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Putin signs law banning US adoptions
Savile declared ‘love’ for Thatcher in letter
Gulf War commander Schwarzkopf dies
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Terror threat in Karachi, cell phones go silent
Asian-Americans outraged over racist Google app
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Putin signs law banning US adoptions Moscow, December 28 The law -- retaliation for a US law punishing Russian officials implicated in the 2009 prison death of the whistle-blowing attorney Sergei Magnitsky -- will come into force on January 1, the Kremlin said. The highly contentious law is widely regarded as the toughest piece of anti-US legislation during Putin's 13-year-rule and has prompted objections not just from activists but even some Cabinet ministers. The law had been passed in three readings by the State Duma, lower house of parliament, and then at a session on Wednesday held by the Federation Council, the upper house. Putin said yesterday that he intended to sign it, ending days of speculation about his position. Pro-Kremlin lawmakers put together the Bill in a matter of days in response to a new US law sanctioning Russian officials implicated in Magnitsky's death. Its passage revealed cracks in the Russian leadership between those who would prefer to get tough with the United States and ministers who back a more cautious approach. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and the Cabinet's social affairs chief Olga Golodets have both spoken out against it. A separate measure in the law targets Russia's liberal activists by banning all domestic political organisations with funding from the United States. But Putin yesterday mounted a firm defence of the ban while accusing the US of "acting brazenly and arrogantly" towards Russia. He said those who believed the law limited the opportunities of orphans failed to see the threats to Russian society posed by a steady outflow of children. "There are lots of places in the world where living standards are higher than they are here," said Putin. "And what -- are we going to send all our children there? Perhaps we should move there ourselves?" And he raised the spectre of Russia going to "ruin" if it continued to allow foreigners to take care of its young. "It may seem like our resources are limitless. But this is not the case," Putin told the government's most senior members in a televised meeting. "We may reach a certain point at which -- once we overstep it -- we will not be able to stop our ruin," he warned. "So we have to be extremely sensitive and attentive toward such things." US families adopted nearly 1,000 Russian children last year and are the number one foreign destination of the country's orphans. — AFP
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Savile declared ‘love’ for Thatcher in letter
London, December 28 National Archives files show that Savile met with then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher at both Downing Street and Chequers in his successful attempts to secure a 500,000 pounds donation from the government for the rebuilding of Stoke Mandeville Hospital. In a handwritten letter, sent to Thatcher in February 1980, Savile says his "girl patients" were "madly jealous" of her. . The hospital is near the Prime Minister's official residence, Chequers, and Savile became a friend of Thatcher. The pair reportedly spent New Year’s Eve together 11 years in a row. —
PTI
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Gulf War commander Schwarzkopf dies Washington, December 28 After Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990, Schwarzkopf commanded more than 5,40,000 US troops and 2,00,000 allied forces during the 'Operation Desert Storm'. The six-week-long war liberated Kuwait from Hussein's army in 1991. In 1988, Schwarzkopf was appointed commander of the US Central Command. President Barack Obama said Schwarzkopf stood tall for his country. "Our prayers are with the Schwarzkopf family, who tonight can know that his legacy will endure in a nation that is more secure because of his patriotic service," Obama said. Defence Secretary Leon Panetta said the General left an indelible imprint on the military. "General Schwarzkopf's skilled leadership of that campaign liberated the Kuwaiti people and produced a decisive victory for the allied coalition. In the aftermath of that war, General Schwarzkopf was justly recognised as a brilliant strategist and inspiring leader," Panetta said. —
PTI
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Terror threat in Karachi, cell phones go silent Karachi, December 28 The decision to suspend mobile phone services was taken as there were intelligence reports that terrorists planned to carry out widespread target killings and trigger off remote-controlled explosives, sources in Sindh province's Home Ministry said. The move, which came suddenly, was aimed at "countering these terrorist threats although we realise it causes great inconvenience to the people," a source said. The decision to suspend mobile and cellular services from 10.30 am to 6.30 pm caught the people by surprise and caused them great problems. This is the fourth time this year that the government has suspended mobile phone services in Karachi.— PTI
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Asian-Americans outraged over racist Google app Washington, December 28 A similar app called "Make Me Indian" has also received criticism. "These apps perpetuate hateful and offensive stereotypes that are used to this very day to marginalise and humiliate Asians and Native Americans," wrote Washington pastor Peter Chin on the website change.org, where he has started a petition for the apps to be taken down. "They are not funny, and their use highlights a vicious double standard, where people are allowed to characterise" both groups "in a way that they never would do to other races," Chin wrote about the series of Android phone apps created by designer Kimbery Deiss. "You can for a few seconds to make himself a Chinese, Japanese, Korean," Kimbery Deiss wrote on Google Play about the app that allows users with the click of a button to be transformed into an Asian with a Fu Manchu mustache and a rice paddy hat. Deiss also said that by altering your photo to look like an Indian with brown skin, war paint and a feather headband that will now allow you to "not get bored!" On the change.org website, Chin is asking that individuals sign a petition stating the apps "are racist and perpetuate false and offensive stereotypes that are hurtful to both Asian and Native American communities."— IANS
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Indians acquitted of murder Myanmar to allow pvt daily newspapers 115-yr-old Japanese is oldest person 22 dead in shipwreck off Guinea-Bissau |
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Russian President Vladimir Putin today signed into law controversial parliamentary legislation banning the adoption of Russian children by American families, the Kremlin said.
The law -- retaliation for a US law punishing Russian officials implicated in
the 2009 prison death of the whistle-blowing attorney Sergei Magnitsky -- will
come into force on January 1, the Kremlin said.
Norman Schwarzkopf, the burly US general who led coalition forces during the 1991 Gulf War, which liberated Kuwait from Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, has died.
Schwarzkopf (78), a Vietnam war veteran, died in Tampa, Florida, where he retired after his last military posting as commander-in-chief of the US Central Command, an official said. The cause of death was not immediately known.
