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Journalism of Courage
China to execute Briton on drug charges today
URUMQI: Akmal Shaikh,53,who is to be executed in China on drug smuggling charges,was not aware that his execution had been scheduled for Tuesday until his cousins told him. Relatives made a last-minute plea for mercy for the Briton after visiting Shaikh whom they say may be mentally ill. He would be the first citizen of a European country to be put to death in China in half a century. China has already rejected a plea from British PM Gordon Brown for the father-of-three to be spared. We beg the Chinese authorities for mercy, his cousin,Soohail Shaikh,said.
Nepal: Ex-Maoists release postponed
KATHMANDU: The discharge of Nepals former Maoist guerrillas housed in different camps across the country has been postponed,a move that may delay their rehabilitation and stall the peace process. The release of disqualified former Maoist combatants,which was scheduled to take place on Sunday,was postponed to January 7,officials of the Steering Committee said after a meeting here on Monday. The Steering Committee is responsible for looking after the discharge of disqualified soldiers.
Karzai condemns civilian deaths
KABUL: Ten civilians,mostly school children,have been killed during Western military operations in eastern Afghanistan,President Hamid Karzai8217;s office said on Monday,citing initial reports. Karzai condemned the killings,which his statement said took place in Kunar province on the border with Pakistan on Saturday. 8220;Initial reports indicate that in a series of operations by international forces in Kunar province8230; 10 civilians,eight of them school students,have been killed,8221; the statement read.
Croatia: Presidential poll goes to runoff
ZAGREB: A leftist opposition legal scholar will face off against Zagrebs maverick mayor in Croatias presidential runoff. The ruling conservative party candidate failed to reach the January 10 runoff in Sundays vote . The Social Democrat lawmaker Ivo Josipovic garnered 32.4 per cent of votes and Zagreb Mayor Milan Bandic who ran as an independent candidate got 14.8 per cent of the votes,complete results showed. A 50 per cent support was required for outright victory.
Bid on Turkey deputy PMs life,probe on
ISTANBUL: Turkeys leaders met on Monday as police searched a unit of the Armys special forces for a third day in a probe into a suspected plot to assassinate the deputy PM. PM Tayyip Erdogan denied on Sunday that there were strains between his Islamist-rooted government and the military,a day after police detained eight soldiers during a search of the Special Forces headquarters. Deputy PM Bulent Arinc said on Monday that he did not believe he was the target of an assassination bid.
