Monday, December 20, 2010
Protesters try to storm Belarus government building
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Online US News: Shia clerics warn govt against tampering with blas...
Online US News: Shia clerics warn govt against tampering with blas...: " Others take Karbala as inspiration for courage and bravery. KARACHI: Shia clerics chose the Muharram 9 sermons as an opportunity to c..."
Shia clerics warn govt against tampering with blasphemy laws
KARACHI: Shia clerics chose the Muharram 9 sermons as an opportunity to comment on the blasphemy law, which they warned the government should not tamper with.
“Muslims in Pakistan will not accept any amendments to the blasphemy law,” said Maulana Shahanshah Hussain at one point. He condemned the attacks on mourners in Hangu and Orakzai and said that they were ready to sacrifice their lives for the supremacy of Islam and mourning of Imam Hussain (RA).
Earlier on, the mourners in the central congregation offered Zuhr prayers on MA Jinnah Road. They were led by Maulana Ahmed Iqbal Rizvi. After the prayers, the mourners staged a demonstration against what they said was the increasing interference of the United States government in Pakistan’s internal affairs.
Other Shia clerics who addressed mourners commented on the sacrifices of Imam Hussain (RA) to preach courage and bravery for Muslims. They believed that Karbala took Islamic Shariah to new heights. Scholar Maulana Syed Shahanshah Hussain also said that Karbala had become a source of guidance for all independence movements.
He believed that the sacrifices offered by Imam Hussain (RA) teach people how to tackle oppression, suppression and brutality
Barack Obama suffers latest blow as part of health care law deemed unconstitutional
The judge, a Republican appointed by previous President George W Bush, supported the argument that the law's requirement Americans must buy health insurance or face a fine exceeded the federal government's power under the constitution. Health care insurance is currently optional.
The Justice Department has argued that the mandate is a proper exercise of the government's authority.
The case was brought by Ken Cucinelli, the Attorney General of Virginia, in defence of a law passed in his state banning the requirement.
White House officials had expected to lose the ruling, but professed to be nonplussed because the mandate does not come into force until 2014.
China-India row over Kashmir escalates, raising fears of military tensions
Indian officials had hoped Mr Wen's visit would help reduce the trade imbalance between the Asian rivals and soften Beijing's increasing assertiveness over disputed territories along their frontiers in Kashmir and Tawang district in India's eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh.
China has angered the Indian government by insisting that all visitors from Kashmir have their visa stamped on a separate sheet – indicating it does not recognise Indian sovereignty – and launching strong attacks on the Dalai Lama and Manmohan Singh, Indian prime minister, for visiting Arunachal Pradesh during last year's election campaign.
Beijing's aggressive approach has been marked by a number of minor incursions by Chinese troops across the MacMahon Line, the imprecise border mapped by British officials during the colonial era
India recently announced that it was planning to deploy an additional 35,000 troops, where both sides have already stationed some 300,000 soldiers each. Both India and China are also building new roads and military airfields along the border.
Friday, December 17, 2010
PCB body grills Malik, Kamran over fixing row
LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) Integrity Committee has handed over three questions — concerning fixing controversy — to Shoaib Malik and two to Kamran Akmal seeking satisfactory responses from both, as a precondition for their return to the national fold, well-informed sources told Dawn on Thursday.
The Integrity Committee, headed by PCB Chairman Ijaz Butt, held a six-hour session here on Wednesday, during which Malik, Kamran and leg-spinner Danish Kaneria were questioned mainly about suspicions over match-fixing.
As Kaneria is not a regular player in limited-overs cricket, the Committee is focusing primarily on Kamran and Malik, while the selectors are wait for the outcome of the duo’s case in order to finalise the 30-probables list for the World Cup.
The Mohsin Khan-headed selection committee also wants to know about the availability of the said players to pick the ODI squad for the six-match series against New Zealand.
Hopefully, Kamran and Malik will hand over their replies to the Integrity Committee by Monday, after which it is expected that the Committee will hold a meeting to reach a conclusion.
Sources said Kamran also produced a clearance certificate — issued by the ICC in his favour — to the Integrity Committee. Still, sources added, Kamran had some questions to answers.
Moreover, the PCB also rejected the request of Kamran to release his arrears of the last series, which he had played.
“First, try to clear yourself for selection,” was PCB’s reply to Kamran, sources said.
Though the last date to submit the World Cup probables’ list to the ICC is Dec 19, the PCB has sought an extension from the game’s world governing body until next week.
The PCB did not consider Kamran, Malik and Kaneria for the last series against South Africa and now for the upcoming Twenty20 and Test series in New Zealand.
However, officially the PCB had not yet announced any exact reason for which the three cricketers have been kept at bay.
Last week, the three players met the PCB officials and asked about the reasons for being sidelined. And for that purpose the Integrity Committee met in Lahore on Wednesday and gave them the charge-sheets.
Interestingly, the ICC — which earlier had asked the PCB for a list of 40 probables for the World Cup, from which the PCB had to announce 30 afterwards — could not take any decision over Kamran and Malik.
And the world body then asked the Pakistan board to include any player after ensuring no selected cricketer was involved in any wrongdoing.
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