Month: September 2009

S Korea pledges stern response to North’s nuclear claims

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Seoul, September 04: South Korea on Friday pledged a stern response to North Korean “threats and provocations,” after the communist state said it was in the final stages of an enriched uranium nuclear weapons programme.

“We find it very regrettable that the North’s attitude goes against the UN resolutions,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

In a letter to the Security Council, the North said earlier today that an experiment to enrich uranium — a second route to a nuclear bomb — has entered its final phase.

Thai south car bomb kills one, wounds 12: police

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Yala, September 04: A powerful car bomb ripped through a town centre in Thailand’s troubled Muslim-majority south on Friday, killing at least one border policeman and wounding 12 other people, police said.

The device was hidden in a pick-up truck and detonated near a number of parked police trucks as officers bought breakfast in Yala, the main town in the restive province of the same name, they said.

US envoy reiterates willingness to talk with N Korea

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Beijing, September 04: The United States again said on Friday it was willing to negotiate with North Korea but expressed concerns over its apparent progress with its enriched uranium nuclear weapons programme.

“I have been reiterating our commitment to dialogue and willingness to engage in dialogue with the DPRK (North Korea),” the US envoy on North Korea, Stephen Bosworth, said after talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi.

Drug treatment centre targeted in Mexico, 18 dead

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Ciudad Juarez, September 04: Neighbours mopped blood from the sidewalk outside a drug rehabilitation centre, cleaning up the carnage after gunmen lined up patients against a wall and then riddled them with bullets, killing 18.

It was the third attack on a drug treatment centre in Ciudad Juarez yesterday. Chihuahua state authorities said they were investigating reports that the centres have turned into hideouts for drug smugglers being sought by police and hit men from rival gangs.

US open to increase troops in Afghanistan: Pentagon

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Washington, September 04: The US is open to the possibility of sending more troops to the Afghanistan war, where President Barack Obama’s government has “limited time” to show improvement, top defence officials said on Thursday.

US Defence Secretary Robert Gates told a press conference at Pentagon that he has received the assessment report on the Afghanistan strategy by Army General Stanley A McChrystal, US top commander in the country, and informally forwarded a copy to President Obama.

In August, 63 Palestinians kidnapped by Israel

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Gaza, September 04: The Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) says that in August, a total number of 63 Palestinians have been kidnapped from the West Bank by Israeli soldiers.

Most of the kidnappings took place in the southern West Bank city of al-Khalil (Hebron) and its nearby towns of Beit Ummar, Tarqoumia, Doura, Bani Neim, Surif, Beit Ola, Al-Thahiriyya and Al-Arroub refugee camp, the PPS said on Thursday.

The society added that at least eight of those kidnapped were sick and required immediate medical attention.

UK troops to stay in Afghanistan for now: Brown

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London, September 04: Britain’s military will stay in Afghanistan until it can look after its own security, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said on Friday, dismissing a call from one of his government’s defence aides to begin planning a pullout from the country.

In a major speech on Afghanistan intended to shore up flagging support for the war there and answer critics of his defence policy, Brown was due to tell Britons that “we cannot walk away”.

Sensex soars in afternoon trade, up 234 points

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Mumbai, September 04: Metals, auto and capital goods stocks sent a key index of the Indian equities markets soaring in afternoon trade today to around 255 points higher than its last closing figure about 80 minutes before end of trade.

At 2.12 p.m., the 30-scrip benchmark index of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), the Sensex, which opened at 15,425.86 points, was at 15,632.19 points — 254.86 points or 1.66 percent higher than Thursday’s close of 15,398.33 points.

NATO airstrike in Afghanistan kills up to 90

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Kabul, September 04: An Afghan official say a NATO airstrike on two fuel tankers hijacked by Taliban militants in northern Afghanistan has killed 90 people, including 40 civilians.

Police Chief Gulam Mohyuddin says militants seized the two trucks around midnight near the village of Omar Khel in Kunduz province. He says the alliance launched an airstrike as the Taliban fighters had stopped the trucks at a river crossing.

Obama admin divided over size of US forces in Afghanistan

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Washington, September 04: Amid growing demand for more American troops in Afghanistan from the commanders on the ground, the Obama administration seems to be literally divided on what should be the size of the US forces in the war-torn country.

After assuming office in January, US President Barack Obama has sent nearly 20,000 additional troops to Afghanistan as he shifted the focus of the Administration from Iraq to this country.

As the situation there is getting worse during the past few months, there has been increasing voices from the commanders seeking more troops for the country.

”Shiv Sena will come to power in Maharashtra”: Uddhav

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Mumbai, September 04: Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray today expressed confidence that the party would come to power in Maharashtra after the Legislative Assembly elections.

Mr Thackeray was speaking on the occasion of Marathi actor Aadesh Bandekar’s joining the party.

He said, ”The picture is getting clear as the elections are approaching nearer. Shiv Sena will definitely form government this time.

Lee will come hard to satisfy his hunger, says Clarke

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Melbourne, September 04: Stand-in captain Michael Clarke believes that paceman Brett Lee is fit enough to launch a lethal attack against England and put his disappointing summer behind him.

The 32-year-old fast bowler, who has played a vital role in Australia’s historic victory 5-0 in the 2006-07 Ashes, but this time a rib injury prevented him from taking part in the tourists’ bid, which was unsuccessfull after the hosts regained the urn after four years.

Pak govt briefs PoK leaders on package for Northern Areas

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Islamabad, September 04: Pakistan government on Friday briefed PoK leaders on its new self-governance and reforms package for the Northern Areas, part of Jammu and Kashmir currently under Islamabad’s occupation.

The briefing by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, held at the Foreign Office here, was aimed at taking the Kashmiri leaders on board for the ‘Gilgit-Baltistan Empowerment and Self Governance Order 2009’ in the wake of criticism by separatists like Yasin Malik of JKLF and main opposition PML-N.

Oil India fairly priced; Adani, NHPC weigh: Analysts

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Mumbai, September 04: State energy explorer Oil India’s IPO worth up to USD570 million is fairly priced and should leave money on the table for subscribers, may be wary after the last two big Indian listings lagged expectations.

Oil India, the second state-owned firm to go public this year, opens its offering on Monday and has set a price band of 950-1,050 rupees for its shares.

Shahid Kapoor couldn’t afford petrol for his own bike

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Mumbai, September 04: Shahid Kapoor had a motorbike but often didn’t have the money to buy petrol for it.

Shahid revealed his struggling days in a candid chat with Farah Khan on her show “Tere Mere Beach Mein”.He says that, “I’m from a very middle-class background, I’ve gone through tough times when I had a bike but didn’t even have Rs 50 to put petrol in it.”

After the success of “Kaminey”, Shahid may have also become one of the most desired stars. The actor hasn’t forgotten his initial days in the film industry, when he was paid peanuts for his debut movie.

Co-operative banking sector clocks double digit growth

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Ahmedabad, September 04: The co-operative banking sector scenario in the country stands improved as the sector has clocked a double digit growth of 12-13 percent in its deposits, a top official said.

“The deposits of co-operative banks in the country stood at 1.17 lakh crore upto March 2007, and reached Rs 1.38 lakh crores upto March 2008, a hike of 12-13 pc,” National Federation of Urban Co-operative Banks and Credit Societies (NAFCUB) CEO D Krishna told a news agency.

Wrong to scrap 50-over game – Lewis

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London, September 04: Jon Lewis, the former Gloucestershire captain and England seamer, has criticised the decision to do away with the 50-over format in county cricket, arguing that the limited-overs game in the domestic circuit should remain consistent with the international format.

Oil hovers near $68 ahead of US jobs report

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Singapore, September 04: Oil prices hovered near USD68 a barrel on Friday in Asia as investors looked to a U.S. unemployment report later in the day for signs of economic recovery.

Benchmark crude for October delivery was up 25 cents to USD68.21 a barrel by midday Singapore time in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract on Thursday slipped 9 cents to settle at USD67.96.

Oil has traded near USD68 a barrel for the last three days as traders look for clues on the strength of the U.S. economy.

UAE distributes free Ramzan meals in India

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Abu Dhabi, September 04: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has distributed free Ramzan meals in 720 villages of three Indian states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, WAM news agency reported.

The meals were distributed as part of the activities launched by Sheikha Hind Bint Maktoum Bin Juma Al Maktoum, wife of UAE’s Prime Minister Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, during the month of Ramzan, the report said Wednesday.

–PTI

WTO to issue landmark aircraft industry ruling

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Geneva, September 04: World Trade Organisation judges will rule on Friday for the first time on whether the European Union handed out illegal subsidies to Airbus in a verdict that could affect planemakers worldwide.

The three-member WTO panel is widely expected to agree with complainant Washington that the billions of euros in “launch aid” Airbus received to build the A380 and other top-selling planes was anti-competitive and violated trade laws.

Sanjay Dutt was unsure about IPL bid

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Mumbai, September 04: Like his colleagues Shah Rukh Khan, Preity Zinta and Shilpa Shetty, Sanjay Dutt also wants his share of the Indian Premier League (IPL) pie. But the actor was not sure whether he would be allowed to bid for team ownership because of his conviction in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case.

“There’re two new teams in Ahmedabad and Nagpur coming up in December. Sanjay might buy either,” a source close to him told media.

Mullen: Time limit to Afghan war

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Washington, September 04: The US only has a limited time in which to gain victory in Afghanistan, Michael Mullen, the chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff, has said.

Speaking on Thursday at a press conference with Robert Gates, the US defence secretary, Admiral Mullen said: “Time is not on our side.”

He said the Pentagon was aware there must be a “sense of urgency” in Afghanistan, but he added there was no prospect of US troops being pulled out.

“I certainly don’t think it’s time to leave,” he said.

IMF remains cautious about global economic recovery

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Washington, September 04: Acknowledging that the global economy appears to be emerging from the worst financial and economic crisis in the post-war period, the International Monetary Fund Managing Director, Dominique Strauss-Kahn on Friday said the recovery will be sluggish and that a jobless recovery remains a risk.

Delivering the 2009 Bundesbank Lecture in Berlin, Strauss Khan argued that the stimulus measures adopted by countries to combat the global crisis should be withdrawn only when the economic recovery has taken hold and unemployment is set to decline.

BJP leaders to discuss Assembly polls preparation

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New Delhi, September 04: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Central Election Committee will meet in New Delhi on Friday to discuss the party’s strategy for the Assembly election coming up in three states of Haryana, Maharashtra and Arunachal Pradesh.

The BJP top leadership including President Rajnath Singh and leaders from the states going to polls will and discuss pre-poll preparations in order to avoid another debacle.

The Election Commission on August 31 had announced dates for Assembly elections in Maharashtra, Haryana and Arunachal Pradesh.

Islamic summer camp in Saudi targets extremism

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Riyadh, September 04: Young men spray hoses in a car-washing contest and play pool. Children make paper crowns in an art class, while their parents have a picnic. Alongside the fun and games, Muslim clerics answer questions about jihad or give lectures about the proper dress for women.

This is Islamic summer camp, and it’s part of Saudi Arabia’s campaign to eliminate al-Qaida.