Breakaway faction of Suu Kyi’s former party receives permit to contest Myanmar elections

Suu Kyi party renegades register for elections

YANGON, Myanmar – A new party formed by renegade members of detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s disbanded party has received a permit to participate in Myanmar’s first elections in two decades, state media reported Saturday.
The National Democratic Force will join 37 other new political parties and five …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Breakaway faction of Suu Kyi’s former party receives permit to contest Myanmar elections.

Pillar of Shame: Memorial of 16,000 worn shoes blames U.N for Srebrenica failures

Srebrenica memorial to point finger at UN
SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina – Phillip Ruch’s monument to Srebrenica is a huge jumble of worn shoes, more than 16,000 of them, each pair representing a victim of Europe’s worst massacre since World War II.

Seen from afar it will spell out U.N. in gigantic letters.
The “Pillar of Shame” is to be …. Source  : Pillar of Shame: Memorial of 16,000 worn shoes blames U.N for Srebrenica failures.

After Sri Lanka, UN under fire in Nepal

KATHMANDU – After Sri Lanka, where a minister is leading protests against alleged UN interference, the world body is now under fire in Nepal, where the prime minister has accused it of trying to derail the Himalayan republic’s fragile peace process.

An unusually strong outburst came from Nepal’s caretaker Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, who objected …. Source article  : After Sri Lanka, UN under fire in Nepal.

Train, road services hit during Bihar strike

PATNA – A strike called by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) to protest against the hike fuel prices hit train and road services in Bihar Saturday.

RJD and LJP activists stopped over a dozen long-distance trains at Patna, Gaya, Jehanabad, Hajipur, Bhagalpur and Darbhanga railway stations as part of their shutdown. …. Read the original article  : here.

Indian foreign ministry on Twitter

NEW DELHI – The Indian foreign ministry has also succumbed to the charms of the little bird. It has created a Twitter account and got several followers already.

In probably the first effort by a government ministry to harness the new age internet tools, the Twitter account was created Thursday, which initially had only two posts. …. Read the original article  : here.

Assam scam will be raised in parliament: BJP

GUWAHATI – The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Saturday said the multi-million financial scam involving swindling of government funds by a clique of politicians-bureaucrats-militants-contractors in Assam will be raised in parliament.

“We would like this very serious matter relating to corruption to be heard in parliament. Our MPs would like to debate the issue during the upcoming …. Original article  : Assam scam will be raised in parliament: BJP.

Campaigning with Texas Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Bill White: A run through Pecos

Democrat Bill White charms West Texas for votes

PECOS, Texas – Bill White is canvassing off-the-beaten-track places in Texas to woo voters in his already monthslong gubernatorial race against incumbent Rick Perry.
White recently went to West Texas and ran through the streets of Pecos, a legendary Wild West frontier town on the edge of the Chihuahuan …. Read the original article  : here.

Tony Blair meets Kosovo’s Tony Blairs!

LONDON – On a visit to Kosovo, former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair met nine boys who were named after him.

Parents named their newborns after Blair to thank him for his role in leading the international community to intervene to stop repression of the ethnic-Albanian majority.

The group of young Tony Blairs sang Michael Jackson … Original source on Gaea Times at : Tony Blair meets Kosovo’s Tony Blairs!.

Nirupama Rao to meet Dalai Lama

DHARAMSALA – Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao is to meet Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama in McLeodganj, the headquarters of the Tibetan government-in-exile, here Saturday, an official said.

Officials of the external affairs ministry here said the foreign secretary had no other programme.
“A meeting between the Dalai Lama and Rao has been scheduled at his …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Nirupama Rao to meet Dalai Lama.

North Korea shows readiness to resume nuclear talks

SEOUL – North Korea Saturday vowed to continue its efforts for denuclearisation through international talks, but warned of “retaliation” if provoked.

The state-run Korean Central News Agency report came hours after the UN Security Council deplored the sinking of a South Korean warship without directly condemning North Korea.
“The DPRK (North Korea) will make consistent … Read : North Korea shows readiness to resume nuclear talks.

British fugitive kills himself in standoff with police after weeklong manhunt

UK fugitive kills himself after police move in

LONDON – British police say a fugitive has killed himself after police moved in to arrest him following a weeklong manhunt.
Police in northeast England say a man fitting the description of 37-year-old Raoul Thomas Moat, was found alongside a riverbank. Police surrounded him, and a hourslong standoff ensued.
The … Original article on : British fugitive kills himself in standoff with police after weeklong manhunt.

Farooq meet Chidambaram, seeks help for Omar

NEW DELHI – New and Renewable Energy Minister Farooq Abdullah met Home Minister P. Chidambaram here Saturday and sought help for his son and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to tide over the crisis in Jammu and Kashmir.
Officials at the Jammu and Kashmir House, the official state guest house here, told IANS that the …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Foreign ministry to adopt social marketing tools, soon

NEW DELHI – The Indian foreign ministry is shortly coming to a social networking tool near you.

The public diplomacy division of the external affairs ministry will soon launch a new portal, which will be the springboard for entry into social networking platforms like Facebook and Twitter, officials told IANS.
This will probably be the …. Source  : Foreign ministry to adopt social marketing tools, soon.

David Miliband accuses Gordon Brown of lacking “moral seriousness” as PM

LONDON – The Labour leadership candidate David Miliband has made his most outspoken attack on former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, saying he lacked the “moral seriousness” he had promised and lost the trust of the people.

According to The Telegraph, Miliband accused Brown, the man he is bidding to replace as Labour leader, of failing … Original source on Gaea Times at : David Miliband accuses Gordon Brown of lacking “moral seriousness” as PM.

Gilani calls US to adopt approach fair and non-discriminatory towards Pak

ISLAMABAD – While admitting that trust deficit between Pakistan and the United States still existed, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has urged Washington to adopt a fair and non-discriminatory approach towards Islamabad.

During a meeting with US Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Senator Carl Levin, and member of the committee Jack Read here, Gilani stressed that …. Source  : Gilani calls US to adopt approach fair and non-discriminatory towards Pak.

Reaction to UN war crimes probe unwarranted: Ban tells Colombo

COLOMBO – A hunger strike by a former Sri Lankan minister against a UN investigation into alleged war crimes entered its third day here Saturday as UN chief Ban Ki-moon urged the government to “normalise” the situation outside the UN office in Colombo.

Government supporters began protesting outside the UN office in Colombo Tuesday. Wimal Weerawansa, …. Source article  : Reaction to UN war crimes probe unwarranted: Ban tells Colombo.

Trains stopped in Bihar to enforce shutdown

PATNA – Opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) workers Saturday halted trains and blocked roads in several places across Bihar to enforce their statewide shutdown to protest the fuel price hike and rising prices.

Police said several long distance trains were stopped and roads blocked. Buses, trucks and other vehicles kept … Read : Trains stopped in Bihar to enforce shutdown.

Obama calls Abbas, favours direct Palestine-Israel talks

WASHINGTON – US President Barack Obama called up Palestinian National Authority (PNA) Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and discussed ways to “advance to direct talks” towards building peace between Palestine and Israel, the White House said.
Obama, in the phone talk Friday, expressed his “strong support” for Abbas’ leadership on behalf of the Palestinian people, and …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Obama calls Abbas, favours direct Palestine-Israel talks.

Bandh was a political and tactical mistake (Comment)

It took only a day for the communists to switch from gloating over the “success” of the recent all-India bandh to offering explanations for their disruptive act.
To the charge that the shutdown cost the country “thousands of crores”, Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) general secretary Prakash Karat said that the “cry was being … Read more >>>.

‘US reaching out to Muslims to end negative perceptions’

WASHINGTON – The Obama administration is reaching out to Muslims across the world in an attempt to change what a person charged with the effort says is a widely-held negative narrative about Islam and terrorism.
“We’re going out and hearing from people who are doing innovative and creative things. We’re lifting up their …. Source  : Gaea News Network.