Protesters storm 6 of Syria’s embassies

 

Demonstrators have stormed six Syrian embassies in Europe and the Middle East after Syrian forces reportedly killed more than 200 people in the city of Homs.

 

British police used batons to beat back protesters attempting to storm the Syrian Embassy in London for a second time after successfully breaking in early Saturday. The crowd broke several of the embassy s windows during the melee.

 

Police said six people were arrested in the initial assault on the building, while another six were arrested hours later when demonstrators chanting “We want to close the embassy” kicked down barriers and rushed the building.

 

A similar scene played out in Athens before dawn, where police said 13 people 12 Syrians and one Iraqi national were detained after forcing their way into the Syrian Embassy before dawn.

 

In Germany, 20 people forced their way into Syria s Embassy in Berlin on Friday and damaged offices there, police said.

 

Syrian protesters in Cairo set part of the embassy on fire Friday night, while protesters in Kuwait broke windows at the embassy and hoisted the opposition flag. The Kuwait news agency said a number of security personnel were hurt in scuffles.

 

Some 300 Syrian exiles and Libyan supporters also occupied the Syrian Embassy in Tripoli and hung the Syrian opposition s flag on the gate. Anas el-Khalidi, a member of the revolutionary National Council in Libya, said the opposition plans to begin operating out of the embassy building, which has been vacant since the staff fled during the civil war that led to the ouster and killing of Moammar Gadhafi in October.

 

Syria s government has denied the assault on Homs, calling news reports about it part of a “hysterical campaign” of incitement by armed groups against Syria, meant to be exploited at the U.N. Security Council as it voted on a draft resolution backing an Arab call for President Bashar Assad to give up power. Russia and China vetoed the resolution despite last-minute negotiations.

 

The Syrian National Council, Syria s main opposition group, urged Russia to stop its “shameful intransigence” at the U.N. and for the world to help stem the bloodshed. It also called for Syrians to protest outside their embassies.
 

President, PM felicitates India on Republic Day

 

President Zardari has also greeted the people of India on the country’s Republic Day on January 26.

 

In a letter to President Ms Pratibha Devisingh Patil, he said: “On the occasion of the Republic Day of India, I wish to convey to Your Excellency and the people of India warm felicitations and good wishes of the people of Pakistan.”

 

Similarly, Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani sent a message of greetings to Prime Minister of India Dr Manmohan Singh on the occasion of their Republic Day being celebrated on Thursday (January 26).

 

However, Kashmiris on both sides of the Line of Control (LoC) and across the world observed Indian Republic Day as Black Day to remind the international community that India’s continued denial of Kashmiris’ right to self-determination was contrary to its claim of being a democratic republic.
 

‘True Sindhi can’t speak of Sindh division’

 

While talking to the media in Sukkar, Federal Minister Farooq Sattar said that the people who are talking about division of Sindh are not actually Sindhis.

 

He said that socio-economic system of Pakistan is rapidly changing with the passage of time. The MQM has represented Sindh on the issue of Kala Bagh Dam on every stage, he added.

 

He said that camp offices have been set in every area for party membership, adding that there is outstanding spirit is being found among young generation in the city.

 

The MQM public gathering would be held in Sukkar on Friday.

 

Arrangements have been completed regarding public gathering in the Railway Ground.
 

Indian governor faints during speech

 

However, Shekhar Dutt recovered soon to complete his speech.

 

One of his aides and Additional Director General of Police Ram Niwas prevented him from collapsing on the stage and helped him sit on a chair.
 

A team of doctors reached the stage and gave primary treatment to Dutt.

 

Dutt completed his speech sitting on the chair itself after regaining composure. He also apologised to the gathering for the delay in the proceedings.
 

The Governor also participated in the medal distribution ceremony. Later, he was taken to the Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar hospital. According to officials, doctors at the hospital checked Dutt thoroughly and declared his condition as normal.
 

Costly streetlights: CDA member removed on news of Dunya

The government has dismissed the CDA member engineering while the Planning Commission has opposed the street light project.

Taking notice on the news of Dunya, the government has removed the CDA Member Engineering Abrar Hussain Shah from his office and appointed DG water supply Sanaullah Awan while giving him additional charge of the Member Engineering.

According to sources, Senator Nayyar Bukhari also scolded the CDA Chairman over anti human project.

The Planning Commission has also declared the costly streetlights project as equal to piling undue burden on the people who are already facing hardships of life for their survival. The estimation of the said project is also apparently against facts.
 

Shahbaz may get me murdered: Raja Riaz

 

Raja Riaz said that Punjab CM Shahbaz Sharif wanted to get him killed mysteriously.

 

While talking to the News Trends, Opposition leader in Punjab Raja Riaz said that if he was targeted, Shahbaz Sharif should be held responsible.
 

LHC rejects Khurram’s protective bail plea

 

Lahore High Court has rejected the protective bail plea of PM’s former media coordinato Khurram Rasool on his non-presence in LPG quota fraud case.

 

Two-member bench of Lahore High Court heard the petition and summoned NAB officials.

 

During proceedings the NAB officials informed the court that Khurram Rasool is involved in Rs710 million LPG quota fraud.

 

Earlier, Khurram Rasool’s counsel prayed to court that his client feared security risk that is why he has never appeared in the court.

 

In response the court while expressing dissatisfaction rejected the plea of protective bail by Khurram Rasool.

Head of Hamas Govt to visit Iran, Kuwait

 

The head of the Hamas government in Gaza, Ismail Haniya, will leave next week for a regional tour that includes a stop in Iran, the Islamist movement has announced.

 

“From the 30th of this month, he will begin a tour to a number of countries, including Kuwait and Iran, as well as other nations,” said a Hamas statement released late on Wednesday.

 

In a separate statement, Hamas spokesman Taher al-Nunu said Haniya “has received a message from Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad that included a formal invitation to visit Iran.”

 

Sources in the Hamas government told AFP that Haniya s trip was likely to also include stops in Qatar and Bahrain.

 

The trip will be Haniya s second since Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip in 2007, after routing Fatah forces from the territory in violence that broke out a year after the Islamist movement swept legislative elections.

 

His first trip out of Gaza came in December, when he made stops in Egypt, Sudan, Turkey and Tunisia.

Blast kills four in Kuwait’s largest refinery

 The explosion took place at the Gas Liquefaction Plant at the refinery of Mina al-Ahmadi during maintenance works, Kuwait National Petroleum Co (KNPC) said in a statement cited by the official KUNA news agency.

The four people killed work for a private contractor, KNPC said. Two company workers were also injured but discharged from hospital after treatment.

An industry source earlier told AFP the dead workers were Asians and that the explosion was caused by a gas leak, adding that the blast also wounded three firemen.

The source said the refinery continued operations as usual and that the blast would have no impact on Kuwait s oil output and exports.

Mina al-Ahmadi is the largest of three refineries in OPEC member Kuwait, with a refining capacity of over 460,000 barrels per day. The other two at Shuaiba and Mina Abdullah have a combined capacity of around 450,000 bpd.

Kuwait may host US Iraq backup force

The troops will be kept as a backup or rotational training force for Iraq, after the Pentagon completes the scheduled withdrawal of its current 45,000-strong force from Iraq in December, US officials said.

The proposal, not yet announced, is among a number of options the administration is considering for extending its military training role in still-violent Iraq, whose divided government has been reluctant to ask Washington directly to keep troops on its soil beyond this year.

All troops are to leave Iraq by Dec. 31 under a 2008 security agreement, but senior US officials worry that without more training the Iraqi forces may squander hard-won security gains. The Iraqi army, for example, is only now taking delivery of US battle tanks, on which they have yet to be trained.

Iraq s security forces are improving but still lack the capability to defend fully Iraqi air space, borders and territorial waters, US military officers say.

“There are some gaps in their military capabilities, their security capabilities, that we believe we could offer some assistance with,” Navy Capt. John Kirby, a spokesman for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Thursday. Discussions with the Iraqis on this are in an early stage, Kirby added.

The Obama administration favors a proposal that would leave 3,000 to 5,000 US troops in Iraq next year to train Iraqi forces, US officials said this week. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because Iraq has not yet asked for any extension of forces.

It has not previously been reported that staging US forces in Kuwait as a part of that training mission, or possibly along with that mission, is being considered. One of the US officials said the administration would foresee the Kuwait arrangement lasting for three years, starting in 2012, with troops rotating into Iraq for six-month stints. No decisions have been made, and it was not clear whether direct talks with the Kuwaiti government have begun.

Kuwait has played a pivotal role in the Iraq war from its beginning. The bulk of US ground forces launched the invasion from Kuwaiti territory in March 2003, and the tiny Gulf state has served as a transit point for coalition supply convoys and air transport throughout the conflict. The US uses Kuwaiti air and land bases and maintains a small force in the country now. The Iraq backup forces would be besides that contingent.

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