Osama bin Laden: end of an era

Osama was one of more than 50 children of Muhammad bin Laden, a construction tycoon in Saudi Arabia. Osama attended King Abdul Aziz University, where he received a degree in civil engineering.

Shortly after the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1979, bin Laden, like thousands of other Muslims from throughout the world, joined the Afghan resistance, viewing it as his duty to repel the occupation.

After the Soviet withdrawal in 1989, bin Laden returned to home as a hero, but he was quickly disappointed with what he perceived as the corruption of the Saudi government and of his own family.

His objection to the presence of the US troops in Saudi Arabia during the Persian Gulf War led to a growing rift with his country s leaders.
By 1993, he had purportedly formed a network known as al Qaeda, which consisted of militants whom Osama had met in Afghanistan.

The group funded and organised several attacks worldwide, including detonating truck bombs against American targets in Saudi Arabia (1996), killing tourists in Egypt (1997), and simultaneously bombing the US embassies in Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (1998), which altogether killed nearly 300 people.

In 1994 the Saudi government confiscated his passport after accusing him of subversion, and he fled to Sudan, where he organised camps that trained militants in terrorist methods, and from where he was eventually expelled in 1996. He later returned to Afghanistan, where he received protection from its ruling Taliban.

During 1996–98, Osama issued a series of decrees, declaring a holy war against the United States, which he accused, among other things, of looting the natural resources of the Muslim world and aiding and abetting the enemies of Islam, especially Israel.

Bin Laden s apparent goal was to draw the United States into a large-scale war in the Muslim world that would overthrow dictatorial Muslim governments and re-establish the Caliphate. To this end, al Qaeda, aided by Osama s considerable wealth, trained militants and funded militant attacks.

It had thousands of followers worldwide, in places as diverse as Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Libya, Bosnia, Chechnya, and the Philippines.
Following the September 11 attacks, the United States led a coalition in late 2001 that overthrew the Taliban and sent bin Laden into hiding.

Nearly three years passed, during which time the US forces hunted for Osama along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. He emerged in a videotaped message in October 2004, less than a week before that year s US presidential election, in which he claimed responsibility for the September 11 attacks.

Iran guards warn US against attack over nuclear work

TEHRAN: Iran will make the strategic Gulf region unsafe for all if it comes under attack by the United States over it nuclear programme, the deputy head of the elite Revolutionary Guards said on Sunday.

“If the Americans make the slightest mistake, the security of the region will be endangered. Security in the Persian Gulf should be for all or none,” Yadollah Javani told the official news agency.

“The Persian Gulf is a strategic region and if it is endangered they (Americans) will suffer losses and our response will be firm.

“We will defend ourselves if America or Israel resort to any hostile measures against our vital values,” he added.

The international community led by the United States has stepped up pressure on Iran over its controversial nuclear programme amid concerns that the Islamic republic is engaged in a covert nuclear weapons programme, a charge Tehran vehemently denies.

The United States and Israel have not ruled out a military strike to stop Iran”s alleged atomic ambitions.

Javani”s declaration preceded comments by the top US military officer on Sunday that a plan to attack Iran was ready, if needed to stop the Islamic republic from acquiring a nuclear weapon.

Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said he was “extremely concerned” about the possible repercussions of such a strike.

Iranian officials have frequently vowed a crushing response to any US and Israeli attacks.

COAS chairs formation commanders moot

RAWALPINDI: Army formation commanders meeting underway here at GHQ with the Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani in chair.

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COAS chairs formation commanders moot

Business booms for ancient Afghan letter writing art

KABUL: Scribes like Mohammad Qasim once wrote poignant love letters of Persian poetry for illiterate Afghans.

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Business booms for ancient Afghan letter writing art

Persian new year 2010

Persian new year 2010 news updates :- Iranians around the globe celebrate the Persian New Year, Nowruz, marking the first day of spring, as a time of renewal, hope and change.

For Iranians, Nowruz is a celebration of new beginnings, a time to visit relatives and friends, and pay respect to senior family members.

Preparation for Nowruz begins with spring cleaning, buying new clothes and setting the Haft Seen, a table containing seven items starting with the letter ‘S’ — Sabzeh (freshly grown greens), Samanu (sweet wheat paste), Senjed (jujube), Seeb (apple), Seer (garlic), Somagh (sumac) and Serkeh (vinegar).

Senior family members give presents to their juniors and people renew their friendships and start the New Year with kindness and amity.

Meaning ‘new day,’ Nowruz is celebrated by over 300 million people worldwide on March 21st, the day of the vernal equinox.

The ancient tradition of Nowruz and the rebirth of nature is observed in the Balkans, the Black Sea Basin, the Caucasus, Central Asia and the Middle East.

The United Nations General Assembly recognized March 21st as the International Day of Nowruz during its sixty-fourth session on Feb. 23, 2010.

British Airways On Strike

LONDON : British Airways said it would fly more than 60 percent of passengers with flights booked for this weekend despite a three-day cabin crew strike that risks hurting the Labour government weeks before an election.

The walkout over pay and jobs which began at midnight will disrupt travel for thousands after talks between the Unite union and management collapsed. A further four-day strike is planned later this month.

The Unite union said support for the action had been strong and that the situation would be worse than BA had hoped.

“The severity of the disruption will get worse day by day as crews from overseas come back and then don’t come back out,” a spokesman said.

A witness at London Heathrow’s Terminal 5, the airport’s main hub for BA flights, said dozens of security guards and customer service staff were posted at entrances.

However, the airline’s warnings and contingency plans appeared to be working as there were only a few people queuing for information about the strike.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown called for both sides to resolve their differences without delay, as political opponents sought to capitalise from Unite’s position as his party’s biggest single financial backer.

The prospect of the first national rail strike for 16 years added to the government’s problems after signal workers voted for industrial action on Friday, although peace talks were due to be held next week.

Labour has strong union ties that go back to its foundation in 1900. The political director of Unite, Britain’s largest union, is Brown’s former spokesman.

The opposition Conservatives, favourites to win an election expected on May 6, called on Brown to sever financial links with the union during the dispute.

“Labour’s dependence on funding from Unite is compromising their ability to stand up to the unions and stand up for the interests of passengers,” Conservative transport spokeswoman Theresa Villiers said.

BA, which has 12,000 cabin crew, wants to save an annual 62.5 million pounds to help cope with a fall in demand, volatile fuel prices and increased competition from low-cost carriers.

BA Chief Executive Willie Walsh apologised for the disruption to passengers in a video on the carrier’s website.

“We are going to fly as many of our customers as possible. We are going to fly you safely in secure conditions and we are going to fly you in comfort,” Walsh said.

The airline has retrained 1,000 staff to stand in as temporary cabin crew, found passengers flights on rival airlines and chartered aircraft and crew to fulfil other routes.

Many crews, including those working on long haul flights from London Gatwick airport and all flights from the smaller London City airport, will not take part in the action as they have already agreed to proposed changes.

The airline normally transports 70,000 passengers daily, and hopes to fly 49,000 a day during the weekend strike.

Issue 2 Ohio Results,Ohio Election Results 2009

Issue 2 Ohio Results,Ohio Election Results 2009: particularly Issue 2 Ohio results are hot.  Ohio voting results 2009 and Issue 2 Ohio results are among the many voting results that so many people are concerned about today. Ohio voting results 2009 indicate that soon Ohio will be able to have Vegas style casinos in their very own state due to the passage of Issue 3 during the 2009 November elections.  Those who supported Issue 3 in the Ohio 2009 elections estimate that casinos will bring 34,000 jobs to the state

Issue 2 Ohio Results,Ohio Election Results 2009: particularly Issue 2 Ohio results are hot.  Ohio voting results 2009 and Issue 2 Ohio results are among the many voting results that so many people are concerned about today.

Ohio voting results 2009 indicate that soon Ohio will be able to have Vegas style casinos in their very own state due to the passage of Issue 3 during the 2009 November elections.  Those who supported Issue 3 in the Ohio 2009 elections estimate that casinos will bring 34,000 jobs to the state.

Issue 2 Ohio results deal with livestock.  Unofficial results show that Issue 2 is passed.  This means that the state of Ohio will set up a Livestock Care Standards Board. The board will write standards that must be followed.

Issue 1 in Ohio was also supported during 2009.  Voting results indicate that a constitutional amendment will be passed. This amendment will give bonuses to Ohio residents that served during the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, and Iraq conflicts.  Those who saw action will see $100 per month of service up to $1,000.  Families of veterans killed will receive $5,000 and those who were noncombatant will get $50 per month of service up to $500.

source:http://www.techbanyan.com