950 Dollars (£636) For The Death Of A 10-year-old Boy, 105 Afghan deaths compensated by UK

The UK has paid compensation for the deaths of more than 100 Afghan civilians last year, Ministry of Defence figures have revealed.

Details of claims and payouts made for people killed and injured in error by British forces emerged in response to a Freedom of Information request made by Channel 4 News as part of an investigation into the issue.

Thousands of pounds were paid to relatives of at least 105 Afghan civilians last year - three times as many as 2008 when there were 33 such payouts.

Compensation included 950 dollars (£636) for the death of a 10-year-old boy in the Nad-e-Ali area of Helmand in December and 6,800 dollars (£4,549) after four children were killed.

The figures also set out compensation for damage to property such as livestock and mobile phones.

Details of the incidents and the exact number of people who died are not always provided in the documents, which in a number of cases refer to "fatalities".

According to the MoD - which accused the Taliban of attacking from densely populated areas to effectively use human shields - payments do not mean UK forces are legally liable.

A spokesman for the MoD said: "Any incident involving civilian casualties is a matter of deep regret, particularly when the actions of international forces may be at fault. We have strict procedures intended to minimise the risk of civilian casualties and to investigate any that occur.

"In contrast, the insurgents often target civilians with their indiscriminate attacks and operate from densely populated areas in order to deliberately draw civilians into the battle.

"Payments are made to recognise the circumstances of each incident and to satisfy cultural and operational circumstances; they do not necessarily mean UK forces are legally liable."

Read more: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/breaking-news/uk-ireland/105-afghan-deaths-compensated-by-uk-14855027.html#ixzz0roAllGJq

Gen Stanley McChrystal must be enjoying murdering Civilians in Afganistan because he refuses to stop it.

The newly appointed commander of US-led troops in Afghanistan says he does not plan to halt controversial air strikes which have killed many civilians in the war-torn country.

Gen Stanley McChrystal emphasized the blitz were necessary to protect troops taking part in ground operations across Afghanistan.

"It's very hard because it's a balance for the young soldier on the ground, who is in combat. One of the assets that he has that might save his life might be air power or indirect fire from artillery or mortars and we don't want to take away that protection for him," the BBC quoted McChrystal as saying.

Civilians have been the main victims of violence in Afghanistan particularly in the troubled southern and eastern provinces where the main fighting is going on.

The spiraling civilian casualties inflicted by US-led forces in Afghanistan have sparked outrage among Afghans and constitute a moot point between Kabul and Washington.

The top US commander added that he plans to reduce Afghan civilians' death but not on expense of troops' lives.

He said both "preventing and investigating" civilians causalities would be Washington's priority in the conflict-torn country.

The remarks comes a day after a UN report suggested that air strikes by the US-led forces and insurgent bombings were responsible for a higher number of civilian causalities in the war-torn country.

UN assistance mission in Afghanistan warned on Friday that the number of Afghan civilians killed either in US-led airstrikes or Taliban attacks had risen beyond the 1000 in first half of 2009.

The development comes as a Saturday air-strike in southern Afghanistan reportedly killed five civilians and wounded ten. Reports said missiles were fired at a residential area in a small town in Helmand province.

The UN has warned that an increase in the number of American troops in Afghanistan could mean a greater loss of life in the war-torn country

India among 20 Most Dangerous Places in the World

London: Terror attack in Mumbai has severely dented the country's image as a safest heaven for tourists.

A British report says that following the attack, India has slipped to a list of the 20 most dangerous places to visit on Earth.

UK daily The Telegraph, which prepared the list, said in an online report that the British government was currently advising against all, but essential, travel to Mumbai.

India has been listed along side countries like Pakistan, Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Mexico, Thailand and South Africa in this list.

Chechnya, Jamaica, Sudan, Colombia, Haiti, Eritrea, Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Burundi, Nigeria, Zimbabwe and Lebanon have also been named among the 20 most dangerous places to visit on Earth.

Although the Foreign Office is currently advising against all, but essential, travel to Mumbai, most of the rest of India is considered safe, according to the report.

Courtesy: siliconindia.com

SON OF OSAMA BIN LADEN OMER BIN LADEN

He is the fourth eldest son among nineteen children of Osama bin Laden.His wife is 24 years older than him, with five grandchildren. This is second marrige of Omer bin Laden and his wife Zaina had been married five times previously befor marring Omer .

The couple announced their divorce in September 2007. At the time Zaina said she did not regard herself as divorced and that the divorce under duress did not have legal standing under Sharia law. After 2 weeks Zaina and Omar decided not to part and would not let threats destroy their marriage.

Omar has said he doesn't criticize his father and has said that Osama bin Laden is just trying to defend the Islamic world, and that his father is not a terrorist "because history tells you he's not".

Malalai Kakar became a police officer

Malalai Kakar became a police officer before the rise of the Taliban. It helped, she says, that her father and brother were also police officers, and her grandfather a tribal elder. When the Taliban rose to power, she fled to Pakistan. When she returned to work after they were ousted, she received death threats. To "protect her honor" and her family, the mother of six patrolled with her brother and wore a burka in the field. But she goes uncovered now, so as to "tell women about their rights."