Mumbai, Mon, May 1, 2006 p15 weather... world Cities in degree centigrade max min max min max min Bangkok 35 28 Hong Kong 29 24 Moscow 10 0 Beijing 20 15 Islamabad 38 23 New York 14 5 Colombo 30 29 Karachi 36 28 Paris 15 6 Chicago 16 4 London 16 5 Singapore 34 26 Dubai 34 24 Los Angeles 24 14 Tokyo 20 8 Blair fights to put scandals behind him — p16 ...

short stories... Iran playing games: Rice Washington: US Secre- tary of State Condoleezza ‘They are killers’ Rice on Sunday accused Iran of “playing games” in the dispute over its nu- Manama, Bahrain. “Suryanarayana clear program and called Who are Taliban? Suryanarayana’s was in Bahrain for training and then on Tehran to come clean he also worked in for us. He Afghanistan was invaded by employers have and halt uranium enrich- was a simple and kindhearted person. the Russians in 1979. Ten ment. Speaking on ABC He was part of our family.It is a freak years later Afghan fighters announced a Rs 20 lakh television, Rice dismissed Iranian offers to tragedy that he was taken by the Tal- allow spot inspections of its nuclear facili- sent them packing with the compensation help of US and the iban as he was very familiar with the ties and to reopen discussions on a Russian local situation and security hazards,” proposal to conduct sensitive fuel cycle Mujahedeen. But the country soon fell into disarray. It was KSR Menon. Dubai Ahmed said. work for Tehran. —AFP then the Taliban came to the As a mark of respect, the Head he was a US spy and pleading Pak releases A Q Khan’s aide fore. It emerged as a move- The Bahrain-based IT and Telecom Office in Bahrain and all inter- for his release saying neither the ment in the seminaries of provider Al Moayed Group on Sunday national offices will remain company nor Suryanarayana had Islamabad: has released an official Pakistan. said they did not believe the Taliban closed on Tuesday. The Indian any political affiliation. But that was who had been detained two years ago on version that Suryanarayana, their office will be closed for 3 days, of no avail. “Our company is a politi- What emerged as a student charges of helping disgraced former top sci- project manager in Afghanistan was and all offices will observe a cally neutral technology company movement in 1994 from the entist A Q Khan in transferring nuclear killed as he tried to escape captivity. mourning period of one week. and we do not have any affiliation technology to foreign countries. Mohammed madrassas with active sup- port of Pakistan and ISI, “They are killers. We do not believe “In fact he was not supposed to with any other agency… We can also Farooq’s son Asim confirmed that his father Taliban became a strong what they say,” Wagih Ahmed a have moved about without proper se- vouch for the politically neutral stand had been released and was in good health, force within a few months. spokesman for the company said. curity. I think he was so confident as of our employee, Suryanarayana Ka- but did not provide details. —PTI He also announced an immediate he knew every nook and corner that sula, who far from being a US spy,has Under the leadership of DNA Graphic: Egypt extends emergency laws Mullah Omar it overthrew compensation of Rs 20 lakh. The com- he let his guard down and ignored the Nitin Tuse no affiliation to any political party,or Burhannudin Rabbani’s gov- pany has also promised to take care of security drill. Or perhaps it was just leanings towards any other govern- Cairo: Egypt’s parliament on Sunday ap- ernment and captured Kabul. the complete education of Surya- bad time.” “We hired him from “Negotiations were going on be- ment or political party.” proved a two year extension to emergency By the end of 1996 Taliban narayana’s three children. Afghanistan where he has been work- tween Indian diplomats and the Tal- Suryanarayana an engineer from laws that have been in place since 1981, de- were controlling 27 provinces “We hope that the government of ing for the last three years with a lo- iban representatives. In fact it was for Hyderabad and father of three, was spite a growing chorus of criticism from op- out of 36 in Afghanistan, 85 Afghanistan will also compensate his cal company. There are hundreds of the Indian government to work this abducted on Friday evening when he position groups. The People’s Assembly vot- per cent of the country. family and of course as the company Indians working there and generally out, but we were caught up in the was travelling from Kalat, the capital ed 287 to 91 to extend the laws, which were For the next five years Taliban which employed we will also give all they do not move around without whole thing.” The Almoayed group of southern Zabul province, to due to expire at the end of May.The meas- controlled Afghanistan under support,” Ahmed told DNA from tight security,”he said. had also sent out an appeal denying Ghazni. ures, instituted after the assassination of strict Islamic laws even Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, give secu- demolishing the 1500 years rity forces broad powers to arrest and de- old Bamiyan Buddha statues. The death tain suspects. —AP But soon after the 9/11 of the Indian Australia short of medical experts attacks, Taliban who refused engineer“ who Gloom descends over Kabul to extradite Al Qaeda chief was working for Sydney: In spite of influx of general practi- Osama bin Laden, were tioners from countries like Britain, attacked by the US-led troops the construction Offices have boosted iban announced the deadline for with the Border Roads Organisa- and Pakistan, shortage of medical profes- and by the end of the year and reconstruc- Suryanarayana’s killing. tion. “We were trying to get over sionals in Australia is not showing any signs 2001, Taliban rule was over. security, barred “I tried to convince my family Kutty’s death, and now we have to of improving in the near future, sources tion of Afghanistan without a that Kabul is safe, and that the ab- deal with this,” said Umesh. said. According to a research by Monash Even though the Taliban is doubt is the work of enemies employees from going duction took place in the Meanwhile, security has been in- now limited in numbers, it University academics five new medical of Afghanistan.” provinces,” said Kulkarni, a hotel tensified across offices in Kabul. schools since year 2000 have failed to address has returned to the south and out unescorted worker in Kabul. Most organisations have asked em- east of Afghanistan. It is —Hamid Karzai, President of Afghanistan the crisis which has even resulted in emer- “None of us slept properly. Our ployees to remain in their guest- beleived that Taliban are now gency departments of few government hospi- Taran Khan. Kabul thoughts were with the abducted houses. active in 15 per cent of the tals shutting down. —UNI Let me express condo- man and his family,” said Umesh, “We are not being allowed to go country. lences on behalf of the Indians in Afghanistan spent a his colleague. out of the compound except in offi- Paul Spiegel dies aged 68 They have been waging a Pakistan government to India sleepless night on Saturday.Most of But Sunday morning brought cial transport,” says Shahnawaz, a guerrilla war, both against “ them were on the phone throughout news of Suryanarayana’s death. For travel agent. Berlin: Paul Spiegel, who fled the Nazis as a child during World War II and returned to Karzai-led Afghan govern- on the killing of an innocent the evening reassuring family and most, it meant reliving last Novem- His friends say it is the end of to eventually become the influen- ment and US-led forces and civilian in Afghanistan.” friends back home, after the Tal- ber’s killing of MR Kutty, a driver leisurely walks to work. other foreigners as well. tial head of its main Jewish organisation, —Tanseem Aslam, Pak spokesperson has died. He was 68. Spiegel died overnight of cancer in a hospital in Duesseldorf where he had been seriously ill for weeks, Nathan Kalmanowicz, a senior official in Bhutto wanted F16s Germany’s Central Council of Jews, said Sunday.Spiegel had suffered a heart attack in February.Chancellor Angela Merkel Koirala calls Maoists for talks ready to attack India mourned a passionate supporter of Jewish life in Germany,where it was all but wiped Paras mars Agencies. Islamabad out under the Nazis, and an “exemplary was sworn in as democrat.” —AP wedding party Former Pakistan Premier Benazir Bhutto had ordered in 1990 that F-16 fighter jets be kept ’s new Prime Dozens of guests headed Pak travel ban on 11 leaders ready to launch attacks on Indian nuclear facil- for a wedding bash here Minister on Sunday ities amid reports of a similar strike being Islamabad: Pakistan has banned 11 senior Saturday landed up at a nationalist leaders and members of their police station instead after planned by US, India and Israel on it, a former Lalita Panicker. families from visiting foreign countries, re- a brush with Nepal’s contro- Army Chief has claimed. ports said on Sunday.The names of the versial Crown Prince Paras. She had also dispatched her Foreign Minis- eleven, including Two top Baloch national- Girija Prasad Koirala, who was About 60 people, including ter Yaqoob Khan to New Delhi with a message ist leaders Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti and sworn in as Nepal’s prime minis- relatives of the groom, had that Islamabad would launch a counter-atttack Sardar Attaaullah Mengal, have been put in ter Sunday, renewed his call to a fright Saturday evening on Indian nuclear facilities if New Delhi target- the Exit Control List. The Ministry of Inte- the Maoists to begin peace talks when the bus they were ed Pakistani nuclear establishments, Former rior has issued an order to all airports but did not make a concrete offer travelling in was reportedly Pakistan Army Chief retired Gen. Mirza Aslam about the ban. Copies of the order have to the Maoists. hit by the crown prince’s Baig, was quoted as saying by the Dawn news- been sent to the Prime Minister Secretariat, He was sworn in by King Gya- car but the victims were paper. Military Intelligence, Federal Investigation nendra at the Narayanhiti royal detained at the police sta- Pakistan government received intelligence Agency,intelligence agencies and National palace at 10.15 in the morning. tion for questioning while reports that the three countries had hatched a Accountability Bureau, the sources said. This is the fifth time he has be- the offending vehicle sped conspiracy to attack Pakistan nuclear facilities Supporters of Bugti and Mengal are blamed come prime minister of the Hi- away without stopping to in 1990, the paper quoted him as saying at a for attacks on security forces and govern- malayan kingdom. The swearing- see the damage done. The meeting in Hyderabad city on Saturday. ment installations in the mineral-rich but in was due to take place on Satur- guests told the Kathmandu Baig, who recently floated a new political the Baluchistan province.—PTI day but had to be put off owing to Post that the car was driven party Awami Qayadat Party said when intelli- by Paras himself. the octogenarian Koirala’s ill- ■ gence reports were passed on to the govern- health. King Gyanendra of Nepal administers an oath of office to Prime ment, Bhutto, convened an emergency meeting Koirala will swear in his cabi- Minister Girija Prasad Koirla at a ceremony in Naryanhiti Royal Palace which was attended by the then President Ghu- net ministers at the seat of gov- in Kathmandu.—AFP lam Ishaq Khan, Yaqoob, himself besides the ernment, Singha Durbar, as and now disgraced nuclear scientist A Q Khan. when he and other alliance lead- about the change he was effecting quired after Koirala’s health. He hour debate on the proposal, days He claimed Bhutto took a “very bold step” of ers decide on the names. In a de- in this regard as per the decision told Koirala, “Prime minister, after unpopular King Gyanendra sending Yaqoob to India with a message that if parture from tradition, Koirala of the seven party alliance. one must give up smoking.” returned power to political par- India launched strikes on Pakistan’s nuclear fa- did not take oath of Raj Parishad Crown Prince Paras and the King Gyanendra is also said to ties, but it did not set a date for cilities, its own nuclear facilities would be at- Standing Committee (RPSC) from chief justice were present on the have sought information from Dr the vote. An election schedule is tacked. its chairman Parasu Narayan occasion when Koirala took of- Madhu Ghimire who had accom- expected to be drawn up only af- Chaudhari. fice. Koirala and the monarch sat panied Koirala to the palace. ter PM Girija Prasad Koirala’s If he swears in his ministers at together and talked for a while Meanwhile, Nepal’s parlia- government has held talks with his office in Singha Durbar in a before the swearing in ceremony. ment on Sunday unanimously ap- Maoist insurgents and won their day or two, the act will put an end The King was uncharacteristi- proved a proposal by the new backing for the plan. to a system whereby the King is cally solicitous towards the new Prime Minister to hold elections Political parties are under pop- present when the prime minister prime minister before the cere- for a special assembly to draw up ular pressure to abolish the ■ King Carl Gustaf of Sweden waves to well- administers the the oath office to mony. He walked up to Koirala, a new constitution that will de- monarchy and turn Nepal into a wishers from the stairs of the Royal Palace in his ministers. took him by the hand, and ush- cide the future of the monarchy. republic. This is also a key de- Stockholm. King Carl Gustaf celebrated his 60th Sources said Koirala had al- ered him to a divan. The two chat- The 205-member chamber took mand of Maoist rebels to end in- birthday on Sunday —AP ready told palace functionaries ted for a while and the King en- the decision at the end of a four- surgency. US court frustrates Hindutva efforts to gloss over Indian history Indian advocacy (HAF) for a preliminary injunc- cerned over claims that an equi- tion against the publication of Hindu groups want table portrayals should prevail groups battle each the new books. over historical accuracy,” The textbooks, which are still to deny the reality of Lawrence Cohen of the Univer- other to determine a work in progress but are ex- caste“ discrimination by sity of California-Berkeley was how is pected to be on student desks by deleting the very word quoted as saying. “That is a slip- autumn, have devoted 60 pages Dalit from history books. pery slope.” to ancient Indian history, the “History is not meant to make presented in same as to ancient China and You can’t distort facts and you feel better,” said Mandavilli, California’s textbooks Egypt. The bone of contention is whitewash history.” adding that the inferior status of the rendition in the books of is- —Anu Mandavilli women and Dalits should not be sues such as the caste system, glossed over because it is un- Uttara Choudhury. New York the plight of the Dalits and dis- comfortable. “Hindu groups crimination against women. week, it reaffirmed its commit- want to deny the reality of caste California reviews its textbooks HAF and other right-wing Hin- ment to continue legal action to discrimination by deleting the every six years and public opin- du groups maintain that these overturn the decision. very word Dalit from history ion is invited for the purpose. topics do not belong in a sixth- “Hindus are merely seeking books. You can’t distort facts and But the Golden State got more grade introduction to world parity with other religions in whitewash history.” than it bargained for in the latest civilisations. sixth-grade textbooks, where so- The textbook furore is far edition of this exercise after In- The court’s decision, deliv- cial problems of other religions from, what with HAF and its al- dian Americans demanded con- ered in Sacramento on April 21, nia State Board of Education six other Indian groups. speak for everyone. People are are not given the same promi- lies still on the warpath. But for troversial changes to the history has been hailed by several South can proceed with the approval “The Hindu Education Foun- tired of the Rashtriya Swayam- nence, even as the redeeming now at least the state education and social studies textbooks Asian-American groups, as well process for publication of the dation and the Vedic Founda- sevak Sangh and its hateful features of Hinduism are ig- board has retained descriptions used in the sixth grade. In the as professors from Stanford, the new history textbooks, whether tion, with the support of HAF, agenda.” nored,” Ishani Chowdhury,exec- of, among other touchy subjects, latest twist to the year-long saga, University of California and oth- or not HAF withdraws its law- had submitted a series of egre- HAF has argued before the ed- utive director of HAF, said in a India’s caste system, the role of the Superior Court of California er college campuses, who have suit,” said Anu Mandavilli of gious edits [to the textbooks],” ucation board that Indian-Amer- statement. women in the country’s society, rejected demands by a right- challenged efforts by HAF to in- Friends of South Asia, which is Mandavilli added. “They ican children are embarrassed But that argument does not the Aryan migration history and wing organisation called the fluence textbooks in the state. spearheading the secular Cali- claimed to speak for the Hindu by a warts-and-all depiction of wash with many academicians. polytheism in ancient Hindu American Foundation “This means that the Califor- fornia textbook campaign with community, but they do not Hinduism in ancient India. This “We have been greatly con- Hinduism.