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Leading News
66th Ministerial Session of ESCAP
Hasina for Multi-Donor Trust Fund to face climate impact
UNB, Incheon (South Korea)
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has called for establishing
the much-expected Multi-Donor Trust Fund at the earliest
and quick disbursement of the fund among the Least
Developed Countries (LDCs) to enable them to face the
impact of climate change.
"Though our greenhouse gas emission is negligible, we're
amongst the worst victims," she said delivering the
keynote speech at the 66th Ministerial Session of the
Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)
at the Songdo Convensia Convention Centre Monday morning.
Hasina also urged the development partners of the LDCs to
work with and fulfill their promises to the LDCs to
sustain the momentum so far achieved in the development
sectors and also to build on it. She demanded adequate
representation of the LDCs in the governing structures of
multilateral institutions such as the IMF and the World
Bank.
The Prime Minister further said that much needs to be done
to increase the quantity of assistance as well as to
improve its quality while foreign direct investments need
to flow more to the LDCs' productive sectors, which can
generate employment for the local populace.
"We need to build strong partnerships amongst LDCs and
with the development partners for coherent and coordinated
action for a happy future and better world."
She said the discontents of the developing countries - of
the LDCs in particular - have to be addressed for
achieving a sustained open world trade regime.
Hasina observed that development efforts within the least
developed countries need to be sustained and even scaled
up in order to address wide-spread poverty as the
performance of the LDCs, however satisfactory under the
constraints, remains fragile.
Regarding policy priority, she stressed "investment in
people" for empowering and enabling them to realize a
society free from poverty, hunger, ill-health and
illiteracy. In her speech, the Prime Minister strongly
urged for favorably considering the Dhaka Outcome Document
and endorsing it for the Fourth UN Conference on LDCs.
"We need to speak with a single voice to articulate our
development aspirations for the decade 2011-2020.
Solidarity gives strength," she said. 'Dhaka Outcome
Document' emerged at the high-level Asia-Pacific Policy
Dialogue on the Brussels Program of Action for the Lest
Developed Countries jointly arranged by the Government of
Bangladesh and the ESCAP in Dhaka in January 2010.
The Prime Minister said the 66th session of the ESCAP was
requested to endorse the Dhaka Outcome Document and
transmit it as the regional input to the global review to
be conducted by the 4th United Nations Conference on the
Least Developed Countries to be held in Istanbul in May
2011.
Seat
crisis in colleges
Three lakh students to be deprived of admission
UNB, Dhaka
Despite repeated requests from guardians to increase seats
in public and private colleges, the government could
hardly fulfill the demand which ultimately brought a hard
time once again for the college admission seekers this
year.
Increasing number of pass rate with huge GPA-5 achievers
in this year' s SSC results, apparently pushed the
authorities of colleges into fresh trouble as they are
unable to accommodate a good number of highest scorers
simply because of limited seats.
A total of 960,492 students have passed under ten
educational boards this year with a record of 79.98%
success rate, a rise of 9.09% percent over than the
previous year.
Of them, a total of 82,961 students achieved the
distinction of securing the maximum GPA (Grade Point
Average) of 5, some 20,656 more than last year.
An analysis on available seats and numbers of admission
seekers reveals that over 300,000 candidates will not be
able to enroll at colleges and other relevant institutions
this year due to adequate seat of the colleges forcing
their lives in uncertain situation.
According to Bangladesh Education Information and
Statistic Bureau (BEISB), there are only 2,794 colleges
including 241 public colleges for the HSC students in the
country where some 4, 70,492 admission seekers will be
able to enroll in the colleges.
A total of 3, 70,914 seats are currently available in
2,543 non-government colleges while 92,386 seats in 242
government colleges across the country for the HSC
admission seekers.
On the other hand, nearly 150,000 students will be able to
get admitted in madrasa and polytechnic institutions over
the country. The large number of remaining successful
students, which is not les than three lakh, will be
deprived in due to seat shortage in educational
institutions. The guardians of the student feared that as
the accommodation capacity of the city colleges are not
increased, they will face hard luck in ensuring admission
of their sons and daughters in colleges.
There are only 135 public and private colleges in the
capital with accommodation capacity of 39,519 seats. There
are only 12 renowned colleges in the capital where only
maximum scoring students will be enrolled.
Seat capacity of the city's colleges are - 2,140 seats in
Notre Dame college, 1,180 in Dhaka City college, 1,100 in
Dhaka college, 990 in Viqarunnisa Noon School and College,
650 in Ideal School and College, 490 in Holy Cross
college, 900 in Dhaka Commerce college, 475 Govt Science
college, 820 Badrunnesa College, 455 in Rajuk Uttara Model
College, 615 in Lalmatia Girls Colege, 432 in Motijheel
Model School and college, 370 in Dhaka Science College,
606 in BAF Shaheen College, 402 in Tejgaon College, 565 in
Rifles Public School and College. "We have no plans to
increase seats in Notre Dame College, although the success
rate of SSC increased this year," Costa said.
Factional
clashes in Awami League leave 40 injured
Infighting in BCL at Dinajpur
UNB, Manikganj
At least 15 people were injured in a clash between the
activists of Awami League and Jubo League over sharing
money of various government projects in Daulatpur upazila
headquarter on Monday noon.
Police said, the clash ensued at about 12 am between
upazila AL Secretary Faridul Islam group and upazila Jubo
League secretary Humayun Kabir Shawon group sharing money
of government Test Relief (TR) and Food for Work Programme.
The two groups equipped with lethal weapons attacked each
other, leaving 15 people injured from both sides.
Five of the injured were rushed to Daulatpur upazila
health complex while the rest given first aid.
On information, police rushed to the spot and brought the
situation under control. Additional police have been
deployed in the area to avert further trouble.
Later, a procession, led by Daulatpur upazila
vice-chairman Aminur Rahman, was brought out in the
upazila headquarter protesting the clash over sharing
money of government's employment projects.
UNB adds from Munshiganj: At least 25 people were wounded
when two rival groups of Awami League clashed with sticks
and bombs at Char Dumuria in Sadar upazila today.
Locals said two groups, one led by Shah Alam Mallik and
the other by Mustafa Molla engaged in the fierce fight in
the afternoon for establishing supremacy in the area. Both
sides used sticks, sharp weapons and exploded dozens of
homemade bombs leaving at least 25 wounded.
The clash continued till the late evening causing panic
among the villagers.
The injured were admitted to hospital and clinics.
Confirming the incident sadar thana officer Shahidul Islam
said police team was sent to the spot to bring the
situation under control.
TBT report from Dinajpur says: Two factions of Chhatra
League activists clashed in Haji Mohammad Danesh Science
and Technology University on Sunday and Monday over
establishing supremacy.
During the clash some rooms of Zia Hall were ransacked.
Besides several activists were injured including Shakil,
Ariful Karim and Ariful Huq. They were admitted to
Dinajpur Medical College Hospital.
Dhaka grand
rally
Khaleda Zia to announce movement prog tomorrow
UNB, Dhaka
Mainstream opposition BNP will hold its Dhaka divisional
grand rally at the historic Paltan Maidan Wednesday in an
effort to display its strength of popularity against the
ruling Awami League-led Grand Alliance government, which
is now nearly one-and-a-half years old.
Leader of the opposition Khaleda will announce the next
course of anti-government movement programmes from the
rally. A series of programmes like demonstrations, sit-
ins, human chains and long marches might be announced by
her at the Paltan Maidan public meeting. The more hardcore
programmes like hartals and blockade are not likely to be
announced at Wednesday's rally.
The BNP national standing committee, the highest policy
making body of the party, on Sunday night held a meeting
with Khaleda Zia in the chair where different options of
anti-government movement programmes were proposed by the
standing committee members, according to a standing
committee member.
It was learned that many of the standing committee members
proposed calling hartals, or at least a half-day hartal,
apart from other agitation programmes while some opined
for innocuous programmes at this stage like human chains,
long marches and sit-ins.
But the programmes were not finalized in the meeting. The
BNP chief told the meeting that she listened to their
opinions. Khaleda Zia will finalize the programme anytime
before the rally.
BNP leaders on Monday said, BNP wants to hold the grand
rally peacefully in a democratic way and no democratic
government can obstruct any democratic programme.
So the government should behave responsibly to keep up the
practice of healthy politics, the opposition leaders
observed and hoped that it would ensure necessary supply
of electricity in the Paltan Maidan rally.The BNP leaders
made the remarks while visiting the Paltan Maidan Monday
afternoon.
BNP leaders Nazrul Islam Khan, Brig Gen (Retd) Hannan
Shah, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Amanullah Aman, Fazlul
Huq Milon, Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal, Shahiduddin
Chowdhury Anie MP, were among others who visited the
Paltan Maidan venue.
BNP standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan, also
chief coordinator of Dhaka grand rally, said there is no
match between the words and deeds of the government. He
alleged that despite taking permission from the police
commissioner, obstructions are being put up in the rally
campaign activities in various areas.
CCC polls
Executive magistrates to work from June 3
UNB, Dhaka
Members of the law enforcing agencies led by the executive
magistrates will start working from June 3 in Chittagong
City Corporation areas in order to make the June 17
elections to CCC free, fair and peaceful.
Chief Election Commissioner Dr ATM Shamsul Huda disclosed
this after a two-hour meeting with the chiefs of law
enforcing agencies at the EC Secretariat on Monday. Home
Secretary Abdus Sobhan Sikder, IGP Nur Mohammad and top
officials of the law enforcing agencies attended the
meeting.
Talking to the reporters, the CEC said the law enforcing
agencies including police, RAB and BDR would be deployed
as striking forces and some 17 executive magistrates would
work there from June 3-10 to conduct immediate summary
trials, apart from the mobile courts. Dr Huda informed
that the judicial magistrates would also be deployed in
the polling areas until June 18.
Some 20-22 law enforcers in a team will be deployed for
each polling center, he said, adding that a total of six
company of the army will also be deployed in the election
areas three days ahead of the elections.
About polling agents, the CEC said before they are
appointed the selected polling agents would have to submit
their national ID as proof of identity and they would have
to put on the armed bands provided by the respective
candidates. In case of any allegation, he said, it should
be reported in writing by the polling agents. "Otherwise,
any such case will not be taken into cognizance."
Back Page
Villages need to be connected with
IT highway: President
UNB, Dhaka
President Zillur Rahman on Monday said villages across the
country will have to be connected with the information
technology highway so that it can be a bridge between
village and town and between village and globe.
"Without confining the information technology within the
well-off people it should be expanded for all," he said at
a function marking the World Telecommunications and
Information Society Day (WTISD) at Bangabandhu
International Conference Centre in the morning. The
President said people living in rural areas will be a one
and inseparable entity of the global population.
Praising this year's theme of WTISD - Better City, Better
Life with ICT - as significant, he said the people's
livelihood along with improved urban life must be
developed by using the information technology.
Zillur said the entire world has become a global village
with the unprecedented development of the information
technology, bringing closer the people across the world.
"Exchange of information has become easier. A horizon of
opportunity has been opened up before the people of the
world. We must utilize this opportunity to improve our
socio-economic situation," he told the function. The
President expressed his happiness over the expansion of
utilization of the ICT at different spheres of national
life, which benefits people of different segments of
society including students, teachers, professionals,
business persons and researchers. He hoped that private
initiatives alongside the government will accelerate the
implementation of the vision of 'Digital Bangladesh'.
Post and Telecommunications Minister Rajuiddin Ahmed Raju,
said Bangladesh will install its own satellite within next
five years, and the government has plans to make low cost
laptops and mobile phone sim cards. The Minister said the
Internet facility will be expanded to the Union level so
the Union Parishad chairmen can communicate directly with
the Ministers on various important issues.
Six killed, 29
injured in road accident at Natore, Habiganj and
Chittagong
UNB, Natore
Two people were killed and 17 others injured in road
accidents in Bonpara bypass crossing area of Boraigram
upazila Monday morning.
The deceased were identified as Rabeya, 50, and van driver
Ismail Awrail of the upazila. Police and local people said
a Natore bound steel rods laden truck from Pabna ran over
Rabeya at 9am at the bypass crossing, leaving her dead on
the spot. After the accident while fleeing hurriedly the
truck after hitting a microbus fell on a pick up van,
leaving van driver Ismail dead on the spot and its 17
passengers injured.
Three of the critical injured passengers were admitted to
Rajshahi Medical College Hospital while others to Natore
sadar hospital and different clinics. After the accident
agitated locals barricaded Natore-Dhaka and Pabna roads
for an hour and vandalized a police vehicle. Later, police
brought the situation under control.
At least 10 passengers were injured, seven critically, as
a human hauler plunged into a roadside ditch in Ratanpur
area of Sadar upazila Saturday morning. Witnesses said the
accident occurred at about 11 am when the driver of the
Habiganj town bound human hauler coming from Chuna-rughat
upazila lost control over the steering and the vehicle
fell into the nearby ditch.
The critically injured Khod-eza Begum, 40, Munna, 5, Runa
Akhter, 15, Shefa, 22, Brishti, 8, Mamunur Ras-hid, 48,
Jitendra Nath, 20, were rushed to Sadar Modern Hospital.
BSS reports from Chittagong: Pedestrian Abdur Rahman, 55,
received head injuries when a speedy truck knocked him
down at Banglabazar area in Sitakundu upazila mid night
Sunday night. He died at the CMCH at 9 am on Monday.
Ferdouse Alam, 34, and Saber Ahmed, 36, died on the spot
when a Chittagong bound Borak passenger bus crushed a CNG
three wheeler under its wheels at Monsha area on the
Chitt-agong -Cox's Bazaar road at 9 .30 am on Monday.
Mohammad Faruk, 45, Mahbub Alam, 35, and Jamir, 20, also
received serious injuries in the accident. The three
victims were brought to Chittagong CMCH where the
attending doctors declared Faruk dead after admission.
Mahbub and Jamir are under treatment at the hospital.
Police detained the bus but its driver escaped after the
accident. Beggar Monu Mia died on the spot when a speedy
truck crushed him under its wheels at Barrister Sultan
Ahmed college area under Bandar thana of the city at 9 am
on Monday.
HC rule on authorities
Why order should not be issued to implement house rent act
BSS, Dhaka
The High court on Monday issued a rule on the authorities
concerned asking to show cause why the directives should
not be issued to implement the provisions of the House
Rent Control Act 1991.
A two-judge bench comprising Justice M Momtazuddin Ahmed
and Justice Naima Haider issued the rule on a writ
petition brought by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh
(HRPB), a NGO working with human rights and environmental
issues. Three advocates of the Supreme Court Ashaduzzman
Siddiqui, Badiul Alam Budu and Nurul Islam Babul jointly
filed the writ petition for HRPB.
The petition referring to several news items published in
different dailies stated that it is a common picture of
the society, especially in the capital city where
different nature of confusions and controversy is going on
between the landlords and the tenants regarding house
rent.
"So specific directives is needed to end and avoid such
unhealthy and untoward situations," counsel for the
petitioners advocate Monzil Morsheed submitted before the
court.
He said the Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) authority is not
taking proper steps to implement its schedule of house
rent even they are not framing rules following the
provisions of the House Rent Act. On hearing, the court
issued the rule returnable in four weeks.
The Cabinet secretary, the secretary to the Prime Minister
office, the secretary to the Parliament secretariat, the
Law secretary and the Mayor of Dhaka were made respondents
in the writ petition.
Hasina gains assurances on
expatriates’ welfare from Korean govt
UNB, Seoul
The Korean government will take effective steps to
legalize all Bangladeshi expatriates living here and take
care of their needs.
The assurances came when Choi Hyung Hwan, Minister of
Knowledge Economy of the Korean government paid a courtesy
call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her hotel suite on
Monday afternoon, said Press Secretary to the Prime
Minister Abul Kalam Azad. Appreciating the Ban-gladeshi
expatriates living in Korea, the Korean Minister said they
are industrious and honest. In reply, the Prime Minister
thanked the Korean Minister for their assurance and hoped
that the Korean government will take all necessary
measures regarding legalization of all Bangladeshi
expatriates living in Korea.
She also invited Korean investment in large number in
Bangladesh in various development sectors. Hasina said
Korea can be benefited to a great extent by investing in
Bangladesh as the present government has been successful
in establishing an ideal environment for investment here.
She also urged the Korean government to import leather
goods, footwear, frozen food, garments and knitwear from
Bangladesh. They hoped that the existing bilateral
relation between the two countries will be strengthened
further in the days to come.
AL accuses BNP
of plotting against democracy
UNB, Dhaka
Ruling Awami League leaders has urged the people to
protect the country from BNP's conspiracy against the
people, democracy and government.
They made the call from a rally held in front of the AL
central office at Bangabandhu Avenue Monday afternoon
organized to mark the homecoming day of Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina.
On this day in 1981 she returned home from self-exile and
took over the leadership of Awami League as President. The
ruling party leaders said Awami League with the support of
the people would foil all sorts of conspiracies being
hatched by BNP and its allies. Acting AL president and
deputy leader of the Parliament Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury
presided over the rally. Sajeda said a conspiracy is on to
harm the country and BNP is behind it. She urged all to
foil the evil design of BNP.
She said while the government is engaged in development
activities, BNP and its allies are trying to foil all
their efforts. Sajeda asked BNP and its allies to shun the
politics of conspiracy for the sake of the people and
democracy. AL presidium member Adv Yusuf Hossain Humayun,
Home Minister Adv Sahara Khatun, AL joint secretary
Mahabub-Ul-Alam Hanif, law secretary Abdul Matin Khasru,
organizing secretary Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Ahmad Hossain,
AFM Bahauddin Nasim, city AL general secretary Mofazzal
Hossain Chowdhury Maya, State Minister for Law Adv Qamrul
Islam, and Bangladesh Economic Association President and
Janata Bank chairman Dr Abul Barakat spoke among others at
the rally. AL deputy publicity secretary Asim Kumar Ukil
conducted the rally.
Gunmen shoot
dead businessman, snatch Tk 7 lakh
UNB, Bandarban
A businessman was gunned down by robbers and robbed Tk 7
lakh at Ringbhong on Lama-Chakoria border in Alikadam
upazila on Monday.
Liaqat Ali, owner of Liaqat Tobacco Limited, accompanied
by his son Ahsan was going in a jeep to Chakoria from his
factory at Ali Kadam when a group of 5 or 6 armed robbers
intercepted him at about 2 pm. The gunmen shot him twice,
snatched away the money and quickly fled to the nearby
forest.
Fatally wounded, Liaqat was rushed to Central Hospital
where doctors declared him dead.
Confirming the incident police suspected that robbers had
prior information about Liaqat's traveling with the money
through the road which is usually secluded between Kumari
and Ringvong. The robbers waylaid him.
Chakoria thana officer Jasimuddin said they were trying to
nab the robbers.
In another incident, unknown assailants hac-ked to death
Ki Bang Prue, a tribal woman at Bat Talipara in Ali Kadam
Upazila in the morning.
Police suspect that the murder is a sequel to enmity. They
were trying to round up the killers, police said.
5 killed in lightning strike in
Kurigram
UNB, Kurigram
Five people, including a woman and her son, were killed
and two others injured in a lightning strike at Khoar Dara
village in Nageswari upazila on Monday morning.
The victims were identified as Hajera Begum, 37, wife of
Badiar Rahman, her son Mehedi Hasan, 5, and three farmers
-Makbul, 36, Hafizur, 30 and Amzad, 40.
Police quoting witnesses when the rain started five
farmers working in a paddy field near the house of Badiar
took shelter in his house. At one stage, thunderbolt
struck on the house at about 9 am, leaving five people
dead on the spot and injuring two others.
The injured-Mansur Ali and Rabbani were rushed to upazila
health complex.
Editorial
Deaths in road crashes
Journey
by buses and other vehicles have become very risky as road
crashes are taking place in the country frequently killing and
injuring a large number of people. This is evident from the
fact that in a span of only five days from May 12 to 16 as
many as 52 people were killed and 171 others injured in a
number of fatal road accidents at different places.
Some 16 people were killed and 44 others injured in separate
accidents at Narsingdi, Bogra and Mymensingh on May 16. At
least 11 people were killed and 32 injured when a Dhaka-bound
bus from Kishoreganj collided with and dashed down the
Haridhoa bridge by another bus to waist deep water near Belabo
on Dhala-Sylhet highway Sunday afternoon. On May 15 as many as
12 people were killed and 28 others injured in road accidents
at Bogra, Patuakhali, Comilla, Sherpur, Barisal and Narsingdi.
On May 14 some 9 people, were killed and 18 others injured in
road accidents in Comilla, Savar,Ashulia and Sherpur. On May
13 as amany as 7 people were killed and 20 injured at Savar
and Munshiganj. A total of 8 people were killed and 61 others
injured in road crashes in Rangpur and Mymensingh on May 12.
This is a very alarming scenario. Experts participating in a
workshop on in Chittagong recently said road accidents claim
over 6,000 lives and injure 3,0000 people annually and also
cause economic losses of Taka more than 5000 crore per year.
They also pointed out that drivers are directly and indirectly
liable for 70 percent of these accidents. In fact, the
country's roads and highways have turned into virtual death
traps as fatal accidents are taking place there regularly. The
incidents of road accidents are increasing alarmingly across
the country while government road safety institutions are
almost dysfunctional due to reported fund shortage and lack of
awareness. National Road Safety Council (NRSC), the sole
government institution for ensuring road safety, is supposed
to hold a meeting every three months, but it does not do so.
There is a road safety cell under Bangladesh Road Transport
Authority (BRTA) and a road safety division under Roads &
Highways Department which are also dysfunctional.
According to media reports, around 40,000 road accidents in
Bangladesh claimed 30,103 lives and injured 30,833 others in
last ten years costing an amount of about Tk 45,000 crore.
According to the ARC, around 4,000 people die in road
accidents in Bangladesh every year and 60 per cent of the road
accidents occur due to road users' errors, 30 per cent for
adverse road conditions or environment and 10 per cent for
faulty vehicles.
Hardly any day passes off without an accident taking place
somewhere in the urban or rural areas. Road accidents are
posing a serious threat to public life especially on Dhaka-Chittagong
high way as a result of reckless driving by a section of
drivers of minibuses, microbuses and buses running on long
distance routes. The drivers move in a free-style due to lack
of checking of fitness certificates of vehicles and driving
licenses of drivers regularly. Some of the vehicles move on
the highway without any valid documents. The authorities are
responsible for this as they remain indifferent to this
violation.
Checking of fitness certificates of vehicles and driving
licenses of drivers should be conducted regularly. The
government should strictly enforce the traffic rules, stop
plying of faulty and unauthorised vehicles and take stern
action against the offenders to check fatal road accidents.
This must be done to safe the huge lives and properties being
lost in road accidents in the country every year. The driver
responsible for the accident must be punished.
Arresting drug
peddlers
Drug
peddlers are continuing their jobs in a free style despite
government order to apprehend them. Home Minister Advocate
Sahara Khatun had directed the law-enforcing agencies in March
to arrest the godfathers of drug peddlers as the government
opted for a countrywide anti-drug crackdown following a
reported pervasive spread of narcotic drugs. She specifically
instructed law enforcers to act on urgent basis to stop drug
trading in the country. But hardly any progress is reported to
have been made in the drive against the drug menace.
Brisk business of drugs is going on across the country.
According to media reports, various types of narcotic drugs-phensydil,
heroin, yaba have even made inroads into remote villages.
Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has detected the trafficking of
dangerous drug 'Yaba' by children. In short, drug traders are
now engaging children in trafficking and selling drugs
including Yaba.
The trafficking, sale and use of drugs have taken an alarming
turn in recent days in the capital and elsewhere. Despite
anti-drug drivers from time to time by the law enforcers and
arrest of a few peddlers, brisk trading on various kinds of
drugs are going on. Even tender-aged boys and girls are being
engaged by drug dealers to carry on their business. It is a
very disturbing news that yaba and various other drugs are
easily available in the posh areas of the city. The sale and
use of drugs like phensidyl, ganja, charas, heroin have been
rampant in the capital since long. The latest addition to this
world of illegal drugs is yaba which is reportedly very
popular among the young boys and girls of rich families.
Illegal drugs are serious threat to our moral values and
social fabric as they are causing serious harm to the youths
physically, morally, mentally, and financially. In view of
this, the drive against all illegal drugs should be stepped up
by the law enforcers.
Analysis
Will the Loya jirga be a success?
Historical evidence suggests that the Afghans
guard their independence very jealously. The idea of sending
some leaders into exile would not be acceptable to the Taliban
leaders, as they are from Afghanistan and they are going to
stay there.
Mohammad Jamil
Most Afghan
political leaders are of the opinion that in a country where
tribal affiliations play a crucial role, a jirga representing
influential tribes can persuade and convince the Taliban to
end their insurgency. The upcoming jirga will decide how to
reach out to Taliban leaders with a view towards persuading
them to participate in the process for achieving
reconciliation and peace in the country. After the botched
bombing attempt at Times Square, anti-Pakistan lobbies seem to
have been successful and efforts are being made to keep
Pakistan out of the process just like India was kept out at
the London Conference on the future of Afghanistan. President
Karzai is reported to have been sceptical of Pakistan after
the arrest of Mullah Baradar, and feels that Pakistan has
thrown a 'spanner in the works', as the Afghan government was
negotiating with Mullah Baradar. Let us presume that he had
been in contact with Mullah Baradar without Pakistan's
knowledge. This meant that he wanted to keep Pakistan out of
the negotiation process.
According to press reports, the Loya jirga has three
objectives: one is to rally broad support behind President
Karzai's policy. Second, the jirga will be asked to endorse a
government plan for the reintegration of insurgents in line
with the decision taken at the London Conference. And,
finally, to set some ground rules for holding talks with the
insurgents. Around 1,000 tribal, political, religious and
civic leaders including some sympathisers of the insurgents
are expected to participate in the jirga.
The Guardian has recently leaked some of the details of
Karzai's peace plan, which envisages such steps as sending
insurgent leaders into exile to a third country, and the de-radicalisation
of their fighters. The report said that menial jobs would be
created for Taliban foot-soldiers including tailoring, weaving
carpets or serving in the Afghan Army. But such proposals are
likely to exacerbate the situation rather than achieve peace
and reconciliation. There is a perception that there can be no
progress unless the Pashtuns - more than half of Afghanistan's
population - are given assurances that they will have their
rightful share in power.
Nine years' resistance has shown that the Pashtuns are not
likely to shift their loyalties. One can disagree with the
Taliban with the way they tried to export their version of
Islam to other countries and also the manner in which they
ruled their country. The fact, however, remains that they are
fighting to rid their country of foreign domination and not
for some doles or jobs. Historical evidence suggests that the
Afghans guard their independence very jealously. The idea of
sending some leaders into exile would not be acceptable to the
Taliban leaders, as they are from Afghanistan and they are
going to stay there. In the past, efforts were made to buy
insurgents' loyalties but to no avail. It is true that
occupiers, insurgents and those in the government, including
members of the Northern Alliance, feel exhausted and do not
want to live in trepidation and fear all the time. The Loya
jirga will, nevertheless, provide an opportunity for working
out a power-sharing formula to end the bloodshed.
President Karzai has to understand that the Americans cannot
stay and provide protection for an indefinite period, as the
American economy is already in dire straits. He must know that
foreign money and soldiers have their limits, and they cannot
forever die just to keep him in power. It has become obvious
that the US and its allies cannot win the war, and the Taliban
also are not in a position to push alien forces out of
Afghanistan. In other words, it is a stalemate. The Taliban
leadership should also understand this ground reality. Of
course, President Karzai's half-brother has been issuing
irresponsible statements to provoke Taliban leaders. Last year
he told The Guardian that while fighters could surrender and
return in peace, the Afghan government would never share power
or give in to demands for changing the country's constitution.
It appears that the US and its allies are making the same
mistake they made in Bonn, and then during the elections, i.e.
to keep the genuine Taliban and Pashtun leaders out of power.
On May 11, 2010, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told
President Hamid Karzai that the US would remain committed to
his country's security and reconstruction long after the last
US combat troops had departed. This shows that the US does not
have the intention to withdraw forces as per schedule, and its
only objective is to convey an impression that US forces would
be withdrawn next year to seek support in the mid-term
Congressional elections to be held in November. Afghanistan
has been facing death and destruction for the last three
decades. First, when the Soviet forces landed in Afghanistan
and the US and the West planned overt and covert operations
against them. Second, in a civil war, and finally once again
it was devastated in the name of the war on terror. But,
irrespective of the longevity of the war, ultimately the
warring parties have to come to the negotiating table.
According to reports, efforts were made in the recent past for
reconciliation between the Afghan government and the Taliban
leaders in Saudi Arabia to end the war in Afghanistan.
However, both Saudi Arabia and the Taliban spokesman have
denied such reports, the latter categorically stating that
they would not enter into any negotiations unless foreign
troops leave Afghanistan. He said that even if there were some
talks with the so-called Taliban, they were not the Taliban's
representatives. In fact, President Karzai was not sure about
his position when President Obama, during his visit to Kabul
in 2009, lectured him on rampant corruption, which had
resulted in somewhat cold relations between the two. Some
members of the Obama administration had suggested that
Karzai's visit should be cancelled. Since the US has no
replacement, therefore it has to deal with him. While these
lines were being written, President Karzai was in the US.
Analysts are of the view that the only viable option for both
Obama and Karzai is to sit down with the insurgent leaders
face to face and work out a power-sharing formula with them in
Kabul, as the Taliban leaders are not likely to leave
Afghanistan.
The writer is a freelance columnist. He can be reached at
mjamil1938@hotmail.com
China’s
amazing growth
China is
one of the world's strongest economies, a country that has
lifted millions out of poverty, the nation that everyone
wants to court.
Shada Islam
Shanghai
glitters. The high-rises sparkle in the morning sun, then
morph into a fairytale playground in the night. Sitting
here in my hotel room, I can hear the buzz of the busy
city reach the 18th floor.
I monitor developments in the rest of the world -
Conservative leader David Cameron is the new British prime
minister, the resignation of Gordon Brown, Afghan
President Hamid Karzai's fence-mending visit to Washington
and the daily power cuts in Pakistan - but the truth is
when you're in China, nothing else really counts.
The country engulfs and overwhelms you. You cannot but
compare China's amazing growth with the slow, plodding
development of its neighbours in South Asia. Even India,
with its global ambitions, is dwarfed by rapidly rising
China - the proverbial fast-moving tiger compared to the
slow Indian elephant.
Shanghai, with its unashamed in-your-face opulence, takes
your breath away - and not just because of the gigantic
Shanghai Expo which dominates the landscape. The city is
shiny clean, spruced up and at its best behaviour.
Everyone tries to speak English - a policeman helps me
hail a taxi and as I wander around the city, people help
me with directions, eager to help foreigners find their
way in this bewildering city.
At the Expo itself, countries compete with each other to
showcase their culture, industrial prowess and, of course,
their exports to eager Chinese consumers. I notice the
Pakistan pavilion but there is no time to visit; the
queues are too long.
Chinese tourists line up to admire the massive foreign
exhibitions but above all they are here to celebrate - yet
again, after the Olympics in 2008 - their country's
ascent: China is one of the world's strongest economies, a
country that has lifted millions out of poverty, the
nation that everyone wants to court. Invited to take part
in a panel discussion organised at the Expo by the
European Union on the poverty-bashing Millennium
Development Goals, I marvel at China's rise along with my
European, Asian and African colleagues.
We're all aware of the downside of one-party rule - the
tragic clampdown on dissidents, patchy respect for human
rights and especially the rights of minorities, attempts
to control the Internet. But the buzz in Shanghai proves
that - at least for the moment - the majority of Chinese
are happy to make a historical trade off: living with
political constraints in exchange for ever-expanding
economic prosperity.
First the Asians. There's no doubt that like Japan in the
1980s, China is labouring hard to build a neighbourhood
that is prosperous and stable. Chinese investments in the
rest of Asia are on the rise as is trade with the region
and aid to poorer Asian countries.
Visit any member of the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (Asean) and it soon becomes clear that 'old talk'
of seeking to contain China has been abandoned in favour
of stronger engagement with the region's rising star. The
free-trade agreement between China and Asean came into
force on Jan 1, 2010, spotlighting even stronger economic
links between the two sides. "We see China as a good
neighbour," an Asean diplomat tells me, adding: "It's like
Japan and the flying geese - now it's China in the lead,
and we are happy to be following the trail."
At the China European Business School in Shanghai, young
Indian students tell me they find living in China both
fascinating and challenging. One of them is seeking to set
up an Indian-Chinese renewable energy cooperation venture
but is also full of questions on relations between India
and Pakistan. Could China, India and Pakistan ever work
seriously together like the European Union, he asks me.
All I can say is: "I wish - but we need visionary
leadership."
The conversation with my African colleagues is simpler:
China is the development model for a continent that many
describe as a 'lost case'. A former African ambassador to
Beijing is clear: "China provides Africa with the funds we
need to develop and grow, without the colonial hangover of
Europeans," he tells me.
While Europeans go on endlessly about human rights, China
makes sure that roads and bridges are built and that there
is investment in Africa's natural resources. "Look," says
my friend, "What we need is growth, not lectures." Another
African colleague agrees: "China works in the way we wish
Africa could," he tells me as we walk on the newly
restored Shanghai Bund.
China pledged last year to give Africa $10bn in
concessional loans over the next three years and it is
ploughing money into developing infrastructure in many
nations on the world's poorest continent. Rising labour
costs in China also mean that the Asian giant will want to
start relocating some manufacturing industries to
countries where wage bills may not be as high.
Some western nations may say that China is interested only
in extracting Africa's natural resources to feed its
fast-growing economy, cares little for African development
and supports governments with dubious human rights records
but my African friends say such concern is 'neocolonial'.
"We can take care of ourselves," he insists. "China treats
us with respect." While they may criticise China's policy
in Africa, its exchange rate and human rights record,
Europeans too are lining up for favours in Beijing. French
President Nicolas Sarkozy was in the country recently as
was Jose Manuel Barroso, the president of the European
Commission.
The EU and China recently celebrated 35 years of often
fraught diplomatic relations but a well-known Chinese
journalist tells me the country is curious about the EU
and anxious to learn from it. The message is repeated by
students at the business school who are engaged in an
interesting 'model EU' experiment to replicate the bloc's
institutions and complicated decision-making procedure.
It's a sophisticated example of European soft power -
teaching young people in China the importance of
consultation, compromise and transparency in government.
But there's still a long way before even the most
pro-European Chinese will understand the value of EU-style
democracy. "Please tell me," an earnest young Chinese
woman asks me: "Can the EU ever take real decisions?"
Viewpoints
Hunza’s water bomb
The lake is
turning into a huge water bomb threatening to cause more
damage than many Taliban bombs put together.
M. Ismail Khan
There
is no good time for disasters but this is a particularly bad
time. Pakistan's biggest-ever river-water blockage created by
the Jan 4 landslide on the Hunza river - a tributary of the
Indus which is the lifeline of the country's power and
irrigation systems - is swelling day by day.
The lake is turning into a huge water bomb threatening to
cause more damage than many Taliban bombs put together.
Breaching the artificial lake, that has already pulverised
villages, inundated acres of irrigated land, orchards and
meadows, left many homeless and threatened food supplies for a
population of more than 25,000 along the Chinese border, is
turning out to be a tedious task. The lake is over 18km long
and 320 feet from the ground, and it has submerged a big chunk
of the Karakoram Highway (KKH) and its longest bridge.
Over four months of labour, the use of heavy excavating
machinery and bulldozers and the assistance of Chinese
engineers working on widening the KKH to build a spillway
through the wall of boulder and mud stretching nearly three
kilometres has brought partial success for the Frontier Works
Organisation (FWO). But even before the FWO has been able to
dig down to the water level, the latter is rising to the level
of the FWO cranes. The water build-up is becoming more rapid
with rising temperatures and snowmelt.
The emergence of the new lake has received a mixed response
across the country. Despite its dangerous implications, it is
seen by some as a naturally formed dam, a gift from God, to a
people who have failed to build one in decades. Even many
local tour operators were excited at the prospect of a new
lake being added to the list of Hunza's tourist attractions -
until an increasing number of geologists started waving red
flags.
The Wakhi-speaking people of Gojal, who have been virtually
cut off from the rest of Pakistan for the last four months,
have for years shared their pastures, the silk route (KKH) and
their belief in Ismaili Islam with the more visible Broshuski-speaking
people of lower Hunza. Today, they share a calamity. For the
first time there is no road connection between them and the
poverty-stricken people are being fleeced by boatmen taking
advantage of their despair.
The people in Gojal and Hunza are lucky to have the world's
leading philanthropist Prince Karim Aga Khan as their
spiritual leader. In dealing with this tragedy, the
institutions of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN)
including FOCUS Pakistan teamed up with government agencies
and the army, just as they did during the 2005 earthquake, to
rush relief goods and services to people living in the
affected sites.
AKDN may be good at helping the people but it can't really
build a spillway over a major river blockage. It is
essentially the federal government's job to do so. Meeting
this challenge is beyond the capacity of NGOs or the nascent
political set-up of Gilgit-Baltistan. Clearly, the federal
government needs to do a lot more to prevent disaster. In view
of the nature of the crisis, it could seek technical help from
friendly countries and send out emergency alerts to
international agencies that are equipped to handle the
situation.
The authorities need to focus on stabilising the debris,
expediting work on spillways and also minimising potential
risks downstream. Round-the-clock monitoring and a foolproof
early warning mechanism are needed. Since the army has always
played a dominant role in disaster management, it should
monitor inter-agency coordination and supervise the
functioning of all agencies. In the meantime, the
Gilgit-Baltistan government in coordination with the federal
authorities should continue to help out displaced villagers by
providing them with shelter, food and medicines besides
ensuring that their children continue to receive schooling.
They should immediately embark on identifying suitable land to
relocate the affected people and draw plans to rebuild the
necessary infrastructure and restore lost livelihood
opportunities.
The potential lake outburst could topple a number of bridges
on KKH setting the region's hard-earned development gains back
by a decade, and could cause new security challenges and major
food shortages in the area as rebuilding the devastated
portions may take years.Nothing can be said for sure at this
point, but it would be prudent to prepare for the worst
instead of waiting for a miracle. Among other things, the
prime minister needs to be reminded of his Gilgit-Baltistan
election promise to upgrade Gilgit and Skardu airports, equip
them with all-weather landing systems, cargo and passenger
handling and emergency airlift facilities, especially to
facilitate direct cargo flights from the neighbouring Chinese
province of Sinkiang.
The other day, it was good to see Gen Ashfaq Kayani visiting
the affected area, reviewing disaster preparedness and
progress on construction of spillway; he also interacted with
the people and assured them of further help, while Prime
Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani spent his day campaigning for
Jamshed Dasti.
The writer is a former board member of the Mountain Forum
where he represented the Asia-Pacific region. ismail.mik@gmail.com
Thais in
dangerous denial
The poor and
the military hold the Palace in genuine reverence. Palace
staff and people in the countryside kneel before the
monarchy not merely as a matter of protocol, but out of
genuine love and respect.
Sin-ming Shaw
Thailand's
political and social fabric is fraying. Indeed, the
country's future looks as shaky as it has never been. In
other prosperous democracies, the middle class provides
the glue that holds society together. In Thailand, by
contrast, the bourgeoisie, centered in Bangkok, is barely
emerging as a social and political force.
Instead, for a half-century, an unspoken social contract
among four broad groups have held Thailand together: the
"Palace" - a euphemism used here to avoid violating
draconian lèse majesté laws; big business, the custodian
of economic growth; the military, which ensures, first and
foremost, the sanctity of the Palace and the moral values
it represents; and the common people, mostly rural and
urban poor, who accept the rule of the other three
estates.
Thailand's national mythology is that it is a happy
Buddhist country, a "land of smiles" bound together by
compassion and harmony under the benevolent grace and
blessings of the Palace and the generosity of big
business. The less fortunate classes are docile, content
to accept their subservient roles and satisfied with the
social welfare, no matter how skimpy, provided by their
betters.
The poor and the military hold the Palace in genuine
reverence. Palace staff and people in the countryside
kneel before the monarchy not merely as a matter of
protocol, but out of genuine love and respect.
Forbes magazine ranked the Thai monarchy in 2009 as the
richest of all the world's royals, putting its net worth
at $30 billion-a figure that locals consider too low. That
royal wealth necessarily entails substantial investments
in and with Thai big business in all sectors of the
economy. Thailand's blue-chip firms gain much from direct
involvement with the Palace and from social proximity to
it. One Hong Kong scion whose wife is from an elite Thai
family estimates that perhaps 20 families control most of
Thai business.
The Thai military is constitutionally subordinate to
civilian leadership, but in reality it owes its allegiance
to the Palace. In the current crisis, army generals have
told the public that they are reluctant to use force, a
position that was not theirs to take.
How long this inactivity will last is anyone's guess. Mobs
wearing red shirts to symbolise their loyalty to former
Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra are now camped out in
two major commercial areas, paralysing a large part of the
local economy. They demand that the government dissolve
the current legislature immediately, and that Prime
Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva resign because he was never
elected and is viewed as a front man for the traditional
anti-Thaksin monied groups. Many believe that the current
crisis will pass, and that Thailand will revert to its
historical harmony among the four groups. But this view
ignores the country's new political dynamics.
First and foremost, Thailand's lower classes have decided
that docility is a thing of the past. They are angry and
frustrated by the status quo. Save for the handouts they
got under Thaksin, they benefited little from the economic
growth of the past three decades. The vast gap between the
urban rich and the rest has grown worse over the years,
with no discernible "trickle-?down" effect.
Even in the prime commercial districts and chic
neighbourhoods of Bangkok, the nation's richest city, a
short walk reveals miles of cracked pavements, piles of
uncollected garbage, and rats scurrying freely. Such
wrenching sights are typically accompanied by the pungent
odour of a sewage system that is more a problem than a
solution, especially during the rainy season.
The sight of run-down physical infrastructure, punctuated
by super-modern shopping malls with global consumer brand
names well beyond the purchasing power of most citizens,
is not what you would expect in an economy once described
as a potential Asian Dragon. The wealthy dwell in
air-conditioned houses, travel in chauffeur-driven cars,
and shop in luxury malls, apparently oblivious to how the
rest of the country lives. Poor rural families see too
many of their children become prostitutes in order to
survive.
The poor view the coup against Thaksin of 2006, and the
later disbanding of his party, as revenge by the
traditional elites who wanted the old ways back, and who
would get what they wanted by force since they could no
longer get it through the ballot box. It is a view that is
not entirely wrong.
In late 2008, anti-Thaksin mobs wearing yellow shirts and
led by prominent business figures occupied Bangkok's
Suvarnabhumi International Airport with impunity, seeking
to annul the result of a general election in which pro-Thaksin
forces gained power, despite Thaksin's exile overseas.
Yellow is the color of Thai royalty, and the Palace was
believed to be sympathetic ?to the mobs.
Now Thaksin loyalists - the "red shirts" - are doing much
the same, demanding change through mob behaviour. They
believe that they, too, are entitled to act with impunity.
The red shirts are not blind to Thaksin's excessive
corruption. But they see him as a rare Thai politician who
actually bothered to connect with them. Moreover, as prime
minister, Thaksin made a point of delivering much-needed
services to the underclasses: subsidised medical care and
micro-loans to name just two.
But the unspoken issue behind Thailand's unrest is that,
with the country's 82-year-old king ailing, the Palace's
moral force has come into question. Indeed, Thai Foreign
Minister Kasit Pirmoya, breaking taboos that have governed
the country for years, recently spoke about the need to
re-examine the country's lèse majesté laws so that public
discourse could intelligently address the role of the
Palace in Thailand's future.
What Thaksin did for the poor required only political
self-interest. Yet even that elementary wisdom has never
occurred to traditional ruling elites too set in their
myopic and arrogant ways. Until it does, Thailand's
otherwise promising future will be increasingly remote.
Sin-ming Shaw, a former fellow at Oxford University, is
an investor based in Thailand and Argentina
www.project-syndicate.org
Rooting for roots of terror
Careful and unbiased analysis needs to be applied without
the natural hatred and animosity that is felt towards
people who have just hurt us.
Claude Salhani
Last
week's column on the attempted terrorist attack in the
heart of Manhattan, drew a number of replies from readers
suggesting I looked further into this issue. As part of
the solution to this ongoing dilemma of terrorism that has
affected almost every major city around the globe, I
offered a three-pronged solution. After pointing out that
the war on terrorism is not going to be won through
military action alone, I recommended the following steps:
One, step up the war on terrorism in an aggressive manner.
Two, sophisticated input from the intelligence community.
Three, what I regard as perhaps the most important of all
three aspects of the war on terrorism, addressing the core
root of why terrorists behave the way they do.
This step in the war on terrorism must be looked at with a
long-term vision. In order to progress in this war which
knows no frontier, there is the need for a unified front
by all civilised nations. Just as this problem has taken
decades to foment, it will equally take decades to
eradicate.
But addressing the root of the problem is in itself a
problem starting with the very definition of the meaning
of whom, or what is a terrorist. Should a vote be
organised in the United Nations General Assembly today in
all likelihood there would be no consensus as some
delegates would regard certain groups placed on the
terrorist list by the United States and the European Union
to be 'freedom fighters.' While others would regard some
countries as terrorist states.
Nevertheless, leaving the United Nations bureaucracy
aside, 'the active countries,' in the world should take it
upon themselves, as more often than not they are the ones
mostly on the receiving end of terrorists' hatred.
Eradication of terrorists needs to come from the very
bottom. In other words the unlimited supply of potential
volunteers for 'martyrdom operations' needs to be dried
up. And just how does one do that? That is the challenge.
First one needs to look at what drives these youngsters to
commit such acts? If we are able to understand that, if we
are able to comprehend what motivates these people, then
part of the battle has been won. In itself, that is not an
easy thing to accomplish. Careful and unbiased analysis
needs to be applied without the natural hatred and
animosity that is felt towards people who have just hurt
us.
More often than not the terrorists are just as much the
victims of these circumstances as the victims. Now hold
on. I am not saying we need to show sympathy towards those
who engage in terrorism. I have seen up close and personal
the results of terrorist bombs. I have seen the harm that
terrorists can inflict. As I mentioned earlier, aggressive
military action needs to be taken against such people.
What is their raison dêtre? Find a way to destroy that and
you take away the problem for the most part. Where does
one start? In the refugee camps of the Levant where tens
of thousands of young people are ripe and just waiting to
be hand picked for special operations. Many face dead end
lives from the moment they are born. Where do we start?
In the shopping malls of Dubai and Riyadh where a
frustrated generation of young people are forbidden from
exchanging conversation lest the wrath of the religious
police befalls upon them. Education is a good place to
start. With education and social justice.
Of course, there will always be the extremists who will
fight to the death, but without their volunteers and
without their madrassas to drive their campaign of hate
they are not likely to ?go very far.
Education, as points out Mishka Moujabber Mourani, vice
president of Beirut's International College, on of
Beirut's finest grade schools, is essential to a healthy
and thriving society. She wrote in a paper published some
years ago by the Daily Star the following, part of a
larger comprehensive piece:
In 1919, Howard Bliss, the second president of the Syrian
Protestant
College, the most prestigious institution of higher
education in the Middle East which was later to become
better known as the American University of Beirut,
addressed the Versailles Peace Conference at the close of
World War I, urging the Allies to send a mixed commission
to Syria and Lebanon to 'identify what the people want.'
Bliss underscored the necessity for freedom of
self-expression, self-determination, and justice. Such was
the stuff goodwill toward America was made of. I believe
there is still much of that good will in America today.
Claude Salhani is a political analyst specialising in
the Middle East, Central Asia and terrorism
The body language
Peter Collett
On
Wednesday the British people witnessed the first joint
appearance by the new UK prime minister and his deputy,
and their body language said it all. When Nick Clegg
arrived in Downing Street in the morning he was greeted on
the steps by David Cameron. Their first official handshake
contained important clues to what each was trying to
achieve and to their likely future relationship.
During the handshake they both patted each other - Cameron
got in the first pat, then it was Clegg's turn, and then
Cameron came back again. This was Clegg's unconscious
attempt to take part in a reciprocal display of
friendship, but Cameron's equally unconscious agenda was
to gain the last touch and to assert himself as the first
among equals.
Moments later, as they were entering No 10 (Downing Street
- the prime minister's residence), they went through a
virtual replay, with Cameron patting Clegg on the back
twice, Clegg reciprocating, and Cameron doing another pat
as they disappeared into the building. Once again, Cameron
was exercising his newfound prerogative to get in the last
pat, using touch as a "status reminder".
The body language during the afternoon press conference
was equally revealing. Cameron and Clegg were relaxed,
looking at times more like stand-up comedians than the
guardians of the country's future. Both made frequent
references to the other, demonstrating their mutual regard
by gazing intently as the other was speaking. The fact
that their gaze patterns were so similar made it look as
though they were on an equal footing. But there were
other, more subtle signs that gave the lie to this
impression. Clegg generated a number of deferential
signals. When Cameron was speaking he could be seen
nodding his head in approval, and when he mentioned
Cameron he was much more likely to behave inclusively,
orienting his body towards him and fixing his eyes on him.
Cameron's performance included very few of these signals -
when referring to Clegg he was more likely just to
gesticulate towards him. I can't recall a single instance
where he nodded in agreement while Clegg was talking.
One of the litmus tests of power relations is who laughs
at whom. That's because laughter serves to elevate the
status of the person who manages to elicit laughter, while
it reduces the status of the person who does the laughing.
During the press conference Clegg made a bold attempt to
be amusing when he feigned hurt and pretended to be
leaving. Cameron responded with a show of embarrassment,
but he didn't laugh. But when Cameron made an amusing
remark, Clegg cracked up.
International
Pakistanis suffer
most displacement in 2009
Reuters, Oslo
Pakistan suffered the highest number of internally
displaced people in 2009 due to the Taliban insurgency and
Pakistan's military response, a United Nations study
showed on Monday.
The number of internally displaced people worldwide
reached 27.1 million individuals in 2009, the highest
number since records began in the mid 1990s, said the
report.
Out of a total population of 170 million, some 3 million
Pakistanis were newly displaced in 2009, the most in the
world and three times more than second-placed Democratic
Republic of Congo (DRC).
"The military operations of governments and armed
non-state actors caused most displacement, and many people
were displaced more than once," said the report, published
by Norwegian Refugee Council, a non-governmental
organisation.
"The massive scale of displacement witnessed in countries
such as Pakistan is a sad reminder that civilians are the
ones who pay the highest price of armed conflict," it
added.
In 2008, the biggest new internal displacement of people
was in the Philippines, where 600,000 fled fighting
between the government and Muslim rebels.
While refugees who cross a country's external border gain
rights under international law, internally displaced
people who have been forced to move due to conflict or
hunger have no such rights in many countries.
Last year also set a new high in the number of displaced
persons returning home, at around 5 million.
LHC issues notice to
Asif Zardari in dual office case
Dawn Online, Lahore
The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday issued a notice to
President Asif Ali Zardari during the hearing in the dual
office case.
The legal challenge to Zardari over his two posts does not
pose an immediate threat to the president but it is a
reminder of the legal difficulties he faces, legal
analysts said.
The Pakistan Lawyers Forum (PLF) filed a petition, or a
challenge, questioning the right of the president to hold
the two offices and in response, the High Court in the
city of Lahore ordered Zardari's principal secretary to
explain.
"Since the president could not appear because of security
reasons, the court asked his principal secretary to appear
in court on May 25," PLF president A.K. Dogar told
reporters outside the court.
There is no constitutional bar on the president holding
office in a political party but Dogar said the Supreme
Court had in the past barred a president from holding a
party post.
"Our Supreme Court judges decided in 1993 that the
president should be non-partisan. He should not involve
himself in political battles. He should shun politics but
here he is a party head, which is illegal," he said.
Hearing in the dual office case was then adjourned till
May 27.
India discusses Af-Pak
issue with Iran
ANI, Tehran
Indian External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna on Sunday
met Iranian Parliament's Speaker Ali Larijani at Majlis
and the two leaders discussed regional issues of common
concern including the prevailing situation in Afghanistan.
Krishna, during his 45-minute meeting, also apprised
Larijani about the recent meeting of Indian Prime Minister
Dr. Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf
Raza Gilani in Thimphu (Bhutan).
He also conveyed to the Iranian leader that India wants
cooperative and cordial relations with Pakistan.
Krishna, however, also told Larijani that the issue of
terrorism remains the core concern
of India vis-a-vis Pakistan.
Larijani, on his part, noted that terrorism is a common
challenge for both the countries and there is a similarity
of outlook.
During their interaction, Krishna also informed Larijani
about the two attacks on Indian embassy in Afghanistan.
Krishna and Larijani, meanwhile, expressed happiness over
the 16th
meet of India-Iran Joint Commission to be held in New
Delhi.
Antony cautions Indian Army
commanders on dangers of cyber-warfare
ANI, New Delhi
Indian Defence Minister AK Antony on Monday asked the top
brass of the Armed Forces to work in unison and make cyber
systems as secure and as non-porous as possible, adding
that cyber-warfare is becoming a serious threat to
security.
"The paradigms of security in the age of Information
Technology are seldom constant.
The evolving security matrix is complex and calls for
co-operation and coordination of the highest level," said
Antony in his opening address to the Army Commanders
Conference.
"Today, no single service can work in isolation. Cyber
warfare and threats to cyber security are fast becoming
the next generation of threats. We need to make our cyber
systems as secure and as non-porous as possible," he
added.
The Defence Minister made a strong plea for synergy among
the three Forces and said the future security matrix calls
for a high-degree of cooperation and inter-dependence
among the Services,
"The primary area of focus should be to develop as a force
capable of operating in joint network - centric
environment," claimed Antony.
"Besides these the other emerging areas that warrant
synergised development are space, NBC, Cyber Warfare
capabilities, Air Defence, Rotary Wing Assistance,
precision munitions, standoff targeting and missiles,
communication systems, logistics and joint training," he
added.
The Defence Minister further said that though significant
progress has been made towards accomplishing jointness in
various operational training and administrative facets
among the three Services, there are a number of areas
congruence that need to be strengthened further.
Taliban attack Pakistani
troops, spark clashes
AFP, Peshawar
Taliban fighters armed with rockets and mortars attacked
Pakistani troops on three fronts overnight, sparking
clashes that killed a soldier and up to eight militants,
officials said Monday.
The clashes broke out in three villages in Orakzai, one of
seven districts in Pakistan's semi-autonomous tribal belt
and where the military has waged an offensive against the
Taliban since late March. "One soldier was martyred and
five wounded," an official from the paramilitary Frontier
Corps told AFP by telephone on condition of anonymity.
"They targeted three different locations in Orakzai and
were using rockets and other heavy weapons," the official
said.
"Troops retaliated effectively and killed eight militants.
Reports from the area said troops arrested three injured
militants," the official added. Another security official
said militants attacked in the village of Stoorikhel,
where troops were establishing a new checkpoint, and
launched two more attacks on military positions in the
villages of Daboori and Anjani. "Troops used artillery to
pound militant hideouts," the official added.
Despite death tolls released by security officials, it is
impossible to confirm casualty statistics independently in
what is a closed military zone inaccessible to aid workers
and journalists.
Congress looks to Rahul to
prepare anti-naxal road map
Agency, Lucknow
As Rahul Gandhi reaches Mirzapur on May 18, the Congress
leaders hope his address at a public meeting there will
set the party's agenda to deal with the naxalite menace. "Rahul
in his address may focus on the approach that should be
taken to deal with the naxalite menace and thus set the
agenda for the party and the UPA government," say the
state's Congress leaders here.
Rahul's visit to a naxalite affected district comes soon
after the Congress president Sonia Gandhi made her point
clear on the issue in the latest edition of party
mouthpiece Sandesh. Besides stressing upon the need of
dealing with the acts of terror decisively and forcefully
Sonia has also laid emphasis on addressing the root causes
of the Naxalism.
Her observations assume significance in the backdrop of
ongoing debate in the Congress on the issue. So the
Congress leaders will focus on the backwardness of the
region and target the Mayawati government for pilferage of
central funds.
Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) president Rita
Bahuguna Joshi is already camping there to mobilise the
local people to make the meeting a grand show. All India
Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary Digvijay Singh
and other senior party leaders are also reaching Mirzapur.
"As the region has been the area of late Pt. Kamlapati
Tripathi a public meeting there will send strong signals
in favour of party across eastern Uttar Pradesh," said a
senior party functionary.
This will also be first visit of any leader of Rahul
Gandhi's stature to any naxalite-affected area after the
Dantewada killings. "Mirzapur is among the most backward
regions.
We want to fight the naxalite menace. But we will also
like to find the root causes for the problem," said UPCC
General Secretary Subodh Srivastava.
Hatoyama, Clinton to discuss
US base
AP, Tokyo
Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, who will
reportedly meet with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary
Rodham Clinton this week, vowed Monday to do all he can to
resolve an impasse over the future of a major American
Marine base by the end of the month.
Hatoyama is under increasing pressure to come up with a
plan to move operations off the Marine Corps Air Station
Futenma on the southern island of Okinawa in keeping with
a pledge he made before becoming Japan's leader last
September.
He has promised to resolve the issue by the end of this
month, though that goal now seems unrealistic because
Okinawans oppose his suggested solutions and the United
States is holding firm to an earlier agreement that
Hatoyama wants to revise.
Hatoyama will meet with Clinton in Tokyo on Friday to
discuss the issue, according to reports over the weekend
in several Japanese newspapers. Government officials in
Tokyo and Washington refused to confirm Clinton's
schedule. "I knew from the start the situation would be
tough," Hatoyama told reporters Monday. "I will do all I
can by the end of the month." Apart from the U.S. base
issue, Clinton and Hatoyama are likely to discuss the
sinking of a South Korean warship in March that killed 46
South Korean sailors, according to Japanese public
broadcaster NHK Monday.
Thai Red Shirt offers ceasefire
as deadline passes
AP, Bangkok
The Thai government said it would accept a cease-fire
offer from a Red Shirt protest leader on Monday if their
fighters return to their camp in central Bangkok, as
street battles that have killed 37 people raged for a
fifth day.
The offer came during a telephone conversation between Red
Shirt leader Nattawut Saikuwa, who called the government's
chief negotiator, Korbsak Sabhavasu, on his cell phone. It
was the first direct talks between the two sides since the
fighting started Thursday. Nattawut's response was not
immediately known. Calls to his phone went unanswered.
Earlier, a Thai government ultimatum passed for the
estimated 5,000 protesters occupying a barricaded
encampment in the city center by 3 p.m. Monday or face up
to two years in prison. The demand had little apparent
effect, and unrest still flared in various parts of the
downtown area outside the barricades, with troops firing
live ammunition at protesters who were lighting tires to
hide their positions.
Iran
agrees atom fuel deal with Turkey, Brazil
Reuters, Tehran
Iran agreed with mediators Brazil and Turkey on Monday it
would send some of its uranium abroad, abruptly ending its
refusal to countenance such a deal just as the U.N.
Security Council readied tougher sanctions.
It was not immediately clear whether Iran's apparent
concessions, following months of deadlock over a
U.N.-drafted fuel swap plan, would satisfy major powers
which have been discussing a new round of punitive U.N.
measures against Tehran.
Analysts say the agreement may allow Tehran to avert new
tougher U.N. sanctions, split the major powers and help
the leadership reassert its authority after months of
unrest and opposition that followed the presidential
election last June.
A European Commission spokesman said the agreement between
the leaders of Iran, Turkey and Brazil may be a step in
the right direction, but details needed to be seen.
Moscow, Berlin and Paris also said they wanted more
information before commenting, although the French foreign
ministry added the deal would not resolve core concerns.
"... Let us not deceive ourselves, a solution to the
(fuel) question, if it happens, would do nothing to settle
the problem posed by the Iranian nuclear programme,"
spokesman Bernard Valero said in a statement.
The U.N. nuclear agency watchdog, the International Atomic
Energy Agency, declined immediate comment. Diplomats in
Vienna said it did not appear the IAEA had been informed
about the details of the agreement announced in the
Iranian capital.
Iran said it had agreed to transfer 1,200 kg (2,646 lb) of
its low-enriched uranium to Turkey within a month in
return for higher-enriched nuclear fuel for a medical
research reactor.
No more than one year later, Iran will get 120 kg of 20
percent enriched uranium under an arrangement involving
the IAEA, as well as the United States, France and Russia.
Iran, which says its atomic programme is purely for
peaceful purposes and not to make bombs as the West
suspects, had earlier insisted any such exchange must take
place simultaneously and on its territory.
Volcanic ash grounds
1,000 European flights
Reuters, London
Volcanic ash from Iceland grounded 1,000 flights and
delayed hundreds of thousands of passengers in parts of
northern Europe on Monday, although forecasters said the
situation would improve during the week.
Several of Europe's busiest airports, including London's
Heathrow and Schiphol in Amsterdam, were closed for
several hours due to fears the ash could damage jet
engines and bring down aircraft.Eurocontrol, the European
air traffic agency, said about 1,000 flights out of a
total of 28,000 in Europe had been cancelled on Monday,
but it offered passengers hope that the disruption will
soon pass.
"During the course of the day, the current cloud is
expected to disperse," the agency said in a statement.
"Delays will also be experienced by flights due to
congestion in airspace adjacent to closed areas."
Dutch airspace was reopened from 1100 GMT and Schiphol
airport's check-in counters were operating again in
anticipation, although an airport spokesman said it may
take a while longer for flights to resume.
London's Heathrow and Gatwick airports reopened after
overnight closures, but passengers were warned to expect
long delays and cancellations through the day.
Britain's air traffic control body eased a no-fly zone
that affected Heathrow and Gatwick because the drifting
ash cloud had changed direction. The restrictions remained
in place over Northern Ireland and the Shetland Isles, off
northern Scotland.
Israel plays wargame
assuming Iran has nuclear bomb
Reuters, Herzliya
A nuclear-armed Iran would blunt Israel's military
autonomy, a wargame involving former Israeli generals and
diplomats has concluded, though some players predicted
Tehran would also exercise restraint.
Sunday's event at a campus north of Tel Aviv followed
other high-profile Iran simulations in Israel and the
United States in recent months. But it broke new ground by
assuming the existence of what both countries have pledged
to prevent: an Iranian bomb.
"Iranian deterrence proved dizzyingly effective," Eitan
Ben-Eliahu, a retired air force commander who played the
Israeli defence minister, said in his summary of the
20-team meeting. Though the wargame saw Iran declaring
itself a nuclear power in 2011, the ensuing confrontations
were by proxy, in Lebanon.
In one, emboldened Hezbollah guerrillas fired missiles at
the Defence Ministry in Tel Aviv. That was followed by
U.S. and Israeli intelligence findings that Iran had
slipped radioactive materials to its Lebanese cohort, to
assemble a crude device.
Neither move drew Israeli attacks, though Ben-Eliahu said
his delegation had received discreet encouragement from
Arab rivals of Iran to "go all the way" in retaliating.
Instead, Israel conferred with the United States, which
publicly supported its ally's "right to self-defence" and
mobilised military reinforcements for the region while
quietly insisting the Israelis stand down to give crisis
talks a chance.
"As far as the United States was concerned, Israel was
trigger-happy. It sought to use the Hezbollah (missile)
attack as justification for what the United States was
told would be an all-out war," said Dan Kurtzer, a former
U.S. ambassador to Tel Aviv who played President Barack
Obama.
Emergency budget date set
amid deficit fears
AFP, London
The government will announce an emergency budget on June
22, new chancellor George Osborne said Monday, warning of
an urgent need to tackle the deficit or face the prospect
of a Greek-style debt crisis.
The budget will be based on forecasts from a new
independent body, which will also make an audit of
everything from contracts to pension liabilities to assess
the scale of the challenge facing the new government.
The Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition led by Prime
Minister David Cameron has made tackling the deficit a
priority and promised cuts worth £6 billion this year.
Speaking to reporters in London, Osborne blamed the £163.4
billion deficit-the largest ever seen in peacetime-on the
previous Labour government and its "13 years of fiscal
irresponsibility."
He promised accelerated action to cut the deficit,
warning: "Greece is a reminder of what happens when
governments lack the willingness to act decisively and
quickly, and when problems are swept under the carpet."
In their coalition agreement, signed after May 6 elections
produced a hung parliament, the two parties in the new
government promised to unveil their first budget within 50
days.
Osborne said he believed they needed "to act even sooner
to restore confidence in our economy," which has been
battered by a deep recession.
"The budget date will be Tuesday, 22 June, exactly six
weeks or 42 days from the signing of the coalition
agreement," he said.
It will be based on figures from the new Office for Budget
Responsibility, which will be responsible for growth and
borrowing forecasts in the future.
"For the first time we will have a truly independent
assessment of the state of the nation?s finances," Osborne
said.
Australian cardinal urges
new action on pedophiles
AP, Canberra
A Roman Catholic cardinal urged tougher action against
pedophile priests after the church confirmed Monday two
Irish priests accused of molesting girls continued
performing church-related duties in Australia's two
largest cities despite being barred from doing so. Father
Padraic Maye was found guilty by the church of molesting
two young sisters in the 1980s and raping a woman in the
1970s, and was forced to retire in 2005. He denied the
allegations.
Father Finian Egan was accused of groping two girls
decades ago and the outcome of a church investigation is
pending. Egan has denied the accusations. But Egan's
superior, Bishop David Walker who handles complaints
against priests at Sydney's Broken Bay diocese, has
apologized to Egan's accusers for his actions.
Neither priest has been charged by police. Both were
banned by the church from performing any clerical duties.
Cardinal George Pell, Archbishop of Sydney, last week said
priests who molested children were "permanently removed
from the ministry" under protocols established by the
Australian church since 1988.
However, the church confirmed Monday that Maye and Egan
have performed church duties, including holding mass and
performing a wedding. Bishops in Melbourne and Sydney said
both priests had carried out clerical roles without
permission.
Russia's Medvedev cosies up
to Ukraine with visit
Reuters, Kiev
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev started a two-day visit
to Ukraine on Monday which will test the new close
relationship between the two powers and stake out its
limits.
Medvedev's first official visit to the ex-Soviet republic
takes place as ties markedly improve under President
Viktor Yanukovich after turning sour with his pro-Western
predecessor.
"Trade, business contacts, are becoming more active and it
is due in no small part to the fact that the Ukrainian
state now has another administration ...," he said before
beginning talks with Yanukovich.
The Russian leader met his Ukrainian host under torrential
rain at Kiev's Park of Glory where the two men paid their
respects at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and attended a
ceremony to victims of the Great Famine of 1932-33.They
made light of the downpour, Yanukovich saying rain always
brought money while Medvedev, in a further swipe at former
president Viktor Yushchenko, remarked: "This rain will
wash away all the previous negative."
Yanukovich appeared to tilt Kiev's policy firmly towards
Moscow last month when he extended the lease of the
Russian navy in Ukraine's port of Sevastopol until 2042 in
return for cheaper gas-a move that caused an outcry among
his opponents.
His opposition to membership of the U.S.-led NATO military
alliance, ardently pursued by ex-president Viktor
Yushchenko, has endeared him to Moscow, too.
Yanukovich's pro-Russian moves have re-invigorated the
political opposition around his old rival, former prime
minister Yulia Tymoshenko.
NATO unveils draft of new
mission statement
AP, Brussels
NATO must win the war in Afghanistan, expand ties with
Russia and even China, counter the threat posed by Iran's
missiles, and assure the security of its 28 members,
according to the alliance's proposed mission statement for
the next decade.
The draft document, released Monday, seeks to bridge a
growing rift between the U.S., which favors a greater
international role for NATO, and European nations that
want it to retain its traditional defensive focus. "NATO
must be versatile and efficient enough to operate far from
home," said former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine
Albright, head of the team of experts who wrote the
document. "(But) in order to sustain the political will
for operations outside its area, NATO must see that all
its members are reassured about the security of their home
territories."
NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen will use the
draft as a basis for a new strategic concept that will be
submitted for approval at the alliance's next summit in
Lisbon, Portugal, in November.
Founded in 1949 to counter the threat of a Soviet
invasion, the 28-member alliance is in the midst of a
mid-life crisis as it searches for relevance almost 20
years after the collapse of its communist rival.
The previous strategic concept focused mainly on NATO's
peacekeeping role in places like Bosnia and Kosovo. It was
adopted in 1999, soon after the end of the Cold War and
before the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in the United States
forced the alliance to take on missions such as
counterinsurgency warfare in Afghanistan.
The war is the largest mission ever attempted by the
alliance.
Business/Economy
PM urges
Korean govt, entrepreneurs to invest in Bangladesh
UNB, Seoul
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has invited the Korean
government and entrepreneurs to invest in power, oil and
gas, shipbuilding, IT industry, automobiles and agro-based
industry in Bangladesh. She also urged them for building
roads, highways and bridges in Bangladesh.
Addressing a luncheon meeting arranged by Korean Chamber
of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) at the conference room of
Hotel Grand Hyatt on Monday, the Prime Minister also
called for expanding bilateral trade and increasing import
from Bangladesh for reaching a fair trade balance.
KCCI Chairman Kyung Shik Sohn also spoke on the occasion.
"We invite you to set up power plants, explore oil and
gas, and build roads, highways and bridges," the Prime
Minister said citing the example of the Bangabandhu Bridge
on River Jamuna that was built by Korean company Hyundai.
She said since the establishment of diplomatic ties, 37
years ago, trade and investment became the two important
pillars of Korea and Bangladesh's relation.
Hasina said the two-way trade between the two countries
has crossed the billion dollar mark in 2008 with the
balance heavily in favor of Republic of Korea. "Indeed,
Korean products are popular in Bangladesh because of their
high quality."
As of March 2010, investment proposals from Korea worth
US$ 682 million were registered with Bangladesh's Board of
Investment.
"At present, there exist huge unexplored potentials for
your investments in our country. Bangladesh is a market of
160 million consumers, abundant cheap skilled labor,
inexpensive cost of transportation, with a home grown
entrepreneur class, a politically stable environment with
a government committed to welcoming investment," the Prime
Minister told the Korean businessmen.
She said the size of Bangladesh's market can be understood
by the 55 million mobile users, a number more than the
population of many countries.
Hasina said Korea and Bangladesh have already signed an
Agreement on Investment Promotion and Protection, and an
Agreement on Double Taxation to facilitate your
investment.
China
urges India to reopen door to Chinese telecom imports
AFP, Beijing
Beijing on Monday urged India to remove restrictions on
imports of its telecoms equipment and provide a "fair"
business environment for Chinese firms. India's home
ministry has been blocking deals between Indian companies
and Chinese vendors this year amid fears equipment could
be vulnerable to hackers or be compromised by Chinese
intelligence agents.
Indian Home Secretary G.K. Pillai said last week New Delhi
had not singled out Chinese products, but was concerned
about imports of telecom equipment for use in areas along
the border shared by the world's two most populous
nations.
"We hope the policies (India) introduces will treat
companies from all countries, including China, India and
those in the West, equally," Chinese commerce ministry
spokesman Yao Jian told a press conference. "They should
not discriminate against Chinese companies," he said,
urging India to allow firms on both sides to fulfill their
contracts.
Yao also called on New Delhi to "create a foreign
investment policy environment that is open, fair and
transparent". Chinese telecom companies have big hopes of
doing business in the fast-growing Indian mobile market,
which has nearly 600 million subscribers and has been
adding more than 20 million a month.
But Chinese firm Huawei Technologies and ZTE have said no
new contracts have been approved since February 18,
according to previous media reports. Yao said Chinese
commerce ministry officials had already met Indian
diplomats in Beijing to express their concerns, and China
remained hopeful of a quick resolution via dialogue.
"China provides fine service and a good investment
environment for Indian businesses here and we hope India
will provide a good environment for Chinese and other
foreign companies as well," he said.
Chinese telecom equipment makers sold more than three
billion dollars worth of equipment in India last year,
accounting for an estimated 15 percent of their total
sales.
African economies to grow 4.8 pc in 2010
AFP, Geneva
The UN forecast on Monday that African economies would
grow by an average of 4.8 percent in 2010 as a global
recovery is expected to lift demand for the region's
exports.
"The recovery in the global economy is set to push up
demand and prices of African exports of goods, in
particular minerals and hydrocarbons, and services such as
tourism, thus leading to stronger export earnings," the UN
Economic Commission for Africa and the African Union
Commission said in an annual report.
The report on Africa also said that foreign direct
investment in the continent was expected to rise this
year, helping to revive infrastructure investments which
were put on hold during the global financial crisis.
However, the report warned that the continent's dependance
on commodity exports and low value-added products made it
vulnerable to fluctuations in price and demand. In
addition, a slower-than-expected global recovery or a
relapse into a downturn would hurt African economies, it
added. African economies posted growth of 2.4 percent in
2009. In 2010, oil-rich West Africa is expected to be the
fastest-growing area with growth averaging 6.4 percent,
according to the United Nations.
Europe under
pressure to slash deficits
AFP, Brussels
Euro area finance ministers gather later Monday under
mounting pressure to defend the euro, with Germany and
France pushing hard for tough budgetary discipline.
The talks take place just eight days after the same
ministers agreed a near trillion-dollar rescue package for
the 16-nation bloc, with details on who can access what
funds and how expected from Monday's discussions.
They also come after the single currency fell to a
four-year low of 1.2243 dollars in Tokyo trade-the lowest
since April 2006 -- from 1.2358 in New York Friday,
although it later recovered slightly to 1.2280 in Europe.
Fears that Europe's debt crisis could tip its economy back
into recession, with severe cuts to national spending
unlikely to be compensated sufficiently by a boost to
exports from a weaker euro, are forcing leaders to act
with both short- and long-term measures. Germany is busy
refining potentially far-reaching ideas, a spokesman said
on Monday amid persistent fears that the euro could fail
altogether, throwing Europe into chaos.
Berlin will lay out its thoughts on Friday when EU
president Herman Van Rompuy hosts the first meeting of a
task force set up to decide rules for common EU economic
'governance' by the end of this year.
Global recovery not firm: China
AFP, Beijing
Chinese President Hu Jintao said Monday the world economic
recovery was not firm and urged his German counterpart to
step up cooperation on advancing reform of the global
financial system.
Hu met visiting German President Horst Koehler and agreed
to push forward the countries' trade ties, while
increasing cooperation and consultation on international
issues, China Central Television reported.
"At present, the basis of the world economic recovery is
still not firm, all countries must continue to maintain
economic stimulus measures and step up cooperation," the
report quoted Hu as saying. "China is willing to work with
Germany to strengthen cooperation within the G-20
framework and push forward further progress in the reform
of the international financial system."
China fully supports the huge 110-billion-euro rescue
package put forward by the European Union and the
International Monetary Fund to help Greece overcome its
debt crisis, Hu said.
Koehler said: "Germany is willing to work with China to
address the international financial crisis, to ensure that
the global economy is open and to oppose all protectionist
measures."
OPEC needs oil prices to stay above $70: Qatar
AFP, Doha
Qatar's energy minister said on Monday that OPEC members
need oil prices to stay above 70 dollars a barrel to
maintain investments in production capacity.
"OPEC will need crude prices to remain above 70 dollars a
barrel to attract the investment required to build the
additional production capacity needed to meet future oil
demands," Abdullah bin Hamad al-Attiyah told an energy
forum in Doha. "Whenever prices drop below 70 dollars a
barrel, it is usually a tipping point below which energy
companies curtail development," he said.
Oil prices dipped briefly below 70 dollars a barrel for
New York crude in Asian trade on Monday, after the euro
struck a four-year low against the dollar, the currency
used for oil trading. New York's main contract, light
sweet crude for delivery in June, tumbled to an intra-day
low of 69.82 dollars a barrel but it bounced back to 71.63
dollars at about 1130 GMT, up two cents from its close in
the United States on Friday. Brent North Sea crude for
July gained three cents to 77.97 dollars. Qatar, a member
of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries,
pumps around 800,000 barrel of oil per day. It also sits
on 900 trillion cubic feet (25 trillion cubic metres) of
natural gas reserves, the world's third largest.
Soaring prices take
shine off Indian gold buying festival
AFP, Mumbai
Soaring prices scared off Indians from buying gold at the
weekend as their nation celebrated a Hindu festival
considered an auspicious time to buy the precious metal.
India is the world's biggest importer of gold but fears
about financial turmoil in the eurozone have pushed prices
of the safe-haven commodity to record levels.
Indians traditionally splash out for the Akshay Tritiya
festival as the country's nearly 900 million Hindus
believe it to be a lucky day to purchase gold jewellery
and coins.
But this time in India's western financial hub of Mumbai
"buying was very poor-probably 90 percent lower than the
previous year," Suresh Hundia, president of the Bombay
Bullion Association, told AFP.
"Purchases were lower than expected. If a customer bought
100 grams of gold last year, they bought only 70 grams
this year," said a manager at Mumbai-based S.K. Parmar
Jewellers, traders in gold and diamond jewellery. "We hope
prices drop off a bit, then we could see higher volumes,"
he said, quoted on condition of anonymity.
A gold trading firm in the southern city of Chennai, where
the Akshay Tritiya festival is most popular, said demand
was down but not as badly as in Mumbai.
MNC Bullion calculated demand for the precious metal was
"about 30-35 percent lower" than the previous year.
Hundia and other traders could not say how much gold was
actually bought during the festival on Sunday, as sales
data was still being calculated. Last year sales touched
around 40 tonnes on Akshay Tritiya. "People started
trickling in to buy gold only late in the afternoon
(Sunday), and demand picked up after that," said an
official at Chennai-based MNC Bullion, asking not to be
named.
"But overall sales have been low due to high prices."
Gold prices closed at 1,235.00 dollars an ounce in Hong
Kong on Monday, slightly off the record 1,249.40 dollars
touched on Friday in London.
But on the Multi Commodity Exchange of India Ltd (MCX),
gold futures for August hit a record high on Monday of
18,500 (411 dollars) per 10 grammes, breaking the previous
peak of 18,410 rupees hit last Friday.
National
Tk 105 cr IDB loan for water
supply & sanitation in coastal areas
BSS, Dhaka
The Jeddah based Islamic Development Bank (IDB) has
approved Taka 105 crore for potable water supply and safe
sanitation for under-privileged people of the coastal
areas of Bangladesh. The loan financing is free of
interest charges and will carry only a service fee for
meeting cost for project supervision, implementation and
administration, a press release of IDB said on Monday.
This is the 3rd phase of the program and the previous two
programs have been successfully implemented in cooperation
with all the stakeholders and Department of Public Health
Engineering (DPHE) under aegis of the Ministry of Local
Government Rural Development and Cooperatives.
The project will contribute to addressing the most severe
and debilitating threats to health in the project area
including child mortality, maternal health and diseases by
providing access to safe drinking water and sanitation.
The project will also help achieve Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs) 3,5,6 and 7 and in the process align IDB's
targets with the MDGs.
The main objective of the project is to promote
sustainable and healthy environmental conditions by
reducing water related diseases and post cyclone
environmental hazards.
The project purpose is to provide supply of safe water and
sanitation to the people of cyclone prone coastal areas in
Bangladesh and also to support long term cyclone readiness
facility for water supply and sanitation.
The implementation period is anticipated to take four
years starting from date of signature of financing
agreement.
About 900,000 persons will directly benefit from
receiving, on a sustainable basis, basic water supply and
sanitation facilities.
The project will increase, at least, the number of water
points by 8,700 and low cost latrines by 7,000.
5.56 young voters in CCC polls
BSS, Chittagong
Nearly five and a half lakh new voters have been enrolled
in Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) election and the
young voters can change the election results in the June
17 CCC polls.
Polls analysts believe that these young voters will play a
vital role in deciding the victory of the candidates.
Talking to BSS, a number of young voters opined that they
would choose the candidates who are modern, scientific and
technology-oriented. Abrarur Rashid, a new voter who
teaches in a private polytechnic institute, said in the
last national election the young voters had accepted the
concept of 'Digital Bangladesh', the main election
manifesto of the ruling Awami League.
According to Election Commission (EC) office sources the
total voter in CCC election is 16,94,955 of whom 8,17,165
are female.
District Election officer Dulal Talukder said the number
of voters have increased to 5.56 lakh as compared to the
last CCC polls held in 2005.
He said the limited scale electronic voting system would
be introduced in upcoming CCC polls for the first time in
country's history.
Dacoits loot valuables worth
Tk 3 lakh from two buses in Satkhira
UNB, Satkhira
Dacoits looted valuables worth Tk 3 lakh from two buses
near Jhaudanga College crossing on Satkhira-Jessore
highway in Sadar upazila early Monday.
Witnesses said a gang of armed dacoits numbering 15/16
halted the two Satkhira bound buses putting barricade near
the crossing at about 2:30am.
The bandits later looted cash, gold ornaments, mobile
phone sets and other valuables worth Tk 3 lakh taking the
passengers, bus drivers and helpers hostage at gunpoint.
The bus passengers alleged the incident was informed to
Sadar thana police immediately but they came to the spot
about an hour late.
Sadar thana OC MA Hashem Khan confirming the incident of
robbery said they arrested four people in this connection.
The arrested were identified as Mithun Kumar, 28,
Rasheduzzman, 30, Ataur Rahman, 32, and Shahinur Hossain,
30.
40 houses gutted in fire in
Bandarban
UNB, Bandarban
A devastating fire gutted 40 houses in Jamchhari area of
Sadar upazila early on Monday.
Fire service sources said the fire originated from the
kitchen of a house late at night and soon engulfed the
adjacent houses.
On information, fire fighting unit from Sadar headquarters
rushed to the spot and extinguished the flame after an
hour of hectic efforts with the help of local people.
Fire service sources primarily estimated the losses caused
from the blaze fire at about Tk 50 lakh.
Bir Bahadur MP, Chairman of CHT Development Board,
Kashailya, Sadar upazila Chairman and DC Mizanur Rahman
visited the spot and assured all possible help to the fire
victim families.
Five held in Jubo League
leader murder case
UNB, Benapole
Police arrested five Awami Leauge and Jubo League
activists in connection with Jubo League leader Ratan
murder case in Sharsha upazila on Monday morning.
The arrestees are Abdul Khalek, AL president of Dihi union
unit and former UP chairman, Abdul Jalil, Jubo League
leader and UP member and AL workers Chan Miah, Shahin and
Nayan.
Police said on Sunday at 9 pm two miscreants riding a
motorcycle kidnapped Ratan Sardar, 32, social welfare
secretary of Dihi union at gunpoint from Saratala Bazaar
and slaughtered him at a nearby field. On information,
police recovered the body and arrested them this morning.
Two held with arms
UNB, Chapainawabganj
RAB personnel in a raid at the house of a former UP
chairman at Telkupi village in Shibganj upazila arrested
two people along with one shutter gun and 6 rounds of
bullet on Sunday.
The arrestees were identified as Eftekhar Alam Babu, 27,
son of former Chairman Emran Hossain and Dhola, 25, of the
area.
Acting on a tip-off, a team of RAB-5 conducted the raid in
the house early in the morning and arrested them along
with the firearm and bullets. A case was filed in this
connection.
Sports
West Indies A all out for 285
UNB, Dhaka
A Darren Bravo ton enabled touring West Indies A team to score
moderate 285 for all in 50 overs against Bangladesh A team on
the first day of the first four-day match at
Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur on Monday.
Batting first after winning the toss, the 2nd string Caribbean
side made a good start scoring 244 for 4 in 65.3 overs, but
the remain six wickets added only 41 runs in a lower order
batting collapse.
Two down batsman Darren Bravo contributed 102 runs off 137
balls with 12 fours and a six, captain Travis Dowlin scored
144-ball 75 runs with eight fours, Brendan Nash made 44 off 73
balls with two fours and a six while opener Devon Smith made
30 off 47 balls with five fours.
Besides, one down Kirk Edwards (11), Odean Brown (8), wicket
keeper Chadwick Walton (5), Lionel Baker (3), Gavin Tonge (3)
were the other contributors for the visiting West Indies team.
All-rounder Suhrawardy Shuvo caused the major damage to the
visitors' innings claiming six wickets for 124 runs in 32
overs while Mahmudul Hasan took two wickets for 53 runs.
In reply, the 2nd string Bangladesh side opened the first
innings in the late afternoon and scored 22 for 1 in 7 overs
with skipper Nazimuddin and one down Marshall Ayub batting
with 16 and 2 runs respectively.
National colour opener Shahriar Nafees was the lone batsman
who returned to the pavilion, a victim of run out, scoring
just three runs off 10 balls.
England
wins World Twenty20 title
AFP, Bridgetown
South Africa born batsmen Craig Kieswetter and Kevin Pietersen
starred as England won their first major one-day title in a
seven-wicket victory over Australia in Sunday's World Twenty20
final.
England, chasing 148 to win, after reducing a previously
unbeaten Australian side at this tournament to eight for
three, saw Kieswetter (63) and Pietersen (47) put on 111 for
the second wicket at the Kensington Oval.
They eventually won with three overs to spare when captain
Paul Collingwood struck Shane Watson for a boundary as his
side finished on 151 for three.
It was the first time England had won a major international
one-day event after losing in three World Cup finals (1979,
1987 and 1992) and the 2004 Champions Trophy.
England, who held Australia to 147 for six, saw Kieswetter and
Pietersen dominate the Aussie quicks after Michael Lumb's
early exit. Pietersen, who faced 31 balls, with a six and four
fours, was out when he hoisted leg-spinner Steven Smith to
David Warner on the long-off boundary. And, worryingly for
England, 118 for two became 121 for three when Kieswetter was
bowled by left-arm quick Mitchell Johnson, having faced 49
balls, with two sixes and seven fours.
But Collingwood and former Ireland batsman Eoin Morgan (both
15 not out) saw England home.
Earlier, David Hussey's 59 kept Australia in the match during
an innings where the next best score was Cameron White's 30.
Kieswetter and Pietersen were in commanding form against
Australia's quicks, with Kieswetter, a former South Africa
Under-19 international, striking two fours in as many balls
off left-armer Dirk Nannes and cover-driving express quick
Shaun Tait. At the 10-over halfway mark, England were 73 for
one compared to Australia's 47 for four.
Australia badly needed a breakthrough but, in Tait's comeback
over, Pietersen drove him over his head for a boundary and
then struck an even more impressive six high over long-off to
bring up England's hundred. David Hussey's 59 kept Australia
in the match during an innings where the next best score was
Cameron White's 30. Together with White, David Hussey - missed
on 25 - put on fifty for the fifth wicket and then shared a
stand of 47 with his brother.
David Hussey was run out in the last over, going for a second
run, by Luke Wright's throw from long-on to Kieswetter.
He faced 54 balls with two sixes and two fours. Left-arm quick
Ryan Sidebottom took two wickets for 26 runs from his maximum
four overs and off-spinner Graeme Swann a miserly one for 17.
England had a sensational start after Collingwood won the
toss.
Sidebottom struck third ball when Watson edged an intended
cut, which was dropped by Kieswetter only for first slip Swann
to hold the rebound.
Then two for one became seven for two when Warner was run out
having made just two after failing to beat Lumb's under-arm
direct hit. The collapse continued when Brad Haddin (one) was
caught down the legside by diving opposing gloveman Kieswetter
off Sidebottom.
Haddin then risked disciplinary action by pointing to his
thigh after being given out by umpire Billy Doctrove.
Scorecard
Australia:
Watson c Swann b Sidebottom 2
Warner run out (Lumb) 2
Clarke c C'gwood b Swann 27
Haddin c K'wetter b Sidebottom 1
D. Hussey run out 59
White c Broad b Wright 30
M. Hussey not out 17
S. Smith not out 1
Extras (b1, lb2, w4, nb1) 8
Total (6 wkts, 20 overs) 147
Falls: 1-2 (Watson), 2-7 (Warner), 3-8 (Haddin), 4-45
(Clarke), 5-95 (White), 6-142 (D Hussey)
Bowling: Sidebottom 4-0-26-2 (3w); Bresnan 4-0-35-0 (1nb);
Broad 4-0-27-0 (1w); Swann 4-0-17-1; Yardy 3-0-34-0; Wright
1-0-5-1
England:
Lumb c D Hussey b Tait 2
Kieswetter b Johnson 63
Pietersen c Warner b Smith 47
Collingwood not out 15
Morgan not out 15
Extras: (lb1, w8) 9
Total: (3 wkts, 17 overs) 151
Falls: 1-7 (Lumb), 2-118 (Pietersen), 3-121 (Kieswetter)
Bowling: Nannes 4-0-29-0; Tait 3-0-28-1 (1w); Johnson
4-0-27-1; Smith 3-0-21-1; Watson 3-0-45-0 (1w).
England to
revive 2018 bid
AFP, London
Sebastian Coe has insisted England's campaign to host the
World Cup in 2018 can recover from the debacle that led to
the resignation of bid chairman Lord David Triesman at the
weekend.
Coe, the chairman of the London 2012 Olympics, is also on
the 2018 bid board and has taken the leading role in the
damage limitation operation mounted in the aftermath of
Triesman's resignation.
Triesman stepped down on Sunday following the publication
of remarks in which he repeated conspiratorial speculation
that bid rivals Spain could drop out of the battle to host
the 2018 tournament in return for Russia helping them to
bribe referees at this year's finals in South Africa.
Coe is understood to have briefed FIFA general secretary
Jerome Valcke about the situation and was due to speak to
Sepp Blatter, the President of football's world governing
body FIFA, whose executive committee will decide on the
hosts for 2018 and 2022 at the end of this year.
"Solid foundations are in place, we have the best venues,
the most passionate fans, the best market for sponsors and
an unparalleled ability to deliver this tournament in safe
and secure surroundings. "The only thing we don't have is
the private views of the former chairman."
The reaction from Spain and Russia to Triesman's comments,
which were made in a secretly recorded conversation with a
former aide, has been restrained in public but the English
bid team expect his gaffe to be exploited behind the
scenes to undermine England's chances of hosting the
tournament for the first time since 1966.
Spanish football federation secretary general Jorge Perez
Arias said the idea Spain, one of the favourites to win
this year's tournament, would seek to bribe referees was
"ridiculous."
He added: "As far as 2018 goes, we're trying to progress
our bid to host the competition with Portugal. If we win
that would be wonderful and if another country is chosen,
we'd be happy as well because all the candidates are
good."
Gilberto Madail, the President of Portugal's FA, which is
jointly bidding for 2018 with Spain, said Triesman's
allegations were "indicative of an uneasiness on the part
of England."
Australian women win final
thriller
AFP, Bridgetown
Ellyse Perry took three wickets and held her nerve in a
tense last over as Australia beat New Zealand by just
three runs in a thrilling women's World Twenty20 final.
With the White Ferns needing 14 off the last over, Perry
-- backed up by fine fielding from Rene Farrell and
Shelley Nitschke -- didn't give up a boundary and the pace
bowler finished with impressive figures of three wickets
for 18 runs from her maximum four overs.
Victory came just hours after Australia's men's team had
lost in the corresponding final to arch-rivals England.
The result was tough on Sophie Devine, whose 38 not out
off 35 balls rescued New Zealand from a top order collapse
to give them a shot at victory just a year after they were
beaten in the final to England at Lord's.
New Zealand, chasing a modest 109 for victory after
holding their rivals to 103 for six, slumped to 29 for
four inside eight overs.
"We believed our total was going to be enough," said
Australia captain Alex Blackwell. "I know our bowling
attack has the level-mindedness to get through whatever
challenge was in front of them," she added.
Perry, the player of the match, said: "From all the games
we've played against New Zealand, they never give up and
nor do we so we were all expecting it to go down to the
wire."
Also an Australian international football player, Perry
said of her final over: "It's a fantastic opportunity to
win a World Cup for your country rather than lose it.
That's how you have to approach things like that.
"I feel very grateful to Alex for believing I could do it
and I felt I had the support of my team which was really
obvious in the fielding of Rene and Shelley down on the
boundary."
Australia men's captain Michael Clarke put aside his own
disappointment to watch the women's final along with some
of his team-mates and Blackwell said: "That was fantastic,
to have Michael Clarke and a lot the boys watching us.
"I think that really helped us stay in the game and fight
to win this world cup for Australia."
New Zealand captain Aimee Watkins was left to rue her
side's batting after fine work by the White Ferns' attack.
"It's obviously disappointing. We bowled really well and I
thought after that we deserved to win the game. But we
lost early wickets, had too many dot balls through the
middle period and we dug ourselves into a hole. We just
left our launch too late."
By the time Rachel Priest was out, New Zealand were in
dire straits at 36 for five.
However, Nicola Browne (20) helped Devine add 41 for the
sixth wicket.
And when she exited, Devine kept going, striking Farrell
for four and six off the last two balls of the 19th over.
That left New Zealand with 14 to win, off the final over
from Perry.
A single got Devine back on strike and she then took
several twos to leave the target down to seven off the
last two balls.
Another two left the Kiwis needing five off the last ball
but they could only manage a single.
Earlier, Browne rocked Australia with a new-ball burst of
two wickets for 11 runs during an innings where the top
score was Leah Poulton's 20.
Browne forced opener Ellyse Villani (six) to spoon a drive
to cover and then dismissed Australia captain Alex
Blackwell for nought, with the aid of a fine catch in the
gully by Devine.
In the end, Australia were grateful for a late stand of 27
between Sarah Elliott and Lisa Sthalekar.
Nadal beats
Federer to win Madrid Masters
AFP, Madrid
Rafael Nadal clinched a record-breaking 18th career
Masters title on Sunday when he defeated old rival Roger
Federer 6-2, 7-6 (7/5) in the Madrid final, landing a
powerful psychological French Open blow in the process.
The Spaniard, who will reclaim the world number two
ranking on Monday, became the first man to claim three
major clay titles prior to the start of Roland Garros
while victory also gave him an 18th Masters trophy, one
more than Andre Agassi and two ahead of Federer.
A year ago, Federer defeated Nadal in the Caja Magica
final, then carried the victory momentum to Roland Garros
where he lifted his first title at the venue with a defeat
of Robin Soderling to complete a career Grand Slam.
Nadal now heads to Paris with all guns blazing as he bids
to wipe out last year's fourth-round loss to Soderling and
resume his trophy chase after winning the first four
editions he played in the French capital.
Nadal, now with 39 titles to his name, leads Federer 14-7
in career meetings, winning ten of their last 12.
He now stands 28-2 in claycourt finals, his two losses
coming at the hands of Federer, including Madrid a year
ago.
Federer said that despite his loss, "the clay court season
will not be judged here but in Paris.
Federer missed out on chances repeatedly in the final,
which lasted just over two hours, converting on only one
of seven break points in an hour-long opening set.
In the second, the world number one twice recovered from a
break down and once into the tiebreaker, took a 4-2 lead.
But four consecutive unforced errors meant a wasted
effort, with Nadal claiming victory on his second of three
match points, a Federer mis-hit.
Federer, whose only title this season came over Andy
Murray for the Australian Open title, fired nine aces,
including three in the ninth game of the second set as the
drum-tight contest wound toward the tiebreaker.
The Swiss saved seven of the 11 break points he faced
while Nadal was broken three times.
Nadal moved into a tie in fifth place in the list of
claycourt title winners with his 28 alongside Bjorn Borg
and Ilie Nastese. Argentine Guillermo Vilas leads the
table on 45.
Nadal and Federer have combined to win 18 of the past 20
Grand Slam titles.
Maradona brings
X-factor to Group B
AFP, Paris
All eyes will be on Group B in South Africa thanks to the
presence in the Argentina dugout of one Diego Armando
Maradona.
The star of the 1986 World Cup and one of the greatest
players ever, the colourful and controversial 49-year-old
is sure to attract his fair share of headlines in his new
guise as national coach.
Having endured a turbulent qualifying campaign, Maradona
has overseen a marked improvement since his side snatched
a berth at the finals in their last qualifying game
against Uruguay.
The impressive nature of their 1-0 friendly win in Germany
in March prompted critics to reassess their preconceptions
about Argentina's chances of success, while in European
Footballer of the Year Lionel Messi they boast the world's
best player.
Their squad is also thick with guile and experience,
despite the surprising omissions of Inter Milan pair
Javier Zanetti and Esteban Cambiasso.
Argentina will face Greece, Nigeria and South Korea in the
group phase and captain Javier Mascherano believes there
will be no need to worry if the two-time champions don't
click immediately.
"In the long run what really matters is not what the
pundits say but how well you do during that month," said
the Liverpool holding midfielder.
"Spain and Brazil look a cut above the rest because
they've both won trophies in the last couple of years, but
experience tells me that the World Cup is won by the team
that improves through the tournament, not necessarily the
one who plays the best." Maradona, meanwhile, is confident
that his team can go all the way.
"I tell my players that 30 days of sacrifice for the
chance to kiss the World Cup is nothing in the life of a
man," he said.
"An achievement like that is like touching the sky. I
played in World Cups and I reached two finals. I know what
it takes."
Argentina qualified despite a humiliating 6-1 loss at
altitude in Bolivia and a first ever home qualifying
defeat to Brazil, but underwhelming pre-tournament form is
something of a feature in Group B.
South Korea, semi-finalists on home soil in 2002, overcame
a sluggish start under new coach Huh Jung-Moo but
eventually qualified with two games to spare to reach
their eighth finals -- an Asian record.
"We were drawn in the so-called Group of Death in Asian
qualifying and we made it through," said Huh. "We believe
we can do the job again in South Africa."
Nigeria are not the force that captivated the world at the
1998 tournament, when players like Jay-Jay Okocha and
Sunday Oliseh illuminated their participation, but in
Everton's Joseph Yobo, Chelsea's John Mikel Obi and
Wolfsburg's Obafemi Martins they possess a steely spine.
Greece edged Ukraine by a single goal in their qualifying
play-off after finishing behind Switzerland in European
qualifying Group 2.
Otto Rehhagel, the man who masterminded their stunning
Euro 2004 success, remains at the helm and can call upon
seasoned veterans from the Euro adventure as well as
10-goal European qualifying zone top scorer Theofanis
Gekas.
Messi leads
Barcelona's title victory
AFP, Madrid
Barcelona made it four league titles in six seasons as
they retained the La Liga crown on the final day of the
season with a 4-0 win over Valladolid on Sunday to finish
three points ahead of arch-rivals Real Madrid.
Barcelona knew one more win would see them crowned
champions and after a nervous start the Catalans coasted
to victory with Lionel Messi scoring a brace for his 33rd
and 34th goals of a terrific season.
Ballon D'Or winner Messi, 22, wins his first Pichichi
trophy for the league's top-scorer while Barcelona's 99
points is the highest ever in the Spanish league.
"Real (Madrid) had a great season and made life tough for
us but we fought hard to win this title with a huge points
tally," said captain Carles Puyol.
"It is really nice to celebrate this title in front of our
fans. We have had some difficult moments and they really
helped us get through them."
Real Madrid drew 1-1 at Malaga as their 250-million euro
spending frenzy failed to bring a single title for the
second successive season.
It is a second league title in his two seasons at the helm
for coach Pep Guardiola who also won the Spanish and
European Super Cups in 2010 along with a first ever Club
World Cup.
For Real their huge summer outlay on 'Galacticos' has
proved in vain and the writing looks to be on the wall for
coach Manuel Pellegrini with Inter Milan manager Jose
Mourinho, who celebrated the Italian title on Sunday,
strongly linked with the job.
"We can't say it's been a good season if we haven't won a
title," admitted Pellegrini. "It is not easy making a team
with a new coach and players but I can not evaluate my own
work.
"I have one more year left on my contract and that's all
there is to say."
Midfield playmaker Xavi was suspended for Barcelona on
Sunday so Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure came in and
Guardiola went with Bojan Krkic, Pedro and Messi in
attack.
Barcelona had an early scare when Mateus Manucho forced a
fine save from Victor Valdes in the fourth minute and
nerves were jangling at Camp Nou.
However, Barca took the lead on 27 minutes when defender
Luis Prieto sliced Pedro Rodriguez's harmless cross into
his own net.
Four minutes later Messi released Pedro who slotted
through the goalkeeper's legs for his 12th goal of the
season.
At half-time Barcelona were almost home as Real failed to
make a fight of it trailing 1-0 at Malaga.
Real fell behind on nine minutes with a neat back-heel
from Salvador Caicedo releasing Sergio Duda to score.
Cristiano Ronaldo, on 26 goals for the season, had a
header tipped over and a free-kick punched away in the
first half.
Minutes after the break Real equalised through Rafael van
der Vaart with the Dutch midfielder turning neatly and
getting a snapshot away into the corner.
A draw would not have done for Real in any case and it
didn't seem to matter as Messi scored to make it 3-0
against Valladolid on 61 minutes.
Yaya Toure made the goal with a surging run past two
defenders and his perfect cut-back gave Messi the easiest
of tap-ins.
Toure set up Messi again on 75 minutes with the
Argentine's quick feet and shot making it 4-0 and 34 goals
for the season.
Messi matches the record mark of Brazilian Ronaldo who
scored 34 goals for Barcelona in the 1997 season.
The defeat meant Valladolid joined Xerez and Tenerife in
being relegated while Malaga and Racing Santander, 2-0
winners over Sporting Gijon, survived.
Tenerife lost 1-0 at Valencia while Xerez drew 1-1 with
Osasuna on Sunday.
Ballack ruled
out of World Cup
AFP, Berlin
Germany captain Michael Ballack has been forced out of the
World Cup finals due to an ankle injury which has
sidelined him for two months, the German football
federation (DFB) said Monday.
Chelsea forward Ballack was told he could play no part in
the June 11-July 11 finals after a scan revealed the
severity of an ankle injury suffered in the FA Cup final
win over Portsmouth on Saturday.
Ballack limped out of the FA Cup final win after a heavy
tackle and was left sweating over his World Cup chances
despite X-ray scans revealing no broken bones.
Prevented from undergoing a MRI (magnetic resonance
imaging) scan Sunday due to heavy swelling, a scan Monday
by DFB doctor Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt finally
brought the news Ballack did not want to hear: an
eight-week layoff.
The DFB said in a statement: "His right ankle will have to
be immobilised and put in a plaster cast. He will then
have to wear a special shoe for a further two weeks."
At 33 years old, the South Africa finals would likely have
been Ballack's final World Cup campaign. He has 98 caps
and 42 goals to his name,
Ballack is one of Germany's most influential players and
news of his impending absence will not go unnoticed by
Germany's World Cup group opponents Australia, whom they
face in their opening game on June 13. Germany will also
face Serbia and Ghana in Group D.
Rezai stuns
Venus to win Madrid title
AFP, Madrid
Unheralded Aravane Rezai thrust herself into contention as
a Roland Garros threat on Sunday with a stunning 6-2, 7-5
victory over Venus Williams to win the Madrid Masters
after a week-long, giant-killing run.
"The French Open is another tournament and I will try my
best at the first match," said the winner. "Every match is
difficult. I have to take it one match at a time and we'll
see."
The upset in just under one and three-quarter hours marked
the biggest success in the career of the Frenchwoman,
whose previous two WTA titles were in Strasbourg and
Bali.Sunday's victory was Rezai's third major triumph this
week after knocking out former number one players Justine
Henin in the first round and Jelena Jankovic in the
quarters.
"It's the best week of my career and I'm very happy," said
Rezai. "I played very well, I'm very proud of myself
because it was a very tough tournament and a lot of
players were here. "I just believe in myself and I am
happy for that. "I had a tactical plan and it worked very
well today. I had to be very calm and relaxed for it to
work. I have to be very focused and motivated and lucid to
play against Venus.'
Williams, who was chasing a 44th career crown, was run
down in the 27-minute opening set and was unable to take
advantage of a 4-1 lead in the second.
Instead of folding and saving strength for a deciding
third set, Rezai, who hits every ball with brute force,
managed to claw her way back, saved a Williams set point
in the eighth game and five more a game later to hold for
5-all. A break of the frustrated American gave Rezai a 6-5
lead, with the number 24 calmly serving out the biggest
victory of her career a game later.
Williams, winner of nine clay titles, limited herself to
one sentence during the painful trophy ceremony: "She
played well, congratulations," said the American, who
despite the setback will return to the world number two
ranking on Monday behind sister Serena.
Uchiyama
retains title
AFP, Saitama
Japan's Takashi Uchiyama successfully defended the World
Boxing Association (WBA) super featherweight title with a
technical knockout victory over Angel Granados of
Venezuela on Monday.
Granados was floored one minute 42 seconds into the sixth
round by a powerful hook to the face. He stood up once but
failed to make a fighting pose, forcing the referee to
declare a technical knockout.
"I practiced that hook during my training, hitting the
body and unleashing straights, and then hitting a right
hook suddenly. I made it in the sixth round very well,"
said Uchiyama, 30.
"I also hit a lot more jabs than I had expected, so I
expected it would damage Granados in the end."
Uchiyama fought aggressively from the start, often
connecting an array of right hooks in each round, and sent
Granados to the ropes several times.
Uchiyama, who wrested the title from Juan Carlos Salgado
of Mexico also by a technical knockout in January,
improved his unbeaten record to 15 wins, including 12 KOs.
Granados, 35 and ranked 13th in the WBA, saw his record
reduced to 18 wins, including eight KOs, against nine
defeats.
Domenech names squad for World Cup campaign
AFP, Paris
France coach Raymond Domenech on Monday announced his
World Cup squad from which only one player, likely to be a
defender, will be omitted in the coming days.
A 24-man squad, whittled down from a list of 30 revealed
last week, will next week take part in a three-day
training camp at altitude in the French ski resort of
Tignes. Domenech is scheduled to announce his definitive
23-man squad on May 27, prior to their departure for a
second training camp in Tunisia.
Among the most notable absentees from the 24-man squad are
Marseille striker Hatem Ben Arfa and Lille goalkeeper
Mickael Landreau.
Defenders Adil Rami and Rod Fanni, midfielder Yann Mvila
and striker Jimmy Briand were also among the six players
stripped from the 30-man squad. Among those retained were
Marseille midfielder Mathieu Valbuena, Bordeaux defender
Marc Planus and Bordeaux 'keeper Cedric Carrasso. Valbuena,
known for his workmanlike qualities and diminutive size --
he stands only 1.63m tall -- was called up for the first
time in March 2008 before being sidelined by injury.
His achievement this time is all the more notable as he
began the French league season mostly warming the
Marseille substitutes bench.
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