62 rebels killed in Syrian troop ambush near Damascus
New Age Islam News Bureau
7
Aug 2013
Anti-government protesters wave national flags during a demonstration in Tunis August 6, 2013 (Photo: Reuters)
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Arab World
• 62 rebels killed in Syrian troop ambush near Damascus
• Iraq violence including Baghdad bombings kills 47
• Bomb kills 10 in Damascus suburb: state TV
• Syrian opposition alleges new atrocities by Assad
• Kuwait frees 7 opposition members pardoned by emir
• Egypt says foreign mediation has failed to resolve crisis
Southeast Asia
• Indonesian Council of Ulema Slams Jakarta Police Call to Limit Takbiran
• Gunman with Alleged Terrorist Links Kills Ciputat Policeman
India
• India bonds with Afghanistan following Jalalabad attack
• India-Bangladesh join hands to find graves of freedom fighters
• Quran in Braille to teach blind students
• ISI may push Afghan Taliban into J&K
• CBI clean chit for ex-Aligarh Muslim University VC Aziz
• Begged SDM to spare mosque until Eid, says village Pradhan
• Pak, India DGMOs talk on hotline to lower tension along LoC
• Pak aiming to rake up Kashmir issue, experts warn
• MP govt withdraws order to teach Gita in madrasas
Africa
• Tens of thousands march against government in Tunisia
• Nigeria terror suspects allege abuse by Mossad
South Asia
• Bangladesh: Stopping use of religion in election campaigns urged
• Taliban reject Afghan elections, vow to fight until troops leave
• Islamic Ministry of Maldives declares Thursday August 8 Eid-ul-Fitr
• Mullah Omar is ‘still willing to talk’
• 40 Pakistani workers detained in Afghanistan
Mideast
• Drone strike kills six suspected militants in Yemen
• Yemen home to Al Qaeda’s most active franchise
• Israel rabbi found guilty of child abuse
• Israelis pessimistic about chances of peace process
• Turkey to discuss aid to Syria in UN meeting
Pakistan
• Pak civilian-military leadership tussle yet again?
• Pakistan bomb at Karachi football match kills 11
• Motorcycle bomb kills seven in Karachi
• Blast in Balochistn's Mastung area kills two
• Nawaz directs Interior Minister to arrest terrorists behind Mach, Chilas attacks
• Traditional Islamic calligraphy exhibition opens at Lok Virsa
• Eco-Jihad: Planting trees for paradise
• Taliban claim holding Gilani’s son
• PML-N muses on anti-terror policy as militants run amok
• Pakistan’s first science TV to launch on August 14
North America
• As al-Qaida grows, its leaders remain a global threat
• Tension along India border may affect US-Taliban talks
• US needs to stay on top of terrorism: Obama
• Embassy closures used to bolster case for NSA
• Boston bombing suspects met conspiracy theorist
• US files criminal charges in Benghazi attack: Reports
Europe
• UN welcomes extension in Afghan repatriation deadline
• UK will honour Indians who fought in World War I
• EU to Iran's Rouhani: Resume nuclear talks swiftly
• Des Plaines rejects Muslim group's request
• Oslo University rejects Breivik application for course
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/62-rebels-killed-syrian-troop/d/12935
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Arab World
62 rebels killed in Syrian troop ambush near Damascus
Aug 7, 2013
Syrian opposition activists say government forces have killed over 60 rebels in an ambush near the capital Damascus.
The state news agency SANA confirmed the ambush near the Damascus suburb of Adra at dawn on Wednesday, saying “dozens” were killed.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says at least 62 rebels died. It did not report any government casualties.
Syrian troops have been on the offensive in the suburbs of the capital in the past few months in an attempt to protect President Bashar Assad’s seat of power.
More than 100,000 people have been killed since Syria’s conflict started in March 2011 as largely peaceful protests against Mr. Assad’s rule. The conflict later turned into a civil war.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/world/62-rebels-killed-in-syrian-troop-ambush-near-damascus/article4999256.ece
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Iraq violence including Baghdad bombings kills 47
07 Aug 2013
BAGHDAD: A series of bombings across Baghdad were the deadliest in a spate of nationwide attacks that killed 47 people on Tuesday, as Iraq struggles with its worst violence since 2008.
At least eight car bombs and several roadside bombs struck the capital just before Iraqis broke their daytime Ramadan fast, the latest in brutal violence during the Muslim holy month that has left hundreds dead.
The blasts came barely two weeks after militants staged audacious raids on two prisons near Baghdad, freeing hundreds of inmates, including convicted jihadists, an operation claimed by an Al Qaeda front group.
In Baghdad, bombings hit a variety of targets including shops and a market, in mainly Sunni and mainly Shia districts as well as confessionally mixed neighbourhoods, from around 5:30 pm (local time).
In all, 31 people were killed and 120 wounded, security and medical officials said.
In the central commercial district of Karrada, a car bomb killed five people and badly damaged store fronts and a nearby vehicle, an AFP correspondent reported.
Ten other people were killed by a late night car bomb that ripped through a packed commercial street just north of Baquba, the capital of restive Diyala province, officials said.
Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki vowed to continue operations against the militants, in a statement issued just before the attacks began.
“We will not leave our children to these murderers and those standing behind them and supporting both inside and outside,” Maliki said.
“Iraq and Iraqis will not be victims of takfiri fatwas,” he said, referring to religious rulings issued by extremists.
Violence has risen sharply in recent months, with almost 1,000 people killed in July, according to official figures, the worst violence since Iraq was emerging from a brutal sectarian war in 2008.
The attacks have mostly hit north of Baghdad, but the capital has not been spared.
More than 10 car bombs struck the Iraqi capital on July 29, killing at least 45 people, in a series of attacks claimed by Al Qaeda front group the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.
Elsewhere in Iraq on Tuesday, six people were killed.
Gunmen stormed the home of a policeman's sister to the south of the northern city of Mosul, took him outside, and executed him.
Shootings and bombings in Fallujah and Khanaqin, west and northeast of Baghdad respectively, left three others dead.
In Diyala, north of the capital, security forces killed two militants driving explosives-laden vehicles.
The attacks came just weeks after brazen attacks on prisons in Abu Ghraib and Taji in which hundreds were freed.
Analysts, as well as global police organisation Interpol, have warned that the jailbreaks could lead to a rise in attacks as many of those who broke out were linked to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.
Security forces have meanwhile launched major operations, among the biggest since the December 2011 withdrawal of US forces, targeting militants in multiple provinces including Baghdad.
Violence has been increasing since the beginning of the year, especially after an April 23 security operation at a Sunni Arab anti-government protest site that sparked clashes in which dozens died.
Protests erupted in Sunni-majority areas in late 2012, amid widespread discontent among Sunnis, who accuse the Shia-led government of marginalising and targeting their community.
Analysts say Sunni anger is the main cause of the spike in violence this year.
In addition to security problems, the government in Baghdad is also failing to provide adequate basic services such as electricity and clean water, and corruption is widespread.
Political squabbling has paralysed the government, which has passed almost no major legislation in years.
http://dawn.com/news/1034741/iraq-violence-including-baghdad-bombings-kills-47
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Bomb kills 10 in Damascus suburb: state TV
Aug 7, 2013
DAMASCUS: A bomb killed 10 people in the Damascus suburb of Jaramana on Tuesday, the latest in spate of blasts to hit the mainly Christian and Druze district, state television said.
The car bomb in the suburb's Siouf square also wounded 56 people, the broadcaster said. It said children were among the dead.
The explosion struck at around 7:15 pm (1615 GMT), when traffic was heavy as Muslims headed home for the iftar meal that breaks the daylight fast observed during the holy month of Ramadan.
State television aired footage of wrecked shopfronts around the square and dozens of burned out vehicles.
A similar bombing in the same square on July 25 killed at least seven people and wounded more than 60.
In August last year, another car bomb killed at least 27 people in the southeastern suburb.
Syria's Christian and Druze minorities have mostly sought to remain neutral in the conflict wracking the country since March 2011.
But many hardline Islamists suspect them of loyalty to the government of President Bashar al-Assad.
http://dawn.com/news/1034547/bomb-kills-10-in-damascus-suburb-state-tv
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Syrian opposition alleges new atrocities by Assad
AP | Aug 6, 2013
ISTANBUL: Syria's main opposition bloc says that the Syrian government has carried out more than 20 massacres during the holy month of Ramzan, killing hundreds of civilians.
The Western-backed Syrian National Coalition presented a report on Tuesday detailing the abuses that also alleged three recent uses of chemical weapons by President Bashar Assad's government. The report's findings, which also allege that civilians were targeted by ballistic missiles, executed and burned alive, could not be independently verified.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Syrian-opposition-alleges-new-atrocities-by-Assad/articleshow/21652631.cms
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Kuwait frees 7 opposition members pardoned by emir
07 Aug 2013
Kuwait has released seven opposition activists, including a woman, who were in prison for insulting the ruler on Twitter after he pardoned them last week, the interior ministry said Wednesday.
Dozens of other opposition activists and former lawmakers being tried on similar charges were not included in the pardon issued by Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad Al-Sabah on the occasion of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.
The six men and the woman were released from the central prison around midnight Tuesday, the ministry said in a statement.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/78500/World/Region/Kuwait-frees--opposition-members-pardoned-by-emir.aspx
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Egypt says foreign mediation has failed to resolve crisis
07 Aug 2013
Egypt's interim presidency says international efforts to resolve the political crisis which followed the deposing of Mohammed Morsi have failed.
Interim head of state Adly Mansour and his backers in the military have been talking to diplomats from the US, EU, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
More than 250 people have been killed in political unrest since Mr Morsi was ousted on 3 July after street protests.
Full report at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-23601349
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Southeast Asia
Indonesian Council of Ulema Slams Jakarta Police Call to Limit Takbiran
Aug 7, 2013
An official with the Indonesian Council of Ulema (MUI) has criticized the Jakarta Police’s call to curb the amount of Idul Fitri prayer convoys in the capital, alleging it as an attempt to “defy” and “belittle” Islam.
MUI deputy secretary-general Tengku Zulkarnaen on Tuesday said the prayer activities, in which participants chant the long version of the Takbir (Allah is the greatest) while parading across the city, are recommended in Islam because they spread religious teachings.
He criticized the police’s suggestion to limit takbir-chanting — often called takbiran in Indonesian — within the confinement of mosques.
“The excuse they use to ban these takbiran convoys is no different than defying Islamic teachings,” Tengku told Indonesian news portal republika.co.id. “Their ban on this is an attempt to belittle Islam.”
Full report at:
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/jakarta/mui-official-slams-jakarta-police-call-to-limit-takbiran/
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Gunman With Alleged Terrorist Links Kills Ciputat Policeman
Aug 7, 2013
An unknown gunman with alleged ties to a terrorist network fatally shot a police officer in front of a hospital in Ciputat, Tangerang early Wednesday morning.
Adj. First Insp. Dwiyatna was on his way to work when he was shot in the back of his head at around 5:00 a.m., Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Rikwanto said.
“The crime was committed in front of the Sari Asih hospital in Ciputat,” Rikwanto said.
The victim, he added, had left his home in Pamulang Barat to go to the Cilandak Police station.
Full report at:
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/gunman-with-alleged-terrorist-links-kills-ciputat-policeman/
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India
India bonds with Afghanistan following Jalalabad attack
ATUL ANEJA
SANDEEP DIKSHIT
Aug 7, 2013
Compensation for families of Afghan victims announced while Delhi’s ties with Islamabad come under strain
In the midst of tragedy following the foiled attack on the Indian Consulate in Jalalabad, India warmed up to Afghanistan by announcing a generous compensation package for Afghans who had fallen, or were injured, during the strike.
The bonding between New Delhi and Kabul contrasted sharply with the sudden dip in India’s ties with Pakistan after Pakistan’s Deputy High Commissioner was summoned to South Block on Tuesday.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/world/india-bonds-with-afghanistan-following-jalalabad-attack/article4995875.ece
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India-Bangladesh join hands to find graves of freedom fighters
Aug 7, 2013
India and Bangladesh are jointly making efforts to trace the graves of martyrs of the Liberation War of 1971 with over 2,000 freedom fighters buried on this side of the border in Tripura, West Bengal, Assam and Meghalaya.
Officials here said that four nodal officers from the Indian side were appointed at Agartala, Kolkata, Guwahati and Shillong who would help Bangladeshi officials and their representatives to find the graves.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/indiabangladesh-join-hands-to-find-graves-of-freedom-fighters/article4998873.ece
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Quran in Braille to teach blind students
August 07, 2013
An opportunity to read the Quran, especially during Ramzan - its something any visually-impaired Muslim would give his, or her, eyeteeth for.
Over two-dozen sightless children have gotten a god-sent opportunity to do just that, thanks to a madarsa that provides copies of the Quran in Braille to students.
The seminary, Madarsa Noor Research Institute for the Blind, currently has six Braille copies of the holy book which are used to teach the word of God to thirty visually-impaired children, both boys and girls.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/madhyapradesh/MP-Quran-in-Braille-to-teach-blind-students/Article1-1104418.aspx
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ISI may push Afghan Taliban into J&K
Bharti Jain, TNN | Aug 7, 2013
NEW DELHI: As infiltration attempts and ceasefire violations along the LoC/international border with Pakistan register a spurt, the Indian security agencies are worried that Pakistan's ISI may now try to increasingly push battle-hardened Afghan Taliban into Jammu & Kashmir. The trend is expected to grow further as the 2014 deadline for Nato-led forces' withdrawal from Afghanistan draws near.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/ISI-may-push-Afghan-Taliban-into-JK/articleshow/21668082.cms
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CBI clean chit for ex-Aligarh Muslim University VC Aziz
TNN | Aug 7, 2013
NEW DELHI: The CBI has closed the probe against former vice-chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), P K Abdul Azis, in which he was accused of financial irregularities during his tenure in the varsity. The agency had registered a preliminary enquiry in July, 2011, against Azis (64) after it was alleged that he had flouted rules of the institution for his own benefits. Azis had also been questioned by CBI in the enquiry.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/CBI-clean-chit-for-ex-Aligarh-Muslim-University-VC-Aziz/articleshow/21669090.cms
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Begged SDM to spare mosque until Eid, says village pradhan
Aug 07 2013
Kadalpur : The gram pradhan of Kadalpur, the village where the razing of the wall of an illegal mosque led to the suspension of subdivisional magistrate Durga Shakti Nagpal, said Tuesday that he had begged the IAS officer to postpone the demolition until after Eid, but she had been unbending.
Pradhan Shafiq Khan said villagers had been offering namaaz at the makeshift mosque every day for the past 10 years. As a fullblown political war rages over the officer’s suspension, Kadalpur’s primary grievance is that her action on July 27 came in the holy month of Ramzan.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/begged-sdm-to-spare-mosque-until-eid-says-village-pradhan/1152246/
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Pak, India DGMOs talk on hotline to lower tension along LoC
Aug 07 2013
Islamabad : Top military officials of Pakistan and India today spoke to each other on hotline to lower tension after the killing of five Indian soldiers along the Line of Control in Poonch sector in Jammu and Kashmir.
An official of Pakistan army said that the two Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) established a "special hotline contact this morning" to discuss the situation "arising out of the recent Indian allegations on the Loc".
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/pak-india-dgmos-talk-on-hotline-to-lower-tension-along-loc/1152328/
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Pak aiming to rake up Kashmir issue, experts warn
TNN | Aug 7, 2013
NEW DELHI: Repeated aggressive actions by the Pakistani security establishment and irregulars with its blessings reflects a long-term strategy, and could be aimed at reviving Kashmir issue as South Asia awaits US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan next year.
Experts are beginning to see a long-term strategy behind the repeated provocative actions along the Line of Control (LoC), especially in the Jammu sector. "Going by the ISI's past track record it is certainly planned for the next five-10 years. In 2014, the South Asian scenario is set to see major changes," said former Navy chief and a leading strategic analyst, Admiral Arun Prakash, even as he warned that Pakistani security establishment could be trying to mount pressure on Kashmir.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Pak-aiming-to-rake-up-Kashmir-issue-experts-warn/articleshow/21668021.cms
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MP govt withdraws order to teach Gita in madrassas
Suchandana Gupta, TNN | Aug 7, 2013
BHOPAL: A day after it came to light that the Madhya Pradesh government had ordered the Bhagwad Gita be taught in madrassas, the controversial diktat was withdrawn as outrage swept across Muslim community over alleged attempts at saffronisation of Islamic institutions.
A rattled chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan retreated less than a week after issuing the government order amid mounting criticism, also in the process distancing himself from his public statement from an RSS platform a year ago: that teachings from the Hindu holy book would be included in school curricula.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/MP-govt-withdraws-order-to-teach-Gita-in-madrassas/articleshow/21666404.cms
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Africa
Tens of thousands march against government in Tunisia
07 Aug 2013
Tens of thousands of people poured onto the streets of the Tunisian capital to demand the resignation of the government as the political crisis in the north African nation deepened.
The country has been wracked by political unrest since the July 25 murder of opposition lawmaker Mohamed Brahmi and Tuesday's protests marked the biggest anti-government demonstration since the assassination.
A police official estimated that 40,000 people crowded the streets of Tunis to call for the government led by the moderate Islamic movement Ennahda to step down. Opposition leaders cited in local media put the figure at 100,000-200,000.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/78497/World/Region/Tens-of-thousands-march-against-government-in-Tuni.aspx
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Nigeria terror suspects allege abuse by Mossad
August/07/2013
Suspected Hezbollah operatives in Nigeria claimed in a federal criminal court on Monday that Israeli intelligence agents had used excessive interrogation methods on them, media reports said on Tuesday.
In May, the Nigerian authorities arrested three dual Nigerian-Lebanese nationals for alleged possession of a massive weapons cache meant for carrying out terrorist operations against Israeli and American targets.
Full report at:
http://www.jpost.com/International/Nigeria-terror-suspects-allege-abuse-by-Mossad-322293
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South Asia
Bangladesh: Stopping use of religion in election campaigns urged
Aug 7, 2013
With a few months left before the country goes into the next parliamentary election, minority community leaders yesterday urged the government, political parties, and the Election Commission to take steps for stopping the use of religion in electioneering.
They also sought measures to prevent communal attacks before and after the polls and ensure their security so that minorities could cast their votes without being intimidated.
Leaders of Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Oikya Parishad, a body of the country’s religious minority communities, made these demands at press conference at the capital’s Dhaka Reporters Unity.
Rana Dasgupta, general secretary of the Parishad, said as the political parties had already started the election activities, religious and ethnic minorities grew anxious over the pre- and post-election situations.
Full report at:
http://www.thedailystar.net/beta2/news/stop-to-use-of-religion-in-election-campaign-urged/
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Taliban reject Afghan elections, vow to fight until troops leave
Aug 7, 2013
KABUL: The Afghan Taliban will not take part in next year’s presidential elections and will wage war until foreign troops leave the country, the group’s elusive leader, Mullah Mohammad Omar, said in a message released on Tuesday.
The announcement is likely to frustrate the international community, which had been hoping the resumption of stalled peace talks in the Gulf state of Qatar may lead to the Islamist group’s participation in the April elections.
“As to the deceiving drama under the name of elections 2014, our pious people will not tire themselves out, nor will they participate,” an English translation of Omar’s message, provided by Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, said.
Full report at:
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2013\08\07\story_7-8-2013_pg14_9
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Islamic Ministry of Maldives declares Thursday August 8 Eid-ul-Fitr
By Minivan News | August 7th, 2013
The Islamic Ministry has declared that Eid-ul-Fitr will take place tomorrow, Thursday August 8.
Eid-ul-Fitr is the celebration marking the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting.
President Dr Mohamed Waheed will receive members of the public at Muleaage to exchange Eid greetings tomorrow morning from 9:30am, according to the President’s Office website, and then address the nation at 11:00am.
The event is open to members of foreign diplomatic missions and international organisations in Male, according to the President’s office.
http://minivannews.com/category/news-in-brief
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Mullah Omar is ‘still willing to talk’
Aug 7, 2013
In a five-page message emailed ahead of the Eid-ul-Fitr festival, Taliban’s reclusive leader urges a continued struggle against the international coalition and its Afghan allies.
The Taliban’s reclusive leader said on Tuesday that his group was willing to start peace negotiations, even as he urged more attacks including insider shootings by government security forces on foreign troops.
In a wide-ranging e-mailed message, Mullah Mohammad Omar blamed America and the Afghan government for the derailment of talks two months ago.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/south-asia/mullah-omar-is-still-willing-to-talk/article4995606.ece
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40 Pakistani workers detained in Afghanistan
August 6, 2013
KANDAHAR, AFGHANISTAN: As many 40 Pakistani workers have reportedly been detained in Afghanistan when a local contractor fled after stealing Rs7 million, Express News reported on Tuesday.
According to local reports, Zahid Anwar, a resident of Waziristan, ran a local construction company in Kandahar. He had called in people from Pakistan to Kandahar by offering incentives of jobs.
As part of his scam, he borrowed Rs7 million for the purpose of purchasing construction materials but fled after receiving the money.
As a result, Afghanistan officials took Pakistani workers of the company into their custody.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has been contacted to assist the detained workers.
http://tribune.com.pk/story/587244/40-pakistani-workers-detained-in-afghanistan/
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Mideast
Drone strike kills six suspected militants in Yemen
Aug 7, 2013
ADEN: A US drone killed at least six suspected Al Qaeda militants in southern Yemen on Wednesday, officials said, a day after US and British embassies evacuated some staff because of growing fears of attacks.
It was the fifth strike in less than two weeks and follows warnings of potential attacks by militants that pushed Washington to shut missions across the Middle East, and the United States and Britain to evacuate staff from Yemen.
Witnesses and local officials in the province of Shabwa said the drone fired at least six missiles at two vehicles in a remote area some 70 kilometres north of the provincial capital, Ataq. Both vehicles were destroyed.
Full report at:
http://dawn.com/news/1034724/drone-strike-kills-six-suspected-militants-in-yemen
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Yemen home to Al Qaeda’s most active franchise
IAN BLACK
2013-08-07
LONDON: Exactly what danger is posed to US, British and French interests in Yemen is not public knowledge. But it comes as no surprise that the poorest country in the Arab world and the home of Al Qaeda’s most active local franchise is the apparent focus of the international terrorist alert that has led to the closure of western embassies across the Middle East.
Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (Aqap) emerged in Yemen in 2007 after the organisation’s effective defeat in neighbouring Saudi Arabia. It is the regular target of US drone strikes. Little is known about the links between it and Al Qaeda central in Pakistan. But it is sustained by local factors including wild terrain, economic misery, tribal divisions and the weakness of the Yemeni state, battered by the Arab spring and the threat from secessionist movements.
Full report at:
http://dawn.com/news/1034661/yemen-home-to-al-qaedas-most-active-franchise
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Israel rabbi found guilty of child abuse
07 Aug 2013
An Israeli rabbi was on Wednesday found guilty of sexually abusing a minor, public radio said.
A Jerusalem court ruled that influential Zionist rabbi Mordechai Elon had "inappropriately" touched a young boy on two separate occasions in 2005, the radio quoted a lawyer as saying.
Elon, 53, had repeatedly professed his innocence and pleaded not guilty, saying the charges amounted to "defamation". It was unclear when he will be sentenced.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/78517/World/Region/Israel-rabbi-found-guilty-of-child-abuse.aspx
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Israelis pessimistic about chances of peace process
07 Aug 2013
RAMALLAH – A new poll found that the majority of Israelis are pessimistic about the chances for success of the newest round of peace talks with Palestinians.
The poll, conducted by Israel Democracy Institute (IDI) and Tel Aviv University monthly Peace Index, found that 79 percent of Israeli Jews think the new round of peace talks that were launched in Washington last week by US Secretary of State John Kerry will succeed in yielding a peace agreement, while 18 percent believe they have a high chance of succeeding.
Full report at:
http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20130807176249
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Turkey to discuss aid to Syria in UN meeting
August/07/2013
A United Nations meeting, with the participation of neighboring countries to Syria, is planned to take place in Geneva in September to focus on humanitarian aid for conflict-hit country, Spokesperson of Foreign Ministry of Affairs Levent Gümrükçü said yesterday at a press conference.
The meeting will discuss ways to meet the humanitarian needs of fleeing Syrians within the Syrian territory, an initiative made by Turkey, he added.
Elaborating on the reports claiming that new camps could be set up on the Syrian side of the Turkish border, “At this stage, we cannot talk about a certain plan. But the humanitarian situation in Syria is deteriorating and bringing pressure and risks for neighboring countries,” he said.
Full report at:
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-to-discuss-aid-to-syria-in-un-meeting.aspx?pageID=238&nID=52119&NewsCatID=338
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Pakistan
Pak civilian-military leadership tussle yet again?
Omer Farooq Khan, TNN | Aug 7, 2013
ISLAMABAD: The killing of five Indian soldiers along the LoC for which New Delhi blames Pakistan will come as a big embarrassment for the new Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif who has been making peace overtures towards India.
While Pakistan's military and foreign office denied involvement in the death of Indian soldiers, such misadventures have occurred in the past when Pakistan's military and political leadership were not on the same page, more owing to power sharing tussle than policy-related matters.
The Kargil misadventure in 1999 is a case in point which culminated in Sharif's ouster from office in October 1999 in a military coup led by then Army chief, Gen Pervez Musharraf. The Kargil war had occurred few months after the "Lahore Declaration", signed between Sharif and then Indian PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Pak-civilian-military-leadership-tussle-yet-again/articleshow/21666739.cms
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Pakistan bomb at Karachi football match kills 11
Aug 7, 2013
A bomb explosion in the Pakistani city of Karachi has killed at least 11 people, including several children, and injured at least 24 others.
The bomb, which was hidden in a motorcycle, detonated beside a football pitch in the Lyari neighbourhood during a local tournament early on Wednesday.
No group has said it carried out the attack. Witnesses say many victims were between six and 15 years old.
The target of the attack may have been a provincial minister.
The BBC's Charles Haviland in Islamabad says that Javed Naghori was at the game but was unharmed.
Full report at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-23586022
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Motorcycle bomb kills seven in Karachi
Aug 7, 2013
Seven teenagers were killed and 26 people injured when a bomb planted in a motorbike exploded in Pakistan’s port city of Karachi, police said on Wednesday.
The blast took place on Tuesday night outside a football ground in impoverished Layari area which has a tradition of holding soccer matches in Ramadan.
The bomb was detonated near the vehicle of Javed Naghori, a provincial minister who was leaving after witnessing a match between two local teams, a police officer said.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/south-asia/motorcycle-bomb-kills-seven-in-karachi/article4998765.ece
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Blast in Balochistn's Mastung area kills two
07 Aug 2013
QUETTA: An explosion occurred near a shopping centre in Mastung area of Balochistan killing two persons, including a child, and injured 15 persons on Wednesday, DawnNews reported.
The bomb was planted near a shopping centre and targeted eid shoppers.
The victims were shifted to a nearby hospitals for treatment whereas three people, who were reportedly in critical condition, were shifted to Quetta.
http://dawn.com/news/1034756/blast-in-balochistns-mastung-area-kills-two
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Nawaz directs Interior Minister to arrest terrorists behind Mach, Chilas attacks
Aug 7, 2013
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Tuesday directed Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan to apprehend terrorists involved in militant attacks in Mach and Chilas on urgent basis.
Expressing deep shock and grief, the prime minister has strongly condemned the tragic incidents that left at least 17 people dead earlier on Tuesday morning.
Prime Minister Sharif directed the interior minister to immediately coordinate through federal and provincial law enforcement and intelligence agencies to hunt down the terrorists responsible for the attacks.
Full report at:
http://dawn.com/news/1034546/nawaz-directs-nisar-to-arrest-terrorists-behind-mach-chilas-attacks
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Traditional Islamic calligraphy exhibition opens at Lok Virsa
Aug 7, 2013
ISLAMABAD: An exhibition of traditional Islamic calligraphy “Mesmerising Colours of Peace and Tradition” by eminent artist Muhammad Azeem Iqbal and others opened at Lok Virsa on Tuesday.
The exhibition features over 150 masterpieces portraying unique calligraphic art styles, in connection with the holy month of Ramazan. It attracted a number of visitors.
The inaugural ceremony was held at the Pakistan National Museum of Ethnology, popularly known as Heritage Museum. Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage Joint Secretary Mashhood Ahmed Mirza was the chief guest on the occasion.
Full report at:
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2013\08\07\story_7-8-2013_pg11_8
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Eco-Jihad: Planting trees for paradise
August 7, 2013
ISLAMABAD: In the mid-90s, when the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Pakistan was conducting projects related to environmental rehabilitation and natural resource management in Kohistan and parts of Balochistan, the organisation faced opposition from local communities.
“The society in those areas was very religious and sceptical of our work, so we tried to engage the mosques and local clerics to help promote the messages of environmental protection,” Mahmood Akhtar Cheema, the country director of IUCN Pakistan, said. “It was an extremely successful approach.”
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/587486/eco-jihad-planting-trees-for-paradise/
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Taliban claim holding Gilani’s son
Aug 7, 2013
PESHAWAR: A Taliban group that claimed it is holding Ali Haider Gilani, the kidnapped son of former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, said on Tuesday that the junior Gilani is “well” and the group would release his video after Eid.
“The son of former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani is with us and doing well,” ‘Al-Mansoren Brigade’ spokesman Abu Yazeed Mansur told a journalist on phone in Hangu on Tuesday. Ali Haider Gilani was taken away in one of the most brazen attacks on a political rally which the sons of Yousaf Raza Gilani were to address in their hometown Multan on May 9 – two days before the May 11 general election. The phone call was apparently made from Afghanistan as the number it was made from had the country’s code.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2013\08\07\story_7-8-2013_pg1_5
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PML-N muses on anti-terror policy as militants run amok
By Tanveer Ahmed
Aug 7, 2013
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz- (PML-N) led federal government is still indecisive on its anti-terror policy and finds itself in a quandary with the latest spate of terror acts in the width and breadth of the country.
In the last few days, the incidents of terrorism have increased and shook the entire country. Prominent among these is the Dera Ismail Khan jailbreak which sent shockwaves across the country. Following this audacious assault on a penitentiary that houses hardened criminals and terrorists, security of different jails across the country has been put on high alert. The federal capital, which is believed to be a secured city, was also jolted with the revelations that armed forces have taken over the heights of Margalla Hills in the wake of intelligence reports that terrorists are planning to intrude into the federal capital from there.
Full report at:
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2013\08\07\story_7-8-2013_pg7_8
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Pakistan’s first science TV to launch on August 14
Aug 7, 2013
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Science Club (PSC) has launched beta version of Pakistan’s first science, technology, innovation and educational television, Techtv.pk, which will be fully functional by August 14.
Pakistan PSC President Abdul Rauf told APP that with the launch of this channel, people would be able to access significant amounts of information with reference to any topic in a short time through different programmes.
He said today television has become an important part of people’s life as a source of information, entertainment, a great tool for learning and education, and communications.
Many different programme genres have been used to address diverse audiences for a variety of formal and non-formal learning purposes with scientifically measured results, he said.
Full report at:
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2013\08\07\story_7-8-2013_pg11_4
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North America
As al-Qaida grows, its leaders remain a global threat
AP | Aug 7, 2013
WASHINGTON: Far from being on the brink of collapse, al-Qaida's core leadership remains a potent threat - and one that experts say has encouraged the terror network's spread into more countries today than it was operating in immediately after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
US President Barack Obama, who ordered the May 2011 raid that killed Osama bin Laden, has described al-Qaida's headquarters as "a shadow of its former self." White House spokesman Jay Carney on Tuesday called it "severely diminished" and "decimated."
The bravado, however, didn't match the Obama administration's action this week. It closed 19 US diplomatic outposts stretching across the Middle East, Africa and Asia, and evacuated nonessential personnel from the US embassy in Yemen after intelligence officials said they had intercepted a recent message from al-Qaida's top leader about plans for a major terror attack.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/As-al-Qaida-grows-its-leaders-remain-a-global-threat/articleshow/21675641.cms
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Tension along India border may affect US-Taliban talks
August 07, 2013
One of the over-riding themes during the visit of US vice president Joe Biden and secretary of state John Kerry to India recently was a reiteration of what the Americans have held for long: good India-Pakistan ties a key factor for the enduring peace and stability in Afghanistan.
With the endgame nearing in Afghanistan and US in a hurry to talk to Taliban and seal a process of political reconciliation, India has genuine concerns about Islamabad getting at the driving seat in the reconciliation process and groups inimical to interests in Afghanistan being co-opted.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/newdelhi/Tension-along-India-border-may-affect-US-Taliban-talks/Article1-1104355.aspx
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US needs to stay on top of terrorism: Obama
Aug 7, 2013
President Barack Obama has insisted that the US needs to stay on top of terrorism as violent extremism is still out there even though Washington has been successful in decimating the top al—Qaeda leadership.
Mr. Obama made these remarks during an interview to the NBC channel when asked about the US decision to shut down nearly two dozen embassies and consulates in North Africa and Middle East because of a specific threat emanating from al—Qaeda.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/world/us-needs-to-stay-on-top-of-terrorism-obama/article4998987.ece
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Embassy closures used to bolster case for NSA
SPENCER ACKERMAN
DAN ROBERTS
Aug 7, 2013
Critics ask if the information on al-Qaeda terror threats in Yemen could have been obtained in a less-invasive manner
U.S. embassies in West Asia are to remain closed for the rest of the week as supporters of the National Security Agency (NSA)’s sweeping surveillance powers used the unspecified terror alert to bolster the case against reining in the controversial measures.
A privacy group questioned the publicity given to the latest alert after the State Department announced on Sunday evening that the number of embassies and consulates closed “out of an abundance of caution” would be increased, with some remaining shut for up to a week.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/world/embassy-closures-used-to-bolster-case-for-nsa/article4996635.ece
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Boston bombing suspects met conspiracy theorist
August 07, 2013
Boston Marathon bombing suspects Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev befriended a brain-damaged anti-US government conspiracy theorist through their mother's health care aide job years before the deadly attack, a lawyer said on Tuesday.
Attorney Jason Rosenberg, who represents the family of Donald Larking, said Larking shared publications with the brothers, especially Tamerlan, and discussed theories including that the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks and the Newtown, Connecticut, elementary school shooting didn't happen or the US government was behind them.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/northamerica/Boston-bombing-suspects-met-conspiracy-theorist/Article1-1104457.aspx
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US files criminal charges in Benghazi attack: Reports
Reuters | Aug 7, 2013
WASHINGTON: The United States has filed sealed criminal charges for the attack in Benghazi, Libya, last year in which the US ambassador to Libya and three other Americans were killed, media reports said on Tuesday.
The US justice department said it had no comment on the reports by CNN and the Wall Street Journal, but that its investigation was ongoing and remained a top priority.
It was not clear how many people had been charged and what the charges were.
President Barack Obama's administration has been under domestic pressure to find those responsible for the Sept 11, 2012, attack on a US diplomatic and intelligence outpost.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/US-files-criminal-charges-in-Benghazi-attack-Reports/articleshow/21669036.cms
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Europe
UN welcomes extension in Afghan repatriation deadline
Aug 7, 2013
ISLAMABAD: The UN refugee agency has welcomed Pakistan’s decision to extend the tripartite agreement on voluntary repatriation and the proof of registration (PoR) cards held by Afghan refugees until the end of 2015, and called for increased donor support to Pakistan.
“The cabinet decisions demonstrate the government of Pakistan’s commitment to implementing the Solutions Strategy for Afghan Refugees (SSAR) and I urge the donor countries to respect the commitments that they made in Geneva in May 2012 to support its implementation,” said UNHCR’s Representative in Pakistan Neill Wright during a joint UNHCR-government briefing to the Islamabad donor community on Tuesday. The briefing, hosted by UNHCR, was attended by the States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) Minister Lt General (r) Abdul Qadir Baloch, SAFRON Secretary Amjad Nazir, Chief Commissioner Afghan Refugees (CCAR) Dr Imran Zeb, members of the international community, UN officials and Full report at:
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2013\08\07\story_7-8-2013_pg11_3
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UK will honour Indians who fought in World War I: Sayeeda Warsi
Kounteya Sinha, TNN | Aug 7, 2013
LONDON: Soldiers from Commonwealth countries like India who gave their lives for Britain during World War I will be honoured and remembered during UK's four-year-long roster to commemorate the centenary of the great battle, beginning in 2014.
Britain's minister of state for foreign affairs Baroness Sayeeda Warsi has said the historic centenary will be commemorated by national acts of remembrance which will specifically honour Indian and Pakistani soldiers through UK-wide cultural initiatives and educational programmes.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/UK-will-honour-Indians-who-fought-in-World-War-I/articleshow/21666169.cms
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EU to Iran's Rouhani: Resume nuclear talks swiftly
Aug 7, 2013
BRUSSELS: The European Union's foreign policy chief is calling on Iran's new president to schedule "meaningful talks" on the nuclear issue as soon as possible.
Spokesman Michael Mann said on Tuesday that the EU's Catherine Ashton congratulated Iran's newly sworn-in President HassanRouhani and urged him to use his strong mandate, "to seek a swift resolution to the (the international community's) serious concerns about Iran's nuclear activities".
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/europe/EU-to-Irans-Rouhani-Resume-nuclear-talks-swiftly/articleshow/21652968.cms
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Des Plaines rejects Muslim group's request
By Madhu Krishnamurthy
Aug 7, 2013
Despite the threat of a lawsuit, the Des Plaines City Council Monday night rejected a Bosnian Muslim group's request to allow a religious center in a part of town zoned for manufacturing.
The American Islamic Center's proposal to convert two connected one-story office buildings at 1645 Birchwood Ave. into a prayer hall/community center with classrooms, areas for performing arts, offices and eating space was denied last month by the city's community development committee despite the plan commission's earlier recommendation of approval.
The Des Plaines location would have been the sixth Bosnian Islamic center in the region, with other centers located in Northbrook, two in Chicago, and one in the Southwest suburbs.
Full report at:
http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130806/news/708069950/
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Oslo University rejects Breivik application for course
07 Aug 2013
Oslo University has rejected an application from Norwegian mass killer Anders Behring Breivik for a place, saying he lacks qualifications.
News last month that the man whose attacks two years ago had traumatised Norway was now seeking a college place reportedly caused outrage.
But it was also known that the 34-year-old had not completed school.
Breivik is serving a 21-year sentence in a prison near Oslo for killing 77 people, most of them adolescents.
On 22 July 2011, he set off a bomb in a car near government offices in the capital before travelling to a lake island, where he shot people attending a summer camp of the ruling Labour Party's youth wing.
Full report at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-23591460
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/62-rebels-killed-syrian-troop/d/12935