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CIA chief Petraeus quits over extra-marital affair
Former US Army General David Petraeus gives a thumbs-up after presenting his wife Holly with a bouquet of roses during a farewell ceremony in his honour in Arlington in this file photo. AFP
United Nations names Nov 10 as ‘Malala Day’ |
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Residents flee the northern Syrian town of Ras al-Ain to Turkey on Saturday. — Reuters
27 inmates killed in Lanka prison riot
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CIA chief Petraeus quits over extra-marital affair
Washington, November 10 Petraeus (60) submitted his resignation to President Barack Obama last night during a meeting at the White House. Obama, who was re-elected to a second term on Tuesday, said in a statement he had accepted Petraeus' resignation, praising him for his work at the Central Intelligence Agency and for leading US troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Petraeus, in a letter released to the CIA work force, had disclosed his extra-marital affair. "After being married for over 37 years, I showed extremely poor judgement by engaging in an extra marital affair. Such behaviour is unacceptable, both as a husband and as the leader of an organisation such as ours," he wrote in
the email. The woman with whom the former CIA director had the affair is Paula Broadwell, according to a person familiar with the matter. She is an author who wrote a biography of Petraeus titled "All In". Attempts to reach Broadwell were unsuccessful. There was no answer at the door of her house in the affluent Charlotte, North Carolina, neighborhood
of Dilworth. Much about the sudden and dramatic turn of events remained unknown, including how long the affair had gone on and what prompted Petraeus to resign now, just days after the 2012 Presidential election. There were indications, however, that the affair was first uncovered a few months ago during an investigation by the FBI. A US national security source said the FBI had stumbled across evidence of Petraeus' affair during an apparently unrelated investigation of news leaks. Petraeus' revelation of the affair appeared to end the public career of a widely admired warrior-scholar who played a key role in the Iraq war, led the U.S. Central Command and commanded U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan. Petraeus' name had circulated speculatively as a possible Republican presidential nominee before Obama tapped him as CIA chief. Before taking the CIA post, he retired as an Army general after nearly four decades of military service. Petraeus led the CIA for only 14 months. His sudden departure threatened to usher in a period of instability at the spy agency, which is grappling with a leveling off in its budget after a decade of steady increases. The agency is also fending off questions about its performance before and after the attack that led to the death of US Ambassador Chris Stevens in Benghazi, Libya. US officials said the CIA's handling of the Benghazi incident had nothing to do with Petraeus' decision to resign.
— Agencies
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United Nations names Nov 10 as ‘Malala Day’
United Nations, November 10 UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's Special Envoy for Global Education, former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, has said November 10 has been declared Malala Day. "This Saturday (November 10th) will see Malala Day, a global event to show the world that people of all creeds; all sexes, all backgrounds and all countries stand behind Malala," Brown said. "We are Malala - This is Malala day. The world to walk in the footsteps of this girl of courage. Malala Yousafzai has become a global icon of hope, an international symbol of courage, a schoolgirl who has won the hearts of millions through her bravery. "Malala's dream is a Pakistan where she, her friends and future generations of girls could attend school, walk freely into a classroom, learn and reach their full potential." The UN chief said citizens from across the globe are speaking out for Yousafzai and on behalf of the 61 million children who do not go to school. "I am adding my voice to the messages from over one million people across the globe. Education is a fundamental human right. It is a pathway to development, tolerance and global citizenship," Ban said in a brief video message posted on the UN website. He called the international community to join the UN campaign to put education first "for Malala and girls and boys throughout the world". Events were organised in over 100 countries, from the UK and USA to Mexico, India, Australia and Sierra Leone to mark the day. In the UK where there were host of local events, the most poignant event in Lozells, Birmingham, only a few miles away from Malala's hospital. Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, Britain's Senior Minister of State at the Foreign Office and Minister for faith and communities, hailed Malala Yousufzai's inspirational activism ahead of Malala Day today. Baroness Warsi, said: "Through her inspirational activism Malala has bravely highlighted the need for education to be accessible to all children in Pakistan. "Education is the single most important factor that can transform Pakistan's future." Thousands of people from across the world have signed a global petition calling for her to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. — PTI
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Thousands flee Syria
Ankara/Doha, November 10 In Qatar, the main opposition group outside Syria elected a new leader. However, it will start talks with other factions, including representatives of rebels fighting President Bashar al-Assad's forces, on forming a wider body that hopes to gain international recognition as a government-in-waiting soon. The UN said 11,000 refugees had fled in 24 hours, mostly to Turkey. The influx caused alarm in Ankara, which is worried about its ability to cope with such large numbers and has pushed hard, so far without success, for a buffer zone to be set up inside Syria where refugees could be housed. Rebels overran the frontier town of Ras al-Ain late on Thursday, continuing a drive that has already seen them push Assad's troops from much of the north and seize several crossing points, a rebel commander said. Thousands of residents poured out of the Arab and Kurd town, in the northeastern oil-producing province of Hasaka. Meanwhile, Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan hit out at world powers on the UN Security Council over their inaction. "It is very strange. There are currently atrocities being committed in Syria and these atrocities are being directed by a state leader," he said. "How far will this go? When will the permanent members of the Security Council take responsibility?"
— Reuters Twin bombs ‘kill’ 20 soldiers Beirut:
Twin car bombs at a military officers' club in southern Syria killed at least 20 soldiers on Saturday, a watchdog said. The two bombs exploded minutes apart in the back garden of the club in the city of Daraa, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
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27 inmates killed in Lanka prison riot
Colombo, November 10 The riot started after authorities launched a search for drugs within the prison, and the inmates turned against the operatives of the police's Special Task Force (STF). Prisons Minister Chandrasiri Gajadeera in a statement said that a three-member probe committee would examine the events which led to the riot. Over 50 persons, including troops were injured in the clash. The situation was brought under control today after the deployment of the Army's Commando troops, officials said. Some seven inmates who had fled the jail during the riot have been apprehended, the police said.
— PTI
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CIA Director David Petraeus has abruptly resigned over an "unacceptable" extra-marital affair, shockingly ending a highly-decorated career that saw him command wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and then take the reins of the US spy agency.
