Jordan Hangs Two al-Qaeda Prisoners, Within hours of The Killing Of The Jordanian Pilot

Jordan has executed two al-Qaeda prisoners before dawn today; just a few hours after the Islamic State militants released a video that purposefully showed the captured Jordanian pilot being burnt alive in a cage. A government spokesman has confirmed the killing of the pilot.

After the news of pilot's death was made public, Jordan vowed a quick and lethal response. 

Government spokesman Mohammed al-Momani confirmed the execution of the two prisoners. They are identified as Sajida al-Rishawi and Ziad al-Karbouly. Al-Rishawi was sentenced to death for corroborated involvement in the 2005 triple-hotel bombing in Amman; al-Karbouly was given the capital punishment in 2008 for his involvement in terror attacks on Jordanians in Iraq.

Earlier, Jordan offered to free al-Rishawi -a failed suicide bomber- for the pilot's safe return, but declined any swap after saying that there is no concrete evidence of the pilot's being alive.   

The brutal murder of the Jordanian pilot, Lt. Muath al-Kaseasbeh, 26, enraged the Jordanian people and drew condemnation from all quarters including the US President Barack Obama.

Al-Kaseasbeh was captured by the militants in December when his F-16 fighter jet crashed near Raqqa, Syria, the capital of the Islamic State's self-proclaimed caliphate.

Analysts are seeing the capture and subsequent killing as a move of IS to put pressure on Jordan to do away with its alliance with the US. This coalition is a key to the airstrikes targeted at the strategic locations of IS in Syria and Iraq.

This brutal killing of the pilot might backfire on the IS as there is a possibility of Sunni Muslims, enraged at the gory killing of another Sunni Muslim, getting organized to fight the terrorists.

Also Read:

Seven Killed In A Train-Vehilce Accident On the Metro-North Railroad Near New York

China's President Xi Jinping Is Expected To Be the Chief Guest Of Pakistan's Annual Military Parade

The President of China Xi Jinping is expected to be the chief guest at the annual military parade, an event that Pakistan is going to hold after a long gap of seven years. The event will be carried out on the national day of the country on 23 March.

The venue for the event has not been finalized yet but it is expected to be held somewhere near Islamabad.  

The list of attendees will comprise of the heads of the three branches of the armed forces and several high-profile government officials. 

The announcement about Pakistan's resuming the parade that was last held in 2008 when General Musharraf was the President, came a few days after the US President Obama's visit to India; Obama was the chief guest at the Republic Day Parade on 26 January.   

President Obama's visit was seen as a emergence of a new alliance in the Asia-Pacific region, a move to counter China's spreading influence in the region. China was irked. India's external affairs minister Shushma Swaraj's China visit this week is deemed to be move to address the grievance of the neighboring country. The news of PM Modi's visit to China is expected to better the mutual relations of two big powers of the region.   

Many analysts in Pakistan are not seeing President Xi Jinping's breaching the protocol to meet Shushma Swaraj on Monday in positive light. However, President Xi has expressed his faith in Indo-China relationship. "I have full confidence in India-China relations and I believe that new progress will be achieved in growing this bilateral relationship in this New Year." 

India's relationship, after President Xi's visit in September last year, with China seems to be on the right track.

Pakistan considers China its all-weather friend. China provides Pakistan with economics, military, political and diplomatic, and technological help; a diplomatic move to keep India in check.

Also Read:

Opinion Polls Indicate A Simple Majority For The Aam Admi Party

Obama, Dalai Lama To Meet At The National Prayer Breakfast; Chinese Uneasiness Expected

Obama, Dalai Lama To Meet At The National Prayer Breakfast

US President Barack Obama will take part in a public event on 5 February; the Dalai Lama is also expected to be there. Observers are seeing this as a move that will irk China. Obama will speak about the importance of religious tolerance at the annual National Prayer Breakfast. Lama, the symbol of Tibet's struggle for independence, has also been invited for the event.

There is no official word on whether the two Nobel Laureates will meet there or not, but the National Security Council spokeswoman Bernadette Meehan has said that the two leaders have previously met on three occasions, their last meeting happened in February last year.  

"The President is a strong supporter of the Dalai Lama's teachings and preserving Tibet's unique religious, cultural and linguistic traditions," he said.  "As he has done in the past, the President will see many religious leaders at the event, but we don't have any specific meeting with the Dalai Lama to announce."

Dalai Lama, 79, fled to India during the 1959 Tibetan uprising, where he denounced the Chinese rule and established the nongovernmental Central Tibetan Administration. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in the year 1989 for his unwavering advocacy for the autonomy in the region.

Tibet shares borders with Nepal, India, Bhutan, and Myanmar; China deems it a region of high strategic importance.

Also Read:

Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj Arrives In China On A Four-Day Trip

Obama Stresses On Communal Harnomy, Wonem Security, and Mutual Ties Before Concluding Three-Day India Visit

US President Barack Obama has tried to draw the India attention towards the article 25 of the Constitution of India which says that every India has the right to 'practice and propagate' religion of his/her choice. The President concluded his three-day visit to India after addressing a gathering of around 1500 young people and a few other guests at the Siri Fort, New Delhi. He later took off for Saudi Arabia.

"India will succeed so long as it is not splintered on religious lines", Obama said. "Everyone has the right to practice their faith without fear of persecution, discrimination,"

The President spoke about the false perception of some people that he is a Muslim, and not a Christian. "There have been times where my faith has at times been questioned by people who don't know me, or they've said that I adhere to a different religion, as if that were somehow a bad thing," Obama added.

Remembering his own experience as someone hailing from a minority community, Obama said though he has had various opportunities but, "There were moments in my life where I've been treated differently because of the color of my skin." 

Indicating towards Modi's 'educate the daughter, save the daughter' slogan he said, "Nations are more successful when their women are successful." He emphasized on women security and empowerment, "Every woman should be able to go about her day - to walk the street, or ride the bus - and be safe and be treated with the respect and dignity that she deserves."

President of the US started his speech with 'Namaste' and emphasized that Indo-American relation can be a trend-setting phenomenon in this century.  He has been using words and phrases every now and again in his three-day visit to India quoted a famous dialogue Shah Rukh Khan's Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge to enchant his audience, "Senorita...bade bade deshon mein...you know what I mean."

He pointed the similarities between two of the world's biggest democracies, and said that America will definitely help India in bringing people out of stark poverty and providing them with proper healthcare.  

The concluding words of his speech were: "I believe America can be India's 'best partner; the world will be better if we stand together."   

Also Read:

Cartoonist RK Laxman Dies At 94

Obama Will Co-host Modi's Radio Program Mann Ki Baat On 27 January

The Prime Minister's radio address to the nation Maan ki Baat will be a special one this time as the Republic Day guest Barack Obama will join him on that show. The radio show will be broadcasted on 27 January. The in information has been made public by a series of tweets by the PM himself. The PM urged the people to ask question.

This month’s 'Mann Ki Baat' episode will be a special one, where our Republic Day guest @BarackObama & I will share our thoughts together.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 22, 2015

I am eagerly looking forward to the special 'Mann Ki Baat' programme with President @BarackObama, which will be aired on 27th January.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 22, 2015

'Mann Ki Baat' with President @BarackObama will not be complete without your participation! Send your Qs till the 25th, using #AskObamaModi

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 22, 2015

PM Modi has been interacting with the nation through his radio program once in month since October. Sources say that this joint radio venture is PM's brain child; he is of the opinion that these kinds of things will let the people of both the nations understand each other better. 

Earlier, during PM Modi's visit to the US, both the nation heads co-wrote the editorial of the Washington Post where they opined on an array of mutually relevant topics. 

President Obama will be arriving in India on 25 January for his three-day visit to the country. He will the first President of the US to preside as the chief guest of Republic Day Celebrations. 

Also Read:

US Secret Service Personnel Arrive In India Ahead Of President Obama's Visit