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Syrian Army Establishes Control over Hasaka, near Palmyra
Today's Headlines
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-Land of the Free
In Kunduz Abdullah Criticizes Security Leadership, Former Government
[Tolo News] Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah
... the former foreign minister of the Northern Alliance government, advisor to Masood, and candidate for president against Karzai. Dr. Abdullah was born in Kabul and is half Tadjik and half Pashtun...
on Tuesday visited northern Kunduz province to meet with local leaders and assure residents that their mounting security and governance problems will soon be addressed.

During his speech, Abdullah acknowledged that the central government leadership had not fully gauged the extent to which security, rule of law and public services had deteriorated in Kunduz.

"I confess that I was unclear about the status of Kunduz, with its insecurity and lack of public services," Abdullah said. "But I tell you here now that President Ghani and I are committed to serving you. I am telling you honestly that this situation is unacceptable for us," he added.

While Abdullah praised the sacrifices made by members of the security forces, who have faced some of the fiercest fighting with gunnies in Kunduz in recent months, he also criticized provincial security leaders, saying that if the forces were better mobilized and led the right way, then the security situation in the province and in the country as a whole would improve.

"After this I will talk with defense and security officials and raise the issue in the security council, so that the shortages are addressed and the existing opportunities and capacities are utilized correctly," Abdullah said.

In addition to pointing blame at the leadership of security forces in the province, Abdullah also suggested the problems currently faced by Kunduz are tied back to neglectful policies on the part of the previous government, led by former president Hamid Maybe I'll join the Taliban Karzai
... A former Baltimore restaurateur, now 12th and current President of Afghanistan, displacing the legitimate president Rabbani in December 2004. He was installed as the dominant political figure after the removal of the Taliban regime in late 2001 in a vain attempt to put a Pashtun face on the successor state to the Taliban. After the 2004 presidential election, he was declared president regardless of what the actual vote count was. He won a second, even more dubious, five-year-term after the 2009 presidential election. His grip on reality has been slipping steadily since around 2007, probably from heavy drug use...
.

"Part of the problems are from the past nine months, which we are responsible for, but the negligence of the pervious government - we are not responsible for that," Abdullah said. "Commanders came here and honestly served the people and bit the dust in serving the people and the country, but these commanders were blamed in Kabul
...the capital of Afghanistan. Home to continuous fighting from 1992 to 1996 between the forces of would-be strongman and Pak ISI/Jamaat-e-Islami sock puppet Gulbuddin Hekmayar and the Northern Alliance, a period which won Hek the title Most Evil Man in the World and didn't do much for the reputations of the Northern Alliance guys either....
for committing a genocide in Kunduz," Abdullah added.

This is the first visit Abdullah has made to Kunduz since becoming the Chief Executive Officer of the national unity government. Previously, he visited the province during the 2014 presidential election.
Posted by: Fred || 07/09/2015 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


Afghanistan
Parliament Rejects Afghanistan's First Female Supreme Court Nominee
[Tolo News] The Wolesi Jirga (Lower House of Parliament) on Wednesday rejected Anisa Rassouli as a member of the Supreme Court's High Council -- if approved; she would be the first female judge in the Supreme Court in the country's recent history.

Rassouli got 88 votes in her favor as she required 94 votes to get approved as a senior judge in the Supreme Court.

She was introduced to the Parliament about two weeks ago after President Ashraf Ghani
...former chancellor of Kabul University, now president of Afghanistan. Before returning to Afghanistan in 2002 he was a scholar of political science and anthropology. He worked at the World Bank working on international development assistance. As Finance Minister of Afghanistan between July 2002 and December 2004, he led Afghanistan's attempted economic recovery until the Karzais stole all the money. ..
during last year's election campaign promised to appoint a female judge to the Supreme Court.

Meanwhile,
...back at the comedy club, Boogie sadly admitted that he was a better peeping Tom than he was a comedian...
the Parliament approved Khalilullah Sediq as the governor of Central Bank and Sayed Yousuf Halim as a member of Supreme Court.

Sediq obtained 100 votes and Halim received 103 votes from a total of 187 MPs present at the voting day.

Before the voting process started, Halim while presenting his future plan promised to the politicians to ensure justice, fight corruption and introduce new strategies to the country's judicial system.

"I will miss no opportunity to implement my plans," he said, emphasizing on a broad judicial reform.

Pointing to the Kabul
...the capital of Afghanistan. Home to continuous fighting from 1992 to 1996 between the forces of would-be strongman and Pak ISI/Jamaat-e-Islami sock puppet Gulbuddin Hekmayar and the Northern Alliance, a period which won Hek the title Most Evil Man in the World and didn't do much for the reputations of the Northern Alliance guys either....
Bank crises, the new central bank governor promised to introduce new strategies to avoid any further banking crises in the country and appreciate the value of Afghani currency.

This comes as earlier this week, the Wolesi Jirga also rejected Masoom Stanekzai as the minister of defense. He got only 84 votes out of 107 required.
Posted by: Fred || 07/09/2015 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  We have a female Supreme Court justice or two that we could provide on permanent loan...
Posted by: Pappy || 07/09/2015 12:22 Comments || Top||


Balkh becomes northern haven for Afghan refugees
[RFE/RL] Tens of thousands of Afghans have fled their homes in northern Afghanistan in the face of a fierce offensive by the Taliban. Many have sought refuge in Balkh Province, the last oasis of relative peace in the region.

Governor Atta Mohammad Noor, a powerful former warlord, has run the province with an iron fist for the past 12 years, making the it one of the most stable and prosperous in the country. Balkh's stability has also been a major focus of NATO forces, due to its strategic location.

Migration officials estimate the number of internally displaced persons in Balkh to be as high as 20,000.

Taliban fighters conducted a major spring offensive in northern Afghanistan, which had been relatively stable compared with the south and east of the country. But now, battles are raging across the area.
Even Balkh has not been shielded from the increasing violence.

In several districts, the Taliban is waging war with Afghan soldiers and pro-government militias, causing residents to flee to Mazar-e Sharif and its surrounding areas.

Agha Jan, an elderly farmer from Chimtal district, said, "So many of our people were killed and taken. We had to leave our area. Eighteen people were killed by the Taliban in our village alone."

Jan says they were not only being targeted by the Taliban, but were also being preyed upon by pro-government militias. He said, "During the day, the Taliban would beat us up and ransack our homes. During the night, it was the militias' turn."
Posted by: ryuge || 07/09/2015 00:00 || Comments || Link || [4 views] Top|| File under: Taliban


Africa Horn
MSDF extends anti-piracy mission off Somalia
The government on Tuesday added another year to the Maritime Self-Defense Force mission to protect commercial vessels from pirate attacks off Somalia. The sixth extension of the operation, which began in 2009, is to help ensure the security of the important sea lane off East Africa under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s policy of making proactive contributions to maintaining international peace and stability.

The mission will remain composed chiefly of two MSDF escort vessels and two P-3C patrol aircraft, involving about 600 personnel.

Japan joined multinational anti-piracy operations led by the United States and Britain in December 2013, and this May sent a senior MSDF officer to command the multinational force for the first time.
Posted by: Steve White || 07/09/2015 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


Arabia
Saudi's Mohammad Bin Salman Visits US Warship in Gulf
[ALMANAR.LB] A US aircraft carrier in the Gulf hosted Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, official media said on Wednesday.

Mohammed bin Salman, who is also defense minister, boarded the USS Theodore Roosevelt which is operating in Gulf waters, the Saudi Press Agency said.

"The visit comes in response to an invitation by the US Department of Defense," it said, adding that Salman was briefed on the carrier's weapons and operations.

The ship is operating in the area of the US Navy's Fifth Fleet, which is based in Soddy Arabia
...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. When the oil runs out the rest of the world is going to kick sand in the Soddy national face...
's neighbor Bahrain.
Posted by: Fred || 07/09/2015 00:00 || Comments || Link || [5 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Saudi Arabia

#1  note that they don't say which Gulf

most published maps call it the 'Persian Gulf' but the Saudis call it the 'Arabian Gulf'
Posted by: lord garth || 07/09/2015 17:51 Comments || Top||


Humanitarian Truce Expected in Yemen within Hours: Reports
[ALMANAR.LB] The Saudi Al-Arabiya news network quoted on Wednesday a source in the Yemeni government as confirming that new humanitarian pause is expected in the country within the next hours.

Well-informed Yemeni political sources had expected earlier that the new humanitarian truce
..The purposes of a truce are twofold: 1.) bring up more arms, ammunition, and reinforcements; and 2.) get the enemy to relax his vigilance. A truce is not the same thing as a ceasefire, and a ceasefire doesn't mean you have to stop shooting...
would start on Friday.

In the meantime, a diplomatic official said that the runaway Yemeni President Abedrabbu Mansour Hadi will send a letter to the United Nations
...where theory meets practice and practice loses...
Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, expressing his readiness to initiate a 10-day humanitarian truce, starting from the last five days of the holy month of Ramadan till the first five days of Shawwal hijri month, under the condition that Hadi will have the exclusive right to declare it.
Posted by: Fred || 07/09/2015 00:00 || Comments || Link || [7 views] Top|| File under: Houthis

#1  I thought there was an automatic cease-fire for the whole month of Ramadan.

Unless, of course, someone on the other side violates it.
Posted by: Bobby || 07/09/2015 9:54 Comments || Top||

#2  Nahhhh - you get Double Mo Points™ for kills during Ramadan
Posted by: Frank G || 07/09/2015 10:05 Comments || Top||

#3  What? Does the losing side need resupply/reinforcements?
Posted by: Lowspark || 07/09/2015 12:21 Comments || Top||

#4  Does the losing side need resupply/reinforcements?


Isn't that one definition of losing?
Posted by: trailing wife || 07/09/2015 19:13 Comments || Top||


UN Accuses All Sides in Yemen Conflict of Abuses
[ALMANAR.LB] The United Nations
...an organization originally established to war on dictatorships which was promptly infiltrated by dictatorships and is now held in thrall to dictatorships...
expressed "deep concerns" on Tuesday about worsening violence in Yemen
...an area of the Arabian Peninsula sometimes mistaken for a country. It is populated by more antagonistic tribes and factions than you can keep track of. Except for a tiny handfull of Jews everthing there is very Islamic...
as the civilian corpse count in recent fighting passes 1,500.

New data released by the UN on Tuesday also says that 92 civilians, including 18 women and 18 children, have been killed in the last two weeks.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights' spokeswoman, Cecile Pouilly, told news hounds in Geneva on Tuesday that over 3,600 civilians had also been injured in festivities.

On March 25, Soddy Arabia
...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. When the oil runs out the rest of the world is going to kick sand in the Soddy national face...
and its Arab and western allies began an extensive air campaign targeting the Yemeni people across the country.

Despite pressure from the UN and the international community for a cease-fire agreement during Ramadan, violence has continued.

"Over one million civilians have been internally displaced or have sought refuge in neighboring countries since the conflict began," Pouilly added.

The UN has also accused all sides of human rights
...which are usually entirely different from personal liberty...
abuses and breaches of humanitarian law, including attacks on aid workers, medical staff and journalists.

Worthy to note that all attacks launched by Yemeni army and the Popular Committees are concentrated against al-Qaeda holy warriors operating in the country and against the Saudi military posts in border area, from which the Saudi aggressor launch strikes against the neighboring Yemen.
Posted by: Fred || 07/09/2015 00:00 || Comments || Link || [2 views] Top|| File under: Houthis


Europe
Belgium Helps 244 Christians Escape Syria
[AnNahar] The Belgian government said Wednesday that it has in recent months helped 244 Christians to escape from Syria and move to Belgium with refugee status, most of them families with children.

The humanitarian operation began in May to "save" some of the most vulnerable people in Aleppo, Syria's second city where Salafist tough guys are gaining ground, Foreign Minister Didier Reynders told a presser in Brussels.

The minority Christians were selected by a citizen "action committee" run by a Belgian diplomat and a psychiatrist with a network of contacts in the country. They left Aleppo in small groups and in seven phases.

They reached the Lebanese border "on their own, crossing very dangerous areas of Syria", then received support from the Belgian embassy in Beirut which arranged for refugee visas after a "very precise screening" by the intelligence services, Reynders said.

The minister said the operation was just "a drop" compared to the scale of Europe's migration crisis, but he expressed hope that it could set an example to other countries.

Belgium wants to boost its image as a welcoming country for those fleeing war while a debate rages between EU members on the distribution of 40,000 asylum seekers who arrived in Italia and Greece after dangerous Mediterranean crossings.

The Christian Syrians are to receive training, particularly in language skills, and helped to find jobs after gaining their refugee status in Belgium.

"They will receive permanent protection status" allowing them to "rebuild a future in Belgium", said Theo Francken, Secretary of State for Asylum Policy and Migration.

"I can tell you that the last thing they want is to be dependent on social security," said Francken, a member of the nationalist New Phlegmish Alliance (N-VA).

About 5,500 Syrian refugees of all faiths have been welcomed in Belgium since the war broke out in 2011, according to the Belgian government, which says "98 percent" of the Syrians who request refugee status get it.
Posted by: trailing wife || 07/09/2015 00:00:00 || Comments || Link || [1 views] Top|| File under:


India-Pakistan
Two-day ban on pillion-riding
[DAWN] The Sindh government on Tuesday imposed a ban on pillion-riding in Bloody Karachi
...formerly the capital of Pakistain, now merely its most important port and financial center. It is among the largest cities in the world, with a population of 18 million, most of whom hate each other and many of whom are armed and dangerous...
, Hyderabad and Sukkur for two days for the security of Yaum-e-Ali processions that are taken out on the 21st of Ramazan, an official said.

The official at the Sindh home department said that the provincial administration on the advice of police authorities banned pillion-riding under Section 144 (power to issue order absolute at once in urgent cases of nuisance or apprehended danger) of the criminal procedure code and the ban would be effective from Wednesday midnight for two days -- July 8 and 9.
Posted by: Fred || 07/09/2015 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan


SC given list of 150 scams
[DAWN] ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has informed the Supreme Court that it is pursuing 150 mega scams involving approximately Rs428.3 billion in financial and land irregularities and abuse of power. The list implicates big guns like Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif
... served two non-consecutive terms as prime minister, heads the Pakistain Moslem League (Nawaz). Noted for his spectacular corruption, the 1998 Pak nuclear test, border war with India, and for being tossed by General Musharraf...
and two former premiers, Yousuf Raza Gilani
... Pakistain's former prime minister, whose occasional feats of mental gymnastics could be awe-inspiring ...
and Raja Pervez Asharaf, a caretaker prime minister, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, and former president Asif Ali Zardari.

The information was submitted before a three-judge Supreme Court bench, headed by Justice Jawwad S. Khawaja. The bench had asked for a comprehensive report while deploring that the bureau was not investigating mega scandals and instead wasting its resources and energy on petty matters.

On Tuesday the court had taken up a case relating to maladministration and poor performance of the bureau.

The list not only contains names of politicians, former federal and provincial ministers, but also senior babus bureaucrats and individuals from the banking or financial sector.

Expressing shock over the NAB report, Pakistain Tehrik-e-Insaf
...a political party in Pakistan. PTI was founded by former Pakistani cricket captain and philanthropist Imran Khan. The party's slogan is Justice, Humanity and Self Esteem, each of which is open to widely divergent interpretations....
(PTI) was quick to react against the allegations and its big shot Ishaq Khakwani said his party had been arguing that both the ruling PML-N and the PPP were in cahoots with each other.

"So many references against many politicians of the two parties are lying in the cold storage," lamented Mr Khakwani while talking to Dawn, adding that many cases went to courts, but yielded no results due to weak prosecution.

Now with the intervention of the Supreme Court, at least people would learn about big names in corruption and mega scams, he said.

PTI's central information secretary Naeemul Haq said that the PTI had been saying that NAB had no capacity to go after big fishes under the existing set-up.

Information Minister Senator Pervaiz Rashid said that the cases the PML-N leadership was facing were instituted during the days of retired Gen Pervez Perv Musharraf
... former dictator of Pakistain, who was less dictatorial and corrupt than any Pak civilian government to date ...
to victimise the Sharifs. But despite pursuing the cases for eight years, the government was unable to prove anything in courts, the minister added.

The road being referred to in the NAB report, he said, has a university and hospitals across it. Building roads were one of the important aspects of the development to provide ease of movement to the citizens, he added.

Mr Zardari's front man Senator Farhatullah Babar said that the former president was facing politically motivated cases and that he had been acquitted in two corruption cases.

The 34-page summary highlighted 150 cases each of financial scam, land scam and abuse of power. Of these,71 cases in the three categories are still in the inquiry stage by NAB, 41 are under investigation and 38 references have already been filed and pending in different accountability courts.

The court, however, was not amused and rejected the report since there was no mention when these cases were initiated and for how long these were still being inquired into or investigated or pending in the accountability courts. The bureau is required to furnish the report afresh with all details.

In the category of abuse of official authority, the NAB report says that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his brother, Punjab
1.) Little Orphan Annie's bodyguard
2.) A province of Pakistain ruled by one of the Sharif brothers
3.) A province of India. It is majority (60 percent) Sikh and Hindoo (37 percent), which means it has relatively few Moslem riots....

Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif
...Pak dynastic politician, brother of PM Nawaz Sharif, chief minister of Punjab...
, are facing investigation for misappropriating Rs126 million by misusing their authority in the construction of a road from Raiwind to the Sharif family house. The case is still at the investigation stage, though it came to the notice of NAB in April 2000.

The prime minister is also facing another charge of illegal appointments in the FIA by misusing authority in 1999.

Similarly, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar is facing a probe for amassing assets beyond means. The case is still at the investigation state.

Former president Asif Ali Zardari was facing allegations of amassing wealth beyond means worth Rs22 billion.

Former prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf, former finance minister Shaukat Tareen, former Pepco chief Tahir Basharat Cheema and water and power secretary Shahid Rafi are also facing investigation in the rental power producer contract to different rental companies.

Former caretaker prime minister Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and former chief minister of Punjab Chaudhry Pervez Elahi also figure in the list of alleged illegal beneficiaries for misusing their authority to the tune of Rs2.4 billion.

Likewise, former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani is being investigated on a charge of misuse of authority in the illegal appointment of Tauqir Sadiq as chairman of Ogra. Tauqir Sadiq is also facing corruption cases worth Rs80 billion.

A former chief minister of Balochistan
...the Pak province bordering Kandahar and Uruzgun provinces in Afghanistan and Sistan Baluchistan in Iran. Its native Baloch propulation is being displaced by Pashtuns and Punjabis and they aren't happy about it...
, Nawab Aslam Raisani, is facing investigations for misusing authority in recruitments but the size of the corruption has not yet been determined by NAB.
Posted by: Fred || 07/09/2015 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan


Met Police extends bail of Altaf Hussain, senior party leaders: MQM
[DAWN] KARACHI: Metropolitan police has extended Muttahida Qaumi Movement
...English: United National Movement, generally known as MQM, is the 3rd largest political party and the largest secular political party in Pakistain with particular strength in Sindh. From 1992 to 1999, the MQM was the target of the Pak Army's Operation Cleanup leaving thousands of urdu speaking civilians dead...
(MQM) chief Altaf Hussain
...think of the head of the Barzini clan, only in Urdu...
's bail in a money laundering case till October, a party front man said Wednesday.

His bail was due to expire on Jul 9, 2015 (tomorrow).

Other senior members whose bail has been extended by the London police include Mohammed Anwar and Tariq Mir, according to the statement.

"We can confirm that the Metropolitan Police has extended the police bail of the Founder and Leader of MQM, Mr Altaf Hussain as well as senior MQM members Mr Tariq Mir and Mr Mohammed Anwar until the 5th, 6th and 7th October respectively."

Altaf Hussain's last bail extension had come on April 14 this year after he was interviewed for more than five hours at a cop shoppe in London.

The MQM supremo was first enjugged
Into the paddy wagon wit' yez!
on June 3, 2014 during the course of a money laundering investigation initiated in July 2013 by the London Metropolitan Police, prompting thousands of people in Bloody Karachi
...formerly the capital of Pakistain, now merely its most important port and financial center. It is among the largest cities in the world, with a population of 18 million, most of whom hate each other and many of whom are armed and dangerous...
to stage a sit-in calling for his release.
Posted by: Fred || 07/09/2015 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan


Committees formed to persuade parents opposing polio drops in Balochistan
[DAWN] QUETTA: In a bid to eradicate the crippling polio
...Poliomyelitis is a disease caused by infection with the poliovirus. Between 1840 and the 1950s, polio was a worldwide epidemic. Since the development of polio vaccines the disease has been largely wiped out in the civilized world. However, since the vaccine is known to make Moslem pee-pees shrink and renders females sterile, bookish, and unsubmissive it is not widely used by the turban and automatic weapons set...
virus, the Balochistan
...the Pak province bordering Kandahar and Uruzgun provinces in Afghanistan and Sistan Baluchistan in Iran. Its native Baloch propulation is being displaced by Pashtuns and Punjabis and they aren't happy about it...
government has formed 'refusal coverage committees' to persuade reluctant parents to administer polio drops to their children.

The committees have been formed in Quetta, Pishin and Killa Abdullah.

"The committees will bring an end to the refusal of polio drops," Coordinator of the Emergency Operation Cell Balochistan Dr Syed Saifur Rehman told DawnNews.

The Deputy Commissioner will lead the refusal coverage committees, while district health officers, religious scholars, representatives of the World Health Organisation, Unicef, and others will be members of the committee.

"This will be an eight-member committee," Dr Saifur Rehman elaborated.

The mandate of the committee is to encourage parents resisting the provision of polio drops to their children. The role of religious scholars in these refusal coverage committees is crucial, he added.

"The number of refusals is not in hundreds but in thousands," Dr Saifur Rehman said.
Posted by: Fred || 07/09/2015 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan


Another breakdown plunges large part of Karachi into darkness
[DAWN] KARACHI: A large number of localities in the metropolis faced a blackout yet again early Thursday as a technical fault developed in the national power grid, DawnNews quoted a front man for the city's major power distributor K-Electric (KE) as saying. This is the second power breakdown in the city in a span of three days.

The front man said the tripping of production units in the national grid led to the breakdown, which plunged a large section of the city into darkness, DawnNews reported.

The outage is affecting a large number of areas in the city, including Liaqatabad, Malir, North Bloody Karachi
...formerly the capital of Pakistain, now merely its most important port and financial center. It is among the largest cities in the world, with a population of 18 million, most of whom hate each other and many of whom are armed and dangerous...
, Azizabad, Saddar, Nazimabad, North Nazimabad, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Federal B Area and Garden.

After around two hours since the filing of this report, a KE representative told Dawn.com via telephone that power in several areas of the city was restored while efforts were being made to restore electricity in the areas which still faced the blackout. An exact time for the complete restoration of power could not be quoted, the representative said.

Earlier on Tuesday night, a large part of Pakistain's largest city plunged into darkness when units of Bin Qasim Power Plant got tripped because of some 'technical reasons', disrupting the lives of millions of people.
Posted by: Fred || 07/09/2015 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan


Sindh govt extends Rangers' special powers for a month
[DAWN] The Sindh government issued a much-awaited notification in the early hours of Thursday morning, extending the special policing powers assigned to Rangers in the province for a month, after a high-level meeting between bigwigs at the CM House.

Special policing powers assigned to Rangers in the province, which have in the past been extended every few months via orders from the provincial government, had expired on Wednesday at midnight -- July 8, 2015.

Before the issuance of an official notification by the Sindh government in this regard, Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah held a meeting with Pakistain Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Baby Bhutto Zardari
...Pak dynastic politician, son of Benazir Bhutto and grandon of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. As far as is known, Bilawal has no particular talents other than being pretty and being able to memorize political slogans, but he had the good luck to be born into the right family and he hasn't been assassinated yet...
to discuss the issue of Rangers' special powers in Sindh.

It had also been reported on local media that former president and PPP co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari talked to Qaim Ali Shah via telephone from Dubai earlier on Wednesday, asking him to expedite the process to issue the notification seeking extension in the duration of Rangers' policing powers in Sindh.

While the Sindh government has been granting extensions in the duration of Rangers' policing powers via notifications from the home department every three months since 2010, this time around a standoff between the paramilitary force and the Sindh government had led the chief minister to mull other options.
Posted by: Fred || 07/09/2015 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan


Israel-Palestine-Jordan
Netanyahu Bars Mossad Chief from Speaking on ISIL Threat in Sinai
[ALMANAR.LB] The Zionist Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu forbidden the head of the Mossad on Tuesday to brief Zionist Union Knesset members on the threat posed by the so-called 'Islamic State
...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear the pols talk they're not really Moslems....
of Iraq and the Levant' (ISIL) takfiri
...an adherent of takfir wal hijra, an offshoot of Salafism that regards everybody who doesn't agree with them as apostates who most be killed...
group in the Sinai Peninsula.

Zionist Union faction chairwoman Merav Michaeli, who submitted the request, said Netanyahu claimed such a briefing would set a precedent, and therefore, he didn't want to approve it.

Michaeli told the Zionist daily Haaretz that the faction decided it needed more information about ISIL "in light of the recent attacks in Sinai and firing rockets at the occupied Israel."

On Sunday, therefore, she asked Mossad director Tamir Pardo if he would attend Zionist Union's faction meeting in the Knesset on Monday and brief the MKs on the threat that ISIL's presence in Sinai poses to the Zionist entity.

Michaeli said Pardo "agreed gladly," but stipulated that he needed the prime minister's approval.

Michaeli then asked a Netanyahu adviser to forward the faction's request to the prime minister. On Monday morning, the adviser got back to Michaeli and said that Netanyahu wouldn't permit Pardo to give the briefing.

"The prime minister believes this would set a problematic precedent," the adviser told her. "Now, every party will seek such briefings from the Mossad director."
Posted by: Fred || 07/09/2015 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under: Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis


PLO ambassador: Jews don't exist
[JPost] During a talk he gave in Santiago this May, PLO Ambassador to Chile Imad Nabil Jada’a, told an audience the Jewish people do not exist. Addressing members of the Gran Logia Masonic Lodge, Jada’a said that Palestinians "don’t recognize the existence of the Jewish people" as there is not any such people in fact.

Jada'a said, "This is not my personal analysis. Here we can refer to the Jewish Israeli professor from the University of Tel Aviv, Dr. Shlomo Sand, in his book 'The Invention of the Jewish People.' A Jew with Israeli passport announces that, the so-called Jewish nation is a made up invention. Because a religion cannot be a people."

Sand believes that contemporary Jews are descended from the Khazars and are not connected to the Biblical Israelites.

Jada’a also recommended that his listeners read the 'The Protocols of the Elders of Zion'.
Posted by: ryuge || 07/09/2015 00:00 || Comments || Link || [1 views] Top|| File under:

#1  I once wrote a book; it's a beauty --
It won the '08 Prix Aujourd'hui!
Now, for an encore, I
Again take the floor. Why?
To sing my new song, "Who's Yehudi?"
Posted by: Zenobia Floger6220 || 07/09/2015 2:50 Comments || Top||

#2  A tip from an old Paraguayan:

Psst, buddy! You'd best keep an eye on
Those mudderless Elders of Zion!
They're prolly conspiring
To mess with your wiring,
So take this tinfoil hat to try on.
Posted by: Zenobia Floger6220 || 07/09/2015 3:02 Comments || Top||

#3  Imad, tell us about this Nation of "Palestine" again?
Posted by: Frank G || 07/09/2015 9:08 Comments || Top||

#4  Hey Imad,
Those non-existent people just kicked your @ss. You continue to breathe air because those non-existent people allow you to.

If there is any "people" who is in danger of extinction it might be you.
Posted by: frozen al || 07/09/2015 11:57 Comments || Top||

#5  If the Jews didn't exist no one would care about the paleos. Paleo existence is dependent upon Jewish existence
Posted by: Lowspark || 07/09/2015 12:26 Comments || Top||

#6  It is refreshing to have an Arab not blame his cultures total failure on the Jews although it makes a few of the Arab Israel wars hard to explain. I mean what, the Arabs failed to conquer empty land?
Posted by: rjschwarz || 07/09/2015 15:06 Comments || Top||

#7  Lowspark, without the jews the paleos would just be Arabs again.
Posted by: rjschwarz || 07/09/2015 15:07 Comments || Top||

#8  Ottomans subjects, then colonial subjects of the French and British, then Egyptian and Jordanian subjects. Israel has the longer track record of political and economic independence.
Posted by: Procopius2k || 07/09/2015 19:05 Comments || Top||

#9  So they're not Israelis, they're all a bunch of some sort of Turk, so pissing them off is going to work out ok.
Posted by: Thing From Snowy Mountain || 07/09/2015 19:24 Comments || Top||

#10  To the lumberyard!
Posted by: Thing From Snowy Mountain || 07/09/2015 19:27 Comments || Top||


Syria-Lebanon-Iran
US to Increase Support for Syrian "Moderate Opposition"
[ALMANAR.LB] US President Barack Obama
Republicans can come along for the ride, but they've got to sit in the back...
pledged to increase his country's support for what he called "the moderate opposition in Syria" on Monday and said the United States needed to do more at home to prevent attacks and combat efforts of the so-called 'Islamic State
...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear the pols talk they're not really Moslems....
of Iraq and the Levant' (ISIL) takfiri
...an adherent of takfir wal hijra, an offshoot of Salafism that regards everybody who doesn't agree with them as apostates who most be killed...
group to recruit followers.

Obama, speaking during a visit to the Pentagon, noted the difficulty of preventing small-scale attacks by "lone wolves" within the US homeland despite success at preventing large attacks since that of Sept. 11, 2001 on New York and Washington.

"We're going to have to pick up our game to prevent these attacks," he said.

Obama said there were no current plans to send additional US troops overseas and repeated that the fight against ISIL would not be quick.

He said US training of Iraqi forces had been ramped up after being too slow.

The US military said that Iraq had not provided enough recruits to meet US training targets. It has also acknowledged that recruiting and training Syrians to fight ISIL was moving more slowly than expected, partly because of problems with vetting volunteers.
Posted by: Fred || 07/09/2015 00:00 || Comments || Link || [6 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Syria

#1  Yeah... cuz this worked soooo well the last 14 times we have tried it.

I think he just wants to get more weapons to get to ISIS.
Posted by: DarthVader || 07/09/2015 10:19 Comments || Top||

#2  US President Barack Obama pledged to increase his country's support for what he called "the moderate opposition in Syria"

One lie, a canard and a case of cognitive dissonance.
Posted by: Pappy || 07/09/2015 12:37 Comments || Top||


Iran nuclear talks extended, source says 48 hours left for deal
[EN.ZAMANALWSL.NET] Iran and major powers gave themselves at least until Friday to negotiate an agreement on the Iranian nuclear program, but a source from one of the powers said on Tuesday they had to wrap up in the next 48 hours.

"We are continuing to negotiate for the next couple of days," EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said outside the hotel where the marathon talks between Iran, Britannia, China, La Belle France, Germany, Russia and the United States are taking place.

The spokeswoman for the U.S. delegation, Marie Harf, said the terms of an interim deal between Iran and the six would be extended through Friday to give negotiators a few more days to finish their work.

The negotiators had set Tuesday as a deadline when it became clear last week that a June 30 deadline would not be met. But despite a push in the past few days they made clear again that they still needed more time.

"We're frankly more concerned about the quality of the deal than we are about the clock, though we also know that difficult decisions won't get any easier with time," Harf said.

There was disagreement about whether the talks were in effect open-ended. U.S. officials hoped to wrap them up in time for a 4 a.m. GMT Friday (midnight EDT Thursday) deadline to secure an expedited review by the U.S. Congress, but it was unclear if that was possible.

"No deadline is sacrosanct for us," senior Iranian negotiator Abbas Araqchi told news hounds. "We are ready to stay in Vienna and continue talks as long as it is necessary."

Western diplomats said they had not yet given up hope of making the deadline for the U.S. congressional review.

The source from one power, however, said there would be a time limit.

"We've come to the end," said the source, on condition of anonymity. "We have just made one, final extension. It is hard to see how or why we would go beyond this. Either it happens in the next 48 hours, or not."

Posted by: Fred || 07/09/2015 00:00 || Comments || Link || [4 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Iran

#1  Only 48 hours left and then you get another 48 hours!
Posted by: Ebbang Uluque6305 || 07/09/2015 12:09 Comments || Top||


Victory Army, regime exchange prisoners in Idlib
[EN.ZAMANALWSL.NET] The Victory Army and Syrian regime representative exchanged prisoners Tuesday in the Idlib countryside according to several opposition and regime sources.

Conflicting accounts have emerged of who was released in Ariha, site of one of the last remaining regime bases in Idlib province that was captured by the Idlib Victory Army at the end of May.

Ten women and six men were released by the regime in exchange for three regime soldiers held by Jabhat a-Nusra, a leading Victory Army faction, reported pro-opposition Orient News on Wednesday.

One of the women was reportedly the mother of a correspondent for Orient News.

State-owned Tishreen newspaper confirmed the prisoner exchange, claiming that "terrorist organizations" released 27 individuals they kidnapped from Ishtabraq.
Posted by: Fred || 07/09/2015 00:00 || Comments || Link || [4 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Syria


Rebels threaten Damascus water over Zabadani assault
[EN.ZAMANALWSL.NET] Syrian rebels in control of the spring that provides most of Damascus's drinking water have threatened to shut off pipelines to the capital if the regime and Hezbollah continue their offensive in Zabadani.

Pro-regime daily Al-Akhbar highlighted the danger on Tuesday, writing that "feelings of concern have dominated the Damascene street" following the threat by rebels in control of the Ayn al-Fijeh spring in Wadi Barada northwest of Damascus.

"The threat by Wadi Barada's bandidos murderous Moslems to cut off the Syrian capital's water supply if the Zabadani operation... does not stop has cast its shadow on Damascenes, who are waiting for a safe end to the Moslem holy month of Ramadan," the Lebanese newspaper added.

On Sunday, the Wadi Barada Shura Council announced in a statement that water piped from the Fijeh spring to Damascus will be cut off in an attempt to make regime forces stop their advance.

"Religion commands us to come to the aid of our brothers, and therefore, we the mujahedeen of Wadi Barada announce that we shall stand in one trench with our brothers in the proud town of Zabadani," the statement read.

"We will not spare any of our numbers or equipment to achieve this end."

"With the help of God almighty, after a meeting of the Wadi Barada Shura Council, it was agreed that the water [supply to] Damascus should be completely cut off until the shelling of our people in Zabadani stops."

The Wadi Barada Shura Council statement came the same day as Hezbollah and the Syrian Army's Fourth Mechanized Division stormed into the west and southeast of Zabadani following days of intense barrel bombings and missile strikes on the rebel-held town northwest of Damascus.

The regime offensive as of Tuesday has failed to seize the town in its entirety, with rebels putting up a fierce resistance and retaking some areas while inflicting casualties on Hezbollah and the regime troops.

Syrian rebels first seized Wadi Barada and the town of Ayn al-Fijeh in February 2012, after which they negotiated a cautious truce with the Syrian regime to retain control over the area in exchange for not cutting off the water supply or destroying the spring while regime technicians were allowed to continue working.

However,
a woman is only as old as she admits...
the tenuous agreement has frayed a number of times, with rebels cutting off water at least three times to pressure the regime to stop shelling Wadi Barada, release detainees or open access to aid, including in November 2014 when drinking water to Damascus was turned off for four days.
Posted by: Fred || 07/09/2015 00:00 || Comments || Link || [6 views] Top|| File under: Islamic State


Assad used superior language in Annan's meeting: Saudi Leaks
[EN.ZAMANALWSL.NET] A new Saudi diplomatic document was published among thousands in WikiLeaks, showed minutes of the meeting between basher al-Assad and Kofi Annan
...Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh and so far the worst Secretary-General of the UN. Annan and the UN were the co-recipients of the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize for something or other that probably sounded good at the time. In December 2004, reports surfaced that Kofi's son Kojo received payments from the Swiss company Cotecna, which had won a lucrative contract under the UN Oil-for-Food Program. Kofi Annan called for an investigation to look into the allegations, which stirred up the expected cesspool but couldn't seem to come up with enough evidence to indict Kofi himself, or even Kojo...
, the First United Nation's Envoy to Syria to resolve the Syrian crisis.

The letter was coded and showed that Basher al-Assad insisted on calling the rebels as "terrorist" and his war was against terrorism on behalf of the whole world, not against the opposition.

The letter explained that al-Assad used hidden threats and warning in his talk with Annan, like threatening of possible "huge bloodshed" if the regime withdrew its forces from the Syrian cities, although the meeting took place at time when the revolution was in its peaceful stage.

Despite the good and personal relationship between al-Assad and Annan, as the Saudi diplomatic letter mentioned, al-Assad used rebuking and blaming tone in his talk to Annan when he said "you have not done anything , you have not pressurised countries or other sides supporting the terrorist action in Syria" and a stronger language when he said: "before asking us to take any step forward, demand others to do so". Moreover, al-Assad Blamed Annan for being unfair in his reports to the United nation in regard to the Syrian crisis."

From his side, according to the coded Saudi diplomatic letter, Annan tried to reduce the tension and superiority in al-Assad's language, and put his solution in soft language, like requesting releasing detainees and handing them to the International observers, when al-Assad replied that prisoners' case would be dealt with according the Syrian way, and tribal prominent figures were looking after the matter.

In the same meeting, Bashar claimed that they had released many prisoners by amnesty decrees and demonstrating in Syria had become allowed like other countries.

Annan was he first Envoy to Syria to resolve the Syrian crisis, he started his mission in 23 February 2012, but he was not able to carry on for more than six months and resigned in 30-August in the same year and Lakhdar Brahimi followed him, who resigned later and followed by Staffan de Mistura.
Posted by: Fred || 07/09/2015 00:00 || Comments || Link || [6 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Syria



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Two weeks of WOT
Thu 2015-07-09
  Syrian Army Establishes Control over Hasaka, near Palmyra
Wed 2015-07-08
  French Special Forces Kill Top Al-Qaida Militant in Mali
Tue 2015-07-07
  49 ISIS affiliates killed in Nangarhar drone strikes
Mon 2015-07-06
  Egyptian army kills 63 militants in North Sinai
Sun 2015-07-05
  At least 25 Nusra members dead in mosque blast in Syria's Idlib
Sat 2015-07-04
  Official: Drone kills 4 Qaida Suspects in Yemen
Fri 2015-07-03
  Bangladesh police arrest 'top Qaeda militant'
Thu 2015-07-02
  Al Qaeda Pakistan chief killed in Lahore raid: Punjab home minister
Wed 2015-07-01
  Tunisia says resort gunman was trained in Libya
Tue 2015-06-30
  Mosul resistance group 'kills 23 Saudi fighters'
Mon 2015-06-29
  US air strikes target militants near border in east Afghanistan
Sun 2015-06-28
  Activists: ISIS fighters kill 200 civilians in Kobani
Sat 2015-06-27
  UN chief condemns 'appalling' attacks in France, Tunisia, Kuwait
Fri 2015-06-26
  Man decapitated in ISIS attack in France
Thu 2015-06-25
  Deadly IS car bomb in Kobani


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