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Sunday, November 14, 2010

Bangladesh opposition enforces nationwide general strike

Sun, 14 Nov 2010

Dhaka - Bangladesh main opposition party called a nationwide general strike Sunday over the eviction of former prime minister Khaleda Zia from her leasehold in a military zone.

The first half of the 12-hour shutdown beginning at 6 am (0000 GMT) was generally peaceful, police said.

Operations at main ports were suspended while shops, schools and private businesses kept their shutters down. Traffic was light.

Khaleda moved out of her leasehold residence on Saturday.

"I was evicted from my house. I was dragged out and forced to get in the car," the leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party said.

But the military's Inter Service Public Relations department said she had complied with a court order which last month ordered her to vacate the leasehold within 30 days.

Khaleda, widow of military ruler Ziaur Rahman, was allotted the leasehold after the he was killed in a coup in 1981.

The government had accused the former premier of carrying out political activities from her residence in violation of the lease.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/353445,enforces-nationwide-general-strike.html.

Sarkozy appoints Fillon to form new French government

Sun, 14 Nov 2010

Paris - French President Nicholas Sarkozy has charged Francois Fillon once again with forming a new government, the president's office announced on Sunday.

The move came one day after Fillon stepped down as prime minister along with his government to pave the way for Sarkozy to conduct a long-awaited cabinet reshuffle.

The formation of the new cabinet is expected later Sunday. Government sources said it will only feature 26 ministers and state secretaries, instead of the previous 37.

Former premier and foreign minister Alain Juppe, who now serves as the mayor of Bordeaux, is expected to return to the cabinet as defense minister.

Speculation has been rife about the overhaul, the fourth of Sarkozy's presidency. It had been hinted at in the spring after the government's poor showing in regional elections.

The president has seen his popularity decline further over the introduction this month of a pension reform that increases the retirement age by two years.

Analysts say Sarkozy is hoping to use the reshuffle to polish his image prior to an expected bid for a second term in presidential elections due in 2012.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/353461,form-new-french-government.html.

Andalusian girl obliges boyfriend to propose at Barcelona's stadium

Sun, 14 Nov 2010

Madrid - Catalan sports paper Mundo Deportivo published on Sunday an interesting story of how love can overcome football fanaticism.

Estefania, a girl from the small town of Aljaraque in the Andalusian province of Huelva, has been a fan of Spanish champions Barcelona all her life. However, her boyfriend Samuel supports Real Madrid, Barca's historic rivals.

Samuel tried to propose marriage to Estefania two weeks ago in Aljaraque but Estefania insisted that she would only accept his proposal if it was made at Barcelona's Camp Nou stadium.

They made the long trip to Barcelona for Saturday's 3-1 defeat of Villarreal. At the end of the game, at midnight, Samuel took Estefania down onto the hallowed turf, went down on bended knee and proposed.

She accepted, but only after imposing another condition: that their children be Barca rather than Real fans.

Estefania told Mundo Deportivo afterward that "this is the first time that I have been to the Camp Nou, and I will never forget it." She added that "I love him, even though he is of Real Madrid, because he is the most handsome boy in our town."

They will make the return trip to Aljaraque on Sunday.

Barca's win - with two second-half goals from Lionel Messi - leaves them on top of La Liga, two points above a Real Madrid side who are away to lowly Sporting Gijon on Sunday.

As they drive back down south, Estefania will be hoping that Gijon keep Real at bay - whilst Samuel will be cheering on Cristiano Ronaldo and company.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/353462,boyfriend-propose-barcelonas-stadium.html.

Al-Qaeda denies plot to target Muslim pilgrims in Saudi Arabia

WARNING: Article contains propaganda!

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Sun, 14 Nov 2010

Cairo - A branch of al-Qaeda denied on Sunday that it was seeking to attack Muslims conducting the hajj pilgrimage, after a Saudi Arabian minister warned that he could not rule out the possibility of such operations.

"We are keen not to spill the blood of Muslims, wherever they are. Mecca is more sacred than any other place," al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) said in a statement.

The message was posted to Islamist websites on the first day of hajj, the annual sacred Islamic pilgrimage to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia. Some 2.5 million people are expected to take part in the ritual.

Riyadh's interior minister, Prince Nayef bin Abul Aziz, said last week that officials are on alert for a possible al-Qaeda attack.

"We don't rule out any attempt of action that disturbs the security of pilgrims. But we are ready for any possibility," he said.

But AQAP, a Yemen-based group believed to be behind a recent attempt to send parcel bombs to the United States, slammed Saudi Arabia for making the suggestion and for cooperating with the West to defeat the militant organization.

The discovery of the parcel bombs in Britain and Dubai, officials say, came after a tip-off from Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia was engaging in "desperate attempts" to eliminate the group, AQAP charged, saying there was never a plan to target the pilgrims.

The group, affiliated with Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda terrorist network, is also alleged to have been involved in last year's Christmas Day attempt to blow up a plane over Detroit and a shooting spree that left 13 dead at a military base in Fort Hood, Texas.

AQAP was formed in January 2009 from the merger of al-Qaeda's Yemeni and Saudi branches.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/353471,muslim-pilgrims-saudi-arabia.html.

Muslim pilgrims begin annual rituals without incident

14/11/2010

By Ali Khalil

MECCA, Saudi Arabia (AFP) -- Hundreds of thousands of Muslims began the main rituals of the annual pilgrimage on Sunday, heading from Mecca to the camp of Mina with no major incidents reported since they descended on the holy city.

There are no official figures yet for the total number of pilgrims but some estimates put the number as high as 2.5 million this year.

Authorities say permits have been granted to 1.7 million foreign pilgrims, with a further 200,000 or so issued to pilgrims from within Saudi Arabia and from neighboring Gulf states.

This year has seen a crackdown on pilgrims who do not have the requisite papers as authorities attempt to prevent numbers getting out of hand.

A driver caught transporting unauthorized pilgrims faces a fine of 10,000 riyals ($2,667) for each individual.

The passage to Mina marks the official launch of the hajj on the eighth day of the Muslim calendar month of Dhul Hijja.

The day is known as Tarwiah (Watering) as pilgrims in the past stopped at Mina to water their animals and stock up for the following day's trip to Mount Arafat.

The vast plain of Mina was a canvas of huge white tents. It comes to life for just five days a year.

On Monday, the pilgrims move on to Mount Arafat and its surrounding plain, some 10 kilometers (six miles) to the southeast, where they spend the day in prayer and reflection.

After sunset, they move to Muzdalifah, halfway between Mount Arafat and Mina, where they spend the night.

On Tuesday, the first day of Eid Al-Adha or the Feast of the Sacrifice, the pilgrims head back to Mina after dawn prayers.

They then perform the first stage of the symbolic "stoning of the devil" and make the ritual sacrifice of an animal, usually a lamb.

During the remaining three days of the hajj, the pilgrims continue the ritual stoning before performing the circumambulation of the Kaaba shrine in Mecca and heading home.

No major incidents have been reported this year since the pilgrims began gathering in Mecca. The city's Grand Mosque has been flooded with the faithful, with an estimated 1.7 million taking part in the main weekly Muslim prayers on Friday.

The movement of pilgrims between the holy sites is a major headache for Saudi authorities who have had to deal with deadly stampedes in the past.

In recent years, the kingdom has used its huge oil revenues for massive spending on new infrastructure to ease the flow of people.

This year, the first phase of the new Mashair Railway -- or Mecca metro -- will transport pilgrims between Mina and Mount Arafat through Muzdalifah.

The Jamarat Bridge, where pilgrims perform the ritual stoning, has also been expanded to three levels with movement channeled in one direction.

Security remains a concern. Last Wednesday, Saudi Interior Minister Prince Nayef bin Abdul Aziz said he could not rule out the possibility of a sabotage attempt by Al-Qaeda.

Source: Ma'an News Agency.
Link: http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=333680.

Candidates for Egypt parliament to officially launch campaigns

Nov 14, 2010

Cairo - More than 5,000 candidates running in Egypt's parliamentary elections will officially launch their campaigns on Sunday, two weeks before voters head to the polls.

Campaigning is to begin as soon the Higher Election Commission unveils the final list of candidates later in the day. However, many hopefuls have already began distributing flyers and holding rallies.

The candidates vying for the 508 seats in the People's Assembly can campaign until November 27, the day before the elections.

The poll is seen as a window into how next year's presidential election will unfold. It is largely expected that the ruling National Democratic Party will maintain its grip on parliament.

President Hosni Mubarak reaffirmed last week that Egypt would hold "free and transparent" parliamentary elections with help from local civil society organizations.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/353451,parliament-officially-launch-campaigns.html.

Egypt frees arrested opposition election candidates

CAIRO — Three Muslim Brotherhood candidates in Egypt's November 28 legislative election who were arrested earlier this week have been released, a judiciary official said on Saturday.

Another 44 members of the group will appear in court charged with the illegal use of religious slogans while campaigning.

The official said 16 Brotherhood members arrested in the port city of Ismailia will be charged with membership of an illegal organization and using the slogan "Islam is the solution," which is banned under electoral law.

A Brotherhood official said 28 of the group's members detained in Sharqiya face the same charges.

All 44 are expected to be freed on bail ahead of court hearings on November 20, 21 and 23.

The judicial source said the three freed candidates, who had been detained in Ismailia, were released on bail to appear in court at a later date charged with assaulting police officers.

The Muslim Brotherhood, which controls a fifth of the current parliament, is the country's largest opposition movement, despite a ban on religious parties. It registers its candidates as independents.

It plans to contest 134 out of the 508 seats up for election at the end of the month.

The group has accused the government of arresting dozens of its members ahead of polling day.

Copyright © 2010 AFP. All rights reserved.

Russia's Gazprom discovers oil and gas in Algeria

Sat Nov 13, 2010

MOSCOW Nov 13 (Reuters) - Russian energy giant Gazprom (GAZP.MM: Quote) said on Saturday it has discovered hydrocarbon reserves in Algeria together with Algeria's state-owned Sonatrach.

It said it discovered the reserves after a successful drilling an exploration well in El Assel license area in the oil- and gas-bearing Berkine Basin, its first such discovery in North Africa.

Gazprom said the well was producing a flow of 60,000 cubic meters of gas and 49.38 tonnes of oil per day.

(Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin; editing by Andrey Ostroukh)

© Thomson Reuters 2010 All rights reserved

Source: Reuters.
Link: http://af.reuters.com/article/commoditiesNews/idAFLDE6AC06X20101113.

Algeria, Britain strengthen military deal

WARNING: Article contains propaganda!

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Sunday 14 November 2010

Kingsley Kobo, AfricaNews reporter in Abidjan, Ivory Coast

Algeria and Britain will boost cooperation on security after a bilateral dialogue held in Algiers Wednesday yielded a committee to train personnel, conduct joint exercises and share counter-terror technology, according to AFP.

Alistair Burt, the British Foreign Office Minister for the Middle East and North Africa held talks with his Algerian counterpart Abdelkader Messahel and Foreign Minister Mourad Medelci.

Burt said the bilateral committee was a manifestation of the determination of both the UK and Algeria to confront terrorism and that it would involve cooperation on training and intelligence sharing with a first meeting due to take place in London in two weeks.

“We face a common threat from Al-Qaeda and in order to counter this there is a need for the nations to work more effectively together,” Burt said.

Burt also urged Algeria to use its influence to persuade Iran to push forward with long-stalled nuclear talks with world powers that Iran has proposed to take place on Dec. 5.

“Algeria is the friend of both countries and at present, Iran needs its friends to explain to it what a dangerous course it is,” Burt added.

Source: AfricaNews.
Link: http://www.africanews.com/site/Algeria_Britain_strengthen_military_deal/list_messages/36033.

Algeria Gets A Pair

November 13, 2010: Algeria has recently received the two Russian Kilo class diesel-electric submarines they ordered four years ago. The Kilos weigh 2,300 tons (surface displacement), have six torpedo tubes and a crew of 57. They are quiet, and can travel about 700 kilometers under water at a quiet speed of about five kilometers an hour. Kilos carry 18 torpedoes or SS-N-27 anti-ship missiles (with a range of 300 kilometers and launched underwater from the torpedo tubes.) The combination of quietness and cruise missiles makes Kilo very dangerous to American carriers. China, North Korea and Iran have also bought Kilos. Russia is working on a new design (the Lada), but many export customers find the 1980s era Kilo adequate (and cheap, about half what a similar Western boat would cost) preferable. Over 55 Kilos have been built or are under construction.

Source: Strategy Page.
Link: http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htsub/articles/20101113.aspx.

Hezbollah warns of U.S.-planned war

November 13, 2010

The Lebanese resistance movement, Hezbollah, has warned of potential U.S.-planned and Israeli-waged warfare on Lebanon and Syria.

Hezbollah MP Nawaf al-Moussawi said on Thursday there was a potential “American political decision to wage a new Israeli war on Lebanon and Syria,” Lebanese portal Naharnet reported, citing his comments to the leading domestic paper As-Safir.

The offensives had not been yet opted for “due to political reasons linked to the US soldiers in Iraq and the Israeli Army's readiness to go through a war,” he added.

He also said that information had confirmed a connection between the prospects of the war and the United Nations tribunal probing the assassination of former Lebanese Premier Rafiq Hariri.

Hariri was killed alongside more than 20 other people in a massive car bombing in the Lebanese capital of Beirut on February 14, 2005. The assassination was followed by widespread recrimination between Lebanon and Syria.

Speaking late last month, Hezbollah's Secretary General Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah said that the investigators with the court had been penetrating into “every single sector” within Lebanon to obtain information on the country, which they would then channel to the West and Tel Aviv.

Nasrallah said in July that he had been informed by the slain leader's son and successor, Saad Hariri, that the court “will accuse some undisciplined (Hezbollah) members.”

The resistance leader has rejected the allegation and warned that the plot was part of “a dangerous project that is targeting the resistance.”

Moussawi said that data had established a link between the potential of an indictment against Hezbollah and the possibility that the Lebanese and Syrian soils be invaded.

Israel launched wars on Lebanon in 2000 and 2006. About 1,200 Lebanese, most of them civilians, were killed in the 33-Day War of 2006.

On both occasions, however, the Lebanese resistance movement, Hezbollah, defeated the forces and Tel Aviv was compelled to withdraw without having achieved any of its objectives.

Tel Aviv is technically at war with Beirut and Damascus as it refuses to return the parts of each country's land it seized in 1967.

Hezbollah has vowed to respond with determination to any potential Israel-launched warfare.

The resistance movement has publicly announced that it has the capability to hit targets deep into Israel and to strike Israeli Navy vessels even before they reach the Lebanese waters.

(Source: Press TV)

Source: Tehran Times.
Link: http://www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp?code=230347.

Suu Kyi calls for democracy

Myanmar pro-democracy leader gives first political speech after her release from seven-year house arrest.

14 Nov 2010

Aung San Suu Kyi has called for democracy while addressing her supporters in Myanmar's main city, Yangon, on her first full day of freedom after being released following seven years under house arrest.

The pro-democracy leader appeared before her supporters and media at around noon (05:30 GMT) on Sunday at the headquarters of the National League for Democracy (NDL), to make her first major speech.

Thousands of people greeted as she got out of her car at the offices of her officially disbanded political party on Sunday.

She was also expected to meet diplomats and attend the funeral of a close friend.

"She plans to meet some of the diplomatic staff … from around the world. Some of those people who have been calling for her release for the past seven years," Al Jazeera's correspondent reported from Yangon.

The correspondent, who cannot be named for security reasons, said that there was no sign of an police and military presence around the city ahead of the speech.

In the evening, Aung San Suu Kyi was planning a customary visit to Yangon's Shwedagon pagoda.

She made a brief public appearance on Saturday shortly after her release from house arrest. Witnesses said hundreds of people rushed to her home after the authorities removed barbed-wire barricades in front of her compound.

"We must work together in unison to achieve our goal," Aung San Suu Kyi told her supporters in an appearance at the gate of her compound, as the crowd chanted, cheered and sang the national anthem.

Al Jazeera's special correspondent, reporting from near her home in Yangon, said the crowd let out a huge cheer when the police vehicle left the compound, ending the latest period of arrest.

"It was almost impossible for her to speak," he said, adding that the cheering did not die down for at least 20 or 30 minutes while she stood there.

A smiling Aung San Suu Kyi, wearing a traditional jacket and a flower in her hair, told the crowd that she would stay inside her house that night.

Almost 1,000 people, including journalists, had gathered near her lakeside house throughout the day, many chanting "Release Aung San Suu Kyi" and "Long live Aung San Suu Kyi". Some wore T-shirts emblazoned with messages pledging to stand with her.

The Reuters news agency reported quoting a witness that Suu Kyi met a lawyer and a doctor inside her home shortly before she appeared at the gate.

Source: Al-Jazeera.
Link: http://english.aljazeera.net//news/asia-pacific/2010/11/2010111444522729971.html.

Somali pirates free British couple

Paul and Rachel Chandler released by their Somali captors after more than a year for a reported $300,000 ransom.

Abdi Aynte
14 Nov 2010

Somali pirates have released a British couple they held captive for more than a year, after a significant amount of ransom money was paid.

Paul and Rachel Chandler, who looked frail and exhausted as they were flown out of Somalia, are unharmed and generally healthy, according to a Somali physician who looked after them occasionally.

"Aside from the deep emotional and psychological abuse they endured over the past 13 months, they are doing relatively well," Dr Mohamed Elmi Hangul said.

The Chandlers' ordeal began on October 23 last year as their luxury yacht sailed from Seychelles to Tanzania. In an effort to steer clear of the pirate-infested waters near Somalia, the couple traveled hundreds of miles southward.

But they were not too distant for the increasingly bold pirates. Armed men stormed their yacht and took it over at gunpoint. Few days later, they were transferred to a mother ship near the pirate base of Haradheere in central Somalia, while a British military ship looked on - helplessly.

Secret ransom

From there, the Chandlers were taken deep inland, where they have been continuously moved around in wind-swept bushes. The captors kept them separately for the most part, but permitted them to make phone calls a few times.

"We have been treated like caged animals," said Rachel in a rare interview broadcast on Britain’s ITN channel. Conducted in May, the interview was seen as the pirates' confirmation that the Chandlers are alive.

Sources privy to the secret negotiations that led to the Chandlers' release have told Al Jazeera that $300,000 was paid to their captors - an amount far less than the millions of dollars the pirates initially demanded.

But the details of just who paid the ransom are sketchy. The British government has a long standing policy to not pay ransom to kidnappers.

Sources close to the case told Al Jazeera that the a money came from private donors and the Somali government, which has been involved in the negotiations to release them, and which is desperate for any positive news as it is rattled by daily fighting against al-Qaeda-linked groups.

Regardless of the source of the money, analysts believe that the captors lowered their ransom demand as the Chandlers became a security and financial liability.

"On the one hand, you had Al-Shabab fighters closing in on the captors, and on the other hand, the cost of securing and feeding the Chandlers was mounting," said Ali Omar Ahmed, a maritime security consultant.

"The combination was forcing the captors to get rid of their victims at any cost."

'Ordinary couple'

Before they fell prey into the hands of Somali pirates, the Chandlers have been an ordinary couple living their retirement dreams. Paul is a 60-year-old retired civil engineer, and Rachel is a 57-year-old economist. They sold their house in the UK, and bought the yacht to travel around the world.

"We were an ordinary couple," said Paul in the interview with ITN.

But their ordeal makes them an extraordinary duo: they have survived the longest captivity under Somali pirates (who are holding more than 400 crewmembers for ransom).

While they were not physically tortured (except once when they refused to be split), the Chandlers said the amount of emotional torture subjected to them is wrenching.

"They kept us in solitary confinement for long periods of times," said Paul, who said he has never been separated from his wife for more than few days. The couple have been married for 30 days, and since they do not have children, they said their bond is exceptionally strong.

Dr Hangul, who visited with the couple a few times, said he was impressed by their resilience. The captors tried to break the Chandlers' spirit, he said, "but their strength and character is truly humbling".

'A huge relief'

With the Chandlers' saga coming to a happy end, the local community feels equally relieved.

Mohamed Aden Tiiceey, the governor of the Himan and Heeb administration (the jurisdiction under which the Chandlers were held), said their release "is a huge relief for them, their families and for us".

Tiiceey, who has played a crucial role in facilitating their release, said his administration "spared no effort to secure their release".

While the Chandlers' saga has a good ending, there are hundreds of foreigners held captive by Somali pirates. Security analysts point out that the ransom paid to free the Chandlers will likely embolden the pirates to target Western individuals as they are perceived more lucrative.

A recent UN report said despite increased global effort to combat piracy off the coast of Somalia, pirates have "outpaced" the crackdown.

Meanwhile, the Chandlers are expected to be reunited with family and friends in Britain, where the government has prepared a national homecoming event for them.

Source: Al-Jazeera.
Link: http://english.aljazeera.net//news/africa/2010/11/20101111124312222755.html.

Zoo fire in Germany kills animals, guts elephant building

Sat, 13 Nov 2010

Karlsruhe, Germany - A nighttime fire at a German zoo early Saturday killed 26 animals and gutted an elephant house.

With flames licking through the building, zookeepers managed to free the elephants and hippopotamuses and take them outside the building to safety, police in Karlsruhe, south-west Germany, said.

Help arrived too late to save the goats, sheep, ponies and donkeys in the adjacent petting-zoo section.

Small children are allowed to pat and feed docile domesticated species in the petting area. Karlsruhe Zoo is situated in an inner-city park, close to the city's main railway station.

There was no word on the cause of the fire, which began in wooden huts in the petting-zoo area before spreading to the elephant house.

Firefighters were still struggling after daybreak to put out the blaze. Police said the damage would costs hundreds of thousands of euros to fix.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/353354,animals-guts-elephant-building.html.

Iraq's parliament to discuss allowing former Baathists into cabinet

Sat, 13 Nov 2010

Baghdad - Iraqi lawmakers were set to convene Saturday to discuss an agreement between leaders of political blocs to lift a ban preventing former members of Saddam Hussein's Baath party from participating in the government.

The session will review a deal between leading politicians that lifts a ban on three members of former prime minister Iyad Allawi's Iraqiya List, which has Sunni backing and includes former Baathists.

Iraq's parliament convened Thursday night for just the second time since the March 7 elections and appointed a speaker - Iraqiya List member Osama al-Nujaifi - and then the president, Kurdish politician Jalal Talabani.

Talabani in turn selected Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki for a second term in office.

But the session was marred when al-Maliki's rival, Allawi, led members of his List out of the chamber hall after a disagreement over the ban.

Lawmaker Ahmed al-Oraibi, of al-Maliki's National Alliance, told the German Press Agency dpa that "there was a misunderstanding during Thursday's session, which was dedicated to naming the country's top three posts only," and was "not supposed to tackle any other topic."

"The agreement between the leaders is still in effect and will be discussed in parliament," he said, adding, "There is no need to fear and anger."

One of the three members who were banned earlier this year from running for parliament, because of charges that he was a Baathist, is Saleh al-Mutlaq, believed to be the Iraqiya List's pick for foreign minister.

The heads of parliamentary blocs were scheduled to meet ahead of Saturday's session to discuss the results of meetings held in both Baghdad and the northern Kurdish city of Arbil.

Sources close to Iraqiya List said that Allawi met al-Maliki late on Friday to seek a compromise ahead of the parliamentary session.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/353347,allowing-former-baathists-cabinet.html.

India to launch offensive against rebels in north-east

Sat, 13 Nov 2010

New Delhi - India will launch a military offensive against tribal rebels responsible for killing 24 people in the north-eastern state of Assam, news reports said Saturday.

Federal Home Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram who visited the state Friday, directed security forces to confront the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) with a "strong hand."

"Security forces have been instructed to apprehend NDFB leaders and bring them to justice," Chidambaram was quoted as saying by the Times of India daily. "They deserve exemplary punishment."

There were at least 11 separate attacks over three days since Monday, mostly targeting Hindi-speaking migrants from the eastern state of Bihar, police said.

At least 15 people were injured, five critically.

The NDFB has been fighting for a separate homeland for the Bodo tribe in Assam since 1996.

Police said the group had earlier threatened to eliminate at least 20 Hindis to avenge the killing of a rebel commander by security forces in October.

The government has offered peace talks to NDFB chairman Ranjan Daimary, recently arrested in Bangladesh and handed over to India.

Militants aligned to Daimary on Thursday warned of fresh attacks.

India's volatile north-east is home to more than 200 ethnic groups and has been plagued by insurgency throughout the past half-century.

An estimated 50 militant groups operate in the states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur and Meghalaya. Their demands range from greater autonomy within India to independent homelands.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/353346,launch-offensive-rebels-north-east.html.

Chechen spies said to have operated in Germany

Sat, 13 Nov 2010

Berlin - Spies working for Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov have been operating in Germany, trying to silence exiled dissidents, according to a report in the German magazine Der Spiegel on Saturday.

It said Austrian police reports quoted Chechens in Berlin saying they had been approached by Kadyrov agents. Phone taps also showed that a man with Russian citizenship living in Berlin had made a threatening call to a Chechen exile living in Vienna.

The exiles were reportedly urged to go home to Chechnya. Kadyrov, who has the backing of the Kremlin, has been criticized for human rights breaches in the republic, which is a part of Russia.

Austria began investigating the alleged agents after the killing last year of a Chechen exile Umar Israilov in Vienna. Two alleged gunmen go on trial in Austria next week.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/353379,chechen-spies-operated-germany.html.

Amnesty says world should not be 'fooled' by Suu Kyi released

Sat, 13 Nov 2010

Berlin - Human rights watchdog Amnesty International cautiously welcomed Saturday the release of Myanmar democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi, saying that more than 2,200 other political activists remained imprisoned in the country.

"While Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's release is certainly welcome, it ... is by no means a concession on the part of the authorities," Amnesty said in a statement, adding "the world should not be fooled."

"The fact remains that authorities should never have arrested her or the many other prisoners of conscience in Burma in the first place, locking them out of the political process," the statement said, using an alternative name for Myanmar.

Suu Kyi has spent much of the last 20 years under some form of detention.

Last week, the country held its first elections in 20 years, though they were widely regarded as a sham in the West. The 1990 election results, which saw Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy emerge the winner, were ruled invalid by the governing military.

Amnesty urged influential powers, including China and India, to pressure Myanmar into ending its intolerance towards political dissent. The release of the democracy icon "must not make them forget other prisoners of conscience," the rights group said.

Reports of torture and other ill-treatment in Myanmar prisons are rife, according to rights groups, and the International Committee of the Red Cross has been denied access to prisons there since December 2005.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/353378,fooled-suu-kyi-released.html.

South Africa's Tutu: Suu Kyi is a 'symbol of moral courage'

Sat, 13 Nov 2010

Berlin - Former South African archbishop Desmond Tutu and other leaders affiliated with the Elders organization welcomed Saturday the release from house arrest in Myanmar of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.

Her "release offers hope to the people of Burma," said Tutu - an icon of his country's struggle for democracy and a fellow Nobel Peace Prize laureate - using an alternative name for Myanmar.

"She is a global symbol of moral courage," said the South African leader in a statement released by the Elders.

The organization, founded by South African icon Nelson Mandela, brings together former world leaders to work for peace, and includes Suu Kyi as an honorary member.

Other former leaders affiliated with the group joined Tutu in expressing their delight at Suu Kyi's release, but they also have concerns about renewed violence along the country's border with Thailand, which has created a surge of refugees.

"It is sad to see a country of such great natural wealth that is so fractured and unable to properly protect and care for its people in a way that allows all of them to prosper," said former United States president Jimmy Carter, according to the Elders' statement.

Mary Robinson, a former president of Ireland and a member of the group, also warned that more than 2,000 other people remain in prison in Myanmar on what are said to be political charges.

Suu Kyi has spent 15 out of the last 20 years under some form of detention or house arrest - ever since her party, the National League for Democracy, won the 1990 elections. The results of that vote were ruled invalid by the military, to much international outcry.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/353373,a-symbol-moral-courage.html.

Obama hails Suu Kyi as a 'hero' - Summary

Sat, 13 Nov 2010

Washington - US President Barack Obama welcomed the release Saturday of Myanmar's leading democratic activist, Aung San Suu Kyi, and called for all of the country's political prisoners to be freed.

"She is a hero of mine and a source of inspiration for all who work to advance basic human rights in Burma and around the world," Obama said in a statement while traveling in Japan.

He called the release "long overdue."

Myanmar's junta released Suu Kyi from house arrest almost a week after staging a general election widely criticized as a sham by the international community.

The Southeast Asian country is also known as Burma. Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, has spent 15 of the past 20 years under house arrest. She was locked up after her National League for Democracy party won the 1990 election.

"Whether Aung San Suu Kyi is living in the prison of her house, or the prison of her country, does not change the fact that she, and the political opposition she represents, has been systematically silenced, incarcerated, and deprived of any opportunity to engage in political processes that could change Burma," Obama said.

"It is time for the Burmese regime to release all political prisoners, not just one," he added. "The United States looks forward to the day when all of Burma's people are free from fear and persecution."

Obama in May extended US sanctions on Myanmar that have been in place for years over the regime's repressive policies and the detentions of Suu Kyi and members of the National League for Democracy. His predecessor, George W Bush, had tightened the sanctions.

Bush's wife, Laura, took up Myanmar as one of her personal causes during her years as first lady. She released a statement Saturday calling Suu Kyi the "democratically elected leader" of Myanmar.

"President Bush and I join with those around the world celebrating her freedom and urge for her release to be without condition," she said.

"Suu Kyi's peaceful protest is an example for the strength of nonviolent opposition," she added. "We fervently hope that the day of a free Burma for all its citizens is soon a reality."

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/353394,a-hero-summary.html.

Japan calls Aung San Suu Kyi's release 'a step forward'

Sat, 13 Nov 2010

Yokohama, Japan - Japanese Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara welcomed Saturday the release of Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

The Japanese government "views the release as a step forward, as we had been deeply concerned about the fact that the pro-democracy leader in Myanmar had been under house arrest for many years," Maehara said in a statement.

"We expect the government of Myanmar to take further positive measures in the future to realize improvement of the human rights situation, democratization and national reconciliation," he added.

Kei Nemoto, a professor at Sophia University in Tokyo and expert on the modern history of Myanmar, was giving a lecture to some 30 people when the release was reported.

Nemoto said he is concerned that Suu Kyi may be detained again if she expresses doubts over the legitimacy of last week's general election in the country, Kyodo News reported.

"They released her only because her detention period expired," Nemoto was quoted as saying. "We need to closely watch to what extent her political freedom will be approved."

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/353390,release-a-step-forward.html.

UN chief hails release of Suu Kyi, calls her 'inspiration'

Sat, 13 Nov 2010

New York - United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Saturday praised the release of Myanmar democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi and called for greater freedoms in the Asian country.

"Her dignity and courage in the face of injustice have been an inspiration to many people around the world," including the secretary general himself, a statement from Ban's office said.

It went on to urge Myanmar's ruling military government to ensure that "no further restrictions will be placed on her."

The statement said it was "deeply regrettable" that Suu Kyi was excluded from elections in Myanmar last week. The poll was generally seen as a sham by most Western capitals.

"Democracy and national reconciliation require that all citizens of Myanmar are free to participate as they wish in the political life of their country," Ban said.

Suu Kyi has spent 15 out of the last 20 years under some form of detention or house arrest - ever since her party, the National League for Democracy, won the 1990 elections. The results of that vote were ruled invalid by the military, to much international outcry.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/353386,suu-kyi-calls-inspiration.html.

Switzerland calls for full freedoms for Aung San Suu Kyi

Sat, 13 Nov 2010

Geneva - Switzerland's federal government on Saturday welcomed the release from house arrest of Myanmar democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi and called for all political prisoners in the Asian country to be freed.

"Switzerland now expects her to be granted human and civil rights, including the freedom of expression, association and movement without restriction," a statement from Bern said after Suu Kyi's release.

The Swiss also appealed "for the immediate release of all political prisoners" in Myanmar, noting that there are more than 2,100 such people in the country.

Suu Kyi, who won the 1990 Nobel Peace Prize, has been under some form of detention for 15 of the last 20 years.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/353383,switzerland-calls-for-full-freedoms-for-aung-san-suu-kyi.html.

Merkel relieved at Myanmar's release of Aung San Suu Kyi

Sat, 13 Nov 2010

Berlin - German Chancellor Angela Merkel voiced relief at the release Saturday of Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest.

"Aung San Suu Kyi is a symbol of the worldwide fight to apply human rights," the chancellor said. "Her non-violence and persistence have made her into a much admired example."

Merkel called on the country's junta to free more than 2,000 other political prisoners as well.

Suu Kyi has spent 15 of the past 20 years under house arrest.

Germany's Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said her release was "good, long overdue news."

He said she is entitled to a central role in Myanmar's path to national reconciliation and democracy. He noted that Berlin had repeatedly called for her to be freed.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/353371,aung-san-suu-kyi.html.

World leaders welcome release of Aung San Suu Kyi

Sat, 13 Nov 2010

World leaders welcomed Saturday the release of Myanmar democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest, even as they noted that more than 2,000 political prisoners remain in the country's jails.

The leaders also heaped accolades on Suu Kyi, who has faced severe restrictions by the ruling military government for 15 of the last 20 years, for her role in supporting democracy.

Former South African archbishop Desmond Tutu deemed Suu Kyi, 65, a "global symbol of moral courage." United States President Barack Obama said she was a "hero" and along with United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon called the Myanmar opposition leader an "inspiration."

The US president charged that the Asian country's opposition has been "systematically silenced, incarcerated, and deprived of any opportunity to engage in political processes."

Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, was released to massive cheers from her supporters, who flooded the streets outside her home in the capital Yangon.

European leaders, including European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, were also quick to hail the release and urge greater freedoms in Myanmar.

The country last week held elections for the first time in 20 years, but the results were considered a sham in the West.

"Her detention was a travesty, designed only to silence the voice of the Burmese people," British Prime Minister David Cameron said, calling Suu Kyi "an inspiration for all of us who believe in freedom of speech, democracy and human rights."

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Suu Kyi's "non-violence and persistence have made her into a much admired example." Like neighboring Switzerland, Berlin called for the other political prisoners to also be released.

"The fact remains that authorities should never have arrested her or the many other prisoners of conscience in Burma in the first place," Amnesty International said in a statement, noting that rights abuses are rife in Burmese jails.

In Asia, Thailand and Japan were quick to welcome the release.

"Her release marks another important step in the national reconciliation and democratization process in Myanmar," the Thai Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Japanese Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara said Myanmar should "take further positive measures in the future to realize improvement of the human rights situation, democratization and national reconciliation."

Referring to Myanmar's myriad problems, including deep poverty and a recent revival of violence along its border with Thailand, former US president Jimmy Carter bemoaned the plight of its population.

"It is sad to see a country of such great natural wealth that is so fractured and unable to properly protect and care for its people in a way that allows all of them to prosper," he said.

Suu Kyi has faced constant pressure from the ruling military junta ever since her party, the National League for Democracy, won the 1990 elections.

The results of that vote were ruled invalid by the military, to much international outcry.

"It is important that her release is unconditional, and that this is honored in practice," said Navi Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/353398,aung-san-suu-kyi.html.

Myanmar junta releases Aung San Suu Kyi - Summary

Sat, 13 Nov 2010

Yangon - Myanmar's junta on Saturday released opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest, almost a week after staging a general election widely criticized by the international community for being neither free, fair, nor inclusive.

Suu Kyi appeared briefly outside her house looking happy and relaxed, prompting her elated supporters to break out in a joyous rendition of the national anthem. "Mother, mother," cried one young woman, tears streaming down her face.

"I am very happy to see you all," Suu Kyi told the crowd. "I want to advise you to make noise at the suitable time, not now," she joked.

The Nobel Peace laureate and pro-democracy icon, who has spent 15 of the past 20 years in detention, promised to talk to her supporters at noon on Sunday.

After briefly addressing the crowd she returned to her compound for a meeting with the executive committee of the National League for Democracy (NLD) opposition party, which she leads.

Supporters drifted home in a state of bliss.

"I love her," said one young man. "This is genuine love."

Police cars arrived at Suu Kyi's compound at about 5 pm (1130 GMT) and officials were sent in to deliver her release papers.

Thousands of Suu Kyi supporters, members of the opposition NLD and reporters had waited outside her house-cum-prison in Yangon since Friday in anticipation of her release.

Security personnel did not prevent the crowds from gathering, which is unusual in the military-controlled state.

Suu Kyi was serving an 18-months of house arrest imposed by a criminal court in July 2009 for breaking the terms of her previous incarceration by allowing an uninvited United States national to swim to her lakeside home.

The sentence, which followed other periods of house arrest, expired Saturday.

Suu Kyi, 65, is the daughter of Myanmar independence hero Aung San. Myanmar's junta chief, Senior General Than Shwe, is the only person empowered to order her release.

There were doubts the country's unpredictable generals would grant freedom to Suu Kyi, who continues to pose a threat to their grasp on power which has now been cemented by the results of a general election held on November 7 - the first in two decades.

Initial results from the polls show that the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), the proxy party of the regime, has won by a landslide, albeit through dubious means.

The USDP, packed with ex-military men and government ministers, is set to dominate the next three-chamber parliament when it is set up three months from now, essentially perpetuating the regime rule in a country that has been under military dictatorships since 1962.

"They probably concluded that Suu Kyi is no longer in a position to rock the boat," analyst Maung Zarni said. "But the junta may be overestimating the way things are going."

He said it was highly unlikely that the junta, fresh from its electoral victory, would consider opening a political dialogue with Suu Kyi.

Suu Kyi has the support of western democracies, who have already written off the election results as being neither free, fair nor inclusive. There have been widespread accusations that the USDP tampered with advance votes, bribed and intimidated people into voting for their candidates.

Suu Kyi was barred from participating in the polls because she was under house arrest. Her party, which won the 1990 polls by a landslide but was blocked from power for the past 20 years, decided to boycott last week's vote.

China and Myanmar's South-east Asian neighbors have, in general, accepted the polls as a tentative step forward.

"The junta may be giving China and ASEAN (Association of South- East-Asia Nations) something to work with by releasing Suu Kyi but the West will not be fooled," Zarni opined.

The international community has been calling for her release - along with that of 2,100 other political prisoners languishing in Myanmar jails.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/353384,myanmar-junta-releases-aung-san-suu-kyi--summary.html.

Thousands rally in Spain to protest violence in Western Sahara

Sat, 13 Nov 2010

Madrid/Rabat, Morocco - Several thousand people protested in Madrid on Saturday, accusing the Moroccan government of human rights violations in the former Spanish colony of Western Sahara,

The demonstrators also criticized the Spanish government, saying that because of political and economic considerations, it sat back and did nothing about the violence.

The protesters included actor Javier Bardem, husband of Hollywood star Penelope Cruz, who called on the European Union and the United Nations to intervene over Western Sahara, which was annexed by Morocco 24 years ago.

Moroccan security forces on Monday raided a camp housing some 20,000 people demanding better living conditions near the Western Saharan capital Laayoune.

Clashes in the city itself followed. The Moroccan government has reported that 12 people died, including 10 police officers. Additionally, 163 people were allegedly arrested.

The Western Saharan independence movement Polisario spoke of at least 19 dead, more than 700 injured and more than 150 missing. It accused Moroccan security forces of torture and rape.

"How much horror is actually needed until the international community protects the Saharan people?" Bardem asked.

Politicians from various parties and the leaders of Spain's two largest unions also took part in the rally, which had been called by citizens' groups that support independence for the Western Sahara.

The Spanish government has criticized Morocco's actions, but did not officially condemn them. Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero pointed to the importance of the political and economic relations with its southern neighbor.

Madrid has, however, requested "urgent" information from Morocco on the alleged killing of a Spanish citizen during the clashes. It also called on Rabat to stop hindering the work of foreign reporters.

Several Spanish journalists have in the past few days been deported or prevented from entering the West Sahara, which was annexed by Morocco in 1976, months after Spain abandoned the territory.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/353395,protest-violence-western-sahara.html.

Facebook access restricted for several hours in Saudi Arabia

Sat, 13 Nov 2010

Riyadh - The social-networking website Facebook was restricted in Saudi Arabia for several hours on Saturday, according to users.

Users of the widely-popular Facebook were only able to access the website around sundown.

According to a source at the Telecommunications Agency in Saudi Arabia, the site was restricted most of the day because it did not conform with social values.

Facebook, which has over 200 million active users, was temporarily restricted in Pakistan and Bangladesh earlier this year due to a group on the website that was planning an "Everybody Draw Mohammed Day", which lead to massive demonstrations by people in both Muslim- majority nations.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/353404,facebook-access-restricted-for-several-hours-in-saudi-arabia.html.

Changes made to controversial German book criticizing Muslims

Sat, 13 Nov 2010

Berlin - A best-selling book which criticized Muslim immigrants in Germany has been quietly altered by its author, former central banker Thilo Sarrazin, in the 14th printing, a newspaper said Saturday.

The changes slightly soften some of the statements that especially upset spokesmen for the Islamic community. Sarrazin stepped down from his post on the board of Germany's central bank, the Bundesbank, after the book, Germany Abolishes Itself, caused a furor.

In a story to appear in print Sunday, the newspaper Welt am Sonntag said a sentence claiming migrants from the Middle East were a "genetic minus" for Germany had been completely scrapped.

The words "in the long term" were added to another controversial sentence, "In demographic terms, the enormous fertility of Muslim immigrants poses a threat to the equilibrium of culture and civilization in an aging Europe."

The newspaper said the changes, which also affected a footnote and the dedication of thanks, were evident in a comparison of the September 1st printing with the 14th printing of the book.

Germany's Social Democratic Party (SPD) has begun proceedings to expel Sarrazin, who came to prominence as a finance minister of the state of Berlin. The retired politician made a national speaking tour to promote the book.

He has denied racism or right-wing views and has admitted he is worried that the book might encourage those views.

The book, which urges Germany to set up a selection procedure for immigrants and stop offering social welfare to immigrants who do not work, triggered calls from leading politicians for existing immigrants to quickly learn German and adopt German values.

Chancellor Angela Merkel responded that the idea of multiculturalism had been a failure.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/353407,german-book-criticizing-muslims.html.

French government resigns ahead of reshuffle

Sat, 13 Nov 2010

Paris - The French government stepped down on Saturday, paving the way for a long-awaited cabinet reshuffle by President Nicolas Sarkozy.

The president accepted the government's resignation, effectively ending Prime Minister Francois Fillon's term of office, a statement released on behalf of the premier said.

Analysts said a new head of government would be named Sunday at the earliest.

The reshuffle will be the fourth of Sarkozy's presidency. It was hinted at in the spring after the government's poor showing in regional elections.

The president has seen his popularity decline further over the introduction this month of a pension reform that increases the retirement age by two years.

Analysts said the president was hoping to use the reshuffle to polish his image prior to an expected bid for a second term in presidential elections due in 2012.

Fillon was expected to be asked to head the new government, which is also likely to see former premier Alain Juppe return to the cabinet as defense minister.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/353415,government-resigns-ahead-reshuffle.html.