Fatwas only by senior scholars: King Abdullah
Obama to Muslims: “Islam has always been a part of America”
Iran 'stoning to death' woman tortured into 'confessing' to adultery, murder on TV
NATO air strike on Haqqani group kills 20
Malaysia mulls hanging parents who dump newborns
Ramzan nights: Walled City to stay awake
Afghan clerics seek return to strict Islamic law
Pakistan must stop terrorist attacks from its soil: Krishna
Saeed asks Pakistanis to seek forgiveness from God
It's Bhutto vs Bhutto in cyberspace
Terror-hit heritage wing of Taj reopens Ground Zero mosque debate rages on
Bid to ink Indo-US social security accord in time for Obama’s visit
Afghan hawala ring tied to Karzai kin
HC admits state's appeal against two acquitted in 26/11 case
Kerala engineer says being forced to wear veil; protect her, High Court tells police
Pak military will not change its India-centric policy: Gul
Private operators’ role in Haj to be more transparent
ISI making attempts to woo Naxals through underworld; six nabbed
Book on slain ATS chief sells like hot cake in Kerala
CPM struck deal with Madani to delay arrest, alleges Kerala BJP
Autonomy to J&K will be disastrous, warns State RSS
Romania to be NATO, Israel’s ‘loyal partner’
Times Square Bombing: Pakistani Man Freed From Jail
US reaps goodwill windfall with Pak aid
‘Pak Must Act Against Terror’
Both India, Pakistan To Set Prisoners Free
Taslima Gets 1-Year Visa Extension
Ramzan won't buy peace for Kashmir
WB commits $900m for flood relief
‘WikiLeaks to continue releasing Afghan war files’
President, PM decide to convene CCI meeting
Memories flood back to haunt distressed women
US sentencing of Aafia pushed to Sept
Gilani hints at diverting dev funds for relief
President urges unity to face flood disaster
Radio Pakistan playing role in rescue operations
‘Fake’ relief camp appears during PM’s Balochistan visit
Malaysian first lady calls Begum Fauzia Gilani
Romania is loyal partner of NATO and Israel
Ugandan rebels kidnap around 700: rights group
Poverty robs Yemeni children of their young years
Two dead, 80 wounded in Kazakhstan prison riots
Quartet draws up Mideast talks framework
Spy linked to Dubai murder extradited to Germany
Ramadan or not, hunger hits Pakistan flood victims
Artistic competition for beautification of Makkah
US wants Iraq to pay bill for war victims
Foreigners boosts insurgency in eastern Afghanistan
Lebanon debates giving Palestinians rights
War-crimes trial opens for youngest Gitmo inmate
Cairo mosques begin unified call to prayer
Claims of Afghan civilian deaths spark protest
Destroyed Muslim graves in Jerusalem were 'fake': Israel
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: http://www.newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/fatwas-only-by-senior-scholars--king-abdullah/d/3286
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Fatwas only by senior scholars: King
By FATIMA SIDYA
Aug 13, 2010
JEDDAH: Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah has issued a royal order saying only approved scholars can issue fatwa’s (religious edicts).
"As part of our religious and national duty we want you to ensure that fatwa’s are only issued by members of the Council of Senior Religious Scholars and other permitted people," King Abdullah said in the decree that was sent Thursday to Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh, who heads the Presidency for Scholastic Research and Religious Edicts (Dar Al-Ifta) as well as the scholars council.
The decree also asked Al-Asheikh to report to the king on those fully qualified and eligible to issue fatwas.
"Individual fatwas on personal matters such as matters of worship, dealings, personal matters are exempt from this ruling, but they should be between the questioner and the scholar. There should be a total ban on any topics involving strange or obsolete views."
The king said the issuing of fatwas by unqualified persons was a violation of Islamic teachings.
"We have observed the fallout from unqualified people issuing fatwas. It is our religious duty to stop them in order to preserve our religion, which is our dearest possession, and cut off an evil which, if we do not tackle now, will return with added force." the king added in the decree.
"Religion is no place for bragging nor seeking worldly ambitions."
The king said differences of opinion among scholars should be confined to their own circles and not involves other people.
"We find some people undermining the role of official establishments and crossing into state jurisdiction. They pose as eligible scholars to dispute these religious establishments," he added.
"This situation has prompted us to face them with determination in order to return them to the right path and make them understand the great role played by our religious establishments."
Islamic Affairs Minister Saleh Al-Asheikh had warned earlier that many fatwas issued by individuals recently had lacked balance.
They include giving permission to kill men and women who share workspaces or, more bizarrely, allowing them to work together if a woman breastfeeds her male colleagues.
"They should not publish fatwas before consulting other experts," he said.
The minister also told members of the public to only ask for fatwas from authentic sources, including Dar Al-Ifta.
He said he had noticed scholars issuing fatwas on silly issues.
"This will give a bad impression about the Kingdom, especially with it being an Islamic state. We have so many other important issues to deal with. We have to confront terrorism and the false allegations people make connecting Islam and its Prophet (peace be upon him) with terrorism," he said.
Other fatwas, including giving permission for women to travel without a legal guardian, allowing men to pray at home instead of going to mosque and allowing people to celebrate birthdays have triggered heated debates among religious scholars.
A number of leading sheikhs welcomed King Abdullah's decision.
Sheikh Abdullah Al-Muslih, who hosts a fatwa program on a religious channel, said major issues requiring a fatwa should remain in the hands of top scholars.
However, he added that personal matters such as how to pray, perform ablution or pay zakah were considered as educating the public and therefore exempt from the decree.Sheikh Saleh Al-Shamrani, a teacher at the Scholarly Institute for Islamic Studies, also agreed with the king's decree and said it would curb outlandish fatwas during Ramadan.
"Lately, some people have had the nerve to issue random fatwas. Some of them have little religious education, while others claim they are scholars. It is time to return fatwas to qualified people who are fit to issue them," he said.
"We have waited for this decision, especially as religious channels host people belonging to different intellectual schools of thought and the public might see their beliefs as the truth."
Shaikh Abdul Muhsin Al-Obaikan, an adviser to the Royal Council who recently called for a minimum marriage age for girls, refused to comment when contacted by Arab News.
http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article101095.ece
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Obama to Muslims: “Islam has always been a part of America”
August 13, 2010
Islam has always been a part of Obama’s history, and he continues to do his best to revise America history. Islamic logic follows that if Islam has always been a part of America, then America is Islamic land to which Muslims are entitled and should be ruled by Islamic sharia law – and waging jihad against non-Muslims is permissable – required even – to achieve that goal.
America has always been part of dar al harb (or dar al kuffar) and Ramadan is a reminder to Muslims that without jihad, Islam would not have spread around the world, which is why Muslims regard Ramadan as the month of jihad. Barack Goebbels is lying and we all know that. The question is, who is he trying to fool – Muslims or non-Muslims?
US President Barack Obama has extended his best wishes to Muslims around the world as Ramadan, the holy month of fasting, starts. “On behalf of the American people, Michelle and I want to extend our best wishes to Muslims in America and around the world, ” Obama said in a statement Wednesday.
“Ramadan is a celebration of a faith known for great diversity and racial equality. And here in the US, Ramadan is a reminder that Islam has always been part of America and that American Muslims have made extraordinary contributions to our country,” Obama said.
He also said he will host a dinner celebrating Ramadan at the White House later this week.
Obama has been reaching out to the Muslim community, in an effort to improve America’s negative image in the Muslim world.
The first day of Ramadan this year was determined to be on Wednesday.
What extraordinary contributions have Muslims made to our country? Muslims have contributed 9/11 – after which Islam has shaped the political discourse ever since, Fort Hood, body scanners in airports that they are exempt from, record levels of terrorism. And America has an image problem? Basta.
http://creepingsharia.wordpress.com/2010/08/12/obamas-lie-islam-always-part-of-america/
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Iran 'stoning to death' woman tortured into 'confessing' to adultery, murder on TV
August 13, 2010
An Iranian woman whose sentence to death by stoning sparked an international outcry is feared to be facing imminent execution, after she told state-run TV that she had committed adultery and was involved in a murder following torture in prison.
Speaking shakily in her native Azeri language, which could be heard through a voice over, Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani told her interviewer that she was an accomplice to the murder of her husband and that she had an extra-marital relationship with her husband's cousin.
Her lawyer told the Guardian last night that his client, a 43-year-old mother of two, was tortured for two days before the interview was recorded in Tabriz prison, where she has been held for the past four years.
"She was severely beaten up and tortured until she accepted to appear in front of camera.
Her 22-year-old son, Sajad and her 17-year-old daughter Saeedeh are completely traumatised by watching this programme," said lawyer Houtan Kian.
He added that there were now fears that the Iranian authorities would act quickly to carry out the death sentence, which was reportedly commuted to hanging after an international outcry last month.
The sentence was initially for "having an illicit relationship outside marriage" but some Iranian officials have claimed she was also found guilty of murdering her husband and should still face death by stoning.
The interview was broadcast on a show called 20:30, a day after US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urged Tehran to honour treaty obligations to respect the rights of citizens and halt executions.
Observers suggested one of the signs she was speaking under duress was that in the interview she blamed the western media for interfering in her personal life.
Amnesty International condemned the "so-called" confession and said the independence of Iran's judiciary was "tattered" by the broadcast.
"This makes a complete mockery of the judiciary system in Iran," said Drewery Dyke of Amnesty's Iran team. (ANI)
http://news.webindia123.com/news/Articles/World/20100812/1563581.html
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Nato air strike on Haqqani group kills 20
Aug 13 2010
Kabul: At least 20 insurgents were killed in Afghanistans southeast in an operation against the Haqqani network,whose leader Washington wants designated a terrorist,the Natoled alliance said on Thursday.
Air strikes were called in after Afghan and International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) troops found dozens of insurgents in entrenched fighting positions in a mountainous area of Dzadran district in Paktia,near the Pakistan border,ISAF said.This area is a known Haqqani network safe haven and used to stage attacks into Kabul, ISAF said.
Times of India
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Malaysia mulls hanging parents who dump newborns
Aug 13, 2010
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian parents who abandon their newborns and leave them to die could face the gallows, as authorities step up their response to a series of gruesome cases of abandoned babies.
The government has reportedly agreed that baby dumping will now be probed under the offence of attempted murder or murder, which is punishable by a mandatory death sentence on conviction.
Several recent cases are being investigated under more lenient criminal codes, such as abandonment, that carry up to 10 years imprisonment.
"The government has no choice because of the rising number of cases. Despite the various initiatives, baby dumping is still happening," Women, Family and Community Development MinisterShahrizat Abdul Jalil reportedly said.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/Malaysia-mulls-hanging-parents-who-dump-newborns/articleshow/6305063.cms#ixzz0wTmuYKe7
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Ramzan nights: Walled City to stay awake
Kim Arora
Aug 13 2010
New Delhi: Carts loaded with dates line the narrow entrance to the Matia Mahal market near Jama Masjid.Inside,yellow stacks of feni and sewayin greet visitors as they expertly dodge vehicles,stray animals and hordes of other shoppers.Its the first day of the holy month of Ramzan,the weathers pleasant and the excitement has just begun.Its still several hours to Iftaar the post-sunset meal after an entire day of fasting but the pakodas and khazlas are already flying off the shelves.Stalls with dates you break the roza with them fruits and other goodies have sprouted to make the most of the festive season.
Worshippers are pouring into Jama Masjid to offer their thanks for all that they are blessed with.While your eyes stray to the platters of phirni,your nose follows the aroma of fritters frying around the corner.Outside this tug of war,the ears alert you to the noise.
Full report at: Times of India
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Afghan clerics seek return to strict Islamic law
13 Aug, 2010
KABUL: Afghanistan’s largest gathering of clerics, who met to discuss reconciliation with the Taliban, has called for the revival of strict Islamic law as the country seeks ways to win militants away from a growing insurgency.
About 350 of the Islamic clerics, or ulema, met for three days this week, the meeting ending with a declaration calling on Afghans President Hamid Karzai to enact the Sharia Law.
“The lack of implementation of Sharia Hodud (punishment) has cast a negative impact on the peace process,” said a 10-point resolution issued after the meeting.
“We the ulema and preachers of Afghanistan ... earnestly ask the government not to spare any efforts in the implementation of the Sharia Hodud, “ the resolution stated. The resolution, seen by Reuters, was sent to Karzai’s government.
Full report at:
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\08\13\story_13-8-2010_pg7_34
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Pakistan must stop terrorist attacks from its soil: Krishna
Sandeep Joshi
Aug 13, 2010
NEW DELHI: The Centre said on Thursday that it was willing to hold a sustained dialogue with Pakistan, provided the latter's soil was not used for attacks on India.
“If there is goodwill from Pakistan and if there is [an] assurance that their soil is not going to be directed by terrorist instrumentalities to attack India or to foment anti-India feelings, then India would certainly be willing for a sustained dialogue with Pakistan,” External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna said in the Rajya Sabha.
“Terrorism is our core concern when we have talks with our counterparts in Pakistan. So… the biggest confidence-building measure that Pakistan could offer to India is to prevent further terrorist attacks and the provocative speeches that are being made against India day in and day out by Jehadi forces led by the ISI and others,” he said while replying to queries during question hour.
Full report at:
http://www.hindu.com/2010/08/13/stories/2010081364241200.htm
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Saeed asks Pakistanis to seek forgiveness from god
Aug 13, 2010
Lahore : Jamaat-ud-Dawah chief Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, mastermind of the Mumbai attacks, has asked Pakistanis to seek "forgiveness" from God for their sins in the wake of the devastating floods across the country.
"The widespread devastation caused by flood waters shows that it is due to our sins," Saeed said while talking to a delegation of JuD workers at the organisation's headquarters in Chauburji here.
He regretted that the country was not demonstrating the spirit of sacrifice it used to in the past.
"In the past, the whole nation would get united whenever any calamity hit Pakistan. The same spirit is required today to face this testing time...We will have to come on the path of righteousness," he said.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/saeed-asks-pakistanis-to-seek-forgiveness-from-god/659392/
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It's Bhutto vs Bhutto in cyberspace
Aug 13, 2010
Islamabad : The fourth generation of Bhuttos, who are not on speaking terms, are doing the next best thing - taking on each other in the virtual world.
While Fatima Bhutto is predictably demonising her uncle Asif Ali Zardari, the widower of slain former premier Benazir Bhutto, the other is being the doting daughter by defending her “incredible dad”, the President.
It’s no longer a smooth run for author-activist Fatima, 27, who has in the past three years left no stone unturned to badmouth Zardari.
The Bhutto-Zardari kids are now giving it back to her measure for measure.
Though Bilawal, the co-chairman of the ruling Pakistan People’s Party, has exited Twitter world, his two sisters are keeping the fire burning.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/its-bhutto-vs-bhutto-in-cyberspace/659418/
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Terror-hit heritage wing of Taj reopens
Madhu T & Reeba Zachariah
Aug 13 2010
Mumbai: The Taj has chosen Independence Day to reaffirm the values it stands for.On August 15,2010,it will open its heritage wingthat was gutted during the 26/11 siegeto an expectant public.Born as Indias answer to British arrogance,the hotel built by Jamsetji Tata opened its doors in 1903 to 17 guests.A century later,tragic circumstances forced the Taj to shut its doors for the first time since it opened.But the staff and the management used this to their advantage and turned adversity into opportunity to match the best hotels of the world.
After the terror strike,the hotel was opened in stages and by September this year,it will be fully functional.On Independence Day,although most of its rooms in the palace wing will accommodate guests,some of its opulent spaceslike the Tata Suitewill be unveiled in a month or so.A nights stay at the Tata Suite,formerly the Presidential Suite,complete with personalized butler service will set one back by Rs 7 lakh.There are more than 40 suites in the heritage part of the building with some of them being named after marine motifs,given the sea-front location. Each suite tells a story, says Ajoy Misra,senior vice president,sales & marketing,Taj Hotels.So you can ride on a dolphin,search for coral reefs or chase a seagull for a price ranging from Rs 85,000 to Rs 1.5 lakh.
Full report at: Times of India
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Ground Zero mosque debate rages on
Narayan Lakshman
Aug 13, 2010
Washington: Nine years after 9/11, zip code 10048, New York City, finds itself at the heart of another conflict, one that raises fundamental questions about religious tolerance in America.
The controversy, which has been simmering for several months, boiled over last week when a local community board in Manhattan approved plans to build a mosque two blocks away from Ground Zero, the site where the twin towers of the World Trade Centre stood. Those supporting religious tolerance as enshrined in the Constitution's First Amendment clashed publicly and passionately with those who decried the mosque plan as a symbol of disrespect to victims of 9/11 and a surrender to religious extremists.
Full report at:
http://www.hindu.com/2010/08/13/stories/2010081356171600.htm
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Bid to ink Indo-US social security accord in time for Obamas visit
Aug 13 2010
New Delhi: Efforts to conclude the Indo-US social security agreement may be on the fast track,buoyed by an increasing number of American workers in India,who are likely to benefit from the strengthening of bilateral ties.
The two sides are hoping to conclude negotiations for the totalisation agreement in time for US President Barack Obamas visit in November.
Though many feel that it is too ambitious,renewed pressure from corporates of both the countries to make their businesses more competitive could see a convergence of interests.
We are going to take up the issue as a priority in the trade forum meeting in September, Union commerce minister Anand Sharma said.
Full report at: Times of India
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Afghan hawala ring tied to Karzai kin
Aug 13 2010
New York: Afghanistans largest hawala money transfer business,whose Kabul office was shuttered following a raid by an anti-graft task force,was helping to launder profits from the illicit opium trade and moving the cash earned by Taliban through extortion and drug trafficking,a media report said on Thursday.
Citing US and Afghan officials,the Wall Street Journal reported that there were links between the money transfers by the New Ansari Exchange and some of the most powerful political and business figures in the country,including relatives of President Hamid Karzai.
The Kabul office of New Ansari Exchange was shuttered after a January raid by US-trained agents of an anti-corruption taskforce.Armed with thousands of records seized from the building,investigators have been digging into the movement of billions of dollars in and out of Afghanistan,the report said.
Full report at: Times of India
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HC admits state's appeal against two acquitted in 26/11 case
Aug 13, 2010
Mumbai : The Bombay High Court today admitted an appeal filed by Maharashtra Government against acquittal of Faheem Ansari and Sabauddin Ahmed in the 26/11 terror attack case and deferred till August 30 the hearing on confirmation of death sentence awarded to convicted terrorist Ajmal Kasab.
Justices Ranjana Desai and Vijaya Tahilramani issued warrants against the two acquitted and directed that they be produced before a subordinate court.
Currently, both are lodged in separate prisons in Uttar Pradesh in connection with a case of firing at CRPF camp in Rampur, according to Government's counsel Ujjwal Nikam.
Under CrPC, when an appeal is admitted the High Court issues a warrant directing that the accused be arrested and brought before it or a subordinate court which may send him to prison pending appeal's disposal or grant bail.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/hc-admits-states-appeal-against-two-acquitted-in-26-11-case/659436/
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Kerala engineer says being forced to wear veil; protect her, High Court tells police
Aug 13 2010
Thiruvananthapuram : The Kerala High Court today directed the police to provide protection to a young Muslim engineering graduate who says she is facing threats “for failing to wear purdah and headscarf”.
In her petition, Rayana R Kazi has named one Muhammed Kavugoli as the respondent, a man who claims to be an activist of the Popular Front of India (PFI), the fundamentalist Muslim body which allegedly chopped off a Christian teacher’s hand last month. Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan has accused the PFI of attempting to turn Kerala into a “Muslim country” in the next 20 years.
A division bench of Justices K M Joseph and M L Joseph Francis today asked Kavugoli to appear before the court on August 18.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/kerala-engineer-says-being-forced-to-wear-veil;-protect-her-high-court-tells-police/659686/
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Pak military will not change its India-centric policy: Gul
Aug 13 2010
Washington : A former ISI chief credited with helping in creation of Afghan Taliban, has said his country's army would not change its India-centric policy, unless the Kashmir issue is resolved.
"The kind of terrorism which is going on in Pakistan is due to Kashmir issue," Hamid Gul, the former head of the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) who is also believed to have created Kashmiri militants groups claimed in the CNN's "Connect the World" programme.
Gul was responding to the question as to why Pak military remains India centric.
"The second (reason) is because of the wrongful occupation of Afghanistan, by the allied forces, it's very wrongful," he argued.
"So I think that proud nation is being really ravaged which is very wrong. So, this is the root cause - unless you address the root cause, you are not going to find the solution, as far as Pakistan's orientation towards India is concerned that is a reality, and Indians themselves are making it a reality," Gul claimed.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/pak-military-will-not-change-its-indiacentric-policy-gul/659396/
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Private operators’ role in Haj to be more transparent
Aug 13 2010
Greater transparency will be ensured in the role of private operators involved in Haj pilgrimage, considering that several petitions related to them are pending in courts, External Affairs Minister SM Krishna said on Thursday.
“Private tour operators have been involved in Haj pilgrimage. We cannot wish them away. We will have to bring them on board and ensure greater transparency, as around 28 petitions are pending in various high courts,” he told Rajya Sabha during Question Hour.
He was replying to a supplementary by TDP member MV Mysura Reddy, who sought to know whether the government was keeping a watch on the role of private tour operators involved in Haj pilgrimage.
Krishna said though the Government has been relying on services of Air India for carrying Haj pilgrims, this time services of Saudi Arabian Airlines has been hired after competitive bidding.
Full report at:
http://www.dailypioneer.com/275754/Private-operators%E2%80%99-role-in-Haj-to-be-more-transparent.html
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ISI making attempts to woo Naxals through underworld; six nabbed
Aug 13 2010
In an ominous development, Pakistan’s ISI is making attempts to establish contacts with Naxals with the help of underworld don Chhota Shakeel for carrying out subversive activities in the country and six persons have been arrested so far in this connection.
Police forces in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, assisted by central security agencies, in a swift operation arrested four persons from AP and two from Bangalore. A sum of Rs 25 lakh meant for distribution to Naxals mainly in Andhra Pradesh was also seized from them, official sources said on Thursday.
According to officials privy to the operations, ISI — Pakistan’s deadly intelligence agency — had contacted Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed alias Chhota Shakeel, who is at present holed up in Pakistan.
Full report at:
http://www.dailypioneer.com/275747/ISI-making-attempts-to-woo-Naxals-through-underworld;-six-nabbed.html
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Book on slain ATS chief sells?like hot cake in Kerala
13 August 2010
TRIVANDRUM — The Malayalam translation of a book that alleges that former Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad chief (ATS) Hemant Karkare was killed by Hindu militants has turned out to be a handbook for the Popular Front of India (PFI).
The Muslim radical outfit is now under scanner over a series of extremist activities, including the chopping of the hands of New Man College lecturer T J Joseph for framing a provocative question for an internal examination in the college.
The translation of the book — Who Killed Karkare ? The real face of terrorism in India— was brought out by Tejas, the publication wing of PFI. The book claims that Karkare fell victim to collusion between these outfits and probe agencies after he started probing a network of Hindu militant outfits.
Full report at:
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/displayarticle.asp?xfile=data/international/2010/August/international_August624.xml§ion=international&col=
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CPM struck deal with Madani to delay arrest, alleges Kerala BJP
Aug 13 2010
Uncertainty continued over the time of arrest of Kerala’s Islamist leader and PDP chairman Abdul Nasser Madani, the 31st accused in the Bangalore bombings case, with the State Government adopting an ambiguous position with regard to providing security and assistance to the Karnataka Police team. The State BJP on Thursday accused the ruling CPI (M) of striking a secret deal with Madani to delay the arrest.
Kerala Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said in Kochi on Thursday that the State police would provide all assistance to their Karnataka counterparts for arresting Madani but the security needs in the context of the Presidential visit and Ind-ependence Day had to be taken into consideration. This effectively meant that Madani’s arrest might not take place before Sunday, observers said.
Full report at:
http://www.dailypioneer.com/275746/CPM-struck-deal-with-Madani-to-delay-arrest-alleges-Kerala-BJP.html
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Autonomy to J&K will be disastrous, warns State RSS
Aug 13 2010
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has warned the Centre against giving autonomy to Kashmir, saying it would have a disastrous impact on the entire State. “The people of Jammu and Kashmir would not accept the proposal of autonomy and we warn you against taking a hasty decision” State RSS chief, Brig (retd) Suchet Singh said in Jammu on Thursday.
Also demanding scrapping of Article 370, the State RSS chief said J&K was an integral part of India and its fate could not be dictated by a handful of separatist leaders in the Valley. Commenting on the ongoing unrest, Brig Suchet Singh said, “The ongoing agitation is only localised in an area of about 15,000 sq km, occupying less than 50 per cent of population of the State.”
Full report at:
http://www.dailypioneer.com/275737/Autonomy-to-JK-will-be-disastrous-warns-State-RSS.html
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Romania to be NATO, Israel’s ‘loyal partner’
Aug 13 2010
Romania’s president on Thursday said his country would be a loyal partner of Israel and NATO in the event of a conflict with Iran, but added that he hoped the dispute could be solved through diplomacy and sanctions.
“We hope that the sanctions imposed by the Security Council of the UN will create the correct solution in Tehran, not digging graves for American soldiers but starting transparent negotiations,” said President Traian Basescu standing next to Israeli President Shimon Peres who is on an official visit to Romania.
Basescu told reporters if a conflict broke out with Iran, “Romania will be a loyal partner of NATO ... and a loyal partner of Israel.” The two leaders earlier talked for an hour about a range of topics including Iran.
Full report at:
http://www.dailypioneer.com/275744/Romania-to-be-NATO-Israel%E2%80%99s-%E2%80%98loyal-partner%E2%80%99.html
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Times Square Bombing: Pakistani Man Freed From Jail
Aug 13, 2010
A Pakistani man, arrested on immigration charges here during investigation into the failed Times Square bombing, has been freed from jail and is now seeking legal residency in the US. Pir D. Khan has been allowed to stay free on bail for at least the next two months. "The government does not believe Khan has any ties to Faisal Shahzad charged in the case," Boston Globe quoted his attorney Saher Macarius as saying. Khan was arrested on civil immigration charges in May but suddenly released by federal officials on July 29. "I'm sure the government would not make a hasty decision to release him unless he had nothing to do with the Times Square bombing," Macarius said. "Khan has nothing to do with the Times Square bombing." Khan, who appeared in US Immigration Court with his American wife Rebecca May Barry on Wednesday, is due back in court on October 14. Immigration and Customs Enforcement attorney, Mr Richard Neville, however said the government now wants to deport Khan, who has admitted to entering the United States illegally in 1991 Khan and his cousin Aftab Ali Khan, 27, and Mohammad Shafiq Rahman, a 33-year-old computer programmer were arrested on May 13 during raids as part of investigation into the Times Square boming attempt. None of the three face criminal charges but were held on immigration violations. Government officials had said they might have handled informal money transfers for Shahzad, who pleaded guilty in June to attempting the Times Square attack on May 1. In a separate hearing, Immigration Judge Matthew D'Angelo said Khan should not conclude that his "struggle to stay in the US was over". Under federal law, Khan has to prove he should be allowed legal residency in the US despite having arrived illegally. Full report at:
http://www.asianage.com/international/times-square-bombing-pakistani-man-freed-jail-508
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US reaps goodwill windfall with Pak aid
Griff Witte
Aug 13, 2010
In a country of 170 million people where antiAmerican sentiment burns brightly, the US may have won 84 friends on Wednesday by scooping them up in the belly of a Chinook helicopter and ferrying them away from this flooded mountain town.
The rescue effort represents the most visible element of a broader, $55 million US aid package following Pakistan's worst natural disaster.
While the ultimate impact on Pakistani public opinion is unknown, the US has earned almost universal praise here for acting quickly.
The Pakistanis rescued on Wednesday were among more than 2,700 picked up over the past week by six US choppers that have also delivered bags of flour and biscuits to stranded residents of the flood-ravaged Swat Valley.
Full report at: Hindustan Times
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‘Pak Must Act Against Terror’
Aug 13th, 2010
The government on Thursday expressed dissatisfaction over Pakistan’s attitude in bringing to book the culprits of the Mumbai attack, especially 26/11 “mastermind’’ Jamat-ud Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed. External affairs minister S.M. Krishna said Pakistan should take action against terrorist outfits and Saeed in order to carry forward the
peace dialogue with India. Terror is our core concern when we have talks with our counterparts in Pakistan, he said. “Whenever we mention Jamat-ud Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed, whom we consider the mastermind of the Mumbai attack, Pakistan becomes subjective. We certainly would like Pakistan to be helpful so that we can live in peace,” he said while replying to supplementaries during question hour in Rajya Sabha.
Full report at:
http://www.asianage.com/india/%E2%80%98pak-must-act-against-terror%E2%80%99-573
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Both India, Pakistan To Set Prisoners Free
Aug 13th, 2010
Ten very fortunate Pakistani prisoners will be released and repatriated to mark the 63rd Anniversary of Independence from imperialist British rule as also the Partition of India. A similarly symbolic number of Indians incarcerated in Pakistan are also expected to return home.
The Pakistanis include 63-year-old Mukhtar Masih finally liberated after 20 interminable years in jail at Ferozepur and Amritsar. Masih, like most of his other compatriots expected to be released and repatriated on August 17, has been forced to serve nearly thrice his seven-year sentence for “spying” only because the authorities were lethargic in tracking down his family in Pakistan’s Kasur district.
Full report at:
http://www.asianage.com/india/both-india-pakistan-set-prisoners-free-568
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Taslima Gets 1-Year Visa Extension
Aug 13th, 2010
The government has extended the visa of controversial Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasrin by another year from August 2010, shifting from its earlier stand of asking her to leave the country and apply afresh to stay in the country.
The 47-year-old doctor-turned writer, who will be celebrating her birthday on August 25, is also trying for a permanent residency in the country. Her visa is valid till August 16 and has been extended by another year, official sources said.
Her application for granting a permanent residency in the country has been hanging in balance for years together.
Earlier, the government had said that Taslima’s visa cannot be extended beyond August 16, 2010, as her travel document had been issued under the category (miscellaneous).
http://www.asianage.com/india/taslima-gets-1-year-visa-extension-558
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Ramzan won't buy peace for Kashmir
Aug 13, 2010
SEPARATISTS WILL CONTINUE THEIR DEMONSTRATIONS AND SHUTDOWNS DURING THE MONTH OF FASTING
There will be no letup in protests during Ramzan in Jammu and Kashmir as separatists have decided to continue their demonstrations and shutdowns even during the Muslim holy month of fasting, which began on Thursday.
“We will continue with protests. Muslims have won many battles in this holy month in the past. The next protest calendar will be issued after taking a stock of the ground situation,“ said hardline separatist Hurriyat Conference leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani.
The Hurriyat has been issuing a protest calendar every Saturday for the past two months.
The National Conference government headed by Omar Abdullah was hoping for relative calm during Ramzan, when residents of the Kashmir Valley spend much of their time praying and observing dawn and dusk rites. But the Hurriyat is determined not to let popular rage get dissipated.
Full report at: Hindustan Times
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WB commits $900m for flood relief
13 Aug, 2010
ISLAMABAD: The World Bank agreed on Thursday to commit $900 million for relief and reconstruction of flood-ravaged areas and to undertake next week a damage and needs assessment (DNA) exercise.
This was announced by the Ministry of Finance after a meeting between Finance Minister Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh and World Bank’s Country Director Rachid Benmessaoud here on Thursday.
According to a statement, they discussed the scope of the banks’ support for relief and reconstruction. “As a consequence of the meeting, the country director has agreed to commit an amount of $900 million for the purpose.”
The finance minister stressed the need for immediately initiating the damage and needs assessment work in the affected areas. The World Bank representative said the process would start next week.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/front-page/19-wb-commits-$900m-for-flood-relief-380-hh-06
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‘WikiLeaks to continue releasing Afghan war files’
13 Aug, 2010
LONDON: WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange insisted Thursday the whistleblower website still planned to release its final batch of US military files on the Afghan war, despite American demands it hold back.
Speaking via video link to an audience in London, Assange said the site was preparing to release the final 15,000 classified files, the remaining documents from a huge cache which were published last month.
“We are about 7,000 reports in,” he said, without giving a date when the files would be released.
Asked whether the website would press ahead with the release, he responded: “Absolutely.”
His comments came despite renewed pressure from the Pentagon to withhold the material, and harsh criticism from media freedom group Reporters without Borders, which accused the site of “incredible irresponsibility.”
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/world/12-wikileaks+to+continue+releasing+afghan+war+files+assange--bi-02
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President, PM decide to convene CCI meeting
By Our Staff Reporter
Aug 13, 2010
ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani met on Thursday night and decided to convene an urgent meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) to review the issues thrown up by unprecedented floods in the country with all provinces and political parties.
They saluted the courage with which the nation endured the natural calamity and praised the support rendered by the international community.
They also thanked the UN for convening a donors’ conference.
The prime minister said the extent of damage to life, property, livestock and infrastructure might be much more than initial estimates.
The two leaders agreed that a massive mobilisation of resources, including budgetary readjustments, might be required to cope with the unusual situation.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/front-page/19-president,-pm-decide-to-convene-cci-meeting-380-hh-02
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Memories flood back to haunt distressed women
By Zulqernain Tahir
13 Aug, 2010
LAYYAH: Naziran Mai, 40, cannot sleep for more than a few minutes at a stretch. She wakes up abruptly one more time, complaining that her heart is sinking and that she cannot breathe.
er husband offers her a glass of water and tries to reassure her: “The floodwater is receding and soon we will return home.”
In response Naziran lets out a shriek and breaks into tears. She is inconsolable, like so many others who have been displaced by the current floods. Doctors say the problem is more common and more pronounced among women affected by the floods.
Naziran’s cries bring tears to the eyes of her room-mates. There are 82 of them lodged in the Classroom No.5 of the Government Girls’ Islamia High School in Layyah. They belong to 14 uprooted families of Mauza Sumera that stands inundated by floodwater just half a kilometre from the town.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/front-page/19-memories-flood-back-to-haunt-distressed-women-280-hh-12
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US sentencing of Aafia pushed to Sept
13 Aug, 2010
NEW YORK, Aug 12: A US-educated Pakistani scientist who was convicted of trying to kill US agents in Afghanistan will be sentenced next month in New York, her lawyers said on Thursday.
“The sentencing has been postponed until Septem- ber 23,” a lawyer for Aafia Siddiqui, Elaine Sharp told AFP.
Sentencing had been set for August 16.
Sharp also said that last month the defence had sought a lesser sentence than life in prison, citing Siddiqui’s mental health.
Her arrest was the first time she had been seen in five years.
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/national/us-sentencing-of-aafia-pushed-to-sept-380
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Gilani hints at diverting dev funds for relief
13 Aug, 2010
SOHBATPUR—Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani said on Thursday that the government would divert funds from development projects for the relief of flood affected people across the country. He also announced summoning of a meeting of the Council of Common Interests to discuss the situation arising out of the floods and formulating a course of action with consensus of all the provinces.
Gilani who arrived by a C-130 aircraft at Jacobabad, later landed at a narrow strip of recently built road, surrounded by flood water, around 15 kms from Jaffarabad. He was briefed by Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Akbar Raisani about the extent of damage caused by the floods in the province.
He said there had been heavy damage in two districts and he would seek the support of federal government to cope with it. Prime Minister Gilani also sought querries from the people and their representatives in the national and provincial assemblies about their immediate needs. He also sought their suggestions how best to cope with the situation.
Full report at:
http://dailymailnews.com/0810/13/FrontPage/index.php?id=1
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President urges unity to face flood disaster
13 Aug, 2010
Sukkur—President Asif Ali Zardari has said that the entire nation stands united at this testing time, and is facing the enormous challenge of floods with vigour and resolve.
“No doubt, this is an enormous challenge, but in line with past, we will face this challenge too with unity, vigour and determination”, President Zardari said during a briefing given by provincial relief commissioner to him at Sukkur barrage on Thursday. The president assured all the provincial governments that the center would leave no effort unturned to rehabilitate the flood victims.
“The floods have affected all four provinces. Therefore, we all have to stand united to meet this natural calamity”, the president observed asking the provincial governments to use their all available resources for relief and rehabilitation process, and the federal government would fully support them. He appealed to the nation to show the same exemplary solidarity, which it did at the time of October 2005 earthquake in Azad Kashmir and parts of the then NWFP.
Full report at:
http://dailymailnews.com/0810/13/FrontPage/index.php?id=2
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Radio Pakistan playing role in rescue operations
Aug 13, 2010
ISLAMABAD—Through its special transmission from its Flood Information Cell, Radio Pakistan is playing an effective role in the rescue of the people stranded by floodwater.
Radio Pakistan has been broadcasting special transmission since August 6 on its entertainment channel FM-101 throughout the country to pass on timely information regarding the flood situation and to generate donations for the flood affected people, said a press release here Thursday.
Live calls are being taken during this transmission on phone number 111-000-101. Listeners using mobile phones can call on phone number 447404.
Full report at:
http://dailymailnews.com/0810/13/CityPage/index.php?id=7
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‘Fake’ relief camp appears during PM’s Balochistan visit
13 Aug, 2010
JAFFARABAD: During Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani’s visit to Sohbatpur in Balochistan on Thursday, local authorities set up a fake relief camp for flood victims.
When the helicopters carrying PM Gilani, his cabinet members and reporters landed in the area, local officials showcased the relief camp, consisting of empty tents. Standing around the camp, locals told Daily Times that it was the first time that they themselves had seen the camp, which was not there yesterday.
“We have just seen the camp, which local authorities claim is providing medical and relief facilities to us. We were living in misery due to the floods for the last 10 days. But nobody had came to us except for the Pakistan Army personnel,” said a middle-aged man standing in the crowd. He was holding a petition in his hand that he failed to deliver to the PM due to the elaborate security arrangements.
Full report at:
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\08\13\story_13-8-2010_pg7_20
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Malaysian first lady calls Begum Fauzia Gilani
Aug 13, 2010
LAHORE: Datin Paduka Seri Rosmah Mansor, wife of the Malaysian prime minister, telephoned Begum Fauzia Gilani to convey her condolences and commiserations on the loss of precious life and damage to property and infrastructure caused by the floods, across Pakistan.
Begum Fauzia apprised Datin Paduka of the magnitude of colossal devastation and havoc wrecked by the worst-ever floods in the history of Pakistan and of the assistance that the Pakistan government required immediately to cope with it. She hoped the international community would realise the scope and extent of the catastrophe and come forward to extend direct assistance to the country considering its huge requirement.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\08\13\story_13-8-2010_pg7_41
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Romania is loyal partner of NATO and Israel
Aug 13, 2010
BUCHAREST: Romania’s president said on Thursday his country will be a loyal partner of Israel and NATO in the event of a conflict with Iran, but added that he hopes the dispute can be solved through diplomacy and sanctions. “We hope that the sanctions imposed by the Security Council of the UN will create the correct solution in Tehran, not digging graves for US soldiers but starting transparent negotiations,” said President Traian Basescu standing next to Israeli President Shimon Peres who is on an official visit to Romania. Basescu told reporters if a conflict broke out with Iran, “Romania will be a loyal partner of NATO ... and a loyal partner of Israel.” Peres is on a two-day official visit to Romania, the first by an Israeli head of state since the state was created in 1948. Peres thanked Romania for helping 400,000 Romanian Jews emigrate to Israeli during the communist regime. The Israeli leader is expected to attend a ceremony at a Bucharest synagogue to commemorate six Israeli soldiers who died in July in a helicopter crash in Romania. A Romania soldier was also killed when the Israeli transport helicopter crashed in mountainous terrain during a joint military exercise. Peres thanked Basescu for his personal support in dealing with the crash.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\08\13\story_13-8-2010_pg4_2
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Ugandan rebels kidnap around 700: rights group
Aug 13, 2010
KINSHASA: Ugandan LRA rebels have kidnapped at least 700 people in attacks in Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic since February last year, a human rights group said on Thursday. The Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) “has abducted more than 697 adults and children in a largely unreported campaign in the Central African Republic and the neighbouring Bas Uele district of northern Democratic Republic of Congo,” Human Rights Watch said in a report. “Nearly one-third of those abducted have been children, many of whom are being forced to serve as soldiers or are being used for sex by the group’s fighters.” HRW carried out an investigation in the two countries between July 12 and August 11, interviewing 520 civilians “including 90 former kidnap victims.” It said “the LRA brutally killed adults and children who tried to escape, walked too slowly, or were unable to bear the heavy loads they were made to carry.” “The LRA continues its horrific campaign to replenish its ranks by brutally tearing children from their villages and forcing them to fight,” said Anneke Van Woudenberg, senior Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch. “The evidence points to Joseph Kony, the LRA leader, as the author of this atrocious campaign.” The LRA, led by war crimes suspect Kony, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court in the Hague, first took up arms against the government in northern Uganda in 1988, waging a brutal rebel war that displaced scores of thousands. But since 2005, under pressure from the Ugandan army, the LRA has moved into remote outlying areas in neighbouring countries, including the DR Congo, the Central African Republic and the south of Sudan. The New York-based NGO said the Ugandan rebels “often attack villages early in the morning or late in the day, when residents are likely to be home.”
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\08\13\story_13-8-2010_pg4_9
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Poverty robs Yemeni children of their young years
By Jamal al-Jaberi
Aug 13, 2010
A study carried out in 2010 by the US-based aid group CHF International revealed that out of Yemen’s 11 million children, five million are currently employed. Three-fifths of those do not receive an education while the remaining two million both study and work at the same time
After their father died two years ago, Raseel and Anwar left their family to work in a car garage, joining the millions of Yemeni children forced into the impoverished country’s labour market.
Eleven-year-old Raseel al-Khameri and his eight-year-old mute brother Anwar spend their days working in the garage in Sanaa in an attempt to sustain a needy family in the village of Al-Akhmoor, 300 kilometres south of the capital.
“I work day and night. You’ll find me here (in the workshop) anytime from 9:00am until 4:00am,” Raseel says shyly, as his small hands skilfully work with various car parts.
Full report at:
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\08\13\story_13-8-2010_pg4_10
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Two dead, 80 wounded in Kazakhstan prison riots
Aug 13, 2010
ALMATY: At least two people were killed and more than 80 wounded in a prison riot in Kazakhstan that ended when police in the ex-Soviet state stormed the penal colony, Kazakh media reported Thursday. Interior ministry troops stormed the penal colony near the village of Granitny in the barren northern steppe near the Russian border after inmates barricaded themselves inside their cells, Interfax-Kazakhstan reported. Police did not use firearms against the rioters, acting head of the regional prison administration Zhanat Keshubaeyv told the agency. Among the dead was a man who set himself on fire and jumped from a second floor balcony, he said. The majority of the injuries were caused by prisoners stabbing and beating one another during the chaos, he added. Local media in the Central Asian state reported last week that several inmates at the prison colony had performed acts of self-mutilation as a form of protest against inhumane conditions, including torture by their guards. Millions of victims of Soviet leader Joseph Stalin’s purges were shipped to Kazakhstan, a resource-rich former Soviet republic bordering China and Russia, in which a massive network of penal colonies sprung up. Although little independent information is available on the current conditions in Kazakh prisons, local media has reported on several incidents this year of prisoners mutilating themselves as a form of protest.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\08\13\story_13-8-2010_pg20_3
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Quartet draws up Mideast talks framework
By DOUGLAS HAMILTON
Aug 13, 2010
JERUSALEM: Major powers are working on a statement to set the basis for direct peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, the European Union's foreign policy chief told EU foreign ministers on Thursday.
High Representative Catherine Ashton said in a letter seen by Reuters the statement would be issued early next week, if both parties agreed to proceed to direct talks, and negotiations launched in August.
The EU works with the United States, Russia and the United Nations in a "Quartet" to promote a Middle East peace treaty.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Monday indicated he could go to direct talks, provided they were based on a March 19 statement by the Quartet.
Full report at:
http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article101091.ece
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Spy linked to Dubai murder extradited to Germany
By JUERGEN BAETZ
Aug 13, 2010
BERLIN: Polish authorities on Thursday extradited a suspected Mossad agent to Germany, where he faces charges over a passport that was used in the slaying of a Hamas leader in Dubai earlier this year.
The suspect known as Uri Brodsky was handed over to German police at Warsaw’s international airport, police spokesman Mariusz Sokolowski said.
An Associated Press photographer saw a man at the airport wearing a hooded jacket pulled over his face to hide his identity as he was escorted by masked anti-terror police.
Brodsky appeared that way during several appearances at courts in Warsaw.
German prosecutors accuse him of illegally helping to procure a passport used in connection with the Jan. 19 slaying of Hamas commander Mahmoud Al-Mabhouh at a hotel in Dubai.
Prosecutors in Cologne, who are handling the case against Brodsky, were not immediately available for comment. But a German official who declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the issue said Brodsky was to arrive with a police helicopter at Cologne-Bonn airport in the afternoon.
Full report at:
http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article101146.ece
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Ramadan or not, hunger hits Pakistan flood victims
Aug 13, 2010
MULTAN, Pakistan: Pakistani flood survivors already short on food and water began the fasting month of Ramadan on Thursday, a normally festive, social time marked this year by misery and fears of an uncertain future.
A US Navy ship carrying helicopters and 1,000 Marines reached Pakistan's southern coast to boost relief efforts, as the United Nations warned the disaster was far from over, saying dams in Sindh province could still burst in the coming days.
"There is more water coming along," said spokesman Maurizio Giuliano.
He said UN officials estimated that up to one-fourth of the country is or had been affected by the worst floods in a generation, though that did not necessarily mean it was under water.
President Asif Ali Zardari, who has been sharply criticized for visiting Europe as the floods began, made his first visit to victims of the disaster Thursday and toured one of the dams, according to state-run Pakistan Television.
Full report at:
http://arabnews.com/world/article100866.ece
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Artistic competition for beautification of Makkah
By GALAL FAKKAR
Aug 13, 2010
JEDDAH: Twelve paintings drawn by a number artists of various nationalities were chosen for the beginning of a project to beautify Makkah. The paintings were part of an international art competition to choose the best artwork to be erected in Makkah with a mega-project to beautify the holy city. Ex-mayor of Jeddah Muhammad Saeed Farsi chaired a committee to select the winning art works. The committee comprised artists from Egypt, Malaysia, Morocco, Saudi Arabia and Cote' D'Ivoire .
Al-Farsi said 442 artists from 22 countries participated with 306 art works of which 152 were discarded. He said the winners will be announced on Sept. 27 and will received prizes totaling $300,000.
Makkah Governor Prince Khaled Al-Faisal launched the competition in Jeddah Wednesday evening and said Saudi Arabia has a responsibility to present Makkah as a model of beauty and development.
Full report at:
http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article101109.ece
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US wants Iraq to pay bill for war victims
Aug 13, 2010
RAMADI, Iraq: Off a dusty street flanked by piles of rubble and bombed-out car skeletons, the Saleh family is rebuilding their home with American aid money they got because three family members were accidentally killed in crossfire between US forces and insurgents.
In another neighborhood of the battleground city of Ramadi, a new boat motor and fishing nets are tucked into a corner of the Zeyadan family’s courtyard, bought with money from the same US aid fund.
The aid for these families and hundreds of others like them came from a special fund earmarked by Congress for innocent civilians killed in US military operations in Iraq. But recently, members of Congress asked the US Agency for International Development in Baghdad, which manages the fund, to explore having Iraq take over financing and management of the project.
Full report at:
http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article101040.ece
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Foreigners boost insurgency in eastern Afghanistan
Aug 13, 2010
JALALABAD, Afghanistan: As the spotlight of the Afghan war focuses on the south, insurgent activity is increasing in parts of the east, with Arab and other foreign fighters linked to Al-Qaeda infiltrating across the rugged mountains with the help of Pakistani militants, Afghan and US officials say.
Security in eastern Afghanistan is critical because the region includes the capital, Kabul, which the insurgents have sought to surround and isolate from the rest of the country. The east also borders Pakistan, where Al-Qaeda's leaders fled after the 2001 US-led invasion drove the Taleban from power.
Gen. Mohammed Zaman Mahmoodzai, head of Afghanistan's border security force, told The Associated Press that infiltration by Al-Qaeda-linked militants has been increasing in his area since March.
Full report at:
http://arabnews.com/world/article100903.ece
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Lebanon debates giving Palestinians rights
Aug 13, 2010
EIN EL-HILWEH REFUGEE CAMP, Lebanon: Mohammed Al-Amin spends his days doing little more than playing billiards and smoking cigarettes in this sprawling Palestinian refugee camp, where gunmen roam narrow alleyways dotted with tin-roofed, cement-block homes.
The 25-year-old studied dental lab technology but works at a small, grubby coffee shop in the camp, making $100 a month. He dreams of working with a respected doctor in Lebanese society and being welcomed like any other foreigner, without being looked down on.
“Sometimes I feel like a pressurized bottle that’s about to explode,” said Al-Amin, who was born in Ein el-Hilweh years after his family fled what is now Israel. “Why should three quarters of the Palestinian people here be selling coffee on the street?” The approximately 400,000 Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, many of them born here, are barred by law from any but the most menial professions and are denied many basic rights.
Full report at:
http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article101039.ece
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War-crimes trial opens for youngest Gitmo inmate
13 August 2010
GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba - A war-crimes trial for Guantanamo’s youngest detainee opened Thursday with prosecutors showing an al-Qaida video of him making — and apparently planting — bombs in Afghanistan.
Prosecutors and defense lawyers offered competing views of whether Omar Khadr, who was 15 when he was captured in 2002, was capable of acting independently from the Islamic extremist father who took him to Afghanistan.
In the video found in an al-Qaida compound, Khadr showed only the faint beginnings of a mustache. Now a broad-shouldered, full-bearded man of 23, he sat before a military jury charged with crimes including spying, supporting terrorism and murder for allegedly throwing a grenade that killed a U.S. Special Forces soldier. Khadr has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Prosecutor Jeff Groharing accused Khadr of embracing terrorist ideology as his own and describing operations against U.S. forces with pride even after his capture.
Full report at:
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle08.asp?xfile=data/international/2010/August/international_August635.xml§ion=international
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Cairo mosques begin unified call to prayer
Aug 13, 2010
Is it even remotely feasible to get Cairo’s 4,000 mosques to all sing the same tune?
This is exactly what the Egypt’s religious ministry is aiming to do, launching Thursday an ambitious project to, neighborhood by neighborhood, unify the timing and sound of the Islamic call to prayer across this sprawling city of 18 million.
The project was originally meant to start in Cairo’s northern suburbs on Wednesday, the first day of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, but system glitches and a communication breakdown delayed it by a day.
“Egyptians have a problem with timing,” said Sheik Salem Abdel-Galil, the official at the Ministry of Religious Endowments who has done more than anyone to push this project forward.
“Our goals are to accurately set the time of prayer so that it is called at the same time from each mosque, and to control the quality of the voices that call the prayer,” he told the Associated Press.
Full report at:
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle08.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2010/August/middleeast_August231.xml§ion=middleeast
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Claims of Afghan civilian deaths spark protest
Aug 13, 2010
A crowd of about 300 villagers blocked a main road in eastern Afghanistan on Thursday as they swore that U.S. forces had killed three innocent villagers, officials said.
NATO forces rejected the claim, saying they had killed several suspected insurgents and detained a local Taliban commander in the overnight raid.
The gulf between the two accounts is a reminder of how sensitive every NATO operation in Afghanistan has become. In Taliban-heavy areas it is hard to distinguish villagers from insurgents and sometimes public opinion turns against coalition forces even when they say they are certain they targeted the correct people.
And while NATO has drastically reduced the civilian deaths it causes, the military coalition still makes mistakes. In the first six months of this year, 386 civilians were killed by NATO or Afghan government forces, including 41 during search-and-seizure operations such as night raids, according to the United Nations.
Full report at:
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/displayarticle.asp?xfile=data/international/2010/August/international_August594.xml§ion=international&col=
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Destroyed Muslim graves in Jerusalem were 'fake': Israel
Aug 13, 2010
JERUSALEM: Around 300 Muslim gravestones destroyed by Israeli bulldozers in a Jerusalem cemetery earlier this week were "fake" and set up in a bid to snatch government land, the city charged on Thursday.
Earlier this week, the Islamic Movement accused the municipality of razing Muslim graves that had been recently renovated in a centuries-old cemetery located in a large park in mostly Jewish west Jerusalem.
In its first official response to the claims, the Jerusalem city council on Thursday acknowledged it had removed some 300 tombstones but said they were not erected over any human remains.
"The municipality and the (Israel Lands) Authority destroyed around 300 dummy gravestones which were set up illegally in Independence Park on public land.
"The court approved the removal of all the dummy gravestones which were laid in the last seven months," the municipality said in a written statement.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Destroyed-Muslim-graves-in-Jerusalem-were-fake-Israel-/articleshow/6300963.cms#ixzz0wSrKcGek
URL: http://www.newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/fatwas-only-by-senior-scholars--king-abdullah/d/3286