Political News – Newsletter for January 17, 2011

Bangla group’s shutdown call evokes partial response

SILIGURI – Normal life was partially affected in Siliguri in north West Bengal’s Darjeeling district Monday on the second day of the 48-hour shutdown called by the Bangla O Bangla Bhasha Banchao Committee (BOBBBC) protesting the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha’s (GJM) movement for a separate state.

“The shutdown evoked partial impact in Siliguri and Dooars (foothills … Read more >>>.

Kashmir panchayat polls to be held by April

JAMMU – Jammu and Kashmir will hold panchayat polls by April after a gap of seven years despite the separatists’ boycott threat and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party’s reservations about the timing of the elections, an official here said Monday.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the unified command, an apex panel … Read more >>>.

BJP finds it tough choosing Chhattisgarh by-poll candidate

RAIPUR – Chhattisgarh’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is finding it tough to choose a candidate to retain the crucial Sanjari Balod assembly seat in the Feb 14 by-poll.

“There are about 10 local BJP leaders in Durg district who have all claimed to fight the election, but the state unit (of the party) is …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : BJP finds it tough choosing Chhattisgarh by-poll candidate.

Silvio Berlusconi’s ’sex orgy’ flats found

LONDON – Italian prosecutors have discovered series of properties in the outskirts of Milan where Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi use to keep young women to perform striptease for him.

The claims, contained in 300 pages of legal documents, provide details for the first time of the so-called “bunga-bunga” parties that a teenage Moroccan nightclub dancer … Read more »».

We want budget session to function: Prakash Karat

KOLKATA – Communist Party of India (Marxist) General Secretary Prakash Karat has stuck to its demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into 2G scam but said he did not want the Budget Session of Parliament to be stalled on the issue

“We will stick to our stand on the JPC but we would also [..] Read the original article: here.

Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor to be model of bilateral ties: ex Japan PM

NEW DELHI – Former Japanese Prime Minister Yokio Hatoyama, who is on a two-day visit to India, has said the industrial corridor being executed between New Delhi and Mumbai would be a model of cooperation between both countries.

Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) project covers an overall freight corridor length of 1483 kms. Japan will provide technical …. Read the original article  : Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor to be model of bilateral ties: ex Japan PM.

Berlusconi denies paying teen for sex, says he’s in ’stable’ relationship

LONDON – Italy’s Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has denied allegations that he paid a teenager for sex, saying that he has no need to as he is enjoying a “stable, affectionate relationship” with one woman.

Berlusconi, 74, is under investigation on suspicion of paying Moroccan dancer Karima el-Mahroug for sex at his mansion near Milan when … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Berlusconi denies paying teen for sex, says he’s in ’stable’ relationship.

Fuel price hike: Trinamool Congress to stage statewide protest rallies

KOLKATA – The Trinamool Congress will hold statewide protest rallies here today against the UPA government’s decision to increase fuel price.

Trinamool Chief Mamata Banerjee has said her party would take out rallies across the state to protest the price rise as she understands the sufferings of common people.

“We are with the people. We understand … Read more »».

Chinese think China-US ties important, survey shows

BEIJING – Around 90 percent of the Chinese consider China-US ties important, a survey has revealed.

The survey, conducted by the China Daily newspaper and the Horizon Research Consultancy Group, also showed that 54.3 percent of respondents think it is very important for China to maintain good relations with the US.
Nearly 60 percent think … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Chinese think China-US ties important, survey shows.

Ousted dictator ‘Baby Doc’ Duvalier returns to Haiti

Port-au-PRINCE – Ousted Haitian dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier has returned to his country after 25 years in exile, local media reported.

The surprise arrival comes as the poor Caribbean nation is in the midst of sorting out a disputed presidential elections with a run-off vote expected in the coming weeks.
The 59-year-old known as Baby Doc … Read more >>.

UPA second name of conspiracy against common man: Jaitley

LUCKNOW – The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) has become the “second name of a conspiracy against the common man” owing to its wrong policies, senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Arun Jaitley said here Sunday.

“If one takes into account the half-hearted attempts made by the Congress-led central government for containing inflation and combating …. Read the original article  : UPA second name of conspiracy against common man: Jaitley.

Kerala lottery scam being politicised: Karat

KOLKATA – The alleged scam in the sale of lottery tickets in Kerla was being used by the Congress and the opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) to score points against the ruling Marxists, Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) general secretary Prakash Karat said Sunday.

“As far as the lottery issue is concerned, Congress and UDF … Original source on Gaea Times at : Kerala lottery scam being politicised: Karat.

Election Commission team starts arriving in Bengal

KOLKATA – The six-member Election Commission team, looking to assess the law and order situation following an upsurge of violence in West Bengal, where assembly polls are due in May, started arriving in the state Sunday.

Chief Electoral Officer of Bihar Sudhir Kumar Rakesh, who will lead the high-level team, reached here Sunday afternoon followed …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Election Commission team starts arriving in Bengal.

‘Gaza housing reconstruction to start Tuesday’

GAZA – Ismail Haniya, the de-facto Hamas leader of the Gaza Strip, has announced his government will Tuesday start a $500 million project for rebuilding the houses destroyed by Israel in the late 2008-early 2009 offensive.

Haniya told a Hamas-organized conference on the Gaza reconstruction effort Sunday that the first phase of the project to … Read this article on Gaea Times at : ‘Gaza housing reconstruction to start Tuesday’.

Ex-Japanese PM meets Sheila Dikshit in Delhi

NEW DELHI – Former Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, who is on a brief visit to India, met Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit here on Sunday.

Hatoyama will stay in the national capital for two days, during which he is also expected to meet Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

The former Japanese Prime Minister will then …. Original article  : Ex-Japanese PM meets Sheila Dikshit in Delhi.

Petrol price hike: NCP defends Central Government’s decision

NEW DELHI – The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has defended the Central Government’s decision to increase the retail prices of petrol.

State-owned oil companies had hiked petrol prices on Saturday by Rs. 2.50 – Rs. 2.54 per litre, the second hike in a month, due to rising global crude oil prices.

“People were aware about …. Source article  : Petrol price hike: NCP defends Central Government’s decision.

BJP’s Rath Yatra will worsen Kashmir situation: CPI-M

KOLKATA – The Rashtriya Ekta Jatra of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will further worsen the situation in the Kashmir Valley as the saffron party has no understanding of the situation there, Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) general secretary Prakash Karat said Sunday.

“This yatra of BJP and its youth wing to Kashmir will further …. Read the original article  : BJP’s Rath Yatra will worsen Kashmir situation: CPI-M.

No objection to talking to Mamata: Tripura chief minister

KOLKATA – His party may be at loggerheads with Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee in Left-ruled West Bengal, but Tripuras communist Chief Minister Manik Sarkar Sunday said he was open to talking to her on bettering railway connectivity in the northeastern state.

Earlier, I had spoken to Banerjee regarding railway connectivity in Tripura. Now, the railway … Original article on : No objection to talking to Mamata: Tripura chief minister.

Karat terms Netai killings ‘unfortunate’, declines further comment

KOLKATA – Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) general secretary Prakash Karat Sunday termed the killings of nine people in West Bengal’s West Midnapore district as “unfortunate” but denied to comment further as an investigation is on.

“The root cause of this violence in West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia districts is the aggression and violence by … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Karat terms Netai killings ‘unfortunate’, declines further comment.

Election Commission’s Bengal trip surprising: Karat

KOLKATA – Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) general secretary Prakash Karat Sunday termed the upcoming visit of a team of Election Commission (EC) officials to West Bengal as “unprecedented” and “unusual” and criticized the union home minister for turning a blind eye to the “Maoist-Trinamool Congress nexus”.

“The election commission of India has taken an … Read more : Election Commission’s Bengal trip surprising: Karat.