Flights over US, EU killing people in India, China

New Delhi, October 1: Aircraft flying above North America and Europe are emitting pollutants that are poisoning the air in India and China, and resulting in deaths of thousands of people in these Asian nations, a new study has said, reports rediff.com

The study led by a team at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology says airplanes flying at a cruise altitude of around 35,000 feet emit pollutants that contribute to about 8,000 deaths per year globally.

Due to high speed winds that flow east, air pollution caused by planes flying over North America and Europe is adversely impacting air quality in India and China, it said.

Nearly 3500 people - almost half of the global number - die in India and China due to this air pollution. Air travel is heaviest above North America and Europe.

"Even though the amount of fuel burned by aircraft over India and China accounts for only 10 per cent of the estimated total amount of fuel burned by aircraft across the globe, the two countries incur nearly half - about 3,500 - of the annual deaths related to aircraft cruise emissions," the study said.

The research provides the first estimate of premature deaths attributable to aircraft emissions at cruise altitudes.

Aircraft emit nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides, which react with gases already existing in the atmosphere to form harmful fine particulate matter.

Part of the reason for the high percentage of premature deaths in India and China is that these regions are densely populated and also have high concentrations of ammonia in their atmosphere as a result of farming.

This ammonia reacts with oxidised nitrogen and sulphur to create fine particulate matter that people inhale on the ground.

Although agriculture is abundant in Europe and North America, the ammonia levels are not as elevated above those regions as they are in the Asian countries, the study said.

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Independent J&K to emerge as strong nation: JKLF

Srinagar, Sept 27: A day after Hurriyat (G) chairman, Syed Ali Geelani said Jammu and Kashmir’s survival as an independent state was difficult, the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front Sunday said the independent state would emerge as a strong nation on the world map because of its huge water and other natural resources.

Geelani in an interview with NewsX on Saturday said that he personally felt it was difficult for the state to survive as an independent entity given its geo-strategic location. However, the JKLF while rejecting Geelani’s statement said that the majority of the people in the state were in favor of independence as was “evident” from various surveys conducted by international organizations.  

Without naming Geelani, the JKLF leaders in a statement said, “A prominent pro-freedom leader on Saturday told an Indian news channel that an independent Kashmir was not viable.  There are several countries smaller than Jammu and Kashmir in terms of size and population and low on natural resources that have survived as independent entities. Furthermore, if Jammu and Kashmir is given independence it would thrive merely on its huge water reservoirs and other natural resources.”

“ In 1990, when other groups joined the freedom movement the JKLF to avoid internal anarchy announced to accept the decision of the majority during a referendum— whether in favour of India, Pakistan or independence. And the same principle was the basis of the Hurriyat Conference constitution. The JKLF leadership stands by its promise of respecting the will of the majority,” the leaders. (Writer-South Asia)

Chidambaram Appeals to People of J&K to Ensure

New Delhi, 27 September: The Union Home Minister, Shri P. Chidambaram has appealed to all sections of the people of Jammu and Kashmir to ensure that all schools and colleges function normally. In a statement issued here today he expressed happiness over the fact that most schools and colleges have reopened, disregarding a call by one of the Hurriyat leaders. Following is the text of the statement:

“Government is happy to learn that most schools and colleges have reopened in Jammu and Kashmir and most students have gone back to school/college today.

There was a call by one of the Hurriyat leaders to parents asking them not to send their children to school/college. Happily, parents have disregarded that call and sent their children to schools/colleges.

There were a few minor incidents of stone-pelting on school buses at Habak, Bemina and Nowgam. How can any right thinking person pelt stones on school buses? I hope that such mischief will stop immediately. Anyone who has the interest of the children at heart cannot indulge intone-pelting; nor should anyone support such mischievous attempts to interfere with the functioning of schools and colleges.

I am confident that the few schools and colleges that remain closed today, presumably out of caution, will reopen tomorrow. I am also confident that the attendance will improve significantly tomorrow. The Government of J&K has assured us that every effort is being made to ensure that all schools and colleges reopen and function normally and that security will be provided to enable the students to attend schools and colleges.

I appeal to all sections of the people of J&K, especially parents, to cooperate with the State Government and ensure that all schools and colleges function normally”.

9/11 remark meant to 'assist' Americans: Ahmadinejad

Srinagar, September, 27: Shrugging of the volley of criticism against him for listing conspiracy theories behind 9/11 attacks at the United Nations, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad  underlined that his remarks were meant to help Americans, reports rediff.com (27/9) from Geneva.

"We are trying to defend the rights of the American people so that their money is not used for killing people in Iraq and Afghanistan, so that their children do not end up in locations where they do not understand and must not go to in the first place to die," Ahmadinejad said.

"Do you think these are bad statements to make," he added, at a packed press conference in a New York hotel on Friday.

"This is assistance. This is what I call assistance," he added.

Earlier this week, speaking at the UN General Assembly, Ahmadinejad indicated that American and Israeli forces could have carried out 9/11 and called for a UN investigation into what really happened.

He had caused widespread outrage in his speech on Thursday to the General Assembly by claiming that some "segments" of the US government "orchestrated" 9/11 to "reverse the declining American economy and its grips on the Middle East in order also to save the Zionist regime".

"That some segments within the US government orchestrated the attack to reverse the declining American economy and its grips on the Middle East in order also to save the Zionist regime," the president told world leaders.

"It is proposed that the United Nations set up an independent fact-finding group for the event of September 11 so that in the future expressing views about it is not forbidden," he said.

On Friday, Ahmadinejad reiterated his calls for an investigation. "Two countries were invaded and up till now, hundreds of thousands of people have been killed as a result," the Iranian leader said.

"Don't you think that that excuse needs to be revised? Don't you feel that if a fact-finding mission was present from the start to explore the true reason behind September 11, that we would not see the catastrophes in Afghanistan and Iraq today?" he added.

Meanwhile, US President Barack Obama  has slammed these remarks as "hateful" and "offensive" in an interview with BBC's Persian news service on Friday.

"And particularly for him to make the statement here in Manhattan, just a little north of Ground Zero, where families lost their loved ones," he said. "For him to make a statement like that was inexcusable."

Ahmadinejad, however, asserts that all governments and people do not have to take the view of the US government, and asserted that the majority of Americans are suspicious about who carried out 9/11.

"If the US government is upset I can see why..because the US government expects everyone to follow it and to follow its decisions," he said.

'Mosque and temple can be built side by side in Ayodhya'

Srinagar,September, 27: Is it possible that the Allahabad high court's much-awaited verdict in the Babri Masjid  title case will lead to the construction of a mosque and a temple side by side in Ayodhya? If so what will be the reaction of the Muslim community?

A respected religious leader of the community and the Secretary of All India  Muslim Personal Law Board Moulana, Abdul Raheem Qureshi, has said that Muslims will not have any objection to such an eventuality as there was nothing wrong in it , reports rediff (27/9/) from New Delhi.

Speaking in Hyderabad on Monday, Abdul Raheem Qureshi said that already many such mosques and temple exist in the country and if this happens in Ayodhya, there is nothing wrong in that.

However, he said that the government should ensure that there were separate ways for the mosques and the temples so that no disputes or problems arise in future. "The vast land acquired by the government should be divided in to portions to provide separate ways to the mosque and the temple," he said.

Moulana Qureshi said that if the court decides so, the temple can come up at the place where Ram chabutra existed in the outer courtyard of the mosque, while mosque can be rebuilt at the place where the old mosque building with three domes and inner court yard existed.

"The chabutra was used from worship by the Hindus for 150 years and the Muslims have not opposed it. In 1885 a Mahant had claimed that chabutra was the birth place of Lord Ram and he had even gone to a court with the claim and Muslims not opposed it," he said.

His remarks came on a day when the AIMPLB decided to move a petition before the Supreme Court to oppose any further delay in the pronouncement of the verdict by Allahabad high court in Babri Masjid title case.

Abdul Raheem Qureshi said that the board decided to move the petition because it was question of rule of law in the country and any further delay in coming out with the verdict will not be in the interest of the justice.

He expressed hoped that the apex court will not delay the verdict of HC any further because the earlier decision of deferring it from September 24 was taken by the junior member of the two member judge of Supreme Court.

"Because of the differences between the two judges -- Justice Ravindran and Justice Gokhale -- the matter has been referred. We have moved our petition to make our stand clear that judicial verdict should not be delayed. It should be pronounced and respected by all. The dissatisfied party can always appeal to the Supreme Court," he said.

He said that the board was opposed to delay in the verdict because it involved many important issues. Recalling the night of 22 December 1949, when idols were installed in the Babri Mosque in Aydohya, he said that it was a trespassing, an offence but instead of punishing the culprits, Muslims were punished by stopping them from entering the mosque.

Elaborating why the board was against delaying the verdict, Moulana Qureshi said that one of the judges of the Allahabad high court was going to retire on September 30. "If a new judge comes and he wants fresh arguments once again, verdict will not be possible for another two years and it will be very unfair," he noted.

He also exuded confidence that on the basis of the available records and evidences, the Allahabad high court can give a verdict that the Babri Masjid with its inner court yard belongs to Muslims and outer court yard belongs to the Hindu community.

Referring to the statements of some people that out of court settlement was still possible, Moulana Qureshi said that many such efforts were made in the past, but they could not succeed as the organisations like Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangha, Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Bharatiya Janata Party refused to budge an inch from their stand. "Without that no compromise was possible," he said.

He insisted that while Muslims were ready to abide by any court verdict, they will never ever willingly hand over the mosque to others.

We will shed our blood, as freedom can only be achieved through sacrifices and martyrdoms: L&T

Pakistan is ready to fight thousands of battles for the liberation of Kashmir, Jamaat ud-Dawa chief and Lashkar-e-Tayiba founder Hafiz Muhammad Saeed said at a meeting of the party in Lahore, reports Rediff.com

"We will shed our blood, as freedom can only be achieved through sacrifices and martyrdoms," said Saeed.

"For the liberation of Kashmir, we can fight thousands of wars with India. The government of Pakistan should stop begging India for talks on Kashmir. Just like Aazad Kashmir, Indian occupied Kashmir can only be freed through Jihad," declared Saeed.

Hafiz Saeed was annoyed over Pakistan Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani-led government's efforts about the Kashmir issue and said, "During the earlier government, the Kashmir cause suffered badly, as the government's stance was not aggressive. Unfortunately, the current government is also following the same policies."

He alleged that,"The government is making transit agreements (with India) under the supervision of the United States. Pakistani rulers should know that American slavery is not acceptable to our nation.

AJK Premier urges Obama to resolve Kashmir dispute

Srinagar, September, 27: Ahead of his India visit, US President Barack Obama was reminded of his election promise to help resolve the Kashmir dispute by Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Attique Ahmed Khan

Attique Ahmed Khan urged President Obama to keep up his election commitment and help resolve the Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan.

In an open letter to the U.S. President - released as an advertisement to all major dailies by the PaK Government - Khan pointed out that the Kashmir dispute had been a topic of the election campaign of Obama. ``The people of J&K remind the President of the United States on the eve of his visit to India who is a signatory to the Kashmir resolutions of the United Nations Security Council and the United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan.'' (Writer-South Asia)

CPI (M) calls for All-India shutdown in support of Kashmiris

Hyderabad (India), September 27  The Communist Party of India (Maoist), declaring that Kashmiris’ struggle for right to self-determination is completely justified, has called for a 24-hour All India shutdown on September 30 to protest the death of more than 100 civilians in occupied Kashmir in last three months.

The CPI (M) in a statement said, “We firmly believe that Kashmiri movement for freedom and their right to self-determination is completely justified.” It said that Indian forces were carrying out massacres and oppressing the democratic rights of Kashmiri people. It demanded immediate withdrawal of Indian army and paramilitary forces from the Kashmir Valley, repeal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and unconditional release of all political prisoners.

The statement, signed by Abhay, spokesperson for the central committee, and Anand, central regional bureau spokesperson, said that the determination and sacrifices of Kashmiris would forever be etched in the annals of history. “We express deep condolences to all the martyrs' families and to the whole Kashmiri society who had lost their beloved sons and daughters to the bullets of the troops,” the statement maintained.(Writer-South Asia)