theSun | FRIDAY FEBRUARY 6 2009
news without borders
UN slams Hamas over
missing aid supplies
NEW YORK: UN humanitarian chief
John Holmes on Wednesday slammed
as unacceptable the confiscation of UN
aid supplies by Hamas personnel in the
Gaza Strip and demanded that the aid
be returned immediately.
“The United Nations cannot accept
under any circumstances the diversion
of aid by a party to a conflict,” Holmes
said in a statement.
He warned that such actions could
jeopardize delivery of aid at a time
when the world body and its partners
were doing their best to meet the basic
humanitarian needs of Gaza’s 1.5 mil-
lion people still reeling from a recent
Israeli military onslaught.
“To ensure the access of civilians in
Gaza to life-saving assistance and the
sustained delivery of aid and essential
reconstruction supplies, I call on all
parties to respect the neutrality and
independence of aid workers, supplies
and facilities,” said Holmes, the UN
emergency relief coordinator.
Earlier on Wednesday, the UN
agency for Palestinian refugees (UN-
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Taiwan mulls bridge
link with China
TAIPEI: Taiwan is con- in the southeastern Chinese seen as another litmus test
sidering building a bridge province of Fujian, at a of cross-Strait ties as Kin-
to mainland China in the cost of up to T$13.2 billion men has been a constant
latest sign of warming ties (RM1.4 billion). reminder of lingering
between the cross-Strait “President Ma inquired hostilities between the two
rivals, an official said yes- about the progress of the sides since they split in 1949
terday. feasibility study last night,” at the end of a civil war.
RWA) said Hamas had seized hun- President Ma Ying-jeou presidential office spokes- The two sides in Decem-
dreds of food parcels and thousands of asked Taiwan’s top eco- man Wang Yu-chi told ber launched historic direct
blankets destined for Gaza civilians in nomic planners to conduct reporters. daily flights, postal and
the wake of Israel’s war. a feasibility study when he But Wang denied reports shipping services, in a move
The Hamas government’s social af- visited Kinmen, a Taiwan- that the president “ordered” expected to boost trade ties.
fairs minister Ahmed al-Kurd implicitly controlled fortified island construction of the proposed The Ma administration
confirmed the aid was seized, arguing group off the Chinese main- bridge, saying the final deci- has reacted positively to
that it should be distributed to a wider land, in August. sion would depend on the Chinese President Hu Jin-
section of the Gaza population and not The bridge would link results of the study. tao’s call for a truce with the
only those who hold refugee status and Kinmen with Xiamen, a city The proposal is being island. – AFP
benefit from UNRWA assistance.
Meanwhile, a Lebanese freighter that
tried to deliver aid to Gaza in defiance
of a blockade docked in the Israeli port
of Ashdod under navy escort yesterday
Singapore’s 9-year-old iPhone whiz kid
after being intercepted at sea.
Israeli forces intercepted the SINGAPORE: While most downloaded over 4,000 for my two younger sisters,
Togolese-flagged Tali as it tried children his age sketch on times from Apple’s iTunes who like to draw,” Lim said.
to enter Gaza’s territorial waters,
The United paper with crayons, nine- store in two weeks, the New His sisters are aged three
the military said, adding the crew Nations year old Lim Ding Wen from Paper reported yesterday. and five.
stated it would sail to the Egyptian cannot accept Singapore, has a very differ- The programme lets Lim, who is fluent in six
port of Al-Arish, but eventually under any ent canvas – his iPhone. iPhone users draw with programming languages,
tried to slip into Gaza. circumstances Lim, who is in fourth their fingers by touching the started using the computer
One of the organisers of the grade, writes applications for iPhone’s touchscreen and at the age of 2. He has
shipment claimed the navy had the diversion of Apple’s popular iPhone. His then clear the screen by since completed about
fired on the boat, an allegation aid by a party latest, a painting programme shaking the phone. 20 programming projects.
denied by Israel. – AFP to a conflict” called Doodle Kids, has been “I wrote the programme – Reuters