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EU’s
fresh sanctions on Russia over Ukraine crisis from today ‘Blade runner’ Pistorius not guilty of premeditated murder
India-born nurse’s royal hoax inquest opens in London
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Imran seeks details of Sharif’s overseas assets Israel accused of war crimes in Gaza Pervez guilty of high treason, FIA tells Pak court Bond villain ‘Jaws’ dies at 74
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EU’s
fresh sanctions on Russia over Ukraine crisis from today
Brussels/London, Sept 11 Russia’s Foreign Ministry said the approval of new penalties showed the European Union had “made its choice against” the peace roadmap, which is aimed at ending the worst confrontation between Moscow and the West since the Cold War. Western powers have accused Russia of sending tanks and troops into eastern Ukraine to prop up a rebellion by pro-Moscow separatists — a charge denied by the Kremlin which has responded with its own sanctions and threats of more retaliation. After EU ambassadors gave the go-ahead to the new sanctions, European Council president Herman Van Rompuy said EU officials would conduct a review before the end of September of how the truce agreed last week between Ukraine government forces and rebels was working. If Russia was complying, some or all sanctions could be lifted. "If the situation on the ground so warrants,” he said, officials may submit to EU leaders “proposals to amend, suspend or repeal the set of sanctions in force, in all or in part”. That enticement to Moscow to cooperate, while immediately imposing new measures, reflects impatience on the part of some leaders not to pull punches after less than a week of a truce but also concern among others, especially those most heavily dependent on Russian trade, not to provoke Moscow's retaliation. The EU agreement on the timing of the sanctions followed a phone call on Thursday involving Van Rompuy, British Prime Minister David Cameron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Francois Hollande and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, Cameron's spokesman told reporters in London. “(They spoke) to discuss the subject of sanctions against Russia in the context of Ukraine and agreement to proceed with the implementation of the sanction package that was agreed earlier in the week,” he said. “If Russia genuinely reverses course then of course the EU and others will return to the subject but there unfortunately has been little evidence so far and that is why you have the EU going ahead.”
— Reuters
US to follow suit, says Obama Washington: President Barack Obama said on Thursday the US would join the European Union in imposing tougher sanctions on Russia's financial, energy and defence sectors and will provide details on the new steps on Friday. “These measures will increase Russia's political isolation as well as the economic costs to Russia,” Obama said. — Reuters Russian troops present in Ukraine, says NATO BRUSSELS: Russia still has about 1,000 troops in eastern Ukraine, backed up by another 20,000 on the border, NATO said on Thursday, despite Kiev reporting that Moscow had withdrawn the bulk of its forces. The withdrawal would be "a good first step" if confirmed, a NATO military officer said in a statement, but "the fact of the matter is there are still 1,000 Russian troops in Ukraine." — AFP
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‘Blade runner’ Pistorius not guilty of premeditated murder
Pretoria, September 11 The high-profile trial was adjourned until tomorrow when the 27-year-old paralympian will hear whether he has been found guilty of culpable homicide, a lesser charge roughly equivalent to manslaughter. Judge Thokosile Masipa gave the verdict in the case in which Pistorius was accused of fatally shooting Steenkamp, a South African model, through a locked toilet at his house in Pretoria. Delivering her verdict, Masipa said the state could not prove beyond reasonable doubt that Pistorius had directly intended to murder Steenkamp. "The accused clearly wanted to use the firearm, but the intention to shoot does not include the intention to kill," said Masipa in her judgment. "I am of the view that the accused acted too hastily and used excessive force. In the circumstances, it is clear that his conduct was negligent," she said before adjourning the trial. The double amputee sat in the dock bowed after the finding was made. The double amputee could still face anything from a suspended sentence to a lengthy prison stretch if found guilty of culpable homicide or he could be acquitted. A charge of premeditated murder would have meant a life sentence in South Africa's notoriously brutal jails. Both defence and prosecution agree Pistorius killed the law graduate and model when he fired four shots through a locked toilet door in his home. However, the sprinter says he thought he was shooting at an intruder while Steenkamp was safely in bed. Once a poster boy for disabled sport, Pistorius was stripped of lucrative endorsement deals by global brands and he withdrew from all competitions. — AFP Poster boy for disabled sport
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India-born nurse’s royal hoax inquest opens in London
London, September 11 The 46-year-old was found in the nurse’s quarters of the King Edward VII hospital in London days after she received the prank phone call from two Australian radio presenters posing as Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles. Saldanha had put the call through to the ward where the Duchess of Cambridge, pregnant with Prince George, was staying and another nurse there had revealed confidential medical details. Westminster Coroners' Court is sitting at the Royal Courts of Justice in London for the inquest, which is expected to last two days. “It has been a long road for the family and I deeply admire the patience, humility and dignity they have shown throughout this traumatic time. It is right that they finally gain closure,” said senior Indian-origin Labour MP Keith Vaz, who is acting as the family's spokesperson. The inquest, which has been delayed by almost a year, comes soon after the announcement that Kate is pregnant again and suffering acute morning sickness just as on December 4, 2012, when Saldanha took the prank call. She was found dead on December 7. At the first day of the hearing it emerged that the four further calls were logged from the Australian radio station to the hospital. The hospital's barrister said the other calls were made shortly after the hoax but their content was unknown. Fiona Barton, representing the hospital, told the inquest: “If she [Jacintha Saldanha] answered any of these calls — and there were four of them — then it can only have added to the stress she was under when she realised this was a prank call by a radio station.”
— PTI |
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Syrian rebels release Fijian UN peacekeepers in Golan
Golan Heights, September 11 The peacekeepers were taken hostage two weeks ago when several Islamist militant groups, including Nusra, attacked in the volatile frontier between Syria and Israel. “We opened the border and they entered,” the Israeli military spokeswoman said, without giving any numbers. A Reuters witness said after the peacekeepers crossed over they were driven away in a convoy of UN mini-buses. Nusra initially said it held the peacekeepers because they were aiding soldiers loyal to President Bashar Al-Assad. Later, sources close to the group said it demanded the removal of group from the West’s terrorist list. It was not immediately clear if a deal was struck for their release. The group on Wednesday posted a video on its Twitter and YouTube accounts in which the hostages, from the South Pacific nation of Fiji, said they expected to be freed soon. The head of Fiji's army said on Wednesday the Islamist militant group had dropped all of its demands to free the 45 hostages, but at least slightly back-pedalled later in the day as the situation appeared to deteriorate. It was unclear whether the video, carried by the SITE monitoring service, was made before or after the confusion surrounding those comments, but a UN source earlier told Reuters that the militants had insisted on such a video as a condition for the peacekeepers’ release. “We are all safe and alive, and we thank Jabhat al-Nusra for keeping us safe and keeping us alive. I’d like to assure you that we have not been harmed in any way," one hostage, who was not identified, said, using the Nusra Front’s full name.
— Reuters |
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Imran seeks details of Sharif’s overseas assets
Islamabad, September 11 Khan, the chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), claimed that Sharif had made nearly $320 million worth of investments in Europe, against which there were no official record of receipts. "I ask you Nawaz Sharif, where did you get this money from?" The PTI chief further called for accountability for the Hyde Park property worth Rs 800 million in London, owned by Sharif through flagship investments in the name of his son Hussain Nawaz. "Nawaz will never be held accountable for this in the National Assembly, no one will raise this question since those in the Opposition are also corrupt," Khan was quoted by Pakistan Tribune as saying. Khan also pointed towards four sugar mills owned by the Sharif brothers and how their governance was used to further personal business interests. He claimed that according to a 2005 report by the Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP), the Sharif brothers had taken money to supply sugar. “Nawaz owes TCP Rs 510 million,” he said. Imran also vowed to continue demonstrations till Sharif steps down, alleging he came into power through rigged elections.
— PTI
Karachi: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan has reportedly pledged to put up a “grand show” to express solidarity with the nation and to mark a month of Islamabad protests. Addressing protesters at D-Chowk, facing Parliament, he said he would present evidence against the government to bolster his party’s case on Saturday, the day his protest sit-ins complete a month, reported the Dawn.
— ANI |
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Two charged for Indian-origin man's murder Car bomb attacks kill nine in Iraq Savita case: Nine hospital staffers disciplined
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European Union governments agreed on Thursday that new economic sanctions on Russia over the Ukraine crisis will take effect on Friday, but held out the prospect of cancelling some or all of them next month if they believe a peace plan is working.
Actor Richard Kiel, best known for playing metal-mouthed James Bond villain ‘Jaws’, died on Wednesday at a hospital in Fresno, California. He was 74.
Kiel died at Saint Agnes Medical Centre, hospital spokeswoman Kelley Sanchez said. She did not reveal any further details on the cause of his death, citing patient confidentiality. Standing 7 feet 2 inches tall, Kiel’s imposing height made him one of the most recognisable villains in the James Bond film franchise, playing Jaws in 1977’s “The Spy Who Loved Me” and 1979’s “Moonraker” opposite Roger Moore's Bond.
"He was a loyal friend and client for over 35 years, and was not only a giant actor but a giant man," said Steve Stevens, Kiel's agent.
— Reuters
