US unemployment rate stands at 21%

Posted on January 9, 2011 by JNN.NEWS

08 Jan 2011 : While the recent drop in the official unemployment rate is attributed to the fact that Americans have given up looking for jobs, a former Senate candidate says that the actual jobless rate stands at 21 percent. Continue reading →

Shia Community of Parachinar have given 72 hours deadline to Pakistani Government

Posted on January 8, 2011 by JNN.NEWS

JNN 07 Jan 2011 PARACHINAR : As a first Step the Elders of the Shia Community in Parachinar had given a call for a Complete shutter down strike, which was successfully observed in Parachinar and adjoining areas, the headquarter of Kurram Agency.

The call of the Shutter Down Strike was against the Brutalities of the Local Terrorists belonging to Taliban’s, for which Law enforcement agencies have miserably failed to take any action. According to details on Wednesday complete shutter down strike and protest observed in Parachinar on the call by trade unions and tribal elders of the area which they now say that they are protesting against the State for harboring terrorism.

Now They have given seventy two hours deadline to Govt and security forces to take action against Terrorist Taliban and their local supporters who looted and burnt seven civilians trucks at Shasho and Pirqyum area in Sadda Lower Kurram on tuesday which were bound for Parachinar escorded by security Forces.

Otherwise the tribals will take revenge according to tribal traditions by punishing the Taliban. It is worth mentioning here that on Tuesday Terrorist Taliban and thier local supporters came with heavy weapons near Shahso & Pirqyum area of Kurram Agency and burnt the civilians trucks which were coming from Thall, in order to besiege Parachinar, while the convoy was going from Thall to Parachinar escorted by security forces under the command of a Col rank officer and dozens of Armed security Personnel .The truck driver who escaped from scene by saving his life told the media that Taliban attacked just the civilian trucks while they did not hurt the security forces nor attacked them which is surprising for him that is why he escaped in fear of being killed by Taliban. It is worth mentioning that in same place of Pirquym and Shasoo convoys were attacked earlier twice before as well and it exposed the tall claims of authorities of clearing the area from terrorists. Turi and Bangash tribes elders after this incident in reaction told that military establishment want to put pressure on Turi & Bangash tribes of Parachinar & Kurram Agency to give shelter to taliban of haqani network by prolonging the siege of the Parachinar , but they emphasized that these coward action will not do so.

They further added that It is the worse kind of state terrorisim against its own people by military establishment in support of Taliban .They told that with this incident the LEA have done the hatrick of sponsoring the Terrorism , which is done in the presence of Officer of Col Rank of Security forces , which reminds the brutality in the presence Col Majeed at same spot in year 2008 when Taliban militants burnt the trucks along with four civilian truck drivers and slaughtered the rest of eight after kidnapping them belonging to Turi bangash tribes while Col Majeed and security forces did not took any action , for which video evidence is also present, they add. Tribal elders also criticized the Main Stream media for not covering these acts of brutality and blamed that media was just focusing on single High Profile murder and did not give coverage to these acts of Taliban and security forces joint brutality , on same Tuseday, when the terrorist under the sponsorship of the LEAs , are trying to Anhilate the whole population of the Parachinar ,which is continuing till this day.

At last they issued a combine resolution by demanding the Civil Society and International humanitarian Organizations to highlight the state sponsored terrorism, in shape of siege of Parachinar for the Last four years , as what they call this area now is Pakistani Gaza , where the conditions are worse then the state or terror in Kashmir & GAZA.

Nine shia’s from Parachinar injured in a attack on a Passenger Convoy by Taliban (jafrianews.com)
Ashura Processions in Parachinar, while it still bleeds due to 4 years siege By Taliban (jafrianews.com)
Shian e Haider e Karrar sign of Pakistan’s Integeration (jafrianews.com)
4 Shia Martyred in Kurram Agency at a Majlis Attacked by Mortars (jafrianews.com)

US soldier to face court-martial in Afghan Civilians killing

Posted on January 8, 2011 by JNN.NEWS

JNN 08 Jan 2011 SEATTLE: A US Army staff sergeant was ordered on Friday to be tried by a military court to face charges that include murdering three unarmed Afghan civilians, keeping body parts as grisly war trophies and beating a whistle-blower who told superiors about widespread hashish use in his unit.

Staff Sergeant Calvin Gibbs, 25, is one of five soldiers from the Stryker Brigade charged with murder. Twelve soldiers in all face charges in the most serious prosecutions of alleged war atrocities by US military deployed in Afghanistan since the war began in 2001.

JNN has learned the Army is also re-examining a 2004 shooting that involved Gibbs in Iraq in which three members of a family were killed.

After his May 11 arrest in Afghanistan, Gibbs showed investigators a tattoo on his lower left leg depicting crossed pistols and six skulls. He told investigators the skulls were a way to keep track of his kills in both Iraq and Afghanistan, according to investigative interview notes shown to JNN.

And a soldier under his command told investigators Gibbs “associates with skinheads online,” the investigative notes show. The soldier, who is not charged, told investigators the skinheads “are worse than most gang members I have ever met.”

Gibbs, of Billings, Montana, was ordered to stand trial by Major General Curtis Scaparrotti, commanding officer of Joint Base Lewis-McChord. No date was set.

The Stryker Brigade cases, with some 4,000 photographs sealed from public view including some reportedly of soldiers posing with Afghan casualties, have drawn comparisons to the inflammatory Abu Ghraib prison scandal in Iraq in 2004.

According to investigative documents made available to JNN, Gibbs collected human fingers from his victims. Also, the Army has accused members of Gibbs’ platoon of possessing photographs of victims.

And JNN has learned the Army is now re-examining Gibbs’ record in Iraq, where he was involved in the killing of an Iraqi family in the summer of 2004.

Gibbs faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment without parole for charges that include premeditated murder in the deaths of three unarmed Afghan civilians, including a cleric, in the Afghan villages of La Muhammad Kalay in January 2010, Khari Kleyl in February 2010 and Qualaday in May 2010, according to court documents.

Gibbs allegedly kept fingers, severed with medical shears, and displayed them at platoon mates to intimidate them.

He faces a dozen other charges that include keeping body parts such as teeth, finger and leg bones as war trophies.

The cases began as an investigation into hashish use by members of what was then known as the 5th Stryker Brigade, but grew into a probe of what prosecutors described as an infantry unit run amok.

Phillip Stackhouse, a civilian attorney defending Gibbs, has described Gibbs’ involvement as legitimate combat killings, He was not immediately available for comment on the order.

2 Bahraini Shia Children Aged 10, Sentenced to Imprisonment

Posted on January 8, 2011 by JNN.NEWS

JNN 07 Jan 2011 : Bahrain’s Court convicted 3 Bahraini’s on the grounds of taking part in anti-regime activities. Bahraini court imposed a jail sentence on two children for their pro-democracy activities. The two children each aged 10 years old are said to be the youngest political prisoners in the world . While The whole trial took less than one hour to issue the verdict and sentence.

In one of the most outrageous miscarriages of justice in the world, a Bahraini court imposed a jail sentence on two children for their pro-democracy activities. The two children each aged 10 years old are said to be the youngest political prisoners in the world and their continued detention has led to an outcry among local and international human rights activists.

The court also imposed a sentence of ten years imprisonment on three Bahrainis: Fadhel Abbas, his brother, Mohammad and Sayyed Ali Omran. They were also fined 4000 Bahraini Dinars (11,000 US dollars). Three other detainees in the same case, Jaffar Abdul Hamid, Fadhel Hubail and Abbas Ramadhan, had to wait for their sentence until 16th January. They were sentenced on the basis of confessions extracted under torture for allegedly taking part in anti-regime activities. The whole trial took less than one hour to issue the verdict and sentence. It is clear that the sentences came from high authorities who control the judiciary from the royal court. Despite pleas to allow the two brothers to see their seriously ill mother, Al Zayed refused the request.

The judge, Ibrahim Al Zayed, is the main official who presides over the courts sentencing the pro-democracy activists and has, himself, approved the practice of torture and refused to investigate any allegation of ill-treatment. With his two aides, Ali Al Dhahrani and Haitham Al Musaifer, they have become the judicial mouthpiece of the ruling family and have relied on their verdicts on “confessions” extracted under torture. Lord Avebury hinted that they may be implicated in those crimes for acting on those confessions.

Meanwhile more Bahrainis have been arrested and dumped in the underground cellars of the notorious National Security Agency (NSA) run by Khalifa bin Abdulla Al Khalifa, the former Ambassador to UK. Imad Ali Al Uraibi, 27, from the town of Musalla was arrested on Thursday 30th December.

The regime’s militias, riot police and Death Squads are continuing their iron-fist tactics with round-the-clock presence in hotspots. In Nuwaidrat, Sitra, Zinj and Al Adliya the activist youth were pursued relentlessly in the past few days ad they continued to write on walls and burn tyres in the streets. On 30th December they raided homes in Daih and Sanabis also. Mouse-and-cats games are continuing in several areas at the public anger mounts at what the Bahrainis perceive as an all-out attacks by the ruling junta on the native Bahrainis. The industrial areas in Sitra were the scene of frantic activities by the pro-regime’s militias especially near the roundabout separating the villages of Wadyan and Mhazza and inside Ql Giryah and Al Kharijiyah in Sitra where checkpoints were established. A family from the town of Daih has lodged an official complaint against those militias as they have wreaked havoc in the area. The family said that these militias would come in the early hours of the morning, ring the bell and stay outside their door, intimidate their children and create an atmosphere of fear for no real reason. The family’s complaint is unlikely to be heeded.

On another level, the political prisoners in the web allegedly involved in sedition and plots against the Al Khalifa, have continued to insist on re-instating their original team of lawyers who had demanded investigation of torture and called for re-investigation of the defendants under the jurisdiction of the court. They have now been subjected to more torture and abuse to force them to accept the new team of lawyers. In their recent family visits they have complained of beatings, deprivation of sleep, denial of religious books, the use of one syringe to extract blood from all of them and electric shocks. This outrageous behaviour is being witnessed by officials from Western embassies in Manama who have not moved one finger in protest.

Iraq's Top Brass Maliki, Allawi meet at Jafri’s house

Posted on January 8, 2011 by JNN.NEWS

JNN 07 Jan 2011 : Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki started a meeting with former premier Iyad Allawi, the leader of the al-Iraqiya bloc, at the house of Ibrahim al-Jaafari, the head of the National Alliance bloc, according to a source from Jaafari’s media office on Friday.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki started a meeting with former premier Iyad Allawi, the leader of the al-Iraqiya bloc, at the house of Ibrahim al-Jaafari, the head of the National Alliance bloc, according to a source from Jaafari’s media office on Friday.

“A Maliki-Allawi meeting started at Jaafari’s house to discuss the law on strategic policy council as well as the completion of the Iraqi government lineup,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

He did not give further details.

Anti-US cleric Muqtada al-Sadr returns to Iraq (jafrianews.com)

Iraq’s Top Brass Maliki, Allawi meet at Jafri’s house

Posted on January 8, 2011 by JNN.NEWS

He did not give further details.

Anti-US cleric Muqtada al-Sadr returns to Iraq (jafrianews.com)

Chile recognize Palestine as an Independent State

Posted on January 8, 2011 by JNN.NEWS

JNN 07 Jan 2011 : Friday, Foreign Minister Alfredo Moreno announced that Chilean President Sebastian Pinera’s government has officially recognized Palestine as a state based on the 1967 borders.

“The government of Chile has adopted the resolution today (Friday) recognizing the existence of the state of Palestine as a free, independent and sovereign state,” he said, reading a Foreign Ministry declaration.

He added that President Pinera plans to visit Israel and the Palestinian territories on March 4 and 5.

Over 130 countries have officially recognized Palestine as a state based on the 1967 borders, the boundaries that existed before Israel occupied East al-Quds (Jerusalem), the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip.

In December 2010, Brazil, Argentina, and Bolivia recognized Palestine as an independent state.

The United States and Israel have criticized the move and have so far refused to recognize an independent Palestinian state.

Last month, Uruguay announced that it would recognize Palestine in March 2011.

On December 31, Acting Palestinian Authority Chief Mahmoud Abbas said that the recognition of the Palestinian state by several Latin American nations would force the US and Israel to return to negotiations.

The latest round of talks collapsed in late September after Tel Aviv refused to extend a partial freeze on its illegal settlement construction in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Argentina recognizes Palestinian state (jafrianews.com)
Bolivia Follows Neighboring Countries in Recognition of Palestinian State (jafrianews.com)
Ecuador recognizes Palestinian Country (jafrianews.com)

Muslims Protect Egypt Copts on Xmas

Posted on January 8, 2011 by JNN.NEWS

JNN 06 Jan 2011 : Muslims of all walks of life are planning to be on guard to defend churches across Egypt during Copts’ celebrations of Christmas on January 7, following a deadly bombing on New Year’s eve.

“I want all of us to gather as Muslim human shields to protect all Christian congregations at churches, schools and other places,” Mohamed Abdel-Moneim El-Sawy, the head of the El-Sawy Cultural Wheel, said in a statement obtained by OnIslam.net on Wednesday, January 5.

“I will join my colleagues in standing guard in front of churches in Zamalek,” he added, referring to an upmarket Cairo district, where the Cultural Wheel is located.

“We want to abort attempts of those who want to harm our Christian brothers and fuel sedition that would harm all Egyptians.”

The initiative follows a deadly bombing attack outside a church in the northern coastal city of Alexandria on New Year’s eve, which killed at least 23 people.

The attack came after a threat by an Al-Qaeda affiliate in Iraq, the Islamic State of Iraq, to attack Egypt’s Copts.

The bombing drew widespread condemnations, with Al-Azhar, the highest seat of learning in the Sunni Muslim world, denouncing it as running against the true spirits of Islam.

The initiative by El-Sawy Culture Wheel, one of the most important cultural venues in Egypt, followed similar calls from different Egyptian intellectuals and writers.

Last Saturday, Dr. Abdel Moneim Abou el-Fotouh, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood and secretary general of the Arab Doctors’ Union, called on Egyptians to gather in front of churches on January ۷, against any possible attacks.

Other Egyptian intellectuals also echoed similar calls.

“Every Egyptian Muslim has a duty to offer condolences to his fellow Christians for the killing of innocent Christians,” Egyptian writer Salah Issa said.

“January 7 should be a day of national mourning to protest Western plans to affect the unity of the Egyptian Muslims and Copts.”

According to the CIA World Fact Book, Muslims make up 90 percent of the country’s 80 million people, Copts 9 and other Christians 1 percent.

Massive Support

The Muslim initiative has won widespread support across Egypt.

“I will go to defend my brothers, neighbors and family among whom I was raised,” Ahmed Talaat Mekki wrote on Facebook.

“I’m a Muslim, and I will protect Churches with my blood on the Christmas day.”

“At school, army and club, we used to fast together and eat together.”

Shortly after last week’s attack, Muslim youth launched a Facebook group titled “On January 7, we will go to the churches to celebrate with our Christian brothers or die with them”.

The group has attracted more than 13.000 members.

Another group titled “Silence stand in black to mourn victims of terrorism” drew more than 6.000 participants.

Other activists on Twitter called for initiating websites grouping Muslims and Copts to promote national unity.

The church bombing has already sparked marches for cementing national unity between Muslims and Copts in the country.

Hundreds of Muslims and Christians took to the streets in Cairo’s district of Shobra on Saturday to denounce the church attack.

The Muslim initiative has won plaudits from many Coptic Egyptians.

“This is so much appreciated,” Simon Wafeek, a Christian, wrote on the Facebook group titled “Human shields of Egyptians to protect churches on Jesus birthday.”

“Your overwhelming feelings are much more valuable than all treasures of the world.

“We have always been brothers who cheer together and mourn together.”

These feelings, Wafeek says, were a big disappointment for those behind the church attack.

“Whatever happens, we will never be separated,” he said.

“If they targeted a mosque, we would also gather in solidarity with our Muslim brothers.”

'US plotting new coup in Venezuela'

Posted on January 8, 2011 by JNN.NEWS

JNN 02 Jan 2o11 : The appointment of an ambassador by the US “who was really discussing Venezuelan military loyalty and morale … is really a discussion of the potential of a new coup in Venezuela,” said Sara Flounders, Co-Director of International Action Center in New York.

In an interview with Press TV, Flounders noted that “Venezuela has been a victim of US coup d’état and attempted coups. President [Hugo] Chavez himself [was a victim] of a direct US sponsored coup in 2002.”

Tensions have flared up between the United States and Venezuela since August after US President Barack Obama nominated Larry Palmer as the US ambassador to Caracas.

However, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez insisted that Palmer was not welcomed after the diplomat leveled harsh criticism against Venezuela during his US Senate confirmation hearings months ago.

At the time, Palmer had claimed that morale is low in Venezuela’s military and also linked the government to leftist rebels in neighboring Colombia.

On Wednesday, the US revoked the visa of Venezuelan Ambassador to Washington Bernardo Alvarez.

Flounders referred to the US’ “policy of making threats and counter-threats,” and insisted that “Venezuela quite rightly rejected [Palmer] and has insisted on relations of mutual respect.”

‘US plotting new coup in Venezuela’

Posted on January 8, 2011 by JNN.NEWS

Tensions have flared up between the United States and Venezuela since August after US President Barack Obama nominated Larry Palmer as the US ambassador to Caracas.

However, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez insisted that Palmer was not welcomed after the diplomat leveled harsh criticism against Venezuela during his US Senate confirmation hearings months ago.

At the time, Palmer had claimed that morale is low in Venezuela’s military and also linked the government to leftist rebels in neighboring Colombia.

On Wednesday, the US revoked the visa of Venezuelan Ambassador to Washington Bernardo Alvarez.

Flounders referred to the US’ “policy of making threats and counter-threats,” and insisted that “Venezuela quite rightly rejected [Palmer] and has insisted on relations of mutual respect.”

Anti-US cleric Muqtada al-Sadr returns to Iraq

Posted on January 8, 2011 by JNN.NEWS

JNN o5 Jan 2011 NAJAF: Anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who led several Shia uprisings against American forces in Iraq before going into exile in neighbouring Iran almost four years ago, returned to Iraq on Wednesday.

Al-Sadr`s return caps another dramatic rise to prominence for him and his followers after being routed by Iraqi and US forces and appearing to fade from power just a few years ago. The strong showing by his bloc in last year`s parliamentary elections and his key support for Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki paved the way for Wednesday`s return.

His mere presence in the country he has not publicly visited for years was cause for jubilation among his supporters in his hometown of Najaf and around the country.

Al-Sadr visited the holy shrine of Imam Ali wearing a black turban distinguishing him as one of the descendants of the Prophet Mohammed and surrounded by a phalanx of bodyguards who attempted to hold back a throng of supporters.

He also visited the grave of his father, who was assassinated during Saddam Hussein`s regime, before heading to his house.

Sadrist supporters from Baghdad including top-ranking officials in his political faction streamed to Najaf for the occasion and his followers chanted “Imam Ali is with you” through the streets of the southern city.

“He is our hero. We sacrificed for him. He said `No` to the Americans and fought the Americans, and he is brave,” said Mohammed Ali, one of al-Sadr`s followers.

It was not immediately clear how long al-Sadr would stay in Iraq or whether the return marked a permanent decision to remain in the country, where his presence would mark a seismic shift in Iraqi politics. But at least one official from the Sadrist office in Najaf said he would remain in Iraq. The official did not want to be named because he was not authorised to speak to the media. An official with al-Maliki`s office confirmed a plane carrying al-Sadr flew into the southern city earlier Wednesday afternoon. He did not want to be identified because of the sensitivity of the situation.

Al-Sadr has not been seen publicly in Iraq since 2007, and at one point an arrest warrant even hung over al-Sadr`s head for his alleged role in assassinating a fellow Shia cleric seen as a rival shortly after the US invasion in 2003.

He has been living in Iran, studying in Qom, and rarely makes public visits abroad. Last fall, he travelled to Syria for a meeting with former Iraqi prime minister Ayad Allawi, who was challenging al-Maliki for the premiership.

His militia, called the Mahdi Army, once led bloody uprisings against American forces, and al-Sadr has made opposition to any continued American military presence in Iraq a cornerstone of his ideology.

Al-Maliki in 2008 launched an offensive against al-Sadr`s followers in their Baghdad stronghold of Sadr City and the southern city of Basra. The show of force infuriated many of his Shia allies but also demonstrated al-Maliki`s willingness to go after all militias, even those representing his own sect.

Hundreds of al-Sadr`s followers were jailed during those operations.

Enmity between al-Sadr and al-Maliki runs deep, but after months of vowing to never allow al-Maliki to return for a second term, al-Sadr and his followers eventually backed him.

The decision is believed to have been taken after intense pressure from neighbouring Iran, which would like to solidify Shia control of Iraq. But questions have also been raised about what al-Sadr and his followers received for their support. Iraqi officials have said that hundreds of his followers have been released from jail, a key Sadrist demand.

Iraqis in many southern provinces and parts of eastern Baghdad where the Sadrists dominate have reported intimidation by Sadrist members who are feeling more powerful in light of their alliance with their one-time enemy and their triumphant return to Iraqi politics.

Iraqi political analyst Hadi Jalo told The Associated Press that the return of the man reviled by American forces also underscores the US`s waning political influence in Iraq as American forces prepare to leave the country entirely by the end of this year.

Shia Educationist Targeted In D I Khan District

Posted on January 5, 2011 by JNN.NEWS

JNN 05 Jan 2011 D I Khan : Professor Munir Hussain Sherazi was shot martyred in Dera Islamil Khan (D.I.Khan) by the terrorists of Banned Wahabi organizations Taliban and Sipah-e-Sahaba terrorists.

Professor Munir Hussain Sherazi embraced Shahadat as a result of on going Target Kiling by the terrorists on Monday at 2 pm, when he was going to his home from his job.

Majlis Wehdat Muslimeen (MWM) Central General Secretary Maulana Raja Nasir Abbas strongly condemns the target killing of Shia educationist Professor Munir Hussain Sherazi.

He said that Professor Munir Hussain Sherazi was dedicated for the Literacy in the Masses through his services in the educational institution saying that some elements want to kill the educated people in the country to fulfill their evil design.

He said that the continuous genocide of Shia Muslims across the country has the questioned mark on the performance of Government and law enforcement agencies.

Raja Nasir Abbas demanded of the government to immediately arrest the terrorists, who on the directives of United States and Israel killing the innocent shia Muslims.

Shia Educationist Targeted In D I Khan District

Posted on January 5, 2011 by JNN.NEWS

Professor Munir Hussain Sherazi embraced Shahadat as a result of on going Target Kiling by the terrorists on Monday at 2 pm, when he was going to his home from his job.

Majlis Wehdat Muslimeen (MWM) Central General Secretary Maulana Raja Nasir Abbas strongly condemns the target killing of Shia educationist Professor Munir Hussain Sherazi.

He said that the continuous genocide of Shia Muslims across the country has the questioned mark on the performance of Government and law enforcement agencies.

Raja Nasir Abbas demanded of the government to immediately arrest the terrorists, who on the directives of United States and Israel killing the innocent shia Muslims.

'US, EU sacrifice POOR for Rich'

Posted on January 5, 2011 by JNN.NEWS

JNN 05 Jan 2011 : The US and European governments try to resolve their economic crisis by exerting economic pressure on low-income people and offering more money to the banks, an analyst says.

“The crisis is in some measure being contrived in order to once again turn the distribution of wealth around and take money from the people who do not have much and give it to those that do,” said Ian Williams of Foreign Policy in Focus in an interview with Press TV.

“The first response in all of these crises is we must squeeze the workers, we must fire workers and employees and we must keep on giving money to bankers,” he added.

Williams further noted that US policies have been one of the major causes of this whole crisis.

“What the Federal Reserve has been doing is lending money at almost zero interest-rate to banks who then lend it to consumers at anything from 10to 20 percent,” he pointed out.

“It is not boosting the economy; it is not putting money into circulation. It is redistributing it within the system,” Williams concluded.

On Tuesday, the US Federal Reserve policy-setting panel said the worsening debt crisis in Europe could hamper America’s economic recovery. It also expressed concern over the devastated US housing market.

Fed officials say they view the American economy as modestly improving, but the recovery remains subject to some downside risks. They fear that if Europe’s banking and debt crisis persists, it would exacerbate such risks.

Last month, the Fed maintained its $600 billion asset-purchase program to accelerate the US economic recovery.

‘US, EU sacrifice POOR for Rich’

Posted on January 5, 2011 by JNN.NEWS

JNN 05 Jan 2011 : The US and European governments try to resolve their economic crisis by exerting economic pressure on low-income people and offering more money to the banks, an analyst says.

“The first response in all of these crises is we must squeeze the workers, we must fire workers and employees and we must keep on giving money to bankers,” he added.

Williams further noted that US policies have been one of the major causes of this whole crisis.

“What the Federal Reserve has been doing is lending money at almost zero interest-rate to banks who then lend it to consumers at anything from 10to 20 percent,” he pointed out.

“It is not boosting the economy; it is not putting money into circulation. It is redistributing it within the system,” Williams concluded.

Last month, the Fed maintained its $600 billion asset-purchase program to accelerate the US economic recovery.

Record number of British embrace Islam

Posted on January 5, 2011 by JNN.NEWS

JNN 05 Jan 2011 : A new study reveals that the number of British people converting to Islam has almost doubled in the past decade despite western media’s attempts to portray a negative image of the divine religion.

The study carried out by the inter-faith think-tank Faith Matters estimates that nearly 100,000 Muslim converts are now living in the UK, with as many as 5,000 new conversions nationwide each year, the daily Independent reported.

Previous estimates had placed the number of Muslim converts in the UK at between 14,000 and 25,000.

Meanwhile, data from the Scottish 2001 census estimated that there were 60,699 converts living in Britain in 2001.

Fiyaz Mughal, director of Faith Matters, admitted that coming up with a reliable estimate of the number of converts to Islam was notoriously difficult.

“This report is the best intellectual ‘guestimate’ using census numbers, local authority data and polling from mosques,” he said.

“Either way few people doubt that the number adopting Islam in the UK has risen dramatically in the past 10 years”, said the director of Faith Matters.

Asked why people were converting in such large numbers he replied: “I think there is definitely a relationship between conversions being on the increase and the prominence of Islam in the public domain. People are interested in finding out what Islam is all about and when they do that they go in different directions. Most shrug their shoulders and return to their lives but some will inevitably end up liking what they discover and will convert.”

Batool al-Toma is an Irish born convert to Islam of 25 years who works at the Islamic Foundation and runs the New Muslims Project.

Batool said she believed the new figures were “a little on the high side”.

“My guess would be the real figure is somewhere in between previous estimates, which were too low, and this latest one,” she said.

“I definitely think there has been a noticeable increase in the number of converts in recent years. The media often tries to pinpoint specifics but the reasons are as varied as the converts themselves”, said Batool.

Inayat Bunglawala, founder of Muslims4UK, which promotes active Muslim engagement in British society, said the figures were “not implausible”.

“It would mean that around one in 600 Britons is a convert to the faith,” he said. “Islam is a missionary religion and many Muslim organisations and particularly university students’ Islamic societies have active outreach programs designed to remove popular misconceptions about the faith”, he said.

Islam is one of the easiest religions to convert to. Technically, all a person needs to do is recite the Shahada, the formal declaration of faith, which states: “There is no God but Allah and Mohamed is his Prophet.” A single honest recitation is all that is needed to become a Muslim, but most converts choose to do so in front of at least two witnesses, one being an imam.

US steps up pressure on Latino Muslims (jafrianews.com)

US national debt climbs to $14 trillion

Posted on January 5, 2011 by JNN.NEWS

JNN 05 Jan 2011 : The US national debt has climbed to a record high of over $14 trillion amid concerns that the figure might surpass the debt ceiling set by the Congress.

The US Treasury reported on Tuesday that the national debt gained over $1 trillion since June, soaring to $14.02 trillion on December 31 from $13 trillion on June 1, as a fresh showdown between Democrats and Republicans looms large in deciding how the government should avert defaulting on its obligations, CBS News reported.

According to new statistics, the national debt stood at a whopping $14,025,215,218,708.52 – or $126,632 for every American taxpayer.

Meanwhile, concerns are running high that the increase could finally hit the statutory debt limit of $14.294 trillion set by the Congress and signed into law by US President Barak Obama in February last year.

Republicans, who have constantly campaigned on the platform of fiscal responsibility, have vowed to block an increase in the US debt ceiling, insisting that federal spending and unfunded government liabilities on entitlement programs should be slashed.

Last year, the US Congress voted to raise the debt ceiling to $14.3 trillion.

However, if the Congress does not vote to raise the debt limit this year, the likelihood of the governments’ default on its financial obligations would significantly increase.

The impact on the state of the US economy would be “catastrophic” if the federal government defaulted on its financial obligations, said White House economic adviser Austan Goolsbee.

“That would be the first default in history caused purely by insanity,” he emphasized.

The report comes as the worsening economic recession and vaulting debt crisis continue to wreak havoc in the US economy

US national debt climbs to $14 trillion

Posted on January 5, 2011 by JNN.NEWS

JNN 05 Jan 2011 : The US national debt has climbed to a record high of over $14 trillion amid concerns that the figure might surpass the debt ceiling set by the Congress.

According to new statistics, the national debt stood at a whopping $14,025,215,218,708.52 – or $126,632 for every American taxpayer.

Last year, the US Congress voted to raise the debt ceiling to $14.3 trillion.

However, if the Congress does not vote to raise the debt limit this year, the likelihood of the governments’ default on its financial obligations would significantly increase.

The impact on the state of the US economy would be “catastrophic” if the federal government defaulted on its financial obligations, said White House economic adviser Austan Goolsbee.

“That would be the first default in history caused purely by insanity,” he emphasized.

The report comes as the worsening economic recession and vaulting debt crisis continue to wreak havoc in the US economy

Governor of Punjab Salman Taseer Shot Dead in Islamabad

Posted on January 4, 2011 by JNN.NEWS

JNN 04 Jan 2011 : Governor of Punjab Salman Taseer was seriously injured in shooting at his car and succumbed to his injuries in hospital, a spokesman said.

Governor’s PRO Farrukh Shah said Salman Taseer was killed in assassination bid near his residence near Kohsar Market of Islamabad, JNN reported.

Governor Taseer was transferred to Polyclinic in Islamabad in serious condition but he succumbed to injuries.

An Elite Force Guard Named Malik Mumtaz Hussain Qadri has been arrested from the spot for attack. The man was posted for his security.

The assailant in his preliminary statement said that he had killed the governor after his statement about a blasphemy accused Aasia Bibi. He called the statement that Aasia Bibi has been innocent

Ahlul Bayt World Assembly Will Write a Letter to Azerbaijan President to Solve Shia Problems

Posted on January 3, 2011 by JNN.NEWS

JNN 03 Jan 2011 : In a meeting with the head of Ahlul Bayt World Assembly and delegation of Azeri Shias, the difficulties and problems of Ahlul Bayt followers in Azerbaijan have been considered.

In the meeting the ex leader of Azeri Islamic Community “Haj Ali Ikram Aliuf” presented a reports of the situation of the oppressed Shias and their bravely resistance on the ban of Hijab in universities.

The delegation severely condemned the Azeri government and said: the government illegally banned the Hijab in universities without parliament permission just because of testing the community’s tolerance against anti-religious activities.

“The people of Azerbaijan never give up their religion – especially zealous woman – and will strongly resist against anti-religious and Islamphobia.” the delegation affirmed.
The head of Ahlul bayt World Assembly said: No power in the world can eliminate Islam and Ahl ul Bayt, because Islam is in the soul of mankind.

“Shias during the Period of Communist, difficulty protected their faith and now they should be in welfare and freedom to do their rituals.” Akhtari said.

At the end Akhtari stressed that in near future Ahlul Bayt World Assembly would write a letter to the Azerbaijan president “Elham Aliuf” and will explain him the most important problems of Shia Muslism.

Senior Sunni Cleric of Al Azhar University Severely Condemns Wahhabi's Holding Feasts on Ashura

Posted on January 3, 2011 by JNN.NEWS

JNN 03 Jan 2011 : Al-azhar university cleric severely blasts Wahhabis for holding feasts on Ashura, mourning day for the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein (AS).

Senior Sunni cleric Sheykh Khalid Muhammad Kamal al-Shazli in a speech in the Egyptian capital of Cairo pointed to the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (AS), the third Shia Imam and grandson to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and said that holding mourning ceremonies on the day of Ashura is one of the best ways of worshipping God.

A professor to Al-azhar university, Sheykh Khalid Muhammad Kamal al-Shazli said,” In the holy books of the Sunni, there are references to the catastrophes of Imam Hussein (AS) and holding feasts and parties on this day is absoulutely out of one’s ignorance and if Muslims do so, they have to change their way.

Wahhabi-related media every year in the mourning month of Muharram recite uncertain narrations which introduce Ashura as the day of feast and parties thinking that one has to hold a party on this day and double the blessings of the day by fasting.

Noteworthy to say that the Egyptian and people of Cairo in particular, including Shia and Sunni have a special attention to Imam Hussein (AS) mosque believing that the head of Imam Hussein (AS) [decapitated after his martyrdom] was carried by one of the daughters of Imam Hussein (AS) to Egypt as a way of protection from the enemies.

The place is now considered a holy place and much respected by both Shia and Sunni.

Saudi Shia and Sunni Muslims Sign a Document of Reconciliation After the Events of Ashura (jafrianews.com)
Erdogan Attends Ashura Ceremony in Istanbul, Addresses Mourners (jafrianews.com)

Senior Sunni Cleric of Al Azhar University Severely Condemns Wahhabi’s Holding Feasts on Ashura

Posted on January 3, 2011 by JNN.NEWS

JNN 03 Jan 2011 : Al-azhar university cleric severely blasts Wahhabis for holding feasts on Ashura, mourning day for the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein (AS).

The place is now considered a holy place and much respected by both Shia and Sunni.

Saudi Shia and Sunni Muslims Sign a Document of Reconciliation After the Events of Ashura (jafrianews.com)
Erdogan Attends Ashura Ceremony in Istanbul, Addresses Mourners (jafrianews.com)

Iran's EU exports up despite sanctions

Posted on January 2, 2011 by JNN.NEWS

JNN 02 Jan 2011 : Iran’s exports to EU member states rose by 55 percent during the country’s fourth five-year development plan (2005-2010), the Trade Promotion Organization (TPO) of Iran has said.

The value of Iran’s exports to EU states reaches from $1.3 billion in the year 1384 (21 March 2005-20 March 2006) to $2.13 in the year 1388, which ended on March 21, 2010, IRNA quoted Reza Tofiqi, an official for the TPO international affairs as saying on Saturday.

He added that the volume of Iran’s non-oil exports to EU states showed a 49 percent increase over the same period.

“Iran’s non-oil exports to the European Union revealed an eight percent boost during the first seven months of the current Iranian calendar year of 1389 (started on March 21, 2010),” the TPO official said.

The UN Security Council imposed a fourth round of US-engineered sanctions resolution on Iran over Western allegations that Tehran is developing a military nuclear program.

Iranian officials refute such allegations and stress that as a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency and a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, the country has a legitimate right to pursue peaceful nuclear technology.

Iran’s EU exports up despite sanctions

Posted on January 2, 2011 by JNN.NEWS

He added that the volume of Iran’s non-oil exports to EU states showed a 49 percent increase over the same period.

The UN Security Council imposed a fourth round of US-engineered sanctions resolution on Iran over Western allegations that Tehran is developing a military nuclear program.

UK backs US's invasion of Ivory Coast

Posted on January 2, 2011 by JNN.NEWS

JNN 02 Jan 2011 : The British Foreign minister William Hague has said that the government supports the US military action and United Nations sanctions against the Ivory Coast.

Hague highlighted that the force would continue until the Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo hands over the power to Alassane Ouattro, who is internationally recognized as the winner of the 28 November election, according to the state-run BBC.

Asking whether he would support invasion on Cote d’Ivoire, Hague answered, “Yes, in principle.”

Hague said that British troops would not be allocated to the African country, stressing that the government has already sent a military liaison to analyse the situation there.

“We have deployed a military liaison officer to the country to work on various contingencies with the French, but I’m not raising the possibility today of British forces being deployed.”

Hague added that Gbagbo’s official accounts have been frozen and that his power would depend on the support of the Ivorian Army.

“…it will run out of money in the coming weeks and that means it will run out of power…”

UK backs US’s invasion of Ivory Coast

Posted on January 2, 2011 by JNN.NEWS

JNN 02 Jan 2011 : The British Foreign minister William Hague has said that the government supports the US military action and United Nations sanctions against the Ivory Coast.

Asking whether he would support invasion on Cote d’Ivoire, Hague answered, “Yes, in principle.”

Hague said that British troops would not be allocated to the African country, stressing that the government has already sent a military liaison to analyse the situation there.

“We have deployed a military liaison officer to the country to work on various contingencies with the French, but I’m not raising the possibility today of British forces being deployed.”

Hague added that Gbagbo’s official accounts have been frozen and that his power would depend on the support of the Ivorian Army.

“…it will run out of money in the coming weeks and that means it will run out of power…”

Yemen's Saleh aims for life presidency

Posted on January 2, 2011 by JNN.NEWS

JNN 02 Jan 2011 : Yemen’s parliament has preliminary agreed to a controversial constitutional amendment that would allow President Ali Abdullah Saleh to rule for life.

The measure was adopted with an overwhelming majority on Saturday, with only two parliament members opposing the vote.

The parliament — dominated by Saleh’s General People’s Congress (GPC) party — is expected to hold a formal vote on the issue in March.

The constitutional amendment will then be submitted for a referendum, which will be held simultaneously with parliamentary polls on April 27.

If the Yemeni parliament votes in favor of the measure, leading to the cancellation of presidential term limits, Saleh could become the life-long president of the Arabian Peninsula nation.

Saturday’s parliamentary ruling has sparked an opposition protest outside the parliament, where thousands of Yemenis, among them opposition and independent MPs, staged a sit-in.

They warned that adopting the amendments would “destroy what remains of the foundations of democracy” in Yemen.

They also emphasized that the action would “pave the way for hereditary succession.”

Opponents accuse the 68-year-old president of grooming his eldest son Ahmed, who heads an elite unit of the army called the Republican Guard, to succeed him.

Some analysts say Saturday’s voting could also heighten already simmering tensions in Yemen, where the government is facing a growing Al-Qaeda threat, a Shia Houthi uprising in the north and growing calls for secession in the south.

Yemen’s Saleh has been in power for more than 32 years.

He previously served as president of the Yemen Arab Republic (North Yemen) from 1978 until 1990. After the unification of the country, he resumed his post as president.

Saleh was elected for the first time in 1999 for a term of seven years. His second term, which began in 2006, expires in 2013.

Yemen’s Saleh aims for life presidency