Archives

10 more fall to rebel tribals' bullets in Tripura

          Agartala, May 8: A banned tribal outfit shot dead 10 people in Tripura, barely 12 hours after 21 people were gunned down by another gang. Eyewitnesses said the insurgents from the National Liberation Front of Tripura, dressed in military fatigues, raided Moharchhora market in the West Tripura district on Wednesday and opened indiscriminate fire, killing ten people. (Contd)

GSLV-D2 launched, satellite put into geosynchronous orbit

          Sriharikota, May 8: India on Thursday successfully launched its most powerful rocket capable of placing a satellite in geo-stationary orbit, on its second developmental flight. The Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-D2) blasted off carrying a 1,800-kg experimental communication satellite GSAT-2. The launch took place at southern Sriharikota, 100 km from Chennai on the east coast, at 4.58 pm. (Contd)

India doesn't accept Pak proposal of de-nuclearisation: PM

          New Delhi, May 8: Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has said that Pakistan's proposal of de-nuclearisation is not acceptable to India because "Pakistan's nuclear programme is India- specific". He further said, "this is not so in our case. We are concerned as to what's happening in our other neighbouring countries also. We are not Pakistan-specific." Citing another reason for not accepting Pakistan's proposal, Vajpayee said, "we have declared that we will not attack first. But Pakistan has never said even a word about it."

          The Prime Minister made these statements while responding to questions from members of Lok Sabha during a discussion on Indo- Pak relations. He said, "We do not intend to buy deadly weapons, or spend much on the defence. But whenever the country's independence would be at stake, we will use every possible resource to save its territorial intergity." In his inimitable style, Vajpayee said, "Keeping in mind the past experiences, I will be extra-cautious in dealing with Pakistan this time." Refusing to accept his criticism by the Opposition for failure of Lahore bus journey and then the Agra summit, he said, "We were well prepared for both the events. We safeguarded national interest on both the occasions, and did not allow Pakistan to win debate over Kashmir."

           The Prime Minister added that government's efforts had borne fruit insofar as generating international support over Kashmir issue was concerned. "Today the international community has clearly understood that Pakistan is involved in encouraging terrorism in Kashmir." Referring to his recent telephonic conversation with Pakistani Prime Minister Mir Zafarrulah Khan Jamali, he said, "I told him in clear terms that cross-border terrorism must stop. He said his own countrymen were also facing the same menace." About the last Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, Vajpayee, said "the people of Jammu and Kashmir have proved that they support India, and not militancy. In a way they disproved Pakistan's designs regarding Kashmir."

Armitage cautiously optimistic about Indo-Pak peace process (Go To Top)

          Islamabad, May 8: US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage said on Thursday that he saw a dialogue between India and Pakistan was beginning to emerge but he was cautiously optimistic about the process. He told a news conference after talks with Pakistani leaders in Islamabad that he was encouraged by recent exchanges by the two Prime Ministers, the first high-level contacts in more than a year. "Time will tell. I will pronounce myself as cautiously optimistic about the beginning of what might be a very good process. Seems to be a certain confidence in Pakistan and India about the ability to address all aspects of a relationship. And I think that's a very good basis on which it will move forward," said Armitage.

           He had earlier met President Pervez Musharraf, and also held talks with Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali and Foreign Minister Mian Khursheed Mehmood Kasuri. Armitage will go to Afghanistan and India on Friday. His mission to South Asia comes after a series of reciprocal steps to ease tension between Pakistan and India but also mounting concern over security in Afghanistan more than 18 months after the US- led military campaign to oust the ruling Taliban. Armitage said infiltrations into Jammu and Kashmir were down compared to last year and added he was assured by President Musharraf that terrorist camps, if any in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, would be removed.

          Just hours before Armitage landed in Islamabad on Wednesday, India said it had hoped Pakistan would do more to end what it calls cross-border terrorism in Kashmir. But there has been a spurt in violence in J and K despite an ice-breaking phone conversation last week. The countries have also announced plans to restore travel links as a confidence-building prelude to talks, but Pakistan has continued to insist Kashmir be at the core of any talks, while India insists it be just one agenda subject. Armitage said he would try to encourage the India-Pakistan thaw but stressed the United States did not see itself as a mediator.

India rejects US request to expel Iraqi diplomats (Go To Top)

          New Delhi, May 8: India will not, despite US request, expel three Iraqi diplomats from New Delhi since there is no evidence of their involvement in activities incompatible with their status. Minister of State for External Affairs Digvijay Singh gave this information in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday. According to him, Washington made the request on the ground of perceived threat from them to US diplomatic personnel and facilities in India. Meanwhile, Minister of State Vinod Khanna informed the House that India had already announced a contribution of 20 million dollars in cash and kind, including 50,000 tonnes of wheat, as humanitarian assistance to Iraq in response to a UN emergency appeal.

Sars global toll goes beyond 500 (Go To Top)

          Beijing, May 8: The global death toll from Sars crossed the 500-mark on Thursday after China reported five more deaths from the epidemic, according to the News. The Health Ministry said 146 more people had been infected, taking the number of cases to 4,698, the bulk of the world's total, while deaths totalled 224. Shanghai, China's commercial capital, reported its first death due to severe acute respiratory syndrome on Thursday. The WHO extended its Sars-related travel warning on to the city of Tianjin and the province of Inner Mongolia as well as to Taipei, capital of Taiwan. Meanwhile, four more Sars patients have died in Hong Kong, bringing the toll to 208, while new cases remained in the single digits at just seven, the health officials said, the newspaper added.

31 tourists die in coach-train collision in Hungary (Go To Top)

          London, May 8: Thirty-one passengers aboard a German double-decker tourist coach were killed when the vehicle was sliced into half by a train in central Hungary on Thursday, reports the News quoting a foreign news agency. The coach was hit as it crossed a railway line near Siofok on the shores of Lake Balaton, Hungary's leading tourist area, according to a police spokesman. There were no reports of serious injuries to passengers on the train. Meanwhile, head of Hungary's national disaster department was quoted as telling the local radio that it appeared the coach had tried to cross the railway line despite hazard lights warning of an oncoming train. The coach was dragged some 150 metres down the track and torn in half by the collision. Thirty ambulances and four emergency service helicopters ferried the injured to nearby hospitals, it was reported.

Raja Bhaiya, his father and MLC chargesheeted (Go To Top)

          Kanpur, May 8: Chargesheets have been filed by the police against POTA detenues Raja Bhaiya, an Independent UP legislator, his father and an MLC in a court here. The investigating officer on Thursday submitted a copy of the 100-page chargesheet to the counsel of Raja Bhaiya, his father Udai Pratap Singh and legislator Akshay Pratap Singh who raised certain objections to it. The District and Sessions Judge and designated POTA court, hearing the case in the Kanpur Central Jail where the legislator is lodged, fixed May 23 for hearing the preliminary objections raised by the defence. Udai Pratap Singh was brought here from Pratapgarh jail and Akshay Pratap Singh from Mirzapur jail amidst tight security for production before the court.

Mass closure of Mumbai cinema halls next week (Go To Top)

          Mumbai, May 8: More than 100 cinema houses in this city plan to down their shutters indefinitely from next week to protest against a host of taxes levied by the state government. The strike will also close more than 850 cinemas across Maharashtra from May 16 if the government does not lower the taxes in a business already hit by a sharp fall in audiences. The president of Cinematograph Exhibitors' Association, Nester D'Souza, said the tax would cripple their operations completely. "We have decided to close down our operations for one simple reason. The taxes are so heavy that we cannot run our operations and it is not economical for us to carry on in this manner. We have been asking the government for the last one to two years to give us relief and meet our genuine needs, but apparently they don't listen. We have decided enough is enough," said D'Souza addressing the reporters in Mumbai.

          The government levies an entertainment tax of 60 per cent, which exhibitors say is too steep at a time when the industry is facing losses. They want the tax to be cut by half. Cinema owners who are burdened with a range of taxes including show tax, advertising tax and property tax may have to suffer a loss of Rs 600 crore per week with the closing of halls. Theatre owners said that with almost all the mega budget movies falling flat at the box office, the industry has exhausted all means of getting revenues.

Pakistan wants a billion dollars in US aid (Go To Top)

          Islamabad, May 8: Pakistan is seeking a one billion-dollar aid package from the United States, including 400 million dollars in budgetary support, for health, education and poverty alleviation in 2004. Sources told Dawn that the government also expected to get 200 million dollars under the USAID programme, besides 150 million dollars as cash grant. In addition, there will be separate financial support likely to be offered by the Bush administration as part of the military assistance programme for limited use of military bases in Pakistan. This assistance will cover funding to the Interior Ministry to help control narcotics and terrorist activities.

          The newspaper added that the Asian Development Bank has approved 3.4 million dollars in assistance for Pakistan to promote access to health services and nutrition for the poor, particularly marginalized women and children. Quoting a press release, the daily informed that the grant comes from ADB's Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction. The project will be carried out in six districts - three in Sindh (Badin, Shikarpur and Mirpur Khas), two in Balochistan (Panjur and Khuzdar), and one in NWFP (Dera Ismail Khan). It will promote mechanisms such as cost sharing with communities, collective community transport arrangements with links to other health services, child development and nutrition interventions through families and community-based learning centres, and performance and poverty impact-based budget allocations to local government.

Roger Moore collapses during stage show (Go To Top)

          Washington, May 8: Roger Moore, mostly known for his role as James Bond, collapsed during a stage show on Wednesday night, but hardly anyone noticed. The audience at first thought the collapse - which came during a song-and-dance number on New York's Broadway - was part of the show. But the horror on fellow-actors' faces quickly showed it was a real health scare. Movie legend Moore, 75, was later rushed to hospital surrounded by paramedics with an oxygen mask over his mouth. One theatre-goer was quoted by the Sun as saying: "At first everybody thought it was part of the storyline. It wasn't until the other actors dashed over to help that we all knew it was serious. A terrible silence then fell over the theatre."

          Four-times married Moore was playing a cameo role in the Morecambe and Wise tribute, the 'Play What I Wrote', which is directed by fellow Brit Kenneth Branagh. Halfway through the second act, while Moore was dancing and singing wearing a can-can dress, he fell to the stage of the Lyceum Theatre. The two other stars of the show, Sean Foley and Hamish McColl, looked on in horror. The star managed to struggle on through the last ten minutes of the show wearing a lederhosen outfit. At the end of the matinee performance, an ambulance was waiting at the back of the theatre. Moore was pushed out by paramedics - still wearing his comic Alpine costume - and taken to the St Luke's and Roosevelt Hospital in Manhattan. He was admitted to the emergency room where doctors treated him for respiratory problems. A spokeswoman said: "Our doctors are looking at him now and his condition is stable."

US repeats warnings against travel to Saudi Arabia (Go To Top)
-by Ioannis Solomou

          Nicosia, May 8: The United States officials renewed warnings to American citizens against travel to Saudi Arabia, following the wounding by a gunman, possibly a Saudi naval cadet, of a US defence contractor in the King Abdul Aziz naval air base last week. The State Department urged Americans to postpone unnecessary trips to the kingdom. The department said insurgents are planning to attack US interests in the Arab country. "The Department of State warns US citizens to defer non- essential travel to Saudi Arabia," the advisory said. "Information indicates that terrorist groups may be in the final phases of planning attacks against US interests in Saudi Arabia. There is no information regarding the possible target."

          The attack on the defence contractor came almost immediately after a similar warning by the US embassy in Riyadh about imminent attacks on American targets in the country. In recent months there has been a string of shooting attacks against employees of Western defence contractors in Saudi Arabia, including the fatal shooting of a British man at a traffic light in Riyadh. A large percentage of Saudi population strongly resents the presence of Americans and other people from Western countries in their country where some of the holiest places of worship of Muslims are found.

10 more fall to rebel tribals' bullets in Tripura (Go To Top)

          (Contd) Four people, including a woman, were injured. Most of the victims were non-tribals. Eight people died on the spot while two succumbed to injuries on their way to the hospital. "Around four or five people came. They were in the uniform of Assam Rifles. They started firing. We ran off from the place. Around eight people were killed," said Dilip Debnath, an eye- witness whose brother was killed in the attack. Police have launched massive search operations in the area. Earlier, members of the banned All Tripura Tiger Force raided Simnachara, 25 km north of Agartala, and killed 21 people. Shops remained closed and streets were deserted as Agartala city observed a 24-hour shutdown on Thursday to protest the killing of civilians by tribal guerrillas. The NLFT and All Tripura Tiger Force are fighting for a separate homeland for Tripura's minority tribes people.

Two Bodo guerrilla leaders in police custody (Go To Top)

          Guawahati, May 8: A local court in Guwahati has remanded two senior rebel leaders to 14 days of police custody for running an extortion racket. Indra Mohan Basumatary and Sunil Brahma of the banned National Democratic Front of Bodoland were arrested by the Kolkata police on April 30.

           Most of the rebel outfits in the north-east extort money from industrialists, mainly tea plantation owners, to run their organisataions, say the police. Brahma admitted that they had negotiated a Rs 10-lakh deal with McNeill and Magor Tea Company at their head office in Kolkata. "First we had a negotiation with their (McMillan and Magor Tea Company) finance secretary and I had gone to their (office) for some work. We had demanded 10 lakh (1 million) rupees," Brahma said. The firm owns six tea gardens in Darrang and Sonitpur districts of Assam.

          The NDFB has been fighting for a separate country for ethnic Bodo people who make up about 13 per cent of the state's population. In fact, India's tea-rich north-east is home to dozens of guerrilla groups demanding independence or greater autonomy and accuse the Central authorities of plundering the region's natural resources and flooding the area with outsiders.

GSLV-D2 launched, satellite put into geosynchronous orbit (Go To Top)

          (Contd) Nearly 17 minutes after the lift-off, the GSAT-2 satellite was successfully injected into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) of 180 km perigee (nearest point to earth) and 36,000 km apogee (farthest point to earth). After going into the GTO, the GSAT-2 will be taken to its final geo-stationary orbit by firing the liquid apogee motor in phases.

          GSAT-2 carries four C-band transponders, two Ku-band transponders and a Mobile Satellite Service payload. Besides the communication payloads, the GSAT-2 also carries four piggyback experimental payloads like Total Radiation Dose Monitor, Surface Charge Monitor, Solar X-ray spectrometre and Coherent Radio Beacon Experiment. The project has the objective of acquiring launch capability for Geo-synchronous satellites or satellites which would remain stationary above a fixed point on earth. The first developmental flight (GSLV-D1) was successfully conducted on April 18, 2001 with a payload of 1,540 kg, the GSAT- 1 experimental satellite. The higher payload of the GSLV-D2 has been achieved by incorporating enhanced propellant loading in core solid motor, high pressure engine in liquid propellant strap-on motors and in second stage of the vehicle, and optimisation of structural elements. A key aspect of the GSLV is its use of a Russian cryogenic engine that uses liquid hydrogen as a fuel in the final third stage that helps place the satellite in a geostationary or sun-synchronous orbit as high as 36,000 km in space.

           The GSLV is a successor to the PSLV or Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). With GSLV, India has joined the elite group with the United States, Russia, Japan, China and the European Space Agency which can all hoist hefty communication satellites deep in space. ISRO is also developing its own cryogenic engine which would eventually replace the Russian engines. Experts say the GSLV would be big boots to ISRO's capability and replace costlier foreign launch services. The programme was launched in 1990 with a 14-billion rupee budget. India's decades-old space programme has in the past relied heavily on France's Arianspace group to put its satellites into space.