Month: March 2011

Yemeni president working on exit plan

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Sana’a, March 03: Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh will work out a plan for his exit within a year, opposition members said after meeting him.

Both sides have reached a “common ground” on opposition demands, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.

Saleh met representatives of the Joint Meeting Party, a coalition of opposition groups, late Wednesday.

The coalition said: “The president agreed to determine the series of steps he will take to leave power, with no inheritance, during a period of time that will not extend beyond this year.”

No wrongdoing in 2G case, government to court

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New Delhi, March 03: There has been no wrongdoing in the allocation of second generation (2G) spectrum, the government told the Supreme Court Thursday.

Attorney General G. Vahanvati told judges G.S. Singhvi and Asok Kumar Ganguly that everything in the allocation of 2G licences was in conformity with the then national telecom policy.

Vahanvati said that in the grant of the licences, revenue was not a consideration and the government’s goal was to increase teledensity.

Congress, opposition stall parliament over Telangana

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New Delhi, March 03: Their political divisions notwithstanding, some ruling Congress MPs Thursday joined Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Telangana Rashtriya Samithi (TRS) members to disrupt parliament demanding a separate Telangana to be carved out of Andhra Pradesh.

The joint protests on the contentious issue forced repeated disruptions of the Lok Sabha. Speaker Meira Kumar adjourned the house till 2 p.m., the third adjournment after the members met at 11 a.m.

Strauss demands England improvements

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Banglore, March 03: Shell-shocked England captain Andrew Strauss admitted his side needed to raise their game against in-form South Africa after slumping to a demoralising World Cup defeat by Ireland.

Kevin O’Brien struck the fastest-ever World Cup century as Ireland won by three wickets after setting a new record score by a team batting second to win a World Cup match, of 329 for seven.

Government pulled up over black money probe

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New Delhi, March 03: The Supreme Court Thursday pulled up the central government for not interrogating in custody Hasan Ali and others accused of laundering money abroad.

“We are asking a simple question for a simple answer. Why no custodial interrogation of the people about which you have the information,” Justice B. Sudershan Reddy and S.S. Nijjar asked Solicitor General G. Subramanium.

The court wanted to know who prevented their custodial interrogation.

Muslim US citizen sues FBI for spying

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Washington, March 03: A Muslim US citizen has filed a lawsuit against the US government and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for violating his constitutional rights by spying on him with a GPS device hidden in his car.

Twenty-year-old Yasir Afifi, studying in Santa Clara, California, alleges that the US government illegally tracked his movements using a GPS device, Reuters reported.

I respect judgment, will speak in parliament: PM

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New Delhi, March 03: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Thursday welcomed the Supreme Court ruling as illegal P.J. Thomas’ appointment as central vigilance commissioner (CVC) and said he would speak on it in parliament.

“I respect the court judgment and I will speak in the house,” he told reporters outside parliament.

The apex court Thursday struck down the appointment of Thomas as CVC for his alleged involvement in a corruption case, six months after he was appointed to the post.

‘Iran warships passing through Suez’

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Tehran, March 03: Two Iranian Navy ships that made their first ever journey through the Suez Canal following Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution are currently sailing through the canal before heading toward the Red Sea.

The vessels will pass through the Red Sea later on Thursday and enter the Gulf of Aden, the Public Relations of Iran’s Army said on March 3.

The Iranian warships are due to arrive in zone one of the country’s Naval Forces later.

Cannabis use linked to psychosis risk

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London, March 03: The youth who use cannabis are not only more likely to show psychotic symptoms but are also at significantly higher risk of developing psychotic disorder later in life.

Cannabis is the most commonly used illicit drug in the world, particularly among adolescents while an increasing number of findings are showing strong association between pot and psychotic disorders.

32 members of marriage party killed in accident

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Shimla, March 03: Thirty-two members of a marriage party were killed when the vehicle they were travelling in fell into a gorge in Himachal Pradesh’ Chamba district, police said on Thursday. In a separate accident, seven people died when their SUV rolled into another gorge in the same district.

The members of the marriage party were killed when their mini truck (Tata 407) carrying 35 to 40 people fell into a 300-metre-deep gorge near the Chamera dam, some 45 km from district headquarters Chamba, Superintendent of Police Madhu Sudan told a news agency on phone from the spot.

Iran trying to influence uprisings in West Asia

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Washington, March 03: The US on Thursday accused Iran of trying to “influence” a series of uprisings in the West Asia through its “proxies” like Hezbollah and Hamas, as it said that Tehran is involved with the opposition movements in Bahrain and Yemen.

“Either directly or through proxies, they are constantly trying to influence events. They have a very active diplomatic foreign policy outreach,” US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told lawmakers at a Congressional hearing.

Pak court says Davis has no diplomatic immunity

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Lahore, March 03: A Pakistan court on Thursday ruled that CIA contractor Raymond Davis does not have diplomatic immunity.

Davis, who is facing murder charges for killing two Pakistani men in Lahore, is currently kept in a high-security detention centre. Davis shot dead two men in the eastern city of Lahore
last month.

He said he acted in self-defence and the United States says he has diplomatic immunity and should be repatriated. The case has inflamed anti-American sentiment in Pakistan and is straining relations between the allies.

‘King’ Kevin steams towards IPL dream

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Bangalore, March 03: Ireland cricket star Kevin O’Brien hopes his record-breaking World Cup century against England could pave the way for a lucrative Indian Premier League contract.

O’Brien scored the fastest-ever World Cup century, off just 50 balls, as Ireland completed a stunning three-wicket win over England to revive their hopes of a quarter-final berth following an opening loss to Bangladesh.

The 26-year-old, who made a whirlwind 113 off 63 balls, currently plays for Irish club side Railway Union following a brief spell with English county side Nottinghamshire in 2009.

Pakistan skipper warns against complacency vs Canada

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Colombo, March 03: Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi is warning against complacency as his team look to maintain their winning start to the World Cup against minnows Canada on Thursday.

Pakistan, whose World Cup build-up was characteristically chaotic, beat joint hosts Sri Lanka by 11 runs following their opening victory over Kenya.

Another two points against Canada will go a long way towards ensuring their quarter-final place, but Afridi said his team must guard against complacency that had cost them dearly in the past.

US stocks edge higher on jobs, economy

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Washington, March 03: US stocks edged higher Wednesday after a surprisingly strong report on hiring by private companies raised hopes that the job market may be improving.

Traders remained concerned about the latest spike in oil prices as Libya’s internal conflict deepened. Crude settled above $US102 a barrel for the first time since Sept 2008.

Worries about the impact of high oil prices on the US economy have recently sent stocks lower.

Hundreds of protesters camp in Muscat

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Oman, March 03: Hundreds of Omani anti-government protesters have camped outside the Consultative Council in the capital Muscat to demand political reform and better life conditions.

They were carrying placards reading, “We want jobs” and “We want freedom of press, AFP reported on Wednesday.

The protesters also called for bringing to justice those responsible for the deaths of demonstrators in the northern town of Sohar.

At least six people were killed in Sohar on Sunday after police opened fire on the anti-government demonstrators.

Three prisoners killed in Egypt jail break

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Cairo, March 03: Police opened fire on prisoners trying to escape from a prison in northern Egypt on Wednesday, killing three and wounding eight, security officials said.

None of the prisoners escaped during the attempted prison break in Damanhour, about 130km north-east of Cairo, the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they are not authorised to brief the media.

The prison is home to two well-known Egyptian detainees – Tarek el-Zomor and his cousin, Lt Abboud el-Zomor.

Four killed, 13 injured in highway mishap

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Pune, March 03: Four people were killed and 13 injured when a speeding car hit a jeep while trying to overtake a Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) bus in the wee hours on Wednesday. The accident occurred near Lonavla, on the old Pune-Mumbai National Highway-4.

The deceased have been identified as Baban Mahdu Thube, 50, of Bhor (jeep driver), Shrirang Vitthal Chavan, 50, and his wife Mangala Shrirang Chavan, 47, of Karad and Dattareya Hole of Rajgurunagar.

Missile thrown through bus windscreen

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Melbourne, March 03: A Melbourne bus driver has been showered with glass after an object was thrown through his windscreen during a late night shift.

The bus was travelling on Warrigal Road in Malvern East, in the city’s east, about 9.15pm (AEDT) when an object hit the front windscreen.

The impact shattered the window and left the 40-year-old male driver with lacerations to his face.

The driver managed to control the bus and drove it to nearby Chadstone Shopping Centre, where he contacted police.

Hamari Daak

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The problems of retired class

After the untimely death of former CM Rajsekhar Reddy, the political situation in the state turned from bad to worse. Now, the situation has reached to non-co-operation level, which is likely to make the management infrastructure of the government, defunct.

In these circumstances, who would come forward to solve the problems of the retired class of the society? The representatives of the government had provided a good door-to-door service through Richchabanda programme in order to eradicate various problems.

New charges hit US Wikileaks suspect

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London, March 03: The US Army has filed twenty-two new charges against a US Army private, suspected of leaking hundreds of thousands of sensitive and classified documents to the WikiLeaks.

The most serious new charge filed against Private First Class E. Bradley Manning, alleges that he aided the enemy by making this information public.

Gaddafi men defeated in oil town Brega

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Tripoli, March 03: (Libyan revolutionaries) Pro-democracy fighters controlling the eastern town of Brega in Libya have repelled an assault by the forces loyal to embattled ruler Muammar Gaddafi.

Well-armed Gaddafi forces arrived in large numbers, and at one stage appeared to hold the upper hand, however, they were later forced to retreat, the state-fund BBC reported on Thursday.

Brega is an oil hub of Libya. Libya is Africa’s major oil producer and one of Europe’s biggest North African oil suppliers.

Telangana Row Disrupts Parliament

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New Delhi, March 03: The demand for a separate Telangana rocked Parliament today with TRS, BJP and Congress members from the region forcing adjournment of both Houses till noon.

As soon as the Lok Sabha met for the day, TRS members K Chandrashekar Rao and M Vijayashanti rushed to the Well demanding formation of a separate Telangana. They were supported by BJP members.

A section of Congress members from Andhra Pradesh too were seen in the aisle raising slogans for a separate Telangana, while TDP members were seen waving placards favouring a ‘United Andhra Pradesh’.

Iran’s Larijani warns of West militarism

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Tehran, March 03: Iranian Parliament (Majlis) Speaker Ali Larijani has warned against regional terrorism and Western militarism, saying the duo has wreaked havoc in the region.

“The United States seeks to ensure its dominance over the region but vigilance of the (regional) nations will foil their plots,” Majlis news agency (ICANA) quoted Larijani as saying in a meeting with Belarusian Justice Minister Viktor Golovanov in the Iranian capital, Tehran, on Wednesday.