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Mursi annuls controversial decree, to go ahead with referendum
Violence during opposition blockade claims three lives in Bangladesh
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Fatah hails Hamas chief’s unity calls
Nurse’s death: Oz Police help sought to quiz RJs
US doctor rescued from Taliban camp
Mandela hospitalised
Volcanoes in India, not meteorites, killed dinosaurs, says study
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Mursi annuls controversial decree, to go ahead with referendum
Cairo, December 9 In a major sign of compromise, Mursi revoked the controversial decree that had granted him sweeping powers, but decided that the referendum on the draft Constitution would go ahead as planned on December 15. Mursi's dramatic U-turn came after a "national dialogue" held between political leaders which continued after late midnight. The constitutional referendum will be held on its previously specified date of December 15 and the constitutional declaration issued by President Mursi on November 22 has been largely cancelled, Mohamed Selim al-Awa, an Islamist politician and adviser to Mursi, announced today. The new constitutional declaration, however, will be immune from judicial appeal. According to the new declaration, if majority of Egyptians vote against the draft Constitution, then a new Constituent Assembly will be elected in three months, and will have six months to draft a new one. The cancellation of the decree, which put Mursi's decisions above judicial oversight, was not retroactive, meaning any decisions he made since its announcement still stand. The move comes after a week of protests against the referendum and constitutional declaration that lead to violent clashes between his supporters and opponents that killed at least seven persons and injured nearly 700 others. The new declaration, Awa said, would not remove judicial oversight of Mursi's decisions, but the President is still tasked with protecting the revolution and its causes, and his appointment of new Prosecutor General Talaat Ibrahim Abdallah will stand. The present political turmoil began after President Mursi granted himself absolute powers through the November 22 decree that had put his decisions beyond judicial review, a move which gained him titles like "dictator" and "Pharaoh". The new declaration also reaffirmed the retrial of
figures responsible for protester deaths in the uprising against former President Hosni Mubarak and called for investigations into the deaths of those who were killed in last week's clashes in front of the
Presidential Palace. In the original declaration, Mursi had stated that Mubarak regime figures would be retried for the deaths of protesters nearly two years ago in the January 25 uprising. Egypt's Constituent Assembly on November 30 in a marathon session approved a draft Constitution imposing Islamic values, a move opposed by Liberals as an attempt to restrict freedom of speech and religion in the country.
— PTI Opposition scorns concession The concession offered by President Mohamed Mursi failed to placate opponents who accused him on Sunday of plunging Egypt deeper into crisis by refusing to postpone a vote on a Constitution shaped by Islamists. Islamists say they see the referendum as sealing a democratic transition that began when a popular uprising toppled Hosni Mubarak 22 months ago.
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Violence during opposition blockade claims three lives in Bangladesh
Dhaka, December 9 The violence claimed two lives in Dhaka and the third death was reported from north-western Sirajganj, while at least 100 persons were injured and a similar number were detained by the police across the country. Witnesses said one passerby was found lying in a pool of blood on a street in old Dhaka where main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) activists and supporters of ruling Awami League clashed with knives, while the second man was crushed under wheels of a speeding bus as he was chased by rival activists. The third victim of the clash in Sirajganj was reported to be an activist of fundamentalist Jamaat-e-Islami, who, witnesses said, died in a stampede while being chased by
rival activists. Media reports said at least 100 persons were injured and a similar number had been detained by the police across the country during the eight-hour blockade since morning. The police said protestors of the BNP and its allies set ablaze about 30 buses, trucks and cars, including police vehicles, in Dhaka and other parts of the country, while the riot police shot rubber bullets and tear gas shells. The violence forced thousands to stay indoors or keep their vehicles off the road, while the highway from Dhaka to the main port of Chittagong was deserted after the road had been barricaded. The 18-party alliance led by the BNP of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia called for the blockade to force her archrival Sheikh Hasina's Awami League government to restore a system of holding parliamentary elections under a non-party caretaker administration. The government with its three-fourths majority in Parliament last year scrapped the caretaker government provision through constitutional amendment for holding elections in 90 days, saying the elections must be held under political party-run government. But the BNP and
allies, including fundamentalist Jamaat-e-Islami party, feared the changed system would be used for stealing election results and said they would not take part in any future elections unless the system is restored.
— PTI
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Typhoon victims beg for food in Philippines
New Bataan, December 9 Northern areas escaped with heavy rain after the storm weakened. But scenes of hardship were everywhere in southern areas that last week felt the full fury of the strongest typhoon to hit the country this year. Officials said 548 persons are confirmed dead, most of them in the southern island of Mindanao. Civil defence chief Benito Ramos said the number of missing had shot up to 827 from previous figures of 500 unaccounted for, after reports of more missing fishermen came in. In the Mindanao mountain town of New Bataan, which took the brunt of the typhoon, families lined the roads holding signs begging for food. "Have mercy on us, please donate," read one sign held by a group of ragged kids. "We need food," read another sign displayed by a group standing amid ruined banana plantations. Madeline Blanco, wife of a farmer, said her family was trying to make do while sheltering in a tent on a basketball court. "We were given rations but it was not enough. Just rice, bread and noodles. It is not enough for me and my four children," she said. "All we can do is wait for donations. There are cars passing by and sometimes drivers give us something," she said. Another farmer's wife, Emma Toledo, 59, complained that the relief supplies from the national government had yet to arrive. "We have not been given anything yet. Only the local government and the village officials gave us something, just some rice, noodles and dried fish," said the mother of three. Drivers of private vehicles also handed out donations but the lack of coordination led to more confusion. When a truck from a local power company arrived to distribute relief supplies, it was mobbed by hungry villagers and many children were almost trampled in the chaos. "I've been here for a long time. I am hungry and my children need food," one angry woman yelled as she pushed her way to the front. Regional civil defence operations officer Antonio Cloma said many relief agencies, both government and non-government, were entering the area with supplies for typhoon victims. "The government is doing its best to support the requirements for these victims," he insisted.
— AFP Storm effects
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Fatah hails Hamas chief’s unity calls
Ramallah, December 9 Azzam al-Ahmed, head of Fatah's central committee and its pointman for reconciliation talks, told AFP that the party "strongly welcomes the speech of Khaled Meshaal, which was very positive on the issue of the Palestinian division." "The speech was positive on the issues of one president for the Palestinian people, and one authority and one law, and we do not disagree with him at all on these issues, which are the focus of the reconciliation agreement that was signed by Fatah and Hamas and the other factions to end the division," he said. Meshaal, chief-in-exile of Hamas's politburo, arrived in Gaza on his first-ever visit on Friday, and yesterday addressed enormous crowds celebrating the Islamist movement's 25th anniversary. His speech, which warned that Palestinians would never "cede an inch or any part" of historic Palestine, also called for Palestinian unity. "We are a single authority, a single reference, and our reference is the PLO, which we want united." He was referring to the Palestine Liberation Organisation headed by Abbas which represents the Palestinians in negotiations. Hamas does not belong to the PLO but Meshaal said a year ago that his movement was "on the path to joining" it. His comments then came as Hamas and Fatah signed a reconciliation deal that was meant to pave the way to parliamentary and presidential elections within a year. But its implementation stalled as the two sides struggled to agree on the composition of an interim
consensus government. Earlier this year, Meshaal and Abbas signed a new deal in Doha, under which the president
would head the interim government. But Hamas leaders in Gaza rejected the deal, and accused Meshaal of taking decisions without their backing. Ahmed said he hoped that Meshaal's call from Gaza for new reconciliation efforts meant the Islamist faction was now united on the issue. "The importance of the speech is that he was in Gaza, and in the presence of the Hamas leadership-in-exile. We hope it reflects the position of all of Hamas," Ahmed said.
— AFP
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Nurse’s death: Oz Police help sought to quiz RJs
Jacintha Saldanha (46) was found hanging at nurses' quarters next to the private King Edward VII hospital in Marylebone, central London on Friday, The Sun reported. Scotland Yard is understood to have asked the police in Sydney for assistance, with a view to interviewing the two RJs ahead of an inquest into Jacintha's death. A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said: "Officers have been in contact with the Australian authorities". Nick Kaldas, deputy commissioner for New South Wales Police, confirmed the request, telling Sky News: "It hasn't been indicated to us that an offence has occurred and they have not actually asked for anything yet." "They've simply touched base, let us know of their interest and they will get back to us if they actually want something done. Nothing has been requested of us yet," he said. A New South Wales Police spokesman said: "As our policing colleagues in London continue to examine events leading up to the death of London nurse Jacintha Saldanha overnight, we will be providing them with whatever assistance is required."
— PTI William Talks of wife's pregnancy
London: Prince William has spoken of his wife's pregnancy for the first time, joking that morning sickness should be renamed as Kate suffered from it it all day and night. Prince William made the quip on Saturday evening as he went solo for the first time since the pregnant Duchess of Cambridge was discharged from hospital.
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US doctor rescued from Taliban camp
Kabul, December 9 Dilip Joseph was captured by Taliban insurgents on Wednesday outside the Afghanistan capital, in the Sarobi district of Kabul province. He was rescued in an early morning operation ordered after intelligence showed that the doctor was in imminent danger of injury or possible death, according to a statement. "This was a combined operation of the US and Afghan forces," said 1st Lt Joseph Alonso, a spokesman for the US forces in Afghanistan. "Information was collected through multiple intelligence sources, which allowed Afghanistan and coalition forces to identify the location of Joseph and the criminals responsible for his captivity." Gen John Allen, the top commander of the US forces in Afghanistan, said the joint force planned, rehearsed and successfully conducted the operation. "Thanks to them, Dr Joseph will soon be rejoining his family and loved ones," Allen said. The statement did not say where Joseph is from, or whether he was harmed in captivity.
— AP
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Mandela hospitalised
Johannesburg, December 9 The president has been reassured that Mandela is in the hands of a competent medical team at the hospital in Pretoria, Mac Maharaj, presidential spokesperson said. 94-year-old Mandela, who was South Africa's first black President, was hospitalised yesterday "to undergo tests," President Jacob Zuma's office had said in a statement. The Nobel peace prize laureate "is doing well and there is no cause for alarm," the statement said. Local media reports said that the decision to move him was taken so quickly, some family members and his own foundation were initially unaware it had happened. South Africans had been waiting for word on Mandela's condition amid messages of hope for a speedy recovery.
— PTI
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Volcanoes in India, not meteorites, killed dinosaurs, says study
Research suggest that tens of thousands of years of lava flow from the Deccan Traps, a volcanic region near Mumbai may have spewed poisonous levels of sulphur and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and caused the mass extinction through the resulting global warming and ocean acidification. The findings are the latest volley in an ongoing debate over whether an asteroid or volcanism killed off the dinosaurs about 65 million years ago in the mass die-off known as the K-T extinction, the 'Live Science' reported. “Our new information calls for a reassessment of what really caused the K-T mass extinction," said Gerta Keller, a geologist at Princeton University, who conducted the study. For several years, Keller has argued that volcanic activity killed the dinosaurs. However, proponents of the Alvarez hypothesis argue that a giant meteorite impact at Chicxulub, Mexico, around 65 million years ago released toxic amounts of dust and gas into the atmosphere, blocking out the Sun to cause widespread cooling, choking the dinosaurs and poisoning sea life. The meteorite impact may also have set off volcanic activity, earthquakes and tsunamis. The new research "really demonstrates that we have Deccan Traps just before the mass extinction and that may contribute partially or totally to the mass extinction," said Eric Font, a geologist at the University of Lisbon in Portugal. In 2009, oil companies drilling off the Eastern coast of India uncovered eons-old lava-filled sediments buried nearly 3.3 km below the ocean surface. Keller and her team found that these contained plentiful fossils from around the boundary between the Cretaceous-Tertiary periods, or K-T Boundary, when dinosaurs vanished. The sediments bore layers of lava that had travelled nearly 1,603 km from the Deccan Traps. The volcanic region, today, spans an area as big as France, but was nearly the area of Europe when it was active during the late Cretaceous period, said Adatte Thierry, a geologist from the University of Lausanne in France.
— PTI
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Three militants killed in US drone attack in Pak tribal belt N Korea delays rocket launch Indian sets afire Nepali girl US drone strike kills Al-Qaida leader, 3 others in Pak Vietnam breaks up anti-China protest 
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London/Melbourne, December 9
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