Washington knew of Pak plan but failed to stop it
The United States was aware of the impending test by Pakistan of its Ghauri missile and tried to buy it off by promising to speed up delivery of the sequestered F-16s. But demonstrating an unusually independent streak, Islamabad went ahead and tested the missile, risking not just the delivery of the planes, but also possible sanctions by the White House and legislative wrath from proliferation hawks in the Congress.
Irish peace scales its first hurdle
The executive committee of northern Ireland's biggest party yesterday voted to back the historic peace deal aimed at ending 30 years of violence, a victory for Ulster unionist leader David Trimble. Facing rebels in his ranks, Trimble appealed to his pro-British protestant followers during an acrimonious five-hour meeting to accept the compromise peace accord.
No rainbow yet on SA's social horizon: it's only Black or White
It's a typical scene at a Johannesburg post office. About a dozen clients wait in front of three counters to be served by Black staff. After a long wait a White middle-aged woman hisses: See what happens when Blacks are favoured for jobs.
DVB skips norms, lets fly ash problem hang in mid-air
Despite receiving reminders from pollution authorities, the Delhi Vidyut Board (DVB) has steadfastly refused to take the flyash problem seriously. According to the White Paper on Pollution in Delhi issued last year, not one of the three thermal power plants has an action programme for mass scale utilisation of flyash.
US moves China on Pol Pot trial
United States has sought China's help in organising a war crimes trial for Pol Pot, who led Cambodia's notorious Khmer Rouge guerrilla outfit. US Under Secretary of State Thomas R Pickering said he made the request to Chinese officials and they "listened with interest" but did not immediately respond to the request.
Scandal fear grips pro-Pak British MPs
British MPs, who have been backing Pakistan on the Kashmir issue, have written to the House of Commons speaker Betty Boothroyd, expressing fear that moves were afoot to implicate them in false financial scandals. Six MPs led by Gerald Kaufman (Labour Party) said that they feared that the British media was trying to probe their "connections" to Pakistani institutions in London.
