| The MQM reverses its decision to leave government saying it had "decided to sacrifice" itself for democracy. Last Modified: 07 Jan 2011 13:28 GMT | ||
The second largest political party in Pakistan's governing coalition reversed its decision to join the opposition, restoring the alliance's parliamentary majority and saving the government from possible collapse. Raza Haroon, a senior leader in the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), said at a news conference with Yousuf Raza Gilani, the prime minister, on Friday that his party had made the decision for the sake of democracy and the country. Haroon said that the party had "decided to sacrifice" itself again and join the government in view of the "deteriorating law and order situation and economic conditions of our people". The move came a day after the government announced it would reverse recent fuel price hikes the MQM had pointed to as one of the key reasons for leaving the coalition. Despite agreeing to return to the the government coalition, the MQM has not, however, rejoined the federal cabinet. Decision 'welcomed' Al Jazeera's Kamal Hyder, reporting from Islamabad, said that when the MQM initially quit the cabinet seats "it was seen to be manoeuvering for more positions, because the MQM had been complaining that it didn’t have enough ministries". "[The decision] was more for the perks and the privileges and therefore it was expected that the two would come back together,” he said. "The government is a sinking ship,” he said. "It’s already got a hole in it, the economy is mismanaged and recently the price hike that was taken back is going to be felt somewhere else." The MQM walked out of government last Sunday, taking its 25 MPs to opposition benches. The move saw Gilani lose his majority in parliament and raised fears of the possibility of a no-confidence vote being brought against him, possibly forcing an early election in the country. On Monday, Gilani said he was confident the government could maintain its majority, as he scrambled to meet with key politicians in attempts to prevent a deepening leadership crisis. With the MQM legislators off the opposition benches, Gilani again leads a coalition that controls a slender majority of around 185 seats in the 342-member lower house of parliament. | ||
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| Source: Al Jazeera and agencies |
Friday, 7 January 2011
Pakistan coalition on the mend
Former UK MP jailed over expenses
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| David Chaytor sentenced to 18 months in prison after outting in false claims for rent and a mortgage. Last Modified: 07 Jan 2011 16:36 GMT | ||
A former legislator in the United Kingdom's parliament has been sentenced to 18 months in jail for his part in the expenses scandal that engulfed the House of Commons in 2009. David Chaytor, who left parliament last year, was sentenced on Friday after he previously pleading guilty to three charges of false accounting. Prosecutors said Chaytor deliberately tried to "siphon off" public money he was not entitled to by providing false documents to back up claims for rent which he never paid. The 61-year-old Labour Party MP for Bury North had submitted false bills totaling $28,350. This included a claim for $20,000 for a mortgage he had already paid off. Chaytor would have been the first MP to stand trial over the expenses, but he avoided court after changing his plea to guilty. Al Jazeera's Alan Fisher, reporting from London, said Chaytor's defence had tried to convince the court that there should be a reduction in the sentence following the former MP's guilty plea. "They were saying that this really was a mistake on his part; he could have claimed these expenses in the normal way but really just got caught up with a mixture of stupidity and wrong-doing," he said. However in pleading guilty, Mr Justice Saunders, the judge, said Chaytor had accepted that his conduct was dishonest. "These offences have a wider and more important consequence than is to be found in other breach of trust cases; that is, the effect they have had and will have on the confidence the public has in politicians," Justice Saunders said. "The public are entitled to expect the people who legislate for the public will themselves be honest in their dealings with the state and in particular in their use of public funds. "The whole expenses scandal has shaken public confidence in our legislature; it has angered the public." The disclosure of previously secret expense documents began in 2009, exposing UK politicians who were billing the public for items including second homes, lawnmower repairs, dog food, and pornographic movies. A total of 392 current and former politicians were ordered to repay $1.8 million. Five other current or former MPs face trials in the coming months; they have all submitted not guilty pleas. | ||
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| Source: Al Jazeera and agencies |
Yemeni soldiers killed in ambush
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| Al-Qaeda blamed for attack on army vehicles in Lawdar, in Abyan province, that has claimed nine lives. Last Modified: 07 Jan 2011 10:47 GMT | ||
Ten soldiers have been killed by al-Qaeda fighters who attacked three military vehicles in southern Yemen, security officials say. The army patrol cars were attacked on Friday in Lawdar, a city in the province of Abyan where several military raids against suspected al-Qaeda fighters took place last year. “According to eyewitnesses, two army vehicles were ambushed by more than 15 suspected militants from al-Qaeda and they attacked them,” Mohammed Al-Qadhi, a columnist at the Yemen Times, told Al Jazeera. "Abyan has been a stage for confrontation between the army and Al-Qaeda militants and many soldiers have been killed in such attacks ... and al-Qaeda has claimed responsibility for some of these attacks," he said. The army vehicles had been escorting a lorry carrying food supplies to military bases in the area. Mostafa Ahmed, the Lawdar health department chief, confirmed to the AFP news agency that the bodies of five soldiers were taken into a hospital morgue. He also said that a civilian who was passing by at the time was wounded in the attack. In November, a day after the state kicked off a regional soccer cup, a roadside bomb in Lawdar killed one soldier and wounded two others riding in a military vehicle. Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), an arm of al-Qaeda thought to include Yemenis and Saudis, stepped up attacks on Yemeni and Western targets last year. The government of Ali Abdullah Saleh, the president, has been under pressure to confront the group more vigorously, with US backing. Pressure mounted after two US-bound parcel bombs were intercepted in Britain and Dubai in October, a plot claimed by AQAP. In the past five years, US military assistance to Yemen has totalled about $250 million. | ||
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| Source: Al Jazeera and agencies |
Scrappy Qatar fall to Uzbek defeat
| Asian Cup hosts kick off campaign with 2-0 defeat to leave home fans heading for an early exit at Khalifa Stadium. Paul Rhys in Doha Last Modified: 07 Jan 2011 18:17 GMT | ||||
A stunning long-distance strike from Odil Akhmedov and a horrendous defensive mix-up by a former Asian Player of the Year gave Uzbekistan a 2-0 win against hosts Qatar in the opening match of the Asian Cup in Doha. Qatar looked unlikely challengers for a first Asian Cup trophy as they kicked off the tournament on home soil in scrappy fashion on Friday. A match that will not have whet the appetite of many outside the two countries was watched by a near capacity crowd at the impressive 40,000-seater Khalifa Stadium – one of the venues that will host World Cup matches in 2022. But the home support left in their droves nearly 15 minutes before the end after a terrible pass into his own box from substitute Khalfan Ibrahim – voted the continent's best player in 2006 – allowed Server Djeparov to slot home Uzbekistan's second goal. It left the Khalifa Stadium, which had been packed with men in white thobes and women in black abayas at kickoff, drained of support as Qataris hit the exits to the sound of Uzbek drums in the away section. A bombastic opening ceremony under the Khalifa's giant central arch was followed by a first half of occasional adequacy and a single flash of inspiration, as Qatar's Brazilian-born playmaker Fabio Cesar hit the post with a free kick. But it was Group A opponents Uzbekistan who deservedly took the lead just before the hour mark. Crashed in Midfielder Akhmedov strolled forward before unleashing a curling, dipping drive from 35 yards that evaded the glove of Qasem Burhan and crashed in off the underside of the bar.
Thirteen minutes before the end, Khalfan tried to find defender Bilal Mohammed with a pass that turned into a cross for Djeperov to apply a simple finish. Perhaps bruised rather than toughened by friendly matches against Egypt and North Korea, Qatar's defence was looking frail from the start and they could have gone behind twice in the first 10 minutes. Djeparov pulled back for Alexander Geynrikh to hit the post on seven minutes, before Jasur Khasanov's one-on-one effort was well smothered by Qasem at the far post. Seven minutes before half time, a foul by Sakhob Juraev on Qatar's Uruguay-born striker Sebastian Soria won a free kick for the home side six yards outside the box. Former Sao Paolo and Napoli midfielder Fabio Cesar curled his shot left-footed around the wall, but struck the post beyond the dive of Ignatiy Nesterov. Four minutes into the second half, Soria beat Nesterov to a high ball before presenting Hussein Yasser, who played one League Cup match for Manchester City in 2005, with an open goal. But the ball was nipped away by a defender before the Zamalek striker could shoot. Uzbekistan rode some late pressure from Qatar, with Khalfan trying to make some amends when his shot from outside the box was saved in injury time. The defeat leaves Qatar bottom of the group ahead of Kuwait's match with China on Saturday. | ||||
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| Source: Al Jazeera |
Black boxed in: Amal Mahmoud's 'How to Get Hitched' breaks no rules
Photographed by other "Aalashan el-Sennara Teghmez" (How to Get Hitched) is a duo of pocket self-help guides (one for men and one for women) written by Amal Mahmoud and published by Top Point Print in 2010. The books continue a recent publishing trend--helping Egyptian women settle down.
Mahmoud is the author of numerous articles on sexual awareness and is also a TV host. Like the 192 pages of the books, these articles include short quotes or aphorisms about dating men and women, grooming, and the many rules to the game of courting and marriage; also, like the books, the articles obscure their occasional wisdom with obnoxious vulgarity.
The books--a blue volume for the men, and red for women--are very popular in Egypt, a worrisome fact given that their content did more to convince this reviewer to avoid marriage than to go out looking for a husband. The pursuit of a mate seemed to vulgar, too desperate, and sometimes simply too confusing. Some of the advice contradicts itself; for instance the writer highlights the importance of honesty yet she encourages women not to disclose their sexual history and previous relationships, which she dubs a woman's "black box" (a telling euphemism, implying that a woman should be ashamed of any dating experience prior to her perfect husband).
The writing is based on the notion that men hunt and women are the prey--an antiquated and, frankly, nauseating dynamic for any self-respecting, educated and independent woman. Mahmoud asserts that women, if they are to be passive prey, might as well look good while hunted and offers advice on style and hair removal. (Of course, if her website is an indication, Mahmoud would make an amazing hair dresser.) The message seems to be: if you are being hunted, it's preferable to get eaten as soon as possible.
Some of the writing is merely a translation of the dating classic (and classically maligned), "The Complete Book of Rules" by Ellen Fein and Sherrie Schneider (first published in the US in 1995). The "rules" include: don’t blab on your first date, don’t ask for his number, don’t call him first, and do not be available all the time.
The blue volume, intended for men, was Mahmoud's first publication and attempt to distinguish her work from the rest of the self-help market (choosing red instead of pink for the female volume might also serve to do that, the darker hue implying... something darker). The for-men guide includes information about hormonal changes, ovulation, grooming, PMS and many other pieces of information that the author considers "priceless" for a man on the prowl. Women, it seems, are naturally so complicated that they, as well as those around them, could use a manual. Mahmoud goes so far as to compare a woman with PMS to a terrorist. In other places, she gets her facts wrong, like when she asserts that balding men have more testosterone (in most cases, hair loss is hereditary).
"How to Get Hitched" cannot be fully blamed on the author. Rather, the information it perpetuates is a result of a desperate society that, because it is constantly producing bad relationships and divorce, chooses to fixate on superficial and easy fixes like waxing and make-up, while totally ignoring the deeper reasons for failure: lack of responsibility and respect.
It is the superficiality of the young generation that allows Mahmoud and her ilk to capitalize on people’s desperation. Mahmoud refers to herself as a "relationship expert," although she offers no rationale for that title. Being a host on a TV show is not exactly a degree in psychology or sex education.
Until Mahmoud figures out her limitations, she may want to stick to her pasta paintings (available for viewing on her website), which I believe are her best work until now.
Egypt cancels Danish camp amid security fears
Copenhagen--Denmark's football association says Egypt has withdrawn an invitation to the Danish Under-21 team to train in Cairo, citing security concerns.
Danish association spokesman Lars Behrendt says the Egyptian federation "could not guarantee" the Danes' security in the midst of persistent anger among some Muslim groups over Danish newspapers' publication of cartoons depicting Prophet Mohamed.
Behrendt said Friday there were "absolutely no concrete threat" against Denmark's under-21 team.
The Danes will travel to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates instead. The 15-24 Jan. camp includes games against China and Qatar.
Denmark will host the under-21 European Championships in June.
Turkey deploys TV star in hopes of luring Egyptian tourists
Kivanc
Tatlitug, the Turkish soap opera star popularly known as "Muhannad," is
expected to visit Cairo next month in an effort to promote Turkish
tourism in the Middle East.
visit Cairo on 15 February for two days in order to promote an
international shopping festival to be held in Istanbul from 18 March to
26 April.
the more recent series "Forbidden Passion." Both serials have been
dubbed into Arabic and have recently aired on Egyptian satellite
channels.
Translated from the Arabic Edition.
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