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THE CAIRO CRISIS
On terror hit list, Sherry withdraws Bill on blasphemy
Sherry Rehman |
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Nepal power play Indian kills daughter over blaring music
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Mubarak may step down under US-brokered
deal
Under the proposal, the transitional govt would prepare nation for polls in Sept
Washington, February 4 A deal to this effect is being brokered by the Obama administration, which is in talks with top Egyptian leaders, New York Times reported today quoting US officials. The officials said under the proposal, the transitional government headed by Suleiman would prepare constitutional reform to prepare the country for a free and fair election in September. Washington feels that the best solution to check protest disintegrating into widespread violence was to take tangible steps to address the protesters' main demand that Mubarak leave office. “Creation of a military-backed caretaker government in Egypt is one of the several proposals being discussed between officials of the two governments,” the paper said. The proposal also calls for the transitional government to open dialogue with members from a broad range of opposition groups to open up the country's electoral system to hold free and fair election in September, the paper quoted officials as saying.The reports of immediate change over in Egypt came as top US officials, including Vice-President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have opened constant direct contacts with Suleiman. However, in an interview to ABC news, Mubarak admitted he was “fed up” with being president but he could not step down for fear of sowing chaos in the country. — PTI
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On terror hit list, Sherry withdraws Bill on blasphemy
Islamabad, February 4 Rehman has withdrawn the private member's Bill, which she had submitted in the National Assembly or Parliament's lower house for amending the blasphemy law last year. Her decision came after Premier Yousuf Raza Gilani made it clear that his government had no plans to amend the law. Gilani, during a meeting with a delegation of parliamentarians, announced that Rehman, also former information minister, had "agreed to withdraw her Bill" in keeping with the PPP's policy. Rehman said she would abide by decisions made by the Prime Minister and the PPP on the issue. In a statement, she said that “had it (the Bill) appeared on the (Parliament's) agenda, perhaps some of our colleagues would have understood that it was not suggesting repeal of the law, but protecting our Holy Prophet's name against injustices done via procedures introduced by (late military dictator) Zia-ul-Haq.” — PTI
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NC, Madhesi parties to stay in opposition
Bishnu Budhathoki in Kathmandu Just a day after his election with the support of Unified CPN-Maoists along with other fringe Left parties, newly elected Nepal Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal and his party on Friday requested all political parties in parliament to join the government to make the peace and constitution-drafting process a success. But the Nepali Congress and the Madhes-based parties, excluding the Madhesi People’s Rights Forum, have responded by giving him the cold shoulder. Similarly, the dissident group of the Unified CPN-Maoists-led by party Vice-Chairman and party ideologue Dr Baburam Bhattarai has decided to refrain from joining the UML-led government. Expressing resentment against the party decision to support Khanal in the prime ministerial poll, Bhattarai, along with 54 Maoists lawmakers, on Thursday lodged a note of dissent at the standing committee meeting. However, Maoists party source said the party might join the government under the leadership of party leader Krishna Bahadur Mahara. Talking to journalists at Pokhara in western Nepal, Congress president Sushil Koirala said the Congress would not join the government under UML chairman Khanal’s leadership. He stated that the Congress would stay in the opposition and lend its support to the Khanal-led government on the basis of its merits and demerits.
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Indian kills daughter over blaring music London, February 4 Gurmeet Ubhi, 54, was furious that his children were outgrowing his controlling influence, and strangled his daughter after an argument with her over loud music, a jury at Leicester Crown Court was told. Ubhi was woken up by his daughter's loud music when he was sleeping after finishing a night shift last September, according to a report in The Daily Telegraph today. — PTI
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Pakistan PM to downsize Cabinet Islamabad, February 4 The PPP's Central Executive Committee gave Gilani the go-ahead to dissolve the Cabinet during a meeting chaired by party chief and President Asif Ali Zardari. It authorised Gilani to appoint a smaller Cabinet with fewer ministers who have “a reputation of integrity, competence and efficiency,” said a statement issued by the PPP. The decision to dissolve the Cabinet was made after Zardari invited comments from PPP leaders on his intention of installing a “lean Cabinet whose members are above board”. All ministers, advisers and officials holding positions with the rank of ministers will cease to hold their posts from a date to be “soon decided by the Prime Minister,” the statement said. The decision on dissolving the 62-member Cabinet will be made after consultations with partners in the PPP-led coalition at the Centre and “under the guidance and advice” of the PPP co-chairman Zardari, presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar said. The PPP is facing pressure from the main opposition PML-N party and Western donors like the International Monetary Fund to reduce the size of the Cabinet and to make significant cuts in government spending. The PML-N has demanded the formation of a smaller Cabinet as a part of its 10-point agenda for reforms that was accepted by the PPP last month. The PML-N has also demanded that its agenda be implemented by February 20. Donors like the IMF and the US have been pushing the government to slash spending and introduce tax reforms for continued aid. — PTI
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Father kills daughter over blaring music Musharraf killed Benazir: Zardari Sr Obama wants long skirts for daughter UK solar panels for Kolkata slums 
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Embattled Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is likely to step down immediately and turn over power to a transitional government headed by Vice-President Omar Suleiman, backed by the army.
elements, senior Pakistan People's Party leader Sherry Rehman has withdrawn from Parliament a Bill aimed at amending the controversial blasphemy law through elimination of the mandatory capital punishment under it.
Washington: