December 13, 2010 in World by Ramesh Chandan

Chinese Premier Wen Jiago to visit India

Wen Jiago, the Chinese Premier visits India this week. The primary purpose of the visit is bridge the gap of mistrust between the rival neighbours.

As per report of the source, Mr Wen will have discussion with his Indian counterpart Dr. Manmohan Singh concerning dispute over territory, trades and telecoms. The report further added that apart from diplomatic talk both the country would celebrate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relation and this would be an opportunity to establish fruitful neighbouring which had become competitive and implicitly despising.

Although it is being expected that both the country will have deals in areas of energy and infrastructure but a high a breakthrough of magnitude is not being anticipated.

Mr Wen’s visit to India follows one to the China by India President Pratibha in May – concerning discussion on boarder dispute.
Mr Hu Shisheng, an expert on China relations with South Asia at the Institute of Contemporary International Relations said that the aim of visit to improve the mutual understanding and development cooperation with India. He further added that he did not seem to have high expectations for visit.

Hu Zhengyue, the Assistant Foreign Minister of China said that leaders of both the countries had agreed that there was enough areas in the world for India and China to develop together and there were enough space for mutual cooperation.

It has been expected that the trade value of India with China would reach the level of $60 billion.

November 27, 2010 in World by M Chakraborty

Somali origin teen arrested for car bombing plot in US

A Somali born US teen was arrested by FBI for allegedly trying to blow up a car bomb in Portland, Oregano. The teen was trying to blow up a van full of explosives in a Christmas tree lighting ceremony in the place. The teenager is iddentified as Mohamed Osman Mohamud, aged 19, and is a Somali born US citizen.

The attack is suspected with links to Pakistan-based terror outfits. The teenager was arrested after he dialed a cell phone which he thought would trigger a blast but instead he was arrested by FBI and the police.

Investigations revealed that Mohamud had planned the attacks fo months. It was a real threat and Mohamud was commited to carry out the attack on a very grand scale. It is also learned that he was warned several times about the seriousness of his plans, that many women and children would be killed. Mohamud also told that he had though about it since he was 15 and it was going to be a fireworks show for him.

Muhamud is charged with attempted use of weapon of mass destruction. He is expected to make final appearance in Federal court on monday. He could face a sentence of life in prison or $250,000 fine if convicted of the charges.

November 15, 2010 in World by R Biswas

18 killed in Karachi terror attack

At least 18 people were killed and more than 115 others severely wounded in a bloody terror attack that hit the city of Karachi on November 12 morning. The attack was done by a group of Taliban militants targeting the office of Crime Investigation Department which resulted as the transformation of the office and police buildings to derbies.

It has been reported that a heavily armed assault team of more than six militants open fired and bombarded the CID office, one of the highly secured area in Karachi. The targeted site accommodated the residences of provincial ministers, grand hotels and US consulate.

Speaking to the media persons, Sindh province police chief, Salahuddin Babar Khattak, said that terror attacks and violence were common in the southern port city; the region was unofficially under control extremists.

He further added that police building was occupied by city’s biggest terrorism tracking agency who were desperate to free their accomplices among those who were detained inside.

It has been observed from recent terror attacks that security forces have been the prime target of Taliban extremist and other militant group as extremists conceive that Pakistani security are being used as pawns in US led war on terrorism.

Accusing Afghan refugees of bringing extremists across the border, Karachi’s ruling party, the Muttahida Quami Movement, has said that city’s large population of Pashtun migrants were assisting extremists to cross the border.

Zulfiqar Mirza, the provincial home minister said that more than 350 people might have been in the building when blast was made.

November 6, 2010 in World by R Biswas

Qantas A380 to fly as per schedules, Emirates and Singapore Airlines

Despite of the major happening today with the Qantus jet Emirates and Singapore Airlines taking the matter lightly said that Qantus jets will fly as per schedule.

It has been a very lucky day for all the passengers boarding on Qantas Airways’ airbus SAS A380. The flight took off after a short break from Singapore airport and made its way to Sidney but the plane made an emergency landing just after 15 minutes of taking off because of the failure of its engine.

It has been reported that passengers got panicked when they heard the loud bang of explosion in engine and saw rising smokes and sparks from the engine. The report further says that pilot informed that the engine had failed and they were going land back the plane at Changi Airport.

The airbus was carrying 433 passengers along with 26 onboard staffs and the airbus was landed safely around 11:45 am local time. No casualties were reported and all passengers were safely escorted to terminal.

Talking the incident seriously Qantas promptly grounded all its six A380 aircrafts flown by Air France, Emirates, Singapore Airlines and Lufthansa.

In a press conference speaking to the media persons Alan Joyce, the chief executive of Australia’s national carrier said that a probe had been ordered into the matter. He further said that they had decided that they would suspend all A380 take offs until they were entirely comfortable and confident regarding safety.

The aircraft A380 was debuted in 2005 and the debut was considered as a beginning of new era in the jetliners world. Each A380 is double-decker and can carry up to 500 passengers.

October 10, 2010 in World by AK Dubey

Obama applauds Nobel committee decision and asks china to free peace prize winner

Nobel committee decision to honour jailed Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo with the 2010 Peace Prize has been applauded by US President Barack Obama who asked Beijing to release the honourable man as soon as possible.

Obama said in a statement last night that by granting the Peace Prize to Liu, an outstanding task has been accomplished by the Nobel Committee. He further praised the Nobel laureate by saying that he was eloquent and courageous spokesperson for the advance of universal values through peaceful and non-violent means, including his support for democracy, human rights and the rule of law.

Last year recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, Barack Obama further told that the award is like a lesson for the whole world reminding all that political reform has not kept pace and that the basic human rights of every man, woman and child must be protected.

Being the most powerful person of the world, American President reiterated the fact that America respect the culture of all the countries and it will always be a voice for those aspirations that are universal to all human beings. He also asked the Chinese government to release the jailed laureate ASAP.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also welcomed the decision of the Nobel Committee to award the Nobel Peace Prize to Liu.

Clinton speaking in the favour of Liu told that he has been a consistent advocate for fundamental freedoms and human rights for his fellow citizens and for peaceful political reform.

She further added that though China has made tremendous economic progress in the last three decades, political reform has lagged behind.

October 6, 2010 in World by R Biswas

Times Square bomber gets life imprisonment

A Pakistani born US citizen named Faisal Shahzad who plotted a car bomb in the tourist flooded Times Square has been sentenced life imprisonment on Tuesday morning in Manhattan Federal court by the US District judge Miriam Goldman Cedarbaum.

Faisal Shahzad, 31 years of age was pleaded guilty in the failed bomb blast mission on May 1 in Midtown Manhattan. The victim on interrogation revealed that he received bomb-making training from Pakistani Taliban—called Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan- and that the group had funded for the bomb plot.

Sources have revealed that Shahzad who got the US citizenship in 2009 lived in Connecticut and worked as a budget analyst for a commercial firm in there before indulging in the malicious act. It was also told that on May 1 Shahzad had parked a car with its engine running and the hazard lights flashing on a balmy springtime on Saturday evening with the aim to kill at least 40 people.

However, street vendors reported about this to the police who later, on scanning the car found explosives including firecrackers and propane gas tanks. A bomb squad diffused the crude homemade bomb.

The son of a retired Pakistani vice air marshal, Shahzad was arrested aboard a Dubai-bound jetliner at New York’s John F Kennedy International Airport two days after the attempted attack. He had been on his way back to Pakistan.

Calling himself a “Muslim solider,” a defiant Shahzad pleaded guilty in June to 10 terrorism and weapons counts.

On the acceptance of the crime by Shahzad, the prosecutors demanded a life imprisonment for the accused and they successfully got it.

July 18, 2010 in World by AK Dubey

World will NOT end in 2010: Mayan Experts

A Mexican expert says that the ancient mayan texts never included such informations regarding violent disaster occurrence to our world in the year 2012.

Carlos Pallan, director of the National Institute of Anthropology and History’s Maya Hieroglyphic and Iconographic Archive said that only two Mayan glyphs included such writings regarding 2012 events, but only such events will occur at the end of a 5,125-year-long cycle in the Mayan Long Count calendar.

Modern religious preachers said that when the long cycle gets completed, an alignment between the December solstice sun with the equator of our galaxy, the Milky Way, on December 21, 2012 will disrupt the cosmic balance.

Carlos said on Tuesday to the reporters “it will cause the sun to give off a large amount of particles and the magnetic axis of the Earth will be altered and the consequences will be disastrous”. He further said in statement “But those apocalyptic predictions about the end of human civilisation on December 21, 2012 appeared in esoteric publications in the 1970s”.

He also said “The Mayans never said the world is going to end … they never thought that time would end in our era, they concerned themselves with performing rituals which in some way would guarantee that the cycle to come would be favourable”.

July 6, 2010 in World by M Chakraborty

Suspected bomb led to evacuation of passengers at JFK Airport, New York

A suspected presence of a bomb led to utter confusion and panic at John F Kennedy International Airport, New York on Sunday evening. A bomb was suspected to be there in an isolated bag that was found in the airport terminal. This suspicion actually came up after an unknown person called up the officials and informed the presence of a bomb in the airport terminal. Soon an alert warning was sent around.

It was around 6:00 pm on Sunday evening. Evacuation operation started in the airport terminal. More than three hundred passengers were asked to evacuate the place immediately. The panicked passengers started running away from the place.

The airport authorities informed the hazardous materials experts and police and they rushed to F Kennedy International Airport immediately. However after thorough inspection and checking of the isolated bag, bomb was not found inside it. The police also checked every corner of the airport but no bomb or any other evidences were found.

It was simply a fake call. Police are trying to trace the person for whom the normal activity of an international airport was disturbed.

Meanwhile, the airport authorities have regretted for the false alarm and have asked the passengers to return back to the airport terminal.

June 19, 2010 in World by M Chakraborty

China Death toll rises to 90 on Saturday because of the devastating flood

The incessant rain followed by the disastrous flood in Southern China has left more than 90 dead as on Saturday. The water is flowing much above the safety limit in almost all rivers across Southern China including River Pearl which flow through China’s manufacturing region. More than 50 people are missing. The death toll may further go up.

Understanding the emergency of the situation and probability of heavy storms, the entire land has been evacuated. More than 1.4 millions people have been shifted to a safer place since Thursday. Houses of many people have gone totally under water.

More than 1000 people got trapped inside a school in the Nanping city on Saturday. The soldiers had to be deployed to rescue the students.

More than 5.5 million persons have either suffered from small injuries or have lost their property when these were washed away by the flood water.

The heavy rain has also caused landslides in different areas. 25 people died in this landslide on Friday night in Fujian province.

Many parts of the cities are having no power supply. Water has engulfed many highways also in Southern China. However the disaster relief forces are carrying on with their rescue operation

The National Meteorological Center has predicted that the heavy rain will continue upto Sunday. People have been warned.

June 19, 2010 in World by M Chakraborty

Bin Laden’s hunter from US needs immediate dialysis to survive

Gary Brooks Faulkner, a 50-year-old construction worker from America was arrested by the Pakistan police as he had said that he had come with a mission to kill the al-Qaida leader, Bin Laden. The police said that he was carrying a pistol, a sword, night-vision equipment and other gear.

However he had to be shifted to Islamabad because of his severe condition of kidneys. Immediate dialysis is required to save his life.

One of his family members from America, Stuart Crespin has informed that they do not have any plan to come down to Pakistan. On the other hand Faulkner cannot be sent to America presently. The family is keeping in touch with Faulkner through the US government as they are not being allowed to talk to him directly.

On his interrogation, Faulkner told the Pakistani security officials that he had received an order from God in his dream to kill laden as revenge to the utter destruction he had caused on 11th September 2001 on America.

The security officials caught him when he was trying to cross into the nearby Afghan region of Nuristan. This was popularly known to be the hide out of the Al Qaida Leader.

His family members are very much anxious about his health condition. His sister Deanna M. Faulkner has also informed that he cannot survive without the dialysis.

However due to privacy and security reason Embassy spokesman Richard Snelsire did not disclose anything about Faulkner’s present condition.

June 17, 2010 in World by AK Dubey

India, South Korea to discuss nuclear deal and trade on Friday

The foreign ministers of India and South Korea will be meeting in Seoul on Friday to discuss the details of a bilateral, civilian nuclear deal and will also seek to achieve a trade of $30 billion. In the meeting, a wide range of issues are expected to be discussed including expansion of economic, defence and cultural ties between the two countries. India external affairs minister S.M. Krishna and his South Korean counterpart Yu Myung-hwan will be presiding over the meeting. Krishna during his 3 day visit to the country will also be meeting with the President Lee Myung-bak.

External Affairs ministry spokesperson Vishnu Prakash told reporters here on Wednesday that some agreements will possibly be concluded while hoping that these talks will provide momentum to the strategic relationship between the two countries. The civil nuclear cooperation is expected to be the dominant topic during the talks.

India has already signed civil nuclear deals with the US, France, Russia, Kazakhstan, Namibia, Argentina and Mongolia. The deal with Canada has been finalized and will be signed later this year.

The two countries are also aiming to increase people-to-people contact. To achieve the same, one festival of South Korea will be held in India and one festival of India will be held in South Korea from next year.

June 6, 2010 in World by M Chakraborty

Finally NIA given permission to meet Headley

The team from India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) was finally allowed to meet and question David Coleman Headley on Friday, June 4, 2010 after a series of political and legal intervention.

Headley was accused of helping Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists during 26/11 Mumbai attack. Headley who is presently residing in US is actually of Pakistani origin.

However neither United States nor India has yet disclosed to what extent the questioning was done. The US National Security Advisor Jim Jones has only informed that as per commitment, the investigators have been given access to Headley.

The Indian investigation team had to wait for 3 days in Chicago. As per the country’s legal procedure, they had to do different kinds of paper works. Moreover everyone became worried as the access was not given even on Thursday which was the day for strategic dialogue. They finally got a positive go in the manner after External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna‘s intervention. Krishna raised the matter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and National Security Advisor Jim Jones and told them that Indians may have a wrong notion that they were not cooperated by the United States.

On Friday morning, assurance came from Krishna in a press conference. He asked everyone to keep patience and told them that soon the access will be given. He also said that it was getting delayed due to certain legal system. After the conference, he left Washington.

June 5, 2010 in World by M Chakraborty

French President Sarkozy linked with Karachi terror attack in 2002

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has been found to be associated with the Pakistan Terror attack which took place in May 8, 2002. The attack left around 15 dead and more than 40 injured. Amongst the dead, 11 were French naval engineers.  The fact was disclosed after a thorough investigation.

Primarily the attack was believed to be the Al-Qaeda terror activity against France. However the investigation report state that the attack was a result of political fighting among the French right wing politician and Sarkozy, who was prime member of this wing, played an important role.

In 1994, Edouard Balladur was the Prime Minister and Sarkozy was then the Budget Minister. During that time, Sarkozy set up an illegal company called Heine which was expected to give financial support to the presidential campaign for Balladur. Heine used to pay bribe for overseas arms sales and was also responsible for kickbacks or used to get retro commissions for deals back to France. Through these kickbacks they had earned more than 14.4 million euros, or currently $17.5 million. They had also earned around $950 million by selling 3 submarines to Pakistan. A bribe of around $80 million was also assured to the Pakistani politicians and military personnel in the submarine deal.

However in the President’s election Balladur was defeated by Jacques Chirac and soon the business came to an abrupt end. Around 15% of the bribe remained unpaid to Pakistan. It is suspected that the Karachi bombing was the effect of this unpaid bribe.

Oliver Morice has demanded for Sarkozy’s resignation because he had lied to the state as a whole.

May 28, 2010 in World by R Biswas

Taliban attack 2 mosques in Lahore

Taliban Guerrillas attacked 2 mosques in Lahore today in Garhi Shahu and Model Town areas of Lahore. Today, being the holy Friday, around 1500 worshippers who had gathered in the mosque to offer their prayers. These gunmen held the worshippers as hostage. The guerrillas have been reported to be heavily armed and carried hand grenades. They even started opening fire inside the mosques.

Security forces have immediately come into operation to rescue these innocent and panicked worshippers. Till the last news received, almost 30 people were injured and gunfire is going on.

Tehreek-e-Taliban Punjab has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Also policemen were attacked and killed in another violence which took place in the capital province of Baluchistan, Quetta. 4 policemen were immediately killed. However the gunmen fled on their motorcycle without being caught.