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Year 2  Issue 19  Thursday, 22.11.12

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Israel and Hamas have agreed a ceasefire to end a week of violence in which nearly 160 people have died.

Sharia4hind,UK, Belgium Publicity Stunts, Plain Pathetic, or Both?

Gaza: Over 1500 Israeli airstrikes 150+ Palestinians and 5 Israelis killed since Israel preplanned attacks started

The Saddest, Most Pathetic way to Demonise Islam Fatwa on Malala by Intelligence assets and Bogus Sharia Clerics

Gaza truce:Israel and “Sharia4Pakistan” Hamas agree on cease-fire Israel launches massive airstrikes on Gaza after Tel Aviv bombing Israel expected to hold its fire without truce deal

Egyptian official says formal announcement of truce to be made shortly following Morsi, Clinton meeting in Cairo; sources say Israel will not lift Gaza blockade; IAF strikes, rocket fire continue amid cease-fire push.

According to a senior Israeli official, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who is in Cairo, asked both sides to hold their fire.

Israel and Palestinian militant groups have agreed a truce to end the Gaza conflict, an Egyptian official said on Wednesday.

Asked whether a ceasefire deal had been reached, the official said: “Yes, and Egypt will announce it.”

There was no immediate official confirmation of the news, which came on the eighth day of intensive Israeli aggression on the Gaza

Strip and rocket attacks out of the Palestinian territory.

According to Israeli sources, Israel has agreed to a truce in the Gaza Strip, but will not lift its blockade of the Palestinian territory, declining to give further details of any deal.

Shortly before, a Palestinian official with knowledge of Egyptian mediation between the Continued on page 2 >>

Omar Bakri Mohammed, the bogus and self claimed intelligence asset cleric banned from the United Kingdom for ‘glorifying terrorism’ poised to issue a Fatwa on Malala & launch Sharia4 Pakistan.

Demonisers of Islam and Portrayed as Islamic radicalists based in Britain are reportedly preparing to issue a fatwa on Malala Yousafzai.

“Sharia4Pakistan”.

Anjem Choudary, who lives in Ilford, London, is a co-founder of Islamist organisations alMuhajiroun, Sharia 4 UK, Sharia 4 India, Ahle Sunah Wal Jamat , Muslims against the Crusades, and many more ,which has staged several anti-Western demonstrations particularly to

According to British press Bogus cleric Anjem Choudary, a fatwa will be announced at Islamabad’s Red Mosque later this month.

The event at which the fatwa is due to be announced will take place on November 30 and is billed as

demonise Islam .

Anjem Choudary told The Daily Star: “If someone apostatises like this woman did by allying with the Americans and saying her favourite person is (Barack) Obama and Continued on page 14 >>

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South Asia Tribune I Thursday 22 November 2012

Gaza truce:Israel and Hamas agree on cease-fire

Continued from page 01 >> two sides told Reuters that there was a ceasefire agreement to end eight days of fighting in Gaza that has killed more than 140 Palestinians and five Israelis.

Despite massive rocket fire from Gaza and terror attack in Tel Aviv, Israel expected to announce it is holding its fire. Jerusalem estimates gesture will pressure Hamas groups into holding fire as well Officials estimated Wednesday evening that if Israel holds fire, Hamas and other Palestinian groups in Gaza will face heavy pressure to do so as well.

The US and Britain stand behind Israel’s onslaught on Gaza. Justice requires a change in the balance of forces on the ground Gaza came under heavy bombardment from Israel last night. More than 30 strikes hit the strip, with buildings used by Publisher Salah Bu Khamas (UAE) Sabha Khan (UK) UK Office 10 Courtenay Road, Wembley, Middlesex, HA9 7ND UK Phone: +44 20 8904 0619 Fax: +44 20 8181 7575 info@satribune.co.uk India Office Satya Infomedia Pvt. Ltd. C/O Satya Group.

1st Floor, Avenue Appt., Near Sheth. R. J. J. High School, Tithal Road, Valsad - 396001 Gujarat, India United Arab Emirates Office S.K. Group of Companies P.O. Box 9021, Karama Dubai, United Arab Emirates Tel: +971 4 2659970, 3359929; Fax: +971 4 2659971, 3341609 www.sk-groupofcompanies.com Managing Editor & CEO Mohammad Shahid Khan Group Editorial Managers Gulzar Khan (India) Abdul Khalique (Pakistan) Editorial Board UK Frances Brunner FYI Tribune team Adrian Fellar Misbah Khan Reema Shah Rohma Khan Keziah-Ann Abakah Marketing & Sales Andrew Klugman (Manager) Art Department UK Ali Ansar (Art Director) Mohammad Reazul Islam

Hamas particularly targeted. Israeli forces have launched numerous missile attacks on Gaza, killing at least 6 after a bomb struck a bus in Tel Aviv, injuring 16. It is the eighth day of Israel’s ‘Pillar of Defense’ campaign, which has killed over 150 Palestinians so far.

Israeli war jets pummeled Gaza’s Al-Yarmouk football stadium with more than 10 consecutive attacks, Al Jazeera reports. Several casualties were reported following the assault.

order to see if a long-term ceasefire can be achieved,” a senior Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said after the meeting.

Any diplomatic solution may pass through Egypt, Gaza’s other neighbor and the biggest Arab nation, where the ousting of US ally Hosni Mubarak and election of President Mohamed Mursi is part of a dramatic reshaping of the Middle East, wrought by the Arab Spring and now affecting the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The IDF claimed they are striking key Hamas targets, while the Palestinian Authority criticized the attacks for killing civilians.

Blast on Tel Aviv bus; 28 hurt

The escalation of attacks comes off the back of a bomb attack on a Tel Aviv bus that left 16 people injured. Israel’s government called an emergency meeting in response to the first terrorist bombing in the city since 2006.

Israeli authorities have raised security in the area to a level 4 alert and have begun a manhunt for the two suspects.

Hamas spokesperson, Sami Abu Zuhri praised the Tel Aviv bus bombing to the press, but did not say Hamas was behind it. He said that Hamas viewed the explosion as “a natural response to the Israeli massacres…in Gaza.”

Gaza truce pressure builds, Cairo in focus

International pressure for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip puts Egypt’s new conservative president in the spotlight on Tuesday after a sixth day of Palestinian rocket fire and Israeli air strikes that have killed more than 150 people. Israel’s leaders weighed the benefits and risks of sending tanks and infantry into the densely populated coastal enclave two months before an Israeli election, and indicated they would prefer a diplomatic path backed by world powers, including US President Barack Obama, the European Union and Russia.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his top ministers debated their next moves in a meeting that lasted into the early hours of Tuesday.

“Before deciding on a ground invasion, the prime minister intends to exhaust the diplomatic move in

Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades claimed the attack Tel Aviv: Massive blast occurs on bus travelling near Kirya base. Twenty-eight people injured; two in moderate to serious condition, rest sustain light wounds U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Wednesday pursued a Gaza truce, with Israel and Hamas still at odds over key terms, as Israeli air strikes shook the enclave and a bomb exploded on a Tel Aviv bus.

After talks in Ramallah with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Clinton held a second meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before travelling to Egypt for discussions with President Mohamed Mursi, whose country is the main broker in efforts to end eight days of fighting.

In Tel Aviv, targeted by rockets from Gaza that either did not hit the city or were shot down by Israel’s Iron Dome interceptor system, 15 people were wounded when a commuter bus was blown up near the Defence Ministry and military headquarters.

Israel and the United States branded it a terrorist attack, and a White House statement reaffirmed Washington’s “unshakeable commitment to Israel’s security”.

A massive blast occured at around noon Wednesday on bus line 142 on Shaul Hamelech Street - at the heart of Tel Aviv, near the Kirya military compound. Rescue forces reported of a mass casualty event. It is suspected there may be a second device. Twenty-eight people were injured; two people sustained moderate to serious injuries, while the rest were lightly wounded. Four

people suffered shock.

The Israeli security establishment estimates that whoever orchestrated the attack was not a member of a known terror organization.

Israeli Channel 10 quoted Israeli police as saying that “someone planted explosives in the bus and left,” while other police sources said that another bomb is still in the bus, but it has not exploded yet.

The explosion took place in Shaul HaMelech Street in Tel Aviv, which

has many security bases, in an area close to the Zionist “Ministry of Defence”.

The blast took place as US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was in a visit to the occupied terrotories for talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on ways to end a deadly attack on Gaza.

Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades claimed the attack which Netanyahu’s dubbed “a terrorist attack”.

For its part, the Islamic Jihad Movement welcomed Tel Aviv’s operation, congratulating “the Palestinian people in Palestine and abroad, and the Palestinian resistance especially in the Gaza Strip which enters its eighth day of ourageous violence, for the Zionist bus explosion in Tel Aviv and in a high-security area.”

In a statement published on Paltoday, the movement considered that “implementing this operation in the center of “Tel Aviv” is a victory for the blood of Gaza’s victimes, especially the women and children.”

The explosion, which police said was caused by a bomb placed on the vehicle, touched off celebratory gunfire from militants in Gaza and threatened to complicate truce efforts.

Israel’s best-selling Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper said an emerging outline of a ceasefire agreement called for Egypt to announce a 72-hour ceasefire followed by further talks on long-term understandings.

Under the proposed document, which the newspaper said neither party would be required to sign, Israel would hold its fire, end attacks against top militants and promise to examine ways to ease its blockade of Gaza, controlled by Hamas Islamists

who do not recognise the Jewish state’s right to exist.

Hamas, the report said, would pledge not to strike any Israeli target and ensure other Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip also stop their attacks.

An Israeli political source said differences holding up a deal centred on a Hamas demand to lift the Gaza blockade completely and the kind of activity that would be allowed along the frontier, where Israeli troops often fire into the enclave to keep Palestinians away from an area near a border fence.

Hamas official Ezzat al-Rishq said the main stumbling block was “the temporary timeframe for a ceasefire that the Israelis want us to agree to”.

While diplomatic efforts continued, Israel struck more than 100 targets in Gaza, including a cluster of Hamas government buildings, in attacks that medical officials said killed 10 people, among them a 2-year-old boy.

Palestinians militants fired more than 30 rockets at Israel, causing no casualties, and the Iron Dome interceptor system shot down 14 of them, police said.

Israel has carried out more than 1,500 strikes since the offensive began with the killing of a top Hamas commander and with declared aim of deterring Hamas from launching rocket attacks that have long disrupted life in its southern towns.

Medical officials in Gaza said 150 Palestinians, more than half of them civilians, including 36 children, have been killed in Israel’s offensive.

Nearly 1,400 rockets have been fired into Israel, killing four civilians and a soldier, the military said.

The London-based Al Hayat newspaper, citing sources in Hamas and Islamic Jihad, said Israel wanted a 90-day period to determine “good intentions” before discussing Palestinian demands, a position the report said the groups have rejected.

Rishq said a short-term truce, whose proposed duration he did not disclose, “would only buy (Israel) time” until a general election in January and “we would have accomplished nothing in the way of a long-term truce”.

Hamas sources said the group was also demanding control over Gaza’s Rafah borders with Egypt, so that Palestinians could cross easily, and Israeli guarantees to stop assassinating Hamas leaders.

Israel, one of the Hamas sources said, wanted a commitment from the group to stop smuggling through tunnels that run into Gaza under the Egyptian border. The tunnel network is a conduit for weapons and commercial goods.

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 22 November 2012

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Anni Dewani murder: Third South African man found guilty of killing honeymoon bride

A South African man Xolile Mngeni has been convicted of firing the shot which killed Swedish woman Anni Dewani on her honeymoon in 2010.

On Monday, Judge Robert Henney found Xolile Mngeni (25) guilty of robbery with aggravating circumstances, premeditated murder and illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.

He was acquitted on a kidnapping charge as this was executed as part of a single chain of events leading up to the murder.

Dewani was killed in Gugulethu on November 13 2010, and her body found the next day.

Earlier this year Mngeni’s accomplices Mziwamadoda Qwabe and Zola Tongo, a taxi driver police believe organised the ‘hit’, pleaded guilty to charges relating to the murder.

Both Tongo and Qwabe said Anni Dewani’s new husband Shrien Dewani had paid them to kill his wife, wanting to make it look like he hadn’t been involved.

Tongo was later sentenced to 18-years in prison, while Qwabe received a 25-year sentence.

In a statement provided as part of his plea deal, Qwabe said that after he and Mngeni staged the fake hijacking, he drove the car as Mngeni kept a 7.62 mm pistol pointed at Swedish-born Mrs Dewani.

He said Mngeni then pulled the trigger, with the fatal shot going through her neck.

Panicked, Qwabe said he stopped the car and got out, helping Mngeni find the spent bullet casing. He threw the casing into a sewer as they ran away into the night.

Mngeni’s trial was delayed after he had to undergo surgery in June 2011 to remove a brain tumour.

“The state has proven its case beyond reasonable doubt,” Henney said.

“The case against the accused is overwhelming and the accused could barely avoid the avalanche of evidence from

crashing down on him.”

Mngeni stood expressionless as the judgment was delivered. His family watched wide-eyed from the gallery above.

Hordes of photographers crowded around

Mngeni when he walked back down to the cells, using his walking frame.

Fingerprints condemn Mngeni Mngeni had pleaded not guilty to hijacking, robbing and killing the tourist, who had been on honeymoon with her husband Shrien at the time.

Mziwamadoda Qwabe and shuttle driver to the Dewanis, Zola Tongo, had already been convicted of the murder and were sentenced in terms of a plea agreement.

Henney said Mngeni was linked to the crime

scene by his prints.

“Although initially vehemently denied as the fingerprint of the accused, this fact was later conceded. It can therefore be safely accepted that this was the left palm print of the accused.”

A total of 26 witnesses were called by the state to strengthen its case.

The defence disputed the evidence of six witnesses. One of the witnesses was the middleman who helped set up the murder.

His identity was being protected in terms of a court order.

Earlier, Henney said it needed to be remembered that Shrien Dewani had not yet been charged and no direct evidence was presented against him as it was Mngeni’s trial. Shrien was in the process of being extradited from the United Kingdom.

No Dewali for family 13th November was the second anniversary of Dewani’s death in a staged hijacking in Khayelitsha. Dewani’ s father, Vinod Hindocha, has described the last two years as traumatic for the family.

“Our new year, Dewali, is on November 13, the same day my daughter passed away. We are not celebrating it at all; we need closure,” said Hindocha, speaking from Sweden.

“We want Shrien to tell us what really happened; he is the guy who is accused and he knows the answers and he should give them to us,” said Hindocha.

As Dewani’s family battle with their grief, the trial is also taking a heavy toll on Mngeni’s family.

A UK court will decide next month if Shrien Dewani is fit to be extradited.

‘Thousands’ of child sex exploitation cases unearthed 27 % are Asians The victims of child sexual exploitation: groomed, raped, frightened

Children living in residential care are particularly at risk of sexual exploitation, according to report The Children’s Commissioner uncovers what it claims are thousands of cases of child sexual exploitation in England.

An interim report estimates some 16,500 teenagers have been identified as possible victims of rape within a 12 month period.

The report says it is sure that the figure underestimates the true scale of abuse at the hands of gangs and groups of men like the cases in Derby, Rochdale and Rotherham.

Deputy commissioner Sue Berelowitz said the child protection authorities in many parts of the country are failing to identify the signs among young people.

“I’ve seen photos of lovely bright young 12 year old schoolgirls who, six months later, look like

ravaged haggard old women and at the same time the agencies are expected them to walk into a room and tell somebody.

“Children don’t behave like that. They don’t just walk into a room and tell someone they’ve been raped on a relentless basis.”

The report claims to be the most in depth study of child sex exploitation ever undertaken in England.

But only agencies in 21 of 39 police constabulary areas responded to appeals for information on victims and far less submitted data on perpetrators.

The report states 1,514 individuals were known abusers, with 72 per cent being male.

A breakdown of ethnicity showed that 36 per cent were white, 27 per cent Asian and 16 per cent black.

Head of research, Professor Jenny Pearce said: “I think we are much happier with looking at children as demons than looking at troublesome teenagers as vulnerable victims.

“Too much of the country is turning a blind eye.

Only a third of the areas are actively looking at child sexual exploitation.”

The report warns that it is not only girls who are targeted.

According to the report In a case, when S*****a, a 17-year-old British Pakistani girl, said a family member had sexually abused her she was threatened with a forced marriage. After the threats she began spending time with older Asian males, and was moved to multiple locations by them. She is now pregnant and has been physically assaulted by her family as a punishment.

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EDITORIAL

“send Gaza back to the middle ages”.

When Israelis in the occupied territories now claim that they have to defend themselves, they are defending themselves in the sense that any military occupier has to defend itself against the population they are crushing… You can’t defend yourself when you’re militarily occupying someone else’s land. That’s not defence. Call it what you like, it’s not defence.” – Noam Chomsky So after six days of sustained assault by the world’s fourth largest military power on one of its most wretched and overcrowded territories, at least 139 Palestinians had been killed, most of them civilians including children, along with five Israelis.

The goal, Israel’s interior minister, Eli Yeshai, insisted, had been to “send Gaza back to the middle ages”.

Gazans are an occupied people and have the right to resist, including by armed force (though not to target civilians), while Israel is an occupying power that has an obligation to withdraw – not a right to defend territories it controls or is colonising by

generations in blooded ink for 64, surely the actions from armed rebel groups must be understood as not only reactionary but legitimate in every way. It is unfortunate that 6 Israeli were killed in resistance acts, but unlike Israel, Gaza does not have the capability as emphasised before to carry out ‘surgical’ or ‘precision’ strikes on military bases and government building.

Israel does and yet wipes out Palestinians, mostly children in dozens. Israeli forces confirmed executing ‘precision’ strikes on media buildings holding journalists, twice (as of this article) to silence the reality on ground. And with Gaza entering day 6 of what now seems to be Operation Cast Lead II, the dead have reached over 139, and will continue to rise significantly until Israel decides to ease its pounding of Gaza. Gaza is a prison camp of internal ’48 refugees being collectively punished for its democratic (surprise!) election of Hamas, via its air, land, and water control, put on a ‘diet but not to make them die of hunger,’ suffering from poverty, joblessness, post traumatic stress disorder (1 in 5 children), dirty water, and more. The

dint of military power. But instead the US, Britain and other European powers finance, arm and back to the hilt Israel’s occupation, including the siege of Gaza – precisely to prevent Palestinians obtaining the arms that would allow them to protect themselves against Israeli military might.

Israel has the ‘right’ to ‘defend‘ itself. Funny that we never hear Palestine having the indisputable right to defend itself. Israel is a 64 year old state established through the aid of British imperialism and with founding fathers belonging to terrorist groups such as Irgun and Haganah upon the Palestinians in 1948 across what is now known as Israel. It is a state that has no defined borders, in fact one which grows each year through swallowing Palestinians hilltops and geography since ’48 until now. It is an increasingly hostile state which has a history of attacking all of its neighbouring countries. It is a state which keeps a population of 1.7 under siege, and another 4 million under brutal military occupation amidst checkpoints, watchtowers, raids, kidnappings, torture and indefinite detention. It is the only state which can cloak itself in the renown genocide of the 20th century, which absolves priori of any responsibility for possible war crimes committed since its establishment. It is the only state that has had a UN resolution revoked which initially determined its political ideology Zionism, as a racist doctrine. It is the only state that can fire 950 missiles in a period of 5 days into one of the most densely populated area’s on the world, and not have international outrage, but rather the world powers patting it on it’s back, including its Arab neighbours turning a blind eye.

Considering this very brief case of history, is the handcrafted rockets being fired by armed resistance groups such as Hamas, Al Qassam, Al Quds, Al Aqsa Brigade (which in times like this is a Gaza itself), justified?

Israel, is also a nuclear state with highly advanced military technology thanks to the annual US aid which amounts to about $8.3 million a day. It has compulsory military training for both females and males, a history of using outlawed chemical weapons such as white phosphorus, plus history of assassinations executed by Mossad across the world. When Israel keeps a population under its boot for 5 years, and its

last time I checked, the area’s Ashkelon and Sredot didn’t have restricted movement, sleeplessness due drones in the sky or undrinkable water. But what they do have is military bases located next to them. What we’re witnessing in Gaza is a speedy massacre. It has only been 3 years since Israel’s Operation Cast Lead, a 22 day military campaign that annihilated 1,500 Palestinians and over 5,000 wounded with permanent impairments, and a dozen more psychologically scarred for life – Israel wasn’t tried or held accountable. From January to November 2012, 2779 is the number of killings, injuries, arrests, raids and attacks committed by Israel against Gaza.

Are we really going to discuss defence? The beastly nature of Israel has always been present but seems to be more overtly on display. IDF spokesperson publishing chest thumping posters of killing resistance figures, Israeli politicians vowing a Palestinian ‘holocaust’ (I thought it was already a holocaust but alright), Israeli MP’s assemble to chant “Why 200 flights and only 15 dead? We want 15 flights and 2000 dead! Erase Gaza!”, Ariel Sharon’s son suggesting that Hiroshima tactics are needed to flatten Gaza, and dozen more of other xenophobic, ultranationalist, ultra zionist, ultra savage remarks.

Any relief from the bombardment, death and suffering of the past week has got to be welcome. But no ceasefire is going to prevent another eruption of violence. Whatever is finally agreed won’t end Israel’s occupation and colonisation of Palestinian land or halt its war of dispossession against the Palestinian people. That demands unrelenting pressure on the western powers that underwrite it to change course. But most of all, it needs a change in the balance of forces on the ground.

It’s hardly surprising of course that powers which have themselves invaded, occupied and intervened across the Arab and Muslim world over the last decade should throw their weight behind Israel doing the same thing on its own doorstep.

But it isn’t Palestinian rockets that stop Israel lifting the blockade, dismantling its illegal settlements or withdrawing from the West Bank and Gaza – it’s unconditional US and western support that gives Israel impunity.

Long live Gaza! Long live the resistance! Long live the armed struggle for wherever injustice has chosen as a home.

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 22 November 2012

Recent Israeli war on Gaza pre-planned: Israel diplomat

An Israeli diplomat says the Tel Aviv regime’s ongoing aggression against the besieged Gaza Strip was pre-planned.

In an interview with France 24 TV channel on Tuesday, Freddy Eytan said the Israeli regime had long been preparing for the attack on Gaza, but was waiting for an opportunity to enforce the plan.

Assassinating the senior commanders of the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas was also part of the Israeli mission, the diplomat stated.

Eytan also said that a ground operation against the Gaza Strip would be possible if the desired goals of the Israeli regime were not achieved.

Tel Aviv has intensified its deadly attacks on Gaza despite Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi’s expression of hope for a ceasefire.

On Wednesday, Israeli Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Benny Gantz said Tel Aviv will continue its attacks on Gaza despite ongoing truce talks.

Meanwhile, Gilad Sharon, son of former Israel Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, has said that the regime should “flatten Gaza” in the same manner as the United States ruined Hiroshima in its nuclear bombing of the Japanese city in 1945.

“We need to flatten entire neighborhoods in Gaza. Flatten all of Gaza. The Americans didn’t stop with Hiroshima - the Japanese weren’t surrendering fast enough, so they hit Nagasaki, too.”

Over 150 Gazans, including women and children, have been killed and more than 1,100 others have been injured in over 1,500 Israeli attacks on the besieged Palestinian territory since November 14.

Britain officially recognizes Syrian opposition

Britain has formally recognized the newly formed Syrian opposition as the sole legitimate representative of the Syrian people.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague made the announcement Tuesday.

Last week, France became the first Western nation to officially recognize the Syrian National Coalition, which formed earlier this month in Qatar in opposition to President Bashar Assad.

The U.S. has also recognized the leadership body as a legitimate representative, but stopped short of describing it as a sole representative, saying the group must first demonstrate its ability to represent Syrians inside the country.

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 22 November 2012

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Britain topples US as most powerful nation on Earth: Survey

The empire strikes back! Britain for the first time has toppled the US to emerge as the most powerful nation in the world when it comes to “soft power”, according to a new UK survey.

The survey found that Britain projects more positive influence around the world than any other nation.

For the first time, Britain has beaten the US to the top spot in an annual survey of global soft power.

Coined by a Harvard academic in 1990, the term describes how countries use attraction and persuasion, rather than coercion or payment, to change behaviour.

Monocle magazine’s annual “Global Soft Power” survey, ranks nations according to their standard

The top five spots went to Britain, the US, Germany, France and Sweden. The list is calculated using a matrix of 50 factors that indicate the use of soft power, the ‘Independent’ reported.

Some are empirical - such as the

of government; diplomatic infrastructure; cultural output; capacity for education; and appeal to business.

number of cultural missions, Olympic medals and foreign students a country can claim; others are more subjective - with

Channel 4 News wins BT Journalism Award

A Channel 4 News report into the rising risk of credit card fraud has won Best Security Story at the BT Information Security Journalism Awards 2012.

Technology Producer Geoff White made the report with former Technology Correspondent Benjamin

Cohen; it examined how millions of British bank customers have been exposed to fraud through the latest credit and debit card technology.

In an email to staff, Head of Home News Rachel Jupp said: “Our successful awards season continues...

“The film beat off competition from the BBC and Sky News, and was described by the judges as: ‘Impactful, engagingly told, and really brought home the issue of information security to the viewer.’

“The awards are designed to recognise information security journalism in the UK and honour specific journalists who have demonstrated leadership, innovation and excellence. Well done Geoff.”

countries ranked for the quality of their cuisine, architecture and business brands, the report said.

“We’re in a time, right now, where, more than ever, it’s not particularly fashionable to go out and write massive cheques to get your way in the world,” Tyler Brule, Monocle’s editor-in-chief, said.

“With the Olympics taking place here, which got far more fanfare internationally than domestically, and with America very focused on elections, I think the result is probably right. The UK has had a very international presence this year and it has been the best of the British.

“I think America vastly undervalues the importance of soft power. It has a tendency to focus on the tangible and the concrete,” Xenia Dormandy, a senior fellow and US expert at Chatham House, was quoted by the paper as saying.

According to the report, the Olympics brought global attention to the UK, with Team GB winning 65 medals. Bradley Wiggins conquered the Tour de France and Andy Murray took his first Grand Slam title in New York.

James Bond was everywhere, appearing with the Queen in the Olympics opening ceremony, then in cinemas, with the global franchise’s biggest ever release, Skyfall.

Around 29 million visit the UK a year, while just 62 million visit the US, the report said.

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South Asia Tribune I Thursday 22 November 2012

British voters want to leave the EU

56% of Britons would vote to quit EU in referendum, poll finds Results of survey will make sobering reading for leaders of three major parties, as PM prepares for crucial meeting on EU budget.

Well over half of British voters now want to leave the European Union, according to an opinion poll that shows anti-EU sentiment is sweeping through all three main political parties.

The Opinium/Observer survey finds that 56% of people would probably or definitely vote for the UK to go it alone if they were offered the choice in a referendum.

About 68% of Conservative voters want to leave the EU, against 24% who want to remain; 44% of Labour voters would probably choose to get out, against 39% who would back staying in, while some 39% of Liberal Democrats would probably or definitely vote to get out, compared with 47% who would prefer to remain in the EU. The Survation poll findings have emerged as David Cameron prepares to announce that he

Britain :29,837 paedophiles Hundreds of paedophiles reoffend while being monitored

Police Improvement Agency figures.

The NSPCC is now calling on the Government to provide an annual breakdown of the number of paedophiles on the register, how many go on to re-offend and how many cannot be traced in each area.

The figures were released as it emerged children as young as ten have been arrested on suspicion of rape.

Figures obtained under Freedom of Information laws revealed 24 forces detained children under 13 for suspected rape in the past year, and seven arrested at least one 10-year-old.

New ITV1 documentary on BBC DJ to focus on his early years Mean while ‘Exposure: The Other Side of Jimmy Savile’, Shamed Jimmy Savile is now officially one of Britain’s worst ever sex offenders the ITV documentary on the Late BBC DJ telecast in BRITAIN is home to over 61,000 sex offenders — and October, is to be followed by another documentary on almost half of them are paedophiles reports the Sun .

Wednesday evening on ITV1, which is likely to focus on The shocking figures were uncovered by the NSPCC just Jimmy Savile’s early years as an entertainer in Leeds. weeks after it was revealed how Jimmy Savile preyed on Both the TV documentaries have been prepared by exyoung boys and girls. police detective, Mark Williams-Thomas. The impending In a Freedom of Information request the charity found documentary is expected to concentrate even more that out of 61,397 registered offenders in Britain, 29,837 extensively on the Late BBC presenter’s alleged acts of have committed crimes against children. sexual abuse. The imminent Jimmy Savile documentary And 941 have gone on to re-offend, despite being will also analyse the police investigation into the Jimmy monitored by the authorities, according to National Savile scandal since October.

is in favour of a referendum on membership – and the EU plans to mount a multi-million pound proBrussels propaganda offensive to counter hardening Eurosceptic sentiment.

The findings will make sobering reading for all three major parties, which are at risk of losing support to the buoyant anti-EU party Ukip – now two points ahead of the Lib Dems on 10%.

Overall just 28% of likely voters think the EU is a “good thing” while 45% think it is a “bad thing”. The 18-34 age group is the only one in which there is a clear majority backing the EU, with 44% saying membership is good, against 25%.

The poll will pile yet more pressure on David Cameron to negotiate a tough deal on the EU budget as he prepares for a Brussels summit, beginning on Thursday, at which EU leaders will attempt to hammer out a financial deal for the union for the seven years from 2014.

The prime minister’s problems deepened on Saturday when one

of the ringleaders of a recent Commons rebellion on EU financing, the Eurosceptic MP Mark Reckless, predicted an even bigger revolt if Cameron returned from Brussels without having negotiated a real-terms cut in EU spending, or wielded a veto.

The poll, which showed Labour’s lead over the Tories has dropped from 11% two weeks ago to 7% now, with the Lib Dems on 8% and Ukip on 10%, found that voters over 55 were the most critical of the EU, with 59% saying it was a bad thing and 20% a good thing. Downing Street sources indicated last week that the next Conservative manifesto will contain a pledge to negotiate a clawback of powers from the EU, followed by a public vote on the result.

It follows last week’s revelation that Education Secretary Michael Gove wants the UK to pull out of the EU unless we can renegotiate the relationship – a significant development given Mr Gove’s political and personal links to the Prime Minister.

UK retailer Comet to close 41 stores British electrical retailer Comet will close 41 of its 236 stores by the end of November unless a buyer for the struggling chain can be found, the administrator running the firm said on Saturday.

The move would lead to an unspecified number of job losses, administrator Deloitte said.

The chain entered administration, a form of protection from creditors, earlier this month and has already laid off 330 head office workers from its 6,500 staff.

Closing down sales had begun on Saturday at 27 of the stores earmarked for closure and would start in the other 14 early next week, the administrator said.

Additional discounting would be introduced at its other 195 outlets,

which will continue to trade as normal.

Deloitte said it continued to hold discussions with unnamed parties interested in buying parts of the business.

“Regrettably, however, it is necessary to begin a store closure programme and an employee consultation process is under way,” Deloitte said in a statement.

“While the administrators will look to redeploy staff from any stores which do face closure to other stores nearby, there will inevitably be redundancies,” it added.

Comet is the latest British retailer brought low by a consumer downturn, joining a roll-call of stores falling into administration this year including JJB Sports, Clinton Cards, Game Group, Peacocks and Aquascutum.

The store, which has an estimated 6 per cent UK market share, was acquired by private investment firm OpCapita for a nominal 2 pounds in February from Darty, then known as Kesa Electricals.

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 22 November 2012

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Islamic Jihad: All Arms from Iran, Iran: Proud of Our Military support

Islamic Jihad Movement Secretary General Ramadan Abdullah Shallah assured that all the arms of the Palestinian resistance in Gaza come from Iran, and demanded the Arabs to support the resistance with arms and to open their warehouses before they rust in them reported Al-Manar TV. Speaking to the Qatari based AlJazeera Channel, Shallah stressed that the resistance’s capacities are much more than what it has presented until today.

“The Israeli must know that the era of Israeli romp has gone with no return, and the immunity Israel has after bombarding Arab capitals like Khartoum and killing Palestinians and Lebanese, was lifted after the Palestinian resistance hit Tel Aviv

with rockets in the name of the rising Arab peoples,” he said.

In this context, Iranian Revolutionary Guards Chief Major General Mohammad Ali Jaafari stated Wednesday that Iran had sent Fajr-5 rockets to the Palestinian resistance, indicating that a big number of this system is also being developed in the strip.

Jaafari also pointed out in a statement on Al-Alam TV station that the Islamic Republic supports a truce that severs the benefits of the resistance in Palestine.

For his part, Head of the Iranian Shura Council Ali Larijani stressed that Iran is proud of its military support to the Palestinian resistance in Gaza.

Also speaking Wednesday before Shura Council members protesting the Israeli war on Gaza, Larijani said: “Our march today is to express our defense and protection to the oppressed and courageous Palestinian people.”

“We will stand by the Palestinians even in the toughest situations,” he added,” clarifying that “the main

point that all political observers and analysts agreed on is that the Israeli entity has made a deadly strategic mistake by engaging itself in a war with the resistance in Gaza.”

Larijani further indicated that “the Israeli entity that wanted to end its isolation in the region had increased its isolation by attacking Gaza and the Palestinians,” reassuring that “the Israeli entity will fall gradually and will suffer real loss from the resistance’s respondes to its attacks.”

“We are proud of our aid to the Palestinian people and resistance on the financial and military levels…

We are also ready to stand by the Palestinian people and the Gazans and fight the occupying entity,” head of the Iranian Shura Council added.

excellency Qatar’s PM,” said Nabil al-Arabi, Arab League Secretary General during an Arab League session in 2012.

“I believe that our Council shouldn’t be careless towards the level of serious escalation in Syria,”

declared Saudi Foreign Minister Saud Al-Faissal during the same session.

“We want to impose a tangible economic pressure, perhaps the Syrian regime realizes the inevitability of meeting the demands of its people,” also stated the Qatari PM. Sanctions were not enough; yet, arming the opposition is a more practical means. It is an intuitive initiative by the mind which armed resistance in Gaza with some bandages and medicines.

“In this solution Yes, we support the arming of the Syrian opposition,” said Saud al-Faissal.

Who said that Arabs are ewes? They are wolves towards each other, but EWES only before what they call ‘Israel’.

What Arabs Did for Gaza?

What They Did for Syria?

Tens of years during which most of the Arab countries and their summits did not provide anything to the Palestinian cause but words and speeches, while the Palestinian people was the sole victim, and most of the Arab countries made plots against each other and stood up against the resistance in Lebanon, Palestine and Syria.

“They (referring to the Zionists) are not wolves, but most of us became ewes,” said Qatari Prime Minister Hamad bin Jassem on Saturday during the urgent ministerial meeting of the Arab League in Cairo to tackle the Zionist assault on Gaza.

It took long for the Arab leaders to

find a suitable description for their fear of the Zionist entity. Their meetings which coincided with attacking Gaza have resulted in nothing but in the first aid which was even insufficient for healing the wounds of victims.

Gaza had been under a similar attack in 2008, where peace initiative remained on table besides the first aid.

At that time, Arab leaders tried to unify under the Doha summit, but they failed to get Gaza out of its crisis.

“In addition to the verbal support, we should make practical moves,” said the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad during the Doha summit.

However, the practical moves that Assad called for, were practiced against Damascus. After Arab

leaders’ inability to everything in Gaza, they sharpened their ambitions to overthrow the regime in Syria.

“We should mobilize all means of international pressure against the Syrian regime, as stated by his

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South Asia Tribune I Thursday 22 November 2012

Residents of Dubai’s Tamweel Tower relive fire ordeal

Fire gutted half of a tower block in Jumeirah Lakes Towers early this morning. The blaze started on the roof of the 34-floor Tamweel Tower, and residents were evacuated around 2am as the fire spread down the facade of the building.

Flaming debris from the roof rained down on residents as they gathered in the car park of the building.

“It was incredibly dangerous,” said Tamara Ballan, from Canada. “These flaming aluminum sheets were flying off the building and hitting the cars in the car park.

“There was no supervision from police or the fire brigade, it was just up to us to make sure we wouldn’t get hit.”

No one was injured in the fire, which is believed to have broken out at 1.30am. A spokesman for Civil Defence said that fire teams from six stations arrived at the scene at 1.51am.

“They were able to control and limit the fire at around 8.19am so that it did not spread to other buildings,” the organisation said in a statement.

There was no update on the possible cause of the fire.

However, residents speculated it could have been anything from a candle left burning on the top floors of the building, to an exploded gas container.

Most apartments in the building are thought to have electrical cookers, but

a small minority use gas canisters.

John Stead, from the UK, said a flaming piece of cladding had landed on his neighbour’s 32nd-floor balcony, causing a large portion of the living room to catch fire.

He helped his neighbour try to extinguish the blaze using a hose from the corridor. “We rolled it out, but there was no water in the pump,” he said. “At that point we saw the fire catch on the lower part of the building and decided it was a good idea to leave as soon as possible.”

He added that there were no sprinklers operating.

The fire alarms went off at 2am, apparently after a resident notified security. “By the time the alarms

went off, the fire was well under way,” said Marwan Magassi, a Canadian resident. “Also the alarms were very quiet, it took us about 10 minutes to realise there was a fire.”

Few residents had time to bring any possessions with them, and feared they had lost everything.

Diane Saroukhan did not stop as she fled her 25th-floor flat in her pajamas, leaving her credit cards, passport or phone.

“Everything I have is in my apartment,” she said. “I just hope the flat isn’t completely burned out.”

By 3am, evacuated residents were gathered in Al Mas Tower, and were assigned accommodation in nearby hotels including the Bonnington and

the Movenpick.

A receptionist at the Bonnington confirmed that 31 rooms had been booked and there was a waiting list of around nine more people.

The hotel rooms were paid for by the building developer Tamweel. An official with Tamweel, who declined to be named, said the company would support the cost of the residents until they reached an agreement with the insurance company, which provides alternative accommodation as part of the policy.

He said the cause of the fire had not been officially announced. “We’re still waiting for a laboratory report, which will be issued after a full investigation. It will take time.”

A spokesman for the master developer DMCC confirmed the company was also helping to arrange accommodation. “The relevant authorities are on site and are managing the situation,” he added.

However, many residents were still unclear how long that would continue.

“I’ll deal with it when the shock wears off in two days,” said one resident, who declined to be named. He had grabbed his two sons, aged one and three, and run as soon as he saw the fire. None had time even to put on their shoes.

Taj Mahal? We’ll build it four times bigger, says Dubai Developers in the emirate have announced plans to build a replica of the Taj Mahal that is four times larger than the original and will hold a 5-star hotel and shopping mall.

You would be forgiven for thinking this sounds like a story from 2007.

From the early 2000s until the eve of the property crash in late 2008, announcements of vast, costly - and in some cases outlandish developments came thick and fast.

That was before the financial crisis brought most of them grinding to a halt.

But the construction sector has started to pick up again, and the Taj Arabia at Falcon City of Wonders is not the only project to be launched, or relaunched, in recent months.

Meydan has announced work is to

start on a development comprising villas, apartments, offices and a shopping mall.

Another reminder of the boom years came last month when buyers queued overnight to snap up villas at Nakheel’s Jumeirah Park project.

Ahmad Al Matrooshi, the managing director of Emaar Properties, said: “The positive growth of the economy is reflected in the performance of the property sector, with all three Emaar

launches this year - Panorama at The Views, luxury homes in Arabian Ranches and The Address The BLVD - recording sell-out responses.

“In other development projects for the coming years, we are expanding Dubai Mall by another one million square feet and will continue to explore new development opportunities in Dubai, having also finalised a land transaction with Dubai Properties Group in the

Dubailand district.”

The increasing demand has led to the unwelcome return of flipping, the practice of buying off-plan and selling on almost immediately at a profit. It was one of the biggest factors in the bursting of the property bubble.

“You get people queuing up for two or three nights and they create this frenzy,” said Mario Volpi, the head of residential sales and leasing at

the Dubai office of the property agent, Cluttons. “We’ve been party to selling properties from the recent launches of Jumeirah Park and other projects.

“Not at a great deal of premium, I hasten to add, because what’s happening today is different to what was happening in 2008. Then, people were making premiums of 10, 20 and 30 per cent literally overnight.

“But to have 5 per cent premium on something that is relatively expensive in the first place in a very short time, that’s like a payday.

“You shouldn’t be allowed to sell on any off-plan property for at least 18 months, that would make people think about buying in the first place,” he added.

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 22 November 2012

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Turkey’s Erdoğan says Israel is terrorist state

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan described Israel on Monday as a “terrorist state” in carrying out its bombardment of Gaza, underlining hostility for Ankara’s former ally since relations between them collapsed in 2010. His comments came after nearly a week of Palestinian rocket attacks on Israel and Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip. An Israeli missile killed at least 11 Palestinian civilians including four children in Gaza on Sunday. The total death toll is

nearly 100.

“Those who associate Islam with terrorism close their eyes in the face of mass killing of Muslims, turn their heads from the massacre of children in Gaza,” Erdoğan told a conference of the Eurasian Islamic Council in İstanbul.

“For this reason, I say that Israel is a terrorist state, and its acts are terrorist acts,” he said.

Ties between Israel and Turkey, once Israel’s only Muslim ally, crumbled after Israeli marines

stormed an aid ship in 2010 to enforce a naval blockade of the

Palestinian-run Gaza Strip. Nine Turks were killed in clashes with

activists on board.

Ankara expelled Israel’s ambassador and froze military cooperation after a U.N. report into the incident released in September last year largely exonerated the Jewish state.

Earlier this month Turkey opened the trial in absentia of four former Israeli military commanders over the 2010 raid.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu is to travel to Gaza on Tuesday with a group of foreign ministers from the Arab League.

Turkish PM says Israel committing ethnic cleansing

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has lashed out at Israel, claiming that the country is committing ethnic cleansing against Palestinians with air offensives against Gaza that have left more than 100 people, mostly civilians, dead.

Erdoğan, addressing his deputies in a parliamentary group meeting on Tuesday, said Israel is undermining peace and international law in the region and committing ethnic cleansing.

“Israel is occupying Palestinian lands step by step,” Erdoğan said, adding that Israel is terrorizing the Middle East.

The week-old fighting has claimed the lives of 113 Palestinians, including 54 civilians. The operation was in response to Hamas pounding Israeli towns with rockets. Three COMMENT

Israeli civilians have also been killed in the latest offensive, which started with Israel’s killing of Hamas’ military chief.

Israel, the US and other Western powers consider Hamas a terrorist group and have asked Hamas to end its rocket attacks against Israel, stressing Israel’s right to selfdefense.

“No state in the West can claim that Israel is exercising self-defense,” Erdoğan said in a heated speech, adding that Israel’s actions amount to terrorizing the Middle East.

He described Hamas’ defiance as legitimate against what he called Israel’s “occupation and ethnic cleansing.”

Israel’s declared goal is to deplete

Gaza’s arsenal and press Hamas into stopping cross-border rocket fire that has bedeviled Israeli border towns for years and is now displaying a greater range, putting Tel Aviv and Jerusalem in the crosshairs.

The last Gaza war, a three-week Israeli blitz and invasion over the New Year of 2008-09, killed 1,400 Palestinians, mostly civilians.

Thirteen Israelis died in the conflict.

Erdoğan also slammed the UN Security Council filibuster that failed to propose any solution for the escalating Gaza conflict.

The Security Council held heated closed-door negotiations on Monday on a possible statement, but diplomats said a sticking point was that the text did not mention Hamas missile attacks on Israel.

Israel said it was these attacks that prompted its major offensive against

the fighters in Gaza.

A resolution is passed when it receives nine votes in favor and no vetoes by the five permanent council members -- Russia, China, Britain, the United States and France. Some diplomats said a vote on the Russian resolution would likely be tight and could force a veto by the United States.

The Security Council is generally deadlocked on the IsraeliPalestinian conflict, which UN diplomats say is due to the United States’ determination to protect its close ally Israel. The council held an emergency meeting on Wednesday to discuss the Israeli strikes on Gaza but took no action.

Erdoğan said he has completely lost his trust in the Security Council.

“Where is your justice?” Erdoğan asked rhetorically.

Precision massacres by Israel

Precision bombs, NATO-style massacres.

Welcome to Israel’s latest pounding of the civilians in the Gaza Strip. Does anyone remember the funerals strafed in Lebanon?

Does anyone remember the war crimes perpetrated by Israel in Gaza the last time around? Well, Israel is back in business, and big time!

BULLSEYE!! A media tower hit, journalists pounded, babies slaughtered, yes ladies and gentlemen it’s all there in Gaza today.

Ten people were murdered Sunday in an Israeli terrorist strike against the home of a Gazan family and yes, children were among those murdered. Today a child, tomorrow a terrorist? Is that Israel’s attitude towards

children?

“Shoot the bastards in the eyes with rubber bullets”. “Stand by giggling hysterically as a

Palestinian woman dies during childbirth, saying one less bastard, one less terrorist”.

And the United States of America supports Israel’s right to “defend itself”.

“Defend itself”?? That’s a good one. So a burglar enters your home, steals everything you have, pushes you out and then when you dare to fight back, he has the right to “defend himself”?? So what about the Palestinian homes bulldozed, what about the Palestinian families thrown out of their homes and thrown off their lands so that Jewish settlers can take over their property and build colonies on it?

What about the Palestinian and Bedouin graves and cemeteries desecrated by

Israeli citizens? And Barack Obama says they have the right to defend themselves?

Does the average US citizen have any idea how much of his hard-earned USD are going yearly to support the State of Israel to defend itself?

Suppose the State of Israel pulled back to the 1948 frontiers which under international law it is supposed to live in, suppose Israel disbanded its illegal colonies in the West Bank and suppose Israel started behaving like a member of the international community?

You cannot steal territory, build colonies on it then play the victim when the dispossessed fight back.

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South Asia Tribune I Thursday 22 November 2012

Two years later: Students to protest over funding cuts and employment prospects On Wednesday 21 November thousands of students from across the UK will meet at Template Place and march through central London to demonstrate against the

marches two years ago Mass student protest is returning to London this week for the first time since a succession of occasionally chaotic marches two years ago,

march, organised by the National Union of Students, has the official slogan Educate, Employ, Empower.

It is intended to highlight not just tuition fees and the loss of the

government’s austerity agenda on students and education.

We believe education changes lives.

Will you be joining them?

Organisers expect 10,000 demonstrators in London, but say event will have a broader focus than

with organisers saying they hope to send MPs of all parties a message about the need to act – not just on education funding, but on rampant unemployment among the young.

Titled Demo 2012 – also the designated Twitter hashtag – the

educational maintenance allowance (EMA), but the dire employment prospects faced by many young people once they leave education, said Liam Burns, the NUS president.

Organisers expect at least 10,000 demonstrators to mass near the

Embankment, on the north side of the Thames on Wednesday morning, before a march past Parliament Square towards Kennington Park, just south of the river, for a rally.

The tuition fee protests in 2010 led to the occupation of Tory HQ on Milbank, pitched battles outside parliament and an attack on a car carrying Prince Charles.

It also saw the police accused of heavy-handed tactics after they pre-empted trouble by ‘kettling’ students for hours in freezing temperatures.

The anger from those demonstrations stemmed from Liberal Democrat involvement in the passing of tuition fee legislation, but organisers have incorporated a broader statement this time, under the slogan ‘Educate, Employ, Empower’.

The protest, which will start near Embankment and pass by parliament before ending in a rally at Kennington park, is being organised by the National Union of Students (NUS).

The union has had a difficult relationship with the movement it claims to lead recently, especially after the former president condemned some of those students involved in fighting with the police.

During one march near parliament it appeared to have become an afterthought, as a rally in Westminster was dwarfed by nonofficial action up Whitehall.

Officials say they have worked with the police to prevent trouble for months in the build-up to the march, but it is unclear how in touch the union is with student activists.

Savita Halappanavar: Ireland’s Enda Kenny in appeal to husband

Husband insists he will not meet HSE inquiry chief Irish prime minister Enda Kenny has appealed to the widower of Savita Halappanavar to meet the chairman of the inquiry investigating her death.

THE husband of Savita Halappanavar has repeated his insistence that he will not meet the chairman of an inquiry into his wife’s death following a miscarriage.

Praveen Halappanavar said in an interview to be broadcast tonight on RTE’s Prime Time that he would not co-operate with an HSE-run inquiry.

“We are just not confident in the whole family about the HSE leading this investigation,” he said.

“These people are salaried by the HSE. They pay them. We think that there would be some kind of bias

during the investigation.

“We are requesting a public inquiry basically funded by the Irish Government.”

Mr Halappanavar said he was not happy despite the three Galway consultants being removed from the inquiry team.

“With due respect to the head of the inquiry and the Taoiseach, we will not partake in the inquiry by the HSE,” he said. “We want a public inquiry.”

He added: “I have seen the way my wife was treated in the hospital so

I have no confidence that the HSE will do justice. Basically I don’t have any confidence in the HSE.” Mr Halappanavar said he went public with the story because there was no movement on an investigation or inquiry for two weeks after his wife’s death.

“I had to answer the family back home. They just kept asking, ‘have they taken any action?’. Everyone in the family were in shock. They could not believe it.

“It was such a simple case they could have just terminated her.

They should have thought about the bigger life when they could not save the baby, why wait?”

On Wednesday, Taoiseach Enda Kenny told the Irish Republic’s lower parliamentary chamber, the Dail, that Mr Halappanavar had said that he did not want anyone from University Hospital Galway taking part in the inquiry, and that was no longer the case.

Mr Kenny said it was imperative to get the truth of the circumstances leading up to Savita’s death and asked him to meet the inquiry chairman “without prejudice”.

He was responding to questions from Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin, who said he felt it was “inappropriate” for the taoiseach to make direct appeals to a grieving husband.

Mrs Halappanavar died in Galway University Hospital on October 28 after suffering a miscarriage. She contracted septicaemia.

The investigation into her death was thrown into turmoil even before it got off the ground after the Health Service Executive (HSE) on Monday named three Galway hospital consultants on the inquiry panel.

Within 24 hours they had been axed amid concerns of a conflict of interest.

The inquiry chairman, internationally recognised Sir Sabaratnam Arulkumaran, head of obstetrics and gynaecology at St George’s, University of London, has offered face-to-face talks with Mr Halappanavar to address his concerns.

His solicitor Gerard O’Donnell had earlier dismissed calls for a meeting.

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 22 November 2012

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Thousands protested in front of Israeli embassy in London against killing of Gazans

Thousands of protesters demonstrated outside the Israeli embassy in London on Saturday evening, waving placards and condemning Israel’s attack on Gaza.

Speakers on a podium condemned the British government after Foreign Secretary William Hague said the Hamas regime running the Gaza Strip bore “principal responsibility” for the escalation of violence.

PSC director Sarah Colborne said demonstrators wanted to show their opposition to the Foreign Office’s standpoint.

“We are insisting that the British government uphold international law and human rights and tells Israel to end its war now,” she said.

“It’s very clear what is happening here. Gaza is under siege. Israel started this by assassinating the person who was trying to negotiate a long-term truce with Israel. It’s very clear who started this and who is suffering,” she said.

Protesters waved placards reading “End the criminal siege on Gaza”, “Free Palestine” and “Gaza -- stop the massacre”.

Manuel Hassassian, the Palestinian Authority’s envoy to Britain, said the flare-up of violence signalled the “beginning of the end” for Israel, which was “digging its grave”.

“The conflict is going towards convulsive violence, towards insecurity, towards destabilisation,” he added.

He said Palestinians were “very frustrated with the British government on its stand in supporting Israel in defending itself.

“The international community is watching the Israelis killing

the Palestinians and inflicting so much damage on them and their properties without outright condemnation,” he said.

The protest, organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Stop the War Coalition, British Muslim Initiative, Palestinian Forum in Britain and CND, heard speakers reflecting the diversity and strength of public opinion in

the Foreign Office s standpoint.

“We are insisting that the British Government uphold international law and human rights and tell Israel to end its war now. 39 Palestinians have been killed so far and over 390 have been wounded. Israel’s war on Gaza has to stop,” she said.

“It s very clear what is happening here. Gaza is under siege. Israel started this by assassinating the

MP Jeremy Corbyn said: “Where else would the EU tolerate the imprisonment of elected Parliamentarians? We need to see the end of the EU’s preferential trade agreement with Israel and we need to see an end to the arms trade with Israel. Yet the West are standing idly by whilst civilians are being bombed.”

Jean Lambert MEP said: “This

demonstrations against Operation Cast Lead had forced Israel to end its air and ground invasion of Gaza, and that ‘four years on from Israel’s 2008 bombing of Gaza, we’ve made a huge difference.’ He said: “Those who pretend this is a war between two equals are deluded or liars.

This is a nuclear power using all its might against what is little more than a refugee camp.”

support of Palestinian rights.

A number of other organisations which support human rights and justice backed the demonstration.

There were representatives from Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Palestinian students, Jews for Justice for Palestinians, Stop the War Coalition, Islamic Human Rights Commission, trade unions and many other organisations.

Speakers on the podium condemned the British government after Foreign Secretary William Hague said the Hamas bore “principal responsibility” for the escalation of violence. PSC director Sarah Colborne said demonstrators wanted to show their opposition to

person who was trying to negotiate a long-term truce with Israel. It s very clear who started this and who is suffering.”

Manuel Hassassian, the Palestinian General Delegate to the UK, told the crowd: What is our crime? It is to want freedom and an end to the occupation, blockade and abuse of our human rights. “When will Israel understand that we are people seeking our freedom and our selfdetermination?”, he asked.

“The international community is watching the Israelis killing the Palestinians and inflicting so much damage on them and their properties without outright condemnation,” he said. Labour

is nothing to do with security or peace and everything to do with the internal politics of Israel, with their election coming. We need an embargo or arms both going into and coming out of the area.

“We should invoke the human rights clause of the EU trade agreement with Israel and suspend their preferential status. We need a ceasefire, but this alone is not enough. We need real justice and the recognition of a Palestinian state at the United Nations,” the Green party Member of the European Parliament said.

Anas Altikriti, President and founder of the Cordoba Foundation, pointed out how the mass

“For the very first time we are seeing delegations from neighbouring countries visiting Gaza to offer support. The line of visiting ministers is getting longer and longer, whilst those willing to support Israel are shrinking by the day,” he added.

Glyn Secker from Jews for Justice for Palestinians received huge applause when he spoke to the crowd – Glyn also acted as captain of the Jewish Boat to Gaza which attempted to break the blockade on Gaza in 2010 and was violently intercepted by Israeli forces.

Similar rallies were held in Edinburgh, Newcastle, Sheffield, Cardiff and Manchester.

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South Asia Tribune I Thursday 22 November 2012

Israel shells Syria after fire hit military vehicle

Israeli artillery fired into Syria early today after gunfire from Syria hit an army vehicle but caused no injuries, the Israeli military said, in the latest spillover of violence from the bloody civil war raging across the ceasefire line.

“Shots were fired at IDF (Israeli army) soldiers...in the central Golan Heights,” an army spokeswoman told AFP, adding that the Syrian fire hit “a vehicle.”

“Soldiers responded with artillery fire towards the source of the shooting...a direct hit was identified,” she said without elaborating. It was the latest in several exchanges over the past week.

Last Sunday, Israeli troops fired a warning shot across the UN-monitored ceasefire line in response to Syrian fire, in the first instance of Israeli fire directed at the Syrian military in the Golan Heights since the 1973 war.

The following day, Israeli tanks fired again, confirming “direct hits” on the source of a mortar round that struck the Golan Heights.

On Thursday what the army described as “stray bullets” hit Israeli-controlled territory again.

Resistance in Gaza Hits Israeli Warship The Palestinian resistance in Gaza has fired five rockets, hitting an Israeli warship on Sunday.

Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas’ military branch, Qassam Brigades, claimed responsibility for the attack.

Qassam Brigades also issued a video tape showing how an Israeli fighter jet was downed by rockets fired two days earlier.

Targeting the warship and downing the fighter jet are part of several achievements accomplished by the Palestinian Resistance.

On Thursday, the Qassam Brigades had downed an Israeli drone, calling its operation against the Israeli enemy “Baked Caly Rocks”, referring to a term in the holy

Quran.

Earlier on Thursday, Islamic Jihad’s military branch, al-Quds Brigades fired Iranian-made long-range missiles, Fajr 5, on Tel Aviv.

Fajr 5 rockets are among hundreds of missiles the Palestinian resistance groups have fired on the occupied territories, breaching the Iron Dome which the Israeli officials bragged they processed it, and proving it is a futility.

Obama, on Asia Trip, First Pays Visit to Thailand The Air Force One has landed in Bangkok Sunday

US President Barack Obama arrived in the Thai capital on Sunday on a three-nation visit to Southeast Asia that underscores a new US emphasis on the Asia-Pacific region.

President Barack Obama on Sunday launched a three-day Southeast Asia tour, hailing alliances with countries such as Thailand as cornerstones of the administration’s deeper commitment to the Asia-Pacific region.

While in Asia, however, Obama will be dividing his attention by monitoring the escalating conflict between Israel and the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.

Obama has been in regular contact with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as well as with Egyptian and Turkish leaders who might hold sway with the Hamas leadership.

Obama landed in Bangkok Sunday afternoon, greeted by 40 saluting military guards who flanked both sides of a red carpet.

His schedule is packed with sightseeing, a royal audience with King Bhumibol Adulyadej, a private meeting with Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, a joint press conference and an official dinner.

On a steamy day, Obama began with a visit to the Wat Pho Royal Monastery, a cultural must-see in Bangkok. In stocking feet, the president and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton walked around a golden statue of a sitting Buddha.

The complex is a sprawling display of buildings with colorful spires, gardens and waterfalls.

Obama is also visiting Myanmar and Cambodia in his

first trip abroad since winning a second term.

The visit to Thailand, less than 18 hours long, is a gesture of friendship to a long-standing partner and major non-NATO ally.

Obama is also seeking to open new markets for U.S. businesses; the United States is Thailand’s third biggest trading partner, behind China and Japan. Becoming a counterweight to China in the region is a keystone of Obama’s so-called pivot to the Asia-Pacific region.

Obama’s trip comes on the heels of meetings in Thailand between Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and his Thai counterparts on security and military cooperation on issues ranging from fighting weapons proliferation to disaster relief to countering piracy.

Saarc international I Thursday 22 November 2012

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ARTS FOR INDIA DIWALI FUNDRAISER EVENT Leaders from Indo-UK Community Attend Official Unveiling of India’s First Fine Arts University

Leading figures from the arts, creative industries, business and society gathered at the iconic Saatchi Gallery in central London on the 15th of November for a prestigious fundraising event to

seminal work entitled: Tendulkar, The Greatest Player on Earth – The Ultimate Tribute. The piece, the second painting in his tribute to the great Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, officially pays

Souza, and the next generation such as Revati Sharma Singh, Ingrid Baars, Crispin Gurholt, Jannis Markopolous and JayShree Kapoor.

India’s first lady of ‘revivalist’ haute

presentation by the Prince’s Foundation for Building Community of the vision created with Porphyrios Associates of the Universe of Art project.

Britain’s Got Talent runner ups,

brought together the Indo-British community to support and deliver the Universe of Art project. To establish a university of the arts to global standards in India is Arts for India’s objective and I am

raise awareness for a unique new international educational project – The Universe of Art. The project initiated by international charity Arts for India is a pioneering venture to bring the first Fine Arts University of global standards to India.

The esteemed event, which also celebrated the auspicious Indian festival of Diwali, saw in attendance a host of A-List celebrities, dignitaries and renowned entrepreneurs such as SK, KK and Lalit Modi, GP Hinduja, Ozwald Boateng, James and Aisha Caan, Sir Peter Blake, Ella Krasner, Sacha Jafri, Richard Hudson and Nandita Chaudhuri, partaking in an evening of entertainment, fashion, keynote speeches and gourmet cuisine.

The event was sponsored by Theo Fennell and OG by les Eoliers.

Among the highlights of the evening was a special auction of artworks supplied by Tanya Baxter Contemporary, which promotes the work of progressive Indian artists, as well as new and emerging Indian and international artists for many years.

The acclaimed artist Sacha Jafri took to the stage to introduce his

tribute to Tendulkar’s status as the unquestioned ‘greatest batsman of all time’ in anticipation of Sachin Tendulkar becoming the first and

couture Bina Modi premiered a stunning bespoke fashion collection at the event, which took Diwali as its central theme. The

ESCALA, the eclectic string quartet group entertained the esteemed guests with their enigmatic performance. Closing

most likely only ever player to achieve 16,000 Test Runs. The

fashion showcase featured hand embroidered couture wear which

the event was X-Factor finalist Austin Drage.

auction also featured classic works by renowned artists, including the masters such as S. H. Raza and F.N

resurrects the forgotten Parsi Gara style of embroidery.

The event also included a

Speaking about the success of the evening, Mr Satish K Modi said: “This evening we have

delighted that the response from people was so positive - I know we can build upon the goodwill and agreement found this evening to make this vision a reality.”

The Universe of Art is a unique Anglo-Indian art, culture and education project which will see the construction of the first private Fine Arts University in India together with a leading performing arts centre and an internationally recognised museum or gallery.

This exceptional creative cluster, to be built across 175 acres of land near Modinagar, NCR Delhi, will further contribute to the cultural and economic renaissance of India with benefits impacting Asia and globally in the same way as the Tate Modern and the Guggenheim Bilbao impacted their respective cities.

The university will have separate colleges, departments and faculties covering various disciplines – Fine Art, Applied Art, Fashion Design, Textile Design, Jewellery Design, Interior Design, Ceramics, Music, Dance, Journalism, Mass Communication, Photography, Animation, Film & Television – as well as state of the art academic and residential facilities comprising high-tech classrooms, study rooms, laboratories, studios, workshops, e-centres, hostels, art galleries, museums, auditoria (both indoor theatre style as well as outdoor amphitheatre), multimedia halls and sports and recreation facilities. At its heart will be an internationally recognised arts museum. Residential facilities would include housing for staff, students and visiting artists and guests.

NEWS

14

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 22 November 2012

“Sharia4Pakistan”

Continued from page 1 >>

that she does not want the Sharia or hijab and wants to live under a secular state, she has put herself in a very precarious situation.

“There will be a fatwa issued regarding Malala Yousufzai taking into account the full story of her injury including her public statements in support of the occupying U.S. army in the region and mocking of key symbols of Islam such as hijab and jihad,” said Abu Baraa, a senior member of Shariah4Pakistan.

Though Choudary was born in UK, his father is of Indian origin while his mother is of Pakistani origin.

Abu Baraa, convener of sharia4hind, is a British citizen of Bangladeshi origin.

Mizanur Rahman (Abu Baraa’) was born in the UK into a Muslim Bangladeshi family and started to study Islam while at college.

He subsequently spent a number of years accompanying Sheikh Omar Bakri Muhammad, attending his lectures, travelling with him, translating articles and messages and taking notes during his lectures on Paltalk and around the UK until Sheikh Omar Bakri left the UK in 2005. The group, whose website features a blog below a photograph of Yousufzai in a hospital bed titled “Don’t Believe The Crocodile Tears for Malala Yousufzai”, is associated

with some of Britain’s most hardline Islamists. The mosque’s deputy head, Maulana Amir Siddique, denied the group would hold such a conference

law enforcement zones have been set up.

Published BY The mail

Last year Anjem Choudary also tried to exploit Norwegian tragedy to publicise his “Sharia Controlled Zones” for UK cities In 21011 ,Speaking in Walthamstow, east London, at an event organised by his group Muslims Against Crusades

but organisers insisted they did not need permission to gather in a public place of worship.

British so called Islamist Anjem Choudary and Omar Muhammad Bakri – both former leaders of AlMuhajiroun – have in past launched an organization called Shariah for Hind (India) claimed to advance their agenda for reestablishing Islamic rule in India. The group similarly has planned a major public event in New Delhi on March 3, 2012, which marks the end of the Turkey-led Islamic caliphate 88 years ago. But they only were headlines for western media and

(formerly the now-banned Islam4UK, which was formerly the now-banned Al Ghurabaa, which was formerly the nowbanned Al Muhajiroun), Choudary and his associates announced the launch of their “Islamic Emirates Project” – a

“Declaration of Fatwa on Malala Yousafzai.” Bakri told the paper: “The only solution is the implementation of the Sharia. She (Malala) should face justice in an Islamic court.

that was their aim. These two known hate preacher extremists last have also launched a poster campaign across the UK proclaiming areas where Sharia

“campaign to bring the Sharia to the doorsteps of London, Paris, Brussels and Rome” that is “approved by the only bogus leading scholar and jurists

Britain’s leading daily, Daily Mail has exposed the ugly past of this person, hate-monger Anjem Chowdhary, who has in recent past done similar rallies in other European countries too.

Daily Mail reports that before he grew his beard and turned to fundamentalism, Choudary, 41, was very much the life and soul of the party at Southampton University.

Photographs obtained by the Mail suggest ‘Andy’ – as he was then known – should be inflicting on himself the 40 lashes he prescribes for drunkenness.

As well as downing cider and lager, the cleric is shown playing drinking games with cards, clearly forbidden under his strict Islamic laws, and holding a cannabis joint between his lips before smoking it.

On the evidence of friends from his student days, Choudary had sex with numerous white Christian girls. Under his version of Sharia law, he should be stoned to death for sex outside

Luxury car tax and ban on government worker trades removed

The Sri Lankan government has declared that the ban on trading imported cars by public servants has now been lifted, allowing government officials to sell vehicles that they have imported.

The lifting of restrictions, announced under the 2013 budget, was announced by the Ministry of Finance, allowing public servants to trade their vehicles any time after importation, a practise that had reportedly been occurring underhand previously.

The announcement comes as the government also declared the

the known Intelegenece asset Shiekh Omar Bakri Muhammed”.

Founder of Al Muhajiroun Omer Bakri another demoniser and MI6 Asset .

Omar Bakri Muhammed, who admitted in 1998 he shares a special relationship with British intelligence. came up with a concept to promote himself and other like with a Fatwa .Featuring a video address from al-Muhajiroun’s co-founder Omar Bakri, it is titled:

previously existing 300% tax on luxury vehicles was also to be lifted, as part of the new budget.

The tax was infamously imposed on Oxfam in the aftermath of the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami which killed tens of thousands on the island, as they brought in vehicles to aid relief

work. Oxfam was reportedly given the choice of passing over the vehicles to the government, re-exporting them or paying the 300% import tax, leading to Sri Lanka coming under heavy criticism.

A case last year however, saw limousines being imported by a wealthy group of Sri Lankans avoid the “luxury” tax. Since the limousines had multiple seats, they were classified as “buses”.

The abolishment of this tax was accompanied by an additional tax being levied on farm machinery including tractors.

marriage. One of his former friends told Daily Mail, ‘I can’t keep a straight face when I see “fundamentalist Muslim Anjem Choudary” in the papers attacking the British for drinking or having girlfriends. ‘When I knew him, he liked to be called Andy, would often smoke cannabis spliffs all day, and was proud of his ability to down a pint of cider in a couple of seconds.

But in his days as a law student, he experimented with LSD, hallucinating and laughing hysterically for more than 20 hours. After he qualified as a solicitor, however, he swiftly moved into ever more radical Islam. Former acquaintances said this was possibly because he was angered by his failure to land a well-paid job with a big City law firm. At a mosque in Woolwich he met notorious firebrand preacher Omar Bakri Mohammed and quickly became his right-hand man. He also mixed with hook-handed demagogue Abu Hamza, who once called for bomb attacks on British civilian aircraft at a meeting chaired by Choudary.

Choudary, meanwhile, is an ever-more prominent spokesman for radical Islam in Britain – despite the fact that the two groups he ran with Bakri, Al Muhajiroun and Al-Ghurabaa, have been banned. He seeks ‘a pure Islamic state with Sharia law in Britain’ where “Every woman, whether Muslim or non-Muslim, would have to wear a traditional burka”. Omar

Bakri Muhammad arrived to UK on 01/14/1986 and asked for political asylum on the ground that he faces torture and death in Syria because of his religious beliefs.

He immediately founded Al-Muhajiroun ‘s British branch as part of the Islamic Party Hizb ut-Tahrir. Only in 1996, after disagreements on policy, style and methods with Hizb ut-Tahrir, Omar Bakri Muhammad, with other Islamic militant leaders in UK - Anjem Choudary and Abu Qatada, declared Al-Muhajiroun as an independent Islamic political movement.

On 08/11/2005 UK government forbade his return to UK. Today (05/2007) Omar Bakri Muhammad is in Lebanon.

According to The Telegraph Omer Bakri, once nicknamed the ‘Tottenham Ayatollah’, said hard line Salafi Muslim groups, including al Qaeda, and his own Al-Ghuraba group, also proscribed in the UK, are ready to help their ‘Muslim brothers’ with a campaign of suicide attacks against President Bashar al Assad.

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 22 November 2012

NEWS

15

Pakistan racing to develop armed drones: experts

Pakistan is secretly racing to develop its own armed drones, industry experts say, but is struggling in its initial tests with a lack of precision munitions and advanced targeting technology.

One of Islamabad’s closest allies, China, has offered to help by selling Pakistan armed drones it developed.

But industry experts say there is still uncertainty about the capabilities of the Chinese aircraft.

Pakistan has demanded the US provide it with armed drones, claiming it could more effectively carry out attacks against militants.

Washington has refused because of the sensitive nature of the technology and doubts that Pakistan would reliably target US enemies. The US has held talks with Pakistan about providing unarmed surveillance drones, but Islamabad already has several types of these aircraft in operation, and the discussions have gone nowhere.

Inaugurating a defense exhibition in the southern city of Karachi last week, Pakistani Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf indicated Islamabad would look for help from Beijing in response to US intransigence.

“Pakistan can also benefit from China in defense collaboration, offsetting the undeclared technological apartheid,” said Ashraf.

Pakistan has also been working to develop armed drones on its own, said Pakistani military officials and civilians involved in the domestic drone industry, all of whom spoke on condition of anonymity because of the classified nature of the work.

Pakistan first began weapons tests seven or eight months ago with the Falco, an Italian drone used by the Pakistani air force for surveillance that has been modified to carry

rockets, said a civilian with knowledge of the secret program. The military is also conducting similar tests with the country’s newest drone, the Shahpur, he said. An unarmed version of the Shahpur was unveiled for the first time at the Karachi exhibition.

The weapons tests have been limited

to a handful of aircraft, and no strikes have been carried out in combat, said the civilian.

Lack of precision, targeting technology

Pakistan lacks laser-guided missiles like the Hellfire used on US Predator and Reaper drones and the advanced targeting system that goes with it, so the military has been using unguided rockets that are much less accurate.

While Hellfire missiles are said to have pinpoint accuracy, the rockets

London-bound PIA plane makes emergency landing after engine fault

The engine of a London-bound Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Airbus 310 caught fire on Sunday forcing it to perform an emergency landing at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport, eyewitnesses said.

The national carrier’s aircraft engine caught fire while taking off from the runway, according to eyewitness accounts.

According to the Civil Association Authority (CAA) spokesman Pervaiz George, the plane returned to the Karachi airport safely after one of its engines developed technical fault.

“PK- 787 took off at 11.46 hours with 168 passengers and crew on board. The pilot soon felt some technical fault in his plane’s engine No.1 and reported to land back. The plane returned here at 12.08 hours in a normal and safe manner,” said the CAA spokesman.

All 168 passengers on board were safely evacuated, he confirmed.

used by Pakistan have a margin of error of about 30 meters at best, and an unexpected gust of wind could take them 300 meters from their intended target, said the civilian.

Even if Pakistan possessed Hellfires and the guidance system to use them, the missile’s weight and drag would

be a challenge for the small drones produced by the country. Pakistan’s largest drone, the Shahpur, has a wingspan of about seven meters and can carry 50 kilograms. The US Predator, which can be equipped with two Hellfire missiles, has a wingspan more than twice that and a payload capacity over four times as great.

Pakistani drones also have much more limited range than those produced in the US because they are operated based on “line of sight” using radio waves, rather than military satellites.

The Shahpur has a maximum range of 250 kilometers, while the Predator can fly over five times that distance.

The British newspaper The Guardian reported Tuesday that Pakistan was working on an armed drone but did not provide details.

The market for drones has exploded

meant for surveillance only. One private company, Integrated Dynamics, even promotes its aircraft under the slogan “Drones for Peace.”

But several models developed by the Chinese government were marketed as capable of carrying precision missiles and bombs.

in Pakistan and other countries around the world in recent years, as shown by the array of aircraft on display at the defense exhibition in Karachi. Hoping to tap into a worldwide market worth billions of dollars a year, public and private companies wheeled out over a dozen drones that ranged in size from handheld models meant to be carried in a backpack to larger aircraft like the Shahpur.

All the Pakistani drones on display were advertised as unarmed and

China offering drones The Chinese government has offered to sell Pakistan an armed drone it has produced, the CH-3, which can carry two laser-guided missiles or bombs, industry insiders said.

Also being offered to Pakistan is a more advanced drone, the CH-4, which closely resembles a US Reaper and can carry four laser-guided missiles or bombs, according to Li Xiaoli, a representative of the Chinese state-owned company that produces both the CH-3 and CH-4, Aerospace Long-march International Trade Co., Ltd. Pakistan has yet to purchase any armed Chinese drones because their capabilities have yet to be proven, but is likely to do so in the future, said the civilian with knowledge of the Pakistani military’s drone program.

Only a few countries, including the US, Britain and Israel, are known to have actually used armed drones in military operations.

“China is a bit of a tough nut to crack as you’d expect,” said Huw Williams, a drone expert at Jane’s International Defence Review. “They frequently wheel out exciting looking aircraft but are yet to really demonstrate anything earth shattering.”

Mijarul Quayes next UK envoy The government has decided to appoint Foreign Secretary Mohamed Mijarul Quayes as the next high commissioner of Bangladesh to the United Kingdom, said an official announcement on Sunday. The government has appointed Foreign Secretary Mohamed Mijarul Quayes as the next High Commissioner of Bangladesh to United Kingdom.

The longest-serving foreign secretary, Quayes has been serving as the Foreign Secretary since 8 July, 2009, according to a press statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Shahidul Haque, an official of 84 Foreign Service Cadre, is likely to replace him, the ministry sources

said. He also served as the Bangladesh high commissioner to the Republic of Maldives and the ambassador to the Russian Federation during his diplomatic career.

The foreign secretary was concurrently accredited as ambassador to Belarus,

Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Ukraine. He has also served in various diplomatic capacities at Bangladesh Missions in Tokyo, Geneva and Singapore. At Headquarters, he has headed several desks as director general, including Saarc, South-east Asia, Economic Affairs, External Publicity and UNCLOS. Quayes obtained bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts from Dhaka University and Master’s degree in Public Administration from Harvard Kennedy School of Government (USA). At the Kennedy School, he was an Edward S Mason Fellow in Public Policy and Management.

NEWS

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Saarc international I Thursday 22 November 2012

Number 10 lights up blue for World Diabetes Day! World Diabetes Day takes place on November 14 each year.

This is a significant date in the diabetes calendar because it marks the birthday of the man who co-discovered insulin, Frederick Banting.

This year the campaign slogan is ‘Diabetes: protect our future’ and focuses on supporting children with type 1 diabetes, and preventing children developing type 2 diabetes.

One of Britain’s most popular soap stars Nina Wadia, who plays long suffering Zainab Masood on EastEnders, today flicked the switch to light up 10 Downing Street blue to mark World Diabetes Day 2012. The lights, in the colour of the iconic blue circle used to signify diabetes, were turned on by Nina, Silver Star Ambassador, at 5.30am this morning.

It follows the Prime Minister’s historic decision, at the request of the diabetes charity Silver Star, to allow Downing Street to be bathed in blue light to help raise awareness about this potentially life-threatening

Mrs masood lights up downing street blue for world diabetes day!

condition. Diabetes currently affects an estimated 3.7 million people in the UK and 300 million worldwide.

The Leicester-based charity Silver Star was founded in 2007 to increase awareness of diabetes and currently has four Mobile Diabetes Units that offer free diabetes testing and lifestyle advice. They have thus far tested over 30,000 people. Keith was on hand when one of Britain’s most popular soap stars Nina Wadia from EastEnders flicked the switch

Britain’s £3.6bn curry industry to be celebrated at annual british curry awards amidst star-studded attendance UK’s Top Indian Restaurants Set To Receive Top Accolades at Awards Gala The UK’s favourite cuisine will once again be honoured as the eighth annual British Curry Awards takes place on 26th November 2012, at a glittering gala event at Battersea Evolution in London.

With the UK curry industry boasting 10,000 restaurants and 80,000 employees, the awards have become a highlight on the UK social calendar, and each year showcases the vast allure of the £3.6bn a year curry industry.

The curry industry is not only a lucrative mainstay of the economy but also an integral part of the nation’s social and culinary fabric.

A pioneer in the UK catering and hospitality sector, the British Curry Awards has been lauded as a pivotal UK institution, with Prime Minister David Cameron calling the awards ‘the curry Oscars’. He went on to say: “The British Curry Awards is an uplifting and inspiring evening.”

This year’s event will once again

see a plethora of high-profile guests in attendance, and will include celebrities, dignitaries, politicians, business leaders, and of course, top names from the culinary industry in the UK.

estimated to draw a record number of nominations. It is stated that an Indian meal is now the preferred choice of take-away amongst the British population, and has overtaken previous

The gala dinner will also feature quality entertainment amidst a gourmet banquet. This year’s event will also celebrate a Best of British theme as it reflects on the UK’s remarkable achievements during the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The nomination process for the awards encourages people to put forward their favourite Indian eatery for a well-deserved accolade and the awards are

favourites such as Chinese and Italian take-away food. To reflect this, a new award category of ‘Best Delivery Restaurant / Takeaway” has been added this year, in association with Just Eat, the online takeaway ordering service. This will be open to restaurants that are take-aways, as well as restaurants that offer a home delivery service, and will be judged on a nation-wide basis.

Each year the British Curry

to light up 10 Downing Street blue to mark World Diabetes Day 2012.

It follows the Prime Minister’s historic decision, at the request of the diabetes charity Silver Star, to allow Downing Street to be bathed in blue light to help raise awareness about this potentially life-threatening condition. Diabetes currently affects an estimated 3.7 million people in the UK and 300 million worldwide.

The lights, in the colour of the iconic blue circle used to signify diabetes, were turned on

by Nina, Silver Star Ambassador, at 5.30am on the 14th November.

The World Diabetes Day Monument Challenge, started in 2007, has seen over 1000 monuments and buildings in more than 80 countries lit in blue for diabetes. Previous monuments lit up by other organisations include the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro and Table Mountain in Cape Town in 2011 and the London Eye in 2010.

Awards also gives the ‘Special Recognition Award’ to an influential culinary personality and past winners of this award include Madhur Jaffrey, Cyrus Todiwala OBE, Anjum Anand, Heston Blumenthal OBE and Shelim Hussain MBE. The British Curry Awards was established by British entrepreneur Enam Ali MBE who the founded the event in 2005.

He has been tirelessly promoting the British curry industry globally for the past 30 years.

In speaking about the event, he says: “The British Curry Awards recognise and honour the integral contribution made by the UK’s Asian restaurants and take-away outlets to the social and cultural fabric of the United Kingdom.

Curry may be born in India, but British Bangladeshis globalised it. The humble curry has come a very long way since it first came to these shores. Indian cuisine has now become the favourite food of the nation, and is enjoyed by millions of people across the UK, from students to professionals and pensioners. Most people

will have a favourite curry that they will order when they go to a restaurant, meaning that Asian cuisine is deeply embedded in the psyche of the British people.

“The curry dish that Britain has given to the world - Chicken Tikka Masala - again features on the British Curry Awards menu in recognition of the important part it has played in helping to establish the UK curry industry’s reputation internationally.”

Award Categories:  Best Delivery Restaurant/Takeaway by Justeat.com  Special Recognition Award  Regional Newcomer of the Year  Best Spice Restaurant Scotland  Best Spice Restaurant North East  Best Spice Restaurant North West  Best Spice Restaurant Midlands  Best Spice Restaurant Wales  Best Spice Restaurant South East  Best Spice Restaurant South West  Best Spice Restaurant Central London & City  Best Spice Restaurant London Outer & Suburbs

Saarc international I Thursday 22 November 2012

17

COMMENT

Gaza killings and Muslim Ummah

Dr Raja Muhammad Khan

It is over six days now that, Israeli airstrikes are pounding thousands of bombs of thousands of pounds on the population centres of the strangulated Gaza Strip in Palestine. As per international press, Israel got prior consent of the US President and key decision makers for its current barbaric attacks on the helpless Palestinians; the Gaza dwellers.

In this regard, Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu is constantly in touch with President Obama, who is on his way to Asian tour, the first after his re-election as the US President. In the so far barbaric attacks, Israeli airstrikes have killed over 80 innocent Palestinian, mostly women and children.

Besides, the aerial raids wounded over 650 Palestinians in last 100 hours offensive.

Rocket fires of Palestinians (Gazans) has killed three Israelis and wounded eighteen.

Israel claims that, Hamas military wing rocket attacks have compelled it to retaliate with the aerial strikes.

Apart from the US President, the Israeli attack has been fully supported by both Houses of the US Congress. In this regard, the US Congress passed a unanimous resolution, giving Israel the “inherent right to act in self-defense.” The right of selfdefense cannot be denied to any nation or community as per the UN Charter. But, the question arises, who gave the right to Israelis to forcibly occupy the Palestinian land and then target them as and when it wishes so?

If the U.S and international community are conscious about the applicability of this right, have they ever asked Israel to abide by this in its dealing with Palestinians too.

With the exception of few military wing commanders of Hamas, the bulks who have been killed during the attacks are women, children and innocent civilians. Is there any justification for such aerial strikes? Is there a balance of power and compatibility between military strength of Israel and Palestinians?

No one finds any justification for the rocket attacks by Hamas, but, going for almost an all out attack against the innocent is not justified either. Everyone living in Gaza is neither part of Hamas nor militant. Then, if Israel and its supporters want an end to these, then they have to address the very cause of these attacks. The addressal of the cause calls for the right of Palestinians on their native land. Have the UN and U.S done this most needed task?

Whereas, everyone talks about the right of self-defense, what about the “the biggest prison on Earth”, created through the blockade of Gaza people by constructing a barricade by Israel and another by Egypt.

After this barricade, the poor people of the Gaza have no opening to the world. Then, what option has been left for the poor dwellers of the Gaza? Israel has stopped them from entering into its occupied territory, where they use to earn their living. Indeed, their frustration and revolt is natural. After all it is not the war munitions they are looking for, rather they are hard pressed for the earning of their bread. Have

someone including Arab Monarchs ever thought on these lines.

Is peace the real desire of the world community and Israel in this region of Middle East, then give Palestinians their right to live on their own territory? In 2006, Hamas came into power through a fair election system. Immediately after the formation of new Hamas led Palestinian Government, Israel arrested and imprisoned many sitting ministers of the Palestine.

This democratically elected government was rejected by US and many other champions of the democracy, which exposed their double standards. Together with the West, Al-Fatah and Arab monarchs conspired to end this elected Hamas led Government.

Then, there was a reign of terror on the poor Gaza people by Israeli defense forces.

As it was not enough, there was fuelling of an infighting between Hamas and Al-Fatah groups; Gaza vs West Bank. The process continued until recent past.

There is yet another dimension of the Israeli aggression on Gaza. As per the exclusive analysis of DEBKAfile, dated November 17, 2012, “Israel will strike Gaza so long as Khamenei nixes talks with Obama.”

US, Israel as well as the Arab monarchs considered Hamas closer to and backed by Iran and Syria. This series of continuous airstrikes by Israel may have some connection with Israeli plans to strike Iranian nuclear sites in the subsequent phase, taking the plea of Iranian support to the Hamas. In this regard, prior consent of President Obama to Israeli Prime Minister

and some key visits and indicators are critical.

Then the key statement of US policy making guru, Henry Kissinger is very significant. Henry Kissinger in his article in the Washington Post on November 16, 2012 writes; “The most urgent decision facing the president is how to stop Iran from pursuing a military nuclear program.

The time available for a diplomatic outcome shrinks in direct proportion as the Iranian enrichment capacity grows and a military nuclear capacity approaches.” He emphasized US administration that, “We cannot afford another strategic disaster.”

All that, this US Foreign Policy maker old man was stressing President Obama that, take action against Iran, before it attain the capability of nuclear weapons. Kissinger and some US nuclear experts feel that Iran is nearing to achieve the weapon grade uranium enrichment. It “already has in place the technological infrastructure for quickly raising its 20-percent enriched stocks to the 90 percent bomb-making level.”

Therefore, the possibility cannot be ruled out that the renewed closeness between Israeli Prime Minister and Obama is a step towards a larger agenda in the Middle East.

U.S has already taken on board the Arab Monarchs of GCC, who differ with Iran on ideological basis. Bulk of these monarchs follows the Wahhabi form of Islam, which is anti-Shia school of thought in Islam. These monarchs would also like the neutralization of Iranian nuclear programme, even at the hands of Israel. But the question arises,

under the prevailing circumstances, what would be the after effects of any such misadventure by Israel or US on the region, which is GCC dominated? After all, Israeli nuclear programme is acceptable to them and its counter weight; the Iranian is an irritant for them? Indeed, Muslim Ummah needs a sense of proportion, logical thinking and the unity and harmony. How long can we afford playing at the hands of others?

Muslim Ummah as a whole should stress the international community for the resolution of its all outstanding issues under the single banner, rather being divided on the basis of various schools of thoughts. Palestine and Kashmir are two such issues need international attention and immediate resolution, if world wants peace at the global level. As per UN Charter and International Declaration of Human Rights, it is totally unjust that aggressors are appreciated and backed by the civilized international community and those oppressed by the same class of aggressors are further exploited and discriminated.

What justification Israel and US has for a consensus and consistent airstrikes on poor people of Palestinian. Neither these countries along with their regional proxies should have any right to attack the Iran or its nuclear programme. Rather, Arab world should force the global powers to end the sanctions, imposed on Iran over the years.

Through a collective will, we must resolve our issue ourselves without involving external powers. drmk_edu@yahoo.com

must stop their aggressive behaviour. Even Gilbert&Sullivan couldn’t make it up.

The moral vacuum that is President Barak Obama says the same. That’s Obama who “couldn’t look at Netanyahu’s face” (as he conveyed to Sarkozy and millions more via an unguarded microphone) whose

to tell the lies. Of them all it is of him for whom I feel most ashamed.

Then there’s the middle east “peace envoy” ( now THAT’s going well, huh?) the war criminal Tony Blair. Not since Caligula appointed his horse a pro-consul of Rome has there been a more grotesque appointment than that of Mr Blair as a middle-east “peace envoy”. Dripping in blood (pockets stuffed with blood money) from head to foot having climbed to his pinnacle over a mountain of dead middle-easterners. Blair too is very clear about it; its Hamas what is to blame!

As I once told a Sky News interviewer during an earlier part of the war six years ago (Anna…my phone IS on?) this crisis didn’t start when Sky news turned up…

because the 1.5 million people, mainly refugees, who live in Gaza have been under siege for more than five years, totally blockaded in what David Cameron called a “huge prison camp”, to punish the people there for how they voted in a free election.

For Hamas.

The people are refugees because their country, Palestine, has been wiped off the map. Thirteen million Palestinians now live under siege, or illegal occupation, in illegally annexed territory, as third class “citizens” in what they call Israel, or in their millions as refugees and exiles outside of their country. The vast majority have no passports, papers, status, rights, or hope.

What they do have are the titles to the

presidency the Israel lobby tried so hard to destroy. Obama who has no more need of any lobby, need raise no more campaign billions, who knows the truth but continues

Israel is murdering Palestinian women and children because there is Palestinian resistance in Gaza.

There is Palestinian resistance in Gaza

houses and lands from which their families were driven by “Israelis. And they have their eternal legal and moral right to return to their homes.

The Palestinians could have resigned themselves to the destruction of their society by “superior” western, European, settlers more than sixty years ago. They could have quietly entered the museum of “Ex” nations. We could today be visiting that museum, viewing their garments in the glass cases, lamenting their lost culture.

But they refused to go quietly into that good night. They still exist because they resist. They will not be quiet. They will not surrender. Even if abandoned by the rotten rancid corrupt cowards who rule virtually every Arab regime. Even if abandoned by the so-called “Jihadists” who are too busy murdering other Arabs and Muslims to notice the Palestinian blood and tears running in rivers right by them. Even if every last western journalist, feasting upon their suffering turns their face away. As long as 100 Palestinians remain alive they will never surrender their rights.

Friends of “Israel”; know this. As long as there is no justice there will be no peace.

As long as there is no peace in the middleeast there will be no peace in the world. You have been warned.

[George Galloway MP] 24-hour notice rally for Gaza at Centenary Square, Bradford, Sunday 18 November 2012

Mass Murder in Gaza: Déjà Vu As the death toll mounts and the pile of lifeless children grows higher the same old suspects loom into view.

The Bush and Blair Corporation formerly known as the BBC plumbs new depths though. Three Israelis are “killed” whilst twenty times that number of Palestinians have “died” with the former of course deserving first billing in the story. I knew that Palestinian blood was cheap, just not quite that cheap.

Sky News (my phone IS on guys?) play follow the leader, Rupert Murdoch, dementedly tweeting his slavering support for Israel’s murderous attack.

Little Willie Hague the bon vivant Foreign Secretary takes to the floor of the House (as opposed to Geoffrey Archer’s) to dispatch verbal gunboats bearing “Great” Britain’s peremptory demands; foremost of which is that the victims of the mass murder

ENTERTAINMENT

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Dilip Kumar says no birthday bash; mourning for Chopra, Thackeray With so many dear friends gone this year, how can we even think of a celebration?

Thespian Dilip Kumar has denied reports that he is planning big bash to celebrate his 90th birthday,

saying he and his wife Saira Banu still have to recover from the death of their friends Yash Chopra and Bal Thackeray.

Dilip Kumar born as Mohammad Yusaf Khan will turn 90 Dec 11.”It is appalling how few in the print media take the liberty nowadays to print quotes that spring from the imagination of the scribe. It shocked me and Saira to read newspaper reports with imaginary quotes from Saira about plans to celebrate my birthday,” Dilip Kumar said in a post on his blog thedilipkumar. mouthshut.com.

“We have yet to recover from the

shock of the passing away of my dear friend Yash Chopra, who was by my side when I blew away the candles

found him extremely sensitive on occasions, especially during the days Sunil Dutt was going from

Saarc international I Thursday 22 November 2012

Amitabh Bachchan injured in ‘attack’ by Shiv Sena men on visiting Bal Thackeray at Matoshree

Shah Rukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Saira Banu grace Dilip Kumar’s 89th Birthday

on my birthday cake last year and stayed on till the wee hours, sharing the family’s happiness,” he further wrote.

Chopra passed away Oct 21, following dengue and subsequent multi-organ failure.

On Saturday Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray breathed his last.

Talking about Thackeray and his cooperation and support, Dilip Kumar wrote: “We are deeply grieving the passing of Balasaheb Thackeray who I always thought was not a Tiger but a Lion.

He had the virtues of a lion... I

pillar to post to get justice for his son Sanjay.”

“Balasaheb’s response was that of a father who understood a father’s desperation to save his son. We pray for Balasaheb’s family, especially for his son Uddhav, to derive strength from the Almighty to bear the irreparable loss....,” he wrote.

Sanjay Dutt was arrested in the Mumbai blasts in 1993 and spent 18 months in jail before being granted conditional bail.

“With so many dear friends gone this year, how can we even think of a celebration?” he added.

Cine superstar Amitabh Bachchan, who was amongst the first to rush to Matoshree to ask about the welfare of Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray after news of his being put on life support spread, was met by an angry crowd gathered around Matoshree.

Bachchan, who had appealed to the crowd to remain calm, was roughed up by an angry group, which had become quite emotional after news about Thackeray’s deteriorating health spread.

Big B was injured, his kurta torn and he received slight injuries on his arm.

Jackie Chan: upcoming film will be last big action movie

Kung Fu superstar Jackie Chan said that while the upcoming film “Chinese Zodiac 2012” will be his last major action movie, citing his increasing age, he will still be packing punches in the world of philanthropy.

Chan wrote, directed and produced his latest film, set to premiere in cinemas in China next month. He also plays the lead role and said that he regarded it the “best film for myself” in the last ten years.

“I’m the director, I’m the writer, I’m the producer, I’m the action director, almost everything,” the 58-year-old Hong Kong actor told Reuters while in Beijing to film a documentary.

“This really, really is my baby. You know, I’ve been writing the script for seven years,” and the film took a year and half to make, he added.

In the film, Chan is a treasure hunter seeking to repatriate sculpture heads of the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac, which were taken from Beijing’s

Summer Palace by French and British forces during the Opium Wars.

He said it was an important movie for him because it will be his last major action feature, although he insisted it is not the end of his action career.

“I’m not young any more, honestly,” he said, noting that with special effects technology and doubles a lot can be done without physical risk.

“Why (do) I have to use my own life to still do these kind of things?” he said.

“I will still do as much as I can. But I just don’t want to risk my life to sit in a wheelchair, that’s all.”

Chan was recently awarded the Social Philanthropist of the Year award by Harpers Bazaar magazine. He said he wanted to increase time devoted to charitable work and hoped China’s leagues of newly wealthy will follow his example -- which he underlined by auctioning a Bentley 666 for around 6 million yuan ($961,837).

China now has more billionaires than any other Asian country, but very few philanthropic organizations, and giving to charity remains a relatively new phenomenon in the world’s most populous country.

Chan said while Chinese philanthropists have made some encouraging strides, much more still needs to be done - a task made harder by the Internet, with netizens willing to leap on every perceived wrong move.

“Right now people [must] very, very be careful, but that doesn’t stop them to want to do the charity. I think it’s a good sign,” Chan said.

However, the nature of the injuries were not serious, with Bachchan himself tweeting that he was treated by the doctors at Matoshree itself for cuts and bruises, and that he was all right.

That Bachchan was feeling quite nostalgic about events and his tumultuous relationship with Thackeray is clear from the fact that he tweeted: “At height of Bofors scandal, Bal asked me, ‘are you involved?’”

“When I said no, he said, ‘Don’t worry, I am with you. You are an actor, go do what you are best at’.”

Don’t want to play ‘Mr Bean’ any more: Rowan Atkinson Actor-comedian Rowan Atkinson fears the end of his beloved comedy creation ‘Mr Bean’ is near as playing him has become ‘childish and sad’.

‘Mr Bean’ made his most recent appearance at the opening ceremony of London Olympic games 2012, but the 57-year-old actor now wants to concentrate on more serious acting roles, reported Daily Star online.

“The stuff that has been most commercially successful for me — basically quite physical, quite childish — I increasingly feel I’m going to do a lot less of,” Atkinson said.

“Apart from the fact that your physical ability starts to decline, I also think someone in their 50s being childlike becomes a little sad. You’ve got to be careful,” he added.

Atkinsons’ famous bumbling character Mr Bean debuted in 1990, with the show running for five years and spawning two successful movies and a cartoon spin off.

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Saarc international I Thursday 22 November 2012

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international

Thursday, 22.11.12

Four years after 26/11, Kasab Succesive blasts near Karachi Imambargah; hanged and buried in Pune jail at least two dead He asked authorities to inform his mother Four years after India’s most wounding terror strike, Pakistani national Ajmal Amir Kasab, the sole surviving gunman

from India’s commercial centre Mumbai where he and nine other Pakistanis sneaked in on the night of Nov 26, 2008, to

of the three-day bloody siege of Mumbai, was Wednesday executed in secrecy and buried soon after in a Pune jail.

unleash 60 hours of mayhem.

Once it ended, 166 people had been killed and more than 300 injured.

Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab was today shrouded in secrecy with even the hangman kept in the dark about the terrorist’s identity till the last minute.

The chilling images of young man’s killing spree, a backpack and an AK-47 slung across his shoulder, captured by close-circuit TVs installed at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in Mumbai were rekindled.

“Everything has been done according to the law of land.

All actions have been taken as per the law of the country,” said External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid.

The process of the hanging took place quietly and swiftly after President Pranab Mukherjee rejected Kasab’s mercy plea Nov 5, sources said.

A special inspector general of police in Maharashtra and 16 handpicked men oversaw Operation X leading to the hanging. Their mission was to complete the job in complete secrecy.

Recounting the events as they unravelled, sources told IANS that once union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde signed the

In a meticulously mounted operation kept completely under wraps, Kasab was hanged to death at 7.30 a.m. in Pune’s Yerawada Jail, about 100 km

The fresh-faced Kasab -- the only foreigner to be hanged in independent India - was barely 21 when he carried out the brutal attack. The operation to execute

file from the president’s office on Nov 7 and sent it to the Maharashtra government the next day, the police team took Continued on page 29 >>

A second successive bomb exploded Wednesday near a Shia Imambargah in Karachi where an explosion had killed at least two people.

The second explosion ripped close to the same location as police personnel and TV reporters were present at the site of the first blast.

Police officials examining the the site of bomb blast which killed 3 persons and injured more than 22 near Imam Bargah in the area of Abbas Town on Sunday.

The nature of the second blast and resulting casualties could not be ascertained as yet.

About half an hour earlier, a bomb planted in a motorcycle ripped through the neighbourhood near the Imambargah in Orangi Town area, killing at least two people and injuring three, police said.

“We have also found a body which might have been a suicide bomber, although it can not be confirmed yet,” DIG West Karachi Javed

Odho had said, speaking about the first blast.

Five killed as blast rips through Quetta

A bomb tore through a security forces vehicle escorting schoolchildren home from school on Wednesday, killing four personnel and a woman in the southwestern city of Quetta, police said.

The attack also wounded more than 20 people, officials said.

“The target was an army vehicle which was escorting a school bus carrying children of local army officers from different schools,” Quetta city police chief Hamid Shakeel told AFP. He said four soldiers and a woman were killed when the bomb, planted on a motorcyle, was detonated by remote control.

“Twenty-one people were wounded in the blast, including three soldiers.

Continued on page 20 >>

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Saarc international I Thursday 22 November 2012

Zardari to launch D8 summit on 22nd Trade volume to be enhanced up to $507 billion: Khar

President Asif Zardari will inaugurate the D8 Summit in Islamabad on Thursday that would focus on enhancing economic and trade cooperation among the member countries.

Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar said this at a press conference on Monday. “The theme of the summit will be ‘Democratic partnership for peace and prosperity’,” she added.

The FM said presidents of Egypt, Indonesia, Iran and Nigeria; prime minister of Turkey, deputy prime minister of Malaysia and advisor to the prime minister of Bangladesh would attend the summit.

She said presently the volume of trade between D8 member states is $130 billion dollars. She said it would be enhanced to $507 billion under the 10-year vision of D8 countries by 2018.

common challenges being faced by the member countries.

To a question, Khar said during her

Palestinian cause and condemned the recent Israeli offensive on Palestinians.

Bank chiefs of the member states are also meeting to explore opportunities to open bank branches in each other

visit to Bangladesh, the Bengali PM had made no reference to conditions of any sort.

She said she received her warmly and held meetings in Dhaka in congenial atmosphere. She said the Bengali

She expressed the hope that the Preferential Trade Agreement between the D8 member states will be operationalised soon.

She said six of the eight countries have already ratified the agreement.

countries. The foreign minister said, “We are trying to move from commitments to implementations.”

She said council of ministers would meet on Wednesday (today). She said the PM inaugurated the four-day

said all issues including trade and business would be discussed during bilateral visit of Egyptian President Mohammad Morsi to Pakistan.

To another question with reference to sanctions against Iran, she said, “We have to abide by international sanctions which are approved by the United Nations.”

To a question, she said President Zardari’s and Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani’s visit to Russia and Russian Foreign Minister’s visit to Pakistan demonstrate that relations between the two countries growing and lot of grounds have been covered within the diplomatic field. She said Russia is an important regional player and we are very satisfied with Russia.

When she was asked about the reconciliation process in Afghanistan and release of Taliban

She said the summit would adopt charter of the organisation which would be signed by the foreign ministers of the member states in the presence of the heads of state and government.

She said the summit would also adopt the Islamabad Declaration 2012 reaffirming the joint resolve to make concerted efforts to meet the

FM told her in Djbouti that doctors had asked the PM not to travel due to health reasons.

Khar said the Egyptian president would attend the summit despite worsening situation in Gaza. She said the Egyptian president’s bilateral visit to Pakistan is also intact following the summit.

She said Pakistan has always support

She said there is a issue pertaining to tariff line with Bangladesh which she hoped will be sorted out during the Summit.

She also hoped that visa regime between the member states will also be operationalised soon.

She said primarily the agenda of the Summit is to give focus on economic matters and trade. She said Central

trade exhibition aimed at promoting trade among the member states.

She said President Asif Zardari and Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf would hold bilateral meetings with the participating heads of states and government.

To a question, Khar said Egypt is an extremely important country within the Muslim countries. He

former second-in-command Mullah Baradar, she declined to go into detail however said that the joint statement that was issued by Afghan High Peace Council and Pakistan was a manifestation of Islamabad full support to the reconciliation process in Afghanistan. “All specifics were indicated in the joint statement,” she concluded.

Zardari confirms ratification of Pak-India visa agreement

President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday confirmed Pakistan’s ratification of visa agreement between Pakistan and India, signed between the two countries on September 8, 2012 during a visit of the Indian foreign minister to Pakistan.

The federal cabinet had accorded its approval to sign this agreement during its meeting held on September 5, 2012 and

approved the ratification of the subject protocol on October 31, 2012.

Spokesperson to the president Senator Farhatullah Babar said that objective of the visa agreement was to facilitate the travelers of both the countries.

He said that under this agreement, besides diplomatic, non-diplomatic and official visas, a visitor visa will be issued for visiting relatives and friends or for any other legitimate purpose.

This visa will be valid for a maximum of five specified places and shall be for a period not exceeding six months.

Succesive blasts near Karachi Imambargah; at least two dead

Continued from page 19 >> Eighteen are civilians. Six or seven of them are in a serious condition,” Shakeel said.

Witnesses said the motorbike appeared to have been parked near shops to avoid any suspicion in the Shahbaz Town neighbourhood near some of the most prestigious private schools in Quetta. “I was returning to my shop after saying prayers in a nearby mosque,” said shopkeeper Mohammad Talib, 45.

“Soon after, I heard a huge blast. There was dust and smoke. I saw an army vehicle in flames. Shards of glass were littered on the road. There was panic, people were screaming, others were fleeing the area.”

Fruit vendor Abdul Karim, 30, said the army vehicle took the same route every day after school.

“After some time police and FC (Frontier Corps paramilitary) troops arrived. They fired in the air to scare people away. Soon shops were closed and people emptied the area.”

Quetta is more than 400 miles (640

kilometres) southwest of Islamabad, where security has been significantly stepped up. The event coincides with the holy month of Muharram, a magnet for sectarian attacks.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Wednesday’s attack but Quetta and its province Balochistan are frequently hit by bomb attacks.

Saarc international I Thursday 22 November 2012

SAARC

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WEEKLY REVIEW OF AFGHANISTAN NEWS

Afghanistan Opium Poppy Cultivation Problem Grows In 2012

Afghan efforts to stamp out opium poppy cultivation are failing because of high prices for the illicit crop, pushing farmers to grow 18 percent more in 2012 than last year, the U.N. said in a report released Tuesday.

Afghan efforts to stamp out opium poppy cultivation are failing because of high prices for the illicit crop, pushing farmers to grow 18 percent more in 2012 than last year, the U.N. said in a report released Tuesday.

Afghanistan is the world’s largest producer of opium, the raw ingredient in heroin, providing about 80 percent of the global crop. Crop sales fund insurgents and criminal gangs in Afghanistan, making it difficult for the Afghan government to establish control in areas where the economy is driven by black-market opium sales.

Farmers planted 154,000 hectares

of opium poppy in 2011, up from the 131,000 in 2011.

“An increase of 18 percent is a serious alarm signal. It is a wakeup call,” said Jean-Luc Lemahieu, head of the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime in Afghanistan, which prepared the report along with the Afghan Counternarcotics Ministry.

“We are again, with regard to figures, in parallel to the high peaks

of 2008, 2007, 2006.

“This country, working toward its transition, can ill afford this,” he said, referring to the scheduled handover of security responsibilities to the Afghan forces from the NATO alliance by the end of 2014.

Lemahieu praised the efforts by the Counternarcotics Ministry but said the rest of the Afghan government and the country’s international

allies are not doing enough.

He said more help is needed to provide alternatives to farmers, in law enforcement support and in cooperation from other countries in the region.

“This is an international shared responsibility,” Lemahieu told reporters in Kabul.

Prices farmers receive for the crop were about $196 a kilogram this year, down from $241 a kilogram in 2011, but still far above prices from 2008 and 2009. The report said the continued high prices meant farmers were likely to plant poppy crops again in the coming season.

Most cultivation was in southern and western provinces, centers of organized crime and lax security, the report said. Restive Helmand province, long the largest producer of the crop, saw a 19 percent increase in poppy planting. Though farmers

along the Helmand river valley who received international assistance planted less of the crop, this was more than offset by increases elsewhere in the province.

The Afghan government destroyed more than twice as much of the opium crop than the year before, eradicating 9,600 hectares, the report said. In 2011, the government destroyed about 3,800 hectares of opium poppy fields.

Destroying fields is dangerous in Afghanistan. Insurgents launched 177 attacks against Afghan security forces as they destroyed poppy crops this year, killing 102 soldiers and police, said Counternarcotics Minister Zarar Ahmad Muqbel.

The report indicated that despite the increase, nature limited the growth.

Plant diseases and bad weather cut the potential size of the crop by 36 percent to 3,700 tons.

France ends Afghan Afghanistan executes eight prisoners: officials combat mission early

Afghanistan executed eight prisoners on death row Tuesday with more executions expected soon, officials said, marking a rare use of the death penalty in the war-wracked country.

The eight had been convicted of crimes including murder, kidnapping and rape, deputy attorney general Rahmatullah Nazari told AFP. They were hanged in Kabul’s main Pul-e-Charkhi prison, he said.

President Hamid Karzai has approved the execution of a total of 16 people after their death sentences were confirmed by three courts, presidential spokesman Aimal Faizi said.

“They were involved in rape of women

and children before killing them, murder and also attacking and killing our security officers,” he said, without elaborating.

Executions have been infrequent since the fall of the Taliban Islamist regime in 2001, which put people to death for adultery and other infringements of Islamic law.

Karzai, who has the final say over whether executions ordered by Afghan courts will be carried out, is on record as saying he is reluctant to sign death warrants.

Afghanistan’s justice system remains weak and compromised, and relies heavily on confessions, including some obtained through torture, rights groups have said.

The executions came just days after a military court rejected an appeal by an Afghan soldier sentenced to death for killing five French troops in an insider attack in January, but it is not known whether he will be in the next group to be hanged.

So-called green-on-blue attacks have spiralled this year, with a total of 61 NATO troops killed by members of the Afghan security forces, fuelling distrust between the allies in the war against Taliban Islamist insurgents.

The French casualties prompted France to withdraw combat forces from Afghanistan earlier than planned.

Last French soldiers leaves Afghanistan as country fulfils its bid to withdraw troops faster than any other • 500 troops withdraw from insurgent-infested region • Death toll of 88 since 2001 sparked public outcry over deployment • Hollande promised to withdraw majority of troops by Christmas France today ended its combat operations in Afghanistan, pulling hundreds of troops from a base in a volatile region northeast of Kabul and fulfilling promises to end its combat role on a faster track than other NATO allies.

After a handover ceremony with Afghan troops, 500 French combat soldiers in trucks and armored vehicles left the Nijrab base in the Kapisa region, where anti-government insurgents have been active, and traveled southwest to Kabul, the capital, said Col. Thierry Burkhard, a French military spokesman.

‘This is the end of combat operations,’

Burkhard said, adding that the withdrawal went smoothly. ‘It’s the end of support operations for the Afghan National Army because we have no more troops who can deploy in such a role.’

Of those remaining, about 1,000 will focus on returning military equipment to France, while 500 will train Afghan troops, he said.

France joins Canada and the Netherlands in ending its combat role in Afghanistan.

Most Nato forces are due to leave by the end of 2014.

After the January attack in Kapisa, thenPresident Nicholas Sarkozy announced France would end its combat mission in 2013. The man who beat him in elections this year, Francois Hollande, fulfilled a campaign pledge to bring that forward to the end of 2012.

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Saarc international I Thursday 22 November 2012

WEEKLY REVIEW OF BANGLADESH NEWS

BNP Chairperson Khaleda “Give me one more chance,”

BNP Chairperson Khaleda the people.

Zia on Monday sought “Have a look, see the call of people. another chance to govern They want an election under non-party pledging a facelift of the country through what she said massive development work.

said.

Assuring the future generation of better lives, Khaleda said, “I don’t

and neutral government,” Khaleda said apparently pointing finger at the ruling alliance.

Khaleda urged the youths to reject the Awami League.

The government will have to be compelled to quit power,” she said “We need to wage stronger movement against the ‘blood sucker of people.”

Saying unemployment is rising she promised creation of jobs and bringing in more foreign investment in the country.

“The foreigners aren’t showing interest to invest here because we’re not getting investment environment. We’ll ensure increased foreign investment in the country to create more jobs,” Khaleda

have any high desire at this stage. We just want to see our future generation be smiling always with required access to education and jobs.”

Accusing the government of failures Khaleda said, “Awami League means famine, AL means terrorism, killings, looting. People are at critical stage as they’re passing bad days due to unabated corruption, price hike of essentials and utility bills.”

She alleged that the present government politicized police and civil administration including judiciary. “People these days are being deprived of getting justice. Police can’t play neutral role for government’s intervention. The administration has

“Give me one more chance,” she told a huge rally at Bangabandhu Park here.

“I’ll give the country a facelift through massive development work and I’ll free it from corruption” “If I fail to do that, I’m giving you word, I’ll accept any punishment,” she told the rally organized by BNP-led 18-party alliance.

The opposition alliance is campaigning for the restoration of recently abolished caretaker government system to oversee general election.

In apparent reference to the allies of the Awami League in the ruling Mahajote (Grand Alliance) Khaleda said, “Come out from the control of thieves. Otherwise, you’ll also have to shoulder the responsibility of its failures and corruption.”

The opposition leader said no election will be allowed to take place under the Awami League government. “The election will be held only under a nonpartisan and neutral government.”

She alleged that the Awami League has done nothing for the welfare of

EU envoy meets slum children

EU heads of Mission has discussed child labour and other related issues with slum children to learn how they would like to see their rights better protected in Bangladesh.

They met the children Tuesday to mark Universal Children’s Day 2012, says a European Commission press statement.

The group of children they visited is supported by an EU-funded

programme which is implemented

by Save the Children, which aims to combat child labour in Bangladesh.

Swedish Ambassador Anneli Lindahl-Kenny, European Union Ambassador William Hanna, Spanish Ambassador Luis Tejada, French Ambassador

Michel Trinquier, Netherlands Ambassador Gerben de Jong, British Chargé d’Affaires Nick Low and German Head of Cooperation Johannes Schneider took part in the visit.

Save the Children Country Director Michael McGrath also attended the programme.

become dysfunctional.”

Khaleda came down heavily on Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) and said the BCL has turned into ‘monster’ and they are continuously killing people, kidnapping innocent kids and looting people’s assets. “Even today, the BCL activists attacked on the teachers. No one is safe in the hands of this government.”

Branding the ruling party as a “great liar and world thief”, she said the World Bank had to cancel fund allocation for Padma Bridge for taking advance commission through graft.

“We’ll build the Padma Bridge, if voted to power with two additional bridges on River Padma,” she said.

She criticized the government for alleged stock market scam. “Whenever AL comes to power, the share market

sees such collapse.”

Accusing the government of patronising terrorism, Khaleda said, “They (AL) are giving arms to their activists (of Awami League, Chhatra League and Juba League). They kidnapped kid Porag and realized Tk 50 lakh as ransom.”

She also alleged that there was no real investigation of sensational incidents including that of Pilkhana carnage.

“We’ll ensure fair investigation to the BDR incident. No one will be spared.”

Khaleda assured the people of Barisal that BNP, if voted to power, would build Kuakata and Cox’s Bazaar as full-fledged tourism centers to attract tourists from both home and abroad.

She pledged to make education for female students free up to degree level.

2,500 Jamaat, Shibir men arrested’

Home Minister Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir on Tuesday said at least 2,500 leaders and activists of Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir were arrested across the country until now on charges of attacking and clashing with the police.

He gave the figure to the media after visiting the Safipur Ansar VDP Academy in Gazipur’s Kaliakoir.

“The state has initiated all sorts of measures to stop Jamaat and Shibir.

At least 2,500 miscreants have been arrested,” Alamgir said.

Jamaat and Shibir leaders and activists have been demonstrating, vandalising and attacking police personnel in the capital Dhaka and elsewhere since the beginning of this month demanding release of the party’s top-brass put on trial on charges of committing war crimes in 1971.

Law Minister Shafique Ahmed’s convoy was also attacked by Shibir activists at Dhaka’s Karwan Bazar last week. Shibir activists also reportedly set a police official on fire in Joypurhat.

Amid countrywide assault and

vandalising, the police have been detaining numerous Jamaat and Shibir supporters. However, Jamaat says their men were arrested over ‘false’ cases while police obstructed their programmes.

Alamgir on Tuesday said cases had been lodged under Speedy Trial Act against at least 350 arrestees. “We hope those who are happy to create this kind of anarchy will stay away from doing so after these arrestees are tried.”

He also claimed Jamaat and its student wing were linked with the attacks and vandalising on Buddhist households and temples in Cox’s Bazar’s Ramu in September. The Home Minister also spoke about the Rohingya issue.

“Rohingyas are not just Rohingyas, they must be called ‘Myanmar’s Rohingyas’.”

He also thanked US President Barack Obama for his call on Monday on Myanmar to recognise the Rohingyas as citizens and give them social acceptance.

Alamgir also addressed the officials of Ansar at the Officers Mess at Safipur Ansar VDP Academy on Tuesday after his visit.

Saarc international I Thursday 22 November 2012

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WEEKLY REVIEW OF BHUTAN NEWS

Focus on balanced growth and happiness, Bhutan PM suggests

The prime minister of Bhutan and economic gurus urged Thailand to adopt sustainable policies that will promote economic growth as well as create balance and happiness in society - instead of focusing only on development. They spoke at a seminar in Bangkok yesterday.

Meanwhile, the chief of the UN Conference on Trade and Development warned Thailand not to rush into joining the TransPacific Partnership (TPP) as the country may not get full benefits from the pact and could face difficulty complying with many of the commitments.

At the 30th annual conference of the Thai Chamber of Commerce in Bangkok yesterday, Bhutan Prime Minister Lyonchoen Jigmi Y Thinley said the kings of Thailand and Bhutan have very similar ideas on sustainable development, like the sufficiency economy, which aims to promote happiness for the people.

“The concept of Gross National Happiness [GNP] will promote

equality, sustainability, and happiness. We do not mean to ignore growth and foreign investment, but we are rather concerned about sustainable

forging closer cooperation with Thailand to promote trade, tourism, investment, and social development between both countries. Closer cooperation

investment,” the Bhutan PM said.

His country was looking at investment that promoted not only economic growth but was also sustainable and advanced people’s knowledge, he said. The preferred areas were tourism, hospitality, education, plus information technology, health-care, hydro power, and green industry.

Bhutan was also interested in

could come through some kind of agreement that promotes collaboration between the public and private sector. Businesses in Bhutan would like to learn from Thailand’s world class healthcare and hospitality, he said.

The four pillars of GNP that promote the economy and basic happiness were: sustainable and equitable socio-economic

development, conservation of its fragile mountain ecology, promotion of cultural growth and diversity and good governance.

Supachai Panichapakdi, secretarygeneral of UNCTAD, said Thailand needed to focus on long-term development and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) or Asean+6 agreement rather than hurriedly join the TPP. He warned the government to carefully conduct a study to weigh the positive and negative impacts of the TPP before making any commitment to the US. “President Obama’s visit to Thailand is a good sign to show the world that Thailand is one of the interesting nations. But we should focus on the RCEP and Asia before moving to join the TPP,” he said.

Speaking on “Direction for balancing sustainability growth through sufficiency economy: the solution to the global society,” Supachai expressed worry about the global economic system as the world used too many resources and was over-spending, which could

lead to another financial crisis.

For instance, Quantitative Easing 3 was not a good solution for the US economy because it led to more speculation. Supachai said UNCTAD was not against the market system, but wanted to improve balanced and sustainable growth, and for that countries needed to adopt good governance and morality in doing business and to promote equal growth.

The sufficiency economy policy would limit liabilities, limit the spending of natural resources, develop a small community, and the focus on trade and labour welfare would help ensure a stable global economy, he said.

Chamber chairman Phongsak Assakul also said that sufficiency economy was an effective ideology businesses should adopt. He said the concept could be adopted to fight corruption, lift governance, corporate social responsibility, and help created shared values.

These ideas would ensure fair treatment for all involved and create sustainable growth for business and society.

Night inferno displaces 110 persons in Sanischare

A night inferno that reportedly started from a hut in Sanischare camp when the hut owner was performing Laxmi Puja on Tuesday night at 10:15 p.m. has displaced 110 individuals.

Sub-Inspector of camp-based Armed Police Force (APF), Rit Bahadur Basnet, confirmed that those displaced by fire included refugees from various 40 huts of Sector D1, D2 and D3.

Of this, 21 huts including two rooms of New Horizon Academy were damaged by fire while additional 19 huts were dismantled while containing the mishap, informed Camp Secretary Champa Singh Rai. The hut from which the fire was reported to break out first belonged to Dhan Maya, said the camp authority.

It took almost an hour for a fire

extinguisher to contain fire, the joint battle operated by APF personnel, camp residents and locals, according to Sub-Inspector Basnet.

The displaced are taking shelter at the camp school and community child care center. Caritas Nepal and Bhutanese Refugee Women Forum (BRWF) supplied today’s breakfast to the displaced victims.

Assistant Chief District Officer of Jhapa, Yogendra Dulal, and

UNHCR Damak Chief Sajal Gupta also visited the site this morning, assuring victims of prompt relief packages.

Talking to BNS correspondent, Assistant CDO Dulal told that displaced people would be temporarily housed in Sanischare before issuing their permanent huts, either in the same camp or Beldangi-II. Officials from World Food Programme and Lutheran World Federation also visited the camp for releasing ration and construction materials respectively, added Camp Secretary Rai. Most of the victims the BNS correspondent talked to lamented that the inferno not only destroyed their personal belongings and documents but also significant cash amounts sent to them for celebrating festival by their resettled friends and relatives.

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Saarc international I Thursday 22 November 2012

WEEKLY REVIEW OF INDIA NEWS

Govt unfazed by no-trust move

Says it has the numbers to prove majority in LS CPM rules out support to Mamata Unfazed by Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee’s decision to move a no-confidence against the ruling UPA combine in the winter session of Parliament that commences on Thursday, the government today said it had the numbers to survive the vote.

“We are fully confident of the numbers and will prove our majority on the floor of Lok Sabha whenever such a motion comes. We have more than 272,” Congress spokesperson Sandeep Dikshit said here today, a view endorsed by Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari.

The government’s confidence stems from the fact that the Opposition is divided on this issue and most political parties, except the Trinamool, are not ready for an early Lok Sabha poll. Although there is no official word from UPA’s outside supporters -- the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party -- the Congress is certain they will not destabilise the government.

The CPM, the Trinamool’s arch political foe in West Bengal, has already made it clear it will not support Mamata’s move. Talking to mediapersons today, CPM general secretary Prakash Karat said, “We have discussed the matter twice and our united stand is that we will not support Trinamool Congress’s no confidence motion.” The CPM has already given a notice for a debate on FDI in retail under Rule 184, which entails a vote.

“We think the best way to corner the government is to move the resolution in Lok Sabha under Rule 184... Noconfidence motion will help the UPA government because they have the numbers. We will not go for a noconfidence motion, but will take some other steps which will help us to corner the government,” he said.

CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta has said his party would not bail out the government if the Trinamool brought a motion against it, but it could be persuaded to revise its position.

The BJP has not revealed its stand.

The issue will be discussed tomorrow

by the Parliamentary party’s executive to be followed by a meeting of the NDA called to chalk out its strategy to corner the UPA government.

The Left and the BJP are wary of supporting a no-trust motion as they believe a defeat will be tantamount to an endorsement of the UPA government’s policies. The Trinamool chief’s move has put the BJP in a dilemma. As the principal Opposition party, it cannot be seen to be bailing

out the government by rejecting her proposal. On the other hand, it will

hand over the political initiative to Mamata Banerjee if it supports the motion. Congress leaders privately admit they are more worried about the vote on FDI than Mamata Banerjee’s plans to move a no-confidence motion.

In the case of a no-trust motion, its allies -- including the SP and the BSP -- would back the ruling combine as none of them are keen on a mid-term poll.

However, the government will face greater embarrassment on the FDI issue as the SP and the DMK will find it hard to vote with it, as both have publicly opposed this policy.

BJP wary The Left and BJP are wary of supporting a no-trust motion as they believe a defeat will be tantamount to an endorsement of the UPA government’s policies Mamata’s move has put the BJP in a dilemma. As the principal Opposition party, it cannot be seen to be bailing out the government by rejecting her proposal On the other hand, it will hand over the political initiative to Mamata if it supports the motion The issue will be discussed on Tuesday by the Parliamentary party’s executive PM-BJP dinner on Thursday Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s dinner for BJP leaders that was cancelled after the demise of Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray will now be held on Thursday. The PM is reaching out to the principal Opposition party to enlist its support for smooth conduct of the winter session of Parliament.

Yashwant Sinha demands Supreme Court pulls up Jayalalithaa for filing four nominations in 2001 assembly polls Gadkari’’s resignation

The campaign for the resignation of beleagured BJP President Nitin Gadkari today got fresh ammunition with senior leader Yashwant Sinha demanding that he step down immediately.

“Whether our party president is guilty or not is not the issue today. The issue is that all of us in public life should be beyond reproach,” he told PTI. Sinha’s demand brings alive once again the campaign initiated by BJP Rajya Sabha MP Ram Jethmalani and his son Mahesh for the party chief’s resignation in the wake of reports of alleged dubious financing of Purti Sugar and Power Group.

The campaign against Gadkari had appeared to take a backseat after the party backed him in the wake of a clear chit given by auditor S Gurumurthy, who had gone into the balance sheet and accounts of the Purti group.

But its revival may have come at an inappropriate time when the party plans to corner the government on various issues, including alleged scams, in the winter session of Parliament beginning Thursday. Sinha said he was issuing his statement for Gadkari’s resignation with a “great deal of sadness and regret and after exhausting the forums available” for him in the party.

“I am confident that the issue I am raising has merit and I have faith in the wisdom of the party to be able to deal with this issue.

“In fact, it is this faith which kept me from issuing this statement earlier.

Unfortunately, despite my best effort the party has been unable to take a decision in the matter,” he said. Recalling that in the past too he had raised his voice against supporting Anshuman Mishra in the Rajya Sabha elections, Sinha said, “the party had heeded my advice then as I hope it does now.

“The BJP has always set the highest standard of conduct in the past which should be followed even now now. We were a party with a difference earlier.

We must continue to be a party with a difference even today and in future.”

The Supreme Court today pulled up Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa for filing four nominations during the 2001 Assembly polls. The top court also criticised the Returning Officer (RO) of the Election Commission for not initiating proceedings against her

after she filed multiple nomination papers.

“You are a public figure in the state and you run a party. How can you do this?” a Bench of Justices HL Dattu and CK Prasad said while hearing a plea of the AIADMK chief seeking quashing of criminal proceedings against her for filing four nominations.

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WEEKLY REVIEW OF PAKISTAN NEWS

Democracy essential to save Pakistan: Zardari

* President says patriotism can’t be monopolised by any institution * Failure or retreat not an option in war against extremism President Asif Ali Zardari on Monday said true and real revolution was only possible through the evolution of democracy.

The president said this while addressing the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, the first-ever address by any democratically elected president to this assembly. He said, “All we need is practicing democracy where there is tolerance and mutual understanding of each others’ perspectives.”

The president said everyone had to struggle to create an environment where democracy could flourish and no resorted to extreme measures.

“Democracy is essential for our survival and it is in the interest of all of us,” he added.

The president thanked the speaker and chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for inviting him to address the assembly and said it was

a matter of great satisfaction to see that the coalition government under the leadership of KP Chief Minister

Amir Haider Hoti was nearing completion of its five-year tenure.

“This is a great and noble tradition.

This is the spirit of reconciliation. I wish this spirit is displayed always and everywhere,” the president added.

The president’s spokesman Farhatullah Babar said the president remarked that gone are the days when patriotism was suspected because of political dissent. Patriotism cannot be monoplised by anyone. It is not the monopoly of any individual, nor can it be monopolised by one province or by any single institution, he added. The president said people would never permit the monopoly of patriotism.

He said, “We all are patriots. Let there be no doubt or mistake about it. It was a grave wrong to suspect our own people as less than

patriotic. It was equally wrong to suspect Shaheed Benazir Bhutto as a security risk.”

President Zardari also lauded the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for their fight against militancy and extremism. He said the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were the frontline defenders of the country.

He said he had come to declare yet again that “we will continue our fight against militancy and extremism to the finish and we will not falter, we will not give up”. He said, “This is the fight for our survival, for our values.

Failure or retreat is not an option and we will fight till final victory.”

The president said the greatest threat to Pakistan was from extremism and militancy. Condemning the attack on the convoy of former Jammat-eIslami chief, the president said, “We all have to fight against that mindset

that attacked Qazi sahib.”

“A particular mindset is bent upon destabilising the country and we will continue to our fight against this mindset till we defeat it,” Zardari said, adding it was the same mindset that assassinated Benazir Bhutto.

He said militants had not even spared graves, mosques and churches. They had also destroyed holy shrines.

He condemned that a church in Mardan was attacked and destroyed by extremists. “We condemn it.

The government will rebuild the church and this is a message to the militants,” he added.

President Zardari said parliament had been strengthened and attempts to separate the provinces had been foiled and unity forged among them by giving them their due rights.

Earlier, the president performed earth-breaking ceremony of Torkham-Peshawar Road extension project in the provincial capital. agencies.

Imran Khan a positive Muharram security: Sindh govt force in politics: Bilawal requests army’s assistance

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari hailed Imran Khan’s decision to contest the upcoming general elections , reported Radio Pakistan.

He expressed his approval of Imran Khan’s decision to take part in the next general election during the Pakistan Leaders of Tomorrow conference in Islamabad, adding that he is certain that the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chief will be a positive force for politics in the country. “I am confident his inclusion will have a positive impact on politics of Pakistan.”

Bilawal also spoke about Nawaz Sharif and called him an ally in supporting

democracy in Pakistan.

Unite against terrorism Bilawal called upon all political parties to collectively fight for eradicating terrorism from Pakistan.

The PPP chairman highlighted that both the Awami National Party (ANP) and the PPP have suffered from terrorism. He further stated that despite his party’s past differences with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), they are ready to set aside their differences and unite against a common enemy.

Bilawal added that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has been a part of PPP’s joint efforts to end Taliban rule in Swat.

He stated that the political parties must fight to protect Jinnah’s Pakistan from the threat of the Taliban.

Drone strikes During his speech, Bilawal unequivocally stated his opposition to drone strikes.

He condemned US, calling the CIA operated programme a violation of international laws.

Keeping in mind the deteriorating law and order situation and looming threats during Ashura, the Sindh government on Tuesday requested the armed forces to be on high alert for Ashura, and be ready to step in if called.

Sources at the Home Department said that the Sindh Chief Secretary had written a letter to the Karachi Corps Commander, asking to deploy armed forces in Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Mirpurkhas and Larkana divisions.

The army would not patrol roads but remain on alert in the district headquarters on both the days.

Army denies receiving letter The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) has, however, denied receiving any such letter from the Sindh government.

Earlier, Sindh Minister for Prisons Manzoor Wasan had approved the federal government’s decision to deweaponise the country and supported the idea of conducting operations in Karachi.

“There is nothing wrong in conducting

operations and deweaponisation of Karachi,” he had said, adding that not only the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), but the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Awami National Party (ANP) are also in support of such an action.

Wasan, who had also served as Sindh Home Minister, however, ruled out the concerns expressed by MQM Chief Altaf Hussain regarding Karachi operation and said that the action would be taken against criminals, extortionists, land mafia and suspects involved in terrorist activities.

“Karachi has become a nursery for the criminals and it is high time to start an operation without any delay,” he said.

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Saarc international I Thursday 22 November 2012

WEEKLY REVIEW OF MALDIVE NEWS

India closely monitoring situation in Maldives

India has expressed concern over heightened acrimony in the Maldives by urging its warring parties to reconcile their differences peacefully and assuring that it would take care of the safety of Indians living there.

A Foreign Office statement saw the situation as uncertain and said the government was “closely” monitoring the situation, keeping in view the need to ensure the safety and security of Indians in Maldives “and Indian interests in the country.’’

Indian corporate interests, especially of the GMR group and the Tatas, have been targeted by some political parties and figures

including spokesperson of the Maldivian President’s office who also questioned the integrity of Indian High Commissioner in Male Dnyaneshwar Mulay.

China assures support to tackle climate change in Maldives

China assured its support to tackle the growing problem of climate change in the Maldives, a spokesman said on Tuesday.

Maldives President’s Media Secretary Imad Masood told Xinhua that Chen

Zhili, Vice Chairwoman of the Standing Committee of the Chinese National People’s Congress, gave the assurance at an earlier meeting with President Mohamed Waheed.

“The Vice Chairwoman stressed China’s role as a strong player in the global fight against climate change,” Masood said. She assured continuous support for the on-going projects in the Maldives under the assistance from China, he described.

During the meeting at the President’s Office in Male, Chen Zhili also appreciated the Maldivian government for the support provided to China in the international arena.

2012 marks the 40th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between the two Asian countries and at the meeting Waheed and Chen Zhili have discussed the ways to strengthen bilateral ties between the two countries.

“President Waheed commended China’s developmental efforts, and expressed his confidence that China would be able to achieve more economic advancement through these efforts,” the spokesman said.

Waheed expressed his gratitude to the Chinese government for the continuous assistance provided in all areas of development for the Maldives and briefed on the recent issues faced by the island nation.

“There is a lot of excitement in the political space in the Maldives and not all of it is wholesome for us.

But we could not have got excited,” said highly placed sources on the

agitation against the GMR Group’s 25-year concession agreement to develop and manage the Male Airport.

“This incident was fortunately controlled and contained quickly.

People constantly look for political issues to fight the next elections. No one should do anything that derails the process for the next elections,’’ said the sources.

Most parties in the government have been attacking some recent Indian corporate forays because they were sanctioned by the erstwhile government of Mohamed Nasheed, whose Maldives Democratic Party would be their main political rival in the upcoming elections.

In fact the Foreign Office statement was triggered by the arrest of some of Mr. Nasheed’s close aides including Special Envoy Ibrahim Hussain Zaki, Press Secretary Mohamed Zuhair and party spokesperson Hamid Abdul Ghafoor.

The Ministry of External Affairs’ disapproval of the arrests was reflected in the statement: “India urges the government of Maldives and all political parties to adhere strictly to democratic principles and the rule of law thus paving the way for the holding of free, fair and credible elections. Violence and coercive measures are not conducive to this end.’’

Maldives sacks minister over anti-police comments

The Maldives sacked its human rights minister on Tuesday after she accused police of brutally assaulting her husband when he was arrested for allegedly drinking alcohol, an offence in the Islamic republic.

Dhiyana Saeed, the minister for Gender and Human Rights, said police had beaten up Abdulla Jabir during a raid on a small island being developed as a tourist resort.

“Police even hit Jabir on his private organs so hard that he is still bleeding,” Saeed was quoted as saying on the local Minivannews website.

President Mohamed Waheed’s office said she was sacked “for making false allegations” against the police.

Jabir, a member of parliament, was arrested on Friday along with another opposition lawmaker and two senior advisers of former president Mohamed Nasheed.

Drinking is punishable with hefty fines and lengthy jail terms under local and sharia law in the Maldives, a nation of 330,000 Sunni Muslims.

The opposition has described the arrests as politically motivated.

The Maldives is best known for its upmarket tourism industry but has recently been troubled by an increase in religious extremism, with calls to

ban spas and massage parlours from tourist resorts.

The country has also been in political turmoil for over a year.

Nasheed, the nation’s first democratically elected president, resigned in February after weeks of street protests against his administration and later claimed he was ousted in a coup.

Parliament removes CSC President Fahmy from post over sexual harassment allegations

Parliament today passed the motion to remove President of Civil Service Commission (CSC) Mohamed Fahmy Hassan from his post over allegations of sexually harassing a female employee.

The unprecedented dismissal of a head of an institution in Maldives over sexual harassment was passed by 38 MPs in favor while 32 voted against.

After the vote, Parliament Speaker

Abdulla Shahid had announced that Fahmy has been removed from the post of President of CSC. The Parliament’s Independent Bodies Committee earlier concluded their probe in to the case declaring Fahmy guilty of sexual of harassment.

While the Parliament had earlier given 14 days for Fahmy to tender his resignation, Haveeru has found that Fahmy had sent a

letter to the Parliament refusing to resign from his post. Fahmy had vehemently denied the accusations and labeled it as a “blatant lie.”

Parliament’s decision to remove Fahmy came after Human Rights Commission of Maldives (HRCM) had said there is not enough evidence to determine whether or not Fahmy had sexually harassed a female employee.

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WEEKLY REVIEW OF NEPAL NEWS

PM calls to end child labour

Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai has urged all the government entities to bring the policy-based reform regarding the child rights and bring them into practice.Addressing a programme organised by the Child Workers in Nepal Concerned Centre (CWIN) here on Tuesday, the Prime Minister urged all ministries to keep the national policy-2069 BS regarding the child rights in their work plan.

Prime Minister said the current government was sensitive over the child rights and expressed hope that the organisations that have worked and have long experience in this sector would support the government for the protection and promotion of the child rights.

The children’s excess to education has increased and admission ratio in the primary level has reached some 95.1 per cent but it is the matter of concern that still there are five percent children deprived of this facility.

There are challenges to face in the education, he said.Prime Minister Dr Bhattarai further said that the children are not provided with qualitative health and added, “The child labour in the country has been the bitter reality. The suppression and mistreatments to the children

are still in practice.”

Dr Bhattarai said that the government has amended the 10-year work plan on child rights and is planning to chalk out a master plan on child labour reduction. He said, “Work plan for rehabilitation of conflict hit children is prepared.Children-friendly local governance, national policy and procedures for its implementation and schools as zone of peace

Child rights activists honoured

The Child Workers in Nepal Concern Centre (CWIN) has honoured different persons for their contribution in the protection and promotion of child rights.

On the occasion of 25th anniversary of CWIN, Prime Minister Dr

Baburam conferred the honour to Chairman of National Human Rights Commission and former justice Kedarnath Upadhyay, Commission member and CWIN founding chairman Gauri Pradhan, former Speaker Subash Nembang,

former health minister Professor Dr Mathura Prasad Shrestha and human rights defender Padma Ratna Tuladhar amidst a programme in the capital on Tuesday.

Chancellor at Nepal Academy of Fine Arts Kiran Manandhar, politician Rakam Chemjong, right activists Sharada Raman, Bhuwaneshwori Satyal, Nupur Bhattacharya, and Baburam Adhikari were also honoured on the occasion.

Addressing the programme, Dr Bhattarai urged one and all to help the government for securing child rights and development.

and other policies have been prepared.”

Likewise, member of National Human Rights Commission Gauri Pradhan hailed the contribution of CWIN for the establishment of child right in the country. On the occasion, chairperson of CWIN Madhav Pradhan said that the state should contribute more for the capacity development of the children by establishing their rights.

President approves budget ordinance sans consensus

President Dr Ram Baran Yadav has approved the budget ordinance forwarded by the government on Tuesday evening.

President Yadav endorsed the

Earlier today, Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai along with Finance Minster Barshaman Pun and Chief Secretary Lila Mani Paudel had reached Sheetal Niwas, the office of the President to submit

ordinance for the use cash from the consolidated fund as per the article 88 (1) of the interim constitution, reads a press release issued by the president’s office.

Despite the opposition parties’ objection, government had forwarded the budget ordinance of Rs. 300.064 billion for “remaining eight months” to President for endorsement.

As soon as President endorsed the budget, Finance Minister Barshaman Pun made the budget public by organising a press conference.

the budget ordinance.

This is the first time Presidnet has approved the ordinance submitted by governent since the dissolution of the Constituent Assembly, which also used to act as a legaslative Parliament.

Earlier before Tihar, Dr Bhattarai and FM Pun were repeatedly advised by President Dr Ram Baran Yadav to unveil budget only after attaining a political consensus.

President had rejected a budget of around Rs 458 billion which government planned to bring though ordinance.

Writ petition filed against President at Supreme Court

While government has forwarded a budget ordinance of Rs. 300.064 billion for “remaining eight months” to President for endorsement , a writ has been filed at the Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday against the President

Dr Ram Baran Yadav “for obstructing ordinances sent to President’s office for approval”.

The date for the hearing of the writ filed by Advocate Udhav Prasad Chaulaghain is likely tomorrow.

The writ says that the President has ‘ illegitimately blocked’ the ordinances relating to education, health, and formation of Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

At a time when country is devoid of Parliament, President has been recommending government to forward those ordinances only after forging consensus among the parties.

Political consensus is elusive as ruling parties and opposition parties are at bad terms. Opposition parties have been reiterating that there cannot be any decisive talks with the government until it steps down.

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Saarc international I Thursday 11 September 2012

WEEKLY REVIEW OF SRILANKA NEWS

China to launch Sri Lanka’s first satellite

Sri Lanka’s first satellite will be launched from the Xichang Satellite

Launch Centre in Chinda on 22nd November, report

The announcement was made by none other, than the little less well known

- Rohitha Rajapaksa - President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s youngest son on Saturday.

The satellite will be operational for commercial purposes by early June 2013. The project is run by SupremeSAT, a BOI approved company that is in an exclusive agreement with China’s state owned China Great Wall Industry Corporation (CGWIC).

Rohitha Rajapaksa said that the logistics for a space station is being sought at present, and that the station would employ 200 Chinese trained

professionals.

Speaking to a local newspaper, he also announced that Sri Lanka was planning to launch its own satellite in 2015. After India and Pakistan, Sri Lanka becomes the third nation in the south-Asian region and 45th country in the world to own a communication satellite of its own.

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s youngest son Rohitha Rajapaksa has told local media persons that Sri Lanka has plans to launch its own satellite in 2015.

Suspects in murder of Sri Lanka, Kazakhstan leaders hold British tourist granted bail talks to broaden political, economic ties

A local politician, who is accused of murdering British tourist Kuram Shaikh Zaheer, has been released on bail, the Daily Mirror reported today.

The Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman of Tangalle, Sampath Vidanapathirana, was released

by a court on Monday, along with seven other suspects.

Vidanapathirana, who is a close friend of the Rajapakse dynasty, is accused of involvement in the killing of Mr Zaheer and the rape of his Russian girlfriend, on Christmas Eve last year.

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa met with his Kazakhstan counterpart President Nursultan Nazarbayev in Astana Tuesday and held bilateral discussions to broaden the political and economic ties between the two countries.

The top level meeting focused on the issues of political interaction and

issues and a solid foundation for further strengthening of bilateral cooperation.

The Kazakhstani leader, stressing that President Rajapaksa’s visit to Kazakhstan is of great importance, has said the two countries have a good opportunity to exchange views on relevant issues and get to know

activation of the commercial and economic, scientific and technical, and cultural and humanitarian partnership, according to the Kazakhstan Presidential press service.

Sri Lankan President’s three-day official visit is to the Kazakhstan capital at the invitation of President Nazarbayev coincides with the 20th anniversary of establishment of the diplomatic ties between the two countries.

Sri Lankan leader’s visit to the central Asian country is aimed at creating a platform for open exchange on wide range of regional and global

each other better.

“We enjoy good relations of confidence and mutual understanding. I am confident this meeting will give a new impetus to cooperation between our states in various spheres- economy, politics, and culture,” President Nazarbayev said.

Sri Lankan President, expressing his appreciation to President Nazarbayev on behalf of the Sri Lankan delegation for the warm welcome in Astana, said his visit will allow the two nations to outline the specific spheres for cooperation.

“We have a great potential for the

Sri Lanka’s private sector workers to take to the streets on Friday

Private sector workers in Sri Lanka are to take to the streets on Friday against the government’s failure to pay attention to the need for a salary increase in the 2013 budget.

The Inter Company Employees’ Union (ICEU) has organized a protest in Colombo on Friday (23) at 4 p.m.

Head of the ICEU, Wasantha Samarasinghe said that workers

from the private, estate and even state sector would participate in the protest.

He noted that the minimum wage of a private sector employee is Rs. 9,660 and that the government has failed to address their issues.

He explained that the private sector employees were the major contributors to the country’s development and that it is this very same people who have been ignored by the government.

“The government has not even referred to the private sector employees in the 2013 budget,” Samarasinghe said.

He added that the 2013 budget has only increased the workers’ battle for survival.

development of trade and economic relations, growth of foreign investments, in particular, tourist industry,” President Rajapaksa said.

President Rajapaksa apprised his Kazakhstani counterpart of a series of bilateral agreements soon to be signed to open air service between the two countries and facilitate a visa-free regime for holders of diplomatic and official passports.

Kazakhstan President also invited Sri Lanka to the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA).

“We have agreed to cooperate under the SCO (Shanghai Corporation Organization) and other organizations. I have asked Sri Lanka to be an acting member of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA),” President Nazarbayev said.

President Rajapaksa said Sri Lanka made a decision to achieve the observer’s status in CICA in order to start a closer cooperation in this format for enhancement of interaction of Asian countries.

During the meeting the Sri Lankan President extended an invitation to President Nazarbayev to visit Sri Lanka.

After the top level meeting the two countries signed an agreement on tourism cooperation.

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A sea of people at Thackeray’s funeral procession

Lakhs turn up to bid adieu to Thackeray Lakhs of people, including Shiv Sena supporters, thronged the funeral procession of party chief Bal Thackeray in Mumbai on Sunday.

According to Mumbai Police, lakhs of people, including those gathered at the Shivaji Park where the body will be kept and later cremated, had come out to to pay their last respects to Thackeray, who died at 86 Saturday afternoon due to prolonged illness.

The Shiv Sainiks were pouring into Mumbai in their thousands from Maharashtra’s Thane, Raigad, Pune, Aurangabad and Konkan regions -- the bastions of the rightwing party founded by Thackeray on June 19, 1966.

Police said around two lakh people were travelling with the procession and many others were joining it

from connecting roads with the sea of humanity stretching for several kilometres.

People were also trying to catch a glimpse of the leader’s body from rooftops, hoardings, trees, water pipes and parapets.

As the procession reached a connecting road in Mahim, many Muslim women were seen silently weeping.

At the Mahim Church, many church-going people were waiting to join the final journey of the leader whose political career spanned five decades.

Wrapped in the tricolour, Thackeray’s body was brought out of his house a little after 9 a.m.

His son Uddhav broke down before the procession started. A glass box carrying the Sena patriarch’s body

was then loaded onto a truck decked with flowers.

Uddhav, wife Rashmi and son Aditya were on the truck with Thackeray’s

nephew and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj, wife Sharmila and their children.

Raj later disembarked and walked

behind the truck with the funeral procession, keeping a low profile and eyes firmly on the ground.

Thackeray’s cortege will first go to Sena Bhavan, the party headquarters in Dadar, and the body would later be kept at Shivaji Park for people to pay their last respects.

However, the procession was moving extremely slowly with police trying to avoid a stampede.

Over 20,000 policemen, 15 companies of State Reserve Police Force and three contingents of Rapid Action Force had been deployed on the procession route, said a police officer.

Mumbai Police Commissioner Satyapal Singh even cancelled his daughter’s wedding reception Sunday.

After allowing thousands of Shiv Sainiks to pay their respects to Thackeray, the body will be taken to Shivaji Park and kept for a public ‘darshan’.

All major roads and public places wore a deserted look, barring some security vehicles. Restaurants, shops and other establishments remained closed. Over a lakh autorickshaws and around 60,000 black and yellow taxis were also off the roads.

Four years after 26/11, Kasab hanged and buried in Pune jail Continued from page 19 >> charge. The decision was taken to hang Kasab on Nov 21 but only a handful knew about it.

An expert hangman was summoned.

On Nov 12, Kasab was told about his impending hanging by jail staff in Mumbai’s Arthur Road Jail where he had been for four years.

A week later, early on Nov 19, he was taken on a special flight to Pune.

When death came knocking two days later, he requested authorities that his mother be informed, and indicated he had no last wish. He did not want to make a will or any final testament.

Just 15 minutes after Kasab’s death, the Operation X team conveyed to the state home department that the task was “successfully completed”.

Disclosing some of the details, Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan said Kasab did not leave behind any will.

The announcement of his death

was made by state Home Minister R.R. Patil, stunning everybody with the suddenness with which the sentence had been implemented.

Words broke out between India and Pakistan.

In line with protocol, Islamabad was informed before Kasab was hanged, informed sources said.

Pakistan was also told about an address in Pakistan that Kasab had given to Indian authorities, the sources said.

Shinde added: “Pakistan refused to accept the letter informing them of Kasab’s hanging and they returned it. So we sent them a fax as well.”

The Pakistani foreign office disagreed and described as “incorrect and baseless” the reports.

India’s Deputy High Commissioner visited the Pakistan foreign office Tuesday with the note regarding Kasab’s execution, and the Director General, South Asia, in the foreign affairs ministry, acknowledged the receipt, it said.

Notwithstanding the controversy

with Pakistan, for the Manmohan Singh government, the hanging was strategically timed. It comes a day before the winter session of parliament and weeks ahead of Gujarat assembly election in December.

“Better late than never,” said Shahnawaz Hussain of the opposition BJP. Other reactions poured in as well, most welcoming the death sentence, some calling for introspection.

For the survivors of the attack and the relatives of those killed, it was a closure of sorts.

As K. Unnikrishnan, the father of the late NSG commando Sandeep Unnikrishnan, put it: “... it is a step in the right direction.

But a lot has to be done before perpetrators of the Mumbai attack are brought to justice (in Pakistan).”

LeT says Kasab execution will “inspire” more attacks; TTP “shocked” Mohammad Ajmal Kasab, executed in India on Wednesday for his role in the 2008 Mumbai

massacre, was a “hero” who will inspire more attacks, a senior commander of the militant group accused of masterminding the attack told news agency Reuters.

“He was a hero and will inspire other fighters to follow his path,” the commander of Lashkare-Taiba (LeT) told Reuters by telephone from an undisclosed location.

Meanwhile, The Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) expressed shock on Wednesday over Kasab’s execution.

“There is no doubt that it’s very shocking news and a big loss that a Muslim has been hanged on Indian soil,” Taliban spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan told reporters.

India, Pak squabble over communication on Kasab hanging India and Pakistan were today squabbling over communication about the hanging of 2008 Mumbai attack terrorist Ajmal Kasab.

Immediately after the hanging was carried out in Pune, Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said

Indian mission in Islamabad has informed Pakistan government about the hanging.

“The External Affairs Ministry through our mission in Islamabad had informed the Pakistan government about Kasab’s hanging. When they did not accept the letter, they were communicated through fax,” he said in Delhi.

Pakistan, on the other hand, came out with a statement asserting that it had “received that note and acknowledged its receipt.”

The Indian Deputy High Commissioner visited the Foreign Office in Islamabad last evening with the note regarding Kasab’s execution and the Director General for South Asia in the Foreign Ministry “received that note and acknowledged its receipt,” Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman Moazzam Khan said.

Reacting to Pakistani assertion, government sources in Delhi said, as of now, the Indian High Commission has not received any “acknowledgement” from their foreign ministry.

NEWS

30

Saarc international I Thursday 22 November 2012

2 Girls held for FB post on Thackeray funeral

One should not observe bandh for Thackeray’s funeral.

“We should remember Bhagat Singh and Sukhdev,” Two girls were arrested over their Facebook post questioning the shutdown in the city for Shiv Sena patriarch Bal Thackeray’s funeral with the comment also leading to an attack on the clinic of an uncle of one of them

by Sena activists.

The arrests in neighbouring Thane on yesterday sparked an outrage with Press Council of India chief Markandey Katju today demanding ‘immediate’ action against police personnel involved. Congress said a police case against the girls was ‘unfortunate’ and hoped Maharashtra government would take remedial measures.

The two girls--Shaheen Dhada and Renu--were sent to 14-day judicial custody by a court before which they were produced today but were granted bail within hours after they furnished personal bonds, police said.

Dhada was arrested after she posted comments on the social networking site opposing the shutdown in Mumbai.

She allegedly said that one should not observe bandh for Thackeray’s funeral.

“We should remember Bhagat Singh and Sukhdev,” the post said.

Dhada’s friend Renu was arrested for ‘liking’ the post.

“Police arrested both of them under section 505(2) (statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes). Today, they were granted bail,” their advocate Sudhir Gupta said.

The duo was arrested following a

police complaint lodged by a local Sena leader.

After the comment was posted, a mob of nearly 40 Shiv Sainiks allegedly barged into Dhada’s uncles’s orthopaedic hospital at Palghar and vandalised the place yesterday.

However, no arrests were made in connection with the attack.

In an e-mail to the Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, Katju warned of ‘legal consequences’ if he failed to take action against the police personnel concerned.

With the Aseem Trivedi episode apparently on the back of their mind, Maharashtra Police’s IG(Law and Order) Deven Bharti said a probe has been ordered into whether the contents of the Facebook post constituted an offence and even if the offence was registered why were the arrests made.

Bowing to public pressure and criticism from the court, the Maharashtra government last month decided to drop sedition charge against cartoonist Aseem Trivedi for allegedly insulting national symbols.

“Filing a case against the girls is unfortunate and I hope Maharashtra government will correct it,” Congress spokesperson Sandeep Dikshit said in Delhi. He, however, said a comment or two a couple of days later could have been alright since it was a ‘sensitive time’ on the day of Thackeray’s funeral.

Dikshit, at the same time, disapproved of the attack by the Sena activists.

Sudhir Gupta said the Facebook post at no place contains anything that insults anybody’s religious feelings.

“If you see the entire post, it nowhere insults anybody’s religious feelings,” he added.

Deven Bharti said the police probe will be conducted by Special IG of Konkan range Sukhwinder Singh.

“We have ordered an inquiry....if any further action needs to be taken the probe team will decide and send a report. On this report we will act,” he added.

“There were two major issues. We have asked him(Singh) to inquire whatever has been written, whether it qualifies for an offence. Second, even if the offence is registered, why the arrests were made, and under which circumstances were the arrests made,” he said.

Dr Abdul Yusuf Dhada, whose hospital was ransacked, said he has suffered heavy financial losses.

With the police coming under attack, Investigating Officer Shrikant Pingle said anybody can comment on Facebook.

“But one should make good comments which doesn’t hurt others’ sentiments,”

he added.

Markandey Katju demands action against cops who arrested women for Facebook post on Mumbai shutdown Press Council of India chief Markandey Katju today demanded “immediate” action against police personnel for reportedly arresting two women in Mumbai protesting the shutdown in the city on Bal Thackeray’s demise on social networking site Facebook.

In an e-mail to the Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, he warned of “legal consequences” if the CM failed to act.

“I will deem it that you as CM are unable to run the state in a democratic manner as envisaged by the Constitution to which you have taken oath and then legal consequences will follow,” Katju said. He demanded that the Chavan immediately order suspension, arrest, chargesheeting and criminal prosecution of the police personnel responsible for arresting the women allegedly on the ground of hurting sentiments.

“To my mind it is absurd to say that protesting against the bandh hurts religious sentiments. Under Article 19 of our Constitution, freedom of speech is guaranteed fundamental right. We are living in a democracy, not a fascist dictatorship. In fact, this arrest itself appears to be a criminal act since under sections 341 and 342, it is a crime to wrongfully arrest or wrongfully confine someone who has committed no crime,” he said.

The two Mumbai women were ordered by a court to 14 days in jail for their Facebook post. They were bailed within hours of being arrested after paying two Rs. 15,000 bonds.

Apologise for comment, but arrest was unfair: Women arrested for Mumbai bandh Facebook post

Women deactivate Facebook accounts, refuse to blame anyone for arrests.

The two women who were arrested for an anti-Bal Thackeray Facebook post, have deactivated their accounts and said that they would think twice before posting anything on the social networking site.

Sitting in the clinic of one of the girls’ uncle with their faces covered, they were very muted with their reaction.

One of them said that they were targetted unfairly and both said that they will be careful of they post on Facebook in the future.

Earlier reports said that police arrested nine people for vandalising the clinic of the uncle of the girl arrested for an antiBal Thackeray Facebook post.

It is unclear if those arrested are Shiv Sainiks. Hours after 21-year-old Palghar resident Shaheen Dhadha posted a comment on Facebook denouncing the virtual shutdown of the city following Bal Thackeray’s death, her uncle’s hospital in Palghar was vandalised.

The police have booked “unidentified persons” for rioting and damaging property.

Around 7pm on Sunday, a few police officials visited her uncle Dr Abdul Dhadha’s hospital. Abdul, however, has

been in Mahabaleshwar for a fortnight, said Sudhir Gupta, her advocate.

“Officials who went to the hospital said Shaheen had posted something against the Shiv Sena chief and that she should remove it. Around 8.30pm, 30 to 40 unidentified persons vandalised the hospital, causing losses to the tune of Rs. 15 lakh to 20 lakh.”

Around 9pm, Shiv Sena president for Palghar city, Bhushan Sankhe, registered a case against Dhadha and her friend, Rainu Shrinivasan, 20.

At least nine people were detained on Tuesday for vandalising a clinic of a doctor after an anti-Bandh Facebook post by his niece on Bal Thackeray’s death.

Saarc international I Thursday 22 November 2012

Facebook arrest row: Prithviraj Chavan promises strict action against cops, if found guilty In the midst of a raging furore over the arrest of two young women over their Facebook post on the shutdown in Mumbai, Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan has promised “strict action” against police personnel, if they were found guilty in the probe that has been ordered into the incident. One of the women

had, on the social networking site, criticised the shutdown in the city on the day of Bal Thackeray’s funeral; her friend had “liked” the comment.

“The State Government has taken the matter in all seriousness and strict action will be taken against the defaulting personnel, in case a default is established in the enquiry,” Mr Chavan said in an email response to Press Council of India chief Markandey Katju. The latter had, in two separate emails sent to Mr Chavan on Monday, sought immediate” action against the police personnel, and also warned of “legal consequences” if the Chief Minister failed to act.

Mr Chavan also said he would initiate action once he received the probe report on the entire episode.

The inquiry is being conducted by Sukhwinder Singh, Special Inspector General of Konkan range. “I have instructed an inquiry to be conducted by a very senior officer immediately. I will act as soon as I receive the report,” he said. Yesterday Shiv Sena’s Rahul Narvekar, who heads the party’s legal cell, had denied that the police complaint was lodged by a Sena leader.

“It is for the state administration and police department to investigate complaints that are lodged. I am not aware of any complaint filed by any shakha pramukh of Shiv Sena. We will have to look into it. Uddhav Thackeray has made an appeal to the cadre to maintain peace,” he had said.

Social media has been abuzz with tweets and Facebook posts about the arrest of the women; most people have been demanding action against the policemen who arrested the two women and the miscreants, allegedly Shiv Sena workers.

Among the many tweets on the incident is that of activist-turnedpolitician Arvind Kejriwal who said, “Police officers who arrested the two girls in Mumbai shud be immediately dismissed. That’s minimum that the govt ought to do.”

Sources said top cops at the police headquarters in Mumbai were livid with the Palghar police. “We have ordered an inquiry...if any further action needs to be taken the probe team will decide and send a report. On this report we will act,” Deven Bharti, IG (Law and Order), Maharashtra Police said.

SAARC

31

Mehndi may cause serious side effects: Doctors

Applying chemical-laced ‘mehndi’ (henna) on the hands can cause serious side effects including skin infection, doctors said, cautioning girls and women against using it. Mehndi dermatitis cases are on the rise in the city, said Rohit Batra, dermatologist at Sir Gangaram Hospital here.

“We are getting 8 to 10 patients every day with serious side effects after applying mehndi on their hands,” he

added. “With the arrival of the festive and wedding season, the number of patients has increased. In the non-festive season, just one or two people come to us in a month with skin infection from mehndi. But after ‘karwa chauth’, it is on the rise,” Batra told Indian media.

He advised girls and women not to use chemical-laced mehndi as it causes irritation and leaves scratch marks,

Diwali firework blaze kills eight in India

An explosion and fire at a house in northern India killed eight people on Tuesday, including six members of a family who were making firecrackers for the festival of Diwali, a media report said. The incident happened in the town of c state, the Press Trust of India news agency said, quoting deputy superintendent of police Ashok Kumar Singh.

A loud explosion was heard after the firecrackers caught fire, killing eight on

Continued from page 30 >>

the spot and injuring 12 others, it added.

The crackers were being manufactured illegally ahead of Diwali, the festival of lights when Indians celebrate by letting

Sydney Sixers terminate Umar Akmal’s contract

his contract with Sydney Thunder, saying he wanted to play in the domestic competition to prove his form to the selectors.

“I have ended my contract in the Big Bash League, because I want to play in the national event to improve my form and justify my selection in the team,” Afridi told AFP. Akmal was just given permission to play in the opening match for the Sydney Sixers against Sydney Thunder after which he was to return to the national team to prepare for Pakistan’s tour to India which is scheduled to take place from December 25-January 6.

General manager of the Sydney Sixers, Stuart Clark, said that having Akmal for just one match was not in the interest of the club and therefore the agreement had been called off.

“While it would have been great to have Umar here for the start of the BBL season, the short time frame offered is not in the club’s best interest and we have decided to see if a suitable replacement is available rather than continue down this path,” Clark was quoted as saying by the Herald Sun. Sri Lanka crush New Zealand by ten wickets in first Test at Galle

which can have a life-long impact on the skin.

He added that mehndi agents do not use plain henna but add harsh chemicals to make it darker.

Skin infections due to mehndi cause swelling, itching and redness. Batra said that as soon as people notice such symptoms, they should visit a doctor to avoid any serious consequences.

“At the initial stages, mehndi can cause acute dermatitis if one does not see doctor immediately and the allergy can spread all over the body,” Batra added.

Sachin Dhawan, dermatologist at the Skin and Smile Clinic in Gurgaon, said that mehndi can even cause cancer.

“Over the years, skin infection due to mehndi has increased. It is better to use natural or plain henna instead of the synthetic one. Synthetic mehndi can leave permanent marks on the skin, and can even cause cancer,” Dhawan told IANS. He added that as a precaution, one should buy only good quality mehndi and not apply it repeatedly.

Rangana Herath exposed New Zealand’s weakness against spin with a six-wicket haul as Sri Lanka raced to an emphatic 10-wicket win on the third day of the opening Test in Galle on Monday. The left-arm spinner finished with 6-43 off 18 probing overs as New Zealand, trailing by 26 runs, crashed to 118 in their second innings after losing their last nine wickets for 83.

Sri Lanka effortlessly chased down a 93-run target, with debutant Dimuth Karunaratne remaining unbeaten on 60 and Tharanga Paranavitana 31 not out.

Karunaratne, who failed to open his account in the first innings, made amends with a 60ball knock which included nine fours.

Man-of-the-match Herath, who took 5-65 in the first innings, finished the Test with 11108, his second haul of 10 or more wickets in a match. Middle-order batsman Daniel Flynn, who made a half-century in the first innings, top-scored with 20 in a dismal New Zealand batting performance on a slow turning track.

It was New Zealand’s fifth successive Test defeat this year after they lost two matches each in the West Indies and India.

“Rangana knows what he is doing with the ball and he knows what the batsman is doing as well,” said his skipper Mahela Jayawardene.

“After Murali (Muttiah Muralitharan), from what I’ve seen in Sri Lankan cricket, he is the next best thing. Others have chipped in but Rangana has become the leading bowler for us.”Because of the pressure he is creating on the opposition and the way he’s performed, it has enabled us to be consistent in Test cricket in the last two years or so.” The Test was evenly poised at stumps on Sunday when New Zealand were nine runs ahead with as many wickets in hand, but Herath swung the match in his team’s favour with four quick wickets in the morning.

“Herath dominated our batting line-up in both innings. He is a very good bowler at the moment and the leading wicket-taker in 2012,” said New Zealand skipper Ross Taylor.

“He is very consistent in this part of the world and we have got to come up with a way of negating his wicket-taking ability. We have to pick ourselves up and give ourselves a chance in the Herath continually tested the batsmen

off fireworks. In September a major fire at a fireworks factory in southern India killed 38 people.

Critically injured taken to Kanpur The critically injured have been referred to a hospital in Kanpur.

The police said the houses of Mauji Lal, his brothers Ram Narain and Ram Sewak, and neighbour Ram Autar were damaged under the impact of the explosion.

with his shrewd variations, removing Taylor (18), James Franklin (two) and then Flynn and Doug Bracewell off successive deliveries.

He was well supported by paceman Nuwan Kulasekara and off-spinner Suraj Randiv, who bagged two wickets apiece. New Zealand’s batting woes began against pace, when Kulasekara struck twice in his opening three overs, dismissing overnight batsmen Martin Guptill in his second over and Kane Williamson to have the tourists struggling at 46-3.

Williamson was caught down the leg-side by a diving wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene.

Sri Lanka were bowled out for 247 in their first innings on Sunday in reply to New Zealand’s 221, with Mahela Jayawardene scoring 91 and vicecaptain Angelo Mathews 79.

The second and final Test starts in Colombo on Sunday.next match.” Scoreboard Brief Scores: New Zealand 221 & 118 (Daniel Flynn 20, Ross Taylor 18; Rangana Herath 5 for 36, Nuwan Kulasekara 2 for 28) lost to Sri Lanka 247 & 93 for no loss (Dimuth Karunaratne 60*, Tharanga Paranavitana 31*) by 10 wickets.

Man of the Match: Rangana Herath

32

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 22 November 2012

Sydney Sixers terminate

Big Bash League side Sydney Sixers have terminated Umar Akmal’s contract after the batsman was given permission by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to play in only one match, DawnNews reported on Tuesday.

The PCB had earlier refused Akmal, all-rounder Shahid Afridi and Saeed Ajmal permission to play in Australia’s

Twenty20 league due to the dates of Pakistan’s domestic T20 competition clashing with the Big Bash League.

PCB revised its decision on Monday following a request from Australian cricket authorities and allowed the three players short stints in the T20 league.

Continued on page 31 >> However, Afridi ended

SAT

Sports

Hasan lifts Bangladesh to 365 off just 55 balls and continued in the same vein in the last hour.

Mahmuddulah, a recognised batsman overshadowed by the newcomer, has so far hit nine fours in his 89-ball knock.

In the first session, West Indian captain Sammy had helped derail the home team by dismissing Shahriar Nafees (26) opener Tamim Iqbal (32) in quick succession after Bangladesh won the toss and batted.

Abul Hasan became only the second man in 135 years of Test cricket to hit a debut hundred batting at number ten on the opening day of the second Test against the West Indies on Wednesday.

The 20-year-old left-hander was unbeaten on 100 and added an invaluable 172 runs for the unfinished tenth wicket stand with Mohammad Mahmudullah (72) to help the home team recover from 193-8 to 365-8 at close on the opening day.

Hasan became an unlikely hero for the home fans as he turned spinner Sunil Narine for two to reach his hundred, matching Australian Reggie Duff’s feat who scored 104 against England at Melbourne in 1902 while batting at ten.

Hasan, whose previous highest first class score was 61, batted with complete authority as he has so far hit 13 boundaries and three towering sixes off just 108-balls to completely overshadow a destructive 5-81 by paceman Fidel Edwards.

Edwards had pushed Bangladesh

to the brink five minutes into resumption after tea when he had captain Mushfiqur Rahim (38) and Sohag Gazi (nought) in one over before Hasan and Mahmudullah subdued the West Indians.

The pair has set a new record for tenth wicket in all Bangladesh Tests, beating the 77 run stand between Mashrafe Mortaza and Shahadat Hossain, made against India at Chittagong in 2007.

The pair is just 24 short of beating the world record for tenth wicket in all Test cricket — 195 set by South African pair Mark Boucher and Pat Symcox, against Pakistan at Johannesburg in 1998.

West Indies were sloppy in the field, as Kieran Powell dropped Hasan when the batsman was on 42 and Mahmuddulah was floored

by Darren Bravo when on 37 — both off a luckless left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul and both proving costly.

Hasan made the most of the chance, hitting a four and six off Darren Sammy to complete his half-century

But it was fellow paceman Edwards who further reduced the home team in the second over after lunch, removing first Test centurion Naeem Islam (16) and star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan (17) in successive overs.

Bangladesh, who trail 0-1 in the series after losing the first Test by 77 runs in Dhaka, lost opener Nazimuddin in the third over of the innings for just four.

Iqbal and Nafees batted sensibly

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to add 59 for the second wicket but Sammy struck twice to give the West Indies the upper hand.

Nafees edged a wide delivery to the wicket-keeper while Iqbal was bowled off a sharp incoming delivery.

Edwards then took two wickets in his first over after tea break, with Rahim caught brilliantly by Ramdin and then trapped Gazi, but Hasan and Mahmudullah spoiled the good work in the end.

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