"The United States pursued a military build-up in the Gulf region on Friday as the United Nations edged towards agreement on a resolution on disarming Iraq. The United States also stepped up lobbying to get a strong motion against Iraq passed by the UN Security Council, but Russia said there was still disagreement over the threat of force," reported the AP news agency.
"The grudge match for Florida’s governorship is becoming a duel of the presidents, as President George W. Bush hunts for votes to keep his brother Jeb in office while Bill Clinton and Al Gore crisscross the state trying to recapture the seat for Democrats. Democrats have made toppling Jeb Bush a key goal in Tuesday’s election, pouring money and manpower into the state to avenge Gore’s loss in 2000, embarrass the president, and lay the groundwork for recapturing the White House. The president has returned fire by raising millions of dollars for his brother and campaigning in the state often," reported the AP news agency.
"Indonesian police began questioning detained militant Muslim cleric Abubakar Ba’asyir yesterday over a series of Christian church bombings and an alleged plot to kill President Megawati Sukarnoputri. Irfan Awwas, one of Abubakar’s aides and executive chairman of the Mujahidin Council Indonesia (MMI), quoted Abubakar as saying that he is ready for questioning – they can even take him to court now and bring Faruq (to the court)," reported the Reuters news agency.
"Shots were fired in the vicinity of US soldiers training south of Kuwait City, but there were no injuries, an American military spokesman said yesterday. Kuwaiti officials have said privately the shots most probably came from bird hunters in the area and were not meant to harm the soldiers," reported the AP news agency.
"Veteran politician Mufti Mohammed Sayeed escaped unharmed after a grenade attack on his home by suspected Islamic militants yesterday, just hours before he was due to be sworn in as chief minister of Indian-administered Kashmir," reported the AFP news service.
"Asean leaders, in a show of solidarity, issued a Declaration on Terrorism, underlining their strong support for Indonesia and the Philippines in their fight against the menace in the wake of recent bombings in the two countries. In the strongly-worded declaration which was agreed on Sunday during the Asean Summit informal dinner here, the 10 leaders deplored the tendency by some quarters to identify terrorism with particular religions or ethnic groups," reported the Malaysian Star newspaper.
"Debt slavery will not end if the international community continues to keep a strong hold over borrower countries in order to recover their loans, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad. He said the debt-slavery phenomenon, where debtors who could not repay the money they owed were made debt slaves of the lender, would not have occurred if Islamic banking was practised," reported the Malaysian Star newspaper.
"Saudi Arabia, a key US regional ally, said on Sunday it would not allow the United States to use its facilities for any attack against neighbouring Iraq even if a strike was sanctioned by the United Nations. Faced with Riyadh’s possible refusal to be a launchpad for strikes on Iraq, the United States has poured US$1.4bil into expanding Qatar’s Al Udeid facility into a major air base and military staging ground," reported the Reuters news agency.
"Britain will this week announce the mobilisation of 10,000 army reservists in preparation for a war on Iraq. In a move not seen since the Korean War, a Queen’s Order will give defence chiefs widespread and highly controversial rights to call up many more people than would normally be available," reported the AFP news service.
"A car explosion has killed six alleged members of Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaeda network, including a key suspect in an attack on a US warship in Aden two years ago. Yemen’s Saba news agency quoted an Interior Ministry official as saying arms and traces of explosives where found in the car along with communications equipment after Sunday’s blast in the Marib oil-producing province, 170km east of this capital," reported the Reuters news agency.
"Iran’s government has confirmed a son of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was recently arrested by its security forces and sent back to Pakistan, although the foreign ministry later backtracked over the sensitive revelation. Government spokesman Abdullah Ramezanzadeh said late Sunday a son of the world’s most wanted man had been unwittingly arrested and expelled from Iran, insisting officials were at the time unaware of his true identity," reported the AFP news service.
"Kuwait closed down the local office of Arabic satellite television channel al-Jazeera on Sunday for alleged lack of objectivity in its coverage of the Gulf Arab state. al-Jazeera had been given several warnings, without giving details," reported the Reuters news agency.
"A party with Islamic roots won a landslide victory in Turkish elections, and its leader immediately moved to calm fears of a shift to religion, emphasising stability and a pro-European Union outlook. Critics fear that a party with Islamic roots taking power could lead to instability and tensions in the region at a time when Islamic radicalism is growing, but Erdogan has repeatedly pledged that his party, which he describes as conservative and democratic, is committed to secularism and will not carry out an Islamic agenda," reported the AP news agency.
"US backers of the latest Lord of the Rings movie have asked for its premiere in New Zealand to be staged in daylight rather than at night because of heightened security fears in the wake of the deadly Bali bombings," reported the AP news agency.
"Lawyers for Indonesian Muslim cleric Abubakar Ba’asyir, alleged leader of the regional Jemaah Islamiah terror network, asked a Jakarta court yesterday to annul his arrest and order him freed. They said the arrest of Abubakar was unlawful for several reasons, including what they said was a lack of preliminary evidence to allow police to hold the ulama. One of his lawyers, Mahendradatta, said that if the defendant wants to arrest the plaintiff, one requirement is the implicating witness must be considered legal according to Indonesian law. Omar al-Faruq has to be questioned in Indonesia," reported the Reuters news agency.
"Indonesian authorities are holding four possible suspects in the Bali bombings that killed nearly 200 people last month. Maj. Gen. I Made Mangku Pastika, who is heading the investigation team in Bali, said it was premature to name them as suspects, adding that they had been detained after officers determined they bore a resemblance to composite sketches of three suspects released last week by police.
"US voters began casting ballots yesterday to decide control of Congress after a closely fought race that President George W. Bush hopes will hand victory to his Republican party. Determined to see Republican control of the House of Representatives and the Senate, Bush last week made the tour to shore up the candidacies of Republicans around the country. Bush is trying to buck the historical trend that sees the president’s party lose seats in midterm elections," reported the AFP news service.
"The United States is preparing to put a new resolution on Iraq to the Security Council for a possible vote tomorrow but has reaffirmed it will not be handcuffed if the United Nations decides not to act against Baghdad. Meanwhile, in an interview with the London Times published yesterday, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon called on the international community to target Iran as soon as any war with Iraq was over. Sharon insisted that Teheran – one of the axis of evil powers identified by Bush – should be put under pressure the day after action against Baghdad ends," reported the AFP news service.
"Black twins born to a white couple after an in vitro fertilisation (IVF) blunder should remain with them, a judge said on Monday, naming for the first time the hospital responsible for the fiasco. Two couples attended the unit on the same day for infertility treatment involving the injection of fresh male sperm into female eggs and implantation shortly afterwards. Despite protocols designed specifically to prevent such an event, a mix-up occurred and Mr B’s sperm was used to fertilise Mrs A’s eggs," reported the AFP news service.
"Indonesian authorities said yesterday they have ample evidence against terror suspect Abubakar Ba’asyir, including witness statements from Singapore and Malaysia, despite his refusal to answer police questions. Abubakar demands to be confronted with al-Faruq and has also asked for his detention to be suspended," reported the AFP news service.
"Amid public doubts over the legal grounds for Abu Bakar Ba'asyir's detention, the police revealed on Tuesday that the Muslim cleric was technically stateless as he had failed to report to the Indonesian embassy in Kuala Lumpur during his self-imposed exile in Malaysia from 1985 through 1999. Meanwhile, Abubaka Ba'asyir's lawyer, M. Mahendradatta said the police will have to be able to prove it. Otherwise, they (the police) will show themselves up as legal ignoramuses," reported the Jakarta Post.
"About 200 students threw eggs at Australia’s Indonesian embassy yesterday to protest against raids on Muslims in Australia," reported the AFP news service.
"Pakistan’s opposition parties and fundamentalist Islamic parties agreed yesterday to back a joint candidate as prime minister to lead the country’s first civilian government in three yearsThe Islamic bloc and the secular opposition parties, normally ideological opposites, are united in their determination to throw out controversial constitutional changes wrought by President Pervez Musharraf," reported the AFP news service.
"Israel will hold an early election, probably in early February, after Prime Minister Ariel Sharon told the country’s president yesterday that he had failed to form a new right-wing coalition government. Israeli President Moshe Katzav announced the early poll at a news conference, hours after Sharon held a surprise meeting with him at the presidential residence," reported the AFP news service.
"A gang of Muslim vigilantes notorious for vandalizing nightclubs in the Indonesian capital has decided to disband. The dissolution of the Islam Defenders Front comes soon after the disbanding of Laskar Jihad, a much larger paramilitary organization. In a sign that the authorities were adopting a tougher line against radicals, police last month arrested the front's leader, Habib Rizieq Shihab, along with nine of his followers. On Wednesday, his attorneys said the front would continue to oppose sinful activities but would no longer engage in violence," reported the AP news agency.
"Fazl-ur Rahman already has been tentatively nominated prime minister by a coalition of pro-democracy groups and his own religious bloc, and together they have enough seats to form Pakistan's next government. But Musharraf is likely to try to keep Rahman out of the prime minister's post, knowing Washington would not welcome his history of strong anti-American rhetoric. Rahman hasn't said whether he would ask the U.S. troops to leave Pakistan if he became prime minister, but his followers want them out," reported the AP news agency.
"US President George W. Bush praised Islam on Tuesday as a peace-loving faith and celebrated Muslim nations as vital partners in the war on terrorism as he sent his best wishes to Ramadan celebrants. He said that America remains committed to freedom, justice, and opportunity for all people and during this season of reverence and examination, we continue to work together for a future of peace, tolerance, and understanding," reported the AFP news service.
"The Council of American Muslims for Understanding has launched a website on the personal experiences of Muslim Americans and the practise of Islam in the United States. Posted in Bahasa Malaysia, English, Arabic, Bahasa Indonesia and French, it is part of an initiative to encourage a broader dialogue and stimulate a forum for the exchange of ideas between American citizens and the Muslim world. In addition, a series of mini documentaries aimed at sharing the experiences of Muslims in America is being aired at selected local broadcast stations beginning yesterday," reported the Malaysian Star newspaper.
"Republicans seized full control of the US Congress yesterday in a stunning election triumph for President George W. Bush that strengthened his hand to pursue his conservative agenda, including his hardline policy on Iraq. A top Democrat, House of Representatives minority leader Dick Gephardt, blamed his party’s defeat on a wave of patriotism and support for the president after the Sept 11 attacks. But Gephardt also blamed special interest money culled by Republicans for overwhelming Democrat candidates with an advertising blitz in some races," reported the news Agencies.
"Temple University political scientist James Hilty said Bush energised Republican voters by campaigning aggressively around the country, putting his personal prestige on the line. Democrats by contrast were hesitant and disunited. Many reluctantly supported the president on Iraq and were unable to mount an effective campaign on domestic issues," reported the news Agencies.
"US voters shot down Hollywood’s bid to declare independence from Los Angeles, thwarting the Tinseltown divorce of the century and the break-up of the United States’ second largest city. Early referendum results showed that residents were overwhelmingly opposed to the movie capital of the world’s attempt to secede from the already balkanised metropolis," reported the AFP news service.
"Many complained of the strict checks when coming into the United States. They are especially peeved when people are detained, questioned, have their photograph taken and even thumb-printed. Doing it to foreigners seemed to be okay but when it involved themselves they protested vehemently and claimed their civil rights had been abused. Most were not amused because of the hassle they had to go through. But there were some who accepted the reality, saying it was for their own safety," reported the AP news agency.
"The missile strike on a car in Yemen that killed six suspected al-Qaeda members was carried out under broad authority that US President George W. Bush gave the CIA over the past year to fight terrorism. The government officials said the decision to approve the missile launch was made by very senior officials, below the level of the president, who had been closely monitoring the surveillance of Qaed Senyan and his associates," reported the Reuters news agency.
"The United States took a final revision of its Iraq resolution to the Security Council yesterday in hopes of winning approval after eight weeks of tumultuous negotiations with wary allies concerned it could trigger a new war against Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. While the revised draft offers major concessions to critics, it still frees the United States to take military action against Iraq without a second resolution," reported the AP news agency.
"Muslims in the Middle East prepared for a bittersweet Ramadan, a month of fasting and family togetherness clouded by threats of war. In Cairo, people are stocking up on sweet dates called Leila’s eyes, named after Egyptian actress Leila al-Alwi and bitter ones named after US President George W. Bush and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. A date vendor Hussein Mohammed Hassanein was echoing widespread anger at Bush for his threats of war against Iraq and against Sharon for his relentless military actions against the Palestinians. Salah Kaftaro, director of an Islamic University in Damascus, said that Ramadan must more than ever be observed devoutly, arguing that the events in the occupied Arab territories, where the Palestinians are murdered and live under embargo, are a shame on humanity and amount to a time bomb," reported the AFP news service.
"Australia’s main opposition party accused Prime Minister John Howard yesterday of running a trade policy based on a personal dislike of Asians. In a bitter personal attack, Labor party trade spokesman Craig Emerson said the prime minister did not like multiculturalism but hid his true feelings because of ethnic Chinese voters in his electorate," reported the AFP news service.
"This week, 51-year-old Mohammed Sanghir returned home – the first Pakistani released from the US prison at Guantanamo. Family and dozens of friends by his side, Sanghir said his captors never apologised for whisking him out of Afghanistan. Sanghir was imprisoned in a railway container packed with 250 men – 50 of whom suffocated. For 45 days, Sanghir was held in a prison in northern Afghanistan, he said, along with hundreds of Taliban, Pakistanis, Arabs, Chechens, Bosnians and others. They had all been on the front lines with the Taliban," reported the AP news agency.
"Former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu won parliamentary approval yesterday to serve as Israel's foreign minister until Jan 28 elections. Opposition legislators criticised the appointment as a farce, saying Netanyahu will be preoccupied with primaries in the right-wing Likud Party in the coming weeks. Netanyahu is trying to unseat Prime Minister Ariel Sharon as Likud leader, though an opinion poll published yesterday suggested that Netanyahu is trailing Sharon in the contest," reported the AP news agency.
"The world must be vigilant not to allow the US-led war on terrorism to slide into a clash of civilisations that pits Islam against the West, former UN human rights commissioner Mary Robinson said yesterday. Robinson ended her stint as UN human rights envoy in September, firing off a parting shot at Washington for running roughshod over human rights in its quest to battle Islamic militancy and defend its shores from more attacks," reported the Reuters news agency.
"Vice president Hamzah Haz said that he was not sure of the involvement of international terrorist groups or the al-Qaeda network in last month's bombings in Bali. Hamzah has maintained his denial of possible terrorist network in Indonesia, even after last month's Bali bombing tragedy whichkilled at least 180 people and injured hundreds of others," reported the Jakarta Post.
"Thirteen months after the US-led military campaign began in Afghanistan and on the eve of a UN vote on a tough resolution to disarm Iraq, President George W. Bush is planning to mark the month of Ramadan with Islamic leaders at the White House. The event is just one of several ways in which the Bush administration will mark Ramadan in an effort to reach out to Muslims in America and throughout the world. Last year, Ramadan fell in the midst of the US effort to destroy Saudi-born dissident Osama bin Laden and his al-Qaeda organisation who were blamed for the attacks, and to oust the Taliban, who hosted them in Afghanistan. This year, it comes as Bush is trying to win the support of allies for disarming Iraq, by force if necessary," reported the Reuters news agency.
"Threatening to give Iraq a last chance to disarm or face war, the United States said it wants the UN Security Council to adopt by today a tough new resolution on Iraq, but France and Russia have not yet agreed. The third and latest draft of the resolution, the result of eight weeks of negotiations on scrapping any weapons of mass destruction Iraq may have, was formally presented to council members on Wednesday and was reviewed again yesterday. Diplomats said French, Russian and Chinese envoys at the council session questioned wording that might allow the US, rather than UN arms inspectors, to judge violations by Iraq that could trigger war," reported the Reuters news agency.
"The United States says it may temporarily close some of its embassies and consulates overseas anticipating possible terrorist retaliation for the scheduled execution a week from now of a Pakistani-born Islamic radical. Mir Aimal Kansi, who was convicted of murder and sentenced to death for his 1993 killing of two Central Intelligence Agency employees, is scheduled to die by lethal injection in the US state of Virginia on Nov 14. In a worldwide caution, the State Department Wednesday said the upcoming execution created the potential for retaliatory acts against the United States or its foreign interests," reported the AFP news service.
"Australian Prime Minister John Howard yesterday defended his policies towards Asian nations against strident criticism at home and abroad. Howard, Australia’s leader for the past six years, has been accused of racism by a rival politician and urged by South-East Asian governments to withdraw travel warnings issued against their countries. Howard refused to address criticism from a political opponent that he is anti-Asian. The critique came from the Labor Party’s Craig Emerson, who also accused Howard of damaging Australia’s economy by trying to negotiate a free trade pact with the United States that could be detrimental to Australia’s Asian trade partners," reported the dpa news agency.
"An Australian law firm has offered up a free divorce as a prize in a Red Cross auction to raise funds for victims of the Bali bombings. The divorce is just one of 100 prizes up for auction on Sunday to raise funds for the Australian Red Cross which is helping victims of the Oct 12 blasts on the Indonesian resort island that killed more than 180 people and wounded hundreds," reported the Reuters news agency.
"The UN Security Council unanimously approved a tough new Iraq resolution yesterday, forcing Saddam Hussein to disarm or face serious consequences that would almost certainly mean war. The 15-0 vote came after eight weeks of tumultuous negotiations and was seen as a victory for the United States, which drafted the resolution together with Britain. While the United States made some major concessions to critics, the final draft still meets the Bush administration’s key demands: toughening UN weapons inspections and leaving the United States free to take military action against Iraq if inspectors say Baghdad isn’t complying," reported the AP news agency.
"US President George W. Bush yesterday warned that Iraq would face the severest consequences if it refused to adhere to the terms of a UN Security Council resolution requiring Baghdad to disarm. Shortly after the Security Council gave unanimous approval to the resolution, Bush said Iraqi President Saddam Hussein must disarm, without delay, his suspected weapons of mass destruction and make no attempt at negotiating the resolution’s terms for allowing UN inspectors back into the country," reported the Reuters news agency.
"Iraq will review the Security Council’s new resolution on weapons inspections before deciding whether to accept the plan, Iraq’s ambassador to the UN said yesterday. On Thursday, Iraqi state media called the draft resolution a pretext for war and urged the Security Council on Thursday not to bow to American demands," reported the AP news agency.
"Al-Qaeda militants still pose the most immediate threat to the United States and its allies despite the heavy blows Western forces have struck against them, US Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge said on Thursday. He echoed earlier comments from America’s most senior military officer, who declared the al-Qaeda network able to launch a major terrorist operation, whether its leader Osama bin Laden was dead or alive," reported the Reuters news agency.
"Australia is now paying the price for neglecting its ties with Asia as it fights the war on terror in its backyard with a surge in resentment at its vigorous pro-US stance, analysts warned yesterday. A day after conservative Prime Minister John Howard and his foreign and defence ministers issued public assurances, from Tokyo to Sydney, that Asian ties were sound, former diplomats, politicians, analysts and the media all warned they were wrong. Some called on Howard to personally head to Asia, especially Jakarta, to limit the damage from raids on the homes of Muslims after bomb blasts killed more than 180 people, including around 90 Australians, on the Indonesian resort island of Bali," reported the Reuters news agency.
"A worsening food epidemic traced to contaminated dairy products continued to sweep through several regions in southern Russia yesterday, with more than 900 people hospitalised. Russia's chief medical officer, Gennady Onischenko, who flew to the region, was quoted as saying by Interfax that the number of people hospitalised is continuing to rise," reported the AFP news service.
"Even a single drink of alcohol is enough to impair someone’s ability to reason quickly and detect errors, according to a study that electronically monitored brain waves in volunteers given drinks. Dutch researchers put sensors on the scalps of 14 men who were tested in three sessions after having a placebo, a single alcohol drink, or several drinks. Changes in brain action were quickly detected even after a single drink, leading the researchers to conclude that alcohol, even in “modest doses,” was enough to erode the mind’s ability to detect and correct errors," reported the AP news agency.
