Halal Holidays: What it’s like to take a Muslim Beach Break
New Age Islam News Bureau
18 Sept 2016
Photo: Halal holidays: what it’s like to take a Muslim beach break
• This Is the Name ISIS Hates Being Called More Than 'Daesh'
• Islamic State-Inspired Briton Guilty Of Murdering Imam
• In This Part of India, Sunnis and Shiites Show the World a Different Way to Pray
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North America
• Halal Holidays: What it’s like to take a Muslim Beach Break
• Habitat Build Brings Christian, Muslim and Jewish Groups Together
• One Trump Side-Effect: Democrats Are Reaching Out To Muslim Voters
• America Loves Muslim Food - So Much for A Clash Of Civilizations
• US to stay neutral as Pakistan, India prepare for UN showdown
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Arab World
• This Is the Name ISIS Hates Being Called More Than 'Daesh'
• 80 Syrian Army Soldiers Killed in US-Led Coalition Airstrike in Deir Ezzur
• 3 Pro-Saudi Field Commanders Killed in Clashes with Yemeni Forces in Ma'rib Province
• Saudi Finance Ministry Ex-Advisor: S. Arabia on Verge of Collapse
• Russian MoD Confirms US-Led Coalition's F-16, A-10 Jets Attacked Syrian Army
• Syrian army regains areas lost to IS after US-led airstrike
• World leaders to focus on refugee crisis and Syria at UN
• Syria: Nationwide Ceasefire Helps Terrorists Reinvigorate Combat Abilities in Hama
• ISIL Trading Own Members' Body Organs in Iraq
• Syrian army says US-led coalition jets bombed it in support of Islamic State
• IS downs Syrian warplane, pilot killed: Reports
• Kurdistan Islamic party hails Nadia Murad as victim of tyranny in name of religion
• Two Saudi policemen shot dead in mainly Shia city
• US Spy Plane Spotted Flying over Russian-Controlled Hmeimim Airbase
• Iraqi MP: US Fighter Jets Hit Hashd Al-Shaabi' Equipment Warehouse in Babel Province
• Pro-Saudi Forces' Missile Sites Destroyed in Ma'rib Province
• Civilians in Terrorist-Held Idlib Province Suffering from Acute Lack of Medical Treatment
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Europe
• Islamic State-Inspired Briton Guilty Of Murdering Imam
• US 'Responsible' If Syrian Ceasefire Fails: Russia
• US strike on Syrian Army borders between negligence & assisting ISIS - Moscow
• British Muslim killed for using amulets
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India
• In This Part of India, Sunnis and Shiites Show the World a Different Way to Pray
• Uri Terror Attack: 17 Soldiers Killed, 19 Injured In Strike on Army Camp
• Jaish Terrorists behind Uri Attack, Had Items with Pakistani Markings: Army
• Uri Terror Attack: Pakistan A Terrorist State and Should Be Isolated, Says Rajnath Singh
• Those Behind Uri Terror Attack Won't Go Unpunished, Says Prime Minister Narendra Modi
• FIR against building society members for saying no to Muslim
• Bijnor killings: 'Today we will destroy Muslims,' said prime accused; FIR sheds light on communal angle
• Muslims ‘attacked’ by Hindu outfits in Alwar
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Pakistan
• Pakistan Had No Option than Supporting US-Led Invasion of Afghanistan: Musharraf
• Pakistan says disappointed with President Ghani’s statements
• Pakistan court orders confiscation of Musharraf's property
• Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif leaves for US to attend UN General Assembly
• 8 IS militants held in Lahore, Pakistan
• Mohmand suicide bombing toll rises to 36
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South Asia
• 17 ISIS Loyalists Killed In an Airstrike In East Of Afghanistan
• 8 Taliban militants killed in Kabul by Afghan intelligence operatives
• Karzai calls on Taliban to be free from Pakistani intelligence, military
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Southeast Asia
• Indonesia Sends 700 for Deradicalisation
• Muslim Lawmakers Propose Banning Alcohol in Indonesia
• Muslim Students Criticize Selection of Myanmar Leader for Humanitarian Award
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Mideast
• Powell’s Email Says Israel Has 200 Nuclear Weapons, All Directed At Iran
• Three Soldiers Killed, Three Wounded In Clashes With PKK In Eastern Turkey
• Turkey is not Syria, Turkish PM says
• Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system intercepts Syrian rocket over Golan Heights - Army
• Palestinian stabs Israeli officer amid new surge in violence
• Turkey’s Islamic Fashion Revolution
• Iran's Gonbad-e Qabus: Testimony to Early Islamic World's Exceptional Scientific Progress
• Islamic State suspects planning attack in Istanbul detained in Turkey
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Africa
• Clashes at Libyan oil ports as counter-attack repelled: officials
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
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Halal Holidays: What it’s like to Take a Muslim Beach Break
Hanna Yusuf | The Independent | Updated: Sep 18, 2016
For practising Muslims, sun and sand needn't mean burkinis+ . Hanna Yusuf takes one of a rising number of specialist trips.
The cashier in Selfridges struggles to hide the bewildered look on his face as he takes a second glance at my headscarf, while scanning the fluorescent bikinis I've picked up. I can understand why he's confused. I, too, had thought it unimaginable for a headscarf-wearing Muslim woman+ to don swimwear that reveals any more than a "burkini" does, until I discovered the concept of the halal holiday.
Among other specialist holidays such as kosher, vegan and Christian, halal tourism is a rapidly growing sector in the travel industry. Companies such as HalalBooking.com prepare tailor-made packages that take into consideration the culinary needs of the practising Muslim traveller+ , while also ensuring easy access to prayer facilities and privacy for both genders. The holidays on offer vary from city breaks in Italy to spa getaways in Slovenia.
I've opted for a holiday in Antalya, on Turkey's Mediterranean coast. The country's tourism industry has been seriously dented by safety concerns, with holidaymakers instead opting for "safer" short-haul sun-spots such as the Balearics. But Antalya is a world away from Turkey's troubled areas on the borders of Syria and Iraq, as well as the northern cities of Istanbul and Ankara, and travellers who do venture here will find a less crowded, much cheaper, holiday destination.
With its strip of nightclubs, cheap alcohol and sunny beaches, Antalya is more commonly associated with partygoers than practising Muslims. But within a few miles of Antalya's party district are a number of hotels that attract Muslim holidaymakers from all over the world.
Bera Alanya hotel is one of them. After an hour-long journey from the airport in the blindingly bright sun, the hotel's dark interior is a soothing sight. Before I can reach for my passport, a porter takes my bags; a few minutes and an iced tea later, I'm escorted up to my room.
Once I've settled in, I change into my bikini and head for the pools. Before I have a chance to panic about forgetting my beach bag in London, I notice one folded neatly on a shelf, next to the prayer mat. The women-only lift takes me to the hotel rooftop, where two of the three women's pools are situated.
After security guards conduct a thorough bag-search for cameras, I'm granted entry; the pool area's no-photo policy eliminates the potential risk of unwanted images surfacing online.
With Nicki Minaj blasting on the speakers, one of the areas feels like a wild pool party — the kind that usually ends with a drunk person passing out on a lilo. Except nothing of the sort will happen here because of the hotel's strict no-alcohol policy. The only person on a lilo is a topless woman sunbathing, and I seem to be the only person who has noticed her. This indifference to what women are wearing (or not) is one of the main benefits of single-sex swimming areas.
The pool at the other end of the roof has a mellower atmosphere. On the stereo, at low volume, is traditional Turkish music; a few women sit by the pool, drinks in hand, chatting excitedly.
The quiet atmosphere and my lack of phone make me realize that coming here alone probably wasn't the best idea. I start up a conversation with a young woman from Germany who's at the resort with her whole family — her mum and teenage brother are by the hotel's private mixed-gender beach. The quieter area soon becomes too quiet for me and I head back to the party zone before going for dinner.
The hotel restaurant is one of the few areas that aren't segregated. There's a buffet with a wide selection of foods, from traditional Turkish roasts to alcohol-free Italian desserts. I'm normally not a big fan of meat, but the slow-cooked lamb was truly irresistible. Most evenings the hotel also provides after-dinner family entertainment, such as puppetry, some of which is in English, and a kids' disco.
The final few days of my trip were spent at Selge Beach Resort, less than 30-minutes' drive away. While Bera Alanya hotel was purpose-built for halal holidays, Selge was previously a standard resort but has been converted. With its minimalistic design with subtle Turkish touches, the decor is more modern and feels considerably more stylish.
The resort's assistant manager, Ismail, tells me that the unexpected growth in halal tourism has resulted in a number of hotels making changes to suit Muslim clients.
According to him, Turkey welcomes five million halal holidaymakers a year, so it's no surprise there are so many hotels focusing on halal tourism — approximately 50 in Turkey alone, Ismail says.
The overall experience was enjoyable and, for a practising Muslim, offered more than a standard sun-and-sand holiday would. I would've liked to experience a single-sex beach — something resorts could perhaps work on — but the private pools made for a welcome change from the awkward feet-dipping at resorts in, say, Torquay or Tenerife. And it was great to be able to sunbathe properly.
Fellow British Muslim Saima — whose Northern accent I heard in the Turkish hammam before I could see her — couldn't be more enthusiastic about the freedom these kinds of breaks give her. "This is the third year we've been on a halal holiday," she told me. "At resorts like this, we're able to enjoy a family holiday without compromising our beliefs."
timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Halal-holidays-what-its-like-to-take-a-Muslim-beach-break/articleshow/54389886.cms
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This Is the Name ISIS Hates Being Called More Than 'Daesh'
SEP 17, 2016
Most people know the world's most barbaric terrorist group as ISIS or the Islamic State.
Some world leaders have taken to calling them "Daesh," knowing the terror group hates the name so much that its militant members have threatened to "cut the tongue" out of anyone who used it.
But some experts say there's one moniker the terrorist group hates even more than Daesh - and enemies of ISIS have been using it to taunt the group.
Malcolm Nance, a terrorism expert and veteran military-intelligence officer, made note of the name "Khawarij" during a terrorism debate at the Comedy Cellar in New York City last month.
"They are the 7th century Islamic cult," Nance explained in an email to Business Insider. "[T]he reason they don't like it is because they are considered apostates in the Quran. The Prophet Mohammed warned about them being false Muslims."
Some Muslims - and even ISIS' jihadi rivals - refer to ISIS members as "Khawarij" or "Kharijites." The leader of Al Qaeda, Ayman al-Zawahiri, recently referred to the followers of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi by the name, according to Thomas Joscelyn, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and an expert on terrorist groups.
Joscelyn explained: "It refers to an early breakaway faction of Muslims considered extreme for branding other Muslims as disbelievers because they supposedly weren't pure enough in their faith. Today, Al Qaeda and other jihadists use the term as a synonym for 'extremist,' or other derogatory adjectives, to describe members of the Islamic State."
ISIS responds to this by arguing that Al Qaeda and other jihadists not affiliated with ISIS "have fallen into a state of nonbelief," Joscelyn said.
"The implication is that the Islamic State isn't similar to the Kharijites because the groups leveling this criticism aren't true Muslims, so therefore they deserve to be branded as apostates," Joscelyn said in an email.
"That's the Islamic State's exclusionary argument. It is both a source of strength for them, as members and new recruits can feel like they are part of the only righteous Islamic entity on the planet, and a weakness, as it makes it difficult for the Islamic State to make tactical compromises with groups that are similar in terms of ideology."
But this exclusionary argument lends credence to the branding of ISIS as Khawarij.
During ISIS' earliest days, when it was Al Qaeda in Iraq, the group gained a reputation for being especially brutal, so much so that Zawahiri wrote letters to the group's leadership warning them to tone down the violence. Al Qaeda in Iraq, a Sunni group, was known for targeting Shia Muslims in Iraq, something Al Qaeda Central has shied away from.
And Baghdadi would even disavow other Sunni militant groups. Michael Weiss and Hassan Hassan quoted an Al Qaeda in Iraq commander from Fallujah in their book "ISIS: Inside the Army of Terror" who said that Baghdadi "was always very consistent about his position on fellow Sunni militant groups that were not part of his own organization."
Baghdadi said fighting those groups was more of a priority than fighting the Americans who invaded Iraq, according to the commander.
Still, ISIS apparently doesn't like to be compared to the Kharijites who used similar tactics.
Analysts point to documents purporting to be from ISIS that argue why the group shouldn't be labeled as such. But it's unclear whether the central leadership itself has spoken out against the use of the name.
"I'm not sure that being labeled Khawarij is the soft spot or the vulnerable spot that many make it out to be," Charlie Winter, an expert on jihadist propaganda and associate fellow at the International Centre for Counterterrorism at The Hague, told Business Insider.
He continued: "I think if anything, they revel in being labeled anything really. The more that these accusations are made against them, the more vehement they are in denying them and, in a sense, the more separated they become from mainstream Islam, the better. They want to be seen as the group that's returning to the very earliest iteration of Islam."
Winter cautioned against thinking that labels are effective weapons against ISIS.
"When policymakers or analysts or military men wouldn't stop talking about the Kharijites or takfiris, using these very controversial religious terms in a context they aren't necessarily comfortable with, that opens up a debate that the people using those words will struggle a huge amount with," he said.
"It happened with [US Secretary of State] John Kerry when he was calling the Islamic State takfiris. It opens up a part of the discussion on the Islamic State that non-Muslims I don't think necessarily should try and get too heavily involved in because it's not necessarily appropriate for these incredibly loaded and complicated, complex terms to be used potentially incorrectly."
businessinsider.in/This-is-the-name-ISIS-hates-being-called-more-than-Daesh/articleshow/54383898.cms
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Islamic State-inspired Briton guilty of murdering imam
Saturday September 17, 2016
LONDON, Sept 17 — A British Muslim was found guilty yesterday of being inspired by the militant Islamic State group to help murder a respected local imam who he believed was practising “black magic”.
Mohammed Syeedy, 21, and accomplice Mohammed Abdul Kadir followed their victim Jalal Uddin as he walked home from evening prayers at his mosque in Rochdale, northern England, in February and bludgeoned him to death in a park.
Police said Syeedy was believed to have acted as the getaway driver while Kadir, who is now thought to be in Syria, attacked the victim with a hammer.
Prosecutors said the men had planned the murder for months and stalked Uddin, 72, because he practised something called Ruqya, a form of healing in which he used amulets called Taweez.
The attackers, who both followed the Salafist strand of Islam espoused by Islamic State - also known as Daesh — believed this to be punishable by death.
“The prosecution proved that Syeedy believed Jalal Uddin to be practising black magic and, inspired by the teachings of Daesh, that the victim deserved to die for that belief,” said Sue Hemming, head of the Crown Prosecution Service’s Counter Terrorism Division.
Police said while Syeedy might not have delivered the fatal blows, he had played an integral part in the murder.
“Although Jalal was a Muslim who peacefully practised his faith, he had a love and respect for all religions, cultures and creeds, and the fact that he was murdered by someone inspired by (Islamic State) shows the true nature and barbarity of this organisation and those who serve it,” Uddin’s family said in a statement. — Reuters
themalaymailonline.com/world/article/islamic-state-inspired-briton-guilty-of-murdering-imam-video#sthash.7CgKjkIJ.dpuf
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In This Part of India, Sunnis and Shiites Show the World a Different Way to Pray
By Akhtar Ali | 14 hours ago
LUCKNOW, India (RNS) At Eid al-Adha prayers this week, several hundred Shiite and Sunni Muslims offered joint prayers as a show of peace between two Muslim sects often better known for their bitter conflicts.
The prayer took place in a Shiite shrine but was led by a Sunni imam as part of an initiative by a volunteer group called Shoulder to Shoulder.
“In Uttar Pradesh sectarian tensions surfaced occasionally between the two sects,” said Arif Durrani, a member of Shoulder to Shoulder. “We came up with this idea of joint Shia-Sunni congregational prayer.”
Around 85 percent of world’s Muslims are Sunni and about 15 percent are Shiite. The groups rarely pray together.
Their differences date back to the 14-century-and involve a dispute over the succession to Prophet Muhammad for leadership of the Muslim community. Since that time, the sects’ religious rituals, traditions and customs — mostly related to legal codes — have followed two different routes.
But violence between Shiites and Sunnis has intensified in recent years, especially in Syria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and in areas controlled by the Islamic State group, which has launched fierce attacks against Shiites in west Asia.
In India, where Shiites constitute less than a third of its 170 million Muslim population, the two sects have lived in peace for centuries. Indeed, a similar joint prayer was held in a Shiite mosque in New Delhi, the capital, on Tuesday, organized by a branch of Shoulder to Shoulder.
Since the group’s start in Lucknow last year, its volunteers have been trying to bring the two Islamic sects closer together.
“The members of Shoulder to Shoulder were convinced that this Namaz would be a defining moment in the history of Shiite-Sunni unity starting from Lucknow, where the Shia-Sunni divide is very distinct,” said Sibtain Baqri, a Shiite volunteer, using the Persian word ‘Namaz’ for the five daily prayers offered by Muslims.
“We were able to more than double the number of attendees at the namaz this year and the following on social media for our cause highlight the point that acceptability and appeal of the idea is growing,” he added.
This year’s prayer at the Shahnajaf Imambara Lawns took place in the presence of several non-Muslim community members.
As soon as the Muslims finished the prayer, they embraced and hugged the Sikh, Hindu and Christian community members. Sikh volunteers offered refreshments.
Last Ramadan, Shoulder to Shoulder organized an all-community Iftar meal ending the daily fast co-sponsored by a Sikh Gurdwara. At Christmas the group’s members offered free food at a local Catholic shelter run by the Missionaries of Charity.
“We all were created by one God,” said Sikh community leader Gurmeet Singh who attended the prayer. “In a pluralistic society such initiative deserves to be backed by all.”
The Rev. Donald De Souza, chancellor and spokesperson of Catholic Diocese of Lucknow greeted and hugged the Muslims following the prayer.
“This is the need of the hour in the country where in the name of religion people are fighting with each other,” De Souza said. “We need to foster brotherhood and harmony for the sake of peace.”
(Akhtar Ali is a Delhi-based correspondent)
religionnews.com/2016/09/17/in-this-part-of-india-sunnis-and-shiites-show-the-world-a-different-way-to-pray/
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North America
Halal Holidays: What it’s like to Take a Muslim Beach Break
Hanna Yusuf | The Independent | Updated: Sep 18, 2016
For practising Muslims, sun and sand needn't mean burkinis+ . Hanna Yusuf takes one of a rising number of specialist trips.
The cashier in Selfridges struggles to hide the bewildered look on his face as he takes a second glance at my headscarf, while scanning the fluorescent bikinis I've picked up. I can understand why he's confused. I, too, had thought it unimaginable for a headscarf-wearing Muslim woman+ to don swimwear that reveals any more than a "burkini" does, until I discovered the concept of the halal holiday.
Full report at: timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Halal-holidays-what-its-like-to-take-a-Muslim-beach-break/articleshow/54389886.cms
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Habitat Build Brings Christian, Muslim and Jewish Groups Together
September 17, 2016
A Habitat for Humanity project brought Christian, Muslim and Jewish groups together for a weekend of building.
Full report at: tennessean.com/story/news/2016/09/17/habitat-build-brings-christian-muslim-and-jewish-groups-together/90406982/
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One Trump Side-Effect: Democrats Are Reaching Out To Muslim Voters
Sep 18, 2016
Muslims are a tiny fraction of the U.S. population, making up somewhere around one percent, according to the Pew Research Center.
But a lot of Muslims live in key battleground states like Florida, Virginia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, which makes them a small but important group.
That's why Hillary Clinton's campaign is trying to make sure they show up in large numbers on Election Day.
Full report at: npr.org/2016/09/17/494272484/one-trump-side-effect-democrats-are-reaching-out-to-muslim-voters
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America Loves Muslim Food - So Much For A Clash Of Civilizations
Sep 17, 2016
Sometimes, culinary trends move in sync with political ones. Sauerkraut was renamed "liberty cabbage" when the U.S. was at war with Germany, and a more recent falling-out with the French led to the invention of "freedom fries."
But sometimes they move in mysterious ways. In an election season dominated by Donald Trump, Muslims haven't always been made to feel welcome in America. Meanwhile sales of halal food, prepared according to Islamic law, are surging -- and not just among the fast-growing U.S. Muslim population: Adventurous millennial foodies are embracing it too.
Shahed Amanullah could only find about 200 places that served halal food in 1998, when he launched a website to help Americans find it. Today, he's tracking 7,600, and he says halal is making inroads even among people who are wary of Muslims. "Food is a great medium for cultural sharing," Amanullah said.
Full report at: ndtv.com/world-news/america-loves-muslim-food-so-much-for-a-clash-of-civilizations-1459968
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US to stay neutral as Pakistan, India prepare for UN showdown
September 18th, 2016
WASHINGTON: As Pakistan prepares to highlight the current situation in India-held Kashmir at the UN General Assembly and India plans to counter it by raising the Baloch issue, the United States has made it clear that it will not back either side.
“What we have said — nothing is changed about our view that we want to see India and Pakistan work this out bilaterally,” said State Department spokesman John Kirby when asked to define the US policy on Kashmir.
Full report at: dawn.com/news/1284515/us-to-stay-neutral-as-pakistan-india-prepare-for-un-showdown
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Arab World
This Is the Name ISIS Hates Being Called More Than 'Daesh'
SEP 17, 2016
Most people know the world's most barbaric terrorist group as ISIS or the Islamic State.
Some world leaders have taken to calling them "Daesh," knowing the terror group hates the name so much that its militant members have threatened to "cut the tongue" out of anyone who used it.
But some experts say there's one moniker the terrorist group hates even more than Daesh - and enemies of ISIS have been using it to taunt the group.
Malcolm Nance, a terrorism expert and veteran military-intelligence officer, made note of the name "Khawarij" during a terrorism debate at the Comedy Cellar in New York City last month.
Full report at: businessinsider.in/This-is-the-name-ISIS-hates-being-called-more-than-Daesh/articleshow/54383898.cms
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80 Syrian Army Soldiers Killed in US-Led Coalition Airstrike in Deir Ezzur
SEP 17, 2016
TEHRAN (FNA)- The General Command of the Syrian army said the US-led coalition has bombed the Syrian army positions in Deir Ezzur, killing some 80 soldiers and injuring dozens more.
According to Syria’s official SANA news agency, the bombing took place on al-Tharda Mountain in the region of Deir ez-Zor and caused casualties and destruction on the ground.
Eighty Syrian soldiers were killed and over 100 injured in the airstrike by the US-led coalition, Russia’s Defense Ministry spokesman, Major-General Igor Konashenkov, said, citing information received from the Syrian General Command.
Full report at: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950627001604
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3 Pro-Saudi Field Commanders Killed in Clashes with Yemeni Forces in Ma'rib Province
SEP 17, 2016
TEHRAN (FNA)- The Yemeni army and Ansarullah fighters continued their advances in Ma'rib province, and killed nearly a dozen pro-Saudi forces, including three senior commanders in fierce clashes.
Commander of Ma'rib military police, Abdullah Dahvan, and two other notorious commanders, Salih bin Mohammad Heit and Hassan Mohsen bin Qanaem, were killed in clashes with the Yemeni forces to the East of Wadi al-Hashiraj near the city of Sarwah in Ma'rib province.
Full report at: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950628000870
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Saudi Finance Ministry Ex-Advisor: S. Arabia on Verge of Collapse
Sep 18, 2016
TEHRAN (FNA)- A senior economist and former special adviser to the Saudi ministry of finance underlined that the country is on the brink of collapse with the western countries merely looking at its "implosion".
The Huffington Post did publish an opinion piece last Sunday that said Saudi Arabia was on the brink of “implosion” due to its economic dependence on oil and its failure to implement political reforms. The article, titled “Last Tango in Riyadh,” was written by Hossein Askari, an economist in the US and former special adviser to Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Finance.
Full report at: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950627001263
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Russian MoD Confirms US-Led Coalition's F-16, A-10 Jets Attacked Syrian Army
Sep 18, 2016
TEHRAN (FNA)- The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed that Syrian army positions were attacked by two F-16 fighter jets and two A-10 ground attack aircraft of the US-led coalition.
Full report at: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950627001610
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Syrian army regains areas lost to IS after US-led airstrike
AP | Sep 18, 2016
BEIRUT: Syria's state news agency is reporting that troops have regained control of areas they lost to the Islamic State group in the east of the country after an airstrike by the US-led coalition.
Full report at: timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Syrian-army-regains-areas-lost-to-IS-after-US-led-airstrike/articleshow/54391114.cms
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World leaders to focus on refugee crisis and Syria at UN
Published September 18, 2016 Associated Press
UNITED NATIONS – World leaders meeting at the United Nations starting Monday will be trying to make progress on two intractable problems at the top of the global agenda — the biggest refugee crisis since World War II and the Syrian conflict now in its sixth year that has claimed over 300,000 lives.
Against a backdrop of rising ethnic and religious tension, fighting elsewhere in the Mideast and Africa, extremist attacks across the world and a warming planet, there are plenty of other issues for the 135 heads of state and government and more than 50 ministers expected to attend to try to tackle.
Full report at: foxnews.com/world/2016/09/18/world-leaders-to-focus-on-refugee-crisis-and-syria-at-un.html
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Syria: Nationwide Ceasefire Helps Terrorists Reinvigorate Combat Abilities in Hama
TEHRAN (FNA)- Terrorist groups have gathered a large number of equipped militants near the road connecting Hama to al-Salamiyah, military sources said, adding that the militants have used intelligence from their western and regional backers to do so.
"The gathering of hundreds of fresh militants near Hama-al-Salamiyah road means that the terrorist groups plan to access the Syrian Army's strategic supply route of Khanasser to Aleppo," the sources said.
Full report at: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950627001291
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ISIL Trading Own Members' Body Organs in Iraq
TEHRAN (FNA)- The ISIL terrorist group is trafficking and selling the body parts of its own members in Nineveh province in return for high prices to overcome its growing financial problems, provincial sources said.
"The ISIL is engaged in a huge body organs trade," the sources said, adding, "ISIL has stolen different body organs from 23 own members or injured people in Nineveh hospitals."
"The ISIL medical team, in 23 cases of surgeries, took out the injured people's body organs, including kidney and stomach and transferred them to medical centers under the full monitoring of the Takfiri terrorists," they added.
Full report at: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950627001257
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Syrian army says US-led coalition jets bombed it in support of Islamic State
Reuters | Updated: Sep 17, 2016
BEIRUT: Syria's army general command said warplanes from the US-led coalition bombed a Syrian army position at Jebel Tharda near Deir al-Zor airport on Saturday, paving the way for Islamic State fighters to overun it.
The air strike killed Syrian soldiers and was "conclusive evidence" that the US and its allies support the militant group, the Syrian army said in a statement, noting that the strike was "dangerous and blatant aggression".
Full report at: timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Syrian-army-says-US-led-coalition-jets-bombed-it-in-support-of-Islamic-State/articleshow/54384103.cms
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IS downs Syrian warplane, pilot killed: Reports
Reuters | Updated: Sep 18, 2016
BEIRUT: Islamic State shot down a Syrian military plane in the eastern Syrian city of Deir al-Zor, the Islamic State-affiliated news agency Amaq said on Sunday.
"A Syrian warplane belonging to the Syrian regime was brought down when targeted by fighters from the Islamic State in the city of Deir al-Zor," Amaq said in an online statement.
Full report at: timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/IS-downs-Syrian-warplane-pilot-killed-Reports/articleshow/54393025.cms
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Kurdistan Islamic party hails Nadia Murad as victim of tyranny in name of religion
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The head of the Kurdistan Region’s largest Islamic party welcomed the appointment of Nadia Murad as the UN’s goodwill ambassador on Saturday, saying the former Islamic State (ISIS) captive was a victim of tyranny “under the name of religion.”
“The appointment of Miss Nadia Murad as the world’s goodwill ambassador at the UN was a great success for the Kurdish nation in general and the oppressed Yezidi people in particular,” Salahaddin Bahadin, who heads the Kurdistan Islamic Union (KIU), said in a statement.
Full report at: rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/170920163
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Two Saudi policemen shot dead in mainly Shia city
September 18th, 2016
RIYADH: Unidentified gunmen killed two Saudi policemen in the mainly Shia eastern city of Dammam late on Saturday, the interior ministry said, describing it as a “terrorist attack”.
The two officers were patrolling in a police car when they came under fire at around 11:30 pm (2030 GMT), a ministry spokesman told the official Saudi Press Agency.
Full report at: dawn.com/news/1284551/two-saudi-policemen-shot-dead-in-mainly-shia-city
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US Spy Plane Spotted Flying over Russian-Controlled Hmeimim Airbase
September 18th, 2016
TEHRAN (FNA)- A US Navy reconnaissance plane was spotted flying a few kilometers away from Russia’s Hmeimim airbase in Syria.
The P-8A Poseidon aircraft flew close to Syria’s Mediterranean coast on Saturday where Russia’s naval task force operates. Hmeimim military airport, Southeast of the city of Lattakia, is Russia’s strategic center of operations against the ISIL and other terrorist groups.
Full report at: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950628001004
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Iraqi MP: US Fighter Jets Hit Hashd Al-Shaabi' Equipment Warehouse in Babel Province
September 18th, 2016
TEHRAN (FNA)- A senior Iraqi lawmaker disclosed that the US fighter jets have pounded the military positions of the Iraqi volunteer forces (Hashd al-Shaabi) in the Northern part of Babel province.
"The Iraqi warplanes struck the equipment warehouses of Hashd al-Shaabi in al-Nasr region in Northern Babel," Mohammad Naji said on Sunday.
He noted that the US is trying to prevent the Iraqi popular forces from making advances against the ISIL and the most important proof to that is that it struck Hashd al-Shaabi's warehouse few days ago.
Full report at: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950628001008
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Pro-Saudi Forces' Missile Sites Destroyed in Ma'rib Province
September 18th, 2016
TEHRAN (FNA)- A senior military commander announced that the Yemeni forces have pounded the missile bases of the pro-Saudi forces in the Southern part of Ma'rib province after taking control of Sarwah airport on Sunday.
"The Yemeni forces still continue their advances in Ma'rib province despite the ongoing massive clashes and the continued Saudi airstrikes," Senior Ansarullah Commander Ali al-Houthi told FNA on Sunday.
Full report at: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950628001086
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Civilians in Terrorist-Held Idlib Province Suffering from Acute Lack of Medical Treatment
September 18th, 2016
TEHRAN (FNA)- Lack of specialists, medicine, healthcare and medical equipment has significantly increased since the terrorist groups captured Northwestern Idlib province, local people said.
"Actually, the health situation of civilians in Idlib is truely bad. If a patient comes to need a surgical operation, he or she will certainly die. On the other hand, terrorists take out injured people's organ in their medical centers and smuggle them to Turkey," the sources said.
Full report at: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950628001056
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Europe
Islamic State-inspired Briton guilty of murdering imam
Saturday September 17, 2016
LONDON, Sept 17 — A British Muslim was found guilty yesterday of being inspired by the militant Islamic State group to help murder a respected local imam who he believed was practising “black magic”.
Mohammed Syeedy, 21, and accomplice Mohammed Abdul Kadir followed their victim Jalal Uddin as he walked home from evening prayers at his mosque in Rochdale, northern England, in February and bludgeoned him to death in a park.
Full report at: themalaymailonline.com/world/article/islamic-state-inspired-briton-guilty-of-murdering-imam-video#sthash.7CgKjkIJ.dpuf
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US 'responsible' if Syrian ceasefire fails: Russia
AFP | Updated: Sep 17, 2016, 08.55 PM IST
MOSCOW: The situation in Syria is deteriorating, the Russian military said Saturday, blaming rebels for stepping up attacks and saying the United States would be responsible if the current ceasefire broke down.
"The situation in Syria is worsening," said Russian General Vladimir Savchenko in a briefing shown on television.
"In the past 24 hours, the number of attacks have risen sharply," with 55 attacks on government positions and civilians.
He said 12 civilians had died in the attacks, including two children and a Syrian Red Crescent volunteer.
Full report at: timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/US-responsible-if-Syrian-ceasefire-fails-Russia/articleshow/54382054.cms
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US strike on Syrian Army borders between negligence & assisting ISIS - Moscow
18 Sep, 2016
The US-led coalition air strikes on the Syrian Army positions near the eastern city of Deir ez-Zor borders between “gross negligence” and “direct assistance” to ISIS militants, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
READ MORE: US-led coalition aircraft strike Syrian army positions, kill 62 soldiers – military
Full report at: rt.com/news/359732-us-syria-strike-moscow/
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British Muslim killed for using amulets
Yonatan Roberts, 18/09/16
According to an article published by the BBC , one Mohammed Syeedy was convicted of murdering an Imam for his use of “black magic.”
Apparently, the Imam in question, Jalal Uddin, was in the habit of giving spiritual amulets to the sick. The murder was carried out with a hammer, and took place in a public park.
According to testimony, the convict drove the getaway car. The actual murderer has fled to Turkey, and is believed to currently be in Syria.
Full report at: israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/217939
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India
In This Part of India, Sunnis and Shiites Show the World a Different Way to Pray
By Akhtar Ali | 14 hours ago
LUCKNOW, India (RNS) At Eid al-Adha prayers this week, several hundred Shiite and Sunni Muslims offered joint prayers as a show of peace between two Muslim sects often better known for their bitter conflicts.
The prayer took place in a Shiite shrine but was led by a Sunni imam as part of an initiative by a volunteer group called Shoulder to Shoulder.
“In Uttar Pradesh sectarian tensions surfaced occasionally between the two sects,” said Arif Durrani, a member of Shoulder to Shoulder. “We came up with this idea of joint Shia-Sunni congregational prayer.”
Full report at: religionnews.com/2016/09/17/in-this-part-of-india-sunnis-and-shiites-show-the-world-a-different-way-to-pray/
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Uri terror attack: 17 soldiers killed, 19 injured in strike on Army camp
Sep 18, 2016
NEW DELHI: Terrorists have killed 17 Army soldiers and injured 19 in a suicide attack on an Army camp in Kashmir+ . Four terrorists struck the camp close to the headquarter of the 12th Brigade at Uri in Baramulla District+ . This makes it one of the deadliest terrorist strikes on security forces in recent times.
To put the death toll in perspective, seven military personnel had been killed in the Pathankot terror attack+ in January 2016. The attack on the Indian Air Force base there has since become a major international diplomatic incident.
Full report at: timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Uri-terror-attack-Indian-Army-camp-attacked-in-Jammu-and-Kashmir-17-killed-19-injured/articleshow/54389451.cms
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Jaish terrorists behind Uri attack, had items with Pakistani markings: Army
TNN | Updated: Sep 18, 2016
NEW DELHI: Some of the equipment carried by the terrorists who attacked Uri Army camp on Sunday morning had Pakistani markings on them, said Ranbir Singh, the Director General of Military Operations. India has conveyed serious concern to Pakistan+ over this.
Giving details of the deadly attack that left 17 soldiers martyred , the DGMO also said that initial reports of probe into the attack suggest that all of them were foreign terrorists and belonged to terror outfit JeM (Jaish-e-Mohammad).
Full report at: timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Jaish-terrorists-behind-Uri-attack-had-items-with-Pakistani-markings-Army/articleshow/54392506.cms
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Uri terror attack: Pakistan a terrorist state and should be isolated, says Rajnath Singh
TNN & Agencies | Updated: Sep 18, 2016, 03.42 PM IST
NEW DELHI: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh+ launched a full frontal attack on Pakistan for hosting and training the terrorists who carried out the Uri terror attack+ on an Army camp.
Full report at: timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Uri-terror-attack-Rajnath-Singh-Pakistan-a-terrorist-state/articleshow/54391244.cms
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Those behind Uri terror attack won't go unpunished, says Prime Minister Narendra Modi
PTI | Updated: Sep 18, 2016
NEW DELHI: Condemning the "cowardly" terror attack on an Army camp in Uri, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on SUnday assured the nation that those behind the "despicable" strike won't go unpunished.
Full report at: timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Those-behind-Uri-terror-attack-wont-go-unpunished-says-Prime-Minister-Narendra-Modi/articleshow/54390848.cms
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FIR against building society members for saying no to Muslim
Sandhya Nair | TNN | Updated: Sep 18, 2016
MUMBAI: The Manickpur police on Saturday filed a first information report (FIR) against 11 members of a Vasai housing society who recently signed a letter objecting to the sale of a flat to a Muslim.
TOI had in its exclusive report on Saturday mentioned how, on September 4, 11 flat-owners at the Happy Jivan Co-operative Housing Society , Sai Nagar, Vasai (W) signed a letter objecting to a member Kantaben Patel (55) selling her first-floor flat to a Muslim trader Vikarahmed Khan.
Full report at: timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/FIR-against-building-society-members-for-saying-no-to-Muslim/articleshow/54386026.cms
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Bijnor killings: 'Today we will destroy Muslims,' said prime accused; FIR sheds light on communal angle
The scene of the killings (dna - Manit)
Sun, 18 Sep 2016, Bijnor , dna
28 booked for murder, molestation have no criminal conspiracy charges against them
Even as Uttar Pradesh police booked 28 individuals under 10 sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in connection with the Bijnor killings, in an uncanny resemblance to the Dadri lynching case, IPC sections for criminal conspiracy have not been evoked against the accused. Among other charges under which the accused were booked include, molesting women, rioting, murder, attempt to murder and so on.
Full report at: dnaindia.com/india/report-today-we-will-destroy-muslims-said-prime-accused-in-bijnor-killings-2256067
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Muslim attacked by cow vigilantes dies in Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad: A 25-year-old Muslim man who was thrashed brutally allegedly by cow vigilantes on September 13 died at a hospital here on Friday night, police said on Saturday.
The Gujarat government has constituted a special investigation team (SIT) led by a Superintendent of Police (Special Operations Group) and two police inspectors and sub-inspectors each to probe the incident.
Full report at: sakshipost.com/crime/2016/09/18/muslim-attacked-by-cow-vigilantes-dies-in-ahmedabad
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Pakistan
Pakistan had no option than supporting US-led invasion of Afghanistan: Musharraf
By KHAAMA PRESS - Sun Sep 18 2016
The former Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf has said Pakistan had no other option than to support the US-led invasion on Afghanistan in 2001.
Musharraf made the remarks during his visit to United Kingdom, insisting that hat Pakistan was left with no choice than to support American attack on Afghanistan because the world had entirely changed after 9/11.
Full report at: khaama.com/pakistan-had-no-option-than-supporting-us-led-invasion-of-afghanistan-musharraf-01894
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Pakistan says disappointed with President Ghani’s statements
By KHAAMA PRESS - Sat Sep 17 2016
Pakistan reacted towards the latest statements by the Afghan leadership claiming that the remarks are in complete disregard to the efforts that Pakistan has made and continues to make for peace and stability in Afghanistan.
“Pakistan remains committed to peace and stability in Afghanistan. We firmly believe that peace in Afghanistan is in Pakistan’s interest and also necessary for stability and progress of the region,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan said in a statement.
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry did not elaborate further regarding the exact statement delivered by President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani.
Full report at: khaama.com/pakistan-says-disappointed-with-president-ghanis-statements-01889
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Pakistan court orders confiscation of Musharraf's property
PTI | Sep 17, 2016, 09.04 PM IST
ISLAMABAD: A Pakistan court today ordered the confiscation of Pervez Musharraf's property after the former dictator "persistently failed" to appear in the case involving the killing of a cleric during the 2007 Lal Masjid operation.
A sessions court in Islamabad is trying 73-year-old Musharraf, who is currently in Dubai for purported medical treatment, over killing of Abdul Rasheed Ghazi when army stormed the Lal Masjid in the heart of the city.
Additional District and Sessions Judge (West) Pervaiz ul Qadir Memon ordered confiscation of Musharraf's properties under Section 88 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), a lawyer said.
Full report at: timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Pakistan-court-orders-confiscation-of-Musharrafs-property/articleshow/54382271.cms
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Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif leaves for US to attend UN General Assembly
PTI | Sep 17, 2016
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif left for New York on Saturday to participate in the upcoming session of the UN General Assembly, where he will raise the Kashmir issue.
"In his address to the UN on Wednesday, the prime minister will emphatically highlight the Kashmir dispute," Radio Pakistan reported.
On Friday, Sharif had met Hurriyat leaders from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and assured them that he would "emphatically highlight" the Kashmir issue at the UN.
He will also speak on Pakistan's position, role and contribution on key international issues, the report said.
Full report at: timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Pakistan-PM-Nawaz-Sharif-leaves-for-US-to-attend-UN-General-Assembly/articleshow/54378938.cms
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8 IS militants held in Lahore, Pakistan
PTI | Updated: Sep 17, 2016, 05.26 PM IST
LAHORE: Pakistan police have arrested eight Islamic State militants who were planning "large-scale" terror attacks on government installations in Punjab province.
The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) spokesman said four members of the terrorist group were arrested yesterday from Lahore, following a tip-off that "terrorists belonging to the IS were planning to attack government installations on a large scale in Lahore and assassination of officials of intelligence agencies."
Full report at: timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/8-IS-militants-held-in-Lahore-Pakistan/articleshow/54378865.cms
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Mohmand suicide bombing toll rises to 36
September 18th, 2016
Four victims died overnight in different hospitals and it emerged that bodies of eight others had been taken away by relatives soon after the blast, officials said.
At least 24 tribesmen, four of them children, were reported to have been killed and 32 others suffered injuries in a blast in the mosque during Friday prayers in Ambar tehsil’s Payee Khan village, some 65km from here.
Assistant Political Agent of Upper Mohmand Haseeb-ur-Rehman confirmed that the toll had reached 36.
Full report at: dawn.com/news/1284519/mohmand-suicide-bombing-toll-rises-to-36
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South Asia
17 ISIS loyalists killed in an airstrike in east of Afghanistan
By KHAAMA PRESS - Sun Sep 18 2016
At least 17 loyalists of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorist group were killed during an airstrike in eastern Nangarhar province of Afghanistan. (Afghan Air Force photo by 438th Air Expeditionary Wing)
The 201st Silab Corps of the Afghan National Army (ANA) forces in a statement said the airstrike was carried out on Saturday evening in Mohmand valley of Achin district.
No further details were given regarding the operation involving the airstrike by the Afghan Air Force.
Full report at: khaama.com/17-isis-loyalists-killed-in-an-airstrike-in-east-of-afghanistan-01895
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8 Taliban militants killed in Kabul by Afghan intelligence operatives
By GHANIZADA - Sun Sep 18 2016
At least 8 Taliban insurgents were killed during an operation conducted by the Afghan intelligence, National Directorate of Security (NDS) operatives in the vicinity of Kabul province.
According to local officials in Qarabagh district of Kabul, the militants were killed late on Saturday night during an operation that was launched around 11:00 pm and ended around 1:00 am local time.
Full report at: khaama.com/8-taliban-militants-killed-in-kabul-by-afghan-intelligence-operatives-01898
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Karzai calls on Taliban to be free from Pakistani intelligence, military
By GHANIZADA - Sat Sep 17 2016
The former Afghan President Hamid Karzai has called on Taliban group in Afghanistan to be free from the foreign influence, particularly pointing towards the Pakistani intelligence and military.
In an interview with Reuters, Karzai appealed to the Taliban “as fellow Afghans to recognise that this is their country” and to break free of the influence of Pakistan, which despite frequent denials, is blamed by Afghanistan for supporting the insurgency.
“I would call on the Taliban to be free from foreign influence – in this case Pakistan, the Pakistan intelligence and military,” Karzai said.
Full report at: khaama.com/karzai-calls-on-taliban-to-be-free-from-pakistani-intelligence-military-01887
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Southeast Asia
Indonesia sends 700 for deradicalisation
18 Sep 2016
More than 700 Indonesians are taking part in deradicalisation programmes across the country, counter-terrorism chief Suhardi Alius told Parliament.
They include 242 inmates serving time for terrorism-related offences and others who are not behind bars but have signed up voluntarily, said the head of the National Counter-terrorism Agency (BNPT).
Full report at: thestar.com.my/news/regional/2016/09/18/indonesia-sends-700-for-deradicalisation-jakarta-gets-tough-on-radicals-even-as-extremists-slip-thro/
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Muslim Lawmakers Propose Banning Alcohol in Indonesia
18 Sep 2016
Lawmakers are proposing a ban on alcohol sales and consumption throughout Indonesia, which may negatively affect the island of Bali’s booming tourist economy.
The ban would include production, sale, and consumption of alcohol across the entire country, but would have profound effects on the island of Bali. For anyone found violating this law, a prison sentence of as many as ten years is in place.
Full report at: breitbart.com/national-security/2016/09/16/muslim-lawmakers-propose-banning-alcohol-indonesia/
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Muslim Students Criticize Selection of Myanmar Leader for Humanitarian Award
By MIA C. KARR, CRIMSON STAFF WRITE
Some undergraduates are criticizing the Harvard Foundation’s selection of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi as its 2016 Humanitarian of the Year, arguing Myanmar’s recently-elected head of government has remained silent on persecution against the country’s Muslim minority.
The Harvard Foundation grants the annual award to “an individual whose works and deeds have served to improve the quality of our lives and have inspired up to greater heights,” according to its website. Recent award recipients include education activist Malala Yousafzai and United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon.
Full report at: thecrimson.com/article/2016/9/17/students-criticize-suu-kyi/
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Mideast
Powell’s email says Israel has 200 nuclear weapons, all directed at Iran
September 18th, 2016
WASHINGTON: In a private email exchange last year leaked this week by hackers, former US Secretary of State Colin Powell discussed Israel’s nuclear weapons capability with a friend, saying the country had 200 warheads.
Full report at: dawn.com/news/1284500/powells-email-says-israel-has-200-nuclear-weapons-all-directed-at-iran
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Three soldiers killed, three wounded in clashes with PKK in eastern Turkey
September/17/2016
Three soldiers killed, three wounded in clashes with PKK in eastern Turkey
Three soldiers were killed and three others were wounded in clashes between security forces and outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militants in the rural parts of the Agacdibi village of central Hakkari province in eastern Turkey.
Full report at: hurriyetdailynews.com/three-soldiers-killed-three-wounded-in-clashes-with-pkk-in-eastern-turkey.aspx?pageID=238&nID=103973&NewsCatID=341
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Turkey is not Syria, Turkish PM says
September/18/2016
Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım has said that Turkey is not Syria, as he visited the Tendürek region in the Doğubayazıt district of the eastern province of Ağrı, where outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militants killed a total of 10 people on Sept. 15.
“They want to turn Turkey into Syria or Iraq via cooperating with foreign powers. However, they forget one thing: This is not Syria or Iraq. This is Anatolia,” Yıldırım told journalists on Sept. 17, as he listened to the complaints of residents from the Somkaya, Gökçebulak and Karakent villages, where he went to offer his condolences for the village guards who lost their lives in the PKK attack.
Full report at: hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-is-not-syria-turkish-pm-says-.aspx?pageID=238&nID=103984&NewsCatID=338
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Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system intercepts Syrian rocket over Golan Heights - Army
17 Sep, 2016
Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system has successfully destroyed a rocket fired from Syria across the Golan Heights, according to the Israeli Army, as cited by AFP. The incident caused no damage, the military said, adding that the launch was not directed at Israel but was spillover from fighting taking place in neighboring Syria. This is the first time that the Iron Dome battery has intercepted a rocket from Syria.
rt.com/news/line/
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Palestinian stabs Israeli officer amid new surge in violence
September/17/2016
JERUSALEM: Israel's military says a Palestinian attacker has stabbed an army officer in the chest near a West Bank settlement, moderately wounding him.
The military said soldiers shot the attacker and apprehended him. He too was evacuated to a hospital.
Full report at: dawn.com/news/1284545/palestinian-stabs-israeli-officer-amid-new-surge-in-violence
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Turkey’s Islamic Fashion Revolution
By TIM ARANGOSEPT. 17, 2016
A 2014 show in Istanbul for Modanisa, an Islamic fashion house that has partnerships with brands in Dubai and Malaysia. Credit Monique Jaques
ISTANBUL — The models, tall and lithe and strutting down the runway to the beat of Moroccan-themed house music, are from Russia and Eastern Europe. They could be displaying the latest designer styles in Paris or New York, but instead they are here, in Istanbul, wearing high heels, flowing tunics and colorful head scarves.
The fashion show, part of Istanbul Modest Fashion Week, was held at an Ottoman-era railway station, with old-fashioned train cars and vintage luggage as props.
This is not the Islamic fashion of Riyadh or Kabul, nor is it the dark and dreary dress stereotyped in the West. Islamic fashion here is a colorful, creative and joyful enterprise. It is also a huge business.
Full report at: nytimes.com/2016/09/18/world/europe/turkeys-islamic-fashion-revolution.html
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Iran's Gonbad-e Qabus: Testimony to Early Islamic World's Exceptional Scientific Progress
September, 17, 2016 - 18:08
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Gonbad-e Qabus is a 53 meter high tomb built in 1006 AD for Qabus Ibn Voshmgir, Ziyarid ruler and literati, near the ruins of the ancient city of Gorgan in north-east Iran.
It bears testimony to the cultural exchange between Central Asian nomads and the ancient civilization of Iran.
Gonbad-e Qabus is the only remaining evidence of ancient Gorgan, a former center of arts and science that was destroyed during the Mongols’ invasion in the 14th and 15th centuries. It is an outstanding and technologically innovative example of Islamic architecture that influenced sacral building in Iran, Anatolia and Central Asia. Built of unglazed fired bricks, the monument’s intricate geometric forms constitute a tapering cylinder with a diameter of 17–15.5 m, topped by a conical brick roof. It illustrates the development of mathematics and science in the Muslim world at the turn of the first millennium AD.
Full report at: indianexpress.com/article/world/world-news/islamic-state-isis-istanbul-turkey-attack-3035977/
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Africa
Clashes at Libyan oil ports as counter-attack repelled: officials
By Ayman al-Warfalli | BENGHAZI, LIBYA
Eastern Libyan forces said they had reestablished control over two oil ports where an ousted faction launched a counter-attack on Sunday, briefly seizing one of the terminals.
The two ports, Es Sider and Ras Lanuf, were among four seized by forces loyal to eastern commander Khalifa Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA) on Sept. 11-12 from a Petroleum Facilities Guard (PFG) faction led by Ibrahim Jathran.
The fighting came as the state-run National Oil Corporation (NOC) prepared to restart oil exports from the ports, blockaded for several years, and it was not clear whether shipments would be affected.
Full report at: reuters.com/article/us-libya-security-oil-idUSKCN11O08U
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