FrontPage

Nation

World

Media

Culture

Technology

Commentary

World Stage

June 2, 2001

Royal Family Killings in Nepal Called 'Accident'
June 3, 2001 -- Nepal's newly appointed caretaker king says the massacre of the king, queen, and six other royal family members Friday was an accident. In a statement today, Nepal's regent Prince Gyanendra made no reference to widespread reports that the heir to the throne, Crown Prince Dipendra, carried out the killings in a rampage at the royal palace. Instead, the statement said the royal family killings were the result of, what it called, the accidental firing from an automatic weapon. Earlier, Nepalese officials said Crown Prince Dipendra had gunned down the royal family at the palace in Kathmandu after a bitter dispute over the prince's choice of a bride. The officials said the prince then shot himself. The crown prince is reported to be clinically dead, but remains on a respirator. Even so, he has been named the new king, with Prince Gyanendra as regent.

Bomb Blast By Suspected Muslim Terrorists in Bangladesh Church Kills Nine
June 3, 2001 -- Officials in Bangladesh say a powerful bomb blast at a church has killed at least nine people and wounded more than 12 others. The explosion went off Sunday during a service at a Roman Catholic church in the southwestern town of Baniarchar. Christians are a small minority in Bangladesh. There has been no claim of responsibility for the bombing. Authorities have launched an investigation, and have not placed blame for the deadly incident. Islamic extremists have been accused of other bombings in recent months.

Rumsfeld Heading To Europe
June 3, 2001 -- Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld heads to Europe today for talks on military cooperation and US plans to build a national missile defense system. Rumsfeld's week-long trip will include a meeting of NATO defense ministers Thursday and Friday in Belgium. Pentagon officials say Rumsfeld is prepared to defend President Bush's plan to create a limited missile defense system. Several NATO allies and Russia oppose the plan, saying it would start a new arms race in space. Before the NATO meeting, Rumsfeld will make stops in Turkey and Ukraine for meetings with officials on military cooperation and other issues.

Iraq To Halt Oil Exports
June 2, 2001 -- Iraq says it will halt oil exports starting Monday because of actions taken by the United Nations Security Council. Baghdad's announcement comes a day after the Security Council voted unanimously, over Iraq's objections, to extend the oil-for-food program by one month, instead of the customary six months. The short extension is aimed at giving more time for the 15 member body to work out disagreements over a British proposal to modify the international sanctions against Iraq, instituted after it invaded Kuwait 11 years ago. Council members are to consider ways to increase the flow of civilian goods to Iraq and to tighten controls on weapons and other military items.

Turkey Says Iraq Oil Exports Already Stopped
June 2, 2001 -- Turkish energy officials say Iraq already has stopped pumping crude oil through a pipeline running to the Turkish Mediterranean coast. It was not clear why pumping stopped Saturday, two days before Baghdad said it would halt exports to protest a United Nations Security Council decision to extend Iraq's oil-for-food program by one month, instead of the customary six months. Turkish state media quote energy officials as saying insufficient production and a drop in stocks were the reasons Iraq suspended operations. Saudi oil officials say OPEC will ensure the Iraqi decision to halt exports would have no immediate effect on world oil supplies.

Nepal's Crown Prince Named King After Palace Rampage
June 2, 2001 -- State radio in Nepal has announced that Crown Prince Dipendra has been named King, even though he killed most of the royal family, including the king and queen, in a rampage late Friday. The 29-year-old prince shot himself after the massacre and is said to be on life support. Earlier, a palace spokesman said he had died. Nepal's state radio officially confirmed that King Birendra and Queen Aishwarya were dead and announced that the slain king's brother, Prince Gyanendra, has been appointed regent. The new regent had been away from the royal palace when the crown prince opened fire with a semiautomatic weapon after a family dinner reportedly because of a dispute over his choice of a bride. Among those killed were the king and queen's daughter and youngest son. The king's two sisters were also among the dead. The King gave up absolute power after an uprising in 1990, and became an constitutional monarch, retaining immense influence over affairs of state. He ascended to Nepal's throne in 1972.

Philippines President Says Terrorist Leader Killed in Shootout
June 2, 2001 -- Philippines President Gloria Arroyo says the leader of the Abu Sayyaf Muslim terrorist group has been shot and killed by government troops in the southern Philippines. She says Khadaffy Janjalani died during heavy fighting Saturday on Basilan island as security forces continued their attempt to rescue hostages kidnapped by the Muslim separatist group. Another senior Abu Sayyaf official also has been killed during the skirmish. At least seven soldiers have died so far in two days of clashes with the rebels. The Muslim terrorists kidnapped a group of 17 Philippine nationals and three Americans captured six days ago from a resort on Palawan island. The rebels also say they seized at least 200 people inside the hospital, but the government says the number is far lower. The rebels have threatened to kill the hostages unless the government breaks off its attack. But President Arroyo says the military will not stop until all the hostages are released.

Russia Re-Launches Military Space Force
June 2, 2001 -- Russia has re-launched its military space force. The force, which is in charge of space launchpads and military satellites, became fully operational Friday. The force was originally established in 1982, but was incorporated into Russia's Strategic Rocket Forces in 1997. It regained independence under a military reform plan drafted earlier this year by Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov.

Security Council Will Examine Iraq Sanctions
June 1, 2001 -- The UN Security Council has committed itself to making changes in the international sanctions in effect against Iraq. Ignoring Iraqi objections, the 15 member council unanimously approved a one month extension of the "oil for food" program in Iraq instead of the customary six months. During the one month period, council members will consider ways of opening up the import of civilian goods to Iraq and, at the same time, tightening controls on weapons and military-related items. The council will also consider ways to curtail black market sales of Iraqi oil. The 30 day extension is intended to give council members time to work out differences over the British-drafted proposals to modify the sanctions system.

Moscow Hails Missile Destruction
June 1, 2001 -- Russian officials are hailing the completion of the full implementation of a 1987 treaty with the United States to eliminate short and medium-range nuclear missiles. The Russian Foreign Ministry says the final inspections to ensure the treaty's implementation were carried out last month. The ministry says Russia destroyed 1,846 missiles under the treaty, while the United States destroyed 846 missiles. The missiles had ranges of 500-5,000 kilometers. Both sides destroyed several hundred launching pads as well.

Leaders of Former Soviet Republics Discuss Economic Union
June 1, 2001 -- Leaders from Russia and 10 other former Soviet states are in Belarus for a summit aimed at boosting cooperation and ending conflicts within the region. The heads of state are expected to discuss establishing diplomatic efforts to resolve several conflicts in the former Soviet Union, including the situations in Chechnya, Georgia's Abkhazia and Moldova's separatist Trans-Dniestr areas. They also hope to establish a plan for military cooperation over the next few years. The heads of state will also discuss Thursday's formation of the Eurasian Economic Community, made up of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Officials say the new economic community will boost cooperation and economic growth in the region.

Two Philippine Soldiers Killed in Battle with Muslim Terrorists
June 1, 2001 -- Two soldiers were killed and 14 others were wounded in a clash with Muslim terrorists holding at least 20 hostages in the southern Philippines. Military officials said they believed the Abu Sayyaf rebel group also suffered several casualties in the gun battle on Basilin island Friday morning. A spokesman for the terrorists called a radio station Friday and threatened to kill the hostages if the assault continued. The 17 Philippine citizens and three Americans were abducted Sunday from a beach resort in the southern islands.

US Seeks Better Defense Ties With India
June 1, 2001 -- Senior defense officials say they are seeking to expand military cooperation with India. In Washington Thursday, the officials said developing relations with New Delhi is merited by shared economic and security interests, as well as India's importance as the world's largest democracy. As a part of US efforts, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Henry Shelton, is expected to visit India soon. The trip will be the highest-level US military visit to New Delhi since 1998, when India and Pakistan both conducted nuclear tests. The visit is intended to follow up talks Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld held with his Indian counterpart Jaswant Singh in April in Washington. The officials insist that improving relations with India is not a strategic move by the United States against New Delhi's arch-rival Pakistan, China or any other country.

Russia Cancels $5 Billion Ethiopia Debt
May 31, 2001 -- Ethiopia says Russia has cancelled nearly five billion dollars of its debt accumulated during the rule of former military dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam. The $4.8 billion write-off is 80 percent of the amount Ethiopia owes to Russia, most of it run up for arms purchases from what was then the Soviet Union. Mengistu, who was ousted 10 years ago, borrowed huge amounts of money to arm his troops to battle rebellions within the country.

Iran Test-Fires Locally Built Missile
May 31, 2001 -- Iran says it has successfully test-fired a new type of a locally built surface-to-surface missile, as part of a weapons program that has raised concern from the United States and Israel. Iranian television showed pictures of the missile being launched and film of the impact crater. Iranian officials say the Fateh (Victorious)-10 missile was built entirely by the nation's arms industry and uses solid fuel. No range was given for the missile. In the past, Iran has built and test-fired several missiles, some of which have a 1,300-hundred kilometer range that would enable Tehran to threaten Israel and US forces in the Persian Gulf region.

India Producing Nuclear-Capable Ballistic Missiles
May 31, 2001 -- India has begun limited production of a nuclear-capable, intermediate range ballistic missile known as the Agni-II. Indian news agencies quote Defense Minister Jaswant Singh as saying the surface-to-surface missile with a range of 2,000 kilometers will be introduced into the Indian arsenal over the next 12 months. The Agni-II missile can strike targets in rival Pakistan, which has fought three wars with India since 1947. Pakistan also has tested a long-range, nuclear capable missile named Ghauri. India and Pakistan conducted undergound nuclear tests in 1998. The testing provoked economic sanctions by the United States and other Western nations. The sanctions are being lifted gradually with both countries pledging a moratorium on further testing.

Giant Dinosaur Fossil Found
May 31, 2001 -- Researchers have found the fossilized remains from a long-necked dinosaur that weighed more than 60 tons and lived in what is now the Sahara Desert in Egypt. A team led by Joshua Smith of the University of Pennsylvania says the remains were found in mangrove deposits near the Bahariya Oasis. The area has been the scene of other notable dinosaur finds. Smith and his fellow researchers have identified the dinosaur as a "sauropod," a type of plant-eater and named it Paralititan stromeri. Paralititan means "tidal giant." Smith says the animal was 24 meters to 30 meters long, from its nose to the tip of its tail. He says that size puts Paralititan second only to Argentinosaurus, a sauropod discovered in South America.

Germany Approves Compensation for Nazi Labor Camp Victims
May 31, 2001 -- The German government has removed the final obstacle to payments compensating men and women forced to work in Nazi labor camps during World War II. Germany's lower house of parliament, the Bundestag, voted Wednesday to unblock a $4.5 billion fund for the payouts. Lawmakers approved the measure after confirming that German companies were sufficiently protected from lawsuits on behalf of the former slave and forced laborers. Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder expressed satisfaction at the vote, calling it proof that Germany is aware of its horrible crimes and will remain so. The White House also applauded the decision, congratulating the German government and German business for what it called their "responsible action" in setting up the fund.

Muslim Terrorists Escape in India
May 31, 2001 -- Police in Indian Kashmir say Muslim terrorists holed up in a mosque fled under cover of darkness late Wednesday, after security forces lifted a siege of the building. Troops had surrounded the mosque near Shopian town, about 50 kilometers south of Srinagar, after terrorists attacked a security force patrol, killing one soldier. A police official said local military commanders decided to lift the siege to respect the sanctity of the mosque.

Britain Torn Between US And Europe in Echelon Case
May 30, 2001 -- Britain may have to abandon its special relationship with the United States if it wants to take part in the development of a European intelligence-gathering arm, according to a report on the Echelon electronic eavesdropping network. The European Parliament’s draft report, published yesterday, said that the forging of a common security policy for the European Union has made it "necessary and inevitable" that the intelligence services of the 15 member states increase their co-operation. The report adds that "intelligence gathering may be the issue which forces the United Kingdom to decide whether its destiny is European or transatlantic." Echelon is an automated global interception and relay system shared by the intelligence agencies in the US, Britain, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia. The European Parliament report contained no evidence that Echelon is used in industrial espionage.

US Judge Rules Iraq Must Compensate Jailed Americans
May 30, 2001 -- A federal judge has ruled that Iraq must pay more than $18 million in damages to four Americans who were jailed by Iraqi authorities in the early to mid-1990s. U.S. District Judge Louis Oberdorfer issued the ruling in Washington. His ruling was made possible by a law passed in 1996 that allows Americans who are the victims of terrorism to file lawsuits against foreign countries. The four Americans were accused of illegally crossing the border between Iraq and Kuwait in separate incidents between 1993 and 1995. Lawyers for the four say they hope to collect the damages from more than $1 billion of Iraqi assets that are frozen in the United States.

Algerian Terrorist Confesses Plan to Bomb L.A. Airport
May 30, 2001 -- An Algerian terrorist awaiting sentencing in the United States for his role in a bombing plot is reported to have confessed that he intended to bomb Los Angeles International Airport. The Los Angeles Times, quoting sources familiar with the case, reports Ahmed Ressam has admitted his terrorism plans in recent weeks. He was convicted in Los Angeles in April on nine counts of conspiring to commit an act of international terrorism and related charges. He is facing up to 140 years in prison, but sources told the newspaper that Ressem is expected to recieve a lighter sentence in exchange for his continuing cooperation with an ongoing investigation. Ressam, who lived in Montreal, was captured in December 1999 as he drove his car off a ferry travelling from Canada to Port Angeles, Washington. Authorities found nearly 59 kilograms of explosives in the trunk of his car along with four timing devices.

China Arrests 35 Christians
May 30, 2001 -- A Hong Kong-based human rights group says Chinese police have arrested 35 Christians in Inner Mongolia on charges of violating China's religious laws. The Information Center for Human Rights and Democracy says 20 of the Christians detained Saturday in Dongsheng city were released after they paid a $24 fine. But the group says the others, including church leaders, will be sent to labor camps. China allows some forms of Christianity by confines worship to state-controlled churches.

China Practices Taiwan Invasion
May 30, 2001 -- China has massed amphibious vehicles and landing craft on an island near Taiwan as part of large-scale military exercises that are now under way, according to a report in the Washington Times. At least 157 amphibious craft and vehicles were spotted recently on Dongshan island by US intelligence-gathering aircraft, Pentagon officials said yesterday. The island is located across the Taiwan Strait from southern Taiwan. The exercise is raising concerns among some in the Pentagon that China is practicing for a future invasion of Taiwan or an attack on one of Taiwan´s smaller islands near the Chinese coast. "We have not seen these kinds of forces there for some time," said one intelligence official, who noted that the numbers were three times higher than during past exercises. The amphibious exercise is expected to be one of the largest shore-based war games held by the Chinese military in recent years.

Bush to Ask Congress to Renew Trade Privileges For China
May 29, 2001 -- President Bush says he will ask Congress this week to renew normal trade relations status for China. Speaking in Los Angeles Tuesday, Bush said open trade is a force for freedom in China, a force for stability in Asia and a force for prosperity in the United States. Bush said he will notify Congress on Friday that he wants to extend China's normal trade status with the United States for another year. Last year, Congress passed legislation that would permanently grant China such status once Beijing is admitted to the World Trade Organization. But negotiations in Geneva on Chinese membership still have not been completed. For that reason, the president must ask Congress to renew China's trade privileges for another year. Getting Congress to do so may prove a challenge because of concerns about Beijing's human rights record and its handling of the recent US reconnaissance plane incident. Normal trade status for Beijing would allow Chinese products to enter the US market at the same low tariffs as those on the products of virtually all other US trading partners.

Putin Warns Mideast Crisis Almost Out of Control
May 29, 2001 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned the situation in the Middle East is almost out of control. His comments came during talks in the Kremlin with visiting Palestinian terrorist leader Yasser Arafat. Putin sympathized with those suffering on both sides of the conflict, but warned the eight-month crisis is almost out of control. Before Putin met with Arafat, the Russian leader spoke by phone with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. The two spoke for about 20 minutes and discussed the latest international efforts to bring an end to the violence.

NATO Skeptical of US Missile Defense Initiative
May 29, 2001 -- America's NATO allies have stopped short of endorsing US plans for a national missile defense system to protect against attack from so-called rogue states. NATO foreign ministers meeting in Budapest Tuesday refused to endorse the US proposal, even though Secretary of State Colin Powell tried to persuade them that all NATO countries face a common threat. The ministers issued a statement, saying more discussion is necessary. The statement said NATO would welcome consultations initiated by President Bush on the issue, as well as assurances that Washington will not develop the system without consulting Europe first.

US Embassy Bombing Defendants Found Guilty
May 29, 2001 -- A federal jury in New York has convicted four defendants on all charges in the 1998 bombings of two US embassies in Africa that killed 224 people and injured thousands. All the defendants were found guilty of conspiracy Tuesday and two were convicted of murder. They could be sentenced to death during the penalty phase of the trial, which begins Wednesday. They are Mohamed Rashed Daoud al-'Owhali of Saudi Arabia and Khalfan Khamis Mohamed of Tanzania. The other two men face life in prison for conspiracy. They are Wadih El-Hage, a Lebanese-born naturalized American, and Jordanian Mohamed Sadeek Odeh. The prosecution argued that the four men were followers of terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden. He and at least 12 others charged in the indictment remain at large.

Putin Signs 'Open Skies' Accord
May 29, 2001 -- Russia’s President Vladimir Putin on Monday completed Russia's ratification of the 1992 Open Skies Treaty, allowing other countries to conduct surveillance flights over Russian territory, the Kremlin press service said. Under the pact, each country is allotted a quota of flights it can make over other countries' territories using specified aircraft with sensors to monitor military activity. Russia's and Belarus' failure to ratify the treaty has kept the pact from going into effect up to now. Belarus had said it would await Moscow's ratification before taking action.

Sharon warns Assad against attack
May 29, 2001 -- Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has warned Syrian President Bashar Assad that Israel will mount a "devastating response" against Syrian targets if Hizbullah attacks Israel, according to the London-based Sunday Telegraph. The message is said to have been relayed to Assad via US and Russian diplomatic channels ahead of this weekend's anniversary of Israel's withdrawal from south Lebanon. In his message, Sharon reportedly warned that if Hizbullah mounted such an operation, Israel would respond with "very harsh military action" against Syrian and Hizbullah targets. The paper quoted security officials in Jerusalem as saying that Hizbullah had received the green light to resume its military operations and that Israeli intelligence believed that a large operation was imminent.

Arroyo Vows To Wipe Out Muslim Rebels
May 29, 2001 -- Philippine President Gloria Arroyo has vowed to wipe out the Muslim rebel group responsible for abducting 20 people, including three Americans, from a tourist resort on Sunday. Arroyo said on national television that she is prepared to take any action necessary to end the Abu Sayyaf movement and to secure a safe, unconditional return of the hostages. The president spoke after an emergency cabinet meeting and said the rebels must surrender or be wiped out. The government is offering a $2 million reward for information leading to the capture of the rebels involved in the kidnappings, and has ruled out paying any ransom.

Powell: US Still Committed to Balkan Peace Missions
May 29, 2001 -- Secretary of State Colin Powell says he will reassure his fellow NATO foreign ministers that the United States remains committed to peacekeeping missions in the Balkans. However, Powell told reporters that there could be a decision by NATO Tuesday to reduce the size of its peacekeeping force in Bosnia. Powell is one of 19 NATO foreign ministers assembling in Budapest for a two day meeting - the first NATO ministerial meeting to be held in a former Warsaw Pact country. High on the agenda are the United States' controversial national missile defense plan, relations with the European Union and the planned EU rapid defense force.

US Seeking Russian Cooperation To End ABM Treaty
May 28, 2001 -- The Bush administration is reported to be preparing a broad offer of arms purchases, joint anti-missile exercises and military aid to Russia, in a bid to win Moscow's cooperation in scraping the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty. The New York Times quotes US officials as saying some proposals have already been outlined to Russian officials, and the full plan is to be presented in conjunction with the first meeting between President Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin next month in Slovenia. Moscow has been strongly opposed to Bush's proposal to deploy a national missile defense shield, saying the move would violate the 1972 ABM treaty. Bush says the treaty is outdated. Earlier this month, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov ended a visit to Washington, saying he was not convinced that the United States faces enough of a threat to justify a missile defense shield. He also said Russia still sees the ABM treaty as an effective tool in promoting strategic stability.

Communists Lead Cyprus Election
May 27, 2001 -- The opposition Communists are ahead with about half the votes counted from Sunday's parliamentary elections in Cyprus. The results show the Communist Akel party with about 35 percent of the vote, two percent more than President Glafcos Clerides' Democratic Rally. Greek Cypriots were voting for deputies to the 56-member House of Representatives, which is elected every five years. The new parliament is expected to prepare Cyprus for joining the European Union. Both Akel and the Democratic Rally party support EU membership for Cyprus.

Iran to Stage War Games Near Iraqi Border
May 26, 2001 -- Iranian ground troops backed by fighter planes will open war games on Iran's border with Iraq later Saturday. The official Iranian News Agency, IRNA, says the maneuvers are aimed at reinforcing the deterrent power of the Iranian army, stepping up security along the borders and displaying the capability of the army and its rapid reaction force. The news agency noted the maneuvers are taking place in three provinces, Kermanshah, Ilam and Khuzestan, bordering Iraq, which fought an eight-year war with Iran in the 1980s. The Iranian news agency also recalled an announcement by the Iranian Defense Ministry earlier this month that Iran for the first time has begun producing ammunition for its Russian-made T-72 battle tanks.

Zimbabwe Condemns Powell's Mugabe Remarks
May 26, 2001 -- A Zimbabwe government spokesman Saturday condemned Secretary of State Colin Powell for his criticism of Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe. Zimbabwe’s state-run Herald newspaper quotes presidential spokesman George Charamba as calling Powell’s comments highly regrettable. In a speech in Johannesburg Friday, Secretary Powell accused Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe of clinging to power after more than 20 years of rule. Powell also called for free and fair elections in the troubled nation. The Zimbabwean spokesman said Mugabe is a victim, and a solution to colonial injustice. He said he would have expected Powell, who is African-American, to show better understanding.

Russia Seeks to Store World's Nuclear Waste
May 27, 2001 -- A published report says Russia is taking steps to become the largest international repository for radioactive nuclear waste. Saturday's New York Times says the idea has strong backing from President Vladimir Putin. It says next month parliament is expected to approve importing 20,000 tons of spent nuclear fuel from 15 countries for storage in Siberia. The Times says Russia believes it could earn as much as $21 billion from the project, using the profits to clean up its environment and promote development of new nuclear reactors. Russia's plan calls for charging up to $1,600 per kilogram of spent fuel. Russia also wants to reserve the option to resell the material. The paper, however, says the move raises the issue of nuclear safety, since plutonium and uranium are separated when nuclear fuel is reprocessed. There are concerns the materials could be stolen and used in illegal nuclear weapons programs. The United States opposes the Russian plan because of concerns over proliferation and Moscow's nuclear cooperation with Iran.

Muslim Terrorists Kidnap 20 at Philippine Resort
May 27, 2001 -- Unidentified gunmen have abducted 20 people, including two Americans and a Spaniard, from a Philippine beach resort. Military officials said about 20 masked men stormed the Dos Palmas resort, about 600 kilometers southwest of Manila, at dawn Sunday . The gunmen escaped in two boats. Police say the abductors spoke in Tausog, a dialect used by Muslims on Jolo island where the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group operates. In addition to the foreign victims, 13 ethnic-Chinese Philippine citizens and four resort employees were taken. The incident came days after Abu Sayyaf Muslim terrorists hijacked a ferry in the southern Philippines, robbed the passengers and took four sailors hostage.

Search the Web.

Red Dragon Rising
China's Military Threat to America
Edward Timperlake & William Triplet
As it flexes its diplomatic and military muscles, China is becoming an increasingly powerful player on the world stage.