Accra/United Nations: At least 69 people have been killed in bomb and gun attacks, blamed on an Islamist militant group, in two towns in Nigeria, the Red Cross said. The UN Security Council condemned it and and reiterated that "terrorism in all its forms and manifestations is criminal and unjustifiable".
The Nigerian Red Cross confirmed that at least 69 people were dead while unconfirmed sources say over 100 people were killed in the northern-eastern towns of Damaturu and Potiskum in Yobe State following bomb and gun attacks that have been blamed on the Islamist militant group, Boko Haram. "Boko Haram had told some media organisations early Friday of its intention to bomb several targets across the country. They followed up their threats with bombs that hit several targets, including churches and the headquarters of the Yobe State police," Nuhu Audu, an aid worker in Abuja told IANS on phone.
Audu said: "The total number of dead would not be known for days because conflicting figures (are) being churned out. Some people claim they counted over 100 dead bodies." He said there had been media reports that "some disturbances erupted on Friday night in Kurmi Bi village...one person was shot dead and another seriously injured by unknown gunmen in another attack behind the palace of the traditional ruler of the area, Agwam Bajju."
Boko Haram wants strict Shariah law across Nigeria, which has a majority Christian population in the South. The group also believes that Western education is not in tune with the teachings of Islam.
In August, the group bombed the UN headquarters in Nigeria, and has claimed responsibility for similar attacks in the northern states of the country in the past. Concerned about the attacks, President Goodluck Jonathan cancelled a trip Saturday to his home state of Bayelsa to attend his younger brother's wedding, his spokesman Reuben Abati said.
Abati said the presidency did not consider those who launched the attacks "true Muslims as the assault came during a holy period". Security has been beefed up in capital Abuja.
"...You know what has been happening in the North. The multiple attacks on Friday night won't be treated with kids' gloves. We have to be proactive. Yes, Abuja's security is going to be water tight as from today (Sunday)," the Punch newspaper quoted Federal Capital commissioner of Police Alhaji Suleiman Lawal as saying. The UN Security Council condemned the bomb attacks in northern Nigeria and said "terrorism in all its forms and manifestations is criminal and unjustifiable".
The condemnation was contained in a statement issued Saturday by Jose Filipe Moraes Cabral, Portugal's UN ambassador who holds the rotating Security Council presidency for November.
"The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest terms the terrorist attacks that occurred in Damaturu and Potiskum, Nigeria, on Nov 4, 2011, causing numerous deaths and injuries," the statement said. "The members of the Security Council expressed their deep sympathy and condolences to the victims of these heinous crimes and their families, and to the people and government of Nigeria," the statement said.
"The members of the Security Council reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations is criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of its motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed and should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilization or ethnic group," the UN Security Council said in the statement. "The members of the Security Council reaffirmed the need to combat by all means, in accordance with the charter of the United Nations, threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts," it added.
Also on Saturday, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon condemned the bomb attacks, reiterating his firm conviction "that no objective sought can justify this resort to violence".
Sunday 6 November 2011
Bengal doctor drunk on duty, Mamata promises action
KOLKATA: Callous behaviour of health employees continues to embarrass the state government. On Sunday morning, a doctor on duty was found to be attending patients in an inebriated condition at Baghajatin State General Hospital.
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee reacted sharply to the incident, condemning the act and promising drastic action. An FIR has been lodged against the doctor at Patuli police station. A departmental probe was also instituted.
Incidentally, Mamata had made a surprise visit to this very hospital days after taking charge and promised sweeping changes. It has been five months since then.
On Sunday morning, patients at the emergency ward found doctor Prabir Kumar Ghosh (59) speaking incoherently. He looked ill and his breath reeked of alcohol.
Samar Ray, a patient suffering from knee pain, realized the doctor was drunk. Shocked, he told other patients and lodged a complaint with the hospital authorities. As the news spread, locals stormed into the hospital and demanded immediate action.
Drunk doctor confesses: Baghajatin State General Hospital doctor Prabir Kumar Ghosh was subjected to blood and urine tests at MR Bangur hospital after being found drunk on duty.
Ghosh claimed he had been treating patients with care since morning and there had been no negligence on his part. He confessed to having had alcohol and explained it was to get rid of joint pain.
After learning about the incident, Mamata Banerjee said: "The doctor looked unfit to treat patient. He does not look normal. He should be punished." She later termed the doctor's behaviour and aberration.
"If I sack the doctor, it will be difficult to find a replacement. In many hospitals, there is shortage of doctors. We want to adopt the public-private partnership model to improve health infrastructure," she said.
"But there was no system of punishing doctors and health staff for negligence. Often, health staff is reluctant to treat patients and misbehave. This will not be tolerated," she added.
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee reacted sharply to the incident, condemning the act and promising drastic action. An FIR has been lodged against the doctor at Patuli police station. A departmental probe was also instituted.
Incidentally, Mamata had made a surprise visit to this very hospital days after taking charge and promised sweeping changes. It has been five months since then.
On Sunday morning, patients at the emergency ward found doctor Prabir Kumar Ghosh (59) speaking incoherently. He looked ill and his breath reeked of alcohol.
Samar Ray, a patient suffering from knee pain, realized the doctor was drunk. Shocked, he told other patients and lodged a complaint with the hospital authorities. As the news spread, locals stormed into the hospital and demanded immediate action.
Drunk doctor confesses: Baghajatin State General Hospital doctor Prabir Kumar Ghosh was subjected to blood and urine tests at MR Bangur hospital after being found drunk on duty.
Ghosh claimed he had been treating patients with care since morning and there had been no negligence on his part. He confessed to having had alcohol and explained it was to get rid of joint pain.
After learning about the incident, Mamata Banerjee said: "The doctor looked unfit to treat patient. He does not look normal. He should be punished." She later termed the doctor's behaviour and aberration.
"If I sack the doctor, it will be difficult to find a replacement. In many hospitals, there is shortage of doctors. We want to adopt the public-private partnership model to improve health infrastructure," she said.
"But there was no system of punishing doctors and health staff for negligence. Often, health staff is reluctant to treat patients and misbehave. This will not be tolerated," she added.
Friday 4 November 2011
PM returns, to face political storm over fuel price hike
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh reached home on Saturday amid a political crisis after Trinamool Congress boss Mamata Banerjee threatened to withdraw support following Thursday's petrol price hike. The Prime Minister attended the crucial two-day G-20 summit in Cannes, which asked tax havens to adopt prudential norms for sharing of information to check money laundering and terror funding.
Banerjee held a parliamentary party meeting on Friday in Kolkata and announced that she wanted to withdraw from the central government and her decision would be conveyed to the Prime Minister after he returned from the Group of 20 meeting in Cannes, France.
But Singh defended the price hike in a statement in Cannes, pre-empting Banerjee.
“We must move in the direction of decontrolling more prices. I have no hesitation in saying that markets must find their own levels.”
Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee, too, said in Delhi that while prices of diesel, kerosene and cooking gas were controlled by the government, petrol was a de-controlled item.
A large section of the Congress saw Banerjee’s threat more as political posturing with an eye on her home audience, but the party did not want to take a chance and urged the government to “look into the matter very seriously”.
The reason: Other UPA allies, such as the DMK, NCP and National Conference, joined the anti-Centre chorus on Friday, sending an already jittery Congress scurrying for cover.
But party spokesperson Abhishek Singvhi said, “We are not here to fetter the jurisdiction and work of the government… we leave it to the discretion of the government to decide these steps.”
Once during the NDA regime, Banerjee actually went ahead and withdrew support in 2001, following a sting operation showing then party chief Bangaru Laxman accepting a bribe, but joined back in 2003.
Earlier in Kolkata, Banerjee said, “Petro prices were raised 11 times in the past 12 months. Never have we been consulted before the decisions that put common people in great distress.”
She called up rural development minister Jairam Ramesh around 9.30pm on Thursday to express her dissatisfaction. She also talked to commerce minister Anand Sharma in Kolkata on Friday morning.
According to Trinamool sources, Banerjee complained that the finance ministry had not only failed to control inflation, but had also allowed the situation to slip farther. She was also upset about the allies being kept in the dark on the price hike issue
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Banerjee held a parliamentary party meeting on Friday in Kolkata and announced that she wanted to withdraw from the central government and her decision would be conveyed to the Prime Minister after he returned from the Group of 20 meeting in Cannes, France.
But Singh defended the price hike in a statement in Cannes, pre-empting Banerjee.
“We must move in the direction of decontrolling more prices. I have no hesitation in saying that markets must find their own levels.”
Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee, too, said in Delhi that while prices of diesel, kerosene and cooking gas were controlled by the government, petrol was a de-controlled item.
A large section of the Congress saw Banerjee’s threat more as political posturing with an eye on her home audience, but the party did not want to take a chance and urged the government to “look into the matter very seriously”.
The reason: Other UPA allies, such as the DMK, NCP and National Conference, joined the anti-Centre chorus on Friday, sending an already jittery Congress scurrying for cover.
But party spokesperson Abhishek Singvhi said, “We are not here to fetter the jurisdiction and work of the government… we leave it to the discretion of the government to decide these steps.”
Once during the NDA regime, Banerjee actually went ahead and withdrew support in 2001, following a sting operation showing then party chief Bangaru Laxman accepting a bribe, but joined back in 2003.
Earlier in Kolkata, Banerjee said, “Petro prices were raised 11 times in the past 12 months. Never have we been consulted before the decisions that put common people in great distress.”
She called up rural development minister Jairam Ramesh around 9.30pm on Thursday to express her dissatisfaction. She also talked to commerce minister Anand Sharma in Kolkata on Friday morning.
According to Trinamool sources, Banerjee complained that the finance ministry had not only failed to control inflation, but had also allowed the situation to slip farther. She was also upset about the allies being kept in the dark on the price hike issue
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Thursday 3 November 2011
Hazare visits Rajghat, breaks his ‘maun vrat’
Social activist Anna Hazare on Friday broke his 19-day ’vow of silence’, saying it was not against any person or party but in the interest of his own health.
The 74-year-old Mr. Hazare broke his ‘maun vrat’ at Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial Rajghat at around 7 am, saying ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ He was observing the vow of silence since October 16.
Mr. Hazare, who had reached Delhi on Thursday night to attend a meeting of the Standing Committee on Lokpal Bill, said, “My vow of silence was not against any person or party. After 12-day hunger strike at Ram Lila Maidan, my health weakened. So, there was no other way then ‘maun’ which Mahatma Gandhi has shown us. So when such a situation comes you should do maun.
“After maun my situation has improved. BP and weight is normal. We have to fight for Lokpal and corruption. I have regained new strength to fight. I am ready to fight,” he said.
Mr. Hazare had started his ‘maun vrat’ at his native village in Maharashtra for ‘atma shanti’ (peace of soul).
Team Anna had got engulfed in a series of controversies including financial misconduct, during Mr. Hazare’s 19-day ‘maun vrat’
He had last week held a meeting with prominent members in Ralegan Siddhi during which it was decided that the anti-corruption movement will have a constitution and its core members will have to adhere to certain norms.
Mr. Hazare had threatened to launch another hunger strike if a strong Lokpal Bill is not passed in Parliament’s Winter Session.
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Wednesday 2 November 2011
Pakistan gives India MFN status
Islamabad/New Delhi: Pakistan Wednesday granted the "Most Favoured Nation" (MFN) status to India, reciprocating a 15-year-old gesture. India Inc said the decision will push up trade sharply.
India had given Pakistan the MFN status in 1996 but Islamabad did not respond positively. Ties between the two countries deteriorated after the Mumbai terror attack in 2008 for which Pakistan was blamed.
Wednesday's decision was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani. It said the move would help expand bilateral trade relations, Xinhua reported.
Hailing the decision, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) said the MFN status would have an exponential effect on growth of bilateral trade.
"It is a big moment which will not only double bilateral trade immediately but also put back life into the South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA)," Rajiv Kumar, secretary general of FICCI, told IANS.
"Now trade which was being conducted via Dubai can take place openly. This would immediately reflect in the books," Kumar added.
India-Pakistan trade was logged at $2.5 billion in 2010-11 and the two countries are targetting to double this in the next five years.
When a country grants a foreign territory the MFN status, it signifies that import barriers would be lowered and import quotas raised for goods originating from that country.
Pakistan would now loosen import restrictions from India. At present, Islamabad allows import of only 1,946 items from New Delhi. India does not permit trade in 850 items with Pakistan.
The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) claimed that Pakistan's decision would send trade soaring and reach a volume of $8 billion in less than five years.
"The MFN status will substantially reduce illegal and third country trade with the potential of raising official bilateral trade to $8 billion in less than five years," said Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General of CII.
"However, road blocks like stringent visa rules, difficulty in communication and opening of more trade routes still need to be addressed. As a next step, it is imperative to look at allowing bilateral investments to further strengthening economic cooperation and enhancing people to people contacts," added Banerjee.
The Pakistani government had hinted at granting the MFN status to India during the visit of its Commerce Minister Makhdoom Amin Fahim in September.
The Pakistan Readymade Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association welcomed the decision, saying this would help Pakistan gain a foothold in one of the fastest growing markets in the world.
But the Pakistan Automotive Manufacturers Association said Pakistan should be cautious as both countries were rivals in the automobile industry.
There has been opposition from several quarters in Pakistan to granting MFN status to India over fears that its domestic market would be flooded by Indian imports.
"There are fears that Indian goods will swamp the Pakistani market but these are uncalled for. In my interaction with Pakistani businessmen they show confidence that they can hold up on their own. Also, the Pakistanis will have access to the much larger Indian market," said FICCI's Kumar.
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