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18 Lanka Oppn MPs defect to ruling party
No clue in Pak suicide attack case
Hillary hits campaign trail
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Bush’s popularity at new low: Poll
Thousands rally against Iraq war
Report on Kashmir ‘not biased’
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18 Lanka Oppn MPs defect to ruling party
Colombo, January 28 Samaraweera has been replaced by Enterprise Development Minister Rohitha Bogollegama. Samaraweera, however, retains his Ports and Aviation portfolio. President Rajapakse expanded his Cabinet to a record 53 members to accommodate 18 defectors from the United National Party (UNP), media minister Anura Yapa said today. “We were a minority government, but with today’s cross-overs, we have a simple majority in parliament,” Yapa said. President Rajapakse, who is also the Minister of Defence and Finance, gave Cabinet positions to 10 defectors while eight others were given junior ministries, the minister said. Sri Lanka’s main Muslim leader Rauf Hhakeem, who had been in the Opposition since 2004, joined the Cabinet as Minister of Posts and Telecommunications. The latest development has put in danger a landmark deal between two major Sinhalese parties aimed at ending decades of separatist violence in the island. The government will no longer be a minority party in the 225-member legislature, though still lacking the two thirds majority needed to make any radical changes to the constitution to secure a peace deal with the Tiger rebels.
— PTI
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No clue in Pak suicide attack case
Islamabad, January 28 After preliminary
investigations, the agencies believe Al-Furqan, led by Abdul Jabbar, was involved in the suicide attack which took place hours before the Indian High
Commissioner was to hold a Republic Day reception at the hotel. Besides the bomber, a security guard was killed and seven others were injured. Jabbar, who was earlier the deputy leader of the Harkat-ul Mujahideen later joined Jaish-e-Muhammad and was a close aide of its founder leader Masood Azhar. However, he soon developed differences with Azhar and formed Al-Furqan. The group was reportedly involved in the bombing of a church in Taxila. "Jabbar visited Islamabad on January 19 to arrange the protest demonstration organised by relatives of 'Shuhada-e-Kashmir' (martyrs of Kashmir) taken out to register their opposition to the government's Kashmir policy," officials here said. The demonstration, which was baton-charged by the police, was aimed at protesting against the visit of a Hurriyat delegation led by Mirwaiz Umer Farooq.
— PTI
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Hillary hits campaign trail
Des Moines (Iowa), January 28 One week after entering the race, the US Senator and wife of former President Bill Clinton told a packed school gymnasium in Des Moines that President George W. Bush's Republican administration had reversed decades of progress. "I fear the current President and Vice-President are going to leave a pretty big hole to be dug out of," she told 1,400 placard-waving supporters. "I'm running for President because I want to renew the promise of America." She criticised Mr Bush's policies on the hot-button topics of health care, education and the environment, but carefully dodged a question from an audience member about the Iraq war. While she has recently voiced criticism of Mr Bush's handling of the war and his deployment of more troops to
Iraq, Hillary, who voted for the war, has refused to call it a mistake, alienating many Democrats. She is battling perceptions that she is aloof and the USA is not ready for a female President, especially one with a disapproval rating that hovers around 40 per cent.
— AFP
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Bush’s popularity at new low: Poll
New York, January 28 The opinion poll by Newsweek shows the President's approval rating dropped to the lowest point in the history to a dismal 30 per cent. But in a more omnious sign, 58 per cent of the respondents said they wished the Bush presidency was simply over, a sentiment that is shared by 86 per cent Democrats and a clear majority of 59 per cent among independents and 21 per cent Republicans. The voters have even ruled out a Republican President and would like a Democrat to head the
country. About 49 per cent of all registered voters would rather see a Democrat-elected President in 2008, compared to just 28 per cent who would prefer a Republican to remain in the White House.
— PTI
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Thousands rally against Iraq war
Washington, January 28 The protesters, roughly estimated around 100,000, were addressed by several Hollywood stars, leaders of the civil rights movement and Congressmen critical of the manner in which President George W. Bush took America into the war in Iraq and the decision to send an additional 21,000 plus troops to the troubled country. “Thank you so much for the courage to stand up against this mean-spirited, vengeful administration. Your ongoing commitment to ending this war allows people in other parts of the world to remain hopeful that America has the stuff to become again a country that they can love and respect,” said actress Jane Fonda, a key Vietnam war era protester. “Silence is no longer an option,” the 69-year old actress said to cheers.
— PTI
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Big Brother: Shilpa ahead in race
London, January 28 The reality TV show on UK’s Channel 4 ends tonight with 31-year-old Shilpa, former A-Team actor Dirk Benedict and former Steps singer Ian “H” Watkins going up for eviction. Pop star Jermaine Jackson, model Danielle Lloyd and Jade Goody’s boyfriend Jack Tweed are also still on the show. Former pop singer Jo O'Meara and actress Cleo Rocos were ousted from the show by the UK audience yesterday, leaving the Indian star as one of the clear contenders for the top prize. A prize money of 100,000 pounds awaits the winner. Meanwhile, Shilpa’s father Surendra said Goody would be welcomed with open arms during her India visit next month and a few “hurtful words” made by her against Shilpa should not make her a victim of aggression.
— PTI
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Report on Kashmir ‘not biased’
London, January 28 Ms Nicholson, who is rapporteur for the report, “Kashmir: Present situation and future prospects”, said she had no reason to be biased. In her first interview to an Indian publication since the draft report was released about two months ago, Ms Nicholson said she was not surprised at the controversy as the topic was controversial. Pakistan has been lobbying hard to bring amendments to the report with the country’s High Commissioner to the UK, Dr Maleeha Lodhi, meeting British MPs and Members of European Parliament (MEP). Pakistan-supported Kashmiri groups have sent thousands of representations to MEPs describing the report as “fundamentally flawed” with some of them even calling for removing Ms Nicholson. Prime Minister of PoK Sardar Attique Khan was in Brussels earlier this week to lobby support for amendments during the two-day hearing of the European Parliament foreign affairs committee on the draft report. Ms Nicholson told The Tribune that she had received thousands of representations from those who wanted amendments and those who did not want any changes on the ground that it was honest.
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Indian stabbed to death Ministers escape attack Top Iraqi official killed
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