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Recent Appearances...

India-Pakistan

India-Pakistan War: DGMO Says India Killed Over 40 Pakistan Army Personnel In Shelling Along LoC

2025-05-12

[OneIndia] In a press briefing on India-Pakistain ceasefire, Lieutenant Gen Rajiv Ghai, the Director General of Military Operations (DGMO), disclosed that it killed around 35 to 40 Pak soldiers between May 7 and 10. He added that India lost five soldiers in Operation Sindoor.

Lieutenant Ghai highlighted that Operation Sindoor commenced on the nights of March 7 and 8. The operation caught Pakistain off guard and resulted in the elimination of over 100 terrorists. Among those neutralised were high-profile targets such as Yusuf Azhar, Abdul Malik Rauf, and Mudassir Ahmed. These individuals were linked to significant terror incidents like the IC-814 hijacking and the Pulwama attack.

OPERATION SINDOOR'S IMPACT
The operation's success was underscored by its ability to thwart repeated aerial attacks on airfields and dumps. Lieutenant Ghai mentioned that these assaults were effectively countered. The Pak Army suffered casualties due to artillery and small arms fire along the Line of Control during this time frame.

Lieutenant Ghai emphasised that Operation Sindoor was a strategic move that significantly impacted terrorist activities. The operation not only targeted gunnies but also disrupted their operations, thereby enhancing security in the region.

CASUALTIES ON BOTH SIDES
The Indian Army's actions led to substantial losses for Pakistain, with an estimated 35 to 40 soldiers killed. However,
if you can't be a good example, then you'll just have to be a horrible warning...
India also faced losses, with five soldiers losing their lives during the operation. This highlights the intense nature of the conflict along the Line of Control.

The successful execution of Operation Sindoor demonstrates India's commitment to combating terrorism. By targeting key figures involved in past attacks, India aims to prevent future threats and ensure regional stability.

From the One India liveblog:

May 12, 2025, 8:42 AM IST
India Rules Out IWT, Kashmir Talks With Pakistan; Limits Engagement To DGMO Level Only
India will engage with Pakistan solely through communication between their respective Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs), and there will be no dialogue on contentious issues such as Kashmir or the Indus Waters Treaty, which currently remains suspended, according to a Hindustan Times

May 11, 2025, 10:39 PM IST
Major points from the press conference held by DGMO Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai, Air Marshal AK Bharti and Vice Admiral AN Pramod, on Operation Sindoor:

1. Over 100 terrorists killed in the action. 11 air bases in Pakistan destroyed. Indian Army inflicted heavy damage in response to Pakistan’s intrusion.

2. High-value targets eliminated include: Yusuf Azhar, Abdul Malik Rauf, Mudassir Ahmad.

3. 9 confirmed terror camps, based on multi-agency intelligence. Key Targets: Bhawalpur (terrorist training camp) and Muridke (another key terrorist training site)

4. Even after the ceasefire, wave of UAVs and small drones intruded into Indian civilian and military areas. • These drones were successfully intercepted.

5. A befitting response was given by Indian armed forces. Further, all field commanders have been authorised to take appropriate action in case of any ceasefire violation.

May 11, 2025, 10:18 PM IST Delhi
"Our forces remained forward deployed in the Arabian Sea in a decisive posture with full readiness and capacity to strike select targets in sea and on land, including Karachi at the time of our choosing," said Vice Admiral AN Pramod.

From the Times of India liveblog:

08:54 (IST) May 12
First 'peaceful night' along J&K, border areas in days, says Army
Following the chaos and all the skirmishes that had kept the areas along the northern and western International Borders (IB) up during the night for the past few days, the region has largely remained peaceful during the intervening night of May 11 and May 12, the Army stated.

According to the Army, the region of Jammu and Kashmir and other areas along the IB were calm, and no incidents of the violation of the cessation of hostilities were reported.

The army noted that this marked the first calm night in recent days following the cross-border firing, heavy artillery shelling and drone attacks by Pakistan in response to India's Operation Sindoor, launched in retaliation for the April 22 terror attacks, which dismantled major terror sites in Pakistan and in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

"The night remained largely peaceful in Jammu and Kashmir and other areas along the international border. No incident has been reported, marking the first calm night in recent days," the Indian Army stated.

For the past few days, the border regions in Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Punjab and Gujarat were witnessing chaotic and sleepless nights due to Pakistan's heavy shelling and attempted drone attacks, which were aimed at disrupting peace along the region.

04:57 (IST) May 12
India agreed to pause as 'main objectives had already been achieved'
Deep precision airstrikes with BrahMos supersonic missiles and other standoff weapons on several crucial airbases in Pakistan early Saturday proved to be decisive in the escalating hostilities between the two nations, causing the US to step in and push for a truce.

India agreed as it had achieved its three main objectives — political, military and psychological — according to govt sources.

Ceasefire on, but pressure stays: 6 key decisions by India against Pakistan that still stand
[TimesOfIndia] India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire following escalated cross-border tensions in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives.

The ceasefire was the result of direct engagement between Indian and Pakistani officials, with Islamabad agreeing to the terms with "no preconditions, no postconditions, and no links to other issues."

This comes after the armed forces carried out precision strikes on terrorists hotspots in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir under 'Operation Sindoor'.
Follow live blog: PM Modi chairs high-level meeting a day after India-Pakistan ceasefire announcement

Following India's action, Pakistan launched missiles and drones across LoC and International Borders which were intercepted by Army's air defence systems.
Here are the punitive actions that will remain in effect:

SUSPENSION OF INDUS WATERS TREATY
The Indus Waters Treaty will remain in abeyance, government sources confirmed. “There are no preconditions to the ceasefire agreement reached on Saturday, and the IWT will remain suspended,” sources in the ministry of external affairs said.

Brokered by the World Bank in 1960, the treaty governs the distribution and use of the Indus River and its tributaries between India and Pakistan.

The treaty has historically benefited Pakistan, which receives about 80% of the total water flow from these rivers—vital for agriculture, particularly in the provinces of Punjab and Sindh.

INTEGRATED CHECK POST TO REMAIN SHUT
The Integrated check-post at Attari will also remain shut. The Attari-Wagah border crossing between India and Pakistan was completely closed following a week of heavy cross-border movement.

The check post at Attari in Punjab was closed, and those who crossed over with valid documentation were instructed to return through that route before May 1.

TRADE BAN
The prohibition on all imports from Pakistan, whether direct or routed through intermediary nations, will also continue.

Additionally, Pakistan-registered vessels are barred from entering Indian ports, and Indian ships are prohibited from accessing Pakistani harbors—reflecting a tougher diplomatic stance.

A newly incorporated provision under “Prohibition on Import from Pakistan” in the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) says, “Direct or indirect import or transit of all goods originating in or exported from Pakistan, whether or not freely importable or otherwise permitted, shall be prohibited with immediate effect, until further orders.”

CLOSURE OF AIRSPACE
India will continue to enforce the closure of its airspace to flights originating from or traveling through Pakistan, a measure that came into effect on April 30.

This move will force foreign carriers that typically overfly Pakistani airspace after exiting Indian airspace to take longer, alternate routes.

BAN ON PAKISTANI ACTORS AND ARTISTS
In the interest of national security, India will maintain its ban on Pakistani actors and artists performing within the country.

In addition, all OTT platforms, media streaming services, and intermediaries operating in India are required to discontinue web series, films, songs, podcasts, and other digital content of Pakistani origin—whether available via subscription or otherwise.

VISA SERVICES FOR PAKISTANI CITIZENS
India will continue the suspension of all types of visas for Pakistani nationals.
l
Following the Pahalgam terror attack, the government had suspended all categories of visas for Pakistani citizens and instructed those already in India to leave by April 27. However, medical visas were given an extension until April 29, after which they were also revoked.

“In continuation of the decisions made by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, the Government of India has decided to suspend visa services to Pakistani nationals with immediate effect,” the Ministry of External Affairs stated.

The ministry also advised Indian nationals currently in Pakistan to return at the earliest.

Link

India-Pakistan

Will import duty war push India to open its markets?

2025-03-21

[BBC] India has usually turned to economic reforms in times of distress, with the most famous example being 1991, when the country embraced liberalisation in the face of a deep financial crisis.

Now, with US President Donald Trump's tit-for-tat tariff wars and the global trade upheaval that has followed, many believe that India finds itself at another crossroad.

Could this be a major opportunity for the world's fifth largest economy to shed its protectionism and further open up its economy? Will India seize the moment, just as it did more than three decades ago, or will it retreat further?

Trump has repeatedly branded India a "tariff king" and a "big abuser" of trade ties. The problem is that India's trade-weighted import duties - the average duty rate per imported product - are among the highest in the world. The US average tariff is 2.2%, China's is 3% and Japan's is 1.7%. India's stands at a whopping 12%, according to data from the World Trade Organization.

High tariffs increase costs for companies dependent on global value chains, hindering their ability to compete in international markets. They also mean that Indians pay more on imported goods than foreign consumers. Despite growing exports - primarily driven by services - India runs a significant trade deficit. However, with India's share of global exports at a mere 1.5%, the challenge becomes even more urgent.

The jury is out on whether Trump's tariff war will help India break free or double down on protectionism. Narendra Modi's government, often criticised for its protectionist stance, already seems to have shifted gears.

Getty Images India portGetty Images

Despite growing exports, India runs a significant trade deficit

Last month, ahead of Prime Minister Modi's meeting with Trump in Washington, India unilaterally lowered tariffs on Bourbon whiskey, motorcycles and some other US products.

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal has made two trips to the US to discuss a potential trade deal, following Trump's threatened retaliatory tariffs, looming on 2 April. (Citi Research analysts estimate India could lose up to $7bn annually from reciprocal tariffs, primarily affecting sectors like metals, chemicals and jewellery, with pharmaceuticals, automobiles and food products also at risk.)

Last week, Goyal urged Indian exporters to "come out of their protectionist mindset and encouraged them to be bold and ready to deal with the world from a position of strength and self-confidence", according to a statement from his ministry.

India is also actively pursuing free trade deals with several countries, including the UK and New Zealand, and the European Union.

In an interesting turn of events, homegrown telecoms giants Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel have teamed up with Trump ally Elon Musk's SpaceX to launch satellite internet services via Starlink in India. The move surprised analysts, especially after Musk's recent clashes with both companies, and came as US and Indian officials negotiate the trade deal.

India's rapid growth from the late 1990s to the 2000s - 8.1% between 2004-2009 and 7.46% from 2009-2014 - was in large part driven by its gradual integration into global markets, particularly in pharmaceuticals, software, autos, textiles and garments, alongside a steady reduction in tariffs. Since then, India has turned inwards.

Many economists believe that protectionist policies over the past decade have undermined Modi's Make in India initiative, which prioritised capital- and technology-intensive sectors over labour-intensive ones like textiles. As a result, it has struggled to boost manufacturing and exports.

High tariffs have also fostered protectionism in several Indian industries, discouraging investments in efficiency, according to Viral Acharya, a professor of economics at New York University Stern School of Business.

This has allowed "cosy incumbents" to gain market power by consolidating their positions without facing much competition. As Mr Acharya, a former central banker, noted in a paper by Brookings Institution, restoring industrial balance in India requires "reducing tariffs to increase the country's share of global goods trade and reduce protectionism".

With India's tariffs already higher than those of most countries, further increases could be especially damaging.

"We need to boost exports and a tit-for-tat tariff war won't help us. China can afford this strategy due to its massive export base, but we can't, as we hold only a small share of the global market," Rajeswari Sengupta, an associate professor of economics at Mumbai-based Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research, said. "A trade conflict could hurt us more than others."

Link

India-Pakistan

Former Indian Lawmaker And His Brother Shot Dead On Live TV

2023-04-17

[SAHARAREPORTERS] Aformer Indian lawmaker convicted of kidnapping and facing murder and assault charges was shot dead along with his brother.

Officials said this was done in a dramatic attack that was caught live on TV in northern India.
"Must-see - TV! Tonight, on a very special episode..."
Atiq Ahmad and his brother, Ashraf Ahmad, were under police escort on their way to a medical checkup at a hospital on Saturday night when three men posing as journalists targeted the two brothers from close range in Prayagraj City in Uttar Pradesh state, AP reports.

The men quickly surrendered to the police after the shooting, with at least one of them chanting “Jai Shri Ram” or “Hail Lord Ram,” a slogan that has become a battle cry for Hindu nationalists in their campaign against Muslims.

Those Hindu nationalists have been getting salty recently.

Uttar Pradesh is governed by India’s ruling Hindu-nationalist Bhartiya Janata Party.

Police officer Ramit Sharma said the three assailants came on motorcycles posing as journalists, FRANCE24 reports.

“They managed to reach close to Atiq and his brother on the pretext of recording a byte and fired at them from close range. Both sustained bullet injuries on the head," he said.

“It all happened in seconds," Sharma said.

On Thursday, Atiq Ahmad's teenage son and another man, who had both been blamed for a recent murder, were killed by police in what was described as a shootout.

Atiq Ahmad, 60, was jailed in 2019 after he was convicted of kidnapping. He was a local lawmaker four times and was also elected to India's parliament in 2004.

His lawyer, Vijay Mishra, said the incident was shocking as “it is a clear failure of the police in ensuring the safety" of his clieclients."

Link

Fifth Column

The OneWeb 900 sat constellation is being deployed mostly on Soyuz rockets

2018-03-13

[Forum.nasaspaceflight]

There are 3 massive sat networks that will soon be launched. The biggest is SpaceX's Starlink, next is OneWeb's and last is a Chinese one. Boeing has a large network in development but not much has appeared, in public, about its launchers or launch time frame. It seems that OneWeb is launching most of theirs on Russian rockets.
Russian rockets and Dmitry Rogozin are intertwined. Rogozin became one of the first seven people who were put under executive sanctions by US President Barack Obama. Wikipedia on Rogozin It would be kind of hard to do this big a deal without Sergey Chemezov being involved too.

plus 5 launches from Bezos
One Web Constellation

We want to thank Softbank, Qualcomm, Grupo Salinas and our tireless, hyper-dedicated, mission driven team for helping to make this vision a reality Our initial investing partners—including Airbus, Bharti, Coca-Cola, Hughes, Intelsat, MDA, and Virgin—have been incredibly supportive during the process, thank you for believing.

So are we to assume the named companies support the Russians over American firms? The SpaceX network will be going up on Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy and later BFR, all made and launched in the USA rockets!

Bharti - (Indian Company)
The OneWeb satellites are being made by AirBus in Toulouse France. AirBus link

Addresses of OneWeb:

London Office: West Works Building, 195 Wood Lane W12 7FQ

DC Office: 1400 Key Blvd, Level A - Suite #1, Arlington, VA 22209

Directions: Please enter from the Oak St. entrance. If you enter from the Key Blvd side, please take the elevator to Floor A, not the first floor.

Florida Office: 400 High Point Dr, Suite 400, Cocoa, FL 32926

California Office: 2570 W. El Camino Real, Suite 440, Mountain View, CA 94040

VA Tysons Office: 8201 Greensboro Dr, Suite 405, McLean, VA 22102

Link

India-Pakistan

No pro-India party secures majority in Indian-controlled Kashmir

2014-12-24

[Xinhua] No pro-India political party has got majority to secure the sole government formation in Indian-controlled Kashmire, election officials said on Tuesday.

The counting of votes in the restive region began on Tuesday, with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) emerging as the largest party with 28 seats, followed by the right-wing Hindu nationalist Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) getting 25 seats.

The National Conference (NC) ended up getting 15 seats, while the Congress party and he independents won 12 and seven seats respectively.

BJP has got mandate from the Hindu-dominated Jammu province, while PDP has got votes from the Moslem-dominated areas.

The five-phase staggered polls in the region concluded on Saturday.

Tens of thousands of people ignored the boycott call of turban groups and separatists opposing New Delhi's rule and voted in the election.

According to the Indian election commission, the polls recorded a 66-percent turnout.

Analysts say, for the government formation, the parties have to form a coalition.

The region features a 87-strong assembly and for claiming the government, the coalition has to cobble up at least 44 seats.

The right-wing Hindu nationalist BJP who were heavily banking on Narendra Modi's charisma has failed to accomplish their target of "mission 44 plus".

Kashmire, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistain is claimed by both in full.

Since their independence from Britannia, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmire.

Link

India-Pakistan

Minister names rape victim, retracts

2014-01-17

[INDIANEXPRESS] Hours after police confirmed that a Danish tourist had been gangraped in the heart of the city, Delhi Law Minister Somnath Bharti named the victim in an official statement, only to retract it a little later.

"By mistake, the name of the rape victim has gone in the blurb, please do not use it and consider it as not being a part of the blurb. Inconvenience regretted," his office clarified.

Link

Africa Subsaharan

Nigeria restores phone service to violence-hit state

2013-07-18

[Al Ahram] Mobile phone services returned in Nigeria's northeastern Yobe state on Wednesday, residents said, ending two months of signal blackout after a state of emergency was declared in areas struck by Islamist bad turbans.

President

Goodluck Jonathan
... 14th President of Nigeria. He was Governor of Bayelsa State from 9 December 2005 to 28 May 2007, and was sworn in as Vice President on 29 May 2007. Jonathan is a member of the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP). He is a lover of nifty hats, which makes him easily recognizable unless someone else in the room is wearing a neat chapeau...
declared a state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states on May 14, ordering extra troops in to try to crush Islamist sect Boko Haram
... not to be confused with Procol Harum, Harum Scarum, possibly to be confused with Helter Skelter. The Nigerian version of al-Qaeda and the Taliban rolled together and flavored with a smigeon of distinctly Subsaharan ignorance and brutality...
, whose insurgency has killed thousands of people in the past three years.

Authorities cut the mobile network to the three states in the same week to disrupt Boko Haram's operations. Service returned to Adamawa last week but there is still no signal in Borno, the state worst affected by Boko Haram's violence. Satellite phones have also been banned by the military in Borno.

Mobile phone companies such as South Africa's MTN, Gulf operator Etisalat and India's Bharti Airtel have been losing out on business from millions who live in the three affected states.

The lifting of radio silence raised optimism that the security situation has improved, although the military did not respond to requests for comment.

"They took away the network because of the security situation, now that we have it back means Yobe is gradually moving away from the bad times into good," said Inua Sani, a taxi driver in Yobe's main town, Damaturu.

Link

India-Pakistan

Restaurant bill sparks deadly religious riot in India

2013-01-08

[Dawn] A row over an unpaid restaurant bill in a western Indian city escalated into a riot between Hindus and Moslems that left four people dead and 175 injured, police said on Monday.

The unrest broke out in Dhule in Maharashtra state on Sunday, special inspector general Deven Bharti told AFP. Four rioters were killed by police firing while 113 coppers were among the injured, he said.

Bharti said investigations were still under way, but it appeared that a quarrel over a restaurant bill had provoked a mass brawl that left shops smashed,

cycle of violences burned and glass strewn across the streets.

Previous riots between Hindus and Moslems in Dhule, which has a population of about 400,000 and is located 330 kilometres (205 miles) from Mumbai, broke out in October 2008, leaving 10 dead.

"The restaurant owner was from one community and the customer from the other," Bharti explained, declining to name the parties involved.

"The customer went and took 50 people from his community and assaulted the restaurant owner, and people from the owner's community also gathered and started arsoning and rioting," he said.

Bharti said the police had used sticks, tear gas and plastic bullets before resorting to live ammunition to quell the trouble.

The area was put under a curfew that continued on Monday and was "peaceful and under control", he added.

Hindus make up about 80 per cent of India's population, while some 13 per cent are Moslem.

Link

India-Pakistan

Malik's account on Hafiz Saeed puts Pak-India cricket series in jeopardy

2012-12-18

[Dawn] Citing Pak Interior Minister Rehman Malik
Pak politician, Interior Minister under the Gilani government. Malik is a former Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) intelligence officer who rose to head the FIA during Benazir Bhutto's second tenure. Malik was tossed from his FIA job in 1998 after documenting the breath-taking corruption of the Sharif family. By unhappy coincidence Nawaz Sharif became PM at just that moment and Malik moved to London one step ahead of the button men. He had to give up the interior ministry job because he held dual Brit citizenship.
s account on Hafiz Muhammad Saeed

...who would be wearing a canvas jacket with very long sleeves anyplace but Pakistain...
arrest, Indian opposition on Monday demanded to call off the upcoming cricket series between the two countries, BBC Urdu Service reported.

Leaders of the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) have said that India should refrain itself from having dialogues with Pakistain. Former chief of the party Venkaiah Naidu said terrorism and cricket can not go along. On one hand they (Pakistain) support terrorism and on the other a cricket series is being host for themthis cant go side by side, he said.

The interior minister is back from New Delhi where he went on a three-day visit to formalise a new visa accord last week.

Meanwhile,
...back at the barn, Bossy was furiously chewing her cud and thinking...
Indian Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde also criticised his Pak counterparts claim that Islamabad had thrice tossed in the slammer
Drop the rosco, Muggsy, or you're one with the ages!
Lashkar-e-Taiba
...the Army of the Pure, an Ahl-e-Hadith terror organization founded by Hafiz Saeed. LeT masquerades behind the Jamaat-ud-Dawa facade within Pakistain and periodically blows things up and kills people in India. Despite the fact that it is banned, always an interesting concept in Pakistain, the organization remains an blatant tool and perhaps an arm of the ISI...
(LeT) founder Hafiz Muhammad Saeed for his alleged role in the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

Malik appears misinformed on the matter, Shinde informed the Rajya Sabha (Parliament.)

Shinde said that through the documents, provided by Islamabad regarding detentions of Saeed on three instances, it is clear that he was arrested for other reasons and not for his role as a conspirator in 2008 attacks.

He pointed out that the Pak interior minister has been telling us repeatedly that he had arrested Saeed thrice and that, on each occasion, he was let off by the courts for lack of evidence.

Link

Africa Subsaharan

Nigeria mobile phone towers attacked

2012-09-07

[Washington Post]

A radical Islamist sect that has attacked mosques, churches, schools and government buildings at will in Nigeria appears to have added a new target for its violence: mobile phone towers.

Attacks in the last day have damaged more than 20 towers operated by all the major providers in the country, further straining the one link the nation relies on for communication in a country with nearly no landlines. While no one has grabbed credit for the attacks, the Islamist sect known as Boko Haram
... not to be confused with Procol Harum, Harum Scarum, possibly to be confused with Helter Skelter. The Nigerian version of al-Qaeda and the Taliban rolled together and flavored with a smigeon of distinctly Subsaharan ignorance and brutality...
threatened mobile phone companies six months ago, warning that they would be targeted for cooperating with the government to flush out its members.

The assaults, which continued into Thursday morning, appear to be "an attack on the telecoms industry," said Gbenga Adebayo, the chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria. It also would be a further strain on people living in a region long under attack by the radical sect.

"We are worried because this infrastructure is meant to serve the public," Adebayo told The News Agency that Dare Not be Named. "So an attack on infrastructure is an attack on the public itself."

Communications across northeast Nigeria
... a particularly crimson stretch of Islam's bloody border...
remained difficult Thursday, with residents unable to connect calls or having them drop in mid-conversation. Internet service also was poor, as most access the web through mobile phone networks. It could take months for service to improve in the region, especially if attacks continue as other companies have been leery of sending staff to the region.

In Nigeria, home to more than 160 million people, mobile phones serve as a valuable lifeline across both cities and rural communities. Landlines remain almost nonexistent, as the state-run telephone company has collapsed and repeated efforts to privatize it have failed. More 87 million mobile phone lines were in use in 2009, according to estimates.

A survey Thursday by AP journalists across northern Nigeria found at least 27 attacks occurred in six states, spread from the central state of Kano to the far eastern state of Borno. In Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state where Boko Haram began, an AP journalist saw at least nine burned mobile towers. The journalist also saw the burned remains of what used to be the city's main office for South Africa-based MTN Group Ltd., Nigeria's largest cell network provider.

MTN acknowledged in a statement Thursday that "attacks have been made on some of its installations in northern Nigeria by unknown persons" and that customers may experience outright network failure following the attacks. Typically, a mobile phone will continue to seek a signal at another nearby tower, meaning networks can quickly be overloaded if towers go offline.

"We are intensifying efforts to restore normal services as soon as possible," MTN executive Akinwale Goodluck said in the statement.

Officials with Bharti Airtel Ltd. of India, Abu Dhabi-based Etisalat and local firm Globacom Ltd., the nation's other major telecommunication firms, could not be immediately reached for comment Thursday. However,
you can observe a lot just by watching...
Adebayo said the attacks affected all four companies and five others.

In neighboring Adamawa state, attackers set ablaze five towers in the town of Mubi, Adamawa state police front man Ibrahim Muhammad said. He said that two civilians were rubbed out in the late night attacks. An AP journalist also saw two burned masts in Kano, the capital of Kano state.

In the northeastern town of Potiskum in Yobe state, young men shouting "God is great" in Arabic set one tower ablaze after soaking it in gasoline, resident Hamadu Mohamed said. An AP news hound saw two other damaged masts in the town, and a fourth in the nearby city of Damaturu. Five other towers were later found destroyed in the region, the AP journalist said. In Gombe state's capital of Gombe, another mast was attacked in the city center.

Gunmen also made attempts to attack two other towers in Bauchi, the capital of Bauchi state, witnesses said.

Police in the region said they were investigating the attacks, which some officials initially blamed on Boko Haram, a sect whose name means "Western education is sacrilege" in the Hausa language of Nigeria's Mohammedan north. More than 660 people have died in drive-by killings and bombings blamed on Boko Haram this year alone, according to an AP count. The sect has demanded the release of all its captive members and has called for strict Shariah law to be implemented across the entire country.

This would represent the first time the sect specifically targeted mobile phone companies. However,
you can observe a lot just by watching...
in a February conversation with local journalists, a Boko Haram front man using the nom de guerre Abul Qaqa said the sect would target the firms for allegedly revealing information about the sect's followers. Nigeria recently made mobile phone users register their numbers by giving their fingerprints and a photograph, as well as other details about their lives. Nigeria's military and security services also have tracked suspected cut-throats in the past by their mobile phones.

Link

India-Pakistan

Alarm over 'forced conversions' in Sindh

2012-03-11

[Dawn] The Human Rights Commission of Pakistain (HRCP) on Saturday expressed its concern over reports of forced conversion and marriage of Hindu girls in Sindh -- 'on average 25 cases a month' -- and urged the authorities concerned to ensure protection to the minorities.

HRCP vice chairperson Amarnath Motumal and council members Prof Badar Soomro, Inder Ahuja and Asad Iqbal Butt told journalists at a presser that the culprits were benefiting from loopholes in the existing laws.

They called for enactment of new comprehensive laws in order to restore the sense of security in the community.

Relatives of four girls who were allegedly kidnapped recently -- Rinkle Kumari, Dr Lata Kumari, Asha Mohandas and Bharti Naraindas -- also appeared before the media and complained that the police extended to them no help while the subordinate judiciary did not appear helpful either.

"The culprits are well-armed and enjoy the support of influential religious people," they said.

The HRCP activists stressed that the police should register an FIR as soon as the parents or relatives of kidnap victims approached them with a complaint. "If a kidnapped adult girl is recovered and produced in court, she should be sent to Darul Amman immediately for a period equal to her captivity, or for at least one month, before she is asked to record her first statement. Then she should be asked to decide whether she wants to go with her parents/relatives or with alleged kidnapper/s," they said. However,
there's more than one way to stuff a chicken...
they added, if the kidnapped girl was a minor, she should immediately be reunited with her parents.

The HRCP activists said that there could be no objection if anyone embraced Islam of their own accord, but such a person should be at liberty to meet his or her parents and satisfy them that it was not a forced decision.

"But in the case of the four girls, they were not allowed to meet their parents anymore and this proves that they are under pressure," they argued.

Speaking about the growing menace of kidnappings, forced marriages and forced conversions, they said that Hindus now tended to marry off their girls as soon as they reached adulthood or migrate to some other country.

The rights activists deplored that even President

Asif Ali President Ten Percent Zardari
... sticky-fingered husband of the late Benazir Bhutto ...
's orders about the recovery of kidnapped Hindu girls were not being followed by the law-enforcement agencies.

"The state must fulfil its primary responsibility of protecting the citizens' right to live, and follow and profess their religion," they stressed.

Prof Soomro told the media that it was strange that Hindus converting to Islam were almost always maidens of tender years and not elderly people.

Rinkle Kumari's father, Nandlal, who is a schoolteacher, narrated his ordeal after the disappearance of his daughter. He said he was driven from pillar to post when he approached the police to lodge an FIR of her kidnapping. Finally when the FIR was registered, he alleged, he had to face harassment as the court area was surrounded by heavily armed religious activists. He alleged that the court acted in haste and handed over his daughter to the police and eventually allowed her to go with her 'kidnapper'.

"My wife and other daughters were not allowed to meet Rinkle."

Dr Lata Kumari's father, Dr Ramesh Kumar, a resident of Jacobabad, said that his daughter had been to Bloody Karachi
...formerly the capital of Pakistain, now merely its most important port and financial center. It may be the largest city in the world, with a population of 18 million, most of whom hate each other and many of whom are armed and dangerous...
in connection with her advanced studies when she was kidnapped by a man, said to be a judge's son.

A resident of Lyari, Naraindas, a driver, said his daughter, Bharti, used to go to an industrial home in the neighbourhood to learn sewing and embroidery. She was kidnapped by a son of a policeman, he alleged. He said that Bharti was a minor -- born in
1996 -- and could not have a freewell marriage.

Ramesh Kumar, a relative of 16-year-old girl Asha Mohandas, who hails from Jacobabad, said she used to go to a beauty parlour for training. He alleged that she was kidnapped from the parlour.

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India-Pakistan

Thrashing defeat for Mayawati

2012-03-07

[Bangla Daily Star]

Mulayam Singh Yadav's Samajwadi Party swept to power jolting Congress party and BJP in Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, the results of which are a setback to Rahul Gandhi, who acknowledged the "defeat".

SP dethroned Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader Mayawati by getting an absolute majority by comfortably crossing the required 202-mark in the 403 member House. The SP has won 224 seats.

Mayawati was relegated to the second position ending up close to 80 seats.

Indian ruling Congress suffered a heavy blow as it failed to improve strength in the politically most crucial state of Uttar Pradesh and regain governance in Punjab. The party also lost power in Goa, our New Delhi correspondent Pallab Bhattacharya adds.

The only relief for Congress is its emphatic victory in northeastern state of Manipur where it retained power for the third consecutive term.

The Congress, which was hoping to do well after Rahul Gandhi's extensive campaigning in 207 constituencies, improved its previous tally of 22 seats by winning 26 seats and was leading in another two.

The BJP, which had 51 seats, has won 47.

The polls were a mid-term popularity test for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government ahead of 2014 parliamentary elections and a first real appraisal of Rahul Gandhi viewed by many as the future Prime Minister of India.

"I stood in front, so it is my responsibility," 41-year-old Rahul told news hounds as he conceded defeat. "All of us in the Congress party fought. We fought well but the result which came was not so good."

Rahul, the scion of Nehru-Gandhi family, had led the party's charge in Uttar Pradesh in a bid to revive Congress in what constituted his biggest challenge yet in a state where it has been out of power for 22 years.

The SP has crossed the half-way mark in the 2012 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections and looks all set to form the next government in the state.

Earlier in the day, state unit president Akhilesh Yadav said party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav will be the chief minister.

Akhilesh said the party's Parliamentary Board will meet tomorrow to decide on issues like staking claim before Governor BL Joshi to form the next government. "I have answered this question several times.... We all want netaji (Mulayam) as the chief minister," Akhilesh said seeking to put a lid on speculation that he would be the next chief minister of the state.

Replying to questions on the possibility of SP seeking support of independent MLAs, the party's state unit chief said his party will not take support of "mafia".

On possibility of removing statues of elephants (BSP's election symbol) as also of outgoing chief minister Mayawati, he said SP has already made it clear that the statues would not be removed.

SP state president and star campaigner for the party Akhilesh Yadav said that after formation of the government, the first priority of the SP would be to provide relief to the farmers through loan waivers and improvement in power supply.

He said the BSP got five years to develop the state but it squandered money on parks and stones. However,
there's more than one way to stuff a chicken...
he also said that SP will not touch dalit memorials built by Mayawati. "They will be safe."

What seems to have gone in favour of SP is its image makeover by Akhilesh. Previous SP rule in 2003-07 was known for poor law and order but Akhilesh promised to change the order this time. While Mulayam worked to get back Mohammedans who were angry after he shook hands with Kalyan Singh in 2009, Akhilesh worked to woo different castes and communities. He was also able to attract youth.

The BSP is expected to remain second despite a loss of over 100 seats in comparison to the 206 it got in 2007.

Congress and BJP are likely to improve but are fighting for third and fourth place.

Congress's ally RLD is also expected to increase its number, according to Times of India.

SP seems to be getting support across the state and all castes and communities, while BSP has suffered losses everywhere but seems to have retained its Dalit base.

However,
there's more than one way to stuff a chicken...
Mayawati's social engineering failed as Brahmins and Mohammedans do not seem to have vote for BSP in large number as they did in 2007. Congress and BJP seem to have has excelled in some pockets of UP.

While celebrations have begun in SP head quarters in Lucknow, an eerie silence prevailed in BSP head office and gates were closed for visitors. Disappointment was palpable in Congress office, whereas BJP camp was hopeful of getting more than 100 seats, double of what it got in 2007.

Reacting to result trends, SP general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav said that people have voted against five years of misrule in UP. He said SP is gaining because it took up public cause for five years while sitting in opposition.

UP Congress President Rita Bahugana Joshi said that though her party does not seems to be doing well, it would improve its tally. She said there is a strong anti-incumbency wave against Mayawati regime.

Congress leader Rajiv Shukla said that Rahul Gandhi created a favourable atmosphere for the party through his work and campaign in UP. But, he said, party could not convert it into seats because of absence of party cadre at the ground level. He claimed that in any case Congress would emerge as key player in UP.

BJP national vice president and candidate from Lucknow East Kalraj Mishra said that party would do better than 2007. He admitted that induction of sacked BSP minister Babu Singh Kushwaha, who is prime accused in NRHM scam and has been locked away by CBI, damaged BJP's prospect upto some extent in UP.

The BJP has received a strong drubbing in Lucknow, which used to be its stronghold for long. The party has lost in Lucknow constituency for the first time since 1991. This was the first elections in which former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was not in the picture. And this resulted in crushing defeat for the party.

The BJP also lost in the rural areas of Lucknow. It was in a miserable state at the start of election but entry of fire brand Hindutava leader Uma Bharti galvanised cadre and brought party back in contest.

BJP was also able to polarise votes on communal lines at few places on the issue of Mohammedan quota.

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