Islamic Activists Demand New Blasphemy Law in Bangladesh
New Age Islam News Bureau
31
March 2013
South Asia
• Islamic activists demand new blasphemy law in Bangladesh
• Bangladesh Muslim clerics submit list of ‘bloggers demeaning Islam’
• Four arrested over Sri Lanka anti-Muslim attack: police
• Afghanistan to destroy 15,000 hectares of poppy: Officials
• Religious 'radicals' driving Myanmar unrest: Experts
• No place in Lanka for religious extremism or racism: Rajapaksa
• Deputy Speaker Ahmed Nazim to join PPM “very soon”
• 50 hurt as Jamaat-Shibir men bomb cops in Rajshahi
Africa
• Nigerian army says killed 14 Islamist insurgents in raid
• Mali Tuaregs say nine killed in battle with jihadists
• Newly found Sudan pyramids show ‘democratization’
Arab World
• Rebels kill Aleppo cleric, parade body: watchdog
• Brotherhood leader: No prospect of Shia influence on Egypt
• A private Egyptian jet flies to Iran for first time
• Iraq to up searches of Iran over flights to Syria
• OIC to raise issue of violence in Myanmar
• Jordan's King Abdullah swears in new government
• Saudi says Internet apps break the rules
• Saudi Arabia sends tons of aid to Syrian refugees
• Syria rebels, regime trade accusations of 'massacre'
• Young man faces paralysis in eye-for-an-eye sentence
India
• Now, Home In On Your Ancestors in Pakistan
• Five of family die in Jaipur during ritual invoking deity to appear
• Mughal-era link to swanky stadium campus in heart of capital
• Muslim groups rally against 'atrocities' on Bangla leaders
• Give details of prisoner death, India tells Pak
• Delhi HC blast: trial against Malik to commence tomorrow
• Minister asks PM to take up ‘Nitaqat’ issue with Riyadh
• Liyaqat's role will be clear only after investigation: DGP
• Terrorist hideout busted in Rajouri
Europe
• Algeria Sanctions Imam Union to Stem Salafist Influence
• Scotland Muslims Plan First High School
• Pope refers to ‘Muslim brothers’
• Pope prays for peace in Syria, Korea on first Easter
Southeast Asia
• Malaysian PM: Muslims should set aside differences for sake of Islam
• Is Same-Sex Marriage a Product of the West?
• Indonesian Churches to Send an Easter Message to SBY
• SEA’s biggest church opens amid rising religious debate in Malaysia
Pakistan
• Repeat of Joseph Colony will not be tolerated: Sethi
• Blasphemy accused convicted after 12 years
• 2 killed, 6 injured in blast in northwest Pakistan
• It’s advantage Nawaz in Pakistan
• Threats against Musharraf create tensions in Islamabad's security apparatus
• Pakistani Taliban claim responsibility for attacks in Bannu, Mardan
• Imran Khan delivers his own 'I have a dream' speech
• Pak terms reports on Chamel Singh as 'malicious Indian propaganda'
• In Pak underworld, a cop rises to be ‘king’
Mideast Asia
• Palestinians protest Israelis visiting Al-Aqsa
• After Israeli apology, Turkey dreams of new tourism boom
• Turkey discusses energy deal with Iraqi Kurds
• Jerusalem prelate urges Pope Francis to visit the Holy City
• Fatah rejects Qatar's 'suspicious' call for reconciliation talks
• Dialogue is only way to avoid civil war, says Hadi
• Israel has more Jews than US now
North America
• Guantanamo hunger strikers ready for death, lawyer says
• US hands over Afghan district after ‘abuse’ row
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
Photo: Activists hold Palestinian flags at a rally marking Land Day in the West Bank village of al-Tuwani (Photo: Reuters)
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South Asia
Islamic activists demand new blasphemy law in Bangladesh
Daily Mail
Mar 31 2013
TENS of thousands of Islamic activists prayed on the streets of Dhaka on Saturday during a rally calling for the introduction of blasphemy laws and the restoration of a caretaker government.
Members of the Islami Andolan Bangladesh are demanding the arrest of “ atheist bloggers who insulted Islam” and to pass laws punishing those who “ insulted Islam in Parliament”. They have announced plans to “ lay siege” to the office of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on April 25 if their demands are not met.
They include the restoration of the phrase “ absolute trust and faith upon Almighty Allah” in basic principles of the constitution; passing laws to punish atheists; holding of national elections under an impartial government; ensuring good governance and justice, uprooting terrorism and corruption; and establishing Islamic rule for a prosperous and welfare state.
They include the restoration of the phrase “ absolute trust and faith upon Almighty Allah” in basic principles of the constitution; passing laws to punish atheists; holding of national elections under an impartial government; ensuring good governance and justice, uprooting terrorism and corruption; and establishing Islamic rule for a prosperous and welfare state.
According to www. thedailystar.
net , the party’s Amir Mufti Syed Muhammad Rezaul Karimalso told the rally: “ The incumbent and previous gov- ernments have nurtured corruption, violence, nepotism and other different evil practices during last few decades.
“ Islami Andolan Bangladesh should be voted to power to get rid of this situation.” Meanwhile, clashes between police and supporters of the country’s biggest Islamic party left five dead on Friday during protests linked to ongoing war crimes trials, the police and media said.
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Bangladesh Muslim clerics submit list of ‘bloggers demeaning Islam’
31 March 2013
A group of Muslim clerics on Sunday submitted to the government a list of bloggers who they think are involved in writing derogatory contents about Islam and Prophet Mohammad (pbuh).
The clerics handed over the list to a government-formed committee, tasked with identifying and bringing to book bloggers and online activists who are making derogatory remarks about Islam and Prophet Mohammad.
The government formed the committee on March 13 following a smear campaign provoking religious sentiment.
Earlier, the government asked Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) to set up a monitoring cell for blocking instantly the blogs which carry derogatory contents about Islam and Prophet Mohammad.
http://www.thedailystar.net/beta2/news/muslim-clerics-submit-list-of-bloggers-demeaning-islam/
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Four arrested over Sri Lanka anti-Muslim attack: police
31 March 2013
COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s police arrested four people and were looking for more suspects on Saturday over the smashing of a Muslim-owned clothing store that raised religious tensions in the country, a spokesman said.
Police Superintendent Buddhika Siriwardena said a search was under way for those who torched and vandalised a section of the three-storeyed clothing store and warehouse on Thursday night in the Papiliyana suburb of Colombo.
Local media video footage showed at least one man in saffron robes, typically worn by Buddhist monks, bringing down a CCTV camera of the store by throwing a stone at it while those in the crowd clapped. The clip was also posted on the website YouTube.
However, there were no monks among those in custody, Siriwardena told AFP, but added that the four men arrested were Buddhists from the majority Sinhalese community.
The owners of the clothing store, which maintains a chain of upmarket shops across the country, said their main warehouse and head office suffered extensive damage in Thursday’s “totally unprovoked” attack.
“We sincerely hope there will be no repetition of such violent attacks on innocent civilians and establishments to disturb peaceful co-existence within Sri Lanka,” the company said in a statement.
Sri Lanka stepped up security at the weekend after Thursday’s violence which the main Muslim political party in the ruling coalition said was a “sequel” to an on-going hate campaign against minority Muslims.
Siriwardena said there had been no fresh reports of unrest from any part of the country and the situation had been quickly brought under control.
The government in a statement on Friday urged people not to be provoked.
The recently formed Buddhist nationalist group, the monk-led Bodu Bala Sena (BBS), or Buddhist Force, denied involvement and said men impersonating monks may have been involved in the attack. Army units were called in to disperse Thursday’s mob, who pelted stones, smashed parked vehicles and torched clothing at the Fashion Bug store. Despite the attack, other retail stores of the chain were open over the weekend.
In January, mobs hurled stones at another Muslim-owned clothing chain near Colombo, while Muslim businessmen have also complained of random stone-throwing, intimidation and calls for boycotts of their shops.
Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse, who is a Buddhist, urged monks earlier this year not to incite religious hatred and violence.
The United Nations estimates that Sri Lanka’s ethnic civil war claimed at least 100,000 lives between 1972 and 2009, when Tamil separatist rebels were crushed in a major military offensive.
Less than 10 percent of Sri Lanka’s population of 20 million are Muslim. The majority are Sinhalese Buddhist, while most Tamils are Hindu.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2013\03\31\story_31-3-2013_pg14_3
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Afghanistan to destroy 15,000 hectares of poppy: Officials
March 31, 2013
KABUL: Afghanistan plans to destroy 15,000 hectares (37,050 acres) of poppy fields this year in its latest efforts to control the heroin trade that fuels endemic violence and corruption, officials said Sunday.
Poppy crops will be ploughed up by tractor or flattened by teams of men wielding sticks as part of the programme starting in the southern and western provinces of Kandahar, Helmand, Farah and Nimroz.
The target is 50 per cent higher than 2012 but already 24 police officers and seven soldiers have died in this year’s eradication campaign, the ministry of counter-narcotics said in a press conference.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/529116/afghanistan-to-destroy-15000-hectares-of-poppy-officials/
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Religious 'radicals' driving Myanmar unrest: Experts
AFP | Mar 31, 2013
BANGKOK: Two years after a repressive junta ceded power, Myanmar is grappling with a surge in religious extremism that experts trace to anti-Muslim "provocateurs" including radical Buddhist monks.
At least 43 people have been killed while mosques and Muslim homes have been destroyed over the past fortnight in central Myanmar, in a wave of violence that witnesses say seems to have been well organised.
"It is clear that there are some agents provocateurs with radical anti-Muslim agendas at work in the country -- including influential Buddhist monks preaching intolerance and hatred of Muslims," said Jim Della-Giacoma, a Myanmar expert with the International Crisis Group think-tank.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/Religious-radicals-driving-Myanmar-unrest-Experts/articleshow/19303504.cms
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No place in Lanka for religious extremism or racism: Rajapaksa
PTI | Mar 31, 2013
COLOMBO: Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has said that his government will not allow racism or religious extremism in the country and advised the Buddhist majority community to protect the rights of others.
"This is a democratic country, non-Buddhists have equal rights and freedoms. While we safeguard the rights of Buddhists, it is the responsibility of the Buddhists to be exemplary and protect the rights of others," he told a religious gathering on Saturday at Weherahena in the south.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/No-place-in-Lanka-for-religious-extremism-or-racism-Rajapaksa/articleshow/19303480.cms
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Deputy Speaker Ahmed Nazim to join PPM “very soon”
By MinivanNews | March 31st, 2013
People’s Alliance (PA) MP and Parliament Deputy Speaker Ahmed Nazim has revealed he intends to join Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM).
Nazim told local media that despite being PA’s parliamentary group leader, he had always worked closely with the PPM since the party’s inception in October 2011.
PA’s former president, Abdulla Yameen, was elected as PPM’s presidential candidate on Saturday (March 30) ahead of the 2013 presidential elections in September.
“PA was formed for a specific purpose wasn’t it? It was formed for the political future of Yameen as he wanted out of the DRP [Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party] at the time,” Nazim told local newspaper Haveeru.
Full report at:
http://minivannews.com/politics/deputy-speaker-ahmed-nazim-to-join-ppm-very-soon-55489
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50 hurt as Jamaat-Shibir men bomb cops in Rajshahi
31 March 2013
At least 50 people were injured and the wrists of a sub-inspector were blown off Sunday morning when activists of Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir hurled bombs on police in Rajshahi city.
Law enforcers were taken by surprise as around 100 Jamaat-Shibir men brought out a brisk procession to press home their demands of an end to the war crimes trial and release of party activists arrested in connection with a clash on Friday.
A police constable was also injured in the clash at Ranibazar area that continued for just 10 minutes beginning from 10:30am, our Rajshahi correspondent reported quoting Ziaur Rahman, officer-in-charge (OC) of Boalia Police Station.
Full report at:
http://www.thedailystar.net/beta2/news/50-hurt-as-jamaat-shibir-men-bomb-cops-in-rajshahi/
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Africa
Nigerian army says killed 14 Islamist insurgents in raid
Following a tip-off from intelligence, Nigerian army kill at least 14 Islamist insurgents
31 Mar 2013
Nigerian soldiers killed 14 suspected Islamist insurgents on Sunday during a dawn raid on a house in the main northern city of Kano, the military said.
Islamist sect Boko Haram wants to carve an Islamic state out of Nigeria. It and other Islamist groups have become the main threat to stability on Africa's top oil-producing state and increasingly menace neighbours like Cameroon.
Boko Haram has killed hundreds in gun and bomb attacks, including 25 in Kano earlier in March, since it intensified an insurgency two years ago.
In Sunday's raid, one soldier was killed and another seriously injured while a suspected suicide bomber was arrested in a car packed with explosives, the army said.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/9/68144/World/International/Nigerian-army-says-kills--Islamist-insurgents-in-r.aspx
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Mali Tuaregs say nine killed in battle with jihadists
Nine people killed in fierce battle between Tuareg separatist group and jihadist fighters in northern Mali
30 Mar 2013
Clashes in northern Mali between a Tuareg separatist group and jihadist fighters have left nine dead, Tuareg officials said Saturday.
The fighting pitted Al Qaeda-linked Islamist groups against the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) -- a secular separatist Tuareg group that currently supports the government.
"After the fighting, we recorded four dead and two wounded in our own ranks... There were five dead on their side," Mohamed Ibrahim Ag Assaleh, a top MNLA official based in neighbouring Burkina Faso, told AFP.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/9/68075/World/International/Mali-Tuaregs-say-nine-killed-in-battle-with-jihadi.aspx
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Newly found Sudan pyramids show ‘democratization’
March 31, 2013
KHARTOUM — People power may have come to modern-day Egypt and not Sudan, but the unearthing of ancient pyramids in Egypt’s southern neighbor shows that greater social equality existed there 2,000 years ago, a French archeologist says.
Three years of digging by a French team at Sedeinga, about 200 kilometers (120 miles) from the Egyptian border, has unearthed 35 pyramids that emphasize the contrast between the two ancient cultures, said Claude Rilly, director of the mission.
“Pyramids were so fashionable that everybody that could afford to build one, did,” said Rilly, referring to the latter part of the Meroe kingdom, around 100-200 AD.
“So we have really a kind of inflation, what I call a democratization of the pyramid which is without equivalent anywhere, especially in Egypt.”
Full report at:
http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20130331159263
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Arab World
Rebels kill Aleppo cleric, parade body: watchdog
Syrian rebel forces killed a pro-regime Sunni cleric in the city of Aleppo, with some reports suggesting he was beheaded, and then dragged his body through the streets
30 Mar 2013
Syrian rebel forces killed a pro-regime Sunni cleric in the city of Aleppo, with some reports suggesting he was beheaded, and then dragged his body through the streets, a watchdog group said on Saturday.
Sheikh Hassan Seifeddin, imam of a mosque in the northern Aleppo neighbourhood of Sheikh Maqsud, "was killed overnight Friday by rebel fighters in the east of the area and his body was dragged through the streets," the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
Syrian state news agency SANA reported that Seifeddin was "assassinated by terrorists who mutilated his body afterwards," while official television station Al-Ikhbariya said he had been "slaughtered" and beheaded.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/68061/World/Region/Rebels-kill-Aleppo-cleric,-parade-body-watchdog.aspx
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Brotherhood leader: No prospect of Shia influence on Egypt
Essam El-Erian, a top Muslim Brotherhood leader, sees no threat from Shia tourists to Egypt's identity
31 Mar 2013
Leading member of the Muslim Brotherhood Essam El-Erian denied Sunday that Egypt could be affected by Shias if tourism to the country among them were expanded, underlining that Egypt’s Sunni identity "is stronger than that."
“Egypt is greater than to penetrated by any thought or current ... Egypt has refused all forms of secularism and welcomed nationalism mixed with Islamism,” said El-Erian on his Facebook page.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/68095/Egypt/Politics-/Brotherhood-leader-No-prospect-of-Shia-influence-o.aspx
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A private Egyptian jet flies to Iran for first time
Reuters | Mar 31, 2013
CAIRO: The first commercial flight between Egypt and Iran in 34 years took off on Saturday, the latest step towards normalizing ties broken following the 1979 Iranian Islamic revolution.
Egypt and Iran agreed to resume direct flights in October 2010 before President Hosni Mubarak was ousted from power, but no flights were made.
"A flight by Air Memphis, owned by Egyptian businessman Rami Lakah, took off from Cairo to Tehran earlier on Saturday carrying eight Iranians including diplomats," one airport official said adding that the airline could later carry out more tourist and business trips between Egypt and Iran.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/A-private-Egyptian-jet-flies-to-Iran-for-first-time/articleshow/19299778.cms
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Iraq to up searches of Iran over flights to Syria
31 March 2013
Baghdad: Iraq said yesterday it will step up searches of Iranian flights via its airspace to Syria, days after US Secretary of State John Kerry publicly criticized Baghdad for turning a blind eye to them.
But while Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki’s spokesman spoke of newly tightened restrictions on Iranian flights to Syria, the head of Iraq’s civil aviation authority acknowledged that no planes had been searched since October.
“Because of a lot of information which referred to transportation of weapons, we have increased the activity of inspections,” Maliki’s spokesman Ali Mussawi told AFP.
Full report at:
http://www.arabnews.com/news/446569
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OIC to raise issue of violence in Myanmar
31 March 2013
The head of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation announced yesterday that ministers from OIC states will meet on April 14 in Saudi Arabia to discuss violence against Muslims in Myanmar.
Prof. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu said the organization was “ready to take all necessary measures and actions” in dealing with the impending crisis.
Ihsanoglu also urged the government of Myanmar to “put an end to Buddhist extremism and hate campaigns, as well as ethnic cleansing.”
State media in Myanmar reported yesterday that the death toll from communal violence in the center of the country over the past 10 days has risen to 43, with more than 1,300 homes and buildings destroyed.
Full report at:
http://www.arabnews.com/news/446615
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Jordan's King Abdullah swears in new government
31 March 2013
King Abdullah of Jordan has sworn in the smallest government in four decades, to be led by reformist Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour.
The king consulted parliament over the cabinet's make-up for the first time, after constitutional changes introduced in the wake of the Arab Spring.
Mr Ensour has merged several portfolios as he tries to cut spending.
Jordan is facing a $3bn deficit this year, which it hopes to cut by about a third.
The country is struggling to curb the impact of soaring fuel import costs and high social spending designed to deter the kind of uprising seen in neighbouring Arab states, the BBC's Dale Gavlak reports from Amman.
Full report at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-21985933
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Saudi says Internet apps break the rules
March 31, 2013
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia warned Sunday of “suitable measures” if providers of Internet messenger applications such as WhatsApp fail to comply with its rules, days after the industry said authorities wanted to control such traffic.
“Some telecom applications over the Internet protocol currently do not meet the regulatory conditions” in the kingdom, said the Communications and Information Technology Commission in a statement carried by the official SPA state news agency.
These applications include WhatsApp, Skype and Viber, and allow text and audio communication over the Internet.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/529126/saudi-says-internet-apps-break-the-rules/
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Saudi Arabia sends tons of aid to Syrian refugees
31 March 2013
Saudi Arabia has sent 80 thousand tons of aid to Syrian refugees near the Turkish borders in a new campaign it called “To meet the needs,” Al Arabiya reported Saturday.
The offered aid included a variety of food items, electricity generators given the summer season is coming, and other necessary kitchen equipment.
The aid cargo made its way first from the Saudi capital, Riyadh, and later from the port city of Jeddah near the Red Sea. It then headed to Turkey through the Mediterranean.
“It is not our first campaign to help Syrian refugees. We are continuously working on projects to assist Syrian refugees in Jordan and Lebanon,” Buraima Al-Tuaifi, field coordinator of the campaign, told Al Arabiya.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2013/03/31/Saudi-Arabia-sends-tons-of-aids-to-Syrian-refugees-.html
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Syria rebels, regime trade accusations of 'massacre'
Syrian rebel fighters accuse the Al-Assad troops of executing 11 people, including eight women, during a raid by regime forces in the south of the conflict-ridden country
31 Mar 2013
The Syrian regime and rebel opposition forces on Sunday traded accusations of blame for a "massacre" of at least 10 people in the town of Tal Kalakh in the south of the conflict-ridden country.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/68139/World/Region/Syria-rebels,-regime-trade-accusations-of-massacre.aspx
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Young man faces paralysis in eye-for-an-eye sentence
March 30, 2013
HOFUF – He was not sentenced to death by execution or firing squad. Another type of punishment awaits Ali Al-Khawahir, who stabbed his best friend 10 years ago, if he does not come up with SR1 million and pays it to the victim.
Ali was sentenced to be fully paralyzed as a punishment for causing paralysis to his best friend after stabbing him in the backbone.
The victim requested SR2 million in the beginning to forgive his assailant but later reduced the amount to SR1 million. Some people organized a campaign to raise the money for Ali who could not attend his father’s funeral because he was incarcerated.
Full report at:
http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20130331159230
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India
Now, Home In On Your Ancestors In Pakistan
Shimona Kanwar, TNN | Mar 31, 2013
CHANDIGARH: Giving impetus to "Aman ki Asha" in a bid to foster India-Pakistan peace process, the Rotary International will start a project -- See your roots -- which will allow people from across the border to visit their ancestral homes in the two neighbouring nations and feel the deep connect with their past.
"This idea took shape during the polio drive when we roped in top Pakistani officials in an endeavour to mitigate the malady in both the countries. This was in 2003. Besides health, we thought there are many other humanitarian agendas," said R K Saboo, past president of Rotary International. He said, "This is on the lines of Aman ki Asha which promotes friendly India-Pak ties."
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Now-home-in-on-your-ancestors-in-Pakistan/articleshow/19299616.cms
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Five of family die in Jaipur during ritual invoking deity to appear
TNN Mar 29, 2013
JAIPUR: Five members of a family, including three children, drop dead after consuming poison to end their lives and meet Lord Shiva in heaven.
The incident happened on Monday night in Sawai Modhopur's Gangapur city when an eight-member family, including three children aged between 10 and 16 years, consumed poison suspected to be cyanide. Three of the family were struggling for their lives in two hospitals here.
Police were shocked to find a video clip of the entire incident on a personal camera. In the clip, the family members, including the children were making merry and talked about failing to see Lord Shiva in his physical form while still alive. To please their diety, they bathed an idol of Lord Shiva in blood and used blood-laced objects in a fire ritual (havan) to perform 'ahuti'. The family members then consumed poison-laced sweets (laddus) to meet their god after death.
Full report at:
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-03-29/india/38125156_1_rashmi-lord-shiva-family-members
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Mughal-era link to swanky stadium campus in heart of capital
March 30, 2013
When they hear the name Talkatora, most Delhiites think of either the stadium or the sprawling garden.
But a late Mughal era structure deep inside the garden - a key to the name - is no match for the swanky new glass-façade indoor stadium-cum-auditorium and another glitzy building housing the swimming pool.
There was a tal (tank) at the west side of the garden, surrounded by hilly ground (part of the ridge) forming a katora (bowl-shaped natural depression).
Although the pond has gone missing long ago, there still exists at the northwestern end of the garden, a long wall with domed octagonal pavilions at two ends. This was an embankment (bund) to hold back rain water flowing into that tank.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/newdelhi/Mughal-era-link-to-swanky-stadium-campus-in-heart-of-capital/Article1-1034949.aspx
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Muslim groups rally against 'atrocities' on Bangla leaders
Mar 31 2013
Kolkata: Members of 15 Islamic organisations today put up a rally at the Shahid Minar ground to protest the “atrocities” against prominent Muslim leaders in Bangladesh and alleged anti-Islam policies of the government there.
Thousands of people gathered at the venue chanting slogans of 'Sheikh Haseena step down' and 'Delwar Hossain should be freed'.
Md Qamruzzaman, general secretary of All Bengal Minority Youth Federation, said, "We are strictly against blogger Imran who posted anti-Islam blogs. We also condemn the actions of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Haseena who is not only letting these offenders go scot free but is also supporting them."
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/muslim-groups-rally-against-atrocities-on-bangla.../1095571/
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Give details of prisoner death, India tells Pak
Mar 31 2013
New Delhi : India has asked Pakistan for a “full report” of circumstances surrounding the death of Chamel Singh in a Pakistani jail and a copy of the post-mortem report. Sources said the Indian High Commission again pressed for a copy of the post-mortem report Wednesday when an official from the mission met officials of Foreign Ministry in Islamabad.
The autopsy of Singh, who was from Jammu, was done on March 13 in Lahore and his body was handed over the same day, sources said. The Indian embassy sent the body to Attari where it was handed over to his family.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/give-details-of-prisoner-death-india-tells-pak/1095422/
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Delhi HC blast: trial against Malik to commence tomorrow
March 31, 2013
The trial against Wasim Akram Malik, arrested for his alleged role in the September 2011 Delhi High Court blast, will commence on Monday in a Delhi court.
The special NIA court had framed charges against Malik including that of waging war against India and fixed April 1 for recording of evidence in the case.
District judge IS Mehta will start the trial by recording the statement of co-accused-turned-approver Amir Abbas Dev, who was also arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for his alleged role in the blast but had later turned approver and was granted pardon by the court.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/newdelhi/Delhi-HC-blast-trial-against-Malik-to-commence-tomorrow/Article1-1035028.aspx
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Minister asks PM to take up ‘Nitaqat’ issue with Riyadh
J. BALAJI
Mar 31 2013
As the Saudi Arabia government’s decision to strictly implement the ‘Nitaqat’ (naturalisation) law, under which 10 per cent jobs would be reserved for Saudi nationals , caused much worries among the Indian expatriates there, particularly those from Kerala, Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation K.C. Venugopal wrote a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh seeking his immediate intervention .
In a letter to Dr. Singh, with a copy marked to External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid, Mr. Venugopal said that considering the friendly ties New Delhi had with Riyadh, the PM could take up the issue through a high level diplomatic mission.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/minister-asks-pm-to-take-up-nitaqat-issue-with-riyadh/article4565056.ece
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Liyaqat's role will be clear only after investigation: DGP
Mar 31 2013
Jammu : Days after it sparred with the Delhi Police over the arrest of Liyaqat Shah, Jammu and Kashmir Police today said he cannot be labelled as a "terrorist or innocent" until the investigation is complete.
"This is to be decided in the investigation, you cannot label a person a terrorist or innocent until the investigation process is complete," Director General of Police (DGP) Ashok Prasad said in response to a question on Liyaqat.
The DGP said they were waiting for the probe to be over and only then a call on Liyaqat's status could be made.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/liyaqats-role-will-be-clear-only-after-investigation-dgp/1095634/
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Terrorist hideout busted in Rajouri
PTI | Mar 31, 2013
JAMMU: A terrorist hideout was busted and a cache of arms and ammunition was recovered from it after a joint operation by the police and the Army, police said on Sunday.
Acting on specific inputs, a police team and 38 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) launched the operation in Doorimal Ghambeer Mughlan area yesterday and recovered the arms and ammunition, SSP Rajouri Mubassir Latifi said today.
The area was cordoned off and during the search four Chinese make grenades, two AK magazines, 27 AK rounds, one wireless set, one Antenna and a radio were recovered, he said.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Terrorist-hideout-busted-in-Rajouri/articleshow/19305077.cms
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Europe
Algeria sanctions imam union to stem Salafist influence
Algerian authorities give the all-clear for a union of imams to defend the material and moral rights of the preachers and to act as a bulwark against imported religious ideas, Salafist or other
31 Mar 2013
Algerian authorities have given the all-clear for a union of imams to protect the country's traditionally moderate form of Islam from the teachings of hardline Salafists whose influence is on the rise in north Africa.
The move comes two months after an Al-Qaeda-linked attack on a desert gas plant, where 37 foreign hostages were killed during a siege and army rescue operation, and amid fears of jihadist groups gaining ground in neighbouring Tunisia.
The union's "mission will be to defend the material and moral rights of the imams and to act as a bulwark against imported religious ideas, Salafist or other," its secretary general Sheikh Djelloul Hadjimi told AFP.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/68096/World/Region/Algeria-sanctions-imam-union-to-stem-Salafist-infl.aspx
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Scotland Muslims Plan First High School
31 March 2013
CAIRO – A group of businessmen and parents in Glasgow Muslim community are planning the inauguration of Scotland first Islamic high school, filling an important void in the country and hoping to copy successful examples in Britain.
“We can confirm that the building has been purchased, and we are now focused on getting the project moving forward,” a spokesperson for the Glasgow Community Education Association (GCEA) told Scotsman on Sunday, March 31.
“We support denominational schools in Scotland and we think they’ve always had a contribution to make towards the private and public sector in education in Scotland and we are a part of that.
“We think this is a very positive thing and we hope it will be a very successful centre of learning,” he added.
Full report at:
http://www.onislam.net/english/news/europe/462026-scotland-muslims-plan-first-high-school.html
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Pope refers to ‘Muslim brothers’
31 March 2013
ROME: Pope Francis reached out in friendship to “so many Muslim brothers and sisters” during a procession dedicated to the suffering of Christians from terrorism, war and religious fanaticism.
Francis, who became pope just over two weeks ago, chose, however, to stress Christians’ positive relations with Muslims in the region in his brief comments. Standing on a platform overlooking the procession route, Francis recalled Benedict XVI’s 2012 visit to Lebanon when “we saw the beauty and the strong bond of communion joining Christians together in that land and the friendship of our Muslim brothers and sisters and so many others.”
“That occasion was a sign to the Middle East and to the whole world, a sign of hope,” he said.
The former Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio long cultivated warm relations with Muslim leaders in his native Argentina. In one of his first speeches as pope, he called for the church and the West to “intensify” ties with the Muslim world.
http://www.arabnews.com/news/446564
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Pope prays for peace in Syria, Korea on first Easter
Dario Thuburn | March 31, 2013
Pope Francis prayed for a "political solution" in Syria and for "reconciliation" on the Korean peninsula in his first Easter Sunday message in front of a crowd in St Peter's Square.
Latin America's first pontiff also issued an appeal for hostages held by militants in Nigeria and condemned human trafficking as "the most extensive form of slavery in this 21st century".
The pope delivered his "Urbi et Orbi" blessing to Rome and the world from the same balcony of St Peter's Basilica where he made his first appearance after his momentous election to the papacy this month.
Speaking in front of some 250,000 people from around the world in the Vatican, Francis prayed for "dear Syria, for its people torn by conflict and for the many refugees who await help and comfort.
Full report at:
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/afp/pope-prays-for-peace-in-syria-korea-on-first-easter/582856
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Southeast Asia
Malaysian PM: Muslims should set aside differences for sake of Islam
31 March 2013
KUALA LUMPUR, March 31 — Muslims in this country should unite in the interest of Islam although they have differences of opinion, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
He said the interests of Muslims must be protected in this country, where Islam is the official religion.
“Although we have differences of opinion, we must find ways to resolve the issues and not do things to the extent of jeopardising Islam’s position and the future of the nation,” Najib (picture) said before a congregation of about 500 people at the Seri Petaling Jamek Mosque during a mosque visit programme, here, tonight.
Also present were Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom, Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Minister Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin, Malaysia Islamic Development Department (Jakim) director-general Datuk Othman Mustapha and mosque chairman Zaid Abdullah.
Full report at:
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/najib-muslims-should-set-aside-differences-for-sake-of-islam/
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Is Same-Sex Marriage a Product of the West?
Tanti Noor Said | Analysis | March 31, 2013
Constitutional Court judge candidate Arief Hidayat recently spoke against same-sex marriage during a confirmation hearing before the House of Representatives.
He argued that same-sex marriage was unconstitutional and against his religious values. He also said that same-sex marriage was a product of the West.
Indonesia’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community was quick to disagree.
Hartoyo, a gay activist and general secretary of the LGBT online forum OurVoice, wrote a letter to Arief telling him about his experiences as a gay Muslim living in Indonesia.
Hartoyo reportedly received a reply from Arief, who apologized for any offense he may have caused to the LGBT community, but maintained that same-sex marriage was against the “core values of Pancasila,” the national ideology.
Full report at:
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/opinion/is-same-sex-marriage-a-product-of-the-west/582605
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Indonesian Churches to Send an Easter Message to SBY
Camelia Pasandaran | March 31, 2013
There will be no indoor Easter service this year for three embattled congregations in West Java still fighting to worship in their own churches, but that won’t stop them from celebrating one of the most important dates on the Christian calendar.
The three church congregations — from GKI Yasmin in Bogor, HKBP Filadelfia and HKBP Taman Sari in Bekasi — will gather in front of the State Palace today at 10 a.m. in the hopes of sending a message about freedom to worship in Indonesia.
“We will make a giant Easter egg, about as tall as a human, and give it to the president,” Palti Panjaitan, pastor of HKBP Filadelfia, told the Jakarta Globe. “The egg will be made from hundreds of colorful paper strips that members of the three churches have written their hopes on.”
Full report at:
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/indonesian-churches-to-send-an-easter-message-to-sby/582602
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SEA’s biggest church opens amid rising religious debate in Malaysia
31 March 2013
KUALA LUMPUR, March 31 — Southeast Asia’s largest church opened its doors today against a backdrop of debate about freedom of religion in Malaysia and allegations of subtle discrimination against non-Muslims.
The Pentecostal church Calvary Church brushed off fears of a potential backlash from Muslims, even as it celebrated Easter today at its newly opened building here that is touted to be the largest in the region.
The RM200 million 600,000-square-feet building dubbed the Calvary Convention Centre (CCC) in Bukit Jalil boasts a 5,000-seat auditorium, as well as a multi-purpose hall, classrooms, lecture halls, a nursery and other spaces that will be converted into retail stores and cafes.
Full report at:
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/as-seas-biggest-church-opens-christians-dismiss-malaysian-muslim-backlash/
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Pakistan
Repeat of Joseph Colony will not be tolerated: Sethi
March 31, 2013
LAHORE: The arson attack on Christian residents of Joseph Colony, Badami Bagh, three weeks ago was tragic and intolerable and such an incident must never be allowed to happen again, said Caretaker Chief Minister Najam Sethi here on Saturday.
Presiding over a meeting at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat concerning the reconstruction of homes in Joseph Colony, Sethi said no religion allowed “such an inhuman and barbaric act”, according to a press release from the Directorate General of Public Relations.
He said that all segments of society must play an active role in promoting tolerance and peace. The attack had not only resulted in the victimisation of a minority, but also damaged Pakistan’s image in the rest of the world. Inter-religious harmony was the need of the hour, he added.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/528887/law-and-order-repeat-of-jospeh-colony-will-not-be-tolerated-sethi/
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Blasphemy accused convicted after 12 years
31 March 2013
HYDERABAD: A court here on Saturday convicted a person accused for blasphemy by sentencing him to life imprisonment. The first Additional District and Sessions Judge Ajlal Hyder Memon pronouced the verdict under sections 295-A and 295-B of the blasphemy law against Jalal Chandio. Chandio was accused of burning a copy of the Holy Quran in his house in Jathia Mohala area of Tando Adam, Sanghar district, in the year 2001. A religious leader of the area, Allama Ahmed Mian Hamadi, was the complainant in the case which was lodged in B-section police station of Tando Adam.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2013\03\31\story_31-3-2013_pg7_7
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2 killed, 6 injured in blast in northwest Pakistan
PTI | Mar 31, 2013
ISLAMABAD: Two persons were killed and six others, including a former provincial legislator, injured in a bomb blast in Pakistan's restive northwest today, police said.
The blast targeted the motorcade of Awami National Party leader Adnan Wazir, a former member of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, in Wali Noor area of Bannu district.
Wazir, a candidate for the May 11 polls, was on his way to an election rally at the time of the attack.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/2-killed-6-injured-in-blast-in-northwest-Pakistan/articleshow/19304199.cms
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It’s advantage Nawaz in Pakistan
Imtiaz Ahmad, Hindustan Times
March 30, 2013
As Pakistan’s polls approach in May, there is still no clear favourite emerging as to who will form the next government.
Different polls have given both the incumbent Pakistan People’s Party and Nawaz Sharif’s PML-N party a chance at forming the next government. A poll by
the Heinrich Boll Foundation gave the PPP an edge based on ethnic voting trends and household income levels. However this reading now seems to changing as a recent poll by PILDAT, an Islamabad-based electoral watch, and Gallup Pakistan gives an edge to the PML-N.
It is being increasingly said now that unlike previously assumed, the new prime minister may well be Mian Nawaz Sharif, two times prime minister of Pakistan and leader of the PML-N (Pakistan Muslim League — Nawaz).
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/pakistan/It-s-advantage-Nawaz-in-Pakistan/Article1-1034930.aspx
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Threats against Musharraf create tensions in Islamabad's security apparatus
March 30, 2013
New details on threats against former Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf, who is expected to visit Islamabad soon, have created tensions in the state security apparatus, a report has said.
The threats against Musharraf have required the police and intelligence agencies to increase
security preparations.
According to the Dawn, Musharraf's presence in Pakistan have already led to potential risks, with people seeking revenge for military operations in the tribal areas and the Lal Masjid operation of 2007.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/pakistan/Threats-against-Musharraf-create-tensions-in-Islamabad-s-security-apparatus/Article1-1034628.aspx
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Pakistani Taliban claim responsibility for attacks in Bannu, Mardan
31 March 2013
BANNU:The proscribed Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militant outfit claimed responsibility for Sunday’s bomb attack near an election rally in Bannu and for Saturday’s suicide attack in Mardan which had claimed the life of a policeman.
Talking to Dawn.com TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan said that the banned organisation was behind the remote controlled bomb attack in Bannu which had targeted a leader associated with the Awami National Party (ANP).
Full report at:
http://dawn.com/2013/03/31/blast-in-bannu-kills-two-injures-six/
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Imran Khan delivers his own 'I have a dream' speech
March 31, 2013
MINGORA: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan delivered his own version of US civil rights activist Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech during a large rally in Mingora, Swat, on Sunday.
Addressing a huge crowd, Imran told the locals about his many dreams and how he fulfilled them, adding that four months back, he dreamt of winning the upcoming elections.
“I dreamt about playing for Pakistan at the age of nine and I played for the national team at 18.
I dreamt of becoming world’s best all rounder; in nine years time I became one.
I dreamt of making Pakistan the best cricket team and winning a world cup; it took 10 years and we won in 1992.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/529130/imran-khan-delivers-his-own-i-have-a-dream-speech/
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Pak terms reports on Chamel Singh as 'malicious Indian propaganda'
Mar 31 2013
Lahore : Pakistani authroities today rejected as "malicious Indian propaganda" reports that Indian prisoner Chamel Singh had died after allegedly being assaulted by jail staff here, saying his death was caused by a sudden stroke and heart attack.
Mohsin Rafiq Chaudhry, Senior Superintendent of Kot Lakhpat Jail in Lahore, claimed a few Indian newspapers had published "concocted news with ulterior motives" about Singh being tortured to death.
He also described the reports of Singh's death after allegedly being assaulted as "malicious Indian propaganda".
Singh, said to be in his sixties, was declared dead on arrival by doctors at the state-run Jinnah Hospital on January 15. He was serving a five-year prison term for alleged involvement in espionage.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/pak-terms-reports-on-chamel-singh-as-malicious-indian-propaganda/1095640/
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In Pak underworld, a cop rises to be ‘king’
Mar 31 2013
Karachi : A corrupt, low-level cop with a healthy dose of streetsmartness rose to control hundreds of illegal gambling dens in Pakistan’s largest city. By doling out millions of dollars in illicit proceeds, he protects his empire and has become one of the most powerful people in Karachi.
The allegations against Mohammed Waseem Ahmed — or Waseem “Beater” as he is more commonly known — emerged recently from surprise testimony by a top police commander before a crusading anti-crime Supreme Court judge. The story has given a rare and colorful glimpse into the vast underworld in Karachi, a chaotic metropolis of 18 million people on Pakistan’s southern coast.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/in-pak-underworld-a-cop-rises-to-be-king/1095498/
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Mideast Asia
Palestinians protest Israelis visiting Al-Aqsa
Israeli police arrests six Palestinians after they threw stones at Israelis visiting Al-Aqsa mosque on Sunday
31 Mar 2013
Israeli police arrested six Palestinians after stones were thrown at Israelis visiting Jerusalem's flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound on Sunday during the Jewish Passover holiday, a spokesman said.
"There was a regular scheduled visit on Temple Mount," spokesman Micky Rosenfeld told AFP, using the Jewish name for the compound which is the third-holiest site in Islam but also Judaism's most sacred place.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/68110/World/Region/Palestinians-protest-Israelis-visiting-AlAqsa.aspx
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After Israeli apology, Turkey dreams of new tourism boom
March 31, 2013
ISTANBUL: The air-clearing apologies were both made and accepted.
Now, Turkey’s tourism industry is holding its breath and hoping that Israel’s apology for a deadly 2010 raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla will translate into a new love affair that will bring Israeli holidaymakers back to its beach resorts.
“After the apology, I think we’ll reach 500,000 (Israeli) tourists this year,” said Timur Bayindir, the president of the Association of Hotel Owners in Turkey (TUROB), convinced that any grudges between the two allies were erased thanks to last week’s diplomatic breakthrough.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/529120/after-israeli-apology-turkey-dreams-of-new-tourism-boom/
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Turkey discusses energy deal with Iraqi Kurds
31 March 2013
ANKARA: Turkey is discussing the terms of an energy partnership with Iraqi Kurds, the country’s prime minister said on Friday in the first public confirmation of a project that could aggravate tensions in the powder keg region.
Analysts have said the move — aimed at securing affordable oil and gas supplies to fuel Turkey’s rapid economic growth — also risks damaging ties with the US, its major ally. “We are in the process of striking a trade agreement with them (Iraqi Kurds),” Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in an interview with the CNN-Turk television.
Full report at:
http://dawn.com/2013/03/31/turkey-discusses-energy-deal-with-iraqi-kurds/
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Jerusalem prelate urges Pope Francis to visit the Holy City
Israel's most senior Catholic prelate calls on international community to find a balanced and just solution for the Palestinian cause
31 Mar 2013
The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem on Sunday invited Pope Francis and the world's Christians to visit the Holy City, which he called the birthplace of "everything Christian."
"The Lord... invites us here to carry the light of faith at the centre of our region of the Middle East, where Christianity was born, where the mother church of Jerusalem was born, and where everything Christian was born," Fuad Twal, the senior Roman Catholic cleric in the Holy Land, said in his Easter homily.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/68130/World/Region/Jerusalem-prelate-urges-Pope-Francis-to-visit-the-.aspx
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Fatah rejects Qatar's 'suspicious' call for reconciliation talks
Qatar's call for Fatah-Hamas reconciliation talks is unnecessary because there is already a timetable for negotiations, says Fatah leader
31 Mar 2013
A senior member of Palestinian movement Fatah described a Qatari call for new reconciliation talks between Fatah and Hamas in Cairo as “suspicious and unnecessary,” Egypt's state-run news agency MENA reported on Sunday. Hamas has reportedly welcomed the offer of talks.
Azzam Al-Ahmed, a member of Fatah's central committee who is in charge of reconciliation efforts at Fatah, said that the reconciliation process with Hamas is moving forward through a "specified timetable."
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/68133/World/Region/Fatah-rejects-Qatars-suspicious-call-for-reconcili.aspx
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Dialogue is only way to avoid civil war, says Hadi
March 31, 2013
SANA’A — President Abdo Rabbo Mansour Hadi, head of the National Dialogue Conference, affirmed that the dialogue is the only way to spare the people to engage in a civil war and armed conflicts.
This came in the president’s speech on Saturday at the opening of the eighth meeting of the first general session of the conference.
He pointed that he had followed up the previous meetings of the conference and the people’s positive reactions, expressing his great satisfaction for the workflow of the conference.
Full report at:
http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20130331159264
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Israel has more Jews than US now
Mar 31 2013
ISRAEL has become the world’s largest Jewish population centre, overtaking America for the first time.
The total Jewish population of six million in the country carries added significance, as this was the number of Jews killed in the Holocaust.
Census statistics revealed that Israel’s total population has reached eight million, with the surge in the Jewish community thought to have been fuelled by returning members of the diaspora.
Full report at:
Mail Today
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North America
Guantanamo hunger strikers ready for death, lawyer says
AFP | Mar 31, 2013
WASHINGTON: His body ravaged and weakened by a 50-day hunger strike staged in protest at alleged mistreatment of Qurans at Guantanamo jail, Abd al-Malik Abd al-Wahab has a message for his loved ones.
"Tell my family if I die to forgive me," said Abd al-Wahab, a 33-year-old Yemeni national who has spent 11 years — or a third of his life — behind bars at the controversial US detention facility in Cuba.
Abd al-Wahab, whose comments were relayed to AFP by his lawyer, is among dozens of detainees who are staging a hunger strike at the military prison amid allegations — vehemently denied by US officials — that guards improperly handled Qurans during searches in February.
The scale of the protest is hotly disputed by officials at the camp and rights lawyers acting for detainees.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/Guantanamo-hunger-strikers-ready-for-death-lawyer-says/articleshow/19300884.cms
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US hands over Afghan district after ‘abuse’ row
31 March 2013
KABUL: The US military pulled out of a strategic district in eastern Afghanistan on Saturday as part of a deal with President Hamid Karzai, who alleged that soldiers had mistreated locals.
Karzai had at first accused Afghan militia working with elite US units of torturing and murdering civilians, but later changed his allegations to focus on unproven claims of “harassment” by American troops.
The president issued an ultimatum that US commandos leave the province of Wardak, a key region close to the capital Kabul, raising concern that the pullout would create a major security opening for Taliban insurgents.
Full report at:
http://dawn.com/2013/03/31/us-hands-over-afghan-district-after-abuse-row/
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/islamic-activists-demand-new-blasphemy/d/10956