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’46 dead’ as protests over Bangladesh war crimes verdict reach a third day

02 Saturday Mar 2013

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TEMPLATE REPORT

Three people have been killed in Bangladesh after demonstrators protesting against the death sentence on an Islamist party leader clashed with police for a third day running.

Delwar Hossain Sayeedi was sentenced on Thursday on charges including murder, rape and torture during the war of independence in 1971.

Since then, at least 46 people have died in riots across the country.

Mr Sayeedi’s Jamaat-e-Islami party says the tribunal is politically motivated.

Mr Sayeedi is the third defendant to be convicted by the tribunal, which was set up in 2010 by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government to deal with those accused of collaborating with Pakistani forces who attempted to stop East Pakistan (as Bangladesh was then) from becoming an independent country.

Earlier this month, another Jamaat leader, Abdul Kader Mullah, was sentenced to life for crimes against humanity.

In January, former party leader Abul Kalam Azad was found guilty in absentia of eight charges of crimes against humanity and sentenced to death.

The tribunal is trying a total of nine Jamaat leaders and two members of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).

Human rights groups have said the tribunal falls short of international standards.

Jamaat is an ally of the BNP, which is led by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia.

Ms Zia says the war crimes trials are politically motivated to target the opposition. The government has denied the allegation.

Jamaat and Ms Zia’s party have called for a three-day nationwide general strike starting Sunday.

Posted by | Filed under Asia 🌐, Crime 🔪 🔫, International News, Politics 💼 🗳 🪖

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🪖 Two Afghan boys ‘killed in Nato airstrike’ 🇦🇫

02 Saturday Mar 2013

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TEMPLATE REPORT

Two brothers who were out collecting firewood with their donkeys have been killed during an air strike from a Nato helicopter.

The new American commander in Afghanistan, Gen. Joseph F. Dunford said the killings were an accident. “I offer my personal apology and condolences to the family of the boys who were killed,” General Dunford said. “We take full responsibility for this tragedy.”

The victims – Toor Jan, 11, and Andul Wodood, 12 –  had been walking behind their donkeys in the Shahed-e-Hasas district of Oruzgan Province when the helicopter fired on them, according to Afghan officials in the district. The two donkeys were killed as well.

General Dunford said that coalition forces had opened fire on what they thought were insurgent forces, and killed the boys by accident.

There was some disagreement about the presence of Taliban in the area and about the details of the episode.

Haji Mohammad Esmail, head of the district shura or council, said the area was “fully under government control,” and that “we haven’t seen any engagement in the area and nor is the area threatened by the Taliban.”

This is the second airstrike to kill civilians since General Dunford assumed command in February –  In Kunar Province in eastern Afghanistan, up to 11 civilians were killed, including 5 children, when airstrikes were used to destroy two homes.

Posted by | Filed under International News

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Arsene Wenger (Should he stay or should he go..part two)

27 Wednesday Feb 2013

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arsene wengerTEMPLATE ANALYSIS

Arsenal are fifth in the Premiership, four points behind third placed Spurs and two behind Chelsea. Neither of these two sides are better teams than Arsene Wenger’s men – but can that be said of the Manchester sides that sit in first and second place? And there is the root of the problem, for the manager who once set the standard finds himself playing catch up by a long way.

In Europe, they were taken apart by a clinical Bayern Munich side that made it look ridiculous easy despite being away from home.

Theo Walcott who recently secured another highly lucrative contract is still a yard short when he comes up against world-class opposition.

Nothing new in seeing Premiership sides fail in the Champion’s League – all  English sides have struggled in Europe, even Chelsea’s victory last season was more down to luck than their superior football skills.

But if the board at Arsenal are serious about a replacement – then there needs to be credible alternative.

Celtic’s Neil Lennon wouldn’t be a bad choice – his Celtic team failed against AC Milan because of a lack of word class firepower up front – something a rich club like the one based at the Emirates would be happy to oblige him with.

Of course, even now with Arsenal twenty-one points behind Manchester United in the Premier League and a humiliating FA Cup defeat to Championship side Blackburn Rovers behind them, no one is seriously talking about letting go of the great man.

And that’s that.

Posted by | Filed under Analysis 🙌, Breaking News 📺 🎙🗞, Comment, Football ⚽️, Sport 🏏 🎾 ⚽️, UK

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Supreme Court orders arrest of Pakistan PM

15 Tuesday Jan 2013

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TEMPLATE REPORT

Pakistan’s Supreme Court has ordered the arrest of PM Raja Pervez Ashraf and 15 others over corruption allegations, as a populist cleric led thousands of protesters in Islamabad, demanding that the government resign.

Mr Ashraf denies accepting bribes when approving power generation projects as minister for water and power in 2010.There was a mood of mass euphoria as the news of the court’s order by Giant Savings” href=”#”>reached demonstrators, led by Tahirul Qadri.

The cleric has said he wants the military and judiciary to be involved in installing a caretaker government to oversee the forthcoming elections Some jumped for joy and others hugged, some crying.

The Supreme Court order says the prime minister and the others should be arrested and produced before court within 24 hours.

There was no immediate statement from the government following the arrest order. President Asif Zardari was holding a meeting of leading figures in the ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) in Karachi, according to state broadcaster PTV.

Mr Ashraf is set to lead the party into general elections due in May. Most observers say they expect the balance of power in the forthcoming parliamentary polls to broadly stay the same unless turnout is high, which could allow minor parties to by Giant Savings” href=”#”>translate popular support into seats.

Mr Ashraf has long been a senior figure in the PPP, and has twice been a minister in the government which has been in power since 2008.

Posted by | Filed under International News

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French Troops fighting Islamists in Mali

11 Friday Jan 2013

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TEMPLATE REPORT

French troops are taking part in operations against Islamists in northern Mali, Francois Hollande has confirmed.

“Mali is facing an assault by terrorist elements coming from the north whose brutality and fanaticism is known across the world,” the French president said. He said Mali’s existence as a state was under threat, and referred to the need to protect its own population and 6,000 French citizens living there. France ruled Mali as a colony until 1960.

The French President said the intervention complied with international law, and had been agreed with Malian President Dioncounda Traore. A state of emergency has been declared across the country.

Mr Traore used a televised by Giant Savings” href=”#”>address on Friday to call on Malians to unite to “free every inch” of the country.

He said he was to by Giant Savings” href=”#”>launch a “powerful and massive riposte against our enemies” after he “called for and obtained France’s air support within the framework of the international legality”.

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said the aim of the operation was to stop Islamist militants advancing any further.

“We need to stop the terrorists’ breakthrough, otherwise the whole of Mali will fall into their hands threatening all of Africa, and even Europe,”

The UN had previously approved plans to send some 3,000 African troops to Mali to recapture the north if no political solution could be found, but that intervention was not expected to happen until September.

Late on Thursday, an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council called for the rapid deployment of an African-led force.

The EU also said it would support the rapid deployment of an African-led mission and speed up preparations for a military training mission

Posted by | Filed under Africa 🗺, Arab World 🌎, Crime 🔪 🔫, France, International News, Politics 💼 🗳 🪖, Terrorism

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City are back, but United are still six points clear

17 Monday Dec 2012

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TEMPLATE COMMENTARY

Saturday, December 15, 2012 marked a turning point in Manchester City’s fortunes. You would have never guessed it, ten minutes into their game with Newcastle though. For until then, Roberto Mancini’s men – reeling from a humiliating exit from the European Champion’s League and now six points behind their rivals following that deflected goal from Robin Van Persie last Saturday – were being run around St James Park.  That is until a Aguero goal turned the game on its head. Mancini learned from his mistake in the Manchester Derby, namely not teaming Carlos Tevez with Sergio Aguero, who along with David Silva, Yaha Toure et al gelled into a world-class team – the team that should have been playing the Corinthians on Sunday for the title of World Club Champions.

At half time it was only 2-0 to the Champions – it should have been far more and although Demba Ba stole a goal early in the second half, the result was never really in doubt. City still look frail when a team gets at them, however that is more than compensated by their attacking prowess.

United’s response was a 3-1 defeat of Martin O Neil’s struggling Sunderland side, although the margin of the win flattered Alex Ferguson’s men who continue to play their old trick of being top without actually having the performances behind them to merit their position.

Posted by | Filed under Analysis 🙌, Breaking News 📺 🎙🗞, Comment, Football ⚽️, Sport 🏏 🎾 ⚽️, UK

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North Korea launches a Rocket

12 Wednesday Dec 2012

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TEMPLATE REPORT

The UN by Giant Savings” href=”#”>Security Council is meeting in emergency session to discuss the launch by North Korea of a long-range rocket.

A statement is expected to be issued within hours and western diplomats have said they would like this to be followed by a resolution in the coming days. However, the strength of any such resolution depends on China, which has expressed “regret” at North Korea’s action, but also urged restraint on any counter measures.

The Unha-3 rocket, launched at 09:49 local time (00:49 GMT), appears to have followed its planned trajectory, with stages falling in expected areas.

The news of the rocket launch was announced on state TV, with people in Pyongyang saying it gave them “great pride”

North Korea says a satellite has been placed in orbit; the US confirmed an object had been put into space.

US National Security Council spokesman, Tommy Vietor, said: “This action is yet another example of North Korea’s pattern of irresponsible behaviour. Given this current threat to regional security, the United States will strengthen and increase our close coordination with allies and partners.

“The international community must work in a concerted fashion to send North Korea a clear message that its violations of UN Security Council resolutions have consequences.”

The launch comes a week ahead of the South Korean presidential election and roughly a year after the death of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, on 17 December 2011.

The three-stage rocket blasted off from a site on North Korea’s west coast.

“The launch of the second version of our Kwangmyongsong-3 [Unha-3] satellite from the Sohae Space Centre… on December 12 was successful,” state news agency KCNA said. “The satellite has entered the orbit as planned.”

The rocket had been scheduled to pass between the Korean peninsula and China, with a second stage coming down off the Philippines.

China’s Xinhua news agency published a commentary a few hours after the launch and defended North Korea’s “right to conduct peaceful exploration” of outer space.

Posted by | Filed under International News

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Palestine, UN General Assembly, 29 November 2012

30 Friday Nov 2012

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TEMPLATE REPORT

On 29 November 2012, the United Nations General Assembly voted to upgrade the status of the Palestinians to that of a “non-member state”.

The General Assembly voted by 138-9 to recognise the Palestinians as a non-member observer state, with 41 states abstaining.

The Palestinians can now take part in UN debates and potentially join bodies like the International Criminal Court (ICC). It follows a failed bid to join the international body as a full member state in 2011 because it had to be approved by the 15-member UN Security Council.

In the face of strong lobbying by Israel’s close ally, the United States, it could not secure the nine votes it would have required, and as a permanent member of the council, the US was expected to use its veto power to stop the bid.

Israel to build 3,000 new settler homes Click here

Israel disappointed by margin of UN defeat. Click here

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JR is Dead (this time its for real…)

24 Saturday Nov 2012

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Larry Hagman, known to millions around the world as oil baron JR Ewing, has died at the age of 81 following a battle with cancer and cirrhosis.

“Larry was back in his beloved Dallas, re-enacting the iconic role he loved most,” said his family in a statement. “He was surrounded by by Giant Savings” href=”#”>loved ones.”

Long-time friend Linda Gray, who played Sue Ellen, was by his bedside, when he died on Friday.

“Larry Hagman was my best friend for 35 years,” said Ms Gray in a statement released by her agent.

“He was the Pied Piper of life and brought joy to everyone he knew. He was creative, generous, funny, loving and talented and I will by Giant Savings” href=”#”>miss him enormously.

“He was an original and lived life to the full.”

Original cast member Victoria Principal, who played Pam Ewing, said Hagman had been “bigger than life, on-screen and off”.

“He is unforgettable, and irreplaceable, to millions of fans around the world, and in the hearts of each of us, who was lucky enough to know and love him.”

During 13 years as the most scheming oil tycoon in Dallas, JR in his Stetson became one of the most distinctive faces on television screens across the world.

It quickly became one of the network’s top-rated by Giant Savings” href=”#”>programmes – with its 356 episodes being seen by an estimated 300 million people in 57 countries – and was revived this year.

Born in Texas, Hagman later moved to Los Angeles where he was cared for mainly by his grandmother.

After a brief period spent working in the fields, Hagman followed his mother – stage and screen actress Mary Martin – into showbusiness and even toured and played in musicals with her.

Moving into television, he played astronaut Tony Nelson in the 1960s television comedy I Dream of Jeannie.

Hagman reportedly owned more than 2,000 cowboy hats

He first performed as JR Ewing in 1978 and became its highest-paid star, as the programme came to define 1980s excess.

The actor himself owned more than 2,000 cowboy hats, his character’s trademark.

When Dallas finally finished in 1991, Hagman went on to appear in hit films Nixon and Primary Colors.

Posted by | Filed under Analysis 🙌, Comment, Entertainment 🎬, Media 📷, Television 📺, USA 🇺🇸

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