Global News Post: Asia

MH370: Indian Ocean Proves Too Deep for Robotic Sub

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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">By
VOA News<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The
hunt for the missing Malaysian jetliner was further complicated Tuesday, after
the part of the southern Indian Ocean being searched proved too deep for a
miniature robotic submarine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Australian
officials said the Bluefin-21 submarine "exceeded its operating depth
limit of 4,500 meters and its built-in safety feature returned it to the
surface" following a six-hour mission.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Malaysian
Defense Minister Hishammuddin Hussein later said authorities are in the process
of extracting and analyzing the data gathered by the underwater vehicle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">"The
Bluefin-21 AUV (autonomous underwater vehicle) has been deployed and 16 hours
has been done to search and photograph the seabed, and photographs are being
analyzed at the moment," said Hussein.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The
Joint Agency Coordination Center (JACC), which is coordinating the search, said
the vehicle will be redeployed later Tuesday if weather conditions improve.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The
submarine was sent down Monday - nearly a week after sound locating equipment
last heard signals that are believed to be from the missing jet's black boxes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Locator
beacons on the plane's flight recorder boxes emit signals so they can be more
easily found, but their batteries only last about a month. It has been nearly
40 days since the jet went missing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Without
locating more signals, it is difficult to further narrow the area where the
plane may have crashed. On Tuesday, the JACC said the visual search area was
over 62,000 square kilometers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Search
crews also are investigating an oil slick found in the search area. Crews have
collected samples that have been sent for testing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Australian
Prime Minister Tony Abbott continues to sound notes of caution, stressing that
trying to find anything nearly five kilometers below the surface of the Indian
Ocean, 1,000 kilometers from land, is a huge task that will not likely end
anytime soon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The
small robotic sub is using sonar to chart any debris in the search for the
plane's flight recorders on the sea floor. Officials say it will take 24 hours
to complete each mission in which the sub will chart approximately 40 square
kilometers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The
sub is not able to transmit live data as it searches the floor, so officials
must bring it to the surface and analyze the data following each mission.
Officials have warned the process could take months.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The
Boeing 777 with 239 people on board disappeared March 8 during a scheduled
flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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MH370: Indian Ocean Proves Too Deep for Robotic Sub

By VOA News The hunt for the missing Malaysian jetliner was further complicated Tuesday, after the part of the southern Indian Ocea...

18 Saudi Firms Keen to Explore Malaysian Halal Market

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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">KUALA
LUMPUR <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(NNN-Bernama) -- Some 18 Saudi
Arabian exhibitors participating in the Malaysian International Halal Showcase
2014 (Mihas 2014) are keen to enter the Malaysian market, said Saudi Export
Development Authority (Seda) Marketing and Public Relation Director, Feras Abal
Khail. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Feras,
who is also Seda's spokesperson in Malaysia, said 18 out of the total of 20
food and beverage (F&B) firms taking part in Mihas 2014 see Malaysia as a
potential market due to the Muslim population in the country, as well as the
Indonesian halal market. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Two
F&B companies are already exporting their products to Malaysia, he said. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">"Due
to huge Muslim population here and in neighbouring Indonesia, we see some
potential for us to offer our high quality products and strengthen our presence
in the market," Feras told reporters at Mihas 2014 Friday. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The
11th Mihas is held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre here from April 9-12,
2014. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Feras
said by understanding the Malaysian market, it would allow the Saudi Arabian
companies to understand the market in the neighbouring countries as well as the
Asian market. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">He
also said Seda is looking forward to increase the participation of Saudi
Arabian companies in the exhibition next year. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">"We
are exploring the market this year, and our pavilion consists of 43 booths. For
next year, we might increase the number of booths," he added. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">"Mihas
is a strong pillar in the F&B sector, and I can say that we will definitely
be here again," Feras said, adding that Seda might bring more halal
products such as cosmetics next year. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Joining
Mihas for the first time this year, the Saudi Arabian companies perceived the
exhibition as a platform for them to outline strategy, understand the Malaysian
consumers' behaviour and to build a network of distributors before entering the
market. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Mihas
2014 has partnered with Saudi Arabia, through Seda, to further strengthen their
relationship and to create more opportunities for both countries to collaborate
and tap into the huge halal market within the Gulf Cooperation Council. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The
global halal market has been growing consistently over the last decade as an
increasing number of discerning customers seek halal products and services in
their everyday life. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Saudi
Arabia's per capita food consumption is projected to expand by 31.24 per cent
this year, reflected by the emergence of a network of hypermarkets in the kingdom
where the number of imported goods is steadily rising. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The
number of Saudi Arabian exporters of halal products and services has also been
growing and they are ready to gain market share in the estimated US$2.3
trillion market.--NNN-BERNAMA<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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18 Saudi Firms Keen to Explore Malaysian Halal Market

KUALA LUMPUR (NNN-Bernama) -- Some 18 Saudi Arabian exhibitors participating in the Malaysian International Halal Showcase 2014 (Mihas ...

Islamabad Market Bomb Kills at Least 21

Islamabad Market Bomb Kills at Least 21

By VOA News Pakistani authorities say at least 21 people were killed and 70 wounded in a bomb blast at a crowded market in Islamaba...

Rival Afghan Candidates Already Claiming Victory

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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">By Sharon Behn<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Afghanistan’s April 5 presidential ballot has been
widely hailed as a triumph for the people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> 
</span>With votes still being counted, hopes for a smooth end to the election
are beginning to fade as candidates appear to maneuver for a political fight to
the finish.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Technocrat Ashraf Ghani, a former World Bank
official, told media he is certain he received a majority of the votes, given
the turnout in areas where he gathered a lot of support.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">His chief competitor, former foreign minister
Abdullah Abdullah, has said he is sure that 60 percent of the voters had cast
their ballots for him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">To win the election, a candidate needs 50 percent
plus one vote.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>If no one reaches that
threshold, there will be a run-off.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Omar Samad, an Afghan expert at the New America
Foundation in Washington, D.C., says it is likely that the front-runners will
fight to the finish.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“They have indicated they will go all the way
because both of them are in favor of a stronger mandate by going to the end of
the second round,”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Samad adds that the other six candidates could
soon start negotiating throwing their support behind one of the two assumed
leading candidates.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Results <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Partial results could be announced as early as the
end of this week. The final tally is not expected until mid-May.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Ahmad Yousuf Nuristani, the head of the
Independent Election Commission, called on the candidates to wait for the
official announcement of the vote results.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">He says his request to all the candidates and
people of Afghanistan is to avoid predictions, or publishing numbers, so as to
not confuse people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>Let the Independent Election
Commission announce the results as scheduled, he says.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">According to the National Democratic Institute, a
full accounting of all ballots will be particularly important in this
hotly-contested election, where the margin of victory is expected to be slim.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Jandad Spinghar, executive director of the Free
and Fair Election Foundation of Afghanistan (FEFA), says so far the effective
security efforts and higher-than-expected voter turnout has lent huge
credibility to the election.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">He says all the ballots must be counted and
complaints of fraud or vote-rigging must be resolved before a final count can
be released.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“Then we can say that we will have complete
legitimate election and the result will be acceptable," said Spinghar.
"If there will be second round, so we can expect that before second round
there will be a kind of negotiation between two candidates.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Fraud <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">According to FEFA, its election monitors observed
2,600 cases of fraud and misconduct.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Afghanistan’s senior electoral officer, Ziaulhaq Amarkhail,
has said every documented election complaint would be investigated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">He says Afghans are holding elections under
conditions of war and insecurity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>But if
there is any credible evidence showing that someone interfered with the
documents in favor of or against any candidate, he says the Independent
Election Commission wants to assure the nation that it takes all such
complaints seriously and is ready to deal with such situations.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Analyst Samad says the election’s overall
credibility will depend heavily on how the election and complaints commissions
perform their jobs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 63.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 63.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The Asian Networks for Free Elections Foundation
warned in a statement Wednesday that candidates' “premature and unfounded
declarations of victory can create an unrealistic expectation among
supporters.”---VOA News<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>

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CHINA URGES ISRAEL TO MAKE "BRAVE" DECISIONS ON PEACE TALKS

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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 63.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">BEIJING (NNN-XINHUA) - China's President Xi
Jinping urged Israel to make "brave" decisions on the latest round of
peace talks with the Palestinians, after negotiators ended another U.S-mediated
session with no sign of a breakthrough.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 63.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">"At present, the Israeli-Palestinian talks
process has entered a crucial stage; there are opportunities and also many
difficulties," Xi told visiting Israeli President Shimon Peres, China's
foreign ministry said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 63.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 63.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">"(China) hopes that Israel keeps in mind the
broader picture of peace, shows strategic wisdom, makes brave decisions as
early as possible, and pushes along with the international community and
Palestinians, for substantive progress on peace talks," Xi added.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 63.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 63.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The U.S.-brokered negotiations, which began in
July, plunged into crisis last week, after Israel, demanding a Palestinian
commitment to continue talking beyond an Apr 29 deadline for a peace deal,
failed to carry out a promised release of about two dozens Palestinian
prisoners.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 63.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 63.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">China has traditionally had a low profile in
Middle East diplomacy, despite its reliance on oil imports from there, but is
keen to assert its role as a force in international politics.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 63.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 63.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Last year, Xi met both Israeli Prime Minister,
Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian leader, Mahmoud Abbas, urging them to revive
discussions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 63.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 63.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Xi, who took office in Mar last year, did not
outline any specific proposals for the peace talks, saying simply that China
would keep "playing a constructive role."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 63.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 63.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Xi said, the Chinese and Jewish peoples had long
had friendly relations, pointing out China's role in fighting "fascism and
militarism" during World War Two.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 63.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 63.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Beijing has maintained close relations with the
Palestinians for decades. In recent years, it has also cultivated ties with
Israel, though Israel is wary of China's links with Iran.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 63.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 63.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">China, Iran's top oil customer and a permanent
member of the U.N. Security Council, has opposed unilateral sanctions on
Tehran, such as those imposed by Washington and the European Union, and has
called repeatedly for talks to resolve the standoff over Iran's contested
nuclear programme. -- NNN-XINHUA<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>

CHINA URGES ISRAEL TO MAKE "BRAVE" DECISIONS ON PEACE TALKS

BEIJING (NNN-XINHUA) - China's President Xi Jinping urged Israel to make "brave" decisions on the latest round of peace tal...

Nepal Tells India to Shut Down Its Field-Office

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KATHMANDU, Nepal (NNN-Xinhua) -- The government of Nepal has asked the reluctant India to immediately close its field-office, whic...

How best to serve Pakistan’s 750,000 IDPs?

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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi20OjcxZjd2P7Z7JHwvKZJcMeQNolCYou1FeVl8owh0nMvMCrcnw-jfFflo9TeGaZiV_H-D_pT5RriKAYoVKDUsrZ4vcouyDHmWbRrZhZvKrS1F_McEScm0tNKu31p0IOQJETfMn6rsIU/s1600/Download.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi20OjcxZjd2P7Z7JHwvKZJcMeQNolCYou1FeVl8owh0nMvMCrcnw-jfFflo9TeGaZiV_H-D_pT5RriKAYoVKDUsrZ4vcouyDHmWbRrZhZvKrS1F_McEScm0tNKu31p0IOQJETfMn6rsIU/s320/Download.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Photo: <a href="http://www.irinnews.org/photo/"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Rebecca
Conway/IRIN</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Pakistani men displaced by fighting in<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Khyber tribal region drink tea outside<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">a shop near <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Peshawar</st1:place></st1:city><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<st1:city w:st="on"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">PESHAWAR</span></span></st1:city><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> (IRIN) - Residents escaping the latest round of fighting in
Khyber Agency in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Pakistan</st1:country-region></st1:place>’s
Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) say they did not even have time to
bury their dead before leaving their homes in the Tirah valley.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">They are the
latest of hundreds of thousands of people who have fled their homes in the
tribal belt close to <st1:country-region w:st="on">Pakistan</st1:country-region>’s
border with <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Afghanistan</st1:place></st1:country-region>
over the past five years of Pakistani military operations. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Conflict is not
the only cause of displacement - natural disasters have also played a role,
creating what humanitarians call a “complex emergency”. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">But despite the
existence of camps set up for internally displaced persons (IDPs) where the
government and humanitarian organizations provide assistance, most choose to
flee elsewhere - creating a challenge for those wanting to help these
vulnerable communities. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Over 75,000
people live in three established IDP camps (such as Jalozai, a half-hour drive
from <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Peshawar</st1:place></st1:city>)
which house families in tents or makeshift structures, and provide food aid,
medical facilities and drinking water. They also serve as a central
registration point for families arriving from areas hit by conflict or natural
disaster. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Large though
these camps are, they only account for 10 percent of the three-quarters of a
million IDPs, according to the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian
Affairs (OCHA). <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Humanitarian
agencies are increasingly being pushed to take care of those who prefer to live
elsewhere; often in <st1:city w:st="on">Peshawar</st1:city>, the capital of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Pakistan</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province (KP), and elsewhere in KP. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">NGOs and the UN
working in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Pakistan</st1:place></st1:country-region>
carry out so-called IDP vulnerability assessment and profiling (IVAP) surveys
to gather information on where off-camp IDPs are, and the type of support they
need - from shelter and food to health care and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene
(WASH) assistance. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">They also gather
information about what IDPs say they will need on returning to their homes,
generally in FATA - with housing, security and agriculture of particular
concern to families. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">IVAP findings
are then passed to humanitarian partners in an effort to ensure that assistance
is targeted where there is the greatest need. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The European
Commission-funded IVAP project recommends that aid agencies prioritize
assistance for off-camp families, 82 percent of whom have to pay rent and live
in difficult, cramped conditions. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">IDPs outside the camps <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Providing
humanitarian services outside of the camp environment can be challenging. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">IDPs have direct
access to facilities at camps, but tribal customs, perceptions of camp life and
a preference to stay with relatives and friends, mean a large number of IDPs
choose to live outside the camps, making it more difficult for the authorities
and humanitarian organizations to keep track of them and offer assistance. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Those providing
aid, and the IDPs receiving it, would be better served if distribution was
decentralized, said Sobat Khan Afridi, chairman of the Tehreek-e-Mutasireen
Khyber Agency, an NGO set up by different political parties to assist IDPs. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“It is easier
for larger organizations, especially international NGOs, to operate from the
camp as it is easier to manage for them. The problem is that it is still
difficult for all the families not living at the camp to reach Jalozai and get
aid,” said Afridi. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“It would be
better if they set up distribution points across <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Peshawar</st1:place></st1:city> in the areas where a lot of IDPs
live. That would mean less stress for the authorities at Jalozai, and less
problems for off-camp IDPs too.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Yar Mohammed,
29, arrived in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Peshawar</st1:place></st1:city>
from Tirah in January after walking with his family for five days, much of the
journey through heavy snow. He says going to Jalozai was not an option. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"The ones
in the camps are the most vulnerable. They have no other means or resources to
set up something else for themselves."<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“I spoke to some
people who told me the facilities at Jalozai are not enough. They were going to
give just one tent to us, and that will not do for 10 people.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Instead,
Mohammed stayed with his cousin until he found a three-room mud house in the
Scheme Chowk area of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Peshawar</st1:place></st1:city>.
He pays 4,000 <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Pakistan</st1:place></st1:country-region>
rupees (US$41) a month, and hopes to move his family to a better house soon. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“The movement of
off-camp families, especially those from Khyber, is very volatile. Sometimes
they are living with relatives. If they can afford it, they rent a house of
their own. We try our best to register all of them, but it is a challenge,”
said Faiz Muhammad, the KP government’s chief coordinator for IDPs. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Efforts are made
to keep in touch with families who choose to live among relatives or rent
property. The government uses mobile phone numbers to register families living
off-camp, and officials try to reach families that are not registered in this
way during monthly food distributions at designated points, he added. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“Even if they
are not staying at camp, most of them visit the food distribution points and
that allows us to get information from them, give them information and assess
the situation.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Humanitarian
organizations and the government have identified areas in and around <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Peshawar</st1:place></st1:city> with a high
concentration of IDPs, and some assistance, such as medical care, is also
provided in those areas. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"Identifying
off-camp families was a challenge because of the reluctance of many IDP
families to register, as well as humanitarian organizations’ own security
concerns. That was overcome to some extent by mapping families initially based
on information from IDPs living in camps, and then expanding the effort to
surveys of off-camp families in host communities,” said an aid worker with Save
the Children in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Pakistan</st1:place></st1:country-region>
who preferred anonymity. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Moving on <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Khalid Shah from
Khyber Agency lives in Sufaid Dheri, a <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Peshawar</st1:place></st1:city>
neighbourhood that is home to an estimated 250 displaced families. Two years
ago, worried about the safety of his children as fighting escalated in the town
of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Bara</st1:place></st1:city>, he
boarded up his small shop and left home. His first stop was Jalozai. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“Everyone told
me that going to the camp was the best idea. It was safe and there was food and
shelter. But after a couple of months, I couldn’t take it any more,” Shah, 42,
said. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">He started
commuting from Jalozai to Sufaid Dheri, where he would earn a daily wage
loading and unloading goods in a market. Today, he lives in a two-room
apartment in the same neighbourhood with his family. He remains registered with
the Jalozai authorities, and often travels to the camp if he requires
assistance. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“I have managed
to move here, but my brother and his family are still in Jalozai. He works here
with me but stays registered there. You never know,” said Shah. The brothers
also take turns visiting their land and their shop in Bara every month. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">For many
families, pessimistic about the prospects of peace in their villages and towns,
the next step is to plan for a new life away from Khyber. Many have sold their
land to buy property in and around <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Peshawar</st1:place></st1:city>.
Those with the money have set up businesses too. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“The day I am
convinced Bara is peaceful, I am going back,” said Shah. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">However, those
without even modest financial resources are the real challenge for policymakers
in terms of a return strategy. The poorest of the IDPs have no option but to
register and live in camps like Jalozai, where the services provided are far
superior to what they could hope for back home. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“The ones in the
camps are the most vulnerable. They have no other means or resources to set up
something else for themselves. They get health, education and food at the
camp,” said Faiz Muhammad of the KP government. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“It’s an obvious
question: why would they go back?” <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Security fears <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Pakistani
officials say return plans cannot be successful until peace is established in
the affected areas. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“We can only
begin working on a return programme for IDPs after the government and the
military determine that the affected area is safe,” said Faiz Muhammad. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">In a refugee
camp on the outskirts of <st1:country-region w:st="on">Pakistan</st1:country-region>’s
capital <st1:city w:st="on">Islamabad</st1:city>, home to many families displaced
by the conflict on the border with <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Afghanistan</st1:place></st1:country-region>, Sher Mohammed, from
the Mohmand Agency in FATA, says the military has cleared his village, but his
family members that visited still fear militant attacks. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“My cousins went
back last summer and they had to come back because it was still dangerous
there. I can’t afford to go back unless it is absolutely safe. It costs 50,000
rupees to take my family back. If it’s not safe, I’ll have to spend another
50,000 rupees to come back here,” said the 40-year-old. “I don’t have that kind
of money.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>

How best to serve Pakistan’s 750,000 IDPs?

Photo: Rebecca Conway/IRIN Pakistani men displaced by fighting in Khyber tribal region drink tea outside a shop near Peshawar ...

At Least 44 Dead in Bangladesh Clashes

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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">By VOA News<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">At least 44
people have been killed in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Bangladesh</st1:country-region></st1:place>
in a wave of violence sparked by a special tribunal's decision to sentence a
top Islamist opposition leader to death.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Reports Friday
said the latest deaths took place in Gainbandha district, after two days of
clashes between protesters and police. The protests were expected to continue
after Friday prayers.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Many of the
victims were shot Thursday in clashes between security forces and supporters of
Delwar Hossain Sayedee. He was found guilty of crimes, including mass killings
and rape, committed during the 1971 war against <st1:country-region w:st="on">Pakistan</st1:country-region>
for <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Bangladesh</st1:place></st1:country-region>'s
independence.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Thursday's
violence occurred during a nationwide shutdown called by Sayedee's party,
Jamaat-e-Islami, to protest his trial and demand he be freed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">A VOA reporter
in <st1:place w:st="on">Dhaka</st1:place>, Zahurul Alam, said two police
officers were among the dead, and more than 200 people were wounded. He said
Jamaat-e-Islami has called for another nationwide shutdown starting early
Sunday.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"Jamaat has
again called a 48-hour-long continuous countrywide shutdown from Sunday morning
in protest of the verdict against Sayedee and the killing of his supporters by
BGB and police," he said.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Sayedee's lawyer
has called the verdict unjust and vowed to appeal. Sayedee is the third Jamaat
party member to be sentenced for war crimes since <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Bangladesh</st1:place></st1:country-region>'s war crimes tribunal
was established in 2010.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: Arial;"></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Watch Related Video</span></b></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<iframe frameborder="0" height="506" scrolling="no" src="http://www.voanews.com/flashembed.aspx?t=phg&id=1613199&w=640&h=506&skin=embeded" width="640"></iframe><br />
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><br /></span></span>

<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">On January 21,
the tribunal sentenced Abul Kalam Azad to death in absentia, finding him guilty
of torture, rape and genocide. On February 5, it sentenced Abdul Quader Mollah
to life in prison on similar charges. At least eight more Jamaat members are
still on trial.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Human rights
groups have questioned the fairness of the trials, saying members of the
defense have been unduly pressured.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<st1:country-region w:st="on"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Bangladesh</span></span></st1:country-region><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> fought a nine-month war against <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Pakistan</st1:place></st1:country-region> in 1971 to obtain its
independence. The government says 3 million people died in the violence,
although other estimates give a lower death toll.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</div>

At Least 44 Dead in Bangladesh Clashes

By VOA News At least 44 people have been killed in Bangladesh in a wave of violence sparked by a special tribunal's decision...

Iran, India Relations Historical

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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<st1:city w:st="on"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">NEW DELHI</span></span></st1:city><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> (NNN-IRNA) – <st1:country-region w:st="on">Iran</st1:country-region>
and <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region></st1:place>
relations is historical and cultural and the two countries share similar
languages, Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said on Thursday.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">He made the
remarks in a meeting with Iranian students residing in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New Delhi</st1:place></st1:city>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"Many
countries in the world are keen to expand relations with <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Tehran</st1:place></st1:city> because of its resistance toward world
powers</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: Arial;">ˈ</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> illegal demands and the
progress it has made in various fields; Islamic Revolution of Iran during the
past three decades has passed several</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> difficult days and it will pass these days too."<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Larijani noted
that the western states</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: Arial;">ˈ</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> approach in talks with <st1:country-region w:st="on">Iran</st1:country-region> has always been deceptive but <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Tehran</st1:place></st1:city> is committed to
progress forward, based on international rules and regulations.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">In the meantime,
speaking in a press conference in <st1:city w:st="on">New Delhi</st1:city>, the
Speaker added that emerging powers like <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> should be vigilant towards
dominant powers</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: Arial;">ˈ</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> greed for oil.</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"Some
countries are seeking to dominate the world oil throats; dominant powers do not
allow emerging powers to secure their energy security gorge by diversifying
their sources," Larijani said. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Pointing to the
outside pressures upon <st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region>
to break ties with <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Tehran</st1:place></st1:city>,
he added that there would be no deadlock in bilateral relations between the two
nations which are committed to broadening their mutual cooperation.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"There were
constructive discussions between Iranian delegation and Indian officials on
methods of payment of in lieu of the volume of crude oil <st1:country-region w:st="on">Iran</st1:country-region> has already exported to <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>,"
Larijani said.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The Speaker
underlined the two countries</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: Arial;">ˈ</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> historical ties, adding
that <st1:country-region w:st="on">Iran</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> have a
common stance on regional and international issues.</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The EU enforced
a set of oil embargos against <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Iran</st1:place></st1:country-region>
on Jul 1. The 27-nation bloc, which accounted for around 18 percent of Iran</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: Arial;">ˈ</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">s oil exports, said that all contracts for importing Iranian
oil should be terminated from that date. </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Economic and oil
experts had earlier warned that the oil ban against Tehran would inflict huge
losses on the entire world energy market, specially in Europe, where several EU
members are going bankrupt and should soon announce economic bankruptcy. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Iran</span></span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> is the second largest OPEC oil producer, producing about 4
million barrels of oil per day. The country</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: Arial;">ˈ</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">s recoverable oil reserves are est</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">imated at more than 137 billion barrels, or 12 percent of the
world</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: Arial;">ˈ</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">s overall reserves. </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Washington and
its Western allies accuse <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Iran</st1:place></st1:country-region>
of trying to develop nuclear weapons under the cover of a civilian nuclear
programme, while they have never presented any corroborative evidence to
substantiate their allegations. <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Iran</st1:place></st1:country-region>
denies the charges and insists that its nuclear programme is for peaceful
purposes only. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Tehran</span></span></st1:place></st1:city><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> stresses that the country has always pursued a civilian path
to provide power to the growing number of Iranian population, whose fossil fuel
would eventually run dry. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Despite the
rules enshrined in the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) entitling every member
state, including <st1:country-region w:st="on">Iran</st1:country-region>, to
the right of uranium enrichment, <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Tehran</st1:place></st1:city>
is now under four rounds of UN Security Council sanctions and the west embargos
for turning down their calls to give up its right of uranium enrichment. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Tehran</span></span></st1:city></st1:place><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> has dismissed the West</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: Arial;">ˈ</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">s demands as politically tainted and illogical, stressing
that sanction and pressures merely co</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">nsolidate Iranians</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: Arial;">ˈ</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> national resolve to
continue the path. </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Iran</span></span></st1:country-region></st1:place><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> has repeatedly said that it considers its nuclear case
closed as it has come clean of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: Arial;">ˈ</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">s) questions and suspicions about its past nuclear
activities. -- NNN-IRN</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">A<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</div>

Iran, India Relations Historical

NEW DELHI (NNN-IRNA) – Iran and India relations is historical and cultural and the two countries share similar languages, Iranian Pa...

Improvement Needed in Standards of Higher Education: Indian Pres Mukherjee

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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The President, Pranab
Mukherjee delivering the </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt;">convocation address at the 8<sup>th</sup><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> Convocation of the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">SRM</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">University</st1:placetype></st1:place>,
in </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Chennai on December 28, 2012. Photo © PIB<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">CHENNAI (INDIA) (NNN-PTI) -- President
Pranab Mukherjee on Friday pitched for improving the standards of higher
education by Indian universities and asked the private players also to
contribute their best as there were 'unlimited' demands and 'limited' resources
in the sector.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"The standards of higher education in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> today
need improvement. In ancient India, we had universities like Nalanda and
Takshashila which had established themselves as international centers of
educational excellence where students from all over the world came and
studied", Mukerjee said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">In contrast, many Indian students today
choose to go abroad for higher studies, Mukherjee said in his Convocation
Address at the <st1:placename w:st="on">SRM</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">University</st1:placetype> here in south <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Observing that <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> needs universities to provide
quality education that met international benchmarks, he said, "we must
change the reality of our universities not figuring in the list of top
universities of the world. Indian universities should aim at becoming top
educational institutions in the world with global standards of research,
teaching and learning."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Noting that there were 'unlimited' demands
and 'limited' resources in the field of higher education he said, "it is
important that the private sector also contributes its best to the provision of
higher education in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>".<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"The private sector has played a key
role in higher education in other countries across the world. Many top
universities including Harvard, Yale and Stanford are the result of efforts of
the private sector. There is no reason why Indian private sector cannot achieve
similar results", he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Stating that Indian education system was
"burdened" with demands of both "quantity" and
"quality", he said, "the numbers of students who seek admissions
in universities today far exceed the capacity of government educational
institutions".<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"We need many more universities to be
able to address the demands of higher education. And along with quantity, we
also need to focus on quality", he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Defence Research Development Organisation
Director General V K Sarasvat and noted physician Pawan Raj Goyal were awarded
Doctorates in their field of expertise by Mukherjee on the occasion. -- NNN-PTI<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>

Improvement Needed in Standards of Higher Education: Indian Pres Mukherjee

The President, Pranab Mukherjee delivering the convocation address at the 8 th Convocation of the SRM University , in Chen...

India to Launch Public Internet Database on Rapists

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<st1:city w:st="on"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">NEW DELHI</span></st1:city><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> (RIA Novosti) - The government
of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region></st1:place>
has decided to make a public internet database containing pictures, names and
addresses of people who were found guilty of rape crimes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Indian Minister for Home Affairs R.P.N.
Singh said the all-national database on rapists will be completed in the coming
months and its aim will be “to prevent new rapes.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The move follows rallies last week in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">New Delhi</st1:city></st1:place> in support of a
gang-rape victim. Over 140 people, including 78 policemen, were injured after
law enforcers clashed with demonstrators using water cannons, batons and tear
gas.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The protesters took to the streets in the
capital seeking justice for the 23-year-old woman who was raped by six men in a
bus two weeks ago. All the six accused have been arrested and the court trial
over them is scheduled for January 3.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>

India to Launch Public Internet Database on Rapists

NEW DELHI (RIA Novosti) - The government of India has decided to make a public internet database containing pictures, names and addre...

India’s Economy Looks to Rebound in 2013

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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">By Anjana Pasricha<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">India</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">’s economy has experienced its
worst slowdown in nearly a decade this year. But there are signs that the
country, which is still among the world’s fastest growing economies, may soon
begin to recover from the slump.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Month after month in 2012, virtually every
sector of the Indian economy - agriculture, mining, manufacturing and services
- slowed. At the end of the year, economic growth stood at 5.3 percent.  <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">It was a huge disappointment for a country
whose economy had been racing ahead at eight percent plus for the last eight
years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">       
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Like many other countries, <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> was
affected by the global slowdown as exports were hit. But several domestic
factors also pulled down the economy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Many economists blamed the government, which
faces allegations of graft in many spheres, for policy inaction.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Chief economist at ratings agency, CRISIL in
Mumbai, D.K. Joshi, says the downturn was sharper than warranted by global
factors.  <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">   <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“It is widely recognized now, to clear
projects it is taking time because of governance issues. And when it takes time
to clear projects, the investment pipeline gets choked," says Joshi.
"As a result of that investment slowed down quite significantly. Then we
also had high inflation regime, and high inflation means the Central bank
cannot cut interest rates to perk up the economy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The government admits that investment is
critical to revive the economy. Faced with plummeting growth, it has taken some
steps to liberalize the economy and make it easier for foreign businesses to
pump money into sectors such as retail, aviation and insurance. The
long-awaited reforms were the biggest initiated in nearly ten years.
Authorities also promised to speed up clearances for large infrastructure
projects.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The government also announced spending cuts
as it grappled with high deficits. It slashed subsidies on fuel despite
political opposition. This is expected to ward off the threat of a credit
rating downgrade.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Economist N. Bhanumurthy with the National
Institute of Public Finance and Policy in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New
  Delhi</st1:place></st1:city> says these steps are meant to reassure investors
and could help the economy stage a gradual recovery.    <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“Frankly right now the most important issue
is confidence among investors, both domestic and foreign. All these measures
are expected to provide some kind of confidence-booting measures for revival in
the economy." he said. "Our own projection for the next year,
2013-14, is 7.1 percent.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said the
government’s first priority is to reverse the slowdown. But he says that a
return to eight percent growth is an ambitious goal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Despite the slowdown, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region></st1:place> remains high on the radar of
foreign investors.</span><span lang="EN-US"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">---VOA News<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>

India’s Economy Looks to Rebound in 2013

By Anjana Pasricha India ’s economy has experienced its worst slowdown in nearly a decade this year. But there are signs that the c...

China Tightens Controls on Internet Use

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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">By Kate Woodsome<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">China</span></st1:country-region></st1:place><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">’s legislature has approved new
rules that will tighten government control of the Internet by requiring users
to register their real names, and demanding Internet companies censor online
material.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The state-run Xinhua News Agency says lawmakers
approved the measures Friday at the closing meeting of a five-day session of
the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Beijing</span></st1:place></st1:city><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> says the regulations are aimed
at protecting the personal information of Web users and cracking down on abuses
such as junk e-mail. The rules also aim to “safeguard national security and
social public interests,” according to Xinhua. They have the same legal effect
as a law.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">China</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> has long tried to get Internet
users to register their real names rather than pseudonyms with service
providers, but with nearly half a billion netizens, the task has been an uphill
battle. The new regulations aim to change that and, for the first time, lay the
written groundwork to police companies that are not complying with the
government’s censorship policies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Identity protection
or censorship?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The decision says network service providers
will “strengthen management of information released by users” by instantly
stopping the transmission of “illegal information” once it is spotted and by
taking relevant measures. Those measures, Xinhua reports, include removing the
information and saving records, before reporting to it to authorities.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The rules did not say what constitutes
illegal information.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Beijing</span></st1:place></st1:city><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> has a complex information
management system that includes blocking foreign websites like YouTube and
Facebook, censoring Internet searches for sensitive words and phrases and
deploying an army of bloggers to steer online discourse away from potentially
volatile political and social issues.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Despite that, the growth of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s
Internet has lead to a growth in online calls for reform. Complaints on Chinese
microblogs about corruption, abuse of power, human rights violations and
environmental pollution have led to action offline, including street protests
and the dismissal or resignation of corrupt officials.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Fighting corruption<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Human rights and free speech advocates say
real-name registration will curtail people's ability to report, often
anonymously, corruption and official abuses.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Li Fei, a Standing Committee member,
dismissed those concerns Friday at a news conference in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Beijing</st1:place></st1:city>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"We still call on the public to expose
any corruption by all means after the law comes out," he said. "The
illegal and corrupted will be punished.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Online chatter about a string of sex and
financial scandals has led to the downfall of several local officials in recent
weeks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Duncan Clark, a Beijing-based consultant and
a senior adviser to <st1:placename w:st="on">Stanford</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">University</st1:placetype>'s Graduate School of Business, says <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region> seems to
be trying to strike a balance between information control and government
accountability.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"We’ve seen for a long time the
Internet being used to expose corruption but what’s been interesting in the
recent few weeks, which may be a counter current to these new crackdowns on the
Internet, is a lot of this has been followed up,” he said, describing the
Internet as a “scary thing” for many officials who don’t want their actions
questioned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The new normal?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The latest Internet regulations come amid a
crackdown on virtual private networks, or VPNs, which Web users need to get
around <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s
so-called “Great Firewall.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Chinese officials say there has been no
change in the policy toward VPN providers, which they say must be registered
with the government. But the move has caused an uproar among Chinese netizens,
as well as foreign companies and journalists who say the crackdown is
preventing them from doing their jobs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Clark said there is often a spike in
Internet controls around sensitive events, like the recent 18th Communist Party
Congress that elected <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s
new generation of leaders. He said after such events, there is a general lack
of enforcement, followed by another drive ahead of another big event. But this
time is different, he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“Since the Party Congress, we’ve seen
increased measures, not lessened,” <st1:place w:st="on">Clark</st1:place> said.
“So the big question I would say, is when we get to the spring of next year,
when the new leadership takes up the formal positions in the new government, is
this the new normal?”</span><span lang="EN-US"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">---VOA News<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Additional reporting by Victor Beattie.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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China Tightens Controls on Internet Use

By Kate Woodsome China ’s legislature has approved new rules that will tighten government control of the Internet by requiring user...