BioTech Medics Issues Clarification Regarding Prior Press Release

LAS VEGAS, NV, Jun 20 (MARKET WIRE) —
BioTech Medics, Inc. (PINKSHEETS: BMCS) On June 9, 2010 BioTech announced
in compliance of SEC “material event” regulations that a Federal Grand
Jury had criminally indicted 10 persons (none of whom are current board
members) regarding alleged illegal stock manipulation, theft, forgery of
shares and crimes.

The Company quoted from the indictment in “Count Ten” and “Count Eleven”
that the government is seeking individual disgorgement monetary sums
regarding, “to wit: stock of BioTech Medics, Inc.”

The Company quoted the indictment “Forfeiture Allegation Ten” and
“Forfeiture Allegation Eleven” sums sought and aggregated the sums
regarding the “in personam criminal forfeiture.” The Company also
properly stated regarding those indicted that: “All are considered
innocent until adjudged guilty.”

Due to the fact the indictment is ambiguous and not clear as to how those
sums were allocated the Company aggregated the two separate and distinct
forfeiture quoted sums specifying “BioTech.” Due to the fact the
indictment is also seeking RICO (Racketeering) forfeiture, the forfeiture
sums may be subject to treble damages (but again this is not clear).

So to avoid any confusion and/or misunderstanding of the prior press
release the Company would like to restate and clarify the previous press
release and opinion expressed.

Any quote from the indictment of any sums relating to the aggregate of
the alleged forfeiture sums should not be confused and/or misunderstood
and/or considered to reflect in any way whatsoever regarding any past,
present and/or future value and/or benefit to BioTech and/or its
shareholders by the grand jury. Only a judge and jury subsequent to
deliberating at trial on all of the evidence presented will a
determination be made. That also will not be the final resolve.

According to statements published at an April 2010 Asset Forfeiture
Conference held in Florida at which Richard Weber, Chief of the Asset
Forfeiture & Money Laundering Section of the U.S. Department of Justice
was a speaker, a brochure to the event put in perspective challenges
facing these types of enforcement actions: “Every day in the United
States, criminals earn $1.4 billion from their crimes. Of the $500
billion they earn…” (steal) “…annually, they lose only $4 billion to
law enforcement forfeitures. If you’re a criminal you run less than a 1%
chance that your criminal wealth will be confiscated.”

Since the indictments BMCS is still experiencing shorting and illegal
manipulation.

Contact:
Tom Wood
972-274-5533

Copyright 2010, Market Wire, All rights reserved.

No biz angle to marriage: Posh Beckham

Former Spice girl Victoria Beckham has dismissed reports that her marriage to footballer David Beckham has been reduced to a business arrangement.

Dismissing that she has never recovered from an affair allegation in 2004 around the soccer star, the 35-year-old star insists their union is still very healthy, Ok! Magazine reported.

“We are working on things together but our marriage is absolutely not a business arrangement, Victoria said.

The couple got married in 1999, but five years later David was accused of having a four-month romance with his personal assistant Rebecca Loos.

The English midfielder branded the allegation “ludicrous” and the couple sticked together, but it has long been speculated they only kept their marriage intact for their three children and their business empire.

“I know David has never cheated on me. I really do believe deep down that I have the most faithful husband I could hope for. I can honestly say I am really lucky to have him. I couldn’t live a lie and it would be unfair on the children. We are working on things together but our marriage is absolutely not a business arrangement. Could you, for all the money in the world? I couldn’t,” Victoria said.

MIC Youth chief challenges rival

Klang, May 19 (ANI): MIC Youth chief T. Mohan has challenged his arch-rival Central Working Committee (CMC) member K.P Samy to resign from all party posts, if corruption allegations imposed against Mohan are proven wrong.

“Mohan even called on the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Com­mission and other relevant authorities to investigate the allegation by Samy that RM3.5mil from the Maju Institute of Educational Deve­lopment (MIED) coffers was channelled to a company linked to him,” reports Star online.

Samy had further alleged that he had documents to prove his point and that the money was transferred from MIED to the company.

“I will resign from all my posts and make a public apology if found guilty. Is Samy willing to do the same if otherwise?” said Mohan.

Meanwhile, Samy has criticized Mohan for failing to answer the allegations and instead, asking him to step down from his post. (ANI)

US man offers to swap his child for beer

London, May 19 (ANI): A man in Chicopee, Massachusetts, US, was so frantic to quench his alcohol thirst that he made an offer to swap his baby for two bottles of beer.

Matthew Brace now faces a child endangerment charge for allegedly asking to strike the deal for the three-month old baby girl.

Cops challenged 24-year-old after allegation that he made the strangest offer to a maintenance man outside a petrol station, reports the Sun.

The man called the police and they found Brace hiding with the girl behind a litterbin.

Brace was not arrested but will be summoned to court and the child has now been taken into care.

The child”s mother was inside the garage shop at the time and was not charged. (ANI)

Queens man who stabbed wife 250 times ”didn”t eat her liver as claimed”

New York, May 14 (ANI): A Queens man, who was sentenced to 15 years to life for stabbing his wife 250 times, has also been accused by his sister-in-law of eating the victim”s organs, an allegation which has been denied by his lawyer.

Mohammad Solaiman, 52, had attacked his wife Shadida Sultana on December 22, 2007, after a fight in their Jamaica home.

Solaiman”s lawyer denied the allegation made by the victim”s sister during an emotional victim-impact statement in Queens Supreme Court, and prosecutors have also said it was untrue.

“Why did he kill my sister?” the New York Daily News quoted her as telling the judge.

“I don”t know why he did this to her. He cut out her heart and her liver and ate it. He drank her blood.

“My whole family, they want to know why. Are you going to ask the defendant why he did it?…She”s my little baby sister,” she said through tears.

Defence lawyer John Scarpa, who is seeking mercy for a man who killed in front of his 4-year-old daughter, tried to set the record straight.

“This man killed his wife. He didn”t turn into a cannibal,” Scarpa told Queens Supreme Court Justice Richard Buchter.

Solaiman, who pleaded guilty to manslaughter earlier this year, had stabbed his wife over and over while their young daughter watched.

And then covered in blood, he knocked on a neighbour”s door and confessed to the crime.

“I just killed my wife,” he told the neighbour.

In court, he turned to face his sister-in-law and said only: “I am sorry.”

Scarpa claimed that Solaiman snapped after suffering through six years of physical and emotional abuse at the hands of his 32-year-old wife.

“She was not a saintly woman. This man exploded after many, many years of abuse,” he told the court.

But the judge wondered why Solaiman never filed a police report about the alleged abuse.

“I don”t think she deserved what she got,” Buchter said.

“In a final act of savagery he exposed his four-year-old daughter to this horrific murder scene.

“If that”s not savagery, I don”t know what is,” he added. (ANI)

Silvio Berlusconi ‘agrees to divorce’ second wife

London, May 10 (ANI): Italian Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, has reportedly agreed on a divorce settlement with his second wife/actress Veronica Lario.

According to reports, Lairo will receive “considerably less” than the 3.5 million Euros a month, she had demanded as maintenance.

Instead, Berlusconi, 73, has offered her up to 300,000 euros a month.

Also, she is likely to retain Villa Belvedere, her mansion at Macherio near Milan.

Legal sources revealed that the estranged couple, had “coldly shaken hands” after nearly five hours of talks at the Milan courthouse.

Nonetheless, they added that the outcome had been “satisfactory”.

Lario blamed the leader, who has been linked to different women in the past, for the split, reports the Times.

Meanwhile, Berlusconi’s aides suggested Lairo had an affair with a bodyguard.

Lario’s staff, however, denied the allegation.

The two have been married for twenty years and have three children together. (ANI)

LTTE chief V. Prabhakaran’s ancestral house destroyed

Colombo, May 4 (ANI): The Sri Lankan Army has reportedly demolished the ancestral home of the late Tamil Tiger rebel leader Velupillai Prabhakaran, inviting criticism from local Tamil lawmakers.

The house was situated in the Valvettithurai area of the northern Jaffna peninsula.

“The Sri Lankan Army was guarding this place. They were not allowing anyone to visit the area. They have been demolishing the house bit by bit for the past few weeks,” former Tamil Member of Parliament, Sivajilingam, was quoted by the BBC, as saying.

“I have written to the president (Mahinda Rajapaksa) about this. But when I went back there [on Wednesday] the house was reduced to rubble,” Sivajilingam said recently.

Prabhakaran spent his childhood at the house with his siblings. His father, Thiruvenkadam Velupillai, died earlier this year and was cremated in Valvettithurai.

The house was badly damaged during army operations of 1987. The rebel leader”s family had left it four years earlier.

The end of fighting in the north has attracted thousands of tourists from the south, and for many Prabhakaran”s house was among the must-see attractions in Jaffna.

“Thousands of people were coming and seeing the house everyday. This might have angered the authorities,” Sivajilingam said.

The Sri Lankan army, however, has declined that it has demolished the house.

“It is not correct. We completely deny this allegation,” army spokesman Prasad Samarasinge said.

“We have not destroyed any house of Prabhakaran in the country. The army has not done a thing like that,” he added.

According to the report, Tamil sources say the military wants to rid Sri Lanka of any memory of the LTTE movement.

They claim a number of Tamil Tiger war graves have also been destroyed over the past year. (ANI)

Government categorically rejects opposition’s phone-tapping allegations

New Delhi, Apr 26 (ANI): The UPA Government on Monday categorically rejected reports of phone tapping of senior political leaders, including union ministers.

Making a statement in the Lok Sabha, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram said no government agency had been authorized to tap the phones of senior political leaders.

“I wish to state categorically that no telephone tapping or eavesdropping on political leaders was authorized by the previous UPA Government. Nor has the present UPA Government authorized any such activity,” he said.

Chidambaram said the government has respected and upheld the laws of the land and is committed to upholding the rights of Indian citizens.

“Both this government and the previous UPA Government have respected and upheld the laws of the land,” he said.

“We are committed to defending the rights of every Indian citizen, including the right to privacy, and will uphold the rights of the individual citizen enshrined in the Constitution of India,” Chidambaram added.

He said the Government has conducted an inquiry into the allegation after it was first published in the Outlook magazine on April 23.

“Government have seen the allegations against the NTRO contained in the story in Outlook magazine,” Chidambaram said.

“After the issue of the magazine was available late Friday, April 23, 2010, the allegations in the story were thoroughly enquired into. Nothing has been found in the records of the NTRO or elsewhere to substantiate the allegations,” he added.

The Outlook magazine alleged that the National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO) had indulged in the phone tapping of senior political leaders.

In April 2004, the Government set up the NTRO on the recommendation of a Group of Ministers (GoM).

Chidambaram said intelligence agencies were fully accountable to the Government, and each case of telephone monitoring, approval of the Union Home Secretary had to be sought personally.

“Our intelligence agencies function within the law. They are fully accountable to Government. Under the Telegraph Act, and the Information Technology Act, each case of monitoring of telephone or electronic communications has to be approved by the Union Home Secretary personally,” he said.

Chidambaram added that the decision of the Home Secretary is subject to review by an Oversight Committee chaired by the Cabinet Secretary.

He claimed that the monitoring of telephones is necessary to contain criminal activities and to counter terrorism.

“Such monitoring as may be necessary to fight crime, for national security, or for our counter terrorism effort, is subject to multiple checks and oversight,” Chidambaram said.

He assured the House that the government is conducting a further inquiry into the magazine’s allegations.

“Further enquiries are being made into the allegations in the magazine. If any evidence is forthcoming or discovered, the matter will be thoroughly investigated by the appropriate agencies,” Chidambaram said. (ANI)

Bhutto killing: ‘Ex-ISI chief remarks on US involvement outrageous’

The Obama Administration on Thursday termed as “outrageous” and “baseless” the allegation of Pakistan’s former Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) head Hamid Gul about the US’ involvement in assassination of Benazir Bhutto.

“That is outrageous,” a senior State Department official told reporters here after the US Embassy in Islamabad dismissed such an allegation coming from Gul about Bhutto’s murder and the UN report on it.

“He is frequent commentator on television, and certainly has an anti-American agenda,” the official said.

“General Gul made an outrageous suggestion that the US was responsible for assassination of Benazir Bhutto. And Jamaat claimed the US was somehow responsible for the terrible attack on their peaceful demonstration in Peshawar on Monday,” P J Crowley, Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs, told reporters.

“Such comments are baseless and irresponsible and should be examined by Pakistani media objectively. The US and Pakistan were fighting and our citizens were dying at the hands of these common enemies,” he said.

Crowley said extremists do not discriminate between striking Pakistani and American targets and continue to claim innocent lives of people from all walks of life, “from the peaceful Jamaat protesters to Benazir Bhutto.”

“We are encouraged by the recent trends in Pakistani public opinion that recognise the value of the ongoing strategic dialogue and ever-improving cooperation between the United States and Pakistan,” he said.

The State Department official said that many people in Pakistan have recognise the positive tone and substance in the US-Pakistan relationship.

“Our strategic partnership involves working together to address the needs of the Pakistani people and the security of Pakistan and the region,” Crowley said.

He said the US and Pakistan “together can and must take a stand” against those who would serve as apologists for terrorists.

“In the best spirit of a free press, Pakistani editors and newsmakers should strive to highlight the irresponsibility of unfounded statements like these that are designed to divide rather than unite us,” Crowley said.

Acknowledging that the US’ low image in Pakistan is an issue of great concern to the Obama Administration, Crowley said the government was working hard in this regard.

“We have spent a great deal of effort building this relationship, explaining more significantly to Pakistani people, along with the Secretary (of State) in Pakistan, doing that, and we think that has helped change the environment. I think there was a significant and positive response to the recent US-Pakistan strategic dialogue,” he said, adding but this remains a work in progress and US would continue dialogue with Pakistan in the coming weeks and months.

IT conducts search at IPL telecaster’s office

Mumbai, Apr 21 (ANI): The Income Tax (I-T) Department is conducting searches at the office of Sony”s Multi Screen Media (MSM) and the World Sports Group (WSG) since the morning.

Searches are on at four offices of MSM and WSG.

Both MSM and WSG handle telecast rights for the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the search is conducted in connection with the facilitation fee allegation.

The WSG had initially bagged IPL telecast rights, which were later given to MSM.

It has been alleged that MSM paid WSG a facilitation fee of 80 million dollars for this, a deal in which the IPL was allegedly involved.

On April 15, income tax officers searched IPL commissioner Lalit Modi”s offices in Mumbai.

The government now seems to have put the investigation on the fast track.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has registered a case against the IPL under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) to conduct an open inquiry into transfer of foreign funds.

The case was registered after there were strong indications of funds coming in from Mauritius and the Cayman Islands.

The ED has already sought the assistance of Mauritius to trace funds transferred by IPL franchises.

Reports also suggest the ED officials are heading to Mauritius to trace the source of funds. (ANI)

French singer wins £3K in damages over Bruni-Sarkozy liaison rumour

London, April 17 (ANI): A French pop singer has won 3,000 pounds in damages from a TV news station that alleged a liaison between him and France’s first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy.

Benjamin Biolay had sought 20,000 pounds from the France-24 news channel for the “serious harm” he said he suffered from the allegation, reports the Daily Express.

Biolay’s lawsuit was one of two brought after internet rumours emerged last month that President Nicolas Sarkozy, and his wife were having extra-marital affairs.

France-24 carried the information in its international press review.

Biolay’s lawyer, Isabelle Wekstein, said she was satisfied with the court decision. (ANI)

Army ordered to pull back after Bangkok clashes

The Thai government has ordered the army to retreat to its barracks in an effort to avoid further bloodshed on the streets of the capital Bangkok.

Opposition ‘Red Shirt’ protesters are vowing not to back down even though weekend clashes left at least 21 dead and more than 800 wounded.

One of those killed was Japanese cameraman Hiroyuki Muramoto, who joined the ABC in Asia in 1993 before going to work at the Reuters news agency.

Reuters said Mr Muramoto was shot in the chest and had no pulse by the time he arrived at a nearby hospital.

Soldiers and protesters were also among the dead.

The clashes erupted at the weekend when security forces fired rubber bullets and tear gas as they moved into the old quarter of Bangkok to disperse anti-government red shirt protesters.

The soldiers were met by a barrage of rocks, sticks and even petrol bombs.

Someone then started firing live rounds and bullets were fired into the crowd. Hundreds were injured.

The protesters accuse security forces of opening fire with live rounds, an allegation the government denies.

The show of force failed to budge the Red Shirts from their stronghold in the city’s old quarter, and the demonstrators are now vowing to stay on the streets of Bangkok.

“The army tried to disperse us,” says one protester.

“We had no weapons, so many Red Shirts were injured and killed. Because they have used force, the only option for us is to fight back.”

Having failed to push the protesters back or disperse them in any way, the army has now conceded its tactics are not going to work.

There are reports this morning the army has called for a truce with the protesters, in an effort to restart talks to find some sort of solution through compromise, not confrontation.

Government spokesman Panithan Wattananagorn says the government is now pulling back the troops.

“First we are asking the officers to return to their bases and to be ready for the next operations if it’s necessary,” he said.

Live round denial

The Red Shirts have accused the military of firing live rounds into the crowd, but is an allegation that the government denies.

“There were no live bullets shot at the protesters, as far as we have evidence,” said Mr Panithan.

One woman showed the ABC some bullet casings found on the ground. She alleges these were obviously fired into the Red Shirt crowd.

One of her friends sustained a bullet wound to his upper bicep.

The protest has now been dragging on for four weeks.

There have been calls for the king to intervene as he did in 1992 when the last great eruption of violence hit Bangkok.

But big questions remain over the health of the king and whether he can actually intervene and make any difference.

“It would be really good if the king could step in,” another protester said. “We really want to end this and go home.”

The shadow of the democracy monument in the old part of Bangkok is surrounded by seven armoured personnel carriers (APCs) that the Thai army has just abandoned.

There is tension in the crowd, with some people trying to smash army trucks and the APCs, as others try to calm them down.

The military has pulled right back from this Red Shirt stronghold, and for now it seems like neither compromise nor confrontation is working.

Norwegian bishop who resigned in 2009 was abuser

The Norwegian Catholic Church and the Vatican acknowledged on Wednesday that a bishop who resigned last year did so after it was discovered that he had sexually abused an altar boy two decades earlier.

The Vatican issued a statement confirming a post on the Web site of Norway’s Church about the circumstances behind the resignation last June of Bishop Georg Mueller of Trondheim.

The abuse took place some 20 years ago when Mueller was a priest there.

The case is the latest allegation of child abuse faced by the Catholic Church, following accusations made in Ireland, the U.S., Germany and other countries.

Mueller’s is one of the few cases in Europe where a bishop resigned over committing sexual abuse in his past.

Archbishop Juliusz Paetz of Poznan, Poland, resigned in 2002 and in 1995 Cardinal Hans Hermann Groer of Vienna stepped down in 1995, both over allegations of sexually abusing seminarians.

In June 2009, the Vatican announced that Pope Benedict had accepted Mueller’s resignation but it did not specify why.

As is its custom, the Vatican at the time cited only Canon (Church) law 401/2, which states that a bishop should offer his resignation to the pope in cases where he has become “unsuited for the fulfilment of his office.”

The Church in Norway and the Vatican acknowledged the details of the case only after they were reported on Wednesday by the Norwegian daily Adresseavisen.

Mueller, who was born in Germany, was bishop of Trondeim from 1997 to 2009.

The Vatican said Church authorities found out about the abuse in January 2009. Mueller offered his resignation in May of that year and “the pope quickly accepted it.”

The bishop later underwent therapy and is no longer involved in pastoral activity, the Vatican said.

The victim in now in his 30s and has chosen to remain anonymous. The case happened too long ago to lead to a criminal prosecution under Norwegian law. (Reporting by Gwladys Fouche; additional reporting by Philip Pullella in Rome; Editing by Matthew Jones)

CORRECTED – Norwegian bishop who resigned in 2009 was abuser

The Norwegian Catholic Church and the Vatican acknowledged on Wednesday that a bishop who resigned last year did so after it was discovered that he had sexually abused an altar boy two decades earlier.

The Vatican issued a statement confirming a post on the Web site of Norway’s Church about the circumstances behind the resignation last June of Bishop Georg Mueller of Trondheim.

The abuse took place some 20 years ago when Mueller was a priest there.

The case is the latest allegation of child abuse faced by the Catholic Church, following accusations made in Ireland, the U.S., Germany and other countries.

Mueller’s is one of the few cases in Europe where a bishop resigned over committing sexual abuse in his past.

Archbishop Juliusz Paetz of Poznan, Poland, resigned in 2002 and in 1995 Cardinal Hans Hermann Groer of Vienna stepped down in 1995, both over allegations of sexually abusing seminarians.

In June 2009, the Vatican announced that Pope Benedict had accepted Mueller’s resignation but it did not specify why.

As is its custom, the Vatican at the time cited only Canon (Church) law 401/2, which states that a bishop should offer his resignation to the pope in cases where he has become “unsuited for the fulfilment of his office.”

The Church in Norway and the Vatican acknowledged the details of the case only after they were reported on Wednesday by the Norwegian daily Adresseavisen.

Mueller, who was born in Germany, was bishop of Trondeim from 1997 to 2009.

The Vatican said Church authorities found out about the abuse in January 2009. Mueller offered his resignation in May of that year and “the pope quickly accepted it.”

The bishop later underwent therapy and is no longer involved in pastoral activity, the Vatican said.

The victim in now in his 30s and has chosen to remain anonymous. The case happened too long ago to lead to a criminal prosecution under Norwegian law. (Reporting by Gwladys Fouche; additional reporting by Philip Pullella in Rome; Editing by Matthew Jones)

Border forces of India and Pakistan agree to restrain firing

Amritsar, Mar. 31 (ANI): The Border Security Force (BSF) and officials of Pakistan Rangers on Wednesday concluded their four-day bi-annual meeting in Amritsar with the mutual agreement to restrain firing incidents from either side.

Both the parties discussed matters relating to border management, including border crimes, drug-smuggling, counterfeit currency notes, infiltration bids, illegal border crossings, defence constructions, during the meeting.

The Pakistan Ranger delegation was led by Major General Mohammed Yaqub Khan, while the BSF was led by Director General P. P. S. Sidhu.

“There have been instances of firing from either sides and we have mutually agreed to restrain, and at the same time we have mutually agreed to be more vigilant on either side of the border so that such incidents are not repeated,” Gen. Khan said.

“We are making all the efforts that the terrorists are not allowed to carry out any such activity which disturbs the peace and tranquillity, particularly on the joint check post of Wagah.”

“I must say one thing more, that terrorism has no borders. Terrorists are all over the world and they can carry out acts of terrorism anywhere, but on our side we have made very elaborate arrangements and we are very confident that inshahallah they”ll never be able to carry out any such activities there,” he added.

On allegation by General Khan that incidents of liquor smuggling were pretty common from the Indian side of the border, General Sidhu said that the points have been noted down.

“Well, they are mentioning it. We have agreed that we will take whatever measures are necessary to put a stop to any kind of smuggling, which is taking place. We are apprehending heroin and fake currency which is coming in. We have had some very good catches in the recent past and efforts will continue,” Sidhu said.

Besides officials from the border guards of India and Pakistan, the representatives of Narcotics Control Bureau, Survey of India and Public Works Department (PWD) also attended the four-day-long meet. (ANI)

Oz Electoral Commission orders probe into claims that family voted 159 times

Sydney, Mar. 27 (ANI): The South Australian Electoral Commission has ordered an investigation into an allegation that a family fraudulently voted 159 times in last Saturday”s state election.

Earlier, an anonymous letter obtained by The Advertiser had claimed that the family stole the identities of other voters who couldn’t vote on polling day, and added that an underage member of the fraudulent family was permitted to vote 31 times.

News.com.au quoted Electoral Commissioner Kay Mousley, as saying that the claims in the letter are feasible.

Mousley added that she was taking the scam “very seriously,” and had forwarded the matter to the State Government for investigation.

“Penalties of up to 2500 dollars and six months in jail exist for people who vote multiple times, but there are no checks on polling day to stop individuals rorting the system under assumed identities,” she said.

While the letter does not reveal where or who the votes were cast for, it claims that the stunt was inspired by a need for electoral reform.

“Our activities may or may not have influenced the outcome of the election. We did this simply by using careful research and planning. The research provided names of those who could not vote, would not be voting, or needed assistance to vote,” it said.

“The planning involved mapping out a circuit of polling stations in such a way as to cover the maximum amount of ground in the time available. We memorised the names and addresses to use,” it added.

The letter warns that the fraud will be repeated on a larger scale at the next election unless reforms, including abolition of compulsory voting, are introduced.

“There are individuals who are incapable of voting but they remain on the electoral roll. There are individuals who are absent. There are individuals who need assistance and are all too easily conned into giving up their right to vote,” the letter said.

“You may wish to consider this a hoax. It is not,” it added. (ANI)

Cricinfo website pays monetary damages to Chris Cairns

Wellington, Mar 26 (ANI): The Cricinfo website has paid monetary damages to Chris Cairns and also published an extensive interview telling his side of the story over allegation of the former New Zealand all rounder’s involvement in match fixing in the 2008 Indian Cricket League (ICL).

Cairns said he has received monetary damages from the Cricinfo website and now wants one of the cricket’s most powerful figures to front up in court so that he can clear his name.

He is continuing with plans to sue the Indian Premier League (IPL) commissioner Lalit Modi over his comments alleging Cairns’ involvement in match fixing.

“We’ve had damages from Cricinfo and it”s good to see that has occurred,” Cairns told NZPA.

“They have acknowledged the whole reporting of the Modi statement was a process they should have done better,” Stuff.co.nz quoted him, as saying.

“It’s about righting a wrong. Whether it was a huge amount or a small amount, I’m just happy they’ve acknowledged that what they did was wrong, and that’s what we want to get from Modi as well,” Cairns said.

Cairns said Modi’s comments “completely destroyed me within the cricketing environment,” and he had engaged a team of London-based libel lawyers to pursue Modi through the courts. It had already proved difficult to initiate.

Modi claimed in January that he would produce evidence in court to back his claims, which he said was the reason Cairns was axed from this year’s IPL auction list.

No concrete evidence of match fixing in the now-defunct ICL has emerged. (ANI)

Hey Dad! star to take allegations to police

Hey Dad! actress Sarah Monahan has flown from the United States to Australia to make an official complaint over her alleged sexual abuse while on the hit TV show.

Monahan has made claims in magazines and on television that Hey Dad! actor Robert Hughes abused her while she played his on-screen daughter in the 80s and 90s.

Hughes has vehemently denied the allegation and his legal team has been in contact with NSW Police.

On Thursday night, Monahan told Channel Nine she had flown from the US especially to make an official complaint.

“As soon as people said ‘you need to go to the police’ I was at the airport within three hours and caught the first flight out,” she said.

“We’re headed straight to the police.”

NSW Police say they “stand ready” to launch a formal investigation.

Detective Superintendent John Kerlatec, commander of the Sex Crimes Unit, confirmed police have started collating information.

“A number of police have been assigned and are ready to take up any follow up investigations or inquiries that need to be done,” he said.

He added: “Police need to see detailed allegations by any victims to determine what crime or crimes have been committed.”

Detective Superintendent Kerlatec says while police are not yet conducting a formal investigation, they are looking into it.

“Because of the exposure of this matter, people have made contact that either know of somebody who may be a witness, know of someone who may have additional information,” he said.

“It would be dangerous not to collate that information at this time.

“At some point in the future, if and when an investigation increases, it may be a lost opportunity to find that information then.”

Hey Dad! was one of the most popular shows on TV in the late 1980s and early 90s.

The sitcom focussed on the whacky adventures of Martin Kelly – an architect, single-handedly raising three children after the death of his wife.

But it is now likely to be better remembered for the allegation by Monahan to Women’s Day magazine and to Channel Nine’s A Current Affair that she was fondled during her time with the show.

Monahan, who now lives in the US, played young schoolgirl Jenny Kelly on the program for six years.

Initially, she would not name the man she claims assaulted her.

But on Wednesday night, A Current Affair pointed the finger at Hughes, who played the father of Monahan’s character.

From Singapore, where he now works, Hughes told the show he strenuously denied the allegation.

“I’m absolutely, totally shocked at the allegations and I deny, absolutely deny everything,” he said.

“I’m absolutely puzzled as to why this is being said now.”

Police wait for Hey Dad! complaints

Police say no official investigation is underway into claims of sexual abuse on the set of Australian TV comedy Hey Dad!

Former child star Sarah Monahan last week told a woman’s magazine a man on the show inappropriately touched her and exposed himself to her.

Actor Robert Hughes, who now lives in Singapore, was on Wednesday night named by the Nine Network as the alleged perpetrator.

Hughes has vehemently denied the allegation and his legal team has been in contact with NSW Police.

A Current Affair reported that other women had come forward with claims similar to Monahan.

But commander of the NSW Sex Crimes Squad, Detective Superintendent John Kerlatec, says an official investigation into the matter will not proceed until the alleged victims contact police.

“Our information is based on what’s in the media. I’ve had no direct contact – and neither has anyone else in NSW Police – with any of the victims,” he said.

“If victims make contact with police it’ll be taken in strict confidence.”

He added: “Investigators are collating this information … and if there’s a witness to be interviewed those investigators are ready.”

Detective Superintendent Kerlatec says he is “confident” the alleged victims will contact police in coming days.

“I have an expectation they’ll come forward,” he said.

“It’s based on small pieces of information that have come towards me today that we’ll hopefully be able to arrange to meet and speak with these people.”

Monahan played Hughes’s on-screen daughter Jenny Kelly.

Hey Dad! aired from 1987 to 1994 on the Seven Network.

Actor denies Hey Dad! abuse claims

Actor Robert Hughes has denied allegations he was involved in inappropriate conduct with a child star on the set of Australian TV comedy Hey Dad!

Hughes, who played Martin Kelly on the show, says he is shocked at the allegations made by Sarah Monahan, who was six when she started playing his on-screen daughter Jenny Kelly in the Seven Network show in the 1980s.

“I am absolutely totally shocked at the allegation and I absolutely deny everything,” Hughes told the Nine Network.

“I am absolutely puzzled as to why this is being said now.

“Everything now is in the hands of defamation lawyers.”

Monahan told Woman’s Day magazine last week a man on the show inappropriately touched her and exposed himself to her.

She later told the Nine Network he would “touch my boobs” and try to tickle her in the dressing room in between takes.

Monahan, who now lives in the United States, did not name the man.

But Nine’s A Current Affair on Wednesday named Hughes as the alleged perpetrator and said other women had come forward with similar claims.

Hughes, who played the show’s central character Martin Kelly, now lives in Singapore.

- ABC/AAP