Concern grows in U.K., U.S. over Somali-based militants

In late October, two 18-year-old men from the Welsh city of Cardiff were arrested on Kenya's border with war-torn Somalia. The father of one of them told the BBC he believed his son had been "brainwashed" and was on his way to join an Islamic holy war.

Kenyan authorities quickly sent the two Britons -- one of Somali ancestry, one of south Asian descent -- back to Britain. After questioning by police, they were released without charge.

The arrests, which occurred just as Kenyan security forces launched an air and ground incursion into Somalia, shone a light on an increasing concern for British and U.S. counter-terrorism experts -- the interest of young British Muslims in joining al Shabaab.

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How the agreement was finally sealed

KATHMANDU, NOV 02 -

The much-awaited deal that the parties struck on Tuesday evening, charting out a time-bound action plan on completing the peace process, was a result of a series of formal and informal talks between the leaders of the major political parties over the past few months.

Though the parties had agreed in principle to complete the peace process and prepared some ground for forging consensus some seven months ago, they began working practically on consensus when they started meaningful discussions about a month ago.

The parties that had intensified discussions after PM Baburam Bhattarai’s return from New York, were very optimistic of a breakthrough when they formed a three-member taskforce on October 19 to prepare a draft of a ‘package deal.’ The taskforce that comprised Krishna Prasad Sitaula from the Nepali Congress, Barsa Man Pun of the UCPN (Maoist) and Bhim Rawal of the CPN-UML, was successful in sorting out almost all disputes except for the number of combatants to be integrated and the rehabilitation package.

Though the parties were planning to seal a deal the next day (October 20) when Bhattarai was scheduled to leave for India, they could not do so after the Mohan Baidya faction of the Maoists objected to the understanding.

Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and PM Bhattarai, however, got the negotiations going despite the rift in their party. Meanwhile, they continued to reach out to Baidya, but when the latter boycotted a crucial meeting called to discuss the differences, they said they would move ahead and sign agreements on completing the peace process based on the party’s majority decision.

Tuesday’s deal was possible after top leaders of the three parties and the taskforce members held a decisive meeting at 2:00 pm at Hotel Radisson, Lazimpat, where they resolved differences in the draft prepared by the taskforce. Earlier on Monday, a three-party meeting had asked the top leaders of the NC, the Maoists, and the UML to come up with a joint proposal.

Dahal, NC President Sushil Koirala and UML Chairman Jhala Nath Khanal and other leaders were engaged the whole day in giving final touches to the draft.

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Conjoined twins from Philippines separated in US

US surgeons successfully separated conjoined two-year-old girls born in the Philippines, the California hospital where the operation took place announced.

Medics operated for eight hours to separate Angelina and Angelica Sabuco, who were born joined at the chest and abdomen.

"The surgeons are happy with the progress of the operation so far," said Reena Mukamal, a spokeswoman at the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital in the northern city of Palo Alto, after the twins were moved to separate operating rooms for reconstructive surgery.

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Leaders seal the 'peace deal'

KATHMANDU, NOV 01 - The peace process that was started five years ago in 2006 is likely to witness its logical conclusion. The meeting of the top brass leaders of the major political parties—Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, UCPN (Maoist) and the Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha—on Tuesday agreed on contentious issues of the peace process and sealed the deal.

The leaders are due to hold a press conference at the Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai's official residence in Baluwatar shortly.

Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, NC President Sushil Koirala and UML Chairman Jhala Nath Khanal signed on the pact.

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Indian hunger striker warns of new fast

NDIA, NOV 01 - Indian protester Anna Hazare, whose campaign in August for a new anti-corruption law galvanised millions, threatened on Tuesday to start another hunger strike unless his demands are met.

The 74-year-old activist wants a new law passed by the end of the winter session of parliament on December 21 that would create a powerful new ombudsman able to investigate and prosecute public servants.

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25 injured in bus accident

Nepal, Nepalgunj
25 passengers were injured in a bus accident in Bardiya on Tuesday.

The bus (Na 3 Kha 2288), en route to Tikapur from Kalikot, met with an accident at Belawa in Bardiya at 6 this morning.

A year-old Manisha Silwal has been critically injured in the accident. Most of the injured have returned home after receiving primary treatment.

A team under Armed Police Force Inspector Shital Shrestha had rescued the injured passengers.

The bus driver has been absconding following the accident, police said.

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Bangladesh to set up dolphin sanctuaries

OCT - Bangladesh will declare three river areas in its southwest as dolphin sanctuaries, wildlife officials said Monday, in a bid to protect the country's population of endangered freshwater cetaceans.

The forestry department took the decision after studies found three areas in the UNESCO-listed Sundarbans mangrove forest, which straddles Bangladesh and India, were home to large populations of Irrawaddy and Ganges river dolphins.

"We have decided to declare river channels at Dhangmari, Chandpai and Dudhmukhi areas in the eastern Sundarbans as dolphin sanctuaries," Tapan Kumar Dey, senior wildlife conservation official at the forest department, said.

"The channels and adjoining areas are home to hundreds of endangered Irrawady and Ganges river dolphins. Fishermen will be banned from fishing in the areas," he told AFP.

Tens of thousands of fishermen catch fish and shrimp in the channels. Although dolphins are not targeted directly, they often become entangled in the fishing nets and die by the dozen every year.

A series of studies since 2002 by the Bangladesh Cetacean Diversity Project (BCDP) identified the three areas in the Sunderbans' river channels which are key dolphin hotspots.

An earlier BCDP study found the world's largest population of Irrawaddy dolphins -- an estimated 6,000 -- living along Bangladesh's southern coast, including in the Sundarbans.

In other areas where the flat-faced dolphins are known to converge, such as the Mekong delta in South East Asia, populations have been estimated at less than 100.

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