Wikileaks Founder Julian Assange To Be Extradited To Sweden

Julian Assange: In a swift and stunning rebuke, a British court has ruled that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange must return to Sweden to face questioning on sexual assault charges. He has seven days to appeal the ruling; otherwise he must leave the U.K. within 10 days. The 39-year-old Australian is accused of sexually assaulting one woman and raping another during a week-long visit to Stockholm in August.

At Belmarsh Magistrates’ Court in south London, District Judge Howard Riddle said the extradition would not breach Mr Assange’s human rights. However, the judge at Belmarsh Magistrates Court in London said he would have to answer the allegations in Sweden. Julian Assange also worries about a possible extradition to the United States, where he will face charges of espionage linked to the question Wikileaks “thousands of confidential documents U.S. military and diplomatic. Julian Assange been released on bail under the same conditions, was presented in December.

His supporters have made money as a guarantee. He denies the charges and seek to fight the case on the ground that when he goes to Sweden, it may possibly be sent to the United States, where he claims he could face the death penalty at the end of Secrets Diplomatic. Today in court he met. Point after point, the judge systematically rejected all legal means “, the main reasons why Assange should not leave the country.

Egypt Protesters Camp out in Cairo

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Egypt Protesters Camp out in Cairo

CAIRO: Egyptian protesters were camped out in central Cairo Monday and vowed to stay until they had toppled President Hosni Mubarak, whose fate appeared to hang on the military as pressure mounted from the street and abroad.

“The army has to choose between Egypt and Mubarak,” read one banner in Cairo’s Tahrir Square, where demonstrators shared food with soldiers sent to restore order after violent protests shook Mubarak’s 30-year rule to its core.

Six days of unrest has killed more than 100 people but the two sides have reached a stalemate. Protesters refuse to go, while the army is not moving them. The longer protesters stay unchallenged, the more untenable Mubarak’s position seems.

Protesters in Tahrir Square — epicenter of the earthquake that has sent shudders through the Middle East and among global investors — have dismissed Mubarak’s appointment of military men as his vice president and prime minister.

His promises of economic reform to address public anger at rising prices, unemployment and huge gap between rich and poor have failed to halt their broader calls for a political sweep out of Mubarak and his associates.

Protesters have called for a general strike Monday and what they bill as a “protest of the millions” march Tuesday, to press their demands for democracy which could spell the end for the military establishment which has run post-colonial Egypt since the 1950s.

The United States, an ally which has poured billions of dollars of aid into Egypt since Mubarak came to power, stopped just short of saying openly that it wanted him out. Officials including President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke about “an orderly transition.”

A senior U.S. administration official, who declined to be identified, said the feeling among Obama’s national security aides was that Mubarak’s time had passed, but it was up to Egyptians to determine what happens next.

Mubarak, a former air force chief, has turned to his military commanders, meeting them Sunday. They seem to hold his future in their hands. Egypt’s defense minister spoke by phone to U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates Sunday.

Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and highest-ranking U.S. military officer, praised the “professionalism” of Egypt’s armed forces as its troops refrained from a crackdown on protesters. Egypt receives about $1.3 billion a year in U.S. military aid.

The crisis in Egypt follows a revolt that toppled the leader of Tunisia two weeks ago, and a wave of popular anger sweeping other countries in North Africa and the Middle East.

Financial markets around the globe opened Monday bracing for the impact of the weekend’s events in Egypt. Brent oil hit a 28-month high, pennies below $100 a barrel. The dollar rose in Asian trade as investors sought a safe haven.

“The greater fear is that the turmoil could spread to other Middle East countries, including even Saudi Arabia. If that happens, then all bets for oil prices are off,” ANZ Bank economist Sharon Zollner said in a note to clients.

35 Killed 40 Injured In Car Blast In Baghdad

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At least 35 people killed and 40 injured in car blast Baghdad on Thursday, more then 200 died in the series of bombing attacks during last two weeks. Majority of Shiite community and Iraqi security forces are mainly targeted the in the violence.

According to police sources, the car exploded on about 2 P.M. on Thursday. At least 35 people, including three children, were killed and 40 wounded.

Sporadic bombings also targeted Iraqi troops and an electricity official on Thursday morning. The first roadside bomb occurred about 8:30 A.M. near a police patrol at a commercial complex in Baghdad, killing one civilian and injuring five other people, including four police soldiers, authorities confirmed.

According to officials, Ismaeel al-Obeidi, director general of Baghdad’s central electricity directorate, also escaped from an assassination attempt when a roadside bomb struck the two cars convoy carrying him to work. As the result of blast, one of his guards was killed and two others wounded.

Tunisia Protesters Call for Change

Breaking News TUNIS: More demonstrations are taking place in Tunisia amid reports of police crackdowns on allies of the country’s ousted president.

Police fired tear gas at stone-throwing protesters at an anti-government demonstration outside Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi’s offices in Tunis.

Hundreds of protesters spent the night camped out in front of the building calling for Ghannouchi to resign following the removal of president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali on January 14.

It comes after two high-ranking officials were reported to have been placed under house arrest.

And the head of a well-known private TV station is said to have been detained for allegedly trying to slow down the country’s move toward democracy.

State news agency reported that Larbi Nasri, the president of a TV station, was arrested along with his son on charges of high treason and plotting against state security.

It also reported that former Ben Ali advisers Abdallah Kallel and Abdelaziz Ben Dhia have been placed under house arrest, with police looking for a third man, Abdelwaheb Abdallah.

And the crowds gathering on a daily basis in the capital Tunis seem set on claiming more scalps from the interim government, ahead of planned elections within six months.

Al-Qaeda under most pressure in Pakistan since 2001: Obama

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President Barack Obama on Tuesday said the United States had Al-Qaeda on the run and vowed a relentless fight against the militants, from Afghanistan to the Arabian Peninsula.

Nearly a decade since the attacks of September 11, 2001, Obama portrayed Al-Qaeda as the top security threat facing the country in his State of the Union address, touting progress in efforts to counter the network.

But in a speech devoted mainly to reviving the economy, Obama only briefly touched on terror threats and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, where more than 140,000 troops are deployed.He said Al-Qaeda’s leadership was under more pressure in Pakistan now than at any time since the 9/11 attacks and that the US-led war in neighboring Afghanistan would deny the network sanctuary there.Their leaders and operatives are being removed from the battlefield. Their safe-havens are shrinking, Obama said of Al-Qaeda in Pakistan.And we have sent a message from the Afghan border to the Arabian Peninsula to all parts of the globe: we will not relent, we will not waver and we will defeat you.Obama’s reference to the Arabian Peninsula underscored the rising threat posed by Al-Qaeda’s branch in Yemen, which has been blamed for recent plots against US targets.His vow to pile pressure on Al-Qaeda comes after a dramatic increase in US unmanned drone strikes in northwest Pakistan near the Afghan border.Missile attacks doubled in the tribal areas last year as the covert campaign was stepped up, with more than 100 drone strikes killing over 670 people in 2010, compared with 45 strikes that killed 420 in 2009.The strikes are deeply unpopular among the Pakistani public, which sees foreign military action on Pakistani soil as a violation of national sovereignty.Obama credited counter-terrorism operatives for foiling Al-Qaeda plots but also sought to reassure American Muslims that there would be no backlash against them.On Afghanistan, Obama said US-led forces were rolling back Al-Qaeda’s Taliban allies but warned of difficult days ahead in the nine-year-old war.Thanks to our heroic troops and civilians, fewer Afghans are under the control of the insurgency. There will be tough fighting ahead, and the Afghan government will need to deliver better governance, he said.Obama renewed his pledge to start withdrawing some of the nearly 100,000 US troops from Afghanistan in July and that NATO-led forces would begin to hand over security duties to Afghan forces in 2011.This year, we will work with nearly 50 countries to begin a transition to an Afghan lead (for security), he said.And this July, we will begin to bring our troops home.Top officials have suggested the mid-2011 withdrawal date could only involve a small number of troops, with NATO leaders aiming to hand over security for to Afghan forces by the end of 2014.As a presidential candidate, Obama had backed more troops for Afghanistan and criticized the war in Iraq as a dangerous distraction.In his speech, Obama said US troops were pulling out of Iraq having fulfilled their mission and could hold their heads high.US combat patrols had ended, violence was down and a new government had been formed, he said.This year, our civilians will forge a lasting partnership with the Iraqi people, while we finish the job of bringing our troops out of Iraq. America’s commitment has been kept; the Iraq War is coming to an end, he said.

I Will Be President Until 2019: Hugo Chavez

Breaking News The President of Venezuelan Hugo Chavez said that he would be the President of the country for another eight years and he sees himself as the winner of presidential election 2012.

“I will be elected in December 2012. It is written.” While addressing to a public gathering in the capital Caracas on the 53 National Democracy Day Chavez hinted that the next term in office would be his last in
Venezuela.“I will be your servant until 2019 and then, good-bye.” Said Chavez
.
The President proudly noted that he and his supporters have repeatedly defeated opposition candidates at the polls for more than a decade. The 56-year-old Chavez, who has been in power since 1999, said that I love my country and the nation and I want to present all my services for the country and nation.

Before the speech of President, the opponents of government held a demonstration in eastern Caracas, they criticized the last month’s decision by the National Assembly of Venezuela to grant Chavez the power to pass laws by decree for 18 months.

Chavez attempted to introduce socialist reforms to the country, and emphasized the introduction of participatory democracy and further civil rights for the women and indigenous groups.

Indian Lt Gen PK Rath Punished

Breaking News NEW DELHI: Lieutenant General P.K. Rath, who was found guilty in the Sukhna land scam by an Army Court in New Delhi, was on Saturday handed down a sentence including a two-year seniority loss and forfeiture of 15 years of service for pension purposes.

Lieutenant General Rath was found guilty on three counts — firstly for providing a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the construction of the building next to the Army headquarters in Sukna, secondly for signing a Memorandum of Understand (MoU) with the private builder and thirdly for not informing the Eastern Command headquarters while the process was being carried on by him.

“To take rank and precedence as if appointment as substantiating the Lieutenant General bore dated May 24, 2010, forfeiture of 15 years service for pensionary benefits and severely reprimand,” General Court Martial (GCM) Presiding Officer Lieutenant General I.J. Singh said in his verdict.

This verdict will now have to be confirmed by the Army Chief and the Defence Ministry.

The land scam came into the open in mid-2008 and the names of Lieutenant General Rath and Lieutenant General Avadhesh Prakash figured among the senior army officers who influenced the decision to issue the NOC to a Siliguri-based private builder to construct an educational institution on a 70-acre land adjacent to the Sukna military station in Darjeeling.

The private builder had floated a trust – Agarwal Geetanjali Education Trust – to set up an affiliate school of the prestigious Mayo College in the area.

US, China Tout $45 billion in Export Deals

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WASHINGTON: The United States and China on Wednesday agreed on $45 billion in U.S. export deals and to give U.S. companies greater access to China’s $88 billion-plus government contracts market at the start of Chinese President Hu Jintao’s four-day state visit.

White House officials said the agreements included China’s “final” approval of a $19 billion contract to buy 200 Boeing aircraft for delivery between 2011 and 2013.

“From machinery to software, from aviation to agriculture, these deals will support some 235,000 American jobs — and that includes many manufacturing jobs,” U.S. President Barack Obama said at a joint press conference with Hu.

The announcements served to underscore the theme of economic cooperation struck by Hu and Obama. But the size of the deals will do little to dent the huge bilateral trade deficit the United States runs with China, estimated to be running in 2010 at a record of $275 billion.

Many of the orders had been in the works for a while, and shares in the companies affected by the deals weakened on Wednesday more steeply than the broader market.

Another deal involving GE builds on an existing partnership with the Chinese Ministry of Railways to bring Chinese high-speed rail technology to the United States, and for GE to manufacture locomotives for China.

The White House also trumpeted deals in various stages of development involving Honeywell, Caterpillar, Westinghouse Electric, a unit of Japan’s Toshiba Corp, and other companies.

While the pacts are significant, Jeremie Waterman, director for China at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, said they also “highlight how much the Chinese economy is directed by the state,” often to the detriment of U.S. companies.

The U.S. Chamber has called forcefully for more opening of the Chinese market to U.S. companies.

Iranian Nuclear Program has Threats of External Attack: Ali Asghar

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Six world powers will attempt to persuade Iran to rein in its nuclear programme as talks take place in Turkey, but there is little expectation of tangible results beyond an agreement on a framework for further negotiations. A cyber-attack that targeted Iranian nuclear centrifuges producing enriched uranium in November did not affect the country’s nuclear programme, Iranian ambassador Ali Asghar said in Moscow on Thursday.

The viruses could not do anything to the Iranian centrifuges and did not affect the functioning of the Bushehr nuclear power plant either, Ali Asghar told. Iran’s nuclear standoff with the West has escalated in the past year, with the United Nations imposing new sanctions and Western states rejecting a revised proposal for Iran to swap some of its fuel abroad as too little, too late. European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton heads the delegations representing six big powers, Britain, China, France,Germany, Russia and the United States. They will meet with Iran’s nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili. The West says Iran has failed to comply with UN resolutions demanding it curb enrichment and grant unfettered access to its nuclear sites. The prospect of an Iranian nuclear weapon feeds fears of a Middle East conflict should the United States or Israel opt to attack it.

Story contribute by A TrendPK ( www.trendpk.com )

India: Crash Sparks a Deadly Stampede, 100 killed

Breaking News Dozens of Hindu pilgrims are killed when a bus crash triggers a stampede in Kerala state. Casualties of a deadly bus crash followed by a stampede resulted in massive casualties in southern India.

As many as 100 Hindu pilgrims lost their lives when the bus carrying some of them from a shrine in Kerala state ran out of control and into bystanders on the roadside. That in turn triggered a stampede as people tried to flee to safety. The bus plunged into a deep gorge where dense forest and narrow roads are making rescue operations difficult. The pilgrims were returning from the Sabarimala shrine on Friday at the end of an annual religious festival when the accident happened.

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