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June 20 (Reuters) – Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan said on Sunday it was too early to say whether or not he will contest elections due by next April.
“It’s too early to make a pronouncement,” Jonathan said in an interview broadcast by the Nigerian Television Authority. (Reporting by Felix Onuah; Writing by Randy Fabi; Editing by Kevin Liffey)
London, May 21 (ANI): A Russian town is trying to introduce a ban on heavy-metal music because, bizarrely enough, officials believe that it is “satanic” in nature.
Their certitude is based on a Soviet-era psychiatric hospital’s pronouncement, that such music has an “ideologically destructive” effect on young people.
The town called Belogrod has been in the news for introducing fines for public swearing, restricting the number of people on the town”s dance floors, and for waging a campaign against Valentine”s Day.
“The parents of youngsters who attended such events would never forgive us for (allowing) the performances of people interested in satanic ideology,” The Telegraph quoted a town official as saying.
But their latest proposition has met with hostile responses from the denizens who feel the officialdom’s viewpoint is nothing but balderdash aimed at curtailing their freedom.
Oleg Proskokov, a local club owner is not amused, and says he plans to voice his dissent by holding a series of rock concerts, and anyone who tries to disrupt the same should beware because they are likely to end up with a “punch in the face”.
Another detractor of the town’s antiquated policies, Alexander Naumenko, the lead singer in a local rock group, said the campaign reminded him of the “worst aspects of the Soviet system” when Communist party officials sought to tightly control the kind of music people could listen or dance to in public. (ANI)
Bangalore, May 7 (ANI): K. Unnikrishnan, the father of late Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan who was martyred during the 26/11 Mumbai attack, has termed the death sentence awarded to Pakistani gunman Ajmal Amir Kasab, as a symbolic punishment and wished the sentence is executed at the earliest.
Major Sandeep, an officer of Indian Army and deputed to the National Security Guards, the crack commando outfit, died fighting militants outside the Taj Hotel in Mumbai.
“There is no question of satisfaction, but this is a symbolic punishment with a symbolic judgement. We can”t bring any victim back, that”s the tragic thing, and we definitely have to do much more, to at least to have…this is just the first step, second step should be to reduce the time,” said Unnikrishnan.
In Kakra Dubwal, an obscure village in Allahabad district, the family members and friends of Phool Chand, a taxi driver who was shot dead by the Mumbai attackers also welcomed the judgement.
However, Sanju Devi, the widow of Phool Chand said that she would be satisfied only when Kasab is hung.
“I will be satisfied only when I see that he (Kasab) is hanged,” she added.
Judge M L Tahiliyani awarded a death sentence to Kasab for waging war against India, murder, conspiracy to murder, and participating in an act of terror under Unlawful Activity Prevention Act (UAPA).
Judge Tahaliyani felt that Kasab”s crime fell under the judicial definition of “rarest of rare” cases.
Judge Tahiliyani also awarded a life term to Kasab on five other counts.
Judge Tahiliyani also felt that having Kasab alive could pose perpetual danger to the nation.
He also added that Kasab was a menace to society.
Immediately after pronouncement of the death sentence, Judge Tahaliyani sent his order for confirmation to the Bombay High Court.
The death penalty will not be implemented immediately as it has to be confirmed by the High Court.
Kasab has the option of appealing to higher courts, and can also file a mercy petition for the consideration of the President of India.
Earlier, Kasab was pronounced guilty on Monday and the prosecution and defence ended their arguments on the quantum of sentence to be handed out on Tuesday. (ANI)
Mumbai, May 6 (ANI): A Mumbai Special Court on Thursday sentenced the lone surviving Pakistani terrorist of the 26/11 attacks Ajmal Amir Kasab to death on four counts.
Judge M L Tahiliyani awarded death sentence for Kasab on—waging war against India, murder, conspiracy to murder, and participating in an act of terror under Unlawful Activity Prevention Act (UAPA).
Judge Tahaliyani felt that Kasab”s crime fell under the judicial definition of “rarest of rare”.
With today’s judgment, Kasab became the 52nd prisoner on death row in India.
Judge Tahiliyani also awarded life term to Kasab on five other counts.
He said, “A common man will loose faith in court, if this man is let loose. The death penalty is required. There is no other option. This man has lost the right to get humanitarian treatment.”
Judge Tahiliyani also felt that having Kasab alive can be a perpetual danger to the nation.
He also added that Kasab has been a menace to the society.
After the judge pronounced the verdict, Kasab broke down to tears in the courtroom.
His whole body was reportedly shuddering, just moments before the judge pronounced the quantum of punishment.
Immediately after pronouncement of the death sentence, Judge Tahaliyani sent his order for confirmation to the Bombay High Court.
The death penalty will not be implemented immediately it has to be confirmed by the High Court.
Kasab has the option of appealing to higher courts, and can also file a mercy petition for the consideration of President of India.
Earlier, Kasab was pronounced guilty on Monday and the prosecution and defence ended their arguments on quantum of sentence on Tuesday.
Elaborate security arrangements were made in and around the Arthur Road Central Jail where the special court decided the fate of Kasab for his role in the 26/11 terror attacks.
The Arthur Road Jail became a fortress with large number of police personnel posted at various vantage points on Sane Guruji Marg which was made one way for the traffic movements.
While the prosecution wanted death sentence for Kasab, his lawyer has appealed for leniency on the grounds that he”s just 22 years old.
Kasab has turned into India”s one of the costliest prisoner. Till now, the Government has spent over 35 crore rupees for his safety.
On Tuesday, the public prosecutor, Ujjwal Nikam, attacked Kasab for two hours, describing him as “worse than a wild beast… Kasab is a killing machine… and the orders for this machine came from Pakistan.”
On Monday, Kasab was found guilty on more than 80 of the 86 charges brought against him for planning and executing the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai.
Nikam had laid out eight arguments on why Kasab deserves to be hanged, among them, that the 26/11 attacks was meticulously planned and that policemen and defenceless civilians were “mercilessly butchered.”
He also argued that Kasab wanted to inspire others to take part in fidayeen or suicide attacks. (ANI)
Rawalpindi, Apr 24 (ANI): Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, on Friday said the Army is determined to root out the menace of terrorism from the region.
General Kayani further said the Army would fully support the civilian government in its fight against militancy.
“The Army will not allow the militants to dictate terms to the government or impose their way of life on the civil society of Pakistan,” the Dawn quoted Kayani as saying at the General Headquarters here.
General Kayani said “operation pause” was meant to give reconciliatory forces a chance and it ‘must’ not be seen as a concession to militants.
He also condemned the pronouncement by ‘outside powers’ raising doubts on future of Pakistan.
“A country of 170 million people under a democratic dispensation strongly supported by the army is capable of handling any crisis,” General Kayani said. (ANI)
Lucknow, Jan 20 (ANI): Muslim clerics here issued a fatwa, asking their community members to boycott goods manufactured by Israel and its friendly companies because of its offensive in Gaza.
The legal pronouncement was issued on a question asking in the light of Islamic law, whether it was justified for the Muslims to boycott Israeli goods manufactured by Israeli and friendly companies as the profit earned by them was being used against the Muslims.
“The companies which fund Israel or support it economically, such companies and their products should be boycotted so that Israel can be weakened. So that such attacks do not take place in future against Palestinians or any innocent,” said Khalid Rasheed Firangi Mahali, a Sunni Muslim cleric , Lucknow.
He also urged the Indian Government to strongly voice its concern on the issue in the international fora like UN.
“Following its non-aligned movement, India should strongly condemn such act of Israel and help Palestinians on humanitarian grounds. Strong action should be taken against Israeli Embassy in India and New Delhi should voice its concern on the issue in the international fora like the UN,” Mahali added. ore than 1,150 Palestinians have been killed since Israel launched its offensive against Gaza on December 27 to force Hamas to stop rocket attacks on its territory.
Israel has accused Hamas of taking shelter among the civilian population and using sites such as mosques and schools as military posts.
Hamas said on Sunday it would cease fire immediately along with other militant groups in the Gaza Strip and give Israel, which already declared a unilateral truce, a week to pull its troops out of the territory. (ANI)
New Delhi, Jan.10 (ANI): Merchant navy sailors and relations of Captain Jasprit Chawla and Chief Officer Shyam Chetan, the two convicted Indian shipping officers of vlcc (very large crude carrier) ‘Hebei Spirit’, staged a demonstration in New Delhi on Saturday seeking justice and their release by contending they were not guilty for the collision of the anchored tanker with a crane barge in Korea.
The protestors were seeking justice and release of the two jailed Indian marine officers by contending they were not primarily guilty for the collision of the tanker with a barge of Samsung in Korea.
Further, the protestors among whom a good number happened to be commoners other than sailors and kin of the convicted officers also pledged to boycott all the Samsung products.
The jailing of the two senior officers of vlcc Hebei Spirit after initially being found innocent has outraged the international shipping industry.
As such leaders and members of Indian Seafarers Federation, International Transport Workers’ Federation, Dock Workers Union have also lent their support to this demand.
“We want that those convicted officers should be freed as soon as possible. We want to appeal this to the Government. Whenever we ask them about their condition they say that they are working on it. This has been going on from the last one and a half months; I don’t know what is happening. Nothing has been done regarding their bail application. They should at least be released on bail because they are not criminals but professionals,” said Priya, sister of Shyam Chetan, Chief Officer mot Hebei Spirit.
It may be recalled that nearly a year after the Chinese registered vlcc ‘Hebei Spirit’, a huge oil tanker owned by V Ships of Hong Kong collided with a barge crane of Samsung in December 2007, her Master Captain Jasprit Chawla and Chief Officer Shyam Chetan were sentenced to jail terms.
On December 10, 2008, Chawla was jailed for 18 months and also fined 1000 US dollars while Shyam Chetan was awarded 8 months imprisonment on charges of negligence resulting in marine pollution.
The demonstrators pointed out that prior to the pronouncement of these terms by the Daejeon District Court in South Korea, they were found not guilty by the designated inquiry committee and also a court on June 23, 2008.
The international community and the shipping fraternity are disturbed and have termed the judgment as outrageous.
The matter is now in Supreme Court of Korea and the seafarers have applied for their bail.
It seems South Korea will come under increasing pressure later this month to release the Master and Chief Officer of vlcc ‘Hebei Spirit’. (ANI)
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