MONday, june 28, 2010 ashar 14, 1417, RAJAB 15, 1431 Hijri

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Leading News

Daylong hartal observed
Police fire tear gas, use batons in city; Several BNP leaders among 200 arrested

AFP/UNB, Dhaka

Security forces in Bangladesh arrested more than 200 people Sunday as the first nationwide general strike since elections in 2008 was marred by violence, police said.
In the capital Dhaka, security forces fired tear gas and used batons to disperse hundreds of opposition activists as they tried to hold marches along major roads, police said.
An opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) lawmaker was hurt when supporters and opponents of the strike clashed at Dhaka University, police spokesman Walid Hossain said, adding the man was rushed to hospital and later arrested.
At least 12,000 policemen and the Rapid Action Battalion were deployed in Dhaka to try to avert violence as the shutdown brought much of the capital of 13 million people and the country to a standstill.
Police said the strike had halted transport throughout the country and disrupted business operations. In Dhaka, most private offices, shops, schools and colleges were closed.
The BNP had called the strike to protest against what it says is the Awami League government's failure to provide basic services such as power, water and gas and against "arbitrary" arrests and harassment of opposition supporters.
The Awami League swept to power in January 2009 after a landslide election victory on December 29, 2008. The BNP, which ruled the country twice after democracy was restored in 1990, was reduced to a small opposition.
Police used batons to disperse opposition activists, footage shown by private television channel Bangla Vision showed. The channel also reported that several people had been injured.
At least 96 people, including two former BNP ministers, were arrested during the strike and 120 activists were taken into custody hours before it began.
"We arrested former public works minister Mirza Abbas this morning on charges of torching vehicles," said the police chief of Dhaka's main commercial district, Toffazzal Hossain.
Opposition activists hurled small bombs and pieces of brick at police but there were no casualties, he told AFP.
Thousands of BNP activists demonstrated in Dhaka in small groups. Police cordoned off the party's main office and banned marches in roads linking government offices and ministers' homes to the airport.
Several smaller parties, including the main Islamic party, Jamaat-e-Islami, supported the strike.
The southeastern city of Chittagong, the country's main port and home to five million people, was cut off by lack of transport and at least 10 people were arrested for smashing the windows of a bus, police and officials said.
Big jute fibre mills and shops were closed in the southern city of Khulna but there was no trouble, police inspector Jamal Uddin said.
Meanwhile, protesting arrests and alleged repression, BNP has announced countrywide rallies and processions today (Monday). BNP secretary general Khandaker Delwar Hossain announced the program at a post-hartal press briefing at the party's central office at 6:15 pm.
Delwar said they have got information about the arrest of over 1000 leaders and workers and over 500 injured across the country during the hartal hours. He said the demonstration will be held today at all district headquarters while in Dhaka city, protest rally will be held at Muktangon at 3pm.
The hartal was called on a number of issues and demands that include ensuring supply of gas, electricity and water, halting extortion, tender-manipulation and grabbing by the ruling party terrorists, and protesting assaults on girl students at different educational institutions including Eden Women's College in the capital.
It was also to protest politicization of the administration and judiciary, demand scrapping of "anti-national" agreements signed with India, resignation of the "biased" Election Commission and contain price-hike of essentials.

 Coal policy to be adopted after proper study: PM
UNB, Dhaka

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Sunday said that her government will not take any hasty decision regarding the coal policy.
"We will not take any decision whimsically, we will examine pros and cons of any proposal before implementing it," she said at the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) meeting at the PM office held after more than 12 years. This was the 6th meeting of the NSTC and the last meeting was held on February 23, 1998.
The Prime Minister who chaired the meeting said that there is plenty of coal in Bangladesh and this is a fact. "But, the scenario of the country is different from that of other countries," she said.
Hasina said that her government sent a team to Germany to observe the coal extraction systems. She said that the open pit coal mining in Germany was viable as the country has vast lands and the coal mines situated at places where there is no dense population like Bangladesh.
The Prime Minister said that Bangladesh is a densely populated country and the areas where the coal mines are located are inhabited by huge number of people. "We have to think about the people of the area and loss of lands before going for extracting coal from the mine," she told the meeting.
Hasina mentioned that her government would not take any decision that might harm the interest of the people and inflict sufferings to them.
She said after extracting the coal from the mine, it must be worked out how the vacated mine would be filled up. "So, we will not take any decision in a hurried manner and this is not possible for us as we are a pro-people government," she said.
On the power situation, the Prime Minister said that the power situation remains the same when her government took the office previously in 1996. "We are all working hard to mitigate the power deficit and I firmly believe we will solve the problem," she said.

 AL won’t take responsibility of BCL action: Syed Ashraf
UNB, Dhaka

Ruling Awami League general secretary and LGRD minister Syed Ashraful Islam on Sunday said his party will not take any responsibility of any actions of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL).
"Chhatra League is neither an associate nor a front organization of Awami League. Awami League will not take responsibility of Chhatra League," he told reporters at his ministry when asked to comment on BCL activists' attacks on opposition workers during the hartal allegedly under police cover.
Ashraful said "Police will look into it."
He claimed that Awami League did not obstruct nor resist the hartal called by BNP.
Replying to a question, Ashraful said hartal is a democratic and constitutional right but "we'll have to come out from the culture of calling hartal and resisting hartal."
However, the AL leader said it is to be seen the reason of calling this hartal. If they (opposition) want to discuss their demands or any issues they can raise those in parliament, he added.

   BNP announces countrywide demonstration today
People have given verdict in favour of our demands: Delwar

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Sunday claimed that people across the country have given their verdict in favour of their demands by spontaneously making the day's dawn-to-dusk hartal "a total success."
The mainstream opposition has announced countywide rallies and processions today (Monday) to protest the arrests and repression on the party leaders and workers during the day-long hartal Sunday.
The demonstration is aimed at demanding immediate release of the arrested party leaders and workers.
Addressing a post-hartal press briefing at the party's Nayapaltan central office at 6:15 pm, BNP secretary general Khandaker Delwar Hossain announced the demonstration programme and asked the government to "return to the path of democracy shunning repression, terrorism and illegal path."
Otherwise, he cautioned the government that it will have to face "serious consequences", indication of which had been reflected through the just concluded Chittagong City Corporation elections and the countrywide shutdown on Sunday.
Delwar said they have got information about the arrest of over 1000 BNP leaders and workers and injury to over 500 others throughout the country during the hartal hours. The demonstration will be held today (Monday) at all district headquarters. In Dhaka city, the rally will be held at Muktangon at 3pm.
The BNP secretary general said people have showed their "no-confidence and distrust" in the Awami League-led Grand Alliance regime. He claimed 100 percent success of the hartal, the first against the 18- month-old government.
Delwar said people extended their total support to the 11-point demands for which BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia had called the countrywide hartal.
The demands include ensuring supply of gas, electricity and water, halting extortion, tender-manipulation and grabbing by ruling party men, protesting politicization in administration and judiciary, scrapping "anti-national" agreements signed with India and containing price-hike of essentials.

   Tk 1662.51 cr interest of 8 state-owned banks waived in 18 months

BSS, Sangsad Bhaban

A total of Taka 1662 crore 51 lakh 89 thousand interest of eight state-owned banks was waived from January last year to June this year, Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith told the House on Sunday.
Replying to a question from Jatiya Party lawmaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, the minister said the interest was waived against 65,925 loans.
Of the amount, Taka 555 crore 86 lakh and six thousand of Sonali Bank, Taka 586 crore 12 lakh and 52 thousand of Janata Bank, Taka 299 crore 91 lakh and 33 thousand of Agrani Bank, Taka 96 crore 87 lakh and 17 thousand of Rupali Bank, Taka 42 crore 83 lakh and 73 thousand of Bangladesh Krishi Bank, Taka 69 crore 23 lakh and 62 lakh of Bangladesh Development Bank, Taka 10 crore 19 lakh and 88 thousand of Rajashahi Krishi Unnayan Bank and Taka 1 crore 87 lakh and 58 thousand of BASIC Bank.
Responding to another question from treasury bench member Sadhana Halder, the finance minister said interest amounting to Taka 3,644.80 crore of four state-owned commercial banks and five specialized banks was waived against 692 loan accounts of the loan defaulters of Taka 1 crore or above during 2001 to 2008.
He, however, said no principal amount was waived during the period.
Answering to another question from BNP lawmaker Nilofar Chowdhury Moni, Muhith said since its inception, Karmasangsthan Bank disbursed loan of Taka 790.16 crore among 1,71,393 educated unemployed youths till May last.

   Germany thrash England 4-1, reach last eight
AFP, Bloemfontein, South Africa

Germany thrashed England 4-1 on Sunday to reach the World Cup quarter-finals with goals from Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski and a double for Thomas Mueller with Matthew Upson netting a consolation for England.
Klose and Podolski put the Germans in command with poachers' goals after 20 and 32 minutes with England's defence all at sea.
But Upson headed in eight minutes before the interval and England should have gone in level after a Frank Lampard shot crossed the line coming down off the underside of the crossbar, only for the linesman to wave play on.
Mueller's second-half double finished off a woeful England.
Three-times champions Germany, whose speed and guile frequently bewildered a statuesque England backline, will now meet either Argentina or Mexico, who were facing off later Saturday in Johannesburg.
Germany, a youthful side just coming to the boil under coach Joachim Loew, continue their record of having reached at least the last eight in every World Cup they have competed in since 1938.
England, having come to the tournament with high expectations under experienced coach Fabio Cap-ello, in contrast will head home with their reputations in shreds ahead of the customarily savage media post-mortem.

   Govt lost people’s support: Nizami
UNB, Dhaka

Jamaat-e-Islami chief Matiur Rahman Nizami urged the government to immediately release opposition leaders and workers arrested during the day-long hartal across the country on Sunday.
Nizami in a press statement said people observed the hartal spontaneously and peacefully defeating the fear of mass-arrest. The successful observance of the hartal reflects the government has lost public support. He claimed that police arrested 43 Jamaat-ICS men during the shutdown across the country.
The Jamaat chief said police arrested 15 Jamaat-Shibir workers in Dhaka city, 17 in Sirajganj and 11 in Comilla.
Nizami alleged that BCL and Juba League cadres attacked the opposition processions in presence of law enforcing agencies during the hratal, leaving hundreds injured.
"People have raised their voice against the government's failure," he said, adding the government can not stifle the people's voice by carrying out repressive acts. Referring to setting fire on some vehicles during in the pre- hartal evening, the AL leader said burn-injured passengers are now in hospitals.
People would reply to such violence some day, he added. Referring to BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia's statement on observing a peaceful hartal, he said in reality BNP created a panic in the name of hartal.

Back Page

President urges expatriates to work for prosperous Bangladesh

UNB, London

President Zillur Rahman has urged the expatriate Bangladeshis to work with the spirit of patriotism for building a prosperous and happy Bangladesh.
The President gave the call at a reception given in his honour by the expatriate Bangladeshis at Kensington Town Hall on Saturday evening.
Foreign Minister Dipu Moni, President's son Najmul Hasan MP and Sheikh Rehana also spoke at the programme, chaired by veteran journalist Abdul Gaffar Chowdhury.
President Zillur said the expatriate Bangladeshis, through their remittances, are accelerating the country's development.
He mentioned that the present government is seriously considering the matter so that the expatriate Bangladeshis could exercise their right of franchise.
The President said Bangladesh, much concerned about the climate change, has been playing leading role in international conferences on climate issue.
He hoped that Bangladesh would become a middle-income country by 2021.
The President is expected to return home on June 29 (Tuesday).

   Export of BD products to SAARC countries yet to get a boost

UNB, Dhaka

Export of Bangladesh products to the SAARC countries is yet to get a boost as exports to the region still accounts for only 3 percent of the country's total export earnings in nine months (July-March) of the current fiscal.
According to Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) figures, Bangladesh exported the highest amount of goods to India among the SAARC countries in July-March period of the current fiscal amounting to US$ 257.41 million representing 74 percent of the total export to SAARC countries.
The lowest amount of export among the SAARC countries was to the Maldives during the period as the figure was US$ 0.46 million.
During the period, the total export to the SAARC countries stood at US$ 348.13 million. The export to the SAARC countries totaled US$ 383.96 million in the 2008-09 fiscal.
July-March exports to other SAARC destinations are Pakistan US$ 60.74 million, Sri Lanka US$ 18.02 million, Nepal US$ 6.62 million, Afghanistan US$ 1.92 million and Bhutan US $1.88 million.
Bangladesh's export to the SAARC countries was the highest in 2007-08 fiscal - $ 459.32 million. Other year-wise figures: 2002-03 fiscal - $ 149.41 million, 2003-04 - $ 157.42 million, 2004-05 - $ 288.06 million, 2005-06 - $ 347.41 million and 2006-07 - $ 368.57 million.
Bangladesh's overall export performance for July-March period of the current fiscal was $ 11541.23 million, of which $ 1515.75 million was in March showing an 18.38 percent single month positive growth.

   Hartal passes off peacefully in Ctg, 46 pickets detained
BSS, Chittagong

The dawn- to-dusk hartal enforced by BNP and its fundamentalist allies passed off peacefully in the port city as well as the district on Sundaay. According to Chittagong Metropolitan and district police control room sources, the overall situation was peaceful and no untoward incident occurred during the hartal period.
Police said a total of 46 pickets, 14 from Chittagong Metropolitan area and 32 from different parts of the district, were detained for attempting to damage vehicles during the hartal hours. The pickets in the port city were detained from Agrabad, Halishahar and Kotwali areas, police said.
Though the inter-district buses stayed off the road, rickshaws plied at large in different parts of the city while CNG run auto rickshaws was also seen plying on the streets during hartal hours.
Different shops remained opened, attendance in public and private offices was as usual but the educational institutions were closed. Production activities in mills and factories at the industrial belts in the city and on its outskirts were slightly affected.
Railway control room sources said all scheduled trains to and from the port city left and arrived as per the schedule. All domestic and international flights at Chittagong Shah Amanat International Airport took off and landed according to the schedule, airport control room sources said.
Operational activities including loading and unloading inside the port went on in full swing but transportation of export- import goods to and from the port jetty remained suspended as trucks and lorries could not ply , port sources said.
BNP arranged several meetings and processions in the city's Bahadderhat, Kazirdewri , Nasimon Bhaban BNP office area and some other spots in support of the hartal. BNP leader and former minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Shamsul Alam, Dr Sahadat Hossain and Dastagir Chowdhury, among others, led the processions. A large number of police and other members of the law enforcement agencies have been deployed in different parts of city for maintaining law and order.
Beside, Chittagong city Awami league brought out an anti- hartal rally from the Darul Fazal Market area at 11 am on Sunday. The rally paraded different city streets and ended at Shaheed Minar premises.

    The budget will revive rural economy: Suranjit
BSS, Sangsad Bhaban

Awami League Advisory Council member Suranjit Sengupta on Sunday said the proposed budget for 2010- 2011 would be marked as a step to revive the rural economy, which was gradually worn out after killing of Bangabandhu in the name of open market economy.
Taking part in the general discussion on proposed budget for 2010- 2011 in the House on Sunday the noted parliamentarian said the country's constitution during its inception clearly mentioned about the socialist economic system of the country along with parliamentary democratic system.
"But after the killing of Bangabandhu, they established a 'plunderers' economy' making the rural economy weaken and amassing all resources in the urban areas," he said adding 'we wanted democratic socialism, social and welfare economy'.
In the name of open market economy, they helped to amass 95 percent wealth in the hand of only 5 percent people, Suranjit said adding the budget would help turning over the country's economy into rural based.
He said there is some ambition in the budget, but the ambitiousness is not a luxury, as the budget has been made with a goal for welfare of rural people particularly poor, middle class and farmers.

    Army HQs on 'foreign ship detained in India after offloading arms in Chittagong'

UNB, Dhaka

The Army Headquarters termed as misleading the news item headlined "Foreign ship detained in India after offloading arms in Chittagong," published in some dailies in Dhaka on Sunday.
Quoting Army Headquarters statement, Inter Service Public Relations (ISPR) press release said MV Aegean Glory carrying military equipments of some contingents along with a Battalion under the supervision of UN returned to Chittagong port on June 15 after accomplishing their task for the United Nations mission in Liberia.
It said that on June 24, the ship left the port after offloading the equipments from June 19-23 under the supervision of local shipping agent Messrs Sunshine Business Limited. Among the equipment, 32 containers carried war weapons and military vehicles.
The military equipments are being handed over from Chittagong port to Bangladesh Army in Dhaka Cantonment under the supervision of UN- nominated shipping agent Sunshine Business Limited, the press release said.
The same ship also carried some military equipment for Pakistan and Nepal under the supervision of the UN, the release added.

    Flood situation may deteriorate in northeastern regions
BSS, Dhaka

The prevailing flood situation in Sylhet, Sunamganj, Netrakona and Moulvibazar districts is likely to deteriorate in the next 24 hours.
Due to formation of depression in the Bay of Bengal, the country experienced moderate to moderately heavy rainfall at most of the places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at few places during the last 24 hours ending at 6 am on Sunday, a press release of Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) said.
The major river systems, the Brahmaputra-Jamuna and the Ganges-Padma, are on a rising trend but both the river systems are still flowing below their respective danger levels.
Monitoring the water levels at 73 stations, the FFWC said 48 recorded rise and 16 registered fall across the country.
Water level at four stations has remained steady while at six stations it is above danger level, it added.
Six stations, including the Kushiyara river at Amalshid, Sheola, and Sherpur and the Surma at Kanaighat, Sunamganj and the Kangsha at Jariajanjail are flowing 13cm, 39cm, 24cm, 56cm, 11cm and 25cm above danger levels respectively.
Significant rainfall was recorded at different places of the country -- 120.5mm at Dinajpur, 103mm at Comilla, 80mm at Lorergarh, 72mm at Pabna, 66mm at Gaibandha, 59mm at Rangpur, 116mm at Dalia and 72mm at Noakhali.

    20 including lawmaker and journalist injured during hartal in Barisal

UNB, Barisal

The countrywide dawn to dusk hartal called by opposition BNP was observed in Barisal with some stray incidents on Sunday. There was no picketing against the hartal and city roads were under the control of police.
Central BNP organizing secretary, local lawmaker and former BCC Mayor Advocate Mujibur Rahman Sarwar and 19 others were injured when baton charged by police while they were picketing in local Judge Court area at 12:30 pm.
Of the inured, conditions of Advocate Kamrul Ahsan Shahin, city BNP joint convener and former public prosecutor, Advocate Shahid Hossain, city BNP convening committee member and former APP, Advocate Mohiul Islam Taher, city Jamaat leader, Rafikul Islam Shahin, city Jubo Dal president, and Nuruzaman, photo journalist of Kaler Kantha, were stated to be critical. BNP sources said police arrested at least 20 leaders and activists of BNP and its front organizations.
Police forcibly ousted female leaders and activists of BNP and its front organizations from their party office and took control of the office and surrounding areas of Aswani Kumar Hall at about 10 am. BNP lawmaker Sarwar alleged that police and local administration acted like ruling party cadres.
Activists of BNP and Jamaat brought out separate processions and held rallies at different areas of the city in the morning and afternoon.

Editorial

The ailing health sector

The health sector of the country is in a mess and as a result public health is neglected alarmingly. In fact, the infrastructure of the health sector is not strong enough to face the challenge of time and meet the growing needs of the huge population. Widespread corruption and misuse of the limited funds made available for this sector aggravate the situation further.
The low standard of government health services is attributed to inadequate budget allocation, poor management and other problems. The health sector is among the four most corruption-ridden sectors in Bangladesh. The financial constraint and misuse of available resources coupled with irregularities, mismanagement and corruption as well as irresponsibility of a section of the doctors and nurses in the government hospitals have rendered the country's health sector seriously sick forcing the people to face immense problems and untold miseries.
The health care Bangladesh people get from the government is quite unsatisfactory. Not to speak of the developed countries, even India and Pakistan spend more and provide more facilities for the medical care of their people compared to Bangladesh. Moreover, the cost of medical check-up, test and treatment is much higher in Bangladesh than that in any other country of the region. True, a number of new medical colleges and hospitals have been established in the country in the recent past. But this too has not yet been able to contribute substantially to bring about a qualitative improvement in the country's medical care system.
The miserable condition of the country's health sector is perhaps due to the fact that medical care is considered here as a commercially sellable commodity instead of a noble service to suffering humanity. The people spend a good amount of money for every medical student till he becomes a doctor and the entire health sector is run with the help of public money. But the people do not get the much-needed medical care from the state and enough sympathy of the doctors. The state is apparently incapable of coping with the peoples' growing need of medical care. Because, our health sector is running short of personnel. Besides, the health sector is largely crippled by inertia, inefficiency, negligence, wrong treatment, ill-treatment, mismanagement, irregularities and corruption.
It is most unfortunate that majority population of the country live in rural areas, but health care system there is very poor as doctors are reluctant to stay and serve the people there. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in a speech late last month urged the country's physicians and surgeons to render health services properly and timely to the people living in the villages."People living outside the capital are also human beings and they have also the right to get health services. We'll give you everything for your professional development. In exchange, we want you to render health services properly to the rural people," she said.
Sheikh Hasina also directed the authorities concerned to maintain quality of medical services at the government hospitals, particularly to enhance services of emergency units. She called upon the doctors to work in the rural areas so that the village people get proper medical care. She even pointed out that the promotion of doctors would depend on their length of services in the rural areas. The people living in the villages hardly get proper health services as the health complexes are not adequately equipped and worse still most of the doctors are reluctant to stay in villages. This trend has to be changed. Steps should be taken immediately to take steps so that people get proper medial treatment in the hospitals. To ensure this government should allocate increased funds for the health sector and ensure appointment of more doctors and nurses in the hospitals who are motivated and devoted to serving the suffering humanity. Some thing must be done in this regard.

 Victims of flood, erosion

Vitims of flood and erosion at different places are suffering unbearable lives for lack of shelter, adequaste food and medicines and also pure drinking water. Press reports on Friday said, heavy rain and onrush of hill waters from the upstream have inundated vast areas of three upazilas of the Netrokona district, leaving about 1 lakh people marooned. Around 60 villages of Durgapur, Kalmakanda and Khaliajuri upazilas went under water.
Many educational institutions were closed in these areas due to the flashflood.The affected people said they have not got any relief yet from the government or NGOs.
Similar appalling situation is prevailing also in other flood and erosion affected areas including Habiganj and Maulvibazar districts as well as Sherpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram, Lalmonirhar and Sirajganj districts. A report indicated that 300 families have been marooned due to erosion of Jamuna in Islampur of Jamalpur district. Meanwhile, heavy rains and continuous onrush of hilly waters caused further rises in the major rivers on the Brahmaputra basin with sporadic incidents of erosions . With the continuous rises in the water levels in recent days, stronger currents caused which devoured many riverside houses and lands at various places.The affected people are passing their days under open sky. They are passing days in untold miseries due to lack of necessary food, water and medicines.The government should take urgent steps to redress the sufferings of the flood and erosion victims of the country.

Analysis

You can’t kill your way out of here

For the moment, the spotlight is on the blown up ego of a man who made his way to the top, was thrown out in a war of wits, and on the horrifying details of his life, the blood he has on his hands through the death and destruction he and his army have brought to Afghanistan.

Muzaffar Iqbal

“You can't kill your way out of Afghanistan, the Russians killed one million Afghans, and that didn't work." --- General Stanley McChrystal
It is not just "The Runaway General," Michael Hastings' article in Rolling Stone which led to the sacking of General Stanely McChrystal, that reminds one of Conrad's Heart of Darkness, it is the whole sordid affair of American aggression in Afghanistan. It is like the unleashing of thousands of men and women on a populace which appears to them not as human beings, but as "shirts" and "skins"; and they are there "to kill the shirts". Such is the venom of this assault on the poorest country of the world; such is the inhumanity built into the American war machine and the army that is now stranded in the deserts of Afghanistan without a clue about how it would return home.
The details of the life of Stanley McChrystal, the commander of all Nato-led forces in Afghanistan until June 23, 2010, read like a horrifying tale of one man gone mad in the darkest depths of human depravity. Graphically depicted by a brilliant writer who needed to add little to the actual conversations he heard while on this assignment, the article sends shudders of pain and grief and one wonders how a human being can be capable of such spiritual perversion. But that is a consideration most American readers of the Rolling Stone article (due to appear in print today, June 25, but already available on the internet for the last three days) may not entertain as the language they will read in the article will be condoned as military language, as if militaries are not supposed to have any moral values.
For the moment, the spotlight is on the blown up ego of a man who made his way to the top, was thrown out in a war of wits, and on the horrifying details of his life, the blood he has on his hands through the death and destruction he and his army have brought to Afghanistan. It is of little concern to all but a few TV anchors in America what McChrystal says about Obama or Richard Holbrooke. What is of interest to the rest of the world are the revealing inside details of how the war is being pursued in Afghanistan by the entire American leadership, how civilian deaths are being covered up by the American military right up to the highest level of command which falsifies information. What one reads in the article is nothing short of how America has planned a massive genocide of Afghans.
Of course, the article will be read in the backdrop of many ground realities: America is involved in Afghanistan in a classic no-win guerilla war; it is totally oblivious of the special tribal and warrior mentality of the Afghans, which has a very large role to play in the present scenario; there will be many discussions about the Afghan president who was installed on the strength of American gun power but who is increasingly seen as a burden; Pakistan will appear large in the backdrop as it can always be blamed for all sorts of shortcomings ranging from its supposed failure to do enough to being a place that can be labeled as the hub of warriors entering the battle zone; and, most importantly, it will be read in the long shadow of the post-9/11 Islam phobia that has now become a permanent feature of the Western mass-psychology.
No matter how many factors are considered in the dramatic unfolding in the aftermath of the sacking of this venomous general, and no matter what views one holds about the Afghan Taliban, there is no denying the fact that had it not been for them, Afghanistan would have become the easiest war America ever started, and the most desired outpost for its expansionist agenda--a place from where it can control the entire Central Asia and a country from where it can launch a ground assault on Iran if and when it needs to do so.
Nine years and thousands of deaths later, the old Afghan saying seems truer than ever before: foreigners come to our land at their will, but they leave at our will. It is not that the American and the British leaderships have not recognized the veracity of this saying; it is just that the individuals who are making decisions cannot overcome their nature and see the suffering they are causing to millions of human beings. Yet, there are others whose conscience is still alive. But the only way for them is to resign or take "extended leaves", as Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles, the British special envoy to Afghanistan, did on June 20, 2010.
What the Rolling Stone article has done is simple: it has unearthed, once more time, the darkest side of American leadership, both political and civilian. It has simultaneously shown how low human beings can sink when they are cut off from anything higher than their own ego and self-perceptions. It has also brought to light many real-life episodes from the lives of men and women who make up the world's most advanced army in terms of its technological and military power, but simultaneously it also reads like the tale of a heart immersed in total darkness.


The writer is a freelance columnist. Email: quantumnotes@gmail.com

  Gandhi’s shadow falls on MPs

Legislators in a country in which hundreds of millions live in poverty wish to vote themselves a fivefold increase in their currently modest 16,000 rupee (Dh1,274) monthly salary.

Isabel Hilton

It seems outrageous at first glance: legislators in a country in which hundreds of millions live in poverty wish to vote themselves a fivefold increase in their currently modest 16,000 rupee (Dh1,274) monthly salary. Outrage has certainly been the tone of much of the Indian press since a parliamentary committee recommended the salary hike this week. If British parliamentarians feel beleaguered in the wake of their expenses scandal, they may take some comfort in the low public esteem their Indian colleagues suffer.
Deep frustrations
The case, though, is not straightforward and the public row goes to deeper frustrations on all sides. The long shadow of Mahatma Gandhi, a man symbolically linked to the interests of India's largely poor electorate, still hangs over the world's largest democracy. Gandhi believed that the people's representatives should receive a modest allowance, sufficient only to meet the most basic needs. When the Congress party set up governments in nine Indian provinces in 1937, the delegates travelled third class on India's crowded trains and made do with a daily allowance of just 40 rupees (Dh3): they were the people's servants, not masters. MPs had to wait until 1954 to receive a regular monthly salary.
Today, the MPs argue, Indian legislators - whose salaries were last raised in 2006 - are still the lowest paid in the world. The high salaries of top bureaucrats in India's labyrinthine civil service add to the sense of grievance among their political masters, who consider that superior status should mean bigger pay cheques.
Modern India is rapidly leaving Gandhi behind: a wealthy urban elite measures its living standards against successful international business, rather than the high-minded, plain-living generation of the anti-colonial struggle. The Mercedes has replaced the Ambassador car, designer suits the dhoti. The voters, though, have not embraced the idea that MPs should share in these privileges. Politicians are still expected to wear traditional clothes in their public appearances, and many careers have been damaged by suggestions of high living on the public purse.
Like British MPs, Indian legislators have also found ways to supplement their incomes through increasingly generous expense allowances, and the perks and privileges that have accrued outside the headline salaries add to the impression of self-seeking. Free electricity, free travel, generous office allowances, free rent and phone calls all add up to many times the basic remuneration.
Indian MPs might find it easier to make their case for decent pay were it not for another, more delicate issue that bedevils Indian politics: many of their voters regard them as a parcel of rogues. As a political observer in Delhi recently explained, India's middle class hold politics and politicians in contempt, and the basic reason is money. "An Indian MP receives a constant stream of visitors to his house. Each of them has to be offered tea. The present level of salaries is barely enough to cover the tea bill for a week. That means everybody knows that if you want to go into politics you either have to be independently wealthy or corrupt. Anyone who is elected from a poor or middle-class background is tainted before they even take their seats."
The perception that politics is a dirty business has another, undesirable consequence: the detachment of large sections of the middle class from the nation's political life. In India, the analyst explained, the poor are the most passionate about their democracy and their right to vote. The middle class, a vital component for the health of a political system, have turned their backs.
Underlying anxiety
The argument about MPs' salaries stands for a deeper anxiety about India's direction, the uneven benefits of growth and the painful transition of a society with deep roots in tradition to a difficult modernity. India's poor have been ill served by the political class. By the World Bank's calculations, nearly 40 per cent of Indians live below the poverty line, 300 million Indians lack access to electricity, and, while Bangalore and Delhi have roared ahead, other places such as Bihar remain mired in corruption and misery.
There is a strong case for paying politicians properly; but in India, as elsewhere, there is a quid pro quo in transparency, honesty and an end to corruption. If India's politicians can persuade India's poor that in return for paying MPs a living wage they would get a political class that worked for them, and if India's middle class were to be persuaded that politics is an honourable calling, the salary bill for India's parliament would be a price worth paying.

Isabel Hilton is the editor of Chinadialogue.net

  Iran-US-Israel drama goes into Act II

Iran has declared a state of alert on June 22, on its northwestern borders alleging that US and Israeli forces have concentrated in Azerbaijan ready to strike at Iran's nuclear facilities.

Dr. Bhaskar Balakrishnan  

Two weeks ago, the UN Security Council, in a divided vote adopted Resolution 1929 imposing fresh sanctions on Iran.
Turkey and Brazil voted against while Lebanon abstained in the 15 member Council. The US and its allies lobbied hard for the sanctions, making concessions in order to bring Russia and China on board.
The move followed months of futile efforts to reach a negotiated settlement between Iran and the P5 plus Germany over the nuclear issue. The last minute agreement brokered by Turkey and Brazil for Iran to hand over 1200 kg of low enriched uranium failed to satisfy the US.
As expected, Iran has dismissed the Security Council resolution as illegal, and declared its intention to continue with its nuclear programme. Meanwhile, the US Congress has drafted a tougher sanctions package, which would affect third country companies supplying petrol or engaging in financial transactions with Iran. President Obama seems to have little choice but to approve it. The EU has adopted its own version of tighter sanctions against Iran. On the military front, Israel on June 22 launched a sixth spy satellite Ofek-9 specifically to focus of Iran. It has a more advanced camera with a resolution of 0.5 metres.
A major military exercise took place off the Mediterranean coast on June 6-10, involving US aircraft carrier Truman and associated strike group and German and Israeli ships. The exercise Juniper Stallion 10 involved practice bombing runs by US and Israeli aircraft, as well as Israeli anti missile defences is significant in relation to speculation about a possible military strike against Iran.
The USS Truman battle group has since transited Suez on 18 June, headed for the Arabian Gulf to join the USS Eisenhower battle group already there.
Iran has declared a state of alert on June 22, on its northwestern borders alleging that US and Israeli forces have concentrated in Azerbaijan ready to strike at Iran's nuclear facilities. Iranian sources claim that Israel has secretly transferred a large number of bomber jets to bases in Azerbaijan, via Georgia, and that American Special Forces are also concentrated in Azerbaijan in preparation for a strike.
Dr. Uri Arad, a top adviser to Prime Minister Netanyahu said on June 22 that a pre-emptive military strike against Iran may "eventually" be necessary. On June 17, US Defence Secretary Robert gates told US Senators that Iran could fire salvoes of hundreds of missiles against targets in Europe, and argued in favour of stronger missile defence systems in Europe, despite Russian objections. Israeli commentators have pointed out that this could mean a far larger threat to Israel, taking into account the presence of large numbers of shorter range missiles with Syria and the Hezbollah in Lebanon.
US sources indicated that senior Al Qaeda operatives such as Saif al-Adel, living in Iran had been allowed to leave the country through Syria to orchestrate terrorist attacks on American targets. These reports seem aimed at further tarnishing the Iranian regime and portraying it as a supporter of international terrorism.
All these developments point to a situation of increasing tension in the region. A small incident could trigger off a larger conflagration. It is likely that Iran may resort to buying its needs of petrol through companies in third countries having no business operation involving the US.
It would be legally difficult to for third countries to apply restrictions on companies that wish to supply petrol to Iran, in the absence of any UNSC ban on such trade. However, the US government is likely to put pressure on countries to try and stop such indirect trade. As the Iran-US-Israel drama moves into its second Act, countries in the region should be ready to face unpleasant consequences of heightened tensions and conflict.

Dr Bhaskar Balakrishnan is a former Indian ambassador to Cuba and also served as representative at ILO in Geneva.

Viewpoints

Turkey turns East

"When it comes to killing, you know well how to kill," Mr Erdogan shouted at Israeli president Shimon Peres at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January 2009.

Rizwan Asghar

In the wake of the Israeli attack on the international Freedom Flotilla heading for Gaza on May 31, Turkey cancelled the upcoming joint military exercise with Israel. The Turkish leadership has also made it clear that there is no prospect of further military deals between the two countries. Reacting to the attack, in which nine civilians were killed on the Turkish ship Mavi Marmara, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan went to the extent of denouncing Israel as the "vilest of criminals."
On June 8 and 9, Erdogan presided over the third summit of the 20-member Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building in Asia (CICA) in Istanbul, at which Israel drew sharp condemnation for the attack on the Flotilla.
Turkey's emphasis on its ties with Asia marks a clear change in the policy of Turkey, which was hitherto actively vying for membership in the European Union. For the last few months there is a growing perception that Turkey is now less keen on becoming an EU member.
This reorientation in Ankara's foreign policy dovetails with a process which began over the last decade with the November 2002 victory of the Justice and Development Party and the consequent shift in Turkey's perception of itself because of a host of factors.
The EU's failure to accept Turkey's application, which is under consideration since 1999, has been a key factor in Turkey's decision to move closer to the Arab world. After a decade of asking Turkey to meet the membership conditions of reforming its laws and the economy, giving more rights to its ethnic minorities and lowering the political profile of its military, reforms which successive Turkish governments carried out, EU countries, most prominently Germany and France, remain opposed to Turkey's entry into the 27-nation bloc.
US Defence Secretary, Robert Gates recently stated that "if there is anything to the notion that Turkey is moving eastward, it is in no small part because it was pushed, and pushed by some in Europe refusing to give Turkey the kind of organic link to the West that Turkey sought."
The Cyprus problem, the growing European criticism of the Armenian genocide and Western sympathy for Kurdish national aspirations are factors that persuaded Turks to question their long-standing pro-Western policies.
As Turkey looks eastward, it takes a more active leadership role in the Middle East. Turkish leaders have started appreciating the fact that a hard-line stance against Israel's crippling three-year blockade of Gaza could vastly increase the country's influence among ordinary Arabs. Erdogan's increasing vitriol for Israel in his public speeches, describing Israelis as killers, has also built up his support inside Turkey, where the secular opposition parties are in disarray. A 2009 Pew Global Attitudes survey revealed that only 14 percent of Turkish people had a favourable view of the US, the lowest figure among the 25 nations surveyed.
The Western boycott of the popularly elected Hamas government in Gaza and the West Bank in 2006, and the three-week-long Israeli attack on Gaza less than two years later, strained Israeli-Turkish relations to a breaking point.
"When it comes to killing, you know well how to kill," Mr Erdogan shouted at Israeli president Shimon Peres at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January 2009.
Trade between Turkey and the 22 members of the Arab League has more than doubled over the past five years to nearly $30 billion a year. Meanwhile, Turkey recently signed a deal with Syria, Jordan and Lebanon to establish a cooperation council to create a zone of free movement of goods and people.
This shift in Turkey's foreign policy paradigm is a signal that it intends to adopt a more independent and nationalistic strategic posture on the international front.

The writer is a freelance contributor. Email: rizwanasghar7@yahoo.com

  Britain’s Muslims 5 years after 7/7

The official British line is that, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, Iraq is now much safer than it was; in other words, Iraqis simply have no cause to seek asylum.
 
Neil Berry

Once Britain boasted of being the home of liberty, a haven for refugees. Nowadays it is only too quick to brand refugees as undesirable aliens, especially if they hail from the Muslim world. The other day, the United Kingdom Border Agency unceremoniously deported 42 Iraqi asylum-seekers, manhandling them onto a plane back to Baghdad. It was an image that contrasted starkly with the way Prime Minister Tony Blair presented Britain as the Iraqi people's staunchest friend, pledging to do everything in his power to help them.
The official British line is that, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, Iraq is now much safer than it was; in other words, Iraqis simply have no cause to seek asylum. In truth, the expulsions were dictated by crude domestic politics. If Britain's new Conservative-dominated coalition government led by Prime Minister David Cameron is adopting a tough stance over immigration and asylum-seeking, it is because much British opinion believes that under the former Labour government Britain effectively ceded control of its borders, extending indiscriminate hospitality to all manner of foreigners, not a few Muslim fanatics among them. For all their vaunted commitment to human rights, the Conservatives' coalition partners, the Liberal Democrats, do not seem inclined to challenge Cameron's stance.
In British public discourse, the issues of immigration and asylum seeking has become inextricably mixed up with national security, and thus with the threat of terrorism and even indeed the very presence in Britain of Muslims. Britain may now have 14 Muslim MPs and the British Cabinet may now include a Muslim minister in the person of the Conservative lawyer Baroness Sayeeda Warsi. Yet none of this means that perceptions of Muslims among large swathes of British society are anything less than profoundly negative. According to a YouGov opinion poll published last month, 58 percent of British people associate Muslims with extremism while 50 percent identify them with terrorism - statistics that might suggest that many Britons would not greatly mind if whole communities of Muslims were to be ejected from Britain, never mind a handful of Muslim asylum-seekers.
THERE is no escaping the fact that the 2005 7/7 London bombings carried out by British-born Muslims did lasting damage to the image of Muslims in the eyes of British people. What has made matters immeasurably worse is that British newspapers have consistently nurtured the popular belief that Muslims are at best aliens with unbending views and at worst dangerous fanatics bent on destroying the British way of life. The tabloid press has indeed done much to entrench popular ignorance about Muslims and Muslim affairs. That many readily assume not only that Iraqi asylum-seekers and others are not genuine but in all probability persons of malign intent stems not least from its remorseless demonization of Muslims. Yet it is not only the coarser sections of the British media that have failed to explain how Britain's participation in the Iraq war has contributed to a massive refugee crisis whose consequences are being chiefly borne by Jordan and Syria, while Britain jibs at offering sanctuary to tiny numbers of displaced people.
BRITAIN'S harsh handling of Iraqi asylum-seekers is matched by the inhumanity of its treatment of Muslims who are held in detention on suspicion of plotting terrorism without having been formally charged or given access to the evidence on which they were arrested. (So far as many Islamophobic Britons are concerned, the very fact that a Muslim has been arrested is no doubt sufficient proof of guilt.) What the prevailing anti-Muslim climate has also made possible is the steady transformation of Britain into a high security state preoccupied with surveillance. Britain now has over 4 million CCTV cameras, one for every 14 people. Not without reason, many Muslims are convinced that much of this surveillance is directed at them. Currently there are suspicions that security cameras have been installed in areas of Birmingham not for their declared purpose of deterring crime but specifically to spy on Muslims. For the moment, in deference to the objections of local councilors, the cameras have been de-activated but few doubt that they are part of a counter-terrorist agenda; after all, the body that installed them is being paid out of the "counter terrorism budget" of Britain's Association of Chief Police Officers.
Increasingly, young British Muslims have felt that they are being systematically targeted by the security services, and the introduction of spy cameras can only sharpen their sense of Britain as a police state with a contempt for Muslim civil liberties. Right-wing pundits argue that, given the scale of crime and the palpable threats to national security that it faces, Britain cannot be security-conscious enough and that in any case only those with something to feel guilty about could object to the vast investment in national surveillance and the panoply of repressive legislation that has accompanied it. Yet it is possible to feel that British state's discriminatory approach to dealing with the threat of terrorism is in danger of defeating its own object by exacerbating Muslim alienation and inciting the very Islamic radicalism it is meant to pre-empt.
What is perhaps remarkable is that in the aftermath of the 7/7 bombings Britain's social cohesion has not shown more evidence of erosion than it has. If it has remained more or less intact, it is in no small part because the horrors of that fateful day - whose 5th anniversary falls next month - took place in London, a vastly cosmopolitan capital where there was almost certainly more understanding than there would have been in a lot of other places. What, though, would be the upshot of a fresh outbreak of Islamist violence in Britain at a time of acute unease, with the government poised to take drastic emergency action to tackle Britain's dire economic problems? It must be hoped that that remains an academic question.

(neil-berry@tiscali.co.uk)

  Rescuing Kyrgyzstan could well save Central Asia

Kyrgyzstan is a major stop in the drug road from Afghanistan. Much of Afghanistan's opiates are trucked and flown in to the south of Kyrgyzstan. The chances are, in fact, that drug dealers have been active in the violence.

Paul Quinn-Judge

A major crisis is taking place in Central Asia, but much of the world - and most governments - would prefer not to think about it. Kyrgyzstan has lost control of a significant part of its country.
Initial violence has caused many hundreds of deaths and, as of the latest count, over 400,000 refugees. This from a population of five million. The calm that has come over the area is temporary combat fatigue. Kyrgyzstan's new provisional government is looking increasingly incapable of taking any measures to restore homes, livelihoods, destroyed infrastructure or trust. It can barely impose order. Yet world leaders are looking elsewhere.
Washington is obsessed with Afghanistan, and though the Americans have a major base in Kyrgyzstan at Manas, they seem disinclined to do very much. They may have given up hope for the base, but they are clearly not interested in getting involved with Kyrgyzstan's police and military, whom they seem to regard as feckless at best. Russia views Central Asia as its backyard, but it has no interest in cleaning up this particular bit of it.
Moscow is not enthused that the provisional government, for all its many failings, talks of building a multiparty democracy. Kyrgyzstan does not have the abundance of natural resources that make its neighbours so attractive or "strategic" to the outside world. Finally, senior leaders in Moscow - Vladimir Putin probably among them - do not want to set a precedent.
That is, they do not want to intervene in Kyrgyzstan's domestic crisis, lest the international community suggest sometime in the future that they have a right to help search for peace in, say, Russia's permanently bloody North Caucasus. With rare, noble exceptions - the Red Cross and United Nations High Commission for Human Rights and the refugee agency UNHCR among them - the world's many international bodies have again been underwhelming.
The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe is chaired by the venerable autocrat Nursultan Nazarbayev, from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan's neighbour. His country can barely hide its disdain for the new Kyrgyz regime. The UN Security Council has as usual been timid and risk averse.
But it is no use just hoping the crisis will go away. Many atrocities have been committed in the past few days in Kyrgyzstan, and there are many angry - and armed - people in the region. Sooner or later, the anger will once again well up. The crisis has weakened the government almost to the point of collapse. The south has no functional government. It is not inconceivable the same could happen to the north. There are dangerous signs of a political vacuum taking shape.
Perhaps people feel that a power vacuum in a country that few people could find on the map is no big deal. They are wrong. Even if they do not want to know about the last few days of sadistic and horrific violence, they should perhaps ponder for a moment two things that could move in the vacuum.
Kyrgyzstan is a major stop in the drug road from Afghanistan. Much of Afghanistan's opiates are trucked and flown in to the south of Kyrgyzstan. The chances are, in fact, that drug dealers have been active in the violence.
Much of the drugs move straight on - to Russia, which already has an enormous problem both with drugs and intravenously transmitted HIV/AIDS, and to China, which is developing the same problem. Southern Kyrgyzstan is also a transit route for another commodity the West fears: Islamist fighters. They move to and from Afghanistan, on their way to Uzbekistan just across the border, but also to Western Europe. It is already a comfortable stop along their long march. A country without a government will make for an even friendlier environment.
If we want to stop this happening, if we want to forestall a growing humanitarian crisis and avoid years of political instability and insecurity, the international community needs to stop sitting on its hands. It is a horribly difficult situation, getting more intractable by the day. But with a modicum of political will certain things can be done fast.
In southern Kyrgyzstan two well armed communities, Kyrgyz and Uzbek, live in close proximity, angry and scared. First of all they need to be separated, right away: ideally by an international armed force if anyone has the courage to offer troops. Failing that, a political buffer zone of international mediators who can keep the communities at a safe distance from each other. We need medical teams, ideally Russians, who speak the region's common language and who can treat Uzbeks who now refuse to have anything to do even with Kyrgyz doctors.
We need a safe environment where cool heads from both sides can start the long process of searching for a middle ground. And we need to do this right now, before the middle ground ceases to exist.


Paul Quinn-Judge is director of the Central Asia Project of the International Crisis Group © IHT.

International

Looking for exit, US scales back ambitions in Afghan war
AFP, Washington

Nearly nine years into the Afghan war, the United States has begun scaling back its ambitions, searching for an acceptable way out that avoids defeat.
Talk of routing the Taliban has been replaced by efforts to woo insurgents to lay down their arms, as pressure builds to find a formula that will open the door to an eventual exit, even as more American troops pour in to the south.
"What can the United States accept?," asked an essay on the war in the journal Foreign Affairs, a question that now preoccupies US policy makers.
"The perfect is probably not achievable in Afghanistan-but the acceptable can still be salvaged," the authors wrote.
America's most revered military officer, General David Petraeus, is poised to take command of the NATO-led force at a time of high anxiety in President Barack Obama's White House over the course of the war.
The administration has placed its faith in a strategy that attempts to secure key towns and cities, including in the Taliban's southern bastions, while training up security forces to gradually take over.But the approach, inspired by the Iraq war, has made only halting progress, which US officials blame mostly on the Afghan government's shortcomings and corruption-plagued reputation.
In the stifling summer heat in Afghanistan, US officers cannot hide their frustration with an amateur police force and an unreliable government.The NATO-led force that will soon reach about 150,000 faces an elusive enemy that relies on lethal homemade bombs buried in the dirt and intimidation of local Afghans daring to side with Kabul.

   Afghan-Pakistan border: A smuggler's delight
AFP, Torkham, Pakistan

Trucks belching exhaust fumes. A crush of humanity descending on both sides. Hawkers flogging luxuries-and tiny smugglers scampering past guards engrossed in pocketing backhanders.
Welcome to the free-for-all at Torkham-the main border crossing on the Khyber Pass route between war-torn Afghanistan and Pakistan, a country bogged down in fighting militants.
For millennia the historic pass winding through the mountains has been a lifeline for armies, smugglers and traders from the sub-continent to central Asia.
Torkham is a business hub that operates beyond the law. Bribery is the order of the day. People, goods and vehicles cross freely without checks while needy families force their children into work.
Mohabbat Khan, 10, told that he looks older than his age, retorts: "Come with me and push this wheelbarrow for a year, then I'll tell you the same."
Like other children running wheelbarrows back and forth between Afghanistan and Pakistan, carting those too infirm to walk, tatty luggage or black-market goods, his day began at dawn.
He works more than 10 hours a day, pocketing up to 40 rupees (50 cents) per cross-border trip. He says the money is to pay for fuel to burn in the stove at home. He says the money is for his sisters' dowries.
Mohabbat lives in Bacha Mena, a village at the top of the Khyber Pass. His father died when he was two. When he was in second grade, his mother yanked him out of school, saying he was strong enough to push a wheelbarrow.
"I remember school but my mother and brothers told me I was doing the right job, they told me I'm brave," said Khan, wearing cast-off clothes and shoes.
Although children younger than 14 in Pakistan are not legally entitled to work, labour laws don't apply in Torkham-part of Pakistan's semi- autonomous tribal area.
Dusty Pakistani and Afghan flags snap in the wind alongside the huge iron gate that marks the border, with an incongruous sign reading "May peace prevail on earth", in English and Pashto.

  Japan PM looks to elevate ties with Russia
AFP, Toronto

New Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan made overtures to Russian leader Dmitry Medvedev in their first talks Saturday, following what he called a long "period of tension."
"Succeeding a period of tension ... I want to devote my energies to improved relations with Russia," Kan said, according to his spokesman Kazuo Kodama, after he met Medvedev on the sidelines of a G8 summit in Canada.
"When I met after the summit with Russian President Medvedev, I believe I made a good start in order to establish personal trust," he said, adding the time was ripe to end a decades-long territorial dispute.
The two nations have never signed a treaty to formally end World War II because of Japan's claims to four islands off its northern coast that were seized by Soviet troops, who expelled Japanese residents, in the waning days of the conflict.
Japan has balked at Russia's past suggestions that it return only two of the islands or that the nations jointly develop them.
It has insisted on the return of all four islands, which are known as the South Kurils by Russia and the Northern Territories by Japan.
Kan only took power earlier this month, replacing Yukio Hatoyama who resigned amid scandals after less than nine months in office, and is making his international debut here.
During bilateral talks, ahead of a G20 meeting in Toronto, Kan said the two neighbors "should strengthen our coordination in face of a drastically changing international environment."
"I said I believe the conditions for advancing Japan-Russia relationship are now better ... including (for) the resolution of the territorial issue between us," Kodama quoted Kan as saying.
"The two of us will make joint efforts introducing veritable changes to advance Japan-Russia relations, including the final settlement of the territorial issue, which has been long a cherished desire for Japanese people."

  Flood claims 379 lives in China
AFP, Beijing

China scrambled Sunday to repair water defences shattered by relentless rain, state media said, after flood-related disasters claimed the lives of 235 people this month.
Jiangxi province flood control officials said a major dyke that broke last week as the river running through Fuzhou city burst its banks should be fixed by Monday after 1.3 million people were evacuated, the Xinhua news agency said.
More than 400 workers in the eastern province, backed by heavy equipment, were battling to shore up the dyke on Sunday, the report said. Days of torrential rain in parts of eastern, central and southern China have affected 68.7 million people in 22 regions, Xinhua cited the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters as saying.
At least 235 people have died and 109 gone missing in flooding and landslides triggered by relentless rains that have pounded China since June 13, according to the civil affairs ministry.
Water Resources Minister Chen Lei warned regional officials on Saturday that their jobs were at stake if they failed to protect people from the effects of the deluge.
Rain continued to fall over the weekend on the hard-hit provinces and regions of Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong and Guangxi, as well as in Jiangxi.
The Southern Daily said over 600 millimetres (24 inches) of rain fell in Guangdong's Huilai county over a six-hour period on Friday, a 500-year record.
This month's floods are among the worst in south China since 1998, when over 3,600 people were killed and more than 20 million displaced, Xinhua said.
At least 379 people have died in flooding in China this year, the government said, putting economic losses at 82.4 billion yuan (12.1 billion dollars).

  Warm glow, cold facts for new Philippine leader
AFP, Manila

Benigno Aquino will take over as president of the Philippines on Wednesday amid great hopes for change, but he was warned that not even Superman could fix the country's many deep-rooted problems.
Worsening poverty, pervasive corruption, decades-long insurgencies, empty state coffers and crumbling infrastructure are some of the massive challenges Aquino will face.
Achieving a landslide win in last month's elections was probably the easy part for the son of democracy heroine Corazon Aquino, according to Raul Fabella of the University of the Philippines School of Economics.
"In this country, hope has often been dashed in the past. There is no guarantee it will end differently this time," Fabella said.
Aquino, a 50-year-old bachelor with an economics degree, rode to his victory on a promise to end corruption and fight poverty.
But ahead of his inauguration he has been careful to play down expectations, particularly over the issue of how to get 27 million of his compatriots, nearly a third of the population, out of poverty.
"You have to be humble to say you are not Superman and Einstein combined. You don't have all the solutions at your fingertips from Wednesday," he told reporters.
And amid enormous expectation following nine years of rule under the deeply unpopular Gloria Arroyo, Aquino said his six-year term in office may well be too short to make a major difference. "The focus now is really achieving everything we want to achieve cognisant of the fact we cannot transform our society in six years' time," he told AFP in an interview immediately after the May 10 national election. "But we are hoping to be able to provide that impetus and momentum to carry over into the next administration."
One of Aquino's biggest hurdles to tackling corruption and implementing major reforms could emerge immediately through parliament.

  North Korea open to talks with Seoul over sunken ship
AFP, Seoul

North Korea said on Sunday it was open to inter-Korean military talks to address the sinking of a South Korean warship but urged the United States to cease its involvement in the case.
The North, however, renewed a demand that the South first allow Pyongyang to carry out its own inspection to verify the facts of the case-a condition Seoul has refused.
"Our intention was to dispatch our inspection group to South Korea from the very day the authorities linked the case with us and then open North-South high-level military talks to discuss the results of the inspection," an unnamed military official from the North said in a message disclosed by the official news agency KCNA.
"We still remain unchanged in our stand to open the above-said military talks and probe the truth about the case," the official said in a telephone message sent to the US side.
The statement came just a day after G8 leaders condemned the sinking of the South Korean warship, the Cheonan, in an official communique released after two days of talks in Canada.
Tensions are running high following the sinking of the South's corvette near the maritime border in March with the loss of 46 lives. President Barack Obama said in Toronto he stood "foursquare" behind South Korean leader Lee Myung-Bak and scolded North Korea for its "irresponsible behaviour".
South Korea, citing the findings of a multinational probe, says a North Korean torpedo sank the ship and is pressing for the United Nations to censure the communist regime.
But the North strongly denies any involvement and has threatened a military response to any UN actions.
The North's military official said Sunday that it was "preposterous" and "absurd" for the US-led United Nations Command to address the Cheonan issue. Seoul insists that the UNC, which has supervised the armistice along the border since the 1950-1953 Korean War ended, should handle the sinking, which it says is a violation of the truce pact. Pyongyang has demanded that the US-led UNC be dismantled.
"The US forces side should no longer meddle in the issue of North-South relations under the name of 'UN Forces Command,'" the North's military official said.

  Norway says surrendering rebels killed in Sri Lanka
AFP, Colombo

Sri Lanka's former peacebroker Norway arranged the surrender of leading Tamil Tiger rebels who were later found shot dead, according to international development minister Erik Solheim.
Solheim, who was a key figure in Norway's failed attempt to broker peace in the Indian Ocean island, said he tried to arrange an orderly end to the bloodshed last year but failed. "I told them (the rebels) if they wished to surrender, they would have to raise white flags and give themselves up," Solheim told Sri Lankan journalists visiting Oslo, the Sunday Times newspaper of Colombo reported.
"A few hours later, we heard they were dead."
Solheim's remarks were the first acknowledgement that Norway had a role in trying to secure surrenders by the Tamil Tigers despite claims by the then army chief Sarath Fonseka that there was no such discussion with anyone.
The head of the Tigers' political wing, B. Nadesan, and another top rebel official, S. Puleedevan, were among a large group of Tiger activists shot dead in May as government forces wiped out the rebel group.
The government has denied killing them, while the Tigers accuse troops of executing rebels in cold blood.
Solheim said he was in constant contact with President Mahinda Rajapakse and the late Tiger chief Velupillai Prabhakaran to bring the fighting to a peaceful end, but both had rejected his efforts. Fonseka, who is now in detention after falling out with Rajapakse, has vowed to expose war crimes.
UN chief Ban Ki-moon named a three-member panel last week to advise him on human rights abuses said to have taken place in Sri Lanka last year while the military was crushing the Tigers.

 Iran threat, peace process key in Saudi-US summit
AFP, Riyadh

Saudi doubts over US-driven sanctions on Iran, the flagging Middle East peace process and Afghanistan will be the focus of King Abdullah's talks at the White House this week, analysts say.
Tuesday's meeting between President Barack Obama and the 86-year-old sovereign of the Middle East oil giant, their third, comes after the sacking of the US commander in Afghanistan and with Iran still defiant over its controversial nuclear programme. Obama is expected to urge Saudi patience on Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and seek its help in shoring up support in Afghanistan and Pakistan for the fight against the Taliban.
The two sides could also agree arms deals to build Riyadh's defensive capabilities against Iran's threat, including a long-pending request for as many as 72 F-15 Eagle tactical fighters, according to defence industry sources.
Abdullah and Obama's initial meeting in Riyadh on June 3, 2009, and Obama's landmark address to the Arab world in Cairo the next day did much to bridge the chasm dug by previous president George W. Bush's administration.
The two coordinate closely on fighting Al-Qaeda and other threats, Lippman said. "There's no breach to be repaired like before." But even as they endorse Washington's lead on key regional problems, the Saudis have doubts about its approach, especially in Iran and Afghanistan. They also worry that Obama's commitment to a Palestinian-Israeli peace deal, a centrepiece of his Cairo address, has flagged against Israeli resistance.
Mustafa Alani, director of Security and Defence Studies at the Gulf Research Centre in Dubai, said: "There is deep disappointment in Saudi Arabia and the Arab world in President Obama's ability to deliver." On Iran, Alani said "the Saudis believe strongly that economic sanctions will have no effect. But they have no answer" on an alternative. Saud did not spell out what Riyadh wants, but the Saudis have long linked achieving a Palestinian-Israeli peace deal to alleviating other regional tensions, including the perceived threat from arch-rival Iran. In May, Saud's brother, former intelligence chief Prince Turki al-Faisal argued that a Middle East nuclear-free zone, including currently nuclear-armed Israel, was a realistic approach.
He said creating a nuclear-free zone would require equal treatment for all nuclear states, a "universal nuclear security umbrella" for the region, and "a good military option" against any country which does not cooperate. He blasted Clinton for downplaying the idea after it was endorsed by the UN Security Council's five permanent members, including the United States. "What Afghanistan needs now is a shift from nation-building to effectively countering terrorists," he said. Obama "should not be misdirected into believing that he can fix Afghanistan's ills by military means."

   Kyrgyzstan holds referendum despite warnings
AFP, Osh

Kyrgyzstan voted Sunday on a new constitution aimed at creating a parliamentary democracy, ignoring warnings that the referendum risked inflaming ethnic tensions after deadly clashes.
The interim authorities have defiantly pressed ahead with the vote despite horrific clashes between minority Uzbeks and majority Kyrgyz earlier this month that killed hundreds and sparked fears the country faced collapse.
Respectable numbers were showing up to cast their ballots in the southern city of Osh-the epicentre of the violence-with the situation calm and no reports of unrest, an AFP correspondent reported.
The initial nationwide turnout after the first hours of voting was a robust 26.33 percent, the election committee said, a participation hailed by deputy interim government leader Omurbek Tekebayev as "unprecedented".
"It rejects the myth that Kyrgyzstan is collapsing, that there is a civil war," he said.
The new constitution would slash the powers of the president and is the centrepiece of the interim government's blueprint for a new Kyrgyzstan after it came to power amid April riots that toppled president Kurmanbek Bakiyev.
Bakiyev was blamed by the authorities for last month's bloodshed.
"We will show the world that Kyrgyzstan is united," said interim leader Roza Otunbayeva as she cast her vote in Osh. "We want to heal ourselves from the pain that struck as a result of the tragic events."
Polling stations in the vote, which was being held under the tightest security with thousands of police on duty nationwide, are to close at 8:00 pm (1400 GMT) and first results are expected on Monday.
The authorities temporarily lifted a curfew in the south-imposed in the wake of the violence-so that the vote can go ahead. It will be reimposed after the vote and run from 9:00 pm until 6:00 am, Otunbayeva said.

   Guinea votes in first democratic election since independence

AFP, Conakry

Guineans headed to the polls Sunday in the west African nation's first democratic election since independence in 1958, hoping to end half a century of military and civilian dictatorships.
Long queues of patient voters built up around the country to take part in the crucial election just nine months after the army massacre of at least 156 opponents of a military junta in a Conakry stadium.
"I am happy to vote freely," said shopkeeper and mother-of-five Marieme Kande, 50, who was the first to cast her ballot at a polling station at Federico Mayor school in Conakry when voting opened shortly after 0700 GMT.
With streets in the capital deserted due to a ban on traffic until midnight, Abdoul Barry, 55, said it was the "second happiest day of my life" after his wedding in 1986.
"I have had many occasions to vote in Guinea, but I always refused because one could not trust the results."
In a working class neighbourhood in the Conakry suburbs, polling stations were flooded with an enthusiastic but disciplined crowd mostly composed of youths.
"I don't know my number," or "where is my polling station?", asked anxious voters who were unable to read in the Cosa neighbourhood, in a country where two-thirds of the population are illiterate.
A large turnout is expected among the 4.2 million Guineans eligible to choose a president from among 24 civilian candidates, including one woman, at 8,261 polling stations around the country.
The three frontrunners are former prime ministers Cellou Dalein Diallo and Sidya Toure, and a former opposition leader, Alpha Conde.
The new leaders will have their work cut out for them in a country which is one of the world's poorest and unstable despite massive mineral wealth in bauxite and iron stores.
Guinea has been led by a transition government for the past six months, headed by General Sekouba Konate, the architect of a coup that followed the death of long-time President Lansana Conte, another military leader, in 2008.
The junta that took power after the coup was however headed by Captain Moussa Dadis Camara, whose failed promises for change and to step aside for a civilian government led to the protest rally at which the bloody stadium killings took place in September 2009.

  Obama, Hu seek to rekindle ties after months of distrust
AFP, Toronto

China's President Hu Jintao Saturday accepted an invitation to make a state visit to the United States as he and President Barack Obama sought to end months of distrust, despite lingering tensions.
The leaders of the two powerful nations met on the sidelines of a summit of 20 developed and emerging countries aimed at taking more effective steps to boost global economic recovery after the worst recession in decades.
The meeting came a week after Beijing, in a surprise move, said it would allow the yuan to move more freely against the dollar-amid US concerns that the Chinese currency is undervalued compared to the greenback.
Hu said China hoped to "strengthen" coordination with the US on major regional and international issues, noting joint efforts had led to "real progress" in ties between the world's largest and third biggest economies.
"We need to continue to follow the spirit of staying the same course and uniting together," Hu said as the two leaders met for the sixth time in about 18 months.
Agreeing with the Chinese leader that "tremendous progress" had been made in improving relations, Obama said he would dispatch his top economic and security aides to China in early August for talks with Hu's advisors. Obama also signaled to Hu that tensions over US arms sales to Taiwan, which Beijing considers a renegade province, should be put to rest.

  US drawdown from Iraq gathers pace
AFP, Camp Victory

The withdrawal of American combat troops and equipment from Iraq is 60 percent complete two months ahead of a deadline that will serve as a precursor for a complete US military pullout.
Camp Victory, a giant sprawling base on the edge of Baghdad airport, is one of eight sites where American soldiers are sorting through the mass of hardware and supplies that must either be taken home, sent to Afghanistan, or destroyed.
Although the military is anxious to avoid accusations that it is "cutting and running" from Iraq as operations in Afghanistan take precedence, US troop numbers are steadily falling and just 50,000 will remain beyond August 31.
"We are right-sizing the force," Brigadier General Gus Perna, the man in charge of the drawdown, told AFP at Camp Victory in a giant yard filled with 330 vehicles headed for neighbouring Kuwait to be moved out of the country.
"Over 32,000 pieces of rolling stock have been retrograded out of Iraq since February 2009," he said, referring to MRAP (Mine-resistant, armour-protected) and Humvee troop carriers used since the 2003 ouster of Saddam Hussein.
The vehicles are being driven south into Kuwait before they are moved to Afghanistan or back to the United States. Around 800,000 other pieces of equipment have so far left Iraq in cargo containers.
Camp Victory is the central hub for movement operations and combines with four locations in northern Iraq, one in the west of the country and two in the south where equipment is being processed and tracked for eventual shipping.
There are currently 84,000 US troops in Iraq, but President Barack Obama's decision to pull all combat soldiers out means 34,000 are readying themselves to leave while a training and advisory force stays behind after August.
It takes one hour for a vehicle to be processed and it will stay there for three to five days before heading south in a convoy. Between 30 and 40 vehicles leave Camp Victory each day, US logistics officers said.

  US switch of wartime command to South Korea postponed
AFP, Toronto

The United States and South Korea agreed on Saturday to postpone until 2015 Washington's transfer of wartime command of allied South Korean forces to Seoul, US President Barack Obama said.
Currently, if war were to break out on the Korean peninsula the United States would assume operational command of South Korean forces. Under a 2007 agreement with Seoul, this plan was due to come to an end in April 2012.
"One of the topics that we discussed is that we have arrived at an agreement that the transition of operational control for alliance activities in the Korean Peninsula will take place in 2015," Obama said.
"This gives us appropriate time-within the existing security context-to do this right," Obama said. "We want to make sure that we execute what's called the OPCON transition in an effective way."
The decision was made at a meeting between Obama and his South Korean counterpart Lee Myung-Bak on the sidelines of the G8 summit in Toronto.
"We made a formal request to President Obama and to the US administration for the adjustment of the transfer of the timing of the wartime operational control," Lee told reporters at a joint appearance with Obama.
"And I would like to thank President Obama for accepting this proposal, and we agreed to transfer this in the latter half of 2015 -- by late 2015." The White House's chief adviser on Asia, Jeff Bader, told reporters on a conference call that South Korea wanted to push back the date to underline the US commitment to security in the region at a time of tension.
The always tense relations between Seoul and its unpredictable neighbor North Korea have become even more poisonous since a South Korean warship was sunk last month in a suspected northern attack.
Obama, Lee and G8 leaders all condemned the attack, which saw 46 South Korean personnel killed, and officials confirmed they were preparing a strong statement on the matter to present to the UN Security Council.

Business/Economy

Stocks go normal despite hartal
BSS, Dhaka

Trading on both Dhaka and Chittagong stock exchanges was normal on Sunday despite the countrywide hartal programme by the major opposition BNP.
Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) opened the week with bullish mode in the morning and finished higher after witnessing some ups and downs throughout the day.
The general index closed 22.84 points or 0.36 percent higher at 6212.70 when the turnover was slightly lower from Thursday's closing.
Banking and energy issues continued to dominate the transaction as investors were busy in booking profit on these active issues.
Textile issues were the day's major losers along with some other issues from food, pharmaceuticals and engineering sectors. On CSE, the index gained marginally to finish at 11874.35 though majority of the traded issues suffered loss on profit- taking.
Brokers expected active transaction in the next few days before the market close on Wednesday, the last day of the current 2009-10 financial year.
There will be no transactions on Thursday because of the half-yearly banking holiday on July 1.

 US warns over recession risks as G20 meeting starts
BBC Online

The US has said the world's largest economies should focus on maintaining growth to avoid a double-dip recession.
As the G20 summit begins in Canada, US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said Europe and Japan should boost domestic demand instead of cutting spending.
European leaders have said reducing government deficits is key to setting long-term growth on track. But Brazil warned that steep budget cuts could harm emerging economies.
Speaking in Toronto, scene of the summit, Mr Geithner said the global economy was still emerging from its crisis and "the scars of this crisis are still with us".
He said: "This summit must be fundamentally about growth."
Emergency assistance that G20 leaders agreed on at previous summits at the height of the economic crisis must not be withdrawn too soon, he said.
"We're going to avoid that mistake by making sure that we recognize that it's only been a year since the world economy stopped collapsing," he said.
Europe and Japan should do more to stimulate domestic demand to make it easier for other countries to export to them.
With countries emerging from the global downturn at different speeds, splits have emerged in how to proceed. Spooked by attacks on the euro currency prompted by Greece's debt crisis, European governments have focused on cutting spending to reduce their deficits.
A draft version of the summit's communique suggested the Group of 20 richest and emerging economies was nearing a compromise, Reuters news agency said.
This would see an agreement to halve budget deficits by three years and toughen banking regulations. Brazil said the focus on cutting deficits could harm emerging economies.
"If the cuts take place in advanced countries it is worse," said Brazilian Finance Minister Guido Mantega. "Because instead of stimulating growth they pay more attention to fiscal adjustments, and if they are exporters they will be reforming at our cost."

  Greece will tame debt with reforms: IMF
AFP, Athens

Greece will overcome its huge debt crisis with its austerity plan, an IMF official said on Sunday as a poll showed a majority of Greeks fear that unpopular pension reforms will be in vain.
Poul Thomsen, the head of the International Monetary Fund mission dealing with Greece, told To Vima daily that Athens is making progress on its "ambitious" programme of cuts.
The cutbacks have caused labour turmoil and a series of protests across Greece, with a new general strike, the fifth since February, due to be held on Tuesday.
"Such an adjustment is not easy and often causes discontent," Thomsen said. "This is understandable as people see things getting worse before they improve."
But he added: "The effort has begun vigorously and I firmly believe that Greece will succeed." Thomsen also applauded the Greek government's decision not to restructure its debt as this "which would entail a huge cost."
After decades of unrestrained state spending, Greece faced bankruptcy this year with a national debt of nearly 300 billion euros (371 billion dollars).
It was rescued by a bailout loan from the European Union and the IMF for which it had to pledge a spate of deep spending cuts.
Among the measures is an overhaul of the pensions system which has eaten up vast amounts of state funds. The government this week finalised reforms which progressively raise by 2015 the age of retirement for both men and women to 65 years for a full pension, equating the sexes for the first time. It also increases the mandatory workforce period from 37 years to 40 years. The new system will see an average reduction in pensions of seven percent and bonus retirement dues which pensioners used to receive for Christmas, Easter and summer vacations will be slashed. Parliament is expected to begin debate on the reforms next week.
A poll in Proto Thema daily on Sunday showed that 64.8 percent of Greeks believe their sacrifices will not save the crumbling pensions system, which currently consumes 12 percent of national output. The Alco poll also found that 51.1 percent of 800 respondents believe Prime Minister George Papandreou is "too submissive" towards Brussels.

  Britain, China agree on need for deficit cuts
AFP, Toronto

Britain and China agreed on the need for "fiscal consolidation" to shore up the global economic recovery, Downing Street said Saturday, after the two nations' leaders met ahead of a G20 summit.
Chinese President Hu Jintao and Britain's new Prime Minister David Cameron shared the view that reducing deficits was "of vital importance."
The G20 summit, which brings together leaders of the world's richest and emerging economies, is expected to debate issues including how fast countries should cut deficits, with different economies in different conditions.
The US fears that acting too quickly could imperil the global recovery, while other nations especially in Europe want quick action, concerned by signs like Greece's sovereign debt crisis. "The leaders agreed on the vital importance of current efforts to secure the global economic recovery including through fiscal consolidation," Downing Street said in a statement released afterward. The two countries also agreed to boost bilateral trade, it added.
In comments to reporters after their first face-to-face meeting, Hu hailed Cameron's willingness to build a stronger relationship with China and invited him to visit China in November, an invitation which has been accepted.
Cameron's coalition government, which took power last month, has spoken of the importance of building stronger relationships with emerging economies such as China. Speaking through an interpreter, Hu said Cameron had called him on his second day in office, "signalling his readiness to make a stronger relationship" with China.
"This fully shows the great importance the new government of the UK and particularly yourself assign to the relationship with China. We highly appreciate that," Hu said. Cameron's visit to China will come en route to the next G20 summit in Seoul. He said: "I attach a great importance to the relationship between Britain and China and it's a relationship I want to oversee myself. "I look forward to our strategic dialogue."
His coalition's program for government speaks of working for closer ties with China while standing firm on human rights issues.

  China will not bow to G20 pressure on yuan
AFP, Toronto, Canada

China will not bow to any G20 pressure for a stronger currency following its pledge to make the yuan more flexible against the dollar, Chinese officials said on Saturday.
"If there is a change in the renminbi (yuan) exchange rate it is up to the internal dynamics of the Chinese economy rather than be subject to the pressure of any individual country or international organization," said Ma Xin, who heads a key agency in Beijing which has broad controls over the economy.
Ma, the director general of National Development and Reform Commission, spoke as leaders of the Group of 20 developed and emerging nations prepared to meet for talks Saturday.
Chinese President Hu Jintao also met President Barack Obama on the sidelines of the 20-nation gathering, vowing to "strengthen the communication and coordination" with the United States on major issues.
Chinese policymakers pledged last weekend to let the yuan trade more freely against the dollar but ruled out dramatic moves in the currency or a one- off appreciation.
The action was widely seen as a bid to head off rancor at the G20 summit following intense pressure on Beijing to embrace currency reform as part of efforts to enhance a global economic recovery.
Obama had welcomed the currency reform effort but said it was too early to judge whether it would be effective, adding he wanted to raise the issue at the G20 summit. American lawmakers also have vowed to push ahead with legislation imposing trade sanctions on China for not allowing the yuan to rapidly rise, charging that China kept the yuan artificially low to reap unfair trade gains that were costing US jobs and worsening the US deficit.

  Obama unveils push for South Korea free trade deal
AFP, Toronto

US President Barack Obama launched a new initiative Saturday to wrap up a free trade deal with South Korea delayed for three years due to market access problems over American beef and autos.
Obama ordered his officials to complete talks by November, when he visits Seoul for the next G20 summit, so that he can push the deal through Congress and implement it soon after. "I want to make sure that everything is lined up properly by the time I visit Korea in November, and in the few months that follow that, I intend to present it to Congress," Obama said after talks with South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak.
"It is the right thing to do for our country, it is the right thing to do for Korea," the US leader told reporters.
The trade deal signed under Obama's predecessor George W. Bush in June 2007 was touted as the biggest free trade agreement since the 1993 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
But it hit snags as Obama raised new concerns over market access for US autos and beef in South Korea.
Obama has asked US Trade Representative Ron Kirk to start discussions with his Korean counterpart, Kim Jong-hoon, "to resolve the outstanding issues in a way that levels the playing field for US producers," a senior administration official said.
During the past year, Kirk said his office conducted extensive discussions with "stakeholders" and congressional leaders to gain a detailed understanding of their concerns about the agreement.
"Now, at President Obama's direction, we look forward to finalizing ways to address these concerns, level the playing field for US workers and producers in the key sectors of autos and beef, and deliver to Americans the jobs and economic opportunity this agreement can bring," Kirk said in a statement. "I expect to speak to Minister Kim today to express our intention to get to work as quickly as possible."
South Korea is the seventh-largest trading partner for the United States.
"South Korea has the 14th largest economy in the world, and our ability to compete in that market is critical to preserving and supporting new jobs for Americans," a US trade official said.
"This initiative aims to reverse the declining US market share of Korean imports (and) will contribute to President Obama's goal to double US exports by 2014." Lawmakers from Obama's Democratic party who had campaigned against the deal appear ready to approve it. "The president's announcement of a concrete plan to move the Korea agreement forward is great news for America's economy," said Democratic Senator Max Baucus, head of the powerful Senate Finance Committee.

  S.Africa sees tourism boon in big nations’ World Cup scores
AFP, Cape Town

Halfway through the World Cup, tourism officials say football fans have already brought an economic windfall that looks set to keep rolling as a raft of big countries play in the second round.
Business is booming with foreign fans at bars and restaurants, which are also boosted by plenty of local support for big guns like England, Portugal and Brazil after hosts South Africa bowed out. Cape Town's dockside V&A Waterfront shopping and entertainment complex has proved a magnet for fans ahead of every match at the nearby Green Point stadium, where Portugal plays Spain on Tuesday in a game sure to pack in fans of all stripes.
"On a daily basis it's more or less in the figure of 100,000 coming through with spikes on match day," said Waterfront spokeswoman Annemie Liebenberg. "These loyal supporters travel with their teams. It's absolutely fantastic to have the big guys still."
South African Tourism head Thandiwe January-McLean admitted this week that the industry wanted the world's tourism giants to stay in the tournament.
"For us Germany and England and those countries are important because they have been core markets in which we have been working," she said.
"Seeing them qualify is, from a touristic point of view, in our interest, if truth be told."
Gillian Saunders of Grant Thornton consultancy said South Africa looked on track to earn about 8.8 billion rands (1.1 billion dollars, 934 million euros) from tourism during the World Cup.
That's just a slice of the 93 billion rands that the games are expected to have generated for the economy. Most of that amount was construction spending by government to build stadiums and overhaul the transport system over the last four years.
South Africa had to scale down its initially rosy expectations for 450,000 foreign visitors over the four weeks, lowering the number last month to 300,000.
But coming during the winter months that are normally low season for tourism, the football fans have given South Africa a second peak season with numbers that match its busy summer travel months.
The country spent about 100 million dollars on its World Cup marketing campaign, but January-McLean said the marketing benefits were invaluable from hosting one of the world's most-watched sporting events.

National

Power, white-sugar generation plant is likely in North Bengal Sugar Mills

BSS, Rajshahi

In order to produce power and white sugar at Lalpur North Bengal Sugar Mills (NBSM) in co-generation method, the second phase feasibility study has been completed for establishing the generation plant.
The officials concerned expected that the plant would play a vital role in meeting the country's power demand along with creating employment opportunities.
According to the mill sources, work on the study for setting up the power and white-sugar generation plant in co-generation system in the mill had been stated in 2007 based on the first phase study report submitted by a delegation from the Mechanical Department of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET).
On Friday last, finally a five- member delegation from Bangladesh Sugar and Food Industries Corporation (BSFIC) reviewed the proposed plant extensively and commented positively in all aspects.
The delegation members were Director (Production and Engineering) Abul Kashem, Chief Engineer Aminul Haque, Chief Chemist Lokeman Hossain, Chief Electrical Engineer Jotirmoy Barua and Chief Civil Engineer Intaj Ali.
Director Abul Kashem told the newsmen that the matter to establish power and white-sugar in co-generation system in the mill is positive in all respects.
He revealed that at least nine megawatts power could be generated from the plant everyday if three turbines are commissioned. Of which, 2.5-3 megawatts could be used in the mill.
Side by side with meeting up the demand of the adjacent Lalpur, Bagatipara, Bagha and Charghat upazilas, the rest 6-6.5 megawatt powers could be added to the national grid.
For power generation, sugarcane waste and coal would be used during the crushing season as fuel while coal to be used in other times.
Simultaneously, around 735 metric tons of white sugar could be produced everyday from the mill if necessary initiative to purify the raw sugar is taken. Thereby, job scopes for huge other unemployed people would be created.
Currently, the mill has been manufacturing around 120 metric tons of sugar per season in average.
NBSM Managing Director Sirajul Haque told BSS that Taka 160 crore has been estimated for implementation of the project on preliminary stage. On successful implementation of the project by next two years, the mill will make profit of around Taka 250 crore annually.
"We have all requisite facilities and sound atmosphere to establish the co-generation plant along with running it smoothly," he said adding that the nation and its people would be benefited on implementation of the plant.

  Two salinity-tolerant rice expected to be released soon
BSS, Dhaka

Two high salinity-tolerant rice developed by Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA) are waiting release for cultivation at farmers level in next Boro season.
Trials of the two salinity-tolerant rice under Seed Certification Agency (SCA) have been completed and now the verities will be placed before the technical committee meeting soon, Director of Seed Certification Agency (SCA) Md Bashir Uddin said while talking to BSS on Sunday.
Bashir Uddin said after approval of the technical committee and these varieties will be placed before the National Seed Board for final approval.
He said trial reports of the verities are good as both varieties can tolerate high salinity of soil with good production.
Bashir Uddin expected the two verities of the paddy will be cultivated at farmer levels in the next Boro and Aman season.
Principal Scientific Officer of the BINA Dr Mirza Mofazzal Islam, who is developing the two varieties, said the newly innovated crop will be cultivated in Boro and Aman season.
He said both of varieties would able to tolerate salinity of 8 to 10 Desi Siemens (DS) mitres. Dr Mirza said salinity tolerant capacity of the varieties are much than BRRI-47 as it can tolerate 4 to 6 DS mitres salinity of soil while my develop 8 to 10 DS mitres.
He said the falling out rate of mature paddy of BRII 47 is very high in the harvesting time that may affect total production rate of the farmers.
Dr Mirza said these varieties will yield 4.5 to 5 metric tons rice per hectare in the Boro production while 4 to 4.5 tons in Aman production. The varieties will be able to yield at 7.5 tons under normal condition of land, he added. He said the possible names of the varieties are BINA-8 and BINA-9. The BINA sources said the lifetime of the varieties is 130 to 135 days in the Boro season and 120 to 125 days in Aman season. Dr Mirza said nearly 10 lakh hectares of land between 4 to 20 DS mitres salinity have in the coastal region of the country. He said the existing salinity tolerant varieties including the two varieties of BINA are able to cover 30 percent land of southern region, which will contribute additional 10 lakh tons of rice.
Officials of Agriculture Extension Department have expressed the hope that the newly developed varieties will get popularity among the farmers.
The DAE officials observed that irrigation facility is still a big problem in the coastal region. The salinity tolerant varieties of rice will able to contribute significantly to increasing rice production, if irrigation facilities are improved.

  Social responsibility must to resist drug addiction, illegal trading

BSS, Rajshahi

Without social responsibility the gradually increasing drug addition by the promising young generation could not be prevented as a whole.
Likewise, peoples' participation along with creating mass awareness has become indispensable to rehabilitate the addicted persons.
Speakers made this observation while addressing a discussion jointly organized by the Department of Narcotics Control and district administration at Safawang Community center in observance of the international day against misuse of drugs and narcotics and its illicit trafficking in Rajshahi on Saturday.
Commissioner of Rajshahi division Nurul Islam addressed the discussion as the chief guest with Additional Director of the department Mahbubul Karim Khan in the chair.
Deputy Commissioner Dilwar Bakhth, Member of the district drugs control and campaign team Prof ANM Saleh, Deputy Director of the department Moloy Bhushan Chakravarty and Ward Councilor of Rajshahi City Corporation Ansar Ali addressed the meeting as special guests.
Terming the young generation as the vital workforce of the society they underscored the need for a collaborative effort to protect them from adverse affects of the drug addiction.
Success of the day is completely dependent on making the society free from the curse of the addiction of drugs and its illicit trafficking with a holistic approach.
In addition to bring the drug-traders and traffickers to book, raising strong voice by all quarters could be the effective means of uprooting the crime from the society.
In the meeting, the speakers mentioned that a greedy section of the NGOs extends micro-credit to the drugs-trading and trafficking and warned that stern action would be taken against those who will be found guilty in this regard.

  Sporadic erosions in N-region
Major rivers continue rising amid heavy rainfalls

BSS, Rangpur

Most of the major rivers and tributaries are continuing rising at most places following moderate to heavy rains and onrush of hilly waters in the Brahmaputra and Ganges basins during the past 24 hours till Sunday morning.
Civic life has also been affected partially at many rural and urban areas following huge waterlogging caused by the incessant rainfalls in sub-Himalayan Rangpur division and other places in the northern districts during the period.
Some low-lying thatched houses and fields without growing crops have been inundated side by side waterlogging and rise in the water levels of rivers have partially inundated very low- lying remote char areas at places in greater Rangpur.
With the rise in water levels, the river currents and rain cuts have caused sporadic erosions at places in Kurigram, Gaibandha, Lalmonirhat and Nilphamari districts where some more riverside lands were devoured during the past three days, local sources said. Officials of Water Development Board (WDB) and district and upazila administrations are closely monitoring the situation and visiting the erosion-hit areas though there is no flood-like situation so far in the region.
The WDB officials told this afternoon that there is no flood situation anywhere along the Brahmaputra and Ganges basins and the erosion situation is still under control and they were taking all necessary precautionary measures.
The flood-like situation that was created a few days ago alongside the Teesta river has further improved and the temporary flood waters that partially inundated few low-lying areas have already receded in Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat and Rangpur districts.
The WDB sources said that the Teesta marked a rise by only 5cm during the past 24 hours and was flowing 40cm below the DM at Dalia point under Dimla upazila in Nilphamari at 6am on Sunday morning.
However, the Teesta marked a rise by 2cm at Kawnia during the period was flowing 160cm below its DM there and the Dharla marked a fall by 9cm and was flowing 117cm below the DM at Kurigram point on Sunday morning.
The Brahmaputra rose by 6cm during the period and was flowing 92cm below the DM at Chilmari and also rose by 20cm and was flowing 217cm below its DM at Noonkhawa point in Kurigram on Sunday morning.
The Karatoa rose by 22cm at Chak Rahimpur during the period and was flowing 237cm below its DM there and sharply rose by 90cm to flow 185cm below the DM at Panchagarh point at 6 am on Sunday.
The Jamuna marked rises by 7cm, 4cm and 6cm at Bahadurabad, Sirajganj and Aricha points during the period and the river was flowing 82cm, 94cm and 159cm below its respective DM at these points at 6 am on Sunday morning.

   Increased duty on tobacco hailed
BSS, Rangpur

Speakers at a discussion in Rangpur have hailed the government's proposal for increasing duties on tobacco products and hoped that the initiative will help discourage tobacco farming and its increasing use.
Terming tobacco as the number one human killer and more catastrophic than atomic or neutron bombs, they called upon all governments in the world to work out ways for stopping its production to save the humanity and civilization. They said that the yearly deaths caused by tobacco-related diseases is already much higher than all sorts of natural calamities including earthquake, cyclone, flood, tornado, road and air accidents in the world.
They were addressing a discussion titled 'Role of Duty Increase in Controlling Tobacco' organized by Debi Chowdhurani Polli Unnayan Kendra (DCPUK) with the assistance of Development Coordination at Hotel Tilottoma in the city on Saturday. Programme manager of DCPUK Dr Nurul Alam chaired the discussion and also delivered welcome speech narrating various harmful impacts of tobacco cultivation, its consumption as different products both at the national and international levels.
Vice-Chancellor of Begum Rokeya University Prof Dr Abdul Jalil Miah addressed the discussion as the chief guest. Civil Surgeon of Rangpur Dr Rezaul Karim, Panel Mayor of Rangpur Pourasabha Idris Ali, Senior Research Fellow of BIDS Dr Zulfikar Ali and Coordinator of DCPUK Saidur Rahman spoke as the special guests. The speakers welcomed the government proposal for discouraging tobacco farming and use of its products by increasing duties and urged all to find out ways for banning cultivation of tobacco, production and sales of tobacco products.

   Gyanalok progrmme held
TBT Desk

In observance of World Father Day, a discussion meeting followed by recital programme organised by Gyanalok, a cultural and literary organization was held on Sunday at World Wide Immigration Conference Centre at Shantinagar in the city.
The programme was presided over by poet ASM Babar Ali, President of the organization. Poet Kazi Rozy was present as chief guest on the occasion while Ahmed Kaiser, Rana Zaman and Dr. Dilruba Rakib attended as special guests.
The programme was addressed, among others, by Abdul Bari al Baki, Mahiuddin Akbar, Nausheba Sabiha Kabita, Atik Helal, Mansur Muzammil, Nur al Islam and Laila Khaleda, says a press release.

   Four major rivers rise in Gaibandha
BSS, Gaibandha

Water level in all the four major rivers in the district rose sharply in the last 24 hours ending at 9 am Sunday due to downpour and onrush of hilly waters from the upstream.
Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) sources said the water level in the Brahmaputra and the Teesta rivers rose by 02 CM and 06 CM respectively while the water level in the Karotoa and the Ghagot rivers increased by 25 CM and 09 CM respectively during the period.
Some 63-mm rainfall was recorded in the district during the period, the sources said.
The Brahmaputra at Fulchhari ghat point is flowing 69 CM, the Teesta at Sundarganj point 128 CM, the Karotoa at Katakhali point 220 CM and the Ghagot at New Bridge point 126 CM below their respective danger levels.
With the rising of water levels of the Brahmaputra and the Teesta rivers, the low-lying char areas of Sundarganj, Sadar, Fulchhari and Shaghata upazilas have been inundated and standing crops, particularly jute, went under flood water.
On the other hand, the river erosion has taken a serious turn in the Hasilkandi, Chinirpatal, Chalkpara, Munshirhat and Holdia areas under Shaghata, Zamira, Tengrakandi, Gaabgachhi and Erendabari areas under Fulchhari, Mollarchar, Kharzani, and Kachirchar areas under Sadar and Tarapur, Horipur and Kapasia areas under Sundarganj due to increasing water level of the Brahmaputra and the Teesta rivers during the last few days.
Talking to BSS, Executive Engineer of BWDB Mir Musharraf Hossain said with the rising of water level in the major rivers, the officials and employees concerned have been kept alert so that no-one can cause damage to the flood control embankment.

   Social responsibility must to resist drug addiction, illegal trading

BSS, Rajshahi

Without social responsibility the gradually increasing drug addition by the promising young generation could not be prevented as a whole.
Likewise, peoples' participation along with creating mass awareness has become indispensable to rehabilitate the addicted persons.
Speakers made this observation while addressing a discussion jointly organized by the Department of Narcotics Control and district administration at Safawang Community center in observance of the international day against misuse of drugs and narcotics and its illicit trafficking here yesterday.
Commissioner of Rajshahi division Nurul Islam addressed the discussion as the chief guest with Additional Director of the department Mahbubul Karim Khan in the chair.
Deputy Commissioner Dilwar Bakhth, Member of the district drugs control and campaign team Prof ANM Saleh, Deputy Director of the department Moloy Bhushan Chakravarty and Ward Councilor of Rajshahi City Corporation Ansar Ali addressed the meeting as special guests.
Terming the young generation as the vital workforce of the society they underscored the need for a collaborative effort to protect them from adverse affects of the drug addiction.
Success of the day is completely dependent on making the society free from the curse of the addiction of drugs and its illicit trafficking with a holistic approach.
In addition to bring the drug-traders and traffickers to book, raising strong voice by all quarters could be the effective means of uprooting the crime from the society.
In the meeting, the speakers mentioned that a greedy section of the NGOs extends micro-credit to the drugs-trading and trafficking and warned that stern action would be taken against those who will be found guilty in this regard.
Earlier, the government organizations and the non-government organizations concerned staged a hour-long human chain program at in front of the city bhaban marking the day.
Besides, street corner discussion and cultural functions were also held at different points of the metropolis.

   JS body places report on The Bangladesh Labour Law (amendment) Bill

BSS, Sangsad Bhaban

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Labour and Employment on Sunday placed its report on The Bangladesh Labour Law (amendment) 2010 Bill in the Jatiya Sangsad.
Committee Chairman Israfil Alam placed the report with a recommendation for passage of the bill in an amended form.
Earlier on June 24, Minister for Labour and Employment Engineer Khandakar Mosharraf Hossain tabled the bill in the House with a proposal to raise the retirement age of labourers to 60 years from the current 57 years.
The main objective of the bill is to remove inconsistency from the retirement age of labourers working in the corporations under different ministries, the minister said.
The Public Corporations (Management Co-ordination) Ordinance 1986 stipulated the retirement age of labourers at 60 years while the Bangladesh Labour Law, 2006 fixed at 57 years.
While placing the bill in the House, the minister said the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Labour and Employment recommended removal of inconsistencies and fixing the retirement age at 60 years.

   All UPs to get optical fibre connection: Razu
BSS, Sangsad Bhaban

The government has undertaken a plan to bring all union parishads (UPs) under optical fibre network to reach ICT facilities to the doorsteps of the rural people, Post and Telecommunication Minister Raziuddin Ahmed Razu told the House on Sunday.
"To this end, a project for giving optical fibre connection to 1000 UPs has been waiting for approval by the Planning Commission," he said replying to a question from treasury bench member Md Shafiqul Azam Khan.
The minister also said that the project will be executed from July 2010 to December 2011 at the first phase.
Responding to another question from ruling party lawmaker Nasimul Alam Chowdhury, the telecom minister said the government has taken steps to use underground network of Fibre@Home to save the city from overhead cable hazards.
"Internet service providers and cable TV operators are mainly responsible for overhead cable hazards in the city," he said.
Razu said the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission has give permission to Fibre@Home to set up optical fibre network at different places of the country including the capital and it has already set up optical fibre cable at different parts of the city.
Answering to another question from Awami League lawmaker Nurul Islam Bsc, the telecom minister said the government has a plan to provide internet connection to all post offices of the country.
A project titled 'e-Centre for Rural Community' has been undertaken to set up electronic center (e-centre) in 8000 rural post offices and 500 upazila post offices and there are arrangement for providing internet connection to all post offices under the project.

   Bangladesh Protected Tourism Area and Special Tourism Zone Bill passed

BSS, Sangsad Bhaban

The Bangladesh Protected Tourism Area and Special Tourism Zone Bill, 2010 was passed in the House on Sunday.
Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Ghulam Mohammad Quader proposed for passage of the bill.
Earlier on June 22, the minister introduced the bill with a proposal to declare such areas as tourism protected areas through gazette notifications which have immense potentialities as tourism industry.
To achieve the goal, he said, a proposal has also been made to impose an embargo on any activities in the areas.
Besides, the bill proposed for announcing special tourism zone in the tourism protected areas and controlling and running the areas under own initiatives of the government or non- government and autonomous organizations, statutory body or individuals.
According to the bill, a proposal has also been made for undertaking investment activities for constructing special tourist centers and their development under the public and private sectors or public-private joint venture in the tourism protected areas.
The bill also proposed punishment for those who would violate these rules.
While introducing the bill, the minister said the bill has been placed in the House aimed at protecting the areas which have tourism potentialities by checking unplanned activities in the areas.
"The main objective of the bill is to build necessary infrastructure and create amusement and service-oriented facilities for setting up special tourist zone and imposing lawful embargo in controlling and running of the zone," he said.

Sports

Last gasp miracles finally run out for US squad
BSS, Rustenburg, South Africa

Reaching the second round thanks to a never-say-die fightback attitude, the United States crashed out of the World Cup on Saturday after pressing their luck once again.
Ghana's Asmoah Gyan scored the winner three minutes into extra time to give the last remaining African hope in the World Cup a 2-1 triumph over the Americans, denying them a second trip to the last eight in three tries.
"We should be proud of what we have done," US playmaker Landon Don-ovan said. "Even tonight I thought we played very well. At this level, you just can't make a mistake."
The Americans rallied to draw England 1-1, fought back from two goals down to draw Slovenia and had a potential winning goal controversially disallowed and Donovan himself scored the stoppage-time winner in a 1-0 triumph over Algeria to put the US squad into Ghana's path. But Kevin-Prince Boateng scored in the fourth minute and while Donovan equalized on a penalty kick in the 62nd, the Americans could not crack the Black Stars' defence for a winner.
"Once again we gave up an early goal," Bradley said. "We put a lot into it to get back to 1-1. I felt at that point we had the chance to finish the game. When you go down in over-time it's a case of you have put yourself in that spot one too many times. We hurt ourselves again by giving up the early goal."
The Americans had surrendered one too many early goals to overcome.
"It's certainly something we're aware of," Bradley said. "We felt like we were doing a solid job but we paid the price for a turnover. We recognize it but just talking about it doesnt always change it. "It's a hard lesson and one we hope to be improving on."
Bradley and his team were the top-ranked team in their quarter of the knockout draw and they know what a chance they squandered in losing to Ghana.
"It's a feeling of disappointment," Bradley said. "We're disappointed we didn't get past this game and continue to test ourselves." This marks the second World Cup in a row that no US forward produced a goal, something Bradley admits needs to be corrected even as he praised the efforts of top American striker Jozy Altidore.
"We feel like in all positions we have talent but when you get to the World Cup level and everything gets challenged at that ultimate level, we still know we need to get better and forward would certainly be one of those areas."

  Bangladesh drops Ashraful, recalls Raqibul
AFP, Dhaka

Bangladesh have dropped seasoned middle-order batsman Mohammad Ashraful for next month's one-day matches against England, Ireland and Scotland, a cricket board official said Sunday.
Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) chief selector Rafiqul Alam said the 25-year-old had been axed after a string of poor shows, including the recent Asia Cup in Sri Lanka and the two Test matches against England. "We omitted Ashraful because he has been out of form since the Test matches in England. But we've not shut the door on him. He can still make a comeback for future tours if he finds his form," Alam told AFP.
Alam said Raqibul Hasan, 22, had been drafted in the 15-man squad to bolster Bangladesh's wobbly middle-order, which fared poorly in the Asia Cup.
Raqibul had announced retirement on the eve of the Test series against England in March before overturning the decision a week later, an act that led to his three-month suspension from the game.
"Raqibul retired and then changed his decision. We called him as his three-month suspension is set to expire later this month. He is a good batsman, one who can fix our middle order," Alam said.
All-rounder Naeem Islam and left-arm spinner Suhr-awadi Shuvo were also dropped for poor form.
Left-handed batsman Faisal Hossain, who last played for Bangladesh in 2004, was included following his fine show in the domestic leagues.
Bangladesh will play three one-day internationals against England and two each against Ireland and Scotland on the tour beginning on July 3.
Bangladesh's one-day squad:
Shakib Al Hasan (capt), Mushfiqur Rahim, Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Jahurul Islam, Junaid Siddique, Raqibul Hasan, Faisal Hossain, Mohammad Mahmudullah, Mashrafe Mortaza, Abdur Razzak, Syed Rasel, Rubel Hossain, Shafiul Islam, Nazmul Hossain.

   Excited Uruguay into quarterfinals at WCup
UNB, Port Elizabeth

The smallest remaining country at the World Cup is into the quarterfinals, and whatever Uruguay lacks in quantity of population it more than makes up in the quality of its fans.
Uruguay won the World Cup in 1930 and 1950, but the country has struggled to make an impact since, with a round of 16 exit in 1990 its best recent result before Saturday's 2-1 win over South Korea.
The South American country will face Ghana in a quarterfinal July 2, the first time in 40 years Uruguay has reached that stage of the tournament. The win over South Korea sparked huge celebrations in Uruguay. "We are starting to receive SMSs and calls and we are absolutely delighted," Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez said. "There are only 3.5 million inhabitants and it's been a long time since we had something like this."
Luis Suarez scored twice Saturday, and the forward described his winning goal in the 80th minute as "the most important" of his football career.
"What came to mind is the people, my wife, my daughter, they are always behind me," Suarez added. "And also to the people of Uruguay.
They have backed us in the good times and the bad times." Suarez, who is among six players tied for the tournament lead with three goals each, said his team has a fighting spirit.
"We have bene dreaming since this tournament started," Suarez said. "Some teams start out as favorites. My side is ready to fight hard for wonderful things. We have to live the emotions and what we are feeling in every match."
Diego Perez, who plays for French club Monaco, said "it's a beautiful moment and a unique feeling in our country."
"We know that in our country they're all out in the streets," Perez said. "We have a great history, but we're only a small country. Our heads are in the right place."

  Murray plans to hit the heights at crunch time
BSS, London

Andy Murray admits he will have to raise his game to new heights if he wants to win Wimbledon even though he raced through the first week at the Championships without dropping a set.
While Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal - Murray's main rivals for the title - have had to dig deep just to make it to the fourth round at the All England Club, the British fourth seed has enjoyed serene progress in his first three matches.
Gilles Simon was the latest opponent to be swept aside by Murray on Saturday as he romped to a comfortable three-set win on Centre Court, but there is no chance of the Scot resting on his laurels as he prepares for the business end of the tournament. American 18th seed Sam Querrey - a recent winner of the grass-court event at Queen's Club - is Murray's next opponent, while big-serving Frenchman Jo- Wilfried Tsonga, in the quarter- finals, and then French Open champion Nadal, in the semi-finals, are also likely to bar his path to a potential final clash with Federer. After a disappointing recent run of results, Murray is understandably delighted with his form so far, but he is under no illusions about the size of the task in front of him if he is to win his first grand slam title. "This was a really good week. I didn't lose a set and didn't lose my serve since the second service game of the first match," Murray said. "It's something that I needed for confidence, but I did feel I wasn't too far away from playing very good tennis again.
"I just needed to put more work in, and I did that the week before. So that definitely helped me going into the tournament with my belief.
"It's obviously showed the first few matches. But I'm going to have to play better next week if I want to go all the way." Murray has often been criticised for taking a passive approach in matches when he should be using his huge array of skills to overwhelm opponents.
That was never more true than in last year's Wimbledon semi- final against Andy Roddick when Murray allowed the American to dictate the tempo and eventually lost in four sets.

  Nadal fears return of knee injury misery
BSS, London

Rafael Nadal is scared that his debilitating knee problems could flare up again as he tries to reclaim the Wimbledon title from Roger Federer.
The world number one said he was heading for treatment once his Wimbledon campaign is over in a bid to be in good shape for the US Open, the one Grand Slam he has yet to win, and will skip Spain's Davis Cup quarter- final against France.
The Mallorcan was sidelined for two months with knee tendinitis last season and was unable to defend the Wimbledon crown he had sensationally taken from Federer in 2008 in an epic Centre Court battle.
"I have a little bit of a problem on the right knee," Nadal said. "I am a little bit scared. "I tried to play the clay season perfectly because the right knee was better than the left. But at the same time I know the knees are not 100 percent recovered." Short matches have evaded Nadal during the tournament so far.
The French Open champion beat German number two Philipp Petzschner 6- 4, 4-6, 6-7 (5/7), 6-2, 6-3 Saturday on Centre Court.
Nadal had to come back from two sets to one down in the previous round against unheralded Dutchman Robin Haase and was forced to do it again by 33rd seed Petzschner, piling the strain on the Spaniard's body.
He now faces France's unseeded Paul-Henri Math-ieu in the next round.
After an early exit from Queen's and a couple of unconvincing displays here, Nadal needs to step up a gear in the second week to get back to the level required to beat the likes of top seed Federer at the business end of the tournament.
So focused is the left-hander on winning back the Wimbledon crown that he declined an invitation to meet Queen Elizabeth II when she visited the All England Club on Thursday because he was determined not to change his usual pre-match routine. "I don't know how bad my knee is. But I am here to try my best and to try to keep in the tournament and playing well," said the Spaniard.

  Swann scuppers Australia’s hopes
Internet

Graeme Swann produced an exemplary spell of 4 for 37 in ten overs, as England's slow bowlers put the skids under Australia in the third ODI at Old Trafford, just when it appeared that Shane Watson and Tim Paine had set the platform for their most forceful batting performance of the series to date. Instead, from a comfortable scoreline of 92 for 1 in 18 overs, Australia tottered to 212 all out in 46, their lowest total against England since Swann bowled out them for 176 at Chester-le-Street last summer.
After winning the toss on a baking morning in Manchester, Andrew Strauss defied convention by choosing to bowl first, a decision that spoke volumes of the confidence coursing through the England team at present.
And sure enough, their ability to restructure their plans at short notice was showcased by the collective efforts of Swann, Michael Yardy and the rarely-used Paul Collin-gwood, whose combined figures of 6 for 103 in 25 overs crushed Australia's bid for momentum in the middle part of their innings.
England's day did not get off to the most promising of starts. With the exception of James Anderson, whose first six-over spell from the Stretford End went for a miserly 12 runs, their seamers failed to produce the same level of discipline that had allowed them to dominate the first two matches of the series.
After playing himself in with caution, Paine kickstarted his innings with four fours in six balls to bring a swift end to Tim Bresnan's first spell, while Luke Wright's opening over was dispatched for 14 by Watson, including a mown six over midwicket and a firm clip through the leg-side.

  Football: South America can’t catch Europe, says Maradona
AFP, Pretoria

Argentina coach Diego Maradona believes South America will never catch up with Europe despite the continent's stunning success at the World Cup in South Africa.
South America had five representatives in the competition and all five made it to the knock-out stages, with four of them winning their groups.
Meanwhile European heavyweights Italy and France were not only knocked out but also finished bottom of groups including such minnows as New Zealand and hosts South Africa.
Seven of the 13 European teams bit the dust in the group stages and only Germany, Spain and Holland won their groups.
Even so, the club game in Europe is so much stronger and there is so much more money in competitions like the Champions League, Premier League, La Liga and Serie A, that Maradona believes South America will always lag behind.
"I don't think we will ever be a bigger powerhouse than Europe," he said. "What we have to do is build America and make coaches of lesser countries understand that we must have a clear line for kids coming up.
"We'll never be bigger than Europe but we will have good players and we must also pay attention to youth leagues and make kids dream of playing in Europe and being ready.
"But they should be in the right condition and (Europeans) shouldn't be grabbing kids at 15 years old who have no idea of what it takes to play in the (European) leagues.
"Even 16 and 17 year-olds can't do that but in Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay everyone accelerates things. "But a child must know what a football player must know because otherwise this is like stealing money from people.
"South America must go on doing what it's doing and the premium is knowing that we are giving great players to teams of clubs all over the world and they are making great money.
"But you should also know that these players, when they make it to their own national team, they have our support and affection."

  Dutch coach aims for Pakistan hockey revival
AFP, Karachi

Pakistan's new hockey coach Michel van den Heuvel on Friday said he had no worries about the country's security situation and urged fans to be patient as the team rebuilds after a disastrous World Cup.
Dutchman Van den Heuvel, 46, guided the Netherlands to a bronze medal finish in the 12-nation World Cup held in February-March in India, where Pakistan finished bottom-their worst-ever performance at international level.
The Delhi flop was the culmination of a continuous slide for Pakistan, winners of three Olympic and four world titles.
Pakistan has been a no-go area for foreign teams because of the ongoing battle between the army and a Taliban insurgency.
The country's chances of bringing international teams back suffered a terrible blow when the Sri Lankan cricket team bus was attacked in Lahore in March last year, injuring seven players besides killing eight people.
Van den Heuvel, hired last week until the London Olympics in 2012, set about his task without any fears.
"When they called me (to become Pakistan coach), I wanted to have a feel and when I came, initially it felt like a jail in Lahore, but gradually it eased and now I am here in Karachi and see no security problems," Van den Heuvel told a press conference.
Pakistan's last major title came in the World Cup in Australia in 1994, but Van den Heuvel urged the normally impatient Pakistan fans to wait for the revival.
"The fans must understand it's not an easy way to the top, Pakistan is not the only country striving to go back to the top and a revival is not done in three months," he said.
"Its a continued process, we will have victories and losses, as a normal process but the focus will not only be on winning, the main focus will be to learn to grow as a team," said Van den Heuvel.
"I saw the Pakistan team in Qatar (in February) where the Netherlands played in two games with them and they were impressive. In India, I watched them play against India and Pakistani players looked exhausted and over-trained."
The new coach's first task will be a tour of Europe, where Pakistan play four matches agai-nst Spain and two against his former team, the Netherlands.
Pakistan then will feature in October's Com-monwealth Games in New Delhi before taking part in the Asian Games in China a month later.
"Asian Games is a tough tournament with South Korea and India, who both are progressing well. India is shaping well with a Spanish coach, so we have to show a gradual improvement," said the new coach.
"As a young boy I watched Pakistan play, and they were not normal players because they use to fly and now my aim is to make this beautiful green team fly again and achieve better results in the 2012 Olympics."

  Gibson slams weak batting display
Internet

West Indies coach Ottis Gibson has criticised his batsmen for failing to capitalise on a good batting pitch by folding for a 231 on the opening day of the third Test at the Kensington Oval. West Indies won the toss in a must-win game to square the three-Test ser-ies, but the batsmen failed to recreate their resolute performance in the second Test at St Kitts, where they scored 546 and gained a three-run lead.
"It's been a disappointing batting performance again after recovering some confidence, the way we batted in St Kitts, to come and perform this way," Gibson said.
"We spoke about winning the toss and batting, and putting a big score on the board, but we weren't able to do this."
Senior batsmen like Chris Gayle and Shivnarine Chanderpaul failed to carry on after making starts and Narsingh Deonarine couldn't proceed to a bigger score after making 46. Gayle was out inside-edging to his stumps for the third time in the series while the rest stumbled to the offspin of Johan Botha, who took 4 for 56.
"You look at a lot of our dismissals not only (here), but over the course of the series, and shot selection has been an issue," Gibson said. "You sort of talk to players about it, and try to work in the nets around shot selection, but at the end of the day, the players go out in the middle, and they are the ones you expect to execute, and execute well. This has been a massive cause for concern for us, and it is something we have to look at very carefully going forward."
Gibson said the early conclusion to the first innings could jeopardise their chances of going for a win. West Indies persisted with a two-man spin attack, and Gibson felt they would play a vital role as the pitch got older.
"We've got to win the game, we've got to put runs on the board," Gibson said. "The pitch looks dry. It looks like it will break up, and provide some turn for our spinners.
"They have been our key, and if we can get runs on the board, and the spinners bowling in a last innings, with South Africa having to chase anything above 200, then we feel we have a chance in the game still."

  Rawlinson wants to run for Britain
AFP, Brisbane

Two-time world 400 metre hurdles champion Jana Rawlinson wants to quit Australia and represent Britain, an Australian television station reported on Sunday.
The Nine Network claims Rawlinson, who is married to former British athlete Chris Rawlinson, has approached UK athletics officials about switching allegiances in time for the 2012 London Olympics.
A spokesman for the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) told Channel Nine that the committee had never prevented athletes from changing countries and would consider any request.
The colourful Rawlinson, who won gold medals at the 2003 and 2007 World Championships, has had a difficult relationship with the Australian sporting public.
She was nicknamed "Drama Jana" at the 2004 Athens Olympics when, after undergoing knee surgery a week before the Games, she dramatically threw away her crutches in front of the media and declared herself fit to compete, subsequently finishing fifth. Rawlinson, known as Jana Pittman before her marriage, also had a high-profile feud with fellow athlete Tamsyn Lewis, which led to some parts of the media publicly backing Lewis over Rawlinson.
An Australian men's magazine at the time featured Lewis in a bikini and a front cover saying "It's alright Tam, we don't like Jana Pittman either". Rawlinson, 27, married Chris Rawlinson, her coach at the time, in 2006 and had a son Cornelis.

  Hosts proclaim Ghana the ‘pride of Africa’ after win
AFP, Johannesburg

South Africa rejoiced Sunday as Ghana became only the third African team ever to make the World Cup quarter-finals, as police boosted security for England's clash with arch-rivals Germany.
Even South Africa's organisers shed their neutrality to welcome the victory of the "Black Stars" as the only nation still carrying a flag from the continent in the first tournament held on its soil. "We welcome them into the quarter-finals," said Rich Mkhondo, spokesman for the local organising committee.
"Even though we are organising this event for various nations, we are glad an African team is still fying the African flag," he told reporters.
"We wish them luck in their game against Uruguay," he said. The sentiment was reflected in local media and even government, with the Sunday Times proclaiming "Black Stars flying high" over a picture of defender John Pantsil racing with Ghana's national flag after their 2-1 win. "Ghana shatter American dream," said The Sunday Independent.
"Even with the burden of carrying an entire continent, Ghana could not fail here last night," the paper said. "Throughout Africa, from Phokeng to Accra, celebrations reverberated from the final whistle and long into the evening." Just moments after the game, South Africa's ruling African National Congress-which began as the continent's first liberation movement-hailed the victory, clearly relieved to see an African team progress after the hosts crashed out in the group stages. "The ANC would like to thank the Ghana National Soccer Team (the Black Stars) for salvaging the image of the continent in this tournament," the party said in a statement.
"We are very confident that having gone this far, you are indeed heading for the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals on our soil. We are very proud of you, as South Africa and as part of the continent of Africa, you are our pride."
Despite Bafana Bafana's loss, South Africa is still revelling in its hosting of the World Cup, which has so far overcome worries about crime and poor public transport to stage an event without major incident.
With the tournament now focused on high-stakes matches like England's clash with Germany on Sunday, host cities are gearing up for big influxes of fans.
The two European giants play in the normally sleepy city of Bloemfontein, where the airport is expecting 15 charter flights to land-making it one of the busiest days in its history.
The long rivalry between English and German supporters has in the past triggered some brutal episodes of hooligan violence. When the teams played each other in the European championships a decade ago, riot police had to fire water cannon to bring order on the streets of the Belgian town of Charleroi.
But provincial police spokesman Sam Makhele said the night before the match was quiet, with no reports of trouble.
"We have increased our forces on the ground, around the stadium, around the mall and the entertainment area," he said.
"We are not anticipating any problems but if there are some, we will be ready."
Assistant Chief Constable Andy Holt, head of English police delegation, said he believed there would be no repeat of Charleroi. "I am confident that we are not going to see the kind of really poor behaviour, the scale of it, that we saw in Charleroi all those years ago," he told AFP.

  Smith dismissal sets back Proteas
AFP, Ridgetown

South Africa captain Graeme Smith fell just before lunch to bring West Indies back into the third and final Test on Sunday.
Smith fell for 70, after putting on 62 with Jacques Kallis for the fourth wicket, as the South Africans, replying to West Indies' first innings total of 231, reached 145 for four at the interval on the second day at Kensington Oval.
Smith was unflappable throughout his 159-minute stay at the crease, and reached his 50 from 79 balls, when he worked Shane Shillingford thro-ugh backward square leg for two.
He survived an umpiring decision review for lbw to Sulieman Benn, when he was 60, and had his sights set on his second hundred of the series.
But Smith misread his 115th delivery from Benn in the final half-hour before the interval, played defensively forward, and gave a bat-pad catch to forward short leg. He struck nine boundaries in his innings.
Smith and Kallis had cooled West Indies' passions, after Brandon Bess claimed his maiden Test scalp, when night-watchman Paul Harris was caught at first slip for 11 in the first half-hour of a sun-kissed morning.
South Africa lead the three-Test series 1-0, after they won the first Test by 163 runs inside four days last Sunday at Queen's Park Oval in Trinidad, and the second Test was drawn at Warner Park in St. Kitts.

  Kewell hits out at refs after Australia exit
AFP, Brisbane

Australian striker Harry Kewell has claimed that international referees are biased against the less celebrated teams and that FIFA needs to do something about it.
In an interview for Australia's News Limited newspapers after the Socceroos' early exit from the World Cup, Kewell, who was shown a red card in the Group D clash against Ghana, said his country had been treated unfairly.
He said Australia had been on the end of six bad calls in seven World Cup matches, dating back to a foul on goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer in their 2006 World Cup opener against Japan that went unpunished and led to a goal.
"What are FIFA doing about it when teams like us are getting hammered and the bigger teams don't?" he said. "We've been told to play the game fair, and I think we do.
"Nothing against the bigger teams, but they're allowed to do it because of who and what they are."
In the wide-ranging interview, Kewell defended much-maligned coach Pim Verbeek, who has taken most of the blame for Australia tumbling out at the group stages in South Africa.
He conceded Verbeek was "rattled" after the opening 4-0 loss to Germany, but said he regrouped well for the two subsequent matches, the 1-1 draw with Ghana and the 2-1 win over the Serbs.
And he said if Australia had managed to squeeze into the next round, the Dutchman would have been a national hero.
"I do believe the Germany game rattled him and hit him for six," Kewell said.
"I think he was all over the shop for a bit, but he composed himself well enough for the Ghana game.