Thiruvananthapuram: The state cabinet meeting here on Wednesday has decided to form Debt Relief Commission for fishermen. Retired High Court Judge, justice Dinesan will be the chairman of the commission and Dr Purushan, Kuttayi Basheer, former MLA P Raju and K P Jayaseelan will be the members of the commission, said Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan while briefing cabinet decision. Cabinet has also decided to file a memorandum to the centre by pointing out the common needs of the state.

Gaza: The Gaza Strip lay relatively silent on Wednesday, with only two airstrikes reported, a significant drop from the heavy Israeli bombardment over the past few days. The drop in severity of Israel’s offensive may be in response to strong international pressure to end violence immediately.

Ranchi: Jharkhand has provided the highest "Z category" security cover to Indian cricket team captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni following the receipt of a letter by his family that threatened that they would be harmed if the skipper fails to pay Rs.5 million to a gangster, police said Wednesday.

New York: US President-elect Barack Obama, with his silence on Israel's attacks in Gaza, has confirmed Arab expectations that foreign policy changes will come small and slow when he moves into the White House next month. On the fourth day of Israeli air strikes which have killed more than 380 people in Gaza, the US President-elect has yet to take a position, though he spoke out after militants' attacks in Mumbai and has made detailed statements on the US economy.

Muscat: Leader of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) strongly condemned the barbaric Israeli aggression on the Palestinian people in Gaza and held Israel responsible for taking the situation to a dangerous level. In the final communique of the 29th GCC Summit concluded in Muscat yesterday, the council voiced deep concern over the flagrant Israeli offensive, which led to a large number of deaths and injuries, destruction of properties and terrorising civilians with no consideration for ethics, humanity or international legitimacy resolutions.

Gaza/Tel Aviv: Israel Tuesday rejected calls by the UN and European Union (EU) for an immediate ceasefire and instead prepared for what could be 'long weeks of combat', as a ferocious air offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip entered its fourth day. Caretaker Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said the air campaign, which has seen close to 400 airstrikes on Hamas targets in Gaza in just four days, was only the

Ezhimala: Almost 22 years after its foundation stone was laid, the Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala, on this promontory overlooking the Arabian Sea, is ready for inauguration.

Cairo: Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Tuesday hit back at Egypt's critics over the Israeli attacks on Gaza, and said that his country would not allow "anyone to serve his interests and extend his influence at the expense of Egypt". Mubarak's comment was apparently in reaction to vociferous protests and criticisms made in several Arab countries against Egypt for refusing to fully open its border with Gaza, which has been under deadly Israeli attacks since Saturday

Washington: US President George W. Bush spoke with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Tuesday over efforts to achieve "a sustainable ceasefire" to end the fighting in the Gaza Strip, the White House said. Bush also spoke with Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and Egyptian President Hosny Mubarak, said Gordon Johndroe, a White House spokesman. "They agreed that for any ceasefire to be effective, it must be respected, particularly by Hamas," Johndroe said in Crawford, Texas, where Bush is vacationing.

Dubai: His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has ordered the cancellation of all forms of celebrations marking the New Year in Dubai emirate, as an act of solidarity with the Palestinian people.

Dhaka: Bangladesh's charismatic leader Sheikh Hasina, who favours strong ties with India, has scripted a stunning victory trouncing rival BNP in the country's first polls in seven years, restoring democracy in the impoverished nation after two years of military-led rule. Hasina's Awami League-led alliance clinched 258 seats of the total 300 seats in parliament leaving only 31 constituencies to her archrival Khaleda Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led four-party

New Delhi: Congratulating Sheikh Hasina on her electoral victory in Bangladesh, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Tuesday invited her to visit India 'at your earliest possible convenience'. He said he would ask his 'senior colleague External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee to visit Bangladesh as soon as possible to personally convey our good wishes'.

Thiruvananthapuram: As per the demand of the CPI-M state committee, which asked Chief Minister V.S.Achuthanandan to drop three of his close aides, government pleader Adv D Anil Kumar resigned from his post. Anil Kumar handed over his resignation letter to advocate general on Wednesday morning.

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala University Tuesday decided to confer honorary doctorates on ace film maker Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Malayalam Megastar Mammootty and mrudangam expondent Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman. Mammootty told IANS that he was delighted on being conferred with the honour. 'Yes, this is my first honarary doctorate. I am elated because I am being given (it) alongside two great people. I am being told that another university in Kerala is also considering me. Any award is a recognition and I am really happy about this one,' said Mammootty who has decided to take a day off from work Wednesday.

Pathanamthitta: The Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple opened today for the 22-day ''Makaravilakku'' festival. Melsanthi N Vishnu Namboodiri opened the sanctum sanctorum in the presence of Thantri Kantararu Rajeevaru and lit the ceremonial lamps. 'Sannidhanam' witnessed heavy rush of pilgrims, who in ecstatic trance chanted ''Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa'', at a high pitch that reverberated in the hills and dales.

Kochi:T P M Ibrahim Khan, member of the Centre's Haj goodwill delegation, has recommended to constitute an ''Indian Haj Development and Investment Corporation' to avoid multiplicity of agencies working for the pilgrimage.

Pakistan's National Security Adviser Mahmud Ali Durrani on Tuesday may not be ruling out Mohammad Ajmal Amir Qasab, the lone terrorist captured alive during the Mumbai terror attacks, being a Pakistani national.

Religious leader Dayanand Pandey, arrested in connection with the Malegaon blast, has confessed to his involvement in the September 29 explosion that killed six persons, a senior police official today said. "Pandey has confessed to his involvement in the Malegaon blast. We have taken all precautions to ensure that his confession is admissible in the court," Additional Commissioner of Police (Anti-Terrorism Squad) Parambir Singh said.

A day after Jet Airways reduced fares on domestic routes, state-owned operator Air India on Tuesday announced fare cut up to 82 per cent in at least 20 sectors, mostly on metro routes, a senior airline official said. "The new fare cut comes into effect from today (Tuesday). We have cut fares on 20 sectors by up to 82 per cent. This will largely benefit passengers on metro routes," an airline spokesperson told IANS.