Friday, December 16, 2011

Pakistan's 'memogate' bodes ill for Zardari

With Pakistan's powerful military breaking with the government and backing a supreme court inquiry into the "memogate" scandal, things do not look good for President Zardari's three-year-old administration.

Former ambassador to the US Husain Haqqani has already lost his job in the row, although he claims he is innocent. Who is to say more heads will not roll?

The scandal revolves around a memo allegedly sent from Pakistan's political leadership via Mr Haqqani to Adm Mike Mullen seeking US help to tame the Pakistani military.

Pakistan's civilian leaders were allegedly worried the military was about to launch a coup after US forces killed Osama Bin Laden in Abbottabad in May.

In recent days, the president's absence from Islamabad has fuelled speculation over what is going on.

Political observers went into overdrive last week when news emerged of his sudden departure to Dubai for medical treatment.

Political pundits think Mr Zardari is waiting outside the country and watching court proceedings from a safe distance. He does not want to get stuck like Mr Haqqani, who is barred by the court from leaving the country until the case is decided, the theory goes.

Start Quote

During the last three years of its rule, Mr Zardari has tried to test waters against the security establishment. The notification to bring ISI under interior ministry a few months after talking over power in 2008 was one such step”

End Quote Haroon Rashid BBC News

Conspiracy theories

The existence of the memo is more or less proven. In his court statement, Pakistan's military chief, Gen Ashfaq Pervez Kayani, said the memo's existence had been confirmed by Adm Mullen and Gen James Jones. Now the answer everyone is looking for is - who was really behind it?

President Zardari and Husain Haqani both deny any involvement but the controversy continues to unfold.

The allegations against the ambassador were made by a US-based lobbyist, Mansoor Ijaz, and there are many still unanswered questions about his role. Mr Ijaz has a decade-long association with Mr Haqqani. Is he now playing a double game? Who stands to benefit - the Americans or the Pakistani military?

In his latest submissions, Gen Kayani refuses to name names but he nevertheless does make it clear that it was a conspiracy against the ever-powerful military.

Pakistan's military has defended its right to intervene in politics throughout its existence. No matter how weak it feels, few observers think the army will ever give this up.

November 29, 2010 file photograph shows Pakistan"s President Asif Ali Zardari at a parliamentary meeting in Colombo Mr Zardari's absence has prompted many questions

Many believe the military must have carried out its own investigations and already reached some conclusions about the memo. But since the matter has now reached the judiciary, the army might be waiting for the names of those responsible to come from judges - it might prefer not to be seen to be weakening another civilian government.

One widely held view is that the conspiracy was actually cooked up by a military which views the Zardari government as having served its purpose. In Pakistani politics nothing is ever totally sure - but the same is true for "conspiracy theories" too.

Others say President Zardari was obediently following the military. People had even started talking about him winning a second term - but "memogate" has now highlighted the underlying split between the country's military and civilian leaders.

During its time in power, the Zardari administration has tried to test the waters against the security establishment. An attempt to bring the ISI under interior ministry control a few months after talking power in 2008 was one such step. Under military pressure, the notification had to be withdrawn within hours.

The appointment of Husain Haqqani, deeply unpopular with the military, as ambassador in Washington raised some senior security officials' eyebrows. "Memogate" - real or concocted - got them his head.

Gen Kayani's submission before the supreme court proves that it was he who asked the prime minister and later the president to recall Mr Haqqani. Again it was the military that made the political leadership take a step they would have loved to avoid. But the real question being asked now is - is this the end of the drama?

'Calm nerves'

It seems President Zardari does not wish to take any chances, even if he is innocent. Official statements have cast doubt on whether he can be sure of his security in Islamabad and implied the medication he was on could be the reason for his illness.

On Friday, Pakistan's main English-language newspaper Dawn urged him to return home to "calm nerves and quell speculation that refuses to die down".

"Like it or not, the reality of Pakistan is that threats to the democratic process do lurk in the shadows. It is the responsibility of the civilian political leadership to deal with those threats effectively," it wrote.

After three years in office plagued by misrule and allegations of corruption, no one is betting at the moment on President Zardari or his government completing their terms.

The days of a military coup are gone in Pakistan, many analysts say, but the going for the government is about to get tougher.

Following note from Learning Quran online Blog

 

Learn holy Quran online which it self states in it that only those who are learn quran and pure should touch the holy text: This is indeed a Quran in Arabic in a book well-guarded, which none shall touch but those who are clean (56:77-79).  One should make formal ablutions before handling or Quran reading and this the quran tutor should tell in his quran teaching when quran for kids lessons are going on. After intercourse or menstrual bleeding one should not touch the holy Quran or do quran recitation and also not do quran memorization until after bathing non-Muslim should not handle the sacred text, but may listen to Quran online or read quran translation or exegesis. With all these things in mind when one is not reading or reciting holy Quran it should be closed and stored in nice and clean place, it should never be placed on floor or in a bathroom and Muslim should focus on reading quran the tajweed quran and its rules with a proper institute.

End of the note by holy Quran reciter           

Andre 'Dede' Ayew named BBC African Footballer of 2011

Ghana and Marseille winger Andre "Dede" Ayew has been named the BBC's African Footballer of the Year for 2011.

The 21-year-old took over a third of the votes to follow in the footsteps of his father, Abedi "Pele" Ayew, who won the inaugural BBC award in 1991.

Ayew beat Yaya Toure, Gervinho, Samuel Eto'o and Seydou Keita to the title.

"I'm honoured and surprised to receive this prestigious award, especially considering the great players who have won it in the past," said Ayew.

Did you know?

After being named in Ghana's Africa Cup of Nations squad on Thursday, Andre's brother Jordan is in line to become the third of Abedi Pele's sons to play at the tournament

"I thank all the people who voted for me - in Ghana, in Africa and in the world.

"I'm going to work hard to show them they made a good choice."

The award was voted for by African football fans who nominated their favourites either by text or email.

They chose from a shortlist which was drawn up by football experts from every country in Africa, who based their choices on players' skill, technical ability, teamwork, consistency and fair play.

After making an impact on the international stage in 2010, when he impressed observers at both the Africa Cup of Nations and Fifa World Cup, 2011 marked a year when Ayew became a key figure at club level.

He finished the 2010-11 campaign as a regular starter for Marseille for the first time in his career, with his goal tally of 11 aiding his cause.

At the start of this season, he struck a hat-trick to help Marseille win the French Super League - and has since contested all but one of his side's 17 league games, scoring six times.

Injury ruled him out of Marseille's opening Champions League group game but the Ghanaian has gone on to miss just one minute of European action since then, as the 1993 champions reached the knockout stages.

At international level, Ayew also played a key role in ensuring that the Black Stars qualified for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations with an unbeaten record.

Abedi "Pele" Ayew was the first winner of the BBC African Sports Star of the Year award for his achievements in 1991, with the title later turning into the current BBC African Footballer of the Year award.

"Dede" becomes the fifth Ghanaian to win after his father, Sammy Kuffour (2001), Michael Essien (2006) and last year's winner Asamoah Gyan.

Previous winners of BBC African Footballer of the Year award:

2010 - Asamoah Gyan (Sunderland & Ghana)

2009 - Didier Drogba (Chelsea & Ivory Coast)

2008 - Mohamed Aboutrika (Al Ahly & Egypt)

2007 - Emmanuel Adebayor (Arsenal & Togo)

2006 - Michael Essien (Chelsea & Ghana)

2005 - Mohamed Barakat (Al Ahly & Egypt)

2004 - Jay Jay Okocha (Bolton & Nigeria)

2003 - Jay Jay Okocha (Bolton & Nigeria)

2002 - El Hadji Diouf (Liverpool & Senegal)

2001 - Sammy Kuffour (Bayern Munich & Ghana)

2000 - Patrick Mboma (Parma & Cameroon)

From learning Quran online Blog

And important note that we want to discuss and share with you it is about Quran reading and doing Quran recitation online to understand it, Ramadan is the month when the beautiful the Holy Quran has been revealed.  A miracle by the creator of the worlds, Allah (SWT)  Should we not glorify him by reading quran the gift he has sent down for us and learn Arabic Quran by heart  to feel the power of it and we as Muslim should try to learn quran with translation to understand it  wile we do Quran memorization and let our heart fill will tears of glory and wash away our sins in the month of Ramadan many people teach quran  and we should participate in teaching quran as much as we could because it is the noble cause to spread the word of Allah and the quran tutor will get the reword in the day of judgment “Will they not meditate on the Quran, or are there locks on the hearts”, Quran for kids , Surah Muhammad, Verse 24. Here is an interesting tajweed quran reciter where you can listen to quran from top Koran reciters and read the Koran with different translation and plz link to it and share it to promote islam

End from online Quran reciter blog

 

DR Congo election: Joseph Kabila confirmed as winner

The Supreme Court of the Democratic Republic of Congo has confirmed incumbent Joseph Kabila as winner of presidential elections, despite opposition calls to cancel the vote.

Court President Jerome Kitoko said Mr Kabila had won 48.95% and was elected with a simple majority.

The US and EU have severely criticised the vote.

The court had to decide whether to validate the results by Friday, after rejecting opposition objections.

Lawyers for opposition candidate Vital Kamerhe, who got 7% of the vote, walked out of the court on Thursday, describing it as a "parody of justice".

Mr Kabila's main challenger, Etienne Tshisekedi, has rejected the result outright and declared himself president. Mr Kitoko said he had polled 32.33%.

Earlier this week, Mr Kabila admitted there had been mistakes in the election process.

But he rejected concerns that the results lacked credibility.

The US-based Carter Center, which sent observers to the election, said the vote was too flawed to be credible.

The US state department called for a review of irregularities and the EU described parts of the election process as "chaotic".

However, the African Union described the elections as a success.

The elections are the first Congolese-organised polls since the end of a devastating war in 2003 which left millions dead.

An earlier poll in 2006 was organised under the auspices of the United Nations.

Mr Kabila has been president since 2001 following the assassination of his father, Laurent and he is due to be sworn in on 20 December for his second term.

From learning Quran online Blog

To all Muslim we should listen to Quran  and try to  learn Quran online  with translation  to understand the holy scripture and it is must for us to read Quran online, and availing the knowledge through learning Arabic Quran this is the main deauty that we have to promote and learn holy quran so that the true words of Allah should be spread we should  try  to learn quran tafseer the translation as well so we could explain and understand that what ever te quran tutor teaches more articles can be found under learning Quran online Blog a recourse full collection of hadith bukhari shrif and a read  Quran online or you can listen holy Quran recitation for top quran reciters and you can find Quran for kids and quran teaching staff online to learn quran from where ever you want to learn the teaching of Koran and they provide tajweed quran lessons and Quran memorization classes well plz link to it and share it to promote the teachings of islam

End from free Download quran blog

 

Tributes paid to journalist Christopher Hitchens

Tributes have flooded in for the British-born author, literary critic and journalist Christopher Hitchens who has died at the age of 62.

He had been suffering from oesophageal cancer.

Tony Blair described him as "a complete one-off, an amazing mixture of writer, journalist, polemicist, and unique character".

The author Salman Rushdie, a friend, paid tribute to him on Twitter after the announcement of his death.

"Goodbye, my beloved friend. A great voice falls silent. A great heart stops," he wrote.

Mr Blair, the former Labour prime minister, publicly debated religion with Hitchens in November 2010. He said Hitchens "was fearless in the pursuit of truth and any cause in which he believed.

"And there was no belief he held that he did not advocate with passion, commitment and brilliance.

"He was an extraordinary, compelling and colourful human being whom it was a privilege to know."

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, who once worked as an intern for Hitchens, said: "Christopher Hitchens was everything a great essayist should be: infuriating, brilliant, highly provocative and yet intensely serious.

"He will be massively missed by everyone who values strong opinions and great writing."

Start Quote

No evidence or argument has yet been presented which would change my mind - but I like surprises”

End Quote Christopher Hitchens On atheism

The author and prominent atheist Richard Dawkins described him as the "finest orator of our time" and a "valiant fighter against all tyrants including God".

He said Hitchens had been a "wonderful mentor in a way".

Hitchens became a celebrity in his adopted homeland of the US after the publication of his 2007 book God Is Not Great, and he happily took on the role of the country's best-known atheist.

He maintained his devout atheism after being diagnosed with cancer, telling one interviewer: "No evidence or argument has yet been presented which would change my mind. But I like surprises."

'Against every tide'

He famously fell out with his brother, the Mail on Sunday journalist Peter Hitchens, though the pair were later reconciled.

Writing in the Daily Mail, Peter Hitchens said that the one word that came to mind when he thought of his brother was "courage". He would always rather fight than give way, he wrote, not for its own sake but because it came naturally to him.

The MP Denis McShane was a student at Oxford with Hitchens.

He said: "Christopher just swam against every tide. He was a supporter of the Polish and Czech resistance of the 1970s, he supported Mrs Thatcher because he thought getting rid of the Argentinian fascist junta was a good idea.

"He was a cross between Voltaire and Orwell. He loved words.

"He could throw words up into the sky, they fell down in a marvellous pattern."

Hitchens was born in Portsmouth in 1949 and graduated from Oxford in 1970.

He began his career as a journalist in Britain in the 1970s and later moved to New York, becoming contributing editor to Vanity Fair in November 1992.

Advertisement

"Prospect of death makes me sober, objective"

He was diagnosed with cancer in June 2010, and documented his declining health in his Vanity Fair column.

In an August 2010 essay for the magazine he wrote: "I love the imagery of struggle.

"I sometimes wish I were suffering in a good cause, or risking my life for the good of others, instead of just being a gravely endangered patient."

Speaking on the BBC's Newsnight programme in November that year, he reflected on a life that he knew would be cut short: "It does concentrate the mind, of course, to realise that your life is more rationed than you thought it was."

Scathing

Radicalised by the 1960s, Hitchens was often arrested at political rallies and was kicked out of the Labour Party over his opposition to the Vietnam War.

In later life he moved away from the left. Following the September 11 attacks he argued with Noam Chomsky and others who suggested that US foreign policy had helped cause the tragedy.

He supported the Iraq War and backed George W Bush for re-election in 2004.

It led to him being accused of betrayal: one former friend called him "a lying, opportunistic, cynical contrarian", another critic said he was "a drink-sodden ex-Trotskyist popinjay".

I had the uncomfortable misfortune of sitting between Christopher and his nemesis George Galloway on the Bill Maher show once. The two loathed each other so much they would not even look at me in the middle for fear of catching each other's eyes.

And yet Christopher made the evening one of the most pleasant of my life when, at drinks afterwards, he told me I had never been hotter.

I was eight months pregnant. After that he could do no wrong in my eyes.

But he could dish out scathing critiques himself. He called Bill Clinton "a cynical, self-seeking ambitious thug", Henry Kissinger a war criminal and Mother Teresa a fraudulent fanatic.

Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter described the writer as someone "of ferocious intellect, who was as vibrant on the page as he was at the bar".

"Those who read him felt they knew him, and those who knew him were profoundly fortunate souls."

A statement from Vanity Fair said he died of pneumonia, a complication of his cancer.

Hitchens wrote for numerous publications including The Times Literary Supplement, the Daily Express, the London Evening Standard, Newsday and The Atlantic.

He was the author of 17 books, including The Trial of Henry Kissinger, How Religion Poisons Everything and a memoir, Hitch-22.

A collection of his essays, Arguably, was released this year.

Christopher Hitchens is survived by his wife, Carol Blue, and their daughter, Antonia, and his children from a previous marriage, Alexander and Sophia.

Learning quran and understand the teaching of quran

Learn Quran it brings happiness in this world and the Here after. Reading quran online inspires a man to explore the Arabic quran teachings in a new manner and see the world in a different way the way of truth and guidance. Learn holy Quran it brings happiness in this world and the world after death. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: If you desire the life of the fortunate, the death of a martyr, the salvation on the Day of Regret and the shade on the Day of Extreme Heat, then you should study the Quranic education because it is the word of the Merciful, a sanctuary from Shaytaan and a causes the tilting of the Balance. It is the deputy of every Muslim to spread the word of justice let teach kids quran from the beginning the quran quida  and ask then for listening to quran online from different reciter’s and learn quran tafsir and the quranic tafseer with translation and let the do quran memorization   and learn tajweed quran rules from quran tutor and guide them to spread the word of peace 

ICC dismiss Rwanda rebel Callixte Mbarushimana charges

War crimes judges in The Hague have dismissed charges against a Rwandan rebel leader accused of murder and rape in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The judges at the International Criminal Court ordered the release of Callixte Mbarushimana because of lack of evidence to back up the charges.

Prosecutors said they would appeal, requesting to halt the release.

Mr Mbarushimana, a Hutu rebel leader, has denied ordering his fighters to kill and rape civilians in 2009.

Years of unrest

The judges at the ICC's pre-trial chamber declined to confirm the charges against Mr Mbarushimana, 47, by a majority decision.

They said that "there was not sufficient evidence to establish substantial grounds" to believe that the Rwandan rebel could be held criminally responsible.

Mr Mbarushimana, 47, faced five counts of crimes against humanity and eight counts of war crimes, including charges of murder, torture, rape, inhumane acts and persecution, and destruction of property.

He was a senior member of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) operating in eastern DR Congo.

Troublesome neighbours

Rwanda map
  • April-June 1994: Genocide of Tutsis in Rwanda
  • June 1994: Paul Kagame's Tutsi rebels take power in Rwanda, Hutus flee into Zaire (DR Congo)
  • Rwanda's army enters eastern Zaire to pursue Hutu fighters
  • 1997: Laurent Kabila's AFDL, backed by Rwanda, takes power in Kinshasa

The prosecutors said they planned to appeal against the ruling. To do so, they must submit additional evidence.

The prosecutors also filed a request to halt Mr Mbarushimana's release pending the outcome of the appeal.

In Friday's ruling, the ICC judges also said there were substantial grounds to believe that FDLR members had committed several war crimes in DR Congo in March-July 2009.

However, they said those attacks against civilians could not be classified as crimes against humanity.

Mr Mbarushimana was arrested in Paris last October, following a request from the ICC.

Some FDLR leaders allegedly took part in the 1994 slaughter of some 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus in Rwanda.

After a Tutsi-dominated group took power ending the genocide, some FDLR members fled into what is now DR Congo, sparking years of unrest in the region.

Rwanda has twice sent its troops into DR Congo, saying they are needed to stop Hutu fighters, such as the FDLR, from using Congolese territory to attack Rwanda.

This led to the six-year conflict in DR Congo and the deaths of some five million people.

Reading Quran and reflecting over the Quran Is our Duty

Read quran and it will guided us to the true teaching of The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) he summarized the religion of Islam with this statement: “The Religion is naseehah (sincerity)!” So then Tameem ibn Aws, may Allah be pleased with him, then said, “We asked, ‘To whom?’” He said: “To Allah, HIS BOOK holy quran, His Messenger, the leaders of the people, and their common folk.” [Muslim] so to study the religion people should go to the source of and source of Islam is the quran so learning quran and reading quran with the meaning the quran tafsir and then explore the words of wisdom. And for the Muslims the sincerity that is due to the Book of Allah includes doing the quran recitation, listening to quran along with learning the tajweed rules and reciting it beautifully, letting our kids learn quran learning holy quran tafseer and the reasons for its revelation, affirming that it is the Truth, the perfect Speech of Allah and not part of the creation, honoring it and defending it, abiding by the orders and prohibitions found in it and teaching quran to spread the word or truth and calling to it. So by learning quran education online and reflecting over the Quran online, one fulfills an obligation and is rewarded for that. Upon fulfilling this obligation, the Quran then becomes a proof for him on the Day of Judgment! And that is our second benefit we will take by embracing this Noble Book...

Institutional Dutch Catholic abuse 'affected thousands'

Tens of thousands of children have suffered sexual abuse in Dutch Catholic institutions since 1945, a report says.

The report by an independent commission said Catholic officials had failed to tackle the widespread abuse at schools, seminaries and orphanages.

But the report also found that one in five children who attended an institution suffered abuse - regardless of whether it was Catholic.

"This episode fills us with shame and sorrow," said a bishops' statement.

The commission, which began work in August 2010, sought to uncover what had gone on and how it had happened, and examined what kind of justice should be offered to victims.

It was triggered by allegations of abuse at a Catholic school in the east Netherlands, which prompted other alleged victims to come forward.

It studied 1,800 complaints of abuse at Catholic institutions, identifying 800 alleged perpetrators, just over 100 of whom are still alive.

It also conducted a broader survey of more than 34,000 people, to gain a more comprehensive picture of the scale and nature of abuse suffered by Dutch minors.

Start Quote

The problem of sexual abuse was known... but the appropriate actions were not undertaken”

End Quote Commission report

The report estimates that 10,000-20,000 minors were abused in the care of Catholic institutions between 1945 and 1981, when the number of Church-run homes dropped. In the years between 1981 and 2011, several more thousands suffered at the hands of priests and others working for the Church.

Most of the cases involved mild to moderate abuse, such as touching, but the report estimated there were "several thousand" instances of rape.

'Widespread in Dutch society'

"The problem of sexual abuse was known in the orders and dioceses of the Dutch Catholic Church," the commission says, according to news agency AFP, "but the appropriate actions were not undertaken."

A taboo on discussing sexuality in society until the 1960s and the Catholic Church's "closed" administrative structure were some of the reasons for the official failure to respond effectively to the problem, the commission said.

"Then again, people simply could not believe that a religious person could do that," commission chief Wim Deetman told a news conference.

Start Quote

What was happening was sexual abuse, violence, spiritual terror, and that should have been investigated”

End Quote Bert Smeets Abuse victim

The report also estimates that one in 10 Dutch children have suffered some form of abuse, rising to one in five among those who had attended an institution - regardless of whether it was Catholic.

"Sexual abuse of minors is widespread in Dutch society," the commission reportedly said.

Bert Smeets, an abuse victim who attended the presentation of the report, said it did not go far enough in detailing precisely exactly what happened.

"What was happening was sexual abuse, violence, spiritual terror, and that should have been investigated," Mr Smeets told the Associated Press news agency. "It remains vague. All sorts of things happened but nobody knows exactly what or by whom. This way, they avoid responsibility."

According to AP, prosecutors say the inquiry referred 11 cases to them - without naming the alleged perpetrators. They opened only one investigation based on those reports, saying the other 10 did not contain enough detailed information and appeared to have happened too long ago to prosecute.

Last month the Dutch branch of the Catholic Church set up a sliding compensation system based on the severity of abuse suffered, offering compensation of between 5,000 and 100,000 euros (£4,200-84,000; $6,500-130,000).

Mr Deetman, a former government minister, headed the commission, which also includes a former judge, university professors and a psychologist.

Its findings have been keenly awaited by the Dutch population, 29% of whom are identified as Catholic, the BBC's Anna Holligan reports from The Hague.

Read quran its is the Word of Allah the sigh of guidance

Reading quran and exploring it is the true duty of a Muslim because it contains Allah’s message to all people and the quran teaching tells the people that how to act correctly. By learning quran you will find that it guides us to a correct way of life in this world. We as a practicing Muslim should teach our kids quran and let the kids learn quran recitation and do quran memorization and we also do quran memorization by heart and there is an other importing thing that learn quran with tajweed because the tajweed rules are very important regarding the pronunciation and way or read the holy quran and further more enhancing the quranic studies by learning quran tafseer and reading quran the translation with it listening to quran online with the quran recitation don by some of the top reciter also. It is the Book of Allah also talks about life after death. It tells us that Allah has prepared Paradise for good people and Hell for bad people. Wile reading Quran we see that it encourages the worship of only one God Who creates and provides for them. The Book forbids people from evil and condemns those who do wrong. It contains stories of the past Prophets and the examples of bad and good people. Find online quran courses 

 

 

Egypt elections: Cairo protesters clash with army

BBC's Jon Leyne: "Quite blatantly you can see people who must be working for the government... just throwing rocks down on the protesters"

Egypt's Revolution

  • Islamists battle for rural votes
  • Baffling array
  • Weird and wonderful logos
  • Egyptian views on poll

Clashes have broken out in Egypt's capital, Cairo, after the army tried to remove demonstrators staging a sit-in near the country's cabinet building.

The protesters threw stones at soldiers, who responded in kind. The troops also fired water cannons at the activists and beat them with batons.

At least two people are believed to have been killed.

The sit-in began three weeks ago after the appointment of a new prime minister by Egypt's governing military council.

The protesters want the generals to transfer power immediately to a civilian authority, and not wait until a presidential election in mid-2012.

The military council took control of the country after a popular uprising forced President Hosni Mubarak to step down in February.

Elections

The clashes in Cairo reportedly began early on Friday after images were published online of the badly bruised face of an activist, who said he had been detained by military police at the sit-in the previous day and beaten.

Protesters threw stones at the soldiers deployed outside the cabinet and parliament buildings, who responded with their own volleys of stones.

They also attempted to end the sit-in by tearing down the demonstrators' tents and carrying out several baton charges, beating several women.

Start Quote

Even if the sit-in was not legal, should it be dispersed with such brutality and barbarity?”

End Quote Mohamed ElBaradei Egyptian presidential candidate

By early afternoon, the troops had pulled back, but the crowd continued to be pelted with stones and concrete slabs by plainclothes and uniformed security officers on the roof of the parliament building.

Some in the crowd threw petrol bombs, setting part of the building and several cars alight. They also burnt car tires in the street to send up plumes of smoke and block the view of the security forces.

A health ministry official, Hisham Shiha, later told state television that one person had died of suspected gunshot wounds. He added that 105 people were being treated in hospital for injuries, while another 68 were treated by medics at the scene.

State television quoted health ministry officials as saying 99 people had been injured in the violence. It also said 32 members of the security forces had been hurt.

But one youth activist, Sahar Abdel-Mohsen, told the Associated Press she had seen the bodies of two protesters at the morgue of a local hospital. She said both had gunshot wounds.

Mohamed ElBaradei, a presidential candidate and former head of the UN's nuclear watchdog, condemned the army's tactics.

"Even if the sit-in was not legal, should it be dispersed with such brutality and barbarity?" he wrote on his Facebook page.

The attempt to end the protest has clearly backfired, the BBC's Jon Leyne in Cairo reports.

The episode is very damaging for the authorities, as they had promised not to allow attacks on protestors, he adds.

The clashes are believed to be the bloodiest since nearly a week of protests in November left more than 40 people dead.

The violence comes as Egypt is holding parliamentary elections.

Islamist parties consolidated their lead over liberal and secular parties in this week's second round, according to initial counts reported by state media.

The Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) was said to be ahead in the southern province of Sohag and Giza province, which includes a large part of Cairo. The Salafist al-Nour Party was reportedly ahead in the port city of Suez.

The FJP won more than 36% of the vote in the first round last month.

Learn Holy Quran because it will be a proof for us muslim on the Day of Judgment.

This is due to the statement of the Messenger: “And the Quran is a proof for you or against you.” [Muslim] so the deputy of every Muslim is to read quran and learn quran with tajweed so one of two things will occur with this proof, the Book of Allah. And this quran education will be in your favor, a proof for us on the Day when we will need every single good deed and learning quran along with doing quran memorization is one of it and to add more spread the quran teaching and spread the kids quran knowledge and listening to quran online and understand the quran tafseer , it will be something standing against us and follow the guidance of or prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, and these good deeds will be a proof against us! Who could be saved from the terrors of that Day if Allah’s own Speech is against him?!?! Think carefully, so reading Arabic Quran and teaching our kids quran qaida with the tafseer of quran  and let the kids memorize quran dear Muslim brother or sister, about your position with the reading Quran! Are you neglecting it, contradicting it, being heedless of its orders and prohibitions, are you thinking deeply over it?! Will it be on your side on the Day of Judgment.? So learn quran recitation! O Allah! We ask you, by Your Glorious Speech and the rest of your beautiful Names and Attributes, to make the Quran a proof for us! So the Quran tutor should let his student know about these facts also,

 

Ex-Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac bosses charged with fraud

 

The US financial regulator has brought civil fraud charges against six former top executives at mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said the executives had misled investors about the companies' exposure to risky subprime mortgages they held when the housing bubble burst.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were rescued by the US government in 2008.

Those charged include former chiefs Daniel Mudd and Richard Syron.

Mr Mudd was fired from Fannie after the government took over. Mr Syron resigned from Freddie in 2008.

In a statement released through his lawyer, Mr Mudd said the lawsuit "should never have been brought" and said the government had reviewed and approved all of the company's financial disclosures.

"The SEC is wrong, and I look forward to a court where fairness and reason - not politics - is the standard for justice," he said.

Mr Syron's lawyers said the case was "without merit" and said the term subprime "had no uniform definition in the market" at that time.

Fannie and Freddie both entered into agreements with the government on Friday, accepting responsibility for their conduct without admitting or denying the charges.

The companies also agreed to co-operate with the SEC on the cases against the former executives.

Important note to learn and Read Quran online

The Holy Quran is the word of Allah; it has been sent down to guide us and the guidance can online be gained through reading quran online. No other book can be like holy quran. As you come to the learn tajweed quran, Allah speaks to you and reading Arabic Quran is to hear Him, even to converse with Him, and to walk in His ways. So it is must for us as a Muslim to learn and do quran memorization by heart and the Quran tutor should teach the kids from quran qaida and then teaching quran online along with the quran tafseer and let the kids memorize quran so that we as Muslim could learn quran tajweed rules and then understand the quran tafseer  It is the encounter of life with the Life-giver. 'God - there is no god but He, the Ever-living, the Self-subsisting (by whom all subsist)  He has sent down upon you the Book with the Truth ... as a guidance unto mankind ...' (Al 'Imran 3: 2-3 learn quran recitation). So we should always remember the guidance of Allah and we should be listening to quran online along with obeying the commandments of Allah so let us join hands to lean the Koran and let our kids do quran memorization and learn the teaching of quran education online and apply them in there life there is kids quran lesson available online as well

UN lifts sanctions on Libya's key banks

The UN Security Council has lifted sanctions on Libya's central bank and the country's foreign investments banks, diplomats say.

They say the move is aimed at easing a current cash crisis in Libya.

The US followed the suit shortly afterwards, lifting "most" sanctions against Tripoli.

The Libyan banks' assets abroad were frozen earlier this year as part of sanctions against former Libyan leader Col Muammer Gaddafi.

'No objections'

On Friday, the UN Security Council decided to lift the sanctions on the Central Bank of Libya and its investments subsidiary - the Libyan Foreign Bank.

Last Friday, the council agreed to unfreeze the assets - unless there were objections - by 1700 local time (2200 GMT) on 16 December. As that deadline passed, no objections had been received, the diplomats in New York said.

The UK Foreign Secretary, William Hague, said that the move "marks another significant moment in Libya's transition".

"It means that Libya's government will now have full access to the significant funds needed to help rebuild the country, to underpin stability and to ensure that Libyans can make the transactions that are essential to everyday life," Mr Hague said in a statement.

He added that London would now free some £6.5bn held in Britain.

Following the UN decision, the White House said in a statement that "the United States rolled back most US sanctions on the government of Libya to keep our commitment to the Libyan people".

The US Treasury said that it would "allow for the release of more than $30 billion in blocked central bank and LAFB (The Libyan Arab Foreign Bank) assets.

"The Libyan government now has the ability and responsibility to manage these funds," the Treasury said.

The interim government in Tripoli has recently stepped up calls for the release of some $150bn (£96bn) held abroad to pay employee salaries and keep the country's basis services running.

Some sanctions were eased after the fall Col Gaddafi's regime, but the process of releasing the bulk of the money has been very slow for legal and technical reasons, the BBC's Barbara Plett in New York reports.

Diplomats say that is because of uncertainty in the countries holding the assets as to who legally owns the funds, and whether the Libyan leadership is united enough to be trusted with the cash, our correspondent adds.

Kazakh oil strike: 10 dead in Zhanaozen clashes

At one point a policeman is seen firing into the air, while crowds of people are seen running away

Related Stories

At least 10 people have been killed as striking oil workers clashed with government forces in a town in western Kazakhstan, officials say.

Eyewitnesses said police fired on unarmed protesters in the town of Zhanaozen, but the authorities say they were forced to defend themselves.

The clashes occurred when police tried to clear the town square, occupied by the workers for more than six months.

They are demanding better pay, but their action has been declared illegal.

The clashes came as Kazakhstan marked the 20th anniversary of independence from the Soviet Union, with celebrations throughout the country.

Correspondents say the unrest will come as a shock to President Nursultan Nazarbayev, who has ruled the republic since before independence and kept a tight rein on public protest.

There were signs that the authorities were trying to control media reports, they add, with internet users reporting difficulties accessing independent news websites and Twitter.

Offices on fire

Police moved in to clear the square early on Friday morning for independence celebrations but were charged by the oil workers.

An eyewitness told the BBC police had opened fire on the unarmed protesters and one man died in her arms from a shot to the chest.

A number of buildings including local government offices, a hotel and the office of the state oil company were set on fire, Kazakhstan's General Prosecutor Askhat Daulbayev said.

Kazakh oil industry

  • Reserves of 30bn barrels, 11th largest in the world
  • 1.61 millions barrels a day produced
  • 1.5 million barrels a day exported

Preliminary information indicated 10 deaths, with police officers among the injured, he added.

"Civilians, who had gathered in the main square to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the country's independence, were attacked by a group of hooligans," he said.

Some yurts and a portable stage erected for Independence Day were destroyed, the prosecutor said.

The Kazakh opposition TV channel K-Plus showed what appeared to be the beginning of the unrest, with oil workers running on to the stage, tipping over speakers and pushing officials before police arrived.

Map

Mr Daulbayev added that a criminal investigation had been opened into the disturbances, which had resulted from "criminal actions".

A team of investigators led by Interior Minister Kalmukhanbet Kasymov had flown to the town to "identify and punish the organisers", he said.

Vladimir Kozlov, leader of an unregistered opposition party, said the longevity of the protest had annoyed the authorities.

"The fact that the people have been standing on the square for seven months and not leaving irritates them," he told K-Plus.

"They haven't used DDT [pesticide] yet, but they have tried all other means. They are still standing. This irritates the authorities the most."

Oil workers at the Ozenmunaigas oil field, which employs the Zhanaozen workers, have higher than average salaries, but strike organisers say the workers are owed danger money for the tough conditions they work in.

The oil-rich but remote western Mangistau region has seen several cases of industrial action this year, with oil fields responding by sacking hundreds of workers.

Important note to learn and do reading online quran

Online Quran Tutor is the one who comes into mind when someone says to learn Holy Quran online or learning the Quran with the right pronunciation. The Holy Quran online is the word of Allah Ta’ala and recitation of the Quran is a sensitive matter. We have to listen quran with full attention and read quran online with the perfection and it is suppose to be read, there are many places in the Koran online which have to be recited with care and attention because if someone recites them with the wrong pronunciation, the whole context and meaning of the verse get changed. It’s the beauty of every Muslim parent to carry on with the teaching of Islam and letting there kids to learn quran 

Wikileaks: Bradley Manning military hearing bias row

A military officer overseeing the hearing of the US Army analyst accused of leaking government secrets has rejected a request to recuse himself.

The request was made by a defence lawyer for Private Bradley Manning, 23, as he appeared at a military court.

He faces 22 charges of obtaining and distributing government secrets - which he allegedly leaked to anti-secrecy site Wikileaks.

The Article 32 hearing will determine whether Pte Manning is to stand trial.

During the hearing, which is expected to last around five days according to the defence team, prosecution and defence lawyers will each make their initial cases and are permitted to cross-examine witnesses.

Friday's session has adjourned and the hearing is due to resume on Saturday.

Proceeding to trial

The hearing offers the first opportunity for Pte Manning's defence team to present their case since he was arrested in Iraq in May 2010 and placed in military custody.

It is taking place under tight security at an army base at Fort Meade, Maryland.

Pte Manning sat in the courtroom dressed in military khaki and wearing black-rimmed glasses.

But his defence team quickly switched focus by asking for the investigating officer - equivalent to a judge in a civilian court - to withdraw from the case.

Defence lawyer David Coombs said Lt Col Paul Almanza, the investigating officer, was "biased".

At the scene

For almost everyone present, this is our first glimpse of the man accused of the biggest leak of confidential material in American history. Private Manning sat in uniform, wearing thick-rimmed glasses, hands clasped before him. In his only remarks so far, he said he understood his rights and confirmed the identities of the one civilian and two military officers representing him.

But the focus of attention was the investigating officer. Manning's civilian lawyer demanded he recuse himself, arguing that as prosecutor for the Department of Justice, Lt Col Paul Almanza works for an organisation actively pursuing a separate case against Wikileaks.

Mr Coombs said Lt Col Almanza's decision to reject defence witnesses, as well as the government's alleged reluctance to put forward witnesses to explain the damage done by the leaks suggested Almanza was biased.

"Where's the damage? Where's the harm?" Mr Coombs demanded, in an early indication of part of his defence strategy. Lt Col Almanza announced a recess to consider the defence plea. It could last some time.

Lt Col Almanza is a former military judge who now works for the Department of Justice, which has its own investigation into Wikileaks. His refusal to accept all but two of 38 defence witnesses meant the defence could not adequately make their case, Mr Coombs said.

Following two recesses and arguments by the prosecution and the defence, the investigating officer refused to recuse himself and the hearing continued.

Afterwards, recommendations will be made to a military general, who will decide whether to proceed to a full trial.

The BBC's Paul Adams says the soldier's defence team is likely to argue that little harm came of the leaks, and that their release was in the greater public interest.

Assange link?

Pte Manning has also been charged with "aiding the enemy", a charge that could carry the death penalty. However, reports say prosecutors will only seek a prison sentence.

He is accused of the unauthorised possession and distribution of more than 720,000 secret diplomatic and military documents.

"If it is the case that Bradley Manning is indeed the source of this and other Wikileaks materials, Manning would have single-handedly changed hundreds of thousands of people's lives for the better," Wikileaks said in a statement.

The Wikileaks disclosures

Wikileaks and media partners

"This material has contributed to ending dictatorships in the Middle East, it has exposed torture and wrongdoing in all the corners of the world and it has held diplomatic bodies and politicians accountable for the words, deals and pacts held behind close doors," Wikileaks said.

One of the key questions is expected to be whether Pte Manning had any kind of relationship with Julian Assange, the founder of Wikileaks, our correspondent at Fort Meade says.

Mr Assange is also embroiled in a legal battle, facing extradition to Sweden from the UK to face sexual assault charges. As Pte Manning was preparing for his own court appearance on Friday, the UK Supreme Court agreed to hear an appeal from Mr Assange against his extradition ruling.

The things Muslim should do. We as Muslim should give our first priority in learning quran and do quran reading to seek the right path of Islam and through the quran teaching we can achieve the goal of our life and the deputy to guiding our kids to learn Koran that we should fulfill with perfecting kids quran recitation power and knowledge in Islam and also motivate our children’s to do quran memorization and then guide them to learn holy Quran tafseer  so they could understand the quran in Arabic and the quranic translation and also let or kids to listen quran from top quran reciters to get them inspired. at last I would pray for all my Muslim brothers and sisters that may Allah accept there Dwas and prayers and inspire you with the teachings of our holy prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) so let us join hands and spread the knowledge that every Muslim is born to spread the knowledge of Islam now a day many online quran tutor are available for kids and elders to learn tajweed quran and with exact pronunciation and perfect the quran recitation online with qualified teaching staff  who can guide then with there experience and knowledge and the write teachings to help us in achieving the path of Jannah so learn quran and its teaching and spread the word of Allah join live quran teacher and do one on one sessions from tajweed teachers

Important note to learn and read quran online

Reading Quran Online is one of the contemporary styles of reading and learning Quran online. If you have been facing issues in teaching Quran to your young ones, you have your problems solved now learning Quran online is easy for yourself as well and at the same time, your kids can also benefit from it. and listen quran online from online quran reciter and practice to learn holy quran online with the tajweed and be perfect to reading quran online its not a wonder now its on your door step just a click away and you are there

 

Obituary: Christopher Hitchens

 

Author, commentator and polemicist Christopher Hitchens was born in Portsmouth in 1949, the son of a naval officer and a former Wren.

His early years were privileged and traditional. Packed off to boarding school at the age of eight, he went on to Oxford University, where he mingled with emerging members of British establishment at student cocktail parties, while discovering the socialist ideals that would remain with him throughout the 60s and 70s.

Drinking, arguing and a third-class degree were the stepping stones to a career in journalism - and the start of a lifelong friendship with author Martin Amis.

The late Anthony Howard, who hired Hitchens for The New Statesman in 1973, told journalist George Eaton in 2010: "He was a very quick writer... Hitch could produce a front-page leader, which would take me a couple of hours, in half an hour."

For his part, Hitchens claimed to have started writing professionally "because I didn't have to specialise... and I've got good memory retention".

He later added: "I became a journalist partly so that I wouldn't ever have to rely on the press for my information."

Start Quote

Hitchens was more engaged, relentless, hilarious, observant, and intelligent than just about everyone else”

End Quote Juli Weiner Vanity Fair

"Hitch" quickly gained a reputation for fierce opinion and scathing critique - with the Vietnam War and the Roman Catholic Church both within his sights.

Religion, or rather his complete rejection of it, would remain a target throughout his life. After being diagnosed with cancer in 2010, he told one interviewer: "No evidence or argument has yet been presented which would change my mind. But I like surprises."

A penchant for travel, and his decision to go at least once a year to "a country less fortunate than [his] own", saw Hitchens exploring political change in countries as varied as Poland, Argentina and Greece - where he found himself in 1973, following the suicide of his mother, and from where he reported on the fall of the military junta, his first leading article for The New Statesman.

Working as a foreign correspondent in Cyprus, he met his first wife Eleni Meleagrou, a Greek Cypriot, whom he married in 1981. They had two children, Alexander and Sophia.

Wherever he was, he wrote and argued, smoked and drank prodigiously. Writing in Vanity Fair in 2003, he described his daily intake of alcohol as being enough "to kill or stun the average mule", noting that many great writers "did some of their finest work when blotto".

'Islamic fascism'

A job offer from the left-leaning magazine the Nation persuaded him to move to the United States in 1981 - and the country became his adopted home.

Presidents Reagan and Clinton both bore the brunt of Hitchens' withering scorn. The latter was the subject of a full-length essay entitled No One Left To Lie To - where the writer labelled him "a cynical, self-seeking ambitious thug".

His targets also included Mother Teresa, whom he accused of indulging the rich and powerful "while preaching obedience and resignation to the poor".

He wrote: "Mother Teresa's global income is more than enough to outfit several first-class clinics in Bengal.

"The decision not to do so... is a deliberate one. The point is not the honest relief of suffering, but the promulgation of a cult based on death and suffering and subjection."

He laid out his theories in a book - provocatively titled The Missionary Position - which caused outrage in the Christian community.

Christopher Hitchens outside the office of the New Statesman in 1978 Hitchens forged his reputation with the New Statesman in the 1970s

In 1992, he became a contributing editor for Vanity Fair - the publication for which he was still writing at the time of his death, and with which he became most closely associated.

It was here that he met his second wife Carol Blue, who once remarked of him: "I was just glad such a person existed in the world." The couple had one daughter, Antonia.

But it was his defining stance on the invasion of Iraq in 2003 that was to make Hitchens a household name.

His support for the war followed the 11 September 2001 attacks, which he branded the work of "Islamic fascism". His stance led him to fall out with many of his allies, most particularly US author Gore Vidal, who had previously hailed him as some kind of personal successor.

It also saw him leave The Nation, where his views were increasingly at odds with those of his colleagues.

Hitchen's volte-face to the right had, in fact, been germinating since the 1989 fatwa issued against his friend Salman Rushdie, which he denounced as "using religion to mount a contract killing".

In a column for The Nation published less than 10 days after the attacks, on 20 September 2001, Hitchens wrote: "What they [the 9/11 attackers] abominate about 'the West'... is not what Western liberals don't like and can't defend about their own system, but what they do like about it and must defend: its emancipated women, its scientific inquiry, its separation of religion from the state."

His position saw him trading insults with the likes of Noam Chomsky, George Galloway - who famously called him "a drink-soaked former Trotskyist popinjay" - and his own brother, fellow journalist Peter Hitchens.

In fact, he and Peter had long endured a bitter rivalry, having little in common in political terms. A journalistic spat prompted a protracted falling-out between the pair, but they later reconciled.

 

Join live quran teaching staff

Now days we as Muslims have to spread the voice to learn quran and so we could gain the true knowledge and the quran teaching that is give to us by our beloved prophet Muhammad peace be upon him and do quran reading. Do we as Muslim ask our self that why we are at the peak of destruction? The answer will be simple that we have left our roots the holy quran we should guide promote Islam from in our homes first and let learn our kids quran  and encourage them in doing quran memorization this should be our first goal for it we can do different stuff like let then participate in different online quran recitation competition to let them listen quran from different online quran reciters and along with it we elders should learn quran also and improve our knowledge of quran and Islam and learn holy quran tafseer because to understand and learn quran Arabic and for this now a days there are many online quran tutor available who teach tajweed quran and its translation and tafseer so let us join our hands to be the voice of Islam and let improve the image of it as well and full fill our deputy

 

Indian student Jyoti Amge named world's shortest woman

Indian student Jyoti Amge named world's shortest woman

Ms Amge said it was "wonderful" to celebrate her 18th birthday with a new world record


Related Stories

An Indian student measuring just a little over two feet has been confirmed as the world's shortest living woman by Guinness World Records.

Jyoti Amge, at 62.8cm (24.7in), is 7cm shorter than previous title holder, American Bridgette Jordan.

Ms Amge was conferred the title on Friday as she celebrated her 18th birthday in the city of Nagpur.

Ms Amge has a condition called achondroplasia, a form of dwarfism, and is not expected to grow further.

In 2009, she was named the world's shortest teenager at 61.95cm.

The shortest woman ever recorded was Pauline Musters (1876-1895) of the Netherlands, who stood at 61cm.

'Grateful'

Ms Amge was presented with a certificate, watched by her parents in Nagpur.

"It is wonderful to celebrate my 18th birthday with a new world record, it's like an added birthday present," she said.

"I feel grateful to be this size, after all if I weren't small and had not achieved these world records I might never have been able to visit Japan and Europe, and many other wonderful countries," she said.

Dressed in a traditional sari, she stood on a chair next to a seated Rob Molloy, official adjudicator for Guinness World Records, to cut her birthday cake.

"In accordance with our guidelines, Jyoti was measured three times in 24 hours by a doctor," Guinness World Records said.

Ms Amge has attended regular school since she was four and has just finished her high school exams. She plans to undertake a university degree.

Guinness World Records said she dreamed of becoming a Bollywood film star.

Important note to learn to read quran online

Find the true guidance through read Quran online, and full fill your deputy to learn Quran online  because holy Quran online is the guidance for all the men kind and Allah speaks the truth so follow the things which Allah messenger prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) have thought us and for Muslim who want to Listen Quran online, for the top quran reciters from learning quran blog  do join live quran classes from top  quran tutors  and do Quran memorization listening to Recitation of Mishary bin Rashid

Mishary bin Rashid with Ibrahim Walk English Quran Recitation

Mishary bin Rashid with Urdu Translation

Quran recitation sudais

Quran recitation Sudais & Shuraym English Quran Recitation of Naeem Sultan

Sudais, Shuraym with Urdu Translation

Quran Recitation Quri Abdul Basit

Quri Abdul Basit With Ibrahim Walk English Quran Recitation

AbdulBaset AbdulSamad, Urdu Translation

 

Bradley Manning pre-trial hearing opens amid tight security

  • News
  • World news
  • Bradley Manning

Bradley Manning pre-trial hearing opens amid tight security

Charge sheet includes 23 counts against the WikiLeaks suspect, including that he knowingly 'gave intelligence to the enemy'
• Follow tweets from the trial

  • guardian.co.uk, Friday 16 December 2011 14.20 GMT
  • Article history
  • Activists in support of Bradley Manning, the alleged leaker of documents to WikiLeaks
    Activists demonstraing in support of Bradley Manning, the alleged leaker of documents to WikiLeaks. Photograph: Jacquelyn Martin/AP

    Bradley Manning has been seen in public for the first time since he was arrested in Iraq in May 2010 for allegedly leaking hundreds of thousands of secret US state documents to WikiLeaks.

    Security was exceptionally – some say bizarrely – tight at the opening on Friday of Manning's pre-trial hearing at Fort Meade in Maryland. Though a small number of seats in the military courtroom were reserved for members of the public, rigid reporting restrictions remained in place that prevent any live coverage of the proceedings.

    The full charge sheet against Manning was released for the first time. It includes a total of 23 counts against the soldier, the most serious of which is that Manning knowingly gave "intelligence to the enemy, though indirect means".

    The idea that WikiLeaks constituted an "enemy", or a conduit to an enemy of the US state, will in itself be subject of much debate and legal argument. A second charge follows a similar theme, and accuses of Manning of causing information to be published "having knowledge that intelligence published on the internet is accessible to the enemy".

    Manning is charged with passing information from a secure database containing more than 250,000 records belonging to the US government – a reference to the US embassy cables that were published by WikiLeaks through a group of international newspapers including the Guardian in November 2010.

    Another count refers to the first act of publication by WikiLeaks in February 2010 of a US embassy cable known as Reykjavik-13.

    Aside from press and legal council, a small group of members of the public were allowed inside the courtroom. Admittance was decided on a first-come, first-serve basis. Those who got in had queued at the military base since "predawn", a military media liaison officer said.

    A vigil in support of Manning was due to take place outside the main gates of Fort Meade to coincide with the start of the hearing. About 60 supporters were expected to attend. On Friday afternoon, the group is due to be joined by members of the Occupy Wall Street movement, who are travelling by bus to the military base. A further rally will be held on Saturday to mark Manning's 24th birthday. Daniel Ellsberg, who leaked the Pentagon Papers on the Vietnam war, will be addressing the protesters.

    The army has come under criticism for taking so long to bring Manning to trial, and it faces further questions over how it is conducting the start of deliberations. The hearing is a preliminary stage, known as an Article 32, equivalent to a civilian pre-trial hearing, and is designed to assess whether the US soldier should be sent to a full court-martial.

    Manning was charged in March with 37 counts relating to the leaking of hundreds of thousands of secret documents to WikiLeaks from secure US databases that he allegedly accessed while working as an intelligence officer at the Forward Operating Base Hammer outside Baghdad. The documents included Afghan and Iraq war logs, a trove of US embassy cables from around the world and video footage of a US helicopter fatally firing on a group of civilians in Iraq including two Reuters employees.

    It was the largest leak of US state secrets in history and Manning faces a maximum sentence of life in custody with no chance of parole. Technically, Manning could also face the death penalty on the count of "aiding the enemy", but prosecutors have made clear they will not seek the ultimate punishment.

    Among the stranger aspects of the pre-trial are that it begins on a Friday and will run throughout the weekend. The military authorities have indicated that each day's proceedings could be extended late into the night.

    "To run the hearing through a weekend right before the Christmas vacation is clearly designed to minimise both media coverage and public protests," said Jeff Patterson of the Bradley Manning support network.

    Patterson added that in his view the tight security around the case was an attempt to cast Manning as a dangerous individual. "The prosecution are pushing for a sentence of life with no parole, so they have to portray him as someone who deserves such extreme punishment."

    Reporters will be allowed virtually no access to the world outside the base while the court is sitting. There are also likely to be periods when the Article 32 goes into private session to deliberate on matters that the army regards sensitive to national security.

    Under the military system, the proceedings will be led by an army official known as an investigating officer, whose duty will be to recommend at the end of the hearing whether Manning should move on to a general court-martial or face a lesser punishment.

    Manning's defence lawyer, David Coombs, has made official protestations that most of the witnesses he wanted to call have been declined by the military. Coombs had issued a list of 48 witnesses that he had wanted to summons, including Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Manning's superiors and psychiatrists who assessed the soldier's mental and emotional state of health before the WikiLeaks transfer of secrets occurred. But only 10 of the listed individuals were accepted, all of whom were also on the prosecution's wish-list of witnesses.

    In a filing, Coombs complained that any attempt by the military to block defence witnesses "would deny PFC Manning his right to a thorough and impartial investigation and turn this into a hollow exercise". The lawyer added that Manning's charges were "among the most serious charges that a soldier can face. The government must be prepared to accept the costs incurred by the seriousness of the charges that they have preferred against PFC Manning."

    significance of learning Quran with translation holds a great strength for a holy quran reciter.

    There are number of issue in the daily life of Muslims, in which Muslims need to improve according to the Quran. Muslims have been practicing the same conventions from long time, without consulting Koran themselves. Unfortunately, many times Muslims ignore the negative side and only see the positive side of what has been written in the Quran.

     

    learn quran online with tajweed and the meaning tafseer read quran online from the live quran reciter and online tajweed quran tutors listen quran