WikiLeaks rival Openleaks "coming soon": website

LONDON: The former deputy to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is vowing to launch a rival site soon that he says will be more transparent than the original.

Dubbed “Openleaks” (www.openleaks.org) and run by Assange’s former number two at WikiLeaks Daniel Domscheit-Berg, the site has no content on it at the moment apart from a logo and the message “Coming soon!”

In an interview with the OWNI technology website, Domscheit-Berg declined to go into the details of his dispute with Wikileaks but suggested it had strayed from its mission.

“In these last months, the organization has not been open any more, it lost its open-source promise,” he said, adding that Openleaks plans to provide the means for leaked information to be published, without itself being a publisher.

U.S. and other authorities have cracked down on WikiLeaks and Assange.

PCB-ECB standoff resolved, claims Butt

Staff Report

LAHORE: Pakistan cricket chief Ijaz Butt has claimed that England will continue to provide a neutral venue facility as the dispute between England Cricket Board (ECB) and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has been resolved amicably.

Speaking to media persons at Lahore airport early Wednesday morning, he said there were some misunderstandings which have been addressed by the two cricket boards.

Responding to a query, he said that the decision to lift temporary suspensions of Muhammad Asif, Salman Butt and Muhammad Aamer will be made by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

Surprisingly, the PCB chief was unaware of the date set by the ICC to hear appeals of the three Pakistani cricketers. SAMAA

Clinton warmly endorses Netanyahu, Abbas

JERUSALEM: U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warmly endorsed Israeli and Palestinian leaders on Wednesday ahead of negotiations to try to break a deadlock over Jewish settlement building in the occupied West Bank.

“This is the time, and these are the leaders,” Clinton said before she was to see Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who resumed direct peace talks two weeks ago after a 20-month hiatus.

Saying the two were “getting down to business” and tackling the main issues of the six-decade conflict, Clinton gave no sign they were any closer to resolving the dispute over Jewish settlement building that threatens the U.S.-brokered talks.

Speaking after she met Israeli President Shimon Peres, Clinton described Netanyahu and Abbas as sincere and serious and urged them to seize what she called “a moment of

Settlements row to dominate US led Mideast talks

SHARM EL-SHEIKH: US of State Hillary Clinton was in Egypt on Tuesday to lead a second round of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, aiming to prevent negotiations from collapsing days after their launch.

Remarks by Palestinians and Israelis ahead of the talks in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh did not suggest a compromise was at hand to resolve a dispute over Israeli settlement construction in the occupied West Bank.

“Choosing to continue with settlements in any form means destroying the negotiations,” chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat told Reuters.

Erekat was speaking after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday he would not extend a partial building freeze, though he indicated he would curb future construction.

Clinton said en route to the talks the two sides must resolve their dispute over the end of the freeze on Jewish

Sweden to open a Treehotel

STOCKHOLM: Child’s play looks to be serious business for some Swedish hotel-operators.

Here is the original:
Sweden to open a Treehotel

PA to move resolution praising media

LAHORE: To put an end to the dispute between the media and the Punjab Assembly over the anti-media resolution the government will move a resolution in the assembly praising the role of the media in restoration of democracy in the country.

The rest is here:
PA to move resolution praising media

France, UK urge probe into Israel raid

PARIS: The foreign ministers of France and Britain said an ”international” inquiry was necessary to resolve the dispute over Israel”s deadly raid on Gaza aid ships, after meeting late on Sunday in the French capital.

”We think it is very important that there is a credible and transparent investigation. We believe there should be an international presence at minimum in that inquiry or investigation,” said British Foreign Secretary William Hague after talks with his French counterpart Bernard Kouchner.

Kouchner added that the international inquiry was needed ”because several countries are involved” in the incident.

Syed Ali Gilani Says Ready to Talk to India

NEW DELHI: Veteran Kashmiri Hurriyet leader Syed Ali Shah Gilani surprisingly deviated his longtime hard-line stand on Thursday when he hinted at holding bilateral talks with India.

Chief of his own faction of separatist All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) is a firm supporter of Kashmir’s independence from Indian occupation and union of the disputed valley with Pakistan by Kashmiri’s right of self determination.

“Kashmir issue can be resolved by negotiations and Hurriyat Conference is ready to sit with India to resolve the longstanding dispute,” Gilani told the newsmen in New Delhi.

Gilani, 81, has always insisted on resolving the dispute by holding trilateral talks involving India, Pakistan and Kashmiris in the light of United Nations’ resolutions.

“Our party has adopted a mildness in its stance and is ready to talk to India besides the fact that India has not acted upon the U.N.’s resolutions,” he added.

Pakistan Stands by Kashmiris Thru Thick, Thin: Umar Farooq

Hailing Pakistan for its all-out support to Kashmir cause, leader of All Parties Hurriyat Conference Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has called upon the Indian government to review its stance regarding the dispute and do away with its traditional stubbornness.
Kashmir Solidarity Day, Mirwaiz thanked Pakistan on behalf of Kashmiris for taking up the dispute at all levels, adding that the said issue was both political and public and urged the Indian government to fulfil the commitments it made to the Kashmiris. Mirwaiz said he supported dialogue resumption; however he vowed to continue the fight for freedom and right to self-determination by all means.

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Pakistan Stands by Kashmiris Thru Thick, Thin: Umar Farooq was first posted on February 5, 2010 at 2:20 pm.

15 injured in Fog Related Mishaps in Punjab

LAHORE, Pakistan News: Dense fog on Sunday reduced the road visibility in Lahore and other parts of Punjab as 12 vehicles jumbled at G.T. Road in Okara injuring more than 15 persons in the incident.

In Lahore visibility remained less than 20 metres, causing traffic closure at Lahore-Islamabad Motorway and disrupting flight operations at Allama Iqbal International Airport.

The rail traffic has also been badly affected as Jaffarabad Express, Quetta Express, Karakoram Express and Allama Iqbal Express delayed at Lahore railway station for three to four hours.

The thick blanket of fog which has engulfed Punjab will be continued in the province as the met department forecast dry and cold weather with more humidity in next 24 hours.

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15 injured in Fog Related Mishaps in Punjab was first posted on January 17, 2010 at 1:01 pm.

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