Imam Defends Hefazat-e-Islam’s Thirteen-Point Demand during Eid Prayers
New Age Islam News Bureau
9
Aug 2013
Eid-ul-Fitr celebrated across India with prayers for peace
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South Asia
• Imam Defends Hefazat-e-Islam’s Thirteen-Point Demand During Eid Prayers
• Maldives to unveil new tourism master plan with UNWTO on September 27
• Elections Commission dismisses concerns of JP, PPM over use of Indian IT staff
• Lashkar behind Jalalabad attack, Afghans tell India
• Security fears hinder Chinese projects in Pakistan
Pakistan
• 26/11 Mastermind Saeed Hafiz Leads Eid Prayers in Pakistan
• Suicide bomber gunned down inside Islamabad mosque
• Ten killed in Quetta during Eid ul Fitr prayers
• Countering terrorism: PM vows to use ‘iron fist’ against terrorists
• 172 people killed in Ramzan in Karachi
Mideast
• Erodogan urges Turks to have more babies, ‘raise them correctly’
• Yemen official: US drones kill 12 in 3 airstrikes
• Turkey’s Secret ‘Ancestry Codes’ Track Non-Muslim Minorities
• Gaza Celebrates Eid al-Fitr amid Economic Crisis
• Forty years on, an Israeli archaeology class keeps on giving
• Israel says won’t sign lucrative research deal with EU unless anti-settlement clauses eased
Australia
• Australian state introduces law that mandates Muslim women to remove Burqa for identification
North America
• Obama highlights support for Islamist priorities in Turkey, Egypt, and Syria
• Terror threat: US orders non-essential staff out of Lahore consulate
• Kerry to U.S. Jewish leaders: Israeli-Palestinian peace a 'strategic imperative'
• US soldier WikiLeaks breach helped al Qaeda recruiting: Witness
Arab World
• ‘Kill hatred and look up to bright future’: Imam Grand Mosque Saudi Arab
• Syrian opposition chief says planning with FSA to form one army
• Egyptian Islamists deploy catapult at sit-in as clash with govt looms
• Al-Qaida suspects arrested in Saudi Arabia
• As foreign fighters flood Syria, fears of a new terrorist haven
• Morsi loyalists in Egypt call for new Friday rallies
• Gunmen kidnap Turkish Airlines pilots in Lebanon
• Egypt's Coptic Pope concerned over risks of attacks
India
• Eid-ul-Fitr celebrated across nation with prayers for peace, brotherhood
• Muslim clerics demand Dalit scholar‘s arrest under NSA
• Communal Clashes Leave Many Injured In Kisthwar, “Objectionable Slogans” By Majority Community
• ‘Poorly-drafted’ statements again a letdown for Indo-Pak relations
• BSF, Pak Rangers exchange sweets on Eid
• J&K constitution gives no fundamental rights; SC notice to Centre and state
• Al-Qaida's growing closeness to LeT, JeM worries security establishment
• IB warns of possible terrorist strike in Delhi
Southeast Asia
• Malay-Muslim separatists call off peace talks with Thai government
• Former Indonesian VP says forced conversion of Sampang Shiites unconstitutional
• Malaysian media split over how to deal with violent crimes
• Indonesian Widows Get Dutch Compensation, Apology Over 1946-47 Killings
Europe
• Russia has not delivered Syria S-300s: Report
• Dawkins’s comments on Muslim Nobel prize winners cause backlash
• UN chief, Russian Foreign Minister discuss Syria
• 'Syrians and Egyptians' among migrants reaching Italy
• Zanzibar acid attack on Trup and Gee: Reward offered
Africa
• Lawyer to sue Israel over Jesus Christ's death
• 328 killed in South Sudan in recent ethnic violence official says
• Nigeria police officer sacked over YouTube video
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
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South Asia
Imam defends Hefazat-e Islam’s thirteen-point demand during Eid prayers
Aug 9, 2013
At least five people were injured after an imam delivered a sermon in support of Hefazat-e Islam’s thirteen-point demand during Eid prayers at Gazaria Upazila of Munshiganj Friday.
An incident of chase and counter-chase took place between the supporters of the imam, Dr Enayet Ullah Abbasi, and musallis who had joined the Eid congregation at Bhaberchar Eidgah Maidan, Jahangir Hossain, officer-in-charge of Gazaria Police Station, told The Daily Star.
Additional police forces were deployed in the area to avoid any untoward situation, quoting the OC reports our Munshiganj correspondent.
The injured were given treatment, the OC added.
“I conform with most of the 13-point demands of Hefajat. Their demands are Islamic. I was attacked at various places for saying thus,” quoting Masud Rana, a journalist who was present at the congregation, heard Enayet Ullah Abbasi during the sermon, the correspondent reports.
Abbasi, the imam who has been conducting Eid congregations in the area for several years, alleged that the Bangla daily Prothom Alo publishes blasphemous write-ups and urged the people to boycott the daily and its owner, Rana told the correspondent.
“The present government is no friend of Islam,” quoting Abbasi, Rana told the correspondent.
Supporters of Dr Enayet Ullah Abbasi took him to a safer place immediately in face of fierce protests by the congregating musallis, Rana said.
Thousands of local Muslims became aggrieved during the chaotic situation at the Eid congregation, the correspondent said.
Abbasi, originally from Narayanganj, and his family have been conducting Eid prayers in the same area for generations, the correspondent said.
http://www.thedailystar.net/beta2/news/imam-defends-hefajat-during-munshiganj-eid-prayer/
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Maldives to unveil new tourism master plan with UNWTO on September 27
By Neil Merrett | August 9th, 2013
The Maldives government has announced its intention to unveil the country’s fourth official tourism master plan on September 27 to coincide with this year’s World Tourism Day, according to local media reports.
Tourism Minister Ahmed Adheeb last week declared that the final draft of the master plan would be unveiled by the president of the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) during a visit next month.
Adheeb said the five year scope of the plan was expected to emphasise strengthening tourism infrastructure across the country, while also implementing zones outlining specific types of development.
Existing aims outlined under previous master plans that were yet to be fully realised would also be included in the new document, the minister told local media.
Anticipated focus
Speaking previously to Minivan News, former Deputy Tourism Minister Mohamed Maleeh Jamal has said the master plan was anticipated to include developments such as the expansion of biospheres and other “value-adding” concepts.
“We are working on the fourth tourism master plan in line with groups like the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the World Bank to focus on a destination strategy,” he said late last year.
The former deputy minister – dismissed by the government in June after deciding to back a rival candidate to President Dr Mohamed Waheed in the upcoming election – had spoken in recent months of a number of key aims to be included in the plan, including event tourism and strengthening the fledgling guest house sector.
The potential for expanding mid-market tourism in the Maldives through the “niche” guesthouse segment emerged as an early election issue this year after senior opposition and government figures clashed over how best the country’s inhabited islands might profit from visitors.
While unable to outline the exact scope of the new master plan, Maleeh also previously pointed to President Waheed’s announcement to make the Maldives the world’s largest marine reserve within the next five years as a commitment that could prove particularly beneficial to tourism.
“Since the foundation of tourism 40 years ago, the environment has always been hugely important to the Maldives. After 40 years the country is still pristine making us very popular with tourists and we welcome any actions to encourage maintaining this,” he said.
Maleeh added that the foundation of marine parks and reserves in the country at destinations like Baa Atoll was already helping create a “premium destination within a destination”, adding further value to properties located in an area of strong natural interest.
Along with the potential benefits of operating as a marine reserve, he claimed that the country’s status of being a protected marine reserve would not itself impact on the type of tourism developments being sought in the Maldives.
These plans have included ambitious proposals such as the construction of five man-made islands to support leisure developments including a 19-hole golf course in the Maldives.
Maleeh claimed that he did not think these type of projects would be threatened by the Maldives protected reserve status, with developers still being required to work within existing environmental laws that impose several restrictions on the amount of development possible on each island.
The government meanwhile announced earlier this year that it would be moving ahead with plans to transform the Maldives into a biosphere reserve through the designation of zones across the country that would earmark land use for specific purposes such as tourism development or conservation.
Despite these commitments, the country’s first Marine National Park (MNP) in Noonu Atoll is yet to receive land that successive governments have agreed would be set aside for the project back in 2011.
http://minivannews.com/travelandarts/maldives-to-unveil-new-tourism-master-plan-with-unwto-on-september-27-62042
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Elections Commission dismisses concerns of JP, PPM over use of Indian IT staff
By Neil Merrett | August 8th, 2013
The Elections Commission (EC) has dismissed fears foreign nationals will have access to the country’s voter database for upcoming polling, as it seeks assistance from Indian IT professionals to set up software to help oversee future council elections.
EC President Fuwad Thowfeek said he had met this week met with a “combined team” representing the government-aligned Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and Jumhoree Party (JP) to dismissed their fears that foreign IT workers would be given access to information related to next month’s scheduled election.
“We explained to them that the Indian team would not be working on systems being used for the upcoming presidential election. They will instead be providing assistance to help develop a program for future elections,” he said.
Local media reported today that the PPM and JP had challenged the possibility of holding free and fair elections scheduled for September 7 this year if foreigners could access the electoral database and other systems.
However the EC has moved to dismiss any fears, adding that it only local EC staff had access to sensitive information and the commission’s security systems.
Despite having initially sought local IT professionals for the project, Thowfeek said it had not been possible to find Maldivians with either the programming skills required for the project, or those willing to work within the budget assigned for the project.
“Firms presently operating in Male’ demanded much higher rates to oversee the project,” he added.
Thowfeek said he was surprised by the concerns of the government-aligned parties, given the large number of state bodies and institutions dependent on foreign expertise and assistance.
“This would not be the first time the EC or the government has accepted assistance from friendly nations. For instance the defence ministry has been getting assistance from the US, while police are given a wide variety of training from numerous international bodies,” he said.
“There is no reason why political parties should be worried [about foreign nationals being given access to EC data]. We are fully committed to free elections and remain answerable to the parliament. We will oversee this election with caution and confidence.”
The government is presently considering introducing a border control system provided free of charge by the US government, after this week terminating a contract signed in 2010 with Malaysia-based IT group Nexbis to install similar technology.
Thowfeek added that the EC had traditionally enjoyed a close relationship with its Indian counterpart, particularly for training of its staff abroad on overseeing electoral processes. He said a total of 20 Maldivian staff had received training last year relating to good practice in overseeing voting.
Both the Indian Elections Commission, as well as observers from several EU and Commonwealth nations will be coming to the Maldives to oversee next month’s vote.
“Complex” council elections
According to Thowfeek, the Indian programmers brought over to the Maldives to work with the EC had been hired specifically to develop a computerised system to help monitor future atoll and island council elections.
He said that with some 190 separate island constituencies, two city councils and 20 individual atoll councils, previous voting had presented complex challenges for the EC to overcome – despite the polls seen as credible by observers and local parties.
Based on the EC’s experience of overseeing the last council elections in February 2011, Thowfeek said it would be preferable to commence work on a computer system that could identify the exact number of ballot papers for each specific constituency around the Maldives.
“There are over 200 ballot papers required during a council election, so we are looking for a system that can send the appropriate data [to these islands],” he said.
The proposed system is expected to allow registered Maldives nationals to vote for the council of their respective home island from anywhere in the country, without the need to return to that particular constituency to vote.”
Party concerns
The EC has sought to reassure concerns from assorted political parties this week over the credibility of the upcoming polls.
On Monday (August 5), the EC rejected any possibility that the identities of deceased citizens could be used to fraudulently vote in the upcoming election, after opposition allegations that security forces were seeking to influence polling by misusing such data.
The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has continued to accuse both the government and senior police officials of trying to undermine free and fair elections, accusing police of actively seeking deceased lists detailing the country’s deceased in an attempts to try and rig voting.
Police later rejected the allegations, with the EC stating that it would not be possible to vote using details of the deceased.
Meanwhile late last month the EC rejected calls by the PPM to make voter registration more “lenient”, with Thowfeek claiming efforts were being stepped up to prevent voter registry fraud, while also dealing with challenges that arose during the country’s first multi-party election in 2008.
“We have worked to rectify these mistakes and in the last council elections there were hardly any complaints raised with us by political parties,” he said at the time. “More than that, we have worked hard this year to get the registry up to date.”
http://minivannews.com/politics/elections-commission-dismisses-concerns-of-jp-ppm-over-use-of-indian-it-staff-62058
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Lashkar behind Jalalabad attack, Afghans tell India
August 09, 2013
Trained militants belonging to Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba were behind the attack aimed at the Indian consulate in Jalalabad on August 3, the Jalalabad police commissioner told Amar Sinha, India’s ambassador to Afghanistan, in an official briefing on the investigation.
According to the Afghan authorities, a group of 10 Punjabi-speaking operatives were sent to Jalalabad for the attack. Of these, a team of three attackers wearing suicide vests drove towards the consulate, but unknown to them, security around the Indian mission had already been tightened.
Sinha had, on July 31, received an important alert from New Delhi, warning him specifically of an attack on the Indian consulate in Jalalabad. The intelligence had been shared with the Afghan police and quick reaction teams (QRTs) had been deployed along the route to the consulate.
The suicide bombers were stopped at a check post not far from the Indian property, and one of the afghan police officials noticed that while the car was brand new, the number plate was old.
Once the bombers were stopped, two of them came out of the car and the observant police officer opened fire on noticing that they were wearing suicide vests. This officer was later rewarded by Sinha.
As soon as firing started, the third bomber blew himself up and the explosives-laden car ripped through a nearby mosque, killing eight children.
Subsequent intercepts and an examination of the evidence picked up from the site of the blast point to the involvement of the LeT. Civilians have also testified that the bombers were speaking a different language.
Indian assets have been regularly attacked in Afghanistan and the LeT, aided by the Haqqani network, has been behind the attacks, even according to information shared with India by the Americans.
There has been a concerted effort by Pakistani Army, which works in close coordination with LeT and the Haqqanis, to curtail India’s strategic depth in Afghanistan.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/NewDelhi/Lashkar-behind-Jalalabad-attack-Afghans-tell-India/Article1-1105487.aspx
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Security fears hinder Chinese projects in Pakistan
Aug 9, 2013
Chinese official says security concerns may impeded Xinjiang-Gwadar economic corridor plan
Concerns over security could hinder China’s ambitious plans to build a road and rail network and economic corridor from the western Xinjiang region to Pakistan, a Chinese official has said.
Long-discussed proposals to take forward the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor got a boost last month when newly-elected Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif visited Beijing and framed the project as one of his government’s priorities.
The corridor envisages improving road links from Xinjiang to Pakistan, including expanding and bolstering the Karokaram Highway, as well as building railway lines and pipelines from Kashgar in Xinjiang to the Gwadar Port on the Arabian Sea, which could open up a much-needed alternative route for energy imports.
The security implications of the plan have concerned India as the corridor runs through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, which borders Xinjiang.
This week, a top Chinese planning official acknowledged that despite the recent attention, it could still be a long while before the project comes to fruition.
At a meeting in Beijing discussing the plan, Lin Dajian, a top official in the foreign affairs office of the National Development and Reform Commission, the planning authority, said “security issues and challenges” could impede the project, according to a report by the official Associated Press of Pakistan.
Pakistan’s Ambassador to China Masood Khalid, who attended the meeting, expressed optimism about the corridor. He said “a task force and secretariat” had been set up to take forward the project, while a team from Pakistan would visit China soon “for further discussion”.
China’s growing concerns over security in Pakistan, in the wake of recent kidnapping threats to workers, have also slowed down other infrastructure projects executed by Chinese companies in the country. Analysts say China’s investments in the country have, as a result, not kept pace with the often lofty rhetoric hailing “all-weather” relations.
Only a day after Ms. Lin’s note of caution, Xiong Lixin, vice-president of Sinohydro, one of China’s biggest hydropower companies, was quoted as saying Chinese workers had to be escorted to construction sites in Pakistan in helicopters by armed guards.
Mr. Xiong, who earlier worked on the Gomal Zam dam project, said work on the project came to a halt for two years in 2004 “after unidentified militants kidnapped two
Chinese engineers working on the project at the north-western border of Pakistan”, the official China Daily reported. One worker was rescued but the other was killed. In 2011, the Kingho group, a coal mining firm, said it was reconsidering a $19-billion investment – the biggest by a Chinese firm in Pakistan – in Sindh province on account of security concerns.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/world/security-fears-hinder-chinese-projects-in-pakistan/article5004308.ece
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Pakistan
26/11 Mastermind Saeed Hafiz Leads Eid Prayers in Pakistan
August 09, 2013
Right at the time when Indo-Pak relations are under a cloud following Poonch killings by Pakistan army, 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed is seen leading the Eid prayers in Lahore on Friday morning, claim media reports.
Not only this, the event was duly advertised through posters all over the city, claims Wall Street Journal.
Observes link his duly publicised presence in Pakistan to a provocative plan by anti-India elements on the other side of the border to watch Indo-Pak peace dialogue in September derail.
They also claim that Saeed’s organisation Jamaat-ud-Dawa has links with terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and hence there has been an aggressive publicity of his presence prior to Eid--- just after the killing of five Indian soldiers at the LoC. The two events can’t be seen in isolation, observers feel.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/NewDelhi/26-11-mastermind-Saeed-Hafiz-leads-Eid-prayers-in-Pakistan/Article1-1105603.aspx
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Suicide bomber gunned down inside Islamabad mosque
August 9, 2013
ISLAMABAD: Despite ‘heavy deployment’ of security personnel for Eid, a suicide bomber successfully entered a mosque in Islamabad but failed to explode, Express News reported on Friday.
The suspect entered the Jamia Masjid while prayers were in progress. When the attacker’s jacket did not explode, he fired indiscriminately killing a guard of the mosque and injuring two people.
Initial reports suggest the bomber got into a scuffle with the guard, shooting him when he was denied entrance to the main hall of the mosque. Security personnel in the mosque killed the suicide bomber by firing back.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/588647/unable-to-explode-suicide-bomber-gunned-down-in-islamabad-mosque/
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Ten killed in Quetta during Eidul Fitr prayers
Aug 9, 2013
QUETTA: At least 10 people were killed and many others injured on Friday in an attack that targetted a mosque the Eidul Fitr prayers near Quetta’s eastern bypass, DawnNews reported.
The shooting came a day after a suicide bomber targeted a police funeral and killed 38 people, mostly police officers, in the same city.
“Four gunmen opened fire when people were coming out of the mosque after saying Eid prayers,” senior local police official Bashir Ahmad Brohi told AFP.
Brohi said a former Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) provincial minister, Ali Madad Jattak, was also in the mosque and could have been the target.
Full report at:
http://dawn.com/news/1035162/ten-killed-in-quetta-during-eidul-fitr-prayers
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Countering terrorism: PM vows to use ‘iron fist’ against terrorists
August 8, 2013
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday vowed to take on terrorists with an iron fist hours after a suicide bombing killed at least 30 people at a policeman’s funeral in Quetta.
“The government cannot leave the country to be a playing-field of terrorists. We will be handling them with an iron fist,” Nawaz said, while urging officials to present a draft of the Counter Terrorism Strategy by August 13.
The prime minister also directed the interior minister to reach Quetta at the earliest to show solidarity with the people.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/588587/countering-terrorism-pm-vows-to-use-iron-fist-against-terrorists/
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172 people killed in Ramazan in Karachi
By Saud Khan
Aug 9, 2013
KARACHI: As many as 172 people lost their lives during the Holy month of Ramazan in the metropolis either because of target killing or abduction. People who lost their lives include 105 ‘innocent’ people, 13 cops, seven workers of Muttahida Qaumi Movement, three workers of Awami National Party, one worker of Pakistan People’s Party and one of Pakistan Sunni Tehreek.
As per Human Right Commission of Pakistan’s and media reports, about 1,800 people lost their lives in separate incidents of violence. While in January 291 people were killed, February 271, March 311, April 262, May 278 and in June as many as 313 people were killed.
Full report at:
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2013\08\09\story_9-8-2013_pg7_4
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Mideast
Erodogan urges Turks to have more babies, ‘raise them correctly’
9 August 2013
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Thursday called on Turkish women to have at least three children, and urged mothers who voted for his ruling Justice and Development Party to “correctly raise their children,” in an interview with Turkish channel NTV.
“It’s my right as president to say that it’s beneficial that women give birth to at least three children,” Erdogan said.
“If [President Vladimir] Putin was able to say such a statement in Russia [telling women to have three or more children], why I can’t say it in Turkey?”
Erdogan also highlighted fathers’ “obligations to fulfill their families’ financial needs.”
He has previously spoken out against abortion, calling it a “secret plot” to slow Turkey’s growth, as well as contraception. This is not the first time that Erdogan has made a public plea for more births.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/variety/2013/08/09/Erodogan-urges-Turks-to-have-more-babies-raise-them-correctly-.html
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Yemen official: US drones kill 12 in 3 airstrikes
Aug 9, 2013
The US has sharply escalated its drone war in Yemen, with military officials in the Arab country reporting 34 suspected al Qaeda militants killed in less than two weeks, including three strikes on Thursday alone in which a dozen died.
The action against al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, as the Yemen branch is known, comes amid a global terror alert issued by Washington. A west-asia official says the uptick is due to its leaders leaving themselves more vulnerable by moving from their normal hideouts toward areas where they could carry out attacks.
The US and Britain evacuated diplomatic staff from the capital of Sanaa this week after learning of a threatened attack that prompted Washington to close temporarily 19 diplomatic posts in the Middle East and Africa.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/restofasia/Yemen-official-US-drones-kill-12-in-3-airstrikes/Article1-1105611.aspx
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Turkey’s Secret ‘Ancestry Codes’ Track Non-Muslim Minorities
By: Orhan Kemal Cengiz
Aug 9, 2013
It all started when a mother in Istanbul tried to enroll her child at an Armenian school. Like so many other Armenians who wanted to save themselves from the 1915 massacre, this woman's family had converted to Islam. Now she wanted to assume the identity of her ancestors. She underwent baptism, and her identity card was changed to show she is a Christian.
She thought her identity as a Christian would be enough to enroll her child at an Armenian school, but she soon found that it would not be so easy. There were bureaucratic steps to be taken. She was told, “You must get an official certification from the National Education Office attesting that there is no impediment to your [child's] enrollment in this school.”
Full report at:
http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2013/08/turkish-ancestry-codes.html#ixzz2bWBjNID3
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Gaza Celebrates Eid al-Fitr Amid Economic Crisis
By: Asmaa al-Ghoul
Aug 9, 2013
Eid al-Fitr, an opportunity to celebrate, buy new clothes, visit relatives and eat home-made sweets has arrived in the Gaza Strip, after a month of fasting during Ramadan.
The feast’s first day starts by breaking the fast with smoked or salted herring. Then come the family visits and a glut of ka’ak — a type of bread similar to bagels — stuffed with dried dates.
On Fahmy Bek Street, in the old marketplace, Mohammed Zaytouniyya, 24, sells salted fish on a table in front of him. He tells Al-Monitor that he salts and stores the fish three weeks to a month before the feast and starts selling them as the feast approaches. He says that, with the help of his brothers, he has produced 300 kilograms [661 pounds] of salted fish.
Full report at:
http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2013/08/ramadan-eid-gaza-economy.html#ixzz2bWBtv5BK
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Forty years on, an Israeli archaeology class keeps on giving
Aug 9, 2013
Legend has it that in the mid-1960s, the decade that archaeologists first excavated Masada, a group of diplomats' wives asked a Tel Aviv University archaeology professor to give them a lecture in English so they could learn more about Israel.
He agreed. At least that's how goes the "urban myth" as Maayan Mor, a graduate student who helps run the series, describes it. An urban myth that nobody can quite prove.
Then that favor took on a life of its own, and for 40 years and then some, once a week the International Women's Club English Lecture Series learns the latest in Israeli archaeology.
Full report at:
http://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/.premium-1.540210
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Israel says won’t sign lucrative research deal with EU unless anti-settlement clauses eased
By Associated Press
August 9M
JERUSALEM — Israel would rather forego hundreds of millions of dollars in EU research grants than accept an anti-settlement clause Europe wants written into any new partnership deal, Israel’s deputy foreign minister said Friday, a day after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened top Cabinet ministers to stake out a position.
The deputy minister, Zeev Elkin, said Israel still hopes to soften the terms of Horizon 2020, a seven-year Europe-wide research grant program that begins in 2014 and has a budget of 80 billion euros.
Full report at:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/israel-says-wont-sign-lucrative-research-deal-with-eu-unless-anti-settlement-clauses-eased/2013/08/09/9a5ef15c-00ce-11e3-8294-0ee5075b840d_story.html
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Australia
Australian state introduces law that mandates Muslim women to remove burqa for identification
Aug 9, 2013
MELBOURNE: A state in Australia has introduced a new law which would require Muslim women to remove burqa to prove their identity to the police.
The new law has been incepted in Western Australia following public outcry over a case of burqa-wearing woman Carnita Matthews, who had a conviction of knowingly making a false statement quashed.
Matthews was sentenced to six-month jail after she was found guilty of falsely accusing a senior constable of forcibly trying to remove her burqa when she was pulled over while driving in Woodbine in Sydney's southwest in June 2010.
However, she was later acquitted on appeal after the prosecution could not prove she was the woman who signed the statement while wearing burqa.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/Australian-state-introduces-law-that-mandates-Muslim-women-to-remove-burqa-for-identification/articleshow/21707568.cms
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North America
Obama highlights support for Islamist priorities in Turkey, Egypt, Syria
Aug 9, 2013
President Barack Obama used a press statement Wednesday night to signal his growing support for Islamist political priorities in Turkey, Syria and Egypt.
“They are cooperating to push Egypt, to force them, to threaten their aid, to get Muslim Brotherhood people back into the government,” said Barry Rubin, director of the Global Research in International Affairs Center.
The announcement came in an evening statement from the White House, which said the president had accepted a phone call from Turkey’s Islamist prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and both had “agreed to have their teams continue to coordinate closely to promote our shared interests.”
Full report at:
http://dailycaller.com/2013/08/08/obama-highlights-support-for-islamist-priorities-in-turkey-egypt-syria/#ixzz2bWCaTGun
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Terror threat: US orders non-essential staff out of Lahore consulate
August 9, 2013
ISLAMABAD: The US government ordered the evacuation of non-essential staff from its consulate in Lahore on Friday due to the threat of attack, with the State Department also warning US citizens not to travel to Pakistan.
“The Department of State ordered this drawdown due to specific threats concerning the US consulate in Lahore,” said a travel warning posted on the Department of State’s website on Thursday.
The warning in Lahore comes two days after Washington evacuated some diplomats from Yemen and told its nationals to leave that country immediately.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/588625/terrot-threat-us-orders-non-essential-staff-out-of-lahore-consulate/
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Kerry to U.S. Jewish leaders: Israeli-Palestinian peace a 'strategic imperative'
U.S. State Secretary asks American Jews to endorse negotiations between Israel and Palestinians.
Aug. 9, 2013
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and National Security Adviser Susan Rice briefed Jewish leaders on resumed Palestinian-Israeli peace talks.
The meeting Thursday evening in the White House lasted 90 minutes, participants said, and was characterized mostly by Kerry’s enthusiasm for the resumed talks, and the serious commitment he said saw from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
Full report at:
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/1.540618
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US soldier WikiLeaks breach helped al Qaeda recruiting: Witness
August 9, 2013
FORT MEADE, MARYLAND: US soldier Bradley Manning’s release of secret files to WikiLeaks in the biggest breach of classified data in the nation’s history helped al Qaeda’s recruiting efforts, an expert on militancy testified on Thursday.
The militant group used Manning’s releases to claim that ”the United States does not value human life,” particularly among Muslims, said Navy Commander Youssef Aboul-Enein, an adviser to the Pentagon’s Joint Intelligence Task Force for Combating Terrorism.
Manning, 25-year-old Army private first class, was convicted last week on 19 charges for providing more than 700,000 diplomatic cables, battlefield videos and other classified data to the WikiLeaks pro-transparency website.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/588644/us-soldier-wikileaks-breach-helped-al-qaeda-recruiting-witness/
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Arab World
‘Kill hatred and look up to bright future’: Imam Grand Mosque Saudi Arab
Aug 9, 2013
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, Crown Prince Salman, deputy premier and minister of defense, and other princes and top officials performed Eid Al-Fitr prayers at the Grand Mosque in Makkah along with millions of other worshippers on Thursday.
Sheikh Saleh bin Humaid, former president of the Shoura Council and an imam of the Grand Mosque, urged Muslims to enjoy Eid following the teachings of Islam. “Eid is a time for celebration, wearing new and beautiful dresses. We should thank God for this blessing.”
In his Eid sermon, Bin Humaid emphasized the holidays’ role in strengthening human and family bonds. “As we establish contacts with our Lord through worship and prayers, we should maintain good relations with our fellow beings by participating in their enjoyment and happiness,” he said.
Full report at:
http://www.arabnews.com/news/460709
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Syrian opposition chief says planning with FSA to form one army
9 August 2013
The head of Syria’s main opposition group, Ahmed al-Jarba, said on Thursday that he is working with the Free Syrian Army to form unified armed forces inclusive of all rebel groups during an event held in the Jordanian capital, Amman.
Jarba, who was recently elected as president of the Syrian National Council, said initially there is one joint army that includes six thousand fighters.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2013/08/09/Syrian-opposition-chief-says-planning-with-FSA-to-form-one-army.html
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Egyptian Islamists deploy catapult at sit-in as clash with govt looms
9 August 2013
Islamists supporters of ousted Egyptian President Mohammad Mursi have deployed a catapult in one of their sit-ins in Cairo as part of preparations for a likely battle with security forces.
The catapult appeared in pictures circulated on the internet surrounded with walls of sand bags at Ennahda Square, next to Cairo University.
Mursi’s supporters have also built up barricades and stone ramparts using sidewalk bricks at the entrances of their main camp in Rabia al-Adawiyya.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2013/08/09/Pro-Mursi-Islamists-deploy-catapult-at-sit-in-as-clash-with-government-looms.html
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Al-Qaida suspects arrested in Saudi Arabia
AFP | Aug 9, 2013
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia arrested two suspected members of al-Qaida who may have been plotting against Western embassies in the Middle East, the interior ministry announced on Thursday.
The two men, a Yemeni and a Chadian national, had contacts with the Yemeni branch of the terror network, al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), state news agency SPA quoted ministry spokesman General Mansour al-Turki as saying.
The Chadian suspect had been expelled from Saudi Arabia but returned with a passport issued by another country, Turki added.
"The two suspects may have been implicated in the threats against Western embassies in the region," he said.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Al-Qaida-suspects-arrested-in-Saudi-Arabia/articleshow/21723246.cms
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As foreign fighters flood Syria, fears of a new terrorist haven
Eric Schmitt & Annie Barnard, New York Times | Aug 9, 2013
BEIRUT, Lebanon: As foreign fighters pour into Syria at an increasing clip, extremist groups are carving out pockets of territory that are becoming havens for Islamist militants, posing what United States and western intelligence officials say may be developing into one of the biggest terrorist threats in the world today.
Known as fierce fighters willing to employ suicide car bombs, the jihadist groups now include more than 6,000 foreigners, counterterrorism officials say, adding that such fighters are streaming into Syria in greater numbers than went into Iraq at the height of the insurgency there against the American occupation.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/As-foreign-fighters-flood-Syria-fears-of-a-new-terrorist-haven/articleshow/21725834.cms
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Morsi loyalists in Egypt call for new Friday rallies
AFP | Aug 9, 2013
CAIRO: Islamist supporters of Egypt's deposed leader Morsi planned new rallies on Friday as the interim premier suggested a crackdown on their protest camps was imminent.
Morsi supporters called for marches to begin after the Muslim Friday prayers at noon (around 1000 GMT) as the nation rested on the second day of the Eid-ul-Fitr holiday.
The government had said it held off from breaking up the protest camps in Cairo out of respect for the holy month of Ramzan, which ended on Wednesday night, and to give foreign mediators a chance to end the deadlock peacefully.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Morsi-loyalists-in-Egypt-call-for-new-Friday-rallies/articleshow/21725862.cms
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Gunmen kidnap Turkish Airlines pilots in Lebanon
Aug 9, 2013
Two pilots working for Turkish Airlines have been abducted in Lebanon, near Beirut's international airport.
The men were snatched from a bus which was carrying several other crew members and passengers between a hotel and the airport terminal.
No-one has claimed responsibility for the incident, but it is thought to be related to the conflict in Syria.
Turkey backs Syria's Sunni rebels while much of Lebanon's Shia community supports the Assad regime.
Nine Lebanese Shias were abducted in Syria last year, and their families have urged Turkey to help secure their release.
Full report at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-23629301
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Egypt's Coptic Pope concerned over risks of attacks
Aug 9, 2013
A bishop in Egypt's Coptic Church says Pope Tawadros II has cancelled weekly public meetings due to concerns over possible attacks on his congregation.
Bishop Angaelos, who heads the Church in the UK, says in one incident the flag of al-Qaeda was raised on church property while worshippers hid inside.
Several human rights groups have criticised Egypt's authorities for failing to protect Christians.
Some Islamists say the Church backed the removal of President Morsi.
Two weeks ago Bishop Angaelos told the BBC that he didn't mind what kind of government led Egypt - even an Islamist one - as long as individual rights were respected and the country was able to flourish.
Full report at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-23627653
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India
Eid-ul-Fitr celebrated across nation with prayers for peace, brotherhood
ANI | Aug 9, 2013
NEW DELHI/FIROZABAD: The holy fasting month of Ramazan came to an end on Friday, with Muslims celebrating the festival of Eid-ul-Fitr across the country.
Mass prayers were held at mosques, and were followed by a warm exchange of greetings and embrace, and at the same time an expression of spreading messages of love and unity.
At New Delhi's Jama Masjid, thousands of devotees gathered to offer their prayers.
Politicians and celebrities, besides people from other walks of life, wished the nation on the occasion of festival.
Union minister of health and family welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad and Bharatiya Janata Party ( BJP) spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain offered their prayers and wished everyone a very happy Eid.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Eid-ul-Fitr-celebrated-across-nation-with-prayers-for-peace-brotherhood/articleshow/21724968.cms
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Muslim clerics demand Dalit scholar ‘s arrest under NSA
OMAR RASHID
Aug 9, 2013
Dalit scholar Kanwal Bharti's anxiety does not seem to end. Days after his arrest -- he was later granted bail -- for taking on the Samajwadi Party government through a Facebook post, Muslim clerics in his home district of Rampur have demanded that he be arrested under the National Security Act (NSA).
Several Muslim clerics met Rampur Superintendent of Police Umesh Kumar Singh and made the demand alleging that Mr. Bharti had tried to trigger communal hatred in the society.
Mr. Bharti had been charged under Sections 153 and 295 A of the IPC, which deal with “provocation with intent to cause riot” and “deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs.”
The clerics claimed that though Mr. Bharti had the right to expression, his statements were communal and could have created disturbances.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/muslim-clerics-demand-kanwal-bhartis-arrest-under-nsa/article5006989.ece
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Communal Clashes Leave Many Injured In Kisthwar, “Objectionable Slogans” By Majority Community
August 09, 2013
The Army has been called out to quell violence after communal clashes left many people injured and several shops burnt gutted this morning in Kisthwar town, about 250 kms from Jammu.
The clashes started just after Eid prayers ended at around 10 am.
The clashes were allegedly triggered by “objectionable slogans” raised by some members of the majority community at a minority-dominated locality. The minority community – celebrating Eid-ul-Fitr at the end of the holy month of Ramadan – objected to the slogans, first leading to verbal dual which soon turned violent, official sources said.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/JAndK/Communal-clashes-leave-many-injured-in-Kisthwar/Article1-1105659.aspx
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‘Poorly-drafted’ statements again a letdown for Indo-Pak relations
Aug 9, 2013
Soon after concluding the nuclear deal with the United States, fending off stiff political opposition in 2008, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had set his eyes on his next diplomatic target - finding a breakthrough in relations with Pakistan.
But the domestic resistance to improving ties with Pakistan has been much more resilient than Singh had expected.
In the beginning of the UPA-2 in 2009 and now towards its end, two serious attempts to gear up engagement with Pakistan triggered political volatility.
“Poorly drafted” statements related to Pakistan further eroded the limited political capital the government has to pursue peace with the neighbor, both times.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/newdelhi/Poorly-drafted-statements-again-a-letdown-for-Indo-Pak-relations/Article1-1105341.aspx
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BSF, Pak Rangers exchange sweets on Eid
Yudhvir Rana, TNN | Aug 9, 2013
ATTARI: Exchange of sweets and pleasantries between officials of Border Security Force (BSF) and Pakistan Rangers on the occasion of Eid at Attari international border has not gone down well with many especially in the wake of recent killing of 5 Indian soldiers by Pak army and Jihadi elements.
And for the first time BSF prevented media personals from covering the event presumably to avoid any embarrassment in case of media queries.
As the media personals reached Attari on Friday morning they were not allowed to go beyond Customs Gate. They were also not allowed to enter the Integrated Check Post after they sought interviewing Pakistani passengers arriving India on board Lahore Delhi bus.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/BSF-Pak-Rangers-exchange-sweets-on-Eid/articleshow/21725744.cms
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J&K constitution gives no fundamental rights; SC notice to Centre and state
TNN | Aug 9, 2013
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday sought responses of the Centre and the Jammu and Kashmir government on a PIL alleging that the state was the only one to have a separate constitution which alarmingly did not provide for fundamental rights.
Petitioner Sudesh Dogra, political secretary of J&K National Panthers Party, also alleged that the state's constitution, separate from the Indian Constitution, did not profess "secularism" as the state policy.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/JK-constitution-gives-no-fundamental-rights-SC-notice-to-Centre-and-state/articleshow/21719217.cms
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Al-Qaida's growing closeness to LeT, JeM worries security establishment
Indrani Bagchi, TNN | Aug 8, 2013
NEW DELHI: The spurt in terrorist infiltration from Pakistan has been at a five-year high. India's security establishment expects this to grow exponentially after the US withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan in 2014.
The security environment will be significantly altered as well, prompting India to put in place a number of plans for the different scenarios that could play out. For many in the security establishment, it's a menu of bad options.
India's threat perceptions of being a major terror target from Pakistan-sponsored groups have sharpened in the recent past, as it has become clear that supposedly India-centric groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed are much closer to al-Qaida than ever before.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Al-Qaidas-growing-closeness-to-LeT-JeM-worries-security-establishment/articleshow/21711261.cms
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IB warns of possible terrorist strike in Delhi
Aug 9, 2013
Delhi has been put on high alert following an alert from the Intelligence Bureau (IB) of a possible terrorist strike in the national capital ahead of Independence Day, a senior Delhi Police officer said on Friday.
The IB has written a letter to Delhi Police about a specific threat to the national capital.
“We have received a letter from IB about a threat from a terrorist outfit ahead of August 15,” Special Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) S.N. Srivastava told IANS.
“Delhi has been put on high alert and security has been beefed up in markets, crowded places, high rise buildings and government offices following the alert,” he said.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/ib-warns-of-possible-terrorist-strike-in-delhi/article5006680.ece
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Southeast Asia
Malay-Muslim separatists call off peace talks with Thai government
Aug 9, 2013
Malaysia mediated talks between the Thai government and a Malay-Muslim separatist group to resolve a historic conflict, which has claimed more than 5,000 lives in the past nine years in the southern part of the country, have been called off.
The Barisan Revolusi National Melayu Pattan (BRN) who terminated the talks, which started in February, said the Thai government could not expect any more talks with them – via a message posted on YouTube on Tuesday.
Full report at:
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/malay-muslim-separatist-call-off-peace-talks-with-thai-government
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Former Indonesian VP says forced conversion of Sampang Shiites unconstitutional
August 09 2013
Former vice president Jusuf Kalla warned that forced conversion imposed on members of the Shia community in Sampang, East Java during the reconciliation process was unconstitutional.
Kalla, who also chairs the Indonesian Mosque Council (DMI) also called for a review on the ongoing mediation process as the reconciliation process reportedly involved forced conversion of the Shiites.
"That is not reconciliation. Reconciliation will equally guarantee the rights of conflicting groups. And it is definitely free from imposition of the will [of the majority group]," Kalla told reporters on the sideline of an Id ul Fitr open house event at his residence in South Jakarta on Friday.
Full report at:
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2013/08/09/jk-warns-forced-conversion-sampang-shiites-unconstitutional.html
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Malaysian media split over how to deal with violent crimes
Aug 9, 2013
The Malaysian media is split into well-known default positions - with the English and Malay print and TV media steadfastly pro-government, and the Chinese and online media more critical of the authorities.
Not surprisingly, they are equally split over how to deal with a spate of violent crimes that have transfixed Malaysians in recent months.
The pro-government media wants the police to have more powers - including bringing back detention without trial - to tackle hardcore criminals.
"Thanks to the human rights advocates who successfully pushed for abolition of the EO (Emergency Ordinance) and the Banishment Act, many of these hardcore criminals are back in business," Wong Chun Wai, group chief editor of The Star, the country's largest English daily, wrote in a column on Sunday.
Full report at:
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2013/08/09/malaysian-media-split-over-how-deal-with-violent-crimes.html
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Indonesian Widows Get Dutch Compensation, Apology Over 1946-47 Killings
Aug 9, 2013
The Hague. The Dutch government said Thursday that it had compensated 10 women whose husbands were executed by its army between 1946 and 1947 on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi.
In a statement released in The Hague, the Dutch state said it will also publicly apologize for the crimes.
“Ten widows have received compensation for the executions of their husbands by the Dutch military,” said the statement.
“The ambassador of the Netherlands, on behalf of the state, will present apologies for the summary executions,” it added.
Full report at:
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/indonesian-widows-get-dutch-compensation-apology-over-1946-47-killings/
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Europe
Russia has not delivered Syria S-300s: Report
AFP | Aug 9, 2013
MOSCOW: Russia has not delivered advanced S-300 missile systems ordered by Syria although several have been built and Damascus has paid a multi-million deposit, Vedomosti daily reported on Friday, citing arms industry sources.
A batch of the systems was due to be sent to Syria this spring, according to the Russian arms export agency's contract with Damascus, but the systems are now apparently due for delivery no earlier than the summer of 2014, Vedomosti said.
President Vladimir Putin said in June that Moscow had not yet delivered the sophisticated anti-aircraft missile systems to the Syrian regime for fear of upsetting the balance of power in the region.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Russia-has-not-delivered-Syria-S-300s-Report/articleshow/21723983.cms
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Dawkins’s comments on Muslim Nobel prize winners cause backlash
9 August 2013
Renowned atheist Richard Dawkins has provoked controversy after tweeting Thursday that “all the world’s Muslims have fewer Nobel Prizes than Trinity College, Cambridge. They did great things in the Middle Ages, though.”
The author of “The God Delusion” defended his comments against accusations of racism, Islamophobia and making an irrelevant comparison, later tweeting that he was “simply stating an intriguing fact.”
Muslims “aren’t a race. What they have in common is a religion. Rather than Trinity, would you prefer the comparison with Jews? Google it.”
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/media/2013/08/09/Dawkins-s-comments-on-Muslim-Nobel-prize-winners-cause-backlash.html
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UN chief, Russian Foreign Minister discuss Syria
Aug 9, 2013
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon discussed the escalating humanitarian crisis and increasing sectarian violence in Syria with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
UN spokesman Martin Nesirky said the UN chief underscored the need to find a political solution to the Syria conflict and to urgently renew momentum for a new Geneva conference to try to get the government and opposition to agree on a transitional government.
The Syrian crisis is also likely to highlight Mr. Lavrov’s meeting in Washington on Friday with Secretary of State John Kerry and Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/world/un-chief-russian-foreign-minister-discuss-syria/article5006211.ece
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'Syrians and Egyptians' among migrants reaching Italy
Aug 9, 2013
Syrians and Egyptians are reported to be among nearly 700 migrants who arrived illegally by boat in southern Italy in the space of 24 hours.
In one boat, coast guards found 176 people, including 41 women and 73 children, who said they were from the two countries, Italian media report.
Each had reportedly paid at least $2,000 (£1,290; 1,500 euros) to people traffickers for the two-week journey.
African migrants rescued separately said two people had died at sea.
EU states such as Malta are struggling to cope with the migrant influx.
On Tuesday, the country refused to accept a group of African migrants rescued by an oil tanker en route from Libya, before Italy stepped in to allow them to land in Sicily.
Full report at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-23630861
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Zanzibar acid attack on Trup and Gee: Reward offered
Aug 9, 2013
Zanzibar police say a reward of 10m Tanzanian shillings (£3,971, $6,170) has been offered for information leading to the capture of attackers who threw acid at two UK women.
The teenagers from London, Kirstie Trup and Katie Gee, had acid thrown on their faces, chests and hands as they walked in Zanzibar City on Wednesday evening.
The island's government is putting up the reward money.
Local police said it was considered a large amount of money on Zanzibar.
The two 18-year-olds are believed to have left Tanzania on a flight to the UK on Thursday night.
Full report at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-23629334
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Africa
Lawyer to sue Israel over Jesus Christ's death
SOWETAN LIVE, AUG 8, 2013
When Jesus died, Indidis insists, he was not given an opportunity to be heard.
The Jerusalem Post reported that former spokesman of the Kenyan Judiciary, Dola Indidis is reportedly planning to sue Israel and Italy over the execution of Jesus Christ.
Indidis said: “I filed the case because it’s my duty to uphold the dignity of Jesus and I have gone to the ICJ to seek justice for the man from Nazareth,” he was quoted saying.
“His selective and malicious prosecution violated his human rights through judicial misconduct, abuse of office bias and prejudice.”
After the High Court of Kenya dismissed his application in 2007, citing a lack of jurisdiction, Indidis made plans to ask the International Court of Justice at the Hague to overturn the conviction and death sentence of his saviour - suggesting that the trial and crucifixion of Jesus Christ was unlawful, and the State of Israel among others should be held responsible.
“Evidence today is on record in the Bible, and you cannot discredit the Bible."
Indidis added: "Some of those present spat in his face, struck him with their fists, slapped him, taunted him, and pronounced him worthy of death," he added.
When Jesus died, Indidis insists, he was not given an opportunity to be heard.
“I am suing as a friend,” he said.
Indidis had gone as far as creating a Facebook page, petitioning for the justice of Jesus Christ.
Source: http://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/2013/08/08/lawyer-to-sue-israel-over-jesus-christ-s-death
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328 killed in South Sudan in recent ethnic violence official says
Aug 9, 2013
JUBA, South Sudan: A leader of South Sudan’s Murle community says 328 people from his group were killed in recent ethnic violence.
Jongolei Boyoris, a member of parliament in the Jonglei State Assembly, said Thursday most of the people killed in July clashes were women and children. Boyoris said 32 children were abducted.
Full report at:
http://www.arabnews.com/news/460626
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Nigeria police officer sacked over YouTube video
Aug 9, 2013
A Nigerian policeman has been sacked after being caught on film apparently trying to extort $150 (£100) from a motorist accused of a traffic offence.
The footage - secretly filmed on a Lagos highway - received thousands of hits on YouTube and has been replayed on Nigerian television channels.
In the film, Sgt Chris Omeleze suggests he is part of a wider corrupt network.
But Nigeria's central police command insists otherwise. It sacked him less than a day after the video emerged.
Full report at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-23620433
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