Syrian president consults with country's leadership on Mideast peace talks and Lebanon

: President Bashar Assad convened a meeting of Syria's leading Monday to discourse regional developments — Associate in Nursing evident mention to a U.S.-sponsored Mideast peace conference and the presidential election crisis in neighbour Lebanon.

Syria have repeatedly said it would only go to the conference expected later this calendar month if treatments include the tax return of the Golan Heights, a strategical tableland State Of Israel captured from Syrian Arab Republic in the 1967 Center East war.

Although U.S. functionaries have got said the focusing of the conference will be the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Israeli Prime Curate Ehud Olmert said in recent years that he hoped Syrian Arab Republic would take part.

"The part is witnessing in the approaching time period political events," Syria's functionary news federal agency quoted Assad as saying. These issues "could have got sedate impact on the hereafter of the states and peoples if they are not dealt with in a logical manner that fulfills the involvements of the assorted political parties without taking sides," Assad said.

He did not elaborate, but his words were taken to intend the peace conference in the United States and the political crisis in Lebanese Republic — the two major regional events. Today in Africa & Center East

Lebanon's Parliament should pick a president by Friday, but political differences between U.S.-backed government and pro-Syrian opposition have held up understanding on a "consensus" president. Failure to elect a leader could further decline the political crisis.

Assad's convening of the meeting came ahead of a assemblage of Arabian foreign curates in Arab Republic Of Egypt later in the week. The functionaries are expected to come up up with a incorporate base on the peace conference scheduled for later this calendar month in Annapolis, Maryland.

Bush gives Mush wide berth, ignores discontent

WASHINGTON: The Shrub administration
has given Pakistan's military dictator Pervez Musharraf a broad position despite a
"tough" public stance against the infliction of Emergency. United States Special
Envoy Toilet Negroponte was all congratulations for Musharraf as he left Capital Of Pakistan in the
face of the dictator's defiant base in rejecting phone calls to raise Emergency,
broadly sticking to Washington's game program of a introducing a quasi-civilian
government. In short, there looks to be no alteration in the US
masterplan of inducting a Musharraf-Benazir government, notwithstanding the
dictators crackdown on democracy and the bitter play between the two
principals. According to a statement released by the state
department at the end of Negroponte's two-day visit, the United States envoy extraordinary extolled
Musharraf for his leading that have led to ''freer media, unprecedented
economic growing and development, and the moderateness of gender-based laws and
school curricula.'' "President Musharraf have been and goes on to be
a strong voice against extremism. We value our partnership with the Government
of Islamic Republic Of Pakistan under the leading of President Musharraf," Negroponte said,
virtually giving a free base on balls to the military ruler even functionaries here insisted
that he had issued a "stern warning." Much of Washington's
assessment of Musharraf is now being questioned by analysts in Islamic Republic Of Pakistan and in
the United States who point out that the dictator have co-habited with
fundamentalists, cut trades with Taliban, and allowed extremists to flourish
while cracking down on military units of moderation. In fact, even as
Negroponte was certifying Musharraf's "moderate and democratic" vision, the
military authorities was shutting down free media, after rigging the judiciary
and the political process, developments that the United States envoy extraordinary criticised mildly and
selectively. "Unfortunately, the recent police force actions against
protestors, suppression of the media, and the apprehensions of political and human
rights leadership run directly counter to the reforms that have got been undertaken in
recent years," Negroponte said. He urged the Musharraf government to
stop such as actions, lift the state of Emergency, and release all political
detainees, saying "Emergency regulation is not compatible with free, fair, and
credible elections, which necessitate the active engagement of political parties,
civil society, and the media. The people of Islamic Republic Of Pakistan rate an chance to
choose their leadership free from the limitations that be under a state of
Emergency." But the United States envoy's words rang hollow as he excluded
Musharraf's undermining and rigging of the bench which sparked of the crisis
in Islamic Republic Of Pakistan in the first place, from any criticism. There was no talking of any
punitive action against the widely reviled dictator. The moderate
political military units he identified as being cardinal to combating extremism also cut out
Pakistan's exiled leader Nawaz Sharief, Imran Khan, and other figures, while
appearing to point solely to Washington's now-favored candidate Benazir
Bhutto. In fact, the Pakistani mass media reported that Negroponte had
effected a impermanent armistice between Musharraf and Bhutto, a reading that was
borne out by the sudden silence from the two principals following his departure,
after a warfare of words throughout the week. Quite noticeably, while
Negroponte met Musharraf and his cohorts, and spoke on the telephone to Bhutto, he
did not prosecute any other political leadership or members of the civil society who
have borne the brunt of the military crackdown. Negroponte also
endorsed Musharraf's continuance as "president" for a 2nd term despite the
judicial inquiry grade over his election. The Islamic Republic Of Pakistan Supreme Court
was to make up one's mind on it before Musharraf dismantled it and replaced it with his own
retainers in a command to validate his election, a development American Capital seems
quite comfy with. "We welcome... his committedness to retire from
his regular army station before commencing his 2nd presidential term, and we urge on him to
do so as soon as possible," Negroponte said, signalling Washington's acceptance
of a continued Musharraf regulation despite the grumble of discontentment in Islamic Republic Of Islamic Republic Of Pakistan and
growing uncertainties in the United States about its Pakistan policy.

'Low crime rate fuelling migration'

PUNE: Even as Pune's population is
projected to lift to 6.9 million by 2020, the city's continuing growing as an
infotech, manufacturing, services and educational hub have led to the two
distinct tendencies of migration into the city. Better educational facilities,
better occupation chances in industry and IT and low law-breaking charge per unit have got influenced
the volume of migration to Pune. While previously, Karnataka, Andhra
Pradesh, UP, Kerala, Gujerat and Rajasthan defined the order of migration into
Pune, the flowing is now led by Uattr Pradesh, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Unlike in the past when senior citizens preferred Pune "because it
was unagitated and pleasant, now little people are migrating to Pune driven by
educational demands and occupation opportunities," University of Pune research worker and
reader in geographics department, Vijaya Khairkar, said. According to
his study, 'Migration and Sociable Economics of Pune city, which was recently
released by Diamond Publications, the biggest form of migration into Pune was
during 1961-91 with "in-migration" (from within Maharashtra) accounting for 73
per cent followed by Mysore (6.37%), UP (3.21%), AP (2.58%), Rajasthan
(2.10%) and Kerala (2.07%). In footing of proportionality of migrators to
total population, Pune topped the listing of 12 Indian metropolises in 1981 with migrant
population accounting for 58.43%.

South Africa: Sense On Crime - AllAfrica.com

Johannesburg

THE South African populace can be forgiven for being a small bewildered at the up-to-the-minute statement that a new authorities scheme to battle rampant law-breaking is to be unveiled early adjacent twelvemonth and that the money to fund it will be establish no substance what.

Bewildered because not so long ago Safety and Security Curate Prince Charles Nqakula, in a ferocious bit with the Democratic Alliance in the National Assembly, said those who complained about law-breaking should simply go forth the country. Then, of course, there was the ill-famed television interview in which President Thabo Mbeki said the fearfulness about rampant law-breaking was all a perception. He specifically dismissed claims that it was impossible to walk around the SABC central office safely. That 1 boomeranged badly because a day-to-day newspaper researched the issue and establish that the country in inquiry was a law-breaking hotspot, well known for violent hijackings.

Then, of course, Mbeki, in this year's state of the state computer address in Parliament, devoted considerable clip to the topic of law-breaking and programs to gripe up the criminal justness system. At last it seemed that law-breaking was being seen as more than than a middle-class White preoccupation and was a powerful deterrence to foreign investing and a barrier to achieving the 6% growing mark the authorities have put itself.

Prior to this up-to-the-minute proclamation on crime, justness directorgeneral Menzi Simelane told Parliament that about 70% of lawsuits that were enrolled for visual aspect in tribunal never came to trial owed to mediocre investigation, lost dockets and other difficulties.

Clearly if the police force make not mount believable probes the public prosecutors cannot succeed, the tribunals cannot penalize and the prison houses cannot carry out the punishment. The acknowledgment that parts of the system are dysfunctional is to be enthusiastically welcomed.

It would be churlish to inquire at this point, "What took you so long?" so do to state that if this new scheme to struggle law-breaking -- with a council and a "champion" to draw together all the elements of the criminal justness system in a practical manner -- expanses aside all the talking and starts to do a existent difference then we will have got crossed the Rubicon at last.

Relevant Links

It is deserving remembering that we have got had a national law-breaking combating strategy, referred to as the NCCS on the South African Police Service website, for at least the past seven years. We make not necessitate another one. The diagnostic test of this new program will be to acquire the money into the right places, to acquire quit of those who make not execute or who are corrupt, and to honor first-class performance. As well as directing resources to where they will present the best results, such as as preparation investigators and improving the strong belief rates.

It is a small upsetting that the blunt acknowledgment of the jobs come ups at a clip when the opinion political party is in disturbance over its sequence battles. This projects uncertainty on whether the program will last the strain of the sequence battle in the ANC. It also come ups at a clip when the national manager of public prosecutions, Vusi Pikoli, is suspended and a cloud of intuition hangs over national police force commissioner Jackie Selebi.

The first measure towards solving any kind of job is to admit that it exists. The 2nd is to admit its gravity. This have now been done and Sturmarbeiteilung looks to be moving away from a denial of the job towards practical solutions -- a very welcome message for our beleaguered citizenry.

The Common Thread

Sometimes life looks a small staccato and frazzled. At the end of the twenty-four hours we often look back at what we have got done (or not done) to pull off our home, rise a family, and delight our supervisor. We may even add up the terms we have got paid as we dealt with stress, confrontation, or just the ordinary duties of life in general. It is easy to inquire if there is a yarn that links all the points in our days, giving significance and fulfilment to the whole, even a bad day.

Like some years of our lives, the followers aggregation of Book transitions (1 Kings 19:15-16, 19-21, Psalm 16, Galatians 5:1, 13-25, Saint Luke 9:51-62) may hit us as a small spot disconnected. After all, the Old Testament textual matter states a narrative about a new job, while the Epistle and Gospels textual matters talk about frailty and virtuousness and dealing with hostile villagers (Samaritans) and loath followers, respectively.

But a yarn makes run through these readings, despite their very different narrative lines and societal locations. It is called commitment. The narrative about a new occupation presents us to the figure of Elisha, an indeterminate 9th century B.C. husbandman who is suddenly torn away from his farm to go the assistant, and later successor, to the oracle Elijah. In modern corporate-speak, person moved Elisha's cheese: Elisha had to confront a life- and career-changing call. Despite the many grounds he could happen for not obeying Elijah (giving up his place and the life of a comfy farmer, for example), Elisha committed himself to doing so. And, as a symbol of his commitment, Elisha slaughtered his herd and burnt his plow.

Paul's Epistle to the Christian Christian churches in Galatia (the part of modern twenty-four hours Turkey) is often called the Magna Carta of Christian freedom. The transition from Galatians exemplifies this claim: "Freedom is what we have-Christ have put us free!" (5:1a, GNT). But as the remainder of the reading shows, freedom can turn out to be a double-edged sword even for following of Christ. Freedom in Christ's Spirit necessitates watchfulness and a committedness to a life of love and virtue. Freedom in Jesus Of Nazareth makes not mean, as some in Galatia had argued, that trusters are free to dwell wickedly.

Luke's transition Marks the beginning of a particular subdivision in the 3rd Gospel, the journeying through Samaria as Jesus and his following caput toward Capital Of Israel (9:51-18.43). Because of his ain committedness to follow the volition of his Father, Jesus Of Nazareth undertakes this journeying even though he cognizes it conveys him into hostile territory, where the Samaritans, traditional enemies of the Judaic people, lived. Along the way, three Samaritans inquire about following Jesus. Testing their commitment, Jesus Of Nazareth points the first toward the adversity and path of discipleship - "The Son of Man have no topographic point to lie down and rest" (9:58, GNT). For the 2nd and third, he arouses the scene from 1 Kings 19 in which Elijah names Elisha into discipleship. Jesus Of Nazareth declares, "Let the dead bury their ain dead..." and "Anyone who begins to plough and then maintains looking back is of no usage for the Kingdom of God." (Luke 9:60, 62, GNT).

Yielding to the Spirit, and the complaint to perpetrate oneself irrevocably and unconditionally to God, is the yarn that stitches these Bible transitions together. This same yarn throws our years together as well, no substance how many staccato hours and undertakings 1 counts at the end of the day. Even a crumbled twenty-four hours filled with adversity can be a twenty-four hours for the Kingdom if we link it to the great yarn of commitment, love, and life that the Spirit have woven in our lives.

Only Christianity Offers a Complete Plan of Redemption

Christianity makes not go forth loose ends. The program of salvation travels full circle. Supreme Being is holy and our sinfulness offprints us from Him. God's justness demands a terms to be paid, the terms of decease by the sloughing of blood. God's saving grace lets a replacement to pay the terms for us. In the Old Testament modern times this was achieved by sacrificing animals. Not any animal, but animate beings that met God's specifications, they had to be first born, male and without blemishes. Supreme Being accepted the forfeit of the animate being as payment for the terms of sinfulness of men. But because an animate being cannot sinfulness (it is a-moral) this forfeit had to be repeated again and again, every clip a new sinfulness was committed.

Then God's love dispatched Jesus, His Son, to Earth to pay that terms with His blood. Jesus Of Nazareth was - like the Old Testament sacrificial animate beings - first born, male and without blemishes. But above all He was also without sinfulness by His ain choice. That made Him the perfect (and only) sacrificial getaway who's blood was sufficient for all past, present and future sins. By accepting Jesus' payment by religion for our sins, we can be reconciled to Supreme Being during this lifespan as well as after our deaths, when this rapprochement is fully realized.

This program of salvation is what the Book is all about. It is unveiled and unfolded throughout the early history of man. It begins in Genesis with the narrative of Adam and Eve and their sin. It follows the patriarchs, the Mosaic law and the people of Israel. The New Testament explicates Jesus' life and sacrifice. It go forths no unfastened ending. If we accept the gift of Jesus Of Nazareth by faith, we can be assured of our salvation. If not, we can be assured of our damnation. It's as simple as that.

Other faiths make not offer a similar complete plan.

Hinduism claims that one demands only "improve" through numerous rhythms of reincarnation. Yet the truster will never cognize with any certainty how successful he or she is in achieving that objective. One never cognizes upon decease if the psyche will have got reached Moksha, or if another rhythm of rebirth, life, and decease is required.

The state of affairs with Buddhism is similar. When is one truly free of suffering? How make you measurement that, and how make you know? You die, and then what? Bash you vanish into Nirvana or be born-again as a human beingness or as some other organism. Like Hinduism, it looks to go forth many inquiries unanswered.

The Moslem believes that after decease he or she will confront the judgement of Allah. And the truster will be judged on the business relationship of his life as an obedient and submissive Moslem and the balance of his good and bad deeds. "Then those whose balance [of good deeds] is heavy, - they will be successful. But those whose balance is light, will be those who have got lost their souls, in Perdition will they abide" (Surah 23:102-3). However, when are there adequate good works to outweigh the bad deeds? How makes this economic system or scale of measurement work? When will you attain a point in life that you can decease with the certainty that you will come in heaven? Muslims will always confront that inquiry with uncertainty. The Qur'an hints that the truster can be confident of his or her ageless destiny, but there is no guarantee. Even Muhammad himself was unsure of his ain salvation. So Muslims endeavor mightily to attain paradise, but they continually dwell with the fearfulness that Allah will judge their haughtiness and direct them to hell. Only Muslims martyred in a jehad have got certainty of heaven.

Only Christianity, through God's saving grace by religion in Christ's sacrifice, gives a bonded way to salvation.

Musharraf budges, finally announces polls

Pakistan
president Pervez Musharraf finally announced that elections would be held before
February 15, a calendar month behind schedule, and vowed to discontinue as regular army chief. Significantly, the proclamation came hours after United States president Saint George Tungsten Bush
bluntly told him to raise exigency regulation and doff
uniform. As choler over military
rule spreading in Islamic Republic Of Pakistan and its international assistance coming under review,
Musharraf, however, did not give any day of the month when he will cast uniform, a key
demand made by the Opposition
too. “There is no doubt
in my head that elections must be held as soon as possible. Elections in
Pakistan must be held before February 15 adjacent year,” helium told state-run
media. Asserting that his sloughing uniform was “not Associate in Nursing issue”, the
general said he would make so after taking curse as the President for a second
five-year term. The timing is apparently linked to proof of his re-election
by the supreme
court. Meanwhile, President
Bush said at a news conference at Saddle Horse Vernon, “I spoke to president
Musharraf right before I came over here And my message was very plain, very easy
to understand. And that is: The United States desires you to have got the elections as
scheduled and take your uniform
off,” The general however
told Shrub during the 20-minute conversation that exigency was
“temporary” to guarantee the “transition to full
democracy”. Former
premier Benazir Bhutto called Musharraf’s pledge as indeterminate and insufficient
and wanted him to cast unvarying by November 15. A defiant Bhutto also said she
would travel ahead with her mass meeting in Rawalpindi on Friday Musharraf, who came to
power in a military coup d'etat in 1999, had swept the October 6 presidential election
that was boycotted by the opposition. annulment of President Rule in
Karnataka. The BJP is put to
have its first head curate in South Republic Of India as the labor union cabinet recommended
the annulment of President’s regulation in the state.B Second Yediyurappa, who
commands the support of 129 MLAs, including 80 belonging to his ain party, the
BJP, and 49 of the JD(S), in an assembly which have a sum strength of 224, is
likely to pledged in as the state’s next main curate on Monday. With this, the five-week-long
political play that had come up up to play in the southern state followers Hydrogen D
Kumaraswamy’s refusal to manus over the head minister’s baton to the
BJP in keeping with the treaty agreed upon by the two political parties a small over 20
months ago, have got come to an end.While the BJP may have succeeded in realising its
dream of installing its first-ever main curate in the south, there was also a
fear that running a alliance authorities with the aid of the father-son couple of
H Vitamin Vitamin Vitamin D Deve Gowda and Hydrogen D Kumaraswamy would be a difficult
proposition. BJP
attacks Sonia’s statement The
BJP came down heavily on the United States Congress for relying on the post-Godhra public violences to
shore up its electoral prospects in Gujarat. The political party took serious
exception to United States Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s mention to the riots
while addressing a mass meeting in Anand last
week. “Those World Health Organization accuse
us of communalism are bringing it back into the agenda,” observed BJP
spokesman Ravi Ravi Shankar Prasad, adding, “Whenever Mister Modi negotiation of
development, the United States Congress returns to the issue of
riots.” Our
Bureau/Agencies