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Nepalese political leader seeks India's help

     New Delhi: Nepalese political leader Sujata Koirala on Wednesday met BJP officials and urged Indian leaders to help in restoring democracy in Nepal. King Gyanendra, who sacked the democratic Sher Bahadur Deuba government on Feb.1, has drawn international criticism for imposing a state of emergency and suspending civil rights. Many political leaders and former Prime Ministers including Koirala's father G.P.Koirala were detained. Koirala met Bharatiya Janata Party leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi in the Capital to apprise him of the latest situation. "India is an old friend of Nepal and we have come here to help us restore democracy in our nation. We are very happy with today's meeting and we have been assured of all help for the restoration of democracy. We are very happy," she said. "We have always been in favour of democracy, people should be given their rights. We have always opposed emergency," Naqvi said. Protests against the king have been banned in Nepal where police and army have arrested hundreds of political activists who have tried to organise demonstrations calling for the restoration of democracy.

Canadian Parliament for public inquiry into Kanishka blast (Go To Top)

    Vancouver: The Canadian Parliament has passed an Opposition-moved non-binding motion for a public inquiry into the 1985 Air India bombing following acquittal of the two main accused in the case by a court leading to outrage among families of the 329 victims of the disaster. According to Canadian Press news agency., deeply embarassing the minority Liberal Government which insisted the vote is not binding, the motion was passed by 172-124 vote by House of Commons yesterday after a bitter exchange during which opposition leader Stephen Harper said whether an inquiry would have come sooner if more of the victims were white. Prime Minister Paul Martin reacted angrily, saying "any notions of racism are odious and any accusations of such are simply not (not) acceptable." Martin pointed out that Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan is working with the families of the Kanishka victims on an appropriate course of action. "She is seeking the questions that the families want to have answered. Unequivocally the government will take action in an appropriate way." The two main accused - Sikh businessman Ripudaman Singh Malik and mill worker Ajaib Singh Bagri - were last month found not guilty on all eight charges, including first degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. McLellan announced last week that she would appoint an "eminent person" to review the Air India file and make recommendations. The Indian Government yesterday took note of the Canadian Government's move to appoint an independent adviser and said it wanted justice to be done. (ANI-with other wire inputs)

Kirkuk bomb blast kills 12 police officials (Go To Top)

     Baghdad: At least 12 police officials have been killed in a bomb blast in the Iraqi city of Kirkuk, which included two senior officers. According to The News, the blast, which took place in the north of Kirkuk, also wounded three police officials. Director of the Kirkuk police Torhan Abdul Rehman told that the bomb disposal squad tried to defuse a bomb planted on the street side in the northeast area of Badwan however due to an explosion by some explosive material all the 12 police officials present there died on spot.

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