Israel present in Singapore air show

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 13:49:13
Press TV

Israeli war minister Ehud Barak has inaugurated the Zionist regime's pavilion at Singapore's annual Air Show, an Israeli official says.

This is a first visit by an Israeli war minister there. The two countries have had security ties which were not often made public, the source added.

According to the official, Barak is slated to hold talks with Singapore's leaders during his four-day visit.

The two states have had diplomatic ties for nearly 40 years, but their military ties remain shrouded in secrecy.

Barak arrived in Singapore on Monday, accompanied by his wife, his military secretary, and war ministry director Pinchas Bochrim.

Malaysian police break up protest

Malaysian security forces have used tear gas and water cannon to break up a protest by ethnic Indians in the capital, Kuala Lumpur.

More than 20 people taking part in the banned march were detained by police.

The demonstration was organised by the Hindu Rights Action Force, which is demanding the release from jail of five of its leaders.

Activists say policies granting economic advantages to the ethnic Malay majority discriminate against Indians.

The Malaysia government has rejected claims of unequal treatment.

Detention without trial

Some 2000 protesters defied a ban on public gatherings, and carried roses to symbolise what they said was a peaceful demand for justice.

The protesters carried roses to symbolise peaceful demands (pic. right)

A heavy police presence kept them in the city centre - preventing their planned march to parliament to give the flowers to the Prime Minister, Abdullah Badawi.

The protest was meant to be led by a group of about 200 children. There were no reports of any children being injured.

Police used water canons thought to be laced with chemicals and tear gas to disperse the crowd.

The group behind the demonstration has become increasingly effective at rattling the government, says the BBC's Robin Brant in Kuala Lumpur.

It was behind a large demonstration on the streets of the capital last November which saw 10,000 people gather.

That rally exposed increasing unhappiness among some of Malaysia's minority Indians who feel they have fallen behind after decades of government policy which gives preferential treatment to the majority Malays, our correspondent says.

Five rights activists were arrested at that rally - the biggest protest involving ethnic Indians in more than a decade.

They are being held under a rarely used security law that allows indefinite detention without trial.

Malaysian police break up flower protest

Sat, 16 Feb 2008 12:38:11

Malaysian police fire teargas at flower protesters (pic. right)

The Malaysian security forces have used teargas and water cannon to disperse ethnic Indians clutching flowers in the capital, Kuala Lumpur.

Malaysia's marginalized Indians planned to hand roses and a protest note to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and demanded racial equality.

The peaceful demonstration was practically nipped in the bud before the ethnic Indians could reach Parliament House, as riot police fired tear gas and used water cannon on the 2,000 protesters, who had been defying a ban on public gatherings carrying 10,000 flowers.

The demonstration was organized by the Hindu Rights Action Force, which is also demanding the release from jail of five of its leaders.

Moreover, activists say policies granting economic advantages to the ethnic Malay majority discriminate against Indians.

The Malaysian government is concerned about street protests in the run-up to early general elections on March 8.

Happy Chinese New Year 2008

Travel Picks: The world's top 10 dangerous destinations

NEW YORK, Jan 25 (Reuters Life!) - People are opting for more unforgettable holidays but some countries can be risky even for the most adventurous travelers.

Forbes.com has compiled a list of the most dangerous destinations. The list is not endorsed by Reuters.

1. Somalia
This Horn of Africa country has been in the grip of warlords for the last decade, fighting for control of drug and weapon trafficking rights. Risks include military clashes, kidnapping, landmines and pirates.

2. Iraq
Military action, collateral damage, insurgency and suicide bombings are daily occurrences in the country. Security experts say unstable areas include Baghdad and stretch from Tikrit in the north to Hillah in the south and from Mandali in the east to Ramadi in the west.

3. Afghanistan
Even though the ruling Taliban regime was officially ousted in Afghanistan in 2001, attacks from those still loyal to it and to al Qaeda continue. Military personnel and civilians are killed by improvised explosive devices daily.

4. Haiti
Sharing the Caribbean island of Hispaniola with top vacation destination Dominican Republic, Haiti, the western hemisphere's poorest country, is plagued by civil unrest, police corruption and readily available firearms.

5. Pakistan
The country, which borders Afghanistan, suffers from ongoing geopolitical turmoil. Bomb attacks and rioting between Shia and Sunni Muslim communities are a threat. In December 2007, opposition leader Benazir Bhutto was assassinated during a suicide bombing after months of strife over delayed elections.

6. Sudan
Despite a peace agreement in 2005, areas of extreme danger due to battles between government troops and militias and local insurgent groups dot the country. Areas to avoid completely include the western region of Darfur, Ethiopian and Eritrean border regions and all of southern Sudan.

7. Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)
A civil war that formally ended in 2003 still affects the country. As Rwandan and Ugandan troops pulled out of DRC towards the end of the war, rival militias have been fighting each other to fill the power vacuum this created. Crime is rampant in major cities and security conditions can fluctuate drastically even within minor distances.

8. Lebanon
Culminating in the 2005 assassination of Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri, Lebanon is split by pro- and anti-Syrian forces vying for control of the government. Other risks include military battles in the south with neighboring Israel and civil unrest.

9. Zimbabwe
Anti-western sentiment prominently expressed by officials, out-of-control inflation and oppression employed by the government to silence dissenting voices are common in Zimbabwe.

10. Palestinian Territories
The region is caught in a brutal tug-of-war between pro-Fatah and pro-Hamas factions. Political and military battles with Israel, especially in the Gaza Strip, have made the security situation in this territory very unstable. Poverty and chronic violence add to the instability.

(Reporting by Stefanie Kranjec; Editing by Patricia Reaney)

© Reuters 2008 All rights reserved