New Age Islam News Bureau
29
Sept 2015
An Indus boat safari at Taunsa barrage The area is now considered unsafe for tourism because of criminal activity on the river. (Photo by Sustainable Tourism Foundation Pakistan)
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Arab World
• Saudi Royal Calls for Regime Change In Riyadh
• Hezbollah Preparing For Final Battle in Syria's Qalamoun Mountains
• Slain Terrorists Were In Advanced Stages of Planning To Hit Targets
• Yemeni Forces Kill Over 30 Pro-Saudi Sudanese Terrorists in Ma'rib
• Yemeni Family Members Killed in Saudi Airstrikes
• Iran diplomat entered KSA under fake ID?
• Saudi Ministry honours media for Haj coverage
• 50 earthquake warning stations built in Abu Dhabi
• SR100, 000 fine for each overstaying pilgrim
• Early arrival of pilgrims at airport causes crowding at KAIA
• Syria in Last 24 Hours: Army Destroys Terrorists' Positions in Hama Province
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Mideast
• Iran's Deputy Chief Commander Says Mina Crush Could Be Result of Deliberate Crime
• Turkish Media Claim Secret Deal between US, Tribal Leaders of Iraqi Anbar Province
• Deputy FM: No Permission Issued for Burying Iranian Pilgrims in Mecca
• Turkey’s Erdoğan says over 30 PKK militants killed in cross border raids overnight
• Iranian Supreme Leader's top adviser Hails Putin's Strong Positions on Syria
• Iran's Judiciary Chief Orders Prosecutor General to Launch Investigation into Hajj Tragedy Case
• Russian Military Advisors Leading Syrian Forces Operations to Lift Siege on Aleppo Airbase
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South Asia
• Us Air Strike Hits Taliban in Captured Afghan City: NATO
• Afghan Forces Fight to Retake Northern City from Taliban
• At UN, Afghan leader calls on Pakistan to crack down on terror outfits
• President Ghani: Islamic State supporters regretful now
• Daesh launch coordinated attack on security posts in Nangarhar’s Achin District
• Taliban force residents of Helmand’s Khanashin District to poison security forces
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Southeast Asia
• Indonesia Slams Riyadh over Slow Response to Mina Tragedy
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Pakistan
• Families of Pakistani Hajj Victims Blast Islamabad's Dishonesty over Mina Massacre
• Pakistan Raises Police Force to Patrol Indus
• Altaf Media Blackout: Lawyers Demand Cancellation of Asma Jahangir's License
• Pak Govt announces aid package as Mina death toll rises to 1,100
• Benazir murder suspect seeks contact with family
• Nawaz Sharif, PM Modi wave at each other at UN peacekeeping summit
• Nawaz pledges continued personnel, infantry support to UN peacekeeping missions
• SC suspends tribunal verdict to de-seat PML-N MNA, stays by-polls in NA-154
• Delay at D-Chowk: PTI announces Lahore rally on Oct 9
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Europe
• Tajik Analyst: Saudis Canno Justify Mina Tragedy by Blaming Others
• Hollande: France, Partners To Discuss Northern Syria ‘Safe Zone’
• Journalist who exposed Pakistan's tainted trio charged by UK court
• Italian aid worker killed in B'desh; ISIS claims responsibility
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India
• Islamic State Planning To Target Delhi and Rajasthan: Intel Agencies
• Kashmir Issue Is India-Pak Matter, Obama Agrees
• Mumbai airport, Taj Hotel on alert after terror threat
• PM Modi thanks Obama for backing India’s bid for UNSC seat
• France to hold crunch talks in India on Rafale deal: official
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Africa
• At Least 500 Prisoners Escape Central African Republic Jail
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North America
• Obama, Putin Clash over Vision for Resolving Syrian Crisis
• Pope left the United States, but death penalty remains
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/saudi-royal-calls-regime-change/d/104746
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Saudi Arabia
Saudi Royal Calls for Regime Change in Riyadh
28 September 2015
A senior Saudi prince has launched an unprecedented call for change in the country’s leadership, as it faces its biggest challenge in years in the form of war, plummeting oil prices and criticism of its management of Mecca, scene of last week’s hajj tragedy.
The prince, one of the grandsons of the state’s founder, Abdulaziz Ibn Saud, has told the Guardian that there is disquiet among the royal family – and among the wider public – at the leadership of King Salman, who acceded the throne in January.
The prince, who is not named for security reasons, wrote two letters earlier this month calling for the king to be removed.
“The king is not in a stable condition and in reality the son of the king [Mohammed bin Salman] is ruling the kingdom,” the prince said. “So four or possibly five of my uncles will meet soon to discuss the letters. They are making a plan with a lot of nephews and that will open the door. A lot of the second generation is very anxious.”
“The public are also pushing this very hard, all kinds of people, tribal leaders,” the prince added. “They say you have to do this or the country will go to disaster.”
A clutch of factors are buffeting King Salman, his crown prince, Mohammed bin Nayef, and the deputy crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman.
A double tragedy in Mecca – the collapse of a crane that killed more than 100, followed by a stampede last week that killed 700 – has raised questions not just about social issues, but also about royal stewardship of the holiest site in Islam.
As usual, the Saudi authorities have consistently shrugged off any suggestion that a senior member of the government may be responsible for anything that has gone wrong.
Local people, however, have made clear on social media and elsewhere that they no longer believe such claims.
“The people inside [the kingdom] know what’s going on but they can’t say. The problem is the corruption in using the resources of the country for building things in the right form,” said an activist who lives in Mecca but did not want to be named for fear of repercussions.
“Unfortunately the government points the finger against the lower levels, saying for example: ‘Where are the ambulances? Where are the healthcare workers?’ They try to escape the real reason of such disaster,” he added.
Saudi religious and political legitimacy is predicated on their claim that they manage the holy sites properly and make them safely accessible for all Muslims. Since there are no monarchies in Islam and Saudi Arabia itself is not mentioned in the Qur’an, legitimacy is a fundamental issue for the Saudis and the Hajj disasters have been extremely damaging.
But just as urgent is oil, the price of which has dropped more than 50% in the past year. On Monday, the Financial Times reported that Saudi Arabia has withdrawn as much as $70bn (£46bn) from overseas investment funds to shore up its fiscal position in the face of tumbling oil prices
According to Alastair Newton, director of Alavan Business Advisory, Saudi Arabia’s published budget this year was based on oil trading at about $90 a barrel. But because of costly ad hoc items such as royal largesse after King Salman’s succession, the war in Yemen, and domestic security against the Isis threat, the fiscal position is only in balance at about $110.
With oil now trading below $50, fiscal weakness is starting to tell. The Saudi benchmark Tadawul All Share index has fallen by more than 30% in the past 12 months.
“They have enough reserves to sustain this situation for at least one year although it is very costly for them,” said Khairallah Khairallah, a former managing editor of the Saudi-owned al-Hayat newspaper.
The International Monetary Fund is already predicting Saudi Arabia’s budget deficit to exceed $107bn this year. Yet the budget announced for next year has marginally increased.
“The king is in charge of oil policy in the kingdom together with his son Mohammed bin Salman. Mohammed bin Salman is also responsible for [state oil firm] Aramco. The crown prince [Mohammed bin Nayef] is mainly focused on security. These are the main players in Saudi Arabia. They divide the responsibility,” said Khairallah Khairallah.
Prince Mohammed bin Salman is a new arrival to the Saudi senior leadership team but has already become one of the most controversial.
Although still very young by Saudi standards – officially 35 but rumoured to be much younger – he holds a multitude of posts including minister of defence and chair of the Council for Economic and Development Affairs, which is the country’s main economic policymaking committee.
This makes him responsible for many of Saudi Arabia’s problems, above all the war in neighbouring Yemen, where rebel Houthis have come under attack from Saudi aircraft and ground forces.
Many Saudis are sickened by the sight of the Arab world’s richest country pummelling its poorest, and as the cost in lives and treasure grows, criticism is mounting that Prince Mohammed bin Salman– whose unofficial nickname is “Reckless” – rushed in without a proper military strategy or an exit plan.
“This is a war against the Yemeni nation and against Yemen becoming independent,” said Sgt Maj Dakheel bin Naser Al Qahtani, a former head of air force operations at King Abdulaziz airbase, Dhahran, who defected from the Saudi armed forces last year.
“It has no legitimate political foundation and it is not what the people want,” he said. “Ninety per cent of people in Saudi Arabia don’t want this to happen, exactly the opposite of what the media shows.
“It has come about due to the absence of a national citizens’ establishment in Saudi Arabia and because Al Saud have put their own interests ahead of the national interest.”
The letters in Arabic calling for the overthrow of the king have been read more than 2m times. The letters call on the 13 surviving sons of Ibn Saud – specifically the princes Talal, Turki and Ahmed bin Abdulaziz – to unite and remove the leadership in a palace coup, before choosing a new government from within the royal family.
“Allow the oldest and most capable to take over the affairs of the state, let the new king and crown prince take allegiance from all, and cancel the strange, new rank of second deputy premier,” states the first letter.
“We are calling for the sons of Ibn Saud from the oldest Bandar, to the youngest, Muqrin, to make an urgent meeting with the senior family members to investigate the situation and find out what can be done to save the country, to make changes in the important ranks, to bring in expertise from the ruling family whatever generation they are from.”
The letters are unlike anything that has happened since King Faisal deposed King Saud in a palace coup in 1964.
The prince behind the letters claims to have received widespread support from both within the royal family and society at large. But only one other senior royal has so far publicly endorsed the letter, which may be unsurprising given the Saudis’ brutal history of punishing political opponents.
Like many modern Arab countries Saudi Arabia is a 20th-century construction. Since 1932, when Saudi Arabia was founded, the royal family has kept the country together masterfully. But as the economic and political situation in and around Saudi Arabia deteriorates, and royal family infighting intensifies, the possibility of a profound change is growing more likely.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/28/saudi-royal-calls-regime-change-letters-leadership-king-salman
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Hezbollah Preparing for Final Battle in Syria's Qalamoun Mountains
TEHRAN (FNA), Sep 29, 2015- Informed sources said that the Lebanese Hezbollah Resistance Movement forces are getting ready to carry out the final assault against the ISIL Takfiri group and al-Nusra Front in the nearby areas of Qalamoun to complete seal of Syria-Lebanon border against the terrorists' infiltration.
Hezbollah’s primary focus will be Jaroud Qarah and Ras Ba’albak; these two areas have recently become a hotspot for the ISIL to launch assaults on the Syrian Army’s positions at the border-city of Al-Qusayr in the Homs governorate.
If Hezbollah captures Jaroud Rankous and Jaroud Qarah, they will have successfully sealed off the Syrian-Lebanese border; this would be one the biggest blows to their enemies, as they rely on this border to resupply and reinforce their fighters inside Western Syria.
Quite a bit of territory has been left under the control of the militant groups in Qalamoun mountains, actually; in fact, al-Nusra Front and the ISIL still control a small parcel of land in Jaroud Rankous (Southern Qalamoun) and a substantial amount of land in Jaroud Qarah (Northern Qalamoun).
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13940707000436
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Slain terrorists were in advanced stages of planning to hit targets in Saudi Arabia
Tuesday 29 September 2015
JEDDAH: The Interior Ministry announced Monday that its officers had killed two men and arrested three others who had been planning attacks in the Kingdom.
The men were all Saudi nationals and members of Daesh, the terrorist group, said Maj. Gen. Mansour Al-Turki, spokesman of the ministry. The raids were preemptive strikes on three locations in Riyadh, and one in Dammam, he said.
These men were linked to the cells busted on Sept. 15 in Riyadh. One was in Monasiyah district which saw the arrest of Ahmed Said Jabir Al-Zahrani and Mohamed Said Jabir Al-Zahrani, and one in Darma Province, about 60 km west of the capital, that saw two suspects, who had been building bombs, escape.
The cell had been at an advanced stage in their planning to attack various targets in the Kingdom, but the security forces had thwarted their operations based on intelligence gathered in the field, said Al-Turki.
The raid on a residential apartment in Badr District in Dammam, Eastern Province, resulted in the killing of one wanted suspect, Abdulaziz bin Zaid Al-Wibairi Al-Shummari, during a shootout with the security team. The officers arrested two Saudi nationals, Muhannad bin Mohammed Hamoud Al-Otaibi and Fahad bin Falah Sulaiman Al-Harbi, said Al-Turki.
Al-Turki said that Al-Harbi was the man who rented the house in Monasiyah district, and had been on the run since the Sept. 15 operations, which saw guns, ammunition and explosives seized.
In the raid on the second location, a residential apartment in Falah District, Riyadh, a Saudi national, Oqail bin Amish Oqail Al-Oqaili Al-Mutairi, was killed. He had been one of the men extradited from Iraq and subsequently imprisoned in the Kingdom for three years.
During the third operation at a residential villa in Andalus District in Riyadh, a Saudi national wanted by the government, Faisal bin Hamid Ahmed Al-Hamid Al-Ghamdi, surrendered to the security team.
In the raid on the fourth location, a residential extension in Sulay District, Riyadh, it was discovered that the place was being used as a meeting point for members of the terror cell.
Al-Turki said that operations were continuing across the country to identify and arrest those who supported the members of the terror cell. The ministry was determined to track down those planning to disrupt the country’s safety and security with their deviant ideology and criminal acts, he said.
Daesh, also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, reportedly carried out an attack in August on a mosque in Abha killing 15 people. In May, the group claimed responsibility for an attack on a mosque in Qatif, killing 21.
http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/812916
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Yemeni Forces Kill over 30 Pro-Saudi Sudanese Terrorists in Ma'rib
Sep 29, 2015
"Over 30 Sudanese mercenaries have been killed in Monday night clashes with Yemeni forces in Ma'rib province," Hesam Badreddin, a commander of Yemeni Popular Forces, told FNA on Tuesday.
He noted that the Yemeni army and popular forces also destroyed 10 military and armored vehicles in the UAE army in their military operations in Ma'rib province.
Badreddin, meantime, blasted the Saudi massacre of at least 131 Yemeni civilians in the airstrikes on a wedding ceremony in Al-Mocha region of Taiz province, and said, "Most of the victims were women and children."
He noted that Al-Mocha tragedy is another crime committed by the Saudi regime.
"The Al Saud regime deliberately kills Yemeni citizens and pounds the residential areas and the country's infrastructure and public assets," Badreddin added.
Saudi airstrikes reportedly hit a wedding party in the Yemeni province of Taiz, killing a group of women, reports said Monday.
The airstrike hit a wedding ceremony in the port city of Mocha in Taiz.
Saudi warplanes also targeted a market in Razih district in the province of Sa’ada. There were no immediate reports on the number of casualties in the attack.
Areas in East and South of the capital, Sana’a, were also targeted in the Saudi air raids.
Saudi fighter jets also reportedly targeted Ma'rib province over 25 times.
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13940707000413
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Yemeni Family Members Killed in Saudi Airstrikes
TEHRAN (FNA)- Saudi warplanes bombed the Yemeni capital of Sana'a, and killed a family of 9 members.
According to the Arabic-language September 21 website, the Saudi airstrikes hit Bayt al-Maghribi village, killing a family of 9 members, including 4 children, on Monday.
Meanwhile, the death toll from a Saudi air raid against a wedding party in the Yemeni Province of Taiz rose to 131 people.
Local sources said at least 131 civilians were killed and many more sustained injuries as Saudi warplanes bombed the celebration in the Mokha port city, situated 346 kilometers (214 miles) South of the capital, Sana'a, on Monday.
Hospital officials also said 70 women are among the victims of the airborne massacre.
Earlier on Monday, Saudi airstrikes hit the al-Baqa district in the province of Sa'ada, though there were no immediate reports on casualties and the extent of damage caused.
Also on Monday, Saudi fighter jets launched 12 aerial attacks against an area in the Baqim district in Sa'ada, but no casualties were reported.
Separately, Saudi airstrikes hit the central security camp in the province of Hudaydah, though no casualties were reported.
Meanwhile, reports said that Saudi warplanes have dropped cluster munitions on populated areas across Ma'rib province. No immediate reports of fatalities were available.
Saudi Arabia has been striking Yemen for 188 days now to restore power to Hadi, a close ally of Riyadh. The Saudi-led aggression has so far killed at least 6,429 Yemenis, including hundreds of women and children.
Hadi stepped down in January and refused to reconsider the decision despite calls by Ansarullah revolutionaries of the Houthi movement.
Despite Riyadh’s claims that it is bombing the positions of the Ansarullah fighters, Saudi warplanes are flattening residential areas and civilian infrastructures.
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Iran diplomat entered KSA under fake ID?
Tuesday 29 September 2015
JEDDAH: Official records show that the name of the former Iranian ambassador to Beirut Ghazanfar Abadi does not appear among this year’s pilgrims, sources have told Al Arabiya News.
If his presence during the pilgrimage is confirmed, that would mean he entered the Kingdom by “unknown ways,” possibly registering with a different name and description. He is feared to have died in the Mina stampede.
Abadi, who worked as the country’s ambassador in Beirut until last year, has been declared missing, Iran’s state TV said. An Iranian broadcast said that two state TV reporters and a prominent political analyst were also missing after the stampede, which killed at least 769.
http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/812941
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Saudi Ministry honours media for Haj coverage
Tuesday 29 September 2015
JEDDAH: The Ministry of Culture and Information in Jeddah honoured the media and cultural delegations who participated in the 2015 Haj coverage, in the presence of Minister of Culture and Information Adel Al-Toraifi on Monday.
Al-Toraifi welcomed the delegations and greeted them on behalf of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, and expressed appreciation of the efforts of the media and cultural delegations for serving the pilgrims and the Islamic nation during Haj 2015.
He pointed out that the Kingdom thanked representatives of the media for their services: Saudi News Agency, Saudi News Today, Islamic News World and Arab media, under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques which helped facilitate the Haj and Umrah pilgrims and gave services according to the needs, requirements of Muslim men and women who come to visit the Kingdom.
Full article here:
http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/812926
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50 earthquake warning stations built in Abu Dhabi
September 29, 2015
The Abu Dhabi City Municipality (ADM) has constructed a state of the art seismic risks monitoring network comprising 50 observation stations. With this, the civic body has completed all phases of its Seismic Risks Monitoring and Management Project.
Musabbah Mubarak Al Murar, acting general manager of ADM, said: "Despite the lack of a historical record of quakes in the UAE, the type of unique installations which have started to mushroom in the emirate - such as modern high-rises - warranted further concentration on seismic impacts. These installations and buildings are vulnerable to ... risks of potentially violent tremors from seismic sources nearby or far afield."
Full article here:
http://khaleejtimes.com/nation/general/50-earthquake-warning-stations-built-in-abu-dhabi
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SR100, 000 fine for each overstaying pilgrim
Tuesday 29 September 2015
JEDDAH: The Directorate General of Immigration has said that the guidelines do not allow any pilgrims coming from abroad to overstay the validity of their visas. They are also not allowed to work in any part of the Kingdom or move beyond the circuit of Makkah, Jeddah and Madinah, according to an online newspaper.
The directorate has warned companies and institutions working in pilgrim services against holding back any information about delays of any pilgrims in departing. If they do so, they will be fined SR 100,000. The fine would be multiplied with the number of violations.
Full article here:
http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/812921
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Early arrival of pilgrims at airport causes crowding at KAIA
Tuesday 29 September 2015
JEDDAH: Lack of compliance by representatives of some Haj operators with flight schedules at King Abdul Aziz International Airport (KAIA) in Jeddah has led to the accumulation of large groups of pilgrims at the airport, causing severe crowding of passengers waiting up to 12 hours for their flight times. “On Sunday, there were 230 flights via Saudi Arabian Airlines and 51 flights via Nas Airways within 24 hours,” explained an official at the airport.
Full article here:
http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/812911
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Syria in Last 24 Hours: Army Destroys Terrorists' Positions in Hama Province
Sep 29, 2015
TEHRAN (FNA)- The Syrian air force destroyed the military positions of the Takfiri terrorists in the Central province of Hama.
The Syrian warplanes hit the hideouts of the Al-Nusra Front terrorist group near al-Salamyeh in Hama province, killing and inuring tens of them and destroying their weaponry and vehicles.
The air force also targeted terrorists’ concentrations in Aqerbat, Jana al-Albawi, al-Rahjan, Umm Mayal, al-Zyara, al-Mansoura and al-Zakat in Eastern and Northwestern countryside of Hama, killing a number of Al-Nusra terrorists and destroying their weapons and ammunition.
Full article here:
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13940707000561
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Mideast
Iran's Deputy Chief Commander Says Mina Crush Could Be Result of Deliberate Crime
Sep 29, 2015
TEHRAN (FNA)- Deputy Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Brigadier General Massoud Jazzayeri said the Thursday stampede in Mina which killed over 2,000 Hajj pilgrims may have resulted from a plot, given the good relations between Riyadh and Tel Aviv.
"Given the usurper Zionist regime's infiltration and influence on the al-Saud, there is a growing possibility that the crane crash incident at the Grand Mosque (in the holy city of Mecca) and the death of thousands of people in Mina were the result of deliberate crime," Jazzayeri told FNA on Monday.
The deputy chief of staff, who made the remarks during a visit to FNA today, further cautioned that making the Grand Mosque in Mecca unsafe and insecure is a major policy of the US and Israel.
"Given the eyewitness accounts and the increasing possibility that the two painful and regrettable incidents at the Grand Mosque and Mina have been the result of intentional action, fact-finding groups from all Muslim states have the responsibility to decrypt this al-Saud' crime."
Full article here:
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13940706001135
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Turkish Media Claim Secret Deal between US, Tribal Leaders of Iraqi Anbar Province
TEHRAN (FNA), Sep 29, 2015- Washington and some tribal figures from Iraq's al-Anbar province have struck a deal which would provide US firms with gas resources in exchange for the US military keeping the popular forces out of the Western province, the Turkish media claimed.
Based on the agreement which was inked without the knowledge of the Central government in Baghdad, the ground will also be prepared for the tribal leaders to prevail control over the province.
Turkey's Anadolu news agency quoted informed sources as saying that the agreement entails security for Ramadi city in exchange for the Americans' exploitation of Okaz gas field.
Full article here:
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13940707001038
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Deputy FM: No Permission Issued for Burying Iranian Pilgrims in Mecca
Sep 29, 2015
"No decision has been taken for burying the Iranians who died in Mina incident in Mecca," Amir Abdollahian told FNA on Tuesday.
Noting that the Iranian families are waiting to hear a piece of news about their lost beloved ones or receive their bodies, he said, "No permission has been issued to Saudi Arabia for burying the dead Iranian nationals."
A stampede during one of the last rituals of the Hajj season killed more than 2,000 people and left 2,000 wounded on Thursday.
The stampede occurred during the ritual known as "stoning the devil" in the tent city of Mina, about two miles from Mecca.
At least 229 Iranians have lost their lives in the incident, while 150 others have been wounded. The latest reports said 26 Iranian pilgrims are still hospitalized in Saudi Arabia, while others have either died or been treated and left the hospital, preparing to come back to home.
Full article here:
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13940707000440
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Turkey’s Erdoğan says over 30 PKK militants killed in cross border raids overnight
September 29, 2015
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said the Turkish military had killed more than 30 Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) terrorists on Friday in a cross-border operation he described as part of the rebels' "last struggle".
Erdoğan, addressing village leaders at the presidential palace on Tuesday, did not say where the targets were; but the military has been bombarding PKK positions in the mountains of northern Iraq as well as the mainly Kurdish southeast of Turkey following the breakdown of a ceasefire in July.
"Our security forces are continuing with their operations both inside and outside the country," he said.
Full article here:
http://www.todayszaman.com/national_turkeys-erdogan-says-over-30-pkk-militants-killed-in-cross-border-raids-overnight_400140.html
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Iranian Supreme Leader's top adviser Hails Putin's Strong Positions on Syria
TEHRAN (FNA), Sep 29, 2015- Iranian Supreme Leader's top adviser for international affairs Ali Akbar Velayati in a meeting with Leonid Reshetnikov, a senior advisor to the Russian president, lauded Vladimir Putin's strong and strategic positions on Syria.
"The recent regional developments require Iran and Russia to have closer relations with each other both at the regional and international levels and this cooperation can be a prelude to strategic cooperation," Velayati, who is also the head of the Strategic Research Center of Iran's Expediency Council, said during the meeting in Tehran on Tuesday.
"The recent firmness shown by Russia and Putin, himself, on the Syrian issues are highly valuable and important strategically," he added.
Full article here:
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13940707000619
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Iran's Judiciary Chief Orders Prosecutor General to Launch Investigation into Hajj Tragedy Case
Sep 29, 2015
"The Iranian prosecutor-general in coordination with the foreign ministry and by consulting the Muslim countries that have lost a large number of their citizens in the incident should investigate the recent incident until attainment of final results," Amoli Larijani said, addressing Judiciary officials in Tehran on Monday.
He reiterated that the Muslim governments and nations will not close the case or forget the tragic Mina incident.
"The Saudi officials cannot close the case with this incident without apologizing and prosecuting the perpetrators of this incident," Amoli Larijani added.
Yesterday, Iran's prosecutor-general demanded his Muslim counterparts from around the world to meet to launch a criminal investigation into the Saudi rulers' role in the tragic Mina incident which resulted in the death of hundreds of pilgrims, stressing that the stampede was the result of "purposeful crime".
Full article here:
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13940706001556
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Russian Military Advisors Leading Syrian Forces Operations to Lift Siege on Aleppo Airbase
Sep 29, 2015
TEHRAN (FNA)- The Russian military advisors are overseeing the Syrian Army’s battle against the ISIL Takfiri terrorists inside the Deir Hafer Plains of East Aleppo to accelerate the lifting of the two year long siege of the Kuweires airbase, military sources said.
The sources said that with the Russians leading the operations from the command room, the Syrian army’s Special Forces and the civilian-led “National Defense Forces” (NDF) have benefitted immensely from their guidance.
Full article here:
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13940707000606
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South Asia
US air strike hits Taliban in captured Afghan city: Nato
Sep 29, 2015
KUNDUZ: United States (US) military planes hit Taliban positions on the outskirts of the fallen northern Afghan city of Kunduz on Tuesday, a Nato spokesman said, as Afghan national forces launched a counter-attack to try to retake the city.
The attack at about 9 am marked the first US air strike to defend the city.
"US forces conducted an air strike in Kunduz today to eliminate a threat to coalition and Afghan forces operating in the vicinity of Kunduz," said Colonel Brian Tribus, a spokesman for the Nato-led coalition. He did not elaborate on how many coalition forces troops were in the area.
The Afghan army on Tuesday launched a counter-offensive to retake Kunduz from the Taliban, a day after insurgents overran the strategic northern city.
Full article here:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1209707/us-air-strike-hits-taliban-in-captured-afghan-city-nato
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Afghan forces fight to retake northern city from Taliban
Sep 29, 2015
KABUL: Afghan forces clashed with Taliban fighters in Kunduz on Tuesday as the government launched an operation to retake the centre of the northern city, the first provincial capital to fall to the insurgents since their movement was toppled 14 years ago.
The Taliban's new leader, Mullah Akhtar Mansour, celebrated the Islamist militants' capture of Kunduz, saying in a statement that residents had nothing to fear.
The fall of Kunduz city centre was a major setback for the government of President Ashraf Ghani, which marked its first year in power on Tuesday.
Afghanistan's Defence Ministry said that government forces, who spent the night holed up at that city airport, would soon retake the city.
"Fresh troops have arrived in Kunduz and an operation has been launched," the ministry said in a statement.
Full article here:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/Afghan-forces-fight-to-retake-northern-city-from-Taliban/articleshow/49149536.cms
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At UN, Afghan leader calls on Pakistan to crack down on terror outfits
Sep 29, 2015
UNITED NATIONS: During his address to the United Nations General Assembly, Afghanistan's chief executive Abdullah Abdullah has called for Pakistan to keep its promise to crack down on Islamic extremists blamed for carrying out cross-border attacks and destablilzing the impoverished war-torn country.
Abdullah Abdullah's address Monday night to the UNGA came hours after a fast-moving assault by the Taliban captured the strategic northern Afghan city of Kunduz in a multi-pronged attack involving hundreds of fighters, the first time the insurgents have seized a major urban area since the 2001 US-led invasion.
Abdullah said some of the attackers had come from abroad, and said, “We call on Pakistan to do what its leadership promised to us a few months ago when they agreed to crack down on known terror outfits.”
Full article here:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1209702/at-un-afghan-leader-calls-on-pakistan-to-crack-down-on-terror-outfits
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President Ghani: Islamic State supporters regretful now
Tue Sep 29 2015
President Ghani6President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani has told British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in an interview that the supporters of the Islamic State ‘Daesh’ in the region are regretful now.
Without naming them, President Ghan said that this is the work of historians to point out “Who and when supported them and when they regretted.”
President Ghani told BBC that Daesh was considered a serious threat from the beginning.
“Their prevention is our duty, we had acknowledged this at the beginning, and when we were talking about this, people were thinking that we aim to attract world attention,” he said.
Full article here:
http://www.khaama.com/president-ghani-islamic-state-supporters-regretful-now-3956
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Daesh launch coordinated attack on security posts in Nangarhar’s Achin District
Tue Sep 29 2015
ISIS-loyalists-kill-mullah-imam-in-nangarharDaesh militants have again launched a coordinated attack on security posts in Achin District of eastern Nangarhar province.
Haji Ghalib Mujahid, governor of Achin District said that the assault launched around 03:00 am in the morning and still continues.
He said that additional forces have arrived in the area.
According to reports hundreds of Daesh militants are taking part in the attack.
This is the second major assault of Daesh militants on Achin District in a week.
The first assault was carried out early on Sunday morning which continued for almost eight hours.
Full article here:
http://www.khaama.com/breaking-news-daesh-launch-coordinated-attack-on-security-posts-in-nangarhars-achin-district-3954
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Taliban force residents of Helmand’s Khanashin District to poison security forces
Tue Sep 29 2015
Taliban militants have forced villagers in Khanashin District of southern Helmand province to poison security forces.
A local reporter of Killid Radio says that Taliban have warned people in areas under their control to vacate their home if they are not poisoning security forces.
“Taliban would come and force us to poison security forces in the nearby security posts. Then they would come and attack the security posts from our homes. When we complained, they told us for vacating our homes,” a resident of the area told the news agency on condition of anonymity.
Full article here:
http://www.khaama.com/taliban-urge-resident-of-helmands-khanashin-district-to-poison-security-forces-3953
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Southeast Asia
Indonesia Slams Riyadh over Slow Response to Mina Tragedy
TEHRAN (FNA), Sep 29, 2015- Indonesia lashed out at Saudi Arabia on Tuesday for its slow response to the Mina massacre as the Indonesians did not have free access to identify the Thursday's Hajj stampede victims till last night.
Authorities in the kingdom only granted Indonesian diplomats full access to the dead on Monday night, including forensic records like fingerprints, said Lalu Muhammad Iqbal, an official in Indonesia's Foreign Ministry. He said 46 Indonesian pilgrims died in the Mina crush, while 10 were injured and 90 remain missing.
Lukman Hakim Saifudin, Indonesia's religious affairs minister, said in a statement Monday that Indonesians did not have free access to hospitals to search for injured Indonesians.
A stampede during one of the last rituals of the Hajj season killed more than 2,000 people and left 2,000 wounded.
Full article here:
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13940707000904
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Pakistan
Families of Pakistani Hajj Victims Blast Islamabad's Dishonesty over Mina Massacre
TEHRAN (FNA), Sep 29, 2015- The families of the Pakistani victims and the missing Hajj pilgrims of the tragic incident of Mina, Mecca, gathered in front of the country's major airports, including Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi to show their protest at Islamabad's poor performance in dealing with the disaster.
The Pakistani protesters called on Islamabad to state true figures when announcing the death toll among the country's pilgrims killed during the stampede in Mina on Thursday.
A victim's family member said that Pakistani officials should take action to specify the real number of the victims and show honesty in this regard.
The Pakistani government has not provided the real death toll of its Hajj pilgrims killed in the Mina incident.
Full article here:
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13940707000915
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Pakistan Raises Police Force to Patrol Indus
AAMIR SAEED — 29 09 15
Pakistan is raising a special police force to curb crime, strengthen rescue and relief operations during floods and help conserve the endangered Indus dolphin along the River Indus.
The first 700 recruits for the Riverine Amphibious Police Force (RAPF) will graduate in February next year, after being trained by the Pakistan army.
The force will be deployed in districts of Punjab through which the Indus flows , including Rajanpur, Rahim Yar Khan, Muzaffargarh, Dera Ghazi Khan, Layyah, Bhakkar, Mianwali and Attock.
The Indus River is one of the longest rivers in Asia, flowing over 3,000 kilometres from Tibet through India and into Pakistan.
The Indus provides essential water for agriculture and livelihoods, but has also become a hotbed of criminal activity as armed groups have carved out safe havens for themselves on islands in the river.
Full article here:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1209728/pakistan-raises-police-force-to-patrol-indus
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Altaf media blackout: Lawyers demand cancellation of Asma Jahangir's license
WAJIH AHMAD SHEIKH — 29 09 15
LAHORE: Lawyers protesting in the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday called for the immediate suspension of the license of rights activist and former Supreme Court Bar Association President Asma Jahangir for representing the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) in a case relating to a media blackout against party chief Altaf Hussain.
The protests organised by Advocate Aftab Virk and others alleged that the MQM was involved in the murders of lawyers during the 2007 movement for the restoration of judiciary.
Full article here:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1209722/altaf-media-blackout-lawyers-demand-cancellation-of-asma-jahangirs-license
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Pak Govt announces aid package as Mina death toll rises to 1,100
KALBE ALI
ISLAMABAD: The government announced here on Monday a special package for the families of people killed and injured in last week’s Mina stampede.
“Two or three persons from the families of each deceased will be sent to perform Umra after the Haj mission is over so that they can pray for the deceased Hajis buried there,” MNA Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, the focal person appointed by the prime minister to handle matters relating to the incident, said at a press conference.
He said Rs500,000 would be given to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs200,000 to the families of the injured.
According to a late night report, Religious Affairs Minister Sardar Muhammad Yousuf said the death toll of Pakistani pilgrims had risen to 42 and 62 were missing.
Mr Chaudhry said the total number of deaths caused by the stampede had risen to 1,100 and photographs of the victims were available at Pakistan’s embassy in Jeddah.
42 Pakistanis confirmed dead, 62 missing, says minister
Full article here:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1209678/govt-announces-aid-package-as-mina-death-toll-rises-to-1100
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Benazir murder suspect seeks contact with family
Sep 29, 2015
ISLAMABAD: An accused in the Benazir Bhutto murder case on Monday sought court’s permission to contact his family on telephone.
Aitzaz Shah has been behind bars in Rawalpindi Central Jail since 2008.
Naseer Khan Tanoli, counsel for the accused, submitted the application before a judge in which he pleaded to the court that his client be allowed to contact his family via jail telephones. The counsel said using the phone was the detainee’s legal right and that other inmates at the same jail were allowed to talk over the phone for 20 minutes a month.
Full article here:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1209646/benazir-murder-suspect-seeks-contact-with-family
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Nawaz Sharif, PM Modi wave at each other at UN peacekeeping summit
Sep 29, 2015
UNITED NATIONS: Amid a chill in bilateral relations, waving at each other was all that prime minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif did on Monday as they attended the UN peacekeeping summit.
Assembling for the Leaders' Summit on Peacekeeping being hosted by US president Barack Obama, Modi walked into the conference hall first. Sharif followed a few minutes later and waved at Modi. Modi waved back and smiled.
Then there was a pause, after which Modi waved again and Sharif acknowledged and smiled.
Full article here:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Nawaz-Sharif-PM-Modi-wave-at-each-other-at-UN-peacekeeping-summit/articleshow/49144992.cms
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Nawaz pledges continued personnel, infantry support to UN peacekeeping missions
IRFAN HAIDER — UPDATED ABOUT 2 HOURS AGO
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif while addressing the United Nations (UN) Peacekeeping Summit on Monday announced Pakistan's resolve to continue contributing peacekeeping personnel and infantry to international missions.
"We are pledging an infantry battalion, transport, engineering and signals companies, additional utility helicopters, a level-II and level-III hospital, and a canine platoon for deployment to future UN peacekeeping missions," Nawaz told United States President Barack Obama.
He said Pakistan would continue to provide the UN its best military commanders and staff officers, and contribute "highly professional peacekeeping personnel, from infantry to guard units".
Nawaz welcomed the UN Peacekeeping Capability Readiness System initiative and recognised the critical importance of enablers.
Full article here:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1209704/nawaz-pledges-continued-personnel-infantry-support-to-un-peacekeeping-missions
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SC suspends tribunal verdict to de-seat PML-N MNA, stays by-polls in NA-154
Sep 29, 2015
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday suspended the August 26 decision of an election tribunal to de-seat Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Muhammad Siddique Khan Baloch and the tribunal's order of re-election in the NA-154 (Lodhran-I) constituency.
The PML-N lawmaker, who contested the 2013 poll as an independent candidate and later joined the PML-N, was defeated when the tribunal set aside his election on a petition filed by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf's central organiser Jahangir Khan Tareen.
On Tuesday, a three-member bench headed by Justice Saqib Nisar took up a petition filed by Baloch in which he had asked the court to issue a stay order against the by-elections in NA-154 which were scheduled for Oct 11 this year.
Besides pointing out massive irregularities in the election, Multan tribunal judge Zahid Mehmood had disqualified Baloch for possessing bogus educational qualification and concealing facts, Dawn newspaper reported earlier.
Full article here:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1209701/sc-suspends-tribunal-verdict-to-de-seat-pml-n-mna-stays-by-polls-in-na-154
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Delay at D-Chowk: PTI announces Lahore rally on Oct 9
SYED SAMMER ABBAS — 29 09 15
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has postponed its October 4 sit-in scheduled to be held at Islamabad's D-Chowk, party's central organising committee told media on Tuesday.
Full article here:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1209735/delay-at-d-chowk-pti-announces-lahore-rally-on-oct-9
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Europe
Tajik Analyst: Saudis Canno Justify Mina Tragedy by Blaming Others
TEHRAN (FNA), Sep 29, 2015- A veteran Tajik journalist and political analyst underlined that the Saudi rulers cannot exonerate themselves from the Mina massacre through blame game.
"The Saudi regime cannot justify the Mina tragic incident by blaming others," Baba Jan Shafi told FNA on Tuesday.
He noted that although several days has gone since the incident occurred the Saudi officials have refrained from declaring the main cause of the incident and the exact number of the Hajj pilgrims killed in the incident.
"In view of the incidents in recent years which have resulted in the death of a considerable number of Hajj pilgrims, the Muslim countries should try to prevent such incidents from happening through cooperation and carrying out the needed consultations," Shafi said.
A stampede during one of the last rituals of the Hajj season killed more than 2,000 people and left 2,000 wounded.
Full article here:
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13940707000702
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Hollande: France, partners to discuss northern Syria ‘safe zone’
September 29, 2015
After years of embittered division over how to coordinate their efforts to bring a political solution to the Syrian crisis, Turkey's allies are now seriously considering Turkey's proposal to form a no-fly zone in Syria, recent diplomatic contacts at the UN have revealed.
France will discuss with its partners in the coming days a proposal by Turkey and members of the Syrian opposition for a no-fly zone in northern Syria, French President François Hollande said on Monday.
Struggling with more than 1.8 million Syrian refugees, Turkey has long campaigned for a "no-fly zone" in northern Syria to keep Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and Kurdish militants from its border and help stem the tide of displaced civilians trying to cross.
France has also previously pushed the idea, which has gained some traction in Europe, with hundreds of thousands of Syrian and Iraqi refugees fleeing the region to Europe with little hope of seeing an end to the crises.
Full article here:
http://www.todayszaman.com/diplomacy_hollande-france-partners-to-discuss-northern-syria-safe-zone_400138.html
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Journalist who exposed Pakistan's tainted trio charged by UK court
September 29, 2015
LONDON: A British journalist, who also carried out an inquiry which led to the 2011 conviction of three Pakistani cricketers for taking bribes to fix incidents in a match against England, was charged on Tuesday with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.
Mazher Mahmood’s undercover work posing as a “fake sheikh” led to a number of high-profile criminal court cases.
Mahmood, well-known for revealing wrongdoing amongst politicians, TV and film stars and even royalty, was suspended by Rupert Murdoch’s Sun newspaper in July last year after the collapse of a celebrity trial in which he was a main witness.
The journalist had given evidence in the drugs trial of Tulisa Contostavlos, a former judge on the British version of the “X Factor” TV talent show.
She had denied being involved in the supply of drugs to Mahmood while he posed as a film producer, but her trial collapsed with the judge saying he suspected the reporter had lied to the court.
Full article here:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/964377/journalist-who-led-inquiry-against-pakistans-tainted-trio-charged-by-uk-court/?utm_source=Daily+Roundup+Newsletter&utm_campaign=5eb9dfda99-Daily_Roundup_5pm&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_19961368d8-5eb9dfda99-65338937
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Italian aid worker killed in B'desh; ISIS claims responsibility
Sep 29, 2015
DHAKA: An Italian aid worker has been killed in the high security diplomatic area here, the first attack claimed by the dreaded jihadist group Islamic State in Bangladesh.
Cesare Tavella, 50, was shot thrice from a close proximity last evening in market Gulshan diplomatic zone while he was jogging, police said.
The attackers fled the scene after Tavella fell to the ground. He was rushed to a nearby private hospital where doctors declared him dead, police said.
Tavella was working for the Netherlands-based ICCO Cooperation as manager of its Profitable Opportunities for Food Security (PROOFS) project, a police spokesman said.
"We are not clear who killed him but we think it was a preplanned murder," Dhaka's police commissioner Ohiduzzaman Mian told reporters.
Full article here:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/Italian-aid-worker-killed-in-BdeshISIS-claims-responsibility/articleshow/49149807.cms
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India
Islamic State planning to target Delhi and Rajasthan: Intel agencies
Raj Shekhar,TNN | Sep 29, 2015
NEW DELHI: Central intelligence agencies have alerted Delhi and Rajasthan Police of possible terror strike by the Islamic State.
Delhi Police's intelligence unit has forwarded the threat perception alert to special cell of Delhi Police.
Full article here:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Islamic-State-planning-to-target-Delhi-and-Rajasthan-Intel-agencies/articleshow/49149805.cms
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Kashmir issue is India-Pak matter, Obama agrees
Sep 29, 2015
NEW YORK: President Barack Obama on Monday agreed with Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Kashmir is a bilateral issue to be resolved between India and Pakistan as they held talks here during which terrorism emanating from Pakistan also came up.
"There was a broad acknowledgement that this is a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan and people were happy for India and Pakistan to resolve it among themselves," external affairs ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup told reporters here when asked whether Kashmir came up during Modi and Obama talks.
Swarup, while briefing on Modi's meetings with Obama as well as UK Premier David Cameron and French President Francois Hollande, said Pakistan came up in the context of terrorism.
Full article here:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Kashmir-issue-is-India-Pak-matter-Obama-agrees/articleshow/49144973.cms
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Mumbai airport on high alert after bomb threat
Manju V, TNN | Sep 29, 2015
MUMBAI: The Mumbai airport received a threat call on Monday night following which security was stepped up.
"Around 11.30 pm, a unknown person called a landline number of the airport and spoke to an airport staffer. He said he was near Andheri railway station when he heard five people talking about attack at Mumbai airport and hotel Taj with explosive laden 16 hired vehicles," said a CISF official. The call was declared as "specific" in nature and security outside airport terminals has been beefed up by the police and the CISF.
Full article here:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Mumbai-airport-on-high-alert-after-bomb-threat/articleshow/49148179.cms
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PM Modi thanks Obama for backing India’s bid for UNSC seat
DAWN REPORT — 29 09 15
UNITED NATIONS: After a bilateral meeting with President Barack Obama on Monday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked the US leader for supporting India’s bid for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council.
Later, a spokesperson for the Indian ministry for external affairs, Vikas Swarup, told the Indian media that Pakistan too was discussed in the Obama-Modi meeting during a wider discussion on terrorism.
Full article here:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1209608/modi-thanks-obama-for-backing-indias-bid-for-unsc-seat
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France to hold crunch talks in India on Rafale deal: official
AFP — 29 09 15
NEW DELHI: French and Indian defence officials are to hold fresh talks on Tuesday for the purchase of 36 Rafale jets, with the hope that the drawn-out negotiations on the multi-billion-dollar deal are close to concluding, an official said.
The talks are going ahead in New Delhi after the French side agreed to an Indian government demand for future investment in the country as part of the deal, the Economic Times said.
Full article here:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1209724/france-to-hold-crunch-talks-in-india-on-rafale-deal-official
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Africa
At least 500 prisoners escape Central African Republic jail
Sep 29, 2015
BANGUI: The worst violence to hit Central African Republic's (CAR) capital in a year further deteriorated Monday as more than 500 inmates escaped from a prison and militia fighters looted the offices of international aid organisations, officials said.
The death toll from several days of clashes reached 42 including a teenage boy who was decapitated.
The unrest erupted as transitional President Catherine Samba-Panza was in New York at the United Nations UN General Assembly (UNGA), sparked by the death of a Muslim man whose body was left near a mosque.
Muslim militants then attacked a Christian neighbourhood with weekend clashes leaving several dozen people dead.
Full article here:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1209711/at-least-500-prisoners-escape-central-african-republic-jail
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North America
Obama, Putin clash over vision for resolving Syrian crisis
Sep 29, 2015
UNITED NATIONS: U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin clashed Monday over their competing visions for Syria, with Obama urging a political transition to replace the Syrian president but Putin warning it would be a mistake to abandon the current government.
Obama and Putin's duelling speeches at a United Nations General Assembly summit served as a public preview of their private meeting late Monday.
The sit-down marks their first face-to-face encounter in nearly a year and comes amid escalating Russian military engagement in Syria.
Obama said he was open to working with Russia, as well as Iran, to bring Syria's civil war to an end. He called for a “managed transition” that would result in the ouster of Syrian President Bashar Assad, whose forces have clashed with rebels for more than four years, creating a vacuum for the Islamic State and other extremist groups.
“We must recognise that there cannot be, after so much bloodshed, so much carnage, a return to the prewar status quo,” Obama said.
Putin, however, urged the world to stick with Assad, arguing that his military is the only viable option for defeating the Islamic State.
Full article here:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1209537/obama-putin-clash-over-vision-for-resolving-syrian-crisis
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Pope left the United States, but death penalty remains
AFP — PUBLISHED 30 MINUTES AGO
WASHINGTON: Reinvigorated by a vibrant appeal from Pope Francis to abolish the death penalty, activists in the United States (US) face the harsh reality of three executions scheduled in three days this week.
Kelly Gissendaner, 47, is set on Tuesday to be the 16th woman executed since the Supreme Court re-established the death penalty in 1976.
She is currently the only woman on death row in the southern state of Georgia, where the minimum age for execution is 17. She is set to die by lethal injection.
Gissendaner was convicted in 1997 of conspiring with her lover to kill her husband.
The lover, who actually carried out the murder, negotiated a plea deal with prosecutors and was granted a life sentence with the possibility of parole after 25 years.
Gissendaner made the mistake of turning down the deal and trying her case before a jury.
"The outcome illustrates one of the fundamental flaws with the death penalty — it's applied arbitrarily," said Steven Hawkins, executive director of Amnesty International, which is among a number of groups calling for her sentence to be commuted to life in prison.
Full article here:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1209713/pope-left-the-united-states-but-death-penalty-remains
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/saudi-royal-calls-regime-change/d/104746