Author Archives: Gunjan Priya

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Obama Flays China for ‘Willful Blindness’ Against N Korea

US President Barack Obama with Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao

Washington: US President Barack Obama Warns Chinese counterpart, Hu Jintao for ignoring N Korean aggression in the Korean peninsula. Obama called up President Hu Jintao over telephone on Monday. The US president asked China to pressurize N Korea for it provocation followed by military confrontation with South Korea.

Obama further stated that North Koreans needed to understand the consequence of their provocation and its adverse impact on their mutual relation with China, officials revealed.

The US officials also added that Obama recalled Hu Jintao of their meeting in Canada where the former had publicly faulted China for its ‘willful blindness’ toward N Korea’s military aggression. The United States is helping South Korea in taking strict actions against N Korean aggressions including artillery shelling and sinking of a naval warship Cheonan. The warship carried 46 South Koreans all of whom were killed.

N Korea has attacked S Koreans, bombed over S Korean land and also declared recently about its nuclear power. However, China did not check or criticize N Korea for any of its actions.

The Chinese president reportedly ignored White House invitation for scheduling a telephonic call with the US president. However, the US officials denied the report. In the conversation the Hu Jintao neither assured the US nor made any complain over US military actions in collaboration with South Korea.

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Death for Christianity in Pakistan

death penalty for following Cristianity in Pakistan

This may sound eccentric but is a true story of Pakistan reveals that Christians faced death for following their religion.

Aasia Noreen, was a Christian women who lived in Punjab Province of Pakistan. A group of women farm workers were desperate in scorching sun and Aasia offered them water to drink. In stead of saying thanks to her, the village women called her water unclean as she was a Christian. Aasia protested to defend her religion.

This small quarrel over water became a communal dispute in few minutes. The local Muslim leader called on all his followers to take action against Aasia blaming her of profanity, according to her family and legal observers familiar with the case. As a frenzied mob pursued her, the police intervened, taking her into custody. Police arrived but in stead of protection Aasia they arrested her for insulting Islam and its prophet. She was finally given  death penalty by a district court. The story has come into light in the recent disclosure of US confidential documents by WikiLeaks.

The matter gave human rights activist a reason to voice against the death penalty and fundamentalist forces stood to defend the blasphemy law. The dispute reached to such a level globally that even Pope Benedict XVI called for Noreen’s freedom in past week.

The story of Aasia Noureen depicts the real picture of Islamic fundamentalist rule in Pakistan.

The fundamentalist Muslims take advantage of the complicated laws described in Quran regarding blasphemy and provoke communal violence against other religions. There are thousands of Naureens perhaps not only in Pakistan but in many other counties where the fundamental right to choose a religion has no meaning for the common people.

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San Francisco Appeal Court To Discuss Over Gay Marriage

The demand for same sex marriage has been rising in the United States

The Americans are going to hear a crucial verdict on same sex marriage in a federal appeal court of San Francisco. Michael Hawkins is expected to opine his views over gay marriages in the hearing today. The Appeal court has appointed a three member panel for the purpose to argue on Proposition 8. The panel includes Judge Stephen Reinhardt and Judge N. Randy Smith who were appointed by former presidents of the United States. Michael Hawkins, was chosen by President Clinton and his vote on the same –sex marriage is issue is going to be very crucial on this matter. The panel has been appointed following an appeal against August rule. Vaughn R. Walker, chief jury of San Francisco’s U.S. District Court had made a ruling on this issue saying. that the U.S. Constitution was violated by the 2008 ballot measures. The San Francisco panel would discuss over the legal viability of anti-same-sex marriage appeal against Walker’s ruling and also find out if the 2008 ballot measure were being followed. The measures had revoked a restriction on same sex marriages and thus were contrary to the federal constitutional rights of equality. The hearing is being considered very crucial by the law experts for homosexuals all over the world. Top US legal experts will participate in the hearing handling the anti-gay marriage appeal and contradictory constitutional issues. The San Francisco court had declined defendants challenging the proposition 8 and allowed them only to appeal against August ruling. ProtectMarriage.com is also a part of this appeal it represents voters for the Proposition 8 was allowed to defend the proposition.

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WikiLeaks likely to unleash complete set of unfiltered documents

WikiLeaks chief Julian Assange leaked many confidential military and diplomatic files of the United States and other countries

After a growing demand for trial in sedition and sex-crime charges, WikiLeaks chief Julian Assange has stated that he will release the entire set of unfiltered documents if more pressure mounted on him.

The 39-year-old Australian has been in news for leaking so many confidential military and diplomatic files of the United States and other countries. Mr. Assange has said that the unpublished lot of secret documents will come handy for him in future.

The secret file, protected with an encryption key, contains the entire version of US documents grabbed by WikiLeaks till date. This also includes unpublished part of documents, which had names and details of sources.

After remaining silent for past few day, the WikiLeaks founder has come out more vocal this time, shielding his activities, condemning critics and challenging world leaders.

WikiLeaks chief’s lawyer has issued a warning in which he says if Assange is forced to face trial in the charges levied by the United States and other world leaders, then Assange will decide on releasing the encryption key. The release will make sure that the millions of people who download the file have access to names, addresses and other details mentioned in the file.

Assange’s lawyer further said that his client was facing threats of death or arrest from the U.S. and Saudi governments and the officials were also trying to shut down his websites. In addition he was wanted to answer against sexual-crime allegations by the Swedish court.  However, Mr. Assange had denied all these allegations. He has reportedly taken refuge in Britain.