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Clinton, Obama in make-or-break contest in Texas, Ohio
First Move
15 dead in UN copter crash in Nepal
Parties claim majority in Balochistan
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Western media ignored poll rigging, says Benazir’s niece
Man ‘threatens’ to kill Bush in phone conversation
Another probe sought into Briton’s death
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Clinton, Obama in make-or-break contest in Texas, Ohio
Washington, March 3 Both Texas and Ohio vote in what are seen as must-win polls if Clinton, facing the biggest political challenge of her life, is to keep her campaign hopes alive. Rhode Island and Vermont will also go to the polls on Tuesday. A total of 370 nominating convention delegates are at stake. Obama, aspiring to become the first African-American President, is now the race’s frontrunner, having won 11 consecutive polls since February 5. According to a tally, Obama has a total of 1,369 delegates — 1,184 pledged and 185 super-delegates; and Clinton has 1,267 delegates — 1,031 pledged and 236 as super-delegates. A candidate requires a total of 2,025 to win the Democratic Party nomination. In the Republican race, Senator John McCain — who is far ahead of his remaining challengers Mike Huckabee and Ron Paul — hopes to win enough delegates to secure his party’s nomination. Clinton and Obama are trying their best to convince Ohio voters they have what it takes to fix the economy. Both candidates have been focusing largely on the economy and
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First Move
Moscow/Kiev, March 3 Gazprom pledged its exports to Europe would not be affected. A quarter of Europe’s gas supplies pass through Ukraine. Gazprom has often threatened to cut gas supplies during previous pricing disputes with former Soviet neighbours Ukraine and Belarus, but the threat is materialising only for a second time after the landmark cut in the New Year of 2006. That brief disruption cut supplies to Gazprom’s west European customers, making them wary of any hint of a new row. “Gazprom is a reliable gas supplier, but we cannot and won’t supply gas without payment,’’ said Gazprom spokesman Sergei Kupriyanov. He said deliveries had been reduced by 40 million cubic metres a day. Ukraine’s state energy firm, Naftogaz, confirmed that supplies had been reduced, but gave a different figure of 30 mcm a day. It also said the reduction was not significant and would have no impact on consumers in Ukraine. By comparison, Gazprom supplies Europe with around 410 mcm a day and Ukraine gets 135 mcm a day. Gazprom says it has failed to reach a compromise with Ukraine over a 600 million dollars debt for previous supplies and is also concerned by the lack of any deal for deliveries in 2008. Ukrainian officials say the debt had been paid in full.
— Reuters
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15 dead in UN copter crash in Nepal
At least 15 persons were killed when a United Nations helicopter crashed in Bithan village of Ramechhap district, north-east from the Kathmandu, on Monday afternoon.
The Ramechhap police confirmed that the rescue team has recovered seven bodies from the site, adding that the cause of the crash wasn't immediately known and an investigation was under way. Meanwhile, officials of the Civil Aviation Authority Nepal informed that the MI-18 Russian helicopter was returning from Sindhuli district to Kathmandu carrying seven foreign arms experts and five Nepalis working under the United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN). There were three Russian crew members. The accident happened due to bad weather conditions. The UN helicopter crashed into the mountain and exploded, a report quoted local eyewitnesses.
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Parties claim majority in Balochistan
With Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the pro-Musharraf Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q) fiercely staking claim to lead a coalition in Balochistan, the provincial capital Quetta has become the hub of some intense politicking to woo groups and independent members. The PPP has named Sardar Aslam Raisani as its candidate for the Chief Minister’s slot. The elections threw up a badly fractured 61-member House and no party has won any significant number of seats. The PML-Q got 15 seats, with the PPP securing seven, but has been able to increase its strength by roping in several independent members. The PML-Q has yet to agree on a consensus candidate that has caused fissures with the party. There are four contenders for the Chief Minister’s post in the party, each claiming majority support. President Musharraf made a controversial move last week to appoint Nawab Zulfiqar Magso as Governor in an apparent bid to influence government formation in favour of his allied party. It is, however, hamstrung by deep inner divisions and reluctance of most groups and individuals to join it in any coalition. There are deep apprehensions in the presidency that if the PML-Q failed to form the government it would lead to large scale desertions. Shah told reporters that Sardari Aslam Raisani would be party’s candidate for Chief Minister’s post. He claimed that the PPP enjoyed the support of 31 members of the new Assembly and said the party would form a coalition government.
Curbs on families of deposed judges lifted
The government today allowed the family of deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry to move.
Interior ministry sources said curbs on the movement of families of other deposed Supreme Court judges had also been removed. It was, however, officially clarified that Justice Iftikhar and his colleagues would remain under detention. The Chief Justice and his colleagues were confined in their houses for indefinite period after Musharraf promulgated emergency and sacked near 60 judges on November 3. A prominent lawyer and close friend of Justice
Iftikhar, Athar Minallah, told reporters that a security agent had called Iftikhar’s family and informed that there would be no restrictions on their movement.
Kayani meets Prez
Army chief General Ashfaque Pervez Kayani met President Pervez Musharraf in the Army House today.
It was their first meeting since the February 18 elections in which Musharraf’s allies were routed. Politicians credit Kayani with preventing army from intervening in the polls that facilitated a relatively free and fair polling. They reportedly discussed the post-election political scenario. A presidential aide, however, said the discussion in the meeting was focused on the recent spate of suicide bombings.
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Western media ignored poll rigging, says
Hong Kong, March 3 Fatima Bhutto, herself a journalist, said she witnessed widespread rigging when she visited polling stations in the Sindh province during the elections, which saw President Pervez Musharraf's backers heavily defeated. "We turned on CNN and we turned on the BBC and we were told, Musharraf has lost, it's a sign for democracy, he's accepted defeat quite gracefully.... You've had elections, good job, you've done wonderfully, because the President hasn't
won.
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Man ‘threatens’ to kill Bush in phone conversation
os Angeles, March 3 A bail hearing was scheduled today for Charles Madrid, a 50-year-old radio technician who allegedly threatened Bush’s life. According to court papers, former girlfriend Wanda O'Hickey-Way quoted Madrid, "Committing this murder is not a murder. It's making a difference for the people. I'm going to kill who needs to be killed." According to an affidavit, LAPD officers arrived at his home on Tuesday and one of them asked Madrid, "Do you want to kill the President?" "Yes," Madrid replied. He was charged with knowingly and wilfully threatening to take the life of the President. Madrid lives with his mother, Rachel Madrid-Hall. She conceded Madrid has a temper, but said "He is not a maniac. I think he was speaking out of frustration." She said he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis two years ago, his job at a radio station was cut back to part time and his bicycle - his only means of transportation - recently was stolen off the front porch. "Sometimes life just kicks you in the teeth," Madrid-Hall said. She said her son blamed Bush for the war in Iraq and the bad economy, among other things. — AP
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Another probe sought into Briton’s death
London, March 3 When 15-year-old Scarlett Keeling’s half naked body was found on Anjuna Beach, a favourite hippy and backpacker haunt in Goa on February 18, the police declared that she had drowned accidentally. But according to The Times, the report of a postmortem examination seen by it showed that she had several bruises and abrasions to her head, neck, arms and legs, which her family believes, were the result of a sexual assault. Fiona MacKeown, the girl’s mother, has accused the police of “deliberately ignoring that and other evidence” to avoid opening a rape and murder case.
— PTI
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