Himachal: 2 brothers of murder-accused MLA booked for harbouring him


PANCHKULA: Himachal police on Friday booked two brothers of HP Congress MLA, Ram Kumar Chaudhary, a suspect in the murder case of 24-year-old Jyoti, for allegedly harboring him with the motive of avoiding his arrest.

Panchkula police have failed to arrest Chaudhary and 3 others during the 14-day validity of arrest warrant against them. The warrants were issued on December 20.

The case was registered under section 216 (harbouring offender who has escaped or whose apprehension has been ordered) of IPC in Baddi police station.

Baddi SP Arul Kumar said, "Madan Chaudhary and Harbhjan Chaudhary were harbouring MLA Chaudhary for a long time. Whenever police questioned them, they negatively replied, despite having full knowledge about the suspect's whereabouts."

Meanwhile, Baddi police have also informed Kangra police about the absconding status of Chaudhary and requested them to inform if he appears during the oath-taking ceremony of new MLAs to be held in Dharamshala on January 8.

Doon MLA Chaudhary is absconding ever since 24-year old Jyoti Devi of Hoshiarpur was found murdered in Sector 21, Panchkula, on November 22. Arrest warrants were issued against him along with three others by a local court here on December 20.

Haryana police have failed to arrest Chaudhary and his four accomplices even as a Panchkula court had rejected the anticipatory bail application of Chaudhary last month.

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Best Pictures: 2012 Nat Geo Photo Contest Winners









































































































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Pilot Suspected of Being Drunk Stopped From Flying













An American Eagle pilot who was preparing to fly from Minneapolis to New York City was arrested today after failing a breathalyzer test.


Kolbjorn Jarle Kristiansen, 48, of Hollow Lane, N.C., was taken into custody by police at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, according to an arrest report.


Officers and a TSA agent smelled alcohol on Kristiansen as they passed him waiting to enter an elevator, the report said.


Airport police were notified and started an investigation. In the mean time, the pilot went to the plane and started his pre-flight checks before his scheduled flight from Minneapolis to New York's La Guardia airport.


Kristiansen completed his checks and was exiting the plane when officers took him into custody and administered a breathalyzer test, which authorities said the pilot failed.






Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport Police Dept.











Pilot Arrested After Failing Breathalyzer Test Watch Video









Suspected Drunk Pilot Not Allowed to Board Plane Watch Video







Pilot Fatigue: 'Crash Pads' Threaten Safety of Airline Passengers


A blood draw was completed at a local hospital, said Patrick Hogan, spokesperson for Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. The pilot's BAC wasn't released by authorities.


In Minnesota, the legal BAC limit for pilots is .04 -- much lower than the limit for drivers of .08.


Hogan said he had not heard any reports of people witnessing Kristiansen drinking alcohol.


He was released to airline personnel on own recognizance at 10:29 a.m., the arrest report said. It was not yet known whether Kristiansen had a lawyer.


The flight was delayed by two and a half hours while a replacement pilot was located.


American Eagle said it has a "well-established substance abuse policy that is designed to put the safety of our customers and employees first."


"We are cooperating with authorities and conducting a full internal investigation. The pilot will be withheld from service pending the outcome of the investigation," the airline said in a statement.


ABC News' Candace Smith contributed to this report



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Federal agencies bracing for cuts after ‘fiscal cliff’ deal



The eleventh-hour agreement to avoid a “fiscal cliff” of higher taxes put off the major cuts known as a sequester until March 1, when another showdown is expected over the federal debt limit and how much to reduce the size of government.


Congress and the White House agreed to find $24 billion to pay for the delay, divided between spending cuts and a tax change that allows Americans holding traditional retirement plans to convert more of them to Roth IRAs, a process that requires tax payments up front.

The remaining $12 billion in cuts to domestic and defense agencies will not take effect until at least March 27, when the stopgap budget funding the government expires. The first $4 billion in cuts must come by Sept. 30, the end of the fiscal year, and the remaining $8 billion in fiscal 2014, which will start Oct. 1.

The cuts will be rolled into budget deliberations on Capitol Hill, and no one knows what agencies and programs they will affect. Out of a discretionary spending budget of $1.04 trillion, $12 billion is relatively small. But it’s not a rounding error.

“There will be a few select cuts that will be painful,” said Patrick Lester, fiscal policy director at the Center for Effective Philanthropy (formerly OMB Watch). “We won’t know for months what those cuts are, which makes them easy to do.”

William R. Dougan, president of the National Federation of Federal Employees, said $12 billion “spread across the government doesn’t sound like a lot of money, but it depends on how it’s spread out.”

Even if each agency took a hit, some “will still be looking at furloughs and even [reductions in force] as a possible solution,” he said. Those are some of the near-certain actions many agencies have said they would take if they had to make the across-the-board cuts Congress imposed in 2011 to force itself to reckon with the federal deficit.

On Wednesday, government and union leaders said that threat, just two months away, is making them nervous.

Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said Congress has “prevented the worst possible outcome by delaying sequestration for two months.”

But he warned that the “the specter of sequestration” threatens national security.

“We need to have stability in our future budgets,” Panetta said in a statement. “We need to have the resources to effectively execute our strategy, defend the nation, and meet our commitments to troops and their families after more than a decade of war.”

Several officials said they are still sorting out what the two-month delay means.

“We are working hard with [the Office of Management and Budget] to understand the impact, but we’re just not there yet,” said Army Lt. Col. Elizabeth Robbins, a Defense Department spokeswoman.

Defense consultant Jim McAleese said the deal to raise taxes on families with income above $450,000 and individuals earning more than $400,000 will bring in so much less revenue than the $250,000 threshold President Obama proposed that steep defense cuts are inevitable.

Instead of the $10 billion in cuts a year over 10 years that the Defense Department could have expected to see under Obama’s most recent deficit reduction plan, McAleese said the reductions could be more in the range of $15 billion to $20 billion a year over 10 years.

“People were talking before about defense cuts of $10 billion per year, but the sheer size of the disagreement is going to bring about an immediate, aggressive reaction that will impact the final outcome of the spending cuts,” he said.

Colleen M. Kelley, president of the National Treasury Employees Union, said of the $12 billion in cuts, “I would hope agencies could find these savings without impacts on front-line employees and without impacts on services to the public. We have more questions than answers right now.”

Steve Vogel contributed to this report.

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1,684 COEs available for first open bidding exercise in Jan






SINGAPORE: Details for January's first open bidding exercise for Certificates of Entitlement (COE) have been released.

The total quota available for this tender is 1,684.

There will be 410 COEs for Cat A (small cars), 363 for Cat B (big cars) and 462 for Cat D (motorcycles).

For Cat E (open), 256 COEs will be available, while Cat C (goods vehicles and buses) will have 193 COEs.

The tender opens on January 7 at noon and closes at 4pm on January 9.

-CNA/ac



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1 pilot, 3 airhostesses found drunk since Christmas

NEW DELHI: The fear of losing their flying licence led to pilots celebrating Yuletide and ushering in the New Year on a sober note this year. Authorities caught only one pilot — but three airhostesses — reporting to work in an inebriated state during breathalyser (BA) tests done at airports from Christmas to Wednesday.

All four flight personnel were from Jet Airways. "We have a zero tolerance policy for this issue and carry out strict BA tests. Whoever fails the tests is, as per DGCA guidelines, suspended for three months," said aJet spokesperson.

A DGCA official said two flight crew members failed the BA test in Chennai and one each in Delhi and Kochi. "The punishment is very severe now for pilots failing BA tests as their licence is suspended for three months when caught first time and for five years for the second time. This means end of flying career as a five-year suspension will lead to all eligibilities lapsing," he added.

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Pictures We Love: Best of 2012

Photograph by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/AP

Powder-splattered, and powder-splattering, runners cross the finish line of The Color Run 5K in Irvine, California, on April 22. Each kilometer (0.6 mile) of the event features a color-pelting station dedicated to a single hue, culminating in the Pollock-esque riot at kilometer 5.

The "magical color dust" is completely safe, organizers say, though they admit it's "surprisingly high in calories and leaves a chalky aftertaste."

See more from April 2012 >>

Why We Love It

"Vibrant color floating through the air automatically brings to mind festive Holi celebrations in India. We expect to see revelers in Mumbai but instead find a surprise in the lower third of the frame—runners in California!"—Sarah Polger, senior photo editor

"There are a lot of eye-catching photographs of the festival of Holi in India that show colored powder in midair, but this particular situation has the people all lined up in a row—making it easy to see each of their very cinematic facial expressions."—Chris Combs, news photo editor

Published January 3, 2013

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James Holmes Defense: Was He Insane?


Jan 3, 2013 5:30pm







James Holmes court appearance mr 120723 wblog James Holmes Defense Witnesses in Colorado Shooting to Testify on Mental State

James Holmes appears in court, Centennial, Colo., July 23, 2012. RJ Sangosti/AP Images.



ABC’s Clayton Sandell and Carol McKinley report:


A judge ruled Thursday that public defenders for accused Colorado theater shooting suspect James Holmes can call two unidentified witnesses at next week’s preliminary hearing to testify about the defendant’s “mental state.”


Arapahoe County, Colo. prosecutors had sought to keep the witnesses out of court, but Judge William Sylvester ruled that the now-25-year-old accused killer has a right to call the witnesses at a preliminary hearing.


The Jan. 7 preliminary hearing will essentially be a mini-trial in which prosecutors will present witness testimony and evidence to convince the judge that there is enough of a case against Holmes to proceed to a trial.


Witnesses to be called for the prosecution include the Aurora police lead detective, first responders, the Arapahoe County coroner and likely a computer forensic specialist, according to prosecution sources who declined to be identified, citing a gag order in the case.


A top priority, the prosecution sources say, will be showing that Holmes acted with premeditation when he allegedly murdered 12 people and wounded 58 on the night of July 20 during a midnight showing of “The Dark Knight Rises.”


Defense attorneys may pursue a legal strategy to show that Holmes was not in his right mind at the time of the shooting.


Holmes, who has not yet entered a plea, has been repeatedly described in court by his legal team as mentally ill. While a graduate student at the University of Colorado, he was in the care of a psychiatrist.


Prosecutors say they will also present photos, video and 911 calls during the hearing, which is expected to last all week.


It’s not clear what the two witnesses’ relationship is to the shooting, or to Holmes.


Prosecutors, Judge Sylvester’s order says, contend that “neither witness has personal knowledge of the events at the Century Aurora 16 Theater.”


Sylvester said the witnesses are non-expert “lay witnesses” who have so far chosen not to be interviewed by defense investigators but have been cooperating with law enforcement.



SHOWS: World News






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Football: Redknapp eyes salvation after shock win at Chelsea






LONDON: Harry Redknapp believes Queens Park Rangers' shock 1-0 win at Chelsea could be the turning point in his side's season.

Redknapp, who also revealed he missed out on the chance to sign Liverpool's Joe Cole, saw his side defy the odds to produce one of the most unexpected results of the season thanks to Shaun Wright-Phillips's goal on Wednesday.

The win was only their second league victory of the season and moved Rangers level on points with second-bottom Reading, five points adrift of safety.

But the manager believes the impact of the result will be hugely significant in the context of the relegation battle and strengthen his chances of bringing in new recruits in the January transfer window.

"I had a good meeting with (the players) after the Liverpool game (QPR lost 3-0) and I think I convinced them I thought we could stay up," he said.

"You probably thought I was mad, but I didn't go home thinking we are doomed. I thought we could turn it around if we can get this lot working and get someone in the window. And tonight (Wednesday) has proved that.

"Most important, we worked hard. We grafted and if we do that until the end of the season, we will win some games. The other teams down there will be thinking: 'That's not very good.' I've been there.

"That will send shocks through everybody and we've got to make the most of that tonight."

Redknapp had attempted to sign Cole but missed out when the player opted to join his former club West Ham United instead.

"I lost a player today who I tried to sign and who would have been my first signing," said Redknapp.

"He probably looked and thought: 'Harry, I love you, but I don't think you are going to stay up.' And he's gone to the Hammers.

"I was going to take Joe. I thought he would have been good for me but it's not easy when you are down there.

"I understand why -- he's a West Ham lad and they love him. I signed him there when he was 11, so he's going back home and I wish him all the luck in the world."

Chelsea's interim manager, Rafael Benitez, blamed his side's defeat on fatigue and admitted they cannot afford further slips if they are to close the 14-point gap on leaders Manchester United.

Benitez admitted striker Fernando Torres is one of the players who needs a rest and says he hopes to have completed the signing of Newcastle United forward Demba Ba before the FA Cup tie at Southampton on Saturday.

The manager made changes to his line-up and said: "We can't carry on with the same players. We were playing the bottom of the league at home and you have to trust your players.

"The main thing is we were a bit tired and couldn't produce the pass, the intensity and the movement.

"We have to have everything almost perfect now. When you lose a game it is more difficult, but I can't be thinking about the number of points -- only the next game.

"We have the FA Cup now, then we have to think how we can get three points from every game."

And he added: "Fernando is one of the players (who is tired). You can see two or three, who have been playing too many games in the last month.

"Definitely the club is working on it (signing a new striker). If we can do the business, I hope so (before weekend)."

Benitez revealed goalkeeper Petr Cech will be out for up to three weeks with an adductor problem, but there is still no return date for skipper John Terry, who has a knee injury.

-AFP/ac



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Pictures: Errant Shell Oil Rig Runs Aground Off Alaska, Prompts Massive Response

Photograph courtesy Jonathan Klingenberg, U.S. Coast Guard

Waves lash at the sides of the Shell* drilling rig Kulluk, which ran aground off the rocky southern coast of Alaska on New Year's Eve in a violent storm.

The rig, seen above Tuesday afternoon, was "stable," with no signs of spilled oil products, authorities said. But continued high winds and savage seas hampered efforts to secure the vessel and the 150,000 gallons (568,000 liters) of diesel fuel and lubricants on board. The Kulluk came to rest just east of Sitkalidak Island (map), an uninhabited but ecologically and culturally rich site north of Ocean Bay, after a four-day odyssey, during which it broke free of its tow ships and its 18-member crew had to be rescued by helicopter.

The U.S. Coast Guard, state, local, and industry officials have joined in an effort involving nearly 600 people to gain control of the rig, one of two that Shell used for its landmark Arctic oil-drilling effort last summer. "This must be considered once of the largest marine-response efforts conducted in Alaska in many years," said Steve Russell, of Alaska's Department of Environmental Conservation.

The 266-foot (81-meter) rig now is beached off one of the larger islands in the Kodiak archipelago, a land of forest, glaciers, and streams about 300 miles (482 kilometers) south of Anchorage. The American Land Conservancy says that Sitkalidak Island's highly irregular coastline traps abundant food sources upwelling from the central Gulf of Alaska, attracting large numbers of seabirds and marine mammals. The largest flock of common murres ever recorded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was in Sitkalidak Strait, which separates the island from Kodiak. Sitkalidak also has 16 wild salmon rivers and archaeological sites tied to the Alutiiq native peoples dating back more than 7,000 years.

Shell incident commander Susan Childs said Monday night that the company's wildlife management team had started to assess the potential impact of a spill, and would be dispatched to the site when the weather permitted. She said the Kulluk's fuel tanks were in the center of the vessel, encased in heavy steel. "The Kulluk is a pretty sturdy vessel," she said. " It just remains to be seen how long it's on the shoreline and how long the weather is severe."

Marianne Lavelle

*Shell is sponsor of National Geographic's Great Energy Challenge initiative. National Geographic maintains editorial autonomy.

Published January 2, 2013

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