Muslim Trust Turns Saviour for Godhra’s Hindu Widows
New Age Islam News Bureau
24 Jun 2013
Photo: The widows were handed over provisions by a Muslim charitable trust in Godhra on Sunday
India
• Muslim Trust Turns Saviour for Godhra’s Hindu Widows
• RSS Leader Indresh Kumar tells NIA He Did Not Support Malegaon Blasts Plan Of Hindutva Forces
• Urdu Editors Demand Release of Innocent Muslim Youth
• J-K parties, separatists want PM to restart talks with Pak
• Allowing 9 lakh pilgrims for Amarnath Yatra may pose environmental threat: Geelani
• Muslims are gearing up to spend the night in prayers on Shab-e-Bara’at
• Terror attack in Srinagar ahead of PM's visit, 5 Jawans killed
• Omar objects, Army removes slogan from Srinagar mountain face
• 26/11 accused Headley refuses to cooperate with India's demands
• Ishrat Jahan encounter: Gujarat HC to hear cop P P Pandey's petition
Arab World
• Syria: ‘136 killed’ in fighting across country yesterday, say activists
• Egypt mob attack kills four Shia Muslims near Cairo
• Saudi police kill suspect on list of 23 wanted Shiites
• Damascus bombs kill 10 as France urges action on jihadists
• Suicide Bomber Kills Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Official
• 12 troops killed in Lebanon clashes with radicals
• Saudi Arabia beheads two Pakistanis for armed robbery
• Qatari emir to meet ruling family amid reports of leadership handover
• Sex it down: Egypt’s conservative male-only TV show draws scorn
• Syria says rebels would take years to match army's strength
• Egypt steps up Gaza tunnel crackdown, dismaying Palestinians
Pakistan
• Taliban militants masqueraded as police before slaying 9 tourists and guide
• Musharraf should go on trial for treason: Sharif
• Pak Taliban cite US drone strikes as reason behind deadly attack on 10 foreign tourists
• Pakistan suspends expeditions after tourist killings
• Explosive-laden truck seized in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
• Vigil against militancy: ‘Peace for Karachi, Peace for Pakistan’
• Shia Ulema Council announce protests until security is ensured to the sect
• Devotees throng Sadh Belo temple in Pakistan
Europe
• Child Asylum-Seekers Abused in Indonesian Detention: HRW
• Killing of foreign tourists: Ban urges Pak to take immediate action against attackers
• UN police patrol as violence worsens in Sudan’s Darfur
• Russia defiant as US raises pressure to send Snowden back
• UN says Pakistan has food ‘emergency’, but donors look elsewhere
South Asia
• Time magazine 'Buddhist Terror' headline irks Myanmar
• Religious advice should not involve political interest, says Nasheed
• Bangladesh orders war crime trial of top UK Muslim for the murder of 19 intellectuals
• Afghan endgame: Baradar doing more for peace in captivity, say Pak officials
• Maldives failing to uphold international human rights obligations: Forum Asia
• Doha office flag, banner raised with agreement of Qatar: Taleban
• Burmese leader defends 'anti Muslim' monk Ashin Wirathu
• China asks Pak 'to guarantee safety' of citizens
North America
• Kerry warns of Snowden consequences for Russia and China
• No pact if Taliban has Qaeda links: Kerry to India
• U.S. says Snowden should “not be allowed” to travel
• Ecuador 'analysing' Snowden asylum request: FM
Africa
• Malawi Children Challenge Leaders to Commit to Fight against Early Marriages
• Al-Qaida group says 8 European hostages safe
• Mali Islamists offer freedom deal for Algerian hostages
• Young Somali facing dangers in seeking better life overseas
• Nigerians to Pay £3,000 to Enter Britain
Mideast
• Mosque Dream Seen at Heart of Turkey Protests
• Turkey protests 'must not derail peace process with Kurdish rebels'
• Islamic jihad chief dies after clash with Hamas police
• Israeli air force launches overnight Gaza attack after rocket fire
• Israeli legislators lobby against release of Palestinians
• Erdogan defends riot police tactics in Turkey protests
• Iran: the west needs to forge a more nuanced relationship with the new regime
Southeast Asia
• Sarawak's controversial CM tells Muslims: Money is not enough to make you happy!
• New Generation of Indonesian Scholars Present Their Work
• Amnesty saves Indonesians from risk of losing nationality
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
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India
Muslim Trust Turns Saviour for Godhra’s Hindu Widows
Tushar Tere, TNN | Jun 24, 2013
VADODARA: Kala Patel (40) could barely make two ends meet with her meagre earnings as a cook. Widowed eight years ago, she struggles with the expenses of her three children. But on Sunday, she got help from a quarter she least expected.
A Godhra-based Muslim charitable trust ensured that her family does not go hungry for the next three months by giving her provisions and eatables.
There are 54 other widows like her from the majority community who got a helping hand from the Hamdard Charitable Trust.
Godhra, the ground zero of 2002 Gujarat riots, is seeing a surge of Sadbhavna.
"Godhra earned a bad name after the 2002 riots and there was a general perception that Hindus and Muslims don't stay in harmony here. The trust decided to extend support to Hindu widows and strengthen the unity between two communities," said Mufti Haroon Sindhi, president of HCT.
Leaders of Hindu and Muslim communities shared the stage at the Sardar Nagar Hall at the function that displayed community camaraderie.
"I am sure that this Sadbhavna will go a long way in forging strong ties between both the communities. Women, especially widows, are neglected in our society, so we felt the need to help them lead a respectful life. We will continue supporting Hindu widows," Sindhi said.
"It was a touching gesture from the Muslim trust and I cannot express how much this means to me," said Sharda Bhoi (50), whose husband died in an accident 15 years ago.
Nalin Bhatt, a community leader from Dahod who attended the event, said, "It's a sign of Sadbhavna from Muslims and I hope that Hindus too reciprocate. Both the communities have always stayed together in Godhra."
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Muslim-trust-turns-saviour-for-Godhras-Hindu-widows/articleshow/20734529.cms
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RSS Leader Indresh Kumar tells NIA He Did Not Support Malegaon Blasts Plan Of Hindutva Forces
New Age Islam News Bureau, June 24, 2013
Mumbai: Senior RSS leader Indresh Kumar did not approve of the plan of the Malegaon bomb blasts by extremist Hindus, according to a statement given to the NIA by Indresh Kumar. The BJP leader told the NIA that he had met the main conspirators of Malegaon blasts, Sunil Joshi in Jaipur in 2006 and told them that Sangh would not approve of their plan. Indresh Kumar had said to Joshi that RSS did not agree with their plan and will not support it. In the statement it is also claimed that Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur was also present in the meeting. Indresh Kumar had advised Joshi to contact some other religious groups to execute their plan but after Indresh left Jaipur, Joshi entrusted the task with some of the members of Indresh’s group. He gave the responsibility to handle the media and Ramji Kulsangra and Lokesh Sharma were given the responsibility to arrange arms and ammunition.
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Urdu Editors Demand Release of Innocent Muslim Youth
New Age Islam News Bureau, June 24, 2013
New Delhi: The All India Urdu Editors Conference has demanded the immediate release of innocent Muslim youth arrested on false terror charges. Former minister Ram Vilas Paswan, senior journalist Kuldip Nayyar, Information Minister Manish Tewari, actor and MP Raj Babbar, MP Zafar Ali Naqwi and Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh participated in the conference.
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J-K parties, separatists want PM to restart talks with Pak
June 24, 2013
A day ahead of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Jammu and Kashmir, mainstream parties as well as separatists organisations were on the same page asking him to restart the dialogue process with Pakistan in finding a lasting solution to the Kashmir issue.
Singh will be arriving in Srinagar on Tuesday on a two-day visit during which he will inaugurate the railway tunnel connecting Banihal in Jammu region and Qazigund in Kashmir region besides laying the foundation stone for a power project in Kishtawar. Mainstream political parties including the ruling National Conference, main Opposition PDP and separatist groups like Hurriyat Conference have expressed their opinion for taking the opportunity of extending a hand of friendship to the new government in Pakistan.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/jandk/J-K-parties-separatists-want-PM-to-restart-talks-with-Pak/Article1-1081563.aspx
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Allowing 9 lakh pilgrims for Amarnath Yatra may pose environmental threat: Geelani
New Age Islam News Bureau, June 24, 2013
Srinagar: Chairman of Hurriyat Conference (G) Syed Ali Geelani has said that Indian government’s permission to nine lakh Hindu pilgrims to visit Kashmir for Amarnath Yatra poses a grave threat to the environment. He further said that the Indian policymakers want to fulfil their political ambitions by giving Hindu Amarnath Yatra the shape of a war campaign. He said that by allowing 16 thousand pilgrims daily, about 9 lakh people will be allowed to enter Kashmir which will bring ecological disaster and the local population will also face various problems. The Majlis-e-Shoura (consultative committee) of Hurriyat has demanded that the daily number of pilgrims should be limited to 150 and the duration should be limited to 15 days. He also demanded that the state government should dissolve the Shrine Board and the management of the Amarnath Yatra should be handed over to the local pundits.
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Muslims are gearing up to spend the night in prayers on Shab-e-Bara’at
Mohammed Wajihuddin, TNN Jun 23, 2013
MUMBAI: Preparations are afoot to observe Shab-e-Bara’at, one of the most blessed nights in the Islamic calendar, which falls on June 24.
Since the night is regarded to seek forgiveness and blessings, city Muslims are gearing up to spend the night in prayers at home, mosques and shrines of Sufi saints.
Many will also visit graveyards to seek Allah's blessings on behalf of the deceased as, according to a tradition, Prophet Mohammed too visited a graveyard on this night.
Apart from appealing to young Muslims to spend the night in prayers and solemnity, senior clerics have also asked the youth not to get into revelry and reckless motorbike rides.
Full report at:
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-06-23/mumbai/40146078_1_blessings-shab-e-baraat-allah
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Terror attack in Srinagar ahead of PM's visit, 5 jawans killed
PTI | Jun 24, 2013
SRINAGAR: Five army personnel were killed and six others injured on Monday when militants opened fire on an Army convoy on the outskirts of the city ahead of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Jammu and Kashmir, in the second major terror attack in three days.
Militants ambushed the convoy at Hyderpora bypass on the Airport-Lal Chowk road, outside a private hospital this evening.
Five jawans were killed and six others sustained injuries, an Army spokesman said.
Hizbul Mujahideen has claimed responsibility for the attack.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Terror-attack-in-Srinagar-ahead-of-PMs-visit-5-jawans-killed/articleshow/20744710.cms
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Omar objects, Army removes slogan from Srinagar mountain face
Jun 24 2013
The Army has removed the slogan which they had painted on the face of a mountain here after J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah raised the issue in the recently held meeting of the unified headquarters.
The slogan Ajeet Hain, Abheet Hain was painted in white bold letters on the mountain of the Zabrawan range close to the Dachigam National Park overlooking the 15 corps headquarters of the Army.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/omar-objects-army-removes-slogan-from-srinagar-mountain-face/1133001/
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26/11 accused Headley refuses to cooperate with India's demands
Bharti Jain, TNN | Jun 24, 2013
NEW DELHI: India's plans to get "limited custody" of Lashker operative David Coleman Headley have received a setback with the 26/11 accused conveying his reluctance to either travel temporarily to India or even record a statement in the US before an Indian magistrate.
The latest inputs regarding Headley's refusal to cooperate with India's request for his "temporary" custody were shared by the US with the authorities here during the Indo-US strategic dialogue on Monday. However, the move to get Headley aide and co-accused in the 26/11 case, Tahawwur Hussain Rana, seem to be on course with the US indicating that it would facilitate his testimony in the NIA case regarding the larger 26/11 conspiracy.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/26/11-accused-Headley-refuses-to-cooperate-with-Indias-demands/articleshow/20742955.cms
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Ishrat Jahan encounter: Gujarat HC to hear cop P P Pandey's petition
TNN | Jun 24, 2013
AHMEDABAD: Justice S R Brahmbhatt of Gujarat high court will hear today the quashing petition filed by Gujarat top cop, P P Pandey, who has been implicated in the 2004 Ishrat Jahan fake encounter case.
Four persons, Ishrat Jahan, Javed Shaikh alias Pranesh Pillai, Amjad Ali Rana and Zeeshan Johar were killed in a shootout on June 15, 2004 on the outskirts of Ahmedabad. The city crime branch dubbed all four Lashkar-e-Taiba operative on their mission to kill chief minister Narendra Modi in order to avenge the 2002 riots.
Pandey has been proclaimed an absconder on Friday by a special CBI court. The court has granted him time till Juy 31 to surrender, else his property would be seized as per the provision under section 83 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Ishrat-Jahan-encounter-Gujarat-HC-to-hear-cop-P-P-Pandeys-petition/articleshow/20738757.cms
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Arab World
Syria: ‘136 killed’ in fighting across country yesterday, say activists
Paul Owen
24 June 2013
The Local Co-ordination Committees, a Syrian activist group, reported that 136 people were killed in fighting across the country yesterday, 72 of them in Aleppo, and 36 in Damascus and its suburbs. Unusually, the figure provided by the Syrian Network for Human Rights, another group monitoring the conflict, was much lower: 89. The group claimed eight people were killed in an attack by “poisonous gases” in Zamalka in the countryside around the capital, offering this video, uploaded yesterday, as evidence. The groups’ figures and claims. cannot be verified because media access to Syria is limited.
The Syrian National Coalition, the main umbrella opposition group backed by the west, warned of a “potential siege” and possible “massacre” by government forces in Tal Kalakh, in Homs province in the west of the country. The SNC called on the international community “to put an end to Assad’s continued violations of international charters and covenants and its crimes against the Syrian people”.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/middle-east-live/2013/jun/24/syria-136-killed-in-fighting-yesterday-say-activists
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Egypt mob attack kills four Shia Muslims near Cairo
24 June 2013
Four Egyptian Shiite Muslims were killed on Sunday when they were attacked by a hostile mob in a village in Giza province near the capital, police said.
A house where the minority Shiites were meeting in Abu Mussalam was surrounded by residents who told them to get out.
When they refused, a crowd of several hundred people stormed the building and killed four Shiites and wounded several others, police said.
Shiites, who form just one percent of Egypt’s population which is primarily Sunni Muslim, are often accused of being under the influence of Shiite-majority Iran.
Recent arrivals in Egypt of small groups of tourists from Iran had to be suspended following protests by hardline Salafists in the Arab world's most populous nation.
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2013/06/24/Police-Egypt-Shiites-killed-by-mob-near-Cairo-.html
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Saudi police kill suspect on list of 23 wanted Shiites
23 Jun 2013
Saudi police have killed a man who fled when they tried to arrest him for allegedly taking part in unrest that shook the kingdom's Shiite-populated Eastern Province last year, a report said Sunday.
Security forces tracked down Morsi Ali Ibrahim Al-Rabah, "who was involved in criminal acts that targeted Saudi nationals and citizens of his village", the official SPA news agency reported, quoting an interior ministry spokesman.
The spokesman said police opened fire at Al-Rabah, who figured on a list of 23 Shiites wanted in connection with unrest in the Shiite village of Al-Awamiya, when he fled as they tried to arrest him.
He was wounded and died in hospital, the spokesman said.
Al-Rabah had "taken part in opening fire at citizens and members of the security forces, killing and wounding some," said the spokesman, adding that authorities will continue to hunt down wanted suspects.
It urged the remaining 10 suspects on the same list, to "quickly hand themselves over to security services," adding that "this will be taken into account when looking into their cases."
Thirteen suspects have been killed in shootouts during raids or have been arrested and are on trial.
Shiite towns in oil-rich Eastern Province have been rocked by sporadic violence. Residents have clashed with police to protest what they say is the marginalisation of Shiites in Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia.
There are an estimated two million Shiites in the kingdom of around 27.5 million people.
On Saturday, police said a young man was found dead in his car in Qatif, also in Eastern Province, after unknown gunmen opened fire at patrolmen in the area, sparking a gunfight.
The man was not immediately identified and it was not clear if his death was linked to the gunfight.
The unrest first erupted after violence between Shiite pilgrims and religious police in the Muslim holy city of Medina in February 2011.
The protests escalated when Saudi Arabia led a force of Gulf troops into neighbouring Bahrain the following month to help crush Shiite-led pro-democracy demonstrations in the tiny Sunni-ruled Gulf kingdom.
Human rights groups say more than 600 people have been arrested since the spring of 2011, most of them in Qatif. The majority have since been released.
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/74713/World/Region/Saudi-police-kill-suspect-on-list-of--wanted-Shiit.aspx
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Damascus bombs kill 10 as France urges action on jihadists
23 June 2013
Rebel attacks in and around Damascus killed at least 10 people on Sunday, as French President Francois Hollande urged the mainstream opposition to “retake” areas that have fallen into jihadist hands.
Syrian government sources said a total of 14 people died in the three bombings that hit two police stations and a central Damascus district mainly inhabited by members of President Bashar al-Assad’s Alawite minority community.
The blasts came as the army pressed an offensive aimed at ousting rebels from footholds on the outskirts that they have used as launchpads for attacks.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2013/06/23/Damascus-bombs-kill-10-as-France-urges-action-on-jihadists-.html
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Suicide Bomber Kills Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Official
By REUTERS
24 June 2013
TIKRIT, Iraq — A suicide bomber wearing a vest packed with explosives killed an Iraqi counter-terrorism official on Monday as he left university in the city of Tikrit after sitting an exam, police said.
The attack killed Colonel Ghazi Ali al-Jubouri, head of counter-terrorism for Salahuddin province, and also wounded two of his bodyguards outside the law faculty at the university of Tikrit, the hometown of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.
"Colonel Ghazi went to his car in the park. A suicide attacker approached him and blew himself up," said Salim Ibrahim, an employee at Tikrit University. "Flesh and human remains were hanging from nearby trees and walls".
Suicide attacks are the signature of al Qaeda's Iraqi affiliate, which has been regaining strength and recruits from among Iraqi Sunnis who feel marginalized following the U.S.-led invasion of 2003 that overthrew Saddam.
Full report at:
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2013/06/24/world/middleeast/24reuters-iraq-violence.html?ref=middleeast&gwh=03B94D508E6D798D3F8DC1308ADAFBC3&pagewanted=print
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12 troops killed in Lebanon clashes with radicals
June 24, 2013
SIDON, Lebanon — Twelve soldiers have been killed in clashes with supporters of a radical cleric in southern Lebanon, the army said Monday, in violence tied to rising sectarian tensions fanned by the Syrian conflict.
The fighting began on Sunday on the outskirts of the city of Sidon and intensified on Monday morning, witnesses and local media said, spreading to parts of the nearby Palestinian Ain Al-Helweh camp.
It is the worst violence to hit Lebanon since the beginning of the Syrian conflict, which has exacerbated sectarian tensions in the country.
The Lebanese press warned that the country "finds itself before a decisive test," evoking the spectre of the civil war that devastated the nation between 1975 and 1990.
The violence in Sidon began when supporters of Salafi cleric Sheikh Ahmad Al-Assir opened fire on an army checkpoint on Sunday afternoon.
Full report at:
http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20130624171075
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Qatari emir to meet ruling family amid reports of leadership handover
24 June 2013
The emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani will on Monday meet with the ruling family “and the people of solution and contract,” Al Jazeera television’s Arabic website reported, amid reports that he is planning to hand over power to his son Tamim.
The Qatari-owned television network quoted “reliable Qatari sources,” about the Sheikh Hamad’s plans, but it gave no further details.
Diplomats said earlier this month that an orderly transfer of power, which would also include the powerful prime minister stepping down, was being considered, according to Reuters.
Quoting Qatari diplomats AFP had reported on June 15 that Sheikh Hamad was preparing to hand over power in the gas-rich Gulf state to his son.
A cabinet reshuffle is also expected in which powerful Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem al-Thani may lose his post, or at least the foreign affairs portfolio, the sources told AFP.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/views/news/middle-east/2013/06/24/Emir-of-Qatar-to-meet-ruling-family-amid-reports-of-plans-to-step-down.html
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Saudi Arabia beheads two Pakistanis for armed robbery
2013-06-24
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia on Monday beheaded two Pakistani men convicted of armed robbery, the interior ministry said in a statement carried by the official SPA news agency.
The execution in the western city of Jeddah came after the two men admitted to having set up a gang to rob bank customers at gunpoint, the report said.
A total of 54 people have been executed in Saudi Arabia since the start of the year, according to an AFP count.
In 2012, the Gulf country put 76 people to death, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. Human Rights Watch has put the number at 69.
Rape, murder, apostasy, armed robbery and drug trafficking are all punishable by death under Saudi Arabia's strict Islamic laws.
http://dawn.com/news/1020466/saudi-arabia-beheads-two-pakistanis-for-armed-robbery?view=print
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Sex it down: Egypt’s conservative male-only TV show draws scorn
24 June 2013
Taking place in a real café in the west of Cairo, “Coffee Shop,” an all-male drama, focuses on discussions between Amr, a staunch Egyptian patriot, and Sherif, who aspires to live a more Western lifestyle.
The show is due to be broadcast this Ramadan on al-Hafez, a Salafist Islamist channel known for its conservative programs.
The sitcom's creator seemingly attempts to champion a non-Western lifestyle in Egypt.
“Every time Amr ends up being right and Sherif ends up being wrong,” said Sayed Said, the creator and chief scriptwriter of “Coffee Shop,” in a report by The Guardian.
Said says the existing content shown during Ramadan is sexualized and fails to represent conservative Egyptians.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/life-style/entertainment/2013/06/23/Egyptian-male-only-TV-show-draws-criticism.html
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Syria says rebels would take years to match army's strength
Jun 24, 2013
(Reuters) - Syria's foreign minister said on Monday that a decision by Western and Arab countries to arm the rebels posed a danger to peace talks and would prolong the two-year conflict.
Walid al-Moualem told a news conference in Damascus that the opposition had little hope of matching the Syrian army's strength despite a pledge by the states that make up the "Friends of Syria" to increase military support to the rebels.
"If they expect or fantasize that they can create a balance of power, I think they will need to wait years for that to happen," he said during the televised news conference.
Western and Arab countries as well as Turkey, who have thrown their weight behind the opposition, said their decision to arm the rebels was to rebalance the conflict that has killed more than 93,000 people, most of them civilians.
Full report at:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/24/us-syria-crisis-rebels-idUSBRE95N0LA20130624
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Egypt steps up Gaza tunnel crackdown, dismaying Palestinians
By Nidal al-Mughrabi
Jun 24, 2013
(Reuters) - Egypt has intensified a crackdown on smuggling tunnels between its volatile Sinai desert and the Gaza Strip, causing a steep hike in petrol and cement prices in the Palestinian territory.
Palestinians involved in the tunnel business say that the campaign, which began in March and has included flooding of underground passages, was ramped up in the past two weeks before a wave of opposition-led protests in Egypt expected to start on June 30.
Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi has come under political fire at home over a strong challenge to his authority by militant Islamists in the Sinai who have attacked Egyptian security forces in the peninsula.
Full report at:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/24/us-palestinians-egypt-tunnels-idUSBRE95N0H220130624
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Pakistan
Taliban militants masqueraded as police before slaying 9 tourists and guide
Associated Press
Jun 24, 2013
ISLAMABAD // Islamic militants wearing police uniforms shot dead nine foreign tourists and a Pakistani before dawn yesterday.
The victims were visiting one of the world's highest mountains in a remote area of northern Pakistan that has been largely peaceful, officials said.
The foreigners were five Ukrainians, three Chinese and one Russian, said Pakistan's interior minister, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan. One Chinese tourist was wounded in the attack, he said.
The local branch of the Taliban took responsibility for the killings, saying it was to avenge the death of a leader killed in a recent US drone strike.
The attack took place at the base camp of Nanga Parbat, the ninth-highest mountain in the world at 8,126 metres. The gunmen were wearing uniforms used by the Gilgit Scouts, a paramilitary police force that patrols the area, said the interior minister.
Full report at:
http://www.thenational.ae/news/world/south-asia/taliban-militants-masqueraded-as-police-before-slaying-9-tourists-and-guide#ixzz2X83jYIlB
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Musharraf should go on trial for treason: Sharif
June 24, 2013
Pakistan's new Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif called on Monday for former military ruler Pervez Musharraf, who is currently under house arrest, to face trial for treason.
"Musharraf's actions came under the purview of high treason," he told Parliament. "He should face trial and answer his guilt before the court," Sharif added.
The prime minister spoke with the attorney general, due in the Supreme Court, to outline the government's position on Musharraf. A treason trial in Pakistan can be initiated only by the state.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/pakistan/Musharraf-should-go-on-trial-for-treason-Sharif/Article1-1081490.aspx
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Pak Taliban cite US drone strikes as reason behind deadly attack on 10 foreign tourists
Jun 24, 2013
ISLAMABAD — Gunmen dressed as police killed nine Chinese and Ukrainian tourists in an unprecedented attack in the Pakistani Himalayas claimed by the Taliban, who said they had set up a new faction to target foreigners in revenge for US drone strikes.
The attackers struck late Saturday at the foot of one of the world’s highest mountains, killing climbers at a base camp in the far-flung north not previously associated with violence or Islamist militancy.
The deaths call into question the future of foreign mountaineering and trekking expeditions, which provide the last vestige of international tourism in a country on the frontline of Al-Qaeda and Taliban violence.
Full report at:
http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20130624170997
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Pakistan suspends expeditions after tourist killings
Jun 24, 2013
ISLAMABAD:Pakistan on Monday suspended expeditions on its second-highest peak, evacuating climbers from Nanga Parbat after 10 foreign tourists were shot dead by gunmen at a base camp.
Well-armed and well-prepared attackers dressed in police uniforms stormed the camp at the foot of Nanga Parbat late Saturday, shooting dead the climbers and a Pakistani guide at point-blank range, officials said.
The victims have been identified as an American with dual Chinese citizenship, three Ukrainians, two Slovakians, two others from China, a Lithuanian and a climber from Nepal.
It was an unprecedented attack on mountaineers drawn to the natural beauty and intrepid climbing of northern Pakistan, which until Saturday's shooting was considered immune from Taliban and Al Qaeda-linked violence plaguing other parts of the country.
Full report at:
http://dawn.com/news/1020448/pakistan-suspends-expeditions-after-tourist-killings?view=print
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Explosive-laden truck seized in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
June 24, 2013
RISALPUR: Police seized a truck filled with explosives in Risalpur, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa on Monday, Express News reported.
The truck was on its way to Swat, through the Nowshera-Mardan road, according to Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Cantt Akhtar Ali.
Police officials have arrested two men after investigating the case.
Earlier this week, explosives were planted in a state-run all-boys school by unidentified militants. Since the first such attack on June 21, 2011, around 12 schools have been targeted in the region, with no militant group claiming responsibility.
The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa region saw the deadliest attack this year when a suicide bomber killed 27 people and injured 55 in Mardan.
http://tribune.com.pk/story/567623/explosive-laden-truck-seized-in-khyber-pakhtunkhwa/
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Vigil against militancy: ‘Peace for Karachi, Peace for Pakistan’
June 24, 2013
KARACHI / HYDERABAD: The three-day mourning for the deceased MPA of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and his son came to an end with the party’s vigil at Quaid-e-Azam’s mausoleum on Sunday.
Along with the shift in the party’s traditional venues, the theme of the vigil was also not MQM-centric as feelings of nationalism were incorporated in the overall atmosphere. The vigil against militancy, titled Peace for Karachi, Peace for Pakistan, was attended by hundreds of people.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/567450/vigil-against-militancy-peace-for-karachi-peace-for-pakistan/
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Shia Ulema Council announce protests until security is ensured to the sect
June 24, 2013
PESHAWAR: The Shia Ulema Council (SUC) has decided to launch protests against the provincial government until security is granted to the sect. The decision comes after an attack on Hussaini Madrasa last Friday, which killed 15 people and injured another 27.
While addressing the media at the Peshawar Press Club on Sunday, SUC Provincial President Alama Muhammad Ramzan Tauqeer said the present government got the masses vote with the slogan to restore peace but they have failed to device a successful strategy to end the continuous violence. “Not a single party member visited the injured,” Tauqeer said.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/567370/seminary-blast-shia-clerics-announce-protests-until-security-is-ensured/
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Devotees throng Sadh Belo temple in Pakistan
By Sarfaraz Memon
June 24, 2013
SUKKUR: For 15-year-old Vajanti, Baba Bankhandi Maharaj’s blessing is all she needs to pass her board exams with flying colours. Hailing from Shikarpur, Vajanti has been coming to the temple since she was four. “I believe that Baba will make all my wishes come true,” she said and looked every excited as she tagged along with her parents to visit all the different places of worship within the sprawling property.
Thousands of Hindu pilgrims from across the country converged at the Sadh Belo temple to pay homage to Maharaj on his 150th death anniversary. The three-day celebration started on Sunday with the Hawan (Agni Pooja) and recitation of Guru Granth and Geeta.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/567319/devotees-throng-sadh-belo-temple-to-pay-homage-to-baba-bankhandi-maharaj/
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Europe
Child Asylum-Seekers Abused in Indonesian Detention: HRW
By Agence France-Presse
June 24, 2013
According to the rights group’s new report, these children are held alongside adults in centres where detainees are tied up, gagged, beaten with sticks, burned with cigarettes and given electric shocks.
As the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation, Indonesia is a common transit point for asylum seekers usually hoping to reach Australia by boat. But many are caught by the authorities. Among those who are caught are children who risk “life and limb” to flee violence and poverty from countries such as Somalia and Afghanistan, only to find themselves locked up in detention centres in Indonesia, said the rights group.
Full report at:
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/child-asylum-seekers-abused-in-indonesian-detention-hrw/
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Killing of foreign tourists: Ban urges Pak to take immediate action against attackers
June 24, 2013
NEW YORK: Appalled by the killing of a group of foreign tourists in Gilgit-Baltistan, United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged the government to take immediate measures to bring the perpetrators to justice and to ensure security.
Gunmen dressed as paramilitary forces killed nine foreign tourists on June 23 in an unprecedented attack in the Himalayas of Gilgit-Baltistan. The gunmen stormed into a base camp, killing Chinese and Ukrainian climbers in an area of the far-flung north not previously associated with violence or militancy.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/567596/nanga-parbat-tragedy-ban-urges-govt-to-take-immediate-action-against-attackers/
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UN police patrol as violence worsens in Sudan’s Darfur
Jun 24, 2013
ABU SHOUK: The armoured personnel carrier slowly bumps its way out of the UN base in Sudan’s far-west region of Darfur with Indonesian policeman Andhy Kurniawan at the wheel. His colleague Daud Markus Afi, a part-time singer, mans the machinegun overhead while Endro Suryanto is in charge of the radio.
They are leading another African Union-UN patrol into Abu Shouk, a camp for an estimated 75,000 of the 1.4 million people displaced by the decade-long conflict in Darfur.
A surge in tribal violence, along with clashes between rebel fighters and government forces, has forced another 300,000 to flee their homes this year as the security situation deteriorates.
Full report at:
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2013\06\24\story_24-6-2013_pg4_13
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Russia defiant as US raises pressure to send Snowden back
Reuters | Jun 24, 2013
MOSCOW/HONG KONG: Washington pressed Moscow on Monday to do all in its power to expel former US spy agency contractor Edward Snowden before he gets the chance to take an expected flight to Cuba to evade prosecution in the United States for espionage.
Snowden, whose exposure of secret US government surveillance raised questions about Washington's intrusion into private lives, was allowed to leave Hong Kong on Sunday after Washington had asked the Chinese territory to arrest him.
His decision to fly to Russia, which like China challenges US dominance of global diplomacy, is another embarrassment to President Barack Obama who has tried to "reset" ties with Moscow and build a partnership with Beijing.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/Russia-defiant-as-US-raises-pressure-to-send-Snowden-back/articleshow/20738733.cms
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UN says Pakistan has food ‘emergency’, but donors look elsewhere
24 June 2013
PESHAWAR: Hunger in Pakistan is at emergency levels after years of conflict and floods, but funding has dwindled as new crises such as Syria grab donors’ attention, the United Nations food aid chief said yesterday.
Fighting in tribal areas bordering Afghanistan compounded problems caused by three consecutive years of floods that destroyed crops and forced millions of people to temporarily abandon their homes.
Although most have now returned, about half of Pakistan’s population still does not have secure access to enough food, up from a little over a third a decade ago, the UN World Food Program (WFP) said. Fifteen percent of children are severely malnourished, and some 40 percent suffer from stunted growth.
Full report at:
http://arabnews.com/news/455946
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South Asia
Time magazine 'Buddhist Terror' headline irks Myanmar
AFP | Jun 24, 2013
YANGON: Myanmar has reacted angrily to a Time magazine cover story on a prominent radical monk accused of fuelling anti-Muslim violence, accompanied by the headline "The Face of Buddhist Terror".
Social media users in the former junta-ruled nation also voiced dismay at the US magazine's July front page, which shows a photograph of controversial Mandalay monk Wirathu, whose anti-Muslim remarks have come under scrutiny following a wave of deadly religious violence.
The Time report "creates a misunderstanding of Buddhism which has existed for thousands of years and is the religion of the majority of our citizens," said a statement posted on the presidential office website late Sunday.
"The government is currently striving with religious leaders, political parties, media and the people to rid Myanmar of unwanted conflicts," it said, adding that the issue of religion should be handled respectfully by the media.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/Time-magazine-Buddhist-Terror-headline-irks-Myanmar/articleshow/20742524.cms
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Religious advice should not involve political interest, says Nasheed
By Minivan News | June 24th, 2013
The Maldivian public are often misinformed of authentic Hadiths (sayings of the Prophet) because some local scholars offer religious advice with the intention of serving their political interests, former President Mohamed Nasheed said last night (June 23).
Speaking at a ceremony at the Male’ City Hall to launch a second volume of Dhivehi translation and interpretations of Sahih Muslim’s Hadiths by former State Minister for Islamic Affairs, Sheikh Hussain Rasheed Ahmed, Nasheed said genuine religious advice should not involve personal interest or a political “agenda.”
Full report at:
http://minivannews.com/society/religious-advice-should-not-involve-political-interest-says-nasheed-60131
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Bangladesh orders war crime trial of top UK Muslim for the murder of 19 intellectuals
June 24, 2013
DHAKA: A Bangladesh war crimes court Monday ordered a British-based Muslim leader and a US citizen to be tried in absentia for the murder of 19 intellectuals during the 1971 war, prosecutors said.
The country’s much criticised International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) charged Chowdhury Mueenuddin and Ashrafuzzaman Khan with 11 “crimes against humanity” counts including murder, confinement, abduction and torture.
“They have been charged with the murder of 19 top intellectuals during the war. They included writers, university professors, doctors and journalists,” senior prosecutor Ziad Al Malum told AFP, adding both face the death penalty if convicted.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/567645/bangladesh-orders-war-crime-trial-of-top-uk-muslim/
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Afghan endgame: Baradar doing more for peace in captivity, say Pak officials
By Kamran Yousaf
June 24, 2013
ISLAMABAD: While Kabul may have been seeking the release of Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar to expedite the Afghan peace process, Islamabad appears to have its reasons to keep Mullah Omar’s former second-in-command in custody at this stage.
Background discussions with officials familiar with the reconciliation efforts have revealed that Baradar was instrumental in bringing the Taliban leadership to the negotiating table. According to a senior foreign ministry official, Baradar had been quietly communicating not only with the Taliban leadership but also with US and Afghan officials over the past few months.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/567510/afghan-endgame-baradar-doing-more-for-peace-in-captivity-say-officials/
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Maldives failing to uphold international human rights obligations: Forum Asia
By Leah Malone | June 24th, 2013
The Maldives has failed to uphold its obligations to core international human rights treaties related to freedom of expression, assembly and association, the regional NGO Forum Asia has concluded.
The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (Forum Asia) – a regional human rights NGO with 47 member organisations from 16 Asian countries – evaluated the promotion and protection of these core human rights in the Maldives in regard to September’s presidential elections during their recent mission to the Maldives.
Full report at:
http://minivannews.com/politics/maldives-failing-to-uphold-international-human-rights-obligations-forum-asia-60110
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Doha office flag, banner raised with agreement of Qatar: Taleban
24 June 2013
KABUL: The Taleban had the agreement of the Qatar government to use its flag and banner at the opening of its Doha office, the group said yesterday, in a sign it may be unwilling to remove what has become a key sticking-point in nascent Afghan peace talks.
There appeared to have been a breakthrough last week in efforts to kick-start peace talks to end a 12-year-old war in Afghanistan, when the Taleban said it was opening a long-anticipated office in the Qatari capital, Doha.
But those hopes were dashed when the Afghan government reacted in outrage over the opening of the office last Tuesday, protesting against the raising of the Taleban flag and the use of signs proclaiming “Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,” the name the Taleban used during their brief rule from 1996 to 2001.
Full report at:
http://arabnews.com/news/455950
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Burmese leader defends 'anti Muslim' monk Ashin Wirathu
24 June 2013
Burmese President Thein Sein has defended a Buddhist monk accused of fomenting a wave of anti-Muslim violence in the country.
US Time magazine currently has Ashin Wirathu on its front cover under the title "The face of Buddhist terror".
Thein Sein said the report undermined efforts to rebuild trust between faiths and that the monk's order was striving for peace and prosperity.
The monk has called Muslims a scourge threatening Burma's Buddhist character.
A statement on the president's website said the Time magazine report "creates a misunderstanding of Buddhism, which has existed for thousands of years and is the religion of the majority of our citizens".
"The government is currently striving with religious leaders, political parties, media and the people to rid Myanmar [Burma] of unwanted conflicts," it added.
Full report at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-23027492
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China asks Pak 'to guarantee safety' of citizens
ANANTH KRISHNAN
Jun 24, 2013
China on Sunday called on Pakistan to “guarantee the safety” of its citizens after two Chinese nationals were shot dead in an attack that left at least 11 people killed.
The Foreign Ministry here said it had asked Pakistan to “make all-out efforts" to "apprehend the gunmen as soon as possible and take measures to guarantee the safety and legitimate rights of Chinese citizens in Pakistan”.
Nine foreigners were among the 11 people killed in the attack in the disputed Gilgit-Baltistan region in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), which also shares a border with China’s Xinjiang region. The attack on a group of tourists was reported to have taken place in a hotel near the base camp of Nangaparbat.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/world/china-asks-pak-to-guarantee-safety-of-citizens/article4844072.ece
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North America
Kerry warns of Snowden consequences for Russia and China
24 June 2013
US Secretary of State John Kerry has said it would be "disappointing" if Russia and China had helped US fugitive Edward Snowden evade US attempts to extradite him from Hong Kong.
Speaking during a visit to India, Mr Kerry said there would inevitably be "consequences" to such a move.
Mr Snowden flew out of Hong Kong to Moscow on Sunday.
He was expected to be on a flight to Cuba on Monday morning, but there is reportedly no sign of him on board.
He is wanted by the US for revealing to the media details of a secret government surveillance programme, which he obtained while briefly working as an IT contractor for the National Security Agency (NSA).
Full report at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-23031801
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No pact if Taliban has Qaeda links: Kerry to India
Shubhajit Roy
Jun 24 2013
New Delhi : With India making it clear that the Afghan reconciliation process should not lead to conferring legitimacy to the Taliban and undermine the elected Afghan government, the visiting US Secretary of State John Kerry set the record straight that any political settlement in the war-torn country must result in the Taliban adhering to the redlines.
Kerry, who arrived in New Delhi on Sunday afternoon, said the US is “very realistic”, since “making peace is never easy”. He said that no agreement would be rushed through and that “a final settlement may be long in coming”.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/story-print/1132990/
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U.S. says Snowden should “not be allowed” to travel
23 June 2013
The United States demanded early Monday that Edward Snowden, charged with revealing vast U.S. surveillance, should “not be allowed to proceed further” overseas as he landed in Moscow en route to Ecuador.
State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki, travelling with Secretary of State John Kerry in India, confirmed that the United States revoked Snowden”s passport due to “felony arrest warrants” against the former government contractor.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/world/2013/06/23/U-S-says-Snowden-should-not-be-allowed-to-travel.html
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Ecuador 'analysing' Snowden asylum request: FM
une 24, 2013
Ecuador's foreign minister said on Monday his country was "analysing" a request for asylum by fugitive US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden who is currently in Moscow. "We will make a decision. We are analysing it," Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino told reporters in Hanoi of the
request by Snowden who is on the run from US authorities over his explosive leaks on American intelligence methods.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/southamerica/Ecuador-analysing-Snowden-asylum-request-FM/Article1-1081535.aspx
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Africa
Malawi Children Challenge Leaders to Commit to Fight against Early Marriages
BY MARTIN CHIWANDA, 22 JUNE 2013
Nsanje — Children in Nsanje District have stressed the need for the chiefs to formulate by laws with a purpose of forcing parents and guardians to respect children's education rights.
The children said in an interview with Malawi News Agency (Mana) on the sidelines of African Child day commemoration which took place on Friday in the district.
They emphasized that most of them are prone to harmful social and cultural beliefs that can only be addressed if traditional leaders set by laws.
"We as children we know that local leaders have the mandate to make sure that we the children achieve our wish. What the leaders can set will make the parents to stop forcing us into early marriages since the by - laws will accompany penalties," said a girl who is in standard seven on behalf of her peers.
Full report at:
http://allafrica.com/stories/201306230025.html
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Al-Qaida group says 8 European hostages safe
June 23, 2013
Al-Qaida's North African branch says eight hostages it is holding are safe and a video will soon be released of the Europeans. SITE Intelligence Group said Sunday that al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, or AQIM, made the announcement Saturday through Twitter. AQIM says that
captives from Britain, France, the Netherlands and Sweden are still alive.
AQIM had before threatened to seek revenge against all countries taking part in the French-led intervention in Mali. Earlier this year the al-Qaida-linked group said it had killed a French hostage.
The al-Qaida affiliate, which became part of the terror network in 2006, is one of three Islamic militant groups in northern Mali.
In January the French led an intervention that pushed the extremist groups from some of the major cities in the north.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/africa/Al-Qaida-group-says-8-European-hostages-safe/Article1-1081217.aspx
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Mali Islamists offer freedom deal for Algerian hostages
24 June 2013
A West African Al-Qaeda-linked militant group on Sunday offered to free one of a group of Algerian diplomats kidnapped last year in exchange for the release of three “mujahedeen” held in Algeria.
The Mali-based Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO) said in a statement it was asking the Algerian government “for the release of one of its diplomat hostages, to release three mujahedeen” detained on Algerian territory.
“If Algeria rejects the proposal, the Algerian hostages’ lives will be in danger,” said the statement, signed by MUJAO spokesman Abu Walid Sahraoui.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/africa/2013/06/24/Mali-Isla-mists-offer-freedom-deal-for-Algerian-hostages.html
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Young Somali facing dangers in seeking better life overseas
23 June 2013
For most of these young Somalis, the common means of getting abroad is a deadly voyage across the Aden Gulf on tiny, unreliable boats prone to capsizing.
Up to now, hundreds of Somali migrants have been killed in the rough, turbulent high seas with only a handful of them luck enough to survive to tell their story.
Abdinasir Adam, from the capital city of Mogadishu, tried the deadly voyage once but had to quit upon reaching Yemen.
He recalled the voyage of life and death, “It was a tough voyage. Problems started when the boats entered the Yemeni waters. We were beaten and all the ladies raped, worse still it rained and our boat was stuck in the deep seas for three days. Upon reaching Yemen, we were arrested.”
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/perspective/features/2013/06/24/Young-Somali-facing-dangers-in-seeking-better-life-overseas.html
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Nigerians to Pay £3,000 to Enter Britain
24 JUNE 2013
London (afp) — Britain is planning to force visitors from India, Pakistan, Nigeria and other countries whose nationals are deemed to pose a "high risk" of immigration abuse to provide a cash bond before they can enter the country, a report said Sunday.
The Sunday Times newspaper said that from November, a pilot scheme would target visitors from those three countries plus Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Ghana.
Visitors aged 18 and over would be forced to hand over £3,000 ($4,600, 3,500 euros) from November for a six-month visit visa.
Full report at:
http://allafrica.com/stories/201306240142.html?aa_source=slideout
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Mideast
Mosque Dream Seen at Heart of Turkey Protests
By TIM ARANGO
24 June 2013
ISTANBUL — Three weeks before street protests spread across Turkey, the architect Ahmet Vefik Alp traveled to Sunnylands, the famous Southern California retreat for heads of state, where he presented his blueprint for a project in Istanbul’s Taksim Square that has been the dream of Turkey’s Islamist movement for decades: a large mosque that would honour the country’s Muslim and Ottoman heritage.
Before a gathering of the American Institute of Architects, Mr. Alp presented a slide show whose images depicted a modernist vision and included seven underground floors for a library, museum, conference hall, restaurant and banquet room. The design has won two important architectural prizes, even though Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has pushed for an Ottoman-inspired design.
Full report at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/24/world/europe/mosque-dream-seen-at-heart-of-turkey-protests.html?pagewanted=all&pagewanted=print
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Turkey protests 'must not derail peace process with Kurdish rebels'
Owen Bowcott
24 June 2013
Mass demonstrations against the Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayip Erdoğan, should not be allowed to derail talks with Kurdish rebels, Britain's roving peace negotiator, Jonathan Powell, has said.
The former diplomat, who is lending his support to the process aimed at ending the 30-year conflict, said it would be a tragedy if civil rights confrontations with the Turkish government knocked the dialogue off course.
Powell, who was Tony Blair's chief-of-staff and helped steer the Northern Ireland peace process to final success, has met the head of Turkey's intelligence services, Hakan Fidan, and senior officials from the ruling AK party (AKP) in Ankara to share his experience as a negotiator.
Full report at:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/24/turkey-protests-peace-process-kurdish-rebels
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Islamic jihad chief dies after clash with Hamas police
24 June 2013
Islamic Jihad severed contacts with the Hamas rulers of Gaza Sunday after a commander in its military wing died of wounds sustained in a police shooting, a leader of the radical group told AFP.
“Islamic Jihad today suspended its contacts with Hamas after police opened fire yesterday (Saturday) on one of the commanders of the Al-Quds Brigades, Raed Jundiya, 38, inflicting serious injuries from which he died this morning,” the Jihad leader said.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, he said the Hamas police bore “full responsibility for Jundiya’s death.”
In a statement, Islamic Jihad’s military wing said: “Raed Jundiya today succumbed to the wounds he sustained yesterday when Gaza government police shot him in the head in his home.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2013/06/24/Islamic-jihad-chief-dies-after-clash-with-Hamas-police--1515.html
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Israeli air force launches overnight Gaza attack after rocket fire
24 June 2013
rip was targeted by overnight Israeli air force attacks early Monday, following reported rocket fire from the Palestinian territory into southern Israel.
In a statement from the Israeli army, the air force carried out airstrikes on two weapon storage facilities.
“In response to the numerous rockets launched at Israel in the past several the hours, IAF aircraft targeted terrorist infrastructure including two weapon storage facilities in the central Gaza Strip and a rocket launch site in the southern Gaza Strip. IAF pilots reported accurate strikes on the targets,” the army said in a statement cited by AFP.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2013/06/24/Israeli-air-force-attacks-Gaza-strip-overnight-after-rocket-fire-.html
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Israeli legislators lobby against release of Palestinians
Jun 24, 2013
RAMALLAH — The Israeli Knesset is expected to discuss a bill that aims at ending the release of Palestinian prisoners as goodwill gestures to help advance the stalled peace process.
The rightist Israeli channel 7 television said that the new bill, initiated by members from the rightist Likud and Habayit Hayehudi (Jewish Home) parties, would strip the Israeli president, who signs off on prisoner pardons, of the right to release prisoners jailed for attacks on Israeli targets.
Full report at:
http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20130624170980
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Erdogan defends riot police tactics in Turkey protests
Reuters
June 24, 2013
Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan piled ridicule on activists behind weeks of protests against his government during a rally on Sunday and defended riot police who fired water cannon at crowds in Istanbul a day earlier. Looking out of over a sea of Turkish flags waved by his AK Party
faithful in the eastern city of Erzurum, Erdogan praised his supporters and the general public for opposing what he called a plot against his country.
"The people saw this game from the start and frustrated it. They (the protesters) thought the people would say nothing. They said we will burn and destroy and do what we want but the people will do nothing," he said.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/europe/Erdogan-defends-riot-police-tactics-in-Turkey-protests/Article1-1081528.aspx
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Iran: the west needs to forge a more nuanced relationship with the new regime
23 June 2013
The election of Hassan Rouhani, a 64-year-old cleric, to the presidency of the Islamic republic of Iran leaves many people around the world with more questions than answers.
Many of those questions stem from the reaction to the 2009 election when the authenticity of the result – a victory for Mahmoud Ahmadinejad – was cast into doubt. The speed with which the announcement came on the night of the election confirmed to many that wide-scale irregularities had occurred. The resultant "green revolution" sparked huge protests across the country for six months. When the fatal shooting of protester Neda Agha-Soltan by an armed militiaman was uploaded on to YouTube the narrative of the last election had been written. Full report at:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/jun/23/observer-editorial-new-relationship-with-iran
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Souteast Asia
Sarawak's controversial CM tells Muslims: Mney is not enough to make you happy!
Jun 24, 2013
Sarawak's controversial chief minister Abdul Taib Mahmud said Islam encouraged tolerance among all communities including non-Muslims, and said there was better understanding now about the religion as more Muslims in the West tried to build rapport with non-Muslims.
But he said while economic interests take frontline in the current process of globalisation, wealth alone could not ensure happiness.
"The world has become a global community. Of course, it is spearheaded by economic interest rather than any other influences but economic interest alone is not enough to make live [sic] really enjoyable for most of us who have some ideas to support,” he said as quoted by Sarawak-based English daily Borneo Post.
Full report at:
http://www.malaysia-chronicle.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=116332:taib-to-muslims-economic-interest-not-enough-to-make-you-happy&Itemid=2
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New Generation of Indonesian Scholars Present Their Work
By Blaise Hope
June 24, 2013
Some of Indonesia’s brightest academic minds have unveiled their latest research, but a senior intellectual has said the nation’s thinkers are constricted by a lack of a supportive “habitat” and a shortage of resources at universities.
Three Arryman Fellows — Danang Kurniadi, Gde Metera and Hipolitus Ringgi — have received scholarships to study in the United States. They presented updates on their research in Jakarta on Friday.
The trio were part of the Indonesian Scholarship and Research Support Foundation, which hopes — with time and a $12 million budget — to create a pool of high caliber, internationally engaged and respected scholars that can work together and spread the benefits across Indonesia’s higher education sector.
Full report at:
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/new-generation-of-indonesian-scholars-present-their-work/
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Amnesty saves Indonesians from risk of losing nationality
June 24, 2013
JEDDAH – A majority of the 80,000 workers who contacted the Indonesian consulate here in Jeddah have been living for up to 25 years without valid passports or without passports at all because their sponsors had not handed over their documents to them, an official told Saudi Gazette.
The absence of valid passports could have put these Indonesians at risk of losing their nationality, said Tatang Razak, Indonesian Foreign Ministry’s chief for legal aid and the protection of Indonesian overseas workers.
Full report at:
http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20130624171031
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