Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Kidney transplant racket spread in 48 countries


Moradabad, Jan 29: The network of the kidney transplant racket, which was busted recently by Moradabad Police, was spread over as many as 48 countries.

This fact has come to light in the police investigations so far. The countries included the US, Russia, Canada and Greece, Moradabad SSP Prem Prakash said here today. Mr Prakash said the kingpin of the racket, Dr Amit Agarwal, made use of his Canadian wife's contacts in foreign countries to spread his network of illegal kidney transplants.

Several Delhi hospitals, dialysis centres and medical institutes were also under scanner for their possible complicity in the case. Meanwhile, the police had applied for remand of the four accused in the case.

Sources said the Gurgaon Police, on the leads provided by Moradabad Police, were already investigating the properties owned by Dr Agarwal.

UNI

'Nag' missile ready for induction into army


Chandigarh, Jan 29: 'Nag', the third generation anti tank missile will be ready for induction into the Indian army by mid-2008.

"The 'Nag' will be ready for induction once the user trials scheduled for the summer of this year are over", Chief Controller, Research and Development (Missile and Strategic Systems), DRDO, Dr V K Saraswat said here today.
Addressing mediapersons, Dr Saraswat said that the last user trials of 'Nag' were held in November-December last year and these were a success. The army is satisfied with the performance of the 'Nag' and its induction will give the armed forces a definate edge, he added.

The Chief Controller was equally optimistic of the performance of the 'Akash' missile saying that it too was ready for induction into the army.

Dispeling doubts on the fueling capacity of the 'Prithvi', Dr Saraswat pointed out that this missile can be fueled at the depot, that is the storage place. " After fueling it can be moved out and its fueling life is for 10 years", he added.

"If you want to fuel the 'Prithvi' or not is an operational matter, this is not a matter of much concern or worry", he added while replying to a question.

Expressing satisfaction with the ongoing Blastic Missile Defence systems, Dr Saraswat said that these were necessary as India is sorrounded by countries which possess blastic missile capabilities. The threat from a blastic missile, particularly if it is fitted with a nuclear warhead becomes multifold and the country has to have defence systems to check this, he added while pointing out that 32 countries today have blastic missiles.

"We have to have the systems that can detect a missle that travels at five kms a second and then accordingly take remedial measures", he added.

Dr Saraswat who is associated with the blastic missile defence systems, said that the scientists here had built surface based long range radars to detect a missile. These radars after picking up the missile, communicate its details to the Interceptor Batteries and then the missile interceptor is launched, he added while discussing the broad outlines of the defence systems.

In the defence systems there are radars that can pick up upto 200 missiles simultaniously, he said. The country has also developed an assessment and assignment Mission Control Centre for countering the missile threat, he added.

"We now have all building tehnological blocks to engage missile threats", he said while pointing out that research would continue on building interceptors to tackle the threat from 'top quality' missiles. He also refered to 'Active Phase Radars' being built in collaboration with Israel and aerial tracking radars for picking up the Cruise missile which travels at low levels and cannot be detected by surface based radar systems.

Refering to the future programmes of DRDO, Dr Saraswat said that work is being carried out on missiles for induction into the navy and air force. The futuristic hypersonic missile programme has also been launched, he added.

Dr Saraswat admitted that the DRDO was facing shortage of trained manpower because of the differntial pay structure of the government sector and the private sector. " The DRDO is a perfect set up for launch and once your market value goes up, you get a job in private IT or electronic companies, he added.

UNI

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Militant 'did not murder Bhutto'

A Pakistani senator says pro-Taleban rebel leader Baitullah Mehsud was not involved in the murder of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

Islamabad and Washington have both blamed Mr Mehsud - who is based in the troubled region of South Waziristan - for the assassination of Ms Bhutto.

But Saleh Shah, an Islamist senator who represents Waziristan, says Mr Mehsud was not "in any way" involved.

Waziristan is now the scene of fighting between the army and militants.

Military officials say that Taleban militants and security forces have been involved in heavy exchanges of fire overnight on Tuesday.

'No Foreign fighters'

"Baitullah is not involved in Benazir's assassination in any way," Mr Shah told the BBC.

"He has communicated this to me through his spokesman."

Mr Shah also rejects recent CIA claims that Mr Mehsud is involved with al-Qaeda.

"I don't know where these stories come from - about foreign fighters in the area," he said.

"I have never seen any Arab or Uzbeks in the area."

The government however remains convinced Mr Mehsud played a role in Ms Bhutto's murder and has stepped up operations against militants in South Waziristan.

Mr Shah says the military action has done more harm to the civilian population than the militants.

"The army continues to fire at civilian targets, although the militants positions are quite distinct and removed," he says.

Mr Shah says several civilians belonging to the Mehsud tribe have been taken into custody, and many people now have no option but to leave their homes.

"Ladha [one of Waziristan's main towns] is now deserted as the government has stopped all trade into the area," he says.

"Hospital and schools have been closed down, and food supplies are running low.

"The army has launched a blockade of the area for the last 10 days."

Mr Shah says the government's failure to honour previous peace agreements has led to the current fighting.

He says the jirga, or tribal council, in this regard was held on Monday but has not yielded any results.

'Self-defence'

Maulana Ataur Rahman, a local leader from the area, told the BBC dialogue was the only hope of ending the fighting.

He said the pro-Taleban leadership had no desire to fight the Pakistani army, or the government.

"Baitullah has said himself several times he has no quarrel with the Pakistan army."

"Whatever he is doing is in self defence for the attacks against him and his men. For them, the main battle is in Afghanistan."

(courtesy - bbc news)

West Bengal appeals over bird flu

Officials in the Indian state of West Bengal have appealed to other states to help cull up to two million chickens suspected of having bird flu.

Their appeal comes as health experts in the state warn that the disease threatens to spiral out of control.

A team of officials from Delhi has told the state government that the pace of the culling operation is too slow.

Some birds were found to be carrying the H5N1 virus which can cause avian influenza in humans, officials say.

Poultry ban

"There is every chance of the virus spiralling out of hand if it's too late," Sanchita Bakshi, the state health services director told the Reuters news agency.

Officials say that the disease now affects seven of the 19 districts in West Bengal, with a combined population of 24 million people.

Meanwhile Nepal has banned poultry imports from India and there are fears about an outbreak of bird flu in neighbouring Bangladesh.

West Bengal has sealed a stretch of its border with Bangladesh, which has been fighting to contain the spread of bird flu since March last year.

State Health Minister Surya Kanta Mishra appealed to eight other Indian states - including Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu - for assistance in the culling operation after meeting with a team of health officials from Delhi on Tuesday.

The BBC's Amitabha Bhattasali in Calcutta says that the team from Delhi is concerned that the cull in West Bengal is too slow and that so far only about 300,000 birds have been disposed of.

Our correspondent say the authorities face a major logistical challenge, because many of the chickens in infected areas roam around in the open and in many cases have to be chased and caught before being killed.

Basic hygiene

However, there was some good news for the state government on Tuesday, with test results on five people suspected of contracting the human form of the disease proving negative.

Poultry business leaders in southern state of Tamil Nadu have also played down earlier concerns that the bird flu outbreak in West Bengal could undermine the multi-billion-dollar export market of chicken to Middle Eastern countries.

Correspondents say that efforts to contain the disease in West Bengal are being hampered because farmers insist that their poultry is healthy, and refuse to hand them over for culling.

The problem is made worse because many poor and illiterate farmers are sometimes misinformed about basic hygiene.

Dead birds are reported to have been dumped in village wells and ponds by people not aware of the risks from the H5N1 virus.

Some villagers are also reported to have refused to give up their chickens, claiming government compensation was inadequate.

The state government says that it wants to combat this by getting health workers to intensify an awareness drive.

India faced a major outbreak of bird flu in the north-eastern state of Manipur last year which was contained.

So too were previous outbreaks in the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.

(coutesy bbc news)

Two die in Mumbai 'drink driving'

Police in India's financial capital Mumbai (Bombay) say a 23-year-old man, who was allegedly drunk, has run over seven people, killing two of them.

The other five were injured, police said. The driver has been arrested.

In June last year, traffic police launched a special drive after reports that several fatal accidents were caused by drivers who were drunk.

In the first fortnight of this year, traffic police have registered 738 cases of drink driving.

Negligent driving

Police said the accident took place on Monday night near the city's new commercial hub, the Bandra Kurla complex.

The driver has been charged with "causing death by negligence, and drunken and negligent driving" and remanded in police custody till 25 January.

The victims were daily wage-labourers who were sleeping on the pavement.

India's financial capital has 1.53 million vehicles, a figure that is growing by several hundred every day.

The city is also the country's largest consumer of alcoholic drinks, thanks largely to its thriving nightlife.

Fatal road accidents have been on the rise with more than 650 people dying on its roads last year.

In June, police launched a special drive after reports that several of the fatal accidents were caused by drivers who were drunk.

By the end of 2007, they had registered a staggering 12,000 cases against people for driving under the influence of alcohol.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Heath Ledger Found Dead in NYC at Age 28

NEW YORK (AP) - Heath Ledger was found dead Tuesday at a downtown Manhattan residence, and police said drugs may have been a factor. He was 28. NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said Ledger had an appointment for a massage at the Manhattan apartment believed to be his home. The housekeeper who went to let him know the masseuse had arrived found him dead at 3:26 p.m.

A large crowd of paparazzi and gawkers began gathering Tuesday evening outside the building on an upscale block in SoHo, where several police officers guarded the door.

The Australian-born actor was nominated for an Oscar for "Brokeback Mountain," where he met Michelle Williams in 2005. The two had lived in Brooklyn and had a daughter, Matilda, until they split up last year.

He most recently appeared in "I'm Not There," in which he played one of the many incarnations of Bob Dylan - as did Cate Blanchett, whose performance in that film earned an Oscar nomination Tuesday for best supporting actress.

Ledger was to appear as the Joker this year in "The Dark Night," a sequel to 2005's "Batman Begins." He's had starring roles in "A Knight's Tale" and "The Patriot," and played the suicidal son of Billy Bob Thornton in "Monster's Ball."

Ledger grew up in Perth, and began doing amateur theater at age 10. At 16, he moved to Sydney to pursue an acting career, quickly landing TV movie roles and guest spots on Australian television.

After several independent films and a starring role in the short-lived Fox TV series "Roar," Ledger moved to Los Angeles and costarred in "10 Things I Hate About You," a teen comedy reworking of "The Taming of the Shrew."

Offers for other teen flicks came his way, but Ledger turned them down, preferring to remain idle than sign on for projects he didn't like.

"It wasn't a hard decision for me," Ledger told the Associated Press in 2001. "It was hard for everyone else around me to understand. Agents were like, `You're crazy,' my parents were like, `Come on, you have to eat.'"

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

Monday, January 21, 2008

Manipuri Film awards announced, Olen best actor

Imphal, Jan 20: The first Manipuri Film Festival 2007, organised by Film Forum, announced names of the winners in various categories here yesterday.

Manipuri superstar Olen grabbed the best actor award while Devita was selected the best actress this year.
The best director award was given to Surjakanta whereas ''Lakhipurgi Lakhipyari'' was nominated as the best film. In the category of palyback singing, Swamikumar bagged the best male singer while Roshibina got the best female singer award.

The festival begam from January 6 to 13 at Lamphelpat here, where a 19-member jury selected three nominees for the various categories of the film.

About 38 productions in both feature and non-feature films participated in the festival.

Directors whose creations have made an entry to the festival are Bishwamitra, Romi Meitei, Ishomani and Tej Kshetri among others.

In the non-feature section, Oken Amakcham, Ningthouja Deepak, Ishomani, Bobby Wahengbam, Ak Bimol, Subhas E, O Gautam, Ronel Haobam and Haobam Pabankumar screened their creations.


UNI

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Sania Mirza 'considered quitting'


Indian tennis star Sania Mirza says she considered quitting the sport after being accused of showing disrespect to the national flag.
On New Year's day, Mirza was pictured sitting with her feet resting on a table next to an Indian flag.

The 21-year-old, who has advanced to the second round of the Australian Open, said the pose was accidental.

Mirza faces a possible prosecution under the Prevention of Insult to the National Honour Act.

She has faced criticism before, including being accused of wearing "indecent" sporting attire.

"I think a lot of thoughts went through my head in the last couple of weeks," Mirza said.

"One of the thoughts was that [to quit the sport], but I wouldn't say it was serious enough that I am going to quit right now."

'No disrespect'

After newspapers published the controversial photograph taken during a match at the Hopman Cup in Australia, a private citizen filed a complaint with a court in the central Indian city of Bhopal.

The maximum punishment for an offence under the Prevention of Insult to the National Honour Act is three years in jail and a fine.

Mirza denies showing disrespect to the flag.

"I just know that I would not do anything to disrespect my country.

"I love my country, I wouldn't be playing Hopman Cup otherwise, but besides that I am not allowed to comment," she said.

Mirza is not new to controversy. Last month, police in her hometown of Hyderabad [in southern India] registered a case against her for trespass for filming an advertisement in a mosque.

She has also been criticised for her sporting clothes with her critics describing it as "indecent" and "corrupting'.

In an earlier interview with the BBC, Mirza said, "I try not to read newspapers or watch sport news on television" because of the effect such controversies have on her.

Bird flu outbreak in Indian state


Health officials in India have confirmed an outbreak of bird flu in the eastern state of West Bengal.
Nearly 10,000 chickens have been found dead in the area in the past week and a mass cull of poultry is under way.

Tests show the birds are carrying the deadly H5N1 virus which can cause avian influenza in humans, officials say.

India's huge poultry industry is worth billions of dollars. Several outbreaks of bird flu in India in recent years have all been brought under control.

Fears for humans

Tests carried out at a federal laboratory on samples of dead birds from two districts of West Bengal confirmed that they were carrying the deadly H5N1 virus, officials said.

"We can now say there's an outbreak of bird flu in certain parts of West Bengal - in the districts of Birbhum and South Dinajpur to be specific," India's federal health secretary Naresh Dayal said.

"This has to be combated on a war footing."

Health officials have already descended on the affected area and have begun culling thousands of chickens in the districts bordering Bangladesh.

The state government has banned the import of poultry from Bangladesh which reported bird flu outbreaks last year.

Officials say they are particularly concerned after reports that villagers in West Bengal had been cooking the dead birds and eating them.

They say they will begin monitoring people for flu-like symptoms now that the virus has been confirmed.

Large quantities of the anti-viral drug Tamiflu have also been despatched to the area.

"Because a lot of villagers cooked the dead birds in the last week, we are apprehensive," Birbhum district's chief medical officer, Sunil Kumar Bhowmick, said.

"It did not appear to us that this could be bird flu," Sheikh Qasim, a small poultry farmer in the Margram area of Birbhum district, told the BBC.

"Out of ignorance, we had a lot of chicken curry but now we are scared to the bone."

India faced a major outbreak of bird flu in the north-eastern state of Manipur last year. Previous outbreaks were in the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.

Saturday, January 12, 2008

Rats devour rice in Indian state


Farmers in India's north-eastern state of Mizoram have lost nearly 88% of their rice harvest after rats ravaged croplands last year, officials say.

Nearly 40,000 tonnes of rice are reported to have been lost, with more than 70% of farming families affected.

The state's heavy flowering bamboo crops attract hordes of rats, a phenomenon known locally as Mautam.

Not only do the rats thrive on the bamboo flowers, they also then go on to destroy the farmers' crops.

Rat reward


Mizoram agriculture official James Lalsiamliana told the BBC no maize had been harvested in the state either.

He said the rats had also devoured other crops such as pumpkin, watermelon, chilli, banana and papaya.

"The total cultivation area was reduced during the year to around 75% due to apprehensions of destruction of paddy and other crops by rats," he said.

All districts of Mizoram had been affected, with Saiha and Lawngtlai in the south worst hit, he said. There, the loss of rice crops had been almost total.

The state's problems have been compounded by farmers not planting for fear that crops will be eaten by the rats.

"Most of those who planted lost everything to the rats," Mr Lalsiamliana said.

Desperate to control the rising rat population, the state government now offers a reward of two rupees for every rat killed.

Hundreds of thousands have been killed in the past couple of years, but the rats keep coming in hordes.

World's cheapest car goes on show


Tata Motors has unveiled the world's cheapest motor car at India's biggest car show in the capital, Delhi.
The vehicle, called the Tata Nano, will sell for 100,000 rupees or $2,500 (£1,277) and enable those in developing countries to move to four wheels.

The four-door five-seater car, which goes on sale later this year, has a 33bhp, 624cc, engine at the rear.

It has no air conditioning, no electric windows and no power steering, but two deluxe models will be on offer.


See key features that make the Tata Nano so cheap
Tata will initially make about 250,000 Nanos and expects eventual annual demand of one million cars.

The price will be slightly more than the 100,000 once tax and other costs are taken into consideration.

The Nano release comes as India's domestic car market is predicted to soar in the coming years on the back of the country's fast-growing economy and increased consumer wealth.

'People's car'

Indian car sales are predicted to more than quadruple to $145bn by 2016.

Company chairman Ratan Tata said the launch of the Nano was a landmark in the history of transportation.

He said the car was "a safe, affordable and all weather transport - a people's car, designed to meet all safety standards and emissions laws and accessible to all".

Environmental critics have said that the car will lead to mounting air and pollution problems on India's already clogged roads.

But Tata said the car had passed emission standards and would average about 50 miles to the gallon, or five litres per hundred kilometres.

The firm also said it would introduce a diesel version of the Nano at a later date.

'Family transport'

At the unveiling ceremony Mr Tata said: "I observed families riding on two-wheelers - the father driving the scooter, his young kid standing in front of him, his wife seated behind him holding a little baby.

"It led me to wonder whether one could conceive of a safe, affordable, all-weather form of transport for such a family.

"Tata Motors' engineers and designers gave their all for about four years to realise this goal.

"Today, we indeed have a People's Car, which is affordable and yet built to meet safety requirements and emission norms, to be fuel efficient and low on emissions."

Ravi Vangala, of Hyderbad, India, said: "I... congratulate Tata for his dream, and I will definitely buy the Tata Nano car."

Asian voters in US 'got raw deal'


Many Asian American voters faced discrimination from voting officials during 2006 mid-term elections in the US, a civil rights group has alleged.

The report is based on a multilingual exit poll conducted among 4,700 Asian American voters in 25 US cities.

It documents alleged violations of the Voting Rights Act and Help America Vote Act and cases of "anti-Asian attitude".

According to a 2000 census, the US has more than 10 million Asian Americans, comprising 3.6% of its population.

'Rude behaviour'

The report by the Asian American Legal Defence and Education Fund (AALDEF), a 34-year-old civil rights organisation, comes as presidential primaries are in full swing in the United States.

The group alleges that poll workers were hostile towards Asian American voters, particularly those not fluent in English, during voting in 2006.

Many voters complained of "rude or hostile behaviour" and an "unhelpful attitude about election procedures", the report said.

It said 59 Asian American voters had complained.

In New York, 83% of voters who were asked to show identification were not legally required to do so, the report says.

It says English-speaking voters were not asked for ID.

The discrimination was "racially motivated and at the same time also demonstrated a bureaucratic approach", AALDEF lawyer Glenn D Magpantay told the BBC.

The survey found 40% of Pakistani-origin, 38% of Bangladeshi-origin and 17% of Indian origin-voters could not speak English well. One-third of Urdu speakers and the same number of Bengali speakers said they needed the assistance of interpreters in order to vote.

The report says some poll workers made disparaging remarks about such assistance.

"One poll worker in New York said she thought it was a waste of the taxpayers' money to pay for so many interpreters.

"Another poll worker commented that she did not think they should be required to provide multilingual material and voters should learn English," the report says.

It also said Chinese American voters had been given Spanish-language ballots in New York.

No response

Many Asian Americans' names were missing or misspelt in voter lists at polling stations, the report found.

Copies of the report and letters of complaint have been sent to the US Department of Justice for investigation, the AALDEF says.

The BBC contacted the voting section of the department, both by phone and e-mail. There was no immediate response to the allegations.

However, a Republican state representative of South Asian origin, Saghir "Saggy" Tahir, said he was not aware of such discrimination in his community.

"I am in my fourth term in the state legislature but I have never heard of any such complaint," says Mr Tahir, who was the first Asian American Muslim elected to this level in the Republican Party.

He says the easiest thing for people is to blame others for their inconvenience.

"I can only advise that they must learn English if they want to realise their American dream," says the New Hampshire legislator, who arrived in the US in 1972 from Lahore.

India outlaws 'cruel bull sport'


The Indian Supreme Court has banned a version of bull fighting popular in the southern state of Tamil Nadu.
Jallikattu is an annual festival celebrated in two villages near the temple town of Madurai. The sport is said to be thousands of years old.

In jallikattu contestants do not try to kill the bull. But animal rights campaigners still say it is cruel.

The sport has also become increasingly dangerous. Every year dozens of people are injured and many are killed too.

Organisers say bullfighting is a sacrosanct Indian tradition, mentioned in the ancient scriptures.

They say the sport has existed for more than 2,000 years and is an integral part of Tamil culture.

Grappling with bulls

In prohibiting jallikattu, the Supreme Court bench, headed by Chief Justice KG Balakrishnan, said "any event which involved cruelty to animals would not be permitted".

Hundreds of bulls are released one at a time into a large open space for the fights, which are held during the annual harvest festival known as Pongal.

Contestants have to try to get close enough to the bulls to grab prizes and valuables tied to their horns. That often involves grappling with the animals.

Defenders of the sport say the bulls are only "tamed", rather than killed, so that participants can help themselves to the prizes.


As the bull-taming does not take place in a stadium, those taking part and spectators are often injured as the animals hurtle into the crowd.

Last year one person was killed during the festival. In 2005, five people died and more than 200 were injured during the fights.

Authorities say that although new safety measures are taken every year, the number of wounded continues to rise.

World Bank 'uncovers India fraud'


The World Bank has said it has uncovered "serious incidents of fraud and corruption" in a review of five health projects it has backed in India.
The multi-million dollar projects, some of which date back to 1997, involve HIV/Aids, malaria and tuberculosis.

"The probe has revealed unacceptable indicators of fraud and corruption, said World Bank head Robert Zoellick.

India's government said it took the findings seriously and would punish anyone found guilty of wrongdoing.

The evidence of fraud was revealed in a newly released Detailed Implementation Review, begun by the World Bank in 2006.

That review was prompted by an investigation into a World Bank-backed reproductive and child health programme in 2005, which found evidence of corrupt practices by two pharmaceutical firms.

'Eradicate corruption'

The projects involved in the latest review included a $193.7m (£99m) programme to tackle HIV/Aids, a $124.8m tuberculosis scheme and a $114m malaria programme.

The World Bank has said it and the Indian government will cooperate to ensure the scrutiny and transparency of ongoing and future projects.

Mr Zoellick, who took over as World Bank president in July, said he appreciated the Indian government's "resolute commitment" to pursuing criminal wrongdoing.

He said: "These problems have to be fixed. I am committed to cleaning this up. I have spoken to Finance Minister [Palaniappan] Chidambaram and he feels the same way.

"The results of this World Bank Review show we must keep pressing to eradicate corruption from our projects. Fraud and corruption are not acceptable."

A statement from India's finance ministry said: "Necessary action under the relevant laws, rules and regulations would be taken against those suspected of wrongdoing and, if found guilty, they will be visited with exemplary punishment."

Monday, January 7, 2008

Ajay Devgan requests molested girls to speak up

Dear citizens of India,

I am deeply shocked and disgusted by the happenings on January 1 when hooligans in Juhu traumatised two US-based couples. I read about the incident in the papers. Though I know it’s disturbing for them to relive the incident, I would like to request the ladies to file a police complaint because that is the only way we can bring the perpetrators to justice.

It’s a shame that such people exist within the fabric of our society. If we as people don’t take a stand, then what will stop these offenders from repeating such acts? Tomorrow, this ugly episode can also happen to your sister, wife or daughter. Why wait till that happens? If not for anyone else, raise your voice and protest for the coming generation. Because if you don’t, things will get worse. I urge please not to keep silent till justice is done!

I have always taken a stand for what I believe in. I will continue to fight against whatever I feel is wrong. It was while working on my film Halla Bol that I realised how much keeping silent has seeped into our characters. We are constantly stifling our voices and conscience. People ask me what Halla Bol means — it means to raise your voices, not physically but against something the ills in society. It was also a war cry in the olden days.

The incident that happened in Juhu is somewhat similar to a scene in Halla Bol, where I witnessed a similar molestation on two women —of course, reel life is more dramatic — and the women in Hala Bol are murdered. Why do we stand for such things happenings in our society? I am sure there were many people in the mob attack who simply stood and watched. Why didn’t they step forward to help these women? If we don’t help, hooliganism will keep increasing.

It’s unfair to blame the police for everything — they are doing their job to the best of their ability. We need to act too. People have to understand the collective might of the public and media. If we raise our voices together, we can change anything — including the system. We have to raise our voice and say Halla Bol against anything what is wrong. It’s pointless to complain against the government when we don’t want to do anything to change the system and remain mute spectators to every violent or wrong incident that happens.

If we as a nation decide to keep quiet and stifle our conscience, eventually we will all suffer. Within the law, I would like the offenders to be dealt with as harshly as possible and made such an example of, so that they never repeat such an act again. We have to make an example of them so that it sends out a message to anyone who thinks he can commit a crime and get away with it.

— Ajay Devgan

(As told to Upala KBR - Midday)

Two militants apprehended in Manipur

Imphal, Jan 6: The Manipur police arrested two militants from different locations in Imphal yesterday, Official sources said today. The Imphal East police commandos nabbed a United National Liberation Front (UNLF) cadre near here.

In a seperate operation, the security personnel apprehended a People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK) ultra from the Sagolband area.
Meanwhile, Thoubal Superintendent of Police (SP) Th Radheshyam said police nabbed two miscreants who had committed robberies on the National Highway 39 (Imphal-Moreh Road).

UNI

Manipur Press Club observes foundation day

Imphal, Jan 6: The Manipur Press Club today observed its 33rd foundation day at the Manipur press Club premises here.

Manipur Chief Minister O Ibobi singh honoured senior journalists by presenting them with gifts and mementoes.

The Chief Minister said the media should play a constructive role in the development of the society.

State Information Minister T N Haokip, state Sports Minister N Biren and All Manipur Working Journalists union (AMWJU) president S Hemant were also present at the function.

UNI

12-hour National Highways bandh in Nagaland

Kohima, Jan 06: The youth wings of three non-Congress parties in Nagaland have called for a 12-hour bandh on National Highway 39 and 61, passing through the state, on January eight to protest the imposition of President's Rule.

Nagaland Peoples' Front (NPF) Youth Wing president Kakuto Shohe said here today that the bandh was jointly called by the youth wings of the NPF, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), from 0600 hours to 1800 hours on January eight, to protest the imposition of President's Rule in Nagaland by the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre.
The NPF's Youth Wing organised a poster campaign in Kohima as well as other parts of the state to register their protest against the President's Rule.

NPF president Shurhozelie, in a statement, admitted that the NPF Youth Wing had taken up the poster campaign and bandh to voice the protests of the common people against the President's Rule.

UNI

President's Rule is not Army Rule: Nagaland Governor

Kohima, Jan 6: Nagaland Governor K Sankaranarayanan has pointed out that the current President's Rule in Nagaland was not ''Army Rule'' as the responsibility of running the administration, law and order was being shared between the Civil administration, police and the Governor.

Addressing a high level security meeting with the senior police and Para-military officers at the Police Headquarters here yesterday, the Governor reminded them that the state government should accord priority to the maintenance of law and order, official sources said here today.
Mr Sankaranarayanan asserted that the state police was well prepared to face the challenges and hoped that it would live up to the expectations of the people.

He said with the announcement for the Assembly elections to be expected soon, the state government would gear up the intelligence machinery so as to ensure maintenance of law and order.

He also spoke on the need for better coordination between the police, CRPF and Assam Rifles in the run up to the Assembly polls scheduled in February.

The Governor also asked the Director General of Police to issue orders to all senior police officers to be at their places of posting as well as personally supervise the investigations and take necessary action.

He warned that any laxity on the part of the administration would not be tolerated. He also stressed on the need for the police to maintain discipline at various check gates.

The Governor lauded the efforts of the civil societies, NGOs and the Gaon Burahs (GBs) and Dobhashis (DBs) Forum in calling for a stop to factional clashes. He said the process should be strengthened to prevent bloodshed.

Mr Sankaranarayanan also assured the people that during the President's Rule, his government would ensure that the citizens felt safe and secure and no act of violence occurred and called upon the security officials to be on high alert for prompt action.

al-Qaida's American Seeks Bush Attacks

CAIRO, Egypt (AP) - Al-Qaida's American spokesman urged fighters to meet President Bush with bombs when he visits the Middle East, according to a new video posted on the Internet Sunday.

U.S.-born Adam Gadahn also tore up his American passport as part of a symbolic protest in the nearly hour-long rhetoric-dominated tape - al-Qaida's first message of the new year.

The release comes just three days before Bush is scheduled to arrive in Israel for a weeklong trip that will also bring him to the West Bank, Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Egypt as part of his push for an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement.

"Now we direct an urgent call to our militant brothers in Muslim Palestine and the Arab peninsula ... to be ready to receive the Crusader slayer Bush in his visit to Muslim Palestine and the Arab peninsula in the beginning of January and to receive him not with flowers or clapping but with bombs and booby-trapped vehicles," Gadahn, 29, said in Arabic.

"This just shows once again, al-Qaida offers nothing but violence and death," National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe said. "The purpose of President Bush's trip is to meet with mainstream Arab leaders and people to talk about a positive future for the region, based on hope and opportunity."

As for Gadahn's tearing up his U.S. passport, Johndroe said: "He is wanted for treason against the United States. His passport was already void."

During the rest of the 50-minute video, titled "An Invitation to Reflection and Repentance," Gadahn, who was raised in California, spoke mostly in English, appearing to specifically address the American people. He said al-Qaida felt the need to release the statement after Washington's "defeat" in Iraq and Afghanistan and failed attempts by the Bush administration to bring peace to the Middle East.

"We felt it necessary to address the American people and explain to them some of the facts about these critical and fast-moving events," said Gadahn, who wore a white-and-red headscarf and sat behind a desk with a laptop computer and coffee mug nearby.

"The first questions Americans might ask is has America really been defeated? The answer is yes and on all fronts," he added.

The video could not immediately be independently verified, but it appeared on a Web site often used by Islamic militants and carried the logo of al-Qaida's media wing, al-Sahab. At the beginning of the video, the date December 2007 was displayed. Gadahn also mentioned Robert Hawkins, who killed eight people at a mall in Omaha, Neb. on Dec. 5, suggesting the tape was made sometime after then.

Gadahn, also known as Azzam al-Amriki, was charged with treason in the U.S. in 2006 and has been wanted since 2004 by the FBI, which is offering a $1 million reward for information leading to his arrest or conviction.

He has appeared in several al-Qaida videos including one in August when he threatened new attacks on foreign embassies. In May, al-Qaida released another video featuring Gadahn, who warned Bush to end U.S. involvement in Muslim lands or face an attack worse than the Sept. 11, 2001, strikes.

Ben Venzke, the head of IntelCenter, a U.S. group that monitors and analyzes militant messages, said much of Gadahn's new video shares a similar tone as his previous messages.

"It fits into al-Qaida's notion of providing warning and opportunity for people to correct their ways to avoid an attack," he said.

In the video, Gadahn lashed out repeatedly at the United States for its wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and its close ties to Israel and the leaders of some Muslim countries, including Egypt and Pakistan, which he described as some of the "worst dictators and tyrants."

Gadahn also criticized Christianity, which he called "baseless and doubt-filled," and urged Americans - including soldiers who fought in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan - to convert to Islam.

"Listen to me, and listen to me carefully, before you lose your mind to flashbacks, and drugs and drink-induced dementia and before your demons drive you to self-destruction and suicide, in these verses (in the Quran), God calls out to each and every one of you saying God forgives all sins ... if you simply stop and repent," he said.

At one point in the video, Gadahn took out his U.S. passport, showed it to the camera and tore it into several pieces.

"In symbolic rejection of the American citizenship that honorable and decent and compassionate people are ashamed to carry, I will now proceed to destroy my American passport," he said.

"But don't get too excited, I don't need it to travel anyway," he added with a smile after tearing it apart.

Despite Gadahn's passport destruction, Venzke cautioned against dismissing him as a crazy kid and said his warnings should be taken seriously.

"The reality is al-Qaida and al-Sahab do not put anything out without a lot of planning ... They are very deliberate," he said.

Gadahn is the first American to be charged with treason in more than 50 years and could face the death penalty if convicted. He also was indicted on a charge of providing material support to terrorists.

Earlier this month, FBI spokesman Richard Kolko said the agency would review the latest tape for intelligence value and vowed never to give up the hunt for Gadahn.

_____

Associated Press writer Paul Schemm contributed to this report.


Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
01/06/2008 15:35 ET

Musharraf queries how Bhutto died


Pakistan's President Musharraf has said for the first time that murdered opposition leader Benazir Bhutto may have been shot.
Until now Pakistani officials have maintained that Ms Bhutto had banged her head on part of her car's sunroof.

But asked in a US television interview if a gunshot could have caused her head injury he replied: "Yes, absolutely, yes. Possibility."

She died on 27 December in a gun and suicide bomb attack while campaigning.

More than 50 people were killed in violence following her death.

The elections she was campaigning for were subsequently postponed from 8 January to 18 February.

The government said the attack had been ordered by a tribal leader in the lawless South Waziristan area on the border with Afghanistan, Baitullah Mehsud. It described him as an al-Qaeda leader.

He has denied any involvement.

'Victim to blame'

In the interview, to be aired on Sunday in the CBS show 60 Minutes, Mr Musharraf repeated his government's line that Ms Bhutto was to blame for her own death.

For standing up outside the car, I think it was she to blame alone. Nobody else," he said.

According to eye-witnesses, a gunman fired at Ms Bhutto as she stood up through the car's sunroof to greet supporters after a rally in Rawalpindi. Moments later, a bomb exploded.

Ms Bhutto was taken to hospital, but doctors could not save her.

She was buried the next day, as Muslim custom demands, and no post-mortem was carried out.

Her family and supporters insist she died of gunshot wounds, rejecting the official line that she was fatally wounded when her head smashed onto part of her car's sunroof.

Mr Musharraf first signalled that the government could be distancing itself from that position last week, when he said he was not fully satisfied with the investigation.

British detectives have flown to Pakistan to help with the investigation.

Security

Supporters of Ms Bhutto's party, the PPP, have blamed the government for her death, either because some officials wanted her dead or not enough security was provided.

But Mr Musharraf repeated that his government had given her adequate protection.

"She was given more security than any other person," he said.

A senior PPP official, Farhatullah Babar, reacted to the interview by saying the government's position on the killing had been shifting from day to day.

He said this underlined the need for a UN inquiry.

Meanwhile, Pakistan reacted angrily to reports that the US administration was considering covert operations in the country's tribal areas bordering Afghanistan.

The Pakistani foreign office said it would not let US forces hunt militants on its soil.

The statement came after the New York Times published a report saying Washington was seeking to expand military and intelligence operations in Pakistan following Ms Bhutto's death.

Tamil intelligence chief killed


The intelligence chief of Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels has been killed, officials and pro-rebel sources say.
The man, known as Colonel Charles, died when his car hit a landmine planted by government troops in rebel territory, according to a pro-Tiger website.

The government says he was one of at least 34 rebels killed in clashes in the northern Mannar district.

On Wednesday, the government withdrew from a peace deal, saying violence by the rebels had made it pointless.

The accord was signed in 2002, but more than 5,000 people are thought to have been killed since 2006, when fresh violence erupted.

The government says about 50 rebels have been killed since the start of the year, against three of its own soldiers.

The two sides rarely agree on casualty figures, and journalists are usually barred from conflict zones in Sri Lanka so cannot verify them independently.

The Tigers themselves have said nothing about the death of Col Charles - whose real name was Shanmuganathan Ravishankar.

The government denied the claim by Tamilnet.com that he had been killed by a deep penetration unit. It said he must have been caught up in fighting and exchanges of artillery fire.

Either way, his death is the latest in a series of reverses for the rebels.


The government said it injured Tigers leader Velupillai Prabhakaran in an air strike in November
Head of political wing SP Thamilselvan was killed in an air raid earlier in the month
Top Tiger Karunakaran Kandasamy was arrested in the US on terror charges in April
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) demand their own state in north and east Sri Lanka for the Tamil minority.

Since President Mahinda Rajapakse was elected in 2005 the government has driven the Tigers out of the east.

Correspondents say it now wishes to defeat them in the north too.

Pakistanis flee into Afghanistan


Thousands of Pakistanis have fled into Afghanistan with the security situation deteriorating in Pakistan's tribal regions over the past week.

Hundreds of families, comprising some 6,000 mainly women and children, have been crossing the border.

The UN refugee agency says clashes between Pakistan's Shia and Sunni groups have forced people to flee.

It is the first time so many people have crossed this way as for years it was Afghans fleeing fighting.

The refugees have been crossing the border between Pakistan's tribal areas and south-eastern Afghan provinces.

The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) says historic clashes between Shias and Sunnis in the villages in Kurram, North West Frontier Province, have escalated in the past couple of weeks.

This and the unstable situation in that part of Pakistan have led to the movement of so many people, the UNHCR says.

"It's the first time that we see this in very large numbers which shows that security in those areas has seriously deteriorated and it's probably become out of control," said Salvatore Lombardo, a UNHCR representative in Kabul.

He said many of the people had been given shelter in Afghanistan by villagers who live by the Pashtun Valley tribal code of hospitality, and tents were being handed out to help provide shelter as winter was intensifying along the border.

Discussions

Over the past three decades millions of Afghans fled the violence in their country during the Soviet occupation, the civil war and then in the fighting that saw the Taleban take control of Afghanistan.

With the rise of the Pakistani Taleban and militant Islamic groups along the Pakistan side of the border, the UN says it now appears that parts of Afghanistan are safer for families.

It is hoped discussions within the tribal groups can resolve the situation and allow the people to return home.

Friday, January 4, 2008

Imphal, Manipur

Loktak Lake, Manipur, India

Drive to Nambol, Manipur

Manipur

Driving around Imphal, Manipur Part 2

Manipur Mayhem

Mautam in Mizoram

The Brahmaputra

Manipur | A Land in Need of Hope

a village in the remote part of manipur

ROAD TO KALIMPONG

HIV menace: Focus shifts to Northeast

UntitledtheGallery at 910 Art Exhibiti

Nagaland brought under President's Rule

NEW DELHI: Nagaland was on Thursday brought under central rule with President Pratibha Patil putting her stamp of approval on the recommendation of the union cabinet in this regard.

The President, who was handed over the recommendation on Wednesday, signed the proclamation on Thursday evening, Home Ministry sources said.

Patil, who is at present in Hyderabad, had received the decision of the cabinet taken at its unscheduled meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on January 1.

The cabinet meeting was convened at a short notice to discuss the political situation in Nagaland against the backdrop of the BJP-backed Democratic Alliance winning a controversial no-confidence motion last month.

Rio survived the trial of strength on the floor of the assembly on December 13 when it was defeated 23-19 in the 60-member House after Speaker barred three independents from taking part in voting and held that the votes of nine dissident ruling NPF members were invalid.

The imposition of central rule came ahead of the assembly elections due in Nagaland in February.

Two girls were molested outside the JW Marriot Hotel during New Year celebrations. (more pics)

Thursday, January 3, 2008

Mush denies involvement of himself, military in Bhutto murder

Ruling out involvement of military and intelligence agencies in the assassination of former premier Benazir Bhutto, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf on Thursday said he had warned her about threats to her life but she had ignored that.

He also dismissed suggestions that he was involved in her death. Describing as "below my dignity" a question whether he had "blood on his hands", Musharraf said he was brought up in a very educated and civilised family with beliefs and values and believed in character.

"I am not a feudal and I am not a tribal. I have been brought up in a very educated and civilised family with beliefs and values, which believes in character," he said during an interaction with the foreign media for state-run PTV's "Aiwan-e-Sadr Say" ("From The Presidency") programme.

Musharraf said the government had in November stopped Bhutto from going to Liaquat Bagh ground in Rawalpindi - where she was assassinated on December 27 -- because of alerts from intelligence agencies about threats to her life.

Describing the ground ringed by numerous buildings as a "vulnerable place", Musharraf said: "This time she went of her volition, ignoring the threat."

The President, who on Wednesday sought the help of Britain's Scotland Yard to probe Bhutto's death, ruled out the involvement of the country's military and intelligence agencies in the assassination.

"No intelligence agency of Pakistan is capable of motivating or indoctrinating a man to blow himself up," he said, adding one has to find out who gained the most from Bhutto's killing. "Would I and the government be the maximum gainer? Or is there someone else who could gain more?"

Asked if there had been any shortcomings in the security provided to Bhutto, Musharraf said, "The lapse was not on the government's side." Bhutto had been given four mobile police squads comprising 30 personnel led by an officer she had hand-picked, he said.

Over 1,000 policemen had been deployed at Liaquat Bagh, there were about five walk-through gates and a bulletproof rostrum and policemen had been stationed on the roofs of nearby buildings. It was the responsibility of the PPP's leadership to have ensured that Bhutto did not expose herself to unnecessary risks, Musharraf said.

He pointed out that there had been 19 suicide bombings in the last quarter of 2007 in which 400 people were killed and 900 wounded, and all of them had been traced back to Pakistani Taliban commanders Baitullah Mehsud from South Waziristan and Maulana Fazlullah from Swat valley in North West Frontier Province.

Asked if the Scotland Yard team would be free to probe all leads, including Bhutto's allegations in a letter to the President about certain officials and provincial former chief ministers who posed a threat to her, Musharraf said: "I call these accusations baseless because I know the realities. There are certain political implications of certain things."

He said accusations had been levelled against political leaders without "anything happening".

Wednesday, January 2, 2008

Deadly bomb blast strikes Colombo

A bomb targeting a bus in the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo has killed at least four people and injured another 20, police and military officials say.
The blast took place as the military bus was passing a busy junction in a district that houses key military installations, reports said.

A hospital official told Reuters that two of those killed were soldiers.

Military officials said they suspected the separatist Tamil Tigers. The rebels denied involvement, Reuters reported.

The powerful explosion took place near Hotel Nippon in Colombo's commercial Slave Island area.

Victims were taken to the Colombo national hospital, where several people were reportedly in critical condition.

Damaged

"There was a Claymore (landmine) attack targeting an army bus carrying troops," a military official at the scene told Reuters.

The official said there were "about 11 soldiers" on board the bus.

Most of the victims were civilians while a few soldiers were also admitted with shrapnel injuries, news agency AFP quoted hospital director Hector Weerasinghe as saying.

Police and eyewitnesses said the low-budget Nippon hotel suffered extensive damage and staff members were also among those wounded.

Fighting between troops and the rebels, who want autonomy for minority Tamils in the north and east, has worsened in recent months.

A Norwegian-brokered ceasefire in 2002 broke down two years ago, resulting in renewed fighting that has killed more than 5,000 people.

At least 70,000 people have died since the war began in 1983.

gilrs molested in mumbai

two girls molested in mumbai...on new year

Tuesday, January 1, 2008

Imphal Sewerage Project inspected CM pays a visit to dug up roads in bazar areas


Imphal, December 31: Chief Minister O Ibobi today personally inspected the work progress of the ongoing Imphal Sewerage Project and besides walking through the bazar areas to get a first hand experience of trudging along the dismembered and dug up roads, announced that the Government would soon pull down all the high rise buildings (more than triple storey) in the commercial areas and asked the owners to do the needful before the Government acts.

The Chief Minister was accompanied by PHED Minister TN Haokip, Works Minister K Ranjit, IFCD Minister N Biren and PDA Chairman Dr Th Lokeshore during his inspection tour.

Later speaking to reporters, the Chief Minister said that the high rise buildings in the commercial areas of Imphal were built without the permission of the Government or the Imphal Municipal Council and hence they are illegal structures.

The Chief Minister explained that according to the by laws of the Imphal Municipal Council, no building in the commercial areas can exceed three storeys.

Sounding a stern warning, the Chief Minister 'advised' the owners of such buildings to pull down their excess floors before the Government acts.

Clearly peeved at the manner in which the laws have been violated, the Chief Minister said, "If any of these buildings collapse, then the blame will be put on the Government".

Though the Chief Minister admitted that the work progress of the Imphal Sewerage Project at the bazar areas is not 100 pc satisfactory, he nevertheless struck a confident pose and claimed that the process of laying the pipes will be over between January 10 and 15 next year.

Once the process of laying the pipes is over, then the road repairing works will be taken up, he assured.

Announcing some development plans of the Government, the Chief Minister said that the road leading from Wahengbam Leikai to Keishampat and from Keishampat to Heirangoithong and from Wahengbam Leikai to Tera bazar will be four laned.

To make up for the lack of parking slot in the bazar areas, the Chief Minister said that the time has come to build multi-storey shopping malls at the campuses of the Imphal Municipality Council, MSRTC and at Keishampat, which will not only have shopping centres, but will also provide parking space for 2000 vehicles.

The Chief Minister also asked the SP of Imphal West Clay Khongsai on the process of allowing some four wheelers to enter the bazar areas.

The police officer explained that all the vehicles entering the bazar areas are thoroughly checked and added that shop owners are issued passes.

The Sp also suggested that if the ground floors of the shops located in the bazar areas are converted to parking lots, it would ease the traffic congestion to a great extent.

Answering questions from the reporters, the Chief Minister admitted that 2007 was not exactly a peaceful year and expressed hope that the dawn of the new year will bring some peace.

The Chief Minister also reminded that the SPF Government will finish its first year of the second term on March 7 and added that the development plans of the Government will be announced then.

On the other hand, Works Minister K Ranjit admitted that the work to be taken up the Uripok-Kangchup road at the estimated cost of Rs 10 lakhs has run into trouble following interference from underground organisations.

He appealed to the people to extend their co-operation to the Government to help it carry out development works.

Speaking to newsmen today evening, the Works Minister said that one labourer hired for the work was abducted recently by underground cadres and added that this has spread fear psychosis amongst the workers.

The Works Minister also announced that the pot holes on the Uripok-Kangchup route will be filled up within a week and added that the route will then be incorporated in the work programme.

If the work quality is compromised in any manner, then the contractor concerned will be pulled up, said the Minister and urged the people to report to him if anything is amiss.

8 killed in LeT Fidayeen attack on CRPF camp in Rampur


Rampur (UP), Jan 1: At least eight people, including seven security personnel were killed and five others injured when armed Laskhar-e-Toiba(LeT) fidayeen attacked the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) camp in Rampur district of Uttar Pradesh early today.

Senior police officials in the state capital confirmed that the module behind the attack was of the LeT. Of the total seven security personnel killed, five belonged to the CRPF while two were UP policemen. Besides, a civilian was also killed in the attack.State Additional Director General of Police (Crime, Land and Order) Brijlal told the sources that of the total casualties, five were CRPF jawans and two UP police personnel. He said, ''At least two fidayeen entered the CRPF camp after crossing the first barricade of UP police.'' The entire area had been cordoned and search operations launched to nab the terrorist who were ''hiding somewhere in the jungle area around the vast CRPF camp''.

Mr Brijlal said the injured jawans have been shifted to hospital at the neighbouring district of Moradabad where the condition of one of them was stated to be critical.

Senior police officials from the nearby district have rushed to the spot along with additional security forces, he added.

Meanwhile, a report from Rampur said securitymen have managed to shot dead one terrorist but the other managed to escape.

The terrorists, equipped with AK 47, attacked the camp around 0300 hours and managed to enter the base camp after shooting the security personnel of the UP police at the first barricade, according to sources.

On November 28, Intelligence agencies issued an alert of possible attack on the CRPF camp at Rampur situated on Delhi-Lucknow national highway. Agencies issued the alert after they intercepted a call in which a person from Pakistan ordered someone in the western district of the state to ''complete the work'' at CRPF camp during recruitment.

After the alert, security was beefed up at the camp and additional forces from UP police were deployed.



UNI

Bilawal to have 24-hour armed guard at Oxford


London, Jan 1: Former Pakistan premier Benazir Bhutto's son Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will be given 24-hour protection when he returns to his studies in Britain. Officers from Scotland Yard's Diplomatic Protection Group would carry out a risk assessment and talk to officials of Pakistan People's Party to decide what level of protection he should receive, the Daily Mail reported.

The slain leader's 19-year-old son was named chairman of the party on Sunday.It is being said that Bilawal could now become a target of Islamic militants. His father Asif Ali Zardari will run the party while Bilawal finishes his studies in Oxford, where protection for him could range from a panic alarm and special security measures, including sensors, being installed in his student accomodation to round the clock protection by armed officers.

A security source said, ''Clearly if a specific threat is made against him, then security will be massively increased.'' Bilawal, who is a first year history student at Christ Church, Oxford, is due to start the next academic term on January 13 but it was not clear whether he will delay his return until a date is agreed for general elections in Pakistan.

Mohsin Bari, PPP's general secretary for Greater London, said, ''We do not know yet when Bilawal will return to take up his studies but he faces the same dangers as his mother, as he is continuing where she left off and following the same policies.

''It is our and the British government's responsibility to look after him while he is in this country,'' he said.

About Bilawal taking the party leadership, he said, ''He is under a lot of pressure but he is a brave boy. After all, he is the son of Benazir who was so brave.''



UNI