Translate

Search This Blog

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Breaking NeWs

Morales assassination plot 'foiled'

Indians vote in marathon election

The world’s largest democracy goes to the polls Thursday in phase one of a staggered general election that will end May 13. Indian elections are massive, complex affairs, but at heart the issues and emotions are elemental.The first stage of India’s general election kicks off Thursday with 17 states going to the polls in the biggest exercise of democratic will anywhere and at any time in human history.About 714 million of India’s 1.1 billion-strong population - more than twice the population of the USA - is eligible to vote in an election of staggering scale, complexity and sheer human drama.Candidates jostling for a position in India’s 543-seat Parliament hail from more than 1,000 registered political parties and include political stalwarts, upstarts, Bollywood stars, cricketers, upper caste members, as well as representatives of the lowest rungs of India’s caste-ridden society.“An Indian general election is a fairly massive exercise,” says Uday Bhaskar, former director of the New Delhi-based Institute for Defense Studies and Analyses. “This year, there is a larger demographic base because more younger people are joining voting lists and the older population is living longer and is more active than before. In 2009, the demographic is also more connected because of technology - TV, cell phones, and the Internet.”

Soyouz brings Russian millionaire back to Earth

Charles Simonyi returned safely to Earth after his second space trip to the International Space Station. The Russian millionaire's 10-day trip on board the Russian Soyouz capsule was a snip at 35 million dollars.US millionaire space tourist Charles Simonyi shared a kiss with his wife in the Kazakh steppe after returning safely to Earth on Wednesday after an unprecedented second tour in orbit.Simonyi, who made his fortune pioneering Microsoft software, bumped back to Earth at 0715 GMT with two professional astronauts in the Russian Soyuz capsule, a spokesman for the mission control centre told AFP."According to the search group, the space capsule landed in the planned area. All of the cosmonauts are feeling normal," a mission spokesman said in comments on Russia's Vesti 24 television.Travelling back to Earth with 60-year-old Simonyi -- the first person to travel into space twice as a tourist -- were Russian cosmonaut Yuri Lonchakov and US astronaut Michael Fincke."Here's the Earth!" Fincke cried repeatedly in Russian as the ground recovery team arrived, adding to NASA colleagues on the ground in English: "It's so nice to see you."Still in space suits and wrapped in blue thermal blankets, the crew were shown on live national television smiling and undergoing initial medical examinations from deck chairs set out in the field by the landing site.Hungarian-born Simonyi, who paid 35 million dollars (28 million euros) for his 10-day space tour, was seen receiving a warm embrace from his 29-year-old Swedish wife, Lisa Persdotter, who travelled by helicopter to the site.

Chelsea reach semis after thriller

Chelsea overcame Liverpool in a nail-biting Champions League quarter-final which saw 8 goals in a 4-4 draw giving the London hosts a 7-5 win on aggregate.Fabio Aurelio and Xabi Alonso scored in the first 28 minutes to give Liverpool hope in the second leg of the quarterfinals, but Frank Lampard ended up with two goals for Chelsea and Alex and Didier Drogba added the others.Liverpool's Lucas Leiva and Dirk Kuyt also scored late, but the 3-1 loss at home in the first leg proved too much to overcome.In the other quarterfinal, Barcelona drew at Bayern Munich 1-1 to set up a semi-final clash against Chelsea.

Flower appointed to England job

Andy Flower has been named as the new team director for the England cricket team.The former Zimbabwe wicketkeeper will be given the hard task of restoring England's reputation and attempting to regain the Ashes against Australia.Flower was confirmed as head coach at a news conference at Lord's Cricket ground in London after impressing the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) during a spell as interim coach on the recent West Indies tour.The 40-year-old, who played 63 tests for Zimbabwe has been an assistant coach with England for the past two years.He replaces Peter Moores who was sacked in January following a breakdown in his relationship with former captain Kevin Pietersen.

Federer and Nadal advance into third round

Favourites Rafael Nadal (n°1) and Roger Federer (n°2) qualified for the third round of the Monte Carlo Masters by beating Juan Ignacio Chela and Andreas Seppi, respectively. Nikolay Davydenko also progressed after a win over Ivo Karlovic.World number one Rafael Nadal reached the third round of the Monte Carlo Masters, although his easy-looking 6-2 6-3 win masked a rusty performance against Argentine Juan Ignacio Chela on Wednesday.The Spaniard, who is gunning for a fifth successive title, a record in the professional era, looked sloppy at times but regained composure when it mattered to wrap up the win after 86 minutes.Newly-wed Roger Federer, who could face Nadal for a fourth consecutive final at the Monte Carlo Country Club, eased past Italian Andreas Seppi 6-4 6-4.The second-seeded Swiss appeared very relaxed on a sunbathed centre court, clinching victory on his fourth match point after a final burst from Seppi.He will next face compatriot Stanislas Wawrinka for a quarter-final spot after the 13th seed beat Argentine Martin Vassallo Arguello 2-6 7-5 6-2."I thought I played okay. I had a good stretch at the end of the first set, beginning of the second," Federer told reporters.Maybe I could have made it easier for myself in the second. I had some opportunities. He hung in there and I didn't play my best. But still happy I came through so good."Federer, who married his longtime girlfriend Mirka Vavrinec last weekend, broke in the ninth game and took the opening set with a backhand winner down the line.

FIA rule Brawn car is legal

Jenson Button's title hopes received a significant boost when a Paris appeal court ruled in favour of the Formula One championship leader's controversial Brawn GP car.The International Automobile Federation (FIA)'s court of appeal also ruled that Toyota and Williams, whose cars use similar 'double-decker' or 'split-level' rear diffusers were legal.Rivals had claimed these diffusers broke the spirit of the rules.Button won the first two races of the Grands Prix season in Australia and Malaysia after overturning protests from struggling champions Ferrari, Renault, Red Bull and BMW-Sauber.The four teams had then appealed against the stewards' decisions.The FIA said in a statement that the court, which met on Tuesday, had decided "to deny the appeals submitted"."Based on the arguments heard and evidence before it, the Court has concluded that the Stewards were correct to find that the cars in question comply with the applicable regulations," the statement added.It announced full reasons would be provided later.

Ahmadinejad pledges new nuclear offer

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Tehran will offer a package of new proposals to the UN Security Council aimed at resolving the standoff over Iran's controversial nuclear programme. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Wednesday Tehran will offer a new package to world powers for negotiations aimed at resolving the standoff over its controversial nuclear drive."We are preparing a new package which will be ready very soon," Ahmadinejad said in a speech in the southern province of Kerman, according to the official IRNA news agency.The Fars news agency quoted Ahmadinejad as saying the package "will be presented to the P5-plus-1 group," referring to UN Security Council permanent members Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States plus Germany."Iran will hold discussions based on this new package which guarantees peace and justice in the world," Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying.He said the package was a new version of one offered in May 2008, which Iran described as an all-embracing attempt to solve the world's problems, and which suggested setting up consortiums -- including one in Iran -- to enrich uranium and manufacture nuclear fuel.The 2008 package was offered after global powers proposed economic incentives to help Iran's civilian nuclear programme in return for a halt to enrichment activities.Uranium enrichment is a process which makes nuclear fuel as well as the core of an atom bomb, and the West fears Iran is secretly trying to build nuclear weapons -- a charge persistently denied by Tehran.Iran's top nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili said on Monday that Tehran was ready to talk with the P5-plus-1 to resolve the long-running deadlock.

Angry crowd chases off women's rights protesters

A crowd of more than 500 Afghans in Kabul chased off protesters against a new Shiite marriage law, which says a husband can demand sex with his wife every four days unless she is ill. Critics of the law say it "insults the dignity of women".An angry crowd of more than 500 Afghans chased off a few dozen protesters in Kabul on Wednesday who criticised a new law for imposing Taliban-style restrictions on Shiite women.Up to 50 women lawmakers and rights activists marched outside a Kabul university demanding "justice" and distributing a declaration saying the Shiite Personal Status Law "insults the dignity of women", said an AFP reporter.They were soon outnumbered by a rowdy group of 200 Shiite women and around 300 men who chanted slogans in favour of the law -- which regulates marriage, divorce and inheritance for the Shiite minority on their request.President Hamid Karzai signed the law in March but it has yet to be published, despite changes that some parliamentarians say soften more severe drafts.Karzai ordered a review after an outcry from Western allies, including Canada, the United Nations and the United States, who say it violates international regulations on the equality of women.

Millions of Indians due to vote

Millions of Indians are due to vote in the first round of the country's 15th general elections.Voters in 124 constituencies will be taking part in the vote. There are four other phases between it and the last phase on 13 May.More than 700 million Indians overall are eligible to vote for seats in the lower house of parliament.The incumbent Congress-led coalition government is facing a challenge from the main opposition BJP-led alliance.It is also competing against a third front of communist and regional parties in a poll that is too close to call.Results are due on 16 May and a new parliament must be in place by 2 June.The first voting takes place in constituencies spread across the country, including volatile areas in north and central India.
INDIAN ELECTION AT A GLANCE
Eligible voters: 714 million
Polling centres: 828,804
Voting days: 16, 23, 30 April; 7, 13 May
Vote counting: 16 May
Leading candidates: Manmohan Singh (Congress), LK Advani (BJP), Mayawati
States where voting takes place are Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Lakshwadeep and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.More than two million security personnel are expected to be deployed, especially after a string of recent attacks by Maoist rebels who have threatened to disrupt the vote.Thousands of police and paramilitary troops have been deployed across the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, which will vote for both national and state assembly representatives.

Government revokes ex-PM Thaksin's passport

Thai authorities are escalating a campaign against Thailand's former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, after his supporters staged massive protests in Bangkok demanding his return from exile this week.Thailand revoked the passport of Thaksin Shinawatra Wednesday, escalating a campaign against the fugitive former premier and his allies for allegedly inciting deadly anti-government protests.Police said they were also hunting the main organisers of the demonstrations that left two people dead and 123 injured this week, after a court issued arrest warrants for Thaksin and 12 top supporters.Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has vowed to prosecute all leaders of the rallies, which broke up on Tuesday after troops threatened to use force against thousands of demonstrators camped outside his offices.Government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn said Thaksin's passport was withdrawn for inciting protests that forced the cancellation of a summit of Asian leaders on the Thai coast on Saturday."The ministry can cancel or recall a passport if it can prove that a person has caused damage to the country," he told AFP.Thaksin was ousted in a military coup in 2006 and lives in exile to avoid a two-year jail term for corruption. He has made a series of speeches to his supporters in Thailand in recent weeks calling for a "revolution".In a television interview filmed in Dubai before the passport announcement, the billionaire tycoon denied the official charges that he had incited violence.

Gaddafi outlines African vision

Libyan leader and current African Union chairman Muammar Gaddafi has spelled out his plans to create a United States of Africa.At an AU Executive Council session in Tripoli, he called on the continent to speed up the integration process.His vision of a pan-African government was at the heart of disputes at February's AU summit in Ethiopia.He said an African Union Authority would replace all other organs and be run by three co-ordinators.Tripoli says the establishment of an AU Authority is meant to be the starting point for the envisioned United States of Africa.More than 60 AU ministers and delegates gathered for a one-day meeting in the Libyan capital to hear Col Gaddafi outline in detail for the first time how his plan would work.He proposed:  The current AU Executive Council appoint a head secretary to be in charge of the continent's foreign affairs The AU's economic development programme, the New Partnership for Africa's Development (Nepad), would oversee foreign trade The head of the AU's Peace and Security Council would run the continent's defence matters Col Gaddafi envisages a single African military force, a single currency and a single passport for Africans to move freely around the continent.Some officials, particularly from countries more favourable towards Libya have expressed a positive outlook towards the plan, while admitting it will take some time to implement.But many will privately express deep concern over issues like state sovereignty, says our correspondent.And others feel the divisions across the continent over the matter are simply too deep to overcome at this time, she adds.

Darfur rebels sentenced to death over Khartoum attack

A court in Sudan has sentenced ten members of the Darfur Justice and Equality Movement to death by hanging after the men were found guilty of an attack on the Khartoum suburb of Omdurman in May 2008.A Sudanese court on Wednesday condemned 10 rebels from the Darfur rebel Justice and Equality Movement to death for an unprecedented attack on Khartoum in 2008 which killed more than 220 people."I condemn you to death by hanging," Judge Mutasim Tajisir said in delivering the verdict.The men were found guilty of terrorist activities, overthrowing the regime, destruction of public property and possession of illegal arms, he said."God is Great! JEM is strong! Revolution, revolution until victory!" cried the defendants, dressed in traditional long robes, after hearing the verdict.Tajisir, who ordered the release of three others accused in the case, gave the defendants one week to appeal the verdict -- which was swiftly branded illegal by JEM. Fifty members of JEM -- the most active Darfur rebel group -- have already been condemned to hang over the attack on the capital's twin city of Omdurman in May 2008.More than 222 people were killed when rebels thrust more than 1,000 kilometres (600 miles) across the sandy expanse from conflict-torn Darfur in western Sudan to Omdurman, just across the Nile from the presidential palace.

Guantanamo abuse row deepens

The Chadian ambassador to the US has told he will raise claims of the abuse of one of its citizens at the Guantanamo Bay prison camp with the US authorities.Mohamed al-Qurani had been beaten and tear-gassed by guards after Barack Obama, the US president, pledged to end abuse at the camp in January."I will bring these allegations to my authorities and also will talk to my counterparts at the state department," Mahmoud al-Bashir, the Chadian ambassador to the US.Al-Bashir said he would raise the case with the Office of War Crimes, which advises Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, on international and domestic war crimes issues.The US state department refused to comment on the claims. Al-Qurani said during the call that the alleged ill-treatment "started about 20 days" before Barack Obama became US president and "since then I've been subjected to it almost every day".

Swat Taliban refuse to lay down arms

Supporters of Sufi Mohammed gather in Mingora

ISLAMABAD Pakistani Taliban will not lay down their arms in a northwestern valley as part of a deal that included the introduction of sharia law but will take their 'struggle' to new areas, a militant spokesman said on Wednesday.President Asif Ali Zardari, under pressure from conservatives, signed a regulation on Monday imposing sharia law in the Swat valley to end Taliban violence.The strategy of appeasement has alarmed US officials, while critics say the government has demonstrated a lack of capacity and will to fight the Taliban and al Qaeda.Details of the deal have not been made public but government officials backing the pact have said part of it was that militants would give up their arms.But a Pakistani Taliban spokesman in the scenic valley, a one-time tourist destination 125 km northwest of Islamabad, said they would be keeping their guns.'Sharia doesn't permit us to lay down arms,' Muslim Khan said by telephone. 'If a government, either in Pakistan or Afghanistan, continues anti-Muslim policies, it's out of the question that Taliban lay down their arms.'Some Taliban fighters last week moved out of Swat and into Buner district, only 100 km from Islamabad, and Khan said his men would push into new areas.'When we achieve our goal at one place, there are other areas where we need to struggle for it,' he said.Earlier on Wednesday, the Tehrik-i-Nifaz-Shariat-i-Muhammdi, which Sufi Mohammad heads, announced a public rally in Mingora on April 19.

Mumbai terror attacks trial suspended

MUMBAI, India  The lawyer for the main suspect in last year's deadly terrorist attack in Mumbai was removed Wednesday, delaying the high-profile trial that was set to begin.The trial start for Mohammed Ajmal Kasab, 21, is expected to be moved to Thursday as officials scramble to settle the lawyer issue. Kasab is thought to be the only one of 10 gunmen to survive the three-day siege, which killed more than 160 people in November.As the trial was to begin, the judge removed attorney Anjali Waghmare because she also was representing a witness in the case. Waghmare argued that she had no idea that the person was a witness in the terror case, and she was representing this person in a different case. But the judge declared that it was a conflict of interest.An Indian court appointed Waghmare two weeks ago to represent Kasab, and it was unclear who would replace her.Kasab demanded that his attorney be replaced with a Pakistani lawyer. But the judge denied that request and said that a Pakistani lawyer may be able to be brought in as a consultant from outside the courtroom.Kasab, a Pakistani national, faces more than a dozen charges, including murder, conspiracy to wage a war against the nation and terrorism.

French warship captures pirates

A French warship has captured 11 pirates off the coast of Kenya, amid clamour for the international community to deal with the problem of piracy.The gang was captured by a warship from an EU piracy patrol, French officials said, hours after a failed attack on a US ship.Other pirates released a Greek ship and its 24 crew held since mid-March.News of the incidents came as the UN special envoy for Somalia said the attacks threatened international peace.The latest raid involved pirates firing rocket-propelled grenades and automatic weapons at a US-flagged cargo ship, the Liberty Sun, which was carrying food aid for Africa.

Air France-KLM to cut up to 3,000 jobs by 2011

Europe's largest carrier has announced plans to shed up to 3,000 jobs over the next two years to make up for a sharp decline in traffic. The group has already cut 2,400 jobs over the financial year 2008-2009 to the end of March.Air France said on Wednesday it would cut up to 3,000 jobs over the next two years as the European airline giant feels the pinch following a sharp decline in traffic due to the global economic crisis."We should reduce our staff by 2,500 to 3,000 in the next two financial years," a spokeswoman told AFP, adding there would be no forced redundancies. The cuts come on top of some 1,000 jobs already shed in the past 12 months.The spokeswoman said there would be money available to employees who want to pursue other projects outside the company and that airline staff would be encouraged to take sabbaticals as well as to bring forward their retirement.Cyril Jouan, a representative of the CFDT trade union, said he was "reassured" that the cuts would be voluntary. "We sense the company is ready to adapt to this difficult period by keeping the maximum number of jobs," he said.Air France said in February that in the financial year to March, just ended, it had reduced its workforce by 1,000 to 1,200 people by not replacing all of those who retired, by not recruiting and by terminating temporary contracts.Air France-KLM, Europe's biggest airline, includes Air France and Dutch carrier KLM. The group employs around 104,000 people and has been hit hard by the economic crisis that has affected much of the global airline industry.

Pakistan bomber hits checkpoint

At least 12 people have been killed by a suicide bomber who attacked a police checkpoint in northwestern Pakistan.The assailant drove a car loaded with explosives into the Hari Chand checkpoint in the Charsadda district on Wednesday, police said.Nine policemen and three civilians were killed in the blast which severed power cables in the area and left a crater about three metres wide."They tried to stop him but he blew himself up," Riaz Mohammad, a senior police officer, said. An investigation team, forensic experts and bomb disposal officers were being sent to the scene.Asif Ali Zardari, the president, and Yusuf Raza Gilani, the prime minister, condemned the attack."The president said that the perpetrators of such a heinous crime would be brought to justice," a statement from Zardari's office said.