POORLY CAPITAL POLICE

POORLY ARMED CAPITAL POLICE

Terrorist strikes in Islamabad on Monday, the Islamabad police high-ups are reluctant to adequately arm the police force with semiautomatic assault rifles that are widely available to police officials in many of the world’s other major capitals.

The policemen in Islamabad are finding it hard to encounter well trained terrorists in the city due to lack of automatic and modern weapons, with obsolete weapons it is a very difficult task for the police to overcome terrorists attacks.  The Islamabad police force not easily defend against an attack by well-armed terrorists but the absence of weapons could actually make the city a target.

The lack of manpower, the shortage of sophisticated weapons also remains an issue in the sensitive spots. It is also informed that most of the police official’s working at Islamabad police force in untrained and could not understands sensitivity of the situation. In situation of Monday’s terror attack in Islamabad, the Islamabad police had not taken concrete steps to stop the entry of militants  into parts of the capital city from Rawalpindi despite repeated terrorist attacks and bomb blasts in nearing areas of Rawalpindi which also spread panic in Islamabad.

It is also intimated that since recruitment police officials get no proper training and are deputed to counter terrorists. Most of the police officials at Islamabad police were untrained and has not understanding how to encounter terrorists according to giving the reference of eyewitnesses that three terrorists behind the attack at Islamabad courts managed to flee due to the outdated weapons and ammunition of the police.

Trained policeman with modern weapons would never have let terrorists to flee or blow themselves up. The capital police ahs 12 quick response force units and five counter terrorism squads each having a sniper and a 12 member crisis response team whose personals are well trained and they have got sophisticated weapons. Eyewitnesses were of the view that instead of passing 45 minutes the police team could not reach at the site of attack.

Archaeologists Discovered a Tomb

DISCOVERY OF A TOMB IN EGYPT

Archaeologists have discovered the nearly 3600years old tomb of a royal stable master form the pharaonic era in the famed temple city of Luxor in Egypt.  

The tomb was found by Egyptian, Italian and Spanish archaeologists while excavating another tomb on Luxor’s western bank, according to the Egyptian ministry.

The tomb belongs to an important statesman from the 18^th dynasty called Maai. It was found when diggers made an opening in the wall of the other tomb.

Maai, apart from being the stable master in charge of the army’s horses, was also supervising the royal family’s farms and livestock. The visible inscriptions (on the tomb’s walls) are very important as they reveal details about the daily life of the tomb’s owner, his family relations and the lifestyle of senior statesmen at this time.

One of the scenes shows Maai and his wife Nefret, another shows men and women sitting at banquet tables and a third shows sacrificial rituals the statement said Luxor a city of around 500000 residents on the banks of the Nile in southern Egypt is an open-air museum of intricate temples tombs of pharaonic rulers and landmarks such as the Winter Palace hotel. 

Popular Blogger Jailed

POPULAR BLOGGER JAILED ON ANTI-STATE CHARGES

A popular blogger and journalist of Vietnamese was jailed for two years on Tuesday for posting critical articles of the Communist government and leaders.

Mr. Truong Duy was found guilty of abusing democratic freedoms to infringe on the interests of the state at a half day trial in his native city of Danang on the central coast. The broad anti-state charges can carry a maximum of seven years in jail.  

He strongly denied the charge, claiming that he is innocent and was a journalist working for several state-run papers before he quit and set up the popular blog. Mr. Truong ‘s posts frequently dealt with highly sensitive political issues and offered alternative commentary to the staid official press.

He was taken into police custody in May that year and his blog was shut down. His articles were not true and defamed leaders of the party and state, creating a one-sided pessimistic viewpoint. Mr. Truong said he should have been appreciated for being a good citizen as it is normal to criticize party and state leaders. On Monday New York based Human Rights Watch called on the government to let Mr. Truong walk free, saying he could not be jailed merely for disagreeing with the government and the party.

Reporters without Borders said Vietnam was second only to China in the number of bloggers it detained, with at least 34 currently behind bars. In February the country was criticized at the UN Human Right Council in Geneva during its periodic review over its treatment of regime critics. Vietnam still harasses and detains those who exercise universal rights and freedom such as freedom of expression and association. On the other hand, US representative Peter Mulrean told the assembly calling on the country to release all political prisoners. 

Iran Oil Debt to India

INDIA DENIES TO PAY IRAN OIL DEBT

According to the Indian officials, dismissing Iranian media reports it is said that they had not yet paid any oil money to Iran under a deal that provides Tehran some relief from Western sanctions.

Under a landmark deal signed on Nov. 24, Washington and the European Union agreed to let Iran access $ 4.2 billion in oil revenue that had been frozen in accounts abroad. Iranian oil ministry said India had deposited some of the money in a Central Bank of Iran account. He said that 45 percent of the money had been deposited in Indian rupees and 55 percent in Euros.

Indian government and industry sourced told Reuters on Tuesday that India had yet not made any payments. As part of a limited relaxing of sanctions over Iran’s disputed nuclear programme the funds are expected to be paid  in  eight transfers with the first made by Japan on Feb 1. Indian officials said that late last month that they were ready to say $ 1.5 billion to clear part of a backlog of payments following the partial easing of western sanctions on Tehran. 

SINGAPORE IS WORLD’S COSTLIEST CITY

SINGAPORE WORLD’S COSTLIEST CITY

The soaring cost of cars and utilities as well as a strong currency have made Singapore the world’s expensive city, toppling Tokyo from the top spot, according to a global survey.  Tokyo’s weakening yen saw it slide to sixth place, the position previously occupied by Singapore, in the 2014 Worldwide Cost of Living survey by the Economist Intelligence Unit.  According to the report, Karachi & Mumbai are the cheapest cities of the world.

Singapore’s rising price prominence has been steady rather than spectacular. It is said that 40 percent rise in the Singapore dollar along with solid price  inflation pushed the country to the top of the twice-yearly survey from 18^th a decade ago. The survey, which examines prices across 160 products and services in 14-0 cities, is aimed at helping companies calculate allowances for executives being sent overseas. Singapore’s curb on car ownership, which include a quota system and high taxes made it significantly more expensive than any other location when it comes to running a car.

Overall transport costs in Singapore are almost three times higher than those in New York. In addition as a city-state with very few natural resources to speak of Singapore is reliant on other countries for energy and water supplies, making it the third most expensive destination for utility costs. It is also noted that Singapore is the priciest place in the world to buy clothes, as malls and boutiques in its popular  Orchard Road retail hub import luxury European brands to satisfy a wealthy and fashion conscious consumer base. Singapore has one of the world’s highest concentrations of millionaires relative to its 5.4 million population. It per capita income of more than $55000 in 2012 masks a widening income gap between the richest and poorest. In Europe, Paris rose six places to become the world’s second most expensive city a trend the EIU and indicative of recovering European prices and currencies. 

UKRAINE – RUSSIA TENSION

UKRAINE – RUSSIA TENSION

Russian president has calmed fears on an imminent war between Russia and Ukraine and Moscow has no intention of loosening its new grip on Crimea in defiance of Western anger.

The standoff between Moscow and the new-pro-West leadership had prompted apocalyptic fears of Russian tanks rolling across Ukraine’s eastern borders in a conflict that could draw in NATO.  

As Russian president commented that Russia would not give up its newly acquired control over Crimea, a region with a majority Russia speaking population.

The Russian president made clear that they will not be a extensive war – least such a radical scenario has been set aside. But he will not leave Crimea and he is going to preserve real control there.

Russian president also denied that Russian troops were already in Crimea and said that it was local self defence forces who were in control of the Black Sea peninsula.

Russian president also eyeing the situation in the largely Russian speaking east of Ukraine but that region would prove a far bigger and more dangerous mouthful for the Kremlin.

Mr. Putin a week ago was soaking up praise for Russia’s smooth organization of the Sochi Olympics but showed remarkable little concern about the international repercussions, shrugging off Western threats not to show up to the G8 summit Russia is due to host in Sochi.

At last the reaction of the West is currently weak, it does not bother him. He is not worried by the declarations and sanctions of the United States.

If Ukraine has decided to leave the Russian embrace, then Mr. Putin is going to want to keep a piece of Ukraine as a souvenir at least Crimea or maybe the east. 

Israel Needs Tough Decision

Israel Tough Decisions against Palestinians

The US president warns Israel’s PM that Israel needs to take tough decision if peace talks with the Palestinians are to have  a future.

During a joint address at the White House as a major snow storm blanketed the city, the two leaders who have struggled to overcome mutual antipathy once again found themselves very publicly at odds.

The US President pushed for a decision on the peace process, while Netanyahu insisted Israel had done its part and said Iran is now the  most urgent threat.

Israel and the Palestinians have been engaged in seven months of direct peace talks which are due to expire at the end of April.

The Israeli leader hit back telling the president that Israel had taken unprecedented steps to advance peace over the last 20 years and that the ball was now firmly in the Palestinians court.

The greatest challenge, undoubtedly is to prevent Iran from acquiring the capacity to make nuclear weapons.

The US leader looked o impassively nodding almost imperceptibly at several points, resting his clenched jaw on his hand.

On the other hand,  Washington may demand a partial settlement freeze to try and ensure the Palestinians remain at the negotiating table.

Obama’s most significant entry into peacemaking since 2010 when his first attempt at Middle East mediation collapsed after just three weeks in a bitter dispute over settlements.