[Al Jazeera] A senior United Nations ...an international organization whose stated aims of facilitating interational security involves making sure that nobody with live ammo is offended unless it's a civilized country... humanitarian official says the world body is "extremely worried" about the situation in Sudan's South Kordofan region after a leaked report said war crimes may have been committed there.
The leaked UN report, which emerged on Monday, documents eyewitness accounts of suspected atrocities and called for an inquiry into the allegations.
"I think we are all extremely worried about the situation there and the alarming allegations we are hearing of mass graves, disappearances of civilians, targeting of people on an ethnic basis," Valerie Amos, the UN's undersecretary for humanitarian affairs, told Al Jizz.
"It's very important that these allegations are investigated," she said.
Oil-rich South Kordofan borders the newly created nation of South Sudan. It has seen intense fighting in recent months between the Sudan's army and local gangs.
Both sides are accused of targeting civilians, according to the leaked UN report, but it says the government in Khartoum is responsible for some of the worst abuses.
Daffa-Alla Elhaj Ali Osman, the Sudanese ambassador to the UN, told Al Jizz that only anti-government fighters were to blame for the violence.
"I can assure you that there was not a single civilian casualty during those operations which targeted SPLM forces, and there were no casualty reports," he said.
Difficult to investigate
The UN's mandate to be in Sudan expired on July 9, and the government refuses to grant an extension, making it difficult to conduct investigations into the reports of the violence there.
"The Security Council would very much like to know what is happening in South Kordofan and would like us to be able to get in and get help for the people who need it," Amos said.
"It is very hard when you have a sovereign government that is refusing to allow anyone in to investigate what is happening, is refusing to let us have humanitarian workers who operate independently without bias to actually go in and see what is happening, and see whether or not there are people who need our assistance."
The UN had received reports of over 73,000 people being displaced, Amos said.
Another 7,000 people who were seeking health and shelter in front of a UN compound in South Kordofan disappeared, she added. "We don't know where they have gone."
No ceasefire
Amos said it was difficult for a body like the UN to act in a situation where they were unable to use international pressure to persuade the different factions to negotiate.
"If you have a government that is refusing to listen and opposition and other gangs that are not listening either, the ability to make a difference is severly hindered," she told Al Jizz.
Amos added that there had been some negotiations with the Sudanese government, as well as an agreement that was brokered through the African Union. ...a union consisting of 53 African states, most run by dictators of one flavor or another. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established in 2002, the AU is the successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which was even less successful...
Meanwhile, ...back at the pie fight, Bella opened her mouth at precisely the wrong moment... some 4,000 Ethiopian peacekeepers have gained approval to enter South Kordofan, and Amos said the UN was hoping to see them there as quickly as possible.
"But we were not able to get a ceasefire brokered as part of that deal," Amos said.
For six weeks, heavy fighting ... as opposed to the more usual light or sporadic fighting... has raged across the area, between the army and Nuba gangs who fought with the SPLA - the ex-rebel army of the south - during their decades-long conflict with Khartoum.
South Sudan proclaimed formal independence from the north on July 9, and observers say opposition from north Sudan's neglected peripheral regions like Darfur and South Kordofan may grow in the wake of southern secession.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/20/2011 00:00 ||
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The BNP and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami ... a Pakistani catspaw remaining active in Bangla politix, loosely affiliated with the Pak religious party of the same name and closely affiliated with most of the terror organizations in Bangla. A member of the BNP's four party governing coalition.... will stage demonstration across the country on July 23 protesting deleting 'absolute trust and faith on Allah' from the country's charter, reinstatement of secularism and socialism and abolishing the caretaker government system.
The two major political allies announced the programme from separate press briefing on Tuesday at their offices in the city's Naya Paltan and Moghbazar respectively.
Announcing the programme, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, BNP acting secretary general said, the procession will be brought out from the BNP central office at Naya Paltan at 3:00pm.
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia Three-term PM of Bangla, widow of deceased dictator Ziaur Rahman, head of the Bangla Nationalist Party, an apparent magnet for corruption ... , also leader of the opposition, is likely to lead the procession.
Fakhrul reiterated his party demand for scrapping of the 15th amendment to the constitution that abolished the provision of caretaker government.
BNP is also protesting issuance of arrest warrant against BNP senior vice chairman Tarique Rahman and police assault of Opposition Chief Whip Zainal Abdin Farroque.
Briefing news hounds at Jamaat office, ATM Azharul Islam, acting secretary general of Jamaat, said his party will not accept any parliamentary polls held under political government.
He also demanded release of its top five leaders, including Ameer Matiur Rahman Nizami, who are now behind the bars on charge of committing crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War.
Earlier on July 6 and 7, the BNP-Jamaat-led four-party alliance enforced a 48-hour countrywide hartal ... a peculiarly Bangla combination of a general strike and a riot, used by both major political groups in lieu of actual governance ... protesting the passage of the constitution 15th amendment that scrapped the caretaker government system.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/20/2011 00:00 ||
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A little background: My son in law got me involved in modern shooters like Call of Duty 6: Modern Warfare 2. When I read last fall about this new game, the La Polaka article also reminded its readers that then governor of Chihuahua Jose Reyes Baeza Terrazas, a real Mexican aristocrat, declared Ubisoft game Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter 2 illegal in Chihuahua in 2007, I knew I had to have that game. On to TFA:
Despite the opposition of the Chihuahua, this week will be released a game that virtually recreates the clashes between gunmen and U.S. agents in Juarez, including police in Los Angeles, California.
The French company Ubisoft announced that The Call of Juarez, The Cartel, in the version for the PlayStation 3, will be released on Friday, July 22nd.
Minister of Strategic Affairs Moshe Ya'alon said on Wednesday that Turkey's insistence on an Israeli apology for last year's Gaza flotilla raid does not allow reconciliation talk to progress, Israel Radio reported.Â
In an interview on the Reshet Bet radio program "This morning", Minister Ya'alon said that Ankara continues to demand an apology, payment of reparations to victims, and the removal of the Gaza blockade, which even the United Nations has authorized as legal.
Israel and Turkey have been holding reconciliation talks for a few weeks trying to end the diplomatic crisis resulting from last year's Gaza flotilla raid.
Posted by: Barbara ||
07/20/2011 13:29 Comments ||
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#6
Turkey needs to apologize to everybody who ever worked for or had stock in Motorola and Nokia. Reason they protect one of their leading families who robbed both companies. There are World Court, US Court and other court orders on the massive robbery and not a word in over a Decade from the scum in Turkey!
Posted by: Water Modem ||
07/20/2011 15:39 Comments ||
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#7
I wonder, how do you say "apologize to US and then go screw yourself" in Turkish?
All I know how to say in Turkish is "another beer, please".
("Ikki birra daha, lutfen.")
Posted by: Rob Crawford ||
07/20/2011 15:52 Comments ||
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#8
All I know how to say in Turkish is "another beer, please".
What did you do if there was no one there to buy the first one, Rob?
Summary: arrested Pakistani-American Syed Ghulam Nabi Fai was given over half a million dollars annually by the Pakistani government to donate to American politicians. He donated money to both Democrats and Republicans. He headed the Kashmir American Council, really a front for the ISI, and one of three -- the other two are in London and Brussels. Dr. Fai is charged with being an unregistered foreign agent, and is being held without bail. A second Pakistani-American named in the indictment is somewhere in Pakistan.
#1
"major Pakistan influence-buying spy ring in U.S."
As opposed to the usual home-grown influence-buying rings operating here. >:-(
Posted by: Barbara ||
07/20/2011 13:58 Comments ||
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#2
This has long puzzled foreigners. They come to the US to talk to congressmen, and before they can even see them, they have to kick down to seemingly unrelated PACs and other groups.
Eventually, someone tells them how to funnel money to their campaigns through gray area contributions, and when they have done so, they finally get to talk to the congressman.
"Americans always whine about our corruption. But ours is simple and straightforward and honest. Theirs requires too much paperwork, and you are never sure that you are bribing who you think you are bribing."
[Dawn] A Pak navy drone crashed near an oil refinery after hitting a bird in the country's largest city of Bloody Karachi on Tuesday, the navy said.
"A Pakistain Navy UAV crashed after a bird hit it. It fell near an oil refinery and there was no (other) damage," Commodore Irfan Ul Haq, front man Pakistain Navy told AFP in Islamabad.
Fellow navy front man Commander Salman Ali told AFP that there were no casualties and that the drone had been on a surveillance flight when a bird accidentally flew into the aircraft and it came down in the Bloody Karachi suburbs.
Pakistain is developing its own drone technology for surveillance and reconnaissance missions because the United States, which is running a bombing campaign with drones in the country's northwest, refuses to give Pakistain the technology. Two companies in Islamabad, Satuma and East West Infiniti, make drones for the Pak military. It is not known if the crashed drone belonged to either company.
It was the third aircraft crash in Bloody Karachi in eight months.
On November 28, seven Ukrainians and a Georgian were killed when their Ilyushin IL-76 cargo plane crashed seconds after taking off from Bloody Karachi for Khartoum. Four labourers on the ground were also killed.
It crashed into buildings under construction in the Dalmai neighbourhood, where the Pakistain Air Force and Navy have residential apartments and offices close to Jinnah International airport.
On November 5, a US-manufactured Beech 1900C also crashed after take off, killing all 21 people on board. The aircraft was operated by local company JS Air and had been carrying staff from an Italian oil company to an oil field in Sindh.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/20/2011 00:00 ||
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#1
Yokay, I'll say it - STOP THAT PIGEON, STOP THAT PIGEON, STOP THAT PIGEON NOW!
[Dawn] The Election Commission of Pakistain on Tuesday registered former military ruler General (r) Pervez Perv Musharraf's ... former dictator of Pakistain, who was less dictatorial and corrupt than any Pak civilian government to date ... All Pakistain Mohammedan League (APML) after a delay of over one year owing to legal challenges.
Musharraf had launched the APML in October last year in United Kingdom. He had recently announced that his party will participate in 2013 general elections.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/20/2011 00:00 ||
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#1
The good general was the interviewee on Comedy
Central's "The Daily Show" last night, much to the perplexity of all involved.
While Pakistan has allowed 87 CIA agents back in, it still refuses to release doctor Shakil Afridi, who was arrested for allegedly helping collect information before the raid that killed Osama bin Laden last May. The Pakistanis are demanding a bribe for Afridi's release.
Always have their hand out, don't they...
Meanwhile, Pakistan (especially the ISI) has agreed to improve cooperation with the CIA in fighting Islamic terrorism. In return, the United States will restore $800 million in aid. But there will be more auditing of the aid, and disputing items that indicate corruption (Pakistani officials trying to steal the money.)
[An Nahar] The head of the Loyalty to the Resistance That'd be the Hezbullies, natch... bloc MP Mohammed Raad stated on Tuesday that the government advocated the "equation of victory of the army, people, and Resistance."
He added: "The enemy and its masters want to target the Resistance because it represents what is left of dignity in this world."
Furthermore, he demanded that cooperation with the Special Tribunal for Leb be halted because it is targeting the Resistance.
"The Resistance has presented its victories to all the Lebanese regardless of their political and sectarian affiliations," he stressed.
"When we were combating the Israeli danger, we weren't doing so on behalf of a sect or party, but were doing so on behalf of the entire country and Ummah," Raad declared.
On the developments in Syria, the MP said: "Real change can be achieved by the people without foreign meddling ... the developments in Syria don't fall under the movement of change."
Hizbullah has accused the STL of being an American-Israeli product aimed at destroying the party.
It had announced that it would reject its findings and not cooperate with it.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/20/2011 00:00 ||
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[An Nahar] The Mustaqbal ... the Future Movement, political party led by Saad Hariri... bloc welcomed on Tuesday President Michel Suleiman's desire to call the different political parties to resume the national dialogue.
It said in a statement after its weekly meeting headed by former Premier Fouad Saniora: "In order for the dialogue to be successful, Hizbullah's arms must be the only issue on its agenda."
It added that a deadline should be set in order for the dialogue's agreements to be implemented.
Furthermore, it demanded that the Arab League ...an organization of Arabic-speaking states with 22 member countries and four observers. The League tries to achieve Arab consensus on issues, which usually leaves them doing nothing but a bit of grimacing and mustache cursing... also participate at the talks.
The national dialogue was launched in 2006, bringing together the dispute Lebanese parties in order to tackle pending issues in Leb.
The talks were interrupted however by the eruption of the July 2006 war.
The Mustaqbal bloc also addressed last week's release of the seven kidnapped Estonians, noting that they were freed without the knowledge of the Lebanese authorities.
"They were released without the people finding out who kidnapped them and how," it pointed out.
"The government is therefore required to answer these questions clearly and honestly seeing as it is responsible before all the Lebanese unless, God forbid, it had nothing to do with the Estonians' release, which could be interpreted as a sign that it was complicit with the crime," the statement added.
The seven Estonians were kidnapped in Leb in March soon after they arrived in the country from Syria.
They were held captive for four months until their release on July 14.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/20/2011 00:00 ||
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#1
UNO STL
versus
* WAFF > POSTER OPED = SEVEN REASONS WHY IRAN'S [all-but-absolutely-guaranteed future] NUCLEAR WARHEAD MISSLES ARE ALL PROGRAMMED TO HIT HAIFA.
ARTIC = Besides being an Israeli target by virtue of just being Israeli, Poster claims Haifa is ...
> Center for the World BAHAI FAITH.
> City is next to VALUABLE LEBAN-ISRAELI DISPUTED OIL FIELDS which Iran (1) would like econ access to [read, CONTROL]; or in the altern (2) destroy in case of major war agz Israel.
> Homeport for Israel's Nuclear-armed Submarines which can be used to strike Iran [+ Hezbollah in Lebanon].
> Location of one of two MAJOR ISRAELI NUCPLANTS [Hakishon]SUPPLYING NUCENERGY TO ENTIRE COUNTRY.
> Already a LONG-STANDING FAVORITE TARGET FOR ROCKET, OTHER TERROR ATTACKS BY IRAN PROXY HEZBOLLAH.
And IMO perhaps the greatest reason of all, Haifa is the hometown of "KISS" BAND MEMBER GENE SIMMONS, guitarist extraordinaire' + self-proclaimed studly master lover, bedder of 000's of women.
[Emirates 24/7] Iran on Tuesday declared that the "innocence" would be proved of its nationals accused of the 1994 bombing that levelled a Jewish charity building in Argentina and killed 85 people.
"If in fair conditions and within legal procedures a serious effort is made to shed light on this action, the error in this case and the attempt by some to implicate some citizens of our country will become known and the innocence of our nationals will be proven," Iranian foreign ministry front man Ramin Mehmanparast told news hounds.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/20/2011 00:00 ||
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#1
oh well then, that settles it
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/20/2011 10:03 Comments ||
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A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
Khaleda Zia
Minister of Strategic Affairs Moshe Ya'alon said on Wednesday that Turkey's insistence on an Israeli apology for last year's Gaza flotilla raid does not allow reconciliation talk to progress, Israel Radio reported. 
Pervez 
