Amnesty International says Indian woman should be compensated for 3 years in prison

MEXICO CITY — An Indian market vendor who was wrongly convicted of kidnapping and spent three years in prison deserves compensation for the time she was locked away, Amnesty International said Thursday.

BJP continues public appeal to Jaswant Singh to quit Public Accounts Committee

NEW DELHI - As Jaswant Singh chaired the meeting of the Public Account Committee on Monday, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is in a tizzy, and Deputy Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj has made a public appeal to the expelled leader to step down from the chairmanship of the Public Accounts Committee urging him ‘to keep up to the parliamentary tradition’, but Jaswant Singh has refused to budge.

Van Jones Resigns As The White House Advisor After Facing Criticism

After being in the line of fire for the last couple of weeks, Van Jones has resigned as an advisor to the White House. The startling revelation surfaced on early Sunday morning. The report of Jones’ resignation was confirmed by the White House. In a statement released by Nancy Sutley, thanked Jones “for his valuable contribution to the Council of Environmental Quality. Over the last six months he has been a strong voice of creating 21st century jobs that improve energy efficiency and utilize renewable resources. We appreciate his hard work and wish him the best moving forward.”
Jones has been facing the heat for the last few days after some of his statements that he made in the past were judged to be inflammatory in its content. According to the sources, Jones reportedly apologized last week for a six year old petition that he signed, which alleged the government of playing a pivotal role in the infamous Sep 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. He also issued an apology for making derogatory comments over the Republicans, thus causing more problems to the tilted Obama administration.
Jones was pushed to the corner on Saturday, when Verum Serum reportedly posted an excerpt for an anti-war CD in which Jones had appeared. It also featured Mumia-Abu Jamal, who was reportedly convicted of allegedly shooting a police officer to death in the year 1981.
On early Sunday morning, White House announced Jones’ departure from the office. Jones reportedly said that the opponents are trying to tarnish his image by launching a “vicious smear campaign” against him. “They are using lies and distortions to distract and divide. I have been inundated with calls - all across the political spectrum - urging me to ’stay and fight’. But I came here to fight for others not for myself,” said Jones who seems to be an eye sore for the Republicans.

Mexican state legislature candidate shot dead along with wife, 2 sons in Gulf state of Tabasco

VILLAHERMOSA, Mexico — Gunmen killed a state congressional candidate and his wife and two sons in their home Saturday in the Gulf coast state of Tabasco, in southern Mexico.

World trade body ruling on Boeing and Airbus harkens back to time before government bailouts

WASHINGTON — The World Trade Organization’s ruling that European loans for Airbus were illegal subsidies is being cheered by U.S. lawmakers loyal to the Boeing Co., even though the preliminary decision may seem quaint in a world where government subsidies, bailouts and takeovers are now commonplace.

4 Iraqi security personnel to hang for bank robbery that threatens heavy political fallout

BAGHDAD — Four members of Iraq’s security forces were convicted Wednesday of robbing a Baghdad bank and killing eight guards and were sentenced to hang in a trial that could leave behind considerable political fallout.

Iraqi court sentences 4 members of security forces to death in bank heist

BAGHDAD — A Baghdad court on Wednesday sentenced four members of Iraq’s security forces to death for their roles in a bank heist in the Iraqi capital that left eight bank guards dead.

Climate experts hope for success of Copenhagen summit

GENEVA - Ahead of the much awaited United Nations climate change conference in Copenhagen, experts from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) have expressed hope that the meet will be successful, despite continuing differences among various countries.

Trial of suspected Baghdad bank robbers disrupted by outbursts from relatives of slain guards

BAGHDAD — Five members of Iraq’s security forces charged in a deadly bank robbery went on trial Sunday, as relatives of those killed in the heist beat and spat on the defendants. One relative was dragged away from the courtroom, screaming obscenities.

Veterans Affairs technology employees receive $24 million in bonuses in 2007, 2008

WASHINGTON — Thousands of technology office employees at the Veterans Affairs Department received a total of $24 million in bonuses over a two-year period, some under questionable circumstances, the agency’s inspector general said in scathing reports that also detail abuses ranging from nepotism to an inappropriate relationship.

Appeals court rules against NY lieutenant gov appointment, calls governor’s move ‘unlawful’

NEW YORK — An appeals court Thursday struck down Gov. David Paterson’s appointment of a lieutenant governor, upholding a constitutional challenge to a move spurred by a paralyzing political drama in the state Senate.

Chiranjeevi rubbishes talk of PRP’s merger with Congress

HYDERABAD - Telugu superstar and Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) chief K. Chiranjeevi Thursday dismissed as ‘baseless’ media reports that his party was planning to merge with the ruling Congress party.

FAA, air traffic controllers reach contract agreement, fulfilling an Obama campaign pledge

WASHINGTON — Government air traffic controllers and the Obama administration have reached a tentative contract agreement that both sides said they hope will end years of severely strained relations.

Iraq sets trial date for 5 presidential guards charged with Baghdad bank robbery

BAGHDAD — A gunfight erupted during an attempted bank heist Thursday in Iraq’s capital, as a court official announced that five members of Iraq’s presidential guard will go on trial later this month for their alleged roles in a deadly Baghdad bank robbery.

Tonga police warn ferry toll may rise further as search enters second day

NUKU’ALOFA, Tonga — The number of people missing and feared dead after a ferry sank in Tonga rose Friday to more than 60 and could jump further, police said, as the prime minister called the tragedy a “major disaster” for his tiny country.

Official: Members of NC family that includes terror suspects denied entry to Israel on 07 trip

RALEIGH, N.C. — Israel denied entry two years ago to members of a North Carolina family that includes three men accused of plotting to execute terror attacks in foreign countries, an official said Wednesday.

B L Joshi to take oath as UP Governor today

LUCKNOW - Newly appointed Uttar Pradesh Governor B L Joshi will take oath of the office today.

Dispute between Treasury, Fed on consumer protection oversight goes to Capitol Hill on Friday

WASHINGTON — Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke are squaring off in a public dispute over who should become the nation’s top consumer watchdog.

D.C. landmark Watergate Hotel, part of complex in Nixon scandal, set to go on auction block

WASHINGTON — The Watergate Hotel that is part of a complex made famous by a presidential scandal is heading to the auction block.

A GOP appointee, US attorney in NC keeps chasing big-name Dems, whose party won’t push him out

BEAUFORT, N.C. — Having swapped his hip-holstered Blackberry for fishing pliers, the U.S. attorney for eastern North Carolina watches closely from the captain’s chair aboard the 45-foot “Jolly Mon” as his crew prepares for a day on the water.

Lawmakers call for investigation of Chinese interrogation of Uighurs at US detention facility

WASHINGTON — Lawmakers on Thursday called for an investigation into why the Bush administration allowed Chinese agents to interrogate 22 Muslim Uighurs at the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay in 2002.

Palin says she’s planning to jump back into fray of national politics after leaving statehouse

WASHINGTON — Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin said she’s not only staying involved in national politics, but she plans to jump back into the national scrum when she leaves office at the end of the month.

Alloy sleeves, passport covers urged to block identity thieves and hackers

To protect against skimming and eavesdropping attacks, federal and state officials recommend that Americans keep their e-passports tightly shut and store their RFID-tagged passport cards and enhanced driver’s licenses in “radio-opaque” sleeves.

SEC calls for California IOUs to be regulated as securities

WASHINGTON — The recipients of billions of dollars in IOUs being issued by California soon may be able to sell them on a regulated market, following action taken Thursday by federal regulators.

Chidambaram visits Orissa amid Maoist violence (Second Lead)

BHUBANESWAR - Maoist guerrillas Thursday blew up a railway building and damaged three mobile phone towers in Orissa’s Koraput, hours before Home Minister P. Chidambaram visited the district to review security preparedness, officials said.

Suspected militants torch CPI (M) offices

JHARGRAM - As Central paramilitary forces along with local police continue action against Maoists in Lalgarh area of West Bengal’s Medinipur district, ultras and some anti-social elements elsewhere in the region attacked and set afire the office premises of the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Monday.

Spokesman says SC gov plans to return from secretive hike Wednesday, surprised at attention

COLUMBIA, S.C. — A spokesman for South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford says the Republican checked in with his staff and was surprised by the attention given to his secretive vacation.

SC governor takes Appalachian hike away from toils of office, but colleagues left in dark

COLUMBIA, S.C. — A dayslong absence by South Carolina’s governor left fellow state leaders scratching their heads.

Eight-year-old booked under gangster act in Uttar Pradesh

LUCKNOW - An eight-year-old boy has been booked under the Goonda Act - a tough anti-gangster law, in Uttar Pradesh. The police Saturday promised an inquiry into the matter.

Financial crisis seen increasing Asia’s global role, business leaders say

SEOUL, South Korea — Asia’s power is likely to grow in the wake of the global financial crisis and the region has the chance to take a position of leadership in the world economy, business and economic leaders said Thursday.