Gilani stands disqualified as PM, rules Supreme Court

Islamabad, June 19: The Pakistani Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled that Yousuf Raza Gilani stood disqualified as Prime Minister as well as MP since the apex court’s on April 26 verdict holding him in contempt of court for refusing to reopen corruption cases against President Asif Ali Zardari.

A three-member bench comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, Justice Jawwad S Khawaja and Justice Khilji Arif Hussain heard a set of constitutional petitions challenging National Assembly Speaker Fehmida Mirza’s ruling over Gilani’s qualification as Prime Minister, Dawn News reported.

The petitions were filed by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI) and advocate Azhar Chaudhry challenging the speaker’s ruling that the apex court verdict in the contempt case did not disqualify Gilani from holding the prime minister’s post.

A seven-member bench of the apex court had convicted Gilani on April 26 of contempt of court. The court, however, sentenced him only “until the rising of the court”, or till the time the judges left the court chamber. That was only for about 30 seconds after the verdict was handed down.

“Yousuf Raza Gilani has become disqualified from being member of the parliament. He has also ceased to be the prime minister of Pakistan with effect from the same date on April 26 and office of the Prime Minister shall be deemed to be vacant accordingly,” said Chief Justice Chaudhry, reading the order.

The court asked Zardari to take necessary steps under the constitution to ensure continuation of the democratic process through parliamentary system of government in the country.

During Tuesday’s hearing, Attorney General Irfan Qadir said the Prime Minister was not answerable to the court over the dispensation of his professional duties.

A resolution had been moved by the government and was adopted by the National Assembly on June 14.

“We respect the courts. However, state institutions should try to avoid a clash among themselves,” the attorney general said. The chief justice said the judiciary respected parliament and that there was no clash between the state institutions.

Khilji said the court’s duty was to interpret the law and the constitution, and to stop all measures which violate these.

Attorney General Qadir said if the court issued an order against the speaker’s ruling, parliament would declare it invalid. Qadir said the verdict of the seven-judge bench in the contempt of court case against Gilani was “unconstitutional”, and he feared that the court may issue “another ruling which could be against the law”. There was no law in the country which addresses the issue of the contempt of court, the attorney general said.

Khilji said the attorney general should provide evidence for his claim that the country had no law to address the contempt issue.

Qadir said the prime minister being summoned by the court was also against the law, and that the immunity which the office of the president enjoys could only be eliminated by parliament. The chief justice said Gilani’s conviction could have been suspended if it was challenged.

Gilani has refused to write to the Swiss authorities to reopen a corruption case against Zardari, arguing that the president enjoys immunity under the constitution.

Accused of graft, Zardari had been granted amnesty under the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) in 2007 by then president Pervez Musharraf to facilitate his return and, primarily that of his wife, former prime minister Benazir Bhutto. Zardari and Bhutto were suspected of using Swiss accounts to launder about $12 million in alleged bribes paid by companies seeking customs inspection contracts in the 1990s.

The NRO that granted immunity to politicians and bureaucrats in corruption cases was struck down by the Supreme Court as void in 2009.

The apex court warned the government of action if its ruling on the NRO was not implemented by January 10, 2012. It ordered Gilani to write a letter to the Swiss authorities to reopen cases against Zardari.

Under the constitution, anyone convicted of defaming or ridiculing the judiciary is barred from being an MP.

The matter of disqualification fell first on National Assembly Speaker Fehmida Mirza, also a member of the ruling PPP, who said conviction for contempt was not a charge that meant Gilani should be disqualified under the constitution.

Gilani subsequently decided not to appeal his conviction in a move interpreted as an effort not to antagonise the court into disqualifying him. (IANS)

US praises India?s ?huge role? in Afghanistan

Washington, June 19: In the face of reported Taliban praise for India for standing up to the United States over the situation in the war-torn Afghanistan, the US has appreciated India’s “huge role” and support there.

The US was also appreciative of “the economic support that it’s giving; the support that it’s giving to the Afghan National Security Forces, including in police training,” she said.

State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland, who said she had not seen the Taliban’s comments about New Delhi’s role, noted: “India has joined us in calling for Afghan-Afghan reconciliation and a process to do that. I’m not aware that anybody has asked India to play a direct role in that, though.”

Asked if there was a discussion between India and US at their strategic dialogue here last week about New Delhi playing a larger role in Afghanistan after the 2014 drawdown of US led forces, Nuland said: “Well, India is playing a huge role.”

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had taken note of India’s “some $2 billion worth of investment” she said. “We’re also encouraged by the East-West Road Project that India is sponsoring, which we think can play a strong role in increasing trade and investment across the region. We’ve encouraged the police training programme. So all of these things are good steps and they help knit the region together in a democratic direction.”

The US itself has done a lot of work with Afghan forces, Nuland said suggesting, “There have been manifest improvements in the security situation there, and now we’re in the process of turning many of those areas over to Afghan leadership, in line with the 2014 process.”

The Taliban’s rare praise of India came in a commentary on its English language website. Calling India “a significant country in the region,” it said Indians were well aware of the “aspirations, creeds and love for freedom” of the Afghan people.

Observers in New Delhi saw the commentary as an attempt by the Taliban to assure India that it need not worry about the return of the militia to Kabul despite its close ties with Pakistan. (IANS)

Putin, Obama agree to continue missile talks

Los Cabos (Mexico), June 19: Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Barack Obama have agreed to continue dialogue on missile defence despite a difference of opinion on this issue.

The sides also agreed to adhere to the strict implementation of the new START treaty and continue dialogue on strategic stability.

Russia has retained staunch opposition to the planned deployment of US missile defence systems near its borders, claiming they would be a security threat.

NATO and the US insist that the shield would defend NATO members against missiles from North Korea and Iran and would not be directed at Russia.

Moscow insists it should receive legal guarantees from Washington that its European missile defence shield will not target Russia's strategic nuclear forces.

The New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START), which entered into force on February 5, requires that the US and Russia each reduce by 2018 to no more than 1,550 deployed strategic warheads on no more than 700 deployed intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) and nuclear-capable bombers.

The treaty includes monitoring measures that provide confidence that each side could detect a militarily significant violation in a timely manner.

Under the treaty, the sides routinely exchange data on strategic offensive weapons on March 1 and on September 1 every year. (IANS/RIA Novosti)

US hails Russia?s contribution to Afghan mission

Washington, June 19: The US recognizes Russia’s contribution to building a better future for the Afghan people and hopes for further cooperation in providing security in the war-torn Centarl Asian state, the US State Department said.

“We take note of the significant contribution to international security that has resulted from the arrangements between the United States and Russia - bilaterally and through NATO - to support ground and air transit into and out of Afghanistan,” said a fact sheet released on Monday after a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Barack Obama in Los Cabos. “In accordance with these arrangements, over 2,200 flights, over 379,000 military personnel, and over 45,000 containers of cargo have been transported through Russia in support of operations in Afghanistan,” the fact sheet said.

Moscow also signed a $367.5 million deal in 2011 with the US Defence Department for 21 Mi-17V5 transport/attack helicopters to expand the fleet of helicopters in service with the Afghan army. In addition, Russia will train 30 Afghan helicopter technicians in 2012 to “enhance the capacity of the Afghan security forces to keep their fleet of helicopters mission-ready as they assume greater responsibility for Afghanistan's security”.

All NATO combat troops are scheduled to leave Afghanistan by the end of 2014. Moscow is reportedly in talks with NATO on the so-called “multimodal” cargo transit from Afghanistan, which would "increase the efficiency of NATO withdrawal. In line with the new scheme, cargos from Afghanistan would be delivered to the Russian Volga city of Ulyanovsk by plane, and then transferred to Europe by train. (IANS/RIA Novosti)

Living alone spells higher mortality risk for heart patients

Washington, June 19: Living alone could hasten one’s death, especially among those who have suffered heart attack and stroke, says a new study.

Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) researchers analysed data from 44,573 participants in the international Reduction of Atherothrombosis for Continued Health (REACH) Registry.

Participants at risk for or with atherosclerosis (hardening of blood vessels) were followed for up to four years for cardiovascular events. Of the 44,573 participants, 19 per cent (8,594) lived alone. The researchers found that those with atherosclerosis who lived alone had a higher rate of death over four years compared to those who did not live alone - 14.1 per cent vs. 11.1 per cent, respectively, the journal Archives of Internal Medicine reports.

Death specifically caused by cardiovascular problems was also higher among those living alone, 8.6 per cent vs. 6.8 per cent, respectively, according to a Brigham statement. Moreover, a person’s age influenced mortality risk among those living alone. When looking at participants 45 to 80 years old, those living alone had higher mortality and risk of cardiovascular death compared to those who did not live alone. However, after age 80, living arrangement did not appear to play a role in mortality risk.

“Living alone may be a marker of a stressful situation, such as social isolation due to work or personal reasons, which can influence biological effects on the cardiovascular system,” said Jacob Udell, cardiologist at Brigham and lead study investigator. “Also, patients who live alone may delay seeking medical attention for concerning symptoms, which can increase their risk of dying from a heart attack or stroke,” added Udell. (IANS)

Dharun Ravi not to be deported to India: repor

North Brunswick (New Jersey), June 19: Indian-American Dharun Ravi, a former Rutgers University student, will not be deported to India on completion of his sentence for spying on his gay roommate with a web camera, according to US media reports. Ravi is expected to be released from the Middlesex County jail in North Brunswick on Tuesday morning after completing 20 days of his 30-day sentence, The Star-Ledger - NJ.com reported. He has received 10 days off his sentence for good behavior as per state regulations, the local news site said citing Warden Edmond Cicchi. Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal said US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials won’t move to deport Ravi, who was convicted in March of multiple second-degree bias counts for spying on his Rutgers University roommate Tyler Clementi, in September 2010. “Based on a review of Ravi’s criminal record, ICE is not initiating removal proceedings at this time,” ICE said in a statement cited by the journal. India-born Ravi, 20, a legal permanent resident of the US, faced deportation to India following his conviction, but that possibility was diminished when he was sentenced to less than a year in jail, it noted. (IANS)

Indian-American engineer-physicist named US varsity VC

Washington, June 19: Mitra Dutta, a distinguished Indian-American engineer-physicist, who has studied at Guwahati and Delhi universities, has been named vice chancellor for research at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Dutta, a former senior executive with the US Army Research Office, has served as interim vice chancellor at one of America’s leading research universities since January, overseeing a research enterprise with annual expenditures of more than $340 million.  Announcing her appointment, Chancellor Paula Allen-Meares said: “Dr Dutta’s outstanding performance as interim vice chancellor and her distinguished record as a researcher, administrator and teacher make her the ideal choice to take on this vital role.” In accepting the position, Dutta said, “It’s a privilege to serve in this position and work with so many excellent researchers across our campus. We want to provide the best environment possible for our faculty to carry on their important work.” The vice chancellor is responsible for the enhancement of excellence in research throughout the campus, and assuring academic integrity in research endeavours and compliance with federal, state and local regulations pertaining to research, including protection of human participants in research trials. (IANS)

He sealed robbery with a kiss

Rome, June 19: A man was arrested in Rome on Tuesday for robbing a pharmacy with a hammer, and giving the pharmacist a kiss before leaving the crime scene, AKI news agency reported. Police said the 36-year-old man used a hammer as a weapon to rob the pharmacy in June last year.  He forced the proprietor to hand over 1,500 euros from the cash register, and before leaving the shop, he gave the pharmacist a kiss on the cheek. Police were able to identify the suspect -- known for having committed similar crimes -- through witness testimony and images from a video surveillance camera. It was, however, not known whether the pharmacist was a man or a woman. (IANS)

Girl in coma wakes up hearing mom sing

London, June 19: A seven-year-old British girl who went into a coma for a week after being struck by an extremely rare brain haemorrhage, woke up after her mother started singing one of her favourite songs by Adele. Charlotte Neve of Trawden, Lancashire, suffered extensive brain damage and was left unable to speak or see. After two surgeries to stop bleeding in her brain, she went into coma, and doctors told her mother Leila that she may not survive, The Sun reported. But when the 31-year-old Leila went to the hospital room, Adele’s “Rolling In The Deep” song came on the radio, a song the mother-daughter pair used to sing together. Leila started singing it to her daughter, and Charlotte began to smile, leaving doctors astounded. Within two months, she astonished doctors yet again, by learning to walk and talk and regaining partial sight. Charlotte suffered the haemorrhage in her sleep in April, following a normal night watching DVDs with her mother and sister. Doctors found she had a massive 12.1 mm aneurism on the main artery on the back of her brain. Doctors performed two operations, but the girl suffered a series of strokes. She has now gone back to school for one hour a day, has her speech therapy, and is also attending dance classes where she does street, ballet and tap dancing. (IANS)

British mom kills kids, spends night with bodies

London, June 19:  British woman faces at least 38 years in prison on charges of killing her two children while they slept in a hotel room in Spain and spending the night with their lifeless bodies. Lianne Smith, 45, admitted suffocating her five-year-old daughter Rebecca Smith and 11-month-old son Daniel with a plastic bag at a hotel in Lloret de Mar in the Costa Brava coastal region in May 2010. She went on trial at the Provincial Court in Girona, in northeast Spain. A jury will determine whether she is criminally responsible for the children’s deaths, The Sun reported. Her defence lawyer is seeking an acquittal, claiming the woman was in a state of “psychiatric disturbance” when the incident took place . The killings took place shortly after the woman’s partner was arrested in Barcelona by Spanish police acting on a European arrest warrant. He was deported to Britain. The family had been living in Spain since 2007 after fleeing Lichfield, Staffordshire, when the man was accused of sexually abusing a young girl. The following day, the woman asked the hotel’s reception for the police and an ambulance to be called. She confessed to the police and judicial authorities that she had killed her children. (IANS)

Singer Ghazala Javed and her father shot dead in Pakistan

Islamabad, June 19: Famous Pashto singer Ghazala Javed and her father were shot dead by motorcycle-borne gunmen in Pakistan’s Peshawar city, police said. The attack took place in Dabgari area when Javed went to a beauty parlour along with her father Mohammad Javed on Monday night, the Dawn News reported on Tuesday. Hailing from Swat valley, Javed married around two years ago. Following differences with her husband, she started living with her father. (IANS)