 |
|
India sincere on
Kashmir issue, Republicans woo
Indian-Americans with ad India, China
discuss police ties Annan ready to
play ‘facilitator’ in Najaf Mortar attack
kills four in Iraq
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
WPO offers
‘langar’ to 400 Thai mentally retarded children Following the traditions set by Guru Nanak of feeding the starving holy men of different faiths, the World Punjabi Organisation (WPO) today organised a ‘langar’ (the community kitchen) for 400 mentally-retarded Thai children in the ‘Baan Nontapum,’ a home for children with disabilities , as part of quadri-centennial celebrations of Guru Granth Sahib. Bagri never
confessed, witness tells court A former roommate of a key witness in the Air-India trial has said he had never heard of accused bomber Ajaib Singh Bagri or the confession made by him that he was involved in the bombing of the Kanishka flight.
|
|
India sincere on Kashmir issue, says Pervez
Islamabad, August 17 “Pakistan is pursuing the dialogue process with all sincerity. Feelers coming from India also indicate that the Indians want to address the issues sincerely,” General Musharraf said in a programme telecast on state-run PTV yesterday. The President said the dialogue between the two countries was taking place in a changed environment. There was an increased interest of the international community as both India and Pakistan were nuclear states and Kashmir was being seen as a nuclear flashpoint in the region, he added. Besides, General Musharraf said, the conventional and unconventional military balance and the public pressure from both sides to live at peace with each other also added to the changed environment in the region. However, the President said there had to be a move forward on Kashmir, otherwise the CBMs would not move with pace. The dialogue and the CBMs should move in harmony,” he added. General Musharraf said he favoured opening the Khokharapar-Monabao route and said it was being discussed by the two sides. However, he said, it was part of the Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) and needed to go hand-in-hand with the composite dialogue process of which Kashmir was the core issue.
— UNI |
|
Republicans woo
Indian-Americans with ad
Washington, August 17 Marc Raciot, chairman of the Bush-Cheney re-election campaign, said, “Bush understands India’s potential to become one of the great democratic powers of the 21st century and has worked to transform the US-India relationship.” “Throughout his first term in office, President Bush has honoured the many contributions of Indian-Americans in our country by advancing policies that reflect their priorities. We are grateful for the support the President’s campaign has obtained from Indian-Americans and we look forward to working together to re-elect President Bush.” Meanwhile, at least 10 Indian-American delegates will participate in the Republican National Convention in New York.
— PTI |
|
India, China discuss police ties Beijing, August 17 Both the countries have viewed terrorism as a global phenomena and decided to fight the menace together and explore the possibilities for future cooperation at a meeting between officials from the Indian Home Ministry and the Chinese People’s Armed Police (PAP) here. There was unanimity of opinion on both sides that terrorism has become a global phenomena and the need for both India and China to cooperate to face the menace, Joint Secretary (Police), Ministry of Home Affairs, A K Jain said. Jain, who is currently leading the first-ever Indian police delegation to China, said he had “excellent” meetings with senior officials of China’s police agencies and the two sides have decided to explore opportunities to cooperate and chart out a structured programme for future cooperation. Jain called on the Commander of the Chinese People’s Armed Police, General Wu Shuang Zhan, and also held in-depth discussions with the PAP deputy commander, Lt-Gen Liang Hong here yesterday.
— PTI |
|
Annan ready to
play ‘facilitator’ in Najaf
United Nations, August 17 Annan spoke to US Secretary of State Colin Powell, Iran’s Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi and his new Iraq envoy Ashraf Jehangir Qazi over the weekend, Chief UN spokesman Fred Eckhard said, adding the Secretary- General was prepared to “played a facilitating role” provided it helped and all sides agreed to it. At the United Nations headquarters in New York, Eckhard and officials in Tehran confirmed that Kharrazi had sought intervention and to do whatever Annan could to defuse the situation, particularly in Najaf. Kharrazi appealed for intervention to stop the bloodshed during the telephonic conversation with Annan and expressed “deep pain and sorrow” over the situation. The Saudi cabinet also called for a greater role for the United Nations to end the bloodshed, the official Saudi Press Agency reported. In an interview with BBC, Annan’s special envoy in Iraq Ashraf Jehangir Qazi said the UN did not “wish to impose” itself, Eckhard said.
— PTI |
|
Mortar attack kills four in Iraq
Baghdad, August 17 The blast on Al-Rasheed Street, a commercial district in Baghdad, set one building on fire and damaged seven cars. The attack occurred on the final day of the country’s National Conference, a gathering of delegates from across Iraq that was considered a major target for insurgents.
— AP |
|
WPO offers ‘langar’ to 400 Thai mentally retarded children Bangkok, August 17 The sprawling Baan Nontapum , established in the year 1970 in over 100 acres, by the government of Thailand, is perhaps Asia’s biggest institution for physically impaired and abandoned young orphans. The home provides excellent accommodation and acts as a foster parent. The King of Thailand loves the institution and pays personal attention to help the needy children . The WPO (Thailand chapter) was launched on December 25,1999 in the presence of former Prime Minister of India I.K. Gujral and the then Prime Minister of Thailand Mr Kom Dabbaaaransri. Mr Narotam Singh Narang of Bangkok was appointed its president. Mr Ujjall Singh Narula, Secretary WPO and Mr Kirpal Singh visited the Baan Nontapum and organised a ‘langar’ for the children. Children were elated when WPO members helped some disabled children to eat unable to take the food themselves. Baba Daljit Singh Chicago of Guru Nanak Mission America, who was here in connection with the 400th-anniversary celebrations of the installation of Guru Granth Sahib, said ‘langar’ should be served all over the world to propagate the great institution established by the Sikh Gurus. He, however, asked Mr Narang to be instrumental in propagating ‘Gurmukhi’ (the Punjabi script) through the newly-formed Thai Sikh Religious Centre, inaugurated by Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti, Jathedar Akal Takht. The ‘langar’ is also served by the local Gurdwara Singh Sabha everyday where hundreds of devotees including Thai nationals partake of the community kitchen. The Thai sikhs have carved out a niche for themselves by participating in the social activities in a big way. Since its inception, the Thailand chapter of WPO made donations to Dr Ard Ong Chumsai Na Ayuthya Foundation (DAOCNAF) and other social organisations .A sum of one lakh Baht (Thailand currency) was donated to the Gujarat Earthquake Relief Fund. Significantly, the WPO came forward to provide foodstuffs, blankets and clothing worth Baht 50,000 to the flood victims at Petchaboon. It also helped a Thai national, Mr Noo who was suffering from an eye ailment apart from providing medical and financial help to the needy. |
|
Bagri never confessed,
witness tells court
Vancouver, August 17 Balbir Singh Gharala told the Canadian Supreme Court yesterday he shared an apartment in New York with five other Sikh men in the 20s, including John, who could not be identified by a court order. All of them were living as illegal aliens. The FBI informant, John, had earlier testified that a grinning Bagri told him “we did this” a few weeks after the June 23, 1985, bombings that killed 331 persons. He had also said the meeting took place outside New Jersey. But Gharala testified in British Colombia Court yesterday that John never came back to the apartment with news about the alleged confession, a media report said today.
— PTI |
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
Islamabad, August 17
With anger in the Arab world rising over
fighting between the US-led forces and Shiite militia in Iraqi holy city of
Najaf, Iran and Saudi Arabia have sought UN intervention to which
Secretary-General Kofi Annan has agreed to play “a facilitating role” to
help end the violence.
Video
