The US is investing millions of dollars in a new centre designed to recycle used plastic bags, turning them into batteries that can power everything from smartphones to electric cars. Al Jazeera’s John Hendren spent a day at the government laboratory near Chicago where scientists have made a breakthrough in green technology.
Read more » Al Jazeera
http://www.aljazeera.com/video/americas/2013/02/2013218111949627594.html
Egypt has issued an arrest warrant on Sunday against the Salafi preacher, who recently said it was “halal” (permissible) to rape female protestors, charging him with the defamation of religion, an Al Arabiya correspondent reported. …..
Read more » Al Arabiya
http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2013/02/17/266857.html
Jacobabad, February 13, 2013 — U.S. Ambassador Richard Olson, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Director Jock Conly, and the U.S. Consul General in Karachi Michael Dodman, joined by Sindh Minister for Health Dr. Sagheer Ahmed and Sindh Minister for Rehabilitation Muzaffar Shujra, attended a groundbreaking ceremony to officially initiate construction of the Jacobabad Institute of Medical Sciences, a state-of-the-art hospital. USAID is investing $10 million to build the Jacobabad Institute of Medical Sciences and expand access to quality health care services for the residents of Jacobabad, Sindh, and Balochistan.
By SidDutta
Hint: It is not the forward community.
I moved this up as a separate article since this is something I feel very strongly about. The Pakistani forward community (as evidenced from BP members) has sworn hand on heart that “caste based discrimination” does not exist in Pakistan. This is because they say so, thus it must be the truth. The reality it seems is something else altogether.
Ms. Kalavanti Raja of Sindh-Pakistan, the active member of Sindhiyani Tahreek presented the case of Pakistani Dalits in International Consultation Meeting of IDSN in Nepal which got a huge importance and space in international IDSN Publication as detailed below.
Plight of Dalit of Pakistan
The Pakistan Dalit Solidarity Network (PDSN) has been instrumental in raising public awareness of caste discrimination in Pakistan in 2011 and creating a stir in the media. Media reports on caste discrimination have included issues such as bonded labour, untouchability, kidnapping and forced conversions of Dalits.
Media have also reported widely on discrimination in flood relief work in Pakistan following new monsoon rains, causing one of recent history’s worst disasters. Dalit communities were denied access to relief camps because of their caste and were forced to live under the open sky. The President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardai, has spoken out against this discrimination against Dalits in the on-going flood relief work saying that any discrimination in extending rescue, relief and rehabilitation operations to anyone on the basis of caste is unacceptable. Nonetheless the discrimination continued throughout 2011. PDSN has worked to support Dalit victims of the flooding and bring their plight to the attention of authorities, International NGOs and agencies involved in relief operations.
2011 also saw an increased visibility of Dalit women in Pakistan and Ms. Kalavanti Raja joined PDSN as Coordinator of the women’s wing of the network. Ms. Raja participated in several events, including the Dalit Women’s conference in Kathmandu, a South Asian Dalit conference in Bangladesh, and the IDSN International Consultation on Caste-Based Discrimination and council meeting in Nepal, where PDSN Coordinators also took part. She spoke at several events and monitored Pakistani media attention to the issue of caste discrimination, with regular updates to IDSN on the situation.
Continue reading Who gets to certify “caste based” discrimination?
By: Mashhood Qazi, Calgary
Calgarian Sindhis met over lunch last month where a vast majority of friends attended the program along with their families. We celebrated this program with a theme of ‘Latif Day’ and encouraged our youth to speak about sufi poet Shah. The objective was to have our kids understand Sindh’s heritage and the life of our great poet of peace, Shah Latif. This gesture was very well praised by all the attendees. The beauty of this program was the enthusiastic attendees who spared no single minute but to get involved in our traditional Katchehri.
Courtesy: SANA list + Sindhi e-lists, February 14, 2013.
Via Kalavanti Raja
Awami Tahreek has planned to start a bestir march bannered as “Mohabat-e-Sindh Sujagi March” on 16th February 2013 and shall visit 13 districts of Sindh. Dynamic young leader of Sindh shall address in about 40 cities to make people aware and protest against: 1. Anti-Sindh Local Govt Act 2012. 2. Violation of SC’s orders on Voter List Verification 3. Corruption 4. Price-hike 5. Unemployment
Schedule of March:
16th Feb: JamShoro, Khanoth, Manjhand, Sun, Sehwan, Bhan, Dadu, Phulji, Seeta, KN.Shah, Mehar, Warah.
17th Feb: Nasirabad, Wagan, Qambar, Larkano, Rato Dero, Dakhan, Garhi Yasin, Shikarpur, Sultan Kot, Humayun, Jacobabad, Thul.
18th Feb: Tangwani, Kandhkot, Kashmor, Gudoo, Obawro, Daharki, Mathelo, Ghotki, Pano Aqil, Rohri, Sukkur, Khairpur.
19th Feb: Gambat, Ranipur, Hingorja, Kotri Kabir, Halani, Kandiaro, Bhirya, Noshahro, Moro, Shahpur, Dolatpur, Qazi Ahmed, Sakrand, Saedabad, Hala, BhitShah, Kheber, Matiari.
Human Rights Watch report contains allegations of brutality, rape, threats
By: CBC News
An international human rights organization is calling on the federal government to launch a national inquiry into claims from aboriginal women of abuse and threats by RCMP officers in northern British Columbia.
Human Rights Watch, known for bringing worldwide attention to victims of torture and abuse in places like Syria and Burma, says the eyes of the world should also be on northern B.C. ….
Read more » CBC
Link – http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2013/02/12/bc-human-rights-watch-abuse-report.html
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More details » Human Rights Watch
http://www.hrw.org/news/2013/02/13/canada-abusive-policing-neglect-along-highway-tears
By Christoph Seidler
You didn’t hear much Chinese spoken on the Mackenzie River until the summer of 1999. But then excitement swept through the sleepy Tuktoyaktuk settlement in Canada’s Northwest Territories, when a vast ship with a crew from the Asia-Pacific unexpectedly docked in the port. Local authorities were caught off-guard by the arrival of the research icebreaker Xue Long, which means “snow dragon.” The vessel — 170 meters (550 feet) long and weighing 21,000 metric tons — had in fact informed faraway Ottawa of its intention to sail into Canada’s arctic waters, but the message hadn’t been passed on.
Today, such an incident probably wouldn’t happen. States around the North Pole keep careful and regular watch on visitors from China. Its “growing interest in the region raises concern — even alarm —
Read more » Spiegel
Link – http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/growing-chinese-interest-in-the-arctic-worries-international-community-a-879654.html
via – Siasat.pk
Bulgaria bus bombing suspect had real Canadian passport, lived in B.C. before return to Lebanon at age 12
By: Stewart Bell
The suspected organizer of a Hezbollah bus bombing that killed five Israeli tourists and a local driver in Bulgaria last July has only tenuous links to Canada but still possessed a genuine Canadian passport, the National Post has learned. ….
Read more » National Post
http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/02/05/canadian-citizen-confirmed-as-suspected-organizer-of-deadly-bulgaria-bus-bombing/
Conference Board report card gives Canada a B, ranked 7th out of 17 developed countries
Canada isn’t living up to its potential or its reputation when it comes to societal issues like poverty, government and inequality, according to the Conference Board of Canada.
The group gave Canada a ‘B’, good for a 7th place ranking out of 17 developed countries, but it said the “middle-of-the-pack” ranking leaves room for improvement.
Getting an ‘A’ at the top of the rankings were the Scandinavian nations (Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland) as well as the Netherlands and Austria. …
Read more » CBC
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2013/02/01/business-canada-society-report-card.html
Qaher-313 (Conqueror-313) advanced military aircraft was put on display during a ceremony on Saturday in the presence of Commander of Iran’s Army Major General Ataollah Salehi, Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi and Commander of the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) Brigadier General Hassan Shah-Safi on the occasion of the Ten-Day Dawn celebrations commemorating the victory of 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who addressed the unveiling ceremony, reiterated that Iran’s defense might did not serve purposes of “expansionism and aggression against other countries” and that it was “deterrent” by nature.
Ahmadinejad also stated that the fighter jet had been completely designed and manufactured by Iranian experts.
Qaher-313 is said to be similar to the US-built F/A-18, although its appearance is similar to F-5E/F Tiger II.
Read more » Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/02/02/286841/iran-unveils-new-indigenous-fighter-jet/
Should people be off on Fridays?
By Vanessa Barford
The Gambia has shortened the work week, making Friday a day of rest. Is this the perfect pattern for a working week?
In the tiny African nation of The Gambia, public sector workers will now clock in at 8am and clock out at 6pm, Monday to Thursday. They’ll still do a 40-hour week but have the luxury of Friday off.
President Jammeh wants the extra rest day to “allow Gambians to devote more time to prayers, social activities and agriculture”.
In the dark days of the 19th Century, many workers in industrialised nations considered themselves lucky if they got Sunday off. The achievement of a 40-hour week with Saturday and Sunday off for many was a major landmark for the labour movement.
But some have tried to go further. In 2008, about 17,000 government officials in the US state of Utah started working four 10-hour days in a bid to cut costs. ….
Read more » BBC
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-21242782
New York: Amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, people from both nations settled in the US came together here to spread the message of “peace-mongering” at a ‘global peace vigil’ where they appealed to governments to engage in dialogue to resolve disputes.
The ‘India-Pakistan Peace Now Global Vigil’ was held yesterday across cities including Boston, Karachi, Lahore, Los Angeles, Mumbai, New Delhi, New York, Toronto and Washington.
In New York, the vigil was held at Union Square near the statue of Mahatma Gandhi and was attended by people of Indian and Pakistani origin, who stressed on the message of “peace-mongering instead of war-mongering.”
People participating in the vigil called for the need to ratchet down tension between India and Pakistan and “toning down the war hype” in the aftermath of the killing of soldiers along the Line of Control earlier this month.
People held banners that read, ‘Hope for peace’, ‘Down with war-hype’, ‘India-Pakistan friends across LoC’ and ‘Stay the peace course.’
“It makes no sense for India and Pakistan to have the level of tension we have now. A friendlier neighbourhood would be good for both countries. It does no good for Pakistan to have tension with a neighbour like India and for India to have an unstable neighbour in Pakistan,” organiser of the vigil here Ibrahim Sajid Malick said.
Beena Sarwar, a journalist from Pakistan based in Cambridge and one of the organisers of the vigil in Boston, said people from both nations have felt a “disconnect” between the “media hype” and at the people to people level over the tension between India and Pakistan.
Nearly 50 people participated in the event organised near Harvard University by the South Asia Centre, Alliance for Secular and Democratic South Asia, Harvard South Asian Association and Harvard Kennedy School South Asia Caucus.
A moment of silence was held for soldiers killed on both sides of the LoC as people called for an “uninterrupted and uninterruptible” dialogue process between the two nations.
Sarwar said among messages that people sought to spread through the vigil was that it is time that the governments and armies of both nations listened to the voice of the people rather than trying to lead the people into war mongering.
“People do not want war,” she said.
Continue reading Indians, Pakistanis spread ‘peace-mongering’ at global vigil
India: Chhattisgarh: Thanking Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh for according him with status equivalent to a State Minister, Chhattisgarh Sindhi Sahitya Academy President Murlidhar Makhija has requested the State Government to include Sindhi language as one of the subjects for the competitive examinations including Public Service Commission (PSC).
Addressing a press conference at Raipur Press Club, Makhija informed that Sindhi language has been approved by the constitution of India in schedule 8 and it allows the candidate to compete for IAS, PCS and other exams in Sindhi as well. Therefore, he proposed the Chief Minister to include the subject in syllabus of PSC exams too. He also requested State Education Minister Brijmohan Agrawal to include Sindhi as an optional paper in Chhattisgarh Madhyamik Shiksha Mandal so that students would have an opportunity to learn the language.During the conference, Makhija expressed his concern for the great personalities from Sindhi society like Vir Shaheed Hemu Kaladi, Sant Kavar Ram, Sai Jhulelal and Maharaja Dahirsen.
Courtesy: Daily Pioneer
http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/raipur/123176-sindhi-should-be-included-as-subject-in-competitive-exams-.html
By Khalid Hashmani
A new Human Rights organization called RightsNow Pakistan http://www.rightsnowpk.org/home/ . It appears to have the right focus with a young and dynamic leadership and Board of Governors. It’s web site is one of the best that I have seen among Pakistan’s human rights organizations. It is indeed a great development for Sindh Rights and an encouraging sign for downtrodden people if the information provided at the web site is substantially factual and and if their determination is as strong as pledged there.
More » RightNow Pakistan
– Shahrukh Khan exposes Indian secularism
Bollywood king Shahrukh Khan has exposed so-called secular face of world largest democracy: India, expressing his agony he is facing for being born as a Muslim.
SRK wrote an article titled Being a Khan for Outlook Turning Points magazine.
Khan said in the article many politicians asked him to go back to his native homeland: Pakistan, after 9/11 incident.
“I sometimes become the inadvertent object of political leaders who choose to make me a symbol of all that they think is wrong and unpatriotic about Muslims in India”.
“There have been occasions when I have been accused of bearing allegiance to our neighbouring nation (Pakistan) rather than my own country – this even though I am an Indian, whose father fought for the freedom of India. Rallies have been held where leaders have exhorted me to leave and return what they refer to my ‘original’ homeland.”
“I gave my son and daughter names that could pass for generic (pan-India and pan-religious) ones – Aryan and Suhana,” Shahrukh Khan said.
“The Khan has been bequeathed by me so they can’t really escape it.
Khan said that he pronounced names of his children with his epiglottis when asked by Muslims and throw the Aryan as evidence of their race when non-Muslims enquired. “I imagine this will prevent my offspring from receiving unwarranted eviction orders or random fatwas in the future,” said Khan.
Khan said that he was pressed to make the film “My Name is Khan” to prove a point after being repeatedly detained in US airports because of his last name.
He said he was grilled at the airport for hours about his last name when he was going to promote the film in America for the first time.
Courtesy: Pakistan Today
http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2013/01/26/news/entertainment/shahrukh-khan-exposes-indian-secularism/
Prominent jurists give expert opinion on Judicial Commission for appointment of judges
They were speaking in Radio Pakistan’s programme ‘Naey Ufaq’‚ which was aired on Saturday night.
Prominent jurists have opined that composition of the Judicial Commission for appointment of judges was not complete and therefore‚ appointments so made are open to question.
Taking part in Radio Pakistan’s programme ‘Naey Ufaq’‚ on Saturday night‚ former Law Minister and senior jurist Khalid Ranjha said there would be nothing wrong with the proceedings of the Commission if someone from the existing members does not attend its meeting. However‚ as Pakistan Bar Council has not as yet nominated its member to the Commission‚ therefore‚ appointments done by it would not be in line with the spirit of the Constitution.
Another senior legal brain Latif Afridi also subscribed to this point of view and said an incomplete Commission should not conduct its proceedings for appointment of judges.
Former President of Supreme Court Bar Association Asma Jehangir said input from the legal community should also be included while making nominations for appointment of judges. She said it makes no sense if only judges have to appoint judges as the process may also result induction of people with questionable competence or background. ….
Courtesy: http://www.radio.gov.pk/newsdetail-36946
Mumbai: A month-long investigation by MiD DAY journalists has revealed a twisted form of human trafficking that involves rich Arabs, greedy Qazis, sham marriages, agents and girls lured into the flesh trade or those looking for a quick buck.
The modus operandi: set up a temporary or time-bound wedding to a rich Arab. The affluent Arab offers a negotiated amount for the services of a ‘wife’ during his stay in India. The price for the ‘booty’ varies from Rs. 15,000 to nearly a lakh for the 10-day marriage. Girls from poor families are sold like commodities to the Arabs, many of whom arrive on tourist visas from Saudi Arabia, UAE, Iran, Oman, Kuwait and Qatar. While this may seem shocking to many, the women involved in this latest form of flesh trade are often willing participants.
The Arab and The Qazi
These predators have been perpetrating a blatant crime under the veneer of nikaah, abusing the Islamic rules of marriage. Abusing the sanctioned provision which allows a Muslim man to have four wives at a time, many old Arabs are not just marrying minors in Mumbai and Hyderabad, but marrying more than one minor in a single trip to the country.
The Pimp and The Victim
A healthy stream of women keep flowing into the city from all parts of the country to solicit the Arab clientele who have turned Mumbai into a sex haven. For as little asRs 2,000 per job, scores of women line up every evening hoping to catch the eye of the adulterous tourist.
Continue reading How Arabs buy ‘wives’ and dump them in a few weeks
Initiated by an Aman ki Asha supporter in New Delhi, this global event on Sunday, Jan. 27 is taking place in different cities at different times around the world. It invites Indians and Pakistanis and those who want peace between the two countries, to come together in their respective cities. The purpose of the vigils is to urge the governments to continue the dialogue, and not give in to the war hype being created by some sections of sections of society. The vigil statement is online at this link (text below)
Confirmed venues and times so far:
Bradford: 2-3 pm, Student Central, J.B. Priestly Library, University of Bradford, U.K.
Cambridge, MA: 4.30-5.30 pm, Harvard Square Pit (fb event link)
Islamabad: 6 pm, Press Club, F-6/4. Contact 0344-5469738 and 0300-9880397
Karachi: 5.30 pm, Karachi Press Club
Lahore: 6 pm, Lahore Press Club, Shimla Pihari (fb event link)
Los Angeles – 5 pm, in front of UCLA
Mumbai: 7 pm, Gateway of India
New Delhi: 5.30 pm, Gandhi Peace Foundation, email aaghazedosti@gmail.com
New York: 5 PM at Union Square near Mahatma Gandhi’s statue
Shahdadkot- 5 pm, Press Club
Toronto: 5 pm, 365 Bloor St. East, Toronto (outside Indian Consulate) (fb event link)
Washington DC: 6 pm, Chutney Restaurant, Springfield, VA
Kansas City: 5:30-7:30 at Kababesh Grill, Overland Park
Courtesy: via Facebook
Larkano: Dr. Rashid Pirzado Vice President of Sindhi Association of North America – Toronto Chapter visited Knowledge Centre Larkano on 15 January 2013. Prof. Mukhtiar Samo, Director of Knowledge Centre briefed him about the educational and social services of Knowledge Centre and its role in empowering the youth of rural areas of Sindh. Dr. Pirzado visited the CSS preparatory class and while speaking to the students said that the developed countries all over the world appreciate talent and encourage it as well. There is no practice of favoritism or political influence in appointments for jobs as it is found in some 3rd world countries where merit is bypassed to accommodate the favoured ones. He said that world is open for talented youth of any country who through their learning and knowledge could easily find their appropriate place in world market. He further said that Sindhi professionals, doctors and engineers have earned laurels through their superb services and performances in various fields in the developed countries of the world. He emphasized upon youth to work hard, acquire education properly and use the computer and internet academically so as to prepare well for the competition for job in international and national market because knowledge is valued every where. The students asked many questions about the educational opportunities in advanced world to which Dr. Pirzado responded in detail.
It’s been widely reported that the Idle No More movement is getting international attention.
Media from around the world have covered the movement, and the January 11th global day of action drew rallies in at least 6 different countries.
Well…INM is now getting attention …
Read more » Yahoo News
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/canada-politics/idle-no-more-movement-gets-sympathy-alleged-american-214955487.html
By Mehreen Zahra-Malik & Matthew Green
ISLAMABAD | Agency: Reuters – Pakistan’s Supreme Court ordered the arrest of the prime minister on Tuesday in connection with an alleged corruption scandal, ratcheting up pressure on a government locked in a showdown with a cleric who has a history of ties to the army.
The combination of the arrest order and a mass street protest in the capital Islamabad led by Muslim cleric Muhammad Tahirul Qadri raised fears among politicians that the military was working with the judiciary to force out a civilian leader.
“There is no doubt that Qadri’s march and the Supreme Court’s verdict were masterminded by the military establishment of Pakistan,” Fawad Chaudhry, an aide to Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf, told Reuters. “The military can intervene at this moment as the Supreme Court has opened a way for it.”
Thousands of followers of Qadri camped near the federal parliament cheered as television channels broadcast news of the Supreme Court’s order to arrest Ashraf on charges of corruption, who took over in June after judges disqualified his predecessor. Pakistan’s powerful army has a long history of coups and intervening in politics.
These days it seems to have little appetite for a coup but many believe it still tries to exert behind-the-scenes influence on politics. The ruling coalition led by the Pakistan Peoples’ Party has weathered a series of crises with the judiciary and military over the last few years and hopes its parliamentary majority will help it survive until elections are called within a few months.
Continue reading Pakistan turmoil deepens as court orders PM’s arrest
Sindhi Association of North America (SANA) being largest and democratic organization of Sindhi Diaspora has strongly condemned the threats to the integrity of Sindh by MQM chief Altaf Hussain. SANA termed the threats by MQM chief as very dangerous and divisive and warned that such biased, parochial and antagonistic politics may result in bloodshed in Sindh. Sindh is a historic entity and the people will never allow it to be partitioned or divided.
MQM supported by various power brokers has caused reign of unabated violence, destruction and irreversible damage to economic activity in Sindh, and continued anti Sindh policies with the unconditional support of current government.
The large majority of the people in Sindh have rejected the new local government system in Sindh introduced at the behest of MQM. Sindh Peoples Local Government Act, SPLGA, is discriminatory and divisive in nature and will create permanent acrimony among various sections of the population in Sindh.
We stand in solidarity with people of Sindh who have rejected Sindh People Local Government Act 2012.
SANA called upon the MQM to desist from destructive and divisive politics and try to reach a consensus on a workable local government system in the province acceptable to all the sections of the society. That will bring all the people of the province together and will be beneficial for the progress, development and peace.
SANA draws attention of people of Sindh, especially Sindh-Loving Urdus peaking Sindhis to reject once for all the narrow minded and myopic views of MQM and standby the philosophy of love, peace and nonviolence which is deeply embedded in consciousness of Sindhi people.
SANA also demands representatives sitting in legislature of Sindh Assembly to work toward undoing of SPLGA and bring forward a bill that is representative of demands and needs of people of Sindh. The subject bill should be equitable across the board and should aim at making civic life better for all people
SANA urged the world community not to support any moves by MQM to divide Sindh, the heir to the great Indus Valley Civilization as such attempts would destabilize the already volatile region.
Germany’s solar power plants produced a record 22 gigawatts of energy on Friday, equivalent to the output of 20 nuclear plants. The country is already a world-leader in solar power and hopes to be free of nuclear energy by 2022.
The director of the Institute of the Renewable Energy Industry (IWR) in Muenster, northeast Germany, said the solar power delivered to the national grid on Saturday met 50 per cent of the nation’s energy quota.
“Never before anywhere has a country produced as much photovoltaic electricity. Germany came close to the 20 gigawatt (GW) mark a few times in recent weeks. But this was the first time we made it over,” Norbert Allnoch told Reuters news agency.
The German government decided to turn its back on nuclear energy last year after the Fukushima disaster and plans to be nuclear-free by 2022. Critics have rounded on the initiative, skeptical that renewable sources can meet the nation’s growing energy needs.
“This shows Germany is capable of meeting a large share of its electricity needs with solar power. It also shows Germany can do with fewer coal-burning power plants, gas-burning plants and nuclear plants,” stressed Allmoch. ….
Read more » The Idealist Revolution
http://www.theidealistrevolution.com/going-nuclear-free-germany-smashes-solar-power-world-record/
. Teach Pakistan a lesson like 1965: Anna Hazare
Social activist Anna Hazare on Thursday demanded that India should “teach Pakistan a lesson” like it did in 1965 for the brutal killing of two Indian soldiers by Pakistani troops in Jammu and Kashmir. “What they have done is simply unacceptable. How can they mutilate and take away the head of our soldier? This cannot be tolerated by any person,” Hazare told reporters at Ralegan-Siddhi in Maharashtra.
“Pakistan seems to have forgotten the beating it took in the 1965 war with India. Don’t they remember how they begged for mercy when Lahore was bombed during that war? But on and off, it keeps raising its head against India. We want a repeat of 1965. Pakistan should be taught a lesson again,” Hazare said.
The 75-year-old also expressed his willingness to go to the border and fight enemy soldiers. Hazare served in the Indian Army for 12 years before he was honourably discharged from service in 1975.
Courtesy: Hindustan Times
http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Maharashtra/Teach-Pakistan-a-lesson-like-1965-Anna-Hazare/Article1-987929.aspx
More details » The Express Tribune
http://tribune.com.pk/story/492600/loc-unrest-indias-anna-hazare-calls-for-waging-war-against-pakistan/
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More» Indian media’s response to soldiers’ killing jingoistic?
http://ibnlive.in.com/shows/The+Last+Word/315047.html
Jerusalem of Gold
Does Israel Have a Corruption Problem?
By Ido Baum
The slew of recent high-profile graft cases in Israel makes it seem that Israeli politicians are more corrupt than others. Part of this can be chalked up to aggressive state prosecutors and an open media. But the problem is not simply one of public perception. …
Read more » Foreign Affairs
http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/138741/ido-baum/jerusalem-of-gold?cid=soc-twitter-in-snapshots-Jerusalem_of_gold-010413
By Sarah Frier
Google Inc. (GOOG), the world’s biggest Internet-search company, plans to offer free wireless Internet access in New York’s Chelsea neighborhood, creating the largest public outdoor network in the city. …
Read more » Bloomberg
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-01-08/google-to-offer-free-wi-fi-in-chelsea.html
Chief on hunger strike demands action within 72 hours
BY: GLORIA GALLOWAY
OTTAWA — Canada’s native leaders have petitioned the Prime Minister and the Governor-General to gather three weeks from now to discuss perceived failings in the treaty relationships – but an Ontario chief on a hunger strike to force such a meeting says she can’t wait that long.
Theresa Spence, the chief of the impoverished community of Attawapiskat, who has been fasting for 24 days to demand the face-to-face discussion, has told her supporters and other native leaders that a meeting must occur within the next 72 hours, and she will not start eating until it has begun. Raymond Robinson, an elder from the Cross Lake First Nation in Manitoba, is forgoing food along with her. ….
Read more» The Globe & Mail
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/chief-on-hunger-strike-demands-action-within-72-hours/article6894436/
Woman jumps from speeding train to escape molesters
By PTI – PATNA
A woman jumped from a speeding express train suffering injuries on her head and legs to escape from molesters who were identified as army jawans near Ara junction in Bihar’s Bhojpur district today, officials said.
Bhojpur District Magistrate Pratima S Verma told PTI that the woman from Darjeeling in West Bengal jumped out of the 14055 UP Dibrugarh-Delhi Brahmaputra Express at Jagjivan Halt to escape from the clutches of the molesters.
The woman in her thirties suffered injuries on the head and legs and was admitted to the Sadar Hospital at Ara, the district headquarters of Bhojpur, around 50 km from Patna.
One of the molesters, identified as army jawan Ramesh Kumar hailing from Himachal Pradesh, was caught by an Assam Rifles man A D Upadhyay from the toilet where he was hiding, police sources said.
He was handed over to the Railway Protection Force at Buxar, the sources said.
Inspector General of Police, Rail, Vinay Kumar said in Patna that another army jawan was involved in molesting the woman on the train. The second jawan escaped to another bogey of the train taking advantage of chaos, he said. ….
Read more » The New Indian Express
http://newindianexpress.com/nation/article1406451.ece
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