China suspends licence of shipping firm
BEIJING, Nov 27 — China has ordered immediate suspension of operations by the state-owned Yanda Shipping Company, whose vessel was involved in China’s worst shipping tragedy on Wednesday, resulting in nearly 280 deaths.

Only fit at 90 to get $1000
SINGAPORE, Nov 27 — Anyone over 90 hoping to collect a $ 1,000 gift from a millionaire banker needs only to obtain confirmation that he or she is lucid, able to make decisions and physically active, relatives said in a report yesterday.

Ambon tense after clashes
JAKARTA, Nov 27 — Indonesia’s devastated eastern city of Ambon was quiet but tense early today following bloody clashes which killed 38 persons.

Mahathir explains Anwar’s sack
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 27 — Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, facing an opposition, united against the sacking and jailing of his former heir apparent, said today he had loved Mr Anwar Ibrahim until discovering he was “not what he is portrayed to be.”

I’m not vindictive: Musharraf

Pakistan's military ruler Gen Pervez Musharraf has asserted that he is not "vindictive" towards deposed Premier Nawaz Sharif, facing charges of treason and hijacking, and favours law taking its normal course.

Asked if ousted Pakistani Premier received the death penalty would he implement it, Gen Musharraf in an interview to be published in the latest issue of Time magazine, evaded a direct reply, observing: "I haven't really thought about it. Let the legal process take its own course. I am not at all vindictive toward him (Sharif).

"These are legal issues which are taking their normal course. I am not interfering at all. Nothing is hidden. If there are some people who have begun to sympathise with him, let it happen.

Mr Sharif yesterday had accused General Musharraf of launching a "personal vendetta" against him and trying to wreck him psychologically and finishing him politically.

General Musharraf ruled out a referendum "at the moment" and said "my priority is devolution of power. Let's stabilise the democratic institutions first."

"When we are delivering, when there is better governance, when there is justice for the poor, economic advancement, provincial harmony — the people will see and the honeymoon will continue," he said.

The military ruler, who deposed Mr Sharif in a bloodless coup on October 12, made it clear that the army role in government would not cease. "They (army) have always played a role because they are the only stable institution in Pakistan."

On normalising relations with India, General Musharraf harped on the oft-repeated Pakistani contention that Kashmir was the core issue.

"We have fought wars over it and everyday there is an exchange of fire along the Line of Control. We have to resolve all issues with India. That is the only way this region can progress economically. But can we do anything without progress on Kashmir? No, it is just not realistic," the General observed.

Asked if he favoured a new approach to end the over five-decade-long impasse, General Musharraf bluntly stated that there was no question of putting aside the Kashmir issue.

"People are dying in Kashmir and I go happy and smiling and grinning to meet all Indian leaders?", he asked and went on to add "I am not not like that. I can't do that. If there is some tension in my heart, it is on my face."

About US being the only major western power that had not come out strongly against the military take-over, he said: "I am grateful to President Bill Clinton and the USA for the very realistic stand they have taken."

Stating that he would surely consider signing the comprehensive test ban treaty, General Musharraf said, "but first we need to develop a national consensus." — PTI

Russian forces shell Grozny

MOSCOW, Nov 27 (UNI) — Russian armed forces today resumed air attacks and shelled Grozny with artillery as part of the third phase of assault on rebel-held positions in the upper reaches of Chechnya, Deputy Chief of General Staff Valery Manilov said.

General Manilov said rebels were still well entrenched in Grozny and forces intended to keep them under tight siege and prod the civilian population to drive them out of the capital.

No direct assault on Grozny will take place if it can be avoided, the General said adding that the Chechen capital would surrender by the year-end.

After meeting little resistance during the first two phases of their Chechen campaign, Russian commanders now plan to pursue the rebels into the mountains.

The final phase will also include restoration of civil administration, health services and educational institutions in the areas freed from rebels.

A defence spokesman today said 305 Russian federal troops had died and 863 had been injured in the campaign. He put the losses on the rebel side to 10,000 killed.

Eighty settlements out of 108 had been freed from Chechen separatists, the Voice of Russia said yesterday.

Another Russian General, incharge of logistics, Anatoli Sitnov said Kremlin was determined to wipe out militancy from the country but he did not rule prospects of peace talks once Chechens appointed acceptable negotiators. Moscow would not meet rebel chieftains at the negotiating table, the General said.

The number of people who have fled their homes in Chechnya has gone up to 216,000.

AFP adds: At least 260 persons have been killed since Thursday in the ongoing Russian strikes on Grozny, the mayor of the rebel Chechen capital Lesha Dudayev told Interfax today, while federal troops announced they would intensify their attacks.

Dudayev said he expected the final toll to be over 500, according to the news agency, whose correspondent in Grozny said bombing was continuing amid scenes of devastation today.

The mayor said that because of the difficulties facing emergency services, the death toll was being calculated based on survivors’ reports.

Interfax’s correspondent reported all hospitals in the capital were out of action and some casualties were dying in the streets because they could not be evacuated to hospital elsewhere. But Russian military sources remained implacable today, saying they would “step up the blockade” of Gronzy, intensifying artillery fire and bombing on the capital’s southern suburbs, in an attempt to flush out Chechen terrorists.

Hundreds of houses have been flattened and streets rendered impassable with craters measuring up to 10 metres caused by the strikes and shelling, Interfax said.

New Zealand PM concedes defeat

WELLINGTON, Nov 27 (DPA) — New Zealand Prime Minister Jenny Shipley conceded defeat of her centre-right minority government to Labour Party leader Helen Clark after today’s general election.

Reports said Ms Shipley conceded defeat in a telephone call to Ms Clark.

Mr Jim Anderton, leader of the left-wing New Zealand Alliance, claimed victory for the centre-left after the general election today.

Mr Anderton, who is likely to be Deputy Prime Minister to Ms Clark, said: "I tell you what, there’s been a change of government.’’

Mr Anderton said he and Ms Clark would meet tomorrow to form the next government after outpolling the ruling National Party and its right-wing partner Act NZ.

The centre-left coalition might govern with the support of six or seven Green MPs, analysts predicted.

The Greens, who had only two MPs in the previous Parliament, have not said if they will formally join the coalition or support it from the cross benches.

With 58 per cent of the votes counted, the TV3 Channel projected that the 120-seat Parliament would comprise: Labour 49, National 39, Alliance 10, Act 9, Greens 6, NZ first 6, United NZ 1.

But the fate of the nationalist NZ First party depended on its leader Winston Peters holding his seat, as the party’s total nation-wide vote slipped below the 5 per cent threshold.

Mr Peters was facing a tough challenge and closely trailing the National Party candidate as counting continued.

Under New Zealand’s proportional representation system of voting, a party must win at least one electorate seat or gain 5 per cent of the total vote to get MPs in Parliament.

In a referendum also held today, New Zealanders voted by a huge majority to slash the number of members of Parliament from 120 to 99, according to projections from early vote-counting.

Television New Zealand said first indications were that 81 per cent of voters were in favour of a smaller Parliament.

China suspends licence of shipping firm

BEIJING, Nov 27 (PTI) — China has ordered immediate suspension of operations by the state-owned Yanda Shipping Company, whose vessel was involved in China’s worst shipping tragedy on Wednesday, resulting in nearly 280 deaths.

“The Ministry of Communications has ordered suspension of operations by Yanda Shipping Company for restructuring,” the China Daily said, quoting government sources.

Wednesday’s accident was the second involving a ship operated by Yanda. Last month, another ship, “Shenglu”, caught fire and sank near the port city of Dalian, leaving one person dead and another missing.

Survivors said many passengers jumped to their deaths in the icy waters off Yantai, in east China’s Shandong province where the 9,000-tonne “Dashun” split open and sank.

Despite the efforts of thousands of soldiers, police, local people and air surveillance along a 45-km-long coastline during the past two days, only 22 persons could be rescued.

The ship, “Dashun” was carrying 302 persons — 262 passengers and a crew of 40,” the official Xinhua news agency said. However, China Daily yesterday reported that the ill-fated ship had 336 persons — 295 passengers and a crew of 41.

“It has been confirmed that 22 persons have been rescued, with 119 reported dead and the rest still missing,” China Daily said, adding that the possibility of finding any more survivors was slim.

Only fit at 90 to get $1000

SINGAPORE, Nov 27 (DPA) — Anyone over 90 hoping to collect a $ 1,000 gift from a millionaire banker needs only to obtain confirmation that he or she is lucid, able to make decisions and physically active, relatives said in a report yesterday.

Since Mr Tan Chin Tuan celebrated his 91st birthday last Sunday by offering any “active” Singapore citizen or permanent resident in his ninth decade the money, queries have poured in inquiring just how active a recipient must be.

To qualify, people do not “need to be roller-blading or windsurfing,” said Mr Tan’s grand-daughter, Ms Chew Gek Khim. “It’s a celebration of life and active ageing,” said Ms Chew.

Those wanting the gift need an identity card with the birth year stated as 1909 or earlier and certification from a doctor or a justice of the peace that the person is mentally and physically active.

Physicians who are on the approved list told The Straits Times they would treat the criteria as a rough guide. One said those in wheelchairs would be regarded as physically active if they are able to wheel themselves into the clinic.

Three others said by observing mannerisms and asking simple questions like the time of day, they will be able to assess physical and mental fitness.

Retired cook Pang Loo Jack (92) said he’s planning on a trip to China’s Hainan Island with the money and will put some cash aside to buy his buddies a round of drinks. Pang, who goes for a walk everyday, takes care of his seven parakeets and enjoys Chinese opera, said he is confident of qualifying.

Applications which can be picked up at various community centres or downloaded from a website close on December 5.

“My grandfather says when you are 90, you would want to get the money quickly ... and Christmas is round the corner,” Ms Chew was quoted as saying.

Mr Tan, former Chairman of the Overseas Chinese Banking Corp Bank, announced the gift at the launch of senior citizens’ week.

Ambon tense after clashes

JAKARTA, Nov 27 (Reuters) — Indonesia’s devastated eastern city of Ambon was quiet but tense early today following bloody clashes which killed 38 persons.

“There is no report of any fresh clash this morning. But the city remains tense and has not returned to normal. Shops and schools are still not open,” one police official told Reuters by phone from Ambon.

Hundreds of persons wielding home-made guns, knives and bows and arrows clashed on Thursday and Friday in Ambon, the capital of the eastern Moluccas or Spice Islands.

The capital has been racked by clashes between Christians and Muslims all year. The violence has spread to the entire Moluccas, killing more than 1,000 persons this year.

Hospital sources in the town said yesterday that 38 persons had been killed, in one of bloodiest single days in a blood-drenched year for the once-idyllic island.

Police and military officials said Friday’s clashes broke out when crowds gathered in the city’s Mardika suburb early in the morning and began shooting and throwing Molotov cocktails.

Mahathir explains Anwar’s sack

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 27 (AFP) — Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, facing an opposition, united against the sacking and jailing of his former heir apparent, said today he had loved Mr Anwar Ibrahim until discovering he was “not what he is portrayed to be.”

“Because I love this person... although he is ambitious, I felt that he had the talent to be the PM,” Mr Mahathir said. “I told my colleagues in the Cabinet that this is the person to replace me.”

Mr Mahathir, speaking in Mr Anwar’s old constituency of Permatang Pauh in the northern Penang state, said he was sad about Mr Aanwar’s fate, especially since he knew his wife and children.

Mr Anwar’s wife, Wan Azizah, head of the opposition National Justice Party, is standing in Permatang Pauh in Monday’s election. Mr Mahathir for the first time faces a united, four-party, opposition, whose prime ministerial candidate is Mr Anwar.

Earthquake tools
GENEVA: A UN initiative has developed practical tools to reduce the impact of earthquakes before disaster strikes, experts say. Taking nine cities as case studies, experts drew up ways of estimating and managing the risk of urban earthquakes and raise awareness of the seismic risk among residents, said a statement issued by the Radius Initiative on Friday. The nine cities involved are Addis Ababa, Antofagasta in Chile, Bandung in Indonesia, Guayaquil in Ecuador, Izmir in Turkey, Skopje in Macedonia, Tashkent in Uzbekistan, Tijuan in Mexcio and Zigong in China. — AFP

Pamela Anderson
HELSINKI: Some 900 Finnish relatives of Baywatch television series star Pamela Anderson, whose great-grandfather left Finland in 1908, hope to see her at a family reunion next summer. Their spokesman said Anderson declined through her lawyer to take part in a 1995 family gathering. But the family would renew efforts to bring their voluptuous American relative to the cold northern land of her ancestors. “We will send her another invitation”, said Vaino Rautiainen, a Baywatch fan and chronicler of Anderson’s Finnish clan. — Reuters

Baby killer jailed
LONDON: A British lawyer was sentenced to two life terms for the murder of her two baby boys. Sally Clark, 34, was found guilty earlier this month at the Chester Crown Court of murdering 11-week-old Christopher in December, 1996, and Harry, aged eight weeks, in January last year. The judge, Justice Harrison, said on Friday that he had considered carefully a full psychiatric report which highlighted a history of alcohol abuse from at least 1996 onwards. — DPA

Rat urine disease
BANGKOK: At least 26 Thais in a single northern province have died in recent months from “leptospirosis” a disease transmitted through rat urine, a local health official said on Friday. The Public Health Ministry in Phrae province, 490 km north of Bangkok, is now offering 80 baht ($ 2) for every 50 tails of rats farmers can catch. Rats are rampant in parts of rural Thailand. The disease, first identified in Thailand in 1985, had killed over 130 persons nationwide this year. — AP

Midnight mass
BETHLEHEM: Bethlehem’s church of Saint Catherine held a mass on Friday to mark the end of renovations undertaken to accommodate pilgrims during millennium celebrations in the traditional birthplace of Jesus. White-clad clerics led believers packing the stone nave in prayer four weeks before the newly-extended church celebrates midnight mass on the Christmas eve. The service is broadcast around the world from St Catherine’s every December 24. — Reuters

Confessional
ROME: A fully soundproof state-of-the-art confessional was unveiled on Friday, offering air conditioning, black leather seats and soft lighting. Venice-based firm Genuflex presented the spacious new confessional, allowing penitents to regulate the temperature at which they confess, at Rome’s major religious merchandise trade fair Artchiesa. A red light shows when the glossy box is occupied and a green light when it is vacant. An optional hygienic filter or clear glass separates priests from penitents. — Reuters

Blind man’s gun permit
MANILA: Philippine police chief Panfilo Lacson on Friday personally revoked a firearms licence after discovering its owner was blind. But the blind man, Orville Reyes, 38, a masseur, protested the action, telling local television stations he needed the weapon to defend himself from robbers when he returns home late at night. — AFP

Cyber smear
SINGAPORE: The police is investigating an E-mail that branded a Singapore department store a “peeping Tom”, accompanied by pictures of a woman taking off her clothes allegedly in a fitting room, a report said on Saturday. Metro Singapore became the latest organisation to become a victim of cyber smears in the city-state. “Our fitting rooms don’t look like that and there are no cameras in them”, the organisation’s General Manager, Pang Say Kong, told The Straits Times. — DPA