Breaking News – Newsletter for December 30, 2010

Ex-Israeli president convicted of rape

TEL AVIV – Former Israeli President Moshe Katsav has been convited by a court here on two counts of rape.

Katsav was convicted Thursday of raping an employee when he was a Cabinet minister. It is the most serious criminal charge ever brought against a high-ranking official and … Original source on Gaea Times at : Ex-Israeli president convicted of rape.

Obama bypasses Congress, appoints six key officials

WASHINGTON – US President Barack Obama has bypassed Congress, and made six key appointments, including that of James Cole as Deputy Attorney General and Robert Ford as the country’s new ambassador to Syria.

According to the Washington Post, Ford is the …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Chidambaram invites Buddhadeb for discussion on Bengal situation

NEW DELHI – Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram on Thursday invited West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee to discuss prevailing situation in his state.

Chidambaram has sent two letters today in … Read more : Chidambaram invites Buddhadeb for discussion on Bengal situation.

New Parliament could worsen ethnic, Pashtun tensions in Afghanistan

KABUL – Afghan and foreign officials have warned that the inauguration of a new Parliament in the next few weeks could worsen ethnic tensions and instability in Afghanistan and drive an important part of President Hamid Karzai’s political base into the arms of the insurgency.

Parliament elections …. Source article  : New Parliament could worsen ethnic, Pashtun tensions in Afghanistan.

Telangana issue: Srikrishna Committee meet to finalise report

NEW DELHI – Ahead of the submission of its report to the Centre, Justice B N Srikrishna Committee on the Telangana statehood issue on Thursday held its last meeting to finalise the contents of the much-awaited report.

The five-member committee met for over two hours at the Vigyan Bhavan here.

The … Read more >>.

Britain planned to help Afghan resistance after Soviet invasion

LONDON – Britain had planned to assist the Afghan resistance just weeks after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, reveal secret documents that show a top official negotiating how to channel covert military aid to the guerrillas battling the Russians.

The Guardian reported Thursday that barely three weeks after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, … Original source on Gaea Times at : Britain planned to help Afghan resistance after Soviet invasion.

MWM accuses govt, secret agencies of victimising Shias

LAHORE – The Majlis Wahdat Muslemin (MWM) has accused the government and secret agencies of victimising the people belonging to the Shia school of thought, and warned that pushing one community to the wall can bring dangerous results to Pakistan.

Addressing a press … Read more »»».

Citibank fraud: Manager surrenders in Gurgaon

GURGAON – Citibank manager Shivraj Puri, accused of cheating investors of around Rs. 400 crore, surrendered in Gurgaon on Thursday.

Puri, who worked at the bank’s Gurgaon branch as a relationship manager, is accused of siphoning money from 20 accounts of high net worth individuals. … Original source on Gaea Times at : Citibank fraud: Manager surrenders in Gurgaon.

Forget divorce settlement, ‘break-up payment’ is the latest trend

LONDON – A new trend has come up whereby live-in couples are paying tens of thousands of pounds in settlement to their former partners after break-up.

The ‘break-up payments’ are becoming increasingly common as more and more couples are living together for several years without marrying.

The legalities involved can be chaotic, as unlike a marriage …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Forget divorce settlement, ‘break-up payment’ is the latest trend.

Americans want to pardon Billy the Kid after 130yrs

LONDON – After 130 years, most Americans say they favour a pardon for legendary gunslinger Henry McCarty, known as Billy the Kid, a new survey has revealed.

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson’s office had set up a website and e-mail address to take comments on a possible posthumous pardon for one of the most famous Old … Read : Americans want to pardon Billy the Kid after 130yrs.

India needs to challenge China more, say experts

NEW DELHI – Following the mid-December visit of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao to India to secure business deals, announce new trade goals and offer reassurances of friendly Chinese intentions, experts are of the view that while this a healthy step forward between the two Asian giants, there are issues such as the trade imbalance, the …. Source article  : India needs to challenge China more, say experts.

Freed militant commander wanted to target Pak nukes

LAHORE – Qari Saifullah Akhtar, the al-Qaeda-linked ameer of the Harkatul Jehadul Islami (HUJI), has been freed by Pakistan’s Punjab government under mysterious circumstances despite the fact that he is still wanted in several high-profile cases of terrorism, including conspiracy to target Pakistan nukes.

Saifullah’s most significant target was to blow up the Chashma Nuclear … Original article on : Freed militant commander wanted to target Pak nukes.

US says ties with Pak will be affected over reports of disappearances

WASHINGTON – The Obama administration has expressed alarm over reports that thousands of political separatists and captured Taliban insurgents have disappeared into the hands of Pakistan’s police and security forces, and that some may have been tortured or killed.

The issue came up in a State Department report to Congress last month that urged Pakistan …. Original article  : US says ties with Pak will be affected over reports of disappearances.

China most likely to be affected by 2011 EU herbal medicine ban

LONDON – The European Union has decided to go ahead with its ban of herbal medicines, a majority of which is manufactured in China.

Hundreds of herbal remedies will be banned from sale in Britain next year. From May 1, 2011, traditional herbal medicinal products must be licensed or prescribed by a registered herbal practitioner to …. Read the original article  : China most likely to be affected by 2011 EU herbal medicine ban.

Shibu Soren supports Maoists, says Maoism a ‘people’s movement’

KOLKATA – Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren has termed the Maoist movement as a people’s movement and said that he supports the rebel’s cause.

“I will certainly not support the killings but I support the (Maoist) movement. It is people’s movement. Even I have led a movement. There are people in favour of the movement …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Shibu Soren supports Maoists, says Maoism a ‘people’s movement’.

Cold wave kills two in Uttar Pradesh

LUCKNOW – Two persons died in different parts of Uttar Pradesh as the cold wave prevailed in most parts of the state, taking the toll to 13 this season.

One person each died in Maharajganj and Ballia overnight. Temperature has dropped by several degrees in Gorakhpur and Varanasi division with heavy fog in the morning … Read more : Cold wave kills two in Uttar Pradesh.

Almost 50pc of Brit workers are fed up in their jobs

LONDON – A new study has found that only six per cent of British workers are completely satisfied with their jobs.

Almost half of those polled admitted that they regularly feel unhappy during the working week.

A slightly more cheerful quarter said they only feel unhappy about work once in a while. But two-thirds admitted their job …. Read the original article  : Almost 50pc of Brit workers are fed up in their jobs.

UK’s 2nd Hindu school to admit non-Hindus also

NEVADA – Proposed Krishna-Avanti Primary School (KAPS) in Evington (Leicester, East Midlands, UK), when it opens in September, will be based on “Hindu ethos” but will admit pupils of non-Hindu faiths also, according to reports.

With continuous growth, this second Hindu state school in United Kingdom (UK) plans to provide 420 places for 4-11 years old … Read : UK’s 2nd Hindu school to admit non-Hindus also.

China leaves West dismayed by move to cut vital mineral exports in 2011

LONDON/BEIJING – In a sign of its growing industrial and political clout, China has cut its export quotas for rare earth elements (REEs) by 35 per cent for the first six months of 2011, threatening to extend a global shortage of the minerals and intensifying a scramble to find alternative sources.

Instead of last year’s 22,282 …. Source  : China leaves West dismayed by move to cut vital mineral exports in 2011.

Meet the world’s tallest model at 6ft 8in!

LONDON – Amazon Eve, who is the world’s tallest model at 6 feet 8 inches, is living the high life these days.

She is traveling across the globe showing off her giant frame.

Before November last year, the 31-year-old model was completely unknown until a magazine put her in a bikini on the front cover – … Read : Meet the world’s tallest model at 6ft 8in!.