WASHINGTON
A new documentary will be aired in the United States next month, revealing the identity of the Navy SEAL who killed former al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in 2011, according to media reports.
Fox News will present the two-part documentary called, “The Man Who Killed Osama Bin Laden,” on November 11-12. The feature includes an interview with the soldier who will describe the events that led to the death of bin Laden.
President Barack Obama announced on May 2, 2011 that bin Laden was killed by US forces in his compound in Abbottabad. A number of media reports later said the US government was moving to hide files about the US military’s suspected raid on Osama bin Laden.
The US military has not revealed the identity of the Navy SEAL so far. He has retired since the killing. The special forces soldier known as “The Shooter” gave an interview to Esquire magazine last year, without revealing his name. During his February 2013 interview, the shooter said he was so concerned about being identified that he refused to meet families of 9/11 victims to preserve his anonymity.
He is expected to provide details on the al-Qaeda chief’s final moments and talk about the training, mishaps, and secretive facts of the operation in Pakistan. The documentary will also provide an extensive, first-hand account of the mission, including the unexpected crash of one of the helicopters that night and why SEAL Team 6 feared for their lives, the report said.
Friday 31 October 2014
Fighter plane crashes in California, killing one
LOS ANGELES
A fighter jet crashed Wednesday near a US naval base in California’s Ventura County, leaving one person dead, rescue workers said. Federal and local firefighters “responded to the crash of a contract aircraft near the Point Mugu Naval Air Station,” northwest of Los Angeles, Ventura County’s fire department said on its Facebook page. “There is one confirmed fatality,” the message added. The Hawker Hunter aircraft crashed at 5:13 pm (0013 GMT), and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate, it said. Hawker Hunter jets, developed by the British in the 1950s, can have one or two seats. Spokesmen for the Federal Aviation Authority did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
A fighter jet crashed Wednesday near a US naval base in California’s Ventura County, leaving one person dead, rescue workers said. Federal and local firefighters “responded to the crash of a contract aircraft near the Point Mugu Naval Air Station,” northwest of Los Angeles, Ventura County’s fire department said on its Facebook page. “There is one confirmed fatality,” the message added. The Hawker Hunter aircraft crashed at 5:13 pm (0013 GMT), and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate, it said. Hawker Hunter jets, developed by the British in the 1950s, can have one or two seats. Spokesmen for the Federal Aviation Authority did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Egypt bans pro-Mursi pressure group
CAIRO
Egypt on Thursday banned a pressure group that has pushed for the reinstatement of President Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood, who was overthrown by the army last year, dealing a new blow to the country’s oldest Islamist
movement.
Egypt banned the Muslim Brotherhood itself last year and dissolved its political wing, the Freedom and Justice Party, in August precluding it from running in parliamentary elections expected to take place in the next few months.
Prime Minister Ibrahim Mehleb issued a decree on Thursday dissolving the National Coalition to Support Legitimacy and Reject the Coup as well as its political arm, the Independence Party, in line with an earlier court ruling.
There was no immediate comment from the group.
The Coalition, which included Brotherhood supporters and other Islamist groups, was set up after then-army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi overthrew Mursi in July 2013 following mass protests against his rule.
Egyptian authorities have since cracked down on the Brotherhood, declaring it a terrorist group, throwing thousands of its members in jail and killing hundreds on a single day in one of the bloodiest episodes in Egypt’s modern history.
The pro-Mursi Coalition called for mass protests in the aftermath of that deadly crackdown in August last year, but was able to muster little support in the streets. Demonstrations have dwindled as the authorities have pursued their campaign against it.
The Coalition was conceived as a vehicle to bring together Egyptians from across the political spectrum who were opposed to the overthrow of a democratically president. In reality, it attracted individuals and groups sympathetic to the Brotherhood’s brand of political Islam.
Two of the main Islamist parties that initially supported the Coalition have distanced themselves in recent months and its public statements have largely dried up.
Once among Egypt’s best-organised and most successful political movements, the Brotherhood won Egypt’s first parliamentary and presidential elections after the 2011 Tahrir Square revolt that toppled veteran autocrat Hosni Mubarak.
Mursi ruled for a year, but angered many Egyptians by giving himself sweeping powers and mismanaging the economy.
In the wake of his overthrow, Mursi and other Brotherhood leaders were rounded up and hundreds have since been sentenced to death in mass trials that have drawn criticism from Western governments and human rights groups.
Sisi, who went on to win a presidential election in May, has vowed that the Brotherhood would cease to exist under his rule.
But many of the leading secular activists behind the 2011 uprising have also found themselves on the wrong side of the new political leadership, facing charges for taking part in peaceful demonstrations after Sisi banned unlicensed protests.
Egypt on Thursday banned a pressure group that has pushed for the reinstatement of President Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood, who was overthrown by the army last year, dealing a new blow to the country’s oldest Islamist
movement.
Egypt banned the Muslim Brotherhood itself last year and dissolved its political wing, the Freedom and Justice Party, in August precluding it from running in parliamentary elections expected to take place in the next few months.
Prime Minister Ibrahim Mehleb issued a decree on Thursday dissolving the National Coalition to Support Legitimacy and Reject the Coup as well as its political arm, the Independence Party, in line with an earlier court ruling.
There was no immediate comment from the group.
The Coalition, which included Brotherhood supporters and other Islamist groups, was set up after then-army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi overthrew Mursi in July 2013 following mass protests against his rule.
Egyptian authorities have since cracked down on the Brotherhood, declaring it a terrorist group, throwing thousands of its members in jail and killing hundreds on a single day in one of the bloodiest episodes in Egypt’s modern history.
The pro-Mursi Coalition called for mass protests in the aftermath of that deadly crackdown in August last year, but was able to muster little support in the streets. Demonstrations have dwindled as the authorities have pursued their campaign against it.
The Coalition was conceived as a vehicle to bring together Egyptians from across the political spectrum who were opposed to the overthrow of a democratically president. In reality, it attracted individuals and groups sympathetic to the Brotherhood’s brand of political Islam.
Two of the main Islamist parties that initially supported the Coalition have distanced themselves in recent months and its public statements have largely dried up.
Once among Egypt’s best-organised and most successful political movements, the Brotherhood won Egypt’s first parliamentary and presidential elections after the 2011 Tahrir Square revolt that toppled veteran autocrat Hosni Mubarak.
Mursi ruled for a year, but angered many Egyptians by giving himself sweeping powers and mismanaging the economy.
In the wake of his overthrow, Mursi and other Brotherhood leaders were rounded up and hundreds have since been sentenced to death in mass trials that have drawn criticism from Western governments and human rights groups.
Sisi, who went on to win a presidential election in May, has vowed that the Brotherhood would cease to exist under his rule.
But many of the leading secular activists behind the 2011 uprising have also found themselves on the wrong side of the new political leadership, facing charges for taking part in peaceful demonstrations after Sisi banned unlicensed protests.
Israel’s settlement plans cast doubt on peace commitment: UN
UNITED NATIONS
Amid rising tensions in the Middle East, a senior United Nations official told the Security Council that Israel’s decision to accelerate planning for some 1,000 new Jewish settler homes in occupied East Jerusalem raises serious doubts about the Israeli commitment to peace with the Palestinians.
The Israeli plans, along with Palestinian concerns about Jerusalem’s holy sites, prompted the Palestinians to ask Jordan to request an emergency Council meeting in the hope that its 15 members would condemn recent Israeli actions. But will the United States, a veto-wielding power and a close ally of Israel, allow the 15-member body to take any action is the question being asked here. Briefing the Council, Jeffrey Feltman, UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, acknowledged that recent heightened tensions over unilateral actions, provocations and access restrictions at holy sites in Jerusalem are contributing to a volatile situation, and stressed that further delay in negotiations and the pursuit of peace would only serve to deepen divisions and further exacerbate the conflict. “The status quo is not a viable option,” Feltman said. “Ignoring the calls from the international community for such negotiations for whatever excuse will only breed more violence in the region that has already seen too much of it.”
Referring to the settlements’ building plans, he said, “If pursued, these plans would once again raise grave doubts about Israel’s commitment to achieving durable peace with the Palestinians as the new settlements threaten the very viability of the future State of Palestine.”
Palestinian observer Riyad Mansour said Israeli settlements were eroding the future Palestinian state, of which East Jerusalem is to be the capital. “Every day the territorial contiguity and integrity of our state is being fragmented and undermined by such illegal actions, seriously diminishing the viability of the two-state solution,” he said. He also complained about Israel’s approach to Jerusalem, including holy sites like the Temple Mount and al-Aqsa mosque. “Jerusalem is under siege,” Mansour said, adding that Israeli provocations at al-Aqsa and Dome of the Rock mosques were “threatening to incite yet another cycle of violence.” Israeli Ambassador Ron Prosor dismissed Mansour’s criticisms, telling council members that the Palestinians were propagating “half truths, myths and outright lies about Israel.” “I’m here to convey one simple truth: The people of Israel are not occupiers and we’re not settlers,” he said. “Israel is our home and Jerusalem is the eternal capital of our sovereign state.”
Israel’s closure of the flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound to all visitors following the shooting of a Jewish hardliner is tantamount to a “declaration of war,” Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas said Thursday. “This dangerous Israeli escalation is a declaration of war on the Palestinian people and its sacred places and on the Arab and Islamic nation,” his spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeina quoted him as saying.
Meanwhile, Israeli police Thursday shot dead a Palestinian suspected of an assassination attempt on a hardline campaigner for Jewish prayer rights at Jerusalem’s flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound. The attack sent tensions in the city soaring to a new high, following months of almost daily clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police in Jerusalem’s occupied eastern sector.
In a bid to avoid further tensions, Israel ordered the closure of the Al-Aqsa compound to all visitors in an unprecedented move, drawing a furious response from Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, who described it as “a declaration of war.”
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday ordered a “significant increase” in police deployments in Jerusalem following an assassination attempt on a Jewish ultranationalist.
Netanyahu called for calm on both sides as rightwing groups reacted angrily to the attack by a Palestinian on Yehuda Glick, a hardliner linked to tensions at the volatile Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem. He urged the international community to act against those encouraging violence in the city, pointing the finger at Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas.
Amid rising tensions in the Middle East, a senior United Nations official told the Security Council that Israel’s decision to accelerate planning for some 1,000 new Jewish settler homes in occupied East Jerusalem raises serious doubts about the Israeli commitment to peace with the Palestinians.
The Israeli plans, along with Palestinian concerns about Jerusalem’s holy sites, prompted the Palestinians to ask Jordan to request an emergency Council meeting in the hope that its 15 members would condemn recent Israeli actions. But will the United States, a veto-wielding power and a close ally of Israel, allow the 15-member body to take any action is the question being asked here. Briefing the Council, Jeffrey Feltman, UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, acknowledged that recent heightened tensions over unilateral actions, provocations and access restrictions at holy sites in Jerusalem are contributing to a volatile situation, and stressed that further delay in negotiations and the pursuit of peace would only serve to deepen divisions and further exacerbate the conflict. “The status quo is not a viable option,” Feltman said. “Ignoring the calls from the international community for such negotiations for whatever excuse will only breed more violence in the region that has already seen too much of it.”
Referring to the settlements’ building plans, he said, “If pursued, these plans would once again raise grave doubts about Israel’s commitment to achieving durable peace with the Palestinians as the new settlements threaten the very viability of the future State of Palestine.”
Palestinian observer Riyad Mansour said Israeli settlements were eroding the future Palestinian state, of which East Jerusalem is to be the capital. “Every day the territorial contiguity and integrity of our state is being fragmented and undermined by such illegal actions, seriously diminishing the viability of the two-state solution,” he said. He also complained about Israel’s approach to Jerusalem, including holy sites like the Temple Mount and al-Aqsa mosque. “Jerusalem is under siege,” Mansour said, adding that Israeli provocations at al-Aqsa and Dome of the Rock mosques were “threatening to incite yet another cycle of violence.” Israeli Ambassador Ron Prosor dismissed Mansour’s criticisms, telling council members that the Palestinians were propagating “half truths, myths and outright lies about Israel.” “I’m here to convey one simple truth: The people of Israel are not occupiers and we’re not settlers,” he said. “Israel is our home and Jerusalem is the eternal capital of our sovereign state.”
Israel’s closure of the flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound to all visitors following the shooting of a Jewish hardliner is tantamount to a “declaration of war,” Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas said Thursday. “This dangerous Israeli escalation is a declaration of war on the Palestinian people and its sacred places and on the Arab and Islamic nation,” his spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeina quoted him as saying.
Meanwhile, Israeli police Thursday shot dead a Palestinian suspected of an assassination attempt on a hardline campaigner for Jewish prayer rights at Jerusalem’s flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound. The attack sent tensions in the city soaring to a new high, following months of almost daily clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police in Jerusalem’s occupied eastern sector.
In a bid to avoid further tensions, Israel ordered the closure of the Al-Aqsa compound to all visitors in an unprecedented move, drawing a furious response from Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, who described it as “a declaration of war.”
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday ordered a “significant increase” in police deployments in Jerusalem following an assassination attempt on a Jewish ultranationalist.
Netanyahu called for calm on both sides as rightwing groups reacted angrily to the attack by a Palestinian on Yehuda Glick, a hardliner linked to tensions at the volatile Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem. He urged the international community to act against those encouraging violence in the city, pointing the finger at Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas.
Special cabinet meeting today
ISLAMABAD
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has convened a special cabinet meeting today wherein performance of the ministers, state ministers and advisors would be evaluated in addition to presentation of the audit report on alleged overbilling.
Previously, the meeting had got delayed due to foreign visits of some cabinet members due to which the minister and state ministers could not complete their reports. However, on Thursday the PM barred the ministers and state ministers from unnecessary foreign trips.
The cabinet meeting was scheduled to take place on October 28 but the PM rescheduled it on the request of few cabinet members who could not prepare performance reports of their ministries due to their engagements on foreign trips. According to cabinet meeting agenda, the meeting will review the performance three ministries including Ministry of Petroleum, Ministry of Planning and Reform and the Ministry of Railways on first day of meeting. This special cabinet meeting will take place four to five days for reviewing the performance of all ministries.
The PM has especially invited Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) Chairman Raja Zafar-ul-Haq and General Secretary Zafar Iqbal Jhagra for evolution of cabinet members' performance.
According to sources, the performance of Religious Minister Sardar Yousuf, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and Khawaja Saad Rafique and Railway Minister will be on top of the list.
The sources mentioned that Sardar Yousuf took all steps for facilitating the Haj pilgrims during Haj and there was no complaint against the arrangements made by the government.
The PM has already appreciated the performance of Ishaq Dar and Khawja Saad Rafique in a party meeting and previous cabinet meetings, the sources added.
The PM will also take decision of reshuffle in cabinet on the basis of the ministers' performances.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has convened a special cabinet meeting today wherein performance of the ministers, state ministers and advisors would be evaluated in addition to presentation of the audit report on alleged overbilling.
Previously, the meeting had got delayed due to foreign visits of some cabinet members due to which the minister and state ministers could not complete their reports. However, on Thursday the PM barred the ministers and state ministers from unnecessary foreign trips.
The cabinet meeting was scheduled to take place on October 28 but the PM rescheduled it on the request of few cabinet members who could not prepare performance reports of their ministries due to their engagements on foreign trips. According to cabinet meeting agenda, the meeting will review the performance three ministries including Ministry of Petroleum, Ministry of Planning and Reform and the Ministry of Railways on first day of meeting. This special cabinet meeting will take place four to five days for reviewing the performance of all ministries.
The PM has especially invited Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) Chairman Raja Zafar-ul-Haq and General Secretary Zafar Iqbal Jhagra for evolution of cabinet members' performance.
According to sources, the performance of Religious Minister Sardar Yousuf, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and Khawaja Saad Rafique and Railway Minister will be on top of the list.
The sources mentioned that Sardar Yousuf took all steps for facilitating the Haj pilgrims during Haj and there was no complaint against the arrangements made by the government.
The PM has already appreciated the performance of Ishaq Dar and Khawja Saad Rafique in a party meeting and previous cabinet meetings, the sources added.
The PM will also take decision of reshuffle in cabinet on the basis of the ministers' performances.
Thursday 30 October 2014
Russia rejects Chinese help offer on Japan disputes
TOKYO
Russia has rejected a Chinese offer to cooperate on their separate territorial rows with Japan, a report said Thursday, as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe prepared to meet President Vladimir Putin in Sochi.
Beijing said it would support Moscow in its decades-old dispute over the sovereignty of islands to the north of Japan in exchange for backing in its row about the ownership of an East China Sea archipelago. The offer has been made repeatedly since 2010, the paper said, citing diplomatic sources in Russia and Japan, but has always been brushed off.
The report came just ahead of Abe’s attendance at the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics and a subsequent summit with Putin, at which they are expected to discuss the Russia-controlled Southern Kurils, which Japan claims as the Northern Territories.
Soviet troops took the islands in the final days of World War II, turfing out several hundred Japanese who lived there at the time. The issue has prevented the signing of a formal peace treaty between the two countries.
But an increasingly close working relationship between Abe and Putin, who have already held four summits since the Japanese prime minister took office in December 2012, has offered hope of progress, although Tokyo said it is unlikely to be settled in the near future.
“We are not overly optimistic about negotiations on the territorial issue,” a foreign ministry official said. “So far, President Putin has been consistent (in asserting Russian ownership)...which is not at all acceptable for us,” he said.
However, the frequent summitry and willingness to discuss the Russo-Japanese dispute is in stark contrast to Tokyo’s dispute with Beijing.
Tensions between Asia’s two largest economies remain high, with coastguards from both sides engaged in stand-offs near the Japanese-run Senkaku islands, which China calls the Diaoyus.
China, which is also engaged in territorial disputes with several countries surrounding the South China Sea, usually refuses to deal multilaterally and insists rows should be settled between two claimants.
The Japanese foreign ministry official said he was not aware of any cooperation between Moscow and Beijing.
“Russia takes a position that the issue should be resolved between Japan and China. I don’t believe Russia agrees with China’s position
Russia has rejected a Chinese offer to cooperate on their separate territorial rows with Japan, a report said Thursday, as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe prepared to meet President Vladimir Putin in Sochi.
Beijing said it would support Moscow in its decades-old dispute over the sovereignty of islands to the north of Japan in exchange for backing in its row about the ownership of an East China Sea archipelago. The offer has been made repeatedly since 2010, the paper said, citing diplomatic sources in Russia and Japan, but has always been brushed off.
The report came just ahead of Abe’s attendance at the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics and a subsequent summit with Putin, at which they are expected to discuss the Russia-controlled Southern Kurils, which Japan claims as the Northern Territories.
Soviet troops took the islands in the final days of World War II, turfing out several hundred Japanese who lived there at the time. The issue has prevented the signing of a formal peace treaty between the two countries.
But an increasingly close working relationship between Abe and Putin, who have already held four summits since the Japanese prime minister took office in December 2012, has offered hope of progress, although Tokyo said it is unlikely to be settled in the near future.
“We are not overly optimistic about negotiations on the territorial issue,” a foreign ministry official said. “So far, President Putin has been consistent (in asserting Russian ownership)...which is not at all acceptable for us,” he said.
However, the frequent summitry and willingness to discuss the Russo-Japanese dispute is in stark contrast to Tokyo’s dispute with Beijing.
Tensions between Asia’s two largest economies remain high, with coastguards from both sides engaged in stand-offs near the Japanese-run Senkaku islands, which China calls the Diaoyus.
China, which is also engaged in territorial disputes with several countries surrounding the South China Sea, usually refuses to deal multilaterally and insists rows should be settled between two claimants.
The Japanese foreign ministry official said he was not aware of any cooperation between Moscow and Beijing.
“Russia takes a position that the issue should be resolved between Japan and China. I don’t believe Russia agrees with China’s position
Iran parliament rejects minister in fresh blow to Rouhani
TEHRAN
The Iranian parliament on Wednesday rejected the government’s choice for science minister, two months after his predecessor was sacked, in a fresh setback for moderate President Hassan Rouhani.
Mahmoud Nili-Ahmadabadi, the pick for minister of science, research and technology, lost a vote of confidence by a margin of 79 to 160 in the conservative-dominated parliament following a debate of almost three hours.
Judged too close to reformists, lawmakers questioned Nili-Ahmadabadi over his stand on the mass protests which broke out after the June 2009 re-election of hardline president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
“None of my colleagues nor I have crossed the red lines set” by Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, he said.
“You will not find a single case of our having overstepped these limits,” he said, questioned over a letter sent to Khamenei and signed by academics including himself to condemn attacks on student protesters inside university campuses.
“All my colleagues believe in the system (of the Islamic republic) and acted within the framework of the system,” Nili-Ahmadabadi said.
Parliament in August sacked Rouhani’s previous science minister, Reza Faraji Dana, for trying to recruit to his staff people accused of involvement in the 2009 protest movement.
Reformers and moderates have accused conservatives, who viewed the protests as a “plot” against the Islamic system, of working to weaken Rouhani’s government.
Faraji Dana was already Rouhani’s third choice as minister for science, research and technology, a post which covers Iranian universities, after parliament rejected the first two nominees.
The Iranian parliament on Wednesday rejected the government’s choice for science minister, two months after his predecessor was sacked, in a fresh setback for moderate President Hassan Rouhani.
Mahmoud Nili-Ahmadabadi, the pick for minister of science, research and technology, lost a vote of confidence by a margin of 79 to 160 in the conservative-dominated parliament following a debate of almost three hours.
Judged too close to reformists, lawmakers questioned Nili-Ahmadabadi over his stand on the mass protests which broke out after the June 2009 re-election of hardline president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
“None of my colleagues nor I have crossed the red lines set” by Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, he said.
“You will not find a single case of our having overstepped these limits,” he said, questioned over a letter sent to Khamenei and signed by academics including himself to condemn attacks on student protesters inside university campuses.
“All my colleagues believe in the system (of the Islamic republic) and acted within the framework of the system,” Nili-Ahmadabadi said.
Parliament in August sacked Rouhani’s previous science minister, Reza Faraji Dana, for trying to recruit to his staff people accused of involvement in the 2009 protest movement.
Reformers and moderates have accused conservatives, who viewed the protests as a “plot” against the Islamic system, of working to weaken Rouhani’s government.
Faraji Dana was already Rouhani’s third choice as minister for science, research and technology, a post which covers Iranian universities, after parliament rejected the first two nominees.
China punishes HK lawmaker for criticizing leader
HONG KONG
A senior Hong Kong lawmaker was expelled from a prestigious Chinese government body Wednesday, in a sign that Beijing will not tolerate dissent from loyalists over pro-democracy protests in the semi-autonomous city.
James Tien had his “qualifications revoked” as a member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the state-run China News Service said. The prominent businessman and politician had criticised Hong Kong’s embattled leader Leung Chun-ying for failing to put an end to more than a month of pro-democracy protests - an unusual move for a pro-Beijing lawmaker. The CPPCC voted to pass the “decision on revoking Tian Beijun’s membership in the 12th Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference”, the government body said, using Tien’s name in Mandarin and without providing further details.
In a brief statement Tien said he accepted the CPPCC ruling and would resign as leader of Hong Kong’s pro-business Liberal Party.
“I just remembered I am a lawmaker in Hong Kong, neglecting my role as a CPPCC member. Maybe that was inappropriate,” Tien said of his comments about Leung.
But he insisted later he would not withdraw his comments.
“I see no reason for me to retract my statement or change my position... I speak from the bottom of my heart anyway,” Tien told a press conference.
Demonstrators have staged street rallies and road blockades for more than a month, calling for free leadership elections for the former British colony in 2017.
The demonstrations present the most concerted challenge to Beijing’s authority since the bloody 1989 Tiananmen protests.
Tien’s younger brother Michael, another Hong Kong lawmaker, told AFP before the announcement that his brother was being punished for perceived disloyalty to Leung.
“The decision is definitely based on my brother’s comments about CY (Leung Chun-ying),” Michael Tien said.
James Tien said last week that Leung should consider resigning for failing to halt the protests.
“Residents are ignoring court injunctions (to disperse) and pan-democrats are being uncooperative. How is he going to govern?” Tien said on Friday, according to the South China Morning Post.
Despite hailing from Hong Kong’s pro-Beijing camp, the 67-year-old politician is no stranger to ruffling political feathers.
In 2003 he withdrew his party’s support for a government-backed national security bill amid large street protests, leading to the legislation’s collapse and the eventual resignation of Hong Kong’s then-leader Tung Chee-hwa.
He backed Leung’s opponent Henry Tang in the 2012 race to be the city’s chief executive.
Leung’s popularity has taken a nosedive since the protests began last month.
A poll this week by the Chinese University of Hong Kong showed he now has a 38.6 voter approval rating on a 0 to 100 approval scale - his lowest since taking office in July 2012, when he scored 53.9.
A hate figure among protesters, who are calling for him to resign, Leung stirred fresh anger last week when he said that open elections were not feasible because they would result in the city’s poor dominating politics.
The demonstrations were sparked by China’s decision that all candidates running for the top Hong Kong post in 2017 must be vetted by a loyalist committee, a decision which the protesters say will result in the election of a pro-Beijing stooge.
China has refused to budge in the face of the rallies and has publicly thrown its full support behind the Hong Kong administration.
Tien’s brother said the central government had little tolerance for dissent at such a crucial time.
“President Xi (Jinping) himself has openly announced and had asked for all the support. The timing is crucial,” said Michael Tien, adding that Beijing leaders expect the city’s establishment politicians to support Leung “wholeheartedly”.
“If there is any change at this moment (within the city leadership), the Occupy movement is going to turn into a severe, ugly crisis... they need CY Leung to stay here and resolve the crisis,” he said, referring to the protests known as Occupy Central.
The CPPCC is a discussion body that is part of the Communist party-controlled governmental structure.
James Tien had his “qualifications revoked” as a member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the state-run China News Service said. The prominent businessman and politician had criticised Hong Kong’s embattled leader Leung Chun-ying for failing to put an end to more than a month of pro-democracy protests - an unusual move for a pro-Beijing lawmaker. The CPPCC voted to pass the “decision on revoking Tian Beijun’s membership in the 12th Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference”, the government body said, using Tien’s name in Mandarin and without providing further details.
In a brief statement Tien said he accepted the CPPCC ruling and would resign as leader of Hong Kong’s pro-business Liberal Party.
“I just remembered I am a lawmaker in Hong Kong, neglecting my role as a CPPCC member. Maybe that was inappropriate,” Tien said of his comments about Leung.
But he insisted later he would not withdraw his comments.
“I see no reason for me to retract my statement or change my position... I speak from the bottom of my heart anyway,” Tien told a press conference.
Demonstrators have staged street rallies and road blockades for more than a month, calling for free leadership elections for the former British colony in 2017.
The demonstrations present the most concerted challenge to Beijing’s authority since the bloody 1989 Tiananmen protests.
Tien’s younger brother Michael, another Hong Kong lawmaker, told AFP before the announcement that his brother was being punished for perceived disloyalty to Leung.
“The decision is definitely based on my brother’s comments about CY (Leung Chun-ying),” Michael Tien said.
James Tien said last week that Leung should consider resigning for failing to halt the protests.
“Residents are ignoring court injunctions (to disperse) and pan-democrats are being uncooperative. How is he going to govern?” Tien said on Friday, according to the South China Morning Post.
Despite hailing from Hong Kong’s pro-Beijing camp, the 67-year-old politician is no stranger to ruffling political feathers.
In 2003 he withdrew his party’s support for a government-backed national security bill amid large street protests, leading to the legislation’s collapse and the eventual resignation of Hong Kong’s then-leader Tung Chee-hwa.
He backed Leung’s opponent Henry Tang in the 2012 race to be the city’s chief executive.
Leung’s popularity has taken a nosedive since the protests began last month.
A poll this week by the Chinese University of Hong Kong showed he now has a 38.6 voter approval rating on a 0 to 100 approval scale - his lowest since taking office in July 2012, when he scored 53.9.
A hate figure among protesters, who are calling for him to resign, Leung stirred fresh anger last week when he said that open elections were not feasible because they would result in the city’s poor dominating politics.
The demonstrations were sparked by China’s decision that all candidates running for the top Hong Kong post in 2017 must be vetted by a loyalist committee, a decision which the protesters say will result in the election of a pro-Beijing stooge.
China has refused to budge in the face of the rallies and has publicly thrown its full support behind the Hong Kong administration.
Tien’s brother said the central government had little tolerance for dissent at such a crucial time.
“President Xi (Jinping) himself has openly announced and had asked for all the support. The timing is crucial,” said Michael Tien, adding that Beijing leaders expect the city’s establishment politicians to support Leung “wholeheartedly”.
“If there is any change at this moment (within the city leadership), the Occupy movement is going to turn into a severe, ugly crisis... they need CY Leung to stay here and resolve the crisis,” he said, referring to the protests known as Occupy Central.
The CPPCC is a discussion body that is part of the Communist party-controlled governmental structure.
Sweden recognizes the Palestinian state
In Stockholm
Today, the Swedish government became the first E.U. member to officially recognize the state of Palestine. Although 134 other countries recognized Palestine before Sweden including Hungary, Poland and Slovakia before even becoming a part of E.U.
The newly elected Prime Minister Stefan Lofven first announced this at his swearing-in ceremony on October 3 but he was not expected to follow through so soon.
“Some will claim that Thursday’s decision comes too early. I’m rather afraid it’s too late,” said Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom.
This is a great achievement for Palestine.
Tuesday 28 October 2014
Two million barrels of oil on ocean floor after BP spill
In WASHINGTON
Around two million barrels of oil from the BP spill off the US Gulf Coast in 2010 are believed to have settled on the ocean floor, according to a study Monday.
The fate of two million of the nearly five million barrels that gushed into the open waters has remained a mystery until now, said the findings in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a peer-reviewed US journal. Researchers analyzed samples collected at more than 500 locations around the Macondo Well, where the leaked oil emerged, and found it had spread widely, settling down like dirt in a bathtub.
The oil was found to have spread as far as 3,200 square kilometers (1,235 square miles) from the site, and may have gone even further, the report said. “Our analysis suggests the oil initially was suspended in deep waters and then settled to the underlying sea floor,” said the study by the University of California, Santa Barbara; the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts; and the University of California, Irvine.
Researchers came to this conclusion by studying seafloor sediment cores for residual hopane, a hydrocarbon that comes from crude oil.
BP took issue with the findings and the method researchers used, saying the impacted area was overestimated.
“The authors failed to identify the source of the oil, leading them to grossly overstate the amount of residual Macondo oil on the sea floor and the geographic area in which it is found,” said a statement from BP spokesman Jason Ryan.
“Instead of using rigorous chemical fingerprinting to identify the oil, the authors used a single compound that is also found in every natural oil seep in the Gulf of Mexico, causing them to find false positives all over the sea floor.”
According to the National Science Foundation, which funded the study, “hopane was concentrated in a thin layer at the sea floor within 25 miles of the ruptured well, clearly implicating Deepwater Horizon as the source.”
Study author David Valentine, a bio of the University of California, Santa Barbara, said the process likely led to the damage of deep sea corals.
“The pattern of contamination we observe is fully consistent with the Deepwater Horizon event but not with natural seeps - the suggested alternative.”
The National Wildlife Federation said earlier this year that scientific studies on 14 different types of creatures affected by the spill show that long lasting harm was done to dolphins, sea turtles, tuna, loons and other animals in the region.
In pleading guilty to the spill, BP agreed to pay the government $4.5 billion to settle criminal charges in the case.
It also agreed in 2012 to settle damage claims by businesses and individuals for about $7.8 billion.
Last month, a federal court judge in New Orleans concluded that BP acted with “gross negligence” ahead of the massive 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill, meaning BP may face billions of dollars in new fines.
The April 20, 2010 Deepwater Horizon drilling rig blowout, which killed 11 people, happened because BP’s US subsidiaries, along with oil-services company Halliburton and rig owner Transocean, did not take adequate care in drilling a risky well, the court found.
This is a risk
Around two million barrels of oil from the BP spill off the US Gulf Coast in 2010 are believed to have settled on the ocean floor, according to a study Monday.
The fate of two million of the nearly five million barrels that gushed into the open waters has remained a mystery until now, said the findings in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a peer-reviewed US journal. Researchers analyzed samples collected at more than 500 locations around the Macondo Well, where the leaked oil emerged, and found it had spread widely, settling down like dirt in a bathtub.
The oil was found to have spread as far as 3,200 square kilometers (1,235 square miles) from the site, and may have gone even further, the report said. “Our analysis suggests the oil initially was suspended in deep waters and then settled to the underlying sea floor,” said the study by the University of California, Santa Barbara; the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts; and the University of California, Irvine.
Researchers came to this conclusion by studying seafloor sediment cores for residual hopane, a hydrocarbon that comes from crude oil.
BP took issue with the findings and the method researchers used, saying the impacted area was overestimated.
“The authors failed to identify the source of the oil, leading them to grossly overstate the amount of residual Macondo oil on the sea floor and the geographic area in which it is found,” said a statement from BP spokesman Jason Ryan.
“Instead of using rigorous chemical fingerprinting to identify the oil, the authors used a single compound that is also found in every natural oil seep in the Gulf of Mexico, causing them to find false positives all over the sea floor.”
According to the National Science Foundation, which funded the study, “hopane was concentrated in a thin layer at the sea floor within 25 miles of the ruptured well, clearly implicating Deepwater Horizon as the source.”
Study author David Valentine, a bio of the University of California, Santa Barbara, said the process likely led to the damage of deep sea corals.
“The pattern of contamination we observe is fully consistent with the Deepwater Horizon event but not with natural seeps - the suggested alternative.”
The National Wildlife Federation said earlier this year that scientific studies on 14 different types of creatures affected by the spill show that long lasting harm was done to dolphins, sea turtles, tuna, loons and other animals in the region.
In pleading guilty to the spill, BP agreed to pay the government $4.5 billion to settle criminal charges in the case.
It also agreed in 2012 to settle damage claims by businesses and individuals for about $7.8 billion.
Last month, a federal court judge in New Orleans concluded that BP acted with “gross negligence” ahead of the massive 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill, meaning BP may face billions of dollars in new fines.
The April 20, 2010 Deepwater Horizon drilling rig blowout, which killed 11 people, happened because BP’s US subsidiaries, along with oil-services company Halliburton and rig owner Transocean, did not take adequate care in drilling a risky well, the court found.
This is a risk
US mid-terms: Five things to know
Tom Geoghegan
The mid-term elections in the US are one week away. Unlike the presidential vote, with one clear winner, these polls are a bit more complicated. So what are the key points to remember?
1. It’s all about the Senate
It is very unlikely that the House of Representatives, the lower house which has a Republican majority, will be won by the Democrats. “With a few historical exceptions the party in the White House loses support during mid-terms,” says Shaun Bowler, political scientist at the University of California, Riverside.
The party of the president has only gained ground in three out of 38 mid-term elections and with President Barack Obama’s approval ratings pretty low, there’s nothing to suggest this election will buck the trend.
So all the attention is on the Senate, where Republicans need to win just six seats to gain control. This would mean the president would have lost control of both houses since he came to office - handing the Republicans more legislative powers, but retaining his power of veto over bills.
2. Only the hardcore vote
This time, turnout will be lower than 2006 and 2010 when the Iraq War and the president’s healthcare overhaul were galvanising issues, says Frank Newport, editor-in-chief at Gallup. There’s no such clarion call this time, and it’s a split Congress, which makes it harder for voters to know who to blame. “In 2010 they could get mad at the Democrats because they controlled both Senate and House. It’s a more confusing situation now.” A lower turnout would favour Republicans, who are always more likely to vote in mid-terms than Democrats. Republicans tend to be older and better educated, says Newport, while Democrats are more loosely attached to the system, with a lower registration rate.
“So everything else being equal, Republicans will have a turnout advantage.”
3. There’s no stand-out issue this time - except Obama
Mid-term elections are nearly always referenda on the incumbent president and this one is certainly no exception, says elections analyst Charlie Cook. And very few Democrats in competitive races are willing to appear with him or, in one case, even admit that she voted for him. “To the extent that Americans vote on other things, it is the economy, and people don’t feel that great about it,” he says.
“It’s growing, but in low gear. Real median family incomes haven’t gone up since 2000, and Americans for the first time in history doubt that their children and grandchildren will have the same opportunities that they had.” Latino voters are disillusioned that Obama has not been able to do more on immigration, and many voters put the dysfunction of government high on the list. Only 14% of voters approve of the job Congress is doing. Many want to fix how the government operates. But paradoxically, 90% of incumbents get re-elected, so while people hate the institution they are usually happy with the individuals who represent them.
Local factors always play a part in mid-terms too, so abortion restrictions have dominated the race in Colorado and in Louisiana, coastal erosion is an issue. But Republicans nationally want to make it all about the president.
4. It could help shape the big race in 2016
It’s a different electorate in a mid-term election from a presidential one, but there are ways 2014 could influence 2016.
If the Republicans have a feel-good win in a week’s time, then the presidential nomination process in their party could become more complicated and divisive, says Kyle Kondik, managing editor of Larry Sabato’s Crystal Ball. That’s because there will be much more incentive to run and the prize of being the Republican candidate will feel more valuable.
“And if Obama’s approval numbers look like they do today or worst it will feel like a drag on Democratic candidates.”
The working of a familiar electoral cycle - a backlash against the White House - could be over-interpreted as a repudiation of the president, says Bowler. But it will be interesting to see how the Republicans do in winning over non-white voters, because they will be key to their 2016 prospects.
5. The family connections
There’s nothing new about dynasties in American politics - you only have to think of the families Adams (two presidents), Roosevelt (two presidents), Kennedy (one president, two more senators) and Bush (two presidents, one governor). Dynasties bring with them personal wealth and name identification. But in these 2014 elections, the phenomenon is all the more prevalent.
The grandson of former president George HW Bush, George P Bush, is running for land commissioner in Texas. And in Georgia, Jason Carter, the grandson of former president Jimmy Carter is running for governor. Other names have glittering political pedigrees in certain states - Udall in Colorado, Landrieu in Louisiana and Pryor in Arkansas.
Then you have Hillary Clinton and Jeb Bush standing by to possibly run in 2016. “Ideally, American politics isn’t meant to work this way,” says Kondik. “Our country was founded on the idea that we weren’t to have an aristocracy. But dynasties are a big deal in American politics. We might not like it but it’s inescapable.
This news is according to BBC
The mid-term elections in the US are one week away. Unlike the presidential vote, with one clear winner, these polls are a bit more complicated. So what are the key points to remember?
1. It’s all about the Senate
It is very unlikely that the House of Representatives, the lower house which has a Republican majority, will be won by the Democrats. “With a few historical exceptions the party in the White House loses support during mid-terms,” says Shaun Bowler, political scientist at the University of California, Riverside.
The party of the president has only gained ground in three out of 38 mid-term elections and with President Barack Obama’s approval ratings pretty low, there’s nothing to suggest this election will buck the trend.
So all the attention is on the Senate, where Republicans need to win just six seats to gain control. This would mean the president would have lost control of both houses since he came to office - handing the Republicans more legislative powers, but retaining his power of veto over bills.
2. Only the hardcore vote
This time, turnout will be lower than 2006 and 2010 when the Iraq War and the president’s healthcare overhaul were galvanising issues, says Frank Newport, editor-in-chief at Gallup. There’s no such clarion call this time, and it’s a split Congress, which makes it harder for voters to know who to blame. “In 2010 they could get mad at the Democrats because they controlled both Senate and House. It’s a more confusing situation now.” A lower turnout would favour Republicans, who are always more likely to vote in mid-terms than Democrats. Republicans tend to be older and better educated, says Newport, while Democrats are more loosely attached to the system, with a lower registration rate.
“So everything else being equal, Republicans will have a turnout advantage.”
3. There’s no stand-out issue this time - except Obama
Mid-term elections are nearly always referenda on the incumbent president and this one is certainly no exception, says elections analyst Charlie Cook. And very few Democrats in competitive races are willing to appear with him or, in one case, even admit that she voted for him. “To the extent that Americans vote on other things, it is the economy, and people don’t feel that great about it,” he says.
“It’s growing, but in low gear. Real median family incomes haven’t gone up since 2000, and Americans for the first time in history doubt that their children and grandchildren will have the same opportunities that they had.” Latino voters are disillusioned that Obama has not been able to do more on immigration, and many voters put the dysfunction of government high on the list. Only 14% of voters approve of the job Congress is doing. Many want to fix how the government operates. But paradoxically, 90% of incumbents get re-elected, so while people hate the institution they are usually happy with the individuals who represent them.
Local factors always play a part in mid-terms too, so abortion restrictions have dominated the race in Colorado and in Louisiana, coastal erosion is an issue. But Republicans nationally want to make it all about the president.
4. It could help shape the big race in 2016
It’s a different electorate in a mid-term election from a presidential one, but there are ways 2014 could influence 2016.
If the Republicans have a feel-good win in a week’s time, then the presidential nomination process in their party could become more complicated and divisive, says Kyle Kondik, managing editor of Larry Sabato’s Crystal Ball. That’s because there will be much more incentive to run and the prize of being the Republican candidate will feel more valuable.
“And if Obama’s approval numbers look like they do today or worst it will feel like a drag on Democratic candidates.”
The working of a familiar electoral cycle - a backlash against the White House - could be over-interpreted as a repudiation of the president, says Bowler. But it will be interesting to see how the Republicans do in winning over non-white voters, because they will be key to their 2016 prospects.
5. The family connections
There’s nothing new about dynasties in American politics - you only have to think of the families Adams (two presidents), Roosevelt (two presidents), Kennedy (one president, two more senators) and Bush (two presidents, one governor). Dynasties bring with them personal wealth and name identification. But in these 2014 elections, the phenomenon is all the more prevalent.
The grandson of former president George HW Bush, George P Bush, is running for land commissioner in Texas. And in Georgia, Jason Carter, the grandson of former president Jimmy Carter is running for governor. Other names have glittering political pedigrees in certain states - Udall in Colorado, Landrieu in Louisiana and Pryor in Arkansas.
Then you have Hillary Clinton and Jeb Bush standing by to possibly run in 2016. “Ideally, American politics isn’t meant to work this way,” says Kondik. “Our country was founded on the idea that we weren’t to have an aristocracy. But dynasties are a big deal in American politics. We might not like it but it’s inescapable.
This news is according to BBC
Modi pledges to modernise Vietnam’s defences
In NEW DELHI
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledged on Tuesday to strengthen Vietnam’s military following talks between leaders of the two allies, in a move likely to rankle neighouring nuclear-armed giant China.
Modi said India would sell naval patrol boats to Vietnam under a $100 million line of credit to the Southeast Asian nation, which is seeking to improve its defences in the disputed South China Sea.
Modi held talks in New Delhi with Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, who is on a two-day visit to India, as Hanoi courts powerful allies following soured relations with China over the disputed territory.
Modi, who swept to power in May, said the two leaders had agreed to strengthen bilateral ties, adding “our defence co-operation with Vietnam is among our most important ones”.
“India remains committed to the modernisation of Vietnam’s defence and security forces.”
The leaders also called for “restraint” and “freedom of navigation” in the South China Sea, where China is embroiled in a bitter dispute with Vietnam and other nations.
“They agreed that freedom of navigation and overflight in the East Sea/South China Sea should not be impeded,” a joint statement released after the talks said.
“The (leaders called on the) parties concerned to exercise restraint, avoid threat or use of force and resolve disputes through peaceful means in accordance with universally recognised principles of international law.”
In May, Beijing moved a deep-water oil rig into waters claimed by Hanoi, prompting a months-long high-seas standoff and triggering deadly anti-China riots in Vietnam.
The rig was removed in July.
Modi’s comments came after China’s top foreign policy official made his second visit Monday to Vietnam in four months in a bid to repair ties strained to breaking point.
India has long had its own tense ties with China following a brief but bloody war in 1962 with its powerful neighbour over their remote land border.
Modi’s first meeting with Dung since his election comes after the defence line of credit was announced last month during a visit by India’s president to Vietnam.
Dung said late Monday that he hoped India would “actively support” a peaceful resolution to the South China Sea dispute.
“Vietnam hopes that India, as a major power in the region and the world, will actively support the parties concerned to peacefully resolve all disputes,” he told the Press Trust of India news agency.
Vietnam staunchly opposes China’s ongoing efforts to develop airstrips and military bases on the island chains it controls in the South China Sea.
China says it has sovereignty over essentially all of the South China Sea, which is a crucial maritime route and is also believed to hold huge oil and gas deposits.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledged on Tuesday to strengthen Vietnam’s military following talks between leaders of the two allies, in a move likely to rankle neighouring nuclear-armed giant China.
Modi said India would sell naval patrol boats to Vietnam under a $100 million line of credit to the Southeast Asian nation, which is seeking to improve its defences in the disputed South China Sea.
Modi held talks in New Delhi with Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, who is on a two-day visit to India, as Hanoi courts powerful allies following soured relations with China over the disputed territory.
Modi, who swept to power in May, said the two leaders had agreed to strengthen bilateral ties, adding “our defence co-operation with Vietnam is among our most important ones”.
“India remains committed to the modernisation of Vietnam’s defence and security forces.”
The leaders also called for “restraint” and “freedom of navigation” in the South China Sea, where China is embroiled in a bitter dispute with Vietnam and other nations.
“They agreed that freedom of navigation and overflight in the East Sea/South China Sea should not be impeded,” a joint statement released after the talks said.
“The (leaders called on the) parties concerned to exercise restraint, avoid threat or use of force and resolve disputes through peaceful means in accordance with universally recognised principles of international law.”
In May, Beijing moved a deep-water oil rig into waters claimed by Hanoi, prompting a months-long high-seas standoff and triggering deadly anti-China riots in Vietnam.
The rig was removed in July.
Modi’s comments came after China’s top foreign policy official made his second visit Monday to Vietnam in four months in a bid to repair ties strained to breaking point.
India has long had its own tense ties with China following a brief but bloody war in 1962 with its powerful neighbour over their remote land border.
Modi’s first meeting with Dung since his election comes after the defence line of credit was announced last month during a visit by India’s president to Vietnam.
Dung said late Monday that he hoped India would “actively support” a peaceful resolution to the South China Sea dispute.
“Vietnam hopes that India, as a major power in the region and the world, will actively support the parties concerned to peacefully resolve all disputes,” he told the Press Trust of India news agency.
Vietnam staunchly opposes China’s ongoing efforts to develop airstrips and military bases on the island chains it controls in the South China Sea.
China says it has sovereignty over essentially all of the South China Sea, which is a crucial maritime route and is also believed to hold huge oil and gas deposits.
Rodgers credited for Liverpool success
In LONDON
Barcelona striker Luis Suarez has heralded Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers for finding the perfect tactical system for him during the two years they worked together at Anfield. Rodgers introduced a slick, passing style following his arrival from Swansea City in 2012 and Suarez was one of the chief beneficiaries, scoring 61 goals during his last two seasons on Merseyside. The Uruguay international left Liverpool for Barcelona during the close season after being pilloried for biting Italy's Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup, but he says that he will always owe Rodgers a debt of gratitude. "There was a moment during the first real, in-depth conversation that I had with Brendan Rodgers when I looked at him and it hit me: 'He's right,'" said Suarez, in an extract from his new autobiography.
Barcelona striker Luis Suarez has heralded Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers for finding the perfect tactical system for him during the two years they worked together at Anfield. Rodgers introduced a slick, passing style following his arrival from Swansea City in 2012 and Suarez was one of the chief beneficiaries, scoring 61 goals during his last two seasons on Merseyside. The Uruguay international left Liverpool for Barcelona during the close season after being pilloried for biting Italy's Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup, but he says that he will always owe Rodgers a debt of gratitude. "There was a moment during the first real, in-depth conversation that I had with Brendan Rodgers when I looked at him and it hit me: 'He's right,'" said Suarez, in an extract from his new autobiography.
Malala wins World’s Children’s Prize
In STOCKHOLM
Girl’s rights champion Malala Yousafzai, the youngest Nobel Peace Prize laureate in history, won the World’s Children’s Prize on Tuesday, after a global vote involving millions of children.
Malala, 17, was shot in the head in 2012 by the Taliban near her home in Swat Valley for her advocacy of girls’ right to go to school.
“Millions of children have voted to award Malala this year’s World’s Children’s Prize for the rights of the child,” the organisation said in a statement.
“Nobody has ever received the Nobel Peace Prize and the World’s Children’s Prize - often dubbed the ‘Children’s Nobel Prize’ by the media - in the same year.”
The award was created in 2000 and is part a worldwide educational programme in which children learn about global issues, democracy and their own rights.
The programme finishes with a global vote on who to give the prize to.
This year’s honorary awards went to former Microsoft executive John Wood, founder of the Room to Read literacy group, and Indira Ranamagar from Nepal, for her work for the children of prisoners.
Nelson Mandela, Graca Machel, Anne Frank and Kofi Annan have previously been honored in the awards.
Malala will receive the prize at a ceremony in Mariestad near Stockholm on Wednesday.
This year’s laureates will share $100,000 to be used in their work for children’s rights.
Malala, 17, was shot in the head in 2012 by the Taliban near her home in Swat Valley for her advocacy of girls’ right to go to school.
“Millions of children have voted to award Malala this year’s World’s Children’s Prize for the rights of the child,” the organisation said in a statement.
“Nobody has ever received the Nobel Peace Prize and the World’s Children’s Prize - often dubbed the ‘Children’s Nobel Prize’ by the media - in the same year.”
The award was created in 2000 and is part a worldwide educational programme in which children learn about global issues, democracy and their own rights.
The programme finishes with a global vote on who to give the prize to.
This year’s honorary awards went to former Microsoft executive John Wood, founder of the Room to Read literacy group, and Indira Ranamagar from Nepal, for her work for the children of prisoners.
Nelson Mandela, Graca Machel, Anne Frank and Kofi Annan have previously been honored in the awards.
Malala will receive the prize at a ceremony in Mariestad near Stockholm on Wednesday.
This year’s laureates will share $100,000 to be used in their work for children’s rights.
This is the best achievement of Pakistan
Beware! Nilofar here
In KARACHI
Pakistan Meteorological Department has predicted that the Cyclone Nilofar is 1,222-km away from Sindh coastal areas and 1,145-km away from Balochistan coastal belt.
Officials said the cyclone was expected to hit coastal areas of Balochistan somewhere around October 29. Officials further clarified that the cyclone will lose most of its wrath when it will hit Sindh’s coastal area somewhere between October 30 and 31.
Rain in expected with heavy thunderstorms in the lower areas of Sindh including Karachi and coastal areas of Balochistan from Wednesday to Friday.
The Karachi city administration claimed to have taken all precautionary measures ahead of the warning of Nilofar Cyclone and urged the fishermen to return from the deep sea here on Monday.
Currently, the tropical storm Nilofar is present at 906-km away in southeast of Arabian Sea near Salah city of Oman.
The department also predicted that the weather, during the next two days, would remain dry in Karachi while rain was expected after the cyclone hit the coastal areas.
It also warned the fishermen not to travel into the open sea from October 28-31. Following the prediction, settlements alongside the coastal belt in the metropolis including Karachi Fish Harbour, Ibrahim Haideri and Keti Bunder were being gripped amid intense premonitions and despondency on the arrival of Nilofar, a locally-named cyclone that was expected to hit the shore of the City in next 24 hours.
As the authorities concerned including Karachi Fish harbour, civil administration, maritime security agency and the meteorological department had warned the fishermen not to enter the open sea for fishing, the fishermen had parked their fishing boats and those who are already in the sea have started returning.
According to experts of various departments, the Nilofar would first hit the coast of Oman and then would collide with the Gwadar Coast form where it would head towards the metropolis. Later, it will approach towards the Indian Coast.
Meanwhile, Karachi Commissioner Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui had approached Pakistan Navy, Pakistan Maritime Security Agency and Pakistan Coast Guards for assisting Pakistani fishermen for safe of the fishermen to land. The commissioner had also taken Pakistan Fisher folk Forum and other non-governmental organisations, dealing or working with the fishermen, for assisting the civil administration in efforts for bringing the fishermen back to home at the earliest.
He had also directed the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation and concerned deputy commissioners to ensure full implementation of Section 144 that had already been imposed on bathing in the sea. The civil administration had also warned the people of the City to stay home and avoid visiting the coastal areas alone or along with their families. Under the instructions of the commissioner, Rescue 1299 and the Commissioner Office Control Room had also been directed to pass any information to the commissioner immediately.
Karachi Metropolitan Corporation and all the Cantonment Boards had also been asked to immediately remove weak and vulnerable billboards so as to safe the people from any untoward tragedy.
Indian officials were also preparing to evacuate residents and stockpile food as they braced for another very severe cyclonic storm due to slam into the India’s west coast and Pakistan.
Pakistan Meteorological Department has predicted that the Cyclone Nilofar is 1,222-km away from Sindh coastal areas and 1,145-km away from Balochistan coastal belt.
Officials said the cyclone was expected to hit coastal areas of Balochistan somewhere around October 29. Officials further clarified that the cyclone will lose most of its wrath when it will hit Sindh’s coastal area somewhere between October 30 and 31.
Rain in expected with heavy thunderstorms in the lower areas of Sindh including Karachi and coastal areas of Balochistan from Wednesday to Friday.
The Karachi city administration claimed to have taken all precautionary measures ahead of the warning of Nilofar Cyclone and urged the fishermen to return from the deep sea here on Monday.
Currently, the tropical storm Nilofar is present at 906-km away in southeast of Arabian Sea near Salah city of Oman.
The department also predicted that the weather, during the next two days, would remain dry in Karachi while rain was expected after the cyclone hit the coastal areas.
It also warned the fishermen not to travel into the open sea from October 28-31. Following the prediction, settlements alongside the coastal belt in the metropolis including Karachi Fish Harbour, Ibrahim Haideri and Keti Bunder were being gripped amid intense premonitions and despondency on the arrival of Nilofar, a locally-named cyclone that was expected to hit the shore of the City in next 24 hours.
As the authorities concerned including Karachi Fish harbour, civil administration, maritime security agency and the meteorological department had warned the fishermen not to enter the open sea for fishing, the fishermen had parked their fishing boats and those who are already in the sea have started returning.
According to experts of various departments, the Nilofar would first hit the coast of Oman and then would collide with the Gwadar Coast form where it would head towards the metropolis. Later, it will approach towards the Indian Coast.
Meanwhile, Karachi Commissioner Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui had approached Pakistan Navy, Pakistan Maritime Security Agency and Pakistan Coast Guards for assisting Pakistani fishermen for safe of the fishermen to land. The commissioner had also taken Pakistan Fisher folk Forum and other non-governmental organisations, dealing or working with the fishermen, for assisting the civil administration in efforts for bringing the fishermen back to home at the earliest.
He had also directed the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation and concerned deputy commissioners to ensure full implementation of Section 144 that had already been imposed on bathing in the sea. The civil administration had also warned the people of the City to stay home and avoid visiting the coastal areas alone or along with their families. Under the instructions of the commissioner, Rescue 1299 and the Commissioner Office Control Room had also been directed to pass any information to the commissioner immediately.
Karachi Metropolitan Corporation and all the Cantonment Boards had also been asked to immediately remove weak and vulnerable billboards so as to safe the people from any untoward tragedy.
Indian officials were also preparing to evacuate residents and stockpile food as they braced for another very severe cyclonic storm due to slam into the India’s west coast and Pakistan.
Serena reigns supreme in Paris
In Paris
Serena Williams won her second French Open title on Saturday, 11 years after her first triumph, defeating title-holder Maria Sharapova 6-4, 6-4 in a brief, but high-quality final. It was the 31-year-old American's 16th Grand Slam title win, taking her to within two of Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova who are tied for fourth on the all-time list.
And it underscored her near total domination of the women's game, having won three of the last four Grand Slam titles -- at Wimbledon, the US and French Opens -- and reaching the quarter-finals at the Australian Open. For Sharapova it was a 10th straight loss to her American nemesis dating back to 2004 when she defeated her in the Wimbledon final and the WTA Championships when she was just 17-years-old.
In what was the first French Open women's final involving the two top seeds since 1995, the two biggest names and biggest earners in women's sport were pitted against each other for the 16th time, the third in a Grand Slam final. Williams was the strong favourite, having won 13 times for two defeats against the Russian and stormed into the final for the loss of just one set, taking her career-best winning streak to 31.
Sharapova though was on a 13-match win run at Roland Garros, having finally come to terms with the demands of claycourt tennis last year when she defeated Sara Errani in the final. Williams opened up with a sequence of brutal service returns that had Sharapova scampering from side to side and within minutes 0-40 down. But the tall Russian served her way out of trouble and then showed her aggressive intentions by breaking Williams in the next game.
Sharapova had two points for a 3-0 lead, but Williams started to find her range again to break back and was soon on level terms at 2-2. She broke again to lead 3-2 and suddenly she looked in command of a match that had started so brightly for Sharapova. The crowd tried to lift the title-holder, who was seeking her fifth Grand Slam title and second at Roland Garros, and she did manage to get back on level terms briefly at 4-4 with Williams bothered by the gusting wind.
But the American produced her best tennis of the match in the next game with some big hits down both flanks and then held serve to take the first set in 51 minutes. The task on hand for Sharapova was huge, illustrated by the fact that in Grand Slam tennis, after taking a one set to love lead 208 times, the American had failed to complete the job just five times.
Sharapova saved five break points to start the second set, but two games later she struggled again on serve and this time Williams converted her first break point to put herself in the clear at 4-2.
She then comfortably served out twice, with three aces to conclude with, to gleefully banish 11 years of frustrations at Roland Garros. At 31 years, 247 days she is the oldest women in the Open Era to win the French Open title, taking over from Chris Evert who set the previous mark in 1986.
This is the peek of Serena William.....
Serena Williams won her second French Open title on Saturday, 11 years after her first triumph, defeating title-holder Maria Sharapova 6-4, 6-4 in a brief, but high-quality final. It was the 31-year-old American's 16th Grand Slam title win, taking her to within two of Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova who are tied for fourth on the all-time list.
And it underscored her near total domination of the women's game, having won three of the last four Grand Slam titles -- at Wimbledon, the US and French Opens -- and reaching the quarter-finals at the Australian Open. For Sharapova it was a 10th straight loss to her American nemesis dating back to 2004 when she defeated her in the Wimbledon final and the WTA Championships when she was just 17-years-old.
In what was the first French Open women's final involving the two top seeds since 1995, the two biggest names and biggest earners in women's sport were pitted against each other for the 16th time, the third in a Grand Slam final. Williams was the strong favourite, having won 13 times for two defeats against the Russian and stormed into the final for the loss of just one set, taking her career-best winning streak to 31.
Sharapova though was on a 13-match win run at Roland Garros, having finally come to terms with the demands of claycourt tennis last year when she defeated Sara Errani in the final. Williams opened up with a sequence of brutal service returns that had Sharapova scampering from side to side and within minutes 0-40 down. But the tall Russian served her way out of trouble and then showed her aggressive intentions by breaking Williams in the next game.
Sharapova had two points for a 3-0 lead, but Williams started to find her range again to break back and was soon on level terms at 2-2. She broke again to lead 3-2 and suddenly she looked in command of a match that had started so brightly for Sharapova. The crowd tried to lift the title-holder, who was seeking her fifth Grand Slam title and second at Roland Garros, and she did manage to get back on level terms briefly at 4-4 with Williams bothered by the gusting wind.
But the American produced her best tennis of the match in the next game with some big hits down both flanks and then held serve to take the first set in 51 minutes. The task on hand for Sharapova was huge, illustrated by the fact that in Grand Slam tennis, after taking a one set to love lead 208 times, the American had failed to complete the job just five times.
Sharapova saved five break points to start the second set, but two games later she struggled again on serve and this time Williams converted her first break point to put herself in the clear at 4-2.
She then comfortably served out twice, with three aces to conclude with, to gleefully banish 11 years of frustrations at Roland Garros. At 31 years, 247 days she is the oldest women in the Open Era to win the French Open title, taking over from Chris Evert who set the previous mark in 1986.
This is the peek of Serena William.....
Ignorance Reigns Supreme
How it determine
The episode involving the International Islamic University Islamabad and the Israeli stall exhibited for the “Global Village”, one of the routine events that make up the Model United Nations, has revealed the intolerance and ineptitude plaguing our society as well as institutions, academic or otherwise. It is difficult to argue that this controversy could have been completely avoided but that has no bearing on the series of mistakes that were committed and are still being made. For starters, the university should have made an assessment of the prevalent environment. If the is yet to evolve intellectually to a stage where harmless activities such as MUNs, which have been conducted by several universities and schools for years, will not be tolerated, then perhaps they should be avoided altogether. Of course, there is another way. You can communicate with the students, explain to them the purpose of such events, and take them on board. Context is important here. Attendees erected a stall for Israel in an Islamic university with Palestanian students present on campus as well as a heavy presence of Jamat-e-Islami’s notorious student wing, the Islami Jamiat Tuleba . Perhaps it would have been wise of the administration to consult student organisations and especially the Palestinians in order to cater to their sensitivities. This is not to be confused with seeking permission, since one cannot expect the to comprehend reasonable ideas far too complicated for its collective intelligence. Still, measures aimed at placating emotions and spreading awareness would have been a smart move. Those in charge of organising such events have a certain responsibility towards participants and their respective institutions, which was not fulfilled on this occasion.
Now, the IIUI has completely disowned the event and taken action against the dean and student adviser. “Strict disciplinary action” may be taken against students who put up the controversial stall. This is yet another error. In a MUN, participants are supposed to represent countries which are a part of the United Nations. Israel happens to be one of them. The aim of the “Global Village” is to give them an opportunity to learn about different countries, their cultures, popular cuisines, traditional attires and so on. The stall for Israel was one of the many put up by participants during the exhibition. It wasn’t a conscious provocation, a deliberate insult or a malicious attempt to ‘promote Israel’ contrary to what is being propagated. The university administration should take ownership of the event, and explain facts to people instead of appeasing them and kneeling before raging mobs. An ideal situation would have been this: the stall is allowed to remain intact, the Palestinians are given the freedom to protest peacefully and the IJI goons are taken to task for causing disruption and threatening with violence to pressurise the administration. If nothing else, this entire episode makes it clear why this country needs more events such as MUN to counter intolerance, prejudice and misinformation in a dignified way.
Now, the IIUI has completely disowned the event and taken action against the dean and student adviser. “Strict disciplinary action” may be taken against students who put up the controversial stall. This is yet another error. In a MUN, participants are supposed to represent countries which are a part of the United Nations. Israel happens to be one of them. The aim of the “Global Village” is to give them an opportunity to learn about different countries, their cultures, popular cuisines, traditional attires and so on. The stall for Israel was one of the many put up by participants during the exhibition. It wasn’t a conscious provocation, a deliberate insult or a malicious attempt to ‘promote Israel’ contrary to what is being propagated. The university administration should take ownership of the event, and explain facts to people instead of appeasing them and kneeling before raging mobs. An ideal situation would have been this: the stall is allowed to remain intact, the Palestinians are given the freedom to protest peacefully and the IJI goons are taken to task for causing disruption and threatening with violence to pressurise the administration. If nothing else, this entire episode makes it clear why this country needs more events such as MUN to counter intolerance, prejudice and misinformation in a dignified way.
How it observe....
David Cameron said that we can't interfere in kashmir issue
London- British Prime Minister David Cameron has reiterated that the United Kingdom wanted deeper ties with India while also making it aptly clear that his government would never interfere in the highly vexed Kashmir issue.
The Conservative Party leader was today quoted as saying to a TV news channel,
“We are two great democracies that face many of the same challenges. We need more economic growth; we need more investment in trade. We both have to fight extremism and terrorism. These are shared challenges that Britain and India should face together."
The British Prime Minister, who is seeking re-election in the 2015 polls, also sought to woo the vast Indian population living in UK by calling for greater ties between the two countries.
Cameron indicated that Britain did not intend to intervene in the Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan by saying, "It is the engagement between the two nations and that was for these countries to lead these debates on this issue and not for others to interfere."
This is not a good news for kashmir...
The Conservative Party leader was today quoted as saying to a TV news channel,
“We are two great democracies that face many of the same challenges. We need more economic growth; we need more investment in trade. We both have to fight extremism and terrorism. These are shared challenges that Britain and India should face together."
The British Prime Minister, who is seeking re-election in the 2015 polls, also sought to woo the vast Indian population living in UK by calling for greater ties between the two countries.
Cameron indicated that Britain did not intend to intervene in the Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan by saying, "It is the engagement between the two nations and that was for these countries to lead these debates on this issue and not for others to interfere."
This is not a good news for kashmir...
Friday 24 October 2014
PESA MASHANANI REACHES OUT TO UHURU & FEEL BATTER
in uhuru pesa reaches out to uhuru and feel batter
Governors have tactfully thrown a political bait to the President, senators and members of county assemblies by proposing amendments to the Constitution that will make it more difficult to impeach the Head of State while also offering development cash for wards.
In the Bill that they have drafted in their quest to change the Constitution to increase allocation to counties, the governors have also moved to protect their own positions through an amendment requiring accusations against them be heard and determined in court before they can be impeached.
Council of Governors Chairman Isaac Ruto said the draft Bill will be refined before being presented to Parliament for debate. However, he also warned that if it is shot down, governors would seek other options to force a referendum.
“What you have seen is work in progress. There are a few changes, which we will make before taking it Parliament,” he said in a telephone interview.
A copy of the draft Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill 2014, obtained by Nation reveals that the governors have lined up 11 amendments to the Constitution to prevent any future manoeuvres to weaken devolution.
The Bill will be submitted to county assemblies by the Council of Governors before it is taken to Parliament where National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale has promised that it will be debated and passed.
In talks between governors and Jubilee leaders, the county bosses had been advised to introduce the changes they have been campaigning for through a Bill and drop their quest for a referendum.
In its preamble, the Bill states: “A Bill for an Act of Parliament to amend the Constitution of Kenya, 2010, by popular initiative, pursuant to Article 257 of the Constitution of Kenya.”
DANGLED A CARROT
Even though it is instructive that President Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto are opposed to the referendum call, the governors have dangled a carrot at them by proposing to raise the bar on any effort to impeach the President.
They propose to include a new clause under Article 145 of the Constitution to require that those pushing for impeachment must get a court ruling approving their grounds before they can start the process of removing the President from office.
The Bill says: “The removal of the President shall only be initiated upon a judgment by the High Court confirming the grounds specified in clause.”
The governors also propose a new clause to Article 181, which reads: “The removal of a county governor and a deputy county governor shall only be initiated upon a judgment by the High Court confirming the grounds specified.”
They have proposed that if a governor is impeached, his deputy should face the same fate.
In addition, they propose that any Motion seeking to impeach a governor should be backed by signatures of at least 25 per cent of all registered voters in at least half of the wards in a county. That means, if a county has 10 wards, those pushing for impeachment must get 25 per cent of voters in five wards to support their cause, which is a high threshold.
ROLE OF SENATE
The draft Bill also proposes to enhance the role of the Senate by giving senators an oversight role on national institutions, state organs and constitutional commissions.
“The limitation of the Senate to oversight only institutions ‘that participate in the allocation of national revenue to the county governments’ is unnatural and has no clear policy justification behind it. Besides, it is difficult to see how one would identify such institutions with certainty.
The Senate should have oversight over all institutions,” the governors have said, in a charm offensive to win the support of senators. They have also proposed that for the National Assembly to overturn special county Bills by the Senate, it will need 90 per cent of MPs’ votes, up from the two thirds majority currently.
And to win over the support of Members of County Assemblies (MCAs), the governors have proposed an amendment to establish a County Ward Development Fund to finance projects in wards.
The fund, which has been a battleground between MCAs and the Controller of Budget Agnes Odhiambo, will draw an allocation of three per cent of the money released to counties by the national government. MCAs would be expected to make decisions on how the money is to be spent in their localities.
“There is hereby established a Fund to be known as the County Ward Development Fund which shall be administered by the County Government,” the draft Bill proposes.
Other proposals put forward include one giving counties more say in the management of national resources including land and forests. This will include a formula under which such resources can be managed by the two levels of government.
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