Al-Qaeda leader voices support for Syria uprising

Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri has voiced his support for the Syrian uprising in a new video message released on jihadist forums, US website monitors said Sunday.

 

In the video titled “Onwards, Lions of Syria”, Zawahiri criticised the Syrian regime for crimes against its citizens, and praised those rising up against the government, the SITE Intelligence Group said.

 

Zawahiri, shown in front of a green curtain in the video released Saturday which runs for over eight minutes, urged Syrians not to rely on the West or Arab governments, whom he said would impose a new regime subservient to the West.

 

He called on Muslims in Turkey, Iraq, Jordan, and Lebanon to support the uprising and remove the current regime which he condemned as anti-Islam.

 

Since March last year, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad s government has carried out a bloody crackdown on an uprising in which more than 6,000 people have been killed.

 

Arab League foreign ministers will meet on Sunday in Cairo to discuss their next move over the crisis.

 

Long Al-Qaeda s number two, Zawahiri took over the helm of the group after Osama bin Laden was killed in May 2011 during a US special forces night raid deep in Pakistan.

 

The video is the latest of a number in which the militant chief has attempted to seize on the “Arab Spring” revolutions.

 

Al-Qaeda has been absent from the popular protests that swept the Arab world last year, leading to the fall of leaders in Egypt, Libya and Tunisia and provoking major unrest elsewhere.

 

Analysts argue that the phenomenon has left the global terror outfit weakened and increasingly irrelevant.

 

The United States said last year that it believed Zawahiri, who has been in hiding since the United States declared a “war on terror” after the September 11, 2001 attacks, was still in Pakistan.
 

Nejad vows to inaugurate nuclear projects

 

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad lashed out at Israel, saying the “story” of the Holocaust underpinning its existence had been “smashed”.

 

In a speech marking the anniversary of Iran s 1979 revolution, Ahmadinejad said his nation will “never yield” to Western sanctions and threats of military action from Israel and the United States.

 

A crowd of an estimated 60,000 people in Tehran s main Azadi (Freedom) Square cheered Ahmadinejad s words despite the winter weather. Many held aloft placards declaring “Death to America” and “Death to Israel”.

 

In pointed messages aimed at those two arch-foes, Iranian officials planted a full-scale model of a US spy drone captured in December at an entrance to the square, and hosted on the stage the Hamas prime minister of Gaza.

 

Hamas “will never recognise Israel,” Gaza leader Ismail Haniya told the crowd just before Ahmadinejad spoke.–Agencies

 

Mathews fireworks prompt Australia rethink

PERTH: Australia will revisit their bowling plan for Angelo Mathews after the powerful Sri Lankan almost engineered another remarkable comeback win for his side at the WACA Ground on Friday.

Mathews, who famously combined with Lasith Malinga for a 132-run ninth-wicket stand to help Sri Lanka beat Australia in Melbourne in November 2010, threatened to perform similar heroics on Friday, before falling just six runs short of the victory target.

Number seven Mathews and number 11 Dhammika Prasad came together with 52 runs required, chasing a victory target of 232.

The pair still needed 18 off the last over to snatch victory, which became just eight off four balls when Mathews hit Mitchell Starc’s first two balls for four and six.

But with six needed off two balls, Mathews was caught on the boundary trying to hit the winning runs, ending his innings on 64 from 76 balls.

Australia skipper Michael Clarke said his side needed to find a way to curb the right-hander’s clean hitting.

“He continues to make runs against us. He is that type of player and if he gets past 20 he is unstoppable. He strikes the ball as clean as anybody,” Clarke said.

“We need to keep working on our plans to him and probably be a bit more disciplined early to him to try to get him out for less than 20 more often, because he is a very good striker of the ball.”

Mathews averages 41.50 in one-dayers against Australia, well above his career average of 33.45, and he said he was not surprised by news the Australians would place more focus on his wicket in future matches.

“They have a idea of me, so I have to think a bit ahead,” he said.

The 24-year-old said memories of his MCG heroics were in his mind late in the chase.

“We were almost there. The MCG game was at the back of my mind, but unfortunately we couldn’t pull it through,” he said.

Mathews, who also claimed two wickets with the ball in the Australian innings, said he would welcome any opportunity to bat further up the order in future one-day internationals.

“Obviously yes, but the team needs me finishing off the game,” he said when asked if he would like a promotion in the batting order. AGENCIES

Two Lahore fires cause loss worth millions of rupees

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LAHORE: Goods worth millions of rupees were gutted in two incidents of fire during the last 24 hours in the city. Also, four people sustained burns injuries in the two incidents.

A blaze incident occurred in a plaza housing shops of electronics products located at Hall Road, where goods worth millions of rupees were torched by the sudden fire after engulfing two shops.

The relief teams contained the fire on time.

Another fire, caused by short circuit, broke out in a business center located on Gulberg’s main thoroughfare. Fire has been brought under control; but, at least two floors of the plaza are completely burned down with goods of millions of rupees gutted.

According to traders, the commercial center was furnished with considerable firefighting system; but, the fast-paced blaze stormed the plaza in no time. TrendPK

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SHC’s three judges take oath

KARACHI: Three judges of Sindh High Court (SHC) took oath after they have been made permanent judges, TrendPK reports Saturday.

Chief Justice of Sindh High Court (SHC), Justice Musheer Alam administered oath to Justice Muhammed Ali Mazhar, Justice Muhammed Tasneem and Justice Hasan Azhar Rizvi.

The oath taking ceremony took place at the court’s Committee Room. The SHC judges, Bar representatives and senior lawyers attended the ceremony. TrendPK

NZealand beat Zimbabwe in Twenty20 in first T20

AUCLAND: Martin Guptill continued his rich vein of form against Zimbabwe as he scored 91 not out to help New Zealand beat the visitors by seven wickets at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday in the first of their two Twenty20 internationals.   

Guptill, who scored 232 runs in the three one-day internationals at an average of 77, blasted five boundaries and six sixes as New Zealand made 160 for three off 16.5 overs after Zimbabwe had scored a credible 159 for eight from 20 overs.   

 Kane Williamson (48) combined with Guptill in a 137-run partnership after Kyle Jarvis had taken two wickets in the second over to put New Zealand under some pressure for the first time on their tour.   

 Jarvis had been belted for two boundaries off his first two balls but then bounced back to bowl Rob Nicol with his third delivery of the over.    

Jarvis then bowled a wide before having Brendon McCullum caught off the fourth legitimate delivery for a duck. He finished the eventful over by bowling another wide, conceding a single and then a dot ball.   

Guptill, who was dropped on the boundary on 20, and Williamson, however, set about ticking off the runs with Guptill the aggressor while Williamson kept rotating the strike and ensured New Zealand achieved the total with 19 balls to spare.    

The visitors had finally displayed some of the batting talent that has been hinted at with Hamilton Masakadza blasting three boundaries and three sixes to top score with 53 off 36 balls.    

Elton Chigumbura also cleared the fence four times and hit three boundaries as he scored 48 from 24 deliveries at the end of the Zimbabwe innings.   

Left-arm seamer Michael Bates, who bowled Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor in his first over, grabbed two wickets in the 20th over to finish with innings best figures of three for 31.   

Zimbabwe’s tour concludes after the second Twenty20 international at Seddon Park in Hamilton on Feb. 14. AGENCIES

Tension prevails in Rawalpindi after firing incident

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RAWALPINDI: Tension prevailed at Adiala Road of the city after exchange of fire between two rival groups, TrendPK reported on Saturday.

Eye witnesses told media that some people, both from rival groups started firing on each other from top of buildings.

The road was closed for traffic after the incident and nearby markets were also closed.

One laborer became hurt in the incident that was taken to a hospital for treatment. TrendPK

Doctors’ protest continues on 6th day

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KARACHI: Doctors on Saturday continued their protest against non-payment of salaries for the sixth consecutive day.

Sindh health minister Dr Sagheer Ahmed assured them that their problems will be solved soon but the doctors continued their hunger strike and protest.

A large number of doctors and medics from Institute of Heart Diseases, carrying placards and banners, rallied in the city areas causing severe traffic jam in the area for many hours.

The OPD closure has caused serious problems for patients arriving for the treatment as no government authority have so far assured release of the doctors’ payments. TrendPK

Only ZA Bhutto brought revolution: PM Gilani

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JARANWALA: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said that the only politician who brought revolution in Pakistan is Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, TrendPK reported on Saturday.

Many politicians talk about revolution but ZA Bhutto was the only political leader who made it happened, he said.

Addressing a public rally in Jaranwala, PM Gilani said that Muhtarma Benazir Bhutto struggled for the freedom of the media and judiciary and we, also, will have been serving the people as per Muhtarma’s manifesto either we remain in power or not.

The prime minister said that we proud our PPP workers and the massive progress which have been made in our regime is not carried out in previous regimes.

The PPP workers have never been sold and frightened, he said.

PPP is the only party that has rendered so many sacrifices, the premier said. TrendPK

MQM terms ANP leaders statement confession of killings

Addressing a press conference in Karachi, Muthidda Qaumi Movement leader Faisal Sabzwari said that Awami National Party’s leader Illays’ Bilour’s statement regarding the MQM would cause further bloodshed in the city.

 

He said that Bilour had said that his party tamed the MQM which was a confession of Karachi killing adding that ANP tamed the MQM by killing its workers.

 

Sabzwari urged Chief Justice of Pakistran Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry to take suo moto on Bilour’s statement.
 

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