Obama is 'international villain': Iranian speaker

TEHRAN:  Iran rejects U.S. President Barack Obama's invitation to resolve differences because he is an "international villain," parliament speaker Ali Larijani said Saturday.

"How dare Obama announce that he wants to help the Iranian nation. He should know that he is an international villain," Larijani was quoted by ISNA news agency as saying during a visit to the southern city of Shiraz.

"The Americans are displaying an act that deserves an international evilness medal... Mr Obama should know that we do not need his message, what we need is to be able to trust the words he utters," he said.

Larijani's remarks came a day after the American leader told the BBC's Persian service that the door for diplomacy with Tehran was still open over its longstanding nuclear dispute with the international community.

"Our strong preference is to resolve these issues diplomatically. I think that's in Iran's interest. I think that is in the interest of the international community," Obama said.

"I think it remains possible, but it is going to require a change in mindset inside the Iranian government," he said.

Relations between Tehran and Washington have become increasingly fraught since the presidency of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in 2005, and his defiant pursuit of Iran's controversial nuclear programme.

Ahmadinejad, while attending the UN General Assembly session in New York this week, said Tehran was open to new nuclear talks, provided the U.S. and the western powers were respectful to the Islamic republic.

Pakistani plane evacuated after bomb threat

STOCKHOLM : Police detained and were questioning the man said to be carrying explosives on board a Pakistan International Airlines Boeing 777, which was diverted to Sweden while en route to Pakistan from Canada Saturday morning.

The unscheduled landing came after a woman called Canadian police from a pay phone and said that there was a man on board who may be carrying explosives with him, a Stockholm police spokesperson told NBC News. Canadian police then contacted the pilot, who requested permission to land at Sweden's Arlanda airport, according to NBC.

Canadian police informed the pilot and the plane landed at Stockholm's Arlanda airport as it was in Swedish airspace.

"He has been detained," police spokesman Kjell Lindgren told Reuters. The man, described as a Canadian citizen of Pakistani origin, was detained while the passengers were getting off the plane during an evacuation.

The plane was on its way from Toronto to Karachi, Pakistan, when the pilot requested permission to land in Stockholm, airport spokesman Anders Bredfall told NBC.

In Pakistan, a spokesman for state-run Pakistan International Airlines told NBC the incident involved flight PK782 to Karachi.

Stockholm district police spokesman Janne Hedlund told Reuters that no explosives had been found on the man. His baggage and the plane were being searched, he added.

Calls to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Canada's public safety department were not immediately returned.

Malaysia's school for pregnant teens opens

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's first 'School of Hope' for pregnant teenagers began its work Monday with five girls joining it. Four Malays and an ethnic Chinese students resumed their studies in Forms Four and Five at the school in Malacca state.

The teenagers, accompanied by their parents, were first required to make their formal application at the Malacca Islamic Religious Department before heading to the school.

The first to be seen was a young Chinese teenager who arrived with her parents at the school's dormitory, House of Hope.

On Sunday, Malacca Chief Minister Mohammed Ali Rustam said families of five pregnant teenagers had sought to enrol their daughters in the school here.

The five, aged between 16 and 17 years, were from Malacca, Johor, Negri Sembilan, Pahang states and Kuala Lumpur, the national capital.

Ali said the school could accommodate 40 students. He said the privacy of the students would be protected and requested the public and the media to adhere to the rule.

He had caused a furore when he announced the setting up of the school two months ago, The Star said.

He had defended the state's move, saying the school was to provide pregnant teenagers with a second chance and curb illicit sex and baby dumping.

Missing Iraqi antiquities located in PM Maliki's office

More than 600 antiquities have been returned to the Iraqi National Museum after they were found in boxes in Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's office.

The missing historical artefacts, some dating back thousands of years, had been smuggled out of Iraq at various times and ended up in the US.

They were moved back to Iraq in early 2009 but went missing after that.

Antiquities Minister Qahtan al-Jubouri blamed "inappropriate handover procedures" for their disappearance.

It is not clear exactly how the artefacts disappeared from view after being returned to Iraq.

But the 638 items were found on Sunday packed in cardboard boxes in a storage room for kitchen equipment in the offices of Prime Minister Maliki.

The objects include jewellery and clay tablets as well as bronze figurines.

"It's a very important collection," said Amira Eidan, the director of the Iraqi National Museum.

"Some [are] from the beginning of the Islamic era, others are from [the] Sumerian period, some [are] Babylonian, Hellenistic - different periods and different cities."

Tens of thousands of artefacts chronicling some 7,000 years of civilisation in Mesopotamia are believed to have been looted from Iraq in the chaos which followed the the US-led invasion in 2003.

Despite international efforts to track items down, fewer than half of the artefacts have so far been retrieved.

Extremist websites skyrocketing, says Interpol

The sharp growth in extremist websites is making recruitment much easier for al-Qaeda, according to Interpol head Ronald Noble.

"The threat is global, it is virtual and it is on our doorsteps," he said.

Mr Noble told a conference of police chiefs in Paris there were 12 sites in 1998 and 4,500 by 2006.

He said tackling radicalisation had been made far harder by the internet because many of the activities involved were not criminal.

Increasingly, he said, the individuals targeted were young and vulnerable and from middle-class backgrounds.

A researcher at the London-based International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation told the BBC that the number of radical websites was now far higher than the figure given by Interpol.

"It's well into the thousands in English alone," said Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens.

He added that governments had found the increase in radical websites impossible to stop.

"As soon as you knock out one, another pops up. It's like playing 'whack-a-mole'."

Last week, the head of British security service MI5, Jonathan Evans, expressed concern about the influence of Yemen-based radical Muslim cleric, Anwar al-Awlaki, whose sermons feature in more than 5,000 videos on YouTube.

British teen banned from the U.S. after angry, drunken email to the White House

LANDAN: A 17-year-old Brit has been banned from the United States for life after firing off an email to the White House in which he referred to President Barack Obama as a "prick," according to reports.

Bedfordshire teen Luke Angel says he felt compelled to e-mail Obama after watching programs on the 9/11 terrorist attacks and conducting his own research on conspiracy theories. Bedfordshire On Sunday reports that Angel could not recall the e-mail's specifics as he said he was "drunk or high" at the time it was written about a month ago.

However, he acknowledged using the curse word and other threatening language in reference to Obama, while also expressing clear dislike for the the U.S. government at large, in the e-mail. "It was silly -- the sort of thing you do when you're a teenager and have had a few," he is quoted as saying.

After a brief FBI investigation and subsequent follow-up by Bedfordshire Police, officers reportedly told Angel he was "banned from America forever," though no further action is currently planned.

Angel reportedly did not seem too vexed about the ban. "I don't really care," he said. "My parents aren't very happy about it."

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How Rich are Pakistani MNAs?: PPPP MNA tops list with Rs3.288bn

ISLAMABAD: A comparative analysis of the assets declared by MNAs belonging to the 12th and the 13th National Assembly of Pakistan revealed that the average value of an MNA's assets has increased three folds in six years from 2002-2003 to 2008-2009.

The average value of an MNA's Assets in the 12th National Assembly was just below Rs. 27 million in 2002-2003 which has increased to almost Rs. 81 million in 2008-2009, a 3-fold increase in six years, according to a Pildat Analysis of the Declarations of Assets submitted by MNAs, said a news release issued on Tuesday.

The analysis also indicates that an average MNA of the current (13th) National Assembly is twice as rich compared to his/her counterpart in the previous (12th) National Assembly.

The Pildat report series titled How Rich are Pakistani MNAs? has analyzed assets declared by MNAs for the years 2002-2003 to 2005-2006; 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 through 3 separate reports.

The latest of this series of Pildat reports, comparing assets declared by MNAs belonging to the 13th (current) National Assembly of Pakistan, has used data contained in the Gazettes published by the Election Commission of Pakistan on October 15 2008 and October 27 2009.

The report depicts that the current average value of assets held by an MNA stands at Rs. 80.89 million, based on the 2008-2009 declarations.

This figure demonstrates a modest increase of 9.5% from the 2007-2008 figure of Rs 73.92 million. The average value of assets owned by non-Muslim MNAs, Rs 20.35 million, is 75% lower than the overall average of almost Rs 81 million, based on 2008-2009 figures.

In terms of individual wealth, the 2008-2009 declarations reveal the wealthiest MNA to be Mehboob Ullah Jan (NA-23, Kohistan, KP, PPPP) with total assets of Rs. 3.288 billion. He is followed by Shahid Khaqan Abbasi (NA-50, Rawalpindi-I, Punjab, PML-N), with total assets of Rs. 1.627 billion, Jahangir Khan Tareen (NA-195, R.Y.Khan-IV, Punjab, PML-F) with total assets of Rs 1.095 billion, Saeed Ahmed Zafar (NA-162, Nankana Sahib-II Old Sheikhupura-VII, Punjab, IND) with total assets of Rs 1.030 billion, and Nuzhat Sadiq (NA-277, Punjab-V, PML-N) with total assets of Rs 912.81 million.

In 2007-2008 declarations reveal the wealthiest MNA to be Mehboob Ullah Jan (NA-23, Kohistan, KP, PPPP) with total assets of Rs 3.252 billion.

He is followed by Nuzhat Sadiq (NA-277, Punjab-V, PML-N), with total assets of Rs 1.514 billion, Chaudhry Zahid Iqbal (NA-162, Sahiwal-III, Punjab, PPPP), with assets amounting to Rs 1.248 billion, Chaudhry Nazir Ahmed Jatt (NA-167, Vehari-I, Punjab, PML) (who later resigned while facing charges of processing a fake degree; Chaudhary Asghar Ali Jatt is re-elected on this seat in by-election 2010), with assets worth Rs. 843 million and Mr. Jahangir Khan Tareen (NA-195, R.Y.Khan-IV, Punjab, PML -F), with assets amounting to Rs. 716 million.

At the other end of the assets spectrum, the least wealthy MNAs in 2008-2009 is Saeed Iqbal Chaudhary (NA-81, Faisalabad-VII, Punjab, PPPP) with approximately Rs 29 million net liabilities, followed by Roshan Din Junejo (NA-236, Sanghar-III, Sindh, PPPP), Sheikh Rohale Asghar (NA-124 Lahore-VII, Punjab, PML-N), Ghulam Farid Kathia, (NA-161 Sahiwal-II, Punjab, PPPP), Minister of State for Education, and Ayaz Amir (NA-60 Chakwal-I, Punjab, PML-N).

Nuzhat Sadiq (NA-277, Women Punjab-V, PML-N), has remained the richest female MNA in 2008-2009 and 2007-2008, with assets worth Rs 912.81 million and Rs 1.514 billion respectively.

The second richest female MNA in the current National Assembly is Asma Arbab Alamgir (NA-325, Women KP-IV, PPPP) with assets of 515.25 million and 682.05 million in 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 respectively while Belum Hasnain (NA-292, Women Punjab-XX, PPPP) with assets of 332.50 million in 2007-2008 and 298.40 million in 2008-2009 is the third richest female MNA.

Mohammad Kamran Khan (NA-40, Tribal Area-V, FATA, IND) proved to be the most effective asset manager whose assets grew 42 times from over the period of a year, followed by Maulana Muhammad Qasim (NA-10, NA-10 Mardan-II, KP, MMA), with a 12 time increase in assets and Bilal Yaseen (NA-120, Lahore-III, Punjab, PML-N) whose assets increased 9 times during the period.

In 2008-2009, the PML-F is the richest or on top of the list in terms of the average wealth of its MNAs (average assets per MNA: Rs 239 million), followed by the NPP Rs 122 million, the independents Rs 108 million; the PPPP Rs 102 million; the PML-N Rs 75 million; the PML Rs 62 million; the ANP Rs 61 million; the PPP-S Rs 37 million; the MQM Rs 25 million; the BNP Rs 14 million and the MMA Rs 6 million.

These figures demonstrate a 42-fold difference between the average wealth of the MNAs in the party with the greatest average wealth and that with the least. From 2002-2006, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) topped the list in terms of average wealth of its MNA as its lone MNA Imran Khan (NA-71, Mianwali-I, Punjab, PTI, 12th NA) held assets worth Rs 85 million at that time, followed by the PML-N (average assets per MNA at Rs 61 million); PML Rs 56 million and the PPPP Rs 34 million.

In geographical terms, the differences in average wealth are significant.

In 2008-2009, MNAs from Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) have the highest average value of assets per MNA followed by those from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Fata, Sindh and Balochistan respectively. Similarly, in 2007-2008, MNAs from the ICT headed the list.

This trend has been maintained earlier from 2002-2006 when on average an MNA from the ICT was the richest followed by an MNA from Punjab, Fata, Balochistan, Sindh and KP.

In terms of the percentage share of the combined value of assets in the year 2008-2009, Punjab tops the list, with a share of 54 % (down from 73% in 2002-2006); followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) 31 % (up from 4% share in 2002-2006); Sindh 10 % (down from 11% in 2002-2006); Fata maintaining its 3 %; ICT 1 % (down from 5% in 2002-2006) and Balochistan at 1 % (down from 4% in 2002-2006).

We’re still determined to build mosque: Imam Rauf

NEW YORK: Well-known imam of the American city New York, Faisal Abul Rauf said that he wants to give a positive message of Islam to the entire world by building a mosque near the World Trade Centre.

The imam behind the building of an Islamic center near Ground Zero while talking with an American television said that Muslims are concerned over rising Islamophobia as the debate continues over whether his construction project should go forward.

He also said he believes fear of Islam may be even greater than it was immediately following the September 11 terror attacks.

Amid the rising tension over the planned Islamic center, new police barricades on the block where the center would be developed sprung up during the weekend.

Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf is scheduled to speak extensively about the project Monday morning.

In an interview with ABC News on Sunday, Rauf said a decision on changing the site of the controversial prayer center would be complicated.

"My major concern with moving it is that the headline in the Muslim world will be, 'Islam is under attack in America.' This will strengthen the radicals in the Muslim world, help their recruitment," said Rauf.

US readies $60 bln Saudi weapons shopping list

WASHINGTON:  American President Barack Obama's administration will soon notify Congress of plans to offer advanced military aircraft to Saudi Arabia in a massive deal worth up to 60 billion dollars, congressional sources said Monday.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity because the transaction has not yet been formally announced, said the package would include 84 new Boeing Co F-15 fighter jets and upgrades to another 70 of them.

It would also include 72 Black Hawk helicopters built by Sikorsky Aircraft, a unit of United Technologies Corp.

The official also confirmed a Wall Street Journal report about the deal but warned that key U.S. lawmakers would block the move.

"You can fully expect that a hold will be placed on this deal," thought to be the largest ever arms sale of its kind, said a senior congressional source.

"There is serious concern about some sensitive material which is expected to be included in the deal," said another source, who told AFP that Obama aides would brief congressional staff on the deal on Monday.

Earlier on Monday, Pentagon spokesman Colonel Dave Lapan said he expected Congress would receive official notification of the long-anticipated Saudi deal within the next week or so.

Lapan declined to comment on details, however, saying Congress needed to be notified first.

The senior defense official said the U.S.-Saudi arms deal also included 70 of Boeing's Apache helicopters and 36 Little Birds.

The United States and Saudi Arabia were also discussing a package for the kingdom's navy, potentially worth $30 billion, but the timing of that deal was unclear and would not be included in the upcoming congressional notification, the official said.

Upon congressional notification, lawmakers get 30 days to object to the deal. But notifications are usually not sent unless lawmakers have already broadly agreed to the sale.

Saudi Arabia was the biggest buyer of U.S. weapons during a four-year span of 2005 through 2008, with $11.2 billion in deals, according to the U.S. Congressional Research Service.