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Showing posts from March 25, 2012

Far-right Unites Against Europe Muslims

COPENHAGEN – Far-right groups from across Europe are staging a mass rally in Denmark on Saturday, March 31, to stop what they said "Islamification" of the European continent. "We are committed to countering extremism, wherever it be found," the English Defence League said in a memorandum on its website cited by The Huffington Post newspaper. "Individual Muslims may well have plenty to offer, but there is much about Islamic culture that we cannot stay silent about." The EDL is planning a rally in Denmark's second city of Aarhus to stop what it says the "Islamification of Europe". "We are paralyzed by moral relativism, political correctness, cowardly appeasement, strict self-censorship and self-loathing," the EDL said. The rally is expected to draw far-right groups from several European countries as Russia, Finland, France, Germany, Norway, Poland, Romania, and Sweden. "We're not expecting big numbers in Aarh

Clooney lobbies US administration to help stop violence in Sudan

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Actor and activist George Clooney personally lobbied the US President on Thursday for help to stop the violence along the border between Sudan and South Sudan. Continuing his campaign to draw attention to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in southern Sudan, actor and activist George Clooney personally lobbied the US President on Thursday for help to stop the violence along the border between Sudan and South Sudan. Speaking to reporters after his meeting with Barack Obama, Clooney said that "with the escalation of danger for the people in the Nuba Mountains, there is a real concern of opening some form of a humanitarian corridor." Acknowledging that the United States could not implement unilateral action, Clooney urged other countries to assist in the humanitarian effort. Clooney said that during an upcoming meeting between Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao later this month, Obama said he would specifically discuss humanitarian relief. In the second

British police faces racism scandal

Scotland Yard has faced a racism scandal after a black man arrested during London unrest used his mobile phone to record a policeman’s racial abuse. The policeman was suspended as he called the man a nigger. "The problem with you is you will always be a nigger, yeah? That's your problem, yeah,” the recording showed the policeman as saying. The 21-year-old was stopped in his car by police officers, arrested and then placed in a police car the day after last August unrest that spread across England after the police shot a young black man Mark Duggan in Tottenham. The black man from Beckton in east London stressed that he was made to feel like “an animal” by the officers. He also accused a police officer of kneeling on his chest and strangling him. The recording also showed that the officer, identified as PC Alex MacFarlane, subjected the man to racist insults, saying, "You'll always have black skin. Don't hide behind your colour." The Indepe

Financial Times : Basque Country perfect place to do business after ETA disarmed

The report turns the spotlight on the Basque Country and comes out in praise of the chances the Basque region offers once the armed Basque group ETA has abandoned its armed struggle. An special report published on Tuesday by the international business newspaper Financial Times turned the spotlight on the Basque Country and came out in praise of the chances the Basque region offers once the armed Basque group ETA has abandoned its armed struggle. The article also includes an interview to the Basque Premier or Lehendakari that points out that the end of ETA's armed struggle can unleash the full potential of the Basque region . The report, four pages long, mentions the region's fiscal independence as one of the advantages as it is "not obliged to make large annual transfers of its wealth to poorer parts of Spain such as Andalusia". Unlike in other Spanish regions, the Basque Country was not so hardly stricken by the crisis as those where the housing bubb

Saudis in Eastern Province hold fresh protest rallies

People in Saudi Arabia's oil-rich Eastern Province have staged fresh protest rallies, chanting slogans against Crown Prince Nayef bin Abdul-Aziz, Press TV reports. The demonstrations were held on Friday although Riyadh had strictly banned any anti-government gatherings and other public displays of dissent across the country. Demonstrations in Eastern Province began in February 2011 and turned into protest rallies against the Al Saud regime, especially since November 2011, when Saudi security forces killed five protesters and injured many others in the province. Riyadh has intensified its crackdown on anti-government protesters since the beginning of 2012. The US-based Human Rights Watch called on Saudi authorities last October to stop the ''arbitrary arrests of peaceful protesters, relatives of wanted persons, and human rights activists'' in Eastern Province. According to the Saudi-based Human Rights First Society (HRFS), the detainees, held

Chhattisgarh tribal boy flees from Maoist captivity

Raipur, March 31 (IANS) A minor Chhattisgarh tribal boy who was abducted by Maoists on charges of acting as a police informer, managed to flee from the rebels' captivity in restive Bastar region and reached safety after a night-long walk through the jungle, police said Saturday.  The 15-year-old boy, Pakluram Mandavi, who belonged to a jungle pocket of Narayanpur district, some 300 km south from Raipur and a stronghold of Maoists since late 1980s, was abducted by Maoists last Tuesday for acting as a "police informer".  "The boy who hail from Toyemeta area managed to flee from rebels' captivity Friday night and reached Orchha police station Saturday after walking through the dense jungle area almost whole night," Devnarayan Patel, the sub-divisional officer of police (SDOP) in Narayanpur's Orchha area told local media persons.  He said that the boy seemed mentally and physically exhausted after his ordeal and feared he would be abducted on

Hope of Italian's release brighten after mediators' appeal

Bhubaneswar, March 31 (IANS) The chances of an early release of the second kidnapped Italian, held by Maoists in Odisha since March 14, brightened with the rebel-appointed mediators Saturday expressing satisfaction with the government's stand and appealing for the hostage's release.  Negotiators Dandapani Mohanty and B.D. Sharma said they discussed with the government on the 13 demands placed by the rebels and appreciated the state's effort for taking a serious view of the complex issues.  The mediators in a joint statement appealed the Maoists to release Bosusco Paolo, 54, on basic human considerations.  "We will be happy if the most important chapter concerning justice begins with withdrawal of cases against those who are struggling for their legitimate rights as citizens" they said.  Although there has been no response from the Maoists on the appeal, it is believed that the rebels may release the Italian in a day or two.  Paolo was abducted a

Lethal Mines Continue To Kill Minors

T wo brothers loved to visit the quiet pasture with their goats and sheep. However, they were unaware that this enjoyable hobby would be fatal for them. Suddenly, they slipped in the mud and were trapped by a hidden landmine which went off with a deadly bang. They were killed on the spot. The incident occurred when the world celebrated the 20 th anniversary of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines. The victims were playing in a remote village across the line of control (Lo C), the disputed border dividing Kashmir between India and Pakistan. Both countries have been accused of the mass production and excessive use of landmines. They also refuse to join the international treaty which binds states never to use, develop, produce, stockpile or transfer antipersonnel landmines. This year the international community is celebrating “Lend your leg for a mine-free world” campaign to mark its commitment to achieve a mine-free world. Campaigners are asking people to join t

Colombia invites Spain to join anti-landmine initiative

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Colombia invited the Spanish government to participate in a campaign against landmines, Univision reported Thursday . The Colombian Embassy in Spain joined a campaign entitled "Pay Your Leg" which works to educate society about the damaging effects of landmines. "We are inviting Colombians living in Spain and Spanish society to say 'No' to anti-personnel mines! It's a worldwide issue which leaves at least 200 victims a year in Colombia and more than 4,000 worldwide," said Orlando Sardi de Lima, the Colombian Ambassador to Spain. The "Pay Your Leg" initiative is part of a larger campaign surrounding the International Day for Mine Awareness which takes place on April 4. Landmines have been a devastating part of Colombia's ongoing conflict for more than two decades. Colombia has the second highest number of new land mine victims per year, after Afghanistan. Source: http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/23177-colombi

IRA dissidents guilty in murder of policeman

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A 2009 file photo shows John Paul Wootton at Lisburn Magistrates Court. Two Irish Republican Army dissidents were found guilty on Friday of the 3-year-old murder of a Northern Ireland policeman because of crucial testimony from a mystery witness. (PAUL FAITH / AP) BELFAST — Two Irish Republican Army dissidents were convicted Friday of murdering a Northern Ireland policeman because of crucial testimony from a mystery witness. Const. Stephen Carroll, 48, was shot through the back of the head as he sat in his patrol car in February 2009. The Continuity IRA splinter group claimed responsibility for the first killing of a Northern Ireland police officer since 1998, the year of Northern Ireland’s Good Friday peace accord. Brendan McConville, 40, and John Paul Wootton, 20, were both found guilty after a two-month trial based on a wide range of evidence including British army surveillance, DNA and forensic clues and key witness e

Syrian Authorities thwart Four Bombings in Aleppo

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Damascus, Mar 31 (Prensa Latina) Syrian authorities thwarted four bombings in the city of Aleppo, while in another city, Daraa, raided hideouts of armed groups that were eliminated and seized military supplies, reported on Saturday the national media.   SANA news agency specifies that the Army's sappers managed to deactivate four powerful loads in Aleppo, 335 kilometers north of Damascus, and at other locations in that province, which were directed against civilians and security forces. Two explosive with 30 kg of power and a third of 45 kilos were placed by terrorist groups on al-Maslamiyeh Aleppo road. Aleppo was target of a car bomb last April 18 that killed three and injured 30, and later, after serving notices of the population, the authorities managed to dismantle two other car bombs. Meanwhile, in a rural town in the southern province of Daraa, 101 kilometers from the capital, security forces clashed an armed group, leaving three casualties. They also

Regime forces attack Bahraini protesters

Saudi-backed Bahraini regime forces have used poisonous tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse peaceful protesters holding a funeral procession for slain demonstrator Ahmed Ismail al-Samadi. Al-Samadi, 22, was reportedly shot and killed by regime forces in the village of Salmabad outside the capital, Manama, during a protest on Friday. According to activists, regime forces on Friday continued the crackdown, attacking protesters around the capital Manama and injuring several people in different areas. Saudi-backed Bahraini forces have killed scores of people and arrested many more for participating in anti-regime protests that erupted in mid-February 2011. Bahraini troops, who heavily rely on tear gas and stun grenades to disperse the protesters. Several Bahraini civilians, mostly senior citizens and children, have died due to asphyxia as a result of inhaling the toxic tear gas. Bahraini demonstrators hold King Hamad Al Khalifa responsible for the deaths of th

Al-Qaeda Affiliates Use Kidnapping For Revenue – Analysis

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The killings on March 8th of two Europeans who were held hostage in Nigeria shed light on the kidnapping for ransom practice used by armed groups affiliated with al-Qaeda. The latest incident in Nigeria that claimed the lives of Chris McManus, a British citizen, and Franco Lamolinara, an Italian, reflects a growing trend by these groups of using kidnapping for ransom as a means to finance their operations. Africa This despite the fact that the Islamic world does not condone these methods, which are rejected by a large segment of scholars who refuse to link Islam with holding hostages. The kidnapping of the two men was initially claimed by a group that called itself “al-Qaeda in the land beyond the Sahel”. Reports from Nigeria and in the Western media suggest the group might be an al-Qaeda cell within the Boko Haram (Western Education is forbidden) Islamist group, which is engaged in attacks against the Nigerian government. Expanding to other countries in Afri

Nigeria: Boko Haram Kills 4, Robs Bank in Maiduguri

Suspected members of extremist Islamist sect, Boko Haram killed four people yesterday in Borno State when they robbed a bank and stormed a police station. The gunmen killed two people during a raid on a bank in Askira town in the early hours of the day before attacking the local police station, where an officer and a civilian were shot dead, local government spokesman Malam Yuthama said. The strikes come less than two days after suspected sect members freed 14 people in a prison break in neighbouring Yobe State and attacked a nearby police station. Three members of BokoHaram died during those attacks, the local police said. Months of gun and bomb attacks blamed on the sect have killed hundreds since it launched an uprising more than two years ago to try to carve out an Islamic state in Nigeria. Nigerian forces have been carrying out house-to-house searches this week in the sect's home town of Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state. Similar crackdowns in the pas

Kenya: Somalia Unsafe for Refugees to Return

Nairobi (RBC) – Kenyan authorities should not return refugees to Somalia because of ongoing fighting and abuses against civilians in areas controlled by Kenyan forces and allied militias, Human Rights Watch said today. Instead of claiming that “newly liberated areas” are safe for refugee return, Kenyan authorities should reopen the screening center at Liboi and resume registration of new refugees to ensure they receive assistance, Human Rights Watch said. “Fierce clashes in southern Somalia still pose a grave threat to civilians,” said Daniel Bekele, Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “Instead of peddling false claims that the border areas are safe, Kenya should focus on assisting and protecting refugees.” Over the past months, prominent Kenyan officials have called for Somali refugees to go back to Somalia, claiming it is safe for them to return. During the week of March 19, 2012, both Foreign Affairs Minister Moses Wetangula and Internal Security Minister Georg

Rocket attack on US base leaves several injured

Several people including two US-led soldiers with the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) have been injured in a rocket attack in Afghanistan’s eastern province of Laghman, Press TV reports. The incident occurred at a US-run base in Mehtar Lam, the provincial capital, on Friday. Four Afghans including three translators were also wounded in the attack. According to the local officials, 12 people have been arrested in connection with the attack. The incident is the latest in a series of deadly attacks on US-led troops in the troubled region. The increasing number of military casualties in Afghanistan has caused widespread anger in the US and other NATO member states, undermining public support for the Afghan war. According to official figures released by icasualties.org , the latest deaths bring to 2,940 the number of foreign soldiers killed in Afghanistan since the US-led invasion of the Asian country in 2001. Insecurity continues to rise across Afghanis

Prominent Bahraini activist in hospital over his health condition

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Jailed Bahraini activist Abdul Hadi al-Khawaja Detained Bahraini human rights activist Abdul Hadi al-Khawaja, who is on a hunger strike in protest against the Al Khalifa regime, has been transferred to a military hospital. Zeinab al-Khawaja said on Saturday that her father's health condition has deteriorated and necessitated his hospitalization. The revelation comes less than a day after rights group Amnesty International urged the Manama regime to release al-Khawaja over his serious health condition. The NGO warned about the deteriorating health condition of Khawaja, who has lost 16 kilos during his hunger strike over the past seven weeks. Khawaja has been held since last April after he was arrested on charges of organizing and participating in rallies against the regime. The activist is among the thousands of people arrested since the ruling Al Khalifa family, backed by Saudi Arabia and a number of other Arab neighbors, launched a deadly crackdown on pe

Somali pirates seize Taiwanese fishing vessel in Indian Ocean

Somali pirates have hijacked a Taiwanese fishing vessel, Naham 3, off the coasts of Indian Ocean island of Seychelles, Press TV reports. “Naham 3 reported being under pirates attack while sailing approximately 65 nautical miles off the South-East,” said Andrew Mwangura, a Kenyan maritime official. "The boat has since changed direction to sail toward Somali coast," he added. The condition and number of the crew onboard the fishing vessel, which was reported missing on Tuesday, is not yet known. Rampant piracy off the Indian Ocean coast of Somalia has made the waters among the most perilous in the world. The Gulf of Aden, which links the Indian Ocean with the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean Sea, is the quickest route for more than 20,000 vessels traveling annually between Asia, Europe and the Americas. However, attacks by heavily armed Somali pirates on speedboats have prompted some of the world's largest shipping firms to switch routes from the Suez Ca

Mali coup leader seeks foreign help against advancing rebels

Facing strong international criticism for toppling the legitimate government of Mali, the leader of the recent coup d’état in the African country has called for foreign help. The plea comes hours after Tuareg separatist rebels entered the strategic town of Kidal, 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) from the capital. Speaking to the media outlets at a military barrack, which has now become the junta’s headquarters, the leader of the coup, Amadou Haya Sanogo, claimed, "Our army needs the help of Mali's friends to save the civilian population and Mali's territorial integrity." The coup junta is likely to face potential risk of being frozen out by the country’s foreign allies as the neighboring countries have threatened to impose possible economic sanctions on the landlocked country. On March 22, renegade Malian soldiers led by Amadou Haya Sanogo toppled Mali's President Amadou Toumani Toure in a coup and took control of government institutions. The co

At least 29 killed in Yemen army, Qaeda clashes: officials

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At least seven soldiers and eight suspected al-Qaeda militants were killed in heavy fighting in Yemen.—Reuters Photo ADEN: At least 29 people were killed in heavy fighting Saturday between the army and suspected al-Qaeda militants in Yemen’s southern province of Lahij, almost double an earlier toll, officials said. “Seventeen soldiers were killed in the fighting,” which erupted when the fighters attacked army positions in Mallah, a town in Lahij, an army officer on the ground told AFP. An official in the al-Qaeda stronghold of Jaar, southeast of Lahij, said that 12 militants were also killed. Earlier, a military official said the clashes had left 15 people dead, including seven soldiers and eight militants. Source: http://www.dawn.com/2012/03/31/yemen-army-clash-with-qaeda-militants-15-dead-military.html

Tribal clashes kill 16 people in southern Libya

At least 16 people have been killed in tribal clashes in the southern Libyan city of Sabha.  Source: http://presstv.com/detail/233972.html

US terror drone kills 18 in southern Somalia

At least 18 people have been killed and a dozen others injured in an attack by US assassination drones in southern Somalia, Press TV reports. The causalities come after an unmanned aircraft fired several missiles at al-Shabab positions in the Daynile District in west Mogadishu on Saturday. Hussein Mohamed Uraag, a Somali military official, confirmed the attack, saying the aerial strike happened early in the morning. Somalia has not had an effective central government since 1991, when warlords overthrew former dictator Mohamed Siad Barre. The weak Western-backed transitional government in Mogadishu has been battling al-Shabab fighters for the past five years and is propped up by African Union troops from Uganda, Burundi, and Djibouti. Source: http://presstv.com/detail/233978.html

Somalia:Fresh Fighting breaks out in east Jowhar city

JOWHAR (MAREEG.COM)- Heavy fighting between Al-shabab and locals reportedly took place on Friday afternoon in parts ofSomalia’s southern rebel-region of middle Shabelle, reports said. Sources said the fighting erupted at locations east of Jowhar,90 Km south the capital after residents disobeyed orders from Al-shabab fighters to bring their young ones into the battlefields against Somalia and AMSIOM forces in the anarchic capital, Mogadishu and elsewhere in the country. Witnesses confirm that At least 8 people were killed and others wounded, all from both warring sides. Locals began mass displacement in fear of renewed fighting between the militants and residents. Al-shabab has not yet commented about the combat so far, but the situation remains calm and the fighting has subsided early overnight. Source: http://www.mareeg.com/fidsan.php?sid=23642&tirsan=3

Two killed in Istanbul cafe blast

Ankara   - Two women were killed in a blast in a cafe in Istanbul on Friday which was probably caused by a gas canister, Turkish media reported. The explosion, which also left one man injured, triggered a fire in the establishment in the Esenler district, on the European side of the city, which was cordoned off by police, the NTV news channel reported. Source: http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/national/31-Mar-2012/two-killed-in-istanbul-cafe-blast

10 militants killed in Orakzai operation

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Army helicopters targeted militant hideouts in the Upper Orakzai Agency on Saturday killing 10 militants, sources said. Official sources said that security forces had headed towards the Akhwanda Kot area as military offensive had been launched against militants in the tribal belt. The sources added that the militants tried to escape the area in order to avoid being targeted. Four hideouts of militants were also destroyed in bombardment. Security forces have killed hundreds militants in the ongoing operations, where dozens security personnel, including an officer, were martyred in different clashes with militants. Source: http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/national/31-Mar-2012/10-militants-killed-in-orakzai-operation

Militants target girls school in Charsadda

CHARSADDA, March 30: Unknown militants blew up a government girls` school in Ibrahimzai area of Charsadda district on Friday. Police and residents said that the miscreants had planted improvised explosive device (IED) at the building of government primary school for girls in Ibrahimzai, which went off with a big bang. The explosion flattened the whole building, they said and added that record and furniture of the school was also destroyed. An official of bomb disposal squad said that 12kg of explosive material was used in the blast. The police have registered a case against unknown miscreants. Dawn Executive district officer, education, Attaullah Khan told that 11 schools had been blown up in Charsadda during last few months. He said that six of them had been repaired. SELF-IMMOLATION: A 9th grade student allegedly committed self-immolation in Samnath area of Shabqadar on Friday. Residents claimed that Kamran had asked his parents to buy him new clothes, as he was

EDL holds far-right rally in Denmark to unite 'anti-Islamic alliance'

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Mayor of Aarhus says far-right extremists protesting at 'Islamification of Europe' are not welcome in Danish second city The English Defence League (EDL) wants to build 'stronger ties' to other European far-right organisations. Photograph: Mike Kemp/In Pictures/Corbis Far-right groups from across Europe , including members of the English Defence League (EDL), are holding a rally in Denmark in a bid to set up "an anti-Islamic alliance" across the continent. The demonstration in Denmark's second city of Aarhus is expected to draw anti-Islamic groups from countries including Russia, Finland, France, Germany, Norway, Poland, Romania, and Sweden. The EDL, which has organised the rally, said it was not expecting large numbers – perhaps around 700 – but said the event signalled the beginning of a Europe-wide

'I was held as a Falklands war spy in the Argentinian Alcatraz'

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On the eve of the 30th anniversary of the invasion of the islands, the Observer's former defence correspondent retells of his terrifying ordeal in a Tierra del Fuego jail Argentinian troops captured during the brief conflict in 1982 wait to be repatriated from Port Stanley, capital of the Falklands. Photograph: PA When I arrived in Argentina in 1982 after the invasion of the Falklands, the mood was euphoric. "The recovery of our islands has been very easy," said the slogan on Argentinian TV, as the screen filled with a map of the "Malvinas". Few people in Argentina thought there would be a war. Even when Margaret Thatcher dispatched a task force, the six weeks it would take for British troops to reach the Falklands seemed plenty of time for diplomacy to do its work and find a compromise. Argentinian of

Three deadly bomb blasts hit Yala in southern Thailand

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Muslim separatists blamed for co-ordinated explosions that have killed at least eight in main shopping area of the city Thai rescue workers remove a body after a bomb blast in Yala, southern Thailand. Photograph: Surapan Boonthanom/Reuters At least eight people have been killed and 68 wounded in co-ordinated bomb attacks by suspected Muslim insurgents in the main shopping area of a city in southern Thailand . The casualties made it one of the largest attacks in months in the troubled southern provinces where smaller-scale violence occurs on an almost daily basis. Three blasts occurred minutes apart within a 100m radius in Yala, a main commercial hub of Thailand's restive southern provinces. "We are not sure which group of suspected Muslim insurgents were behind this but we are looking," said Yala Governor Dethrat Simsiri. The first bomb was hidden inside a motorcycle parked near a shopping area and deto

11 Malaysians injured in Hat Yai gas blast

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KUALA LUMPUR -- Some 11 Malaysians were among over 200 people who were injured after a gas explosion in the kitchen of a fast food outlet located at a hotel in Hat Yai, Thailand today. 1 / 2 The gas blast occurred at the outlet located on the first flood of  Lee Garden Plaza Hotel which is a  popular haunt for Malaysians.  The  blast also killed three people, all locals in the 1pm  incident local time.   Malaysia Ambassador to Bangkok Datuk Nazirah Hussin  told the New Straits Times that the injured Malaysians were  now seeking treatment at the Hat Yai hospital.   “We are still trying to get information on their conditions,”  she said.   At press time, Thai News agency reported that the authorities and rescue team are still at the scene trying to free  about 200 guests and hotel staffs were trapped on the fourth  floor. Read more: 11 Malaysians injured in Hat Yai gas blast - Top News - New Straits Times ht

Syria says revolt over, Army to pull out gradually

Beirut: Syria says the year-long revolt to topple President Bashar al-Assad is now over, but it will keep its forces in cities to "maintain security" until it is safe to withdraw in keeping with a UN-backed peace deal. The agreement proposed by United Nations-Arab League special envoy Kofi Annan says the Syrian authorities must be first to withdraw troops and stop violence immediately. The army kept up an offensive against opposition strongholds on Saturday, pummelling the Khalidiya district of Homs city. "Mortars are falling every minute and the sounds of explosions are shaking the neighborhood," an activist report said. A child was killed by rocket fire in the al-Bayyada area and a man was killed in crossfire in clashes near a checkpoint. Rebels battled army forces near a base in Jaramaneh in Damascus province. Five bodies bearing signs of torture were found near Maarat al-Noaman, the report said. A soldier was killed when rebels ambushed a

Bombs kill 8, wound at least 70 in south Thailand

Eight people died and at least 70 were injured in a series of bomb explosions on Saturday in Thailand's Muslim south, the latest in a wave of violence blamed on separatists in a region bordering Malaysia, police and officials said. Three bombs went off in the business area of the city of Yala around lunchtime, they said, adding the devices may have been placed in a car and a motorcycle. The governor of Yala province told Thai television that many of the injured were hit by the third bomb, hidden in a car, as they gathered at the scene. In a separate incident, there was an explosion at a hotel in Hat Yai district in Song Kha province but no deaths have been reported so far, Channel 3 television reported. Later, a small bomb exploded in a food shop in Pattani province, police said. More than 5,000 people have been killed since a shadowy, decades-old separatist rebellion resurfaced in January 2004 in Muslim-dominated Yala, Pattani an

London riots: A nation still waits for answers

Eight months on, we know a lot about the riots that swept parts of London and other cities across England. We know much about the social and economic background of the looters and arsonists. We know of family breakdown and disaffection. We know what sparked it — the police killing of alleged black drug dealer Mark Duggan. But we don’t know why police killed him (his family calls it an execution). The police are stopped from telling us. This month England has been debating and discussing the riots of the summer of 2011. At least two major studies have shed light on the over-3,000 people who were arrested on charges of rioting. According to a joint study by The Guardian (a great example of media responsibility) and the London School of Economics, based on interviews with 270 rioters, they were mainly young unemployed men. Half were black but they didn’t consider the disturbances to be ‘race riots.’ A report by an independent panel set up by the government says there are 5,

ISI 'funding' politicians: Probe reports can't be traced

Pakistani authorities were unable to trace the reports of two commissions that investigated the funding of politicians by the ISI in 1990, the government's top law officer informed the Supreme Court on Friday. When a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry resumed hearing on a petition filed by ex-air force chief Asghar Khan against the distribution of funds among politicians by the ISI, Attorney General Anwar-ul-Haq said the reports of two commissions that probed the issue could not be found in the Law Ministry. The Chief Justice remarked that the reports were very important and need to be declassified. He directed the Attorney General to produce them in court at the next hearing on April 23. The bench also took up a recent media report which had alleged that Rs 270 million were withdrawn from the Intelligence Bureau's secret fund to change the government in Punjab province in 2009. Intelligence Bureau chief Aftab Sultan, who p