Israel’s scorched earth policy in Gaza could prove fatal

The recent Israeli pounding on Gaza reminds us of the brutal Gaza invasion in 2009 that resulted “in between 1,166 and 1,417 Palestinian and 13 Israeli deaths (four from friendly fire)”. The human toll and the destruction of the infrastructure in Gaza nearly five years ago still reverberates. The current bombing spate by the Netanyahu government from the air and sea is again turning Gaza into rubble.

This, according to the Israeli government, is in response to hundreds of rockets fired at Israel by Hamas from Gaza, that has created fear amongst the Israeli population and claimed three Israeli lives. But this is asymmetric warfare: The death toll in Gaza has already crossed 100, including many women and children.

Israel says it is only targeting selective targets with “surgical precision”. But its claims are not substantiated by facts: The majority of victims are innocent civilians. Despite some pressures from America and Britain, Israel is massing its troops near Gaza; a ground invasion seems possible.

The Gazan people’s back has been to the wall for some time; they have been subjected to inhumane conditions under almost total siege by Israel for some years - something considered illegal under international humanitarian law.

According to a UN report, Gaza in 2020: A liveable place?, “Israel’s Operation ‘Cast Lead’ in 2008-09 ‘caused a total of US$181 million in direct and US$88 million in longer-term costs for Gaza’s agriculture; generated about 600,000 tonnes of rubble and US$ 44 million in environmental costs.”

The trauma it created is irreparable and the conditions are dismal. As late as 2010, British Prime Minister David Cameron termed Gaza as a prison camp and the former US President, Jimmy Carter, called Gaza a prison.

Atmosphere

of despair

Beyond Gaza, the situation in historic Palestine is not much different. Israeli land grabbing, illegal settlements and ethnic cleansing in occupied territories, forced removal of families from their homes, the increasing refugee problems, massive unemployment, daily humiliation of Palestinian people in the crossings, the erection of the “apartheid wall” - have all created an atmosphere of despair.

As in its 2009 operation, Israel is trying to match its overwhelming military might with its superior media outreach in the western world. As a result, and due to what seems to be America’s depressingly unquestioned support for Israel, many in the West buy in to the Israeli narrative claiming Hamas as a “terrorist” organisation.

Sadly, people have a short memory. They forget that Hamas, for all its flaws, formed the legitimate Palestinian government after winning an internationally-accepted election in 2006 (but they were conveniently dumped by the US and other western governments).

The fear of being accused as anti-Semitic has inhibited many in the West from publicly criticising Israel’s historic injustice to the Palestinians. Some try to be ambivalent; in order to prove their neutrality, the only thing they do is offer some advice to Israeli and Palestinian politicians to sort out the mess on the negation table.

However, an overwhelming majority of people in the Muslim world and many in Asia, Africa and Latin America consider Israel a Pariah state, supported by the world’s sole superpower, the United States. Many consider Israel as a Goliath when it comes to the Palestinian people.

The US and other western governments have failed to publicly criticise Israel for its iron-fist policy on Palestine. That has made them incapable of becoming honest peace-brokers between the two sides. The so called “road map for peace”, initiated by the US in 2002, was rejected by Israel and did not see the light of the day.

The recent call from some western leaders for a “de-escalation” of the crisis by asking Hamas to stop firing the rockets and pleading with Israel not to wreck “international support” only shows impotence. There is a clear lack of leadership from western leaders, particularly the US administration.

Military might

Israel has massive political and military might and the Israeli leadership is also known to be politically smarter than the Arab leaders. Israel has become a garrison state with conventional and weapons of mass destruction that include nuclear bombs (although not publicly acknowledged). It has the unconditional backing of the largest military power on earth. This has blinded Israel’s judgment and made it arrogant.

But in the greater scheme of things, the Israeli leadership lacks strategic wisdom that is needed for its future. With all its military, diplomatic and media advantage, time is not on Israel’s side. History also teaches us that the days of injustice do not last long.

The Palestinian people may be underdogs now, but people with insight can see they are the ones who are setting the future agenda. Whatever Hamas is doing - out of madness, desperation or a long-term strategy - Israel seems to be falling in their trap of an un-winnable, long and protracted war.

The Israeli strength so far has lain with the disunity and incompetence of the Arab regimes. But things are changing within the Arab world, as we all know. Plus the tectonic plate of world economic power is shifting towards the East; with it the global political and military power may change at some time in the future.

During the 2009 Gaza crisis, two prominent Muslim countries - Turkey and Egypt - carried little weight in the world. Now they are trying to assert their rightful place. Their position on the Arab-Israeli conflict is now clearer. For the first time in many decades, the world attention has focused on Egypt. Whether its President Morsi succeeds in bringing the two sides to a ceasefire agreement will be interesting to see, but a new chapter seems to be dawning in the Middle East.

A just and lasting solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict is not only essential for Israeli and Palestinian people, but also for the whole world. This needs a clear “thinking outside the box” by the Israeli leadership and their backers in America. And it must come soon.

Dr Muhammad Abdul Bari is the former Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain (2006-10). He is an educationalist, community activist and parenting consultant. He is a founding member of The East London Communities Organisation (TELCO) and currently Chairman of the East London Mosque Trust.

 

Export Knitted Garments

Pakistan always condemns terrorism in all its forms

Pakistan on Wednesday reacting to execution of Mohammad Ajmal Kasab‚ the lone survivor in the Mumbai attacks said Pakistan's position on terrorism has been very clear and consistent and it always condemns terrorism in all its forms.
In a statement issued in Islamabad on Wednesday Foreign Office spokesman Moazzam Ali Khan said we are willing to cooperate and work closely with all countries of the region to eliminate scourge of terrorism.
While clarifying a report of Indian press about not receiving a note from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad regarding the execution of Ajmal Kasab‚ the Spokesman Moazzam Ali Khan said these reports are incorrect and baseless.
He said the Deputy High Commissioner from Indian Embassy visited Foreign Office on Tuesday evening with the note regarding the execution of Ajmal Kasab and Director General South Asia‚ Ministry of Foreign Affairs received that note and acknowledged the receipt.
It may be mentioned that Ajmal Kasab‚ the lone survivor of a Mumbai attack in 2008 in which 166 people were killed was executed on Wednesday in Indian jail.
Kasab's execution came after the Indian President rejected his mercy plea.
The Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid has said that if family of Ajmal Kasab demands the handover of the body‚ the request could be considered seriously.

Pak-India Champions Trophy match tickets sold out

DUBAI  - The first allocation of tickets to see two of cricket's biggest rivals - India and Pakistan – clash at Edgbaston in the ICC Champions Trophy sold out in just three hours after going on general sale.

It is the first of the 15 matches in the tournament to have sold out its initial allocation of tickets. Additional tickets for this match may be released to the public via official outlets nearer the event, a release from the international governing body stated on Tuesday. The tickets were set on sale from Monday morning.

The sub-continental rivals will meet at Edgbaston on June 15 next year. Warwickshire's home ground will host five games in total, as will the other two venues -- The Oval and Cardiff Wales Stadium. Tournament director Steve Elworthy said: "The ICC Champions Trophy is one of the biggest tournaments in world cricket, and with India and Pakistan meeting in the group stage at Edgbaston, we've seen a huge demand for tickets in the first day of sales.

"Any additional tickets that become available for this fixture will be sold via www.icc-cricket.com, so be sure to visit this site regularly for further information," he said. Fans are strongly urged not to purchase tickets through secondary resale websites. Tickets appearing on these sites have broken the terms and conditions, and action is being taken against the perpetrators, the release warned.

Tickets for the remaining matches of the ICC Champions Trophy, including the final, can still be purchased at www.icc-cricket.com or via the ICC Champions Trophy Ticket Hotline -- 0844 249 2013, it added. Adult tickets for the ICC Champions Trophy range from 20 pounds to 60 pounds, while tickets for under-16s (providing they are accompanied by an adult) are priced at five pounds for the entire event.

A new pricing structure has also seen the introduction of tickets for under-21s, which can be bought for between 10-25 pounds.

United, Barca eye Knockout stage

ARIS - Manchester United can avenge the embarrassment of last year's Champions League group stage exit with a victory in Braga on Wednesday, while Barcelona can also secure their passage to the knockout stage by beating Celtic.

The fourth round of matches holds great significance for several teams in this year's competition as defending champions Chelsea face a crunch encounter against runaway Ukrainian league leaders Shakhtar Donetsk, with beaten finalists Bayern Munich vying to keep pace in Group F when they host Lille.

United recovered from an early two-goal deficit to beat Braga 3-2 at Old Trafford a fortnight ago to record their third win in as many matches in Europe's top club competition, having yet to reach top gear. Successive league wins over Chelsea and Arsenal has seen United climb to the top of the Premier League table and defensive stalwart Rio Ferdinand believes there is more to come from the Group H leaders.

"I don't think we have hit a real purple patch yet, which we are really searching for," he was quoted as saying on the club's website. Despite a solid defensive display in Saturday's 2-1 triumph over the Gunners, United's profligacy in front of goal prevented a more convincing scoreline and Ferdinand stressed the importance of "getting it all in one package and doing it all in ninety minutes at the right times".

"We're still aiming for that and it will come soon, don't worry," added the 33-year-old in an ominous warning to upcoming opponents. Spanish giants Barcelona also have maximum points after three rounds and may welcome back long-term absentee Gerard Pique after the defender was included in the squad for Wednesday's tie in Glasgow. A 3-1 win over Celta Vigo at the weekend propelled Barca to their best start to a league season and the Catalans own the distinction of being the only side to have defeated Celtic at Parkhead in the tournament's modern era.

Jordi Alba's stoppage-time winner broke Celtic hearts at the Nou Camp two weeks ago and another triumph for Tito Vilanova's side would secure their progression to the last 16, leaving Celtic with plenty of work to do after a promising start to Group G.

Chelsea will be out for revenge at Stamford Bridge against Shakhtar after their first taste of Ukrainian opposition ended in a 2-0 defeat on matchday three. Group E leaders Shakhtar are searching for a first victory on English soil, while second-place Chelsea know they cannot afford to cede any more ground if they are to repeat last year's improbable success.

The Blues are just a point ahead of Juventus, who are in action against Danish minnows Nordsjaelland, and must still travel to Turin later in the month. Chelsea playmaker Juan Mata billed Wednesday's clash "like a final", underlining the importance of collecting three points "if (Chelsea) want to finish first in (their) group".

Meanwhile last season's runners-up Bayern Munich find themselves level with Valencia and BATE Borisov, who meet at the Mestalla in midweek, on six points in Group F. The German heavyweights will be aiming to regain control of the group when they host strugglers Lille at the Allianz Arena, while Rudi Garcia's French charges must avoid defeat to prevent an early elimination.

Romanian outfit CFR Cluj can tighten their grip on the second qualification spot alongside United in Group H as they welcome bottom side Galatasaray to Transylvania. Elsewhere Benfica are out to stop the rot against visiting Group G rivals Spartak Moscow in Portugal.

Spartak's 2-1 win in Moscow earned Unai Emery's side their first points of the campaign, while Benfica -- who have lost two consecutive European home fixtures -- are bottom with just a point to their name.

US federal court dismisses Dr Aafia Siddiqui appeal plea

US court has dismissed the appeal plea  by Dr Aafia Siddiqui against her conviction and sentence and upheld 86-year prison term awarded on her by a New York court.

A New York court had sentenced Dr Aafia Siddiqui to 86-year jail term in September 2010 for shooting FBI agents and US army personnel during her arrest in Afghanistan. Counsels of Dr Aafia had filed appeal plea against her sentence in federal court at New York seeking fresh trial of the case.

They had taken the ground in the appeal plea norms of justice were not met in the case against their client and she was awarded punishment on the basis of charges lacking evidence.

Pronouncing a 42-page verdict, US court declined to accept the plea that what  Dr Aafia Siddiqui had done was due to her being in state of mental disorder.

The court ruled in the decision that element of terrorism could not be ruled out from the case. District judge gave full opportunity to Dr Aafia before rendering judgment that she should fully keep in picture the consequences of the statements given by her in the court. But she gave no indication at any stage for her withdrawal from her statements, court added. 

Obama wins four more years

US President Barack Obama swept to a emphatic re-election win over Mitt Romney Tuesday, forging new history by transcending a dragging economy and the stifling unemployment which haunted his first term.

The 44th US president and the first African American to claim the Oval Office, was returned to power after a joyless election which appears to have deepened, rather than healed, his nation's political divides.

"In this election, you, the American people, reminded us that while our road has been hard, while our journey has been long, we have picked ourselves up, we have fought our way back," Obama said at a triumphant victory party in Chicago.

"We know in our hearts that for the United States of America the best is yet to come," Obama said, striving for inspirational heights rarely touched in a campaign where the prophet of hope of 2008 became a conventional, brawling politician.

As Obama's victory was confirmed with wins in rustbelt Ohio and his spiritual political home in Iowa, large crowds suddenly materialized at the White House, chanting "four more years" and "O-bama, O-bama."

Republican nominee Romney, deflated and exhausted, offered Obama a classy tribute, as he appeared before dejected supporters in Boston, moments after phoning the US leader to formally concede and to congratulate his team.

"I wish all of them well but particularly the president, the First Lady and their daughters," Romney said.

"This is a time of great challenges for America and I pray that the president will be successful in guiding our nation."

Obama repaid the compliment in his speech, saying the Romney family "had chosen to give back to America through public service and that is the legacy that we honor and applaud tonight."

And in an intriguing aside, the president said he looked forward to sitting down with his former foe to find if they could find common ground to work together.

Once the euphoria fades, the president will face a tough task enacting his second term agenda, after Republicans, who thwarted him repeatedly in his first term, retained control of the House of Representatives.

Democrats kept the Senate but fell short of the 60-vote super majority needed to pass major legislation over Republican blocking tactics.

With a clutch of swing states including Florida still to be declared, Obama already had 303 electoral votes, well over the 270 needed to win the White House.

Obama paved the way to victory with a staunch defense of Democratic bastions in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan, at which Romney had taken a last minute run when he saw more conventional paths to victory blocked.

He also locked in swing states, Virginia, which he became the first Democrat to win since 1964 four years ago, Nevada, Ohio, New Hampshire, Colorado and Iowa, crushing Romney's slim hopes of a viable path to victory.

Romney could only wrestle Indiana and North Carolina from Obama's 2008 account.

Obama and Romney were neck-and-neck in Florida, but the final results from the Sunshine State were not expected until Wednesday.

The win in Iowa will be especially sweet for Obama, as the heartland state nurtured his unlikely White House dreams way back in 2007 and a tear rolled down his cheek as he held his last ever campaign rally there late Monday.

His victory in Ohio represents a delayed repayment for his gutsy call in 2009 to mandate a federal bailout of the auto industry, on which one in eight jobs in the state depend and which Romney opposed.

Obama, no longer a prophet of hope and change, won re-election with a fiercely negative campaign, as he branded Romney, a former multi-millionaire corporate turnaround wizard as indifferent to the woes of the middle class.

Prior to Obama's victory, no president in 70 years had won re-election with the unemployment rate above 7.4 percent. Although the economy has created more than five million jobs since the Great Recession, the rate is now 7.9 percent.

Exit polls showed that though only 39 percent of people believed that the economy was improving, around half of Americans blamed former Republican president George W. Bush for the tenuous situation, and not Obama.

Obama's victory was a complete vindication for a campaign team that had predicted a close, but winnable election, despite the painful after effects of the deepest economic crisis since the 1930s Great Depression.

The president ran for re-election on a platform of offering a "fair shot" to the middle class, of fulfilling his pledge to end the war in Iraq, killing Osama bin Laden, and of building a clean energy economy.

Remarkably, his coalition of Hispanic, African American and young voters, defied expectations and turned out in similar numbers to those of his euphoric change-fueled campaign in 2008, shocking Romney's team.

Latino voters in particular helped Obama to victory in the desert state of Nevada, and in the Rocky Mountains state of Colorado, US television networks projected.

Republicans had insisted right up to election day that Obama's army, disaffected by busted expectations for his first term, would stay home, and had predicted instead a late Republican wave that would elevate Romney.

Now, Obama will get the chance to protect his historic reforms of health care and Wall Street and may have the chance to shape the Supreme Court for a generation, with several vacancies on the bench expected to arise.

Obama will also likely look abroad as he builds his legacy, but will face an immediate challenge early in 2013 and a possible decision whether to use military force to thwart Iran's nuclear program.

More immediately, at home, Obama will face a swift showdown with Republicans on Capitol Hill, on the so-called "fiscal cliff" involving the expiry of Bush-era tax cuts and a need to raise the US debt ceiling.

Ruinous budget cuts designed to trim the ballooning deficit, which could tip the economy into recession, are also about to come due, unless Obama can reach a deal with Republicans, who have opposed him tooth and nail for four years.

The president may have been helped at the 11th hour when superstorm Sandy roared ashore, killing more than 100 Americans, but giving Obama the chance to publicly pull the levers of government.

  Week 9: Redskins vs. Panthers

Welcome to the Week 9 Redskins live blog as we break down this afternoon’s game against the Carolina Panthers (1-6). Following a 27-12 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers last Sunday, the Redskins (3-5) are seeking to end a two-game slide before their bye week as they try to climb out of last place in the NFC East. Safety Brandon Meriweather and wide receiver Pierre Garcon have been ruled out, and cornerback DeAngelo Hall remains eligible to play following an incident last weekend involving an official. Some more reading before today’s 1 p.m. kickoff:

WB channel now in Pakistan

Lahore (PR) - Turner Broadcasting Systems Asia Pacific, Inc. is to launch a new entertainment channel in Pakistan - WB. Available in homes across Pakistan from today, WB is Turner’s brand new 24-hour, English entertainment channel. This launch bolsters Turner’s commitment to consistently fulfil the entertainment needs of Pakistan viewers. It will serve as the premiere destination for all Hollywood enthusiasts offering the biggest hit movies, hottest action, best drama, funniest series and brightest stars from the world’s most prolific studio, Warner Bros., in a sleek and exciting environment.

WB will be distributed in Pakistan through Homecast Entertainment Private Limited and will be made available to advertisers by TBS Pakistan with the help of their ad sales representatives Strategic Alliances.

The channel is targeted at an upscale urban audience with an appetite for quality programming and 24-hour Hollywood content. WB will bring the best of award winning Hollywood entertainment to TV sets in Pakistan.

WB is Pakistan’s gateway to Hollywood! This premiere destination is meant for all Hollywood aficionados, offering the biggest movies, hottest action, best dramas, funniest series and the brightest stars from the world’s most prolific studio. Showcasing programming licensed from Warner Bros., WB is aimed at a Pakistan audience with a colossal appetite for Hollywood’s best content, around the clock. WB is a 24-hour, English-language entertainment channel from Turner Broadcasting System Asia Pacific, Inc. Now that’s Hollywood!

Pak-India visa pact gets nod

ISLAMABAD – Federal cabinet of the PPP-led ruling coalition Wednesday approved a new election laws bill, reaffirming their commitment to holding free, fair and transparent general elections.Chaired by Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, the cabinet considered the agenda, took decisions on various issues of national importance and ratified the Pakistan-India visa regime agreement.The agreement, signed between the then Indian External Affairs Minister SM Krishna and Interior Minister Rehman Malik, aims at giving more concessions and simplifying the procedure to grant visa with a view to promoting people-to-people contact. It also envisages enhanced trade and business activities between two neighbours by giving the businessmen from both sides concessions such as multiple entry one-year visas, with exemption from police report and an increase in the number of cities the visa-holders may visit. The cabinet also approved the Election Laws Bill 2012, which aims at enhancing institutional capacity of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to ensure fair and transparent elections. Addressing the meeting, PM Raja said that the international community was appreciative of the measures taken by the present government for holding of transparent elections.He said the government was about to complete its five-year term that would be a major milestone. He added that a strong democratic setup would help bring stability to the country. The PM said he would start a series of public meetings across the country and mentioned his last public address at Gujar Khan and the “unprecedented public response” which he said spoke of the successful policies of the government.The meeting also discussed the overall political situation in the country with special reference to Asghar Khan case. Sources reported the PM as saying that the government would implement the SC judgment in letter and spirit. PM Raja took the cabinet into confidence over his plans to attend the meeting of Asia Europe Meeting (ASEM) in Laos next week that would be attended by leaders from Europe and Asia. The prime minister said he was saddened to hear about the devastation caused by Superstorm Sandy in the United States of America and expressed solidarity of the people and government of Pakistan with the people and government of the US. He said he had also directed the Pakistan embassy in Washington to reach out to the Pakistanis in US and set up a hotline to facilitate them.He also apprised the cabinet members about his recent visit to Saudi Arabia to perform Haj, on the invitation of Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz. He mentioned his fruitful meetings with the Saudi leaders including the Crown Prince Salman bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud. He said he invited the Crown Prince to visit Pakistan, which he accepted.Later addressing a news conference, Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira said that the general elections would be held latest by May after the assemblies complete their term in March. He rejected what he described as baseless propaganda about delay in the coming elections, saying in the presence of a free media and independent judiciary such a proposition was out of question.Answering questions, he said that the SC verdict in Asghar Khan case has proved that the government installed after the 1990 elections was illegitimate and its decisions need validation. “There is a serious debate over the legitimacy of the then government and the issue should be resolved. There is a need to hold trial of people like Lt-Gen (r) Hameed Gul,” he told a questioner.

Major disaster’ as nature devastates US East Coast

NEW YORK — President Barack Obama declared a major disaster in the New York City area Tuesday as Superstorm Sandy pounded the East Coast, killing at least 38 people, sweeping homes into the ocean, flooding large swaths of coastal areas, crippling public transit, and leaving millions without power.

As the East Coast woke up, residents faced the prospect of up to a week without heat, light or refrigeration, while authorities tried to measure the full wrath of the once-in-a-generation hurricane.

The storm weakened as it moved further inland but forecasters still warned of gale-force winds and flooding along the densely-populated coast, where a massive fire broke out in New York City and a levee broke in New Jersey. At least 38 people were killed in the United States and Canada as the storm roared ashore late Monday, pounding several major cities with heavy rain and hurricane-force winds that toppled trees and ripped down power lines.

President Obama declared a ‘major disaster’ had hit the states of New York and New Jersey, an order that cleared the way for federal grants and loans to help storm victims acquire temporary housing and repair damage. Seawater coursed between the iconic skyscrapers of New York’s financial district in lower Manhattan, flooding subways and road tunnels and shorting out the power grid, leaving a half-million households and businesses in the dark.

Further south, the sea surged over vast swathes of the eastern seaboard, turning coastal cities into ghost towns as the high winds grounded flights and shut down rail links, public transport and government offices.

The catastrophe completely overshadowed the US election race, forcing a halt to campaigning a week before Americans were due to go to the polls to choose between President Obama and challenger Mitt Romney.

Hurricane Sandy had killed 67 people as it tore through the Caribbean, and reports of more deaths began to arrive after it made landfall at 8:00 pm (0000 GMT) in New Jersey and began to wreak havoc in the United States. A massive fire destroyed at least 50 homes in Breezy Point, a seaside community in Queens, New York. Firefighters had difficulty reaching the blaze due to the severe weather. The cause of the fire was not immediately known. Authorities had ordered hundreds of thousands of residents in areas from New England to North Carolina to evacuate their homes and seek shelter, but many chose to stay on, to the frustration of police and local officials.

Falling trees tore down power cables, plunging what weather experts said were millions of homes into darkness, while storm warnings cut rail links and marooned tens of thousands of travellers at airports across the region. The hurricane sent a record storm surge of 13.7 feet into lower Manhattan, flooding seven major subway tunnels used by hundreds of thousands of daily commuters and swamping cars in the financial district. “The New York City subway system is 108 years old, but it has never faced a disaster as devastating as what we experienced last night,” city transport director Joseph Lhota said early Tuesday.

Firefighters meanwhile struggled to contain a massive blaze in the Queens borough that destroyed more than 50 homes, and in northern New Jersey police in boats pulled residents from second-storey windows after a levee broke.

Hours earlier, a power sub-station exploded in a burst of light captured by amateur photographers as a massive blackout left much of Manhattan, and some 500,000 homes across New York City, in darkness.

The floodwaters had begun to recede early Tuesday, but the Con Edison power company said it could take a week to completely restore power.

Disaster estimating firm Eqecat forecast that Sandy would affect more than 60 million Americans, a fifth of the population, and cause up to $20 billion in damage. Refineries closed and major arteries such as New York’s Holland Tunnel were shut to traffic. The operator of two major New Jersey nuclear plants said they might have to be closed, threatening half of the state’s power supply.

The New York Stock Exchange, the Nasdaq and the futures markets in Chicago were closed for Monday and Tuesday, along with federal government offices and the entire Amtrak rail network on the eastern seaboard. Obama urged Americans to heed local evacuation orders as he stepped off the campaign trail and spent the day in the White House helping to coordinate the response to the disaster. “The election will take care of itself next week,” Obama said. “Right now, our number one priority is to make sure that we are saving lives... and that we respond as quickly as possible to get the economy back on track.”

Both the Democratic incumbent and his Republican rival Romney were keen to display resolute leadership in the face of the storm, given the memory of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Romney also cancelled some campaign appearances.

Former president George W Bush was widely seen as having bungled the handling of Katrina, which devastated New Orleans. The failure of authorities in the ensuing emergency response tainted the rest of his presidency.

The United Nations, which closed its headquarters in New York on Monday, has again cancelled all meetings and conferences scheduled for Tuesday because of the huge damage and disruptions.

In an attempt to lessen damage from saltwater to the subway system and the electrical network beneath the city’s financial district, New York City’s main utility cut power to about 6,500 customers in lower Manhattan. But a far wider swath of the city was hit with blackouts caused by flooding and transformer explosions.

The surge hit New York City hours after a construction crane atop a luxury high-rise collapsed in the wind and dangled precariously 74 floors above the street. Forecasters said the wind at the top of the building may have been close to 95 mph.

Airlines cancelled more than 12,000 flights, disrupting the plans of travellers all over the world.

Storm damage was projected at $10 billion to $20 billion, meaning it could prove to be one of the costliest natural disasters in US history.

Ten deaths were reported in New Jersey, New York, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Connecticut. Some of the victims were killed by falling trees. At least one death was blamed on the storm in Canada.

“We are looking at the highest storm surges ever recorded” in the Northeast, said Jeff Masters, meteorology director for Weather Underground, a private forecasting service. “The energy of the storm surge is off the charts, basically.”

In Maryland, at least 100 feet of a fishing pier at the beach resort of Ocean City was destroyed, and Gov. Martin O’Malley said there would be devastating flooding from the swollen Chesapeake Bay.

“There will be people who die and are killed in this storm,” he said.

Meanwhile, two US nuclear power plants were shut down early Tuesday in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, but the plant operators stressed there were no risks to the public.

New Jersey’s main power company PSEG Nuclear shut down its Salem 1 unit on the Delaware River, saying most of its water circulation pumps had been rendered unusable ‘due to weather impacts’.

PSEG said it manually shut down the 1,175 MW unit, but said there were “no issues” in the shutdown and the facility was “currently stable.”

The Salem 2 unit was already offline for maintenance when the storm hit, and PSEG said another nearby nuclear unit, Hope Creek, remains operating at full power.

In New York, power generator Entergy shut down a unit of its Indian Point nuclear facility “due to external electrical grid issues.”

Another unit remained at full power, and Entergy said on Twitter that there was “no risk” to the public or company employees.

Late Monday, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission said it was monitoring all plants in the US northeast as Sandy pushed up water levels in rivers and bays, which are crucial for cooling operations at the facilities.

The Oyster Creek plant in New Jersey, which was in a regularly scheduled outage when the storm hit, set off an alert when floodwaters exceeded a threshold set for its water intake facilities.

Wet snow and high winds spinning off the edge of Superstorm Sandy spread blizzard conditions over parts of West Virginia and neighbouring Appalachian states Tuesday, shutting one interstate as trucks and cars bogged down and knocking out power to many.

The National Weather Service said a foot and more of snow was reported in lower elevations of West Virginia, where most towns and roads are. High elevations in the mountains were getting more than two feet and a blizzard warning for parts of the state was in effect until Wednesday afternoon.

More than 205,000 customers in West Virginia were without power early Tuesday. In Elkins, a city of about 7,000 people, power went out across town before dawn and the only lights were from passing snow plows as heavy, wet flakes piled up to about 8 inches.

Staff Reporter from Islamabad adds: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has directed Pakistan’s Ambassador to US Sherry Rehman and Counsel General in New York to reach out to Pakistani expatriates to tell them to stay vigilant and follow the safety precautions laid out by the US authorities after the devastation caused by the storm.

Accordingly, Pakistan Embassy and other missions a number of steps have been taken to stay in touch with expatriate Pakistanis in the affected States.

The Embassy and the Consulate General have approached key Pakistani community members through phone and email and urged them to remain vigilant and take all necessary safety precautions as laid out by their respective district governments and to approach the nearest emergency centre whenever needed. According to the decision of the US Government to declare a State of emergency in Washington and to close all offices, the Embassy has also been closed.

However, all the concerned staff is on standby to respond to any contingency if required.

Obama declares disaster as nature devastates US East Coast

PCB yet to receive BCCI confirmation

LAHORE - The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has not yet received formal information from BCCI regarding the schedule of the much-awaited Pakistan-India series to be played there commencing from December 25, it has been learnt.

A source in the PCB confirmed that the board had not received any formal confirmation from the BCCI regarding the schedule of the series or any other information yet.

"We are still waiting for the confirmation from the BCCI as we have come to know through the media regarding the clearance for the series from the Indian Home Minister, but still not received any formal information from our counterpart as yet," the source said.

It may take a couple of days as soon as the Cricket Board will receive the confirmation from BCCI the PCB will start preparations for the tour, the source added. Indian tour has much importance for Pakistan and for revival of cricketing relations between the two neighbouring countries. Pakistan will announce its squad for the India tour after the conclusion of Grade-I President's Trophy after watching the players' performance in the domestic event underway at the various venues across the country.

The national players are busy in the President's Cup and there will be no need for camp for the team but they will gather at the National Cricket Academy for make light preparations for the series as the either sides cricket-crazy fans watch to see their heroes in action eagerly.

The Indian tour will prove make and break for some of the players either they will excel or their career will be end on a sad note while some stars will end their career on a high. It will be the duty of national selectors to choose best available players of the country on merit keeping in mind country's pride then inclusion of non-deserving players to keep Pakistan flag high.

The cricketing ties between India and Pakistan were freeze since 2008 after the terrorists attack in Mumbai. India last hosted Pakistan in 2007-08. The Indian government has given the go-ahead for a home cricket series against Pakistan in December and January, in what will be Pakistani cricketers' first tour of the country in five years.

The December tour will feature three One-Day International matches and two Twenty20s. The series was first agreed upon in July but still required the green light from India's Home Ministry, which came Monday, according to reports. Officials from the ministry weren't available to confirm the development.

India and Pakistan have played each other in the semi-final of ODI World Cup in 2011 in Mohali. The Pakistan team is due to arrive in India on Dec. 22, according to reports. The tour comes in the middle of India's series with England, but the English team will be taking a break over Christmas and New Year.

Women’s Twenty20 Asia Cup final

UANGZHOU: 

Pakistan managed to make a total of 63 runs while chasing India’s score of 81 runs before being bowled out with five balls remaining in the Women’s Twenty20 Asia Cup final, Express News reported on Wednesday.

India won the final by 19 runa.

Pakistan won the toss and chose to field, with India ending the innings at 81 runs.

Earlier, Pakistan beat Bangladesh by six wickets in the second semi final of the Asia Cup, earning this spot in the final.

India was earlier declared the winner when rain disrupted the first semi-final.

Ironically, the bold Veena Malik has been spotted on the streets of Mumbai wearing a black burqa.

According to a press release, she wants to avoid the mobbing crowd while she searches for the ‘perfect face’ for her upcoming movie, The City that Never Sleeps.

“It’s a big movie for me and I don’t want to take any chances, so I have decided to personally search for the perfect face,” Veena’s press release quoted her as saying.

“In Mumbai, everyone is an actor but we need to find the hidden actors,” she adds.

The movie is produced by Satish Reddy and directed by Haroon Rashid, and the cast will include Indian, American, and Canadian actors.

Talking to The Express Tribune, she said, “If Shahrukh Khan and Amir Khan can search for a character on the streets of Mumbai, why can’t I?” While Veena has been busy with various Bollywood projects, she says this one is really important for her.

“The city that never sleeps” is a well-known tag-line for cities like Dubai, Mumbai, Barcelona and New York — which is currently undergoing a natural calamity (hurricane Sandy). The cast members of the movie came together and prayed for New York in this terrible time. “It’s very bad — several parts of New York have been affected by the storm,” Veena said. “I am praying for all the people and my appeal is to refrain from going outside until the storm ends.”

Sports

BARCELONA: Lionel Messi dreams of retiring at Barcelona, the club who trained him as a teenager and where he began his professional career in 2004, the Argentine World Player of the Year said on Monday.
Collecting his Golden Boot award for scoring a Europe-leading 50 league goals last season, Messi spoke of his gratitude to Barca for giving him the chance to realise his dream when they took him on at their youth academy as a scrawny 13-year-old in 2000.
Now 25, Messi has four years left on his contract and a buyout clause worth 250 million euros ($322.63 million) and club officials have said an extended and improved deal may be imminent.
“My dream is to finish my career at the club,” Rosario-born Messi, who is poised to become a father for the first time, said at the ceremony in the Catalan capital.
“The most important thing is that I continue developing here and I would like to do that until the end,” he added.
In line for an unprecedented fourth straight World Player award when the 2012 winner is announced in January, Messi took his senior career goals tally to 301 on Saturday when he scored twice in Barcelona’s 5-0 victory at Rayo Vallecano.
He has netted 270 goals for his club and 31 for Argentina.

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Sports

PALLEKELE (Sri Lanka), Oct 29: New Zealand will be determined to erase bitter memories of the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium when they clash with Sri Lanka in a one-off Twenty20 International here on Tuesday. The Black Caps’ campaign in the recent World Twenty20 ended at the same venue when they lost all their three Super Eights matches, including two in the tie-break ‘super over’.
Ross Taylor’s team tied their games against eventual winners the West Indies and runners-up Sri Lanka before suffering defeats in the one-over eliminator.
New Zealand, who will also play five One-day Internationals and two Tests on their month-long tour, return to the Pallekele stadium without key players Daniel Vettori and Martin Guptill.
Experienced left-arm spinner Vettori is missing the tour due to an injury while opener Guptill has been rested for the limited-overs contests and will figure only in the Tests.
But New Zealand all-rounder Jacob Oram said the tourists had the resources to do well. “If we play well we are confident that we can win,” he said ahead of the match. “We do appreciate that Sri Lanka is a very good side in their home conditions and more than a match for us at times, but we have enough talent. We’ve got to make sure the talent comes out at the right time.”
Sri Lanka also made a few changes as all-rounder Angelo Mathews was named the new Twenty20 captain in place of Mahela Jayawardene, who stepped down after his team’s defeat against the West Indies in the World Twenty20 final in Colombo earlier this month.
Jayawardene has been rested for the Twenty20 game along with paceman Lasith Malinga, but will return to lead the side in the one-dayers.
“The selectors wanted to give these two cricketers a rest. Their absence from the team is a big loss but with the squad I have been given, I am confident we can win,” said Mathews.
Unorthodox spinner Ajantha Mendis, the most successful bowler of the World Twenty20 with 15 wickets in six matches, will also miss Tuesday’s match and the first three one-dayers due to an injury.
The tour is former paceman Shane Bond’s first as New Zealand bowling coach.
Sri Lanka and New Zealand have so far played 10 Twenty20 Internationals, with each side winning five.
Teams (from):SRI LANKA: Angelo Mathews (captain), Nuwan Kulasekara, Dilshan Munaweera, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara, Dinesh Chandimal, Jeevan Mendis, Lahiru Thirimanne, Thisara Perera, Shaminda Eranga, Akila Dananjaya, Sachithra Senanayake, Upul Tharanga.
NEW ZEALAND: Ross Taylor (captain), Trent Boult, Andrew Ellis, James Franklin, Ronnie Hira, Rob Nicol, Tom Latham, Brendon McCullum, Nathan McCullum, Kyle Mills, Adam Milne, Jacob Oram, Tim Southee, Bradley-John Watling, Kane Williamson.—AFP

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Afridi is so bad now, it’s embarrassing

Former England cricketer Geoffrey Boycott has joined the critics bashing Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi, terming his recent dip in performance ‘embarrassing’.

“His batting is so bad now, it’s embarrassing. He can’t think, he can’t judge the length, and he’s just a swiper of the ball. It’s appalling to watch him bat.

“He bats like a tail-ender. It must be frustrating as hell, exasperating, annoying, to all his supporters, his friends, his captain,” he said while talking to ESPNCricinfo.

Despite that, Boycott believes the all-rounder is a threat to the opposition with the ball but is wasted as a batsman.

“Whatever his faults, he still has some talent as a bowler. And I still love him. But it is totally exasperating and somebody needs to get hold of him,” Boycott added.

“Whether it’s too late, I don’t know. But he’s wasted an enormous talent at batting.”

Afridi’s abysmal performance at the World Twenty20 during which he scored just 30 runs in five innings and took only four wickets in six matches attracted much criticism from former players and fans.

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