Judical court at Nihalsinghwala inaugurated

Nihalsinghwala (Moga), April 3
Justice KC Puri of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today inaugurated a judicial court at Nihalsinghwala sub-division in Moga district.

Justice Puri said that people of the sub-division would get a lot of benefit from this court. Most of the civil and petty criminal cases of the area would be transferred to this new court.

A full bench of the HC gave its consent to set up a court here in January this year. It was a long pending demand of the local residents, which has been fulfilled after many years, said Rajwinder Kaur, newly elected MLA of the area.

Indian among 7 killed in US college shootout

Washington, April 3
A 38-year-old Sikkimese was among the seven killed by a disgruntled college student who carried out an execution type killing spree in a California college that also left an Indian-American girl injured.

Tshering Rinzing Bhutia, 38, of San Francisco, was killed when the gunman, a former nursing student of the college, stole his car outside Oikos University, a tiny Christian college that focuses on nursing, yesterday morning.

Bhutia was born in Sikkim and lived alone in San Francisco's North Beach neighborhood and worked nights cleaning terminals at the airport, Oakland Tribune reported. He also studied nursing at Oikos and also worked in restaurants.

Indian-American Dawinder Kaur was shot near the right elbow and is in a hospital in Oakland. The suspect has been arrested by the Oakland Police and identified as 43-year-old One Goh, an American of Korean origin.

Dawinder told her family that the gunman, who had been absent from his class for the past several months, suddenly appeared yesterday and ordered all the students to line up against a wall. "He showed his gun and then the students started running," Dawinder said.

Pastor Jong Kim, who founded the school about 10 years ago, said he was unsure whether the man had been expelled or dropped. 

Canada has oil, the U.S. needs oil.

President Barack Obama at the TransCanada Stillwater pipe yard in Cushing, Oklahoma

The U.S. President released a formal finding that there was enough available oil in the world to allow western countries to mount a boycott of Iranian oil, as a means of dissuading Tehran from pursuing its nuclear ambitions.

It was a crucial ruling and a close-run thing. If western countries want to really put the squeeze on Iran’s ruling zealots, it has to be prepared to be cut off from its oil exports. But a mishandled campaign could just push prices higher, helping Tehran more than it would hurt. Or it could lead to a slowdown in the West just as the U.S. appears to be crawling out of its recession.

The decision depends to a large degree on an assessment of Saudi Arabia’s ability to make up for displaced Iranian oil. The White House believes the Saudis have the capacity, but no one is really sure.  “We won’t know what the Saudis can do until we test it, and we’re about to,” told one official.

Reading that, you have to figure the White House must have been declared an irony-free zone for Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s visit on Monday. Here’s Barack Obama, racking his brain for a way out of the country’s persistent oil dilemma, and next to him is Stephen Harper, who’s dripping in the stuff and eager to sell.

Harper: Mr President, can we discuss the Keystone XL pipeline issue for a moment?

Obama: Not now Stephen, if you don’t kind. I’ve got to figure out this oil supply mess.

The pipeline decision was delayed until after the presidential election so Obama wouldn’t have to offend his environmental supporters while he seeks re-election. None of the excuses offered for the delay holds water: The chosen route for the project through a valuable aquifer was no great threat, the project had passed crucial safety tests, and the area is already criss-crossed by a large network of other pipelines.  It was all about politics.

But the result of the decisions is the quandary now facing the president: The U.S. needs oil one way or another. Whatever the long-range attractions of reducing dependency on fossil fuels, the world isn’t going to switch to biofuels and solar power overnight, and a secure supply of oil will remain crucial for decades to come.

The source of that fuel is critical to the U.S. The problems with Iran are a perfect demonstration of that: in the absence of a friendly, secure, reliable supplier, the U.S. is forced to look to places like Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. After Canada and Mexico, the top suppliers to the U.S. are Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Nigeria, Angola and Iraq. Not one real democracy in the lot, all of them with serious political and stability issues. and none of them right next door.

Canada, on the other hand, is just across the border, is a close friend and ally of the U.S., and is both ready and eager to ensure a reliable increase in supply. But Washington’s willingness to play games with the Keystone project has only served to increase Ottawa’s awareness of the need to find other customers.

“Look, I’m a strong and firm believer in the economic importance of our relationship, the security importance, and the importance of the United States and the world,” Harper told an audience at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.
“But we cannot take this to the point where we are creating risk and significant economic penalty to the Canadian economy.”
“And to not diversify to Asia, when Asia is a growing part of the world, just simply makes no sense.”

He noted that in years past Canada has been willing to itself to the U.S. market. But the Keystone decision demonstrated the danger of this in two ways: the price of Canadian oil suffers because Canada is seen as a “captive supplier” to the U.S.; and Canada’s economic health is put in jeopardy by the fact that the U.S. could some day stop importing the oil.

Mr. Obama could have avoided all this by accepting the self-evident benefit to the U.S. of getting Keystone built as quickly as possible. Instead he’s got to juggle Saudi capacity against Iranian vengefulness, and the long-term implications of  a risky sanctions plan that could blow up in the face of its supporters.

Relying on his friends in Canada would have been so much easier.

Severe Tornadoes cause massive damage across Dallas, Fort Worth and North Texas

A powerful tornado is seen touching down near the city of Dallas, TX., April 3, 2012.

Powerful tornados were spotted on the ground in Texas, carving a path of destruction through the Dallas area and tossing tractor trailers into the air before moving north through the state.

Residents in four Texas counties are being urged to take shelter in Dallas, Ellis, Johnson and Tarrant counties.

A tornado near Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport ripped through a tractor-trailer park and tossed the massive trucks high into the air and spinning them around before smashing them to the ground.

Reports of injuries were not immediately known, but the National Weather Service declared the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area to be under a "tornado emergency." Warnings for most counties are still active.

Sirens were going off in downtown Dallas and Fort Worth. Schools across the area were huddling children in hallways. Passengers at DFW International Airport were being rushed to safe areas at 1:50 p.m. CT.

"This is as serious of a tornado we've seen in years," said CBS 11 meteorologist Larry Mowry.

Television news helicopters broadcast images of the twisters. Spotters on the ground estimated the tornadoes to be 1/2-mile wide. The first tornado, first spotted about 20 miles south of Fort Worth, was believed to be on the ground for 30 minutes.

That twister was captured on video near Arlington.

Storm spotters were reporting widespread major damage of homes and other buildings in communities south of Fort Worth.

Lengthy Bollywood style ceremony launches IPL 5

CHENNAI: Bollywood superstars Salman Khan,Kareena Kapoor and American pop sensationKaty Perry were the highlights of a lengthy opening ceremony of the fifth edition of the IPL, which failed to live up to its high expectations on Tuesday night despite the huge glamour quotient. 

Although there was no dearth of star power with megastar Amitabh Bachchan, Priyanka Chopra, Prabhu Deva attending the opening nite, it still drew a lacklustre response from the nearly 15,000 spectators who had gathered at the YMCA College of Physical Education. 

Even the attempts by the hosts to cheer up the crowd failed to enthuse the audience who were subjected to a typical Bollywood style entertainment but without much verve and spirit. 

Amitabh, returning to work after two abdominal surgeries earlier this year, started the proceedings for the evening with a rendition of a poem 'If I were to be born again', written by renowned lyricist Prasoon Joshi. 

The 69-year-old veteran actor with his baritone voice and inimitable style hit the right chords but the dance performance choreographed by Shiamak Davar at the background was a dampener. 

The rendition started to the ceremony, which set the stage for the 54-day extravaganza featuring nine teams who would be locked in a battle for the next two months. 

South African percussion band First Project, composer DJ Ravi Drums and Colonial Cousins then took the stage and churned out their brand of music. 

Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra then put her dancing shoes and performed to hit numbers from her films such as 'Don', 'Don 2' and 'Kaminey', which even saw India spinner Harbhajan Singh shaking a leg along with her. 

India's dancing sensation and Chennai's own Prabhu Deva then burned the dance floor with his performance where he danced to songs from films such as 'Wanted' and 'Hum Se Hai Muqablah'. 

Two-time title winners, Chennai Super Kings then took the stage and Priyanka Chopra shared some light moments with the cricketers as she quizzed skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and also taught Australian Doug Bollinger and Indian spinner R Ashwin some dancing steps. 

The 'Chammak Challo' of the Tinsel town, Kareena Kapoor then performed her dance numbers from films such as 'Ra One' and the latest 'Agent Vinod'. 

The opening nite then saw the oath taking ceremony by the skippers of the nine teams, including retired Rahul Dravid and Australian Adam Gilchrist, as they signed the MCC Spirit of Cricketpledge. 

Defending champions CSK skipper Dhoni placed the trophy back on the podium and BCCIpresident N Srinivasan and IPL chairman Rajiv Shukla then joined the players on stage. 

"IPL has grown from strength to strength and has established itself as a premiere tournament. BCCI is extremely proud of this achievement. But who is the cause? First the commitment of the players both international and domestic, who participated in the event, the enthusiasm of the franchises and assistance of the supporting stuffs and the cricket fans in India and around the world have contributed to its great success. We expect IPL 5 to be no less," Srinivasan said. 

"We have not forgotten who played for us. The BCCI will give an one-time opportunity to cricketers who have graced Indian cricket -- International cricketer as well as domestic cricketers who played from a long time. 

"Over 185 players will be benefited from it and we will start the distribution from this year. It is a small thank you from us to those who have done yeoman service to Indian cricket," he added. 

Shukla then flagged off the fifth edition, saying: "It gives me a great pleasure to flag off the fifth edition of the DLF Indian Premier League, an arena where quality international and domestic cricketers take part in intense contest of strategy and skill. IPL is a platform where talent meets opportunity." 

Bollywood superstar Salman Khan then tried to set the stage ablaze with his 'Dhinka Chika' act from the film 'Ready', followed by performances to some foot-tapping numbers from 'Body Guard', 'Wanted', 'Partner' and 'Jab Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kiya' but his performance too lacked the punch. 

After some Bollywood razzle-dazzle, Perry dished out a sumptuous musical treat and performed some of her superhits such as 'fireworks' and 'California Girls'. 

The singer, who had tied the knot with now estranged husband Russell Brand, in India in 2010, was the star attraction of the evening and her maiden performance in the country, rounded off the evening. 

Dazzling fireworks lit up the evening sky as the ceremony which lasted about two and a half hours came to end. 

The main action will start from Wednesday when defending champions Chennai Super Kings starts their campaign against Champions Leagues title holder Mumbai Indians in the tournament opener at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.
Courtesy:TOI

Oakland college shooting

At least seven people are dead and three others wounded after a shooting rampage at a Christian college in Oakland, California. Bigad Shaban reports.

OAKLAND - A Korean-American former student at a California religious college lined up his victims and shot them execution-style, police said Tuesday.

Police were holding the suspect in the fatal shootings of seven people Monday at Okios University in Oakland which stunned the tightly knit Korean American community in the area.

"This was a calculated, cold-blooded execution in the classroom," Oakland police chief Howard Jordan told CNN.

Details of the shooting and the victims emerged a day after the ethnic Korean gunman allegedly walked into a building housing Okios University, took a receptionist hostage and then sought out a particular female administrator.

When he realized the administrator was not in the building, he shot the secretary and then lined students up against a wall and shot them one by one, Jordan told CNN.

"I’m going to kill you all," the gunman allegedly told the students.

Six women and a man - all students at the school, aged 21 to 40 - were killed in the rampage. Jordan said they were from Nigeria, Nepal and Korea.

"This happened within minutes," Jordan said. "We don’t think the victims had any opportunity to resist, any opportunity to surrender."

The gunman then walked out of the classroom, reloaded his automatic weapon, and fired into several classrooms before driving off in a victim’s car to neighboring Alameda, California, he said.

He said the gunman then called his parents and surrendered to police who arrived on the scene.

Identified as 43-year-old One Goh, the suspect was a former student at the Christian college and complained to police that he had been treated disrespectfully by staff members, Jordan said.

"He was having some behavioral problems at the school and was asked to leave several months ago," Jordan said in a separate interview with ABC television, adding that he was cooperating with investigators.

"We’ve learned this was a very chaotic, calculated and determined gentleman that came there with the specific intent to kill people," Jordan said.

Some 35 people were in or near the building at the time. Of those, 10 were hit and five were pronounced dead at the scene. Two others died later in hospital. Survivors were found hiding in locked and darkened rooms.

"No American mayor wants to have this situation," Oakland Mayor Jean Quan told reporters. "It seems that in the last decade we’ve gotten used to seeing senseless mass killings like this... This has been a terrible tragedy."

She said the city was trying to recruit more Korean-speaking grief counselors, saying the shooting "will leave the community asking questions for a long time."

A memorial service was to be held at 6:00 p.m. Tuesday.

The Oakland Tribune reported that the suspect’s brother, U.S. Army Sergeant Su Wan Ko, died in a traffic accident in Virginia in March 2011 while on special assignment from a research institute in Germany.

One Goh reportedly attended the memorial service.

South Korea’s Yonhap news agency, citing officials at the South Korean consulate in San Francisco, identified the shooter as Ko Won-Il, a U.S. citizen of Korean descent.

Police described the suspect as "male, Asian, heavy build, khaki clothing."

Lisa Resler, 41, said she was leaving the Safeway supermarket in Alameda with her daughter when she saw store security confronting a young Asian man, whom she described as looking "very sedated" as he was handcuffed.

Within minutes of the mid-morning shooting, SWAT teams took up position around the building, some smashing glass with sledgehammers and rushing inside as officers helped students evacuate, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

Angie Johnson, 52, said she saw a young woman leaving the building with blood coming from her arm and crying: "I’ve been shot, I’ve been shot."

The wounded woman said the shooter was a man in her nursing class who rose up and shot one person in the chest, then began firing wildly in the classroom, Johnson told the Chronicle.

"She said he looked crazy all the time," Johnson said, quoting the victim. "But they never knew how far he would go."

The female victim "had a hole in her right arm the size of a silver dollar with blood coming down," Johnson said.

The school, which offers degrees in nursing, biblical studies and Christian ministry, says "students are given the opportunity to obtain a Christian education that is based on solid Christian doctrine and ideology.