CPI-M to stage protest marches against Gaza attacks

Thiruvananthapuram, June 6 (PTI) CPI-M has directed its local committees across Kerala to stage protest marches today and tomorrow against Israel”s attacks on the peace ships to Gaza in Palestine. The peace ships proceeded to Palestine to ease the hardships of Gaza residents caused by Israel”s blockade, a statement from the state secretariat of the party said.

It said the Centre had not even protested against the “heinous” action of Israel, which was part of their efforts to become a “junior partner” of the US. The secretariat requested all human rights activists to come together “against the American-Israel tie-up to destroy the Palestinian people

Thai PM says difficult to hold polls this year

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said on Saturday that holding of elections this year was unlikely.

“Obviously, it’s a lot more difficult to hold elections by the end of the year,” he said at a news conference.

Abhisit said peace needed to be fully restored after deadly riots last week involving anti-government protesters and that a reconciliation plan needed to be implemented.

(Reporting by Martin Petty, Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)

Afghan peace cleric Rahman Gul shot dead in Kunar

Chapa Dara (Afghanistan), May 18 (ANI): A prominent Afghan Muslim cleric was shot dead along with two of his family members in the country’s restive Kunar province on Sunday.

According to the BBC, Maulvi Rahman Gul was gunned down as he was returning home. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

His assassination was followed by the death of two Italian soldiers in a roadside bomb explosion in Herat.

On Sunday two US soldiers died in southern Afghanistan.

Gul was the chief cleric of his district and a member of a clerical council for eastern Afghanistan. (ANI)

Afghan peace cleric Rahman Gul shot dead in Kunar

Chapa Dara (Afghanistan), May 18 (ANI): A prominent Afghan Muslim cleric was shot dead along with two of his family members in the country’s restive Kunar province on Sunday.

According to the BBC, Maulvi Rahman Gul was gunned down as he was returning home. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

His assassination was followed by the death of two Italian soldiers in a roadside bomb explosion in Herat.

On Sunday two US soldiers died in southern Afghanistan.

Gul was the chief cleric of his district and a member of a clerical council for eastern Afghanistan. (ANI)

Three injured in Uttar Pradesh communal clash

Bijnor (Uttar Pradesh), May 16 (ANI): At least three people were injured in a clash that broke out between two communities over parking of a rickshaw in Uttar Pradesh”s Bijnor town on Sunday.

The argument over the rickshaw parking soon led to a major clash. It was alleged that the rickshaw was wrongfully parked in front of a house.

Members of the two communities pelted stones at each other.

Police had to resort to baton charge to quell the irate mob.

“A heated argument took place between members of Ramgarh and Qureshi communities over the parking of a rickshaw. It led to stone pelting. Police immediately rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control. Peace has been established,” said Shyam Bahadur Singh, Sub-Divisional Magistrate.

The local police have registered a case and are trying to get hold of the culprits. (ANI)

Disgraced soccer star King takes up art classes to control temper

London, May 16 (ANI): Disgraced soccer star Marlon King, who is serving an 18-month sentence for molesting a 20 girl at London’s Soho Revue Bar and breaking her nose when she tried to resist his advances, has taken up Art classes to help control his temper as he serves time behind bars.

Former Wigan striker King spends an hour each morning painting with watercolours.

“Marlon says it calms him down. He gets so pent up and aggressive – he just flips,” News of the World quoted a prison source, as saying.

“Every morning after his exercises and breakfast, he goes down to the art room. He started off doing bits of fruit and last week he painted a model car.

“The other inmates find it hilarious but he says he likes the peace and tranquillity of it down there,” The source added.

King was persuaded to take up the hobby by staff at HMP Wayland, Norfolk, where he is serving an 18-month sentence. (ANI)

Shutdown disrupts normal life in Manipur

Imphal (Manipur), May 8 (ANI): The two-day shutdown call given by the All Manipur United Club Organisation (AMUCO) as a mark of protest against the visit of Thuingaleng Muivah, the rebel Naga leader of National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak Muivah (NSCN-IM) has disrupted normal life in the state.

The markets in Imphal presented a deserted look, while commercial establishments in the other areas of the state rolled down its shutters.

The shutdown that began at around 6 p.m. on Thursday will continue till 6 p.m. on Saturday.

The AMUCO has supported the decision of the state government to ban the entry of Muivah in Manipur, where he has planned to visit his ancestral place Somdal.

The AMUCO also urged the government not to retreat from their stand, and reaffirmed that the government has complete support of the people.

The government has imposed an embargo on his visit, contending that it will create law and order problem and might disturb the peace in the state.

Muivah had proposed to visit Somdal, located in Ukhrul district, between May 3 and 10. (ANI)

Hitler’s voting slip to be auctioned

London, May 6 (ANI): A voting slip with a cross by Adolf Hitler’s name is to be auctioned in the weeks after Britain goes to the polls. The slip is from the 1932 German election.

According to The Telegraph, the card also carries names of the Führer’s closest political aides, including Goring, Goebbels and Hess.

It states at the top of the card “Parliament for Freedom and Peace”, and states the constituency is Hessen Nassau.

Hitler, who started as a mere candidate, went on to become a democratically elected politician of the Nazi party – ‘Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei’ as well as a Chancellor within 12 months. (ANI)

UNGA President meets PM

New Delhi, May 5 (ANI): United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) President Ali Abdussalam Treki met Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on Wednesday and reportedly discussed a wide range of issues, including peace and security, United Nations (UN) reforms and other international and regional issues.

“We discussed the way to make the United Nations very strong, reform of the UN, Security Council and UNGA. We also discussed certain problems that the United Nations is facing like climate change, Middle-East Problem and other issues,” said Treki.

National Security Advisor Shiv Shankar Menon and Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao were also present at the meeting.

Treki arrived here on Monday on a three-day visit after holding parleys with China.

He is expected to leave for Pakistan today. (ANI)

Nepal Maoists general strike enters third day

Kathmandu, May 4 (ANI): Normal life across Nepal was crippled for the third consecutive day on Tuesday in the wake of a nationwide indefinite general strike.

Transportation, market places, academic institutions and industries were brought to a virtual standstill.

Maoist cadres have thronged major thoroughfares of the capital since early this morning to enforce the strike.

Maoist vice-chairman Dr Baburam Bhattarai has said there is no alternative left than to continue with the indefinite strike unless there is guarantee of a pro-people constitution and peace.

Nepalnews quoted him as, saying that the nationwide movement his party is waging would be decisive and topple the current government to replace it with a national unity government.

He also expressed his disgust at efforts to give continuity to the current government by issuing threats of army deployment, but said they will never be successful.

Meanwhile, ten of the 22 ruling parties asked Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal not to resign even as the Maoists continues to mount pressure on the government by enforcing a nationwide indefinite strike.

A meeting of the senior leaders of the ruling parties held at the Prime Minister”s residence concluded that the current stalemate could be resolved only through talks and renewed the call to the Maoists to withdraw the agitation and come to the negotiating table.

They also concluded that the government cannot be changed because of pressure built through street movement and that the Maoists should follow constitutional procedures for this. (ANI)

Gogoi invites all rebel groups for talks

Guwahati, May 4 (ANI): Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has said that all rebel groups, including the elusive commander-in-chief of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), Paresh Baruah, ought to respond to his invitation for talks in the interest of peace in the region.

Addressing a press conference here Gogoi said: “We want him (Paresh Baruah) as well to come for talks. If he doesn”t come then definitely we would make attempts to arrest him. We would take all the required actions. We have been asking him to come for talks. We want ULFA… anybody can come for talks”.

He also described the arrest of Ranjan Daimary alias D R Nabla, the chief of the anti-talks faction of National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), as a prized catch.

“He is a prized catch. After sometimes back, a few leaders of ULFA mainly Vice President, Arabinda Rajkhowa (ULFA Chairman) and others, also after that it is a very big, very big catch. These are the two dreaded organisations in Assam. So definitely it is a very big catch, and it will so a very long way in bringing peace in the state of Assam,” observed Gogoi.

Answering a question about base of rebel groups in Myanmar and Bhutan, Gogoi said that there is rebel groups base in Myanmar as well as in Bangladesh but not much is known about Bhutan.

“We don”t have any information about Bhutan, we have information about Myanmar. There is base of ULFA and other rebel groups as well and there is base of these rebel groups in Bangladesh as well. So we are in conversation with the Myanmar government about this issue. We are seeking support from them. But it can be noted that even Myanmar government has less control in those areas,” Gogoi added.

He further hoped to busting of all the hideouts in Myanmar and Bangladesh. (ANI)

Nepal Maoists announce indefinite strike from May 2

Kathmandu, April 26 — Disregarding appeals from the government and international community, Maoists in Nepal on Monday announced their decision to launch an indefinite strike across the country from May 2. The main opposition party stated that the strike is in protest against government unwillingness to end the political deadlock and ensure logical conclusion of the peace and constitution drafting processes. “This is not our wish but have been forced to take this step,” said United Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ at a press conference on Monday evening.

Reiterating that the demonstration and strike would be peaceful, Prachanda warned the government of dire consequences if it tried to use force to disperse Maoist cadres or prevent them from reaching the capital.

Tibetans pray for Chinese earthquake victims

Suja (Himachal Pradesh), Apr 24 (ANI): Tibetan students in India offered special prayers for Chinese earthquake victims in Himachal Pradesh’s Suja village.

Over 2,000 people died last week as tremors rocked Qinghai Province.

Tibetans in India expressed shock over the news.

“Ever since this unfortunate incident, we have organized prayers. The Karmapa has visited our school to perform prayers, and recently, they had a private audience with the Dalai Lama. His Holiness is very concerned about what happened to people inside Tibet,” said Namkhang, a teacher at the TCV School in Suja.

Over 40 students of different age groups are reported to have lost their family members and relatives in the tragedy.

The students, offered prayers for the peace of departed souls. (ANI)

Tarun Gogoi hopeful of talks with ULFA

New Delhi, Apr 21 (ANI): Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has said that he is expecting some good news as for holding parleys with the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) rebels in the near future.

Addressing mediapersons here on Tuesday, Gogoi said: “We are trying our level best. We may hear good news also. But I do not say that we have reached the final goal. We are making some progress,” said Tarun Gogoi.

He also disclosed that the government will not ”wait indefinitely” for the elusive ULFA commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah to come forth for talks.

“Our idea is to involve everybody including Paresh Baruah. But we have made it very clear that we cannot wait indefinitely,” Gogoi said.

“We are keeping our doors open, made free conditions that you have to give up the path of violence and we are prepared to discuss everything except sovereignty,” he added.

To a poser whether the ULFA has any links with the Maoists, Gogoi said that he finds no difference between these extremists groups as all are sailing in the same boat and they believe in armed struggle to achieve their objective at the cost of the commoners and peace in the society. (ANI)

Women run marathons to keep weight down, men sign up for competition

London, Apr 17 (ANI): Men and women participate in marathons for very different reasons, a study suggests.

While it’s the thrill of competition that attracts many men to taking up marathon running, in case of women, it is for shedding pounds or improving mood.

To reach the conclusion, Elizabeth Loughren, of the University of Birmingham, recruited more than 900 first-time marathon runners, aged between 18 and 72.

After analyses it was found that men were more likely to say they were running “to see how high I can place” or to achieve a certain time, reports The Daily Express.

Meanwhile, women cited reasons such as “to improve my mood”, to lose weight, or “to feel at peace with the world”.

The study also found that 79 per cent of the men planned to do a another marathon within a year, compared with 70 per cent of the women.

The findings were presented at the British Psychological Society’s annual conference. (ANI)

Nixon urges media to leave family in peace

The head of Victoria’s Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery Authority, Christine Nixon, is hoping the media will move their attention away from her family.

Ms Nixon has provided more details about her activities on Black Saturday.

Pressure has been growing on the former police chief commissioner to step down down as head of the authority, after she admitted at the Bushfires Royal Commission that she went out for dinner on Black Saturday.

Ms Nixon has now provided further details of her movements on February 7 last year, contradicting earlier evidence given to the commission.

She now says she also had a haircut and a session with her biographer on that day.

“On the morning of February 7 at 9:30am I had a haircut. It was a recurring appointment, one I could have cancelled. I believed I could carry out my duties as well,” she said.

“I also had a private appointment… to meet with a person who had been working with me on my biography.

“In hindsight I would have done things differently… particularly I would have stayed at the [state emergency] centre that night.”

Ms Nixon is adamant the appointments did not detract from her ability to do her job.

She insists her decision to speak out has less to do with damage control, and is more about protecting her family and bushfire-affected communities.

“I wanted to take this opportunity to provide some details about what I actually did on that day, and hopefully so that approaches that have been made to my family and particularly my elderly parents might stop,” she said.

Ms Nixon has acknowledged there are many people who would like to see her resign, but says she is more determined than ever to stay put.

“I know that what I have is a range of enemies,” she said.

She says whatever she did that day would not have changed the ultimate tragic outcome.

“What I did on that day as chief commissioner will be judged ultimately by the Royal Commission,” she said.

“They are the ones who will hear all the evidence and make a decision when they report about whether or not my behaviours on that day were appropriate.”

UPDATE 1-Germany says Greece deal should help calm markets

BERLIN, April 11 (Reuters) – The German government welcomes an agreement by euro zone finance ministers on how to help debt-plagued Greece if needed, a government official told Reuters on Sunday.

The official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the agreement reached in a teleconference on Sunday should help calm financial markets so that Greece can focus on taking care of its “homework” on debt reduction without market distraction.

“It corresponds to what we wanted,” the German government official said. “The euro zone is capable of taking action.

“It should contribute to a calming of the markets so that Greece can take care of its homework in peace and quiet.”

He stressed that the euro zone finance ministers had merely made preparations for an emergency.

“The fire brigade is now ready for action and the water tanks are filled up,” he said.

“But it won’t leave the station until there’s a call for help. The chances are greater now that there won’t be a call for help. The house has been made fireproof now.”

Euro zone finance ministers unanimously approved a detailed 30 billion euros emergency aid mechanism for Greece but stressed it had not requested that the plan be activated now. (Reporting by Rene Wagner; writing by Erik Kirschbaum; Editing by Mike Nesbit)

INTERVIEW-Kyrgyz president says will not resign

JALALABAD REGION, Kyrgyzstan, April 11 (Reuters) – Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev told Reuters on Sunday he would not resign and that any attempt to kill him would “drown Kyrgyzstan in blood”.

Bakiyev, speaking inside a tent in an undisclosed location in his home region of Jalalabad, said he was prepared to talk to the new, self-proclaimed government of Kyrgyzstan but did not recognise its legitimacy.

He called for United Nations peacekeeping forces to guarantee peace in the Central Asian republic after his government was overthrown, and denied that he had ordered troops to fire on protesters in the capital Bishkek on April 7. (Reporting by Dmitry Solovyov, writing by Robin Paxton)

Jesse James’ mistress Michelle McGee ‘thinks he’s a snake’

Washington, Mar 31 (ANI): Michelle McGee, the first women to come out in open about her affair with Sandra Bullock”s husband Jesse James, now thinks that he is a “snake”, revealed her father.

McGee”s father Dennis said that Michelle is completely done with the West Coast Choppers CEO after she came to know that she was not the only “other” woman in his life.

Ever since her public disclosure about the affair, several women have come forward saying they too were James’s mistresses.

“She doesn’t care [about Jesse’s other mistresses]. She thinks he’s a snake now. She did care when she thought she was the only one,” Radar Online quoted Dennis McGee as saying in an exclusive interview.

Dennis, who works as a barber in Ohio, said that he talks to Michelle “at least twice a day.”

He claimed that his daughter is “doing great” but has had to make some major changes in her life since news of her affair with James broke.

“She changed her phone number. The paparazzi were doing this GPS thing on her phone and she had guys showing up at her place around the clock. So she changed her number,” said Dennis.

“She told me she went to the park this weekend and had the first bit of peace and quiet she’s had in a long time and it felt great not to have all those guys hounding her,” he added. (ANI)

US to give Pak 14 F-16 jets: PAF chief

Islamabad, Mar.27 (ANI): Pakistan Air Force (PAF) chief Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman has claimed that the US has agreed to provide 14 F-16 combat jets to Islamabad.

Talking to media persons during a press conference here, Air Chief Marshal Suleman said Pakistan would be getting more than a dozen F-16 jets, which would enhance the PAF’s capability to a great extent.

He said the PAF is capable of thwarting both ‘conventional’ and ‘unconventional’ threats from the enemy.

“The Pakistan Air Force is focusing on its preparedness and is taking stock of it preparations according to the modern trends,” The News quoted Air Chief Marshal Suleman, as saying.

In 1990, the U.S. halted the production of a third and fourth batch of F-16s ordered by Pakistan, due to its”s nuclear weapons program. 40 F-16A/B aircraft had been delivered under the Peace Gate I and II programs, however none of the Peace Gate III and IV aircraft were delivered.

However, in 2005 Islamabad finally received the go-ahead to order 24 additional F-16s, which was believed to an explicit reward for General Pervez Musharraf”s support in the ‘war on terror.’ (ANI)