wednesday, june 2, 2010 Jyestha 19, 1417, JAMADIUS SANI 17, 1431 Hijri

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Leading News

ECNEC okays 6 projects worth Tk 1330 crore
Flyover to be built in Chittagong

UNB, Dhaka

The Executive Committee on the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Tuesday approved six development projects involving Tk 1330 crore including a project to construct a flyover in Chittagong.
The approval came from the 34th meeting of ECNEC held at the NEC Conference Room with ECNEC Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
The cost of all the projects will be borne entirely from the government exchequer. The flyover in Chittagong - at Muradpur Gate No 2 and GEC Junction -will be constructed under the Housing and Public Works Ministry at an estimated cost of Tk 151 crore, said Planning Minister AK Khandaker while briefing reporters after the meeting.
He said that of the total cost of the flyover project, Tk 133 crore will come from the government while Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) will provide Tk 18 crore.
On completion of the project, the flyover will reduce the distance between the two points, saving fuel costs for vehicles and consequently reducing transportation cost of goods and passengers.
Another approved project - "Asrayan" (shelter) project, phase 2 (3rd revised), under the Prime Minister's Office involving Tk 609 crore will rehabilitate some 65,000 landless and shelter less families.
Planning Secretary M Habibullah Majumder, who was also present in the meeting, said that some 6,500 barracks, including 40 barracks for 200 families in Aila-hit areas, would be built under the "Asrayan" project.
The other approved projects are construction of an additional pump station at Goranchatbari under the Water Resources Ministry (Tk 80 crore), rural infrastructure development project in greater Comilla under the Local Government Division (Tk 179 crore), establishment of National Institute of Laboratory Medicine and Referral Center under the Health and Family Welfare Ministry (Tk 138 crore), and renovation and augmentation of distribution lines and 11/.04 KV substation under six distribution zones of BPDB project under the Power Division (Tk 173 crore).
Finance Minister AMA Muhith, Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury, LGRD Minister Syed Ashraful Islam, Labour and Employment Minister Engr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Water Resources Minister Ramesh Chandra Sen, Commerce Minister Faruk Khan, Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain, Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan, Health and Family Welfare Minister AFM Ruhal Haque, Primary and Mass Education Minister Afsarul Amin and advisers to the Prime Minister were, among others, present at the meeting.

 Govt to preserve forests for next generation: PM
UNB, Dhaka

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday said that her government will preserve forests for the next generation at any cost.
She warned of tough and stern action against those who fell trees even if they belong to the ruling party and directed the concerned officials to take prompt measurers in this regard. "We've to preserve the forests for the future generation at any cost," Hasina said inaugurating the three-month-long National Tree Plantation Movement and one-month-long Tree Fair 2010 at Bangabandhu International Conference Center (BICC).
Forest Department of the Ministry of Forest and Environment organized both the programmes. State Minister for Forest and Environment Dr Hasan Mahmud presided over the inaugural session where Forest and Environment Secretary Dr Mihir Kanti Majumder also spoke.
The Prime Minister said that her government will demarcate the boundaries of all forests and declare all the proposed forests as 'Reserve Forest'. She directed the authorities concerned to record all forests in the name of the Forest Department and take effective steps to preserve all forests and forest lands.
Hasina alleged that the previous government had destroyed the green belt of the coastal areas that ultimately affected the country and its people.
In this regard, she said that the encroachers who felled trees would have face legal action irrespective of their party affiliation. ""We did not spare anyone involved in cutting trees illegally. We never looked at their face before taking action."
The Prime Minister said that her government would create green belts on the embankments and on the river banks after completing the mega-dredging project to remove siltation from all major rivers.
She mentioned that the silts will be kept on the river banks or on embankments so that later there can be tree plantation.
"By this way, we'll create green belts on all river banks and embankments," she said.
The Prime Minister said trees are the friends of mankind - part and parcel of their life. The role of trees is important for poverty alleviation, employment generation, economic development and environment preservation. The government, she said, has taken various steps for poverty alleviation, employment generation, economic development and facing the impacts of climate change, and to increase the forest resources of the country.
She noted that the whole world is in great danger due to the climate change but Bangladesh is the worst affected although it has an insignificant role for the climate change.

  Zia’s death anniversary
Khaleda Zia concludes doa, food distribution

UNB, Dhaka

Amid huge participation from all section of people, BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia on Tuesday concluded the party's '3-day 'Doa mahfil and Tobarak Bitoron (distribution' programmes marking the 29th death anniversary of President Ziaur Rahman, the founder of BNP.
Khaleda started to visit the spots to join doa mahfil and distributed tobarak (food) among men, women and children from the city's old part of North South Road at 12 noon today, the concluding day of the programme.
She visited a total of about 24 venues covering the old part of the city as well as Keraniganj and Savar upazilas on the outskirts of the capital city.
Thousands of party faithful and people of all walks life welcomed Khaleda Zia when she visited the areas including Chunkutia, Kaliganj Bazar, Aganagar Gudaraghat, Jinjira, Kalindi and Ranajitpur in Keraniganj. Huge number of people greeted Khaleda standing in line on both sides of the streets she passed through.
The party flag and black flag were hoisted while portraits of Ziaur Rahman, Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman were seen in all the areas the BNP chairperson visited.
Riding on motorbikes, hundreds of young JCD and Jubo Dal activists with headbands escorted BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia all through during her visit to different spots in Keraniganj.
BNP standing committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy and joint secretary general Amanullah Aman accompanied Khaleda in Keraniganj - the election constituencies of Gayeshwar and Aman.
Khaleda Zia concluded the programme joining doa and distributing tobarak (food) at Amin Bazar in Savar at 7pm.
Alongside tobarak (food), Khaleda also distributed lungi, saree, rice, lentil, potato, onion and other daily necessities among poor men, women and children.
Khaleda kicked of the programme on Sunday from Mohammadpur Town Hall Bazar in the city.

   HC won’t tolerate any excuse for custodial death
UNB, Dhaka

The High Court shall not tolerate any excuse for torture to death of suspected accused in custody as the judges are constitutionally oath bound to protect the rights of the people.
The remarks came from an HC division bench headed by Justice AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury during the hearing Tuesday on a contempt-of-court rule upon Ctg Metropolitan Police (CMP) Commissioner M Moniruzzaman for ignoring its orders.
On May 12, the HC upon a Public Interest Litigation writ petition filed by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB) asked the CMP Commi-ssioner to inform the court whether any legal action had been taken with regard to the allegation of custodial death of M Manik Mian, a night guard of Anjuman Market at Reazuddin Bazar in Chittagong, on May 12.
Passing the order, the bench had asked the contemner CMP Commissioner to appear in person before the court today (Tuesday).
Expressing concern about the tendency among the government officials of disobeying the orders of the court, the HC warned through the lawyers, including the law officers at the Attorney General Office, to bring to an end such inclinations.
"Otherwise, stern action will be taken," said Justice Chowdhury. Appearing in court today, CMP Commissioner Moniruzzanan prayed for unconditional apology for not complying with the court order, saying that he did not receive it timely.
The CMP commissioner told the court that as per the court orders he has already formed an inquiry committee, with the exclusion of law enforcers, to investigate the custodial death of the detained night guard.
Besides, a specific case has been filed in this regard and the suspected-perpetrator, Sub-Inspector Yunus Mian, was put under suspension, he said.
After hearing the contemner, the HC exonerated the CMP Commissioner from the contempt charge and asked him to submit the inquiry report before the court by July 29.

    Govt planning to shut down daily Amar Desh: Delwar
UNB, Dhaka

BNP secretary general Khandaker Delwar Hossain on Tuesday alleged that failing to harass Amar Desh acting editor Mahmudur Rahman by filing cases, the government is now planning to shut down the daily.
Addressing a news conference at the BNP central office in the afternoon, he said Mahmudur Rahman and his few friends purchased the daily Amar Desh in September 2008 when the daily was on the verge of closure due to financial crisis.
Delwar said that the NSI picked up Hasmat Ali from his house this (Tuesday) morning and kept him detained throughout the day. During the detention, he was forced to sign two applications - one addressed to the DC office and another to the industrial police station to take action against Mahmudur Rahman.
The BNP leader said the way Nur Ali, Azam J Chowdhury and Tajul Islam Faruk were forced to file cases against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina after the 1/11 changeover, the same tactics was adopted against Mahmudur Rahman. "Such tactics will not be acceptable," he told reporters.
Delwar said the government earlier shut down Channel 1 and started the process of closing down Amar Desh. It seems that those media, which will not be reporting in favour of the government and will not serve its purpose, will come under attack.
He said the government has been closing down TV channel and newspaper one after another to introduce the Baksal-style rule.
Earlier, Mahmudur Rahman held a press conference at Amar Desh office where he also explained the matter. He apprehended that the government completed all arrangements to shut down the daily and it will prove true soon if united resistance could not be built up. He said Alhaj Hasmat Ali was picked up by NSI people from his Shajahanpur house at 9am and he was detained for six hours.
Mahmudur Rahman said that during the detention, Hasmat Ali was forced to sign two applications - one addressed to Dhaka DC and another to industrial police station. In the applications, Hasmat Ali reportedly said that he is in no way involved with the daily but his name is being used as publisher and he sought legal action against it.

   50 injured in police-garments workers clash at Kanchpur
UNB, Narayanganj

More than one thousand garments workers blocked the busy Dhaka-Ctg highway near Kanchpur Tuesday provoking police to fire rubber bullets and tear gas shells that left at least 50 people wounded including 12 policemen.
A bus of Tisha Paribahan was set on fire and 20 other vehicles were damaged by angry workers of SA Fashion & Apparels demanding reinstatement of workers retrenched recently.
Witnesses said a section of about 7,000 workers of the garments factory came out of work at 9 am and blocked the busy highway. They vandalized the passing vehicles and set fire on a bus.
Police rushed to the spot and their bid to quell the situation triggered clash with the workers. They chased the policemen and pelted them leaving 12 wounded.
In retaliation police fired rubber bullets and tear gas shells to disperse the demonstrators. The situation came under control at 10 am, witnesses said. Zafrul Hasan, an official of SA Fashion & Apparels said eight workers were retrenched on charge of creating indiscipline in the factory.
Constable Delwar, badly wounded in the clash, was hospitalized.

Back Page

Hasina asks party MPs, alliance partners
Work jointly to implement election pledges

UNB, Dhaka

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Tuesday asked MPs and leaders of Awami League, and its partners of the grand alliance to work jointly to implement their election pledges.
"Let us work unitedly to implement the pledges envisaged in our election manifesto," Hasina said in her opening remarks at the maiden meeting of the AL-led grand alliance since after the election at Ganab-haban. The meeting began at 7:30 pm.
Sheikh Hasina who was in the chair said Awami League and its partners of the grand alliance fought unitedly to restore democracy and this time round all will have to work together to ensure welfare of the country.
The PM said that democracy is the only way to develop a country and no country could advance without democracy.
She said people are the owners of the republic and to fulfill the desire of the people, there is no way without democracy.
Hasina said the base of democracy has to be strengthened further. After assuming the power, she said her government has formed all parliamentary standing committees in the first session of the 9th Parliament to ensure the accountability of the administration.
She informed the MPs and leaders of the grand alliance that the government is working hard to deliver the pledges envisaged in the election manifesto.
The prime Minister requested the MPs of the grand alliance to prepare them for the budget session and make constructive deliberations on the budget for the next fiscal. She said the next fiscal year's budget has to make effective like the current one. She expressed her satisfaction over the effectiveness of the current budget.
The PM said the food security of the people has been established as the country gained bumper production of food grains and the agricultural sector achieved unprecedented success. Hasina said the present government made good progress in the infrastructural development sector as well.

   Bangladesh to receive $110 m to build resilience to effects of climate change

UNB, Dhaka

The government has put in place an innovative mechanism to channel US$ 110 million or more in grant funds to millions of Bangladeshis to build their resilience to the effects of climate change, a release of the British High Commission said Monday.
The ground-breaking Bangladesh Climate Change Resilience Fund was established Monday with the signing of a MoU between the government and five development partners. The Fund will support implementation of Bangladesh's Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan for 2009-2018, by supporting vulnerable communities in adapting to greater climate uncertainty and changing agricultural conditions.
The Fund will be managed and implemented by the Bangladesh government, with initial contributions from Denmark (US$ 1.6 million equivalent), the European Union (US$ 10.4 million equivalent), Sweden (US$ 11.5 million equivalent) and the United Kingdom (US$ 86.7 million equivalent). The World Bank will provide technical support for implementation and ensure that due diligence requirements are met.
Musharraf Bhuiyan, Secretary of ERD, said this sets a good example for development partners to align to the highest priorities of the country and provide additional resources to address climate change as pledged in Copenhagen last year. Given the magnitude of the country' s adaptation and mitigation needs, these initial contributions will encourage support from other partners, he said.'
World Bank Country Director Ellen Goldstein indicated: 'In coming years, we will be scaling up our Bangladesh portfolio aimed at reducing vulnerability to climate change and natural disasters." She said this Fund will be a complementary activity, in which the Bank will provide technical support while ensuring that projects are implemented with due regard for economy, efficiency and effectiveness.

    Sahara scoffs at Jamaat’s notion; asserts war crimes trial a must

UNB, Munshiganj

Dismissing Jamaat's notion Home Minister Sahara Khatun Tuesday said the trial of war criminals must be held at any cost.
Jamaat secretary general Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujaheed at press conference On Monday termed the issue of trial of war criminal baseless and weak, boasting that the issue would be blown up in the air.
The Home Minister said the anti-liberation elements had tried to stop trial of the killers of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and also tried to obstruct the execution of killers but failed. "Convictions of five killers had already been executed and six other absconders will be complete after bringing them from abroad with the help of Interpol," she said after unveiling the plaque of a road named Shaheed Muktijoddah Matiur Rahman Jahangir Road at Bhuberchar under Gazaria upazila in Munshiganj.
Chaired by Gazaria Upazila Chairman Rafayetulla Khan Tuta, the function was addressed, among others, by Fazilatunnesa Indira, sister of Shaheed freedom fighter Jahangir and also women affairs secretary of central Awami League, shaheed Jahangir's brother Hafiz Ahmed and Munshiganj DC Azizul Alam.
Sahara said the government already formed war crime tribunal, appointed prosecutors and investigation agency that already started investigation. "Trial will begin soon on completion of the investigation."
Sahara said militancy, tender manipulator, extortionist and terrorist would be rooted out as it is not possible to develop the country without eliminating them. She sought cooperation from all in this regard.
Criticizing opposition's hartal on June 27, she said nation wanted to know why the hartal was called for as law and order situation is good than that of the past.

   Govt to move to int’l forum, if Rohingya crisis not solved bilaterally: Food Minister

UNB, Dhaka

Food and Disaster Manag-ement Minister Abdur Razzaque said Tuesday the government would take the Rohingya issue to international forum if the issue is not resolved through bilateral negotiation with Myanmar.
"We are trying to resolve the issue bilaterally, but we won't hesitate to move to international bodies for a solution," Razzaque told a discussion at National Press Club.
"We have done a lot for the Rohingya people over the years despite being a poor country, but we cannot afford it for an unlimited period," he said. The discussion on "Rohingya Crisis: Way Out for Bangladesh" organized by the Centre for Education, Research and Advocacy (CERA), a Dhaka-based research and advocacy group to highlight various aspects of decades-old crisis.
Less than 28,000 Rohin-gya Muslims live in two official camps run by the Food Ministry and UNHCR at Teknaf and Ukhia in Cox's Bazar, but there are 200, 000 others, some even say not less than 400,000, who are not recognized by Bangladesh as refugee.
The documented Rohingya people get housing, food and healthcare facilities in the official camps but the undocumented ones do not. Referring to this complex context, the Food Minister said the government has no problem to document the rest, but it fears further influx from across the border where they allegedly face persecution by Myanmar's military junta.
The Food Minister also warned international NGOs for negative campaign against Bangladesh that they should be careful in the future before making any false and fabricated reports on so-called maltreatment of Rohingya people in Bangladesh.
Razzak made the observation in the backdrop of recent campaigns by some groups that Bangladesh is cracking down on the Rohingya refugees. "We want their support, but not any move that maligns our image abroad for something not actually happening here," he said. The Minister argued that Bangladesh has done a lot since the 1970s when Rohingyas started coming here to flee the wraths of the Myanmar' s government.

    8 injured in Shibir-BCL clash in Shahjalal Science and Technology University

UNB, Sylhet

BCL-Shibir clash on the campus of Shahjalal Science & Technology University Tuesday left 8 activists wounded on both sides.
Witnesses said the clash triggered over seating in the University bus from the campus at about 1 pm.
The rival groups blamed each other for attack. A tense situation was prevailing on the campus. Proctor Prof SM Saiful Islam said they are determined to maintain peace on the campus at any cost.
After investigation, action will be taken against those responsible for today's clash.

    3 killed, 15 hurt in Gazipur, Narsingdi road crashes
UNB, Gazipur

A man was killed and 10 others were injured in a head-on collision between two buses at North Salna in sadar upazila on Dhaka-Mymensingh highway on Monday morning.
The deceased was identified as Golam Rabbani, 35, driver of a bus, hailed from Noruttam village in Kapashia upazila. Police said, the accident occurred at about 7 am when a
Kapashia-bound bus collided head-on with a Dhaka-bound bus coming from opposite direction, leaving 11 people injured. Among them, Golam Rabbani died on the way to hospital.
Of the injured, two were rushed to Sadar hospital while two to Dhaka Pangu Hospital and three to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
A woman and her son were killed and another five injured as a bus rammed into an autorickshaw at Hetenji in Monohardi upazila on Dhaka-Monohardi road Tuesday noon. The decea-sed were identified as Shamsunnahar, 60, and her son Mizanur Rahman ,35 of Monohardi upazila.
Police quoting local sources said the accident occurred when the Chalakchar-bound bus from Dhaka hit the aurorickshaw from behind, leaving two autorickshaw passengers dead on the spot and five others critically injured at around 12 pm. The injured, all hailed from Mirzanagar of Monohardi upazila, were admitted to upazila Health Complex and later shifted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital as their condition deteriorated. Police recovered the bodies and sent to the hospital morgue for autopsy.
A case was filed in this connection.

Editorial

National Education Policy 2010

The cabinet at a meeting on Monday with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair approved the National Education Policy-2010. The new policy has extended the level of primary education from class V to class VIII and free education from class V-VIII. It also raised the level of secondary education from class IX up to class XII. At the end of class X, a terminal examination will be held at upazila, municipality and thana level on a common question paper.Under the new education policy, a system will be in place so that all students are able to study their respective religions as well as moral education.
The education policy envisages the aim of madrassa education as building good faith on Almighty Allah and His Prophet (SM) and to enable the students to perceive the essence of Islam, the religion of peace. Aligning with other modes of education, religion will be studied at the ebtedayee level in madrassa along with compulsory subjects like Bangla, English, moral education, Bangladesh studies, mathematics, social studies, environment and climate change, and science.
"Under the new policy, country's education system will be inclusive. The primary education will be gradually made full-free up to class VIII. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina stressed in the cabinet meeting the need for making the whole education system full free as she believes investment in education as most important. The new education policy is expected to be implemented from the next academic year.
The government formed National Education Policy Formulation Committee on April 8, 2009 with National Professor Kabir Chowdhury as its head and the committee submitted the draft policy to Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid on September 2 last year. Educationalists, researchers, students, teachers, various professionals, religious leaders and mass people have given their valuable opinions on the education policy. Besides, suggestions from various seminars, meetings and symposiums were considered before finalizing the education policy. The government hopes that the new education policy will enlighten the people with the light of modern science and technology, moral and religious education, and with the spirit of the liberation war of 1971.
It is reassuring that the education policy approved by the cabinet has dropped the originally envisaged concept of secularism from the education policy and stressed that aim of madrassa education would be to build good faith on Almighty Allah and His Prophet (SM) and to enable the students to perceive the essence of Islam. The draft education policy's main contentious issue centred round religious education. The government side argues that it strives to modernise madrasa education on the basis of science and technology to make it time- befitting. The education policy as finalized appears to have been amended to rid it of secular bias.
The education policy is of vital importance for the nation for both the present and the future. So, the more it accommodates the views of different sections, the better. However, it is important to keep in mind that the prime target of the education policy should be to provide modern education to the new generation so that they can establish themselves in a competitive world.
Education Minister Nurul Islam Naheed had said the national education policy would be finalized upholding religious values. "The government would not incorporate anything in the national education policy, which will harm religious values," he said. The finalized education policy indicates largely that he has tried his best to be true to his words.
It is a matter of great relief and satisfaction that we are getting a new education policy which aims at meeting the new generation's needs of having modern education based on science and technology with full respect for religious values. In the past also a number of education policies were formulated but those were not implemented. people hope that the new education policy will be implemented with utmost sincerity.

  Deaths from tobacco use

Some 41.3 million adults currently use both smoking and smokeless (chewable) tobacco in Bangladesh, a study of the Global Adult Tobacco disclosed at a discussion in the city Monday. The study further says 0.7 million women smoke cigarettes and 'bidis' while 13.4 million women use smokeless tobacco. Moreover, the percentage of woman tobacco smokers is higher this year than in previous year. The discussion marking the World No-Tobacco Day 2010 was held with this year's theme "Gender and Tobacco with emphasis on marketing to women".
An earlier report said, around 57,000 people die of various diseases caused by tobacco use every year in the country. Stating this at a seminar in the city speakers said, smoking causes the death of 60 lakh people across the world every year. Referring to the country's 1.1 crore bidi users, the speakers said poor people are spending Taka eight crore everyday and Taka 2,912 crore per year for tobacco use.
Some people get pleasure through use of tobacco in different forms including smoking. In fact, tobacco has no usefulness and it does not do any good to the users. Rather, it causes serious harm to the users physically and financially. Till recently, tobacco was the most important contributor to spreading tuberculosis and other diseases. It is encouraging that awareness is growing among the people about the adverse effect of tobacco use. The government also is taking various steps to reduce tobacco use. The campaign against tobacco use should be stepped up in the form of a social movement with a view to saving the people from the tobacco related diseases and the resultant deaths.

Analysis

Chess or chequers?

More importantly the US needs to step back and consider whether its militarised approach to countering terror is dispersing and enhancing the threat or reducing it.

Dr Maleeha Lodhi

Fighting terrorism should be like a game of chess but the US approach has been more akin to playing chequers, says Bruce Hoffman, an American scholar who has spent years studying the phenomenon.
A chess-game approach means understanding the threat and enemy and being able to anticipate and thoughtfully respond to how it changes and adapts. This means a strategy that uses reason and guile, not just brute force. Chequers (known as draughts in Pakistan) becomes a one-dimensional numbers game which measures gains more by how many leaders or militants are eliminated than how the flow of recruits is retarded.
One of the great advantages of spending time at Washington's leading think tank, the Woodrow Wilson Centre, is to be able to meet and listen to authorities on important issues. There is no shortage of terrorism experts, but what Bruce Hoffman has to say is significantly different from the run-of-the-mill 'sound byte' analysis that often poses as specialist 'wisdom'.
Hoffman is currently a fellow at the Wilson Centre and a professor in Security Studies at Georgetown University. He has authored several books, including Inside Terrorism and his latest article provocatively titled 'American Jihad' appears in the current issue of The National Interest. One does not have to agree with all arguments to gain insights from his scholarly perspective.
I spoke to him in the immediate aftermath of the failed car bomb attempt in Times Square, which reignited the debate in America about whether the US is employing the right policy toolkit to address a complex challenge.
Hoffman has long questioned the adequacy of the approach. I asked him why - in sharp contrast to the UK and Europe - there is little or no mainstream discussion on what radicalises people and how this drives them to violent actions, in other words about what we in the Muslim world call 'root causes'.
He agreed there was no public debate on radicalisation, and even less on how American foreign policy contributes to or accentuates radicalisation outside and within the United States. He also agrees that given the litany of "homegrown, near-disastrous incidents" that have occurred over the past year with the Faisal Shahzad case being the most recent, this task is now urgent. Unless "we better understood how our actions are perceived, the threat cannot be systematically addressed."
However, official focus on individuals radicalised at home may now increase. The recently released national security strategy prepared by the Obama administration explicitly acknowledges the threat posed to the United States by homegrown terrorism. Just before the release of the document America's top counterterrorism official described a new phase in the terrorist threat, one in which individuals who do not fit the 'traditional profile' attempt to carry out attacks on the US mainland.
It is yet to be seen how far Washington's new security strategy translates into a more comprehensive approach that pays attention to non-military ways to deal with a multifaceted challenge. Hoffman agreed with me that an over-reliance on military means had de-emphasised or distracted attention from the need to engage in the ideological battle to counter the narrative that militants use. It is this that can stop the flow of recruits into violent networks and break the cycle of radicalisation.
I suggested that there is an unwillingness to address the underlying factors that feeds the 'narrative of injustice' terrorist groups use. He agreed and pointed to the lack of 'non-kinetic' dimensions in US counterterrorism strategy, despite the acknowledgement that these should form part of a holistic approach.
The radicalising effects of the protracted wars the US has waged in Iraq and Afghanistan are mentioned fleetingly in the mainstream media, but rarely figure as the subject of sustained debate. In March the New York Times reported the arrest of a New Jersey man in Yemen who was accused of joining Al Qaeda, and warned of the fears this case stirred that large-scale US military interventions abroad were radicalising American Muslims. The report cited a study that found that "the perception that the US is singling out Muslims" fuelled by years of military action in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Yemen and other Muslim countries plays a greater role than "poverty or social marginalisation" in turning what is still a tiny number of Americans towards extremism.
Hoffman explains that for a long time there was little acceptance of the 'threat within'. The US always prided itself - with justification - on being able to better integrate Muslims in sharp contrast to the experience in Europe. But 'this can't happen here' narrative according to him no longer squares with the reality of "homegrown" radicalism. Rather than learn from the experience of other nations - for example Europe which has long dealt with homegrown threats ranging from the Baader Meinhoff in Germany to the IRA and extremism in Britain - the view that has long prevailed in the US is that as the threat is external it has to be engaged overseas. A string of recent incidents has changed this view.
Hoffman has long supported the idea of a radicalisation commission - a bipartisan national body to study domestic terrorism. This should assess radicalisation and recruitment processes and suggest how to counter them by drawing on the best practices of other countries.
It is on the use of drones that Hoffman's views diverge from much of the conventional wisdom in his country about fighting terror. This puts him among those who stress the limits of a decapitation strategy. The fallacy of a strategy that relies primarily on targeted killings turns counterterrorism into a numbers game and overlooks the fact that Al Qaeda, which has morphed into a loose and decentralised network, cannot be eliminated by this top-down approach. This also ignores the lessons of history. Israel pioneered and relied overwhelmingly on targeted assassinations for over three decades but hardly overpowered the Palestinian movement.
At best Hoffman says this approach can hold the threat at bay. The drone programme is just a tactic, not a strategy, he adds. And a lone tactic has never succeeded in defeating a terrorist organisation. Without other efforts to "stanch the flow of new recruits the kill-or-capture measures will only amount to a tactical holding operation." For a game changing "strategic reversal the attrition of terrorist leaders has to be accompanied by concerted counter-radicalisation efforts" that thwart recruitment.
Others too have questioned the heavy dependence on the very open 'covert war' being waged by the US using predator drones in the borderlands between Pakistan and Afghanistan. In an article last month David E Sanger asked whether the stepped-up drone strikes in Pakistan actually made Americans less safe. "Have they had the perverse consequence of driving lesser insurgents to think of targeting locations in the US?" "Are they inspiring more attacks on America than they prevent?" Sanger also said drone strikes were urging different local insurgents to combine forces and work together.
What this debate underlines are the continuing gaps in Washington's operational strategy and the need for a comprehensive approach that Hoffman says "adjusts and adapts" to changes on the ground that are much too complicated to be "vanquished by mere decapitation".
More importantly the US needs to step back and consider whether its militarised approach to countering terror is dispersing and enhancing the threat or reducing it. A more thoughtful strategy is needed that is predicated on an understanding of the spread and complexity of radicalising influences and factors so as to adequately respond to them.
The question Washington also needs to ask is whether its anti-terrorism efforts can succeed in an environment of intense and growing anti-American sentiment. The only way to reverse this trend is to move decisively to resolve disputes, heal conflicts and engage with the grievances in the Muslim world that are leveraged by extremists. Until strategies are fashioned to deal with the unjust situations in which Muslims find themselves the danger of radicalisation will increase.

The writer is a former envoy of Pakistan to the US and the UK, and a former editor of The News

  Afghanistan, a jungle-less Vietnam

In Afghanistan, all the U.S. has learned across four barren decadesis how to pursue a purposeless war.

Peter Preston

There is, said the American Secretary of Defence, no certainty "that a conventional military victory, as commonly defined, can be achieved here ... We seem to have gotten caught in a sinkhole". He is talking about Afghanistan surely, as the thousandth U.S. military death is recorded and coalition losses creep towards 2,000? No: that was Clark Clifford in 1968. And the sinkhole that finally cost more than 200,000 American dead and wounded was Vietnam.
It's not a grisly comparison anyone wishes to make, of course. The scale of the casualties does not equate, for one thing. The Afghan terrain is rocky and bare, not steaming, sapping jungle. But pause and shiver a little as some parallels grow. For Vietnamisation, as Richard Nixon's last desperate excuse for calling the boys home, read Afghanisation. For President Thieu, illegitimate, distrusted, desperate, read President Karzai. For Vietcong troops operating across a fatally porous border, read the Pakistan-based Taliban (currently beginning their summer offensive). And as for "conventional military victory", forget it. Just remember how Lyndon Johnson, towards the end, effed and blinded about staking so much on a no-account country far away.
He had followed his generals, who had a plan. Send in hundreds of thousands more troops to "finish the job". Drop many more bombs. Win hearts and minds (where applicable) or at least dish out zillions of extra dollars. But the dreadful truth for LBJ, as for General Westmoreland, was that once the cigarette smoke in the planning rooms cleared, no one was really in control. There was no plan, let alone a strategy. The top brass could not counsel retreat, because that would mean their own defeat. The President could not give up, because that would be letting his gallant troops down. So the bombing and killing rumbled haplessly on. Ashes to ashes.
Meanwhile, back in 2010, David Cameron and his generals are having a country away-day this week to see what (apart from British deaths rising, too) comes next in Afghanistan.
U.S. forces prepare for another supposedly make-or-break operation, this time around Kandahar. American missions to Islamabad grow ever more outspoken about Pakistan's failure to clamp down in north Waziristan, where the man who failed to blow up Times Square got his rather duff training.
What lessons work now across four barren decades? Start with the reality that, when Saigon fell, the "domino theory" beloved of the U.S. right fell with it. Communism did not gobble up Southeast Asia and set sail for San Francisco. Communism paused for thought and built a temple of capitalism in Shanghai. So the reason for going to war in the first place was delusion. Now look at the reason for invading - then staying in - Afghanistan at whatever cost. The 9/11 bombers trained there, didn't they? We must rescue this failed, impossible state to prevent that happening again, to keep Russell Square and Manhattan free from attack.
But al Qaeda doesn't live in Afghanistan any longer. It promptly slipped over that damned elusive border into Pakistan. The bombers who have threatened Britain and America since the twin towers have done their O-levels in terrorist studies in the badlands of Pakistan's north-west. The Taliban militants who very probably murdered more than 90 innocent Ahmadi worshippers in Lahore last week came down from there for their killing spree. The Taliban leadership that pulls the Afghan campaign strings puts its feet up in Karachi.
Why not attack Karachi instead of Kandahar, then? Why not bomb Peshawar, flatten Swat, knock the hell out of Quetta?
Because it is a ridiculous misreading of reality. Pakistan, population spiralling towards 200 million, is a huge, riven nation doing its best now to save itself, let alone Obama's bacon. It needs help, not state department bullying. But it also needs wider understanding.
Simply: neither Islamabad nor Kabul can push some administrative button marked peace and harmony. The turbulence and the poverty do not allow it. Religious extremism is endemic. Nationalism and resentment of foreign interference are deep rooted.
Structured society does not exist where it is most needed. There is no "victory" in one country. There is no western security that can be secured by sending in more drones and CIA operatives. There is only time passing and a long internal march to stability.
In short, there is no continuing purpose to the Afghan war (except saving face and wasting more lives). Hey, hey, LBJ, how many lessons do you still fail to learn today?

Viewpoints

Killing unarmed civilians

Israel has once again displayed its complete disregard for international law, humanity's norms and its inherent disrespect
of other nations and their nationals.

Linda Heard 

Does Israel's barbarity know no limits? Which other country on earth would be arrogant enough to attack a civilian aid flotilla in international waters and think nothing of murdering unarmed men and women?
The flotilla's spokesperson Greta Berlin of the Free Gaza Movement says Israeli troops fired indiscriminately at "unarmed civilians" who are mostly Turkish nationals. An Al Jazeera reporter on board the besieged Turkish ship the Mavi Marmara said Israelis fired live bullets even after a white flag had been hoisted. Others have reported the ship's passengers calling out, "Please don't shoot! We are unarmed."
Those courageous 700 internationals traveling on the six ships that make up the flotilla "armed" with backpacks and blue jeans knew that there was a likelihood of the vessels being intercepted as they attempted to break Israel's illegal blockade of Gaza, but didn't imagine that they would be shot down in cold blood.
One can only imagine what terror those civilians experienced as Israel's military might bore down upon them. They are not criminals or thugs. They are decent people whose hearts bled for the residents of Gaza that have been corralled like cattle on a tiny strip of land and deprived of the bare necessities of life for years.
Their 10,000 tons of aid cargo, which included building materials, foodstuffs, medicines and children's toys, had been thoroughly checked at the ports of departure for weapons and other contraband. There were not enough details available as Israel had prevented communication with the outside world.
Among those traveling are Swedish, German, Irish and Algerian parliamentarians, news crews and ordinary men and women from Jordan, Turkey, Algeria, Malaysia, Britain and the US with the will to stand up for justice. The veteran pro-Palestinian Jewish Holocaust survivor Hedy Epstein was due to be among them, but along with other dignitaries was prevented from doing so by Cypriot authorities fearful of endangering economic relations with Israel.
Israel has once again displayed its complete disregard for international law, humanity's norms and its inherent disrespect of other nations and their nationals. This is a planned massacre of civilians that should be loudly condemned by the international community as an act of state piracy and an unprovoked "Act of War."
So far, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner has said he is "profoundly shocked." Spain and Sweden have called in their Israeli ambassadors. Greece has suspended a joint air force exercise with Israel and canceled a visit by Israel's air force chief. Iran's President has referred to the raid as "inhuman." The EU and the UN have demanded investigations and the Arab League has organized an emergency meeting scheduled for today (Tuesday).
Hamas has asked all Muslim nations to voice their objections. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has slammed "the slaughter" and called for three days of mourning while Palestinians prepare to strike in protest. Israeli troops have been put on high alert when news broke that a revered Arab-Israeli religious leader Sheikh Raed Salah has been shot in the head. Israelis fear that his potential demise could galvanize Israeli Arabs and West Bank Palestinians to rise up against the state.
Israel is attempting to defend its cruelty by claiming its commandos were set upon by passengers who attempted to deprive them of their weapons. If that was indeed the case, bravo to those civilians brave enough to defend the ship, which they had every right to do, against one of the best-trained and equipped armies on the planet. Unfortunately, for Israel's propaganda machine, Al Jazeera has captured the start on the raid on camera showing the boat being attacked by helicopter fire.
Israeli spokesman Mark Regev has launched a television campaign to paint the internationals as weapon-carrying "terrorist supporters"; an accusation that has been vehemently denied by a Turkish minister who says categorically that there were no weapons aboard any of their ships. Regev also insists that Israel was totally within its rights within international law and says "the hard-core extremists on the boat initiated the violence" while Israel used "maximum restraint." He is even attempting to insert "Al-Qaeda" into the mix, which shows how desperate he is.
Israel holds no sovereignty over international waters and has no authority to use force in order to board and re-route vessels. If any other nation on earth behaved in a like fashion, it would be branded a rogue state and punished accordingly. But time and time again, Israel is allowed to slaughter civilians with seeming impunity; often with barely a headline in the Western press. The question is will it get away with this crime that is so offensive to Turkey's patriotic sensitivities and humanitarian sentiments?
Turkey's Foreign Ministry has warned that ties between Turkey and Israel may face "irreparable consequences."
Turkey withdrew its ambassador to Israel and called for an emergency session of the UN Security Council.
"We strongly condemn these inhuman practices of Israel," the statement read, adding, "This deplorable incident, which took place in open seas and constitutes a flagrant breach of international law, may lead to irreparable consequences in our bilateral relations." Israel's ambassador to Ankara has been summoned by the Turkish Foreign Ministry, while thousands of Turkish protesters are attempting to storm the Israeli Consulate in Istanbul.
Turkish-Israeli relations are already strained following Israel's brutal operation "Cast Lead" that robbed 1,200 Gaza residents of their lives. The Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan publicly clashed with the Israeli President Shimon Peres who was trying to defend the massacre last year in Davos. Then, in January this year, Israel's Deputy Foreign Minister humiliated the Turkish Ambassador to Israel in response to a show on Turkish TV depicting Israeli intelligence agents holding Turkish citizens hostage.
Depending on the strength of Turkish national outrage, the current diplomatic contretemps could escalate to the extent that Ankara decides to cut all ties with the Jewish state. We will know more when Prime Minister Erdogan gets home after cutting short an overseas visit.
I almost feel sorry for Mark Regev struggling to defend the indefensible in the face of so much international outrage when many of his countrymen and women may feel like bowing their heads in shame as, indeed, they should.

  If the two Koreas go to war

The nuclear retaliation of the United States would be rapid and overwhelming, and would effectively exterminate the entire regime.

Gwynne Dyer

Start with the worst-case scenario. What if there really were a war in the Korean peninsula? Even by local standards, the rhetoric has been heated since the South Korean warship Cheonan was sunk by an explosion last March, killing 46 sailors, and it has been white-hot since "independent investigators" reported on May 20 that a North Korean torpedo had struck the vessel.
Everybody is on hair-trigger alert, and the only communication between the two sides is by invective: North Korea has shut the "hot line" down. So suppose there is a local clash somewhere along the DMZ, the demilitarised zone between the two countries that follows the 1953 ceasefire line, or at sea along the disputed maritime frontier. Suppose it escalates: such things sometimes do. What would a full-scale war between North and South Korea look like?
We are always told that North Korea has the fourth-largest army in the world, that it has heavy artillery within range of the South Korean capital, Seoul (which it promises to turn into a "sea of fire" in case of war), and that it probably has nuclear weapons. So would an inter-Korean war be a calamity? Yes, but mainly for the North.
Imagine that Kim Jong-il gives the order, and the North Korean guns open up on Seoul. The million-man army (half of which is kept within a few hours' drive of the DMZ) heads south, and the bulk of the obsolete air force takes off to support them. Meanwhile, a shower of short-range ballistic missiles, similar to the old Soviet-made Scuds, lands on air bases and command centres throughout South Korea.
What happens next depends on whether or not North Korea is using only conventional weapons. If it is, then the attack fails quite fast. The North Korean air force is easily shot out of the sky. No modern army can survive without air cover. The South Korean and US Air Forces have around 600 modern military aircraft available in South Korea.
A few hundred thousand North Koreans and a few tens of thousands of South Koreans would die in the fighting, but nothing else of great moment would happen. It's not even likely that there would be a major counter-attack into North Korea. Nobody would want to upset the Chinese by invading North Korea: better to leave the Pyongyang regime to fall of its own weight after being humiliated by defeat.
But that's what would happen if the North Koreans used only conventional weapons. Whether or not they have working nuclear weapons, they undoubtedly have chemical and biological weapons in profusion. Wouldn't they use them? They almost certainly would.
That would make the bombardment of Seoul a much uglier affair, since civilians would have little protection against nerve gas or lethal bacteria, but it wouldn't have much effect on the military outcome. Nuclear weapons are a different matter, but it's far from certain that North Korea has any operational ones. More to the point, for North Korea to use such a weapon would be suicidal.
The nuclear retaliation of the United States would be rapid and overwhelming, and would effectively exterminate the entire regime. But since the North Koreans must know that, they would never act in a way that would bring that fate upon themselves. Nuclear deterrence works.
So why did the North Koreans act so irrationally in sinking the Cheonan, if indeed they did? Nobody really knows, although they have long cultivated a reputation for dangerous unpredictability by doing such things, big enough to be shocking but not so big as to cause an actual war. Barring an accident, this event will not cause one either.
But you can't help wishing that the "independent investigators" that Seoul invited to look into the Cheonan's sinking had not all been American, British, Australian and Swedish. Couldn't they have asked at least a few Asians to participate? In fact, why didn't they ask the Chinese to take part? They would have found it hard to say no.

  A farewell to nuclear arms?

Many policy makers hope that 2010 will bring clarity on the North Korean and Iranian nuclear programmes.

Klaus Naumann

As the recent UN and Washington summits have demonstrated, nuclear arms control and disarmament are among the top issues on the world's political agenda. They are likely to remain so for the foreseeable future. Indeed, 2010 will determine whether US President Barack Obama's vision of a nuclear-free world will remain a distant but achievable hope, or must be abandoned.
No one should be under any illusions. Even if all of the world's nuclear-weapon states embrace the vision of a world free of the threat of nuclear conflict, nuclear weapons will remain with us for two decades at least, and even that would require the most favourable conditions for disarmament.
This year is crucially important. The agreement signed in early April in Prague between Russia and the United States on the reduction of strategic nuclear weapons and possibly on further cuts was accompanied by the publication of the US Nuclear Posture Review, identifying the nuclear capabilities that Obama's administration wishes to preserve for the next four years. The nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty review conference will begin the work of adapting the NPT to our rapidly changing world. Many policy makers hope that 2010 will bring clarity on the North Korean and Iranian nuclear programmes.
There are roughly 23,000 nuclear weapons today, which is 40,000 fewer than at the Cold War's height. These weapons' total yield is greater than 150,000 Hiroshima-size nuclear explosions. Nuclear disarmament is therefore still urgently needed, and prominent politicians in the US and Germany have produced the US-led Global Zero initiative and created the International Commission on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament (ICNND), sponsored by Australia and Japan and co-chaired by former foreign ministers Yoriko Kawaguchi and Gareth Evans.
The US, Russia, France, the United Kingdom, and China - all NPT signatories - possess nine-tenths of the world's nuclear weapons, while India, Pakistan, and probably Israel possess around 1,000. North Korea presumably has a few, and Iran is most likely pursuing a nuclear-weapons programme. Obama and Russian President Dmitri Medvedev have agreed to reduce their strategic arsenals to 1,550 weapons each - far more than the 1,000 that Obama had in mind, but nonetheless a huge step that could bring about further cuts.
But the road to global nuclear disarmament will be long and bumpy. To begin with, the capacity to dismantle and destroy nuclear warheads is limited, and likely to remain so. Current capacity is roughly 500 weapons annually in both Russia and the US, which means that the total of 2,000 weapons each that the ICNND Report suggests for the year 2025 cannot be fully implemented much before 2028.
Then, there is the risk that other countries, particularly in the Middle East, will follow the example of North Korea and Iran. The ICNND report Eliminating Nuclear Threats, released late last year, proposes meeting these challenges with a comprehensive agenda for reducing nuclear risks. As the German ICNND Commissioner, I believe that this report is the first and only one so far to suggest precise and feasible steps towards a nuclear-free world.
The report consisted of 20 proposals decided on at this year's NPT review conference, and ended with proposed decisions to be taken after 2025. It leaves no room for doubt that a nuclear-free world is achievable without any risk to the security of individual states, provided that for the next 20 years or so there is sustained political will around the world, particularly in the nuclear-weapon states. In addition, the report proposes a declaration by these states that the sole purpose of nuclear weapons is to deter others from their use, coupled with an obligation not to increase their stockpiles.
For the 2025 time frame, the aim is to reduce the global nuclear stockpile to 2,000, or less than 10 per cent of today's total. A "No First Use" declaration should be collectively agreed upon, in conjunction with corresponding verifiable force structures, deployments, and readiness status. As supplementary steps, the report suggests negotiating limitations on missiles, strategic missile defence, space-based weapons, and biological weapons, as well as holding talks on eliminating conventional weapons imbalances.
Achieving this ambitious agenda by 2025 would usher in the last phase in the quest for a nuclear-free world, and requires, first and foremost, political conditions that reliably rule out regional or global wars of aggression. Nuclear weapons would thus become superfluous. Only then could they be banned and their total elimination begin. In parallel, mandatory measures would penalise any states attempting to circumvent the ban, as well as individuals involved in producing nuclear weapons.
Obama's vision could thus become reality 20 years from now, provided that the US and Russia take the first steps this year. Immediate further cuts must include sub-strategic weapons, with the few remaining American nuclear weapons inEurope withdrawn in exchange for the elimination of the still substantial Russian stockpile.
But the withdrawal of American nuclear weapons from Europe is by no means the first step towards nuclear disarmament. To suggest it as an opening move could damage European security and jeopardise transatlantic cohesion, so the message has to be "no" to unilateral withdrawal, but "yes" to including these weapons in future arms-control negotiations. Withdrawal of these weapons would not mean the end of nuclear deterrence for Europe, as deterrence will remain necessary until the last nuclear weapon is dismantled. But the sole purpose of retaining some degree of deterrence will be to deter the use of nuclear weapons.
Europe perhaps benefited more than any other part of the world from nuclear deterrence, because it helped to preserve peace during the Cold War and prevented nuclear proliferation. But the time has now come to join Presidents Obama and Medvedev in bringing about disarmament. Indeed, without the US and Russian examples, the world would see more, not fewer, nuclear-weapon states.


The writer was chairman of the NATO Military Committee and chief of staff of the Bundeswehr. Project Syndicate, 2010. www.project-syndicate.org

International

Pak SC adjourns 18th Amendment petitions hearing
Dawn Online

The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Tuesday adjourned the hearing of petitions against the 18th Amendment till Wednesday.
A 17-judge full court headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry was hearing the 15 petitions filed against certain clauses of the amendment.
The court will decide whether the petitions are maintainable.
During today's proceedings, the court allowed Senator Raza Rabbani, who is the chairman of the Implementation Committee on the 18th Amendment, to witness the hearing.
Earlier on Monday, Abdul Basit, the federation's lawyer, who soon after tendered his resignation from his contract with the government, had raised objections over the composition of the bench being referred to as a full court. Basit also said that the government had objected to Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry heading the bench.
These objections were subsequently rejected by the court which also issued show-cause notices to government's lawyers Abdul Basit and Mehmood A. Sheikh. The court suggested that there was a possibility that the lawyers' licenses may also be revoked.
Mehmood A. Sheikh then filed an apology on the show-cause notice, while Abdul Basit sought two weeks to respond.
The court has asked Abdul Basit to submit the reply till June 3.

   Thai PM pledges to honour investigation into crackdown
AFP, Bangkok

Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said Tuesday he would accept the findings of an independent investigation into a deadly army crackdown on anti-government "Red Shirt" protesters.
Abhisit has been accused by his political opponents of violating human rights in the tense standoff between the demonstrators and armed troops, who fired live rounds during several confrontations in the capital.
"Whatever the outcome of the fact-finding investigation, (deputy premier Suthep Thaungsuban) and I are ready to accept it," Abhisit said on the second day of a debate in parliament on a censure motion against his government. He said the government "will not interfere" with the probe, which has not yet been set up.
Bangkok's emergency services said Tuesday that the death toll from mid-May clashes between Reds and troops had increased as one man died in hospital Monday.
The Red Shirts' rally, broken up on May 19 in an army assault on their vast encampment in the retail heart of Bangkok, sparked outbreaks of violence that has now left 89 people dead, mostly civilians, and nearly 1,900 injured.
Abhisit -- who has surprised many by remaining in power during the crippling street protests -- is expected to survive the no-confidence motion thanks to his ruling coalition's majority in the lower house.
Jatuporn Prompan, a Red Shirt leader and opposition member of parliament, urged Abhisit and his deputy Suthep to "enter the justice process."
"I don't expect any change (after the parliamentary debate) but I want people to hear the facts. It is up to the prime minister and deputy prime minister to decide what will they do," Jatuporn said late Monday.
UN human rights chief Navi Pillay called Monday for an independent probe into the recent deadly violence in Thailand and for "all those found responsible for human rights violations are held to account."
The Red Shirts were campaigning for elections they hoped would oust the government, which they view as undemocratic because it came to power with the backing of the army after a court ruling threw out the previous administration.
After video footage of the Bangkok street violence was shown to parliament, deputy premier Suthep issued a sharp rebuke to the opposition over their accusations.
"In the past two days your aim has been to make people believe that the prime minister and I ordered the military to kill people," Suthep said. "Your allegations are extremely unfair to those soldiers."

  Taliban scorn Afghan national peace conference
AFP, Afghanistan

Afghan insurgent groups Tuesday dismissed this week's national conference on how to lure fighters off the battlefield, saying the three-day meeting would merely draw government loyalists to rubber-stamp a program that cannot succeed.
About 1,600 Afghans will convene Wednesday in a giant tent at Kabul Polytechnic University to discuss how to reconcile with the fighters - even as the U.S. rushes in more troops to ramp up the war. PresidentHamid Karzai will use the conference to roll out his program to offer economic incentives to Taliban and other insurgent fighters willing to abandon the nearly nine-year war.
Lawmakers, provincial council members, tribal and religious leaders and representatives of civil society will participate. Notably absent from the "peace jirga" - jirga means "large assembly" in Pashto - will be official representatives of the Taliban, although some of the delegates may be insurgent sympathizers.
In a statement e-mailed to news organizations on the eve of the jirga, the Taliban said the conference did not represent the Afghan peopleand was aimed at "securing the interest of foreigners."
"All the participants of the jirga are persons affiliated with the invaders and their powerless stooge administration in one way or the other," the statement said. "They are on the payroll of the invaders and work for their interests."
Another major insurgent group, Hizb-i-Islami, called the conference "a useless exercise" because "only handpicked people" were invited.
Hizb-i-Islami is smaller than the Taliban and the semiautonomous Haqqani group but fights in several provinces of eastern and northern Afghanistan. Leaders of the group, led by former Prime Minister Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, have already sent a delegation to meet with Karzai last March and talked with lawmakers and other Afghans this month.
Despite the cool reception, Karzai is hoping the jirga will bolster him politically by endorsing his strategy of offering incentives to individual Taliban fighters and reaching out to the insurgent leadership, despite skepticism in Washington that the time is right for an overture to militant leaders.
Some members of Afghanistan's ethnic minorities fear Karzai may be too eager to sell out their interests in hopes of cutting a deal with the Taliban, who, like him, are Pashtuns, the country's largest ethnic group.

  Pressure mounts on Japan’s PM to resign
AFP, Tokyo

Japan's unpopular Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama battled for his political survival Tuesday as he faced mounting pressure to step down ahead of upper house elections next month.
The centre-left leader, who took power in a landslide election last August, has seen his approval ratings dive below 20 percent amid a row over a US military base on the southern island of Okinawa.
Hundreds of journalists crowded parliament when Hatoyama met Ichiro Ozawa, the ruling party's chief election strategist often dubbed the "Shadow Shogun" and the power behind the premier's throne.
But both men kept the nation guessing about Hatoyama's political future when they emerged from the meeting separately and without speaking. Hatoyama smiled briefly at the cameras as he left the building.
His right-hand man, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirofumi Hirano, said Hatoyama and Ozawa had "analysed the current situation and exchanged views. We will continue holding talks," Hirano said without giving a date or time.
Neither Hatoyama or Ozawa announced news briefings for Tuesday.
Newspaper headlines have been filled with speculation that Hatoyama's days in office may be numbered after he backflipped on his election promise to move an unpopular US airbase off Okinawa island.
Some media reports, quoting unnamed party sources, said the premier and Ozawa would discuss whether Hatoyama should resign ahead of an election for the upper house of parliament, slated for July 11.
Hatoyama's U-turn on the US base caused a split in his three-party coalition, with the small, pacifist Social Democrats quitting the government on Sunday.
Hatoyama earlier Tuesday told reporters: "I want to cooperate with him (Ozawa) to tackle national challenges."
Later in the day, he conceded: "I really work hard but I have yet to gain the people's understanding."
Hirano earlier ruled out Hatoyama's resignation, saying: "I think it is unreasonable in the first place that people should talk about whether the prime minister should stay or leave."
But many analysts said Hatoyama was in a tough spot.
"His resignation is a matter of time," said Koji Nakakita, professor of politics at Rikkyo University in Tokyo.

  Iraqi supreme court ratifies March election results
AFP, Baghdad

Iraq's supreme court on Tuesday ratified the results of the country's March general election, clearing the way for a faster pace to government formation talks which remain in limbo.
The ruling confirms initial results released in late March that put ex-premier Iyad Allawi's Iraqiya bloc in the lead, followed closely by Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's State of Law alliance.
"The court has decided to approve the results of the elections," supreme court chief Midhat al-Mahmoud said. Mahmoud reiterated a previous court decision, however, that deals a blow to Allawi's claim to have the right to be awarded the first opportunity to form a government.
"The biggest parliamentary bloc ... will be decided in the first session of the parliament," he said, indicating that a coalition agreed before the Council of Representatives has its first session would gain primacy over Iraqiya.
Iraq's constitution requires that parliament be seated within 15 days of the certification of election results.
Iraqiya won 91 seats in the Iraq's 325-member parliament, followed by State of Law with 89. The Iraqi National Alliance, led by Shiite religious groups, took 70 seats, while a coalition of parties hailing from Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region hold 59 seats.
The fact that no clear winner emerged from the March 7 poll has meant that protracted coalition negotiations have ensued as blocs jockey to form a parliamentary majority. Earlier this month, however, State of Law and the INA announced they would form a post-election coalition, leaving them just short of a majority, though they have yet to formalise the arrangement.
The ratification ruling was hailed by the US embassy as "an important step in the right direction as Iraq undertakes what will be a historic and peaceful transition of power from one elected government to another."

  S.Korea steps up efforts to haul N.Korea to UN
AFP, Seoul

South Korea Tuesday stepped up its campaign to hold North Korea responsible at the UN Security Council for sinking a warship, briefing visiting Russian experts and sending an envoy to the United States.
A team of Russian naval experts arrived Monday to review the findings of a multinational investigation team, which concluded last month that a North Korean submarine torpedoed the South Korean ship with the loss of 46 lives.
The Russians, including experts on torpedoes and submarines, will stay in South Korea until June 7 to debrief investigators, inspect the wreckage and visit the site of the sinking, defence and foreign ministry officials said.
"Russia's direct trust in our investigation results will make this case clear, and it's part of our stepped-up effort to muster international support," one official told AFP.
South Korea has announced a series of reprisals including cutting off trade with its communist neighbour.
The hardline state furiously denies involvement and has responded to the reprisals with threats of war, sending regional tensions sharply higher.
The South, with US and Japanese support, will ask the Security Council to sanction-or at least to censure-the North for the sinking, one of the worst military attacks since the 1950-53 war.
Seoul needs support from veto-wielding Council members, including Russia and China, which have traditionally been close to Pyongyang.
The foreign ministry in Moscow has said it needs "100 percent proof" of the North's involvement.
Seoul has also asked China to send its own experts but Beijing has not responded, according to local media, some of which said the offer had been rejected.
At a three-way weekend summit, China's Premier Wen Jiabao resisted pressure from the Japanese and South Korean leaders to publicly support the UN move or to condemn the North.
Wen instead called for efforts to ease regional tensions.
Despite China's unclear stance, South Korea continued its campaign by sending Second Vice Foreign Minister Chun Yung-Woo, in charge of UN affairs, to the United States Monday for discussions with US officials.
With the US government reviewing how to step up its own actions against North Korea, South Korean Foreign Minister Yu Myung-Hwan said restricting cash flows to the North was an effective punishment.
"If the cash inflow into North Korea is restricted, I think it will lower the possibility of nuclear weapons development and deter belligerent behaviour," he said in a BBC interview aired early Tuesday.
South Korea estimates that its own reprisals will cost the cash-strapped North between 260-300 million dollars a year.
President Lee Myung-Bak instructed his cabinet Tuesday to draw up a long-term strategy for reunification of the peninsula despite the tensions over the Cheonan corvette's sinking.

  Eighteen militants killed as Orakzai offensive continues
Dawn Online

Eighteen militants, including a foreigner, were killed and six others injured on Tuesday in a fresh attack by warplanes in the Orakzai tribal region.
Security forces said jet planes targeted suspected militant hideouts in the region's Tirah and Kotkai areas. Australian Military Chief Says Steady Progress Made in Afghanistan
Australian defense officials say more amored vehicles will soon be deployed to Afghanistan.
After two days of parliamentary testimony Tuesday, Defense Minister John Faulkner said that the government will spend $255 million on new armored vehicles to protect troops fighting a resurgent Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan.
Faulkner also said indicated his government will not send more troops to country, despite recent success against Taliban insurgents and signs that life is improving for Afghans.
Australian troops have been part of the multi-national force Afghanistan since late 2001. About 1,500 soldiers are there now to help in the fight militants, train local forces and assist civilian reconstruction efforts.
The country's top military officer, Air Chief Marshar Angus Houston, said during the hearing that Australian Special Forces have killed insurgents responsible for planting roadside bombs, which have inflicted terrible losses on coalition troops and civilians. Houston added that while Afghanistan remains an extremely dangerous country, positive steps have been made, including vital military successes and in important social areas.

 In Asia Protests, Condemnation Follow Israeli Raid on Gaza Flotilla

Internet

News of Israel's raid on a flotilla of peace activists, that left at least nine people dead, has sparked protests and condemnation in Asia. In Muslim-majority countries like Indonesia, protesters called on U.S. President Obama to get tough with Israel.
In central Jakarta, hundreds of Indonesian students protested what they are calling an act of Israeli aggression. On Monday Israeli military commandos raided six ships that were carrying 700 peace activists and 10,000 tons of aid to the Palestinian city of Gaza, which is under an Israeli blockade.
Several passengers were killed in the raid and scores of activists and soldiers were injured or arrested.
University student Sahid Sundana says Israel's military action is the same as an act of terrorism. He says if it were an American or Israeli ship and Muslims shot people on them, all the world would call them Muslim terrorists.
The United Nations Security Council has condemned Israel's actions. Similar demonstrations have been held in cities around the world.
In Southeast Asia, protests were held in Indonesia and Malaysia, two of the Muslim majority countries in the region.
China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu on Tuesday condemned the Israeli raid. He says China condemns the act and urges the Israelis to implement relevant U.N. Security Council resolutions and improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
China's strong stand against Israel contrasts with its refusal thus far to condemn North Korea for sinking a South Korean warship.
In Jakarta, Sundana, like many students at the rally calls on President Obama to take action against Israel.
He says President Obama has to prevent Israel from doing this kind of thing, and not to protect or cover up for Israel.
President Obama has expressed deep regret at the loss life in the raid and said it was important to learn all the circumstances surrounding the event. Many in the Muslim world see this response as too restrained and reinforcing the view that America's foreign policy is biased toward Israel.

Anis Baswedan is a political analyst and president of Paramadina University in Jakarta. He says if President Obama wants to be seen as an independent mediator in the Middle East peace process, he must speak out against Israel's actions.
"This is again an opportunity to show the world and also the Muslim world that Obama is able to capitalize the resources he has to actually bring peace to the Middle East, and being more tough on issues that needs to be tough and I think this is a time for Obama to fulfill the expectations of the world," he said.
By being tough on Israel, Baswedan says Obama will gain credibility to better deal with both sides in future Middle East peace negotiations.

   Iran wants Netanyahu, Barak to face trial for Gaza raid
AFP, Tehran

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesday called for Israel's prime minister and defence minister to face trial for the deadly raid on a Gaza aid flotilla in the eastern Mediterranean.
The United States, Britain and France must also be held accountable for Monday's Israeli raid on the aid ships, said Khamenei, who is all-powerful in the Islamic republic.
"The Arab League and the Organisation of the Islamic Conference must not be satisfied with anything less than a full lifting of the Gaza blockade," he said in a statement.
Khamenei also called for "an end to the grabbing of Palestinian land in the West Bank and a trial of criminals such as (Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu and (Defence Minister Ehud) Barak."
He said the "criminal attack ... should have convinced everyone that Zionism is the new and more violent face of fascism which is backed by those states which advocate freedom and human rights, above all the US government."
Washington, London and Paris should also be held accountable, he said.
"US, Britain, France and other European communities which have politically and financially backed these natural-born criminals should be seriously held accountable," the cleric said.
In a pre-dawn operation on Monday, Israeli commandos raided the flotilla and at least nine pro-Palestinian activists were killed in ensuing clashes, according to the Israeli army.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad also lashed out at Israel and said Tehran had precise information that Israel planned to launch a "massive attack" on Gaza in the wake of the deadly raid.
"I warn you that if this time you commit a crime against any place, against Gaza, the storm of regional nations' fury will uproot you," he said in a speech in the western city of Ilam.
The hardliner, who has repeatedly angered the international community with his anti-Israeli tirades, also criticised Washington for issuing what he said was a "very weak and biased" response to the raid.
"Instead of condemning, it has spoken vaguely and sought to evade taking a stance," he said, while some European countries had adopted a "good" stand.
Separately, Ahmadinejad offered his condolences to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan for the "martyrdom" of some Turks in the raid, the website of Iranian state television said.
"There must be a swift global consensus on imposing sanctions against the Zionist regime politically so it comes under the required pressure to punish the perpetrators of these international crimes, state terrorism and piracy," he said in his message to Erdogan.
Iranian opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi said the flotilla attack was a "new aggression by the regime occupying Jerusalem."
"I urge the international community to seriously confront those behind this inhuman act," he said on his Kaleme.com website.
Former president turned opposition supporter Mohammad Khatami criticised the UN Security Council for "keeping quiet" over such Israeli "crimes."
"I am simply amazed that the UN Security Council threatens and imposes sanctions against independent countries which want to exercise their legal rights, but keeps quiet in the face of such massive crimes," the ILNA news agency quoted the reformist former president as saying.
Khatami was alluding to repeated UN Security Council ultimatums to Iran to suspend uranium enrichment, a process which it regards as its right to master under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

  Israel ship raid puts Obama in diplomatic hot seat
AP, Washington

Israel's deadly commando raid on aid ships bound for Gaza confronts President Barack Obama with another major test by the Israeli leadership and another blow to Washington's goal of brokering peace with the Palestinians and improving the U.S. image in the Arab world.
Depending on how the White House finally reacts, the bloody incident also could further confound once rock-solid relations between the United States and Turkey, where most of the nine dead were apparently from.
So far, Obama has only voiced "deep regret" over the Israeli raid, and the White House said he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed by phone to reschedule Tuesday's White House talks "at the first opportunity." Netanyahu was rushing home from Canada.
The White House statement said the president "expressed the importance of learning all the facts and circumstances" surrounding the incident.
There were conflicting accounts of what happened early Monday, with activists claiming the Israelis opened fire without provocation and Israel insisting its forces fired in self defense. The specifics, however, of exactly what happened once the commandos boarded the aid ships will remain in dispute for days or even weeks to come.
The perceptions of the event are already fixed in much of the world, especially in Muslim countries.
Those perceptions are what count. They include:
The fact that Israel confronted the six-ship flotilla in international waters;
The convoy was intent on breaking Israel's three-year blockade of the Gaza Strip, imposed after the Palestinian militant group Hamas seized control of the tiny Mediterranean territory in 2007.
The blockade - along with Israel's fierce offensive against Gaza in the winter of 2008-2009 to stop Hamas rocket fire on Israeli villages - already had fueled anti-Israeli sentiment around the Arab world and in some quarters in Europe.
Compounding all that, the violence centered on the lead boat, the Turkish-flagged Mavi Marmara ferry.
Reaction was swift. There was a massive protest in Turkey, Israel's longtime Muslim ally, which unofficially supported the mission.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Israel of "state terrorism," and the government recalled its ambassador and called off military exercises with the Jewish state.

  Turkish PM calls Israeli ship raid a ‘massacre’
AFP, Ankara

Turkey's prime minister sharply criticized Israel for a "bloody massacre" that killed nine people on a Gaza-bound aid ship and warned Tuesday that no one should test Turkey's patience.
The harsh words come after Turkey withdrew its ambassador to Israel, scrapped three joint military exercises and called the U.N. Security Council to an emergency meeting that demanded an impartial investigation into Monday's deadly attack in the Mediterranean.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan told lawmakers in the Parliament that the Israeli military raids on an aid flotilla was an attack "on international law, the conscience of humanity and world peace."
"This bloody massacre by Israel on ships that were taking humanitarian aid to Gaza deserves every kind of curse," he said, demanding that Israel immediately halt its "inhumane" blockade of Gaza.
The flotilla was the ninth attempt by sea to breach the three-year-oldblockade Israel and Egypt imposed after the militant Hamas group violently seized the Gaza Strip in 2007, home to 1.5 million Palestinians. Israel allowed five seaborne aid shipments to get through but snapped the blockade shut after its 2009 war in Gaza. "They have once again showed to the world that they know how good they are at killing people," Erdogan said. "Israel in no way can legitimize this murder, it cannot wash its hand of this blood."
Erdogan said Turkey would continue to support the Palestinian people.
"We will not turn our back on Palestine, Palestinians and Gaza," Erdogan said.
"No one should test Turkey's patience," he added. "Turkey's hostility is as strong as its friendship is valuable."
He urged Israelis to question the actions of their government.
"It is damaging your country's image by conducting banditry and piracy," Erdogan said. "It is damaging interests of Israel and your peace and safety. It is the Israeli people who must stop the Israeli government in the first place."
He said Israel cannot face the international community without expressing "regret."
"Israel cannot ensure its security by drawing the hatred of the entire world," the prime minister declared.
Turkey sent three planes to bring back some 20 Turks wounded during clashes that broke out when Israeli commandos raided the Turkish vessel.

  EU sends $3.7 m in storm aid to Central America
IANS

The European Union on Tuesday sent 3 million euros ($3.7 million) in aid to the victims of tropical storm Agatha, which has killed at least 135 people in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador.
The storm, the first of the Pacific hurricane season, has caused widespread flooding and devastation, forcing at least 150,000 people to flee their homes.
'With the aid we are allocating today we are making an immediate gesture of European solidarity for the people of the region. We will continue, however, to monitor the situation closely, in case further needs arise,' the EU's disaster' relief commissioner, Kristalina Georgieva, said in a statement.
The money, which is to be administered by international aid agencies on the ground, is intended to provide relief equipment such as emergency food supplies, drinking water and first aid kits, as well as primary health care, sanitation and emergency shelter.
The EU's aid system allows the European Commission, the bloc's executive, to offer relief of up to 3 million euros within 72 hours of a disaster striking anywhere in the world.
Depending on the scope of the emergency, the commission can then follow up with larger sums if its experts say that it is necessary.
'We can provide more money if need be,' Georgieva's spokesman, Ferran Tarradellas, said.

Business/Economy

Govt working to build modern industrial BD: Barua
BSS, Dhaka

Industries Minister Dilip Barua Tuesday said that the present government has been working relentlessly to turn Bangladesh into a modern industrial country by creating an industry-friendly environment.
"The present government's policy is not to sell industries, rather it is aimed to create a favourable atmosphere to build new industries as well as their proper running," he told a delegation of Bangladesh Oceangoing Ship Owners Association, which called on him at his ministry.
Vice-President of the association Md Shah Alam, Secretary General Fazlul Haque and members Shahidul Islam and Md Shahjalal Mazumdar were present on the occasion.
The industries minister said the association could play an important role in building Digital Bangladesh, announced by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. He assured of providing allout assistance for flourishing of the sector which has immense potentialities for generating employment and earning foreign currencies.
Mentioning that ships are the oldest carrier of civilization, Dilip Barua said, "The oceangoing ships not only transport goods, they also carry our national flag. So the flourishing of the sector is very essential for the economic development."
At the meeting, the association leaders demanded announcement of oceangoing ship business as the 100 percent export-oriented industry in the next industrial policy. They said though the then government in 1994 through a gazette notification announced to provide similar facilities to the oceangoing ships which the export-oriented industries were getting, no real progress was made to this end.

 China bank adviser says property woes more severe than US

AFP, Beijing

China's housing market problems are worse than those in the United States before the global downturn as they could stoke public discontent, a central bank adviser has warned. The comments were made before China's State Council, or cabinet, announced it would "gradually reform the real estate tax"-the first official sign of a possible annual levy on residential housing aimed at reining in soaring prices. "The housing market problem in China is actually much, much more fundamental, much bigger than the housing market problem in the US and UK before your financial crisis," said Li Daokui, a member of the bank's monetary policy committee. "It is more than (just) a bubble problem," he told the Financial Times in an interview published Tuesday.
The property market in the United States collapsed as too many people were unable to repay their high-risk, or sub-prime mortgages, leading to a credit crunch in which thousands lost their homes and lending dried up.
China has recently introduced a range of measures to prevent the growth of asset bubbles and soaring property prices.
Authorities have tightened restrictions on advance sales of new property developments, introduced new curbs on loans for third home purchases, and
raised minimum downpayments for second homes.
The latest tax plan was expected to discourage property speculation and help replenish the coffers of local governments, which have been severely depleted by an investment binge over the past year, Chinese media reports have said. A property tax is likely to be imposed on a trial basis in Beijing, Shanghai, the southwestern municipality of Chongqing and the southern city of Shenzhen by end-June, state media said previously. China currently has no such levy on residential property but does impose a 1.2 percent tax on 70-90 percent of the value of commercial real estate.
The State Council also approved a plan to encourage the withdrawal of state capital in "general competitive sectors", in an apparent effort to reduce the amount of government-backed investment in the red-hot property market. Li said recent moves by Beijing to rein in the property market needed to be part of a long-term push to bring high housing prices under control, the Financial Times reported.

  Stranded BD workers return home from Liberia
UNB, Dhaka

Thirty nine Bangladeshi citizens, who were stranded in Liberia, returned home Tuesday.
They arrived at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport here in the afternoon.
The Bangladeshis who went to work in Liberia as migrant workers returned safely following consistent efforts by the concerned agencies of the government, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment.
Bangladesh Peace Keeping Contingent in Liberia as well as International Organization of Migration also supported the repatriation effort, a Foreign Ministry statement said.
An ISPR release said: A total of 39 helpless workers returned home today from Liberia with the assistance provided by the Bangladesh Army Contingent deployed there.
Promising to provide job, some local manpower exporting agencies and travel agents sent them to Liberia taking huge amount of money.
As any of Bangladeshi of Liberian representative did not contact with them on their arrival in Liberia and not having Bangladesh Embassy in Liberia they became helpless and shelter less, the release said.
In these circumstances, Bangladesh sector Headquarters deployed in UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) with the permission UNMIL Headquarters provided them with makeshift shelter.

  European shares hit fresh sell-off as ECB warns over banks
AFP, London

European shares fell heavily on Tuesday after an ECB warning of new bank writedowns added to anxiety about deficits and debt in eurozone countries, and the euro was also weak.
But the dollar rose on its status as a safe-haven from jitters over Israel's deadly Gaza ship raid.
Markets were also rattled by fresh data which indicated that China's economy could be slowing down, raising concerns for the global recovery.
In early afternoon trading in London, the FTSE-100 index of leading British shares showed a loss of 1.95 percent as BP shares plunged 15.13 percent to 419.92 pence after the company's latest attempt to fix the US oil spill disaster failed.
In Paris the main CAC-40 index showed a fall of 2.09 percent and in Frankfurt the DAX index of leading German stocks was down 1.76 percent at 5,859.20 points. In Madrid the Spanish Ibex-35 index, which has suffered heavy losses recently over concerns about Spain's debt and the country's embattled savings banks, fell by 2.99 percent. In foreign exchange trading on Tuesday, the euro slid to 1.2111 dollars-touching a level last seen on April 14, 2006. It later pulled back to 1.2140, down from 1.2305 late in New York on Monday.

  Weekly tea sale saw decline in price
UNB, Chittagong

After several consecutive weeks of price appreciation, the weekly tea sale here Tuesday saw a decline in price particularly towards close with some teas remaining unsold.
Blenders were initially operating in good strength but later their interest was more selective. Similarly, the Loose Tea buyers were also more selective, according to a market report. As a result of these, average prices declined by several Takas. There was once again no Export enquiry. Dusts were easier except for CDs which were a dearer market.
CTC LEAF: 10,892 packages and 480 packages of Old Season on offer met with a good demand but prices declined as the sale progressed with some withdrawals.
BROKENS: All Brokens were initially a good market but were easier by Tk 2/- to Tk 3/- and these sold between Tk 193/- and Tk 197/- per kg but thereafter, eased further. Medium and plainer varieties declined by a larger margin often by up to Tk 5/- to Tk 7/- with a few withdrawals. FANNINGS: Good liquoring Fannings were in good demand at the opening and sold at slightly easier rates but progressively declined in prices often by up to Tk 7/- to Tk 9/- towards the close. Their best could be quoted between Tk 193/- and Tk 197/-. Medium and plainer teas declined further with fair withdrawals. CTC DUST: 2,120 packages on offer met with a fairly good demand. RDs met with less competition and eased by Tk 3/- to Tk 8/- over last. Ds were a fair market and were generally easier by Tk 3/- to Tk 5/- and occasionally more. CDs were a strong feature and advanced by Tk 7/- to Tk 12/- and often more. Blenders continued to be quite active with fair support from the Loose Tea buyers.

  German jobless rate falls to 7.7 pc in May
AFP, Frankfurt

German unemployment fell sharply in May, data from the national labour agency showed on Tuesday, as Europe's biggest economy advanced despite the eurozone financial crisis. The unemployment rate fell to 7.7 percent of the workforce, the lowest level since December 2008, from 8.1 percent in April, This was also the lowest May reading since 1992 and the 11th monthly decline in a row.
The number of jobseekers declined by 165,000 after harsh winter weather finally eased, bringing the total to 3,242,000, the agency said. "The current trend of important labour market indicators shows a renewed improvement," said the head of the labour agency, Frank-Juergen Weise.
When adjusted for seasonal factors, the number of jobless fell by 45,000 nearly three times more than a forecast of 17,500 compiled by Dow Jones Newswires. Analysts had also predicted the unemployment rate would remain steady. The labour agency said the latest data allowed it to "conclude that the labour market's improvement comes from the economic environment," or the rebound from Germany's worst recession since World War II.
In addition, "successful labour market reforms, the government's famous crisis tool of short-work schemes and companies' prudence have made the labour market the bright spot of the recession," ING senior economist Carsten Brzeski noted.

National

Five dormitories for children to be completed in CHT
BSS, Rangamati

Five dormitories at five upazila headquarters under Bandarban hill district to be completed at a cost of Tk 8.75 crore for children living at hard-to-reach areas here.
The present government has undertaken the project in March last with a design to bring the education-deprived children of ethnic minority groups, depending on shifting cultivation living at non-communicative hilly areas under literacy cover, said officials.
There are no government educational institutions, where about 15 to 20 tribal families live scattered at Remacri and Tindu under Thanchi upazila, Remacri Prangsa, Paindu and Galenga of Ruma, Alikhyong and Tarasa of Roangchhari, Kruk Patajhiri and Puamuri of Alikadam of Bandarban. The distance varies 4 to 5 kilometers from one tribal hamlet to another where it was not possible to build educational infrastructures, observed officials.
The construction of the project is nearly completed at Thanchi, Ruma, Roangchhari, Alikadam and Bandarban Sadar under the Primary Education Development Project - 2, said the District Primary Education Officer, Mohammad Enamul Haque.
A number of 80 children, 40 boys and 40 girls, from catchments areas where exists no government educational institutions would be accommodated in each dormitory to prosecute their studies, said DPEO. The initiative of the government would bring a significant change in the literacy arena of the tribal people, lagging behind in education, opined DPEO.
Bandarban unit of Local Government Engineering Department is likely to complete the construction of dormitories by this month at a cost of Tk. 1.73 crore each setting up with solar electricity system, rainwater harvesting plant and computer training centre, an Executive Engineer of LGED, Tofazzal Hossain said.
Welcoming the government initiative, a tribal leader, Ranglai Mroe said that development of human resources is the demand of the time for the survival of the tribal people. He urged the government to set up residential schools at every union council considering the ratio of population.

  Businessmen exchange views with vat, tax officials in Rangpur

BSS, Rangpur

Leaders of Rangpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) and common businessmen exchanged views with the senior officials of the Customs and VAT of Rangpur Circle for resolving some issues here Monday.
RCCI President Alhaj ATM Shahnewaz Bablu chaired the views exchange meeting held at the RCCI auditorium and common businessmen took part in it for bringing dynamism in tax and VAT collections by stopping harassment of the businessmen.
Assistant Commissioner of the Customs and VAT of Rangpur Zone M Wazed Ali, Customs Superintendent of Rangpur Circle-1 M Salim Ullah, Senior Vice- president of RCCI Abul Quashem and its vice- president Mostafa Sohrab Chowdhury Titu addressed.
President of Rangpur District Shop Owners' Association Liton Mian, its General Secretary Rezaul Islam Milan, Director of RCCI Habibur Rahman Raja, Rabi Somani, Emdadul Hossain, Azizul Islam Mintu, also addressed.

  World No Tobacco Day observed in N-districts
BSS, Rajshahi

The World No Tobacco Day was observed in a befitting manner everywhere in the country's 16 northwestern districts Tuesday with a call to make the society free from the curses of tobacco. The district civil surgeon offices in collaboration with the concerned non-government development and various other voluntary organizations chalked out elaborate programs including colorful rallies and discussion meetings marking the day.
Speakers at the discussion meetings unequivocally called for strong resistance against the gradually increasing tobacco farming on the fertile lands of the region instead of the food grain and vegetable farming. They viewed that the indiscriminate tobacco farming could bring devastation in the government efforts to ensure a food security for the nation.
In this context, they informed that about 57,000 people die of using tobacco every year in the country, while 3.82 lakh become worthless and if the situation prolong, the annual death figure might be stood to around one lakh by 2030.
In Rajshahi city, various government, non-government and voluntary organizations brought out a huge rally parading the city streets in observance of the World No Tobacco Day.

Sports

Nadal wary of Almagro
AFP, Paris

Rafael Nadal insists his perfect record of six wins in six meetings against Nicolas Almagro will count for nothing when the two Spaniards meet in the French Open quarter-finals today.
Four-time champion Nadal, who is bidding to become only the second man in history after Bjorn Borg to win five or more Roland Garros crowns, has dominated his compatriot in their six-year rivalry.
The world number two also dropped just three games to Almagro when they met at the same stage of the French Open in 2008.
However, on the clay of Madrid two weeks ago, Almagro, the 19th seed here, took the first set off Nadal in their semi-final meeting.
Nadal, with his 24th birthday being celebrated on Thursday, is aware that Almagro has altered enough as a player to be able to gatecrash the party.
"It's going to be very difficult, because the way he plays is really excellent," said Nadal, who has reached the last eight without dropping a set, and on Monday achieved his 200th career claycourt win by seeing off Brazil's Thomaz Bellucci in the fourth round.
"It's going to be complicated; he's going to be very aggressive. As far as I'm concerned, I'll try and play my way and do my best so that he feels a bit uncomfortable."
Almagro, playing in his second French Open quarter-final, reached the last eight by defeating countryman Fernando Verdasco in the last 16 having almost slumped to a first round defeat when he lost the first two sets against Dutch journeyman Robin Haase.
But the 23-year-old believes he is a better player than two years ago when he was trampled into the Paris dust by Nadal.
"My physical shape has improved a lot and from a mental standpoint, I'm much stronger now," he said.
"But the match is going to be very difficult because I'm playing Rafa. He is above all the other players on this surface "In Madrid I played at a very good level. He came back. He played much better. He was playing much longer balls. For the next match it's going to be a battle. It's the one who can fight the longest that can win."
Today's second quarter-final features third seed Novak Djokovic, a semi-finalist in 2007 and 2008, against Jurgen Melzer, the first Austrian man to get this far at Roland Garros since former champion Thomas Muster in 1998.
Djokovic, desperate to add a French Open crown to his 2008 Australian Open title, has endured a roller-coaster journey to the last eight, dropping the second set in three of his four matches. But the 23-year-old Serbian is convinced his cause is being helped by all the attention being heaped on Nadal and defending champion Roger Federer, who are widely expected to contest a fourth final in five years.
"I think it's normal to talk about a Federer/Nadal final since both of them have been so dominant in last five years," he said.
"But I'm in this small group of players behind them that is trying to get to that final and force something that people don't expect."
Djokovic has a 2-0 winning record against Melzer, but warned of the danger posed by the Austrian who, at 29, is the oldest man left in the tournament and playing in his first Grand Slam quarter-final.
"He's been playing great. He's very aggressive. He can play defensive and offensive at the same time. That's what makes him very dangerous."
Melzer saw off Spanish ninth seed David Ferrer in the third round and believes he has nothing to lose against Djokovic.
"He's a hard fighter and gets a lot of balls back. He's a great counterpuncher, but I'm in the quarterfinals. I think I have enough game to go in there and beat him," said Melzer.

  Abahani takes on arch rival Mohammedan today
UNB, Dhaka

Holder Dhaka Abahani Limited takes on its arch-rival Dhaka Mohammedan SC today in a match of the Citycell Bangladesh League with both the teams optimistic about finishing their last league match with a win.
The important match will kick-off at 4 pm at the Bangabandhu National Stadium.
In the day's another match, Feni Soccer Club will meet Brothers Union Club in their last league match at Feni Stadium at 3:30 pm.
Abahani Limited already emerged champions of the league for the third time in a row with all-win run in the return leg.
The popular "sky-blue" Dhanmondi based Abahani secured 67 points from 23 matches with 22 wins and five draw, including a goalless one against Mohammedan SC in the first phase of the league.
Mohammedan SC became runners-up for the 3rd time in a row with 59 points from 23 matches with 18 wins and five draw while Sheikh Russell KC finished 3rd with 50 points from 24 matches with 15 wins and five draw.
Earlier, Abahani Limited sealed the league title crushing Farashganj SC by 4-0 goals in their penultimate match on May 20.
Abahani's long-serving captain and former national medio Arif Khan Joy has decided to terminate his long football career after the last league match today.

   Stosur stands in way of Serena steamroller
AFP, Paris

Suddenly Australia's Samantha Stosur finds herself in the way of what would be the crowning achievement in the career of Serena Williams.
The laid-back Gold Coast resident will take on the top seed and world number one today in the French Open quarter-finals with the American honing in on clinching the second leg of the fabled calender year grand slam.
With the Australian Open in the bag and her favourite tournaments of Wimbledon and the US Open to follow, Williams can rightfully feel she can target matching Steffi Graf, the last player to achieve the four-in-a-row full house in 1988.
But first she has to negotiate the fast-rising Stosur, a player she wrote off after losing to her in California in August 2009 as a "good framer" who enjoyed a fair bit of luck.
Asked about that comment after defeating four-times former Roland Garros winner Justine Henin in a thrilling fourth round tie on Monday, Stosur laughed and said: "Yeah, I guess a lot of people have changed their idea about what kind of tennis player I am recently.
"I guess that's a good thing. I maybe started to live up to that potential that everyone saw when I was younger."
Stosur reached the semi-finals here last year and after breaking into the world top 10, she is confirming that she belongs to be with the best in the women's game after years of under-achievement in singles at least. Williams, after her straight sets fourth round win over Shahar Peer of Israel was careful not to downplay Stosur this time around.
"She is no pushover," she said of her next opponent. "She has beaten me before and I shall have to play my best game.
"You can never underestimate anyone and Sam is a wonderful claycourt player.
"She has a good chance to go all the way. She is fast, she is strong and she has a great serve. She plays a real all-round game."
Today's other semi-final provides battle-hardened Serbian Jelena Jankovic with another chance to move closer to the Grand Slam title that has always eluded her.
She will take on Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazakhstan, who became the first player from that country to reach a grand slam quarter-final by defeating Australian wildcard Jarmila Groth in straight sets.
Jankovic, despite reaching number one in the world and being a regular contender in the four top tournaments, has yet to display her best on the biggest of stages - her top performance so far being a losing appearance in the final of the 2008 US Open.
But after a solid season so far she will start hot favourite against a player who will be treading new ground by playing for a country she adopted only because they offered her more financial backing than her native Russia where the competition is intense.
Shvedova though has already beaten Jankovic, defeating her in the US Open last year in three tough sets before going down in three to her at the Kremlin Cup in Moscow.
"We played together twice last year in the US Open and Kremlin Cup, and both matches was three sets," she said. "It was an unbelievable match in the US Open. I still remember it. I still remember the feelings and emotions.
"In the Kremlin Cup it was a little bit tougher. But still, it's a different surface. We'll see what's going to happen here because before it was hardcourt."

  Asian Games cricket hit by India withdrawal
AFP, New Delhi

Cricket's debut at the Asian Games this year suffered a body blow on Tuesday as India pulled out, while top stars from Pakistan and Sri Lanka were also set to miss the competition.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said it would not field the men's and women's teams at the November 12-27 Games in the Chinese city of Guangzhou because of prior commitments.
"We would not be able to send our team, both men and women, for the Asian Games in China because of international commitments," BCCI chief administrative officer Ratnakar Shetty told reporters in Mumbai.
"We have communicated the same to the Indian Olympic Association."
India has huge cricket-mad television audiences, making the team an attractive proposition for any organiser. But the national side is due to host New Zealand in November.
There were also grave doubts if two other Asian Test nations-Pakistan and Sri Lanka-would field their top cricketers.
Pakistan on Monday announced a Test and one-day series against South Africa from October 25 to November 25, while Sri Lanka are scheduled to host the West Indies in the same period.
Bangladesh, the other Test nation from the continent, has a home one-day series against Zimbabwe in November. The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) said it was disappointed at India's decision to withdraw from the competition.
"It is obviously sad and disappointing that India will not play cricket at the Asian Games," OCA secretary-general Randhir Singh, who is also secretary of the Indian Olympic Association, told reporters.
"The Asian Cricket Council worked really hard to get cricket included in the Games. But the BCCI is an independent sports body. We can't force them to play."
The OCA had said earlier that Twenty20 cricket was included in the Asian Games only after the big four promised to send their best teams to Guangzhou.
"India and Pakistan were the drivers," OCA president Sheikh Ahmad Al-Sabah said in May last year. "Asia's four Test-playing nations have committed to sending their best available teams."

  'Rebel' Domenech on last mission for France
AFP, Paris

Raymond Domenech travels to South Africa overladen with the weight of criticism and scandal that have clouded his final assignment as manager of France.
Controversy stalks him like a big game hunter tracking his prey in one of the World Cup host country's national parks.
A complex character, Domenech has shown he has skin as thick as that of any rhinoceros, which is just as well given the amount of flak directed at him.
Catalan-born Domenech came close to watching the 2010 World Cup from his sitting room, almost getting the sack after France's dismal showing at Euro 2008.
His team's first round exit was compounded by his infamous marriage proposal to partner Estelle live on French television seconds after Les Bleus' final first round match.
His critics range from the fan on the terrace to the most powerful man in European football.
UEFA president and fellow Frenchman Michel Platini noted: "There is a 'Raymond' problem, a problem of personality, not one of manager.
"Where he was useless was after Euro 2008 with his announcement (of marriage) which effected the whole of France.
"People were hurt, sad, and then he turns up with this declaration. He knows that though, he made a mistake. Before being himself he was the manager of France. He owes everything to the family of French football." As has become the custom Domenech was roundly booed by fans before his team's final World Cup warm-up game on home soil against Costa Rica in Lens on May 26.
Results on the pitch have hardly helped Domenech's cause. France stumbled into South Africa through the back door with Thierry Henry's helping hand via the play-offs at the expense of Ireland.
They were subsequently given a footballing lesson by European champions Spain in a March warm-up, prompting French Sports Minister Rama Yade to say: "We should have replaced the coach after the fiasco at Euro 2008 and judged him on those bad results.
"It is a shame to see this poor style of play. We've got some great individual players but the manager has been so far unable to shape a team."
Not for the first time cries for him to be sacked and boos for his underperforming players rang out at the Stade de France during the Spain masterclass.

  Drogba ready to take centre stage again
AFP, London

Ivory Coast captain Didier Drogba plans to live up to his reputation as the man for the big occasion by out-gunning his rivals for the World Cup golden boot.
Drogba is already well-established as Chelsea's talisman on football's grandest stages after his seventh goal in six cup final appearances clinched a 1-0 victory over Portsmouth in this season's FA Cup final.
Now the 32-year-old striker believes he is capable of emulating those heroics with his country in South Africa.
Sven Goran Eriksson's side have been drawn in a group which would make less confident players quake in their boots as they prepare to face five-time world champions Brazil and a serious title contender like Portugal.
But Drogba will lead the Ivory Coast into battle brimming with confidence after the best season of his life.
He finished ahead of Wayne Rooney as the Premier League's top scorer with 29 goals thanks to a title-clinching hat-trick against Wigan on the final day of the season.
Six goals against Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool this season proved that even some of England's best defenders were no match for Drogba at his ferocious best.
If he can continue that form over the next month, the Ivory Coast have a chance of ending Africa's long wait for a first World Cup winner and Drogba is sure to be heading the tournament's scoring charts.
"I really hope so. If we can get through the group stages, I think we have a very strong chance," Drogba said.
"It's important that we do well as a nation, but if I can win the World Cup Golden Boot as well, then it would be amazing."
The likes of Rooney, Lionel Messi, Fernando Torres and Luis Fabiano are likely to light up the tournament with their own unquestionable talents, but few can match Drogba's potent combination of muscular power and lethal finishing.
Not only is Drogba going into the World Cup bolstered by his role in Chelsea's first ever Premier League and FA Cup double, but he also has the additional motivation of making amends for his last appearance in the global showpiece. In 2006 in Germany, Drogba was hampered by a knee injury as the Elephants failed to qualify from a tough group which included Argentina, Holland and Serbia.
Drogba scored his side's first ever World Cup finals goal in their defeat against Argentina, but he was suspended for the last group game and then coach Henri Michel admitted the striker's lack of form had been instrumental in the the disappointing results.
That let-down was one of the few low point in a career which has steadily risen to ever greater heights since Drogba made his debut for French club Le Mans in 1998.
At one stage in his teenage years it seemed Drogba was heading for a life as an accountant but he signed his first professional contract with Le Mans at 21 and never looked back.
A move to Guingamp for a transfer fee of just 80,000 pounds in 2002 was the defining moment in Drogba's development.

  Henin upbeat after French open setback
AFP, Paris

Justine Henin's comeback charge came to a shuddering halt at the French Open on Monday, but she remains upbeat about her future.
The 27-year-old Belgian was outplayed 2-6, 6-1, 6-4 by Samantha Stosur of Australia in a fourth round tie to end a 24-match unbeaten run on the Roland Garros claycourts that dated back to 2004.
All the talk beforehand had been of Henin setting up another clash with old rival Serena Williams who beat her in three sets in the Australian Open final in January. That came just a month after the Belgian had returned to tennis following an absence of nearly two years to recharge her batteries.
Henin then won in Stuttgart to add gloss to her comeback, but a broken finger on her left hand and a bout of sinusitis left her short of form coming into Paris. "It's going to take some time. I realize that," she said of her campaign to add to her collection of Grand Slam titles which stood at seven when she walked away from the sport in May 2008. "But I said it from the first minute I was back on the tour. There have been a lot of good things in the first five months of the season, but that's not easy. "I knew 2010 would be difficult. Even if in Australia I got very good results it was also a surprise. "After that, you have to confirm. We can see there are some ups and downs, and I knew it could happen.
"Now it's probably going to be really the time that I'll have to just say it's now that I have to find it, because there are difficult moments ahead. I think I'm ready to do it." Henin was on top early on against Australia's Stosur, who reached the semi-finals last year.
But when her opponent turned on her power game at the start of the second set she started to struggle and admitted to being more nervous and upset on court than she is used to. Henin briefly got back on level terms after dropping an early break in the third, but she was unable to reproduce the lethal backhand strokes and fleet footedness that were her trademarks en route to winning four French Open titles.

  Sri Lanka to hire cruise liner for WC fans
AFP, Colombo

Sri Lanka plans to hire a cruise liner to accommodate cricket World Cup fans and spectators at the newly built stadium in the island's south, an official said on Tuesday.
The six-million dollar stadium in Hambantota, President Mahinda Rajapakse's hometown, lacks hotels to accommodate thousands of fans expected to watch the games in February-April next year.
"Star-classed hotel facilities are enough for only two teams and the cruise ship can accommodate up to 1,000 people," Sri Lankan World Cup official Suraj Dandeniya told AFP.
International Cricket Council rules require each venue to have five-star facilities to house between 500 and 1,000 players, officials, media and fans.
"The ship will be used mainly for spectators, officials and the media contigent that will be following the two games allotted to the venue," said Dandeniya.
Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh are co-hosting the 14-nation showpiece held every four years. Pakistan, the fourth Test-playing nation in South Asia, were removed as co-hosts due to security concerns in the volatile country.
Known as the Suriyawewa Stadium, the Hambantota venue will host its maiden international game when Sri Lanka play Canada in the World Cup on February 20.
The other match at the venue is between Pakistan and Kenya on February 23.
The 43-day tournament will be played across 13 venues in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh and ends with the final on April 2 at Mumbai's Wankhede stadium.

  South Africa axes McCarthy for World Cup
AFP, Johannesburg

South Africa coach Carlos Alberto Parreira axed West Ham striker Benni McCarthy Tuesday when naming his 23-man World Cup squad.
High-profile McCarthy had been involved in a race against the clock to get fit and rediscover his form after an injury-interrupted English Premiership season with Blackburn Rovers and the Upton Park club.
Brazilian Parreira told a news conference here: "I am not going to talk about individuals who did not make the final squad. We applied five principles when making our choices.
"This is not the end of the road for the five footballers whose dreams I have cut short. There will be other opportunites to play for the national team," stressed the 1994 World Cup-winning coach. McCarthy played in only one of four warm-up matches last month, coming on as a second-half substitute in a bruising 2-1 victory over Colombia at Soccer City last Thursday.
He saw little of the ball and did not have an opportunity to increase his record 32-goal haul for Bafana Bafana (The Boys), who are in Group A with Mexico and former world champions France and Uruguay.
There were several other surprises as the squad was slimmed from 28 players to the regulation 23 with uncapped goalkeeper Shuaib Walters from unfashionable Maritzburg United getting the nod over Germany-based Rowen Fernandez.
Bryce Moon was considered the likeliest deputy rightback behind Siboniso Gaxa but the slot went to Anele Ngcongca, perhaps because the Belgium-based footballer can be deployed in various defensive and midfield roles.
Others who did not make it for the June 11-July 11 tournament in nine South African cities were predictable with leftback Innocent Mdledle and left-side midfielder Franklin Cale missing out.
Parreira, who will overtake Serb Bora Milutinovic next month by making a record sixth World Cup tournament appearance as a coach, said everywhere he goes in South Africa people tell him to make the country proud. "We will make the country proud. We are ready to face Mexico on June 11 in the opening match," said a weary Parreira who had just four hours sleep before the announcement.