Sunday, November 20, 2011

Pak teen honoured for blogging about Taliban banning girls' schools

Pak teen honoured for blogging about Taliban banning girls' schools

Pak teen honoured for blogging about Taliban banning girls' schools

Posted: 21 Nov 2011 04:06 AM PST

One of the bravest girls in Pakistan, who as an 11-year-old wrote about the Taliban banning girls' schools in the picturesque Swat Valley, has been nominated for the International Children's Peace Prize. Malala Yousufzai, now 13, was a victim of the ban imposed by the Taliban on education for girls in the troubled Swat Valley over two years ago. She wrote about her pain and anguish in a diary for BBC Urdu online. Yousufzai, a Class 8 student, beat 93 contestants from 42 countries to be nominated for the International Children's Peace Prize 2011. The prize is due to be announced today and if she wins, she will be given the award by Nobel Peace Laureate Desmond Tutu. "I am very happy to be nominated along with four other brave girls. I am particularly inspired by Michaela who, despite her physical disability, fights for the rights of children with disabilities," Yousufzai told the media. Her classmates described her as a go-getter who usually bagged the first position in tests and led others in extra-curricular activities. Yousufzai said her nomination for the prize had "doubled her courage" as her cause is of great importance. "Irrespective of whether I win the prize, I will continue my struggle. I hope to set up a vocational institute for the marginalised girls of this area so they can stand on their feet in the future." Asked why she started her campaign for girls' rights, Yousufzai said the violence in Swat had "a huge impact" on her mind. She said she wanted the rest of the world to stop describing the people of Swat as terrorists as they were peaceful and loving. In one of her very first diary pieces written on January 14, 2009 just a day ahead of the Taliban enforcing their ban on education for girls, Yousufzai wrote: "I may not go to school again... The principal announced the (winter) vacations but did not mention the date the school was to reopen. This was the first time this has happened." Her diary entries included discussions with classmates about the Taliban, who then controlled most of the Swat Valley and publicly executed dozens of people who opposed them. In one entry, she described a "terrible dream" about military helicopters and the Taliban. She also wrote about Mullah Fazlullah, the leader of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan in Swat."He was demanding an end to the military operation. He asked people not to migrate but instead return to their homes." The Pakistan government sent the army into Swat to flush out the militants in early 2009 after Taliban began extending their influence to several districts located 100 km from Islamabad. Hundreds of Taliban fighters were captured or killed but most of the top commanders, including Fazlullah, managed to escape.

52 Car pile-up on Autobahn kills 3 people

Posted: 21 Nov 2011 03:56 AM PST

Police say a 52-vehicle pileup on a highway in northwestern Germany has left three people dead and 35 injured. The accident happened on Friday evening on the A31 autobahn near the town of Gronau on the border with the Netherlands.

‘Memogate’: Obama’s advisor James Jones says he delivered secret memo to Mullen

Posted: 21 Nov 2011 03:45 AM PST

Former US National Security Advisor James Jones has said that he was the intermediary who delivered to former military chief Admiral Mike Mullen a secret memorandum that businessman Mansoor Ijaz purportedly drafted on behalf of the Pakistan government. Jones confirmed to the Pakistani media that he received the memo from the Pakistani-American businessman and delivered it to Mullen in May.

'Memogate': Haqqani hinted at Zardari hand, says Mansoor Ijas

Posted: 21 Nov 2011 03:10 AM PST

As controversy thickened over surfacing of a secret memo, Mansoor Ijaz, the Pakistani-American businessman who broke what is now known as the "Memogate" story, talked exclusively to NDTV about the Zardari connection in the matter.

Haqqani meets Zardari, says ready to face any inquiry

Posted: 21 Nov 2011 01:33 AM PST

Pakistan's Ambassador to the US Husain Haqqani on Sunday held an informal meeting with President Asif Ali Zardari to explain his position on a controversial secret memorandum that was purportedly sent by the civilian government to the former US military chief.

Man arrested for plot to bomb New York police, post offices

Posted: 21 Nov 2011 12:43 AM PST

An "al-Qaida sympathizer" who plotted to bomb police and post offices in New York City as well as U.S. troops returning home has been arrested on numerous terrorism-related charges, city officials said on Sunday.

Deadly clashes grip Cairo's Tahrir Square

Posted: 20 Nov 2011 11:45 PM PST

At least 11 people were killed as security forces tried to clear protesters from Cairo's Tahrir Square, casting a dark shadow over Egypt's first elections since Hosni Mubarak's downfall. Police and military forces used batons, tear gas and birdshot to clear the central square of thousands of protesters demanding that the ruling military cede power to a civilian authority.

Occupy Wall Street Protests: Officers in pepper spray incident placed on leave

Posted: 20 Nov 2011 11:34 PM PST

A California university placed two of its police officers on administrative leave because of their involvement in the pepper spraying of passively sitting protesters, while the school's chancellor accelerated a task force's investigation into the incident amid calls for her resignation.

Hundreds back on Cairo's Tahrir Square after night of clashes

Posted: 20 Nov 2011 05:36 PM PST

Several hundred Egyptians occupied Cairo's Tahrir Square on Sunday, with sporadic clashes between protesters and the police following a night of deadly violence, an AFP correspondent said.

Conservatives win Spanish election: Exit poll

Posted: 20 Nov 2011 05:16 PM PST

An exit poll said that Spain's Opposition conservatives scored a landslide win to oust the ruling Socialists in general elections held on Sunday that were dominated by a staggering unemployment rate and Europe's debt crisis.

Britain's MI6 helped to capture Gaddafi's son Saif: Report

Posted: 20 Nov 2011 12:02 PM PST

British spy agency MI6 played a key role in the capture of Saif al-Islam, son of slain Libyan dictator Moammar Gaddafi, a media report said. The top-secret 25 million pound mission, dubbed Operation X, used the latest hi-tech electronic intelligence gadgets to bug his phones and finally lead to the capture of the 39-year-old in the Libyan desert last night, the Daily Star newspaper reported.

Libya will not hand over Gaddafi's son, Seif al-Islam, to International Criminal Court

Posted: 20 Nov 2011 11:40 AM PST

The Libyan information minister has said that Moammar Gaddafi's son and one-time heir apparent will be tried at home and will not be handed over to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague

'Memogate': Gilani calls for understanding as Haqqani meets Zardari

Posted: 20 Nov 2011 11:29 AM PST

As controversy thickened over surfacing of a secret memo, Pakistan's ambassador to the US, Husain Haqqani, met President Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday.
Posted by Harshad at 11:06 PM

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