Archives

Victory for India in Dhaka

          Dhaka, Apr 11: India defeated Bangladesh on Friday by a massive 200 runs in the opening match of the TVS Cup tri-series being played here. Replying to a target of 277, the hosts were bowled out for a miserable 76 runs in just 27.3 overs. Zaheer Khan picked up four wickets and Ajit Agarkar three. Electing to bat, India were all out for 276, with man-of-the matchYuvraj Singh making his maiden century in one-day internationals. He remained unbeaten on 102.

No more wars, Germany warns US

          London, Apr 11: German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has cautioned against any new war after the conflict in Iraq, indircetly warning the United States. "I caution against a repetition," he said in an interview with RTL television in Berlin, saying there was "no cause" to speculate over a new reason for war, reports Dawn. US Secretary of State Colin Powell tried earlier on Thursday to assuage fears in Damascus and Teheran that Washington might be planning action against them too, saying recent US warnings did not mean that "war is coming". His conciliatory tone came hours after US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld accused Syria of helping the remnants of the Iraqi government.

Mosul, Baghdad witness large-scale looting (Go To Top)

          Baghdad, Apr 11: Looting is the order of the day in the main northern Iraqi city of Mosul after the nation's army abandoned it to US-backed Kurdish fighters. Television pictures showed people picking up banknotes from the street, and beds, furniture and even a roof-top air-conditioning unit being stripped from buildings and carried away, reports BBC. A central market was set on fire and pictures of the ousted Iraqi President Saddam Hussein were defaced.

           Kurdish fighters set up roadblocks, while columns of Iraqi soldiers were seen flooding out of the city. The US military says the entire 5th Corps of the Iraqi army has surrendered. US special forces are also said to have entered Mosul. Baghdad too has fallen prey to gangs of armed looters who have raided government buildings, shops, private homes and even hospitals. The American troops on the streets are apparently doing nothing to deter the mobs, and many residents have resorted to barricading themselves in their homes for protection.

           The developments in Mosul came a day after Kurdish fighters swept in unopposed to the other main city in the area, oil-rich Kirkuk. Turkey, which was deeply concerned about the move, now says Kurdish forces have begun withdrawing from the city. According to correspondents, American control over Kirkuk and Mosul will open up more avenues from which to attack Tikrit, whose people are bound to Saddam Hussein by tribal ties and are expected to put up fierce resistance.

          The US military, meanwhile, is issuing coalition forces with "playing cards" portraying 55 key individuals from the former Iraqi leadership whom it wants to see captured or confirmed dead Two Iraqi children were killed and nine other civilians injured after US marines opened fire on a vehicle approaching a checkpoint in the southern town of Nasiriya.

George supports Sinha's statement on pre-emptive strike (Go To Top)

          Barmer (Rajasthan), Apr 11: Undeterred by the sharp criticism it evoked, Defence Minister George Fernandes on Friday supported Foreign Minister Yashwant Sinha's statement that there is a stronger case for military action against Pakistan than Iraq. Asked whether he would still approve of pre-emptive strikes against rebel camps based in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, Fernandes said he saw nothing wrong with it.

           "Whatever statement he (Yashwant Sinha) gave was right. There is nothing wrong in it. I support his statement," Fernandes told reporters after visiting forward army units in Barmer city bordering Pakistan. Sinha had said Pakistan possessed weapons of mass destruction, a reason cited by Washington to wage war on Iraq, and harboured terror groups. The statement caused consternation in Washington and drew sharp reaction from Islamabad.

Pak N-programmes to be expedited: Musharraf (Go To Top)

          Lahore, Apr 11: Pakistan will expedite its atomic and missile programmes for defence which it needs to counteract similar programmes in India. President Pervez Musharraf made this announcement while addressing a grand representative tribal Jirga at the Governor's House in Peshawar on Thursday. "Pakistan's strategic assets are safe and we know how to defend them," he pointed out, reports the News.

           Referring to the present government's achievements, he said: "We are rightly proud of being architects of strong economy and stable foreign policy during the last three years." Musharraf also said the world in general and the region in particular were passing through crisis. "We have to struggle constantly for our defence and strong economy, failing which we will be destroyed," he commented.

VC Shukla quits Congress, joins NCP (Go To Top)

          Mumbai, Apr 11: Veteran Congress leader Vidya Charan Shukla who, along with his brother Shyama Charan, was believed to be the party's anchor in the tribe-dominated area of Chhattisgarh, today resigned from Congress on Friday to join the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party.

          The NCP was formed more than three years ago on the point of opposition to a "Prime Minister of foreign origin" by a section of Congress leaders. The leader of the faction, Sharad Pawar, was visibly happy as he announced the entry of Vidya Charan Shukla in to his party. Shukla will now lead the party in Chhattisgarh for the forthcoming Assembly Elections due in the month of November. He, who has been associated with the Indian National

           Congress since the era of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, has worked with all the big leaders like Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. But in his resignation to the party president Sonia Gandhi, he has openly expressed his dissent against the party.

          The new state of Chhattisgarh, which was born on November 1, 2000 has a 90- member Assembly comprising 48 members from the Congress, 36 from the Bharatiya Janata Party and three from Bahujan Samaj Party. However, it was not clear how many local MLAs or leaders from Chhattisgarh would be following Shukla. His supporters are expected to follow suit and the party will be conducting a "Mahasammelen" in Chhattisgarh on the 4 May.

Kalam's autobiography released in China (Go To Top)

          Beijing, Apr 11: The Chinese translation of President APJ Abdul Kalam's autobiography 'Wings of Fire' has been released here, it was reported on Friday. The book reflects the growing cultural ties between India and China. Sources said the book was well received by the Chinese readers and would generate good response. The autobiography has been a best-seller in India. At the book release function on Thursday, Chinese Deputy Minister of the International Department of the Central Committee Cai Wu, said the publication of the book in Chinese will be another milestone in the cultural exchanges between the two countries.

          Speaking on the occasion, Indian ambassador to China, Shivshankar Menon, said that Dr Kalam's autobiography was written and published before his elevation as the 11th President of India. It says a great deal about the man and his work.

Delhi Police grills Hurriyat chairman (Go To Top)

          Srinagar, Apr 11: A Delhi Police team interrogated All- Party Hurriyat Conference chairman Abdul Ghani Bhat here following disclosure by a separatist leader that he had been receiving money from Pakistan High Commission. The questioning took place on Thursday evening at Bhat's residence. It lasted for about an hour, sources said.

          It may be recalled that during interrogation, the recently arrested separatist leader Zamrooda Habib had disclosed that Bhat had been receiving funds from the Pakistan mission. She was arrested in February from outside Pakistan High Comission along with Delhi-based spokesman of Hurriyat, Shabbir Dar. Bhat said the police interrogated him as his name figured in the FIR following Habib's arrest. He, however, declined to give details.

Tripura separatists kidnap nine bank employees (Go To Top)

          Agartala, Apr 11: Suspected separatist rebels in Tripura ambushed a vehicle and kidnapped at least nine employees of a rural bank on Thursday. Two people, a bank manager and the driver of the vehicle, who were critically injured in the attack have been admitted to a hospital in Agartala. "The bank manager was critically injured while being kidnapped and another panchayat (local administration) personnel have been kidnapped. Total number must be probably approximately 10-11," said said Pavitra Kar, the state's information minister.

           The driver of the vehicle said they were fired upon by outlawed NLFT (National Liberation Front of Tripura) rebels while they were on their way to Agartala from Jampoijala village. "There were 11 people in the vehicle. Around 10 militants fired at us with their guns and I was injured. They hit me with a stick and a gun and then took me inside the jungle," he said. Local reports said the rebels have let off three of the abducted people. The police have launched a massive search operation.

Meghalaya police seize Taliban arms from ULFA hideout (Go To Top)

          Shillong, Apr 11: Meghalaya police claimed to have seized a huge cache of arms and ammunition used by the Taliban militia in Afghanistan. The arms were recovered during a raid on a ULFA hideout in West Garo Hills district, it was reported on Friday. Police said the seizure established ULFA's links with the Taliban. The raid was conducted at an ULFA hideout in Rongdupara under Phulbari police station late on Thursday.

           The ammunition recovered included 11 big shoulder-borne rockets, one AK 56 rifle, thousands of medium machine gun ammunition and two communication sets. Police later claimed that about 15 ULFA cadres were sent to Afghanistan to be trained by the Taliban. They further said that the Afghan militia had shifted their base and storehouse to Meghalaya after facing pressure mounted against them by Bhutan and Bangladesh. This was the second such arms seizure in the state within a week. On April 8 an AK assault rifle, 96 grenades, explosives suspected to be RDX, two wireless sets and other ammunitions were recovered from the same area after an ULFA militant was killed in an encounter.

PWG Naxalites release kidnapped cops (Go To Top)

          Hyderabad, Apr 11: The Naxalites belonging to the People's War Group on Friday freed, reportedly under public pressure, the three policemen they had abducted more than a week ago from Prakasam district. Charu Sinha, DSP, said sub-inspector P. Anjaneyulu, assistant sub-inspector M. Subba Rao and constable S. Brahamaih reached Markapur police station at 6.30 a.m.

           The guerrillas had kidnapped in total four policemen on April 2 while they were returning from duty. One of them, Home Guard Babu Rao, was released the same day. They then set a 48-hour deadline asking the government to fulfil their demands, which included freedom for some Naxalites languishing in various jails and withdrawal of POTA cases against a few of them. However, it is not yet clear if the state government had given in and fulfilled their demands before they freed the policemen.

Ramnavami celebrated, devotees throng temples (Go To Top)

          New Delhi, Apr 11: The Hindu community across the country celebrated the festival of "Ramnavami" as the nine-day Navratra festivities concluded on Friday. In New Delhi, the devouts, both young and old, started thronging the temples since early morning with offerings of sweets, flowers and fruits. "Lord Rama was born today in Ayodhya. Hindus across the country celebrate his birthday with much fervour," said Ambika Prasad, a temple priest. Ramnavami is also one of the most important festivals of the Vaishnava sect.

           On this day, temples are decorated and the idols of Lord Rama, his consort Sita and his brother Lakshman, are richly adorned. The festival falls on the ninth day of the "moonlit fortnight" in March-April. Most people consider it auspicious.

38 Indian fishermen detained (Go To Top)

          Karachi, Apr 11: The Maritime Security Agency has arrested 38 more Indian fishermen and detained their 11 boats for allegedly fishing in Pakistani territorial waters illegally. Confirming the arrests, an MSA official told Dawn that they were handed over to Docks Police for further action. Earlier, the MSA had apprehended 15 Indian fishermen on the same charge. The fresh arrests have brought the number of detained Indian fishermen to more than 50 in a series of such action.