Saudi-Backed International Religious Centre Could Be Used To Spread Wahhabism
Age Islam News Bureau
25 Nov 2012
Arab World
• Saudi-Backed Religious Centre Could Be Used To Spread Wahhabism
• Saudi Arabia's Grand Mufti Warns Public against Iran Created Unrest
• At renovated Iraq shrine, Shiites mark a holy day
• Morocco dismantles cell sending 'jihadists' to Mali
• Millions Flood Iraq Shrine City for Ashura Peak
• Suspected militants bomb security bases in Egypt's Sinai
• Iraqi Kurds send more troops into areas disputed with Iraqi army
• Egypt prosecutor to probe election challenges
• Syrian rebels claim military airport near Damascus
• Morsi refuses to blink as supporters head to streets
• Saudi Arabia trial on alleged conversion postponed
• Egypt's HRC holds urgent meeting on president's power-grabbing declaration
• Hezbollah says it would hit Tel Aviv in future war
Southeast Asia
• Thousands of Malians Gather to Reject Religious Extremism
• Indonesian Hard-Liners Register Volunteers to Wage Jihad against Israel
• Indonesia’s Islamic studies revisited
Pakistan
• A Sunni Human Shield for Shias in Gilgit-Baltistan
• Yom-e-Ashura: 5 killed, over 70 injured in Pakistan bomb attack on Shias
• Islamic revolution will soon be future of Pakistan: Jamaat-e-Islami
• Under threat of attack: Thousands march undeterred in Muharram processions
• President urges Muslims to learn from Great Sacrifice
• Youth guard Ashura: 'I may be tired, but I am not afraid'
• Follow footsteps of Karbala martyrs: Imran
• Pakistani Taliban claim responsibility for bomb attack on Shia procession
• Malala’s father to work in Birmingham: Reports
• Pakistan's favourite columnist Ardeshir Cowasjee dies
Mideast Asia
• Gaza cleric issues fatwa against violation of truce
• Bomb kills three Yemenis marking Shi'ite Muslim Ashura festival
• Hamas deploy police on Israel border to prevent incidents
• Yasir Arafat exhumation hopes to quell poison quandary
• Abbas 'fully confident' ahead of UN upgrade bid
• Netanyahu's Likud chooses list for January election
India
• Shahabuddin being used by the BJP as a bridge between Modi and Muslims
• Muharram sees a show of communal harmony in Uttar Pradesh
• Cong panel sees ‘Gujarat pattern’ in Faizabad violence
• A 'Pakistan' in Bihar, where Quassab's hanging was celebrated
• Bal Thackeray 'sitting duck', Headley had said after recce
• Bodo-Muslim clashes in Assam: Refugees return home to reap a bitter harvest
• Tight security in Mumbai on eve of 26/11 terror attack
• 'Most-dreaded' Aftab wants political prisoner status
• Workers dig up Tipu era cannon
• Quassab’s execution will not affect Sarabjit’s release: Advocate
• 26/11: Turning The Page
• Asif Ibrahim tipped to be new IB chief
• Ahmedabad lawyer gets information on expenditure of Quassab's jail term
• NSG partially admits to selective distribution of donations among 26/11 heroes
Africa
• Sudan 'plot' linked to hardcore Islamists: Analysts
• At least 12 dead in Somalia-Kenya border battle
• Blast at barracks church in Kaduna, northern Nigeria
South Asia
• Seminar on 'Arab Spring' held at Asian University for Women
• Factory fire, flyover collapse kills 137 in Bangladesh
• 11 Rohingyas detained in Ukhia of Cox's Bazar
• Afghan student killed in sectarian clash: police
• India calls in debts of US$100 million; “not a major concern”, Maldivian F M
J• P MP Abdulla Jabir summoned to police regarding island raid, alleged alcohol consumption
• M P’s murder “carefully planned”: Maldivian H M
• President mourns loss of lives in Ashulia, Chittagong
• United Nations Recognizes Indonesia for Successful Cooperatives
Europe
• UK urges US 'decisive' lead on Mid-East
• Smuggled out of Syria to show London, the art of war
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
Photo: Yom-e-Ashura: 5 killed, over 70 injured in Pakistan bomb attack on Shias
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/saudi-backed-international-religious-centre/d/9435
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Arab World
Saudi-Backed International Religious Centre Could Be Used To Spread Wahhabism
Nov 25 2012
* Critics say The King Abdullah Bin Abdul-Aziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue could be used by Riyadh to spread Wahhabism and divert attention from human rights violations and lack of religious freedom at home
VIENNA: A new inter-religious dialogue centre backed by Saudi Arabia is stirring up controversy in Vienna and abroad even before its official inauguration.
The King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Inter-religious and Intercultural Dialogue — in short KAICIID — will officially open its doors on Monday. But critics say that the centre — entirely financed by Saudi Arabia and named after its king, who initiated the idea — could be used by Riyadh to spread Wahhabism, and divert attention from human rights violations and lack of religious freedom at home.
Monday’s glitzy inauguration at Vienna’s Hofburg Palace will be attended by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and top representatives of the world’s leading religions.
Ahead of the event, the centre has gone on a media offensive to convince observers of its impartiality.
Set up jointly by Saudi Arabia, Spain and Austria, the KAICIID will have the status of an international organisation. That will bring it the privileges and tax breaks afforded to the likes of the United Nations, OPEC and the Organisation of Security of Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
“One of the main reasons why it was thought of as an international organisation is that through a founding document, we can rule out that one member state or one religious community dominates the centre,” Austria’s Foreign Ministry said. Despite Riyadh stepping in to finance the centre for the first three years, there will be “zero politics, zero influence in the centre”, KAICIID Secretary General Faisal bin Abdulrahman bin Muaammar, a former Saudi deputy education minister, told journalists.
The centre’s decision-making body, a nine-member board of directors including leading representatives of Islam, Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism and Buddhism, will make sure of that, he said.
The KAICIID’s stated mission is to act “as a hub, facilitating inter-religious and intercultural dialogue and understanding, to enhance cooperation, respect for diversity, justice and peace”.
Asked if the centre would comment on current issues such as the recent anti-Islam video that sparked deadly protests in the Muslim world or the earlier Muhammad caricatures, Muaammar told AFP it would not be political.
“We are not going to follow every incident... we don’t want to just react like a political body,” he said. “The problems in the last few years have been handled by politicians. Now let us use the wisdom of religious people.”
A statement from the Vatican on Friday said it had accepted an invitation to participate as a “founding observer” and a high-level delegation will attend the centre’s inauguration.
Annual conferences entitled ‘The Image of The Other’ will look at stereotypes and misconceptions in education, the media and the Internet. A fellowship programme will bring together applicants from different religions to work and learn from each other.
A yearly budget of 10-15 million euros will cover these programmes as well as a staff of 25 at the Vienna centre. Critics remain unconvinced however.
Liberal Muslim Initiative in Austria (ILMOe) said it believed “this dubious Wahhabist centre in Vienna” will “only serve Saudi Arabia’s political and religious interests abroad, under the guise of dialogue” and that its sole aim was to make Riyadh “respectable”.
Metropolitan Emmanuel of France, the Orthodox Church’s representative on the KAICIID board, also highlighted Riyadh’s poor human rights record in an interview with Austria’s Catholic news agency Kathpress.
The next three years will be “a trial period” for the centre, he said.
After that, the KAICIID will look for other sources of funding and it could also diversify further by bringing in new member states on top of the founding three, officials insist. Some observers hope the centre might eventually help Saudi Arabia implement reforms at home.
The ultra-conservative kingdom currently bans any form of worship other than Islam. It has also come under fire for its application of Islamic Shariah law, which includes executing by the sword people convicted of murder, apostasy or armed robbery.
“We are facing some criticism here, we are facing some criticism in Saudi Arabia... but dialogue is the answer for this,” said Muaammar. “The centre is open for all the critics. I invite them to come and see how the centre runs.”
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2012\11\25\story_25-11-2012_pg1_5
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Saudi Arabia's Grand Mufti Warns Public against Iran Created Unrest
A Saudi Arabia's Grand Mufti condemned anti-government protests blaming Iran for unrest among Shiite Muslims in Gulf Arab states
24 Nov 2012
Saudi Arabia's Grand Mufti, the highest religious authority in the birthplace of Islam, issued a condemnation of demonstrations that appeared to blame Iran for unrest among Shi'ite Muslims in Gulf Arab states.
"The Arab Gulf is being targeted by attacks seeking to discredit religion and eliminate the material interests and wealth it holds," Al-Watan newspaper quoted Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al al-Sheikh as saying in his Friday sermon in Riyadh.
Al-Sheikh warned people not to follow "enemies" who called on them to protest, saying they aimed to divide the people of the region.
Unrest has erupted among majority Shi'ites in Bahrain and minority Shi'ites in Eastern Saudi Arabia in the last two years. Sunni authorities have repeatedly blamed Shi'ite Iran, which denies involvement.
Tension has also run high over Iran's disputed nuclear programme, which Gulf Arab rulers fear could help Iran acquire nuclear weapons.
The al-Saud dynasty rules in alliance with clerics who back the royal family and have wide influence over Saudi society.
Al-Watan said al-Sheikh also lashed out at what he called "satellite channels that broadcast evil" and urged owners to use them to promote security and obey their country's rulers.
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/59055/World/Region/Saudi-Grand-Mufti-warns-Gulf-public-against-unrest.aspx
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At renovated Iraq shrine, Shiites mark a holy day
By KHALID MOHAMMED and DIAA HADID - Associated Press
Nov 25 2012
KARBALA, Iraq — It is the most impassioned day of the year for Shiite Muslims - Ashoura, when one of the faith's most revered figures, Imam Hussein, was martyred in battle. Hundreds of thousands of Shiites who flocked to his resplendent, gold-domed shrine to commemorate him Saturday found the site has radically changed.
The shrine of Imam Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, is seeing its most extensive renovation since the 17th century. The construction is part of a push by Iraq's Shiite rulers to reinvigorate sacred shrines long neglected under former dictator Saddam Hussein, reflecting the community's steadily growing pride and power since the fall of their nemesis.
Now worshippers find the shrines' minarets coated in gold and - in the most dramatic change - the sweeping plaza surrounding the mosque has been covered over with a series of domes to provide shade from the hot sun in the desert city of Karbala.
Full report at:
http://www.thestate.com/2012/11/24/2531502/at-renovated-iraq-shrine-shiites.html#.ULH7CuRthm5#storylink=cpy
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Morocco dismantles cell sending 'jihadists' to Mali
Morocco's police dismantled a 'jihadist cell' sending young men to fight for organizations linked to Al-Qaeda in northern Mali.
24 Nov 2012
Morocco's Interior Minister says that security forces have dismantled a militant cell sending young men to fight for organizations linked to al-Qaeda in northern Mali.
The statement issued Saturday said the cell had inculcated more than 20 Moroccans with al-Qaeda ideology and sent them to northern Mali after smuggling them across the closed border with Algeria.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/59059/World/Region/Morocco-dismantles-cell-sending-jihadists-to-Mali-.aspx
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Millions Flood Iraq Shrine City for Ashura Peak
November 25, 2012
Millions of Shiites flooded the Iraqi shrine city of Karbala on Sunday for the peak of Ashura rituals, which have been largely spared the deadly attacks that struck pilgrims in past years.
Throngs of pilgrims beat their chests and some used swords to make cuts on their heads as a sign of mourning for Imam Hussein, grandson of the Prophet Mohammed who was killed in 680 AD by the armies of the caliph Yazid.
Tradition holds that the revered imam was decapitated and his body mutilated. Hussein’s body is buried in the holy city, 100 kilometers (60 miles) south of Baghdad, and his death has become a formative event in Shiite Islam.
Full report at:
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/international/millions-flood-iraq-shrine-city-for-ashura-peak/558130
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Suspected militants bomb security bases in Egypt's Sinai
An unknown armed group bomb security bases in Egypt's Sinai
25 Nov 2012
Militants bombed security bases being built in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, injuring three people, authorities said, as the state tries to reassert control over territory that slipped from its grip after the uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak.
A massive explosion partly destroyed the wall of a security base being built for border guards in the town of Rafah at the border with the Gaza Strip overnight, but without causing injuries.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/59095/Egypt/Politics-/Suspected-militants-bomb-security-bases-in-Egypts-.aspx
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Iraqi Kurds send more troops into areas disputed with Iraqi army
Nov 25, 2012
ARBIL, IRAQ: Iraq's Kurdish region has sent reinforcements to a disputed area where its troops are involved in a standoff with the Iraqi army, a senior Kurdish military official said, despite calls on both sides for dialogue to calm the situation.
The second military buildup this year illustrates how far relations between Baghdad's central government, led by Shi'ite Muslim Arabs, and ethnic Kurds have deteriorated, testing Iraq's federal cohesion nearly a year after US troops left.
Baghdad and Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region earlier this week began sending troops to an area over which they both claim jurisdiction, raising tensions in a long-running feud over land and oil rights.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Iraqi-Kurds-send-more-troops-into-areas-disputed-with-Iraqi-army/articleshow/17356098.cms
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Egypt prosecutor to probe election challenges
Nov 25, 2012
CAIRO: Egypt's prosecutor general ordered Monday an investigation into allegations of irregularities and forgery in the presidential election, after the candidate who narrowly lost filed a complaint and said he remained in politics despite facing corruption charges.
Mohammed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood edged out Ahmed Shafiq to win Egypt's highest office in the nation's first freely contested presidential vote last summer. Shafiq left the country with his family to the United Arab Emirates soon after the results were announced, without explanation at the time. But he has since said he will continue his political career, pledging to return to Egypt soon and found a new party.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Egypt-prosecutor-to-probe-election-challenges/articleshow/17355515.cms
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Syrian rebels claim military airport near Damascus
Nov 25 2012
Syrian rebels said on Sunday they had captured a military airport east of Damascus following an overnight battle with government forces.
Footage posted online showed a man with a gun standing in front of a wrecked helicopter as he announced that the rebels had taken control of the military airport of Marj al-Sultan, located in the eastern Damascus suburb of Ghouta.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/syrian-rebels-claim-military-airport-near-damascus/article4133368.ece
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Morsi refuses to blink as supporters head to streets
ATUL ANEJA
Nov 25 2012
Egypt is bracing itself for another round of demonstrations — this time led by supporters of embattled President Mohamed Morsi — whose recent controversial decree, dubbed by his critics as power grab, brought about a landslide of protests over the weekend.
The Muslim Brotherhood, the Islamist organisation that laddered Mr. Morsy towards the Presidency, called upon its cadres to take to the streets, soon after daybreak on Sunday. Brotherhood activists have been told to highlight the perceived merits of the presidential order, which has immunised the Presidency from judicial intervention. The Islamist movement also announced that it would be holding a “one-million-man march” on Tuesday -- a show of strength that could escalate domestic tensions to a dangerous new level.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/morsy-refuses-to-blink-as-supporters-head-to-streets/article4133195.ece
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Saudi Arabia trial on alleged conversion trial postponed
By Habib Toumi
November 25, 2012
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Manama: A Saudi court has postponed for the fifth time the trial of a Saudi and a Lebanese on charges of helping a local woman convert to Christianity and fleeing the country.
The postponement by one week was attributed to the failure of witnesses working with the Saudi woman and the Lebanese man to show up at the court to give their testimony.
Full report at:
http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/saudi-arabia/saudi-arabia-trial-on-alleged-conversion-trial-postponed-1.1109620
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Egypt's human rights council holds urgent meeting on president's power-grabbing declaration
National Council for Human Rights vice president resigns; former official slams negligence and lack of transparency on part of official bodies involved in the necessary investigations
25 Nov 2012
An urgent National Council for Human Rights (NCHR) meeting is set for Tuesday to discuss President Morsi's constitutional declaration, which has caused an uproar in Egypt.
The council's vice president, Abdel Ghaffar Shukr, declared that he will resign from the council to protest the presidential decree's violations of human rights declarations and the principles of judicial independence. He asserts, however, that he will attend Tuesday's meeting, as agreed upon with Hossam El-Gheriany, the head of the council.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/59083/Egypt/Politics-/Egypts-human-rights-council-holds-urgent-meeting-o.aspx
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Hezbollah says it would hit Tel Aviv in future war
Hezbollah leader Nasrallah says Israel will face 'thousands of rockets' if it attacks Lebanon
25 Nov 2012
The leader of Lebanon's Hezbollah says the Islamist group would fire thousands of rockets into Israel and hit cities in the country's heartland in any future war.
Sheik Hassan Nasrallah's comments came days after an eight-day Israeli offensive against Gaza ended with a truce.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/59103/World/Region/Hezbollah-says-it-would-hit-Tel-Aviv-in-future-war.aspx
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Southeast Asia
Thousands of Malians Gather to Reject Religious Extremism
November 25, 2012
Several thousand Malians gathered in Bamako on Saturday to demonstrate against religious extremism and the occupation of the country’s north by jihadists.
“Our country has known Islam for more than three centuries. We cannot accept the religious extremism which currently exists in northern Malim” renowned Malian preacher Cherif Ousmane Madani Haidara told the crowd.
The demonstration was attended by political party representatives and religious leaders as well as former coup leader Captain Amadou Sanogo.
In March Sanogo ousted president Amadou Toumani Toure’s regime in a coup which prompted the rapid collapse of one of west Africa’s most stable democracies.
The putsch came as Mali’s soldiers found themselves overwhelmed by a rebellion of Tuareg separatists seeking the independence of their homeland in the vast arid north.
Full report at:
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/international/thousands-of-malians-gather-to-reject-religious-extremism/558140
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Indonesian Hard-Liners Register Volunteers to Wage Jihad Against Israel
Ronna Nirmala | November 23, 2012
The Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) distributed registration forms to volunteers willing to wage jihad against Israel at a protest in front of the US Embassy on Friday.
The hard-line group said they already had some volunteers — including FPI paramilitary commander Munarman — and that they planned to send FPI members to Palestine regardless of visa requirements.
“They will, insha Allah [God willing], depart with other volunteers,” FPI deputy chief Bernard Abdul Zabbar said on the sidelines of Friday’s protest. “Whether they permit us to go or not, we will still help volunteers who wish to go. We have many friends who will help us whether the state allows us to go or not.”
Full report at:
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/home/indonesian-hard-liners-register-volunteers-to-wage-jihad-against-israel/557892
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Indonesia’s Islamic studies revisited
Akh. Muzakki
November 23 2012
Religious studies have become the subject of heated debate among Indonesian scholars regarding whether or not they represent a particular and distinct discipline of knowledge. Some acknowledge them, but some others don’t. But, following the enactment of Law No. 12/2012 on higher education, controversy has shifted from the academic position of religious studies to the development of their body of knowledge.
Full report at:
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2012/11/23/indonesia-s-islamic-studies-revisited.html
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Pakistan
A Sunni Human Shield for Shias in Gilgit-Baltistan
ANITA JOSHUA
Nov 25 2012
The Sunni community of Gilgit-Baltistan set an example this Muharram by leading mourning processions in the heart of the province, literally providing a human shield to the Shias who have been at the receiving end across the country all year.
For a nation apprehensive of terror attacks, — particularly after Wednesday’s attacks on Imambargahs in Karachi and Rawalpindi — the effort made by the Sunnis to spread harmony came as a silver lining amid dark clouds of sectarianism. The Army had to be called in in the picturesque province in April as14 died and 50 were injured in sectarian violence which lasted days and spilled on to the Karakoram Highway.
A Shia majority area, communal tensions have been common since the 1970s, particularly after the opening of the Karakoram Highway in the mid-1980s facilitated people from other parts to settle in the otherwise remote region. Matters came to a head during the Zia regime which injected sectarian and Jihadi elements into the area.
The feel-good Gilgit-Baltistan story apart, terrorists struck at the Shia community in the Dera Ismail Khan area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, killing seven and injuring 20 people in a bomb blast. The bomb was planted in a garbage dump along the route of a Muharram procession. In Sargodha, Punjab, 30 people were injured in a firing on a Shia procession.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/a-sunni-shield-for-shias/article4130786.ece
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Yom-e-Ashura: 5 killed, over 70 injured in Pakistan bomb attack on Shias
Nov 25 2012
Islamabad : At least five persons were killed and over 70 others injured today when a Shia procession was targeted with a bomb at Dera Ismail Khan in Pakistan's restive northwest, the second such attack in the city in as many days.
The attack occurred as the minority Shia community observed their holiest day of Ashura.
The bomb, planted in a shop in Chogla area of Dera Ismail Khan, was triggered by remote-control as a procession was passing by.
A security personnel was among the five persons killed in the attack, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain said.
Four security personnel, women and children were among the injured.
Several of the wounded were in a critical condition.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/yomeashura-5-killed-over-70-injured-in-pakistan-bomb-attack-on-shias/1036144/
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Islamic revolution will soon be future of Pakistan: Jamaat-e-Islami
Nov 25 2012
KARACHI: Karachi, Afghanistan and Gaza have transformed into present era Karbala, so the Islamic revolution will soon be the future of Pakistan like Turkey and Egypt, as Islamic movements achieved brilliant success in a very short span of time.
Youth will support Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) for change as per tenets of Quran, Allah and Muhammad (PBUH). These views were expressed by the JI Karachi leaders while addressing a one-day party convention at Gulshan-e-Iqbal here on Saturday. Addressing the convention, Hafiz Idhrees said that practical struggle was necessary for the implementation of Islamic rules and regulation to eliminate oppression from the country.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2012\11\25\story_25-11-2012_pg7_16
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Under threat of attack: Thousands march undeterred in Muharram processions
November 25, 2012
PESHAWAR / QUETTA / ISLAMABAD / LAHORE / KARACHI:
Thousands of mourners across the country took part in 9th Muharram processions amid stringent security on Saturday.
Despite the threat of possible terrorist attacks, hundreds of people, including women and children, participated in Islamabad’s biggest Muharram procession, which culminated in over six hours.
“The greater the threat, the greater the number of people that participate in the procession,” said Ali Raza, one of the participants, adding they were not afraid of any terrorists.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/470889/under-threat-of-attack-thousands-march-undeterred-in-muharram-processions/
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President urges Muslims to learn from Great Sacrifice
Nov 25 2012
* PM says battle between good and evil is going on in the country even today
ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari has urged Muslims to learn from the example of supreme sacrifice of Hazrat Imam Hussain (AS) and Ahl-e-Bait and continue to struggle for higher values and triumph of goodness over evil.
In a message on the occasion of Ashura, the Karbala event was the most important in the history of Islam and reminds of the ultimate sacrifices of the Ahl-e-Bait (AS). “The incident teaches all Muslims to render sacrifice for higher values and triumph of goodness.”
Full report at:
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2012\11\25\story_25-11-2012_pg1_4
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Youth guard Ashura: 'I may be tired, but I am not afraid'
By Rabia Mehmood
November 25, 2012
LAHORE: Shivering from a mixture of adrenalin and nerves, Farwa Sajjad took up guard duty outside the Jamia-tul-Muntazir in Lahore’s Model Town, the evening of Muharram 6.
The petite 18-year-old was on edge after news reached of the attack on Rawalpindi’s Dhok Syeddan, which claimed 23 lives just hours earlier. However, when she saw a woman charging toward the gate of the Imambargah, knew what she had to do.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/471008/youth-guard-ashura-processions-i-may-be-tired-but-i-am-not-afraid/
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Follow footsteps of Karbala martyrs: Imran
November 25, 2012
LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan said on Saturday that Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) was the torch bearer of truth and courage against tyranny, and urged people to follow in his footsteps.
In a statement, the PTI chief paid tribute to the Holy Prophet’s (pbuh) grandson, saying, “As Muslims we pay rich tributes to the sacrifices offered by Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) who was the real liberator of Islam.”
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/470894/follow-footsteps-of-karbala-martyrs-imran/
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Pakistani Taliban claim responsibility for bomb attack on Shia procession
At least five Shias killed and more than 90 wounded after explosion during Ashura procession in Dera Ismail Khan
25 November 2012
The Taliban have said it carried out a bombing that killed at least five people and wounded more than 90 others at a Shia religious procession in north-west Pakistan on Sunday.
At least 30 people died in five attacks on the minority Muslim sect over the past five days, while about 100 have been wounded in the runup to the annual Ashura holiday, which commemorates the 7th-century death of the prophet Muhammad's grandson. The schism between Sunni Muslims and Shias dates to that time.
Full report at:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/nov/25/pakistan-bomb-shia-procession-taliban
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Malala’s father to work in Birmingham: Reports
November 25, 2012
Peace icon Malala Yousufzai’s father is to work in Birmingham while his daughter receives treatment in the city, the BBC reported.
Ziauddin Yousafzai will work at the Pakistan consulate as his daughter who is currently at Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital undergoes lengthy treatment.
He is expected to take up a 12-month post as an administrator at the Pakistan Consulate in Birmingham.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/470895/seeking-asylum-malalas-father-to-work-in-birmingham-reports/
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Pakistan's favourite columnist Ardeshir Cowasjee dies
Nov 24, 2012
ISLAMABAD: Ardeshir Cowasjee, one of Pakistan's best-known columnists who took on everyone from the military to right wing groups in his articles, died on Saturday at the age of 86 after a protracted illness.
Cowasjee, whose weekly columns appeared in the influential Dawn newspaper during 1988-2011, was admitted to a hospital in Karachi more than a week ago with a chest ailment.
Besides his columns laced with his acerbic wit and his forthright take on pressing issues facing Pakistan, Cowasjee was known for his social activism and philanthropy.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Pakistans-favourite-columnist-Ardeshir-Cowasjee-dies/articleshow/17352018.cms
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Mideast Asia
Gaza cleric issues fatwa against violation of truce
Nov 25 2012
A leading Islamic cleric in the Gaza Strip has ruled it a sin to violate the recent ceasefire between Israel and the Hamas that controls the Palestinian territory.
The fatwa, or religious edict, issued by Suleiman al-Daya late Saturday accords a religious legitimacy to the truce and could justify any act by Gaza’s government to enforce it.
“Honouring the truce, which was sponsored by our Egyptian brethren, is the duty of each and every one of us. Violating it shall constitute a sin,” the fatwa read.
The truce put an end to an eight-day Israeli offensive against Gaza militants who fired rockets into Israel. The agreement remains fragile because details beyond the initial ceasefire have not yet been worked out.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/gaza-cleric-issues-fatwa-against-violation-of-truce/article4133196.ece
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Bomb kills three Yemenis marking Shi'ite Muslim Ashura festival
Nov 25 2012
Sanaa : At least three Shi'ite Muslims were killed on Saturday in a bomb attack targeting the first public commemoration of the anniversary of the death of a grandson of the Prophet Mohammad in the Yemeni capital in half a century.
No one claimed responsibility for the attack, but al Qaeda and its affiliates, comprising Sunni Muslim militants, have targeted Shi'ites in the past.
Medics and local officials said 13 other people were also wounded in the attack on a hall where the Shi'ites were leaving the ceremony in Sanaa after the Ashura rituals which recall the death of Imam Hussein in Iraq in the year 680 AD.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/bomb-kills-three-yemenis-marking-shiite-muslim-ashura-festival/1036126/
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Hamas deploy police on Israel border to prevent incidents
Hamas deploys troops along the Gaza Strip border to preserve the implementation of the truce a day after Israel shot and killed one person there
24 Nov 2012
Hamas temporarily deployed police on Gaza's border with Israel to prevent incidents that could imperil a fresh truce, sources said on Saturday, a day after Israel shot and killed one person there.
Security forces "have been deployed along the Gaza Strip border to preserve the implementation of the truce," the spokesman for the Hamas interior ministry, Islam Shahwan, told AFP.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/59062/World/Region/Hamas-deploy-police-on-Israel-border-to-prevent-in.aspx
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Yasir Arafat exhumation hopes to quell poison quandary
Nov 25 2012
Ramallah : One of the Middle East's greatest political mysteries will come a step closer to being solved on Tuesday when scientists exhume iconic Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's remains to see if he was poisoned.
"It is very painful. It is a shock, and it is not easy for myself or my daughter," Arafat's widow Suha Arafat said by telephone from her home in Malta ahead of the highly controversial procedure.
"But we must do it to turn the page on the great secrecy surrounding his death. If there was a crime, it must be solved."
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/yasir-arafat-exhumation-hopes-to-quell-poison-quandary/1036113/
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Abbas 'fully confident' ahead of UN upgrade bid
Move to upgrade Palestine to rank of observer state at UN will be followed by steps to bridge divide between Hamas and Fatah, says Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas
A25 Nov 2012
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday said he was "fully confident" ahead of a fresh attempt to seek upgraded Palestinian status at the United Nations on November 29.
"We are going to the UN fully confident in our steps. We will have our rights because you are with us," he told a crowd of around 1,000 people demonstrating support for the bid to upgrade the Palestinian rank from that of an observer entity to an observer state.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/59105/World/Region/Abbas-fully-confident-ahead-of-UN-upgrade-bid.aspx
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Netanyahu's Likud chooses list for January election
Sunday's primary voting will decide who makes it onto the Likud party list which will be put to voters
25 Nov 2012
The 123,000 registered members of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ruling rightwing Likud party began casting votes in a leadership primary Sunday ahead of a general election on January 22.
Polling stations opened at 9:00 am (0700 GMT) and were to close 13 hours later at 10:00 pm (2000 GMT) with the results expected out by midnight (2200 GMT).
Sunday's primary will decide who makes it onto the party list which will be put to voters in the January election.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/59085/World/Region/Netanyahus-Likud-chooses-list-for-January-election.aspx
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India
Shahabuddin being used by the BJP as a bridge between Modi and Muslims
Shahabuddin’s open letter to Modi invites criticism
Nov 25 2012
Shahabuddin’s “open letter” to Chief Minister Narendra Modi citing nine conditions that would entail Muslim ‘support’ to him has left the several organisations cold to the idea.
The current president of All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat (AIMMM), Zafar ul Islam, was quick to distance himself from the statement and pointed out that Shahabuddin’s letter is on behalf of the Joint Committee of Muslim Organisations for Empowerment.
He said: “The organisations that are represented in this Committee, have not changed their mind over Modi, we stand by what we have said about him.” Other Muslim representatives cite the fact that Shahabuddin’s daughter is a minister in the JD(U)-BJP government in Bihar, and the possibility that he is “being used by the BJP as a bridge between Modi and Muslims.”
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/shahabuddin-s-open-letter-to-modi-invites-criticism/1035979/
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Muharram sees a show of communal harmony in Uttar Pradesh
SURBHI KHYATI
Nov 25 2012
Every year, on the 10th day of Muharram, the procession of Tazia burial turns into a show of communal harmony in Uttar Pradesh. Hindus and Muslims of several eastern districts of the state participate in the procession and follow the rituals with much reverence and faith.
Muslims mourn the martyrdom of Imam Husain, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad on Muharram. In India, the tradition is to bury Tazia — the replica of Imam Husain’s mausoleum at Iraq — on the 10th day of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/muharram-sees-a-show-of-communal-harmony-in-uttar-pradesh/1035955/
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Cong panel sees ‘Gujarat pattern’ in Faizabad violence
Nov 25 2012
Lucknow : A month after Faizabad witnessed communal violence, a report of the Anti-Communal Front of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee has demanded a CBI probe, claiming that the incidents were pre-planned and happened “along the lines of the Gujarat riots”.
“The use of OBC forces — Yadavs, Kevats and Muraons (Koiris) — as cannon folder against Muslims; the encouragement of the mob by the local police; the mysterious shortage of water of fire brigade teams and the pre-planned attack on Muslim targets only recalls the Gujarat pattern,” the chairman of the front, Amaresh Misra, said in Lucknow on Saturday.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/cong-panel-sees--gujarat-pattern--in-faizabad-violence/1035958/
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A 'Pakistan' where Quassab's hanging was celebrated
Bihar, November 24, 2012
Days after the execution of Pakistani national Ajmal Amir Quassab for the 2008 Mumbai terror attack, the people of Pakistan are in a celebratory mode.
There is a village in Bihar that bears the same name as India's neighbour, Pakistan, and in that little village, with about 35 households and a total population of about 250, residents are happy that justice has finally been done to a man responsible for so many deaths four years ago.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Bihar/A-Pakistan-where-Quassab-s-hanging-was-celebrated/Article1-963725.aspx
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Bal Thackeray 'sitting duck', Headley had said after recce
Nov 25, 2012
MUMBAI: Mumbai terror attack conspirator David Headley, who had surveyed most of the 26/11 targets, had also conducted a recce of Bal Thackeray's heavily-guarded residence 'Matoshree' in suburban Bandra in 2008, and found that Shiv Sena chief was a "sitting duck".
In his soon-to-be-released book, 'Headley and I', about filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt's son Rahul's unusual friendship with Headley during the latter's stay in Mumbai, author-journalist Hussain Zaidi has revealed how the LeT operative scanned Thackeray's residence with the help of Shiv Sena activist Vilas, a gym instructor.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Bal-Thackeray-sitting-duck-Headley-had-said-after-recce/articleshow/17358239.cms
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Bodo-Muslim clashes in Assam: Refugees return home to reap a bitter harvest
By Supriya Sharma, TNN | Nov 25, 2012
KOKRAJHAR (ASSAM): In the latest round of violence in Assam's Kokrajhar district, the first blood was spilled over bundles of paddy. Early morning on November 10, in Bajugaon village in Gossaigaon division, Ainal Haque had spent four hours bent over the ripened stalks, cutting and bundling them, with his friend Sadan Talukdar, when three men slipped out of the shadows of the encircling trees. In the scuffle that ensued, Sadan miraculously escaped, but Ainal was pinned down and shot dead.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Bodo-Muslim-clashes-in-Assam-Refugees-return-home-to-reap-a-bitter-harvest/articleshow/17355710.cms
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Tight security in Mumbai on eve of 26/11 terror attack
Nov 25 2012
Security has been tightened all across the city on the eve of the fourth anniversary of the 26/11 terror attack, police said on Sunday.
The lone caught 26/11 terrorist, Mohammad Ajmal Quassab, was executed at Yerawada prison in Pune on November 21.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tight-security-in-mumbai-on-eve-of-2611-terror-attack/article4133269.ece
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'Most-dreaded' Aftab wants political prisoner status
Ravik Bhattacharya, Hindustan Times
November 25, 2012
American Centre shootout mastermind Aftab Ansari, who is on death row at Kolkata’s Alipore Central Jail, has demanded political prisoner status, following in the footsteps of such Maoists as Chattradhar Mahato and V Venkateshwara Reddy, alias Telugu Dipak, who were granted the status in August after a Calcutta high court order.
Ansari’s argument: just as the Maoists, he, too, has been convicted of “waging war against the state” and, therefore, deserves similar treatment.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Kolkata/Most-dreaded-Aftab-wants-political-prisoner-status/Article1-963983.aspx
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Workers dig up Tipu era cannon
By Vanu Dev in Bangalore
Nov 25 2012
Discovery during Metro rail work in Bangalore
WORKERS digging up an underground section of the Bangalore Metro rail were in for a surprise when they discovered a 12 feet cannon and a cannonball — believed to be from the Tipu Sultan era.
The construction site, where the 18th century cannon was unearthed, falls between Tipu’s summer palace and the Bangalore fort. It is one of the rarest discoveries in the Karnataka capital relating to that period.
Full report at: Mail Today
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Quassab’s execution will not affect Sarabjit’s release: Advocate
Nov 25, 2012
JALANDHAR: The execution of 26/11 terror attack convict Ajmal Quassab will not affect the ongoing trial of Indian death row prisoner Sarabjit Singh in Pakistan, his advocate Awais Sheikh has said.
"Sarabjit and Quassab's cases are different. Quassab's case was related to terrorism in which many were killed. Whereas Sarabjit's case is one of mistaken identity," Mr. Sheikh told PTI.
"Pakistan has officially accepted in court that Quassab was a Pakistani national. Quassab was responsible for the killing of many people in the Mumbai terror attack," he added.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Quassabs-execution-will-not-affect-Sarabjits-release-Advocate/articleshow/17360486.cms
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Asif Ibrahim tipped to be new IB chief
Nov 25 2012
New Delhi : The government is likely to appoint S Asif Ibrahim as Director of Intelligence Bureau. He will be the first Muslim to hold the post.
Ibrahim’s name, it’s learnt, has been recommended for the post. Ibrahim, a 1977-batch IPS officer of Madhya Pradesh cadre, is currently serving as Special Director in the Intelligence Bureau.
Decks were cleared for his appointment after his colleague in the IB, Yashovardhan Azad, also of Madhya Pradesh cadre but a year senior to him, was recommended for the post of Secretary (Security) in the Cabinet Secretariat, sources said. Earlier, Azad was considered to be the front-runner for the job.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/asif-ibrahim-tipped-to-be-new-ib-chief/1035934/
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Ahmedabad lawyer gets information on expenditure of Quassab's jail term
Nov 25, 2012
AHMEDABAD: The discreet hanging of Amir Ajmal Quassab, a Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist at Yerwada Jail in Pune on November 21 put an end to a nationwide wait for justice to victims of Mumbai terror attack.
Even before the hanging, Quassab was in the eye of the storm for the facilities he enjoyed as a high-profile prisoner at Arthur Road prison in Mumbai.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Ahmedabad-lawyer-gets-information-on-expenditure-of-Quassabs-jail-term/articleshow/17355243.cms
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NSG partially admits to selective distribution of donations among 26/11 heroes
Nov 25, 2012
NEW DELHI: The NSG has conceded that donations from the Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC) were indeed distributed only among four commandos while seven others were ignored, lending credence to former commando Surender Singh's allegations that he had got a raw deal.
Using a platform provided by anti-graft crusader Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday, Singh had alleged that donations to the tune of Rs 2.5 lakh each in the name of all the 11 NSG commandos injured in the 26/11 attacks were received by the force but were given to only four commandos and the others were ignored.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/NSG-partially-admits-to-selective-distribution-of-donations-among-26/11-heroes/articleshow/17354682.cms
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Africa
Sudan 'plot' linked to hardcore Islamists: Analysts
Unlike previous threats from political opponents to the Sudanese regime, the last alleged plot revealed last week comes from within the military inner circles of President Bashir's 23-year regime, analysts say
25 Nov 2012
An alleged plot revealed last week to sabotage Sudan's security is linked to hardcore Islamist military officers and highlights turmoil within the regime of President Omar al-Bashir, analysts say.
Information Minister Ahmed Bilal Osman announced on Thursday the arrest of 13 people, including high-profile members of the security forces, who "targeted the stability of the state and some leaders of the state".
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/59090/World/Region/Sudan-plot-linked-to-hardcore-Islamists-Analysts.aspx
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At least 12 dead in Somalia-Kenya border battle
At least 12 people are killed after heavy fighting between Al-Qaeda-linked Shebab insurgents and Somali army
25 Nov 2012
Somalia's Al-Qaeda-linked Shebab fighters briefly took control of a small town on the border with Kenya in a battle that left at least 12 dead, military officials and witnesses said Sunday.
Heavy fighting broke out late Saturday afternoon in Bulohawo and lasted into the evening, residents and military commanders said, with residents confirming that the Shebab took full control of the town for a few hours before Somali troops were able to reinforce their positions.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/59078/World/Region/At-least--dead-in-SomaliaKenya-border-battle.aspx
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Blast at barracks church in Kaduna, northern Nigeria
25 November 2012
There has been an explosion at a church inside a military barracks in Kaduna state in northern Nigeria, military sources have said.
Unconfirmed reports say the blast came after a car was driven into the barracks in Jaji and explosives in it detonated.
Full report at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-20486998
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South Asia
Seminar on 'Arab Spring' held at Asian University for Women
25 November 2012
A seminar on "Arab Spring", one of the most momentous events in the contemporary world after the end of the Cold War, was held on the Asian University for Women (AUW) campus in Chittagong yesterday.
Alliance Française de Chittagong and AUW jointly organised the seminar styled “Cross Perspectives”.
Full report at:
http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=258791
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Factory fire, flyover collapse kill 137 in Bangladesh
Nov 25, 2012
DHAKA: At least 137 people were killed and scores injured when a major fire engulfed a multi-storey garment factory on the outskirts of the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka and an under-construction flyover collapsed in the southeastern port city of Chittagong, officials said today.
In one of the worst fire tragedies in the country, a blaze broke out at Tazrin Fashion factory in suburban Ashulia Savar, 30km from Dhaka, last night and quickly spread to the ground and first floors of the six-storey building.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/Factory-fire-flyover-collapse-kill-137-in-Bangladesh/articleshow/17360732.cms
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11 Rohingyas detained in Ukhia of Cox's Bazar
Deportation proceedings on
A Correspondent, Cox's Bazar
Eleven Rohingya youths were detained near Ukhia Degree College in Ukhia upazila of Cox's Bazar yesterday.
The detainees are Md Jubair, Rashid Ullah, Md Rafique, Md Halim, Nazim Uddin, Anwar, Sebal Karim, Abdullah, Gafur Miah, Jasim, and Nurul Islam, of Nagpura Roingadong village in Myanmar.
Full report at:
http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=258790
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Afghan student killed in sectarian clash: police
Nov 25 2012
KABUL: An Afghan student was killed and eight others wounded in clashes between Sunnis and Shias at Kabul University, a senior police officer said Saturday.
“It seems the clash between some Sunni and Shia students erupted when Shia students wanted to perform the Ashura mourning ceremony in a dormitory mosque,” said Mohammad Zaher, head of Kabul’s Criminal Investigation Department.
Full report at:
http://dawn.com/2012/11/25/afghan-student-killed-in-sectarian-clash-police/
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India calls in debts of US$100 million; “not a major concern”, Maldivian F M
By Neil Merrett | November 25th, 2012
Despite India requesting repayment of US$100 million in treasury bonds by February 2013, Finance Minister Abdulla Jihad has said his earlier fears that the Maldives would be unable to cover expenditure for the final months of 2012 were “no longer a concern”.
Jihad told Minivan News that India was also yet to provide a final US$25 million installment of a promised loan, one Jihad said just last month was vital to ensure the Maldives could cover its wage bill.
Full report at:
http://minivannews.com/politics/india-calls-in-debts-of-us100-million-not-a-major-concern-says-finance-minister-47838
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JP MP Abdulla Jabir summoned to police regarding island raid, alleged alcohol consumption
By Luke Powell | November 25th, 2012
Jumhoree Party (JP) MP Abdulla Jabir exercised his right to silence on Saturday after being summoned by police in connection with alleged alcohol consumption on the island of Hondaidhoo.
Jabir continued to claim that police had beaten him in Hondaidhoo in Haa Dhaal Atoll, further stating that he held Home Minister Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed and President Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik directly responsible for the actions of the police.
Police Commissioner Abdulla Riyaz was also accused of incompetence by Jabir, who then vowed to sue the police chief for personal damages.
Full report at:
http://minivannews.com/politics/jp-mp-abdulla-jabir-summoned-to-police-regarding-island-raid-alleged-alcohol-consumption-47826
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M P’s murder “carefully planned”: Maldivian H M
By Minivan News | November 25th, 2012
The probe into the murder of MP Dr Afrasheem Ali on October 1 has revealed that youth are being increasingly used in crimes, Home Minister Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed has said.
Speaking at a ceremony held on Thulusdhoo in at Kaafu Atoll, Dr Jameel said that individuals who offer alcohol, drugs and money to young people to kill cannot remain hidden.
“It is difficult for us to believe and for our minds to think about it. The investigation has revealed that the murder had been carefully planned. This is a matter of concern,” Jameel said.
Full report at:
http://minivannews.com/category/news-in-brief
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President mourns loss of lives in Ashulia, Chittagong
BSS, Dhaka
President Zillur Rahman on Sunday expressed his deep shock and sorrow at loss of many lives in two separate tragic incidents, a devastating fire at a garment factory in Ashulia of Savar and collapse of three girders of the under-construction Bahaddarhat flyover in Chittagong last night.
In a message of condolence, the president conveyed deep sympathy to members of the bereaved families and prayed for eternal peace of the departed souls.
The president asked the concerned authorities to put in their highest efforts for ensuring proper treatment of the injured people.
President Zillur Rahman wished early recovery of the injured people.
http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/latest_news.php?nid=42705
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Europe
UK urges US 'decisive' lead on Mid-East
25 November 2012
UK Foreign Secretary William Hague has called for a "decisive lead" from the United States in seeking a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
"Some good" could come out of the Gaza crisis, he argued, if it was possible to open access in and out of Gaza and halt weapons smuggling into the area.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is set to ask the UN to back a bid for non-member observer state.
Full report at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-20485595
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Smuggled out of Syria to show London, the art of war
Syrian artists' works reflecting the horror of civil war will be shown in exhibition to support those suffering in the uprising
Ian Black
23 November 2012
Nour Wali nearly despaired when the pictures started to arrive. As a Syrian living in Britain, the curator had decided to hold an exhibition to support ordinary people suffering during the uprising against Bashar al-Assad's regime. But she had not expected it to be so difficult.
Canvases had to be smuggled out of the country and arrived creased and rolled up. Paintings by Azza Abo Rabieh from Hama had to be rescued under fire as fighting raged nearby. Other works were donated by Syrian artists who have had to flee abroad and have no idea when they will be able to return. Several have lost loved ones among the estimated 35,000 dead over the past 20 months.
Full report at:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/nov/23/smuggled-syria-london-art-war
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