AsiaCast

Asia Cast for Monday 12th October

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has announced that she expects whoever wins Afghanistan's recent election will do more to address the country's problems. (By marcn/Flickr).

In this Bulletin …

- Irish priest kidnapped in Philippines;
- Suspected Maoists launch attacks in India; and
- Clinton warning to Afghan leader.

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Police and soldiers have begun a manhunt for a well-loved, 78-year-old Irish priest in the southern Philippines who is believed to have been kidnapped by Islamic militants.

Six gunmen snatched Michael Sinnott while he was doing his early evening exercise routine on Sunday at his home near Pagadian city in Zamboanga del Sur province, authorities said.

While nobody has claimed responsibility for the abduction, police and military said they suspect that either the Al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf group or the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front was involved.

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The top United Nations official in Afghanistan defended himself against allegations that he has been wary to publicly address problems in the country’s recent presidential election.

Clarifying his position at a news conference in Kabul, Kai Eide admitted that the August 20 vote was marred by widespread fraud.

His comments come a week after Peter Galbraith, his recently fired deputy, wrote a sarcastic op-ed in The Washington Post, accusing the United Nations of trying to cover up the real reason he was fired. Galbraith blamed Eide for denying or playing down the fraud in the election because he was concerned that even discussing the fraud might inflame tensions in the country.

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Ahead of a planned crackdown by paramilitaries, suspected Maoists blew up a railway track, a bridge and fired at a bus on Monday in eastern India.

The attacks were in mineral-rich Jharkhand state, said S.N. Pradhan, inspector general of police. The inspector general also stated that the rebels blocked a highway and burned down a truck before fleeing.

Maoists have called for a two-day strike over what they allege is an undemocratic government plan to launch an offensive in areas under their control, Pradhan said. They are also protesting the arrest of some of their senior leaders, he added.

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U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said whoever wins Afghanistan’s recent election will be expected to do more to address the country’s problems.

According to Mrs Clinton, the next leader needs to build better relationships with the US, the army and the Afghan people.

Mrs Clinton also said America’s goal in Afghanistan was still to defeat al-Qaeda.