World / Social Life
Germany's Social Democrats Struggle to Shake off Crisis
31.05.2008 16:18
dw-world.de
Germany's Social Democrats ruled out working with a far left party after next year's federal election as they sought a way out of an internal crisis Saturday which has sent their popularity plunging.
Germany
Social Life
Bodybuilding pros plead guilty in murder case
31.05.2008 14:31
usatoday.com
Bodybuilding champions Craig Titus and Kelly Ryan have entered last-minute guilty pleas in connection with the murder of the ...
USA
Social Life
Ghost-hunting groups enjoy surge in popularity
31.05.2008 14:31
usatoday.com
Ghost-hunting groups around the country are swelling with members their popularity fueled by television shows, the Internet ...
USA
Social Life
Discovery crew prepares for launch
31.05.2008 14:31
usatoday.com
The Discovey crew has donned their partial pressure suits for launch and is preparing to leave their quarters.
USA
Social Life
Storms rake Midwest, chase Ill. lawmakers into basement
31.05.2008 14:31
usatoday.com
Tornado warning sirens chased lawmakers to the statehouse basement, a semitrailer was blown from a roadway and homes and an airport ...
USA
Social Life
Putin says president will remain key political figure in Russia
31.05.2008 11:19
rian.ru
Russia
Social Life
Russia says no reasons to suspect Iran's nuclear aspirations
31.05.2008 11:19
rian.ru
Russia
Social Life
US Free German Suspected of Terrorism in Kabul
31.05.2008 10:21
dw-world.de
US military authorities in Afghanistan have released a German of Afghan origin detained at a military airbase near Kabul five months ago on suspicion of terrorism.
Germany
Social Life
German Men Given Suspended Sentences in Racist Attack
31.05.2008 10:21
dw-world.de
A court in Germany has handed three men suspended prison sentences for a vicious racist attack on two immigrants from Africa that marred a country wine festival in Germany last summer.
Germany
Social Life
Childhood pal from Pakistan at a loss for words over his meeting with Manmohan Singh
31.05.2008 10:20
b4uindia.com
Certain emotions cannot be explained and such was the emotion that Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's friend from Pakistan felt after a forty-five-minute-long reunion with his 'Mohana'. A school friend from Pakistan, Raja Ali Mohammad met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi on Friday after nearly six decades of separation. The Prime Minister did not mind extending the scheduled 30-minutes meeting by an extra 15-minutes, as he wanted to spend a memorable time with his schoolmate from Pakistan. Dressed in traditional Pakistani attire Ali, while talking to media persons here on Saturday, could not find the words to explain his visit. "I cannot express the emotions that I felt. I am short of words. The love and affection that I received from Singh and his wife is simply unexplainable. We had our old talks. Pakistan has already invited him. I personally invited him to visit our village. People are waiting for him there," Ali said. Ali could not stop himself from narrating key happenings of the much sought after meeting where Singh sat holding his hands. Singh kissed the mud and water of his school in Pakistan brought by Ali, and clearly expressed his adoration and reverence for his friend. Ali told reporters that people from both Pakistan and India should be easily allowed to unite with their ancestral lands and meet old friends and relatives. "Everybody in India and Pakistan wants that there should be peace and harmony between both the countries. And the visa formalities should be much more relaxed so that people from the both countries can easily pay visit to their relatives. People form Pakistan should come here and visit their ancestral land. And similarly Indians should go to Pakistan and see their culture and land. I came here in peace and harmony. I will be short of words about my experience here if anybody asks me once I'll go after crossing Wagah border," Ali added. Earlier, when Manmohan Singh became India's Prime Minister in May 2004, Ali Mohammad had sent his personal greetings through his nephew, a Deputy Commissioner in Pakistan, along with a set of embroidered golden Punjabi slippers, popularly called "Tille Wali Jutti", as a gift. Expressing his gratitude to his native villagers and to his friend in Pakistan, Singh promised to visit his native village some day. Raja Ali crossed over to India on May 23, and brought with him other souvenirs of their shared past. Apart from the soil and water of Gah Village, he also carried photographs of the village and of the Katasraj temple, besides a copy of the school record where Singh's name was registered. Interacting with the media on his arrival, Ali said that it was due to Singh that the Government of Pakistan had built two high schools and hospitals in Gah village. Ali informed that an under-construction school in Pakistan would soon be named after Singh. (ANI)
India
Social Life
Fuel price hike decision likely today
31.05.2008 10:20
b4uindia.com
The core group of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government met on Friday evening to review the options available to the Government to tackle the spurt in global crude prices, but it is not clear if a price hike will be taken by the Cabinet today. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Defence Minister A K Antony, Home Minister Shivraj Patil, Finance Minister P Chidambaram and Petroleum Minister Murli Deora, comprising of the core group, deliberated over the options on Friday evening. The core group didn’t comment on the issue. However, there is a possibility of price hike, raising petrol price by Rs 3, 4, 5 or 7 a litre and diesel by Rs 1, 2, 3 and 4 per litre. Besides, a Rs 20 per cylinder hike in domestic LPG price may also be proposed. The current petrol price is Rs 48.22 (Premium) and Rs 45.22 (Normal). Diesel is priced at Rs 33.05 currently. Crude petroleum prices have gone up four times in the last five years, eleven times in nine years and doubled in the last year. The cost of a barrel of oil has increased like never before and it appears it will increase further. On Friday US crude climbed to 127.90 Dollar a barrel, while London Brent to 128.48 Dollar a barrel. The Prime Minister had multiple brainstorming sessions with the core group on ways to curtail the projected Rs 225,000 crore revenue loss on sale of petrol, diesel, domestic LPG and kerosene this fiscal. Sonia Gandhi, the UPA Chairperson was also consulted on Thursday. (ANI)
India
Social Life
Two copters make emergency landing near Ludhiana
31.05.2008 10:20
b4uindia.com
Two MI-17 helicopters of the India Air Force (IAF) had to make an emergency landing at Gumtala village near Ludhiana after they developed technical snags in their engines. The helicopters were on a routine sortie between the Pathankot Air Force Base and another base near Ludhiana in Punjab. One of the helicopters was forced to land in the fields after it developed a snag during flight in the afternoon; the other helicopter landed nearby for the provision of aid. Wing Commander R.B.Singh along with his co-pilot and two others were on the helicopter and were in contact with the Halwara Air Force Base.IAF officials said the crew of both helicopters were safe. On hearing the news, villagers hurried to the spot to help the crew. “We came from a village on hearing about the helicopter. The incident (emergency landing) happened around one o’clock. Earlier, it was a bit lower, but then, we saw it landing in the village,” said Sanjeev Kumar, a villager at the site. Others were also clueless about the incident, but flocked to the venue out of curiosity. “ The plane has landed. We have come to see it. I don’t know what has happened. I don’t know what the problem is,” said Shyam Singh On being informed about the incident, the officer in charge of the Bilga Police Station, Nirmal Singh, rushed to the spot with other police personnel. Captain Vikram Singh, the Chief Operational Officer of the Indian Air Force in the area, has assessed the situation, but refused to make any statement. Meanwhile, IAF officers said that if the weather is fine, the technical faults would be fixed sooner than later. (ANI)
India
Social Life
SSB personnel seize explosives from Nepal border
31.05.2008 10:20
b4uindia.com
In a major breakthrough, Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) guards have seized a huge cache of explosive from a youth along the Nepal border. Abbas Ali was intercepted on the basis of a tip off by SSB personnel in eastern Panitanki, some 35 kilometers from Siliguri. Security forces recovered Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and four detonators. "We found four detonators, one safety fuse and two types of explosives, one low and the other high end," said Rajesh Tikku, Deputy Commandant of the 22nd SSB battalion. "I am innocent and have no idea of IEDs. One of my friends asked me to deliver the bag," said Ali. Ali was later handed over to West Bengal state police by the SSB for further interrogation. The porous border between India and Nepal has become a source of worry to the authorities, with smugglers taking advantage of the difficult terrain. India and Nepal share a 1,400-kilometre open border without enough checking points to prevent smuggling. The Mechi River, which flows along the border with Nepal, is also a conduit of smuggling goods. (ANI)
India
Social Life
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