W O R L D

Defensive Cameron says no deal with Murdoch
London, April 29
A defensive David Cameron today insisted that he had struck "no grand deal" with media baron Rupert Murdoch over the BSkyB takeover bid following last week's revelation of a string of emails exchanged between the office of Culture Secretary and News International.

Sarkozy ‘received’ £42 mn from Gaddafi
London, April 29
French President Nicolas Sarkozy allegedly received nearly £42 million from former Libyan dictator Muanmmar Gaddafi during his election campaign in 2007, a media report said.

Prez on Seychelles trip

President Pratibha Devisingh Patil being greeted by a child during her ceremonial reception at Mahe airport, Victoria in Seychelles on Sunday. — PTI

20 killed in Nigeria varsity attack
Abuja, April 29
Heavily armed militants launched vicious attacks at a university campus in northern Nigeria's restive Kano city today, targeting worshippers at two church services and leaving at least 20 persons dead.

Qaida frees 73 Yemen soldiers
Sanaa, April 29
The Al-Qaida today freed dozens of soldiers captured in battles in southern Yemen, as three suspected militants were killed in an air strike in the north of the country, local and security sources said.

Defensive Cameron says no deal with Murdoch

London, April 29
A defensive David Cameron today insisted that he had struck "no grand deal" with media baron Rupert Murdoch over the BSkyB takeover bid following last week's revelation of a string of emails exchanged between the office of Culture Secretary and News International.

Speaking on the widely watched Andrew Marr Show on BBC, the Prime Minister admitted he had sought the support of Murdoch's news organisations, along with other news organisations, like any politician would, but claimed he did not change government policies to suit commercial interests of newspaper proprietors.

Cameron said: "It would be absolutely wrong for there to be any sort of deal and there wasn't... There was no grand deal. The positions I reach are because I believe them. I think they're right for our country. That's the platform I stand on.

"I do not do things, change my policies to suit this proprietor or that proprietor".

Cameron and Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt have so far resisted intense pressure for the latter to quit, on the ground that his office breached ministerial code.

Hunt's advisor, Adam Smith, resigned following the revelations, and Hunt is scheduled to explain his position before the Leveson inquiry.

According to the Labour party, the string of emails meant that Murdoch's company had a "back channel" of influence, a position of advantage allegedly not enjoyed by other bidders for BSkyB shares.

The multi-billion pound takeover bid was withdrawn in the face of public revulsion against unethical and illegal news-gathering practices at the Murdoch-owned News of the World, particularly the alleged hacking of murdered teenager Milly Dowler, for information.

Cameron said the email contact had been "too close" and "wrong" and said he was ultimately responsible for ensuring the ministerial code was upheld, but he did not believe that Hunt had broken the code.

He said: "If evidence comes out through this exhaustive inquiry (the Leveson Inquiry), where you're giving evidence under oath, if he did breach the ministerial code, then clearly that's a different issue and I would act".

He said there was "no great mystery" about his contact with media chiefs as opposition leader as he had "wanted the support" of as many as possible - including the BBC - because he wanted to "take the country in a different direction". — PTI

Sarkozy ‘received’ £42 mn from Gaddafi

London, April 29
French President Nicolas Sarkozy allegedly received nearly £42 million from former Libyan dictator Muanmmar Gaddafi during his election campaign in 2007, a media report said.

French law bans candidates from receiving cash payments above £6,300, but local news website Mediapart claims that the massive donation was laundered through bank accounts in Panama and Switzerland, the 'Daily Mail' reported.

A document made public in Paris is said to show that the French leader and the former Libyan dictator made an illegal financial deal that propelled Sarkozy to power in 2007.

Written in Arabic and signed by Mussa Kussa, Gaddafi's former intelligence chief, in 2006, it refers to an "agreement in principle to support the campaign for the candidate for the presidential elections, Nicolas Sarkozy, for a sum equivalent to Euros 50 million", the report said.

A governmental briefing note among papers available to 'Mediapart' points to numerous visits to Libya by Sarkozy and his colleagues which were aimed at securing funding.

One, said to have taken place on October 6, 2005, led to "campaign finance to NS" being "all paid" -- assumed to be a reference to Sarkozy who was at the time an ambitious interior minister raising money for his presidential election campaign.

Mediapart claims that the 50 million pounds referred to in the note was laundered through accounts including a Swiss one opened in the name of the sister of Jean-Francois Cope, the leader of Sarkozy's ruling UMP party, and the President's right-hand man, the British newspaper said.

The money was then allegedly distributed through an arms dealer called Ziad Takieddine, who was acting as a middle man between Arab despots and French politicians, the report said.

The latest allegations follow claims last year by Gaddafi's son Saif that Libya had financed Sarkozy's election.

The Elysee Palace would not comment on the revelations, but President Sarkozy has previously claimed that the Gaddafi accusations are "grotesque". — PTI

20 killed in Nigeria varsity attack

Abuja, April 29
Heavily armed militants launched vicious attacks at a university campus in northern Nigeria's restive Kano city today, targeting worshippers at two church services and leaving at least 20 persons dead.

The two centres were targeted simultaneously at the Bayero University when Christians were holding church services.

The militants, who came on motorcycles, first threw explosives at the services, and then attacked the panic stricken people as they tried to flee the area.

While some died in the explosions, others were gunned down.

Bullet-ridden bodies were seen littered at the scene of the attack, witnesses said.

"Most of the worshippers were Catholics and the services were well attended, with an overflow outside the building," a witness told PTI on phone.

Police spokesman Idris Ibrahim said the men came on motorcycles and escaped soon after the attacks.

Victims were rushed to a hospital and witnesses said the toll was likely to go up.

The attacks left a grim scene at the University campus, and half-eaten meals were seen left at the site of the attack.

No group has claimed responsibility, but the attack carries the imprint of Islamic fundamentalist sect, Boko Haram, which has been carrying out a campaign of violence in the country.

More than 180 persons had died in Kano a few months back when the sect targeted its residents.

Earlier this week, militants of Boko Haram bombed newspaper offices in Nigeria, including an attack on the influential 'Thisday' newspaper, killing eight people.

The sect says it has an avowed mission of turning the country into an Islamic state with Sharia rule.

But some analysts think there are political motives behind the attacks, that have also targeted a United Nations building last year. — PTI

Qaida frees 73 Yemen soldiers

Sanaa, April 29
The Al-Qaida today freed dozens of soldiers captured in battles in southern Yemen, as three suspected militants were killed in an air strike in the north of the country, local and security sources said.

"The Al-Qaida has released 73 soldiers they caught in the south in early March," said a provincial official in the militant stronghold of Jaar.

The soldiers were "driven in two buses from Jaar to Aden," the main southern city, the official said, adding that religious and tribal mediators had secured their release.

On March 4, militants from the Yemen-based Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula fighting under the banner of the Partisans of Sharia (Islamic law), attacked an army camp near the provincial capital Zinjibar, killing 185 soldiers and capturing scores.

In a statement claiming responsibility for the assault, Al-Qaida said it was holding 73 soldiers. — AFP

NRI journalist’s tabloid wins UK award

London, April 29
'Asian Lite', a Manchester-based fortnightly focusing on British Asian events and issues, has won the top prize in the newspaper category in the How-Do Awards that celebrate the best in the media industry in the north of England.

The fortnightly, edited by Kerala-origin Anasudhin Azeez, was adjudged the best from a short list of eight journals. The award committee said 'Asian Lite' bucked current trends in declining sales and circulation in publishing and developed innovative solutions to identify new models and revenue streams.

The panel also praised the newspaper's quality, creativity and producing the contents 'appropriate to that target audience'.

Azeez, who hails from Palakkad district in Kerala, said the How-Do award will inspire the editorial team to stick with its policies to bring back the missionary values of journalism. — PTI

Pleas filed against Gilani holding PM’s office

Islamabad, April 29
Two petitions have been filed in a Pakistani court asking it to restrain Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani from holding office in the wake of his conviction for contempt by the Supreme Court.

The petitions filed in the Lahore High Court yesterday asked it to direct Gilani to explain under which law he was claiming to be the chief executive of the country after his conviction.

The petitions were filed by Shahid Naseem Gondal and Rana Ilamuddin Ghazi, who are known for approaching courts on such issues.

The petitioners' lawyer AK Dogar, also the counsel for Jamaat-ud-Dawah chief Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, said the apex court had convicted and sentenced Gilani for failing to reopen corruption cases against President Asif Ali Zardari. After the conviction, Gilani could not hold the office of Prime Minister, Dogar contended.

He claimed Gilani had ceased to hold office and that under Article 199(1b) of the Constitution, the Premier is liable to show under what authority he claimed to hold his office. Dogar asked the High Court to restrain Gilani from holding office and "misusing" facilities connected with it. — PTI