Karzai
removes key rivals, swears in new cabinet
Kabul:
Signalling a clear departure from the past, Afghanistan's
President Hamid Karzai today swore in a new cabinet that
appears reformist in its composition and character. Oath
of office and secreacy was administered to 23 of the 27
ministers that Karzai had named late on Thursday, a little
over a fortnight after he became the first democratically-elected
leader of the war-ravaged country. Interior Minister Ali
Ahmed Jalali and Commerce Minister Hedayat Amin Asala were
abroad while Urban Development Minister Yusuf Pashtun and
Mohammed Sediq, Minister for Mines and Industry, were absent.
Leaders of powerful regional factions were sidelined from
the new cabinet.
Late
on Thursday, the waiting ended when a government official
read the list in deadpan style on state television. As expected,
Defence Minister Mohammad Qasim Fahim was removed and replaced
by Rahim Wardak, an ethnic Pashtun and a former army general
who received military training in the US. Karzai also excluded
Younis Qanuni, the runner-up in the presidential poll. After
winning the October 9 poll, Karzai was expected to weed
out military figures and bring in people with the education
and experience in a move aimed at reassuring Afghanistan's
Western donors. Apart from educational qualifications, the
new regime's emphasis was also on not allowing any person
with dual nationality to be a member of the cabinet. It
was clearly stated that any such person would have to renounce
citizenship of their second country to be eligible. Earlier,
Karzai was compelled to include several powerful regional
military leaders in his first cabinet in view of the chaotic
security situation after 2001, when the US ousted the ruling
Taliban and the Al Qaeda network it protected as part of
its war on terror.
Nepal
blockade enters second day (Go
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Kathmandu:
Traffic on two major highways linking Kathmandu with
the rest of Nepal has come to a virtual halt on the second
day of a rebel-imposed blockade. According to BBC, the Maoist
rebels are protesting against alleged human rights abuses
by the security forces. On Thursday at least 34 people -
mainly rebels, but also some soldiers and civilians - were
killed in a clash. At least 100 people are reported to have
died in violence in Nepal in the past week. According to
the BBC, there has been no visible presence of rebels on
the highways leading towards Kathmandu, but the fear of
reprisals are keeping most vehicles off the road. Earlier
this week the rebels torched 18 cargo trucks. Hundreds of
people are queuing up outside petrol stations in Kathmandu,
fearing fuel shortages in the coming days. Meanwhile, in
the last 24 hours, at least 42 people, including 30 Maoists,
seven security personnel and five civilians have been killed
in two incidents in Nepal. According to the Himalayan Times,
22 Maoists and two security personnel were killed in Mathuradada
of Arghakanchi district yesterday. The encounter which began
at 10 a.m.local time continued for two hours. In another
incident five civilians, eight Maoists including a Deputy
Company Commander and five security personnel were killed
in Baliya of Kailai district on Wednesday. The clash started
after the Maoists attacked the security personnel patrolling
the area, according to the Himalayan Times. While three
security personnel are missing, eight civilians and seven
security personnel have been injured.
Pakistan
releases jailed US actor (Go
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Islamabad:
A Hollywood actor jailed two years ago in Pakistan for
possessing opium has been released. According to the BBC,
Erik Anthony Aude, 24, from California, was freed on Thursday
from a jail in Rawalpindi. Prison officials said that Aude
was arrested at Islamabad airport in February 2002 while
trying to leave for Dubai as he was found to be carrying
3.6 kg of opium in his suitcase. He was later sentenced
to seven years in jail. Aude, who had a role in the film
Dude, Where's My Car?, said he had no idea the drugs were
in his luggage. His release followed an appeal by New Mexico
Governor Bill Richardson. The governor's spokesman, Billy
Sparks, told the foreign news agency: "Erik Aude's mother
called me to say her son had been released earlier today
(Thursday) and to thank Governor Richardson." An official
at the Adiyala jail in Rawalpindi, said: "We received a
new order from a court about his release and we freed him."
It is not clear whether Aude has yet left Pakistan.
Natwar
Singh to visit of Muscat, UAE, Bahrain (Go
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Dubai:
External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh begins his
tour of three Gulf countries tomorrow as part of Indian
government's efforts to hold substantive dialogue with the
Arab world. According to news reports, Singh arrives in
Muscat, the capital of Oman, tomorrow on the first leg of
his tour which will also take him to the UAE and Bahrain.
During his visit to the UAE beginning Sunday, Singh will
pay tributes to late UAE President Sheikh Zayed and meet
a spectrum of the new leadership of the country to affirm
India's resolve to carry the robust bilateral ties forward.
Singh's last stop will be Manama, the capital of Bahrain.
He is also scheduled to address a meeting of 15 heads of
Indian Missions in the region and attend a reception hosted
by the Indian Business and Professional Council (IBPC) in
Dubai, diplomatic sources said. The India-UAE trade has
been on the upswing in the last few years. Buoyed by a sizzling
economic growth back home, exports from India to the UAE
grew by a whopping 47.2 per cent in the year 2003-2004 to
touch USD 4.45 billion in value up from USD 3.02 billion
the previous year, according to the Indian Embassy in Abu
Dhbai.
Sensex
crosses 6,500 mark (Go
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Mumbai:
The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) today was all time high
with sensex crossing 6,500 mark. The all time high was also
led by India's largest petrochemicals maker and index heavyweight
Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL). RIL saw rise of more than
3 per cent after it's chairman Mukesh Ambani decision to
give up it's 12 per cent stake in Reliance Infocomm. Inflation
also went below 7 per cent for the first time in past six
months. One of the reason for the boost in sensex was FII's
strong investment in the market. Ashok Ajmera, Chairman
of Ajcon Global services Limited believes large amount of
money is flowed in market for past few months, however investors
should be more careful before buying and selling in the
market.
Indian
eves defeat Aussies (Go
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Vadodra:
Indian eves today scored a consolation win after losing
the seven-match one-day series against Australia. Once again,
it was Mithali Raj who steered India to a five- wicket win
in Baroda by scoring an unbeaten 92. At first, India's decision
to bowl first seemed to backfire as the Australian openers
put on 70 runs. Skipper Belinda Clarke made 35 runs. Lisa
Sthalekar once again troubled the Indian bowlers. She top
scored with 43. India's Jhulan Goswami seemed to have carried
her form from the last match in Surat. She picked up three
wickets for just 29 runs. But it was Noohshin al Khader,
who really turned the screws on the Australian run flow.
She was pick of the Indian bowlers with figures of 3/25
as the visitors scored 184/7 from their 50 overs. The Indian
reply, however, was put off the track with Clea Smith picking
up two wickets when the scorecard read just 20. But Mithali
Raj and Hemlata Kala (41) put on massive 109-run stand for
the third wicket to script a convincing five-wicket victory.
