North Korea rocket breaks up in flight

Pyongyang, North Korea (CNN) -- Defying warnings from the international community, North Korea launched a long-range rocket on Friday, but it broke apart before escaping the earth's atmosphere and fell into the sea.

The launch drew condemnation from United States and countries in the region, as well as an unusual admission of failure from Pyongyang, which had invited in journalists and space experts from around the world for the occasion.

The U.N. Security Council is expected to meet Friday to discuss the launch, which North Korea insists was intended to put an observation satellite in orbit. The United States, South Korea and Japan say the operation is a cover for a ballistic missile test.

In a break from previous practice, the North Korean state media announced that the rocket had not managed to put the satellite into orbit. In the past, North Korea has insisted that failed launches have been successful. Read More...

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Launch makes food aid "impossible," Obama administration official says
• North Korean state media say the rocket failed to put satellite in orbit
• U.N. Security Council will meet Friday on the matter
• Short-lived flight never escaped the atmosphere, officials say

Boom, boom, boom!' Navy jet crash stuns Virginia neighborhood

A Navy F/A-18D fighter slams into apartments in Virginia Beach, setting buildings aflame. No deaths and only a few injuries are reported.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Robert Leggett is accustomed to the deep roar of Navy jet fighter planes flying over his rooftop in this military town. But at lunchtime Friday, the F/A-18D Hornet that flew screaming above his apartment window didn't sound right.

"It sounded way too low," Leggett, 27, recalled. He should know. He's a Navy enlisted man who repairs Navy jet fighters.

Spilling fuel, the Hornet slammed into an apartment complex 100 feet from where Leggett stood in his bedroom Friday afternoon. Remarkably, there were no initial reports of deaths after about 40 units in the complex were destroyed or damaged by flames.

"The whole rooftop was in flames," Leggett said, describing plumes of black smoke that rose high into the clear blue spring sky. "I saw six or eight people on their hands and knees, crawling out of their apartments." Read More...

Myanmar president says by-elections "Very Successful"

Myanmar's President Thein Sein arrives for the 20th ASEAN summit meeting at the Peace Palace in the Office of the Council of Ministers in Phnom Penh April 3, 2012.

Myanmar President Thein Sein said on Tuesday the country's by-elections at the weekend, which were swept by the opposition, were carried out successfully.

"It was conducted in a very successful way," the retired general told reporters during a summit of Association of South East Asian Nation leaders in Cambodia, his first public comment on Sunday's elections for vacant parliamentary seats.

Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi's party won a landslide in the vote, a victory she hailed as a "triumph of the people" after decades of military dictatorship.

Her party won 40 of the 45 seats being contested, the Election Commission announced on state television, dealing a crushing blow to a ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) created by the former military junta.

Thein Sein's USDP still holds most of parliament's 664 seats, thanks to 2010 elections held while Suu Kyi was in detention and her party boycotted the polls.

SKorea to work with US to reduce Iran oil imports

Barack Obama speaks in Seoul, South Korea. The president is moving ahead with tough new sanctions aimed at squeezing Iran's oil exports after determining there is enough crude on world markets to take the step without harming U.S.

SEOUL, South Korea — South Korean officials say they will continue working with the U.S. to reduce oil imports from Iran after President Barack Obama greenlighted potential sanctions against countries that continue to buy Iranian oil.

South Korea is one of several major importers of Iranian oil that have not received exemptions from the U.S. sanctions.

Foreign Ministry officials in Seoul said Saturday that they expect to reach an agreement with Washington by late June on reducing oil imports from Iran. The officials declined to be named because discussions were still under way.

South Korea has already restricted financial dealings with more than 200 groups and individuals with suspected links to Iran's nuclear program. Seoul relies on Iran for up to 10 percent of its oil.

Maharashtra: Naxals blow up CRPF bus in Gadchiroli, 11 killed

Mumbai: Naxals struck again in Gadchiroli in Maharashtra killing at least 11 CRPF men and injuring 29 others by triggering a landmine blast. The death toll is likely to rise as the blast targeted a bus full of CRPF personnel. The blast took place at an area under Dhanora police station near Pushtola killing the personnel belonging to the CRPF's 192 Battalion.



The 40 CRPF personnel were a part of a road opening party and were travelling from Pushtola to Gatta in the district, which has Chhattisgarh on its east, Andhra Pradesh in the south and Madhya Pradesh on the north. The area around Pushtola, where the blast took place, is isolated and therefore, it is difficult for relief and rescue to reach the area immediately.

A rescue helicopter reached to spot and the injured were being flown to Gadchiroli.

The Maharashtra state DGP headed to Gadchiroli immediately after the news of the incident. CRPF Chief K Vijay Kumar is on a tour of Maharashtra and was in Gadchiroli area after he started from Nagpur this morning, CRPF officials said, adding he was now on his way to the attack spot.

This is not the first time that Naxals have struck in the area. In 2009, 17 people were killed, while in 2011, four policemen were killed in the area.

Obama heads to SKorea for nonproliferation summit

President Barack Obama has departed for Seoul, South Korea, for an international summit

ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE, Md. (AP) — President Barack Obama has departed for Seoul, South Korea, for an international summit on keeping nuclear materials out of the hands of terrorists.

More than 50 world leaders are expected to attend the gathering on Monday and Tuesday.

Obama's visit comes amid new tension with the North over a planned long-range rocket launch. The U.S. has said the plan jeopardizes a deal to provide American food aid.

Obama's first stop on Sunday morning will be at the Demilitarized Zone separating North and South Korea. His visit is likely to be read by the North as a special show of strength to its new, untested leader.

Air Force One took off from Andrews Air Force Base after midnight.

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Sankarankovil SC Bye Election 2012 Latest Results News and Election Updates

Sankarankovil  - Sankara Narayanar, Gomathi Ambal Temple 

Sankarankovil is one of the main constituencies of the district Tirunelveli. The results of Sankarankovil candidates from major parties contested in Tamil Nadu state assembly by poll election 2012 are listed.

SadhanThirumalaikumar.T	MDMK
Velladurai.P	Independent
Ganesan.S	AIJMK
Sankar.G	Independent
Murugan.L	BJP
Udayar.P	Independent
Ayyanu.M	Independent
Muthukumar.K	DMDK
Perumal.S	Independent
Arumugam.S	Independent
Nageswara Rao.K.S	SP
J JawaharSuryakumar	DMK
Muthuselvi.S	AIADMK

Sankarankovil SC Bye Election 2012 Latest News and Election Updates: The Sankarankovil Bye Election 2012 is to be held on 18th of March 2012, Sunday as announced by the Election Commission of India in a report. The Tamilnadu Sankarankovil Bye Election 2012 will be conducted on behalf of the death of C. Karuppasamy death on... Read More about SNKL

Earthquake in Japan: Strong tremor felt but no apparent damage

A magnitude-6.8 earthquake first struck the southern coast of Hokkaido island in the evening, causing a small tsunami.

TOKYO: A series of earthquakes rattled Tokyo and northeastern Japan on Wednesday evening but caused no apparent damage or injury in the same region hit by last year's devastating tsunami.

A magnitude-6.8 earthquake first struck the southern coast of Hokkaido island in the evening, causing a small tsunami. Tsunami advisories were issued along the northern Pacific coast, prompting some communities to advise residents to evacuate coastal homes.

A swelling of 20 centimeters (8 inches) was observed in water at the port of Hachinohe in Aomori about an hour after the tremor, with smaller changes reported elsewhere. The agency lifted all tsunami advisories within about 90 minutes.

Within about three hours, a magnitude-6.1 quake shook buildings in the capital. It was centered just off the coast of Chiba, east of Tokyo, at a rather shallow 15 kilometers (9 miles) below the sea surface. Read More...

 

Massacre makes Obama "more determined" to leave Afghanistan

President Barack Obama

President Barack Obama said on Monday the massacre of 16 villagers by a U.S. soldier increases his determination to get American troops out of Afghanistan, while a U.S. official said the accused staff sergeant previously had suffered traumatic brain injury.

Sunday's shootings triggered angry calls from Afghans for an immediate American exit. Obama said there should not be a "rush to the exits" for U.S. forces who have been fighting in Afghanistan since 2001 and that the drawdown must be carried out in a responsible way.

The accused U.S. Army staff sergeant walked off his base in the southern province of Kandahar in the middle of night and gunned down at least 16 villagers, mostly women and children.

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said the death penalty could be sought in the U.S. military justice system against the soldier, whose name has not been publicly disclosed.

Afghan men investigate at the site of an shooting incident in Kandahar province, March 11, 2012.

Referring to Sunday's massacre, Obama said in an interview with KDKA, a CBS affiliate in Pittsburgh: "It makes me more determined to make sure we're getting our troops home."

"It's time. It's been a decade, and, frankly, now that we've gotten (Osama) bin Laden, now that we've weakened al Qaeda, we're in a stronger position to transition than we would have been two or three years ago," Obama added, referring to the al Qaeda leader killed by U.S. forces last year in Pakistan. Read More...

India Vs Pakistan semifinals World Cup 2011 was fixed? UK newspaper's sting operation with bookie

World Cup 2011 World Cup semi-final clash between India and Pakistan at Mohali being fixed emerged on Sunday. According to a report in Times of India

Allegations of the high-profile World Cup 2011 World Cup semi-final clash between India and Pakistan at Mohali being fixed emerged on Sunday. According to a report in Times of India, an undercover journalist of England’s Sunday Times has taped a conversation with a Delhi-based bookie named Vicky Seth in a sting operation.

The bookie has revealed in the conversation that bookies used unnamed Bollywood actress to lure cricketers to fix the most awaited match of the entire championship. The report also added that the game’s governing body, the International Cricket Council (ICC), was aware of the involvement of the Bollywood actress - a claim denied by the ICC.

The bookie stressed that the amount of money involved in cricket will always be a motivation for illegal activities.

Seth further added that English county is becoming a thriving market for fixing matches owing to the lesser scrutiny of the low profile matches played in England’s domestic cricket.

The bookie also asserted that huge money is there to be made in Test matches and the Indian Premier League (IPL).

According to statistics revealed by the report, batsmen can earn up to £44,000 for slow scoring and bowlers can earn £50,000 for conceding runs in set patterns, with another £750,000 on the table for a player or official who can guarantee the outcome of a match.

In the light of the sting operation, questions and doubts are bound to be raised about certain suspicious happenings, including the reprieving of Sachin Tendulkar four times in that semi-final.

The undercover reporter who carried out the sting operation is the one who also exposed three Pakistani cricketers, who were later convicted of “spot-fixing” in a Test match in England in 2010.

2012 fundraising: Congressional races get more attention from GOP

Republican fundraisers and strategists alarmed at the course of the 2012 presidential campaign are increasingly focusing their attention on congressional races, as the party’s chances of unseating President Barack Obama appear to grow more remote.

Thanks to a long, damaging nomination fight and shifts in the Senate landscape, top Republican donors are becoming more concerned about their ability to hold seats in the House and recapture the majority in the upper chamber.

Gone is the triumphalist thinking of a year ago, which imagined the GOP extending its 2010 wave and easily installing a Republican president. Even among Republicans who believe that remains possible, few think it is likely — or easy to achieve. Conservative commentator George Will gave voice to these concerns in his Sunday column when he urged his party to retrench and shore up congressional candidates.

Leading Republicans are now pondering how best to head off a successful Obama reelection campaign that keeps the Senate in Democratic hands and allows the president’s party to gain ground in the House. Read More...

Earthquake in North India, strong tremors in Delhi

An earthquake felt across north India has shaken buildings and sent office workers running into the streets in the Indian capital, New Delhi

New Delhi:  Strong tremors were felt in Delhi and its surrounding areas at 1.10 pm today. In South Delhi's Greater Kailash Part One, where the NDTV studio is located, the building could be felt shaking. Viewers in Gurgaon also said that they could feel the tremors. However, there were no reports of any casualty or damage. No aftershocks were reported.

Initial reports placed the earthquake's magnitude between 4.9 and 5.2 on the Richter scale. The epicentre was reportedly Bahadurgarh in Haryana. In Delhi, some cellphone networks went down for a bit.

"In Vasant Kunj (South Delhi) we felt the tremors for about 6-7seconds," said NDTV viewer Shahida Khan. "I work in DLF Cybercity in Gurgaon and the earthquake was pretty strong here," posted Pankaj Sachdeva on our forum. (Post your comments here) In Sector 49, Sohna Road, Gurgaon, people ran out of offices. "It felt stronger here compared to recent tremors we've felt in Delhi and nearabouts. The floor shook hard on the third floor," said Tia Mohan who works at Electrolux.

" Yes, in my office too at South Delhi (Jasola). We all felt tremors with good strength. Chairs, lifts were shaking," shared Shyama.

A portion of a school's roof crumbled in Rohtak due to the earthquake, but no injuries were reported.

Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com/article/cities/earthquake-in-north-india-strong-tremors-in-delhi-182693&cp

Syria 'green lights' aid into hard-hit Baba Amr

Aid w\orkers are given the "green light" to evacuate the wounded, the ICRC says

(CNN) -- Aid workers were given the go-ahead by President Bashar al-Assad's government to begin evacuating the wounded and delivering supplies Friday to the shattered rebel stronghold in Homs as reports emerged that Syrian forces turned attention to other targets in the city.

Opposition reports of shelling and sniper attacks in Sunni-dominated neighborhoods follow news that Syrian forces seized Baba Amr, a flashpoint in a nearly year-long uprising that has left thousands dead.

The International Committee of the Red Cross and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent have "received the green light" to enter Baba Amr, Carla Haddad Mardini, an ICRC spokeswoman, said.

She predicted the humanitarian aid and evacuation operations would be made more complex because snow was falling in the city.

Even as the Syrian government agreed to allow aid into the neighborhood, the U.N. Security Council unanimously called on al-Assad to grant immediate access to its humanitarian chief, Valerie Amos. Read More...

Quran-Burning Protests Escalate

Afghans hold an effigy of President Barack Obama at a demonstration Friday near Kabul. Some two dozen people have been killed in protests.

Afghan demonstrators shout anti-US slogans

KABUL — Afghanistan's government and religious leaders struggled to mollify angry worshippers Friday, as a new wave of deadly protests against the burning of Qurans at a U.S. military base swept across the country.

While most of Friday's demonstrations ended peacefully, several degenerated into turbulent clashes between Afghan police and marchers chanting anti-American slogans. The deadliest of these clashes took place in Herat, a normally tranquil city in western Afghanistan, where demonstrators tried to march toward the U.S. consulate compound. At least seven people were killed and 65 injured during confrontations with the Afghan security forces in the province, according to Mahiddin Noori, a spokesman for the Herat governor.

At one point during the unsuccessful attempt to reach the U.S. Consulate, three demonstrators were killed when they set fire to a police truck equipped with heavy ammunition. The truck exploded amid the group of police and protesters.

In total, at least two dozen people have been killed, including two U.S. soldiers, in four days of violence that erupted after U.S.-led coalition forces at the Bagram Airfield tried to burn a truckload of Islamic literature, including copies of the Quran, Islam's holy book. Read More...

Sehwag, Tendulkar too 'slow' for ODIs? Dhoni Says

India seems to be going from bad to worse, their hopes of qualifying for the CB tri-series finals hanging in balance after back-to-back losses to Australia and Sri Lanka respectively.

What adds to their woes is the abysmal showing in all departments. While the bowlers were listless in both the above-mentioned matches, conceding 288 and 289 runs respectively, and giving away more than 90 runs in the final ten overs, the batsmen were no better.

- Like Ponting, should Sachin quit ODIs?



The senior duo of Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag were biggest flops in both defeats. Tendulkar's wait for his 100th international century seems unending as his batting takes a steep downward slide. He has just 90 runs to show from five innings in the tri-series, while Sehwag has 30 from three innings.

Yet, the team management keeps persisting with the two seniors. The 'perform or perish' mantra, applicable to every sport, appears forgotten.

In showing Ricky Ponting the door in ODIs, only a couple of days after he was asked to lead the side in the absence of the injured Michael Clarke, Australia showed why they continue to be one of the top teams in world cricket.

One wonders why the Indian selectors aren't adopting a similar stance.

Former India player, and now television commentator, Sanjay Manjrekar highlighted the issue in a post on Twitter. "Oz selectors know they have the support of media & fans when they drop a player on performance whatever his stature. An Indian selector does not have that luxury,' he wrote.

Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was direct in his criticism of the Indian top three batters and explained why the three are being rotated.

'It's not that these fielders are bad, but for this environment and these conditions and big outfields, they are slightly on the slower side. They will be exploited. It will affect our fielding in a big way, which means there will be more pressure on the batsmen to score those extra 20 runs. But if the middle-order does not perform consistently well, you may have to go with the experienced guys at the top of the order,' he said.

- Top three not playing all games because they are slow: Dhoni

So, indirectly, Dhoni made it clear that compromises are being made as the team is forced to play at least one or two of the three seniors in every game.

Manoj Tiwary hit a century in his last ODI, against the West Indies, yet he hasn't got a game in the tournament despite Rohit Sharma also being made to sit out after a run of poor scores.

Is the presence of the out-of-form seniors affecting the team's performance in the tri-series? Do you agree with Dhoni that Sehwag, Tendulkar and Gambhir are 'slow' for ODIs? Is it time for the trio to quit ODIs?