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Islamic World News ( 20 March 2013, NewAgeIslam.Com)

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Inter-Religious Conference in Lucknow to Condemn Wahhabi Terrorism


New Age Islam News Bureau

20 March 2013


 

India

 Inter-Religious Conference in Lucknow to Condemn Wahhabi Terrorism

 Man writes Talaq on Facebook Wall, Qazi says Talaq not valid

 Unfamiliar with the term Fidayeen, the Imam denounced terrorist attacks as un-Islamic

 President Morsi invites India's Tata Group to invest in Egypt

 'Mission' not accomplished in Afghanistan, India to UNSC

 Morsi asks India's Muslims to play a 'positive' role

 Can't halt the import of Iran oil, India to tell US

 ‘Srinagar attack not linked to Afzal execution’

 Omar angry at netizens' silence on youth killing by militant

 Pakistan makes Wagah crossing more India-friendly

 FIR against channel for ‘misreporting’ Fidayeen attack

 

Europe

 Reverend: "Secular India taught me to look at every religion with equal respect

 U.K. firm wins Maldives airport project

 Pakistan to sign treaty on prisoner transfers with US

 Syria chemical weapons attack not 'fully verified': Britain's UN envoy

 UN, major powers warn Afghanistan over election

 German court to hear Afghan tanker attack lawsuit

 Syria crisis: UK charities start appeal

 

Southeast Asia

 Shariah Police Head in Aceh Tests Positive for Drug Use after Car Accident

 ‘Temporary burial’ planned for 28 dead Sulu militants, says deputy IGP

 Malaysia Charges Filipinos with Terror, Waging War-Report

 Iraq Willing to Supply an 'Unlimited' Quantity of Crude Oil to Indonesia

 Indonesia to Buy More Russian Jet Fighters, Patrol Ships

 Sulu sultanate confirms Agbimuddin worked in Kudat, denies Malaysian citizenship claim

 

Pakistan

 At least 33 militants killed in Khyber’s Tirah valley

 Pakistan hopes for Buddhist tourism boost

 War on terror will go on, says military

 Inquiry ordered into use of children in bomb blasts

 Pakistan to hold general elections on May 11

 Pak govt gave military Rs 687 billion over annual budgets

 Buses give Sharif election edge

 Pakistan ‘anti-corruption’ preacher to boycott vote

 Sharifs want to sabotage public meeting: Imran

 

South Asia

 Bangladesh president Mohammad Zillur Rahman dies in Singapore

 How the Taliban wins over Afghans without firing a shot

 46 eminent citizens condemn bombing on the residence of widow of martyr

 Nato forces say agree to leave key Afghan province near Kabul

 Maldives Civil society criticises Home Ministry for decision to dissolve 70 percent of NGOs

 Afghan govt says Nato war ‘aimless, unwise’

 Violence rages in Bangladesh on Bandh day-II, train derailed

 OIC expresses concern over Sri Lanka’s ethnic tensions

 

Mideast Asia

 Hate graffiti sprayed on Jewish homes in Tel Aviv

 Turkish capital Ankara hit by twin explosions

 Erdogan says comments on Zionism ‘misunderstood’

 

Africa

 'Al Qaeda in Africa says beheads French hostage'

 Nigeria’s suicide blast toll rises to 70

 French army says 15 Islamists killed in Mali

 Former Libyan ambassador arrested in Cairo

 Nigerian boat with 166 people on board sinks

 

Arab World

 18, including 16 Saudis, arrested for espionage against the Kingdom

 Lebanon sectarian wave: Four Sunni Scholars thrashed

 UAE jailed radicals formed 'state within state'

 Al Qaeda claims wave of Iraq attacks that killed 56

 Syria regime, rebels trade chemical weapons accusations

 Egypt's Shura Council approves issuance of Islamic bonds

 Islamists angry over Salafist activist's 'humiliating' arrest in Cairo

 Upper Egypt protests over conversion to Christianity rumour

 Rush hour car bomb kills 2 in eastern Baghdad

 Islamic law comes to rebel-held Syria

 Jordan King Says Assad Days Numbered

 KSA launches locator system for prisoners

 Bahrain urged to free jailed activists to end unrest

 Sectarian Strains Pit Some Iraqis against Their Own Leaders

 Decade on, Iraq grappling with attacks and deadlock

 

North America

 US has now an ally in India says lawmaker

 Iraq War’s 10th Anniversary Is Barely Noted in Washington

 Obama Says U.S. Firm in Commitment to Israel's Security

 Seeking Lessons From Iraq. But Which Ones?

 

Australia

 “Gulf of Mannar ideal for kayak tourism”

 Indonesia Mulls Running Cattle Breeding Farm in Australia

 

Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau

Photo: At least 33 militants killed in Khyber’s Tirah valley

URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/inter-religious-conference-lucknow-condemn/d/10835

 

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India

 

Inter-Religious Conference in Lucknow to Condemn Wahhabi Terrorism

New Age Islam News Bureau

 March 20, 2013

A conference of the leaders of all the religions was held in Lucknow on Tuesday in Lucknow, India in which the growing menace of Wahhabi terrorism, communalism and sectarianism was condemned. The speakers said that the Wahhabi outfits have been responsible for communal and sectarian violence  and attacks on the minorities in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Arab countries and said that these outfits were getting patronage, training and funding from the US, Israel and Saudi Arabia. The flag bearer of Wahhabi ideology, Saudi Arabia has been continuing the killings of innocent people all over the world. Initially it was seen as the feud between two groups among Muslims but gradually they started targeting the persons of other religions as well so that they could establish their hegemony over them. Recently, the killings of Christians and Hindus in Pakistan and Bangladesh and attacks on their religious places are the result of this ideology. While Saudi Arabia has been active in promoting its Wahhabi ideology, the anti-Islam policy of the US and Israel aided and supported it. By embracing Saudi Arabia, both played their role in anti-Islamic activities. They organised the killing of innocent Muslims with the help of terrorism in Syria, Lebanon, Bahrain and Yemen and also targeted Muslims and non-Muslims alike in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Saudi Arabia wants to promote Wahhabism all over the world and the US also wants to realise its plans of establishing its hegemony over the Muslims with the use of Wahhabism, the speakers said. The speakers also said that due to illiteracy and ignorance about Islamic teachings among common Muslims, the Wahhabi ideology is spreading fast in educationally and socially backward Muslim areas, a manifestation of which is the regular targeted killings of doctors, scholars, engineers and artists in Pakistan.  Recently, Prof Sibte Jafar was gunned down by Lashkar-e-Jhangvi terrorists.

Expressing concern over the Wahhabi terrorism causing bloodshed of Muslims and non-Muslims alike, the leaders of all religions demanded that the government should act to prevent killing and bloodshed in Bangladesh, Pakistan and all the other countries where these Wahhabi terrorists are violating human rights. They also demanded that the government should conduct an inquiry into the links of such individuals and organisations with the terrorist organisations of Pakistan and other countries.

The conference which was held in the Press Club here was attended by Maulana Kalb-e-Jawwad, Mufti Abul Irfan Firangi Mahli, Maulana Ayub Ashraf, Acharya Shri Krishn Shuklaji, Bharat Das ji Maharaj, Dr Gurumit Singh, Dr Rakesh Chetri, Father D’ Souza, Shri Mahant Divyagiri, Maulana Syed Tasnim Mehdi, Maulana Reza Hussain and the representatives of other organisations.

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Man writes Talaq on Facebook Wall, Qazi says Talaq not valid

New Age Islam News Bureau, March 20, 2013

Bhopal, India: A man from Bhopal made history of sorts when he divorced his wife via Facebook. The man wrote ‘Talaq’ thrice on his wife’s Facebook wall. To validate his Talaq, the husband obtained a fatwa in favour of his Talaq. However, the city Qazi ruled that the mode of giving Talaq via Facebook was against Shariah.

Till now, the muftis of Darul Ifta, Deoband have ruled that divorce pronounced through SMS was valid. In a few cases where husbands pronounced three Talaqs through SMS, they ruled that the divorces were valid. But the city Qazi of Bhopal’s fatwa that the divorce given on Facebook was void and not applicable is a positive shift which will help reign in truant husbands. The husband is absconding as the wife has lodged a complaint of dowry torture against her.

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Unfamiliar with the term Fidayeen, the Imam denounced terrorist attacks as un-Islamic MOHAMED IMRANULLAH S.

 March 16, 2013

They gather in large numbers to pay respects to slain CRPF constable

“Fidayeen? Ah… I’m sorry. I don’t know what it means. I’m hearing it for the first time,” was how S. Mohammad Shahid, Imam (worship leader) of Masjid-e-Maamoor, a mosque at Thummanaickanpatti in Peraiyur Taluk near here, reacted even as scores of other perplexed Muslims gazed at each other searching for an answer with respect to the meaning of the term.

They had gathered in large numbers near the village temple ground on Friday to pay their last respects to L. Perumal, a 29-year-old Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) constable who was shot dead in a fidayeen (militants volunteering to die) attack in Srinagar on Wednesday.

His coffin draped in tricolour was flown to Chennai on Thursday night and then brought to the village by road.

DENOUNCE TERROR ATTACKS

Though unfamiliar with the term Fidayeen, the Imam denounced terrorist attacks as un-Islamic.

“Islam preaches only brotherhood and oneness. Our village itself stands as an example of secularism. Muslims, Dalits and Hindus belonging to other castes such as Asari, Nadar and Naicker had been living here peacefully for years together without giving room for confrontation,” he said.

Concurring with him, Village Administrative Officer A. Sundaraperumal said that though Dalits were a majority in the village, they voluntarily accord first respects to Caste Hindus during annual temple festivals. Muslims too were invited to these festivals. The only sore point was that each of these three major groups maintained separate burial and cremation grounds.

On Friday, Minister for Cooperation ‘Sellur’ K. Raju and Collector Anshul Mishra placed a wreath on behalf of Chief Minister Jayalalithaa and handed over a cheque for Rs.5 lakh as ordered by her to the family members of the slain CRPF constable. Thereafter, the body was taken to a burial ground meant exclusively for Dalits of the village and buried with due honours.

Every wall, ceiling and pedestal around the temple ground was swarmed by people who wanted to take a glimpse of the constable’s face.

But, they could not as the body was covered from head to toe. The constable’s parents rued that they were not able to see their son’s face even after waiting for two long days for the body to reach the village.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/fidayeen-what-fidayeen-ask-thummanaickanpatti-muslims/article4516512.ece

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President Morsi invites India's Tata Group to invest in Egypt

Indian conglomerate in talks with Egyptian authorities over establishment of solar cell factory, automobile plants and hotel chains in Egypt

20 Mar 2013

Egyptian President Morsi met with the heads of Tata Group on Wednesday morning in New Delhi, in an effort to encourage the India-based conglomerate to invest in Egypt.

The Tata delegation expressed great interest in investing in Egypt, and offered to send a team of technical experts "as soon as possible" to discuss the establishment of a solar cell-making factory in Egypt, state-owned news agency MENA reported.

Full report at:

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/3/12/67291/Business/Economy/President-Morsi-invites-Indias-Tata-Group-to-inves.aspx

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'Mission' not accomplished in Afghanistan, India to UNSC

PTI | Mar 20, 2013

WASHINGTON: India has told the UN Security Council that even after the concerted efforts of the international community from over a decade in Afghanistan, the war-torn nation continues to face an existential threat from terrorism.

"We are yet to isolate and root out the syndicate of terrorism, which includes elements of al-Qaida, Taliban, LeT and other terrorist and extremist groups that operate with impunity from safe havens across Afghanistan's borders," said Manjeev Puri, the Acting Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations.

Full report at:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/Mission-not-accomplished-in-Afghanistan-India-to-UNSC/articleshow/19083466.cms

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Morsi asks India's Muslims to play a 'positive' role

IANS | Mar 20, 2013

NEW DELHI: Visiting Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi met top Indian Muslim leaders and asked them to play a more positive role, stressing there is no other country in the world that is as multi-religious as India. He sought deepening of ties with India.

Full report at:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Morsi-asks-Indias-Muslims-to-play-a-positive-role/articleshow/19087702.cms

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Can't halt the import of Iran oil, India to tell US

Amitav Ranjan

 Mar 20 2013

New Delhi : New Delhi is likely to tell Washington this week that it would not halt import of Iranian crude because of technical and monetary advantages it brings for Indian refineries.

The government will tell the US that the cut in imports — to 12.9 million tonnes in 2012-13 from 18.1 million tonnes in 2011-12 — was the best it could do in the circumstances, official sources said.

Full report at:

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/cant-halt-the-import-of-iran-oil-india-to-tell-us/1090655/

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‘Srinagar attack not linked to Afzal execution’

 Mar 20 2013

Blaming the Pakistan-based handlers of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) for the March 13 suicide attack in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir Police Tuesday said the case has been fully cracked with the arrest of four persons involved in the attack. The police said another former militant, Mukhtar Shah, has also been arrested.

The police, however, suggested that the attack was not a revenge of the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, saying some members of the militant group had infiltrated into the valley even before Afzal’s execution.

Full report at:

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/srinagar-attack-not-linked-to-afzal-execution/1090526/

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Omar angry at netizens' silence on youth killing by militant

PTI | Mar 20, 2013

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday lashed out at netizens who maintained silence over the killing of a teenaged boy by militants in Sopore town yesterday but had showed outrage against killing of a youth in security forces firing last Full report at:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Omar-angry-at-netizens-silence-on-youth-killing-by-militant/articleshow/19088143.cms

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Pakistan makes Wagah crossing more India-friendly

ANITA JOSHUA

 March 20, 2013

The relaxed India-Pakistan visa regime may have hit a rough patch with rollbacks on commitments following the clashes along the Line of Control (LoC) in January, but Pakistan has evidently gone the extra mile to be welcoming towards Indians entering through the Wagah border road crossing in Punjab.

Full report at:

http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/pakistan-makes-wagah-crossing-more-indiafriendly/article4526547.ece

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FIR against channel for ‘misreporting’ fidayeen attack

AHMED ALI FAYYAZ

 March 20, 2013

The channel however serves legal notice on a Kashmir daily, accusing it of doctoring screen grab

Holding it responsible for “inaccurate reporting” of the March 13 fidayeen attack, the Jammu and Kashmir Police have filed a criminal intimidation case against news channel Times Now even as the media organisation denied the allegation and slapped a legal notice on the leading J&K daily Greater Kashmir.

Full report at:

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/fir-against-channel-for-misreporting-fidayeen-attack/article4523091.ece

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Europe

 

Reverend: "Secular India taught me to look at every religion with equal respect

By Kounteya Sinha, TNN | Mar 20, 2013

LONDON: As a school boy, Isaac Poobalan grew up in the southern Indian town of Vellore watching people of different faiths pray side by side in the chapel of the Christian Medical College hospital. Now, four decades later, this male nurse turned Reverend has become the symbol of inter-faith brotherhood in UK.

Poobalan, the rector of St John's Church in Aberdeen (Scotland) has opened up his facility for Muslims to pray alongside Christians.

With the nearby Syed Shah Mustafa Jame Masjid mosque too small to accommodate everyone, up to 100 Muslims now pray in the main chapel of St John's five times every Friday. "Secular India taught me to look at every religion with equal respect. My inheritance and the celebration of religions in India where Hindu, Sikhs, Christians and Muslims celebrate and live side by side, irrespective of colour or creed was a significant factor for my growth," Rev Poobalan told TOI in an exclusive interview from Aberdeen.

Full report at:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/uk/Reverend-opens-church-doors-for-Muslims/articleshow/19082940.cms

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U.K. firm wins Maldives airport project

 March 20, 2013

Maldives has chosen U.K.-based Lagan Construction to develop the Addu International Airport.

Managing Director of Maldives’ State Trading Organisation (STO) Shahid Ali said that Lagan Construction and Danish company MT Hojgaard had submitted bids for the project.

“Out of them, Lagan had submitted the most responsive bid in the bid evaluation process. So Lagan has been shortlisted,” Mr. Shahid was quoted as saying in local media.

Full report at:

http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/uk-firm-wins-maldives-airport-project/article4526775.ece

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Pakistan to sign treaty on prisoner transfers with US

March 20, 2013

ISLAMABAD: The United States has called on Pakistan to sign a Council of Europe convention on the transfer of prisoners or convicts, Pakistani officials said on Tuesday. The recommendation came in response to a request for the repatriation of Pakistani prisoners languishing in US jails.

The Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons, 1985, signed and ratified by 64 countries, allows foreigners convicted of a criminal offence to serve out their sentences in their home countries.

Full report at:

http://tribune.com.pk/story/523537/council-of-europe-convention-pakistan-to-sign-treaty-on-prisoner-transfers-with-us/

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Syria chemical weapons attack not 'fully verified': Britain's UN envoy

Government and rebels both blamed each other for a deadly chemical weapon attack, the first of its kind in the Syrian conflict

19 Mar 2013

Britain's U.N. envoy said on Tuesday reports of a chemical weapon attack in Syria had not yet been "fully verified" as the Russian Foreign Ministry accused Syrian rebels of using chemical weapons near the northern city of Aleppo.

Full report at:

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/67269/World/Region/Syria-chemical-weapons-attack-not-fully-verified-B.aspx

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UN, major powers warn Afghanistan over election

 20 March 2013

UNITED NATIONS: The United States and United Nations yesterday warned Afghanistan that ensuring a credible presidential election next year would be “critical” to maintaining international support after 2014.

The warnings came amid growing tensions between President Hamid Karzai and the United States and the NATO-led international force which is due to leave Afghanistan next year.

“An inclusive and credible presidential election in 2014 is critical for the country’s future and to sustaining international assistance to the people of Afghanistan,” US Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice said.

Full report at:

http://www.arabnews.com/news/445421

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Syria crisis: UK charities start appeal

2013/03/20

British aid agencies have started an appeal to help the people affected by the two-year conflict in Syria.

The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) has said there is a huge need for help as the humanitarian situation inside the country continues to deteriorate.

More than three million Syrians have been forced to flee their homes as the fighting spreads.

One official said more than £150m was needed to care for them, as donations to the appeal opened.

Full report at:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-21855570

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Southeast Asia

 

Shariah Police Head in Aceh Tests Positive for Drug Use after Car Accident

Jakarta Globe | March 19, 2013

The head of the Lhokseumawe Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) and Shariah Police in Aceh has tested positive for marijuana use after slamming his car into a tree and a house on Sunday night, police said.

Shariah Police officer Zulkarnain lost control of his car after leaving his office in Simpang Asmi, Kutablang village on Sunday. Another officer came to investigate the accident, where he discovered hashish inside Zulkarnain’s car.

“His urine test shows that he was consuming drugs,” head of the Lhokseumawe police narcotics division, First. Insp. Poeloeng Arsa, told Atjehpost.com on Monday.

Full report at:

http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/home/shariah-police-head-in-aceh-tests-positive-for-drug-use-after-car-accident/580642

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 ‘Temporary burial’ planned for 28 dead Sulu militants, says deputy IGP

March 20, 2013

LAHAD DATU, March 20 — The bodies of 28 Sulu militants kept at the Lahad Datu and Tawau hospitals will be buried as a temporary measure pending any claim by next-of-kin, Deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said today.

This was to prevent any health risk and also due to the lack of room at the mortuaries at the two hospitals, he told a news conference also attended by Chief of Defence Forces Gen Tan Sri Zulkifeli Mohd Zin at the Felda Sahabat 16 operations command near here.

Full report at:

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/temporary-burial-planned-for-28-dead-sulu-terrorists-says-deputy-igp/

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Malaysia Charges Filipinos With Terror, Waging War-Report

2013/03/20

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Authorities in Malaysia pressed charges on Wednesday against members of a group of armed men who clashed with security forces after landing in a remote coastal area and pressing a 19th century claim to the land.

Security forces are still hunting down the remnants of the group that sailed in mid-February to Sabah state on Borneo island, eventually triggering battles that left up to 71 dead. Nine of the dead were Malaysian security peronnel.

Full report at:

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2013/03/20/world/asia/20reuters-malaysia-philippines-terrorism.html?ref=asia&gwh=AF55616511792DF324C57952661399F6

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Iraq Willing to Supply an 'Unlimited' Quantity of Crude Oil to Indonesia

Tito Summa Siahaan | March 19, 2013

Indonesian has received a long-term commitment from the Iraqi government to supply the Southeast Asian nation with crude oil to meet domestic needs, a high-ranking official said on Monday.

Susilo Siswoutomo, the Indonesian deputy minister for energy and mineral resources, said the Iraqi government was willing to supply Indonesia with an “unlimited” supply of crude oil. “There’s even a discussion to make this partnership last 50 years,” he added.

Full report at:

http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/international/iraq-willing-to-supply-an-unlimited-quantity-of-crude-oil-to-indonesia/580577

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Indonesia to Buy More Russian Jet Fighters, Patrol Ships

March 20, 2013

Indonesia plans to buy more than a dozen Russian Sukhoi fighter jets and domestically made, missile-equipped patrol ships as part of a $15 billion five-year campaign to modernize its military, defense officials said on Wednesday.

Southeast Asia’s largest economy has sharply increased its defense budget since 2010 as the military looks to bolster its capacity to protect shipping lanes, ports and maritime boundaries.

Indonesia is also wary of being left behind as China, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand and other Asian nations ramp up defense spending.

Full report at:

http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/home/indonesia-to-buy-more-russian-jet-fighters-patrol-ships/580915

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Sulu sultanate confirms Agbimuddin worked in Kudat, denies Malaysian citizenship claim

March 20, 2013

KUALA LUMPUR, March 20 – Agbimuddin Kiram was a civil servant in a Sabah district office, a spokesman for the Sulu sultanate confirmed today, but denied the militant leader had been granted Malaysian citizenship as alleged just hours earlier by the opposition PKR.

Abraham Idjirani, the sultanate’s secretary-general, told Philippines media in Manila that Agbimuddin had served as an assistant district officer in Kudat on Sabah’s north, backing PKR’s statement earlier this morning, which was based on a 1975 Sabah government payroll dug up from the state’s archives.

Full report at:

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/sulu-sultanate-confirms-agbimuddin-worked-in-kudat-denies-malaysian-citizenship-claim/

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Pakistan

 

At least 33 militants killed in Khyber’s Tirah valley

Zahir Shah Sherazi

March 20, 2013

PESHAWAR: Two suicide blasts carried out by the Ansarul Islam (AI)and bombardment from military jets on Mar 18 claimed the lives of at least 33 militants, including a key-militants commander of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and injured many others in Khyber tribal region, sources told Dawn.com.

Militants of the banned TTP occupied a centre of the Ansarul Islam in Bagh-Maidan area of Khyber tribal region’s Tirah valley on Mar 18.

Full report at:

http://dawn.com/2013/03/20/at-least-33-militants-killed-in-khybers-tirah-valley/

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Pakistan hopes for Buddhist tourism boost

March 20, 2013

TAKHT-E-BAHI: Religious violence may be on the rise and the Taliban still a threat, but Pakistan is hoping a rich Buddhist heritage will help it boost international tourism to its troubled northwest.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with its balmy climate in the mountains and its wealth of history on the border with Afghanistan, was once a playground for colonial adventurers and a favourite holiday destination for upper-crust Pakistanis.

Full report at:

http://dawn.com/2013/03/20/pakistan-hopes-for-buddhist-tourism-boost/

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War on terror will go on, says military

March 20, 2013

ISLAMABAD: The top military brass resolved on Tuesday to continue the fight against terrorism.

The meeting, chaired by Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Gen Khalid Shameem Wynne, was attended by Chief of Army Staff Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Asif Sandila, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Tahir Rafique Butt, Defence Secretary Lt Gen (retd) Asif Yasin Malik, Chief of General Staff, Director General Joint Staff, Director General of Inter Services Intelligence, Director General of Strategic Plans Division and other senior military officers from the three services.

Full report at:

http://dawn.com/2013/03/20/decision-at-top-brass-meeting-war-on-terror-will-go-on-says-military/

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Inquiry ordered into use of children in bomb blasts

March 20, 2013

QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani on Tuesday constituted a judicial inquiry into the alleged involvement of 11 children in acts of terrorism.

“The judge of the BHC will conduct judicial inquiry into the issue of alleged involvement of 11 children in bomb blasts and other terrorism-related activities,” Mr Raisani said.

The Quetta Police had arrested 11 children alleging their involvement in bomb blasts and incidents of terrorism. Parents of the arrested children staged a demonstration on Monday and the chief minister taking notice of the protest issued orders for a judicial inquiry into the matter.

Full report at:

http://dawn.com/2013/03/20/inquiry-ordered-into-use-of-children-in-bomb-blasts/

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Pakistan to hold general elections on May 11

AFP | Mar 20, 2013

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari announced Wednesday that general elections would be held on May 11, in what will mark the first democratic transition of power in the country's history.

"The president received a summary from the government asking him to announce a suitable date for the election, so the president announced today that general elections to the national assembly will be held on May 11," spokesman Farhatullah Babar told AFP.

 Full report at:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Pakistan-to-hold-general-elections-on-May-11/articleshow/19090134.cms

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Pak govt gave military Rs 687 billion over annual budgets

Mar 20 2013

Islamabad : Pakistan's outgoing government has acknowledged that it provided grants of Rs 687 billion to the powerful military for security-related spending that were in addition to the annual defence budgets.

An annual grant of about Rs 200 billion was kept under wraps for years by the government led by the Pakistan People's Party.

The release of the grants was acknowledged in the budget strategy paper -- a document that covers this fiscal's revised budget estimates and projections for the next three years, a media report said today.

Full report at:

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/pak-govt-gave-military-rs-687-billion-over-annual-budgets/1090846/

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Buses give Sharif election edge

JON BOONE

March 20, 2013

Funding a fleet of vehicles has given Nawaz Sharif the advantage over the ruling PPP For some, the 17 miles of road and flyovers built for the exclusive use of a fleet of red buses that zoom above the gridlocked streets of Lahore is a shocking extravagance.

In a country where only 35 per cent of children are in secondary school and poverty is a reality for many, it is easy to think of other ways to spend GBP220m.

But for Nawaz Sharif, the frontrunner in the battle to become Pakistan’s next prime minister, the country’s first mass transit project is worth every penny -- if it staves off competition from the country’s wily president and a famous ex-cricket star.

Full report at:

http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/south-asia/buses-give-sharif-election-edge/article4529316.ece

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Pakistan ‘anti-corruption’ preacher to boycott vote

 20 March 2013

ISLAMABAD: A populist Pakistani preacher who has generated mass protests to demand sweeping political reform will boycott the forthcoming general elections, he said.

The polls, expected by mid-May but for which no date has yet been set, will mark the first democratic transition between two civilian governments in Pakistan, where the military remains powerful after staging three coups.

“This is just an election of money, might and manipulation. That is why I decided my party should not take part,” said Tahir-ul Qadri, a religious moderate who has written a fatwa against terrorism and suicide bombings, on Monday.

Full report at:

http://www.arabnews.com/news/445413

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Sharifs want to sabotage public meeting: Imran

March 20, 2013

LAHORE: Tehrik-i-Insaaf Chairman Imran Khan said on Tuesday Sharif brothers were scared of PTI’s popularity and were sticking to the Punjab government only to use official machinery to sabotage the party’s upcoming public meeting in Lahore.

Imran announced the PTI chief would have only two terms in the office, giving an opportunity to other workers as well to become party head.

Full report at:

http://dawn.com/2013/03/20/pti-chief-to-have-two-terms-only-sharifs-want-to-sabotage-public-meeting-imran/

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South Asia

 

Bangladesh president Mohammad Zillur Rahman dies in Singapore

PTI | Mar 20, 2013

DHAKA: Bangladesh President Mohammad Zillur Rahman, a close aide of the country's founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, died on Wednesday at a Singapore hospital where he was being treated for kidney and respiratory problems, officials said.

He was 85. "He breathed his last at the Mount Elisabeth Hospital," a presidential spokesman said.

Full report at:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/Bangladesh-president-Mohammad-Zillur-Rahman-dies-in-Singapore/articleshow/19091628.cms

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How the Taliban wins over Afghans without firing a shot

Fazelminallah Qazizai and Chris Sands

March 20, 2013

By addressing social injustices — like the price of marriage — the Taliban has no trouble winning hearts and minds.

MAIDAN WARDAK, Afghanistan — A letter nailed to the doors and walls of mosques notified people in Maidan Wardak province of the Taliban's latest decree. When word spread, the insurgents had gained more supporters without firing a shot.

The order addressed an issue that residents increasingly viewed as a threat to Afghan and Islamic culture: the rising cost of marriage.

Full report at:

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/asia-

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46 eminent citizens condemn bombing on the residence of widow of martyr

March 20, 2013

Forty-six eminent citizens yesterday condemned bombing of the gate of the residence of Ayesha Foyez, widow of martyr Foyzur Rahman Ahmed, on Monday morning.

They also demanded proper investigation of the attack and urged the authorities concerned to ensure security of her family.

Full report at:

http://www.thedailystar.net/beta2/news/46-eminent-citizens-condemn-attack/

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Nato forces say agree to leave key Afghan province near Kabul

March 20, 2013

KABUL: Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Nato-led forces have reached an agreement on the departure of foreign troops from a strategically key province near the capital, coalition forces said, but it was unclear if US special forces would leave.

An Afghan defence ministry spokesman told reporters in Kabul that the elite American force would quit Wardak within a few days, despite earlier US concerns that their departure would leave a security vacuum.

Full report at:

http://dawn.com/2013/03/20/nato-forces-say-agree-to-leave-key-afghan-province-near-kabul/

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Maldives Civil society criticises Home Ministry for decision to dissolve 70 percent of NGOs

By Minivan News | March 19th, 2013

The Ministry of Home Affairs is facing criticism for publically announcing the dissolution of nearly 1300 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) without notification or supportive mechanisms.

State Minister for Home Affairs Abdulla Mohamed announced Tuesday (March 18) that the ministry will dissolve approximately 1300 of 1843 nationally registered NGOs – 70 percent – because they failed to submit annual reports or elect executive committees, local media reported.

Full report at:

http://minivannews.com/politics/civil-society-criticises-home-ministry-for-decision-to-dissolving-70-percent-of-ngos-54838

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Afghan govt says Nato war ‘aimless, unwise’

March 20, 2013

KABUL/COPENHAGEN - Afghanistan’s presidential spokesman on Tuesday described the Nato-led military operation in the country as ‘aimless and unwise’, in the latest government broadside against the coalition.

Aimal Faizi, spokesman for President Hamid Karzai, hit out after Nato chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen rejected Karzai’s recent allegations that it was working in collusion with Taliban militants. “The people of Afghanistan ask Nato to define the purpose and aim of the so-called war on terror... (They) consider this war as aimless and unwise to continue,” Faizi said in a statement.

Full report at:

http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/international/20-Mar-2013/afghan-govt-says-nato-war-aimless-unwise

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Violence rages in Bangladesh on bandh day-II, train derailed

ByCaesar Mandal, TNN | Mar 20, 2013

DHAKA: The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-led opposition alliance stepped up its violence - even derailed a train - on the second day of the 48-hour nationwide strike after Dhaka residents took to the burning streets to thwart the shutdown on its opening day.

Full report at:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/Violence-rages-in-Bangladesh-on-bandh-day-II-train-derailed/articleshow/19082947.cms

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OIC expresses concern over Sri Lanka’s ethnic tensions

 20 March 2013

The Jeddah-based Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the parent body of 57 member countries, has expressed its concerns yesterday over the escalating ethnic tensions in Sri Lanka, which has affected the island’s Muslim community and its businesses sector.

The (OIC) (formerly known as the Organization of the Islamic Conference) is the second largest inter-governmental organization after the United Nations, with a membership of 57 states spread over four continents. The organization is the collective voice of the Muslim world and strives to safeguard and protect the interests of the Muslims in the spirit of promoting international peace and harmony among various people of the world.

Full report at:

http://www.arabnews.com/news/445453

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Mideast Asia

 

Hate graffiti sprayed on Jewish homes in Tel Aviv

Mar 20 2013

Jerusalem : Israeli police say vandals have spray painted hate graffiti on several Jewish houses in Jaffa, a mixed Israeli and Arab neighbourhood of Tel Aviv.

Spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said swastikas and "Death to Jews" were sprayed onto houses and shops early today. He said police have launched an investigation.

Israeli Jews and Arab Muslims and Christians generally coexist peacefully in the port city. Hate crimes there are rare.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/hate-graffiti-sprayed-on-jewish-homes-in-tel-aviv/1090863/

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Turkish capital Ankara hit by twin explosions

2013/03/20

One person has been injured in explosions at Turkey's justice ministry and the headquarters of the governing AK Party in Ankara, officials say.

A rocket hit the seventh floor of the AK building, while two hand grenades were thrown at the ministry.

Earlier reports claimed two people had been wounded. No group has said it carried out the attacks.

Full report at:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-21854215

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Erdogan says comments on Zionism ‘misunderstood’

20 March 2013

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in remarks published Wednesday that his controversial comments branding Zionism a crime against humanity had been misunderstood.

Erdogan, who has often attacked Israeli policies, triggered a storm of protest about his comments on Zionism at a U.N. forum in Vienna last month.

“I understand that my statement in Vienna led to some debate. But no one should misunderstand what I said,” Erdogan said in an interview with Danish newspaper Politiken ahead of a visit to Copenhagen.

Full report at:

http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/2013/03/20/Eerdogan-says-comments-on-Zionism-misunderstood-.html

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Africa

 

'Al Qaeda in Africa says beheads French hostage'

March 20, 2013

Al Qaeda's North African arm said it had beheaded a French hostage in retaliation for France's intervention in Mali, Mauritania's ANI news agency reported on Tuesday, citing a commander for the group.

In what ANI reported was a telephone call to the agency, which has close links

to Islamist militants, the commander said Philippe Verdon had been beheaded on March 10 "in response to the French military intervention in the north of Mali", ANI reported.

Verdon was one of two French hostages kidnapped in the northern Mali town of Hombori in November 2011. The French foreign ministry declined to comment.

Full report at:

http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/africa/Al-Qaeda-in-Africa-says-beheads-French-hostage/Article1-1029159.aspx

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Nigeria’s suicide blast toll rises to 70

March 20, 2013

At least 70 people have been killed in a suicide attack that struck a bus station in Nigeria’s northern city of Kano, though official records show a much lower toll.

A local television station, Channels, quoted Tobias Idika, the president of ethnic Ibo organisation in the city, Ohanaeze and a eyewitness as saying that 70 persons have been confirmed dead in yesterday’s attack.

Full report at:

http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/nigerias-suicide-blast-toll-rises-to-70/article4529787.ece

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French army says 15 Islamists killed in Mali

French army which has been leading invasion against Malian Islamists since January, claims fifteen Islamist fighters have been killed in northern Gao region

19 Mar 2013

Fifteen Islamist fighters have been killed in recent days in the northern Mali region of Gao, the French army said Tuesday, announcing the seizure of a large cache of arms and ammunition.

Full report at:

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/9/67238/World/International/French-army-says--Islamists-killed-in-Mali.aspx

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Former Libyan ambassador arrested in Cairo

Former ambassador Ali Maria is wanted by Interpol for crimes related to the Gaddafi regime in Libya

19 Mar 2013

Former Libyan ambassador to Egypt Ali Maria was arrested on Tuesday morning in Cairo.

Maria, who was ambassador under deposed leader Muammar Gaddafi, is accused of a number of crimes related to the former Libyan regime and is currently wanted by the Libyan government.

Full report at:

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/67239/Egypt/Politics-/Former-Libyan-ambassador-arrested-in-Cairo.aspx

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Nigerian boat with 166 people on board sinks

Reuters | Mar 20, 2013

CALABAR, NIGERIA: A wooden boat carrying 166 people from southeastern Nigeria capsized about 40 nautical miles off the coast, with only two known survivors, emergency services and local traders said on Tuesday.

The boat left on Friday from the remote town of Oron, in Cross Rivers state, across the Gulf of Guinea and was heading to Gabon, in central Africa, traders said.

Full report at:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/Nigerian-boat-with-166-people-on-board-sinks/articleshow/19081394.cms

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Arab World

 

18, including 16 Saudis, arrested for espionage against the Kingdom

 20 March 2013

Saudi Arabia has arrested 16 Saudis, an Iranian and a Lebanese for espionage.

“The men were arrested in Makkah, Madinah, Riyadh and Eastern Province,” said Mansour Al-Turki, spokesman of the Interior Ministry.

The arrests took place after the ministry received information about spying by a number of Saudis and expatriates in the country for the benefit of a particular country.

“They were collecting information about vital sites and installations in the Kingdom and contacting with intelligence agencies of that country,” the spokesman said.

The suspected spies will be investigated and transferred to court for legal action, said the spokesman.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/445462

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Lebanon sectarian wave: Four Sunni Scholars thrashed

 19 March 2013

BEIRUT: Four Sunni scholars were beaten up in two separate attacks in Beirut on Sunday night, testing a fragile peace between the sects and factions that fought Lebanon’s 15-year civil war.

Mazen Hariri and Ahmed Fekhran, both scholars at Lebanon’s highest Sunni seat of learning, Dar Al-Fatwa, were attacked by a group of men in the mainly Shiite Khandak Al-Ghamik area after they left the Mohammed Al-Amin mosque in downtown Beirut, security sources said yesterday.

Full report at:

http://www.arabnews.com/news/445287

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UAE jailed radicals formed 'state within state'

19 March 2013

ABU DHABI: Dozens of UAE radicals accused of plotting to seize power had formed a “state within the state” organization linked to the Muslim Brotherhood, a witness told court, according to press reports yesterday.

The witness, a security officer, told UAE’s security court on Monday that a “probe has discovered a secret organization linked to the international network of the Muslim Brotherhood” of Egypt, the Emaratalyoum daily quoted him as saying.

“On the surface, the organization worked to reform the society, but in secret, it was plotting to seize power.”

Full report at:

http://www.arabnews.com/news/445366

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Al Qaeda claims wave of Iraq attacks that killed 56

March 20, 2013

BAGHDAD: Al Qaeda’s Iraqi affiliate said it was behind a wave of attacks that killed 56 people and wounded more than 220, in a statement posted on extremist Internet forums on Wednesday.

“What you received on Tuesday is… the first stage that, God willing, will be followed by revenge for those whom you executed,” the statement from the Islamic State of Iraq (ISI) said.

Full report at:

http://dawn.com/2013/03/20/qaeda-claims-wave-of-iraq-attacks-that-killed-56/

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Syria regime, rebels trade chemical weapons accusations

AFP | Mar 20, 2013

DAMASCUS: The US and UN are attempting to verify claims and counterclaims by Syrian troops and insurgents that chemical weapons were used for the first time in the two-year conflict.

NATO supreme commander Admiral James Stavridis, decrying the deteriorating situation, said in Washington Tuesday that NATO members are mulling plans for possible military action in Syria.

Full report at:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Syria-regime-rebels-trade-chemical-weapons-accusations/articleshow/19085711.cms

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Egypt's Shura Council approves issuance of Islamic bonds

Gamal Essam El-Din

19 Mar 2013

After a lengthy debate that began on Sunday, a law regulating the issuance of sukuk, or Islamic bonds, was finally approved by the Shura Council – Egypt's upper house of parliament – on Tuesday.

The final version of the 33-article law was passed on Tuesday after several hours of debate. It faced strong objections from council members belonging to the ultraconservative Salafist Nour Party, who insisted that "the law first be referred to Al-Azhar to be revised by its Council of Grand Clerics, in accordance with Articles 2 and 219 of the new constitution."

Full report at:

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/3/12/67262/Business/Economy/Egypts-Shura-Council-approves-issuance-of-Islamic-.aspx

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Islamists angry over Salafist activist's 'humiliating' arrest in Cairo

Four people, including Salafist activist Gamal Saber were arrested for involvement in Shubra deadly clashes on Monday

20 Mar 2013

Four people have been arrested on charges of involvement in deadly clashes in Cairo's Shubra district on Monday.

Those arrested include Gamal Saber, coordinator of Lazem Hazem ('It Must Be Hazem') a group supporting former Salafist presidential candidate Hazem Salah Abu-Ismail, whose son had allegedly killed a 15-year-old boy before deadly clashes ensued.

Full report at:

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/67307/Egypt/Politics-/Islamists-angry-over-Salafist-activists-humiliatin.aspx

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Upper Egypt protests over conversion to Christianity rumour

Alleged kidnapping and forced conversion to Christianity of Muslim woman provokes protests in Upper Egyptian governorate of Beni Suef

20 Mar 2013

Around two thousand people have protested in Upper Egypt against the alleged kidnapping and forced conversion to Christianity of a Muslim woman.

Protesters gathered in Al-Wasti in Beni Suef governorate on Tuesday to condemn what they claimed was the kidnapping last month of a 21-year-old woman by Christians. The woman was allegedly forced to marry a Coptic Christian man and sent to live in Turkey.

 Full report at:

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/67282/Egypt/Politics-/Upper-Egypt-protests-over-conversion-to-Christiani.aspx

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Rush hour car bomb kills 2 in eastern Baghdad

March 20, 2013

BAGHDAD — Iraqi officials say a car bomb in eastern Baghdad has killed two civilians and wounded four on the 10th anniversary of the US-led invasion, the day after a series of well-coordinated attacks left scores dead.

Two police officers say the parked car exploded during rush hour Wednesday morning in the capital's eastern Zayona neighborhood. A medical official in a nearby hospital confirmed the casualty figures. All spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to release information.

Full report at:

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20130320157733

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Islamic law comes to rebel-held Syria

By Liz Sly

March 20,2013

ALEPPO, Syria — The evidence was incontrovertible, captured on video and posted on YouTube for all the world to see. During a demonstration against the Syrian regime, Wael Ibrahim, a veteran activist, had tossed aside a banner inscribed with the Muslim declaration of faith.

And that, decreed the officers of the newly established Sharia Authority set up to administer rebel-held Aleppo, constitutes a crime under Islamic law, punishable in this instance by 10 strokes of a metal pipe.

Full report at:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/islamic-law-comes-to-rebel-held-syria/2013/03/19/b310532e-90af-11e2-bdea-e32ad90da239_story.html

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Jordan King Says Assad Days Numbered

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

2013/03/20

AMMAN, Jordan (AP) — Jordan's king warned Wednesday that a jihadist state could emerge on his northern border in Syria with Islamic extremists trying to establish a foothold in the neighboring country.

King Abdullah II told The Associated Press in an interview that in his view, Syrian President Bashar Assad was beyond rehabilitation and it was only a matter of time before his authoritarian regime collapses.

Full report at:

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2013/03/20/world/middleeast/ap-ml-jordan-

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KSA launches locator system for prisoners

 20 March 2013

Saudi Arabia has launched a pioneering prisoners’ locator system, which will deliver information about the health conditions and the legal status of prisoners to their respective families. This site, called “Window for communication,” provides Internet users with information about a wide variety of offenders who are currently in jails on terror-related charges across the Kingdom.

The website, which delivers information about prisoners, has been launched on an experimental basis.

Full report at:

http://www.arabnews.com/news/445455

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Bahrain urged to free jailed activists to end unrest

By Bill Law

2013/03/20

A leading human rights organisation has called for the release of Bahrain's "political prisoners" to help stop escalating violence.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) says the imprisonment of activists will "keep the country imprisoned in conflict".

The Gulf island kingdom, home to the US Fifth fleet, has suffered more than two years of unrest.

Full report at:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-21845329

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Sectarian Strains Pit Some Iraqis against Their Own Leaders

By TIM ARANGO and MICHAEL R. GORDON

2013/03/20

RAMADI, Iraq — As Rafe al-Essawi, the embattled Sunni leader, sped south on a desert highway last week to attend the funeral of a political ally who was assassinated, his Cellphone rang with a warning: Up ahead, Iraqi soldiers, backed by two helicopters hovering overhead, planned to arrest him.

Full report at:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/20/world/middleeast/fading-hopes-of-unity-in-iraq-as-

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Decade on, Iraq grappling with attacks and deadlock

March 20, 2013

BAGHDAD — Grappling with a spike in violence and a worsening political situation, Iraq on Wednesday marked 10 years since a US-led invasion that sought to establish a stable, democratic ally in the Middle East.

The event was met with little fanfare in Baghdad, though, a day after a wave of bombings and gun attacks killed 56 people across the country, as some ministers began a cabinet boycott and officials delayed provincial polls.

Full report at:

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20130320157746

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North America

 

US has now an ally in India says lawmaker

Mar 20 201

Washington : Holding that Pakistan is the source of many of the US problems in Afghanistan, an American lawmaker has said that America has now an ally in India and an enemy in Islamabad.

"Things have changed in the last 20 years. Pakistan is no longer our ally and India is no longer an ally of the Soviet Union. What we have now an ally in India and an enemy in Pakistan," Congressman Dana Rohrabacher said.

"It is not because we are declaring them that they are our enemy, but because Pakistan declared itself as an enemy of the United States," Rohrabacher alleged.

Full report at:

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/us-has-now-an-ally-in-india-says-lawmaker/1090787/

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Iraq War’s 10th Anniversary Is Barely Noted in Washington

By PETER BAKER

2013/03/20

WASHINGTON — A decade after the night that American bombs first rained down on Baghdad, the president joked about wearing a green tie for a belated St. Patrick’s Day celebration. Congress noisily focused on whether spending cuts would force the cancellation of the White House Easter egg roll. Cable news debated whether a show about young women has too much sex in it.

Full report at:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/20/world/iraq-wars-10th-anniversary-is-barely-noted-in-washington.html?ref=world

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Obama Says U.S. Firm in Commitment to Israel's Security

2013/03/20

TEL AVIV (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama said at the start of his first official visit to Israel on Wednesday that the U.S. commitment to the security of the Jewish state was rock solid and that peace must come to the Holy Land.

"I see this visit as an opportunity to reaffirm the unbreakable bond between our nations, to restate America's unwavering commitment to Israel's security and to speak directly to the people of Israel and to your neighbors," Obama said at a welcoming ceremony at Tel Aviv airport.

Full report at:

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2013/03/20/world/middleeast/20reuters-palestinians-

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Seeking Lessons From Iraq. But Which Ones?

By DAVID E. SANGER

2013/03/20

WASHINGTON – Stephen J. Hadley, who played a central role in the decision a decade ago to go to war in Iraq, recently described the cascade of misjudgements and inaccurate assumptions inside the Bush White House leading up to the war as a “failure of imagination.” His explanation of what went wrong is rife with lessons for two crises – one in Syria, another in Iran – that President Obama confronts as he lands in Israel on Wednesday morning.

Full report at:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/20/world/middleeast/iraq-war-offers-lessons-for-syria-

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Australia

 

“Gulf of Mannar ideal for kayak tourism”

WALTER SCOTT

 March 20, 2013

Australian Sandy Robson sees potential in the marine resources

Sandy Robson, the 45-year-old Australian, who is kayaking from Germany to Australia, found the Gulf of Mannar region ideal for “Kayak tourism”.

Ms Robson, who began her solo journey from Ulm in Germany in May 2011 and took a break to resume her journey from Gujarat, paddled her way in the western coasts to enter the Gulf of Manner region early this week. She is touched by the beauty of the rich marine resources.

“The region dotted with 20 odd islets is world class. I have stayed in many places during the expedition and my stays for six days in some of these islets-Nallathani theevu, Upputhanni theevu and Appatheevu turned out to be unforgettable”, she said.

Full report at:

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/gulf-of-mannar-ideal-for-kayak-tourism/article4518506.ece

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Indonesia Mulls Running Cattle Breeding Farm in Australia

Agustiyanti | March 19, 2013

The Indonesian government on Tuesday said it was considering whether to run a cattle breeding farm in Australia in a bid to meet Indonesia's beef self-sufficiency target in 2014, citing lower production costs as the reason behind the idea.

State-Owned Enterprises Minister Dahlan Iskan said it only cost Rp 3 million ($309) to produce a calf in Australia, one-third of the cost in Indonesia.

Full report at:

http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/business/indonesia-mulls-running-cattle-breeding-farm-in-australia/580691

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URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/inter-religious-conference-lucknow-condemn/d/10835

 

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