Indian-origin man in race to become Portugal PM
London, October 1
A Goan-origin politician has emerged as a frontrunner to become Portugal’s next prime minister after the country’s main opposition Socialist Party chose him as its candidate for the 2015 elections. Antonio Costa, known as the ‘Gandhi of Lisbon’ for his frugal lifestyle, has his roots in the former Portuguese colony in India where his grandfather was born and his father spent most of his life.

Hong Kong, October 1
Thousands of pro-democracy protesters thronged the streets of Hong Kong on Wednesday, some of them jeering National Day celebrations, and students threatened to ramp up demonstrations if the city's pro-Beijing leader did not step down.

There was little sign of momentum flagging on the fifth day of the "Occupy Central" protest, whose aim has been to occupy sections of the city, including around the Central financial district, in anger at a Chinese decision to limit voters' choices in a 2017 leadership election.

Many had feared police would use force to move crowds before Wednesday's celebrations marking the anniversary of the foundation of the People's Republic of China in 1949. Those fears proved unfounded, and police stayed in the background.

The crowds have brought large sections of the Asian financial hub to a standstill, disrupting businesses from banks to jewellers. There were no reports of trouble on Wednesday, but witnesses said the number of protesters swelled in the evening.

Hong Kong student leader Lester Shum issued an ultimatum to the city's leader Leung Chun-ying: step down or else face wider protests.

"We will escalate the action if CY Leung doesn't resign by tonight or tomorrow night. We will occupy more government facilities and offices," he told reporters, without elaborating. "I believe the government is trying to buy more time. They want to use tactics such as sending some people to create chaos so that they would have a good reason to disperse the crowd. — Reuters

Turkey/Beirut, October 1
Turkey signalled it may send troops into Syria or Iraq and let allies use Turkish bases to fight Islamic State, as coalition jets launched air strikes on Wednesday on insurgents besieging a town on its southern border with Syria.

The government sent a proposal to parliament late on Tuesday which would broaden existing powers and allow Ankara to order military action to "defeat attacks directed towards our country from all terrorist groups in Iraq and Syria".

The proposal would also mean Turkey, until now reluctant to take a frontline role against Islamic State, could allow foreign forces to use its territory for cross-border incursions.

But President Tayyip Erdogan said the removal of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad remained a Turkish priority and stressed Ankara's fears that U.S.-led air strikes without a broader political strategy would only prolong the instability. Turkey accuses Assad of stoking the growth of Islamic State through sectarian policies.

"We will fight effectively against both (Islamic State) and all other terrorist organisations within the region; this will always be our priority," he told the opening of parliament. Britain said on Wednesday that it had conducted air strikes overnight on Islamic State fighters west of Baghdad, attacking an armed pick-up truck and a transport vehicle. French President Francois Hollande said France would boost its military commitment to the fight against the militants. — Reuters

If you travel to Syria or Iraq, we will use everything to stop you —taking away your passport, prosecuting, convicting, imprisoning and even if you're there already we may even prevent you from coming back... You are an enemy of the UK — David Cameron, British Prime Minister

London, October 1
A Goan-origin politician has emerged as a frontrunner to become Portugal’s next prime minister after the country’s main opposition Socialist Party chose him as its candidate for the 2015 elections.

Antonio Costa, known as the ‘Gandhi of Lisbon’ for his frugal lifestyle, has his roots in the former Portuguese colony in India where his grandfather was born and his father spent most of his life. A popular mayor of Lisbon, the 52-year-old socialist was chosen as Portugal’s prime ministerial candidate by the main Opposition Socialist Party for next year’s polls.

“The only victor today is the Socialist Party…This is the first day of our future (parliament) majority,” he said after defeating party leader Antonio Jose Seguro on Sunday. He is also set to take over as party leader following Seguro’s resignation.

Costa, who served as justice and interior minister in previous socialist governments and as a European Parliament deputy before being elected mayor in 2007, won nearly 70 per cent of the vote.

Costa is the son of Orlando da Costa, who wrote essays on Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore. — PTI