CIA is accused of Thames sabotage

London, Oct. 26: The CIA was very much involved in a sabotage in the Thames river in which a Cuba-bound East German ship with British buses aboard was rammed in 1964, it has been claimed.

On deck of the Cuba-bound ship were 42 Leyland buses. The company, Leyland Motors, had decided to use an East German ship following a threatening by the United States to blacklist anyone breaking the "transportation blockade".

Now, 44 years on after the Thames river incident was termed "an accident", a naval historian has found evidence that the East German vessel, MV Magdeburg, was made to collide with a Japanese ship "at the behest of the CIA".

In fact, according to John McGarry, it was part of an effort by the American intelligence agency to sabotage anyone breaking the US embargo on Fidel Castro’s Cuba, the Observer newspaper reported.

And, Mr McGarry has cited evidence, given by the British captain of the Magdeburg, Gordon Greenfield, from the maritime archives of the former German Democratic Republic to support his claims.

—PTI

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McCain warns of total Democrat control in DC

Oct. 26: Seeking a mandate for himself in the upcoming presidential polls, Republican John McCain has warned that an Obama victory would lead to Democrats taking a total control over Washington, a prospect that would undermine the system of checks and balances in American politics.

"Are you ready for Obama, Pelosi and Reid?" asked Mr McCain, at a campaign rally in New Mexico, underscoring the point that Democrats already have control over House of Representatives and the Senate and a victory in the election would add the White House to their kitty. —PTI

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Moderates fear wipeout will make way for Evangelicals

London, Oct. 26: With the Democrats poised for gains in the Senate and the House, moderate Republicans fear a wipeout that would leave their party in the grip of Evangelicals increasingly out of touch with the public.

Some Republicans believe John McCain should adopt a more positive approach to campaigning, the Guardian reported.

Voting for a Republican President runs in the blood of places like Gainesville. The pretty little town of 15,000 sits in north Texas ranch country and it is safe to say that Barack Obama has few fans here.

—ANI