Kolkata to Kathmandu: Nepal’s long march to democracy

KATHMANDU – When Tundikhel, Nepal’s Hyde Park, turned into a sea of humanity with flags fluttering and hundreds of people cheering the nation’s oldest party’s six-decade-long march for democracy, few remembered that the fight had started from Kolkata in India.

Only a few veterans, like Purushottam Basnet, who was only two years old at that time, …. Read the original article  : Kolkata to Kathmandu: Nepal’s long march to democracy.

POLITICAL INSIDER: Polls shows Portman enjoying advantage over Fisher in OH Senate race

POLITICAL INSIDER: Portman leads Fisher in OH race

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Former Bush budget director Rob Portman is enjoying a commanding advantage over his Democratic rival, Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher, in the race for Ohio’s open Senate seat, according to a poll.
A Quinnipiac University survey released Friday shows Portman, a former Republican member of Congress, with …. Source article  : POLITICAL INSIDER: Polls shows Portman enjoying advantage over Fisher in OH Senate race.

Ayodhya Verdict AwaiteA

LUCKNOW, INDIA (Gaea Times.com) While the Ayodhya verdict is due on September 24 the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court turned down a plea for delaying the verdict and allow for an out of court settlement. The Lucknow bench consisting of Justice S U Khan, Justice Sudhir Agrawal and Justice Dharam Veer Sharma …. Source article  : Ayodhya Verdict AwaiteA.

Pak wants US to expedite disbursement of pledged aid

ISLAMABAD – Pakistan Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani has expressed hope that the United States would speed up the release of aid pledged under the Kerry Lugar bill and make payments of the Coalition Support Fund which were long overdue.

He was talking to US Special Representative for Pakistan … Read more >>>.

Afghans vote amid attacks in 1st poll since fraud-marred presidential ballot last year

Afghans vote for parliament amid threats, attacks

KABUL, Afghanistan – Men in traditional tunics and women covered in sky-blue burqas trickled into polling centers to vote in Afghanistan’s parliamentary election Saturday, as scattered attacks and the closure of some voting sites by insurgents underscored the difficulty of trying to hold a vote in a country at …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Afghans vote amid attacks in 1st poll since fraud-marred presidential ballot last year.

Elizabeth Warren To Set Consumer Financial Protection Agency

WASHINGTON (GaeaTimes.com)- On Friday, ignoring the critics and maneuvering its way to avoid the senators’ confirmation, President of United States Barack Obama declared the name of Harvard Law School professor Elizabeth Warren as the person who would oversee the creation of Consumer Financial Protection agency. As was previously revealed to media sources by …. Read the original article  : here.

Afghans vote amid attacks in 1st election since fraud-marred presidential ballot last year

Afghans vote amid threats and scattered attacks

KABUL, Afghanistan – Men in traditional tunics and women covered in sky-blue burqas trickled into polling centers to vote in Afghanistan’s parliamentary election Saturday, as scattered attacks and the closure of some voting sites by insurgents underscored the difficulty of trying to hold a vote in a country at …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Afghans vote amid attacks in 1st election since fraud-marred presidential ballot last year.

India gives Pakistan $20 mn for flood relief

UNITED NATIONS – India’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Hardeep Singh Puri, has given a cheque for $20 million to the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, as India’s contribution towards the ‘Pakistan Emergency Response Plan’.
The cheque was handed over to Ban in the presence of Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, …. Original article  : India gives Pakistan $20 mn for flood relief.

India gets positive vibes ahead of Obama visit

WASHINGTON – As India prepares for the visit of President Barack Obama in early November, its numerous concerns ranging from visa fee hike to hi-tech export controls to cross border terrorism appears to have had some positive response.
Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao is understood to have articulated New Delhi’s concerns at a hectic … Read this article on Gaea Times at : India gets positive vibes ahead of Obama visit.

Calif. gay marriage ban backers tell appeals court that ruling was ‘egregious and one-sided’

Prop 8 backers target trial judge in urging appeal

SAN FRANCISCO – Backers of California’s same-sex marriage ban urged a federal appeals court to overturn the trial judge who struck down Proposition 8 by arguing late Friday that his consideration of evidence was “egregiously selective and one-sided.”
In written arguments to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Calif. gay marriage ban backers tell appeals court that ruling was ‘egregious and one-sided’.

A hot-and-cold recipe for Kashmir (Comment)

Before Rahul Gandhi threw a lifeline to Omar Abdullah by saying that the Kashmir chief minister needs time and support to defuse the volatile situation in the valley, the latter may well have been on his way out.
Among those who were seemingly gunning for him by underlining the so-called governance-deficit in the state … Read more : A hot-and-cold recipe for Kashmir (Comment).

Voting begins in Afghan parliamentary polls

KABUL – Afghanistan’s parliamentary elections began nationwide Saturday amid tight security and fears of widespread fraud.

A total of 12.5 million Afghans are eligible to vote for more than 2,500 candidates vying for 249 seats in the lower house of parliament, the Wolesi Jirga. Around 400 women are among those fighting the second elections since …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Voting begins in Afghan parliamentary polls.

Polling stations formally open for voting in Afghanistan’s parliamentary election

Polling opens for Afghan parliamentary vote

KABUL, Afghanistan – Polling stations have formally opened for voting in Afghanistan’s parliamentary election after a scattering of early morning rocket attacks apparently aimed to disrupt the vote.
Officials say a rocket struck Kabul a couple hours before dawn Saturday, while three others struck the eastern city of Jalalabad.
Afghan police officer …. Original source  : Polling stations formally open for voting in Afghanistan’s parliamentary election.

Tea party flame O’Donnell declares ‘we’re loud, we’re rowdy’ but the mainstream of the nation

O’Donnell says ‘we’re passionate’ not ‘wing nuts’
WASHINGTON – The tea party’s latest darling, Delaware GOP Senate candidate Christine O’Donnell, aligned herself squarely with the Republican Party’s social conservative base Friday in criticizing Democrats and “ruling class elites” in her first national appearance since her upset primary victory.
“They’re trying to marginalize us and put …. Source  : Tea party flame O’Donnell declares ‘we’re loud, we’re rowdy’ but the mainstream of the nation.

Sen. Murkowski says she’s mounting write-in candidacy to hold seat after GOP primary upset

Sen. Murkowski mounting write-in bid for Senate
JUNEAU, Alaska – U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who lost Alaska’s GOP primary last month in a stunning upset to a tea-party backed rival, announced Friday that she’s mounting a write-in candidacy in a bid to hold onto her job.
Murkowksi told supporters at a late afternoon rally in … Read : Sen. Murkowski says she’s mounting write-in candidacy to hold seat after GOP primary upset.

After several Palin-endorsed candidates win primaries, Palin tells Iowa that GOP must unite

Sarah Palin: Primaries are over, GOP must unite
DES MOINES, Iowa – After helping propel several upstart Republican contenders to recent primary victories, Sarah Palin said Friday that it’s time for Republicans to unite now that primary season is over.
The former Alaska governor and 2008 GOP vice presidential nominee delivered …. Source article  : After several Palin-endorsed candidates win primaries, Palin tells Iowa that GOP must unite.

Ahmadinejad wants US to release Iranians in return of hiker

TEHRAN – The US should release jailed Iranians in return for the release of American hiker Sarah Shourd, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Friday.

“The release (of Shourd) was one-sided, and we do not expect anything (from the US) in return,” Ahmadinejad told Khabar news network in a live interview.
“But the US could still compensate …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Police: Rocket hits Kabul as Afghans prepare to vote in parliamentary elections

Police: Rocket hits Kabul on Afghan voting day

KABUL, Afghanistan – Police say a rocket struck Kabul about three hours before citizens planned to head to the polls to vote in Afghanistan’s parliamentary elections.
Afghan police officer Mohammad Abrahim says the rocket landed around 4 a.m. in the yard of Afghanistan’s state-owned television station. It’s a couple … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Police: Rocket hits Kabul as Afghans prepare to vote in parliamentary elections.

APNewsBreak: GOP Senate candidate Rand Paul wins over sheriffs after initial suspicions

Paul wins over once shaky Ky. sheriff endorsement

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A rural Kentucky sheriff who said Rand Paul’s campaign wrongly listed him as a supporter is now lining up behind the Senate candidate after a phone conversation about combating illegal drugs.
Clay County Sheriff Kevin Johnson said Friday night that he switched from being neutral to …. Read the original article  : APNewsBreak: GOP Senate candidate Rand Paul wins over sheriffs after initial suspicions.

Venezuela will not let in designated US envoy

CARACAS – Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said Friday that he will not let Larry Palmer, the designated US ambassador to Venezuela, into the country.
Palmer is unsuitable as an ambassador, Chavez said, for his comments to the US Senate on the allegedly poor morale of the Venezuelan Air Force.
“An irresponsible government like that … Read more >>>.