56 Killed In 11 Car Bomb Blasts across Shiite Majority Areas of Baghdad
New Age Islam News Bureau
27
Oct 2013
Car bombs have exploded in Baghdad, killing at least 56 people (File photo: AFP)
Arab World
• 56 Killed, Over 15 Injured In Car Bomb Blasts across Shiite Majority Areas of Baghdad
• Experts Want Makkah’s Islamic Sites Preserved
• Rebel sources: 15 Hezbollah soldiers killed outside Damascus
• Syria's Grand Mufti: Over 3,000 Russian, CIS Militants Fighting in Syria
• Video of Saudi man beating Asian man prompts govt. to step in
• Egypt officials confirm alleged assassin in militant video was ex-army major
• 19 Syria rebel groups reject Geneva talks
Southeast Asia
• Allah U-Turn: Home Ministry Seizes 2,000 Copes of Catholic weekly the Herald
• Bali Nine Inmate Accused of Hatching Kerobokan Murder Plot
India
• Homes lost, Muzaffarnagar riot-hit victims unite to rebuild lives on their own
• Five key documents handed over to Pak in 26/11 case
Pakistan
• MQM decries worker’s torture in custody, Rangers refute claim
• No explicit or implicit consent given for drone strikes: Pakistan
• Afghanistan: Trilateral summit in UK on 29th
• Pak: 11 killed in Karachi violence
• Bomb kills soldier, wounds three in Miramshah
• Leaders to be briefed on Taliban talks
• Pakistan appeals India to release prisoners from jails
• 100 suspects nabbed in Karachi raids
• Promotion of bilateral ties agreed in Shahbaz, Erdogan meeting
Africa
• Sudanese Islamic cleric declares fatwa against fabulous cash and prizes
• Nigeria: Gunmen Kill Police in Kaduna, Six Others Die in Tanker Explosion
• Kenya Calls for Somalis to Leave World's Largest Refugee Camp
Mideast
• Iran Guards kill three rebels in Kurdish region
• Rowhani: ‘terrorists’ must be expelled from Syria
• Israel expected to free more Palestinian prisoners this week
• Iran Underlines Efforts to Help Bring Success to Geneva II Conference
• ‘Even’ atheists’ rights to be protected: Turkish PM
• Egypt most important country in Middle East, ties will be stronger, says Turkish envoy
• Ethnicity, sexual orientation excluded in hate crime draft presented to Turkish Cabinet
Europe
• Norway’s Somalis worry extremism is spreading
• Putin seeking to resume Russia-Egypt military ties amid US vacuum
• Germany warns Israel to face UN rights panel: report
• Europe, US pressuring Israel to endure discrimination at UNHRC
• Chemical arms watchdog: Syria submits plan for ending arsenal
South Asia
• Roadside bomb kills 18 Afghan civilians
• Maldives Parliament approves proposal for speaker to assume presidency
• Maldives failing to close gender gaps, finds World Economic Forum
• London-bound Karzai to push Pakistan on Taliban commander
• Talks to end poll stand-off fail, strike in Bangla from today
• Jamaat-e-Islami, Shibir try to show strength
North America
• Hundreds march in Washington against NSA spying
• American pilgrim commends Saudi govt for ‘a job well done’
• Safety of Pakistan’s nuclear assets has improved: US
• Mideast conflict fuels backlash from US allies
• American debt reaches 25 times that of Arab countries’
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/56-killed-11-car-bomb/d/14174
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Arab World
56 Killed In 11 Car Bomb Blasts across Shiite Majority Areas of Baghdad
Associated Press
Oct 27 2013
Baghdad: A new wave of car bombs hit Shiite neighbourhoods of Baghdad and a suicide bomber targeted soldiers in a northern city in attacks that killed at least 56 across Iraq on Sunday, officials said.
Coordinated bombing onslaughts killing scores of people have hit Iraq multiple times each month since April, feeding a spike in bloodshed that has left over 5,000 since April. The local branch of al-Qaeda often takes responsibility, although there was no immediate claim for today's blasts.
Four police officers said that the bombs in the capital, placed in parked cars and detonated over a half-hour, targeted commercial areas and parking lots, killing 42.
The deadliest blast was in the southeastern Nahrwan district where two car bombs exploded simultaneously, killing seven and wounding 15 others.
Two other explosions hit the northern Shaab and southern Abu Dshir neighbourhoods, each of which killed six people. Other blasts hit the neighbourhoods of Mashtal, Baladiyat and Ur in eastern Baghdad, the southwestern Bayaa and the northern Sab al-Bor and Hurriyah districts.
Meanwhile, in the northern city of Mosul, a suicide bomber drove his explosives-laden car into a group of soldiers as they were sealing off a street leading to a bank where troops were receiving salaries, killing 14 included five civilians, a police officer said. At least 30 people were wounded.
Former insurgent stronghold Mosul is located about 360 kilometres northwest of Baghdad.
Such systematic attacks are a favourite tactic of al-Qaeda's local branch. It frequently targets civilians in markets, cafes and commercial streets in Shiite areas in an attempt to undermine confidence in the government, as well as members of the security forces.
Seven medical officials confirmed the casualty figures. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to release information.
In Mashtal in Baghdad, police and army forces sealed off the scene as ambulances rushed to pick up the wounded where pools of blood covered the pavement.
The force of the explosion damaged number of cars and shops. At one restaurant, wooden benches were overturned and broken eggs were scattered on the ground.
In Shaab, a crane lifted away at least 12 charred cars as cleaners swept away debris.
Violence has spiked in Iraq since April, when the pace of killing reached levels unseen since 2008. Today's attacks bring the death toll across the country this month to 545, according to an Associated Press count.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/56-killed-over-15-injured-in-car-bomb-blasts-across-shiite-majority-areas-of-baghdad/1187850/
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Experts want Makkah’s Islamic sites preserved
Oct 27, 2013
Experts have called on the government to protect various ancient sites and mosques in Makkah because of their religious and historical importance.
Talal Al-Sharif, an Islamic antiquities expert, said the buildings include mosques built during the Ummayyad period and the house of Khadija, the first wife of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
This site is thought to be on the square close to the Marwa hillock.
He said the area where the house stood should be protected as an archaeological site and not used as a prayer area of the Grand Mosque. He said it was important for it to have an entrance, and identified as the home of the Prophet (pbuh).
Al-Sharif said the protection of these mosques would help preserve the country's Islamic history. He said researchers have identified several sites of major archeological importance in Makkah. He said various agencies have started to preserve these sites, including the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities.
He said the Al-Jinn Mosque was modernized under Saudi rule. He said the Al-Baiah Mosque still exists and goes back to the time of Abu Jaafer Al-Mansour, and Abbasid rule. It was modernized with extensions during the Mamluk and Ottoman periods.
Fawaz Al-Dahhas, professor of Arab history, supervisor of museums at Um Al-Qura University, and member of the advisory committee on Islamic historical sites, said Yathrib tribes met the Prophet (pbuh) at the Al-Baiah Mosque when the Quraish opposed him.
He said Islam was launched from Al-Baiah Mosque, which used to be a ravine between the mountains, known as Al-Ansar Ravine.
This was done in the presence of Al-Abbas, the Prophet’s uncle. He said the ravine was kept intact until the beginning of the Abbasid period. Abu Jafar Al-Mansour built the mosque after Al-Abbas took a pledge to revive his grandfather’s memory. Al-Mustansir Billah renovated the mosque in 1232.
He said other sites include the Al-Rayah Mosque, at the Makkah entrance from the Al-Ghazah side, which was given this name because the Prophet (pbuh) stuck his flagpole there. There is also Al-Jinn Mosque next to Al-Muallah, which was given its name because the Prophet (pbuh) reportedly told his companions, when they saw him coming out of the mosque, that he was teaching the jinn about Islam. It is also known as Masjid Al-Haras (Mosque of the Guards) because the old guards of Makkah used to meet there.
http://www.arabnews.com/news/468970
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Rebel sources: 15 Hezbollah soldiers killed outside Damascus
27 October 2013
At least 15 Hezbollah fighters were killed on Saturday by Syrian rebels in Damascus' Ghouta district, Al Arabiya television reported, citing opposition sources.
A video posted on the internet showed dead soldiers with Hezbollah label patches on their uniforms. Six wounded Hezbollah fighters were reportedly transferred to Lebanon for medical treatment.
Hundreds of fighters from the Lebanese Shiite guerrilla group were reportedly killed in Syria since the start of the civil war there about two years ago.
Hezbollah admitted sending soldiers to Syria, saying it seeks to protect sacred Shiite religious sites against potential attacks by the Sunni rebels.
The group helped the Syrian regime’s army retake the town of al-Qusayr, bordering Lebanon in May 2013.
Hundreds were believed to be killed in the battle of al-Qusayr, which began with heavy aerial bombardment. Rebels pulled out of the town after two weeks of fighting.
Iran, a major ally of Hezbollah and the Syrian regime, is also believed to have a strong military presence in Syria.
Various groups of Sunni militant groups have also sent fighters into Syria to battle alongside the rebels.
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2013/10/27/Rebel-sources-15-Hezbollah-soldiers-killed-outside-Damascus.html
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Syria's Grand Mufti: Over 3,000 Russian, CIS Militants Fighting in Syria
Oct 27, 2013
TEHRAN (FNA)- Syria's Grand Mufti Sheikh Ahmad Badreddin Hassoun said more than 3,000 citizens from Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) are fighting along other foreign-backed militants in Syria.
“Around 2,000 Russian nationals most of them from the North Caucasus region and some 1,300 others from other former Soviet republics are fighting along armed opposition groups in this country,” the Syrian grand mufti said, addressing a ceremony at the Islamic University of Moscow said.
Sheikh Hassoun noted that the Russian militants poured into Syria after the outbreak of the unrest in 2011.
The Syrian government has long been charging that foreign fighters are joining the battle alongside the opposition rebels.
Many foreign nationals, including Russian and Chechen fighters, have been killed in the battle with the Syrian army.
In December 2012, a group of 39 Chechen terrorists left London’s Heathrow airport for Istanbul to sneak into Syria via the Turkish borders and join other terrorist and armed rebel groups in the war on Damascus.
The 39 terrorists were not the first group of Chechens sent to Syria. When armed rebellion against the Damascus government broke out, Chechen terrorists were among the first foreign troops sent to Syria through Turkey, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Britain.
All throughout the last century, Chechens who had always been treated like an enemy, or at least a second class citizen, both under Tsarist and Communist Russia mostly left their land for various world countries, specially in the Middle-East.
Chechnya which is a part of Russian territory has declared autonomy despite the opposition of the government in Moscow. The officials of the region who are aware of Moscow's advocacy of the Damascus government now want to attract the attention and support of the western states which provide aid to the terrorists in Syria to topple President Bashar al-Assad's government by sending terrorists to the Arab country.
Syria has been experiencing unrest since March 2011 with organized attacks by well-armed gangs against the Syrian police, border guards, statesmen, army and civilians being reported across the country.
Thousands of people have been killed since terrorist and armed groups turned protest rallies into armed clashes.
The government blames outlaws, saboteurs, and armed terrorist groups for the deaths, stressing that the unrest is being orchestrated from abroad.
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13920805000523
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Video of Saudi man beating Asian man prompts govt. to step in
27 October 2013
A video apparently showing a Saudi man beating an Asian man has triggered public anger and pushed Saudi Arabia’s Human Rights Commission to follow up on the case, a spokesperson told Al Arabiya.
The Saudi man in the video, who has not been named, accuses the victim of talking to his wife and then proceeds to attack him.
The beating has led the country’s human rights authority to receive multiple complaints by viewers calling for the perpetrator to be punished, said spokesperson Ibrahim al-Shadi.
Shadi added that the beating was a flagrant violation of the victim’s rights to safety and dignity. The act also flouted rules set by Islamic Sharia, he said.
The spokesperson added that, regardless of why the man was allegedly assaulted, the perpetrator’s actions did not abide by state-enforced rules on the protection of human rights.
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/2013/10/27/Video-of-Saudi-man-beating-Asian-man-prompts-govt-to-step-in.html
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Egypt officials confirm alleged assassin in militant video was ex-army major
Oct 27, 2013
The man Sinai militants claim was responsible for an attack on the interior minister in September was a former major in the Egyptian army, the interior ministry has confirmed.
Ansar Bayt Al-Maqdis released a 30-minute video on militant websites on Saturday that identified former army major Waleed Badr as being responsible for the attack, but does not make it clear if he was a member of the group.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/84849/Egypt/Politics-/Egypt-officials-confirm-alleged-assassin-in-milita.aspx
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19 Syria rebel groups reject Geneva talks
Oct 27, 2013
Nineteen Islamist groups fighting to topple President Bashar al-Assad have rejected outright a mooted US-Russian peace initiative for Syria dubbed Geneva 2, a statement said.
"We announce that the Geneva 2 conference is not, nor will it ever be our people's choice or our revolution's demand," the groups said in a late Saturday statement read in an online video by Ahmad Eissa al-Sheikh, chief of the Suqur al-Sham chief.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/84853/World/Region/-Syria-rebel-groups-reject-Geneva-talks.aspx
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Southeast Asia
Allah U-Turn: Home Ministry Seizes 2,000 Copes of Catholic weekly the Herald
Oct 27, 2013
The Home Ministry has allegedly barred the distribution of Catholic weekly the Herald in Sabah, despite earlier assurances by the government that there was no ban on the use of the word “Allah” in the East Malaysian state.
According to Herald editor Fr Lawrence Andrew, around 2,000 copies of the weekly publication were seized at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) on Thursday, apparently on order of the Home Ministry.
“The consignment arrived at 2.54pm on Thursday, and it was checked by KDN officials as the usual practice,” he told The Malay Mail Online, referring to the Home Ministry’s Malay acronym.
Full report at:
http://www.malaysia-chronicle.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=179822:allah-u-turn-home-ministry-seizes-2000-of-herald-at-kk-airport&Itemid=2#ixzz2iyR41WxB
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Bali Nine Inmate Accused of Hatching Kerobokan Murder Plot
Oct 27, 2013
Denpasar. Convicted “Bali Nine” drug trafficker Ranae Lawrence was accused on Sunday of masterminding a plan to murder two guards at Bali’s notorious Kerobokan Prison after staff discovered a knife a text message exchange detailing the plot.
Kerobokan staff conducted a raid on the prison cells earlier this week, seizing some 52 cellphones and several sharp objects from the women’s ward, chief warden Gusti Ngurah Wiratna explained on Sunday. A knife and a BlackBerry were taken from Lawrence’s cell.
When officers checked the phone, they allegedly found a BlackBerry Messenger conversation where Lawrence ordered Joaninha Maria Sonia Gonzales to murder two guards. Guards questioned both Lawrence, who was undergoing treatment for a problem with her appendix, and Sonia, who was jailed for kidnapping a French child.
Full report at:
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/bali-nine-inmate-accused-of-hatching-kerobokan-murder-plot/
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India
Homes lost, Muzaffarnagar riot-hit victims unite to rebuild lives on their own
Oct 27 2013
Muzaffarnagar: As the Congress and BJP continue to play their game of political football with the riot-hit people of Muzaffarnagar, the victims of the communal violence have begun to quietly rebuild their lives-on their own.
Ten kilometres away from the district headquarters town, in a place called Khampur, a cluster of brick buildings is coming up on land donated by local Muslims-the new home for families who fled from their villages as clashes broke out over a swathe of western UP early last month.
At least 130 men, all refugees who escaped with their families, have been toiling hard at the site every day since October 6. Once completed in a few months’ time, this settlement of 100 houses will be the first permanent colony of the victims and survivors of the riots in the district. Similar colonies are in the pipeline in Bassikalan, Kamkheda and Khedi Firozabad.
“I fled from Badal village with my family on September 9 and lived in the Budhana refugee camp until early this month,” Imamuddin Hassan (46), said. “We were then offered a house, free of cost, in Khampur as long as we helped build it, and we readily agreed. I have nothing left in Badal, and I never want to go back.”
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/their-homes-lost-riothit-victims-unite-to-rebuild-lives-on-their-own/1187725/?india_top
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Five key documents handed over to Pak in 26/11 case
Oct 27, 2013
India handed over to Pakistan five key documents running into nearly 600 pages for use in the 26/11 case in that country to proceed against seven key accused, including LeT commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi.
The documents include the true copy of the Supreme Court judgement of the Mumbai attack case, deposition by two doctors who conducted the post-mortem of slain nine terrorists and the chief investigating officer who probed the case and summons to the witnesses.
The two other documents are proceedings of the Pakistan Judicial Commission, which visited Mumbai last month, before additional chief metropolitan magistrate and application for producing the recovered articles from terrorist by the senior public prosecutor from Pakistan, before the additional chief metropolitan magistrate, official sources said.
New Delhi on Saturday had said it was incumbent on Pakistan to present the evidence in 26/11 terror attacks as the planning, training of the terrorists responsible for the strikes and also the financing was done in that country and therefore, “99 per cent” of evidence will be available there.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/five-key-documents-handed-over-to-pak-in-2611-case/article5278138.ece
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Pakistan
MQM decries worker’s torture in custody, Rangers refute claim
October 27, 2013
KARACHI: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has condemned the alleged torture of one of its workers.
The former unit-in-charge of MQM’s Burnes Road sector, Dilshad Ahmed Khan, is currently in a coma at a private hospital, said the party. “Dilshad was tortured while in custody,” said the statement. According to the party, Khan was picked up from Pakistan Chowk by law enforcement agencies on October 23. Two days later, he was handed over to his family in critical condition. He was initially taken to Civil hospital but later shifted to a private hospital.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/622933/crying-foul-mqm-decries-workers-torture-in-custody-rangers-refute-claim/
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No explicit or implicit consent given for drone strikes: Pakistan
Oct 27 2013
United Nations : Pakistan has strongly denied a UN report that members of its government had given consent to controversial drone strikes in the country and demanded an end to such attacks which incite hatred.
Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Masood Khan told a UN general assembly rights committee debate Friday that all drones strikes in his country are a “chilling reminder that reprisal strikes by terrorists are around the corner."
“They put all Pakistanis at risk. The psychological impact of the use of drones on the relatives of civilians killed in an inhumane manner incites sentiment and hatred and radicalises more people,” he said adding that drone strikes are “counter-productive”.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/no-explicit-or-implicit-consent-given-for-drone-strikes-pakistan/1187727/
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Afghanistan: Trilateral summit in UK on 29th
Oct 27, 2013
SLAMABAD - Just two days after his return from a high-profile US visit, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is now all set to leave for London to attend the 9th World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF) being jointly hosted by Malaysia and Britain from October 29 to October 31.
Sharif will be among the main speakers at the forum that will bring together some 17 world leaders, five central bank governors and more than 1,500 global economists, corporate managers, investors, regional experts, academics, scholars and policy makers from 120 countries.
Full report at:
http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/national/27-Oct-2013/afghanistan-trilateral-summit-in-uk-on-29th
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Pak: 11 killed in Karachi violence
PTI | Oct 27, 2013
KARACHI: At least 11 people have been killed in gunbattles between rival criminal gangs and law enforcement agencies in the last 24 hours in Pakistan's largest city.
Additional IG police, Shahid Hayat said that four criminals died in exchange of fire with paramilitary rangers and police yesterday in the crime-infested area of Lyari.
"The rest of those killed have died as a result of gunfire between rival criminal gangs in different parts of Lyari," he said.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Pak-11-killed-in-Karachi-violence/articleshow/24774774.cms
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Bomb kills soldier, wounds three in Miramshah
2013-10-27
MIRAMSHAH: A roadside bomb killed a soldier and wounded three others in a restive Pakistani tribal region near the Afghan border on Sunday, officials said.
The explosion took place at Chashma Pul, two kilometres east of Miramshah, the capital of North Waziristan tribal region, known as a bastion of Taliban and Al-Qaeda-linked rebels.
“An improvised explosive device planted along the roadside went off as a convoy of at least 35 army vehicles passed by it, killing one soldier and wounding three others,” a local security official told AFP.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1052218/bomb-kills-soldier-wounds-three-in-miramshah
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Leaders to be briefed on Taliban talks
2013-10-27
ISLAMABAD, Oct 26: In a sign that the government is finally getting down to opening talks with the Taliban, it has decided to take all political parties on board, with a view to making their leaders part of the dialogue process.
The decision was taken during a meeting between Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan at the Prime Minister’s House on Saturday.
What apparently prompted the prime minister to issue the directive was a letter written to him by the Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly, Syed Khurshid Ahmad Shah, asking the government to immediately inform the nation and parliament about progress on the direction unanimously set by an all-party conference on Sept 9.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1052116/leaders-to-be-briefed-on-taliban-talks
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Pakistan appeals India to release prisoners from jails
2013-10-27
AMRITSAR: A Pakistan judicial commission, comprising of two members, met prisoners of their country languishing in a prison in India's northern Amritsar city on Saturday, while appealing that those who have completed their sentence be repatriated, DawnNews reported.
An Indian official also joined the two members of the Pakistan delegation as they met 57 Pakistani prisoners at the central jail in Amritsar city of northern Punjab state.
After meeting the prisoners, Justice (retd) Mian Mohammad Ajmal spoke to the media and appealed that those who had completed their sentence should immediately be sent back home, as keeping them in prison is illegal detention.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1052214/pakistan-appeals-india-to-release-prisoners-from-jails
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100 suspects nabbed in Karachi raids
Oct 27, 2013
Karachi - Security forces claimed to have arrested some 100 suspects involved in various crimes here on Saturday.
Karachi police claimed to have conducted 76 raids, three encounters and arrested some 90 suspects alleged criminals including 29 absconders.
Nineteen people were booked over possessing illegal arms, 8 under narcotics, 9 for robberies and three under Terrorism Act. They also claimed to have arrested three killers and recovered 32 various weapons, including four bombs and narcotics.
Full report at:
http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/karachi/27-Oct-2013/100-suspects-nabbed-in-karachi-raids
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Promotion of bilateral ties agreed in Shahbaz, Erdogan meeting
October 27, 2013
LAHORE - Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said the Pak-Turkey relations have entered into a bright era and its credit goes to the PML-N leaders who have transformed sentiments of the ancient brotherhood of both nations into an economic cooperation.
He was addressing a public gathering along with Prime Minister of Turkey Tayyip Erdogan in Van city of Turkey on Saturday. A large number of Turkish people, who were carrying and waving flags of Pakistan and Turkey, attended the gathering.
The Turkish PM in his speech paid rich tribute to the Punjab chief minister for promoting relations between the two countries. The people raised slogans of Pakistan Zindabad and Shahbaz Sharif Zindabad.
Full report at:
http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/lahore/27-Oct-2013/promotion-of-bilateral-ties-agreed-in-shahbaz-erdogan-meeting
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Africa
Sudanese Islamic cleric declares fatwa against fabulous cash and prizes
October 26, 2013
A leading Islamic cleric in The Sudan has declared a fatwa (religious ruling) against Sudanese receiving prizes from a handful of local and regional telecom companies, as reported on Oct. 24, 2013 by the Paris, France based Sudan Tribune.
Leading Islamic cleric as well as a member of the Sudanese Parliament, Al-Sheik Dafalla Hassab al-Rasool issued the official Islamic ruling against such telecommunications companies as Zain, Sudani and MTN offering subscriber prizes such as new cars and cash, with the cash sometimes being in the form gold coins.
Claiming that the drawings are classified as gambling, al-Rasool declared that the winners should hand over their winnings to their local mosque or donate to the needy.
Al-Rasool made news last January of 2012, when as a member of Sudan's Legislative and Justice committee in the North African nation's Parliament was instrumental in declaring illegal a national Sudanese women's soccer team due to the "immoral" nature of women publicly engaged in sports as well as such being a breach of "Sudanese ethics and values."
Not The First Time...
As previously covered by Examiner.com earlier this month, Sudanese Shari'a Law-based courts have prosecuted and sentenced a number of women to public lashings under Article 154 of the criminal code "Practicing Prostitution."
Full report at:
http://www.examiner.com/article/sudanese-islamic-cleric-declares-fatwa-against-fabulous-cash-and-prizes
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Nigeria: Gunmen Kill Police in Kaduna, Six Others Die in Tanker Explosion
BY JOHN SHIKLAM, 27 OCTOBER 2013
It was a harvest of tragedy in Kaduna when unknown gunmen suspected to be members of the Boko Haram terrorist group attacked policemen at a check point in Ungwan Dosa area of Kaduna metropolis, killing one police man while some others, including a passerby, were injured.
The incident happened just as six people died following a petrol tanker explosion at Mararaban Jos, a suburb along Kaduna - Zaria road, at the outskirt the metropolis.
The attack on the police was said to have occurred at about 8pm on Friday when the hoodlums swooped on them at the checkpoint and opened fire.
Full report at:
http://allafrica.com/stories/201310270152.html
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Kenya Calls for Somalis to Leave World's Largest Refugee Camp
26 OCTOBER 2013
Kenya's interior minister said Friday that the country's refugee camps were havens for Somali extremists and called for hundreds of thousands of refugees to return home, amplifying anti-Somali sentiment sparked by the Westgate mall attack in September.
"Some of these refugees have abused our hospitality and kindness to plan and launch terror attacks from the safety of the refugee camps. This cannot and should not be allowed to continue," said Joseph Ole Lenku, noting that Kenya had "welcomed with open arms" refugees from neighboring countries. There are an estimated 630,000 refugees in Kenya, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Full report at:
http://allafrica.com/stories/201310260382.html?viewall=1
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Mideast
Iran Guards kill three rebels in Kurdish region
Oct 27, 2013
A top commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards said his forces killed three rebels and arrested three others in a western region that borders Iraqi Kurdistan, media reported on Sunday.
"During clashes that took place Friday in the Baneh region, three members of a terrorist group were killed and two others were arrested," Mehr news agency quoted Brigadier General Mohammad Hassan Rajabi as saying.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/84860/World/Region/Iran-Guards-kill-three-rebels-in-Kurdish-region.aspx
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Rowhani: ‘terrorists’ must be expelled from Syria
27 October 2013
AFP, Tehran
Iranian President Hassan Rowhani told visiting U.N.-Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi Sunday that part of a solution to the Syria crisis is to expel “terrorist groups” from that country, a report said.
“Iran believes that by continuing humanitarian aid, preventing the entry (and) expelling terrorist groups from Syria and the complete destruction of chemical weapons will be first important steps for achieving stable peace in Syria,” Rowhani said in comments reported by the official IRNA news agency.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2013/10/27/Rowhani-terrorists-must-be-expelled-from-Syria-.html
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Israel expected to free more Palestinian prisoners this week
Oct 27, 2013
A ministerial committee is expected this week, possibly as early as Sunday, to approve the release of a second group of Palestinian prisoners incarcerated for over 20 years for their involvement in terror attacks against Israelis.
Palestinian Authority Prisoners Affairs Minister Issa Qaraqi announced that the PA leadership was planning a reception ceremony on Tuesday night for 26 prisoners who would be freed by Israel.
Although it is a coalition member, the Bayit Yehudi Party on Sunday plans to ask the Ministerial Committee for Legislation to approve a bill that could block future releases.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is expected to block any such attempt.
In July the cabinet approved the release of 104 Palestinian prisoners, 26 of whom were freed in August.
Full report at:
http://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/Israel-expected-to-free-more-Palestinian-prisoners-this-week-329809
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Iran Underlines Efforts to Help Bring Success to Geneva II Conference
Oct 27, 2013
TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian underlined that Tehran will continue assistance to the peaceful settlement of the crisis in Syria and the success of the Geneva II conference even if it is not invited to the gathering.
“We generally support the spirit ruling the agreement (which was approved) in the Geneva meeting in June 2012 and we are now ready to help to the success of the Geneva II meeting and materialization of its goals in line with the Syrian people’s interests,” Amir Abdollahian said in a meeting with UN-Arab League joint special envoy on Syria Lakhdar Brahimi in Tehran on Sunday.
Full report at:
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13920805000460
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‘Even’ atheists’ rights to be protected: Turkish PM
27 Oct 2013
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said his government will “even” protect the rights of atheists, vowing to avoid segregation based on both religion and ethnicity.
“We have said we will maintain the same distance from all ethnic groups; we will serve them at the same level,” Erdogan said Oct. 27 while addressing the public at a mass opening ceremony in the eastern province of Van.
“We also said we won’t do religious nationalism. In other words, we said we will protect the Muslim’s law, the Christian’s law, the Jew’s law, and even the atheist’s law,” he said, claiming the Justice and Development Party (AKP) had started its political life with these objectives.
Full report at:
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/even-atheists-rights-to-be-protected-turkish-pm.aspx?pageID=238&nID=56930&NewsCatID=338
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Egypt most important country in Middle East, ties will be stronger, says Turkish envoy
27 Oct 2013
Turkey’s ambassador to Cairo has lauded Egypt as a key regional player, saying relations between the two countries would be stronger than ever.
“Egypt is the most important country in the Middle East, Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean,” Hüseyin Avni Botsali said Oct. 26 on the sidelines of a dinner banquet hosted by the embassy to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Turkish Republic.
“The establishment of a system that serves democratic values would be a guarantee for the region’s future,” he added.
Full report at:
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/egypt-most-important-country-in-middle-east-ties-will-be-stronger-says-turkish-envoy.aspx?pageID=238&nID=56909&NewsCatID=338
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Ethnicity, sexual orientation excluded in hate crime draft presented to Turkish Cabinet
27 Oct 2013
A draft presented to the Cabinet concerning hate crimes does not include provisions for those targeted because of their sexual orientation or ethnic identity.
The draft, which designates “hate and prejudice” as an aggravation cause for crimes, was presented as one of the reforms that government vowed to implement as part of its “democracy package.”
However, hate and prejudice crimes are defined in the draft as “crimes committed based on someone’s or some group’s language, race, nationality, skin color, gender, disability, political views, philosophical beliefs or religion,” excluding those based on ethnicity and sexual orientation, different to many European countries.
Full report at:
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/ethnicity-sexual-orientation-excluded-in-hate-crime-draft-presented-to-turkish-cabinet.aspx?pageID=238&nID=56925&NewsCatID=339
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Europe
Norway’s Somalis worry extremism is spreading
The Associated Press
Oct. 27, 2013
Somali immigrants in Norway fear that violent extremism is taking root in the community after a reports of young Somali-Norwegians traveling abroad to join jihadist groups.
One of the gunmen in a Nairobi mall attack that killed 67 people last month has been identified in Kenya as Hassan Abdi Dhuhulow, a 23-year-old Norwegian citizen who returned to Somalia in 2010.
Norway's Somali community was still coming to terms with that news when they were struck by another startling development: Two teenage sisters _ 16 and 19 _ had left their family in Norway to join the civil war in Syria.
Full report at:
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2013/oct/27/eu-norway-somalis-extremism/
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Putin seeking to resume Russia-Egypt military ties amid US vacuum
Oct 27, 2013
Russian President Vladimir Putin is planning a possible state visit to Egypt in order to take advantage of frayed ties between Washington and Cairo and possibly gain access to Egypt's Mediterranean ports, The Sunday Times reported.
The United States announced October 9 that it had decided to "hold the delivery of certain large-scale military systems and cash assistance to the [Egyptian] government pending credible progress toward an inclusive, democratically elected civilian government through free and fair elections."
Full report at:
http://www.jpost.com/International/Report-Putin-seeking-to-resume-Russia-Egypt-military-ties-amid-US-vacuum-329822
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Germany warns Israel to face UN rights panel: report
Oct 27, 2013
JERUSALEM: Germany has warned Israel to attend a periodic UN human rights review on Tuesday or face “severe diplomatic damage,” Haaretz newspaper reported on Sunday.
Israel cut all ties with the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council in March 2012, after it announced it would probe how Israeli settlements may be infringing on the rights of Palestinians.
Full report at:
http://www.arabnews.com/news/468977
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Europe, US pressuring Israel to endure discrimination at UNHRC
Oct 27, 2013
The United Nations is gearing up for yet another attack upon Israel – even more outrageous on this occasion because it has been arranged in the name of equality. The so-called “Universal Periodic Review” (UPR), will take place in Geneva on October 29, 2013, under the auspices of the UN Human Rights Council. The label is intended to evoke the equal treatment of all UN member states, notwithstanding the actual treatment of the UN’s favorite whipping boy.
The UPR was concocted after the credibility of the Council’s predecessor – the UN Human Rights Commission – finally took a fatal hit. On March 15, 2006, with the United States and Israel voting against, the General Assembly pushed the Commission out one door and dragged the Council in through another. The “reform” of the UN’s top human rights body was fundamentally flawed, however, since American efforts to condition membership on some degree of actually protecting human rights, were totally rejected.
Full report at:
http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Op-Ed-Contributors/Europe-US-pressuring-Israel-to-endure-discrimination-at-UN-Human-Rights-Council-329832
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Chemical arms watchdog: Syria submits plan for ending arsenal
27 Oct 2013
Syria has met Sunday’s deadline for submitting a formal declaration of its chemical weapons programme, which includes a plan for its arsenal’s abolition, the international chemical weapons watchdog said.
“The document from Syria includes a general plan of destruction for consideration by the OPCW Executive Council,” the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical weapons (OPCW) said on Sunday.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/world/chemical-arms-watchdog-syria-submits-plan-for-ending-arsenal/article5278410.ece
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South Asia
Roadside bomb kills 18 Afghan civilians
(AP) / 27 October 2013
Police say the dead include 14 women, three men and a child, who were part of a wedding party; five women injured.
Police said a roadside bomb has killed 18 civilians and wounded five as they rode a small bus home after attending a wedding in a district of eastern Afghanistan’s Ghazni province.
Deputy provincial police chief Col. Asadullah Ensafi said the blast occurred on Sunday in the Andar district as the bus travelled from one village to another.
He said the dead included 14 women, three men and a child. Ensfai said the wounded are all women and two are in critical condition.
Roadside bombs are the Taleban’s weapon of choice and are responsible for the overwhelming majority of civilian casualties.
Andar is one of the few districts in Ghazni where the Taleban retain some measure of control and often attack security forces, mostly by laying bombs along roads.
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/kt-article-display-1.asp?xfile=data/international/2013/October/international_October762.xml§ion=international
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Maldives Parliament approves proposal for speaker to assume presidency
By Ahmed Naish | October 27th, 2013
Parliament today approved a proposal by the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) parliamentary group leader Ibrahim Mohamed Solih for the speaker of parliament to assume the presidency in the absence of a president-elect by midnight on November 10.
Today’s sitting was held in response to a letter to Speaker Abdulla Shahid from President Dr Mohamed Waheed requesting parliament “to take initiative in finding a solution to any legal issues that will arise if a new president is not elected by the end of the current term [on November 11].”
Full report at:
http://minivannews.com/politics/parliament-approves-mdp-proposal-for-speaker-to-assume-presidency-after-november-11-69917
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Maldives failing to close gender gaps, finds World Economic Forum
By Hawwa Lubna | October 27th, 2013
The World Economic Forum (WEF) has ranked the Maldives 97th out of 136 countries in the gender gap index 2013, falling two spots from the previous year.
Whilst the Maldives scores highly in terms of educational equality, last week’s report shows it to be falling behind when it comes to economic and political parity between the sexes.
The WEF’s Global Gender Gap index captures the magnitude and scope of gender-based national disparities across four key areas: economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment.
Full report at:
http://minivannews.com/politics/maldives-failing-to-close-gender-gaps-finds-world-economic-forum-69884
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London-bound Karzai to push Pakistan on Taliban commander
Oct 27, 2013
Afghan President Hamid Karzai will push Pakistan to reveal the location of key Taliban commander Mullah Baradar during trilateral talks to be held in Britain on Tuesday, officials in Kabul said.
Baradar was released from jail in Pakistan as part of efforts to kickstart Afghanistan's peace process, but he has since been kept under house arrest, reportedly in Karachi or Peshawar, to the fury of Afghanistan.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/9/84858/World/International/Londonbound-Karzai-to-push-Pakistan-on-Taliban-com.aspx
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Talks to end poll stand-off fail, strike in Bangla from today
PTI | Oct 27, 2013,
DHAKA: BNP chief Khaleda Zia on Saturday turned down Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's invitation for talks on Sunday to defuse a crisis over the upcoming general election but said she was open to dialogue after an opposition sponsored 60-hour nationwide shutdown . Hasina and Zia spoke on the phone on Saturday — believed to be their first conversation in at least a decade — to explore possibilities of a dialogue after failed attempts by the PM to talk to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chief earlier in the day.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/Talks-to-end-poll-stand-off-fail-strike-in-Bangla-from-today/articleshow/24771715.cms
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Jamaat-e-Islami, Shibir try to show strength
Oct 27, 2013
Jamaat-e-Islami, a key ally in the 18-party alliance, and its associate student body Islami Chhatra Shibir yesterday staged huge showdowns in the capital and elsewhere, apparently sidelining the main opposition BNP.
Shibir looked well organised and it captured the focus by occupying the front areas of the podium at Suhrawardy Udyan, the historic venue where the Pakistani occupation forces had surrendered in 1971, pushing the BNP and pro-BNP youth and student bodies aside.
The Jamaat-Shibir activists kept coming in with banners, placards, festoons and food, occupying the streets from Matsya Bhaban to Shahbagh and a large portion of the rally venue since the morning.
Full report at:
http://www.thedailystar.net/beta2/news/jamaat-shibir-try-to-show-strength/
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North America
Hundreds march in Washington against NSA spying
Reuters | Oct 27, 2013
WASHINGTON: Hundreds of protesters marched on Capitol Hill in Washington on Saturday to protest the US government's online surveillance programs, whose vast scope was revealed this year by former spy agency contractor Edward Snowden.
People carried signs reading: "Stop Mass Spying," "Thank you, Edward Snowden" and "Unplug Big Brother" as they gathered at the foot of the Capitol to demonstrate against the online surveillance by the National Security Agency.
The march attracted protesters from both ends of the political spectrum as liberal privacy advocates walked alongside members of the conservative Tea Party movement in opposition to what they say is unlawful government spying on Americans.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/Hundreds-march-in-Washington-against-NSA-spying/articleshow/24770616.cms
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American pilgrim commends Saudi govt for ‘a job well done’
Oct 27, 2013
A visiting Pakistani-American radio journalist has commended Saudi Arabia for the successful organization of this year’s Haj.
Qamar Abbas Jafri of Voice of America’s Urdu Service described Saudi efforts “as a job well done.”
Jafri was among 200 international journalists invited by the Ministry of Culture and Information to perform Haj and report on it.
“I performed Haj and did a number of reports from the holy sites,” he told Arab News on Friday before heading back to Washington, D.C. “I am really impressed; it is a wonderful experience to be here.”
Full report at:
http://www.arabnews.com/news/468968
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Safety of Pakistan’s nuclear assets has improved: US
2013-10-27
WASHINGTON: In a document issued after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s visit to the United States, the White House has acknowledged improvement in a key area of US concern: the safety and security of Pakistan’s nuclear assets.
“Pakistan is engaged with the international community on nuclear safety and security issues and is working to ensure its strategic export controls are in line with international standards,” says the document.
“Pakistan is a state party to both the Chemical Weapons Convention and the Biological Weapons Convention and is a partner in the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism,” the White House notes.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1052111/safety-of-pakistans-nuclear-assets-has-improved-us
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Mideast conflict fuels backlash from US allies
2013-10-27
WASHINGTON: From Saudi Arabia to Israel, traditional US allies in the Middle East are beginning to ask: Is America turning its back on us?
President Barack Obama’s diplomatic overtures to old foe Iran and his last-minute refusal to attack Syria have officials in Israel, the Gulf countries and Turkey wondering if Washington is deliberately neglecting them to avoid being dragged into a Middle East facing deeper sectarian strife and concerns that Tehran may be seeking a nuclear bomb.
Media reports that the US National Security Agency may have spied on the leaders of Germany, Mexico and Brazil have upset those longtime allies too, adding to the impression in some quarters that Obama has his foreign priorities backward.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1052079/mideast-conflict-fuels-backlash-from-us-allies
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American debt reaches 25 times that of Arab countries’
27 October 2013
The United States’ public debt has reached more than $17 trillion for the first time in history. This is more than 25 times the public debt of all Arab countries put together, according to data from the U.S. Intelligence Agency’s website.
It is expected that U.S.’s debt will continue to rise over the next year as most economists agree that the country has no other choice but to borrow more money.
The U.S.’s debt is 670 times the debt of Saudi Arabia, according to the data.
According to a report by the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency in 2012, Saudi Arabia’s public debt is around $26.3 billion. This represented around 5 percent of the country’s GDP at the time.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/business/economy/2013/10/27/American-debt-reaches-25-times-that-of-Arab-countries-.html
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/56-killed-11-car-bomb/d/14174