Obama Orders Gitmo Closure

US President Barack Obama issued executive orders to close detention facility at the Guantanamo Bay naval base in Cuba on Thursday that received welcome from human right activists and defense attorneys of terror suspects held at the facility that has come in for staunch criticism for its treatment of detainees.

Obama signed the orders and a presidential directive, asking for the closure of the controversial facility within one year, a systematic review of detention policies and procedures and all individual cases, and a ban on harsh interrogation methods.

"The message that we are sending the world is that the United States intends to prosecute the ongoing struggle against violence and terrorism and we are going to do so vigilantly and we are going to do so effectively and we are going to do so in a manner that is consistent with our values and our ideals," Obama said.

Brian Mizer, a defense attorney for the Guantanamo cases, described the day when the order were released "a great day for America."

Stacy Sullivan from New York-based Human Rights Watch also told reporters that she hopes "this will be a museum memorializing a really shameful chapter in American history."

However, military prosecutor Jeff Groharing said that he hopes the military trials will resume since victims of terrorist attacks "need justice to be done."

At Obama's request, military judges in Guantanamo agreed on Wednesday to suspend trials of terrorist suspects for 120 days to allow the review to be conducted.

It was considered the first step for Obama's administration to finally close the facility, which was open after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States.

Apart from the closure of the prison within a year, Obama's orders also authorized other actions including creation of a task force to recommend policies on handling terror suspects who are detained in the future; requirement to all US personnel to follow the US Army Field Manual that explicitly prohibits threats, coercion, physical abuse, water boarding, and other harsh interrogation techniques.

“We believe that the Army Field Manual reflects the best judgment of our military, that we can abide by a rule that says we don't torture, but that we can still effectively obtain the intelligence that we need," Obama said.
His orders required the Central Intelligence Agency to close all its existing detention facilities abroad for terror suspects for good.

About 245 detainees were still held at the Guantanamo prison out of some 800 who have been sent there so far. Most of them have been detained for years without being charged with a crime.

The controversial facility has drawn a lot of criticism against the U.S. government by human right activists and other governments since detainees were suspected of being tortured and deprived of their due legal rights.

(Xinhua Inputs)

Pranab Hands over Key Afghan Highway

As part of its commitment to contribute to the development of the region, India on Thursday handed over the strategic Delaram-Zaranj highway built by it to Afghanistan. The 215 km stretch of road cost India nearly 85 million and the lives of several construction workers employed under the project.

The project was often targeted by the Taliban, who are naturally opposed to the camaraderie between Afghanistan’s pro-western government and the regional power.

Several Indian workers were killed at the hands of the Taliban before the completion of the project.

The highway was formally handed over to the Afghan authorities by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee in the presence of Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Foreign Minister Rangin Dadfar Spanta.

At a function marking the occasion Mukherjee said: “The completion of the road reflects the determination of both India and Afghanistan that nothing can prevent or hinder collaboration between the two countries.”
Heralding the completion of the road, which threw open an alternate route between Kabul and Iran, Karazzai said despite opposition the cooperation between Kabul and New Delhi would not stop.

The highway provides India easy and alternate access for its goods to Afghanistan via Iran.

This is significant because Pakistan has been denying transit facility to India for Afghanistan through its territory.

Opposed to the project, Taliban repeatedly attacked construction workers responsible for building the highway.

A total of six Indians, including a Border Roads Organisation driver and four ITBP soldiers, and 129 Afghans were killed in the attacks.

While recounting the huge human costs incurred by the project Mukherjee said: “Our project personnel did face many challenges in the implementation of the project... in effect one human sacrifice was made for every kilometre and a half constructed.”

He, however, dubbed the successful completion as “a glowing example” of the India-Afghanistan cooperation.

The highway is considered to be symbolic of a diplomatic constellation that hovers over the horizon with the West-backed government in Afghanistan and New Delhi playing a crucial role to weed out terror from the south Asian region.

US President Barack Obama, days into the office, has made it amply clear that the anti-terror focus of his “war on terror” would b bordered by Pakistan’s restive NWFP and Iran while the epicenter would lie somewhere in Afghanistan.

Paying homage to those that made the “supreme sacrifice” along the course of the project Mukherjee implied grater connotations saying: “I do believe that their blood was not shed in vain. Their sacrifice will fortify the foundation of India-Afghanistan friendship and that spirit will motivate us to usher in our future cooperation.”

The project will allow India and Afghanistan access to eachother’s markets without having to route goods via Pakistan.

It took nearly 340 engineers of the Indian Border Roads Organisation nearly three years to complete the project six months ahead of schedule.

On Wednesday, Mukherjee, Karzai and Spanta met for parleys over discussed cooperation in the field of security and developmental projects.

Following the talks Minister Spanta, in a veiled reference to Pakistan, said: both countries faced “same terrorism from the same source.”

Manmohan Singh Congratulates Obama

Terming it "a historic occasion for all freedom loving people", Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday congratulated US President Barack Obama on assuming office and hoped the multi-faceted India-US ties will get a boost during his term at the Oval Office.

Extending an invite to Obama and his spouse Michelle to visit India, premier Singh underlined desires to work with the US president to "address regional and global issues of common concern".

In a letter written to Obama, the prime minister congratulated him on assuming office as the US president and offered the best wishes of the Indian people.

"He expressed the hope that the bilateral relations between India and the USA would strengthen further," the PMO said.

The prime minister described Obama's assumption of office "as an historic occasion for the people of America and for all freedom loving people across the world", external affairs ministry spokesperson Vishnu Prakash said.

"Prime minister conveyed his best wishes, as well as that of the government and people of India to President Obama," he added.

Within hours of moving into the White House, Obama brought some comfort to New Delhi by linking aid to Pakistan to its performance in the fight against terror.

However, a policy document on foreign policy released by the White House makes no specific mention of India, but talks of building new partnerships in Asia.

(Agency Inputs)

Lankan Troops Shell Safe Zones, 66 Killed

Sri Lankan health officials say at least 30 people were killed Thursday when the military shelled a village and a makeshift hospital in the country's north. The officials say the shelling occurred within a government-declared safe zone. They say shelling in the area has killed a total of at least 66 civilians since Tuesday.

The military has denied reports accusing it of firing into the safe zone.

Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels also faced allegations of wrongdoing Thursday, with the United Nations accusing them of blocking UN staff and their families from leaving rebel-controlled areas in the north.

Sri Lanka's military has advanced into the rebels' strongholds in recent weeks. Thrusday the military said it captured a building in the Mullaittivu district that appeared to be the Tigers' main operations center.

The military has moved further into rebel territory after a series of victories, including the capture of the rebels' de-facto capital, Kilinochchi, and the seizure of the strategic Elephant Pass.

Journalists are barred from the war zone, making it difficult to confirm reports from the two sides of the conflict.

Closer home in Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister M Karunanidhi says he would uld move an official resolution in the state Assembly on Friday making a "final appeal" to the Centre to "save the Tamil race from annihilation in Sri Lanka."

Karunanidhi, a constituent of the ruling-UPA at the center, has repeatedly upped dissent on the Lankan Tamil issue, but stopped short of initiating any meaningful masures.

While criticising Karunanidhi for slackening over the issue, opposition parties in the state term his antics as attempts to “diversify political liabilities” ahead of crucial parliamentary elections scheduled for May.

Tamil Tiger rebels have been fighting since 1983 to establish an independent homeland for Sri Lanka's ethnic minority Tamils, who they say face second-class treatment by the Sinhalese majority. More than 70,000 people have died in the conflict.

BJP Targets YSR on Maytas

Blaming the AP government for granting favours to the tainted IT giant, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday demanded a comprehensive and independent probe into the Satyam scam as it felt that the inquiry of Andhra Pradesh CB-CID has failed to inspire confidence among the stake holders.

"Unfortunately, the inquiry of CB-CID has not generated any confidence among any of the stake holders. BJP demands a comprehensive independent probe or joint parliamentary committee probe of this scandal," party spokesperson Prakash Javadekar told reporters here.

It is a huge fraud wherein public money has been squandered and the nation duped. An independent probe by a group of experts could be more appropriate as Parliament tenure is nearing its end, he added.

"Now what needs to be probed is the nexus between Maytas and YS Rajshekhar Reddy, the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. Not only a metro rail project, but also various irrigation projects were awarded, SEZs sanctioned and liberal land allotment was done. This quid-pro-quo needs to be investigated," Javadekar said.

The country has the right to know that how the diversion of funds between Satyam and Maytas took place? Who are the real beneficiaries of Maytas? Whether PN route or Mauritius route is used?, he added.

Ashok Chakra to 11 Peacetime Heroes

With terror perpetrators striking the country with impunity all through 2008 and scores of security personnel making the supreme sacrifice while combating the menace, this Republic Day the nation’s highest peacetime gallantry award –Ashok Chakra - will be conferred upon an unprecedented 11 individuals.

Until now, the highest number of Ashok Chakra awards in a single year has been three, conferred upon security personnel who died fighting militants during the attack on Parliament in December, 2001.

The list of recipients include four Mumbai policemen and two NSG commandos who died in the line of duty during the 26/11 Mumbai Terror strikes and Delhi Police Inspector MC Sharma, who died in the Batla House shootout.

Though, the government had short-listed eight names for the top honour this year but the number grew to a never-before 11 after interventions at the highest level.
The list is loaded with connotation and presents a clear reflection of governmental efforts to allay aspersions cast over the deaths and the circumstances under which some on the list were killed.

Several political parties, including UPA allies, had raised doubts over the Batla House encounter that resulted in the death of top Delhi cop MC Sharma.

A key UPA minister, AR Antulay, had raised doubts over the killing of Mumbai’s key anti-terror official – Hemant Karkare, while suggesting that they may have been a victim of conspiracy.

The names on the final list are:

•M C Sharma: Delhi Police Inspector who died in the Batla House shootout.

•ASI Tukaram Omble: Took the bullets but held on to terrorist Ajmal Amir Kasab’s gun, leading to his capture.

•Maj Sandeep Unnikrishnan: Died while flushing out terrorists at the Taj Hotel.

•Hav Gajinder Singh: Killed in the Nariman House operation. Was the first to enter the building.

•Hemant Karkare, Ashok Kamte, Vijay Salaskar: Killed while chasing terrorists near Cama Hospital.

•Col Jojan Thomas: CO of 45 RR, he died fighting militants in Kupwara. 12 militants were killed in the encounter.

•Hav Bahadur Singh: He was part of a counter-insurgency operation last year.

•R P Diengdoh: Meghalaya Police DSP who died while leading an operation against militants.

•Pramod Kumar Satapathy: Asst Commandant of Orissa’s Special Operation Group who died battling Naxalites.

AR Rahman Earns Three Oscar Nominations

On a winning trot, AR Rahman on Thursday became the first Indian to get three Oscar nominations, even as the British-Indian movie Slumdog Millionaire which brought him these was nominated for seven other categories including best picture and best director.

Rahman was nominated for Best Original Score. The numbers ‘Jai Ho’ and ‘O Saya’ were short-listed for Best Original Song, Rahman shares the honour with songwriter Gulzar in the case of the former and with Maya Arulpragasam for the latter.

The nomination come soon after Slumdog won four Golden Globes, including one for Rahman earlier this month.

On the eve of its official premiere in India on Friday, the film also won nominations in cinematography, sound mixing, sound editing and film editing. Along with the two tunes from Slumdog Millionaire, the third song nominated was one co-written by Peter Gabriel for the animated WALL-E. The film had dominated the Golden Globes, sweeping all four of its categories, including best drama and best director.

The 81st Oscars will be presented on Feb. 22.

(AP, PTI Inputs)

Pranab Appointed WBPCC Chief

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday re-entrusted external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee with the responsibility to decision to resurrect the party’s dwindling electoral fortunes in West Bengal. The decision was necessitated by the prolonged ill-health of union minister and state party unit chief PR Dasmunshi.

The decision may serve as a setback to New Delhi’s diplomatic efforts, as India is caught in the midst of a massive diplomatic offensive it launched against “recalcitrant states” against terror states (Pakistan), in wake of the 26/11 Mumbai terror strikes.

As Minister for external affairs, Mukherjee has been leading the Indian offensive from the front.

Speculative media reports suggest the decision may well turn out to be a political olive branch the Congress must offer the Left parties ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

Dasmunshi had taken over as state chief after Mukherjee resigned from the post around a year ago, Dasmunshi – a known Left baiter - was keen on the Congress striking a pre-poll alliance with Trinamool Congress in the state.

Mukherjee, on the other hand, is known to have strong ties with several Left leaders and a controversial statement he made last week was a clear indication.

Mukherjee, last week, had commended the CPM state government for formulating and implementing strategies for industrial development in the state.

Without naming the Trinamool Congress, the minister had berated those responsible for blocking the process of industrialization in the state.

Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee and the West Bengal state government have been locked in a bitter battle over the state’s acquisition of farm land to set up industrial projects.

The biter rivalry between the ideological forced the country’s top industrial conglomerate – Tatas – to shift the ambitious ‘Nano’ project out of the state and into Gujarat.

The Congress has been weighing alliance options in the state for the last few months.

Left parties had provided crucial ‘outside’ support to the UPA before pulling the plug on the Congress-led government over the controversial Indo-US nuclear deal
Having been subjected to repeated ignominies in weeks of estrangement leading up to the final divorce, Left parties had vowed never to support a Congress government.

Since its fallout with the Congress the Left Front, an amalgam of Left parties, has been instrumental for rallying support for an anti-Congress, anti-BJP third front, which seems to have caught the imagination of several regional parties across the country.

Mamata Banerjee, on her part, is a sworn rival of the Left parties and had been counting on an alliance with the Congress on the other side of the Lok Sabha elections.

Analysts say the Congress decision, to nominate Mukherjee as the Congress state unit chief is an ostensible attempt to calm ruffled feathers in the Left, but one that may push the Trinamool into isolation or, perhaps, even into the NDA fold.

Azhar Unveils Congress Fixation

Md. Azharuddin, a politically sought after combination of charisma, popularity and taint, on Thursday met senior Congress leader, Veerappa Moily and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YSR Reddy and apparently articulated plans to contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha Elections on a Congress ticket.

Speaking to reporters, Moily said Azhar had met Congress President Sonia Gandhi last October, but avoided questions on whether the former cricketer would earn the nod from the Congress leadership and contest the general elections.

Soon after Azhar met Moily in Hyderabad, the latter said: "He met us and expressed his desire to serve the Congress party and the country," before adding that there were still other procedures to follow regarding admission.

Moily refrained from commenting on if Azhar could be the Congress candidate in Hyderabad, saying "that's a different matter. He has expressed his desire to join Congress and there is a process of admission. We will take a decision".

He expressed happiness over Azhar's intention to join the Congress and described him as a cricketing icon who was the longest serving Indian captain.

Having thrown its plans into the public domain the Congress is now likely to base its decision on the reviews in the media and opposition reactions on the matter.

45 year old Azharuddin’s cricketing career started with a bang only to end in a ‘fix,’ when he faced serious allegations over hobnobbing with bookies to fix cricket matches involving Team India.

The BCCI banned Azhar from the cricketing arena in 2000, Azhar, however, has challenged the ban in court.

Pranab Urges Nations, Act Against Terror States

While urging nations to act against states which sponsor terrorism, New Delhi on Wednesday said it had employed "proper diplomatic channels" to convey its "differences" with Britain over British Foreign Secretary David Miliband's remarks over Kashmir and terrorism.

Continuing with the diplomatic offensive launched in the aftermath of the 26/11 Mumbai terror strikes, Minister for External Affairs Pranab Mukherjee, in an ostensible indication towards Pakistan, urged the international community to compel "recalcitrant states" to act.

He said that the problems were made more complex by the refusal of a recalcitrant state to recognise its international commitments and responsibilities on not allowing the use of (its) territory for terror activities.

Mukherjee said that it was high time international mechanisms were brought into play to reign in nations where “state apparatus sponsors terrorism as an act of state policy.” He was addressing a regional security conference in New Delhi on Wednesday.

Mukherjee also clarified India's position over Miliband's remarks that suggested terrorism in the region was linked to the Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan.

"When the foreign secretary of the UK visited us he shared his perceptions about the situations, and I equally told him and all the interlocutors that this is your perception," Mukherjee said.

"We do not share this perception," he told reporters on the sidelines of the conference.

"In our normal diplomatic channel, what is proper and just, we have done it and now it is a closed chapter," Mukherjee said in a bid to put the controversy to rest.

In an article published in The Guardian, a British daily, last week, Miliband had argued that the unresolved Kashmir issue provided "the chief call to arms" to terrorists in the region.

These remarks were interpreted by some in India as a sign of a broader strategy that sees the resolution of the Kashmir dispute as crucial to bringing stability to South Asia.

Political parties in India were quick to denounce these remarks and the chief opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) described Miliband's visit to India last week as "a diplomatic disaster".

The external affairs ministry snubbed London saying it did not need "unsolicited advice" on its internal affairs.

Miliband added salt to Indian injuries by asserting during that there was no evidence to suggest that the Pakistani state directed the Mumbai carnage, remarks that contradicted Manmohan Singh's contention that "official agencies" of Pakistan were complicit in the terror attacks.

(Agency Inputs)

Obama Warns, Pak Plans Rethink

US President Barack Obama has stated in his foreign policy agenda that the US "will increase nonmilitary aid to Pakistan and hold them accountable for security in the border region with Afghanistan". Reacting sharply Islamabad says that it may have to rethink options in face of the warning.

In Islamabad, Pakistan on Wednesday read between the lines and reacted to Obama's warning on conditional aid saying Pakistan will review its options if the US failed to adopt a positive approach in its policy towards the country.

In recent months, Talibani factions, present inside Pakistan’s restive North-West bordering Afghanistan, have repeatedly attacked combat supply convoys that must pass through the region to reach US forces inside Afghan territory.

Pakistan Ambassador in US, Hussain Haqqani said that if Obama administration didn't adopt positive policy towards Pakistan, then Pakistan would also review its options.

However, Haqqani hoped that Obama as compared to Bush will believe in holding talks and hoped the former would give more patient hearing to Pakistan's views.

He further hoped that the new administration in relation to war against terrorism would also take into account political, foreign policy factors and socio-economic matters.

Though the government in Pakistan may not welcome unsolicited intervention from the Obama Administration there is an recognition in Pakistan that Islamabad has to take drastic steps to combat terror and its perpetrators.

Pakistan's military also issued a blunt call for outside powers to stop demanding it do more to prove its sincerity in the campaign against militancy.

Pakistan's Chief of staff General Tariq Majid said that repeated rhetoric by some of the external players asking Pakistan to do more and prove sincerity must stop.

Majid didn't refer to any country but said international players must come out for the coercive mindset and instead start delivering on the promised capacity assistance.

Majid said, Pakistan did not need to prove its sincerity considering the sacrifices it was making which cannot be matched by the players making the demands.

Pakistan has come in for strong opposition from several nations since neighbouring India blamed it for harbourng terror elements responsible for perpetrating the 26/11 Mumbai terror strikes.

Congress Calm, Kalyan’s Son Joins SP

A day after Bharatiya Janata Party vice-president and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Kalyan Singh quit the BJP and showed clear leanings towards the Samajwadi Party, The Congress on Wednesday it said the backward leader’s new found affiliations will not affect its alliance with the SP.

Though Kalyan Singh has, not yet, officially announced plans to join the SP, Hs son Rajvir Singh joined the SP on Wednesday and was appointed its national general secretary.

Speaking at a press conference in Lucknow SP chief Mulayam Singh said, Rajveer’s entry into the SP would further reinforce the backward caste base of the party.

At a routine briefing in New Delhi, Congress spokesperson Jayanthi Natarajan lampooned the main Opposition BJP for the high attrition rates in the party.

“First, the BJP’s allies left it one by one; recently, we saw the deterioration of its ties with the Shiromani Akali Dal; and now two of its senior leaders – Bhairon Singh Shekhawat and Singh – are speaking out against the party,” she said.

The BJP had always been a party devoid of values and it was now a sinking ship, she said.

Asked about Singh’s association with the sangh parivar – particularly the fact that he was the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister at the time of Babri Masjid demolition, she said there could be no denying the historical fact. “We have to reckon with it.”

The official Congress statement is a clear move away from an earlier statement issued by a senior Congress leader.

On Tuesday, AICC general secretary and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Digvijay Singh had attempted to deflate the SP-Kalyan truck by reminding media persons that Kalyan Singh was implicitly involved in the demolition of the “Babri Mosque,” which resulted in widespread communal strife across the country.

The words are sure to echo in the minority minds, when SP chief Mulayam Singh attempts to wean Muslims voters back into the party fold during the general elections later this year.

Analysts, however, say Digvijay Singh’s statement was an attempt to retain a psychological edge over the SP, the two parties are soon to meet for nerve racking parleys to work out the fine print of a pre-poll alliance they must enter to thwart the third front onslaught in UP led by BSP czarina and prime ministerial hopeful Mayawati.

New Nadir: Sukhbir Sworn-in Dy. CM

Proponents of dynastic politics in democratic India crowned a new poster-boy on Wednesday as Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal’s 47 year old Sukhbir Singh Badal was sworn in as the former’s deputy, the first instance of a father and son sharing the top two posts in a government.

The beaming Sukhbir was administered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor SF Rodrigues at a showy ceremony attended by several leaders of NDA principal BJP.

Present on the occasion were BJP chief Rajnath Singh, Vasundra Raje Scindia, MP Navjot Singh Sidhu and state unit chief Rajinder Bhandari.

Conspicuous by his absence was NDA prime ministerial hopeful LK Advani, who, till recently, was known to be a vociferous critic of the dynastic politics.

Hit by dissent and in no mood to stir the all-powerful Badals in Punjab, the BJP central leadership overruled several objections by the party state unit, paving the way for Sukhbir’s unprecedented appointment.

Sukhbir, dressed in white kurta-pyjama, black jacket and blue turban, read out the oath in Punjabi. His induction comes nearly a year after he took over as SAD president marking a generational shift in one of the oldest regional parties in the country.

The large audience broke into loud cheers and sound of drumbeats and crackers rent the air as the US-educated Sukhbir bent down to touch his father's feet while his mother Surinder Kaur, wife Harsimrat Kaur and other members of the Badal clan looked on.

Speaking to the media later in the day, Chief Minister dismissed fears of the move perpetuating dynastic rule, saying "young blood" deserved a chance to actively participate in governance.

Sukhbir too rubbished the suggestions.