MQM Terms Tehreek-I-Taliban Pakistan 'Most Cowardly Group' In the World
New Age Islam News Bureau
22
Jun 2013
People march to Abu Hanifa mosque during a celebration ceremony marking the birthday anniversary of Prophet Mohammed, in Baghdad (photo by REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani)
Pakistan
• MQM terms Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan 'most cowardly group' in the world
• Young Christian dies under torture in police custody with 22 broken bones
• Pakistan money in Swiss banks higher than India's: Switzerland data
• Sindh's only Hindu MPA insists on strict implementation of laws to protect minorities
• Peshawar mosque blast suspects arrested
• Senate proposes fund for victims of drone strikes
• Peace committee member killed in IED attack in Bajaur Agency
• Pakistan deploys 25,000-strong force to protect nuclear arsenal
India
• Fronting Modi would prove detrimental to BJP: Vastanvi, ex-VC of Darul Uloom Deoband
• Nawaz Sharif has given ‘good signals’: India
• Ishrat Jahan case: Senior Gujarat IPS officer declared absconder
• "Humanity is the biggest religion": All India Shia Personal Board to help flood victims
• Militants strike in heart of Srinagar city ahead of PM's visit, kill two policemen
• Afghan peace talks: India voices concern
• Muslim widow can go to family court: Bombay high court
• Pranab for Indo-Bangla cooperation
• 26/11 trial of Pak suspects adjourned till June 29
• Malegaon 2006 Blast accused watched Black Friday for inspiration, says NIA Chargesheet
• Muslim and Christians demand more space for burying their dead
Arab World
• Iraqi Shiite Cleric: 'Extremism in Iraq Is Transitory Phase'
• Suicide bomb, shootings kill 9 in northern Iraq
• Syria rebels say they have 'game-changing' new arms
• Saudi cleric heads to London after call for Jihad in Syria
• Syrian army renews offensive on Damascus opposition fighters
• Islamists 'say no to violence,' back 'legitimate' Egyptian president
• Over 1.5 million foreign workers change status before Saudi crackdown
• Syria 'friends' defend arming rebels in Qatar forum
• Couple die of thirst in Saudi southern desert
• As Hezbollah Fights in Syria, Life Changes in a Lebanese Border Town
South Asia
• US-led airstrike kills 30 in southeast Afghanistan
• 80pc women repression cases are false: Bangladesh Law Minister
• Suu Kyi slams proposed inter-faith marriage law: Report
• Taliban office brings new hopes for reconciliation
• Taliban guerrillas welcome Qatar office but fight on
• Removal of sign threatens talks: Taliban
• Taliban talks may depend on Gitmo prisoners
• Saudi may extend amnesty time, hints business leader
• Poll of President’s party members reveal 85 percent fraudulent: Maldives Anti-Corruption Commission
• In the world, one refugee in four comes from Afghanistan
• Hasina optimistic on retaining power
North America
• CIA secretly providing training for Syrian rebels: Los Angeles Times
• US leaves about 700 troops in Jordan
• US envoy for Taliban talks lands in Qatar
• Main dialogue between Taliban and Afghan govt: US
• NSA leaker Edward Snowden charged with espionage, theft
• US may consider Taliban prisoner swap
Southeast Asia
• Indonesian Ulema Council’s Fatwa against Catholic Schools, "Forbidden" To Muslims
• Malaysian Non-Muslim lawyers can practise Shariah Law, rules Appeals Court
• NU, rights activists condemn Sampang Shiite relocation
• Low unemployment shows govt capable - Najib
• Trafficking Still Threatens Many Indonesian Migrant Workers
Europe
• Sunni-Shia divisions and foreign influences are obstacles to peace in Syria: Chaldean Patriarch
• UN Security Council condemns torture, arbitrary arrests in Libya
• UK: Israeli settler violence ‘abhorrent’
Mideast
• Hamas imposes Islamisation on schools, endangering Catholic institutions
• Islamic Jihad, Hamas Hold Military Summer Camps for Children
• The New Era of Israeli-Arab Nazareth
• Iran decries terrorist attacks in Pakistan
• More EU pressure on Iran, Israel PM tells Ashton
• Turkey's Sunni Identity Test
Africa
• In Turnabout, Syria Rebels Get Libyan Weapons
• Nigeria: President's optimism of 'victory' over terrorism reported
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/mqm-terms-tehreek-i-taliban/d/12225
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Pakistan
MQM terms Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan 'most cowardly group' in the world
June 22, 2013
Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain on Friday appealed to the United Nations and the government of Pakistan to declare the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) as the most cowardly group in the world.
In a statement issued on Friday, after MQM MPA Sajid Qureshi, and his son was gunned down in Karachi, Altaf appealed to the people of Pakistan to raise their voice against the brutal killings.
The MQM chief said that the Taliban were the most cowardly group of people on the face of the earth who were ambushing and killing innocent people. He said that there were some established norms in the world about wars. However, the killing of innocent people with sophisticated weapons was an unmitigated act of cowardice.
Altaf said that no leniency should be shown to the bloodthirsty killers and every effort should be made to protect the life and property of common people. He urged the people to rise above their political differences and take part in protest demonstrations for making it clear to the world that Pakistan is a country of peace-loving and democratic people.
http://tribune.com.pk/story/566607/altaf-terms-ttp-most-cowardly-group-in-the-world/
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Young Christian dies under torture in police custody with 22 broken bones
Jibran Khan
June 20, 2013
Irfan Masih was arrested on 8 June suspected of a murder he did not commit. For days, he was subjected to abuse in order to extort a confession. He died on Sunday from the serious injuries he suffered. "So what if he died? So many die anyway every day," a police officer said. Human rights activists call for justice, whilst the victim's family is in hiding for fear of reprisals.
Islamabad (AsiaNews) - Taken into custody by police without evidence or a judge's warrant, a 20-year-old Christian man was held in prison for nine days during which he was abused and tortured in order to extract a confession to a crime he did not commit. In the end, he died from the injuries he suffered, including 22 broken bones, according to the doctors who examined his body. This is the tragic story of Irfan Masih, a resident of Sharikpur, Sheikhupura District, in Punjab province, who died on Sunday, still in the clutches of his captors, all members of the local police.
The young man, who was employed by a local company, was arrested on 8 June on suspicion of murder. According to the family, he was held for several days at the police station without evidence or a warrant for his arrest. He died on Wednesday from the injuries he sustained, "multiple fractures" according to the doctors who examined his body.
Despite the barbarous crime, police officers in Sharikpur show no signs of repentance. For the station chief, Masih "was not able to bare" the torture and died. His deputy added laconically and without remorse that he was doing his duty seeking the truth and had no regrets. "So what if he died? So many die anyway every day," Deputy Inspector Variam Ali said.
Human rights activists and organisations, including Life for All, condemned the vicious act and staged a protest in Lahore.
Despite the obstacles involved in suing members of the police, a complaint to the city's High Court is already being prepared in order to bring the torturers to court. Meanwhile, the young man's family has been placed under protection and spirited away to a safe place.
Pakistan is not new to cases of faulty justice, extrajudicial killings and suspicious deaths in prison or police stations.
AsiaNews has time after time reported such acts of violence, like the death in prison of Robert Fanish Masih in 2009, who had been sued for an alleged (and false) case of blasphemy. The same occurred to a young man suffering from a mental disorder who died suddenly in jail under suspicious circumstances back in early December after he had been arrested on the basis of the black law.
Speaking about these cases, Fr John Gill, a priest in Lahore, said that "rigorous investigations" are needed to have justice.
"Irfan Gill Masi was an only son," he said, and "we are still asking ourselves what was his fault. Why was he ripped away from his family so brutally? These events must end and the appropriate authorities should act to bring justice."
http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Punjab:-young-Christian-dies-under-torture-in-police-custody-with-22-broken-bones-28235.html
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Pakistan money in Swiss banks higher than India's: Switzerland data
PTI | Jun 21, 2013
ZURICH/NEW DELHI: When it comes to money in Swiss banks, Pakistan has a slight edge over India with total funds amounting to 1,441 million Swiss francs (about Rs 9,200 crore) held there by Pakistani individuals and entities.
However, this was the lowest level for such funds ever since Switzerland's central bank began compiling this data in 2002 and was less than half of the record high amount of over 3 billion Swiss francs recorded in 2005. The previous record low of 1.95 billion Swiss francs was seen in the year 2010.
In their local currency, the total funds held by individuals and entities from Pakistan in Swiss banks stood at over 15,000 crore Pakistani rupees as on December 31, 2012.
This marked a decline of nearly 32 per cent from 2,119 million Swiss francs (about Rs 23,000 crore Pakistani rupees) at the end of 2011, as per the latest annual report of Switzerland's central bank on banks operating in the country.
The issue of alleged stashing of black money in Swiss banks has been a matter of intense debate in Pakistan, as there have been reports of some top former government leaders having kept their money in banks in the European country due to their hugely popular 'safe-haven' status.
However, a higher amount than Indian entities assumes significance because Pakistan is a much smaller country in terms of population and area.
Still, the quantum of money held by Swiss banks for their Pakistani clients was about 1.5 per cent higher than the equivalent figure for Indians at 1,421 million Swiss francs (about Rs 9,100 crore) at the end of 2012, the latest data compiled by Swiss National Bank (SNB) shows.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Pakistan-money-in-Swiss-banks-higher-than-Indias-Switzerland-data/articleshow/20699190.cms
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Sindh's only Hindu MPA insists on strict implementation of laws to protect minorities
June 22, 2013
ISLAMABAD: He talked about protection of the Hindu Community, the largest religious minority in the country. He stressed upon prompt legislation to stop such a massive migration of this vulnerable community. He is the only Hindu legislature who made his way to the provincial assembly by winning direct elections for the first time from PS-61 Tharparkar, Sindh.
Dr Mahesh Kumar Malani is a Pakistani Hindu Rajasthani Pushkarna Brahamin politician who once served as a member of the National Assembly on reserved seat.
During his tenure as an MNA, he raised the issue of forced conversion of Hindu girls as well as the registration of Hindu marriages. He has been struggling for Hindus’ rights in Pakistan for the last two decades. But now, he fears exodus of Hindus to other neighbouring countries like India amid sense of fear and insecurity.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/566837/sindhs-only-hindu-mpa-insists-on-strict-implementation-of-laws-to-protect-minorities/
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Peshawar mosque blast suspects arrested
June 22, 2013
PESHAWAR: Law enforcement agencies have arrested two suspects involved in a gun-and-bomb attack on Friday which killed 15 people at a mosque in Peshawar.
At least three attackers had stormed the Madrassa Hussainia mosque and Imambargah on Friday in a largely Shia neighbourhood in the city's suburbs. The deadly assault left at least 15 worshipers dead as one of the attackers detonated his suicide vest.
Full report at:
http://dawn.com/news/1019979/peshawar-mosque-blast-suspects-arrested
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Senate proposes fund for victims of drone strikes
June 22, 2013
ISLAMABAD: With the government set to take a few more weeks to come up with a policy on drone attacks, the Senate on Friday recommended the setting up of a special fund for those who over the years have become victims of attacks by the unmanned planes.
The Senate has made 113 recommendations for inclusion in the Finance Bill--2013, which the National Assembly is set to pass next week. Although passage of the budget is an exclusive domain of the National Assembly, rules do allow Senators to make recommendations, which the assembly may or may not accept.
Full report at:
http://dawn.com/news/1019801/senate-proposes-fund-for-victims-of-drone-strikes
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Peace committee member killed in IED attack in Bajaur Agency
ZAHIR SHAH SHERAZI
June 22, 2013
KHAR: A member of the peace committee has been killed and another person was injured in a remote controlled Improvised Explosive Device (IED) attack in Bajaur Agency’s area, Chamarkand, official said.
Political administration officials confirmed that the peace committee member Khater Jan was targeted with a remote controlled IED near Bar Chamarkand when he was inspecting the site of an earlier explosion.
Full report at:
http://beta.dawn.com/news/1019976/peace-committee-member-killed-in-ied-attack-in-bajaur-agency
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Pakistan deploys 25,000-strong force to protect nuclear arsenal
PTI | Jun 22, 2013
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has raised a 25,000-strong special force and put in place extensive measures to protect and manage its strategic assets, including its nuclear arsenal, finance minister Ishaq Dar said on Saturday.
"A special security force of 25,000 personnel, who have been specially trained and provided sophisticated weapons, has been deployed to protect (the nuclear assets)," Dar said, while winding up the debate on the 2013-14 budget in the National Assembly or lower house of Parliament.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Pakistan-deploys-25000-strong-force-to-protect-nuclear-arsenal/articleshow/20714808.cms
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India
Fronting Modi would prove detrimental to BJP: Vastanvi, ex-VC of Darul Uloom Deoband
Jun 22 2013
Meerut (UP) : Having courted controversy earlier for praising Narendra Modi, Ghulam Mohammed Vastanvi, the ex-Vice Chancellor of Darul Uloom Deoband, has said that making the Gujarat Chief Minister the election campaign committee head of BJP will prove detrimental to the party.
"Bringing Modi forward will mean a loss of the Muslim vote bank for BJP. And by making Modi the election campaign committee head, the party itself has dug his own grave," Vastanvi told reporters here.
Talking about education earlier, the 60-year-old former chief of the 145-year-old Islamic seminary stressed on people taking their own 'Taleem' (education).
He claimed that the government may try harder but as long as people don't follow their own education, no religious community will flourish.
Vastanvi also expressed his sympathy for people of flood hit states of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.
In July 2011, Vastanvi was sacked for praising Narendra Modi following his remarks on the Gujarat Chief Minister's development policies and that Muslims should forget the communal riots of 2002 and move on, which had raised the hackles of the conservatives.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/fronting-modi-would-prove-detrimental-to-bjp-vastanvi/1132253/
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Nawaz Sharif has given ‘good signals’: India
PTI | Jun 21, 2013
NEW DELHI: India said on Friday that the Nawaz Sharif government in Pakistan has given "good signals" in normalizing bilateral ties but cautioned against expecting "magic overnight". "With the new government (in Pakistan), good signals have been given by them. But I don't think we should expect magic overnight", external affair minister Salman Khurshid said, apparently referring to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's pledge to "progressively pursue" normalization of ties with India.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Nawaz-Sharif-has-given-good-signals-India/articleshow/20702848.cms
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Ishrat Jahan case: Senior Gujarat IPS officer declared absconder
PTI | Jun 21, 2013
AHMEDABAD: A special CBI court here on Friday declared Gujarat IPS officer P P Pandey an absconder in the 2004 fake encounter case of Ishrat Jahan and three others.
Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate of the special CBI court H S Khutwad today passed an order proclaiming Additional DGP (Crime) P P Pandey an absconder under section 82 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).
He has also been directed to appear before the court by July 31 to avoid further action.
Pruthvipal P Pandey, a 1982-batch IPS officer, has been made an accused in the fake encounter case for providing "so-called crucial intelligence inputs" to fellow policemen that Ishrat and three others were LeT operatives and were on a mission to assassinate Chief Minister Narendra Modi.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Ishrat-Jahan-case-Senior-Gujarat-IPS-officer-declared-absconder/articleshow/20705004.cms
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"Humanity is the biggest religion": All India Shia Personal Board to help flood victims of Uttarakhand
2013/06/22
(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - The All India Shia Personal Board (AISPLB) has set up a relief fund for the people hit by the nature’s fury in Uttarakhand, and has asked the Muslim community to generously donate to it.
“Humanity is the biggest religion for all and everyone should come forward to help the sufferers. We appeal to Muslims to donate open-heartedly,” AISPLB spokesperson Maulana Yasoob Abbas said.
Abbas said the calamity is a result of over-exploitation of natural resources.
All India Muslim Personal Law Board Maulana Khalid Rasheed Farangimahli also appealed to individuals and Muslim organisations to donate generously for the tragedy-hit people.
Full report at:
http://abna.ir/data.asp?lang=3&Id=432276
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Militants strike in heart of Srinagar city ahead of PM's visit, kill two policemen
PTI | Jun 22, 2013
SRINAGAR: Terrorists struck in the heart of the city killing two policemen in the crowded Hari Singh high street, three days ahead of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Jammu and Kashmir.
Terrorists using silencer-fitted pistols carried out near simultaneous attacks at Jehangir Chowk and Sarai Bala injuring head constable Mohammed Maqbool and constable Nazir Ahmed.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Militants-strike-in-heart-of-Srinagar-city-ahead-of-PMs-visit-kill-two-policemen/articleshow/20714307.cms
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Afghan peace talks: India voices concern
Indrani Bagchi, TNN | Jun 21, 2013
NEW DELHI: In their briefings to India on the prospective talks with the Taliban, the US had assured India that it would not hold talks with the Haqqani network, the deadliest Taliban outfit that attacked the Indian embassy in Kabul and is known to be close to the Pakistan army.
Yet, as the US try to put their talks with the Taliban in motion, its clear the Haqqanis will be part of the Taliban delegation. This will top the talks with Kerry here next week as India joined the clamour against the talks which Indian officials described as "opportunistic".
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Afghan-peace-talks-India-voices-concern/articleshow/20704621.cms
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Muslim widow can go to family court: Bombay high court
Rosy Sequeira, TNN | Jun 22, 2013
MUMBAI: The Bombay high court on Friday ruled that the family court has jurisdiction to hear a widow and her five children's petition for maintenance under the Muslim Personal Law from the heirs of her deceased father-in-law.
Justice Roshan Dalvi heard a petition by the heirs of Alam Khan (name changed) challenging a family court order, which held that it had jurisdiction to hear the maintenance plea of Afsana Begum (name changed) and her children, who had staked claim to her deceased husband's share. Her husband was the son of Khan's first wife while the petitioners (the heirs) are from his third wife.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Muslim-widow-can-go-to-family-court-Bombay-high-court/articleshow/20707772.cms
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Pranab for Indo-Bangla cooperation
June 22, 2013
Indian President Pranab Mukherjee yesterday called for increased cooperation between India and Bangladesh in the power sector.
He thanked the president, the prime minister and the government of Bangladesh for their support in making a power plant project possible in Tripura.
Pranab was speaking at a function organised to inaugurate the first unit of 726 MW gas-based power plant at Palatana in Tripura yesterday, said a press release of the Indian High Commission in Dhaka.
Full report at:
http://www.thedailystar.net/beta2/news/pranab-for-indo-bangla-cooperation/
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26/11 trial of Pak suspects adjourned till June 29
June 22, 2013
The trial of seven Pakistanis, including Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, charged with involvement in the Mumbai attacks was on Saturday adjourned for a week as the new judge hearing the case was on leave. The case was shifted from an anti-terrorism
court in Rawalpindi to a new anti-terrorism court in Islamabad last week.
Judge Kausar Abbas Zaidi, who is currently hearing the case, was on leave and there were no proceedings today, sources told PTI.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/pakistan/26-11-trial-of-Pak-suspects-adjourned-till-June-29/Article1-1080599.aspx
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Malegaon 2006 Blast accused watched Black Friday for inspiration, says NIA Chargesheet
Sukanya Shantha
Jun 22 2013
Mumbai: The Hindi film Black Friday, based on the Bombay blasts of 1993, was shown during indoctrination meetings to “brainwash” the Hindu extremists who later took part in the serial bombings in Malegaon in 2006, says the National Investigation Agency’s (NIA’s) chargesheet in the case. The chargesheet includes the disclosure reports of four Indore men accused in the case, Manohar Narwariya, Dhan Singh, Rajendra Chaudhary and Lokesh Sharma.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/blast-accused-watched-black-friday-for-inspiration-says-nia-chargesheet/1132333/
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Muslim and Christians demand more space for burying their dead
TNN Jun 21, 2013
MADURAI: Representatives from both the Muslim and Christian communities have demanded more space in the city for burying their dead as they are finding it difficult to use the smaller spaces which were earmarked several years ago. They made the demand during a meeting with Bishop M Prakash, chairman of the Tamil Nadu State Minorities' Commission on Thursday. They said that their population has increased considerably as a result of which they need special burial grounds especially in the city limits. They claimed that they have been urging the officials concerned to meet their long-pending demand but it has gone on deaf ears.
Full report at:
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-06-21/madurai/40118811_1_aligarh-muslim-university-demand-more-space
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Arab World
Iraqi Shiite Cleric: 'Extremism in Iraq Is Transitory Phase'
By: Mustafa al-Kadhimi
June 22, 2013
Shiite cleric Ayatollah Hussein al-Sadr is known as a moderate religious voice in Iraq, thanks to the initiatives he has launched for bringing together points of view between various religious and sectarian schools in and outside the country.
He established the Humanitarian Dialogue Foundation, and he believes that religion is a point of convergence, not divergence, and that terrorism is a dangerous phenomenon that can be stopped by a true cultural revolution.
In an interview with Al-Monitor, Sadr asserted that federalism in Iraq will only exist if based on geographic and economic grounds, that the poor performance of politicians calls for the intervention of the clergy to ease the charged atmosphere and that the security performance of Iraqi institutions requires further efforts and development.
Full report at:
http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2013/06/shiite-cleric-hussein-sadr-interview-iraq.html#ixzz2WvzvwBEE
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Suicide bomb, shootings kill 9 in northern Iraq
June 22, 2013
A suicide car bomb blast and other militant attacks killed nine people in northern Iraq on Saturday, officials said, the latest in a wave of violence that has killed nearly 2,000 Iraqis since the start of April.
The deadliest attack was in al-Athba village near the northern city of Mosul, when a suicide car bomber rammed his explosives-laden car into a police patrol, a police officer said. Three civilian bystanders and one policeman died while six other people were wounded, he added.
With violence spiking sharply in recent months to levels not seen since 2008, al-Qaida in Iraq and other militant groups have been gathering strength in the area of Mosul, some 360 km northwest of Baghdad.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/world/suicide-bomb-shootings-kill-9-in-northern-iraq/article4840613.ece
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Syria rebels say they have 'game-changing' new arms
June 22, 2013
DAMASCUS: Syria's rebels have received new types of weapons that could “change the course of the battle,” a rebel spokesman said on Friday, as troops tried to oust opposition fighters from a Damascus district.
The announcement came a day before a meeting in Qatar of the “Friends of Syria” group of nations that back the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad.
“We've received quantities of new types of weapons, including some that we asked for and that we believe will change the course of the battle on the ground,” Free Syrian Army spokesman Louay Muqdad told AFP.
Full report at:
http://beta.dawn.com/news/1019798/syria-rebels-say-they-have-game-changing-new-arms
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Saudi cleric heads to London after call for Jihad in Syria
22 June 2013
A Saudi cleric has been criticized for currently spending time in London, only weeks after he urged Muslim youth to join Jihad in Syria.
Sheikh Mohamed al-Arifi, a leading Saudi preacher, called for jihad in Syria “in every possible way” during a high-level meeting of Muslim scholars in Cairo on June 14.
But the Saudi preacher, instead of translating his words into action and providing a model for Jihadist wannabes in Syrian frontlines, has chosen to shine elsewhere.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2013/06/22/Fight-or-flight-Saudi-cleric-heads-to-London-after-calling-for-Jihad-in-Syria.html
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Syrian army renews offensive on Damascus opposition fighters
22 June 2013
Syria activists reported a military offensive by regime forces against rebel strongholds in northern and eastern Damascus.
“The district of Qaboon in (northeastern) Damascus is being intensely shelled by regime forces,” the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said according to AFP.
Rebels were battling troops loyal to President Bashar al-Assad on the edges of Qaboon as the army tried to storm the neighborhood, the Britain-based group said.
Three children from one family were killed overnight by mortar fires targeting Qaboon, the observatory said.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2013/06/22/Syrian-army-renews-offensive-on-Damascus-opposition-fighters-.html
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Islamists 'say no to violence,' back 'legitimate' Egyptian president
21 Jun 2013
As Islamists gathered en masse in Cairo on Friday to "Say no to violence," it became clear that the demonstration – whose participants numbered in the hundreds of thousands – was meant to bolster support for embattled President Mohamed Morsi ahead of planned demonstrations on 30 June to demand his ouster.
A signature drive, dubbed the 'Rebel' campaign, has successfully channelled anti-Morsi sentiment into its planned 30 June rallies to call for "withdrawing confidence" in the president and demand snap presidential elections.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/74613/Egypt/Politics-/Islamists-say-no-to-violence,-back-legitimate-Egyp.aspx
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Over 1.5 million foreign workers change status before Saudi crackdown
Reuters | Jun 22, 2013
RIYAD: More than 1.5 million foreign workers in Saudi Arabia have changed their residence status since April ahead of a planned crackdown on illegally registered expatriates in the world's leading oil exporter, the labour ministry said on Saturday.
Saudi Arabia is trying to reduce a black market in labour among the estimated nine million foreigners in the country, which the government says makes it harder for Saudi citizens to find jobs and economists say fosters inefficiency.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Over-1-5-million-foreign-workers-change-status-before-Saudi-crackdown/articleshow/20715712.cms
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Syria 'friends' defend arming rebels in Qatar forum
2013/06/22
Foreign ministers of the Friends of Syria group, who are meeting in Qatar, have defended the arming of rebels who are fighting President Bashar al-Assad.
Qatar's PM Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber al-Thani said "providing arms may be the only means of achieving peace".
But he and US Secretary of State John Kerry said the policy was simply to achieve balance and bring Syria's government to the negotiating table.
Full report at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-23012637
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Couple die of thirst in Saudi southern desert
By Sebastian Usher
2013/06/22
A husband and wife have died of thirst after losing their way in Saudi Arabia's vast southern desert, known as the Empty Quarter.
Security forces had mounted a major operation to try to find the couple, who were from Qatar, after a relative raised the alert.
The woman was found near the couple's overturned vehicle and a helicopter found her husband 10km (6 miles) away.
Full report at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-23015333
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As Hezbollah Fights in Syria, Life Changes in a Lebanese Border Town
By ANNE BARNARD
2013/06/22
HERMEL, Lebanon — The procession was small as Hezbollah funerals go, just a few hundred people winding past wind-tossed olive trees through this remote Bekaa Valley village. Still, the mourners honored the fighter killed in Syria with the usual solemn choreography: the coffin draped with a flag, the uniformed Boy Scouts bearing his portrait, the women carrying babies and wreaths of roses.
But to the traditional prayers and chants — praising the leaders of Iran and Hezbollah, denouncing Israel and America — the mourners added a new barb, for the gunmen battling the Syrian government who, they said, had killed him: “Death to the Free Army.”
Full report at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/22/world/middleeast/hezbollah-loyalties-cause-sectarian-rift-in-lebanon.html?pagewanted=all
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South Asia
US-led airstrike kills 30 in southeast Afghanistan
Jun 22, 2013
At least 30 people have been killed after US-led forces launched an airstrike in Afghanistan’s southeastern province of Paktika, Press TV reports.
Local officials said the incident took place at a border checkpoint in the province on Saturday, adding that the strike occurred as Taliban militants were attacking the checkpoint.
A Taliban spokesperson, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the deaths of four militants in the air raid.
Full report at:
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/06/22/310278/usled-airstrike-kills-30-in-afghanistan/
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80pc women repression cases are false: Bangladesh Law Minister
June 22, 2013
Eighty percent of the cases which were filed on charges of repression on women are false, said Law Minister Shafique Ahmed on Saturday.
“However a long time is wasted to resolve such types of false cases. The matter of getting justice also becomes uncertain due to the long passage of time. So, it is essential to amend the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) Act,” the minister said while addressing a seminar at the capital’s Ruposhi Bangla Hotel, reported Bangla daily Prothom Alo.
Full report at:
http://www.thedailystar.net/beta2/news/80pc-women-repression-cases-are-false-minister/
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Suu Kyi slams proposed inter-faith marriage law: Report
June 21, 2013
Yangon: Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has criticised a proposal by nationalist monks to restrict marriages between Buddhist women and men of other faiths, describing it as a violation of human rights, a report said on Friday.
"This is one-sided. Why only women? You cannot treat the women unfairly," Radio Free Asia quoted the Nobel Peace Laureate as saying in an interview.
"I also understand that this is not in accordance with the laws of the country and especially that it is not part of Buddhism," the veteran activist said.
Full report at:
http://zeenews.india.com/news/world/suu-kyi-slams-proposed-inter-faith-marriage-law-r_856605.html
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Taliban office brings new hopes for reconciliation
June 22, 2013
ISLAMABAD: The opening of the Afghan Taliban political office in Qatar has raised hopes for reconciliation efforts in war-torn Afghanistan as the United States and Taliban have for the first time publicly announced to hold direct peace talks.
The US and the Taliban were involved in secret exploratory talks in Qatar until March last year when militants suspended the dialogue process over what they called Washington’s ‘non-serious approach and backing out of its pledges’.
The Afghan government had always insisted on a Taliban address to contact them for any talks ahead of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Nato) troops withdrawal in 2014. The opening of Taliban office in Qatar was a belated response to Karzai regime’s calls for such a facility.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/566413/taliban-office-brings-new-hopes-for-reconciliation-2/
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Taliban guerrillas welcome Qatar office but fight on
June 22, 2013
KANDAHAR: Taliban guerrillas on Friday hailed the rebels' new office in Qatar as evidence of their success on the battlefield but vowed to fight on until all US forces leave Afghanistan.
The opening of the office in Qatar was seen as a first step towards a peace deal as the US-led Nato combat mission ends next year, but a furious Kabul accused the rebels of posing as a government-in-exile.
Talk of a meeting between US and Taliban officials has been put on hold, and the US has stressed the office must not be treated as an embassy for the hardliners who were ousted from power in 2001.
Full report at:
http://dawn.com/news/1019785/taliban-guerrillas-welcome-qatar-office-but-fight-on
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Removal of sign threatens talks: Taliban
AP | Jun 22, 2013
DOHA, QATAR: Angry voices within the Taliban movement could scuttle peace talks before they even begin, infuriated that a sign identifying their new office in the Gulf state of Qatar as the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan was removed, their spokesman said on Saturday.
The opening of the Taliban office was heralded as the best chance of bringing to a peaceful end 12 years of bloody war despite its rocky beginnings. But the peace process ran aground almost immediately when Kabul objected to the wording of its name, saying it was tantamount to the establishment of a rival government office, not a political office.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/Removal-of-sign-threatens-talks-Taliban/articleshow/20713963.cms
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Taliban talks may depend on Gitmo prisoners
New York Times
Jun 22 2013
Washington : Two Were senior Taliban commanders said to be implicated in murdering thousands of Shias in Afghanistan. When asked about alleged war crimes by an interrogator, they “did not express any regret and stated they did what they needed to do in their struggle to establish their ideal state”, according to their interrogators.
There is also a former deputy director of Taliban intelligence, a former senior Taliban official said to have “strong operational ties” to various extremist militias, and a former Taliban minister accused of having sought help from Iran in attacking American forces.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/taliban-talks-may-depend-on-gitmo-prisoners/1132287/
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Saudi may extend amnesty time, hints business leader
June 22, 2013
A Saudi business leader has hinted that the kingdom might extend the July 3 deadline of the amnesty that allows irregular foreign workers to rectify their status.
Mazen Batterjee, deputy chairman of Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), said Friday that he talked with the labour minister and apprised him of the anxiety among expatriate workers, reported Saudi Gazette on Saturday.
The amnesty, declared by Saudi Arabia on May 10, came as a huge opportunity for the foreign workers, including nearly 4 lakh irregular Bangladeshis in the kingdom, either to regularise their status or return home by July 3 without facing any penalties.
Full report at:
http://www.thedailystar.net/beta2/news/saudi-may-extend-amnesty-time/
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Poll of President’s party members reveal 85 percent fraudulent: Maldives Anti-Corruption Commission
By Mariyath Mohamed | June 21st, 2013
The Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) has interviewed 100 members of President Mohamed Waheed’s Gaumee Ihthihaadh Party (GIP) and alleged 85 percent of those polled had no knowledge of ever joining the party.
According to a statement from the ACC, these interviewees said they had neither filled out nor signed any GIP membership forms. The ACC said the details of the interviewees had been shared with the Elections Commission (EC), and called on it to cease processing GIP’s membership forms until it had verified they were genuine.
Full report at:
http://minivannews.com/politics/poll-of-presidents-party-members-reveals-85-percent-fraudulent-anti-corruption-commission-59981
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In the world, one refugee in four comes from Afghanistan
June 22, 2013
Kabul (AsiaNews) - Continued Taliban attacks in central Kabul, a general climate of insecurity, a growing Islamisation of society, high unemployment and poverty have kept Afghanistan at the top of the world's ranking for refugees for the 32nd year in a row.
On Wednesday, ahead of World Refugee Day on Thursday, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) released its annual report on globally displaced people.
With close to 2.6 million refugees in 82 countries, Afghanistan remained the leading country of origin of refugees in 2012, the source for 25 per cent of the world's refugees with Pakistan and Iran hosting 95 per cent of them.
Full report at:
http://www.asianews.it/news-en/In-the-world,-one-refugee-in-four-comes-from-Afghanistan-28267.html
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Hasina optimistic on retaining power
June 22, 2013
Shrugging off Awami League-backed candidates’ debacle in the just-concluded polls in four city corporations, the AL chief Sheikh Hasina expressed optimism of returning to power through the next parliamentary elections
People will cast their votes for the “right candidates” and the AL will get chance to serve people again, Hasina, also the prime minister, said, boasting about the successful holding of the city polls.
Full report at:
http://www.thedailystar.net/beta2/news/hasina-optimistic-on-retaining-power/
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North America
CIA secretly providing training for Syrian rebels: Los Angeles Times
22 Jun 2013
The CIA and US special operations forces have been training Syrian rebels for months, since long before President Barack Obama announced plans to arm the opposition, the Los Angeles Times reported Friday.
Training for rebel forces covers the use of anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons and has been carried out at bases in Jordan and Turkey since late last year, the newspaper reported, citing unnamed US officials and rebel commanders.
The two-week courses, for about 20 to 45 fighters at a time, began last November at a new US base in the desert in southwest Jordan, it said.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/74631/World/Region/CIA-secretly-providing-training-for-Syrian-rebels-.aspx
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US leaves about 700 troops in Jordan
June 22, 2013
President Barack Obama said that the U.S. has left about 700 combat-equipped troops in Jordan after a training exercise, raising questions about Washington’s plans for a military intervention in neighboring Syria.
In a letter to Congress on Friday, Obama said that the troops deployed to Jordan at the request of the Jordanian government will remain behind until the security situation changes in a way that they are no longer needed.
This comes amid a report that the CIA and U.S. special operation troops have been clandestinely training Syrian militants in Jordan and Turkey since November 2012.
The militants have been taught how to use anti-tank and anti-aircraft guns at bases in Jordan and Turkey, The Los Angeles Times reported on Friday.
Full report at:
http://www.presstv.ir/usdetail/310202.html
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US envoy for Taliban talks lands in Qatar
June 22, 2013
DOHA: The US envoy in charge of nascent dialogue with the Taliban has arrived in Qatar days after the Afghan insurgents opened a controversial mission in the Gulf Arab monarchy, a US official said on Saturday.
James Dobbins, the US special representative on Afghanistan and Pakistan, was to take part in meetings later on Saturday between Secretary of State John Kerry and Qatari leaders, the official told AFP.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/566809/us-envoy-for-taliban-talks-lands-in-qatar/
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Main dialogue between Taliban and Afghan govt: US
PTI | Jun 22, 2013
WASHINGTON: The US said main dialogue on the reconciliation process is between the Taliban and Afghan government but would have separate talks with it on some issues which America wants to discuss directly.
"The main dialogue that we support is the dialogue between Afghans, between the Taliban and the Afghan government.
"However, there are some issues that we would like to discuss with the Taliban directly, and that includes the safe return of (US soldier) Sergeant Bergdahl who has been gone for far too long," the White House press secretary Jay Carney told reporters.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/Main-dialogue-between-Taliban-and-Afghan-govt-US/articleshow/20711016.cms#write
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NSA leaker Edward Snowden charged with espionage, theft
AP | Jun 22, 2013
WASHINGTON: The Justice Department has charged former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden with espionage and theft of government property in the NSA surveillance case.
Snowden, believed to be holed up in Hong Kong, has admitted providing information to the news media about two highly classified NSA surveillance programs.
A one-page criminal complaint unsealed on Friday in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, says Snowden engaged in unauthorized communication of national defense information and willful communication of classified communications intelligence information. Both are charges under the Espionage Act. Snowden also is charged with theft of government property. All three crimes carry a maximum 10-year prison penalty.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/NSA-leaker-Edward-Snowden-charged-with-espionage-theft/articleshow/20709222.cms
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US may consider Taliban prisoner swap
PTI | Jun 22, 2013
WASHINGTON: The US has not ruled out discussions with the Taliban on a prisoner swap as it tries to bring home its soldier held captive by the militants.
"We have not made a decision to transfer any Taliban detainees from Guantanamo Bay, though we anticipate, that the Taliban will raise this issue," State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki told reporters.
"We will make any such decisions in consultation with Congress and according to US law. But they have stated before, as they've stated again today, that this is an issue - the release of these detainees - that they would plan to raise," Psaki said in response to a question.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/US-may-consider-Taliban-prisoner-swap/articleshow/20707052.cms
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Southeast Asia
Indonesian Ulema Council’s Fatwa against Catholic Schools, "Forbidden" To Muslims
By Mathias Hariyadi
June 22, 2013
In a "controversial" statement, the local Ulema Council in Tegal said that such schools are Haram, "morally unsound." Politics and local authorities have fuelled the controversy for electoral advantage. However, the families of Muslim students have defended the schools, claiming the right to free choice in matters of education.
Jakarta (AsiaNews) - The powerful Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) has come out against Catholic schools in Tegal District, Central Java province, issuing a "controversial" a fatwa that has sparked reactions and protests.
For MUI leaders, such schools are "Haram", "morally unsound" for young Muslim pupils despite the fact that they score high for the quality of the education they provide and have as a consequence attracted a large number of non-Christians.
Full report at:
http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Central-Java:-fatwa-against-Catholic-schools,-forbidden-to-Muslims-28200.html
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Malaysian Non-Muslim lawyers can practise Shariah Law, rules Appeals Court
JUNE 22, 2013
Non-Muslim lawyers are now eligible to practise Shariah Law in the Federal Territories, following a landmark decision by the Court of Appeal yesterday.
A three-member panel led by Datuk Seri Abu Samah Nordin declared Rule 10 of the Rules of the Syariah lawyers 1993, mandating that only Muslims can be admitted as Syariah lawyers, is ultra vires the Administration of Islamic Law (Federal Territories) Act 1993, reported Bernama.
Full report at:
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/non-muslim-lawyers-can-practise-syariah-law-in-ft-rules-appeals-court/
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NU, rights activists condemn Sampang Shiite relocation
June 21 2013
Indonesia’s largest Muslim mass organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) has criticized the forced relocation of dozens of Sampang Shiites, saying that it is not a solution.
“The relocation will not bring any good, let alone tackle the conflict,” NU chairman KH. Said Agiel Siraj said as quoted by Antara news portal in Friday.
In common with NU, the Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) had earlier said that the local administration’s decision to relocate the Shiites from Madura to Sidoarjo was a gross mistake.
Full report at:
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2013/06/21/nu-rights-activists-condemn-sampang-shiite-relocation.html
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Low unemployment shows govt capable - Najib
JUNE 22, 2013
The country's low unemployment rate of 3.1 per cent proves that the government is capable of managing the national economy well, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
He said the country's low unemployment rate also enabled Malaysia to achieve almost full employment. Malaysia led other developed nations such as Spain, which had an unemployment rate of 26.5 per cent, Italy (11.6 per cent), the United States (7.7 per cent), Australia (5.5 per cent) and Japan (4.2 per cent), he said at the launch of the Workers' Day 2013 gathering at the Stadium Putra Bukit Jalil, in Kuala Lumpur today.
Full report at:
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/low-unemployment-shows-govt-capable-najib/
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Trafficking Still Threatens Many Indonesian Migrant Workers
June 22, 2013
Denpasar. Up to 20 percent of Indonesian migrant workers have fallen victim to human trafficking, a figure that suggests that the criminals involved are just as well organized as those engaged in other forms of illicit Trans-boundary trade, a minister said on Friday.
“This shows that trafficking remains an organized crime against humanity, similar to the narcotics and weapons trade,” said Linda Amalia Sari Gumelar, the minister for women’s empowerment and child protection, at the opening of a national coordination meeting in Bali.
Linda said that nine million Indonesians currently worked overseas, and that of those who became victims of trafficking, 70 percent were recruited and sent overseas illegally.
Full report at:
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/trafficking-still-threatens-many-workers-2/
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Europe
Sunni-Shia divisions and foreign influences are obstacles to peace: Chaldean Patriarch
Dario Salvi
June 22, 2013
Mar Sako is in Rome for ROACO's 86th Plenary Assembly to talk about the violence in Syria and the Middle East. Calling on Christians to show the positive side of the separation of Church and state that "respects religion", he says it is different from Western secularism. Politics "seeks oil," the Church "seeks people." He renews the invitation to Pope Francis to visit the Christians in the region.
Rome (AsiaNews) - People want "peace and stability" and Muslims are "afraid of tension and violence," but the "Sunni-Shia divide", ethnic divisions and foreign influence are a wall that make true reconciliation appear impossible, this according to His Beatitude Mar Raphael I Louis Sako, Chaldean Patriarch, who spoke to AsiaNews on the margins of the 86th Plenary Assembly of the Reunion of Aid for the Oriental Churches (ROACO), currently underway in Rome.
Full report at:
http://www.asianews.it/news-en/For-Chaldean-patriarch,-Sunni-Shia-divisions-and-foreign-influences-are-obstacles-to-peace-28246.html
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UN Security Council condemns torture, arbitrary arrests in Libya
June 22, 2013
The United Nations Security Council has denounced arbitrary arrests and numerous incidents of torture taking place in Libya since the overthrow of long-time dictator Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
The council said in a statement on Friday that thousands of people have been arrested outside the authority of the state and are being detained without access to due process of law.
The statement was approved by all 15 Security Council members.
The UN body called for either the release of the prisoners or their transfer to detention facilities under state authority.
Full report at:
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/06/22/310207/un-to-libya-no-torture-arbitrary-arrests/
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UK: Israeli settler violence ‘abhorrent’
June 22, 2013
British Foreign Ministry has condemned the violent attacks by the Israeli regime’s settlers in the occupied Palestinian territories especially the June 18 raid on the Palestinian village of Abu Ghosh as “abhorrent”.
In a press release, Foreign Office Minister for the Middle East Alistair Burt decried the racist attacks but tried to purge the Israeli regime of any responsibility, describing the moves as “price tag” attacks.
Full report at:
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/310232.html
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Mideast
Hamas imposes Islamisation on schools, endangering Catholic institutions
June 22, 2013
As of September, mixed classes will be banned for students over the age of ten. Even teachers will be strictly divided according to gender in order not to violate Sharia. The Church currently runs three schools with almost a thousand students, mostly Muslims. For the bishop of Jerusalem, "We have two alternatives: put pressure on the government or close."
Gaza (AsiaNews) - Catholic schools in the Gaza Strip risk closure. The Hamas government is implementing legislation to prevent the presence of "non-Islamic" schools in their territory and those that do not conform to the rules, such as the strict separation between the sexes, will be closed.
Full report at:
http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Gaza:-Hamas-imposes-Islamisation-on-schools,-endangering-Catholic-institutions-28240.html
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Islamic Jihad, Hamas Hold Military Summer Camps for Children
By: Hazem Balousha
June 22, 2013
On a military training site belonging to Al-Quds Brigades in the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, 12-year-old Musaab, wearing camouflaged fatigues and his face painted for combat, carried a Kalashnikov assault rifle as he took position with other similarly garbed children behind some barbed wire. They were simulating an attack on an Israeli military outpost, aimed at kidnapping one of its soldiers. The assault was subsequently followed by cheers and praise to almighty God for the success of their “military operation.”
This exercise came as part of a military parade that concluded the weeklong “Generation of Faith” summer camp, which targeted school children ages 12 to 17, and was organized by Islamic Jihad and supervised by its Al-Quds Brigades' military wing.
Full report at:
http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2013/06/gaza-summer-camps-children-islamic-jihad.html#ixzz2Ww0AX5nA
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The New Era of Israeli-Arab Nazareth
By: Daniel Ben Simon
June 22, 2013
NAZARETH, Israel — This is the largest Arab city in Israel, in the Northern District of the country.
Fadoul Mazawi parked his shiny Lexus on a side street in the city. He gingerly worked his way between two other brand-new cars, a Mercedes and a BMW. “This is not the Nazareth that you once knew,” he said with a broad grin. ”What you see around here is not only a thriving Arab city, but [also] an Arab culture that is quite unlike what most Jews have come to know.”
The main street was bustling with passersby. People were coming and going in and out of spacious shops resembling fancy showrooms and featuring the latest fashions in all areas of life, from children's clothing to mobile devices. Two salesladies in one of the electronics showrooms were wearing traditional stylish headscarves, while two other salesgirls working in the same store were dressed in a modern style, one wearing a miniskirt and the other, colored shorts.
Full report at:
http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2013/06/era-israeli-arab-nazareth.html#ixzz2Ww0HeaJZ
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Iran decries terrorist attacks in Pakistan
June 22, 2013
Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Araqchi has condemned the recent terrorist attacks in the Pakistani cities of Karachi and Peshawar that left dozens of people killed or wounded.
In a Saturday statement, Araqchi expressed condolences to the Pakistani government and people, including the families of the victims.
“Undoubtedly, it is the enemies of the people and the government of Pakistan that are fanning the flames of sectarian and religious conflicts in the country in an attempt to fulfill the sinister objectives of the enemies of the Islamic Ummah,” Araqchi said.
Full report at:
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/06/22/310239/iran-denounces-terror-raids-in-pakistan/
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More EU pressure on Iran, Israel PM tells Ashton
June 21, 2013
JERUSALEM: Europe must take a firmer line with Iran over its controversial nuclear programme, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday at the start of a working meeting with EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton.
“We need to exert pressure on them. We’re not talking about political spin but about the spinning of centrifuges,” he said in remarks communicated by his office.
“It must stop and I think it is up to Europe to join the United States and Israel and all the other elements in the international community in demanding a halt to Iran’s nuclear programme,” he said in what appeared to be a rebuke.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/566331/more-eu-pressure-on-iran-israel-pm-tells-ashton/
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Turkey's Sunni Identity Test
By: Fehim Tastekin
June 22, 2013
In one of its worst repercussions on Turkey, the Syrian crisis swept away the dust that covered the sectarian cracks in the depths of Turkish society and politics. Up until Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan marked his Syria policy with an emphasis on Damascus being a “Nusayri minority regime,” the question of whether the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government was shaping a pro-Sunni foreign policy had been raised only timidly. The general outlook of Turkish foreign policy suggested equal dialogue with all parties without sectarian discrimination.
Full report at:
http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2013/06/turkey-sunnism-sectarian-rhetoric.html#ixzz2Ww02zvkf
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Africa
In Turnabout, Syria Rebels Get Libyan Weapons
By C. J. CHIVERS, ERIC SCHMITT and MARK MAZZETTI
2013/06/22
During his more than four decades in power, Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi of Libya was North Africa’s outrageously self-styled arms benefactor, a donor of weapons to guerrillas and terrorists around the world fighting governments he did not like.
Even after his death, the colonel’s gunrunning vision lives on, although in ways he probably would have loathed.
Many of the same people who chased the colonel to his grave are busy shuttling his former arms stockpiles to rebels in Syria. The flow is an important source of weapons for the uprising and a case of bloody turnabout, as the inheritors of one strongman’s arsenal use them in the fight against another.
Full report at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/22/world/africa/in-a-turnabout-syria-rebels-get-libyan-weapons.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
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Nigeria: President's optimism of 'victory' over terrorism reported
2013/06/22
Security - President Goodluck Jonathan's declaration that the nation was winning the war against terrorism and revelations that the elites have stolen US$ 600 billion since independence in 1960 were the two major stories in Nigeria this week.
The DAILY INDEPENDENCE, with the headline 'Nigeria winning war against terrorism, President assures', reported that President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday reassured the international community that Nigeria was conducive for investments, as his administration was winning the war against domestic terrorism.
He spoke in Abuja at the opening of the 14th meeting of the Honorary International Investors Council (HIIC).
The HIIC is an organization of prominent investors from around the world that advises the Nigerian government on matters pertaining to the country's economic development.
Its goals include reducing political corruption, helping Nigeria to become Africa's biggest oil producer, attracting investment in the country from the private sector and from foreign countries, and making Nigeria more competitive in the global economy.
Full report at:
http://www.afriquejet.com/news/8320-nigeria-jonathan-s-optimism-of-victory-over-terrorism-reported.html
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/mqm-terms-tehreek-i-taliban/d/12225