Author Archives: Gunjan Priya

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Storm, snowfall disturb Life in Upper Midwest, Chicago

The stormy weather and heavy snowfall made it tough for Americans to do their daily works on Monday.

The dangerously cold weather and storm led to closure of many highways and cancellation of flights. The top of Minnesota Vikings’ stadium felt down. More than 1600 flights were cancelled in Chicago alone. Heavy snowfall was reported in Indiana and Michigan.

After Michigan, the storm moved towards Canada. Snowfall can occur now in Northern Indiana and Michigan and also in Pennsylvania and New York.

Weather department reported that more decrease in temperature can make it worse in the Midwest for commuters. Many areas were reported with temperature below zero degree.

However, the officials assured that the worst part of the storm was over and only cold temperature will affect people live till Tuesday. The rough weather has not caused any casualty though. However damage to Minnesota Vikings’ stadium has led to shifting of Vikings’ game against the New York Giants to Detroit’s Ford Field. According to sources such weather conditions were experienced in the United States in January usually.

There was less snowfall in Chicago in comparison to Midwest but high speed winds cause most of the damages. The wind speed during storm reached nearly 50 mph and waves from Lake Michigan stroke up to Lake Shore Drive.

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Democrats finally agree to go with Obama’s tax plan

Democrats were deeply divided over Obama tax plan

The US president got a relief when Democrats have moved toward approving his deal to extend George Bush’s tax cuts for the richer section.

Obama’s chances of getting 60 votes required to pass his Tax relief plan were quite bleak as Democrats were quite apprehensive and feared that he might compromise too much with Republicans, the opposition party members. Obama asked the ex-president Bill Clinton to persuade Democrats to approve the deal.

Following the Democrats’ approval the bill would go to other house of the Senate in the House of Representatives. Obama is likely to win in the other House.

The Republicans won in the November 2 congressional elections taking control over the House of Representatives.

The proposed bill includes a package of $856 billion and extends unemployment benefits and tax breaks for lower income groups. The bill if passed will also revoke many subsidies for businessmen and renewable energy sector.

The deal retains all tax relief schemes for richer Americans passed under the Republican government under George Bush which would otherwise expire by January 1.

However, the Democrats wanted to raise tax rates for rich Americans by 2% to lower the already high deficit of the United States.

They were resentful for Obama’s readiness to retain Republicans’ tax cuts and agreed to support the bill only after former president Bill Clinton’s persuasion.

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Bernard Madoff’s son found dead amid talk of criminal charges

Mark Madoff with father and brother

New York: Mark Madoff, son of Bernard Madoff – a famous fund manager at Wall Street, had been living a miserable life since the arrest of his father in one of the biggest financial scams of all time.

Mark, 46,  had seemed to have it all, a lavish lifestyle, fame, success and enormous wealth and all these were befitting his father’s sheer brilliance as a businessman. After college, Mark joined brokerage and rose to very senior positions in the family business, whose clients ranged from Hollywood personality Steven Spielberg, other billionaires to retirees investing their life-time savings.

On December 11, 2008, to the disbelief of everyone and shock of his clients, Bernard Madoff was arrested at his breakfast table on the charges of biggest financial irregularity. Since the arrest of his father, Mark had been living a very disturbed life with a depressed state of mind, according to his close friends.

But on December 11, 2010, the second anniversary of Bernard Madoff’s arrest, Mark was found dead in his apartment in Manhattan. Few days back, he was framed in a civil lawsuit amidst growing speculations that he might face criminal charges.

According to close friends, Mark had not spoken with his parents for the past two years and had been trying to get a trader job at Wall Street.

In the past, Mark had insisted several times that he had no knowledge about his father’s wrongdoings and it was only on December 10, 2008, when his father conceded running a $50 billion scam that was collapsing in the financial turmoil.

Mark’s role was still under investigation and he was utterly depressed over the media coverage speculating criminal charges against him.

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US says Cancun Summit a ‘significant step forward’

Cancun Climate Change Summit

The United States has termed the conference on climate change in Cancun as ‘significant’ and promised to work with international community to remain focused on the environmental challenges in the coming days.

US president Obama hailed Mexican counterpart Felipe Calderon for showing exceptional leadership and chairing the Cancun conference to a successful outcome on the foundation laid down at Copenhagen last year. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that the conference reached to a significant point under the United Nations framework and from here lot of meaningful results could be achieved. Ms Clinton further said that the United States along with its friend nations would make all efforts to tackle the climate change and other environment-related issues.

She expressed utter satisfaction over the progress made at Cancun conference and said that the outcome would take forward the core elements raised in the Copenhagen Accord, such as creating a new Green Climate Fund, Working on a culture of transparency, creating a framework to reduce deforestation, establishing a technology mechanism, seeking international cooperation and many others.

The United States has been working with its global partners to move forward and sort out all differences since the Copenhagen summit took place last year, she reiterated.

“The United States joined other countries at Cancun for a fresh round of discussions focused at mobilizing common efforts to meet the shared objective. So now that we have reached an important milestone, time has come to enlarge our vision and work together to meet the challenges that come our way,” Ms Clinton Said.

The Cancun Summit has been able to reach a ‘compromise’ to organize a $100 billion ‘Green Fund’ to fight global warming. There was, however, no agreement regarding the Kyoto Protocol on carbon emissions cuts beyond 2012. The development made at Cancun will be followed up in the next round of talks to be held next year.

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N Korea blames US for provoking ‘war’ in peninsula

South Korean soldiers and US forces exercising on N Korean boarder

The US receives another criticism for instigating war like situation in the Korean Peninsula.  This time it is North Korea faulting the United States and its allies for exercising military activities and creating an explosive atmosphere for war.

The tense situation between N Korea and s Korea is almost reached on the threshold of a war due to continuous reactions by the United Sates and its allies. No only they are giving aggressive statements to provoke conflict but also reaching out with their military aid for South Korea, states a Korean news paper.

Involvement of S Korea, Japan and US in the conflict directly will make the dispute an international war. North Korea has already demonstrated its readiness both for a war and an ‘all-out war.’

The attack on Yeonpyeong Island by N Korea was first aggression from its side since Korean War in 1950-53In March N Korea also submerged a South Korean ship leading to death of more than 40 sailors.

However, the Korean media calls all these incidents as ‘cooked up’ by the United States and its allies. North Koreans consider the attack on island as revenge to S Korea’s firing in common waters.

It is not just the United States and its allies patting South Korea’s back to instigate war. China has also been reportedly involved in the conflict. N Korean leader Kim Jong Il’s meeting with Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo is not hidden from anyone.

The United States had warned China recently against N Korea’s aggression in the Korean peninsula and suggested to guide N Korea.

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Obama Appeals to Former President Clinton to Help on Tax Issue

Barack Obama appealed to Bill Clinton for convincing Democrats

The US president seeks help from his predecessor. He asked former president Bill Clinton to persuade Democrats for supporting the Tax Relief Plan.  Obama wanted the bill to be cleared before expected prices rise in January.

Assisting the incumbent president, Bill Clinton requested Democrats of House of Representatives to pass the Tax Relief Plan right now before it goes in the hands of Republicans in the coming month. Referring to Obama’s Tax Relief Plan Clinton stated that it was a good agreement and should be passed before January.

Clinton’s regime in the United States has been an exemplary for every Democrat seeking for a recovery plan after the defeat in congressional elections in November. The president’s tax deal of $856 billion is awaiting Republican’s onion and this makes the Democrats concerned that Obama might compromise to bargain to win their acceptance for the deal. The budget commission stated that lower tax rates could be beneficial too if specialized deductions and other tax breaks are removed, however the Democrats were not convinced on how this tax relief plan could generate more revenue.

The Democrats expected tougher estate tax provisions for the rich people of the United States, which is not featuring in Obama’s bill. The Tax Relief Plan is expected to be passed on Tuesday but with a very bleak possibility.

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US regrets Middle East talk failure; calls for ‘real progress’

US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton

U.S. faults Israelis and Palestinians for “demonizing” each other. Hillary Clinton, the secretary of state, United States, stated in a meeting with officials of the two conflicting nations She in Washington and called for efforts for growth.

Mrs. Clinton regretted over the failure of diplomatic talks between the two sides and appealed to stop blaming each other.

She further added that the core issues of conflict–boarder security, settlements, water and problem of refugees and the main center of dispute—Jerusalem between Israel and Palestine needed to be resolved. She asked Israel and Palestine to show accountability for their mistakes and they should be ready to step forward for a peaceful resolution.

The diplomatic negotiation between the two countries has been reinitiated after  it stopped in September. The United States also offered its willingness to mediate to rule out differences between the two groups. Mrs. Clinton also said that the resolution of conflict between the two groups would be in the interests of the United States as it was a reason for tension in the entire region.

The top US diplomat appealed for peace between Israelis and Palestinians for the sake of entire international community while attending a conference of Brookings Institute’s Saban Center for Middle East Policy. Among the listeners, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad were also attending the conference.

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US ‘Not Rushing’ To Military Option Against Iran

US- Iran Diplomatic relation are changing

Washington: The Obama government’s chief nuclear advisor, Gary Samore, has stated that the United States may impose new sanctions on Iran very soon in order to check its nuclear program advancement. Samore, the US coordinator for Counter-terrorism and arms control, has revealed that the US will keep mounting diplomatic pressure on Teheran and take additional measures considering the upcoming meeting next month between Iran, the US and other world powers to direct nuclear talks.

While addressing a conference on security and defense, he stated that the United States would increase sanctions as Iranian leaders kept avoiding detailed negotiations on the nuclear issue. He further said that the sanctions would not be lifted until all concerns are fully addressed. Samore did not give details about the exact roadmap over the Iran issue but it has been said that several members of Congress are considering a new legislation to limit Iran’s crude oil export and pressurize firms to publicly disclose their deals with Teheran. In addition, many Congress members want more stern sanctions which include punishing foreign companies engaged in business deals with Iran.

He said that Iran had more successful missile program as compared to its nuclear program; so, the United States would like to have a serious strategy to prevent arms sales taking place from Iran.

So far, sanctions imposed on Iran have had significant outcomes since the global ban on acquiring nuclear equipment and technologies for its nuclear program, Samore said. He further said that the United States would not rush to military option against Iran and first resort to diplomatic efforts.

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WikiLeaks supporters launch cyber war against hackers

The cyber war among WikiLeaks supporters and opponents is accelerating

A cyber war has begun among followers of WikiLeak and its opponents. All the forums, social networks and chatrooms are bombarded with messages calling for supporting or banning WikiLeaks continuously and many sites are choked or crashed due to heavy traffic.

United Nations have raised hands over blocking WikiLeaks sources of funding and bank accounts describing it as an action to deprive WikiLeaks from the fundamental right of freedom of expression.

Navi Pillai, UN human right official expressed her surprise over online reactions to the WikiLeaks episode.

A 16 year old boy, supporting WikiLeaks, has been arrested as a suspect of digital attacks in Netherlands.

WikiLeaks supporters have started a campaign throughout the world protesting against suppression by government officials and threaten to sue the financial firms suspending WikiLeaks accounts.

The Germany-based Wau Holland Foundation is protesting Paypal’s step to suspend WikiLeaks accounts through which the company received most of its donations.

WikiLeaks financial representative said the company was preparing to file cases against US credit card companies and denied the allegations against WikiLeaks.

UN human rights official Pillay stated that WikiLeaks’s actions involving disclosure of confidential documents should be seen as a legal issue and resolved through a judicial process in stead of suppression.