David Miliband launched 2009 report on human rights in central London.

He said the Foreign Office report ensured that “the most oppressive governments who refuse to be held to account by their own people, they are at least held to account by the international community.”

The report highlighted three issues: the “increasing harassment of defence lawyers; the treatment of detainees in relation to ethnic unrest… and the detention of human rights defenders and political dissidents.”

“A worrying number of people were imprisoned in 2009 for attempting to exercise their right to freedom of expression,” it said. “Officials from the British Embassy in Beijing made repeated efforts to attend the trials of individuals in priority cases but were denied access. “Increasingly, the authorities are using criminal charges to shut down the activities of human rights defenders.”

Miliband said London would continue to push for sanctions against “the most oppressive states such as Burma and Zimbabwe”.

The 192-page report highlighted 22 “countries of concern”: Afghanistan, Belarus, China, Colombia, Cuba, North Korea, the DR Congo, Iran, Iraq, Israel and the Occupied Territories, Myanmar (Burma), Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Zimbabwe. The report said it had been a “particularly grim year” in Iran while there were “signs of considerable progress” in Iraq.

Rejecting American pressure, Russia announced the planned launch this summer of Iran’s first, Russian-built nuclear power plant.

Russian Premier Vladimir Putin announced that Moscow would start up Tehran’s first and only nuclear power plant this summer. Moscow has been helping Iran build the Bushehr facility since 1995, but work has been delayed several times.

The statement of Russian Premier came at a time when US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who is in Moscow for talks on the Middle East and a stalled US-Russia nuclear arms reduction treaty. Russia’s foreign minister, gave Mrs Clinton short shrift and argued that making Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant operational would keep Tehran engaged with the international community.

SYDNEY : Australia’s Prime Minister Kevin Rudd Friday shrugged off US President Barack Obama’s decision to postpone next week’s visit, saying he would be welcome any time.

Rudd said he had spoken to Obama about the move to reschedule the trip as the president wrestles with landmark healthcare legislation, and hailed his close relationship with the American leader.

“I’m going to be very happy any time the president chooses to visit,” Rudd told the Seven Network TV station.

“I know President Obama pretty well. It would be nice to have him and Michelle and the kids.

“I spoke to him on the phone this morning: he’d like to have a more relaxed visit than the 24-hour whip in, whip out that the last one had come down to.”

Obama had already delayed his visit and trimmed it from three days to one, opting to leave his wife Michelle and two daughters behind. The tour, also taking in Guam and Indonesia, has been put back until June.

Rudd, who has also seen legislation blocked by the Australian Senate, said he sympathised with Obama’s “massive” healthcare project and described the US leader as “a lot of fun”.

“We talk from time to time and he’s got a great sense of humour but it would be breaching all protocols to go to the content of conversation,” he said.

“But it’s a good relationship and he’s doing

Manila: Ferry Sinks in Philippines; 3 Dead, 22 Missing, At least three people drowned to death while 22 went missing after a ferry sank in south of the Philippines’ capital.
According to the Coast Guard, some 63 people have been rescued so far, while the search operation continues with the backing of three vessels. The ferry was carrying 88 people and nine cargo trucks when it set off from Calapan on the central island of Mindoro for a two-hour trip to the Batangas port on the main Luzon Island late on Saturday. About 30 minutes later, it began tilting after taking in water from its bow, coast guard Lieutenant Commander Armand Balilo said, adding the ferry sank minutes later. The sea mishap occurred just two days after yet another ferry with 73 people on board collided with a fishing boat off Limbones Island in Cavite province. Three people were killed in the incident and twenty-four others remain missing.

This weekend, I came across a dilemma. I found two very very good bargains and can only get one. Both are 70% and both are very hip this season items. They are also very different however and cannot exactly be compared apples to apples, but here I go trying anyway.
I first came across this skirt on the Marc by MJ sales rack at Bloomies. It is not exactly my usual style, and in fact, if I saw this picture (above) I wouldn’t even consider it (you got to admit, it doesn’t look that great). But I decided to try it on anyway, along with a bunch of other stuff, for fun. It was one of those items where you put it on and WHAM- you look great in it and you really want it! Thats what happened for me anyway. I’ve never owned a pencil skirt, cause I always thought they’d make me look short, but this one was just hot. The cutting was flattering, it is different from what I already own and it definitely has hip edge to it, with its shiny fabric, fishnet pattern and zips. And then I got out of the changing room and the skirt accosted me again on the mannequinn. So despite the hip being just a tinsiest bit loose on me, I bought it 40% off at Bloomies.

Afterwards, of course I went online and googled it up and sent it to HG and all my other girlfriends for their opinion. Most thought it was not me, but HG thought it was really cool. The two of us then proceeded to spend all night analyzing its pros and cons and how to wear it. It’s tough, because it’s a bit in between officey and casual, being too hip for the office but too formal for the streets. I was originally thinking just a black top and boots will do the trick. HG pointed out that it would look very officey and too formal looking, and that I got to wear it “hip” with bright colors like in the picture above. As I said before though, I’m not very fond of the styling above. A good alternative would be to wear it with black and add on a large pink scarf like this one. But I’m not about to spend more so I can wear a skirt. Oh, guess what else I found? I found that Saks was selling the same skirt for 70% off! Yes, I am the type of girl who must have best deal in town. So I made the trip to Saks (good thing everything is so close together) and I came across this:
This tulip shaped pink skirt also 70% off, also from Marc by MJ. As I said, they’re not exactly an apples to apples comparison. This one is more youthful, fun and punk, while the pencil skirt is more sophisticated and rock. This one is also easier to pair though. Since it is already so colorful by nature, wearing all black everywhere else is a given. I can even pair a hip short jacket with it. Plus, this skirt can definitely not be mistaken for office wear!

So in the end, I opted for the fun, youthful and easy to wear skirt instead and decided to leave sophistication for later. It all sounds very logical now, but trust me, it took a LOT of debate for me to get to this stage!

Image Source: Saks

( This post is from an independent writer. The opinions and views expressed herein are those of the author and are not endorsed by APakistanNews.Com.)

Barrack Obama Leaves South Korea, Brings Asia Tour to End, US President Barrack Obama ended his Asian tour and left for home on Thursday after meeting US troops stationed in South Korea.
President Obama visited Japan before attending an Asia Pacific economic summit in Singapore, and continuing his first Asian tour to China and South Korea. Obama spoke to some of the 28,000 US troops stationed in the South before flying home at Osan Airbase, south of Seoul. An auditorium filled with young US soldiers greeted Obama enthusiastically as he walked in. Obama reaffirmed the US will keep a strong alliance with South Korea. “I made it clear. America’s commitment to the defence of the Republic of Korea will never waiver and our alliance has never been stronger,” Obama said. He hugged some of the soldiers and shook hands with several others. This was the end of his Asian tour, before he boarded Air Force One and headed back to Washington D.C.
North Korea argues that the presence of a large US troops contingent in South Korea threatens them of possible attacks, and thus pushed them to develop nuclear weapons. North and South Korea are still technically at war since the 1950-53 Korean War ended in a truce without a peace treaty. North Korea rattled the economically powerful region just ahead of Obama’s first visit to Seoul since taking office by sparking a naval fight with the South and telling the world early this month it had produced a fresh batch of arms-grade plutonium. But it has toned down its normally strident anti-U.S rhetoric since Obama began his trip to Asia a week ago.
Obama said on Thursday he was willing to help North Korea repair its economy and end decades of international isolation if Pyongyang stopped a cycle of threats and finally moved towards nuclear disarmament. Speaking to reporters at the end a week-long Asia tour, Obama said he and South Korean President Lee Myung-bak agreed the North must end the pattern of provocations that simply ended up with demands for more concessions but never resolved the central problem.

GENOA, Italy: With Roger Federer sitting out, Switzerland lost a doubles match to Italy in a Davis Cup playoff and had its lead cut to 2-1.

Simone Bolelli and Potito Starace beat Marco Chiudinelli and Stanislas Wawrinka 6-2, 6-4, 7-6 (3) Saturday.

In Thursday’s draw, Federer was selected to team with Wawrinka, reviving the team that won the Olympic doubles title last year. But Switzerland captain Severin Luthi decided to rest Federer in favor of the 117th-ranked Chiudinelli.

“We all know he’s had a very heavy schedule over the last days and weeks, so we preferred that he rest today and be ready for tomorrow,” Luthi said.

Federer lost in five sets to Juan Martin del Potro in the U.S. Open final Monday, and he is still getting over jet leg from his trip across the Atlantic.

“For sure to have Roger on the team is always an advantage, but we knew we had a chance with this team, the Italians just played better today,” Luthi said. “(Federer) has no problem. You can expect him to play for sure tomorrow.”

Federer can seal the tie with a win over Andreas Seppi in the first of Sunday’s reverse singles matches on the red clay courts at the Valletta Cambiaso club.

The winner of the best-of-five series will return to the World Group next year.

Wawrinka beat Andreas Seppi 6-4, 6-1, 6-2 and Federer defeated Bolelli 6-3, 6-4, 6-1 in Friday’s opening singles matches.

“We were talking about the solutions for (Federer) and the worst-case scenario would have been if we lose in five sets and then he would have to play three days in a row,” Luthi said. “It was better that he rested today and be ready for tomorrow.

“It’s not for sure that if Roger had played we would have won the doubles,” the Swiss captain added. “We had a strong team on the court today. It’s not like we were saying we’re giving this point to Italy. They were just stronger today.”

Italy also made a change in its doubles team, with Bolelli replacing Fabio Fognini alongside Starace.

Wawrinka was broken four times and also lost two points on his serve in the tiebreaker.

“For sure it was not my best doubles today,” Wawrinka said, adding that he and Chiudinelli struggled to play in unison, having never played together in the Davis Cup.

The Italians were pleased by the decision to rest Federer.

“We were a bit surprised he wasn’t playing. But it gave us a better chance of winning,” Bolelli said. “We played well and showed that without Federer we’re capable of winning in straight sets.”

Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan:- Pervez Musharraf terms Saudi meeting successful, Former president Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf has termed his meeting with Saudi King Abdullah successful during his visit to Riyadh as he was accorded state protocol in the trip.

Musharraf termed his meeting with King Abdullah successful, saying “The meeting remained excellent, adding that the King had some concerns about recent political situation of Pakistan.

The almost royal treatment given by the Saudi government to former president during his visit to Riyadh had thrown his opponents into total confusion.

Reports that King Abdullah sent a special plane to bring the retied general from London to Riyadh have surprised a number of politicians of Pakistan.

The media reports have sparked speculations that the Saudi ruling family is taking keen interest to defuse tension in Pakistan and try to use its influence to persuade PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif to give up his demand for Gen (retd) Musharraf’s trial for high treason.

In his telephonic talk, Musharraf said the army operation in Malakand Division against Taliban militants had proved successful. “The operation was undoubtedly successful…Pak Army have always rendered sacrifices played a vital role to safeguard the territorial integrity of Pakistan.”

The former president urged upon the nation to demonstrate equality against that extremism and terrorism as the two “pose great threat to Pakistan.”

Peter Andre may make a comeback to reality show ‘I”m a Celebrity…Get me out of here’, where he first fell in love with his estranged wife Katie Price.

The singer could soon head to the Aussie camp to be part of the thrill.

“It’s all up in the air at the moment. But it’s very exciting. It’s going to be a ratings winner,” the Daily Star quoted a source as saying.

The insider added: “The public loves Peter and they’d love nothing more than to see him back in the jungle. He might even find a new love.”

However, top psychologist Jo Hemmings is afraid that the trip could make it hard for the ‘Mysterious Girl’ singer to get over the bitter split with his wife.

She said: “Peter obviously has a yearning to go back to where his happiness began. He is eager to take a journey back to the beginning, as he feels this will cast out the final demons of his volatile and troubled marriage. But it could be a serious error of judgment. He will encounter so many reminders of falling in love with Kate that it will dredge up all sorts of unwelcome memories that could find him slipping back into emotional fragility.”

She added: “If there are lessons to be learned from reality TV history, Pete should remember that when Jade Goody’s career was flagging, returning to the Big Brother house was one of the worst decisions she ever made.”

Andre had first participated in the show five years back.