26 killed in Mexico pipeline fire

A big fire erupted at a natural gas pipeline distribution center near Mexico’s border with the United States on Tuesday, killing 26 maintenance workers and forcing evacuations of people in nearby ranches and homes.

Mexico’s state-owned oil company, Petroleos Mexicanos, initially reported 10 deaths at the facility near the city of Reynosa, across from McAllen, Texas. Later, the death toll was raised to 26, including a man who was run over when he rushed onto a highway running away from the facility.

U.S. shuts Indonesia consulate amid film protests

The U.S. has temporarily closed its consulate in Indonesia’s third-largest city due to ongoing protests over an anti-Islam film produced in the United States.

About 300 members of the pan-Islamic movement Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia rallied on Wednesday morning in front of the consulate in Medan, the capital of North Sumatra province. Later, about 50 Muslim students also protested there. Both groups called on Washington to punish the makers of the film, “Innocence of Muslims.”

It was the third consecutive day of protests in Medan.

The U.S. Embassy in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta sent a text message to U.S. citizens saying the consulate has been closed temporarily because of the demonstrations.

Wednesday’s protests at the consulate were peaceful. On Monday, protesters hurled rocks and Molotov cocktails outside the embassy in Jakarta.

Source :AP

Sri Lankan Army still has vast presence in North & East

More than three years after winning the war against the LTTE, the Sri Lankan Army retains an overwhelming presence in the North and East of the island, deploying 16 out of its 19 divisions in the Tamil-dominated regions.

Information available with The Hindu indicates that besides three divisions in Jaffna, there are three each in Killinochchi and Mullaithivu, while five divisions are stationed in Vavuniya. Another two divisions are deployed in the East. Three divisions are headquartered in southern Sri Lanka.

Russia orders US to shut its aid mission

USAID asked to cease operations apparently over funding groups that seek to promote democracy and rule of law in Russia.

Russia has ordered USAID to cease operations in the country, accusing the aid mission of being a front of the American government's effort to influence its local politics and the outcome of elections.

Moscow's move on Wednesday is seen as a slap in the face on the administration of President Barack Obama, who has been seeking to "reset" bilateral ties with its former rival.

Obama, who is facing re-election in November, is being accused by his Republican rival Mitt Romney of being soft on Russia. 

Analysts said they believed the Russian decision partly reflected Moscow's hostility toward US-funded groups that seek
to promote democracy and the rule of law in Russia.

"It's about attempts to influence political processes, including elections of various types, and institutions of civil society through the distribution of grants," Russia's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

It added Moscow had serious questions over the operations of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) in Russia's regions, especially in the North Caucasus where Russia is fighting an armed Islamist rebelion.

Victoria Nuland, the US state department spokeswoman, said Russia's decision will not affect American policy towards Russia.

"The American government remains committed to supporting democracy, human rights, and the development of a more robust civil society in Russia, and look forward to continuing our co-operation with Russian non-governmental organizations," Nuland said.

Clampdown on dissent

Steven Pifer, a former US ambassador to Ukraine who is now at the Brookings Institution think tank, said he believed the decision reflected some reluctance by the Russian government to see foreign support for pro-democracy efforts in the country.

"They see AID's efforts in Russia as being a prime funder of the NGOs that are concerned about their elections and concerned about the regression of democracy in Russia," Pifer said. 

He said the Russian government, basking in oil revenues, no longer believed it should be a recipient of foreign aid and may also be "trying to make it more difficult" for the outside world to support pro-democracy NGOs, or non-governmental
organizations, in Russia.

Over the last 20 years, the US has provided Russia with more than $2.6bn in aid. In 2011, Russia received $50m from the US through USAID.

Critics of President Vladimir Putin, who back in the Kremlin for a third term after serving as prime minister, said the move is part of a clampdown on dissent sponsored by the ex-KGB spy.

Moscow is tightening Internet controls and has raised fines for protesters, among others, sparking criticism among rights groups that it is trying to stifle opposition against Putin's 12-year rule after a winter of protests.

Chicago teachers vote to end strike

Chicago public school teachers have voted to end a strike and resume classes in the third-largest US school district, ending a confrontation with Mayor Rahm Emanuel that focused national attention on struggling urban schools.

About 800 union delegates representing the 29,000 teachers and support staff in Chicago Public Schools voted overwhelmingly to resume classes on Wednesday, after more than two hours of debate on Tuesday.

"I am so thrilled that people are going back," Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis said. "Everybody is looking forward to seeing their kids tomorrow."

Lewis, an outspoken former high school chemistry teacher, said the entire membership of the union would cast a formal vote in the next two weeks to ratify a new contract agreement.

The delegates ended the strike on their second attempt, having decided on Sunday to continue the walkout for two more days so they could review details of a proposed three-year contract with Emanuel.

Emanuel had to retreat from a proposal to introduce merit pay for teachers, and he promised teachers that at least half of all new hires in the district would be from union members laid off by the closing of schools.

Speaking at Walter Payton College Prep school in Chicago after the vote, Emanuel said he was pleased by the outcome.

"This settlement is an honest compromise," he said. "It means a new day and a new direction for Chicago public schools."

Lewis led the walkout on September 10, the first Chicago teachers' strike in 25 years, to protest against Emanuel's demand for sweeping education reforms. About 350,000 public school students were affected by the largest US labour dispute in a year.

Emanuel on Monday tried to get a court order ending the strike, angering the union. A court hearing on his request is scheduled for Wednesday.

Galvanising US labour

The strike focused attention on a national debate over how to improve failing schools. Emanuel believes poorly performing schools should be closed and reopened with new staff or converted to "charter" schools that are often non-union and run by private groups.

Teachers want more resources put into neighbourhood public schools to help them succeed. Chicago teachers say many of their students live in poor, crime-ridden areas and this affects their learning. More than 80 per cent of public school students qualify for free meals based on low family incomes.

Only about 60 per cent of Chicago students graduate from high school - below the national average of 75 per cent - while more than 90 per cent pass out in some affluent Chicago suburbs.

The decision by the union to walk out of classrooms eight days ago rather than accept Emanuel's reforms galvanised the weakened US labour movement after a string of national defeats.

Unions lost battles recently in a number of states. In Wisconsin, Republicans stripped public sector unions such as teachers of most powers to bargain; Indiana took a decision to make payment of union dues voluntary; and two California cities have voted to curb the pensions of government workers.

President Barack Obama was silent throughout the dispute in his home city between Emanuel, who had been was his top White House aide, and a national union that supports Obama.

The strike had raised concern that the rift could damage union support for Obama and Democrats in the run-up to the November presidential and congressional elections. Teacher rallies drew support from other unions in Chicago and from unions in neighbouring states such as Wisconsin and Indiana.

France to close premises in 20 countries over Prophet cartoons

France said it would temporarily close its embassies and schools in 20 countries on Friday after a French magazine published  cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad, a move it fears will further inflame tensions over a film mocking the prophet.

"We have indeed decided as a precautionary measure to close our premises, embassies, consulates, cultural centres and schools," a Foreign Ministry spokesman said of the shut-down on Friday, prayer day across the Muslim world.

Lawyers in Pakistan rally against anti-Islam film

Several hundred lawyers protesting an anti-Islam video forced their way into an area in Pakistan's capital that houses the US Embassy and other foreign missions on Wednesday, and the United States temporarily closed its consulate in an Indonesian city because of similar demonstrations.

The lawyers who protested in Islamabad shouted anti-US slogans and burned an American flag after they pushed through a gate, gaining access to the diplomatic enclave before police stopped them. They called for the US ambassador to be expelled from the country, and then peacefully dispersed.