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Tuesday, August 31, 2010

'Iran will hit Dimona if attacked'


Teheran will target Israel's Dimona reactor in a retaliatory attack if the Islamic regime is hit by an Israeli or US air strike, a Iranian official told the Arabic-language newspaperAsharq al-Awsat on Monday. "Teheran is aware that Israel and the United States want to target Iran, but we are also aware that while they actually have the option to launch war, they do not have the option to end it. This is America's and Israel's point of weakness. We know that there is no solution to this point of weakness, thanks to the importance of the Gulf region, America's problems in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the (geographically) small area of the Zionist entity," the anonymous official was quoted by the paper as saying. He also specified that the Dimona reactor would be on the top of Iran's target list in a potential war. The official added that the Iranian regime did not see any strong reason to reach an accommodation with Israel because of the declining of view of Israel's strategic value among Western countries, including the US. "We believe that the United States is looking for a strong partner in the region as an alternative to its dependence on Israel in the future. We in Iran believe that the United States and the Western nations now view Israel more as a burden and that Israel is incapable of contributing to achieving peace in the Middle East," he said to Asharq al-Awsat.

Abbas, Palestinians should die: Israeli rabbi


An influential Israeli rabbi has said that God should strike the Palestinians and their leader with a plague, calling for their death in a fiery sermon before Middle East peace talks set to begin next week. "Abu Mazen (Mahmoud Abbas) and all these evil people should perish from this earth," Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, spiritual head of the religious Shas party in Israel's government, said in a sermon late Saturday, using Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's popular name. "God should strike them and these Palestinians -- evil haters of Israel -- with a plague," the 89-year-old rabbi said in his weekly address to the faithful, excerpts of which were broadcast on Israeli radio Sunday. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu distanced himself from the comments and said Israel wanted to reach a peace deal with the Palestinians that would ensure good neighborly relations. "The comments do not reflect Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's view or the position of the government of Israel," Netanyahu's office said in a statement. The US denounced the remarks terming them "inflammatory" and an impediment to peace efforts. "As we move forward to relaunch peace negotiations, it is important that actions by people on all sides help to advance our effort, not hinder it," State Department spokesman PJ Crowley said in a statement. President Barack Obama's administration is hosting Israeli and Palestinian leaders in Washington this week to try to restart direct Mideast peace negotiations after a nearly two-year hiatus. The Iraqi-born cleric has made similar remarks before, most notably in 2001, during a Palestinian uprising, when he called for Arabs' annihilation and said it was forbidden to be merciful to them. He later said he was referring only to "terrorists" who attacked Israelis. In the 1990s, Yosef broke with other Orthodox Jewish leaders by voicing support for territorial compromise with the Palestinians. Saeb Erekat, the chief Palestinian negotiator, said Yosef's latest comments were tantamount to calling for "genocide against Palestinians." The rabbi's remarks, he said, were "an insult to all our efforts to advance the negotiations process." Arriving at Netanyahu's office for a weekly cabinet meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Eli Yishai of Shas declined to comment when asked by reporters about Yosef's sermon. Netanyahu and Abbas are due to resume direct peace talks in Washington on Thursday, the first such negotiations in 20 months in a peace process that commits both sides to avoid incitement, which has included anti-Jewish sermons by Palestinian clerics.

'We will not win a single match' -Mohammad Asif tells ex-girlfriend

The ex-girlfriend of Pakistani cricketer Mohammad Asif has claimed the fast bowler confessed to her that last summer's Australia-Pakistan Test was fixed and told her during the series to "stop praying - we will not win a single match during the tour to Australia". Veena Malik, a comedian and former model, made the allegations on Pakistan's Express News network during a discussion of the match-fixing scandal, which has outraged the cricket-mad nation as it is experience the worst floods in a century. Malik said Asif confessed during a phone call he made to her while in Australia that the team planned to throw the three-Test series, but she said she was unaware what Asif's involvement was in the fix. "When Pakistan started losing in Australia, I jokingly said: 'For God's sake, win a match.' To this, he replied, 'We won't win anything until 2010'," she told the late night Frontline program. Malik also claimed that before the Pakistan team flew out to Australia last December, Asif made a sudden visit to Bangkok to meet bookmakers there. "One day, he got business-class tickets and went to Bangkok," she said. "He told me that he was offered $40,000. 'I advised him not to be part of such activities but he did not listen. Instead, he went ahead and demanded $200,000." She added: "Since he came back, he has been totally involved in this. Once he told me that the entire Pakistan team is involved. From head to toe, the Pakistan players and officials are involved." Malik said she had provided details of Asif's travels to the Pakistan Cricket Board as well as information relating to a R15 million ($356,000) loan she made to him, which she claimed was in part used to pay Asif's lawyers, who were working to reduce a two-year doping ban.  Asif's failure to repay the loan caused a public row between them, although they announced a rapprochement at a press conference in May. The match-fixing allegations, revealed in a sting conducted by Britain's News of the World newspaper, has shocked Pakistan and prompted its Prime Minister, Yousaf Raza Gilani, to order an immediate inquiry. Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari - who is patron of the Pakistan Cricket Board - ordered a detailed report and demanded PCB chairman Ijaz Butt keep him informed of developments in the Scotland Yard probe, a spokesman said.

NASA to assist in rescue operation for trapped Chilean miners


U.S. space agency NASA will send a team of experts to Chile in a bid to assist and advise how to keep 33 miners trapped deep underground physically and mentally fit until they are rescued. Miners who have been trapped underground in Chile for more than three weeks have had their first telephone contact with loved ones. The miners have been trapped in a gold and copper mine in Chile's remote north since a cave-in on August 5th. But it was not until a week ago that they were found alive. Chilean officials are also seeking help from the country's submarine service for advice on survival in extreme, confined conditions. It is pertinent to mention that rescuers have drilled three narrow holes to where the men are trapped. The holes are being used to communicate with the men and pump in oxygen as well as to provide them with food, water and other supplies, including antidepressants.

Signs of recovery in Pakistan, but threat remains


Signs of recovery began to emerge in Pakistan on Monday, but aid workers cautioned that many have yet to receive help and new threats, such as disease outbreak, are beginning to appear. In Thatta, Pakistan, a historic southern city that was evacuated after floods inundated the area, destroying homes, schools and businesses, thousands of people began to return on Monday. Hastily-built levees made from clay and stone held back the floodwaters, allowing many to begin to return to their homes, and others from flooded-out nearby areas to find dry land and some measure of safety. Many of those who sought shelter in Thatta complained of a lack of assistance for thousands who had camped out in a nearby Muslim graveyard above the high-water mark. Flooding began to hit Pakistan's northwest about a month ago after heavy monsoon rains swelled the Indus River. The swelling began to move its way south, wielding destruction along the way. More than 1,600 people have been killed in the floods and another 17 million have been affected by flood conditions. The post-flood reconstruction of Pakistan is expected to take years and cost billions of dollars.

Monday, August 30, 2010

China vs India



China refused to allow the visit of the Indian army's General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Area Command, because he was responsible for Jammu & Kashmir, a state that China maintained was disputed. Delhi was stunned when Beijing responded to his nomination by saying that it was unwilling to "welcome" Gen Jaswal because he "controlled" a disputed area, Jammu and Kashmir. In response India refused permission to two Chinese defense officials to come to India for a course at the National Defense College. A subsequent visit by Indian military officials to China was also canceled by India.

Indonesian volcano wakes up after 400 years

A volcano in western Indonesia spewed hot lava and sand high into the sky early Sunday in its first eruption in 400 years. Government volcanologist Surono, who uses only one name, said Mount Sinabung in North Sumatra province started rumbling a few days ago and the minor morning eruption has mostly stopped. It sent sand and ash up to a mile (1.5 kilometers) high but lava only moved near the crater. It caused no major damage "but only dust covered plants and trees," he said. He said Mount Sinabung last erupted in 1600, so observers don't know the volcano's eruption pattern and are monitoring it closely for more activity. Evacuations on the volcano's slopes started Friday at the first signs of activity. Up to 10,000 people who fled are staying in government buildings, houses of worship and other evacuation centers in two nearby towns.

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Survivors, Obama mark five years since Hurricane Katrina

President Barack Obama arrived in still-struggling New Orleans on Sunday to join residents marking five years since flood waters driven by Hurricane Katrina inundated the famous jazz capital. Obama flew straight from his beach vacation in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts to the storied city, which was plunged into chaos on August 29, 2005 when water driven by Hurricane Katrina overwhelmed its levees. Although 1.4 million residents and visitors were ordered to evacuate as the monster storm approached, many could not or would not and were left stranded. More than 1,500 died. "It's recovering, but there's some more work to do," said White House spokesman Bill Burton of the city, whose population is only 80 percent what it was before the Category 5 storm. During his visit to mark the anniversary, Obama "will commemorate the lives lost and the shared sacrifice that the Gulf Coast experienced because of Katrina," the White House said. The president will also pledge to "recommit the nation" to a region that more recently has struggled with the worst accidental oil spill in history.

Match-fixing scam: Who Is Mazhar Majeed?


So who is the man at the centre of allegations of the latest spot betting scandal, with such great contacts in the Pakistan team and able to literally get them dancing to his tune. Here is all about the bookie who triggered the spot fixing controversy in the Pakistan cricket camp. Mazhar is a 35-year-old property tycoon, who also owns Croydon Athletic Football Club. He also told the News Of The World reporter how he launders match-fixing money through the football club. "The only reason I bought a football club is to do that," he said. He lives in a 1.8 million home in Croydon, with his wife and two daughters. He and owns a Range Rover, a black Jaguar and VW Golf and an Aston Martin.

politics on floods?


It seems that Pakistan will remain hostage to petty politics, even at a time of grave national crisis. Initially it was said that a ‘trust deficit’ was the root cause behind the international community’s slow response to the ongoing flood relief operations in this country. That was possibly a fair assessment given the mismanagement and lack of transparency that are the hallmarks of Pakistani officialdom. Donors have every right, after all, to expect that the funds they provide will go to the needy and not line the pockets of government functionaries. Facts must be faced: Pakistan’s reputation when it comes to honest governance is poor and it is understandable that foreign countries, at least until UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s visit this month, were reluctant to hand over large sums of money directly to state-run organisations. The world’s view of Pakistan is one thing. What is more deplorable is the trust deficit that exists between the centre and the provinces as well as the federating units themselves. PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif stressed on Friday that the provinces should on no account be bypassed when funds are disbursed for the flood relief operation. The message is clear: Mr Sharif doesn’t believe that Islamabad will treat his province, Punjab, fairly in its time of need. He has also called for a meeting of the Council of Common Interests so that each province’s rightful share in relief funds can be ascertained and distributed accordingly. This is a welcome proposal and should be pursued without delay because the suffering of the public is immense. No province should be left believing that it has been hard done by, either at the hands of the centre or another unit of the federation. Political parties of every hue — and that includes both the PPP and the PML-N — apparently want direct access to flood relief funds so that they can build up their political capital. They want to be seen as the people personally handing over money because that could win votes at the next election. But a greedy, distasteful scramble over cash is the last thing that Pakistan needs right now. Why, for instance, should we have a multitude of flood relief funds set up by offices as disparate as the PM House, the army, the National Assembly speaker and the Punjab chief minister? The activities of individuals and NGOs are a different matter altogether and every rupee or sack of flour they raise ought to be commended. But the key players that constitute the state must show unity and act as one. This is a time for giving, not politicking. 

Pakistan survivors stalked by disease as waters ebb


A month after torrential monsoon rains triggered Pakistan's worst natural disaster on record, flood waters are starting to recede -- but there are countless survivors at risk of death from hunger and disease. The disaster has killed at least 1,643 people, forced more than six million from their homes, inflicted billions of dollars of damage to infrastructure and the vital agriculture sector and stirred anger against the U.S.-backed government which has struggled to cope. Despite generally lower water levels, officials said they were still battling to save the delta town of Thatta, 70 km (45 miles) east of Karachi, in the southern province of Sindh. Water has broken the banks of the Indus near Thatta and also topped a feeder canal running off the river.

Match-fixing rips Pakistan apart

World cricket was reeling last night from an elaborate London newspaper sting that appears to have proven more than half of the Pakistan cricket team has been involved in cheating and match-fixing. In the covert video operation, The News of the World taped match-fixer and player manager Mazhar Majeed revealing that Pakistan players had rigged their Test against England at Lord's and also their dramatic SCG loss to Australia in January. Pakistan faces being kicked out of international cricket after Scotland Yard police raided the team hotel in London and took player bags that allegedly contained a large volume of money. Remarkably, the Lord's Test continued last night. In the NOTW sting, Majeed detailed how corrupt punters got on Australia at 40-1 at the SCG Test, which always had a whiff of controversy with wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal dropping four catches. Majeed reveals that Pakistan batsmen threw away their wickets when they were bowled out for 139, chasing 176 against Australia. Spinner Hauritz, who bowled Australia to SCG victory with 5-53, was last night struggling to come to terms with how one of his biggest days in cricket was allegedly a Pakistan fraud.

The price of politics in cricket


A man was arrested today on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud bookmakers following allegations of match-fixing during the current cricket Test match between England and Pakistan. The News of the World alleged that some members of the Pakistan team were involved in cheating during the current Lords Test. A Scotland Yard said: "Following information received from the News of the World we have today (Saturday August 28) arrested a 35-year old man on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud bookmakers."

Taliban attack Afghan NATO bases


About two dozen Taliban militants -- at least some dressed in US military uniforms -- have been killed in a failed attempt to storm two US-run bases in a city in eastern Afghanistan. The attackers targeted US-run Forward Operating Bases (FOB) Salerno and Chapman on Saturday, NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said in a statement. Amid a spike in military deaths, the brazen attacks underscored the threats faced by foreign forces in Afghanistan as the insurgency drags towards its tenth year.

''Human hand'' served in Pak prison: jail official


A "human hand" was reportedly found in the food served to prisoners in a Pakistani jail here, an official said today. An object believed to be a human hand was found in the beef curry served yesterday at ''sehri'', the pre-dawn meal during the holy month of Ramzan, an official at Kot Lakhpat Jail said on the condition of anonymity. A prisoner Fahim Raza raised alarm after finding the suspicious object in the food served that forced him to puke, the official said. Other prisoners refused to eat their meals as they protested against the jail administration''s "gross negligence". Some of the jailbirds were also reportedly subjected to torture for raising the matter with higher authorities. Meanwhile, a prison official reportedly removed the "human hand" from Raza''s meal and told inmates to keep mum about the incident. An investigation into the matter has been issued under DIG (Lahore region) Mirza Shahid Saleem after Punjab Home Department''s Deputy Secretary for Prisons Khalid Rasool visited the jail last afternoon. Saleem recorded the statements of 14 prisoners in the barrack where the incident occurred and examined the food served to them. Sources said the jail administration put pressure on prisoners to hush up the incident. The object found in Raza''s meal was neither preserved nor sent to a laboratory for examination. The DIG said he had thoroughly investigated the matter and has concluded that the object found in the food was not a human hand, but "actually it was a piece of cooked meat which had a deformed shape." He claimed there was no need to conduct any laboratory analysis as it was evident from the statements of some prisoners that the object was a piece of meat.

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Pakistan City Evacuated After Flood Breach

The flood waters had ripped a 20ft (6m) hole through the city defences which army engineers were battling to repair. An official from Thatta city said: "We ordered people of Thatta city on Thursday night to move to safer places after floods breached an embankment at Faqir Jogoth village. "We hope that engineers will be able to repair the breach, or otherwise floodwaters will inundate Thatta city." The surrounding area including the towns of Sujawal, Mirpur Bathoro and Darro, with a total population of 400,000, have already been evacuated. Abdul Karim Palejo, a government school teacher in Thatta said: "It is the worst tragedy ...we are leaving our homes in miserable condition." The evacuation of Thatta, the region's largest city, will be a huge blow to people already fleeing their own areas who were heading to Thatta for food and shelter. The latest evacuation adds to the eight million people already displaced by flooding caused by monsoon rains across the country over the last month. Pakistan's worst ever natural disaster has left 1,600 people dead and 2,366 injured, but the United Nations has warned that millions more are at risk from disease and food shortages.

Friday, August 27, 2010

Public praised over Pakistan appeal

The head of an aid appeal for flood-stricken Pakistan praised the "extraordinary" generosity of the British public after donations topped £40 million. Disasters Emergency Committee chief executive Brendan Gormley said the response was "unprecedented" after week-on-week donations soared by more than 70%. More than £19.3 million was raised over the past week after £11.2 million was raised last week and £9.5 million was raised after the appeal was first broadcast on August 5. The Disasters Emergency Committee said it had never seen such a pattern of giving in its 45-year history. Mr Gormley said: "This response really is unprecedented. Giving to all our appeals, including Haiti and the 2004 tsunami, saw huge initial donations decline steeply after the first week. We have never seen anything like this pattern of giving before. "This belies all talk of donor fatigue. Growing awareness of the sheer scale of the disaster has seen the public continue to respond to the needs of people who are in dire need of help. Their generosity has been astounding. "Sadly, for many who have yet to be reached, the situation is still at crisis point. Aid agencies are on the ground doing all they can to reach people, but support is needed for that work to continue. We cannot over-emphasise the need for more donations and the public's ongoing support if we are to continue saving lives." The Pakistan floods have so far claimed more than 1,500 lives and have directly affected more than 17 million people, the appeal said.

Mars close to earth in August 27th 2010


An email which spread in the August 27th 2003 is still in effect. The same was message is circulating every year when the August 27th approach. It happens again this year too. Many people believe that tonight the mars will come closest to the earth and look like another moon. So mars close to earth become very popular term among people. Scientist too believes that this August Mars is coming closer to the earth like never before but it’s not going to be such big as moon. The mars going to be another moon tonight is a hoax which is spreading like wildfire among people. Tonight will decide how far a mar is close to the earth.

Muslim taxi driver's throat cut in New York 'hate crime'

A New York student has been accused of attempted murder after allegedly asking a Bangladeshi taxi driver whether he was a Muslim, shouting "peace be upon you" in Arabic and then slashing his throat. The attack, branded a hate crime by prosecutors, came amid heightened tensions in Manhattan, where opinion has been divided on whether a Muslim community centre, including a mosque, should be built two blocks from the Ground Zero site of the September 11 attacks. Michael Enright, 21, was a volunteer for Intersections International, a group that promotes inter-faith dialogue and has supported plans for the Muslim centre. Police said he was drunk at the time of the attack and had several previous brushes with the law in alcohol-related incidents.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

China crash runway

A nighttime flight into a remote Chinese city ended with a violent, shaking descent and then a crash near an airport that one major Chinese airline had previously judged unsafe for night landings. More than half the 96 people onboard survived, clambering over luggage as smoke filled the broken fuselage. The crash Tuesday in northeast China's Heilongjiang province killed 42 people and was the country's worst commercial air disaster in nearly six years. Among the dead were a husband-and-wife team of flight attendants, a 12-year-old girl, and midlevel economic development officials on their way to a conference in Yichun, a small city tucked amid boreal forests 90 miles (150 kilometers) from the Russian border. Investigators recovered two black boxes from the wreckage of the Henan Airlines Embraer 190 jet Wednesday and were waiting to question the pilot, Qi Quanjun, who survived but was badly injured, the official Xinhua News Agency reported. Shortly before the crash, Qi told air traffic controllers he saw the runway lights and was preparing to land, Xinhua quoted an Yichun city official as saying. But fog shrouded the airport tucked into a valley, with visibility less than 2,000 feet (600 meters). Survivors described seeing nothing but blackness outside the windows as the plane slammed into grass and fell apart about 1 mile (1.5 kilometers) from the runway at Yichun city's Lindu Airport. The accident underscores the breakneck expansion of China's aviation industry in recent years and the struggles of regulators to keep up. Airports have proliferated as have small regional airlines, reaching into remote cities like Yichun, eager to develop tourism and other businesses to catch up with the country's economic boom.

Why Is Pakistan Not Getting the Aid it Needs?

United Nations General Secretary Ban Ki Moon has called the recent floods in Pakistan the worst humanitarian disaster he has ever witnessed. With more than 20 percent of the country under water, contagious diseases run rampant while the delivery of vital goods and services are all but halted by gushing water and broken roads. While the 1,500 projected dead in Pakistan is a minuscule sum compared to the 100,000 lives lostin the earthquake that ravaged Haiti at the onset of this year, or the 250,000 killed by the South East Asian Tsunami of 2004, exponentially more people are adversely affected by the flood. As cruel as the reality seems, the amount of aid needed cannot be measured in terms of death toll, but in terms of those who continue to live amidst the rubble of their former lives. The plights of those who survive when all around them falls to a state of ruin is especially heart-wrenching, and tuning into such atrocity has not come without a response of great empathy. An outpouring of donations to relief work came from all corners of the world as it watched the aftermath of hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes, and now a catastrophic flood. Still, with such widespread devastation hitting the globe with frightening regularity, the amount that sympathetic souls can give, especially those who are themselves hard-pressed by a recession of epic proportions, is seemingly on the decline. According to data recently compiled by the Guardian, just over $850,000,000 has been donated to Pakistan at the time of writing. Unfortunately, more than half of this amount comes in the way of uncommitted pledges. If this round of relief will follow the patterns seen in the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti, it can be assumed that the majority of unconfirmed aid will never be seen in Pakistan. Even if the total amount offered does come through, it would mean only $42.50 per survivor, a meager sum compared to the average of $1500 per 5 million survivors that resulted from the 7 billion US dollars pledged by state actors alone to aid victims of the tsunami. Much more will be needed in Pakistan, since as the UN has pointed out, in terms of numbers, flooding in Pakistan has affected 2 million more people than the 2004 tsunami, the 2005 Kashmir earthquake, and the 2010 Haiti earthquake combined. But while the game of politics is played, 20 million Pakistanis are desperately trying to stave off the very real threats of starvation and the contraction of contagious diseases such as cholera. Without the estimated $460 million required to meet immediate needs alone, the future bodes only murky prospects for people living in the flooded fifth of Pakistan.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Floods destroy crops in Pakistan

The devastation caused by flash floods in Pakistan is likely to result in severe food shortage across the country in the next couple of months as crops spread over 10 million acres have been destroyed. In Punjab alone, cotton, sugarcane and other crops worth more than Rs.80 billion have been destroyed because of flooding. Punjab, being the largest and most fertile province, is the largest food provider as well. In Sindh, crops have been completely washed away and the urban areas have already started feeling the pinch. Prices of fruits and vegetable have already gone up because of the shortage as the supply from troubled areas of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Sindh has dried up. Wheat godowns of the government in several areas have also been inundated. Hoarding by traders in the month of Ramadan has made the situation even worse. The federal government apparently is contemplating the need to import certain food items to meet the crunch. However, no decision in this regard has yet been taken. Livestock numbering in thousands have died or have been starving due to shortage of fodder. In a country where more than 70 percent population lives in rural areas, livestock is a major source of earning. It also supplies a large chunk of meat and milk to urban areas. Chief Minister of Punjab Shahbaz Sharif has said that small farmers having up to 25 acres of land will be provided seeds and fertilizers free of cost. He said that efforts were also being undertaken to provide fodder to the cattle so that the livestock industry could be sustained.

Generals better than politicians: MQM

At a time when the political class is under attack from all quarters — particularly the media — for the poor response to the floods, ruling coalition constituent and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain on Sunday said his party would “support the patriotic generals if they take any martial law-type action against corrupt politicians and feudal lords''.  At a workers convention in Karachi over telephone from London — as is his wont — Mr. Hussain said the generals had directly or indirectly ruled Pakistan through martial laws in clear violation of the mandate of millions. “If these generals can topple political and democratic governments, they can also take steps to weed out corrupt politicians and feudal lords,'' he said in a speech that was also critical of Pakistan's foreign policy as it was ineffective in comparison to India's. Most political parties were quick to criticise Mr. Hussain's statement with Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan stating that the Supreme Court ought to take suo motu notice of this observation. Sherry Rehman, former federal Information Minister from the PPP — with which the MQM is allied not only at the federal level but also in Sindh — described the statement as inappropriate in a country where democracy has been derailed so often. “Governments can always be criticised without challenging the institutional premise of democracy,'' she said.

Monday, August 23, 2010

Seoul 7th biggest buyer of US arms


South Korea was one of the largest buyers of American defense goods on a government-to-government level last year, the United States said Saturday. The country purchased $462 million worth of defense products in 2009 through the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program, becoming Washington’s seventh-biggest client, according to the Pentagon’s Annual Military Assistance Report. The amount fell sharply from the $798 million spent in 2008, a decline the Pentagon attributes to the purchase of two Aegis weapons systems that year worth a combined $300 million. The amount is expected to jump significantly this year, however, as Seoul has conducted additional naval drills to deter provocations from North Korea, which it blames for sinking one of its warships in March. Last month, South Korea held large-scale joint naval exercises in the East Sea with the United States as a response to the sinking of the Cheonan, which killed 46 sailors. The maneuvers were followed by independent exercises in the West Sea. The two allies are slated to hold further anti-submarine drills next month.  Saudi Arabia topped the buyers list with $1.67 billion in purchases from the U.S., followed by Greece at $1.29 billion. Israel came in third at $771 million, followed by Britain ($671 million), Egypt ($659 million) and Canada ($530 million).

Iran unveils drone aircraft to counter "aggressors"

Iran unveiled a prototype long-range unmanned bomber on Sunday, the latest in a stream of announcements of new Iranian-made military hardware as tension mounts over its nuclear programme. On a stage in front of military officials, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad pulled a sheet away from the aircraft, called the Karrar, which Iran says is its first long-range drone. With the United States and Israel saying they do not rule out a military strike to stop Iran getting a nuclear bomb, the Islamic Republic has showed off new mini-submarines, and a surface-to-surface missile and announced plans to launch high-altitude satellites over the next three years. The presentation of the drone came a day after Iranian and Russian technicians began loading fuel into Iran's first nuclear power station, something Israel called "totally unacceptable". In a speech at the unveiling ceremony, Ahmadinejad said Iran should seek the ability to make pre-emptive strikes against a perceived threat, although he said it would never strike first. 

After Zimbabwe, NZ offers to play in Pak for flood victims

After Zimbabwe, New Zealand has offered to tour Pakistan for a one-off exhibition match to raise funds for the victims of the floods that has devastated the strife-torn country, a Pakistan Cricket Board official said on Sunday. A senior PCB told PTI that apart from the Zimbabwe Cricket Union, New Zealand Cricket had also conveyed to the PCB that they were willing to play in Pakistan to raise funds for the flood victims. "All in all the situation is such that these matches might eventually also lead to the full resumption of international cricket in Pakistan," he said. Presently, PCB is in talks with ZCU after the African country has expressed interest in touring Pakistan for a full series to raise funds for relief efforts.
Both ZCU and NZC's offer has come as a big boost for PCB after foreign teams have refused to tour Pakistan since the terror attack on the Sri Lankan team at Lahore in March last year. Since then security scenario in Pakistan has made it a virtual no go area for foreign teams, forcing the cricketing nation to play its home series on foreign soil. To add to it, the International Cricket Council also shifted Pakistan's share of the 2011 World Cup matches to the other three host countries - India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Back to army in Pakistan


The reservoir of hatred has to be very deep for Pakistan to reject India's aid at a time when desperate, flood-affected, marauding men snatch precious food from wailing, helpless women; when advertisements for donations are appearing in British and American newspapers; when the United Nations has stepped in to lead a rescue effort; and when the World Bank has offered two billion dollars over the next two years to ameliorate the consequences of an unprecedented national calamity. It took an American rap across the knuckles before Pakistan accepted India's five million dollars. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's response to this gratuitous insult was a testament to his faith: He offered more. The best answer to visceral animosity is surely a civilized handshake, even if one may have to count one's fingers after the hand has been shaken. A caveat is essential. We must not confuse the Pakistani people with the Pakistan government. The government was playing politics with a crisis. The starving have no time for cynicism. The true victims of any such calamity are the poor, for the rich live above water. No poll has indicated that Pakistan's flood-displaced would rather go hungry and roofless than eat wheat or take shelter under a tent purchased with India's dollars.

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Former Blackwater Firm to Pay U.S. Fine


Xe Services LLC, the private security firm formerly known as Blackwater, reached an agreement with the State Department to pay a multi-million-dollar fine over alleged violations of U.S. export-control law. The agreement spares the firm from possible criminal charges over allegations that it violated arms export restrictions, and allows the company to continue doing business with the U.S. government. Among other things, the company was said to have proposed a package to train and equip the armed forces of southern Sudan, which emerged as an autonomous region after a U.S.-brokered peace deal in 2005. McClatchy newspapers reported details of Xe's Sudan business aspirations, which were said to include a proposal to train a security detail for south Sudanese leadership and a more ambitious deal worth $100 million to train and equip the south's army. Xe was under scrutiny for other alleged export violations. The company said in a statement that most of the alleged violations occurred while it was providing support for U.S. government programs, and that all but a few of the exports under investigation were eventually authorized. "Consistent with Xe Services' core mission of supporting U.S. interests, the State Department did not find that any of the alleged violations harmed U.S. national security or foreign policy interests," the company said. Xe Chief Executive Joseph Yorio said the agreement "reflects another step forward for Xe Services LLC on the path we started over 18 months ago to improve the internal compliance infrastructure while equally maintaining our focus on supporting the missions of our government and commercial customers." The company had a major deal to provide protective services to U.S. government officials in Iraq, but the firm lost its operating license there after a deadly shootout in Baghdad in 2007 claimed the lives of Iraqi civilians. The incident was a major political headache for the U.S. government, and put the company under intense scrutiny in Washington.

Australian PM starts coalition talks


Australia faces a period of political turmoil after Julia Gillard's Labor government lost its parliamentary majority in a general election that looks set to result in the country's first coalition government in 70 years. The Australian prime minister has begun negotiations with independent candidates after acknowledging that neither her party nor the opposition conservative coalition was likely to win the 76 seats needed for an outright majority in the 150-seat House of Representatives. "It is clear that neither party has earned the right to government in its own right," she said. "It's my intention to negotiate, in good faith, an effective agreement to form government." Gillard said she hoped to enlist support for her centre-left Labor party – which has ruled for three years – and had held preliminary talks with four independents and a Green candidate. But the opposition Liberal leader, Tony Abbott, said the loss of voter support that cost the government many of its 83 seats showed Australians wanted change

Pakistanis use stones, sandbags to fight floods


Workers placed sandbags and stones to strengthen river levees in flood-ravaged Pakistan's south as the rising water threatened new areas Sunday. Three towns in the Thatta district were in danger, and officials began evacuating around 150,000 people from lower lying areas Saturday. The surge in the Indus River is expected to empty into the Arabian Sea after passing through. At least two levees along the river are potential trouble spots and are being strengthened, said Hadi Bakhsh Kalhoro, an official with the Sindh province Disaster Management Authority. "We are hopeful the flood will pass on to the delta without creating much trouble here," he said. Officials expect the floodwaters will recede nationwide in the next few days as the last river torrents empty into the Arabian Sea, state news agency APP reported. But when that happens, millions of Pakistanis will almost certainly want the government, which was already constrained by a fragile economy before the flood, to quickly deliver homes and compensation for the loss of livestock and crops. The government has been accused of moving too slowly and Islamist charities, some with suspected links to militant groups, have moved rapidly to provide relief to Pakistanis, already frustrated with their leaders' track record on the economy, security, poverty and by chronic power shortages.