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Issue 44
South Asia
Thursday, 17.05.12
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a confrontation. It was his duty as the ultimate stalwart of the Islamic global revolution. Since then, Iran has been pursuing a nuclear program which it insists is for peaceful purposes and which Israel, the US and others believe is intended to provide
it with military nuclear capability. Speaking to journalists and diplomats in Jerusalem, Aznar also recalled a discussion he had with Russian President Vladimir Putin, in which the Russian leader allegedly told him not to worry about an Iranian nuclear bomb since
Khameini said Irans 1979 Islamic revolution sought to rid the world of Continued on page 02 >>
Britons to brace Ratko Mladics genocide themselves for two more trial gets under way
Former Serb general gives truculent display at Hague court as prosecution outlines case including 1995 Srebrenica massacre Ratko Mladic taunts Srebrenica survivors at start of trial
Facing 11 charges including two counts of genocide, the 70 yearold former general appeared
survivors at the start of his trial for genocide, running his hand Continued on page 26 >>
THE Bank of England today told Britons to brace themselves for two more years of economic pain. And that is without the effects of any possible collapse of the euro. Governor Sir Mervyn King said the UK economy will not return to pre-financial crisis levels before
2014, as the Bank cut its growth forecasts for the next two years. The UKs recovery from recession will be hampered by people taking time off work during the Queens Diamond Jubilee celebrations, the Bank of England has said. Continued on page 26 >>
Francois Hollande has been sworn in as the 24th president of France and the countrys first socialist leader for nearly two decades. According to French tradition, he was welcomed to the Elysee Palace by outgoing president Nicolas Sarkozy. Hollande, 57, was elected to a fiveyear term earlier this month after voters ousted incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy after only one term. Voters were disappointed over Sarkozys handling of Frances economy which has high unemployment and low growth and recoiled at his aggressive personality. Hollande plans to leave shortly on his first diplomatic foray to Berlin, where he is meeting German Chancellor Angela Merkel for a critical meeting on austerity
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and growth in Europe. Arriving Tuesday morning at the 18th-century palace that is the traditional residence of French presidents, Hollande was greeted by Sarkozy on the Elysees redcarpeted steps. Following a fortyminute private meeting with Sarkozy, Hollande was declared president after the head of the constitutional court read out the final results of the May 6 election. In his first presidential speech, Hollande promised to fight financial speculation and open a new path in Europe but acknowledged that he inherits huge government debt. He has pushed back against austerity measures championed by Germany amid Europes debt crisis and wants government stimulus instead. Hollande also pledged to
bring dignity to the presidential role something voters felt that Sarkozy did not always do.
Guests at the ceremony included Frances leftist political elite, the head of an umbrella group of French
was driven away. Former staffers gathered in the palace courtyard applauded loudly as Sarkozy left.
Hollande was due to fly to Berlin later in the day for his first meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. According to a survey of 10,000 voters conducted by Opinionway for Le Figaro (not online), 93 percent of French Muslims voted for Francois Hollande in the second round of the French election, La Vie reports. Another poll put Muslim support for Hollande at 85 percent. A prior Opinionway survey showed that 59 percent of Muslim voters (numbering about two million in total) voted for Hollande in the first round of the French elections, with Sarkozy only managing four percent. It is the mark of a true rejection of Nicolas Sarkozy said Julien Goarant, research director at Opinionway. Sarkozys attempts to woo Far-right voters and question the role of Islam (especially Halal meat) in France also did not go unnoticed. On the flip side, a poll for La Vie showed that 79 percent of practicing Catholics voted for Sarkozy, with Hollande cornering only 21 percent of their vote. But 70 percent of those considering themselves without religion went with Hollande, according to Le Figaro.
Republic and the P5+1 countries should be Tehrans last chance to come clean and be cooperative. He demanded Iran stop all enrichment, remove all previously enriched uranium and dismantle its nuclear facilities,
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hope of trial or release. Moazzam Begg, born and raised in the UK, was imprisoned for years in Guantanamo as an Al Qaeda
Asim Qureshi is a former corporate lawyer, whose human rights organization Cageprisoners Ltd exists solely to raise awareness of
he was armed and prepared to fight alongside the Taliban and Al Qaeda against the US, but only after being hog-tied and beaten
Vaz welcomes visa Gas prices to rocket by 15%, centre success for city millions of families warned
HOUSEHOLDS face the prospect of more price hikes after British Gas owner Centrica warned a 15 per cent rise in the wholesale cost of gas could be passed on to consumers. The company, which is the UKs biggest energy supplier, said it was also facing increased transport and other costs, which could add 50 a year to average bills. If the 15 per cent increase is passed on to consumers, it could mean a 128 a year increase, taking average bills to 1,388. British Gas, which trades as Scottish Gas north of the Border and has 15.9 million residential customers, increased gas bills by 18 per cent and electricity by 16 per cent in August. Yesterdays price warning was greeted with dismay by industry commentators, who said consumers were already stretched to the limit. Audrey Gallacher, director of energy at Consumer Focus, said: Consumers will need clear evidence that price rises are warranted if they are to stomach further increases to their bills. People simply dont know whether what they are asked to pay is fair the perception is that suppliers are quick to pass on high price rises and slow to pass on small price cuts. Much greater transparency on costs, pricing and profits is needed for customers to know whether theyre getting a fair deal. She called for the extra revenue the UK government receives from carbon taxes to be used to help the millions of people who are being hit hardest by rising costs. Tom Lyon, energy expert at uSwitch.com, said: This is deeply worrying as consumers are still
Leicester East MP, Keith Vaz, has welcomed the successful conclusion of the campaign to secure a biometric visa centre in the city to allow people to register for biometric residence permits. Mr Vaz started the campaign in January this year by urging residents to sign a petition calling for the service to be provided. By April the petition had been signed by almost 1000 residents. Mr Vaz presented the petition on behalf of his constituents to the House of Commons on the 26thApril. He also met with Damian Green MP, the Immigration Minister, Rob Whiteman, Head of UKBA, and Paula Vennells, the ManagingDirector of the Post Office Ltd. Following these meetings Ms Vennells agreed to provide a biometric visa centre in Leicester. The changes to immigration laws concerning non-EU/EEA nationals came into force on the 1st March meaning those who want to stay here for longer than six months have to have facial recognition and fingerprints taken at a specialised
centre. The new rules will also include students and refugees. There isnt a centre in Leicestershire, with the nearest being in Beeston, Nottinghamshire and in Derby, even though Leicester is a prime candidate for the service. Mr Vaz was disappointed that constituents wanting the permits would have to travel, incurring unnecessary expense and time to get them. Keith Vaz says: This is a brilliant outcome for the people of Leicester. The campaign has provided for a service that many residents will need and use Leicester is known internationally as a hub for business and study and also for our great diversity. It is of the upmost importance that we continue to be seen as a welcoming city. With provision for the service in the city centre we will save many people unnecessary travelling time and expenses travelling out of the county. I am delighted that the campaign has at last secured this important facility.
struggling to come to terms with the 224 or 21 per cent increase in bills from the end of 2010 and only enjoyed a 41 or 3.2 per cent reduction at the beginning of this year. Any further increases will see even more people seriously struggling to afford their bills. We would urge all suppliers to hold fire for as long as possible and to ensure that if they do move, it is only in response to a sustained upward trend. Its also important that they recognise the impact it will have on their customers. Tom Pering, an energy analyst at Inenco, said cost hikes were caused by a combination of issues, including supply security and the increasing cost of government legislation. He said: This increased cost will inevitably be passed on to residential and business customers in the form of higher bills.
However, the big six energy companies are still not doing enough to inform UK households of their cheapest tariffs and helping them reduce bills. Centricas shares were up 1 per cent after it said it was trading in line with expectations. In its statement, the firm said: Noncommodity costs which are largely outside of our control are expected to add a further 50 to the cost of supplying the average household this year. The trend for retail energy costs therefore remains upwards. Centrica, which is midway through a drive to cut 2,300 jobs as part of a push to save 500m, said its residential energy customer base edged down year on year to 15.9m, compared with 16m a year ago. Last month Centrica threatened to pull out of the running to build a new generation of atomic power plants because of uncertainty over the governments energy policy.
The British governments argument for secret courts is flawed in both moral and practical terms and should be resisted. UK government plans to end centuries of open justice by allowing some court evidence to be heard behind closed doors are dangerous, Amnesty International said. The proposal submitted by the British government, confirmed in the British Queens speech during last Wednesdays state opening of the UK Parliament, allows certain court evidence to be heard from behind closed doors. In the Queens speech it announced plans to transform hearings of some civil law cases against the government into, effectively, secret courts. The primary justification for this is that US intelligence agencies would cease to share information with the UK if British courts were allowed to continue disclosing data obtained from American sources .the American system leaks far more than the British ever could. This leak happened not in the pursuit of justice but as a casually irresponsible piece of political spin. In the coming year, the government, at the behest of the intelligence agencies, is going to ask us to introduce a secret procedure into our civil courts for the first time in our history. It will allow the covering up of crimes such as complicity in torture that may have been carried out in our name. It is being justified as a way of protecting secrets from a country that makes a virtue of being even more open than we are, and which as a result lets slip more classified data in a day than our courts do in a decade. Plans to expand secret hearings into civil courts have been accelerated by the government. Rather than moving to the preparatory white paper stage, a justice and security bill will be put through parliament this session. The government has come under severe pressure from MI5 and MI6 to impose a system of secret hearings in courts ever since disclosures that the security and intelligence agencies had been involved in the brutal treatment,
UK Secret courts
EDITORIAL
Sheikh Rasheed threatens to launch anti-govt movement by attack on NATO supply by 300 -400 Suiciders !!! Former Minister and a leader of Difa-e-pakistan Council, AML chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmed has revealed on TV, that 300 to 400 Suiciders are ready to explode if Pakistani government resumes the NATO supply . In the same Interview he also said we are ready to be martyred and the Government cannot stop . He empahsised that it is on record as what he is saying that 300 to 400 suiciders are ready for the coming Thursday and Friday or the day Pakistani government announce regarding NATO supply. We will go to the Capital Islamabad for attack. Earlier back on 6th April, talking to the media at the Jinnah International Airport Karachi Sheikh Rashid Ahmad claimed that as many as 300 suicide attackers are present in Pakistan and if they are not controlled, large-scale disaster may hit the country. He also said that Pakistan was in the grip of suicide attacks and the whole nation would have to rise against them. Lord Nazir Ahmed who was suspended from the party after a Pakistani newspaper reported, that he allegedly offered cash for the capture of Mr. Obama (Lord Ahmed firmly denied offering a bounty), invited Sheikh Rashid leader of the Pakistan Awami Muslim League as guest, at the House of Lords on Wednesday 28th March 2012 at6 pm Committee Room 3 . Sheikh Rashid is one of the leader of recently formed Difa e Pakistan including Hafiz Saeed , whose JuD is believed to be linked to anti-India militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba. Should Lord Nazir Ahmed who is a great defender of Pakistan and Muslims cause, avoid people like Shiekh Rasheed Ahmed who are not only demonisers of Islam also a threat with 300 400 suiciders for the Pakistan?
and knew of the torture, of UK residents and citizens detained by the CIA. The governments central argument for the creation of new generation of secret courts has been blown out of the water by the leak of highly sensitive British intelligence in the US, according to former shadow home secretary David Davis. Amnesty International has described the proposed legal changes as dangerous, saying they would allow the British government to keep secret any evidence of human rights violations. David Cameron has defended plans to create a new generation of secret courts and to extend powers to monitor the publics emails, phone calls and social media communications, saying the government needed to take every step to keep the country safe. The deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, raised concerns about the plans in a letter to ministers on the national Security Council. Clegg said the courts should only be used in exceptional cases where there are national security concerns. But Mr. Clegg has reportedly told the prime minister, ministers and security chiefs on the National Security Council that, without changes to the current proposals, his party would not back the legislation. Contrary to what the government appears to anticipate, many of the measures in the green paper appear to undermine the human rights, justice and fairness that this government claims to respect. Closed evidence, which has been creeping into the judicial system over the past decade, runs contrary to democratic values and the established, healthy tradition of open and fair trials. Commenting on the decision, David Davis, the former shadow home secretary who is a fierce critic of proposals to extend the secret justice system said: The government doesnt like it when it cant itself challenge evidence, as unchallenged evidence is unreliable evidence. This shows that one-sided justice eventually delivers no justice.
Health Secretary heckled after claiming NHS staffing levels have increased as nursing study reveals 61,000 frontline jobs to go Jobs at risk because of spending cuts, according to Royal College of Nursing study Community nurses among those facing the chop A total of 26,000 jobs already gone in last two years Lansley receives frosty reception at nursing conference
Nurses heckled and laughed at Health Secretary Andrew Lansley today after he claimed clinical staffing levels in the NHS had increased. Mr Lansley was speaking in the wake of a Royal College of Nursing (RCN) study that warned more than 60,000 frontline jobs in the NHS, including those of nurses, were at risk because of spending cuts, with almost half already gone. The Royal College of Nursing say the Government has shown weakness over pledges to protect frontline NHS services. A study has shown that 61,000 posts could be lost because of spending cuts and almost half of those jobs have
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already gone in the last two years. The RCN have also been critical of government plans to move care from acute hospitals to community sites, calling it a facade. Dr Peter Carter, general secretary of the RCN said: Nurses are being stretched too thin, and many are approaching breaking point. Inevitably patient care is going to suffer. Ahead of their annual conference in Harrogate this week they have said that underinvestement could mean patients will have nowhere to turn if services in the hospitals and in the community are cut. This would create a revolving door for patients who may be discharged from hospital too quickly into community care where there is not enough
support. Carter said: The community is struggling to cope with the workload it has now, let alone the one it faces in the future. Fewer than one in 10 of the 2,600 community nurses polled by RCN said they had enough time to meet the needs of their patients. Health Minister Simon Burns said: We do not recognise these figures, we are giving nurses in hospital and in the community more time to care. The government believe that helping patients to return home quickly with support is better than a long spell in hospital. They say they are investing 300million to do this and that they are training double the number of community nurses and health visitors than were trained last year.
He did not do anything out of bias or hate. However he said that there is outrage among people that Ravi was found guilty of hate crime even though he is not a homophobic and there is no proof he hated gays or had bias towards them. Kappa said further: The case has destroyed Ravis life and there
MI5 warned Scotland Yard that some of its officers had attended terrorist training camps
A number of police officers are believed to have lost their jobs after checks were carried out One of the police officers suspected of being at a terrorist training camp in Pakistan is Abdul Rahman The father-of-four resigned from the force and is suing Scotland Yard for compensation
British intelligence agency MI5 has warned the British Police that some police officers were suspected of attending terrorist training camps. their jobs after Scotland Yard was warned by the MI5. The newspaper also disclosed the identity of one of the officers who resigned over the allegations that he had attended a terrorist camp in 2001. Abdul Rahman, who had been a constable for almost three years, resigned from Scotland Yard when MI5 warned the force that he was suspected of being at a terrorist training camp in Pakistan in 2001. The Telegraph also reported that one or two other officers had lost their jobs as a result of MI5s suspicion that they might have links with terrorist groups. There was concern that these people had come into the force under false pretences. There were two or three cases at the same time that were of a similar nature, where there were concerns about potential terrorist links, the newspaper quoted a senior Metropolitan Police source. Rahman, the father-offour, has maintained that he has never been to a terrorist camp and is now suing Scotland Yard for compensation. His lawyers say Rahman, who is Muslim and was raised in London, has never been questioned, arrested, or charged under terrorism legislation. Mr Rahman has declined to comment on the case. But his lawyer, Jasmine van Loggerenberg, said its important to stress that this is a case being brought by Mr Rahman, not by the Metropolitan Police. There are no criminal proceedings against him. She confirmed he has never been arrested, questioned or charged under terrorism legislation. Mr Rahmans case is due to be taken up in secret by an Employment Appeal Tribunal. He is claiming to be the victim of racial and religious discrimination. A spokesman for Scotland Yard confirmed he was bringing two employment tribunal claims against the Metropolitan Police.
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Following the warning, the police ofcers lost their jobs after checks were carried out because of concerns that potential terrorists had inltrated the police. The Telegraph revealed that some police officers have lost
Muslim leaders warn of far right exploitation of Rochdale child sex case
Muslim groups report upsurge in hate mail and abusive phone calls since conviction of nine men over child sex ring daily Guardian reports.
Far-right groups are exploiting the conviction of nine men who were part of a gang that groomed girls for sex to create a climate of hate against Muslims, community leaders have warned. The vast majority of the Muslim community is as horrified by the behavior of the nine men convicted at Liverpool Crown Court of sexual offences as everyone else no doubt they will now be fearful of an increase in racist attacks on themselves. Muslim leaders condemned the crime and praised the bravery of the victims for coming forward. These criminals have brought shame on themselves, their families and our community, said Mohammed Shafiq of the Ramadhan Foundation, one of Britains largest Muslim organizations. Muslim groups say they have seen an upsurge in hate mail and abusive phone calls since the trial ended this week and community leaders are bracing themselves for more Islamophobic attacks on individual Muslims and mosques across the UK. We are already receiving hate mail and hate phone calls even though we issued a very strong statement condemning those involved, said a spokesman for the Muslim Council of Britain. If it can happen to MCB, you can just imagine what ordinary Muslims are facing as they go about their dayto-day business. Fiyaz Mughal, from Faith Matters, which has set up a new helpline to monitor antiMuslim attacks, said the Islamophobic hatred prompted by the case had added to the poison against Muslims. This is dangerous for community relations, he said. Theres lots of discussion about Muslim paedos, like saying the prophet married a young girl. All of this disgusting talk is adding to the poison against Muslims. The helpline, Tell Mama, was launched at the same time as the trial began in February and is the UKs first for those wanting to report Islamophobia and record antiMuslim attacks. About 20% of the cases so far are linked to the EDL, Mughal said, relation to this We need to tackle the problem, but people within the BNP, the EDL are increasing the rhetoric It does have an adverse effect within the city I am sure it will build within the next few weeks. Security outside Liverpool crown court, where the nine men were tried, was stepped up after hundreds of EDL and BNP protesters picketed the building. The trial was almost derailed when the BNP leader, Nick Griffin, tweeted that seven verdicts had been reached. One of the defendants has now launched an appeal claiming Griffins tweet showed jury confidentiality was breached. The beginning of the trial was also delayed for a fortnight in February when two Asian defence barristers were attacked outside the courtroom. The latest surge in Islamophobic abuse comes amid concern that the failure of the BNP in recent elections will see some smaller groups turning to more violent street action. There have been a growing number of attacks on anti-racists and trade unionists as well as rising hostility to Muslims. The MCB spokesman said Muslims were used to low-level hatred. People expect that nowadays, from their fellow travellers on the underground or buses, he said. That sort of thing happens all the time. But he said communities were preparing themselves for more serious attacks following the publicity surrounding the grooming trial. The graffiti on the door of a home, mosques and community centres attacked, a pigs head through the door it is bound to increase because the racist are waiting for opportunities like this. The BNP lost every seat it was contesting in last weeks local council election and it is now left with just three councillors from a high of 57 three years ago. In a separate move, the EDL leader Stephen Lennon has announced that he is to become deputy leader of the small British Freedom party, which some analysts fear could replace the BNP as the main far-right party.
adding: About half of those cases are online activity where there is invariably a mention of Muslim paedos. Suleman Nagdi, spokesman for the Leicestershire Federation of Muslim Organisations, who has held talks with EDL representatives in the past, said: Theres a climate of hate in
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Nine men have been arrested in what officers are treating as separate from that of the group of men jailed this week for similar offences The alleged victim is thought to be one of 47 girls questioned in relation to the original child sex ring Men arrested in latest inquiry are not thought to have known members from other grooming trial Arrests come as police continue to hunt other suspected members of original case Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk believes sexual exploitation is a wider problem in the area
In total nine men have been arrested aged between 24 and 38-years-old, on suspicion of sexual activity with a child. They have been bailed pending further inquiries. Last week a gang of men were jailed for the sexual exploitation of young girls in the town. Now more arrests have come to light, with the alleged victim understood to be one of 47 girls questioned by police in relation to the child sexual exploitation ring previously uncovered. The most recent arrests took place on Friday. Two men, aged 24 and 26, were held on suspicion of sexual activity with a child. A Greater Manchester Police (GMP) spokesman said the arrests were the result of an inquiry into the sexual exploitation of a teenage girl by men since 2005. He added: In total nine men, aged between 24 and 38-years-old, have been arrested, on suspicion of sexual activity with a child. They have been bailed pending further inquiries. A police spokesman described the victim as vulnerable and said the men arrested in the latest inquiry some whove said this is a one-off case but I have consistently said I believe it to be a wider problem and thats why I am pleased to see the police acting. Weve seen inspiring bravery shown by victims in the recent trial. I hope the heavy sentences imposed will encourage other victims to speak out because this crime is being taken very seriously and we need to send out the clearest message that this behaviour will not be tolerated in Rochdale or anywhere else. The recent trial, at Liverpool Crown Court, heard that five girls aged between 13 and 15 were given alcohol, food and money in return for sex but there were times when violence was used. The offences happened in and around Rochdale in 2008 and 2009. In comments which appeared to conflict with police insistence that there was no racial or cultural element to the crimes, Judge Gerald Clifton told the defendants: One of the factors leading to that was the fact that they were not part of your community or religion.
are not thought to have known each other. It has been reported the alleged abuse is believed to have taken place over a six-year period when the girl was in her teens. It is thought detectives are exploring possible links between the men, although none have been established so far. Mr Hemming, a Lib Dem MP who chairs the Justice for Families campaign, said such a broad category can prevent officials from sounding alerts. He analysed figures for 2011 and found that of the 25,000 children who left care last year, 5,950 were listed in the other reasons category.
Most of these, 4,360, were aged between 16 and 18, Mr Hemming pointed out, while 630 were 10 to 15-year-olds. He said he was not really happy about teenagers leaving care without any clear idea about what is happening to them. He added: Have they run away, are they being abducted? With the 10 to 15-year-olds there is a good chance some are being trafficked and this could be the case with the younger ones. They are happy to count the money and make sure they know where the money is, but they are unwilling to check where the children are. Last week, nine Asian men
received jail sentences of between four and 19 years from a judge who said they treated their five white victims as though they were worthless and beyond any respect. The case concluded on Wednesday.
Hizbullah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said Friday his organization is capable of striking very specific targets in Tel Aviv and in every part of occupied Palestine as well. "For every building in Dahiyeh, several buildings will be destroyed in Tel Aviv in return. The time when we were displaced and they don't has gone. The time when our homes were destroyed and theirs remain has gone," Nasrallah said, adding that the time when "we will stay and they disappear has definitely come." He was talking in a ceremony on the occasion of the conclusion of Waed (promise) project to rebuild Beirut's southern suburbs (Dahiyeh) which was destroyed by Israel during the July 2006 war.
Nasrallah: Hizbullah can Pakistan has to cooperate hit every target in Tel Aviv more, says Kerry
US Senator John Kerry, a leading proponent of US aid for Pakistan, has said called for Pakistan to be more cooperative in eliminating alleged sanctuaries of Afghan militants in Pakistan. The chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee raised the issue of the continued danger of a sanctuary war being prosecuted against the forces in Afghanistan at a congressional hearing on the upcoming Nato summit in Chicago. I am a veteran of a sanctuary war and I know how insidious it can be, and I personally think that it is unacceptable to have a zone of immunity for acts of war against armed forces and against the collective community that is trying to accomplish what it is trying to accomplish, the Democratic senator said in a statement. That means Pakistan has to become more assertive and more cooperative, and we may have to resort to other kinds of self-help depending on what they decide to do, the influential lawmaker added. The US has been accusing Pakistan of offering assistance to militants from the so-called Haqqani network and of providing the groups leadership a sanctuary in the North Waziristan tribal region.
Nasrallah also condemned the terrorist attacks that hit Damascus on Thursday. "It's funny that some accused the Syrian regime of being behind the terrorist attacks. How come a security system sends suicide bombers - if it has suicide bombers - and boobytrapped cars to destroy its intelligence and security centers. It's illogical." "We are becoming increasingly
convinced that there are some who want the downfall of Syria and that only because they want to get rid of the main supporter of Palestine and the resistance in Lebanon," he conveyed. Nasrallah warned that the same hand that destroyed Iraq and committed massacres there is now seeking to destroy Syria and drag it to descend into Iraq-like abyss.
Saudi Arabias King Abdullah has fired an ultraconservative adviser who publicly criticized the easing of some restrictions on women as an attempt to Westernize the country. The decision to relieve Sheikh Abdulmohsen al-Obeikan of his position as royal adviser was made in a decree issued on the recommendation of Crown Prince Nayef, himself a reputed conservative. The agency didnt say why King Abdullah fired the conservative cleric from his post. King Abdullah has upset some hardline clerics by easing some restrictions related to women, including allowing them to vote and run in 2015 municipal elections. The move fits a pattern of recent years in which senior clerics who oppose the governments cautious social reforms too openly have lost their jobs.
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Although Obeikan has previously backed government positions on reforms including gender mixing at university, he recently gave a radio interview attacking the government for changing the position of women in society. Hes taken a lot of positions in the past against the royal family and this is another one, Hossein Shobokshi, a Saudi newspaper
Sheikh Abdul Mohsen al-Obeikanstirred controversy for a 2010 ruling that a man could spend time unsupervised with an unrelated woman if he drank some of her breastmilk. (File photo)
and tried to promote more tolerant views of other religions. In 2010 Obeikan stirred controversy
Earlier this year, the head of the religious police was replaced by a cleric who was seen to be
more liberal, and in 2010 King Abdullah fired the judiciary head, Sheikh Saleh al-Lohaidan, for attacking a new university that was the centerpiece of government education reforms. Most senior religious jobs in the kingdom are government appointments, including the positions of Grand Mufti and imam of the great mosques at Mecca and Medina, Islams holiest sites. The government started trying to rein in what it saw as extremist viewpoints in the clergy after Islamist militant attacks inside the kingdom began in 2003, pushing hardline clerics to renounce alQaeda and violent tactics. In 2010, King Abdullah also restricted the ability to pass fatwas, or religious edicts, to a small group of senior clerics, an important step in a country ruled by sharia, or Islamic law.
Pentagon instructor Muslim Americans challenge urged total war US no fly list in appeals court with Islam
For years, students at a US military college could take an elective course that advocated total war on Islam. Although the class has been suspended, the teacher remains on staff at the college. The Pentagon has suspended a class at a US military war college that advocated near total war against Islam and the destruction of the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. But Army Lt. Col. Matthew Dooley, who taught the elective course Perspectives on Islam and Islamic Radicalism, remains on staff at the Joint Forces Staff College in Norfolk, Virginia. The college teaches midlevel officers and government civilians on subjects relating to the planning and execution of war. The news website Wired.com published class materials from the course in detail on Thursday Totally objectionable The course was suspended in late April after a student objected to its content. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Martin Dempsey, has ordered an inquiry into how the course become part of the colleges curriculum. It was totally objectionable, against our values and it wasnt academically sound, Dempsey said. The general went on to say that the course ran counter to American appreciation for religious freedom and cultural awareness. Direct confrontation The course identified Islam in general, not terrorists, as the enemy of the United States and called for a direct ideological and philosophical confrontation with the religion of 1.5 billion people. Dooleys course argued that the Geneva Conventions were no longer relevant and proposed targeting civilians whenever necessary. Dooley used what he called the historical precedents of Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Tokyo and Dresden to justify the destruction of the Islamic holy cities of Mecca and Medina. Class materials called Islam a barbaric ideology and presented outcomes such as Saudi Arabia threatened with starvationIslam reduced to cult status. The elective course, taught since 2004, was offered five times a year with around 20 students each time. Around 800 students took the course over the years. Lawyers for the 15 Muslims in the United States barred from boarding commercial flights because they were on the US nofly list will on Friday ask a federal appeals court to reinstate their constitutional challenge of the anti-terrorism measure. The plaintiffs, who are US citizens or permanent legal residents, said they learned they were on the list when they were prohibited, without advance warning, from boarding a commercial airliner, and were later denied any means of petitioning the government to be removed from the roster. The government has created this secret list, and the people on the list have no way of defending themselves, said Nusrat Choudhury, a lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), who is representing the group, which filed a lawsuit against the US government in June 2010. The no-fly list, established in 2003 and administered by the FBIs Terrorist Screening Center, includes some 20,000 people identified by the agency as known to have or reasonably suspected of having ties to terrorism. About 500 of them are US citizens, according to an agency spokesman. The plaintiffs, who are residents of Oregon and other states and include four veterans of the US armed forces, deny any links to terrorism. None of the plaintiffs pose any threat to airline security, Choudhury said. Their suit argues that the government violated their constitutional rights to due process and the US Administrative Procedures Act by failing to provide notice of the reasons for their inclusion on the list
and an effective means of contesting that status. The ACLU is seeking to either remove the plaintiffs names from the list immediately, or allow them an opportunity to contest their inclusion on the roster. A US district court judge in Portland, Oregon, dismissed their suit, ruling the court lacked jurisdiction over the matter. The ACLU appealed that decision to the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals, where a three-judge panel will be asked on Friday to decide the proper legal venue for the case. The restriction has kept the 15 plaintiffs in this case from visiting family and traveling for work or study, the suit said. Several said they apparently were added to the list while traveling abroad, where the ended up stranded as a result. The suit was originally filed in Portland because only one plaintiff - Mohamed Kariye, an imam at a large Portland mosque - was in the United States at the time. He has been prevented from leaving the country to visit his daughter in Dubai or other relatives in Somalia. US Attorney General Eric Holder, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Robert Mueller and Timothy Healy, director of the Terrorist Screening Center, are named as defendants in the suit. The government argues that there is already an adequate process in place for contesting an individuals inclusion on the list, and that all the plaintiffs have used it. The government also has said none were permanently stranded in a foreign country.
NEWS
An earthquake measuring 5.4 on the Richter scale shook Guwahati in Assam and Shillong in Meghalaya at about 6.15 this evening. Tremors were felt in other parts of the North East and some mild ones even in Kolkata. The epicenter of the quake is Nagaon in Assam. Some minor cracks have been reported in buildings in Nagaon, but no major damage has been reported yet from Guwahati or Shillong. People in Guwahati, however, rushed out on to the roads when it happened and many said they had not felt such a major quake in a long time. There were reports that tremors were felt in Kohima in Nagaland too. I was sitting in my room and was working on a laptop. Suddenly I felt the tremors and I immediately got down, said a resident of Guwahati. In Kolkata, the tremors felt were mild, but some people in high-rise buildings rushed out. Pakistan team to play in Champions League: BCCI chief More than three years after the
Earthquake measuring 5.4 hits North-East India, tremors felt in Guwahati, Kolkata
Mumbai terror attacks resulted in the snapping of Indo-Pak cricket ties, the BCCI on Saturday said it has no objection to a team from Pakistan participating in the Champions League Twenty20 for the first time. The November 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai had not only led to a freeze on bilateral cricket ties between the two neighbours but had also resulted in Pakistani players being left out of the lucrative Indian Premier League. The Working Committee has decided to invite a team from Pakistan to play in Champions League Twenty20 to be held in October, BCCI President N Srinivasan told reporters after the Boards Working Committee meeting here. ( Other developments: Sri Lanka not to host Pakistan-Australia series) The decision means that Sialkot Stallions led by the BCCI will make to Governing Council. CLT20 is owned by BCCI, Cricket Australia, and Cricket South Africa. So we will recommend to the GC that the BCCI has no objection and is prepared to invite a Pakistan team in the Champions League, he added. CLT20 will be played in India. As fat as inviting a Pakistani team is concerned, it will be done by the Governing Council. The BCCI will make the recommendation to the Governing Council which will decide on the matter. The move is expected to be received with much applause from across the border as the Pakistan Cricket Board had been pushing for the inclusion of its sides since the inaugural edition of the Champions League in 2009.
Shoaib Malik would be Pakistans representatives in the October event as it had won the domestic T20 title. ( Also read: Stadiums in Pakistan remain isolated) This is a recommendation that
Apart from this, the BCCI decided that former cricketers will get onetime benefit from the proceeds of the IPL. The Board has also decided to set up an anti-corruption unit which will have strict rules besides having a pitch curators committee. Sri Lanka will not host PakistanAustralia series Pakistan are searching for alternate venues for their limited-overs series against Australia later this year after Sri Lanka backed out of hosting it. The Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL) is scheduled to be held in August, clashing with the dates of the proposed Pakistan-Australia series. We are looking for other venues to host Australia, Subhan Ahmed, the PCBs chief operating officer, told ESPNcricinfo. We were in negotiations to finalise Australia series in Sri Lanka but due to their Premier League which is to be held in August directly clashing with our plan, we have to find another venue.
Top U.S. Officer: Sarkozy committed crimes Stop This Total against Arabs: Galloway War on Islam Talk
Dooleys course in detail. For at least a year, Dooley taught an optional course at the college for lieutenant colonels, colonels, commanders and Navy captains that proposed taking a war on Islam to the civilian population wherever necessary, which he likened to the bombardment of Dresden and nuclear destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Guest lecturers in the course encouraged those senior officers to think of themselves as a resistance movement to Islam. Dempsey and his deputy for military education, Marine Lt. Gen. George Flynn, pulled the plug on the course last month. The general said he was quite thankful for an unnamed military officer who brought word of the anti-Islam material to his attention. Dempsey and his staff launched an investigation into what motivated that elective to being part of the curriculum, as he put it on Thursday, and the general also sent a letter to the heads of every military service and regional command instructing them to jettison any similar material, as per a White House directive issued last fall.
Americas top military officer condemned in the strongest possible terms a Defense Department course that taught troops to prep for a total war on Islam using Hiroshima-style tactics. It was totally objectionable, against our values and it wasnt academically sound, Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters at a Pentagon press conference on Thursday. The instructor responsible for the course, Army Lt. Col. Matthew A. Dooley, is no longer in a teaching status, Dempsey added but he is still employed at the Joint Forces Staff College in Norfolk, Va. Dempseys comments were prompted by a Danger Room report on Thursday that described
BEIRUT: Speaker Nabih Berri met Tuesday with British MP George Galloway, who said outgoing French President Nicholas Sarkozy had been defeated in the countrys recent election in part
because he committed many crimes against the Arab people. According to the National News Agency, Galloway and Berri discussed regional and international developments, especially the election of a new French president. I expressed my opinion on the defeat of former President Sarkozy, who committed many crimes against the Arab people and the region and ignored the aspirations of the French people, which is why he was defeated, Galloway said. The MP also informed Berri of the humanitarian convoy he had sent from England to Gaza two weeks ago through the Turkish-Syrian borders. We believe Palestine is above all causes and Arab domestic political issues and we call on the Syrian people to welcome and allow the convoy to pass through Syria to Jordan and then Gaza, Galloway said.
Facebook later confirmed that they were trialling the feature, and
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insurance and bank settlement obstacles set up by the West as part of efforts to block the Islamic Republics sales networks and force it to abandon an alleged program to develop nuclear weapons. Tehran, however, says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes. Shipments to India from Iran fell 5.7% in the last financial year to 17.44 million metric tons, or 349,300 barrels a day, the oil ministry data showed. Imports from Iraq, meanwhile, surged 43% to 24.51 million tons, or 490,900 barrels a day. Purchases from Saudi Arabia rose 19% to 32.63 million tons, or 653,500 barrels a day, and from Dr Chishti was sentenced for life on Jan 31 last year by a trial court for a murder that took place in Ajmer in 1992.
Thursday, 17.05.12
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After spending 20 years in an Indian jail in a murder case, Pakistani scientist Dr Khalil Chishti returned to the country on Tuesday.
Iraq replaced Iran as Indias second-largest crude oil supplier in the recently ended financial year, preliminary government data showed Wednesday, as New Delhi cut shipments from Tehran ahead of impending sanctions from the U.S. and the European Union. Saudi Arabia remained the largest oil supplier, while Iran slid to fourth spot in the year ended March 31, according to the data compiled by Indias oil ministry. India, which meets four-fifths of its crude oil needs through imports, has expedited its diplomatic efforts to increase purchases from countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and Iraq to compensate for lower imports from Iran. Globally, Iranian oil exports are declining as importers are cutting shipments ahead of U.S. sanctions that come into effect on June 28. Sanctions by the EU will start on July 1. The U.S. has asked major oil importers such as India, Turkey, China, South Korea and Japan to drastically trim their purchases of Iranian oil or face sanctions on financial institutions that do business with Irans central bank. Access to Iranian oil has been complicated by
a very low voice. The 85-year-old microbiologist will join his family in Karachi on Wednesday. Before leaving for
Kuwait climbed 54% to 17.67 million tons, or 353,900 barrels a day. India insists that raising imports from other countries doesnt signal it is bowing to U.S. pressure. It says it is trying to diversify its oil sources and reduce dependence on any one country. Indian refiners have targeted to import about 15.5 million tons of crude oil from Iran in the current Continued on page 27 >>
He landed at Benazir International Airport at 11:30pm amid unruly scenes brought on by mismanagement on the part of Interior Minister Rehman Malik and misbehaviour by PPP workers. Clad in a beige safari suit and wearing a Jinnah cap, Dr Chishti looked haggard and weak. He came out of the airport in a wheelchair and spoke to newsmen in
Karachi, he will meet President Asif Ali Zardari at the presidency. He was taken straight to Marriott Hotel from the airport by the interior minister to spend a night there. There was a perception that he was first taken to Islamabad, instead of Karachi, so that the government and the president could claim credit for Continued on page 27 >>
Pakistans price: US to pay $365 million more a year to reopen supply lines
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Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani highlighting the importance of Pakistan in the war against terror, urged the international community, especially the United States, to share information to ensure success. In an interview with SkyTV in London, where he is on an official visit to review Pak-UK Strategic Dialogue Partnership, the Prime Minister said, we know the importance of the United States. We really want to improve our relations. We are in the middle of discussions and I am sure that better things will come out. Pakistans relations with US have been on the slide ever since Osama bin Laden was discovered in Pakistan and subsequently killed during a unilateral raid by the US. The Prime Minister conceded that their relation has been one fraught with complications, there have been lots of ups and downs in our relationship. Despite the strained ties, he described the relationship between their respective intelligence services, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), as good, as evidenced by the results garnered.
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exhortations from the Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that al Qaeda chief Ayman al Zawahiri was hiding in Pakistan. Therefore, when we are working together so closely, I think there should be no hesitation in sharing information with Pakistan. Red Cross worker ignored government warning Commenting on the murder of Red
follow governments advice of not travelling to Balochistan. Replying to a question about popularity of Imran Khan, the Prime Minister said, Khan is a good cricketer, but politics is another ball game. Democratic system will be strengthened after two elections Gilani said he has always stressed that the system would be
Gilani said it goes to the credit of PPP, who had agreed to Sharifs desire to become a prime minister for a record third term, making the necessary adjustments in the constitution. He said if the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) and the PPP decide to join hands in Punjab, they could easily form a government. He said the people of Pakistan have given the PPP the right to rule and it has been successfully running a government with the full support of its coalition partners. The Prime Minister said the credit goes to his party for restoring the 1973 Constitution to its original form, as created by the founder of the party Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. He recalled a letter by Benazir Bhutto who wanted him to restore the 1973 Constitution to its original form. Gilani said those who once had two-third majority on the occasion of golden jubilee in 1997 gave a go ahead to a law against terrorism. He said unfortunately it was Sharif who himself fell victim to the same law and was prosecuted for attempting to hijack an aircraft.
The Indian defence ministry denied a report published in a Pakistan-based newspaper saying that the country had agreed to pull back troops from the India-Pakistan border as part of an agreement between the two countries, The Economic Times said in a report published Tuesday.
The ministry referred to the report quoting unnamed diplomatic and military officials as propaganda. A statement issued from the ministry
said: The report published in The Express Tribune (Islamabad edition) on May 14 that India may move troops to peacetime locations is completely incorrect and without any basis. There are no such plans.
terrorist attacks. Troop withdrawal to peacetime positions is among the first substantial overtures since India and Pakistan resumed peace talks following the terror strike in 2008 that had almost
A formal announcement in this regard, they added, was likely when the Indian premier visits Islamabad possibly during the later half of this year. It is going to happen in September or October, one of them
commercial capital of Mumbai. The term working boundary relates to disputed border particularly in Kashmir. New Delhi blamed the attacks on
Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), a group based in Pakistan. More than 160 people, including foreigners, were killed in the strikes at multiple locations across the port city. According to experts, in wartime scenario, regular army starts manning border instead of special-forces meant for protecting boundaries. India has Border Security Forces and Pakistan has rangers for this purpose. Officials said Pakistan responded to Indian move in 2008 by sending troops to concentration areas forward basisalong with the working boundary at Sialkot and some other locations. A senior military official said that though troops were mobilised by India, there wasnt any serious tension at the border like in 2002 after an attack on Indian parliament also blamed on a group based in Pakistan. There has never been an alert. Neither on our side nor on the other, said the military official. Defence experts argue the move will provide Pakistan a space to deploy more troops in the north of the country where the military is busy fighting al Qaeda and homegrown Taliban.
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Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Sunday announced a new transfer of security control from NATO that will see local forces take responsibility for 75 percent of Afghanistans population. Kapisa province, where French troops are based, will be among 11 provinces to come under Afghan control, a statement from the Afghan presidents office said. It is the third phase of the transition of military control in the war-torn country and another step towards the withdrawal of 130,000 US-led NATO troops by the end of 2014. NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen welcomed the move. The completion of transition at the end of 2014 will mark the end of NATOs combat role, but not the end of our engagement, he said in a statement. NATO is committed to an enduring partnership with Afghanistan, and to providing the training which the Afghan forces will still need, beyond 2014. The commander of NATOs International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), US General John Allen, also voiced support for the latest stage of the five-phase transition process. President Karzais announcement of the third group of areas to enter transition is a testament to the capacity and capability of the Afghan National Security Force (ANSF), he said. Afghanistan continues to move forward in securing the sovereign future of their country and the security of its borders, and this is another step in bringing the hope of greater prosperity to the Afghan people. ISAF noted that the complete process of transition in an area could take 12-18 months. Government officials said the third phase would start immediately. The list of areas intended for the third tranche covers 122 districts, bringing the total number of districts to 260 in all 34 provinces. The inclusion of Kapisa province was significant as French president-elect Francois Hollande has pledged to pull out Frances 3,400 troops this year. In todays national security council meeting it was decided 11 provinces will be transitioned in the handover, including
The United Nations in Afghanistan today donated the first series of more than 60 cars and vans to support Government efforts to strengthen rule of law, justice and wellbeing of workers. In a donation ceremony held today at the UN Compound on Jalalabad
show in a concrete way the close cooperation between UNAMA and the Ministries given their interlocking mandates. The Ministry of Justice received four Toyota 4-Runner SR5 vehicles. The Ministry of Labour, Social
Kapisa, Uruzgan and Parwan, Afghan presidential spokesman Aimal Faizi told a news conference. Seventy-five percent of the population will come under local security control. Australian forces currently operate in Uruzgan province. The first two phases the first in July last year have already put 50 percent of the population under Afghan control. NATO forces are in Afghanistan helping Karzais government fight a decade-long insurgency by hardline Taliban who were ousted from power in a US-led invasion shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States. But the war is increasingly unpopular in the US and other contributing nations, with opinion polls showing a desire to get out as soon as possible. NATO has been training a 350,000-strong Afghan security force to take over and is quick to praise their growing skills in coping with Taliban, but officials acknowledge that challenges remain in the transition process. Among them are Afghan government corruption, a weak state and the lack of a properly functioning justice system giving rise to widespread fears of a new civil war when the Western forces leave. Karzai has made moves towards peace talks with Taliban, but the insurgents reject his administration as puppets of the United States.
Road, Jn Kubi, the Special Representative of the SecretaryGeneral for Afghanistan, handed over certificates of ownership and keys for the UNAMA vehicles to Minister of Justice, Mr. Habibullah Ghalib, and the Minister of Labour, Social Affairs, Martyrs and Disabled, Ms. Amena Safi Afzali. I am very happy to announce that as part of our forthcoming donation of around 60 vehicles, we are starting the first round with our crucial partners of the Ministry of Labour and Ministry of Justice, Mr. Kubi said. He noted that the donation will bring the UN closer to its Afghan partners and
Affairs, Martyrs and Disabled received three Toyota Hiace minibuses and two Toyota 4-Runner SR5 vehicles. It is my expectation that this very small donation will serve both the administration of justice and work for the betterment of lives of all workers and disabled, and will allow these two Ministries to deliver even better service to the people of Afghanistan, Mr. Kubi said speaking on behalf of UNAMA and the International Labour Organization (ILO). Thanking Mr. Kubi, Minister Ghalib said the donation is a moral boost for the Ministry.
jobs, she warned, saying that once the aid dries up, there will be more unemployed or even internally displaced. We are going to need more assistance to avoid a disaster, Director of Public Health for Balkh, Mirwais Rabi, told Amos at a meeting of Balkh officials. Amnesty International says 400 Afghans become internally displaced every day,
her sons with violence when they refused to join them. After the Soviets humiliating defeat in their decade-long war against mujahedeen fighters in 1989, Moscow continued to prop up the Communist government of Mohammad Najibullah. But when the Soviet Union collapsed two years later, the aid vanished, Najibullah
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head of the Jamaat-e-Islami party, is accused of creating and leading pro-Pakistan militias
which carried out many killings and rapes during the ninemonth war.
Bangladesh wants speedy resolution of the visa problems being faced by its nationals who travel to India for medical treatment or to visit their relatives. Urging India to ease the visa rules, Bangladesh Liberation War Affairs Minister Capt (Retd) AB Tazul Islam on Sunday said the issue had been discussed at the foreign secretary level of the two countries. The issue of visa rules simplification has been discussed at the foreign secretary level, Islam said on the sidelines of a seminar at Dakshineswar on the outskirts of the city.
On the sharing of Teesta river waters, the Minister said experts of the Indo-Bangla Joint River Commission were at present determining how much water could be shared between the two countries as per international laws. Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dipu Moni met Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh on May eight in Delhi to discuss the Teesta issue and said Singh had assured her that India would deliver on its commitment to sign the Teesta waters agreement. Islam addressed a seminar organised by the Dakshineswar amakrishna Sangha on universal brotherhood on the 152nd birth celebration of poet Rabindranath Tagore and Swami Vivekananda. Invoking the need to spread the messages of Tagore and Swami Vivekananda, he said, We have to strengthen universal brotherhood. Our youths can achieve it through the ideals of Swami Vivekananda and Tagore.
These financial institutions will then provide loans to brick makers seeking to upgrade their existing kilns to cleaner kinds of kilns or to those looking to build the cleaner kilns for the first time.
on April 24 said, The modernisation efforts provide an opportunity for us to expand our security cooperation, especially through our Excess Defence Articles programme, which makes US equipment that is surplus to our requirements available to our partners. Shapiro, who led an 11-member US delegation to a dialogue in Dhaka on April 19, also discussed the potential for US security cooperation with India and Bangladesh. The recent visit by the US secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, in the capital expedited the US efforts. A team of US military officials is
scheduled to visit the capital in the next week to discuss with the local military officials the proposed deal, the officials said. The officials said the US military officials would be in Dhaka in May 14-18 for detailed discussion on the proposed deal. The Armed Forces Division, meanwhile on May 7, held an inter-ministerial meeting before the official talks on the proposed Acquisition and Cross-
Servicing Agreement. The Armed Forced Division is expected to hold another meeting in a couple of the days for further discussion on the proposed deal, draft of which has already been sent to the division. Sri Lanka was the 90th country to sign the ACSA with the United States in 2007. According to WikiLeaks, the US Embassy in the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo wrote in a message that the
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Rupee issue last date Rupee Crunch now first week of June
director general Sonam P Wangdi, and Tenzin Yonten, a private sector representative. Prime Minister Jigmi Y Thinley said the committee would basically review the impact of actions taken so far by the government, the central bank and the financial institutions in tackling the rupee shortage. Works and human settlement minister Yeshey Zimba said members of the committee were selected, based on their expertise, and that they do not represent any sectors. The issue of rupee shortage is a serious one, and we wanted a fresh new perspective to look at it, lyonpo said. So far, the issue was being looked at only from the government lens, now we want to hear from people outside the government, and listen to their opinions. Thats why weve deliberately left out representation from the central bank and the finance ministry. He said the rupee situation is expected to improve this month, and the government might as well be able to lift some restrictions it has imposed. Following directives from the cabinet and, in consultation with the finance ministry, the Royal Monetary Authority yesterday agreed to extend the issue of Rupee to vegetable vendors until June first week. The central bank would however issue INR in a demand draft for all 14 wholesale vendors together, until the vegetable season begins in the country. On May 13, vegetable wholesale agents had requested the agriculture minister that the INR be issued to them until the end of this month. The RMA had earlier said that from May 19, it would issue INR to the Food Corporation of Bhutan (FCB), and not to vegetable vendors, to import vegetables that cannot be met from home production. After June first week, FCB will take over the imports of those vegetables and fruits that cannot be met from local production. In
stop providing Indian Rupee to the vegetable wholesalers in the capital, who need about a million rupees for imports every week. The idea was clear. It was another measure to rein in Rupee spending, and it was coming at a time when the vegetable season in Bhutan begins. No one would feel the import restriction. Vegetable prices started to rise almost instantly, even as groundwork was being done to link local vegetable growers to demand
To get a fresh perspective from beyond the government, a new committee is being formed, comprising mainly people outside the bureaucracy, to evaluate, study and make recommendations to the government on addressing the Rupee crunch. The move was one of the recommendations the economic affairs ministry made to the government recently and it comes after a report was submitted to the government by a taskforce, drawn mainly from the bureaucracy, to study the crunch. Members in the committee comprise SAARC development funds chief executive officer Karma, DHI Infra CEO Kuenga Tshering, BCCI vice-president Thinley Palden Dorji, trade
a week, FCB is estimated to import 76.22MT of tomato, garlic, onion, chili and assorted fruits worth Nu 2M. Bhutanese farmers today grow 31 types of vegetables in the country, show records with the horticulture divisions vegetable
program, which functions out of a small office amid the lines of single storied structures. During the production season from May to October, Bhutan produces 2,400MT (100MT a week) of local vegetables worth Nu 12M. In these six months, vendors More than 50 designers participated in the national design competition, 2012 this week at the fashion show that was organised by the Royal Textile Academy and the Textile Museum. The designers were judged in three categories kira, gho and embroidery. In each category, the winners was awarded a cash prize of Nu 50,000, Nu 30,000 and Nu 10,000. Ten weavers were awarded the Royal Patrons meritorious award.
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Former telecom minister Andimuthu Raja was on Tuesday granted bail by a special court in the 2G case, television reports said. Raja has spent the last 15 months in prison. The court granted bail to the DMK MP on a personal bond of Rs 20 lakh and two sureties of the like amount. Raja has been directed not to visit Tamil Nadu without the courts prior permission. The court, in its 14-page bail order, also said that Raja would not try to influence any witnesses while on bail. The scandal was over the alleged below-market-price sale of telecom permits bundled with airwaves, which the Comptroller and Auditor General of India estimated to have cost the government as much as $34
On the apprehension of the CBI that if granted bail Raja may influence witnesses and tamper with evidence, the court said it addressed them by imposing conditions and restrictions on the accused. The court noted that entire evidence in the case was documentary and was in its custody. Moreover, this apprehension of the prosecution (that Raja may influence
the witnesses and tamper with the evidence) can be addressed by imposing conditions and restrictions on the accused. Furthermore, almost entire evidence in the case is documentary in nature and the same is in the custody of the court, the judge said. The court also directed Raja to surrender his passport as a prerequisite for bail.
Air India strike: Grievances will be heard unconditionally, govt tells pilots
Issuing yet another appeal to the striking Air India pilots to return to work, government on Tuesday promised to hear their grievances unconditionally without any vindictive action, as it noted that the stir had cost an almost bankrupt airline Rs 150 crore. Strike is not an answer to solve your grievances .... All the grievances will be heard unconditionally. You come to talks unconditionally ... please go back to work, civil aviation minister Ajit Singh said, appealing to the pilots while replying to a debate in the Lok Sabha on the civil aviation sector and Air India. Air India management will in no way be vindictive towards any employee .... a lot of young people have just joined (as pilots). But the first priority should be that passengers are not inconvenienced, he said. His response came as members, cutting across party lines, wanted an immediate end to the pilots agitation and expressed concern over the health of Air India, while questioning the decision of merging the two erstwhile state-run carriers -- Air
India and Indian Airlines. Singh told the House that Air India, which was already almost bankrupt, had lost Rs 150 crore due to the strike which completed eight days. Its credibility was also affected. Regretting that pilots had resorted to strike during peak season, he said the government had announced Rs 30,000 crore as bailout package over eight years. This is bailout is not without strings. They have to meet strict standards. If they meet these standards, then we will release public money. We cant keep pouring public money. This is the last chance for them to perform, the Minister said, seeking cooperation of all employees in this regard.
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United States ambassador to Pakistan Cameron Munters alleged meeting with one of the US Federal Bureau of Investigations most wanted men - Jamaat-ulDaawa (JuD) amir Professor Hafiz Mohammad Saeed - seems to be the principal reason for his premature exit from Islamabad, after having served just over 18 months since his appointment in October 2010. Munter, a career diplomat, abruptly quit his job last week, hardly 24 hours after US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton declared Saeed responsible for the 26/11 Mumbai carnage and announced that the US was prepared to work with India to bring the JuD amir to justice. The November 2008 attacks were 11 coordinated shooting and bombing incidents across Mumbai by terrorists who allegedly came from Pakistan. The three-day rampage cost 166 lives, including six Americans, with at least 308 people injured. Munters decision to quit the ambassadorship prematurely has been confirmed by Mark Stroh, an embassy spokesman, who said, He will be leaving this summer at the conclusion of his two years in the job. The ambassador had been weighing the option of continuing for a third year, but decided against it. No replacement has been named. However, well-placed diplomatic officials in the federal capital claim that Munters decision has more to do with behind-the-scenes developments that took place in Islamabad following the April 1, 2012, decision of the Barack Obama administration to put a price of US$10 million on information and evidence leading to the arrest and conviction of the JuDs Saeed. Saeed is also the founder of the pro-Kashmir proscribed jihadi organization Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT). The bounty was announced
out a military raid against him like the one that killed al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad a year ago. Taunting the US to give him the head money offered for information leading to his arrest under the Rewards for Justice
Diplomatic circles in Islamabad say these developments were brought to the knowledge of Clinton, who apparently did not appreciate Munters actions as they could be perceived as rolling back the tough stance that was later spelled out by Clinton during her Indian tour, when she bluntly reprimanded Pakistan for not taking any action against Saeed as the alleged mastermind of the Mumbai attacks.
clandestine meeting with Saeed that took place in Islamabad almost a month ago, after the US announced the bounty. Diplomatic circles say the Munter-Saeed meeting was intended to remove misunderstandings created by the bounty announcement, which had prompted the JuD amir to step up his anti-US public campaign by laughing off the American action against him. Program, Saeed said he would inform the US authorities about his whereabouts so he could claim the cash. I am not hiding in caves and mountains, I am here in Rawalpindi. If the Americans want to contact me, I am present here, they can contact me. I am also ready to face any US court, or wherever there is proof against me or my groups involvement in terrorist activities. Saeed then mocked the US
being confirmed officially by either side as it is perceived to be damaging for both parties. The US Embassy spokesman in Islamabad has categorically refuted that any meeting between Munter and Saeed took place. Ambassador Munter has never met with Hafiz Saeed and no US official has made any promises to, or agreements with, Hafiz Mohammad Saeed who is a wanted terrorist responsible for the deadly attack on Mumbai in November 2008 that killed 166 people, including six Americans. The JuD amir is subject to UN Security Council Resolution 1267/1989 sanctions and there is an international responsibility on the member states to bring the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks to justice, the US embassy spokesperson said in an official press release. Approached for comments, JuD spokesman Mohammad Yahya Mujahid too denied reports of a meeting between Saeed and Munter, saying his amir was not at all interested in holding secret meetings with someone who represented the enemy of Islam and Pakistan. [The United States] has butchered millions of Muslims in Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere. But the fact remains that Munter had declared in Lahore (soon after
his alleged meeting with Saeed) on April 28, that the US government did not announce any bounty or head money specifically for the JuD amir and that the matter had been misreported in the Pakistani media. The Pakistani media is very active and responsible but it misreported the issue of Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, Munter said in reply to queries after the annual dinner of the American Business Forum at the Royal Palm Golf and Country Club in Lahore. Though Hafiz Saeed is a suspected accused of the Mumbai terror attacks, the US government didnt place either a bounty or head money for him, he said. Diplomatic circles in Islamabad say these developments were brought to the knowledge of Clinton, who apparently did not appreciate Munters actions as they could be perceived as rolling back the tough stance that was later spelled out by Clinton during her Indian tour, when she bluntly reprimanded Pakistan for not taking any action against Saeed as the alleged mastermind of the Mumbai attacks. Delivering a speech in Kolkata on May 8, and lending support to India to fight terrorism, Clinton confirmed the bounty on Saeed. Calling the amir one of the principal architects of the Mumbai attacks, she said the bounty was meant to show solidarity with the people of India. I am well aware that the Pakistani government had not yet taken steps to help secure Hafiz Saeeds conviction. Were going to be pushing that. So its a way of raising the visibility and pointing out to those who are associated with him that there is a cost for that, Clinton said, adding that Pakistan should do more to ensure that its territory is not used as a launching pad for carrying out more terrorist attacks. Hardly 24 hours after Clintons Kolkata speech, which clearly negated Munters earlier stance on the Saeed head money issue, the US ambassador made public his decision to quit. Amir Mir is a senior Pakistani journalist and the author of several books on the subject of militant Islam and terrorism, the latest being The Bhutto murder trail: From Waziristan to GHQ.
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A British judge on Tuesday sentenced a Bangladeshi man to 15 years in prison for paying young girls for sex and trying to recruit some as young as 12 years old into prostitution in northern England. In his sentencing on Tuesday, Judge Peter Hughes chastised Azad Miah for preying on girls from troubled backgrounds and trying to draw them into a life of drug dependency and sleazy sex for money. Your conduct corrodes the foundations of decency and respect by which all right-thinking people live their lives whatever their ethnic or religious background, the judge said. Miah, 44, was convicted of trying to lure four young girls into prostitution, paying for the sexual services of two teenage girls, and running a brothel from his business, the Spice of India restaurant in the town of Carlisle. He had denied the charges, claiming that his accusers conspired to concoct fake stories because he stopped giving them money out of kindness. On Tuesday, Miahs lawyer, Stephen Meadowcroft, said that his client had expressed very, very great shame over his actions. The conviction was the second case in recent weeks that raised questions about how police respond to complaints from vulnerable girls, as one of the victims testified to the court that she had initially spoken to officers about Miah three years before his arrest. The court heard that the 12-yearold complained to police on three occasions about Miah harassing her in 2008, three years before his eventual arrest. He would send her up to 50 text messages a day, demanding sex and telling her that
in his country it didnt matter about age, she said, adding that she eventually stopped complaining to police because nothing was done about it. Hughes said police needed to learn lessons from not heeding her
Many of the girls in the case were addicted to drugs or came from troubled backgrounds. Prostitutes at his brothel were also asked to find young girls, who he described as fresh meat. The judge noted that parallels are
complaint and that there were a number of missed opportunities to stop Miah. There are lessons to be learned by the police to be ever vigilant to detect signs of the possible exploitation and abuse of vulnerable people, and to take seriously what they say, however chaotic and difficult their lives may be, he said.
bound to be drawn between this case and the sentencing last week in northwest England of nine men for luring girls as young as 13 into sex using alcohol and drugs. In that racially-charged case, one of the victims first spoke out in 2008, but prosecutors failed to press charges amid concerns that a jury might have questioned the girls
credibility. Police and prosecutors have since apologized and the Independent Police Complaints Commission is investigating. Miah was jailed for a total of nine years for four counts of paying for the sexual services of a child between 2006 and 2009, one year for keeping a brothel between 2005 and 2011, and five years for five counts of inciting child prostitution. He was cleared of child prostitution allegations relating to two other girls. VICTIM ONE She was 14 when she was introduced to Miah by a mutual friend who was much older than her. The woman, who was paid to find vulnerable girls Miah could exploit, had taken her to his takeaway in Carlisle city centre. The girl was addicted to heroin, cannabis and alcohol from the age of 12, and her life was in chaos. She was desperate to fund her 60-aday habit and instantly agreed to prostitute herself. She was paid 100-a-time by Miah for sex. The girl, who caught chlamydia and gonorrhoea from Miah, told the
More than 30,000 officers from all over the country marched through the capital in the only action they are legally entitled to take, in a show of defiance against police reforms and budget cuts. To reflect the number of officer numbers expected to be cut, 16,000 of the marchers wore black baseball caps as they walked from Millbank, past the Home Office to Parliament Square and onto Waterloo Place. The Police Federation, which represents rank-andfile officers, said the sea of black caps showed the number of officers the public will lose over four years as a result of the cuts. Cuts to the police budget outlined in the governments spending review will mean 10,190 fewer police officers in England and Wales within two years, according to research by the Labour party released in 2011. The figure was based on the governments spending review, which has set police budget cuts at 20 per cent by 2014-15. Carrying banners stating Police for public not for profit, the demonstration passed the Home Office,
where thousands of officers began to boo and slow hand clap. Others chanted: Theresa May, Theresa May leave our pensions and our pay. Privatise by stealth The Federation estimated that more than 30,000 officers had taken part all of whom had taken a day off to travel to London. Home Secretary Theresa May, who asked former
rail regulator Tom Winsor to carry out the most wide-ranging review of police pay and conditions in 30 years, will address the officers at their annual conference in Bournemouth next week. Police will pass both the Home Office and Downing Street in a protest billed as opposition to the unprecedented attack on policing by this government and the consequences that these cuts will have for public safety. 14bn a year police budget As a service spending some 14bn a year it is right for the police to make their contribution to reducing the record budget deficit. Existing police pay and conditions were designed more than 30 years ago which is why we asked Tom Winsor to carry out his independent review, a Home Office spokesperson said. We will continue to ensure that police officers are rewarded for doing an exceptional job. The marches were held separately from the public sector workers strike over pensions, in which tens of thousands of civil servants will also strike in a dispute over pension reforms.
AN elite Scotland Yard officer has been charged with trying to groom a child for sex on the web. Christopher Exley, 32, will appear in court on Wednesday accused of planning to meet a child on the internet for sex. He has been suspended from duties but will appear at Westminster Magistrates Court on bail. Scotland Yard said he was charged with attempting to arrange the commission of a child sex offence, contrary to the Sexual Offences Act 2003. The arrest is understood to have resulted from a covert operation at the force.
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Bollywood superstar and Indias first Miss Universe, Sushmita Sen, will sprinkle stardust over Leicester when she comes to support diabetes charity Silver Star. She has been invited to Leicester by the charitys founder-patron Leicester East MP Keith Vaz who was diagnosed with diabetes 5 years ago. In a whirlwind visit she will launch Mr Vazs anniversary appeal for Silver Star, which will mark his twenty five years as the Member of Parliament for Leicester East. The appeal is designed to raise funds for further mobile diabetes testing units in Mumbai and the Midlands. So far Silver Star units have tested 25,000 people in schools, communities, businesses and villages for free resulting in diabetes caught early and many lives and limbs saved. Her visit will culminate in the hotlyanticipated launch of Silver Stars raffle prize, a new Kia Picanto at the Sandicliff Kias Red Cube dealership in Leicester. For just 1, participants will have the
chance to take delivery of the 8,000 car in October this year. The unique car will be signed by Ms Sen and by Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan when he visits the city in June. Ms Sen will also launch the inaugural Silver Star Fun Run. The fun run will take place on 25th July and will raise awareness of the importance of an active and healthy
Keith Vaz MP said: I am delighted to be marking my 25 years as Leicester Easts representative in Parliament with an appeal for this extremely important cause. Sushmita is the first of a number of special guests who will be visiting Leicester to support the appeal. If only I was aware of what could be done with diet and exercise to prevent
Dr Modhwadia, Chairman of Silver Star said: It is a privilege for us to have Sushmita give up her valuable time to our worthy cause. It is only through celebrities like her that we are able to remind people of the importance of being tested for diabetes. From its small beginnings in
lifestyle in preventing obesity and linked conditions such as diabetes. Thousands are expected to take part.
diabetes, I might never have developed it. With 850,000 people in the UK living with undiagnosed diabetes, Silver Stars work is vital.
Leicester, the Silver Star operation now spans 3 continents and has tested tens of thousands of people.
The deal will reduce the Israeli practice of keeping prisoners in solitary confinement and increase family visits. Hundreds of Palestinian prisoners agreed to end a hunger strike, today. In exchange, Israel agreed to end solitary confinement for the detainees. NPRs Lourdes Garcia Navarro filed this report for our Newscast unit: Some of the hunger strikers have not been eating for more than 70 days, making this the longest hunger strike ever by Palestinians and certainly the largest. At least 1,200 Palestinians have participated in the protest and its had an effect. The deal signed at an Israeli prison will see increased family visitations rights for prisoners from the Gaza strip and the end to solitary confinement. Among the initial demands were an end
to the use of administrative detention in which palestinian prisoners can be held indefinitely without charge. Israel will continue the controversial practice. Apart from helping to end the srike and improve the lives of palestinian prisoners, The deal, say activists, shows that the Palestinian push towards non-violent
Nobel Peace Prize winner Tawakkul Karman, The mother of Yemens revolution, when asked about her Hijab by journalists and how it is not proportionate with her level of intellect and education, replied: Man in early times was almost naked, and as his intellect evolved he started wearing clothes. What I am today and what Im wearing represents the highest level of thought and civilization that man has achieved, and is not regressive. Its the removal of clothes again that is a regression back to the ancient times.
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14. Although nothing has been finalised yet, we are hopeful that we will sign the deal after some more meetings, he added while mentioning that the target for Bangladesh is to attain the agreement for annual import of 1.5 million bales (170 kilograms per bale) of cotton. While both the countries have agreed to sign a contract, New Age in Bangladesh quoted a member of the Bangladesh delegation as saying, We have to decide on how the assured quantity of cotton will be supplied to Bangladesh and what will be the procedures. Through the session, officials of both countries have exchanged ideas on the draft contract prepared by Bangladesh Tariff Commission.
Although the proposed agreement will be signed between Cotton Corporation of India and TCB, private sector businesses of the two countries will trade cotton and not the governments. However, the two governments will expedite the implementation of the agreement. According to the draft, any party can cancel the agreement after a threemonth prior notice. Bangladesh is currently seeking Indias assurance that, following the agreement, at least 1.5million bales of cotton at market price will be supplied even if India imposes a ban on global cotton exports from India. The Indian side has assured that they will finalise the draft contract following discussion with the CCI. After this, the agreement may be
signed. Bangladesh imported more than 3.94 million bales of cotton in the previous fiscal year of 20102011, according to latest data from Bangladeshs commerce ministry. Of the total amount, 41.82 per cent was imported from India, 35.31 per cent from Uzbekistan and other members of the Commonwealth of Independent States, 7.68 per cent from Africa (East and West) and 15.19 per cent from US, Australia [ Images ], Pakistan, China and other countries. In May this year, Bangladesh initiated talks with Uzbekistan to import more cotton, after India imposed a ban on cotton exports on March 5. India decided to impose the ban
The U.S. has approached the World Trade Organization (WTO), seeking a dispute settlement panel to decide American claims that Indian restrictions on imports of various U.S. agricultural products, including poultry meat and chicken eggs, were discriminatory The U.S. has approached the WTO after its talks with India failed to resolve the dispute between the two countries. It is essential that U.S. farmers obtain the reliable market access that India agreed to, U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk said. The United States holds its agriculture industry to the highest standards of safety and is confident the WTO will agree that there is no justification for Indias restrictions on U.S. exports, Mr. Kirk said. India asserts that its measures are aimed at preventing entry of avian influenza, but U.S. officials argue that the measures are inconsistent with the relevant science, international guidelines, and the standards India has set for its own domestic industry. The U.S. requested formal consultations with India on March 7. The two countries and India held consultations on April 16-17, without resolution of the matter.
U.S. moves WTO Maldives looks to India to against India repair floundering economy
USTR officials said India was asserting that it had the right to impose import restrictions on countries whenever they reported outbreaks of low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI), the only kind of avian influenza found in the United States since 2004. The relevant international guidelines as well as the relevant science did not support the imposition of measures of the type India was maintaining on account of LPAI, they said. The WTOs Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement) explicitly recognises that WTO Members have the right to adopt measures to protect human, animal, or plant life or health, they note. However, to ensure that SPS measures do not restrict imports unfairly, WTO Members agreed in the SPS Agreement to disciplines on such measures, U.S. officials say. USTR officials argue that India appears to have acted inconsistently with its obligations under the SPS Agreement. Maldives remains one of Indias closest friends, said Waheed Hassan, president of the island nation, who took over power after a controversial resignation by Mohamed Nasheed in February. In his first visit to India, Waheed, who met the Indian leadership, said he had sought, and received commitment of Indias continued support to Maldives and its stability. With Nasheed having given his point of view to India only a few weeks ago, Waheeds visit is intended to put forward the views of the current government, the state of its economy and the way forward, as he tries to rebuild a fractured policy and weakened economy. In a conversation with TOI, Waheed said, I have requested cooperation to help us craft better economic policies. I have also asked for support for Maldives tight budgetary situation and I have been assured by PM Manmohan Singh that Maldives will receive
this support. Waheed said Maldives was embarking on an ambitious programme to attract both Indian tourists and Indian investment, especially in tourism and IT. We need job creation programmes to improve the socio-economic condition of the youth in Maldives. We have increasing drug problems among the youth. A section of the population is also turning to conservative Islam. That has been a concern to India. This issue kept coming up in my meetings in India, he said. However, the biggest Indian investment in Maldives -- a GMRbuilt international airport in Maldives -- appears to have run into problems which might affect
investor sentiment in the country. Waheed said, There are some issues that need to be resolved. Were in talks with the company. One of the difficulties is that when the contract was signed, some of the issues that should have been cleared through parliament, like the airport tax, were not cleared. We can always take this to parliament after it returns from recess. I am confident this will be resolved amicably. GMR representatives said they would like the present regime to honour the sovereign commitment made by Nasheeds government. Business and government officials said they would be watching closely to see how the GMR issue was resolved.
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Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani called on President Asif Ali Zardari Islamabad Monday at the President House, report.
during Gilanis visit a welcome initiative and said it will help energise the Pakistani community to participate more actively in the British politics. the five areas covered by dialogue including trade, economic growth and development, cultural co-operation, security and education. Trade and Investment roadmap, agreed by the two Prime Ministers would spell out the steps both the governments would take to promote investment, support business and achieve the target of increasing bilateral trade to 2.5 billion by 2015. Pakistan and the UK reaffirmed that they would work together to combat the menace of terrorism and extremism which threatens the people of both countries. Prime Minister Cameron appreciated the huge sacrifices being made by the people of Pakistan. Both Prime Ministers committed to enhance the already strong cooperation on countering improvised explosive devices, which have caused a huge human toll. The two Prime Minsters showed common understanding of the importance of peace, stability and security in Afghanistan and reaffirmed their support for an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned reconciliation process. Premier Cameron told his Pakistani counterpart that Pakistans future matters greatly to the UK and Britain would be an enduring friend to the government and people of Pakistan. Both countries are committed to working together as equal partners to create the conditions for greater
Prime Minister Gilani apprised President Zardari about his recent visit to the United Kingdom. The president felicitated the premier over the successful UK visit. The president expressed confidence that PMs visit will help further strengthen bilateral relations between Pakistan and the UK. Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Sunday left London for Pakistan after concluding his five-day official visit to the United Kingdom. The prime minister was seen off by senior officials of the British government at the Heathrow Airport. High Commissioner to the UK Wajid Shamsul Hassan and his counterpart in Islamabad Adam Thomson were also present.
Gilani during his stay in London held enhanced strategic dialogue with his British counterpart and attended the state opening of the British parliament by the Queen. He met the members of the British Cabinet and the foreign minister besides interacting with Pakistani community in the UK.
Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, who was in UK on official 5-day visit, and British Prime Minister David Cameron reviewed the progress made under the Enhanced Strategic Dialogue between the two sides. They
by President Asif Ali Zardari. It is expected that the British Premier would use his good offices to persuade leaders of the European Union to allow access to Pakistani products in their markets. It was very encouraging to note Prime Minister Cameron pledging his support for the return to international cricket of Pakistan and offered to share the UKs experience in protecting large sporting events. The members of the Pakistani delegation were briefed on the UKs preparations for the Olympics. On the whole, the visit has proved to be fruitful in giving a boost to the already existing bilateral relations and paving the way for greater and closer cooperation that would benefit the two people.
Churchill Hotel during his UK visit with a large entourage of more than 70 people.
According to reports the visit may have cost up to 600,000 pounds. Six rooms have also been reserved for more than a dozen people, who could not accompany the prime minister due to visa problems. According a report Prime Minister Gilani was not even invited at The Queens Diamond Jubilee - celebrations and events, Prime minster went on High- Commissioner Wajid Shamsul Hassans personal invitation. The reports said a fleet of 30 Limousine cars has also been booked for the visiting dignitaries, adding that Gilani has been staying in Presidential suite while others are resting in VIP suites.
Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira who is part of the Gilanis entourage, told APP prior to departure that Prime Minister Gilanis visit on the invitation of British Prime Minister David Cameron would yield positive outcome in view of bilateral relations between the two countries. Kaira said the warm response by both the British government and the Royal family extended to Gilani showed their level of interest and confidence in Pakistans democratic government. He quoted Prime Minister Cameron stating that Pakistans friend is UKs friend and Pakistans enemy is UKs enemy, and said such expression of support had added another feather to Gilanis successful visit. Kaira termed the launch of Conservative Friends of Pakistan
were of the view that the dialogue has become deeper and broader. At the summit, held at 10 Downing Street, the two leaders reviewed the co-operation on shared interests in
prosperity and security in both the countries. During his discussion with his British host, Prime Minister Gilani acted in line with the policy of trade not aid as had been envisaged
Gilanis UK visit ? Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani satyed at UKs expensive
Sources said that the UK government will only bear expenses of six people out of 80. Continued on page 28 >>
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Tripartite commission: NA speaker consulting Top commanders discuss constitutional experts Salala raid, NATO routes
The Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr Fehmida Mirza, is consulting constitutional experts, to seek their opinion about her role after the Supreme Court (SC) judgment against Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.
After hearing a detailed briefing on the court ruling from Law Minister Senator Farooq H. Naek, Dr Mirza met veteran constitutional expert and politician, former Chairman of the Senate, Wasim Sajjad, on Sunday. Yes, I have met Madam Speaker here on Sunday and discussed the legal issues that arise from the court ruling against the prime minister and the possible role of the speakers office, said Mr Sajjad, in an interview with Dawn. However, he refused to share details of his meeting with the speaker, saying, From my end, this was a confidential meeting. Therefore, cant tell you what legal issues were discussed, and what my opinion was. After the release of the detailed SC judgment on May 8 (which remained unclear on the prime ministers legal status: i.e. whether he was automatically disqualified), the speakers office is in the limelight, with questions about its constitutional role.Moreover, on Friday, after the Islamabad High Court Judge, Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui, said that the SC had not disqualified Mr Gilani as prime minister, the apex court referred the matter to other constitutional forums. Now everybody is looking to the Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr Mirza. Dawn approached a senior PPP office-bearer with this information, and was informed that the party was working on a multi-pronged strategy Top military commanders from Pakistan, Afghanistan and NATO met on Sunday to discuss contentious issues, almost six months after a deadly US air raid killed 24 Pakistani soldiers in Mohmand Agency which had put the Isaf statement. Detailed discussions A Pakistan military official requesting anonymity described the talks held in the garrison city of Rawalpindi as significant, adding that the discussions
Ahsan moreover said that the prime minister was sentenced in violation of Article 10-A of the Constitution. The counsel urged that it was the duty of all Pakistani citizens to abide by the laws and the Constitution of the country. The prime minister has a number of options to choose from, including one of filing an appeal challenging the verdict, Ahsan said. Regarding the appeal, the counsel said that the judges who convicted the prime minister should not hear it. Moreover, on the role of Speaker National Assembly in the process of a possible disqualification of the premier, Ahsan said the speaker was given the authority by the Constitution and not the Supreme Court. He said it was up to the speakers discretion whether or not to send a reference in this case.
A woman, who was allegedly murdered by her husband, appeared before the Lahore High Court on Monday and appealed for the release of her husband, report. Shazia, a resident of Sangla Hill tehsil in Nankana Sahib district, went missing in 2006, after which her father had filed a case against Shazias husband Nazeer. Nazeer was termed a criminal by a court and he was awarded a life-term sentence. Shazia appeared before the Lahore High Court on Monday along with her family and told the court that she had left home because she was upset with her husband, but was kidnapped by some unknown people. She added that she ran away from her captors after being in their detention for a few years.
to defend its convicted prime minister. Besides preparing a review petition against the decision that will be finalised after the prime ministers arrival from the UK late on Sunday night, the speakers powers are also being explored.The PPP official said a favourable opinion on the issue of the speakers office would turn out to be an added advantage for the prime minister. The PPP official said the case had all the ingredients to become a long-drawn legal battle, which suited the ruling party. Talking to Dawn, Chief Defence Counsel for the Prime Minister, Senator Aitzaz Ahsan, said he had until June 8 to file an appeal against the contempt decision, since its detailed ruling was released only on May 8. Reiterating his earlier position, Mr Ahsan said that since the bench, in its short order, convicted the prime minister for criminal charges that were never framed he considers the short order as a zero order. Explaining the role of the speakers
office after the SCs detailed judgment, another seasoned politician and constitutional expert, former Senator S.M. Zafar said that Dr Mirza had to give her opinion in the event that someone approached her and ask for her legal opinion. Otherwise, the matter would automatically be transferred to the election commission. She can say that no question arises of the prime ministers disqualification as a member of the house after the SC ruling, and forward her opinion to the election commission. In this case, the election commission will not have to proceed any further. But her opinion can be challenged in the SC, said Mr Zafar. Otherwise, if she believes a question of Mr Gilanis disqualification arises following his conviction, she can ask the election commission for its judgment, which can lead to his de-seating from the house. But whatever she would note down, she would have to back it up with legal reasoning according to Mr Zafar.
Pak-US ties in a tailspin. The Rawalpindi huddle was significant as it came only days before a key Nato summit in Chicago where Pakistans invitation, according to Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, hinges on its decision on the Nato supply routes which it has blocked since the air raid. Gen John Allen, Army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and Afghan military commander Gen Sher Muhammad Karimi led their respective delegations at a meeting of the Tripartite Commission. Talks focused on border control measures, and mechanisms put in place to avoid untoward incidents on both sides of the Pak-Afghan border, said a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). Gen Allen said he was very encouraged by the talks. There was agreement these meetings are important to achieving continued progress towards a peaceful Afghanistan so that Afghanistan can no longer be a safe haven for terrorists, Allen said, according to an
lasted for several hours. The official told The Express Tribune that Gen Allen discussed the Salala incident in detail and also discussed steps to ensure that such incidents do not take place in the future. The issue of Nato supply routes also came up for discussion. The official maintained that the US wanted Pakistan to take an early decision to lift the six-month-old blockade on vital land routes for western forces stationed in Afghanistan. The impact of the continued suspension is now taking its toll on the foreign forces in Afghanistan, said another official, who also claimed that the US had now threatened to block all financial aid if supplies were not reopened. The official acknowledged that Pakistan might succumb to intense pressure on the reopening of Nato supply lines without receiving an unconditional public apology from the US for last years Nato attack.
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Maldives President Mohamed Waheed Hassan tuesday evinced keen interest in forging trade and economic relations with Maharashtra. The visiting dignitary, who is on a five-day tour of India, met Maharashtra Governor K Sankaranarayanan and Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan at the Raj Bhavan this morning. As electricity was a major problem in Maldives, Waheed told the Governor that power companies from India could help Maldives to tide over its energy deficiency. Mentioning that Maharashtras relationship with Maldives dates back to ancient times, he invited the Governor and the Chief Minister
to bring a business and ministerial delegation to Maldives. The two sides also discussed ideas to enhance cooperation in tourism, health, education, business and trade. The Governor told Waheed that India attaches the highest
importance to its relations with Maldives, a close and friendly neighbouring country. Our time-tested multidimensional bilateral relationship can be further strengthened by such high level visits, Sankaranarayanan said.
President welcomes Commonwealth Special Envoy, for constructive talks concerning the Maldives commitment to their membership, the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) and any outstanding issues since his previous visit. President Waheed welcomes Sir Don McKinnon, the Commonwealth Special Envoy, to the Maldives to Male tomorrow, at the invitation of the government, for constructive talks concerning the Maldives commitment to their membership of the Commonwealth, the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) and any outstanding issues since his previous visit. Miadhu Daily was informed that President Dr. Waheed will confirm in the talks that the future of the Maldives lies in the Commonwealth and that this would be made clear to Sir Don and the
wider Commonwealth family. According to the information, the Maldives Government wants to make progress with the Committee of National Inquiry following previous discussions with the Commonwealth about its composition. The CNI, was established by President Waheed to investigate the transition of leadership that took place in February 2012. The Government has worked closely with the Commonwealth since President Dr Waheed assumed Presidency in February 2012. Speaking in advance of the meeting with Sir Don, President Waheed said: I look forward to constructive talks with Sir Don McKinnon. I will be telling Sir Don that as a government, we are completely committed to the Commonwealth and I look forward to resolving any outstanding issues involving CMAG.
Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) Governor Dr Fazeel Najeeb said yesterday that the Maldives has never been in such a dire economic state before. Speaking during the Finance Forum held by the Pension Administration office in Bandos Island Resort yesterday, Governor claimed that the flailing economic situation in the country was due to expenditure exceeding revenue. The Maldives is now in a dangerous economic situation never before seen in recent history. Expenditure in the country has exceeded its income; as a result budget deficit is increasing. From November 2010 inflation has also been going up, he said. He revealed that 63.1 percent of the total Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of 2011 was spent as State expenses. Governor further noted that the percentage was the fifth lowest in the world and hence prompted a rethink about the whole situation. Fazeel further stressed that though Cuba and Zimbabwe were below Maldives in the list, it was something the country should be hardly proud of and noted that the value of the Maldivian currency remaining low for extended periods of time was also something that had various economic consequences. Speaking with regard to the pension fund, Governor stressed on the importance of utilizing the funds in ways that would maximize the economic benefit of the country.
To that end, the various experts who spoke in the Finance Forum had noted that means of investing over MVR50 million received to the pension fund every month must be identified that would shape the economy of the country. The experts further called on legislators in Parliament to pass bills while considering the economic advantages that can be sought for the country. Pension office revealed that the forum scheduled to be held annually, would identify the various financial issues faced by the country while possible solutions would also be discussed in resolving such issues.
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Six survive Nepal Nepal Army Chief extends help to plane crash women Everest expedition team Child Bollywood star killed in Nepal air crash
Leading Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan paid tribute on Tuesday to a child actress and one-time co-star who was among 15 people killed in a plane crash in Nepal. Taruni Sachdev, 14, was travelling with her sister and mother , all three of them were killed. A small plane crashed near a treacherous high-altitude airport in northern Nepal yesterday, killing 15 people while six others miraculously survived, police said. The aircraft suddenly ascended and its left wing hit something
woman had a cut on her throat, Mr Dawadi said. The Indian Embassy in Kathmandu said two Indian children aged nine and six had been pulled out alive from the wreckage. It released no details about their injuries but said they had been taken to hospital.
In a goodwill gesture, Nepalese Army Chief General C M S Gurung today met Indian Armys women Everest expedition team and promised to extend all help to its members in their attempt to summit the worlds highest peak. Exhorting the team to perform at its best, the Nepalese Army Chief, who holds an honorary rank of the General of Indian Army, revealed plans to undertake joint expeditions by the two countries in 2013. I bring greetings from the Nepal Army, the Indian people and the Indian Army, he told the team members.
Gen Gurung was accompanied by the Indian Ambassador to Nepal Jayant Prasad and the Indian Defence Attach to Kathmandu Col Ajay Pasbola. Motivating the team, which has been training at Everest Base Camp in Nepal for the past two months, he said, Physical fitness can get you here, but it is mental strength, drive and determination that will get you to the summit of Everest. As a display of magnanimity towards the team, he extended all help to them and said that a helicopter is available to the team and a smaller aircraft is on standby at all times for
any exigencies that may arise during the expedition. Citing the 2003 Joint Indo-Nepal Everest Expedition and the recentlyconcluded Eco-Annapurna Trek 2011, the Army Chief recalled the past joint expeditions between the armies of the two nations. He also revealed the plans of holding joint expeditions between the two armies in India and Nepal in 2013. The 22-member Indian team comprising seven women officers had left Delhi for Kathmandu on Mar 22 and are making summit attempts between 15-20 May. It is being led by Colonel Ajay Kothiyal.
The aircraft belonging to local carrier Agni Air ploughed into the ground just outside Jomsom airport, a gateway to the Annapurna mountain range, shortly after the pilot reported a fault.
Fifteen people have been killed. Thirteen of them were Indian tourists and the other two were Nepali pilots, police spokesman Binod Singh said. He said there were six survivors, among them a Nepali air hostess and an Indian man who is being treated for head injuries. The Danish foreign ministry in Copenhagen said two Danes had also been rescued and were being treated in the city of Pokhara, 60 kilometres from Jomsom. Basanta Dawadi, of the Pokhara tourism council, said he had spoken to the pair, a man and woman in their early 30s who were both trekkers. They told me the plane was about to land and suddenly it ascended and its left wing hit something. The plane rolled and then plunged into the ground. The emergency door opened and they crawled out of the aircraft. They told me they lost consciousness and then they were rescued. The man had foot injuries while the
The Indian group had chartered the flight from Pokhara for a pilgrimage to Muktinath, a sacred place for Hindus and Buddhists at the foot of the Thorong La pass in the Himalayas, local police spokesman Rajendra Singh Bhandari said. A Nepal army barracks is near the accident site which made the rescue of survivors easier, he added, saying they had been airlifted to Pokhara, a city popular with foreign trekkers and tourists. Dozens of army and police personnel scoured the steep hillside where the plane had come to rest, picking through the wreckage and scattered personal effects. Bimlesh Lal Karna, head of Nepals national rescue department, said the pilot had reported a warning light flashing in the cockpit as he descended to Jomsom. Nepalese rescue workers and officials inspect the site of a plane crash near Jomson, 200 kilometers (125 miles) northwest of the capital, Katmandu, Nepal. Unidentified people comfort each other as bodies of relatives, victims of a plane crash, are brought in to the nearby city of Pokhara, Nepal. List of Indian passengers on board the Agni Air plane that crashed: K Mamanya, SK Arora, M Handa, M Arora, R Handa, K Arora, T Sachdev, G Sachdev, Sanaim Sudhar, G Raman, Kidambi Tirumala, Latha Echambade, Sreeva Kidambi Tirumala, Sreepada Kidambi Tirumala, Mr Kumar and Mrs Kumar.
Following the decision by the major parties to resolve the contentious issues of constitution writing through voting in the Constituent Assembly. A group of lawmakers from the Madhesi parties and the Janajati caucus reached a formal understanding Thursday to stand united to press for identity-based federalism for each of the major ethnic groups. While signing the four-point understanding, they said federal provinces should be determined on the basis of the reports prepared by majority members of the State Restructuring Commission (SRC) and the Constituent Assemblys thematic committee on state restructuring. Both the reports say the country should be federalized on the basis of single ethnic identity. Maoist lawmakers Barshaman Pun, Dev Gurung, Madhesi lawmaker Bijaya Kumar Gachachhadar, Rajendra Mahato, Anil Jha, Mahendra Yadav and Hridayesh Tripathi, CPN-UML lawmakers Prtihvi Subba Gurung and Kiran Gurung are some of those who signed the understanding. They have decided to ask the CA chairman to initiate the process of voting on the unresolved issues as per the CA regulations. According to Vice-chairman of Sadbhawana Party Laxmanlal Karna, the meeting also formed a four-member taskforce to oversee the questionnaire
to be prepared for voting. The taskforce comprises lawmakers Karna, Gurung, Bishwendra Paswan and Rukmini Chaudhari. The taskforce has been entrusted with the responsibility of making suggestion and holding discussion on the questionnaire, Karna told Republica. CPN-UML lawmaker Dal Bahadur Rana said they would exert pressure on major political parties to address the concerns of the indigenous nationalities, Madhesis, minorities and other groups in the new constitution. On the one hand the leaders [from major political parties] are afraid of the possibility of floor-crossing by their lawmakers during the voting and on the other hand they have failed to resolve the thorny issues through consensus, said Rana, adding, So, we all decided to exert pressure to address our minimum demand, formation of federal provinces based on single identity, in the new constitution. In a separate context, the meeting expressed concerns over the burning
down of a Tharu museum during a recent stir in the western Tarai region and urged all agitating groups to maintain restraint for communal harmony. MPRF-D Chairman Bijay Kumar Gachchhadar, Tarai-Madhes Democratic Party Vice-chairman Hridayash Tripathi, MPRF-R Acting Chairman Rajkishor Yadav, UCPN (Maoist) leaders Gurung and Barshaman Pun, CPN-UML lawmaker Prithvi Subba Gurung, Nepali Congress lawmakers Jip Tshering Lama Sherpa and independent lawmaker Sadrul Miyan Haq among other lawmakers were present at the meeting. Meanwhile, the Broader Madhesi Front (BMF), a cross-party alliance of Madhesi lawmakers, has formed a seven-member sub-committee to hold talks with lawmakers from indigenous, Muslim, Dalit and other backward communities in order to forge common stance during the CA voting on the contentious issues of the new constitution.
SAARC
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the way Indias unity and integrity were respected. Acting Media Minister and Deputy Minister for Economic Development, Lakshman Yapa Abeywardene while welcoming Swarajs comments said Sri Lanka now stands united and
and their political leaders as well. Also Swaraj who visited Sri Lanka recently with her delegation has given an example to others on how political parties should conduct themselves when dealing with nationally important issues while in opposition, he added. He noted
Around 800 women prisoners were united with their offspring at a function at Magazine Prison yesterday in an event to mark International Mothers Day. The ceremony was held to strengthen family unity and bonds and highlight the unique role of the mother. The mothers were felicitated under the theme Maathru Wandana. Rehabilitation and Prison Reforms Minister Chandrasiri Gajadeera was present along with ministry officials. The
event was emotional since this was the first time mothers in prisons were accorded such an honour. On the advice of Minister Gajadeera, the Prisons Department had taken steps to have family members meet their mothers who are in jail. Following a brief anusasana, the children worshipped their mothers. Addressing the mothers and their family members, the minister said mothers form the core of the family unit.
He told the Daily News 93 artifact thefts and treasure hunts were reported during the first four months of this year . The National Heritage Ministry in coordination with the Archaeology Department has planned a series of programmes with special emphasis on the protection of archaeological monuments and artifacts in the wake of recent treasure hunts and artifacts robberies which are on the
illegal activities. National Heritage Ministry Additional Secretary Vijitha Nanda Kumara said the ministry had requested the Inspector General of Police to assist the department to provide adequate security for heritage sites, museums and
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hai Manto sahib Columnist Mujahid Eshai said, We need to understand Mantos work and teach it to the younger generation. For students to relate to the literary culture of the land, he said, it was vital to read and relate to Mantos writing. Asghar Nadeem Syed said Manto was the epitome of innocence. He said Manto observed the society through
Shaheed Saaz. Mantos brilliance In an extremely well crafted account of Saadat Hasan Mantos contemporary relevance to the subcontinent and his place in its intellectual history, Curator of a hollowed conscience, (May 11), Ayesha Jalal makes a very significant methodological and political point. We are at a rossroads of an animated
the eyes of an innocent child and revealed its reality in all its ugliness and beauty. He called Mantos work secular fiction and said it had helped bridge the gap between India and Pakistan after partition. He said Manto was in a continuous
debate on the crisis in the social sciences. Inter-disciplinarity across the social sciences and humanities is increasingly seen as critical to the reinvention of these disciplines. Politically, at a time of increasing polarisation and war-talk, speaking
history of contemporary philosophy in this region? What are the ways in which we may dip into this history to understand our present? And what are the other works and creative forms that might help us excavate and better understand other realities and histories on the Indian subcontinent? Ayesha Jalals article on Manto was a feast. Kalpana Kannabiran, Hyderabad The article offered an insight into the religious fanaticism that marked Partition. Incidents of communal violence still take place but we have no firm law to curtail such mindless acts. Ayesha Jalal must be thanked for reminding us who we truly are. Mahesh Jada, Nellore Such articles enable youngsters like me to visualise the violence that accompanied Partition. The details in Mantos riveting stories clearly send a strong message to religious fanatics that knives, daggers and bullets cannot destroy religion. Mohit Goyal, Sriganganagar The article was moving. Partition, a blot on the subcontinent, continues to haunt us to this day. When people
conflict with the societys hollow values. Several readings of Mantos work followed including Samia Mumtazs reading of Sarrak Kay Kinaray and Salman Shahids
of historical and methodological possibilities that arise from the common builds new pathways for critical intellectual endeavour. What is Mantos place in the intellectual
living together for generations succumbed to a divisive tendency and wrought havoc on one another in the name of religion, writers like Manto stood out. The catholicity of
Kingdom End and A Womans Life, as he was of the cataclysmic after-effects of Partition in his masterpieces like Toba Tek Singh and Cold Flesh. Mohd. Junaid Ansari, Meerut
ENTERTAINMENT
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BBC Asian Network presents an up close and personal experience of three of the worlds most celebrated Asian Music Stars in a special programme due to be broadcast on the BBC Red Button. The digital station honours the
BBC Asian Network presents Asian Music Stars on BBC Red Button
intimate insight into each of these three artists, their background
Bollywood music industrys finest in an insightful and entertaining TV programme. It explores and celebrates the lives of internationally renowned artists Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Adnan Sami and Kailash Kher as they embark on concert tours across the UK. From Monday 14th May at 6am on Sky, Freesat and Virgin and daily from 7.10pm on Freeview, the Red Button programme will offer viewers an exclusive and
demonstrations, behind the scenes footage and multi camera concert coverage, we find out about their journeys and the magic behind their music, with the help of BBC Asian Network presenters Bobby Friction, Noreen Khan and Tommy Sandhu. Mark Strippel, Acting Head of Programmes, BBC Asian Network, says: BBC Asian Networks programming on the BBC Red Button has flourished to become a successful part of our multiplatform strategy. The Asian Music Stars programme is an important part of our summer campaign and we are proud to be able to share some really unique content with our audience. With highquality coverage of big events, concerts, melas and special BBC live sessions, we have something for everyone.
LIFE IMITATES ART AS RAZA JAFFREY, STAR OF STEVEN SPIELBERGS EAGERLY ANTICIPATED BEHIND-THE-SCENES TELEVISION DRAMA SMASH,
The Indian cinematic masterpiece Gangs Of Wasseypur, is set to make film history as the first commerical Bollywood film to be part of the 65th Cannes Film Festivals Directors Fortnight segment. Produced and presented by one of Indias leading integrated film companies, Viacom 18 Motion Pictures, with the young, cuttingedge film director Anurag Kashyap at the helm, Gangs Of Wasseypur is a mainstream commercial Indian film, which tells an epic tale, spanning 60 years of a feuding familys life set against the backdriop of the rural coal communities in Dhanbad, Jharkhand,
Gangs Of Wasseypur Will Be First Commercial Indian Film To Be Screened At Directors Fortnight At The Star-Studded Cannes Film Festival 2012
India. Gangs Of Wasseypur combines clever filmmaking with a powerful, highconcept and entertaining plot, with revenge at its core. Accentuated by
esteemed performances by a talented and eclectic cast comprising of Hindi cinemas finest, Manoj Bajpayee, Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Richa Chadda, the film is cleverly told in two separate films. Generating widespread
interest from critics and audiences alike, Gangs Of Wasseypur breaks with Indian cinema conventions in the same mould as the Academy Award winning film Slumdog Millionaire, and other acclaimed films such as Bandit Queen. Anurag Kashyap is renowned for his work in creating a niche in Indian cinemas avant-garde space. He is also the mastermind behind Indian cinematic directorials as Black Friday, a controversial and award-winning film about the 1993 Mumbai bombings, and the award-winning screenwriter of such international cinematic successes as Satya and Water. Viacom 18 Motion Pictures and the Cannes Film Festival will hold special media and trade screenings of Gangs Of Wasseypur on the 22nd of May 2012. Other highlights for the film during the festival week will include cocktails hosted by Viacom18 Motion Pictures at the NFDC India Pavilion, and a debate forum on Bollywoods changing place within Indian cinema. Viacom 18 Motion Pictures presence at the Cannes Film Festival 2012 will be a holistic celebration of Indian cinemas vast contribution to the world of entertainment.
Life is imitating art for leading man Raza Jaffrey, as CHICAGO producer, Barry Weissler spotted him in the new Steven Spielberg TV series Smash, and immediately offered him the role of Billy Flynn in the West End production of the musical. He will star in CHICAGO at the Garrick Theatre from 16 May to 14 July, playing the role between present Billy, David Bedella, who leaves the cast on 12 May, and Olympian Robin Cousins, who joins on 17 July. Raza can be seen playing the role of Dev Sundaram in Smash, which began on Sky Atlantic this Saturday 21 April. Smash is the fictional drama behind the making of a Broadway musical. Razas other TV roles include Zaf Younis in Spooks and Hari Dhillon in Mistresses. Recent films include Sex and the City 2, Harry Brown
Salman with his co-star Katrina Kaif in it. Nevertheless, it has hit the right chords with industry members, critics and trade analysts, who have lauded the teaser, which has Salman firing guns, jumping from quite a height, fighting ruthlessly and ultimately, walking with an intense look on his face.
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NEWS
said was intended to spread terror among the civilian population. The horrors of the siege, together with the Srebrenica massacre, eventually galvanised world opinion in support of the campaign of Western air strikes on Bosnian Serb targets that brought the conflict to an end shortly after. Mladic was indicted in 1995 along with Radovan Karadzic, the Bosnian Serbs political leader.
told a hearing last year. I am General Ratko Mladic. I defended my people, my country ... now I am defending myself. Mladic was in charge of the Bosnian Serb army when, over several days in July 1995, Serb fighters overran the Srebrenica enclave in eastern Bosnia, theoretically under the protection of Dutch U.N. peacekeepers. Video footage shot at the time showed Mladic mingling with Muslim prisoners. Shortly afterwards, the men and boys were separated from the women, stripped of identification, and shot. BULLDOZED INTO GRAVES The dead were bulldozed into mass graves, then later dug up with excavators and hauled away in trucks to be better hidden from the world, in dozens of remote mass graves. Prosecutors say Mladic was part of a joint criminal enterprise to eliminate the Bosnian Muslims in Srebrenica by killing the men and boys ... and forcibly removing the women, young children and some elderly men. Mladic is also held responsible for the siege and bombardment of the Bosnian capital Sarajevo, which prosecutors
Yet both remained free in Serbia for more than a decade before being tracked down and sent to The Hague. Karadzics trial is already under way. Defence lawyers say they have not had have enough time to review the huge case file prepared by prosecutors and asked for the trial to be postponed, but the request was denied. Serge Brammertz, the courts chief prosecutor, has dismissed Mladics assertion that he is too frail to sit through a 200-hour prosecution case involving testimony from 411 witnesses. His appearance in The Hague is testament to the work of the tribunal, which has defied sceptics by managing, in the course of 19 years, to arrest all its 161 indictees. But some victims still fear that Mladic, who has received physical therapy for a possible stroke, could escape judgment by dying in mid-trial. Mladics mentor, former Serbian president Slobodan Milosevic, the architect of the Balkan wars, died in detention in 2006, a few months before a verdict in his trial for genocide and other war crimes in Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo.
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because of debts worth 1.3 trillion euro comes up for repayment around December 2014 and February 2015. However, he cautioned, We have to be aware of such risk.
You have to be aware of that otherwise some of these may backfire, he told reporters. He also predicted India will play a major role in the global economic affairs in 2014.
If aliens exist, it is likely to be very difficult for us to come into contact with them, according to astrophysicists. Recent studies of the so-called habitable zone around red dwarfs, the most common type of stars in the Milky
Special Feature
Way, have shown that if there is life, it probably bears no resemblance to the one on Earth. Eighty percent of the stars in our galaxy are red dwarfs. Of these, only 40 percent are Earth-like planets. Life on the Earth depends on the sun. What forms can it take on the planets orbiting around other stars? First of all, the habitable zone around these low-mass stars must be very small - even smaller than the distance from the Sun to Mercury, the planet closest to the solar system. Can developed forms of life be formed in these conditions? The level of cosmic radiation there must be very high, and even the magnetic field of the hypothetical
of origin of life. In addition, due to the powerful gravitation of the star, a planet can always be turned one side to it, while the other side is turned towards space. As a result, one hemisphere is overheating, while the other one is freezing. Clearly, this also is not conducive to creating favorable conditions for the emergence of living organisms. Meanwhile, the famous astronomer Seth Shostak, a head of SETI project searching for extraterrestrial life, drew attention of the researchers to the fact that on Earth there are microbes that can operate and thrive in conditions similar to those that hypothetically could arise on the planets orbiting red dwarfs. Life can adapt to extreme
of warm currents into the cold hemisphere, the temperature on the illuminated and un-illuminated sides of the planet can be aligned. The dark side, however, can be covered with ice like our North Pole during polar nights, while the light side is cooled off by underground currents. All this, however, means that in the first place marine life forms will develop, as the ocean currents would have little effect on the temperature on land. Therefore, terrestrial life on these planets is unlikely to achieve complex shapes. In all likelihood, land organisms settle at great depths where they are less vulnerable to external factors. However, they are
unlikely to be even remotely like humans. On Earth, these creatures from a group of Archean bacteria are found in geothermal sources. Sea creatures on such planets will certainly have more opportunities for development, but even if they emit the signal, SETI is unlikely to be able to catch it because nearly no water medium transmits radio waves. They are not accessible by very powerful telescopes either. One cannot observe the life in Earths oceans from the lunar orbit, although the moon is not too far away from the Earth. Even if these underwater inhabitants are intelligent, they will not be able to get in touch with us. In any case, it will not happen in the foreseeable future - until the Earthlings learn to fly to the distant planets. According to Seth Shostak, planets with a weak cosmic radiation constantly rotated to the parent star give hope for the possible discovery of life. The scientist believes that if one side is too cold, but the other is too hot, somewhere in the middle there may be the zone of Goldilocks (habitable zone). Even in the polar regions of Mercury, there are areas with low water temperatures and ice. If Mercury had an atmosphere, it would be possible that there could be life there. Shostak notes that it will not be easy to find life on Earth-like planets of the habitable zone of the Galaxy. Yet, this does not mean that it is not there. Irina Shlionskaya
his release. However, the interior minister told newsmen that it was Dr Chishtis desire to first arrive in Islamabad so that he can thank the president. President Zardari had sent a special plane to bring Dr Chishti from New Delhi. Dr Chishti said he had no words to express gratitude to the nation and the government. After 20 years of imprisonment, I had lost hopes for a return to my country, but today I have no words how to express my feelings, he said. He said he was also thankful to the Indian government for allowing him to meet his family even though his case was still pending before the Indian Supreme Court. I want to celebrate these happy moments in the twilight of my life with my family, he said. The scientist said he was implicated in a fake case because he had nothing to do with the murder. The Indian Supreme Court has granted interim bail to Dr Chishti during the pendency of his appeal against a Rajasthan High Court order upholding his conviction.
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COMMENT
Islam lays stress on fair dealings in financial matters, but Pakistanisespecially the influential onesseem to have lost this part of Islam. But this has not always been like this: in our Archives we can find the papers of M.A.Jinnah, the Founder of Pakistan who was meticulously correct in money matters and he himself wrote expenditure details on even small expenditures like postage fees and other household needs in his own hand and signed it. Today plundering of public money has reached the status of normality not only in state affairs but in all offices. The boss uses the office naib-qasid (peon) to clean his private house; he uses the office car and driver to pick and drop children and take the wife shopping. While these seem to be small things this is a wrong impression - from here starts the misuse of position at much larger scale. Pakistani rulers and senior bureaucrats now dont even write in their own hand writings specific orders on official files, they attach a chit on file with their orders written with pencil, to be typed on his/her behalf to be signed as orders by Principal Secretaries or others, this shows weakness of character in a leader and power of bureaucratic mafia. There are so many examples of political figures misuse of power being hand-in glove with bureaucrats, the ephedrine case being one of the recent. While Privatization of state silver, IPPs and Rental power projects have sealed the fate of economic development and national prosperity. Making money by abusing rules and regulations and
as Shehriyet a subject which was taught in our schools and colleges and was then enlarged as political science, which was developing living character and responsibility in our youth and grown-ups. Now this is not visible any more. Print media policy appears to be regulated and governed at the whims of multinational and strong
declaring to raise minimum wages to Rs. 8,000/- the Chief Minister in Punjab province has declared it as Rs. 9,000/-, which according to price index evaluation is still not sufficient to make workers both ends meet. Accountability is another victim of this approach. It has been reduced to an instrument to keep allies in line and fight political enemies. The ideas of right and wrong have been separated from what Islam teaches; these days might is right only and the boss decides about right and wrong. And the problem is not only present in politics or in running of state affairs or institutions; it has crept into private business and into family lives also. Children grow up and first thing they learn in early age is that lying is no problem everybody including mummy and daddy does it. How do they know? The phone rings and the father (or mother) tells the servant to say sahib is
How can we expect children grown up in such surroundings to be true, honest and upright? And this brings us to the most important question: How can we address the problem of missing morality in our society? Only by addressing and solving it at this broad and basic level we will be able to address the problem of corruption, misuse of power, plundering of public wealth in all spheres of public and private life in Pakistan. There is no easy answer to this. And keeping in mind that it took a long time, several generations to erode morality to this point, it will clearly take as much time to pull back and restore the feeling of right and wrong in the minds and deeds of Pakistanis. I think the beginning has to be made by an honest and open discussion. Admitting a mistake is the first step to eradication. There is a need to activate for all of us our inner consciousness and
Gods gift to humans but this gift has to be guarded and developed and applied to our daily lives. Religion could play an important role and imams and religious scholars could contribute to it - if they are honest and apply the same rules to themselves as to others. Islam is very clear on economic and financial discipline, Interest is forbidden then what is the Islamic Banking growing fast by these foreign banks in Muslim countries, and why no scholar has ever thrown light on this issue, and it seems they have also compromised on it. Print and electronic media could have played a positive role but intellectual corruption spreading everywhere has not spared (our) this branch in society and business interest first has become their hallmark. A news becomes news only if it sells. Our politicians have forgotten that politics has taken its roots from civics, known
advertising groups interest. While in electronic media some are openly telecasting foreign channels recorded programmes, others show US sponsored advertisement in between the peak hour telecast. Publicity campaigns not only overshadow the viewers understanding process some are dominated with neighbouring countries actresses for promotion in sales of consumer items. Thereby promoting Indian & Western culture to allure our youth and adults, a fact that is destroying our national fabric, and creates the present chaos all around. Time is running against us, an already divided nation is being further divided in the name of additional provinces resolutions without any sincerity to the cause, just for political wrangling and point scoring. How long this will continue with all impunity. The nation has now pinned hope in a Messiah to drive this rudderless ship out of the present morass. God bless Pakistan. Ali Ashraf Khan
Pakistani Journalists visiting UK With Convicted PM Yousuf Raza Gilani A delegation of 80 people accompanying PM.
Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani, has a budgetary allocation of Rs.1.2 billion for foreign trips in the current budgetary allocation alone.
According to an estimate of economist Dr. Farrukh Saleem, an amount of Rs. 100 million spent on the one-week visit of the PM to UK where he had only a one-hour official engagement. Name of Jornalists visiting United Kingdom with Convicted Prime Minister of Pakistan: All expenses paid by the Government of Pakistan. Arif Nizami, Rameeza Nizami, Umar Mujeeb Shami, PJ Mir, Khalid Qayyum, Imtinan Shahid, Farooq Faisal Khan, Salim Safi, Saleh Zaafir, Jamshaid Rizwani, Khalique Kiyani,
Bralvi. Among other those accompanied the Prime Minister were Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar, Awami National Party leader Asfandyar Wali Khan, Commerce Minister Makhdoom Ameen Faheem, Minister of Finance Dr Hafeez Sheikh, Minister of Investment Saleem Mandiwala, parliamentarians from PML-Q, MQM and PPP lawmakers and senior officials. The privileged wives and children of some of the delegates also joined the joy ride but not
spent on the Azad Kashmirs Prime Minister Chaudhry Abdul Majeed who was dispatched to the UK on a special mission to mobilise their tens of thousands of clan and baradri members to welcome the Pakistani premier when he addresses a PPP gathering. According to a report one of AJK PM team member confirmed that the AJK government was fully paying for the expenses. He also confirmed that the AJK PM has no official engagements in the UK. Despite all Prime Minister of Pakistan has been
forced to cancel a visit to rally in Birmingham over security fears. The community meeting was suddenly scrapped for fears of a serious security breach by protesters, according to a Pakistani official who helped organise the PMs UK visit. The unnamed official said: It was left to the High Commission of Pakistan in London to make the necessary security arrangements but it was decided the rally had too many risks attached to it. Management of the International Convention Centre said that The booking has been cancelled but obviously we will charge the cancellations fees. Meanwhile the Azad Kashmirs Prime Minister Chaudhry Abdul Majeed who was invited for Meet The Press as Chief Guest by Pakistan Journalists Association UK at IQ Studios on Saturday 12 May 2012 but for some un known reasons he ran away from the program as some journalist later said that he was going to be questioned regarding Prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani visit to UK and to avoid all he gave an excuse for smoking and ran away.
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Thar Coal Project chief Dr Samar Mubarakmand alleged on Sunday that Planning Commission started opposing his project declaring it unfeasible and stopped financial assistance at a time when his team had successfully gasified coal and was about to enter the power generation phase.However, in an interview , he said the project was still on and his team was determined to provide cheap electricity to the energy-starved country.Prolonged loadshedding is being faced by people across the country and outages of up to 18 hours a day have badly hit the industrial sector. The problem will persist unless the government solves the circular debt problem.Dr Mubarakmand, who was an important member of the scientists team that made Pakistan a nuclear power in 1998, is now trying to produce electricity from the Thar coal, whose reserves have been estimated at 175 billion tonnes. They are sufficient to generate 50,000MW electricity and 100 million barrel of diesel for 500 years.Since using coal directly for power generation is costlier ($1.6 per watt) and will also have adverse impact on environment, Dr Mubarakmand is trying to convert the coal into gas before using it as a source for electricity.An indigenously-developed technology is being used for the purpose, which is being regarded as a great achievement even by scientists and technologists of other countries.Dr Mubarakmands project needs $6 billion to complete. But since the resource-starved country cannot afford to spare so much money, the scientist says he will run the project even if he is given the initial cost. I will meet the rest of the requirements by earning profit from the project.It has been estimated that the country would get the cheapest electricity if his project was allowed to continue working. This will cost a dollar a watt, compared to $2.3 for hydel, $2.7 for wind, $3.2 for solar and $3.5 for nuclear energy. Power generated through coal
gas would cost Rs4 per unit.Dr Mubarakmand thinks that he needs six years to generate 6,000MW electricity from Thar coal. Answering a question, he said the country was facing energy crisis because power projects had not been planned
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PRINCESS Dianas former heart surgeon lover has told of his fury at finding out from police that his phone may have been hacked just months before the inquest into her death. Dr Hasnat Khan, nicknamed Mr Wonderful by the Princess, said the disclosure by detectives involved in the Operation Weeting phone hacking inquiry left him feeling robbed. Dr Khan, 53, is understood to have used the phone until late 2007, when speculation over whether he would tell all at her inquest in March the following year was at its highest. Dr Khan, a heart surgeon, says he was contacted by detectives after his name and mobile telephone number were found in paperwork uncovered during their investigations into phone-hacking. In an interview with Londons Daily Mail, Dr Khan says he felt violated to discover his voicemails may have been intercepted ahead of the belated inquest in 2008. Last year Scotland Yard reopened an inquiry into phone hacking codenamed Operation Weeting amid a steady flow of new revelations about the practice of intercepting the voice messages of high-profile people. Dr Khan says any potential compensation he may receive would be donated to a heart unit he is setting up for children in Pakistan, which he and Diana had dreamed of building.
SPECIAL FEATURE
cause was an article in the Sunday Mirror alleging that Diana and Khan had become unofficially engaged after what the tabloid characterized as the amazing summit meeting with his family in Pakistan. He accused Diana of leaking the story, although she tearfully denied it, said hairstylist Natalie Symons,
the sick. As Diana confessed to her friend Elsa Bowker, I found my peace. He has given me all the things I need. But Dianas love was characteristically accompanied by possessiveness. This time, she tried to advance Khans career and, in the process, the prospects for their life together. She asked South African heart surgeon Dr. Christiaan Barnard if he could help find Khan a position in South Africa. Diana revealed that she wanted to marry Khan and, said Barnard, have a pair of girls...She wanted to move away from London with him. South Africa was her first choice because her brother was there. As she had with Prince Charles and her other lovers, Diana tried to control Khan, fearing he would reject her. Her energy healer (a kind of alternative psychotherapist) Simone Simmons remembered that Diana was so impatient to have Hasnats
and convince them that she was a nice girl, said Bowker. wearing a traditional shalwar kameez of pale blue, she spent 90 minutes with a dozen of Khans relatives, including
further rebuffs, Dianas comments about Khan took on a critical edge. She said he was more scared of his family and religion and background
his parents and grandmother. When Diana returned to London several days later, she told friends she had made a good impression
than he was in love with her, said historian and friend Paul Johnson. In July, Khan broke off the relationship for good. The proximate
who witnessed the drama. Diana was very sore and hurting, recalled a friend she turned to for consolation. It was the day before the trip with [controversial Egyptian-born businessman] Mohamed Al Fayed,
The Love Story Dr. Hasnat KhanNatty to his friends than a 39-year-old heart surgeon from Pakistan Diana met him while visiting one of his patients at the Royal Brompton Hospital in September 1995. Because of Khans aversion to publicity, Diana took to wearing disguises, including custom-made wigs and glasses with nonoptical lenses. The couple went undetected to jazz clubs and restaurants in Soho or Camden Town. But they spent most of their time together at Kensington Palace and she considered him a vital anchor in her life. She was emotionally more stable when she was with him, said a friend of Dianas. He taught her that she could be loved. Diana told friends she was especially pleased that Khan admired her empathy for
undivided attention that if he used the Kensington Palace telephones to speak to his family or friends in Pakistan for more than 10 minutes, Diana would turn her music up or dance before him to distract his attention. Diana also frequently phoned Khan at the hospital and was often upset if he was in the operating theater and couldnt talk to her, Simone Simmons said. For nearly 18 months, Diana persistently misled the press about Hasnat Khan. Her motive for lying was to protect him as she sought to make their relationship work. She would have converted to Islam, she would have done anything, said Elsa Bowker. But Diana miscalculated when she made a spur-of-themoment visit to Pakistan in May 1997. Her unstated purpose for the trip was to meet Khans family
and that marriage was now possible. But Diana had not informed Khan beforehand of her visit with his relatives. He was dismayed that she had gone so far and rebuked her for disclosing details to the press. The following week Hello! magazine quoted Hasnats father expressing doubts that Hasnat and Diana would marry. Diana and Khan continued to see each other, still in secrecy. Perhaps to protect herself from
and Diana told me it was over with Hasnat. He couldnt live with the pressure of the press, so he decided that was that. Said another friend: I think he loved her, and I think he was the love of Dianas life after Charles. The morning after the breakup, Friday, July 11, as Diana packed for her vacation in the South of France, she was sobbing her heart out, Symons said.
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confessed on hidden camera they get much more than their prescribed auction under the table. According to the channel, its operation also revealed that spot-fixing is not only prevalent in IPL but also that first class matches are fixed
The BCCI will fully inquire into the issue, he insisted. The IPLs governing council will have a teleconference this afternoon to discuss the television sting operation which claims to have blown the lid off murky deals in the cash-rich
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from foreign banks, blackmoney is being turned into white through the IPL. The channel, India TV, claimed it had done a sting operation in which many IPL players confessed on hidden camera that they get much more than their prescribed auction under the table. According to the channel, its operation also revealed that spot-fixing is not only prevalent in IPL but also that first class matches are fixed and women played an important role in matchfixing. We will not tolerate any such thing. BCCI has zero tolerance when it comes to corruption and dope related issues. These footage are very disturbing for the BCCI, said Shetty. Shetty also informed that BCCI president N Srinivasan has asked the television channel for the CD to see the complete footage of the sting operation and examine it thoroughly. The Board has written a letter to the channel and has asked for the CD and get an access to whatever was displayed.
T20 league. IPL chairman Rajiv Shukla said strict action would be taken if any player is found to be involved in spot-fixing. However, Shalabh Srivastava has denied the spot-fixing charge and said that the audio clip a TV channel is playing is doctored and also threatened to sue the channel. I fail to understand whatever is being said about spot-fixing. The voice in that telephonic conversation is not mine. It is very easy to frame anyone with a doctored audio clip, Shalabh Srivastav said. Top BCCI officials have already started discussing the issue among themselves amid indications that stern action could be taken against a few players who are shown in the TV sting operation. The IPL Governing Council will discuss the issue. We have asked for the tapes. We will study the tapes and then take a decision, a top BCCI source said. The channel, India TV, claimed it had done a sting operation in which many players
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David Beckham will bring the Olympic flame back to the UK from the Greek capital Athens along with Princess Anne, Olympic organisers have said. The footballer and Team GB hopeful will be at a ceremony where the flame is passed to London on Thursday evening, after a week-long relay around Greece. The delegation, including five young people, will fly back on BA2012. They land at a Cornish air base on Friday evening, ahead of the start of
the torch relay on Saturday morning. The flame, which was lit from the rays of the sun at Olympia on 10 May, will be passed on to London in a ceremony at the Panathenaic Stadium. London 2012 chairman Seb Coe, British Olympic Association President and Locog Board Member the Princess Royal, Olympics minister Hugh Robertson and London Mayor Boris Johnson are part of the delegation in Greece to receive the flame.
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11-4. Pakay, who was named as the young player of the year on the womens tour in 2007 and received the Salaam Pakistan Award from the President Pervez Musharraf in the same year, will now play the biggest match of her life in the O2 arena, the worlds most
popular entertainment venue. Carla Khan, another Pakistan international, also played in the British Open main draw, but unlike Pakay, was born in England and earlier represented England. The grand-daughter of the legendary Azam Khan, four times British
of injured fellow Australian Adam Gilchrist, said he would be disappointed if fingers were pointed at any of his players. Everyone in my team, everyone in Kings XI Punjab as a brand, plays with utmost integrity and if any print or TV
media tries to write differently or say something differently about my team, then I will be very disappointed, Hussey told reporters. I cant really comment on the sting, he added. Reporters from the Hindi-language
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