Atlanta Weightlifter Kulsoom Abdullah fights hijab ban
Peshawar Blasts death toll rises to 39 but Pak Taliban deny hand
Saleem Shahzad gets Italian journalism award
Pakistan Rangers’ men to be tried under anti-terror law
UAE recognises Libya’s rebel council
Seven killed in Iraq violence
Iran Opp leader on strike in jail dead
Gaddafi has time before facing trial in Hague
Second day of fighting near Libya’s capital
Army plans tribal purge of N Wazirstan militants
Maj Iqbal: From just a name to key 26/11 link
Religious station to end national anthem ban
Number of Syrian refugees reach 5,000 as army enters flashpoint town
Libyan TV broadcasts new footage of Gaddafi
Jamiat demands CBI probe into Forbesganj, Bihar, India firing
Syria uprising killings rise to 1,300
Turkey’s ruling party wins election
Suicide Bomber kills five in Basra
Bangladesh jails dozens as opposition begins 2nd strike
Pakistan to target insurgent hide-outs
Bahrain woman gets one year in jail for ‘critical’ poems
Blast injures 6 on outskirts of Islamabad
Two victims of Kharotabad firing buried in Quetta
Jordan king bows to demand for elected Cabinets,
Kabul eyes Islamabad's offensive against militants
Muslim Personal Law Board member joins SP
Chief Justice failed to maintain ethical standards: J&K Guv
Chicago verdict leaves Rana’s 26/ 11 trial open
American held for spying on Pak N-facilities , to be deported
ICC chief hopes Gaddafi will 'be arrested' soon
Rushdie pens sci-fi drama for US TV
CIA chief makes no headway in Pak, leaves abruptly
Terrorist’s kin get passports on fake papers
Azerbaijan removes statue of Mubarak
Syrian Army in control of restive town
‘Friends of Kashmir’ vow to remain friends
Death upheld for Kuwait woman for wedding carnage
500 Indians stuck, Yemen clinic says pay to leave
Low rate of terrorists’ conviction worries military
Nation should unite to crush terrorism, says Shahbaz
Sudan leaders meet on border conflict
Syria troops seize hotbed town, ‘mass grave’ found
Foreign secret agencies behind Peshawar blast: Taliban
Sudan’s army denies aircraft downed in S Kordofan
Al-Jouf Museum to open door of civilization to region
Doha Film Institute’s ‘Harrer, Harrer’ Program
Ethiopia woos Saudi investors
Yanbu defendants denounce terrorism
Egypt opposition leader may not run for president
UAE backs France’s IMF candidate
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/atlanta-weightlifter-kulsoom-abdullah-fights/d/4825
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Weightlifter Kulsoom Abdullah fights hijab ban
Jun 13, 2011
ATLANTA: Looking to get stronger, Kulsoom Abdullah took up weightlifting a couple of years ago. She quickly grew to love the male-dominated sport, entering local competitions and even allowing herself to dream of one day making it to the Olympics.
She’d like to see how far this passion might take her, but not if it means compromising her religious beliefs.
Seems perfectly reasonable.
Yet Abdullah, a 35-year-old Atlantan, has been barred from entering the US senior nationals in Iowa next month. The problem: Her Muslim faith requires that she cover her arms, legs and head—which violates international rules governing weightlifting attire.
“I’d hate to think that just because you dress a certain way, you can’t participate in sports,” Abdullah said Thursday.
“I don’t want other women who dress like me to say, ‘I can’t get involved in that sport’ and get discouraged. It would be nice to have an environment where it wouldn’t be an issue of how you dress or having different beliefs and faiths.”
She’s right. It’s time for sports to show the rest of society how to bridge the gap between legitimate concerns and religious tolerance.
“What we hear all the time is, ‘You’ve got to empower Muslim women around the world,”’ said Ibrahim Hooper, a spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, which has taken up Abdullah’s cause.
“Well, how can you empower a Muslim woman more than being a weightlifter? She should be encouraged and helped along in this process. There shouldn’t be arbitrary roadblocks placed in her path.”
Abdullah got a bit of good news Thursday when USA Weightlifting agreed to take her case to the IWF later this month.
This, of course, is a bigger issue than any one sport, any single athlete.
We’ve seen virulent protests erupt over plans to build an Islamic center near the site of the World Trade Center in New York. We’ve heard Muslims complain about being singled out in France, where authorities have tried to enforce the nation’s secular foundations with a ban on burqa-style veils.
It’s an ongoing struggle in sports, too—with some compromise, but not nearly enough.
Muslim women have competed in track and field wearing neck-to-ankle bodysuits and the traditional headscarf known as a hijab, most notably Roqaya Al-Gassra of Bahrain, who made it to the semifinals of the 200 meters at the Beijing Olympics.
Then again, Iran’s female soccer team recently had to forfeit an Olympic qualifier match in Jordan because the players wanted to wear Islamic head scarves. International governing body FIFA, which hasn’t exactly come across as the most upstanding institution in recent weeks, defended its decision by saying the scarves are banned for safety reasons.
As if to show it wasn’t singling out any particular religion, the organization also has prohibited neck warmers used during chilly winter matches in the English Premier League. FIFA president Sepp Blatter said the so-called “snoods” could be used to “hang somebody.”
Hey, if soccer is worried about someone trying to strangle a player by grabbing a hijab or a neck warmer, there are bigger issues to address. And Iran’s youth team already had been allowed to take the field last year at a major Olympic-style event wearing specially designed caps that protected their modesty.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad weighed in the latest row, describing FIFA as “dictators and colonialists who want to impose their lifestyle on others.”
Every religion has its own peculiarities, which might seem odd to those on the outside but are perfectly reasonable to the faithful. Stifling religious traditions and practices is a very slippery slope indeed, one that sport should make every effort to avoid.
Of course, there are rules that might run afoul of a particular religion but legitimately prevent someone from gaining an unfair advantage. For instance, swimming has banned high-tech bodysuits that led to a rash of world records, ruling they compromised the integrity of the sport. These days, females can only wear shoulder-to-knee suits that leave their arms and lower legs exposed.
If a Muslim women wanted to wear a full-coverage swim suit on religious grounds, she would clearly have an advantage in the pool.
Abdullah isn’t trying to gain any sort of competitive edge, however.
She merely wants to abide by her beliefs when she’s snatching a bar full of weights above her head. When first starting out, she was allowed to enter local meets wearing garb that made her comfortable on the inside and out: Loose-fitting exercise pants, a tight-fitting long-sleeve shirt with a T-shirt over it, and the head scarf.
As she attempted to move up to higher-level competitions, she ran up against International Weightlifting Federation rules, which forbid suits that cover either the knees or elbows because judges must be able to see that both have been locked out to complete a lift.
OK, that’s understandable. But Abdullah said a tight-fitting shirt allows judges to get a good look at her elbows. And, if it meant ensuring a level playing field, she’d certainly be willing to wear a leg covering that conforms to her religion but allows the judges to determine whether she’s completed a lift. Considering all the advances in athletic apparel, that shouldn’t be a major issue.
If the IWF agrees to alter its rules, she might still get a chance to do some snatches and clean-and-jerks at next month’s national meet. While she’s not yet lifting at an Olympic level, she hasn’t given up on that dream.
“She’s not seeking any kind of advantage. She’s seeking to maintain her religious principles,” Hooper said.
“In an atmosphere of goodwill, these things can always be resolved.”
Seems perfectly reasonable.
http://www.dawn.com/2011/06/12/weightlifter-kulsoom-abdullah-fights-hijab-ban.html
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Peshawar Blasts death toll rises to 39 but Pak Taliban deny hand
Jun 13, 2011
PAKISTAN’S Taliban on Sunday denied responsibility for twin bomb blasts that ripped through a crowded market in the northwestern city of Peshawar, killing 39 people and wounding dozens.
The attack, one of the deadliest in a series to hit Pakistan since US Navy SEALs killed Osama bin Laden in May, devastated the Khyber super market district which includes a hotel, shops and student accommodation.
A small initial blast at around 11.30 pm on Saturday drew onlookers and emergency services before a second more powerful blast, believed to be from a suicide strike, detonated and was heard for miles around.
Death toll has risen to 39 as four wounded people died in hospital, senior local police official Ijaz Khan said, adding that the explosions were just four minutes apart.
The first blast was quite small but as people gathered close to the site, the second one, which was real big one, went off.
Those killed included two journalists working for English- language newspapers Pakistan Today and The News. Many journalists working in Peshawar live in the rooms above the shops and eat at the marketplace’s restaurants.
The target was to kill a large number of innocent people in the busy market and journalists became the victims by chance, provincial information minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain said.
The bombing badly damaged six shops and the hotel. Pieces of human flesh, along with debris including smashed crockery and broken furniture from the hotel, were scattered outside.
The first blast was triggered by a timed device planted in the bathroom of the hotel while a suicide bomber riding a motorbike blew himself up near the hotel, bomb disposal chief Shafqat Malik said, adding, “ We have found a head and some other body parts of the bomber from the attack site.
The Pakistani Taliban, who have vowed to carry out attacks to avenge the bin Laden’s killing, denied any role in the bombing and said they only aim their strikes at the government and military. “ We did not carry out this attack in Peshawar. It is an attempt by foreign secret agencies to malign us,” Tehreek- e- Taliban spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan said, adding, “ We do not target innocent people. Our targets are very clear, we attack security forces, government and people siding with it,” Ehsan said.
The attack took place as CIA director Leon Panetta and Afghan President Hamid Karzai visited Islamabad, 150 km to the east, to speak separately with senior Pakistani officials about intelligence sharing and efforts to reconcile with the Taliban.
The bin Laden operation plunged an already strained relationship between the CIA and Pakistan’s ISI, to new lows and threatened cooperation that is key to the US fight against al- Qaeda and Taliban militants battling foreign troops in Afghanistan.
PAK TELLS CIA IT STICKS TO US TROOP CUTS
PAKISTAN’S army and intelligence chiefs told CIA director Leon Panetta they were not willing to reverse a decision to cut the number of US troops allowed in Pakistan, Pakistani military sources said on Saturday.
Panetta, nominated to take over as defence secretary next month, arrived in Pakistan on Friday on an unannounced visit, his first trip since a secret US raid that killed Osama bin Laden and severely damaged ties between the allies.
Pakistan’s army said on Thursday it had drastically cut down the number of US troops allowed in the country and set clear limits on intelligence sharing with the US. “ He ( Panetta) expressed concerns over the reduction of trainers and operatives.
We told him very clearly ‘ no boots on our soil is acceptable’,” a Pakistani military official said.
US officials have confirmed that Pakistan is severely cutting back the presence of American military personnel and intelligence agents but Washington still expects some to remain in the country.
Mail Today
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Saleem Shahzad gets Italian journalism award
Jun 13, 2011
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani investigative reporter Syed Saleem Shahzad has been posthumously awarded an Italian journalism prize after he was abducted and killed by unknown assassins in Pakistan last month.
Italy’s Ischia Prize Foundation granted Shahzad its International Journalism Award in a unanimous decision by the jury. The annual prize honours excellence in journalism and communication.
Shahzad was Pakistan correspondent for the Italian news agency Adnkronos International (AKI) and the Hong-Kong based Asia Times Online as well as Italian daily La Stampa, it said.
He was found dead 150 kilometres southwest of Islamabad on May 31, two days after he disappeared in the capital.
Enquiring and enthusiastic, he did in-depth reporting in Pakistan and Afghanistan, where he interviewed various jihadist commanders, as well as in Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan, Iran, Syria and the United Arab Emirates.
He was kidnapped by Taliban militants in Afghanistan’s Helmand province on November 26, 2006 together with another Pakistani journalist, held for a week and subjected to a mock trial before being released near the Pakistan border.
He leaves a widow and three children aged 7, 10 and 13. Shahzad’s widow Anita will collect the award. The award ceremony will be held in Ischia, Italy, on Friday 8th and Saturday 9th of July.
“Through his articles published by AKI, and his in-depth reports and stories for the various dailies he worked for, Syed Saleem Shahzad managed to bring to an Italian audience the complex reality of that region of the world of which he was an acute and intrepid observer. He paid with his life for his desire to tell the truth at all costs.”
“An expert in international terrorism, Shahzad with his illuminating analyses of international terrorism, and the social and cultural reality so different from our own, he embodied a passionate and courageous model for journalism which viewed the profession as the supreme mission for peace and culture,” the Ischia Prize Foundation’s message said.
http://www.dawn.com/2011/06/13/saleem-shahzad-gets-italian-journalism-award.html
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Pakistan Rangers’ men to be tried under anti-terror law
June 13, 2011
KARACHI: The police included a section of the Anti-terrorism Act (ATA) against the Rangers personnel involved in the killing of a youth in Karachi’s Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Park on Wednesday.
The suspects would be produced before the anti-terrorism court for physical remand on Monday. The police included Section 302/34 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) related to murder in the initial first information report (FIR) registered by the victim Sarfaraz Shah’s brother against Rangers personnel involved in the extrajudicial killing.
Section 7 of the ATA was subsequently added to the FIR on the orders of Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, all six Rangers personnel seen in the video footage of Shah’s murder have been handed over to the police and their arms, ammunition and vehicles confiscated.
Initially, Rangers handed over the two men, Shahid Zafar and Mohammad Afzal, to the police, who were brought to court on Friday and are in police custody on physical remand.
Later, four more Rangers’ men, including Sub-Inspector Bahadur Rehman, driver Minthar Ali and Liaquat Ali and Mohammad Tariq, were handed over to a police team headed by SSP (Investigation) Latif Siddiqi late on Saturday night.
The police, on Saturday, also detained a man named Afsar Khan who was seen in the video handing over Shah to Rangers personnel in the park.
East Zone II (Investigations) SSP Niaz Khoso confirmed the imposition of Section 7 of the ATA in the FIR against the suspects involved in Shah’s killing.
All six Rangers personnel, and Afsar Khan, will be tried in anti-terrorism court, Khoso said while talking to The Express Tribune.
A case would also be registered against Khan for registering a fake FIR against Shah, he said, adding that police is trying to trace the whereabouts of Khan’s friend Alam Zaib, said to be a CID staffer, and his wife, who purportedly witnessed the killing.
Khoso declined to share any other information at this time.
Later, Shah’s family arrived at Boat Basin police station to record more statements.
Khoso later said that five statements, including those of family members and park management, have been recorded, but appealed to people to come forward and record their statements if they have any further information in the case.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 13th, 2011.e
http://tribune.com.pk/story/187454/extra-judicial-killing-rangers-to-be-tried-in-anti-terrorism-court/
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UAE recognises Libya’s rebel council
Jun 13, 2011
ABU DHABI: The United Arab Emirates Sunday recognised the National Transitional Council in Benghazi of the rebels battling to oust Moamer Qadhafi, the official WAM news agency reported.
The decision to recognise the NTC as the “sole legitimate representative of the Libyan people” was announced by Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahayan, who said the UAE would soon open a provisional office in Benghazi.
“The NTC has, in practice, become the representative of Libya and the Libyan people. Therefore, the United Arab Emirates will create relations with it at government level in all questions concerning Libya,” the minister said.
The UAE move comes after a meeting on Thursday in Abu Dhabi of the contact group on Libya. The federation becomes the 12th nation to recognise the NTC, after Australia, Britain, France, Gambia, Italy, Jordan, Malta, Qatar, Senegal, Spain and the United States.
http://www.dawn.com/2011/06/13/uae-recognises-libyas-rebel-council.html
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Seven killed in Iraq violence
Jun 13, 2011
BAGHDAD: Attacks in Baghdad and north Iraq killed seven people, including three who died when two bombs exploded as they were playing football, security officials said.
The three youths were killed and 14 were wounded yesterday when two roadside bombs exploded as they played football in the Jihad neighbourhood of south Baghdad, an interior ministry official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Seven-killed-in-Iraq-violence/articleshow/8831701.cms
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Iran Opp leader on strike in jail dead
June 13, 2011
Jailed opposition member Reza Hoda Saber, who went on hunger strike on June 2, has died of a heart attack, Iranian opposition website Kaleme.Com reported on Sunday.
“Security forces on Friday transferred him from Evin prison to Modarres hospital due to cardiac complication induced by his hunger strike,” the website said.”But the damage of the cardiac complication. Was too severe.” Hoda Saber’s sister, speaking to ISNA news agency, said she had “identified the body at the hospital.”
The journalist in his 50s went on hunger strike to protest the death of Haleh Sahabi, daughter of a veteran Iranian opposition figure, during the funeral of her father, according to Kaleme.Com.
Full report at: http://www.dailypioneer.com/345400/Iran-Opp-leader-on-strike-in-jail-dead.html
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Gaddafi has time before facing trial in Hague
June 13, 2011
The Russian president's special envoy for the Libya has said embattled leader Muammar Gaddafi and his family has two weeks time to decide their future before the verdict of International Criminal Court in Hague.
Full report at: http://www.dailypioneer.com/345387/Gaddafi-has-time-before-facing-trial-in-Hague.html
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Second day of fighting near Libya’s capital
By NICK CAREY
Jun 13, 2011
TRIPOLI: Rebels fought forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi for a second day in the town of Zawiyah on Sunday, bringing the revolt against his rule to within a few kilometers of the capital.
A rebel spokesman in the town said 13 rebel fighters and civilians were killed in fighting there on Saturday, and the main road to neighboring Tunisia — a supply line that has kept the country running despite sanctions — was shut.
Full report at: http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article453282.ece
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Army plans tribal purge of N Wazirstan militants
June 13, 2011
ISLAMABAD: The military is planning to enlist pro-government tribal elders in a fresh campaign it has devised to flush out al Qaeda members and its affiliates from North Waziristan, officials said on Sunday. The move is aimed at deflecting growing US pressure for a full-scale offensive against the Haqqani Network – the deadliest of all Afghan Taliban factions – allegedly based there.
Full report at: http://tribune.com.pk/story/187922/army-plans-tribal-purge-of-n-wazirstan-militants/
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Maj Iqbal: From just a name to key 26/11 link
Jun 13, 2011
NEW DELHI: As investigators worked through the informationgiven by David Headley, his ISI handler Major Iqbal progressed from a just a name to a key 26/11 link who not only put Headley through his paces but even advised his ward to lay low after the terror strike.
Scepticizm about whether a Major Iqbal exists has faded, making way for a real figure who stood at the trijunction of Lashkar-e-Taiba, ISI and al-Qaida. Iqbal shared Headley with Lashkar leaders and was aware of his contacts with Illyas Kashmiri — reportedly killed in a drone attack — a notorious jihadi with al-Qaida links.
Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Maj-Iqbal-From-just-a-name-to-key-26/11-link/articleshow/8831423.cms
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Religious station to end national anthem ban
13 June 2011
Officials have prodded a religious-based community radio station in Balikpapan to resume broadcasting the national anthem as required by law.
“We have managed to convince them that broadcasting the national anthem is not against Islamic law,” Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI) member Dadang.
Full report at: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/06/12/religious-station-end-national-anthem-ban.html
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Number of Syrian refugees reach 5,000 as army enters flashpoint town
June 12, 2011
The number of Syrian civilians fleeing into Turkey exceeded 5,000 on Sunday, with thousands more reportedly waiting near the border.
Full report at: http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=number-of-syrian-refugees-reach-5000-as-army-enters-flashpoint-town-2011-06-12
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Libyan TV broadcasts new footage of Gaddafi
13 June 2011
TRIPOLI - Libyan state television on Sunday broadcast pictures of leader Muammar Gaddafi meeting the president of the international chess federation.
Russia’s Interfax news agency quoted Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, who is also a former Russian provincial governor, as saying he played a game of chess in Tripoli on Sunday with Gaddafi.
He said the Libyan leader told him he had no intention of leaving the country.
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle08.asp?xfile=data/international/2011/June/international_June491.xml§ion=international
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Jamiat demands CBI probe into Forbesganj, Bihar, India firing
12 June 2011
New Delhi: Maulana Mahmood Madani, General Secretary, Jamiat Ulama-i- Hind has strongly condemned the brutal police firing of the state police against Muslim villagers of Bhajanpur in Forbesganj block, killing four innocent citizens including a six-month-old baby and a pregnant woman. In his letter to Bihar Chief Minister he demanded a CBI probe of the firing.
Full report at:
http://twocircles.net/2011jun12/jamiat_writes_cm_demands_cbi_probe_forbesganj_firing.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Twocirclesnet-IndianMuslim+%28TwoCircles.net+-+Indian+Muslim+News%29
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Syria uprising killings rise to 1,300
13 June 2011
AMMAN - The main Syrian activist group organising protests said on Sunday a violent crackdown has killed 1,300 civilians and called on President Bashar Al Assad to step down to transform the country into a democracy.
The Local Coordination Committees said in a statement power must be handed to the army and an internationally supervised conference should convene within six months to write a new constitution and “stop Syria from sliding into chaos and guarantee a peaceful transfer of power”.
Full report at: http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle09.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2011/June/middleeast_June365.xml§ion=middleeast
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Turkey’s ruling party wins election
Jun 13, 2011
ISTANBUL: Turkey’s ruling party has surged to a third term in parliamentary elections, setting the stage for the rising regional power to pursue trademark economic growth, assertive diplomacy and an overhaul of the military-era constitution.
However, the Justice and Development Party of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan fell short of a two-thirds majority in parliament, a shortcoming that will force it to seek support for constitutional change from other political groups. Despite a record of democratic reform, the government has faced increasing criticism that it has sought to consolidate power at the expense of consensus-building.
Full report at: http://www.dawn.com/2011/06/13/turkey%E2%80%99s-ruling-party-wins-landslide-election.html
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Suicide Bomber kills five in Basra
Jun 13, 2011
BASRA: A suicide bomber in a car blew himself up outside a police brigade unit in Iraq’s southern oil port city of Basra on Monday, killing five people and wounding 15, police and officials said.
They said the bomber attempted to drive an explosives-filled car into the police compound but when guards tried to stop him the driver detonated the vehicle.
http://www.dawn.com/2011/06/13/suicide-blast-kills-five-in-basra.html
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Bangladesh jails dozens as opposition begins 2nd strike
By FARID HOSSAIN
Jun 13, 2011
DHAKA, Bangladesh: Authorities in Bangladesh jailed dozens of protesters Sunday as the opposition enforced its second nationwide general strike this month against government moves to amend the constitution.
At least 50 protesters were sentenced to up to a month in jail in one-day trials for attacking buses and creating public disturbances in pre-strike violence Saturday, said Krishnapada Roy, the deputy police commissioner in the capital, Dhaka.
The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party and its Islamic fundamentalist ally, Jamaat-e-Islami, started enforcing the 36-hour strike beginning at dawn Sunday, a working day in Muslim-majority Bangladesh.
Full report at: http://arabnews.com/world/article452919.ece
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Pakistan to target insurgent hide-outs
Jun 12, 2011
KABUL: Pakistan has agreed to target the hide-outs of Taleban fighters and other insurgents who attack neighboring Afghanistan and refuse to take part in faltering peace talks, Afghan officials said Sunday.
Many of the Taleban’s key leaders are thought to be hiding in Pakistan, and the threat of military strikes could be used to pressure fighters to negotiate. Still, how strong Pakistan will go after the Taleban remains in question and there was no immediate confirmation of the agreement from the Pakistani government.
Taleban fighters and other groups have long used Pakistan’s tribal areas to launch attacks on NATO troops in neighboring Afghanistan, a point of contention between the two nations.
Full report at: http://arabnews.com/world/article453375.ece
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Bahrain woman gets one year in jail for ‘critical’ poems
June 13, 2011
A 20-year-old woman who recited poems critical of Bahrain's rulers was sentenced Sunday to a year in prison by a special security court set up during the kingdom's crackdown on Shiite protesters calling for greater rights. The tribunal's decision sent a message that the Sunni monarchy is not easing off on punishments linked to the unrest despite appeals for talks with Shiite groups in the strategic Gulf island kingdom, which is home to the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet. Shiites account for about 70 percent of Bahrain's population but claim they face widespread discrimination such as being blocked from holding top military or government posts. Shiite leaders have called on authorities to end security crackdowns and trials before considering talks with the Sunni ruling family. The official Bahrain
Full report at: http://www.dailypioneer.com/345385/Bahrain-woman-gets-year-in-jail-for-%E2%80%98critical%E2%80%99-poems.html
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Blast injures 6 on outskirts of Islamabad
June 12, 2011
A minor explosion caused by a planted improvised explosive device (IED) in the Bara Kahu area just outside of Islamabad injured at least six people on Sunday.
According to initial reports, residents in the area stated that they heard a large blast in the area. Rescue 1122 and security forces reached the area to find a motorcyclist and his son-in-law injured and sprawled on the ground. Others in the area were also injured in the explosion.
The crater from the blast was not large reported Sumera Khan for Express 24/7, however, the location of the explosion has numerous sensitive installations and offices in the area, aside from the farmhouses of numerous influential, political families.
The target of the blast is unknown.
http://tribune.com.pk/story/187461/blast-injures-3-in-outskirts-of-islamabad/
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Two victims of Kharotabad firing buried in Quetta
Jun 13, 2011
QUETTA: Two of the five foreigners killed in the Kharotabad firing incident last month were buried in a graveyard near Quetta on Sunday.
The bodies had been identified as those of Noman and his wife Oliga.
The former Amir of the Balochistan chapter of Jamaat-i-Islami, Maulana Abdul Haq Hashimi, led funeral prayers attended by a large number of people.
Noman was a Tajik national who married a Russian lady. The woman was seven months pregnant when she was killed in the May 17 incident.
Noman’s parents, who arrived here on Saturday and identified the bodies, had allowed the local administration to bury their son and daughter-in-law in the local graveyard.
The remaining bodies, kept in the morgue of the Bolan Medical College Hospital, have not been identified so far.
http://www.dawn.com/2011/06/13/two-victims-of-kharotabad-firing-buried-in-quetta.html
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Jordan king bows to demand for elected Cabinets
Jun 13, 2011
AMMAN: Jordan’s king bowed to popular demands for elected Cabinets on Sunday but gave no timetable, saying that sudden change could lead to "chaos and unrest" in this country that has averted the turmoil seen in other Arab nations.
It was the first time that King Abdallah has made such a concession to Jordanians, who have taken to the streets during six months of pro-democracy protests to demand a greater political say in this key US Arab ally.
Many Jordanians want the king to loosen his absolute grip on power, which includes appointing prime ministers and Cabinets.
In the televised speech Sunday marking his 12th year as Jordan’s ruler, Abdallah said that future Cabinets will be formed according to an elected parliamentary majority. He did not say when the change would take place, but suggested that it would come after relevant laws are in place.
Full report at: http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article453585.ece
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Kabul eyes Islamabad's offensive against militants
Jun 13, 2011
KABUL – Pakistan has agreed to target the hide-outs of Taliban fighters and other insurgents who attack neighboring Afghanistan and refuse to take part in faltering peace talks, Afghan officials said Sunday.
Many of the Taliban's key leaders are thought to be hiding in Pakistan, and the threat of military strikes could be used to pressure fighters to negotiate. Still, how strong Pakistan will go after the Taliban remains in question and there was no immediate confirmation of the agreement from the Pakistani government.
Taliban fighters and other groups have long used Pakistan's tribal areas to launch attacks on NATO troops in neighboring Afghanistan, a point of contention between the two nations.
Full report at: http://dailymailnews.com/0611/13/FrontPage/index.php?id=4
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Muslim Personal Law Board member joins SP
12 June 2011
By Faisal Fareed
Lucknow: The agenda of All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) will now echo in the Samajwadi Party (SP). With an eye on Muslim vote bank, the outfit too has readily agreed to support most of their demands.
The transformation came after Member, AIMPLB, Kamal Farooqui joined SP during party's Agra Convention on June 8. Farooqui who had close links with Congress is also associated with several eminent Muslim organisations as All India Milli Council (AIMC) and others. His association with Congress reaped benefits as he was rewarded with the post of Chairman, Delhi Minorities Commission.
http://twocircles.net/2011jun12/muslim_personal_law_board_member_joins_sp.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Twocirclesnet-IndianMuslim+%28TwoCircles.net+-+Indian+Muslim+News%29
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Chief Justice failed to maintain ethical standards: J&K Guv
Ritu Sarin
Mon Jun 13 2011
New Delhi : Two years ago, Jammu and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra had written to Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan asking for “direct urgent action” against then Chief Justice of J&K High Court Justice Manmohan Sarin for failing to “maintain unimpeachable ethical standards” during his two-month tenure there in 2008.
Vohra accused Justice Sarin of repeatedly misusing his VVIP privileges, including once for then Delhi High Court Chief Justice Justice A P Shah’s “personal visit” to the Valley when the Raj Bhavan was asked to provide the state helicopter for a trip to Pahalgam for both the judges and their spouses.
Full report at: http://www.indianexpress.com/story-print/802799/
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Chicago verdict leaves Rana’s 26/ 11 trial open
Dipanjan Roy Chaudhury in New Delhi
TAHAWWUR Rana may have been acquitted by a Chicago court, but certain questions about his involvement remain unanswered, hinting that the Pakistani- Canadian had a greater role to play in the 26/ 11 Mumbai attacks.
Indian security agencies are expected to thoroughly study the judgment in Rana’s case to use the evidence produced in the Chicago court to find answers to these questions.
Among the questions that remain unanswered is the real reason behind Rana’s presence in India in the third week of November 2008, just before the attacks.
Did Rana, along with Headley, also conduct a recce of the sites later targeted by the 10 terrorists? Did he meet members of the local or sleeper cell of Lashkar- e- Tayyeba ( LeT) in Mumbai? It is also unclear why Rana visited China, an all- weather friend of Pakistan.
Was Rana, a former army doctor, carrying a message for the Chinese establishment on Islamabad’s behalf? It is also significant that Rana had admitted to meeting Major ( retd) Abdur Rehman Hashim Syed, alias Pasha, who had links with the al- Qaeda as well as the slain Harkat- ul- Jihad- al- Islami leader Ilyas Kashmiri to the FBI when he was in Dubai from November 21 to 24, 2008, just before the attacks.
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American held for spying on Pak N-facilities , to be deported
Jun 13, 2011
ISLAMABAD: A US national has been arrested for allegedly scouting nuclear facilities near the Pakistani capital and is expected to be deported soon as the interior ministry has already cancelled his visa.
Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/American-held-for-spying-on-Pak-N-facilities-to-be-deported/articleshow/8831703.cms
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ICC chief hopes Gaddafi will 'be arrested' soon
Jun 12, 2011
MADRID: International Criminal Court prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo, in an interview published Sunday, said he hoped that embattled Libyan leader Muammer Gaddafi "will be arrested" by his people in the coming weeks on crimes against humanity charges.
"We hope that the arrest warrant (to face charges of crimes against humanity) will be delivered soon and that Gaddafi will be detained by the Libyan people. That's what we are expecting," he told the Spanish daily El Mundo.
Moreno-Ocampo said he was hopeful ICC judges would rule on Gaddafi's arrest in the coming weeks.
"We are working on the assumption he will be arrested by his people, by members of his regime" and if "that is not possible by the (rebel) National Transitional Council," he added.
Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/ICC-chief-hopes-Gaddafi-will-be-arrested-soon/articleshow/8825421.cms
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Rushdie pens sci-fi drama for US TV
Jun 13, 2011
LONDON: Indian-origin British novelist Salman Rushdie has said that he would pen a science fiction drama for TV, which has taken the place of films and novels as the best way of widely communicating ideas and stories.
"It's like the best of both worlds. You can work in movie style productions, but have proper control," Sir Salman told 'The Observer' newspaper . The new work, to be called 'The Next People' is being made for 'Showtime' , a US cable TV network.
The plot will be based in factual science, but will contain elements of the supernatural or extraterrestrial, said the 63-year-old Booker Prize winner, adding a pilot has been commissioned and written though filming is yet to begin.
'Showtime' has announced that the hour-long drama will deal with the fast pace of change in modern life, covering the areas of politics, religion, science, and sexuality.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/uk/Rushdie-pens-sci-fi-drama-for-US-TV/articleshow/8831687.cms
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CIA chief makes no headway in Pak, leaves abruptly
Jun 13, 2011
ISLAMABAD: CIA chief Leon Panetta has left Pakistan without reaching a deal on resetting the troubled relationship with ISI during meetings with the country's top military leaders.
Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/CIA-chief-makes-no-headway-in-Pak-leaves-abruptly/articleshow/8831668.cms
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Terrorist’s kin get passports on fake papers
I P Singh
Jun 13, 2011
JALANDHAR: Police have arrested a junior engineer for facilitating the family of terrorist Paramjit Singh Panjwar, who is on India's most wanted list, get passports on fake credentials.
Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Terrorists-kin-get-passports-on-fake-papers/articleshow/8832375.cms
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Azerbaijan removes statue of Mubarak
June 12, 2011
Authorities in Azerbaijan have heeded opposition calls to dismantle a statue of ousted Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, according to reports.
Wary of any association with Mubarak's disgraced regime, authorities ordered the statue to be removed late on Tuesday from its spot in Khyrdalan, a small town just outside the capital, Baku.
Full report at: http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=azerbaijan-removes-statue-of-mubarak-2011-06-09
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Syrian Army in control of restive town
Jun 13, 2011
BEIRUT: Under the rattle of heavy gunfire and loud explosions, Syrian troops on Sunday regained control of a restive northwestern town, clashing with mutinous soldiers whose decision to side with armed protesters posed a potent threat to the authoritarian regime. Backed by helicopter gunships and tanks, army units moved in after dismantling explosives planted on roads and bridges leading to Jisr al-Shughour, said the state-run news agency, reporting “heavy” clashes. Residents who fled to Turkey said thousands of young men, including soldiers and police who switched sides and joined the revolt against President Bashar Assad, had armed themselves. — AP
http://www.hindu.com/2011/06/13/stories/2011061362151600.htm
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‘Friends of Kashmir’ vow to remain friends
June 13, 2011
Inside a park on the banks of Dal Lake and in the foothills of Zabarwan mountains, an informal discussion between Hindus and Muslims of Kashmir soon turns into reminiscences of emotional past.
A group Kashmiri Pandits and Muslims, who know each other through common acquaintances and social networking websites, had gathered early morning as part of a reconciliation efforts between the two communities.
Full report at: http://www.dailypioneer.com/345469/%E2%80%98Friends-of-Kashmir%E2%80%99-vow-to-remain-friends.html
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Death upheld for Kuwait woman for wedding carnage
June 13, 2011
Kuwait's supreme court today upheld a woman's death sentence for setting ablaze her husband's wedding tent, killing 57 women and children.
Nasra Yussef Mohammed al-Enezi, 24, was condemned to death by a lower and appeals courts for the apparent act of revenge against her husband for taking a second wife.
Under Islamic laws, men in Kuwait can take up to four wives at a time. The ruling against Enezi is final unless the emir commutes the sentence to a life term. Death sentences in the oil-rich Gulf state are carried out by hanging.
Enezi, who has two mentally-ill children from her husband, denied the charges throughout the trial and her defence lawyers argued there was no material evidence to convict her.
Full report at: http://www.dailypioneer.com/345384/Death-upheld-for-Kuwait-woman-for-wedding-carnage.html
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500 Indians stuck, Yemen clinic says pay to leave
Jun 13, 2011
The plight of these Indians, prisoners in a strife-torn land far from home, is going unheard. The passports of more than 500 Indian employees of the Al Thawra Modern General Hospital in Sana’a, the capital of Yemen, are with the hospital authorities and the Indian government is doing precious little to bail them out.
Already living under the shadow of war, they also face the threat of losing their only means of livelihood. Their passports with the hospital authority, the only exit route was by remitting two months’ salary, getting back their papers and paying for the airfare back home. But deprived of their salaries for the last two months, they now live like paupers.
Full report at: http://www.asianage.com/india/500-indians-stuck-yemen-clinic-says-pay-leave-247
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Low rate of terrorists’ conviction worries military
Jun 13, 2011
ISLAMABAD: The military authorities have expressed serious concern over what they call dismally low rate of terrorists’ conviction by courts throughout the country and have asked the government to see if some necessary changes could be made in relevant laws, Dawn has learnt through reliable sources.
At a recent meeting between top civilian and military leadership, the sources said, the issue of increasing number of terrorists securing easy acquittals from courts, mainly in the absence of adequate evidence, came up and it was decided to have a complete review of the law of evidence.
Full report at: http://www.dawn.com/2011/06/13/low-rate-of-terrorists-conviction-worries-military.html
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Nation should unite to crush terrorism, says Shahbaz
Jun 13, 2011
LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif says the nation needs to unite to crush terrorism and face with full might the enemies which are weakening the country.
Speaking at a seminar held to mark the second death anniversary of Dr Sarfaraz Husain Naeemi at Jamia Naeemia here on Sunday, he said time had come to get rid of the oppressive system and introduce a system of equality and justice based on Uswa-i-Hasana and Meesaq-i-Madina.
Full report at: http://www.dawn.com/2011/06/13/nation-should-unite-to-crush-terrorism-says-shahbaz.html
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Sudan leaders meet on border conflict
Jun 13, 2011
ADDIS ABABA: The leaders of north and south Sudan began talks in Ethiopia on Sunday aimed at resolving the crises in the border regions of Abyei and South Kordofan, one month ahead of southern independence.
Sudan President Omar al-Bashir and south Sudan leader Salva Kiir held talks on the key issue of Abyei, focusing on the appointment of a new administration and future security arrangements in the bitterly contested region, Sudan’s official SUNA news agency reported.
Full report at: http://www.dawn.com/2011/06/13/sudan-leaders-meet-on-border-conflict.html
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Syria troops seize hotbed town, ‘mass grave’ found
Jun 13, 2011
DAMASCUS: Syrian troops on Sunday seized the flashpoint northern town of Jisr al-Shughur, state television said, as international outrage mounted at the regime’s harsh crackdown on protesters.
Rights activists had earlier reported heavy gunfire and explosions in the town near the Turkish border after troops backed by helicopter gunships and around 200 tanks launched a two-pronged assault early on Sunday.
State television said the army now completely controls Jisr al-Shughur and that troops were pursuing “armed elements” into the woods and nearby mountains.
Official media also reported that a mass grave was found in Jisr al-Shughur, containing the mutilated bodies of 10 security agents whose hands, head and feet had been cut off.
“Armed groups had mutilated the corpses which were removed from the mass grave,” the broadcaster said.
Full report at: http://www.dawn.com/2011/06/13/syria-troops-seize-hotbed-town-mass-grave-found.html
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Foreign secret agencies behind Peshawar blast: Taliban
Jun 13, 2011
PESHAWAR: The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), on Sunday, denied responsibility for twin bomb blasts that ripped through a crowded market in Peshawar, killing 39 people and injuring dozens, while claiming that foreign agencies were behind the blast.
The attack devastated the Khyber Super Market district which includes a hotel, shops and student accommodation. The TTP denied any role in the bombing and said they only aim their strikes at the government and military. “We did not carry out this attack in Peshawar. It is an attempt by foreign secret agencies who are doing it to malign us,” TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan told AFP on phone. “We do not target innocent people. Our targets are very clear, we attack security forces, government and people who are siding with it,” Ehsan said. Meanwhile, security forces have hinted at carrying out a search operation in the Khyber Super Market and the neighbouring Gulbahar. afp/staff report.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2011\06\13\story_13-6-2011_pg1_3
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Sudan’s army denies aircraft downed in S Kordofan
Jun 13, 2011
KHARTOUM: Sudan’s army denied on Sunday that any military aircraft were shot down in the border state of Southern Kordofan, where the northern military has been fighting armed groups for more than a week.
Full report at: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2011\06\13\story_13-6-2011_pg4_3
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Al-Jouf Museum to open door of civilization to region
By ABDULAZIZ ABDUL WAHID
Jun 13, 2011
Governor of Al-Jouf Prince Fahd bin Badr laid down the foundation stone for Al-Jouf Museum at Dawmat Al-Jandal city on Sunday.
The event was also attended by chairman of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities Prince Sultan bin Salman, who described the museum as a civilization door to the region and a tourist directory to anyone who wanted to know the history of the region.
Full report at: http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article453497.ece
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Doha Film Institute’s ‘Harrer, Harrer’ Program
Jun 13, 2011
The Doha Film Institute (DFI) has partnered with various regional educational and film organizations to produce a traveling workshop called ‘Harrer, Harrer’ (Liberate in Arabic), in which participants from different Arab cities tell personal stories through one-minute films, about the revolutions in their lives and in their home cities.
The week-long storytelling workshop will visit several cities in the region over the next few months to help train film enthusiasts on the importance of storytelling through fictional characters. The program will take place in Amman, Beirut, Cairo, Tunis, Marrakech and Jaffa amongst others in collaboration with the Royal Film Commission, Lebanese American University, American University of Cairo, Novadis Images, ESAV Marrakech and Sadaka respectively.
Full report at: http://arabnews.com/lifestyle/offbeat/article453285.ece
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Ethiopia woos Saudi investors
Jun 13, 2011
JEDDAH: Ethiopian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hailemariam Desalegn said on Sunday that he had been involved in fruitful discussions with the Kingdom’s top leadership including Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Saud Al-Faisal.
Full report at: http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article453489.ece
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Yanbu defendants denounce terrorism
By MD AL-SULAMI
Jun 13, 2011
RIYADH: Five men denied Sunday their involvement in a 2004 terrorist attack in Yanbu that killed seven and injured 50 others.
They also demanded compensation for alleged torture and mistreatment they suffered inside prison during investigations. In total 11 men have been accused.
It was the third hearing for the defendants. On Saturday, a three-bench court heard the statements of six accused. Arab News was the only English-language newspaper that attended the trial, in addition to other members of the local press and Human Rights Commission officials.
Full report at: ttp://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article453494.ece
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Egypt opposition leader may not run for president
13 June 2011
CAIRO — Egyptian pro-democracy campaigner Mohamed ElBaradei said in a televised interview aired on Sunday he is not sure he will run for president, because there has not been not enough debate about the future of the country.
ElBaradei, the former head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, is a favorite of some leaders of the uprising that unseated President Hosni Mubarak, but polls show he has little electoral support. He inspired many of the protesters who took part in the 18-day uprising that forced President Hosni Mubarak to step down in February.
Full report at: http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle08.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2011/June/middleeast_June371.xml§ion=middleeast
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UAE backs France’s IMF candidate
13 June 2011
DUBAI — The UAE supports candidacy of the French Finance Minister, Christine Lagarde, to the leadership post of the International Monetary Fund, or IMF, Obeid Humaid Al Tayer, Minister of State for Financial Affairs, ?announced on Sunday.
The UAE’s support for Lagarde to take up the post of the IMF Director- General sprang out of her role in leading the French Ministry of Finance and in recognition of her achievements, as well as the efforts she made during the G20 meetings under the rotating?presidency of France.
Full report at: http://www.khaleejtimes.com/biz/inside.asp?xfile=/data/business/2011/June/business_June195.xml§ion=business
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/atlanta-weightlifter-kulsoom-abdullah-fights/d/4825