Marital Rape Bill in Maldives Vetoed by President As 'Un-Islamic'
New Age Islam News Bureau
18 Jan
2014
A Rohingya Muslim woman, Hla Hla May, displaced by violence, holds her one-year-old daughter Roshan at a former rubber factory that now serves as their shelter, near Sittwe, Myanmar. (Reuters)
South Asia
• Marital Rape Bill in Maldives Vetoed by President As 'Un-Islamic'
• US drone strike on a Taliban gathering in Nuristan leaves 9 dead
• 13 Taliban militants killed in joint Afghan operations
• 13 foreigners among 21 killed in Kabul restaurant attack
• 53 activists of BNP, Jamaat-Shibir held in 3 districts
• Reserve sixty JS seats for religious, ethnic communities: Bangladesh Hindu Alliance
• China moves to choke funding of terror outfits in Xinjiang
Arab World
• ISIL Beheads 40 Members of Rival Group in Aleppo
• Six killed in clashes, bombings in Iraq
• Islamist militants strengthen grip on Iraq's Falluja
• Six killed as security forces clash with protesters in Egypt on Friday
• Jihadists pull out of north Syria town: Monitor
• Iraq threatens Turk boycott, contract cuts in Kurd row
• Saudi Husbands Now Taking Out ‘Marital’ Loans
• Syrian opposition to declare Geneva 2 decision
India
• Muzaffarnagar gang-rape victims move SC against police inaction
• Mumbai: Stampede before funeral of spiritual leader kills at least 18, injures over 45
• Shabir Shah forms another Hurriyat outfit
• Record haul in Uri of brown sugar from PoK
Pakistan
• Armed attacks kill JUI-S leader, ExpressNews workers in Karachi
• Five people gunned down in Rawalpindi
• Firing in Sargodha kills 2 Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamat activists, injures 5 others
• Imran refuses to hold Taliban talks on his own
• Nisar says Pakistan more perilous now, intl community apathetic
• Brigadier-level talks held to stop LoC violations
• Death toll rises: Over 3,200 killings in Karachi make 2013 deadliest year so far
Africa
• Mali arrests Islamist judge who ordered amputations and stoning
• Nigeria gay crackdown: 1 man flogged, 10 others face possible death by stoning
• Tunisia's Ennahda deny granting Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood political asylum
• Kenya: Police Ban Foreign Radical Muslim Preachers in War on Terror
• Cameroon: Boko Haram Attacks near Border Spark Fear in Cameroon
North America
• Protect minorities from violence: US to Bangladesh
• US calls on Myanmar to probe attacks on Muslim minority
• Michigan Republican condemned for questioning Muslims' contributions to the nation
• Obama signs $1.1 trillion spending bill, rider for Pak aid
Mideast
• US Drone Strikes Necessitate Counselling Centre for 'Traumatized' Children
• Israel Lobby Thwarted in Iran Sanctions Bid For Now
• Six killed in clashes between militants and army in Yemen
• Israeli radio host reined in after on-air jokes about Palestinians
Europe
• UN envoy reports child soldiers in South Sudan
• Four UN staff killed in Kabul attack
• Four gunmen killed in spec operation in Dagestan
• Russia steps up delivery of drones, guided bombs to Syria
• Amnesty: Iran hangs 40 people in two weeks amid surge in executions
• Kazakhstan Adopts New Policy toward Foreign Migrants
• Formation of Khasavyurt Jammat Reflects Influx of New Funds and Recruits
Southeast Asia
• Umno road shows and burning of effigy are attacks against Christians, says Catholic leader
• Respect National Fatwa Council’s statement in support of raid at Bible Society, says Jais
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/marital-rape-bill-maldives-vetoed/d/35336
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South Asia
Marital Rape Bill in Maldives Vetoed by President As 'Un-Islamic'
Jan 18, 2014
NEW DELHI (RNS) Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen has refused to ratify a bill that seeks to partially criminalize marital rape, calling it “un-Islamic.”
The parliament voted 67-2 last month to limit a husband’s right to have non-consensual sex with his wife. The bill says a husband cannot force his wife to have sex if the couple have filed for divorce, dissolution or mutual separation, and if the intent is to transmit a sexual disease.
Yameen vetoed the bill about a week after the vice president of the Maldives Fiqh Academy, Mohamed Iyaz Abdul Latheef, criticized its passage saying the Quran and the Sunnah, or the teachings of Islam, do not give a wife the authority to deny sex to her husband.
“With the exception of forbidden forms of sexual intercourse, such as during menstrual periods and anal intercourse, it is not permissible under any circumstance for a woman to refrain from it when the husband is in need,” Latheef said.
Latheef added that a woman must show “complete obedience to her husband” even if she has filed for divorce.
At a victory rally following the presidential run-off vote last November, Yameen said his coalition had received a mandate “to save the Maldivian nation, to protect the sacred religion of Islam.”
The Maldives, an Indian Ocean archipelago of about 330,000 people, claims to have a 100 percent Muslim population. Its constitution states that “no law contrary to any tenet of Islam shall be enacted.”
A 2007 government study found that more than 92 percent of Maldivian women believe a good wife obeys her husband even if she disagrees with him. Nearly 30 percent of respondents also said a husband can beat his wife if she refuses sex.
The Maldives drew global criticism last February after a juvenile court sentenced a 15-year old girl — who was raped by her stepfather — to 100 lashes on charges of fornication. The ruling was overturned by a higher court six months later.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/17/marital-rape-bill-maldives_n_4611006.html
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US drone strike on a Taliban gathering in Nuristan leaves 9 dead
Jan 18 2014
At least nine Taliban militants were killed following a US drone strike in eastern Nuristan province of Afghanistan, local security officials said.
The officials further added that the drone targeted a gathering of the Taliban militants in Kamdish district.
Provincial security chief, Abdul Baqi Nuristani confirming the report, said the Taliban militants including Pakistani nationals were busy attending a meeting when they were targeted.
Mr. Nuristani further added that the Taliban militants who were killed in the airstrike belonged to Taliban militants group who were operating in Patigul area of Kamdish district.
He said at least five Pakistani nationals from Punjab province were also among those killed in the airstrike.
Taliban militants group has not commented regarding the report so far.
Nuristan is among the restive provinces in eastern Afghanistan which borders with the tribal regions of Pakistan. Taliban militants are operating in various district of Nuristan province and frequently carry out terrorist attacks.
http://www.khaama.com/us-drone-strike-on-a-taliban-gathering-in-nuristan-leaves-9-dead-3308
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13 Taliban militants killed in joint Afghan operations
Jan 18 2014
At least 13 Taliban militants were killed and 2 others were injured during military operations by Afghan national security forces in various provinces of Afghanistan.
The Interior Ministry of Afghanistan following a statement, said the militants were killed or injured during coordinated military operations conducted by Afghan national police, Afghan national army and Afghan intelligence – National Directorate of Security (NDS).
The statement further added that the operations were conducted in Laghman, Kapisa, Zabul, Logar, Ghazni and Paktiya provinces of Afghanistan in past 24 hours.
Interior Ministry confirmed that 13 Taliban militnts were killed, 2 were injured and 4 others were arrested during the military operations.
Afghan national security forces also discovered and seized weapons, ammunition and explosives during the operations, Interior Ministry added in its statement.
In separate operations, Afghan national police forces discovered and seized 6 improvised explosive device (IED) from Kunar, Uruzgan and Khost provinces of Aghanitan.
The Taliban militants group has not commented regarding the reports so far.
http://www.khaama.com/13-taliban-militants-killed-in-joint-afghan-operations-3310
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13 foreigners among 21 killed in Kabul restaurant attack
AFP | Jan 18, 2014
KABUL: A total of 21 people, including 13 foreigners, died in a Taliban suicide assault on a popular restaurant in Kabul, police said on Saturday, with two British citizens and two Canadians among those confirmed dead.
Desperate customers tried to hide under tables as one attacker detonated his suicide vest at the fortified entrance to the Taverna du Liban and two other militants stormed inside and opened fire.
Among the dead were two British citizens, two Canadians, a senior International Monetary Fund (IMF) representative from Lebanon, and the restaurant's Lebanese owner, who reportedly died after he tried to fire back at the attackers.
Four United Nations' staff were killed, though their nationalities was not confirmed.
"Our latest figure is 21 killed, including 13 foreigners and eight Afghans," Kabul police chief Mohammad Zahir told AFP.
"Five women were among the dead and about five people were injured."
The long-established Taverna has been a regular dining spot for foreign diplomats, consultants, aid workers and Afghans, and was busy with customers on Friday, the weekly holiday in Afghanistan.
Like many restaurants in Kabul, it ran strict security checks with diners patted down by armed guards and passing through at least two steel doors before gaining entry.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon strongly condemned the massacre saying that "such targeted attacks against civilians are completely unacceptable and are in flagrant breach of international humanitarian law".
The assault was quickly claimed by Taliban militants fighting against the Afghan government and US-led foreign forces in the country.
A militant spokesman said the attack was to avenge a US airstrike in Parwan province on Tuesday night that Afghan President Hamid Karzai said killed seven children and one woman.
"These invading forces have launched a brutal bombardment on civilians... and they have martyred and wounded 30 civilians. This was a revenge attack and we did it well, and we will continue to do so," Zabihullah Mujahid said in a statement.
The insurgents regularly make exaggerated and incorrect claims about death tolls after attacks.
On Saturday morning, the restaurant's battered sign was still in place, hanging over the ruined remains of the entrance door. Several badly damaged cars also remained at the scene.
"I was sitting with my friends in the kitchen when an explosion happened and smoke filled the kitchen," kebab cook Abdul Majid told AFP while being treated for leg fractures at a nearby hospital.
"A man came inside shouting and he started shooting. One of my colleagues was shot and fell down. I ran to the roof and threw myself to the neighbouring property."
Elite security commandos rushed to seal off the small streets around the restaurant as sporadic gunfire erupted for a short time after the blast.
"We condemn, of course, the despicable act of terrorism in the strongest possible terms," US State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in Washington.
Afghanistan's intelligence agency has said it foiled several plots in the capital involving truck bombs and suicide gunmen over the past year.
NATO forces are withdrawing from Afghanistan after more than a decade of fighting the Taliban, but negotiations have stalled on a security accord that would allow some US and NATO troops to stay after 2014.
Afghanistan's fledgling security forces face a difficult year in 2014 as insurgents attempt to disrupt elections on April 5 that will choose a successor to Karzai, and as NATO's combat mission winds down by December.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/13-foreigners-among-21-killed-in-Kabul-restaurant-attack/articleshow/28998936.cms
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53 activists of BNP, Jamaat-Shibir held in 3 districts
Jan 18, 2014
Al least 53 BNP and Jamaat-Shibir activists were arrested in three districts on various charges yesterday and the day before.
Police arrested 12 activists of BNP, Jamaat and Shibir from different areas in Rangpur district on Wednesday night and early yesterday, reports our correspondent.
Police arrested them in connection with police cases filed for attacking polling centres, setting fire to polling centres, snatching ballot boxes and papers, vandalising and ransacking the Hindu people's houses in the district on January 5 national elections day and the day before.
Earlier on Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning police arrested another eleven activists of BNP, Jamaat and Shibir from different areas in Rangpur district.
Among them, four were from Pirgachha, three from Rangpur city, three from Mithapukur and one from Taraganj upazila.
Full report at:
http://www.thedailystar.net/country/53-activists-of-bnp-jamaat-shibir-held-in-3-districts-7109
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Reserve sixty JS seats for religious, ethnic communities: Bangladesh Hindu Alliance
Jan 18, 2014
Bangladesh National Hindu Grand Alliance yesterday demanded 60 reserved seats in parliament for religious and ethnic communities and a separate election procedure through which the communities would elect their respective representatives.
Protesting the recent attacks on Hindus centring the January 5 election, the alliance leaders also demanded judicial investigation into the attacks, immediate arrest of the perpetrators and punishment for them and compensation for the victims and their rehabilitation.
Addressing a sit-in in front of Jatiya Press Club in the capital, they also threatened to refrain from voting if their demands were not met.
Full report at:
http://www.thedailystar.net/city/reserve-sixty-js-seats-for-religious-ethnic-communities-7274
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China moves to choke funding of terror outfits in Xinjiang
Jan 18, 2014
Move underlines Beijing concern over Pakistan-based outfits
China’s central bank on Friday announced new measures aimed at enabling authorities to freeze assets of domestic terrorist groups and their “overseas affiliates,” in a move seen as underlining China’s continued concern over outfits believed to be operating out of Pakistan.
The People’s Bank of China (PBOC) said the rules, issued along with the Ministry of State Security, “will prevent terrorism and is in accordance with a United Nations requirement that all nations freeze, without delay, funds or other assets of terrorists,” the official Xinhua news agency reported.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/world/china-moves-to-choke-funding-of-terror-outfits-in-xinjiang/article5587264.ece
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Arab World
ISIL Beheads 40 Members of Rival Group in Aleppo
18 January 2014,
TEHRAN (FNA)- The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) beheaded tens of the members of the rival Islamic Front terrorist group in Aleppo countryside in Northern Syria.
The ISIL beheaded 40 members of the Islamic Front in Aleppo countryside and mounted their heads on the walls of Jerablus city’s Cultural Center in Aleppo countryside.
Also in the past 24 hours, an ISIL commander disclosed that hundreds of militants from Caucasus region have been killed in Syria.
ISIL commander Omar al-Shishani in a voice message underlined that more than 500 militants from the Caucasus region have been killed.
Meantime, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Russia and Syria have reaffirmed their adherence to the coordinated timeframe of Syrian chemicals' exportation.
“We have agreed today - and we confirm this once again - to observe the approved approximate deadlines of the accomplishment of this task, naturally, with appropriate security measures and resolution of all logistical problems," Lavrov told a press conference after Moscow negotiations with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem on Friday.
Full report at:
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13921028000288
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Six killed in clashes, bombings in Iraq
Jan 18, 2014
Iraqi authorities say clashes between militants and government troops as well as two bombings at marketplaces have killed six people.
Police and hospital officials say one bomb exploded Saturday inside a market in Baghdad’s Madain area, killing three people and wounding nine others.
They added that a double bombing near a market In the northern city of Kirkuk killed one and wounded 15.
All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to media.
Iraqi security forces and allied Sunni tribesmen have been trying to recapture territories overrun by al—Qaeda in western Anbar province, including Fallujah and parts of Ramadi city.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/world/six-killed-in-clashes-bombings-in-iraq/article5590357.ece
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Islamist militants strengthen grip on Iraq's Falluja
Jan 18, 2014
Al Qaeda and other insurgent groups have tightened their grip on Falluja, defying the Shi'ite-led Iraqi government's efforts to persuade local tribesmen to expel them from the Sunni Muslim city, residents and officials say.
Despite an army siege, fighters and weapons have been flowing into the city, where U.S. troops fought some of their fiercest battles during their 2003-11 occupation of Iraq.
In an embarrassing setback for a state that has around a million men under arms, the al Qaeda-linked Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and its tribal allies overran Falluja and parts of the nearby city Ramadi on Jan. 1.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/91840/World/Region/Islamist-militants-strengthen-grip-on-Iraqs-Falluj.aspx
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Six killed as security forces clash with protesters in Egypt on Friday
Jan 18, 2014
Six pro-Muslim Brotherhood protesters have been killed and 125 arrested after violent clashes with security forces on Friday in cities around Egypt, according to security sources.
The health ministry has confirmed only two deaths so far, however.
Protesters were demonstrating in support of ousted president Mohamed Morsi and against the transitional authorities, on the first Friday after a constitutional referendum that authorities have touted as a key step in the post-Morsi roadmap.
Two protesters were killed and three others injured in clashes in Fayoum governorate south of Cairo. Another was protester was killed in 6 October city, just outside Cairo. Two protesters were also killed in clashes in the Alf Maskan district of Cairo.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/91793/Egypt/Politics-/Six-killed-as-security-forces-clash-with-protester.aspx
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Jihadists pull out of north Syria town: Monitor
Jan 18, 2014
Jihadists on Friday withdrew from Saraqeb, their last bastion in the Syrian province of Idlib, five days into a major battle in the town against local rebels, a monitor said.
In the region of Aleppo, rebels also made advances except in Jarabolos on the border with Turkey, which the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) seized, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Rami Abdel Rahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said "members of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant withdrew at dawn today from Saraqeb to Sermin."
"ISIL withdrew after their situation there became very hard... and after they were besieged by Islamist and moderate rebel groups from all sides," said Abdel Rahman.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/91804/World/Region/Jihadists-pull-out-of-north-Syria-town-Monitor.aspx
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Iraq threatens Turk boycott, contract cuts in Kurd row
Jan 18, 2014
Iraq threatened to boycott Turkish companies and cancel contracts with Turkish firms in an intensifying row over moves to export oil from its northern Kurdish region, in remarks released Saturday.
Oil Minister Abdelkarim al-Luaybi said the planned export of oil from the three-province autonomous region was a "red line" and one that would increase instability in Iraq, arguing that Turkey was not acting in its interests.
Iraqi officials have summoned Turkey's charge d'affaires to Baghdad over the announcement by the Kurdish region this month that its first shipment of crude oil sent directly to Turkey, without passing via pipelines controlled by the central government, had gone on sale, with more expected to follow.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/91839/World/Region/Iraq-threatens-Turk-boycott,-contract-cuts-in-Kurd.aspx
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Saudi Husbands Now Taking Out ‘Marital’ Loans
Jan 18, 2014
It was unthinkable a mere 15 years ago, but Saudi husbands are now increasingly relying on their wives to provide financial support for life’s necessities.
It is no longer embarrassing and shameful for Saudi men to marry women who are educated and employed because they need help to buy houses, cars and even basics such as food.
Many married men here, particularly those just starting their careers, told Arab News that they cannot manage on their salaries and need assistance from their spouses.
Banks are now offering a new product called “Solidarity” or “Joint” (Tadamon) loans where spouses and family members can get loans together, with each one’s share deducted from their salaries.
Full report at:
http://www.arabnews.com/news/511121
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Syrian opposition to declare Geneva 2 decision
World Bulletin / News Desk
18 January 2014,
Spokesperson of Syrian National Coalition for Opposition and Revolutionary Forces (SNC) Luey as-Safi has said Syria's main umbrella opposition group was set to take a decision on Saturday whether to participate in the so-called "Geneva II" meeting, an international peace conference on the Syrian conflict scheduled for January 22 in Montreux, Switzerland.
Speaking in a press conference in Istanbul, as-Safi said talks were under way with the coalition members that had withdrawn from, adding that the final decision on attend the peace conference would be made after taking the opinions of all sections of Syrian opposition.
Full report at:
http://www.worldbulletin.net/?aType=haber&ArticleID=127167
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India
Muzaffarnagar gang-rape victims move SC against police inaction
TNN | Jan 18, 2014
NEW DELHI: Seven women from the minority community, who were allegedly gang-raped during the Muzaffarnagar riots four months ago, complained to the Supreme Court on Friday that UP Police had not arrested any of the accused named in their FIRs, allowing them to roam free and threaten the victims and witnesses.
Appearing for the victims, advocate Kamini Jaiswal said the sexual assaults happened on September 8 and the FIRs were registered on September 26. Yet, not a single accused had been arrested by the state police, she said, while also accusing the police of diluting the FIRs.
Jaiswal said the police registered the cases under the gang-rape provision without applying the amended provision under Section 376(2)(g) of IPC that specifically covers gang-rape during communal and sectarian violence. She said by not applying the correct charge against the accused, the police weakened the evidence presented by the victims.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Muzaffarnagar-gang-rape-victims-move-SC-against-police-inaction/articleshow/28975078.cms
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Mumbai: Stampede before funeral of spiritual leader kills at least 18, injures over 45
Jan 18, 2014
At least 18 people were killed and another 46 injured in a stampede at Saifee Mahal in Malabar Hills, the residence of Dr Syedna Mohammad Burhanuddin, the spiritual leader of the Dawoodi Bohra community who passed away on Friday. The incident happened at around 1.30 am on Saturday when hundreds of followers were waiting on the road outside Syedna’s residence to take one last look at him.
“There were queues for women and men for Deedar (glimpse) of the Maula in Saifee Mahal when all of a sudden the queues got mixed and confusion followed. One of my relatives from Pune passed away in the stampede,” said Qaid Najmi, a member from the community.
Aamir Kalolwala, a 29-year-old who had come from Pune with his father Abbas Kalolwala, succumbed to injuries even as his father survived the stampede. Aamir worked with a multinational company, stated his relative.
Full report at:
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/maharashtra/mumbai-stampede-ahead-of-funeral-of-a-spiritual-leader-kills-at-least-18-injures-over-45/
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Shabir Shah forms another Hurriyat outfit
Jan 18, 2014
Senior Separatist leader Shabir Shah launched a new organisation on Friday — JK Hurriyat Conference. The outfit follows a third split in the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, which is headed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. Cracks within the separatist amalgam had became evident when Shah, head of the Democratic Freedom party (a constituent of Hurriyat), with other senior separatist leaders claimed they were the real Hurriyat. On Friday, Shah issued a press statement announcing the new outfit and said the party will not compromise on the real issues of Kashmir. He said the JK Hurriyat Conference will act as a resistance platform for the people and appealed to people fighting for the cause of Kashmir to join. Shah, along with Chairman of the National Front Nayeem Khan and Mahaz-e-Azadi chief Azam Inquilabi, are believed to be annoyed with Hurriyat Chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq for writing a letter to the Hurriyat chapter in Pakistan occupied Kashmir, urging them to not entertain any representative of the three there. The leaders did not mention Mirwaiz in their statement.
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/politics/shabir-shah-forms-another-hurriyat-outfit/
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Record haul in Uri of brown sugar from PoK
M Saleem Pandit,TNN | Jan 18, 2014
SRINAGAR: Security forces on Friday seized brown sugar from a Pakistani truck worth Rs 100 crore, one of the largest such hauls, at Uri check-post at Salamabad, in Baramulla district. Although there have been a few instances of shipment of contraband in the garb of cross-border trade, the recovery of 114 packets of brown sugar, each weighing 600 grams, was the biggest in recent years.
"This the second time in the last four months that our troops have recovered narcotics in Kashmir sent by Pakistani traders via Muzaffarabad-Uri route," said deputy commissioner Baramulla, Ghulam Ahmad Khwaja. In October last year, the troops had recovered smaller quantity of brown sugar-filled tyre tubes from a Pakistani truck, the commissioner said, adding that four people were arrested for Friday's intransigence.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Record-haul-in-Uri-of-brown-sugar-from-PoK/articleshow/28978005.cms
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Pakistan
Armed attacks kill JUI-S leader, ExpressNews workers in Karachi
2014-01-18
KARACHI: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Sami ul Haq (JUI-S) leader Mufti Usman Yar Khan along with his driver and a personal guard was gunned down by unknown miscreants on Karachi’s Sharae Faisal, while a separate attack killed three people who worked for ExpressNews television channel Friday night, DawnNews reported.
Police said another person was injured in the attack on Mufti Usman that took place near Awami Makaz.
A spokesman for Karachi police said attackers sprayed bullets at the car of the provincial deputy chief of JUI-S, a religious party headed by Sami ul Haq known in the West as “father of the Taliban”.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1080933/armed-attacks-kill-jui-s-leader-expressnews-workers-in-karachi
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Five people gunned down in Rawalpindi
Jan 18, 2014
ISLAMABAD: At least five people were killed and two others sustained wounds when unidentified gunmen opened fire at them in Rawalpindi on Friday evening, DawnNews reported.
Rescue sources said that the incident took place at street number 11 of Rawalpindi’s Misrial Road. They said that injured have been moved to District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital in the Islamabad’s twin city.
Police has launched an initial investigation into the incident after reaching the site.
Sources said that all deceased belonged to tribal areas of the country and the incident was a result of personal enmity.
This is a developing story and will be updated accordingly
http://www.dawn.com/news/1080924/five-people-gunned-down-in-rawalpindi
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Firing in Sargodha kills 2 Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamat activists, injures 5 others
January 18, 2014
LAHORE: Two activists of Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamat (ASWJ) were shot dead and five others including President ASWJ of Bhakkar District Maulana Abdul Hameed Khalid were injured in Sargodha.
Unidentified armed assailants on a motorcycle opened fired at Khalid’s car near Noori Gate, sources told The Express Tribune.
The deceased were identified as Sanaullah and Zulfiqar.
The atttack on the ASWJ president of Bhakkar district will have a negative impact on the law and order situation in the district, a senior police officer stated while talking to The Express Tribune.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/660345/firing-in-sargodha-kills-2-aswj-activists-injures-5-others/
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Imran refuses to hold Taliban talks on his own
Jan 18, 2014
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan on Friday expressed his reluctance to hold peace talks with Taliban saying he lacks authority to do so.
Speaking at a press conference, Khan said he cannot hold talks with Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) as neither his party is in power at the centre nor he has any authority over the services.
“What powers we have because of which we are being asked to hold talks?” he asked referring to the government’s proposal that Imran Khan and other leaders should hold talks with Taliban.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1080931/imran-refuses-to-hold-taliban-talks-on-his-own
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Nisar says Pakistan more perilous now, intl community apathetic
2014-01-18
ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Saturday said Pakistan’s security situation had become more perilous, adding that while the country was in a state of war, the international community showed no consideration for the issues confronting it.
He was addressing a passing out parade of the police in Islamabad.
Speaking to media representatives later, the interior minister said the government had formulated the country's internal security policy, adding that it would be tabled for approval at a special session of the federal cabinet on Tuesday.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1081096/nisar-says-pakistan-more-perilous-now-intl-community-apathetic
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Brigadier-level talks held to stop LoC violations
2014-01-18
ISLAMABAD: Military officials from Pakistan and India on Friday stressed the need for improving communication between field commanders to prevent ceasefire violations along the Line of Control (LoC).
“Brigadier-level meeting of military officials of Pakistan and Indian Army took place today to discuss ways to strengthen ceasefire along the LoC,” a military spokesman said.
The meeting at Rawalakot-Poonch crossing point took place under an agreement reached between the two sides at last month’s (Dec 24) talks between their heads of military operations — DGMOs — that called for two flag meetings between Brigade Commanders on the LoC for “peace and tranquillity” along the de-facto border.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1081032/brigadier-level-talks-held-to-stop-loc-violations
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Death toll rises: Over 3,200 killings in Karachi make 2013 deadliest year so far
January 18, 2014
KARACHI: The year 2013 was the deadliest one for Karachi so far. As many as 3,251 people were killed or they died from the several incidents of violence in the city, according to a report by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP).
The city has seen a sharp increase in killings in the past few years with 1,981 people killed in 2010, 2,382 killed in 2011 and 3,105 killed in 2012.
Of the killings and deaths in 2013, nearly 1,000 people who had no affiliation with any political party also lost their lives in targeted attacks. The number of political workers targeted and killed was 268, and 108 people were killed due to their sectarian beliefs.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/660098/death-toll-rises-over-3200-killings-in-karachi-make-2013-deadliest-year-so-far/
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Africa
Mali arrests Islamist judge who ordered amputations and stonings
18 Jan 2014
BAMAKO, Jan 18 (Reuters) - Mali's army has arrested a hardline Islamist judge who ordered floggings, amputations and the stoning of women for adultery during a 10-month occupation by rebels linked to al Qaeda.
Houka Houka Ag Alfousseyni, who held court in the Timbuktu region, was detained on Friday as part of a military operation against armed Islamist groups that are plaguing local communities, the government said in a statement.
Alfousseyni was one of the rebel movement's most influential and well-known figures, and his arrest is part of a government campaign to bring to justice radical Islamist leaders like him.
Al-Qaeda-linked fighters hijacked a rebellion by Tuareg separatists in Mali's desert north after a 2012 army coup, occupying large swathes of the country and imposing Sharia law.
France, saying the Islamist rebellion posed a threat to Western security, launched a massive military intervention in its former colony in January last year, scattering the fighters across Mali and into neighbouring countries.
But Islamist groups have regrouped in recent months, stepping up their operations.
In December, the authorities arrested the former head of the Islamist police in the northern town of Gao who also imposed Sharia law. Both arrested men held their posts only under the rebels. (Reporting by Tiemoko Diallo and Adama Diarra; Editing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg and Raissa Kasolowsky)
http://www.trust.org/item/20140118123812-au9fn/?source=hpbreaking
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Nigeria gay crackdown: 1 man flogged, 10 others face possible death by stoning
Associated Press
Jan 18, 2014
BAUCHI, Nigeria — An Islamic court in northern Nigeria has convicted one man and sentenced him to 20 lashes for having sex with another man, and 10 Muslim men could face death by stoning if also convicted of the crime of homosexuality.
Mubarak Ibrahim, 28, was ordered to lie on a bench while the 20 lashes were administered in front of a packed courtroom.
He said he was misled into the act of sodomy by the principal of the high school he was attending and has not committed a homosexual act since.
Judge Nuhu Mohammed said spared Ibrahim the sentence of death by stoning because the crime occurred so many years ago and because the young man had shown “great remorse.”
Ibrahim also was ordered to pay a fine of 5,000 naira ($30). It was not immediately clear if he had been able to pay and go free.
Full report at:
http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2014/01/nigeria-gay-crackdown-1-man-flogged-10-others-face-possible-death-by-stoning/
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Tunisia's Ennahda deny granting Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood political asylum
Jan 18, 2014
Ennahda party spokesman Ziad Laadhari said Saturday that the issue of granting Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood political asylum is "not on the table."
The remarks came in light of Islamist party leader Rashid Ghannoushi's comments on Friday, in which he hinted that Tunisia would welcome Egypt's Brotherhood figures.
In a statement to Alarabiya.net, Laadhari stated that the issue had not been discussed within the party.
Laadhari also stated that granting political asylum is not the job of political parties, but the Tunisian government's.
Ghannoushi, in an interview with radio channel Shams FM, had previously said that "Tunisia is a democratic country, committed to the United Nations' system," and as such, has "the right to grant political asylum to oppressed politicians" via the UN's Refugee Agency.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/91837/Egypt/Politics-/Tunisias-Ennahda-deny-granting-Egypts-Muslim-Broth.aspx
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Kenya: Police Ban Foreign Radical Muslim Preachers in War On Terror
Jan 18, 2014
Police banned foreign extremist Muslim preachers from conducting sermons in mosques in the coastal city of Mombasa as war on terror intensifies.
Mombasa county cid boss Henry Ondiek said some of the preachers are accused of using pulpits to radicalise youths and sowing hatred in various Mosques in Majengo, Kisauni, and Likoni. Ondiek said detectives are looking for a Tanzania cleric suspected to be among key leaders radicalising youth.
According to intelligence Sheikh Ramadhan Juma had early slipped through a police dragnet when officers raided Masjid mosque in Majengo late last year. He warned that those found aiding them will also be arrested.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201401161408.html
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Cameroon: Boko Haram Attacks Near Border Spark Fear in Cameroon
Jan 18, 2014
Yaounde — Border villages in Cameroon's north have been deserted following heavy fighting between the Nigerian army and the Islamist militant group Boko Haram in Banki, Borno state. About 30 Cameroonians and Nigerians are said to have been wounded in the attacks, and five are feared dead.
The heavy firing between the Nigerian army and Boko Haram created panic in Cameroonian border villages, especially Amchide.
Residents there said the Nigerian troops fired heavily and indiscriminately at fleeing militants. Businessman Halidou Alirou told VOA the shooting created panic. Many people fled the area and Alirou said he got separated from his wife. He recalled that the firing was so heavy, many in the vicinity were forced to escape to the nearby wilderness. Many may not soon return, and an atmosphere of panic persists.
Full report at:
http://allafrica.com/stories/201401171000.html?aa_source=acrdn-f0
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North America
Protect minorities from violence: US to Bangladesh
Jan 18, 2014
Condemning the attack on minority communities, the US has called the political leaders of Bangladesh to refrain from supporting violence.
"We call on all to stop committing further violence. And Bangladesh’s political leadership and those who aspire to lead must do everything in their power to ensure law and order, and refrain from supporting violence – especially against minority communities – inflaming rhetoric, and intimidation," said Jen Psaki, spokesperson of the US Department of State.
She made the comment on January 17 during a question answer session on their position on the allegations of violence against the minority community in Bangladesh.
Full report at:
http://www.thedailystar.net/protect-minorities-from-violence-us-7292
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US calls on Myanmar to probe attacks on Muslim minority
Jan 18, 2014
YANGON: The United States on Friday urged Myanmar to investigate reports that security forces and Buddhist mobs attacked members of the Rohingya Muslim minority this week, killing as many as 60 people.
A rights group said Friday that several people including women and a child have been killed in an attack on Rohingya Muslims in strife-torn western Myanmar.
Myanmar authorities denied any civilian deaths but confirmed a clash took place in which a police officer was presumed to have been killed.
Chris Lewa, the Bangkok-based director of The Arakan Project, which lobbies for Rohingya rights, said the attack on the village of Du Chee Yar Tan on Monday happened sometime after the initial clash with police.
Full report at:
http://www.arabnews.com/news/511021
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Michigan Republican condemned for questioning Muslims' contributions to the nation
Jan 18, 2014
DETROIT — “Oh, by the way on MUSLIM HERITAGE IN America... Have you ever been to a Muslim hospital?" sarcastically wondered Michigan politician and National Republican Committee member Dave Agema in a Facebook post.
Agema's comments drew condemnations from various groups and individuals and revealed the extent of the anti-Muslim sentiments in parts of a state that is home to the largest Muslim community in America.
Dawud Walid, the executive director of the Council on American Islamic Relations in Michigan (CAIR-MI), said Agema "has a track record of being anti-Muslim."
Agema shared his comments on his Facebook page in a post praising the Catholic church and its humanitarian efforts that include building hospitals and schools.
However, Walid said the comparison between the Muslim and Catholic communities is illogical as the Catholic church is a much larger and older religious institution than Islam in the United States.
Full report at:
http://www.arabamericannews.com/news/index.php?mod=article&cat=Community&article=8116
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Obama signs $1.1 trillion spending bill, rider for Pak aid
PTI | Jan 18, 2014
WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama has signed a $1.1 trillion spending bill that puts conditions on continuation of American aid to Pakistan.
"Goodness gracious, that is a big piece of business. That is a big bill," Obama said as he signed the bill yesterday that funds the federal government through the end of September.
The 1,582-page bill passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate requires a certification from the secretary of state and the defence secretary that Pakistan is co-operating with the US in counterterrorism efforts against the Haqqani Network, Quetta Shura Taliban, LeT, Jaish-e- Mohammed, al-Qaida, and other domestic and foreign terrorist organizations.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/Obama-signs-1-1-trillion-spending-bill-rider-for-Pak-aid/articleshow/29001090.cms
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Mideast
US Drone Strikes Necessitate Counseling Center for 'Traumatized' Children
Jan 18, 2014
Yemen had to set up a counseling center to help children deal with the psychological trauma of U.S. drone attacks, a Yemeni official told the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child this week.
Clinical and forensic psychologist Dr. Peter Schaapveld has previously explained how children in the impoverished country are "traumatized and re-traumatized by drones," and described one young girl whose "dreams are of dead people, planes and people running around scared."
Kat Craig, Legal Director of UK-based human rights group Reprieve, stated that Yemeni "President Hadi's agreements with the US are trumping Yemen's responsibility to protect its children. Instead of allowing the U.S. to bomb his country to pieces and then setting up a recovery center, President Hadi should listen to his Parliament and stop the drone strikes."
Full report at:
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2014/01/17-9
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Israel Lobby Thwarted in Iran Sanctions Bid For Now
Jan 18, 2014
WASHINGTON - In what looks to be a clear victory – at least for now – for President Barack Obama, a major effort by the Israel lobby and its most powerful constituent, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), to pass a new sanctions bill against Iran has stalled in the U.S. Senate.
While the legislation, the “Nuclear Weapon Free Iran Act of 2013,” had gathered 59 co-sponsors in the 100-member upper chamber by last week, opposition to it among Democrats appears to have mounted in recent days.
That opposition apparently prompted Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who controls the floor calendar, to back away from a previous commitment to permit a vote on the measure some time over the next few weeks. As a result, AIPAC is now reportedly hoping to get the bill through the Republican-dominated House of Representatives.
Full report at:
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2014/01/17-1
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Six killed in clashes between militants and army in Yemen
18 January 2014
Clashes between armed militants and the Yemeni army killed six and injured three in Yemen’s southern city of al-Dalea on Friday, state new agency SABA reported.
Local authorities told SABA two soldiers had been shot dead and another injured. Witnesses told the agency a Yemeni bystander had been killed in the crossfire and another injured.
Medical sources told reporters a missile fired by the Yemeni army had also hit a house, killing a woman and her two children, while the woman’s husband was severely injured.
People in the area told Reuters the constant sound of bombings and gunfire could be heard across the city.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/01/18/Six-killed-in-clashes-between-militants-and-army-in-Yemen.html
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Israeli radio host reined in after on-air jokes about Palestinians
Jan 18, 2014
A popular Israeli radio host is being required to stick to his usual theme, the Hebrew language, after making disparaging remarks about Palestinians on the air last week.
The host, Army Radio’s Avshalom Kor, was commenting on the booby-trap explosive that went off accidently at the residence of the Palestinian Authority’s ambassador to Prague this month.
Kor said the envelopes the Palestinians used to send mail were “letter bombs,” and that the stamps bore the image “of a sniper shooting and hitting his man.” According to Kor, “When they say ‘that girl’s a bomb,’ they’re not talking about a blonde bombshell.”
Later on, Kor spoke about Israel’s release of long-serving Palestinian prisoners.
“I saw the receptions they held for the child murderers who were released from prison,” he said. “It reminds me of the story about the guy who was taken prisoner by cannibals. The head of the tribe welcomed him face to face — then ears, arms and legs. After all, when they get down to business with us, they really get down — as far as the grave.”
Full report at:
http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/.premium-1.569136
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Europe
UN envoy reports child soldiers in South Sudan
Jan 18, 2014
JUBA: A top UN rights envoy in South Sudan said child soldiers are fighting in the more than month-long conflict, with mass killings reported to have taken place.
"The reports that we have come across involve mass killings, extrajudicial killings, widespread destruction and looting, and child soldier recruitment," the UN's Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Ivan Simonovic told reporters.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/UN-envoy-reports-child-soldiers-in-South-Sudan/articleshow/28960412.cms
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Four UN staff killed in Kabul attack
AFP | Jan 18, 2014
UNITED NATIONS, United States: UN leader Ban Ki-moon on Friday strongly condemned a suicide gun and bomb attack on a Kabul restaurant in which four UN staff were among at least 14 fatalities.
A UN statement said other dead from the attack claimed by the Taliban were from other international organizations.
"Such targeted attacks against civilians are completely unacceptable and are in flagrant breach of international humanitarian law," Ban was quoted as saying by a spokesman.
Ban condemned the attack "in the strongest terms," said deputy UN spokesman Farhan Haq.
Four of its civilian staff were dead, the UN said, giving no other details about the victims.
The International Monetary Fund has already said its representative in Afghanistan was killed in the attack on a restaurant popular with foreigners.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/Four-UN-staff-killed-in-Kabul-attack/articleshow/28993199.cms
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Four gunmen killed in spec operation in Dagestan
18 January 2014,
Four gunmen have been killed in a special operation in Makhachkala's suburbs, said Russia's National Antiterrorism Committee's information centre.
An attempt of gunmen to break through the cordon was thwarted. Four criminals were neutralized, a NAC source said.
The house in the village of Semender was blocked on Friday night. After negotiations, a woman with three children came out. The operation was suspended till Saturday morning. However, the gunmen opened fire at night and attempted to break through, but they failed, the source said.
Full report at:
http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2014_01_18/Four-gunmen-killed-in-spec-operation-in-Dagestan-1337/
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Russia steps up delivery of drones, guided bombs to Syria
Jan 18, 2014
New Russian supplies come at a critically fluid stage of the conflict, with peace talks scheduled for next week in Switzerland.
In recent weeks Russia has stepped up supplies of military gear to Syria, including armored vehicles, drones and guided bombs, boosting President Bashar Assad just as rebel infighting has weakened the insurgency against him, sources with knowledge of the deliveries say.
Moscow, which is trying to raise its diplomatic and economic influence in the Middle East, has been a major provider of conventional weapons to Syria, giving Assad crucial support during the three-year civil war and blocking wider Western attempts to punish him with sanctions for the use of force against civilians.
Full report at:
http://www.haaretz.com/news/middle-east/1.569204
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Amnesty: Iran hangs 40 people in two weeks amid surge in execuctions
Jan 18 2014
The Amnesty International has recently announced that Iran has executed 40 people since the beginning of 2014, with at least 33 carried out in the past week.
Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa quoted in a statement published on Amnesty International’s website, said, “The spike in the number of executions carried out so far this month in Iran is alarming. The Iranian authorities’ attempts to change their international image are meaningless if at the same time executions continue to increase.”
Sahraoui further added, “The Iranian authorities must urgently take steps to abolish the death penalty, which has been shown again and again not to have any special deterrent effect on crime.”
Full report at:
http://www.khaama.com/amnesty-iran-hangs-40-people-in-two-weeks-amid-surge-in-exeuctions-3309
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Kazakhstan Adopts New Policy Toward Foreign Migrants
Jan 18, 2014
In December 2013, Kazakhstani President Nursultan Nazarbayev signed a new law to simplify the issuing of work permits to foreign migrant workers by individual Kazakhstani citizens. The more flexible regulations, which will take effect in a few weeks, contrast with the increasingly severe labor rules in other Eurasian countries. Improving international migration is one of the long-term priorities of the government’s Kazakhstan-2050 national development strategy, adopted last year.
When the bill was introduced to the Senate of Kazakhstan, the minister of economy and budget planning, Erbolat Dossaev, said that “the main purpose of the bill is to legalize labor migrants in Kazakhstan and improve state regulation of migration processes” as well as increase tax revenue (Parlamentskaya Gazeta, October 31, 2013).
Full report at:
http://www.jamestown.org/regions/centralasia/single/?tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=41835&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=53&cHash=4b465271edaad36cdd1108a0f6486794#.UugDW9LTn4Y
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Formation of Khasavyurt Jammat Reflects Influx of New Funds and Recruits
By: Mairbek Vatchagaev
Jan 18, 2014
Dagestan’s Khasavyurt district has a long border with Chechnya. Moreover, a significant number of ethnic Chechens ended up in Dagestan after their territory was handed over to Dagestan in 1922
After the influx of Chechen refugees during the first Russian-Chechen war, the overall number of Chechens in Dagestan totalled approximately 100,000 persons (http://www.kavkaz-uzel.ru/articles/177132/).
The Khasavyurt Jamaat was the most active of the Dagestani Jamaats in 2013. The point of tension basically shifted from central and southern Dagestan to the border with Chechnya in the second half of last year. Militant attacks or law enforcement operations in the Khasavyurt area occur almost every week (http://antivahhab.com/?p=news&rid=3).
Full report at:
http://www.jamestown.org/regions/thecaucasus/single/?tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=41833&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=54&cHash=906adcdd3091d94bce0f83a6fb75cff6#.UugDONLTn4Y
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Southeast Asia
Umno roadshows and burning of effigy are attacks against Christians, says Catholic leader
Jan 18, 2014
The Catholic Church broke its silence today over the burning of an effigy of Father Lawrence Andrew, the editor of the Catholic weekly, Herald and the Allah roadshows organised by Umno, saying that it is "tantamount to an attack against the Christian community".
In a letter to Catholics in the Kuala Lumpur Archdiocese, Archbishop Emeritus Tan Sri Murphy Pakiam said that he was "deeply aggrieved and saddened" over the string of recent incidents following Andrew's remark that Catholics would continue to use the word Allah despite a 1988 Selangor enactment banning them from doing so.
Full report at:
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/umno-roadshows-and-burning-of-effigy-are-attacks-against-christians-says-ca
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Respect National Fatwa Council’s statement in support of raid at Bible Society, says Jais
Jan 18, 2014
The Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) urged the people to adhere to the National Fatwa Council's statement in support of the raid on The Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM), Utusan Malaysia reported today.
Jais director Ahmad Zaharin Mohd Saad said that he welcomed the council's statement and urged that it be respected by all parties.
"All parties have to adhere to the Selangor Non-Islamic Religions (Control of Propagation Among Muslims) Enactment 1988 that the non-Muslims cannot use the word Allah," he was quoted as saying.
The Fatwa Council had said yesterday that the BSM raid was in line with the law and the Sultan of Selangor's decree that prohibits non-Muslims from using the word Allah.
On January 2, Jais had raided the BSM premises in Damansara Kim, Selangor, and seized more than 300 Bibles in both Bahasa Malaysia and Iban languages as the holy books contained the word Allah.
Full report at:
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/respect-national-fatwa-councils-statement-in-support-of-raid-at-bible-socie
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/marital-rape-bill-maldives-vetoed/d/35336