when he was asked whether the banks would accumulate excess liquidity further due to a possibility of slowing down investments as the fallout of global financial crisis, news agency UNB adds.“I've congratulated the bankers for safeguarding the local banking sector from the possible shock stemming from the global financial crisis," Salehuddin said.The bankers also appreciated the central bank for its strong role regarding the global crisis, admitting that the BB's control over the commercial banks is necessary, said the officials who attended the meeting.Bangladeshi banks are well managed under the control of the central bank and the banks will not face any crisis due to the ongoing global financial turmoil, the bankers said at the meeting.
No polls without Hasina, under emergency: AL
Awami League acting president Zillur Rahman along with other leaders wave at party supporters at a rally demanding unconditional release of party chief Sheikh Hasina and withdrawal of all cases against her. The rally was held at the Institute of Engineers auditorium in the city yesterday. Photo:Awami League (AL) yesterday said it would not take part in any election if the state of emergency is not withdrawn and AL President Sheikh Hasina is not "permanently and unconditionally" released."In no circumstances we will take part in any election without Sheikh Hasina and amid the state of emergency…we will not hold any party council without her," said AL acting President Zillur Rahman. He said this while addressing a protest rally at the city's Institution of Engineers' Bangladesh. AL organised the rally as part of its countrywide protest programmes to press home the demand for "permanent and unconditional" release of Hasina and lifting of the emergency.
A few thousand party workers joined the rally chanting slogans. It created a huge traffic jam on the Shahbagh-Matsaya Bhaban road. Similar protest rallies were also held at districts of the country. "Our movement will continue until the false charges against our leader are withdrawn and she is freed unconditionally," Zillur said.The AL leader said democracy cannot be established under the state of emergency and the elections cannot be free, fair and normal. He said it is now being questioned whether the national elections will be held on December 18. ”
Everything including the government's attitude and demarcation of the parliamentary constituencies shows that there is conspiracy centring the national elections," he said. In the rally, AL set October 30 the deadline for the government to give assurance of releasing Hasina. Zillur said the AL will not start its election activities unless it is assured of Hasina's release.Saying that conspiracies are being hatched by different quarters to foil the December 18 elections, AL presidium member Abdur Razzak directed his party workers to prepare to resist the conspiracies. He said the government would be responsible if the elections are not held on time. AL Presidium member Tofail Ahmed said the state of emergency is an obstacle to political parties willing to take part in the December 18 elections.
AL leader Matia Chowdhury said ethically, politically and from the perspective of accountability to the people, they are bound to go for a movement to free Hasina. Giving assurance of ratifying, if and when in power, all the good activities of the incumbent government, she asked the government to seek apology to the countrymen for its misdeeds. AL acting General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam said a free, fair and credible election with the participation of all political parties is only possible with the release and active participation of Hasina. Asserting that there is no alternative to elections, he said the country would plunge into darkness if the elections are not held on time and nobody knows what would be the solution then.
He demanded the state of emergency be lifted.AL Joint General Secretary Mukul Bose, however, categorically accused two countries of South Asia and the Middle East of conspiring to foil the national elections with the help of BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami.AL leaders Mahmudur Rahman Manna, Abdul Mannan, Sultan Mohammad Mansur Ahmed, Abdur Rahman, MA Aziz and Qamrul Islam also spoke at the rally.
BNP, Jamaat revise constitutions
Pick registration forms; AL team explains EC about keeping associate organsBNP Joint Secretary General Nazrul Islam Khan collects the party registration form from an Election Commission (EC) official at the EC office in the city yesterday. Photo:
In developments late last night, BNP made some major changes in its constitution to apply for registration with the Election Commission (EC) on the closing date today.Earlier in the day, the party and its key ally Jamaat-e-Islami collected forms from the EC Secretariat. A couple of days back, Jamaat too brought about drastic changes in its charter to meet the criteria for registration, now mandatory for political parties seeking election to parliament. Throughout the day yesterday, both the parties were busy readying documents required to be attached to the forms for registration.
The interim constitution of BNP does not provide for front organisations and chapters abroad. It however has a provision like arch-rival AL's to allow associated organisations. The changes were approved at a standing committee meeting presided over by Chairperson Khaleda Zia at her Gulshan office last night. Jamaat-e-Islami has changed 12/13 sections in its constitution. The phrases 'establishing the rule of Allah' have been replaced by 'establishing a fair and just Islamic society'. Like BNP, it scrapped the provision for front organisations. Besides, the party has included a section to let non-Muslims become its members.
Coming out of the two-hour meeting at around 11:00pm, BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain said, “We've had whatever changes we needed in our constitution to get registered as a political party.” Earlier at a daytime press briefing, he said that for the sake of the party's existence they are applying for registration despite the 'unjust conditions imposed' by the government.He, however, added that it does not necessarily mean BNP will participate in the election. BNP Joint Secretary General Nazrul Islam Khan collected the application form at 2:15pm. Minuets later, Jamaat's Legal Affairs Secretary Jasim Uddin Sarker picked theirs. Talking to reporters, Nazrul said they still have objections to some provisions of the revised Representation of the People Order (RPO). “We think they are irrelevant, and will undermine democracy.” Replying to a query, Jasim Uddin said Jamaat's constitution does not have any provision running counter to those in the republic's. “We acknowledge the Liberation War that won the country independence,” he said when asked if their charter recognises the war given Jamaat's role against the birth of Bangladesh in 1971.
In another development, an Awami League (AL) delegation yesterday met a technical committee of the EC to explain retention of the provision for associated organisations made up of students and workers. After the meeting in the afternoon, AL Office Secretary Abdul Mannan Khan said the commission seemed to have accepted their logic.AL insiders however said the EC committee formed to scrutinise the registration documents has in fact asked the party to change the provision as it contradicts the RPO stipulations regarding registration. The AL team told the commission they would communicate the instructions to the party high command and come up with a reply soon, added the sources.
As of yesterday, 43 political parties have turned in applications for registration against 192 forms collected from the EC Secretariat.Several others are expected to apply today.Meanwhile, Liberal Democratic Party and Jatiya Party (Manju) might be given registration certificate today, said sources at the EC Secretariat. With BNP and Jamaat now being certain to seek enrolment as political parties, the uncertainty over the EC's plans to complete registration by October is pretty much gone. BNP-Jamaat-led alliance had been strongly opposed to registration with the EC under the revised RPO. They had been calling for the new electoral provisions to be scrapped or suspended till the upcoming election is over. On October 14, the EC extended the time limit for applications by five days to October 20 on request of BNP and allies. Islami Oikya Jote (IOJ) and Bangladesher Jatiya Party (BJP), the other components of the four-party alliance, collected forms last week.Contacted, IOJ Secretary General Abdul Latif Nezami said they have almost completed preparations and will submit the application today.
OTHER CHANGES IN BNP CHARTERThe provisional constitution says the party's parliamentary board will nominate parliamentary contenders from panels to be prepared by the grassroots. In line with the revised RPO, BNP will work to ensure that 33 percent seats in all of its committees are reserved for women by 2020.
INTERIM JAMAAT STATUTE In its provisional charter, Jamaat has been renamed Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami. Before, it was Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh.Besides, the party has included a new section that says, "Jamaat-e-Islami will work to establish an Islamic social system that guarantees justice for all since Bangladesh emerged as the third largest Muslim country through a heroic battle of people and freedom fighters."
Bush administration gave nod for CIA waterboarding: report
AFP, WashingtonThe administration of US President George W Bush authorised the CIA to waterboard al-Qaeda suspects according to two secret memos issued in 2003 and 2004, the Washington Post reported today.
The memos were issued at the request of intelligence officials who were "troubled that White House policymakers had never endorsed the program in writing," the newspaper said, citing four administration and intelligence officials familiar with the documents.
"The classified memos, which have not been previously disclosed, were requested by then-CIA Director George J Tenet more than a year after the start of the secret interrogations," the Post said.
"Although Justice Department lawyers, beginning in 2002, had signed off on the agency's interrogation methods, senior CIA officials were troubled that White House policymakers had never endorsed the program in writing."
Tenet's first request for written approval by the White House came in 2003, during a meeting with National Security Council members including Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, the paper quoted the unnamed officials as saying.
The first secret memo was issued shortly thereafter, "a brief memo conveying the administration's approval for the CIA's interrogation methods, the officials said."
Tenet made a second request in 2004 as revelations of abuse at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison came to light.
"Officials who held senior posts at the time also spoke of deteriorating relations between the CIA and the White House over the war in Iraq--a rift that prompted some to believe that the agency needed even more explicit proof of the administration's support," the report said.
The newspaper said administration officials "confirmed the existence of the memos, but neither they nor former intelligence officers would describe their contents in detail because they remain classified."
A White House spokesperson was not immediately available for comment.
Waterboarding, a staple of brutal interrogations from the Spanish Inquisition to Cambodia's Khmer Rouge regime, usually consists of strapping down a captive, covering his face with a cloth and pouring water onto the cloth to simulate drowning.
The Central Intelligence Agency has admitted using the technique on al-Qaeda suspects including alleged September 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed following the 2001 attacks, at a time when further strikes on the United States were believed to be imminent.
Rights groups have decried the technique as torture.
The White House, which has not previously acknowledged it was aware of the specific techniques being used by interrogators, has said the United States does not currently use waterboarding, but that it would not rule out the use of such techniques in the future.
The memos were issued at the request of intelligence officials who were "troubled that White House policymakers had never endorsed the program in writing," the newspaper said, citing four administration and intelligence officials familiar with the documents.
"The classified memos, which have not been previously disclosed, were requested by then-CIA Director George J Tenet more than a year after the start of the secret interrogations," the Post said.
"Although Justice Department lawyers, beginning in 2002, had signed off on the agency's interrogation methods, senior CIA officials were troubled that White House policymakers had never endorsed the program in writing."
Tenet's first request for written approval by the White House came in 2003, during a meeting with National Security Council members including Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, the paper quoted the unnamed officials as saying.
The first secret memo was issued shortly thereafter, "a brief memo conveying the administration's approval for the CIA's interrogation methods, the officials said."
Tenet made a second request in 2004 as revelations of abuse at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison came to light.
"Officials who held senior posts at the time also spoke of deteriorating relations between the CIA and the White House over the war in Iraq--a rift that prompted some to believe that the agency needed even more explicit proof of the administration's support," the report said.
The newspaper said administration officials "confirmed the existence of the memos, but neither they nor former intelligence officers would describe their contents in detail because they remain classified."
A White House spokesperson was not immediately available for comment.
Waterboarding, a staple of brutal interrogations from the Spanish Inquisition to Cambodia's Khmer Rouge regime, usually consists of strapping down a captive, covering his face with a cloth and pouring water onto the cloth to simulate drowning.
The Central Intelligence Agency has admitted using the technique on al-Qaeda suspects including alleged September 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed following the 2001 attacks, at a time when further strikes on the United States were believed to be imminent.
Rights groups have decried the technique as torture.
The White House, which has not previously acknowledged it was aware of the specific techniques being used by interrogators, has said the United States does not currently use waterboarding, but that it would not rule out the use of such techniques in the future.
India, Brazil, South Africa meet to discus financial crisis
AFP, New Delhi
Leaders from emerging economic powers India, South Africa and Brazil were meeting here Wednesday for an annual summit set to be dominated by the global financial crisis, food and fuel prices.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is hosting Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and South African President Kgalema Motlanthe for the third annual India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) conference.
"The summit will provide leaders an opportunity to exchange views on international and regional issues... I have no doubt that this will include the global financial crisis and food and energy security issues," Indian foreign ministry official Nalin Surie told reporters.
IBSA, which came into existence in 2003, groups some of the largest economies in Asia, Africa and South America.
The three countries, which have a combined population of 1.3 billion, believe they can best achieve results on issues such as World Trade talks and push through UN Security Council reforms by working together.
IBSA member states are also eyeing permanent seats at the UN Security Council.
The trilateral trade target among IBSA member states has been set at 15 billion dollars by 2010, up from around 10 billion dollars a year ago.
Surie said IBSA member countries would sign up to seven agreements and action plans to further cement ties in trade, investment and the environment.
"IBSA is developing well and gaining salience. It is our intention to further strengthen this unique forum of three very large developing country democracies from three different continents," Surie said.
Leaders from emerging economic powers India, South Africa and Brazil were meeting here Wednesday for an annual summit set to be dominated by the global financial crisis, food and fuel prices.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is hosting Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and South African President Kgalema Motlanthe for the third annual India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) conference.
"The summit will provide leaders an opportunity to exchange views on international and regional issues... I have no doubt that this will include the global financial crisis and food and energy security issues," Indian foreign ministry official Nalin Surie told reporters.
IBSA, which came into existence in 2003, groups some of the largest economies in Asia, Africa and South America.
The three countries, which have a combined population of 1.3 billion, believe they can best achieve results on issues such as World Trade talks and push through UN Security Council reforms by working together.
IBSA member states are also eyeing permanent seats at the UN Security Council.
The trilateral trade target among IBSA member states has been set at 15 billion dollars by 2010, up from around 10 billion dollars a year ago.
Surie said IBSA member countries would sign up to seven agreements and action plans to further cement ties in trade, investment and the environment.
"IBSA is developing well and gaining salience. It is our intention to further strengthen this unique forum of three very large developing country democracies from three different continents," Surie said.
BDR, BSF agree to resolve disputes through talks
Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) and Indian Border Security Force (BSF) at a sector commander level meeting at Satkhira Circuit House yesterday agreed to work together to contain cross border crimes and solve related problems through talk.Killing and abduction of Bangladeshi nationals, smuggling of arms, explosives and drugs, women trafficking, insurgency, crossing border by criminals, push-in attempts by BSF and confidence building measures came up for discussion.BDR Khulna Sector Commander Col Wahiduzzaman and BSF's Deputy Inspector General (DIG) SS Tomar led the two teams.
In the meeting BDR alleged that BSF men often shoot at Bangladeshi cattle traders along the border areas and it has recently resulted in killing of quite a few people. The BSF, on the other hand, claimed that their men opened fire targeting the people who entered into the Indian territory for smuggling cattle and other goods.
During the discussion held in a cordial atmosphere, the Indian delegation leader assured the BDR that necessary actions will be taken against those found involved in firing at and killing of innocent Bangladeshi nationals, a BDR official said. He emphasised measures to stop smuggling of arms and explosives from India to Bangladesh and sought cooperation from BDR to contain the crimes in border areas.
Officials of both the parties, who agreed to resolve some major disputes through discussion at flag meetings and by taking timely measures, also took a few decisions to avoid untoward incidents.
In the meeting BDR alleged that BSF men often shoot at Bangladeshi cattle traders along the border areas and it has recently resulted in killing of quite a few people. The BSF, on the other hand, claimed that their men opened fire targeting the people who entered into the Indian territory for smuggling cattle and other goods.
During the discussion held in a cordial atmosphere, the Indian delegation leader assured the BDR that necessary actions will be taken against those found involved in firing at and killing of innocent Bangladeshi nationals, a BDR official said. He emphasised measures to stop smuggling of arms and explosives from India to Bangladesh and sought cooperation from BDR to contain the crimes in border areas.
Officials of both the parties, who agreed to resolve some major disputes through discussion at flag meetings and by taking timely measures, also took a few decisions to avoid untoward incidents.
The US to inject $250 billion in capital into banks
Afp, Washington
The United States was to inject up to 250 billion dollars in capital into banks yesterday in the latest bid to end the financial crisis, officials said as forecasters warned two key European economies risked recession.After markets surged on the back of rescue packages in Asia and Europe, US Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson delivered his own shot in the arm by announcing nine large banks would give the government equity stakes in exchange for new capital.The government also will temporarily guarantee bank debt and interbank lending and offer unlimited deposit insurance for many accounts.
The United States was to inject up to 250 billion dollars in capital into banks yesterday in the latest bid to end the financial crisis, officials said as forecasters warned two key European economies risked recession.After markets surged on the back of rescue packages in Asia and Europe, US Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson delivered his own shot in the arm by announcing nine large banks would give the government equity stakes in exchange for new capital.The government also will temporarily guarantee bank debt and interbank lending and offer unlimited deposit insurance for many accounts.
The efforts are part of a 700-billion-dollar bank bailout approved last month by Congress. European nations announced their own 1.8 trillion euro (2.4 billion dollar) package on Monday after a weekend pledge by the world's wealthiest nations to use all available tools to save key financial institutions."Today's actions are not what we ever wanted to do -- but today's actions are what we must do to restore confidence to our financial system," said Paulson.
The announcement comes after the unveiling on Monday of a series of bank rescue packages which in Germany alone included 400 billion euros (545 billion dollars) in loan guarantees and 80 billion euros in fresh capital.
Inflation may ease in crisis-World commodity prices decline as demand slows
The country's inflation is likely to come down in the coming days as global commodity prices have taken a beating from the ongoing financial turmoil across the world, analysts said yesterday.
Over the past couple of months, commodity prices marked a steady decline due to the fear of economic meltdown and credit crisis that prompted investors, mainly hedge funds, to liquidate their investment in commodity markets.
“It's a very bright side of the coin. Although the current financial turmoil has increased risks in some areas, the recent fall in commodity prices may have an easing effect on inflation,” said Zahid Hussain, senior economist for the World Bank Dhaka office.
However, a possible decline in exports and remittance inflows may take a toll on the country's economy.
Until the middle of this year, global commodity prices surged to unusually high level due to kite-flying speculation amid global investors' rush for a relatively safe heaven following the US subprime crisis first detected in mid-2007.
In Bangladesh, spiralling food prices in late 2007 and early 2008 played havoc with the poor and middle-income groups, and made the fight against inflation tough for the policymakers as domestic market followed the global trend.
But the current financial turmoil, creating a credit and liquidity crunch, has resulted in sell-offs in major commodities and pushed the prices down gradually. Oil price, which hit a record at $147.27 a barrel in July this year, now hovers around $80.
Prices of rice and edible oil also went down much in the last couple of months.
“With the aggravation of the financial turmoil, we have seen a sharp decline in global commodity prices. This makes the battle against inflation a little easier,” said Hussain. “Inflation rose earlier mainly due to food price hike. High oil price also affected non-food inflation.”
The declining trend of food prices has already contributed to a drop in inflation, which slipped to 10.11 percent in August from 10.82 percent in July.
The average inflation however rose to 10.01 percent in August 2008 from 7.78 percent a year ago, according to official data.
“We feared the inflation would rise further in the next couple of months. But the financial turmoil appears to ease inflation,” the WB economist said, expecting that food price would remain at a lower level in the days to come.
He said the possibility of speculation-led price hike of commodities appears to be thin due to liquidity and credit crunch in the global financial market.
“They (investors) are empty. What are the means the investors will use to speculate?” Hussain said.
An analyst of the Bangladesh Bank also said there would be a positive impact on inflation due to decline in commodity prices such as oil, rice and edible oil for which Bangladesh depends on imports.
Sajjad Zohir, executive director of Economic Research Group, said the prices came down because those went to an unsustainable level earlier.
“It's actually an adjustment of past wrongdoings. In the past, the futures market was driven madly by index investors or speculators. Speculation-driven price in the futures market also influenced the price level on the spot market,” he said.
“Rise in commodity prices has affected general consumers earlier. Now we are likely to see an easing inflation,” he added.
North Korea to resume nuclear dismantlement
Ap, Seoul
North Korea planned to resume dismantling its nuclear programme Tuesday for the first time in two months, days after the United States removed the communist regime from a terrorism blacklist as a reward under a disarmament pact.
Pyongyang has told the International Atomic Energy Agency that it would restart work to disable the Yongbyon nuclear reactor and allow international inspectors to resume their activity. The plans were outlined in a restricted document to the agency's 35 board members that was obtained by The Associated Press.
Separately, IAEA spokeswoman Melissa Fleming said agency inspectors "will also now be permitted to reapply the containment and surveillance measures at the reprocessing facility." That meant agency seals taken off the plant and monitoring cameras recently removed at the North's orders would be restored.
The country's official Korean Central News Agency had given no word by Tuesday afternoon if the work had gotten under way. South Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman Moon Tae-young said he had no information whether the work had begun.
North Korea also said Sunday it would restart work to disable Yongbyon, though it did not specify a date.
Two months ago, North Korea stopped disabling Yongbyon in anger over US demands that Pyongyang accept a plan to verify its accounting of nuclear programmes as a condition for removal from a blacklist of countries accused of sponsoring terrorism.
Until late last week, the North had threatened to reactivate the plutonium reprocessing plant at Yongbyon.
But the North and the US reached a compromise on the verification row following a trip to Pyongyang by chief US nuclear envoy Christopher Hill. Washington announced its removal of the North from the terror list Saturday, saying Pyongyang had agreed to all its nuclear inspection demands.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed the resolution of the dispute. His spokeswoman, Michelle Montas, said Ban considered it "another step towards a verifiable non-nuclear Korean Peninsula."
China also hailed the progress and pledged to move the denuclearisation process forward as host of the nuclear disarmament talks that involve Japan, the two Koreas, the United States and Russia.
"Promoting the six-party talks process serves the common interests of the involved parties," Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said in a statement issued late Monday. "China appreciates the constructive efforts made by the concerned parties."
North Korea planned to resume dismantling its nuclear programme Tuesday for the first time in two months, days after the United States removed the communist regime from a terrorism blacklist as a reward under a disarmament pact.
Pyongyang has told the International Atomic Energy Agency that it would restart work to disable the Yongbyon nuclear reactor and allow international inspectors to resume their activity. The plans were outlined in a restricted document to the agency's 35 board members that was obtained by The Associated Press.
Separately, IAEA spokeswoman Melissa Fleming said agency inspectors "will also now be permitted to reapply the containment and surveillance measures at the reprocessing facility." That meant agency seals taken off the plant and monitoring cameras recently removed at the North's orders would be restored.
The country's official Korean Central News Agency had given no word by Tuesday afternoon if the work had gotten under way. South Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman Moon Tae-young said he had no information whether the work had begun.
North Korea also said Sunday it would restart work to disable Yongbyon, though it did not specify a date.
Two months ago, North Korea stopped disabling Yongbyon in anger over US demands that Pyongyang accept a plan to verify its accounting of nuclear programmes as a condition for removal from a blacklist of countries accused of sponsoring terrorism.
Until late last week, the North had threatened to reactivate the plutonium reprocessing plant at Yongbyon.
But the North and the US reached a compromise on the verification row following a trip to Pyongyang by chief US nuclear envoy Christopher Hill. Washington announced its removal of the North from the terror list Saturday, saying Pyongyang had agreed to all its nuclear inspection demands.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed the resolution of the dispute. His spokeswoman, Michelle Montas, said Ban considered it "another step towards a verifiable non-nuclear Korean Peninsula."
China also hailed the progress and pledged to move the denuclearisation process forward as host of the nuclear disarmament talks that involve Japan, the two Koreas, the United States and Russia.
"Promoting the six-party talks process serves the common interests of the involved parties," Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said in a statement issued late Monday. "China appreciates the constructive efforts made by the concerned parties."
3 Nato soldiers, 16 Afghan civilians killed in blasts
Ap, Kabul
US military successes in Iraq have forced sophisticated and well-trained insurgents to pour into Afghanistan instead, part of the reason violence has spiked in Afghanistan, the Afghan defence minister said yesterday. In a demonstration of the increasingly deadly attacks, a roadside blast in the east where US soldiers operate killed three Nato troops, while two separate roadside bombs in the south killed 16 Afghan civilians, officials said.The Afghan defence minister, Gen. Abdul Rahim Wardak, said terrorists who would have once fought in Iraq have been "diverted" to Afghanistan."The success of coalition forces in Iraq and also some other issues in some of the neighboring countries have made it possible that there is a major increase in the foreign fighters," Wardak told a news conference.
"There is no doubt that they are (better) equipped than before. They are well trained, more sophisticated, their coordination is much better."The top US commander in eastern Afghanistan, Maj Gen Jeffrey Schloesser, told The Associated Press last month that he is seeing a spike in the number of foreign militants including Arabs and Chechens flowing into Afghanistan. He said militant Web sites have been encouraging fighters to go to Afghanistan instead of Iraq.
"I can't prove they are coming from Iraq to Afghanistan, but I've seen it on Web sites that that's what they're being told to do," Schloesser said.The Iraqi insurgency at its height drew Arab extremists and other Jihadi leaders who were once focused on Afghanistan, including the Egyptian Abu Ayyub al-Masri, believed to be the current leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq. Iran also stepped up aid to Shiite militias as sectarian strife grew after 2006. But the precise number foreign fighters in Iraq was never clear and many US commanders believe local Iraqis comprise the bulk of the al-Qaeda and other Jihadi forces.
In Afghanistan, militant attacks have turned deadlier and more sophisticated this year, part of the reason more US and Nato troops have died there in 2008 than in any year since the 2001 US-led invasion.Nato said a roadside bomb blast killed three of its soldiers in eastern Afghanistan Tuesday. The alliance did not provide their nationalities or the exact location of the blast, but the majority of troops in the east are American.In the south, a bomb attack apparently intended for Nato troops exploded against an Afghan minivan in Uruzgan province, killing nine civilians, said Juma Gul Himat, the provincial police chief.Himat blamed "the enemies of Afghanistan" a term commonly used for the Taliban.
He said the road where the bomb exploded is often used by Nato troops. The taxi had been travelling toward the provincial capital.A second bomb blast also intended for Nato troops killed seven civilians travelling in a bus in Ghazni province on Monday, the Defence Ministry said Tuesday.
Most bomb attacks in Afghanistan are intended for Afghan or Nato soldiers, but the blasts are far more likely to kill civilians.Violence has risen steadily in Afghanistan since late 2005. More than 4,700 people mostly militants have been killed in insurgency related-violence this year, according to an Associated Press count of figured provided by Afghan and Western officials.
US military successes in Iraq have forced sophisticated and well-trained insurgents to pour into Afghanistan instead, part of the reason violence has spiked in Afghanistan, the Afghan defence minister said yesterday. In a demonstration of the increasingly deadly attacks, a roadside blast in the east where US soldiers operate killed three Nato troops, while two separate roadside bombs in the south killed 16 Afghan civilians, officials said.The Afghan defence minister, Gen. Abdul Rahim Wardak, said terrorists who would have once fought in Iraq have been "diverted" to Afghanistan."The success of coalition forces in Iraq and also some other issues in some of the neighboring countries have made it possible that there is a major increase in the foreign fighters," Wardak told a news conference.
"There is no doubt that they are (better) equipped than before. They are well trained, more sophisticated, their coordination is much better."The top US commander in eastern Afghanistan, Maj Gen Jeffrey Schloesser, told The Associated Press last month that he is seeing a spike in the number of foreign militants including Arabs and Chechens flowing into Afghanistan. He said militant Web sites have been encouraging fighters to go to Afghanistan instead of Iraq.
"I can't prove they are coming from Iraq to Afghanistan, but I've seen it on Web sites that that's what they're being told to do," Schloesser said.The Iraqi insurgency at its height drew Arab extremists and other Jihadi leaders who were once focused on Afghanistan, including the Egyptian Abu Ayyub al-Masri, believed to be the current leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq. Iran also stepped up aid to Shiite militias as sectarian strife grew after 2006. But the precise number foreign fighters in Iraq was never clear and many US commanders believe local Iraqis comprise the bulk of the al-Qaeda and other Jihadi forces.
In Afghanistan, militant attacks have turned deadlier and more sophisticated this year, part of the reason more US and Nato troops have died there in 2008 than in any year since the 2001 US-led invasion.Nato said a roadside bomb blast killed three of its soldiers in eastern Afghanistan Tuesday. The alliance did not provide their nationalities or the exact location of the blast, but the majority of troops in the east are American.In the south, a bomb attack apparently intended for Nato troops exploded against an Afghan minivan in Uruzgan province, killing nine civilians, said Juma Gul Himat, the provincial police chief.Himat blamed "the enemies of Afghanistan" a term commonly used for the Taliban.
He said the road where the bomb exploded is often used by Nato troops. The taxi had been travelling toward the provincial capital.A second bomb blast also intended for Nato troops killed seven civilians travelling in a bus in Ghazni province on Monday, the Defence Ministry said Tuesday.
Most bomb attacks in Afghanistan are intended for Afghan or Nato soldiers, but the blasts are far more likely to kill civilians.Violence has risen steadily in Afghanistan since late 2005. More than 4,700 people mostly militants have been killed in insurgency related-violence this year, according to an Associated Press count of figured provided by Afghan and Western officials.
India announces polls schedule for 5 states
Pti, New Delhi
Skipping a decision on polls in Jammu and Kashmir, the Election Commission today announced one-day poll in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi and Mizoram while Naxalite-infested Chattisgarh will have two-phased elections between November 14 and December 4.
The two-phased polls in Chattisgarh will be held on November 14 and 20 while elections will be held in Madhya Pradesh on November 25, Mizoram and Delhi on November 29 and Rajasthan on December 4.
Counting of votes in all the states will be taken up on December 8.
The commission is understood to have deferred a decision on polls in Jammu and Kashmir reportedly because of difference of opinion among the three members of the commission.
No decision has been taken "at the moment" on holding elections in Jammu and Kashmir which is now under Governor's rule, Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami said at a press conference flanked by the other two commissioners Naveen Chawla and S Y Quraishi.
He said the commission is still assessing the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
"We will get back to you as soon as we take a decision in Jammu and Kashmir. Forces are one part of the issues. There are so many other issues. I do not want to say anything more," he said.
Asked whether it meant that elections will not be held before March because of winter, the CEC said "that you leave it to us".
The government had informed the Commission that it was ready to hold Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir next month in three to four phases and as per Home Ministry's assessment of the situation in the state adequate forces are available for conducting the exercise.
The assessment of the situation for holding polls in the sensitive state was made when Union Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta met the full Election Commission here on October ten.
While two Election Commissioners were reportedly in favour of holding elections in the state, the CEC was understood to have some reservations on it.
Gopalaswami said the Commission had visited the state and held discussions with leaders of various political parties on the situation.
"We are still assessing the situation and will get back to you as soon as we take a decision," he said.
While major political parties in the state -- PDP and NC felt the current atmosphere was not conducive for the elections, BJP and the Left parties wanted immediate polls. The Congress said it was the Commission's call.
The term of the Assembly, which was dissolved following the breakup of the Congress-PDP coalition in the wake of the Amarnath land transfer row, would have ended on November 20.
But since the state was placed under Governor's rule, the elections have to be held before January ten.
The CEC said the polls in the five states would be conducted on the basis of delimited constituencies through Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).
Skipping a decision on polls in Jammu and Kashmir, the Election Commission today announced one-day poll in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi and Mizoram while Naxalite-infested Chattisgarh will have two-phased elections between November 14 and December 4.
The two-phased polls in Chattisgarh will be held on November 14 and 20 while elections will be held in Madhya Pradesh on November 25, Mizoram and Delhi on November 29 and Rajasthan on December 4.
Counting of votes in all the states will be taken up on December 8.
The commission is understood to have deferred a decision on polls in Jammu and Kashmir reportedly because of difference of opinion among the three members of the commission.
No decision has been taken "at the moment" on holding elections in Jammu and Kashmir which is now under Governor's rule, Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami said at a press conference flanked by the other two commissioners Naveen Chawla and S Y Quraishi.
He said the commission is still assessing the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
"We will get back to you as soon as we take a decision in Jammu and Kashmir. Forces are one part of the issues. There are so many other issues. I do not want to say anything more," he said.
Asked whether it meant that elections will not be held before March because of winter, the CEC said "that you leave it to us".
The government had informed the Commission that it was ready to hold Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir next month in three to four phases and as per Home Ministry's assessment of the situation in the state adequate forces are available for conducting the exercise.
The assessment of the situation for holding polls in the sensitive state was made when Union Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta met the full Election Commission here on October ten.
While two Election Commissioners were reportedly in favour of holding elections in the state, the CEC was understood to have some reservations on it.
Gopalaswami said the Commission had visited the state and held discussions with leaders of various political parties on the situation.
"We are still assessing the situation and will get back to you as soon as we take a decision," he said.
While major political parties in the state -- PDP and NC felt the current atmosphere was not conducive for the elections, BJP and the Left parties wanted immediate polls. The Congress said it was the Commission's call.
The term of the Assembly, which was dissolved following the breakup of the Congress-PDP coalition in the wake of the Amarnath land transfer row, would have ended on November 20.
But since the state was placed under Governor's rule, the elections have to be held before January ten.
The CEC said the polls in the five states would be conducted on the basis of delimited constituencies through Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).
Troops attack LTTE bunkers: 32 killed
Ap, Afp, Colombo
Sri Lankan soldiers attacked Tamil Tiger rebel bunkers along the northern front lines triggering gunbattles that killed 27 guerrillas and five soldiers, the military said yesterday. Fighting has escalated in recent months on the Indian Ocean island with the military capturing a series of rebel bases and large chunks of territory.
Officials have pledged to crush the guerrillas by the end of the year.In the latest fighting, soldiers destroyed three bunkers and captured four others Sunday after battles that killed 15 rebels near their administrative capital of Kilinochchi, the military said in a statement.Separate clashes in the same area killed four rebels and two soldier, it said.The military has said it is closing in on Kilinochchi and its forces are about 1 mile (1.6 kilometres) from the outskirts of the town.In the northern Jaffna peninsula, troops killed four rebels along the front lines while a rebel mortar attack killed three soldiers, the statement said.Clashes in Mullaitivu killed four rebels and wounded one soldier, it said.With nearly all communications to the north severed, a rebel spokesman could not be contacted for comment.
Independent verification of the military's claims is nearly impossible because most journalists are banned from the war zone. Both sides routinely exaggerate enemy losses and underreport their own.The rebels have been fighting since 1983 to create an independent homeland for the country's ethnic minority Tamils, who have faced marginalisation by successive governments controlled by ethnic Sinhalese. More than 70,000 people have been killed in the violence.Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama, who is visiting Australia, said the global economic turmoil would not cripple the government's ability to fund the war, which he said was in the "final stages."
"We are quite confident our financial resources will sustain current engagement with" the rebels, Bogollagama told reporters at a joint press conference with his Australian counterpart Stephen Smith in Canberra Monday.Last week, the government presented budget proposals for 2009 seeking a 20 percent increase in defence spending to a record 177 billion rupees ($1.6 billion).Meanwhile, Australia is considering declaring Sri Lanka's separatist Tamil Tigers a terrorist group, Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said Monday, while also calling for a political solution to the island's civil war.Visiting Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama said he had asked Canberra to join countries such as Britain and the United States in taking the step against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
"As I indicated to the foreign minister, that is currently under consideration by the attorney-general," Smith told reporters after a meeting with Bogollagama in Canberra.Smith said the Tamil Tigers was already effectively banned in Australia."For a considerable period of time the LTTE has effectively been listed under United Nations arrangements, that effects a freeze on LTTE assets in Australia and as a consequence (it is) unlawful for the use of LTTE assets in Australia," he said.
Sri Lankan soldiers attacked Tamil Tiger rebel bunkers along the northern front lines triggering gunbattles that killed 27 guerrillas and five soldiers, the military said yesterday. Fighting has escalated in recent months on the Indian Ocean island with the military capturing a series of rebel bases and large chunks of territory.
Officials have pledged to crush the guerrillas by the end of the year.In the latest fighting, soldiers destroyed three bunkers and captured four others Sunday after battles that killed 15 rebels near their administrative capital of Kilinochchi, the military said in a statement.Separate clashes in the same area killed four rebels and two soldier, it said.The military has said it is closing in on Kilinochchi and its forces are about 1 mile (1.6 kilometres) from the outskirts of the town.In the northern Jaffna peninsula, troops killed four rebels along the front lines while a rebel mortar attack killed three soldiers, the statement said.Clashes in Mullaitivu killed four rebels and wounded one soldier, it said.With nearly all communications to the north severed, a rebel spokesman could not be contacted for comment.
Independent verification of the military's claims is nearly impossible because most journalists are banned from the war zone. Both sides routinely exaggerate enemy losses and underreport their own.The rebels have been fighting since 1983 to create an independent homeland for the country's ethnic minority Tamils, who have faced marginalisation by successive governments controlled by ethnic Sinhalese. More than 70,000 people have been killed in the violence.Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama, who is visiting Australia, said the global economic turmoil would not cripple the government's ability to fund the war, which he said was in the "final stages."
"We are quite confident our financial resources will sustain current engagement with" the rebels, Bogollagama told reporters at a joint press conference with his Australian counterpart Stephen Smith in Canberra Monday.Last week, the government presented budget proposals for 2009 seeking a 20 percent increase in defence spending to a record 177 billion rupees ($1.6 billion).Meanwhile, Australia is considering declaring Sri Lanka's separatist Tamil Tigers a terrorist group, Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said Monday, while also calling for a political solution to the island's civil war.Visiting Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama said he had asked Canberra to join countries such as Britain and the United States in taking the step against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
"As I indicated to the foreign minister, that is currently under consideration by the attorney-general," Smith told reporters after a meeting with Bogollagama in Canberra.Smith said the Tamil Tigers was already effectively banned in Australia."For a considerable period of time the LTTE has effectively been listed under United Nations arrangements, that effects a freeze on LTTE assets in Australia and as a consequence (it is) unlawful for the use of LTTE assets in Australia," he said.
Metro rail by 2013
Tk 10cr feasibility study from December, work to start next year
The government has decided to start construction of a subway in the capital in the middle of next year to be completed by 2013 to improve communication and ease the nagging traffic congestion.The decision was taken at an inter-ministerial meeting on construction of metro rail and elevated expressway held at the communications ministry yesterday.
Overcoming the long bureaucratic wrangling, the meeting decided that feasibility study on construction of the subway will be funded by the government, meeting sources said. Tender for the Tk 10 crore study will be floated next month. The study is likely to be started in December and completed by June next year.The ambitious project for building a 60-km metro railway with an estimated cost of Tk 10,000 crore aims at carrying 4,000 people per hour adding a new dimension to city transport. The underground railway system will be built on Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) basis under the supervision of Bangladesh Railway (BR), meeting sources said.“We want to start the task so that the next government finds it easy to complete it smoothly,” Communications Adviser Ghulam Quader told reporters after the meeting.
Yesterday's meeting was convened to resolve all problems relating to the subway construction. Initiated in 2002, the feasibility study could not be started with the issue of its funding unresolved. The communications ministry wanted government funding of it while the planning ministry insisted on looking for foreign funds.
In August 2003, the BR sent a proposal to the planning ministry through the communications ministry to carry out the feasibility study using government's resources. But an inter-ministerial meeting later decided that the decision in this regard should only be taken after finalisation of the Dhaka strategic transport plan (STP), which received government nod in February this year. In October 2005, the railway sent another proposal to the planning ministry seeking Japanese assistance for the study.
However, no further action was taken when Japan refused to fund the project. The following year the same proposal sought government funding. In May 2006, the planning ministry returned the proposal, again suggesting the railway should find a donor for the study after approval of the STP. Finally, in April this year, the communications ministry recommended the study could be undertaken using government money provided the funds are reimbursed in the form of a "success fee" from the winning bidder. And the communications ministry sent this proposal to the planning ministry on July 13 for approval, sources at yesterday's meeting said.After the meeting, Communications Secretary Mahbubur Rahman said, "To carry out the feasibility study, we don't need to depend on donors like World Bank or others." Echoing his views, BR Director General (DG) Md Belayet Hossain said, “We have to finance the study.”The project was delayed by years due to bureaucratic wrangling and lack of coordination among different agencies, railway officials said.
The communications adviser said there is no alternative to constructing the subway as soon as possible to increase mobility of people in the capital.Meanwhile, a Board of Investment proposal had earlier said there would be six routes with 50 stations on the subway that would connect almost 80 percent of the city area. But sources present at yesterday's meeting said the routes and stations might be changed after the feasibility study.
The government has decided to start construction of a subway in the capital in the middle of next year to be completed by 2013 to improve communication and ease the nagging traffic congestion.The decision was taken at an inter-ministerial meeting on construction of metro rail and elevated expressway held at the communications ministry yesterday.
Overcoming the long bureaucratic wrangling, the meeting decided that feasibility study on construction of the subway will be funded by the government, meeting sources said. Tender for the Tk 10 crore study will be floated next month. The study is likely to be started in December and completed by June next year.The ambitious project for building a 60-km metro railway with an estimated cost of Tk 10,000 crore aims at carrying 4,000 people per hour adding a new dimension to city transport. The underground railway system will be built on Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) basis under the supervision of Bangladesh Railway (BR), meeting sources said.“We want to start the task so that the next government finds it easy to complete it smoothly,” Communications Adviser Ghulam Quader told reporters after the meeting.
Yesterday's meeting was convened to resolve all problems relating to the subway construction. Initiated in 2002, the feasibility study could not be started with the issue of its funding unresolved. The communications ministry wanted government funding of it while the planning ministry insisted on looking for foreign funds.
In August 2003, the BR sent a proposal to the planning ministry through the communications ministry to carry out the feasibility study using government's resources. But an inter-ministerial meeting later decided that the decision in this regard should only be taken after finalisation of the Dhaka strategic transport plan (STP), which received government nod in February this year. In October 2005, the railway sent another proposal to the planning ministry seeking Japanese assistance for the study.
However, no further action was taken when Japan refused to fund the project. The following year the same proposal sought government funding. In May 2006, the planning ministry returned the proposal, again suggesting the railway should find a donor for the study after approval of the STP. Finally, in April this year, the communications ministry recommended the study could be undertaken using government money provided the funds are reimbursed in the form of a "success fee" from the winning bidder. And the communications ministry sent this proposal to the planning ministry on July 13 for approval, sources at yesterday's meeting said.After the meeting, Communications Secretary Mahbubur Rahman said, "To carry out the feasibility study, we don't need to depend on donors like World Bank or others." Echoing his views, BR Director General (DG) Md Belayet Hossain said, “We have to finance the study.”The project was delayed by years due to bureaucratic wrangling and lack of coordination among different agencies, railway officials said.
The communications adviser said there is no alternative to constructing the subway as soon as possible to increase mobility of people in the capital.Meanwhile, a Board of Investment proposal had earlier said there would be six routes with 50 stations on the subway that would connect almost 80 percent of the city area. But sources present at yesterday's meeting said the routes and stations might be changed after the feasibility study.
45 killed in India bus crashes
AFP, GuwahatiAt least 45 people were killed and scores injured Tuesday in two bus accidents in India, police and officials said.
Twenty-three people were killed and dozens wounded when a heavily overcrowded speeding bus smashed into a truck in India's northeastern Assam state.
"The bus had a capacity of 35 passengers, but was carrying 67 people. The driver lost control as it was moving at a very high speed and hit the truck in the rear," local police chief Parthasarathi Mahanta told AFP.
The accident took place on a national highway west of Guwahati, the main city in Assam state.
In the other accident, in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand, 22 people were killed and 23 others critically injured when a large rock fell on a bus.
A thousand people have died this year in road accidents in the northern Uttarakhand state.
India has the highest annual road death toll in the world, often caused by bad roads, overcrowding and poor maintenance of vehicles.
Twenty-three people were killed and dozens wounded when a heavily overcrowded speeding bus smashed into a truck in India's northeastern Assam state.
"The bus had a capacity of 35 passengers, but was carrying 67 people. The driver lost control as it was moving at a very high speed and hit the truck in the rear," local police chief Parthasarathi Mahanta told AFP.
The accident took place on a national highway west of Guwahati, the main city in Assam state.
In the other accident, in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand, 22 people were killed and 23 others critically injured when a large rock fell on a bus.
A thousand people have died this year in road accidents in the northern Uttarakhand state.
India has the highest annual road death toll in the world, often caused by bad roads, overcrowding and poor maintenance of vehicles.
UK minister Lord Brown due tomorrow
UK Minister of State for Asia, Africa and the United Kingdom Lord Mark Malloch Brown arrives here tomorrow on a three-day official visit to Bangladesh.
The British Minister will call on chief adviser, foreign affairs adviser, home affairs adviser, chief of army staff and senior figures from two main political parties during the visit
Brown will also meet a range of senior civil society figures, as well as meet Bangladeshi members of UN Peacekeeping forces, and hold a roundtable with human rights defenders
Ahead of his visit, Brown said, “At this critical point in Bangladesh’s history, attention has to be on achieving a smooth, peaceful transition to an elected government in 2008 and securing lasting, sustainable democracy thereafter.
“ He said the UK’s interests in this country, like those of the Bangladeshi people, depend on establishing a stable and democratic Bangladesh.
Brown said, “What’s at stake - the future development of Bangladesh and its people - is too important to risk a return to the politics of violence and confrontation. That’s why we encourage all sides to create conditions conducive to holding credible elections, to engage constructively with the democratic process, to commit to participation in elections, and to embrace and consolidate the positive institutional reforms that have taken place during the last two years.”
The British minister said strong democracies need strong institutions. They also need parties that are prepared to work with others constructively and consensually.
Brown’s visit to Bangladesh is the sixth by a UK Minister in the last ten months, underlining the importance attached to the bilateral relationship between the UK and Bangladesh, and the new heights that it has attained.
The British Minister will call on chief adviser, foreign affairs adviser, home affairs adviser, chief of army staff and senior figures from two main political parties during the visit
Brown will also meet a range of senior civil society figures, as well as meet Bangladeshi members of UN Peacekeeping forces, and hold a roundtable with human rights defenders
Ahead of his visit, Brown said, “At this critical point in Bangladesh’s history, attention has to be on achieving a smooth, peaceful transition to an elected government in 2008 and securing lasting, sustainable democracy thereafter.
“ He said the UK’s interests in this country, like those of the Bangladeshi people, depend on establishing a stable and democratic Bangladesh.
Brown said, “What’s at stake - the future development of Bangladesh and its people - is too important to risk a return to the politics of violence and confrontation. That’s why we encourage all sides to create conditions conducive to holding credible elections, to engage constructively with the democratic process, to commit to participation in elections, and to embrace and consolidate the positive institutional reforms that have taken place during the last two years.”
The British minister said strong democracies need strong institutions. They also need parties that are prepared to work with others constructively and consensually.
Brown’s visit to Bangladesh is the sixth by a UK Minister in the last ten months, underlining the importance attached to the bilateral relationship between the UK and Bangladesh, and the new heights that it has attained.
US commander accuses Iran of trying to bribe Iraqi lawmakers
Afp, Washington
General Ray Odierno, who commands US forces in Iraq, has accused Iran of trying to bribe Iraqi lawmakers in the hope of undermining an agreement that would allow US troops to remain in Iraq after the end of this year, The Washington Post reported Monday.The newspaper said that Odierno had told it in an interview that Iran was working publicly and covertly to undermine the status-of-forces agreement that the US and Iraq are about to conclude and that must be ratified by the Iraqi parliament. "Clearly, this is one they're having a 'full court press' on to try to ensure there's never any bilateral agreement between the United States and Iraq," the paper quotes Odierno as saying, using a basketball expression.
"We know that there are many relationships with people here for many years going back to when Saddam was in charge, and I think they're utilising those contacts to attempt to influence the outcome of the potential vote in the council of representatives," the general continued. Odierno said, however, he had no definitive proof of the bribes, but added that "there are many intelligence reports" that suggest Iranians are "coming in to pay off people to vote against it," The Post reported.
The status-of-forces agreement is designed to replace a UN resolution that sanctions the presence of US troops in Iraq. This resolution expires at the end of the year.
General Ray Odierno, who commands US forces in Iraq, has accused Iran of trying to bribe Iraqi lawmakers in the hope of undermining an agreement that would allow US troops to remain in Iraq after the end of this year, The Washington Post reported Monday.The newspaper said that Odierno had told it in an interview that Iran was working publicly and covertly to undermine the status-of-forces agreement that the US and Iraq are about to conclude and that must be ratified by the Iraqi parliament. "Clearly, this is one they're having a 'full court press' on to try to ensure there's never any bilateral agreement between the United States and Iraq," the paper quotes Odierno as saying, using a basketball expression.
"We know that there are many relationships with people here for many years going back to when Saddam was in charge, and I think they're utilising those contacts to attempt to influence the outcome of the potential vote in the council of representatives," the general continued. Odierno said, however, he had no definitive proof of the bribes, but added that "there are many intelligence reports" that suggest Iranians are "coming in to pay off people to vote against it," The Post reported.
The status-of-forces agreement is designed to replace a UN resolution that sanctions the presence of US troops in Iraq. This resolution expires at the end of the year.
RMG in shadows of global turmoil
The global financial turmoil seems to have weighed on Bangladesh's lifeline, garments, as orders are being deferred by buyers from the countries, where stores have reported declining sales.Exporters have also said buyers are trying to cut down costs of imports to cope with a slump in consumer confidence.
“Generally, September is a golden month for knitwear exporters, but this year's orders appear to be declining for the first time in four years,” said Fazlul Hoque, president of Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA).
However, remittance inflows, also allied with the global economies, are still immune to probable fallout from the unfolding financial crisis that rattled depositors and investors worldwide.
“If 9/11 had affected Bangladesh's export growth significantly, I don't believe this huge crisis would bypass us,” said Hoque.
Hoque's remarks came a day after Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus and others warned that Bangladesh's export and remittances would take a hit from the global crisis, which promoted governments and central banks around the world to initiate nationalisation and cut interest rates to restore confidence.
Bangladeshi exports, mostly to the US and Europe, are set to become vulnerable to the debacle, although knitwear and garments registered 84 percent and 58 percent growth in July from the same period a year ago.
“Buyers are now bargaining for price reduction,” said Habibur Rahman, owner of Pandemic Fashion Ltd that exports knitwear to Scandinavian countries.
The IMF has recently projected that income growth in Bangladesh's export markets will decline to 0.5 percent in 2009 from 1.5 percent in 2008.
“The growth of orders received by the exporters in July has slowed down in the last two months,” said Centre for Policy Dialogue Executive Director Mustafizur Rahman, citing his talks with knitwear exporters.
Anwar-ul-Alam Chowdhury Parvez, president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), has said buyers seem slow to place orders in an apparent sign of businessmen losing confidence in the world markets.
“They (buyers) are now waiting out the turmoil,” the BGMEA president said.
But Mustafizur Rahman of CPD said: “It's not clear whether this is because of the global economic turmoil or a seasonal outcome. But RMG prices may go down further amid buyers' move to cut costs.”
Mamun Rashid, chief of Citibank NA in Bangladesh, thinks the problems might run deeper because of the likely delay in export receipts and the possible cancellation of orders.
Of Bangladesh's export, only less than 30 percent goes to retail giants such as Wal-Mart, Jc Penny's, Levis, Gap, Zara, Van-Heusen and H&M, while others are mostly small and mid-sized companies, more vulnerable to any financial shock or surprise.
However the ultimate impact may be little less because of diversion of orders from other countries such as Vietnam and China due to rising labour costs in those countries, Rashid said.
BRIGHTER SIDE
Zaid Bakht, research director of Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies, believes RMG exporters would receive increased orders for its edge over China where the production costs would jump another step in the wake of the crisis.
Professor MA Taslim, chief executive of Bangladesh Foreign Trade Institute, also looks at the brighter side of the situation.
“It's also an opportunity. Garment makers can take advantage of the decline in exports from other countries by increasing competitiveness,” said Taslim, citing the example of China, which raised exports after the 9/11 attacks on the US.
Analysts suggested that the regulator maintain a competitive exchange rate to encourage exporters and remitters. They also suggested a mechanism for timely delivery, cheap sourcing of raw materials and no hike in utility prices.
Although some argue that remittance inflows would slow due to the global turmoil, Zahid Hussain, a senior economist for the World Bank's Dhaka office, said any direct immediate impact on remittance looked unlikely, as its inflows remained resilient against the previous financial crises in the world.
In Bangladesh, the bulk of remittance inflows, which recorded a significant rise in the first quarter of the current fiscal year, come from the Middle East, and less than a third comes from the US, UK and Germany.
“However, if a deep and protracted recession starts in the US and EU, the Middle Eastern economies are likely to be adversely affected,” Hussain said.
“Even if the current nearly $8 billion level of remittances is sustained, it would be challenging to maintain its growth momentum if the world economy remains depressed for an extended period,” he said.
Pak to India: No role in Kabul embassy bombings
NEW DELHI: Pakistan on Tuesday denied that its spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) had a role in the recent bombings at the Indian Embassy in Kabul."No. No. No. Incorrect," Pakistan's National Security Adviser Mahmud Ali Durrani said here when asked to comment on reports alleging that Pakistan's ISI had a role in the Kabul blasts. He was talking to reporters after meeting External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee.
Durrani is also meeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and BJP President Rajnath Singh. "I had a very good meeting with the Foreign Minister ... things are going okay," he said. Durrani on Monday held delegation level talks with his Indian counterpart M K Narayanan who raised the issue of Kabul bombings and rise in instances of ceasefire violation in Jammu and Kashmir.
The two sides are understood to have discussed the Kashmir issue and the Sir Creek dispute. Ahead of the talks Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon had said all issues that are a matter of concern to India, including the Kabul bombings and ceasefire violations would be taken up during the meeting with Durrani. India has been perturbed by increasing incidents of cross-LoC firing by Pakistani army, many a times to provide cover to infiltrating militants.
New Delhi has also been angry at the suicide attack on its embassy in Kabul on July 7, for which Afghanistan, India and the US have blamed Pakistan's intelligence agency ISI.
Durrani is also meeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and BJP President Rajnath Singh. "I had a very good meeting with the Foreign Minister ... things are going okay," he said. Durrani on Monday held delegation level talks with his Indian counterpart M K Narayanan who raised the issue of Kabul bombings and rise in instances of ceasefire violation in Jammu and Kashmir.
The two sides are understood to have discussed the Kashmir issue and the Sir Creek dispute. Ahead of the talks Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon had said all issues that are a matter of concern to India, including the Kabul bombings and ceasefire violations would be taken up during the meeting with Durrani. India has been perturbed by increasing incidents of cross-LoC firing by Pakistani army, many a times to provide cover to infiltrating militants.
New Delhi has also been angry at the suicide attack on its embassy in Kabul on July 7, for which Afghanistan, India and the US have blamed Pakistan's intelligence agency ISI.
Mumbai, Delhi most competitive cities for biz: Report
NEW DELHI: Mumbai and Delhi top the list of top 10 cities for doing business in India, according to a competitiveness index report prepared by the real estate-focused publication Realty Plus. The report - 2008 City Microeconomic Competitive Index - highlights the business opportunities offered by various cities, and the challenges investors can expect.
The report maps the competitiveness of the 10 leading cities on a highly evolved framework of multiple dimensions encompassing 225 indicators. Mumbai tops list, followed by Delhi and Hyderabad. Other cities on the list are Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Pune, Chandigarh and Gurgaon. “These cities present an excellent opportunity for embarking on pathways to build a stronger India, on the other they are onto trajectory of disasters,” the report said. Mumbai scores the highest in best overall business environment, excellent demand condition and most superlative factor conditions.
Delhi scores in terms of superior competitive intensity, best supporting industries and very good factor conditions; however, its weakness lies in very poor quality of life, little state incentive for business and high costs. Bangalore scores in excellent knowledge creation infrastructure and good market. Its weaknesses are inadequate infrastructure, poor income distribution pattern and very high business cost.
A city is deemed competitive if it exploits its conditions - labour, capital, land, natural resources - not merely in the form they are available, but adds value and leverages the conditions for reaping the maximum economic benefits.
The report maps the competitiveness of the 10 leading cities on a highly evolved framework of multiple dimensions encompassing 225 indicators. Mumbai tops list, followed by Delhi and Hyderabad. Other cities on the list are Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Pune, Chandigarh and Gurgaon. “These cities present an excellent opportunity for embarking on pathways to build a stronger India, on the other they are onto trajectory of disasters,” the report said. Mumbai scores the highest in best overall business environment, excellent demand condition and most superlative factor conditions.
Delhi scores in terms of superior competitive intensity, best supporting industries and very good factor conditions; however, its weakness lies in very poor quality of life, little state incentive for business and high costs. Bangalore scores in excellent knowledge creation infrastructure and good market. Its weaknesses are inadequate infrastructure, poor income distribution pattern and very high business cost.
A city is deemed competitive if it exploits its conditions - labour, capital, land, natural resources - not merely in the form they are available, but adds value and leverages the conditions for reaping the maximum economic benefits.
Top sexual fantasies
Secret for some, silent for others, mild for some and wild for others...every couple harbours hidden sexual fantasies.Sexual fantasies (Getty images)For a lot of couples their fantasies remain hidden desires that are tucked away in the remote corners of their heart. Fear of rejection often leads couples to deny their unspoken desires. "Contrary to popular perception, those who fantasise the most are engaged in loving, trusting and sexually satisfied relationships. The idea of a fantasy is that your mind explores places that the body has no intention of visiting and acting out things one might never even think of doing in real life," says psychiatrist, Dr. Sanjay Chugh.
Dr. Deepak Raheja of Hope Foundation says, sums up the importance of sexual fantasies, "Sexual excitement and libido to a great extent depends upon what you think of and how you plan, your sexual communion. Sex usually begins in the brain. So an active imagination gears up the mind, there by heightening the desire to an extent that arousal becomes much quicker adding to the sexual gratification. That's why discussing and performing one's sexual fantasies are important for a couple to enjoy a highly satisfying sex life." Supports Dr. Chugh, "As long as the individuals are healthy and their sexual fantasies do not impair their level of functioning or cause them or those around them any kind of stress, one can safely continue to enjoy one's sexual fantasies."
So, instead of distancing your partner from your fantasies or alienating them from your wild dreams, try and communicate what's on your mind to the,. Open ended communication is key during sex. You never know...even your partner might have woven some hot desires and thanks to your initiative they might just end up venting them thereby leading to a hot sexual communion. Here's a list of the most highly cherished sexual fantasies often nurtured by partners either together or in seclusion.
Fantasy # 1
Domination
Not to win, but to surrender! Yes, it's the most common fantasy that people eat, drink, sleep and live with. The mere thought of a partner sweeping them off their feet and winning full sexual control over them provides a heady adrenaline rush. Women just love watching their macho lover begging for sexual release in the bedroom as they crack the whip on their love slave. And hot hunks also get turned on by the thought of being hand-cuffed in bed as their lady love assumes the role of the dominating lover. "I never knew my otherwise dictating man would love turning into a meek lover waiting to be taken to task by me. The total reversal of roles adds to the sexual excitement and gives me a chance to rule over him in bed. The sex we have is just wild," confesses 33-years-old Divya Pahwa from Delhi.
The way we do it: Hand cuffs or silky-satiny scarves come handy to enact this fantasy. Just tie your partner's limbs to the bed and there's your prey ...all set to submit to your sexual calls. He's the slave and you the master...so go ahead and live out your carnal pleasures. Touch, tease and tickle...the situation is a win-win at both ends. Your slave is bound to derive pleasure in begging for your sexual attention, as you enjoy making him/her deliver your hidden whim and fancies!
Fantasy # 2
Being a visual delight
A lot of couples love being an audience to their own sexual encounters by having sex in from of a full length/ceiling mirror. "The thought of watching our own moves in the mirror always leave my heart pumping harder. Though my wife was a little apprehensive initially, but soon she got into the flow. Not only is it fun, enjoying this voyeuristic pleasure helped my wife get over her body consciousness and come alive," admits 27-years-old, advertising executive, Jairaj Kanojia (name changed on request). Just place a full length mirror strategically in front of your bed and there you have the perfect pitch ready to hit those sexual sixes and boundaries! So keep playing till one of you gets clean bowled!
Asia stocks soar on broad steps to ease crisis
HONG KONG: Asian stocks surged on Tuesday, with Japan's Nikkei up more than 12 percent, after world policymakers led by Europe readied plans to inject cash into banks in the biggest effort yet to ease the global financial crisis.
Government bond prices plummeted and the yen fell as investors ditched low-risk investments to scoop up heavily oversold shares after US stocks posted record gains overnight. In a single day on Monday, global stocks added $1.7tn in market value, according to MSCI. "We're seeing a wave of short-covering here, but it's hard to see how far the rebound will go," said Masayoshi Okamoto, head of dealing at Jujiya Securities in Tokyo. After plunging 24 percent last week, the Nikkei share average soared 12.4 percent on Tuesday after a holiday on Monday. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 rose 5.9 percent after posting its biggest daily gain since October 1997 on Monday.
Fears of a looming global recession were not dead but for now the sweeping emergency steps being enacted by governments reduced the immediate risk of a worldwide financial system failure. The U.S. government agreed on Monday to take $25bn stakes in several big banks in a bid to shore up the banking system and arrest the financial crisis, sources familiar with the situation said. The move follows pledges by the governments of Britain, Germany, France and other European countries of more than 1tn euros ($1.36tn) to bolster their own banks. "Capital markets roar approval of the synchronized recapitalization and guaranteed programs," said Brett Williams, credit analyst with BNP Paribas in Hong Kong. "New U.S. government initiatives rolling out this morning, in parallel with those adopted by European jurisdictions yesterday, could further underpin positive sentiment," he said in a note.
Government bonds were hard hit. The benchmark 10-year US Treasury note fell more than a full point in price, pushing the yield up to a 2-month high of 4.05 percent from 3.88 percent late on Friday in New York. U.S. bond markets were closed on Monday for a holiday but stock markets traded. The benchmark 10-year Japanese government bond yield hit a three-month high. The benchmark 10-year JGB yield climbed 8 basis points to 1.600 percent after striking a three-month high of 1.630 percent in early trade. The yen dropped against major currencies. The U.S. dollar rose to 102.95 yen from 102 yen late on Monday in New York.
Gold rose more than 2 percent as rising oil prices boosted its appeal as a hedge against inflation, but the rally in stock markets could also cap gains.
Gold was trading at $845.00 an ounce, up $14.20 from the New York notional close, having hit an intraday high of $847.70 an ounce. It had dropped to $821 an ounce on Monday, its weakest since October 3. U.S. crude oil futures rose more than 4 percent overnight and another 2 percent in early trade on Tuesday on hopes the financial crisis may ease. Light sweet crude futures were trading around $83.00 a barrel.
Government bond prices plummeted and the yen fell as investors ditched low-risk investments to scoop up heavily oversold shares after US stocks posted record gains overnight. In a single day on Monday, global stocks added $1.7tn in market value, according to MSCI. "We're seeing a wave of short-covering here, but it's hard to see how far the rebound will go," said Masayoshi Okamoto, head of dealing at Jujiya Securities in Tokyo. After plunging 24 percent last week, the Nikkei share average soared 12.4 percent on Tuesday after a holiday on Monday. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 rose 5.9 percent after posting its biggest daily gain since October 1997 on Monday.
Fears of a looming global recession were not dead but for now the sweeping emergency steps being enacted by governments reduced the immediate risk of a worldwide financial system failure. The U.S. government agreed on Monday to take $25bn stakes in several big banks in a bid to shore up the banking system and arrest the financial crisis, sources familiar with the situation said. The move follows pledges by the governments of Britain, Germany, France and other European countries of more than 1tn euros ($1.36tn) to bolster their own banks. "Capital markets roar approval of the synchronized recapitalization and guaranteed programs," said Brett Williams, credit analyst with BNP Paribas in Hong Kong. "New U.S. government initiatives rolling out this morning, in parallel with those adopted by European jurisdictions yesterday, could further underpin positive sentiment," he said in a note.
Government bonds were hard hit. The benchmark 10-year US Treasury note fell more than a full point in price, pushing the yield up to a 2-month high of 4.05 percent from 3.88 percent late on Friday in New York. U.S. bond markets were closed on Monday for a holiday but stock markets traded. The benchmark 10-year Japanese government bond yield hit a three-month high. The benchmark 10-year JGB yield climbed 8 basis points to 1.600 percent after striking a three-month high of 1.630 percent in early trade. The yen dropped against major currencies. The U.S. dollar rose to 102.95 yen from 102 yen late on Monday in New York.
Gold rose more than 2 percent as rising oil prices boosted its appeal as a hedge against inflation, but the rally in stock markets could also cap gains.
Gold was trading at $845.00 an ounce, up $14.20 from the New York notional close, having hit an intraday high of $847.70 an ounce. It had dropped to $821 an ounce on Monday, its weakest since October 3. U.S. crude oil futures rose more than 4 percent overnight and another 2 percent in early trade on Tuesday on hopes the financial crisis may ease. Light sweet crude futures were trading around $83.00 a barrel.
Rupee up by 50 paise against US dollar
MUMBAI: The Indian rupee appreciated by 50 paise to 47.75/76 against the US dollar in morning trade today on fresh dollar selling by banks in anticipation of stability in equity markets after governments worldwide took steps to support financial markets.
In an otherwise quiet trade at the Interbank Foreign Exchange (Forex) market, the domestic currency resumed firm at 47.85/90 a dollar from its previous close of 48.25/26 a dollar and later was quoted at 47.75/76 a dollar in late morning deals. Dealers said the rupee largely drew support from a fresh surge in Asian equity markets, which raised hopes of revival of portfolio investments, the main driver of the rupee.
Indian benchmark Sensex soared by 542.06 points while Asian indices gained by about 1.22 per cent to 13.0 per cent in early trade today.
In an otherwise quiet trade at the Interbank Foreign Exchange (Forex) market, the domestic currency resumed firm at 47.85/90 a dollar from its previous close of 48.25/26 a dollar and later was quoted at 47.75/76 a dollar in late morning deals. Dealers said the rupee largely drew support from a fresh surge in Asian equity markets, which raised hopes of revival of portfolio investments, the main driver of the rupee.
Indian benchmark Sensex soared by 542.06 points while Asian indices gained by about 1.22 per cent to 13.0 per cent in early trade today.
Nehru was nominated for Nobel peace prize 11 times
NEW DELHI: The Nobel Foundation ignored not only Mahatma Gandhi but also India’s first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, one of 20th century’s leading statesmen, for the peace prize, not once but on 11 occasions.
Though the details of past nominations are kept confidential, the foundation has opened the database for 1901-56. A search through it shows that the name of Nehru was under consideration during the early 1950s when he was building the foundations of a modern India. In 1950, there were two nominations considered by the Nobel committee. L.R. Sivasubramanian, a Delhi University professor of law, and M. Venkatarangaiya, a Bombay University professor of political science, sent in the nominations. “Nehru established parliamentary government in India, and he had been one of the principal leaders of the independence movement. He was nominated for his neutralist foreign policy and for upholding the same principles as Gandhi,” according to the database accessed by news agency.
Jens Arup Seip, a professor of the university of Oslo, did the evaluation of the nomination. Coincidentally, the committee also considered nominations of Maharshi Aurobindo, a radical freedom fighter turned spiritual leader, and S. Radhakrishan, another freedom fighter and statesman who was to later become India’s president (1962-67). In 1950, the most coveted prize in the world went to Ralph Bunche, an American political scientist and diplomat, for his late 1940s mediation in Palestine. In 1951, Panditji, as he was popularly known, was nominated thrice. The nominations were sent in by Emily Greene Balch of the US, Nobel Peace Prize laureate of 1946, Lewis Hoskins on behalf of the American Friends Service Committee and Shrinavala Sarma on behalf of the “Professors at the University of Madras”.
All three nominations were evaluated by Seip. Léon Jouhaux, a French trade union leader, won the peace prize in 1951. Three more nominations in favour of Nehru were sent to Sweden two years later - all from Brussels. “Several Members of the Belgian National Assembly”, “Several Members of the Belgian Senate” and “Several Professors of the university of Bruxelles” were the nominators. K. Getz Wold was the evaluator and August Schou also wrote an additional evaluation, according to the database.
The 1953 Peace laureate was George C. Marshall, who led the US Army during World War II. The year 1954 saw two nominations for Nehru, both along with British prime minister Clement Attlee “for their work for the peaceful settlement between Great Britain and India in 1947?. Seip himself was one of the nominators.
The honour that year went to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Edmond Privat, a professor of the Neuchatel university in Switzerland, again nominated Nehru in 1955. That year, no winner was announced and the prize money was “allocated to the Special Fund of this prize section”.
Though the details of past nominations are kept confidential, the foundation has opened the database for 1901-56. A search through it shows that the name of Nehru was under consideration during the early 1950s when he was building the foundations of a modern India. In 1950, there were two nominations considered by the Nobel committee. L.R. Sivasubramanian, a Delhi University professor of law, and M. Venkatarangaiya, a Bombay University professor of political science, sent in the nominations. “Nehru established parliamentary government in India, and he had been one of the principal leaders of the independence movement. He was nominated for his neutralist foreign policy and for upholding the same principles as Gandhi,” according to the database accessed by news agency.
Jens Arup Seip, a professor of the university of Oslo, did the evaluation of the nomination. Coincidentally, the committee also considered nominations of Maharshi Aurobindo, a radical freedom fighter turned spiritual leader, and S. Radhakrishan, another freedom fighter and statesman who was to later become India’s president (1962-67). In 1950, the most coveted prize in the world went to Ralph Bunche, an American political scientist and diplomat, for his late 1940s mediation in Palestine. In 1951, Panditji, as he was popularly known, was nominated thrice. The nominations were sent in by Emily Greene Balch of the US, Nobel Peace Prize laureate of 1946, Lewis Hoskins on behalf of the American Friends Service Committee and Shrinavala Sarma on behalf of the “Professors at the University of Madras”.
All three nominations were evaluated by Seip. Léon Jouhaux, a French trade union leader, won the peace prize in 1951. Three more nominations in favour of Nehru were sent to Sweden two years later - all from Brussels. “Several Members of the Belgian National Assembly”, “Several Members of the Belgian Senate” and “Several Professors of the university of Bruxelles” were the nominators. K. Getz Wold was the evaluator and August Schou also wrote an additional evaluation, according to the database.
The 1953 Peace laureate was George C. Marshall, who led the US Army during World War II. The year 1954 saw two nominations for Nehru, both along with British prime minister Clement Attlee “for their work for the peaceful settlement between Great Britain and India in 1947?. Seip himself was one of the nominators.
The honour that year went to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Edmond Privat, a professor of the Neuchatel university in Switzerland, again nominated Nehru in 1955. That year, no winner was announced and the prize money was “allocated to the Special Fund of this prize section”.
RBI to pump in Rs 20,000 cr to help mutual funds
MUMBAI: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Tuesday decided to inject Rs 20,000 crore through short-term lending route to help the mutual funds meet their liquidity needs and overcome redemption pressure. "The eligible banks and primary dealers may submit their applications electronically through National Negotiated Dealing system (NDS) between 2.30pm to 3.15pm on Tuesday," RBI said in a notification.
The RBI will conduct a special fixed rate repo auction at 9 per cent per annum against eligible securities for Rs 20,000 crore today, it said. The allocations to the bidders will be made on pro-rata basis. The facility is aimed at enabling banks to meet liquidity requirement of the mutual fund industry which is facing redemption pressure.
The loan will have to be returned to the RBI on October 29, it said. The RBI further said that this facility would be in addition to repo/reverse repo auctions conducted Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF) and Second Liquidity Adjustment Facility (SLAF). The decision will help the mutual fund industry to meet redemption pressure following the credit crisis in the financial sector. Earlier in a day, Finance Minister P Chidambaram while welcoming the decision by RBI said it was taken in view of the liquidity stress being faced by some mutual funds. Fund houses said that the move will help in stabilising the mutual fund industry and help investors too. "Most of mutual fund industry is facing redemption pressures in liquid funds and commercial papers and deposits. Net asset value of liquid funds is turning negative.
The move is just to tell the MFs that they can take from the RBI," R K Gupta, managing director of Taurus Asset Management Company, said. This will ease the selling pressure which liquid funds are facing, he said. Welcoming the step, Chief Marketing Officer of UTI Mutual Fund Jaideep Bhattacharya said "in this tight money situation, it will benefit the industry as whole. The redemption pressure which most of the mutual funds are facing, will ease of". To increase money supply, RBI has been taking measures.
It reduced the mandatory cash requirement for banks (cash reserve ratio) by 150 basis points to infuse more liquidity in the market to the tune of Rs 60,000 crore. Besides, it also indirectly reduced Statutory Liquidity ratio by one per cent to 24 per cent.
The RBI will conduct a special fixed rate repo auction at 9 per cent per annum against eligible securities for Rs 20,000 crore today, it said. The allocations to the bidders will be made on pro-rata basis. The facility is aimed at enabling banks to meet liquidity requirement of the mutual fund industry which is facing redemption pressure.
The loan will have to be returned to the RBI on October 29, it said. The RBI further said that this facility would be in addition to repo/reverse repo auctions conducted Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF) and Second Liquidity Adjustment Facility (SLAF). The decision will help the mutual fund industry to meet redemption pressure following the credit crisis in the financial sector. Earlier in a day, Finance Minister P Chidambaram while welcoming the decision by RBI said it was taken in view of the liquidity stress being faced by some mutual funds. Fund houses said that the move will help in stabilising the mutual fund industry and help investors too. "Most of mutual fund industry is facing redemption pressures in liquid funds and commercial papers and deposits. Net asset value of liquid funds is turning negative.
The move is just to tell the MFs that they can take from the RBI," R K Gupta, managing director of Taurus Asset Management Company, said. This will ease the selling pressure which liquid funds are facing, he said. Welcoming the step, Chief Marketing Officer of UTI Mutual Fund Jaideep Bhattacharya said "in this tight money situation, it will benefit the industry as whole. The redemption pressure which most of the mutual funds are facing, will ease of". To increase money supply, RBI has been taking measures.
It reduced the mandatory cash requirement for banks (cash reserve ratio) by 150 basis points to infuse more liquidity in the market to the tune of Rs 60,000 crore. Besides, it also indirectly reduced Statutory Liquidity ratio by one per cent to 24 per cent.
EC announces assembly poll dates for five states
NEW DELHI: Skipping a decision on assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir, the Election Commission on Tuesday announced one-day poll in Rajasthan, Madhya
Pradesh, Delhi and Mizoram while Naxalite-infested Chhattisgarh will have two-phased elections between November 14 and December 4.
The two-phased polls in Chhattisgarh will be held on November 14 and 20 while elections will be held in Madhya Pradesh on November 25, Mizoram and Delhi on November 29 and Rajasthan on December 4.
Counting of votes in all the states will be taken up on December 8.
The commission is understood to have deferred a decision on polls in Jammu and Kashmir reportedly because of difference of opinion among the three members of the commission.
No decision has been taken "at the moment" on holding elections in Jammu and Kashmir which is now under Governor's rule, Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami said at a press conference flanked by the other two commissioners Naveen Chawla and SY Quraishi.
He said the commission is still assessing the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
"We will get back to you as soon as we take a decision in Jammu and Kashmir. Forces are one part of the issues. There are so many other issues. I do not want to say anything more," he said.
Asked whether it meant that elections will not be held before March because of winter, the CEC said "that you leave it to us".
Pradesh, Delhi and Mizoram while Naxalite-infested Chhattisgarh will have two-phased elections between November 14 and December 4.
The two-phased polls in Chhattisgarh will be held on November 14 and 20 while elections will be held in Madhya Pradesh on November 25, Mizoram and Delhi on November 29 and Rajasthan on December 4.
Counting of votes in all the states will be taken up on December 8.
The commission is understood to have deferred a decision on polls in Jammu and Kashmir reportedly because of difference of opinion among the three members of the commission.
No decision has been taken "at the moment" on holding elections in Jammu and Kashmir which is now under Governor's rule, Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami said at a press conference flanked by the other two commissioners Naveen Chawla and SY Quraishi.
He said the commission is still assessing the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
"We will get back to you as soon as we take a decision in Jammu and Kashmir. Forces are one part of the issues. There are so many other issues. I do not want to say anything more," he said.
Asked whether it meant that elections will not be held before March because of winter, the CEC said "that you leave it to us".
North Korea to resume dismantling N-facilities
Ap, Seoul
North Korea said Sunday it will resume dismantling its main nuclear facilities, hours after the United States removed the communist country from a list of states that sponsor terrorism. The North's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it will again allow US and International Atomic Energy Agency inspections at Yongbyon to verify the disablement process, pledged under a previous disarmament-for-aid deal with the United States and four other regional powers."We welcome the US which has honoured its commitment to delist the DPRK as 'a state sponsor of terrorism,'" said the statement, carried by the country's official Korean Central News Agency.
DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the North's official name.North Korea halted the disablement in mid-August in anger at Washington over what it called a delay in the terror delisting and began moves aimed at potentially restarting the plutonium-producing facility north of Pyongyang.The US had said the North had to first allow verification of its declaration of nuclear programmes submitted in June.
The US, however, said Saturday that it took the North off the terrorism blacklist as the North had agreed to all US nuclear inspection demandsUS officials said the North will allow atomic experts to take samples and conduct forensic tests at all of its declared nuclear facilities and undeclared sites on mutual consent, and will permit them to verify that it has told the truth about transfers of nuclear technology and an alleged uranium programme.
North Korea said Sunday it will resume dismantling its main nuclear facilities, hours after the United States removed the communist country from a list of states that sponsor terrorism. The North's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it will again allow US and International Atomic Energy Agency inspections at Yongbyon to verify the disablement process, pledged under a previous disarmament-for-aid deal with the United States and four other regional powers."We welcome the US which has honoured its commitment to delist the DPRK as 'a state sponsor of terrorism,'" said the statement, carried by the country's official Korean Central News Agency.
DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the North's official name.North Korea halted the disablement in mid-August in anger at Washington over what it called a delay in the terror delisting and began moves aimed at potentially restarting the plutonium-producing facility north of Pyongyang.The US had said the North had to first allow verification of its declaration of nuclear programmes submitted in June.
The US, however, said Saturday that it took the North off the terrorism blacklist as the North had agreed to all US nuclear inspection demandsUS officials said the North will allow atomic experts to take samples and conduct forensic tests at all of its declared nuclear facilities and undeclared sites on mutual consent, and will permit them to verify that it has told the truth about transfers of nuclear technology and an alleged uranium programme.
Lanka fighting kills 30 rebels, 2 soldiers
Ap, ColomboSri Lankan women carry posters of main opposition United National Party leader and a former army general Janaka Perera during his funeral in Colombo on Saturday. On Monday, a suicide blast blamed on the rebels killed Perera and 26 others in the northern town of Anuradhapura. Photo: AFP
Separate battles between government forces and Tamil separatists across Sri Lanka's volatile northern region killed 30 rebels and two soldiers, the military said yesterday.
The new fighting came as soldiers closed in on the rebels' administrative capital of Kilinochchi in a campaign aimed at routing the guerrillas and ending the 25-year-old war that has killed more than 70,000 people.
The worst fighting took place Saturday around Kilinochchi where two separate clashes killed 26 rebels and two soldiers, said military spokesman Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara. The same fighting wounded 16 rebels and seven soldiers.
The army has said its forces are about 1 mile from the outskirts of Kilinochchi.
Other battles in Welioya and Vavuniya killed four rebels on Saturday, said Nanayakkara.
With nearly all communications to the north severed, a rebel spokesman could not be contacted for comment.
Independent verification of the military's claims is nearly impossible because most journalists are banned from the war zone. Both sides routinely exaggerate enemy losses and underreport their own.
Fighting has escalated in recent months, with the military capturing a series of rebel bases and large chunks of territory. Officials have pledged to crush the guerrillas by the end of the year.
The rebels have been fighting since 1983 to create an independent homeland for the country's ethnic minority Tamils, who have faced marginalisation by successive governments controlled by ethnic Sinhalese.
More than 70,000 people have been killed in the violence.
Taliban attack on Afghan town foiled: 100 killed
Ap, Kandahar
Taliban militants launched a surprise attack on a key southern Afghan town, sparking a battle that killed some 60 insurgents, an Afghan official said Sunday. A second clash in the same region killed another 40 militants. Taliban fighters used rockets and other heavy weapons to attack Afghan forces on the outskirts of Lashkar Gah, the capital of Helmand province, said Daud Ahmadi, the spokesman for Helmand's governor.Militants attacked the city from three sides starting just after midnight and were pushed back only after a battle that involved airstrikes, Ahmadi said.
Rockets landed in different parts of the city but there were no civilian casualties, he said.Nato said its aircraft bombed insurgents after they observed them gathering for a major attack, killing "multiple enemy forces," the military alliance said in a statement."If the insurgents planned a spectacular attack prior to the winter, this was a spectacular failure," said Brig. Gen.
Richard Blanchette, the spokesman for the Nato-led force.Authorities recovered the bodies of 41 Taliban fighters on the city's outskirts, from where the attack was launched, he said. He estimated the bodies of another 20 fighters were taken from the battle site by the militants, citing intelligence reports.British forces are responsible for protecting the area around Lashkar Gah.In a second battle in Helmand province, Afghan and international troops retook the Nad Ali district centre which had been held by militants during a three-day fight, Ahmadi said.
That battle, which also involved airstrikes, ended Saturday, Ahmadi said.Afghan police and soldiers were now in control of the district centre. There were no casualties among Afghan or Nato troops, Ahmadi said.Ahmadi's death tolls could not be verified independently. Journalists are not able to travel to remote and dangerous battle sites. Afghan officials have been known to exaggerate death tolls in the past.
The Nato-led force said it was aware of fighting in Helmand but could not provide any information.Helmand province is the largest drug producing area in the world and the region alone accounts for more than half of Afghanistan's production of opium poppies. More than 90 percent of the world's opium is produced in Afghanistan and up to $100 million of the trade's profits are used to finance the Taliban insurgency.Insurgency related violence has killed more than 4,700 people mostly militants this year, according to an Associated Press count of figures from Western and Afghan officials.
A roadside bomb, meanwhile, struck a civilian vehicle travelling in the Shamulzai district of Zabul province on Sunday, killing five people, said Ghulab Shah Alikheil, a provincial official.Alikheil blamed Taliban militants for planting the bomb.
Taliban militants launched a surprise attack on a key southern Afghan town, sparking a battle that killed some 60 insurgents, an Afghan official said Sunday. A second clash in the same region killed another 40 militants. Taliban fighters used rockets and other heavy weapons to attack Afghan forces on the outskirts of Lashkar Gah, the capital of Helmand province, said Daud Ahmadi, the spokesman for Helmand's governor.Militants attacked the city from three sides starting just after midnight and were pushed back only after a battle that involved airstrikes, Ahmadi said.
Rockets landed in different parts of the city but there were no civilian casualties, he said.Nato said its aircraft bombed insurgents after they observed them gathering for a major attack, killing "multiple enemy forces," the military alliance said in a statement."If the insurgents planned a spectacular attack prior to the winter, this was a spectacular failure," said Brig. Gen.
Richard Blanchette, the spokesman for the Nato-led force.Authorities recovered the bodies of 41 Taliban fighters on the city's outskirts, from where the attack was launched, he said. He estimated the bodies of another 20 fighters were taken from the battle site by the militants, citing intelligence reports.British forces are responsible for protecting the area around Lashkar Gah.In a second battle in Helmand province, Afghan and international troops retook the Nad Ali district centre which had been held by militants during a three-day fight, Ahmadi said.
That battle, which also involved airstrikes, ended Saturday, Ahmadi said.Afghan police and soldiers were now in control of the district centre. There were no casualties among Afghan or Nato troops, Ahmadi said.Ahmadi's death tolls could not be verified independently. Journalists are not able to travel to remote and dangerous battle sites. Afghan officials have been known to exaggerate death tolls in the past.
The Nato-led force said it was aware of fighting in Helmand but could not provide any information.Helmand province is the largest drug producing area in the world and the region alone accounts for more than half of Afghanistan's production of opium poppies. More than 90 percent of the world's opium is produced in Afghanistan and up to $100 million of the trade's profits are used to finance the Taliban insurgency.Insurgency related violence has killed more than 4,700 people mostly militants this year, according to an Associated Press count of figures from Western and Afghan officials.
A roadside bomb, meanwhile, struck a civilian vehicle travelling in the Shamulzai district of Zabul province on Sunday, killing five people, said Ghulab Shah Alikheil, a provincial official.Alikheil blamed Taliban militants for planting the bomb.
ACC for all-time drive to curb corruption
Anti-Corruption Commission Chairman Lt Gen (retd) Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury yesterday said ACC would continue its anti-corruption drive in coordination with the government as it would not be possible to work independently if the government does not want to do so.
“It is not possible to root out corruption from the country only by imprisoning 200, 400 or 600 corruptionists, and two-year drive by the ACC is not enough. I hope we'll be able to continue our drive during the next elected government's regime with its help,” he added.
The ACC chief said this at a meeting on 'Taking Institutional Initiative to Stop Corruption' organised by the district administration on Sher-e-Bangla Medical College premises.
Saying that it is not possible to do anything dodging the democratically elected government, Gen Mashhud said the ACC would continue its drive in full swing during the regime of next government.
“No commission, not only the ACC, can work independently if a political government does not want so,” he said, citing example that the salary of the chief election commissioner was even stopped as the BNP-led coalition did not have a 'good relation' with the then Election Commission.
Barisal Divisional Commissioner Mezbah-ul-Alam, acting DIG of Barisal Range Mokbul Hossain, Barisal Education Board Chairman Dr Mortuza Ali-ul-Kabir and Deputy Commissioner Mushfiq Ahmed Shamim also addressed the programme.
Addressing youths at Barisal district stadium later, he asked them to stand united to stop corruption forever.
Making similar call, TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman stressed the need for engaging the strength of youth to stamp out corruption from the country.
“It is not possible to root out corruption from the country only by imprisoning 200, 400 or 600 corruptionists, and two-year drive by the ACC is not enough. I hope we'll be able to continue our drive during the next elected government's regime with its help,” he added.
The ACC chief said this at a meeting on 'Taking Institutional Initiative to Stop Corruption' organised by the district administration on Sher-e-Bangla Medical College premises.
Saying that it is not possible to do anything dodging the democratically elected government, Gen Mashhud said the ACC would continue its drive in full swing during the regime of next government.
“No commission, not only the ACC, can work independently if a political government does not want so,” he said, citing example that the salary of the chief election commissioner was even stopped as the BNP-led coalition did not have a 'good relation' with the then Election Commission.
Barisal Divisional Commissioner Mezbah-ul-Alam, acting DIG of Barisal Range Mokbul Hossain, Barisal Education Board Chairman Dr Mortuza Ali-ul-Kabir and Deputy Commissioner Mushfiq Ahmed Shamim also addressed the programme.
Addressing youths at Barisal district stadium later, he asked them to stand united to stop corruption forever.
Making similar call, TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman stressed the need for engaging the strength of youth to stamp out corruption from the country.
Stocks routed in panic
Heavy sell-offs lift turnover to all-time high; benchmark index downDhaka stocks slumped yesterday amid selling pressure especially from retail investors, shaken by the current global financial crisis.Heavy sell-offs however pulled up the premier bourse's turnover to an all-time high at Tk 590.51 crore, surpassing the previous highest of Tk 550 crore on June 8 this year.“In some cases, the retail investors were nervous,” said Dhaka Stock Exchange Chief Executive Officer Salahuddin Ahmed Khan.In yesterday's topsy-turvy trade, most sellers were retail investors, while most buyers were institutions that take the opportunity of buying shares at lower prices, said the DSE CEO.In a briefing at the DSE, Khan also said the local investors should not fear any fallout from the global financial crisis on the local capital market.He said the current global financial rout was unlikely to hurt the country's capital market, as the Bangladesh market was not tied to international capital markets.The benchmark index of the premier bourse, DSE General Index, went down 80.63 points, or 2.74 percent, to 2855.93 points.
The DSE All Share Price Index dropped by 68.99 points, or 2.83 percent, to 2366.46 points.Yawer Sayeed, managing director of AIMS of Bangladesh, said the global crisis might have created psychological pressure on investors as they read and watch a glut of financial news both in the print and electronic media about global stocks in freefall.He, however, said it would not trigger a market crush here, as it appeared from yesterday's market that most investors took profit from selling shares.The huge decline in the indices can be attributed to profit-taking, he added.Most securities traded down on the DSE.
Of the 236 traded issues, only 43 gained, 192 declined and one remained unchanged. A total of 4,61,73,445 shares were traded on the prime bourse.The market slipped in the minutes after the opening bell. The bourse appeared to have bounced back as it recovered almost total losses in the following one hour.The market started to fall at a constant rate, which continued for the rest of the day. Market capitalisation came down to Tk 99,915.07 crore from the previous day's Tk 1,02,17,966 crore.Chittagong stocks also slumped yesterday.
The CSE Selective Categories Index went down by 166.86 points, or 2.82 percent, to 5732.29 points, while the CSE All Share Price Index shot down by 247.74 points, or 2.74 percent, to 8776.34 points.A total of 99,06,855 shares worth Tk 89.73 crore changed hands on the Chittagong Stock Exchange. Of the 145 issues traded on the port city bourse, 24 advanced and 121 declined.
Global financial crisis fear rattles local investors
The stock market yesterday suffered a heavy decline as fears of fallout from the global financial meltdown ran deep on the home front.
In yesterday's trade, retail investors were nervous, paving the way for institutional investors to buy heavily into the market.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) held a joint news briefing at the DSE premises to calm the market jitters.
“Historically, there is no relationship between our capital market and global capital markets,” said Farhad Ahmed, executive director of SEC.
DSE Chief Executive Officer Salahuddin Ahmed Khan said investors should not worry too much about any fallout from the global financial crisis on the local stock market.
The DSE General Index, the benchmark index of the premier bourse, slipped 80.63 points, or 2.74 percent, to 2855.93 points. The DSE All Share Price Index dropped 68.99 points, or 2.83 percent, to 2366.46 points.
Earlier in a letter to the World Bank, the central bank discounted the impact of the global financial crisis on local banks, but said a prolonged turmoil would adversely affect the economy.
The total direct deposits of Bangladeshi banks in banks abroad have been estimated at $569.28 million, Bangladesh Bank (BB) said in a recent reply to the World Bank's queries about risks to the economy in Bangladesh.
The BB told the WB that a lingering crisis would weigh on exports and foreign investments.
The WB sought to keep itself posted on six points: exposure of local banks to troubled banks abroad, liquidity constraints, solvency positions and non-performing loans, potential losses of foreign operations of banks, short-term capital inflows and stock market.
In yesterday's trade, retail investors were nervous, paving the way for institutional investors to buy heavily into the market.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) held a joint news briefing at the DSE premises to calm the market jitters.
“Historically, there is no relationship between our capital market and global capital markets,” said Farhad Ahmed, executive director of SEC.
DSE Chief Executive Officer Salahuddin Ahmed Khan said investors should not worry too much about any fallout from the global financial crisis on the local stock market.
The DSE General Index, the benchmark index of the premier bourse, slipped 80.63 points, or 2.74 percent, to 2855.93 points. The DSE All Share Price Index dropped 68.99 points, or 2.83 percent, to 2366.46 points.
Earlier in a letter to the World Bank, the central bank discounted the impact of the global financial crisis on local banks, but said a prolonged turmoil would adversely affect the economy.
The total direct deposits of Bangladeshi banks in banks abroad have been estimated at $569.28 million, Bangladesh Bank (BB) said in a recent reply to the World Bank's queries about risks to the economy in Bangladesh.
The BB told the WB that a lingering crisis would weigh on exports and foreign investments.
The WB sought to keep itself posted on six points: exposure of local banks to troubled banks abroad, liquidity constraints, solvency positions and non-performing loans, potential losses of foreign operations of banks, short-term capital inflows and stock market.
Beckham's are under pressure
Football star David Beckham admits he and his wife Victoria are “under pressure” as a married couple, but says their kids take it away. The sun.co.uk quotes him saying: “We have quite a lot of pressure, honestly, as a couple. But I think having our children around takes all the pressure away. Either of us could have had the worst day at work, but it doesn't matter because then you come home and see your sons smiling.
“There are pressures on us as a couple, but we've had that since we first started going out, so we got used to it over the years. We have a way of working through it by looking out for each other.” David, who wants his three children to lead a normal life, also talked about what first attracted him to his wife. He said: “Her legs! She was in the Spice Girls when I first saw her and she used to wear these mini skirts and everyone used to say: 'Who's your favourite Spice Girl?' I'd always say: 'The one with the legs.' And that was my answer because she had these amazing legs.”
“There are pressures on us as a couple, but we've had that since we first started going out, so we got used to it over the years. We have a way of working through it by looking out for each other.” David, who wants his three children to lead a normal life, also talked about what first attracted him to his wife. He said: “Her legs! She was in the Spice Girls when I first saw her and she used to wear these mini skirts and everyone used to say: 'Who's your favourite Spice Girl?' I'd always say: 'The one with the legs.' And that was my answer because she had these amazing legs.”
No revealing outfit for Vanessa
Teen actress Vanessa Hudgens thought she looked immodest in her black outfit at the London premiere of her film "High School Musical 3" because it was too revealing. Hudgens was overheard complaining to her boyfriend and co-star Zac Efron that her back was being exposed and visible to the fans present, reports thesun.co.uk.
A source said: "Vanessa arrived wearing a leather jacket but was asked to take it off for a couple of photos. She then told Zac that she was concerned about the length of her mini dress because her 'butt was hanging out' and wanted the leather jacket back immediately to protect her modesty. "Zac tried to tell her she would look like a dork wearing the jacket inside, but Vanessa wasn't having it and demanded someone fetch it for her."
Vanessa tried not to let the ordeal ruin her evening and was later spotted cosying up to her boyfriend to watch the film
A source said: "Vanessa arrived wearing a leather jacket but was asked to take it off for a couple of photos. She then told Zac that she was concerned about the length of her mini dress because her 'butt was hanging out' and wanted the leather jacket back immediately to protect her modesty. "Zac tried to tell her she would look like a dork wearing the jacket inside, but Vanessa wasn't having it and demanded someone fetch it for her."
Vanessa tried not to let the ordeal ruin her evening and was later spotted cosying up to her boyfriend to watch the film
The Top 5 woman in Big B’s life
For a superstar like Amitabh Bachchan who has ruled for four decades, he has been paired opposite almost every actress from every era. From the senior actresses like Waheeda Rehman, Nutan and Saira Banu to the younger brigade like Shilpa Shetty, Manisha Koirala to Tabu, Big B has shared screen space with almost every Bollywood lady. Today on the eve of his 66th birthday, we speak about the top five actresses with whom he shared the best screen chemistry. And mind you, wife Jaya Bachchan comes much down at number 4. Mind you, we said ‘screen’ chemistry.Amitabh Bachchan - RekhaObviously it’s an easy guess that Amitabh Bachchan shared the most 
sizzling screen chemistry with Rekha. The couple was a huge hit in the late 70s. Though they weren’t paired in their first film together Namak Haraam (1973), soon they set the screen ablaze with their pairing in films like Muqaddar Ka Sikander, Mr Natwarlal, Suhaag, Ram Balram any many more. But their most controversial chemistry so far was in the film Silsila which also had wife Jaya Bachchan in a love triangle opposite Amitabh.
sizzling screen chemistry with Rekha. The couple was a huge hit in the late 70s. Though they weren’t paired in their first film together Namak Haraam (1973), soon they set the screen ablaze with their pairing in films like Muqaddar Ka Sikander, Mr Natwarlal, Suhaag, Ram Balram any many more. But their most controversial chemistry so far was in the film Silsila which also had wife Jaya Bachchan in a love triangle opposite Amitabh. This 1981 film was a bold attempt on extra-marital affair and with the very thin line that separated the film from fact, it created quite a stir in the personal lives of the 3 actors. Post Silsila Amitabh and Rekha never shared screen space in any film. TriviaWhile it remains a fact that Amitabh and Rekha never shared screen space post Silsila, the two actors were associated in a very interesting way with a common film Sooryavansham in 1999. While Amitabh played the male lead in the film, Rekha dubbed the voice for the South Indian actress paired opposite Amitabh.
Filmography
1. Do Anjaane (1976) 2. Alaap (1977) 3. Khoon Pasina (1977) 4. Ganga Ki Saugand (1978) 5. Muqaddar Ka Sikandar (1978) 6. Kasme Vaade (1978) (Sp. App)7. Mr. Natwarlal (1979) 8. Suhaag (1979) 9. Ram Balram (1980) 10. Chashme Buddoor (1981) (Sp. App)11. Silsila (1981)
When Madhur's warmth touched Samir Soni!
Actor Samir Soni is excited about Fashion. And as much as he is excited about the carefully etched character Rahul Arora that he is essaying, he is happy that he got an opportunity to work with director Madhur Bhandarkar. Normally an actor who is choosy about his words, Samir beams when asked about Madhur. "I have never met a director who is so hassle free and down to earth, who knows what he wants and yet is always open to suggestions. And I have never seen Madhur stressed or shout on the set. On the contrary he's constantly making everyone laugh, his way of showing his delight after a good performance is by giving you a big hug and applauding with his pet phrase "jalwa", now part of the title track. He never says pack up. He just says Vande Mataram. That is his sign off statement. Although he's playing it down, but we've already started teasing him about National Award No. Four."
Sohail & Vatsal's Motorbike Diary
Riding into the beautiful mountainous terrains 14,000 feet above sea level is a dream for many but bike enthusiasts Sohail and Vatsal made it their reality. As beautiful and magnificent as the landscape is, Ladakh has extreme climatic conditions, is a rough terrain and is not an easy journey. However this didn't deter the 2 guys on a mean machine who refused the transport offered to them by the crew of the film Heroes and stood clear of starry tantrums.
Road trips are not for the weak hearted as the basic amenities are heavily compromised, unpredictable weather wreaking havoc at will. The biting cold, lack of oxygen, creepy crawly flying pests and rough uneven terrains were part and parcel of the adventure but Sohail & Vatsal powered on. Looks like an adrenaline rush was reason enough for the men & their bikes!
Tanushree Dutta opts out of Run Bhola Run
Tanushree Dutta, who was slated to start shooting for Shree Ashtvinayak's films – Run Bhol Run, directed by Neeraj Vora co- starring Govinda and Tusshar Kapoor, has opted out of the movie on account of date problems.
Tanushree who was quite excited to start shooting for the film, felt it was rather unfortunate that due to the film being delayed she could not give any further dates as she has prior commitments. She also stated that all was fine between the producers and her and no ill feelings have been created, as there were date issues.
Karisma's fashion goof-up!
Karisma Kapoor seems to be back in the social scene after taking a brief hiatus post marriage. She is also making her presence felt by gracing the cover of various international magazines like Verve and Hello. Unfortunately the gorgeous green outfit that Lolo wore on the cover of Elle was already worn by Eesha Koppikhar in yellow and Katrina Kaif in blue for their magazine shoots! Karisma's stale fashion funda doesn't end here!
Just recently the stunning actress was seen wearing the same pair of black YSL shoes for two different events. Karisma has been ironically voted as the 'most stylish' actress by Hello. I mean ... Heellllllllllllllllooooo!
Delhi doctor to pay Rs 50k for leaving cotton in patient's foot
NEW DELHI: A surgeon's negligent act of leaving cotton and broken bone chips inside a patient's foot has landed him in trouble with the Delhi Consumer Commission directing him to pay Rs 50,000 to the hapless man who was forced to undergo another operation two years later. "From the medical reports negligence is apparent and it is proved in as much as that when the treatment was given, no proper procedure was followed and thus infection was contracted and only thereafter as confirmed by the Safdarjung hospital that the left foot suffered from abscess," Commission President Justice J D Kapoor said.
Relying upon the reports of Safdarjung hospital, the Commission noted the infection was contracted by the patient Subhash Chandra Mishra due to medical negligence of the surgeon.
The Commission, also comprising member Rumnita Mittal, observed that there were bony pieces which were not removed by the doctor from the left foot during the surgery which was performed on Mishra in 1998. "All these resulted in the passing of pus and pain to the complainant," Justice Kapoor said. "Taking an overall view of the matter, we deem that a lump sum compensation of Rs 50,000 would meet the ends of justice," he said, directing Faridabad-based Dr R K Mathu to pay the money within 30 days.
Mishra had undergone a surgery in left leg's paw by Mathu in Faridabad. But after some days, the condition of the wound started deteriorating following which he approached AIIMS and Safdarjung hospital where he failed to get any relief.
In 2000, another surgery was performed on him at Daffodil Medical Centre in West Bengal in which the doctors found cotton bone chips inside the wound.
Relying upon the reports of Safdarjung hospital, the Commission noted the infection was contracted by the patient Subhash Chandra Mishra due to medical negligence of the surgeon.
The Commission, also comprising member Rumnita Mittal, observed that there were bony pieces which were not removed by the doctor from the left foot during the surgery which was performed on Mishra in 1998. "All these resulted in the passing of pus and pain to the complainant," Justice Kapoor said. "Taking an overall view of the matter, we deem that a lump sum compensation of Rs 50,000 would meet the ends of justice," he said, directing Faridabad-based Dr R K Mathu to pay the money within 30 days.
Mishra had undergone a surgery in left leg's paw by Mathu in Faridabad. But after some days, the condition of the wound started deteriorating following which he approached AIIMS and Safdarjung hospital where he failed to get any relief.
In 2000, another surgery was performed on him at Daffodil Medical Centre in West Bengal in which the doctors found cotton bone chips inside the wound.
Why do men love women in uniform?
LONDON: Men just love to see a gorgeous girl in uniform. And now, a new research has found out why exactly it is so.
According to the Revolver Entertainment poll - to mark the DVD release of Female Agents - military look of females is the favourite among guys. In the survey, 17% of men said the power-dressing look was their favourite, especially suiting brainy babes, reports the Daily Star. A fifth of those surveyed said a military uniform was best, putting fantasy version of a pilot's uniform second in the list. Britain's favourite is the nurse's uniform.
Women in firefighting gear did not top the survey of men, however blokes still consider them sexy. Also, according to men, women with a hard hat and tool pouch, who give a sexy new meaning to the term "builder's bum", are worth a wolf whistle or two.
According to the Revolver Entertainment poll - to mark the DVD release of Female Agents - military look of females is the favourite among guys. In the survey, 17% of men said the power-dressing look was their favourite, especially suiting brainy babes, reports the Daily Star. A fifth of those surveyed said a military uniform was best, putting fantasy version of a pilot's uniform second in the list. Britain's favourite is the nurse's uniform.
Women in firefighting gear did not top the survey of men, however blokes still consider them sexy. Also, according to men, women with a hard hat and tool pouch, who give a sexy new meaning to the term "builder's bum", are worth a wolf whistle or two.
India-Asia clash cooled Earth?
WASHINGTON: A new study has suggested that the collision between India and Asia set off events that likely caused long-term cooling in Earth's climate. According to a report in Science News, the study determines that when the tectonic plate carrying India slammed into Asia about 50 million years ago, the ensuing geological changes triggered a long-term cooling trend. That trend later enabled Antarctic ice sheets to grow. Before the collision, volcanoes along the rim of southern Asia spewed immense quantities of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Much of that planet-warming greenhouse gas came from seafloor, carbonate-rich sediments that were shoved below Asia by tectonic movements, according to Dennis V Kent, an earth scientist at Rutgers University, New Jersey.
Carbon in those sediments soon reappeared in the atmosphere as the carbon dioxide spewing from volcanoes. When the India-Asia collision removed those seafloor sediments, that source of carbon dioxide disappeared, explained Kent and his colleagues. Simultaneously, erosion of rocks on the Indian subcontinent - in particular, the chemical weathering of a large amount of basaltic rocks formed from volcanic eruptions just a few million years earlier - consumed large volumes of carbon dioxide.
That double whammy, the researchers speculate, caused atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide to plummet, cooling Earth significantly.
Carbon in those sediments soon reappeared in the atmosphere as the carbon dioxide spewing from volcanoes. When the India-Asia collision removed those seafloor sediments, that source of carbon dioxide disappeared, explained Kent and his colleagues. Simultaneously, erosion of rocks on the Indian subcontinent - in particular, the chemical weathering of a large amount of basaltic rocks formed from volcanic eruptions just a few million years earlier - consumed large volumes of carbon dioxide.
That double whammy, the researchers speculate, caused atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide to plummet, cooling Earth significantly.
Sexual fantasies can improve relationship. Discuss
Almost every couple nurtures secret desires and kinky fantasies that they imagine will add the much necassary sizzle to their sex lives. From indulging in a wild quickie in the back seat of your car, to videotaping sex sessions with your partner to being bondaged - fantasies are part of the human psyche. But unfortunately most fantasies don't translate into reality as we are scared to pursue our secret longings and shed our innate inhibitions? But, what if you were able to frankly communicate your deepest wishes to your partner? Will it not improve your sexual camaraderie? Won't a partner who knows your innermost cravings help you in achieving sexual gratification? Afterall, experimentation is the much needed stimulus to your sex drive. Isn't sharing your sexual fantasies with your partner a potent tool to escalate your libido?
4 secrets of amazing sex revealed
Want to have a rocking bedroom life with your partner? Well, a new book that can unlock your passion potential might just be of great help.For a rocking bedroom life with your partner (Getty Images)‘The 4 Secrets of Amazing Sex’, by Georgia Foster and Beverley Anne Foster, talks about body as well as mind, when it comes to sex. “We focus on the mind as much as the body,” the Sun quoted Georgia as said. "It’s not a book about sexual positions. Anyone can have sex, but to have amazing sex, your mind needs to be participating,” Georgia added. The four secrets of amazing sex are:
Seduction
“The first secret deals with how to sustain a heady passion with your partner. Most people assume they need to be seduced to feel sexy – wrong! We first create the desire in our own mind. It’s your responsibility to understand what turns you on. It’s about taking notice of how you are feeling – not expecting a partner to immediately trigger sexual feeling.”
Sensation
“The second secret is all about the six senses. Absorb the energy between you and your partner, as well as remembering smell, touch, sound and taste. The six senses are often overlooked in our busy lives, but without them sex is dull.”
Surrender “The third secret is when you feel safe to surrender to your partner and have sex. Thanks to secrets one and two, your mind is ready and your senses alive. You need to feel you want to be there and your mind is present to feel connected to your partner.”
Reflection “If you’ve had fun with the first three secrets, reflection is about looking back on the experience and feeling you want to do it all again. If the experience is bad, people will look back on it negatively and may avoid a repeat performance and lack confidence.”
Nano roll out on Ratan Tata's birthday: Sources
NEW DELHI: Call it coincidence or history repeating itself, the world's least expensive car 'Nano' is likely to be rolled out around the time Ratan Tata celebrates his 71st birthday on December 28, just as the 'Indica' was launched a decade ago when he turned 61. According to informed sources, Tata Motors is working on a plan to launch the 'People's Car', as Tata fondly refers to, to coincide with his birthday with about 10,000 units being readied to be rolled out from the company's facilities in Pune and Pantnagar.
Vendor sources also said, already parts for about 12,000 units of Nano have been dispatched to Tata's both Pune and Pantnagar facilities. They added that initially only the base model of Nano would hit the roads this year. When contacted for comments on the development, company officials reiterated the stated position of exploring possibilities of manufacturing Rs one lakh car at its existing facilities at Pune and Pantnagar and launch it in the last quarter of this financial year. It may be recalled that the 'Indica' was also launched on December 30, 1998, two days after Tata celebrated his 61st birthday.
At that time Tata had to overcome doubters, who suspected the company's ability to make cars, considering it was only into commercial vehicle manufacturing. Having overcome that challenge, Tata's journey to bring about a paradigm shift in personal transportation by launching the Rs one-lakh car has also been fraught with hurdles. Last week, the company had decided to set up its Nano mother plant at Sanand in Gujarat after it withdrew from Singur in the wake of opposition spearheaded by Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee.
Vendor sources also said, already parts for about 12,000 units of Nano have been dispatched to Tata's both Pune and Pantnagar facilities. They added that initially only the base model of Nano would hit the roads this year. When contacted for comments on the development, company officials reiterated the stated position of exploring possibilities of manufacturing Rs one lakh car at its existing facilities at Pune and Pantnagar and launch it in the last quarter of this financial year. It may be recalled that the 'Indica' was also launched on December 30, 1998, two days after Tata celebrated his 61st birthday.
At that time Tata had to overcome doubters, who suspected the company's ability to make cars, considering it was only into commercial vehicle manufacturing. Having overcome that challenge, Tata's journey to bring about a paradigm shift in personal transportation by launching the Rs one-lakh car has also been fraught with hurdles. Last week, the company had decided to set up its Nano mother plant at Sanand in Gujarat after it withdrew from Singur in the wake of opposition spearheaded by Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee.
Scramble to save banks as IMF warns of meltdown
International Monetary and Financial Committee meeting advancing in Washington. (AFP Photo)WASHINGTON/CANBERRA: Rich nations rushed to shore up the global financial system after the International Monetary Fund warned of meltdown, with Australia and New Zealand guaranteeing bank deposits and newspapers reporting plans for Britain's biggest retail bank rescue. The International Monetary Fund said it backed a Group of Seven plan to try to stabilise markets and urged "exceptional vigilance, coordination and readiness to take bold action" to contain a firestorm that pushed global stocks to five-year lows. Under the Australian plan, all deposits in the country's banks, building societies and credit unions, would be guaranteed by the Australian government for the next three years, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd told reporters. The government would also guarantee term wholesale funding to local banks until global financial markets stabilised. In the UK, the Sunday Times newspaper said Britain will launch its biggest retail bank rescue on Monday when the four largest, HBOS, Royal Bank of Scotland, Lloyds TSB and Barclays, ask for a combined 35 billion pound ($60.5 billion) lifeline. France promised that a meeting of European leaders in Paris on Sunday will detail measures to keep a market panic from triggering the most severe global downturn in decades. French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, meeting in France, said they had "prepared a certain number of decisions" to present at the European summit to try to restore normal flows in blocked credit markets.
France's Economy Minister, Christine Lagarde, said just before leaving Washington that the Sunday gathering would go beyond talking about remedies to "put meat, muscles on the bones of that skeleton and to develop, follow up and execute upon it." The United States appealed for patience but the IMF said time was short after the Group of Seven industrialised nations failed to agree on concrete measures to end the crisis at a meeting on Friday. "Intensifying solvency concerns about a number of the largest US-based and European financial institutions have pushed the global financial system to the brink of systemic meltdown," IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn said. Strauss-Kahn later expressed hope government actions will prove powerful enough to persuade banks to resume lending and bring an end to a spreading credit crunch. BATTERED MARKETS US President George W Bush met with G7 economic chiefs and officials from the IMF and World Bank and said top industrial nations would work together to solve the crisis.
"I'm confident that the world's major economies can overcome the challenges we face," Bush said, adding that Washington was working as fast as possible to implement a $700 billion financial bailout package approved a week ago. Last week, the Standard & Poor's 500 index tumbled more than 18 per cent -- its worst week on record --while European stocks plunged 22 percent and Tokyo's Nikkei crashed 24 per cent on the week. Japanese markets are closed for holidays on Monday, as is the US Treasury bond market. Last week's coordinated interest-rate cuts from global central banks failed to sooth investors' nerves and credit markets remained logjammed. The G7 -- the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Canada -- met on Friday and then joined key emerging-market nations for a meeting of the Group of 20 on Saturday. Emerging economies including China, Brazil, India and South Africa now are feeling the impact of the market slump.
In an interview with the Observer newspaper, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said he will try to broker a Europe-wide bail-out of banks modelled on Britain's intervention, warning that the "stakes could not be higher" for jobs, mortgages and the future of the economy, the paper said on Sunday. On Saturday, media reports said Germany was readying a rescue package that could be worth up to $549 billion, including the injection of equity capital worth "double digit" billions into its banks and guarantees for interbank lending. The G7 rich nations vowed on Friday to take all necessary steps to unfreeze credit markets and ensure banks can raise money but they offered no specifics on collective action.
Kenneth Rogoff, a Harvard University professor and former IMF chief economist, said the G7 would have been better served adopting some version of the British plan so that banks would feel confident enough to loosen their grip on lending. "Saying that they'll take all steps necessary leaves hanging the question of whether they know what is best and necessary," he said. "It was a signature moment for the G7. I think markets are going to be very disappointed."
Kerala nun becomes India's first woman saint
SundaThousands of devotees of Sister Alphonsa march to Alphonsa's tomb during celebrations in Kerala. (AFP Photo)
VATICAN: Kerala nun 'Blessed' Alphonsa is now Saint Alphonsa after she was canonised by Pope Benedict XVI at a ceremony at St Peter's Square on Sunday, becoming the first Indian woman saint.
She is the first woman saint of the Indian church, which claims 2,000 years of history.
Thousands of Christians attended special prayers ahead of the canonisation.
Sister Alphonsa is credited with curing illness and disease after her death in 1946, with the Vatican approving the reported miracle cure of Genil Joseph, a congenitally deformed child, in 1999.
Braving a heavy drizzle, thousands have been pouring into Sister Alphonsa's church in the town of Bharananganam on foot, in minibuses, motorised rickshaws and cars from 4 AM (1030 GMT), when mass began in the regional Malayalam language.
"We always thought she was someone special, we felt she had an aura about her," said Sister Grace Kalriparambil, 77, who knew Sister Alphonsa.
The roads of the small town were lined with posters of Sister Alphonsa, and the church and convent where she lived as a nun wore a festive look. Special masses are also being held in Catholic churches across Kerala, where Saint Thomas, one of the 12 apostles, is believed to have arrived in 52 AD, bringing Christianity to India, a secular country with a dominant Hindu population
Illegal blood banks operate freely, pose health risk
A good number of illegal blood banks are operating in the city taking advantage of lax monitoring by the authorities and lack of enforcement of law.According to doctors, one of the main sources of blood is the illegal blood banks and the risk of infectious diseases increase if blood is not properly screened.Officials at the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) said they do not know how many illegal blood banks are operating in the city. "We have no statistics on blood banks and how many of them do not have any licence. We only have the list of those who have got licence," said Dr Mumtaj Uddin Bhuiyan, assistant director, Medical Board and Private Clinic (MBPC), DGHS."To know the number of illegal blood banks we need to do regular monitoring. But we do not have enough manpower to inspect all the banks,” he said.To get a licence a blood bank should have a blood transfusion specialist, two medical officers, three lab technologists, one counsellor to inspire people to donate blood, one technical supervisor, two staff nurses and other staffs.It should have all the necessary instruments to screen blood for testing hepatitis B and C, malaria, HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). It should have the capacity to screen, preserve and collect blood.
A bank has to pay Tk 1 lakh to the government for licence which should be renewed every three years with a Tk 50,000 fee. Dr Bhuiyan admitted that most blood banks do not have these facilities but the DGHS cannot monitor the situation regularly."For inspection we have to depend on the law enforcement agencies or mobile courts. When they conduct drives, we accompany them as inspectors," he said.Punishment for running a blood bank without licence is a fine of Tk 2 lakh and one-year jail term, Dr Bhuiyan said adding they have posted advertisements in newspapers on the requirement of blood bank licence and the punishment.Besides, circulars have been sent to the city corporations and divisional health offices."We know that there are many illegal blood banks but after a few drives by the Rab they have shut down their banks," Dr Bhuiyan.“There is no enforcement of the law and there is no one to monitor the situation,” said a doctor working in a blood bank, seeking anonymity.
“Those who do not have proper equipment and manpower are not applying for licence and are doing their business without being accountable to anyone,” he said.Dr Abdur Rahim, secretary general, Bangladesh Thalasemia Foundation said, “Unfortunately these illegal blood banks are the main sources of blood. This is too risky because those who are selling blood to these banks are mostly addicts or have unsafe sexual behaviour.” “Blood should not be bought from people who want to sell it because almost all of them are in the high risk group. Blood should be taken only when it is donated,” he said.“There will be no scarcity of blood if more people donate blood. One reason people have to buy blood is the lack of awareness on voluntary blood donation,” said Hosne Ara Begum, associate professor, Department of Transfusion Medicine, Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where they need at least 100 units of blood on average every day. “This blood is donated by patients' relatives and voluntary donors but still very few people come forward to donate blood,” she said.The Safe Blood Transfusion Law was enacted in 2002 but lack of its enforcement has resulted in mushrooming of illegal blood banks. The law was revised in June 2008.After the enactment of the law only 10 private blood banks applied from the Dhaka zone in December 2006. Ten others applied from outside Dhaka.
A selection committee consisting of deputy director (hospital) DGHS, assistant professor of Blood Transfusion Department of Dhaka Medical College, assistant director (hospital) 3 and assistant director of MBPC gives the licence.At the district level the selection committee includes the civil surgeon, blood transfusion doctor in the district hospital and representative of the deputy commissioner.
The private blood banks operating with licence are -- Apollo Hospitals, United Hospital, Square Hospital, Lab Aid, Ad Deen Hospital, City Hospital, Green View, Quantum Foundation, Khaja Yunus Medical College Hospital and Kidney Foundation.
India open to talks with APHC: Manmohan
The Dawn, New Delhi
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said India wants to address all outstanding issues, including Jammu and Kashmir, with Pakistan in a peaceful manner.
Singh said the Indian government was open to holding talks with all segments of society in Kashmir, including the All-Parties Hurriyat Conference.
Addressing a press conference in Srinagar on Friday, the first day of his two-day visit to occupied Kashmir, he said India wanted to normlise relations with Pakistan.
Earlier, Mr Singh inaugurated a 45MW hydro power project at Baglihar Dam on the Chenab river, which flows from occupied Kashmir into Pakistan.
Pakistan has objected to the dam, saying it will shrink its access to water. India has rejected the charge, saying the project is crucial for power-starved Kashmir.
"Borders cannot be changed but they can be made irrelevant," Singh said. "We must create conditions whereby a Kashmiri living in Srinagar or Muzaffarabad should not see any problem" in promoting people-to-people contacts.
Describing old ways of thinking as being irrelevant, he said, "New ways of working together are required to strengthen bilateral ties. A strong, stable and prosperous Pakistan is in India's interest."
Singh said, "Good relations with Pakistan are an essential part of our policy. My vision of India-Pakistan is that both countries situate their bilateral relations in a cooperative framework of mutual understanding."
"We seek the normalisation of relationship with Pakistan, a solution of all issues that cause estrangement, including Jammu and Kashmir, through dialogue and peaceful negotiations in an atmosphere free of violence," he said. When asked about the withdrawal of the Armed Forces (Special) Powers Act, he said, "It is too early, frankly, to consider this. If the situation begins to normalise, we have to review it. The situation today is not that sort. I can't assure you."
When asked about the situation in occupied Kashmir, he said although he was always pleased to visit the region, "there is a tinge of sadness this time because of the recent incidents of violence in the state which have caused concern to all of us."
Terming the incidents irrelevant, he said it showed that there was some resentment towards the government among the section of youths here on certain issues. "It is always been our belief that most of the difficult issues can be resolved through dialogue," he said.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said India wants to address all outstanding issues, including Jammu and Kashmir, with Pakistan in a peaceful manner.
Singh said the Indian government was open to holding talks with all segments of society in Kashmir, including the All-Parties Hurriyat Conference.
Addressing a press conference in Srinagar on Friday, the first day of his two-day visit to occupied Kashmir, he said India wanted to normlise relations with Pakistan.
Earlier, Mr Singh inaugurated a 45MW hydro power project at Baglihar Dam on the Chenab river, which flows from occupied Kashmir into Pakistan.
Pakistan has objected to the dam, saying it will shrink its access to water. India has rejected the charge, saying the project is crucial for power-starved Kashmir.
"Borders cannot be changed but they can be made irrelevant," Singh said. "We must create conditions whereby a Kashmiri living in Srinagar or Muzaffarabad should not see any problem" in promoting people-to-people contacts.
Describing old ways of thinking as being irrelevant, he said, "New ways of working together are required to strengthen bilateral ties. A strong, stable and prosperous Pakistan is in India's interest."
Singh said, "Good relations with Pakistan are an essential part of our policy. My vision of India-Pakistan is that both countries situate their bilateral relations in a cooperative framework of mutual understanding."
"We seek the normalisation of relationship with Pakistan, a solution of all issues that cause estrangement, including Jammu and Kashmir, through dialogue and peaceful negotiations in an atmosphere free of violence," he said. When asked about the withdrawal of the Armed Forces (Special) Powers Act, he said, "It is too early, frankly, to consider this. If the situation begins to normalise, we have to review it. The situation today is not that sort. I can't assure you."
When asked about the situation in occupied Kashmir, he said although he was always pleased to visit the region, "there is a tinge of sadness this time because of the recent incidents of violence in the state which have caused concern to all of us."
Terming the incidents irrelevant, he said it showed that there was some resentment towards the government among the section of youths here on certain issues. "It is always been our belief that most of the difficult issues can be resolved through dialogue," he said.
Thai PM mulls resignation amid pressure to end crisis
Afp, Bangkok
Thailand's prime minister indicated yesterday that he may resign in the wake of crippling political violence and pressure from military to end crisis.Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat, who has held the job for little more than three weeks, said he was considering his position as anti-government protesters prepared for another mass rally.
Asked if he would resign or dissolve parliament, Somchai told reporters: "It's the issue that I must consider, what's best in both the short and long term. I'm not attached to the idea of being prime minister."I have to study the pros and cons of each scenario, such as dissolving the House or resignation," he said.Somchai is struggling to govern Thailand amid political protests that show no signs of abating.
On Friday his spokesman insisted he would not quit, but in the past few days, senior military leaders have put pressure on the premier to take a decision on his future and solve the crisis.Somchai insisted there was no rift between himself and the military however. "I am still talking with them, there is no conflict," he said.But on Saturday, Thailand's highest-ranking military officer piled pressure on the government to end political unrest in which two people were killed and hundreds injured this week.
Supreme Commander General Songkitti Jaggabatara, who oversees the army, navy and air force, said he had instructed the government to solve the country's political crisis, ruling out any immediate military action."We have held consultations between the three armed forces. I have told the government to solve the problem," he told reporters Saturday."As of now there is no coup, it's not time for the military to come out," said Songkitti, whose role is largely ceremonial.However, Air Force Chief Marshal Ittaporn Subhawong raised the spectre of future military action if the government called for it.
"There must be martial law or a state of emergency declared before the military can come out legally," Ittaporn said."The prime minister, who is also the defence minister, is a former judge... so I assume that he will know what he should do," he added.On Tuesday police fired tear gas on demonstrators who had blockaded parliament to protest a government plan to amend the country's constitution, a move they say is aimed at helping ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra.
On Tuesday police fired tear gas on demonstrators who had blockaded parliament to protest a government plan to amend the country's constitution, a move they say is aimed at helping ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra.The People's Alliance for Democracy claims the current government is running the country on behalf of Thaksin, who was toppled in a September 2006 coup following other PAD protests.
Thousands of the group's supporters marched to parliament on Tuesday where Somchai -- Thaksin's brother-in-law -- was delivering his first policy address.Bloody clashes that followed between the protesters and police left two dead and at least 478 people injured in the worst street violence in Bangkok in 16 years.Somchai has since announced an independent investigation into the incident, but the PAD on Friday said it would hold further rallies on October 13.
Thailand's prime minister indicated yesterday that he may resign in the wake of crippling political violence and pressure from military to end crisis.Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat, who has held the job for little more than three weeks, said he was considering his position as anti-government protesters prepared for another mass rally.
Asked if he would resign or dissolve parliament, Somchai told reporters: "It's the issue that I must consider, what's best in both the short and long term. I'm not attached to the idea of being prime minister."I have to study the pros and cons of each scenario, such as dissolving the House or resignation," he said.Somchai is struggling to govern Thailand amid political protests that show no signs of abating.
On Friday his spokesman insisted he would not quit, but in the past few days, senior military leaders have put pressure on the premier to take a decision on his future and solve the crisis.Somchai insisted there was no rift between himself and the military however. "I am still talking with them, there is no conflict," he said.But on Saturday, Thailand's highest-ranking military officer piled pressure on the government to end political unrest in which two people were killed and hundreds injured this week.
Supreme Commander General Songkitti Jaggabatara, who oversees the army, navy and air force, said he had instructed the government to solve the country's political crisis, ruling out any immediate military action."We have held consultations between the three armed forces. I have told the government to solve the problem," he told reporters Saturday."As of now there is no coup, it's not time for the military to come out," said Songkitti, whose role is largely ceremonial.However, Air Force Chief Marshal Ittaporn Subhawong raised the spectre of future military action if the government called for it.
"There must be martial law or a state of emergency declared before the military can come out legally," Ittaporn said."The prime minister, who is also the defence minister, is a former judge... so I assume that he will know what he should do," he added.On Tuesday police fired tear gas on demonstrators who had blockaded parliament to protest a government plan to amend the country's constitution, a move they say is aimed at helping ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra.
On Tuesday police fired tear gas on demonstrators who had blockaded parliament to protest a government plan to amend the country's constitution, a move they say is aimed at helping ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra.The People's Alliance for Democracy claims the current government is running the country on behalf of Thaksin, who was toppled in a September 2006 coup following other PAD protests.
Thousands of the group's supporters marched to parliament on Tuesday where Somchai -- Thaksin's brother-in-law -- was delivering his first policy address.Bloody clashes that followed between the protesters and police left two dead and at least 478 people injured in the worst street violence in Bangkok in 16 years.Somchai has since announced an independent investigation into the incident, but the PAD on Friday said it would hold further rallies on October 13.
Pakistan betrayed by USA?
Pakistan has been maintaining cordial and friendly relations with the USA for a very long time. The USA always supported Pakistan's territorial integrity, independence and sovereignty. The USA gave economic and military aid, made Pakistan members of Seato and Cento and after 9/11 event compelled Pakistan to join the US war on terrorism.But what a bolt from the blue! The US President George Bush has secretly ordered US forces in Afghanistan to launch attack on Pakistan territories wherein Al-Queda and Taliban suspects are allegedly hiding. The US forces have already killed many innocent civilians, men, women and children in Pakistan. Is US attack on Pakistan consistent with international law?
Is not the attack an attack on the independence and sovereignty of Pakistan?Why such excess and abuse of power by the US President George Bush?Is not George Bush by attacking Pakistan violating Article I.4 of the Charter of the United Nations? It says “ All members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state or in any other manner inconsistent with the purpose of the United Nations” It was agreed and signed by the former US President FD Roosevelt on December 01, 1943.
Would George Bush and his over enthusiastic Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, US Supreme Court Judges and eminent citizens of the world kindly enlighten us on the matter? We are afraid if India is also going to face the same situation like Pakistan in future when US President George Bush has already got an agreement on US nuclear energy aid to India
More than 100 Taliban killed in Afghan clashes
AP, Kandahar
Taliban militants launched a surprise attack on a key southern Afghan town, sparking a battle that killed some 60 insurgents, an Afghan official said Sunday. A second clash in the same region killed another 40 militants.
Taliban fighters used rockets and other heavy weapons to attack Afghan forces on the outskirts of Lashkar Gah, the capital of Helmand province, said Daud Ahmadi, the spokesman for Helmand's governor.
Militants attacked the city from three sides starting just after midnight and were pushed back only after a battle that involved air strikes, Ahmadi said. Rockets landed in different parts of the city but there were no civilian casualties, he said.
Authorities recovered the bodies of 41 Taliban fighters on the city's outskirts, from where the attack was launched, he said. He estimated that the militants took bodies of another 20 fighters from the battle site, citing intelligence reports.
British forces are responsible for protecting the area around Lashkar Gah.
In a second battle in Helmand province, Afghan and international troops retook the Nad Ali district centre — which had been held by militants — during a three-day fight, Ahmadi said. That battle, which also involved air strikes, ended Saturday, Ahmadi said.
Afghan police and soldiers were now in control of the district centre. There were no casualties among Afghan or Nato troops, Ahmadi said.
Ahmadi's death tolls could not be verified independently. Journalists are not able to travel to remote and dangerous battle sites. Afghan officials have been known to exaggerate death tolls in the past.
The Nato-led force said it was aware of fighting in Helmand but could not provide any information.
Helmand province is the largest drug producing area in the world and the region alone accounts for more than half of Afghanistan's production of opium poppies. More than 90 percent of the world's opium is produced in Afghanistan and up to $100 million of the trade's profits are used to finance the Taliban insurgency.
Taliban militants launched a surprise attack on a key southern Afghan town, sparking a battle that killed some 60 insurgents, an Afghan official said Sunday. A second clash in the same region killed another 40 militants.
Taliban fighters used rockets and other heavy weapons to attack Afghan forces on the outskirts of Lashkar Gah, the capital of Helmand province, said Daud Ahmadi, the spokesman for Helmand's governor.
Militants attacked the city from three sides starting just after midnight and were pushed back only after a battle that involved air strikes, Ahmadi said. Rockets landed in different parts of the city but there were no civilian casualties, he said.
Authorities recovered the bodies of 41 Taliban fighters on the city's outskirts, from where the attack was launched, he said. He estimated that the militants took bodies of another 20 fighters from the battle site, citing intelligence reports.
British forces are responsible for protecting the area around Lashkar Gah.
In a second battle in Helmand province, Afghan and international troops retook the Nad Ali district centre — which had been held by militants — during a three-day fight, Ahmadi said. That battle, which also involved air strikes, ended Saturday, Ahmadi said.
Afghan police and soldiers were now in control of the district centre. There were no casualties among Afghan or Nato troops, Ahmadi said.
Ahmadi's death tolls could not be verified independently. Journalists are not able to travel to remote and dangerous battle sites. Afghan officials have been known to exaggerate death tolls in the past.
The Nato-led force said it was aware of fighting in Helmand but could not provide any information.
Helmand province is the largest drug producing area in the world and the region alone accounts for more than half of Afghanistan's production of opium poppies. More than 90 percent of the world's opium is produced in Afghanistan and up to $100 million of the trade's profits are used to finance the Taliban insurgency.
NBR in 'intelligence game' to net tax dodgers
Unb, Dhaka
The National Board of Revenue (NBR) is now engaged in an 'intelligence game' with traditional tax dodgers and preparing plans to catch those evading taxes for long.
“We're now in an intelligence game with the tax evaders and it'll continue until the end of identification of all the dodgers,” NBR Chairman Muhammad Abdul Mazid said while talking to the news agency over phone yesterday.
He said the tax dodgers would try their level best to evade taxes but the revenue collecting authorities would also do their part to net them and bring them to book.
Explaining the tactics of the revenue authorities to catch the tax dodgers, the NBR chief said they have already collected the names and Taxpayers Identification Numbers (TINs) of all associations across the country. “We'll go after those whose income tax is not up to their lifestyle,” Mazid said.
He said his organisation would also crosscheck the official papers of the employees of big business or corporate houses to have some ideas about their salaries, lifestyle and loan status.
“For example, if you take loan from a bank, you have to submit all necessary documents to the bank. We'll crosscheck those submitted papers and the papers that a particular person submitted to us (NBR) with his or her income tax return documents,” he said.
“From this we must get some clues about a person's tax evasion.” Mazid described this process as the 'intelligence game'.
Currently, the government is allowing the undisclosed money holders to disclose their wealth earned by legal means, and this opportunity will continue until October 31 that started on July 1.
The National Board of Revenue (NBR) is now engaged in an 'intelligence game' with traditional tax dodgers and preparing plans to catch those evading taxes for long.
“We're now in an intelligence game with the tax evaders and it'll continue until the end of identification of all the dodgers,” NBR Chairman Muhammad Abdul Mazid said while talking to the news agency over phone yesterday.
He said the tax dodgers would try their level best to evade taxes but the revenue collecting authorities would also do their part to net them and bring them to book.
Explaining the tactics of the revenue authorities to catch the tax dodgers, the NBR chief said they have already collected the names and Taxpayers Identification Numbers (TINs) of all associations across the country. “We'll go after those whose income tax is not up to their lifestyle,” Mazid said.
He said his organisation would also crosscheck the official papers of the employees of big business or corporate houses to have some ideas about their salaries, lifestyle and loan status.
“For example, if you take loan from a bank, you have to submit all necessary documents to the bank. We'll crosscheck those submitted papers and the papers that a particular person submitted to us (NBR) with his or her income tax return documents,” he said.
“From this we must get some clues about a person's tax evasion.” Mazid described this process as the 'intelligence game'.
Currently, the government is allowing the undisclosed money holders to disclose their wealth earned by legal means, and this opportunity will continue until October 31 that started on July 1.
Financial crisis talks with G7 ministers open
Afp, Washington From left: US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, British Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling, Bank of Italy Governor Mario Draghi, US Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Canadian Finance Minister Jim Flaherty (front) make their way to join US President George W Bush in Washington, DC yesterday. Photo: AFP
US President George W. Bush and finance ministers from the Group of Seven rich countries opened crisis talks on Saturday, looking for unity on a remedy to the global financial crisis.After the White House meeting, Bush was scheduled to make public remarks at 8:05 am (1205 GMT) flanked by the ministers of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the heads of the IMF and the World Bank.
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson sat on either side of the US president, who was surrounded by other top aides including national security adviser Stephen Hadley.The early morning meeting at the White House came after the Group of Seven finance chiefs agreed Friday to use "all available tools" to support major banks and prevent their failure as they sought to dampen a financial firestorm threatening more mayhem.The plan followed another day of massive falls on the markets as investors rushed to the exits, putting G7 officials under intense pressure to come up with a convincing accord.Analysts said, however, there was a lack of substance and nothing that would calm the markets and so allow a more measured approach to the problems thrown up rather than the crisis mode of the past few weeks.
"The G7 agrees today that the current situation calls for urgent and exceptional action," a statement released by the US Treasury said."We commit to continue working together to stabilize financial markets and restore the flow of credit, to support global economic growth."The G7 major advanced economies agreed to "take decisive action and use all available tools to support systemically important financial institutions and prevent their failure."The meeting came ahead of weekend gatherings of the Group of 20, International Monetary Fund and World Bank.The G7 statement was "a set of noble goals, the sort of thing one should expect," said Peter Morici, business professor at the University of Maryland."
There is nothing there to calm the markets, no substance (in the statement) to do that," Morici said, while adding that it did at least contain the things that needed to be done, if not the action to bring them about.The G7 said they would take "all necessary steps to unfreeze credit and money markets and ensure that banks and other financial institutions have broad access to liquidity and funding."
Local firms to shell out Tk500cr on shipbuilding
Six Bangladeshi business groups will invest over Tk 500 crore in a year to establish shipbuilding facilities across the country, sensing high export potential of the industry.The business houses with expertise in real estate, steel sector and engineering works have already formed separate firms and acquired land for their shipbuilding projects.The groups that started their shipbuilding projects are real-estate company Rangs Properties Ltd, steel maker PHP Group, consumer products leader Meghna Group, trading house Khan Brothers, engineering products maker Bengal Electric Ltd and automobile distributor Nitol-Niloy Group. They initiated their projects mainly in Narayanganj, Munshiganj and Chittagong.Rangs Group Director Major (retd) Abul Fatah said the group had formed a separate company styled Desh Shipbuilding that recently won a licence to start operation.
The group carved out an alliance with a Chittagong-based marine engineering consortium, Prantik Consortium, to set up their project at Sadar Ghat in the port city.“Desh Shipbuilding has its own land at Sadar Ghat where the project site has already been developed, and the company planned to invest around Tk 100 crore to set up world-class dockyard and slipways,” said Fatah, also project coordinator of Desh Shipbuilding.If work goes in full swing, the project will be able to start making ships for export within one year, he said.Asked why the company is joining shipbuilding industry, Fatah said Bangladesh has a broad chance to emerge as a leading shipbuilding nation as many established shipbuilders elsewhere in the world are no longer interested in building small ships.PHP Group with a Tk 2,000 crore annual turnover is planning to develop a modern shipbuilding facility at its Bhatiary ship-breaking site in Chittagong.“The company has adequate and suitable land at Vhatiary for the project,” said Ershadul Mostafa, manager (Commercial) of PHP Group.
An official involved with the project said the initial investment would be no less than Tk 100 crore.Meghna Group having an annual turnover of Tk 4,000 crore will build the country's biggest shipbuilding facility at a cost of Tk 220 crore.The group has already signed an agreement with South Korea's STX Heavy Industries to set up the state-of-the-art shipbuilding yard and slipways."We have started developing land at Meghnaghat on the river Meghna initially to make around 10 ships at a time.
The capacity will increase further depending on international orders,” said Mostafa Kamal, managing director of the company. STX is one of the top six shipbuilders in South Korea. Khan Brothers invested around Tk 16 crore to develop a shipbuilding infrastructure at Gazaria in Munshiganj near the Meghna Bridge.Tofael Kabir Khan, managing director of the company, said his company had constructed four slipways but full development of the project was being delayed due to non-availability of bank loans it sought.He said the investment would stand at Tk 100 crore if the promised funds from banks were available.
He said the company is negotiating with some international buyers who want to place orders for building four oceangoing ships.Bengal Electric also acquired around 50 acres of land in Munshiganj to start shipbuilding for export.The company's Chairman Abdus Salam yesterday said his company would start constructing slipways in a few months.Salam said the country has become a new home for making small oceangoing vessels with traditional shipbuilding nations such as South Korea and China now focusing on building large ships.
A high official of Nitol-Niloy Group said the company would develop a large shipbuilding site soon.
The country came under the spotlight in April last year when Ananda Shipyard and Slipways Ltd signed $100 million worth of deals with two German companies to build eight ships to be delivered by June 2010.Local firms Ananda, Western Marine and Highspeed Group have already bagged export orders worth nearly $500 million since the country emerged as a new global destination for shipbuilding last year.
N Korea off US blacklist after nuke inspection deal
Afp, Ap, Washington
The United States yesterday removed North Korea from its terror blacklist after reaching an agreement on nuclear verification measures, a State Department spokesman said.
"The secretary of state has rescinded the designation of North Korea as a state terror sponsor," said spokesman Sean McCormack.
The agreement is intended to salvage a faltering nuclear disarmament accord in the short time before President Bush leaves office in January.
McCormack said at a news conference Saturday that the inspection deal was reached after negotiations between US and North Korean officials.
North Korea will allow atomic experts to take samples and conduct forensic tests at all of its declared nuclear facilities and undeclared sites, on mutual consent. The North will permit experts to verify it has told the truth about transfers of nuclear technology and an alleged uranium programme.
North Korea has agreed to all US nuclear inspection demands, allowing the Bush administration to remove the communist country from a US terrorism blacklist, The Associated Press has learned.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity, not wanted to pre-empt Saturday's announcement of the agreement, which is aimed at salvaging a faltering nuclear disarmament accord in the short time before President Bush leaves office in January.
"Every element that we sought in the verification discussions is part of this package," the official said.
Removing North Korea from the blacklist was immediately criticised by conservatives. The broader accord had been threatened by North Korea's refusal to accept such nuclear inspections because Washington had refused to drop the North from the list of state sponsors of terrorism.
That designation now shared only by Cuba, Iran, Syria and Sudan carries severe penalties, but US officials said North Korea would not see any immediate benefit because it is punished penalized under other programs.
Still, critics jumped on the move saying it rewards the North for bad behavior and sends a bad signal to other US adversaries, notably Iran. US officials stressed that the North would be placed back on the list if it fails to comply with the plan to verify it has told the truth about its nuclear activities.
The US action came as North Korea has moved to restart a disabled nuclear reactor and takes other provocative steps, including expelling UN inspectors and test-firing missiles. Those steps in recent weeks have heightened tensions in the region and place the shaky disarmament deal in peril.
It also followed days of intense internal debate in Washington and consultations with US negotiating partners China, South Korea, Russia and Japan. Tokyo had balked at the move because North Korea has not resolved issues related to its abduction of Japanese citizens.
The decision had been in the works since chief US negotiator Christopher Hill returned from a trip to North Korea late last week. On his visit, he proposed a face-saving compromise under which the North would accept the verification plan after the delisting was announced. Previously, the US had insisted that the North agree to the deal first.
Hill, a lightning rod for conservative hawks, was not expected to attend the State Department announcement. Critics pilloried it in part because it addresses only the North's plutonium program and does not deal with its involvement in spreading nuclear weapons technology or alleged uranium enrichment activities.
"With today's action, the administration has given up a critical instrument of leverage," said Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. "By rewarding North Korea before the regime has carried out its commitments, we are encouraging this regime to continue its illicit nuclear program and violate its pledge to no longer provide nuclear assistance to extremist regimes."
"We are also sending a strong message to other rogue nations, such as Iran and Syria, that we will not hold them to their commitments, even as we give in to their demands," she said.
Republican presidential candidate John McCain said he would not support the step unless it is clear North Korea will accept intrusive inspections of its nuclear sites.
"I expect the administration to explain exactly how this new verification agreement advances American interests and those of our allies before I will be able to support any decision to remove North Korea from the list of state sponsors of terrorism," he said in a statement late Friday.
In addition, he expressed concern that US allies in Asia, particularly Japan, had not been properly consulted.
"I am also concerned that this latest agreement appears to have been reached between Washington and Pyongyang and only then discussed with our Asian allies in an effort to garner their support," he said.
State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said the decision had been discussed with all the US partners in the six-nation talks China, Japan, Russia and South Korea and that a consensus had been reached. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice spoke with her foreign minister colleagues from the four countries on Friday, he said.
At issue was whether arrangement worked out by Hill and the North Koreans were acceptable to the others.
Japan had been resistant, arguing that North Korea should not be taken off the list until the cases of Japanese citizens abducted by Pyongyang in the 1970s and 1980s are resolved.
North Korea, along with Iran and Iraq, was branded as part of an "axis of evil" by Bush after the Sept. 11 attacks.
The United States yesterday removed North Korea from its terror blacklist after reaching an agreement on nuclear verification measures, a State Department spokesman said.
"The secretary of state has rescinded the designation of North Korea as a state terror sponsor," said spokesman Sean McCormack.
The agreement is intended to salvage a faltering nuclear disarmament accord in the short time before President Bush leaves office in January.
McCormack said at a news conference Saturday that the inspection deal was reached after negotiations between US and North Korean officials.
North Korea will allow atomic experts to take samples and conduct forensic tests at all of its declared nuclear facilities and undeclared sites, on mutual consent. The North will permit experts to verify it has told the truth about transfers of nuclear technology and an alleged uranium programme.
North Korea has agreed to all US nuclear inspection demands, allowing the Bush administration to remove the communist country from a US terrorism blacklist, The Associated Press has learned.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity, not wanted to pre-empt Saturday's announcement of the agreement, which is aimed at salvaging a faltering nuclear disarmament accord in the short time before President Bush leaves office in January.
"Every element that we sought in the verification discussions is part of this package," the official said.
Removing North Korea from the blacklist was immediately criticised by conservatives. The broader accord had been threatened by North Korea's refusal to accept such nuclear inspections because Washington had refused to drop the North from the list of state sponsors of terrorism.
That designation now shared only by Cuba, Iran, Syria and Sudan carries severe penalties, but US officials said North Korea would not see any immediate benefit because it is punished penalized under other programs.
Still, critics jumped on the move saying it rewards the North for bad behavior and sends a bad signal to other US adversaries, notably Iran. US officials stressed that the North would be placed back on the list if it fails to comply with the plan to verify it has told the truth about its nuclear activities.
The US action came as North Korea has moved to restart a disabled nuclear reactor and takes other provocative steps, including expelling UN inspectors and test-firing missiles. Those steps in recent weeks have heightened tensions in the region and place the shaky disarmament deal in peril.
It also followed days of intense internal debate in Washington and consultations with US negotiating partners China, South Korea, Russia and Japan. Tokyo had balked at the move because North Korea has not resolved issues related to its abduction of Japanese citizens.
The decision had been in the works since chief US negotiator Christopher Hill returned from a trip to North Korea late last week. On his visit, he proposed a face-saving compromise under which the North would accept the verification plan after the delisting was announced. Previously, the US had insisted that the North agree to the deal first.
Hill, a lightning rod for conservative hawks, was not expected to attend the State Department announcement. Critics pilloried it in part because it addresses only the North's plutonium program and does not deal with its involvement in spreading nuclear weapons technology or alleged uranium enrichment activities.
"With today's action, the administration has given up a critical instrument of leverage," said Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. "By rewarding North Korea before the regime has carried out its commitments, we are encouraging this regime to continue its illicit nuclear program and violate its pledge to no longer provide nuclear assistance to extremist regimes."
"We are also sending a strong message to other rogue nations, such as Iran and Syria, that we will not hold them to their commitments, even as we give in to their demands," she said.
Republican presidential candidate John McCain said he would not support the step unless it is clear North Korea will accept intrusive inspections of its nuclear sites.
"I expect the administration to explain exactly how this new verification agreement advances American interests and those of our allies before I will be able to support any decision to remove North Korea from the list of state sponsors of terrorism," he said in a statement late Friday.
In addition, he expressed concern that US allies in Asia, particularly Japan, had not been properly consulted.
"I am also concerned that this latest agreement appears to have been reached between Washington and Pyongyang and only then discussed with our Asian allies in an effort to garner their support," he said.
State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said the decision had been discussed with all the US partners in the six-nation talks China, Japan, Russia and South Korea and that a consensus had been reached. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice spoke with her foreign minister colleagues from the four countries on Friday, he said.
At issue was whether arrangement worked out by Hill and the North Koreans were acceptable to the others.
Japan had been resistant, arguing that North Korea should not be taken off the list until the cases of Japanese citizens abducted by Pyongyang in the 1970s and 1980s are resolved.
North Korea, along with Iran and Iraq, was branded as part of an "axis of evil" by Bush after the Sept. 11 attacks.
Obama expands lead over McCain
Palin abused powers as Alaska governor, reveals report
Afp, Juneau
Democrat Barack Obama opened a double-digit lead over rival John McCain in a key opinion poll yesterday while investigators found Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin had abused her powers as Alaska governor.Just over three weeks from the November 4 vote, Obama leads McCain 52 percent to 41 percent among registered voters, according to the latest survey conducted by Newsweek magazine. A similar poll a month ago showed the two candidates tied at 46 percent.
As many as 86 percent of voters said they were dissatisfied with the way things were going in the United States, and only 10 percent said they were satisfied.With voters preoccupied by the faltering economy, Obama has broadened his base of support. According to the survey, he now leads McCain among men 54 percent to 40 percent and women 50 percent to 41 percent. Even those aged over 65, a formerly solid Republican constituency, now back Obama over McCain 49 to 43 percent. The numbers are set against President George W. Bush's job approval rating dropping to just 25 percent, a record low for any modern president, the Newsweek poll showed.
Meanwhile, in a long-awaited 263-page report released by Alaska's Legislative Council, investigator Steve Branchflower said on Friday that Republican vice presidential pick Sarah Palin was guilty of violating ethics rules for public officials.He said Palin had allowed her husband Todd Palin to use the Alaska governor's office and its resources to pressure officials to fire her former brother-in-law, state trooper Mike Wooten."Governor Palin knowingly permitted a situation to continue where impermissible pressure was placed on several subordinates in order to advance a personal agenda... to get Trooper Michael Wooten fired," the report said."She had the authority and power to require Mr Palin to cease contacting subordinates, but she failed to act," the report added.A Republican-dominated bi-partisan committee had launched the investigation following Palin's decision to sack Alaska public safety commissioner Walt Monegan in July.Monegan claimed he was fired because of his refusal to sack Wooten, who had been involved in an acrimonious divorce with Palin's younger sister in 2005.
McCain-Palin spokeswoman Meg Stapleton said the report showed Palin had acted "properly and lawfully" in axing Monegan, dismissing the investigation as politically motivated.Palin, the first woman to be selected on a Republican ticket, was plucked from political obscurity in Alaska by the Arizona senator in late August to be his running mate in the November 4 elections.A devout Christian mother-of-five who is pro-life and a committed hunter, she fired up the party's conservative base, which had not fully embraced McCain.
But her lack of national and foreign experience raised doubts among observers about McCain's judgment.Palin, 44, has become McCain's chief attack dog against Obama, drawing thousands of people to her rallies, and accusing the Chicago senator at the weekend of "palling around with terrorists."As Obama, 47, took a hefty lead in the polls even in battleground states, McCain's campaign sought to refocus its fight for the White House away from the economy.But a series of negatives ads casting doubt on Obama's character and his past associations whipped up anger at the Republican rallies.
After the US Secret Service said Thursday it was investigating an alleged death threat shouted at a Florida rally, McCain was forced to tone down the attacks."We want to fight, and I will fight, but we will be respectful. I admire Senator Obama and his accomplishments and I will respect him," McCain, 72, told a Minnesota rally Friday.
Obama, who has kept his campaign focused on the country's worst economic crisis since the Great Depression in the 1930s, on Friday rebuked McCain for preaching a politics of "anger and division.""In the last couple of days we have seen a barrage of nasty insinuations and attacks and I am sure we will see much more over the next 25 days," he told an Ohio rally."It's easy to rile up a crowd by stoking anger and division.
But that is not what we need now in the United States, the times are too serious."McCain, however, vowed to come up from behind. "How many times, my friends, have the pundits written off the McCain campaign?" he told the cheering crowd. "We're going to fool 'em again, my friend!”
Afp, Juneau
Democrat Barack Obama opened a double-digit lead over rival John McCain in a key opinion poll yesterday while investigators found Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin had abused her powers as Alaska governor.Just over three weeks from the November 4 vote, Obama leads McCain 52 percent to 41 percent among registered voters, according to the latest survey conducted by Newsweek magazine. A similar poll a month ago showed the two candidates tied at 46 percent.
As many as 86 percent of voters said they were dissatisfied with the way things were going in the United States, and only 10 percent said they were satisfied.With voters preoccupied by the faltering economy, Obama has broadened his base of support. According to the survey, he now leads McCain among men 54 percent to 40 percent and women 50 percent to 41 percent. Even those aged over 65, a formerly solid Republican constituency, now back Obama over McCain 49 to 43 percent. The numbers are set against President George W. Bush's job approval rating dropping to just 25 percent, a record low for any modern president, the Newsweek poll showed.
Meanwhile, in a long-awaited 263-page report released by Alaska's Legislative Council, investigator Steve Branchflower said on Friday that Republican vice presidential pick Sarah Palin was guilty of violating ethics rules for public officials.He said Palin had allowed her husband Todd Palin to use the Alaska governor's office and its resources to pressure officials to fire her former brother-in-law, state trooper Mike Wooten."Governor Palin knowingly permitted a situation to continue where impermissible pressure was placed on several subordinates in order to advance a personal agenda... to get Trooper Michael Wooten fired," the report said."She had the authority and power to require Mr Palin to cease contacting subordinates, but she failed to act," the report added.A Republican-dominated bi-partisan committee had launched the investigation following Palin's decision to sack Alaska public safety commissioner Walt Monegan in July.Monegan claimed he was fired because of his refusal to sack Wooten, who had been involved in an acrimonious divorce with Palin's younger sister in 2005.
McCain-Palin spokeswoman Meg Stapleton said the report showed Palin had acted "properly and lawfully" in axing Monegan, dismissing the investigation as politically motivated.Palin, the first woman to be selected on a Republican ticket, was plucked from political obscurity in Alaska by the Arizona senator in late August to be his running mate in the November 4 elections.A devout Christian mother-of-five who is pro-life and a committed hunter, she fired up the party's conservative base, which had not fully embraced McCain.
But her lack of national and foreign experience raised doubts among observers about McCain's judgment.Palin, 44, has become McCain's chief attack dog against Obama, drawing thousands of people to her rallies, and accusing the Chicago senator at the weekend of "palling around with terrorists."As Obama, 47, took a hefty lead in the polls even in battleground states, McCain's campaign sought to refocus its fight for the White House away from the economy.But a series of negatives ads casting doubt on Obama's character and his past associations whipped up anger at the Republican rallies.
After the US Secret Service said Thursday it was investigating an alleged death threat shouted at a Florida rally, McCain was forced to tone down the attacks."We want to fight, and I will fight, but we will be respectful. I admire Senator Obama and his accomplishments and I will respect him," McCain, 72, told a Minnesota rally Friday.
Obama, who has kept his campaign focused on the country's worst economic crisis since the Great Depression in the 1930s, on Friday rebuked McCain for preaching a politics of "anger and division.""In the last couple of days we have seen a barrage of nasty insinuations and attacks and I am sure we will see much more over the next 25 days," he told an Ohio rally."It's easy to rile up a crowd by stoking anger and division.
But that is not what we need now in the United States, the times are too serious."McCain, however, vowed to come up from behind. "How many times, my friends, have the pundits written off the McCain campaign?" he told the cheering crowd. "We're going to fool 'em again, my friend!”
US, India strike historic nuke deal
Afp, Washington
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and her Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee signed a pact Friday to open up sales of civilian nuclear technology to India for the first time in three decades.Nearly a week after the pair aborted a signing ceremony in New Delhi, Rice and Mukherjee signed a deal that highlights a strategic partnership not only in nuclear know-how but also in trade, defence cooperation and other areas.Their signatures cap a three-year political rollercoaster in both countries for an agreement that lifts a ban on US-Indian civilian nuclear trade imposed after India's first nuclear test in 1974."Many thought this day would never come, but doubts have been silenced," Rice told a gathering of diplomats and others in Washington just before she and Mukherjee inked the document at 4:15 pm (2015 GMT).
Mukherjee said the event marked an "important day for US-India relations," adding: "We have brought to fruition three years of extraordinary effort by both our governments."The deal offers India access to US technology and cheap atomic energy in return for allowing UN inspections of some of its civilian nuclear facilities -- but not military nuclear sites.
The signing here comes after US President George W. Bush signed legislation to enact the landmark agreement on Wednesday. Rice had planned to sign the deal with Mukherjee during a visit to New Delhi on October 4 but US officials said it was delayed for "administrative" reasons.Bush and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh signed the deal in July 2005, touching off a difficult battle with wary lawmakers on either side and critics who warn it undermines global efforts to curb the spread of nuclear know-how.
Further steps must be taken to open up nuclear trade.Analysts say US firms cannot do business until Delhi signs a safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage.India last month wrote a letter of intent to sign up to the convention, which analysts says US businesses want in order to reduce their liability in the event of a catastrophe.Rice has called the accord "a recognition of India's emergence on the global stage" while Mukherjee cited improved relations since the Cold War era, when New Delhi steered an independent course from Washington.Rice and others had to lobby hard to win approval for the deal from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN nuclear watchdog, and the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), which controls global atomic trade.She also pushed hard for the agreement to be approved by both Houses of Congress.US lawmakers attached safeguards on preventing the spread of nuclear weapons technology before passing it overwhelmingly earlier this month and handing Bush a foreign policy success.
But critics say it still undermines global efforts to curb the spread of nuclear weapons, because India has refused to sign the international non-proliferation treaty (NPT).Singh also had a rough ride over the deal at home: The main opposition Hindu nationalists and the Communists have both slammed it as curbing India's military options and bringing the country's foreign policy too much under US influence.
Washington says India will be able to satisfy its booming economy's thirst for energy while curbing its dependence on fossil fuels linked to climate change, while the United States would gain access to India's lucrative nuclear market.
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and her Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee signed a pact Friday to open up sales of civilian nuclear technology to India for the first time in three decades.Nearly a week after the pair aborted a signing ceremony in New Delhi, Rice and Mukherjee signed a deal that highlights a strategic partnership not only in nuclear know-how but also in trade, defence cooperation and other areas.Their signatures cap a three-year political rollercoaster in both countries for an agreement that lifts a ban on US-Indian civilian nuclear trade imposed after India's first nuclear test in 1974."Many thought this day would never come, but doubts have been silenced," Rice told a gathering of diplomats and others in Washington just before she and Mukherjee inked the document at 4:15 pm (2015 GMT).
Mukherjee said the event marked an "important day for US-India relations," adding: "We have brought to fruition three years of extraordinary effort by both our governments."The deal offers India access to US technology and cheap atomic energy in return for allowing UN inspections of some of its civilian nuclear facilities -- but not military nuclear sites.
The signing here comes after US President George W. Bush signed legislation to enact the landmark agreement on Wednesday. Rice had planned to sign the deal with Mukherjee during a visit to New Delhi on October 4 but US officials said it was delayed for "administrative" reasons.Bush and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh signed the deal in July 2005, touching off a difficult battle with wary lawmakers on either side and critics who warn it undermines global efforts to curb the spread of nuclear know-how.
Further steps must be taken to open up nuclear trade.Analysts say US firms cannot do business until Delhi signs a safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage.India last month wrote a letter of intent to sign up to the convention, which analysts says US businesses want in order to reduce their liability in the event of a catastrophe.Rice has called the accord "a recognition of India's emergence on the global stage" while Mukherjee cited improved relations since the Cold War era, when New Delhi steered an independent course from Washington.Rice and others had to lobby hard to win approval for the deal from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN nuclear watchdog, and the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), which controls global atomic trade.She also pushed hard for the agreement to be approved by both Houses of Congress.US lawmakers attached safeguards on preventing the spread of nuclear weapons technology before passing it overwhelmingly earlier this month and handing Bush a foreign policy success.
But critics say it still undermines global efforts to curb the spread of nuclear weapons, because India has refused to sign the international non-proliferation treaty (NPT).Singh also had a rough ride over the deal at home: The main opposition Hindu nationalists and the Communists have both slammed it as curbing India's military options and bringing the country's foreign policy too much under US influence.
Washington says India will be able to satisfy its booming economy's thirst for energy while curbing its dependence on fossil fuels linked to climate change, while the United States would gain access to India's lucrative nuclear market.
Lankan president asks LTTE to surrender
41 LTTE cadres, 5 soldiers killed in clashes
Pti, Colombo
Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday asked the beleaguered LTTE to lay down arms and join the democratic mainstream as 41 Tamil Tiger rebels and five soldiers were killed in fresh fighting in the island's north.
Rajapaksa underlined that there was no military solution to the ethnic problem in the island nation.
The president said the rebels should enter the democratic process to ensure political rights for the Tamils in the embattled northern region.
"I wish to once again very clearly call on the LTTE to lay down their arms and surrender. They should act in this manner and enter the democratic political process. Our aim should be to ensure the democratic political rights of our Tamil brethren," he said.
The President was addressing the All Party Conference to apprise its members of the current developments with regard to the operations "to eradicate terrorism, establish peace and restore democracy" throughout the country.
"However difficult it may be, it is my belief that the efforts to find political solutions to political issues should be continued. It is my belief that there are no military solutions to political questions," he said.
Contending that the people have elected his government to realise their aims and aspirations, he said "it is our duty to ensure to the Tamil people of the North the same democratic rights as enjoyed by people in all other parts of the country".
He also said that military operations were necessitated in order to "eradicate terrorism" from the country and "enthrone" democracy throughout the land.
In fresh fighting, at least 41 LTTE cadres and five soldiers were killed in running gun battles in Sri Lanka's embattled north, officials said Saturday.
While two LTTE cadres were shot dead in Mankulam in Kilinochchi, two others were killed in Akkarayankulam and one in another part of the LTTE stronghold yesterday, the military said.
Separately, troops killed seven Tiger rebels, wounding 37 others in a gun battle in Mullaittivu, while in North East Welioya region six rebels were killed and 14 others injured in Andankulam Friday, the Defence Ministry said.
At least one Tiger militant was also killed in Thannikuruppukulam area in the region yesterday, it said.
Meanwhile, two soldiers were also killed during clashes in Andankulam, with the troops recovering 313 anti-personnel mines and 17 improvised explosive devices after the operation.
In another confrontation, as many as 14 Tiger rebels were killed and six others injured in Vannerikulam area in Kilinochchi yesterday, the Media Centre for National Security (MCNS) said, adding three soldiers also lost their lives in the incident.
Pti, Colombo
Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday asked the beleaguered LTTE to lay down arms and join the democratic mainstream as 41 Tamil Tiger rebels and five soldiers were killed in fresh fighting in the island's north.
Rajapaksa underlined that there was no military solution to the ethnic problem in the island nation.
The president said the rebels should enter the democratic process to ensure political rights for the Tamils in the embattled northern region.
"I wish to once again very clearly call on the LTTE to lay down their arms and surrender. They should act in this manner and enter the democratic political process. Our aim should be to ensure the democratic political rights of our Tamil brethren," he said.
The President was addressing the All Party Conference to apprise its members of the current developments with regard to the operations "to eradicate terrorism, establish peace and restore democracy" throughout the country.
"However difficult it may be, it is my belief that the efforts to find political solutions to political issues should be continued. It is my belief that there are no military solutions to political questions," he said.
Contending that the people have elected his government to realise their aims and aspirations, he said "it is our duty to ensure to the Tamil people of the North the same democratic rights as enjoyed by people in all other parts of the country".
He also said that military operations were necessitated in order to "eradicate terrorism" from the country and "enthrone" democracy throughout the land.
In fresh fighting, at least 41 LTTE cadres and five soldiers were killed in running gun battles in Sri Lanka's embattled north, officials said Saturday.
While two LTTE cadres were shot dead in Mankulam in Kilinochchi, two others were killed in Akkarayankulam and one in another part of the LTTE stronghold yesterday, the military said.
Separately, troops killed seven Tiger rebels, wounding 37 others in a gun battle in Mullaittivu, while in North East Welioya region six rebels were killed and 14 others injured in Andankulam Friday, the Defence Ministry said.
At least one Tiger militant was also killed in Thannikuruppukulam area in the region yesterday, it said.
Meanwhile, two soldiers were also killed during clashes in Andankulam, with the troops recovering 313 anti-personnel mines and 17 improvised explosive devices after the operation.
In another confrontation, as many as 14 Tiger rebels were killed and six others injured in Vannerikulam area in Kilinochchi yesterday, the Media Centre for National Security (MCNS) said, adding three soldiers also lost their lives in the incident.
Bangladesh may miss bus to Asian Highway
Bangladesh's chance of signing on to the Asian Highway Network (AHN) Agreement is fading fast as the government has been sitting idle on the issue for too long adopting a wrong policy, according to experts.Although the communication ministry officials have been saying the country will sign on to the agreement after the proposed route the international super highway is amended, the experts say Bangladesh has no chance of amending the proposed route without becoming a member of the network.
AHN, a proposed network of 1,41,000 kilometres (km) of standard roadways crisscrossing Asian countries linking them with Europe, was conceived in 1959 with an aim to promote development of international road transport in the continent.Bangladesh is not yet a member of the network as its successive governments failed to understand the highway's immense potential and importance, the experts allege. Sources in the communication ministry, however, said the main reason behind Dhaka's reluctance to join the Asian Highway club is its reservations about giving transit to India.They said the proposed route of the highway enters Bangladesh from India and exits back into it. "If Dhaka ratifies the agreement with the present conditions in place, it will likely end up with providing transit facilities to India," an official said.
The proposed route of the Asian Highway that would run through Bangladesh, starts from Benapole and ends at Tamabil via Dhaka. Another route is also on the draft map running through Banglabandha and Rangpur to Tamabil via Dhaka. The officials said Bangladesh strongly wants to include a route connecting Dhaka and Yangon via Teknaf. They said an initiative is also already on to develop the route and construct a road up to Myanmar border."We've refrained from signing on to the agreement as our proposed route was not considered," Communication Secretary Dr Mahbubur Rahman told The Daily Star.He said Bangladesh will struggle hard to bring an amendment to the already proposed route, for which support is needed from two of the member countries.
Contradicting him Dr M Rahmatullah, a transport policy adviser to the Transport Sector Management Reform (TSMR) Programme at the Planning Commission, said, "To bring any amendment to the proposed route or to propose a new one, a country must be a member of the network first as per the requirements of the agreement." He said currently Bangladesh is an observer and having that status a country has nothing to do with AHN. "Bangladesh has no say in any official meeting," Rahmatullah said. He said a lack of proper initiative has been holding up the signing of the agreement.Some 28 countries have already become members of the network while 23 others have become party to the highway as their governments approved it.
"The government should prepare a summary and take it to the cabinet for approval," said a senior communication ministry official, regretting that the crucial issue is still buried under indecisions and lack of seriousness.Asked, what if Bangladesh does not sign, Dr Rahmatullah said, "None will come and hand over good fortune to you, if you remain isolated." About giving transit to India, he said Bangladesh signed on to the transnational railway network which is supposed to give its neighbour the same facility. "We should not waste time giving excuses."Dhaka is now trying to persuade two AHN members -- Myanmar and Thailand -- to recognise the proposed Dhaka--Yangon Highway as a possible route of the Asian Highway. Bangladesh and Myanmar already signed a deal to construct a 25km road from Gundum in Cox's Bazar to Bawlibazar in Myanmar.
Bangladesh wants that road to be part of AHN badly, as that would establish its road communication with China avoiding transit through India, said a ministry official. "This will be a very difficult one for Bangladesh," Rahmatullah, who is also a former director of United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), said. Bangladesh will be able to propose amendments to the route only after being a member of the network, he added.The communication ministry officials said there has been no move at any level of the government for years regarding AHN.
Some 15 countries, including Pakistan became founding members by signing the agreement when the idea was conceived in 1959. In 1971, Bangladesh automatically became a founding member, but its status was later lowered to an observer's after it had missed the December 2005 deadline for signing on to the agreement.The communication secretary however said, "It doesn't mean that we've missed out on the opportunity," adding, "We are very much in the process."
Dr Rahmatullah however cautioned saying, Bangladesh will not be given an indefinite period of time. "If Bangladesh does not sign on to the agreement soon, it will have no choice left but to accept the present route plan to become a part of the network in the future."
AHN, a proposed network of 1,41,000 kilometres (km) of standard roadways crisscrossing Asian countries linking them with Europe, was conceived in 1959 with an aim to promote development of international road transport in the continent.Bangladesh is not yet a member of the network as its successive governments failed to understand the highway's immense potential and importance, the experts allege. Sources in the communication ministry, however, said the main reason behind Dhaka's reluctance to join the Asian Highway club is its reservations about giving transit to India.They said the proposed route of the highway enters Bangladesh from India and exits back into it. "If Dhaka ratifies the agreement with the present conditions in place, it will likely end up with providing transit facilities to India," an official said.
The proposed route of the Asian Highway that would run through Bangladesh, starts from Benapole and ends at Tamabil via Dhaka. Another route is also on the draft map running through Banglabandha and Rangpur to Tamabil via Dhaka. The officials said Bangladesh strongly wants to include a route connecting Dhaka and Yangon via Teknaf. They said an initiative is also already on to develop the route and construct a road up to Myanmar border."We've refrained from signing on to the agreement as our proposed route was not considered," Communication Secretary Dr Mahbubur Rahman told The Daily Star.He said Bangladesh will struggle hard to bring an amendment to the already proposed route, for which support is needed from two of the member countries.
Contradicting him Dr M Rahmatullah, a transport policy adviser to the Transport Sector Management Reform (TSMR) Programme at the Planning Commission, said, "To bring any amendment to the proposed route or to propose a new one, a country must be a member of the network first as per the requirements of the agreement." He said currently Bangladesh is an observer and having that status a country has nothing to do with AHN. "Bangladesh has no say in any official meeting," Rahmatullah said. He said a lack of proper initiative has been holding up the signing of the agreement.Some 28 countries have already become members of the network while 23 others have become party to the highway as their governments approved it.
"The government should prepare a summary and take it to the cabinet for approval," said a senior communication ministry official, regretting that the crucial issue is still buried under indecisions and lack of seriousness.Asked, what if Bangladesh does not sign, Dr Rahmatullah said, "None will come and hand over good fortune to you, if you remain isolated." About giving transit to India, he said Bangladesh signed on to the transnational railway network which is supposed to give its neighbour the same facility. "We should not waste time giving excuses."Dhaka is now trying to persuade two AHN members -- Myanmar and Thailand -- to recognise the proposed Dhaka--Yangon Highway as a possible route of the Asian Highway. Bangladesh and Myanmar already signed a deal to construct a 25km road from Gundum in Cox's Bazar to Bawlibazar in Myanmar.
Bangladesh wants that road to be part of AHN badly, as that would establish its road communication with China avoiding transit through India, said a ministry official. "This will be a very difficult one for Bangladesh," Rahmatullah, who is also a former director of United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), said. Bangladesh will be able to propose amendments to the route only after being a member of the network, he added.The communication ministry officials said there has been no move at any level of the government for years regarding AHN.
Some 15 countries, including Pakistan became founding members by signing the agreement when the idea was conceived in 1959. In 1971, Bangladesh automatically became a founding member, but its status was later lowered to an observer's after it had missed the December 2005 deadline for signing on to the agreement.The communication secretary however said, "It doesn't mean that we've missed out on the opportunity," adding, "We are very much in the process."
Dr Rahmatullah however cautioned saying, Bangladesh will not be given an indefinite period of time. "If Bangladesh does not sign on to the agreement soon, it will have no choice left but to accept the present route plan to become a part of the network in the future."
Impact of recent crisis on poverty
VARIOUS estimates on poverty are now available. The consensus conclusion is that the recent economic crisis has thrown more people under the poverty line than before. One multi-lateral donor agency estimates that an additional 4 million people went below the poverty line due to recent turmoil. Some economists put the figure at 10-20 million. Respecting all such attempts, we thought it wise to submit a different scenario drawn upon a Brac-survey of repeated sample households for 1988, 2000, 2004, and 2008. Since the estimates are derived from panel data, we claim that the estimates are likely to be more accurate.
Besides, in our analysis, we shall also draw upon a recent presentation in an international seminar by Dr. Mahabub Hossain on the Pathways out of Poverty.At the very beginning, the readers are requested to remember few things. It is not true that economic crisis always cripples poor households at large. Some lucky ones could withstand the onslaught by ways of higher wages, accessing social and financial capital in and around, renting-in land or banking on government dolls at their doorsteps, etc.The unlucky ones would face the fire in the absence of these factors. Second, roughly one-third of rural households always remain poor (chronically poor) no matter whether the sun rises or sets. About half of the rural households tend to remain non-poor through thick and thin. Therefore, the movement in and out of poverty relates to one-fifth of households. And finally, it would be erroneous perhaps to attribute the increase in incidence of poverty only to recent international price hike and domestic disturbances.We shall skip poverty trend for 1988-2004, because all available documents relating to incidence of income poverty confirm that poverty has declined over this period. They differ on the degree of decline in poverty levels, but agree on the positive outcome.
The reasons for a decline could be comfortable rates of economic growth, expansion of communication and credit networks in rural areas, downward movement of rice prices, improvement in schooling conditions, etc. The "economic holocaust" in fact took place during the period 2004-2008 since we observe that poverty level picked up since 2004. For example, our estimates show that head-count index shows that 47% of the rural households remained poor in 2007 compared to 44% in 2004. This means that 2 million more households (approximately 10 million more people) went below the poverty line during this period. To confirm our conclusions, we need to note that during 2004-2008, 19% of households became poor from a non-poor situation (descent) while 14% moved from poor to non-poor condition (ascent). This also shows that roughly 5-6% of rural households experienced a negative shift in poverty status. But the "holocaust" hovered around 2006 and 2007 with soaring prices of rice and energy, two consecutive attacks from natural calamities, infringements on formal and informal sectors in the name of anti-corruption and cleanliness, political instability, etc.
How many have fallen into poverty between 2006 and 2007 due to these factors? It is very difficult to answer this question since we do not have data separately for 2006. However, we had a question to the respondents with respect to economic condition over the last one year (2006-07): improved, same, or deteriorated? We observe that 60% of the poor reported that their economic conditions deteriorated for the last year, while all of them reported that economic conditions improved between 1988-2004. Besides, the major reasons for deterioration were thought to be steep rise in rice prices and natural shocks both of which haunted the households between 2006 and 2007. By and large, we can possibly conclude that 10 million people were added to the vast pool of already existing poor of which 6 million joined last year and the other 4 million during 2004-2006. In other words, the national and international crises of 2006-07 pushed an additional 6 million people into poverty in 2007 while another 4 million had already been added in the previous two years.
Mahabub Hossain seems to believe that traditional tools to poverty reduction are becoming "unsuccessful" and bringing only "peripheral" changes. For example, occupational mobility matters very little these days since low-productive non-farm sector could hardly sustain livelihoods. Nor a shift from agricultural labour to farming serves the soup to the poor in the presence of low return from tenancy.
Therefore, the "successful" strategies should embrace, inter alia, geographic mobility, increase in earning members for the households, increase in education for earning members, and increased use of MV rice. The final factor is access to electricity that has tremendous effect on poverty reduction.
Besides, in our analysis, we shall also draw upon a recent presentation in an international seminar by Dr. Mahabub Hossain on the Pathways out of Poverty.At the very beginning, the readers are requested to remember few things. It is not true that economic crisis always cripples poor households at large. Some lucky ones could withstand the onslaught by ways of higher wages, accessing social and financial capital in and around, renting-in land or banking on government dolls at their doorsteps, etc.The unlucky ones would face the fire in the absence of these factors. Second, roughly one-third of rural households always remain poor (chronically poor) no matter whether the sun rises or sets. About half of the rural households tend to remain non-poor through thick and thin. Therefore, the movement in and out of poverty relates to one-fifth of households. And finally, it would be erroneous perhaps to attribute the increase in incidence of poverty only to recent international price hike and domestic disturbances.We shall skip poverty trend for 1988-2004, because all available documents relating to incidence of income poverty confirm that poverty has declined over this period. They differ on the degree of decline in poverty levels, but agree on the positive outcome.
The reasons for a decline could be comfortable rates of economic growth, expansion of communication and credit networks in rural areas, downward movement of rice prices, improvement in schooling conditions, etc. The "economic holocaust" in fact took place during the period 2004-2008 since we observe that poverty level picked up since 2004. For example, our estimates show that head-count index shows that 47% of the rural households remained poor in 2007 compared to 44% in 2004. This means that 2 million more households (approximately 10 million more people) went below the poverty line during this period. To confirm our conclusions, we need to note that during 2004-2008, 19% of households became poor from a non-poor situation (descent) while 14% moved from poor to non-poor condition (ascent). This also shows that roughly 5-6% of rural households experienced a negative shift in poverty status. But the "holocaust" hovered around 2006 and 2007 with soaring prices of rice and energy, two consecutive attacks from natural calamities, infringements on formal and informal sectors in the name of anti-corruption and cleanliness, political instability, etc.
How many have fallen into poverty between 2006 and 2007 due to these factors? It is very difficult to answer this question since we do not have data separately for 2006. However, we had a question to the respondents with respect to economic condition over the last one year (2006-07): improved, same, or deteriorated? We observe that 60% of the poor reported that their economic conditions deteriorated for the last year, while all of them reported that economic conditions improved between 1988-2004. Besides, the major reasons for deterioration were thought to be steep rise in rice prices and natural shocks both of which haunted the households between 2006 and 2007. By and large, we can possibly conclude that 10 million people were added to the vast pool of already existing poor of which 6 million joined last year and the other 4 million during 2004-2006. In other words, the national and international crises of 2006-07 pushed an additional 6 million people into poverty in 2007 while another 4 million had already been added in the previous two years.
Mahabub Hossain seems to believe that traditional tools to poverty reduction are becoming "unsuccessful" and bringing only "peripheral" changes. For example, occupational mobility matters very little these days since low-productive non-farm sector could hardly sustain livelihoods. Nor a shift from agricultural labour to farming serves the soup to the poor in the presence of low return from tenancy.
Therefore, the "successful" strategies should embrace, inter alia, geographic mobility, increase in earning members for the households, increase in education for earning members, and increased use of MV rice. The final factor is access to electricity that has tremendous effect on poverty reduction.
Asia's migrant workers fear losing jobs in global crisis
AFP, Singapore
As the global financial storm blows fear through Asia's stock markets, Filipino maid Christy Arciaga is jittery -- even though she does not own any shares.
Her businessman employer has lately become more irritable as he has watched his investments being swallowed in a sea of red ink, and the 46-year-old domestic helper is often on the receiving end of his bad moods.
"My employer would turn on the television every morning to check the latest stock market report even before breakfast. He is often angry and tells me he might send me home even before my contract ends," Arciaga said.
"The thought of going back has caused me sleepless nights. What about my family? Two of my children are still in college."
Thousands of migrant workers, among them maids, restaurant staff and labourers working in wealthy Asian cities such as Singapore and Hong Kong, are worried that an economic slowdown and retrenchments resulting from the crisis could hit their employers' pockets, and leave them without jobs.
This would mean that the flow of remittances they send home to their poor families will dry up -- and with it money for food, clothing and school fees.
Another maid, Myra Catacutan, 34, said she recently heard her employer angrily talking on the phone with someone, presumably a financial adviser, demanding her money back.
"My employer was shouting to the one on the other line: 'Give me back my money'. When she turned to me, she was teary-eyed and told me she could lose a big amount," she said. "I am worried she might let me go."
William Gois, regional coordinator of the non-government group Migrant Forum in Asia, said that any massive retrenchment would worsen poverty in the migrants' home countries.
"Families dependent on (overseas) remittances will find now that nothing is coming in and it might further aggravate the poverty situation," Gois said by telephone from Manila.
The Philippines, Indonesia, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, which are key exporters of human labour, would be most affected, he said.
The Philippine central bank has said money sent home by Filipinos working abroad totalled 9.6 billion US dollars for the first seven months of the year and is expected to hit a record 15.9 billion for the whole of 2008.
-- Slowdown could see millions sent home --
Another problem is the large numbers of migrant workers without proper documents in Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and South Korea, Gois said.
"In times of an economic slump, the first thing that governments do is crack down on undocumented workers because they are seen as a burden to the economy and a problem to society," he said.
Gois said there are more than 53 million migrant workers from Asia employed worldwide, mostly in the Gulf countries and the Middle East. A high percentage are low and middle skilled labourers.
While there have been no reports so far of large layoffs, workers interviewed by AFP said they are worried.
"Of course I am afraid," a Bangladeshi worker said in between drilling with a jackhammer near a suburban housing complex.
"I don't understand much about the reason for the crisis but I'm just concerned my company will be affected."
In Singapore, sending home a maid could save a household at least 600 Singapore dollars (407 US) a month.
Many of those who employ maids also dabble in stocks and other financial products whose value has been eroded because of the turmoil.
With foreign visitor arrivals in Singapore falling for the third straight month in August, there could be retrenchments in restaurants and shops, which employ many Filipinos and mainland Chinese.
Any slowdown in the construction sector would affect thousands of migrant labourers from Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Thailand and China.
In Hong Kong, which is home to 150,000 Filipinos mostly employed as maids and in bars and restaurants, worries about fallout from the crisis have already begun to resonate through the tight-knit community.
"Migrant workers are very worried," said Eman Villanueva, secretary general of United Filipinos in Hong Kong, a migrant rights group.
"They are first of all concerned about their jobs. Most of the people in Hong Kong who employ domestic workers will have investments or are facing potential job losses because of the financial crisis."
Villanueva said that many migrants were also concerned about the safety of their own investments.
"Many have paid for education insurance to make sure their children are able to go to university, or into a pension. They are worried about what will happen to their money," he said.
As the global financial storm blows fear through Asia's stock markets, Filipino maid Christy Arciaga is jittery -- even though she does not own any shares.
Her businessman employer has lately become more irritable as he has watched his investments being swallowed in a sea of red ink, and the 46-year-old domestic helper is often on the receiving end of his bad moods.
"My employer would turn on the television every morning to check the latest stock market report even before breakfast. He is often angry and tells me he might send me home even before my contract ends," Arciaga said.
"The thought of going back has caused me sleepless nights. What about my family? Two of my children are still in college."
Thousands of migrant workers, among them maids, restaurant staff and labourers working in wealthy Asian cities such as Singapore and Hong Kong, are worried that an economic slowdown and retrenchments resulting from the crisis could hit their employers' pockets, and leave them without jobs.
This would mean that the flow of remittances they send home to their poor families will dry up -- and with it money for food, clothing and school fees.
Another maid, Myra Catacutan, 34, said she recently heard her employer angrily talking on the phone with someone, presumably a financial adviser, demanding her money back.
"My employer was shouting to the one on the other line: 'Give me back my money'. When she turned to me, she was teary-eyed and told me she could lose a big amount," she said. "I am worried she might let me go."
William Gois, regional coordinator of the non-government group Migrant Forum in Asia, said that any massive retrenchment would worsen poverty in the migrants' home countries.
"Families dependent on (overseas) remittances will find now that nothing is coming in and it might further aggravate the poverty situation," Gois said by telephone from Manila.
The Philippines, Indonesia, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, which are key exporters of human labour, would be most affected, he said.
The Philippine central bank has said money sent home by Filipinos working abroad totalled 9.6 billion US dollars for the first seven months of the year and is expected to hit a record 15.9 billion for the whole of 2008.
-- Slowdown could see millions sent home --
Another problem is the large numbers of migrant workers without proper documents in Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and South Korea, Gois said.
"In times of an economic slump, the first thing that governments do is crack down on undocumented workers because they are seen as a burden to the economy and a problem to society," he said.
Gois said there are more than 53 million migrant workers from Asia employed worldwide, mostly in the Gulf countries and the Middle East. A high percentage are low and middle skilled labourers.
While there have been no reports so far of large layoffs, workers interviewed by AFP said they are worried.
"Of course I am afraid," a Bangladeshi worker said in between drilling with a jackhammer near a suburban housing complex.
"I don't understand much about the reason for the crisis but I'm just concerned my company will be affected."
In Singapore, sending home a maid could save a household at least 600 Singapore dollars (407 US) a month.
Many of those who employ maids also dabble in stocks and other financial products whose value has been eroded because of the turmoil.
With foreign visitor arrivals in Singapore falling for the third straight month in August, there could be retrenchments in restaurants and shops, which employ many Filipinos and mainland Chinese.
Any slowdown in the construction sector would affect thousands of migrant labourers from Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Thailand and China.
In Hong Kong, which is home to 150,000 Filipinos mostly employed as maids and in bars and restaurants, worries about fallout from the crisis have already begun to resonate through the tight-knit community.
"Migrant workers are very worried," said Eman Villanueva, secretary general of United Filipinos in Hong Kong, a migrant rights group.
"They are first of all concerned about their jobs. Most of the people in Hong Kong who employ domestic workers will have investments or are facing potential job losses because of the financial crisis."
Villanueva said that many migrants were also concerned about the safety of their own investments.
"Many have paid for education insurance to make sure their children are able to go to university, or into a pension. They are worried about what will happen to their money," he said.
Ethics and trade
THOUSANDS of babies in China are fighting against death. They have virtually been poisoned by toxic elements in milk -- the main baby food. We get news about adulterated food almost every day in the print and electronic media.
I feel that this world is unsafe for human beings. Even innocent babies are being poisoned to death! We need to contemplate on why this is happening. What is wrong with human conscience? In this article, I will discuss the basis of ethics. The laws have proved a failure. Despite having so many laws and law enforcing agencies, courts and judicial systems every day why so many crimes are taking place? This is why nowadays the word "ethics" has come forward. People are so cunning that they can easily escape from the laws and law enforcing agencies and commit crimes. So ethics is the last straw holding what the humanity wants to survive from sinking in the deep sea of inhumanity in this present world.Ethics is self responsibility -- sprit of not doing harm for others. My intention here is to discuss a little about why we have become so unethical in this stage.The physical body of a human being is nothing but a vehicle of which the mind or emotion is the driver.
The body just follows that comes to the mind. The body is even unable to differentiate between false and true, reality and imagination. A baby comes into the world in body-mind state. It remains connected to the universe -- the total existence. The baby comes into the world as a pure being. As the days pass by, the baby's mind gets separated from the body. The modern psychologist now says that human being has two parts: body and mind. In this article, I am using emotion as a synonym of mind from now. Emotion has its two aspects: fair emotion and unfair emotion. Fair emotion is just love and compassion. Primarily it is love and ultimately it reaches to the height of compassion. A true human being is just compassion. The well known compassionate figures in the world are Hazrat Mohammed (sm), Jesus, Mohavir, Nanak, Buddha, Socrates, etc. The list can be made longer but I think it is enough to understand the compassionate personalities. On the other hand, the unfair parts of the emotion basically consist of three things: anger, greed, and fear. All negative feelings like jealousy, hatred, and anxiety basically are the branches and leaves of these three.
In the world we come with fair emotion and gradually we import and accumulate the unfair emotion. The unfair part becomes bigger and bigger and the fair parts get smaller and smaller, and gradually the fair emotions are knocked out by the unfair part of the emotion. Now, let us see how do we take decisions in our daily life? All the decisions we take are based on either, anger or greed or fear. We cannot take a decision based on love. How can we do that? We have eliminated that part from our heart with the socialisation process. On the other hand, the society has given a lot of nourishment for anger, greed and fear. Interesting thing is the fair and unfair emotion cannot stay together.
It is like dark and light that cannot exist together.The basis of the present world economy is greed. Greed is the main capital. The trade, economy and other essential things for survival has gone to the wrong hand. For this reason we find the world is at the verge of destruction. In this stage I am quoting few verses from Kahlil Gibran that may show us how far we have gone from the ethics of trade:To you the earth yields her fruit, and you shall not want if you but know how to fill your hands.It is in exchanging the gifts of the earth that you shall find abundance and be satisfied.Yet unless the exchange be in love and kindly justice, it will but lead some to greed and others to hunger.When in the market place you toilers of the sea and fields and vineyards meet the weavers and the potters and the gatherers of spices,Invoke then the master spirit of the earth, to come into your midst and sanctify the scales and the reckoning that weighs value against value.And suffer not the barren-handed to take part in your transactions, who would sell their words for your labour.
To such men you should say,"Come with us to the field, or go with our brothers to the sea and cast your net;For the land and the sea shall be bountiful to you even as to us.And if there come the singers and the dancers and the flute players, buy of their gifts also.For they too are gatherers of fruit and frankincense, and that which they bring, though fashioned of dreams, is raiment and food for your soul.And before you leave the market place, see that no one has gone his way with empty hands.For the master spirit of the earth shall not sleep peacefully upon the wind till the needs of the least of you are satisfied.[On Buying and Selling, The Prophet, Kahlil Gibran,]. Ethic will not come into being automatically.
We had it at the time of our childhood. We lost it though the process of socialisation. We shall have to reclaim it. In fact it is already with us. It is existing deep within our being. We shall have to bring it out. Otherwise, we will be doing harm of other as well as of our own soul.
I feel that this world is unsafe for human beings. Even innocent babies are being poisoned to death! We need to contemplate on why this is happening. What is wrong with human conscience? In this article, I will discuss the basis of ethics. The laws have proved a failure. Despite having so many laws and law enforcing agencies, courts and judicial systems every day why so many crimes are taking place? This is why nowadays the word "ethics" has come forward. People are so cunning that they can easily escape from the laws and law enforcing agencies and commit crimes. So ethics is the last straw holding what the humanity wants to survive from sinking in the deep sea of inhumanity in this present world.Ethics is self responsibility -- sprit of not doing harm for others. My intention here is to discuss a little about why we have become so unethical in this stage.The physical body of a human being is nothing but a vehicle of which the mind or emotion is the driver.
The body just follows that comes to the mind. The body is even unable to differentiate between false and true, reality and imagination. A baby comes into the world in body-mind state. It remains connected to the universe -- the total existence. The baby comes into the world as a pure being. As the days pass by, the baby's mind gets separated from the body. The modern psychologist now says that human being has two parts: body and mind. In this article, I am using emotion as a synonym of mind from now. Emotion has its two aspects: fair emotion and unfair emotion. Fair emotion is just love and compassion. Primarily it is love and ultimately it reaches to the height of compassion. A true human being is just compassion. The well known compassionate figures in the world are Hazrat Mohammed (sm), Jesus, Mohavir, Nanak, Buddha, Socrates, etc. The list can be made longer but I think it is enough to understand the compassionate personalities. On the other hand, the unfair parts of the emotion basically consist of three things: anger, greed, and fear. All negative feelings like jealousy, hatred, and anxiety basically are the branches and leaves of these three.
In the world we come with fair emotion and gradually we import and accumulate the unfair emotion. The unfair part becomes bigger and bigger and the fair parts get smaller and smaller, and gradually the fair emotions are knocked out by the unfair part of the emotion. Now, let us see how do we take decisions in our daily life? All the decisions we take are based on either, anger or greed or fear. We cannot take a decision based on love. How can we do that? We have eliminated that part from our heart with the socialisation process. On the other hand, the society has given a lot of nourishment for anger, greed and fear. Interesting thing is the fair and unfair emotion cannot stay together.
It is like dark and light that cannot exist together.The basis of the present world economy is greed. Greed is the main capital. The trade, economy and other essential things for survival has gone to the wrong hand. For this reason we find the world is at the verge of destruction. In this stage I am quoting few verses from Kahlil Gibran that may show us how far we have gone from the ethics of trade:To you the earth yields her fruit, and you shall not want if you but know how to fill your hands.It is in exchanging the gifts of the earth that you shall find abundance and be satisfied.Yet unless the exchange be in love and kindly justice, it will but lead some to greed and others to hunger.When in the market place you toilers of the sea and fields and vineyards meet the weavers and the potters and the gatherers of spices,Invoke then the master spirit of the earth, to come into your midst and sanctify the scales and the reckoning that weighs value against value.And suffer not the barren-handed to take part in your transactions, who would sell their words for your labour.
To such men you should say,"Come with us to the field, or go with our brothers to the sea and cast your net;For the land and the sea shall be bountiful to you even as to us.And if there come the singers and the dancers and the flute players, buy of their gifts also.For they too are gatherers of fruit and frankincense, and that which they bring, though fashioned of dreams, is raiment and food for your soul.And before you leave the market place, see that no one has gone his way with empty hands.For the master spirit of the earth shall not sleep peacefully upon the wind till the needs of the least of you are satisfied.[On Buying and Selling, The Prophet, Kahlil Gibran,]. Ethic will not come into being automatically.
We had it at the time of our childhood. We lost it though the process of socialisation. We shall have to reclaim it. In fact it is already with us. It is existing deep within our being. We shall have to bring it out. Otherwise, we will be doing harm of other as well as of our own soul.
What's wrong with ICL?
I could not understand the ruthless and vicious attitudes of the BCCI towards the Indian Cricket League (ICL). Only when I read about Lalit Modi, the vice-president of BCCI, could I comprehend the matter. As Cricinfo states Modi is: "Sharp, brash, ruthlessly ambitious, and admired and reviled in equal measure, Lalit Modi will be known as the man who changed the landscape of cricket.
The Indian Premier League (IPL), the multi-million-dollar, football-style, franchise-based domestic league, which Modi conceived and executed with spectacular success, has hurtled cricket to the fast lane, forcing the traditionalists to follow suit even while squirming. The tournament, first held in 2008, consolidated India's position as cricket's economic powerhouse, and consequently, its premier agenda-setter."In his Mumbai office, surrounded by tall bookshelves and autographed cricket bats, Modi sits up from his slouch and begins yelling when asked about Subhas Chandra, owner of ICL: "All of a sudden, for the first time in India, a broadcaster is coming in not because he wants to develop the game," he says. "He wants to develop the content for his channels. Every sports broadcaster knows that to survive in this country, you need cricket content."Modi responded last year by forbidding any team in the world with ICL contracted player from entering any BCCI tournament. Tony Greig, a former captain of England and ICL board member, says Modi's protests are about power:
"He doesn't like the ICL because it's encroaching on the BCCI's monopoly of cricket in India."In a recent rating of most powerful sportsman and sports organisers worldwide by an US finance magazine Modi has been rated at No. 17. Former England cricket captain Mike Atherton has called Modi "ruthless." And Lalit Modi responded by saying: "I am ruthless without doubt, otherwise we won't get [sic] where we were." Nobody expects an elected body to be so monopolistic and confrontational normally. The aggressiveness and winner takes all attitudes come from Modi. Thirteen Bangladeshi cricketers who joined ICL have been banned from all national and domestic tournaments for 10 years. I will not bet on it, but I have a feeling that the president of BCB might have got a telephone call from Modi or some side-kick with the suggestion to teach the Bangladeshi players a lesson so that other players will think not twice but one hundred times before volunteering for ICL. After all, let us not forget that although the Twenty20 format is been played in England among the counties since 2003. In fact, they were the pioneers although it was not a commercial venture.
But in India, the background of ICL is known to all. It started when Subhas Chandra's Zee Telefilms bid for the telecast rights of the 2003 Cricket World Cup. Although the highest bid, it was not successful. In 2004 Subhas Chandra again bid for the telecast rights and ended up in an inconclusive court battle. He made another bid for the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy rights and once again lost. So its hardly surprising that he decided to go it alone. On April 3, 2007 with a kitty of Rs.100 crores he announced a break away cricket series to be called the Indian Cricket League. Let us not forget that ICL was the pioneer but it was only on January 15 this year that it was announced that a consortium consisting of India's Sony television network and Singapore-based World Sport Group secured the global broadcasting rights of the Indian Premier League of the BCCI. Since in India all the state cricket boards are affiliated to BCCI, naturally they will have to strictly comply with the directives of BCCI (read Modi).
The fact is, the different states in India hardly receive any assistance financial or technical from BCCI. This has restricted the growth and development young cricketers in India. After all, a country with a population of over a billion has hardly produced a few dozen cricketers of international standard, although cricket is like a religion in India. So who is likely to lose with the monopolistic attitude of BCCI? It will be cricket, cricketers, and the cricket viewers. Several factors have played a role in formulation of ICL which may run parallel to the current official IPL of BCCI. There is a wide disparity between the facilities enjoyed by the national team and the regional ones. This makes the regional players far from being of international standard and not fit to represent their country, preventing a huge country like India from having players ready to replace when key national players retire or are injured. Also, the regional cricket boards depend on the BCCI for infrastructure and grass root development. The BCCI being the richest cricket board has completely dominated ICC in the recent years, otherwise why the ICC should step to ban players in a tournament played in India raises questions. A meeting was held in Dubai earlier this month between the ICC President David Morgan and ICL owner Subhas Chandra to discuss about the ban on ICL.
"There is nothing wrong in that meeting. Mr. Morgan will give details of what was discussed at his meeting with Mr. Subhas Chandra at the ICC meeting," said BCCI President Shashank Manohar just hours after taking over from Sharad Pawar in Mumbai on September 27. ICC President Morgan has a reputation of being a man of principles and ethics. It is just possible that Subhas Chandra may get a fair hearing. Haroon Lorgat, the recently appointed ICC CEO is a chartered accountant from whom one can expect a "true and fair" treatment. But whether they will be able to carry the board of ICC with them remains to be seen. In the recent years, the performance of Indian cricket team has been disappointing. The question of "why can't a nation with millions of cricket players produce even a reasonably competent national eleven" has been hotly debated across newspapers and news channels. One of the answers which has gained wide acceptance is that the BCCI, the cricket control body of India, has failed miserably in its job and needs a major overhaul in its working and organisation. Millions of Indian fans who hero-worship their cricket team are finding BCCI, with its image already mired in scandal, favouritism, and political influence, an easy target to blame for this debacle. Showing some realism towards ICL ban problem, the Sri Lanka Cricket Board has lifted the ban from five of its top players who joined ICL last year.
The players have been allowed to participate in domestic cricket, representing their clubs. ICL has been subjected to all types of restrictions and prohibitions conceivable. No state is allowed to let their cricket grounds to be used by ICL. Presently, ICL has to be contained only to those grounds which are not under the discipline of BCCI. The first ICL tournament with eight teams participating had to be played in two venues located in remote areas: the Tau Devi Lal Stadium, Panchkula near Chandrigarh and the Lal Bahadur Stadium, Basheer Bagh, Hyderabad. The first phase of Season-II of ICL, featuring nine teams to be staged over four venues, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Gurgaon, and Panchkula started on October 10.
The restriction of venues is only depriving cricket match spectators all over India from watching the matches live. Why ICL and IPL cannot co-exist is quite baffling? Zafar Sobhan has admirably summarised the case for ICL in his article in The Daily Star entitled "Rebel Warriors" published on September 19.
The Indian Premier League (IPL), the multi-million-dollar, football-style, franchise-based domestic league, which Modi conceived and executed with spectacular success, has hurtled cricket to the fast lane, forcing the traditionalists to follow suit even while squirming. The tournament, first held in 2008, consolidated India's position as cricket's economic powerhouse, and consequently, its premier agenda-setter."In his Mumbai office, surrounded by tall bookshelves and autographed cricket bats, Modi sits up from his slouch and begins yelling when asked about Subhas Chandra, owner of ICL: "All of a sudden, for the first time in India, a broadcaster is coming in not because he wants to develop the game," he says. "He wants to develop the content for his channels. Every sports broadcaster knows that to survive in this country, you need cricket content."Modi responded last year by forbidding any team in the world with ICL contracted player from entering any BCCI tournament. Tony Greig, a former captain of England and ICL board member, says Modi's protests are about power:
"He doesn't like the ICL because it's encroaching on the BCCI's monopoly of cricket in India."In a recent rating of most powerful sportsman and sports organisers worldwide by an US finance magazine Modi has been rated at No. 17. Former England cricket captain Mike Atherton has called Modi "ruthless." And Lalit Modi responded by saying: "I am ruthless without doubt, otherwise we won't get [sic] where we were." Nobody expects an elected body to be so monopolistic and confrontational normally. The aggressiveness and winner takes all attitudes come from Modi. Thirteen Bangladeshi cricketers who joined ICL have been banned from all national and domestic tournaments for 10 years. I will not bet on it, but I have a feeling that the president of BCB might have got a telephone call from Modi or some side-kick with the suggestion to teach the Bangladeshi players a lesson so that other players will think not twice but one hundred times before volunteering for ICL. After all, let us not forget that although the Twenty20 format is been played in England among the counties since 2003. In fact, they were the pioneers although it was not a commercial venture.
But in India, the background of ICL is known to all. It started when Subhas Chandra's Zee Telefilms bid for the telecast rights of the 2003 Cricket World Cup. Although the highest bid, it was not successful. In 2004 Subhas Chandra again bid for the telecast rights and ended up in an inconclusive court battle. He made another bid for the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy rights and once again lost. So its hardly surprising that he decided to go it alone. On April 3, 2007 with a kitty of Rs.100 crores he announced a break away cricket series to be called the Indian Cricket League. Let us not forget that ICL was the pioneer but it was only on January 15 this year that it was announced that a consortium consisting of India's Sony television network and Singapore-based World Sport Group secured the global broadcasting rights of the Indian Premier League of the BCCI. Since in India all the state cricket boards are affiliated to BCCI, naturally they will have to strictly comply with the directives of BCCI (read Modi).
The fact is, the different states in India hardly receive any assistance financial or technical from BCCI. This has restricted the growth and development young cricketers in India. After all, a country with a population of over a billion has hardly produced a few dozen cricketers of international standard, although cricket is like a religion in India. So who is likely to lose with the monopolistic attitude of BCCI? It will be cricket, cricketers, and the cricket viewers. Several factors have played a role in formulation of ICL which may run parallel to the current official IPL of BCCI. There is a wide disparity between the facilities enjoyed by the national team and the regional ones. This makes the regional players far from being of international standard and not fit to represent their country, preventing a huge country like India from having players ready to replace when key national players retire or are injured. Also, the regional cricket boards depend on the BCCI for infrastructure and grass root development. The BCCI being the richest cricket board has completely dominated ICC in the recent years, otherwise why the ICC should step to ban players in a tournament played in India raises questions. A meeting was held in Dubai earlier this month between the ICC President David Morgan and ICL owner Subhas Chandra to discuss about the ban on ICL.
"There is nothing wrong in that meeting. Mr. Morgan will give details of what was discussed at his meeting with Mr. Subhas Chandra at the ICC meeting," said BCCI President Shashank Manohar just hours after taking over from Sharad Pawar in Mumbai on September 27. ICC President Morgan has a reputation of being a man of principles and ethics. It is just possible that Subhas Chandra may get a fair hearing. Haroon Lorgat, the recently appointed ICC CEO is a chartered accountant from whom one can expect a "true and fair" treatment. But whether they will be able to carry the board of ICC with them remains to be seen. In the recent years, the performance of Indian cricket team has been disappointing. The question of "why can't a nation with millions of cricket players produce even a reasonably competent national eleven" has been hotly debated across newspapers and news channels. One of the answers which has gained wide acceptance is that the BCCI, the cricket control body of India, has failed miserably in its job and needs a major overhaul in its working and organisation. Millions of Indian fans who hero-worship their cricket team are finding BCCI, with its image already mired in scandal, favouritism, and political influence, an easy target to blame for this debacle. Showing some realism towards ICL ban problem, the Sri Lanka Cricket Board has lifted the ban from five of its top players who joined ICL last year.
The players have been allowed to participate in domestic cricket, representing their clubs. ICL has been subjected to all types of restrictions and prohibitions conceivable. No state is allowed to let their cricket grounds to be used by ICL. Presently, ICL has to be contained only to those grounds which are not under the discipline of BCCI. The first ICL tournament with eight teams participating had to be played in two venues located in remote areas: the Tau Devi Lal Stadium, Panchkula near Chandrigarh and the Lal Bahadur Stadium, Basheer Bagh, Hyderabad. The first phase of Season-II of ICL, featuring nine teams to be staged over four venues, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Gurgaon, and Panchkula started on October 10.
The restriction of venues is only depriving cricket match spectators all over India from watching the matches live. Why ICL and IPL cannot co-exist is quite baffling? Zafar Sobhan has admirably summarised the case for ICL in his article in The Daily Star entitled "Rebel Warriors" published on September 19.
The Nobel Peace Prize
The Nobel Prize for Peace this year has been won by a man who has for three decades made it his particular business to put out forest fires in some of the worst of global trouble spots. Martti Ahtisaari, by all calculations, should have come by the award years ago. But, as the recent 
example of Jimmy Carter shows, men who deserve the prize at particular points in their lives must wait until such time when corrective measures are taken. There are, again, all the tales of people who should have won the Nobel but never did.Ahtisaari has been deeply involved with neutralising such crises as those that have left lives mutilated in Namibia, Indonesia and Kosovo. The unique aspect of Ahtisaari's efforts to make the world a safer place is that where other winners of the prize have been focused on single areas or single themes, he has straddled continents in his desire to see disturbed lives return to being normal.
which the former Finnish president cites as the highlight of his career, remains a symbol of the steadfastness and resilience with which he has worked. In the event, it took a decade for Namibia to find a way out of its bind. But when it eventually gained freedom in 1990, Ahtisaari could justifiably take pride in his contribution to the decline of colonialism. If Namibia was the beginning, Ahtisaari's efforts towards peace in Indonesia's rebellious Aceh province was a mid-point crisis he was finally able to resolve when Jakarta and the Free Aceh Movement reached a satisfactory deal.
His work in Northern Ireland, especially with regard to IRA arms inspections, was one more feather in his cap. But there was disappointment in Kosovo, where political intransigence came in the way of a solution to the crisis.
The Nobel Peace Prize this year has gone to one who has deserved it enormously. Martti Ahtisaari is a potent living symbol of peacemaking in an increasingly troubled world.
example of Jimmy Carter shows, men who deserve the prize at particular points in their lives must wait until such time when corrective measures are taken. There are, again, all the tales of people who should have won the Nobel but never did.Ahtisaari has been deeply involved with neutralising such crises as those that have left lives mutilated in Namibia, Indonesia and Kosovo. The unique aspect of Ahtisaari's efforts to make the world a safer place is that where other winners of the prize have been focused on single areas or single themes, he has straddled continents in his desire to see disturbed lives return to being normal. which the former Finnish president cites as the highlight of his career, remains a symbol of the steadfastness and resilience with which he has worked. In the event, it took a decade for Namibia to find a way out of its bind. But when it eventually gained freedom in 1990, Ahtisaari could justifiably take pride in his contribution to the decline of colonialism. If Namibia was the beginning, Ahtisaari's efforts towards peace in Indonesia's rebellious Aceh province was a mid-point crisis he was finally able to resolve when Jakarta and the Free Aceh Movement reached a satisfactory deal.
His work in Northern Ireland, especially with regard to IRA arms inspections, was one more feather in his cap. But there was disappointment in Kosovo, where political intransigence came in the way of a solution to the crisis.
The Nobel Peace Prize this year has gone to one who has deserved it enormously. Martti Ahtisaari is a potent living symbol of peacemaking in an increasingly troubled world.
Graft trials stuck in stay
10 fast-track courts go into hibernation as most cases stayed by HC
The bustling special court area near Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban suddenly turns barren with the High Court staying most of the corruption cases against mostly political leaders. Photo: SK Enamul HaqIt was late in the morning. Some people were having chitchat over the dos and don'ts of a trip to the riverside, forest or the hilly areas where the indigenous people live."You better go to the Gazni forest in Sherpur or Birisiri in Netrakona. From Gazni you can have a look at the faraway hills and you'll see the marvellous beauty of the Kangso river and the Garo Pahar in Birisiri," suggested one of them."Try to grab an opportunity to see the ghost in Gazni forest," one passed the comment, while another protested, "Don't waste your time! There is no ghost there! You can find countless such stories. But that place is really beautiful and worth going on a trip."This was the scenario of a special court office room on Monday where staffs from different courts gathered and were guiding a colleague for the next vacation.But the irony is that even a few months ago the same staffs could not have a minute to relax due to excess pressure of graft cases.
The bustling special court area near Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban suddenly turns barren with the High Court staying most of the corruption cases against mostly political leaders. Photo: SK Enamul HaqIt was late in the morning. Some people were having chitchat over the dos and don'ts of a trip to the riverside, forest or the hilly areas where the indigenous people live."You better go to the Gazni forest in Sherpur or Birisiri in Netrakona. From Gazni you can have a look at the faraway hills and you'll see the marvellous beauty of the Kangso river and the Garo Pahar in Birisiri," suggested one of them."Try to grab an opportunity to see the ghost in Gazni forest," one passed the comment, while another protested, "Don't waste your time! There is no ghost there! You can find countless such stories. But that place is really beautiful and worth going on a trip."This was the scenario of a special court office room on Monday where staffs from different courts gathered and were guiding a colleague for the next vacation.But the irony is that even a few months ago the same staffs could not have a minute to relax due to excess pressure of graft cases.
Most of them had to work even in holidays.The scene at the special courts has just altered with everyone having plenty of leisure and almost nothing to do. This is because all the 10 special courts have only 33 cases pending with 89 cases already stayed by the High Court.Though the courts had 122 cases till Monday for disposal, most of those have been stalled following HC stay orders.The caretaker government set up the ten special courts after the launch of the anti-graft drive in February last year.As many as 244 cases were sent to the courts for trial. Of those, verdict has been delivered in 122 cases, while most of the rest were stayed at different stages -- some before charge framing, some after charge framing and others just before delivery of verdict.The work pressure has been reduced so much that all the ten courts and their several hundred staffs now stay almost idle except for doing some routine wor