14 Afghan soldiers, 64 Taliban killed
New Age Islam News Bureau
7 Jul 2013
"India should not follow the western moral less education”: AIMPLB president
Africa
• Nigeria: Rape in Church - the Devil Used Me - Bishop
• Somalia: Seven Killed in Bakool Battle, Al Shabaab Official 'In Talks' Govt
Arab World
• Bahrain Salafist society wants concerts cancelled for Arabs suffering
• Syria's Islamists disenchanted with democracy after Mursi's fall
• Iraqi Kurdish president visits Baghdad to ease disputes
• Islamist cleric Abu Qatada pleads ‘not guilty’ to Jordan terror charges
• Syria's Islamists disenchanted with democracy after Morsi's fall
• Morsy had to go to avert civil war: ElBaradei
• ElBaradei set to become interim Prime Minister
• 12 activists acquitted over Brotherhood HQ attack
• Nour Party: ElBaradei will increase rift if Egypt PM
• Include Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt transition, ElBaradei says
• Heavily armed Islamists attacked us: Cairo residents
• Qaradawi fatwa: Mursi ouster in Egypt 'invalid'
• Two thirds of Syria's Homs rebel area destroyed: NGO
• Main Syrian opposition group elects new president
• Bahrain violence kills one policeman, wounds five
• Famous reciters head to Grand Mosque for Taraweeh and Tahajjud prayers
India
• "India should not follow the western moral less education”: AIMPLB president
• Commission for Minorities Chairman: Govt deleted key portions of my report on J&K mass rape case
• Mahabodhi temple, Buddha idol safe in serial blasts
• Prayers continue at Mahabodhi Temple, visitors barred for now
• National Buddhist body condemns attack
• Centre issues advisory, mentions communal strife in Myanmar
• India in discussion with Afghanistan on equipment supplies
• After IB vs CBI in Ishrat case, its IB vs IB in Jamal encounter
• Fake encounters: Gujarat cops recorded lies of witnesses on oath
Pakistan
• Lahore Food Street Attack: 90 suspects arrested as death toll rises
• Kashgar-Gwadar project “a game changer” for whole region: Sharif
• Waziristan drone strike: Al Qaeda men among fatalities, confirms official
• Nawaz to set up 'China Cell' in PM house
• Paper shortage stops birth, marriage and death registration
• NATO container attacked, set ablaze in Bolan district
• 26/11 trial of Pak suspects adjourned till July 20
• Pak, China sign $18 bn deal
• JUI-F, PML-Q assail govt’s security policy
• Pakistan to release two Indian prisoners
Southeast Asia
• Philippine troops clash with Muslim rebels, 8 dead
• Muslims urged to defend their faith and child conversion bill
• Maldives being used as a transit point by illegal recruiters: Philippines
• Nik Aziz accuses US and Israel of being two-faced on Egypt
• Malaysian Ministry waiting for scientific evidence before banning Shisha, e-cigarette
• Malaysians no longer scared to talk politics openly, says analyst
Mideast
• Iran and Russia denounce Mursi’s ouster; warn of ‘civil war’ in Egypt
• Israel refuses to release ‘old’ Palestinian prisoners
• Turkish police break up gathering at Taksim Square
• Israel passes military draft Bill
North America
• Obama: U.S. ‘not aligned’ with any party in Egypt transition
• U.S. Defense Secretary urges Egypt’s army general on peaceful civilian transition
• Asylum offers bring end to Snowden’s nightmare
Europe
• Egypt army's Morsi ouster justified: Tony Blair
• Egypt approaching civil war: Putin
• Norway threatens to cut aid to Afghanistan
• Rights chief urges probe into Turkey police violence
• 33 Syrians fleeing to Europe held in Romania
South Asia
• 14 Afghan soldiers, 64 Taliban killed
• Bomb analysis lab in Kabul hunts for killer clues
• Bangladesh scores dazzling victory against poverty
• Mexican president praises Bangladesh’s achievements
• MDP launches youth policy: ‘Entertainment without fear’
• MP Abdulla Abdul Raheem quits Jumhoree Party
• President’s coalition denies Adhaalath Party leadership “dissatisfied” with campaign
• Sri Lankan President saddened by Bodh Gaya explosions: Official
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL:
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14 Afghan soldiers, 64 Taliban killed
(AP) / 7 July 2013
The government says 14 Afghan soldiers and 64 Taliban militants have been killed in fighting and roadside bombings across the country in the past 24 hours.
The Ministry of Defense said on Sunday the casualties include 10 Taliban fighters killed in a single operation in Wardak province, west of Kabul. Three soldiers were killed in Wardak by artillery fire and roadside bombs.
Seven more soldiers were killed in Helmand province by roadside bombs, and four others were killed in other attacks across the country.
The Defense Ministry said 27 Taliban were killed, while the Interior Ministry reported 37 killed but no police casualties.
The Afghan army and police, which took over security operations from NATO-led coalition forces this year, have lost 927 troops through June, according to an Associated Press count.
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/kt-article-display-1.asp?xfile=data/international/2013/July/international_July176.xml§ion=international
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Africa
Nigeria: Rape in Church - the Devil Used Me - Bishop
BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME, 7 JULY 2013
MANY found it hard to believe. They made calls to confirm if those close to the bishop had heard the story.
But the 'man of God' himself told the story before journalists at the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Bishop Chibuike Nwabueze narrated the story of how he allegedly raped a 15-year-old girl after ministering at Calvary Army Ministry, Rumuoji Eneka in Obio Akpor local government area of Rivers state.
He blamed it on the devil and also accused his host as the one who set him up. According to the cleric, after he finished ministering, he retired to rest. The girl later came for deliverance.
He said that while he was pleading the blood of Jesus on the little girl, she started removing her dress. Before he could restrain her, he said he found himself on top of her.
"But to my greatest surprise, I was surprised when I saw her pulling off her blouse and skirt. But, before I knew it, I had a carnal knowledge of her. That is the truth of the matter."
His head suddenly dropped after the confession, then went up again; this time he said anybody could have fallen for it.
According to him, when he realised he had sinned against God, he called some junior pastors to tell them what he had done to pray for him.
Nwabueze said he took a second look at the little girl who probably was still lying nude and waiting for a second round and what he saw pissed him off.
"She started laughing at me. She said 'are you angry?' I told her that I did not know she had hypnotised me. She said I should not bother," the bishop said.
"I was so angry and annoyed that I called some of my pastors and made a confession, that I did not know what was happening."
Nwabueze said it was not true that he raped the girl, stressing that it was a consensual act. He also dismissed the allegation that he later procured abortion for the girl when the father called to inform him that she was pregnant. According to him, it was the girl's father that did it but he paid the bills.
The bishop maintained that the pastor of the church where he went to preach set him up and he fell for it.
"We have different Colleges of Bishops. I am the Chairman of the Communion of Bishops in Rivers State. Well, what actually happened was a set up. It was set-up by my enemies. I have so many people who are my enemies. The man in-charge of where I went to minister is my enemy. He is the person that set me up," he stated.
"He invited me to his church for a programme, claiming to be my friend. After the programme, he set me up because of the tussle over the chairmanship of the communion."
Meanwhile, the police have advised Christians to be vigilant and ask the right questions sometimes on the actions of some pastors. This way the police said, Christians could different between true and fake pastors.
Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Rivers SCID, Mr Samuel Okaula, who paraded the bishop and a male nurse who allegedly facilitated the abortion, also said people should be conscious of worship centres. He said Nwabueze would be arraigned before the court to serve as a deterrent.
Reacting to the development, Executive Director, Institute of Human rights and Humanitarian Law, IHRHL, Mr Ayankwee Nsirimovu, described the action of the bishop as unfortunate as it was done by one in a position of spiritual trust. He said the incident was one case out of the experiences of under aged girls, married and single women in the offices of randy bishops and clergy men.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201307070073.html?viewall=1
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Somalia: Seven Killed in Bakool Battle, Al Shabaab Official 'In Talks' Govt
6 JULY 2013
Baidoa — At least seven persons were killed on Friday in Bakool region of southern Somalia in battles between Somali government forces and Al Shabaab militants, Garowe Online reports.
Bakool Governor Mohamed Abdi Tall told local media that Somali government forces launched the attack on a location controlled by Al Shabaab, between Huddur and Wajid districts of Bakool region.
"The fighting lasted for two hours and 3 Al Shabaab members were killed," said Governor Tall, while adding that there were "casualties on our side".
Witnesses reported on Somali media that they saw seven dead bodies belonging to the fighting sides, and that Somali government forces were in control of the area.
An Al Shabaab spokesman on Mogadishu media confirmed the fighting on Friday, saying that Al Shabaab had "repulsed" an attack by government forces.
Al Shabaab official 'in talks' with Somali government
Governor Tall also stated that Muktar Robow Abu Mansur, a senior member of Al Shabaab, had "contacted" Somali government officials in Bakool region. Governor Tall said Abu Mansur is currently in El Barde area of Bakool and that he is "in talks" with government officials.
"We have agreed to fight Al Shabaab led by Ahmed Abdi Godane," said Governor Tall. Abu Mansur, along with senior Al Shabaab members including Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys who is now inside a government jail in Mogadishu, escaped Barawe coastal town of Lower Shabelle region last month after Godane sent death squads to kill them.
Governor Tall declined to mention whether or not Abu Mansur will join Somali government forces in Bakool region to fight Al Shabaab militants in the region.
Somali government in Mogadishu has not yet publicly responded to Governor Tall's claims of talks with Al Shabaab official Abu Mansur.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201307070005.html?aa_source=mf-hdlns
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Arab World
Bahrain Salafist society wants concerts cancelled for Arabs suffering
July 7, 2013
Manama: A Salafist society in Bahrain has called for the cancellation of the annual summer festival in respect of the Arabs and Muslims suffering in several countries.
“We request the culture ministry to respond to the wishes of the Bahraini street and respect the feelings of the Arab and Islamic nation during these critical times,” Al Asala posted on its website. “There are currently grave tragedies and calamities in Syria, Egypt, Lebanon and Iraq and there are also destructive catastrophes. The forces of evil are targeting the nation. Innocent people are being killed and our brethren are being bombarded with chemicals,” the society said.
Full report at:
http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/bahrain/bahrain-salafist-society-wants-concerts-cancelled-1.1206197
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Syria's Islamists disenchanted with democracy after Mursi's fall
Sun, 7 Jul 2013
By Erika Solomon
BEIRUT, July 7 (Reuters) - Syria's Islamist rebels say the downfall of Egypt's popularly elected Muslim Brotherhood president has proven that Western nations pushing for democracy will never accept them, and reinforced the view of radicals that a violent power grab is their only resort.
Radical Islamist groups, some of them linked to al Qaeda, have lately been in the ascendancy in Syria's two-year conflict as the death toll rises above 100,000.
Assad has celebrated President Mohamed Mursi's fall as a symbolic blow to the Islamist-dominated opposition, though on the battlefield, where his troops are already making gains, it is likely to have little impact given the Brotherhood's limited role in the fighting.
Hardliners in the rebel ranks have long overshadowed the Muslim Brotherhood, a regional movement with a more moderate Islamist brand, and often criticized it for working within the framework of democracy instead of demanding an Islamic state.
Full report at:
http://www.trust.org/item/20130707101617-47kui
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Iraqi Kurdish president visits Baghdad to ease disputes
7 July 2013
The president of Iraqi Kurdistan, Masoud Barzani, visited Baghdad on Sunday for the first time in more than two years, in a step towards resolving long-running disputes between the central government and the autonomous region over land and oil.
The visit follows an equally rare trip by Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki who met Barzani in Kurdistan last month, easing tensions between leaders who have repeatedly accused each other of violating the constitution.
There was little concrete progress then, and officials on both sides said any major breakthrough on Sunday was unlikely, but the focus would be on how committees formed to resolve the disputes should work.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2013/07/07/Iraqi-Kurdish-president-visits-Baghdad-to-ease-disputes.html
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Islamist cleric Abu Qatada pleads ‘not guilty’ to Jordan terror charges
7 July 2013
Islamist cleric Abu Qatada pleaded not guilty on Sunday to terror charges pressed by military prosecutors just hours after his deportation from Britain, his lawyer said.
"Abu Qatada pleaded not guilty. I will appeal tomorrow (Monday) to the (state security) court to release him on bail," Taysir Diab told AFP.
In an end to eight years of government efforts to send him home for trial, Abu Qatada was deported by Britain to Jordan on Sunday.
"State security court prosecutors charged Abu Qatada with conspiracy to carry our terrorist acts," a judicial official told AFP.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/world/2013/07/07/Jordan-vows-credibility-as-Britain-sends-Abu-Qatada-home-.html
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Syria's Islamists disenchanted with democracy after Morsi's fall
7 Jul 2013
Syria's Islamist rebels say the downfall of Egypt's popularly elected Muslim Brotherhood president has proven that Western nations pushing for democracy will never accept them, and reinforced the view of radicals that a violent power grab is their only resort.
Radical Islamist groups, some of them linked to al Qaeda, have lately been in the ascendancy in Syria's two-year conflict as the death toll rises above 100,000.
Assad has celebrated President Mohamed Morsi 's fall as a symbolic blow to the Islamist-dominated opposition, though on the battlefield, where his troops are already making gains, it is likely to have little impact given the Brotherhood's limited role in the fighting.
Hardliners in the rebel ranks have long overshadowed the Muslim Brotherhood, a regional movement with a more moderate Islamist brand, and often criticized it for working within the framework of democracy instead of demanding an Islamic state.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/75919/World/Region/Syrias-Islamists-disenchanted-with-democracy-after.aspx
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Morsy had to go to avert civil war: ElBaradei
July 06, 2013
Amid doubts over Mohamed ElBaradei’s appointment as Egypt’s new Prime Minister, the pro-reform leader has defended the ouster of Mohammed Morsy by the Army, saying it was necessary to avert a civil war as the Islamist leader had declared himself a “pharaoh” and messed up matters.
Mr. ElBaradei, the former head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), is the favourite to lead a transitional government in Egypt after Mr. Morsy, the country’s first democratically elected President, was removed from office by the powerful military last week.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/world/morsy-had-to-go-to-avert-civil-war-elbaradei/article4891583.ece
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ElBaradei set to become interim Prime Minister
ATUL ANEJA
July 06, 2013
Military decision may heighten pro-Morsy protests
Egypt’s new military rulers appear set to appoint Mohamed ElBaradei as interim Prime Minister, to partially fill the institutional vacuum that has arisen following a bloodless coup which toppled President Mohamed Morsy earlier this week.
However, the appointment of Mr. ElBaradei, former head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, could further energise seething protests Mr. Morsy’s supporters have mounted.
The protests peaked on Friday night but after overnight pitched battles between the supporters and foes of the deposed President, a massive cleanup operation began on a Nile bridge, not far from Cairo’s iconic Tahrir Square.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/world/elbaradei-set-to-become-interim-prime-minister/article4889444.ece
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12 activists acquitted over Brotherhood HQ attack
7 Jul 2013
A Cairo criminal court on Sunday cleared twelve activists of inciting violence during confrontations outside the Muslim Brotherhood's Cairo headquarters in March.
Defendants included outspoken political activist Ahmed Douma, blogger Alaa Abdel-Fattah, journalist Nawara Negm, opposition National Salvation Front member Hazem Abdel-Azim, Constitution Party member Ahmed Eid and political activist Karim El-Shaer.
The activists were accused of inciting an assault on the Islamist group's headquarters in Cairo's suburban Moqattam district last March, in what became deadly clashes between pro- and anti- Brotherhood protesters.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/75921/Egypt/Politics-/-activists-acquitted-over-Brotherhood-HQ-attack.aspx
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Nour Party: ElBaradei will increase rift if Egypt PM
7 Jul 2013
Bassem El-Zaraka, vice chairman of the Nour Party, announced Saturday evening that the party refuses that Mohamed ElBaradei be appointed prime minister.
"Egypt is passing by a critical moment now and needs someone who is wise," said the leading Salafist figure and former adviser to ousted president Mohamed Morsi on Al-Hayat TV, adding that proposing ElBaradei means there is misunderstanding around what is happening in Egypt.
"I suggest that the Nour Party withdraw from the political scene to object this decision," said El-Zaraka, without giving hints if this would mean Nour joining the Salafist Call — Egypt's largest Salafist umbrella group — in an effective political boycott following Morsi's ouster.
"ElBaradei has a vision of a secular state that does not go along with the Nour Party [vision] ... especially his views regarding Islamic Sharia," said El-Zaraka on Al-Hayat TV.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/75893/Egypt/Politics-/Nour-Party-ElBaradei-will-increase-rift-if-Egypt-P.aspx
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Include Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt transition, ElBaradei says
AFP | Jul 7, 2013
BERLIN: Nobel Peace laureate Mohamed ElBaradei called for the Muslim Brotherhood to be included in Egypt's political future, in a media interview conducted before his candidacy as interim premier hit opposition.
ElBaradei told German news weekly Der Spiegel in remarks published on Sunday that members of the Muslim Brotherhood camp of ousted president Mohamed Morsi should not be treated as criminals.
"I am calling for inclusion of the Brotherhood in the democratization process," he said in comments printed in German.
"No one should be taken to court without a convincing reason. Former president Morsi must be treated with dignity," he added, calling such principles "preconditions for national reconciliation".
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Include-Muslim-Brotherhood-in-Egypt-transition-ElBaradei-says/articleshow/20956615.cms?
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Heavily armed Islamists attacked us: Cairo residents
AFP | Jul 6, 2013
CAIRO: Residents of Cairo's Manial neighbourhood were recovering on Saturday from a bloody night of clashes with armed supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood who killed at least seven people and left dozens injured, they told AFP.
The violence erupted when residents tried to stop hundreds of Islamists passing through Manial to reach protests being staged in the iconic Tahrir Square against toppled president Mohamed Morsi, who hails from the Muslim Brotherhood.
"The Brotherhood attacked the area with all kinds of weapons," said resident Mohammed Yehya, who lost three of his friends in the mayhem.
Inhabitants of the Nile island of Manial reported seeing dozens of bearded Islamists armed with machineguns, machetes and sticks on Friday night before the deadly clashes broke out.
Snipers were spotted on rooftops, and medics told AFP they treated some residents of the normally quiet middle-class neighbourhood for bullet wounds with a downward trajectory.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Heavily-armed-Islamists-attacked-us-Cairo-residents/articleshow/20944592.cms
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Qaradawi fatwa: Mursi ouster in Egypt 'invalid'
July 07, 2013
DUBAI (AFP) -- Influential Muslim cleric Yusuf al-Qaradawi on Saturday issued a religious decree, or fatwa, urging Egyptians to support overthrown Islamist president Mohamed Mursi who was toppled by the army on Wednesday.
"Their every action is invalid," Qaradawi said of "those who have overthrown the president, suspended the constitution and imposed another president and constitution" on Egypt.
The Qatar-based but Egypt-born cleric published the fatwa on his Internet site.
He urged "all parties and political groups in Egypt to support correctness and restore President Mursi to his legitimate post".
Full report at:
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=611804
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Two thirds of Syria's Homs rebel area destroyed: NGO
AFP | Jul 7, 2013
BEIRUT: Intense fighting in the central Syrian city of Homs has left 60 to 70 per cent of a besieged rebel-held district damaged, destroyed or uninhabitable, a monitoring group said on Sunday.
The estimate from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights came nine days into an all-out army assault on the rebel-held Khaldiyeh and Old City neighbourhoods, which have been under siege for more than a year.
On Sunday, regime forces subjected insurgent areas of the city to fierce shelling, said the Observatory.
"Sixty to 70 per cent of buildings in Khaldiyeh are either totally destroyed, partially destroyed, or unsuitable for habitation," Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman said.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Two-thirds-of-Syrias-Homs-rebel-area-destroyed-NGO/articleshow/20958204.cms?
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Main Syrian opposition group elects new president
July 06, 2013
Syria’s main opposition on Saturday elected Ahmad Assi Jarba to lead the movement which groups opponents of President Bashar al-Assad, spokesman Khaled Saleh said.
Jarba, who represents the faction of veteran secular dissident Michel Kilo and who is seen as close to Saudi Arabia, obtained 55 votes in the deeply divided Syrian National Coalition.
He edged out the group’s secretary general Mustafa al-Sabbagh, who obtained 52 votes in the second round of balloting at the group’s meeting in the Turkish city of Istanbul.
The opposition had been rudderless since the departure in May of Ahmad Moaz al-Khatib in protest at the world’s “inaction” over Syria’s civil war.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/restofasia/Main-Syrian-opposition-group-elects-new-president/Article1-1088382.aspx
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Bahrain violence kills one policeman, wounds five
July 07, 2013
Two attacks outside the Bahraini capital Manama killed one policeman and wounded five, the interior ministry and police said on Sunday, in the latest unrest to rock the Sunni-ruled Shiite-majority Gulf state.
A bomb killed one policeman and wounded two in a Shiite village near Manama, Bahrain's head of public security said.
"Terrorist groups targeted a police station in Sitra" late on Saturday, general Tariq Hasan said in the statement carried by the official BNA news agency.
"As police attempted to secure the area... the terrorists blew up an improvised bomb against security forces in an attack that killed policeman Yasser Dhaib and wounded two others."
In Janabiya, another Shiite village outside the capital, a "group of terrorists attacked a security patrol with Molotov cocktails," the interior ministry said on Twitter.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/restofasia/Bahrain-violence-kills-one-policeman-wounds-five/Article1-1088606.aspx
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Famous reciters head to Grand Mosque for Taraweeh and Tahajjud prayers
7 July 2013
The Shaikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre (SZGMC) will play host to a number of renowned Quran reciters to lead the Taraweeh and Tahajjud prayers throughout the nights of the holy month of Ramadan, under its programme titled ‘Masabeeh Ramadaniya’.
The Taraweeh prayer schedule includes Shaikh Fares Abbad from first to the 10th of Ramadan, Shaikh Mishary Alafasi from 11th to 15th of Ramadan, Shaikh Idris from 16th to the 19th of Ramadan and Shaikh Abdul Alwali Alerkane from the 20th to the end of Ramadan. The Tahujjud prayers will be led by Shaikh Idris from the 20th to end month of Ramadan.
There will also be nightly religious lectures held at the Grand Mosque, which are offered by Islamic scholars from all over the world. These will take place after the Taraweeh prayers.
Full report at:
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/nation/inside.asp?xfile=/data/ramadannews/2013/July/ramadannews_July15.xml§ion=ramadannews
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India
"India should not follow the western moral less education”: AIMPLB president
July 07, 2013
Bhatkal: President of All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), His honour Maulana Rabey Hasani Nadwi has strongly appealed the masses to refrain from following the western way of unethical and moral less education. "Education is must for every citizen, but we should not lose the soul of our character while pursuing it. We should not follow the western ways of education were there is neither moral nor character." he said.
Moulana was addressing a gathering of dignitaries in Bhatkal which also included media persons after inaugurating a school building during his brief visit to Bhatkal. Moulana was actually on his way back to Lucknow from his South India visit, when he was requested to honour Jamia Islamia Bhatkal's annual function with his esteemed presence. During his brief stay, His honour Moulana Rabey Hasani inaugurated several school buildings and delivered sermons on the occasions.
Full report at:
http://www.sahilonline.org/english/newsDetails.php?cid=1&nid=19108
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Commission for Minorities Chairman breaks silence: Govt deleted key portions of my report on J&K mass rape case
Jul 07 2013
New Delhi : Wajahat Habibullah, chairman of the National Commission for Minorities, has said that the government “deleted important portions of his confidential report” on the Konanposhpora mass rape case in which he had recommended a police probe, upgradation in the level of investigation, entrusting the case to a gazetted police officer and seeking an order from the 15 Corps Commander to ensure Army cooperation in the probe.
Habibullah was Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir when troops of 4 Raj Rifles allegedly raped 23 women in the village during a cordon-and-search operation on the night of February 23-24, 1991. The government used his report to give a clean chit to the Army.
More than two decades later, the mass rape case reared its head again last month after a Judicial Magistrate in Kupwara refused to entertain a police case closure report and ordered “further investigation by an officer not below the rank of a Senior Superintendent of Police” and its completion within three months.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/habibullah-breaks-silence-govt-deleted-key-portions-of-my-report-on-j-k-mass-rape-case/1138601/
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Mahabodhi temple, Buddha idol safe in serial blasts
July 07, 2013
The Mahabodhi temple complex structure has not suffered any damage, said a top official here Sunday following a string of bombings that left two monks injured in Bihar's Bodh Gaya.
"The temple complex structure has not suffered any damage. The monastery and the statue of Lord Buddha are safe," union Home Secretary Anil Goswami told reporters here.
According to the home ministry, blasts took place in quick succession between 5:30am and 6:00am in the temple complex and near the Bodhi tree.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/newdelhi/Mahabodhi-temple-Buddha-idol-safe-in-serial-blasts/Article1-1088509.aspx
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Prayers continue at Mahabodhi Temple, visitors barred for now
PTI | Jul 7, 2013
GAYA: Mahabodhi Temple, the target of serial blasts, has been closed for general public but the prayers will continue to be held as usual, Bihar police chief Abhayanand said.
The DGP said no harm has come to the sanctum sanctorum of the famous Buddhist temple, but some peripheral damage has occurred.
He said security has been stepped up at the temple, which is visited by lakhs of people each year, and adjoining areas following review meeting between the Bodh Gaya Temple management committee (BTMC) members and police brass after the serial blasts at the shrine and surrounding areas.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Prayers-continue-at-Mahabodhi-Temple-visitors-barred-for-now/articleshow/20957431.cms
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National Buddhist body condemns attack
July 06, 2013
Shocked and saddened by the serial blasts that rocked the Mahabodhi temple in Bihar’s Gaya district, the All India Bhiku Sangha, a national organisation of Buddhist monks has condemned the incident as an attack on messengers of peace.
“Buddhist monks all over the country feel saddened by the attack. The international community is also shaken. We try to put people on the right path and we have been made the target of a terror attack. The All India Bhiku Sangha condemns this attack. This should not have happened. We spread the message of peace across the world. This is an attempt to spread terror and create discord among the messengers of peace, Bhante Sadanand Mahasthaver, chairman of the Sangha, told The Hindu on phone from Maharashtra’s Wardha district.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/national-buddhist-body-condemns-attack/article4891332.ece
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Centre issues advisory, mentions communal strife in Myanmar
Bharti Jain, TNN | Jul 7, 2013
NEW DELHI: In what points to a preliminary assessment within the Central security establishment, the BodhGaya blasts may be linked to the ongoing communal strife in Myanmar.
The Union home ministry, in an advisory to the states issued soon after the blasts, asked them to beef up security at Buddhist shrines and Tibetan settlements in the light of inputs that radical outfits may avenge attacks on Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar.
While calling for stepped up vigil at sensitive installations, crowded places and places of worship, the MHA advisory on Sunday morning alerted all the states on inputs about alleged plans of radical groups to target Buddhist installations in India in the light of clashes between Rohingya Muslims and Buddhists in Myanmar in the recent months.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Centre-issues-advisory-mentions-communal-strife-in-Myanmar/articleshow/20954914.cms?
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India in discussion with Afghanistan on equipment supplies
July 07, 2013
An Indian civilian and military officials’ team is in Afghanistan as the two countries discuss equipment supplies and are looking to enhance cooperation in this area, days after Afghan President Hamid Karzai raised the issue of supply of lethal weapons with the Prime Minister.
Clarifying the remarks by External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid that India has decided not to supply lethal weaponry, official sources on Sunday said that the two countries were in discussion on all aspects regarding the supplies of equipment.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/india-in-discussion-with-afghanistan-on-equipment-supplies/article4891691.ece
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Fake encounters: Gujarat cops recorded lies of witnesses on oath
Saeed Khan, TNN | Jul 7, 2013
AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat police not only fabricated evidence during their investigation into the fake encounter cases but also made "witnesses" record false statements under section 164 of the CrPC.
This came to light when the CBI reinvestigated the cases and revealed how the Gujarat cops had obtained the so-called witnesses' statements on oath to give the testimonies the sanctity of genuine evidence.
In the Ishrat Jahan fake encounter case, the CBI has revealed that the Mumbai girl and Javed Shaikh, killed along with her, were in the custody of sleuths of central IB and the city crime branch from June 12, 2004.
But when the case was being investigated by the Gujarat police, the then ACP Parikshita Rathod had recorded the statement of one Manojkumar Siddhapura before a judicial magistrate under section 164. Siddhapura had claimed that Ishrat and Javed were in Surat on July 14, 2004.
Siddhpura is the owner of Shakti Garage in Varachha, Surat. He told the magistrate on oath that Ishrat and Javed had got their Indica car repaired at his garage. Siddhapura had also given crime branch PSI K S Desai a receipt for Rs 1,025 that was "paid" to him as repairing charges. He had claimed that Ishrat and Javed had refused to accept the receipt.
"The crime branch obtained so many statements under Section 164 mainly because this procedure gives legal sanctity to an investigation. The Gujarat police wanted to hide the falsehood of their case," said advocate I H Syed, who represents Ishrat's mother. In fact, Rathod had presented 15 statements made by witnesses on oath and Siddhapura's was one of them. Another such witnesses, Manish Christian, of Raj Palace Hotel, had claimed that Ishrat and Javed had stayed there on May 26 and 27, 2004.
When asked about such statements, advocate Mukul Sinha said, "Such statements amount not only to criminal offence but also to contempt of court by the investigators."
Gujarat's CID (crime) had also recorded a false statement on oath in the Tulsiram Prajapati fake encounter case. The investigating officer of the case, DSP R K Patel, is now facing prosecution for doing that. The CBI chargesheet in the Tulsi case revealed how Patel had coerced statements from the family members of Tulsiram's landlord, Komal Jha.
During its investigation of the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case, the CBI had recorded in May 2010 the statements of the family of Jha. The statements established that Tulsi was absent in mid-November 2005 when he had accompanied Sohrabuddin to Hyderabad.
However, DSP Patel called the family to Gujarat in August 2010 and threatened them to change their statement.
To get the police off their back, they gave a false statement before chief judicial magistrate, Himmatnagar. As directed by Patel, they said that Tulsi was present in Bhilwara when Sohrabuddin was allegedly abducted by the Gujarat police while on way from Andhra Pradesh.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Fake-encounters-Gujarat-cops-recorded-lies-of-witnesses-on-oath/articleshow/20950041.cms
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Pakistan
Lahore Food Street Attack: 90 suspects arrested as death toll rises
July 7, 2013
LAHORE: Ninety suspects have been arrested in Saturday’s Lahore bomb blast, while the death toll rose to five on Sunday, Express News reported.
The police arrested workers from the Anarkali hotels operating on the street as part of its investigations, whilst people living in the area were being questioned regarding their visitors.
According to the police, the amount of explosives used in the bomb attack on Saturday was low, hinting that the aim of the blast was to invoke fear and panic among people.
Police said that the explosive material had been kept in a refrigerator, whose compressor was found in an undamaged condition. A Bomb Disposal Squad official said the bomb weighed five to six kilogrammes which left a huge crater at the site. The blast damaged nearby shops in the food street where families were dining. Since it was Saturday night, the food street was abuzz with diners at the time of the blast.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/573632/lahore-food-street-attack-90-suspects-arrested-as-death-toll-rises/
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Kashgar-Gwadar project “a game changer” for whole region: Sharif
July 07, 2013
GUANGZHOU: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Sunday asked a prominent Chinese company to provide suggestions and assistance in curbing power line losses, theft and pilferage in Pakistan.
The Prime Minister who arrived here this morning during the third phase of his five-day official visit, held a meeting with the president of China Southern Power Grid (CSG) Zhao Jianguo.
Sharif told him that they were working on building power plants based upon coal, solar and wind resources, adding that Pakistan was blessed with abundant water resources and coal reservoirs to generate energy.
Full report at:
http://dawn.com/news/1023486/kashgar-gwadar-project-a-game-changer-for-whole-region-sharif
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Waziristan drone strike: Al Qaeda men among fatalities, confirms official
July 7, 2013
DI KHAN / PESHAWAR: Two al Qaeda militants and as many Punjabi Taliban were among the 17 people killed in Tuesday night’s drone strike in North Waziristan Agency, The Express Tribune has learnt.
Remotely-piloted American aircraft fired a barrage of missiles at a compound in the Sarai Darpa Khel area near Miramshah Bazaar late Tuesday night, killing 17 suspected militants.
Two al Qaeda militants – Abu Yousaf Aljaziri and Maulana Akhtar Zadran – and as many Punjabi Taliban – Rana Ashraf from Sargodha and Naveed Butt from Lahore – were among the fatalities, an intelligence official confirmed to The Express Tribune. The official was speaking on condition of anonymity.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/573528/waziristan-drone-strike-al-qaeda-men-among-fatalities-confirms-official/
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Nawaz to set up 'China Cell' in PM house
July 7, 2013
SHANGHAI: To follow up on all the projects signed during the recent China visit, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will set up a dedicated “China Cell” in the prime minister house.
Nawaz revealed this while speaking to the media from China on Sunday.
Thanking the Chinese authorities for their overwhelming response, Nawaz said all the projects – when completed – will be of great benefit to the people of Pakistan.
He asked the nation to pray that these schemes materialise soon and that no untoward incident cause a setback.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/573635/nawaz-to-set-up-china-cell-in-pm-house/
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Paper shortage stops birth, marriage and death registration
July 7, 2013
LAHORE: Several union councils in the city have been unable to issue birth, death or marriage certificates to citizens for over a week due to a shortage of security paper, The Express Tribune has learnt.
All deaths, births and marriages are supposed to be registered with the local union council office, which then issues certificates on paper printed by the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA).
But some 20 union councils have not received the paper for eight days. “Many people have approached us for birth and death certificates but we have had to turn them away,” said UC-108 Secretary Badar Mohiyuddin.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/573461/paper-shortage-stops-birth-marriage-and-death-registration/
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Nato container attacked, set ablaze in Bolan district
SYED ALI SHAH
July 07, 2013
QUETTA: Armed militants torched a container supplying fuel to US and Nato troops in Balochistan' s Bolan district on Sunday.
Fateh Muhammad, a Levies official told Dawn.com that two gunmen on a motorcycle opened fire at the container in Dhadar area of the district.
“The container was forced to stop after gun fire, at which point the armed assailants set it on fire,” Muhammad said. The attackers drove off after the strike.
Full report at:
http://dawn.com/news/1023487/nato-container-attacked-set-ablaze-in-bolan-district
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26/11 trial of Pak suspects adjourned till July 20
PTI | Jul 6, 2013
ISLAMABAD: The trial of seven Pakistanis, including Lashkar-e-Taiba commander ZakiurRehmanLakhvi, charged with involvement in the Mumbai attacks was on Friday adjourned till July 20 as four witnesses in the case could not appear before the court.
Anti-Terrorism Court judge Kausar Abbas Zaidi today held the hearing in Islamabad and adjourned the case after four witnesses - Hamza Bin Tariq, Muhammad Ali, Mohammad Saifullah Khan and Umer Draz Khan - who were summoned by the court for cross examination did not turn up.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/26/11-trial-of-Pak-suspects-adjourned-till-July-20/articleshow/20944727.cms
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Pak, China sign $18 bn deal
Jul 06 2013
Beijing : China and Pakistan Friday signed eight agreements, including a whopping $18 billion deal to build a 200 km-long strategic tunnel through the rugged PoK, as the two all-weather allies sought to boost economic ties and supply critical oil to the Communist giant.
The agreements were signed after visiting Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif held talks with his Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang here at the Great Hall of the People.
China has strategic interest in the Pak-China Economic Corridor, Li said on the 200 km-long tunnel which will connect Pakistan’s Gwadar Port on the Arabian Sea and Kashghar in Xinjiang in northwest China.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/pak-china-sign--18-bn-deal/1138259/
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JUI-F, PML-Q assail govt’s security policy
AMIR WASIM
July 07, 2013
ISLAMABAD: Two major political parties — the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F) and Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) — expressed on Saturday their reservations over the proposed counter-terrorism policy of the government, terming it mere rhetoric.
According to JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, serious strategy for talks with the Taliban is missing from the draft policy whereas PML-Q’s secretary general Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed has called for adopting a multi-faceted approach instead of an academic or a theoretical one.
Commenting on the reported draft of the counter-terrorism policy of the PML-N government, which has already decided to hold a meeting of all parties on the security issue, the JUI-F chief said mere administrative measures would not effectively end terrorism.
The draft policy renews the government’s commitment to fight terrorism, but reportedly contains no radical shift in the strategy for dealing with the problem other than a rare acknowledgment that ‘enabling environment’ existed in the country for growth of extremism and terrorism.
Full report at:
http://dawn.com/news/1023361/jui-f-pml-q-assail-govts-security-policy
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Pakistan to release two Indian prisoners
Yudhvir Rana, TNN | Jul 7, 2013
AMRITSAR: Pakistan government will release two Indian prisoners lodged in a Karachi jail on Monday, informed Pakistan's former federal minister for human rights Ansar Burney while talking to TOI on Sunday.
Burney said that the Indian nationals Latiful Haq Vinoo and Miyali Hanif will be released from jail on Monday.
He said that Ansar Burney Trust International had made an arrangement for their transportation to Wagah (Pakistan) border from where they would be handed over to Indian authorities on Tuesday.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Pakistan-to-release-two-Indian-prisoners/articleshow/20956129.cms?
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Southeast Asia
Philippine troops clash with Muslim rebels, 8 dead
July 07, 2013
Five Philippine soldiers and three rogue Muslim rebels have been killed in clashes ahead of the resumption of peace talks aimed at ending a decades-old rebellion, the military said on Sunday.
The Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, a splinter guerrilla group, ambushed an army truck and attacked an army camp on Saturday, said regional military spokesman Major-General Romeo Gapuz.
The fighting occurred two days before the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the country's largest Muslim guerrilla force, were to resume talks in neighbouring Malaysia on Monday.
"The BIFF is hell-bent on derailing the (Philippines-MILF) peace talks by launching simultaneous attacks against civilian and military installations," Gapuz said in a written statement.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/restofasia/Philippine-troops-clash-with-Muslim-rebels-8-dead/Article1-1088504.aspx
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Muslims urged to defend their faith and child conversion bill
JULY 07, 2013
Muslims have been urged to make their stand and ensure the Administration of Islamic Law (Federal Territories) Amendment Bill 2013, now on hold, is tabled and passed by Parliament.
Sukarelawan Peguam (SukaGuam) chairman Datuk Khairul Anwar Rahmat, who called on Muslims to unite and defend their faith on this issue, told Mingguan Malaysia the act of defending the faith was jihad (holy war).
"What is the point of acknowledging Islam as Malaysia's official religion when a bill which upholds the faith of Islamic children can't be tabled and passed in Parliament?"
On Friday, after a flood of criticism from both BN and opposition figures, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced that the bill had been withdrawn for review.
The proposed tabling of the bill, which allowed for the conversion of minors to Islam by a single parent, had drawn flak from non-Muslims from both sides of the political divide.
Full report at:
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/muslims-urged-to-defend-their-faith-and-child-conversion-bill/
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Maldives being used as a transit point by illegal recruiters: Philippines
By JJ Robinson | July 6th, 2013
The Philippines’ Bureau of Immigration has declared it is tightening monitoring of Filipino nationals traveling to the Maldives, over fears the country is being used as a transit point for labour trafficking of its citizens.
The government of the Philippines, which depends heavily on remitted income from its massive expatriate workforce, restricts its nationals from working in countries with a record of poor treatment of low-wage foreign workers, such as Lebanon and Jordan.
However the Bureau’s Immigration Minister Ricardo David Jr issued a statement revealing traffickers were circumventing this restriction by obtaining ‘legitimate’ employment papers for workers in Dubai and the Maldives, and routing workers to restricted countries through these destinations.
Full report at:
http://minivannews.com/politics/maldives-being-used-as-a-transit-point-by-illegal-recruiters-philippines-60807
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Nik Aziz accuses US and Israel of being two-faced on Egypt
BY LEE SHI-IAN
JULY 07, 2013
The United States and Israel were slammed as hypocrites by PAS spiritual leader Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat for championing democratic principles but keeping quiet over the events in Egypt.
He said Egyptian president Mohammed Morsi had been elected as president in clean and fair polls but had not been given the opportunity to complete his term.
“This is the true face of The United States and Israel. They are the ones who champion democracy and they are the ones who besmirch democracy as well," he said.
Harakahdaily reported Nik Aziz as saying Morsi's enemies were uncomfortable with him and would not allow his administration to run smoothly.
Full report at:
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/two-faced-us-and-israel-says-nik-aziz/
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Malaysian Ministry waiting for scientific evidence before banning Shisha, e-cigarette
JULY 07, 2013
The health ministry is waiting for more scientific evidence before making a decision to ban or regulate Shisha and e-cigarette.
Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subrahmaniam said a technical committee chaired by Institute of Respiratory Medicine director Datuk Dr Abdul Razak Muttalif would study the health effects caused by the two products before deciding on the next course of action.
"As far as sisha is concerned, evidence has shown that it is harmful, probably more harmful than cigarette smoking.
Full report at:
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/ministry-waiting-for-scientific-evidence-before-banning-sisha-e-cigarette/
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Malaysians no longer scared to talk politics openly, says analyst
BY HASBULLAH AWANG CHIK
JULY 07, 2013
Memo to political parties: Malaysians are no longer inhibited when discussing politics and it is not only Chinese voters who are demanding change.
Indeed, GE13 showed that the push for change was colour-blind and not only limited to urban centres. These observations were made by political analyst Bridget Welsh at a post election seminar organised by the International Islamic University.
Welsh, an associate professor in political science at the Singapore Management University, has spent the last few years working the ground in Malaysia, and has built a reputation as a credible pundit on local politics.
Full report at:
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/malaysians-no-longer-scared-to-talk-politics-openly-says-analyst/
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Mideast
Iran and Russia denounce Mursi’s ouster, warn of ‘civil war’ in Egypt
7 July 2013
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday said a civil war might erupt in Egypt due to the overthrow of President Mohammed Mursi.
“Syria is already in the grips of the civil war ... and Egypt is moving in the same direction,” Putin told Russian state news agency RIA Novosti during a visit to Kazakhstan’s capital Astana.
Since the president’s removal, over a 1,000 people were wounded during the dispute between Mursi’s supporters and his opponents, according to The Associated Press.
Meanwhile, Iran’s reaction to the overthrow of Mursi was described as “improper” by the military.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2013/07/07/Iran-Russia-denounce-Mursi-s-ouster-warn-of-Egypt-civil-war-.html
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Israel refuses to release ‘old’ Palestinian prisoners
July 07, 2013
RAMALLAH – The Palestinian researcher and expert in prisoners’ affairs Abdulnasser Farwaneh on Saturday said that Israel refuses to release the 103 Palestinian prisoners detained prior to the Oslo agreement that President Mahmoud Abbas demanded as a precondition for the resumption of peace talks.
Farwaneh said that 83 of the so-called “old prisoners” have spent 20 years in Israeli jails. He added that 20 of them have spent more than 25 years in Israeli jails, mainly Karim Younis who have been in Israeli jails for 30 years.
The researcher said that besides the freeze of settlement activities and the recognition of a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders, Abbas demanded that Israel release the 103 prisoners before the resumption of peace talks between the two sides. According to Farwaneh, Israel refuses to release them before the resumption of peace talks.
Full report at:
http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20130707172597
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Turkish police break up gathering at Taksim Square
July 07, 2013
ISTANBUL – Turkish police fired teargas and water cannon to disperse protesters in a central Istanbul square on Saturday as they gathered to enter a park that was the center of anti-government protests last month.
Gezi Park, but the governor of Istanbul warned any such gathering would be confronted by the police.
A police crackdown on a group protesting against the planned redevelopment of Gezi Park, a leafy corner of Taksim, triggered a nationwide wave or protest last month against Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, accused by his critics of becoming increasingly authoritarian after a decade in power.
Full report at:
http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20130707172596
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Israel passes military draft Bill
July 06, 2013
Israel’s Cabinet has approved a plan that would gradually end a contentious system that has granted automatic draft exemptions to Jewish ultra-Orthodox seminary students.
Under a longstanding system, thousands of young men are allowed to skip compulsory military service to pursue religious studies. This has caused widespread resentment among secular Jewish Israelis.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/world/israel-passes-military-draft-bill/article4891842.ece
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North America
Obama: U.S. ‘not aligned’ with any party in Egypt transition
7 July 2013
The United States is “not aligned” with any political party or group in Egypt following the ouster of Islamist leader Mohamed Mursi, President Barack Obama said Saturday.
Obama, who spoke with members of his National Security Council via conference call about the situation in Egypt, “condemned the ongoing violence across Egypt and expressed concern over the continued political polarization,” according to a White House statement.
He “reiterated that the United States is not aligned with, and does not support, any particular Egyptian political party or group,” according to the statement.
“The United States categorically rejects the false claims propagated by some in Egypt that we are working with specific political parties or movements to dictate how Egypt’s transition should proceed,” it said.
“We remain committed to the Egyptian people and their aspirations for democracy, economy opportunity, and dignity. But the future path of Egypt can only be determined by the Egyptian people.”
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2013/07/07/Obama-U-S-not-aligned-with-any-party-in-Egypt-transition-.html
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U.S. Defense Secretary urges Egypt’s army general on peaceful civilian transition
7 July 2013
The Pentagon disclosed information on Sunday that U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel had spoken to head of Egypt’s armed forces in recent days, emphasizing the need for “a peaceful civilian transition in Egypt.”
The conversations between Hagel and General Abdel Fattah al-Sissi lasted more than two hours, a U.S. official speaking on condition of anonymity said, showing the intensive contacts Washington is having with the military leader following last week’s overthrow of President Mohamed Mursi, Reuters reported.
“In their conversations, Secretary Hagel emphasized the need for a peaceful civilian transition in Egypt,” Pentagon spokesman George Little said in a statement.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2013/07/07/Chuck-Hagel-urges-Egypt-s-army-general-on-peaceful-transition.html
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Asylum offers bring end to Snowden’s nightmare
7 July 2013
CARACAS: The quest by NSA leaker Edward Snowden for a safe haven has taken a turn toward Latin America, with offers for asylum coming from the leftist presidents of Nicaragua and Venezuela.
But there were no immediate signs that efforts were under way to bring him to either nation after Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela and Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua made their offers during separate speeches in their home countries Friday.
The offers came one day after leftist South American leaders gathered to denounce the rerouting of Bolivian President Evo Morales’ plane over Europe amid reports that the fugitive American was aboard.
Full report at:
http://www.arabnews.com/news/457270
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Europe
Egypt army's Morsi ouster justified: Tony Blair
7 Jul 2013
Egypt's army had no choice but to overthrow Islamist president Mohamed Morsi, former British prime minister Tony Blair said on Sunday.
Writing in the Observer newspaper, Blair, who acts as Middle East envoy for the United States, Russia, the EU and the UN, said the army's only alternative would have been to let Egypt descend into chaos.
"The events that led to the Egyptian army's removal of President Mohamed Morsi confronted the military with a simple choice: intervention or chaos," wrote Blair, who led Britain for a decade from 1997.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/9/75913/World/International/Egypt-armys-Morsi-ouster-justified-Tony-Blair.aspx
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Egypt approaching civil war: Putin
AFP | Jul 7, 2013
MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday warned that the standoff in Egypt between supporters and foes of deposed president Mohamed Morsi threatened to degenerate into a civil war.
"Syria is already in the grips of a civil war, unfortunately enough, and Egypt is moving in that direction," Russian news agencies quoted Putin as saying while on a visit to Kazakhstan.
"We would like to see the Egyptian people avoid this fate," he said.
The Russian foreign ministry has previously called on all sides in the political crisis to exercise "restraint."
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Egypt-approaching-civil-war-Putin/articleshow/20956891.cms
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Norway threatens to cut aid to Afghanistan
AFP | Jul 7, 2013
KABUL: Norway has threatened to reduce aid to Afghanistan, signalling increasing frustration among donor nations over the Kabul government's failure to implement reforms as Nato troops prepare to withdraw.
At an aid meeting in Kabul on Wednesday, Norway said that Afghanistan was not living up to its commitments to prepare for credible elections, to improve women's rights and to fight corruption.
The meeting was held one year after a conference in Tokyo where donors pledged $16 billion to Afghanistan on strict condition that progress would be made to reform the country as foreign military intervention winds down.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Norway-threatens-to-cut-aid-to-Afghanistan/articleshow/20956976.cms?
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Rights chief urges probe into Turkey police violence
7 July 2013
ANKARA: The Council of Europe's human rights commissioner Nils Muiznieks yesterday urged an investigation into the use of excessive police force during a crackdown on anti-government protests in Turkey last month.
"All instances of excessive use of force by the police must be fully investigated and adequately punished," Muiznieks told a press conference during a five-day visit to Turkey.
His visit comes after unprecedented protests against Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Islamic-rooted government in June which saw some 2.5 million take to the streets.
Full report at:
http://www.arabnews.com/news/457271
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33 Syrians fleeing to Europe held in Romania
July 07, 2013
BUCHAREST — Thirty-three Syrians, including seven children, have been stopped by the Romanian coastguard as they were attempting to reach Europe, authorities said on Sunday.
Their sailing boat was spotted seven miles (11 kilometres) off Romania's Black Sea coast with eight women, seven children and 18 men on board, the coastguard said in a statement.
There were two Turkish guides on the vessels, who were also detained by authorities.
"This is the first time we have caught so many migrants on a boat in the Black Sea since the end of 2011", a coastguard spokesman told AFP.
Full report at:
http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20130707172648
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South Asia
Bomb analysis lab in Kabul hunts for killer clues
July 07, 2013
KABUL: In a discreet laboratory in Kabul, a French military officer scans a long list of telephone numbers scrolling down a computer screen. “This is the call that triggered the explosion,” he says, pointing.
The French-run facility is the nerve-centre of Nato efforts to analyse and trace how thousands of homemade bombs made by insurgents are evolving and becoming more sophisticated.
The team of 15 forensic specialists puzzle over how the devices are designed and how to prevent them from being detonated -- clues that could also lead back to the rebel bomb-makers themselves.
Full report at:
http://dawn.com/news/1023488/bomb-analysis-lab-in-kabul-hunts-for-killer-clues
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Bangladesh scores dazzling victory against poverty
By Shahriar Sharif
July 06, 2013
Though the deadline is still two years away, Bangladesh has already met the most crucial Millennium Development Goal (MDG) set by the world community: halving poverty by 2015.
Announced in June, the achievement was overshadowed by the deadly garment factory complex collapse and crippling political unrest that have made international headlines in recent months.
But amid the upheaval, Bangladeshis by and large have reason to cheer. On June 20th, the World Bank cited the country as a leader among developing nations for halving its poverty rate well before 2015, the target set by the United Nations in 2000.
Full report at:
http://khabarsouthasia.com/en_GB/articles/apwi/articles/features/2013/07/06/feature-01
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Mexican president praises Bangladesh’s achievements
July 07, 2013
Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto appreciated the strides made by Bangladesh, particularly in the economic field, and emphasised more trade cooperation between the two countries in the coming days.
He told this when M Fazlul Karim, Bangladesh ambassador to Mexico, presented his credentials to the Mexican president in a ceremony held at the Palacio Nacional in Mexico City on Wednesday, said a foreign ministry press release.
Full report at:
http://www.thedailystar.net/beta2/news/mexican-president-praises-bangladeshs-achievements/
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MDP launches youth policy: ‘Entertainment without fear’
By Mohamed Naahee | July 7th, 2013
The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) on Friday launched its youth, sports and entertainment policy, dubbed ‘Majaa Kurun Birakaa Nula’: ‘entertainment without fear’.
Despite the wet weather, the party’s presidential candidate Mohamed Nasheed along with senior party members and hundreds of supporters gathered at the Raalhugandu area Male in yellow athletic attire.
Senior party members followed Nasheed’s lead in taking part in several sport activities organised in the area, including futsal, volleyball, table tennis, baton racing and bodyboarding.
Full report at:
http://minivannews.com/politics/mdp-launches-youth-policy-entertainment-without-fear-60835
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MP Abdulla Abdul Raheem quits Jumhoree Party
By Mohamed Naahee | July 7th, 2013
Government-aligned Jumhoree Party (JP) MP Abdulla Abdul Raheem has announced that he has left the party after having a falling out with the party’s leader and presidential candidate, Gasim Ibrahim.
The Maafannu-West MP, who switched parties twice last year, left the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) to join JP in June 2012.
Raheem at the time claimed that he had been restricted from speaking in the parliament floor after going against the party’s official whip line.
Raheem was originally elected to parliament in 2009 under the ticket of DRP, but later left the party in May 2011 to join then ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), following the footsteps of former DRP MPs Ali Waheed and Alhan Fahmy.
Full report at:
http://minivannews.com/politics/mp-abdulla-abdul-raheem-quits-jumhoree-party-60853
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President’s coalition denies Adhaalath Party leadership “dissatisfied” with campaign
By Neil Merrett | July 6th, 2013
The religious conservative Adhaalath Party (AP) has yet to overtly raise concerns over the manner in which President Dr Mohamed Waheed is campaigning ahead of September’s presidential election, despite media reports suggesting the party is considering backing out of the coalition.
Abdulla Yazeed, a spokesperson on the media team of President Waheed’s election campaign, told Minivan News “no dissatisfaction” has been raised by the AP at a leadership level concerning its campaigning.
However, the spokesperson said media speculation over dissatisfaction by certain parties in the president’s coalition had seen the number of campaign activities increased.
The claims were made after the AP’s consultation council reportedly decided to leave the coalition if campaign activities did not pick up.
Full report at:
http://minivannews.com/politics/presidents-coalition-denies-adhaalath-party-leadership-%E2%80%9Cdissatisfied%E2%80%9D-with-campaigning-60795
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Sri Lankan President saddened by Bodh Gaya explosions: Official
PTI | Jul 7, 2013
COLOMBO: Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has been shocked and dismayed by the news of serial explosions in internationally renowned Mahabodhi temple in India, a place of religious significance for the Buddhists.
"President Rajapaksa was shocked and dismayed by the news," Presidential media coordinator Wijayananda Herath said.
The official said the president had spoken to the chief incumbent of the Mahabodhi temple and also directed both the external affairs ministry and the high commission in Delhi to probe and report to him.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Sri-Lankan-President-saddened-by-Bodh-Gaya-explosions-Official/articleshow/20953293.cms?
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