60 killed in suicide bombing in southeast Afghanistan
JEDDAH: Husband barred from touching wife’s salary
In Muslim Kosovo, neglected Jewish cemetery restored
Iran opens conference against terrorism
Latest developments in Arab world's unrest
Interfaith Dialogue is suspended in Israel
15 dead in clash between Pakistani militant groups
Security forces kill Syria 15 protestors; EU adds pressure
Ten dead in Afghan bazaar Bomb blast
Nine die in Syrian demonstrations
US lawmakers reject measure to continue US role in Libya
Pakistani-American scholar stresses Islam and democracy absolutely compatible
Obama Administration: Pakistani leaders weren’t aware of Osama presence
Remove shadow of gun over ties, India tells Pak
Jeddah woman driver accelerates campaign
House of Rep rejects resolution backing US mission in Libya,
International Diplomats, rebels draw up plans for Libya after Gaddafi
Israel PM son’s anti-Muslim posts draw ire
Harkat-ul-Mujahideen helped Osama bin Laden during Pak stay
Indo-Pak talks will help resolve issues: Gilani
Kashmir most peaceful this year in last 20 years
Libya's Gaddafi considering leaving capital: Report
U.S.-India ties a “zero-sum game” for Pakistan: Hillary
East Libya oil facilities largely undamaged: UK
No new judge appointed, Pak court adjourns 26/11 trial again
India asks Pak for 26/11 trial closure, agrees on cross-Kashmir CBMs
After Joshi murder, Samjhauta accused took his arms,
Hina Rabbani set to be Pak’s new foreign minister
Blow by blow: Abbottabad raid as a graphic novel
China to rebalance ties with India, Pakistan
Osama wanted new name for al Qaeda
Pakistan army rejects report on bin Laden’s cell-phone
Afghan, Pakistan presidents in Iran three-way summit
Kabul urges end to cross-border attacks
Zardari vows to hunt down terrorists
Turkey building giant tent city as Syrian refugees swell
PNS Mehran probe: Ex-Navy commando, brother found innocent, released
Sarfraz Shah’s murder: Court to bring up formal charges on June 28
Jordanian opposition ups ante against government
King orders Ras Al-Zour rail linked to Dammam
UN sending rights team to Yemen
JEDDAH: Detained municipal surveyor was harassing schoolgirls: Haia
Egypt’s Brotherhood to fire members joining other parties
Hezbollah members confess to spying for CIA: Nasrallah
Tunisia joins ICC amid sweeping national change
Egypt likely to hold off on foreign bond sale
Gaza flotilla to embark Tuesday, organizers say
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/60-killed-suicide-bombing-southeast/d/4909
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60 killed in suicide bombing in southeast Afghanistan
Jun 25, 2011
KABUL: Sixty people were killed and 120 wounded in a bombing at an Afghan hospital on Saturday, the ministry of public health said in a statement.
"As a result of this heartbreaking incident, 60 of our countrymen including children, women, youths and men... have been martyred and 120 others including health workers have been injured," the statement said.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/60-killed-in-suicide-bombing-in-southeast-Afghanistan/articleshow/8988919.cms
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JEDDAH: Husband barred from touching wife’s salary
Jun 24, 2011
JEDDAH: Sometimes the marital nuclear option of divorce isn’t necessary. Sometimes a man who behaves badly simply needs to be reminded by something (the justice system perhaps?) that his behavior will not be accepted.
The courts sided recently with a Jeddah woman against her husband who had, without her knowledge, taken out a SR120,000 loan in her name. According to a report in Al-Madinah newspaper on Friday, the husband then tried to garnish his wife’s wages in order to help pay back the loan.
“The salary of a married woman is her legitimate right,” said a statement from the court. “Nobody should touch it without her personal consent.”
Contrary to what you might think from this story, the couple have reportedly reconciled after the husband accepted the ruling and his responsibility to pay back the loan. Nothing like a little court ruling to help a man amend his wrongful behavior.
ttp://arabnews.com/lifestyle/offbeat/article460887.ece
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In Muslim Kosovo, neglected Jewish cemetery restored
Jun 25, 2011
PRISTINA, Kosovo: American and Kosovo students have cleared out debris out of the neglected Jewish cemetery, a lone remaining sign of the dwindling community in this predominantly Muslim country.
The students said they spent a week to uncover graves left unattended since the end of the 1998-99 Kosovo war and restore the writings on the tombstones, most of them dating from the late 19th century.
The American students came to Kosovo after a trip to Poland where they saw the notorious Auschwitz concentration camp as part of their studies into genocide.
Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia in 2008.
Serbia has vowed never to accept Kosovo's statehood.
http://arabnews.com/world/article460983.ece
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Iran opens conference against terrorism
2011-06-25
TEHRAN (Xinhua) -- Iran opened an international conference against terrorism in Tehran on Saturday.
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a message to the opening ceremony of the conference that fighting against terrorism is a responsibility for all countries.
Terrorism is not a new phenomenon. However, the emergence of weapons of mass destruction has made it hundreds of times more dangerous, Khamenei said in his message.
He said that Zionist regime of Israel has committed a number of terrorist acts against Palestinians and continues openly its terrorist acts outside and inside the Palestinians.
The United States, Britain and some Western states, with a dark record of terrorist acts, have now added the claim of fighting terrorism to their rhetoric, said the Iranian leader.
Taherian Mobarekeh, the secretary of the conference, said in the opening ceremony that the Islamic Republic is going to create global convergence and unity against terrorism by holding the conference in Tehran.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said Friday that the conference will confront the "double standard" of the world powers on terrorism.
The world powers enter the scene under the pretext of campaign against terrorism when their interests are at stake but negotiate with terrorists for their own interests, Mehmanparast was quoted by the official IRNA news agency as saying.
"The measures which endanger lives of innocent people are condemned and they should be confronted ... It is necessary to forge consensus and ensure global unity to fight terrorism," he said.
"The conference is to form a platform where different views could be expressed. Participants from different corners and parts of the world can take part in the deliberation," Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Mohammad-Mehdi Akhondzadeh told Press TV on Friday.
The two-day International Conference of the Global Campaign against Terrorism has brought together senior officials from several countries.
Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, Afghani President Hamid Karzai, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Iraqi President Jalal Talabani arrived in Tehran on Friday to attend the conference. Also, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir arrived here on Saturday.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2011-06/25/c_13949795.htm
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Latest developments in Arab world's unrest
Jun 25, 2011
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SYRIA
Defying government guns, thousands of Syrian protesters pour down city streets and a main highway to press demands for President Bashar Assad's ouster. Security forces open fire, killing at least 15 people, including two children, activists say.
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YEMEN
A car bomb believed to have been set off be a suicide attacker kills three Yemeni security personnel in the southern city of Aden, the government says, as residents grow fearful of a possible attempt by Islamic militants to seize control of the strategic port city.
The government quickly says it suspects al-Qaida, but opponents have accused the regime of exaggerating the al-Qaida threat to try to hang on to Western support in the face of the four-month protest campaign aimed at ousting the autocratic president.
Tens of thousands of anti-government demonstrators in Aden and around the nation again hold weekend rallies against President Ali Abdullah Saleh.
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BAHRAIN
Bahrain's top Shiite cleric sharply criticizes the life sentences given to eight opposition leaders for their role in anti-government protests in this Gulf kingdom. Sheik Isa Qassim's sermon is the latest signal that Shiite leaders could snub Sunni rulers' appeals for dialogue next month amid the crackdown in Bahrain, which is home to the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet.
Bahrain's government defends the sentences, saying that the activists were convicted of "plotting to violently topple Bahrain's government" and "passing sensitive information to a terrorist organization in a foreign country."
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LIBYA
Dozens of detained rebels return on a Red Cross ship to their eastern stronghold of Benghazi, detailing how they were tortured at the hands of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's forces.
The ship carrying 51 prisoners also brought back 249 people who wanted to be reunited with family in eastern Libya, a Red Cross spokeswoman says. It was not immediately clear whether there had been a prisoner swap with the Gadhafi government.
"They electrocuted us, they tortured us in every possible way," says Yousef al-Fetori, who had been detained in the capital of Tripoli. "They broke my ribs, hand and leg."
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EGYPT
Dozens of supporters of Hosni Mubarak clash with opponents of the ousted Egyptian leader in central Cairo, with some on both sides hurling rocks at each other. Police say 20 people are injured. One side shouts, "We love you, Mr. President," and the other side screams back, "The people want to execute the butcher."
The 83-year-old Mubarak is to face trial in August on charges he ordered the killings of protesters during the 18-day uprising that ousted him on Feb. 11. A conviction could carry the death penalty.
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JORDAN
Some 1,000 Jordanians take to the streets across the country to demand the prime minister step down and reforms be sped up. The rallies drew fewer participants than they have earlier on in the six-month protest campaign.
In the capital, about 250 members of Jordan's powerful Muslim Brotherhood, the communist party and other leftist groups demonstrated near the prime minister's office.
Protests were also held in the Islamist hotbed of Zarqa, to the east of the capital, and in several southern towns.
Copyright © 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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Interfaith Dialogue is suspended in Israel
June 24, 2011
Following a bomb attack at a bus stop in central Jerusalem, Israel's Chief Rabbinate has suspended interfaith dialogue between Jewish and Muslim religious leaders in Israel until the Muslim leaders strongly condemn the attacks. The bomb attack at a bus stop killed one and injured more than three-dozen. Hours after the attack, Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Yona Mezger called on the Muslim religious leadership to condemn both the attack in Jerusalem and the ongoing rock and mortar attacks on Israeli communities from the Gaza Strip.
According to the Rabbi's staff, Mezger has condemned Jewish attacks against Palestinians in the past and even visited the sites where the attacks occurred. Therefore, he expects the Muslim clerics to do no less. This latest chapter in the long, historic story of tension between Muslims and Jews has prompted many to question how it all began-and what the future may hold.
The answer is found in a very unexpected place. A powerful upcoming novel, Israela by Dr. Batya Casper, sheds light on the centuries old conflict through the lives and voices of three women in Israel whose daily struggles and moral dilemmas not only provide rare insight into Israeli history and culture, but presents the culture through characters whose plights will tug at the heartstrings. It is an absolute must-read for anyone who wants to understand the dynamics of the Arab-Israeli conflict.
Although Israela tells a story of culture, it is also about humanity, sisterhood, loyalty, longing for acceptance and survival. Israela follows the life of Ratiba, a journalist who keeps her Jewish heritage a secret in order to marry an Israeli Arab. In this story, we see how that secret influences her life choices.
It is also the moving journey of Ratiba's sister, Orit, an actress who Ratiba must shun in order to preserve the secret of her past. The reader is drawn in by Orit's believable voice and sympathizes with her as she longs for truth and a relationship with her sister. In a parallel storyline, Ratiba and Orit's cousin, Elisheva is a nurse who works to save the wounded and dying and is forced to make some difficult choices of her own. to assist the family.
The author, Batya Casper, Ph.D., draws upon observations she has made during a lifetime of living in Israel. Her unique perspective has helped her paint a truly authentic picture of the tense daily lives of the Israeli people. , both in 1967 and today.
Casper is a director and teacher of theater and has lived in Israel intermittently since early childhood. She has watched friends and family struggle, question, and sacrifice their children. Casper makes her home in Los Angeles, California and Caesarea, Israel. Israela is set to be released in September of 2011.
Interfaith Dialogue is Suspended in Israel by Todd Rutherford by Erik T
in Entertainment
http://goarticles.com/article/Interfaith-Dialogue-is-Suspended-in-Israel-by-Todd-Rutherford/4839436/
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15 dead in clash between Pakistani militant groups
Jun 25, 2011
PARACHINAR: A government official says at least 15 Islamist militants have been killed in a shootout between the supporters of two Pakistani Taliban commanders near the Afghan border.
The official, Mir Alam, says several insurgents were also wounded during Saturday's gunbattle in the Orakzai tribal region. He said it was unclear what sparked the shootout.
However, such clashes are common in Orakzai where an unspecified number of insurgents and their commanders have been hiding after fleeing a military operation in nearby regions in recent years.
Pakistan's army declared a victory in Orakzai last year but violence has continued.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/15-dead-in-clash-between-Pakistani-militant-groups/articleshow/8990079.cms
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Security forces kill Syria 15 protestors; EU adds pressure
June 25, 2011
DAMASCUS: Syrian security forces shot dead 15 protestors and injured dozens as tens of thousands of anti-regime demonstrators surged onto the streets, prompting Europe to blast the “shocking” crackdown.
Friday’s demonstrations were a response to a call by the Facebook group Syrian Revolution 2011, a driving force behind three months of protests against the autocratic rule of President Bashar al-Assad.
Five people died in Damascus, another five in the town of Kiswah south of the capital, three in Homs and two others near the central city, activists told AFP.
“Security forces tried to break up a rally calling for the fall of the regime with tear gas before opening fire,” killing five and wounding 25 others, said an activist in the Damascus neighbourhood of Barzeh.
Activists said dozens of people in Barzeh were arrested in house-to-house searches and a curfew was also imposed there, although it was not clear when it would be lifted.
At least five demonstrators were killed in the town of Kiswah south of Damascus, another activist told AFP.
“Demonstrators left the mosque after Friday prayers and marched for a few minutes until security forces opened fire to disperse them, killing five people and wounding six others,” said Mohammad Enad Suleiman.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/2011/06/25/security-forces-kill-syria-protesters-eu-adds-pressure.html
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Ten dead in Afghan bazaar Bomb blast
June 25, 2011
KABUL: Ten people were killed and 24 others wounded when a bicycle bomb went off in a busy bazaar in northern Afghanistan, officials said Saturday, updating an earlier toll.
The blast happened in Khan Abad district, Kunduz province, at around 6:00 pm Friday. Local officials initially said six people were killed and 22 others were wounded.
But in a fresh statement Saturday, the Afghan interior ministry said: “Ten people were killed including a police soldier and 24 others were wounded including 18 men, five women and a police member.”
The explosives were planted in a bicycle near an ice-cream shop, the statement added.
Police have launched an investigation into the blast, which local officials blamed on the Taliban.
Militants have frequently targeted the Afghan police and other government employees in their near decade-long insurgency.
But civilians are the biggest casualties in the war, with 2,777 killed last year, according to the United Nations.
The north of Afghanistan is usually more stable than the volatile south and east but has seen an upsurge of violence in recent times.
http://www.dawn.com/2011/06/25/ten-dead-in-afghan-bazaar-blast.html
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Nine die in Syrian demonstrations
June 24, 2011
Syrian security forces fired on protesters killing at least nine as thousands surged onto the streets across the nation after Friday prayers to demand the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime.
The European Union also turned the heat on the Syrian regime, warning that its legitimacy was undermined by a brutal crackdown and imposing sanctions on three of its Iranian military allies. The crackdown on dissent has sent nearly 12,000 Syrians fleeing to safety in neighbouring Turkey, prompting concerns from US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who warned of the risk of a regional escalation.
In response to Facebook calls, thousands of protesters emerged from mosques in major centres today afternoon to demand that Assad’s regime go, activists said. “Bashar is no longer my president and his Government no longer represents me,” was the message posted on the page of the Facebook group Syrian Revolution 2011, one of the motors of the protests.
Full report at:
http://www.dailypioneer.com/348164/Nine-die-in-Syrian-demonstrations.html
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US lawmakers reject measure to continue US role in Libya
By DONNA CASSATA
Jun 25, 2011
WASHINGTON: The House on Friday overwhelmingly rejected a measure giving President Barack Obama the authority to continue the US military operation against Libya, a major repudiation of the commander in chief.
The vote was 295-123, with Obama losing the support of 70 of his Democrats one day after Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton had made a last-minute plea for the mission.
While the congressional action had no immediate effect on American involvement in the NATO-led mission, it was an embarrassment to a sitting president and certain to have reverberations in Tripoli and NATO capitals.
The vote marked the first time since 1999 that either House has voted against a military operation. The last time was over President Bill Clinton’s authority in the Bosnian war.
The House planned a second vote on legislation to cut off money for the military hostilities in the operation.
House Republican leaders pushed for the vote, with rank-and-file members saying the president broke the law by failing to seek congressional approval for the 3-month-old war.
The president has operated in what we now know is called the zone of twilight as to whether or not he even needs our approval,” said Rep. Tom Rooney, a Republican. “So what are we left with?” Some Democrats accused the Republicans of playing politics with national security. They said the vote would send a message to Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi.
Full report at:
http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article460977.ece
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Pakistani-American scholar stresses Islam and democracy absolutely compatible June 25, 2011
WASHINGTON: Islam and democracy go together as the great religion ordains a clear charter of human rights and economic opportunities for all and allows spiritual and societal growth, a Pakistani-American scholar said on Capitol Hill. Dr Zulfiqar Kazmi, speaking at a conference organized by Pakistani-American Congress (PAC), rejected the argument common in political discourse in Western countries that Islam and democracy do not coexist. Democracy, Dr Kazmi noted, is inherent in Islamic teachings, which stress equality and justice for all without any discrimination.
In the Pakistani context, he cited Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s firm belief in democracy and his saying that it was Islam which illustrated the concept of democratic freedom and guaranteed human rights of people about 1500 years ago.
The great scholar of Islam and poet Allama Muhammad Iqbal emphasized the Islamic message of spiritual democracy, said Kazmi, who heads The Commongrounds, an organization devoted to fostering inter-faith understanding and harmony.
The partipants at the 19th Annual U.S.-Pakistan Friendship Day included American Congressmen and prominent Pakistani-American leaders, who presented their views on advancing U.S.-Pakistan relations in view of current challenges. Dr Muhammad Akram, President of Pakistani -American Congress expressed views of the Pakistani-Americans on various issues.
The PAC is an umbrella organization of Pakistani Associations of North America and seeks to promote goodwill and cordial relations between the United States and Pakistan and their people.
http://ftpapp.app.com.pk/en_/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=143244&Itemid=2
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Obama Administration: Pakistani leaders weren’t aware of Osama presence
June 25, 2011
WASHINGTON: The Obama administration has sent a letter to Congress, assuring the lawmakers that senior military and civilian leaders in Pakistan were not aware of Osama bin Laden’s presence in Abbottabad.
The letter, signed by US special envoy Mark Grossman, aims at curbing rapidly growing anti-Pakistan feelings in Congress where lawmakers from both Republican and Democratic parties are demanding new restrictions on aid to Islamabad.
Ten US senators had sent a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton asking her to explain why the United States should continue to provide civil and military aid to Pakistan after the May 2 raid on Bin Laden’s compound.
In the letter to the lawmakers sent on Thursday, Ambassador Grossman says: “We see no evidence to indicate that anyone at the highest levels of the government of Pakistan knew that Bin Laden was living in Pakistan.”
“Now, that may be true, but I don’t think there’s an American who believes that,” said Senator Robert Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat, while commenting on Mr Grossman’s response. And he was assured by a person no less than the secretary of state that her envoy was right.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/2011/06/25/pakistani-leaders-werent-aware-of-osama-presence.html
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Remove shadow of gun over ties, India tells Pak
Shubhajit Roy
Jun 25 2011
Islamabad : Calling for an end to the “shadow of the gun”, and stressing that the “ideology of military conflict” has no place in the India-Pakistan relationship, Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao today “registered” New Delhi’s concern over “infiltration” in Jammu and Kashmir.
This was conveyed to Pakistan Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir at a special two-and-a-half-hour session of their talks dedicated to J&K at the Pakistan Foreign office.
After the meeting, Rao said at a joint press conference with Bashir, “The shadow of the gun and the violence it has unleashed has caused untold sufferings on our people in these years past. This needs to end.”
Indian officials said that when Rao raised the issue of infiltration, there was no angry reaction from Pakistani officials, who “listened”. There was no “cussedness” during the discussions, and the Indian side was able to convey the demand for ending infiltration in a “frank” atmosphere.
At the joint press conference, Rao called for an end to the “ideology of military conflict” and the establishment of an era of peace and cooperation.
“The ideology of military conflict should have no place in the paradigm of our relationship of the 21st century,” she said. “Instead, this relationship should be characterized by the vocabulary of peace, all-round cooperation in the interest of our people, growing trade and economic interaction, as well as people to people contacts — and all this, let me emphasize, in an atmosphere free of terror and violence.”
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/story-print/808513/
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Jeddah woman driver accelerates campaign
By RIMA AL-MUKHTAR
Jun 25, 2011
JEDDAH: The Women2Drive campaign continued down a rocky road with some sustaining the campaign a week after it was launched with sporadic efforts on Friday. Meanwhile a dawa (Islamic propagation) group, in Riyadh made clear its belief that women driving cars is against Islamic principles.
On Friday, stay-at-home mom Alsharifa Lana Engawi took to the Jeddah streets in a Range Rover to visit her father without any issues. But Layla Aldabbagh in Alkhobar posted on Twitter that police stopped her when she was driving with her male guardian: her father.
For the past week Saudi women have been posting videos and pictures themselves driving on social media sites.
Twitter and Facebook was alight with discussion -- mostly in Arabic -- among Saudi women over the past couple of days regarding how to obtain international drivers' licenses. Women2Drive organizers have recommended that only women with licenses that are recognized in Saudi Arabia engage in driving. Saudi Arabia does not issue driving licenses to women leaving only the international license, which can be obtained through travel agencies, as the legal option. However there have been reports that travel agencies have stopped taking international driving license applications.
Full report at:
http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article460921.ece
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House of Rep rejects resolution backing US mission in Libya
JENNIFER STEINHAUER
Jun 25 2011
New York: The House of Representatives on Friday resoundingly rejected a measure that would have authorised the US mission in Libya, with 70 Democrats deserting President Obama on an issue that has divided their party and became a major Constitutional flash point between Congress and the White House.
The resolution — one of two the House took up Friday — failed 295 to 123, with an overwhelming majority of Republicans voting no. Only eight Republicans supported the measure, which was based on a Senate measure introduced Tuesday by Senators John Kerry, Democrat of Massachusetts, and John McCain, Republican of Arizona that has yet to be voted on.
Over the last few months, there has been increasing hostility toward the Obama administration in the House among both Democrats who oppose the war and many Republicans, who cite Constitutional issues, over the president’s refusal to seek authorisation from Congress for the operations in Libya. They said such authorisation is required by the 1973 War Powers Resolution.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/story-print/808463/
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International Diplomats, rebels draw up plans for Libya after Gaddafi
Jun 25 2011
London: International officials and Libya’s opposition have drawn up detailed plans to rebuild the North African nation’s economy and society following the removal of Muammar Gaddafi, British diplomats said Friday.
Preparations for maintaining law and order, resuming oil production and the potential deployment of UN peacekeepers as cease-fire monitors have all been drafted during talks over the last month, which have also discussed how officials tied to Gaddafi’s regime could be integrated into an interim administration.
A senior British diplomat, who demanded anonymity, said Friday that a team of officials from the UK, US, Italy, Turkey, Denmark and other nations has spent several weeks in eastern Libya discussing scenarios with opposition leaders.
“We are planning carefully and comprehensively for the days, weeks and months after Gaddafi has gone,’’ the diplomat said. The plans, to be completed next week, include a proposed timetable for resuming oil production. The team also has discussed developing Libya’s civil society. Proposals “will inform international effort in response to requirements expressed by Libyans,’’ the diplomat said.
http://www.indianexpress.com/story-print/808464/
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Israel PM son’s anti-Muslim posts draw ire
Jun 25, 2011
JERUSALEM: An Israeli paper says PM Benjamin Netanyahu's son has posted disparaging comments about Arabs and Muslims on his Facebook page.
The daily Haaretz found that earlier this year 19-yearold Yair Netanyahu posted that Muslims "celebrate hate and death" . He wrote after Palestinians killed five members of an Israeli family that "terror has a religion and it is Islam" . Haaretz also reported that after ethnic clashes in 2008, Yair called for boycott of Arab businesses.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Israel-PM-sons-anti-Muslim-posts-draw-ire/articleshow/8985413.cms
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Harkat-ul-Mujahideen helped Osama bin Laden during Pak stay
Josy Joseph
Jun 25, 2011
NEW DELHI: Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, the terrorist organization that may have provided logistical support to Osama bin Laden, exemplifies the story of Pakistan-backed terrorism — fighting Soviet troops in Afghanistan in the 80s, Indian troops in Kashmir in the 90s and now backing al-Qaida's global jihad while continuing to enjoy the patronage of Pakistani intelligence agency ISI.
According to latest US reports, Osama's trusted couriers were in touch with HuM cadres, who may have provided logistical assistance to ensure a trouble-free life for the al-Qaida chief in Abbottabad. US investigators have also found that those HuM cadres, in turn, were in touch with ISI officials.
HuM's footprints were visible in some of the most sensational terror acts in Kashmir and elsewhere in India through the 90s, including in the hijack of IC814 Indian Airlines aircraft in 1999. It also successfully carried out kidnapping of foreigners, both within Kashmir and outside.
Over the past two decades, HuM evolved from being an Afghan insurgent group to a Kashmiri militant group and back to being part of the global jihad led by al-Qaida. This new-found passion for global jihad, as well as the lack of local support for militancy in Kashmir, may have distracted HuM from the J&K front.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Harkat-ul-Mujahideen-helped-Osama-bin-Laden-during-Pak-stay/articleshow/8983928.cms
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Indo-Pak talks will help resolve issues: Gilani
June 25, 2011
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, on Friday, said that Pakistan-India foreign secretary level talks were a step towards resolution of all outstanding issues between the two countries. Talking to Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar and AJK President Raja Zulqarnain Khan at the PM House, the prime minister said that talks were manifestation of the resolve of the government to have a peaceful co-existence in the region. Gilani said it was the wish of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (ZAB) and Benazir Bhutto (BB) to make all possible efforts for the resolution of Kashmir dispute according to the wishes of people of the occupied state. The prime minister reiterated commitment of his government to the development of Azad Jammu and Kashmir. staff report
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2011\06\25\story_25-6-2011_pg1_2
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Kashmir most peaceful this year in last 20 years
Josy Joseph
Jun 25, 2011
NEW DELHI: The first five months of this year has been the most peaceful time in Kashmir, compared to corresponding periods of the past two decades, assessments by the security establishment has shown. However, worry about possible eruption of violent street protests looms large over the historic drop in all parameters of insurgency.
According to sources, assessments of insurgency situation in Kashmir until May 31 showed there was an almost 50% drop in most parameters used to measure militancy. The assessment was made ahead of the foreign secretary talks between India and Pakistan but was unlikely to lead to any immediate drastic measures on the security front by New Delhi, sources said. "Amarnath Yatra is beginning, we are worried about street protests erupting again," a senior official said, citing last summer's violence in the Valley.
However, until now, the situation has show a drastic improvement on all counts. In the first four months, no terrorist managed to enter the Valley from Pakistan, while in May, a group of 17 entered. This year, there were 42 infiltration attempts in the first five months, while last year it was about 100.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Kashmir-most-peaceful-this-year-in-last-20-years/articleshow/8984080.cms
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Libya's Gaddafi considering leaving capital: Report
Jun 24, 2011
Libyan leader Gaddafi is "seriously considering" leaving the capital Tripoli following a blistering series of Nato air raids, the Wall Street Journal reported today, citing US officials.
WASHINGTON: Libyan leader Gaddafi is "seriously considering" leaving the capital Tripoli following a blistering series of Nato air raids, the Wall Street Journal reported today, citing US officials.
US intelligence shows that the Libyan strongman "doesn't feel safe anymore" in the capital where he has ruled for over four decades, the Journal quoted a senior US national security official as saying.
However, officials told the Journal they did not see the move as imminent and did not believe Gaddafi would leave the country, a key demand of Libyan rebels who have been battling his forces in a weeks-old stalemate. Gaddafi is believed to have numerous safe houses and other facilities both within the capital and outside of it to which he might relocate.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Libyas-Gaddafi-considering-leaving-capital-Report/articleshow/8974068.cms
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U.S.-India ties a “zero-sum game” for Pakistan: Hillary
Narayan Lakshman
Washington: Pakistan views successive partnerships between India and the United States as a “zero-sum game”, and always asks “So are you our friend or are you their friend?” according to U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who made rare, candid comments on Pakistan's India-centric perspectives on possible outcomes in Afghanistan.
Addressing probing questions from Senators during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, Ms. Clinton said the U.S. had to recognise that the overriding strategic framework in which Pakistan thinks of itself was its relationship with India.
Full report at:
http://www.hindu.com/2011/06/25/stories/2011062555051700.htm
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East Libya oil facilities largely undamaged: UK
Jun 25, 2011
LONDON: Oil infrastructure in rebel-held in east Libya has not been badly damaged, and exports could start within three to four weeks of Muammar Qaddafi’s fall, a senior British official said.
Libya was once a major OPEC oil producer in North Africa, and pumped about 1.6 million barrels per day, or almost two percent of world supply, before an uprising against Qaddafi’s autocratic rule in mid-February.
Rebels have prised the east of the country from his grip, and they sold their first tanker full of crude to US refiner Tesoro in April, but production has since ground to a virtual halt due to concerns over the security of the oilfields.
“We don’t think the oil infrastructure has been particularly badly damaged physically .... The current estimate is that in the east they can start pumping within three or four weeks,” said a British Foreign Office diplomat.
He was responding to a question on the resumption of oil exports from the east, where the bulk of Libya’s oilfields lie, should Qaddafi be toppled or step down. Recent comments by rebel leaders make it seem unlikely they would restart exports sooner.
Britain is one of the leading nations in a coalition conducting air strikes against Qaddafi armor and troops under a UN mandate to protect civilians, and there are close contacts between British officials and the rebel leadership.
Full report at:
http://arabnews.com/economy/article461033.ece
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No new judge appointed, Pak court adjourns 26/11 trial again
Jun 25, 2011
ISLAMABAD: The trial of LeT's Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi and six other Pakistanis charged with involvement in Mumbai attacks was on Saturday adjourned for a fortnight as no new judge had been appointed for the anti-terrorism court hearing the case following the transfer of Justice Rana Nisar Ahmed.
Ahmed, who had been hearing the case since he was appointed judge of Rawalpindi's anti-terrorist court No. III in November 2010, was transferred shortly after the last hearing on June 11.
No new judge has been appointed for the court, sources said.
The case was placed before a duty judge on Saturday, who adjourned it till July 9, the sources said.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/No-new-judge-appointed-Pak-court-adjourns-26/11-trial-again/articleshow/8989421.cms
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India asks Pak for 26/11 trial closure, agrees on cross-Kashmir CBMs
June 25, 2011
Raising alleged links of the ISI with the Mumbai terror attack, India Friday pressed Pakistan for a "satisfactory closure" of the 26/11 trial and reminded that complex issues like Kashmir can't be resolved under "the shadow of the gun". The two countries also agreed to expand trade and travel across the Line of Control to sustain the resumed dialogue.
In a new spirit of pragmatism, Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao and her Pakistani counterpart Salman Bashir discussed a range of issues relating to peace and security, Jammu and Kashmir and the promotion of friendly exchanges.
The talks over the last two days were held in a "cordial and frank" manner with India and Pakistan issuing a joint statement and the two diplomats, who were scheduled to address the media separately, eventually appearing at a joint press conference.
Signalling a change in atmospherics, they vowed to carry forward the dialogue process in "a constructive and purposeful manner".
The talks that ended Friday set the stage for the visit of Pakistan's Minister of State for External Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar, who is widely speculated to be the next foreign minister, to New Delhi next month.
Full report at:
http://www.dailypioneer.com/348298/India-asks-Pak-for-26/11-trial-closure-agrees-on-cross-Kashmir-CBMs.html
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After Joshi murder, Samjhauta accused took his arms, ammo
Rahul Tripathi
Jun 25 2011
New Delhi: Two bags containing explosives, arms and ammunition went missing from the house of slain former RSS pracharak Sunil Joshi on the night of his murder, and one of the bags was taken away by Ramji Kalsangra, wanted in connection with the Samjhauta Express blasts and other Hindu terror cases. The second bag containing arms, ammunition and rods was thrown into the Narmada river about 100 km away from Dewas in Madhya Pradesh.
These revelations were made by the principal of Saraswati Shishu Mandir at Dewas, Sheetal Gahlot, to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
Gahlot, according to officials, had been known to Joshi since 1996-97, and was an active member of the RSS in Dewas. On the day of Joshi’s murder, December 29, 2007, he was informed by one Vinay Dixit, from the RSS, that someone had attacked and shot Sunil Joshi. Dixit asked Gahlot to rush to Joshi’s house.
When he reached Joshi’s house, Gahlot said he found that one Ramcharan Patel was present. Patel was arrested this year by the MP police for destruction of evidence in Joshi’s murder. Gahlot’s statement, accessed by The Indian Express, says: “I later met Vasudev Parmar, a close associate of Joshi and then we all again went to the house of Joshi. A car was parked at the house where one Devender Tiwari was also present. Those at the house brought two bags from Joshi’s house and dumped it in the car.”
Parmar was also arrested by MP police for the murder of Joshi and recently chargesheeted along with Pragya Singh Thakur.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/story-print/808519/
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Hina Rabbani set to be Pak’s new foreign minister
Jun 25, 2011
ISLAMABAD: Hina Rabbani Khar, Pakistan's minister of state for foreign affairs, is being widely tipped to be elevated as a full-fledged foreign minister ahead of crucial talks with India next month, official sources said today.
Khar, 34, is the daughter of veteran politician Malik Ghulam Noor Rabbani Khar and the niece of former governor Malik Ghulam Mustafa Khar. She was a member of the PML-Q party during former military ruler Pervez Musharraf 's regime and joined the ruling Pakistan People's Party ahead of the 2008 general election.
Insiders in Pakistan's foreign office said that Khar had emerged as a front-runner in the race for the slot of foreign minister, which has been vacant since previous incumbent Shah Mahmood Qureshi was removed during a cabinet reshuffle in February.
Other candidates vying for the position, including federal ministers Sardar Aseff Ahmad Ali and Makhdoom Sahabuddin and national assembly speaker Fehmida Mirza, were no longer considered strong contenders for the slot, the sources said.
The move to appoint a full-time minister for the foreign office has gained urgency as talks between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan are expected to be held next month.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Hina-Rabbani-set-to-be-Paks-new-foreign-minister/articleshow/8985338.cms
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Blow by blow: Abbottabad raid as a graphic novel
Jun 25, 2011
PHILADELPHIA: The daring secret mission to get Osama bin Laden by elite US forces will be told in the pages of a new graphic novel that aims to shed more light — with a bit of creative license — on the event.
Written by retired US Marine Capt Dale Dye and Julia Dye, the 88-page hardcover "Code Word: Geronimo' ' takes a look at the mission that is free from politics , a move the authors said was aimed at keeping the focus on those who planned, conducted and executed the raid. IDW Publishing said a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the book will be donated to the American Veterans Center. "People from all parties and from more than one administration made this all possible,'' Julia Dye said. "It's an American celebration.''
It was also a quick process adapting the real-life event for the book, illustrated by artists Gerry Kissell and Amin Amat, and set for release Sept. 6, less than a week before the 10th anniversary of the Sept 11, 2001, attacks.
IDW, a San Diego-based publisher known for its line of comics that include "GI Joe,'' "Star Trek' ' and “Doctor Who,'' said the story about bin Laden's capture would appeal to both new and established readers.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/Blow-by-blow-Abbottabad-raid-as-a-graphic-novel/articleshow/8985353.cms
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China to rebalance ties with India, Pakistan
Ananth Krishnan
BEIJING: China will look to strike a better balance in its relations with India and Pakistan and will focus on improving relations with its neighbours in the next Five-Year Plan period (2011-15), according to representatives of the country's top foreign policy advisory body.
China would place a priority on ensuring a stable neighbourhood and was in favour of an early settlement of the long-running border dispute with India, members of the country's Foreign Policy Advisory Group (FPAG), which provides inputs for the government's diplomacy, told reporters on Friday in a briefing on the priorities for the Twelfth Five-Year Plan period.
“China indeed has a closer cooperation with Pakistan than India. However, after the improvement in the bilateral relationship between China and India, we sincerely hope that we can take relations forward to have a better relationship,” said Qu Xing, an FPAG member who is also the president of the China Institute of International Studies.
“The best solution,” he said, “is that we should try to have such kind cooperation [with India] equal to that of China and Pakistan”, indicating that China should try to restore “a balance” it struck in relations with both countries in the 1950s.
Full report at:
http://www.hindu.com/2011/06/25/stories/2011062555031700.htm
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Osama wanted new name for al Qaeda
June 25, 2011
As Osama bin Laden watched his terrorist organization get picked apart, he lamented in his final writings that al Qaeda was suffering from a marketing problem. His group was killing too many Muslims and that was bad for business. The West was winning the public relations fight. All his old comrades w
ere dead and he barely knew their replacements.
Faced with these challenges, bin Laden, who hated the United States and decried capitalism, considered a most American of business strategies. Like Blackwater, ValuJet and Philip Morris, perhaps what al Qaeda really needed was a fresh start under a new name.
The problem with the name al Qaeda, bin Laden wrote in a letter recovered from his compound in Pakistan, was that it lacked a religious element, something to convince Muslims worldwide that they are in a holy war with America.
Maybe something like Taifat al-Tawhed Wal-Jihad, meaning Monotheism and Jihad Group, would do the trick, he wrote. Or Jama'at I'Adat al-Khilafat al-Rashida, meaning Restoration of the Caliphate Group.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/americas/Osama-wanted-new-name-for-al-Qaeda/Article1-713331.aspx
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Pakistan army rejects report on bin Laden’s cell-phone
June 25, 2011
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan army condemned on Friday a report in the New York Times that a cell phone found in the raid that killed Osama bin Laden contained contacts to a militant group with ties to Pakistan’s intelligence agency.
The newspaper, citing senior US officials briefed on the findings, reported on Thursday that the discovery indicated that bin Laden used the group, Harakat-ul-Mujahedeen, as part of his support network inside Pakistan.
The cell phone belonged to bin Laden’s courier, who was killed along with the al Qaeda leader in the May 2 raid by US special forces on bin Laden’s compound in the garrison town of Abbottabad, the Times said.
Pakistan army spokesman Major General Athar Abbas said in a statement sent by text message that the military “rejects the insinuations made in the NYT story”.
“It is part of a well orchestrated smear campaign against our security organisations,” he said.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/2011/06/24/pakistan-army-rejects-report-on-bin-ladens-cell-phone.html
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Afghan, Pakistan presidents in Iran three-way summit
June 25, 2011
TEHRAN: The presidents of Pakistan and Afghanistan arrived Friday in Tehran for a three-way summit with their Iranian counterpart and to attend an anti-terrorism conference, IRNA news agency reported.
The summit to be attended by President Asif Ali Zardari, Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad comes as the United States announced that it will draw down by 33,000 its contingent of 99,000 troops in Afghanistan by the end of summer 2012.
Several hundred French soldiers have also been recalled from the country recently.
Britain and Germany, which have the largest presence in Afghanistan after the United States, have also declared their intention to reduce their contingent by the end of the year.
Iran has always been hostile to the presence of Nato troops in neighbouring Afghanistan, saying this strengthened terrorist groups such as Taliban and Al-Qaeda more than it weakened them.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/2011/06/24/afghan-pakistan-presidents-in-iran-three-way-summit.html
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Kabul urges end to cross-border attacks
June 25, 2011
KABUL: The Afghan government, on Friday, called for an end to cross-border attacks from Pakistan, warning that such incidents could affect “improving trust and cooperation” between the two wary allies.
The high-level warning comes after days of claim and counter-claim over cross-border attacks by the neighbours, whose relations are strained over the militancy faced by both which Kabul says is rooted in Pakistan. Four children were killed late on Thursday by Pakistani shelling in the latest attack in the volatile northeastern province of Kunar, Kabul said.
There was no immediate comment from Pakistan, where Foreign Ministry officials were wrapping up a fresh round of peace talks with India. “The ministry of foreign affairs of Afghanistan expresses its serious concern about the continuing Pakistani artillery shelling of Afghan villages in Kunar and Nangarhar provinces,” it added in a statement.
“The Afghan government calls for the immediate cessation of the artillery fire against Afghan villages. “The continuation of such incidents could adversely affect the spirit of improving trust and cooperation between the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.”
Full report at:
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2011\06\25\story_25-6-2011_pg1_5
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Zardari vows to hunt down terrorists
June 25, 2011
ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari has denied that Pakistan is turning a blind eye to terrorists, and vowed that it will hunt down and eliminate terrorists.
In an interview published in Strait Times, President Zardari said Pakistan was determined to wiping out extremism. He underscored his resolve by emphasising that Pakistan had been the hardest-hit victim of the scourge with more than 35,000 persons, including security forces, killed by terrorists.
In addition, the president said, terrorists had caused economic losses of nearly $68 billion. He dismissed the notion that the increasing number of terrorist attacks was the proof that the country was on the brink of becoming a failed state. Instead, he said, effective law enforcement operations had put terrorists on their heels and they were launching more attacks out of desperation.
The president said, “Our army is capable of defending territory and sovereignty. Apart from that, free media, independent judiciary, a dynamic civil society and an active parliament are indicators of strengthening Pakistani institutions.”
Full report at:
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2011\06\25\story_25-6-2011_pg1_7
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Turkey building giant tent city as Syrian refugees swell
June 25, 2011
APAYDIN: A giant tent city was springing up on Turkey’s frontier with Syria as concerns mounted Friday over a massive influx of refugees after Syrian tanks rolled into the border zone.
Some 150 workers toiled in scorching heat by the village of Apaydin, some 10 kilometres (six miles) from the frontier, scrambling to expand a Red Crescent camp where more than 200 tents have already been erected. Another 1,000 tents will be ready in a week on the cleaned and levelled plot of 300 hectares (750 acres), claimed from pasture land, “in case of a massive influx” of Syrians, said village headman Omer Cagatay.
On Thursday, Syrian security forces backed by tanks entered a border zone where thousands of people have massed to escape bloodshed, triggering a new exodus across the border.
Full report at:
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2011\06\25\story_25-6-2011_pg4_1
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PNS Mehran probe: Ex-Navy commando, brother found innocent, released
By Asad Kharal
June 25, 2011
LAHORE: A former commando of the Pakistan Navy and his brother, who were earlier picked up for interrogation from Lahore in connection with the PNS Mehran attack, have been released after being declared innocent.
Sources said that intelligence agencies had detained Kamran Ahmed Malik along with his brother Zaman Malik from the Abdullah Engineering Workshop, which the brothers had rented, on May 27 – five days after the attack occurred in Karachi.
The brothers were released after no evidence was found against them.
Qamaruddin, the brothers’ uncle, confirmed their release and said that at the moment they were not talking about the incident.
He said that at 10 am on May 27, three vehicles carrying 10 people in civilian attire stormed Kamran’s shop.
He added that one person of the raiding party was in a police uniform, while some were armed with weapons.
Qamaruddin said that the team picked up Kamran and two visitors from the workshop and Zaman from a place nearby.
Sources said that Kamran was court-martialled 10 years ago for assaulting a senior officer. He was subsequently admitted to the Combined Military Hospital and upon release, went on to work as a seller of prize bonds. During his service, Kamran had worked at the PNS Mehran and PNS Iqbal naval bases.
http://tribune.com.pk/story/195445/pns-mehran-probe-former-navy-commando-released/
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Sarfraz Shah’s murder: Court to bring up formal charges on June 28
By Zeeshan Mujahid
June 25, 2011
KARACHI: Formal charges against the accused in Sarfraz Shah’s murder case could not be brought up by the court on Friday.
Anti-Terrorism Court-I Judge Bashir A. Khoso deferred the framing of charges till Tuesday, June 28. It is, however, possible that the court may not be able to do so on that day because a new lawyer has been appointed for four of the accused on state expenses. He may come in and seek further delays.
Six Rangers personnel and a civilian are in jail for allegedly killing a young man, Sarfraz Shah, in Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Park, Boat Basin, on June 8. The Supreme Court took suo motu notice and ordered the court to conduct the trial on a day-to-day basis.
The law makes it mandatory upon a trial court to proceed only when all the accused are duly represented. The accused must also be present in cases when the alleged crime carries capital punishment. In the Rangers’ trial, the defence is taking advantage of this law.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/195612/sarfraz-shahs-murder-court-to-bring-up-formal-charges-on-june-28/
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Jordanian opposition ups ante against government
By ABDUL JALIL MUSTAFA
Jun 25, 2011
AMMAN: Hundreds of Jordanians took to the streets in several cities on Friday demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Marouf Bakhit’s Cabinet and the formation of a national salvation government to be tasked with the required political and economic reforms, witnesses said.
The rallies also called for the abrogation of the peace treaty which Jordan concluded with Israel in 1994 and adopting a clear strategy for fighting corruption.
Hundreds of activists, who mainly belonged to the Islamic Action Front (IAF) and six other opposition parties, staged a protest in front of the premier’s office in Amman to protest the Bakhit government’s “failure” to carry out the reforms promised by King Abdallah.
They considered the resignation of Minister of State for Media Affairs Taher Adwan on Wednesday over the stumbling reforms as indicative of the government’s “unwillingness” to push ahead with the reform process.
Full report at:
http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article460956.ece
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King orders Ras Al-Zour rail linked to Dammam
Jun 24, 2011
RIYADH: Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah has ordered the linking of the new Hazm Al-Jalameed-Ras Al-Zour rail with Dammam through Jubail Industrial City, Finance Minister Ibrahim Al-Assaf said Friday.
The 1,392-km railway line between Hazm Al-Jalameed, Northern Border Province, where phosphate mines are situated, and the industrial center of Ras Al-Zour, Eastern Province, was opened in May. The railway also passes through the mining areas in the provinces of Jouf, Hail and Qassim. The Saudi Railway Company (SAR) completed the new rail line in May.
SAR also plans to link Riyadh with Haditha, on the border with Jordan, with the construction of another line.
“The king’s order for a railway link is of vital importance for the development of the Kingdom’s economy,” said Al-Assaf, who is also chairman of the Public Investment Fund, which owns SAR.
Full report at:
http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article460912.ece
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UN sending rights team to Yemen
Jun 25, 2011
GENEVA: A team of United Nations human rights investigators will travel to Yemen next week to assess the situation after months of unrest, a UN spokeswoman said Friday.
"The UN human rights office is due to deploy a three-member delegation to Yemen on Monday for a 10-day mission to assess the human rights situation in the country in light of recent events," spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani told a news briefing.
The team of experts, whose names are not being disclosed for security reasons, are staff of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay. Her office has sought access to Yemen to make an independent assessment since the crisis began in March and the mission comes at Sanaa's invitation.
The experts will talk to Yemeni government officials, activists, victims of human rights violations, political opposition members and religious leaders during the June 27-July 6 mission, a UN statement said.
"The team will also try to meet internally displaced persons and intends to visit medical facilities and detention centers in a number of cities," it said.
In the southern port city of Aden on Friday, Yemeni forces backed by tanks fired on a funeral procession for a young man beaten to death in police custody, killing at least one person.
Full report at:
http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article460914.ece
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JEDDAH: Detained municipal surveyor was harassing schoolgirls: Haia
By MD HUMAIDAN
Jun 24, 2011
JEDDAH: A municipality surveyor arrested by the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (Haia) near a secondary school for girls east of Riyadh was harassing students there, the organization said in a statement.
The Haia provided a copy of a letter signed by various students claiming the young Saudi official had been trying to give his number to them. The letter also urged officials to intervene.
The case has received much publicity after a local newspaper published a photo of the surveyor in handcuffs after officers had arrested him. Local human rights organizations criticized the Haia’s behavior and said the situation could have been handled in a better manner.
The Haia's statement, undersigned by assistant spokesman Khaled bin Saleh Al-Hamoud, said the young man was warned three times before but he would not comply.
"When we received the letter from the students, we immediately rushed to the school. When the young man saw us, he tried to escape and hid himself under his car where he started making telephone calls. He resisted the officers, causing them injuries that needed five days' treatment. He was also injured," the spokesman said.
He said the young man was handed over to the police.
Al-Hamoud said the president of the commission has formed an independent committee to investigate the case and report its findings to him immediately.
According to some human activists, the young man’s father was also detained by police for some time but was later released. They criticized the Haia and claimed the father was simply trying to provide medical help to his son.
http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article461005.ece
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Egypt’s Brotherhood to fire members joining other parties
By YASMINE SALEH
Jun 25, 2011
CAIRO: A Muslim Brotherhood leader vowed on Friday that members who join other political parties would be expelled from the group, in the latest sign of internal rifts.
The Brotherhood, Egypt’s biggest political group, is seen as the best prepared for a parliamentary vote due in September. But divisions have emerged over electoral strategy.
The Brotherhood’s secretary-general, Mahmoud Hussein, was quoted on Friday by Al-Shorouk newspaper as saying members who join other political parties would be forced to leave the group.
“They either voluntarily resign from the Brotherhood or they will be fired,” Hussein was quoted as saying.
Last week, the Brotherhood expelled Abdel Moneim Abul Futuh, a senior member who had announced he would run as an independent in a presidential vote later this year, defying a Brotherhood decision not to field a candidate for the post vacant since President Hosni Mubarak’s overthrow in February.
Hussein said young Brotherhood members who were working with Abul Futuh in his presidential campaign would be investigated.
Political analyst Mustapha Al-Sayyid said the Brotherhood, which has formed its own “independent” Freedom and Justice Party, wanted to exert internal discipline before the election.
Full report at:
http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article460988.ece
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Hezbollah members confess to spying for CIA: Nasrallah
Jun 24, 2011
BEIRUT: Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said on Friday the group had captured three spies among its members, two of whom were recruited by the US Central Intelligence Agency.
The spies, one of whom was recruited five months ago, did not pose a serious threat to the movement or its military capabilities, he said.
“None of these three cases are within the first line of senior leadership. They were not in positions of sensitive responsibility ... it is impossible to touch the military and security infrastructure of the resistance and its ability to confront,” he said in a televised speech.
“None of them have sensitive information that could harm the structure of the resistance.” Nasrallah said the CIA agents who hired the spies had diplomatic protection from the US Embassy in Beirut. He accused the CIA of recruiting the spies on behalf of Israel.
Full report at:
http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article460999.ece
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Tunisia joins ICC amid sweeping national change
Jun 25, 2011
UNITED NATIONS: Tunisia says it has joined the International Criminal Court to demonstrate its new post-Arab spring focus on human rights, democracy and respect for rule of law.
Tunisia’s UN ambassador Ghazi Jomaa said Friday that his country will also sign conventions on torture, enforced disappearances and civic and political rights to underscore its commitment to reform.
Liechtenstein’s Ambassador Christian Wenaweser, president of the assembly of ICC members, welcomed Tunisia as the 116th country and fourth Arab League member to join the international court which investigates and prosecutes genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. League members Djibouti, Comoros and Jordan also belong.
The so-called Arab Spring protests began in Tunisia in January with the overthrow of long-time ruler Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali.
http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article460981.ece
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Egypt likely to hold off on foreign bond sale
Jun 25, 2011
CAIRO: Egypt is unlikely to tap the international bond market in the next few months despite a hefty budget deficit since political uncertainty would drive up costs and the government wants to size up what foreign aid it can secure.
The country’s last eurobond, which was oversubscribed, was launched almost a year before President Hosni Mubarak was toppled on Feb. 11. His government had been considering a new long-term issue.
But officials now say the government, which forecasts a budget deficit of nearly 9 percent in the 2011/2012 fiscal year, is in no hurry. Economists say it may not tap the market until November or later.
The yield on a 10-year Egyptian eurobond has dropped to 5.70 percent from over 7.0 percent in late January during the uprising that ousted Mubarak, as the new government has won assurances of external help to shore up state finances. The yield was as low as 4.4 percent last year.
Egypt was given breathing space when the International Monetary Fund agreed a $3 billion standby facility on June 6.
That and other pledges from the US, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and others could mount to over $20 billion, if finalized.
Full report at:
ttp://arabnews.com/economy/article460998.ece
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Gaza flotilla to embark Tuesday, organizers say
June 25, 2011
The IHH had pulled out from the flotilla, claiming there were technical problems with the Mavi Marmara ship. Hürriyet photo
Aid ships leaving as part of an international flotilla to Gaza are set to embark from Mediterranean ports on Tuesday, according to organizers.
This apparently conflicts with an announcement last week that ships would be leaving from Southern European ports on Saturday.
“For reasons easily understood, we have to protect the flotilla as much as possible,” Dmitris Plionis, a flotilla organizer from ‘Ship to Gaza: Greece’ told the Hürriyet Daily News on Friday.
Plionis declined to give a departure date or location for ships leaving for Gaza, but said that about 10 ships would be participating in the flotilla, along with two cargo ships.
It has been reported that at least one ship in the flotilla will depart from Athens, while the Daily News has learned that two Swiss ships, one passenger and one cargo ship, will be leaving from Italian ports. Ships bound for Gaza would leave on Saturday from Southern European ports and convene in the waters off Cyprus, according to the IHH, a Turkish nongovernmental organization that sent the Mavi Marmara as part of the flotilla in last year’s attempt to break the Israeli naval blockade of Gaza.
Anouar Gharbi, president of the Swiss “Droit Pour Tous” (Rights for All) organization, confirmed to the Daily News that flotilla ships would be convening off the coast of Cyprus. However, he said the ships would embark on Tuesday, rather than Saturday, as the IHH had previously announced. Gharbi declined to give further details on the flotilla’s plans.
Full report at:
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=gaza-flotilla-to-embark-tuesday-organizers-say-2011-06-24
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/60-killed-suicide-bombing-southeast/d/4909