Pakistani Authorities Announce Peak Level Terrorist Danger in Islamabad
New Age Islam News Bureau
5
Aug 2013
Photo: Israeli soldiers stormed into the home of Muhammad Abu Hashem, 17, to arrest him in the West Bank village of Beit Ommar
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Pakistan
• Pakistani authorities announce peak level terrorist danger in Islamabad
• Mamnoon Hussain urges talks with militants
• ‘Pak, India need to cut defence spend’: Pak PM Nawaz Sharif
• Peace in Afghanistan: Islamabad, Washington seek alternatives to Doha process
• Imran urges introspection over D.I. Khan jailbreak
• Musharraf to be released soon, claims APML
• Imran to take Fazlur Rehman to court
• US threatens curbs if Pakistan pursues Iran deal, says PM
• ASWJ leader survives another assassination attempt
Arab World
• 30 killed in heavy fighting in Syria
• Random shooting, bombings kill 15 across Iraq
• Egypt Islamist figures set 3 demands in meeting with El-Sisi
• Syria’s war splits nation into 3 distinct regions
• Syria crisis can only be solved by 'striking terror with iron fist': Assad
• Emirates Islamic Bank supports key social activities during the Holy Month of Ramadan
• Homemade bomb's accidental detonation reveals Lebanese terrorist cell
• Terror contained: 272 ‘reformed,’ freed from Riyadh and Jeddah
• Rebels target Assad loyalists in Damascus, Latakia
• Govt to heed people's counter-terror mandate soon: Egypt's President
Africa
• Islamist militants attack Somali capital, plan more before Ramzan ends
• Two soldiers, militant killed in Tunisia turmoil
• Wrangle over custody of Saif reveals divisions in Libyan govt
• Sudan says Saudi blocked Iran-bound Bashir from airspace
South Asia
• GMR deal and more: Why India needs Nasheed to win Maldives polls
• Bangladesh consulate campaign helps bring down crime rate
• Bangladesh persuades Bangladeshi tribals to return
• Afghan peace process: Flexibility urged to revive stalled Qatar process
• Three civilians killed, seven wounded in Afghanistan bombing
• Punks break Myanmar's silence on religious attacks
• In Afghanistan, a second Guantanamo
• Flash floods kill at least 58 in eastern Afghanistan
Mideast
• Turkey coup trial: Ex-army chief sentenced to life in prison
• In a West Bank Culture of Conflict, Boys Wield the Weapon at Hand
• Israel funds organizations that advocate razing Al-Aqusa
• Israeli-Palestinian riddle won't answer Middle East's wider woes
• Israel widens Jewish settlement subsidies
• Gunmen kill intelligence official in Yemen
North America
• Massive Toronto Quds rally delivers slap on Zionists’ face
• Tamerlan Tsarnaev 'had right-wing extremist literature'
• Terror threat reminiscent of 9/11 warnings, says US
• US a 'willing partner' if Iran serious on nuclear - White House
• Obama gave ‘too much’ info on Qaeda?
India
• In support of Gorkhaland, Muslims to have low-key Eid celebrations
• ‘IM growing stronger in northeast, Bangladesh’
• Falling gold price means higher Zakat
• Muslims ready for holiest of nights
• Minister revives minority sub-quota bid, wants entire 4.5% for Muslims
• Indians jailed in Saudi Arabia since 2003 deported
Southeast Asia
• Indonesia temple bomb 'response to screams of Rohingya'
• Discovery Channel observes Ramadan with 3 films on Islamic culture, History
• Buddhist temple bomber disrespects sanctity of Ramadhan: Minister
• Ban on rebel flag stirs ire in Indonesia
Europe
• Muslim cleric killed in Russia’s restive Dagestan
• HRW: Syrian missiles kill hundreds of civilians
• UKIP MP candidate supports Sharia law including cutting off thieves' hands
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL:
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Pakistan
Pakistani authorities announce peak level terrorist danger in Islamabad
The Voice of Russia
August 5, 2013
The Pakistani authorities announced the peak level of terrorist danger in the country’s capital Islamabad after receiving information about a pending attack against the Air Force headquarters.
On Sunday, several units of Pakistani Security Forces maintained an operation in the mountains to the north of the capital during which a number of would-be terrorists were detained. The detachments of Security Forces deployed in the mountains have orders to keep their positions until the end of the operation to prevent the terrorist danger.
The Pakistani police are patrolling the streets, social institutions, infrastructure facilities and crowded places. According to a police spokesman, the emergency measures to guarantee security in the capital city are caused by both the information about a pending terrorist act aimed against the Air Force building and the approaching Muslim festival of Uraza Bayram.
http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2013_08_05/Pakistani-authorities-announce-peak-level-terrorist-danger-in-Islamabad-8710/
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Mamnoon Hussain urges talks with militants
Aug 5, 2013
KARACHI: President-elect Mamnoon Hussain has said that doors for negotiations should not be closed and Pakistan should talk with the militant groups ready for it.
In an interview with a private TV channel, Mamnoon Hussain said that the US was ready to hold talks with the Taliban, therefore, Pakistan should also negotiate with the groups ready for reconciliation. Mamnoon Hussain has been elected as the 12th president of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
He will replace the incumbent president, Asif Ali Zardari, whose five-year term ends on September 8.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2013\08\05\story_5-8-2013_pg7_14
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‘Pak, India need to cut defence spend’: Pak PM Nawaz Sharif
Omer Farooq Khan, TNN | Aug 5, 2013
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said both Islamabad and New Delhi need to sit down for serious talks to resolve the lingering issues between them for the benefit of their respective countrymen.
During a meeting with a delegation of the Pakistani Journalists Forum in Jeddah on Sunday, Sharif said progress and prosperity could not be achieved without peace in the region. Sharif is on a private visit to Saudi Arabia.
Talking about Indo-Pak relations, Sharif said he was quite optimistic that talks would be held soon. "I had a telephonic call from Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh after the election and we discussed the need for the restart of bilateral dialogue," he said. "We would like to have a good relationship with all neighbouring countries."
The prime minister said his government wished the two countries set a limit to their defence budgets, arguing that due to the previous wars between them damages had been incurred only by the people and the countries had gone backward. "When we have a strong economy, there would be no one to put pressure on us, there would be no terrorism, no attacks from outside or diktats," Sharif said. Citing the example of the US and Russia, he said India and Pakistan should follow them by adopting similar policies to restrict their defence budgets.
"We (Pakistan and India) have been piling up weapons for the past 60 years," Sharif said. "Instead of spending so much on arms, we should focus on investing in social infrastructure for the benefit of our people."
Terming the recently announced Gwadar-Kashghar economic corridor a game changer, he said special industrial zones would be set up in Gwadar to facilitate foreign investment. Sharif said the development of this port and the proposed economic corridor would change the dynamics of the region and expressed hope the project would help boost economic activities in the region. "Gwadar would emerge as the future economic hub of the region and would not only benefit Pakistan but also India, Afghanistan and the Central Asian states," Sharif said. "There is no short-cut to success and prosperity. We just need to prioritize our problems. Our foremost priority is to boost economic activities in the country and to check the menace of terrorism."
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Pak-India-need-to-cut-defence-spend/articleshow/21608041.cms
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Peace in Afghanistan: Islamabad, Washington seek alternatives to Doha process
August 5, 2013
ISLAMABAD: Increasingly frustrated by the deadlock over the Afghan peace talks, Pakistan and the United States may propose transferring the Taliban ‘political office’ from Qatar to some other country as part of renewed efforts to revive the nascent reconciliation process in Afghanistan, officials told The Express Tribune on Sunday.
During the recent visit of US Secretary of State John Kerry, the two sides discussed the prospects of the Afghan reconciliation and how to break the deadlock in the Doha process. Islamabad and Washington, according to official sources, are not very hopeful about the revival of the Doha process and are now looking at other options to jumpstart the peace talks with the Afghan Taliban.
Options that are currently on the table include transferring the Taliban office from Qatar to some other country in a bid to make a fresh start.
Officials familiar with the development confirmed that efforts were under way to explore alternatives to the Doha process. However, no final decision has been taken so far, they added.
The Doha process, where the Afghan Taliban opened a ‘political office’, could not take off after strong opposition from the Afghan administration.
Officials said behind the scene efforts were under way to address the concerns of the Hamid Karzai administration, but with little success. “The future of the Doha process certainty hangs in balance. We are not very sure if this process will resume ever,” said a Pakistani official.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the official said both Islamabad and Washington were striving for a peace deal before the US-led international forces withdraw from Afghanistan. But the lingering impasse in the Doha process is ‘frustrating’ both sides, he added.
“We are looking at several options after uncertainty surrounding the fate of Doha process,” said the official.
When contacted, Prime Minister’s Adviser on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz hinted at the likely transfer of Taliban office from Qatar. He told The Express Tribune that Pakistan wanted the Afghan reconciliation process to restart at the earliest.
“For us, the Afghan reconciliation process is important, not the location,” Aziz said, stressing the main issue was to push the process forward. “Whether talks are held in Dubai or Istanbul, Pakistan will facilitate the process,” he added.
Sources disclosed that the option of transferring the Taliban office from Qatar had already been shared with the Afghan administration.
“We leave it to the Karzai administration. But time is running out and the peace process has to resume sooner than later,” said another official, who asked to remain anonymous because of the sensitivity of the issue.
http://tribune.com.pk/story/586624/peace-in-afghanistan-islamabad-washington-seek-alternatives-to-doha-process/
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Imran urges introspection over D.I. Khan jailbreak
KHAWAR GHUMMAN
August 5, 2013
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan raised serious questions on Sunday over last week’s jailbreak in Dera Ismail Khan and called for introspection by all institutions of the state.
He said it was high time to determine why in the presence of an army division in and around D.I. Khan, elite force, police and special jail police, the attackers had managed to get hundreds of their accomplices freed.
“Because of the timely intelligence reports, all necessary preparations were made to thwart the attack. There were three security cordons set up around the jail. Machine gunners were also posted at strategic positions, but no body put up a fight,” Mr Khan said while talking to reporters at his party’s central secretariat.
Full report at:
http://dawn.com/news/1034165/imran-urges-introspection-over-di-khan-jailbreak
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Musharraf to be released soon, claims APML
August 5, 2013
ISLAMABAD: Former interior minister and a leader of the All Pakistan Muslim League Mian Zahid Sarfaraz has claimed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has assured the United States that retired Gen Pervez Musharraf will soon be released and allowed to go abroad.
Addressing a news conference on Sunday, Mr Sarfaraz said that the release of Gen Musharraf and Dr Shakil Afridi, who had allegedly helped the US trace Osama bin Laden’s hideout in Abbottabad, had come under discussion between Mr Sharif and US Secretary of State John Kerry during the latter’s recent visit to Islamabad.
Full report at:
http://dawn.com/news/1034116/musharraf-to-be-released-soon-claims-apml
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Imran to take Fazlur Rehman to court
August 5, 2013
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan has stated that he will take Maulana Fazlur Rehman to court for calling him an agent of the Jews, DawnNews reported.
Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, he said that Maulana Fazlur Rehman should tell the people as to who secretly met with the US Amabassador and expressed his wish to become the prime minister.
Imran Khan said that a legal notice will soon be sent to the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F) chief.
The JUI-F chief has made statements in the past attacking Imran Khan. Tensions between the two political leaders reached a new level after the May 11 General Elections.
Full report at:
http://dawn.com/news/1034048/imran-to-take-fazlur-rehman-to-court
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US threatens curbs if Pakistan pursues Iran deal, says PM
August 5, 2013
JEDDAH: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Sunday said the United States has warned that the Iran-Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline project could invoke sanctions on the country in the future.
Some 48 hours earlier, Foreign Office spokesperson Aizaz Chaudhry had disclosed that the government had presented US Secretary of State John Kerry a ‘non-paper’ over the IP pipeline, conveying Pakistan’s standpoint that the project was being undertaken to address the country’s acute energy requirements.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/586623/ip-project-in-jeopardy-us-threatens-curbs-if-pakistan-pursues-iran-deal-says-pm/
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ASWJ leader survives another assassination attempt
August 5, 2013
KARACHI.: A prominent leader of the Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ) survived an assassination attempt on late Sunday night after his motorcade was attacked near Abbas Town, at Abul Hasan Asfahani road.
Convoy of Maulana Aurangzeb Farooqui, the chief of the ASWJ Karachi chapter, was attacked by the unknown men but he remained unharmed.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/586609/aswj-leader-survives-another-assassination-attempt/
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Arab World
30 killed in heavy fighting in Syria
2013-08-05
BEIRUT: Syrian rebels battled forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad in the Jabal Akrad mountains overlooking the Mediterranean on Sunday and a monitoring group said at least 30 people were killed.
Video footage showed fighters identified as members of an Al Qaeda-linked Islamist brigade waving from the roof of an army tower in the village of Barouda, one of several Alawite villages attacked by the rebels on Sunday.
The anti-Assad Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 12 rebels and 19 pro-Assad fighters — including soldiers and members of his militia known as the National Defence Army — were killed in Sunday’s fighting in the mountains of east Latakia province.
A source in Latakia said the fighting started at dawn and that the rebels, based in the town of Salma, attacked 10 Alawite villages.
Full report at:
http://dawn.com/news/1034188/fighting-in-syrian-mountains-leaves-30-dead
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Random shooting, bombings kill 15 across Iraq
August 05, 2013
A series of attacks across Iraq has killed 15 people, including a random shooting and the killing of a judge, authorities said. Violence has been on the rise in Iraq all year, but the number of attacks against civilians and security forces has spiked during the Islamic holy month of
Ramzan, which began early last month.
The surge in the bloodshed is raising fears of a return to the widespread killing that pushed the country to the brink of civil war after the 2003 US-led invasion.
The deadliest attack took place on late Sunday night when gunmen in a speeding car opened fire randomly on a gathering of people on a street in the oil-rich city of Kirkuk, killing four people and wounding three, said Kirkuk deputy police chief Maj. Gen. Torhan Abdul-Rahman Youssef.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/restofasia/Random-shooting-bombings-kill-15-across-Iraq/Article1-1103422.aspx
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Egypt Islamist figures set 3 demands in meeting with El-Sisi
August 5, 2013
Commander-in-Chief of the Egyptian army Abd El-Fattah El-Sisi met with Islamist figures to discuss possible solutions to the current political impasse, Military Spokesman Ahmed Ali wrote on Saturday.
In the meeting El-Sisi asserted that all parties should reject violence and not "obstruct public facilities or affect people's interests," the spokesman detailed on his official Facebook page. El-Sisi also said that everyone should accept the roadmap the military enacted for a transition from the ouster of president Mohamed Morsi to a new government.
For his part, Salafist preacher Mohamed Hassan confirmed that he and several Islamist figures met with El-Sisi and members of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces to bring forward demands of the forces protesting the military's removal of Morsi.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/78256/Egypt/Politics-/Egypt-Islamist-figures-set--demands-in-meeting-wit.aspx
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Syria’s war splits nation into 3 distinct regions
August 5, 2013
BEIRUT: More than two years into Syria’s civil war, the once highly-centralized authoritarian state has effectively split into three distinct parts, each boasting its own flags, security agencies and judicial system.
In each area, religious, ideological and turf power struggles are under way and battle lines tend to ebb and flow, making it impossible to predict exactly what Syria could look like once the combatants lay down their arms. But the longer the bloody conflict drags on, analysts says, the more difficult it will be to piece together a coherent Syrian state from the wreckage.
Full report at:
http://www.arabnews.com/news/460226
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Syria crisis can only be solved by 'striking terror with iron fist': Assad
August 05, 2013
Syria's crisis will only be solved by stamping out "terror", President Bashar al-Assad said on Sunday, in reference to rebels fighting his regime. In a rare speech on Syrian state television, Assad also dismissed the political opposition to his regime as a "failure" that could play no
role in solving the country's brutal war.
"No solution can be reached with terror except by striking it with an iron fist," said Assad.
"I don't think that any sane human being would think that terrorism can be dealt with via politics," he added.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/restofasia/Syria-crisis-can-only-be-solved-by-striking-terror-with-iron-fist-Assad/Article1-1103412.aspx
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Emirates Islamic Bank supports key social activities during the Holy Month of Ramadan
August 5, 2013
Emirates Islamic Bank, one of the leading Islamic financial institutions in the UAE, announced it has tied up with a number of organisations to promote activities and charity campaigns to mark the spirit of the Holy Month of Ramadan. This is in line with Emirates Islamic Bank’s objective to engage in socially-relevant activities, aimed at making a positive impact on society.
As a socially responsible financial services entity, Emirates Islamic Bank is the main sponsor for the Zakat Fund Ramadan Campaign, which aims to emphasise the importance of Zakat during the Holy Month. The Zakat Fund is a federal body that facilitates Zakat, the annual obligatory donations to charity for Muslims.
In another major initiative, Emirates Islamic Bank is the Gold Sponsor for the Dubai Full report at:
http://www.albawaba.com/business/pr/emirates-islamic-bank-ramadan-511591
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Homemade bomb's accidental detonation reveals Lebanese terrorist cell
August 5, 2013
Lebanese Caretaker Interior Minister Marwan Charbel has revealed that “coincidence” protected Lebanon after authorities busted a “terrorist cell” when a home made bomb accidentally went off.
“Coincidence is protecting Lebanon these days,” Charbel told As Safir newspaper published on Monday.
“Hadn't the bomb went off by mistake the worse could have happened,” he said.
“What happened in Daraya allowed the arrest of a terrorist cell that was plotting attacks in more than one area,” Charbel added.
Full report at:
http://www.albawaba.com/news/home-made-bombs-accidental-detonation-reveals-lebanese-terrorist-cell-511772
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Terror contained: 272 ‘reformed,’ freed from Riyadh and Jeddah
August 5, 2013
A total of 272 militants and Al-Qaeda sympathizers have been released after undergoing a long-term counseling program conducted by experts at Prince Muhammad bin Naif Counseling Center in Riyadh and Jeddah, an Interior Ministry spokesman said.
“These militants represent the first group of the 32nd counseling program and first group of the seventh program (with 217 members) as well as the second group from both programs (55 members),” the spokesman said.
Full report at:
http://www.arabnews.com/news/460180
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Rebels target Assad loyalists in Damascus, Latakia
August 05, 2013
BEIRUT: Gunmen targeted government loyalists in the capital and in the north of Syria over the weekend, in one case killing a family, including children, inside their home in Damascus.
Unidentified gunmen stormed the house, killing five members of a family supporting the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad, an opposition-aligned activist group reported.
Five members of one pro-regime family – a man, his wife and their three daughters – were killed [Saturday] by unidentified gunmen in the district of Rukn al-Din” in northern Damascus, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Full report at:
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2013/Aug-05/226293-rebels-target-assad-loyalists-in-damascus-latakia.ashx#ixzz2b2PdudHz
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Govt to heed people's counter-terror mandate soon: Egypt's President
August 5, 2013
Egypt's interim President Adly Mansour pledged late on Sunday that his government will soon uphold a popular mandate to confront violence, stressing that "no one is above law."
Deposed president Mohamed Morsi will not be pardoned until a punishment is handed down, which is yet to take place, the head of state said in a phone interview on Al-Hayat satellite TV channel.
Mansour stated that Egypt's interim government will no longer allow protest camps by Morsi supporters, which have paralysed parts of the capital and thrown the country into deeper polarisation.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/78331/Egypt/Politics-/Govt-to-heed-peoples-counterterror-mandate-soon-Eg.aspx
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Africa
Islamist militants attack Somali capital, plan more before Ramzan ends
Reuters | Aug 5, 2013
MOGADISHU: Islamist militants set off several explosions in the Somali capital on Sunday, their spokesman said, demonstrating the rebels' ability to attack the heart of government-controlled areas despite security gains.
The guerilla-style attacks were typical of al Shabaab rebels who have waged a six-year campaign to impose their strict interpretation of Islamic law on the country.
The militants had fired five mortar shells and hurled several grenades, wounding at least two women, senior police officer Abdiqadir Mohamud said.
Somali security forces responded with volleys of gunfire, witnesses said. Casualty numbers were thought to be low.
"We started a massive military operation across Mogadishu at dusk. It will go on until tomorrow morning," said rebel spokesman Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab, promising more attacks over the next few days as the Muslim holy month of Ramzan ends.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/Islamist-militants-attack-Somali-capital-plan-more-before-Ramzan-ends/articleshow/21609378.cms
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Two soldiers, militant killed in Tunisia turmoil
Reuters | Aug 5, 2013
TUNIS: Tunisian police shot dead an Islamist militant in Tunis and two soldiers were killed in a blast near the Algerian border on Sunday, as the government grappled with growing security and political crises.
There has been a surge in Islamist militant attacks over the past two weeks in the North African country, and on Friday security forces launched heavy air and artillery strikes on militant hideouts in the Mount Chaambi area near the Algerian border.
At the same time, the secular opposition, angered by the assassination of two of its leading members and emboldened by Egypt's army-backed ousting of its elected Islamist president, is seeking to topple its own moderate Islamist-led government.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/Two-soldiers-militant-killed-in-Tunisia-turmoil/articleshow/21611541.cms
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Wrangle over custody of Saif reveals divisions in Libyan govt
August 5, 2013
ZINTAN – To his captors, the fate of Libya’s most prominent prisoner, the son of ousted dictator Muammar Gaddafi, can be sealed only in one place – in the small straggling mountain town where they have kept him locked up for nearly two years.
The prize of former rebel fighters who triumphed in catching him as he tried to flee the country, Saif Al-Islam Gaddafi is being kept in a secret location somewhere among Zintan’s sandstone and concrete buildings.
The one-time heir apparent remains out of reach of the government in Tripoli and even further from the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, which also wants to try him. His captors, distrustful of a government they say is failing the state, say any tribunal he will face should be in Zintan.
Full report at:
http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20130805176001
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Sudan says Saudi blocked Iran-bound Bashir from airspace
August 5, 2013
Saudi Arabia denied permission for a plane carrying Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir to cross its airspace on Sunday for the swearing-in of the new Iranian president, Khartoum said.
The aircraft had to turn back.
"The Saudi authorities refused to give the plane carrying President Bashir permission to cross their airspace," Emad Sayed Ahmed, the presidential press secretary, told AFP.
Saudi Arabia, a Sunni Muslim kingdom, has repeatedly voiced fears about the controversial nuclear programme of Shiite-dominated Iran, whose warships twice docked in Sudan late last year.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/78276/World/Region/Sudan-says-Saudi-blocked-Iranbound-Bashir-from-air.aspx
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South Asia
GMR deal and more: Why India needs Nasheed to win Maldives polls
Rajeev Sharma
Aug 5, 2013
India may pat itself on the back as former President of Maldives Mohammed Nasheed has been confirmed as a candidate in the 7 September presidential elections by the Election Commission of Maldives.
Nasheed came calling in New Delhi this week on a two-pronged mission: (i) to thank his Indian friends without whose support he won’t have made it to the Presidential race; and (ii) to once again sensitize his Indian interlocutors to prevent “many a slip between the cup and the lip” kind of situation in his case.
Let’s be clear about Nasheed’s India mission.
He was here primarily centered on the ‘take’ part as he is not in a position to ‘give’ anything to India. His ‘give’ quotient, however, should not be underestimated as the first concrete deliverable he can give to India, particularly to the poll-bound UPA government, is to reverse the executive decision of the Maldives government to terminate the $ 500 million GMR contract for the development and upgradation of the Male International Airport, the single largest Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Maldives ever got.
Full report at:
http://www.firstpost.com/politics/gmr-deal-and-more-why-india-needs-nasheed-to-win-maldives-polls-1009597.html
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Bangladesh consulate campaign helps bring down crime rate
August 5, 2013
Educational campaigns at the Bangladeshi consulate in Jeddah have succeeded in curbing the number of registered crimes during the past six months, according to Bangladeshi diplomatic officials.
“I can confirm that the Bengali crime rate has declined over the past six months,” said Mohammad Najem Alislam, Bengali consul in Jeddah. “It previously occupied fourth place in the number of crimes committed in Saudi Arabia.”
Najm Alislam said the decline resulted from awareness campaigns targeting Bengali workers, which were held by the embassy and a media campaign in Bangladesh that promoted the importance of abiding by Saudi laws.
Full report at:
http://www.arabnews.com/news/460280
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Bangladesh persuades Bangladeshi tribals to return
SYED SAJJAD ALI
Aug 5, 2013
Bangladesh authorities persuaded tribals from Chittagong Hill Tracts, who have assembled on the south Tripura border, to return. The tribals fled from their villages in Manikchari sub district of Khagrachari district after Bengali settlers indiscriminately torched their houses, a Border Security Force (BSF) official said. Chakma, Mog, Tripura and other tribes reside in these villages.
About 1,500 people crowded outside the barbed wire fence in eight points to seek refuge in India, but were prevented from crossing over, officials said.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/bangladesh-persuades-bangladeshi-tribals-to-return/article4988861.ece
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Afghan peace process: Flexibility urged to revive stalled Qatar process
August 5, 2013
ISLAMABAD: The Afghan government-backed High Peace Council opposes ‘tough pre-conditions’ for talks with the Taliban and urges the government and Taliban to show flexibility in order to bring the stalled Qatar process back on track, a top negotiator said on Sunday.
The remarks came weeks after the closure of the Taliban office in Qatar following a row with the Afghan government over the use of the flag and a plaque bearing the name of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan – the name the Taliban used when they were in power.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/586626/afghan-peace-process-flexibility-urged-to-revive-stalled-qatar-process/
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Three civilians killed, seven wounded in Afghanistan bombing
IANS | Aug 5, 2013
KABUL: Three civilians were killed and seven wounded when a powerful blast rocked a market on Monday in the southern Afghan province of Kandahar, a spokesman said.
"An explosion rocked the livestock market in Bagh-e-Pul area at around 9 am. The initial report indicated that three adults have been killed and seven wounded," reported Xinhua quoting Jawid Faisal.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/Three-civilians-killed-seven-wounded-in-Afghanistan-bombing/articleshow/21617815.cms
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Punks break Myanmar's silence on religious attacks
Aug 5, 2013
Punk rockers draw double-takes as they dart through traffic, but it’s not just the pink hair, leather jackets or skull tattoos that make these 20-somethings rebels- It’s their willingness to speak out against Buddhist monks instigating violence against Muslims while others in Myanmar are silent.
“If they were real monks, I’d be quiet, but they aren’t,” says Kyaw Kyaw, lead singer of Rebel Riot, as his drummer knocks out the beat for a new song slamming religious hypocrisy and an anti-Muslim movement known as “969.” “They are nationalists, fascists. No one wants to hear it, but it’s true.”
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/world/punks-break-myanmars-silence-on-religious-attacks/article4991824.ece
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In Afghanistan, a second Guantanamo
August 05, 2013
KABUL: Of all the challenges the United States faces as it winds down the Afghanistan war, the most difficult might be closing the prison nicknamed “The Second Guantanamo.”
The United States holds 67 non-Afghan prisoners there, including some described as hardened al-Qaeda operatives seized from around the world in the months after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. More than a decade later, they’re still kept in the shadowy facility at Bagram air base outside Kabul.
Closing the facility presents many of the same problems the Obama administration has encountered in its attempt to close down the Guantanamo Bay detention center in Cuba. Full report at:
http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-112447-In-Afghanistan,-a-second-Guantanamo
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Flash floods kill at least 58 in eastern Afghanistan
August 5, 2013
KABUL: Heavy rains swept across eastern Afghanistan, leveling homes and killing at least 58 people in five provinces, while an estimated 30 others remain missing, officials said Sunday.
Provincial spokesmen in Nangarhar, Kabul, Khost, Laghman and Nuristan said that all the floods struck early Saturday. Flash floods are common in those provinces and all are fed by rivers that eventually intersect in Nangarhar.
In Kabul's Surobi district, police chief Shaghasi Ahmadi said 34 people were killed in a remote and mountainous area. He said 22 of the bodies from Surobi were later found downstream in Laghman.
Full report at:
http://dawn.com/news/1034047/flash-floods-kill-at-least-58-in-eastern-afghanistan
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Mideast
Turkey coup trial: Ex-army chief sentenced to life in prison
AFP | Aug 5, 2013
SILIVRI: A Turkish court on Monday sentenced a former army chief and other top brass to life in prison in a high-profile trial of 275 people accused of plotting to overthrow the Islamic-rooted government.
Police fired tear gas at protesters outside the court in a town near Istanbul as the verdicts were being delivered in the highly-divisive case.
Ex-military chief Ilker Basbug, along with several other army officers, were sentenced to life in prison, while 21 people were acquitted, according to the verdicts issued so far.
The trial has been seen as as a key test in Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's showdown with secularist and military opponents during his decade-long rule.
The defendants were on trial on dozens of charges, ranging from membership of an underground "terrorist organisation" dubbed Ergenekon to arson, illegal weapons possession, and instigating an armed uprising against Erdogan and his Justice and Development Party (AKP), which came to power in 2002.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Turkey-coup-trial-Ex-army-chief-sentenced-to-life-in-prison/articleshow/21623730.cms
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In a West Bank Culture of Conflict, Boys Wield the Weapon at Hand
By JODI RUDOREN
2013/08/05
Muhammad Abu Hashem, 17, was sleeping in a sleeveless undershirt when the Israeli soldiers stormed into his home here at 4 a.m. on the second Monday in July. As they led him away moments later, Muhammad’s mother rushed after with a long-sleeved shirt: they both knew it would be cold in the interrogation room.
It was Muhammad’s fourth arrest in three years for throwing stones at Israeli soldiers and settlers. His five brothers — three older and two younger — have all faced similar charges. Last year, three Abu Hashem boys, and their father, were in prison at the same time.
“Children have hobbies, and my hobby is throwing stones,” Muhammad explained weeks before his most recent arrest. “A day with a confrontation is better than a free day.”
Full report at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/05/world/middleeast/rocks-in-hand-a-boy-fights-for-his-west-bank-village.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&
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Israel funds organizations that advocate razing Al-Aqsa
Mohammed Mar’i
August 5, 2013
RAMALLAH – The Israel government funds right-wing Jewish organizations that advocate the building of the so-called third temple on ruins of Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem’s Old City, a report said on Sunday.
The Israeli Army Radio revealed that the Education Ministry and the Culture and Sport Ministry have transferred over the course of the last decade between 300,000 and 700,000 Israeli shekel (between $84,000 and $196,000) to a non-government organization known as The Temple Institute.
Full report at:
http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20130805175940
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Israeli-Palestinian riddle won't answer Middle East's wider woes
August 5, 2013
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which once transfixed the Arab world, has lost much of its resonance in a Middle East riven by religious strife, political upheaval and economic woes.
News that the two sides had resumed peace talks last week after a three-year halt was largely overshadowed by turmoil in Egypt and the Syrian civil war, which has set Sunni and Shi'ite Muslims against one another.
US officials still hope that resolving the decades-old confrontation will help to unlock the region's wider problems, but analysts say it no longer lies at the strategic heart of a troubled Middle East.
Full report at:
http://india.shafaqna.com/countries/iran/item/10119-irans-ahmadinejad-warns-israel-will-be-uprooted.html
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Israel widens Jewish settlement subsidies
August 5, 2013
Israel has agreed to subsidise several Jewish settlements that were regarded as illegal until recently.
Three out of 91 settlements designated as priority areas for development were legalised within the past year, the Peace Now settlement watchdog said.
Israel said the subsidies were needed for security reasons.
Palestinian official Hanan Ashrawi said the move would have a "destructive impact" on peace talks, which resumed last week after a three-year hiatus.
"This is exactly what Israel wants, have a process for its own sake, and at the same time have a free hand to destroy the objective of the process," she said in quotes carried by the Associated Press.
Full report at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-23569537
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Gunmen kill intelligence official in Yemen
August 5, 2013
Security officials say suspected al-Qaida gunmen have killed a military intelligence official in central Yemen.
Officials say Lt. Col. Mohammed el-Mamari was shot on his way home Sunday. He was walking to his car after work when two unidentified gunmen killed him in the central province of Bayda. The officials spoke anonymously in line with regulations.
Al-Qaida's branch in Yemen is active in Bayda. The U.S. is believed to have carried out drone strikes on militants there.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/78323/World/Region/Gunmen-kill-intelligence-official-in-Yemen.aspx
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North America
Massive Toronto Quds rally delivers slap on zionists' face
India Shia News Agency
August 5, 2013
Zionists spare no efforts to vilify by telling vicious lies against those that expose their crimes while presenting themselves as innocent victims. The Toronto Quds Day rally has been a special target of their wrath because it has begun to attract increasing number of people. This year's rally in Toronto is no exception. Thousands attended the Quds Day rally
Thousands join Quds Day rally in Toronto and deliver a hard slap on the face of zionist blackmailers that attempted to have the rally blocked by exerting pressure on Queens Park. Such rallies have traditionally been launched from Queens Park, seat of the provincial government but this year under zionist pressure, the management refused permission for Quds Committee to start the rally from this venue.
This did not deter the rally organizers who simply moved to the park to the north of the building that was even better because of the wide open space and roads surrounding it on all sides. The rally participants were extremely enthusiastic and showed great determination and spirit.
Full report at:
http://india.shafaqna.com/shafaq/item/10117-massive-toronto-quds-rally-delivers-slap-on-zionists-face.html
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Tamerlan Tsarnaev 'had right-wing extremist literature'
By Hilary Andersson
August 5, 2013
One of the brothers suspected of carrying out the Boston bombings was in possession of right-wing American literature in the run-up to the attack, BBC Panorama has learnt.
Tamerlan Tsarnaev subscribed to publications espousing white supremacy and government conspiracy theories.
He also had reading material on mass killings.
Until now the Tsarnaev brothers were widely perceived as just self-styled radical jihadists.
Panorama has spent months speaking exclusively with friends of the bombers to try to understand the roots of their radicalisation.
Full report at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-23541341
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Terror threat reminiscent of 9/11 warnings, says US
ANWAR IQBAL
August 5, 2013
WASHINGTON: The US military chief and senior lawmakers warned on Sunday that the terror threat that caused the closure of 22 American embassies across the Muslim world was similar to the warnings the United States had received before the Sept 11, 2001 terrorist attack but ignored.
On Saturday afternoon, US national security advisers met at the White House to discuss the nature of the threat. The White House said Secretary of State John Kerry, Secretary of Defence Chuck Hagel, and National Security Adviser Susan Rice attended this meeting.
Other attendees included US President Barack Obama’s chief of staff, Denis McDonough, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Martin Dempsey, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, and the heads of the FBI and CIA.
Full report at:
http://dawn.com/news/1034110/terror-threat-reminiscent-of-911-warnings-says-us
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US a 'willing partner' if Iran serious on nuclear - White House
The Voice of Russia
August 5, 2013
Iran will find the United States a "willing partner" if new President Hassan Rowhani is prepared to engage substantively and seriously on its nuclear program: United States said on Sunday it is ready to work with the new government of Iranian President to address concerns about Iran's nuclear program if Iran will engage seriously on the issue.
In a message congratulating Rowhani on his inauguration, the White House said that "the inauguration of President Rouhani presents an opportunity for Iran to act quickly to resolve the international community's deep concerns over Iran's nuclear program."
Full report at:
http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2013_08_04/US-a-willing-partner-if-Iran-serious-on-nuclear-White-House-4497/
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Obama gave ‘too much’ info on Qaeda?
August 04, 2013
While warning about possible al Qaeda attacks against American citizens living abroad, US officials may have provided too many details.
Former and current intelligence officials said that the Obama administration provided too much detail about intercepted chatter and the source of the
information, and that may make it more difficult to get such tips next time.
According to the Washington Times, the US State Department had issued a worldwide travel alert for Americans, citing an unspecified al Qaeda threat.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/northamerica/Obama-gave-too-much-info-on-Qaeda/Article1-1103315.aspx
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India
In support of Gorkhaland, Muslims to have low-key Eid celebrations
OMAR RASHID
Aug 5, 2013
Even as normal life continues to be paralysed in the Hills due to the indefinite bandh staged by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), the Muslim community of Darjeeling has decided to keep the this week’s Id-ul-Fitr celebrations on a low-key to show their solidarity with the Gorkhaland movement.
The Muslims will not be requesting the administration for any special relief from the bandh on the festival, which is scheduled for Friday, Ali Akhtar, executing officer of the Anjuman-e-Islamia, the main governing body of the minority in the Hills, told The Hindu.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/in-support-of-gorkhaland-muslims-to-have-lowkey-eid-celebrations/article4988864.ece
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‘IM growing stronger in northeast, Bangladesh’
Deeptiman Tiwary, TNN | Aug 5, 2013
NEW DELHI: Even as National Investigation Agency (NIA) has linked the Bodh Gaya blasts to Assam, intelligence agencies have found that Indian Mujahideen (IM) may have grown strong footprints in the north-east and Bangladesh. In fact, agencies have credible information that IM played a significant role in providing relief to displaced Muslims in the June 2012 Bodo-Muslim riots in Assam.
Sources said during the 2012 strife, IM operatives used the network of certain mosques to mobilize funds from across the Hindi heartland and certain other areas to Assam to help victims from the minority community.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/IM-growing-stronger-in-northeast-Bangladesh/articleshow/21608922.cms
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Falling gold price means higher zakat
Shailvee Sharda, TNN | Aug 5, 2013
LUCKNOW: There's a silver lining to the cloud of fluctuating prices of precious metals. The drop in price of gold and silver has led an increase in the number of Muslims eligible to pay zakat (charity) during Ramzan. Hence, Muslim orphanages and madrasas can look up to an increase of 29% in the collections from charitable persons.
Zakat is the obligatory payment made annually under Islamic law for charitable and religious purposes. It is one of the five tenets of Islam. As per the rule, any Muslim having 7.5 tola of gold or 52.5 tola silver or equivalent cash or property (excluding the one in which the family is living) is liable to pay zakat. Such a Muslim should donate 2.5% of his wealth to the needy.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/Falling-gold-price-means-higher-zakat/articleshow/21610669.cms
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Muslims ready for holiest of nights
K.K. Abdul Rahoof
Aug 5, 2013
Hyderabad: As the holy month of Ramzan enters its last week, Muslims, young and old, will offer special prayers on Laylat-ul-Qadr or Shab-e-Qadr as it is known in the subcontinent. The night is considered by Muslims to be the most important night in the Islamic or Hijri calendar.
The holy Quran describes the night better than a 1,000 months. It is widely believed that Shab-e-Qadr falls on either Ramzan 21, 23, 25, 27 or 29, with the majority of the ulemas saying that it falls on the night of Ramzan 27.
Full report at:
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/130805/news-current-affairs/article/muslims-ready-holiest-nights
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Minister revives minority sub-quota bid, wants entire 4.5% for Muslims
Subodh Ghildiyal, TNN | Aug 5, 2013
NEW DELHI: Minority affairs Rahman Khan has argued that 4.5% reservation for minorities, which has been struck down by a court, can be revived by narrowing its focus to Muslims.
In a note to Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, the minister said the sub-quota of 4.5% for minorities under the 27% OBC reservation hit the roadblock because it smacked of being a religious quota aimed at minorities.
He argued that the use of "minority" in place of "Muslim" brought in five religious groups under the ambit of quota policy, including the prosperous Parsis, and diluted the evidence in favour of affirmative action.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Khan-revives-minority-sub-quota-bid-wants-entire-4-5-for-Muslims/articleshow/21608090.cms
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Indians jailed in Saudi Arabia since 2003 deported
August 5, 2013
Two Indian expatriates convicted of gold embezzlement from their sponsor and imprisoned since 2003 were deported after the victim agreed to accept a SR300,000 settlement for their release.
Indian expatriates Syed Abid and Gajula Imtiaz Basha were imprisoned following convictions for gold embezzlement in Abha. The sponsor had accused them of gold theft and both men were sentenced by court to one year and four months in prison, along with a fine of SR600,000 to make up for the loss of the sponsor.
Full report at:
http://www.arabnews.com/news/460173
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Southeast Asia
Indonesia temple bomb 'response to screams of Rohingya'
August 05, 2013
A bomb that exploded at a Buddhist temple in the Indonesian capital Jakarta bore the words "we are responding to the screams of the Rohingya", the place of worship said on Monday.
It appeared to be the latest outburst of anger in Muslim-majority Indonesia at the plight of Rohingya Muslims, who have been fleeing in their thousands from sectarian violence in Myanmar, where most of the population is Buddhist.
The low-intensity bomb, containing pieces of iron and ball bearings, went off late yesterday inside the Ekayana Buddhist temple as hundreds of worshippers prayed, lightly injuring one person who received cuts to an arm and leg.
A second bomb was also set but only emitted smoke and failed to go off, according to police. The attack caused only minimal damage.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/restofasia/Indonesia-temple-bomb-response-to-screams-of-Rohingya/Article1-1103562.aspx
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Discovery Channel observes Ramadan with 3 films on Islamic culture, History
August 5, 2013
MANILA, Philippines – Every year, over a billion Muslims worldwide observe the sacred month of Ramadan. Celebrated this year between 9 July and 8 August, Ramadan is not simply about fasting from dawn to sunset, praying and charity, but it is also a time for reflection, spiritual purification and devotion to Allah, to inculcate self-control, generosity, kindness and God-mindfulness within a person.
Considered the most sacred time of the year, Ramadan ends with the most significant Muslim holiday – Eid al-Fitr, also known as the feast of breaking the fast or Hari Raya Aidilfitri.
To commemorate this special month, Discovery Channel presents a RAMADAN SPECIAL featuring three one-hour documentaries premiering daily at 7:00 p.m. from August 5 to 7. Encores back-to-back on Eid al-Fitr on Thursday, August 8, from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., and 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Full report at:
http://entertainment.inquirer.net/106365/discovery-channel-observes-ramadan-with-3-films-on-islamic-culture-history#ixzz2b1vWV9kC
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Buddhist temple bomber disrespects sanctity of Ramadhan: Minister
August 05 2013
Religious Affairs Minister Suryadharma Ali said the perpetrators of Sunday’s bombing of Ekayana Buddhist Vihara in West Jakarta did not respect the sanctity of the Muslim holy month of Ramadhan and could therefore be considered “accursed and barbaric”.
“The faithful should not be inflamed by the incident,” Suryadharma told journalists in Jakarta on Monday as quoted by Antara news agency.
Full report at:
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2013/08/05/buddhist-temple-bomber-disrespects-sanctity-ramadhan-minister.html
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Ban on rebel flag stirs ire in Indonesia
August 5, 2013
BANDA ACEH, Indonesia — The governor of Indonesia's semiautonomous Aceh region is protesting that national security forces have seized hundreds of flags of the former separatist movement.
Authorities confiscated the Free Aceh Movement's red crescent-star flags from streets in North Aceh, Lhokseumawe and Nagan Raya districts. The move came following a statement from the local army that no flag but Indonesia's national red-and-white one would be allowed.
Aceh Governor Zaini Abdullah criticized the action Sunday, saying it was provocative and violated an agreement between the provincial and central governments.
Full report at:
http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20130805176046
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Europe
Muslim cleric killed in Russia’s restive Dagestan
2013-08-05
MAKHACHKALA (Russia): A Muslim cleric in Russia’s restive Dagestan was shot dead in an ambush, investigators said on Sunday, the latest in a string of murders of moderate religious figures in a province plagued by an Islamist insurgency.
Gunmen opened fire on 66-year-old Ilyas Ilyasov on Saturday as he was getting into his car near his home in Makhachkala, the largest city in the region, Russia’s Investigative Committee said in a statement.
Ilyasov died on the spot, while his driver was injured and hospitalised, investigators said.
“The preliminary theory is (the victim’s) religious activities,” investigator Rasul Temirbekov told a Russian television channel.
Full report at:
http://dawn.com/news/1034190/muslim-cleric-killed-in-dagestan
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HRW: Syrian missiles kill hundreds of civilians
August 5, 2013
BEIRUT — The Syrian military is firing ballistic missiles into populated areas where it is battling rebels, killing hundreds of civilians in recent months, Human Rights Watch said in a report Monday.
The US-based group said it has investigated nine apparent missile attacks that killed at least 215 people, half of them children, between February and July. The most recent attack HRW investigated occurred in the northern province of Aleppo on July 26, killing at least 33 civilians including 17 children.
Full report at:
http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20130805176050
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UKIP MP candidate supports sharia law including cutting off thieves' hands
2013-08-05
Dean Perks, parliamentary candidate for Halesowen and Rowley Regis in the Black Country, believes that thieves should have a hand cut off.
He told supporters at a UKIP rally: "In my opinion, sharia law works as a prevention - and prevention is better than cure.
"If you think you are going to get your hand chopped off for pinching something, you won't pinch it."
Mr Perks, a self-employed builder from Dudley, is fighting Halesowen and Rowley Regis, where Tory MP James Morris has a slender majority of just over 2,000 votes.
Full report at:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/10221430/UKIP-MP-candidate-supports-sharia-law-including-cutting-off-thieves-hands.html
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/pakistani-authorities-announce-peak-level/d/12900