W O R L D

Xinjiang Violence
China blames Pak-trained militants 
Beijing, August 1
For the first time, China today blamed Uyghur “militants” trained in Pakistan for the deadly violence in its restive Xinjiang province which left at least 20 persons dead in the past two days.

Activists demonstrate in front of the Chinese embassy in Vienna to protest against the repression of China's Uyghur minority in Xinjiang on Monday. — AFP

Full cooperation to Beijing in countering rebels: Islamabad
Islamabad: Hours after China blamed militants trained in Pakistan for an attack in the restive Xinjiang region, Islamabad said it would extend “full cooperation” to Beijing in countering the rebels of the East Turkmenistan Islamic Movement (ETIM).

Lanka admits to civilian death in Eelam war
Colombo, August 1
For the first time Sri Lanka today admitted that civilian deaths did occur during the final phase of the country’s three decade-long civil war against Tamil rebels but said it was “impossible” to avoid deaths in a military campaign against a ruthless opponent.

Robot seals help treat Japan tsunami victims
Tokyo, August 1
For some elderly survivors of Japan's March earthquake and tsunami, comfort comes in the form of a small white robotic seal named Paro.

Tanks continue to shell Hama
Amman, August 1
Syrian tanks shelled the city of Hama, the scene of a 1982 massacre, for a second day on Monday, killing at least four civilians, residents said, in an assault to try to crush protests against President Bashar al-Assad.


Syrian tanks on the move in Hama on Monday. — AP/PTI

Recession-hit Britons go  for chickens
London, August 1
Believe it or not, over 700,000 Britons now keep chickens -- a rise of 80 per cent in the past three years, figures have revealed.The largest increase in poultry-rearing since World War II has come as households try to cut grocery bills by producing their own eggs, ‘The Sun’ reported.

Oz radio host under fire over anti-India remarks
Melbourne, August 1
An Australian radio show host is facing criticism from the Indian community over his reportedly derogatory comments on India and Hinduism, in which he called river Ganga a ‘junkyard’. A Sydney-based Indian group is seeking an apology from the radio station following a report that host Kyle Sandilands made anti-India comments on his “Kyle and Jacky O” show.

 

 

 

Xinjiang Violence
China blames Pak-trained militants 

Beijing, August 1
the first time, China today blamed Uyghur “militants” trained in Pakistan for the deadly violence in its restive Xinjiang province which left at least 20 persons dead in the past two days.

“The initial probe found that the group’s leaders had learned how to make explosives and firearms in overseas camps of the terrorist group, the East Turkmenistan Islamic Movement (ETIM) in Pakistan before entering Xinjiang to organise terrorist activities,” an official statement said.

“The suspects harboured thoughts of religious extremism. The outbreak of violence was absolutely no random occurrence,” it said. The statement came amid reports of a secret visit of ISI chief Lt Gen Ahmed Shuja Pasha to China.

Kashghar, a trade city located close to Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, witnessed the worst violence directed against the Chinese mainland Hans during the last two days.

While nine persons were killed in an attack on Saturday, another 11, including five suspected militants, were killed in violence last night.

“They (suspects) wanted to disturb social stability, incite ethnic hatred, and create conflicts between ethnic groups in order to split Xinjiang from the motherland,” the statement of local Kashghar city government which was carried by Chinese official Xinhua news agency said.

Today’s stern statement, it appears, meant to convey a strong message to Islamabad that China’s patience too is running out despite close ties between the two countries.

While, it was no secret that China has been pressing Pakistan to crackdown on ETIM militants for a long time, but perhaps this is the first time that it chose to openly point finger at it, when Islamabad is reeling under pressure being exhorted by the US to carry out operations against Al-Qaida and Taliban.

The Xinjiang region remained a hot bed for extremism after massive riots by Muslim Uyghurs in the provincial capital Urmuqi in 2009 against the Chinese mainland Hans who settled down in the region in large numbers over the years. In Xinjiang, Uygurs constitute 41.5 per cent of its population, while Hans are about 40 per cent. The province borders eight countries, many of which including PoK and Afghanistan have been plagued by terrorism and targeted by the “East Turkistan” separatist forces. — PTI 

Full cooperation to Beijing in countering rebels: Islamabad

Islamabad: Hours after China blamed militants trained in Pakistan for an attack in the restive Xinjiang region, Islamabad said it would extend “full cooperation” to Beijing in countering the rebels of the East Turkmenistan Islamic Movement (ETIM). “Pakistan will continue to extend its full cooperation and support to the government of the People’s Republic of China against the ETIM,” Foreign Office spokesperson Tehmina Janjua said in a brief statement. “Pakistan is fully confident that the patriotic people of Xinjiang autonomous region of... China and, in particular, Kashgar, as well as the Chinese government, will succeed in frustrating evil designs of the terrorists, extremists and separatists, who constitute an evil force,” she said.

Pasha on secret China visit

Islamabad: ISI chief Lt Gen Ahmed Shuja Pasha has embarked on a secret visit to China that is being seen as part of Pakistan’s efforts to reduce its dependence on the US in the wake of strained military and intelligence ties. Pasha is expected to open a “broad-based strategic dialogue” with Beijing during his visit, The Express Tribune newspaper quoted its sources as saying. The ISI chief travelled to China days after the sudden departure of the CIA station chief in Islamabad and an attack in the restive Xinjiang region that Chinese authorities blamed on Islamic militants trained in a camp in Pakistan. The ISI refused to confirm or deny the visit. 

Lanka admits to civilian death in Eelam war

Colombo, August 1
For the first time Sri Lanka today admitted that civilian deaths did occur during the final phase of the country’s three decade-long civil war against Tamil rebels but said it was “impossible” to avoid deaths in a military campaign against a ruthless opponent.

The Lankan government’s acceptance that there may have been civilian causalities came in a latest report released here by the country’s powerful Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, after dismissing for months a UN report that there had been civilian deaths in the war.

“The government of Sri Lanka made every effort to protect civilians in the conflict zone through the creation of safe corridors and no-fire zones by adhering to a zero civilian casualty policy that had been conveyed to all troops through repeated training and operational orders,” said the report titled “Humanitarian Operation: Factual Analysis”.

“Despite the clear intent of the government of Sri Lanka and the numerous precautions taken, it was impossible in the battle of this magnitude, against a ruthless opponent actively endangering civilians, for civilian casualties to be avoided,” said the report.

The report, however, was mum on how many civilians may have been killed during the civil war that ended with the killing of LTTE supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran in May 2009.

Releasing the report Gotabhaya said international accusations that as many as 40,000 civilians had been killed during the military operation was “a vague accusation based on even vaguer arithmetic”. — PTI 

Robot seals help treat Japan tsunami victims

In this combination picture, a therapeutic robot named Paro opens its eyes as it reacts to an elderly user’s hand at the Suisyoen retirement home. — Reuters

Tokyo, August 1
For some elderly survivors of Japan's March earthquake and tsunami, comfort comes in the form of a small white robotic seal named Paro. Sitting only 27 km south of the stricken Fukushima Daiichi plant on a hill above an area ravaged by the tsunami, the Suisyoen retirement home is located in the middle of Japan's triple crises.

While the retirement home structure was spared major damage by the earthquake and subsequent tsunami, fears of radiation contamination from the nearby nuclear plant led officials to evacuate Suisyoen for two months until Mid-may.

A week after they returned, the robotics division of Japanese company Daiwa House offered to lend Suisyoen two of its seal robots coated with anti-bacterial fur, now nicknamed Love and Peace for two years. The robots normally cost around 12,000 yen ($155) a month to lease.

The furry friends are now treated as pets by the residents, with many of them still dealing with memories of the quake. Some residents hold onto the seals for longer than others.

"If I hold onto this, it doesn't matter if there's a typhoon outside, I still feel safe," said 85-year-old Satsuko Yatsuzaka after she had been hugging one of the seals for about half an hour. — Reuters

Tanks continue to shell Hama
West voices outrage; Obama says will isolate Assad

Recession-hit Britons go for chickens

London, August 1
Believe it or not, over 700,000 Britons now keep chickens -- a rise of 80 per cent in the past three years, figures have revealed.The largest increase in poultry-rearing since World War II has come as households try to cut grocery bills by producing their own eggs, ‘The Sun’ reported.

Brian Mott of birdseed supplier Nature's Grub said: “We're seeing a return to 50 years ago, when it was usual to keep half-a-dozen chickens in the backyard.

“Over the past few years more Brits have started growing their own fruit and veg -- and the next step seems to be having their own eggs.” The figures by the British Hen Welfare Trust have helped push the value of the coop industry to £1 billion a year.

Supermarket chain Tesco said sales of poultry pens had nearly doubled since 2008.

The store's Clodagh Corbett said: “The surge in demand for chickens and coops shows how keeping hens has become a hobby for many.” — PTI

Oz radio host under fire over anti-India remarks

Melbourne, August 1
An Australian radio show host is facing criticism from the Indian community over his reportedly derogatory comments on India and Hinduism, in which he called river Ganga a ‘junkyard’. A Sydney-based Indian group is seeking an apology from the radio station following a report that host Kyle Sandilands made anti-India comments on his “Kyle and Jacky O” show.

According to a report by a local ethnic TV programme ‘Desi Kangaroos’, Sandilands said “India is a shit hole” and went further to describe river Ganga as a ‘junkyard’. The Council of Indian Australians (CIA) lashed out on Sandilands for the “insulting” remarks, and has said it would take up the issue with Australia’s media regulatory body if it was not amicably resolved.

“Sandilands made insulting comments against India and ridiculed River Ganges which is a sacred river in Hinduism. His ridicule involved some of the practices of the followers of Hinduism,” CIA president Yadu Singh said in an official statement. Singh said he found Kyle’s comments “insensitive, insulting, hurtful and unwarranted” and that he was upset and angered by them. “Indian Australian community is a peaceful and tolerant community... It does not attack any nation, national group or religious practices of any group. It is obviously not happy when others attack them or their belief system,” he said. The body has written to his radio station, demanding an apology from it and from Sandilands. — PTI