W O R L D

Protesters gather ahead of Thai capital ‘shutdown’
Bangkok, January 12
Thai anti-government protesters began mobilising in Bangkok today, a day ahead of their planned "shutdown" of the capital as they step up efforts to topple the government and halt upcoming elections.

Anti-government protesters wave flags as their group arrives to block one of the city's key intersections as a part of their attempt to "shutdown" Bangkok on Sunday. Reuters

Hasina sworn in as B’desh PM
Dhaka, January 12
Sheikh Hasina was today sworn in as Bangladesh's prime minister for the third time along with her 48-member cabinet after the controversial polls that were marred by deadly clashes, a low turnout and a boycott by opposition parties.

Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid (L) swears in Sheikh Hasina for her third term as Bangladesh’s PM in Dhaka on Sunday. AFP

Israelis pay last respects to ex-PM Ariel Sharon Jerusalem, January 12 Thousands of people today paid their last respects to former premier Ariel Sharon whose death evoked contrasting reactions with Israelis hailing him as a hero and the Arab world panning him as a "criminal". Members of the Knesset guard carry the coffin of former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in Jerusalem on Sunday. Reuters

Bill Gates most admired in the world, Sachin 5th: YouGov poll
London, January 12
Microsoft founder Bill Gates has been named as the most admired person on the planet with cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar fifth on a list of 30 persons compiled after a poll in 13 countries, including India.

Iran nuclear deal to take effect on January 20
Ankara/Brussels, January 12
A deal between Iran and six major powers intended to pave the way to a solution to a long standoff over Tehran’s nuclear ambitions will come into force on January 20, the Iranian Foreign Ministry and the European Union said on Sunday.

US seeks probe into Sri Lanka war crimes
Colombo, January 12
The US today pressed Sri Lanka to probe alleged rights abuses by its army through independent and credible investigations after a top American diplomat recorded eyewitness accounts of serious "abuses" during the final stages of the civil war with the LTTE.

Four killed in German jet crash
London, January 12
Two pilots and two passengers were killed when a jet from England crashed in Germany today. The twin-engine business aircraft came down at lunchtime at a rubbish site near the western city of Trier.

Hollande affair: French first lady in hospital
Paris, January 12
French first lady Valerie Trierweiler has been admitted to hospital following reports of an affair between President Francois Hollande and an actress, but will be discharged on Monday, sources said on Sunday.

Protesters gather ahead of Thai capital ‘shutdown’

Bangkok, January 12
Thai anti-government protesters began mobilising in Bangkok today, a day ahead of their planned "shutdown" of the capital as they step up efforts to topple the government and halt upcoming elections.

The politically-turbulent country has been shaken by weeks of Opposition rallies against Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and her divisive former premier brother Thaksin, which have caused the government to call snap February 2 polls.

Demonstrators, who have vowed to disrupt the vote, began packing possessions and equipment at their main Bangkok rally site as they prepared to fan out to seven locations across the city tomorrow in an attempt to choke off transport into the capital.

"We hope everything will change in a good way tomorrow. The change we want to see is for this government to stop being corrupt or they should resign," said Komol, a protester at the site who gave only one name.

The protesters want an appointed "people's council" to run the country and oversee vaguely defined electoral reforms before new elections are held in around a year to 18 months.

It is the latest chapter in a saga of political instability and occasional unrest that has gripped Thailand since Thaksin was ousted from power by royalist generals seven years ago.

The billionaire tycoon-turned-politician, who lives abroad to avoid a jail term for corruption, has large electoral support particularly in his northern Thai heartlands where he is adored for a swathe of popular policies implemented by his and subsequent allied governments.

But he is detested among the country's elites and by many in the Bangkok middle class and Thai south, who see him as authoritarian and accuse him of buying votes.

Protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban, a former MP for the opposition Democrat party that is boycotting the elections, has said he expects a large turnout for the latest demonstration.

"There will be huge numbers of people from every province joining the shutdown Bangkok mission on Monday 13," he told a rally late yesterday.

The demonstrators say they will block major intersections, stop officials going to work and cut off power to key state offices.

Schools will close because of fears for students' safety, while the US embassy has advised stockpiling a two weeks' supply of food, water and medicine.

The authorities say they are ready to declare a state of emergency if there is fresh unrest, and roughly 20,000 police and soldiers will be deployed for security. — AFP

Hasina sworn in as B’desh PM

Dhaka, January 12
Sheikh Hasina was today sworn in as Bangladesh's prime minister for the third time along with her 48-member cabinet after the controversial polls that were marred by deadly clashes, a low turnout and a boycott by opposition parties.

President Abdul Hamid administered the oath - first to Hasina - at the Bangabhavan presidential palace here in a ceremony attended by government and top military officials, foreign envoys, politicians and civil society leaders.

"I am, Sheikh Hasina, taking oath...that I will discharge my duties faithfully as the prime minister of the government as per the law," Hasina said amid claps from the audience.

Hasina's cabinet was also sworn into office during the nationally-televised ceremony. The new cabinet comprises 48 members.

Hasina has 29 full ministers, 17 state ministers, and 2 deputy ministers, few from Ershad-led Jatiya Party which plans to sit in the opposition but also have a presence in the Cabinet.

This is the third time she takes over as the premier in the last two decades since Bangladesh returned to democracy from military rule. She is seeking to reward all parties who joined the January 5 polls, braving a boycott by the BNP-led opposition alliance.

Hasina's party, Awami League, clinched a landslide victory in the parliamentary election, bagging 231 seats in the face of a boycott of the polls by the BNP-led 18-party opposition alliance. — PTI

Israelis pay last respects to ex-PM Ariel Sharon

Jerusalem, January 12
Thousands of people today paid their last respects to former premier Ariel Sharon whose death evoked contrasting reactions with Israelis hailing him as a hero and the Arab world panning him as a "criminal".

The former prime minister and Israel Defence Forces (IDF) general will be laid to rest tomorrow, at his family's Sycamore Ranch in the Negev. He will be buried next to Lily, his wife of 37 years and mother of his two surviving sons.

Thousands of people visited the Knesset (Israeli Parliament), to pay their last respects to Sharon, who died yesterday at the age of 85, after eight years in a coma following a severe stroke at the height of his power in 2006.

Culture Minister Limor Livnat, who heads the Knesset's Ceremonies Committee, confirmed today that Sharon will receive a state funeral with a military ceremony.

Peres, Netanyahu, Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein, Sharon's two sons Omri and Gilad, US Vice President Joe Biden and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair will be among those expected to speak at the service, Livnat said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is also likely to attend Sharon's last rites, the Jerusalem Post reported. — PTI

Bill Gates most admired in the world, Sachin 5th: YouGov poll

London, January 12
Microsoft founder Bill Gates has been named as the most admired person on the planet with cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar fifth on a list of 30 persons compiled after a poll in 13 countries, including India.

The 'World's most admired people poll' was conducted by YouGov for The Times by surveying almost 14,000 people in Great Britain, France, Germany, Russia, the US, Australia, Pakistan, Indonesia, India, China, Egypt, Nigeria and Brazil.

There were four Indians in the top 10 and seven overall in the list of 30 most-admired people.

Sachin, 40, was fifth with six other Indians featuring in the list- BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi (7th), Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan (9th), former President Abdul Kalam (10th), social activist Anna Hazare (14th), Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal (18th) and Business tycoon Ratan Tata (30th).

Gates, 58, the co-founder of Microsoft and a billionaire philanthropist, earned more admiration than US President Barack Obama who was second, Russian President Vladimir Putin (3rd), Pope Francis (4th) and Chinese President Xi Jinping (6th) to claim the title.

Some interesting choices in the list of 30 were Pope Francis, The Dalai Lama (13th), American business magnate Warren Buffet (8th), Queen Elizabeth (17th) and Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie (19th).

Surprisingly, there were just six women on the list of most admired people with Queen highest ranked among them.

Other women to make it to the list were Jolie, US talk show host Oprah Winfrey (20th), German Chancellor Angela Merkel (26th), former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (27th) and Chinese contemporary folk singer Peng Liyuan (28th).

Sportsmen featured highly in the affections of many across the world. After Tendulkar it was Argentina footballer Lionel Messi who was 15th followed by US basketball player Michael Jordon (21) and Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo (22).

Pakistani cricketer-turned politician Imran Khan was 12th on the list. No Briton featured in the world's top ten most-admired people. Stephen Hawking was placed highest, at 16th. Separate lists of the poll in different countries was also given by YouGov.

In the poll in India, as expected, Tendulkar topped the list but interestingly it was Obama who came in second followed by Modi, Gates and Bachchan. — PTI

Four Indians in the top 10

There were four Indians in the top 10 and seven overall in the list of 30 most-admired people. Sachin, was fifth with six other Indians featuring in the list- BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi (7th), Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan (9th), former President Abdul Kalam (10th), social activist Anna Hazare (14th), Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal (18th) and Business tycoon Ratan Tata (30th).

Iran nuclear deal to take effect on January 20

Ankara/Brussels, January 12
A deal between Iran and six major powers intended to pave the way to a solution to a long standoff over Tehran’s nuclear ambitions will come into force on January 20, the Iranian Foreign Ministry and the European Union said on Sunday.

Shortly after the interim accord takes effect, an Iranian official added, Tehran and world powers will start negotiating a final settlement of their differences about activity the West suspects is aimed at obtaining a nuclear weapons capability.

Iran says its atomic energy programme is aimed purely at electricity generation and other civilian purposes, although past Iranian attempts to hide sensitive nuclear activity from UN non-proliferation inspectors raised concerns.

The November 24 agreement appeared to halt a slide towards another, wider Middle East war over Iran's nuclear aspirations, but diplomats warn it will not be easy to carry out because of longstanding mutual mistrust.

The Iranian official, Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, said the deal would allow Iran to stop complying if it saw its partners not living up to their own commitments.

"We don't trust them," he told state television, reflecting ingrained suspicions between Iran and the West that underlie what have been protracted negotiations.

In Washington, President Barack Obama said the United States and other nations would begin to give Iran "modest relief" on economic sanctions as long as the Islamic Republic lived up to its end of the agreement.

Obama said he would veto any new sanctions passed by the US Congress during talks on a long-term deal with Iran, but said Washington would be prepared to increase its sanctions if Iran fails to abide by the agreement. — Reuters

Iran to get access to $4.2 bn in phases: Kerry

Washington: Iran will get access to $4.2 billion of its blocked assets in phases depending upon the progress it makes on implementing a nuclear agreement that will take effect from January 20, US Secretary of State John Kerry said on Sunday. — PTI

US seeks probe into Sri Lanka war crimes

Colombo, January 12
The US today pressed Sri Lanka to probe alleged rights abuses by its army through independent and credible investigations after a top American diplomat recorded eyewitness accounts of serious "abuses" during the final stages of the civil war with the LTTE.

The US Ambassador-at-Large at the Office of Global Criminal Justice, Stephen J Rapp, concluded his week-long visit to Sri Lanka during which tweets from the US mission here carried photos of alleged sites in the north where people were killed due to Lankan military shelling in the 2009 war.

Rapp had listened to eyewitness accounts of rights abuses "including those that occurred at the end of the war", a statement from the US embassy said here. — PTI

Four killed in German jet crash

London, January 12
Two pilots and two passengers were killed when a jet from England crashed in Germany today. The twin-engine business aircraft came down at lunchtime at a rubbish site near the western city of Trier.

The plane appeared to be a Cessna Citation business jet carrying two pilots and two passengers from England to an airfield at Foehren, near the crash site, the police said.

A spokesman for Trier-Fohren airfield said the plane was travelling from Shoreham airport in West Sussex and all the deceased were German.

There was no immediate word on a possible cause for the crash. However, local sources suggest it hit a pylon in dense mist.

An investigation has been launched into the possible cause of the crash. — PTI

Hollande affair: French first lady in hospital

Paris, January 12
French first lady Valerie Trierweiler has been admitted to hospital following reports of an affair between President Francois Hollande and an actress, but will be discharged on Monday, sources said on Sunday.

Daily newspaper Le Parisien said on its website earlier that Trierweiler, 48, had been taken to hospital after being shaken by a magazine’s report of a liaison between her partner Hollande and French actress Julie Gayet. — Reuters