Offensive

Use of force unacceptable: India on Israel-Hamas war

New Delhi: In an oblique criticism of Israel's offensive in Gaza, India on Wednesday said "disproportionate use of force" was completely unacceptable and demanded immediate de-escalation of the conflict in the region. Against the backdrop of criticism that India was muted in its response to the latest conflict in Gaza, External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid told reporters that "we did say categorically that the disproportionate use of force is unacceptable".

"It is a very sad and tragic escalation of violence that cost the loss of some innocent lives particularly women and children." He also reaffirmed India's commitment to an independent state of Palestine. Khurshid said India considers the violence "completely unacceptable and would urge that peace must be restored immediately and whatever efforts were being made for peace and deescalation of violence takes place, India would support categorically."

India expects and hope that "this is what would happen and would want to make it clear that our support to the Palestinian cause remains undiluted," he said. The Minister said India would reconfirm the support that Palestine deserves an independent sovereign state with Jerusalem as its capital and the country was firm on that position.

But at the same time, he said, it was important right now that deescalation takes place and peace returns and that disproportionate use of force that was being inflicted is something that is totally unacceptable....more

12:52 PM, Nov 21, 2012

Israeli aircraft hit Hamas bank HQ in Gaza

by Associated Press

Gaza City: Israeli aircraft have battered the headquarters of the Gaza Strip bank the territory's Hamas rulers set up to sidestep international sanctions. Tuesday's strike on the Islamic National Bank in Gaza City is part of a widening Israeli onslaught against the militants and their rocket squads targeting Israel. The offensive is now in its seventh day. The inside of the bank was destroyed, and a building supply business in...

12:32 PM, Nov 20, 2012

Should people be arrested for tweeting offensive comments?

A 19-year-old man was sentenced for three months after posting crude jokes on Facebook about a missing five-year-old thought to have been murdered in UK. ...

11:53 PM, Nov 01, 2012

FTN: Can the Internet be truly free?

Facebook and Google are facing a lawsuit in India for allegedly hosting offensive content. ...

11:53 PM, Jan 18, 2012

Pak to block 1,700 offensive words in texting

by Press Trust of India

Islamabad: If Pakistan's telecom regulator has its way, millions of mobile phone users may be unable to send text messages with "offensive" and "obscene" words like crap, damn, hobo, flatulence, gay, lesbian and slime from Monday. These words are part of a list of nearly 1,700 words and terms that the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has deemed as offensive, and wants mobile phone operators to filter from SMS text messages....

02:34 PM, Nov 20, 2011

Pak general rules out N Waziristan offensive

by Associated Press

Mamad Gat: A top Pakistani army commander said on Wednesday that his military has no imminent plans to launch an offensive in a tribal region home to numerous militants who focus on attacking US and NATO forces in neighboring Afghanistan. The statement by Lt Gen Asif Yasin Malik contradicted rampant media speculation that an operation in North Waziristan was in the works after years of requests for it from the...

05:53 PM, Jun 01, 2011

Pak to launch military offensive in N Waziristan

by Press Trust Of India

Islamabad: Pakistan has decided to launch a "targeted military offensive" in the North Waziristan tribal region bordering Afghanistan, where the army has not taken any action so far to flush out Taliban and al-Qaeda elements despite tremendous pressure from the US. The understanding for launching the offensive was developed during US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Admiral Mike Mullen's visit to Islamabad last week...

12:31 PM, May 30, 2011

Taliban renew Afghan offensive, civilians killed

by Reuters

Kabul: Taliban-led insurgents killed at least 11 people across Afghanistan in a renewed springtime offensive on Sunday despite a huge security clampdown, hours after the United Nations pleaded for all sides to avoid civilian casualties. The hardline Islamists have warned civilians to stay away from public gatherings, military bases and convoys, as well as government offices, because those sites would be the target of a wave of attacks beginning on...

08:51 PM, May 01, 2011