Crews monitor LPG cylinders after blast

Fire crews are monitoring gas cylinders at a burning factory in Melbourne's southeast after an explosion in which a man was burnt.

The fire broke out shortly after 3pm (AEST) on Wednesday inside a factory at Renver Road, Clayton.

A man received treatment at the Monash Medical Centre for non-life- threatening burns believed to have been received in the fire, a Metropolitan Fire Brigade spokesman said.

"There is a lot of insulation burning in the building," a Metropolitan Fire Brigade spokesman said.

"There is still LPG cylinders in the factory."

Fire crews will remain on the scene, and investigators will return on Thursday morning.

They brought the fire under control in just over 30 minutes.

Source http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/crews-monitor-lpg-cylinders-after-blast-20100929-15x1r.html

Liberal Alex Somlyay accepts Labor offer for Deputy Speaker job

LABOR has brokered a deal with Queensland Liberal MP, Alex Somlyay, to become deputy speaker and help the Government with its knife-edge majority.

Mr Somlyay, who was dumped as chief opposition whip in the latest Coalition shuffle, has agreed not to support no-confidence motions against the Gillard government or back the blocking of supply which would bring down the Government.

Labor has the numbers, with the independents and Mr Somlyay, to vote on the floor of the parliament for Harry Jenkins to become Speaker and Mr Somlyay to be his deputy.

The Opposition is now trying to consider what action to take at its partyroom meeting on Monday faced with Mr Somlyay’s deal with Labor.

MPs will elect the Speaker and a deputy when parliament sits on Tuesday, the first time it has met since the August 21 election failed to give either of the major parties an absolute majority.

The offer to Mr Somlyay came after the Coalition refused yesterday to agree to provide a pair for a Labor Speaker.

Pairing allows parties to maintain their numbers even if people are absent from the chamber.

Mr Albanese accused Tony Abbott of being a “wrecker” who did not want to play a constructive role in the parliament.

“Under those circumstances the Labor Party believes it is important to have the best and most experienced person for the job, that is why we will be nominating Harry Jenkins,” he said.

“I've had a number of discussions with members of the Coalition,” Mr Albanese said in Melbourne.

“It is fair to say there is great deal of anger within Coalition ranks with Tony Abbott - many members of the Liberal Party and the National Party have expressed their concern.

“I understand Tony Abbott has been pushing Philip Ruddock but it is my understanding they will walk away from that.”

Earlier, independent MP Bob Katter - who backed Mr Abbott to be prime minister in negotiations after the election - said he wasn't surprised Labor was sounding out Coalition MPs.

“If I was the ALP I would be rushing to support him too, but Harry Jenkins is the best Speaker I may have served under in my 37 years in parliament,” he told The Australian Online.

“This was ill-advised by Tony Abbott - he's burning up capital, he looks like he is a disrupting influence and it's taken attention away from Julia Gillard.”

Mr Katter said Mr Abbott had wasted valuable political capital by walking away from the deal to pair the Speaker, but he wouldn't switch his support to Ms Gillard.

Source http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/liberal-alex-somlyay-reported-to-be-considering-breaking-ranks-over-speaker-deadlock/story-fn59niix-1225928867342

Rahul declines Mehbooba's call to intervene in Kashmir

Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi on Thursday scotched any possibility of his intervention in trouble-torn Kashmir and said with a touch of humour that nowadays he is being asked to intervene on any issue, including the upcoming Commonwealth Games.

Responding to a query on Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti seeking his intervention to bring peace to Kashmir, Gandhi said he was currently involved in the full-time job of rejuvenating the Youth Congress and the National Students' Union of India (NSUI).

"I am currently involved in a full-time job. But I find everybody everywhere nowadays likes to offer me new job. I have even been given an offer of intervening in the Commonwealth Games," Gandhi said in a media conference here.

"The way I see it, I have been given a responsibility. The way I have been brought up, you have to carry out a political task. I spend most of my day attending to issues that could result in bringing fresh young people to the NSUI and the Youth Congress," he said.

He said there were many people who were more capable of handling issues like Kashmir and running the Commonwealth Games.

"And Kashmir is not a part-time problem. When I am given a task, I would like to settle down and understand the problem in detail," he said.

Source http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/Rahul-declines-Mehboobas-call-to-intervene-in-Kashmir/articleshow/6565534.cms

Jat reservation stir grips Haryana, two dead

The Haryana Government on Monday was in for a major concern with the State’s Jats agitating for quota in the Government services, which let two dead and several others injured, when the police had to open fire to control the mob.

One of the deceased was identified as Sunil, while the identity of the other casualty was not confirmed. The injured were admitted in the hospitals in Hisar and other places for treatment, while Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda ordered a magisterial inquiry into the violence.

The incident took place at Mayyar village in Hisar district. The agitating mobs burnt as many as six vehicles, disrupted the regular vehicular traffic along with disrupting the movement of several trains in the region. The protests for quota were reported from Sonepat, Sirsa, Hisar, and Bhiwani districts, and are likely to spread in other parts of the State soon.

The main Opposition INLD was quick to condemn the State Government for inciting the mob.

“It was peaceful demonstration, but the police personnel chose to lathicharge them, which further flared up the crowd. Action should be taken against the erring cops,” said Ashok Arora, MLA and senior INLD leader.

“The State Government has no control over the police forces. They did not act, when Dalit houses were burnt in Mirchpur in Hisar district. They do not have respect for democratic values. Chief Minister Hooda must take action against the erring cops. Why the police forces have gone out of his control,” he asked.

The agitation for quota in Haryana is being spearheaded by the All India Jat Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti (AIJASS). It is said that the outfit has not only the tacit support of INLD leaders, but also a section of the Congress leaders who do not want to see Hooda holding the coveted post any longer.

Given the sensitivity of the issue, Chief Minister Hooda was quick in announcing a magisterial inquiry by the Divisional Commissioner, Hisar, to look into the circumstances leading to the death of one person and injuries to others during the ‘Chetawni Rally’ held by All India Jat Arakshan Sangrash Samiti at village Mayyar near Hansi on National Highway No 10 on Monday. The report would be submitted in a month’s time.

A Government statement said that several police personnel, including Hisar SP Subhash Yadav, were injured as mob indulged in arson, causing damage to public property and resorted to heavy stone-pelting on police personnel during the ‘Chetawni Rally’ being held by AIJASS, demanding reservation for Jats in the Government services.

A spokesman of Haryana Police said they had put blockade at the National Highway No 10, Delhi-Hisar road thus causing inconvenience to the people. A mob attacked the vehicles and put them on fire, damaged bank and indulged in stone-pelting.

Source http://www.dailypioneer.com/283031/Jat-reservation-stir-grips-Haryana-two-dead.html

No Lankan player under scanner for bookie link: Sangakkara Read more: No Lankan player under scanner for bookie link: Sangakkara

Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara on Friday rubbished media reports that Tillakaratne Dilshan was under the ICC scanner for his alleged links with bookmakers and said none of his team-mates were suspected of "fraternising with shady characters".

"All these stories going around about Dilshan are absolutely baseless. No Sri Lankan player to my knowledge is in suspicion of fraternising with these so called bookies by their team-mates nor by team management and Sri Lanka Cricket Board. As far as I know there was no report to SLCICC's Anti-corruption Unit," Sangakkara said.

According to British tabloid 'Daily Mail', Sri Lankan team manager filed a report to ICC's ACSUWorld Cup in England in June last year.

Sangakkara denied it and said he had never passed on information of any suspicious activity by any of his team-mates to the management.

"I have never reported against any player specifically. All the players are very open in communicating with me and team management. No one including me have voiced our suspicion over any of our team-mates at any time nor reported specifically to the team manager or SLC," he asserted.

"If there is any report of any suspicion on any player, then it is better to ask the SLC and the team management about that but as far as I know ,there is no such thing," he told 'Times Now'.

Sangakkara also ruled out any Sri Lankan player intentionally mixing up with illegal bookmakers.

"Any of the players upto my knowledge have not fraternised with any of these shady characters. The only thing is you never know who is sitting at the chair next to you or who is taking photograph with you at a hotel or somewhere," he said.

SLC chief executive Ajith Jayasekara also dismissed reports of Dilshan being under ICC scanner.

"We dont go by speculation or what any newspaper wants to say. We don't want to go by such reports. The Anti corruption Unit of the ICC has not reported any such involvement of any player. We cant go by speculation. This has not been brought to our notice by the anti-corruption unit of the ICC. There is no evidence against any Sri Lankan player," Jayasekara said.

Read more: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/top-stories/No-Lankan-player-under-scanner-for-bookie-link-Sangakkara/articleshow/6530049.cms

US to look to India for changes in Nuclear Liability Bill

The US says it will look to India to see what "changes" can be made to the Nuclear Liability Bill just passed by Parliament in the wake of concerns over making suppliers of equipment also liable in the event of a nuclear accident. "We continue our discussions with the Indian Government on this issue and we note that Indian business leaders are concerned about some specific aspects of the law that was just passed by Parliament," State Department spokesman P J Crowley said in the first reaction by the Obama Administration to some controversial provisions in the Bill.

"We will look to the Indian Government to see what changes can be made," Crowley told reporters in response to a question on the US business being reportedly unhappy on some aspects of the liability law. The liability legislation was a vital step to clear the decks for the full implementation of the historic Indo-US civil nuclear deal. On August 30, Parliament had adopted the nuclear liability bill with the government insisting that the compensation package for victims matches that of the US and it was still open to accommodate some suggestions. A US South Asia expert has recently suggested that the Parliament had passed a flawed civil nuclear liability law, warning that it could cast a pall over the Indo-US nuke deal.

US policymakers and industrial leaders were taken off guard over the passage of the legislation "despite retaining language inconsistent with international standards for engaging in nuclear commerce," according to Lisa Curtis, Senior Research Fellow for South Asia at The Heritage Foundation, a Washington think tank. The law includes language that makes suppliers of equipment, raw materials, and services liable after the construction of a plant during any nuclear accident. Noting that Indian business groups have denounced the legislation, Curtis said "This latest obstacle in the US-India nuclear deal is unfortunate, as it follows the successful completion of a US-India nuclear reprocessing agreement earlier this year, which granted India the right to reprocess spent nuclear fuel." PTI LKJ DDC

Source http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/us-to-look-to-india-for-changes-in--nuclear-liability-bill/302328.html

Indian states crippled by trade union strike

A strike called by trade unions in India on Tuesday to protest against rising prices and alleged anti-labour policies crippled life in the east and south of the country in Communist-ruled states.

Most other areas were largely unaffected by the protest which came nearly two months after a successful nationwide shutdown led by opposition parties to protest against rising fuel prices.

Schools, colleges and government and private offices were closed across the eastern state of West Bengal and roads were deserted in regional capital Kolkata. About 100 flights were cancelled at the city's airport.

"Security has been stepped up across the city to avoid untoward incidents," Kolkata city police chief Gautam Mohon Chakraborty told AFP.

In southern Kerala, which is also Communist ruled, unions led rallies in the state capital city Thiruvananthapuram.

"The strike is total in Kerala and all the major unions have joined," M.M Lawrence, general secretary of the Centre of India Trade Union, told AFP.

"The protesting unions have organised peaceful protests against the anti-labour policies of the union (federal) government."

In New Delhi, some branches of nationalised banks shut for the day and Dow Jones Newswires reported that the Indian factory of German engineering group Bosch had shut "for certain national issues".

The rising cost of living in India is one of the hottest political issues at present, with inflation running in near double figures.

A weak monsoon last year hit food production that has led to severe price increases at markets across the country. The trend is now in decline, however, with this year's monsoon at normal levels.

India's main inflation index is likely to ease to 7.0 percent by December compared with 9.97 percent at its last reading in July, India's chief statistician T.C.A. Anant said Tuesday.

Source http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jqDSSi-T-3L7HjqDLE2URtqUjUYw

China denies 'troops in Pakistan' report

China on Thursday dismissed reports saying troops of the People's Liberation Army are in a disputed area of Pakistan.

The New York Times ran an opinion piece last week which said up to 11,000 soldiers of the People's Liberation Army were in Gilgit, a northwest area of disputed Kashmir.

"The story that China has deployed some military in the northern part of Pakistan is totally groundless and out of ulterior purposes," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said at a regular briefing.

"Some people are making fabrications to destroy relations between China, Pakistan and India but their attempt will arrive nowhere," she said.

The piece by Selig Harrison, director of the Asia program at the US-based Center for International Policy, said China wants control of the region to get clear road and rail access to the Gulf through Pakistan.

It said many of the soldiers are working on a railway link.

The article comes amid reports of military unease between China and India.

Earlier this week China said it had not received word from New Delhi that it had suspended military exchanges, despite Indian media reports that relations had been put on hold after Beijing refused to grant a visa to a top Indian army general from the Indian-controlled part of Kashmir.

An anonymous senior Indian official was quoted in the Hindu newspaper on Saturday as saying that future military exchanges and a joint exercise between Indian and Chinese defence forces would remain suspended until China resolves the issue.

China's Ministry of National Defence said in a statement faxed to The Associated Press that it had not suspended the exchanges nor received word from India about any suspension.

Indian media reports said the suspension was New Delhi's response to Beijing denying a visa for Indian army Lt Gen B.S. Jaswal, who was scheduled to join a military delegation to China.

Jaswal was denied a visa because he is responsible for army operations in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir, the reports said.

Jiang said such reports were untrue and that Beijing had no intention to interfere in the Kashmir dispute.

"As a neighbour and friend of both countries, China believes that the issue should be left to the two countries so that it can be properly handled through dialogue and consultation."

India and Pakistan, an ally of China, both control part of the Himalayan region while claiming all of it.

China also claims part of northeastern Kashmir that it says is part of Tibet.

While relations between China and India have improved in recent years, they are still testy over territorial claims dating back to a brief border war in 1962.

In recent years, India and China have held more than a dozen rounds of talks on settling the border dispute but have made little progress.

Beijing is also highly critical of India's support for the Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, who fled Tibet in 1959 and set up a government-in-exile in the northern Indian hill town of Dharmsala.

Source http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-world/china-denies-troops-in-pakistan-report-20100902-14rhl.html