Political News – Newsletter for November 9, 2010

US president arrives in Indonesia

JAKARTA – US President Barack Obama arrived in Jakarta Tuesday afternoon for a 24-hour visit to a country where he spent part of his childhood.

Amid extra-tight security, Obama’s plane touched down at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force base in eastern Jakarta, and the US president was welcomed by Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa. Accompanied by … Read more »»».

Bush says he ordered Pentagon to plan Iran attack

LONDON – George W. Bush directed the Pentagon to plan an attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities, the former US president has revealed in his memoirs.

He also considered a covert attack on Syria at Israel’s request, Bush disclosed in “Decision Points”, his 497-page account of his time in office, the Daily Telegraph reported. …. Original article  : Bush says he ordered Pentagon to plan Iran attack.

Reforming UNSC more complicated after US backing India: Pakistan

ISLAMABAD – US President Barack Obama’s support to India for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council has upset Pakistan which said “it will make the process of reforming Security Council even more complicated”.

A spokesman of the Foreign Office Tuesday said that it has taken notice of the (US) president’s statement because the … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Reforming UNSC more complicated after US backing India: Pakistan.

Orissa is now Odisha, Oriya is Odia

NEW DELHI – The Lok Sabha Tuesday cleared legislation seeking to rename Orissa as Odisha and the language spoken in the state as Odia from Oriya.

The bill to alter the name of the eastern state was introduced in this years budget session and was passed on the first day of the month-long winter … Original article on : Orissa is now Odisha, Oriya is Odia.

36 percent voting in Bihar polls (Third Lead)

PATNA – Around 36 percent votes were cast by Tuesday afternoon in the fifth phase of the Bihar assembly elections to pick a new 243-member house. However, minor incidents of violence marred the otherwise peaceful polling.

Polling is being held for 35 constituencies spread across eight drought-hit districts, over a dozen of which are …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Scams trigger stormy start to parliament winter session

NEW DELHI – The winter session of parliament Tuesday got off to a stormy start with opposition parties targeting the government over “scams after scams” and demanded a debate on the corruption allegations.

As soon as the session began at 11 a.m., opposition members refused to let the Question Hour proceed in the Lok Sabha … Original article on : Scams trigger stormy start to parliament winter session.

I am innocent, says Ashok Chavan

MUMBAI – Declaring his innocence, outgoing Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan Tuesday said he still enjoyed the confidence of Congress president Sonia Gandhi and an inquiry into the Adarsh housing scam would absolve him of any blame.

Addressing a press conference soon after submitting his resignation to Governor K. Sankaranarayanan, he said the Congress leadership … Read this article on Gaea Times at : I am innocent, says Ashok Chavan.

Manmohan Singh and Obama resolve to strengthen India-U.S. strategic partnership

NEW DELHI – Reaffirming their nations’ shared values and increasing convergence of interests, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Barack Obama have resolved to expand and strengthen the India-U.S. global strategic partnership

In a joint statement, the two leaders welcomed the deepening relationship between the world’s two largest democracies.

They commended the growing cooperation between …. Source article  : Manmohan Singh and Obama resolve to strengthen India-U.S. strategic partnership.

Congress eases out Kalmadi and Chavan, hopes Parliament session will be ‘productive’

NEW DELHI – Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh hoped that the Winter Session of Parliament will be peaceful and productive, saying that the Government was willing to discuss all issues with the opposition parties.

“We are looking forward to the session and we hope that this session will be peaceful and productive,” he told reporters outside …. Read the original article  : Congress eases out Kalmadi and Chavan, hopes Parliament session will be ‘productive’.

Matt Lauer Interviews George W. Bush

LOS ANGELES (GaeaTimes.com)- Former United States President George W. Bush told NBC’s Matt Lauer in an interview that was aired on Monday night that there were very decisions that he regretted taking during his years as the U.S. president. The interview with the NBC host that was aired last night witnessed the former American …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Matt Lauer Interviews George W. Bush.

Gibbs threatened to pull Obama from New Delhi meeting over press dispute

NEW DELHI – White House press secretary Robert Gibbs had reportedly threatened to pull US President Barack Obama from a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on Monday after security tried to restrict the number of U.S. reporters allowed into the event at Hyderabad House in New Delhi.

According to Fox News, the bilateral … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Gibbs threatened to pull Obama from New Delhi meeting over press dispute.

Qureshi ‘deflects’ Obama, Singh’s ‘Pak epicenter of terror’ accusations

ISLAMABAD – Rebuffing Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s recent remarks regarding regional stability, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said that terror groups were active in India as well as Pakistan, and that one cannot be specific towards any country in this regard.

Qureshi told a TV channel that terror networks should not be linked … Read more »».

I still enjoy the confidence of Sonia Gandhi: Chavan

MUMBAI – Ashok Chavan, who resigned as Maharashtra chief minister, said Tuesday that he still enjoyed the confidence of Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

“I have been informed that pending inquiry, (my) resignation has been accepted. That’s why I met with Mahrashtra governor and submitted to him my resignation,” Chavan told reporters here.
“I still enjoy … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : I still enjoy the confidence of Sonia Gandhi: Chavan.

Action against A. Raja is PM’s prerogative: Congress

NEW DELHI – Action against Telecom Minister A. Raja – who belongs to ally DMK and has been dogged by graft accusations – is the prerogative of the prime minister, the Congress said Tuesday even as it moved against Ashok Chavan and Suresh Kalmadi over corruption allegations.

Congress spokesperson Jayanthi Natarajan told reporters outside parliament … Original article on : Action against A. Raja is PM’s prerogative: Congress.

Congress asks Chavan to quit as Maharashtra chief minister (Second Lead)

NEW DELHI/MUMBAI – Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan Tuesday stepped down after the Congress leadership accepted his resignation following allegations of his connections with the Adarsh housing scam.

Chavan, who had offered to quit last week, submitted his resignation to Maharashtra Governor K. Sankaranarayanan who asked him to continue till a successor was appointed.
…. Source article  : Congress asks Chavan to quit as Maharashtra chief minister (Second Lead).

Indonesia eagerly awaits Obama’s brief homecoming

JAKARTA – Indonesians were eagerly awaiting the arrival Tuesday of US President Barack Obama for a 24-hour visit to a country where he spent part of his childhood.

Many Indonesians fondly call Obama “Anak Menteng”, or “Menteng Kid”, after a Jakarta neighbourhood where he lived from 1967 to 1971 after his mother married an Indonesian.
…. Source article  : Indonesia eagerly awaits Obama’s brief homecoming.

President Barack Obama’s Speech In Indian Parliament

NEW DELHI, INDIA (GaeaTimes.com)- During the last leg of his three-day trip to India, United States President Barack Obama addressed the Indian Parliament on Monday evening. The speech in which the United states President addressed the members of the Parliament lasted for about 40 minutes and the manner in which it unfolded clearly pointed …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : President Barack Obama’s Speech In Indian Parliament.

Parliament winter session begins on stormy note

NEW DELHI – The winter session of parliament began here Tuesday on a stormy note with the opposition targeting the government over alleged corruption in the Commonwealth Games and Mumbai’s housing society scam.

As soon as the session began, members from the Left and some regional parties in the Lok Sabha, including Mulayam Singh …. Source  : Parliament winter session begins on stormy note.

Antony orders CBI probe into Mumbai housing scam

NEW DELHI – Defence Minister A.K. Antony Tuesday ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the multi-crore rupees Adarsh housing society scam, allegedly involving top politicians, bureaucrats and former service chiefs, an official said.

A CBI probe has been ordered and the investigating agency will take over soon, defence ministry spokesperson Sitanshu Kar … Read : Antony orders CBI probe into Mumbai housing scam.

Kalmadi’s resignation means nothing: BJP

NEW DELHI – The Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) Tuesday said Suresh Kalmadi’s resignation as secretary of the Congress Parliamentary Party meant “nothing” and asserted it would still raise the corruption issue in parliament.

Stepping down from Congress Parliamentary Party means nothing, BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar told a TV channel. The announcement of the resignation came …. Source  : Kalmadi’s resignation means nothing: BJP.