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Sunday, April 25, 2010

Laxmi Mittal still tops world’s rich persons’ list


The fortunes of the richest people in Britain have soared by 30 percent in a year while much of the country is struggling to recover from recession, according to an annual list published today. Indian steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal and his family remain top of the list with 22.45 billion pounds (34.5 billion dollars, 25.8 billion euros), more than double the 10.8 billion pounds they were estimated to have last year. Roman Abramovich, the Russian billionaire who owns Chelsea Football Club, retains his second place on the Sunday Times Rich List with wealth of 7,400 million pounds, up 400 million pounds from last year. The compilers of the 2010 list say the rise in the wealth of Britain's richest individuals is the largest since the list was first published 21 years ago. The recovering health of global stock markets and property values following the global downturn has fuelled the rise. The 1,000 richest people in the country increased their wealth by 77 billion pounds last year, bringing their total wealth to 335.5 billion pounds. Another ten individuals joined the ranks of billionaires in the past 12 months -- there are now 53 in Britain. A boom in commodity markets lifted the fortunes of the mining magnates Alisher Usmanov, up 213 percent to 4.7 billion pounds, and Anil Agarwal, up 583 percent to 4.1 billion pounds.

Thai PM vows to retake protest site


Bangkok is bracing for more unrest after the Thai prime minister rejected an offer by anti-government protesters to end their demonstrations in return for fresh elections within 30 days. Instead, Abhisit Vejjajiva reiterated in a nationally televised address on Sunday that the authorities will retake the main protest site of the so-called red shirts in Bangkok's main shopping area of Ratchaprasong. "There will be a retaking of Ratchaprasong, but the process, measures, how and when it will be done, we cannot disclose because it depends on several things," Abhisit said with the army chief, General Anupong Paojinda, by his side.

Israel must topple Assad in next conflict with Syria proxies


Syria, according to recent reports, is supplying Hezbollah with Scuds and other missiles that possess a range covering all of Israel - prompting the question as to the implications of such military hardware during wartime. The missiles have the capacity to carry a ton of explosives or another warhead, and they don't require great sophistication to operate. The use of solid fuel might also make it possible to launch these missiles more quickly than the smaller missiles that were directed at Israel during the Second Lebanon War. Though the larger weapons are launched from mobile launch pads, they are more easily identified and destroyed than the smaller missiles. The accuracy of the current Scuds is a matter of hundreds of meters, a higher level of precision than that of the missiles which landed in Israel during the Second Lebanon War. At the same time, a missile that strikes an urban area does not require great accuracy. If Hezbollah arms itself with several hundred Scuds, over the course of a two-week war it could fire several dozen large missiles a day, causing physical damage or injury as well as affecting morale. And a strike at the commercial heart of the country could deter foreigners from doing business with Israel. 

Iran and Zimbabwe: birds of same feathers?


Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe backs Iran’s controversial nuclear programme and has accused the West of seeking to punish the two countries for asserting their independence. “Be also assured, comrade president, of Zimbabwe’s continuous support of Iran’s just cause on the nuclear issue,” Mugabe told Ahmadinejad at a banquet he hosted for Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who arrived in Harare on Thursday for a two-day visit.. Iran faces a possible new round of United Nations sanctions over its refusal to halt uranium enrichment. Zimbabwe itself escaped U.N sanctions in 2008 after Mugabe’s re-election in a second round poll marred by political violence, which forced his rival, Morgan Tsvangirai to pull out despite outpolling Mugabe in the first round voting.

Shoaib seeking Rs 35 million for media rights of 'walima' reception


Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Malik wants to cash on his extensively reported wedding with Indian tennis sensation Sania Mirza, as he has reportedly demanded Rs 35 million for media rights of his 'walima' reception, which would be held today (April 25) in his hometown, Sialkot. According to a private television channel, Shoaib is in consultation with two media houses for leasing out the rights of coverage of his reception ceremony, but a deal has not been struck so far.

Clashes as settlers march in Israel


Palestinian protesters and Israeli security forces have clashed after Jewish settlers marched in the Arab neighbourhood of Silwan in East Jerusalem. The rightwing settlers, who staged the march on Sunday, want Palestians removed from the area and their homes pulled down. The march, led by Baruch Marzel and Itamar-Gvir, comes as Israel prepares to declare the beginning of US-mediated indirect talks with the Palestians. It was originally scheduled for March but was delayed by the police until after the Jewish Passover.