Canadian Pakistani Times
Thursday
June 13, 2013
Volume 1, 62
Taliban behead two Afghan boys KANDAHAR: The Taliban beheaded two boys aged 10 and 16 as a warning to villagers not to cooperate with the Afghan government, local officials said.
Javid Faisal, said the incident occurred on
In July last year in the same district, a
Also on Monday, six militants with suicide vests and heavy guns attacked a government compound in the provincial centre of Zabul, wounding at least 18 people. Meanwhile, seven Taliban armed with rocket-propelled grenades and machine guns launched a rare assault on Nato’s operational headquarters at the military section of Kabul’s international airport on Monday. All seven militants were killed.
The boys, named Khan and Hameedullah, had travelled to Afghan army and police checkpoints near their home in the southern province of Kandahar, scrounging for leftover food to bring to their families, the officials said. “The boys were on their way back ... when they were stopped by Taliban insurgents who beheaded them,” the chief of Zhari district, Jamal Agha, said. “Both of them were innocent children and had nothing to do with government or foreigners.” A Taliban spokesman, Qari Yousuf Ahmadi, said the group was not involved in the boys’ killings. The Kandahar governor’s spokesman,
six and a boy of 12 were kidnapped and beheaded in separate incidents in Kandahar and the east of the country.
Sunday. Several hours later their bodies and severed heads were left in their village, he said.
16-year-old boy accused by the Taliban of spying for the government was beheaded and skinned. The next month, a girl aged
Their failed attack showed that despite an asphyxiating security blanket around the capital, Afghanistan’s insurgency is far from defeated after nearly 12 years of war, and militants can still menace the capital.— Agencies
Whistleblower says US spying contrary to public interest an obligation to protect classified information and abide by the law." He referred further comment to the Justice Department. "The Department of Justice is in the initial stages of an investigation into the unauthorised disclosure of classified information by an individual with authorised access," said Nanda Chitre, Justice Department spokeswoman. "Consistent with longstanding department policy and procedure and in order to protect the integrity of the investigation, we must decline further comment." In a statement, Booz Allen confirmed that Snowden "has been an employee of our firm for less than three months, assigned to a team in Hawaii." WASHINGTON: A 29-year-old intelligence contractor who claims to have worked at the National Security Agency and the CIA allowed himself to be revealed Sunday as the source of disclosures about the US government's secret surveillance programs, risking prosecution by the US government. The leaks have reopened the post-September 11 debate about privacy concerns versus heightened measure to protect against terrorist attacks, and led the NSA to ask the Justice Department to conduct a criminal investigation into the leaks. The Guardian, the first paper to disclose the documents, said it was publishing the identity of Edward Snowden, a former technical assistant for the CIA and current employee of defence contractor Booz Allen Hamilton, at his own request. "My sole motive is to inform the public as to that which is done in their name and that which is done against them," Snowden told the newspaper. Stories in The Guardian and The Washington Post published over the last week revealed two surveillance programs, and both published interviews with Snowden on Sunday. One of them is a phone records monitoring program in which the NSA gathers hundreds of millions of US phone records each day, creating a database through which it can learn whether terror suspects have been in contact with people in the US. The Obama administration says the NSA program does not listen to actual conversations. Separately, an Internet scouring program, code-named PRISM, allows the NSA and FBI
to tap directly into nine US Internet companies to gather all Internet usage — audio, video, photographs, emails and searches. The effort is designed to detect suspicious behaviour that begins overseas. Snowden said claims the programs are secure are not true. "Any analyst at any time can target anyone. Any selector. Anywhere. Where those communications will be picked up depends on the range of those sensor networks and the authority that that analyst is empowered with," Snowden said, in accompanying video on the Guardian's website. "Not all analysts have the power to target anything. But I, sitting at my desk, had the authority to wiretap anyone, from you or your accountant to a federal judge to even the president if I had a personal email." He told the Post that he would "ask for asylum from any countries that believe in free speech and oppose the victimisation of global privacy" in an interview from Hong Kong, where he is staying. "I'm not going to hide," Snowden told the Post. "Allowing the US government to intimidate its people with threats of retaliation for revealing wrongdoing is contrary to the public interest." The Post declined to elaborate on its reporting about Snowden. The spokesman for the Director of National Intelligence, Shawn Turner, said intelligence officials are "currently reviewing the damage that has been done by these recent disclosures", adding that "any person who has a security clearance knows that he or she has
The statement said if the news reports of what he has leaked prove accurate, "this action represents a grave violation of the code of conduct", and the company promised to work closely with authorities on the investigation. Director of National Intelligence James Clapper has decried the revelation of the intelligence-gathering programs as reckless and said it has done "huge, grave damage". In recent days, he took the rare step of declassifying some details about them to respond to media reports about counterterrorism techniques employed by the government. Snowden told The Guardian that he lacked a high school diploma and enlisted in the US Army until he was discharged because of an injury, and later worked as a security guard with the NSA. He later went to work for the CIA as an information technology employee and by 2007 was stationed in Geneva, Switzerland, where he had access to classified documents. During that time, he considered going public about the nation's secretive programs but told the newspaper he decided against it, because he did not want to put anyone in danger and he hoped Obama's election would curtail some of the clandestine programs. He said he was disappointed that Obama did not rein in the surveillance programs. "Much of what I saw in Geneva really disillusioned me about how my government functions and what its impact is in the world," he told The Guardian. "I realised that I was part of something that was doing far more harm than good."
Ontario’s Minister of Finance, Charles Sousa on Auto Insurance Our new government’s strategy to make auto insurance affordable is working - I want to be clear, that rates are not increasing on average as the NDP are claiming. Since January 2012, rates have flattened out, and are now starting to come down, but we believe there is more to be done to provide relief for Ontario’s 9 million drivers. That’s why the 2013 Budget announced further reductions targeted at 15%. We will achieve this by fighting fraud in the system and i ncr easing account abi l it y and transparency to ensure that cost savings result in lower rates. We are building on action already taken on recommendations from the Anti-Fraud task force. We will continue to work within government and with auto insurance stakeholders to implement these and other task force recommendations to see premiums reduced as quickly as possible. While most drivers in Ontario should experience reductions in their premiums, each individual driver can also take steps to maximize their own reduction in premiums. Drivers are encouraged to talk to their insurance broker, agent or company about all of the options available to them and how these options can affect the price they pay for auto insurance. We believe it is important that cost savings in the auto insurance system are passed on to reward safe Ontario drivers. As part of our strategy, we are requiring insurers to offer lower premiums to safe drivers. The sooner the 2013 Budget is passed, the sooner Ontario drivers will start to feel relief in their auto insurance premiums. That’s why it’s so important that all parties work together in the Legislature to see this Budget passed, and these changes implemented.
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June 13, 2013
Weekly Fortune: by Kiran Pandey Rai (kiranpandeyrai@gmail.com) 6Th JUNE -12th JUNE _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
ARIES (21 Mar- 20 Apr) This is a harmonious week for you. You will spend quality time with family . Students will find themselves more creative .Youngsters can have fun and plan for some adventure. A favourable week to date someone. In general, some of you may try your hands in speculations. Gains after putting a real good amount of effort. Younger siblings may get relief after long time. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
TAURUS (21Apr- 21 May) This week indicates health issues. Take care of hygien. Professional betterment is expected. Some unexpected gains is on the card.. Students can achieve in their academical performance. You may dine out with family and friends. If any tie-up from abroad was expected, this may fructify this week.. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
GEMINI (22 May- 21 June) This week you will be engrossed with your work. You may dominate over your opponents.But You will be successful in maintaining an adequate balance between personal and professional life. Still anxiety may prevail . Kids can be matter of concern. Keep your calm to brighten the aura around. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CANCER (22 June- 22 July) Happiness from progeny . If other condition favours then good chance to get an offer from abroad..Your kids may do well. In the middle of the week ,health can be a matter of concerned. Your expenses maybe out of proportion.Your siblings are doing well. Students may leave for their higher education. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
LEO (23 July- 22 Aug) Take good care of your mother as well as your own health .Student can expect some reward or award this week. You can meet your lover in this weekend. Gains in business are extremely good in the card. Younger sibings are taking sigh of relief after almost a year. You may takeup interest in Research or Occult sciences. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
VIRGO (23 Aug- 23 Sept) This week will give monetary benefits to your parents. Dispute with father. Professionally you may get success or promotion . Students may start taking more interest in their studies .Buying a Luxury( vehicle or house ) is expected in this week. A short journey can be foreseen. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
LIBRA ( 24 Sept-23 Oct). Try and avoid harsh speech. Control your temper while dealing with your partner/ spouse. Keep a check on the health of your kids. Gains in surprising way to you . You would be inclined towards spirituality . Students may find themselves in a great confusion about their final report. A misunderstanding with spouse may spoil the beauty of relation for this week. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SCORPIO (24 Oct-22Nov) A pending family matter will be dissolved. This week is very good for your spouse. The atmosphere of your work place wont be very congenial. Your colleagues may conspire against you. You may lack the marital happiness. You can meet respectable people in the middle of the week. Your offsprings may be enjoying all comforts. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Mohammad Khan Achakzai appointed Governor Balochistan QUETTA: Mohammad Khan Achakzai, an economist and elder brother of Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai, was appointed Governor Balochistan on Tuesday.
SAGITTARIUS (23 Nov-2 1 Dec) This week is just a normal week. Over dominating nature of your spouse may lead to the quarrelsome atmosphere at home. Promotion of your father can be expected. Friends or elder brother can be benefited. Students need to work on their restlessness so that she/he can perform well.. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CAPRICORN (22 Dec-20 Jan) . You will have a tough time at your workplace. Effort will be fructified at the end of the week. Time to take extra care of your health. You may end up in a scuffle with your younger sibling. Your offspirings are doing well. Your mother may be traveling for a couple of days. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
AQUARIUS (21 Jan-19 Feb) This week you might be travelling on your official tour. Some colleague of opposite gender may take interest in you. Even a date cannot be denied. Try to maintain serenity at home. Better if you can channelize your creativity in positive way . Students may achieve in their field of interest. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
PISCES (20 Feb-20 Mar) Time to enjoy your work but don’t forget that someone is conspiring against you. Your fearless attitude maybe a help for you to get over this . Drive safe. Avoid any loan. Be very cautious about your speech. You will be more focused about your home, vehicle and other physical comforts.
The appointment came with an approval from President Asif Ali Zardari following an advice from Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Mohammad Khan, son of Pakhtun nationalist leader Khan Abdul Samad Khan Achakzai, started his career as a lecturer of economics and later joined t h e B a l o c h i s t a n Un i v e r s i t y’ s economics department as assistant professor. He joined the Planning Commission of Pakistan and retired a few years ago as chief economist.
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June 13, 2013
As the Member of Provincial Parliament for Etobicoke North, one of Canada’s most diverse ridings, I was disheartened, discouraged and dismayed to learn that a young Canadian boy in Quebec is being asked to choose between playing the sport he loves—soccer—and his religious observances.
June 5, 2013 NCIC- Press Release
National Council of Indo Canadians- NCIC, supports the right of Sikh Community to participate in sports and games. Yogesh Sharma, National Convener, NCIC, issued a statement, supporting the right of Sikh Community, which forms a large part of Indo Canadian immigrant community in Canada, to participate in sports and games. He further added that NCIC is of strong view that Quebec soccer federation’s-Turban ban, is against the fundamental rights and charter of Canada. Sports is one of the best way to integrate immigrants into Canada and stopping children from playing soccer because of their turban, flies in the face of our values, as Canadians. Yogesh Sharma National Convener National Council of Indian Canadians www.ncoic.ca info@ncoic.ca
Despite various attempts at setting back the clock, Canada is the most diverse country in the world; this is increasing daily, and it’s something we are and should be proud of. Members of the Sikh community, who are very prominent in my riding, have been part of Canada’s collective history since the early 1900s. More than fifty percent of Sikh-Canadians call this Province home. The community has actively contributed to the social and economic fabric of our society, serving in all spheres of public life from police forces including the RCMP, our armed forces, and right here in this Legislature. I stand with the parents in my community who want all children in Canada to have equal opportunity for physical activity and sports. Sports not only keep our children healthy and active but also teach them leadership and team -building skills. We break barriers when children build a sense of community with each other at a young age. The aspiration for "All-inclusive participation”—irrespective or labels or descriptors-- is something that I know, trust, and expect all Members of the Ontario Legislature to share, in this, the so-called 21st century. Canada’s diversity is a source of strength and pride for all Canadians. All faiths and traditions deserve to be respected and understood. DANAYVAD Thank you Merci beaucoup.
cell-416 834 9120 1-416-479-7372 1-905-671-6472 1-613-755-2050 Ottawa Jones Recognizes Booklore: Bookseller of the Year
(Queen’s Park) –Today, Sylvia Jones MPP, Dufferin-Caledon rose in the Ontario Legislature to recognize Booklore in Orangeville for being named Bookseller of the Year. Please find a transcript of the statement made below:
(Tuesday June 11, 2013) Ms. Sylvia Jones: I am pleased to rise today and congratulate Booklore in Orangeville on being named the Canadian Bookseller of the Year at the 2013 Libris awards held last week in Toronto.
Nancy Frater, owner of Booklore, is proud to feature local talent by hosting many book launches and promoting authors who are from our community. As an independent bookseller, Nancy understands the necessity of providing opportunities for Canadian writers to find their audience.
As a business woman, Nancy is very generous with her time and Booklore is well- respected in our community and is a leading contributor to the arts. Nancy is the founder of the Armchair and Authors event at the annual Headwaters Arts Festival, an event that has helped book aficionados and authors celebrate Canadian books.
I am pleased to see Booklore being recognized by the larger Canadian bookseller community. The Libris award nomination was looking for excellence in book retailing, superior customer service and innovation, marketing initiatives, author promotion and community involvement. Booklore excels in all these categories.
I extend my congratulations to Nancy and to the entire staff at Booklore. Thank you for being a wonderful promoter for our local writers and our business community.
Power riots erupt in Punjab towns: Police storm houses to arrest protesters conduct. A number of women and children who had not joined the protests were also mistreated. More than 10 people were arrested from the houses.
FAISALABAD: A large number of people from villages around Khurrianwala town vented their anger against power outages on Tuesday and attacked a grid station and offices of the Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (Fesco). They blocked traffic on the Sheikhupura-Faisalabad road for about 10 hours and pelted police and vehicles with stones, causing injuries to four constables.
The industrial city of Faisalabad saw a number of violent protests over outages during the PPP government. At that time, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had backed their protests, but asked them not to damage public property. PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif had also supported the agitation by industrial workers. Protests were also reported on Tuesday from Dera Ghazi Khan, Sheikhupura and Bahawalpur, but they were largely peaceful.
building and put it on fire. Police did not intervene because of having been outnumbered by the protesters. They also attacked a grid station near Ada Johal and tried to enter it, but were stopped by police. A mill where police had been deployed also came under attack. Two ambulances remained stuck in the traffic for some time but were later allowed by agitators to proceed. Police used batons and teargas to disperse the protesters but they refused to leave till restoration of power supply. Police chased the protesters in streets and bazaar and also entered some houses to arrest them.
Police chased the protesters, entered a number of houses by scaling the walls or breaking open the gates and thrashed anyone they found there.
Hundreds of people started gathering in the morning and blocked the Khurrianwala Road. They raised slogans against Fesco and an independent power producer supplying electricity to their villages.
The protesters also hurled stones at Faisalabad DCO Najam Shah and CPO Raja Riffat Mukhtar when they tried to negotiate with them.
Policemen are reported to have abused and dragged women when they objected to their
The protesters attacked the Fesco subdivisional office in Bundala, ransacked the
They said both the officers were unable to resolve the issue, adding that the district
coordination officer had assured their delegation a couple of days ago that the problem would be solved, but nothing had been done so far. Similar protests had been held on June 3 when demonstrators blocked the Khurrianwala Road for over five hours, damaged some vehicles and pelted police and some buildings with stones. They raised slogans against 10 hours of loadshedding schedule planned by Fesco. Police fired into the air to disperse the protesters and pursued them to the Ada Johal area. The road was later cleared. Our Sheikhupura correspondent adds: A large number of factory workers and residents of Ferozewattwan and adjoining localities gathered on the Faisalabad Road and blocked traffic for about three hours in protest against 20 hours of power outages. KASUR: A demonstration was held by people of Basti Kambovan against up to 20 hours of loadshedding.
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June 13, 2013
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June 13, 2013
SPORTS Williams' aqua-musicals were escapist comedies in lush color, with lavish song and watery dance numbers and lots of footage of synchronized swimming. They were so popular that some credited her with a jump in the popularity of home swimming pools. A typical finale featured Williams diving into a pool or lagoon and surfacing to a crescendo of music with waterdrops glistening on her smiling face and sleek body. She dismissed her talent, saying "I can't act, I can't sing, I can't dance. My pictures are put together out of scraps they find in the producer's wastebasket." But after watching the films decades later, she softened that self-deprecating assessment, saying: "I look at that girl and I like her. I can see why she became popular with audiences. There was an unassuming quality about her. She was certainly wholesome." Williams was born in the Los Angeles suburb of Inglewood on August 8, 1921. As a young swimmer, she set what were then world records in the 100-meter freestyle and 880-yard relay. She also worked as a model. With future "Tarzan" star Johnny Weissmuller, Williams began appearing in Billy Rose's Aquacade live water shows,
LOS ANGELES: Esther Williams, whose experiences as a young swimming champion led to a career of Hollywood "aqua-musicals" designed just for her, died on Thursday in Beverly Hills, California, at the age of 91, her spokesman said.
in her sleep and had been in declining health due to old age, spokesman Harlan Boll said.
Williams, one of the biggest box-office stars of the 1940s and 1950s, died peacefully
Williams became known as "Hollywood's
Williams hit the water in her first film, "Andy Hardy's Double Life" (1942) but stayed out of it for "A Guy Named Joe" (1943), the first of five movies she made opposite Van Johnson. It was the pool - and wartime pinup pictures of her in bathing suits - that made her popular. She returned to the water for "Bathing Beauty" (1944) and "Ziegfeld Follies (1946), both of which featured Williams in water ballets. In "Thrill of a Romance" (1945), the basic plot of most of her movies was established as she played a swimming instructor who falls in love. Her out-of-the-water roles were generally less successful. "Wet, she is a star," comic Fanny Brice once said. "Dry, she ain't." As the public's fascination with water sports slipped and Williams moved into more dramatic roles, her popularity fell. In 1945, a year after divorcing her first husband, she married Benjamin Cage, a former radio announcer who was influential in establishing an Esther Williams line of bathing suits, swimming pools, restaurants and other commercial ventures. She had three children with Cage before they divorced. In 1961 she co-starred with Fernando Lamas in the circus movie "The Big Show"
where she attracted the attention of MGM movie executives. She married pre-med
and they were married in 1969. She wrote in her autobiography, "The Million Dollar
student Leonard Kovner and turned down movie offers for a year.
Mermaid," that Lamas was so controlling that he refused to let her children come to
WARTIME
PINUP
TO
'BATHING
their house.
Mermaid" and "The Queen of the Surf." At her peak, the woman with the wide smile and
BEAUTY'
bright eyes was second in earnings only to Betty Grable and often in the top 10 box-
Williams eventually signed with MGM but begged out of her first planned job, a straight
office draws.
acting role opposite Clark Gable, claiming she 1960s television specials and hosted swimming events for ABC-TV's coverage of was unprepared. the 1984 Olympic Games.
Lamas died in 1982 and Williams married actor Edward Bell in 1994. In her later career, Williams did a few
PSF disappointed as Aamir Atlas returns to his strange ways The PSF executive committee, in a bid to make the selection for the WSF event absolutely transparent and fair, had insisted upon all the players to appear for qualifying trials. According to the PSF, the trials were initially planned to be held in the second week of May but were delayed by about ten days in order to accommodate Aamir Atlas. However, Aamir did not join the trials attributing his absence to low level of medical fitness. He also pulled out of the Hong Kong Open which was scheduled from May 28 and rendered a medical certificate to PSF and PSA for the same. Aamir was supposed to report to PSB doctor for his fitness review but he never did.
Aamir Atlas abstained from competing in the qualifying trials and asked for a waiver due to fitness problems. -Photo by AFP ISLAMABAD: Talented Aamir Atlas Khan has once again created some trouble for the Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) by deciding to stay away from the highlyranked WSF World Team Squash Championship, being held in France from June 9 to 15. A press release issued by the Pakistan
Air Force on Monday said that despite a clear offer by PSF President Air Chief Marshal Tahir Rafique Butt to grant Aamir a waiver from the trials over fitness reasons, the player has refused to be available for the World Team Squash event. Aamir Atlas abstained from competing in the qualifying trials and asked
for a waiver due to fitness problems which he said were caused during the Asian Individual Squash earlier last month. The federation said that Aamir’s decision to stay away from the WSF event despite his visa endorsed and waiver granted is “disappointing”.
At this stage, PSF president, keen on adding Aamir’s name to the squad for the WSF event, again approached the player but he declined and stayed away citing medical reasons. Finally, the team comprising Farhan Mahboob, Nasir Iqbal, Farhan Zaman and Sheikh Saqib left for France on June 8 after a delay of 24 hours owing to Aamir’s antics.
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June 13, 2013
Iram Parveen Bilal 's movie Josh جوشone day screening last
masses & how the rich & powerful unethically exploit them.
night in Toronto – Ontario – Canada. Verdict: Movie touches ones inner cord at times. Gives out a positive message about Pakistan and emphasizes on unity which the country lacks a lot in.
At times the movie does hit a slow track but the director does manage to come out of it. On the whole a griping subject and a well made movie.
Does focus on the helplessness of rural
Must watch as at the end of the day we
all wish for a peaceful, flourishing & secular Pakistan. A must watch as it is all set to release this coming Eid all over Pakistan & beyond. Seen here is the
director of the movie addressing a Q/A session before & after the movie.
Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg kill friends in "This is the End" The revelers are interrupted by the apocalypse. Fireballs ravage the Hollywood Hills, leaving a trail of destruction and a giant fire pit that swallows up many celebrity guests, including pop singer Rihanna, in front of Franco's house. Rogen, Franco, Baruchel, Hill, Robinson and McBride survive by locking themselves into Franco's house and proceed to engage in absurd survival stunts. Hollywood has a long-standing fascination with the end of the world such as 1998's space fantasy "Armageddon" and 2004's environmental disaster film "The Day After Tomorrow." This film publicity image released by Columbia Pictures shows, from left, James Franco, Seth Rogen and Jay Baruchel in a scene from "This Is The End." — AP Photo LOS ANGELES: Actor Seth Rogen and writer-producer Evan Goldberg, known for R-rated stoner comedies such as "Superbad" and "Pineapple Express," make their debut as directors this week with "This Is the End." Rogen, 31, and Goldberg, 30, told Reuters that they wanted to push the boundaries of comedy by having actors play themselves dealing with an apocalypse in the film, which will be released in North America on Wednesday. "It always seemed weird for all of us to all be in a movie and not acknowledge
that we all somehow know each other, because we've been in so many movies together already. To me it was almost distracting that we didn't play ourselves," Rogen said. "We've never seen it in a movie done like this, so it was exciting," he added. In the film, a group of Hollywood's top young comedy actors including Rogen, Jay Baruchel, Jonah Hill, Craig Robinson, Mindy Kaling, Jason Segel, Michael Cera, Emma Watson and Danny McBride come together at a wild party at James Franco's house.
"This is The End" takes a unique twist by giving the topic an R-rated comedy treatment with celebrities playing themselves. Goldberg said Rogen, Baruchel and Robinson play characters similar to their real identities, while Franco, Hill and McBride play a version of themselves far removed from reality. "We're friends with all (the cast) so they trust us ... I think the fact that we knew all the guys really well made it so we could do what we did," Rogen said. Assassination and animation Rogen, with his curly hair, thickframed spectacles and unique rumbling
laugh, has become a Hollywood poster boy for slacker films. Behind the scenes, both he and Goldberg are fast becoming big names in movie comedy. Rogen and Goldberg said their biggest challenge for "This Is the End" was securing funding and convincing studios to come on board with the film's premise. "All the studios were against the idea of (the cast) playing themselves, which if you've seen the movie, seems preposterous. That's the best part of the movie, without a doubt, but they were afraid of it," Goldberg said. Sony Corp.'s Sony Pictures Entertainment, took on the project, giving the duo "a few million dollars," Rogen said, with less than $3 million for visual effects. After surviving the apocalypse, Rogen and Goldberg are moving onto their second directorial project "The Interview," where Rogen and Franco will play journalists on a mission to "assassinate the president of North Korea," Rogen said, calling it their "comedic 'Argo.'" The duo will also be making their animated film debut with an R-rated comedy "Sausage Party," about sausages in a grocery store, teaming up with producer Megan Ellison of Annapurna Pictures, the company behind "The Master" and "Zero Dark Thirty."
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June 13, 2013
Bollywood star's boyfriend faces court over suicide
MUMBAI: The Indian boyfriend of the late Bollywood actress Jiah Khan was to appear in a Mumbai court Tuesday on suspicion of abetting her suicide after her family found a letter in her room. Suraj Pancholi, a 22-year-old aspiring actor,
was detained on Monday, a week after his The 25-year-old's parents found a suicide note Khan, went on to star alongside actor Aamir girlfriend's body was discovered by her in her wallet which reports said contained Khan in “Ghajini”, a box-office hit. parents at her home. details of her relationship with Pancholi. India's film industry reacted with shock and “He is arrested for abetment to commit suicide Khan, born in New York before moving to sadness to her death, with superstar Aamir under Section 306 of the Indian Penal Code,” London and then Mumbai, made her Khan saying he was “deeply pained” to hear Additional Police Commissioner Vishwas Bollywood debut in 2007 with the the news about a close family friend. controversial film “Nishabd” (No words), Nangre-Patil told AFP. playing a teenager in love with her best Pancholi has been taking acting lessons and “There is a suicide note, there is a statement of friend's much older father, played by was set to make his own film debut, having (Khan's) mother and some circumstantial Bachchan. signed to feature in the Salman Khan movie evidence of triggering,” he said of the grounds “Hero”. He has previously worked as an The movie won attention because of its assistant director. for the arrest. provocative storyline and Khan was praised Khan, who made her debut starring opposite for her bold acting. acting legend Amitabh Bachchan, was found Khan, who changed her name from Nafisa dead in an apparent suicide on June 3.
1st death anniversary of renowned ghazal singer Mehdi Hasan Khan In 1957, Mehdi Hassan was given the opportunity to sing on Radio Pakistan, primarily as a thumri singer, which earned him recognition within the musical fraternity. He had a passion for Urdu poetry, and therefore, he began to experiment by singing ghazals on a part-time basis. He cites radio officers Z.A. Bukhari and Rafiq Anwar as additional influences in his progression as a ghazal singer. His first song was ‘Jis ne mere dil ko dard diya’ film Susral in 1962 and popular ghazal ‘Insha ji ab kooch karo is shar me dil ko lagna kia’ made him immortal. Later Lata Mangeshkar said compliments for him that “Bhagwan talks in his throat”.
ISLAMABAD: The first death anniversary of Lollywood ghazal singer late Mehdi Hasan Khan was observed on Sunday with tributes paid to his contribution in music field.
traditional musicians.
Mehdi Hassan was born on 18 July 1927 in a village called Luna, Rajasthan in Jhunjhunu district in India into a family of
He was honored with Tamgha-eImtiaz, Pride of Performance and Hilal-eImtiaz by the Government of Pakistan.
He was awarded KL Saigal Sangeet Shehenshah Award by the Government of India.
In 1983, in the court of King Birendra he was awarded Gorkha Dakshina Bahu by the Government of Nepal. He remained a leading singer of film industry along with Ahmed Rushdi. The highest civilian honor of Pakistan is conferred on him- Nishan-e-Imtiaz
In October 2010, HMV released ‘Sarhadein’ in which probably the first and last duet song ‘Tera Milana’ featuring Mehdi Hassan and Lata Mangeshkar was released. Mehdi Hassan died on 13 June 2012 after a protracted illness, in a private hospital in Karachi.
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June 13, 2013
Bugti murder case: Quetta police team in Islamabad to arrest Sources in Crimes Branch Quetta investigating the case told Dawn.com that a police team comprising senior officials had reached the federal capital to arrest the former military ruler. Earlier on Monday, an AntiTerrorist Court in Quetta had issued non-bailable arrest warrants against Musharraf. QUETTA: A team from Crimes Branch Quetta reached Islamabad on Wednesday to arrest former president Pervez Musharraf in the Akbar Bugti murder case.
Moreover, on Tuesday, ATC Judge 1, Muhammad Ismail Baloch, had rejected a bail application submitted by Musharraf's lawyer in the same case.
The court had moreover ordered a police team to arrest Musharraf by June 24. Jamil Bugti, a son of Akbar Bugti, had nominated Musharraf, former prime minister Shaukat Aziz and others in his father's murder. Bugti was killed in a cave in Chalgri area of Bhamboor hills of Dera Bugti district on August 26, 2006 during a military crackdown ordered by Musharraf who was president and army chief at the time.
A Prosperous Economy, A Fair Society June 11, 2013 O NTARIO G OVERNMENT INTRODUCING P OSITIVE C HANGE A CROSS
THE
P ROVINCE
The spring session of the Ontario Legislature wrapped up today with the passing of the 2013 Budget. Since the session began in February, Premier Kathleen Wynne and her team moved forward on a number of measures to grow the economy and help people in their everyday lives. In the 2013 Budget, the government unveiled new initiatives to create jobs, including:
Oversight and Accountability at Correctional Facilities June 11, 2013 Government Responds to Ombudsman’s Report on Excessive Use of Force Ontario is implementing measures to uphold a cultural shift and improve oversight and accountability at the province's 29 correctional facilities. The measures address concerns raised by the Ombudsman in his report into excessive use of force. Reforms to strengthen oversight, investigations and accountability include: Restructuring the investigations unit to ensure greater transparency and accountability in use of force investigations. The new unit will be led by a senior police officer from the Ontario Provincial Police who reports directly to the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services. Updating the ministry's use of force investigations policies and oversight to clarify operational expectations and ensure accountability. Establishing risk management teams in all correctional facilities to review investigations to ensure strict compliance with ministry policies.
A new Youth Jobs Strategy that will create about 30,000 job and mentorship opportunities for young people and support their entrepreneurial efforts; A plan to invest more than $35 billion in infrastructure across Ontario over the next three years that will support more than 100,000 jobs on average each year; A proposed increase to the Employer Health Tax exemption that would provide greater tax relief for small employers and help them hire more people. Premier Wynne and her team are also helping people in their everyday lives through measures that include: Increasing the Ontario Child Benefit's annual maximum payment by up to $210 over the next two years; Taking steps to transform social assistance to help more recipients find jobs and improve their financial security; Reducing auto insurance rates by 15 per cent on average for nine million drivers; Investing an additional $260 million this year in home and community care; Proposing new rules for wireless contracts and services; Strengthening the rights of consumers in the areas of door-to-door sales, debt settlement services and real estate transactions.
During the spring session, the government also introduced legislation that, if passed, would help make Ontario a safer, healthier place for everyone by:
Prohibiting the sale of tanning services to people under 18 to protect young people from skin cancer; Providing job protection for caregivers who take leave to care for sick or injured loved ones or to cope with the illness or loss of a child; Making it easier for municipalities to collect unpaid fines from Ontario drivers; Making more local food available in stores, schools and restaurants across the province; Requiring producers to take responsibility for recycling the products they sell and turning more waste into new products.
Appointing a use of force auditor to conduct random reviews of use of force incidents to ensure policies are being properly followed. Providing additional training to all institutional staff and managers to ensure they clearly understand their responsibilities with respect to use of force. The province has also introduced initiatives to uphold a cultural change within correctional services, including: Adopting a zero-tolerance policy for any behaviour that threatens the safety of inmates and staff or interferes with ministry investigations. Partnering with the Ontario Human Rights Commission and the Ministry of Government Services on a Human Rights Project Charter to support ongoing efforts to identify and eliminate discrimination within Ontario's correctional services. Modernizing the recruitment process to attract highly skilled candidates that reflect the diversity of the population correctional services serves. Ensuring correctional facilities are secure and that staff and inmates are safe is part of the Ontario government's plan to create safe communities and a fair society.
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June 13, 2013
Mian Sahab, put ALL children back in school the government’s investments in the new budget, nothing, however, is more important than the need to invest in education. And whereas many would campaign for investments in higher education, the Sharif government should realise that investment in primary education has a higher social rate of return than the rest.*
Ten percent of the world’s education deprived primary-aged children live in Pakistan. This sad reality persists even after the amended constitution (Article 25A, 18th amendment) declared education free and compulsory for children between the ages of 5 and 16. The first budget of the new government in Pakistan will be presented on June 12. Within a short span of a few weeks, the newly elected government has to shift gears from promising the world to the electorate to delivering on those promises. In a resource constrained economy where the tax revenue and exploitable natural resources are in short supply, the newly elected government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has to invest strategically to get the highest rates of returns on public sector investments. While many demands would compete for
It was only a few weeks ago when the Nawaz League promised the voters that if elected, they will increase the education budget from under 2 per cent of the GDP to 4 per cent by 2018. The Pakistan Peoples Party pledged even a higher share of 4.5 per cent of the GDP for education by 2018. Imran Khan’s party pledged to increase the education budget by five-fold. This is, however, not the first time that political parties campaigned to increase investment in education. The post-election reality of severely constrained tax revenue, huge obligatory payments for debt servicing and the armed forces, and the lack of commitment to education, often result in even lower investment in education than before. Despite the promises for increased education spending in Pakistan, the abysmal state of literacy, let alone education, has persisted. Estimates suggest that no fewer than 7 million primary-aged children are out of school. The enrollment rates are lower for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) than the other provinces. And even within KP, far
fewer girls than boys are enrolled in schools. UNESCO reported that the net enrollment ratio for primary-age children was 72 per cent (2011) against the regional average of 89 per cent. The gross enrollment ratio for secondary education is 35 per cent (2011) against the regional average of 60 per cent. And finally the gross enrollment ratio for tertiary education is 8 per cent (2011) against 18 per cent in the region.
tertiary or higher education. Provinces have been devolved the responsibility for education up to grade 12. Primary and secondary education in fact falls under the purview of district governments. This creates an interesting challenge in Pakistan where primary education has been devolved to local governments who are the most cash -strapped level of government, given their inability to generate buoyant sources of tax revenue.
At the same time, UNESCO estimates some 50 million Pakistanis are illiterate. How is it possible that every incoming government promises more spending on education, and yet one finds millions of illiterate in Pakistan?
Despite the fact that primary education receives the highest share of education spending in Pakistan (34 per cent of total education spending), the demand for primary education services far exceeds the supply. The result is obvious. Poor quality and an inadequate primary school system has failed to meet the demand for primary education, resulting in a large number of school-aged being not in school.
The federal government, after the 18th constitutional amendment, is responsible for
Police move past barricades in Istanbul square
Riot police chase anti-government protesters in central Ankara June 11, 2013. Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan has agreed to meet on Wednesday with leaders of the movement whose peaceful protests in Istanbul spiralled into a wave of anti-government demonstrations across Turkey.—Photo by Reuters
ISTANBUL: Hundreds of police clad in riot gear pushed easily past barricades in Istanbul's central Taskin Square early Tuesday, and many of the protesters who had occupied the square for more than a week were pushed into a nearby park. Police briefly fired tear gas canisters and rubber bullets prompting many of the protesters to flee the square into Gezi Park, where many had been camping. Some of the activists fired fireworks, fire bombs and stones at police water cannon.
Earlier, demonstrators had manned the barricades and prepared for a possible intervention when officers began massing in the area. Police began taking down large banners that had been hung by protesters on a large building on the edge of the square, replacing them with a large Turkish flag and a banner with the picture of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the beloved founder of the secular republic 89 years ago after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. Turkey's most widespread anti-government
protests in decades erupted on May 31 after a violent police crackdown on a peaceful sit-in by protesters objecting to a project replacing the park with a replica Ottoman-era barracks. Prior to the police action, the protests appeared to be diminishing, with the smallest number of demonstrators in the past 12 days gathering in Taksim on Monday night. The protesters occupying Gezi Park had remained, however. Smaller protests occurred in Ankara too, with about 5,000 people demonstrating.
Police there have used water cannon and tear gas to break up demonstrations almost every night. Three people have died and more than 5,000 have been treated for injuries or the effects of gas during the protests. The government says 600 police officers have also been injured. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan had said he would meet with the Gezi Park protesters on Wednesday, following a request by some of the protesters.
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June 13, 2013
Getting down to business TONIGHT’S budget announcement will be one of the most important in the country’s recent history.
this fiscal year. The second priority is to stabilise government finances, where growing
borrowing, and inevitably more inflation, and will also choke off the growth process. The conundrum has many sceptical of the claims that this will be a growth-oriented
After Mian Nawaz Sharif’s inaugural speech before parliament, this will be the next major event when the new government will speak and lay out its plans and priorities. Every word, every gesture of Finance Minister Ishaq Dar will be watched carefully to determine the seriousness of purpose that the newly inducted government of Prime Minister Sharif is bringing to its job. The most telling number to watch for will be, as it is with every budget announcement, the revenue target they set for themselves. The last government became well known for setting ambitious targets and then revising them downwards during the year. A revenue target that is too high will indicate that the government is finding it hard to find room for expenditure cuts, a sign of weakness. “The margin for expenditure increases is not there,” says Dr Hafiz Pasha, who served a brief stint as financial adviser for the last Nawaz Sharif government. “It’s good that the government sees the revival of growth as an important priority but gunning for growth through deficit financing can suffocate the private sector and choke off the growth process right at the start.” Doubling the size of development budget is an example.
the
The government made the announcement in the last National Economic Council meeting held last week, but today it must show us where the money will come from to pay for all the mega projects that Mr Sharif has always been so fond of. Two important yet contradictory priorities are hanging over this government. One is to restart the growth process, which has dipped to 3.6 per cent
imbalances imperil any nascent economic recovery. With the cash deficit coming in around 7.5pc of GDP, the government has been pushed into an unprecedented borrowing binge, lifting a record Rs1 trillion from the banks this fiscal year alone. “The high level of these borrowings has kept an upward pressure on the system’s liquidity and thus market interest rates and is restraining growth in the private sector credit,” complained the State Bank of Pakistan back in April. So Mr Dar will have to balance his party’s campaign promises with the laws of economics. He doesn’t want to break either, but he also cannot have both. Stabilising government finances will mean scaling back expenditures and raising taxes, steps that will choke growth. But trying to revive growth without the revenues to pay for the growthinducing measures will mean more
government. Tonight’s budget speech will be the first glimpse we have of how the government intends to break this conundrum. Other growth-inducing measures that are in the pipelines include reforms of the public sector enterprises, including especially the power sector. But even here, deep conundrums haunt their efforts. Getting power generation going, for instance, will require increased imports of furnace oil. According to one study, for example, a 20-30pc increase in electricity generation can add another $2.5-3 billion to the country’s import bill — a difficult proposition, considering reserves are already in a precarious position. If the government’s only idea for reviving growth is mega projects, it’ll send a negative signal to the markets and the private investors. If there is no credible financing plan to pay for the expenditure increases, that negative signal will be
Spectrum auction of new-gen telecom licences within coming months: Anusha Rehman
amplified. Besides the laws of economics, the noise and chaos of democracy is another factor deterring investment. The argument that democracies are antithetical to development today rightly belongs in the garbage heap of history. But taming the wild impulses of Pakistan’s polity is an important priority. The Pakistan Economic Forum, a grouping of large investors, economists and policymakers, points to the “increased assertiveness of the parliamentary committees, media, civil society organisations and the judiciary” as a deterrent to investment. “The independence of these institutions is valued, and is fundamental to our democracy; but on occasion, technical understanding and knowledge of the subject matter, and an appreciation of the complex nature of issues, has not always accompanied their deliberations. This has, inadvertently, tended to generate inaction among economic actors,” wrote the authors in their report, prepared to be presented to members of the new assembly. Key projects remain stuck due to the blaring invective generated around them — an LNG import terminal and Thar coal being two examples. The authors of the report, and others like them, are allowing themselves a small measure of optimism that the new parliamentary arithmetic will mean a more stable government, and the new team of ministers will be more energetic in pursuing their responsibilities. The noise in the system might subside and an opening exists for a renewed focus on the work ahead. Those harbouring this optimism will watch tonight’s budget speech as keenly as the sceptics. They’ll all be looking for signs of how well the new finance minister understands the challenges before him. The words and the numbers will tell us how well he understands his situation. But it’s the body language that will tell us whether or not this government means business. And that’s no idle pun.
Economic survey prepared in haste? KARACHI, June 11: The slip of the tongue at various places and more importantly the out-dated figures provided in the “overview of the economy” in Economic Survey 201213 give an insight into the break-neck speed at which the officials must have completed their job. “The adverse impact of these economic difficulties was further compounded by the ongoing war against extremism which not only on one hand caused irreparable loss to the economy but wiped out mental peace and harmony among the masses of the country,” could be noticed for the poor language and being outside the survey of economy. And there are various gems including: “Karachi is the main hub of the economic activities” or “In retaliation to terrorists activities long and big sit down stage protests took place which sent a bad signal to outside world about the insecurity prevailing in the country.” The survey also seems to languish on the global financial crisis of 2008 and its effects on the world economy, stating: “Pakistan is no exception to feel the heat”. Some of the figures are ancient. “Economy nosedived to 14.2 per cent if to compare with 2008 when it was hovering around 19.21pc (base on year 2005-06)”.
Anusha Rehman, Pakistan's newly appointed Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication has disclosed that the new government, formed by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), is committed to swiftly undertake a spectrum auction of newgeneration telecom licenses,(3G/4G/ LTE), within the coming few months. Pakistan is considered to be lagging
behind in ter ms of IT and telecommunication infrastructure, and many believe that bringing 3G, 4G and LTE technology to Pakistan may just be the catalyst needed to enable prosperity in the sector A few days ago, Mrs Rahman had managed to grab media attention by saying that Google could face a blanket ban in the country if it refuses
t o a d h e r e t o t h e P a ki s t a n i government’s request of removing blasphemous videos from YouTube. Anusha Rehman is an advocate and a newly-elected member of the National Assembly, She is also a part of the PML-N's Central Working Committee.
Then again GDP growth is compared between years 2007-08 and 2008-09. “The inflation reached to highest level at 25 per cent in Oct 2008”. The “behaviour of natural climate during 2010 and 2011” is also lamented. The latest literacy rate figures for 2012-13 seem to be missing and the void is filled by mentioning Pakistan Social and Living Standard Measurement (PSLM) survey 2011-12, elaborately quoted. The Federal PSDP, the Provincial allocation of Annual Development Programmed (ADPS) 2012-13 is mentioned province wise; the actual sum utilised is missing. Other outdated figures relate to literacy rate up to 2010-12; Labour Force Survey of 2008-11 and unemployment up to 2010-11.
June 13, 2013
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Minister Clement to Modernize Disability Management in the Public Service OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwired June 10, 2013) - The Honourable Tony Clement, President of the Treasury Board, today announced plans to tackle high rates of employee absenteeism and to strengthen support for ill and injured public servants with an ambitious new initiative to modernize the Government's outdated disability insurance plans. "How we deal with disability management has a significant impact on worker productivity and our ability to deliver effective and affordable services to Canadians," said Minister Clement. "The public service suffers from exceedingly high levels of absenteeism, which is unsustainable for any employer looking to run a high-performing and productive workforce." The federal public service has an annual absenteeism rate of 18.2 days, including paid and unpaid leave. That is two -and-a-half times the private sector rate of 6.7 days. Under the current system, it is difficult for ill and injured employees to
reintegrate back into the workforce. In order to better manage employee illness, the Government, working closely with bargaining agents, intends to overhaul the current disability management system, which has remained virtually unchanged for the past 40 years. "It's time we fix an inefficient system that doesn't work for employees, who need the support, or for Canadian taxpayers, who are footing the bill," said Minister Clement. "The workplace has changed dramatically since 1970 and we need to find a more effective and efficient way to help employees get back to work as quickly as possible." The Government is looking forward to working with stakeholders and bargaining agents to introduce, for the first time, a short -term disability program to support employees through illness. Approximately 87% of Canadian employers provide shortterm disability insurance, making the federal government one of the few large employers that does not offer coverage for short-term
illness. At the same time, the Government's long-term disability plan, first introduced in 1970, will be overhauled to provide seamless integration between the short-term disability program and long-term disability insurance. The current system provides benefits coverage after 13 weeks of illness. "We need a 21st century disability management system for a 21st century workforce," said Minister Clement. "The current system will be replaced with a new, streamlined system that ensures active case management and comprehensive support for the ill and injured." As part of Economic Action Plan 2013, the Government committed to examining disability management in the public service. Initial discussions with bargaining agents recently began to explore the introduction of a modern disability management system. Modernizing
the
approach
disability management is part of the Government's efforts to reform the public service, encourage greater productivity and ensure Canadians are receiving the best value for their tax dollars. This follows on the recent introduction of a new, mandatory system to track employee performance in the public sector. Other reforms include 50-50 cost sharing for public sector pensions and the elimination of voluntary severance for public servants. A more robust disability management system will emphasize prevention and rehabilitation and will also include enhanced support for current and emerging health issues like mental illness, which was not adequately recognized 40 years ago but now represents more than half of all disability claims in the Canadian workplace. "Our Government is working to actively support a healthier workplace, which in turn is a more productive workplace," added Minister Clement
to
Judges’ detention case: ATC discards Musharraf’s bail plea
ISLAMABAD: The anti-terrorist court in Islamabad on Wednesday discarded a bail plea filed by former military ruler Pervez Musharraf in the judges' detention case, DawnNews reported. Earlier today, ATC judge Kausar Abbas Zaidi had reserved the ruling on
Musharraf's bail application during a hearing of the case. During the hearing, public prosecutor Amir Nadeem Tabish said clause 780-A pertaining to terrorism had been added to the list of charges against Musharraf, making the case against him even more strong.
Ontario Strengthening Care for Long-Term Care Residents Ontario Government Ensuring More Comprehensive Inspections Ontario is increasing the number of comprehensive inspections of long-term care homes to strengthen safety and improve care for residents. The province is hiring more inspectors to perform more unannounced comprehensive Resident Quality Inspections in long-term care homes. All 633 long-term care homes in the province will receive comprehensive annual inspections. This builds on the 6,700 inspections conducted since 2010. Ensuring the highest standard of care for long-term care residents is part of the Action Plan for Health Care and supports the new Ontario government's commitment to provide the right care, at the right time, in the right place.
In his arguments, Tabish added that judges and their family members had been detained in their homes for months and that the charges against the former army strongman were of a serious nature, who therefore should not be granted bail. He further said that the
emergency imposed by Musharraf in the country on November 3, 2007 was detrimental not only towards the judges but for the public at large. However, Musharraf's counsel, Ilyas Siddiqui, argued that there was no evidence against his client and requested the court to grant the bail application. Tabish moreover told the judge that he had been appointed public prosecutor in the case only until the court's ruling on Musharraf's bail plea, adding that he had no authority to present a charge sheet in the case. On which, the judge expressed his amazement and asked as to how it could be the case that one public prosecutor was appointed for Musharraf’s bail plea and another to present charges against him. Subsequently, the judge inquired of the investigation officer as to when would the charge sheet against the former military ruler be finalised. Responding to which, the officer said that three institutions had been approached in this respect, however, all had so far failed to submit their responses. The court reserved its ruling on the bail plea after the parties concluded their arguments and subsequently discarded the former president's application.
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June 13, 2013
German secret service worried about growing Salafism
BERLIN: German intelligence voiced concern on Tuesday over the growing number of ultra-conservative Islamic Salafists in the country, some of whom are swelling jihadist ranks abroad, while warning of an increasingly violent German extreme right. “Salafism is a particularly rapidly growing and extremely worrying group within the extremist movement,” HansGeorg Maassen, head of domestic intelligence, told a news conference as he presented his agency's 2012 annual report. Radical Islamists in Germany numbered 42,550 in 2012, according to surveillance services, and the number of Salafists, who espouse an austere form of Sunni Islam, within the movement grew to 4,500 from 3,800 in a year, he said. Maassen added that while not all Salafists are jihadists, it was clear that those who departed Germany for Syria or Egypt were there for that purpose. “One can say that Salafism is an essential step towards jihadism or for people ready to conduct terrorist attacks,” Maassen said.
He also stressed that the number of extremist Islamists in Germany did not signify there were “42,500 potential terrorists” in the country. Still, some 1,000 people including some Salafists are considered dangerous and 130 are seen as a particular threat and are monitored around-the-clock. The intelligence report also showed that Egypt had replaced the Waziristan region of Pakistan as the main centre for the training of jihadists. Syria is also a favoured destination. “We counted more than 60 people who left Germany to fight in Syria,” Maassen said. In March Germany banned three Islamist Salafist groups which officials said aimed to sweep aside democracy and set up a system based on Sharia Islamic law. Additionally German Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich said a “significant” number of people belonging to the Lebanese Shia movement Hezbollah were living in Germany but that they behaved in a “relatively moderate way”.
“We are doing everything to make life for them as difficult as possible,” Maassen added, saying Germany was cooperating with Israel on the issue of Hezbollah, blacklisted as a terrorist organisation by Washington. The EU is facing calls to also add Hezbollah's military wing to its list of “terrorist” groups. Turning to Germany's extreme right, racist attacks increased last year despite a slight fall in the number of supporters of the far-right movement, the domestic intelligence service report said. “There is a slight decrease in the number of members of the extreme right movement but the number of people ready to use violence is very striking, at 43 percent,” Friedrich told reporters. Some 802 racially-motivated violent crimes were registered last year, in the first increase in four years. About 22,150 people were considered as being part of the far-right movement in Germany in 2012, slightly down on the figure for the year before but a far cry from the 50,900 members of 2000.
But Maassen said about 10,000 members were considered to be inclined towards the use of violence. And he underscored that the raciallymotivated crimes blamed on the neo-Nazi trio, the National Socialist Underground, whose last living member Beate Zschaepe is currently on trial in Munich, “are rejected overall by the extreme right movement”. But he added: “There remains a small fringe within the extreme right which finds it good and which sees terrorism as a possible form of action.” Zschaepe denies the charge of complicity in the murders of eight ethnic Turks, a Greek immigrant and a German policewoman between 2000 and 2007 as a founding member of the NSU. The random discovery of the NSU in late 2011 embarrassed authorities, exposing deep security flaws and raising uncomfortable questions about how the cell went undetected for 13 years in a country proud of owning up to its Nazi past.