shameen

US campaign against al Qaeda to fail in Pakistan: Al Zawahiri

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Cairo: Warning that the US campaign against al Qaeda in Pakistan “will fail” just like it “failed” in Iraq and Afghanistan, Osama bin-Laden’s deputy has said that President Barack Obama’s policies towards the Muslim world, including the Israel-Palestine conflict, were “nothing but illusions”.

In a 90-minute video posted on an Islamic militant website, al Qaeda’s No. 2 leader Ayman al-Zawahiri said Obama was no better than his predecessor George W Bush as he blamed the first Black American President for escalation in violence in Gaza, Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan.

LeT, JeM supported Taliban to destablise Pakistan: Malik

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Islamabad, August 04: Pakistan-based outlawed groups Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed have supported the Taliban and al Qaeda in destabilising the country, Interior Minister Rehman Malik has said.

Malik, who made the remark while talking to a Pakistani TV news channel, did not give details of the linkages between the two outfits and the Taliban and al Qaeda.

Pakistan recently acknowledged that the Mumbai terrorist attack was planned and executed by the LeT, which was banned in the country in 2002.

Uighur community leader lands in Australia

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Sydney, August 04: Uighur leader Rebiya Kadeer Tuesday rejected Chinese reports that her own children blamed her for inciting deadly unrest, as she arrived in Australia for a visit which has drawn strong protests from Beijing.

The exiled US-based head of the World Uighur Congress (WUC) touched down in Sydney for a 10-day trip during which she will attend the premiere of a documentary about her life and meet members of Australia’s Uighur community.

Niger votes on giving President 3rd term

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Niamey, August 04: The president of uranium-rich Niger pushed forward today with a highly controversial referendum on a new constitution that would remove term-limits and grant him another three years in office – this time with increased powers.

Opposition leaders are boycotting the vote because they say it is illegal, a view shared by international donors who may respond by cutting aid to one of the world’s poorest nations.

US to transfer several Gitmo Detainees

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Washington, August 04: Barack Obama government officials are analyzing the possibilities of transferring several prisoners from Guantanamo, Cuban south east, to a facility in United States, revealed The Washington Post newspaper.

Hillary urges Iran to ensure return of missing Americans

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Washington, August 04: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has called on Iran to ensure the safe return of three missing Americans thought to have been detained by Tehran after straying across the Iraq border.

Iranian state television reported Saturday that the Americans had been arrested after “infiltrating” from Iraq, but Clinton said the US government was still to receive official confirmation from Tehran.

Obama approval rating edges up to 56%

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Washington, August 04: The approval rating of US President Barack Obama has edged back up to 56 per cent in the last three days from a low 52 per cent in the middle of the last week.

Gallup opinion poll which measures Obama’s approval rating on a daily basis, today said that current 56 per cent rating of the US President is about average for the job approval ratings of all presidents Gallup has measured since 1945.

It is roughly equal to the approval rating of his immediate predecessor George W Bush in early August 2001 — Bush’s first year in office, it said.

Trains collide in Indonesia, 1 dead, 60 hurt

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Jakarta, August 04: One person was killed and 60 were injured when two passenger trains collided in Indonesia on Tuesday, police said.

The accident occurred in Bogor, West Java, when an express train bound for Jakarta slammed into an economy-class train that had inexplicably stopped on the same track, Bogor police officer Arifin said from the scene.

“An engineer died when he was crushed in the wreckage,” he said, adding the cause of the accident was not known.

“We’re still investigating why the economy passenger train was stationary.”

–Agencies

Fatah holds first conference in 20 years

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Bethlehem, August 04: The Fatah movement of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas began its first party conference in 20 years Tuesday.

More than 2,000 delegates gathered in the southern West Bank city of Bethlehem for the three-day event.

Delegates are to adopt a new platform and re-elect Fatah’s two main decision-making bodies, the 21-member Central Committee and the 120-member Revolutionary Council.

The 2,267 participants include many who have travelled from exile abroad, receiving rare Israeli clearance to enter the occupied territory.

One dead, seven hurt as Thai plane slides off runway

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Bangkok, August 04: One person was killed and seven injured when a commercial plane slid off a runway into a disused control tower on the Thai tourist island of Koh Samui on Tuesday, police said.

The Bangkok Airways plane flying from the southern Thai resort of Krabi left the runway while landing in heavy rain.

“It hit an unmanned control tower,” the island’s police chief, Colonal Saharat Saksilpachai, told Reuters. “It’s possible the dead person might be the pilot.”

–Agencies

Japan’s military not as strong as that of India, China: Report

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Tokyo, August 04: Observing that Japan’s military power does not match that of emerging countries like India and China, a panel of experts Tuesday recommended a change in the interpretation of the country’s pacifist Constitution to ensure Tokyo has the right to collective self-defence.

Reviewing Japan’s defence policy, the group led by Tsunehisa Katsumata, Chairman of Tokyo Electric Power Co., also recommended easing the ban on weapons exports.

Iran’s opposition will keep up govt protest: Karoubi

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Madrid, August 04: Defeated Iranian presidential candidates Mehdi Karoubi and Mirhossein Mousavi will keep up protests against the government of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Karoubi was quoted as saying on Tuesday.

Karoubi, the most liberal of Ahmadinejad’s three opponents in the disputed June 12 election, has been vocal in his complaints of irregularities in the process.

Govt to renegotiate Gorshkov deal with Russia

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New Delhi, August 04: Facing flak over the controversial Gorshkov aircraft carrier deal, the government on Tuesday indicated that it will renegotiate the terms with Russia.

Minister of State Defence Pallam Raju said that India will once again hold talks on the terms of agreement including the price with Russia but maintained that India may have to go through the deal since it urgently needs aircraft carriers.

CBI in a quandary over Sarabjot Singh

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New Delhi, August 04: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is in a spot. After claiming that Sarabjot Singh had named his father and former Home Minister Buta Singh in a bribery scandal, the investigators are now aghast over the U-turn by the accused.

CBI officers had leaked to the media last week that Sarabjot alias Sweety Singh had told them that Buta Singh was aware that he was to accept bribes from a Nashik-based contractor.

SC against making Pradhan Comm. rpt public

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New Delhi, August 04: The Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed a Bombay High Court directive asking Maharashtra govt to submit the full Pradhan Committee report on the government’s response to 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai.

The apex court while passing its order said that bringing the report in the purview of public scrutiny will not solve any purpose; hence there was no need for it.

The state government had not tabled the full findings of the panel in the Assembly during the recent monsoon session and instead presented an action-to-be-taken report.

‘Terrorists getting aggressive, adopting new tech’

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New Delhi, August 04: Defence Minister AK Antony Tuesday warned that terrorists were becoming more aggressive by adopting new technologies in their operations but said the Defence Ministry will prepare itself to meet these threats.

“Terrorists are getting more and more aggressive in their activities the world over and they are adopting newer techniques and technologies in their operations,” Antony said after releasing the Guidelines for Management of Chemical (Terrorism) Disasters prepared by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) here.

Bill to give legal cover to metro rail in NCR, other cities

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New Delhi, August 04: A bill to give legal cover for construction, operation and maintenance of the metro rail system in the National Capital Region and other metro cities was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

The Metro Railways (Amendment) Bill 2009, which was introduced by Urban Development Minister S Jaipal Reddy, was necessary as currently there were no statutory provisions to provide legal backing to the development, construction, operation and maintenance of metro rail system outside Delhi.

‘I don’t want Congress support to defend myself’

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New Delhi: A day after Congress termed him as a constitutional functionary rather than a party functionary, NCSC chairman Buta Singh on Tuesday said he was capable of defending his case and does not need any support from the party.

Describing himself a saviour of dalits, Singh claimed he has served the community throughout his life and threatened that he would “give up his life if he was asked to resign”.

“I do not think I need support of party (Congress) to defend my case. I am capable of it (defending) because I am with the truth,” he told reporters here.

Consider TADA convict Sawant’s plea for release: HC tells Maha

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Mumbai, August 04: The Bombay High Court has asked the State government to consider afresh an application moved by Ravindra Sawant, convicted for shooting gangster Ashwin Naik in the sessions court, for pre-mature release.

A member of Arun Gawli gang, Sawant shot at Naik in the court at a very close range in April 1994. Naik suvived, but became wheelchair-bound for his life.

Sawant was sentenced to life imprisonment in September 1996. He applied for release after serving fourteen years, which is the minimum period of life sentence.

2003 Mumbai blasts: Sentencing on Aug 06

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Mumbai, August 04: The sentencing of three main convicts in the 2003 Mumbai twin blasts case was deferred on Tuesday as the special POTA court here decided to pronounce the quantum of punishment on August 6.

Confirming the development, special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam told reporters outside the court, “The special court has reserved till Thursday the sentencing of the husband-wife team and their aide convicted for the August 2003 twin bombings in Mumbai.”

Virbhadra Singh, wife booked for corruption

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Shimla, August 04: Minister Virbhadra Singh and his wife Pratibha Singh have been booked for corruption by police in Himachal Pradesh, officials said Tuesday. The complaint against them was on the basis of a CD released in May 2008.

“Virbhadra Singh and his wife Pratibha Singh were booked Monday night by the state vigilance and anti-corruption bureau under relevant sections of the IPC (Indian Penal Code),” Inspector General of Police (Vigilance) SR Mardi said.

Lalu has turned religious, says Pawar

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New Delhi, August 04: After his party’s Waterloo in the Lok Sabha elections, RJD chief Lalu Prasad appears to have turned religious.

Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar observed this in the Lok Sabha when Prasad referred to coconuts being used in religious rituals across the country, including Bihar.

The RJD chief wanted to know during Question Hour why the crop was not grown widely in his home state, Bihar.

States asked to enforce labour laws for protecting workers

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New Delhi, August 04: The Centre has directed states to implement labour laws to protect interest of workers in the backdrop of global slowdown leaving impact on the Indian economy, Labour Minister Mallikarjun Kharge told the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.

“The impact of global slowdown on the Indian economy has been felt since the middle of 2008….Our Ministry is closely monitoring the situation. The state governments have also been advised to ensure industrial peace and implement labour laws so that the interest of the workmen is protected,” he said.

After swine flu death, new guidelines for private hospitals

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New Delhi, August 04: The Health Ministry will issue new guidelines to private hospitals on handling swine flu patients, Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said Tuesday, a day after India’s first death from the influenza A (H1N1) virus in Pune.

The 14-year-old who died in Pune Monday after she was admitted to a private hospital got the correct treatment “too late”, Azad told a television channel.

The Health Ministry will today hold a high-level meeting to review the guidelines to contain its spread.