Polio vaccine a must for exit travelers from June 1

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will require all travelers leaving the country to obtain a polio vaccination from June 1, 2014, the health ministry said on Tuesday.

A statement from the ministry said the restrictions comply with a decision by the World Health Organisation (WHO) advising travelers of all ages to be vaccinated by next month.

It said all provinces have been provided necessary guidance and material to set up special counters at hospitals and airports for polio vaccination and certification.

Related: Polio virus found in Lahore, Karachi sewage samples

The ministry spokesman Sajid Shah said pregnant women traveling abroad are not exempted from the restrictions and the vaccination was not injurious for them.

The WHO has declared the spread of polio an international public health emergency and identified Pakistan, Syria and Cameroon as having allowed the virus to spread beyond their borders.

Pakistan crackdown on Afghan refugees amid fears of influx: report

Pakistani authorities have launched a crackdown on Afghan refugees residing illegally in the country as fears have compounded that the exit of US-led forces in Afghanistan could ignite violence on the border, said a report published in The Washington Post.

In the wake of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, Pakistan and Iran received an influx of over seven million Afghan refugees. Several refugees, however, went back to their homeland after the Taliban were toppled from power by the US-backed Afghan forces in 2001.

Officials in Pakistan have expressed fears that the withdrawal of US forces in Afghanistan and shrinking US aid would propel natives to escape to Pakistan again.

“I believe this influx is already here,” said Mohammed Abbas Khan, a commissioner at Pakistan’s Office of Chief Commissioner for Afghan Refugees. “We are in a very tight situation ourselves, so having this influx is not desirable to anyone in the world.”

Although there are no definitive statistics on the number of new Afghan refugees, officials say that they have been receiving calls from local authorities about the springing up of new illegal settlements.

In order to discourage the racket of illegal immigrants, local officials in Peshawar are employing policies that would make it harder for Afghans to rent apartments or set up new camps.

Meanwhile, in the port city of Karachi, police squads are actively combing the metropolis for Afghan immigrants.

Federal officials are also in the midst of implementing new screening procedures along Pakistan’s 1500-mile border with Afghanistan.

This crackdown on immigrants and settlements comes at a time when Iran is also exerting immense pressure on the 800,000 Afghan refugees there to leave, according to Human Rights Groups.

Although there are 1.6 million legally registered Afghan refugees in Pakistan, officials strongly believe that 1 to 3 million reside in the country illegally.

National Security and Foreign Affairs Adviser to Prime Minister Sartaj Aziz underscored that Pakistan wanted the refugees to go back to their own country, adding that the immigrants burdened the country’s weak economy.

He also said that their presence made it easier for radical groups, with ties to Afghanistan, to operate clandestinely in the country.

Following an intense national debate last year, the National Assembly had sanctioned 1.6 million legally registered Afghans to stay until the end of 2015.

However, authorities fear that the number would rise on the outbreak of violence in Afghanistan after the withdrawal of Nato troops there in the wake of the Afghan presidential election.

A greater concern for the Pakistani leadership is that the Afghan economy would plummet after Western troops return home which would prompt those seeking employment to consider moving to Pakistan.

According to refugee official Abbas Khan, even though 83,000 Afghan refugees returned to their native land in 2012, less than half relocated last year and only less than 2,000 repatriated this year.

He added that Pakistan would only willingly accept a new influx of refugees in the event of a “humanitarian catastrophe”.

Under normal circumstances, he said, Afghan immigrants should expect to be subjected to new biometric border-control technologies such as iris and fingerprint scanners.

During a news conference in February, Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah said over 1 million Afghan refugees were residing in the country’s most populated city Karachi.

Subsequently, he constituted a special police unit to regulate the influx of Afghan immigrants. He furthermore directed police to set up checkpoints in order to prevent immigrants from settling in the city’s neighbourhoods.

Even in Peshawar, residents are becoming less tolerant of Afghan immigrants. Earlier in March, the KP Assembly passed a law entailing people renting apartments to acquire recommendations from two Pakistanis.

Conversely, Afghans say that few people are willing to endorse them.

According to Peshawar’s police chief Ijah Khan, the law was necessitated due to the growing threats of terrorism and crime. He claimed that 70 per cent of serious crimes, such as kidnapping and extortion, were committed by people of Afghan origin.

Saudi ready to negotiate better ties with Iran: FM

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is ready to negotiate better relations with regional rival Iran, Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal told reporters in Riyadh on Tuesday.

His comments came as major powers held a fresh round of nuclear talks with Iran over its controversial nuclear programme amid a rapprochement between Tehran and the West.

“Iran is a neighbour, we have relations with them and we will negotiate with them,” the Saudi minister said.

“We will talk with them in the hope that if there are any differences, they will be settled to the satisfaction of both countries,” he told reporters.

“Our hope is that Iran becomes part of the effort to make the region as safe and as prosperous as possible, and not part of the problem of the insecurity of the region.”

Shia Muslim Iran and Sunni Saudi Arabia have been deeply divided over a raft of regional issues, particularly the three-year-old conflict in Syria, in which Tehran has backed the Damascus government and Riyadh has been a leading supporter of the rebels.

Faisal said that his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif had been invited to visit the kingdom.

“Any time that he sees fit to come, we are willing to receive him,” he said.

Zarif said in December that he would like to visit Saudi Arabia and appealed to the kingdom to work with Tehran in the search for regional “stability.”

Faisal's remarks came as US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel was in Saudi Arabia on the first leg of a regional tour focusing on Iran's nuclear programme and the war in Syria.

US officials have struggled to reassure Gulf allies, particularly Saudi Arabia, over the interim nuclear deal that the major powers struck with Tehran late last year and which Riyadh fears will embolden its rival in its regional ambitions.

Washington's caution about arming the Syrian rebels has also soured its relations with its longtime Saudi ally.

After his election last July on a platform of ending Iran's international isolation, President Hassan Rouhani said he was particularly keen to reach out to Gulf Arab governments.

Nawaz Sharif meets Ayatollah Khamenei 14 may 2014

TEHRAN: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday met the Supreme Leader of Iran Syed Ali Ayatollah Khamenei in Tehran.

The meeting was also attended by delegation accompanying the Prime Minister. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said the Pak-Iran relations have historical perspective.

"We both are Muslim countries having the common traditions. These common bonds make our relationship special," Sharif added.

"People of Pakistan as dear to me as people of Iran," said the Supreme Leader of Iran adding that "I will offer special prayers so that relationship between Pakistan and Iran reaches new bounds and heights."

"I have full confidence that the visit of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif would further boost the brotherly relations between the two countries," added Ayatollah Khamenei.

The meeting also discussed issues relating to mutual and bilateral interest. Both the leaders agreed that they have to work in unison for development of the region.

NTDC announces end to loadshedding

ISLAMABAD: The power sector is setting new records as it has started receiving more than 30,000 tons of furnace oil a day following Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s directive last week for reducing the duration of loadshedding.

As a consequence, the National Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC) announced on Tuesday that it had ended loadshedding across the country after the temperature declined because of widespread rains. “There was no loadshedding anywhere in the country on Tuesday as the maximum demand was met,” an official said.

He said the total demand stood at 11,100MW at 8pm (peak demand time) which was fully met. The demand went down from 17,000MW to 12,000MW because of a sudden drop in temperature over the past few days.

Independent power producers (IPPs) contributed about 5,920MW to the national grid, thermal power plants 1,500MW and hydropower resources 3,680MW.

Officials said a surprise visit by acting water and power secretary Saifullah Chattha to the Indus River System Authority last week also helped increase water discharges from water reservoirs, taking hydropower generation from 2,668MW last week to 3,680MW on Tuesday.

The power sector received a maximum of 35,980 tons of furnace oil on Tuesday. An official in the NTDC said it was the highest fuel supply to the power sector in more than four years and followed Rs20 billion disbursement to the Pakistan State Oil (PSO) whose receivables were still in excess of Rs150bn.

On Monday, the power sector received about 29,061 tons of fuel and power shortfall stood at 769MW, resulting in less than two hours of loadshedding. On Saturday, it received 32,000 tons of furnace and power shortage stood at 1,000MW. The sector got 32,161 tons last Friday.

Thermal power stations in public and private sectors require a maximum of 36,000 tons of furnace to run all plants on full capacity. However, the power sector had been receiving less than 24,000 tons of fuel over the past four years because of liquidity problems. In some cases, PSO provided less than 3,000 tons of fuel per day to the sector.

A power sector official said the sector was also getting 173 million cubic feet per day of additional gas following the prime minister’s orders, resulting in additional generation of about 800MW. This included 55mmcfd to Kapco, 28mmcfd to Kotri, 52mmcfd to Guddu and Faisalabad plants and 38mmcfd to Halmore.

Published in Dawn, May 14th, 2014.

PM approves interest-free loan scheme 14 may 2014

ISLAMABAD: The federal government will disburse Rs3.5 billion under an interest-free loan scheme.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif approved the scheme during a meeting held here on Tuesday.

One million applicants — 50 per cent of them women from across the country — will be able to get loans under the scheme.

“I am convinced that if our youth are given proper guidance and financial support through micro credit schemes and better access to innovative technology, they can play their positive role in development of the country,” an official press statement quoted the prime minister as saying during the meeting.

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Chairperson of Prime Minister Youth Scheme (PMYS) Maryam Nawaz, Secretary Finance Dr Waqar Masood and other senior government officials attended the meeting.

The prime minister said micro finance schemes were the catalysts for political and economic development while micro credit was an instrument of change for the poor segment of the society, especially women.

Spokesperson for Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Dr Shireen Mazari, on the other hand, has termed the government’s decision as a gimmick. The scheme, according to her, is not going to solve the real problems of poor people, such as inflation, loadshedding of electricity and unemployment. “This is the time the government should stop gimmickry and seriously tackle basic issues confronting the country,” she added.

Maryam Nawaz, during the meeting, said that the money would be distributed through Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund. Under the scheme each beneficiary would receive up to Rs50,000. To facilitate applicants, adequate loan and business support centres would be formed, she added.

She briefed the meeting on progress of other programmes of the PMYS.

She said training of selected youth in the PM youth skill development programme was initiated on May 12. In total 25,000 youth, of the lesser developed areas from all over the country, would be imparted training in 100 disciplines under the programme at a cost of Rs800 million. The allocation of seats is according to the population in the federating units, based on the National Finance Commission (NFC) award.

The basic aim of the scheme is to train youth in different vocation in order to make them self sufficient. Similarly, under the PM fee disbursement scheme approximately 33,000 eligible students of M. Phil and PhD from 59 districts will avail provision of tuition fee and other education charges.

The meeting was also informed that the company which had been given the contract to provide laptops had agreed to assemble 10,000 laptops in Pakistan. Therefore, from next year 100 per cent laptops which the government has planned to distribute among students will be assembled in Pakistan.

The company will establish E-education rooms in two universities of the country where 14 software will be installed free of cost. The distribution of laptops will start in June with first tranche of 10,000 laptops. The company will also offer internship to selected students.

200 killed in Turkey mine blast, many still trapped 14 may 2014

The death toll from an explosion and fire in a Turkish coal mine rose above 200 on Wednesday as rescue workers continued retrieving the dead and injured more than 12 hours after the blast, the country's energy minister said.Hundreds more were still believed to be trapped in the mine in Soma, around 120 km (75 miles) northeast of the Aegean coastal city of Izmir, and the death toll could rise further, Taner Yildiz told reporters at the scene.Fellow miners said the fire was still burning underground, hampering rescue efforts in the country's worst mining disaster for more than two decades. A pall of smoke hung above the area.Rescue workers pumped oxygen into the mine to try to keep those trapped by the blaze alive, as thousands of family members and fellow workers gathered outside the town's hospital."The death toll is rising towards a point that we had feared," Yildiz said. He had warned late on Tuesday that 787 workers had been in the mine at the time of the blast, believed to have been caused by an electrical fault.Some 80 people were pulled out wounded including several rescuers, four of them critically injured.A cold storage warehouse, usually used for food, and freezer trucks served as makeshift morgues as hospital facilities overflowed.Medical staff intermittently emerged from the hospital to read the names of survivors being treated inside, with families and fellow workers clamouring for information.l

New Army Chief of India likely to be announced today 13 may 2014

The name of Vice Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag, has been recommended for the top post. The Defence Ministry sent its recommendation to the Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC) shortly after receiving the go-ahead from the Election Commission, sources said.

Sources said the recommendation had only the name of 59-year-old Lt Gen Suhag, who is the senior most among the Lt Generals.
Army Chief General Bikram Singh will retire on July 31 and as per the tradition, the government announces the name of services chiefs two months before the tenure of the incumbent comes to an end.

The appointment of the next Army Chief had got mired into a controversy as BJP is strictly opposing it, questioning the ‘hurry’ and insisting that the matter be left to the next government as there is still time left.

Senior Congress leaders, including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and party president Sonia Gandhi, reportedly decided to appoint the next Army Chief during a party core group meeting last evening.

The Election Commission on Monday gave the go-ahead to the Defence Ministry to initiate the process of appointing the next Army Chief.

The Election Commission cited its March 27 order which makes it clear that appointments, promotions, tenders and procurements of defence forces are not covered under the Model Code of Conduct in the ongoing elections as well as any other election in the future, sources said.
  
The Election Commission, responding to a reference made by the Defence Ministry, said if the government wants, it can proceed with the process to appoint the next Chief of Army Staff, sources added.

Ireland Is Dying 13 may 2014

Ireland’s rate of emigration is continuing to increase and at one stage one person was leaving the country to live abroad every six minutes – the highest number since modern records began in the late 1980s.

New figures published on Thursday show 397,500 people have emigrated since Ireland’s financial crisis began in 2008, with most travelling to the UK, Australia and Canada in search of work.

During the same period 277,400 people have returned or moved to Ireland, giving a net outward migration figure of 120,100. In a 12-month period from April last year, 10 people left every hour.

Using the same cited data for the same 12-month period, more than 20 people moved to Ireland every hour. Of course, that also means over 30 people emigrated from Ireland every hour. The centerfold shot:

Almost a third of 15 to 24-year-olds, who grew up during an era when highly paid jobs were plentiful, are now out of work and even those with jobs have seen their wages slashed. More than a third of people leaving the country in the 12-month period to the end of April were between 15 and 24 years of age. Some 50,900 of the 89,000 people who emigrated were Irish citizens while the rest were nationals from other countries.

Yes, throw some dirt on dear old Dublin. The Celtic Tiger can no longer hunt. Time to put her down.

Two variables explain much of outmigration, age and educational attainment. I’ve posted quite a bit about ties between a college education and geographic mobility. Concerning age, the younger you are (as an adult), the more likely you are to leave. Relatively speaking, Ireland’s population is young:

In contrast to general European trends, the birth rate in Ireland is soaring. According to the Economic and Social Research Institute’s latest Perinatal Statistics Report, Ireland’s birth rate increased nearly 30 percent over the past 10 years, equating to about 17,000 more births in 2010 than 10 years before. The island boasts the highest birth rate of any European Union member.

Galway, a small college city on the Irish west coast, likes to tout itself as the “youngest city in Europe.” In 2001, 40 percent of Ireland was under the age of 25. When the going gets tough, the young and college educated get going. Everywhere, not just in Ireland. All those babies will grow up and go to college. Then they will move away like all the other twentysomethings around the world.

Mushtaq Ahmed: Aim is to find and develop mystery spinners for Pakistan

As a member of the famous squad led by Imran Khan that lifted the World Cup in 1992, Mushtaq Ahmed is also considered as part of a fine tradition of exceptionally talented spin bowlers originating from Pakistan.

At his peak, Mushtaq was described as being one of the best three wrist-spinners in the world. In an international career that spanned from 1990 until 2003, he played 52 Test matches and claimed 185 wickets and took 161 wickets in 144 One-Day Internationals. He was at his most prolific internationally between 1995 and 1998 during which he was also named as a Wisden Cricketer of the year (1997).

After his retirement from all forms of cricket in 2008, Mushtaq pursued a successful career as a spin bowling coach for the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) starting late 2008 until May 2014. At the age of 43, Mushtaq has been asked by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to take the position of spin coach on a two-year contract, where he will work under Waqar Younis to help Pakistan develop its spin talent.

Speaking exclusively to PakPassion.net, Mushtaq spoke about his tenure with the England team, his aims and objectives in his new role as Pakistan spin coach and his impressions of the spin talent available in Pakistan.

Human Rights Watch Says 'Strong Evidence' Syria Government Used Chlorine Gas

Beirut:  Evidence "strongly suggests" Syria's government has used chlorine gas on three towns in mid-April in violation of the chemical weapons treaty Damascus joined last year, Human Rights Watch said Tuesday.

"Evidence strongly suggests that Syrian government helicopters dropped barrel bombs embedded with cylinders of chlorine gas on three towns in northern Syria in mid-April 2014," HRW said.

The New York-based group cited interviews with witnesses and medical personnel, video of the attacks and photographs of the remnants of barrel bombs.

Doctors who treated victims said at least 11 people were killed in the attacks and "symptoms consistent with exposure to chlorine" were seen in nearly 500 people, the watchdog reported.

It documented attacks on the towns of Kafr Zita in central Hama on April 11 and 18, Al-Temana in Idlib on April 13 and 18 and Telmans also in Idlib province on April 21.

All three are areas under rebel control.Opposition sources have claimed several government attacks using chlorine gas, and Syrian state television acknowledged one such attack in Kafr Zita but blamed it on the jihadist Al-Nusra Front.

But opposition activists say the chlorine is delivered by barrel bombs dropped from helicopters, which only the government possesses.

HRW said video of barrel bomb remnants at the site of the attacks showed cannisters with the code CL2 -- the symbol for chlorine gas.

The group acknowledged it could not "independently confirm" that the chlorine gas cylinders caught on film were packed in barrel embedded in the barrel bombs that were dropped from helicopters."

But it said that it was unlikely the footage was staged or that the chlorine gas was added to the barrel bombs, citing symptoms reported by doctors and witnesses "consistent with exposure to chlorine".

"Syria's apparent use of chlorine gas as a weapon -- not to mention targeting of civilians -- is a plain violation of international law," said HRW deputy Middle East and North Africa director Nadim Houry.

"This is one more reason for the UN Security Council to refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court."

Syria joined the Chemical Weapons Convention last year as part of a deal to surrender its chemical weapons arsenal after it was accused of a sarin attack in the suburbs of Damascus.

Possessing chlorine is not a violation of the convention, but using the gas as a weapon is, and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons watchdog has said it will send a team to Syria to investigate the chlorine attack claims.

Lasting peace in Afghanistan requires reconciliation with the Taliban, MPs warn

Afghan police officers inspect a police vehicle after it was attacked by militants in Jalalbad, east of Kabul, Afghanistan

A lasting peace in Afghanistan will only be achieved through a process of reconciliation with the Taliban, a cross-party group of MPs will warn today amid mounting criticism about the UK Government’s investment in military equipment.

The Westminster defence committee – whose members include Welsh Labour MPs Dai Havard and Madeleine Moon – will urge Afghanistan’s new Government to engage the Taliban as a “matter of priority”.

Their report comes on the same day the public accounts committee – which includes Welsh Conservative MP Guto Bebb and Welsh Labour MP Nick Smith – will warn that the Ministry of Defence has underspent by £1.2bn on its equipment plan but does “not yet fully understand” why this is the case.

The MPs are concerned the MoD may be “storing up costs for future years”. They point out that the department still has “skill shortages in areas of expertise that will be vital to managing its major projects and keeping its spending plans on track”.

The defence committee gives a blunt assessment on the state of the drugs trade in Afghanistan, stating: “The counter-narcotics strategy of the UK Government in Afghanistan has failed. As we withdraw from Helmand Province, poppy cultivation is soaring to record levels and there is no sign that the Government of Afghanistan has the will or the means to tackle the problem.

“We are concerned that this will continue to fund organised crime, and undermine the development of democratic government and governance. We recommend that future UK Government aid to Afghanistan should be, at least in part, conditional on clear progress in developing viable alternatives to poppy farming.”

Its assessment of the Taliban’s strength is also sobering.

The MPs write: “The insurgency remains a strong and persistent threat to the future security and stability of Afghanistan”.

They note the rate of attrition among the Afghan army and police due to casualties and desertions remained “stubbornly high”.

Stressing the need for the UK Government to learn the lessons of Afghanistan, Merthyr Tydfil & Rhymney MP Mr Havard said: “We pay tribute in particular to all those who have lost their lives, and the many more who have sustained life-changing injuries. The political process however is not complete and UK involvement will change but not end in December this year. Uncertainty remains about how best to engage in a secure way for the future and that is why a whole government, comprehensive approach is important to deal with all eventualities.”

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said: “We have a highly effective process for identifying lessons to be learned in near real time, but we will want to look strategically across the campaign as a whole to see what longer-term lessons need to be learned, once the mission is over.”

Commenting on the public accounts committee report, Aberconwy Conservative MP Mr Bebb said it was “not clear to the MoD whether the underspend is the result of genuine savings or simply a result of delays in projects being implemented.”

Dollar edges up in Asia 13 may 2014

TOKYO: The dollar edged up against the yen in Asia Tuesday following a record close on Wall Street while investors await the release of key economic data from around the globe.

The greenback was at 102.20 yen in midday Tokyo trade, up from 102.09 yen in New York Monday afternoon, while the euro bought $1.3756 and 140.60 yen, compared with $1.3758 and 140.50 yen in US trade.

Dealers were in an upbeat mood after the Dow and S&P 500 in New York finished at record highs, while the Nasdaq also surged, thanks to a pick-up in technology shares.

The single currency has been under pressure since last week when European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi said he was ready to ease monetary policy soon as the currency bloc suffers from continuing weak inflation.

Market-watchers suggested the ECB would now now likely be forced to act at next month´s policy meeting or risk losing its credibility with the markets.

Eyes are now on the release of a string of crucial indicators to be unveiled later in the day, starting with Chinese industrial production, retail sales and industrial output.

That will be followed by the ZEW monthly indicator of German economic sentiment and US retail sales for April.

US flying ‘manned missions’ to seek abducted Nigeria girls

LAGOS: Manned US aircraft were flying over Nigeria on Tuesday, searching for over 200 schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram after Abuja dismissed a prisoner-swap offer from the militants.

"We have shared commercial satellite imagery with the Nigerians and are flying manned ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) assets over Nigeria with the government´s permission," a senior US administration official said Monday.

The official declined to be named, and it was not immediately clear what kind of aircraft were being deployed, nor where they were based.

Boko Haram´s leader said in a new video obtained by AFP Monday that the girls, whose abduction has sparked global outrage, would only be released if the government freed militant fighters from custody.

Abubakar Shekau made the claim in a 27-minute video, which apparently showed about 130 of the teenagers who were snatched from their school in the remote northeastern town of Chibok nearly a month ago.

The militant leader said the girls in the video had converted to Islam and all were shown in Muslim dress, reciting the first chapter of the Koran and praying at an undisclosed location.

Asked if the government would reject Shekau´s suggestion, Interior Minister Abba Moro told: "Of course."

State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said US intelligence experts were "combing through every detail of the video for clues that might help ongoing efforts to secure the release of the girls."

Their disappearance has triggered global outrage, in part due to a social media campaign that has won the support of high-profile figures including US First Lady Michelle Obama, Pope Francis and Pakistani schoolgirl Malala Yousafzai.

 

US State dept refuses to comment on Modi’s visa status

Washington: The US continued to maintain silence on granting a visa to BJP leader Narendra Modi, whose party-led NDA is projected by exit polls to form the next government in India. "We don't speak on visa acceptances, applications, etcetera, so I don't have anything for you on that," State Department Spokesperson Jen Psaki told reporters at her daily news conference yesterday. "We view our relationship with India as one that's vitally important for economic, strategic reasons, and one that we look forward to continuing to grow in the future," she said when asked about the issue of visa for Modi, who is BJP's prime ministerial candidate. In 2005, the US State Department had revoked a visa that Modi had for travelling to the US on the ground of alleged human rights violations after the 2002 Gujarat riots. The US has repeatedly said there is no change in its long-standing visa policy relating to Modi but he is free to apply for a visa and await a review like any other applicant. Narendra Modi during his campaign trail in Varanasi. AFP  Last year, Modi's plans to address by video a University of Pennsylvania conference were scrapped following opposition from Indian-American professors, alumni and students. However, in a sudden u-turn in February, the US signalled the end of its boycott of Modi when its ambassador to India Nancy Powell met him in Ahmedabad. US Officials have since said whoever is elected India's next leader would be welcome to the US. "We look forward to working with the leaders chosen by the Indian people to advance this important partnership and to set an ambitious agenda," Psaki said. She refused to comment on the results of the exit polls according to which Modi could be the next Prime Minister. Meanwhile, a top American expert has said the prospect for a dramatic resuscitation of Indo-US relations under a Modi government in India looks less than promising, which he mainly attributed to visa issue related to him. "Today, both Modi and the United States are trapped in a catch-22, Modi has declared that he will never apply for an American visa again — and there is no way to revalidate his now-expired visa if he will not apply anew," said Ashley Tellis, from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a prestigious American think-tank. "This constraint would not prevent Modi from visiting the US in an official capacity as India's prime minister because he would be automatically eligible for an A-class visa as a head of government," Tellis said. "Where international engagement is concerned, Modi is mostly likely to remember those who welcomed him while he was in the political wilderness—and that means Japan, Israel, Singapore, and even, with qualifications, China," Tellis said. The Obama administration, he said, at any rate, has sought to signal its willingness to let bygones be bygones, declaring through the congressional testimony of Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Nisha Desai Biswal that it "look(s) forward to engagement with the new government". While this constitutes an important overture, it is unlikely to win Modi's heart and mind. What would make the difference to him is either a public American expression of regret for the visa revocation or an open personal welcome to the United States, he observed. "However, it is politically impossible for Washington to do the former, and it is unlikely that the latter will happen before Modi is clearly elevated to the position of prime minister," Tellis added. PTI

Israeli forces injure 42 Palestinians, including 11 children

42 Palestinians, including 11 children, were injured by Israeli forces in multiple clashes that took place across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, from 29 April – 5 May. The United Nations reports that among those injured; 18 were shot with rubber-coated metal bullets, 14 were treated for tear gas inhalation, six were physically assaulted, and three were shot with live ammunition.

A total of 16 Palestinians were injured in clashes with Israeli forces in the course of search-and-arrest operations in Nablus and Salfit cities, ‘Asira al Qibliya (Nablus) and Abu Dis Jerusalem) villages, and Silwan neighborhood (East Jerusalem). A total of 76 search-and-arrest operations were conducted during the week, slightly below the weekly average since the beginning of the year (91).

In addition, 12 Palestinians were injured in weekly demonstrations against the expansion of Qedumim (Qalqiliya) and Halamish (Ramallah) settlements and against the Separation Wall in Bil’in village (also in Ramallah).

Six other Palestinians were injured in clashes with Israeli forces deployed at a flying checkpoint at one of the entrance to the Issawiya neighborhood in East Jerusalem on 4 May. 

ISI Challenges GEO/Hamid Meer in Investigations 13 may 2014

ISI claims investigations reveal Hamid Meer’s personal guard did fire gunshots when their car was attacked. Lt. General Zaheer-Ul-Islam orders the department to develop a three member committee of expert officers to lead an investigation of the incident and unveil the parties involved and motives behind it. The conclusive report will be sent to the dg himself and also to the prime minister. Analysts claim geo/Jung group showing signs of defeat through contradictory remarks on the issue. 

Islamabad: Department of Defense, ISI, has begun investigating the attack on lead GEO anchor
Hamid Meer. As per officials, if required, ISI is also determined to clear its name of the allegations made upon it by GEO
 by recording an official statement in front of the legal commission in Court. It is also being speculated that the three member 
committee established by D.G ISI Zaheer ul Islam has already began investigations in this regard. As per the preliminary investigations 
conducted by this committee, private media groups are uncertain about their own views and are consistently deviating from their own 
opinions, which is worth noting. Evidence gathered under this investigation has also revealed proofs of Hamid Meer’s personal guard 
firing a couple of rounds while he was with him in the car. Two shells discharged as a result of such firing were found by the investigating
 team, which it presented to support its conclusions.


On the other hand, the Jung/GEO group is having a hard time deciding what to present to the people in its defense against the ISI’s 
investigation teams’ conclusions. Actually, according to some analysts, such attitude of the Jung/GEO group is the cause ofISI’s 
decision to take matters into its own hands and to prove itself a clean and truly patriotic institution as against its image thatGEO 
and the Jung group has presented to the world.


The team organized by ISI is following scientific methods in cracking down this case, with senior officers providing their best in this 
regard, to the department.


This team will not only submit its final report to Lt. Gen. Zaheer ul Islam, but will also send official copies to Chief of Army staff 
General Raheel Sharif and the Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, so that everyone gets a fair share of the truth.


Investigations are being conducted with the view of uncovering the truth behind the attack on the lead GEO anchor and to
 present in front of the nation those involved in organizing this criminal act, said officials.


ISI has also clarified through the ministry of defense that if felt necessary, it will also present the results of this investigation in front 
of the three member committee created by the government in form of official and authorized statements in order to clarify the issue.

DR Congo football fans killed in stampede 12 may 2014

At least 15 people reportedly killed in stampede after police fire tear gas in crowded football stadium in Kinshasa.

At least 15 people were killed after police fired tear gas in a crowded football stadium in Democratic Republic of Congo, provoking a stampede, according to a police source and a local official.

Fans in Kinshasa grew angry on Sunday evening after their local team was defeated 1-0 by a team from the eastern town of Lubumbashi in a heated final, according to Emmanuel Akweti, local minister for the capital's inner city.

"Four policemen were harassed by supporters. When they fired tear gas, the stampede began, causing the deaths," he told Reuters news agency on Sunday.

Images on a local television station showed plumes of smoke rising from the stadium's bleachers.

Supporters, blinded by the gas, ran in different directions, sometimes falling over, the footage showed.

Akweti said 15 people died of suffocation and 24 were injured. A police source who declined to be named put the death toll higher, at 18.

A Reuters witness counted 14 bodies lying on benches outside the main hospital in Kinshasa.

Stampedes are a frequent occurrence at crowded events in Congo. Last month at least 21 people were killed when a power cut caused a stampede at a crowded music festival.

Saudi Arabia warns of MERS risk from camels 12 may 2014

Saudi Arabia has warned its citizens to wear masks and gloves when dealing with camels as health experts said the animal was the likely source of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) coronavirus.

The Saudi Agriculture Ministry urged people who come in contact with camels to "exercise caution and follow preventive measures," after scientific studies commissioned by the Health Ministry proved a connection between camels and the virus that causes MERS.

"It is advisable to wear protective gloves, especially when dealing with births or sick or dead [camels]," state news agency SPA reported on Sunday.

The link between human cases and camels has been the subject of extensive study among scientists abroad, but has been relatively absent from much of the official domestic debate.

Saudi Arabia also reported three deaths from MERS on Sunday, raising the death toll from the disease since it first appeared in the country in 2012 to 142.

The Health Ministry said in a statement on its website it had identified three new cases of the coronavirus, pushing the total number of infections to 483.

The rate of infection in Saudi Arabia has surged in recent weeks, with the total number nearly doubling in April and rising by a further 25 percent in May.

The recent increase has raised concerns over the influx of visitors expected to convene in thev holy cities of Mecca and Medina in July during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, and again during the annual Hajj pilgrimage in October.

The disease has spread across the region, with MERS cases reported in the Lebanon, Egypt, Qatar, Malaysia, Italy, Britain and the United States.

MERS is considered a deadlier but less-transmissible cousin of the SARS virus that erupted in Asia in 2003 and infected 8,273 people, nine percent of whom died.

Iran unveils copied US RQ-170 stealth drone

Iran has unveiled a domestically produced version of a sophisticated US drone it captured back in 2011.

The stealth drone was unveiled in an exhibition at the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Forces' Central Command, attended by the Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei on May 11, Iran's Press TV reported.

Other Iranian drones, including Shahed 129 and 125, were also on display at the exhibition.

The expo put on display the achievements of the IRGC Aerospace Forces in the design and development of drones, radars and defense systems as well as anti-ship, ballistic and anti-shield missile systems.

The US RQ-170 Sentinel was reverse-engineered by IRGC experts in about two years.

The RQ-170 is an unmanned stealth aircraft designed and developed by the Lockheed Martin Company.

The aircraft was downed with minimal damage by the Iranian Army's electronic warfare unit on December 4, 2011, while flying over the Iranian city of Kashmar, some 225 kilometers (140 miles) from the Afghan border, Iranian media outlets claimed.

Although US officials never confirmed it, Iran says it used its radio electronic warfare skills and vulnerabilities in the Sentinel's GPS receiver to trick it into landing on Iranian territory instead of its designated military base. The claims are considered plausible by many, since the drone did not sustain any visible damage during its alleged crash-landing.

Last year, Iranian officials announced progress on reverse-engineering the captured Sentinel drone, saying that they has completed decoding its software and extracting the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) surveillance data from it.

Iranian media outlets report that Iran has made great achievements in its defense sector and attained self-sufficiency in producing essential military equipment and systems in recent years. Tehran established an arms development program during the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s to counter the weapons embargo imposed on it by the U.S. and its Western allies.

Since 1992, Iran has manufactured its own tanks, armored personnel carriers, missiles, radars, boats, submarines and fighter planes. Iran also unveiled its first domestically-manufactured long-range Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) in 2010.

Pakistan, Iran to give impetus to gas pipeline 12 may 2014

Nawaz meets with President Rouhani | Desires enhancing trade to $5 billion | Proposes joint border markets | Eight MoUs, agreements signed
TEHRAN - Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani have agreed to continue with the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project and they reiterated their commitment to enhance bilateral trade between the two countries.
Both the countries also signed eight MoUs/agreements to enhance their cooperation further in various fields.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Iranian First Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri witnessed the signing ceremony.
The following MoUs/agreements were inked during the ceremony: 1. Agreement on Transfer of Offenders (Transfer of Sentenced Persons). 2. MoU on Anti-Money Laundering. 3. MoU on Statistical Cooperation. 4. Renewal of the Cultural Exchange Programme. 5. MoU on Sports Cooperation. 6. MoU on Cooperation in Preventing and Combating Pollution from Ships. 7. MoU on establishment of Joint Border Commission. 8. MoU between TDAP and IIEC.
PM Nawaz Sharif arrived in Tehran on Sunday to meet with senior Iranian officials and explore avenues for the further improvement of ties and cooperation with the country in all fields. His two-day visit, which takes place at the invitation of President Rouhani, is his first since he took office again last year.
“I am here to open a new chapter in Pakistan-Iran relationships... As prime minister, I visited Iran firstly in 1999 and have always found the Iranians more affectionate on every visit,” Pakistani prime minister told the Iranian president at a meeting held at Saadabad Palace.
Nawaz Sharif said that he was there with his team of finance, petroleum and interior to resolve all the matters which were creating hindrance in the project. He said there was lot of scope of increasing the trade volume and they wanted to enhance it to $5 billion.
President Rouhani said Iran-Pakistan relations had historical connections. Apart from being neighbouring countries, both Muslim countries have the common traditions and relations based on the Holy Quran and the traditions of the Holy Prophet (PBUH). PM Nawaz Sharif’s visit would further boost the brotherly relations, he added.
Pakistani Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Petroleum Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Balochistan Governor Mahmood Khan Achakzai, Adviser to PM on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz and Special Assistant to PM Tariq Fatimi were also present during the meeting.
The prime minister told the president that some miscreant elements were trying to sabotage the bilateral relations. He said they would deal with all such elements firmly and would not let them sabotage these relations. “We want security for development and development for security”.
Both the leaders also discussed the border security matters between the two countries. They agreed that better border management and improved security measures would result in increased bilateral trade and strengthening relationship and cooperation between the two countries.
Prime Minister Nawaz extended invitation to President Rouhani to visit Pakistan which he accepted. Later, the Iranian president hosted a luncheon in honour of the prime minister and the visiting delegation.
The prime minister also held a meeting with First Vice President of Iran Eshaq Jehangiri in which matters of mutual and bilateral interest were discussed and Nawaz underscored that expansion of ties and cooperation with Iran was a top priority of his government.
He referred to the two countries’ lengthy common borders, and called for the establishment of joint border markets to facilitate trade and prevent smuggling of goods.
Nawaz also stressed the importance of Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline for Islamabad, and said his country will provide Tehran with a new proposal in this regard, adding that Islamabad welcomes multilateral cooperation with Iran in the oil and gas sectors.

Gunmen storm Iraqi military barracks, killing 20

Deadly attacks on military facility in remote northern Iraq the latest in a series of assaults targeting security forces in the region.

Militants in Iraq launched an audacious attack on a military barracks in a remote area in the country's north and killed 20 troops, including some who had been bound and shot at close range, authorities said on Sunday, as other attacks killed 18.

The killings at the military barracks in the village of Ayn al-Jahish outside of Mosul mirrored two previous assaults earlier this year in the area targeting security forces. It also represents the latest blow to the government's efforts to achieve stability in restive Sunni-dominated areas.

Gunmen staged the assault late on Saturday night, two police officers said, shooting some at short range while others died fighting the insurgents when they stormed the barracks. A medical official, who confirmed the causality number, said 11 troops had their hands tied behind their backs and suffered close-range gunshots to the head.

The slain troops were in charge of protecting an oil pipeline that sends Iraqi crude oil to international markets and guarding a nearby highway. Attacks on the pipeline are common in the area near Mosul, located about 225 miles northwest of Baghdad.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. However, it mirrored a February attack in the area claimed by the al-Qaida-breakaway group Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant. On that occasion, fighters from the group killed 15 soldiers at the barracks, beheading some of them. In April, militants killed at least 10 soldiers at a base outside of Mosul.

Corrupt rulers to be kicked out soon: Qadri

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) leader Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri on Sunday said corrupt rulers would soon be kicked out of the country as a silent revolution was nearing. He claimed that there was neither democracy nor any system in the country.

Addressing a large gathering at the Liaquat Bagh, Qadri said there was nothing like democracy and an organised system in the country. “No parliament exists in this country. The present parliament came into existence through violating Article 63 and 62,” he alleged.

Qadri said hundreds of thousands of people were attending the rally. “I wanted to show people’s power by staging today’s rally.”“The time has come to rebuild Pakistan as some families are occupying the country,” Qadri added.

The PAT leader announced that he would soon return to Pakistan and give a call for the final phase of his peaceful revolution to transfer power back to people.He rejected criticism about leading the campaign from Canada. “It is the right of people to reject or accept my call from Canada. If they respond to my call, nobody else has the right to object,” he said.

“There is no hope from the parliament which was formed through rigged elections,” he said, adding that under the Constitution of Pakistan, elimination of the present government system had become mandatory.

About 5000 to 6000 party workers participated in the rally. It started from Chandni Chowk and culminated at Committee Chowk. PML-Q Senior Vice President Bashrat Raja, J Salik, Ahmed Raza Kasuri, Baba Haider Zaman of Hazara Tehreek and others also participated in the rally.Qadri said drastic changes in the present system would be introduced with setting up of 30 new provinces, including an administrative unit for Hazara.He said under the new structural setup of the country, homeless people would be provided houses besides job opportunities for unemployed.

Asim Hussain adds from Lahore: The rally, which was meant to judge ‘the preparedness of 20 million ‘Namazis’ for Qadri’s much-awaited prayer call’, proved to be an unimpressive show despite mobilising huge resources for bringing people from adjoining districts and towns to the provincial metropolis.

What should have been most perturbing for the organisers was the disinterest shown by Lahorites as an estimated 70 per cent participants were from outside the city with their numbers estimated around 5,000 to 6,000.

The PML-Q joined the rally led by some former and sitting women MPAs, including Amna Ulfat, Majida Zaidi, Samina Khawar Hayat, Kanwal Naseem and others.The rally which started from Nasir Bagh amidst tight security measures proved to be a slow and sluggish affair as it began its march 90 minutes behind the schedule.

Apparently, the organisers kept waiting for the participants since only a few hundred workers could reach the venue till 3 pm, the scheduled time. Majority of those who reached Nasir Bagh were women and children, and the bulk of them were the students of the TMQ-run educational institutions and colleges who had come along with their family members.

To engage the participants in the absence of PAT and TMQ central leaders, the organisers kept playing party songs on loudspeakers. Many boys and girls kept dancing to the tunes.The bigger chunk of the participants had come from nearby districts and towns like Sheikhupura, Sialkot, Kasur, Okara, Muridke, Pattoki and Nankana. A number of rural women in the rally looked overtly indifferent as they kept sitting on pavements, holding and paying attention to their children. Same was the case with many men and youth coming from other areas as they looked more interested in lying or sitting on footpaths then joining the rally to raise slogans. Before the rally began, the organisers spent quite a time requesting them to get up and join the rally.

The rally led by TMQ Lahore Ameer Irshad Tahir, Lahore Nazim Ghulam Farid and PAT President Chaudhry Afzal Gujjar began marching at a slow pace and not as part of single rally, but in shape of small clusters of workers walking as separate groups. PAT Secretary Khurram Nawaz Gandapur joined the rally later, when it had almost reached Faisal Chowk. Qadri’s son Hasan Mohiuddin Qadri, who was scheduled to lead the rally, reached Faisal Chowk after 7pm. They participants kept shouting slogans against the ruling PML-N leadership and holding banners and placards demanding revoking of existing electoral laws and implementation of Article 38 of the Constitution.

Strangely, the central and local leadership refrained from addressing the participants after the rally had reached Faisal Chowk, and suspended the proceedings for over an hour (from 5.45pm to 7 pm) apparently waiting for Qadri’s signal from Canada.

However, several hundreds of participants coming especially from Kot Abdul Malik, Muridke, Shahdara and Gujranwala also reached the venue, enlarging the size of the rally. After much delay, the PAT leadership began addressing the rally after 7.30 pm and the speech of Gandapur was cut short after a few minutes when Qadri began his televised address from Canada.

Our correspondent adds from Bahawalpur: The PAT workers took out rallies amid strict security measures.At Chowk Fawara, they listened to Qadri through a video link. The rally started from Chowk Fawara to Rafique Shah Chowk. In Rahim Yar Khan, another rally started from Jinnah Hall to Railway Chowk amid security measures.