Greater trust needed for composite dialogue with Pakistan: Krishna

NEW DELHI – Describing the foreign secretary-level talks as an encouraging step, External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna Friday told parliament that the future of bilateral dialogue with Pakistan will depend on Islamabad’s response to India’s core concerns on terrorism which remains undiluted.

“On Pakistans view that the composite dialogue between the two countries should be … Original article on : Greater trust needed for composite dialogue with Pakistan: Krishna.

Louise Slaughter: Denture Ditty

WASHINGTON (GaeaTimes.com)- Democrat Congresswoman Louise Slaughter amazed the congregation of her peers, and the assembled press, with some of the comments that she made in the health care summit. A strong advocate for the health care reform bill, like most of her Democrat peers, she attempted to drive her point home by referring …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Louise Slaughter: Denture Ditty.

VA to review files of ill Gulf War vets to help thousands who felt shutout

VA to reopen Gulf War vets’ files
WASHINGTON – The Veterans Affairs Department says it will take a second look at the disability claims of what could be thousands of Gulf War veterans suffering from illnesses they blame on their war service, the first step toward potentially compensating them nearly two decades after the war ended.

VA … Read this article on Gaea Times at : VA to review files of ill Gulf War vets to help thousands who felt shutout.

‘Blair, you ruined my life’ claim ’so ridiculous,’ says Brown

LONDON – British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has “laughed off” reports claiming that his “you ruined my life” outburst at Tony Blair led to his predecessor’s departure from 10 Downing Street.

The claim of Brown’s alleged showdown with Blair emerged from a book by political commentator Andrew Rawnsley, and it came a day after Chancellor Alistair … Read more : ‘Blair, you ruined my life’ claim ’so ridiculous,’ says Brown.

Don’t blame us for water woes, India tells Pakistan

NEW DELHI – Rejecting “negative propaganda” over the Indus waters row, India has made it clear that Pakistan’s water woes arise from its internal domestic problems and called for adherence to the 1960 Indus Water Treaty, informed sources say.

Pakistan raised the issue of the alleged denial of Indus waters to it during the foreign secretary-level … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Don’t blame us for water woes, India tells Pakistan.

Congress gets first detailed testimony about Justice probe of lawyers who wrote torture memos

Senate panel to delve into internal DOJ probe

WASHINGTON – The Senate Judiciary Committee plans to question a Justice Department official about the internal probe of two department attorneys – one now a federal appellate judge – who approved harsh interrogations of terror suspects proposed by the CIA during the Bush administration.
Friday’s scheduled hearing on Capitol …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

NY Gov. Paterson, hounded by aide scandal and lacking party support, vows to run for full term

NY gov hurt by scandal, no support but plows ahead

ALBANY, N.Y. – Democratic Gov. David Paterson, bedeviled by a domestic-violence scandal involving a top aide and lacking support in his own party, has found himself severely weakened as he tries to save the state from insolvency and run for a full term in the fall.
Even … Read more >>>.

India under attack in Pakistan media after talks

ISLAMABAD – The Pakistani media Friday blamed the Indian government for refusing to revive the composite dialogue cut by the Mumbai terrorist attack and for failing to break the bilateral logjam.

Both Urdu and English language newspapers, from Islamabad and other cities, held New Delhi responsible for the seeming lack of progress after Thursday’s talks between …. Original article  : India under attack in Pakistan media after talks.

Benazir assassination: UN commission meets Kayani

ISLAMABAD – Chief of the UN Commission probing the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, Heraldo Munoz, met Pakistan Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani to discuss the various aspects of the investigations.

Sources privy to the meeting said Munoz discussed the progress made in …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Benazir assassination: UN commission meets Kayani.

Thailand braces for court verdict on seizing ousted PM Thaksin’s $2.9 billion fortune

Thai court to rule on ex-leader Thaksin’s wealth

BANGKOK – Thailand’s highest court convened Friday to rule whether deposed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra should lose part of his fortune for alleged corruption, with a decision either way unlikely to end four years of sometimes-violent political strife.
Tight security was in place around the courthouse, amid government fears …. Source article  : Thailand braces for court verdict on seizing ousted PM Thaksin’s $2.9 billion fortune.

Pakistan foreign secretary calls on Krishna

NEW DELHI – A day after talks with his Indian counterpart Nirupama Rao, Pakistan Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir Friday called on External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna and discussed bilateral issues.

Bashir met Krishna for nearly an hour, his last engagement in New Delhi before heading back to Islamabad.
They discussed key points relating to India’s …. Original source  : Pakistan foreign secretary calls on Krishna.

Berlusconi buys Napoleon’s bed

LONDON – Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was said to have shelled out on a “priceless” bed once owned by his idol Napoleon.

The 73-year-old, dubbed with title of a notorious womaniser, was said to have installed the four-poster bed, complete with canopy and bronze eagle heads, at his new house near Milan.
But the billionaire media …. Read the original article  : here.

US media welcomes ‘first step’ in India-Pakistan talks

WASHINGTON – The US media saw Thursday’s secretary-level talks between India and Pakistan as a “first step” with broad agreement that even if there was no breakthrough as expected it was a significant diplomatic achievement.
“Few analysts had expected any breakthroughs from the meeting, which had been framed as a small step in restarting … Read : US media welcomes ‘first step’ in India-Pakistan talks.

Indian-origin woman is Leader of Opposition in Trinidad and Tobago

Port-of-SPAIN – Indian-origin Kamla Persad-Bissessar has became the first woman Leader of the Opposition in the Trinidad and Tobago parliament, ousting former premier Basdeo Panday from the post.

Kamla was administered the oath of office here Thursday by President George Maxwell Richards at the president’s house amidst loud cheers from the seven MPs, who supported her … Original source on Gaea Times at : Indian-origin woman is Leader of Opposition in Trinidad and Tobago.

APNewsBreak: VA to review files of ill Gulf War vets to help thousands who felt shutout

APNewsBreak: VA to reopen Gulf War vets’ files

WASHINGTON – The Veterans Affairs Department will re-examine the disability claims of what could be thousands of Gulf War veterans suffering from ailments they blame on their war service, the first step toward potentially compensating them nearly two decades after the war ended.
VA Secretary Eric Shinseki said the … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : APNewsBreak: VA to review files of ill Gulf War vets to help thousands who felt shutout.

APNewsBreak: VA to review files of sick Gulf War vets to help thousands who felt shut out

APNewsBreak: VA to reopen Gulf War files
WASHINGTON – The Veterans Affairs Department says it’s preparing to re-examine the disability claims of what could be thousands of Gulf War veterans suffering from ailments they blame on their war service.

The review could result in more veterans receiving compensation nearly two decades after the Gulf War ended.
VA Secretary … Read more >>>.

It was courageous for India and Pakistan just to talk: US

WASHINGTON – The United States which has been “encouraging” India and Pakistan to resume their dialogue sought to downplay the failure of their secretary-level talks saying it was a “courageous step” just to open the door to dialogue again.
“As we have long encouraged the restoration of dialogue, it is an important step for … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : It was courageous for India and Pakistan just to talk: US.

Ousted Honduran president criticizes new corruption charges as political persecution

Ousted Honduran leader calls charges persecution

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras – Former Honduran president Manuel Zelaya said Thursday that new corruption charges brought against him by Honduras’ newly elected government amount to political persecution.
Zelaya, who was ousted in a coup last June, said in a statement from the Dominican Republic – where he has taken refuge – that …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Sheriff says gunman in California rampage that left deputy fatally wounded is confirmed dead

Gunman dead in Calif. rampage that killed deputy

SANGER, Calif. – A gunman authorities say opened fire Thursday on police who tried to serve search warrants at his mobile home in Central California, killing a sheriff’s detective and critically wounding a police officer, has also died.
Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer said authorities sent in a robot … Read more : Sheriff says gunman in California rampage that left deputy fatally wounded is confirmed dead.

Congress passes bill to promote US as a destination for international tourists

Congress tries to attract foreign tourists to US
WASHINGTON – Millions of foreign tourists are shying away from U.S. destinations, a trend that Congress hopes to reverse in a travel promotion act it passed Thursday.
The Senate voted 78-18 for the legislation, which sets up a nonprofit corporation for travel promotion tasked with assuring potential …. Read the original article  : Congress passes bill to promote US as a destination for international tourists.