Israel lifts closure of West Bank as east Jerusalem tensions calm

Israel lifts closure of West Bank as tensions calm

JERUSALEM – Israel has lifted its closure on the West Bank and granted open access to Jerusalem’s holiest shrine.
Police say thousands of troops will remain on high alert but reported no disturbances Wednesday as calm returned. Israel originally sealed off the territory last week.
Wednesday’s measures came a … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Israel lifts closure of West Bank as east Jerusalem tensions calm.

Latest trend in UK: News mums heading for boobs jobs soon after having babies

LONDON – An increasing number of new mums are going for boob-jobs soon after giving birth, raising concerns among health experts.

Many women make part of the young mum-brigade to go under the knife for getting breast implants within weeks of their babies’ births.
Mothers already make up 60 percent of breast augmentation patients, the third most …. Read the original article  : here.

John Grisham works to be published as e-books

LONDON – Works of best-selling American author John Grisham are set to be published online in the form of e-books.

The renowned writer, who has sales of more than 250 million physical books worldwide to his credit, will allow 23 of his best-sellers to be made available electronically.
The 55 year-old’s publisher Random House said the e-texts …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Baimiao becomes China’s first town to make government accounts public

BEIJING – China’s remote Baimiao Township in Sichuan province has become the first in the country to make its accounts public.

The government published detailed accounts of its expenditures, including a 1.5-yuan purchase of a pad of writing paper, on its website. Rendered
“In order for power to operate in sunshine, financial expenditures must be made public,” … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Baimiao becomes China’s first town to make government accounts public.

Greek pop star’s sex tape makes ??4.5m despite country’s financial crisis

LONDON – Despite being in the middle of a financial crisis, a sex tape featuring Greek pop star Julia Alexandratou is said to have made 4.5 million pounds in Greece.

Alexandratou, 24, who is half-English, has done various model shoots as well as a number of music videos, including the 2007 single ‘The Target is Cash’, …. Original source  : Greek pop star’s sex tape makes ??4.5m despite country’s financial crisis.

ANVC holds first round of talks with central interlocutor

SHILLONG – The representatives of the banned outfit Achik National Volunteer Council (ANVC), a Garo rebel group demanding autonomy, held the first round of talks with the Central government interlocutor P C Haldar here on Tuesday.

ANVC, a tribal Garo rebel group operating in Meghalaya’s Garo Hills region, is fighting for the creation of Garoland Territorial …. Read the original article  : here.

Koirala discharged from hospital

KATHMANDU – Nepali Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala has been discharged from the hospital after his health condition showed signs of improvement on Wednesday.

He has been taken to the residence of his daughter Sujata Koirala at Mandikatar.
Earlier, doctors attending on Koirala confirmed that his health is getting better.
According to them, the oxygen level in his …. Original article  : Koirala discharged from hospital.

Possibility of catching Osama bin Laden alive simply does not exist: US Attorney General

WASHINGTON – US Attorney General Eric Holder has said that the possibility of America catching Al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden alive “simply doesn’t exist.”

“Based on the intelligence I’ve reviewed, the possibility simply does not exist. He will be killed by us or he will be killed by his own people so that he is …. Read the original article  : here.

Iranian student to be executed for stone-throwing during demonstration

TEHRAN – The Iranian Government has decided to execute a 20-year-old Iranian student, who was arrested for throwing a stone during the pro-democracy mass protests against the country’s alleged rigged presidential elections.
Islamic studies student Mohammad-Amin Valian was arrested on the basis of a photograph taken at a mass demonstration against the rigged presidential election last …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Iranian student to be executed for stone-throwing during demonstration.

Chaos inside Jammu and Kashmir Assembly

SRINAGAR – Chaos took place inside the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on Wednesday as legislators dragged two MLAs outside the House following their protest over the State Government’s recruitment policy.

Legislators dragged Independent MLA S A Rashid …. Source article  : Chaos inside Jammu and Kashmir Assembly.

‘Superman’ Berlusconi can’t be felled by kryptonite

LONDON – Silvio Berlusconi has again indulged himself with self-praise – his publishing company has now unveiled a book that lauds the Italian Premier as ‘Superman’.

The book titled “Love always wins over envy and hatred” has been released by Berlusconi’s firm Mondadori, … Read more : ‘Superman’ Berlusconi can’t be felled by kryptonite.

Baradar would be deported to Afghanistan: Pak Defence Minister

KARACHI – Despite the Lahore High Court order preventing his extradition, Pakistan Defence Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar has said Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Taliban’s second-in command, would be handed over to Afghanistan after a case is registered against him in Pakistan.

Talking to …. Source article  : Baradar would be deported to Afghanistan: Pak Defence Minister.

Pak, Iran ink deal on gas pipeline project

LAHORE – Pakistan and Iran have inked a deal on the gas pipeline project in Istanbul, Turkey.

According to a private television channel, Pakistan Petroleum Secretary Kamran Lashari has signed the agreement on the project, which is expected to be completed by 2013.
The two countries signed …. Source article  : Pak, Iran ink deal on gas pipeline project.

Pak police nabs Baitullah’s close aide from Karachi

KARACHI – An anti-extremist cell (AEC) of the Pakistan police has claimed nabbing a close aide of the killed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Baitullah Mehsud from Karachi.

Acting on intelligence input, the AEC team of the Sindh police’ Crime Investogation Department (CID) raided a house in the Bin Qasim town and arrested Suleman Mehsud alias …. Original source  : Pak police nabs Baitullah’s close aide from Karachi.

KNP delegation meets senior Indian diplomat

LONDON – Kashmir National Party leaders held a meeting with Syed Asif Ibrahim, Minister (Coordination) at the High Commission of India in London.

The meeting took place on Wednesday at the India House in London.
The KNP is the first political party which is based in England and in Pakistani Administered Kashmir to have openly met the … Read more »».

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar launches ‘Clean River Yamuna’ campaign

NEW DELHI – Art of Living Guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has launched the ‘Clean River Yamuna’ campaign to create awareness among people to restore the river”s past glory.

At the launching of the seven-month long ‘My Yamuna, My Dilli’ campaign to clean the river, he said that the responsibility for cleaning up the Yamuna lies … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Sri Sri Ravi Shankar launches ‘Clean River Yamuna’ campaign.

26/11 accused Headley to plead guilty in US court

NEW YORK – Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) operative David Coleman Headley, who has been charged by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) with conspiring in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks will plead guilty before a US court on Thursday.

Headley is expected to plead guilty at the court hearing in Chicago on Thursday. Earlier, he had pleaded not …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : 26/11 accused Headley to plead guilty in US court.

Manipur declares war on poppy cultivation

IMPHAL – Unscrupulous elements are exploiting conditions to cultivate and reap rich profits from illicit opium poppy seeds in remote border area villages of Manipur.

As per reports the crude produce of poppy grown in the state is being smuggled out to cater to the Golden Triangle through the porous Indo-Myanmar border.
The Golden Triangle is located … Read more : Manipur declares war on poppy cultivation.

Mukherjee admits fuel hike has hit commoners

NEW DELHI – Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has admitted that the hike in fuel price has affected the life of the middle class families and lower income groups.

“I do know that when prices go up, common people suffer, poor people suffer. It is not unknown. But at the same time you can’t ignore the fact …. Source  : Mukherjee admits fuel hike has hit commoners.

Maoists kidnap Bihar engineer, release him after few hours

SHERGHATI – A civil engineer of a private construction firm, who was briefly abducted and detained by the Maoists, was rescued from a remote forest region of Bihar’s Gaya district on Tuesday.

Heavily-armed personnel of the Revolutionary Communist Centre (RCC), a breakaway faction of the proscribed CPI (Maoists), raided the office of the construction firm, burnt …. Source  : Maoists kidnap Bihar engineer, release him after few hours.