Posts Tagged ‘Netherlands’
Pak cancels hockey match
Posted on: January 3, 2009
Pakistan on Friday (January 2) decided not to send its hockey and squash teams to India citing security concerns for players. The Pakistan hockey team was supposed to take part in the four-nation Punjab Gold Cup, scheduled to start in Chandigarh from January 31, while the squash team was to defend its Asian Junior title in Chennai. The tournament was supposed to start from January 16.
However, the decision to cancel the hockey team’s trip was taken after Pakistan was replaced by New Zealand in the double-leg tournament that also features Beijing Olympic gold medallist Germany, the Netherlands, besides hosts India.
“The hockey and squash federations had applied for clearance to travel to India which we have not given as we have security concerns for our sportsmen and women in India,” Pakistan sports minister Aftab Shah Jillani said.
He said due to the existing tension between the two countries, the ministry thought it prudent not to send the teams to India. “Until the relations and conditions improve between the two countries we don’t think it is wise to send our teams there. They are security threats,” Jillani said.
However, sports secretary Ashraf Khan said the decision does not mean out that Pakistan has suspended sporting ties with India. “I wouldn’t say we have suspended sporting ties with India. We are willing to play India in any sport at a neutral venue,” Khan said.
“Our only concern at this stage was that they were genuine apprehensions about the security of our players if they went to India given the conditions in the region. But it is not a suspension of sporting ties,” Khan insisted. Khan also said that due to the prevalent situation between the two countries, the government felt that if Pakistan teams had travelled to India, they would have not been able to give off their best.
However, there’s a strong belief that stopping the hockey and squash teams to travel across the border could be a retaliatory gesture since the Indian government had earlier decided against sending its cricket team to Pakistan in the aftermath of the Mumbai terror attacks.
Bangkok nightclub fire kills 58
Posted on: January 1, 2009
A fire and resulting stampede left nearly 60 dead early Thursday at one of Bangkok’s most upscale nightclubs, where about 1,000 revelers were ringing in the new year, Thai police said.
The fire broke out at the nightclub Santika about 12:35 a.m., Thai police said. Police revised the death toll down to 58 Thursday afternoon, and said 20 bodies had yet to be identified. Another 100 were believed injured.
Steven Hall, a British national injured in the blaze, told that flames began to spread along the ceiling above the stage where a band and DJ were performing. But some people appeared to believe it was part of the performance.
“At the same time there were people rushing to get out, there were other people who seemed to be lacking a sense of urgency and didn’t seem to realize what was going on,” Hall said.
The blaze started near a stage where fireworks were being used as part of a performance on the club’s closing night, police Maj. Gen. Chokchai Deeprasertwit said.
“It may have been caused from sparks, but we don’t know if it was sparks from guests or from the night club’s countdown display on the nightclub stage,” he said.
Most of the fatalities were Thais, but foreigners have been identified from Australia, the Netherlands, Nepal and Japan, police said. Most of those who died in the building died from smoke inhalation or were trampled in a rush to get out of the club.
Hall said his wife escaped ahead of him, but he got caught in a crowd. “The lights went out, and at that moment, my back started burning and I was breathing in hot air,” he said.
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