Blasts to draw OIC recognition

If one goes by Thailand8217;s National Intelligence Agency Chief Jumpol Manmai, militants in the country8217;s Muslim South have launched a series of bomb blasts to coincide with a meeting of Islamic leaders in Central Asia next week.

If one goes by Thailand8217;s National Intelligence Agency Chief Jumpol Manmai, militants in the country8217;s Muslim South have launched a series of bomb blasts to coincide with a meeting of Islamic leaders in Central Asia next week.

Extremists in the Thai southernmost region, annexed by largely Buddhist Bangkok a century ago, were trying by all means to have their struggle for a Muslim sultanate recognised by the Muslim community, claimed Manmai. 8217;8217;They exploit all occasions, diplomatically or violently, to have their struggle recognised, especially by the OIC,8221; he said.

A three-day meeting of OIC foreign ministers starts today in Azerbaijan, where the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, Sudan and Cyprus will top the agenda, the OIC said in a statement.

Thai Foreign Minister Kantathi Suphamongkhon, whose country has observer status, will also attend.

At least 60 small bomb attacks took place on last week in the southern provinces of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat, killing at least two and wounding more than 30 people.

Kuwait
Women voters fly home free

This is something even our no-frills airlines cannot match. Kuwait8217;s Jazeera Airways will fly women voters back to the Gulf Arab state for free to take part in the June 29 elections, the first to include women.

The private airline said in a statement the move is meant to encourage women voters to return home to cast ballots. 8220;We just want to make sure that they are given every opportunity to return home without cost or expense to exercise their democratic right to vote,8221; Jazeera Chairman Marwan Boodai said.

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Last year, Kuwait passed a law allowing women to vote and run for office for the first time.

Most Kuwaitis travel abroad for long vacations in the year8217;s hottest months 8212; June to August 8212; as temperatures soar to near 50 centigrade in the desert state. The total number of eligible voters in Kuwait is 3,40,000 of whom 1,95,000, or 57 pc, are women.

Slovakia
Too fast on reforms track?

TOO much of austere reforms may backfire. That must have been the lesson Slovak PM Mikulas Dzurinda took home after he conceded defeat to his socialist rival Robert Fico. The Leftist Smer Party gained on strong public discontent over the reforms thrust on this ex-Communist nation by Dzurinda8217;s centre-right government. It brought Slovakia into the European Union but the masses did not take kindly to heavy cuts in health care and social benefits. But Dzurinda still believes there is no alternative for certain bitter pills. 8220;The reforms should continue,8221; he thundered. After all, a policy turnaround now will undo eight years of tough measures.