Intelligence Agencies Raid al-Qaeda Tech Hub in Lahore

Intelligence agencies have broken up one of al-Qaeda’s international technology hubs in Lahore, Pakistan. In addition, two suspected terrorists connected with the organization were arrested during the bust. The two are members of the Hasan Ghul and Daud Shah Group, two al-Qaeda affiliates. They were letting a house in Lahore’s Bagaryan neighborhood. Informants tipped off intelligence officials regarding the home a few days prior to the raid. After briefly conducting surveillance of the home and confirming the presence of the terrorists, agents raided the house and arrested two terrorists. Three others managed to escape. The site was serving as a communications hub, with terrorists operating sophisticated digital devices including recording devices, devices to change/encrypt phone numbers, computers, cell phones, and many devices for internet connections. Numerous phone calls associated with kidnapping and ransom incidents have been traced to phones recovered in the raid. Elite Pakistani units have encircled the area, searching for the escaped terrorists.
[Source: Islamabad Dunya (Urdu) www.dailydunya.com]

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Bo Xilai, member of the Central Politburo and secretary of the Communist Party's Chongqing branch, will stand open trial at the Jinan Intermediate People's Court next week. Prosecutors have charged him with bribery, graft, and abuse of power.

Sukhoi T-50 PAK FA Slated for Delivery to Russian Air Force This Year

Translated from RIA-Novosti: Moscow, 6 August 2013, “Russian Federation Air Force to Receive First T-50 Fifth-Generation Fighter This Year”

Lt Gen Viktor Bondarev, commander in chief of the Russian Federation air force, informed journalists Tuesday, that the modern frontline aviation aircraft system (Sukhoi PAK FA) is slated for delivery to the Russian Federation air force in the third quarter of 2013 and its state tests will begin in the fourth quarter.

The T-50 (PAK FA project) is a fifth-generation aircraft equipped with a fundamentally novel avionics system and modern radar with phased antenna array. The first flight took place 29 January 2010 in Komsomolsk-na-Amure, with the first public demonstration of the fighter taking place on 17 August 2011 at the MAKS-2011 international air show in Zhukovskiy, Moscow Oblast.

Presently, four T-50s are participating in the flight-testing program. In January 2013, the latest fighter of this foursome performed a solo flight from the Far East to Zhukovskiy. Two other planes are taking part in the program of ground tests of this system; ultimately, by the end of the year eight T-50s will participate in the tests.

Depressing video about latest flare-up in Kashmir (source: CCTV)