Kim Jong-il state funeral held in North Korea

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div id="5349" style="display: block;"> <ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">North Korea has begun two days of funeral services for late leader Kim Jong-il with a huge procession in the capital, Pyongyang.</span></span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: small;"> </span></li> <li style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">Footage showed tens of thousands of soldiers with their heads bowed as a giant portrait of Mr Kim was carried slowly through the streets</span></span><br /> </li> </ul></div></div>

Kim Jong-il state funeral held in North Korea

North Korea has begun two days of funeral services for late leader Kim Jong-il with a huge proces...

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China gets approval for Afghanistan oil exploration bid

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">China has gained potential access to millions of barrels of oil after it won approval for oil exploration and extraction in Afghanistan.</span></span></li> <li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;"> </span></span></li> <li style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">The country's cabinet approved a deal to allow China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) to develop oil blocks in the Amu Darya Basin.<strong> </strong></span></span><br /> <br /> </li> <li style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">The basin is estimated to hold around 87 million barrels of oil.</span></span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;"><strong></strong></span></span><br /> </li> <li style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">The deal comes as China is looking to expand its oil resources in wake of a growing domestic demand.</span></span></li> </ul></div>

China gets approval for Afghanistan oil exploration bid

China has gained potential access to millions of barrels of oil after it won approval for oil exploration and extraction in Afghanistan. ...

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Path Is Cleared for Yemeni Leader to Get Care in U.S.

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div id="5351" style="display: block;"> <ul><li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">The Obama administration has decided in principle to allow the embattled president of </span><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">Yemen</span><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">, </span><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">Ali Abdullah Saleh</span><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">, to enter the United States for medical treatment, subject to certain assurances.</span></span></li> <li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;"> </span></span></li> <li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">But those conditions — including a proposed itinerary — have not yet been submitted to the American Embassy in Yemen</span></span></li> </ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div></div></div>

Path Is Cleared for Yemeni Leader to Get Care in U.S.

The Obama administration has decided in principle to allow the embattled president of  Yemen ,  Al...

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Argentine president Cristina Fernandez has cancer

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">Argentina's President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner gives a thumbs-up after being sworn-in in Buenos Aires </span></span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: small;"> </span></li> <li style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">Cristina Fernandez will be operated on for thyroid cancer in January, a government spokesman said on December 27, 2011. The carcinoma has not metastasized</span></span><br /> </li> </ul></div>

Argentine president Cristina Fernandez has cancer

Argentina's President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner gives a thumbs-up after being sworn-in in Buenos Aires  Cristina Fernandez w...

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India on track for $25 billion trade with Japan by 2014

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;"><span>Japanese Prime Minister </span><span>Yoshihiko Noda</span><span> called for greater </span><span>economic relations</span><span> between two of Asia's largest economies, after India's trade minister said </span><span>bilateral commerce</span><span> was on track to reach a relatively low $25 billion by 2014. </span></span></span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: small;"> </span></li> <li style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">India and Japan enjoy warm diplomatic ties, but at a paltry $15 billion, bilateral trade in 2010 was less than 5 percent of Japan's commerce with China. </span></span><br /> </li> </ul></div>

India on track for $25 billion trade with Japan by 2014

Japanese Prime Minister  Yoshihiko Noda  called for greater  economic relations  between two of Asia's largest economies, after India...

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India to get Russian nuclear attack sub in days’

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">Indian Navy is set to receive a major boost when the much-awaited Russian 'Nerpa' nuclear attack submarine would join its fleet "in the next few days" on a 10-year lease worth USD 920 million.   </span></span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: small;"> </span></li> <li style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">The Akula-II class Nerpa nuclear submarine has finished sea trials and is now ready to be leased to the Indian navy in the next few days.</span></span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: small;"> </span></li> <li style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">The submarine, capable of remaining underwater for months will be rechristened as 'INS Chakra' and it would be for the first time in more than two decades that the Indian Navy would have a nuclear attack submarine. </span></span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: small;"> </span></li> <li style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">When Russia makes the delivery, it will make India only the sixth operator of nuclear submarines in the world.</span></span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: small;"> </span></li> <li style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">The ten-year lease is worth USD 920 million</span></span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: small;"> </span></li> <li style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">The submarine deal had figured during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Russia earlier this month. </span></span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: small;"> </span></li> <li style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">The Nerpa, an Akula II-class attack submarine, had originally been scheduled for delivery in 2008 </span></span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: small;"> </span></li> <li style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">The Akula-II class submarines are equipped with 28 nuclear-capable cruise missiles with a striking range of 3,000 km. The Indian version is reportedly expected to be armed with the 300-km Club nuclear-capable missiles. </span></span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: small;"> </span></li> <li style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">India had funded the completion of the Nerpa nuclear submarine at Amur Shipyard before the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. </span></span><br /> </li> </ul></div>

India to get Russian nuclear attack sub in days’

Indian Navy is set to receive a major boost when the much-awaited Russian 'Nerpa' nuclear attack submarine would join its fleet ...

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Shyamlal sets record in national weightlifting meet

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;"> Shyamlal M of SSCB has set a record by lifting 188 kg in clean and jerk in men`s 94 kg category in the National Weightlifting Championship on his way to winning the title and three gold medals.    </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">        </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size: small;"> </span></li> <li style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">Shyamlal broke the earlier record set by Sukhwinder Singh of Punjab in the same category in 2009.   </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">    </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;"> </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size: small;"> </span></li> <li style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">He also stood first in snatch by lifting 158 kg and 338 kg overall.</span></span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: small;"> </span></li> <li style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">In the 69 kg women category, Monika Devi of Jharkhand stood first in snatch (99 kg), clean and jerk (116 kg) and total (215 kg) and bagged three gold medals. </span></span><br /> </li> </ul></div>

Shyamlal sets record in national weightlifting meet

 Shyamlal M of SSCB has set a record by lifting 188 kg in clean and jerk in men`s 94 kg category in the National Weightlifting Championsh...

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<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">A Russian court rejected a petition seeking a ban on translation of Bhagavad Gita on account that it is "extremist literature" and promotes "social discord". </span></span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: small;"> </span></li> <li style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva; text-align: justify;">The court in the Siberian city of Tomsk began decided in favour of the translation by the founder of the international Hare Krishna movement. </span></span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: small;"> </span></li> <li style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva; text-align: justify;">The case filed by state prosecutors in Tomsk claimed that the renowned translation of the text, titled "Bhagavad Gita As It Is" is "extremist literature" and should join Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf on a list of banned books.</span> </span></div></li> </ul><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">"Bhagavad Gita As It Is" -- first published in 1968 -- is a translation of and commentary on the original text by Swami Prabhupada, the founder of the international Hare Krishna movement, ISKCON. </span></span><br /> </li> </ul></div>

A Russian court rejected a petition seeking a ban on translation of Bhagavad Gita on account that it is "extremist literature" ...

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Law to curb money laundering to go global, tougher

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div id="5357" style="display: block;"> <ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">The Government tabled the Prevention of Money-Laundering (Amendment) Bill, 2011, in the Lok Sabha</span></span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: small;"> </span></li> <li style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">. It seeks to introduce the concept of a “corresponding law” to link the provisions of Indian law to those of other countries and to provide for transfer of the proceeds of foreign predicate offence committed in any manner in India.</span></span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: small;"> </span></li> <li style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">The Bill enlarges the definition of money-laundering to include concealment, acquisition, possession and use of proceeds of crime as criminal activities and to remove the existing limit of Rs. 5 lakh in fine.</span></span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: small;"> </span></li> <li style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">The Bill provides for attachment and confiscation of the proceeds of crime even if there is no conviction so long as it is proved that money-laundering has taken place and the property in question is involved in the crime. It confers powers on the director of reporting entities, such as banks, financial institutions and intermediaries, to call for records of transactions or any additional information that may be required for prevention of the crime and to make enquiries for non-compliance with reporting obligations.</span></span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: small;"> </span></li> <li style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">The Bill proposes to make the reporting entities and their designated directors on the board and employees responsible for acts of commission and omission. The reporting entities need to maintain a record of all transactions, including information for reconstructing individual transactions. These entities will maintain records of documents in proof of the identity of their clients and beneficial owners as well as account files and business correspondence.</span></span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: small;"> </span></li> <li style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">The PMLA, 2002, was aimed at preventing money laundering and confiscating property derived from, or involved in, the crime. It was amended in 2005 and 2009 to remove the difficulties in its implementation.</span></span><br /> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;"><br /> </span></span><br /> </li> <li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva; text-align: justify;">The Bill also provides for appeal against the orders of the Appellate Tribunal in the Supreme Court, instead of in the High Court as mandated by the existing laws. A person aggrieved by the Tribunal's decision or order may file an appeal within 60 days of the date of communication of the order. The court may allow the appeal to be filed within a further period not exceeding 60 days, if it is satisfied that the applicant has been prevented by sufficient cause from appealing within the stipulated period</span></span></li> </ul></div></div>

Law to curb money laundering to go global, tougher

The Government tabled the Prevention of Money-Laundering (Amendment) Bill, 2011, in the Lok Sabha...

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India, Thailand to accelerate extradition treaty

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">Thailand and India are aiming to accelerate pacts to ensure that Bangkok does not remain a magnet for fugitives</span></span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: small;"> </span></li> <li style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">The two sides also held talks on connecting mega ports being built in Myanmar and Thailand with Indian ports</span></span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: small;"> </span></li> <li style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;"> The  two sides were keen on accelerating negotiations on transfer of sentenced persons and an extradition treaty.</span></span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: small;"> </span></li> <li style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">At present, the India-Thailand Joint Working Group on Security Cooperation looks into transnational crimes, counter terrorism and criminal justice matters. </span></span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: small;"> </span></li> <li style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">Thailand Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra who will be the chief guest at the Republic Day parade.</span></span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: small;"> </span></li> <li style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">Accelerating  the India-Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway besides focussing on connecting Indian ports with two mega port projects — Myanmar's Dawei Port and Pak Bara in Thailand — where Thai companies are investing in a big way.</span></span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: small;"> </span></li> <li style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">The  Early Harvest Scheme of the proposed Free Trade Agreement had already led to near doubling of bilateral trade, making India Thailand's 17th largest trading partner.</span></span><br /> </li> </ul></div>

India, Thailand to accelerate extradition treaty

Thailand and India are aiming to accelerate pacts to ensure that Bangkok does not remain a magnet for fugitives The two sides also hel...

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