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Attacks in Shi’ite dists of Iraq kill 60
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Russia may punish paedophiles by chemical castration
Thousands besiege US base over Koran burning
‘Pakistan committed to improve ties with India’
Gilani praises Manmohan for peace
initiatives
Quran Burning
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Attacks in Shi’ite dists of Iraq kill 60 Baghdad, February 23 The attacks that appeared to pitch Al-Qaida-linked Sunni Muslim insurgents against Shi'ites raised fears of a return to the widespread sectarian carnage that tore Iraq apart and cost thousands of lives in 2006 and 2007. The violence breaks weeks of relative calm as Shi'ite Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and Sunni leaders have sought to resolve a political crisis that followed the US withdrawal. At least 32 people were killed in blasts in Baghdad where 10 explosions tore through mainly Shi'ite neighbourhoods during rush hour and other attacks targeted police patrols, commuters and crowds gathered in shopping areas. More than a dozen blasts and attacks hit other cities across Iraq from Mosul in the north to Hilla, south of Baghdad, many of them targeting police. The violence was aimed at Shi'ite neighbourhoods and security forces, a frequent target of Sunni insurgents. Iraqi officials had predicted such groups would try to stir sectarian tensions with attacks after American forces went home. While violence has ebbed since the height of the war, Sunni insurgents affiliated to the Al-Qaida are still capable of large-scale assaults, often targeting government buildings and police in an attempt to show Maliki cannot guarantee Iraqis' security. In today's violence, one car bomb in the capital killed at least nine people and wounded 27 in the upmarket Karrada neighbourhood, hurling shrapnel into the next street and blowing out glass from nearby buildings. At least two other blasts hit Karrada, including another car bomb attack that killed one person, police said. Witnesses saw at least four wrecked cars full of shrapnel and bloodied seats near a popular ice-cream shop. In at least three Shi'ite neighbourhoods in Baghdad, nine policemen were killed, and in the capital's northwestern Kadhimiya district, a car bomb killed six people when it struck a street lined with restaurants.
— Reuters
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US regrets Iran’s failure to reach pact with IAEA Washington, February 23 "We regret the failure of Iran to reach an agreement this week with the IAEA that would permit the agency to fully investigate the serious allegations raised in its November report," the White House Press Secretary, Jay Carney, said yesterday at his daily news conference. The nuclear watchdog yesterday acknowledged its "failure" in trying to probe suspicions that Tehran has worked secretly on atomic arms. The UN nuclear agency, which maintains regular access to both of Iran's enrichment facilities at Qom and Natanz, was seeking additional access in line with Iran's safeguards obligations, to sites and facilities where Iran is suspected of conducting work related to weaponisation activity, he said. "So, unfortunately, this is another demonstration of Iran's refusal to abide by its international obligations," Carney said. The United States he said will continue to evaluate, working with its P5-plus-1 partners, the letter that it got from the Iranians for talks. "But this particular action by Iran suggests that they have not changed their behaviour when it comes to abiding by their international obligations," Carney said.
— PTI
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Russia may punish paedophiles by chemical castration
Moscow, February 23 Currently, paedophiles only get away with mandatory medical treatment, but under new draft law, they will face chemical castration, life imprisonment and psychiatric drug treatment, Ria Novosti reported. Chemical castration is being introduced in Russia for the first time to deter paedophilia. The new Bill, which also increases penalties for most kinds of sex crimes against minors, was introduced by the Kremlin in October and generated much debate and revision. Convicts in other types of sex crimes involving minors will have the option of voluntarily seeking chemical castration when pleading for parole, the Bill said. —
PTI
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Thousands besiege US base over Koran burning Kabul, February 23 Just hours earlier, the Taliban exhorted Afghans to attack and kill foreign troops to avenge the burning of Korans at a US-run base, but stopped short of cutting off contacts with American officials in Qatar over the crisis. An Afghan soldier today shot dead two NATO troops, the International Security Assistance Force said. Afghanistan is a deeply religious country where slights against Islam have frequently provoked violent protests, and many Afghans are incensed at the discovery of charred Korans at the US-run Bagram airbase north of Kabul. Thousands of demonstrators besieged the base of a US-led military-civilian provincial reconstruction team (PRT) in Mihtarlam, the capital of Laghman province east of Kabul, senior police official Khalilul Rahman Niazi said. "People had come from all over Laghman. They attacked the PRT, they climbed up the walls, they set fire to something there, I think a container," he said. Niazi said he believed two people were wounded by gunfire from the base as they stormed the walls and hurled rocks under a pall of thick black smoke. — AFP
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‘Pakistan committed to improve ties with India’ Islamabad, February 23 Naek made the remarks at a reception he hosted last night for a visiting Indian parliamentary delegation led by Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar. Naek said the dialogue and healthy exchange of ideas were essential for resolving all "core issues between the two countries, including Kashmir and water issues". President Zardari had "made it a point to make all efforts possible to improve Pakistan-India relations", he said. The current government is "actively pursuing a policy to bring about a qualitative improvement in relations with India", he added. Pakistan wanted peaceful and friendly relations with all its neighbours, including India, as it believed in the need for greater cooperation for regional stability, said Naek, the chairman of the Senate or upper house of parliament. Naek, who acted as host for the reception as Zardari was away on a private visit to Dubai, said: "It's time we solve all our issues, including Kashmir and water, for peace and better relationship through an open, meaningful and result- oriented dialogue.”
— PTI
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Gilani praises Manmohan for peace
initiatives
Speaking at a reception hosted in honour of an Indian Parliamentary delegation headed by Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar here at the Prime Minister House, Gilani added that Pakistan is committed to "result-oriented, constructive and productive engagement with India". Meira, along with members of Indian Parliament, is currently on a five-day visit to Pakistan on the invitation of her Pakistani counterpart Fehmida Mirza. A statement issued by the PM House said Meira endorsed the view that all contentious issues between the two countries must be settled through dialogue. Separately, in an interview with a private television channel, she pointed out that "war is no solution to any problem and the two countries must shun the path of violence". Gilani lauded Singh for his efforts to seek peace between the two countries. "I respect Manmohan Singh from the bottom of my heart and I share his desire for peace," said Gilani. He emphasised the need for India and Pakistan to work together to eliminate hunger, disease and poverty in the two countries. "We should think about the future of the people," he said, adding that strong relations between parliaments of the two countries can prove to be vital. “We should think about the future of the people,” he said, adding that strong relations between parliaments of the two countries can prove to be vital.
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Quran Burning Washington, February 23 Obama's letter to Karzai in this regard was delivered by US Ambassador to Afghanistan, Ryan Croker, this afternoon, National Security Council spokesman, Tommey Vietor, said. "Following up on their February 20 phone call, the President sent a letter to President Karzai to continue their discussion on a range of issues related to our long-term partnership," Vietor said. — PTI
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Simultaneous early morning attacks on mostly Shi'ite targets across Iraq killed at least 60 people and wounded dozens today in one of the bloodiest days of violence.
Hailing Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's peace efforts, Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has expressed hope that the ongoing peace process between Pakistan and India would lead to a resolution of issues that have bedevilled the relationship between the two neighbours.