Hurricane Irene caused 10 billion demage to US

A leading risk assessment frim,Eqecat, has declared that Hurricane Irene has caused more than USD 10 billion in damages to the United States after it swept the east coast with heavy winds and flooding.

According to comapany's estimate over 40 million people living on US east coast were hit with worst damages by Hurricane Irene.
"Irene caused significant damage to property," the firm, Eqecat, said in a report.
Earlier, US President Barack Obama declared a “major disaster” in North Carolina and New York States following the floods caused by Hurricane Irene.

At least 40 people have been killed across 10 states by the storm and millions of Americans on the east coast are still without power as several electricity stations remain flooded.

The 805 kilometer wide hurricane, with winds of up to 185 kilometers per hour, swept up the US east coast on Saturday.

The US National Hurricane Center downgraded Irene, which was earlier a hurricane, to a post-tropical cyclone, by the time it reached to New York on Sunday.

"Hollywood leaks" spreads Julianne Hough’s private and sexy pictures on net

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This time it is Julianne Hough  who is the victim of the hackers as they managed to get access to the her private and sexy pictures which was stored in her phone.
Over 100 personal pictures from Hough's phone were leaked online, including photos of the 23-year-old dancer/actress in bikinis, lingerie, a blonde mustache and kissing her boyfriend, Ryan Seacrest.
The hackers who have done that is a group called Hollywood leaks and claimed the responsibility of this act.

Julianne Hough Phone Hacked

Kate hudson shows herself in bikni-post baby hot pictures

The 32-year-old actress showed off her incredible post-baby body in a tiny white bikini while vacationing in the South of France.The pictures shows that the actress has not gained weight and mentained her body successfully.
She said: 'There’s nothing to be ashamed of when you blow up. I would be eating ice cream, and my mom would literally pry the spoon away from me, saying, "You’ve had enough to last you a lifetime!"
Hudson added to Marie Claire magazine: 'Let me tell you something. It's an emotional roller coaster, having to lose weight. I gained so much - I was 185lbs (13st 2lbs) at the end.

'You actually experience how much energy is stored in that and how much emotion you actually hold in that mass. It is emotional, no matter how determined you are. It takes work to bounce back so quickly.'

Elin Nordegren's announcements

US Open to start on schedule

The US Open will start early Tuesday (AEST) as planned after the National Tennis Centre in New York escaped serious damage from Hurricane Irene.

The hurricane surged through New York last night, flooding waterfronts and low-lying areas, but America's most populous city avoided the heavy devastation which had been feared.

US Tennis Association officials said they were communicating with city officials regarding mass transit and road conditions, but would be starting the year's last grand slam tournament as scheduled.

"We are currently preparing the venue for the gates to open at 10:00 am (local time) as scheduled," the USTA said.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-08-29/us-open-to-start-on-schedule/2859784

KVITOVA CRASHES, WILLIAMS AND SHARAPOVA HANG ON AT US OPEN

NEW YORK (AFP) - Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova made an unceremonious exit from the US Open on Monday whilst Venus Williams and Maria Sharapova showed their resilience by reaching the second round of the tennis championships.

Unheralded Romanian Alexandra Dulgheru, ranked 48th in the world, defeated world number seven and fifth seed Kvitova 7-6 (7/3), 6-3.

http://au.news.yahoo.com/world/a/-/world/10147188/kvitova-crashes-williams-and-sharapova-hang-on-at-us-open/

BEYONCE DECLARED HERSELF PREGNANT

Beyonce declared herself pregnant during the MTV Video Music Awards. She said that she is expecting the baby.
'Last night at 10:35pm, Beyonce's big MTV #VMA moment gave Twitter a record bump: 8,868 Tweets per second,' the San Francisco-based real-time messaging service said in a statement on its TwitterGlobalPR feed.
The music superstar first confirmed she was expecting as she waltzed down the red carpet in a flowing red dress, holding what looked to be a baby bump. 

In June, the singer told CNN interviewer Piers Morgan that she was looking forward to starting a family.

"I feel great and I feel like 30 is the ideal age [to start a family], because you're mature enough to know who you are and to have your boundaries and your standards, and not be afraid, too polite - but you're young enough to be a young woman," she said. "I'm so looking forward to it."

"I always said I'd have a baby at 30. But I also said I'm going to retire at 30. ... Only God knows."

New America adds Najam Sethi and Jugnu Mohsin to work on Pakistan

The New America Foundation has announced Najam Sethi and Jugnu Mohsin as two new senior fellows to the think tank’s National Security Studies program.

Prior to joining the New America Foundation, Sethi and Mohsin co-founded The Friday Times, Pakistan’s first independent weekly newspaper as well as Aaj Kal, a liberal Urdu weekly paper.

The addition of Sethi and Mohsin indicates an increased commitment to the study of Pakistan.

“Najam and Jugnu are two of Pakistan’s most important public voices - courageous, analytical, and focused on the big questions that will shape their country’s future, said New America Foundation Steve Coll in a released statement.

Sethi has received the highest civil award of Pakistan, the Hilal i Imtiaz, in 2010, for public service and media freedom. He is also the recipient of three International Media Awards, the Golden Pen from the World Association of Newspapers, the Courage in Journalism from Amnesty International and the Press Freedom Award from Committee to Protect Journalists.

Mohsin has received the Press Freedom Award by the Committee to Protect Journalists. In 2005, she founded the Pakistani lifestyle magazine, Good Times. Mohsin is a founding member of the Women’s Action Forum, an organization set up to oppose gender discrimination laws in Pakistan.

CIA censors 9/11 book

One former FBI agent is finding out firsthand that freedom of speech isn’t something guaranteed to every American. Colleagues at the CIA are keeping him from printing some of his own personal accounts in an upcoming book about the 9/11 attacks.

In his upcoming book “The Black Banners: The Inside Story of 9/11 and the War Against Al Qaeda,” Ali H. Soufan wants to write that the Central Intelligence Agency could have had a chance at keeping the September 11 terror attacks from happening. Soufan says that the CIA knew about two of the hijackers involved in the al-Qaeda plot, and while that information might have been of great interest to the FBI, the Central Intelligence Agency withheld the crucial information.
Specifically, Soufan says that the CIA had detailed information on 9/11 hijacker Abu Zubaydah as early as January 2000 but neglected to act on it.
Also in his memoirs, Soufan writes detailed accounts of CIA interrogations tactics that he saw brutally executed firsthand by agents, which he were unnecessary and counterproductive. The agency is asking the author to remove the pronouns “I” and “me” from that chapter as if to discredit his personal accounts from specific incidents.
Unfortunately, Soufan’s stories might never make it to print if the CIA has their say. The former agent says that he is being told to take out key parts from his tales, and he believes it isn’t because of a national security scare, but because the CIA doesn’t want to be reflected poorly to the public.
As if that was even possible!
In a report released yesterday by The New York Times, Soufan’s attorneys that they received word that the CIA could end up “embarrassed” by the author’s allegations. Soufan responded to the Times that it is “ridiculous” that they are redacting so much material from his book, but that he will rally to have the information published in further editions.
Much of the material found in Soufan’s book has been available online and in print in the decade since 9/11, but the CIA says that doesn’t mean he can go ahead and talk about it. "Just because something is in the public domain doesn't mean it's been officially released or declassified by the U.S. government,” CIA spokeswoman Jennifer Youngblood said in a statement.
Upon originally sending a proof of the 600-page manuscript to the Bureau, Soufan was told to prove that dozens of names listed in the document were not classified. He opted simply to substitute aliases for many of the names, but meanwhile the CIA sent the FBI a copy. Their response? Nearly 200 pages of suggested cuts.
With a deadline approaching, Soufan’s “The Black Banners” will hit the printing press this week, with the first edition using all of the cuts demanded by the FBI.

Bomb hoax, "suspicious activity" found near Indian Team

London(PFP)-London police is checking  the reports about "suspicious activity" at Canterbury cricket ground, where the Indian team earlier played Kent as part of their tour of England. British Army bomb disposal was rushed to Canterbury to check a suspect packet, but the device was a hoax.According to London Police is investigated all the affair. A passanger has informed the police about the packet at railway station. After receiving this information all train were halted and police locked center of the entire city.It is a popular tourist spot as there is ancient cathedral which attracts the visitors.

"The first suspicious package on the railway line has been checked by army bomb disposal experts and is not... an explosive device," Assistant Chief Constable Andy Adams of Kent Police said .

"We are satisfied it is in fact a hoax package designed to appear like a device. This is an extremely serious offence, and will be investigated thoroughly." The officer said.

There will be no show on Sunday-Kenny Chesney announced

Kenny Chesney has announced the change in the Foxbrow Show due to Hurricane Center's forecast. US National Hurricane Center forcasted that hurricane leverl storms may accur in New England on Monday. Kenny Chesney made the announcemnet of his Facebook page. According to the announcement"Due to the US National Hurricane Center’s forecast that hurricane-level storms may occur in New England on Sunday, August 28, local officials, promoters, Kenny Chesney, and his team have decided for safety reasons to push Chesney’s Sunday, August 28 concert at Foxboro’s Gillette Stadium to Friday, August 26.

“Our first and foremost priority is the fans’ safety,” said promoter Louis Messina of TMG/AEG Live, “so we have made the difficult decision to reschedule the show.” All tickets for Sunday’s show will be honored on the new date, and the line-up and set-times will remain the same. There will be no show on Sunday, August 28th.

“I want the last weekend of the ‘Goin’ Coastal’ Tour to be a great expierence for everybody. But I also want it to be the safest experience for everyone,” said Chesney. “I’ve always said Foxboro is a highlight of our tour, because the fans are ready for a great night of music and fun no matter what night it is!”

For fans who are not able to make Friday’s show, refunds will be offered at point of purchase.

Of warnings and aid cuts

On Tuesday, President Asif Ali Zardari met a US delegation and warned them against any aid cuts by the US. President Zardari said that not only would an aid cut have an impact on Pakistan’s deteriorating economy, it would also send a negative signal to the public about the US government’s commitment towards the people of Pakistan. President Zardari stressed upon the visiting dignitaries that Pakistan and the US shared a common objective – that of achieving reconciliation and peace in Afghanistan. President Zardari said, “We must not allow some incidents to roll back the labour of building an enduring and multifaceted equation as it was no option for the two countries at this critical time…the drag on our relations due to operational irritants can effectively be avoided if the terms of engagement are clearly defined and followed in their true essence by the two countries.” It must be noted that General Musharraf did not negotiate any terms of engagement with the US and allowed the Americans to operate freely on our soil, without check or restraint. That policy has come to haunt us now.

Relations between the US and Pakistan are at their lowest ebb this year. Though things were already far from rosy between the two allies, the Raymond Davis affair and then the Abbottabad raid further complicated matters. Pakistan expelled US military trainers following the May 2 raid. It has been reported that US Senator Carl Levin asked army chief General Kayani to allow the military trainers to come back so that the suspended $ 800 million military aid could be restored. Whether this offer was actually made has not been established but the suspension of military aid to Pakistan has been seen by many as a pressure tactic by the US. Many in the US are angry at Pakistan for its dual policy vis-à-vis the war on terror; they do not see any reason to give money to the Pakistani military when it is involved in helping the Taliban. The US has not suspended civilian aid to Pakistan, which goes to show that the target of their ire is actually the military and not the people of Pakistan. There is no denying that Pakistan has suffered a lot in the war on terror but then it can also not be denied that from the very beginning of the war on terror, General Musharraf’s regime tried to hoodwink the world by overtly and covertly supporting the Taliban. Pakistan thinks of the Afghan Taliban as its strategic assets. What we have failed to realise is that there is no distinction between the ‘good Taliban’ and the ‘bad Taliban’ as they are all one and the same. If our military establishment thinks that the local Taliban are the sole enemies of Pakistan, they are in for a surprise. There is no guarantee that the Afghan Taliban will not aid and abet the local Taliban post-troops withdrawal in Afghanistan. It is time that our military establishment thinks rationally for once. Terrorists operating on our soil have wreaked enough havoc inside Pakistan. This country cannot survive if action against the terrorists is not taken.

As far as aid is concerned, Pakistan is a dependent state. Our ruling elite has not been able to break the begging bowl since independence. The country cannot function without international aid and/or loans. Unless and until we come up with a substantial economic plan to reduce our dependence on others, Pakistan’s economic situation would remain unchanged for the foreseeable  future.

Libyan conundrum, who next?

The six-month long uprising in Libya seems to be concluding in the favour of the rebels who fought against Colonel Muammar Gaddafi’s 42-year rule under the aerial umbrella of the NATO fighter planes. Major parts of Tripoli, Libya’s capital city, are now under the control of the rebels. Two sons of Gaddafi are under arrest while Gaddafi’s whereabouts are unknown so far. The western leaders and the US are calling for Gaddafi to quit.

It looks like a long chapter of Gaddafi’s rule has finally come to an end and there are rumours that he has fled to Algeria or might be planning to go south where his tribe resides. How, a lots of speculations in the international media about the future of Libya as well. Who is going to rule the oil-rich country after Gaddafi? This might be the beginning of a new round of conflict in the country. There is the National Liberation Army in the eastern Libya, under the National Transitional Council (NTC) based in Benghazi, which is trying to break through towns, still controlled by Gaddafi’s supporters. However, the NTC and its army have been touted as western sponsored.

In case a civil war begins in post-Gaddafi Libya, the whole enterprise will come under question. The supporters and participants of NATO action in Libya will have to bear the brunt of the following chaos. The stakes of Britain and France are huge in Libya while the US has less to lose as it has maintained a low posture throughout the rebellion and NATO operation in the country. Although British Prime Minister David Cameron has put forward the name of Mustafa Abdul Jalil as the chairman of the new Libyan Authority, the situation is uncertain and it remains to be seen as the following events have not completely been unfolded. It is yet to come about how the executive dissolves. The situation in Libya is highly unstable. There might be a political and civilian backlash once the dust settles there just like it is happening in Iraq now.

The United Nations Security Council resolution that led to an intervention in Libya needs a reassessment. Despite disapprovals from many circles, the resolution had been passed. According to the dissidents of the west and the US, the interpretation of the military operation as a humanitarian intervention in Libyan internal affairs was all about giving a sweet name to an imperialist intervention. The solution to the crisis in Libya could have been drawn out politically leading to a peaceful settlement but military option was preferred. It reinforces the anti-imperialistic views. Libya is one of the few self-sufficient countries in Africa and its oil reservoirs are proven to be the 10th largest in the world. Libyan leadership has been a thorn in the eye of the imperialism for many decades. An uprising in Libya may have a connection with the recent Arab Spring uprisings, which have overturned the governments in the neighbouring Egypt and Tunisia as well. However, the way it was supported from outside has disregarded its sovereignty and is condemnable. After Libya, who knows a similar kind of attack on Syria and Iran may also be in the offing. 

Tripoli falls to rebels, crowds celebrate in streets

 AL-MAYA/TRIPOLI: Rebel fighters streamed into Tripoli as Muammar Gaddafi's forces collapsed and crowds took to the streets to celebrate, tearing down posters of the Libyan leader.

A convoy of rebels entered a western neighbourhood of the city, firing their weapons into the air. Rebels said the whole of the city was under their control except Gaddafi's Bab Al-Aziziya-Jazeera stronghold.

Gaddafi made two audio addresses over state television calling on Libyans to fight off the rebels. "I am afraid if we don't act, they will burn Tripoli," he said. "There will be no more water, food, electricity or freedom."
Click here for more details

Gadhafi regime on ropes; rebels march to heart of Tripoli

The regime of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi appeared close to collapse Sunday as rebel forces raced into the capital after meeting little resistance from government forces and President Obama reiterated that the United States has recognized the Transitional National Council as the legitimate governing authority. 

 http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2011-08-22-libya-fighting-rebels_n.htm

Tripoli falls to rebels, crowds celebrate in streets

Kim Kardashian wedding

450 guests were present in the wedding ceremony when Kim Kardshian and Kris Humphries declared them self as wife and husband and promised to faithful to each other.The bride was looking great as she wore a costly gown of Vera Wang.

Khloé Kardashian Odom and Kourtney Kardashian were matron and maid of honor, while Kylie and Kendall Jenner and Kris’ sister, Kaela Humphries, served as bridesmaids. All wore ivory.


Kourtney’s aborable son Mason was the ring bearer, but as Kourtney started carrying him down the aisle she stumbled slightly, prompting a collective gasp from the guests. All was fine, and Mason grabbed the symbolic pillow and hurried it down the aisle himself.
The ceremony concluded with a prayer, and little Mason showed his agreement by joining in with a cry. Kourtney helped him calm down, Kim and Kris kissed, and there was much applause.
Details about the post-wedding party are after the jump.

Of course there was a costume change.
Kris merely swapped his white jacket and bowtie for black, to match his groomsmen, but Kim traded her wedding gown, with its full tulle skirt, for another Vera Wang creation. This time, the blushing bride wore an ivory mermaid gown with hand-pieced Chantilly lace appliqué on the bodice and a skirt with hand-cut organza petals intermixed with Chantilly lace motifs and organza sprig embroidery.
The best man and bridesmaids took the stage to give speeches. Kendall and Kylie had already changed into matching white track suits and were later joined in their comfort by Khloé and Kourtney.
Before she changed, however, Khloé encouraged the guests, “Shake your t-ts!” Well end it will that.

47 killed in Karachi since yesterday

KARACHI: Firing continues in old city areas including Lyari and those surrounding it while the death toll during the last 17 hours in the targeted killings in the provincial capital has mounted to 31, bringing the number of people killed in two days to 47.
Eighteen out of the 31 killed are those who were slain after being abducted from houses and passenger busses in different parts of the city.
During the last 36 hours post-mortem of 39 bodies has been carried out, said a Senior Medico-Legal officer Dr. Aftab Chunar. He said 34 autopsies were done in Civil Hospital while 5 in Jinnah Hospital. Medical cases of 35 injured were also registered.
He said many families were taking away the bodies of their loved ones without waiting for the legal formalities to be completed.
The spokesman of Edhi Welfare Trust said that 19 bodies had so far been shifted to Edhi morgue and out of these 10 were yet to be identified.
According to police and Capital Police Liaison Centre (CPLC), reports were coming in of 30 people having gone missing.

Jessica Alba gave birth to second baby

With the arrival of their second child - another daughter - congratulations are most definitely in order for spouses Jessica Alba and Cash Warren.
After giving birth on Saturday, Jessica making the announcement on her Facebook, complete with the beautiful baby girl's name and vital stats:

"Big sister Honor couldn't be more excited about the new addition to our family. Thank you for all of your support during my pregnancy."
"It means the world to me. Haven Garner Warren was born on Saturday, weighed 7 lbs and was 19 inches long. Very healthy and happy!"
Jessica Alba, who is gearing up for the premiere of Spy Kids 4, says she can't imagine having more than two kids ... yet. Never say never.
Best wishes to the happy family!

Why Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony Reunite again.

Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony's divorce proceedings have taken a backseat to their two children, 3-year-old twins Max and Emme.
The former couple, who announced their split July 15, were seen in the backseat of a red convertible near Sagg Main Beach in Southampton, New York, TMZ reports.
According to 42-year-old Anthony's rep, the Latin crooner was in town to visit his children. (In addition to his two kids with Lopez, Anthony has three additional children: one out of wedlock, and two with his first wife, Dayanara Torres. It's unclear which children Anthony was visiting.)
An insider recently told Us Weekly that Anthony isn't quite over his ex, 42, who signed on for another season of American Idol Wednesday.
"His mood shifts from blaming her to begging her to take him back to telling her she is destroying his life," the insider told Us. While hashing out the details of their impending divorce, Anthony was "being difficult on every little point...He wants to prolong things so she reconsiders."

Iraq's string violence killed more than 70, deadliest day of the country

BAGHDAD - It was the dealiest day of the Iraq as more than 70 people were killed and dozens more were wounded on Monday in a string of violent attacks around Iraq. Two bombs two bombs exploded in a busy market in the city center of Kut, killing at least 37 and injuring more than 50 in one incident.

Car bombs also detonated in the northern city of Kirkuk and the pricey Mansour district of Baghdad. Elsewhere, AK-47 wielding assailants targeted anti-terror leaders in Diyala Province northeast of Baghdad.
The attacks came after a period of relative quiet in the country, which had descended as the Muslim holy month of Ramadan began in early August.

Lt. Col. Hachem Neama Abbas, an Iraqi army commander in Baghdad, said the military had been bracing for a new round of violence. The attacks, he said, are proof that insurgents still pose a threat to the country’s stability. They also raise questions about the Iraqi government’s ability to maintain security as American troops prepare to leave the country by December.
“This wave of explosions and attacks is evidence that al-Qaeda is still effective,” Abbas said.
Iraq is debating whether or not to ask a small contingent of U.S. forces to stay past the deadline, but no official request has been made yet, U.S. officials have said.
A spokesman for the U.S. military in Iraq, Major Angela L. Funaro, said that while it was too early to speculate on the groups behind the day's violence, it was “eerily similar” to a large-scale attack last year during Ramadan. Then, al-Qaeda insurgents targeted checkpoints and Iraqi forces in several cities, killing at least 53.
Monday’s worst violence happened in Kut, a large city in central Iraq about 100 miles from Baghdad. Insurgents detonated a sound bomb in a crowded area near a jewelry store at about 8:45 a.m., said Hassan Abudul Zahra Al-Wailey, a spokesman for the local police.
About 10 minutes later, a car bomb exploded in the same place, killing 37, including 12 children. Some the children had been selling bags to those buying produce at the market.
In Diyala province, northeast of Baghdad, 13 people, including four Iraqi army officers, were killed in a series of car bombs, explosions and shootings.

In Tikrit, a man dressed in a traffic police uniform blew himself up at the main gate of the city’s counter-terrorism facility. In the melee that followed, another bomber detonated explosives, killing and injuring many who had rushed to help. In all nine died, including a high-ranking anti-terror official.
Elsewhere, three were killed in a series of car bombings in Baghdad, and eight killed in attacks on government facilities in Najaf and Karbala.
Kirkuk, a city north of Baghdad, saw three explosions — including a car bomb that killed one person and a explosion near a church that injured four. Kirkuk’s provincial governor, Najmaldin Karim, has called on American troops to stay in the country past the deadline.

Five dead in stage collapse at Indiana State Fair

A fifth person has died from the collapse of an outdoor concert stage in heavy wind just before a weekend show at the Indiana State Fair, which was shut down on Sunday, authorities said.
More than 40 people were injured in the collapse on Saturday night, just minutes before the country duo Sugarland was set to begin performing, Indiana State Police said.
Some of the injuries were extremely serious, and more people could die, said State Police Sgt. Dave Bursten at a news conference.

"That possibility is there," he said

Concert officials had informed spectators prior to the show that the concert might have to be postponed due to the weather, but a strong gust blew the stage over before any official evacuation order was issued.

Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels called the collapse "freakish," saying at the news conference that a storm was anticipated but the blast of wind that whipped through the grandstand area was unexpected.

One of those killed was stagehand Nate Byrd, 51, who was on the stage rigging to run the show's spotlight. He died on Sunday at Methodist Hospital.

Killed on the scene were Tammy Vandam, 42, of Wanatah, Indiana; Glenn Goodrich, 49, of Indianapolis; Alina BigJohny, 23 of Fort Wayne and Christina Santiago, 29, of Chicago, according to the Marion County Coroner's office.

State fire marshals and the Indiana Occupational Safety and Health Administration are investigating the collapse, authorities said.

An amateur video posted on YouTube showed a heavy gust of wind blowing down the stage rigging. People in the crowd can be heard screaming.

Spectators tried to hold up parts of the collapsed stage that fell into the standing area below to help anyone who might be trapped, eyewitnesses said.

The fair was closed on Sunday but expected to reopen on Monday with a memorial service for the victims.
"It's a very sad day at the State Fair and our hearts are breaking," said the fair's executive director Cynthia Hoye.
Sugarland sent a Twitter message on Saturday night about the incident, saying: "We are all right. We are praying for our fans, and the people of Indianapolis. We hope you'll join us. They need your strength."

The governor said his wife Cheri Daniels and one of their daughters were at the concert but were not injured.

The Hoosier Lottery Grandstand at the state fairgrounds can seat more than 15,000 people.

No decisions have been made about the rest of the fair's concert schedule that includes performances by Janet Jackson and Maroon Five, authorities said.

FATA reforms

President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday signed two decrees: Amendments to the Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR), 2011 and Extension of the Political Parties Order 2002 to the Tribal Areas. The reforms in FCR carry immense importance for the people of FATA to bring the tribal areas into the national mainstream. The more than a century-old FCR is a remnant of the British Raj. Since then, the tribal areas have been administered through political agents (PAs). The amendments to the FCR have brought an end to the practice of collective responsibility and collective punishment for children, women and people over the age of 65. The people of FATA can now appeal against the decisions of the PAs. Under the old system, if an individual was accused of committing a crime, the entire tribe was penalised. It was, therefore, imperative to introduce political reforms in the tribal areas, as the tribal people are very much citizens and entitled to the same rights and privileges as enjoyed by people living in other parts of the country. The Political Parties Order 2002 will allow political parties to operate in FATA. There is weight in the argument that had FATA been part of mainstream politics throughout, the extremist elements would not have been able to create problems for Pakistan. Though the amendments in the FCR can be seen as a first step towards promoting moderate trends to prevail over extremism, the next step is to abolish this traditionally conservative system. The British, facing problems during the colonial era on the Frontier, imposed a special governance and administrative system by creating tribal agencies and appointing PAs under the governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. As part of this arrangement of tribal autonomy, the maliks (local chiefs/elders) were bought off with money and asked to keep lawlessness in check.

It has finally dawned on the government after a century to correct the anomalies left by our colonial masters. Since that system worked for the British, it was portrayed as being the wishes of the tribal people whereas the truth is that the colonial authorities were indifferent to the public’s views. Maliks had a vested interest in the previous system, which is why it continued till now. There is a consensus that the FCR must be completely abolished but so far the government has done it haltingly by only partially amending the FCR.

The people of FATA do not have representation in any provincial assembly. Either they should be made part of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa or a new province should be formed, but only through the free and democratic expression of the people’s will, i.e. through a referendum. Other tiers of governance like local governments and the advantages of development should then be provided to the long deprived people of FATA.

Another question that needs to be addressed is that of the jihadi networks operating in the tribal belt. The cover to the jihadi networks like the Haqqanis is embedded in the tribal system. With the military going into the tribal areas from 2004 onwards, it became a very important player there as well. Whether this seemingly hesitant approach of the government is a purely well thought through incremental process of reforms or is intended to avoid ruffling the feathers of some very powerful institutions remains to be seen. There are obviously some pressures in the way of a wholesale, complete, consistent reform package. But if the Haqqanis are shifted to Kurram Agency, if they have not been already, will the military welcome these reforms is an important question. It is hoped that the government would not bow to any pressures as the people of FATA need complete mainstreaming, freedom, transparency and democratic expression.

Pakistan determined to pursue the war till its logical conclusion-President Zardari

Senator John McCain calls on the President

Islamabad, 13 August 2011:

Senator John McCain, former presidential candidate and Republican senator from Arizona, called on President Asif Ali Zardari at Aiwan-e-Sadr today.

He was accompanied by Mr. Cameron P. Munter, US Ambassador in Islamabad, Mr. Christine Brose, Mr. Vance Serchuk and Ms. Maggie Goodlander.

Pak side included Mr. A. Rehman Malik, Federal Minister for Interior, Mr. M. Salman Faruqui, Secretary General to the President, Senator Syeda Sughra Imam and other officials.

Matters concerning Pak-US relations, war against terror and the regional situation were discussed during the meeting.

Briefing the media Spokesperson to the President Mr. Farhatullah Babar said that the President during the meeting reiterated his call for both the countries to work more closely in institutionalizing the mutual cooperation and cement bilateral relations based on mutual interest and mutual respect. The President reiterated call for specifying clear and unambiguous terms of engagements in the war against the militants in order to avoid adverse impacts on bilateral relations owing to difference of opinion and stances on various issues. We need to build framework for an enduring strategic partnership, he added.

The President said that Pakistan wanted to build a long-term, sustainable and multidimensional relationship with the US that was marked by mutual understanding of each others’ interest, mutual trust and respect.  The President said that a stable, long-term and multifaceted relationship of the two countries was not only in the mutual interests of the two countries but would also serve the purpose of stability for region.

The President said that the war against terror was a long drawn war. He said that it was important that root causes of militancy and reasons for drift towards extremism were also addressed. He said that a multi-pronged strategy encompassing socio-economic, political and educational measures besides judicious use of power could address the challenge of militancy and militant mindset.

He said that Pakistan has been the worst sufferer of this scourge and has suffered losses that exceed in quantum to any other nation. He said that with direct and indirect economic losses equalling to $68 billion and 35000 martyrs behind us, we were determined to pursue this war till its logical conclusion.  Our commitment remains above-board and without even slightest shadow of doubt, the President emphasized.

The President said that besides the economic losses, the impacts of the war on our social fabric were equally devastating. He said that the Government, despite tremendous losses and toll, was committed to the uplift of the people especially of those who have been worst hit by the menace of militancy. The President said that he had been continuously pleading before the international the case for socio-economic development of the people of the hard hit areas especially that of tribal areas. FATA remains our top most priority, the President emphasized.

He said that the Government was committed to bring about qualitative change in the lives of the people of tribal areas by bringing socio-economic development in the tribal areas. Through good education and providing the youth better economic opportunities we can effectively wean them away falling into the traps of militants, the President said.

The President also raised the issue of recent moves in the Congress to reduce assistance under Kerry-Lugar-Berman. The issue of delays in flow of assistance, ROZ legislation and Enterprise Fund was also discussed during the meeting.    

Discussing regional situation, the President reiterated Pakistan support for efforts to contribute towards lasting peace in Afghanistan and helping in the development of the country.

Senator McCain thanked the President for meeting the delegation and appreciated Pakistan’s countless sacrifices and struggle against the militants.

A black widow in Peshawar

The ‘piety’ of terrorism’s holy warriors has shown its true colours - the sanctity of the holy month of Ramzan seems irrelevant to them as evidenced by the latest attack against the citizens of Pakistan. On Thursday, two bomb blasts struck the police in Peshawar when, first, a police van was targeted by a remote controlled device (planted in a handcart) that went off when the van was passing through the Lahori Gate area. Five policemen were killed in the attack and many others wounded. A second blast took place in the same vicinity two hours later when bystanders, media crews and medical services thronged the site. It is obvious that the attacker was looking to maximise the damage and casualties by this second strike, possibly to include senior police and other officials, a tactic increasingly in use by the terrorists. Luckily, the suicide bomber was stopped at a check post a little distance from where the crowds had gathered and after throwing a grenade at the check post, exploded her suicide jacket just short of the first bomb blast site. The woman suicide bomber was killed and in all, 42 people, mostly policemen, were injured in both blasts.
It is interesting that the suicide bomber was a woman. The last time a female suicide bomber was employed was when a husband and wife duo blew themselves up near a World Food Programme centre in Bajaur in late June. Does this imply an emerging pattern of recruiting women as suicide bombers? It is no secret that women in our culture, especially in a conservative society like Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, are hardly ever frisked or searched when it comes to security checks. Where a woman in a burqa is concerned, any chances of being frisked by male police officers are reduced to nil. It seems that the very culture that the terrorists claim to uphold - of keeping a woman untouched by male hands and covered in a burqa as well - is exactly what these monsters are using against us. If women are the new lethal weapons against the citizens and the state then counter-measures must be drawn up to face this threat. Women, especially those in the baggy burqa, need to be searched without exception. For that, female police officers must be stationed at check posts and security stations throughout the country.
Pakistan is in the throes of a convulsion that is eating it up from the inside. The spectre of terrorism is a phenomenon that its perpetrators claim is a struggle in the name of Islam but is, in fact, a bloody stain on the faith it claims to uphold. These murderers will go to any lengths to achieve the mayhem they desire to overthrow the existing order in the country and replace it with an antediluvian return to a historically moribund idea of khilafat (caliphate). They make no distinction between men, women, or children, either as human bombs or victims. Apart from the emerging use of women, they recruit children as young as nine years old for suicide bombings and do not hesitate to attack in cold blood during the holy month. This is not a movement looking to impose a sacred way of life; it is a group bent on domination through terror and blood. The only way to effectively counter this threat is to increase the effectiveness of our intelligence work so that any attacks in the pipeline can hopefully be nipped in the bud. From infiltration into these terror groups to increased monitoring and surveillance, the entire range of intelligence methods and expertise can help slash, if not roll back, the incidence of these attacks.

Ashley Greene’s sexy photos

Afghan bomb kills five US troops

KABUL — Five US soldiers were killed by a bomb in Afghanistan Thursday, as the Taliban rejected a US claim to have killed the fighters who shot down on of its helicopters killing 38 troops.

A US military officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the soliders, first reported only as part of NATO, were Americans.

The deaths come a week after the Taliban shot down a US helicopter, killing 38 people including 30 Americans, the biggest loss of US life in a single incident since the 2001 invasion.

At least 387 coalition soldiers have now been killed in Afghanistan so far this year, compared to 711 deaths in 2010, according to an AFP tally based on that kept by independent website icasualties.org.

South Afghanistan is the Taliban's heartland and was the focus of a US troop surge from 2010 that commanders say has made significant progress.

But the militia still frequently strike troops on foot patrol or travelling in armoured vehicles with crudely-assembled improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

From April to June, 3,485 IEDs exploded or were found in Afghanistan, according to the Pentagon, up 14 percent from the same period last year.

In addition, officials said five Afghan police were killed in an overnight clash with the Taliban in the southern province of Helmand.

"One of our police posts was attacked in Gereshk last night. Five policemen were killed," said Helmand provincial police chief Abdul Hakim Angaar.

In the capital on Thursday, President Hamid Karzai announced that he would not seek a third term in office.

The Afghan constitution limits a president to two terms and his office issued the statement in response to "rumours" from opponents suggesting he could seek to try and change this rule.

On Wednesday, US General John Allen, commander of the NATO-led international force in Afghanistan, said the Taliban fighters responsible for downing the helicopter last Friday had been killed in an air strike.

But Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said that was "not true".

"After seeing the enemy statement, we contacted the mujahed (fighter) who shot down the helicopter and he's not dead. He's busy conducting jihad elsewhere in the country," Mujahid told AFP by telephone from an undisclosed location.

Mujahid admitted that four "ordinary" Taliban fighters had been killed in the US air strike but said they were not the ones who shot down the helicopter.

He added that the fighter responsible had now left Wardak province, where the crash took place in the wild, Taliban-infested Tangi Valley.

The Taliban are known to exaggerate and distort their public statements as part of a propaganda campaign accompanying their 10-year campaign to evict the mainly US foreign troops who ousted them from power in the 2001 invasion.

Citing intelligence, a senior Afghan official told AFP this week on condition of anonymity that the helicopter was brought down in a Taliban trap designed to lure international forces to the scene.

Allen said the Chinook, which was carrying 25 members of the elite special forces, had been sent in as part of an operation targeting a Taliban leader, who is still at large.

When "less than 10" fighters were seen "escaping", the Chinook was ordered in, Allen said. It was bringing special forces who were to pursue the insurgents.

But the helicopter was shot out of the sky with a rocket-propelled grenade, killing all 38 people on board.

Afterwards, the military said US forces tracked the insurgents responsible, calling in an air strike late Monday with an F-16 fighter.

The air strike killed the "shooter" as well as a Taliban militant, Mullah Mohibullah, as they "were attempting to flee the country in order to avoid capture", ISAF said.

In a separate incident, two Afghan soldiers were found dead in Logar province Thursday, which borders Wardak in central Afghanistan, after being abducted by insurgents Wednesday, police said.

London riots-A deeper look

A week ago chaos erupted on the British streets sending a typically law-abiding populace into an uncharacteristic frenzy. Since then mobs have set ablaze shops, private property and private businesses, and have stretched the metropolitan police to near collapse. Amidst this hysteria, the riots have taken their first few fatalities – and they just happen to be Pakistani. Two brothers, Shehzad Hussain and Mussawer Ali, and their friend Haroon Hussain were killed when a hit and run driver sped into them as the protests spread to Birmingham where the victims were protecting their property. A group of some 80 people belonging to the South Asian community were guarding a petrol pump belonging to the family of the victims when a car rammed into the crowd. The initial reaction to this news of three dead Pakistanis during the riots was that of anger at the seeming racial discrimination and prejudice of the attack. However, that may not be the reason as the driver – who has been arrested – is a black man, part of the screaming, looting mob.

This senseless tragedy might well be nothing more than the three men simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time. The rioters are in a rage and any community operation to counter their frenzy will be seen as an antithesis to their resentment. Which brings us to a question it seems no one is asking: why is the British youth so angry? As the protests continue, so do the arrests. Some 1,100 have been booked so far and one sees that the profile of the protesters has obtained a larger range, covering almost all age groups and backgrounds. The rioters have attacked symbols of ‘late capitalism’ from designer labels and electronics to sporting goods – all figureheads of a lifestyle rammed down the throats of impressionable young minds unable to find a balance between the projected glamorous image and the inescapable reality of their dismal lives where unemployment and social spending cutbacks are the norms. There is a reason these looters are going for the goods: if they cannot earn the marketed lifestyle, they think they can take it. That is the true power of large-scale advertising where life is rendered cheap and meaningless without brands and labels being thrust at you from all directions. The sense of deprivation and injustice in the UK’s marginalised underclass – a class that took to the streets in the 1980s and loudly protested in the student riots a few months back against the rise in tuition fees and increase in taxes – has reached tipping point. This is evident in this spontaneous mass uprising that is quickly spreading throughout the UK without any real organisation or planning. It is a gathering of the disgruntled, the deprived and the hungry. That says plenty about how the conservative liberal-democratic dispensation of David Cameron has been and will be placating the people.

Returning from holiday, Cameron immediately recalled parliament and flexed some muscle by vowing a “fight back” against this ‘criminality’. Wide-spreads arrests are occurring and the courts are working around the clock to convict proven rioters. With maximum punishment being declared, Cameron’s government might be able to quell the riots – for now. However, the fact that the British public is so 'and so bombarded with a lifestyle that is becoming increasingly difficult to attain, we can say with a fair degree of certainty that the underlying anger will not be addressed. While the storm may pass, the deeper social, political and economic problems prevalent on the streets of London and beyond will take much more than a mere nip/tuck to mend. Tough policing might quash the riots but they will not quash the resentment borne out of austerity measures and welfare cuts.

No culture of fear on UK streets: British PM

LONDON: Prime Minister David Cameron on Thursday promised vigorous and wide-ranging measures to restore order and prevent riots erupting again on Britain's streets, including taking gang-fighting tips from American cities.

Cameron told lawmakers there would be no "culture of fear" on Britain's streets, as police raided houses to round up more suspects from four days of rioting and looting in London and other English cities. He said the government was "acting decisively" to restore order after the riots, which shocked the country and the world.

"We will not allow a culture of fear to exist on our streets," Cameron said. "We will not let a violent few beat us."

Lawmakers were summoned back from their summer vacations for an emergency session of Parliament in the riots as government and police worked to regain control, both on the streets and in the court of public opinion. Calm prevailed in London overnight, with a highly visible police presence watching over the capital, but tensions remained high throughout the country.

Cameron promised tough measures to stop further violence and said "nothing should be off the table," including water cannons and plastic bullets.

He said riot-hit businesses would receive help to get back on their feet, and promised to look to the United States for help in fighting the street gangs he blamed for helping spark Britain's riots.

Cameron told lawmakers that he would look to cities like Boston for inspiration, and mentioned former Los Angeles and New York Police Chief Bill Bratton as a person who could help offer advice.

He said the government, police and intelligence services were looking at whether there should be limits on the use social media sites like Twitter and Facebook to spread disorder. Authorities are considering "whether it would be right to stop people communicating via these websites and services when we know they are plotting violence, disorder and criminality," he said.

Meanwhile the number of people arrested in London rose to 922 since trouble began on Saturday, with 401 suspects charged.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stephen Kavanagh said raids to round up suspects began overnight, and more than 100 warrants would be executed. Hugh Orde, head of the Association of Chief Police Officers, said there would be "hundreds more people in custody" by the end of the day.

The violence has revived debate about the Conservative-led government's austerity measures and sparked debate from all parts of the political spectrum about its cause. But, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said the "sociological debate" about the origins of the violence was for the future.

The London police said it would keep up the huge operation involving 16,000 officers for at least one more night.

There was a brief outbreak of trouble in Eltham, southeast London, where a group of largely white and middle-aged men who claimed to be defending their neighborhood pelted police with rocks and bottles. Police said the incident had been "dealt with" and a group was dispersed.

There were chaotic scenes at courthouses, several of which sat through the night to process scores of alleged looters and vandals, including an 11-year-old boy.

The defendants included Natasha Reid, a 24-year-old university graduate who admitted stealing a TV from a looted electronics store in north London. Her lawyer said she had turned herself in because she could not sleep because of guilt.

Also due to appear in court were several people charged with using social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook to incite violence.

Other cities where looters had rampaged earlier this week also came through the night largely unscathed, though for the first time minor disturbances were reported in Wales.

Tensions flared in Birmingham, where a murder probe was opened after three men of Pakistani origin were killed in a hit-and-run incident as they took to the streets to defend shops from looting.

Chris Sims, chief constable of West Midlands Police, said a man had been arrested on suspicion of murder. Police on Thursday were given more time to question him.

The Conservative-led government's austerity measures is slashing 80 billion pounds ($130 billion) from public spending by 2015 to reduce the country's swollen budget deficit.

Cameron's government has slashed police budgets as part of the cuts. A report last month said the cuts will mean 16,000 fewer police officers by 2015.

Cameron said the cuts would not hit front-line officers.

He said that "at the end of this process of making sure our police budgets are affordable we will still be able to surge as many police officers on to the streets as we have in recent days."

But London Mayor Boris Johnson like Cameron, a Conservative broke with the government to say such cuts are wrong.

Scenes of ransacked stores, torched cars and blackened buildings have frightened and outraged Britons just a year before their country is to host next summer's Olympic Games, bringing demands for a tougher response from law enforcement.

Soccer authorities announced Thursday that Tottenham Hotspur's season-opening match against Everton on Saturday was being postponed following Saturday's disorder in the Tottenham neighborhood, which sparked trouble across England.

Officials said there were ongoing safety concerns in the area around the north London club's White Hart Lane stadium, which has seen police resources stretched.

A Wednesday match between England and the Netherlands at London's Wembley stadium also was canceled.

Britain's riots began Saturday when an initially peaceful protest over a police shooting turned violent. That clash has morphed into general lawlessness that police struggled to halt.

While the rioters have run off with goods every teen wants, new sneakers, bikes, electronics and leather goods, they also have torched stores apparently just to see something burn. They were left virtually unchallenged in several neighborhoods, and when police did arrive they often were able to flee quickly and regroup.