'Hindu girl forced to convert to Islam, held in Pakistani madrassa'
Osama Bin Laden grossly underestimated U.S. retaliation to 9/11: Ex-associate
LeT planning attacks in India; seeking links in Maldives: Govt
Elimination of terrorism Pakistan’s primary job’
Bangladesh reimposes ban on Indian film screening
Violence in Somali capital kills at least 16
UAE jails five Emiratis on terrorism charges
Joint Indo-Pak moot calls for addressing held fishermen’s issue
Taliban in Search of a New Identity
Who is behind the Hazara unrest?
The root of Pakistan’s problems
Egypt sentences 'Hezbollah cell'
Conspiracy or cure? An Islamic perspective on interfaith dialogue
India to get direct access to Headley
Deposed Kyrgyz president charged with 'multiple homicide'
Obama hails ties with Muslim communities
Mirwaiz harps on human rights, Kashmir issue
I’m ready to work with Netanyahu: Abbas
Pakistan braces for judicial war
‘Those given refuge 30 years ago killed BB’
‘Interim pact’ on Kashmir was for 15 years: Kasuri
President asks people to protect motherland
Another son of Sufi Mohammad arrested
Two Israeli commanders reprimanded over deaths of Palestinians
War and peace
Somali militants push toward pirate stronghold
Over 5,900 enumerators collect census data in Jeddah
Global conference on teaching the Qur’an in June
Israeli forces demolish settlers' 'Obama's Shack'
Six get 3-year jail in terror funding case Adel Arafa
Yemen arrests al Qaeda suspects
‘Puppet’ CM interested in honey-moon, not in development: BNF Chairman
Bangladesh: Ethnic minorities demand constitutional recognition
Man kills sister over karo-kari
‘People of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa should unite’
Pentagon taking closer look at Afghan intel unit
Notices issued on petition against Musharraf
Insurgents kill 4 police in Pir Bala suicide blast
Brazil says working to stave off Iran sanctions
Bosnian Serbs won’t accept Srebrenica genocide: Dodik
Chavez denies elite Iranian forces in Venezuela
Iraq awaits election ruling as winner voices disquiet
UN shuts mission in Kandahar
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/hindu-girl-forced-convert-islam,/d/2773
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'Hindu girl forced to convert to Islam, held in Pakistani madrassa'
Apr 28, 2010
ISLAMABAD: A Hindu girl from Punjab province was kidnapped and forced to convert to Islam and is currently being held in a madrassa, leading Pakistani rights activist Ansar Burney said today.
Burney said his rights organisation, the Ansar Burney Trust International, had learnt that 15-year-old Gajri, the daughter of Mengha Ram, was abducted by a Muslim neighbour from her home at Katchi Mandi, Liaquatpur, in Rahim Yar Khan district on December 21, 2009.
Gajri's parents later found out that she was being held captive in a madrassa or seminary in southern Punjab and that she had been married and converted to Islam, Burney said.
The local administration is "refusing to respond to the abduction" of the girl, who is not being allowed to leave the madrassa or to speak to her parents, he told PTI.
Burney, a former human rights minister, condemned the forceful conversion of the Hindu girl and demanded her immediate release.
"Pakistan is a state party to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which oblige authorities to protect religious minorities under international law," he said.
According to Ansar Burney Trust, on 21 December 2009 Gajri disappeared from the home of her Hindu parents in in southern Punjab.
On December 26 last year, the local police station in Gajri’s hometown received a letter with an affidavit from madrassa that said she had "embraced Islam and had married her neighbour Mohammad Salim", Burney said.
The letter did not enclose a marriage certificate, he said.
Police did not immediately inform Gajri's parents about the letter even though they had tried to file a First Information Report after she had gone missing.
The parents were discouraged from doing so by police, Burney said.
Mengha Ram and his wife then contacted the vice president of the National Peace Committee for Interfaith Harmony, Ramesh Jay Pal.
With his help, the parents met the priest in charge of Darul-Uloom Madrassa in Khanpur, Maulana Abdul Hafeez.
Hafeez reportedly told the parents that Gajri had "embraced Islam and was not allowed to meet her parents".
http://www.dnaindia.com/world/report_hindu-girl-forced-to-convert-to-islam-held-in-pakistani-madrassa_1374819
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Osama Bin Laden grossly underestimated U.S. retaliation to 9/11: Ex-associate
2010-04-28
A former Osama bin Laden associate has said that the Al-Qaeda leader did not expect the United States to strike back as hard as it has following the September 11, 2001 attacks.
"What happened after September 11 was beyond their imagination," The New York Post quoted Noman Benotman, who was the head of the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group in 2000, as having told the WTOP Radio.
Benotman said Al-Qaeda was overly confident based on the U.S. response to the attacks carried out by the group on their embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998.
"I'm 100 percent sure they had no clue about what was going to happen," he added. Meanwhile, a former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) official also backed Bentoman's claims.
"Several captured terrorists have said publicly that Al-Qaeda never expected the towers to fall. Their goal was to frighten people and impact the U.S. economy, so they really didn't plan for the massive response the U.S. launched," the official said.
On that morning of September 11, 19 Al-Qaeda terrorists had hijacked four commercial passenger jet airliners.
The hijackers intentionally crashed two of the airliners into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, killing everyone on board and many others working in the buildings. Both buildings collapsed within two hours, destroying nearby buildings and damaging others.
The hijackers crashed a third airliner into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, while the fourth plane crashed into a field near Shanksville in rural Pennsylvania after some of its passengers and flight crew attempted to retake control of the plane.
At least 2,800 people, including the 19 hijackers were killed in the attacks, where overwhelming majority of casualties were civilians.
The U.S. responded to the attacks by launching the 'War on Terrorism', and invaded Afghanistan to depose the Taliban, who had harboured Al-Qaeda terrorists.
Bin Laden and fellow Al-Qaeda leaders are believed to be hiding near the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas. (ANI)
http://sify.com/news/osama-bin-laden-grossly-underestimated-u-s-retaliation-to-9-11-ex-associate-news-international-ke2lueiagce.html
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LeT planning attacks in India; seeking links in Maldives: Govt
Apr 27, 2010
New Delhi : Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) is making concerted efforts to carry out attacks in the country and to develop links in Maldives and other neighbours, Government said on Tuesday.
"Available inputs indicate that Pakistan-based terrorist groups primarily the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) are making concerted efforts to organise terrorist attacks in various parts of the country, inter-alia, including iconic institutions, prominent industrial installations and tourist locations among others," Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Maken told Lok Sabha today in a written reply.
The minister said some of the prominent groups which pose a serious threat include LeT, Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Hizbul-Mujahideen (HM), Harkat-ul-Jehad-e-Islami (HuJI), Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HuM), Al Badr, Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF), Khalistan Commando force, International Sikh Youth federation (ISYF), United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) and Communist party of India (Maoist).
"There is also another organisation, the Indian Mujahideen," the Minister said.
Maken said, "the government continues to be alert to these threats and re-calibrates its measures to combat terrorism by way of reviewing threat perception and a number of important decisions and measures have been taken.
"Government has constituted National Investigation Agency (NIA).The Multi-Agency centre has been strengthened and reorganised to enable it to function on 24x7 basis for real time collection and sharing of intelligence with other intelligence and security agencies," he said.
In reply to another question, Maken said, "available input indicated that Lashkar-e-Taiba endeavours to develop links in India's neighbouring countries including the Maldives.
"India and Maldives continue to work closely in strengthening bilateral security cooperation. Our security concerns are conveyed through bilateral channels or mechanisms, with the concerned authorities," he said.
Government also denied any proposal to create the post of National Intelligence Coordinator to strengthen intelligence system.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/let-planning-attacks-in-india;-seeking-links-in-maldives-govt/611963/
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Elimination of terrorism Pakistan’s primary job’
28 Apr, 2010
THIMPHU: Elimination of terrorism from South Asia and beyond has remained and will continue to be Pakistan’s primary occupation, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said on Tuesday.
Addressing the 32nd Session of the SAARC council of ministers, Qureshi said Pakistan was completely aware of the importance of regional cooperation for combating terrorism, drugs, human trafficking and trans-national crime.
He said Pakistan was looking forward to hosting the SAARC Interior Ministers in Islamabad from June 25 to 26 to devise regional strategies and collaborative approaches to address the international menace of terrorism.
He said the foremost objective of SAARC was to accelerate economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the region.
Full report at: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\04\28\story_28-4-2010_pg7_7
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Bangladesh reimposes ban on Indian film screening
28 April 2010
Though pirated Bollywood DVDs thrive on black market sales, Bangladesh has abandoned an attempt to lift a ban on screening of Indian films in cinemas following protests by local industry.
The authorities reimposed the ban, just three days after lifting the almost four-decade freeze on Bollywood movies.
The decision came following directions from the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, according to a report published in The Daily Star.
The paper claimed that Hasina expressed dissatisfaction over the commerce ministry's unilateral decision to lift the ban.
The ban had been lifted as cinema in Bangladesh was witnessing an unprecedented slide with the number of movie halls shrinking from about 1,900 in 2000 to mere 600 in 2010, most of them dishing out low budget local films and some B-grade Hollywood movies.
Full report at: http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/bangladesh/Bangladesh-reimposes-ban-on-Indian-film-screening/Article1-536375.aspx
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Violence in Somali capital kills at least 16
28 April 2010
MOGADISHU - A landmine killed one person and wounded eight in a rare attack on a mosque in the Somali capital on Tuesday, a day of chaotic violence that left at least another 15 people dead and scores wounded.
Witnesses said the mine exploded as worshippers were going to the Abu Hureyra mosque in Bakara Market, an area used as a base by rebels fighting the government and African Union (AU) peackeeping troops in Somalia.
Residents said nine people died when mortar shells hit a house in the south of the city, two rebels and a government soldier were killed in fighting near Bakara Market and two AU soldiers were wounded when they stopped a suicide bomber from ramming a truck laden with explosives into their base.
“We have received 57 injured people today. Three of them died in the hospital,” Mohamed Yusuf, director of the Madina Hospital, told Reuters.
Full report at: http://www.khaleejtimes.com/displayarticle.asp?xfile=data/international/2010/April/international_April1455.xml§ion=international&col=
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UAE jails five Emiratis on terrorism charges
Apr 28, 2010
DUBAI - An Abu Dhabi court on Tuesday jailed five Emiratis and an Afghan for funding and supporting terrorist activities, the first time UAE nationals have been convicted of terrorism-related offences, Gulf News reported.
The Federal Supreme Court convicted the men of funding to the Taliban and attempting to set up a fundamentalist group to enforce a strict code of Islam, the UAE daily said.
Two of the defendants were sentenced to four years, while the other four were handed three-year jail terms, Gulf News said, adding that two other defendants, both Emiratis, were acquitted of all charges.
The defendants had pleaded not guilty and claimed they were forced into signing confessions, the newspaper said.
Full report at: http://business.maktoob.com/20090000463378/UAE_jails_five_Emiratis_on_terrorism_charges/Article.htm
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Joint Indo-Pak moot calls for addressing held fishermen’s issue
April 28, 2010
Fisherfolk activists from both India and Pakistan along with members of India-Pakistan Joint Judicial Committee on Prisoners and members of various civil society organizations met in New Delhi, India, on April 19, and discussed the issue of arrested fishermen in detail. In a letter, they have urged the prime ministers of both Pakistan and India to resolve the issue of arresting fishermen from the sea. The six organisations have decided to work together towards getting innocent and poor fishermen released from India and Pakistan.
The signatory organisations include Pakistan Institute for Labour Education and Research (Piler), Pakistan Fisherfolks’ Forum, Focus on the Global South, India; National Fishworkers’ Forum, Boat Owners’ Association, Porbandar (India), and Peace Mumbai, India, said a letter.
Those who participated in the meeting, included: Kuldip Nayar, Karamat Ali, Jatin Desai, Bharat Modi, Jivan Jungi, Advocate M K Paul, Justice Rajinder Sachar, Iqbal Haider, Matanhy Saldanha, Varsha Rajan Berry, Gopal Tandel, Premabhai S Prabhaker, Budhiabhai Tandel, Dilip Sharaoji, Ashwin Jungi, Ravi Hemadri and Michael Koeberlein.
Full report at: http://thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=236449
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Taliban in Search of a New Identity
28 APRIL 2010
By Dr Ehsan Azari
Like genies of the tales of the Arabian Nights they sprang forth from the wasteland of the post-Russian Afghan civil war. Early one morning in the autumn of 1994 about forty long-bearded mullahs gathered in a tiny mosque in Sangisar of Kandahar known as the White Mosque to found a new religious movement. They had no car or money. An old and noisy Russian motorbike with no exhaust-pipe was their only means of transport. The bike was nicknamed 'Tank of Islam' as a reward for its service. Then an unknown man barged into their checkpoint and donated a sack filled with 90 million Afghanis (about A$2 million). "I have donated this money for the sake of God alone. I don't need anyone to know about it," this man insisted, "there is no need for a receipt, or for my name to be known." The following evening the BBC spread the word around the world about the birth of the Taliban in Afghanistan.
With the rise of the Taliban in deeply conservative rural Afghanistan the world's political map suddenly has changed. The fire-brand religious movement soon began roaming about in swarms, flogging women in bazaars, burning schools, killing musicians, destroying TV sets, cameras and tape recorders. They unleashed a reign of fear in most of the country. The Taliban regime fell in a few weeks, when in the wake of the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon, the US-led forces invaded Afghanistan in 2001. But in less than one year, the Taliban re-incarnated into an insurgency that is now tenaciously fighting Western and NATO forces in Afghanistan.
This messianic religious movement blended a puritanical spiritual belief with fanatical devotion and thus turned religion into a violent ideology closed in on itself, which has so far failed to find a normal and acceptable presence in the world today. But Mullah Abdul Salam Zaeef sets out to present a counter-narrative about the Taliban in his autobiographical book, My Life with the Taliban. The ex-Taliban ambassador in Pakistan remains unrepentant for working with the Taliban after spending four years in Guantánamo Bay, even though he now is living in Kabul far from Taliban. "I was a Talib (singular of plural Taliban), I am a Talib and I will always be a Talib".
Full report at: http://australia.to/2010/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2416:taliban-in-search-of-a-new-identity&catid=73:oped&Itemid=165
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Who is behind the Hazara unrest?
Mosharraf Zaidi
April 28, 2010
"When we are in Mardan or Charsadda, it is "Da Punjabian dey" (we are Punjabi), and when we are in Lahore or Faisalabad, it is "Khan Saab" (i.e., we are Pathans). But we're not Punjabi. And we are not Pathan. We are from Hazara. Why is that so difficult to understand?"
When I first learnt that there was some kind of an adverse reaction to the renaming of the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, I was more than slightly miffed. NWFP is a ridiculous name. If Punjabis can inhabit Punjab, Sindhis can inhabit Sindh, and Baloch can inhabit Balochistan, it seemed quite ridiculous that Pakhtuns should be denied that same opportunity. When this controversy emerged as a major story in the national media, around the last week of March, even the addition of the word Khyber was anathema to me, a watering down of the legitimate and rightful name of Pakhtunkhwa.
In fact, in my column on March 30, in which I was unsparingly critical of Nawaz Sharif's dithering on the 18th Amendment, I even wrote that "by opposing the ANP's proposal [the PML-N] claims it is standing up for speakers of the Hindko and Potowari languages. Can speakers of Brohi, Seraiki and Urdu as their first-languages also expect this kind of moral probity from the PML-N for their languages? Of course not."
Full report at: http://thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=236292
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The root of Pakistan’s problems
S P Seth
28 April 2010
There is an often-heard cliché that there are three dominant elements in Pakistan’s polity: Allah (religion), Army and America — its order varying according to the prevailing situation
For some years now, Pakistan has been getting a lot of international attention but for the wrong reasons. It is fighting the Taliban but without being sure of its strategic rationale. Hence, its on-again off-again deals with the militants, while still keeping up the military pressure, have not borne fruit.
The lack of strategic clarity is at the root of a lot of Pakistan’s problems. Pakistan is a country with great potential. But this potential has been squandered by its leadership, sadly lacking in a coherent vision or blueprint for the country. In other words, Pakistan has been badly served by its leaders.
Because its political leadership failed to develop self-sustaining constitutional processes (a working democracy), it enabled the country’s military leadership to subvert an imperfect political system. Not only that. The army generals even acted like they were the country’s saviours. Indeed, when the political rot reached its stinking worst (with large-scale corruption and a political culture of impunity), the people of Pakistan did believe, at times, that the generals were their best bet.
Full report at: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\04\28\story_28-4-2010_pg3_4
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Egypt sentences 'Hezbollah cell'
28 APRIL 2010
Hezbollah had confirmed one of the men was a member of the group
An Egyptian court has convicted 26 men of planning terrorist attacks on ships and tourist sites.
The 22 men given prison sentences - some with hard labour - were accused of working for the Lebanese Islamist group Hezbollah.
Sami Shihab, a Lebanese citizen who Hezbollah had confirmed was a member, was given a life sentence.
The sentences were issued by the State Security Court and cannot be appealed, reports say.
Another four men, who are still on the run, were convicted in absentia.
The sentences on the other defendants ranged from six months to 25 years.
'Intelligence'
Full report at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8648493.stm
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Conspiracy or cure? An Islamic perspective on interfaith dialogue
By Qazi Abdul Qadeer Khamosh
APRIL 28, 2010
Lahore, Pakistan - Interfaith dialogue is criticised by some religious leaders as a conspiracy designed to merge all religions into one.
Certain individuals and communities fear the loss or weakening of their religious identities as a result of engaging in dialogue and interacting with followers of other faiths.
These fears, however, are largely unfounded. All religions, including Islam, emphasise common values such as interfaith harmony and cooperation. For example, the Prophet Muhammad advocated reconciliation with other religions, as evidenced by his peace treaty with Jewish tribes in Medina.
He also believed in mutual trust between different faith communities, evidenced by the fact that in 615 CE he sent Muslims fleeing persecution from the Meccans to find refuge with the Christian king of Abyssinia, current-day Ethiopia.
Dialogue is not about trying to defeat others, but about understanding and learning about them. The Qur’an insists that the world’s beauty lies in its racial and religious pluralism, otherwise God would not have created it so (10:99 and 5:48). The Qur’an states: "O mankind! Lo! We have created you male and female, and have made you nations and tribes that ye may know one another" (49:13).
Full report at: http://www.theasiannews.co.uk/community/heritage/s/1236261_conspiracy_or_cure_an_islamic_perspective_on_interfaith_dialogue
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India to get direct access to Headley
Apr 28, 2010
WASHINGTON: India seems to be close to getting direct access to Pakistani American terror suspect David Coleman Headley, key plotter in 26/11 Mumbai terror attack with US agreeing to take "suitable steps" to bring it about.
Modalities were discussed at a meeting on Tuesday between India's Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium and US Attorney General Eric Holder. Indian Ambassador Meera Shankar and other US Justice Department officials joined the talks.
"The two partners agreed to take suitable steps to bring about direct access by Indian authorities to David Headley as soon as possible," the Indian embassy said. There was no comment from the US side.
"The partnership between India and the United States recognizes the high priority to be accorded to each country's national security," Indian officals said adding, "Both countries recognised the need for the investigations to reach a fruitful and successful outcome.
""The discussions have resulted in a mutual commitment that there would be the best possible cooperation in our common fight against terrorism," they said.
Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/India-to-get-direct-access-to-Headley/articleshow/5866453.cms
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Deposed Kyrgyz president charged with 'multiple homicide'
APRIL 28, 2010
MOSCOW: The interim government of Kyrgyzstan has stripped deposed President Kurmanbek Bakiyev of his immunity and charged him with "abuse of power" and "multiple homicide", a provisional leader of the Central Asian nation said on Tuesday.
Vice Premier of the interim government Azimbek Beknazarov said the charges against Bakiyev are serious and Kyrgyzstan will seek his extradition from Belarus, where he has been given refuge by President Aleksandr Lukashenka.
"There are already grounds for his extradition. The interim government has passed a decree on Bakiyev's ouster and depriving him of presidential immunity," Beknazarov was quoted as saying by RIA Novosti.
Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/Deposed-Kyrgyz-president-charged-with-multiple-homicide/articleshow/5864592.cms
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Obama hails ties with Muslim communities
Narayan Lakshman
Apr 28, 2010
Washington DC: On the first day of a summit focussed on global Muslim entrepreneurship he hosted here, U.S. President Barack Obama told delegates that they were all there “because we know that over the years, despite all we have in common, the United States and Muslim communities around the world too often fell victim to mutual mistrust”.
Underscoring the importance of the summit as a follow-on from his speech in Cairo last year, Mr. Obama said, that he had then called for a new beginning between the U.S. and Muslim communities, based on mutual interest and respect. “I knew that this vision would not be fulfilled in a single year, or even several years. But I knew we had to begin and that all of us have responsibilities to fulfil,” he said
Touching upon the core issue of concerns that the Muslim communities might have with U.S. foreign policy Mr. Obama explained, that he had “worked to ensure that America once again meets its responsibilities, especially when it comes to the security and political issues that have often been a source of tension.”
Full report at: http://www.hindu.com/2010/04/28/stories/2010042855211300.htm
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Mirwaiz harps on human rights, Kashmir issue
Khursheed Wani
Apr 28, 2010
The moderate faction of the Hurriyat Conference has sought unity among the fractured separatist camp in Kashmir on alleged human rights violations and the urgent need for dialogue to resolve the Kashmir issue.
The group has asked Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to step down after his “failure to curb human rights violations” in the State.
At a Press conference, Hurriyat chief Mirwaiz Umar Farooq announced a two-member committee — comprising A4gha Syed Hassan and Abdullah Tari — to consult other separatist groups for forging unity. “Human rights violations are on the rise. We have to devise a common strategy to put an end to it,” said Mirwaiz.
Referring to recent killing of a 70-year-old beggar in Kupwara and a common villager in Keller at the hands of the Army, he said, “The Chief Minister or the Army officers say sorry and forget the incidents without even probing them.”
“If Chief Minister is not able to curb human rights violations and Delhi does not pay heed to his pleas, he should step down,” said Mirwaiz.
In the backdrop of Bhutan’s SAARC meeting, Mirwaiz urged New Delhi and Islamabad towards speedy progress for resolution of the Kashmir issue. “Kashmiris are the stakeholders in a peaceful relationship between India and Pakistan. We hope that both countries would take measures to restart dialogue process and focus on a permanent resolution of the Kashmir issue,” he said.
http://www.dailypioneer.com/252093/Mirwaiz-harps-on-human-rights-Kashmir-issue.html
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I’m ready to work with Netanyahu: Abbas
Harinder Mishra
Apr 28, 2010
Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas has said he is willing to work with hawkish Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a day after the US special envoy concluded his visit to the Middle East to kickstart “proximity” talks between the two sides. “We stand by agreements,” Abbas told Israel’s Channel 2 on Monday regarding threats from the Palestinian side to unilaterally declare statehood.
PA Prime Minister Sallam Fayyad had earlier this month threatened to unilaterally declare Palestinian statehood by August 2011 if peace talks do not progress.
Extending his hand in peace to the Israeli people, the Palestinian President also asserted that he was prepared to work with Netanyahu and is committed to returning to the negotiating table next month.
Abbas said he hopes to get Arab League approval for indirect talks on May 1. He also emphasised that it was his duty to work with Netanyahu who was “chosen by the Israeli people and elected by the Knesset (Israeli Parliament). The Israeli Premier responded by saying that he “commends any willingness to resume peace talks”.
US special envoy to the Middle East, George Mitchell, was in the region for his three-day visit over the weekend in a push to restart indirect talks between the two sides, which are scheduled to resume by the middle of the next month.
http://www.dailypioneer.com/252056/I%E2%80%99m-ready-to-work-with-Netanyahu-Abbas.html
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Pakistan braces for judicial war
Imtiaz Ahmad
April 28, 2010
Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and his government are now getting ready for one last battle — possibly the toughest one yet — in which they will take on the judiciary which has questioned parts of the 18th Amendment Act.
The bill was passed into law last week amidst much fanfare and with the endorsement of all the major political parties of the country.
The Supreme Court has formed a larger bench to hear petitions against the 18 Amendment Act, particularly objections raised against Clause 175-A which deals with the appointment of judges to the superior courts.
Petitioners, which include the son of former military strongman General Zia ul Haq, have asked that the supreme court strike down the 18th amendment "as it is against the constitution."
Full report at: http://www.hindustantimes.com/Pakistan-braces-for-judicial-war/H1-Article1-536525.aspx
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‘Those given refuge 30 years ago killed BB’
April 28, 2010
PESHAWAR: President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday said that those who were granted refuge 30 years ago killed Benazir Bhutto.
The refugees turned out to be bitter enemies in the end as they were the people who killed their hosts and their families and led to the destruction of their property, he said. He said the nation ought to get united to defeat killers of Benazir Bhutto.
He urged the people of the province not to let outsiders enter their ranks and unite to protect their motherland against all the challenges. Addressing a tribal jirga here at the Governor House, the president said every citizen has to play his role as complacency has no place in such challenging times.
He said the people of the province needed to check that their neighbours were not illegal foreigners or were involved in unlawful activities so that they might not create problems for the locals.
The president who was on a day-long visit to the provincial metropolis said, the people here have a better understanding of their surroundings, social customs and must work together to create a safe environment. He assured full support of the government in this regard.
“We will not let anyone take even an inch of our land and will protect it at the cost of our lives... as we know how much sacrifices were rendered to get our liberation from the British,” he said.
Full report at: http://thenews.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=28527
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‘Interim pact’ on Kashmir was for 15 years: Kasuri
By Babar Dogar
April 28, 2010
LAHORE: Former foreign minister Khursheed Mehmood Kasuri has disclosed that the agreement on Kashmir, worked out through back-channel diplomacy, was an interim one, and was subject to review after 15 years.
Talking to The News here on Tuesday in the backdrop of ‘Aman Ki Asha’ - a joint venture of the Jang Group of Pakistan and The Times of India, Khursheed Kasuri claimed the Pakistani and Indian sides at that time had the realisation that in view of the history of Jammu and Kashmir dispute, no solution that they could think of would be an ideal one. He termed that agreement on Kashmir the best possible under the circumstances.
“We were aware of the fact that there would be an overwhelming support for this agreement; but we also realised that there would be criticism from some sections in Kashmir, Pakistan and India,” he said, adding that it was impossible to offer a solution which could be acceptable to everyone.
Kasuri said they decided that the arrangement they had arrived at would need a review after 15 years of its announcement. During this period, its implementation would be monitored by all parties concerned and, in the light of the experience, this arrangement could further be improved.
Full report at: http://thenews.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=28528
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President asks people to protect motherland
28 Apr, 2010
PESHAWAR: President Asif Ali Zardari has urged the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to keep outsiders out of their ranks and unite to protect the country from various threats, reports APP.
Addressing a tribal jirga at the Governor House here on Tuesday, the president said every citizen would have to play his role because complacency had no place in such challenging times. He said that people needed to ensure that their neighbours were not foreigners living in the country illegally and were not involved in unlawful activities and not creating problems for the locals.
President Zardari said the government would cope with the challenges that it was facing.
He recalled that in the past Fata was a peaceful area with a few incidents of crime. But he regretted that the people given refuge and allowed to live in the area turned out to be bitter enemies. They killed their hosts and their families and destroyed their property.
The president, who was on a day-long visit to the city, said that people with a better understanding of their surrounding and social customs must work together to create a safe environment.
Full report at: http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/front-page/president-asks-people-to-protect-motherland-840
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Another son of Sufi Mohammad arrested
By Haleem Asad
28 Apr, 2010
TIMERGARA, April 27: The law enforcement agencies arrested another son of the jailed chief of Tanzim Nifaz Sharait-i-Muhammadi, Maulana Sufi Mohammad, during a raid at a house in Timergara on Tuesday.
Sources said that the arrested person, Matiul Haq, was shifted him to the fort of Frontier Corps in Balambat for interrogation.
Sources said that Mr Haq had been absconding for the last one year. He had gone underground after the government took six sons of TNSM chief into custody different areas.
Sources said a joint team of police and Frontier Corps raided a house in Timergara and arrested Mr Haq along with another person identified as Rasheed. Police, however, declined to confirm the report when contacted. Maulana Kifayatullah, the eldest son of Maulana Sufi Mohammad, had been killed when security forces targeted a house in Maidan Daro on May 7 last year. He was a teacher in a government school. Hayatullah, Rizwanullah, Abdullah and Fazlullah, the other sons of Sufi Mohammad, had already been in jail and under trial in an anti-terrorist court.
HOUSE BLOWN UP: Security forces blew up the house of a militant commander, Riazud Din, at Sar Lara village of Maidan on Tuesday.
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/national/another-son-of-sufi-mohammad-arrested-840
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Two Israeli commanders reprimanded over deaths of Palestinians
28 Apr, 2010
JERUSALEM, April 27: Two senior Israeli officers were reprimanded and a sergeant demoted over the killing of four Palestinians during clashes in the West Bank last month, the military said on Tuesday.
“The investigation shows that the incident could have ended differently and with better results and seemingly could have avoided causing harm to civilians,” the statement said.
Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Gabi Ashkenazi summoned two regional commanders and reprimanded them for the conduct of the forces under their command in the West Bank in two separate incidents, it said.
A teenager and a 20-year-old Palestinian were killed last month when soldiers opened fire on a group of protesters in the West Bank village of Iraq Burin.
The army said the troops moved in to the village south of Nablus to prevent clashes between Palestinians and Jewish settlers from the neighbouring settlement of Bracha. They said the protesters hurled rocks at them.
Officers on the ground said they fired rubber-coated steel bullets, and the army said it was unable to verify Palestinian claims the two were hit by live rounds.
Ashkenazi also decided to demote a first sergeant, determining he could no longer serve in a commanding position after the squad he commanded shot dead two Palestinians at the Awarta checkpoint, also near Nablus, last month.
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/international/two-israeli-commanders-reprimanded-over-deaths-of-palestinians-840
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War and peace
Munir Attaullah
28 April 2010
I think peaceniks should be grateful that the relentless quest by man for better and more sophisticated weapons of destruction has got us to the stage where their possible use is too horrible to contemplate by even the most desperate warmonger
As a committed lifelong peacenik, the question why men (and nations) fight has always troubled me immensely. Have I succeeded in finding even a semblance of a half-satisfactory answer to this vexing conundrum? Not really.
Of course I understand — as we all do — the varied explanations (good and bad) professional historians provide us with in their learned chronicles and analyses of conflict. Indeed, written history was long considered — beginning with Thucydides’ magnificent account of the Peloponnesian Wars — a subject whose primary concerns were the fortunes of princely dynasties and the wars they engaged in. Are our history books not still full of the glorious victories of our own legendary warriors?
It was only after the incomparable Ibn Khuldun had shown the way in the late Middle Ages that the story of mankind began to be conceived on a broader canvas by the more serious historians.
Full report at: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\04\28\story_28-4-2010_pg3_2
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Somali militants push toward pirate stronghold
By MOHAMED OLAD HASSAN & MALKHADIR MUHUMED
28 April 2010
MOGADISHU: Fighters from Somalia's Al-Qaeda-linked militant group moved into the northern region where Somali pirates operate, residents said, forcing pirates to flee and raising the specter of an insurgent attempt to close down the piracy trade.
The pirate gang holding a kidnapped British couple fled into a forest to escape the militants, a self-proclaimed pirate chieftain said.
Paul and Rachel Chandler were bundled into a car early Monday after militants neared the town of Haradhere, said Maslah Yare, who leads the pirate gang that is holding the Chandlers.
Somali pirates and insurgents are two separate groups. If Al-Shabaab militants take control of pirate strongholds, the 300-plus foreign hostages that pirates hold could be in greater danger. Yare said the Chandlers - who are in their 50s - were walking deep into a forest and away from the Islamist militants.
“Al- Shabaab militants are chasing us,” Yare told The Associated Press by phone.
A spokesman from the militant group could not be reached for comment Monday.
But a witness, businessman Ahmed Salad, said an advance team of Al- Shabaab militants entered the pirate lair in two vehicles around midnight Sunday after they had routed moderate Islamists from villages nearby. He said the militants withdrew a short while later for points unknown.
Full report at: http://arabnews.com/world/article47773.ece
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Over 5,900 enumerators collect census data in Jeddah
By BADEA ABU AL-NAJA
28 April 2010
MAKKAH: Over 5,900 people, including 50 women, are collecting data in Jeddah for the 4th National Census of Population and Housing, which began in the Kingdom on Tuesday evening.
Khaled Al-Shaalan, supervisor of the census in Jeddah, said counting the Kingdom’s population is the third and last stage of the census.
“In the first stage, the city was divided into districts and sections, and in the second buildings and establishments were counted,” he said.
He added that as part of the third stage data collectors will fill in a 59-point questionnaire and begin with people who do not have accommodation. “From our past experiences and according to international norms, this category of people should not be left out,” he added. Al-Shaalan said data collectors will also visit on Wednesday all of the region’s hospitals, prisons and shelter homes to enumerate the number of people there.
Full report at: http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article47861.ece
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Global conference on teaching the Qur’an in June
By P.K. ABDUL GHAFOUR
28 April 2010
JEDDAH: An international conference on teaching the Holy Qur’an will be held in Jeddah from June 5 to 7. “This conference is first of its kind,” said Abdullah Basfar, secretary-general of the International Organization for Qur’an Memorization (IOQM).
Basfar called for joint efforts by international Muslim organizations to spread the message of Qur’an, being the word of God and a blessing for the whole mankind. “There are millions of Muslims who do not even know how to read a small chapter of the Qur’an,” he said.
Speaking to Arab News, Basfar said the conference, which has won the support of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, would play a big role in strengthening coordination and cooperation among Qur’an societies across the world.
Full report at: http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article47916.ece
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Israeli forces demolish settlers' 'Obama's Shack'
By DANIELLA CHESLOW
Apr 28, 2010
JERUSALEM: Israeli security forces demolished a handful of illegal structures in West Bank settlements Tuesday, including a wooden bunker that hard-line Jewish activists had defiantly named after President Barack Obama.
Israeli forces also clashed with Palestinian protesters opposed to construction of Israel's West Bank separation barrier. In one incident, paramilitary border police wrestled a teenage boy to the ground, then fired pepper spray directly into his face to subdue him. The youth, screaming in pain, was then arrested and taken away.
Nine structures in Jewish settlements were removed, including a wooden bunker north of Jerusalem known as “Obama's Shack,” Israeli military officials said. Young settlers threw burning tires at security forces in another location, and two people were arrested.
The crackdown coincided with growing signs that Israel and the Palestinians are on the verge of resuming peace talks after a breakdown of more than a year.
Full report at: http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article47797.ece
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Six get 3-year jail in terror funding case Adel Arafa
28 April 2010
The State Security Circuit of the Federal Supreme Court sentenced five Emiratis and an Afghan to three years in jail each for offering funds to the Taleban in Afghanistan.
The verdict was pronounced by Presiding Judge Falah Al Hajri.
Two of the accused, both UAE citizens, were awarded an additional year in jail each on four charges — establishing a group and assaulting freedom of individuals and community; molesting two men and filming them naked; attacking these two persons; and detaining three Emiratis and a Bangladeshi in Al Wurai’ah Valley in Fujairah and punishing them for acts related to their personal freedom.
Full report at:
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle09.asp?xfile=data/theuae/2010/April/theuae_April713.xml§ion=theuae
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Yemen arrests al Qaeda suspects
28 April 2010
Yemeni police arrested dozens of al Qaeda suspects in sweeps a day after a suicide bomber tried to kill Britain’s ambassador to Yemen, security officials said on Tuesday.
At the 22-year-old bomber’s home near Sanaa, his father told Reuters that he condemned his son’s actions and that he had tried to get him to marry and find a job, before the young man went missing around six weeks ago.
Othman Ali al-Sulwi, who wore an explosive belt when he threw himself at a convoy taking Ambassador Tim Torlot to work on Monday, had spent two years in prison before being released at the start of this year, his father said.
Full report at:
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle09.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2010/April/middleeast_April449.xml§ion=middleeast
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‘Puppet’ CM interested in honey-moon, not in development: BNF Chairman
28 Apr, 2010
Chairman Balawaristan National Front Abdul Hamid Khan has criticized puppet Chief Minister Syed Mehdi Shah's offer to Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik and his Indian wife Sania Mirza to spend their honeymoon in Gilgit-Baltistan saying in order to please his Pakistani masters the chief minister was even ready to sacrifice the cultural traditions, honor and sanctity of the motherland.
In a statement issued to the media from Brussels, the BNF chief said had Mehdi Shah been the true son of the soil he would have at least respected the traditions, culture, sanctity and self-respect of the two million people of the region. He said the assets of the people of the region should be spent on their well-being and betterment instead of being wasted on the luxuries of others.
The BNF chief said that Mehdi Shah had no courage to raise any voice when the innocent and unarmed residents of the Diamer district were being brutally killed and maimed for protesting against the construction of the illegal dam on their soil. Neither had he the guts to speak for the rights of the bereaved families or the affected people of the illegal dam.
He said had the puppet chief minister invited foreigners to the region to enjoy their life on his own expenses the people of the region may not have raised any objection but spending the meager funds of the oppressed people whose all rights have so far been denied on the luxuries of foreigners is an insult to the people and should be condemned. It also shows how honest the dummy chief minister is and how he cares for the development of the region and betterment of the poor masses, Mr Khan pointed out.
"The chief minister should have extended a helping hand to the bereaved families of the Martyrs, disable and injured heroes of Kargil war, or established some funds for the assistance of poor students of the region."
He said educational institutions have been closed due to paucity of funds in the region while many development projects have also been put into the cold storage as the rulers have stopped releasing funds for them. Despite being gifted by nature with abundance of natural resources, the region is deprived of electricity while over two thousand leases of mineral resources including gold and uranium etc have been given to Pakistani and other foreign nationals. By bribing the elected representatives the two million people of the region are being kept deprived of their basic rights. On the other hand, invitations are being sent to newlywed couples from Pakistan to spend their honeymoon in the region in complete disregards to the sentiments of the local people, Mr. Khan added. Under these circumstances, he added, the silence of the indigenous people of the area is also deplorable.
He warned Mehdi Shah against bringing the area's honour to disrespect in front of his foreign masters for his personal gains and stop spending the nation's assets and resources for the luxuries of outsiders.
Mr Khan said if Mehdi Shah considers himself as a true son of the soil and a powerful chief minister, he should take over the administration of the Sost Dry Port and spend all the custom income on the development of Gilgit Baltistan instead of Pakistan , withdraw all leases of natural resources issued to Pakistani and other foreign nationals, get the illegal taxes imposed on the locals by the rulers of Islamabad abolished, so that the area can be put on track of progress and development and the sense of deprivation of its people eliminated.
ASSEMBLY: The BNF chief also asked the so-called legislative assembly to dare to legislate at least a couple of laws for the overall welfare of the nation by getting rid of the 61-point package lies of the house. If not more at least give Ladakh hill Council like Powers to the Assembly, so that the assembly is saved from being ridiculed in the world.
He also asked the assembly to take over the income being generated from the Sost Dry Port (import export) and spend it on the betterment of the region.
Secondly, all land allotments to Pakistani and other national since 1971 should be cancelled and action taken against those who violated the Sate Subject Rule.
The BNF chief also demanded that local government employees should be posted in the region and Pakistani national should be sent back to their respective home. He said till setting up of supreme and high courts in the region capital punishment and life imprisonment should be abolished. Gilgit Baltistan Assembly should not act like a rubber stamp in the hands of government of Pakistan and its Military regime.
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Bangladesh: Ethnic minorities demand constitutional recognition
28 Apr, 2010
Academics and leaders of ethnic minorities on Tuesday urged the government to incorporate representatives from the ethnic minorities while implementing donor or lender funded development projects in the country.
They also asked the government to ensure constitutional recognition of the ethnic minorities and to be respectful for their land and linguistic rights as well as rights on the forests.
They were speaking at a seminar on ‘Project on Mainstreaming Indigenous Peoples in Development’ organised by Bangladesh Adivasi Forum in cooperation with Asian Development Bank IDB Bhaban in the city.
‘The issues of ethnic minorities have been included in ADB’s Safeguard Policy taken in 2009 and according to the policy, the minorities’ representatives will have to be included while taking up any ADB-funded development project,’ Bangladesh Adivasi Forum general secretary Sanj-eeb Drong told the seminar.
Full Report at: Newagebd.com
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Man kills sister over karo-kari
28 Apr, 2010
SUKKUR, April 27: A man killed his sister on Tuesday on suspicion of karo-kari in Goth Arab Mahar near Pano Akil.
Reports said that Noor Muhammad suspected his sister Azizan Mahar of having illicit relations with someone and shot her dead in fury. The accused fled from the scene after committing the crime.
Body of the deceased was shifted to taluka hospital Pano Akil for post-mortem.
Neither a case was registered nor any arrest made till the filing of this report.
POLICE RAID: Ghotki police raided seven villages of Pitafi community near Khanpur Mahar on Tuesday to nab criminals involved in Mahar-Pitafi dispute.
Full Report at: http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/national/man-kills-sister-over-karokari-840
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‘People of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa should unite’
28 Apr, 2010
PESHAWAR: President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday called on the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to prevent outsiders from “entering your ranks” and unite to protect the country from the challenges confronting it.
Addressing a tribal jirga at Governor’s House, Zardari said every citizen had a role to play, as there was no room for complacency in such challenging times. He said the people of the province needed to check if their neighbours were “illegal foreigners or were involved in unlawful activities”. The president – who was on a daylong visit to the provincial capital – said the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had better understanding of their surroundings and social customs, and called on them to work together for a safe environment. He assured the jirga that the government would fully back the province in this context.
Full Report at: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\04\28\story_28-4-2010_pg7_11
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Pentagon taking closer look at Afghan intel unit
28 Apr, 2010
WASHINGTON: US Defense Secretary Robert Gates ordered a closer look at a military outfit accused of using contractors to help track down militants in Afghanistan, the Pentagon said on Tuesday, reports Reuter.
The Pentagon has already launched a criminal investigation into a Defense Department employee, who, instead of providing US commanders details on Afghanistan's social and tribal landscape, is accused of running an off-the-books spy operation.
Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said Gates ordered an additional review to see whether the unit may have broken Pentagon rules and regulations on intelligence gathering.
Full Report at: http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/world/14-pentagon-taking-closer-look-at-afghan-intel-unit-02-sa
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Notices issued on petition against Musharraf
By Mudassir Raja
28 Apr, 2010
RAWALPINDI, April 27: The Lahore High Court here on Tuesday issued notices to a senior superintendent of Islamabad police and directed a counsel representing the federal government to assist the court in a petition seeking registration of a second FIR in a suicide attack case against former president Pervez Musharraf and others.
Justice Asad Munir of the LHC’s Rawalpindi bench issued pre-admission notice to the SSP and asked the counsel to argue on May 6 whether the petition filed by Mohammad Aslam Chaudhry was maintainable or not for regular hearing.
Full Report at: http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/national/notices-issued-on-petition-against-musharraf-840
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Insurgents kill 4 police in Pir Bala suicide blast
April 28, 2010
PESHAWAR: At least four policemen were killed and another six sustained injuries in suicide blast near Pir Bala police checkpost attack early on Wednesday morning, Geo news reported.
According to CCPO Peshawar Liaquat Ali, the attack took place as the miscreants rammed their explosive-laden vehicle into police checkpost, resulting into killing of four policemen and injuring six others.
Full Report at: http://thenews.com.pk/updates.asp?id=103772
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Brazil says working to stave off Iran sanctions
April 28, 2010
UN Security Council member Brazil said Tuesday it is working to stave off a fresh round of UN sanctions on Iran and added it could consider hosting an exchange of nuclear fuel for Tehran.
Brazilian foreign minister Celso Amorim, on a visit to Iran, said his country was interested in a solution to Iran's nuclear 'impasse' which 'has dragged on for seven years.'
'We are looking for a way to prevent sanctions against Iran because we think that sanctions are ineffective,' Amorim said in an interview with Iran's official IRNA news agency.
Full report at: www.newagebd.com
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Bosnian Serbs won’t accept Srebrenica genocide: Dodik
28 Apr, 2010
Bosnian Serbs will never accept that the 1995 Srebrenica massacre of some 8,000 Muslims was genocide, the Bosnian Serb prime minister, Milorad Dodik, told a Belgrade daily in an interview published Tuesday.
'We cannot and will never accept qualifying that event as a genocide,' Dodik, who heads the Bosnian Serb entity in Bosnia, Republika Srpska, told the Vecernje Novosti newspaper.
The Srebrenica massacre is the only episode of Bosnia's 1992-1995 war to have been ruled as genocide by two international courts -- the International Court of Justice and the UN war crimes tribunal.
Bosnian Serbs have long downplayed the Srebrenica massacre. But in a report in 2004, the Republika Srpska government acknowledged the scale of the killing and apologised to the relatives of Muslims killed in Srebrenica.
In his interview, Dodik dismissed the 2004 report, saying it was adopted 'under pressure' from the international community's powerful high representative to Bosnia, and that it contained 'inexact numbers'.
It lists '7,000 victims and not 3,500,' which Dodik described as a more likely number of dead.
'We have information that 500 people listed among the victims are alive and that over 250 people buried in the Potocari memorial (near Srebrenica) were not killed in Srebrenica,' Dodik told the newspaper.
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Chavez denies elite Iranian forces in Venezuela
28 Apr, 2010
The Venezuelan president, Hugo Chavez, said on Monday a US report was 'absolutely false' that Iranian special forces had an increasing presence in his South American nation.
The report by the Pentagon to Congress earlier in April said the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps' elite Qods force had a growing Latin American presence, 'particularly in Venezuela.'
That further fueled anxiety in Washington about the Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's increasing ties to the region, especially Brazil and Venezuela's fiery, socialist leader.
'Look at what they are saying,' Chavez said during a ceremony carried on live television.
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Iraq awaits election ruling as winner voices disquiet
28 Apr, 2010
Iraqi leaders were on Tuesday awaiting a ruling on the fate of nine election-winning candidates who stand to be disqualified in a process that has thrown government formation into disarray.
A judicial panel on Monday eliminated at least one winning candidate and around 50 others who failed to secure parliamentary seats, drawing anger from former premier Iyad Allawi whose secular coalition narrowly won the March 7 vote.
One of those disqualified was a winning candidate from Allawi’s Iraqiya bloc, which has alleged that it is being targeted by officials and religious parties who do not want him to obtain power.
The US ambassador to Baghdad, Christopher Hill, on Monday voiced concerns about delays that, almost seven weeks after the election, have left Iraq apparently no closer to forming a government after a tight election race.
Allawi, a Shiite, whose strong backing in Sunni Arab areas led him to defeat incumbent Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, also Shiite, 91 seats to 89 according to unofficial results, said Iraqiya would challenge the disqualifications.
Full report at: http://www.newagebd.com
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UN shuts mission in Kandahar
28 Apr, 2010
The father of the suicide bomber who targeted the British envoy in Yemen has said that he was jailed in the past over suspected links to al-Qaeda, a local news website said Tuesday.
Othman Ali Nouman al-Salawi 'was in prison for two years over charges of belonging to al-Qaeda,' his father Nouman al-Salawi said according to Yemen News website.
'He continued to report to security,' he said, without specifying when he was behind bars.
Salawi, 22, hurled himself Monday at the convoy of the British ambassador in Sanaa, Timothy Torlot, detonating his explosive belt. His body was torn into pieces, while the envoy and his company escaped unscathed.
http://www.newagebd.com/2010/apr/28/inat.html
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/hindu-girl-forced-convert-islam,/d/2773