Month: September 2009

Musharraf admits Taliban two-timed him

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Lahore, September 29: Ex-Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf has admitted that his government’s secret agreement with the Taliban had backfired.

The Taliban had misled Musharraf’s administration, the Daily Times quoted him as saying.

He said on the one hand, the Taliban negotiated with the Pakistani government on the implementation of the sharia law, while on the other, they called the country’s constitution un-Islamic.

Earlier, Musharraf had fiercely denied playing a double game of supporting the Taliban while receiving US funding to fight them when he was in power.

Mush lobbying with Zardari for new Pak Army chief: Report

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Islamabad, September 29: Former Pakistan military ruler Pervez Musharraf is lobbying for his favourite General to become new army chief and has held a secret meeting with President Asif Ali Zardari on this, a media report said Tuesday.

Musharraf, according to the The News daily, has not given up hopes of making a political come back in Pakistan and wants his favourite General to help him achieve the ambitions.

Spectre of nuclear terrorism a formidable challenge: PM

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New Delhi, September 29: Maintaining that the spectre of nuclear terrorism is a formidable challenge, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today supported strengthening of global efforts in improving nuclear security and welcomed US President Barack Obama’s initiative to hold a summit on the issue next year.

India, he said, has an updated, effective and comprehensive export controls system and is “committed to not transferring sensitive technologies and equipment to other countries that do not possess them.”

Armed men set ablaze bank in Afghanistan, kill guard

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Kabul, September 29: Unknown armed men have set ablaze a branch building of the BRAC (Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee) bank in Afghanistan’s Kapisa province, a local newspaper reported Tuesday.

“Several armed men raided the office of the BRAC bank in Hisai Duam district Monday night and set it on fire after killing the guard,” daily 8 Subh writes. Kapisa province is 80 km north of this Afghan capital.

‘Terror suspects handed by Pak to Saudi sons of Qaeda leader’

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Islamabad, September 29: The two terror suspects handed over by Pakistan to Saudi Arabia are the sons of Yemeni Al Qaida leader Al-Alawi, who masterminded a recent suicide attack on Saudi Deputy Interior Minister Prince Mohammad bin Nayef, according to a media report Tuesday.

Saudi authorities had shared intelligence about Al-Alawi’s sons Ali and Siddique with Pakistan’s Interior Minister Rehman Malik during his recent visit to Jeddah and requested cooperation in tracing and arresting the two top planners of suicide attacks, the Dawn newspaper quoted its sources as saying.

Pak moots joint maritime security agency with India

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Islamabad, September 29: Pakistan has mooted to India the creation of a joint maritime security agency to prevent sea borne terrorist attacks like the one on Mumbai last year that killed 183 people.

The Pakistan Navy has suggested the creation of the joint maritime security agency to the government, Naval chief Admiral Noman Bashir told reporters after inaugurating a conference on piracy organised in southern port city of Karachi by the Master Mariners Society of Pakistan.

Two US soldiers dead in Philippine mine blast: Military

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Manila, September 29: Two US soldiers and a Filipino marine were killed Tuesday in a landmine explosion on the restive southern Philippine island of Jolo, a spokesman for the Philippines military said.

Two Philippine Marines were also wounded in the blast near a local Marine outpost outside the town of Indanan, said spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Romeo Brawner in Manila. He did not elaborate.

The US embassy said it was looking into the incident but gave no details.

US-Chinese officials hold talks on North Korea

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Beijing, September 29: US and Chinese officials met Tuesday over North Korea’s nuclear program amid signs Pyongyang may be willing to restart talks on the issue.

The discussions come ahead of a visit by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao to Pyongyang next week that could see North Korea rejoining six-nation talks on dismantling its nuclear programs in return for economic and diplomatic incentives.

IAEA warns countries to adhere to safety mechanisms

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New Delhi, September 29: Global atomic watchdog IAEA Tuesday said Asia would see exponential growth in nuclear power sector and cautioned countries to adhere to safety mechanisms for ensuring non-proliferation of nuclear materials.

Every country has the right to peaceful use of nuclear energy but it has to ensure not only safety and security but also see to it that nuclear material is not diverted to other purposes, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Mohammad ElBaradei said here.

I do not intent to raise fugitive issue in India: Brumby

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Melbourne, September 29: Facing severe criticism back home for not raising the Indian fugitive’s case during his ongoing trip to India, Victorian premier John Brumby Tuesday defended his decision and said it could have made the extradition of the accused more difficult.

Brumby said “I have not raised the matter in India and do not intend to, as the strong advice from agencies is that doing so could make an extradition even more difficult”.

He said, “I want to assure the Hofstee family that state and Commonwealth authorities are taking action to secure an extradition”.

Black-money: SC issues notice to Centre

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New Delhi, September 29: The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued notice to the Centre on a plea seeking disclosure of certain vital documents in connection with the issue of black-money stashed in foreign banks.

The apex court sought the response from the government on allegations by eminent jurist Ram Jethmalani and others that authorities were withholding vital documents relating to the case.

People will decide my political heir: Sharad Pawar

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Pune, September 29: NCP President Sharad Pawar, who of late is talking about his “retirement” from active politics, has said only “sanction” from people would decide as to who would be his political heir.

Pawar, in an interview to a Marathi news channel last night, was reacting to a question on speculations about his MP daughter Supriya Sule or nephew Maharashtra minister Ajit Pawar, being his possible successors in politics.

Rs 2,500 cr govt sop for 90 minority-dominated districts

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Lacknow, September 29: The Centre has sanctioned over Rs 2,500 crore for the all-round development of 90 minority-dominated districts across the country.

Of the 90 districts, 21 are in Uttar Pradesh, Union Minister for Minority Affairs Salman Khursheed said here Monday.

Khursheed said his ministry was in favour of including in the scheme, districts with 15 per cent minority population. This will increase the number of such districts in Uttar Pradesh by another 15, including Farrukhabad.

The government will engage NGOs to monitor the progress of the scheme, he said.

Indian Airlines hijacker seeks nod to practise law in Canada

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Toronto, September 29: The mastermind of the 1984 hijacking of an Indian Airlines flight to Lahore, who took refuge here 14 years ago and faces deportation to India, has now sought permission to practise law in Canada.

Parminder Singh Saini, now 46, was the ring leader of five Sikh youths who hijacked an Indian Airlines flight from Srinagar to New Delhi in 1984 and took it to Lahore.

The hijack drama ended after a 17-hour stand-off, with the hijackers surrendering to the Pakistani authorities.

Satyam’s Ex-CFO, PW auditors found guilty by ICAI

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Mumbai, September 29: Two top officials of Satyam Computers along with four auditors of Price Waterhouse have been found guilty by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) in the Rs 7,800-crore corruption case, according to a top ICAI official.

ICAI also announced the Kolkata and Delhi branch of the audit firm – Price Waterhouse, guilty of the delinquency.

Obama sports home colours in Olympic bid

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Washington, September 29: Barack Obama hopes to land at least one clear foreign policy victory before this week is out: he is jetting to Copenhagen to help persuade the International Olympic Committee that Chicago, his hometown, is the best choice for the 2016 summer games.

TV appeal over sex attack on pregnant woman

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London, September 29: A sex attack on a heavily-pregnant woman after raiders threatened to shoot both her and her boyfriend will be featured on BBC’s Crimewatch tonight.

The 33-year-old woman was watching TV with her partner when the balaclava-clad trio were spotted outside the the property in Finsbury, north London, and forced their way inside.

While the boyfriend was threatened and hit with a gun, the seven-months-pregnant victim was taken upstairs by one of the attackers and forced to perform a sex act.

Do not interfere, Colombo tells U.N.

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Colombo, September 29: Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake has requested the United Nations not to interfere with the internal affairs of the island nation.

Addressing the 64th U.N. General Assembly in New York in Sinhala on Monday Mr. Wickremanayake said according to the U.N. charter 2(7) clause, no country or a force should interfere with the internal affairs of each and every country.

Spectre of nuclear terrorism a formidable challenge: PM

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New Delhi, September 29: Maintaining that the spectre of nuclear terrorism is a formidable challenge, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today supported strengthening of global efforts in improving nuclear security and welcomed President Barack Obama’s initiative to hold a summit on nuclear security next year.

India, he said, has an updated, effective and comprehensive export controls system and is “committed to not transferring sensitive technologies and equipment to other countries that do not possess them.”

Signing FTA,we lost rights to control imports: Achuthanandan

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Thiruvananthapuram, September 29: Chief Minister V. S. Achuthanandan said here on Tuesday that India had forfeited its sovereign right to control imports into the country by signing free trade agreement with ASEAN countries. The Central Government had signed the agreement without proper democratic consultations.

In an article released for publication prior to ‘human chain’ being organised by the CPI(M) on October 2 in protest against the agreement, the Chief Minister said loss of country’s sovereign rights to control

Symbols akin to Indus valley culture discovered in Kerala

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Kerala, Septemner 29: A rock engraving, indicating clear remnants of Harappan culture, has been found in the Edakkal caves in neighbouring Wayanad district, linking the Indus Valley civilisation with South India.

“There had been indications of remnants akin to the Indus Valley civilisation in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, but these new findings give credence to the fact that the Harappan civilisation had its presence in the region too and could trace the history of Kerala even beyond the Iron Age,” historian M R Raghava Varier said.

US to consult India, China on its Myanmar policy

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Washington, September 29: Announcing its policy to enter into a dialogue with Myanmar’s military junta, the Obama Administration on Tuesday said that it would actively consult and seek the help of countries like India and China as part of its new Myanmar policy.

“We will intensify our engagement with ASEAN, China and India to press the Myanmar leadership to reform and to participate responsibly in the international community,” Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Public Affairs Kurt Campbell said.

Lals to battle it out again in Haryana

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Chandigarh, September 29: Haryana’s famous Lal families are again in the fray for next month’s assembly elections.

Nearly a dozen members from the families of former chief ministers Devi Lal, Bhajan Lal and Bansi Lal are in the fray for the Oct 13 battle. All three Lals have dominated Haryana’s political landscape and cast their shadows on national politics too.

Those contesting from the Lal families are from different political parties: the Congress, the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and the Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC). One is an independent.

Mob sets bus on fire in Delhi

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New Delhi, September 29: The Delhi Police on Tuesday resorted to lathicharge to control a mob that set a bus afire while seeking higher compensation to the families of students killed in the stampede at the Khajuri Khas government girl’s school earlier this month.

The protests, which turned violent, took place this morning near the school when it reopened in northeast Delhi.

Seeking Rs 5 lakh as compensation per casualty, agitated locals pelted stones at vehicles passing by and set a Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) bus on fire.