Pak asks Switzerland to revive graft cases against Zardari

Islamabad: Pakistan has dispatched an official letter asking Swiss authorities to revive graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari on the condition that such a move will be linked to the international immunity available to the head of state.  The government has written the letter to Swiss authorities in the light of the Supreme Court's directions and it was sent to Switzerland through the Foreign Office on Monday, state-run media reported today.  The letter was written in line with the apex court's orders and its text was the same as that agreed to by the court and Law Minister Farooq Naek, Radio Pakistan reported.  On October 10, a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court approved the draft of the letter after examining it behind closed doors.  The draft letter made it clear that any proceedings in Switzerland would be conditional to the immunity provided to the President by the Constitution and Pakistani and international laws.  The breakthrough came after weeks of sparring between the apex court and the government's legal team over the contents of the letter. The government was time given till November 10 to send the letter to Switzerland.  The government will now have to inform the court that the letter has been received by Swiss authorities.  A draft of the letter released by the Supreme Court last month states that a letter sent to Swiss authorities in May 2008 by then Attorney General Malik Qayyum to close graft cases against Zardari would be revoked.  The draft stated that the "aforesaid letter is hereby withdrawn and may be treated as never written and therefore revival of requests, status and claims, is sought".  It added: "This is without prejudice to the legal rights and defences of the Presidents/Heads of State which may be available under the law, constitution and international law."  Zardari and his slain wife, former premier Benazir Bhutto, were accused of laundering millions of dollars through Swiss banks.  The Supreme Court has been pressuring the government to revive the cases against the President since December 2009, when it struck down a graft amnesty issued by former military ruler Pervez Musharraf that benefited Zardari and over 8,000 others.  The government refused to act for months before Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf agreed to implement the apex court's orders after he was charged with contempt.  Ashraf's predecessor, Yousuf Raza Gilani, was convicted of contempt and disqualified in June for refusing to reopen the cases against Zardari.

Pak asks Switzerland to revive graft cases against Zardari

Islamabad: Pakistan has dispatched an official letter asking Swiss authorities to revive graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari on the condition that such a move will be linked to the international immunity available to the head of state.  The government has written the letter to Swiss authorities in the light of the Supreme Court's directions and it was sent to Switzerland through the Foreign Office on Monday, state-run media reported today.  The letter was written in line with the apex court's orders and its text was the same as that agreed to by the court and Law Minister Farooq Naek, Radio Pakistan reported.  On October 10, a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court approved the draft of the letter after examining it behind closed doors.  The draft letter made it clear that any proceedings in Switzerland would be conditional to the immunity provided to the President by the Constitution and Pakistani and international laws.  The breakthrough came after weeks of sparring between the apex court and the government's legal team over the contents of the letter. The government was time given till November 10 to send the letter to Switzerland.  The government will now have to inform the court that the letter has been received by Swiss authorities.  A draft of the letter released by the Supreme Court last month states that a letter sent to Swiss authorities in May 2008 by then Attorney General Malik Qayyum to close graft cases against Zardari would be revoked.  The draft stated that the "aforesaid letter is hereby withdrawn and may be treated as never written and therefore revival of requests, status and claims, is sought".  It added: "This is without prejudice to the legal rights and defences of the Presidents/Heads of State which may be available under the law, constitution and international law."  Zardari and his slain wife, former premier Benazir Bhutto, were accused of laundering millions of dollars through Swiss banks.  The Supreme Court has been pressuring the government to revive the cases against the President since December 2009, when it struck down a graft amnesty issued by former military ruler Pervez Musharraf that benefited Zardari and over 8,000 others.  The government refused to act for months before Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf agreed to implement the apex court's orders after he was charged with contempt.  Ashraf's predecessor, Yousuf Raza Gilani, was convicted of contempt and disqualified in June for refusing to reopen the cases against Zardari.

Xi Jinping appointed secretary-general of CPC National Congress

Beijing: A preparatory meeting of the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) appointed Vice President Xi Jinping as secretary-general of the five-yearly event Wednesday, a spokesperson said.  The agenda for the CPC congress was decided at the preparatory meeting Wednesday afternoon, said spokesperson Cai Mingzhao, Xinhua reported.  Xi is expected to replace President Hu Jintao as party chief in a once-a-decade power transition.  The agenda for the National Congress included issues such as to hear and examine the report submitted by the 17th CPC Central Committee, examining the report on the work of Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, deliberating and adopting the amendment to the party's constitution and to elect the party's 18th Central Committee and Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.  President Hu Jintao presided over the meeting, attended by 2,280 Party delegates and specially invited delegates.  There are a total of 2,325 delegates and specially invited delegates to the 18th Party congress. A 22-member delegate credentials committee was approved at the meeting. A presidium of the congress consisting of 247 members was also approved.  Those attending the meeting also approved the organisational setup and tasks of the secretariat of the congress.  The presidium of the congress had its first meeting Wednesday afternoon. Hu Jintao was present and delivered a speech. Presided over by Xi Jinping, secretary-general of the congress, the meeting approved a list of the presidium's 41-member Standing Committee including Hu Jintao.  The congress will open at 9.00 am. Thursday at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, and last seven days till Nov 14.

Xi Jinping appointed secretary-general of CPC National Congress

Beijing: A preparatory meeting of the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) appointed Vice President Xi Jinping as secretary-general of the five-yearly event Wednesday, a spokesperson said.  The agenda for the CPC congress was decided at the preparatory meeting Wednesday afternoon, said spokesperson Cai Mingzhao, Xinhua reported.  Xi is expected to replace President Hu Jintao as party chief in a once-a-decade power transition.  The agenda for the National Congress included issues such as to hear and examine the report submitted by the 17th CPC Central Committee, examining the report on the work of Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, deliberating and adopting the amendment to the party's constitution and to elect the party's 18th Central Committee and Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.  President Hu Jintao presided over the meeting, attended by 2,280 Party delegates and specially invited delegates.  There are a total of 2,325 delegates and specially invited delegates to the 18th Party congress. A 22-member delegate credentials committee was approved at the meeting. A presidium of the congress consisting of 247 members was also approved.  Those attending the meeting also approved the organisational setup and tasks of the secretariat of the congress.  The presidium of the congress had its first meeting Wednesday afternoon. Hu Jintao was present and delivered a speech. Presided over by Xi Jinping, secretary-general of the congress, the meeting approved a list of the presidium's 41-member Standing Committee including Hu Jintao.  The congress will open at 9.00 am. Thursday at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, and last seven days till Nov 14.

Two killed as bus rams into auto

MALAPPURAM: Two persons, including an infant, were killed and another person wounded seriously when the auto in which they were travelling was hit by a bus near Poonkalappadimana at Vallikkappatta in Malappuram. Police said the dead were identified as Lakshmi (32) and a 3-month-old girl child, adding her mother Babita, who sustained serious injuries, was admitted to Kozhikode Medical College. The infant was being taken to a hospital in Perinthalmanna in the district when the tragedy struck, they added.

Two killed as bus rams into auto

MALAPPURAM: Two persons, including an infant, were killed and another person wounded seriously when the auto in which they were travelling was hit by a bus near Poonkalappadimana at Vallikkappatta in Malappuram. Police said the dead were identified as Lakshmi (32) and a 3-month-old girl child, adding her mother Babita, who sustained serious injuries, was admitted to Kozhikode Medical College. The infant was being taken to a hospital in Perinthalmanna in the district when the tragedy struck, they added.

Minimum bus fare hiked to Rs 6

  

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:  The state government has hiked the bus charges. As per the new rate, minimum bus fares have been hiked by Re 1 to Rs 6. The fares of autos and taxis have also been hiked.

The cabinet had permitted to increase the fare of autos from Rs 12 to Rs 15 and that of taxi from Rs 60 to 100. The minimum fare for students has increased by 1 Re.

The bus fare was last hiked on August 8, 2011.

Minimum bus fare hiked to Rs 6

  

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:  The state government has hiked the bus charges. As per the new rate, minimum bus fares have been hiked by Re 1 to Rs 6. The fares of autos and taxis have also been hiked.

The cabinet had permitted to increase the fare of autos from Rs 12 to Rs 15 and that of taxi from Rs 60 to 100. The minimum fare for students has increased by 1 Re.

The bus fare was last hiked on August 8, 2011.

Police officer injured in attack

Kundara:  A police officer was hacked by a three-member gang at Kundara in Kollam district on Monday night. Nixon Charles, a civil police officer at Kundara police station was attacked by the gang.  Charle’s mother-in-law , Frigita Yesudasan, who came to his rescue, was also attacked by the gang. Charles suffered serious injuries on hands. Charle’s mother-in-law suffered injuries in a bid to save him. The gang members were identified as Joemon, Madhuprasad and Jithinprasad, the Kundara police said.

Police officer injured in attack

Kundara:  A police officer was hacked by a three-member gang at Kundara in Kollam district on Monday night. Nixon Charles, a civil police officer at Kundara police station was attacked by the gang.  Charle’s mother-in-law , Frigita Yesudasan, who came to his rescue, was also attacked by the gang. Charles suffered serious injuries on hands. Charle’s mother-in-law suffered injuries in a bid to save him. The gang members were identified as Joemon, Madhuprasad and Jithinprasad, the Kundara police said.

Student commits suicide in Osmania University

Hyderabad:  Frustrated over the delay in formation of a separate Telangana state, an Osmania University student committed suicide, leading to tension in the campus Wednesday.

V. Santosh, a degree student of a college in the city, hung himself from a tree in front of Arts College in Osmania University, which has been witnessing violent protests by students for last three years demanding separate statehood to Telangana.

The student, hailing from Adilabad district, resorted to the extreme step Tuesday night. He left behind a suicide note, blaming 'ruling classes' for creating hurdles in the formation of a Telangana state.

As the word spread, a large number of students gathered on the campus early Wednesday, raising slogans against the government.

Tension prevailed on the campus as students resisted police attempts to shift the body for autopsy. They even thrashed a policeman in plainclothes.

The protestors were demanding that the body not be shifted till all ministers and MPs of Congress party from Telangana submit their resignations. They also want to take out funeral procession from the university to Gun Park near the state assembly. Police, however, refused them permission.

Osmania University students' Joint Action committee has called for a shutdown of all educational institutions in Telangana.

The university postponed all examinations scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday.

Pro-Telangana groups of over 600 people, mostly youth, have committed suicide towards their demand for a separate state during the last three years.

IANS

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Student commits suicide in Osmania University

Hyderabad:  Frustrated over the delay in formation of a separate Telangana state, an Osmania University student committed suicide, leading to tension in the campus Wednesday.

V. Santosh, a degree student of a college in the city, hung himself from a tree in front of Arts College in Osmania University, which has been witnessing violent protests by students for last three years demanding separate statehood to Telangana.

The student, hailing from Adilabad district, resorted to the extreme step Tuesday night. He left behind a suicide note, blaming 'ruling classes' for creating hurdles in the formation of a Telangana state.

As the word spread, a large number of students gathered on the campus early Wednesday, raising slogans against the government.

Tension prevailed on the campus as students resisted police attempts to shift the body for autopsy. They even thrashed a policeman in plainclothes.

The protestors were demanding that the body not be shifted till all ministers and MPs of Congress party from Telangana submit their resignations. They also want to take out funeral procession from the university to Gun Park near the state assembly. Police, however, refused them permission.

Osmania University students' Joint Action committee has called for a shutdown of all educational institutions in Telangana.

The university postponed all examinations scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday.

Pro-Telangana groups of over 600 people, mostly youth, have committed suicide towards their demand for a separate state during the last three years.

IANS

`

China's future leadership faces unprecedent challenges'

Beijing:  When the new top leaders of the Communist Party of China (CPC) are elected at the 18th CPC National Congress, slated to convene Nov 8, they will inherit great wealth from the past success while facing unprecedented challenges, Xinhua reported Wednesday.

The CPC's achievements, especially those made in the past decade, are praiseworthy - a point acknowledged even by some sceptical Western media, said an article titled "China's future leadership to inherit fortune, burden" that was released by the state-run news agency.

The CPC ushered in efficient management for the world's most populous country, bringing China back to the center stage of world affairs.

In the past decade, China has become the world's second-largest economy, the world's biggest manufacturer and exporter and the owner of the world's greatest amount of foreign exchange reserves. Not since the Opium War in 1840 when the country was crashed by Western powers has China held such power.

The country's growing middle class and the drastic decrease in the number of people living in poverty all testify to the CPC's ruling capacity and will generate future development opportunities.

China's potential has yet to be tapped in terms of industrialization, urbanization, informationization and agricultural modernization, as pointed out by Premier Wen Jiabao at the Summer Davos Forum in September.

Economic restructuring has become more noticeable recently, with new economic zones, which used to be located almost exclusively along the country's eastern coastal area, extending inland.

In the first three quarters of this year, inland provinces and municipalities have outshined their coastal counterparts in terms of the economic growth rate. Green energies, high-tech industries and some other emerging industries are moving into China's central and western regions.

Many experts believe that in the long term, China will thrive due to its strong political leadership and great market potential.

"With growing integration with global development, China is able to make full use of markets and resources, both internally and externally, to achieve its growth," said Qin Gang, a professor with the teaching and research department of scientific socialism at the Party School of the CPC Central Committee.

China is stronger and now has more room and power to maneuver its development than it did 30 years ago. Meanwhile, more advanced experience from other countries is available for China to learn from, he added.

"Apart from the improvement in its all-around strength, China shows another significant competitive advantage - a whole set of self-created mechanisms with which it can respond to challenges, which have been revealed and proven effective," he adds. Qin cited China's countermeasures taken in response to the 2008 global financial crisis as an example.

IANS

China's future leadership faces unprecedent challenges'

Beijing:  When the new top leaders of the Communist Party of China (CPC) are elected at the 18th CPC National Congress, slated to convene Nov 8, they will inherit great wealth from the past success while facing unprecedented challenges, Xinhua reported Wednesday.

The CPC's achievements, especially those made in the past decade, are praiseworthy - a point acknowledged even by some sceptical Western media, said an article titled "China's future leadership to inherit fortune, burden" that was released by the state-run news agency.

The CPC ushered in efficient management for the world's most populous country, bringing China back to the center stage of world affairs.

In the past decade, China has become the world's second-largest economy, the world's biggest manufacturer and exporter and the owner of the world's greatest amount of foreign exchange reserves. Not since the Opium War in 1840 when the country was crashed by Western powers has China held such power.

The country's growing middle class and the drastic decrease in the number of people living in poverty all testify to the CPC's ruling capacity and will generate future development opportunities.

China's potential has yet to be tapped in terms of industrialization, urbanization, informationization and agricultural modernization, as pointed out by Premier Wen Jiabao at the Summer Davos Forum in September.

Economic restructuring has become more noticeable recently, with new economic zones, which used to be located almost exclusively along the country's eastern coastal area, extending inland.

In the first three quarters of this year, inland provinces and municipalities have outshined their coastal counterparts in terms of the economic growth rate. Green energies, high-tech industries and some other emerging industries are moving into China's central and western regions.

Many experts believe that in the long term, China will thrive due to its strong political leadership and great market potential.

"With growing integration with global development, China is able to make full use of markets and resources, both internally and externally, to achieve its growth," said Qin Gang, a professor with the teaching and research department of scientific socialism at the Party School of the CPC Central Committee.

China is stronger and now has more room and power to maneuver its development than it did 30 years ago. Meanwhile, more advanced experience from other countries is available for China to learn from, he added.

"Apart from the improvement in its all-around strength, China shows another significant competitive advantage - a whole set of self-created mechanisms with which it can respond to challenges, which have been revealed and proven effective," he adds. Qin cited China's countermeasures taken in response to the 2008 global financial crisis as an example.

IANS

Narain, Karun to team up

Bangalore:  India's only two Formula One drivers Narain Karthikeyan and Karun Chandhok Tuesday confirmed their debut participation in the 2012 Race of Champions (ROC) as Team India at the event that will be held in Thailand Dec 15-16.

The two-day event will also see participation of seven-time F1 World champion Michael Schumacher, reigning F1 champion Sebastian Vettel, MotoGP champion Jorge Lorenzo and Indycar champion Ryan Hunter-Reay.

After recent visits to London's Wembley Stadium (2007-2008), Beijing's 'Bird's Nest' Olympic Stadium (2009) and Dusseldorf's ESPRIT arena (2010-2011), ROC 2012 will take place on a specially constructed tarmac track with two parallel lanes winding their way round Bangkok's Rajamangala Stadium.

Michael Schumacher and Vettel, representing Germany, have won the team event for the last five years and will return to defend their crown this year.

This will be the first time since 2004 that India's two leading drivers will be part of the same team, since the World Series Renault Championship.

Karthikeyan, who drives for HRT, said: "It's really cool to receive an invitation to participate in the Race of Champions. What a fantastic honour it is as well. The competition is the strongest in the world with only the best of the best from many different forms of motor sport all competing against each other."

"The added benefit of representing your country is a real privilege, and one which I have done before in my career, so I know how special that feels. Karun and I are definitely going to enjoy ourselves, racing against our peers in some pretty cool machinery, but we will also be gunning for victory, and with a bit of luck, we will bring glory to our nation."

World Endurance Championship driver Chandhok, who drove for HRT in 2010 and Lotus in 2011, said: "I'm very excited about going to the Race of Champions this year! It's fantastic that the organisers have decided to have an Indian team and Narain and I had the dates free to do it.

"The event looks like a lot of fun while obviously being very competitive. The concept of ROC Asia is very interesting - we have seen in the last 10 years how motor sport has been shifting to this end of the world more and more and it's great that Fredrik and his team at ROC have embraced this.

"Narain and I haven't been in the same team since 2004 when neither of us was an F1 driver. A lot has changed in life since then and it should be a lot of fun to work together again."

Race organizer Fredrik Johnsson said: "We have been looking forward to ROC Asia ever since we knew we were coming to Bangkok this year and the line-up has lived up to our expectations.

"With the might of China and India in the mix, we hope to see plenty of new motor sport fans cheering on their heroes at the Race of Champions. Narain and Karun are a formidable pairing for Team India and will certainly be a threat."

The end-of-season contest, which is being staged for the 25th consecutive year in 2012, brings together the world's greatest drivers from motorsport's main disciplines - including Formula 1, World Rally, touring cars, Le Mans, MotoGP, Indycar and the X-Games.

They will compete in pairs in identical machinery. Driver's pair up for the ROC Nations Cup, this year scheduled for December 15, before the individual Race Of Champions the following day.

The Race of Champions is a knockout tournament through a series of head-to-head races in identical cars on a parallel track. The stars fight it out to prove they have what it takes to be crowned 'Champion of Champions'.

The event starts with a group stage to ensure fans get to see plenty of action from every driver. The racers face up to each of the other drivers in their group, with cars swapped round between heats so they all have to prove themselves in a variety of machinery. The most successful drivers move on to the quarter-finals.

From there, it's back to a head-to-head knockout competition to get to the semi-finals and then the Grand Final.

IANS

Narain, Karun to team up

Bangalore:  India's only two Formula One drivers Narain Karthikeyan and Karun Chandhok Tuesday confirmed their debut participation in the 2012 Race of Champions (ROC) as Team India at the event that will be held in Thailand Dec 15-16.

The two-day event will also see participation of seven-time F1 World champion Michael Schumacher, reigning F1 champion Sebastian Vettel, MotoGP champion Jorge Lorenzo and Indycar champion Ryan Hunter-Reay.

After recent visits to London's Wembley Stadium (2007-2008), Beijing's 'Bird's Nest' Olympic Stadium (2009) and Dusseldorf's ESPRIT arena (2010-2011), ROC 2012 will take place on a specially constructed tarmac track with two parallel lanes winding their way round Bangkok's Rajamangala Stadium.

Michael Schumacher and Vettel, representing Germany, have won the team event for the last five years and will return to defend their crown this year.

This will be the first time since 2004 that India's two leading drivers will be part of the same team, since the World Series Renault Championship.

Karthikeyan, who drives for HRT, said: "It's really cool to receive an invitation to participate in the Race of Champions. What a fantastic honour it is as well. The competition is the strongest in the world with only the best of the best from many different forms of motor sport all competing against each other."

"The added benefit of representing your country is a real privilege, and one which I have done before in my career, so I know how special that feels. Karun and I are definitely going to enjoy ourselves, racing against our peers in some pretty cool machinery, but we will also be gunning for victory, and with a bit of luck, we will bring glory to our nation."

World Endurance Championship driver Chandhok, who drove for HRT in 2010 and Lotus in 2011, said: "I'm very excited about going to the Race of Champions this year! It's fantastic that the organisers have decided to have an Indian team and Narain and I had the dates free to do it.

"The event looks like a lot of fun while obviously being very competitive. The concept of ROC Asia is very interesting - we have seen in the last 10 years how motor sport has been shifting to this end of the world more and more and it's great that Fredrik and his team at ROC have embraced this.

"Narain and I haven't been in the same team since 2004 when neither of us was an F1 driver. A lot has changed in life since then and it should be a lot of fun to work together again."

Race organizer Fredrik Johnsson said: "We have been looking forward to ROC Asia ever since we knew we were coming to Bangkok this year and the line-up has lived up to our expectations.

"With the might of China and India in the mix, we hope to see plenty of new motor sport fans cheering on their heroes at the Race of Champions. Narain and Karun are a formidable pairing for Team India and will certainly be a threat."

The end-of-season contest, which is being staged for the 25th consecutive year in 2012, brings together the world's greatest drivers from motorsport's main disciplines - including Formula 1, World Rally, touring cars, Le Mans, MotoGP, Indycar and the X-Games.

They will compete in pairs in identical machinery. Driver's pair up for the ROC Nations Cup, this year scheduled for December 15, before the individual Race Of Champions the following day.

The Race of Champions is a knockout tournament through a series of head-to-head races in identical cars on a parallel track. The stars fight it out to prove they have what it takes to be crowned 'Champion of Champions'.

The event starts with a group stage to ensure fans get to see plenty of action from every driver. The racers face up to each of the other drivers in their group, with cars swapped round between heats so they all have to prove themselves in a variety of machinery. The most successful drivers move on to the quarter-finals.

From there, it's back to a head-to-head knockout competition to get to the semi-finals and then the Grand Final.

IANS

President Barack Obama wins re-election

President Barack Obama wins re-election

Tags: Obama, re-elected US president WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama has been re-elected to a second term, defeating Republican challenger Mitt Romney. With results in from most states, America's first black president has secured the 270 votes in the Electoral College needed to win the race. Obama prevailed despite lingering dissatisfaction with the economy and a well-funded challenge by Romney. Obama's margin of victory is not yet certain because four states have yet to report results. With swing states Virginia, Florida and Colorado still too close to call, Obama has won 281 electoral votes to Romney's 203. Under the US constitution, each state is given a number of electoral votes in rough proportion to its population. The candidate who wins 270 electoral votes - by prevailing in the mostly winner-takes-all state contests - becomes president. The popular vote, which is symbolically and politically important but not decisive in the race, remains too close to call. On Tuesday, the president held the White House by assembling solid Democratic states and a number of important swing states such as Iowa, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. His narrow victory in Ohio, a critical Mid-Western swing state, sealed the victory. Romney, former governor of Massachusetts, won North Carolina and Indiana, as well as the solid Republican states. But he was unable to win in Ohio or other states needed to breach the 270 threshold. Also on Tuesday's ballot were 11 state governorships, a third of the seats in the 100-member US Senate and all 435 seats in the House of Representatives. Republicans are projected to keep control of the House, while Democrats are tipped to remain in control in the Senate.  Survey says Indian-Americans vote for Obama in swing states WASHINGTON: Nearly three-fourth of Indian Americans voted for US President Barack Obama in the swing states which are considered to be decisive in final results, a sample survey has found. In the survey done by San Francisco-based April Media among those voted from Ohio, Colorado, Wisconsin, Florida and Virginia, 75 per cent of Indian Americans voted for Obama. In Pennsylvania, however, the community favoured Mitt Romney, the Republican presidential candidate. Indian Americans in Pennsylvania think that "Obama did not bring about the changes he promised," April Media said. Interestingly, among total Indian Americans in these swing states, only 40 per cent were registered to vote as rest of them was either on a temporary visa status or permanent residents, the press statement said. In the national survey, 60 per cent favored Obama, while 20 per cent favoured Romney. As many as 10 per cent of the people surveyed stayed away from voting while 10 per cent did not even bother to register to vote. "The interesting thing was about 20 per cent of Indian Americans who believed in Republican policies defected towards Obama camp," said April Media in a statement issued here.

President Barack Obama wins re-election

President Barack Obama wins re-election

Tags: Obama, re-elected US president WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama has been re-elected to a second term, defeating Republican challenger Mitt Romney. With results in from most states, America's first black president has secured the 270 votes in the Electoral College needed to win the race. Obama prevailed despite lingering dissatisfaction with the economy and a well-funded challenge by Romney. Obama's margin of victory is not yet certain because four states have yet to report results. With swing states Virginia, Florida and Colorado still too close to call, Obama has won 281 electoral votes to Romney's 203. Under the US constitution, each state is given a number of electoral votes in rough proportion to its population. The candidate who wins 270 electoral votes - by prevailing in the mostly winner-takes-all state contests - becomes president. The popular vote, which is symbolically and politically important but not decisive in the race, remains too close to call. On Tuesday, the president held the White House by assembling solid Democratic states and a number of important swing states such as Iowa, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. His narrow victory in Ohio, a critical Mid-Western swing state, sealed the victory. Romney, former governor of Massachusetts, won North Carolina and Indiana, as well as the solid Republican states. But he was unable to win in Ohio or other states needed to breach the 270 threshold. Also on Tuesday's ballot were 11 state governorships, a third of the seats in the 100-member US Senate and all 435 seats in the House of Representatives. Republicans are projected to keep control of the House, while Democrats are tipped to remain in control in the Senate.  Survey says Indian-Americans vote for Obama in swing states WASHINGTON: Nearly three-fourth of Indian Americans voted for US President Barack Obama in the swing states which are considered to be decisive in final results, a sample survey has found. In the survey done by San Francisco-based April Media among those voted from Ohio, Colorado, Wisconsin, Florida and Virginia, 75 per cent of Indian Americans voted for Obama. In Pennsylvania, however, the community favoured Mitt Romney, the Republican presidential candidate. Indian Americans in Pennsylvania think that "Obama did not bring about the changes he promised," April Media said. Interestingly, among total Indian Americans in these swing states, only 40 per cent were registered to vote as rest of them was either on a temporary visa status or permanent residents, the press statement said. In the national survey, 60 per cent favored Obama, while 20 per cent favoured Romney. As many as 10 per cent of the people surveyed stayed away from voting while 10 per cent did not even bother to register to vote. "The interesting thing was about 20 per cent of Indian Americans who believed in Republican policies defected towards Obama camp," said April Media in a statement issued here.

Several killed in Syria car bombings

DAMASCUS: A number of people have been killed in two car bomb attacks in Syria. The first occurred outside a state-run development agency in Ziyara, a village in the central province of Hama.  State media reported that two people had been killed and 10 others injured, but one activist group said at least 50 soldiers and militiamen had died.

The second blast left 11 people dead in Mezzeh 86, a predominantly pro-government district in the west of the capital, Damascus, officials said.

The violence came as the main opposition coalition, the Syrian National Council (SNC), announced that it had broadened its membership to more than 400, taking in activists and groups from inside Syria.

The move, announced at a meeting in Qatar, seeks to deflect criticism that the exile-led coalition fails to represent people on the ground.

On Thursday, SNC members will consider a US-backed proposal to set up a new 50-member leadership group that speaks for all the major opposition factions and includes military commanders and local councils.

The SNC would have a minority stake in the new leadership group, but some opposition figures are still sceptical that the effort will succeed.

Military post

In Syria, the state news agency Sana reported that there had been a suicide attack in Ziyara, which is situated in the rural Sahl al-Ghab area of the Orontes river valley north-east of the city of Hama.

An official source was quoted as saying a car packed with one tonne of explosives had blown up outside the local Centre for Rural Development, killing two civilians and wounding 10 others.


However, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a UK-based activist group, reported that the assailant had targeted a military post in Ziyara and killed at least 50 soldiers and pro-government militiamen.

"The post, located at the Centre for Rural Development, is the largest gathering place for troops and pro-regime militiamen in the region," SOHR director Rami Abdul Rahman added.

The SOHR said the attack had been carried out by the al-Nusra Front, a shadowy jihadist group which has said it was behind many of the large-scale bombings which have rocked Syria in the past year.

Ahmed Raadoun, a member of the rebel Free Syrian Army in the Hama suburbs, told the New York Times that the bomb had caused extensive casualties and other damage in what he described as a "big operation".

Later, another car bomb exploded in a busy square in Mezzeh 86, killing at least 11 people and injuring dozens, state media said.

Residents told the BBC that two buildings were badly damaged and that shrapnel had been found 500m (1,640ft) away from the scene.

The rebel Aisha brigade said it was behind the attack, which it said targeted pro-government shabiha militiamen.

The BBC's Lina Sinjab in Damascus says the bombing was the first of its kind in Mezzeh 86, many of whose residents are members of President Bashar al-Assad's Alawite sect.

The area is heavily guarded by the security forces and the assailant would have had to pass through several checkpoints, she adds.