Biography: Riz Khan

Riz Khan Riz Khan is a recognised face worldwide following extensive careers with the BBC and CNN prior to joining Al Jazeera English. He was a presenter and reporter at the BBC for eight years and was the first mainstream Asian newsreader for their international network. He hosted the news bulletin that launched BBC World Service Television News in 1991. After presenting there for two years he was poached by CNN for their own international channel where he became a senior anchor for the network’s global news shows and special events including the historic live coverage of the Hajj. In 1996 he launched his interactive interview show on CNN: Q&A with Riz Khan and he has conducted thousands of interviews with guests including the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, Former US Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, the Dalai Lama and Nelson Mandela, to name a few. Born in 1962 in South Yemen, Riz and his family moved to London when he was four. He attended the University of Wales where he gained an honours degree in Medical Physiology. He took a course in radio journalism in Portsmouth and joined the BBC News Trainee scheme in 1987. In 2005 he authored his first book: Al-Waleed: Businessman Billionaire Prince, published by Harper Collins. Publshed by (MR.KAKAR)

UN chief calls for Sri Lankan unity

Hundreds of thousands of civilians displaced by the fighting are living in the Manik Farm camp [AF The UN secretary-general has called on Sri Lanka's leaders to seek reconciliation with the country's ethnic Tamils after the end of it 26-year conflict with the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Ban Ki-moon made the remarks on Saturday before visiting the largest camp for civilians displaced by the recent conflict in the northeast of the island. "Now that the long decades of conflict are over, it is time for Sri Lankans to heal the wounds and unite without regards to ethnic and religious identity," Ban said. Later, Ban held talks with Mahinda Rajapakse, the president, and Rohitha Bogollagama, the foreign minister. "The UN must be given immediate unhindered access to the camps, the overcrowding must end and there should be special programmes for pregnant mothers and children," Ban said after meeting Rajapakse in the central town of Kandy. By (MR.KAKAR)

Mongolia votes in presidential poll

Elbegdorj, regarded as a liberal and populist candidate, is the only opposition challenger [EPA] Polls have opened in Mongolia for a tightly-contested presidential election that comes nearly a year after allegations of vote-rigging sparked deadly violence in the country's last national poll. Sunday's vote pits Nambaryn Enkhbayar, the incumbent president and leader of the Mongolian People's Revolutionary party (MPRP), against his sole challenger, Tsakhia Elbegdorj of the Democratic Party. Enkhbayar has pledged to continue government support for his party's rural base, while Elbegdorj has pitched his campaign on reforming control of Mongolia's rich natural resources. Elbegdorj, regarded as a liberal and populist opposition candidate, has said he will work to ensure Mongolia's natural resources are used "to improve the livelihood of the Mongolian people". Landmark deal Though the office of president is largely ceremonial in Mongolia, the contest for the presidency has distracted parliament from work on approving a landmark agreement on investment in the country's mining industry. By(MR.KAKAR)

Bad weather delays Atlantis landing

Clouds surrounded Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, making it hard for Atlantis to land [AFP] Thunderstorms have prevented space shuttle Atlantis from returning to its home base in Florida for a second straight day. Atlantis's seven astronauts, who were supposed to land on Friday, are now having to keep circling the Earth. The astronauts had been repairing and upgrading Hubble Space Telescope, an exercise that lasted 12 days. On Saturday, offshore storms forced Nasa, the US space agency, to skip both morning landing attempts at Kennedy Space Centre. As Atlantis soared overhead, right around what would have been landing time, commander Scott Altman called down that he saw a "pretty solid mass of clouds". "It looks to us like maybe it is starting to break up and move out, so we're hopeful to get home tomorrow," he said. "We're sharing your optimism," Mission Control replied. Despite an equally dismal forecast for Sunday, Mission Control opted to wait out the bad weather rather than move the landing to California. Next Nasa chief Nasa mission control chiefs will re-examine prospects for a safe landing on Sunday. As the astronauts settled in for another day in space, Barack Obama, the US president, announced that Charles Bolden, a former shuttle commander, was his choice for Nasa's next administrator. Obama told the Atlantis crew earlier in the week by telephone that an announcement was imminent. Mission Control relayed the news to the astronauts two hours later. "I guess it wasn't any of us in the flight after all," Altman joked. If confirmed by the senate, Bolden would become the space agency's first black administrator and only the second astronaut ever to hold the post. Publish by (MR.KAKAR)

Resignation over Mexico jail escape

A senior Mexican official has handed in his resignation after 53 prisoners escaped with security guards standing by. Alejando Rojas Chalico, the public security minister for Zacatecas, the northern state where the incident occurred, resigned six days after the escape. Police are offering a $76,000 reward for each inmate who were seen on security camera video taking less than three minutes to flee the prison. An armed man posing as a commando in a police uniform had broken into Cieneguillas prison last Saturday and released the men. Footage shows several trucks with police markings on them arriving at the jail. About 20 men then walked into that jail without any resistance from guards. Almost a dozen of them are suspected members of the Zetas - the armed wing of the powerful Gulf drug cartel - with involvement in kidnapping or robberies. Interpol has put out an international security alert for 11 of the fugitives. Prison guards told local media that they had been threatened by the Zetas in recent months. Published by(MR.KAKAR)

Obama attacks Guantanamo 'mess'

Barack Obama has defended his decision to close the Guantanamo Bay US prison camp, saying it probably "created more terrorists around the world than it ever detained".

"We're cleaning up something that is quite simply a mess," the US president said in Washington on Thursday, as he attempted to broker a consensus among officials who have rejected his plans to close Guantanamo.

"As commander-in-chief, I see the intelligence, I bare the responsibility of keeping this country safe and I categorically reject the assertion that these [the camp and military tribunal system] are the most effective ways of keeping this country safe," Obama said.

Canada convicts Rwandan of genocide

A court in Canada has found a former Rwandan militia leader guilty of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide for his role in murders, torture and rape during the slaughter of ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus.

Desire Munyaneza could face life imprisonment after a Quebec Superior Court convicted him on Friday.

"Desire Munyaneza intentionally killed dozens in Butare and its surroundings that were not directly involved in the conflict, raped several women, and pillaged homes and businesses of people who also had nothing to do with the unrest," Andre Denis, the judge, said.

"As such, you have been found guilty of committing war crimes as defined under Canadian law," he said to the accused.

Munyaneza was the first person to be tried under Canada's Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act, which allows residents to be tried for crimes committed abroad.

Witnesses

Munyaneza's two-year trial heard from 66 witnesses in Canada, France, Rwanda and Tanzania.

The court was told that Munyaneza, the son of a wealthy Hutu beer distributor, set up roadblocks in southern Rwanda to select Tutsis and moderate Hutu as victims based on their ethnicity or allegiances.

One man who was imprisoned in Rwanda for his own role in the genocide testified that Munyaneza orchestrated the massacre of between 300 and 400 Tutsis in a church.

"The accused's criminal intent was demonstrated beyond a reasonable doubt, as was his culpable violence," Denis wrote in his judgement.

The UN estimates that more than 800,000 people were killed during the violence.

"I'm very happy he was found guilty. I want to thank and congratulate Canada," Caesar Gashabeze, a survivor of the genocide, said.

"We have been waiting for this."

Appeal

The defence said it would appeal the conviction after repeatedly questioning the testimony of witnesses and highlighting the fact that most were unable to identify Munyaneza's prominnent facial scar.

"The evidence did not justify a conviction," Richard Perras, Munyaneza's lawyer, said.

Munyaneza was arrested in Toronto in 2005 after seeking asylum in Canada, which Canadian immigration officials rejected. He had fled to Cameroon after the genocide.

The prosecutor said that the case illustrated Canada's commitment to bringing war criminals to justice.

"The case was very challenging as it involved events dating back 15 years in a foreign country, Rwanda," Pascale Ledoux said.

Munyaneza will be sentenced in September.

WRITEN BY (MR.KAKAR)

Reporter freed by Iran back in US

A US journalist who spent four months in an Iranian jail has arrived in the US to cheers and hugs from friends.

Roxana Saberi was arrested in late January and convicted by an Iranian court of spying for the US in a closed-door trial.

She spoke briefly to reporters after arriving with her parents and a family friend at Washington's Dulles International Airport on Friday.

Asked how she was feeling, Saberi said: "Very good. I wish I could personally thank all those who supported me during my 100 days in prison."

Among those she thanked were President Barack Obama, Hillary Rodham Clinton, the secretary of state, North Dakota politicians, human-rights groups and the Japanese government.

She said that singing the national anthem helped keep her going.

"It may sound corny, but I'm so happy to be home in the land of the free," said Saberi, 32, who has dual Iranian and US citizenship.

Suspended sentence

Saberi was freed on May 11 and reunited with her parents, who had come to Iran to seek her release, after an appeals court reduced her sentence to two years suspended.

She spent a week in the Austrian city of Vienna recuperating.

Saberi plans to spend a few days in Washington before returning to her home state North Dakota, according to Earl Pomeroy, the state's Democratic House member.

He issued a statement saying he was eager to welcome her home.

Saberi grew up in Fargo, North Dakota, and moved to Iran six years ago.

Kevin Melicher, a neighbour of Saberi's parents in Fargo, said the community prayed for Saberi's return and planted flowers in her family yard earlier this week.

"They wanted to do something," he said. "We want to make their house look welcoming."

published by (MR.KAKAR)

PLEAS HELP THE SAWAT PERSONS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

Watch ‘Pukarr - Swat Ke Liye’ live from Karachi, Lahore, Dubai, UK and USA on Saturday, May 23, 2009 at 9 pm till 2 am and Sunday, May 24, 2009 at 12 noon till 5 pm & 9 pm till 2 am only on GEO TV. A Telethon dedicated to raising funds for the people of Swat who are being affected by on-going military action against the Taliban and having to flee their homes to save their lives and families. Telethon will be hosted by the well known celebrities of Pakistan; Hina Khwaja Bayat, Fakhar e Alam, Saba Pervaiz, Nadia Khan, Wasi Shah, Nida Sameer, Atiqa Odho, Asfar Mani, Javeria Saud, Umer Sharif, Nadeem Jaffery, Arbaz Khan and Iffat Umer. The show will include the famous celebrity guests. The whole aim of the Telethon is to raise donations to help make sure that refugees can be provided with basic necessities like food and shelter.

(MR.KAKAR) for futur details pleas join (stylish_ahmed@yahoo.com, or stylish1ahmed@blogspot.com

PUJ stages protest demo against abuse of journalists

LAHORE: Punjab Union of Journalist (PUJ) staged demonstration outside Lahore Press Club (LPC), in protest of torture on journalists perpetrated by the guards of governor Punjab Salman Taseer and the members Tehreek Minhaj Al-Qura’n.

The protesters chanted slogans against the governor Punjab while president PUJ Ahsan Zia, on the occasion, deplored the violence on journalists and said that it was backed by the then government as it occurred in presence of governor himself but he did not take note on it.

He vowed to continue with the protest if no action from the government against the culprits responsible is taken.
(MR.KAKAR)

2nd IDPs’ relief camp set up under MKRF

KARACHI: Mir Khalil-ur-Rehman Foundation (MKRF) has established another relief camp with a view to raise money, food and clothing for the internally displaced persons (IDPs) hailing from the Swat valley and Malakand Division here in Karachi on Saturday, Geo news has reported.

The first relief camp of its kind was set up earlier here at Pakistan Air Force (PAF) museum under the auspices of Mir Khalil-ur Rehman Foundation while the second one has been established near Star Gate of Sharah-e-Faisal which has commenced relied activities.

Despite the rising tension in metropolis, the relief activities at MKR’s camps were on full swing on Saturday and the people across city continued to bring relief goods for the IDPs.

The people kept donating goods and money generously at the camps here including food items, medicines, cloths, and material necessary for daily life, with the intension to back up the relief and rehabilitation efforts by MKR foundation for the displaced people of Swat and Malakand Division.

MKR Foundation’s relief activities are on high-rise across country.
(DENOTED BY MR.KAKAR)

Country at war, Swat judges undergoing tough time

Updated at: 0546 PST, Sunday, May 24, 2009

SUKKUR: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has said that the country is at war, judges of Swat are undergoing tough time while the lawyers in Swat are also facing the music owing to continued military offensive in the region.Addressing the officials of Sukkur High Court Bar (SHCB) during the lawyers’ oath taking ceremony here late on Saturday, CJP Iftikhar Chaudhry appealed to the country’s lawyers and judges commu .... Full Story

Zardari's gifts come with nuclear glow Asia Times Read News Article

By Syed Fazl-e-Haider QUETTA, Pakistan - President Asif Ali Zardari returned to Islamabad on Monday with large aid pledges from Libya, Britain, the US and France at a critical time. His country, already in a dire economic state, is facing an intensifying humanitarian crisis as result of displacement of as many as 2 million people from the Malakand and Swat area of North-West Frontier Province, where the Pakistani army is undertaking a massive military operation against Taliban insurgents. The...

Al-Qaeda keeps its eyes on Afghanistan,US troop surge in Afghanistan 'could push Taliban into Pakistan'

| By Syed Saleem Shahzad | (Editor's note: This article follows on from an earlier report that included an interview with a top ideologue who spoke to Asia Times Online on the condition that neither h... (photo: US Navy / Petty Officer 2nd Class Brian P.

| Joint chiefs of staff chairman concedes risk but tells US Senate that troop increase is the right move | Mike Mullen, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, said military planning was under way to c... (photo: AP / Scott Nelson, Poo)
Joint chiefs of staff chairman concedes risk but tells US Senate that troop increase is the right move Mike Mullen, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, said military planning was under way to counter the risks of the US troop buildup. Photograph: Molly Riley/Reuters The buildup of US troops in could force more fighters into neighbouring , the chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff conceded last night....

Is 8ft Zhao Liang The World's Tallest Man?

Zhao Liang, 27, entered the Tianjin hospital for an operation to relieve pain from an old muscle tendon injury on his left foot. His height caused a stir among hospital staff who urged him to get measured properly.

They discovered that Mr Zhao is 8.07 ft tall (2.46m), making him 3.9 inches (10cm) taller than Bao Xishun, the current tallest man, who is 7.9ft (2.36m).

Mr Zhao, who lives in Henan province, had been training as a basketball player when he sustained the debilitating foot injury over a decade ago.

He was unemployed until 2006, when an art troupe in Jilin province enrolled him to perform magic tricks and play the saxophone and flute.

Mr Zhao's parents are of a more usual height, with his father measuring 5.9ft (1.8m) and his mother, 5.5 ft (1.68m).

Wang Keyun, Mr Zhao's mother, said he has a big appetite and can easily eat eight hamburger-sized steamed buns and three dishes for dinner.

"But I am so worried about his marriage, job and his health that my hair has turned white," she said.

Liu Yuchen, a surgeon at the hospital, declared the operation a success.

He said Mr Zhao will be able to walk normally two months after his surgery but advised against any intense physical exercise.

Dr Liu said he is in good health and has no complications related to his height.

U.S. unveils emergency aid for Pakistan

WASHINGTON — The U.S. is sending US$110 million in aid to Pakistan to help it cope with the refugee crisis in the north-west. At a White House news conference on May 19, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton revealed the details of the package, which focuses on help for people who have fled fighting between the Pakistani government and Taliban.

The money will be used to provide generators, tents, water trucks and food to some of those forced to flee. An initial $26 million has been allocated for the immediate purchase of wheat and other food produced in Pakistan itself.

Analysts say the aid package underlines Washington's new strategy towards Pakistan of attempting to counter the appeal of the Taliban.

"One of our guiding principles is that this should be more than just the delivery of supplies", Clinton said. "It should be an investment in the people of Pakistan, so we will buy locally from the bumper crop of wheat, and we will work to help create quick impact job programs that will put Pakistanis to work making goods for their fellow citizens."

Clinton praised the current Pakistani military offensive against the Taliban, and said she was encouraged by a "national mood change" on the part of the Pakistani people.

Nearly 1 million people have left their homes to escape the Taliban and avoid injury, according to the UN. Some parts of Pakistan’s Swat valley have been emptied of their entire population.

Many of the displaced have poured into camps seeking refuge, and are now living in tents. International aid agencies have been calling for urgent and massive help to respond immediately to the crisis.

Ex-envoys demand political solution to Swat conflict

ISLAMABAD: The association of former ambassadors has demanded a political settlement of the Malakand problem.

In a statement, Ambassador (retd) Sher Afghan Khan strongly condemned the alleged massive human rights violations in the Malakand Division and Fata and expressed deep concern over the grave situation of the IDPs as a result of the military operation. He also showed worry over the civilians caught in the fighting who had been left without necessities of life.

The association, which consists of former career ambassadors of Pakistan, presently has a membership of 49. “This grave human tragedy, which is the most serious man-made humanitarian crisis in the history of the country, calls for urgent action by the government and people of Pakistan and by the international community to provide shelter, food, medical care and other relief supplies and services to the affected persons,” the ambassadors stated. “We urge the government to promote political settlement in accordance with the tribal customs and traditions with the participation of local tribal elders in dealing with militancy.”

Security Forces Storm into Mingora ISLAMABAD: So far 1095 terrorists have been killed while 29 others were arrested during the Operation Rah-e-Rast. Giving detailed briefing on the operation here on Saturday, Director General ISPR Major General Athar Abbas said that the security fo

Balochistan APC

PROMISES abound when it comes to addressing the problems faced by Balochistan. This time round we have been told that an all-parties conference will be called ‘within days.’ At least that is what the Prime Minister promised on Wednesday, adding that his administration has not forgotten the Balochistan issue. The public perception in this regard, he stressed, is incorrect. Doubting Mr Gilani’s intentions is not the point here, for he is widely seen as a sincere man even if lacking the authority a Prime Minister ought to wield in a parliamentary system. But words alone cannot dispel the impression that Balochistan, for whatever reason, does not rank high on the government’s agenda. Preoccupation with the Malakand operation cannot be an excuse because that battle is only a few weeks old while the government has been in office for well over a year. In a welcome move in February last year, the PPP leadership offered a public apology for atrocities committed against the people of Balochistan. It was also stated — in March 2008 — that the concurrent legislative list would be abolished within a year to give the provinces greater control over their resources. Massive uplift ‘packages’ were announced for Balochistan, the most underdeveloped province in the country. All these pledges, however, have resulted in little movement on the ground.

Salman Khan ready to pull up his socks

MUMBAI: Usually if you need some good ol’ advice on the finer things in life, like how to treat your lovers, Salman Khan would be the right person for you. But it’s all work and no play for the eternal lover boy at the moment and he is very serious about getting his career back on track. That’s why the usually laidback actor is keeping a tab on how his roles are shaping up in the up-coming movies.

Now, if you know the kind of person Salman is, you’d be bewildered, and if you have worked with him, like Ajay Devgan has, you will be confused. After Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Ajay is coming back on screen with Salman in Vipul Shah’s London Dreams. The two are an absolute riot on the sets and have been getting along famously.

But Ajay was taken aback when he heard that Salman was pestering the film’s producer to allow him to see his footage in the film and was asking how his role is coming along. He’s also said to have told the producer to keep him in the loop about the post-production and editing of the film. “Salman has never cared about these things in the past,” says a team member. We wouldn’t be surprised if Ajay’s ego is stoked by the fact that he’s the man who’s made carefree Sallu insecure.

New Tom Hanks thriller fails to crack Code

LOS ANGELES: "Angels & Demons," the new movie based on Dan Brown's popular novel about conspiracy in the Catholic church, racked up $152 million in global ticket sales over the weekend, but failed to match the start of its predecessor "The Da Vinci Code."

Distributor Columbia Pictures said on Sunday the $150 million sequel earned about $48 million during its first three days of release in the United States and Canada, reaching No. 1 on box office charts and eclipsing last week's champ, "Star Trek," which slipped to No. 2 with $43 million.

Guided by the studio, box office pundits had expected "Angels" to open in the $40 million to $50 million range, and Columbia said it was thrilled with the result.

The sequel should pass $150 million in domestic ticket sales, said Rory Bruer, president of worldwide distribution at the Sony Corp unit.

Still, the popular "Da Vinci Code" opened to $77 million in 2006 on its way to a domestic haul of $217.5 million.

"Angels" also earned $104.3 million from No. 1 starts in 96 countries, down from the $147 million start for "Da Vinci."

Inevitably, the new film failed to replicate the buzz of the first movie. "The Da Vinci Code," based on another best-selling book by Brown, generated a firestorm of criticism with its premise that Jesus impregnated Mary Magdalene and that church officials tried to keep their bloodline secret.

The Vatican -- along with most critics -- ripped the film, but took a more measured tone against its sequel. Columbia said the first book sold twice as many copies as the second one, a clear indication that the second movie would come up short.

"On the other hand, 'Angels' absolutely was a far more cinematic book than 'Da Vinci Code' was," said Bruer.

In "Angels & Demons," Tom Hanks returned to the series as a Harvard professor on a mission to save the papacy, and Ron Howard is also back directing the film. And much as they were with "Da Vinci Code," critics were scathing.

On website rottentomatoes.com that collects criticism and scores movies said the film earned only 38 percent positive reviews.

The Washington Post's John Anderson said: "What the movie is supposed to accomplish -- laying out a fairly complex mystery in a way that creates suspense -- is precisely what it doesn't do."

Still, Bruer expected the film to hold up well in coming weeks, as a rare adult thriller in a summer marketplace dominated by youth-skewing pictures like "Star Trek" and Thursday's upcoming release of "Terminator Salvation."

Columbia was also bullish about overseas prospects, noting it was the biggest international opening for a film since "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" in 2008.

Germany was the top market, contributing $12.7 million -- about the same as the opening for "The Da Vinci Code." Italy was also steady with $11.4 million. But Britain accounted for $9.7 million, down from $15.7 million for "Da Vinci." Spain ($7.1 million) and Japan ($6.9 million) also saw sizable drops.

Climate Change Bill Heads For House Vote

All Things Considered, May 22, 2009 · Thursday night, a committee in the House of Representatives passed an ambitious climate bill — a big step toward having a law that controls greenhouse gases. At the heart of the bill is a mechanism called cap-and-trade. It's a careful mix of government mandate and free-market economy. How successful it will be is a matter of some debate.

Cap-and-trade is one of those wonky terms that have permeated the world of Washington, D.C. Part of its mystique is that a lot of people don't know what it really means.

It's Like Musical Chairs

Joseph Romm at the Center for American Progress likens cap-and-trade to musical chairs.

"Chairs are carbon dioxide pollution, mostly from the combustion of fossil fuels — coal, oil and natural gas," he says.

Only so many chairs are allowed in the room. The government sets the number. That's the "cap" in cap-and-trade. And to reduce emissions over time, the government gradually takes chairs away.

Now, here's the "trade" part: A chair is a permit, which you need if you want to emit carbon dioxide. If you don't have enough permits, you can buy them from someone who has extras.

Say you're an electric utility. The government has given you a bunch of chairs to start with. You can use them, sell them or hang onto them and use them later.

But remember this: Each year, the federal government will be allowing fewer and fewer chairs in the room. Romm says that's how cap-and-trade reduces carbon dioxide pollution, in a predictable way.

"You know exactly how many chairs there are going to be every year, so no one's going to be surprised and they can plan ahead," Romm says. "And the whole point of doing it this way is to allow utilities and other big polluters to have a certainty about what's going to happen so they can make the transition over time to a clean-energy economy."

Journalist Held In Iran Returns To The U.S.

American journalist who spent four months in an Iranian prison was greeted Friday afternoon with cheers and hugs from friends as she returned to the United States.

Roxana Saberi, who has reported for NPR, told fellow reporters upon her arrival that singing the national anthem helped keep her going. "And it may sound corny, but I'm so happy to be home in the land of the free."

The 32-year-old journalist spoke briefly with reporters after arriving at Washington Dulles International Airport with her parents and a family friend.

She spent a week in Vienna recuperating after being released from prison in Iran. Asked how she was feeling, she said, "Very good."

"I wish I could personally thank all those who supported me during my 100 days in prison," she said. Among those she thanked were President Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, North Dakota lawmakers, human rights groups and the Japanese government.

Saberi, who grew up in Fargo, N.D., and moved to Iran six years ago, has dual citizenship.

She planned to spend a few days in the capital before returning to her home state of North Dakota, according to Rep. Earl Pomeroy, a Democrat from the state, who issued a statement saying he was eager to welcome her home.

Saberi was arrested in late January and convicted of spying for the United States in a closed-door trial that her Iranian-born father said lasted only 15 minutes.

She was freed May 11 and reunited with her parents, who had come to Iran to seek her release, after an appeals court reduced her sentence to two years suspended.

The United States had said the charges against Saberi were baseless and repeatedly demanded her release. The case against her had become an obstacle to Obama's attempts at dialogue with the top U.S. adversary in the Middle East.

Saberi had worked as a freelance journalist for several organizations including the British Broadcasting Corp.

After her arrest, Iranian authorities initially accused her of working without press credentials, but they later leveled the far more serious charge of spying. Iran released few details about the allegations that she passed intelligence to the U.S.

Iran summit with Afghanistan, Pakistan on Sunday

22. May 2009, 03:31 by Farhad Pouladi
TEHRAN (AFP) – A delayed summit hosted by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad with his Afghan and Pakistani counterparts will now go ahead in Tehran on Sunday, diplomatic sources said.

The sources confirmed the participation of Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Afghanistan's Hamid Karzai in the summit, which will discuss the rebuilding of war-shattered Afghanistan.

The meeting had been expected to go ahead on May 19 but was postponed due to the heavy programme of Zardari.

Iran's ambassador to Islamabad, Mashallah Shakeri, was quoted Friday on the website of Iranian state-run television as saying Zardari would arrive in Tehran on Saturday to take part in the following day's summit.

His comments were confirmed in Islamabad by Pakistani foreign office spokesman Abdul Basit.

"President Zardari is going to Iran. He will attend the summit in Tehran on May 24," Basit said.

Afghanistan's ambassador to Tehran, Mohammad Yahya Ma'aroufi, Friday confirmed Karzai's participation.

"President Hamid Karzai will arrive in Tehran on Sunday May 24 to take part in the meeting," the ambassador told AFP.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Hassan Ghashghavi said that the summit would be held in Tehran at "the beginning of the coming week," without specifying the day. Saturday is the beginning of the week in Iran.

The Tehran talks are expected to discuss efforts to rebuild Iran's eastern neighbour which is battling a resurgent Taliban insurgency and also to explore ways to rein in the rising violence in Pakistan.

Ahmadinejad, Karzai and Zardari met less than three months ago in the Iranian capital Tehran for a regional economic summit, along with leaders of other neighbouring states.

That summit pledged to help rebuild Afghanistan, and also the Gaza Strip after Israel's devastating offensive at the turn of the year.

The administration of US President Barack Obama has been working towards engaging Tehran in efforts to rebuild Afghanistan.

Iran had also attended a US-backed international conference on Afghanistan in The Hague on March 31.

Engaging Iran is part of Obama's strategy to secure the help of all Afghanistan's neighbours in reconstructing the Muslim country.

Iran has not had diplomatic relations with the US for nearly three decades, and was included in former president George W. Bush's so-called "axis of evil" along with North Korea and Iraq.

Despite their rivalry, Washington and Tehran are both sworn enemies of the Taliban, a extremist Sunni Muslim militia initially backed by Pakistan, that ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001.

Shiite Iran, which has close ethnic and religious ties with Afghanistan, has long suffered from the effects of opium production in its eastern neighbour, with easily available heroin fuelling a big rise in drug use at home.

Afghanistan is the source of 90 percent of the world's heroin.

• Pakistani troops battle Taliban in Swat Afghanistan News.Net

  Pakistani troops have begun street battles with entrenched Taliban forces in Mingora, the main town in northwestern Swat district, an army spokesman said Saturday.

• Gilani warns of Taliban retaliation across Pakistan Afghanistan News.Net

  The gruesome car bombing in Peshawar Friday was not entirely unexpected and the Taliban could attempt to stage more such attacks in retaliation to the military operations being conducted against them in Pakistan's restive northwest, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said here Saturday.

• Next 12 to 18 months in Afghanistan, Pakistan critical says U.S. military Afghanistan News.Net

  The next 12 to 18 months are critical to the success of the new Afghanistan-Pakistan strategy, a senior military official said Friday.

• Troops kill 60 militants in Afghanistan Afghanistan News.Net

  Kabul, (Xinhua) Sixty Taliban militants have been killed in clashes with the Afghan and US-led coalition troops in southern Helmand province, officials said Saturday.

• Mullen pays tribute to families of fallen soldiers Afghanistan News.Net

  There’s no responsibility in the military community more important than caring for families who have lost loved ones to war, the chairman of the Joint U.S. Chiefs of Staff said at National Harbor, Maryland, Friday.

• Afghan floods kill 250 people Afghanistan News.Net

  ... people have died in flash floods in different parts of Afghanistan, a media report said Saturday.

• Car bomb, clashes kill 30 people in Pakistan Afghanistan News.Net

  At least 30 people died in the ongoing military offensive against the Taliban in northwest Pakistan and an explosion outside a cinema Friday that is believed to be in retaliation to the army operation.

• Afghan Spring Dangerous Season For U.S. Forces NPR

  2009 · In an ongoing military operation in southern Helmand Province, U.S. Special Forces have killed at least 14 Taliban fighters and destroyed tons of heroin and processing...

• Few in Kandahar aware of Afghanistan CTV

  The Canadian Press - Many residents of Kandahar appear to know nothing about the country's key upcoming national elections. That's the conclusion of an informal survey today...

• Iran fully backs Afghan government IRNA

  Irna – Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said on Saturday that the government of President Hamid Karzai should be supported.
• Taliban driven from road but still in hills Boston Herald

  D AGAR, Pakistan — Army trucks rumbled through a destroyed market a few miles down the road, passing a charred gas station where a Taliban suicide bomber killed four soldiers a few weeks ago...

• Germany to boost Afghan military aid IRNA

  ... million euros for rebuilding the Afghan army amid the deteriorating security situation in the war-stricken country, the weekly Focus news...

• Two NATO soldiers, 60 Taliban killed in Afghanistan - Summary

Sri Lanka's new chapter

The authorities in the capital of Sri Lanka have declared the rebel leader of the Tamil Tigers, Vellupillai Prabhakaran, dead and the war over. Chris Morris reflects on the life of Prabhakaran and considers whether there can now be reconciliation.

I was somewhat sceptical when the letter dropped onto my doormat in Colombo.

A summons to the fourth floor of CID (Criminal Investigation Department) headquarters.

"We've been asked to question you," it said, "about the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi."

A few months after the former Indian prime minister was killed by a suicide bomber at an election rally, I had interviewed the man thought to be behind the murder - the leader of the Tamil Tigers, Vellupillai Prabhakaran.

I had asked him why he had Rajiv Gandhi killed, and he had denied any involvement. India did not believe him, and neither did I.

The fourth floor of CID headquarters had a bit of a reputation back then. Rumours of people falling from windows. But they were polite enough with me. We had tea and biscuits.

"Where did you meet Prabhakaran," they wanted to know. "What was he like?"

It was a house in the Jaffna peninsula, with bodyguards as big as palm trees.

Pakistan army 'in Taliban city'

Barbara Plett, BBC News, Swat Clearly, the army has been bolstered by political support. "There is a national will," Maj Gen Ghani said. "The operations have been endorsed by parliament, the entire nation is behind this operation." And this time the army will stay to provide a security umbrella so that the police and civil administration have time to recover. Pakistan army vows Swat victoryierce fighting is taking place between Pakistani troops and Taliban militants in Mingora, the main city in the militant-controlled Swat valley. At least 17 militants have been killed in the clashes, the army says. The Taliban deny the deaths. The push into Mingora is seen as a key phase of an offensive aimed at crushing the militants, whose influence extends across a wide area of the north-west. The fighting began after a peace deal broke down earlier this month. See a map of the region "Street fights have begun," Maj Gen Athar Abbas told reporters. "It is a difficult operation because we have to make a house-to-house search. We have cleared some of the area in the city."

Iran's Ahmadinejad rallies supporters

A low turnout favours President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has begun the campaign for June's presidential election with a defiant speech against Iran's enemies.

Addressing a rally in the south of the capital, Tehran, President Ahmadinejad appealed to Iranian patriotism.

He compared Iran's enemies to "dogs", saying: "If you retreat, they attack; if you attack they retreat."

Mr Ahmadinejad's main opponent, Mir-Hossein Mousavi, has attacked the president's handling of the economy.

Already, on the first day of campaigning, the battle lines have been clearly drawn.

In contrast to President Ahmadinejad's defiant speech, Mr Mousavi used a television appearance to criticise the government for producing high inflation and high unemployment.

Later on Saturday Mr Mousavi is due to speak at a major rally in Tehran's main football stadium in an attempt to inspire a revival of the fervour that swept reformists to power in 1997.

The biggest challenge for those trying to unseat President Ahmadinejad is to overcome apathy and a widespread disillusionment with the political system.

The lower the turnout, the more likely Mr Ahmadinejad is to remain in power.

Pakistani troops storm Swat town

About 15,000 soldiers are believed to be fighting 4,000 Taliban in Swat valley [AFP] Pakistani soldiers have entered the main town in the Swat valley and engaged in fierce street battles with Taliban fighters, the military has said. Major-General Athar Abbas, a Pakistani military spokesman, said on Saturday that troops had killed at least 17 Taliban fighters as they moved into in Mingora. "Street fights have begun," Abbas said. "We have cleared some of the area in the city." Al Jazeera's Imran Khan, reporting from the capital, Islamabad, said that the urban battles now being fought by the Pakistani infantry marked a new phase in the conflict in North West Frontier Province. "The army is telling us that street fighting will be one of the key phases of this battle for Mingora, so far they have used heavy artillery and air power to pound Taliban targets," he said. "They say they have already taken control of a main bridge into Mingora and they have also taken control of the main interchange. The battle, they say, is going their way. "But the Taliban know this area very well and it is likely they will have been preparing for this moment for some time. It is likely they will have built tunnels and will know exactly what rooftops to get on." 'Important phase' There were reports that troops had captured and destroyed an explosives-laden vehicle and killed a suspected suicide bomber in the early stages of the fighting. In depth Video: Inside Pakistan's conflict zone Diary: Imran Khan Riz Khan: Obama's 'AfPak' strategy Riz Khan: The battle for the soul of Pakistan Interview: Asif Ali Zardari Q&A: The struggle for Swat Your views: Crisis in Swat The fight for northwest Pakistan Talking to the Taliban Pakistan's war Mingora, the administrative and business hub of Swat, has been under the effective control of Taliban fighters for weeks. There are reports that Mullah Fazlullah, one of the leaders of the Pakistani Taliban is in the town. "Today the most important phase of operation Rah-e-Rast, the clearance of Mingora, has commenced," the military said in a statement on its website. "In the last 24 hours, security forces have entered Mingora; 17 miscreants-terrorists, including important miscreant commander were killed," it said. Al Jazeera's Mike Hanna, who travelled to the war zone with the Pakistani military, said: "They believe they will be taking the city in the next 34 to 48 hours. "The army says it has secured large areas and that it has hit the militant movement very strongly, but the fact that we are still escorted by helicopter gunships ... indicates that there is still a fear of ongoing action." Civilian fears Many of the 300,000 people who live in Mongora are believed to have fled since the military began its offensive in Swat, Lower Dir and Buner several weeks ago. Abbas said that only 10 per cent of the population remained in the town, but the street-to-street has raised the possibility of civilian casulaties. US-based Human Rights Watch earlier this week quoted residents as saying that the Taliban had mined Mingora and "prevented many civilians from fleeing, using them as human shields to deter attack". It also said Pakistani forces "appeared to have taken insufficient precautionary measures in aerial and artillery attacks that have caused a high loss of civilian life". Military commanders have stressed that they are under orders to avoid collateral damage and avoid using heavy weaponry in built-up areas. The offensive in Swat and surrounding areas in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) has triggered an exodus of nearly two million refugees from the region. While some of those displaced have taken refuge in government camps, a majority of them have taken shelter with friends and relatives. The military has said it had inflicted heavy losses on the Taliban, with about 1,000 fighters reported to have been killed. Meanwhile, Yousuf Raza Gilani, Pakistan's prime minister, has played down the suggestion of Asif Ali Zardari, the president, that the military offensive could be extended to the sem-autonomous South Waziristan region. "It is not like this," Gilani said in response to a reporter's question about a possible new front. "We are not foolish to do it everywhere."

FRANKS AND GOODNIGHT

INTIMATE: He runs hand through Spanish beauty's hair

HUG OF LOVE: Elen giggles as the couple get close

LAMPS BEHIND YOU: They smooch by light in street

OUTSIDE WHIRL: Elen and her man share a public kiss

WE'VE AR-RIVE-D: With hunk going into Sanderson hotel

DOOMED: Lampard with Elen before split

ATTRACTIVE: Saskia

By Jennifer Wiley, 17/05/2009

FRANK Lampard's ex has taken revenge on the football star's cheating by publicly flaunting a new hunk.

Elen Rives snogged the man - named today as Stevenage footballer Lawrie Wilson - in the middle of a busy street.

Then they spent the night together at a London hotel. Smouldering pictures of them together will devastate soccer hero Frank Lampard.

They show his ex-fiancée Elen Rives passionately snogging and caressing the hunk - before spending the night with him at a hotel.

The very public display of affection happened last Sunday,