Washington Rush-hour Metro Crash, 6 Dead

Source: www.latestissues.us

WASHINGTON:Two Metrorail trains collided Monday at the height of Washington’s evening rush hour, killing six people and injuring 76 in the worst-ever accident in the US capital’s subway system, officials said.

Hundreds of emergency responders rushed to the chaotic scene in the northeast Washington, where one train rammed into a stationary train on the same track, compressing the rear car of the lead train like an accordion before leapfrogging on top of it.

Mayor Adrian Fenty confirmed there were six deaths but warned the toll could rise in what he described as “the deadliest accident in the (33-year) history of our Metro train transit system.”

The collision involving the six-compartment trains on an above-ground portion of the popular Red Line took place at 5:02 pm (2102 GMT) near the Fort Totten Metro station, said Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) general manager John Catoe.

Rescue teams were seen carrying injured passengers on stretchers down the tracks and using heavy equipment to cut through the carriages’ outer shell in an effort to get to those inside the train, as emergency crews searched for more dead and wounded.

“We have to at this time continue to act and behave as a rescue scene,” Fenty said.

With Washington just one day past the summer solstice, rescue workers took advantage of extended sunlight hours as they searched for any additional bodies and injured passengers who may be trapped at the crash scene.

Among the dead was the female operator of the second train that rammed into the first as it awaited orders to proceed along the tracks, Catoe said.

“The next train came up behind it and for reasons we do not know plowed into the back of the train,” he added.

The glaring safety failure — whether human error or system malfunction — will raise serious questions among investigators just nine months after the last major US train crash.

Last September, 25 people were killed when the conductor of a commuter train in Los Angeles was sending text messages on his mobile phone while at the controls.

National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) officials were on the scene at the Washington crash and launched an investigation.

“We are committed to investigate this accident until we determine why this happened and what must be done to ensure it never happens again,” Catoe said.

President Barack Obama said he and the first lady were “saddened” by the crash.

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and friends affected by this tragedy,” he said in a statement

Thousands of government employees — including White House staff — ride the rail system into work each day.

Fenty described a horrific crash scene. The rear train, he suggested, may have been traveling at considerable speed moments before the accident.

“It was going at a speed that would have made that initial car literally compress to about one-fourth of the original size,” Fenty told CNN, strongly hinting the toll could rise as rescue crews struggle to pick through the mangled wreckage.

“We have to go in (to the compressed rear car) and find out if there’s any remaining bodies.”

Dozens of stunned passengers, safely evacuated from the train, stood by the tracks close to the collision site, or were helped down off the other carriages by rescue workers. Some were limping and were clearly hurt.

For passenger Abra Jeffers, the crash was a harrowing welcome to the nation’s capital, where he was heading home from his first day of work Monday.

“I was on the train that got hit. I thought it was an explosion,” Jeffers, 25, told AFP. “I thought it was like the train bombings in London. There was smoke and dust everywhere.”

Train passenger Jody Wickett told CNN she was texting a friend when she was sent hurtling through the air of the subway car.

“We felt like we hit a bump and about five or 10 seconds later, the train just came to a complete halt and we went flying,” Wickett said.

“I went in there to try and help and (there was) debris and people pinned under and in between the two cars. We were just trying to get them out and help them as much as possible, pulling back the metal and whatnot.”

Metro carries an average of some 800,000 people a day, and is divided into five lines criss-crossing the city and traveling into the suburbs of neighboring states Maryland and Virginia.

But many Metro officials have been urgently calling for more funds to repair the aging system, warning it was coming under increasing strain.

Source: www.latestissues.us

Baitullah Mehsud Rival Qari Zainuddin Shot Dead

Source: www.latestissues.us

DERA ISMAIL KHAN: A gunman shot dead Qari Zainuddin, a rival commander of Baitullah Mehsud in Dera Ismail Khan on Tuesday morning.

A close aide of Qari Zainuddin while confirming the killing of Qari Zainuddin claimed that he was shot dead by Gulbadeen Mehsud who was managed to flee from the scene. Gulbadeen is a resident of Makeen area. Another associate of Qari Zainuddin sustained injuries in the incident.

Qari Zainuddin had recently given statements to the media opposing Mehsud.

Source: www.latestissues.us

Pb Loco

Okay, so it was never the greatest restaurant in the world. It was designed as a kind of culinary one-trick pony, hanging all its hopes and dreams on people's uncontrollable craving for peanut butter on everything. But it still surprises me just a little that P.B. Loco (part of a very small chain of restaurants with locations remaining in Arizona, Delaware and Florida) couldn't make it in the location that it had: a corner suite in the Southlands development, right next door to the multiplex and across from the fountains where all the moms drop off their children to play and splash and spread E.coli around.
Right now, the space is dark and empty and decorated only with a FOR LEASE sign. You know what I would suggest? An all-jelly restaurant. Because everyone loves jelly.

Source: http://www.latestissues.us

Step up 3rd

Step up 3rd |Latest Issues News and Views

Shared via AddThis

Mark-Paul Gosselaar

Raising the Bar returns tonight for a second season on TNT (Mondays, 10 p.m. ET), and we're happy to report that Mark-Paul Gosselaar, who stars as passionate public defender Jerry Kellerman in the sudsy Steven Bochco courtroom drama, gets a haircut in the first of 15 new episodes. We celebrated by having the friend of PopWatch take the EW Pop Culture Personality Test.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: First things first, we hear there was a summit in your trailer on the day your hair was cut.
MARK-PAUL GOSSELAAR: That was pretty uncomfortable, having the head of TNT, Michael Wright, Steven Bochco, the second in command at TNT, Sam Linksy, the unit production manager, Caroline James, and my wife all in the trailer watching "the cut" as it was deemed.

What exactly was the debate?
We wanted to stay true to what the character would do. But we didn't want to go in a direction that I've already gone in for other characters...Yeah, there was a lot of things to consider. [Laughs] Too many things to consider -- it was a two-hour process: "Let's not go all the way short, let's go medium length. Style it at that point, see what we think." "No, that doesn't work for the storyline. Let's go shorter. Style that." "How does that look? Well, take a little bit off here." It was more complicated than it should have been, but they just wanted to make sure it was done right.

Was there a lot of discussion before your shirtless scene in this season's second episode?
[Laughs] I hate takin' off my shirt. I really do. You just become so vain. You start watchin' what you eat. You're like, Should I get a tan? But the character works in New York and he never sees daylight. All this personal drama that you put yourself through. I wish I could just be one of those guys who doesn't give a f--- and have a big belly hanging over my pants. That could be me in a couple seasons. I'm 35 now, I could just let everything go. But I can't say I didn't do a couple of push-ups. Not before the scene -- that'd be a little too much -- but the days leading up to it.

Now on to the Personality Test. When do you yell at the TV?
We'll put the kids to bed and flip on the TV just to decompress, and my wife watches these s--- f---in' shows, man, that just get me goin'. Like Rock of Love. Ohmygod, I'm like "What the f--- is going on with these women? And him?" That riles me up. For the Love of Ray J. Are you kidding me? Tough Love, I think it's funny, but I watch that, too, and it's still like, "What is going on here?" The one I actually do enjoy, because it's a trainwreck, is Celebrity Rehab/Sober House. But literally, this is stuff as I'm walking by that I find myself watching for 10 minutes and goin' "I can't believe you just wasted 10 minutes of my life." [Laughs] I get mad at my wife for watching it.

Did you ever write a fan letter to anyone when you were young?
No. But I wrote a love letter to someone who was five or six years older than me when I was on Good Morning, Miss Bliss, which turned into Saved by the Bell. I don't remember her name. She worked on the NBC lot, where we filmed, in the gift shop. She was an actor as well, and she got the role as, like, Zack's first kiss. It was supposed to be an innocent kiss, but Zack takes it differently. And me, I fell kind of in love with her. [ Laughs] And I wrote her a love letter. I don't know if I ever sent it, because I might have been talked out of it by my mother. But I did write it. It was that first feeling of having a crush on someone, and not understanding it.

The piece of pop culture memorabilia from your childhood you still have?
I still have a lot of my Star Wars figures. My son plays with them now. I have Clash of the Titans figures, the Kraken and Perseus, Harry Hamlin's character.

What is your position on karaoke, and what is your song?
Not too big on karaoke. I might do some Nirvana or maybe Black Sabbath. Rock Band and Guitar Hero -- totally into that.

The movie you have to watch every time you spot it on cable?
Raising Arizona. I have that on my TiVo always.

The person or band you need to see in concert before you die?
If Robert Plant were to sign back on to Led Zeppelin, I would feel very compelled to go see them wherever they would play.

Source: www.latestissues.us

High Peak Simex Sport Sirius Sleeping Bag

One Man’s “Summer Activities” Are Another Man’s “Sad Waste Of Precious Hours”

Let’s see: I’ve got my portable chemical toilet, five pounds of ostrich jerky, and my High Peak Simex Sport Sirius Sleeping Bags. Yup, I’m gonna be the first one in Crestdale to get that new iPhone!

I’ll never forget the humiliation and rage I felt when I missed first place in line for the iPhone 3G. I mean, me of all people, the biggest Macolyte in my suburb. I named my own kid Apple before Gwyneth Paltrow even thought of it. Lots of guys have Apple tattoos, but not where I do. And none of it mattered when I showed up at the Apple store at Crestdale Commons to find some loser already camped out, laying there snoring in his stupid filthy socks and his dumb Green Lantern shirt. Beaten by a DC fan? Oh hay-ullz no. I tried to have him arrested as a vagrant, but mall security took his side. In that moment, a new resolve was forged deep inside me. I swore: Never again.

Now that Apple’s launching the new iPhone 3G S in a couple of weeks, the race is on anew. I mean, come on: a built-in compass! Improved security features! Data speeds that make it almost feasible to browse the Internet occasionally! I refuse to NOT be the first one in town to caress that fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating. I can’t wait to take a picture of the next guy in line’s disappointed face, in 3 brilliant megapixels. And they’re Apple megapixels, which makes them noticeably better than regular megapixels. Maybe I’ll even use the video-capture technology to watch his face collapse in grief again and again and again. Ha ha! Yes, iPhone fever is making the nation ill, and I’m one of the sickest.

And these lightweight, ridge-hooded High Peak Simex Sport Sirius Sleeping Bags are my steadfast allies in this quest. They’re perfect for the warm Crestdale summer. And fortunately for me, the two of them can zip together to make one big sleeping bag. Just imagine: Mr. Green Lantern Shirt is gonna walk up and see me relaxing in well-ventilated, king-size comfort. It’ll be delicious. I can’t wait to shoot him that look that says You’re going to be the second one to enjoy an iPhone with a somewhat longer battery life. It’ll be delicious.

I’ve got my spot staked out, my claim laid, my provisions provided. Now all I have to do is wait. When the crowds materialize, they will have no choice but to acknowledge me as their superior. And believe me, despite how it looks right now, those crowds are going to materialize. Yup. Any minute now. Just you wait.



Warranty: 90 Day Woot Limited Warranty

Features:
Lightweight sleeping bag for summer activities
Ridge hood
Zip cover-up on top of zip
2 way zipper
Small pocket
Outer lining: 100% Polyester
Filling: 100% Polyester
Thickness: Top/bottom 150g/m2
Inner Lining: 100% polyester
Size: 210×75/50 cm
Weight: approx. 860g
Size when packed: 28×16 cm
Temp Range: 21.2 F to 51.8 F

Additional Photos:
Olive Sleeping Bag
Olive Sleeping Bag with Zipper and Velcro Strap
Olive Sleeping Bag with Hoodie
Black Sleeping Bag
Black Sleeping Bag with Zipper and Velcro Strap
Black Sleeping Bag with Hoodie
Sleeping Bags in Carrying Sack

In the box:
2 High Peak Simex Sport Sirius Sleeping Bags

Source: http://www.woot.com

Hank Baskett

http://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2009/6/5/899957/in-case-you-were-wondering-what

Oil Prices Fall After Spike Above 70 Dollars

NEW YORK: Oil prices retreated Friday after a brief spike that pushed New York crude above 70 dollars per barrel for the first time in seven months, before the market settled back on a US dollar rebound.

New York's main futures contract, light sweet crude for delivery in July closed at 68.44 dollars, down 34 cents, after a jump to 70.32 dollars a barrel, the highest level since November 4.

Brent North Sea crude for July delivery fell 37 cents to 68.34 dollars a barrel in London, having spiked as high as 69.91 dollars.

Analysts said that a surprise rise in the US dollar after a mostly positive American jobs report dragged down oil prices.

The dollar, often regarded as a safe haven in times of economic turmoil, has been dropping on data showing signs of economic recovery.

John Kilduff of MF Global said the market had to cope with "a very strong rally of the dollar which should have engendered losses for crude oil," but that reaction was muddled by a mixed report on US employment.

Kilduff said that after 70 dollars was breached, "we've seen a terrific amount of profit taking."

The US Labor Department said Friday the jobless rate surged to 9.4 percent in May, while the number of job losses slowed to a better-than-expected 345,000.

The report, seen as one of the best indicators of economic momentum, offered conflicting signals about a weak labor market, but suggested that the pace of massive job cuts is easing, a positive sign for a recession-battered economy.

Oil prices have experienced a roller-coaster week in reaction to movements in the dollar, US inventory data and predictions made about crude futures.

A struggling US currency makes dollar-priced crude cheaper for buyers holding stronger currencies, in turn stimulating demand and pushing up prices.

This news publsihed by www.thearynews.com

Oil Prices Fall After Spike Above 70 Dollars

Obama arrives in Paris for 65th D-Day anniversary

PARIS: US President Barack Obama landed late on Friday in France where he is to attend international ceremonies marking the 65th anniversary of World War II D-day landings.

Obama arrived on Air Force One at Orly airport, after visiting a former Nazi camp in Germany, and was met by Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner before joining French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy on Saturday.

Obama motorcade headed directly for the US embassy, in central Paris, after he visited the German city of Dresden, flattened by WWII Allied bombing which killed 35,000 people in February 1945.

As Obama travelled into Paris the US First Lady Michelle Obama and her young daughters Malia, 10, and Sasha, seven, completed a brief trip to the Eiffel Tower on Friday evening. They arrived in France shortly before the president.

Obama and his family were to spend Friday night at the US embassy in Paris, before travelling to the north of France Saturday.

On the eve of France's participation in the European Parliament election, Obama will join Sarkozy in Caen and give a speech at the US war cemetery at nearby Colleville-sur-mer.

On Saturday, it will be 65 years ago to the day that the D-Day landings began, marking the final stage of the Allied campaign to defeat Nazi Germany.

This news published by www.apakistannews.com

Ex-State Dept official, wife held for Cuba spying: US

WASHINGTON: A former State Department official with top secret security clearance and his wife have been arrested for spying for communist Cuba for almost 30 years, US officials said Friday.

Walter Kendall Myers, 72, and his wife, Gwendolyn Steingraber Myers, 71, have been charged with conspiracy to hand over classified information to US foe Cuba, the Department of Justice said in a statement.

The Washington couple were arrested on Thursday after an undercover FBI sting operation and appeared Friday before a district court after allegedly passing on secrets for years via shortwave radio and in shopping carts.

"The clandestine activity alleged in the charging documents, which spanned nearly three decades, is incredibly serious and should serve as a warning to any others in the US government who would betray America's trust by serving as illegal agents of a foreign government," said David Kris, assistant attorney general for national security.

"We remain vigilant in protecting our nation's secrets and in bringing to justice those who compromise them."

Myers first began working for the State Department in 1977 as a lecturer at the department's Foreign Service Institute in Arlington, Virginia. But from 1988 to 1999 he began to work for its bureau of intelligence and research.

In 1985, he was given top-secret security clearance which was then upgraded to a higher level in 1999.

This news published by www.geo.tv

Army Convoy Ambushed in Sakhakot, Deaths Feared

RAWALPINDI: Many deaths have been feared as unknown terrorist have attacked on convoy of Pakistan army near Sakhakot area here early on Saturday, Geo news exclusively reported.

According to ISPR, the Pakistan army convoy was heading to Peshawar from Malakand Division when it came under attack near Sakhakot area here, which the army soldiers retaliated but many deaths have been feared, in the deadly ambush.

Exchange of fire is still continue between both sides while many death from two sides have been predicted, ISPR added.

This news published by www.geo.tv

Katrina Kaif Finds the New SUV Sexy!

That men have a thing for hot wheels, is accepted.


But women drooling over mean machines, is new. However, that’s just what Bollywood actress and India’s (newly-polled) sexiest woman Katrina Kaif did when she launched the new SUV Audi Q5 in Mumbai on Thursday.

The German-made luxury car — the sportiest and most elegant SUV in its class, will easily become the benchmark for style, performance, safety, comfort and driving dynamics in its segment. It joins its ‘big brother’, the Audi Q7, in creating a new market for the smaller luxury SUV admirer in India.
Available in petrol and diesel models, and in exciting colours like Stratos Blue, Garnet Red, Ice Silver, Meteor Grey, Phantom Black and Ibis White, the Audi Q5 can be bought at 11 dealerships across the country in Delhi, Gurgaon, Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai and Kochi.

Katrina, flashing long legs, was impressed by the versatile SUV. “The interior is so spacious. I’m tall, so I look out for leg space, and this is very comfortable to drive in,” said the actress. “It’s awesome... and also sexy!”

This news published by www.timesofindia.com

Shahid, Anushka Take a Short-Cut

If you think Anushka is the new girl in Shahid’s life then let us set the facts right! We are just talking about Shahid Kapoor’s character in Yashraj’s next where he has gone extremely short with his hair.

Shahid Kapoor has proved that he is a complete method actor. After sporting long hair for his role in Vishal Bhardwaj’s Kaminey, he is all set to go as short as a crew cut for the Yashraj project.

Anushka Sharma who is romantically paired opposite Shahid in this film by debutant director Parmeet Sethi, will also be seen sporting fringes - a big variant from her simple ‘Punjab di kudi’ look in Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi.

This news publshed by www.timesofindia.com

What's On Tonight: Secret Saturdays, Whale Wars, Ghost Adventures

* At 8, FOX has a new Don't Forget The Lyrics.
* PBS has a new Washington Week at 8, followed by new episodes of NOW and Bill Moyers Journal.
* Cartoon Network has a new Secret Saturdays at 8, then a new Batman: The Brave and the Bold.
* TCM has Spielberg on Spielberg at 8.
* At 9, Animal Planet has the season premiere of Whale Wars.
* History Channel has a new Patton 360 at 9.
* Travel Channel has the season premiere of Ghost Adventures at 9.
* At 10, HBO has a new Real Time with Bill Maher.


Check your local TV listings for more.

After the jump, the late night talk shows.

* Charlie Rose: Dolly Parton and Sam Mendes
* The Late Show with David Letterman: Paris Hilton, Steven Wright, and Calvin Borel
* The Tonight Show: Ryan Seacrest, Patton Oswalt, and Chickenfoot
* Chelsea Lately: Greg Proops, Daisy De La Hoya, Natasha Leggero, and T.J. Miller (repeat)
* Jimmy Kimmel Live: Michael J. Fox, Chuck Wicks, Julianne Hough, and Asher Roth (repeat)
* Tavis Smiley: Nia Vardalos and Azadeh Moaveni
* Late Night with Jimmy Fallon: Bradley Cooper, Denise Richards, and Mandy Moore
* The Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson: Seann William Scott and Henry Cho
* Last Call with Carson Daly: Matthew McConaughey, Kaley Cuoco, and Ida Maria (repeat)

Tags: batman, carson daly, charlie rose, colbert, conan, craig ferguson, dont forget the lyrics, fallon, ghost adventures, jon stewart, june 5 2009, kimmel, late night talk shows, letterman, real time with bill maher, secret saturdays, smiley, washington week, whale wars

The Mutton Curry from Lahore

In Calcutta, in the good old days, eating chicken was distinctly déclassé. Your ‘class' was determined by whether you served - among other fishy courses -- good-quality mutton (there were ‘select shops' catering to the ‘good-quality' demand) on occasions ranging from family dinners to weddings. This was much before the health lobbyists had started their anti-red meat campaign in right earnest.

My grandfather, a spoilt brat in his growing-up years (he was the only son), would come back home from school in the late afternoons (after playing cricket post-school) and get half-a-kilo mutton cooked to perfection (kosha mangsho, as the Bengalis call it), along with scores of luchis that were served piping hot. This he had every day (and he lived to be 85). Once, when he was served vegetarian fare (because mutton was not available that day), he, in a fit of pique, threw his plate on the floor, breaking the fine china into fine bits. His tearful mother vowed that never, ever would such a mistake be repeated. Such used to be the power of mutton.

Funnily enough, I was never a mutton fan. I've always preferred chicken. And, these days, I am vegetarian at least five days in a week.

Nevertheless, I used to dig my maternal grandmother's (I call her Dimma) mutton curry; her culinary skills are legendary. My mother didn't quite inherit the same traits from Dimma, but she too makes a mean mutton vindaloo once in a while. My paternal grandmother used to make awesome mutton roasts. And then, there is my best friend's mother's bhuna mutton, which is pretty divine. These were the four preparations of mutton I enjoy/enjoyed eating, other than occasional meat dishes I'd partake at restaurants.

When I was in Delhi this time, I took Brian to Oh Calcutta, and we ordered both fish and mutton, cooked Bong-style. I have a feeling he enjoyed the fish more (it was cooked in mustard sauce), but I'm not sure. Brian?

But poor Brian has not had the Lahori mutton: it's not some random dish called so because a restaurant-owner thought it might be an exotic-sounding sobriquet. It comes from Lahore. My Lahori friend in Dubai first got me this mutton - in vacuum-packed tins - when she went home early this year for a four-day break. "I don't know if you'll like it, but I want you to sample some Lahori food," she said defensively as she handed me the tin. It was cooked, she explained, by a husband-wife team who her mother knows pretty well.

With no expectations whatsoever, I opened the can of mutton, spooned out a few pieces, and had it with a couple of triangular parathas. I've never eaten something like that before. It's easily the best mutton I've had in my life. It actually beats Dimma's famous mutton curry hollow (sorry, Dimma!).

I made a friend eat a bit of it (I was too greedy to give him a substantial portion from my tin), and he almost had tears in his eyes. "It's such a pity that India and Pakistan have a Line of Control dividing them: imagine if the two countries had been one... we could have had this Lahori mutton every now and then... every day maybe... Life would have been so much better," he sighed.

I keep hustling my friend to get me more mutton. So each time any Lahori known to her mother - friends, relatives, even neighbours - comes to Dubai, a few tins of mutton are sent for me. I've even presented my friend with a business proposition: I want to team up with her mother's Lahori cooks and open a restaurant in Delhi. She laughed, and joked about how the Indian right-wingers may not take that kindly.

But I'm dead serious, I told her. "Hmmm, not a bad idea actually," she said. "I'm dying to go to India, and if I become a partner in this restaurant business, I can be there often."

Years ago, when I was in school, somebody had read out an article from a kiddie Bengali magazine called Anandamela about a dream line-up in cricket if India and Pakistan had not been partitioned. Imran Khan and Wasim Akram could have opened the bowling attack along with Kapil Dev, and Javed Miandad could have been first down.

On hindsight, I think I'd have taken the Lahori mutton over Imran Khan/Wasim Akram/Javed Miandad any day.

Aishwarya invited by German University to speak against abuse

Mumbai: Keeping up with the family lineage of amassing honours from educational institutions, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has a rare feat up her arm. The doe-eyed charmer, whose beauty has left many awe-struck, has proved that there is more to her than just a pretty frame. The University of Germany has bestowed the stunner with the honour to be their special guest and speak on women empowerment and domestic abuse.

Looks like, Pa Amitabh is not the only Bachchan famous with foreign universities. Following his footsteps is Aishwarya, who along with ‘Provoked’ director Jagmohan Mundhra, will deliver an address on the sensitive issue.

According to the latest Bollywood news, Ash will also share her experience of portraying the role a woman who was abused in reality and the process of filmmaking. The director too is expected to deliver a speech on his experiences of ‘Provoked’.

Confirming the news, an elated Mundra said, "We have got the letter of invitation from the German Federal State of Rhineland`s Mainz University and we are gung-ho about it. The invite is for the filmmaker as well as the lead actor, so naturally I`m expecting Ash to travel with me. I have to speak on the process of filmmaking and about the subject of my movie. Aishwarya naturally will also deliver her speech on women`s rights, domestic abuse and the points, which my movie has stressed. She will reveal her experiences of working in the film too."

this news published by www.zeenews.com

Meira creates history, becomes first woman LS Speaker

NEW DELHI: Congress candidate Meira Kumar was elected Speaker of the 15 th Lok Sabha unanimously on Wednesday.

As soon as the Lok Sabha session began, Sonia, according to the agenda, proposed Kumar as the Speaker of the new House. Her name was seconded by Leader of Opposition L K Advani and other political leaders. Both Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Advani then accompanied her to the Speaker's chair completing the formality.

With every side deciding to endorse her candidature, her election to the top post was a unanimous affair.

Altogether 13 sets of nominations were submitted on Tuesday by Leader of the House Pranab Mukherjee to Lok Sabha secretary general P D T Achary. Among those who backed her bid for the constitutional post were UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Leader of Opposition L K Advani, NCP chief Sharad Pawar and SP leader Mulayam Singh Yadav.

Mukherjee led a group of UPA leaders to the secretary general's office in a formal show of solidarity behind Kumar. Among them were Pawar, Farooq Abdullah, Lalu Prasad and E Ahmed.

While Sonia's proposal was seconded by Mukherjee, that of Advani was done by his party colleague Sushma Swaraj.

Kumar, who was part of the delegation visiting the secretary general, later termed her ascent to the Speaker's chair as a historic moment. "It is both historic and overwhelming," she told reporters. A five-time MP, she resigned as minister for water resources after Congress backed her for Speaker.

Not originally her party's choice, Kumar found strong support from the Congress leadership on two counts - a woman, she carries a rich dalit legacy.

Precisely for this reason, the BJP was reluctant to oppose her. For its part, the Opposition party moved a notch up in the game of identity politics by proposing a tribal - Karia Munda - for the deputy Speaker's post.

After Congress scored on the empowerment quotient naming Dalit woman leader Meira Kumar as UPA's nominee for the Speaker's post, BJP played the tribal card by selecting its veteran MP from Jharkhand Karia Munda as its candidate for deputy Speaker.

BJP's central parliamentary board took the decision at a meeting after the government's proposal that the deputy Speaker's post be offered to the main Opposition.

Seventy two-year-old Munda was a minister in the Morarji Desai government and later in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee ministry. When asked whether Munda's candidature was aimed at winning tribal support for the party, BJP leader Jaitley said, "It is true that Munda belongs to the ST community, but along with that he has vast legislative experience and this decision was made considering his seniority."

This news published by www.zeenews.com

India likely to resume talks with Pakistan

NEW DELHI: Pakistan may be thumbing its nose at India by releasing wanted terrorists like Hafeez Saeed, but New Delhi is veering around to the

view that talks with Islamabad that were suspended after the 26/11 Mumbai attack should be resumed as engagement, however frustrating, would be better than benign neglect of the source of its terror problem.

Some version of a dialogue with Pakistan is expected to start soon, possibly before the visit of US secretary of state Hillary Clinton to India which is likely in the first week of July. India knows that powers like the US would try to nudge India to the negotiating table, and it would be better not to be seen as having been pressured into the talks.

New Delhi recognises that the post-Mumbai diplomatic trail is fast turning cold, and it would like to retain the initiative by starting talks. The new external affairs minister, S M Krishna, is said to have quoted JFK to his officers: "Never negotiate out of fear, but never fear to negotiate."

Taking the cue from the boss, the foreign office is trying to find a way to break the ice. There are two main reasons why India would like to begin talks. First, it might get the Pakistanis to at least attempt to stop the next big- ticket terrorist attack against India. Sources said Pakistan is likely to sponsor another big attack in J&K to push India to come to the table. This is nothing short of blackmail, but India doesn't want to be in a position where it might seem to be succumbing to such blackmail.

Second, Indian officials are clear that the US, waiting for the elections to be over, will soon raise the talks issue with India. This could come as soon as Hillary Clinton's visit to India in July. The government here is keen to pre-empt such pressure tactics.

Prime minister Manmohan Singh might have an occasion to break the ice if he decides to go for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting in Moscow later this month. If Singh attends the SCO, he would have a chance to meet his Pakistan counterpart and could seize the opportunity.

At the same time, it becomes glaringly clear that India's high-voltage diplomatic push post-26/11 has not really succeeded in getting Pakistan to act on anything - either on the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks or on dismantling the terror infrastructure in Pakistan.

This news published by www.timesofindia.com

Sonic Drive in

Sonic Drive-Ins is having "Free Float Night" tonight (June 3) and will be giving away free 10 oz. Root Beer Floats from 8 p.m. until midnight at participating Sonics. The drive-in plans to give away more than 3.5 million Root Beer Floats to customers coast to coast during this special event.

This is a "while supplies last" promotion although Sonic says they are well stocked up. Also, you may want to call your local Sonic and ask if they will be participating before you head out. Enjoy!

This news is Captaingroup.blogspot.com