|
|
|
|
|
Will take steps to prevent deadly shootings: Obama
Barack Obama, US President
China challenges Abe, sends 3 ships to disputed isles
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Tribal violence kills 39 in Kenya
Violence erupts in Egypt on eve of referendum
Buses set ablaze in Alexandria on Friday. — AFP
|
|
Will take steps to prevent deadly shootings: Obama Washington, December 21 The Biden-led task force, which was set up by US President Barack Obama on Wednesday, held its first meeting with the Vice-President saying the group would work to find "a comprehensive way in which to respond to the mass murder of our children that we saw in Connecticut". He said he felt it was important to launch the effort with a "frank" discussion among those who saw the aftermath of gun violence on a daily basis. "You have a much more holistic view about how to deal with violence on our streets and in our country," said the Vice-President. "The President is absolutely committed to keeping his promise that we will act, and we will act in a way that is designed — even if, as he says, we can only save one life, we have to take action," Biden said in his remarks in which he referred to ban on assault weapons. White House Press Secretary Jay Carney told reporters at his daily news conference that though it was not possible to completely eliminate gun violence from the country, there was an imperative to reduce it. "We'll never stop all gun violence in America, but we need to reduce it," the White House said. "We need to take action to do everything we can to prevent the kinds of appalling atrocities like the one we saw in Connecticut on Friday," he said referring to the tragic incident that killed 20 schoolchildren. The Pew Research Centre said in a report that the public's attitudes toward gun control has shown modest change in the wake of last week's deadly shooting at an elementary school in Newtown. Currently, 49 per cent say it is more important to control gun ownership, while 42 per cent say it is more important to protect the right of Americans to This marks the first time since Barack Obama took office that significantly more Americans prioritise gun control than the right to own guns, it said. — PTI
|
|
|
China challenges Abe, sends 3 ships to disputed isles Beijing, December 21 Three Chinese marine surveillance vessels this morning entered the territorial waters around the islands called Diaoyu by China and Senkakus by Japan to carry out a patrol, state media here reported. According to the State Oceanic Administration, the ships reaffirmed through a loudspeaker the Chinese government's stance that the islands belonged to China and asked six ships from the Japan Coast Guard to leave the area saying they "illegally entered the area". "The fleet demanded they leave China's territorial waters around the islands," state-run Xinhua news agency quoted a statement from State Oceanic Administration as saying. A plane with Japan's maritime self-defence force and a helicopter from the Japanese media NHK were seen above the fleet, it said. "The Chinese ships collected evidence of the Japanese ships and planes' infringement on China's sovereignty," it said. This is the first time after Japanese elections last week China resumed patrols around the contested islands. Before the polls, China had for the first time sent an maritime patrol plane which prompted Japan to scramble its fighter jets. The Chinese plane reportedly left by the time the Japanese jets arrived.— PTI
|
|
|
Tribal violence kills 39 in Kenya Mombasa, December 21 Tribal fighting on the northern coast and deadly riots in the port city of Mombasa have raised fears that the March 2013 election in east Africa's biggest economy will be marred again by violence and electoral abuses. The police said today's raid on a village appeared to have been a revenge attack after clashes in August between farmers from the Pokomo tribe and semi-nomadic Orma tribesmen, who have fought for years over access to grazing, farmland and water in the coastal region. They said six women and 13 children were among the dead and nine of the attackers were killed. "About 150 Pokomo raiders attacked Kipao village which is inhabited by the Ormas early on Friday. The Ormas appeared to have been aware and were prepared," Robert Kitur, Coast Region deputy police chief, told reporters. — Reuters
|
|
|
Taliban commander among 5 killed in Pak blast Islamabad, December 21 The bomb attack, which also left six persons injured, targeted militant commander Maulvi Abbas Wazir who had close links with foreign fighters and the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, officials were quoted as saying by local media. There was confusion about the nature of the explosion. Some reports said the attack had involved an improvised explosive device, while Geo News channel reported it was carried out by a suicide bomber. State-run Radio Pakistan reported that five persons were killed and six others injured. The blast occurred in a vegetable market in Wana, the main town of South Waziristan tribal agency. The army had carried out a massive operation in the region in 2009, but militants continue to be active in the area. The powerful explosion damaged several shops in the market. No one claimed responsibility for the attack. Wazir was a confidant of Taliban commander Nek Muhammad, who was killed in a US drone strike in 2004. They were both known for sheltering Uzbek, Tajik and other foreign militants. Wazir left South Waziristan after Maulvi Nazir emerged as the top warlord in the region and launched a campaign against foreign militants. Abbas returned to the region last year after finalising a deal with Nazir, who is considered a "pro-government" commander. — PTI
|
|
|
Violence erupts in Egypt on eve of referendum Cairo, December 21 Several thousand demonstrators backing President Muhamed Mursi gathered in northern port city of Alexandria's Qaed Ibrahim Mosque for Friday prayers to "defend (Islamic) scholars and mosques", and to call for Sharia (Islamic law). The rally, which was initially peaceful, turned violent when clashes broke out between Islamist demonstrators and rival opposition group. Clashes seem to have been kicked off after opposition protesters picked a fight with one of the Islamist demonstrators, Egyptian media reported. Security forces, who were heavily deployed early today near the rallying point as a pre-emptive measure against possible violence, worked to restore order and fired rounds of teargas into the crowds. According to Egyptian newspaper 'Al-Ahram', tens of fire engines and ambulances are also situated in the area.— PTI
|
Rivals campaign on eve of Egypt referendum 3 militants killed in US drone attack WikiLeaks files on every country in 2013 California remembers Pt Ravi Shankar Tribal violence kills 39 in Kenya
|
|||||
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | E-mail | |
US Vice-President Joe Biden today held the first meeting of his task force to formulate concrete proposals on gun control in the aftermath of a heart-breaking school tragedy, though the White House recognised that it would not be possible to completely stop gun violence.
Violent clashes today returned to the streets of Egypt as Islamist supporters and largely secular opponents of a controversial draft Constitution hurled stones at each other, a day before the final round of a referendum on the new charter.
Los Angeles: