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INTERNATIONAL
Battle of Boyaca COLOMBIA - August 7
Saint Mary MacKillop Day AUSTRALIA - August 8 Mary Helen MacKillop (15 January 1842 – 8 August 1909), also
known as Saint Mary of the Cross, was an Australian Roman Catholic nun who, together with Father Julian Tenison Woods, founded the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart and a number of schools and welfare institutions throughout Australasia with an emphasis on education for the poor, particularly in country areas. Since her death she has attracted much veneration in Australia and internationally. On 17 July 2008, Pope Benedict XVI prayed at her tomb during his visit to Sydney for World Youth Day 2008. On 19 December 2009, Pope Benedict XVI approved the Roman Catholic Church's recognition of a second miracle attributed to her intercession. She was canonised on 17 October 2010 during a public ceremony in St Peter's Square at the Vatican. She is the only Australian to be recognised by the Roman Catholic Church as a saint.
The Battle of Boyacá in Colombia, then known as New Granada, was the battle in which Colombia acquired its definitive independence from Spanish Monarchy, although fighting with royalist forces would continue for years. Brigadier Generals Francisco de Paula Santander and José Antonio Anzoátegui led a combined republican army of Colombians and Venezuelans, complemented by the British Legion, to defeat in two hours a Royalist Colombian-Venezuelan forces led by Spanish Colonels José María Barreiro and Francisco Jiménez. Simón Bolívar credited the victory to the British Legion declaring that "those soldier liberators are the men who deserve these laurels" when offered laurels after the victory. The battle occurred 150 km from Bogotá in the Andes Mountains, in a place known as Casa de Teja, close to a bridge over the Teatinos River and 3 roads heading to Samaca, Motavita and Tunja, an area which is now part of the Boyacá Department.
On August 7, 1819, after Bolívar secured a narrow victory at Vargas Swamp Battle, both armies headed towards Bogotá, which was lightly defended. The capture of the capital in the hands of the Patriot Army would effectively cut off the advance of the republican army and give the strategic initiative to its opponents. At 6:00 a.m., the Spanish forces departed from Motavita towards Casa de Teja, a distance of only 25 km which the Spaniards completed in 7 hours 30 minutes, at an average speed of 18 minutes per kilometer. At 10:00 a.m. General Santander's forces departed from Tunja toward Casa de Piedra and the road to Bogota. The Patriot forces completed the 16 km in 4 hours (at an average rate of 15 minutes per kilometer). The Republican forces split in two: the vanguard reached Casa de Teja at 1:30 p.m., while the rearguard stopped a kilometer and a half behind to get some rest. Shortly before 2:00 p.m., Capitan Andres Ibarra and his forces spotted Casa de Teja and the vanguard of the Republican Army. The Spaniards spotted him too, and Coronel Sebastian Dias, chief of the vanguard of the Spanish army ordered to follow and engage what he believed was only a small observation force. They returned and General Santander ordered Lieutenant Coronel Paris to attack the Republican forces. The Spanish vanguard crossed a strategic bridge over the Teatinos River and took attack positions there. Meanwhile, the full force of the Patriot army under Santander had reached Casa de Piedra. The Spanish rearguard was still several meters behind, so General Anzoátegui ordered to block the way between the vanguard and the rearguard of the Spanish forces. The rearguard, outnumbered, retreated to a small hill close to Casa de Piedra. Simón Bolívar's forces arrived from Papia, after the Vargas Swamp battle. He ordered a flank attack on the Spanish rearguard: battalions Barcelona and Bravos de Paez were to attack on the right side while the Britanica and Rifles legion attacked on the left. The enemy assumed battle positions: in the center were three artillery pieces surrounded by royal battalions 12 and 22, and on the wings, cavalry units. Outnumbered, the Spanish rear guard began to retreat without any clear direction. Therefore, Bolívar ordered lancers units to attack the center of the Republican infantry, while a full cavalry squadron ran away from the battle via the road towards Samaca. Bareiro attempted to break the blockage of the Patriot forces and rendezvous with the Spanish vanguard but heavy enemy fire forced him and his forces to surrender. Meanwhile, one kilometer and a half behind Casa de Piedra, the Patriot vanguard managed to ford the river and was approaching the rear of the Republican vanguard force. Once it reached them, the vanguard forces engaged in battle, while the rearguard attempted to cross the river by force, using bayonets. The Spanish forces fled, leaving on the bridge their leader, Coronel Juan Taira. As the assembly of enemy prisoners began, the battle was over shortly after 4:00 p.m. At least 1,600 troops and several of the Spanish commanders, including Barreiro himself, were captured at the end of the battle. New Granada's liberation was assured by this victory, which left the road to Bogotá and the city itself practically undefended, as the survivors headed towards other locations. After the battle, Santander and Anzoátegui were promoted to Divisional General. On the orders of Santander, Coronel Barreiro and 38 more were executed in Bogotá on October 11, 1819. Painting of the Battle of BoyThe bridge in question, el Puente de Boyacá, is no longer in use but it has been maintained as aca, which resulted in the ina symbol of the Independence of South America. dependence of Colombia,
Historical consequences and legacy
The Boyaca Bridge
Venezuela,
Ecuador
and
The final defeat of Royal forces in the New Kingdom Panama from Spain. Exhibited of Granada and the weakening of the rest of the forces in all in the Federal Palace, Caracas, Venezuela. America. The royalist understand that the patriots were worthy of respect for their courage and heroism. The end of Spanish control over the American provinces, with the escape of viceroy Juan de Samano. The following freedom of all provinces in the New Kingdom. The creation of Gran Colombia. The start of an autonomous government in the former Spanish provinces. The independence of Venezuela, Peru, Ecuador and the creation of Bolivia. Viceroy Juan de Samano was informed of the defeat and manage to escape and flee to Spain, which brought to an end the reign of the Spanish Empire in northern Latin America. In commemoration of this battle, August 7 is a national holiday in Colombia. On this date every 4 years the elected President of Colombia is proclaimed in the Casa de Nariño. Taking advantage of this date, the Colombian capital, Bogotá, start the usual celebrations in commemoration of the birth of the city, on August 6, 1538.
Independence Day I V O RY C O A S T - A u g u s t 7
A e be ng con o ed by he F ench as a co ony s nce he end o he 1880s Cô e d vo e acqu ed s ndependence n Augus 7 1960 Fé x Houphouë Bo gny was s s p es den and ema ned as such un h s dea h n Decembe 1993 On h s day vo ans ce eb a e he ndependence om F ance and he coun y s s p es den
HISTORY
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TRADITIONS, CUSTOMS AND ACTIVITIES
ndependence Day s obse ved na onw de n Cô e d vo e and schoo s o ces and gene a bus nesses a e c osed o he day The day s ma ked by na ona cu u a even s o gan zed oca y by he gove nmen n he cap a c y o Yamoussouk o he e a e m a y pa ades and p ocess ons n ce eb a on o he ndependence o Cô e d vo e Du ng mo e u bu en po ca yea s he gove nmen and oppos on o ces ho d a es n he s ee s and he day s used as a p opaganda oppo un y Pa es a e he d a ove he coun y w h bangu he oca pa m w ne and a oko pe banana n pa m o
Peasants' Day TA N A Z A N I A - A u g u s t 8
Tanzan a Peasan s Day a so known as Saba Saba s he na ona ho day n Tanzan a s a so known as Wo ke s Day ndus y s Day o Peasan s Day s ce eb a ed on Augus 8 eve y yea Ac ua y s he ce eb a on o he ound ng o he Tangany ka A can Na ona Un on be o e he cons u on was changed and a e was ce eb a ed as he Peasan s Day
Saba Saba o he Peasan s Day was ce eb a ed on Ju y 7 eve y yea un 1992 n 1993 7 Ju y was dec a ed use ess as he Saba Saba mean ng seven seven and Nane Nane o E gh E gh o Augus 8 was es ab shed as he new Fa me s day Th s c ea ed a o o con us on as o wh ch day wou d be ce eb a ed as he na ona ho day Some peop e ook o on 7 Ju y wh e some on 8 h Augus wh e some e used o wo k on bo h days U ma e y a so u on was eached ha Saba Saba wou d be ce eb a ed n Da es Sa aam and he es o he coun y wou d ce eb a e he Peasan s Day o he Nane Nane on 8 Augus Bo h he Fa me s and he Peasan s Day s ce eb a ed on 8 Augus Th s day was ac ua y chosen o g ve espec and hono o he Peasan s and he Fa me s was a symbo o pay bu e o he Fa me s and he Peasan s o eed ng he coun y and s peop e ma ked a spec a s gn cance and a g ea o e ha hey p ay n he coun y s ex s ence and we be ng s ce eb a ed o g ve hem he due espec w hou wh ch he coun y wou d no have ex s ed and s ag cu u e wou d no be a ve A e he d spu e ove whe he Saba Saba o Nane Nane he day has os s mpo ance n a y n he 1980 s n Mwanza a c y n Tanzan a he e used o be a me s ade exh b on and a huge ce eb a on used o ake p ace o ma k he gh o he Fa me s day The e used o be huge ga he ng o a me s om a ove he coun y who used o b ng he p oduc s oge he Th s day was ce eb a ed o exchange ag cu u a deas among a me s
TRADITIONS, CUSTOMS AND ACTIVITIES
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Indigenous People I N T E R N AT I O N A L - A u g u s t 9
"Indigenous designs: celebrating stories and cultures, crafting their own future"
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Mary Helen MacKillop was born in Fitzroy, Victoria, on 15 January 1842. Although she continued to be known as "Mary", when she was baptised six weeks later she received the names Maria Ellen. MacKillop's parents lived in Roybridge, Inverness-shire, Scotland, prior to emigrating to Australia. The nun visited the village in the 1870s, and the local St Margaret's Church has a shrine to Mary MacK op 1869 her. MacKillop's father, Alexander MacKillop, born in Perthshire, had been educated at The Scots College in Rome and at Blairs College in Kincardineshire, for the Catholic priesthood but at the age of 29 left just before he was due to be ordained. He migrated to Australia and arrived in Sydney in 1838. MacKillop's mother, Flora MacDonald, born in Fort William, had left Scotland and arrived in Melbourne in 1840.Her father and mother married in Melbourne on 14 July 1840. MacKillop was the eldest of their eight children. Her younger siblings were Margaret ("Maggie", 1843–1872), John (1845–1867), Annie (1848–1929), Alexandrina ("Lexie", 1850–1882), Donald (1853–1925), Alick (who died at 11 months old) and Peter (1857– 1878). Donald would later become a Jesuit priest and work among the Aborigines in the Northern Territory. Lexie also became a nun. MacKillop was educated at private schools and by her father. She received her First Holy Communion on 15 August 1850 at the age of eight. In February 1851, Alexander MacKillop left his family behind after having mortgaged the farm and their livelihood and made a trip to Scotland lasting some 17 months. Throughout his life he was a loving father and husband but never able to make a success of his farm. He was even worse as a politician or at any kind of job. During most of the times the family had to survive on the small wages the children were able to bring home. MacKillop started work at the age of 14 as a clerk in Melbourne and later as a teacher in Portland. To provide for her needy family, in 1860 she took a job as governess at her aunt and uncle's property at Penola, South Australia where she was to look after their children and teach them. Already set on helping the poor whenever possible, she included the other farm children on the Cameron estate as well. This brought her into contact with Father Woods, who had been the parish priest in the south east since his ordination to the priesthood in 1857 after completing his at Sevenhill MacKillop stayed for two years with the Camerons of Penola before accepting a job teaching the Cameron children of Portland, Victoria in 1862. Later she taught at the Portland school and after opening her own boarding school, Bay View House Seminary for Young Ladies, now Bayview College, in 1864, was joined by the rest of her family.
Founding of school and religious order
Father Woods had been very concerned about the lack of education and particularly Catholic education in South Australia. In 1866, he invited MacKillop and her sisters Annie and Lexie to come to Penola and open a Catholic school. Woods was appointed director of education and became the founder, along with MacKillop, of a school they opened in a stable there. After renovations by their brother, the MacKillops started teaching more than fifty children. At this time MacKillop made a declaration of her dedication to God and began wearing black. In 1867, MacKillop became the first sister and mother superior of the newly formed order of the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart, and moved to the new convent in Grote Street, Adelaide. In the same year, at age 25, she adopted the religious name Sister Mary of the Cross. In Adelaide they founded a new school at the request of the bishop, Laurence Bonaventure Sheil. Dedicated to the education of the children of the poor, it was the first religious order to be founded by an Australian. The rules developed by Father Woods and MacKillop for the convent emphasised poverty, a dependence on divine providence, no ownership of personal belongings, faith that God would provide and willingness to go where needed. The rules were approved by Bishop Sheil. By the end of 1867, ten other nuns had joined the Josephites who had adopted a plain brown habit. The Josephite nuns became colloquially known as the Brown Joeys.
Expansion of the Josephites
In an attempt to provide education to all the poor, particularly in country areas, a school was opened at Yankalilla, South Australia in October 1867. By the end of 1869, more than 70 Josephite nuns were educating children at 21 schools in Adelaide and the country. MacKillop and her Josephites were also involved with an orphanage; neglected children; girls in danger; the aged poor; a reformatory (in Johnstown near Kapunda); a home for the aged; and incurably ill. Generally, the Josephite nuns were prepared to follow farmers, railway workers and miners into the isolated outback and live as they lived.They shared the same hardships while educating their children. In December 1869, MacKillop and several other nuns travelled to Brisbane to establish the order in Queensland. They were based at Kangaroo Point and took the ferry or rowed across the Brisbane Riverto attend Mass at old St Stephen's Cathedral. Two years later, she was in Port Augusta, South Australiafor the same purpose. The Josephite Congregation expanded rapidly and, by 1871, 130 nuns were working in more than 40 schools and charitable institutions across South Australia and Queensland.
health left the diocese effectively without clear leadership for much of his tenure. This resulted in bitter factionalism within the clergy and disunity among the lay community. After the founding of the Josephites, Sheil appointed Father Woods as director general of Catholic education. Father Woods came into conflict with some of the clergy over educational matters and local clergy began a campaign to discredit the Josephites. As well as allegations of financial incompetence, rumours were also spread that MacKillop had a drinking problem. In fact, it was widely known that she drank alcohol on doctor's orders to relieve the symptoms of dysmenorrhea which often led to her being bedridden for days at a time. A 2010 investigation by Father Paul Gardiner, chaplain of the Mary Mac Killop Penola Centre, found no evidence to support these allegations. In early 1870, MacKillop and fellow nuns of the Josephites heard of allegations that Father Keating, of Kapunda parish to Adelaide's north, had been sexually abusing children. The Josephites informed Father Woods, who in turn informed the vicar general Father John Smyth, who ultimately sent Keating back to Ireland. The reason for Keating's dismissal was publicly thought to be alcohol abuse. Keating's former Kapunda colleague Father Charles Horan was angered by Keating's removal, and there is evidence to suggest he sought vengeance against Woods by attacking the Josephites. Horan became acting vicar general after the death of Smyth in June 1870, and from this position sought to influence Bishop Sheil. Horan met with Sheil on 21 September 1871 and convinced him that the Josephites' constitution should be changed; the following day, when MacKillop apparently did not accede to the request, Sheil excommunicated her, citing insubordination as the reason. Though the Josephites were not disbanded, most of their schools were closed in the wake of this action. Forbidden to have contact with anyone in the church, MacKillop lived with a Jewish family and was also sheltered by Jesuit priests. Some of the order's nuns chose to remain under diocesan control, becoming popularly known as "Black Joeys". On his deathbed, Sheil instructed Father Hughes to lift the excommunication on MacKillop. On 21 February 1872, he met her on his way to Willunga and absolved her in the Morphett Vale church. Later, an Episcopal Commission completely exonerated her. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) claimed in September 2010 that MacKillop had been "banished after uncovering sex abuse" and cited Father Paul Gardiner in evidence of this. Gardiner described this suggestion as false, saying "Early in 1870, the scandal occurred and the Sisters of Saint Joseph reported it to Father Tenison Woods, but Mary was in Queensland and no one was worried about her."
Rome After the acquisition of the Mother House at Kensington in 1872, MacKillop made preparations
to leave for Rome to have the rules of the Sisters of St Joseph officially approved. MacKillop travelled to Rome in 1873 to seek papal approval for the religious congregation and was encouraged in her work by Pope Pius IX. The authorities in Rome made changes to the way Josephites lived in poverty, declared that the Superior General and her council were the authorities in charge of the order, and assured MacKillop that the congregation and their rule of life would receive final approval after a trial period. The resulting alterations to the rule of life caused a breach between MacKillop and Father Woods, who felt that the revised rule compromised the ideal of vowed poverty, and blamed MacKillop for not getting the rule accepted in its original form. Before Woods' death on 7 October 1889, he and MacKillop were personally reconciled, but he did not renew his involvement with her order. While in Europe, MacKillop travelled widely to observe educational methods. During this period, the Josephites expanded their operations into New South Wales and New Zealand. MacKillop relocated to Sydney in 1883 on the instruction of Bishop Reynolds of Adelaide. When she returned in January 1875, after an absence of nearly two years, she brought approval from Rome for her nuns and the work they did, materials for her school, books for the convent library, several priests and most of all, 15 new Josephites from Ireland. Regardless of her success, she still had to contend with the opposition of priests and several bishops. This did not change after her unanimous election as Superior General in March 1875. The Josephites were unique among Catholic church ministries in two ways. Firstly, the nuns lived in the community rather than in convents. Secondly the order's constitution required administration by a Superior General rather than a diocese headed by the bishop, a structure that remains unique today. This structure resulted in the order being forced to leave Bathurst in 1876 and Queenslandby 1880 due to their respective bishop's re- The a po on o he Tom D ve De ck B dge wh ch opened n Po R ve fusal to accept this administrative structure. Notwithstanding all the trouble, the order did expand. By Po Ade a de n 2008 s named a e 1877, it operated more than 40 schools in and around MacK op Adelaide, with many others in Queensland and New South Wales. With the help from Benson, Barr Smith, the Baker family, Emmanuel Solomon and other non-Catholics, the Josephites, with MacKillop as their leader and superior-general, were able to continue the religious and other good works, including visiting prisoners in jail. After the appointment of Archbishop Roger Vaughan of Sydney in 1877 life became a little easier for MacKillop and her fellow nuns. Until his death in 1882, Father Joseph Tappeiner had given MacKillop his solid support and until 1883, she also had support of Bishop Reynolds of Adelaide. However, after the death of Vaughan, Reynolds had only one aim and that was to destroy MacKillop and the Josephites. If that could not be done he would at least try to bring them under his control. Reynolds was successful in exiling MacKillop and her removal as superior-general but in no way did he succeed in crushing her, her fellow nuns and bring them under his control. After the death of Sydney's Archbishop Vaughan in 1883, Patrick Francis Moran became archbishop. Although he had a somewhat positive outlook toward the Josephites, he removed MacKillop as Mother General and replaced her with Sister Bernard Walsh. Pope Leo XIII made the Josephites into a canonical Congregation in 1885, with its headquarters in Sydney. He gave the final approval to the Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart in 1888. Although still living through alms, the Josephite nuns had been very successful. In South Australia, they had schools in many country towns including, Willunga, Willochra, Yarcowie, Mintaro, Auburn, Jamestown, Laura, Sevenhill, Quorn, Spalding, Georgetown, Robe, Pekina, Appila and several others. MacKillop continued her work for the Josephites in Sydney and tried to provide as much support as possible for those in South Australia. In 1883 the order was successfully established at Temuka in New Zealand, where MacKillop stayed for over a year. In 1889 it was also established in the Australian state of Victoria. During all these years MacKillop assisted Mother Bernard with the management of the Sisters of St Joseph. She wrote letters of support, advice and encouragement or just to keep in touch. By 1896, MacKillop was back in South Australia visiting fellow nuns in Port Augusta,Burra, Pekina, Kapunda, Jamestown and Gladstone. That same year, she travelled again to New Zealand, spending several months in Port Chalmers and Arrowtown in Otago. During her time in New Zealand the Sisters of St Joseph a school were established in the South Island. In 1897, Bishop Maher of Port Augusta arranged for the Sisters of St Joseph to take charge of the St Anacletus Catholic Day School at Petersburg (now Peterborough). MacKillop founded a convent and base for the Sisters of St Joseph in Petersburg on 16 January 1897. "On January 16th, 1897, the founder of the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart, Mother Mary of the Cross, arrived in Petersburg to take over the school. She was accompanied by Sister Benizi (who was placed in charge of the school), Sister M. Joseph, Sister Clotilde and Sister Aloysius Joseph. They were met at the station by Rev. Father Norton who took them to the newly blessed convent, purchased for them on Railway Terrace." The property at 40 Railway Terrace is identified as the convent by a plaque placed by the Catholic diocese of Peterborough. After the death of Mother Bernard, MacKillop was once more elected unopposed as Mother Superior-General in 1899, a position she held until her own death. During the later years of her life she had many problems with her health which continued to deteriorate. She suffered from rheumatism and after a stroke in Auckland, New Zealand in 1902, became paralysed on her right side. For seven years, she had to rely on a wheelchair to move around, but her speech and mind were as good as ever and her letter writing had continued unabated after she learned to write with her left hand. Even after suffering the stroke, the Josephite nuns had enough confidence in her to re-elect her in 1905.
Death
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Singapore celebrated its first National Day in 1966, one year after Singapore's independence fromMalaysia on 9 August 1965. The first National Day Parade started in the morning at 9:00 A.M. People came as early as 7:00 A.M. in order to get good vantage points. Singapore's first President, Mr Yusof bin Ishak and Singapore's firstPrime Minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew, were seated with members of the government at the grandstand on the steps of City Hall. When the parade began, 6 military contingents (including the Singapore Infantry Regiment, SPDF and the Republic of Singapore Police), a mobile column from the SIR, and various schools and civil contingents marched past City Hall and then into the city streets. Three military bands accompanied the parade inspection and later the march past with military music. The Singapore Fire Brigade also took part in this first parade with its firetrucks included in the mobile column. By next year, the contingents increased to 76, including those of the then established Singapore Armed Forces, the RSP and more cultural groups. The reason is partly due to the introduction of the National Service program in the military and police forces, and later extended to the Fire Brigade, later called the Singapore Fire Services in the 1970s. On the August 9, 1970 NDP edition, the Flypast of the State Flag and the Republic of Singapore Air Force Flypast debuted. The 1971 NDP was the first to include mobile parade floats. The 1973 parade was held from the afternoon to early evening. The next year, colour broadcasts of the parade on television began. The 1975 parades, held to celebrate Singapore's 10th year, were for the first time decentralized into 13 parade venues for more public participation. Almost all of them lasted for an hour and all of them even had route marches on the streets. By the time the NDP was held at the National Stadium (for the first time) in 1976, the NDP Guard of Honour, composed of officers and personnel of the SAF and the Singapore Police Force made its first appearance, followed after the parade proper by the very first evening presentations by various groups, a prelude to future evening NDPs in 1980 and from 1985 onward. 1981's NDP was the very first parade appearance of the then SPF Civil Defense Command, presently the Singapore Civil Defense Force, later combined with the SFS in 1989. (The SCDF of today showed itself for the first time in the 1982 NDP held in the Padang.) They were held in two decentralised venues, Jurong and Queenstown Sports Stadiums for further increase public attendance and participation in the celebrations. 1983 would be the final year that the NDP was held in multiple venues. The 1984 NDP edition celebrated Singapore's Silver Jubilee of self-governance and included a bigger Mobile Column while NDP 1985 celebrated the nation's 20th year with more participants in the parade segment. The government set up the e-balloting ticketing system in 2003 in order to tackle the problem of overcrowding. Such ticketing system enables citizens to stand a chance at winning the tickets by registering their e-mail addresses or mobile numbers at the NDP website or phonelines.
Venues and themes Excommunication The venue of the Bishop Sheil spent less than two years of his episcopate in Adelaide and his absences and poor
Return from Rome
HISTORY
S IN GA POR E - A ugus t 9
The Singapore National Day Parade (Abbreviation: NDP, Chinese: 国庆庆典, Malay: Perbarisan Hari Kebangsaan, Tamil: தேசிய தின அணிவகுப்பு) is a national ceremony in Singapore that, as its name implies, includes a parade on Singapore's National Day on August 9, in commemoration of Singapore's independence that is usually held at the Padang (1966 - 1974), the National Stadium, various decentalized venues all over Singapore or The Float@Marina Bay. The upcoming parade, National Day Parade, 2011, will be held at The Float@Marina Bay.
History
Early life and ministry
The battle
National Day
MacKillop died on 8 August 1909 in the Josephite convent in North Sydney. The Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal Moran, stated that: "I consider this day to have assisted at the deathbed of a Saint." She was laid to rest at the Gore Hill cemetery, a few kilometres up thePacific Highway from North Sydney. After MacKillop's burial, people continually took earth from around her grave. As a result, her remains were exhumed and transferred on 27 January 1914 to a vault before the altar of the Virgin Mary in the newly built memorial chapel in Mount Street, Sydney. The vault was a gift of Joanna Barr Smith, a lifelong friend and admiring Presbyterian.
parade is usually at the historical grounds of the Padang, where the declaration of Singapore's indewas pendence held. Since the first parade in 1966, all the way 1975, the to venue was located in this central area to bring Parade be ng he d a he Mar na the parade closer Bay F oa ng S ad um n 2007 to the people. In 1976, the parade was held for the first time at the newly completed National Stadium, where the much larger capacity allowed for more to view the parade live. Although offering about 60,000 seats in the National Stadium, the demand for tickets remained high. Hence there were several attempts to decentralise the venue to bring the celebration closer to more Singaporeans. From 1975 to 1983, celebrations were alternated between a decentralised event and one centered at the Padang or stadium. From 1984, the parade was held twice at the stadium before being brought back to the Padang. This three year cycle was repeated up to 1994. From 1995, it was decided that the Padang would be used as the venue every five years. The Padang, although historically important, posed a greater logistical challenge and also offered fewer seats for spectators. The event and rehearsals also required the closing of surrounding roads. There was a need to construct temporary spectator stands around the field. The site remained, however, the only feasible venue for the mobile column, as the heavy vehicles could not be driven onto the stadium track. The Padang was used as the main performance venue for the 2005 parade, with fringe activities decentralised to Marina South, Jurong East, Yishun and Tampines. Arrangements needed review by the early 2000s when plans were made to rebuild the National Stadium. Several alternate locations were mooted, including the utilisation of the Marina Padang, which is physically bigger and less likely to disrupt daily functions in the city. On 16 October 2005, it was announced that that 2006 NDP would be held at the old stadium for the last time before moving to The Float at Marina Bay . The 130 metre by 100 metre platform would be used for the next five years until the new stadium is completed. Although offering a seating capacity of only 27,000, which is less than National Stadium, there is a vast area for 150,000 extra spectators along the Marina Bay waterfront.
Heroes Day
ZIM B A B WE- A ugus t 11 He oes Day s he day ce
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History
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(Google News Aug 7, 2011) Allies and critics of President Obama are already pointing fingers over the credit rating downgrade by Standard & Poors. House Speaker John Boehner, ROhio, who clashed with Obama repeatedly during the recent debt ceiling dispute, attributed the downgrade to government spending. "Unfortunately," Boehner added, "decades of reckless spending cannot be reversed immediately, especially when the Democrats who run Washington remain unwilling to make the tough choices required to put America on solid ground." Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, echoed Obama's call for a "balanced" debt reduction plan, including more tax revenues
from wealthy Americans -- a step blocked by Republicans during the recent debate over raising the $14.3 trillion debt ceiling. "The action by S&P reaffirms the need for a balanced approach to deficit reduction that combines spending cuts with revenue-raising measures like closing taxpayerfunded giveaways to billionaires, oil companies and corporate jet owners," Reid said. Republican presidential candidates are also weighing in on the downgrade -- pointing the finger straight at Obama. "America's creditworthiness just became the latest casualty in President Obama's failed record of leadership on the economy," said former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt
Romney. "Standard & Poor's rating downgrade is a deeply troubling indicator of our country's decline under President Obama." Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., -- who opposed the debt ceiling deal -- called on Obama to fire Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, and "submit a plan with a list of cuts to balance the budget this year, turn our economy around and put Americans back to work." Meanwhile, a group called "No Labels" said it places the blame for the S&P downgrade "on elected officials on both sides of the aisle who have been unwilling to compromise, put everything on the table and tackle the tough issues facing the nation."
Israel protest leaders prepare for third weekend of mass rallies (Google News) Protest leaders are planning a massive rally in Tel Aviv Saturday night for the third consecutive week, hoping to top the 150,000 who came out nationwide a week earlier. Protests will be held in other locales as well, with activists in the north calling for a demonstration at Shomrim Junction in the Yizrael Valley at 6:00 P.M. Saturday. The rally, held under the slogan, "the northern periphery is awakening" is meant to protest the high cost of living in northern Israel. A mass protest is planned in Jerusalem as well, and a procession will head off from Jerusalem's Menorah Park to Paris Square at 9:00 PM, where a rally will be held. There will be a live performance, including Ahinoam Nini, Etnics and Mosh Ben-Ari. Speakers include the Chairman of the Jerusalem Student Union, Itay Gottler, Rabbi Rafi Feuerstein
chairman of the Tzohar Rabbinic Organization, representatives of the teachers union, people who were evicted from their homes and city council member Rachel Azaria. The Tel Aviv rally is scheduled to take place Saturday night at 9:00 P.M., and is considered the main protest event of the weekend. Demonstrators plan to march from Habima Square, near the tent city on Rothschild Boulevard, to the Kirya defense compound on Kaplan Street, where they will hold the rally. This time the organizers decided to hold the demonstration outside the Kirya rather than on the square at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art. Singers Yehudit Ravitz and Rita are to appear at the rally. The speakers' addresses will be broadcast on large screens on both sides of Kaplan street. Israel police forces have already closed Kaplan Street off to traffic in
anticipation of the rally, and will only reopen the main avenue at 4:00 A.M. on Sunday. Parts of Ibn Gvirol, Marmorek, Ben Zion Boulevard, Dizengoff and Rothschild will be blocked as well, and traffic will resume at midnight. Police have recommended that the public not bring cars to the area. Roi Noiman, one of the protest leaders, said the demonstration's central message will be "the government has abandoned the people," in the wake of the Knesset's legislation to form housing committees and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ignoring of the protesters' demands. "The people are taking the country back," he said. "We're expecting a powerful demonstration for social change. This is an opportunity we haven't had for 60 years in this country, and now is the time for people to come out of their homes onto the street."
Al-Shabab Militants Withdraw From Somali Capital (Google News) Somali government and Islamist spokesmen say alQaida linked al-Shabab militants are pulling out of Mogadishu. An al-Shabab spokesman says the group began leaving its positions in Mogadishu late Friday. He called it a strategic move to prevent a counter attack. He said al-Shabab
will remain in other towns in southern Somalia. Al-Shabab has been fighting to topple the Somali government. It has also been trying to prevent food aid from being dispersed to millions of victims of drought and famine across Somalia The United Nations says thousands
of Somalis have already died from the effects of the drought. Government spokesman Abdirahman Omar Osman called the rebel's retreat from the capital a "golden day" for Somalia. The Horn of Africa country has been without a functioning government for 20 years.
Libyan rebels report town under siege Goog e News A ep esen a ve om A Qusba s ebe m a y comm ee o d AFP ha he own was now su ounded by Gadda s o ces and ea s a e g ow ng o an mm nen b oodba h A oads go ng o A Qusba a e b ocked by Gadda s
o ces They cu e ec c y and commun ca ons s nce yes e day Kham s Nu e Kasseh sa d om Benghaz a e con ac ng he own by sa e e phone Gadda s o ces a e no ye n con o o he own bu we ex pec w be b oody oday he
sa d add ng he e had a eady been a se es o a es s n subu bs A Qusba s cu o om o he ebe pos ons n he wes o L bya w h 70 k ome es 45 om he m es sepa a ng nea es pos ons a Z en o he eas
Former Ukrainian PM Arrested During Trial (Google News ) Ukrainian police have arrested former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko for violating court procedures during her abuse of power trial. A judge accused Ms. Tymoshenko Friday of systematically disrupting the trial. She was then handcuffed and taken away by several officers. Ms. Tymoshenko has mocked the judge during the trial. U.S. Senator John McCain condemned her arrest as a violation
of basic rights in a democracy. His statement on Ms. Tymoshenko's website also said “ultimately, what is at stake is the future of freedom and democracy in Ukraine”. The former prime minister's supporters set up tents near the Kyiv courthouse Saturday. They have called for continuous demonstrations as a show of solidarity with Ms. Tymoshenko, who is leader of the opposition Batkivschyna party.
She is on trial to face charges of overstepping her authority as prime minister in 2009 by orchestrating a natural gas deal with Russia that lost several million dollars. The European Union opposed Ms. Tymoshenko's arrest and has condemned the case against her as being politically motivated because she is an opposition leader. The judge did not say when her trial will resume.
Cuban court upholds jail sentence of Jewish-American (Google News Aug 6, 2011) Alan Gross's lawyer slams decision, says his family remains hopeful for release; ADL, US Jewish groups call on Havana to release Gross.
NEW YORK - Cuba’s Supreme Court on Friday rejected the appeal of Jewish-American aid contractor Allan Gross, upholding his conviction on charges of undermining the state.
Gross’s lawyer Peter J. Kahn on Friday criticized the court’s decision and said the Maryland native’s family remained hopeful that he would be released soon.
Somali soldiers kill 7 seeking food (Google News) Somalia - A World Food Program handout of corn rations to Somalis trying to survive a famine turned deadly yesterday after government troops opened fire, killing at least seven people, witnesses said. of Mogadishu’s Residents largest famine refugee camp accused government soldiers of starting the chaos by trying to steal some of the 290 tons of dry rations that aid workers were trying to distribute there. Then refugees joined in the scramble,
prompting soldiers to open fire, the witnesses said. “They fired on us as if we were their enemy,’’ said refugee Abidyo Geddi. “When people started to take the food then the gunfire started and everyone was being shot. We cannot stay here much longer. We don’t get much food, and the rare food they bring causes death and torture.’’ The chaos underscores the dangers and challenges of getting help to a nation that has been
essentially ungoverned for two decades and now has a severe famine sweeping through it. There are 9,000 African Union soldiers in the capital, but their main mission is to fight Al Qaeda-linked Islamists, not safeguard humanitarian aid. Aid workers are puzzling over how to distribute food without helping gunmen who prey on the refugees, compete for security contracts to guard the food, of steal it.
US Airways plane receives all clear after evacuation in Pa. Goog e News Aug 5 2011 PH LADELPH A — Passenge s aboa d a US A ways gh ha a ved F day om Sco and we e emoved om he p ane because o a h ea en ng no e and he p ane was aken o an o he pa o Ph ade ph a n e na ona A po o be nspec ed bu no h ng dange ous was ound A po spokeswoman V c o a Lup ca o d The Assoc a ed P ess ha he me cu ous exam na on o F gh 968 by aw en o cemen and exp os ves expe s ound no h ng am ss and he p ane wou d con nue s ou ney o A aska The Boe ng 757 had anded n Ph ade ph a n he a e noon om G asgow Sco and The 157 passenge s and s x c ew membe s had boa ded he Ancho age A aska bound gh when hey we e asked by T ans po a on Secu y Adm n s a on
o c a s o dep ane so cou d be swep by aw en o cemen o c a s Tempe A z based US A ways nc spokesman And ew Ch s e o d he AP The TSA sa d n a s a emen ha he nves ga on was aunched because o a h ea en ng no e bu d dn p ov de de a s abou The passenge s we e aken n s de Te m na A one o he a po s seven e m na s Ac oss he a mac baggage hand e s un oaded he Boe ng 757 Ou s de he p ane an exp os ve o dnance emova echn c an X ayed a eas one su case La e a po ce o ce ook he su case and dumped s con en s on o he g ound O he ems aboa d he p ane wh ch a so was ca y ng com me c a ca go we e exam ned oo Passenge s ns de he e m na who we e con nu ng on o
A aska we e n e v ewed by n ves ga o s No de ays we e caused by he p ane evacua on and no n u es we e epo ed Ph ade ph a n e na ona A po wh ch hand ed 31 m on passenge s as yea s he on y ma o a po se v ng he Ph ade ph a a ea one o he a ges me opo an a eas n he Un ed S a es A nes ha use Te m na A nc ude Lu hansa B sh A ways US A ways A Jama ca and F on e n June gh s we e g ounded a Reagan Na ona A po nea Wash ng on DC a e a woman w h a h s o y o men a hea h p ob ems o d a US A ways cke agen n Day on Oh o ha he e was a bomb aboa d a p ane The woman a e sa d he wa n ng came o he n a message om God he d ec o o Day on n e na ona A po sa d
Pak-Afghan border areas epi-center of terror: Mullen Goog e News Aug 6 2011 A US m a y ch e has ssued a wa n ng ha he bo de eg on be ween A ghan s an and Pak s an ema ns he ep cen e o e o sm du ng an unan nounced v s o he NATO ed m ss on Adm M ke Mu en e e a ed ha Pak s an was s a sa e haven ha bou ng A Qaeda desp e he dea h o Osama b n Laden a he beg nn ng o May Speak ng o NATO TV he sa d Pak s an s s home o many e o s s and o he e o s o gan sa ons ke he Lashka e LeT and Haqqan Ta ba ne wo k And c ea y hose who ve n Que a come he e w h a goa o
ove u n ng he gove nmen o A ghan s an Twe ve A ghan po ce o ce s and one c v an we e k ed when a su c de bombe a acked he po ce headqua e s n he p ov nc a cap a Lashka Gah whe e B sh Task Fo ce He mand s a so based Bu Adm Mu en sa d he was ha he ans on con den wou d con nue w h he n e na ona Secu y Ass s ance Fo ce SAF wo k ng a ongs de A ghan coun e pa s We ecogn se he cha enges posed by he some o he ecen spec acu a a acks and assass na ons We a e do ng a we can w h he A ghan secu y o ces o p even hose n he u u e
We see a s ua on n he u u e whe e many o he Ta ban ead e s have e he been aken o he ba e e d o have e u ned o he sa e havens n Pak s an We see weakness n he Ta ban s ac cs n some a eas he as se ed Adm Mu en a so s essed ha he w hd awa o 33 000 US oops announced by P es den Obama n June wou d no pu he NATO ed m ss on a sk Ten housand Ame can so d e s schedu ed o eave ae A ghan s an by he end o he yea w h he ema n ng 23 000 oops w hd awn by Sep embe 2012
Chinese investment in Pakistan crosses $25 billion mark (Google News Aug 6, 2011) ISLAMABAD: A comconsensus plete exists among political leadership of the country to maintain cordial relations with China, former state minister for foreign affairs, Inamul Haq said on Friday.
Addressing a seminar titled, “Regional Development and SinoPak Relations,” here at Sir Syed Memorial Society, he said Chinese investments and projects in the country amounted to US$ 25
billion which were multiplying with each passing day. “I believe that the US will not leave Afghanistan which is a center from where they can watch China, Pakistan, Iran and other important regional players.Afghanistan is home to billions of gold and copper reserves while same is the case with Pakistan which has untapped reserves of gold, copper, oil and gas worth billions of dollars,” he added. Prof. Zhong Rong highlighted the Chinese government’s efforts to ensure economic development in Xinjiang province. He said China was going to invest billions of Yuan in Xinjiang to raise the GDP ratio and per capita income of the people of Xinjiang Province.
He said Kashghar would become an economic hub and regional cooperation after the central government had antax-holiday in nounced Kashghar. Former Foreign Secretary Riaz Khokar said Sino-Pak friendship was like a rock and enduring and that was the reason that attempts were being made to unthis exceptional dermine relationship. Khokhar said the Kashghar incident was tragic but the way some western and Indian media outlets had published reports about the incident from unnamed Chinese source was odd despite the fact that the Chinese officials had contradicted these reports.
RUSSIA BULLETIN
Leon Panetta warns against more cuts in Pentagon budget
Obama allies, critics, argue over credit downgrade
(Google News) Defense Secretary Leon Panetta warned Thursday of dire consequences if the Pentagon is forced to make cuts to its budget beyond the $400 billion in savings planned for the next decade. “We’re already taking our share of the discretionary cuts as part of this debt-ceiling agreement, and those are going to be tough enough,” Panetta told reporters in his first news conference as defense secretary. “I think anything beyond that would damage our national defense.” The initial round of Pentagon cuts is part of a debt-reduction package that would slice about $1 trillion from agency budgets over 10 years. A second round of cuts, totaling as much as $1.5 trillion, will be prepared by a bipartisan congressional panel later this year. Senior Pentagon officials have launched an offensive over the past two days to convince lawmakers that further reductions in Pentagon spending would imperil the country’s security. Instead of slashing defense, Panetta said, the bipartisan panel should rely on tax increases and cuts to nondiscretionary spending, such as Medicare and Social Security, to provide the necessary savings. “You cannot deal with the size deficits that this country is confronting by simply cutting the discretionary side of the budget,” Panetta said. His warning came on a day that
the stock market plunged more than 500 points amid fears of a weakening U.S. economy and a global recession. If a bipartisan congressional panel cannot reach an agreement on $1.5 trillion in savings over the next decade, an automatic trigger would slash an additional $600 billion from the Pentagon budget. Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, described such deep cuts as “debilitating and capricious.” “We cannot allow that effort to go so far and cut so deep that it jeopardizes our ability to deal with the other very real and very serious threats we face around the world,” said Mullen, who briefed reporters with Panetta. Defense spending represents about half of the federal government’s discretionary spending, and the military’s budget has increased by more than 70 percent since 2001. Although the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan have cost the Pentagon upward of $1 trillion, nearly half of the growth in defense spending in the past decade has been unrelated to the wars. Panetta said the $600 billion in cuts “would do real damage to our security, our troops and their families, and our military’s ability to protect the nation. It is an outcome that would be completely unacceptable to me as secretary of defense, to the president and, I believe, to our nation’s leaders.”
Earlier this week, a senior defense official said thousands of Defense Department civilians would lose their jobs if larger cuts were triggered by a failure of the bipartisan panel to reach an agreement. Mullen, who just returned from a trip to Iraq and Afghanistan, said the partisan fight over debt reduction had fueled worries among the troops that they might not be paid on time. “Our men and women down range have enough to worry about just getting their job done,” Mullen said. “They shouldn’t also be concerned about whether or not they will be paid to do that job or whether or not their families will continue to get the support they need during long absences. We can do better than that, as a military and as a nation.” Pentagon officials have tried to sound optimistic about the chances of a congressional panel reaching a deal that would spare the Pentagon additional pain. That hasn’t stopped them, however, from citing the dangers should the committee of Democrats and Republicans fail. Asked whether, given the sharpness of his warning, Panetta thought he would be able to serve as defense secretary if the additional cuts were made, he chuckled. “I didn’t come into this job to quit,” he said. “I came into this job to fight.”
Thailand awaits first female PM to prove herself (Google News) EMILY BOURKE: Yingluck Shinawatra has been formally endorsed as Thailand's first female Prime Minister. The confirmation came via a parliamentary vote on Friday which completes the election process. The sister of controversial former Prime Minister Thaksin now has to deliver on promises made to reunite the politically troubled nation. Southeast Asia correspondent Zoe Daniel has this story. ZOE DANIEL: It was a month in the making but finally Thailand's election commission endorsed enough candidates and the new parliament was been given the royal approval. In a parliamentary vote on Friday Yingluck Shinawatra was then confirmed as prime minister. The 500-seat parliament is made up of 265 members of the former opposition Pheu Thai Party and 159 members of the Democrats, who lost government at the election. Many of the remaining smaller parties will be part of a six-party coalition which will give the Red Shirt-backed government 300 seats and a dominant majority. New MP Jarupan Kuldiloke says that's a mandate for change. JARUPAN KULDILOKE: I think it's enough to show that people have inspired on us to solve the crisis and establish peace. ZOE DANIEL: Thailand has been a political basket case for a long time, but particularly since former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra was ousted in a coup in 2006. Ongoing tension boiled over last year when pro-Thaksin Red Shirt protesters conducted a long-run-
ning rally that shut down central Bangkok and was eventually dispersed by the army. There's still simmering discontent, but Red Shirt leaders like Dr Weng Tojirakarn who a year ago were calling for an election, are now MPs, and they say stable government can exist. WENG TOJIRAKARN: It's a very positive force and it's very constructive, it's not destructive. I can say that all of the Red Shirts request the genuine democracy nothing else. ZOE DANIEL: Dr Weng Tojirakarn was released in February having spent nine months in jail after the Red Shirts protests. Along with other Red Shirts leaders, his endorsement by the Election Commission was delayed after the poll but he and the others have since been approved to sit in the parliament. They have something to prove in their transition to formal politics. WENG TOJIRAKARN: I have a good will for my country now because I think Thailand has learned a lot of lessons from the past five years that's the only solution for Thailand is you must walk on the genuine democracy and genuine justice system or else you face chaos. So that's why I think this five year has teached lessons to all sides, so I don't think they will be so stupid as the past five years. ZOE DANIEL: But the new government will be led by Yingluck Shinawatra, the sister of arguably the country's most divisive figure, Thaksin. Due to her name or her nature, she's attracted huge popular support. Now she'll be faced
with delivering on policy promises designed to appeal to the poor and perhaps to reconcile the country. But there are still concerns about the influence of her exiled brother on her leadership and the party. Now in opposition, Democrats Dr Buranat spokesman Samutharak. BURANAT SAMUTHARAK: It's a first time in history that Thailand has had a woman prime minister, definitely a significant turning point. Although it's incumbent on herself to prove that being the first woman prime minister will be more important than being the sister of a former prime minister. So it's very much up to the Pheu Thai Party and Khun Yingluck to earn their worth once they are in power and we are prepared to give them support so long as they use that mandate to continue to move the country forward. ZOE DANIEL: However a key potential flashpoint remains, the chance of an amnesty for Thaksin and others on political charges. He fled the country to avoid a two-year jail term after a conflict of interest conviction that he says was politically motivated. But critics of the billionaire businessman say he was legitimately caught out. Yingluck Shinawatra has been formally endorsed by the parliament as Thailand's first female prime minister. For now at least Thailand's military has vowed to respect the will of the people. In Bangkok, this is Zoe Daniel for Correspondents Report.
Pakistan’s PNS Alamgir on goodwill visit to Sultanate (Google News Aug 6, 2011) MUSCAT: Pakistan Navy ship Alamgir will be paying a goodwill visit to the Sultanate. Captain Naveed Ashraf is the commanding officer of the ship, a Press release issued by the Pakistan Embassy said. PNS Alamgir is named after the Aurangzeb Alamgir, who was the sixth ruler of great Mughal empire. He was born on November 3, 1618. Alamgir was a fierce warrior who fiercely protected his territories and retained the throne for almost 50 years. He spread the boundaries of the Mughal empire to the entire In-
dian sub-continent as no one had the power or strength to stand against him. He died on March 3, 1707. Captain Naveed Ashraf joined Pakistan Navy as a cadet in 1986. After passing six months in the Naval Academy he was selected for training in Germany. He completed his basic training from German Naval Academy in 1990. He specialised in anti-submarine warfare from Pakistan as well as from France. He is a graduate of PN War College and has trained US Navy Staff Course from Rhodes Island in year 2003.
The Captain’s ashore assignments include Principal Secretary to Vice Chief of the Naval Staff, Instructor and Squadron Commander in Pakistan Naval Academy, Fleet Operations Officer, Director in Plans Division at Naval Headquarters and Staff Officer (Underwater Warfare) at HQs Flag Officer Sea Training. Captain Naveed has been awarded Tamgha-e-Imtiaz (Military) due to this meritorious service in the Pakistan Navy as well as Tamgha-eBasalat for acts of bravery.
Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov Meets with Luxembourg Ambassador to Moscow Gaston Stronck (PR Aug 4, 2011) Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Ryabkov hosted a working lunch on August 4 in honor of Gaston Stronck, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, upon completion of his diplomatic assignment in Moscow. During their conversation they examined some issues in Russian-Luxembourg cooperation, and discussed certain international problems. Both parties noted with satisfaction that friendly ties between Russia and Luxembourg, built on mutual respect and consideration for each other’s interests, have been on an ascendant trajectory in recent years and have got a positive new impulse resulting from the working visit of Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker to the Russian Federation last August.
Russia may lift ban on veg imports from all EU states on Monday PR Aug 5 2011 Russ a s san a y wa ch dog Rospo ebnadzo s o a ow mpo s o vege ab es om a Eu opean Un on s a es om Augus 8 ove u n ng a ban mposed a e he E Co sca e n June ch e san a y doc o Gennady On shchenko sa d on F day We may a es c ons on Monday On shchenko o d R A Novos Russ a n o duced he emba go on June 2 a e E Co bac e a aced o vege ab es k ed a eas 40 peop e n Eu ope A e he sou ce o n ec on was den ed and he EU ook measu es o p even he supp y o n ec ed vege ab es o Russ a he se v ce ed he ban on vege ab e mpo s om seve a EU coun es As o oday Spa n he Ne he ands Be g um Denma k G eece he Czech Repub c Po and F ance Hun ga y and a y a e a pe m ed o se veg e ab es o Russ a
UN approves Russia s request to explore Atlantic bed for copper, goldpaper PR Aug 5 2011 The Un ed Na ons has app oved Russ a s eques o ex p o e one o he wo d s a ges un apped coppe and go d depos s on he A an c Ocean bed w h ese ves ve o 10 mes h ghe han ha o onsho e e ds Komme san bus ness da y sa d on F day The deve opmen o he wo d ocean s bed s a a ge geopo ca p o ec o p o ec Russ an n e es s as a ead ng aw ma e a s s a e a Fo e gn M n s y sou ce o d he pape The sou ce sa d Moscow had sped up s e o s n exp o ng ocean c depos s a e Ch na had ed an o c a eques o he UN as yea o exp o e a dge n he nd an Ocean nves men n he exp o a on o he a ea oca ed nea he equa o may amoun o $20 43 m on n nex ve yea s he Na u a Resou ces M n s y s Da ya Vas evskaya sa d S x p om s ng e ds we e ound n he Russ an sec on Se ge And eyev depu y head o he Wo d Ocean s geo ogy and m ne a esou ces depa men n Russ a s Oceano ogy Resea ch ns u e o d Komme san The ave age coppe con en n o e n onsho e depos s amoun ed o abou one pe cen com pa ed o 2 5 10 pe cen n o sho e de pos s he sa d Russ a does no have he necessa y equ pmen o exp o a on and wou d have o a ac a o e gn pa ne mos ke y Canada s Nau us M n e a s n wh ch Russ an ycoon A she Usmanov ho ds a 20 pe cen s ake a Na u a Resou ces M n s y sou ce sa d Russ a s a so p epa ng a eques o ex p o e coba and on and manganese depos s n he bed o he Pac c Ocean wh ch he UN w cons de nex yea
Russian DM, Chinese stocks Russian of Staff to discuss army Chief bounce back after reform experience foreign markets (PR Aug 4, 2011)Russian cuss in detail a whole dive Defence Minister Anatoly range of issues related to
(PR Aug 5, 2011) Russian markets ended Friday's trading only slightly below the previous day's close as jitters caused by a slump in the West fizzled out and the authorities and experts claimed there was no reason for panic. The Moscow Interbank Currency Exchange was almost flat by 17:30 Moscow time, down just 0.74 percent to 1,608.72 after a four percent fall at the opening of trade. The RTS index fell 1.64 percent to 1,825.33. International stock markets fell to their lowest since late 2010 on Thursday and extended losses on Friday. More serious falls are feared should governments fail to stabilize the eurozone's debt crisis soon and prevent the U.S. economy from sliding back into recession. "Markets fell because of the publication of poor U.S. statistics, which show a slowdown in American economic growth. However, the fall is not critical. Nothing criminal has happened," a Russian Finance Ministry official, who requested anonymity, told RIA Novosti. Prices for oil, Russia's key export, started to recover on Friday after they sank to a fivemonth low on Thursday amid perceived signs of slower economic recovery in the U.S. But September Brent futures recovered 0.73 percent to $108 per barrel. Investcafe analyst Anna Bodrova said that $40 million had quit Russian equities in the week ending August 3 compared to $13 million a week earlier. "There are reasons to believe that the weekly outflow of capital from funds will continue until the first days of September due to instability abroad after which local issues will again become interesting for international investors," she said. Finam analyst Yuliya Afanasyeva said market fears were groundless. "People do not realize that when Western experts say the word 'recession' they do not mean the end of the world, like they did in 2008, but only hint at a possible further decrease of quarterly GDP," she said.
Political Developments in Bahrain
PR Aug 3 2011 Launched n Ju y he Bah a n na ona d a ogue has su moun ed an mpo an on e s pa c pan s succeeded n de ve op ng consensus p oposa s o mode n z ng he coun y democ a z ng he ex s ng S a e ns u ons and ack ng u gen soc a and econom c asks n p ac ca e ms h s nvo ves n e a a m p ov ng eg s a on expand ng he powe s o he Shu a Pa amen and ca y ng ou measu es o e n o ce soc a us ce human gh s as we as n e na secu y and aw en o cemen No ng he s pos ve esu s o he na ona deba e we be eve s mpo an o he K ngdom o con nue s b oad based po ca p ocess and o m he a eady ag eed p emen ecommenda ons n o p ac ce as soon as poss b e We a e con v nced ha on y he obse vance o ega y o human gh s and o n e na ona human a an aw as we as a comp ehens ve d a ogue ha s be ng cons uc ed on he bas s o he n e es s and v ews o a Bah a n s can ensu e a s ab e democ a c deve opmen o he coun y
Serdyukov will meet with Chinese Chief of the General Staff, Colonel-General Chen Binde on Thursday, August 4, to discuss army reform and development experiences in the two countries. “The leadership of the Russian Defence Ministry and the chief of the General Staff of the People’s Liberation Army of China will discuss the state of and prospects for military and militarytechnical cooperation between the defence ministries of the two countries, exchange views on the reorganisation of national Armed the Forces, consider a number of other issues concerning regional and international security,” the Defence Ministry said. Chief of the Russian Army General Staff, General of the Army Nikolai Makarov will also attend the talks. Makarov met with Chen in Beijing in late April and found it “useful to exchange experience with China on current reforms in the Armed Forces of the two countries in the light of the fact that the centre of policy is drifting to the Asia-Pacific Region and Central Asia”. The two generals reviewed 10-year military cooperation within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), exchanged views on further interaction and discussed events organised in the armed forces of all of the SCO member states. Speaking of Chen’s possible visit to Russia, Makarov said back then, “We plant dis-
security in this region and the world, and the development of the Armed Forces”. Chen, in turn, expressed concern over the fact that the United States and the European Union were obstructing China’ s defence development and stressed that “Russia is providing real assistance to China in the field of military technologies”. The upcoming talks in Moscow were preceded by Chen’s “strategic dialogue” with Admiral Mike Mullen, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in Washington in May. They agreed to hold a joint emergency response exercise. Chen used the opportunity to voice protest against arms supplies to Taiwan. Chen arrived in Russia on August 3. He and members of his delegation are scheduled to visit the 5th Detached Motorised Infantry Brigade in Alabino, Moscow region, familiarise themselves with the combat training and everyday life in the unit. Chen will also meet with the Northern Fleet command in Severomorsk, visit the heavy air carrier Admiral Flota Sovetskogo Soyuza N.G. Kuznetsov, and the Project 971 nuclear submarine K-317 Panther. While in St. Petersburg, Chen will meet with the commanders of the Western Military District and visit historical sites in the city, the Aurora including cruiser. The Chinese delegation’s visit will finish on August 8.
Consultations in the Collective Security Treaty Organization on the Agenda of the 66th Session of the UN General Assembly
(PR Aug 2, 2011) In line with the Plan of Consultations between the Representatives of the Member States of the Collective Security Treaty Organization on Foreign Policy, Security and Defense, consultations to harmonize the positions of member states on the agenda for the forthcoming 66th Session of the UN General Assembly took place on August 2 under the chairmanship of CSTO Deputy Secretary General Ara Badalyan. The heads of the relevant departments of the ministries of foreign affairs, plenipotentiary representatives of member states to the CSTO, officials from the CSTO member states’ embassies, and staff members of the CSTO Secretariat took part. The consultation participants discussed the general priorities for the upcoming session of the UN General Assembly in the context of the provisions of the UNGA Resolution on Cooperation between the UN and the CSTO; Joint Declaration on Cooperation between the CSTO Secretariat and the UN Secretariat; the outcome of the talks of the CSTO and UN Secretaries General in April 2011; and the decisions adopted within the CSTO, inter alia on peacekeeping issues. They also considered issues relating to reform of the United Nations, including the Security Council, the situation in Afghanistan, human rights, possibilities to harmonize the positions of the CSTO member states on the problems submitted to the UNGA session, and various aspects of the CSTO’s interaction with the UN. It was noted that at this stage, the interdependence of actors in international relations increases, as does the political weight of regional and sub-regional associations of states. Very clearly this process manifests itself in such key areas as cooperation in the fields of disarmament and conflict resolution, and adequate collective response to new threats and challenges, within the framework of which the close intertwining of UN-CSTO efforts occurs. Particular attention was paid to the CSTO-UN interaction in peacekeeping. The importance was stressed of continuing the coordination of the positions of the CSTO member states at the UN in order to make its activities more effective in the maintenance of international peace, security and stability, WMD nonproliferation, crisis prevention and management, overcoming the negative effects of natural and manmade disasters, as well as climate change, and ensuring sustainable development and food security.
US aid plan fails to achieve objectives, says report (Google
News Aug
5,
2011)
WASHINGTON: In two years, Pakistan has only received $500 million from the Kerry-LugarBerman aid plan for providing $1.5 billion a year, The Washington Post reported on Friday.
The newspaper noted that in 2009 the US Congress passed the fiveyear $7.5 billion aid plan “with fanfare” but now it has become another cause of embarrassment. The programme intended to prove Washington’s long-term commitment to Pakistan’s weak civilian government and to reset bilateral relations long centred on military ties. But bureaucratic delays, disagreements over priorities and fears about corruption were preventing the plan from achieving its objectives. Last month, two congressional panels in the Republican-dominated House of Representatives passed legislation, recommending new restrictions on US aid to Pakistan. “US officials say they expect lawmakers to shrink the aid package while requiring greater evidence that Pakistan is fighting terrorism and that the funding is reaping benefits,” the Post reported. The newspaper also noted that such developments had transformed the plan “from a potential tool for healing the deep rift between the United States and Pakistan to yet another flash point” in a tense relationship. The report warned that in Pakistan,
the slow start and lower-than-expected disbursements were “reinforcing impressions of the United States as an unreliable ally”. The Post also recalled that many Pakistanis still resented the United States for cutting aid after the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan in 1989, and the Obama administration’s recent decision to withhold $800 million in military aid was seen as “a new example of American fickleness”. The report, however, quoted US officials as saying that the disbursewere now gaining ments momentum and that their task was to “increase the pace while tempering expectations”. A senior official at the Finance Ministry in Islamabad, however, told the Post that delayed disbursements had contributed to an increase in the Pakistani budget deficit. Officials with the US Agency for International Development told the paper that they did not receive funding for the programme until September 2010 and that, including previously unused funds; the agency had spent more than $2 billion on civilian aid in Pakistan since late 2009. The Obama administration pledged to channel about half the new money through the Pakistani government and local organisations, “but identifying Pakistani agencies that have clean records and are competent has required months of audits and reviews”, the report observed. The newspaper also pointed out that the United States had pledged to fund “signature” projects, particularly in the energy sector, to serve as symbols of American friendship. But Pakistan was seeking even more “visible projects”, including $500 million for a dam in the north.
Pakistan Govt. urged to send delegation to China (Google News Aug 6, 2011)ISLAMABAD - Secretary General PML-Q Mushahid Hussain Sayed Friday urged the government to send a high-level security delegation to China to address misunderstandings if any exist with it as the western and Indian media was publishing negative stories finger-pointing at Pakistan for acts of terrorism in its city, Kashghar. Mushahid Hussain Sayed, who is also Chairman Pak-China Institute, also proposed that the delegation should be mandated to discuss bilateral cooperation against the menace of terrorism and extremism and plug in the gaps and remove misunderstandings on this issue between China and Pakistan. He was addressing a seminar titled “Regional development and Sino-Pak relations” at Sir Syed Memorial Society. “It is primary responsibility of the government and the Armed Forces to ensure that no part of Pakistani territory should be allowed for use by any negative forces against the neighbours, including China. Sino-Pakistan ties are solid and strong and no negative propaganda could undermine this robust relationship,” said Mushahid Hussain Sayed. Mr Sayed said that Pakistan had condemned the terrorism and separatism in China as stability in China was vital for stability in Pakistan in the wake of three contexts. “Pakistan and China are growing closer cooperation which has raised concerns in regional countries and powers. China has announced special economic zone (SEZ) in Kasghar, which would be now a hub of energy, economic, trade and commerce cooperation between China and Pakistan and central Asia,” he said adding that Kashghar was the key point now to the future economic and regional cooperation and there was a new great game developing in their region with some elements in the west trying to contain China’s peaceful rise. He asserted that the negative propaganda about some elements of Pakistan in the Kasghar incidents was a conspiracy to hurt the excellent Sino-Pak relations and cooperation. He said after the US would leave Afghanistan, China and Pakistan would emerge as major players in the region and thus bilateral cooperation was vital. Answering a question, Mushahid Hussain said that Pakistani forces had been
active in tracking down Chinese separatists and ETIM leader Hassan Masoom was killed by Pakistan army in year 2003. He said like other countries, there might be some ungoverned spaces inside Pakistan, just like the Pak-Afghan bordering area, where the separatists might be present but Pakistan had to ensure that no part of its territory was used for insurgency in China or any other neighbouring country. Former state minister for foreign affairs Inamul Haq said all religio-political parties of Pakistan were one about the Pakistan-China relationship and none of the leaders had ever uttered a single word or had promoted anything negative which could hurt this friendship. He said the Chinese investments and projects in Pakistan were worth US$ 25 billion that were multiplying with the each day passing. He said apart from the media claims, he doubted that the US forces would leave Afghanistan the way they had not departed from Iraq despite the expiry of deadline of year 2011. Former foreign secretary Riaz Khokhar said that situation in and around Pakistan was dangerous and complex and the country painted a gloomy picture of instability. He said Pakistani leadership should act immediately to stop country slipping further down. He said it was unfortunate that the government was failing in handling the country’s affairs while the opposition like an opportunist was trying to get political space out of the Karachi violence. Khokhar said the Kashghar incident was tragic but the way some western and India media outlets had published reports about the incident from unnamed Chinese sources finger-pointing towards Pakistan was interesting despite the fact that the Chinese officials had contradicted these reports. Prof. Zhong Rong highlighted the central government’s efforts to ensure economic development in Xinjiang province. He said the central government of China was going to invest billions of Yuan in Xinjiang to raise the GDP ratio and per capita income of the people of Xinjiang Province. He said Kashghar was going to become an economic hub and regional cooperation after the central government had announced tax-holiday in Kashghar.
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St. Lawrence Day - August 6 SPAIN Lawrence of Rome (c. 225 – 258) (Latin: Laurentius, meaning "laurelled") was one of the seven deacons of ancient Rome who were martyred during the persecution of Valerian in 258.
Holy Chalice
According to lore, among the treasures of the Greek church entrusted to Lawrence for safe-keeping was the Holy Chalice, the cup from which Jesus and the Apostles drank at the Last Supper. Lawrence was able to spirit this away to Huesca, in present day Aragon, with a letter and a supposed inventory, where it lay hidden and unregarded for centuries. When Augustine connects Lawrence with a chalice, it is the chalice of the Mass: For in that Church, you see, as you have regularly been told, he performed the office of deacon; it was there that he administered the sacred chalice of Christ’s blood. According to Christian history the Holy Grail is a relic that was sent by St Lawrence to his parents in northern Aragon. He entrusted this sacred chalice to a friend whom he knew would travel back to Huesca, remaining in the monastery of Saint John of Pena, core of spiritual strength for the emerging kingdom of Aragon. While the Holy Chalice's exact journey through the centuries is disputed, it is generally accepted by Catholics that the Chalice was sent by his family to this monastery for preservation and veneration. Historical records indicate that this chalice has been venerated and preserved by a number of monks and monasteries through the ages. Today the Holy Grail is venerated in a special chapel in the Catholic Cathedral of Valencia, Spain.
Jewels of St Lawrence
After the death of Sixtus, the prefect of Rome demanded that Lawrence turn over the riches of the Church. Ambrose is the earliest source for the tale that Lawrence asked for three days to gather together the wealth. Lawrence worked swiftly to distribute as much Church property to the poor as possible, so as to prevent its being seized by the prefect. On the third day, at the head of a small delegation, he presented himself to the prefect, and when ordered to give up the treasures of the Church, he presented the poor, the crippled, the blind and the suffering, and said that these were the true treasures of the Church. One account records him declaring to the prefect, "The Church is truly rich, far richer than your emperor." This act of defiance led directly to his martyrdom. This can be compared to the parallel Roman tale of the jewels of Cornelia.
Martyrdom
By tradition, Lawrence was sentenced at San Lorenzo in Miranda, martyred at San Lorenzo in Panisperna, and buried in the Via Tiburtina in the Catacomb of Cyriaca by Hippolytus and JustiLawrence before Valerianus nus, a presbyter. Tradition holds that Lawrence was burned or "grilled" to death, hence his association with the gridiron. Tradition also holds that Lawrence joked about their cooking him enough to eat while he was burning on the gridiron, hence his patronage ofcooks and chefs, stating something along the lines of, "turn me over ... I'm done on this side". One of the early sources for the martyrdom of Saint Lawrence was the description byAurelius Prudentius Clemens in his Peristephanon, Hymn II. However, one longstanding scholarly theory holds that the story of the gridiron arose from a scribe's mistranscription ofpassus est ("he suffered," that is, was martyred) as assus est ("he was roasted"). Constantine I is said to have built a small oratory in honour of the martyr, which was a station on the itineraries of the graves of the Roman martyrs by the seventh century. Pope Damasus I rebuilt or repaired the church, now known as San Lorenzo fuori le Mura, while the minor basilica of San Lorenzo in PanisThe Ma y dom o S Law ence by J perna was built over the place of his martyrdom. The gridiron of the martyrdom was placed Pope Paschal León 1758 R A B A S F Mad d II in the church of San Lorenzo in Lucina.
Veneration
Lawrence is one of the most widely venerated saints of the Roman Catholic Church. Devotion to him was widespread by the fourth century. As his martyrdom occurred very early in Church history, many other Christians honour him as well. Since the Perseid Meteor Shower typically occurs every year in mid-August, on or near Saint Lawrence's feast day, some refer to the shower as the "Tears of Saint Lawrence." St Lawrence is especially honoured in the city of Rome, where he is one of the city's patrons. There are several churches in Rome dedicated to him, including San Lorenzo in Panisperna, traditionally identified as the place of his execution. He is invoked by librarians, archivists, cooks, and tanners as their patron. His celebration on 10 August has the rank of feast throughout the entire Catholic world. On this day, the reliquary containing his burnt head is displayed in the Vatican for veneration. The Escorial Palace, situated at the foot of Mt. Abantos in the Sierra de Guadarrama, was built by King Philip II of Spain to commemorate the victory of Spanish forces over those of King Henry II of France at the Battle of St Quentin, which took place on the feast of St Lawrence on 10 August 1557. To honour the martyr, the entire floor plan of this imposing edifice was laid out in the form of a gridiron, the means by which St Lawrence was martyred. The sh ne n Rome con a n ng French explorer Jacques Cartier gave the name of Saint Lawrence to the widest river in the world. At the mouth of he g d on sa d o have been this river is the large Gulf of Saint Lawrence, surrounded by all the Canadian Maritime provinces. Closer to the used o g Law ence o dea h source of this river are the Laurentian mountains (north of the city of Montreal), the major Montreal borough of Saint-Laurent (borough), as well as the famed Saint Lawrence Boulevard that spans the full 11.25 km width of the island of Montreal. St Lawrence is the patron saint of the monks of Ampleforth Abbey. St Lawrence is also venerated by Anglo-Catholics. A major church in Sydney, Australia, situated in the former civil (land division) parish of St Lawrence, is called "Christ Church St. Laurence". The Brotherhood of St Laurence also bears his name.
Independence Day CHAD - August 11 An Independence Day is celebrated annually, remembering the nation’s history of independence
from being a territory or colony of another state, with pride and honor. Most of the nations commemorate their liberal statehood on Independence Day and celebrate it as a national holiday.
History
Chad, a central African landlocked country, is sometimes called “dead heart of Africa” because of its desert climate. By the start of the 7th millennium BC, huge human population shifted to the Chadian basin, and a chain of empires and kingdoms ruled and fell in this small African nation. The territorial expansion of France created “Territoire Militaire des Pays et Prtectorats du Tchad” during the beginning of the 20th century. They defeated Rabih az-Zubayr on the 22nd April of1900 to clean up the greatest hindrance to Frances colonization of Chad. It was the year of 1920 when France overpowered the rulers of Chad and conquered it as a portion of French Equatorial Africa. The characteristics of French rule in Chad were the absence of regulations and policies to unite the colony and indolent modernization. The primal value of Chad to the French sovereign was as a trivial source of amateur labor, and the raw cotton. The French government incorporated the across-theboard cotton production in 1929. The overall colonial rule in Chad was actually running on a skeleton – staff, and had to depend on the left-over of the civil service if French. In essence, inhabitants of Chad were utterly neglected. French Government’s existence in the north and the east of the continent was also minimal. The major victim of this neglected administration was the poor educational status of Chad. By the end of the Second World War, Chad was given the privilege of overseas territory by the French Government, and the people of Chad got the right to cast their votes for the election of the representatives to the National Assembly of France and a Chadian assembly as well. Still, it really was not enough against the contribution of 15000 Chadian soldiers, who exchanged blows for Free France during the Second World War. Thus gradually, the largest political party in Chad grown up in the name of Chadian Progressive Party, which was based in the south of Chadian colony. Francois Tombalbaye evolved as the great leader of this party and Chad paved the way to her Liberty from the French Colonization with his enormous leadership on August 11, 1960. He was the first president of Chad.
TRADITIONS AND ACTIVITIES
Although Chad achieved her liberty on August 11, 1960, the Independence Day of Chad is celebrated on January 11 to avoid the monsoon in August. Like most of the countries, Chad also celebrates the Independence Day as a national holiday. The Republic of Chad shares a huge diversity of people with different languages and culture. Still, on the Independence Day, every individual in this African country celebrates their liberty through sports like football and wresting, political assemblies. Delegations from different First world countries also visit here on the Independence Day.
Independence Day CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC - August 13
An Independence Day is also known as the birthday of the nation. It is celebrated annually to mark the country’s freedom from slavery of a dominant nation; it is the day when the nation becomes free and no more remains a part of any other state. In this day, there is a holiday all around the nation and so it is also known as a national holiday. Central African Republic is one of the countries, who celebrate this day on August 13. Let us know about the history and struggle of the Central African Republic (CAR), which they had to go through for achieving independence.
History
It was in the nineteenth century that the European penetrated in Central Africa. Savorgnan de Brazza, who in order to have a France claim in the territory of Central Africa, had sent his expedition up the Ubangi River. On the other hand, there were nations like Belgium, Germany and United Kingdom, who wanted to claim the territory in Central African region. The French, in 1889, got success in establishing the post on Ubangi River and even on CAR. After that, Brazza wished for expanding the borders of French Congo for linking up with some of the French territories. In 1894, French borders of German Cameroon and Congo were fixed by a pact. No sooner the European negotiators did agree on the borders of French Congo than the France had to find out the way for paying the costly occupation of the territory along with the development and administration of the same. The private companies and French administration together made an effort in order to compel Central Africans for working in their benefit. During the French colonial rule in the first decade, they made the life miserable for the one, who didn’t have the power for putting up a resistance. In case of second decade, the colonial state and private companies continued for using harsh methods, but one good thing happen that local Africans rulers had no more power and so an end of slave raiding came. The third decade marked the revolution road and all was built even some people died who were recruited to work on rails. Therefore, slowly decade-by-decade changes came and it was on 1 December 1958 that the colony of Ubangi-Shari became a free territory that too within the French Community and got the name Central African Republic. After Boganda’s death in 1959, his cousin became the president and it was on 13the August 1960 that CAR was granted independence.
TRADITIONS AND ACTIVITIES
People celebrate this day with great enthusiasm and excitement as this day was the one that got them freedom. Central African Republic is known for its traditions and they do their best to safeguard their traditions and culture The oral traditions of the Aka Pygmies of Central Africa is one of the things which are remarkable and beyond any comparison. The great enthusiasm and excitement that the people instill in this celebration is worth mentioning. Every single person of the population enjoys on this particular day to the maximum.
Youth Day INTERNATIONAL- August 12
International Youth Day (IYD) is an awareness day designated by the United Nations. The first IYD was on 12 August 2000. As with other political awareness days, such as Earth Day, the purpose of the day is to draw attention to a given set of cultural and legal issues surrounding an endangered demographic.
Selected date
International Youth Day is on August 12 each year. It was designated by the United Nations in 1999 by the adoption of resolution 54/120. It is meant as an opportunity for governments and others to draw attention to youth issues worldwide. Concerts, workshops, cultural events, and meetings involving national and local government officials and youth organizations take place around the world in honor of International Youth Day.
Lefthanders Day INTERNATIONAL- August 13
Augus 13 s des gna ed n e na ona Le hande s Day by Le hande s n e na ona was s obse ved 13 Augus 1976 As s name sugges s s mean o p omo e awa eness o he nconven ences ac ng e hande s n a p edom nan y gh handed wo d ce eb a es he un queness and d e ence who a e om seven o en pe cen o he wo d s popu a on
King Hussein Accession JORDAN - August 11 Hussein bin Talal (Arabic: نب نيسح
isters Abba Eban and Golda Meir began on or before 1963. At first the meetings took place in London at the home of Dr. Emanuel Herbert, King Hussein's physician. Dr. Herbert, a Jew who desired to help
لالط, Ḥusayn bin Ṭalāl; 14 November 1935 – 7 February 1999) was the third King of Jordan from the abdication of his father, King Talal, in 1952, until his death. Hussein's rule extended through the Cold War and four decades of ArabIsraeli conflict.He recognized Israel in 1994, becoming the second Arab head of state to do so.
Between 1963—1994 he had held at least 55 secret meetings with leading Israelis including at least seven prime and foreign ministers. Due to the close relationship forged with Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin during the negotiations of the treaty, Hussein was invited to give a speech during Rabin's funeral.
Summit of the Peacemakers
On 13 March 1996 the “Summit of the Peacemakers” was held at Sharm elSheikh, Egypt hosted by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. In addition to King Hussein, Turkish President Suleiman Demirel, Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres, US President Bill Clinton, and Russian President Boris Yeltsin were present at the summit. The summit was convened with the expressed aim of putting the Israeli-Palestinian peace process back on track after a period of increased tension and hostility.
Early life and accession
Hussein was born in Amman on 14 November 1935 to Talal bin Abdullah and Princess Zein al-Sharaf bint Jamil. After completing his elementary education in Amman, he was educated at Victoria College in Alexandria. He proceeded to Harrow School in England, where he befriended his cousin Faisal II of Iraq. He pursued further study at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. On 20 July 1951, Prince Hussein traveled to Jerusalemto perform Friday prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque with his grandfather, King Abdullah I, where an assassin opened fire on Abdullah and his grandson. Abdullah was killed, but the 15-year-old Hussein survived the assassination attempt, and according to the Jordanian government, pursued the gunman. The Jordanian government claims that the gunman turned his weapon on the young prince, who was saved when the bullet was deflected by a medal on his uniform which had been given to him by his grandfather. Abdullah was appointed Crown Prince of Jordan on 9 September 1951. Abdullah's eldest son, King Talal, became King of Jordan, but within a year was forced to abdicate owing to his mental state (European and Arab doctors diagnosed schizophrenia). King Talal's son, Crown Prince Hussein, was proclaimed King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan on 11 August 1952, succeeding at the age of 16; because this was under the legal age, he was enthroned a year later, on 2 May 1953.
Hebron Agreement
Hussein was often involved in negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians. His 11th-hour intervention in January 1997 is said to have brought Palestinian Chairman Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to an agreement on the long-awaited withdrawal of Israeli troops from most of the West Bank town of Hebron.
The Wye accords
Hussein and the Israeli government became the confidential go-between for contact between Israel and Jordan. Jordan, sharing the longest contiguous border with Israel was very interested in maintaining a peaceful posture towards Israel. As Avi Shlaim states Hussein's "...purpose throughout the 1960s was to see if there was any way to resolve the dispute with Israel peacefully." King Hussein sought to understand Israel's position and preferred dialogue to the futility of war with its many dangers. Much of this desire grows out of the threat from other Arab states, specifically the Ba'athist regimes in Iraq and Syria and Nasser's ideology of Arab nationalism which had heavily influenced the Army. The first secret meeting took place on September 24, 1963 between King Hussein and Yaacov Herzog, a diplomat with wide exKing Hussein was married four times (never simul- perience and special emissary of prime minister taneously): Levi Eshkol. Among other things such as discusSharifa Dina bint 'Abdu'l-Hamid (born sions regarding water rights, the purpose of the 1929), on 18 April 1955. She was an Egyptian-born meetings were to plan and support Israeli and Jorthird cousin of King Hussein's father, King Talal. A danian initiatives in combating Fatah guerrillas. graduate of Cambridge University and a former lec- Hussein accepted minor raids into Jordanian territurer in English literature at Cairo University. They tory by the Israeli Defence Forces. He would later separated in 1956 and were divorced in 1957, at state "I told them I could not absorb a serious retalwhich time Queen Dina became known as Her iatory raid, and they accepted the logic of this and Royal Highness Princess Dina Abdul-Hamid of Jor- promised there would never be one". dan. She became an Egyptian citizen in 1963, and On Nov 13, 1966, Israeli military conducted a major in October 1970, Princess Dina of Jordan married incursion into Jordanian territory, violating their seLieut-Colonel Asad Sulayman Abd al-Qadir, alias cret agreement with King Hussein, in what became Salah Taamari, a Palestinian guerrilla commando known as the Samu Incident. Two days later, in rewho became a high-ranking official in the Palestine sponse to the incident, in a memo to U.S. President Liberation Organization. Lyndon B. Johnson, his Special Assistant Walt RosDaughter: H.R.H.Princess Alia bint Al tow wrote: "retaliation is not the point in this case. Hussein (born 1956). Married first to Sayyid Nasser This 3000-man raid with tanks and planes was out Mirza, they have one child together, a son Hussein. of all proportion to the provocation and was aimed They divorced in 1987. She remarried in 1988 to at the wrong target," and went on to describe the Sayyid Mohammed Al-Saleh; they have two sons, damage done to US and Israeli interests: Talal and Abdulhamid. They've wrecked a good system of tacit cooperation Antoinette Avril Gardiner ('Toni Gar- between Hussein and the Israelis... They've under diner'), (born 1941), on 25 May 1961, styled HRH cut Hussein. We've spent $500 million to shore him Princess Muna al-Hussein from marriage. An up as a stabilizing factor on Israel's longest border award-winning field hockey player, former typist, and vis-à-vis Syria and Iraq. Israel's attack inand daughter of a British army officer turned creases the pressure on him to counterattack not innkeeper, Lieutenant-Colonel Walter Percy Gar- only from the more radical Arab governments and diner, she was given the title Her Royal Highness from the Palestinians in Jordan but also from the Princess Muna al-Hussein and retained this title Army, which is his main source of support and may after they divorced on 21 December 1971. now press for a chance to recoup its Sunday Children: losses... They've set back progress toward a long His Majesty Abdullah II, King of The term accommodation with the Arabs... They may Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (born 1962). The have persuaded the Syrians that Israel didn't dare current King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. attack Soviet-protected Syria but could attack USMarried to Rania Al-Yassin. They have four children: backed Jordan with impunity. Prince Hussein, Princess Iman, Princess Salma and Perception of King Hussein's secret collaboration Prince Hashem. with Israel led to great dissatisfaction of his rule both His Royal Highness Prince Faisal bin at home and throughout the Arab World. President Al Hussein of Jordan (born 1963). Lieutenant-Gen- Gamal Abdul Nasser of Egypt often referred to Huseral, former Commander of Royal Jordanian Air sein as "an "imperialist lackey". Army CommanderForce. Married to Alia Tabbaa (now known as Her in-Chief General Sharif Zaid Ben Shaker warned in Royal Highness Princess Alia Tabbaa). They have a press conference that "If Jordan does not join the four children: Princess Ayah, Prince Omar, and war a civil war will erupt in Jordan". In order to maintwins Princess Sara and Princess Aisha. tain credibility in the Arab world and maintain stabil Her Royal Highness Princess Aisha ity at home, on May 30, 1967, King Hussein signed bint Hussein (born 1968). Brigadier-General of Jor- a mutual defense treaty with Egypt, and handed dan's Royal Jordanian Land Force. Married to over command of the Jordanian military to Egyptian Sayyid Zeid Juma, they have two children, a son generals. Aoun and a daughter Muna. Her Royal Highness Princess Zein bint Hussein (born 1968, Aisha's twin). Married to In June 1967, as a result of what later became Sayyid Majdi Al-Saleh, they have two children: a known as the Six-Day War Jordan lost control of the son Jaafar and a daughter Jumana, and an adopted West Bank and east Jerusalem and saw its military shattered. In addition the country was, for a second daughter called Tahani Al Shawan. Alia Baha el-Din Toukan H.M. Queen time, over-run with many Palestinian refugees, fleeAlia al-Hussein (1948–1977), on 24 December ing the Israeli assault. Much like after the 1948 war, 1972, after whom Jordan's international airport Israel did not allow the fleeing refugees to return to (Queen Alia International Airport) is named. She the territories it had captured during the war. As a died in a helicopter crash in Amman, Jordan in result, Palestinian refugees who fled the 1948 and 1967 wars, outnumbered Jordan's natural citizens. 1977. Most refugees were provided citizenship by the Children: Her Royal Highness Princess Haya Hussein regime. Due to their sheer numbers, Palesbint Hussein (born 1974). Married to Sheikh Mo- tinian factions in Jordan were able to exercise conhammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Ruler ofDubai and siderable authority essentially governing some areas of Jordan, leading to many considering them has a daughter HH Sheikha Al Jalila. His Royal Highness Prince Ali bin Al a state within a state, eroding Hussein's central auHussein of Jordan (born 1975). Married to Rym thority. Brahimi now known as Her Royal Highness Princess Rym al-Ali. They have two children, In September, 1970, in accordance with secret Princess Jalilah and Prince Abdullah. Adopted daughter: Abir Muhaisen, agreements with Israel and the US, Hussein or(born 1972, adopted 1976). She attended Oldfields dered the forcible expulsion of the Palestine LiberPrep School in Glencoe, Maryland,U.S.(boarding ation Organization by the Jordanian military. The attacks on Palestinian fighters and civilians further school). Elizabeth Najeeb Halaby (born 1951), deteriorated King Hussein's image in the Arab and (renamed Queen Noor al Hussein on her conver- Muslim world. sion to Islam), married in Amman on 15 June 1978 Children: After the death of Egyptian president Gamal Abdul His Royal Highness Prince Hamzah Nasser, his successor, Anwar Sadat, made several bin al Hussein of Jordan (born 1980). Married to Her offers of peace and recognition, in return for the Royal Highness Princess Noor bint Asem of Jordan, Egyptian lands captured by Israel during the six day third daughter of His Royal Highness Prince Asem war. The Israeli government rejected all offers, in Abu Bakar of Jordan, by his first wife, Princess line with US secretary of state Henry Kissinger's Firouzeh Vokhshouri. Princess Noor became Her stalemate policy. . Sadat warned that Egypt would Royal Highness Princess Noor Hamzah of Jordan attempt to recapture the territories through war, but upon her marriage. They have a daughter, Princess the Israeli government, perhaps due to the percepHayah tion of the Israeli military invincibility after the six day His Royal Highness Prince Hashim bin war, dismissed Sadat's threat as empty posturing. Al Hussein of Jordan (born 1981). Married to Her Egyptian president Anwar Sadat and Syrian presiRoyal Highness Princess Fahdah. They have two dent Hafez al-Assad met King Hussein in 1973 to daughters: Princess Halaah and Princess Rayet Al discuss the possibility of war. Hussein, fearing anNoor. other loss of territory to Israel, declined. Further Her Royal Highness Princess Iman more, Hussein was suspicious of Sadat's promise bint Hussein (born 1983). to PLO Chairman Yasser Arafatto hand over the Her Royal Highness Princess Raiyah West Bank to the Palestinians in the event of a vicbint Hussein (born 1986). tory, as he considered the West Bank to be JordanHussein was an avid amateur radio operator and an ian territory. On the night of September 25, Hussein Honorary Member of the Radio Society of Harrow secretly flew to Tel Aviv to warn Israeli Prime Minis(callsign JY1). A trained aircraft pilot, he also also ter Golda Meir of an impending Syrian attack. "Are known for fly airplanes (propeller and jet), as well (the Syrians) going to war without the Egyptians, as helicopters as a hobby. asked Mrs. Meir. The king said he didn't think so. 'I King Hussein was succeeded as king by his eldest think they [Egypt] would cooperate'". son Abdullah II of Jordan. On Oct 6, 1973, Syria and Egypt attacked Israel without the aid of Jordan. The war led to Israel takIn March 1956 Hussein was appointed the King of ing Sadat seriously and engaging in negotiations which resulted in the return of captured Egyptian Jordan, and burnished his own nationalist credentials by dismissing Glubb “Pasha” as the com- territories and the recognition of Israel by Egypt. mander of the Jordanian Army, and replacing all the British officers with Jordanians. This now mainly Jordan remained neutral during the Gulf War primaBedouin army was fiercely loyal to him, due to tribal rily due to the country's severe economic reliance connections. of Iraqi oil. Hussein's rule was marred with secret collaboration with Israel and the United States, which often adversely affected the surrounding Arab States and In 1994, Hussein concluded negotiations to end the peoples, including the Palestinians. Secret meet- official state of war with Israel resulting in the Israelings between King Hussein and Israeli foreign min- Jordan Treaty of Peace which he had begun negotiating in secret with the Israelis in the 1960s.
Personal life
Six-Day War
Black September
1973 Arab-Israeli War
Reign
The Gulf War
Peace with Israel
In 1997 U.S. President Bill Clinton invited Hussein, who was in the US undergoing chemotherapy treatment for cancer, to attend the Wye Plantation talks. Hussein received a standing ovation at the ceremony and praise from Clinton.
Illness
At the end of July 1998 it was made public that Hussein was diagnosed lymphatic cancer by doctors at the Mayo Clinic. Hussein's lymphoma was of a type that responded to chemotherapy, which the King had already begun and his physicians were optimistic he could be cured. Speaking on Jordanian television via satellite, Hussein reassured the Jordanian people that the cancer was curable. Nevertheless, he looked fragile and pale. It was the 62-year-old monarch's second bout with cancer; he lost a kidney to the disease in 1992. On his way back to Jordan in January 1999, Hussein stopped in London. Doctors advised him to rest and stay in England for a few weeks, as he was still too fragile to travel. According to Jordanian government sources, Hussein stated that: “I need very much to feel the warmth of my people around me, there is work to be done and I will get the strength from my people to finish the business.“ Upon returning to Jordan Hussein was greeted by family members, ministers, parliament members, foreign dignitaries and a crowd of Jordanian citizens, estimated by Jordanian government officials of 2 million.
Death
Just before his death, Hussein made a change to his will, disinheriting the heir-apparent of several decades, his brother Hassan, in favor of his eldest son Abdullah. He abruptly returned to the U.S. clinic on 25 January 1999 for further treatment undergoing a failed bone marrow transplant after which he returned to Jordan. On 7 February 1999 King Hussein died of complications related to non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. He was, at the time of his death, one of the longestserving leaders in international politics. He had been the King of Jordan for over 46 years and during which he was an important actor in various Middle East conflicts. Just prior to his death, during an interview with CNN's Christiane Amanpour Hussein expressed his opinion that a peaceful resolution would eventually be reached in the Arab-Israeli conflict. King Hussein's funeral was held on February 8, 1999 in the presence of all five of his sons, foreign dignitaries and statesmen, and an estimated 800,000 Jordanians. The UN General Assembly held an Emergency Special Session in "Tribute to the Memory of His Majesty the King of Jordan" on the same day.
Honours
King Faisal II Coronation Medal-1953 Collar of the Grand Order of the Hashemites of the Kingdom of Iraq-1953 Grand Cordon of the Order of the Two Rivers of the Kingdom of Iraq-1953 Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Vic torian Order (GCVO)-1953 Bailiff Grand Cross of the Venerable Order of Saint John of Jerusalem (GCStJ)-1955 Grand Collar of the Order of the Nile of the Republic of Egypt-1955 Collar of the Order of Military Merit of the Spanish State-1955 Grand Cordon of the Order of Omayyad of Syria-1955 Grand Cordon of the Order of Inde pendence of Tunisia-1956 Collar special class of the Order of the Propitious Clouds of the Republic of China-1959 Collar of the Order of Pahlavi of the Empire of Iran-1959 Collar of the Order of Muhammadiya of Morocco-1960 Collar of the Order of Solomon of the Ethiopian Empire-1960 Collar of the Order of Idris I of the Kingdom of Libya-1960 Collar special class of the Order of Merit of Lebanon-1960 Grand Collar of the King Abdul Aziz Decoration of Saudi Arabia-1960 Collar of the Order of the Badr Chain of Saudi Arabia-1960 Collar of the Order of National Merit of Guinea-1960 Collar of the Order of the Redeemer of the Kingdom of Greece-1960 Collar of the Order of Leopold-1964 Grand Cross of the Order of the Netherlands Lion-1964 Collar of the Order of St Olav of Norway-1964 Collar of the Order of the Tower and Sword of Portugal (GCollTE)-1964 Knight of the Order of the Golden Spur of the Vatican-1964 Grand Cordon of the Order of the State Crown of Malaysia (DMN)-1965 Royal Victorian Chain-1966 Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour of France-1967 Grand Cross special class of the Bundesverdienstkreuz of West Germany-1967 Collar of the Order of Mubarak the Great of Kuwait-1974 Collar of the Order of the Chrysanthemum of Japan-1976 Collar of the Order of al-Khalifa of Bahrain-1976 Collar of the Order of Independence of Qatar-1978 Grand Cordon of the Yugoslavian Grand Star-1979 Collar of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Italy-1983 Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB)-1984
Augus 1 2011 Nepa ese H ndu p gr ms a so known as Bo boms wa k n he ores dur ng a process on o worsh p Lord Sh va he god o crea on and des ruc on a Sundar a v age Nepa Scores o H ndu devo ees rom a over he Nepa and ne ghbor ng coun ry nd a ga hered n he nor hern ho y c y Sundar a 22 km rom he cap a Ka hmandu where hey co ec wa er c a med o be ho y
Uneasy Lies the Head London: William Heinemann Ltd. (1962) My "War" with Israel London: Peter Owen. (1969) ISBN 0-7206-0310-2 Mon Métier de Roi. Paris: R. Laffont (1975)
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Pak-Afghan border areas epi-center of terror: Mullen (Google News Aug 6, 2011) A US military chief has issued a warning that the border region between Afghanistan and Pakistan remains the epicentre of terrorism during an unannounced visit to the NATO-led mission. Adm Mike Mullen reiterated that Pakistan was still a safe haven harbouring Al-Qaeda despite the death of Osama bin Laden at the beginning of May. Speaking to NATO TV, he said: "Pakistan still is home to many terrorists and other terrorist organisations like the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Haqqani network. "And, clearly, those who live in Quetta come here with a goal of
overturning the government of Afghanistan." Twelve Afghan police officers and one civilian were killed when a suicide bomber attacked the police headquarters in the provincial capital, Lashkar Gah, where British Task Force Helmand is also based. But Adm Mullen said he was confident that the transition would continue with the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) working alongside Afghan counterparts. "We recognise the challenges posed by the some of the recent spectacular attacks and assassinations. We are doing all we can
with the Afghan security forces to prevent those in the future. "We see a situation in the future where many of the Taliban leaders have either been taken off the battlefield or have returned to the safe havens in Pakistan. We see weakness in the Taliban's tactics in some areas," he asserted. Adm Mullen also stressed that the withdrawal of 33,000 US troops announced by President Obama in June - would not put the NATOled mission at risk. Ten thousand American soldiers scheduled to leave are Afghanistan by the end of the year with the remaining 23,000 troops withdrawn by September 2012.
Chinese rebels threaten Sino-Pak ties LAHORE: The much trumpeted allweather PakistanChina friendship received a major setback following Beijing’s August 1 claim that the Muslim militants from Uighur who were involved in two bomb blasts on July 30 and July 31 in the Kashgar city of Xinjiang province (which killed 18 people) had in fact been trained in explosives in the tribal areas of Pakistan on the Pak-Afghan border belt.
(Google News Aug 6, 2011 )
Chinese officials have publicly claimed for the first time in recent years that the attackers were trained in camps being run by the al-Qaeda-linked East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) in Pakistan, throwing serious question marks over Islamabad’s friendship with Beijing. Though the ETIM network on the Pak-Afghan border has been significantly weakened in recent years in the wake of the deaths of many of its top leaders in American drone attacks, hardcore Uighur militants are still shuttling between China and Pakistan since Xinjiang province shares a border with Pakistan. The Chinese authorities claimed on August 1 that the ringleader of the terror group which carried out the July 2011 attacks in Kashgar had learned making explosives and firearms in ETIM terrorist training camps in the tribal areas of Pakistan on the Pak-Afghan border. The ETIM, which is run by natives of the Xinjiang province, is fighting against the settlement of Chinese Hans from mainland and describes its struggle as a freedom movement. The tendency of the indigenous people fighting against settlers is not unusual in Xinjiang where more than 200 civilians lost their lives in deadly ethnic violence between the Han and Uighur communities in 2009. Although ethnic strife is not new in Xinjiang, it is China’s accusations directed towards Pakistan that ought to merit concern. The Chinese claim about the involvement of a terrorist group in the recent attacks with training camps in Pakistan was made on the basis of confession by a captured Uighur militant. The Pakistan government, for its part, was quick to extend all possible cooperation to China against the ETIM which is also described as the Turkisatni Islamic Party (TIP). “Terrorists, extremists and separatists in Xinjiang constitute an evil force,” said an August 1 statement issued by Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry. The statement came after
Chinese President Hu Jintao had rung up President Asif Ali Zardari to express concern over the growing terror activities of the ETIM in the Xinjiang province, a month before the holding of international expo in Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang, from September 1 to 5, 2011. Subsequently, Lt Gen Ahmed Shuja Pasha, DirectorGeneral of the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), rushed to Beijing to address the Chinese concerns. According to well informed intelligence circles in Rawalpindi, the Pakistani military authorities are under mounting pressure from Beijing to allow the setting up of military bases in the tribal areas of Pakistan to counter the Chinese rebels operating from its soil. In fact, the growing strength of the Pakistan-based Chinese separatist movement is a matter of serious concern for Beijing which had even asked Islamabad to allow its military presence either in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) or Fata, just like the Americans, so that Beijing could effectively counter the Chinese separatists there. Yet diplomatic circles added that the Chinese desire to have military presence in the tribal areas of Pakistan should not be painted as an attempt to set up permanent military bases there. “China does not have any military bases outside its land unlike the United States and the prime concern of Beijing is the spread of violence from the Pakistani tribal belt to the trouble-stricken Chinese region of Xinjiang, which is the main Muslim majority province. The ac ha he ET M m an s had ex ended he ne wo k o e o s ac v es o Pak s an be came abundan y c ea n 2009 when hey h ea ened he Ch nese Embassy n s amabad h ough a e e exp ess ng he n en ons o k dnap Ch nese d p oma s and consu a o ce s o h gh gh he cause The Ch nese m ss on sub sequen y n o med he Pak s an au ho es ha some membe s o he ET M had a eady eached s amabad and a e p ann ng o k d nap he s a e s om he ede a cap a The Pak s an aw en o ce men agenc es consequen y a es ed 10 ET M m an s and ex ad ed hem o Ch na desp e app ehens ons exp essed by he Amnes y n e na ona A ha hey cou d be a sk o se ous human gh s v o a ons n he e nc ud ng un a a o u e and execu on The ex ad on o he ET M m an s came abou as a esu o h ee ag eemen s made be ween Pak s an and Ch na o cu b m ancy and ex em sm n an ensu ng v deo pos ed on a m an webs e on Augus 1 2009 Abdu Haq a Tu k s an he eade o he ET M u ged Mus ms o a ack Ch nese n e es s o pun sh Be ng o wha he desc bed as mas sac es aga ns U ghu Mus ms Haq sa d The Ch nese mus be a ge ed bo h a home and ab oad The embass es con su a es cen es and ga he ng p aces shou d be a ge ed The men shou d be k ed and cap u ed o seek he e ease o ou b o he s who a e a ed n Eas e n Tu k s an Abdu Haq used o un a a n ng camp o h s ec u s n To a Bo a
Shoaib Malik set to return to Pakistan team Goog e News Aug 6 2011 LAHORE Fo me Pak
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Pakistan: Exploiting hydropower potential can end power crisis in 5-6 years (Google News) LAHORE, Aug. 05 -- The power crisis, which is eating
up Pakistan's industry, besides causing problems for the people in the form of load shedding, can be resolved in the next five to six years keeping in view the potential for generating hydropower in the country, especially at River Indus, media learnt during a reporter's three-day study tour to national dams, grid stations, the Indus River basin and power transmission units. Currently, Pakistan's total power demand is around 20,000 megawatts and the national grid faces a shortfall of 6000-7000 megawatts. However, the study tour was briefed that that there is over 37,000MW power generation potential on River Indus and its tributaries. The National Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC) arranged the media study tour through Pakistan Electric and Power Company (PEPCO) from July 29 to July 31. Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) is planning 26 projects on River Indus and related tributaries to incorporate their collective 37,312 MW potential into the national grid. Out of these 26 hydropower projects, the feasibility studies of 12, consisting of 31,879MW, are about to be completed and construction work might start soon. The remaining 14 hydropower projects have been given a lower priority by WAPDA. The engineers of NTDC are hopeful that the power crises will be nullified in the coming 5-6 years, if WAPDA executes these projects in time. These 12 projects include the Bunji Dam project of 7100MW, Basha Dam project of 4500MW, Dasu Dam of 4320MW, Pattan Dam of 2800MW, Thakot Dam of 2800MW, Nelum Jehlum Dam of 969MW (where the work is already in an advanced stage), Azad Pattan Dam of 650MW, Suki Kinari Dam of 840MW, Kohala Dam of 1100MW, Yulbo Dam of 3000MW, Tungas Dam of 2200MW and Skardu Dam of 1600MW. For these projects, technical advice is being taken from a British company called Power Planners International, said NTDC Deputy Manager Muhammad Ishaq, during a briefing at the Khan Khawar Dam at Besham. The other potential dams and power houses of Indus and its tributaries include Spat Gah Dam of 567MW, Chornala/Palas Valley Dam of 621MW, Patrind Dam of 140MW, Asrit Kaddam Dam of 215MW, Karot Dam of 720MW, Madyan Dam of 148MW, Kalam Asrit of 197MW, Gabral Kalam Dam of 101MW, Mahal Dam of 400MW, Kaigah Dam of 548MW, Lower Spatgah Dam of 496MW, Narab Dam of 210MW, Karang Dam of 550MW and Yugo Dam of 520MW. When asked, Ishaq told media that these dams are in the second priority list while the above-mentioned 12 dams are in the first priority. The NTDC and WAPDA engineers said that the construction of these dams was a necessity for the country, while declaring that rental power projects and independent power plants (IPPs) are an interim solution. Project Director Zaffar Iqbal Niazi said that although the major dams required at least 5 to 6 years to be completed, hydro-generated electricity would be added to the national grid through small dams, the three powerhouses, Duber Khwar, Khan Khwar and Allai Khwar of 324MW being examples of that. He said that dams are the cheapest means to produce electricity, the cost per unit would be around Rs 1.25 after the construction of some dams, whereas the price per unit via IPP's is much higher. These three powerhouses generate electricity through the waterfall tributaries of Indus. About the performance of the NTDC, Extra High Voltage (EHV) Deputy Manager Muhammad Ishaq said that the company has made a 246 kilometres long 220KV double circuit twin needle transmission line in a very short span of time. The line, he added, would transmit 325MW of electricity from power stations installed over Dabair Khuwar Khan Khuwar and Allai Khuwar to Islamabad via Mansehra district. He said that in Pakistan there are a total of 12 sub stations of 500KV with a capacity of 14,850MVA whereas 26 sub stations of 220KV with capacity of 15364MVA are required to cater to the country's needs. He said that the NTDC has also connected 8 independent power plants of 1725MW to the national grid station. The plants include Nishat Power of 200MW, Nishat Chuniaan of 200MW, Hub Narowal of 225MW, Liberty power Faisalabad of 200MW, Atlas power Shekupura of 225MW, SAIF power Sahewal of 225MW, Halmour power, Shekhupura of 225MW and Orient Powe Baloki of 225 MW. Work at the 425MW Nandi Pur power plant is in progress, he added. He said that the 300MW Chashma Nuclear Power Plant has been connected to the national grid via 220KV lines 140 kilometres in length. To make feasible the import of 1000MW electricity from Iran, the installation of a transmission line route is in its last stages. After the losses and damages to transmission lines during the floods in Pakistan, the Grid System Operation (GSO) General Manager Sharafat Siyal has been looking after all the 26 power projects over River Indus. The Canadian SNC Company and NESPAK have completed the feasibility report of 500KV HVDC and HVAC lines for the transmission of imported 3400MW coal-based power. A feasibility report is being prepared for the transmission of 2400MW to be generated through Thar coal deposits. Its PC-I would be forwarded to the government this month. During its three-day tour, the delegation also visited the 220KV Switch Yard at Mangla Power House, 500KV Rawat Grid Station Rawalpindia and Allai Khuwar's 220KV Stwitch Yard. PEPCO Deputy Director Shaukat was the trip coordinator, while Lahore Project Director Muhammad Amin Khalid, Islamabad PD Zaffar Iqbal Niazi, GSO Chief Engineer Muhammad Saleem, Rawalpindi XEn Manzoor Ahmed, Gujranwala XEn Shahid Nazir and Peshawar XEn Arif Khan also helped in coordinating the media visit to the transmission lines and grid stations.
Crimes against women up by 18% Goog e News Aug 6 2011 C mes aga ns women nc ud ng o ced ma
ages and sexua assau s have sen by 18% n Pak s an ove a pe od o one yea evea s a epo Acco d ng o a F ee and Fa E ec on Ne wo k FAFEN epo he numbe o epo ed c mes has sen om 8449 n May 2010 o 999 n May 2011 Da y T mes epo ed on Sa u day FAFEN was es ab shed n 2006 as a coa on o app ox ma e y 30 ead ng c v soc e y o gan sa ons n Pak s an w h he p ma y ob ec ve o mob s ng vo e s and obse v ng he gene a e ec ons ha ook p ace n Feb ua y 2008 FAFEN s a es epo s based on a compa son o he numbe o s n o ma on epo s F Rs pe a n ng o an women c mes n Pak s an s 61 d s cs The epo wh ch was e eased F day s a ed he numbe o cases on o ced ma ages nc den s o nsu s and sexua ha assmen nc eased s gn can y wh e mo e se ous c mes ke ape and honou k ng w nessed a se s a es cases o o ced ma ages and sexua ha assmen wen up by 42% and 17% espec ve y Howeve F Rs eg s e ed aga ns ape honou k ngs and o ences aga ns ma age dec ne by 25% 17% and one% espec ve y The epo s a es ha he c mes aga ns women we e mo e w desp ead h s yea as he numbe o d s c s epo ng hem nc eased n May 2011 han n May 2010 F Rs aga ns 181 nc den s o ape we e eg s e ed n 34 d s c s n May 2011 compa ed o 241 n 30 d s c s he same mon h as yea S m a y 25 cases o honou k ngs we e epo ed n 12 d s c s n May 2011 aga ns 30 epo ed n n ne d s c s n May 2010 The FAFEN epo a so s a es d cu y n asce a n ng he ue pa e n o oc cu ence o bo h ape and honou k ngs based on y on he numbe o F Rs eg s e ed na onw de
Pak, India Commerce Ministers to meet next month for trade talks Goog e News Aug 6 2011 The Comme ce M n s e s o Pak s an and nd a
w epo ed y mee n New De h nex mon h a e a gap o ove h ee yea s o d scuss ssues e a ed o ade expans on and p oposa s o emove non a ba e s ha h nde smoo h ade be ween he wo coun es Acco d ng o sou ces he dec s on was aken a e nd an Comme ce and ndus y M n s e Anand Sha ma sen a o ma nv a on o h s Pak s an coun e pa Makhdoom Am n Fah m o d scuss seve a mpo an ssues Yes we have ece ved a o ma nv a on om he nd an comme ce m n s e He has n v ed Pak s an comme ce m n s e o v s nd a o d scuss seve a ade e a ed ssues a oca newspape quo ed a sou ce n he Comme ce M n s y as say ng
PICTURE NEWS
SYRIA BULLETIN
Gulf bloc concern over "excessive use of force" in Syria RIYADH, Aug. 6 (Google News) -- The Gulf Cooperation Council expressed on Saturday its utmost concern over "the excessive use of force" in Syria, the six-member bloc said in a statement. The bloc, grouping Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the
UAE, Oman, Qatar and Bahrain, called for an end to "bloodshed" in Syria, which has been sweeping by pro-democracy protests since March. The Gulf nations called for bringing about concrete reforms in Syria to "protect the rights
and dignity of the Syrian people." The statement came one day after the U.S., French and German leaders vowed to mull over fresh punitive steps on Syria. Pan-Arab al-Jazeera television, citing activists, said 24 civilians were killed by security
forces in Syria. Syrian authorities have barred media outlets and foreign and independent journalists from covering the latest developments in Syria so it's hard to confirm these reports.
MP Warns about Consequences of Foreign Military Intervention in Syria TEHRAN (Google News)- A consequences and aftermaths
"Americans know well that a war on Syria is
like entering a quagmire much more lethal than the ones in Iraq and Afghanistan," Qonoum stated, and warned that a Syrian quagmire would be so bad and hazardous that "Americans cannot even think about it". The remarks by the Syrian parliamentarian came after Britain's Foreign Secretary William Hague said that military intervention in Syria is "not a remote possibility" as he called on the international community to exert stronger
pressure on Bashar al-Assad's government. Meantime, the French authorities ruled out the possibility of military intervention in Syria, citing that the situation in Syria was different from Libya. "The situation in Libya and Syria are not similar. No option of a military nature is considered," Christine Fages, deputy spokeswoman of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said during a regular press briefing.
latest round of protests across Syria on Friday, local authorities claimed that demonstrators were being paid to protest against President Bashar Assad and harm other civilians. Syrian news agency SANA on Saturday reported that local government officials in Deir ez-Zor accused protesters of receiving money in return for demonstrating against the regime. "We spoke to all sides involved. At first they agreed to carry out a silent protest, but then a few extremists paid them to harm the State," Hamoud Hassan al-Panache told the local TV station. The official said these armed "terrorist" groups were encouraging residents to protest against the regime, and were the ones responsible for killing civilians, while pinning the
deaths on the army. Al-Panache warned that these "foreign agents" will not succeed in their ploy. "Last week, extreme elements paid people to carry arms. They arrived at a road block, where they shot the civilians. "They sent photos and videos in which they blame the army for these acts, but the army didn’t even enter the city. These elements are deceiving all the Syrian TV networks and are undermining Syria's stability," he said. The official called on the army to enter the city and protect its residents. He added that the "city seniors" know who's behind the attacks on civilians. Another Deir ez-Zor official, Oved Abdoul al Jassim, described a situation he witnessed: "There was an argument between two people. When I intervened one of them told me
that the other asked a group of people to protest for four hours in return for money, but then only offered them 1,500 Syrian Liras." Earlier, Syrian activists claimed at least 24 civilians have been killed by security forces during anti-government protests on Friday.
Syria broadcasts scenes of destruction in Hama
s F day noon p aye o he ho y mon h o Ramadan n ano he bo d cha enge o he gove nmen s c ackdown Ac v s s epo ed ens o housands o p o es e s o n ng ma ches n he s ee s o seve a c es n c ud ng Da aa n he sou h and Homs Sy a s second a ges c y The Loca Coo d na on Comm ees an um b e a g oup ha has sough o o gan ze and documen he p o es s sa d secu y o ces k ed 14 peop e yes e day 11 o hem n he es ve subu bs o Damascus wo n Homs and one n Da aa whe e he evo began n Ma ch Yes e day s epo s by Sy an e ev s on and SANA he o c a news agency po ayed he a my as he sav o o Hama The news appea ed a med a e n o c ng he eade sh p s message o n e na opponen s ha hey a e ega ded as a med nsu ec on s gangs nsp ed by hos e o e gn powe s and w be dea w h acco d ng y Bu he e ev s on oo age o he w eckage n Hama a so mp c y acknow edged ha he v o ence he e was a mo e se ous han Assad s gove nmen had un now been w ng o pub c y adm a so unde ned a egacy o he assau Hama was ema kab y peace u a e secu y o ces w hd ew n June V o ence e up ed on y when he gove nmen ea ng he mo
men um he c y m gh p ov de he up s ng began s e oc ous assau on Sunday A hough gove nmen o c a s ns s he p o es e s we e a med no a s ng e weapon was seen n he s ee s on a ecen v s an ac ps coun con med by d p oma s n he he e Ba cades we e se up bu on y o b ock he e u n o he m a y and secu y o ces Today we a e a ve bu omo ow we don know sa d a es den he e eached by e e phone who gave h s name as Fad The hu man a an s ua on s ge ng wo se day by day Gove nmen o c a s o e ed an a oge he d e en ve s on o even s he e n epo s om Damascus he cap a ha appea ed mo e and mo e o de y ea y Sy an A ab a my un s a e wo k ng o e e o s o e secu y s ab y and no ma Hama a e a med e o s g oups pe pe a ed ac s o sabo age and k ng h ough se ng up ba cades b eak ng o oads a ack ng and bu n ng po ce s a ons us ng d e en k nds o weapons acco d ng o SANA s accoun o he v o ence n Hama The Sy an accoun s a so sa d a eas 20 so d e s had been k ed n he gh ng bu sa d no h ng abou c v an casua es he Ac v s g oups epo ng om Hama sou ce o mos n o ma on abou he may
hem he e s nce Sy an o ces s bes eged he c y as weekend have sa d a eas 200 c v ans have been k ed by m a y she ng and sn pe s They epo ed a new ound o she ng yes e day The es den eached by e ephone sa d ha 200 anks had en e ed he c y be o e dawn and ha secu y o ces we e b ock ng es den s om ga he ng n he c y s mosques The gove nmen has g ven up s espons b es and handed eve y h ng ove o he se sa d Louay Husse n a cu y o ces p om nen oppos on gu e n Damascus They have os he m nd They a e ac ng w hou any s a eg c o po ca goa The gove nmen s a med gangs a e oam ng he s ee s s mp y ook ng o vengeance As he gove nmen p essed s c ackdown on Hama m a y and secu y o ces appea ed o p epa e o ano he assau on De a Zou a c y n eas e n Sy a kn ed by he oya es o ex ended c ans whe e p o es s had ga h e ed o ce o he pas mon h Those o ces she ed he c y Thu sday n gh n o yes e day mo n ng es den s sa d Ac v s s epo ed a new ound o she ng n Hama ove n gh ha hey sa d was p even ng ood and med ca supp es om en e ng es den a a eas
Syria Continues Attack on Dissent; Mubarak Trial Begins in Cairo
The c y o Hama has been unde m a y a ack s nce Sunday A po ca ac v s n Hama o d VOA ha gove nmen o ces have been a d ng he homes o ac v s s and ca y ng ou a es s and k ngs S he sa d he e we e p o es s n Hama on F day The Sy an gove nmen aunched a v o en campa gn aga ns p o democ acy p o es e s n Ma ch Ame can o c a s es ma e ha mo e han wo housand peop e have been k ed n he a acks on p o es e s On Thu s day Sec e a y o S a e H a y C n on ca ed on o he coun es o o n he Un ed S a es n ak ng ac on H LLARY CL NTON Bu no us US sanc ons because ank y we do no have o o bus ness w h Sy a We need o ge Eu o peans and o he s We need o ge he A ab s a es We need o ge a much oude mo e e ec ve cho us o vo ces ha a e pu ng p essu e on he Assad eg me and we e wo k ng o ob a n ha Sec e a y C n on sa d a s a emen Wednes day by he Un ed Na ons Secu y Counc
was a s s ep The s a emen condemned he w desp ead v o a ons o human gh s and he use o o ce aga ns c v ans by he Sy an au ho es u ged es a n on bo h s des n Sy a The gove nmen has b amed much o he v o ence on wha ca s e o s s and m an s The o c a news agency SANA epo ed F day ha un den ed gunmen had k ed wo secu y o ce s The Un ed S a es and Eu opean coun es had p essed he Secu y Counc o a eso u on A eso u on s s onge han he p es den a s a emen app oved Bu Russ a Ch na nd a B az and Sou h A ca b ocked hose e o s They ea ed ha a eso u on cou d ead o a s ua on s m a o he n e na ona m a y ac on n L bya The Un ed S a es d sm ssed a p om se h s week by he Sy an p es den o pe m e o ms These nc ude e ng oppos on pa es ope a e o he s me Sy a has ong had a s ng e pa y sys em ed by he Ba a h pa y o he Assad am y
n Egyp Hosn Muba ak appea ed n a hos p a bed n a cage n a cou oom on Wednesday The o me p es den den ed he cha ges aga ns h m These nc ude o de ng he k ng o p o es e s du ng he e gh een days o po ca un es ha o ced h m ou Mo e han e gh hund ed peop e we e k ed Ra na e Ma ky s a newspape ed o She says ha anyone had p ed c ed h s a as yea she wou d have hough hey we e c azy RA NA E MALKY wou d have sa d hey we e a e v ng n Ma s o Nep une o some whe e ou s de Ea h because h s was un h nkab e h nk wha happened s a m ac e and he way eve y h ng has happened s nce he s day s nce Janua y wen y h has been a m ac e Wha became known as he A ab Sp ng up s ngs n No h A ca and he M dd e Eas ous ed he p es den s o Egyp and Tun s a Yemen s p es den was wounded by an ex p os on n June and ema ns n Saud A ab a ecove ng
member of the Syrian parlia- of any such move would not ment warned against a mili- be confined to the Arab state. "A war on Syria would not be confined to the tary intervention in Syria by country's borders and would certainly have the US or other western (damaging) impacts on the US allies," Mohammad Zahir al-Qonoum told FNA on Satstates, cautioning that the dire urday.
Syria: Protesters getting paid by terrorists
(Google News Aug 6, 2011) Offi-
cials in Deir ez-Zor tell Syrian news agency that civilians paid by 'foreign agents' to protest against President Assad, kill other civilians. Syrian propaganda at its best – after at least
24 people were reportedly killed during the
Goog e News Aug 6 2011 BE RUT Sy a s s a e news med a b oadcas s a k mages o he des uc on n he bes eged c y o Hama o he s me yes e day show ng bu ned bu d ngs makesh ba cades and dese ed s ee s s ewn w h ubb e n oo age ha ap pea ed des gned o show ha gove nmen o ces had pu down a ebe on n he c y The mages we e unm s akab y Hama Sy a s ou h a ges c y and a oca po n o he ve mon h o d up s ng ha has e P es den Basha Assad s eade sh p so a ed and weakened They sugges ed he m a y had e aken con o o a c y ha o wo mon hs had w es ed se om unde he gove nmen and en oyed a measu e o eedom unp eceden ed n ou decades o au ho a an u e by he Assad am y Sy ans e sewhe e ook o he s ee s a e he
Goog e News Tens o housands o Sy ans demons a ed aga ns he gove nmen on he s F day o he Mus m ho y mon h o Ra madan La e n he day w nesses and ac v s s sa d a eas een peop e we e k ed when gove nmen o ces ed on demons a o s They sa d mos o he dea hs happened a ound Damascus P o es s a so ook p ace n o he Sy an c es Demons a o s ca ed o P es den Basha a Assad o es gn
7 Intl. Investors Eyeing Iran-Iraq-Syria-Europe Pipeline (Google News Aug 6, 2011 ) Seven international investors have announced they are ready to participate in the Islamic pipeline project, which would transit Iranian natural gas to Iraq, Syria, and Europe, the Iranian deputy oil minister said here on Thursday. “Seven international investors have announced their readiness to finance, design, and construct the pipeline that will transport 110 million cubic meters of Iranian natural gas to Iraq, Syria, and European countries per day,” the IRNA news agency quoted Iranian Deputy Oil Minister Javad Owji as saying. Owji added that talks are underway to prepare the ground to launch the construction of the multi-billion-dollar project by the beginning of the next Iran-
ian calendar year (March 20, 2012). Last month, Iran, Iraq, and Syria signed a 10-billion-dollar deal for the transit of Iranian gas from Iran’s South Pars gas field to Europe. According to the deal, Iranian gas will be pumped to European countries, including Greece, via a 5,000-kilometer pipeline crossing Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and the Mediterranean Sea. In July, Owji had said that Iran has the capability to produce 600 million cubic meters of gas per day and noted that the output will double when new phases of the South Pars gas field come on stream over the next few years. The gas pipeline project will take three to five years to complete, he stated.
Syria-based rights activist Mustafa Osso said most of the deaths occurred in Damascus suburbs during daytime Friday protests and late night demonstrations following evening Ramadan prayers. He said five civilians were killed in the besieged city of Hama and its surrounding countryside. The toll was confirmed Saturday by the Local Coordination Committees, a key activist groups tracking the Syrian uprising.
United States urges its citizens to leave Syria immediately
(Google NewsAug 6, 2011) State Department warns that amid "ongoing uncertainty, volatility," US citizens are urged to leave immediately while transportation is available.
WASHINGTON - Americans in Syria are encouraged to leave and travel to the country should be postponed, the US State Department said on Friday following widespread violence that has pitted thousands of protesters against the government. The State Department warned that given the "ongoing uncertainty and volatility" UScitizens are urged to leave immediately while transportation is still available. The advisory also encouraged Americans who remain to limit any nonessential travel within the country.
5 Palestinian refugees killed in Syria (Google News Aug 6, 2011) BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) – Five Palestinian refugees were shot dead and several others were injured on Friday in Hama refugee camp north of the Syrian capital Damascus, state media said. Many families left to the city of Halab fleeing ongoing shelling and crossfire, the official Palestinian news agency Wafa quoted an eyewitness who fled the camp as saying. He added that electricity, water, and telephone lines had been disconnected for the past three days. Wafa identified some of the victims as Nizar Al-Abdullah, Tawfiq Rihawi, Tawfiq Qasim, and a doctor from Al-Usta family. According to the eyewitnesses, a group of masked motorcyclists fired at the refugee camp as they travelled on a main road next to the camp. “That was an attempt to drag the
Palestinians into the ongoing fight,” he said. A committee formed in the camp to follow up with the situation explained that the Palestinians in Syria are “guests until they go back to their homeland, and they are not taking sides in the ongoing events in Syria.” Security forces shot dead at least 14 people Friday, activists said. Seven people were killed in Irbin, two in Damir, and one in Maadamiya, all near Damascus, and three in Homs," Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said by telephone. He said more than 50 people were seriously wounded, while the body of a man with signs of torture was found in front of his home in the Qabun district of the capital after having allegedly been detained by security forces. State news agency SANA,
meanwhile, said two members of the security forces were killed and eight wounded in an ambush on a road in the Idlib region of northwest Syria, near the Turkish border. And gunmen on an apartment block rooftop in Duma, near Damascus, shot and wounded two other members of the security forces, it said, while assailants also opened fire in Homs. Communications were completely cut off as the army stepped up an operation to crush dissent in Hama, where security forces killed at least 30 civilians and wounded dozens more earlier in the week. The Assad regime has sought to crush a democracy movement with brutal force, killing more than 1,649 civilians and arresting thousands of dissenters, according to an updated list from the Syrian Observatory.
It said 389 members of the security forces had also been killed. The latest crackdown has centred on Hama, where at least 30 people were killed on Wednesday by tanks shelling the city center. As the city remained cut off on Friday, the military continued an operation to combat what Assad's regime calls "armed terrorist gangs" responsible for the deadly unrest. State media reported that army units were removing "roadblocks set up by terrorist groups that have blocked roads and damaged public and private property, including police stations, using various weapons." According to Abdel Rahman, more than 1,000 families have fled Hama.
Bibliography
PICTURE NEWS
Augus 1 2011 A go dsm h works on a go d bang e a a workshop n Ko ka a nd a go d u ures e on Monday a ernoon we ghed by weak overseas marke s and a s ronger rupee back home hough phys ca buyers awa ed b gger a s be ore gear ng up or es va s s a ed a er h s mon h dea ers sa d
PAKISTAN BULLETIN
Ju y 31 2011 One and a ha -year-o d Muskan n erna y d sp aced by he 2010 oods s eeps n a hammock over cook ng u ens s ns de her am ys en se up a ong a roads de n Jamshoro n S ndh prov nce More han 800 000 ood a ec ed am es rema n w hou permanen she er accord ng o he a d group Ox am and more han a m on peop e need ood ass s ance
August 4, 2011. Thai Muslim women pray during a mass prayer within the Muslim Holy month of Ramadan at the Central Mosque July 31, 2011. Juan Hernandez Sanchez (L), a suspect in the in the restive province of Pattani, southern Thailand. murder of Argentine folk singer Facundo Cabral, has his mugshot taken by the police in Guatemala City. Cabral was killed on July 9, 2011 while on the way to the airport in Guatemala City
July 30, 2011. A victim's photograph is held up during a rally to commemorate the 36th anniversary of a massacre of student protesters carried out by soldiers in San Salvador in 1975. San Salvador, El Salvador. Demonstrators asked Salvadoran President Mauricio Funes to create a special commision to investigate the massacre. August 2, 2011. Asian and Arabs workers crowd a food distribution counter at a local mosque, as they ready to break their fast during Ramadan in Riyadh.
Ju y 29 2011 A L byan woman s seen hrough a s ore w ndow as she shops a a marke n down own Tr po L bya Arebe spec a orces member accused e ow L byan rebe s o k ng he movemen s m ary ch e po n ng o a po en a y ma or sp n he ranks o he oppos on ba ng Moammar Gadda
Ju y 30 2011 A Kashm r v ager searches he wreckage o an over urned bus a er an acc den n Langanba v age abou 75 km (47 m es) sou h o Sr nagar A eas 10 peop e were k ed and dozens n ured when he bus sk dded rom a road and e n o a s ream n nd an Kashm r accord ng o poce and oca med a
July 31, 2011. A rebel fighter takes cover during fighting in the village of Josh, at the foot of the Nafusa mountain range, in western Libya, as fighting continues between rebel forces and those loyal to the Libyan leader. The Nafusa region has seen heavy fighting between rebels and forces loyal to leader Moammar Gaddafi since the insurgents launched a major offensive this month in a drive on the capital Tripoli.
August 2, 2011. A mother of two-year-old severely malnourished Somali refugee boy Fariyo Yusuf puts her hand on her son's leg at a hospital run by GIZ, Deutsche Gesellschaft fuer Internationale Zusammenarbeit, at the Ifo camp, one of three camps that make up sprawling Dadaab refugee camp, in Dadaab, northeastern Kenya
July 29, 2011. A couple stands in front of a wall decorated with flowers in memory of the victims of the previous week's attacks, in Oslo. Norwegians united in mourning as the first funerals were August 3, 2011. A boy peers through a food tent whilst awaiting held a week after anti-Islam zealot Anders Behring Breivik mas- a handout meal before 'Iftar', when Muslims break their fast, during the holy month of Ramadan on in Islamabad, Pakistan sacred 77 people in attacks that traumatized the nation.