Three die in B’desh inter-party clash
DHAKA, Aug 30 — Three persons were killed in a clash between supporters of the ruling Awami League and the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) at the Lakshipur district Sadar Thana area, 215 km from Dhaka, media reports said today.

Anwar loses defamation suit
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 30 — Malaysia’s former Finance Minister Anwar Ibrahim has lost a $ 26 million defamation suit against his former boss, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad, Bernama news agency said today.

Two killed in fresh clashes
ZAMBONGA (Philippines), Aug 30 — Two soldiers were killed and 13 wounded in fresh clashes with Muslim guerrillas in the southern Philippines, officials said today.

90 pc vote in E. Timor referendum

DILI, (East Timor), Aug 30 (Reuters) — Hundreds of thousands of East Timorese flocked to polling booths today for a UN-organised ballot widely expected to lead the territory to Independence after 23 years of often brutal Indonesian rule.

The chance to determine their own future was celebrated in a festive atmosphere throughout the impoverished territory.

The United Nations said more than 90 per cent of the 4,30,000 voters registered in East Timor had cast ballots. It said despite some minor incidents the vote was remarkably trouble-free.

“Whatever the outcome of the ballot, today the eagle of liberty has spread its proud wings over the people of East Timor and nothing by the grace of God can ever take them away,” U.N. special envoy Jamsheed Marker said.

Some voters camped outside polling stations overnight to ensure loyalist militias could not stop them turning up when more than 800 polling stations opened at 6.30 a.m. (10.30 p.m. gmt) today.

An overwhelming vote for independence worries the Indonesian military, which fears it could spark a string of rebellions across the archipelago when the government is weak and the armed forces over-stretched.

Indonesian State Secretary Muladi accused the United Nations of pro-independence bias and said the vote should be repeated if there had been any intimidation by U.N. Officials. However, he hailed the role played by Gusmao.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Ali Alatas said he did not believe there had been serious incidents of intimidation.

“I think as a whole it went well. One should not look out for any problems,” he said.

In Lisbon, Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Guterres promised his country’s full support to its former colony, whatever the outcome.

Gusmao, under house arrest in Jakarta where he voted, urged his followers to avoid violence. “This day marks once and for all times the end of our long suffering and today, too, we affirm our sovereignty as a people.”

He received unexpected praise from one pro-Jakarta militia leader, Eurico Guterres, who said: “I salute Xanana, he’s the pure future of the independent East Timor.”

But Guterres, whose militia was involved in clashes during the final stages of campaigning in Dili last week, said he planned to close down all exit points tomorrow to prevent the “political elite” from leaving, he did not elaborate.

Jakarta had said Gusmao would be released shortly after the vote.

“An enormous number of voters had gone to the polls, despite the incidents,’’ said UN Electoral Assistance Commission chief Carina Terelli, referring to a number of minor problems during the balloting.

Voting around the troubled territory was largely peaceful despite concerns of violence by pro-Jakarta militias, though six polling stations were closed after minor incidents.

“This has been a very calm operation with minor incidents,’’ Terelli told a news conference.

Three of the polling stations had been reopened and UN officials said the others might reopen later today or tomorrow.

The result of the vote — the first time East Timorese have been allowed to choose their own future since Indonesia’s invasion in 1975 — was expected within the week.

Ian Martin, head of the UN operation in East Timor, said there were no reports of trouble so far, though one pro-Jakarta militia leader said one of his members had been killed and another kidnapped yesterday.

In a nationally televised address yesterday, Indonesian President B.J. Habibie appealed to East Timorese to stay with Indonesia.

“To all our brothers in East Timor, I want to call on them to remain united (with Indonesia) and to build a brighter future together with the rest of the Indonesian family,” he said.

A top figure in East Timor’s pro-Jakarta militias, however, said he planned to shut all exit points from the troubled territory tomorrow to prevent its political elite from fleeing after an independence ballot.

“I will blockade the seaports, the airports, and the roads tomorrow to check whether the elite will leave East Timor or not,” Aitarak militia leader Eurico Guterres said.

JAKARTA: Indonesia on Monday ruled out a referendum on self-rule for the restive province of Aceh, the same day East Timor voted on whether to become an independent state.

Pak to testfire advanced missile in Sept

ISLAMABAD, Aug 30 (PTI) — Pakistan has reportedly developed an advanced version of its surface-to-air "Unza" missile, with which it had claimed to have downed an Indian MIG fighter in the recent Kargil conflict, and proposes to testfire it in September.

"Unza-III, latest in the Unza series of surface-to-air missiles with an extended range than its predecessor, will be tested sometime in September, " the Internews private news agency reported quoting defence officials.

"The missile has an active seven-kilometre range, which can be extended upto nine km," an official was quoted as saying. Pakistani already possesses the Unza-I with a range of four and a half km and the Unza-II with a range of five km.

The official said preparations were underway at the country's premier nuclear institution, the Kahuta Research Laboratory (KRL) headed by Abdul Qadeer Khan for the test flight of the missile.

"The decision over serial production of Unza-III will be taken after its satisfactory test."

Defence officials claimed Pakistan had used Unza-II to shoot down the MIG-21 aircraft of Sq Ldr Ajay Ahuja on May 27 over the Kargil peaks.

Moscow begins final attack

MOSCOW, Aug 30 (DPA) — Russian military forces today began what was termed the decisive operation to disarm Islamic rebels entrenched in the North Caucasian republic of Dagestan.

Supported by artillery, armoured units and air power, Russian troops engaged Wahhabite extremists in villages in the republic’s Buikansk region, the Interfax news agency quoted an Interior Ministry spokesmen as saying in Moscow.

The operation began after a night of airstrikes and isolated skirmishes with armed guerrillas in several settlements.

These included the villages of Karamakhi and Chabanmakhi where Wahhabites have for several months defied rule from the Dagestani capital Makhachkala and enforced Islamic Sharia law.

There was no information about casualties on either side or among the civilian population.

The Wahhabites are a puritanical Sunni Islam movement originating in Saudi Arabia. They have a strong influence in the Muslim Russian republic of Dagestan and the neighbouring separatist republic of Chechnya.

One Wahhabite leader in the Caucasus, a Jordanian field commander known as Khatabit, recently joined with Chechen rebel commander Shamil Basayev to lead a force of up to 2,000 gunmen that crossed the Chechen border on August 7 and proclaimed an “independent Islamic Dagestan’’.

Last Wednesday, Moscow’s forces finally took the rebels’ main strongholds in the Botlikh region in western Dagestan. At least 59 Russian soldiers and policemen were killed in two and a half weeks of fighting.

Have airplanes been made Y2K compliant?

FRANKFURT, Aug 30 (DPA) — Do you plan to spend New Year’s eve above the clouds? For many people, flying into the new millennium evokes horror visions. They fear the second in which the date would change from 1999 to January 1, 2000: Will aeroplanes crash, collide, or explode?

Many experts don’t think so. For years, airlines, airports and governments have worked to ensure safe flights — even into the new millennium. Most preparations are nearing completion.

Lufthansa, for example, will have almost 50 aeroplanes in the air at midnight of New Year’s eve. “Passengers can board the aircraft without worrying more than at any other time,’’ says Lufthansa spokesperson Michael Lamberti. “All aeroplanes have been tested and are Y2K compliant.’’

The Germany-based airline paid around $ 48 million to achieve compliance. British Airways spent $ 150 million to make its fleet and booking systems Y2K compliant. To demonstrate the company’s preparedness, the British Airways’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr Bob Ayling, plans to be aboard an airborne aircraft on new year’s eve.

“Fiftyfive of our aircraft will be airborne on long-distance flights on new year’s eve,’’ said an official of British Airways.

Even smaller airlines around the world are prepared, Mr Gaillard says. Nearly all airlines use Boeing and Airbus aircraft, which have no problem with the date change, according to manufacturers.

But that doesn’t mean that every airline or airport will be safe. According to experts, flight control systems could malfunction in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

In some countries, the Y2K tests already conducted at airports have resulted in weeding out bad systems or forcing decisions about whether to remain open. At Germany’s Frankfurt airport, Y2K tests revealed “some radar systems that would have stopped working on New Year’s eve,’’ according to an official of Frankfurt airport.

Russia has cancelled domestic flights for December, 31.

“With the beginning of the new year, there will be computer problems somewhere,’’ says an official of Initiative 2000.

Three die in B’desh inter-party clash

DHAKA, Aug 30 (PTI) — Three persons were killed in a clash between supporters of the ruling Awami League and the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) at the Lakshipur district Sadar Thana area, 215 km from Dhaka, media reports said today.

The victims, killed yesterday, were activists of the local Yuva League, the youth wing of the Awami League, Bengali daily Janakantha said today quoting police and local party sources.

General Secretary of the district Awami League, M.A. Taher has blamed the “BNP-backed armed miscreants” for being responsible for the killing.

Taher claimed that three activists of the party’s youth and students’ wings had also been abducted by the “miscreants”.

Meanwhile, the police said the situation in the area, though tense, was reportedly under control.

The clash which continued till late last night left 30 persons injured. It was reportedly a sequel to inter-party rivalries.

Anwar loses defamation suit

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 30 (Reuters) — Malaysia’s former Finance Minister Anwar Ibrahim has lost a $ 26 million defamation suit against his former boss, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad, Bernama news agency said today.

High Court Judge R.K. Nathan struck out the suit brought by Mr Anwar after ruling it “frivolous”, “vexatious” and an “abuse of the process of the court”, Bernama said.

In his defence, Mr Mahathir said the alleged defamatory words were published in his capacity as Prime Minister on an occasion of qualified privilege. He also denied that the offending words were calculated to disparage Mr Anwar.

Two killed in fresh clashes

ZAMBONGA (Philippines), Aug 30 (AFP) — Two soldiers were killed and 13 wounded in fresh clashes with Muslim guerrillas in the southern Philippines, officials said today.

Heavy fighting around Tipo-Tipo town in the Basilan province yesterday between troops and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebels left two soldiers dead, and 11 others wounded, military southern command spokesman Major Salih Indanan said.

Two infantrymen were also wounded in a rebel attack on Saturday.

Monica shifts to NY
NEW YORK: Former White House Intern Monica Lewinsky has moved into a new rental apartment in New York City’s trendy Greenwich village, the New York Post reported on Sunday. Her new house is just a 36-mile drive from the $ 1.7 million house in Chappaqua, New York that the Clintons are planning to purchasing. — AFP

Papal visit
NEW YORK: Pope John Paul II plans to visit Iraq from December 2 to 5 as part of his millennial tour of Biblical sites but it will include a controversial meeting with Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, American news magazine “Newsweek” has reported. — PTI

Blind mountaineers
NAIROBI: Eleven blind or partially-sighted young people, most of them teenagers, set off to climb Africa’s Mount Kilimanjaro to raise money for charity and prove a point to the world. The six African and five British climbers, aged between 14 and 24, began the climb on Sunday, hoping to reach its snow-covered peak at 5,895 metres at dawn on Thursday. — Reuters

Viagra biscuits!
LONDON: The makers of Viagra, the anti-impotence pill, are making a biscuit form of the drug for people who find tablets difficult to swallow, The Sunday Telegraph has reported. A specialist was quoted as saying the biscuit, which apparently “melts on the tongue”, will be more popular — and more romantic — than the famous diamond-shaped pill. — DPA

Maggie for Archer
LONDON: Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, has given her backing to novelist Jeffrey Archer to be the city’s new Mayor. The Sunday Telegraph has said. The newspaper said it had obtained a letter from Ms Thatcher endorsing Archer’s candidacy for the Conservative Party’s nomination. — AP

Indian killed
KUWAIT CITY: A drunken Kuwaiti stabbed an Indian to death following an argument in a restaurant to the south of the capital, the Al-Anbaa daily said on Sunday. The Indian, who worked at the restaurant,bled to death after being stabbed in the thigh. The Kuwaiti, who had been working in violation of Kuwaiti law which strictly forbids alcohol, was arrested by the police. — AFP