Oscars 2015 – Full List of Nominees

The Grand Budapest Hotel and Birdman lead way with 9 nominations this year

Nominations for the 87th annual Academy Awards were announced Thursday morning in Los Angeles. The first set of nominees were announced by directors J.J. Abrams and Alfonso Cuaron. The second set were announced by actor Chris Pine and Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs. The announcement began at 8:30 am Eastern.

The dark show business comedy Birdman and the quirky Wes Anderson film The Grand Budapest Hotel led the nominations with nine nominations a piece. The Imitation Game had eight nominations. American Sniper, Clint Eastwood’s movie about Chris Kyle, tied with Richard Linklater’s Boyhood, the movie that took 12 years to make, with six nominations – and Bradley Cooper nabbed a Best Actor nod, nudging out Selma‘s David Oyelowo and Nightcrawler‘s Jake Gyllenhaal.

Winners will be announced on Feb. 22 in the annual Academy Awards ceremony, hosted by Neil Patrick Harris.

Best Picture

• American Sniper
• Birdman
• Boyhood
• The Grand Budapest Hotel
• The Imitation Game
• Selma
• The Theory of Everything
• Whiplash

Best Director

• Alexandro G. Iñárritu, Birdman
• Richard Linklater, Boyhood
• Bennett Miller, Foxcatcher
• Wes Anderson, The Grand Budapest Hotel
• Morten Tyldum, The Imitation Game

Best Actor

• Steve Carell, Foxcatcher
• Bradley Cooper, American Sniper
• Benedict Cumberbatch, The Imitation Game
• Michael Keaton, Birdman
• Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything

Best Supporting Actor

• Robert Duvall, The Judge
• Ethan Hawke, Boyhood
• Edward Norton, Birdman
• Mark Ruffalo, Foxcatcher
• J.K. Simmons, Whiplash

Best Supporting Actress

• Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
• Laura Dern, Wild
• Keira Knightley, The Imitation Game
• Emma Stone, Birdman
• Meryl Streep, Into the Woods

Best Cinematography

• Emmanuel Lubezki, Birdman
• Robert Yeoman, The Grand Budapest Hotel
• Lukasz Zal and Ryszard Lenczewski, Ida
• Dick Pope, Mr. Turner
• Roger Deakins, Unbroken

Best Foreign Language Film

• Ida, Poland
• Leviathan, Russia
• Tangerines, Estonia
• Timbuktu, Mauritania
• Wild Tales, Argentina

Best Adapted Screenplay

• American Sniper, Jason Hall
• The Imitation Game, Graham Moore
• Inherent Vice, Paul Thomas Anderson
• The Theory of Everything, Anthony McCarten
• Whiplash, Damien Chazelle

Best Original Screenplay

• Birdman, Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Jr. & Armando Bo
• Boyhood, Richard Linklate
• Foxcatcher, E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman
• The Grand Budapest Hotel, Wes Anderson & Hugo Guinness
• Nightcrawler, Dan Gilroy

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

• Bill Corso and Dennis Liddiard, Foxcatcher
• Frances Hannon and Mark Coulier, The Grand Budapest Hotel
• Elizabeth Yianni-Georgiou and David White, Guardians of the Galaxy

Best Original Score

• The Grand Budapest Hotel
• The Imitation Game
• Interstellar
• Mr. Turner
• The Theory of Everything

Best Original Song

• “Everything Is Awesome” from The Lego Movie; Music and Lyric by Shawn Patterson
• “Glory” from Selma; Music and Lyric by John Stephens and Lonnie Lynn
• “Grateful” from Beyond the Lights; Music and Lyric by Diane Warren
• “I’m Not Gonna Miss You” from Glen Campbell…I’ll Be Me; Music and Lyric by Glen Campbell and Julian Raymond
• “Lost Stars” from Begin Again; Music and Lyric by Gregg Alexander and Danielle Brisebois

Best Animated Feature

• Big Hero 6
• The Boxtrolls
• How to Train Your Dragon 2
• Song of the Sea
• The Tale of Princess Kaguya

Best Documentary—Short

• Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1
• Joanna
• Our Curse
• The Reaper
• White Earth

Best Film Editing

• Joel Cox and Gary D. Roach, American Sniper
• Sandra Adair, Boyhood
• Barney Pilling, The Grand Budapest Hotel
• William Goldenberg, The Imitation Game
• Tom Cross, Whiplash

Best Production Design

• The Grand Budapest Hotel, Production Design: Adam Stockhausen; Set Decoration: Anna Pinnock
• The Imitation Game, Production Design: Maria Djurkovic; Set Decoration: Tatiana Macdonald
• Interstellar, Production Design: Nathan Crowley; Set Decoration: Gary Fettis
• Into the Woods, Production Design: Dennis Gassner; Set Decoration: Anna Pinnock
• Mr. Turner, Production Design: Suzie Davies; Set Decoration: Charlotte Watts

Best Animated Short

• The Bigger Picture
• The Dam Keeper
• Feast
• Me and My Moulton
• A Single Life

Best Live Action Short

• Aya
• Boogaloo and Graham
• Butter Lamp
• Parvaneh
• The Phone Call

Best Sound Editing

• American Sniper, Alan Robert Murray and Bub Asman
• Birdman, Martín Hernández and Aaron Glascock
• The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, Brent Burge and Jason Canovas
• Interstellar, Richard King
• Unbroken, Becky Sullivan and Andrew DeCristofaro

Best Sound Mixing

• American Sniper, John Reitz, Gregg Rudloff and Walt Martin
• Birdman, Jon Taylor, Frank A. Montaño and Thomas Varga
• Interstellar, Gary A. Rizzo, Gregg Landaker and Mark Weingarten
• Unbroken, Jon Taylor, Frank A. Montaño and David Lee
• Whiplash, Craig Mann, Ben Wilkins and Thomas Curley

Best Visual Effects

• Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Dan DeLeeuw, Russell Earl, Bryan Grill and Dan Sudick
• Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, Daniel Barrett and Erik Winquist
• Guardians of the Galaxy, Stephane Ceretti, Nicolas Aithadi, Jonathan Fawkner and Paul Corbould
• Interstellar, Paul Franklin, Andrew Lockley, Ian Hunter and Scott Fisher
• X-Men: Days of Future Past, Richard Stammers, Lou Pecora, Tim Crosbie and Cameron Waldbauer

Best Documentary — Feature

• Citizenfour
• Finding Vivien Maier
• Last Days of Vietnam
• The Salt of the Earth
• Virunga

Best Costume Design

• Milena Canonero, The Grand Budapest Hotel
• Mark Bridges, Inherent Vice
• Colleen Atwood, Into the Woods
• Anna B. Sheppard and Jane Clive, Maleficent
• Jacqueline Durran, Mr. Turne

Petrol dips below $1 a litre in Sydney and Melbourne

Prices in Melbourne fall to six-year low

Petrol prices have hit a six-year low in Melbourne and in some parts of Sydney as the price of fuel dropped to 99.9 cents at some service stations.

The current trend of selling unleaded fuel for less than a dollar a litre is expected to be the beginning of a run of low prices around the country. It followed a national trend, with Australian prices falling to their lowest level since May, 2009 earlier this month.

Petrol prices have plummeted since last year as global oil halved from more than $100 a barrel to less than $50.

According to the Royal Automobile Club of Victoria (RACV) fuel spokesman Michael Case said, it was the first time unleaded petrol had dipped below $1 a litre in Melbourne in six years. “The previous low was at the beginning of 2009 after the global financial crisis,” he said. “We’re now in our fourth month of continual decreases of retail fuel prices. It’s has just been going down, down.”

It marks a low in Melbourne petrol prices, which have plunged from more than $1.50 a litre since last year, and follows a similar drop in prices for Sydney motorists filling up with E10 last week.

RACV said the average price for unleaded across the city on Tuesday was $1.06 a litre, but it said some petrol stations were selling it for 99.9 cents. Prices at nearby outlets in Sunshine, Yarraville and Newport were about 5¢ a litre more expensive on Tuesday and the average price in Melbourne was 106.2¢ a litre, according to price comparison website Motor Mouth.

Michael Case from the RACV said the good news for motorists was set to continue. “Petrol prices have been on the way down continuously since early October,” he said. “The wholesale price of fuel has been trending down now for around three months and there’s no sign of that changing in the short term.

“We expect fuel prices will continue to decrease, at least in the short term. It’s much less than what motorists have been experiencing for years in the vicinity of $1.50, so much cheaper and good news.”

“[There’s] a lot more people on the road travelling longer distances than normal, so it will mean cheaper motoring and it’s good for household budgets and the economy in general.”

But country areas had not been so lucky.

“There are some regional centres that are yet to have decreases in line with what’s happened in Melbourne,” Mr Case said. “Motorists would expect to pay more, because of transport and supply-related costs, but even so the extra cost should be in the order of 5-10 cents. But there are a number of regional centres with much higher prices than they should have, given the recent decreases in world oil prices.” Mr Case also said the cost of diesel was too high across the state and retailers should start moving to reduce the price.

AMP’s chief economist, Shane Oliver, said motorists filling up for 99.9¢ a litre would save about $20 a week. He said inner-city outlets were likely to start discounting petrol to remain competitive. “We saw in Sydney when it did go down to 99.9¢ a litre, within a week other service stations started pushing towards 102¢, 103¢. I can’t see them all going below a dollar straight away, but whichever way you cut it it’s good news.”

The national average price of unleaded petrol last week dropped from 119.7¢ a litre to 115.7¢ a litre, according to the Australian Institute of Petroleum. Prices in country areas remain higher than the city, with the average metropolitan price 111¢ a litre compared with 125.2¢ in regional areas.

Mr Case said while it was impossible to predict how low petrol prices would drop, drivers would continue to save at the bowser in the short term. “With wholesale prices continuing to decline, there’s no reason why the retail price should not also continue to decline,” he said.

NSW signs historic agreement with Indian state of Gujarat

NSW Premier Mike Baird today signed a new agreement with the Indian state of Gujarat that will strengthen cultural, trade and diplomatic relations between NSW and India.

A new Memorandum of Understanding between NSW and Gujarat has come into effect after Mr Baird and the Chief Minister of Gujarat, Mrs Anandiben Patel, attended an official signing in Ahmedabad.

Mr Baird said the agreement concludes negotiations initiated by the NSW Government in 2013 and allows both states to share knowledge and expertise across five key areas.

“This historic agreement marks the start of a new chapter between NSW and Gujarat and outlines our mutual desire to share knowledge in the areas of education, skills development, water security, urban technology and sustainable urban development.

“Gujarat is undergoing a major urban transformation. There are plans to build eight cities across the state, which is home to 6.2 million mostly rural residents.

“Our cultural and historic connections to India place us in a fortunate position. We have an opportunity to share knowledge and learn from each other during this major development drive, which will in turn benefit both our state economies.

“The Gujarat International Finance Tec-City, which has similarities to Sydney’s financial and residential hub Barangaroo, is under construction in Ahmedabad.

“As part of the MOU, a delegation of planning experts from UrbanGrowth and the Barangaroo Delivery Authority will travel to Gujarat to provide insights into sustainable urban planning to the Indian state as it grows and develops.

“We also have much to learn from how Gujarat is meeting the challenges of its urban growth, and this MOU provides the basis for knowledge and information sharing.

“Education is NSW’s biggest services export and India is NSW’s third largest source of international students. As of September 2014, there were more than 12,000 Indian students enrolled in NSW tertiary institutions.

“This agreement will open pathways for a two-way exchange of students between NSW and Gujarat to give students a global experience and grow networks between our states.

“Water security and clean technology are also increasing areas of concern across India and as part of our partnership with Gujarat we’ll share expertise to assist with waste water treatment and recycling.

Arrested Indian accused of passing secrets to Pakistan's ISI

The police arrested a 35-year-old man on Friday in Odisha, accusing him of passing military secrets to Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency.
Police said Ishwar Chandra Behera was passing on information about missile activities conducted at a unit of India's Defence Research & Development Organisation, where he worked as a cameraman.
"He was providing vital information related to missile tests and other military activities to an ISI agent for the past 8-10 months," Odisha's inspector general of police A.K Panigrahi told Reuters. "He confessed that he had met an (ISI) agent in Kolkata a number of times."
India accuses elements in Pakistan's army and ISI of shielding or working with militant groups, which Islambabad denies.
Tensions between nuclear-armed India and Pakistan, which are also at odds over the disputed region of Kashmir, have risen since Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called off peace talks in August. Troops on both sides have exchanged fire across the border in recent months.
Police said they found a substantial amount of money had been transferred to Behera's bank account from several places including Abu Dhabi and Mumbai. They are investigating if he was assisted by anyone else.
"We had information that his activities are suspicious and he should be watched ... He confessed he is in touch with the ISI agent and is passing on very vital information," Panigrahi said.
Reuters could not contact Behera, who is in custody.
India has stepped up security, especially in the capital New Delhi, in preparation for a three-day visit by U.S. President Barack Obama, starting on Sunday.

In Focus: Australia Pakistan trade relations

In last five years, the volume of bilateral trade between Australia and Pakistan has ranged between $550 Million to $811 Million. A significantly positive trend in Pakistan’s exports to Australia was witnessed when these grew by 17.35%, rising from $179 Million (in FY2012-13) to $210 Million (in FY2013-14). Previously, our exports had stagnated around $175 Million in last three years.

On the other hand, the import of Australian products in Pakistan declined by 36% (in FY2013-14), falling from $632 Million to $411 Million. Therefore, the total volume of the trade dwindled from $811 Million to $611 Million and the balance of trade (BOT) remained tilted in favour of Australia, as the import of Australian products in Pakistan has always surpassed our exports to Australia. However, the adverse BOT position improved for Pakistan vis-à-vis Australia in last year by 57% when the BOT fell from $453 Million (FY2012-13) to $192 Million (FY2013-14).

The bilateral trade relations between Australia and Pakistan started soon after the independence of the subcontinent from the British rule in 1947 and the birth of Pakistan, when in 1948 a Trade Mission of Pakistan was established in Sydney. Since then the Trade Mission has remained functional in Sydney in one form or another to promote the bilateral trade relations and to facilitate the businesses from both the countries.

A Joint Trade Committee (JTC), between the two countries is an effective bilateral forum for trade discussions and negotiations. JTC meetings are held annually, both in Australia and in Pakistan, on rotation basis. 5^th JTC Meeting was held in Canberra in September 2014 in which issues of bilateral trade, trade policy, market access, technical support and enhanced bilateral exchange of trade delegations were discussed. Important decisions were taken, which included collaboration of Austrade and TDAP for trade promotion activities and provision of technical assistance by Australian government under the Country Assistance Programme (CAP) for strengthening the institutional capacity of Ministry of Commerce and trade related private sector organisations of Pakistan. Both sides agreed to continue technical cooperation in the areas of agriculture, engineering and vocational training. They decided to make use of various tools for market development including business-to-business meetings, awareness seminars and exchange of delegations. Secretary Commerce Islamabad led the Pakistani side of the delegation for the JTC meeting.

On the sidelines of 5^th JTC meeting, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Strengthening Bilateral Trade and Economic Cooperation was signed between Pakistan and Australia at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), Canberra.

Promoting business-to-business contacts and exchange of Business Delegations on regular basis are crucial to boosting trade relations among the nations. An increased activity has been witnessed in business interactions between Australia and Pakistan. In order to explore export opportunities and to establish their business networking in Australia, three business delegations from Pakistan visited this region during last one year and a half. In Sept 2013, textile manufacturers and exporters from Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI) visited Sydney and Melbourne and held productive meetings with their counterparts. A business delegation of leading towel manufacturers, duly sponsored by Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) and Towel Manufacturers Association (TMA) visited Australia and New Zealand in Apr / May 2014 and displayed variety of their terry towel products in the Product Showcases organised by Pakistan’s Missions in Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland. Lately, a business delegation from Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), comprising four businessmen visited Sydney, Melbourne, Hobart and Gold Coast in Oct 2014 and held fruitful discussions with Australian companies. Several Pakistani businesses are planning their business trips this year including delegations from Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (RECP) and LCCI. Besides, a TDAP led and government sponsored business delegation is due to visit Australia and New Zealand in April 2014.

Effective Business Networking is vital for the success and growth of business. Trade Mission of Pakistan Sydney closely liaises with Australian trade bodies and associations and networks with the leading Australian companies including importers, buyers, wholesalers, etc. The Mission maintains an updated account of all the relevant Australian businesses for developing their linkages with Pakistani exporters.

Participation of businessmen in various International Exhibitions and Trade Fairs is an important tool for flourishing the individual business at micro level and growing trade volume at macro level. In Oct 2013, an Australian Business Delegation visited Pakistan to participate in 8^th Expo Pakistan in Karachi. Next month, an Australian Business Delegation is planning to visit Pakistan and participate in 9^th Expo Pakistan in Karachi (26 Feb – 1 Mar 2015). Similarly, Pakistani manufacturers and exporters participated in Australian International Sourcing Fair (AISF) Melbourne in Oct 2013 and Nov 2014. Pakistani manufacturers and exporters of foodstuff and other related products are being motivated to participate in Fine Foods Australia this year.

Projection of the soft image of Pakistan in Australia is deemed essential to increasing trade volumes with various trading partners / nations of the world. Not only the government authorities but also the leading businessmen from Pakistan share the same view and strongly advocate it. Accordingly, the Trade Mission Sydney has taken several initiatives and planned many more for 2015

Could Windows 10 be a winner for Microsoft?

The hype around the next generation of Windows reached a new high this week with the Windows 10 Preview, held at Microsoft’s Redmond HQ in the US.

With the marketing machine revving at the red-line, the event has settled much of the speculation about this latest version of Windows. No firm release date has been announced, but could be anytime after the Technical Preview ends on April 15 this year.

Windows 10 will be free to download for at least a year for existing users of Windows 7 and 8.1.

What happened to Windows 9?

If Windows 8.1 is the current version, why are we not talking about Windows 9? According to Tony Prophet, Microsoft’s VP of Windows marketing it simply “came and it went”. A case of blink and you missed it.

Skipping a version number creates the perception that Windows 10 is a radical, not just an incremental improvement on Windows 7 and 8.1, according to Prophet:

We’re trying to create one platform, one eco-system that unites as many of the devices from the small embedded Internet of Things, through tablets, through phones, through PCs and, ultimately, into the Xbox.

What’s new in Windows 10?

Avid Microsoft watcher Mary Jo Foley reports that Windows 10 is based on a common “core” of software that allows it to operate across the range of Microsoft devices.

The core is the foundation of a computing environment, or “eco-system” that is open enough to allow Microsoft to introduce new hardware and software elements to its product range in future versions of Windows.

Here are some of the features we can expect in Windows 10:

Continuum allows a user to shift easily between desktop and tablet modes. Not being able to do this was a major bug-bear for Windows 8 users. So for example, when a Surface Pro user detaches the screen, a pop-up asks if they would like to Enter Tablet mode. When the screen is replaced, the user can Exit Tablet mode.

Windows Holographic is a suite of Augmented Reality (AR) applications that run on a powerful, standalone computer housed in a set of AR glasses called HoloLens. These glasses use tinted lenses that allow holographic images to be over-laid on the physical world. The realistic effect is enhanced by 3D audio and advanced sensors. Working independently of a PC, the unit can be controlled using hand movements, vision and voice commands.

Universal Apps is a common suite of applications that operate across all device types, from desktop to smart-phone. The apps, which include the Office suite, use Microsoft’s cloud-based OneDrive for ubiquitous storage of documents, spreadsheets, powerpoint presentations, mail, photos, videos, maps, messaging and calendar.

Cortana is Microsoft’s version of Apple’s Siri that some readers will know from the game Halo. Already something of a hit on the Windows phone, Cortana on Windows 10 is a pleasant-sounding, natural language virtual assistant that can perform tasks and answer questions by searching on your local computer, cloud account and the internet using Bing. Cortana will be integrated into the new Spartan browser (see next item) where text-based enquiries can be entered.

Internet Explorer replaced with Spartan. IE will be replaced by a stripped-down browser called Spartan (another reference to Halo). Users will probably notice some similarities with Chrome and Firefox. IE will continue to ship with Windows for a time to ensure that some enterprise applications that are designed to work with IE continue to work as they should.

Surface Hub is an wirelessly-connected high definition 84-inch virtual whiteboard. Equipped with advanced sensors, pen input support, cameras and microphones, Surface Hub allows brainstorming teams (virtual or co-located) to create text and 3D drawings that can be manipulated and shared.

Xbox integration with Windows 10 becomes possible with a new application that allows games being played on Xbox One to be streamed live to the linked computer. The Xbox app also allows people to record games they are playing on their PC and feed this into Xbox LIVE for a social experience.

The Start menu, once removed from Windows 8, will be restored to its rightful place in Windows 10. The new Start menu will be more customisable than the old, with a space for your favourite apps, programs and websites.

Will Windows 10 succeed?

To succeed in today’s tech world, a computer system must be intuitive and well-adapted to people’s needs – enjoyable to use. Not only that, the system should be defect-free and affordable if a discerning user-base is to be kept happy and coming back for more.

From this week’s Preview, Windows 10 looks like it might meet these stringent requirements. With an extended technical review period that has solicited feedback from millions of participating users, Microsoft has put in the hard-yards to know what it is that people want and have made the effort to give it to them.

But Windows 10 will need to be good if people are to upgrade from still popular legacy products. Windows XP and 7 currently account for around 74% of PC operating systems globally, while the later, supposedly improved Windows 8.x has languished at around 13%.

Will I be jumping in to upgrade my own computer to Windows 10? Maybe, but based on past experience, I think I will wait and see.

The Farce of Western Freedom of Speech

Speaking outside Elysée Palace in the aftermath of this week’s terror killings in France, former President Nicolas Sarkozy condemned the violence as “an attack on civilization.” Coiffured, sun-tanned and nattily dressed, Sarkozy’s solemn words made him appear like the embodiment of civility.

That’s a quaint turn in etiquette by a politician who is mired in allegations of sleaze and corruption, as well as war crimes.

Sarkozy wasn’t too concerned about “civilization” when he and his British allies launched the NATO bombing campaign of Libya in March 2011 in stark violation of a UN mandate. That seven-month onslaught led to the murder of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi – from whom Sarkozy had gladly received hush-hush political donations in the past, before stabbing him in the back.

The illegal French-led NATO blitzkrieg on Libya subverted a constitutional government and resulted in the ongoing destruction of one of Africa’s most economically developed countries. Libya has been sacked to become a failed state, over-run by extremist Takfiri militia and tribal warlords, whose warped ideology is shared by the ISIS terror network destroying Syria and Iraq. The same ideology includes the armed adherents who struck this week in Paris, killing more than a dozen people.

So Sarkozy’s concern for attacks on civilization is well qualified –
although you won’t hear it put quite that way in the thought-control Western media. The very extremist forces he helped to unleash from the illegal overthrow of the Libyan state have now killed his own people right in the capital of his republic.

One of the presumed touchstones of Western civilization that was allegedly defiled this week is “free speech” and “freedom of expression.” Sarkozy was joined by other Western political figures, from US President Barack Obama, to British Premier David Cameron, in condemning the murderous assault on the Paris-based satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in terms of a war on “our values.”

The magazine had previously incensed millions of Muslims worldwide by its publication of images profaning Prophet Mohammed (PBUH). That is believed to have provided the motive for the gunmen who, while fleeing the scene in Paris, shouted: “The prophet has been avenged.”

French President Francois Hollande declared the slain journalists and cartoonists as “heroes” who died for the lofty principle of freedom of speech.

But like other presumed Western values, such as human rights, freedom of speech is a much over-rated principle – over-rated by the Western governments and institutions like the corporate-controlled media, who invoke it as an ideological badge of honor that distinguishes them and makes them superior to others.

In practice, however, such Western values are no more than chimera. They are empty slogans whose mere espousal and conceited, disingenuous profession is for propaganda purposes.

What human rights or respect for rule of law did Sarkozy, Cameron and Obama adhere to when they oversaw the destruction of Libya? Or in the ongoing covert destruction of Syria and Iraq (despite belated Western claims of liquidating the terror network that they spawned in the first place for regime change in Syria.)

Insofar that Western governments support free speech, it is more often for expedient political advantage. It is not a universal ethic, as claimed. And, laughably, they are telling barefaced lies to claim otherwise, as they continually do.

A French satirical publication may have been allowed to denigrate Islam, but it would never be allowed to condemn Zionism and all its provable criminality. It is doubtful the magazine in question would print cartoons of Sarkozy, Obama or Cameron with explosives tied to their heads or dropping bombs on Libya. Even though the latter is not satire; it actually reflects the reality of criminal actions and events.

So, Western “free speech” is really just freedom for the powers-that-be to demean and demonize whomever the West requires for furthering its political interests. When free speech legitimately attacks Western interests, exposes hypocrisy and fraudulence, then it stops being a “universal principle.” Censorship is then the ironclad order.

French comedian Dieudonné, for example, has been banned from public performances by the French government owing to his farcical arm gesture, known as the “Quenelle.” The gesture can be interpreted in many ways, from a vulgar personal insult, to a derisory slur on the ruling class. The French authorities claim that the sign is “anti-Semitic” and a reverse Nazi salute. Dieudonné denies this and instead says the gesture is anti-Zionist” and “anti-establishment.”

The comedian has been banned from travelling to Britain by the London authorities, also as a result of his political parodies. His friend and professional footballer, Nicolas Anelka, was last year banned from playing soccer games in England and fined over $100,000 for signaling the Quenelle after scoring a goal.

Almost a year before the massacre at the Charlie Hebdo magazine this week in Paris, French President Francois Hollande gave notice that there would be zero-tolerance of Dieudonné or anyone else who practiced the Quenelle.
“We will act… we will fight against the sarcasm of those who purport to be humorists but who are actually professional anti-Semites,” said Hollande.

But hold on a moment. That’s just what the French ruling class deems to be the meaning of Dieudonné’s Quenelle. On the basis of their prejudice, the artist and anyone who displays the gesture in public is subject to prosecution. That’s not just censorship; it is state persecution for having an opinion.

Evidently, it’s acceptable to insult Islam, according to Western select use of free speech because it suits political agendas of demonizing Muslim countries so that they can be attacked with Western warplanes or covert terrorist proxies. But it is not acceptable to satirize Zionism or Western ruling classes.

And here is another revealing touchstone. Why is Press TV banned from British terrestrial and satellite television broadcasting? Why is the Iran-based channel banned across Europe and North America? Where is Western free speech in that case? What is the problem?

Press TV is not tolerated. It is banished. Because the truth of Western state terrorism, as practiced by the likes of Sarkozy, Hollande, Obama and Cameron is too much to bear for how it might enlighten and empower public opinion. The truth of Western-sponsored state terrorism as practiced by the genocidal Israeli regime is too much to bear for public discourse; any criticism is shoved down the memory hole under the spurious pretext of “anti-Semitism.” The fact that Western leaders should be prosecuted for war crimes is too much to bear. All such views, no matter how intellectually rigorous, morally scrupulous and legally substantiated, must be censored, and those who articulate them must be hounded into isolation.

Quetta shuts down as protests against Charlie Hebdo fill its streets

QUETTA: A complete shutter-down strike was observed in Quetta on Friday as several politco-religious groups staged protests against the sacrilegious caricatures of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) published by French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo.

The strike was jointly called by the banned the Jamaat-ud-Dawa, Jamiat-e-Ulema Islam Nazriati (JUI-N), Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), Ahl-e-Sunnat Wal Jamaat, Mutheda Mahaz Balochistan and Khilji Qaumi Ittihad.
There were also reports of armed men roaming different parts of the city and forcing shopkeepers to pull down their shutters and suspend all businesses. The Anjuman-e-Tajeran, traders’ union Balochistan, backed the call for the strike.
Religious parties took out a separate procession and held protest demonstrations near the Quetta Press Club.
All shops, fuel pumps, markets, banks, shopping centers, restaurants and other commercial establishments in downtown and on the outskirts of Quetta remained closed for the day.
A majority of government offices were either closed or witnessed low attendance.
While traffic was normal in other areas, but roads and streets in downtown Liqauat Bazaar, Bacha Khan Chowk, Jinnah Road and adjacent areas were sealed, as religious parties held a public gathering there.
The JUI-N took out the procession and held a protest demonstration. They demanded that Pakistan should cut diplomatic ties with France, and that there should be pressure on the international community to punish the cartoonist.
The JuD blocked Shaharah-e-Iqbal with its public gathering. Their procession was led by the provincial head Mufti Muhammad Qasim.
The processions marched across the city, and stringent security measures were adopted with the deployment of the Frontier Corps (FC), the police, the Balochistan Constabulary and the Anti-Terrorism Force (ATF).
Some Quetta residents though criticised the protesting parties for holding separate demonstrations.
“The European countries stood together and joined hands while protesting against the deadly attack on the French magazine which was symbolic, but here parties are even not united to send a powerful message,” said Ghulam Murtaza, a resident of Saryab Road.

Unrest in Balochistan: Train bombed in Mastung; engine damaged

QUETTA:  A Rawalpindi-bound passenger train was bombed in Mastung district on Friday, causing damage to the locomotive but no casualties. Train service to and from Quetta was briefly suspended after the train, Jaffar Express, hit an improvised explosive device (IED) near Dasht Town, 40 kilometres away from Quetta.


Miscreants detonated the IED when the train chugged past, according to an official of the Balochistan Levies. “The locomotive was partially damaged in the explosion, but no one was hurt,” the official told The Express Tribune.
Rescuers and Levies personnel reached the bombsite to assess the damage caused to the track. The railway service to and from Quetta remained suspended for an hour as engineers repaired the track. “Jaffar Express left for Rawalpindi after an hour. Three more passenger trains chugged past the area,” a Pakistan Railways official said.
No group immediately claimed credit for the attack. However, the banned United Baloch Army (UBA) claimed responsibility for most such attacks in the past. Baloch separatist groups have been fighting a low-key insurgency since 2004 which became deadlier following the killing of Jamhoori Watan Party leader Nawab Akbar Bugti in a military operation in 2006.
Meanwhile, two gas pipelines were sabotaged in Naseerabad and Jaffarabad districts Friday morning disrupting supplies to the Uch Power Plant and dozens of villages in Dera Allahyar. It also caused an increase in electricity shortfall in Balochistan which is already reeling from frequent long-hour outages.
Suspected insurgents triggered an explosive device underneath an 18-inch diameter gas pipeline in the Beron area of Mir Hassan, according to a police official. The blast tore off a sizeable portion of the pipeline, resulting in suspension of gas supply to the Uch Power Plant-II, which together with Uch Power Plant-I, contribute over 900MW of electricity to the national grid. The pipeline was subsequently repaired and supplies restored.
Separately, suspected militants blew up a 4-inch diameter gas pipeline in Jaffarabad district disrupting supplies to dozens of villages in Dera Allahyar and Majipur. The pipeline was repaired after 10 hours. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attacks – but the banned Baloch Republican Army (BRA) carried out similar attacks in the past.

Pakistan loses a genuine friend

ISLAMABAD: The passing away of Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz alSaud will be mourned throughout the Muslim Ummah. In Pakistan, his loss will be felt even greater for he was a steadfast friend and well-wisher of Pakistan and its people. For Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and its ruler has a special place for being the guardians of the holiest places of Islam. 

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia share the closest relations. This cordial and mutually beneficial relationship is deep rooted in common faith and broad-based mutuality of interest. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia share the closest relations and it is a strategic ally on which Pakistan relies heavily. It is equally true that Riyadh has similar strong feelings for Islamabad.
Saudi support to Pakistan, whether in the field of diplomacy or financial assistance, has always been generous and readily forthcoming. It was during the rule of King Abdullah that Riyadh and Islamabad experienced an expansion of their security ties that further reinforced the strong bonds and trust that has been the hallmark of our relationship. The deep rooted and multifaceted relationship was given a new direction and impetus during his reign. King Abdullah was a steadfast and genuine friend of Pakistan whose piety and wisdom was a source of strategic strength for Pakistan. It has been a loss of a friend, guide and a benevolent Muslim leader.
Abdullah was a king gifted with leadership attributes that during tumultuous times steered his country and ensured its stability. He believed in evolutionary changes in the political and social structure of the kingdom. For the first time he added women to the Shura Council, with some restricted powers and introduced new laws that eased restrictions on women driving cars. He navigated these openings despite the opposition from highly conservative clerics.
He was highly astute in maintaining good relations with the West and especially with the US. At the same time he knew that any tilt toward the US had to be balanced by appeasing opinion at home and keeping the clergy on the right side. He was a great supporter of Pan-Arab solidarity and that of the Muslim Ummah. King Abdullah united forces against terrorism and was a bastion of stability. He made an honest attempt to resolve the intractable Palestinian Israeli conflict. He was convinced that a major contributory factor to radicalism in the Muslim world, especially in the Middle East, was the injustice to the people of Palestine. But due to Israel’s intransigence his proposal did not succeed.
It is, however, reassuring that his 79-year-old half-brother Salman who has vast administrative experience and commands great respect has taken over as the new king. With his solid background he is well equipped to counter the forces that have emerged in the Middle East countries due to the emergence of Islamic State in Iraq and Syria and militants in Yemen. King Salman is equally a steadfast friend and supporter of Pakistan. We in Pakistan wish the new Saudi monarch all the success and hope that he will continue to work for the solidarity and progress of the Ummah.

World Economic Forum: APS attack can never be excused, says Kerry

DAVOS:  US Secretary of State John Kerry on Friday described the December 17 massacre at the Army Public School (APS) in Peshawar as the most horrific manifestation of extremism, as he made an impassioned plea for more resources to fight the menace around the world.

“This kind of atrocity can never be rationalised… [It] can never be excused,” Kerry said while referring to the deadly Taliban rampage that killed over 150 people, including 134 schoolchildren.
“They have to be opposed. With every fiber of our being, they have to be stopped,” Kerry continued in his speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. “We have to take risks. We have to invest more resources.”
But as he called on the international community to devote more resources to fight global extremism, the top US diplomat warned that the battle would falter if it becomes consumed by sectarian division or Islamophobia.
“The biggest error that we could make would be to blame Muslims collectively for crimes not committed by Muslims alone,” he said while advising world leaders to ‘keep their heads’.
“Unless we direct our energies in the right direction, we may very well fuel the very fires we want to put out,” he added. “Extremism has claimed violence at every corner of the globe and Muslim lives most of all. There’s no room for sectarian division. There’s no room for anti-Semitism or Islamophobia.”
Kerry described Islamic State (IS) militants, who have seized wide swathes of Iraq and Syria, as ‘a collection of monsters’. He said ultraradical groups like IS and Boko Haram “are attempting to govern land. It’s a first-time event”.
He compared efforts to curb the spread of extremist violence to the fight against fascism in World War-II.

Firebomb attacks kill two in worsening Bangladesh unrest over vote

Two people died in bomb attacks in Bangladesh on Friday, raising the death toll to at least 34 in increasing political unrest as a stand-off between Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the main opposition leader over last year's election has deepened.
Begum Khaleda Zia, whose opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) boycotted the election on Jan. 5 last year, has demanded that Hasina and her government step down for a new vote held under a caretaker administration.
Hasina has refused, instead tightening her grip by arresting key opposition leaders and clamping down on critical media as anti-government protests spread. The violence has worsened markedly since the first anniversary on Jan. 5 of the vote.
In addition to the two deaths, at least 40 people were injured, some critically, after opposition activists firebombed a number of vehicles late on Friday in the capital Dhaka and surrounding districts, police and witnesses said.
The Dhaka government has banned pillion riding on motorcycles in an effort to prevent arson attacks and also announced a bounty of 100,000 taka ($1,280) for information leading to the arrest of those involved in violence.
Khaleda called an indefinite transport blockade after she was prevented from holding a mass rally in Dhaka on Jan. 5, the first anniversary of the disputed election.
Hasina and Khaleda have alternated as prime minister for most of the past two decades in a fierce rivalry marked by periods of widespread political violence.
The United States, European Union and Britain have voiced concern and urged all Bangladeshi parties to engage in dialogue.

To offer condolences: Musharraf may be allowed to visit Saudi Arabia

ISLAMABAD: The government is considering allowing former president Pervez Musharraf to travel to Saudi Arabia to offer condolences to the royal family over the death of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz.

The former military dictator, who, like Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family, enjoys close ties with the Saudi royal family, has written a letter to the interior ministry requesting that his name be removed from the Exit Control List (ECL). “General (retd) Pervez Musharraf is desirous of visiting Saudi Arabia to express his heartfelt condolences over the sad demise of King Abdullah,” reads the letter written by Advocate Faisal Hussain on behalf of the former president.
“That is why we have asked the government to remove Musharraf sahib’s name from the ECL,” chief coordinator of Musharraf’s All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) Ahmed Raza Kasuri told The Express Tribune on Friday. He said the party was in contact with all stakeholders over the issue.
A close aide of Premier Nawaz said the government could consider the request seriously. “King Abdullah’s sad demise is something which matters greatly for Pakistan. The government might let him [Musharraf] fly to Saudi Arabia,” he told The Express Tribune. He added, however, that any such decision would be taken after consulting the ministries of law and interior.
Some believe allowing Musharraf to go abroad could provide the government and other stakeholders some ‘face saving’ as they move past an issue – treason trial of the former president – which has caused much friction between the country’s civil and military establishment.

Nepal plunges into turmoil as politicians scuffle over constitution

Nepal plunged deeper into crisis on Friday after feuding politicians, throwing microphones and shoes, failed to meet a deadline to table a new constitution, seen as a key step to stability in the Himalayan buffer state wedged between Asian powers China and India.
Opposition party lawmakers stormed the well of parliament late on Thursday to prevent the ruling coalition from pushing ahead with a vote to salvage the draft of a charter marred by political rivalries.
"Political leaders must explain to people why they failed to fulfil their commitment," said Subas Nemwang, chairman of the Constituent Assembly tasked with preparing the charter.
Landlocked Nepal has been in political limbo since 2008, when it's 239-year-old monarchy was abolished. An interim constitution was put in place a year earlier at the end of a civil war fought by Maoist rebels.
Bitter disagreements over how to carve out new provinces have rendered the government unable to move forward, with consecutive parliaments missing deadlines to present a new constitution, stoking further insecurity in a nation traumatized by its bloody past.

Protesters set dozens of vehicles on fire on Tuesday as the Maoist-led opposition called for a general strike to pressure the government into meeting their demands. On the same day, opposition lawmakers stormed parliament's main chamber to disrupt the session, throwing microphones and shoes and injuring at least three security officers in the fray.
It could take months before another attempt is made to agree on the charter, Nemwang said, although parliament was due to meet again on Friday.

"A FUNDAMENTAL DOCUMENT"
The constitution is an integral part of the 2006 peace deal that ended the insurgency which caused nearly 18,000 deaths.
The Maoists and regional parties want to create ten states in the mostly mountainous country and name them after different ethnic groups to empower them.
But the members of the ruling alliance fear Nepal, whose economy is dependant on aid and tourism, cannot afford to fund that many administrations, and say affiliating states with ethnic groups could fuel communal tensions.
The United Nations has called on Nepal's politicians to rise above narrow interests to reach an agreement.
Many Nepalis say politicians are insensitive to the economic paralysis in part caused by their rifts.
"Political leaders don't have any interest other than making money for themselves," said Kale Sarki, a cobbler in Kathmandu.

"I don't care about the constitution. With or without it I must continue to work here to support my family."

Sri Lanka softens its stance on China port city deal

Sri Lanka's new government said on Thursday it might renegotiate a $1.5 billion "port city" deal with China Communications Construction Co Ltd, softening its pre-election threat to scrap the project.
New Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, before last month's presidential vote, said he would cancel the port deal if his party came to power. Maithripala Sirisena, backed by Wickremesinghe's party, unseated ex-president Mahinda Rajapaksa at the polls.
"We can renegotiate with China after reassessing the deal," Cabinet Spokesman Rajitha Senarathne told reporters.
"We need to see the feasibility study. We need to see the environmental impact assessment (EIA) and reassess the tax concessions given to it and land ownership issues."
He said the current government had not seen any EIA or feasibility study of the project and it needed to be re-assessed because of impacts on coastal erosion.

Work has already begun on construction of the port city, launched by Chinese President Xi Jinping when he visited in September last year.
The site is on 233 hectares of reclaimed land in the capital, Colombo. Under the proposed deal, 108 hectares would be given to the Chinese firm, including 20 hectares on an outright basis and the rest on a 99-year lease.
Sri Lanka's giant neighbour India, which has uneasy relations with China, is worried about the port city project.
Indian diplomats have told Reuters the 20-hectare plot is a security concern because of the large number of India-bound cargoes that pass through Colombo port.
China Communications Construction Co Ltd said in a statement issued on Wednesday an initial technical feasibility study and EIA had been carried out and approved by the previous Rajapaksa government.
It said an environmental management plan had been provided by the company "after monitoring the environmental impact, especially the erosion of the beach, according to the requirement of EIA".
"We are open to cooperate with the government authorities and provide all the information required according to the relevant regulations, believing on a strong cooperation together to the best success of this magnificent project," it said.
Wickremesinghe's pro-business United National Party says some development deals struck by the previous government, which was heavily dependent on China for infrastructure, did not follow appropriate tender procedures and were not transparent.

The port development would include shopping malls, a water sports area, golf course, hotels, apartments and marinas.

Sri Lanka to probe hidden foreign assets after Rajapaksa defeat

Sri Lanka's new government is to investigate "black money" transferred overseas by powerful figures in the administration of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, a cabinet spokesman said on Thursday.
The move came a day after the government of President Maithripala Sirisena, who defeated Rajapaksa in an election on Jan. 8, said it would investigate all financial deals sealed by Rajapaksa and his brothers during his term.
"Black money invested in various foreign countries is going to be investigated," said cabinet spokesman Rajitha Senarathne, referring to illegal capital flight.
"You all know about this black money and these hidden foreign assets," he told reporters. "We are aware of these. We will provide all the information, whatever is available to us, to a special investigation unit. "
Senarathne did not mention Rajapaksa by name, but said the government had information that some of the black money belonged to "big people", whom he described as "powerful in the hierarchy" of the previous government.
Sirisena focused his election campaign on alleged misuse of public funds and powers by Rajapaksa and his family members, many of whom held public office during his decade in power. The former president has rejected all the allegations against him.
The World Bank, International Monetary Fund and a Financial Intelligence Unit functioning under India's central bank have agreed to assist the investigation into undeclared foreign assets and financial irregularities in Sri Lanka, a government document said.
The government estimates around 700 billion rupees ($5.31 billion) were taken out of the country in 2013 alone.
Earlier on Thursday, the island nation's anti-corruption body barred former central bank governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal and Sajin De Vas Gunawardena, a parliamentarian close to Rajapaksa, from leaving the country due to corruption complaints. Both have rejected allegations of misusing public funds.
($1 = 131.8500 Sri Lankan rupees)

Sri Lanka anti-graft body bars ex-c.bank head, Rajapaksa ally from leaving country

Sri Lanka has barred former central bank governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal and an ally of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa from leaving the country due to corruption complaints, officials said on Thursday.
Both Cabraal, central bank chief for more than eight years, and Sajin De Vas Gunawardena, a parliamentarian close to Rajapaksa, rejected allegations of misuse of public funds under the previous Rajapaksa government.
Cabraal and Gunawardena said they had yet to be told of the travel ban.
"There was a complaint from the bribery commission and we have imposed a temporary travel suspension on them," Nihal Ranasinghe, the Controller of Immigration and Emigration Department, told Reuters.
Another official from the anti-graft commission confirmed the travel ban.
Rajapaksa, widely accused of corruption and nepotism during his rule, lost his bid for a third term and the new government has started formal probes into all the financial deals under his administration.
Sri Lanka's Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peremuna party last week complained to anti-corruption body that both Cabraal and Gunawardena had misused public funds.
It said Cabraal had misused the funds by investing in Greek junk bonds in April 2011 and lost millions of dollars in signing a wrong crude oil hedging contract in 2007. Cabraal has rejected all allegations.
JVP accused Gunawardena of accumulating wealth by misusing public funds. He has also denied the allegations.
"I have written a letter to the (bribery) commission seeking clarification and to say that I am available to be present at the commission any time," Gunawardena said.
"Anyway, I've no intention of leaving the county. If I had wanted, I'd have gone by now."

ProtectWworld's Most Powerful Man

NEW DELHI, INDIA: Barack Obama is special for India. Unlike the protocol given to the heads of state of China or Russia, the Indian capital of New Delhi will be completely shutdown when the US president visits India.
The financial capital New Delhi is due to shut down on account of Obama’s three-day visit as an estimated 50,000 security personnel, 15,000 CCTV cameras, a team of secret service agents, 40 dogs, airborne radars and other security measures will be deployed.
Flying into New Delhi’s International Airport, the president will go to the Indian president’s residence for a ceremony before heading to Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial, followed by a state dinner in the evening.

More personnel will be deployed on January 26 – India’s Republic Day- which is the forefront of the president’s visit. A seven-layered security blanket will be provided for the US president. Such protection was not ever granted to China’s Xi Jingpin or Russia’s Vladimir Putin.
A no-fly zone has also been agreed by the Indian government which will shut down flight operations to adjoining cities such as Jaipur, Agra, Lucknow and Amritsar during a two-hour parade in celebration of India’s Republic Day.
During the parade, the US president is set to be seated outdoor for 100 minutes which has caused the Indian government to take such strict measures for his arrival.
India’s Airborne Warning and Control System will be monitoring any air movements in the region and will be able to detect incoming missiles from 400 kilometres away.

Some 45,000 CCTV cameras have been installed across the city.
“Because of a foreign president, you do it, but not for Indian citizens. If we direct you to do it for Indians, you do it in months and years, else you do it in weeks,” the court reportedly said.
The Taj Mahal will be out of bounds for citizens on January 27 while Obama visits the monument.
Further, a number of roads leading up to Rajpath will be closed to the public.

2015 World Cup: PCB names Pakistan’s 30-man squad

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman, Shaharyar Mohammad Khan, has approved Pakistan’s 30-member preliminary squad for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 following its recommendation by the selection committee headed by Moin Khan.

Senior players including Younus Khan, Kamran Akmal and Shoaib Malik have made their place in their 30-member preliminary squad for the 2015 ICC World Cup, while banned off-spinner Saeed Ajmal is also in the list. Misbah-ul-Haq has already been named as skipper of the Team Pakistan for the ICC’s global quadrennial spectacle.

The squad will be shortened to the final 15 for submission to the ICC prior to the world body’s January 7, 2015 deadline.

“Winning or losing aside, Team Pakistan is performing adequately well in all three formats of the game. The belief in the think tank is that the squad holds immense potential and promise to perform in any conditions” says Moin Khan, chief selector.

“The most positive aspect is that some of our foremost proven talents have overcome physical issues and are raring to be given an opportunity to have a tilt at the global honours.”

In September, chief selector Moin Khan had said that Younus was not in the selectors’ plans for the World Cup, which led to severe criticism and an outburst from the 37-year-old himself.
Fast forward to December, Younus will probably be the first name on the team sheet in the upcoming ODIs against New Zealand due to his prolific form in the Test series against Australia and New Zealand.

The ICC World Cup commences in Australia and New Zealand on February 14, 2015, with Pakistan featuring in its first game against arch-rival India on February 15 at Adelaide.

Pakistan Announce Preliminary 30 Man World Cup Squad

The preliminary squad contains five openers, nine middle order batsmen, six pace bowlers, four spinners, four all-rounders and two wicket-keepers.

Preliminary Squad: Mohammad Hafeez, Ahmed Shehzad, Nasir Jamshed, Sharjeel Khan, Sami Aslam, Misbah-ul-Haq, Younis Khan, Asad Shafiq, Azhar Ali, Sohaib Maqsood, Fawad Alam, Haris Sohail, Shoaib Malik, Umar Akmal, Mohammad Irfan, Wahab Riaz, Junaid Khan, Umar Gul, Ehsan Adil, Mohammad Talha, Saeed Ajmal, Zulfiqar Babar, Raza Hasan, Yasir Shah, Shahid Afridi, Anwar Ali, Bilawal Bhatti, Sohail Tanvir, Sarfraz Ahmed, Kamran Akmal.

Ultimate Sydney Festival Guide for long weekend: January 23 – 26

FRIDAY 23

It’s the final weekend of Sydney Festival and if you are going to make the most of it, first fuel up with a Fast Festival Feast after a long day of work.

Discover a unique range of Italian regional wines, handmade pastas and house made salumi at La Rosa in The Strand Arcade for a simple city dinner. Once you’ve eaten it’s off to Sydney Opera House for The Artist: Live in Concert. If you loved the Academy Award-winning film when it was released in 2011, you’ll love it twice as much accompanied by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.

You’re spoilt for choice with late night fun in the Festival Village. Get dancing with Rufino & The Coconuts and How To Dress Well or get naughty at The Wau Wau Sisters Are As Naked As The Day They Were Born Again.

SATURDAY 24

It’s Family Week in the Festival Village so grab the kids and head down from 10am for all kinds of free and ticketed fun. We recommend Jazzamatazz!, The Luck Child and cartoon sing-alongs with Vintage Quartestra.

At 2pm head to Carriageworks for Kiss & Cry, theatre on a scale unlike anything you’ve seen before. If you’re up for the challenge, duck straight over to the Seymour Centre for the 4pm performance of The Kitchen. From the creators of The Manginyar Seduction, it’s a spectacle not to be missed.

Head to Carriageworks if you’re lucky enough to have a ticket to the sold-out Nothing to Lose, then don’t forget there’s always the late-night vibes of the Festival’s final Saturday night to soak up in the Village with friends – free entry until midnight.

SUNDAY 25

A 30-voice choir, Bree van Reyk’s percussion, 12 young dancers and centuries of dance history. Catch the final performance of PUNCTURE at Riverside Theatres at 2pm.

It’s the final day of the Festival Village, so whether you’re after the acrobatics of A Simple Space and LIMBO or the music of Roger Knox, there’s plenty for everyone, settle in for

MONDAY 26

It’s a public holiday and the last hurrah for Sydney Festival 2015, so start your day at one of our most iconic events, Ferrython. Secure your spot harbourside and cheer on the ferries as they power by. When the race is over, grab a ticket yourself and spend the afternoon exploring Sydney Harbour at your own pace.

See out the Festival in sunset style at Sky Terrace at The Star. With free nightly performances, there may even be some Australia Day fireworks to finish your night with a bang.

Voices from Manus Island

Australians have had to witness disturbing images in the past few weeks. Weak men who refused to eat behind barbed wires and fences, while others, choking on razor blades, eating washing powder and stitching their lips. It seems as though the pain and suffering has been exaggerated by the asylum seekers– but these chilling facts are True.
The detainees at the Manus Island Detention Centre do not want the Australian Federal Government plan to resettle them and other asylum seekers in Papua New Guinea. About 700 of the detainees went on hunger strikes refusing to eat and also rejecting water. They believe if they are re-settled in Papua New Guinea their life will not be safe.

‘The raids on Delta and Oscar compounds have only proved to the Manus Island detainees that PNG is not safe. They are continuing to demand that arrangements be made for them to settle in a safe third country,” said Ian Rintoul, spokesperson for the Refugee Action Coalition.
The Pacific Solution, was a policy of the Howard Government in Australia, which prevented unlawful maritime arrivals (boat people without documentation seeking asylum in Australia) and they were transferred to Offshore Processing Facilities in external territories, one of them being Manus Island. The centres were managed by the International Organization for Migration (IOM). In 2008 the facilities were shut-down under Prime Minister Rudd’s government but were re-opened again in 2012 seeing the increase of number of illegal boat arrivals.

Australian Immigration Minister Mr Peter Dutton described the claims that asylum seekers were denied food and water at Manus Island detention as rubbish. He says that there are certain ringleaders in the processing centre that have denied staff access to deliver food.

The clashes between security, staff, detainees and protesters keeps increasing but Prime Minster Tony Abbott suggest things have settle down and that the challenge has been defeated.
Refugee Action Coalition group says that the Australia government has been tight-lipped on the issue and have not provided the real facts. Mr Peter Dutton, the Immigration Minister, says the government will continue withholding information about operations involving asylum seekers and that minimal force was used with detainees unlike statements made by opposition groups.

In the backdrop of all the tension, I spoke to one moving film-maker, Mr Lukas Schrank, who shares the stories of those asylum seekers behind the fences and what really happened on the night of 7 February 2014, where a series of protests by detainees at the centre escalated and resulted in the death of Reza Berati, a 23-year-old Iranian asylum seeker.
Nowhere Line: Voices from Manus Island is an animated short film, which tells the stories of two men, currently detained in Australia’s notorious Manus Island Processing Centre.

In October 2014, director Lukas Schrank, made phone contact with the men, who were able to tell their stories from within the compound. Their interviews offer a chilling insight into the reality of life for the 2200 detainees.

The two interviews, both recordings of phone calls from Manus Island, make up the narrative backbone of the film. The names of the men have been changed by the film-maker to protect their identities. This is one of the excerpt from the interview in the animated film ‘One year living on Manus Island was full of mental stress and physical stress. During the last year I lost two of my friends, Reza and Hamid. Reza was my roommate for one month on Christmas Island. Australia was his dream and he loved that country. Reza’s death shocked me and had a negative effect on my mental state. He was a lovely, quiet man. After Saeed, Reza was the second victim, unfortunately he was not the last victim. A month ago Hamid lost his life.”
The detainees speak of their struggle for survival, and attempts to avoid persecution in their home countries by seeking refuge in Australia. But like so many others, their journeys are ill fated. ‘I was looking at my friend’s face, And when I was looking at myself in the mirror, I said am in a safe place? If I want to go back to my country, I don’t know what might happen to me, and if I want to stay here, I don’t know what might happen again to me. At that time I really didn’t have any hope at all’. 

Their stories are the voice of the film, guiding the animation through the back-streets of Jakarta, across the sea, and deep into the fenced facility of the Manus Island Regional Processing Centre – the regrettable home for the men for the last 16 months.

Mr Lukas Schrank says by illustrating these journeys and giving air to their stories, this short documentary illuminates the compelling personal side to the human rights crisis faced by those seeking asylum in Australia. It reminds the audience that the search for asylum is the search for survival. Another excerpt from the interview with a detainee ‘after three months I boarded a small fishing boat, unfortunately at the beginning of the journey to Australia our boat started to sink into the sea, and we had to struggle with the thought of death for 40 hours. We lost hope and accepted that we will die in that endless moment which everybody was exhausted and felt hopeless. In a second I had to save myself from the dark ocean. After swimming 30 meters I found a piece of wood that I could use while waiting for help. The most terrible thing happened. My friends Saeed and two other men lost their lives in the ocean. Saeed went down with his last attempt for life and I was not able to help him.’ 

nterview of Lukas Schrank, the director and film-maker of Nowhere Line: Voices from Manus Island

 Mr Lukas Schrank is a director, designer and animator living and working across London and Melbourne.  He has in the past created animation for the BBC children’s television series including special video, short films to print projects and also spatial design.                                                                                                  
At the moment tensions continue to escalate at the Manus Island Detention Centre after several days of hunger strikes being staged by the asylum seekers including incidents of self-harm. What has your reaction been? 
I have been shocked about how little the situation has changed in the last year. I just hope that we don’t see a repeat of what happened in February 2014 and that no one is seriously harmed in the protests.
 How do you think Nowhere Line: Voices from Manus Island film will help bring into limelight the reality of life for the 2200 people currently being held in Australia’s offshore detention centres? 
I think that the film will be able to reach a slightly different audience than most of the existing media coverage of the offshore detention debate. With any issue that has been in the public eye for so long there is a level of desensitisation, people become numb to imagery and stories and they lose their meaning. So I hope that the film can bring the debate down to a human level – both through the nature of how the film is narrated, and the how the stories being told are illustrated. People used illustration as a method of communication tens of thousands of years before writing was developed, and I think the medium, and it’s evolution into animation, holds some value in this way – there is something inherently human and honest about it.  
You have spoken to men within the compound on phone. How was your interaction with them and what thought provoked you to put their voices through this film? 
My interaction with the men on Manus was not quite what I expected. Hearing stories told from a first-person perspective obviously has a very powerful effect, but I think it is also shocking that the men are speaking in the present tense – this isn’t a story which is being told retrospectively from a position of safety, it is happening right now. The two men I spoke with have been incredibly trusting and generous with their time and energy, and I hope that this comes across.
Some people who might support the government’s approach to this issue seem to see people seeking asylum in a way which separates them from us, that they are different somehow. I think that the interviews I have recorded with these men challenge that perception, they are just two normal people who have been incredibly unlucky.     
 I understand that you have been fundraising for this completion for film project, your deadline is February 6th how has your response been so far? 
The response to the crowdfunding has been overwhelmingly positive and it has helped with the project in many ways beyond the financial backing that we will hopefully receive. There has been some negative attention as well, especially through Facebook, but that has also helped me understand the wider context of the issue and what people on the other side believe. I have been a little bit shocked at the level of hatred and extreme xenophobia out there but there are always going to be extreme sides to any debate, it’s just quite strange seeing it first-hand.