environmental and corporate social responsibility (CSR) news that is relevant for Canadians.

Environmental Commissioner of Ontario in Hamilton for Tour and Public Forum

Monday, September 26th 2016 4:43:13pm

Media Advisory

WHAT: Environmental Commissioner of Ontario, Dianne Saxe, and will be in Hamilton visiting 3 sites on Tuesday, September 27th as a guest of Environment Hamilton. In the evening she will participate in a Public Forum - Ontario’s Environmental Bill of Rights and You.

WHEN: Tuesday, September 27th, 2016 at 10:45 a.m.

WHERE:
10:45am - Pipeline Trail, to view Pollinators Paradise and Tree Please Project @ 1205 Main Street East

1:30pm - Stack Watching at Windermere Basin @ 14 Eastport Drive

2:30pm - Neighbourhood Air Monitoring Walkabout in Sherman Community @ 787 Barton Street East

7:00pm - Public Forum - Ontario’s Environmental Bill of Rights and You @ 71 Main Street West

During the site visit, Commissioner Saxe will be available for comment and photo opportunities.

For more information or to schedule interviews, contact: 

Lynda Lukasik at Environment Hamilton, (905) 549-0900 or

Don Huff,  416-805-7720, huffd@ecostrategy.ca

The Environmental Commissioner of Ontario is the province's independent environmental watchdog. Appointed by the Legislative Assembly, the ECO monitors and reports on compliance with the Environmental Bill of Rights, the government's progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and its actions towards achieving greater energy conservation in Ontario.

5th India-US cyber dialogue to be held in New Delhi

Washington, Sep 27 (PTI) A US delegation will participate in the fifth India-US cyber dialogue in New Delhi this week and interact with industry representatives to build strong regional partnerships with key stakeholders working on a range of cyber issues.

The US delegation is being led by Christopher Painter, US Department of State Coordinator for cyber issues, who along with the National Security Council Staff, will lead the American engagement on the broad set of cyber policy issues.

The fifth US-India Cyber Dialogue is part of an effort to build strong regional partnerships with key stakeholders working on a range of cyber issues, focusing on promoting an open, interoperable, reliable, and secure internet that benefits all users.

Daniel Sepulveda, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State and US Coordinator for International Communications and Information Policy, will lead the US-India Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Working Group which includes industry and government participation from both countries.

They will attend public events to engage with civil society and Indian youth on Internet and digital economy issues, a media release said.

At the ICT Working Group, it will be discussed how the US and India can work together to help expand the benefits of the digital economy to both of the countries and increase internet connectivity through programs like the Global Connect Initiative, which has a goal of bringing 1.5 billion new internet users online by 2020.

पाकिस्तान के ‘आंतरिक मामले’ को उठाना नियमों का उल्लंघन: लोधी

 संयुक्त राष्ट्र, 26 सितम्बर :भाषा: पाकिस्तान ने आज कहा कि भारत की ओर से संयुक्त राष्ट्र महासभा में उसके ‘आंतरिक मामले’ बलूचिस्तान को उठाना अंतरराष्ट्रीय नियमों का ‘खुला उल्लंघन’ है और कश्मीर भारत का अभिन्न हिस्सा नहीं, बल्कि ‘अतरराष्ट्रीय स्तर पर स्वीकार्य विवाद’ है।

विदेश मंत्री सुषमा स्वराज की ओर से महासभा के 71वें सत्र को संबोधित करने के बाद संयुक्त राष्ट्र में पाकिस्तान की स्थायी प्रतिनिधि मलीहा लोधी ने ट्वीट किया, ‘‘भारतीय विदेश मंत्री का भाषण झूठ और निराधार आरोपों का पुलिंदा है। सबसे बड़ा झूठ यह कि कश्मीर भारत का अभिन्न हिस्सा है। कश्मीर अंतरराष्ट्रीय स्तर पर स्वीकार्य विवाद है। यह संयुक्त राष्ट्र के एजेंडा में सबसे पुराना विषय है। पूरी दुनिया इसे स्वीकार करती है।’’ एक अन्य ट्वीट में मलीहा ने कहा कि पाकिस्तन के ‘आंतरिक मामले’ बलूचिस्तान को उठाना संयुक्त राष्ट्र चार्टर और अंतरराष्ट्रीय नियमों का ‘खुला उल्लंघन’ है।

पहली बहस में हिलेरी, ट्रंप के बीच आतंकवाद मुद्दों पर हुई तीखी बहस

पीटीआई-भाषा संवाददाता 

 हैम्पस्टीड :अमेरिका:, 27 सितंबर :भाषा:डेमोक्रेटिक उम्मीदवार हिलेरी क्लिंटन और रिपब्लिकन उम्मीदवार डोनाल्ड ट्रंप के बीच अमेरिका में राष्ट्रपति पद के चुनावों से पूर्व पहली जोरदार बहस में करोड़ों अमेरिकी मतदाताओं के समक्ष नौकरियों, करों और आतंकवाद के मुद्दों पर तीखी बहस हुई।

90 मिनट तक चली इस बहस में 68 वर्षीय पूर्व विदेश मंत्री हिलेरी एवं 70 वर्षीय रिएलिटी टीवी सितारे ट्रंप पहली बार यहां मंच पर एक साथ आए और उन्होंने तीखी, जबरदस्त बहस की। ये दोनों पिछले कई महीनों से अलग अलग प्रचार मुहिमों में एक दूसरे पर निशाना साधते आए हैं।

यह बहस उस समय निजी हो गई, जब विवादास्पद रियल एस्टेट कारोबारी ने हाल में निमोनिया से उबरी पूर्व विदेश मंत्री के ‘‘स्टैमिना’’ पर प्रश्न खड़े किए, लेकिन हिलेरी इस अपमान पर मुस्कुराती दिखाई दी और उन्होंने इस तरीके से ट्रंप पर निशाना साधा कि ट्रंप रक्षात्मक मुद्रा में आते दिखाई दिए।

ट्रंप ने कहा कि यदि हिलेरी अपने उन 33,000 ईमेलों को जारी कर देती हैं जो उन्होंने ओबामा प्रशासन के पहले कार्यकाल में विदेश मंत्री पद का कार्यभार संभालने के दौरान डिलीट किए थे, तो वह भी अपने टैक्स रिटर्न जारी कर देंगे।

जब ट्रंप पर अपने टैक्स रिटर्न जारी नहीं करने को लेकर निशाना साधा गया, तो उन्होंने कहा, ‘‘जैसे ही वे :हिलेरी: ये :ईमेल: जारी करेंगी, मैं वह जारी कर दूंगा।’’ 

PM to review MFN status to Pakistan

12:45 HRS IST

New Delhi, Sept 27 (PTI) After Indus Water Treaty, India will review the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status given to Pakistan at a meeting called by Prime Minister Narendra Modi here on Thursday.

The decisions to review the MFN, which was granted by India unilaterally in 1996, comes in the wake of the Uri attack over which India is weighing options to respond.

The MFN status was accorded in 1996 under WTO's General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). Both India and Pakistan are signatories to this which means they have to treat each other and rest of WTO member countries as favoured trading partners.

According to Assocham, out of India's total merchandise trade of USD 641 billion in 2015-16, Pakistan accounted for a meagre USD 2.67 billion.

India's exports to the neighbouring country worked out to USD 2.17 billion, or 0.83 per cent, of the total Indian outward shipments while imports were less than USD 500 million, or 0.13 per cent, of the total inward shipments.

The Prime Minister yesterday chaired a review meeting of 56-year-old Indus Water Treaty during which it was decided that India will "exploit to the maximum" the water of Pakistan-controlled rivers, including Jhelum, as per the water sharing pact.

Attended by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar, the Water Resources Secretary, and senior PMO officials, the meeting also noted that the meeting of Indus Water Commission can "only take place in an atmosphere free of terror".

Twitter to ban journalist Mahir Zeynalov in Turkey

PUBLISHED MON, SEPTEMBER 26, 2016 -
Credit: Twitter
Tweets from Turkish journalist and analyst Mahir Zeynalov will be banned in Turkey at the government's request, accusing the journalist of "instigating terrorism," he said on Monday. There was no immediate response from the company. (more)  Zeynalov, who writes for both the Huffington Post and Al Arabiya and has previously worked for Today's Zaman newspaper, said on Monday that Twitter had notified him that his tweets on his English-langugage account will no longer be visible to Turkish users.. "Twitter told me that it will block my account at the request of Turkey for 'instigating terrorism,' putting an end to my ~7-year reporting," Zeynalov said in a tweet. "This is a farewell message to my followers in Turkey. Love it or loathe it, I always believed in what I wrote and will continue to do so." Zeynalov added that his second account, on which he tweeted only in Turkish, had already been banned in Turkey since last month.  "I am one of more than a hundred Turkish journalists whose verified accounts are withheld as part of Ankara's relentless censorship campaign," said the journalist, who has nearly 250,000 followers on the two accounts combined. Other details were not yet available and a spokesperson for Twitter did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Dubai could create its own demographic dividend

he solution to Dubai’s economic challenges might be right under its nose. The tiny emirate, the most diversified sheikhdom in the Gulf, has been affected like most of the region by low prices for the oil exported mainly by its neighbours. One way to offset that impact might be to address an imbalanced workforce that is too reliant on expatriates. They make up 22 out of every 23 active workers, according to calculations based on official data. Dubai could even do worse than turn some of its skilled foreign workers into actual citizens.

About half of Dubai’s $143 billion pile of debt has to be repaid by the end of the decade, according to the International Monetary Fund. That is almost double the United Arab Emirates’ forecast revenue from exporting oil this year. One of seven semi-autonomous sheikhdoms in the U.A.E., Dubai has endured the 53 percent fall in oil prices over the past two years relatively unscathed, but some belt tightening is inevitable. The Financial Times reported on Sept. 12 that Istithmar World – a government investment company – has made most of its staff redundant to save money.

Click the image for an interactive graphic:

Yet Dubai needs more people working, not fewer. The emirate depends almost entirely on foreign expatriates to make its service-driven economy function. Emiratis account for just one in every 23 active workers over the age of 15 – and 55 percent of those are government bureaucrats, or soldiers, according to official employment survey data for 2015 analysed by Breakingviews.

Getting citizens to work in a process called “emiratisation” has proved difficult. More than half of the estimated total Emirati population of 159,000 who are over 15 years old were considered economically inactive last year, despite only 2,154 being classed as unemployed. Some may not want to work, while others may not have to because of private wealth, or generous government handouts such as free housing and energy subsidies.

Were Dubai to offer citizenship to skilled foreigners, thereby increasing their prospects of upward career mobility, skilled employees would lay down roots. They might consume and invest more. The labour market would become more competitive. Current citizens might not like the idea, but without a more vibrant local economy, the lifestyles they take for granted may be harder to sustain.

Clinton and Trump to square off in highly anticipated debate

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By John Whitesides | HEMPSTEAD, N.Y.

Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump will face off for the first time on Monday in a presidential debate that could rank as one of the most watched and highly anticipated political showdowns in U.S. history.

The tight race for the White House and the unpredictable clash in styles between well-known but polarizing foes has generated wide interest in the potentially pivotal encounter, which comes six weeks before the Nov. 8 election.

The size of the television-viewing audience is expected to challenge the presidential debate record of 80 million who watched the 1980 encounter between Democratic President Jimmy Carter and Republican Ronald Reagan.

The 90-minute debate will begin at 9 p.m. (0100 GMT on Tuesday) at Hofstra University on New York's Long Island. It is the first of three planned presidential debates.

Both Trump and Clinton, who polls show are the least liked White House candidates in modern history, hope to use the debate to erase lingering voter doubts and address campaign-trail weaknesses.

The volatile Trump, a New York businessman and former reality television star, will get a chance to show a depth and steadiness worthy of a credible commander in chief, while the cautious Clinton will be able to try to connect directly with voters who do not trust her, strategists said.

But Trump, a political newcomer who has often shown more affinity for putdowns than policy, could benefit from lower expectations from voters.

"There is no question it's a lower bar for Trump," said Dan Schnur, a former Republican strategist who is now a political scientist at the University of Southern California. "He doesn't have to be brilliant, he just can't be too bombastic."

The stakes are enormous. The debate comes as polls show Clinton's once sizable lead over Trump has evaporated amid more questions about her family foundation and her use of a private email server while secretary of state under President Barack Obama.

A Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Monday showed half of America's likely voters would rely on the debates to help them make their choice. More than half, 61 percent, were hoping for a civil debate and were not interested in the bitterness shown on the campaign trail.

GRUDGE MATCH

Clinton, 68, and Trump, 70, have regularly exchanged sharp insults, raising the prospect of a fiery grudge match. Trump frequently refers to Clinton as "Crooked Hillary" and has called for her jailing for the email controversy. Clinton condemns Trump as temperamentally unfit for the White House.

Trump dominated the crowded Republican debates with rapid-fire attacks on his rivals but he has no experience in a one-on-one debate setting that requires more prolonged discussion of issues.

Clinton has participated in many one-on-one debates on the national stage with Obama during her unsuccessful 2008 campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination and with U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders in their Democratic nominating race earlier this year.

Clinton's camp has done its best to raise the bar for Trump, and in television interviews on Monday both campaigns tried to frame expectations.

"What we don't want to have is some sort of double standard where Donald Trump can get the most improved award but Hillary Clinton ... is getting judged on the fine points of policy," Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook told NBC News, calling Trump "an entertainer."

ALSO IN POLITICS

• Ahead of debate, Trump endorsed by U.S. immigration officers
• Ahead of debate, Trump endorsed by some Bush alumni

Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway, separately on NBC, said Clinton's vast experience was unlikely to translate onto the debate stage, where Trump held an advantage.

"He's not going to be robotic and scripted," she said.

The role of moderator Lester Holt of NBC News also has come under scrutiny ahead of the debate with the Clinton campaign and her Democratic supporters urging him to correct Trump if he makes false claims.

Trump also has tried to influence Holt and the moderators of the other showdowns with Clinton, saying the candidates should be the ones to correct the record.

But in a year when outsiders like Trump and Sanders have made a mark, Trump's best argument could be that he is a better agent of change than Clinton, said Scott Reed, a veteran Republican operative who is now chief strategist for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

"He's got to draw the contrast between Trump as the candidate of change and Clinton as the candidate of more of the same," Reed said.

(Additional reporting by Steve Holland, Ginger Gibson and Susan Heavey in Washington; Editing by Peter Cooney and Bill Trott)

H.O.G. Rally Minsk closing ceremony 2016

  Over 3,000 bikers from Belarus, Russia, the Baltic states and countries of Western Europe took part in the festival celebrating the closing of the motorcycle season 2016 H.O.G. Rally Minsk. The festival kicked off at the Mound of Glory Memorial. The column of bikers led by Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko was accompanied by the Strela road patrol service from the Mound of Glory to the Sports Palace. Near the Sports Palace Photo by Leonid Shcheglov, Andrei Pokumeiko, Ramil Nasibulin, Maxim Guchek.

Read full text at: http://eng.belta.by/society/view/hog-rally-minsk-closing-ceremony-2016-94751-2016/

बलूच कार्यकर्ताओं ने चीनी दूतावास के सामने प्रदर्शन शुरू किया

•  ]

पीटीआई-भाषा संवाददाता 17:24 HRS IST

: अदिति खन्ना : लंदन, 26 सितंबर :भाषा: संसाधन समृद्ध बलूच क्षेत्र में ‘‘चीन पाकिस्तान सांठ-गांठ’’ के विरोध में बलूच कार्यकर्ताओं ने चीनी दूतावास के सामने एक सप्ताह लंबा धरना प्रदर्शन शुरू किया।

इस एक सप्ताह लंबे प्रदर्शन के दौरान ‘फ्री बलूचिस्तान आंदोलन :एफबीएम:’ के दो सदस्य बारी-बारी से छह दिन तक रात-दिन चीनी दूतावास के सामने बैठेंगे और एक अक्तूबर को बड़ा प्रदर्शन किया जाएगा। एक अक्तूबर को चीन का राष्ट्रीय दिवस है।

एफबीएम के अनुसार, यह बलुचिस्तान में ‘‘चीन पाकिस्तान सांठ-गांठ’’ के खिलाफ शांतिपूर्ण अभियान है।

संगठन ने एक बयान में कहा, ‘‘बलूचिस्तान में चीन 21वीं सदी की ईस्ट इंडिया कंपनी बन गया है। उनकी विस्तारवादी मंशा से क्षेत्र में सभी भली भांति वाकिफ हैं। उसका पड़ोसी देश वियतनाम चीन की द्वेषपूर्ण प्रकृति का प्रमुख उदाहरण है, उसने 17 बार चीनी सैन्य घुसपैठ को नाकाम किया है। आज हम देखते हैं कि दक्षिण चीन सागर के मामले में वह अंतरराष्ट्रीय कानूनों का सम्मान नहीं करता है।’’ एफबीएम ने कहा कि पाकिस्तान के साथ बलुचिस्तान का संघर्ष इसलिए है क्योंकि ‘‘पंजाब के वर्चस्व वाले इस अनैतिक राष्ट्र ने महज इस्लाम के नाम पर अंतरराष्ट्रीय कानूनों का उल्लंघन करते हुए मार्च 1948 में इसपर कब्जा कर लिया।’’ बयान में कहा गया है, ‘‘चीन ने बलुचिस्तान के ग्वादर बंदरगाह और अन्य क्षेत्रों पर अपना नियंत्रण स्थाई करने के प्रयास तेज कर दिए हैं, जबकि इन्हीं क्षेत्रों में 2001 में उसने ग्वादर गहरी-समुद्री परियोजना के नामपर अपना सैन्य पोस्ट बनाने की कोशिश की थी।’’

चीन ने पेरिस जलवायु परिवर्तन समझौते को अनुमोदित करने के भारत के फैसले का स्वागत किया

• • ]
  पीटीआई-भाषा संवाददाता 
• 
  

  :केजेएम वर्मा: बीजिंग, 26 सितंबर : भाषा : चीन ने आज पेरिस जलवायु परिवर्तन समझौते को अनुमोदित करने के भारत के फैसले का स्वागत किया और कहा कि यह कदम ऐतिहासिक समझौते को लागू करने की दिशा में प्रमुख बल का काम करेगा।
  
  चीन के विदेश मंत्रालय के प्रवक्ता जेंग शुआंग ने संवाददाता सम्मेलन में कहा, ‘‘जलवायु परिवर्तन मानव समाज के सामने मौजूद चुनौती है। कोई भी देश इससे मुक्त नहीं है इसलिए हमें जलवायु परिवर्तन के खिलाफ एकसाथ मिलकर काम करना चाहिए।’’ उन्होंने कहा, ‘‘चीनी पक्ष समझौते का भारत द्वारा अनुमोदन का स्वागत करता है जो पेरिस समझौते के क्रियान्वयन में एक और अहम बल होगा।’’ उन्होंने कहा, ‘‘चीनी पक्ष पेरिस समझौते के क्रियान्वयन की दिशा में आगे बढने के लिए भारत सहित सभी संबंधित पक्षों के साथ मिलकर काम करेगा और वैश्विक अर्थव्यवस्था की सतत एवं कम कार्बन वृद्धि के लिए कड़ी मेहनत करेगा।’’ प्रधानमंत्री नरेंद्र मोदी ने कल केरल में घोषणा की थी कि भारत महात्मा गांधी की जयन्ती यानी दो अक्तूबर को पिछले साल पेरिस में हुए पेरिस जलवायु परिवर्तन समझौते का अनुमोदन करेगा।
  
  इससे पहले, इस महीने विश्व के दो सबसे बड़े कार्बन उत्सर्जक अमेरिका और चीन औपचारिक रूप से पेरिस समझौते में शामिल हुए थे।

China's N Korea coal imports surge despite sanctions

Beijing, Sep 26 (AFP) China's coal imports from North Korea have surged in recent months, government data showed today, raising questions about Beijing's commitment to international sanctions intended to curb Pyongyang's nuclear programme.

As the isolated country's sole ally and main provider of trade and aid, Beijing's participation in the UN-imposed restrictions is crucial for their success.

But in August China imported 2.465 million tonnes of North Korean coal worth 113 million, 60 percent more than in April when sanctions were imposed and 35 percent more than a year ago, according to data on the Customs website.

Imports of North Korean iron ore also rose, from 110,500 tons in April to 197,000 tons last month, data showed.

The UN Security Council in March agreed to impose sanctions on certain North Korean exports, including coal and iron, But it also said it would allow trade to continue for "livelihood" purposes -- if the proceeds did not go towards funding Pyongyang's nuclear or weapons programmes.

The UN did not set criteria for making that determination, leaving each country to make its own decision.

In April China announced it would place restrictions on imports of both items, among others.

Trade with the world's second largest economy is crucial for the isolated and impoverished North, which has suffered regular food shortages and an outright famine in the mid-1990s.

In 2015 China accounted for more than 90 per cent of North Korea's USD 6.25 billion in total trade, according to figures from South Korea's state-run Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency.

China's total imports from North Korea in August rose 16.7 per cent year-on-year to 291.3 million, Customs data showed.

The figures come just weeks after North Korea tested its fifth and most powerful nuclear device.

China has said it "firmly opposes" the test, but analysts believe it has resisted targeting the North's fragile economy for fear of provoking the regime's collapse.

It fears this could prompt a flood of cross-border refugees and ultimately the prospect of US troops stationed on its border in a reunified Korea.

The international community has engaged in a flurry of diplomacy to try to persuade China to use its leverage with Pyongyang.

US Pacific coast earthquake

In the US Pacific coast earthquake of magnitude 5.0

© Flickr / Matt Katzenberger

MOSCOW, September 25 -. RIA Novosti An earthquake measuring 5.0 occurred off the Pacific coast of the US state of Oregon, according to the US Geological Survey USGS).

The tremors were recorded at 22.01 Saturday local time (8.01 MSK Sunday) in 151 km to the southwest from the town of Gold Beach. The center lies at a depth of 10 kilometers.

Information on casualties or damage were reported.

Kashmir in press of Pak

AJK President meets Kashmiri, Pakistani diaspora in Washington

WASHINGTON, Sept 25 (APP): AJK President Sardar Masood Khan on Saturday met representatives of Pakistani and Kashmiri diaspora in Washington and apprise them of the efforts made by Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif
and the AJK government to highlight the lingering dispute on world forums.

Addressing the gathering at the Pakistan Embassy, the President shared with them the latest surge in the Indian-held Kashmir after the death of Kashmiri young freedom fighter Burhan Wani in July, who was hugely popular among Kashmiris in the Occupied valley.

He emphasized that the martyrdom of Wani has infused new vigour in the indigenous freedom struggle of innocent Kashmiris who have been fighting for their right of self-determination for almost seven decades.

President Sardar Masood Khan said that Indian Occupied Kashmir was burning and hundreds of Kashmiri men, women and children had been killed over the past two months; more than 150 civilians had been blinded by the use of lethal pellet guns; and more than 10,000 men, women and children
were seriously injured because of the indiscriminate firing by occupying Indian forces.

Commenting on the Indian claims that pellet guns were non-lethal, he remarked that the Doctors Association in Kashmir had clearly said that the embedded pellets in the bodies of the victims were causing fatal lead poisoning and put pregnant women at serious risk.

President Azad Kashmir added that the Kashmiris in IOK were under siege in their own land. Peaceful demonstrations were a crime, political meetings were banned and true representatives of Kashmiri people had been incarcerated.

He drew attention towards the prolonged curfews and mobile telephone and Internet blackouts in IOK and mentioned that Indian occupation forces in the occupied territory had been hunting down innocent citizens
involving draconian black laws.

Sardar Masood Khan briefed the Pakistani and Kashmiri diaspora on the steps taken by his Government towards good governance in Azad Kashmir.

He commended the bold and unambiguous stance taken by Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on the Kashmir issue during his address to the UN General Assembly.

The President concluded with remarks that situation in disputed Kashmir requires immediate attention of international community and emphasized a sense of urgency to take action since it is not business as usual.

Earlier, speaking on the occasion, Ambassador Jalil Abbas Jilani said that Prime Minister’s historic speech in UNGA was forceful and effective to bring the issue of Kashmir in UNGA.

This issue was never raised at UNGA so vigorously that created tremors in the ranks of Indian government and media.

During his New York visit PM had meetings with 48 Head of States and Governments, UN Secretary General and Secretary of State John Kerry and presented Kashmiris case their plight, misery and unprecedented state terrorism of India.

Masood Khan during his stay in Washington will address major US Think Tanks, will meet members of the US Congress, US media and US officials to apprise them the urgent nature of the Kashmir issue He was in US to attend the UNGA session in New York

Kashmir in press of Pak

Kashmiris to protest outside UN during Indian FM’s address to General Assembly

September 25, 2016

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Kashmiris to protest outside UN during Indian FM's address to General Assembly

NEW YORK, Sept 25 (APP): Kashmiri and Pakistani community members were finalizing preparations for a big demonstration outside the United Nations Building in New York on Monday when Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj takes the stage to address the 71st United Nations General Assembly.

Billed as a ‘Peaceful Protest’, it’s organisers said the main objective of the demonstration was to draw attention to the brutalities inflicted on Kashmiri people by Indian occupation forces in Kashmir and to urge the international community to play its role in enabling gthe oppressed people to exercise their UN-pledged right of self-determination.

Sardar Sawar Khan, a former member of Azad Kashmir Council, said there has been an unprecedented use of force in occupied Kashmir as Indian troops were attempting to crush the popular movement for freedom from the India’s yoke.

The victims of Indian brutalities had no sanctuary, he said, adding even hospitals and medical personnel were under siege in Kashmir.

Over 100 civilians have been killed, more than 11,000 injured and 150 blinded by the deadly pellet guns used by the Indian troops since July 8, when youth leader Burhan Wani was assassinated. The intent of military forces was to kill, not injure.

Sawar Khan said a memorandum will be sent to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urging him to intervene and put an end to the grave human rights violations in Kashmir as well as to implement UN resolutions for a plebiscite through the exercise by the Kashmir people of their right to self-determination.

He said Kashmiris from all over the United State would be coming to join the demonstration.

The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf leader in Azad Kashmir, Barrister Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry, has already arrived in New York while prominent Kashmiri activist Ghulam Nabi Fai was reaching Sunday afternoon.

Kashmir in press of Pak.

• Global

Growing realization among world leaders that Kashmir disputes needs to be resolved: AJK President

September 25, 2016

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Growing realization among world leaders that Kashmir disputes needs to be resolved: AJK President

WASHINGTON, Sept 25 (APP): Pakistan’s clear stance on Kashmir has convinced the world leaders that the long standing dispute poses a grave danger to the world peace and must be resolved, AJK President Masood Khan has said praising Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for presenting
the strongest ever case for the Kashmiri people at the United Nations.

In an exclusive interview with APP, the AJK President said that the Obama administration and the United Nations were alarmed by the growing tension between Pakistan and India over the issue of Kashmir and wanted to see an early resolution to the lingering dispute.

“There is now a realization that the Kashmir issue cannot be put to back burner anymore and has to be resolved. This is not our success, this is the success of the people of Kashmir who continue to raise the slogan of freedom in spite of reign of terror unleashed by the Indian government,” Khan said.

He said since taking over the charge, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had adopted a principled stand on Kashmir but his speech to the United Nations this week was the most effective narration on the dispute that had sent a clear message to the world community about the danger to the world peace,

if the issue was not resolved in accordance with the wishes of the Kashmir people.

“The Prime Minister held out an unequivocal assurance to the Kashmiri people that Pakistani nation fully share their pain and will never stop from extending their moral, political and diplomatic support to their just cause.”

He said that the Prime Minister also sent a clear message that India would not succeed in suppressing the freedom struggle with its brutal tactics, and the only way to resolve the issue was through dialogue.

Khan said that acting as a statesman and as a leader of a nuclear nation, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had shown political sagacity and had not just presented facts from the point of view of Pakistan and the Kashmiri people, but had spoken in the context of regional and world peace.

The Prime Minister had made it clear that Pakistan’s offer for
dialogue should not be construed as a sign of weakness but as a genuine desire for the regional peace and stability, he added. “He made it clear that dialogue was no favour to Pakistan but an offer to address common concern.”

The AJK President said the Prime Minister brought to fore the fact that it was the failure of the United Nations that the Kashmir dispute had not been resolved in spite of UN Security Council resolutions on Kashmir.

Speaking on the situation in the Indian held Kashmir, Khan said India’s suppressive activities and brutalities in the held valley were nothing new. “What new this time is that they have crossed all limits of cruelties. They have killed innocent people and rendered thousands others crippled and at the risk of losing their eyesight.”

Indian troops have used pellet guns directly at protesters,
including women and children, and hundreds of people are visiting hospital daily for eye treatment.

Khan said people were now on street demanding freedom from Indian yoke and want their children to become Burhan Wani, a young Kashmiri freedom fighter whose killing in July has triggered the most serious revolt against the Indian occupation in the held valley.

He said nearly 4,000 women gathered at the site where Wani was martyred to celebrate Pakistan Day. Children and teenagers wearing white and green clothes representing the Pakistan flag marched on the road and there were thousands others just to applaud them.

The Prime Minister’s speech was not just a high point in the
ongoing dispute, it was also a starting point towards the ultimate solution to the Kashmir dispute, the AJK President said.

Namibian students in South Africa are worried

Written by Esme Rusberg on 25 September 2016.

By Esme Konstantinus
WINDHOEK, 25 SEP (NAMPA) – Namibian students in South Africa (SA) are worried that they might not finish their studies due to the current #FeesMustFall protests at some universities in that country.
The protests came about after the Ministry of Higher Education in South Africa announced earlier this month that university fees will increase by eight per cent for the 2017 academic year, because the country’s universities were facing serious funding challenges.

Barangay and SK polls

Macalintal says election period still exists in the absence of law postponing the Oct. 31, 2016 Barangay and SK polls

By Ferdinand G. Patinio

MANILA, Sept. 25 (PNA) -- An election lawyer has said that the election period for the Oct. 31, 2016 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) polls is still in effect even as the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has already suspended all the activities in connection with the scheduled polls.

According to Atty. Romulo Macalintal, the election period, which started on Sept. 16 and will run until Oct. 30, 2016, is not suspended since no law has been approved officially postponing the polls slated next month.

“While the Comelec suspended all its 'activities' in connection with the scheduled Oct. 31 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections, it cannot suspend the implementation of existing laws applicable during an election period on the basis of a non-existing law or just because there is a proposed law to postpone the said election,” he said in a statement.

Macalintal noted that the poll body had suspended all the activities on the belief that the village and youth polls will be reset to October 2017.

“It should be noted that no law has yet been signed by President Duterte postponing the said elections. And yet Comelec took it upon itself to suspend said 'activities' on its mere belief that 'recent developments lean towards the postponement' of the election,” he said.

The lawyer added, “There being no law amending or repealing the existing law, what we have at present is Republic Act No. 9164, as amended, which mandates the election to be held on October 31. As such, the prohibited acts under the Omnibus Election Code during an election period still apply.”

With this, Macalintal said that during the “election period from Sept. 16 to Oct. 30, 2016, it is prohibited to appoint or hire new employees or create new positions in the government service as provided under Section 261(g) of the Omnibus Election Code and that the firearms ban will still be imposed effective Oct. 1 to Nov. 7, 2016, as provided under Section 261(h) of the same Code.”

“The moment a law is signed by President Duterte, it will not yet take effect immediately. It needs a 15-day publication before it could be implemented, hence, R. A. 9164 still applies,” he added.

Last week, the Senate and the House of Representatives passed on final reading their respective versions of the bill postponing the October 2016 elections to October 2017.

For its part, the Comelec has ordered the suspension of all activities pertaining to the said polls, including the conduct of public biddings and procurements for election paraphernalia, due to the possible rescheduling of the Barangay and SK polls. (PNA)
SCS/FGP/RSM