London, March 02: Western Governments choked off funding to the Gaddafi regime overnight, freezing assets of the Libyan leader and his inner circle after the United Nations and European Union imposed sanctions.
As the Government in London revealed it had foiled a plan by Gaddafi to move €1 billion ($1.36 billion) worth of brand new Libyan banknotes out of Britain, others blocked any attempt to withdraw cash from abroad.
New York, March 02: The US state of Tennessee is considering making it a felony to follow some versions of the Islamic code known as Sharia, the most severe measure yet put forth by a national movement whose members believe extremist Muslims want Sharia to supersede the Constitution.
The bill would face steep constitutional hurdles if enacted.
Nevertheless, it represents the boldest legislative attempt yet to limit how Muslims worship.
Tunis, March 02: Tunisia’s minister for economic and social reform became the third minister in the space of a day to quit the country’s interim government.
The departure of Elyes Jouini today followed those of Ahmed Ibrahim, head of the Ettajdid party, who had served as an education minister, and local development minister Ahmed Nejib Chebbi, from the Progressive Democratic Party, the official TAP news agency reports.
It brought to five the number of ministers to stand down over the past 48 hours.
Sohar, March 02: Tanks dispersed demonstrators in Oman blocking the port in the industrial city of Sohar and the coast road to Muscat as protests were also reported elsewhere in the country, journalists and witnesses say.
The operation went peacefully and Omani forces drove away protesters who had been keeping vigil at the Earth Roundabout, a landmark intersection where at least one protester was killed in clashes on Sunday.
Tehran, March 02: The commander of the Libyan army’s infantry forces has joined the revolution against Muammar Gaddafi’s regime, and the international community is stepping up pressure on the North African country to stop the violence.
Al Jazeera Arabic reported the commander’s defection late on Tuesday.
This development comes as more government and military officials are defecting from the Gaddafi camp because of the government’s harsh crackdown on protesters.
Tripoli, March 02: The Organization of the Islamic Conference has emphasized that it was against any military intervention by US and its Western allies in Libya.
Speaking at the UN human rights council, OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu stressed that the crisis should be settled peacefully.
“Allow me to underline our position against any possible military intervention on the situation in Libya,” Ihsanoglu said on Tuesday
“To this end, all options should be utilized for the settlement of disputes through peaceful means and without resorting to the use of force,” he added.
Washington, March 02: Members of a Palestinian community in the US have held protests in Washington, calling for the termination of the Palestinian Authority (PA).
The US Palestinian Community Network gathered outside the office of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) to present a symbolic “pink slip” to the PA in a call for its termination, Media correspondent in Washington reported.
The call comes more than a month after the release of the so-called “Palestine Papers” which exposed major concessions offered by the PA to Israel during closed door meetings.
Tehran, March 02: Iran has denied reports that fuel has been removed from the core of the reactor at the Bushehr nuclear power plant south of the country.
Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said on Tuesday that no fuel has been removed from the Bushehr power station, and that operations at the facility “are running their normal course.”
He expressed hope that Russia would be able to implement the project as planned, so that the Bushehr facility will join the national grid as scheduled.
Riyadh, March 02: Massive anti-government protests in the Arab world have influenced shares in Saudi Arabia, bringing down the largest market in the Arab world by 6.8 percent to a 20-month low.
The Saudi bourse dropped for the 12th consecutive session on Tuesday on fears of unrest and on Sunday lost five percent.
The Tadawul All-Shares Index (TASI) shed about 403 points to close at 5,538.72 points, the lowest level since mid-July 2009, with all the 145 listed companies ending the day in the red.
The index dipped more than eight percent before recovering just ahead of the close.
Tehran, March 02: Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has expressed his condolences to the bereaved families of a cleric and a scholar.
In separate messages on Tuesday, the Leader expressed his sympathy over the passing away of Ayatollah Seyyed Mohammad Ali Hakim and also offered his condolences to the family, friends, and students of scholar Dr. Abolqasem Gorji.
In his message, the Leader praised Dr. Gorji for his scientific achievements in the country’s universities.
——–Agencies
Sanaa, March 02: Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh has reportedly sacked the governors of five provinces — including Aden, Hadramout, Hodeidah provinces — amid continued protests demanding his ouster.
Following their dismissal as governors, the officials in question have been installed in different government posts.
Muhsin al-Naqib, who served as governor of Lahj province, was appointed as deputy minister of Industry and Trade Ministry, while Governor of Abyan province Ahmed al-Maisary was appointed as deputy Minister of Agriculture.
New Delhi, March 02: India’s continuing with its evacuation of the nearly 18,000 Indians based in Libya.
Twenty per cent of the Indian population has been evacuated so far.
A ship left the port city of Benghazi today with close to 1000 people on board. It will reach Alexandria in Egypt tomorrow, from where special flights will bring the passengers home. A passenger ship is also headed to Misurata.
Sanaa, March 02: At least two people have been killed and four others injured in clashes in southern Yemen.
Protesters are angry at widespread corruption, as Yemeni university graduates struggle to get jobs without connections and youth unemployment is high.
Northern rebels and southern separatists say they are denied resources and a say in politics.
As oil and water resources dry up, 68-year-old President Ali Abdullah Saleh is less able to pay off allies to keep the peace.
——–Agencies
London, March 02: The United Nations General Assembly has suspended Libya’s membership in the UN Human Rights Council, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon announced on Tuesday.
Ban made the remarks in an address to the UN General Assembly in New York.
The UN secretary general also urged the UN General Assembly to act decisively in response to the suppression of popular protests against the authoritarian regime of Muammar Gaddafi and stated that all the violence in the country must be halted immediately.
New Delhi, March 02: Priyanka Chopra seems to have taken her role in 7 Khoon Maaf a little too seriously! The versatile actress, who gets married seven times in the thriller, says she would love to marry at least six times in real life – but to the same man.
‘I have been planning my wedding since as far back as I can remember! My ideal scenario is getting married six times (to the same man of course),’ said Priyanka revealed in the upcoming, second anniversary issue of fashion magazine Harper’s Bazaar.
Mumbai, March 02: Opposition BJP today accused the Maharashtra’s Congress-NCP Government of being involved in a land scam accounting in crores by favouring select builders.
Addressing a press conference, BJP National Secretary Kirit Sommaiya said his party will file a PIL in the Bombay High Court in this regard next week.
According to him, then Chief Minister Ashok Chavan had given six builders in Mumbai 235 lakh sq ft of land belonging to the Central and State Government, civic and defence authorities at throwaway prices.
Ajmer, March 02: A local court today extended the judicial custody of Ajmer dargah blast accused Swami Aseemanand till March 15.
Aseemanand, who is lodged in Ajmer jail, was produced along with three other accused including Harshad Bhai and Bharat before Acting Chief Judicial Magistrate Rekha Sharma who extended their judicial custody till March 15.
The blast in the premises of the dargah of Khawaja Moinuddin Chishti in 2007 had left three persons dead and 15 others injured.
Mumbai, March 02: Survivors of the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy today lashed out at the Centre and Maharashtra government for ‘collaborating’ with Dow Chemical (owner of Union Carbide) saying it is “shameful” that the multinational has been invited for a business conference here.
Aquatech International, a conference to be held in suburban Goregaon, will see participation from companies from 15 countries.
Rajnandgaon (Chhattisgarh), March 02: BJP veteran Shiv Kumar Shastri ied here today.
He was 92.
A contemporary of leaders like Keshubhai Thakre and Sundarlal Patwa, Shastri had played an important role in the formation of Jansangh, BJP’s previous avatar.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh, who represents Rajnandgaon in the state Assembly, described Shastri as his political guru.
The cremation will take place tomorrow.
-Agencies
Panaji, March 02: Duplication or plagiarism of PhD theses will hopefully be curtailed as more and more universities are joining University Grant Commission’s (UGC) initiative of installing anti-plagiarism software, an expert said here.
“In all 14 universities have already signed a memorandum of understanding and more are in the pipeline,” Jagdish Arora, Director, INFLIBNET (Information and Library Network), an initiative of UGC, told reporters here today.
Varanasi, March 02: A suspended Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) jawan was today arrested for allegedly murdering a brother of the village pradhan in Hathiar Kalan village here, police said.
The body of Santosh (25), who was missing for over two days, was found from a dry well at the Intermediate college here and it bore injury marks.
Later, one Kalaadhaar Chaubey, who was suspended from the CISF some time ago, was arrested after the victim’s family pointed out towards an old feud between them, they said.
Mumbai, March 02: An alleged illegal arms supplier hailing from Jharkhand has been arrested from Central Mumbai and four firearms and over two dozen cartridges seized from his possesion, police said today.
Acting on a tip off, a trap was laid near Swaminarayan Mandir at Dadar area yesterday afternoon for the accused Aslam Musafir Ansari, a Crime Branch official said.
Ansari, 35, was frisked and two 0.9 mm country-made pistols, two revolvers and 25 live cartridges were found in his possession, the official claimed.
Pune, March 02: Dempo Sports Club, Goa, began their AFC Cup campaign with a 2-1 win over Yemen’s Al Tilal in a Group A encounter here Tuesday.
All the goals came in the second session of the Shiv Chhatrapathi Sports Complex, Mhalunge-Balewadi, game.
For Dempo, their Brazilian midfielder Beto (53rd) and Nigerian striker Ranti Martins Soleye (67th) found the target before Al Tilal striker Tafese Tesfaye Sege (75th) pulled one back to ease the pressure when they play the Goan side in the return leg.
Jamui (Bihar), March 02: Maoists tonight demolished three government buildings, inclding a two-storied school, at a village of Bihar’s Jamui district, police said.
Scores of ultras, including women, brought four JCB machines of a private road construction firm and bulldozed the school building meantfor children belonging to Mahadalit communities at Garaih village.
They also completely demolished the adjoining office building of irrigation department and an inspection bungalow of water resources department before escaping into the jungles.
-Agencies
Jaipur, March 02: Noted wildlife conservationist Fateh Singh Rathore, called the ‘Tiger Man’ by his admirers, died today in Rajasthan’s Sawaimadhopur district.
He was 73.
Singh, hailed as one of the pioneers of India’s tiger conservation story, was a former project director at Ranthambore and was conferred a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) last month.
Singh had been ailing for some time and breathed last today, his aides said.
-Agencies