Italian marine back in India appeal for unity

Rome: One of two Italian marines who face homicide charges in India has urged Italian politicians to show a united front on their behalf.

'Right now, it doesn't help us to know who to blame, because it doesn't lead us anywhere, and political parties bouncing responsibility off each other is even less useful,' Massimiliano Latorre wrote to a journalist, Toni Capuozzo.

'What we ask for now is not division, but that they link arms, join forces and resolve this tragedy,' ANSA news agency quoted him as saying.

The two marines, Latorre and Salvatore Girone, were sent back to India Friday after a two-week diplomatic tug-of-war between the two countries exacerbated political tension within Italy.

Italy had announced the servicemen would not return to India after they came home to vote in last month's general election.

This prompted the Indian Supreme Court to order the Italian ambassador to New Delhi not to leave the country which, in turn, led to Rome to make a U-turn and send the servicemen back.

The handling of the affair prompted former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi to blast outgoing premier Mario Monti for doing 'everything wrong' and call for him to be stripped of his status as Life Senator.

Mediaset said Latorre's email would be read out in its entirety on Monday night's edition of its Terra! show.

The Italian foreign minister has quit in disgust over the issue of sending back the marines to India to face charges of killing two Indian fishermen who they thought were pirates.

The Indian Supreme Court first allowed the two marines to return to Italy to celebrate Christmas. They flew back to India. But when they went back a second time to vote in elections, Italy said they won't return.

Italian marine back in India appeal for unity

Rome: One of two Italian marines who face homicide charges in India has urged Italian politicians to show a united front on their behalf.

'Right now, it doesn't help us to know who to blame, because it doesn't lead us anywhere, and political parties bouncing responsibility off each other is even less useful,' Massimiliano Latorre wrote to a journalist, Toni Capuozzo.

'What we ask for now is not division, but that they link arms, join forces and resolve this tragedy,' ANSA news agency quoted him as saying.

The two marines, Latorre and Salvatore Girone, were sent back to India Friday after a two-week diplomatic tug-of-war between the two countries exacerbated political tension within Italy.

Italy had announced the servicemen would not return to India after they came home to vote in last month's general election.

This prompted the Indian Supreme Court to order the Italian ambassador to New Delhi not to leave the country which, in turn, led to Rome to make a U-turn and send the servicemen back.

The handling of the affair prompted former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi to blast outgoing premier Mario Monti for doing 'everything wrong' and call for him to be stripped of his status as Life Senator.

Mediaset said Latorre's email would be read out in its entirety on Monday night's edition of its Terra! show.

The Italian foreign minister has quit in disgust over the issue of sending back the marines to India to face charges of killing two Indian fishermen who they thought were pirates.

The Indian Supreme Court first allowed the two marines to return to Italy to celebrate Christmas. They flew back to India. But when they went back a second time to vote in elections, Italy said they won't return.

Obama names the first woman to head the Secret Service

Washington: President Barack Obama on Tuesday chose veteran agent Julia Pierson to lead the Secret Service, the first woman to head the agency, a year after its reputation was tarnished by a scandal involving male agents and prostitutes in Colombia.

Pierson will replace Mark Sullivan, who was in charge during the Colombia scandal - one of the worst in the agency's history. He retired as director in February.

The Secret Service has been criticized for having an insular, male-dominated culture, and Pierson's appointment also comes as Obama fends off criticism that his second-term picks for high-level posts have not included enough women and minority candidates.

Pierson, a native of Florida, is currently chief of staff at the Secret Service and began her career as a special agent with the Miami field office in 1983. The director's position does not require confirmation by the U.S. Senate.

'Julia is eminently qualified to lead the agency that not only safeguards Americans at major events and secures our financial system, but also protects our leaders and our first families, including my own,' Obama said in a statement.

Starting in 1988, Pierson served four years with the Presidential Protective Division, and she became deputy assistant director of the Office of Protective Operations in 2005.

The Secret Service has been trying to rebuild its image after the April 2012 scandal when agency employees in Cartagena ahead of a visit by Obama took prostitutes to their hotel rooms.

It led to an official investigation that concluded that the president's safety had not been compromised, but the scandal was a big embarrassment for the agency.

Sullivan apologized to Congress last year for the episode, which he said reflected poor decisions by agents and was not representative of the agency's culture.

In a statement Tuesday, he said Pierson would excel in the role. 'I have known and worked with Julie for close to 30 years,' Sullivan said about his successor. 'This is a historic and exciting time for the Secret Service and I know Julie will do an outstanding job.'

Pierson also received accolades from a key Democrat in Congress. Her appointment 'is welcome news and a proud milestone,' Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Tom Carper said in a statement.

SPECULATION OVER FORMER OFFICIAL

Sources had told Reuters earlier this month that Obama had chosen retired Secret Service official David O'Connor to head the agency. Former law enforcement agents said they had heard he had withdrawn his name, but that was not officially confirmed and O'Connor did not respond to several attempts to reach him.

The National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, or NOBLE, had written to the White House in opposition to O'Connor.

O'Connor's name had cropped up in a long-running racial discrimination lawsuit after one email that used racially charged language was sent to him, but his attorney said he did not distribute it further.

Ronald Kessler, who has written a book about the Secret Service, said black agents applied pressure that went all the way up to Obama to torpedo O'Connor's appointment.

Kessler predicted that Pierson's appointment will not change the Secret Service. 'Only an outside director can shake up the agency,' he said.
Reuters

Obama names the first woman to head the Secret Service

Washington: President Barack Obama on Tuesday chose veteran agent Julia Pierson to lead the Secret Service, the first woman to head the agency, a year after its reputation was tarnished by a scandal involving male agents and prostitutes in Colombia.

Pierson will replace Mark Sullivan, who was in charge during the Colombia scandal - one of the worst in the agency's history. He retired as director in February.

The Secret Service has been criticized for having an insular, male-dominated culture, and Pierson's appointment also comes as Obama fends off criticism that his second-term picks for high-level posts have not included enough women and minority candidates.

Pierson, a native of Florida, is currently chief of staff at the Secret Service and began her career as a special agent with the Miami field office in 1983. The director's position does not require confirmation by the U.S. Senate.

'Julia is eminently qualified to lead the agency that not only safeguards Americans at major events and secures our financial system, but also protects our leaders and our first families, including my own,' Obama said in a statement.

Starting in 1988, Pierson served four years with the Presidential Protective Division, and she became deputy assistant director of the Office of Protective Operations in 2005.

The Secret Service has been trying to rebuild its image after the April 2012 scandal when agency employees in Cartagena ahead of a visit by Obama took prostitutes to their hotel rooms.

It led to an official investigation that concluded that the president's safety had not been compromised, but the scandal was a big embarrassment for the agency.

Sullivan apologized to Congress last year for the episode, which he said reflected poor decisions by agents and was not representative of the agency's culture.

In a statement Tuesday, he said Pierson would excel in the role. 'I have known and worked with Julie for close to 30 years,' Sullivan said about his successor. 'This is a historic and exciting time for the Secret Service and I know Julie will do an outstanding job.'

Pierson also received accolades from a key Democrat in Congress. Her appointment 'is welcome news and a proud milestone,' Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Tom Carper said in a statement.

SPECULATION OVER FORMER OFFICIAL

Sources had told Reuters earlier this month that Obama had chosen retired Secret Service official David O'Connor to head the agency. Former law enforcement agents said they had heard he had withdrawn his name, but that was not officially confirmed and O'Connor did not respond to several attempts to reach him.

The National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, or NOBLE, had written to the White House in opposition to O'Connor.

O'Connor's name had cropped up in a long-running racial discrimination lawsuit after one email that used racially charged language was sent to him, but his attorney said he did not distribute it further.

Ronald Kessler, who has written a book about the Secret Service, said black agents applied pressure that went all the way up to Obama to torpedo O'Connor's appointment.

Kessler predicted that Pierson's appointment will not change the Secret Service. 'Only an outside director can shake up the agency,' he said.
Reuters

Four Keralites killed in Saudi Arabia

MALAPPURAM: Fire engulfed a sofa godown named Ha’il in Saudi Arabia killing five including four Keralites, early this morning. The fifth person is from Uttar Pradesh. The condition of two among the many injured is stated to be serious. The furniture shop is owned by Saji, a native of Edakkara in Malappuram. The four has been identified as Siddique (49) of Nilambur, Lalu (27) of Kalkkulam, Sasikumar (42) of Chemmamthitta and Saddique of Angadippuram. The body of the native of Uttar Pradesh has not been identified

Four Keralites killed in Saudi Arabia

MALAPPURAM: Fire engulfed a sofa godown named Ha’il in Saudi Arabia killing five including four Keralites, early this morning. The fifth person is from Uttar Pradesh. The condition of two among the many injured is stated to be serious. The furniture shop is owned by Saji, a native of Edakkara in Malappuram. The four has been identified as Siddique (49) of Nilambur, Lalu (27) of Kalkkulam, Sasikumar (42) of Chemmamthitta and Saddique of Angadippuram. The body of the native of Uttar Pradesh has not been identified

Veteran actress Sukumari dies in Chennai

CHENNAI: Noted versatile actress Sukumari died at a private hospital in Chennai Tuesday evening. She was 73. The end came while she was undergoing treatment at the Global hospital I Chennai for burn injuries. She suffered burn injuries while she lighted the lamp in her pooja room in Chennai. She had suffered 40 % burn injuries. Both her kidneys were dysfunctional and were undergoing dialysis. Her only son Dr Suresh Kumar, working in Chennai Medical College, was at her bedside at the time of her death. Sukumari has primarily acted in Malayalam and Tamil films. She has been acting since she was 10 years old and has acted in various roles. The total number of her films is presumed to be about 2500. In 2003, she was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India for her contributions towards the arts recently and won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Namma Gramam in 2010. She has received Kerala State Film Awards for best supporting actor four times. She was born in Nagercoil in 1938. Sukumari was first cousin to Travancore Sisters, Lalitha, Padmini and Ragini. She learned dance with them and mastered Keralanadanam, Kathakali and Bharathanatyam. Sukumari was noticed by a director when she went to the sets of a film with Padmini, and debuted in the lead role in Orarivu, a Tamil film. She was married to director A Bhimsingh and died when she was only 30. She has played many notable mother roles. She has acted in Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu and Hindi films and used her own voice in all languages without using dubbing artists. Lizy Priyadarshan, wife of noted director Priyadarshan, said Sukumari had expressed her wish to cremate her body in Kerala.

Veteran actress Sukumari dies in Chennai

CHENNAI: Noted versatile actress Sukumari died at a private hospital in Chennai Tuesday evening. She was 73. The end came while she was undergoing treatment at the Global hospital I Chennai for burn injuries. She suffered burn injuries while she lighted the lamp in her pooja room in Chennai. She had suffered 40 % burn injuries. Both her kidneys were dysfunctional and were undergoing dialysis. Her only son Dr Suresh Kumar, working in Chennai Medical College, was at her bedside at the time of her death. Sukumari has primarily acted in Malayalam and Tamil films. She has been acting since she was 10 years old and has acted in various roles. The total number of her films is presumed to be about 2500. In 2003, she was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India for her contributions towards the arts recently and won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Namma Gramam in 2010. She has received Kerala State Film Awards for best supporting actor four times. She was born in Nagercoil in 1938. Sukumari was first cousin to Travancore Sisters, Lalitha, Padmini and Ragini. She learned dance with them and mastered Keralanadanam, Kathakali and Bharathanatyam. Sukumari was noticed by a director when she went to the sets of a film with Padmini, and debuted in the lead role in Orarivu, a Tamil film. She was married to director A Bhimsingh and died when she was only 30. She has played many notable mother roles. She has acted in Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu and Hindi films and used her own voice in all languages without using dubbing artists. Lizy Priyadarshan, wife of noted director Priyadarshan, said Sukumari had expressed her wish to cremate her body in Kerala.

Kozhikode declared as an e-district

Kozhikode: Minister for social justice MK Muneer on Sunday declared Kozhikode as an e-district.
With the official launch of the project, residents in the district can now get over 20 certificates issued by various government departments. With the launch, citizens can now file applications at any Akshaya centre in the district and receive the certificates from the same centre. Services offered through village offices and taluk offices will be accessible through Akshaya Centres in the first phase of the project.
The e-district project, conceived by the Kerala State Information Technology Mission, in association with national informatics center is expected to benefits thousands of citizens.
Applications for 23 certificates, submitted at Akshaya centers will be sent to the corresponding revenue office online and the concerned authority will issue certificates online either on the same day or within 3 days. Certificates requiring field verification will be delivered in seven days.

Kozhikode declared as an e-district

Kozhikode: Minister for social justice MK Muneer on Sunday declared Kozhikode as an e-district.
With the official launch of the project, residents in the district can now get over 20 certificates issued by various government departments. With the launch, citizens can now file applications at any Akshaya centre in the district and receive the certificates from the same centre. Services offered through village offices and taluk offices will be accessible through Akshaya Centres in the first phase of the project.
The e-district project, conceived by the Kerala State Information Technology Mission, in association with national informatics center is expected to benefits thousands of citizens.
Applications for 23 certificates, submitted at Akshaya centers will be sent to the corresponding revenue office online and the concerned authority will issue certificates online either on the same day or within 3 days. Certificates requiring field verification will be delivered in seven days.