New Zealand Declines to Play in Kenya

          SYDNEY: New Zealand has declared that it will not play its World Cup match in Kenya because of security fears. As a result, the team may have to forfeit the pool B match that is to be played on February 21. The decision was announced in Wellington on Friday after a day-long meeting of the New Zealand Cricket Board following an ICC ruling that two Cup matches planned for Nairobi should proceed. New Zealand now faces censure and possible financial penalty for its rejection of the ICC directive.

India, Thailand Join Hands to Curb Global Terrorism

          BANGKOK: India and Thailand have decided to set up a committee to exchange information about terrorists and cooperate in fighting international terrorism. The two countries also decided to join hands in economic and security matters. This was disclosed by Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra after a breakfast meeting with the visiting Indian Deputy Prime Minister LK Advani here on Friday.

          Advani, who is here on a three-day official visit, held wide-ranging talks with the Thai premier. He raised the issue of cross-border terrorism faced by India. He is also understood to have stressed the need for bilateral cooperation on providing mutual legal assistance and having extradition treaty in the shortest possible time.

          Discussions were also held on bilateral cooperation in areas of trade, industry, information technology, science and technology and tourism, the sources said, adding there are at least 26 joint ventures functioning in the two countries.

Tension at Bangla Border over Illegal Migrants (Go To Top)

          COOCH BEHAR (West Bengal): Tension along the Indo-Bangladesh border areas in north Bengal is rising following India's decision to identify Bangladeshi migrants who have illegally crossed over to Indian territory.

           On Thursday night Bangladesh Rifles ( BDR ) attempted to push 80 to 100 Bangladeshi nationals into Indian territory near Satgachia village in district Cooch Behar. The Indian Border Security Force intercepted the BDR move, according to well-placed sources. The BDR alleges that the BSF is pushing Indian Muslims into Bangladesh in the guise of repatriating illegal Bangladeshi migrants.

          There are well established formulae and norms worked out between the Bangladesh border guards and the mafia which controls the flow of humans. What is new is that the Indian side has become more vigilant and proactive in its response and the BDR is now reacting to it with vengeance.

US Labels Lashkar-i-Jhangvi as Terrorist Group (Go To Top)

          WASHINGTON: The US has declared Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, a Sunni extremist group, as a foreign terrorist organisation. It is blamed for several assassinations, including that of journalist Daniel Pearl. The decision was announced in the Federal Register, a gazette of US Government business and by the State Department on Thursday, according to the Nation.

           Lashkar-i-Jhangvi is responsible for numerous deadly attacks, and its involvement in the January 2002 kidnapping and killing of Pearl has been confirmed. Jhangvi had also claimed responsibility for the 1997 killing of four American oil workers in Karachi. Further, it attempted to kill the then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in 1999.

Journalist Shot Dead in Srinagar Office (Go To Top)

          SRINAGAR: The editor of a local news agency was shot dead at his office-cum-residence here on Friday. Two unidentified gunmen, suspected to be militants, entered Parvaz Mohammed Sultan's room on the pretext of discussing some matter with him and shot the scribe from point-blank range, official sources said. The assailants fled and the victim, running after them, collapsed on the road and died.

Uddhav Enthroned as Sena Working President (Go To Top)

          MUMBAI: : Uddhav Thackeray was coronated as the working president of Shiv Sena at a well-attended ceremony in Goregaon on Friday.

Seven Years' RI for Hiten Dalal, Three Others (Go To Top)

          NEW DELHI: Leading stock-broker Hiten Dalal and three others have been convicted by a special court in Mumbai and sentenced to seven years of rigorous imprisonment for bungling in Canbank Mutual Funds. The court in Mumbai on Friday sentenced Dalal, another stock-broker Awaid Narrattom, the then assistant general manager of Canbank, Anil Narichnya and an offficial of Bank of Karrad, CS Raje, besides slapping a fine of Rs 30,000 each, a CBI spokesman said. The four were found guilty of bungling in the mutual fund issue of the Canbank which came to light in early 1990s.

10 Bangla Cricketers Killed in Road Accident (Go To Top)

          DHAKA: Ten young cricketers were killed when the bus they were travelling in veered off the road and fell into a ditch early on Friday. Five other players and officials were injured. The tragedy took place in Chittagong city, 216 km south-east of here. The players were going to take part in a local tournament, the police said. One player died on the spot and nine others succumbed to injuries in Chittagong Medical College Hospital.

18 Die in Bomb Blast on Afghan Bridge (Go To Top)

          KABUL: A powerful bomb destroyed a bridge outside the city of Kandahar on Friday, killing 18 people travelling in a bus, a report in the News said. Only two passengers survived the explosion on Rambasi bridge, about 10 km south of Kandahar.

-ANI