Political News – Newsletter for January 30, 2011

Southern Sudan independence gets nearly 99 per cent vote

NAIROBI – Just short of 99 percent of southern Sudanese have voted to secede from the north and form an independent state, according to preliminary results released Sunday.

The Southern Sudan Referendum Commission said on its website that with all the votes counted, some 98.83 percent of almost four million voters had opted for independence.
…. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Southern Sudan independence gets nearly 99 per cent vote.

Malaysian Indian lawmaker quits party, alliance

KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysian Indian lawmaker N. Gobalakrishnan has resigned from the membership of People’s Justice Party (PKR) and the opposition alliance People’s Alliance (PR) after falling out with its leadership.

The first-timer from Padang Serai constituency in Kedah state said Saturday that he plans to stay as an independent.
Gobalakrishnan’s action to …. Original article  : Malaysian Indian lawmaker quits party, alliance.

Egyptian protesters find support among Yemenis

Sanaa, Jan 30 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Dozens of people took to the streets in Yemen in support of the Egyptians’ protest against their President Hosni Mubarak and also raised slogans against their country’s president Ali Abdullah Saleh.

The demonstrators, including opposition politicians and journalists, marched towards the Egyptian embassy in Sanaa Saturday, RIA Novosti quoted media …. Source  : Egyptian protesters find support among Yemenis.

10 killed as protesters storm Cairo building

Cairo, Jan 30 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Over 10 protesters were killed in clashes with police near the Egyptian Interior Ministry building in Cairo in the early hours of Sunday, RIA Novosti said quoting Al Jazeera.

The protestors’ crowd was trying to storm the building, located in the centre of the Egyptian capital, forcing police … Original source on Gaea Times at : 10 killed as protesters storm Cairo building.

Obstruction of Parliament not undemocratic: Arun Jaitley

RANCHI – Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Arun Jaitley has said that obstruction of Parliament is not undemocratic.

“Parliament’s job is to conduct discussions. But many a times Parliament is used to ignore issues and in such situations obstruction of Parliament is in the favour of Democracy. Therefore, Parliamentary obstruction is not undemocratic,” Jaitley, here …. Source article  : Obstruction of Parliament not undemocratic: Arun Jaitley.

Is India-Pakistan back channel still working? (Capital Buzz)

NEW DELHI – Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri, Pakistan’s foreign minister during the five years when the two countries came closest to a settlement of its outstanding disputes, particularly on Jammu and Kashmir, surprised a packed audience at Sapru House last week when he said the backchannel talks between Indian and Pakistani interlocutors had almost produced a …. Source  : Is India-Pakistan back channel still working? (Capital Buzz).

Nation pays homage to Mahatma Gandhi on Martyrs’ Day

NEW DELHI – India Sunday paid homage to the father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi with prayer meetings and floral tributes on his 63rd death anniversary observed as Martyrs’ Day.

It was on Jan 30, 1948 that Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated here.
The day commenced with 2-minute’s silence at 11 a.m., followed by prayer meetings … Read more >>>.

Egypt Crisis Reaches A Crescendo

CAIRO, EGYPT (GaeaTimes.com)- The political crisis in Egypt is reaching a new level as it seems from the development. The effort of the Hosni Mubarak government to thwart the protesters from communicating by blacking out web services and mobile telephony has not succeeded much. The army has been deployed in many sensitive areas … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Egypt Crisis Reaches A Crescendo.

Obama appeals against violence in Egypt

WASHINGTON – US President Barack Obama has reiterated his appeal to the protesters on Egyptian streets to restrain from violence in the mass protests being staged to demand stepping down of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

“He reiterated our focus on opposing violence and calling for restraint, supporting universal rights, and supporting concrete steps that … Read more >>.

Jordanians stage protest to support Egyptians

AMMAN – A number of Jordanian activists staged protests in front of the Egyptian embassy in Amman to express their support for the Egyptians who have taken to the streets demanding the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak since the last few days.

Dozens of demonstrators Saturday, including trade unionists, Islamists and members of political parties, …. Original source  : Jordanians stage protest to support Egyptians.

Irish Prime Minister Cowen to dissolve parliament Tuesday

DUBLIN – The Irish Senate has passed a finance legislation that enacts six billion euros ($8.2 bn) in tax hikes and budget cutbacks, agreed as part of December’s EU-IMF bailout for Ireland. This enables Prime Minister Brian Cowen to dissolve parliament Tuesday.

The passage of the finance measure Saturday after two days of Senate debate …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Obama committed ‘true global, strategic partnership’ with India

WASHINGTON – US President Barack Obama has reaffirmed his commitment to building a “true global, strategic partnership” with India at a meeting with National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon.

Obama dropped in as Menon was meeting with his American counterpart Tom Donilon at the White House Friday and stayed on for about 15 minutes reflecting his …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Obama committed ‘true global, strategic partnership’ with India.

Firing cabinet not enough, Mubarak must go: El Baradie

CAIRO – Protests in Egypt continued unabated as the pro-democracy leader Mohamed El Baradie stuck on the demand of President Hosni Mubarak’s resignation and said the appointment of a new vice president and a prime minister was not enough.

The comment by the Nobel laureate came after Mubarak Saturday swore in intelligence chief Omar Suleiman … Original article on : Firing cabinet not enough, Mubarak must go: El Baradie.

Compare CPI-M, Trinamool’s development record: Mamata

COOCH BEHAR/SILIGURI – Railway Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee Saturday said West Bengal’s ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) should compare what they had done for implementation of railway projects in West Bengal during UPA-I government with what has been done by her party during UPA-II.

“The CPI-M) can only criticise and …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Compare CPI-M, Trinamool’s development record: Mamata.

Official delaying file for CBI probe in mafia nexus: Goa minister

PANAJI – Goa Home Minister Ravi Naik Saturday claimed that Chief Secretary Sanjiv Srivastava was sitting on a crucial file recommending a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the state’s police-politician-drug mafia nexus for nearly two months.

Speaking to reporters at a press conference here, Naik said that the home ministry had cleared … Read more : Official delaying file for CBI probe in mafia nexus: Goa minister.

Decks cleared for panchayat polls in Kashmir: Minister

JAMMU – The Jammu and Kashmir government Saturday said decks have been cleared for holding panchayat elections in the state.

The announcement came after a meeting of the cabinet sub-committee, headed by Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather, tasked to sort out the issue of holding panchayat polls in the state.
“The committee held a detailed …. Read the original article  : Decks cleared for panchayat polls in Kashmir: Minister.

Accept JPC demand for smooth parliament session: Jaitley

RANCHI – Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Arun Jaitley Saturday said the union government should accept the demand for a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe into the 2G spectrum scam for the smooth running of parliament’s budget session beginning Feb 21.

“The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government should begin the exercise to create an …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Accept JPC demand for smooth parliament session: Jaitley.

UPA is looting the country: Gadkari

CHENNAI – Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Nitin Gadkari Saturday said the 2G spectrum scam will bring down the United Progressive Alliance government and added that former communications minister A. Raja could not have done the “misdeed” on his own.

He also accused the Congress and the DMK government in Tamil Nadu of looting the … Read : UPA is looting the country: Gadkari.

CPI-M has done nothing for north Bengal: Mamata

COOCH BEHAR/SILIGURI – Railway Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee Saturday said the CPI-M should compare what they had done for implementation of railway projects in West Bengal during UPA-I with what has been done by her party during UPA-II.

The CPI-M can only criticise and sabotage railway projects. Before criticising our projects, … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : CPI-M has done nothing for north Bengal: Mamata.

Thatcher held secret meetings with Indian guru

LONDON – Former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher met controversial Indian guru Chandraswami at the House of Commons in 1975, after he was recommended to her by then deputy high commissioner to Britain, Natwar Singh.

Details of the meetings have been revealed by Singh, who was present when they took place, according to the Daily … Read more >>.