Saudi Arabia: 1,000 Divorces in Two Months Because Of Rising Drug Abuse
New Age Islam News Bureau
4
March 2014
Photo: ISIL rebels 'execute' 20 Iraqi soldiers
Arab World
• 1,000 Divorces in Two Months Because Of Rising Drug Abuse in Saudis
• ISIL rebels 'execute' 20 Iraqi soldiers
• 17 killed in Homs in alleged attacks by Syria regime
• 5 killed as gunmen seize government offices in Iraq
• Emirati among three police killed in Bahrain bomb
• Egypt deports US anti-war activist travelling to Gaza
• UAE jails three ‘extremists’ up to 7 years
• Judge: Egyptian court bans all Hamas activities in country
• Saudi calls for withdrawal of foreign fighters from Syria
Africa
• Gunmen kill 31 more in northeast Nigeria
• Tunisia warns spread of Takfiri ideology in region
• Nigeria’s image tinted by damaging human rights report
• Libya vows democratic path after parliament attack
• Arson, looting may have displaced 40,000 in Sudan's Darfur: Sources
Pakistan
• Pakistani man hands over 3 sons to Hafiz Saeed for jihad
• Imam-e-Kaaba urges govt, TTP to keep peace talks on track
• Maulana Sami wants ‘peace zones’ for Taliban
• Taliban told to identify rogue groups
• ‘39 militant outfits operating in KP’
• Taliban made a fool of govt: Khursheed Shah
• Jamaat-i-Islami complains PTI ended NATO blockade unilaterally
• MQM chief warns against believing in Ahrar ul Hind's claims
• HRCP aghast at denial of permission to visit ‘mass graves’
• Two killed as gunmen attack NATO trucks in Jamrud
North America
• YouTube allowed by a US court to host anti-Islamic film trailer after editing
• US backs Pakistan’s efforts against militancy, says envoy
• Islamic Center of Bothell target of anti-Muslim messages
• Kerry: U.S. Committed to Preserving Jewish, Democratic Nature of the State of Israel
• Canada’s Virtual Education Mission to Libya
Europe
• Moscow and Tunisia to intensify political cooperation on fighting terrorism – Russian PM
• World Uyghur Congress Condemns Kunming Violence and Calls for Calm
• Joining Syrian ranks of al-Qaeda 'in vogue' for young British Muslims
• Senior Russian Official: ‘We Expect All Sanctions on Iran to be Lifted’
• Third round of Syria talks urgently needed: UN chief
South Asia
• PM Sheikh Hasina calls to build secure, stable region
• Myanmar Opposition Leader: Myanmar can learn from Bangladesh
• The politics of the death penalty in the Maldives
• Exiled Uighur leader urges calm after China attack
• ‘Policies in Xinjiang brutal, cause trauma among Uyghurs’
• Aid lifeline under threat for Myanmar’s Rakhine Muslims
India
• Masjid-e-Haram to offer Juma Khutba translation in Urdu
• Warring Muslim leaders shared common platform at Jamaat e Islami Hind conference
• India-Pak meeting to discuss ways to streamline trade across LoC
Mideast
• Netanyahu Tells Obama: Iran is ‘Greatest Challenge’ Faced by U.S., Israel
• Hamas says Egypt ban serves Israeli occupation
• Syria's refugee children in Turkey get music and art therapy
• Abbas: If Kerry's framework not satisfactory, PA will end talks, seek unilateral recognition
• Israeli airstrike kills two in the Gaza Strip
Southeast Asia
• Indonesia Religious Affairs Minister Wants Right to Issue Halal Certification
• False blog posting is to raise tension ahead of tomorrow’s Allah hearing, says Muslim group
• Two suspected terrorists arrested in Poso
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/saudi-arabia-1,000-divorces-two/d/55981
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Arab World
1,000 Divorces in Two Months Because Of Rising Drug Abuse in Saudis
March 04 2014
Addicted to drugs and alcohol, men are divorcing wives, with 1,000 of such incidents taking place in Jeddah only, over the past two months, said a judge on Monday.
Expressing his concern about the situation, Yahya bin Fahm Al-Sulami, a judge at the District Court for Guarantees and Marriage Contracts, told Arab News, the government should introduce compulsory drug testing for anyone who wants to get married in the Kingdom.
Many parents in Jeddah agree that there should be mandatory testing of men who want to marry their daughters. They say there have been an increasing number of young people abusing drugs in the city.
Hana’ Ahmed, a student at King Abdulaziz University, said she is about to marry and demanded that her suitor undergo drug tests. “I just want a normal, happy marriage,” she said.
She said drug testing should be compulsory for all men wanting to marry. This would help couples live decent and normal lives, she said.
Um Ashwaq, a government employee, agreed that there should be mandatory testing.
“My marriage was a failure because soon after I married, I found out that my husband was addicted to drugs. My life was a living hell because he used to beat me when he was under the influence.”
“Everyone used to ridicule him because of his actions when he was on drugs. I asked the court to give me the right to divorce him because of that.” She said her former husband had smoked large quantities of hashish.
Suad Al-Harbi, an employee at a private firm, said she was sure that most men would not get married if the Ministry of Health made drug testing mandatory. She said that many people in Jeddah, including women and girls, are on drugs.
“Everyone in Jeddah is talking about drug addiction. The Ministry of Health should make drug testing mandatory, along with tests for Aids, for anyone wanting to get married. This will hopefully reduce divorces.”
Al-Harbi said many of her friends got divorced recently because their husbands were addicted to narcotic substances.
Fatimah Muhammad, a social worker, said drug testing must be made compulsory for young men. She said many young people in Jeddah are addicted to some form of drug.
Muhammad said men addicts are “violent and unreasonable” towards their wives and children. “His influence may also see other family members becoming addicted to drugs and alcohol.”
She said government should take action because addiction threatens “our community and families.”
http://www.arabnews.com/news/534611
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ISIL rebels 'execute' 20 Iraqi soldiers
World Bulletin / News Desk
March 04 2014
The Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) has executed 20 soldiers in Fallujah in Iraq's western Anbar province, a local tribal source said Monday.
"The soldiers were executed after being held hostage following an attack by tribesmen on an Iraqi army garrison," the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Anadolu Agency.
Tribesmen, he said, had attacked an army garrison in southern Fallujah, triggering a five-hour confrontation with army personnel. Tribesmen managed to capture 20 soldiers, torch three military vehicles and establish control over the garrison.
He noted that two tribesmen had been killed and a third seriously wounded in the confrontation.
"The tribesmen took the soldiers to Fallujah, where the ISIL took them and executed them last Saturday – less than 24 hours after receiving them," the tribesman said.
It was the second time that the ISIL executed Iraqi soldiers. The group executed four other soldiers two weeks ago after capturing them in eastern Ramadi.
Anadolu Agency could not obtain an immediate comment from the Iraqi army regarding the fresh spate of reported executions.
The Iraqi army has been waging a major military operation in the restive Anbar province since last December with the stated aim of flushing out Al-Qaeda-allied fighters.
Hundreds have been killed and injured since violence broke out in Anbar's two key cities of Ramadi and Fallujah, according to government estimates.
Tens of thousands have also reportedly been displaced due to the violence.
Many local Sunni tribes opposed to Iraq's Shiite-dominated government continue to voice anger over the army operation's mounting civilian death toll.
ISIL 'executes' two Jordanian members for stealing spoils
The Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) group also executed two of its Jordanian members accused of stealing spoils, Jordan-based sources with the group said on Monday.
"The ISIL executed Mohamed al-Hayar and Ashraf Orebeiat after accusing the latter of stealing weapons, cars and equipment that the group managed to snatch during clashes with regime forces," one source told Anadolu Agency, without giving a date for the executions.
The ISIL had earlier announced the death of the two Jordanians in combat against Syrian regime forces, but the sources dismissed these claims.
Jordan is home to the largest number of refugees from Syria, which has been in the throes of conflict since 2011 when a peaceful uprising against al-Assad escalated into civil war following a violent government crackdown.
According to the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, around 140,000 people have been killed since the beginning of the conflict in March 2011.
More than a thousand Jordanian nationals are believed to have joined the fighting against the al-Assad regime.
http://www.worldbulletin.net/headlines/130149/isil-rebels-execute-20-iraqi-soldiers
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17 killed in Homs in alleged attacks by Syria regime
World Bulletin / News Desk
March 04 2014
Attacks allegedly carried out by Syrian regime killed 17 people in the Syrian city of Homs, according to the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR).
The organization claimed that regime forces attacked the Deir Balab region and other neighborhoods in Homs in the past 24 hours. Many people were wounded in the attacks while a school was amongst the many places that were demolished.
The Red Cross seeks to send medical and food aid to the besieged Homs city.
Meanwhile, the Syrian regime recaptured strategical regions, Es Sahel of Damascus and Al Akabe of Qalamoun city, according to Syria's state-run SANA news agency.
http://www.worldbulletin.net/todays-news/130179/17-killed-in-homs-in-alleged-attacks-by-syria-regime
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5 killed as gunmen seize government offices in Iraq
March 04, 2014
Five people were killed when gunmen stormed a government complex in the central Iraqi city of Samarra on Tuesday, taking dozens of employees hostage, security and medical officials confirmed.
The gunmen stormed the building after four suicide bombers blew themselves up at the entrance. The blast killed one government employee, who worked for the local election committee, and injured 24 others.
The identities of the four others killed in the attack remain unknown.
Gunshots were heard inside the building while security forces surrounded the building, with helicopters also deployed to the scene.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/world/5-killed-as-gunmen-seize-government-offices-in-iraq/article5749985.ece
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Emirati among three police killed in Bahrain bomb
2014-03-04
DUBAI: A bomb explosion in Bahrain killed three police, including an Emirati, during confrontations with “rioters” near Manama, in the bloodiest attack on the security forces since they crushed the 2011 uprising.
Witnesses reported hearing a blast in the Shia-populated village of Daih, on the outskirts of the Bahraini capital, as the police fired tear gas and buckshot to break up a demonstration.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon condemned the deadly bomb attack and sent his condolences to the victims' family, his spokesman said.
“Such acts of violence cannot be justified by any cause... He urges all Bahrainis to come together to create a conducive environment for promoting reconciliation,” the UN leader's spokesman added.
Full report at:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1090954/emirati-among-three-police-killed-in-bahrain-bomb
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Egypt deports US anti-war activist travelling to Gaza
March 04, 2014
CAIRO: Egypt on Tuesday deported an American anti-war activist who was trying to travel to the Gaza Strip, airport officials and the activist herself said.
Medea Benjamin, who co-founded the CodePink anti-war group, was detained on arrival in Cairo airport on Monday. She had planned to join a delegation of activists on a visit to the Palestinian coastal enclave this week.
She told AFP airport police broke her arm during her detention before putting her on a flight to Istanbul.
"I arrived yesterday (Monday). They took me out of customs, held me overnight, threw me on the floor, and broke my arm. Two policemen jumped on me and broke my arm," she said in a telephone conversation aboard her flight.
Full report at:
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2014/Mar-04/249189-egypt-deports-us-anti-war-activist-travelling-to-gaza.ashx#ixzz2v32MV9Hb
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UAE jails three ‘extremists’ up to 7 years
March 04, 2014
ABU DHABI : A UAE court on Monday jailed a Qatari and two Emiratis up to seven years for raising funds in support of a Muslim Brotherhood-linked group, a pro-government newspaper reported.
Dozens of extremists have been jailed in recent months in the United Arab Emirates as concern grows over the Muslim Brotherhood following the group’s prominent role in Arab Spring uprisings.
The Federal Supreme Court in Abu Dhabi sentenced Mahmud al-Jidah, a Qatari, to seven years in prison followed by deportation, the online edition of the Gulf News reported.
Abdul Wahid al-Badi and Saeed al-Buraimi, both Emiratis, were handed a five-year jail sentence each. A third Emirati, Taher al-Tamimi, was acquitted, the English-language Gulf News said.
Full report at:
http://www.nation.com.pk/international/04-Mar-2014/uae-jails-three-extremists-up-to-7-years
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Judge: Egyptian court bans all Hamas activities in country
By REUTERS
CAIRO - An Egyptian court on Tuesday banned all activities of Hamas in Egypt, a judge said, in another sign that security forces plan to squeeze the Palestinian militant group that runs the neighboring Gaza Strip.
Hamas is an offshoot of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood, which has been declared a terrorist group by Egypt's army-backed government and has faced a security crackdown since the military ousted one of its leaders, Mohamed Morsi, from the presidency last July.
"The court has ordered the banning of Hamas work and activities in Egypt," the judge, who asked to remain anonymous, told Reuters.
Egyptian authorities see Hamas a major security threat, accusing the group of supporting al-Qaida-inspired Islamist insurgents in the Sinai peninsula, allegations it denies.
Full report at:
http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Judge-Egyptian-court-bans-all-Hamas-activities-in-country-344209
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Saudi calls for withdrawal of foreign fighters from Syria
World Bulletin / News Desk
March 04 2014
Saudi Arabia has renewed calls for withdrawing all foreign fighters from Syria and creating "safe corridors" for Syrian civilians.
Following a Monday cabinet meeting, Culture and Information Minister Abd al-Aziz bin Muhi al-Din al-Khuja renewed his country's condemnation of "all forms of terrorism."
He cited Saudi Arabia's speech before the U.N. General Assembly last month, in which Riyadh denounced "the terrorist acts committed by the Syrian regime against civilians" and called for the prosecution of the regime at the International Court of Justice.
Al-Khuja also called for withdrawing all foreign fighters from Syria and creating "safe corridors" for Syrian civilians fleeing the violence.
Full report at:
http://www.worldbulletin.net/headlines/130150/saudi-calls-for-withdrawal-of-foreign-fighters-from-syria
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Africa
Gunmen kill 31 more in northeast Nigeria
World Bulletin/News Desk
March 04 2014
Gunmen have killed at least 31 people in a village in northeast Nigeria, a lawmaker said, taking the death toll from three days of attacks to 116 as soldiers struggle to contain raging violence.
Insurgents have killed more than 400 people in just over a month, security sources say, making it one of the deadliest periods in the Boko Haram's insurgency, which began with an uprising in Borno state in 2009.
Gunmen stormed Mafa village in Borno, around 50 km (30 miles) east of the state capital Maiduguri, at around 8 p.m. on Sunday, shooting fleeing civilians and throwing explosives at occupied houses, witness Auwalu Gunda said.
State senator Ahmed Zannah said 29 civilians died in the raid and two policemen were killed in a bomb blast on Monday while they were trying to remove bodies and question survivors about the initial attack.
Full report at:
http://www.worldbulletin.net/headlines/130129/gunmen-kill-31-more-in-northeast-nigeria
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Tunisia warns spread of Takfiri ideology in region
March 04 2014
In 2013, 2 opposition figures were assassinated and over 20 soldiers and police officers killed in different regions of Tunisia. Analysts say the spread of Takfiri ideology through religious sermons at mosques is behind the escalation of violence in the North African country.
Politicians say the foreign-backed Takfiri and Wahabi groups have called for war in Syria and Tunisia.
Imams and religious scholars at the prestigious Zitouna Mosque reject the propagation of Takfiris which they perceive as a dangerous threat to the Muslim world.
3 years after the revolution in Tunisia, security challenges are threatening the transitional period as extremist preachers encourage violence against state institutions.
Observers now call for strict measures to stop the spread of Takfiri ideology.
http://abna.ir/data.asp?lang=3&Id=509834
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Nigeria’s image tinted by damaging human rights report
March 04 2014
The most serious human rights abuses during the year were those committed by Boko Haram.”
A new report by the United States has described Nigeria as a country where corruption, official impunity, and gross human rights violations occur at will.
The report described the human rights violations to include extra-judicial killings, rape, torture, mistreatment of detainees, destruction of property, violence against women, vigilante killings, child labour, forced and bonded labour, and discrimination based on sexual orientation.
This assessment of Nigeria is according to the 2013 Country Report on Human Rights. The report, which is now in its 38th year, is sanctioned by the U.S. Congress. It, amongst other things, helps inform the U.S. government policy and foreign assistance.
According to the report, the terrorist group, Boko Haram, and the Nigerian Government are the worst perpetrators of human rights abuses in the country.
Full report at:
http://www.spyghana.com/nigerias-image-tinted-by-damaging-human-rights-report/
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Libya vows democratic path after parliament attack
March 04 2014
Libyan authorities vowed Monday to pursue a democratic transition in the face of mounting lawlessness after two MPs were shot when protesters stormed the country's transitional parliament.
The two General National Congress members were shot and wounded Sunday as armed protesters stormed their building in Tripoli. In separate violence, a French engineer was killed in the restive eastern city of Benghazi.
"I assure you we are committed to the path of the February 17 revolution and to pursue the democratic process," GNC president Nuri Abu Sahmein said, referring to the uprising that ended Moamer Kadhafi's four-decade rule.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/95799/World/Region/Libya-vows-democratic-path-after-parliament-attack.aspx
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Arson, looting may have displaced 40,000 in Sudan's Darfur: Sources
March 04 2014
Almost 40,000 people may have been displaced by militia arson and looting in Sudan's Darfur region, according to new data obtained by AFP on Tuesday.
More than 19,000 arrivals have been recorded at two camps for displaced people near the South Darfur state capital, Nyala, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said.
That is in addition to an estimated 20,000 whom the UN's World Food Programme (WFP) on Monday said fled to safety at Saniya Deleiba, a village about 35 kilometres (22 miles) from Nyala.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/95824/World/Region/Arson,-looting-may-have-displaced-,-in-Sudans-Darf.aspx
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Pakistan
Pakistani man hands over 3 sons to Hafiz Saeed for jihad
PTI | Mar 4, 2014
LAHORE: A Pakistani man has handed over his three young sons to Jamaat-ud-Dawah chief Hafiz Saeed for jihad.
Abu Haider, a Jamaat-ud-Dawa activist, handed over his three sons to Saeed at a workers' convention yesterday in Nankana Sahib, about 80 kilometres from Lahore.
"I hand over my three young sons to you for jihad (holy war). They will be now on your hands in your struggle," Haider said.
Saeed appreciated Haider's act and called him a "brave father".
"Jihad is never waged against Muslims. It is against infidels. The infighting among Muslims is not jihad from any one group," Saeed said.
Jamaat-ud-Dawa is the parent body of banned terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba that carried out the 2008 Mumbai attacks in which 166 people were killed.
There is no formal ban on the JuD and its chief Saeed, who lives freely in Lahore despite a 10-million-dollar bounty offered for him by the US.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Pakistani-man-hands-over-3-sons-to-Hafiz-Saeed-for-jihad/articleshow/31409078.cms
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Imam-e-Kaaba urges govt, TTP to keep peace talks on track
March 4, 2014
ISLAMABAD: The Imam-e-Kaaba, Sheikh Abdul Rahman Ibne Abdul Aziz al Sudais, has urged the government and the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan to pursue peace talks, which he deems as the only way to shun violence in an Islamic state.
In a crucial meeting with one of the key Taliban intermediaries – Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (S) chief Maulana Samiul Haq – Imam-e-Kaaba urged the government and Taliban committees to keep the proposed dialogue intact as “this is what Islam teaches Muslims”.
Key leaders of the Saudi Shura had invited the JUI-S chief, who briefed the former about the latest development in the peace process.
“Maulana Sami will convey a special message of peace [to the Taliban Shura]. Imam-e-Kaaba was very happy over the latest development [TTP’s announcement for ceasefire],” Taliban Committee Coordinator Maulana Yousaf told The Express Tribune.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/678666/imam-e-kaaba-urges-govt-ttp-to-keep-peace-talks-on-track/
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Maulana Sami wants ‘peace zones’ for Taliban
March 04 2014
ISLAMABAD - Member of the Taliban-nominated committee and senior cleric Maulana Samiul Haq Monday said neighboring countries, India and the United States want to damage the peace process.
Talking to media persons at Islamabad airport on arrival from Saudi Arabia, the Maulana said Islamabad courts attack was an attempt to sabotage dialogue process by anti-Pakistan elements.
"I am very much hopeful about the peace talks. I can say with confidence that the negotiations will be successful," said Maulana Samiul Haq.
Full report at:
http://www.nation.com.pk/national/04-Mar-2014/sami-wants-peace-zones-for-taliban
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Taliban told to identify rogue groups
March 04 2014
ISLAMABAD: The government’s committee for peace talks with the banned Tehreek-i-Taiban Pakistan (TTP), which is meeting on Tuesday against the backdrop of a militant attack in the district courts here, asked the Taliban on Monday to identify and stop their splinter groups which were trying to thwart the dialogue process.
The scope of the meeting has been widened in view of the shooting and blasts in the courts’ premises and the TTP’s claim that it has nothing to do with the incident.
“The committee will look into the ceasefire offer of the TTP and the tragic incident in the district courts and will convey its outcome to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif,” its coordinator Irfan Siddiqui told Dawn.
Full report at:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1090926/taliban-told-to-identify-rogue-groups
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‘39 militant outfits operating in KP’
2014-03-04
PESHAWAR: Parliamentary party leaders of the treasury and opposition benches in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly put their heads together in a closed-door meeting here Monday and discussed prevailing security situation in the province.
Sources said senior officials briefed parliamentary party leaders about the law and order situation and said 39 militant outfits were operating in the province, while 20 other groups functioning in the garb of Pakistani Taliban were involved in extortion, kidnapping for ransom and other criminal activities.
Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, opposition leader Sardar Mehtab Ahmad Khan, Qaumi Watan Party’s Sikandar Khan Sherpao, Jamaat-i-Islami’s Sirajul Haq, Awami Jamhoori Ittehad Pakistan’s Shahram Khan Tarakai, Awami National Party’s Sardar Hussain Babak, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl’s Maulana Lutfur Rehman and Pakistan People’s Party’s Mohammad Ali Shah Bacha attended the session, which lasted more than three hours.
Full report at:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1090918/39-militant-outfits-operating-in-kp
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Taliban made a fool of govt: Khursheed Shah
March 04, 2014
SUKKUR/ISLAMABAD - Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah on Monday said that the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has made a fool out of the Federal government by announcing a fake ceasefire to enter Islamabad.
Khursheed Shah said that the Taliban killed innocent people when they attacked the Sessions Court in Islamabad.
He said that the Opposition parties in the Parliament fully condemn the incident. At least 13 people, including a judge and four lawyers, were killed when several terrorists attacked a district court in Islamabad on Monday. He further stated that the time for peace talks has passed and a full scale military offensive should be carried out against the terrorists in the country.
Full report at:
http://www.nation.com.pk/national/04-Mar-2014/taliban-made-a-fool-of-govt-khursheed-shah
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Jamaat-i-Islami complains PTI ended Nato blockade unilaterally
2014-03-04
PESHAWAR: The Jamaat-i-Islami on Monday complained the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf had unilaterally ended the Nato blockade in the province.
In a statement issued here, JI provincial spokesman Israrullah Khan said PTI usually took decisions on important affairs without taking allies into confidence.
“The governments aren’t run in this manner,” he said.
The JI leader said Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman Imran Khan had announced end to the Nato blockade in the province without taking the party’s allies, JI and Awami Jamhoori Ittehad, into confidence.
Full report at:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1090907/ji-complains-pti-ended-nato-blockade-unilaterally/print
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MQM chief warns against believing in Ahrarul Hind's claims
March 4, 2014
KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain on Tuesday said believing Ahrarul Hind – the militant group which claimed responsibility for attack on Islamabad district courts – will not be an intelligent move, Express News reported.
On March 4, two suicide bombers and their armed accomplices had attacked the district court in Islamabad, killing 11 people, including an additional sessions judge, and injuring over two dozen others.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/678770/court-carnage-mqm-chief-warns-against-believing-in-ahrarul-hinds-claims/
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HRCP aghast at denial of permission to visit ‘mass graves’
2014-03-04
QUETTA: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has expressed concern over government’s refusal to allow right activists and media personnel to visit Balochistan’s Totak area where human bodies were found in unconventional graves.
A meeting of the HRCP presided over by its Balochistan chapter chairman Tahir Hussain Khan was held on Monday to review the situation of human rights violation in the province.
“Concerns and apprehensions of human rights organisations and civil society have increased after the discovery of mass graves in Totak and denial to these institutions to visit Totak and quake-hit areas of Awaran,” the meeting observed.
Full report at:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1090933/hrcp-aghast-at-denial-of-permission-to-visit-mass-graves
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Two killed as gunmen attack Nato trucks in Jamrud
2014-03-04
PESHAWAR: Gunmen attacked four vehicles carrying Nato supplies for Afghanistan in the Jamrud area of Khyber on Tuesday, killing two people, officials said.
The vehicles came under fire in the Jamrud area, one of seven districts that make up Pakistan's semi-autonomous tribal belt, as they were on their way to Afghanistan.
Pakistan is a major transit supply route for the Nato mission in landlocked Afghanistan.
“The four containers were on their way to Afghanistan when four gunmen riding two motorbikes opened fire at them in Jamrud, killing two helpers and wounding one driver and one helper,” a senior local administration official, Jehangir Azam Wazir, told AFP.
He said one of the helpers died on the spot while the second one succumbed to his injuries in hospital.
Full report at:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1090967/two-killed-as-gunmen-attack-nato-trucks-in-jamrud
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North America
YouTube allowed by a US court to host anti-Islamic film trailer after editing
Ravi Sharma,TOI Tech | Mar 4, 2014
NEW DELHI: Google has been allowed by a US court to continue showing the trailer of a controversial anti-Islamic film on YouTube, after editing some portions.
The internet search giant was granted the reprieve in the case over 'Innocence of Muslims', the film which has sparked protests by Muslims across the world.
In its ruling on Monday, the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit said that Google can retain the trailer of the film on its video-sharing website YouTube only after removing the performance of plaintiff Cindy Lee Garcia, according to a report by ComputerWorld.com.au. Any copy of the video featuring Garcia has to be edited to remove her part.
Despite the new ruling, the court has remained firm on its earlier order to not allow Google to upload new copies of the videos on the website.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tech/tech-news/internet/YouTube-allowed-to-host-anti-Islamic-film-trailer-after-editing/articleshow/31407851.cms
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US backs Pakistan’s efforts against militancy, says envoy
March 4, 2014
ISLAMABAD: US Principal Deputy Special Representative on Afghanistan and Pakistan Beth Jones said on Monday that however Pakistan chooses to deal with the issue of militancy – through negotiations or the use of force – it remains an ‘internal’ issue and the United States is primarily concerned with curbing the menace of terrorism in both Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Jones, who is also her country’s ambassador to Pakistan, said Washington is ‘supportive of the Pakistani government’s efforts in counter-terrorism’. When asked how Washington views the dialogue with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Jones said the US ‘does not take sides’. Jones expressed her condolences over Monday’s twin attack in Islamabad’s district courts and said, “We are very much in support of counter-terrorism.”
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/678628/weighing-in-us-backs-pakistans-efforts-against-militancy-says-envoy/
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Islamic Center of Bothell target of anti-Muslim messages
March 04 2014
After an escalation of targeted anti-Muslim incidents at the Islamic Center of Bothell (ICOB), located on the second floor of a building on East Riverside Drive, the Bothell Police Department and the FBI have begun an investigation to determine if the events were bias-motivated.
“The reason why we thought this rose to such a level is because there has not been just one or two or three but a series of events that have targeted this community.
“We took the last one very seriously and called for a federal investigation into the series of events that have taken place,” said Arsalan Bukhari, executive director of the Washington State chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), at a press conference held on February 24.
Full report at:
http://www.topix.net/city/bothell-wa/2014/03/islamic-center-of-bothell-target-of-anti-muslim-messages
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Kerry: U.S. Committed to Preserving Jewish, Democratic Nature of the State of Israel
March 04 2014
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who is leading ongoing peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, on Monday said the United States is committed to “preserving the Jewish and democratic nature of the State of Israel.”
Speaking at the 2014 AIPAC Policy Conference in Washington D.C., Kerry said, “Any peace agreement must also guarantee Israel’s identity as a Jewish homeland.”
But that peace must come with guarantees for Israel’s security, he said, agreeing with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s statement earlier Monday at the White House. “When Bibi looks me in the eye and says, I can’t accept a deal with the Palestinians that doesn’t make the people of Israel safer, we agree 100 per cent.”
Full report at:
http://www.algemeiner.com/2014/03/03/kerry-u-s-committed-to-preserving-jewish-democratic-nature-of-the-state-of-israel/
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Canada’s Virtual Education Mission to Libya
March 04 2014
With Canada looking to double its intake of international students, the Canadian embassy in Libya came up with a modern idea – a Virtual Education Mission.
The two-day mission was a way to put key players in Libyan ministries and organisations in touch with Canadian institutions, to explore prospective education and training opportunities, via video and teleconference.
Six Libyan ministries, including the Education, Communication, Transport and Electricity Ministries, and two Libyan universities participated, along with 13 Canadian universities, colleges and educational organisations.
Full report at:
http://www.libyaherald.com/2014/03/03/canadas-virtual-education-mission-to-libya/#ixzz2v2ELilXC
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Europe
Moscow and Tunisia to intensify political cooperation on fighting terrorism – Russian PM
March 4, 2014
Parties agreed to intensify cooperation in the fight against terrorism and extremism. Moscow and Tunisia share the view on the situations in the Middle East and North Africa, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said after talks with Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki. "We have agreed to intensify political dialogue and to develop trade and economic relations, especially in terms of culture and tourism.
We share the view on the global state of affairs as well as on the situation in the Middle East and North Africa. We want nations to be able to choose their destiny without drastic changes," Russian Foreign Minister said. In this regard, the parties agreed to intensify cooperation in the fight against terrorism and extremism. "We have assured that we truly support the Tunisian reforms, related to the adoption of the new Constitution and the preparations for the elections,” Lavrov said.
Full report at:
http://voiceofrussia.com/2014_03_04/Moscow-and-Tunisia-to-intensify-political-cooperation-Russias-Lavrov-2583/
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World Uyghur Congress Condemns Kunming Violence and Calls for Calm
March 4, 2014
The World Uyghur Congress (WUC) unequivocally condemns the violence that took place at Kunming railway station on 1 March 2014, in which 29 people were reportedly killed. The WUC expresses its condolences to the victims and their families.
One named person has been implicated in the attack, Abdurehim Kurban. The ethnicities and identities of the other assailants have not been disclosed, although Chinese state media has blamed “Xinjiang separatists” for the attack. The WUC urges calm on all sides and calls on the Chinese government to provide assurances that Uyghurs will not be subjected to indiscriminate reprisals.
Full report at:
http://www.uyghurcongress.org/en/?p=22093%20WUC%20Condemns%20Kunming%20Violence%20and%20Calls%20for%20Calm
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Joining Syrian ranks of al-Qaeda 'in vogue' for young British Muslims
March 04 2014
“Multiple thousands” of young British Muslim men using internet to research visits to war zone and then to boast about their exploits
Travelling to Syria to fight for al-Qaeda is “in vogue” among young British Muslims, the director of the European Union’s crime intelligence agency said.
Rob Wainwright, who heads Europol, warned that “multiple thousands” of young Muslim men may have travelled to Syria to fight for al-Qaeda-linked groups.
He said many were using the internet to research their visits to the war zone and then to boast about their exploits.
In an interview with The Telegraph, Mr Wainwright said European Muslim men were being radicalised in Syria by terrorist groups including al-Qaeda-linked fighters.
Full report at:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/al-qaeda/10672455/Joining-Syrian-ranks-of-al-Qaeda-in-vogue-for-young-British-Muslims.html
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Senior Russian Official: ‘We Expect All Sanctions on Iran to be Lifted’
March 04 2014
The Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee in Russia’s parliament, Mikhail Margelov, said on Monday that his country expects all economic sanctions against Iran to be removed immediately, Israeli daily Ma’ariv reported.
“There have been important developments. President Hassan Rouhani has openly declared that Iran has no intention to develop an atomic bomb,” Margelov said. ”Furthermore, Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, has issued a decree that prohibits the building of a bomb, calling it ‘a sin.’ ”
Full report at:
http://www.algemeiner.com/2014/03/03/senior-russian-official-we-expect-all-sanctions-on-iran-to-be-lifted/
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Third round of Syria talks urgently needed: UN chief
March 04 2014
UN chief Ban stressed Monday the urgency of relaunching the Syrian peace process, urging Damascus in particular to return to Geneva with a more "constructive position."
"The only way to end the crisis is through a negotiated solution," he told reporters on the sidelines of the UN Human Rights Council, adding: "We are determined to bring the parties back to the table here in Geneva."
The UN-led Geneva II peace talks broke down on February 15 when a second round of talks ended with no new date set for them to reconvene.
The UN Secretary General said he had had a long talk Sunday with Lakhdar Brahimi, who has been mediating the talks on behalf of the UN and the Arab League.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/95795/World/Region/Third-round-of-Syria-talks-urgently-needed-UN-chie.aspx
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South Asia
PM Sheikh Hasina calls to build secure, stable region
March 04 2014
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has urged the Bimstec members to fulfill their pledge to build this region as a secure, stable and prosperous one for ensuring dignity and peace for all of its peoples.
Hasina has made the call in an inaugural session of the third Bimstec (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) Summit at Myanmar International Conference Centre here on Tuesday morning, reports BSS.
"I call upon the fraternal members of the Bimstec to extend all cooperation in fulfilling our pledge to becoming a secure, stable and prosperous region where all our peoples would enjoy a life of dignity, security and peace," she said.
The prime minister also stressed the need for working with collective strength and capabilities by the Bimstec members in utilizing combined natural endowments for beneficial economic integration and shared prosperity.
"The reality today is a globalized world where we need to work with collective strength and capabilities in utilizing our combined natural endowments for beneficial economic integration and shared prosperity," she added.
Full report at:
http://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2014/mar/04/pm-calls-secure-stable-region#sthash.8bcI0ss4.dpuf
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Myanmar Opposition Leader: Myanmar can learn from Bangladesh
March 04 2014
Myanmar Opposition Leader Aung San Suu Kyi has said her country can learn many things from Bangladesh.
“The programmes Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has taken for the poor, especially women and children, are an inspiration for me,” she said.
Nobel laureate Suu Kyi, also the chairman of the National League for Democracy, made the remarks when Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina went to meet her at the Myanmarese capital Naypyidaw.
Full report at:
http://www.dhakatribune.com/foreign-affairs/2014/mar/04/suu-kyi-myanmar-can-learn-bangladesh#sthash.wZY43t7W.dpuf
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The politics of the death penalty in the Maldives
March 04 2014
In a presidential campaign rally in 2008, former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom dismissed the issue of death penalty:
“Maldivians won’t accept it. The international community no longer accepts it…this can’t be done in the Maldives.”
Five years’ on, and such a statement from a major politician seems unthinkable. In fact, in 2012, in the aftermath of the murder of Afrasheem Ali, Gayoom stated: “Death penalty is an option.”
Not mainly a religious or human rights issue
Coming from a secular liberal background, a person may conveniently blame the changing nature of this issue to a rise in ‘fundamentalist Islam’, Islamism, or Salafi puritanism.
Full report at:
http://minivannews.com/politics/comment-the-politics-of-the-death-penalty-in-the-maldives-78891
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Exiled Uighur leader urges calm after China attack
World Bulletin/News Desk
March 04 2014
A prominent exiled Uighur leader has urged China's government to respond calmly to a knife attack in the country's southwest and not "demonise" ethnic Uighurs after Beijing blamed the mass killings on extremists from the far western region of Xinjiang.
Rebiya Kadeer, President of the World Uyghur Congress, also said tension could only be reduced in Xinjiang (East Turkestan) if China acknowledged rights issues faced by the large Uighur minority.
China has vowed to crack down on what it says are "militants bent on transforming Xinjiang into an independent state called East Turkestan." But it has also emphasised ethnic unity after an attack on Saturday in Kunming in which 33 died, including four assailants.
Full report at:
http://www.worldbulletin.net/todays-news/130166/exiled-uighur-leader-urges-calm-after-china-attack
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‘Policies in Xinjiang brutal, cause trauma among Uyghurs’
Sutirtho Patranobis , Hindustan Times
March 04, 2014
The Chinese government should immediately reverse its provocative and discriminatory policies in Xinjiang, a Germany-based Uyghur exiled group has said, adding that such policies were leading to rampant psychological trauma among the Muslim Uyghur community linked to Kunming attacks.
The Germany-based World Uyghur Congress (WUC) — banned and termed separatist by Beijing — said it was difficult to determine the ethnicity of the Kunming attackers from the official version of the incident but state repression could lead to spontaneous violence.
Beijing, the WUC said could use the incident to further repress the community with its distinct Islamic culture, language and identity.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/policies-in-xinjiang-brutal-cause-trauma-among-uyghurs/article1-1190641.aspx#sthash.JPRyxEXb.dpuf
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Aid lifeline under threat for Myanmar’s Rakhine Muslims
March 04, 2014
For Muslim communities eking out an existence in segregated camps in Myanmar’s Rakhine state, aid groups provide a lifeline but their work is coming under threat from Buddhist nationalist campaigns that have pushed the government to eject Doctors Without Borders (MSF) from the region.
Experts warn that the decision last week to halt MSF’s activities in Rakhine sends a chilling message to humanitarian agencies working in the impoverished western state, which remains volatile following two major eruptions of communal bloodshed in 2012 that left over a hundred thousand people displaced, mainly Muslims.
Full report at:
http://www.nation.com.pk/international/04-Mar-2014/aid-lifeline-under-threat-for-myanmar-s-rakhine-muslims
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India
Masjid-e-Haram to offer Juma Khutba translation in Urdu
March 04 2014
Makkah: Last Friday, Masjid-e-Haram that houses Kaaba started giving simultaneous translations of Friday Khutba in Masjid-e-Haram in Makkah in Urdu.
English translation was already available but this the first time that Khutba will be made available in Urdu as well. According to the Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques, the simultaneous translation will be provided through an intra-FM service though headphones. Translations booths were set up and worshippers were given headphones. Currently service is available only near King Fahad Gate area.
A large number of immigrant workers from India and Pakistan speak Urdu but no estimate is available on total number of Urdu speakers in the Kingdom.
The translation service is in trial period with plan to expand to Masjid-e-Nabvi in Madinah.
http://twocircles.net/2014mar03/masjideharam_offer_juma_khutba_translation_urdu.html?
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Warring Muslim leaders shared common platform at Jamaat e Islami Hind conference
March 04 2014
Mumbai: Several Muslim groups gathered at a ground in Mumbai to deliberate on ‘Desh ka Vikas… Nyay Aur Sadbhavana Ke Sath’ (Country’s development, with justice and harmony). The agenda of the meeting was to discuss the People’s Manifesto prepared by the Jamaat e Islami Hind, Maharashtra. (JIH, MS).
The conference was formally inaugurated by Afzal Baig, Organizer, JIH Mumbai. He stated that the meeting had been called to fulfil the responsibility of ensuring social well-being and peace during and after elections and recollected how the Jamaat has been active in this field since the past 10 years.
Full report at:
http://twocircles.net/2014mar03/warring_muslim_leaders_shared_common_platform_jih_co
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India-Pak meeting to discuss ways to streamline trade across LoC
TNN | Mar 4, 2014
NEW DELHI: For the first time in almost two years, a meeting of the Pakistan-India Joint Working Group (JWG) on Cross-LoC CBMs will be held in New Delhi on Tuesday.
The Pakistan delegation will be headed by Riffat Masood, director general (South Asia), ministry of foreign affairs, while the Indian side will be led by Rudrendra Tandon, joint secretary (PAI), ministry of external affairs.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/India-Pak-meeting-to-discuss-ways-to-streamline-trade-across-LoC/articleshow/31358741.cms
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Mideast
Netanyahu Tells Obama: Iran is ‘Greatest Challenge’ Faced by U.S., Israel
March 04 2014
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told U.S. President Barack Obama on Monday in Washington, D.C., that the “greatest challenge” facing their two countries is stopping Iran from gaining the capability to produce a nuclear weapon.
“The greatest challenge, undoubtedly, is to prevent Iran from acquiring the capacity to make nuclear weapons,” Netanyahu said, according to a transcript of his remarks released by his communications office. “I think that goal can be achieved if Iran is prevented from enriching uranium and dismantles fully its military nuclear installations.”
Netanyahu told Obama that ”if that goal can be achieved peacefully and through diplomacy, I can tell you that no country has a greater stake in this than Israel.”
Full report at:
http://www.algemeiner.com/2014/03/03/netanyahu-tells-obama-iran-is-greatest-challenge-faced-by-u-s-israel/
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Hamas says Egypt ban serves Israeli occupation
March 04 2014
Hamas on Tuesday slammed an Egyptian court's decision to ban the activities of the Palestinian Islamist movement governing Gaza, saying it "serves" the group's arch-enemy Israel.
"Any decision such as this is an attempt to besiege the resistance, and serves the Israeli occupation," Bassem Naim, a senior official in Hamas, told AFP.
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/95837/Egypt/Politics-/Hamas-says-Egypt-ban-serves-Israeli-occupation.aspx
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Syria's refugee children in Turkey get music and art therapy
World Bulletin / News Desk
March 04 2014
The children of Syrian families, who have fled the country’s civil war for refugee camps in the central Turkish province of Malatya, have been receiving music and art therapy.
The governorship of Malatya has opened courses in Beydagi container city to help the children deal with the negative effects of the war. Beydagi, in the village of Fatih, is been home to more than 7,000 of Syria’s refugees.
Baglama - an instrument with three double strings - teacher Kursat Celik told AA that the music is a significant part of the therapy.
"The kids are talented; some of them sing songs in Turkish. They look so happy. I think they are getting better with music and painting."
Full report at:
http://www.worldbulletin.net/syrias-refugee-children-in-turkey-get-music-and-art-therapy/130147/syrias-refugee-children-in-turkey-get-music-and-art-therapy
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Abbas: If Kerry's framework not satisfactory, PA will end talks, seek unilateral recognition
March 04 2014
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said Monday that if US Secretary of State John Kerry’s framework agreement fails to give Palestinians a satisfactory answer to the core issues, he will stop negotiations with Israel and turn to international bodies for unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state.
Speaking during a meeting with Meretz leader Zehava Gal- On, Abbas said, “The only chance that we will agree to extend the talks will be if Netanyahu declares a settlement construction freeze and the releasing of more prisoners.”
The nine-month period that Kerry designated for negotiations is set to end on April 29.
Abbas’s comments came as Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu was set to meet with US President Barack Obama in Washington. Obama was expected to pressure Netanyahu to accept Kerry’s framework agreement. Abbas is to meet Obama at the White House on March 17.
Full report at:
http://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/Abbas-If-Kerrys-framework-not-satisfactory-PA-will-end-talks-seek-unilateral-recognition-344133
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Israeli airstrike kills two in the Gaza Strip
World Bulletin / News Desk
March 04 2014
The death toll from a late Monday Israeli strike on the Gaza Strip rose to two after a wounded Palestinian succumbed to his injuries on Tuesday.
Sherif Youssef Nasser, 31, has succumbed to his injuries, Ashraf al-Qodrah told Anadolu Agency.
Mosab Moussa al-Zaanen, 21, was instantly killed in the Israeli airstrike on Beit Hanoun town.
The Israeli army, for its part, said the strike came in response to a rocket attack on an Israeli town on the border with the Gaza Strip.
For weeks, Israeli aircraft have targeted Palestinian fighters in the strip in an apparent return of Israel's policy of "targeted killings."
Full report at:
http://www.worldbulletin.net/headlines/130153/israeli-airstrike-kills-two-in-the-gaza-strip
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Southeast Asia
Indonesia Religious Affairs Minister Wants Right to Issue Halal Certification
March 04 2014
Jakarta. The Ministry of Religious Affairs and the Indonesian Council of Ulema (MUI) are engaged in a tug-of-war over the right to issue Halal certificates and to reap the potential economic benefits of the Islamic certification process.
The MUI, the nation’s highest Islamic oversight body, has handled the issuance of Halal certificates for decades — charging companies as much as Rp 5 million ($430) for the seal. But in Muslim-majority Indonesia, which entity should lay claim to the revenue from such certifications has become a hotly debated issue. The MUI wants to continue issuing the certificates, but is facing strong headwinds from the central government.
Full report at:
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/indonesia-religious-affairs-minister-wants-right-to-issue-halal-certification/
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False blog posting is to raise tension ahead of tomorrow’s Allah hearing, says Muslim group
March 04 2014
Another person shown in a photograph supposedly of Muslims being baptised in a church said the fictitious post was an attempt to raise tension ahead of tomorrow's Federal Court hearing on the Allah issue.
The photograph, which was circulated over the Internet last weekend, was actually taken at a forum at the International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilisation (Istac) but a blogger had posted the picture and said it was taken at a church where Muslims were baptised.
Full report at:
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/false-blog-posting-is-to-raise-tension-ahead-of-tomorrows-allah-hearing-say
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Two suspected terrorists arrested in Poso
March 04 2014
The Central Sulawesi Police arrested two suspected terrorists on Monday evening after a shootout in Kilo village, Poso regency.
"We believe they are terrorists we have been looking for," Poso Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Susnadi said on Tuesday as quoted by Antara news agency.
Both suspected terrorists, identified as A and R, are local villagers. They were being detained at the Poso Police office for questioning, Susnadi said.
Susnadi was confident the two were part of the Santoso terrorism network because when they were arrested, the officers confiscated from them a revolver with 43 bullets of Caliber .38 and a homemade bomb.
Full report at:
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/03/04/two-suspected-terrorists-arrested-poso.html
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