Awaz Apni

Awaz Apni WASHINGTON: President-elect Barack Obama is preparing to issue an executive order his first week in office — and perhaps his first day — to close the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, according to two presidential transition team advisers.It's unlikely the detention facility at the Navy base in Cuba will be closed anytime soon. In an interview last weekend, Obama said it would be "a challenge" to close it even within the first 100 days of his administration.But the order, which one adviser said could be issued as early as Jan. 20, would start the process of deciding what to do with the estimated 250 al-Qaida and Taliban suspects and potential witnesses who are being held there. Most have not been charged with a crime.The Guantanamo directive would be one of a series of executive orders Obama is planning to issue shortly after he takes office next Tuesday, according to the two advisers. Also expected is an executive order about certain interrogation methods...

Awaz Apni ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Saturday expressed his deep concern over the unbridled atrocities of Israel against Palestinian in Gaza despite international calls for restraint and said Pakistan strongly condemns the Israeli aggression.Talking to special envoy of the Iranian President Gholamhossein Nowzari, Minister for Petroleum who called on him at the PM House, the Prime Minister said Pakistan has consistently and unequivocally offered unreserved support to the Palestinian cause and supports the establishment of an independent state of Palestine with Al-Quds Sharif as its capital.He said Pakistan has always stood by their Palestinian brothers and was desirous of seeing complete unity among their ranks.He said world needs to give up its double standards by ignoring Israeli atrocities and act resolutely to stop its aggression against the innocent Palestinian in Gaza.The Prime Minister hoped that the meeting of the Executive Committee of OIC in Jeddah wo...

CNews London: When the commander of British forces in Afghanistan tells you that "good enough" is the best that can be achieved here, you have to sit up and listen. Brigadier Gordon Messenger is every inch a military man, which makes it all the more surprising to hear him settle for something that sounds suspiciously close to second best. He would deny that characterisation of his words, but accepts there are limits to the Afghanistan project. The Afghanistan British troops leave behind - and no-one is willing to commit to any timeline other than to repeat the mantra that it will take "many years" - is going to be an imperfect state. Parts of it may well remain beyond the reach of central government in Kabul, and some of those responsible for the mayhem of the last 30 years could well retain much of their power and influence, perhaps even their militia. New realism It is a far cry from the beacon of democracy some had hoped for. "I don't think it will be r...