Aceh's District Prepares Bylaw on How Muslims Should Dress
New Age Islam News Bureau
10 Apr 2013
Photo: Hardline religious and extremist groups claims the festival had 'Hindu origins' and is 'un-Islamic'.
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Southeast Asia
• Aceh's District Prepares Bylaw on How Muslims Should Dress
• Bogor Indonesian Council of Ulema Rejects Miss World Pageant
• Clerics in Greater Jakarta take to street for religious freedom
• In Jakarta, victims of sexual abuse struggle to stay in school
• Most Indonesian Mosques Don't Have Building Permits: NCHR
• Filipinos may face death in Indonesia for smuggling methamphetamine
• Cop faces first session in sodomy trial
• Landmark Malaysian election set for May 5: Official
• Terror Suspect Eyed in Killing of Filipino Soldier
Europe
• Libya arms fuelling conflicts in Syria, Mali and beyond: U.N. experts
• Two Birmingham men guilty of terror charges
• Russian MPs back harsher anti-blasphemy law
• India important in fight against cyber crime: Hague
• Killing of peacekeepers a war crime: Ban ki-Moon
• Libya has split into three parts: Putin
Mideast Asia
• In Iran, the Point of Torture is To ‘Break the Human Soul’, says UN’s special rapporteur
• Compromise Is Proposed on Western Wall Praying
• Israeli Court Sentences U.S. Immigrant to 2 Life Terms
• Earthquake hits near Iran's nuclear city Bushehr, 37 dead
• Israel indicts Arab citizen for joining Syria's insurgency
• Palestinian support for Gaza rocket attacks falls: survey
India
• Waqf lands to become cash cows, Ministry to use commercially for welfare of the community
• Urdu school faces eviction, future dim for 700 kids
• WikiLeaks: Indira had offered to share N-tech with Pakistan in 1974
• India braces for returnees from Saudi Arabia
• Liyaqat Shah’s arrest sounds death knell for J&K surrender policy
• India worked out sweetheart oil deal with Iraq in 1974: WikiLeaks
• India and China to discuss terror; to focus on Afghanistan
Africa
• Sudan's army kills 15 rebels, retakes part of South Darfur
• Nigeria police bodies found in Niger Delta after ambush
• Libya PM's aide Mohamed al-Ghattous freed by kidnappers
Pakistan
• Eight suspected militants killed, two soldiers injured in Orakzai clash
• In Pakistan, 'Basant' festival and kite flying dubbed un-Islamic
• Keep it down-low or go all the way: TTP dictates the terms
• Hazara asylum seekers: Network of human traffickers busted
• PTI unveils ‘justice for all’ manifesto
• PPP opposes Basant festival
• Grenade attack kills two children in Pasni
• SC refuses to put off Musharraf treason trial till elections
• Bhagat Singh's 'innocence' case in Lahore Court
• Zardari makes rare public appearance in Karachi
• Taliban Defend New Perch in Northern Pakistan, Gaining Sway as Election Nears
• Mengal asks EU observers to visit Balochistan
• Pakistan tests nuclear-capable Hatf-IV missile
Arab World
• Egypt's revolutionary cleric suspended over sermon in Tahrir Square
• ‘Some articles of sukuk law incompatible with Shari’a’: Council of Senior Scholars member
• Has the Muslim Brotherhood adopted Sectarianism?
• Prince Sultan bin Salman: Urban heritage key component of national identity
• Syria crisis 'top of agenda' at G8 ministers' meeting
• Peace Envoys from Taliban at Loose Ends in Qatar
• Qatar offers Egypt $3bn lifeline
• Skype officially blocked in UAE: telecoms authority
• Four men manage Assad’s wealth: WikiLeaks
• Syrian regime battles rebels outside Damascus
• Bahrain holds 4 for bombing
• In Aleppo, children are no more innocent!
• Two levels of ‘mataf’ to be ready by Ramadan
• Burmese in KSA ‘do not exceed 230,000’
• Top Syrian rebel group unites with al-Qaida in Iraq
North America
• US asks citizens to defer all non-essential travel to Pakistan
• LeT one of the most potent terrorist group in South Asia: US
• US condemns killing of Indian peacekeepers in South Sudan
• U.S. deals with the ‘symptoms not the disease’ in Syria: analyst
• 'Dead' Qaeda leader Shehri delivers audio message: SITE
• Obama, Hamid Karzai discuss Afghanistan security handover
• US envoy Michele Sison warns Sri Lanka over anti-Muslim events
• U.S. Visit to Try to Revive Turkish-Israeli Defence Ties
South Asia
• Nasheed predicts first round win with 57 percent of popular vote
• Four Afghan policemen killed in bomb blast
• Bangladesh vents ire over 2 Indian dams in Meghalaya
• Afghanistan peace deal with Taliban needed, say MPs
• Bangladesh Presidential poll set for April 29
• At least 20 people hurt in clashes during Bangladesh strike
• Washington-Dhaka to broaden cooperation on political-military issues
• Hindu temple set on fire in Chapainawabganj, Bangladesh
• Tourism boycott would be “setback for economic rights of women” says Maldives President
• Maldives Media Council submitting case against President’s Office “to create a free media”
Australia
• Australia's Iraq war leader criticizes campaign
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
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Southeast Asia
Aceh's District Prepares Bylaw on How Muslims Should Dress
Nurdin Hasan | April 10, 2013
Banda Aceh. The Bireuen Legislative Council in Aceh are preparing a draft bylaw on how Islamic men and women in the district should dress as Muslims.
Ridwan Muhammad, head of the Bireuen Legislative Council, told the Jakarta Globe on Wednesday that they were discussing the content of the Islamic bylaw, also known as a qanun, with the local ulema, ethics assembly and public figures, adding that the council would seek the public's opinion before passing the bylaw.
“The heart of the qanun on Islamic dressing is for all Bireuen residents, male and female adults to cover their aurat [entire body except the hands and face],” Ridwan explained. “The implementation [of the bylaw] is being studied and enhanced by involving several parties.”
Ridwan said that the councilors decided to bring up the bylaw for discussion after they discovered several people in the Bireuen district were not dressing in the “Islamic” way, such as women wearing jeans and tight outfits and men wearing shorts outside their homes.
“So the purpose of coming up with this qanun is for the benefit of the Bireuen people to dress up according to the Islamic teachings in which all adult Muslims should cover their aurat,” said Ridwan, a politician from the Aceh Party. “We hope that after the qanun is passed, it won't discredit women because we also stipulate the Islamic way to dress up for males.”
The draft bylaw states that females should wear loose outfits and should not show their body shape, while men are told to wear outfits that cover their aurat, Ridwan explained.
“We don't want to be said as violating human rights when it is being implemented,” he said. “That's why before passing it, we are involving many parties to discuss the qanun draft.”
Ridwan said that this qanun would be the foundation for Shariah police to monitor dress codes.
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/home/acehs-bireuen-district-prepares-bylaw-on-how-muslims-should-dress/584837
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Bogor Indonesian Council of Ulema Rejects Miss World Pageant
Vento Saudale | April 09, 2013
Bogor. The Bogor chapter of the Indonesian Council of Ulema voiced its opposition on Tuesday to the planned holding of the Miss World 2013 beauty pageant at the city’s Sentul International Convention Centre.
Though the pageant has already received the endorsement of the general public and West Java Governor Ahmad Heryawan, the Ulema council (MUI) stated its firm rejection of the contest.
“If [the pageant] takes place, it will certainly hurt and sully Indonesia’s Muslim community,” Mukri Aji, the chapter’s chairman, said.
Mukri argued that the beauty contest was just an excuse to flaunt body parts that should remain covered, adding that it was also impolite and against local religious norms.
He also said that such hedonistic and material contests run contrary to Indonesia’s culture, which upholds morality and civility.
“Hedonism is a way of life that focuses solely on pleasure and materialism,” Mukri said.
He suggested that the Jakarta and West Java administrations consider the long term implications of holding the pageant.
“Indonesia should refuse to send a representative to the event. The government should understand the voice of the people, because Islam does not protect events engineered by Islam’s enemies,” he said.
The Bogor chapter of Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI), a hard-line Islamic group, also voiced its opposition to the beauty pageant and called for the event to be moved elsewhere.
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/bogor-mui-rejects-miss-world-pageant/584674
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Clerics in Greater Jakarta take to street for religious freedom
April 09 2013
Around 200 clerics in Greater Jakarta took to the street on Monday to vent their criticism against the government’s negligence over the ongoing cases on religious intolerance.
The clerics in their cassocks along with the representatives of Shiites, Ahmadis and practitioners of indigenous faiths marched from the Bung Karno Stadium to the House of Representatives’ compound in Senayan, Central Jakarta, calling for the government to heed the 1945 Constitution that guarantees religious freedom for the minorities.
Tanah Abang Precinct Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Suyudi Ario Seto said that police dispatched 375 personnel to safeguard the rally, with an additional 26 members from Nahdlatul Ulama’s youth wing, Banser.
They eventually met with People’s Consultative Assembly speaker Taufiq Kiemas and the deputy speakers for discussion.
“Religious freedom is not for negotiation and we condemn all kinds of violence and intimidation committed under the name of religion,” said Erwin Marbun, the rally coordinator of the ecclesiastic Forum Rohaniwan Se-Jabodetabek. “As of now, the state is omitting to counter the violence and we urge them to take strict measures.”
The forum asked the state to fulfill 10 requests, which include the need for regional administrations to protect the citizens despite their religious beliefs and allow them to worship freely.
“The state stands by various races and religions, not by the interest of a certain group,” Erwin added.
In a discussion with the clerics, Taufiq said that the assembly would thoroughly discuss the solutions to the escalating discrimination against religious minorities with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as well as leaders of other state high institutions, including the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court, in a meeting slated for next month.
“I hope we will come up with a concrete and peaceful solution to the matter,” Taufiq said.
He added that the assembly would also engage local leaders to search for comprehensive solutions to religious conflict in their areas in order to uphold the country’s core ideology Pancasila, the Constitution, the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI) and the Unity in Diversity (Bhinneka Tunggal Ika) principle.
“We must remember that it is impossible to uphold human rights here without the four pillars,” he added.
Separately, the assembly’s deputy speaker Melani Leimena Suharli concurred with Taufiq, emphasizing that a peaceful talk would help all groups to approach religious issues in Indonesia wisely.
“I believe that Indonesia upholds religious harmony. However, some groups apparently feel neglected [by the government]. Thus, we must sit together to accommodate the needs of all groups,” Melani said.
The long march and discussion were in response to the destruction and sealing off of several prayer houses in the city lately, and the violence of hard-line believers against them.
The report shows that the number of religious intolerance cases in 2012 stood at 274, up from 267 in 2011. In 2010, the record shows 184 cases and 121 cases in 2009.
Major cases of religious intolerance include the banning of church congregations from worshipping at the Indonesian Christian Church (GKI) Taman Yasmin in Bogor and the Batak Protestant Church (HKBP) Filadelfia in Bekasi.
Recently, the Bekasi administration sealed Ahmadiyah’s Al-Misbah Mosque a few weeks after demolishing the unfinished church building of HKBP Taman Sari in Setu district due to objections from the predominantly Muslim neighborhood.
Meanwhile, spokesman to the forum, Binsar J. Pakpahan, said that the discussion with the Assembly leaders was the first small step to fight for religious freedom.
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2013/04/09/clerics-take-street-religious-freedom.html
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In Jakarta, victims of sexual abuse struggle to stay in school
Indah Setiawati
April 10 2013
As if recovering from rape or molestation was not enough, teenage survivors of sexual abuse in Jakarta are saying that they have to fight for the right to continue school.
Early in March, ESR, an eighth grade junior high school student in South Jakarta, was gang raped and held prisoner for several nights by around 10 men. ESR met one of her assailants on Facebook.
Full report at:
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2013/04/10/in-jakarta-victims-sexual-abuse-struggle-stay-school.html
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Most Indonesian Mosques Don't Have Building Permits: NCHR
Jakarta Globe | April 09, 2013
The National Commission on Human Rights on Tuesday said that 85 percent of Indonesia's houses of worship do not have building permits, with most of them being mosques.
“The majority [of houses of worship without building permits] are mosques,” Imdadun Rahmat, the deputy of chairman of the commission (Komnas HAM), said on Tuesday, as quoted by Tempo.co. "If you check, most religious buildings in villages have no building permits, even if their buildings are close to the urban ward chief."
Imdadun noted that most religious buildings that obtained building permits were located in major cities.
Full report at:
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/home/most-indonesian-mosques-dont-have-building-permits-komnas-ham/584633
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Filipinos may face death in Indonesia for smuggling methamphetamine
Apr 10, 2013
JAKARTA — Three Philippine men could face the death penalty in Indonesia after being caught trying to smuggle methamphetamine with a street value of $2.1 million into the country, an official said Tuesday.
The trio were arrested last week with the 15.3-kilogram (33.7-pound) drugs haul after arriving from Hong Kong at the main airport serving the capital Jakarta, customs official Okto Irianto told reporters. “They hid the crystal methamphetamine in 15 boxes of milk powder. Each brought five boxes in their suitcase,” he said.
Full report at:
http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20130410160719
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Cop faces first session in sodomy trial
April 10 2013
First Brig. Nugroho Eko Krismianto and Saiful Anwar attended the first hearing of a trial on Tuesday at the East Jakarta District Court for allegedly sodomizing a five-year-old boy in their neighborhood in Ciracas.
“The defendants are charged with violating Article 82 of Law No. 23/2002 on child protection,” presiding judge Hari Budi Setyanto said as quoted by kompas.com.
According to the East Jakarta Police, Eko, a member of the National Police’s Mobile Brigade (Brimob), and Saiful, a construction worker, allegedly sodomized the victim, identified only as F, on Feb. 9 and 10. The defendants allegedly threatened, assaulted and deceived the victim.
Full report at:
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2013/04/10/cop-faces-first-session-sodomy-trial.html
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Landmark Malaysian election set for May 5: Official
AFP | Apr 10, 2013
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's general election will be held on May 5, an electoral official said Wednesday, setting a long-awaited date for highly anticipated polls tipped to be the closest in the country's history.
Speaking a week after Prime Minister Najib Razak dissolved parliament, Election Commission chairman Aziz Yusof also said balloting would be preceded by a two-week official campaign period kicking off on April 20.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/Landmark-Malaysian-election-set-for-May-5-Official/articleshow/19472238.cms
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Terror Suspect Eyed in Killing of Filipino Soldier
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
2013/04/10
MANILA, Philippines (AP) — A Southeast Asian militant is suspected of leading an ambush that killed an army intelligence officer in the southern Philippines, Philippine military officials said Wednesday, highlighting the danger still posed by foreign militants who have been on the run from U.S.-backed counterterrorist offensives.
Suspected Abu Sayyaf gunmen with Amin Baco, a young terror suspect believed to be from either Indonesia or Malaysia, killed one of three army intelligence officers who traveled by motorcycle to remote Ungkaya Pukan town in Basilan province Tuesday to check the reported presence of armed men near a village, army brigade commander Col. Carlito Galvez said.
Full report at:
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2013/04/10/world/asia/ap-as-philippines-terror-
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Europe
Libya arms fuelling conflicts in Syria, Mali and beyond: U.N. experts
10 April 2013
Weapons are spreading from Libya at an “alarming rate,” fuelling conflicts in Mali, Syria and elsewhere and boosting the arsenals of extremists and criminals in the region, according to a U.N. report published on Tuesday.
The report by the U.N. Security Council’s Group of Experts -who monitor an arms embargo imposed on Libya at the start of an uprising in 2011 which ousted leader Muammar Qaddafi - said the North African state had become a key source of weapons in the region as its nascent government struggles to exert authority.
Libyan government security forces remain weak and militias, made up of former rebel fighters, hold power on the ground.
“Cases, both proven and under investigation, of illicit transfers from Libya in violation of the embargo cover more than 12 countries and include heavy and light weapons, including man-portable air defence systems, small arms and related ammunition and explosives and mines,” the experts wrote in the report.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2013/04/10/Libya-arms-fueling-conflicts-in-Syria-Mali-and-beyond-U-N-experts.html
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Two Birmingham men guilty of terror charges
April 10, 2013
Two men from Birmingham have pleaded guilty to being part of a terrorist cell whose leaders were planning a suicide bomb attack in the UK.
Bahader Ali and Mohammed Rizwan admitted engaging in conduct in preparation of acts of terrorism.
In February, Ali's brother, Ashik Ali and two other men, Irfan Naseer and Irfan Khalid, were found guilty of planning to be suicide bombers.
Full report at:
The trial heard the men were inspired by sermons of US-born Islamist cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, who was killed in Yemen in September 2011.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22091107
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Russian MPs back harsher anti-blasphemy law
April 10, 2013
Russian MPs have given initial approval to an anti-blasphemy law with tougher jail terms or fines for anyone found guilty of offending religious feelings.
The bill was drafted last year after the punk band Pussy Riot performed a protest song against President Vladimir Putin in Moscow's main cathedral.
Two Pussy Riot members are now serving prison terms in remote penal colonies.
The bill says blasphemy could incur up to three years in jail or a fine of up to 300,000 roubles ($9,700;£6,300).
Full report at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-22090308
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India important in fight against cyber crime: Hague
April 10, 2013
British foreign secretary William Hague has described India as an important partner in the fight against cyber terrorism as he announced the launch of a global centre for cyber security to deal with online threats.
"There is lots of important work to be done with India on the issue of cyber terrorism," he said yesterday while announcing the launch of a new Global Centre for Cyber Security and Capacity Building based at the University of Oxford.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/Europe/India-important-in-fight-against-cyber-crime-Hague/Article1-1040468.aspx
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Killing of peacekeepers a war crime: Ban ki-Moon
April 10, 2013
Terming the killing of five Indian peacekeepers as a war crime, United Nations Secretary-General Ban ki-Moon has called on the Government of South Sudan to bring the perpetrators of the crime to justice. The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) also condemned the incident and reiterated its full support to the mission of which the five slain Indian soldiers were a part.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/killing-of-peacekeepers-a-war-crime-ban-kimoon/article4599333.ece
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Libya has split into three parts: Putin
April 10, 2013
TRIPOLI – Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that Libya has “split into three parts” as a result of the revolution.
Comparing the situation in Syria with that of other countries where there had been change, he said in a television interview with German public broadcasting corporation ARD that as a result of the changes in the region aided by Western governments, it was “unclear where Libya will go. In fact, it has already split into three parts.”
Full report at:
http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20130409160536
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Mideast Asia
In Iran, the Point of Torture is To ‘Break the Human Soul’, says UN’s special rapporteur
April 10, 2013
Ahmed Shaheed, the UN’s special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran, emphasized recently to the council in Geneva that the country operates a system of “widespread and systemic” torture and a policy of harassment, arrests and attacks against human-rights activists.
Iran has remained prominent on the radar screen of the United Nations Human Rights Council and other international human-rights groups that are concerned with the poor treatment of Iranians who dare to speak out against repression and corrupt laws. Human-rights groups are waiting to see if similar abuses will increase before the presidential election on June 14, 2013. The current president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, is barred from running for another term, though media reports say he has designated a successor.
Full report at:
http://www.talkradionews.com/opinion/2013/04/09/in-iran-the-point-of-torture-is-to-break-the-human-soul.html#.UWU0DtLfCbs
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Compromise Is Proposed on Western Wall Praying
By ISABEL KERSHNER
2013/04/10
JERUSALEM — Natan Sharansky, the chairman of the Jewish Agency, outlined new ideas on Tuesday for making the Western Wall a place where all Jews could pray comfortably, after tensions over rituals there peaked in recent months and caused discord between the Israeli authorities and Jewish leaders abroad.
Mr. Sharansky’s proposal involves expanding and improving the areas accessible for prayer at the wall to include the southern section known as Robinson’s Arch which, under his plan, would be open for Jews wishing to pray in a less Orthodox, more egalitarian style 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The main prayer section, which is now divided into men’s and women’s sections, would remain the domain of more traditional worshippers.
Full report at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/10/world/middleeast/plan-to-resolve-western-wall-
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Israeli Court Sentences U.S. Immigrant to 2 Life Terms
By ISABEL KERSHNER
2013/04/10
JERUSALEM — A Jerusalem court on Tuesday sentenced an American immigrant convicted of killing two Palestinians in 1997 to two consecutive life terms in prison, as well as additional time for attempted murders, weapons violations and incitement to violence or terrorism. Known as “the Jewish terrorist,” Yaakov (Jack) Teitel, an extremist who lived in a West Bank settlement, was convicted of other crimes including bombings in 2008 that wounded a leftist Israeli professor and a teenage boy belonging to a community of Jews who believe in Jesus. Mr. Teitel was also ordered to pay compensation to the families of the victims.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/10/world/middleeast/2-life-terms-for-us-immigrant-to-israel.html?ref=middleeast
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Earthquake hits near Iran's nuclear city Bushehr, 37 dead
Reuters | Apr 9, 2013
DUBAI: A powerful earthquake struck close to Iran's only nuclear power station on Tuesday, killing 37 people and injuring 850 as it destroyed homes and devastated two small villages, Iranian media reported.
The 6.3 magnitude quake totally destroyed one village, a Red Crescent official told the Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA), but the nearby Bushehr nuclear plant was undamaged, according to Iranian officials and the Russian company that built it.
"Due to the intensity of this earthquake, this tragedy has deepened and we have seen the destruction of many homes in the region, the deaths of 37 people and more than 850 injured," the governor of Bushehr province, Fereydoun Hassanvand, told Mehr news agency.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Earthquake-hits-near-Irans-nuclear-city-Bushehr-37-dead/articleshow/19463282.cms
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Israel indicts Arab citizen for joining Syria's insurgency
Apr 10, 2013
JERUSALEM — Israel charged a member of its Arab minority on Wednesday with security offenses for joining the Syrian insurgency against President Bashar Al-Assad, saying he had associated with radical Islamist fighters.
An Israeli official said Hikmat Massarwa's case was the first of its kind. Indicted for unlawful military training, travel to a hostile country and contacts with foreign agents, he could be jailed for up to 15 years if convicted.
Massarwa, 29, was arrested on March 19 upon returning from Syria, where he helped set up a rebel base and underwent weapons training, Israel's Shin Bet domestic intelligence service said in a statement.
Full report at:
http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20130410160828
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Palestinian support for Gaza rocket attacks falls: survey
April 10, 2013
JERUSALEM — Palestinian support for rocket fire by Gaza militants on southern Israel has fallen sharply over the past four months, according to a survey published on Wednesday.
"Support for firing locally-made rockets from the Gaza Strip towards Israeli regions has dropped," a poll by the Jerusalem Media and Communications Centre said, indicating it had fallen to 38.4 percent, from 74 percent in December, just weeks after the end of a major confrontation with Israel.
The eight-day operation, which ended with an Egyptian-brokered truce on November 21, saw the Israeli air force pounding the Hamas-run territory as militants there fired more than 1,000 rockets over the border.
Full report at:
http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20130410160829
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India
Waqf lands to become cash cows, Ministry to use commercially for welfare of the community
By Maneesh Pandey in New Delhi
April 10, 2013
SKYROCKETING real estate prices have drawn the attention of the minority affairs ministry, which has decided to cash in on Waqf properties by exploiting them commercially for the welfare of the community.
The ministry, created in 2006 to ensure a more focused approach towards issues relating to minorities, has plans to build malls, hotels and social institutions over the prime Waqf properties that are lying mostly unused.
In the latest move, minority affairs minister K. Rahman Khan has sent circulars to 30 state Waqf boards to “provide a list of land/ unused real estate properties under their jurisdiction which can be used for commercial purposes to build malls, shopping complexes, hotels, nursing homes and social institutions like schools and IT training centres for Muslim youth”.
Rich dividends
Although Waqf Boards doesn’t put a price tag on its real estate, but the properties listed for commercial use are worth thousands of crores of rupees as they are located in state capitals, says Khan.
Full report at: Mail Today
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Urdu school faces eviction, future dim for 700 kids
April 10, 2013
They say all it takes to run a school is a bunch of enlightened minds. Proving the adage right is the 65-year-old Qaumi Senior Secondary School in Old Delhi.
The Urdu-medium school has no plastered roof or concrete walls and has been running out of makeshifts tents and tin sheds for 36 years, ever since the school building was razed during the Emergency in 1976.
However, the 700 students of the cradle now stare at an uncertain future, with the cradle being forced shut due to an accommodation hurdle and the Delhi government not coming forward to accommodate any of its students.
Interestingly, the Shahi Eidgah's management committee had offered its premises to the school as a temporary arrangement during the Emergency some 36 years ago.
However, the committee has recently informed the school authorities to find alternative land and shift out.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/newdelhi/Urdu-school-faces-eviction-future-dim-for-700-kids/Article1-1040088.aspx
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WikiLeaks: Indira had offered to share N-tech with Pakistan in 1974
TNN | Apr 10, 2013
NEW DELHI: They are hostile neighbours widely seen by many as competing to have a bigger nuclear arsenal. However, after its first nuclear test in 1974, India offered to share nuclear technology with Pakistan. In her statement to Indian Parliament after the tests on July 22, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi said she had told her Pakistani counterpart, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, that New Delhi would be ready to share the relevant technology with Islamabad.
Quoting her statement the US embassy reported, as revealed by Wikileaks, "I have explained in my letter to Prime Minister Bhutto the peaceful nature and the economic purposes of this experiment and have also stated that India is willing to share her nuclear technology with Pakistan in the same way she is willing to share it with other countries, provided proper conditions for understanding and trust are created. I once again repeat this assurance."
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/WikiLeaks-Indira-had-offered-to-share-N-tech-with-Pakistan-in-1974/articleshow/19467959.cms
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India braces for returnees from Saudi Arabia
10 April 2013
Concerned over job losses to Indians in Saudi Arabia due to Nitaqat, Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi yesterday asked nine states to prepare a rehabilitation program so that those returning home get employed. Ravi made this comment while addressing a meeting attended by officials from Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Bihar, Punjab and UP. He said an Indian delegation is expected to visit Saudi Arabia this month to address the issue.
http://www.arabnews.com/news/447649
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Liyaqat Shah’s arrest sounds death knell for J&K surrender policy
M Saleem Pandit, TNN | Apr 10, 2013
SRINAGAR: Over 1,000 ex-militants stranded in Pakistan had applied to return home under Jammu & Kashmir's surrender policy till last year. But many of them appear to have developed cold feet following the arrest of alleged terrorist Liyaqat Shah.
The Delhi police arrested Shah last month saying he was plotting attacks in the national capital. But the Jammu & Kashmir government has maintained that his name was cleared under the policy and that he was arrested while on his way to Kashmir along with his family.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Liyaqat-Shahs-arrest-sounds-death-knell-for-JK-surrender-policy/articleshow/19470076.cms
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India worked out sweetheart oil deal with Iraq in 1974: WikiLeaks
TNN | Apr 10, 2013
NEW DELHI: India had worked out a sweetheart oil deal with Iraq in 1974 until 1985 that saw New Delhi getting oil from the West Asian nation at $8.5 a barrel, bargaining the price down from $10. A US Embassy cable reported "GoI (Iraq) offered to supply India through 1985, beginning at preferential price for first quarter of 1974 of $10 per barrel. Indians offered $8. Iraqis then came down to $8.5 which they claimed is the same price they charge the Russians."
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/India-worked-out-sweetheart-oil-deal-with-Iraq-in-1974-WikiLeaks/articleshow/19468568.cms
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India and China to discuss terror; to focus on Afghanistan
April 09, 2013
India and China would hold their annual counter terrorism dialogue in Beijing this week during which the two are expected to focus on Islamic militant groups in the backdrop of US plans to pull out its troops from Afghanistan in 2014.
An Indian delegation headed by additional secretary in the ministry of external affairs, Navtej Sarna, would arrive in Beijing on Wednesday to take part in the dialogue being held between the two countries since 2002 to discuss issues relating to international terrorism, official sources in Beijing said.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/afghanistan/India-and-China-to-discuss-terror-to-focus-on-Afghanistan/Article1-1040022.aspx
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Africa
Sudan's army kills 15 rebels, retakes part of South Darfur
Reuters | Apr 10, 2013
CAIRO: Sudanese forces retook a southern part of the country's Darfur region after clashing with insurgents, killing 15, a military spokesman said on Tuesday, while rebels claimed victory in fighting in northern Darfur.
Spokesman Al-Sawarmi Khalid Saad said the army had repulsed an attack by rebels loyal to veteran fighter Minni Minawi on the Dubu area in South Darfur state, and the state news agency SUNA said government forces had reasserted control over the area.
Separately, a spokesman for the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) faction led by Abdel Wahed Mohamed al-Nur told Reuters that rebels had stormed and seized three military camps in North Darfur state, killing 64 soldiers.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/Sudans-army-kills-15-rebels-retakes-part-of-South-Darfur/articleshow/19469195.cms
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Nigeria police bodies found in Niger Delta after ambush
April 10, 2013
Nigeria's security forces have recovered the bodies of 11 of the 12 policemen killed in the oil-rich Niger Delta on Friday, police have said.
Some of the bodies had been mutilated and burnt beyond recognition, AFP news agency quoted witnesses as saying.
Last week, a militant group said it would it resume attacks after its leader, Henry Okah, was jailed for a bombing campaign in 2010.
Full report at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-22093606
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Libya PM's aide Mohamed al-Ghattous freed by kidnappers
April 09, 2013
TRIPOLI — A top aide to Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zeidan kidnapped at the end of last month in a Tripoli suburb has been released, a source close to the cabinet said on Tuesday.
"Mohammed Ali al-Gattus, an adviser and head of the premier's office, was freed on Monday and is now with his close ones and in good health," the source told AFP, asking for anonymity.
Full report at:
http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20130409160674
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Pakistan
Eight suspected militants killed, two soldiers injured in Orakzai clash
April 10, 2013
PESHAWAR: At least two security forces personnel were injured in a clash between militants and security forces in Dabori area of Orakzai tribal region.
Moreover, eight suspected militants were killed in retaliatory action by security forces, security sources told Dawn.com.
http://dawn.com/2013/04/10/at-least-eight-suspected-militants-killed-two-soldiers-injured-in-orakzai-clash/
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In Pakistan, 'Basant' festival and kite flying dubbed un-Islamic
Apr 10 2013
Lahore : Pakistani authorities have dropped a plan to revive the 'Basant' festival and kite-flying in the central province of Punjab in the wake of a warning issued by Jamaat-ud-Dawah, which has described the event as 'un-Islamic'.
The interim government of Punjab headed by caretaker Chief Minister Najam Sethi surrendered to detractors of the festival and dropped the proposal to revive Basant.
Sethi, a journalist by profession, had recently spoken about his desire to revive Basant, which he had described as an intrinsic part of Lahori culture.
During a high-level meeting held in Lahore on Monday, officials were warned by police about the possible negative fallout from the revival of Basant, which marks the onset of spring.
Police officials warned the government of possible protests and a fallout of a warning issued by the JuD, a source said. After the meeting, senior officials recommended Sethi to drop any plans to mark the festival, to which the CM acted.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/in-pakistan-basant-festival-and-kite-flying-dubbed-unislamic/1100366/
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Keep it down-low or go all the way?: TTP dictates the terms for election campaigns
April 10, 2013
KARACHI: Threats from Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and rules by the Election Commission of Pakistan against wall-chalking and party posters and flags have left little options for the political parties in Karachi to campaign with, The Express Tribune learnt on Tuesday. Rallies and public speeches by party leaders vying for peoples’ votes – which are usually the most prominent indicators that the election season is approaching – have not taken place at the same pace as previous elections and there don’t seem to be any on the schedule in the near future as well.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/533337/keep-it-down-low-or-go-all-the-way-ttp-dictates-the-terms-for-election-campaigns/
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Hazara asylum seekers: Network of human traffickers busted
April 10, 2013
ISLAMABAD: While many Hazaras were fortunate enough to get out of Pakistan in their efforts to escape ethnic and sectarian violence, some were not as lucky. Ninety-four members of the Hazara community from Parachinar in Kurram Agency and Quetta, Balochistan left families in June 2012. They were attempting to seek asylum in Australia.
Three members of a gang of human traffickers which was recently arrested by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Anti-Human Trafficking Circle (AHTC) have revealed that the 94 Hazaras drowned after the sinking of the ship which was illegally transporting them from Indonesia to Australia.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/533367/hazara-asylum-seekers-exploiting-terror-victims-network-of-human-traffickers-busted/
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PTI unveils ‘justice for all’ manifesto
April 10, 2013
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf unveiled its 13-point manifesto on Tuesday, placing internal security on top of its agenda and pledging justice for all.
The manifesto also promises a sovereign foreign policy based on friendly ties with all states, including India and the US.
The party has identified six areas, which, according to it, are driving forces for terror and lawlessness across the country.
The real and perceived disenfranchisement of Balochistan and the Pakistani Taliban trying to enforce their interpretation of Shariah are included in that list, along with sectarian and ethnic violence.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/533534/pti-unveils-justice-for-all-manifesto/
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PPP opposes Basant festival
7 Apr 2013
The Pakistan People's Party (PPP) has rejected a proposal of permission of Basant celebrations. In a statement issued on Sunday, PPP Lahore Information Secretary Abid Hussain Siddiqui urged the caretaker government that it should not allow Basant as it had become a dangerous and killer activity which took several lives in the past. He said the PPP was not against sports activities but it could not support an activity which could cause deaths.
http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2013/04/07/city/lahore/ppp-opposes-basant/
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Grenade attack kills two children in Pasni
2013/04/10
QUETTA: Two children were killed and a man sustained injuries on Wednesday, when unknown attackers hurled a hand grenade at a house in Balochistan province’s coastal town of Pasni, FP News Desk reported.
Police confirmed the deaths in the grenade attack which took place at the centre of Pasni.
The father of the deceased children was critically injured in the attack and was shifted to District Hospital Pasni.
http://www.thefrontierpost.com/article/4698/
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SC refuses to put off Musharraf treason trial till elections
PTI | Apr 10, 2013
ISLAMABAD: Former Pakistani militray ruler Pervez Musharraf's plea to put off a treason case against him till after May 11 general elections was on Tuesday rejected by the Pakistan supreme court which, however, refused to order his arrest.
A two-judge bench led by Justice Jawad Khwaja, which is hearing five petitions seeking Musharraf's trial for treason for subverting the constitution and declaring an emergency in 2007, turned down Musharraf's lawyer Ahmed Raza Kasuri' plea to defer the case till next month.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/SC-refuses-to-put-off-Musharraf-treason-trial-till-elections/articleshow/19469763.cms
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Bhagat Singh's 'innocence' case in Lahore Court
April 10, 2013
A petition has been filed in the Lahore High Court for reopening the case of Bhagat Singh, who was hanged in 1930 with the submission that the freedom fighter be legally declared innocent of the charges on which he was hanged.
Petitioner Imtiaz Rasheed Qureshi submitted in his petition that Bhagat Singh was a freedom fighter who was first awarded life imprisonment but this was later changed to a death sentence.
The petitioner maintained that Bhagat Singh was sentenced in a case which was hurried and one sided and that the case should be re-opened so that Bhagat Singh can be declared innocent.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/pakistan/Bhagat-Singh-s-innocence-case-in-Lahore-Court/Article1-1040108.aspx
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Zardari makes rare public appearance in Karachi
April 10, 2013
Shunning his tight security cover, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari made a rare public appearance when he dined out with his daughter Aseefa at a Chinese restaurant in the southern port city of Karachi.
Mr. Zardari went to the China Kitchen in the post Clifton neighbourhood on Monday evening, surprising both the management of the restaurant and other diners.
The restaurant is located close to Bilawal House, Mr. Zardari’s private residence in Karachi.
The President shunned his strict security arrangements and “candidly exchanged greetings” with other diners by waving at them and asking them how they were doing, media reports said.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/south-asia/zardari-makes-rare-public-appearance-in-karachi/article4602094.ece
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Taliban Defend New Perch in Northern Pakistan, Gaining Sway as Election Nears
By DECLAN WALSH
2013/04/10
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — When Taliban fighters swept into the Tirah Valley of northern Pakistan last month, grabbing a remote but strategic area that was previously known for criminal activity, Pakistan’s military seized a chance to bloody the insurgents before they dug in.
But the counteroffensive took a dismal turn over the past week, as the Taliban struck back with a combination of guerrilla tactics and dexterous tribal politics, defending their new perch and increasing their ability to disrupt Pakistan’s approaching election.
Full report at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/10/world/asia/taliban-defend-new-perch-in-northern-
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Mengal asks EU observers to visit Balochistan
April 10, 2013
QUETTA: Sardar Akhtar Mengal, the president of his own faction of the Balochistan National Party (BNP-M), has appealed to election observers of the European Union (EU) to review their decision of not visiting Balochistan during their assignment in Pakistan.
Talking to journalists here on Tuesday, Mr Mengal said the EU observers had been visiting countries in Africa to observe electoral activities. Some of these countries were more dangerous than Balochistan.
Full report at:
http://dawn.com/2013/04/10/mengal-asks-eu-observers-to-visit-balochistan/
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Pakistan tests nuclear-capable Hatf-IV missile
PTI | Apr 10, 2013
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Wednesday successfully test-fired nuclear-capable Hatf-IV ballistic missile with a range of 900 km that can hit targets in India.
Officials said the launch of the Hatf-IV, also known as the Shaheen-1, would strengthen the country's deterrence capabilities "manifold".
The launch of was described by the military as successful.
"The missile incorporates a series of improvements in range and technical parameters of the existing missile," the military said in a statement.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Pakistan-tests-nuclear-capable-Hatf-IV-missile/articleshow/19472745.cms
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Arab World
Egypt's revolutionary cleric suspended over sermon in Tahrir Square
10 April 2013
A Muslim cleric who became known as “the preacher of the revolution” for his sermons in Tahrir Square during the uprising against ousted President Hosni Mubarak and subsequent anti-government protests said he was suspended Tuesday by a ministerial decree following a citizen's complaint about his criticism of the current Islamist president.
Sheik Mazhar Shahin told The Associated Press that an inspector from the Religious Endowments Ministry, which oversees mosque preachers, informed him that he was been suspended while the ministry investigates the complaint.
Sheikh Salamah Abdel-Qawi, a spokesman for the ministry, didn't return calls seeking comment.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2013/04/10/Egypt-s-revolutionary-cleric-suspended-over-sermon-.html
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‘Some articles of sukuk law incompatible with Shari’a’: Council of Senior Scholars member
April 9, 2013
Al-Azhar’s Council of Senior Scholars will extend discussion of the law to Thursday
By Lamia Nabil
Some articles of the recently approved sukuk law are “definitely incompatible with Islamic Shari’a law”, said Abdallah Al-Naggar, a member of the Al-Azhar Council of Senior Scholars.
When asked which articles were incompatible, Al-Naggar declined to answer.
He added that discussions over the sukuk law remain ongoing, and that the Council has decided to extend the discussion sessions until Thursday.
Full report at:
http://www.dailynewsegypt.com/2013/04/09/some-articles-of-sukuk-law-incompatible-with-sharia-council-of-senior-scholars-member/
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Has the Muslim Brotherhood adopted Sectarianism?
Farid Zahran / April 9, 2013
I have attempted over the last several articles, to shed light on the fault lines of the various political and socio-economic divisions that exist within Egyptian society, in addition to the ideologies of those who seek during elections to secure their place within the country’s political system. Traditional left wing theory tells us that social and class divisions are the primary determining factors upon one’s political leanings; however previous parliamentary elections have showed us that this is often not the case, with Egypt’s electorate being split most often along Islamist and secular lines, as opposed to that of rich and poor, or proletariat versus bourgeoisie. We should note that many from Egypt’s upper classes have at times voted in favour of those candidates who have spent time in prison, merely because they represent and epitomise the radical strand of left wing politics.
Full report at:
http://www.dailynewsegypt.com/2013/04/09/has-the-muslim-brotherhood-adopted-sectarianism/
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Prince Sultan bin Salman: Urban heritage key component of national identity
10 April 2013
National urban heritage is a key component of the country’s identity and a vivid testament to Saudi contribution to the Kingdom’s development, said Prince Sultan bin Salman, president of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities.
“We want to invest in our urban heritage sites to bring our history back to life. Beyond the textbook accounts of our past, Saudi citizens need to be able to experience, learn and enjoy their history,” he said while addressing the organizing committee for the Urban Heritage Forum in Madinah.
Full report at:
http://www.arabnews.com/news/447645
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Syria crisis 'top of agenda' at G8 ministers' meeting
2013/04/10
Foreign Secretary William Hague has said the crisis in Syria will be at the "top of the agenda" when G8 foreign ministers meet in London this week.
He has warned that the "situation in Syria continues to get worse".
Mr Hague said that top of his "personal agenda" is another initiative, to end a "culture of impunity" over sexual violence and abuse during war.
Foreign ministers from the G8 nations are starting two days of talks in London before the G8 summit in June.
Full report at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22090851
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Peace Envoys From Taliban at Loose Ends in Qatar
By ROD NORDLAND
2013/04/10
DOHA, Qatar — When a handful of Taliban emissaries flew into Qatar on an American plane in 2010, the Obama administration hoped they would help negotiate a peace deal that could stabilize Afghanistan and allow the United States a graceful exit.
Three years after that secret arrival, the Taliban officials remain idle and their political office here remains unused.
“They are just living here enjoying the air-conditioning, driving luxury cars, eating and making babies,” one Afghan diplomat in Qatar said. “It’s all they can do; they have no work to do.”
Full report at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/10/world/asia/taliban-peace-envoys-in-qatar-with-nothing-to-do.html?ref=world
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Qatar offers Egypt $3bn lifeline
April 10, 2013
Egypt has been offered an economic lifeline by Qatar, which will buy $3bn worth of its bonds.
The cash will come in addition to a previously promised $18bn investment in Egypt from Qatar by 2018.
Qatar will also supply Egypt with natural gas when needed, Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani said.
Earlier, Egypt's planning minister Ashraf El-Araby said it was "very possible" that the country would ask the IMF to lend it more money.
Full report at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-22093320
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Skype officially blocked in UAE: telecoms authority
10 April 2013
Skype, which offers free video, audio and text communication via the internet, is officially banned in the United Arab Emirates, said the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority.
Neither of the country’s service providers - the Emirates Telecommunications Corporation (Etisalat), and the Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company - had submitted a request to the authority to lift the ban, said TRA General Manager Mohamed Nasser al-Ghanem.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/business/technology/2013/04/10/Skype-officially-blocked-in-UAE-telecoms-authority.html
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Four men manage Assad’s wealth: WikiLeaks
10 April 2013
Four men are in charge of managing the assets and money of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, both inside and outside the country, according to a classified document from the U.S. embassy in Damascus that has been published by WikiLeaks.
The names of the four are Zuhair Sahloul, Nabil al-Kuzbari, Mohamed Makhlouf and Fawaz al-Akhras.
Sahloul is the most powerful man in black-market currency exchange in Syria, the document states.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2013/04/10/Four-men-manage-Assad-s-wealth-WikiLeaks.html
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Syrian regime battles rebels outside Damascus
April 10, 2013
Syrian President Bashar Assad’s troops battled rebels in the outskirts of Damascus on Wednesday and pressed on with a counteroffensive against opposition fighters in the south to prevent their advance on the capital.
The fighting came as U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry was meeting with Syrian opposition leaders in London to discuss ways to step up aid to rebels fighting to topple the regime in Damascus.
With the recent influx of better weapons and other foreign aid, the rebels have made major gains in the south, seizing military bases and towns in the strategically important region between Damascus and the border with Jordan, about 160 km from the capital.
In their campaign to topple Mr. Assad, the opposition fighters hope to eventually storm Damascus from the south.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/world/syrian-regime-battles-rebels-outside-damascus/article4602466.ece
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Bahrain holds 4 for bombing
April 10, 2013
MANAMA — Bahrain says four suspects have been arrested after homemade firebombs were hurled at the foreign ministry.
The Interior Ministry said Tuesday there were no injuries or serious damage from the Molotov cocktails. “A group of terrorists attempted to attack the Dar Al-Hukumah compound with petrol bombs,” the ministry said on its Twitter account.
http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20130410160697
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In Aleppo, children are no more innocent!
April 10, 2013
ALEPPO — “Goal! Goal!” children scream, kicking a football around like children everywhere. But in war-ravaged Aleppo, their playground is a strip of no-man’s land near buildings on the front line.
In the courtyard of a school destroyed by bombing, they kick around without any apparent regard for the clatter of bullets fired by snipers from the Syrian regime and rebel sides.
In the poorer neighborhoods of Aleppo, immersed in conflict for the past nine months, it was not unusual even before the war for teenagers to go out to work. But now what little childhood remained for Aleppo youngsters has gone.
Full report at:
http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20130410160707
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Two levels of ‘mataf’ to be ready by Ramadan
April 10, 2013
MAKKAH — The ground and the first floors of the Grand Mosque will be opened for the tawaf (the ritual circling of the Holy Ka’aba) this Ramadan while the rooftop will be opened for the upcoming Haj season, according to Deputy President of the Two Holy Mosques’ Affairs Muhammad Al-Khazeem.
An engineering group has been assigned by the presidency to oversee the expansion project of the Grand Mosque, which is aimed to increase the capacity of the mataf (circumambulation area), Al-Khazeem added.
Full report at:
http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20130410160756
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Burmese in KSA ‘do not exceed 230,000’
April 10, 2013
MAKKAH — The Burmese in the Kingdom do not number more than 230,000, a member of the committee set up to correct their status was quoted as saying on Tuesday.
The member said the committee has, since it started work on March 23, verified 29,000 application forms to ascertain that their holders were real Burmese nationals.
He said their number has not reached 500,000 as claimed by press reports, Al-Hayat newspaper reported. He said 400 application forms were suspended because of concerns about the validity of the data provided.
Full report at:
http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20130410160811
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Top Syrian rebel group unites with al-Qaida in Iraq
Apr 10, 2013
BEIRUT: Al-Qaida's branch in Iraq and the most powerful rebel extremist group in Syria have officially joined ranks against President Bashar Assad to forge a potentially formidable militant force in the Middle East.
The merger of the Islamic State in Iraq and Jabhat al-Nusra forms a new entity that could be an even stronger opponent in the fight to topple Assad and become a dominant player in what eventually replaces his regime.
The new group, called the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, underscores the growing confidence and muscle of Islamist radicals fighting on the rebel side in Syria's civil war. It also bolsters the Syrian government's assertions that the regime is battling terrorists and that the uprising is a foreign-backed plot.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Top-Syrian-rebel-group-unites-with-al-Qaida-in-Iraq/articleshow/19478215.cms
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North America
US asks citizens to defer all non-essential travel to Pakistan
PTI | Apr 10, 2013
WASHINGTON: The US has asked its citizens to defer all non-essential travel to Pakistan, saying that the presence of several foreign and indigenous terrorist groups poses a "potential danger" to American citizens in the country.
Replacing its previous travel advisory of September 19, 2012, the US State Department said on Tuesday that threat reporting indicates terrorist groups continue to seek opportunities to attack locations where US citizens and Westerners are known to congregate or visit.
In its travel advisory, the US State Department alleged that American citizens, seeking services from the US Consulates General in Karachi and Peshawar, are subjected to questioning by local security officials.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/US-asks-citizens-to-defer-all-non-essential-travel-to-Pakistan/articleshow/19474785.cms
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LeT one of the most potent terrorist group in South Asia: US
PTI | Apr 10, 2013
WASHINGTON: Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), which was responsible for the Mumbai terrorist attack and other high-profile terrorist attacks in India over the past several years, remains one of the most potent terror group in South Asia, a top Pentagon commander has told lawmakers.
"Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) remains one, if not the most operationally capable terrorist groups through all of South Asia," Admiral Samuel Locklear, commander of the US Pacific Command (PACOM), told lawmakers during a Congressional hearing yesterday.
"LeT was responsible for the November 2008 attack in Mumbai, India that killed over 160 people, including six Americans, and has supported or executed a number of other attacks in South Asia in recent years," he said.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/LeT-one-of-the-most-potent-terrorist-group-in-South-Asia-US/articleshow/19470799.cms
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US condemns killing of Indian peacekeepers in South Sudan
PTI | Apr 10, 2013
WASHINGTON: Strongly condemning the killing of Indian peacekeepers in South Sudan, the United States has applauded India as a leading supporter of UN peacekeeping operations in the conflict prone zones.
The country has also asked the Government of South Sudan to conduct a investigation and ensure that the perpetrators are brought swiftly to justice.
"We condemn in the strongest terms today's attack by unknown assailants on the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) convoy carrying peacekeepers and civilians in the State of Jonglei, which resulted in the deaths of five Indian soldiers along with at least seven civilians and injuries to several more UNMISS personnel," the State Department spokesperson, Patrick Ventrell, said yesterday.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/US-condemns-killing-of-Indian-peacekeepers-in-South-Sudan/articleshow/19469199.cms
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U.S. deals with the ‘symptoms not the disease’ in Syria: analyst
10 April 2013
The U.S. would benefit from providing more military assistance to opposition fighters in Syria rather than simply “dealing with the symptoms” of the conflict, a leading analyst has told Al Arabiya.
The U.S. policy toward war-torn Syria involves the supply of “non-lethal” technology for opposition fighters and humanitarian aid for Syrian refugees, in a vastly different approach to the one it pursued in Libya.
But this is not in the best interests of the U.S., Andrew Tabler from the Washington Institute for Middle East Studies told Al Arabiya.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2013/04/10/The-U-S-deals-with-the-symptoms-not-the-disease-in-Syria-analyst.html
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'Dead' Qaeda leader Shehri delivers audio message: SITE
April 10, 2013
Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula has posted online an audio message from its second-in-command, Saeed al-Shehri, whose death was announced by Yemen in January, a monitoring group reported Wednesday.
The 14-minute audio produced by AQAP's media arm Al-Malahem Foundation is accompanied by what the US-based SITE Monitoring Service said was a new photograph of the Saudi militant.
Shehri's death has been announced several times by the Yemeni authorities, most recently on January 24.
It was unclear when the latest audio message, posted on jihadist forms on Tuesday, had been recorded.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/restofasia/Dead-Qaeda-leader-Shehri-delivers-audio-message-SITE/Article1-1040312.aspx
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Obama, Hamid Karzai discuss Afghanistan security handover
April 10, 2013
US President Barack Obama has spoken by phone with Afghan President Hamid Karzai and discussed progress toward handing over security operations to Afghan forces.
The White House said the two leaders on Tuesday also discussed preparations for next year's Afghan elections, plus Karzai's recent meeting with the emir of Qatar.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/northamerica/Obama-Hamid-Karzai-discuss-Afghanistan-security-handover/Article1-1040201.aspx
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US envoy Michele Sison warns Sri Lanka over anti-Muslim events
Apr 09 2013
Colombo : A United States diplomat has expressed alarm at a rising anti-Muslim campaign in Sri Lanka and warned that such sentiments should not be allowed to fester.
U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka Michele Sison spoke Monday to foreign correspondents based in Colombo. The comments follow months of hate speeches, vilification and even attacks on Muslim-owned businesses and places of worship by Sinhalese-Buddhist nationalist groups.
Sison also expressed concern over continued threats and attacks against local media nearly four years after the end of a civil war and the authorities' inability to resolve the numerous killings, abductions and assaults against journalists.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/us-envoy-michele-sison-warns-sri-lanka-over-antimuslim-events/1099863/
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U.S. Visit to Try to Revive Turkish-Israeli Defense Ties
By REUTERS
2013/04/10
ANKARA (Reuters) - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel will try to rekindle military cooperation between Turkey and its former close ally Israel in his first visit to the two countries since taking office, a Turkish official said on Wednesday.
Hagel, whose visit to Turkey will take place close to his Israel trip set for April 21-23, will also discuss regional issues, the official said. Turkey has borders with war-ravaged Syria, as well as with Iran and Iraq.
Full report at:
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2013/04/10/world/middleeast/10reuters-jwturkey-us-
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South Asia
Nasheed predicts first round win with 57 percent of popular vote
By Mohamed Naahee | April 9th, 2013
Former President Mohamed Nasheed has publicly predicted that the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) will win the presidential elections on September 7 with 57 percent of the popular vote – six percent more than the required 51 percent to secure election victory without a run-off election.
In 2008, Nasheed was sworn in as the fourth president of the country after a run-off election against his predecessor Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who had been in power for 30 years and was Asia’s longest serving leader at the time.
Nasheed’s predictions of securing a first round election victory were dismissed as “meaningless political rhetoric” by the government-aligned Dhivehi Rayithunge Party (DRP).
DRP Deputy Leader Ibrahim Shareef told Minivan News he did not believe there was a single party in the country capable of securing an outright win in September. He suggested that neither former President Nasheed or Maumoon Abdul Gayoom could achieve more than a 25 per cent share of the total vote with their respective parties.
Full report at:
http://minivannews.com/politics/nasheed-predicts-first-round-win-with-57-percent-of-popular-vote-55946
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Four Afghan policemen killed in bomb blast
April 10, 2013
Four policemen were killed and two others injured when their vehicle hit a roadside bomb in south-western Afghanistan, officials said Wednesday.
“The incident took place late on Tuesday in Char Borjak district, in which four policemen were killed and Mir Alam, the district police chief, and another policeman were wounded,” the office of the Governor of Nimroz province said in a statement.
Nobody has claimed responsibility, but the Taliban are usually blamed for attacks on Afghan and coalition forces.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/south-asia/four-afghan-policemen-killed-in-bomb-blast/article4602555.ece
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Bangladesh vents ire over 2 Indian dams in Meghalaya
Apr 10 2013
Shillong : Bangladesh has opposed the construction of two hydro-based power projects along the Indo-Bangladesh border in Meghalaya until the two countries sign a water sharing agreement, Power Minister Clement Marak informed the state Assembly today.
A Bangladesh Joint Rivers Commission (JRC) member in his letter to the Union Ministry of Water Resources had said the two dams might cause adverse impacts in various sectors in Bangladesh due to change of water flow, Marak said replying to a call attention motion moved by opposition United Democratic Party leader Paul Lyngdoh.
Meghalaya is in the process of constructing dams on two rivers – the Mawphu dam across river Umiew and Myntdu dam across river Myntdu in East Khasi Hills and West Jaintia Hills districts, respectively.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/bangladesh-vents-ire-over-2-indian-dams-in-meghala.../1100356/
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Afghanistan peace deal with Taliban needed, say MPs
April 10, 2013
An Afghan-led peace deal with the Taliban is needed to stop Afghanistan sliding into civil war after British troops leave, a group of MPs has said.
The defence select committee said the UK had a responsibility to "make Afghanistan work" after 2014.
Defence Secretary Philip Hammond told the BBC nobody could say "with certainty what the future for Afghanistan" would be.
While it was not perfect, "significant progress" had been made, he added.
The MPs' report focused on the planned withdrawal of UK combat troops at the end of 2014 and the transfer of responsibilities to the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF).
Full report at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-22087122
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Bangladesh Presidential poll set for April 29
April 10, 2013
Bangladeshi lawmakers will select the country’s next President on April 29, election authorities announced on Tuesday.
The decision is necessary to replace Zillur Rahman, who died on March 20, aged 84, of respiratory problems.
Voting will be at the National Parliament building, Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad said. Nomination papers can be filed until April 21. Candidacies may be withdrawn through April 24.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/south-asia/bangladesh-presidential-poll-set-for-april-29/article4598822.ece
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At least 20 people hurt in clashes during Bangladesh strike
AFP | Apr 10, 2013
DHAKA: At least 20 people have been injured in clashes between police and activists near Bangladesh's capital on the second day of a national strike called by opposition parties.
ATN Bangla TV station says clashes occurred in Narayanganj district after opposition supporters brought out a procession that was intercepted by police on Wednesday.
Witnesses say about a dozen homemade bombs also have exploded in parts of the capital, Dhaka.
An alliance of 18 parties is enforcing the 36-hour strike demanding release of more than 160 opposition politicians arrested in the last two weeks.
A truck driver was killed and several other people were reported hurt in strike-related violence on Tuesday.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/At-least-20-people-hurt-in-clashes-during-Bangladesh-strike/articleshow/19472119.cms
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Washington-Dhaka to broaden cooperation on political-military issues
April 10, 2013
United States and Bangladesh have agreed to broaden and strengthen bilateral cooperation on a wide range of political-military issues and shared commitment to promoting peace and prosperity in the region.
The commitment came during a meeting of the two countries held on US-Bangladesh Dialogue on Security Issues in Washington DC on April 9, said a press note issued by the office of the spokesperson of US State Department.
Full report at:
http://www.thedailystar.net/beta2/news/washington-dhaka-to-broaden-cooperation-on-political-military-issues/
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Hindu temple set on fire in Chapainawabganj, Bangladesh
April 10, 2013
Unidentified miscreants set fire to a Hindu temple in Chapainawabganj district town early Wednesday.
The fire damaged a portion of the idol of Hindu goddess Kali and some other valuables in the temple at Puraton Bazar, reports our Chapainawabganj correspondent quoting Saiful Islam, a sub-inspector of Sadar Police Station.
Sensing the fire, a night guard managed to extinguish the fire and informed Krishna Saha, the president of the temple.
When contacted, police said they are looking into the matter.
http://www.thedailystar.net/beta2/news/hindu-temple-set-on-fire-in-chapainawabganj/
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Tourism boycott would be “setback for economic rights of women” says Maldives President
By JJ Robinson | April 9th, 2013
President Dr Mohamed Waheed has issued a statement warning that calls for a boycott on tourism over the flogging sentence for a 15 year-old rape victim “will only serve as a setback to the economic opportunities and rights we are all striving to uphold for women, girls and the hardworking Maldivian people in general.”
The President’s statement comes as an Avaaz.org petition calling for a moratorium on flogging and better laws to protect women and girls in the Maldives reached more than two million signatures – more than twice the number of tourists who visit the country each year.
In a letter published on Minivan News on Saturday, Avaaz.org Executive Director Ricken Patel insisted that the organisation had not called for a outright tourism boycott.
Full report at:
http://minivannews.com/politics/tourism-boycott-would-be-setback-for-economic-rights-of-women-says-president-as-avaaz-petition-reaches-two-million-55965
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Maldives Media Council submitting case against President’s Office “to create a free media”
By Minivan News | April 9th, 2013
The Maldives Media Council (MMC) has voted to submit a case against the President’s Office to “create a free media” in light of the discriminatory treatment of Raajje TV.
The President’s Office is violating equal rights by not inviting the opposition-aligned TV station Raajje TV to events and has not been adhering to the MMC’s requests that it give equal opportunities to all media, the MMC Secretariat told Minivan News (April 9).
Full report at:
http://minivannews.com/politics/maldives-media-council-submitting-case-against-presidents-office-to-create-a-free-media-55964
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Australia
Australia's Iraq war leader criticizes campaign
April 10, 2013
CANBERRA, Australia — John Howard, the Australian prime minister who sent troops to support US and British forces in the Iraq invasion a decade ago, has criticized US handling of the bloody aftermath of dictator Saddam Hussein's overthrow.
In a speech in Sydney to mark the 10th anniversary of the fall of Baghdad on April 14, Howard on Tuesday said that disbanding the Iraqi Army "was a mistake" and that efforts to remove Hussein's Baath Party from civil service "went too far."
He says in a speech, released by his office, that the American interim administration that replaced Hussein "held sway for too long" and the U.S. cut troop levels too soon.
A staunch ally of US President George W. Bush, Howard angered many Australians by sending 2,000 troops to invade Iraq. — AP
http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20130409160669
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