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June 8 (Reuters) – India is likely to take an “appropriate decision” on fuel price reforms at the next meeting of the panel of ministers, which will debate whether petrol and diesel prices should be raised to international levels, Petroleum Secretary S. Sundareshan told reporters on Tuesday.
The panel, which put off a decision on the reforms at its first meeting on Monday, is expected to meet again next week. (Reporting by Nidhi Verma; Editing by Unnikrishnan Nair)
The US and UK share ‘common goals in Pakistan and want to step up their cooperation with the militancy-infested country, new British Foreign Secretary William Hague has said.
Hague, who discussed with his US counterpart Hillary Clinton the situation in Pakistan, said the new British government has started parleys with the Obama Administration on ways to enhance and strengthen their cooperation with Islamabad.
Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran were the major issues of discussion between Clinton and Hague, who met her yesterday while on his first overseas trip as the British Foreign Secretary.
“We discussed the closely-related situation in Pakistan, where we and the United States share common goals and indeed have already started discussing ways to enhance and strengthen our cooperation and the support that we give to Pakistan,” Hague told reporters in a joint press availability with Clinton.
The first meeting between the two leaders, after the formation of the new British government on Wednesday, lasted more than an hour. Clinton had earlier met Hague last year when the latter was the shadow Foreign Secretary.
“Obviously, the United Kingdom has its own very strong relationship with Pakistan and traded some ideas on how we could work cooperatively, and also how the United Kingdom could have its own dialogue with Pakistan on issues of mutual concern, including security,” State Department spokesman, P J Crowley, told reporters at his daily press briefing later.
Both Clinton and Hague conceded that Afghanistan, however, was their top priority where the international community led by the US is engaged in a war against al-Qaeda and Taliban.
Asserting that the new British Government shares the United States’ perspective on Afghanistan, Hague said: “That is why we say we will give the time and support for the strategy in Afghanistan to succeed.”
Of course, the new administration in Britain will take stock of how it can best do that, he said. “And that includes enhancing and reinforcing the cooperation between the United Kingdom and the United States at the highest level so we have a clear, shared perspective on what we are doing.”
Emerging out of the meeting, Clinton said the US and the United Kingdom are firmly committed to the NATO mission in Afghanistan and they support the efforts by the Afghan government to fight corruption and build a stable and secure country.
“We will continue our very close consultations on these matters going forward,” she said.
New York, May 7 (ANI): Michelle ‘Bombshell’ McGee has revealed that she continued her affair with Sandra Bullock’s husband Jesse James out of boredom.
Appearing on Howard Stern”s Sirius XM radio show Wednesday, the tattooed model said it was “boredom” that led her to carry on an 11-month affair with the motorcycle mechanic, reports The New York Daily News.
“I had nothing better to do,” 32-year-old McGee said.
“It was a sexual thing. I also wished it was a relationship – but I wasn”t in love with him,” she added.
After weeks of conversations through MySpace, McGee said James invited her to take a tour of his bike shop for their first meeting.
James and McGee ended up sleeping together on the coffin-shaped couch in his office.
“Yeah, it wasn”t excellent,” McGee said. She said they had sex “two to three, four times a night, two times a week.”
“We watched Bullock on TV one time. James said they were separated, so I believed him. I feel bad for her, I do,” she added. (ANI)
April 12 (Reuters) – A U.N. meeting in Bonn, Germany, agreed on Sunday to add two extra meetings this year to help revive talks on a new deal to slow global warming after December’s Copenhagen summit fell short of a full treaty.[ID:nLDE63A0G3]
Following are details of major meetings on climate change due in 2010:
U.N.
BONN, April 9-11 – Session among senior officials from 175 nations to plan for 2010
– A U.N. group on Climate Change Financing, led by Britain and Ethiopia, is due to issue “initial outputs” before the U.N. meeting in Bonn starting on May 31.
BONN, May 31-June 11 – Senior officials meet in Bonn to review texts compiling ideas for slowing global warming. A draft text will be issued on May 17.
– Two extra U.N. negotiating sessions, each at least a week long, will be added in the second half of the year. The venues and dates of the talks are not yet known.
CANCUN, Mexico, Nov. 29-Dec. 10 – Annual talks among the world’s environment ministers.
– The pace of U.N. talks marks a slowdown from 2009, when there was also a U.N. climate summit in New York on Sept. 22.
OTHER RELATED MEETINGS:
WASHINGTON, April 18-19 – The United States holds a first meeting in 2010 of the Major Economies Forum, grouping 17 emitters that account for 80 percent of world greenhouse gases.
COCHABAMBA, Bolivia, April 19-22 – Bolivian President Evo Morales hosts a meeting of 15,000 people, including 7-10 foreign leaders, called “World People’s Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth”.
SOUTH AFRICA, April 25-26 – Ministers from China, India, South Africa and Brazil meet as part of a plan to hold quarterly talks among the so-called BASIC group.
BONN, Germany, May 2-4 – German Chancellor Angela Merkel plans talks among about 45 environment ministers in the so-called Petersburg Dialogue.
OSLO, May 27 – Norway leads a meeting of ministers about protecting tropical forests, which soak up carbon dioxide as they grow.
MUSKOKA, Canada, June 25-27 – The Group of Eight industrialised nations holds an annual summit likely to touch on climate change, also a summit of the Group of 20.
SEOUL, Nov 11-12 – South Korea to host summit of Group of 20. For Reuters latest environment blogs, click on: blogs.reuters.com/environment/
The State Government is hoping a new regional planning committee in the Mid West will provide better information about growth pressures in the region.
The Mid West Regional Planning Committee held its first meeting in Geraldton this week.
It was established to look at the planning challenges expected to arise as a result of the Mid West’s burgeoning economic and resource activity.
Civic leaders have criticised the planning department, saying its modelling does not accurately reflect growth in the region.
The Planning Minister, John Day, says information provided by the committee will help the Government respond to the planning issues facing the Mid West.
“We can hopefully get a better forecast of what is likely to happen,” he said.
“We know there’s going to be growth, it’s really just a question of how much and being prepared for that, so this committee will play a strong role under the umbrella of the WA Planning Commission in ensuring the Government is better informed in all of those matters.”
New Delhi, Mar 29 (ANI): The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a petition filed by the Republican Party of India (RPI) leader Ramdas Athawale, saying the first meeting of Parliament each year could not be necessarily considered as its first session.
Athawale had challenged Lok Sabha Speaker”s decision to treat the first meeting of the House in January 2004 as the continuation of the winter session, which was adjourned sine die on December 23, 2003.
The RPI leader in his petition had challenged that despite the winter session being adjourned, it could not be termed as continuation when it met again in the New Year in the month of January.
He had contended that the meeting of the House for the first time in each year has to be considered as the first sitting of Parliament requiring the address by the President to both the Houses.
The government had then opposing the petition contended that there was no substance in it as the Speaker had then itself decided the issue by citing case laws. (ANI)
Kathmandu, Mar 25 (ANI): Most Nepali leaders have described a recent statement by former Nepal monarch King Gyanendra that “the monarchy hasn”t completely ended” as a daydream.
Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal said on Thursday: “It is only a day dream to say that the monarchy still exists in the country. So, the meeting did not discuss about his remarks.
Tarai Madhes Loktantrik Party (TMLP) Chairman Mahantha Thakur expressed surprise over the former king”s remark and joked that the former king might have made such remarks in delusion.
Meanwhile, UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha claimed that the latest statement by former King Gyanendra has made it clear that counter revolutionaries are conspiring in the country.
“The deposed king gave his recent statement with the support from counter revolutionary forces, Kantipur quoted him as saying.
He remarked that yesterday”s statement of the ex-monarch that the monarchy could resurrect is an audacious attempt to disrespect the people.
Former king in an interview with a private television channel on Wednesday aid it is hypothetical to say that the monarchy has been abolished in the country.
The former king said that he does not think that the monarchy has ended. “While turning the pages of the country”s history, there are ups and downs..,” he said, adding that people will decide considering this and (all should) take this up.
In February 2005, Gyanendra Shah sacked Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and started ruling directly.
Following the royal takeover, the seven major political parties formed a broader alliance and joined hands with the rebels Maoists signing a 12-point understanding which paved way for the 2006 April movement (Janandolan II ) that eventually pulled down monarchy and carved out Constituent Assembly polls.
The 240-years monarchy got officially abolished in the first meeting the Constituent Assembly of May 28, 2008 and the country was baptized a republic. (ANI)
Residents in the Coffs Harbour local government area will have a chance to discuss the proposed rate rise at a series of meetings this week.
Coffs Harbour City Council is proposing to apply to the New South Wales Government for a special rate variation of 4.4 per cent to fund flood mitigation and draining works.
The council’s Craig Milburn says the council must be able to show the Government that the proposal has majority community support.
“We’ll be taking down the key points that are actually raised and this is only one of a number of avenues where council is getting community feedback,” he said.
“There’s an online survey and there’s other written submissions as well. So the four meetings form part of an overall community engagement process.”
Mr Milburn says residents will also be able to fill out an online survey and make written submissions on the proposal.
“The council has resolved to apply for it but part of that process is still to talk to the community and find out their thoughts on it,” he said.
“Certainly council and the Minister is interested in the community’s thoughts. With any rate variation there’s always some level of opposition but the community have made it really clear that moving on flood mitigation and stormwater is a key priority.”
The first meeting will be held tonight at the council chambers from 6:00pm (AEDT).
London, Sep 18 (ANI): The Spice Girls had a boozy reunion on Wednesday, when they met up for a night of dinner and drinks in London.
Geri Halliwell, Emma Bunton, Melanie Brown, and Melanie Chisholm had dinner at the Palm restaurant in the British capital, and finally headed to the May Fair Hotel for drinks.
However, fifth bandmember Victoria Beckham was absent at the rendezvous, as she is currently in Los Angeles.
However, the rest of the girl gang still had plenty to discuss in their first meeting since Chisholm became a mother to daughter Scarlet in February.
“I went out with the Spice Girls last night. It was really nice. We had steak and chips and some wine. Victoria wasn’t there but we were emailing her. The rest of us all swapped baby stories!” the Daily Star quoted Brown as saying. (ANI)
London, July 7 (ANI): In a case quite reminiscent of Dungeon dad Josef Fritzl, a South African man has been accused of keeping his own daughter as a sex slave after she visited him for the first time.
The man, known only as ‘Heinz’, allegedly raped his 18-year-old daughter, called ‘Sandra’, up to three times a day over a period of two months.
The teenager, who hails from Germany, had never met her father earlier and tracked him down on the Internet, before she decided to fly off to South Africa to meet him.
The incident has shocked Sandra’s mother, who says that she had really been looking forward to meeting her dad.
It is believed that Heinz, 53, kept Sandra locked in his Cape Town home, assaulted and intimidated her, and forced her to have sex with him.
“We were lying on his bed watching DVD’s. First he held me in his arms and stroked my back but then he started touching my body all over, and told me to take my clothes off,” the Telegraph quoted ‘Sandra’ as telling a counsellor.
But when she refused to take off her clothes, he allegedly fetched a knife, threatened her with it and cut them from her body.
It is said that the teenager was then forced to spend every night with her father in his bed, where he raped her up to three times a night.
Sandra, who was too frightened to escape, was only rescued after Heinz took her to visit friends, and she managed to hand over a letter claiming that she was being abused.
Heinz is being dubbed the South African Fritzl after the Austrian father, who kept his daughter captive in a cellar for 24 years and had seven children by her.
Now he is facing charges of incest, rape, and assault with intent of GBH.
The teenager is in a place of safety with her brother, who flew in from Germany to be with her.
Heinz, who is currently on bail, is due to appear in court on August 7. (ANI)
New Delhi, July 3 (ANI): India and Bhutan will hold a meeting of the Empowered Joint Group to fast-track implementation of hydropower projects next month.
The first meeting of this group was held in New Delhi in March 2009 after the signing of the Protocol to the 2006 Agreement on Cooperation in Hydropower.
During his recent visit to India, Bhutan Prime Minister Thinley held extensive talks with his Indian counterpart Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh in this regard.
Both sides expressed satisfaction over the progress made in the hydropower sector and reiterated their commitment to achieve the target of 10,000 MW of hydroelectric generation in Bhutan by 2020.
They exchanged views on various facets of Indo-Bhutan relations and measures to further enhance the relationship.
Bhutan Prime Minister conveyed deep appreciation to Dr. Manmohan Singh and other Indian leaders for their contribution to Indo-Bhutan relations.
Thinley, who was on an official visit to India from June 28 to July 3, expressed the gratitude of his Government and people of Bhutan for India’s unwavering assistance and cooperation in Bhutan’s development.
He also apprised Dr. Singh of Bhutan’s preparations for hosting the 16th SAARC Summit in Thimphu in April 2010. (ANI)
New Delhi, May 30 (ANI): The Union Cabinet will meet here today to discuss the agenda before the new government.
Presided over by the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, the Cabinet is likely to discuss the business of the forthcoming Parliament session and President’s address to the joint session.
The President’s address is likely to incorporate its commitment to strengthening schemes like the NREGA.
A suggestion to bring the long pending women’s reservation bill at the earliest was made at the first meeting of the UPA alliance recently presided by Chairperson Sonia Gandhi. (ANI)
Paris – Andy Murray had to play through a hot patch from Italian Potito Starace, requiring three match points to finally escape with a 6-3, 2-6, 7-5, 6-4 victory into the third round of the French Open.
The Scot third seed was joined as a winner by Chile’s number 12 Fernando Gonzalez, who rolled Rui Machado of Portugal 6-3, 6-2, 6-3.
Murray went through in two hours, 40 minutes in his first meeting with number 104 Starace, who rarely strays from the surface. Murray’s performance equalled his best-ever at Roland Garros.
He broke six times with 54 winners as he recovered as Starace threatened to make a match of it on a chilly Day 4 in Paris with a second-set threat and more success in the third until the Scot reined him in.
Four-time champion Rafael Nadal could set a record for the number of successive matches won at the event if he beats Russian Teimuraz Gabashvili later.
By winning a 30th consecutive match, the Spaniard would eclipse Chris Evert’s mark of 29 which the American set between 1974-81. She did not compete at Roland Garros in 1976-78.
Women’s top seed Dinara Safina was untroubled as she defeated fellow Russian Vitalia Diatchenko 6-1, 6-1. Ninth-seeded Miami champion Victoria Azarenka took out Kristina Barrois 7-6 (7-1), 7-5.
“It was a pretty good start for the tournament,” said the 2008 finalist against Ana Ivanovic. “I think I just played good game today, good enough to win.
“She’s still young, and I think she respects me too much,” said the 23-year-old who came to Paris with clay titles in Rome and Madrid.(dpa)