Qassab Execution: Mostly ‘Thumbs-Up’ On Foreign Sites

Qassab Execution: Mostly ‘Thumbs-Up’ On Foreign Sites

Nov 22, 2012

NEW DELHI: A foreign news agency story headlined 'Mumbai attacks gunman Ajmal Qassab hanged' drew over 150 comments by 7pm on Wednesday on the web site of prominent Pakistan daily Dawn. Interestingly, several of the comments were posted by Indians, or so they claimed. Most, cutting across borders, appeared to be on the same page on the hanging. Many felt a terrorist deserved the harshest punishment.

One Maulana Arshad Khan posted the following comment, "All terrorists must face the same treatment whether in Pakistan or India. The world is for peace. No religion teaches terrorism. It is a few dirty-minded individuals who enjoy killing innocent people. Such people must be hanged in public view. All Pakistanis should expose terror minds living in Pakistan soil." It got 91 approvals and only one disapproval, till 7pm.

Another comment by one Divya drew a huge response. She wrote, "This is sad and tragic, to be very honest! Qassab was just a misguided young boy who never got an opportunity to have education, never got an opportunity to live life with dignity. Worst is, the country, the land, the people he fought and died for, didn't even acknowledge his being, didn't mourn his death and didn't even bother to give him a burial. Instead, the land he waged the war against, gave him a place to rest in peace, forever! I am proud of my country, I am proud of India, at least we're human!" It got 209 thumbs-up and 25 thumbs-down.

Several comments were anti-Qassab, prompting one Mohit to write, "I must say of course after reading the comments here, terrorists are not supported by Pakistani mass. Good for subcontinent. Qassab got what he deserved."

On most Pakistani news sites, the Quetta blast that killed five got a more prominent display. On The News International web site, the hanging did not even feature among the five hot topics of the day, at 4.30pm.

The home page had only one story—Pakistan ignored message on Qassab's execution. It was the seventh most viewed story on The Nation site.

The web site of Frontier Post, published from Peshwar, highlighted the comments made by LeT and Tehrik-i-Taliban. A local Taliban spokesperson had said, "There is no doubt that it's very shocking news and a big loss that a Muslim has been hanged on Indian soil."

An article by Gardiner Harris put out on The New York Times web site said analysts in both India and Pakistan are of the view that it was unlikely to derail improving ties. The report quoted Tariq Fatemi, a retired Pakistani senior diplomat, saying some extremist groups would be angered by the hanging but that many other Pakistanis, including senior government officials, had been "deeply embarrassed" by Qassab and the Mumbai attacks. Fatemi further said, "There is a virtual consensus among Pakistan's mainstream political parties on the importance of keeping the process on the rails and even promoting it."

A Washington Post article quoted Meenakshi Ganguly, south Asia director of Human Rights Watch, as saying, "The hanging of Ajmal Qassab marks a concerning end to the country's moratorium on capital punishment. Instead of resorting to the use of execution to address heinous crime, India should join the rising ranks of nations that have taken the decision to remove the death penalty from their legal frameworks."

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Quassab-execution-Mostly-thumbs-up-on-foreign-sites/articleshow/17315331.cms

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Teen Victims of another 26/11, 26/11/2004 Horror Await Justice

Nov 22, 2012

RAIPUR: As the families of the victims of Mumbai's 26/11 attack and millions of others world over feel that justice has finally been delivered with the hanging of Ajmal Quassab, three teenaged siblings of Korea district of Chhattisgarh await their share of justice for yet another 26/11 in their life.

It was on 26/11/2004, when the parents and two other siblings of the trio and the family's driver were brutally hacked to death by five people and the main perpetrator of the crime, Sonu Sardar, though on a death row, has been eluding the noose for the past 8 years. His mercy petition is pending before the President for five months now.

While apex court had commuted the death sentence of the four others accused in the case to life imprisonment, Sonu's death penalty was upheld. Lodged in Raipur central jail, Sonu, was nervous today when told about Quassab's hanging. According to sources, still hopeful that his mercy petition will be accepted, Sonu apparently feared that his file may be up for consideration soon and an adverse decision could send him to the gallows.

According to officials, Sonu, a professional thief, had killed a wealthy scrap dealer of Bainkunthpur, Korea District, Shamim Akhtar, his wife, Ruksana, and children, Rana and Yaseem, and their driver, Asgar. Three other children, Shabnam, Ashna and Yakub, escaped death but have lived a life of orphans, hoping that one day their tormentor will face death for his crimes.

On the fateful day, Shamim, had come to Raipur and had sold scrap worth Rs 1.75 lakhs and had returned home. Sonu, got a whiff of the big sale and along with his associates, he reached the deceased's house late at night on the pretext of taking him to a nearby warehouse to show some scrap items. Shamim, reportedly got suspicious and refused to go with him. Incensed by the refusal, Sonu and his associates took out choppers (gandasa) and hacked him to death. Ruksana and the driver, who rushed to Shamim's help, also met the same fate.

Shabnam, who was the eldest of the five, managed to sneak out and reached their neighbour, Ramlal's house. Since the suspects were armed and had already killed the couple, no one dared to go out. It was only at 4 am that they gathered the courage to see what had happened. They found Yakub and Ashna, then five years old, crying while sitting amidst the bloodied bodies of their parents and two siblings. Sonu, a resident of Shadol, Madhya Pradesh, was arrested along with the others and they all were sentenced to death.

Talking to TOI, Dr KK Gupta, DIG, Prisons, confirmed that the Supreme Court had confirmed Sonu's death sentence. He said the convict had sent his mercy petition to the President in May this year on grounds that his sentence too should be commuted to life imprisonment. Incidentally, 36 hangings have taken place in Raipur jail's gallows since 1947 and the last one was in 1978.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhopal/Teen-victims-of-another-26/11-horror-await-justice/articleshow/17321319.cms

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Quassab execution: Omar Abdullah takes a dig at the US media on Twitter

Nov 22, 2012

NEW DELHI: After days of total secrecy, when the news of 26/11 terrorist Ajmal Quassab's hanging became public knowledge, it drew wide-ranging comments on Twitter. Here's TOI's pick of the reactions:

Omar Abdullah @abdullah_omar: So Hamas are terrorists but Quassab was a "gunman". Well done American media you really call it like it is. *sarcasm*

Narendra Modi @narendramodi: What about Afzal Guru, who attacked Parliament, our temple of democracy, in 2001? That offence predates Quassab's heinous act by many years.

Taslima Nasreen @taslimanasreen: Millions of Quassabs will be born if we do not stop brainwashing our innocent children with religion. #Quassab #terrorism.

Taslima Nasreen @taslimanasreen: Wish #Quassab were killed in an encounter w/ police or by terrorists inside prison. Then we could proudly say 'India is against death penalty'.

Mahesh Bhatt @MaheshNBhatt: Are we to say that his life has more sanctity than the life or lives he has taken? Mercy to the guilty is cruelty to the innocent.

Anupam Kher @AnupamPkher: Justice may not replace the feeling of loss but it gives strength & hope to continue life with renewed belief in system we live in. #Quassab.

Milind Deora @milinddeora: So much for the right-wing sponsored "Congress is soft on terror" debate! The Government's actions make me a prouder Indian.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Quassab-execution-Omar-Abdullah-takes-a-dig-at-the-US-media-on-Twitter/articleshow/17315663.cms

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Bengali graphic artist feels Kolkata and Karachi are made for each other

November 22, 2012

KARACHI: Graphic artist and filmmaker Sarnanth Banerjee held court at a packed T2F on Tuesday. The audience, which included his wife, prolific artist Bani Abidi, poet Fehmida Riaz and authors HM Naqvi and Musharraf Ali Farooqi, and more people wearing hipster glasses per square foot than anywhere else in the city, was in fits of laughter by the end of the night.

Banerjee was in conversation with journalist and author Mohammed Hanif, whose dry wit was matched perfectly with Banerjee’s tongue-in-cheek banter, delivered in such a matter-of-fact manner that Hanif warned the audience to check Banerjee’s ‘facts’ for themselves. Banerjee, who has three graphic novels, animated films and a well-publicised commission for this year’s Olympics to his credit, said that a “part of my job has been to be an enchanted reporter of the universe, which might be under the radar of glamour, popular culture and great political events.”

Full report at:

http://tribune.com.pk/story/469419/bengali-graphic-artist-feels-kolkata-and-karachi-are-made-for-each-other/

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Topper of the Assam High Madrassa finally gets visa for NASA trip

SUSHANTA TALUKDAR

 November 22, 2012

Ratul Khan, topper of the Assam High Madrassa (AHM) Examination 2012 and one of the seven top performing high school students to win an Assam government scholarship to visit the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) headquarters in the United States, finally got his visa on Wednesday.

Khan, son of a motor mechanic, was rushed to Kolkata in the afternoon to obtain the visa and he is expected to be flown to Delhi later in the night to join other six awardees on their 14-day dream trip.

Full report at:

http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/other-states/khan-finally-gets-visa-for-nasa-trip/article4120587.ece

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India asks Pakistan to increase security at embassy

November 22, 2012

India has asked Pakistan to increase security at its embassy, officials said on Thursday, after the execution of Pakistani militant Mohammed Quassab who was hanged for his role in the 2008 Mumbai attacks.   India notified Pakistan on Tuesday of the imminent execution and asked for higher security out of fear of demonstrations or possible reprisals.

Full report at:

http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/NewDelhi/India-asks-Pakistan-to-increase-security-at-embassy/Article1-962742.aspx

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‘He did not shed a single tear in last few days’

Satyajit Joshi & Mohamed Thaver, Hindustan Times

November 22, 2012

To prevent any leaks, only 17 people in the state government were involved in the planning and execution of Ajmal Quassab, after the Centre conveyed to the state that President Pranab Mukherjee had rejected his mercy plea.

Most officials in Yerawada jail were not even aware that Quassab had been brought there from Mumbai’s Arthur Road jail in the early hours of Tuesday and heard about it only after the operation had been completed.

Full report at:

http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Mumbai/He-did-not-shed-a-single-tear-in-last-few-days/Article1-962605.aspx

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‘Afzal rope’ from Bihar with Rs. 675 tag was used to hang Ajmal Quassab

HT Correspondent, Hindustan Times

 November 22, 2012

It was a rope weaved by skilled prisoners of Buxar central jail in south-central Bihar that served as the noose for hanging Ajmal Quassab.

Though no specific demand was made to Buxar prison authorities for the noose for Quassab, sources said a rope made available earlier from the jail was used for hanging the terrorist.

“The rope was supplied in anticipation of the hanging of 2001 Parliament attack death row convict Afzal Guru. But with Guru’s hanging deferred, this rope was used to hang Quassab,” said a source who knows about the supply of the rope. “About five years back, the Tihar jail in New Delhi had placed the demand for the rope.”

Full report at:

http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Patna/Afzal-rope-from-Bihar-with-Rs-675-tag-was-used-to-hang-Ajmal-Quassab/Article1-962598.aspx

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Quassab hanging shadow on Sarabjeet mercy plea

By Vikas Kahol

 November 22, 2012

AJMAL Quassab’s hanging could adversely impact the chances of mercy to Sarabjeet Singh, an Indian on death row in Pakistan.

Sarabjeet was sentenced to death for his alleged involvement in four bomb attacks in 1990 in Multan killing 14 people. In 2008, then Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf had stayed Sarabjeet’s execution following the intervention of the human rights activists and appeals by his sister Dalbir Kaur. His fresh plea for mercy is pending before current Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari.

Full report at: Mail Today

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Full stop for Ajmal Quassab, comma in terror war

Nov 22, 2012

NEW DELHI: Many questions are being raised over the timing of Ajmal Quassab's execution a day ahead of Parliament's winter session, but the date for it — November 21 — was actually set over two months ago.

After Supreme Court confirmed Quassab's death sentence on August 29, the Maharashtra government, in consultation with the additional sessions judge on September 11, agreed on November 21 as the date for his execution. Though a mercy petition was filed subsequently, it was turned down by Maharashtra governor K Sankaranarayanan on September 26.

Full report at:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Full-stop-for-Ajmal-Quassab-comma-in-terror-war/articleshow/17317177.cms

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Jingoism peaks at Indo-Pak border on Quassab hanging day

By Yudhvir Rana

Nov 22, 2012

ATTARI: The beating-the-retreat ceremony at the Indo-Pak international border - generally a high-voltage ceremony replete with patriotism - turned overtly jingoistic on Wednesday evening hours after Ajmal Quassab was put to the gallows in Pune.

On Wednesday, emotions ran high as the visitors on the Attari side shouted slogans and matched the high-pitched shrill voice of the guards conducting the drill.

Full report at:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Jingoism-peaks-at-Indo-Pak-border-on-Quassab-hanging-day/articleshow/17316602.cms

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Ajmal Quassab trial proof of Indian judicial system's efficacy

Nov 22, 2012

NEW DELHI: The hanging of 26/11 convict Ajmal Quassab after a comprehensive trial and exhaustion of his legal options came in for all-round praise as evidence of India's capacity to handle sensitive cases fairly and transparently.

Quassab's trial was widely reported in the media and the Pakistani citizen was provided with legal assistance as set out under the law. The step-by-step process met with the highest standards of evidence and court procedures.

Full report at:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Ajmal-Quassab-trial-proof-of-Indian-judicial-systems-efficacy/articleshow/17316016.cms

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Ajmal Quassab sang in cell the night before

By Asseem Shaikh, Mihir Tanksale & Umesh Isalkar

Nov 22, 2012

PUNE: It was only when he was being taken to the gallows that Mohammed Ajmal Amir Quassab lost his composure. The 26/11 terrorist, who was hanged to death at the Yerawada central prison at 7.30 am on Wednesday, remained "cool" and even "sang songs in his cell" on Tuesday night, barely hours after he was told that he would be executed the next morning, sources said.

Full report at:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Ajmal-Quassab-sang-in-cell-the-night-before/articleshow/17315687.cms

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Show mercy to Sarabjit: Justice Katju to Pakistan

Nov 21, 2012

NEW DELHI: Press Council of India chairman Markandey Katju has once again appealed to the president and the prime minister of Pakistan to release Indian prisoner Sarabjit Singh who is on death row for over two decades.

Katju's appeal came on a day when 26/11 attack convict Ajmal Quassab was hanged in Pune following rejection of his mercy plea by President Pranab Mukherjee.

"You must have heard that Ajmal Quassab has been hanged in India. I wish to respectfully point out to you that this case is totally different from that of Sarabjit Singh who has been on death row in Pakistan for 21 years.

Full report at:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Show-mercy-to-Sarabjit-Justice-Katju-to-Pakistan/articleshow/17313649.cms

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Quassab's execution decided two months ago, hangman paid Rs 5,000

 November 22, 2012

MUMBAI: Maharashtra government had decided two months ago to execute Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Quassab on Wednesday at the Yerwada prison in Pune, home minister RR Patil said.

"The Supreme Court upheld Quassab's death penalty on August 29 this year. On September 9, the state government began process for implementation of the death penalty. On September 11, in consultation with the additional sessions judge, the date for execution of Quassab's death penalty was fixed for today," Patil told reporters.

Full report at:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Quassabs-execution-decided-two-months-ago-hangman-paid-Rs-5000/articleshow/17310811.cms

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Rs 29.5 crore spent on Quassab in 4 years; ‘tell my mother’ was his last wish

Nov 21, 2012

MUMBAI: Both central and Maharashtra governments have spent around Rs 29.5 crores on Ajmal Quassab to provide him food, security, medicines and clothes during his confinement in Arthur Road Central prison here, official sources said on Wednesday.

Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) deployed around 250 guards for Quassab in the prison since his arrest in November 2008 till October 2012 and expenditure on this count worked out to Rs 26 crore, sources said.

Full report at:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Rs-29-5-crore-spent-on-Quassab-in-4-years-tell-my-mother-was-his-last-wish/articleshow/17312261.cms

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Quassab’s is the second-quickest ‘trial-to-execution’ case

SANDEEP JOSHI

 November 22, 2012

The execution of Ajmal Quassab, which follows the hanging of Dhananjoy Chatterjee in 2004, is believed to be the second-quickest trial-to-execution case in the country.

While it took three years to decide on the fate of Ramchandra alias Raoji, a resident of Banswara in Rajasthan who was awarded the death sentence for the murder of his family, Quassab was hanged just a few days short of the fourth anniversary of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.

Full report at:

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/Quassabs-is-the-secondquickest-trialtoexecution-case/article4120253.ece

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Ajmal Kasab 'hanging out' on Twitter

Nov 22, 2012

NEW DELHI: Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab's hanging on November 21 in the Yerwada jail of Pune made it one of the most talked about events online in the recent years as netizens took to social media in a big way. Sites like Facebook and Twitter were flooded with comments expressing relief, happiness, anger or sarcasm.

In less than an hour after the news of Kasab's hanging was released by the government, #Kasab, Kasab, President were the top trending words on Twitter India.

Full report at:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tech/tech-news/internet/Ajmal-Kasab-hanging-out-on-Twitter/articleshow/17323263.cms

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Kasab laughed when told he was being shifted

Gautam S Mengle

Nov 22 2012

Officials who dealt with Kasab during his last 24 hours in Mumbai said he showed neither remorse nor worry while being shifted to Pune. Soon after his clemency petition was rejected, a warrant to the effect was furnished to the Arthur Road Central Jail, where Kasab has been lodged under maximum security for the past four years.

“We entered his cell and told him to stand up, which he did. Never been one to stand up at the entry of a senior official, his manner was neither respectful nor disrespectful on Sunday night. He was first told he was being shifted to a jail in Pune, to which he laughed. He might have realised he had exhausted all his options and that death was finally coming,” said an officer involved with Kasab’s transport to Pune.

Full report at: Indian Express

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RBI says no to Islamic Banking in India

Nov 22 2012

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor D Subbarao today ruled out introduction of Islamic banking in the country but said other methods for channelising funds based on the principles of Islamic law can be looked at.

"Islamic banking is not possible", he said, adding the central bank could look at other vehicles based on Islamic banking principles to channelise NRI funds.

Replying to a question on the issue, Subbarao said: "There are some legal problems. We have studied the issue. We appreciate the objectives behind the request. But there are some legal problems. It can be got around not through banking, but other vehicles".

Full report at:

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/rbi-says-no-to-islamic-banking-in-india/1034842/0

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1996 Lajpat Nagar blasts: Delhi court commutes terrorist's death sentence

Nov 22, 2012

NEW DELHI: The Delhi high court on Thursday commuted to life term the death sentence awarded to a Jammu Kashmir Islamic Front (JKIF) terrorist in connection with the 1996 Lajpat Nagar blast case.

The high court also acquitted two others in the case who had also been awarded death, while upholding the life term awarded to a fourth convict.

The verdict came on an appeal filed by the four convicts.

The 1996 Lajpat Nagar blasts had killed 13 people.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/1996-Lajpat-Nagar-blasts-Delhi-court-commutes-terrorists-death-sentence/articleshow/17322488.cms

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Pakistan

Pakistan Taliban suicide bomber kills 23 Shia Muslim in Rawalpindi

Attack targets Shia Muslim procession, wounding at least 62, and follows mosque bombing in Karachi

22 November 2012

A Taliban suicide bomber has struck a Shia Muslim procession near Pakistan's capital, killing 23 people in the latest in a series of bombings targeting the sect during its holiest month of the year.

The bomber attacked the procession around midnight on Wednesday in the city of Rawalpindi, next to the capital, Islamabad, said Deeba Shahnaz, a rescue official. At least 62 people were wounded by the blast, including six police officers. Eight of the dead and wounded were children, said Shahnaz.

Full report at:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/nov/22/pakistan-taliban-suicide-bomber-rawalpindi

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Quassab's execution revives memory of mass murder on 26/11: Dawn

Nov 22, 2012

ISLAMABAD: The execution of Ajmal Amir Quassab has revived the memory of a senseless but well-planned act of mass murder that brought Pakistan and India to the brink of war, leading Pakistani daily Dawn said Thursday.

Four years after the Mumbai terror attack, many questions still remain unanswered, the Dawn said in an editorial.

Pakistani national Quassab, the sole surviving member of a 10-member terrorist group that attacked Mumbai on Nov 26, 2008, was hanged in an Indian jail on Wednesday.

"Who were the brains behind the slaughter of the civilians? What did they propose to achieve? And Where and how were the gunmen trained and armed," the daily asked.

Full report at:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Quassabs-execution-revives-memory-of-mass-murder-on-26/11-Dawn/articleshow/17321141.cms

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Lashkar calls Quassab ‘hero’ for jihadis, threatens more attacks

Nov 22, 2012

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's foreign office reacted cautiously to 26/11 convict Ajmal Quassab's hanging, releasing a carefully-worded statement saying Islamabad's position on terrorism is clear. "We condemn terrorism in all its forms. We're willing to cooperate and work closely with all countries to eliminate the scourge of terrorism," said Moazzam Ali Khan, Pakistan's foreign office spokesman.

But the extremist groups were quick to shower praises on the dead Quassab, elevating him to the rank of a new icon. To them, Quassab had gone thousands of miles away on a "holy mission". The Lashkar-e-Taiba, accused of masterminding the 26/11 attack, called Quassab a "hero and a source of inspiration" for other fighters. "He will inspire other fighters to carry out more attacks," said a LeT commander. Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, too, condemned Quassab's death.

Full report at:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Lashkar-calls-Quassab-hero-for-jihadis-threatens-more-attacks/articleshow/17315809.cms

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Pak govt dodges Quassab's execution note, citizens say hanging okay

Nov 22, 2012

NEW DELHI: If India thought the spirit behind Pakistan expediting the Mumbai trial would show also in how it received the news of India's decision to hang Ajmal Quassab, a proven Pakistani national, the government was clearly looking through rose-coloured glasses.

For, the official communication to Pakistan - a letter from authorities in Maharashtra addressed to the next-of-kin of Quassab informing them about the completion of the legal process and hanging of Quassab on November 21 - sparked a veritable slugfest between the two countries with Islamabad refusing to receive or even acknowledge it.

Full report at:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Pak-govt-dodges-Quassabs-execution-note-citizens-say-hanging-okay/articleshow/17316371.cms

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Pakistani Shias receive death threat text messages

 November 22, 2012

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Shias, targeted in three explosions which killed at least 23 people on Wednesday, are now receiving death threat text messages on cellphones ahead of a key event in their religious calendar that has been tainted by violence in the past.

“Kill, Kill, Shias,” say the text warnings to members of the minority sect.

Hardline militant groups linked to al Qaeda have in recent months stepped up attacks against Pakistan’s Shias, whom they regard as non-Muslims.

Full report at:

http://dawn.com/2012/11/22/pakistani-shias-receive-death-threat-text-messages/

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Ajmal Quassab's hanging played minor role in cancellation of Rehman Malik's trip

Nov 22, 2012

NEW DELHI: Although speculation swirled on Wednesday that Pakistani interior minister Rehman Malik's proposed visit to India on November 22-23 was cancelled with Ajmal Quassab's impending execution in mind, sources in the government insisted that it was at most a contributory factor.

The prime reason for refusing Malik's visit - to operationalize the new Indo-Pak visa regime - was the government's reluctance to host him when Islamabad is yet to take any concrete action in the 26/11 case. The pace of the trial of 26/ 11 masterminds is Pakistan is still very slow and it is yet to act against masterminds like Hafiz Saeed.

Full report at:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Ajmal-Quassabs-hanging-played-minor-role-in-cancellation-of-Rehman-Maliks-trip/articleshow/17315887.cms

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No request from Quassab family to bring back body: Pak

 November 22, 2012

Pakistan on Wednesday said it had not received any request from the family of Ajmal Quassab, the lone surviving terrorist involved in the 2008 Mumbai attacks, who was hanged in an Indian jail.

Any request from Quassab’s family to bring back the body would be handled in accordance with Pakistani laws, Interior Minister Rehman Malik told reporters in Islamabad.

Full report at:

http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/no-request-from-Quassab-family-to-bring-back-body-pak/article4120072.ece

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Ajmal Quassab's hanging not among main headlines in Pak news channels

Nov 21 2012

Islamabad : Hours after the hanging of Ajmal Quassab in India, the news was no longer among the main headlines on the Pakistani channels, having been replaced by the events in Gaza and domestic developments.

Though state-run Radio Pakistan and private networks like Geo News led their morning bulletins with the development, by the afternoon it was no longer a major story.

The cautious handling by the news channels of the early morning execution of 25-year-old Quassab, the lone surviving Pakistani terrorist involved in the 2008 Mumbai attacks, reflected the muted response in the public sphere.

Full report at:

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/ajmal-Quassabs-hanging-not-among-main-headlines-in-pak-news-channels/1034300/

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Imran Khan's party wants death for Sarabjit

Imtiaz Ahmad , Hindustan Times

 November 22, 2012

The hanging of Ajmal Quassab has generated uncertainty about the fate of Sarabjit Singh, who is on death row in Pakistan on charges of spying.

Already, Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek Insaf party (PTI) has demanded that the Pakistan government hang Sarabjit and "all other Indian terrorists given the death sentence" in retaliation.

Full report at:

http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/Pakistan/Imran-Khan-s-party-wants-death-for-Sarabjit/Article1-962607.aspx

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TTP claims responsibility for Karachi, Rawalpindi blasts

 November 22, 2012

PESHAWAR: Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan while talking to Dawn.com’s correspondent on Thursday, said that the TTP was responsible for the blasts carried out a day earlier near Imambargahs in Rawalpindi and Karachi.

While giving details of the attacks Ehsan said that the organisation had carried out a suicide blast in Rawalpindi whereas the twin explosions in Karachi were planted bombs adding that it would stage more attacks on Shias over the next few days.

The statement came after the TTP had claimed responsibility for two earlier blasts on the same  day in Bannu and Shangla areas, bringing the tally of cities targeted on Wednesday to four.

http://dawn.com/2012/11/22/ttp-claims-responsibility-for-karachi-pindi-blasts/

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Possible terrorist attacks foiled in Karachi, Peshawar

 November 22, 2012

PESHAWAR: Bomb disposal squads (BDS) defused two bombs in Peshawar and one in Karachi on Thursday, foiling possible terrorist attack in these cities, DawnNews reported.

BDS  personnel defused a remote-controlled bomb planted near an Imambargah in the Qasba Colony area of Peerabad,

Full report at:

http://dawn.com/2012/11/22/bds-disposes-of-bombs-in-peshawar/

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Militants kill two policemen near Khyber Agency

 November 22, 2012

PESHAWAR: Two police constables were killed when militants attacked the Speen Qabar check post of Badabher police near Khyber Agency on Thursday.

Around 50 militants, equipped with RPG-7 rockets and medium machine-guns, attacked the check post jointly manned by the police and Frontier Constabulary (FC) around 10am – opposed to most attacks which take place at night.

Full report at:

http://tribune.com.pk/story/469686/militants-kill-two-policemen-near-khyber-agency/

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Court to hear Asif Ali Zardari case from December 5

Nov 22, 2012

LAHORE: In what could spell trouble for Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari, a court on Wednesday said it would hear a contempt of court petition filed against him for holding the political post of chief of the Pakistan People's Party on a day-to-day basis from December 5.

A five-judge bench of the Lahore HC headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial made the observation when it resumed hearing Munir Ahmad's petition against Zardari for holding a political office despite HC's suggestion last year that he give up the post of PPP chief. A K Dogar, the counsel for Ahmad, argued that Zardari was also violating a order issued by the SC that said the President should be non-partisan and have no political affiliations.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Court-to-hear-Asif-Ali-Zardari-case-from-December-5/articleshow/17316174.cms

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Arab World

Egyptian Salafist MP handed 4-month jail term for 'indecent sexual act'

Court rejects appeal by former Salafist Nour Party MP who was caught indulging in a sexual act in a car, sentences him to four months in prison

21 Nov 2012

Former Salafist Nour Party MP Ali Wanis has been sentenced to four months in jail by the Delta Appeal Court for performing an "indecent" sexual act in public and assaulting a police officer.

Wanis was arrested in early June when police discovered him engaging in a sexual act with a 22-year-old woman in a car parked on a coastal highway.

He filed an appeal after he was given a one-year suspended sentence and fined LE1,000 in July.

Full report at:

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/58801/Egypt/Politics-/Salafist-MP-handed-month-jail-term-for-indecent-se.aspx

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Saudi amputates Nigerian's hand over theft

Nigerian man's hands cut off for theft in Saudi Arabia, interior ministry reports

 21 Nov 2012

Saudi authorities on Wednesday chopped off the hand of a Nigerian man convicted of theft, in compliance with the Islamic sharia law strictly applied in the kingdom, the interior ministry said.

Full report at:

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/58825/World/Region/Saudi-amputates-Nigerians-hand-over-theft-.aspx

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Egyptian president bows out of Pakistan summit

 November 22, 2012

ISLAMABAD: Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi has bowed out of a scheduled visit to Pakistan, where he was due to attend the Developing Eight summit in Islamabad, the Pakistani government confirmed Thursday.

Morsi — who was thanked by the United States for helping to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas — had been slated to join the Islamabad talks but state TV in Egypt said he would now stay home to monitor the truce.

Full report at:

http://dawn.com/2012/11/22/egyptian-president-bows-out-of-pakistan-summit/

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Rebels seize strategic town in eastern Syria: watchdog

 November 22, 2012

BEIRUT: Rebel fighters seized the town of Mayadeen in eastern Syria on Thursday, a monitoring group said, adding that a large area on the Syrian-Iraqi border is now under control of insurgents.

“The area east of the city of Deir Ezzor, on the Iraqi border, is now the largest area in the whole country that is out of army control,” said Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) director Rami Abdel Rahman.

Full report at:

http://dawn.com/2012/11/22/rebels-seize-strategic-town-in-eastern-syria-watchdog/

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40,000 killed in Syria since revolt outbreak: NGO

22 Nov 2012

At least 40,000 people have been killed in violence across Syria since the outbreak of an anti-regime revolt in March last year, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Thursday.

"At least 28,026 civilians, 1,379 defectors, 10,150 soldiers and 574 unidentified people have been killed in Syria in the past 20 months," said Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman.

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/58864/World/Region/,-killed-in-Syria-since-revolt-outbreak-NGO.aspx

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A brighter life for disabled kids thanks to IIROSA and special centers in Jeddah

JEDDAH: AFSHAN AZIZ

22 November 2012

Amjad is a 13-year-old boy who has Down syndrome.

He will attend regular school soon. This would normally be impossible, for Amjad’s family cannot afford to pay for a private training centre for people with disabilities.

But the Jeddah chapter of the International Islamic Relief Organization of Saudi Arabia (IIROSA), and the teachers at Awatef Sediq Centre for Special Needs, have given Amjad the opportunity of a lifetime.

Full report at:

http://www.arabnews.com/brighter-life-disabled-kids-thanks-iirosa-and-special-centers

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South Asia

Christians, Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists against abortion and child abuse

by Kalpit Parajuli

 November 22, 2012

The leaders denounce the dramatic situation of children and women minors in the country. More than 200 cases of abortions recorded per day by the clinics. Surveys reveal more than 3 million child brides in recent years. The appeal was launched on the occasion of the International Day for Children, held yesterday in Syambhunath stupa in Kathmandu.

Kathmandu (AsiaNews) - "No to abortion, to the exploitation of children and to child brides." This is the appeal launched by Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and Baha'is for the International Day for Children, celebrated yesterday in Syambhunath stupa, one of the most important Buddhist shrines in the capital. Organized by the Alliance for Peace Education and Development Nepal, the day of prayer brought together representatives of the most important religious and charitable organizations in the country.

Full report at:

http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Kathmandu:-Christians,-Muslims,-Hindus-and-Buddhists-against-abortion-and-child-abuse-26416.html

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Quassab execution covered prominently by official media in China

 November 22, 2012

China's official media today widely covered the execution of Ajmal Quassab, identifying him as a "terrorist from Pakistan".

While the state television covered it as a breaking story, state-run Xinhua news agency and the websites of all official dailies carried the details of his execution at Pune jail and the burial of the body there.

Full report at:

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/ajmal-Quassabs-hanging-not-among-main-headlines-in-pak-news-channels/1034300/

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Bangladesh Jamaat-Shibir to face tough action if violence continues

 November 22, 2012

Minister without portfolio Suranjit Sengupta yesterday said the government would take stern action against Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Chhatra Shibir if they continued creating anarchy.

"The government will not tolerate such mayhem and continued attacks on policemen as they have crossed the limits," he told a discussion on "Present context of politics and banning of Jamaat-Shibir" at the capital's Jatiya Press Club, organised by Bangabandhu Academy.

Full report at:

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=258450

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Mideast Asia

Public holiday announced in Gaza to mark truce deal

 November 22, 2012

GAZA CITY: Life in Gaza began returning to normal on Thursday with the announcement of a public holiday to mark a ceasefire that ended a violent eight-day confrontation with the Israeli military.

After days and nights cooped up at home, their buildings rocked by an unrelenting Israeli bombing campaign and the sound of outgoing Palestinian rocket fire, residents were eager to reclaim their hometowns and their lives.

For the first time in more than a week, the noise of traffic jams and honking horns filled the air in Gaza City, replacing the terrifying booms of air strikes and rocket fire.

Full report at:

http://dawn.com/2012/11/22/public-holiday-announced-in-gaza-to-mark-truce-deal/

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Palestinian envoy on way to China to discuss esclating crisis

Sutirtho Patranobis, Hindustan Times

November 21, 2012

An envoy of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will arrive in China on Thursday to discuss the escalating fighting between Hamas and Israel.

Bassam al-Salhi, the general secretary of the Palestinian People's Party and a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, will be in China for two days, foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told reporters in Beijing.

'The two sides will exchange views' on China-Palestinian relations as well as the current situation in Gaza, Hua said of the visit.

Full report at:

http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/China/Palestinian-envoy-on-way-to-China-to-discuss-esclating-crisis/Article1-962396.aspx

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Gaza truce in effect after week of bloodshed

Nov 22, 2012

GAZA CITY, Palestinian Territories: A ceasefire took hold on Thursday in and around Gaza after a week of cross-border violence between Israel and Palestinian militants that killed at least 160 people.

Foreign minister Mohammed Kamel Amr of Egypt, which brokered the ceasefire after marathon talks, announced the cessation of hostilities at a joint news conference in Cairo with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Wednesday.

The UN Security Council urged Israel and Hamas to uphold the ceasefire while joining with US President Barack Obama in praising Egypt's President Mohamed Morsi for mediating an end to the violence.

Full report at:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Gaza-truce-in-effect-after-week-of-bloodshed/articleshow/17320271.cms

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Israel, US to jointly fight Iran arms smuggling: Netanyahu

Nov 22, 2012

JERUSALEM: Israel and the United States have agreed to work together to prevent the smuggling of weapons from Iran to militant groups in the Gaza Strip, PM Benjamin Netanyahu has said.

"Israel cannot sit idly by as its enemies strengthen themselves with weapons of terror so I agreed with President (Barack) Obama that we will work together — Israel and the United States — against the smuggling of weapons to terror organisations, most of which comes from Iran," he said yesterday in a televised address.

Full report at:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Israel-US-to-jointly-fight-Iran-arms-smuggling-Netanyahu/articleshow/17318175.cms

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Iran sent missile technology to Hamas: Report

Nov 22, 2012

Iran has supplied Hamas in Gaza with the technology to "quickly" produce longer- range missiles on their own without needing direct shipments, said a report on Wednesday that quoted the head of Iran's Revolutionary Guard. The comments by Gen Mohammad Ali Jafari offer some of the clearest insights on Iran's weapons support for Hamas, whose Iranian- engineered Fajr-5 missiles have struck near Tel Aviv and Jerusalem during weeklong battles with Israel. "Gaza is under siege, so we cannot help them. The Fajr-5 missiles have not been shipped from Iran. Its technology has been transferred and (the missiles are) being produced quickly," Jafari was quoted as saying by the ISNA news agency.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Iran-sent-missile-technology-to-Hamas-Report/articleshow/17316190.cms

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Gazans clean up as truce with Israel holds

 November 22, 2012

Gazans have begun clearing rubble and inspecting damage to shops and homes inflicted by an eight-day Israeli military offensive against the territory’s Hamas rulers.

After a night of wild celebrations following the announcement of an Egyptian-brokered cease-fire, cars jammed the streets of Gaza City on Thursday morning. Work crews are fixing dangling electricity wires and collecting garbage that had piled up on street corners.

Full report at:

http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/gazans-clean-up-as-truce-with-israel-holds/article4122855.ece

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'Iron Dome' plays key role in intercepting Hamas rockets

Nov 22 2012, 14:50 hrs

Washington : Israel's anti-missile system popularly known as 'Iron Dome', developed with US assistance, has been described as an "unprecedented" success, intercepting 85 per cent of rockets fired by Hamas in the recent conflict.

The 'Iron Dome', developed with technical and financial assistance from the US is Israel's frontline anti-missile system, with the Jewish state developing it in tandem with a more sophisticated Arrow system.

Full report at:

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/iron-dome-plays-key-role-in-intercepting-hamas-rockets/1034713/

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Iran supreme leader tells MPs not to summon president

Nov 22, 2012

Iran's supreme leader has ordered parliament to stop its bid to summon the President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for further questioning.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned MPs that if the matter went further, it would play into the hands of Iran's enemies.

MPs promptly withdrew their signatures from a document demanding the president face questions over the struggling economy and other government failings.

Full report at:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-20426775

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North America

Ajmal Quassab received due process of law and transparent trial: US

Nov 22, 2012

WASHINGTON: Ajmal Quassab, the lone surviving terrorist involved in the 2008 Mumbai attacks who has been hanged to death, received due process of law in a full and transparent trial, the US said, asserting that it wants to see the terrorists behind 26/11 brought to justice.

"We've said before that we welcome steps towards justice in the Mumbai attacks. We've said many times before that we want to see the terrorists behind these attacks brought to justice," State department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters.

Full report at:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/Ajmal-Quassab-received-due-process-of-law-and-transparent-trial-US/articleshow/17318418.cms

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Internal emails offer details on Osama bin Laden burial

Nov 22, 2012

WASHINGTON: Internal emails among US military officers indicate that no sailors watched Osama bin Laden's burial at sea from the USS Carl Vinson and traditional Islamic procedures were followed during the ceremony.

The emails, obtained by The Associated Press through the Freedom of Information Act, are heavily blacked out, but are the first public disclosure of government information about the al-Qaida leader's death. The emails were released Wednesday by the Defence Department.

Bin Laden was killed on May 1, 2011, by a Navy SEAL team that assaulted his compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan.

Full report at:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/Internal-emails-offer-details-on-Osama-bin-Laden-burial/articleshow/17319013.cms

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US committed to pursuing defence cooperation with Pakistan: Panetta

 November 22, 2012

WASHINGTON: Defence Secretary Leon Panetta said despite challenges in the bilateral relationship, the United States and Pakistan share an interest in defeating terrorists and that Washington would pursue defense cooperation with Islamabad on that common basis.

Speaking at a Washington think tank, Panetta noted that in Afghanistan and Pakistan, prolonged military and intelligence operations have significantly weakened al Qaeda but saw the need to maintain pressure on the group.

Full report at:

http://dawn.com/2012/11/22/us-committed-to-pursuing-defence-cooperation-with-pakistan-panetta/

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Obama speaks with Egypt's Mursi, commends ceasefire efforts

Nov 22, 2012

WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama on Wednesday spoke with Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi, praising his efforts to help broker a ceasefire in the conflict flaring in the Middle East, the White House said.

Under the Egyptian-brokered agreement, Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire after more than a week of fighting in the Gaza Strip that has killed more than 140 Palestinians and five Israelis.

Obama spoke earlier with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/Obama-speaks-with-Egypts-Mursi-commends-ceasefire-efforts/articleshow/17323639.cms

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Europe

Russia is not an enemy of Islam – senior Muslim cleric

21 November, 2012,

The Grand Mufti of Russia Ravil Gainutdin has categorically denied allegations that the country is “the number one enemy” of Islam and Muslims.

The allegation was made by Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi – one of the most influential clerics in Sunni Islam.

“While religious freedom is curtailed in Europe, Russia, on the contrary makes constructive steps to protect believers’ rights and feelings,” the head of Russia’s Mufti Council stressed speaking at the Eurasian Islamic Council in Istanbul.

The Russian leadership has repeatedly underlined that millions of Russian Muslims are part of the Islamic world, Gainutdin pointed out, as cited by Interfax. The large-scale “renaissance of Islam” in Russia in the past two decades has become a “visual implementation of these words,” he added.

Full report at:

http://rt.com/politics/islam-muslim-enemy-mufti-220/

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UK child abuse: Pak men in the dock

Dipankar De Sarkar, Hindustan Times

November 21, 2012

Thousands of children are raped across towns and villages in Britain every year, a national enquiry into child sex abuse reported on Wednesday, prompting a senior minister to accuse it of glossing over the alleged role played by men of Pakistani origin.

The shocking report from the office of the Children's Commission found that 2,409 children were victims of sex crimes by gangs or groups of men in a 14-month period from 2010 to 2011. Another 16,500 young people were under high risk of sexual exploitation.

Full report at:

http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/Europe/UK-child-abuse-Pak-men-in-the-dock/Article1-962561.aspx

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Russia opposes NATO missile deployment on Turkey-Syria border

Nov 22, 2012

By Gabriela Baczynska

Nov 22 (Reuters) - Russia opposes the possible deployment by NATO of Patriot missiles near Turkey's border with Syria, the foreign ministry said on Thursday.

"This would not foster stability in the region," Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said of Turkey's request for deployment to the Western military alliance.

Full report at:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/22/syria-crisis-russia-idUSL5E8MM6PV20121122

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UN Security Council calls for Gaza truce to be upheld

 November 22, 2012

The UN Security Council has called on Israel and Hamas to "act seriously" to maintain their tentative ceasefire and joined praise for Egypt's president for halting the violence.

The 15-member council also called in a statement yesterday for an international effort to get "emergency aid" into Gaza after the week-long Israeli military onslaught to halt rocket fire from the besieged Palestinian territory.

Full report at:

http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/Americas/UN-Security-Council-calls-for-Gaza-truce-to-be-upheld/Article1-962634.aspx

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UK's education plan for Nigeria unrealistic and unaffordable – Icai

UK aid watchdog advises DfID to scrap £102m joint girls education programme as aid shows limited benefits

Monica Mark in Lagos

20 November 2012

Tens of millions of pounds poured into Nigeria's education system by the UK government have had "limited benefits" in a nation that accounts for a third of all out-of-school children in sub-Saharan Africa.

The Department for International Development (DfID), working with the Nigerian government, created a 10-year state education plan that was "neither realistic nor affordable", according to a report published on Tuesday by the Independent Commission for Aid Impact (Icai), a watchdog that monitors UK aid.

Full report at:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development/2012/nov/20/uk-education-nigeria-unrealistic-unaffordable

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French citizen kidnapped in Mali

Nov 22, 2012

A French citizen has been kidnapped in south-west Mali, French President Francois Hollande has said.

Armed men reportedly took the 61-year-old man hostage on Tuesday evening near the border with Mauritania.

The area is outside the northern part of Mali which Islamists took control of earlier this year.

Seven French citizens are now being held in the region. The other six are all believed to be captives of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.

Full report at:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-20432639

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Southeast Asia

Rate of New HIV Infections on Rise in Indonesia

Charlotte Greenfield | November 22, 2012

Indonesia was one of the nine nations with the highest increase in the number of new cases of HIV in the last decade, according to United Nations figures.

The Southeast Asian nation’s incidence of HIV infection increased by more than 25 percent in adults aged 15 to 49 from 2001 to 2011, according to the UNAIDS 2012 Global Report released on Wednesday. Other Asian nations in this category included the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. HIV is the virus that causes AIDS.

Full report at:

http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/health/rate-of-new-hiv-infections-on-rise-in-indonesia/557553

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Jakarta Police Arrest 35 High School Students for Hijacking Bus

Jakarta Globe | November 22, 2012

Jakarta Police have arrested 35 high school students for allegedly hijacking a bus and breaking into people's homes in yet another case of violent school rivalry.

“Eighteen of them were under the influence of alcohol,” South Jakarta Police Chief Sr. Comr. Wahyu Diningrat told Antaranews.com on Thursday.

Full report at:

http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/home/jakarta-police-arrest-35-high-school-students-for-hijacking-bus/557619

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Theater of The Absurd, Indonesian Politics Style

John McBeth - Straits Times | November 21, 2012

When I picked up a newspaper the other morning and read that Golkar was considering former finance minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati as a running mate for its presidential candidate Aburizal Bakrie, I almost choked on my wheaties.

I mean, what has Golkar been smoking — or, for that matter, some of the commentators who actually think it is possible? Perhaps they believe in Napoleon's saying: "In politics, an absurdity is not an obstacle."

Full report at:

http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/opinion/theater-of-the-absurd-indonesian-politics-style/557406

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Africa

Sudan ex-intelligence chief quizzed over plot: official

A senior ruling party official said that Sudan's former intelligence chief Salah Abdullah, known as Salah Gosh, has been questioned over a plot to disrupt national security

22 Nov 2012

Sudan's former intelligence chief Salah Gosh has been questioned but not detained over a plot to disrupt national security, a senior ruling party official told AFP on Thursday.

"I don't think that this is detention," said Rabbie Abdelatti Ebaid, of the National Congress Party. "They called him to get information because he was head of intelligence before."

Full report at:

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/58884/World/Region/Sudan-exintelligence-chief-quizzed-over-plot-offic.aspx

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Sudan 'disrupts sabotage plot'

Nov 22, 2012

Sudanese security officials say they have foiled an opposition plot aimed at creating "security disturbances" in the capital, Khartoum.

Witnesses described seeing tanks and troops in the centre of the city in the early hours of Thursday.

Sudan has seen demonstrations in recent months over economic hardship, triggered by a dispute over oil revenues with South Sudan.

A deal forged in September on ending the dispute has been delayed.

Full report at:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-20440361

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Congo Rebels, After Victory, Vow to Take the Capital

By JEFFREY GETTLEMAN

2012/11/22

GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo — No visa is necessary to cross this border anymore. Nor do red-eyed soldiers hang around reeking of home-brew. Gone, too, are many of the quasi-government officials who used to buzz around this border post harassing travelers and squeezing out bribes, including one little man who claimed to be a health officer and had “Doc” scribbled in Magic Marker on his coat.

Full report at:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/22/world/africa/congo-rebels-in-goma-vow-to-take-kinshasha.html?ref=world&gwh=CDA00107BD44524ADAB561D1D22B2297

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Africa: Updated HIV-AIDS Strategy for WHO African Region unveiled

 November 22, 2012

Health - The World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Office for Africa has unveiled an updated Regional HIV/AIDS Strategy that provides directions for implementing the WHO Global Health Sector Strategy (GHSS), adopted by the World Health Assembly in May 2011, taking into account key regional specificities. The Strategy was unveiled at the ongoing 62nd session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa in Luanda, Angola, by the WHO Regional Director, Dr Luis Sambo.

Full report at:

http://www.afriquejet.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1999:africa-

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