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In NY, DSK sex charges may be dropped

August 23, 2011 By admin 2 Comments

NEW YORK: US prosecutors have “invited” the hotel maid, who accused Dominique Strauss-Kahn of sexual assault , for a meeting here on Monday, a move which her lawyer says is a sign that prosecutors intend to drop the charges against the former IMF chief at a key hearing on August 23.

Lawyer for Nafissatou Diallo, Kenneth Thompson, said that he received a twoparagraph letter from Manhattan district attorney Cyrus Vance’s office saying the prosecutors would “like to invite” the maid for a meeting to explain “to her what I anticipate will occur in court on the following day” . Thompson said the letter is an indication that prosecutors would seek to have a judge “dismiss all or some charges” at court hearing in the case on Tuesday.

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SC extends stay on Kanshi Ram memorial construction

September 19, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

New Delhi, Sep. 18 (ANI): Expressing dissatisfaction over the Mayawati Government’s plea, the Supreme Court on Friday extended the stay order on its earlier ruling for stoppage of work at Kanshi Ram Memorial Sthal in Lucknow.

“The affidavit is not satisfactory. The question here has many, many burning issues,” it observed during a brief hearing in the case,” a Bench comprising Justices B N Agrawal and Aftab Alam noted.t said the question was whether one could spend so much of money from the state or public exchequer for the purpose.

“Suppose today the legislature decides that 80 per cent of budgetary allocation should be spent on such works of memorials and statues…is it not justiciable,” the Bench asked.

“Serious questions arise in this petition…the cabinet and the legislature have to act under the Constitution,” the Bench added.

The next hearing in the case is on October 5th, and the parties are asked to file their responses to the affidavit by September 29th.

In a detailed affidavit filed in response to the show cause notice issued on September 11, the state government had claimed it had the highest regard for the apex court and that it believed in carrying out its directions in “letter and spirit.”

On September 8, the apex court had ruled that no further construction activities should take place at the memorials which have cost the exchequer 2,600 crore rupees.

However, media reports said construction activities were going on in full swing despite the court’s directive, following which the bench had issued a show cause notice. (ANI)

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Taliban back to terror business from new stronghold near Mardan-Swat Highway

September 17, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Islamabad, Sep.16 (ANI): The Taliban’s threat has still not subsided in the Swat and Malakand Divisions as the security forces have found that the extremists have created a new stronghold in the region and are planning strikes from there.

According to senior officials, the Taliban, after being forced to retreat following the military operation, have shifted their base to the rough terrains between Batkhela and Jalala on the Mardan-Swat Highway and trying to regroup.

“It is from here that they are building their arms arsenals, training camps, logistics and propaganda centres,” officials said.

Over 200 people in the region have received handwritten and typed death threats in the past fortnight which proves that the Taliban is alive and kicking here.

“We are aware of how you assist security agencies and act against Islam. You are going to face the wrath of God,” one of the letter stated.

One of such threat mail has also been received by former North West Frontier Province (NWFP) Minister, Kamal Shah, who said the extremists have taken refuge in Shergarh, Batkhela, Chakdara, Iroshah, Shakh Number Panch, Jabban Road, Palai Sherkhanai, Sakhakot, Jalala and other villages on the Highway and are waiting to strike.

Security officials said they are aware of the development and the threat mails being sent by the Taliban. They said steps are being taken to thwart any untoward incident and block the supplies of arms and ammunition to the extremists.

“We are on their heels and are making all efforts to block arms and ammunition supplies to them from the channels developed by Taliban through Mohmand Agency, the adjoining areas of Malakand like Palai Sherkhani and Jabban Iroshah Road,” The News quoted a senior official, as saying. (ANI)

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Malaysian Indian Congress delegate suspended over slipper garland for ex-PM

September 17, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Kuala Lumpur, Sep.16 (ANI): The Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) has suspended a delegate who suggested a garland of slippers for former Prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

The Star quoted MIC President S. Samy Vellu as saying in a statement: “With the powers vested in me as the president under the MIC constitution, I have suspended the membership.”

He said the party would wait for recommendations by the disciplinary committee to the Central Working Committee CWC) before deciding on any further action.

The disciplinary committee had to issue a show-cause letter asking the delegate, who was not named, to provide an explanation, and they would decide on any action based on the explanation, he said.

The party constitution provides for the disciplinary committee to warn, suspend or sack the delegate, but it has to be endorsed by the CWC. (ANI)

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Delhi CM says preparations for Commonwealth Games on schedule

September 14, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

New Delhi, Sep.14 (ANI): Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Monday rebutted criticism of her government’s efforts on preparations for the Commonwealth Games to be held in the national capitalext year.

Reacting to Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) president Mike Fennell’s concerns about the organizing committee’s ability to deliver, Dikshit said that she had not received or read Fennell’s letter to Suresh Kalmadi, but was confident that the games preparations are going as per schedule.

Dikshit’s reaction came a day after Fennell sought Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s intervention to expedite preparations for the 2010 event.

In his letter to the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (CWOGC), a furious Fennell asked Kalmadi to arrange a meeting with Prime Minister Singh next month.

“Our main concern relates to the capacity of the Organising Committee to deliver operationally. Preparations for the Games are significantly behind, so much so that the Commonwealth Games Federation is extremely worried about the Organising Committee’s ability to deliver the games to any comparable standard to that of the last two editions of the Games in Manchester and Melbourne,” Fennell wrote in his letter

Fennell claimed that the vast majority of functional areas were considerably behind schedule and that an overhaul in the management culture and operation of the organising committee was needed, else the Games “will fail from an operational perspective”.

“With only a year to run until the Games, I feel I must personally brief the Prime Minister of India on the lack of preparations and to seek his input in developing an appropriate recovery plan. I have asked the Chairman of the Organising Committee to facilitate such a meeting on my return to Delhi in early October for our General Assembly,” he said. (ANI)

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After Ladakh, Chinese incursions now reported in Uttarakhand

September 14, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Dehradun (Uttarakhand), Sep.13 (ANI): Uttarakhand Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal has reportedly informed the Central Government about possible incursions by the Chinese in his state.

Pokhriyal, quoting reports from locals in Rimkhim in Chamoli district, said the Chinese entered the state on September 5 and left behind biscuit packet wrappers and cigarettes.

He informed both Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and the Home Ministry about this development and sought their help in curbing what he calls frequent incursions in his state.

He said, “We have shared the information with the Centre and we have demanded for more patrolling force at the Indo-China border.”

About a fortnight ago that the Chinese had ventured as far as the Pangong Lake in Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir. According to reports, Chinese military helicopters had air dropped food packets in the region.

In another provocation, Chinese troops entered 1.5 kilometres into Indian Territory near Mount Gya-recognised as International border by India and China. Chinese troops painted rocks, boulders in Indian Territory red and labeled them “China”. The Chinese Government, however, has denied this charge through its foreign ministry.

Private television channel TIMES NOW quotes the Leh Deputy Commissioner as mentioning in a letter every instance of Chinese incursion and threats to sheperds in the region. The letter states that the Chinese are not only disputing territory, they are actually claiming the land as their own.

China has also raised a stink over proposed visit to Tamang in Arunachal Pradesh by Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama. (ANI)

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US accepts Iranian offer to hold discussions

September 12, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, Sep. 11 (ANI): The United States has accepted Iran’s proposal to hold talks, despite the Islamic republic announcing that it would not bring its future nuclear programs on the discussions table.

The decision to engage directly with Iran would put a senior representative of the Obama administration at the bargaining table, along with emissaries from five other nations, for the first time since Obama took office, the New York Times reports.

The decision is bound to raise protests from conservatives and human rights groups.

Earlier on Friday, senior administration officials said that their expectations from the talks were extremely low.

“We’ll be looking to see if they are willing to engage seriously on these issues. If we have talks, we will plan to bring up the nuclear issue,” paper quoted US State Department spokesman Philip J. Crowley, as saying.

They added that the United States could make a case for imposing far stronger sanctions on Iran if diplomatic engagements fail.

Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany are going to be present on the discussion table, who in the past have negotiated with Iran even without the presence of an American representative.

Iran made its offer to meet in a five-page letter delivered to several nations on Wednesday.

But the letter said nothing about Iran’s nuclear program. However, this week Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad vowed never to halt the fuel production.

Within less than 48 hours the Obama administration said they would consider the offer to meet.

Even though it is unclear who will represent the US on the discussion table, but most probably William J. Burns, the under secretary of state for political affairs, will lead America.

Earlier, Burns was quoted as saying that the Obama administration had begun preparing sanctions against Iran, so that it would be ready to implement them at the end of the year. (ANI)

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