Lay Down Arms or Declare Yourselves ‘Non-Muslim’, Pakistan Interior Minister to Taliban
New Age Islam News Bureau
27 Jan 2013
Pakistan
• Lay Down Arms or Declare Yourselves ‘Non-Muslim’, Pakistan Interior Minister to Taliban
• Taliban- pro-government militia clash kills 31
• ‘Friendly advice’: Hafiz Saeed ‘advises’ Shah Rukh Khan to move to Pakistan
• No room for violence, extremism in Islam: Minister for Religious Affairs
• Balochistan violence: Insurgents kill 3 peace force personnel
• No Mujahideen, only soldiers in Kargil: Pak General
• Muslim Ummah must unite to face world challenges: President
• Pakistan Ulema Council Chairman appointed council member of Islamic Ideology
• Anti-graft official committed suicide, Pak SC told
• Cantt station blast was a terror attack: Forensic report
• Peace talks: ANP wants militants to form ‘empowered’ delegation
• Proposed Kabul Ulema moot gets cold shoulder
Arab World
• Egyptian Mourners Bury 35 Killed in Port Said Riot
• Don’t be greedy, Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia tells merchants
• Jihadists and Secular Activists Clash in Syria
• After Arab Spring no-show, jihadists make comeback
• King’s initiative draws Tunisian accolades
• Port Said in Egypt Erupts in Chaos over Sentences
• Al-Qaeda exploiting unrest from Syria to Sahel: expert
• Assad’s forces escalate offensive in key province; refugees flowing into Jordan
• Iraq Parliament Votes to Keep Maliki from Seeking New Term
• Egypt Pounds Dips, Weekend Violence Prompts Caution
India
• Madhya Pradesh's Malwa region struggles with its radicals
• Not against talks with New Delhi, says hard-line Hurriyat Conference
• New visa pact, extradition treaty with Bangladesh in offing
• The spotlight on 'Hindu terror'
• New Delhi lacks vision on Kashmir, says author
• Indo-Pak water talks put off
• Lord Paul warns against foreign intervention in J&K
• AFSPA is against democracy, Constitution, says Wajahat Habibullah
• BSF yet to return 2 Yemeni nationals
• Nigerian navy arrests 10 Indians for alleged oil theft
• India-Pak LoC trade, bus services likely to resume tomorrow
• Digvijaya in favour of early hanging of Afzal Guru
Africa
• Ready for talks to free French hostage: Mali Islamists
• French, Malians secure Timbuktu in rebel-held north
• African Leaders Meet in Ethiopia Amid Mali Crisis
• France destroys Islamist leader's house
• French forces press on in Mali as US extends support
Mideast Asia
• Israel Vows Syria Strike at Any Sign of Chemical Arms Transfer
• Young Palestinians re-define grammar of protests
• World powers asked for delay in nuclear talks: Iran
• David Ward MP 'sorry' over Israel criticism
• Israeli Official Hints Pentagon Plans May Make Lone Strike on Iran Unnecessary
• Jerusalem football fans slam Muslim hire plan
North America
• Harvard University students plan India-Pakistan peace vigil
• US court overturns al-Qaeda propagandist Ali Hamza's conviction
• Why Headley may be released before he’s 80
• US agrees to refuel French warplanes on Mali mission
Europe
• Brazil lauds Bangladesh for poverty reduction
• UN humanitarian chief in Syria for talks
South Asia
• Afghan bombs kill 23 policemen in 24 hours
• Bangladesh PM for continuation of democratic process
• Chittagong University teacher sent to jail on attempt-to-rape charge
• Bangladesh HC terms law enforcers role as 'inspiring'
Southeast Asia
• Children defenceless against online crimes
• Nearly 500 TKI Still Stuck in Syria
• 37 held while going to Malaysia illegally
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
Photo: Egyptian Mourners Bury 35 Killed in Port Said Riot
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Pakistan
Lay Down Arms or Declare Yourselves ‘Non-Muslim’, Pakistan Interior Minister to Taliban
* Malik asks Taliban to end hypocrisy, stop Muslim killings
By Ijaz Kakakhel
Jan 27, 2013
ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on Saturday stressed the need to follow the teaching of Holy Prophet (PBUH) to establish peace in the country and also called on terrorists to lay down arms, hold talks for peace and stop killing fellow Muslims.
The House suspended the routine agenda and adopted unanimously a motion for discussion on the Seerat un Nabi (PBUH). The legislators noted that the only way social discrimination can be eliminated and interfaith harmony promoted is by following the principles of Islam, which are a complete code of life. Speaking in the House, Interior Minister Rehman Malik asked the terrorists to lay down arms and give up killing of Muslims or declare themselves non-Muslims, as Islam had no room for violence.
“Is this Islam? If not, then why do you not declare yourselves as non-Muslims? We will have to end this hypocrisy,” the minister said. Malik reiterated that the militants must give up violence and “become true Muslims”. He said the people who had been killed in Karachi and Quetta were also Muslims, and asked the militants on whose behest they were carrying out bloodshed. He thanked the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and the MQM for supporting the suspension of cellular service on Eid Milad un Nabi (PBUH) on the demand of provinces, following intelligence tip-offs.
“No criminal act took place on the day. Not even a single target killing occurred in Karachi or a bomb blast in Quetta,” Malik told the House while terming cell phones as mobile bombs. He said the cellular companies had issued up to 150,000 SIMs to individuals illegally, and he has directed them to verify the particulars of all their subscribers within the set deadline of February 28. Malik also suggested the House adopt a resolution demanding the closure of all unauthorised SIMs and also suggest a punishment for the violators.
He said the government could no more tolerate the killing of innocent people and any such resolution by the House would support the law enforcement agencies. Malik said despite repeated requests, the House could not yet adopt bills on terrorists financing and anti-terrorism act that would disallow granting of bail to suspected terrorists and would bring them to task. “If these bills are not passed, the law enforcement agencies and the judiciary will continue to be blamed for not acting against the militants,” Malik said.
As the proceedings of the House resumed, Minister for Religious Affairs Syed Khurshid Shah suggested the House speak on the life and teachings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). He also suggested that in future, the House should exclusively discuss Seerat un Nabi (PBUH) a day after the Eid Miladun Nabi (PBUH) every year. On this Yasmeen Rehman, who was in the chair, said the suggestion, which was a good gesture, would require consultation with all the political leaders. Opening the discussion, Nighat Perveen Mir said the Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) life was a complete roadmap for the mankind and one should apply all of his teachings in daily life.
After her, MQM MNA Abdul Qadir Khanzada, PPP’s Jamshed Dasti, Tahira Aurangzeb and many others highlighted the life of the Prophet (PBUH). Winding up the debate, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Syed Khursheed Ahmad.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2013\01\27\story_27-1-2013_pg1_4
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Taliban- pro-government militia clash kills 31
Jan 27, 2013
PESHAWAR: At least 31 people were killed when Pakistani Taliban attacked a pro-government militia, according to reports from the two sides on Saturday, but the Taliban were beaten back after hours of fierce fighting.
About 300 Taliban armed with mortars and rocket-propelled grenades launched the overnight assault in the Maiden area of Tirah, a maze of valleys on a route from Afghanistan to Peshawar, a fighter of the pro-government Ansarul Islam militia said. The militia beat the Taliban back, killing 15 and capturing 8, while three villagers, including an elderly woman, were killed in crossfire, he said. A Taliban fighter said they killed 13 members of the pro-government militia.
Sources said TTP and Ansarul Islam militants used heavy weapons against each other. Since 2009, the Pakistani military and pro-government militias have been clawing back territory from the Taliban, who once controlled land a few hours’ drive from Islamabad. Pakistani government officials say the NATO withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan in 2014 might strengthen the Taliban in Pakistan. The Afghan and Pakistani Taliban are separate groups but strong allies.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2013\01\27\story_27-1-2013_pg7_2
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‘Friendly advice’: Hafiz Saeed ‘advises’ Shahrukh Khan to move to Pakistan
January 27, 2013
LAHORE: The chief of a charity blamed by India for the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks has advised Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan to move to Pakistan if he feels “insecure” in India.
“Shahrukh will be welcome here,” Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, the chief of Jamaatud Dawa (JuD) said during an Express News programme Takrar. Hafiz Saeed’s invitation came in response to Shahrukh’s recent statements about life as a Muslim in India.
“I sometimes become the inadvertent object of political leaders who choose to make me a symbol of all that they think is wrong and unpatriotic about Muslims in India,” Shahrukh told Outlook Turning Points magazine in an interview.
India has blamed the JuD for masterminding the 2008 attacks on landmarks in its commercial hub which had killed over 160 people.
In Saturday’s interview, Hafiz Saeed demanded the United States take notice of a recent statement by the Indian home minister regarding Hindu terrorist camps in India. “The US should carry out drone attacks on these camps in India,” he said.
Talking about the nuclear warning issued by Indian authorities in Indian-administered Kashmir, Saeed said that in case of a nuclear war between India and Pakistan, the former would have to distribute safety pamphlets in Delhi and Mumbai rather than Kashmir.
He denied New Delhi’s claims that he had visited the Line of Control (LoC), saying that the claims were intended to provide a smokescreen to Indian ceasefire violations. Regarding the recent ceasefire violations along the LoC, he said Indian forces carried out unprovoked attacks on Pakistani soldiers and then used false claims to counter Islamabad’s protests.
Commenting on the interim set-up before the upcoming elections in Pakistan, Saeed objected to Asma Jahangir’s inclusion on the list of candidates for caretaker prime minister and said “Pakistan is not a secular country”.
http://tribune.com.pk/story/499270/friendly-advice-hafiz-saeed-advises-shahrukh-khan-to-move-to-pakistan/
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No room for violence, extremism in Islam: Minister for Religious Affairs
Jan 27, 2013
ISLAMABAD: Minister for Religious Affairs Syed Khursheed Ahmad Shah on Saturday said that there was no room for violence, extremism and terrorism in Islam – a religion of peace and tolerance. Winding up the discussion on Seeratun Nabi (PBUH) in the National Assembly, he said that in 1974, the PPP-led government started holding annual Seeratun Nabi (PBUH) conferences at the government level. He said that around 30 percent of the world population consists of Muslims, but “unfortunately these countries had to face chaos despite the fact that the citizens were the followers of the religion of peace”. Khursheed Shah said that no Muslim could claim the life of his fellow Muslim brother, as “killing of one human being is tantamount to killing the whole of humanity”. He said that ideal peace could be maintained across the world by following the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and the golden principles of Islam in letter and spirit. “Islam provides us with a complete code of ethics, but unfortunately, we are divided on a sectarian basis. The people involved in bomb blast and subversive activities were misguided elements and were distorting the true image of Islam.” Full report at:
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2013\01\27\story_27-1-2013_pg11_2
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Balochistan violence: Insurgents kill 3 peace force personnel
January 27, 2013
QUETTA: At least three members of a voluntary peace force, including one of its commanders, were killed and four others were kidnapped on Saturday when Baloch insurgents attacked their camp in Dera Bugti, Balochistan.
According to Balochistan Levies sources, dozens of armed insurgents assaulted the post of the pro-government tribal militia post in the Tilli Mat area of Dera Bugti in an early morning raid. As a result, at least three of its members, including a commander, were killed.
Full report at:http://tribune.com.pk/story/499283/balochistan-violence-insurgents-kill-3-peace-force-personnel/
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No Mujahideen, only soldiers in Kargil: Pak General
Manu Pubby
Jan 27 2013
New Delhi: In a candid admission that only regular troops of the Pakistan Army took part in the Kargil conflict with India in 1999 and not Mujahideen fighters as claimed by Islamabad, a retired Pakistani Lieutenant General, who was then heading the analysis wing of the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), has written that the intrusion was an “unsound military plan based on invalid assumptions” and there was a “cover-up” later by his then chief, General Pervez Musharraf.
Full report at:http://www.indianexpress.com/news/no-mujahideen-only-soldiers-in-kargil-pak-genera.../1065366/
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Muslim Ummah must unite to face world challenges: President
Jan 27, 2013
ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday urged the Muslim Ummah to get united in the light of the teachings of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) to face the challenges in the world and find solutions to the individual and collective problems.
Zardari said that the need for imbibing the virtues of peace, love, compassion and humility as taught to us by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is as great today as it was at any time before. He said that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was sent by God to the entire mankind and universe. Full report at:http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2013\01\27\story_27-1-2013_pg7_1
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Pakistan Ulema Council Chairman appointed council member of Islamic Ideology
January 27, 2013
LAHORE: President Asif Zardari has notified Pakistan Ulema Council Chairman Allama Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi as a member of the Council of Islamic Ideology.
The Council’s job is to consider whether any laws conflict with Islam. Ashrafi told The Express Tribune that he would support legislation which promotes interfaith harmony and goes against terrorism. He said that he would try to promote an environment in which non-Muslims felt like equal citizens of Pakistan.
http://tribune.com.pk/story/499135/islamic-ideology-ashrafi-appointed-council-member/
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Anti-graft official committed suicide, Pak SC told
January 27, 2013
A senior anti-graft investigator,who was found dead in mysterious circumstances while probing corruption charges against Pakistan Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf, had apparently committed suicide, Pakistani police has told the Supreme Court.
Officials of Islamabad Police submitted an initial investigation report regarding the death of Kamran Faisal, an assistant director of the National Accountability Bureau, to the Supreme Court on Saturday.
Full report at:http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/pakistan/Anti-graft-official-committed-suicide-Pak-SC-told/Article1-1002435.aspx
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Cantt station blast was a terror attack: Forensic report
January 27, 2013
KARACHI: After 28 days and countless tests at two forensic laboratories, it has been established that explosives were indeed used in the blast outside the Cantt railway station.
“Around 20 types of chemicals usually used in making dynamites, fireworks, detonators and homemade bombs were used,” Sindh police forensic division chief AIG Munir Sheikh told The Express Tribune.
Full report at:http://tribune.com.pk/story/499187/cantt-station-blast-was-a-terror-attack-forensic-report/
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Peace talks: ANP wants militants to form ‘empowered’ delegation
January 27, 2013
PESHAWAR: The ruling Awami National Party (ANP) on Saturday sent out a message asking militants to constitute an ‘empowered’ team for holding talks with a panel of political parties.
“For any talks to be carried out, they (militants) ought to constitute an empowered team,” provincial information minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain told participants of a gathering convened at Nishtar Hall to observe the chehlum of slain minster Bashir Ahmad Bilour, who was targeted in a suicide attack on December 22, 2012.
Full report at:http://tribune.com.pk/story/499221/peace-talks-anp-wants-militants-to-form-empowered-delegation/
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Proposed Kabul Ulema moot gets cold shoulder
January 27, 2013
ISLAMABAD: A conference of Pakistani and Afghan religious scholars, scheduled to be held in Kabul by the end of January, faces a likely delay that will be a serious setback for the so-called notion of “religious backing” for the peace efforts by the US-backed Karzai regime, diplomats and officials revealed on Thursday.
A delegation of Afghan clerics was scheduled to visit Pakistan ahead of the conference to invite religious leaders and discuss the agenda for peace; however the visit has still not taken place, officials of the two countries told The Express Tribune.
Full report at:http://tribune.com.pk/story/499240/setback-to-peace-prospect-proposed-kabul-ulema-moot-gets-cold-shoulder/
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Arab World
Egyptian Mourners Bury 35 Killed in Port Said Riot
Jan 27, 2013
PORT SAID, Egypt (AP) — Thousands of people who have turned out for a mass funeral for 35 people killed in rioting in the coastal city of Port Said are chanting against Egypt's Islamist President Mohammed Morsi.
Mourners in the funeral procession were shouting "There is no God but Allah, and Morsi is God's enemy" after praying for the dead Sunday at the city's Mariam Mosque.
There were no police or army troops in sight, but the funeral procession briefly halted after gunfire rang out. The source of the gunfire was not immediately known.
Health officials say at least 37 people were killed, including two policemen, in rioting on Saturday. The violence erupted after a court handed down death sentences to 21 local fans involved in a deadly melee at a soccer game last year.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2013/01/27/world/middleeast/ap-ml-egypt.html?ref=middleeast
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Don’t be greedy, Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia tells merchants
27 January 2013
RIYADH: Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh has asked merchants not be greedy, saying profits of them exceed 100 percent.
In his Friday sermon at Imam Turki bin Abdulaziz Mosque in Riyadh, he asked all merchants to distance themselves from fraud, cheating or manipulation of prices, saying Shariah (Islamic law) prohibits such behaviour. Some merchants deliberately import goods of poor quality and then sell them with a high profit margin without any fear of God.
The grand mufti urged merchants to be honest in their dealings with people, demanding at the same time that names of shops and markets be in the Arabic language for the sake of preserving the original language of the Holy Qur’an.
Full report at:
http://www.arabnews.com/don%E2%80%99t-be-greedy-grand-mufti-tells-merchants
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Jihadists and Secular Activists Clash in Syria
By HANIA MOURTADA and ANNE BARNARD
Jan 27, 2013
BEIRUT, Lebanon — The tensions had been simmering for months in the northern Syrian town of Saraqib. Civilian antigovernment activists had complained of rebel fighters who needlessly destroyed a milk factory and treated residents disrespectfully. A growing contingent of jihadist fighters from the ideologically extreme and militarily formidable Nusra Front was suspicious of the activists’ secular, nonviolent agenda.
On Thursday, mistrust erupted into confrontation. Masked men believed to be with Al Nusra raided the headquarters of two secular civilian grass-roots organizations — setting in motion one of the most dramatic tests yet of the makeshift system of local governance that civilians and fighters have established in Saraqib, a rebel-held town.
Full report at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/27/world/middleeast/syria-war-developments.html?ref=middleeast
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After Arab Spring no-show, jihadists make comeback
Two years after the so called 'Arab Spring' revolutions, a significant new geopolitical landscape is developing in the Arab world and North Africa with the emergence of radical and Islamist movements
27 Jan 2013
The flow of foreign fighters into Syria, flood of arms across North Africa, war in Mali and terror attacks highlight the jihadists' return in a region rocked by the Arab Spring, diplomats and analysts say.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/63385/World/Region/After-Arab-Spring-noshow,-jihadists-make-comeback.aspx
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King’s initiative draws Tunisian accolades
27 January 2013
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah’s initiative at the recently concluded Third Arab Economic Summit has received enormous appreciation at the official Tunisian economic circle.
King Abdullah has called for an increase in the capital of the joint Arab financial funds and firms by at least 50 percent for the enhancement of socioeconomic development of Arab countries.
Full report at:
http://www.arabnews.com/king%E2%80%99s-initiative-draws-tunisian-accolades
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Port Said in Egypt Erupts in Chaos over Sentences
By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK and MAYY EL SHEIKH
Jan 27, 2013
CAIRO — Egypt’s new government lost control of a major city, Port Said, on Saturday as rampaging soccer fans attacked the main jail, drove police officers from the streets and cut off all access to the city.
Set off by the sentencing of 21 Port Said soccer fans to death, the rioting was the sharpest challenge yet to the efforts of Egypt’s new Islamist rulers to re-establish orders after the two years of turmoil that have followed the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak, Egypt’s autocratic president.
Full report at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/27/world/middleeast/egypt-riots-soccer-verdict.html?ref=middleeast&_r=0
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Al-Qaeda exploiting unrest from Syria to Sahel: expert
January 27, 2013
WASHINGTON: Retired CIA veteran Bruce Riedel, a counterterrorism expert at the Brookings Institution think tank who has advised four US presidents, spoke to AFP about the evolution of Al-Qaeda since 2001.
Q: What is the state of Al-Qaeda since the attacks of September 11, 2001?
A: "We are witnessing today the evolution of the third generation of Al-Qaeda. Or what I refer to as Al-Qaeda 3.0.
Full report at:
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2013/Jan-27/203860-al-qaeda-30-exploiting-unrest-from-syria-to-sahel-.ashx#ixzz2JB4AvmFH
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Assad’s forces escalate offensive in key province; refugees flowing into Jordan
January 26, 2013
The Syrian army unleashed a barrage of rocket and artillery fire on rebel-held areas in a central province Friday as part of a widening offensive against fighters seeking to oust President Bashar Assad. At least 140 people were killed in fighting nationwide, according to activist groups.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/restofasia/Assad-s-forces-
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Iraq Parliament Votes to Keep Maliki From Seeking New Term
By YASIR GHAZI and TIM ARANGO
Jan 27, 2013
BAGHDAD — In the bloody aftermath of street protests that turned violent on Friday in Falluja, Iraq’s Parliament passed a law on Saturday intended to prevent Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki from seeking a third term.
The parliamentary move was the latest threat to Mr. Maliki’s hold on power and reflected rising anger among rivals over his leadership, but it appeared unlikely that the law, which would need to approved by Iraq’s president, would ever go into effect.
Full report at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/27/world/middleeast/iraq-parliament-votes-to-keep-maliki-from-seeking-new-term.html?ref=middleeast
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Egypt Pounds Dips, Weekend Violence Prompts Caution
Jan 27, 2013
CAIRO (Reuters) - Egypt's pound weakened against the dollar on Sunday, as street violence and deaths added to the political crisis, extending a steady decline at the central bank's foreign exchange auctions since their launch last month.
One analyst said trading was cautious but not panicked after a weekend of flare-ups across Egypt that killed at least 41 people. Repeated eruptions of violence have weighed heavily on the pound, which has been hitting fresh lows against the dollar.
Full report at:
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2013/01/27/world/middleeast/27reuters-egypt-auction-result.html?ref=middleeast
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India
Madhya Pradesh's Malwa region struggles with its radicals
Vijay Swaroop
January 27, 2013
It is 3 pm on Tuesday. Parvati, a woman in her early 60s is sitting with two children - Tannu (2 years) and Poonam (seven months) - playing in her lap at their Ravidas Mohalla house at Depalpur. The kids are the two children of Tejram Parmar, who was arrested by the National Investigation Agency from Ujjain for allegedly planting one of the bombs in Mecca Masjid at Hyderabad.
The family of masons is shocked. "We are four brothers. Tejram is the youngest. All four of us along with our father, Hindu Singh, leave home at 7 in the morning for work and return by 7 in the evening. Where is the time for these activities?," asks Rajesh, Tejram's elder brother. Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/IndiaSectionPage/india/A-region-struggles-with-its-radicals/Article1-1002337.aspx
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Not against talks with New Delhi, says hardline Hurriyat Conference
Jan 27, 2013
SRINAGAR: Hardline faction of Hurriyat Conference today said they are not against talks with the Centre to resolve the Kashmir issue given that the government approaches them with good intentions.
However, the hardline faction, headed by Syed Ali Shah Geelani, said the talks should not be aimed at "coercing" people of Kashmir.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Not-against-talks-with-Centre-says-hardline-Hurriyat/articleshow/18209056.cms
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New visa pact, extradition treaty with Bangladesh in offing
Jan 27 2013
New Delhi : India is all set to sign a liberalised visa agreement and an extradition treaty with Bangladesh during Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde's two-day visit to Dhaka beginning tomorrow.
The new visa pact, named revised travel arrangement, will remove restrictions on visit of each other's businesspersons, students, patients, senior citizens above 65 years and children below 12 years on the lines of the liberalised visa regime between India and Pakistan.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/new-visa-pact-extradition-treaty-with-bangladesh-.../1065372/
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The spotlight on 'Hindu terror'
Shishir Gupta & Rajesh Ahuja, Hindustan Times
January 27, 2013
On Jan 16, 2009, joint secretary Dr KP Krishnan of the finance ministry received a letter from John Fennerty, Deputy Counsellors in the US Embassy, informing the government that America on Feb 2 will move the UN Security Council to add five more names to the designated terrorists list. One of them was prominent Lashkar-e-Toiba terror financier Mohammed Arif Qasmani, blamed by the US for the July 11, 2006 Mumbai train serial blasts and the Feb 18, 2007 fire-bombing of Samjhauta Express at Panipat, Haryana.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/IndiaSectionPage/india/The-spotlight-on-Hindu-terror/Article1-1002334.aspx
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New Delhi lacks vision on Kashmir, says author
Jan 27 2013
Jaipur : Journalist and author Rahul Pandita on Saturday lamented the "lack of vision in New Delhi about Kashmir" and the "unwillingness" to discuss the issue of displacement of Kashmiri Pandits at national level.
Participating in a panel titled 'Kashmir: Chronicles of Exile' at the Jaipur Literature Festival alongside political historian Siddiq Wahid, Pandita -- a Kashmiri Pandit -- said he felt a sense of displacement after his exile from home.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/new-delhi-lacks-vision-on-kashmir-says-author/1065258/
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Indo-Pak water talks put off
Jan 27, 2013
Talks between the Water Secretaries of India and Pakistan, scheduled to begin in Islamabad on January 28, have been put off in the wake of tensions over ceasefire violations along the LoC . The two sides were scheduled to discuss the Tulbul navigation project-Wullar Barrage issue .
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/indopak-water-talks-put-off/article4349320.ece
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Lord Paul warns against foreign intervention in J&K
HASAN SUROOR
Jan 27, 2013
“The constituency for peace in both India and Pakistan is widening,” Labour peer Swraj Paul said during a debate on India-Pakistan relations in the House of Lords.
“Despite occasional problems, the two countries have remained committed to maintaining peace. There is greater people-to-people contact, greater trade, and greater interaction,’’ he said.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/lord-paul-warns-against-foreign-intervention-in-jk/article4349289.ece
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AFSPA is against democracy, Constitution, says Wajahat Habibullah
Jan 27 2013
New Delhi : National Commission on Minorities, chairman Wajahat Habibullah today said the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act was "against democracy and Constitution" and its "loopholes" should be removed after discussions with the Army if the law cannot be withdrawn from troubled areas.
He said such a law should not exist in any democratic setup.
Habibullah was commenting on The Justice Verma Committee recommendations about amendments to AFSPA so that armed forces and police personnel are not be given protection under the law if they commit sexual offences against women.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/afspa-is-against-democracy-constitution-says-wajahat-habibullah/1065393/
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BSF yet to return 2 Yemeni nationals
Jan 27, 2013
Indian Border Security Force (BSF) is yet to hand over two Yemeni nationals, who were picked up by them from 'no man's land' on Sree Rampur border of Patgram upazila on January 15, said an official of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).
Two flag meetings were held between Border Guard Bangladesh and BSF on the border on Wednesday and Thursday over the issue but to effect yet.
Full report at:
http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=266719
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Nigerian navy arrests 10 Indians for alleged oil theft
Jan 26, 2013
ABUJA: Nigerian navy has arrested ten Indians and two Ghanaians for alleged oil theft after it intercepted a vessel near the oil rich southern Rivers state.
The arrested people have been handed over to the country's anti-corruption police — the economic and financial crimes commission (EFCC) — for investigation and prosecution for oil theft.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Nigerian-navy-arrests-10-Indians-for-alleged-oil-theft/articleshow/18198098.cms
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India-Pak LoC trade, bus services likely to resume tomorrow
Jan 27, 2013
JAMMU: The signs of business along the line of control (LoC) between the two sides of Jammu and Kashmir have started re-appearing, and the cross-border trade and travel would likely be resumed on Monday, said an official source on Sunday.
According to an civil administration official, the tensions have eased and the routine trade and travel between the two sides of Jammu and Kashmir, divided between India and Pakistan would likely be resumed from Monday.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/India-Pak-LoC-trade-bus-services-likely-to-resume-tomorrow/articleshow/18204175.cms
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Digvijaya in favour of early hanging of Afzal Guru
Jan 27, 2013
BHOPAL: Congress general secretary Digvijaya Singh said on Sunday he was in "favour of early hanging of Afzal Guru", sentenced to death by the Supreme Court in the Parliament attack case.
"I have always believed that there should be a time limit for the disposal of mercy petitions pending before the President," Singh said.
Delays in disposal of mercy petitions do not help anyone and nor do they serve any purpose, he said.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Digvijaya-in-favour-of-early-hanging-of-Afzal-Guru/articleshow/18205516.cms
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Africa
Ready for talks to free French hostage: Mali Islamists
January 26, 2013
An al qaeda-linked Islamist group in Mali said on Saturday it was ready to negotiate the release of a French hostage, as a French-led offensive to rout Islamists from the north gathered steam.
"The MUJAO is ready to negotiate the release of Gilberto," said Walid Abu Sarhaoui, spokesman for the Movement for Jihad and Oneness, speaking to AFP on the telephone, referring to Gilberto Rodriguez Leal who was kidnapped in November.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/africa/Ready-for-talks-to-free-French-hostage-Mali-Islamists/Article1-1002110.aspx
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French, Malians secure Timbuktu in rebel-held north
Jan 27, 2013
BAMAKO/SEVARE (MALI): French and Malian troops were on Sunday restoring government control over the fabled Saharan trading town of Timbuktu, the latest gain in a fast-moving French-led offensive against al-Qaida-allied fighters occupying northern Mali.
The Islamist militant rebels have pulled back northwards to avoid relentless French air strikes that have destroyed their bases, vehicles and weapons, allowing French and Malian troops to advance rapidly with air support and armoured vehicles.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/French-Malians-secure-Timbuktu-in-rebel-held-north/articleshow/18208279.cms
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African Leaders Meet in Ethiopia Amid Mali Crisis
Jan 27, 2013
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) — African leaders are meeting in the Ethiopian capital for talks expected to be dominated by the conflict in Mali as well as lingering territorial issues between the two Sudans.
The African Union says it will deploy a force in Mali, where French troops are helping the Malian army to push back Islamist extremists whose rebellion threatens to divide the West African nation.
Full report at:
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2013/01/27/world/africa/ap-af-african-union-mali
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France destroys Islamist leader's house
January 27, 2013
French air strikes destroyed the home of the leader of an al Qaeda-linked group in northern Mali as French-led forces advanced Sunday on the Islamist stronghold of Timbuktu.
The overnight strikes in Kidal came 24 hours after French-led troops seized Gao, the most populated town in Mali's Islamist-controlled arid north, which is roughly the size of Texas. Gao is home to about 60,000 people.
"There were air raids on Islamist bases in Kidal," 1,500 kilometres (940 miles) north of the capital Bamako, a Malian security source said, adding that the home of Ansar Dine (Defenders of the Faith) chief Iyad Ag Ghaly was destroyed.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/africa/France-destroys-Islamist-leader-s-house/Article1-1002460.aspx
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French forces press on in Mali as US extends support
January 27, 2013
French-led troops were pressing on in Mali on Sunday after recapturing the Islamist stronghold of Gao, as the United States agreed to provide vital refuelling facilities for France's air offensive.
French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said their troops, having captured Gao, were advancing on Timbuktu, another key town in the vast northern desert region held for 10 months by al Qaeda-linked rebels.
Washington's decision to step up its role in the conflict by helping refuel French warplanes was a vital boost to the campaign.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/africa/French-forces-press-on-in-Mali-as-US-extends-support/Article1-1002409.aspx
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Mideast Asia
Israel Vows Syria Strike at Any Sign of Chemical Arms Transfer
Jan 27, 2013
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Any sign of Syria's grip on its suspected chemical weapons slipping as it battles an armed uprising could trigger Israeli military strikes, Israel's vice premier said on Sunday.
Silvan Shalom confirmed a media report that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had last week convened security chiefs to discuss the civil war in nearby Syria and the state of the country's chemical arsenal.
The meeting, held on Wednesday, had not been publicly announced and was seen as especially unusual as it came while votes were still being counted from Israel's national election the day before, which Netanyahu's party list won narrowly.
Full report at:
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2013/01/27/world/middleeast/27reuters-syria-crisis-israel.html?ref=europe
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Young Palestinians re-define grammar of protests
ATUL ANEJA
Jan 27, 2013
In a cyber-connected world of instant communication, the powerful message from the Arab world that idealistic waves of youthful protests can sweep aside encrusted regimes and governments has homed in well in the Palestinian territories.
An ever-growing body of youth, inspired by blazing uprisings that toppled fossilised regimes in Tunisia and Egypt, are getting organised to instill change as never before.
An unprecedented movement driven by young people is taking root in the West Bank that has the rejection of the feuding Palestinian factions -- Fatah and Hamas -- as its starting point. Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/young-palestinians-redefine-grammar-of-protests/article4350459.ece
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World powers asked for delay in nuclear talks: Iran
Jan 26, 2013
TEHRAN: Iran on Saturday blamed world powers for delays in long-stalled talks over its controversial nuclear programme, after western diplomats said Iranian uncertainty over the venue had delayed the negotiations.
State broadcaster IRIB said the world powers asked Iran to postpone the talks from agreed dates in January to February, through deputy EU foreign policy chief Helga Schmid who spoke to Iran's deputy nuclear negotiator Ali Bagheri late on Friday.
World powers "are not ready to hold the negotiation in January," IRIB quoted Schmid at telling Bagheri by telephone. "She suggested a new date in February."
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/World-powers-asked-for-delay-in-nuclear-talks-Iran/articleshow/18198349.cms
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David Ward MP 'sorry' over Israel criticism
Jan 27, 2013
A Liberal Democrat MP who accused "the Jews" in Israel of "inflicting atrocities on Palestinians... on a daily basis" has apologised for the "unintended offence".
Bradford East MP David Ward said in a blog post he had been "trying to make clear that everybody needs to learn the lessons of the Holocaust".
He had made his initial comments ahead of Sunday's Holocaust Memorial Day.
On Friday, his party "condemned" his "use of language".
He was also summoned to a meeting with party whips next week.
Last week he said he was "saddened that the Jews, who suffered unbelievable levels of persecution during the Holocaust, could within a few years of liberation from the death camps be inflicting atrocities on Palestinians in the new State of Israel and continue to do so on a daily basis in the West Bank and Gaza".
Full report at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-21216801
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Israeli Official Hints Pentagon Plans May Make Lone Strike on Iran Unnecessary
By ISABEL KERSHNER
Jan 27, 2013
JERUSALEM — Israel’s departing defense minister, Ehud Barak, said that the Pentagon had prepared sophisticated blueprints for a surgical operation to set back Iran’s nuclear program should the United States decide to attack — a statement that was a possible indication that Israel might have shelved any plans for a unilateral strike, at least for now.
In an interview conducted at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, and published by The Daily Beast on Friday, Mr. Barak was asked if there was any way Israel could go to war with Iran over what many in the West believe is a nuclear weapons program without dragging in the United States.
Full report at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/27/world/middleeast/defense-official-hints-that-israel-is-
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Jerusalem football fans slam Muslim hire plan
January 27, 2013
JERUSALEM: A Jerusalem football team was in turmoil on Sunday after some fans lashed out at the owner's plan to sign two Muslim players, insisting the club would remain "pure" and causing uproar during a weekend game.
Israeli media reported on Saturday that Arkady Gaydamak, the Russian-Israeli owner of Beitar Jerusalem, had decided to sign two Chechen footballers from Russian team Terek Grozny.
During a game that day, some fans chanted slogans such as "no Arab will tread here" and waved a huge banner reading "Beitar -- pure for ever."
Full report at:
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2013/Jan-27/203919-jerusalem-football-fans-slam-muslim-hire-plan.ashx#ixzz2JB2zJuyM
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North America
Harvard University students plan India-Pakistan peace vigil
Jan 26, 2013
CAMBRIDGE (Massachusetts): In the wake of tensions between India and Pakistan, South Asian students of Harvard University have planned a 'global vigil' Sunday for peace between the two countries.
Sponsored by the South Asia Centre, Boston, and the Alliance for Secular and Democratic South Asia, the vigil at Harvard Square is aimed at voicing the students' concern over ceasefire violations at the LoC and the war hype being built up by "sections of the media and politicians in India that threatens peace in the region."
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/Harvard-University-students-plan-India-Pakistan-peace-vigil/articleshow/18197520.cms
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US court overturns al-Qaeda propagandist Ali Hamza's conviction
Jan 26 2013
Washington : A US appeals court has overturned the war crimes conviction of an al-Qaeda propagandist, a ruling that could lead authorities to drop conspiracy charges against the five 9/11 plotters.
The US Court of Appeals in Washington yesterday threw out the conviction of Ali Hamza al-Bahlul on the basis that the charges he faced were not recognised as war crimes under international law when the events took place.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/us-court-overturns-alqaeda-propagandist-ali-hamzas-conviction/1065214/
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Why Headley may be released before he’s 80
Jan 27, 2013
Following Thursday’s sentencing of David Coleman Headley for masterminding the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, it has become evident that he is likely to serve less than 35 years from the moment his sentence was pronounced in a Chicago courtroom.
The first factor mitigating the time Headley will serve is the requirement under U.S. federal law that convicted persons may serve only 85 per cent of the total sentence awarded to them. This was indeed confirmed in both the U.S. Department of Justice press release to media after Judge Harry Leinenweber passed the sentence, and also in statements made by Headley’s attorney John Theis and lead prosecution attorney Gary Shapiro.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/why-headley-may-be-released-before-hes-80/article4348670.ece
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US agrees to refuel French warplanes on Mali mission
Jan 27, 2013
WASHINGTON: The United States has agreed to refuel French fighter jets waging war against Islamist militants in Mali, officials have said, after weighing the decision for more than two weeks.
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta told his French counterpart, Jean-Yves Le Drian, in a phone conversation on Saturday the Pentagon was ready to offer its vast fleet of aerial refueling tankers to back up French forces in Mali, spokesman George Little said in a statement.
Panetta and Le Drian discussed US military support "to deny terrorists a safe haven in Mali," he said.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/US-agrees-to-refuel-French-warplanes-on-Mali-mission/articleshow/18206163.cms
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Europe
Brazil lauds Bangladesh for poverty reduction
Jan 27, 2013
Brazilian President Dilma Vana Rousseff highly praised Bangladesh for its ongoing recent efforts on poverty reduction and economic development.
The president hailed the efforts while receiving M Shameem Ahsan as the first resident ambassador of Bangladesh to Brazil on January 23.
While presenting the Letter of Credence at the Palacio Itamaraty, the seat of the Brazilian Ministry of External Relations, the ambassador conveyed greetings of the president and prime minister of Bangladesh to the Brazilian president.
The Brazilian president expressed happiness at the good relations with Bangladesh, said a foreign ministry press release yesterday.
http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=266700
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UN humanitarian chief in Syria for talks
Jan 27, 2013
DAMASCUS, SYRIA: The United Nations humanitarian chief is discussing the humanitarian crisis caused by Syria's civil war during a two-day visit to Damascus.
Valerie Amos arrived in the Syrian capital on Sunday for talks with officials.
Humanitarian conditions have declined across Syria during 22 months of conflict, which has displaced 2 million people and led to shortages of basic goods like flour and gasoline in many areas.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/UN-humanitarian-chief-in-Syria-for-talks/articleshow/18207074.cms
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South Asia
Afghan bombs kill 23 policemen in 24 hours
January 27, 2013
Insurgents killed a total of 23 policemen across Afghanistan within 24 hours, officials said Sunday, reflecting the increasing police role in the war before the withdrawal of Nato troops.
Thirteen died in roadside bomb blasts, while 10 were killed in a suicide attack. A powerful bomb killed eight police officers along with three suspected bombers they had detained on the outskirts of the troubled southern city of Kandahar, provincial spokesman Jawed Faisal said.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/afghanistan/Afghan-bombs-kill-23-policemen-in-24-hours/Article1-1002486.aspx
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Bangladesh PM for continuation of democratic process
Jan 27, 2013
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday underscored the need for continuation of democratic process for further development of the country.
"The democratic process should go smoothly as no country could achieve the desired goal without it," the prime minister said when a five-member US Congressional delegation led by Jack Kingston called on her at her official residence Gono bhaban this morning.
After the meeting, Deputy Press Secretary to the Prime Minister Bijan Lal Deb briefed reporters.
Full report at:
http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/latest_news.php?nid=44346
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Chittagong University teacher sent to jail on attempt-to-rape charge
Jan 27, 2013
A Chittagong court yesterday sent a teacher of Chittagong University (CU) to jail in an attempt-to-rape case filed with Khulshi Police Station by his domestic help on Friday evening.
Police on Friday arrested CU Statistics Department Associate Professor Chandan Kumaar Podder from his residence after his wife, Munna Bhowmik, informed police of the matter, said Khulshi Police Station Officer-in-Charge Abdul Latif.
The court fixed today for next hearing of the case. In her First Information Report (FIR), 15-year-old domestic help said the teacher attempted to abuse her in absence of his wife around 4:00pm on January 22.
http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=266703
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Bangladesh HC terms law enforcers role as 'inspiring'
Jan 27, 2013
The High Court on Sunday termed the action of law enforcing agency as 'inspiring' for their role in arresting Monir Uddin, who threw acid on Eden College student Sharmin Akter Ankhi.
On January 15, Monir threw acid on Ankhi, an honours final year student of Eden College, inside a marriage registrar's office in the capital as she refused to marry him.
The law enforcers have played an appreciating role in arresting Monir, which is very inspiring, the court said during the day's proceedings where hearing on a rule was going on.
Full report at:
http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/latest_news.php?nid=44342
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Southeast Asia
Children defenseless against online crimes
Prodita Sabarini
January 27 2013
The advent of social media and mobile messenger services has increased the risk of social exploitation for children. In Bandung, adults use BlackBerry Messenger or Facebook to approach teenagers for sexual encounters. But as the danger increases, adequate protections have failed to keep up.
While the adults — mostly male — get away with sexually exploiting young girls scot-free, their young victims are left with an experience that has been forever etched in their memories.
Full report at:
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2013/01/27/children-defenseless-against-online-crimes.html
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Nearly 500 TKI Still Stuck in Syria
Jakarta Globe | January 26, 2013
The Foreign Ministry has repatriated more than 1,900 Indonesians from conflict-ridden Syria throughout 2012, but says hundreds more remain behind because of difficulties getting an exit permit or wrangling over unpaid wages.
P.L.E. Priatna, a ministry spokesman, said on Friday that of the total 1,928 Indonesians brought back from Syria last year, 1,806 were migrant workers.
The rest included 80 high school and university students, and 42 family members of staff working at the Indonesian Embassy in Damascus.
Full report at:
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/nearly-500-tki-still-stuck-in-syria/567703
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37 held while going to Malaysia illegally
Jan 27, 2013
Rapid Action Battalion detained 37 people at a resort in Cox's Bazaar early Sunday while they were attempting to go to Malaysia illegally.
The Rab also held three middlemen and the resort manager Nurul Alam, reports our correspondent quoting Maj Sarwar-E-Alam, camp leader of Rab-7.
On information, the Rab men conducted a raid at Mohammadia Resort, a hotel on Kolatoli road, around 1:00am and detained the 41 people, Sarwar said.
Full report at:
http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/latest_news.php?nid=44341
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