New Age Islam News Bureau
10 March
2014
In this file photo, faculty members and students of the Darul Uloom walk outside the main campus in Deoband
Arab World
• Syria's Grand Mufti Slams Arab League for Blind Obedience to West
• Syria: Islamic jihadists exchange kidnapped nuns for Muslim prisoners
• Scholars urged to come forward to spread peace by UAE FM
• Prince Saud: Join hands to fight terrorism
• Thirteen Arrested in Sinai, Bomb Workshop Destroyed - Army
• Syria opposition 'not yet ready for Arab League seat'
• Shia Saudi clerics warn against violence: Statement
• Emiratis, Saudis banned working for Qatari media
• Saudi jails person for 8 years for Twitter protest call
• Syria: Assad forces 'using starvation as weapon of war'
Africa
• Troops Kill Over 200 Insurgents in a Special Operation - Boko Haram
• Shabaab bans camera mobile phone in Somali town
• Libya’s friends want to support Libya, but Libya must help itself – Ali Zeidan
• NATO navy patrols African Horn, seeks new ways to crush Somali pirates
South Asia
• Entire Maldives election commission sentenced By Supreme Court
• Ban Jamaat-e-Islami to fight militancy: SCF
• 5 Taliban militants killed, 6 others injured in Afghan police operations
• Khaleda: No transit for India until Teesta treaty signed
• Afghan Taliban says poll "manipulated by U.S."
• Myanmar census: risk or reward for Rohingya Muslims?
• Bangladesh Religious minorities have no trust in state: Prof Rehman Sobhan
Southeast Asia
• Don't Confuse Muslims, Curtail Pluralism - Agong
• Indonesia wary of rise in protectionism
• 11 slain in communist rebel attack in Philippines
• Indonesian Govt keeping an eye out for potential social conflicts
• Teresa Kok Accused of Blaming Muslim Terrorists in 'Fake Quote'
India
• Darul Uloom Theological School Exhorts ‘Wholehearted’ Muslim Participation In Polls
• Indian Mujahideen stoked Assam violence in 2012, NIA says
Pakistan
• Shadowy militant splinter groups threaten Pakistan peace talks
• PTI agrees to join govt committee in TTP talks
• Country must unite against terrorism: Altaf
• Pakistan fully supports ongoing regional efforts for peace: President
• Maulana Sami wants Wafaq ul Madaris politics-free
• Bilawal visits Tharparkar, amuses Sindhi mother with his English
• Quetta: Two cops gunned down in 24 hours
• Govt given four days to produce 'Hizb ul Mujahideen activist'
Mideast
• Arab League, Abbas reject recognising Israel as ‘Jewish state’
• IAF official: Israel will face dozens of enemy drones in next conflict
• Israeli Army Sees Rise in Christian Arab Recruits
• Israel's military says alleged Iranian weapons shipment to Gaza contained 40 rockets
• Iran press hail Ashton visit amid some criticism
Europe
• Spain on Islamist alert, decade after train bombings
• UN investigators head to C. Africa amid genocide fears
• Orthodox patriarchs urge Ukraine peace in Istanbul
• Syria is starving Palestinian refugees in Damascus’s Yarmouk: report
• Big spending by Saudis in UK
North America
• US threatens Libyan militias with sanctions for unauthorized oil sales
• Kerry calls for return of Jewish-American missing in Iran for 7 years
• Afghan support needed for success of military offensive: US experts
• US Drones: 'Psychological Torture' from Above and the Resistance from Below
• Ottawa students group wants to ban Israeli hummus from campus
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/syria-grand-mufti-slams-arab/d/56070
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Arab World
Syria's Grand Mufti Slams Arab League for Blind Obedience to West
March 10, 2014
Syria's Grand Mufti Sheikh Ahmad Badreddin Hassoun Hassounblasted the Arab League for its recent statement on the developments in Syria, and said the AL is confused and is exercising the western states’ plots against Damascus.
“The Arab foreign ministers are lost and do not recognize the interests of the Arab ministers and the Arab world,” Hassoun told FNA on Monday.
The AL foreign ministers in their Sunday meeting issued a statement in which they made no reference to the brutal massacre of the Syrian people by the terrorist group and merely called for forming a transitional government in Syria.
“The Arab foreign ministers do not know beside whom they are standing, they are perplexed and just implementing the orders of the West and opposition coalition,” he said.
Hassoun expressed the hope that the Arab foreign ministers could eventually come to realize that the Syrian nation can decide its own fate and its future president.
http://www.almanar.com.lb/english/adetails.php?eid=139819&cid=23&fromval=1
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Syria: Islamic jihadists exchange kidnapped nuns for Muslim prisoners
Syria crisis: Nuns freed by rebels arrive in Damascus
Mar 10, 2014
A group of Greek Orthodox nuns held for three months by rebels in Syria after being taken from their convent in Maaloula have arrived back in Damascus.
The nuns were brought to the Lebanese border town of Arsal early on Monday where they were handed over to Lebanese officials and then driven to Syria.
They said they were tired, but that they had been mostly well treated.
They were freed as part of a prisoner exchange involving some 150 women and children held by the Syrian government.
The deal was negotiated by officials from Qatar and Lebanon.
Yabroud offensive 'key'
The nuns and their attendants, exhausted but apparently well after their ordeal, were brought through a rebel border crossing to Arsal, a town the north-eastern Bekaa Valley, early on Monday.
They were then quickly taken to the nearby official border point and handed over to the Syrian authorities.
Damascus Governor Hafez Makhlouf was among the officials who greeted the nuns before they were driven to the Greek Orthodox patriarchate.
It is believed they were held by the al-Nusra Front, a jihadist rebel group affiliated to al-Qaeda.
Mother Pelagia Sayyaf, head of the Mar Takla monastery in Maaloula, said the nuns had been treated well.
"God did not leave us," she told reporters. "The [al-Nusra] Front was good to us... but we took off our crosses because we were in the wrong place to wear them.''
After their capture in Maaloula in December, they were reported to have been moved to Yabroud, a rebel-held town near Lebanon's border that is currently the focus of a major campaign by the Syrian army and fighters from the Lebanese Shia Islamist movement, Hezbollah.
"What the Syrian army achieved in Yabroud facilitated this process," said Bishop Louka al-Khoury of the Greek Orthodox patriarchate.
George Haswani, a pro-government Christian businessman from Yabroud, told the Lebanese television channel al-Jadeed that the nuns had stayed at his villa and that President Bashar al-Assad had on several occasions personally checked on their health.
The rebels had said that they were protecting the women from government shelling, while Syrian officials had said they were abducted to intimidate the country's minority Christian community.
Behind-the-scenes negotiations
The BBC's Jim Muir in Beirut says that months of delicate negotiations - involving mediation by Qatar, which is deeply involved with the Syrian rebels, and Lebanese security officials - finally produced agreement on a prisoner exchange under which around 150 Syrian women detained by the government are also to be freed.
Two rebel leaders from Yabroud claimed Qatar had offered to pay $4m (£2.4m) for the nuns' release, but that the al-Nusra Front had demanded $50m (£30m) and the release of detained women and children. Syrian state media reports did not mention any swap or payment.
Our correspondent says the same negotiating mechanism was used last year to free a group of Lebanese Shia captured by Syrian rebels, in exchange for two Turkish pilots abducted in Lebanon.
The nuns' plight highlighted the delicate position of Syria's Christians.
When the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad erupted in March 2011, many Christians were cautious and tried to avoid taking sides. However, as the crackdown by security forces intensified and opposition supporters took up arms, they were gradually drawn into the conflict.
Many fear that if the secular government is overthrown, they will be targeted by jihadist rebels calling for an Islamic state and that Christian communities will be destroyed, as they have been in Iraq since 2003.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-26510202#?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
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Scholars urged to come forward to spread peace by UAE FM
Mar 10, 2014
The tolerant Islamic Shariah was sent from Allah with noble intentions and values — the most important of which was the promotion of peace and the preservation of human lives, to avoid bloodshed and to spread peace, UAE Foreign Minister Shaikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan said on Sunday.
In his keynote inaugural address at the “Promoting Peace in Muslim Societies” forum in Abu Dhabi, Shaikh Abdullah said that one of the main causes of sectarian wars and disputes that tear our nations apart is the absence of a rational voice, and the collapse of the principle of respect for differences, on which humanity is built. Also, the pseudo-learned men who take leadership and prominent positions, issuing fatwas and occupying high positions in different media organisations, manage to misinform some of those who follow them and do not know better.
In order for nations to get back on the right path, the real learned religious men, who are aware of the necessities, changes and requirements of the present age in which we live, should be at the forefront. A learned man who lives separately from the reality of his nation, unaware of the needs of the nation and ignorant of the changes in civilisation and culture that require re-examination of many issues of Shariah to be rational, balanced, and unable to respond to the needs of human beings, cannot have a positive effect on his nation, he said.
Believe in the principles of peace: Shaikh Abdullah
Below is the full text of his speech:
“In the Name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful, all praise and thanks be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.
May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him), his family, his companions and all followers.
Your Highnesses, Your Excellencies, Religious Scholars,
The tolerant Islamic Sharia’a was sent from Allah with noble intentions and values — the most important of which is the promotion of peace and the preservation of human lives; to avoid bloodshed and to spread peace.
Our religion has come to unify mankind, to spread love and the spirit of fraternity among people, regardless of their different religions and doctrines.
Islam therefore has come to unify us.
So why do some people who are Muslims use it to divide us?
I ask this question, with great sadness and bitterness, of our Muslim brothers who are fighting in different parts of the world, with each one claiming to have the right on his side. The key figures are fighting for political gains and material profits, while the young are being tempted to fight crushing wars on their behalf, being told that they will go to Heaven. Is Heaven now for people who kill their brothers — without any right — and in the name of God? Our Prophet has said, “Cursing a Muslim is immoral, and fighting him is blasphemous.”
When we look closely at the Prophet’s lifetime and meditate on his characteristics, we find a huge distance between his and his immediate successors’ behaviour and that of many of those who claim to be following his path today. The Prophet Muhammad, (PBUH), who was supported by God’s inspiration, refused to have the mountains surrounding Makkah collapse on the people who hurt him and accused him of lying.
How would these people who use religion for their personal purposes act if they were given the same option to bring mountains down on those who disagree with them? Would they hesitate?
One of the main causes of sectarian wars and disputes that tear our nations apart is the absence of a rational voice, and the collapse of the principle of respect for differences, on which humanity is built. Also, the pseudo-learned men who take leadership and prominent positions, issuing Fatwa and occupying high positions in different media organisations, manage to misinform some of those who follow them and do not know better.
In order for nations to get back on the right path, the real learned religious men, who are aware of the necessities, changes and requirements of the present age in which we live, these men should be at the forefront.
A learned man who lives separately from the reality of his nation, unaware of the needs of the nation and ignorant of the changes in civilisation and culture that require re-examination of many issues of Sharia to be rational, balanced, and unable to respond to the needs of human beings, cannot have a positive effect on his nation.
You scholarly men, you hold the responsibility of enlightenment, because our Islam, since its inception and until the end of mankind, with the grace of Allah, will remain a religion that calls on human kind to think deeply, to co-exist. Therefore, we highly appreciate your historic role in extinguishing the fires of sedition and bringing different points of view together, to enlighten minds and encourage hearts to believe in the principles of peace.
We do not expect you to agree on everything, this is an unachievable goal, but what we call for is respect of mankind, and the right to differ, to acknowledge the principles of diversity that guarantee freedom and rights without any party impinging on them, without trying to enforce ones’ views on other people, as Allah has guaranteed them the right to think and believe in what they want.
In this gracious gathering, which has enlightened our community and brought happiness to our hearts, we look forward with the hope that this will not be an ordinary meeting, a place to just make speeches and discuss things in a passing way, after which everyone leaves empty-handed. We hope, and I am fully confident, that you will come out with new initiatives that aim at reform of ourselves — bringing back the fighting factions to the path of true rightfulness. This responsibility is in your hands, as it is in the hands of the politicians.
I would like to assure you that we will not interfere in your work, but we will be enlightened by it. We put our hands in your hands, to work together to spread love and peace among human beings, using the good work that has been planted by the late Shaikh Zayed, may he rest in peace, a plant that bears fruit everywhere, all the time.
May Allah shower his blessings on this honourable meeting and put mercy in the hearts of people everywhere — to alleviate crises and catastrophes and bring forth goodness and blessings through you.
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/kt-article-display-1.asp?xfile=data/government/2014/March/government_March27.xml§ion=government
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Prince Saud: Join hands to fight terrorism
Mar 10, 2014
CAIRO – Prince Saud Al-Faisal, Minister of Foreign Affairs, reiterated the Kingdom’s strong condemnation for all terrorist acts perpetrated in a number of Arab countries, including Egypt, Bahrain and Yemen.
In his speech at the 141st session of the Council of the Arab League at the level of Arab foreign ministers which began here on Sunday, Prince Saud said that the Kingdom will spare no efforts to fight this menace, noting that the Saudi leadership has already made its stand clear by issuing laws and legislation criminalizing terrorism and organizations supporting it.
He stressed the need for full cooperation among Arab countries to combat terrorism.
Prince Saud pointed out that the solution to the Syrian crisis is to change the balance of power on the ground and provide all support to the Syrian National Coalition (SNC) as the sole legitimate representative of the Syrian people.
He said that during the Geneva Conference, the SNC delegation presented its vision about a new Syria with justice and equality for all components of the Syrian people. But the representatives of the Syrian regime, which does not show any seriousness in dealing with Geneva 1 Conference decisions, rejected the SNC vision. The Syrian regime’s position is clear indication that aim of its participation in Geneva was just to waste time.
Prince Saud also expressed fears that the new round of Palestinian-Israeli negotiations sponsored by the United States will face a similar fate as the previous ones in spite of all cooperation shown by the Palestinian side.
“Israel has reneged on its commitments to the peace process requirements. It has set up obstacle after obstacle so the chances of success for the current negotiations also look slim. Among such obstacles are the ongoing construction of illegal settlements, the insistence on the Jewish identity of Israel as well as its non-stop oppressive measures stripping the Palestinian people of their basic rights,” he said.
http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20140310198160
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Thirteen Arrested in Sinai, Bomb Workshop Destroyed - Army
Mar 10, 2014
Sinai — Armed forces arrested thirteen suspects on Saturday in a security operation in Sinai's Arish City, Egypt's military spokesman said.
Spokesman Ahmed Aly also told the state news agency that a workshop that was used to create explosive devices was demolished in Saturday's operation.
Eight vehicles and eight motorcycles that were being used for terrorist activities were also destroyed, Aly added.
Attacks on security forces have increased in the lawless peninsula since the ouster of Islamist President Mohamed Mursi in July of last year.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201403100090.html?aa_source=sptlgt-grid
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Syria opposition 'not yet ready for Arab League seat'
Mar 10, 2014
CAIRO: Syria's seat at the Arab League will remain vacant until the opposition completes the formation of its institutions, the pan-Arab group's secretary general Nabil al-Arabi said on Sunday.
"The last Arab summit in Doha in March 2012 adopted the principle of granting Syria's seat within the League to the opposition, but it has not yet established its institutions and must take further steps in this regard," Arabi said after a meeting of the Arab Ministerial Council.
The fierce repression of the anti-regime uprising that began in March 2011 resulted in Damascus being suspended from the Arab League in late 2011.
Full report at:
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2014/Mar-09/249749-syria-opposition-not-yet-ready-for-arab-league-seat.ashx#ixzz2vZCgPYqk
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Shia Saudi clerics warn against violence: Statement
Mar 10, 2014
Shia Saudi clerics warned Sunday against taking up arms against the authorities in the Sunni-ruled kingdom, in the wake of sporadic violence that has rocked the country's Shia-dominate east.
Demonstrations in Eastern Province, where most of the kingdom's two million Shias live, erupted simultaneously with a protest movement in neighbouring Bahrain in 2011.
They took a violent turn in 2012 and clashes between police and protesters have so far killed 24 people, including at least four policemen, according to activists.
The 10 influential clerics from Eastern Province said in the statement received by AFP that "using violence and arms against the state is rejected and condemned".
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/96289/World/Region/Shia-Saudi-clerics-warn-against-violence-Statement.aspx
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Emiratis, Saudis banned working for Qatari media
World Bulletin/News Desk
Mar 10, 2014
The tensions created by the surprise recall of ambassadors of three GCC countries — Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain — from Qatar seem to be escalating, with the UAE asking all its citizens working with Qatari media outlets to resign from their jobs immediately, the Peninsula reported.
The ban is specifically directed at all UAE citizens working with Al Jazeera network, Al Sharq reports.
In a related move, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Information has issued a decision banning Saudi writers and columnists from writing for Qatari newspapers, said the daily.
Full report at:
http://www.worldbulletin.net/headlines/130601/emiratis-saudis-banned-working-for-qatari-media
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Saudi jails person for 8 years for Twitter protest call
March 10, 2014
RIYADH: A Saudi court Sunday jailed a person for eight years on charges of inciting protests, mocking the monarch and criticising the security services on Twitter, official news agency SPA reported.
The defendant, who was not identified, had been convicted of inciting “families of those arrested for security reasons to protest by publishing Tweets and videos on YouTube,” justice ministry spokesman Fahd al Bakran was quoted by SPA as saying.
Prosecutors also found the defendant guilty of “mocking” King Abdullah, Saudi scholars and the judiciary, as well as criticising security services for arresting “promoters of extremist ideology”.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/681033/saudi-jails-person-for-8-years-for-twitter-protest-call/
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Syria: Assad forces 'using starvation as weapon of war'
Mar 10, 2014
Starvation tactics against civilians are being used as a weapon of war by the Syrian government, the human rights group Amnesty International says.
A new report says at least 128 refugees have died at the besieged Yarmouk camp in Damascus as a result.
It says thousands of people still trapped there face a "catastrophic humanitarian crisis".
Amnesty says families have been forced to forage for food in the streets - risking being killed by snipers.
There were reports of fresh fighting on the edge of the camp last week.
Yarmouk camp, which is estimated to house around 17,000-20,000 Palestinian and Syrian refugees, has seen some of the worst fighting in the capital.
Full report at:
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-26481422
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Africa
Troops Kill Over 200 Insurgents in a Special Operation - Boko Haram
Mar 10, 2014
At least 210 Boko Haram terrorists have so far been killed as a combined force of Nigerian soldiers on a special operation began raid of Sambisa forest, which is the insurgents' camp in Borno State, top security sources said.
Following the successful raid of Alagarno and Ajiri satellite camps in the eastern part of the state, the military, according to a top security officer who spoke to LEADERSHIP Sunday in confidence, have mobilised a formidable force that have commenced a tactical offensive on Sambisa.
"We cannot say uhuru for now, but we are gradually penetrating Sambisa forest and so far over 210 armed Boko Haram terrorists have died as a result of a heated gun battle between our troops and the terrorists at the peripheral part of the Sambisa," said the source.
The troops, who were given marching orders by the presidency and the Defence Headquarters to end the Boko Haram conflict before the end of April, would not want to make mistakes this time round, he said.
Full report at:
http://allafrica.com/stories/201403090019.html?aa_source=acrdn-f0
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Shabaab bans camera mobile phone in Somali town
World Bulletin/News Desk
Mar 10, 2014
The Al-Shabaab has banned camera mobile phones in a town it controls in southern Somalia, local residents said.
"The militants have enforced a law banning such phones after they had outlawed smartphones under the pretext of being used to spy on them," Abdel-Rehim Ahmad, a resident of Barawa, told Anadolu Agency.
He said any resident caught with a camera mobile phone is detained and the phone smashed.
Al-Shabaab has not confirmed the ban, but the group has already outlawed the use of internet in areas under its controls.
Full report at:
http://www.worldbulletin.net/todays-news/130638/shabaab-bans-camera-mobile-phone-in-somali-town
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Libya’s friends want to support Libya, but Libya must help itself – Ali Zeidan
Mar 10, 2014
At yesterday’s press conference, Prime Minister Ali Zeidan confirmed that the Rome conference was held by Libya’s friends to offer support to Libya.
It was not, as some had claimed, to hand Libya over to foreign states so that they can try to solve Libya’s problems.
Zeidan stated that all Libya’s bordering states were invited to Rome and that there would be a follow-up conference held in Tripoli with them to discuss border issues.
The friendly states confirmed their commitment to helping Libya, Zeidan explained, but added that Libya “must play its role in building its state. If we want the world to help us, we must help ourselves”.
Full report at:
http://www.libyaherald.com/2014/03/09/rome-conference-libyas-friends-want-to-support-libya-but-libya-must-help-itself-ali-zeidan/#ixzz2vZDZGtir
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NATO navy patrols African Horn, seeks new ways to crush Somali pirates
Mar 10, 2014
NATO vessels patrol the dangerous waters off the Horn of Africa to prevent pirates from seizing passing ships. In the meantime, NATO crews are rehearsing the recapturing of hijacked vessels in a move that involves the use of helicopters. Such exercises are repeated almost daily to keep the crew sharp for actual encounters with the pirates who still threaten the trillion-dollar shipping that passes near the Somali coast.
NATO, the European Union and other countries have helped drive down piracy since the freighter Maersk Alabama was hijacked by four ragtag Somalis in 2009, but there are still attacks nearly every week in the area.
Full report at:
http://voiceofrussia.com/2014_03_10/NATO-navy-patrols-African-Horn-seeks-new-ways-to-crush-Somali-pirates-1745/
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South Asia
Entire Maldives election commission sentenced By Supreme Court
Mar 10, 2014
The Maldives Supreme Court has given all four election commissioners six-month jail sentences, suspended for three years, for "disobeying orders".
The head of the commission and his deputy have also been sacked.
The BBC's Charles Haviland in Colombo says the ruling comes at an awkward time as the commission is supposed to be preparing for parliamentary elections in less than two weeks.
Former President Mohamed Nasheed has called for protests against the ruling.
Open challenge
The four election commission members were brought to trial under new rules that allow the Supreme Court to initiate proceedings, prosecute and pass judgement.
The judges said they had disrespected the court by not following election guidelines.
Last October the head of the commission, Fuwad Thowfeek, openly criticised the Supreme Court after it annulled a presidential election that was deemed free and fair by hundreds of observers.
Full report at:
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-26508259
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Ban Jamaat-e-Islami to fight militancy: SCF
Mar 10, 2014
To fight communalism and militancy, the government must ban Jamaat-e-Islami and its publications, stop its funding and increase vigilance on its associated business organisations, stated Sector Commanders Forum (SCF), Liberation War 71 yesterday.
SCF placed seven other recommendations at “Samprodayikota o Jongibad Birodhi Jatiya Shommelon 2014”, a conference against communalism and terrorism it organised at Dhaka University's Teacher-Student Centre.
Reading out a paper, freedom fighter, journalist and SCF acting secretary general Haroon Habib said, “Both local and foreign research show that this party has direct or indirect links to all militant groups irrespective of the name they (the latter) taken on.”
Shahriar Kabir, acting president of Ekatturer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee, questioned why the ban was not imposed under the terrorist act even though Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina termed it a terrorist organisation last year.
Full report at:
http://www.thedailystar.net/city/ban-jamaat-to-fight-militancy-14898
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5 Taliban militants killed, 6 others injured in Afghan police operations
Mar 10, 2014
At least 5 Taliban militants were killed and 6 others were injured following military operations by Afghan national security forces.
The operations were conducted by Afghan national police in coordination with the Afghan national army and Afghan intelligence – National Directorate of Security (NDS) operatives during the past 24 hours.
Interior ministry of Afghanistan confirmed 5 militants were killed, 6 militants were injured and four others were detained during the operations conducted in Herat, Badghis and Helmand provinces of Afghanistan.
Full report at:
http://www.khaama.com/5-taliban-militants-killed-6-others-injured-in-afghan-police-operations-4024
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Khaleda: No transit for India until Teesta treaty signed
Mar 10, 2014
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday said if Teesta Treaty was not inked and border killings were not stopped transit would not be given to India.
“Road transit was given to India in the name of connectivity but we are yet to get our due water share,” said the former premier.
She said recently the prime minister talked to the Indian prime minister during her visit to Myanmar. Indian prime minister said they could not give water and Teesta Treaty would not be inked. Nothing positive discussion was hold on border killings.
“They have supported us during the Liberation War and that does not mean we have been sold to them,” she said bitterly criticising the Indian stance on water sharing issue and border killing.
Full report at:
http://www.dhakatribune.com/politics/2014/mar/10/khaleda-no-transit-india-until-teesta-treaty-signed#sthash.RWISogdi.dpuf
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Afghan Taliban says poll "manipulated by U.S."
World Bulletin/News Desk
Mar 10, 2014
The Afghan Taliban said on Monday next month's presidential election was being manipulated by the United States, which had already chosen the winner, and threatened to use "full force" in attacking anyone taking part.
Two campaign workers have already been killed and at least one presidential candidate has been assaulted during campaigning for the April 5 poll, the first democratic transition of power in the country's history.
The Taliban said the proceedings were being stage-managed by the United States.
"The people should realise that the election will bear no result because the real elections have taken place in CIA and Pentagon offices and their favourite candidate has already been chosen," the Taliban said in a statement.
Full report at:
http://www.worldbulletin.net/todays-news/130641/afghan-taliban-says-poll-manipulated-by-us
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Myanmar census: risk or reward for Rohingya Muslims?
2014-03-10
SITTWE (Myanmar): In the desolate camps of western Myanmar many homeless Muslims are determined to assert their identity as Rohingya after years of persecution, in a census some fear will spark further turmoil.
Myanmar’s first census in 30 years — which starts at the end of March with United Nations help — will provide new data on the country, until now relying on figures from a flawed population tally in 1983.
But observers warn that controversy over rigid official definitions of ethnicity and entrenched mistrust of authorities after decades of junta rule risk damaging the country’s fragile peace efforts and further inflaming religious tensions after waves of anti-Muslim violence.
Full report at:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1092172/myanmar-census-risk-or-reward-for-rohingya-muslims
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Bangladesh Religious minorities have no trust in state: Prof Rehman Sobhan
Mar 10, 2014
Religious minority communities in Bangladesh live with a huge sense of vulnerability, not even trusting the state and if the state cannot be trusted, nobody can be, said Prof Rehman Sobhan yesterday.
“The problem in Bangladesh is that nobody trusts anyone,” he said as chief guest at a seminar, “Religion, Minority Status of Trust: Evidence from a Field Experiment in Bangladesh and India”, in the capital's The Daily Star Centre.
The UK-based International Growth Centre and Brac University's Institute of Governance Studies (IGS) and Brac Development Institute (BDI) jointly organised the seminar.
Full report at:
http://www.thedailystar.net/city/religious-minorities-have-no-trust-in-state-14897
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Southeast Asia
Don't Confuse Muslims, Curtail Pluralism - Agong
Mar 10, 2014
The government must curtail pluralism in order not to confuse Muslims in the country, the Agong said today in his royal address to the first parliamentary sitting of the year.
He said the government must take action in order to prevent disunity among Muslims and asked the government to take action according to the Sunnah wal Jamiah (Sunni Islam) denomination.
"Stern action must be taken against the bad elements which try to influence the thinking and actions which are meant destroy our values," he said.
To that end, he praised the government’s establishment of the National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC) to address issues of the national unity in the country.
The Agong’s address is consistent with the government’s recent stand to clamp down on Shiites in the country.
He also urged all MPs to express “undivided loyalty” to the country.
http://www.malaysia-chronicle.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=241012:umno-scripted?-dont-confuse-muslims-curtail-pluralism-agong&Itemid=2#ixzz2vYpYgbTh
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Indonesia wary of rise in protectionism
Mar 10, 2014
The government is becoming increasingly concerned over the continuing trend of implementing trade-restrictive measures this year amid the persistent global economic slowdown, which may affect Indonesia’s capacity to reach its annual export target of US$180 billion.
Deputy Trade Minister Bayu Krisnamurthi said struggling with decelerating international trade flows had resulted in many economies taking protective measures.
“The trend is alarming because we are aiming to boost exports to many destinations,” he said over the weekend.
Describing trade defense as “more important” and “more determining”, the government had strengthened related trade authorities to anticipate surging trade-restrictive measures, he added.
Full report at:
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/03/10/indonesia-wary-rise-protectionism.html
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11 slain in communist rebel attack in Philippines
2014-03-10
DAVAO: Nine members of the security forces and two communist insurgents were killed in a string of guerrilla attacks targeting Philippine police and military on Monday, officials said.
At least 50 New People's Army (NPA) rebels overwhelmed a small group of policemen at the police station in Matanao on the southern island of Mindanao at dawn, said local military spokesman Captain William Rodriguez.
“They fell on the town riding trucks and a small bus, about 50 of them...thirty minutes later (other) rebels also attacked a (local military) detachment but they were not successful there,” he told reporters.
Two policemen were killed and three others wounded in the raid on the police station itself, while the raiders, who were wearing military uniforms, also suffered two dead, Rodriguez said.
Full report at:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1092244/11-slain-in-communist-rebel-attack-in-philippines
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Indonesian Govt keeping an eye out for potential social conflicts
Mar 10, 2014
To avoid the reoccurrence of past social conflicts, some of which resulted in fatalities, particularly during this year’s elections, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has issued an instruction to all relevant institutions to beef up alertness on potential conflicts and to enhance efforts to address them before they escalate into physical clashes.
Presidential Instruction No. 1/2014 was signed by the President on Feb. 28 but it was released to the public on Sunday. The instruction highlights the importance of comprehensive efforts between regional administrations and the central government. Missed-coordination between the two had been blamed for past conflicts in regions, such as religious conflicts, land disputes between plantation companies and locals, as well as conflicts related to local elections.
Full report at:
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/03/10/govt-keeping-eye-out-potential-social-conflicts.html
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Teresa Kok Accused of Blaming Muslim Terrorists in 'Fake Quote'
Mar 10, 2014
DAP's Seputeh MP Teresa Kok has lodged a police report over a fake quote attributed to her on social media in relation to the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines' (MAS) flight MH370.
In her police report, Kok said she was falsely attributed a quote which blamed Muslim terrorists for the loss of the Boeing 777-200.
The quote read: "Who can deny it if I were to say the incident of the missing MH370 was perpetrated by Muslims terrorists - YB Teresa Kok, Seputeh MP".
"According to investigation by my colleagues, the post is suspected to have started from the Facebook page of "Kami sokong DAP diharamkan seumur hidup" (We support DAP to be outlawed forever).
Full report at:
http://www.malaysia-chronicle.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=240751:how-
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India
Darul Uloom Theological School Exhorts ‘Wholehearted’ Muslim Participation In Polls
Mar 10, 2014
Muslims should participate “wholeheartedly” in the electoral process and support the best candidates, noted Islamic scholar and chief rector of the Darul Uloom Theological School, Lucknow, Maulana Rabey Hasan Nadwi, said on Sunday.
“All that I can say is that Muslims should participate wholeheartedly in the electoral process. They should support the best candidates and hope for the best. They will suffer if they remain aloof from the political system,” Mr. Nadwi told PTI in an interview in Aligarh.
Urging Muslims to introspect and fathom the “deeper malaise which is troubling the community”, the Maulana said that he did not wish to stir any political controversy on the issue of the Muzaffarnagar riots because he was an apolitical person.
“But I feel that the time has come for Muslims to realise that at its roots Islam is a very humane religion and Muslims should search their hearts as to why they have suffered,” he said.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/deoband-exhorts-wholehearted-muslim-participation-in-polls/article5767230.ece
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Indian Mujahideen stoked Assam violence in 2012, NIA says
Deeptiman Tiwary,TNN | Mar 10, 2014
NEW DELHI: Indian Mujahideen (IM) was not content with just exploding bombs and had made attempts to spread communal hatred across the country. Probe by National Investigation Agency (NIA) found that during the June 2012 conflict in Assam, IM contributed to the flare-up by spreading text messages and online posts falsely claiming atrocities against Muslims.
The outfit also spread text messages of hatred against the northeast community in Bangalore which resulted in several students from the region being attacked. This operation was led by a new head of the outfit suspected to be in Pakistan.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Indian-Mujahideen-stoked-Assam-violence-in-2012-NIA-says/articleshow/31759301.cms
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Pakistan
Shadowy militant splinter groups threaten Pakistan peace talks
Mar 10, 2014
ISLAMABAD — Pakistan has hailed progress in peace talks with the counry’s main Taleban faction, but attacks claimed by mysterious splinter factions are threatening to undermine the process.
The Tehreek-e-Taleban Pakistan (TTP) declared a one-month cease-fire last weekend, but that was swiftly followed by a major attack in Islamabad and a bloody roadside bombing targeting security forces — both claimed by dissident groups.
Less than 48 hours after the TTP announced its cease-fire, a gun and suicide bomb assault on an Islamabad court complex on Monday left 12 dead, the first attack in the heavily guarded capital since 2011.
It was disowned by the TTP central command but claimed by a group calling itself Ahrar-ul-Hind, while Wednesday’s roadside bombing in the northwest that killed six paramilitary troops was claimed by another renegade faction, Ansar-ul-Mujahideen.
Full report at:
http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20140310198117
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PTI agrees to join govt committee in TTP talks
2014-03-10
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) on Monday agreed to partake in the dialogue being held between the government and the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and has named Khyber Pakhtunkhwa MPA Gulzar Khan as its representative in the government committee.
The government had virtually dissolved a committee formed last month when its members recommended the formation of a fully empowered team comprising the interior minister, officials of the army and ISI and the governor and chief minister of KP for direct talks with TTP.
Full report at:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1092247/pti-agrees-to-join-govt-committee-in-ttp-talks
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Country must unite against terrorism: Altaf
2014-03-10
LAHORE: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain on Sunday said that the entire country has to unite on a common front to fight terrorism, DawnNews reported.
Speaking via telephone to the Sufiya-e-Kiram Conference organised by his party in Lahore, the MQM chief said that if terrorism is not tackled then the future of the country would be bleak.
He said that Pakistan was going through a very difficult period in its history.
"I want every person in Pakistan to be happy... I shed tears often seeing the state of the people," he said.
Full report at:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1092042/country-must-unite-against-terrorism-altaf
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Pakistan fully supports ongoing regional efforts for peace: President
March 10, 2014
ISLAMABAD- President Mamnoon Hussain has said that Pakistan was keen to further strengthen friendly and mutually beneficial relations with the Republic of Kosovo at all levels including political, economic, commercial, cultural and educational fields.
The President said this while speaking to Enver Hoxhaj Foreign Minister of Republic of Kosovo during meeting at the Presidency today.
He said that being two democracies, our parliamentary institutions could also play a facilitative role in forging partnerships and brining the people of Pakistan and Kosovo closer to each other and urged for exchange of Parliamentarians, youth and students to enhance people to people contacts.
Full report at:
http://www.nation.com.pk/national/10-Mar-2014/pakistan-fully-supports-ongoing-regional-efforts-for-peace-president
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Maulana Sami wants Wafaqul Madaris politics-free
Mar 10, 2014
PESHAWAR/SWABI - Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Sami (JUI-S) Ameer Maulana Sami-ul-Haq has said that Wafaq-ul-Madaris should not be used for political purpose but it must play its basic role in protecting religious seminaries and bringing improvement in their system and syllabus.
“To protect seminaries, Wafaq-ul-Madaris should continue its peaceful struggle and we will support it,” Maulana Sami-ul Haq said this while talking an eight-member delegation of Wafaq-ul-Madaris that met him at Darul-Ulomi Haqqania at Akora Khattak here on Sunday.
The Wafaq-ul-Madaris delegation was consisting of its General Secretary Maulana Mohamamd Hanif Jalandhry, Maulana Mohamamd Anwarul Haq and others. The delegation extended invitation to Maulana Sami-ul-Haq to attend countrywide Ijtimas of Wafaq-ul-Madaris being held soon in Peshawar, Multan, Karachi and Lahore.
Full report at:
http://www.nation.com.pk/national/10-Mar-2014/sami-wants-wafaqul-madaris-politics-free
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Bilawal visits Tharparkar, amuses Sindhi mother with his English
March 10, 2014
MITHI- Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari visited the Tharparkar district hospital in Mithi today.
The Sindh Minister for Information and Local Government, Sharjeel Memon, accompanied Bilawal who spoke to the patients and their families. But what stunned the Sindhi-speaking mothers was Bilawal’s English which the mothers did not understand. However the Information Minister Sharjeel Mamon came to the rescue, told the mothers that Bilawal Bhutto was enquiring about the health of their children. But when the mother began their story in Sindhi, Bilawal Bhutto could not get a word. Later, doctors from the Mithi district hospital briefed Bilawal Bhutto about the condition of the children.
http://www.nation.com.pk/karachi/10-Mar-2014/bilawal-visits-tharparkar-amuses-sindhi-mother-with-his-english
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Quetta: Two cops gunned down in 24 hours
2014-03-10
QUETTA: After month of an uneasy calm, two police officials were gunned down during the last 24 hours in Quetta, the capital of southwestern Balochistan province.
Superintendent of Police Imran Qureshi said armed militants opened fire at the vehicle of head constable Manzoor Ahmed in Quetta's troubled Sariab road area on Monday.
“Manzoor was killed on the spot,” Qureshi said. The assailants sped away on their motorcycle after the attack. Qureshi said Manzoor received six bullets.
The incident came almost a day after gunmen killed a police constable on Fatima Jinnah Road, the heart of Quetta.
Full report at:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1092250/quetta-two-cops-gunned-down-in-24-hours
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Govt given four days to produce 'Hizbul Mujahideen activist'
2014-03-10
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Monday gave the federal government until March 14 to present Tasif Ali, DawnNews reported.
A two-member bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Nasirul Mulk, heard the case relating to the disappearance of Tasif, believed to be a Hizbul Mujahideen activist who went missing on Nov 23, 2012.
During the hearing, Additional Attorney General Shah Khawar requested additional time to contact the relevant authorities.
Khawar said the accused was present in the ‘operational’ area. Responding to which, Justice Nasir asked Khawar to name the commanding officer, adding that the court would subsequently summon him.
Full report at:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1092239/govt-given-four-days-to-produce-hizbul-mujahideen-activist
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Mideast
Arab League, Abbas reject recognising Israel as ‘Jewish state’
Mar 10, 2014
The Arab League on Sunday endorsed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's rejection of Israel's demand for recognition as a Jewish state, as US-backed peace talks approach a deadline next month.
The United States want Abbas to make the concession as part of efforts to reach a "framework agreement" and extend the talks aimed at settling the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
"The council of the Arab League confirms its support for the Palestinian leadership in its effort to end the Israeli occupation over Palestinian lands, and emphasises its rejection of recognising Israel as a 'Jewish state'," Arab foreign ministers said in a statement in Cairo.
Arab governments, distracted by the upheaval convulsing the region since the 2011 Arab uprisings, have previously taken few stands on the floundering peace talks, leaving Abbas isolated.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/96281/World/Region/Arab-League,-Abbas-reject-recognising-Israel-as-%E2%80%98J.aspx
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IAF official: Israel will face dozens of enemy drones in next conflict
Mar 10, 2014
The Israel Air Force is preparing to face dozens of enemy drones and cruise missiles in the next conflict, Brig.-Gen. Shahr Shohat, head of the Air Defense Command, said during a security conference in Tel Aviv on Monday.
Speaking at a conference hosted by the Institute for National Security Studies, called Air Defenses in the Modern Era, Shohat laid out the new threats to Israeli security, and spoke of an "intensive arms race" unfolding in the region, as demonstrated by Israel's interception of an Iranian weapons shipment last week that was intended to reach the Gaza Strip.
New weapons systems are arriving in the northern and southern sectors, Shohat said, referring to Lebanon and Gaza. This will allow terrorist organizations to fire more rockets, as well as GPS-guided projectiles, making the task of defending Israel's air space more complex, he added.
Full report at:
http://www.jpost.com/Defense/IAF-official-Israel-will-face-dozens-of-enemy-drones-in-next-conflict-344869
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Israeli Army Sees Rise in Christian Arab Recruits
Mar 10, 2014
The past year has seen a dramatic increase in Arab Christians enlisting in the Israeli army, doubling the number of each of the preceding three years — a sign, say some, of splintering loyalties among Israel's Palestinian population
Jewish Israelis are compelled to make themselves available to Israel’s military, but the obligation has never been applied to the 20 percent of Israeli citizens who identify as Palestinian, and are sometimes called Israeli Arabs. As descendants of the people that Jewish armies fought and defeated to create the state of Israel in 1948–but, who, unlike the 700,000 who fled or were forced out of their homes, were permitted to stay—young Palestinians living Israel were never expected to carry arms to defend it.
Full report at:
http://time.com/15479/israeli-army-christian-arabs/
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Israel's military says alleged Iranian weapons shipment to Gaza contained 40 rockets
Mar 10, 2014
EILAT, Israel - Israel's military said Sunday that a cargo ship it intercepted in the Red Sea last week carried 40 rockets with a range of up to 160 kilometres (100 miles).
Israel has alleged the shipment was orchestrated by Iran and was intended for Islamic militants in Gaza, a claim denied by Iran and the rockets' purported recipients.
An Egyptian security official said Sunday the rockets also might have been intended for militants in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, which borders Gaza. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not allowed to brief reporters.
Full report at:
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/israels-military-says-alleged-iranian-weapons-shipment-gaza-185741443.html
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Iran press hail Ashton visit amid some criticism
Mar 10, 2014
Iranian newspapers on Monday welcomed European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton's weekend visit to Tehran although her focus on human rights came under criticism.
Ashton met on Sunday with top Iranian officials, including President Hassan Rouhani and Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.
"Iran and Europe enter an era of cooperation," ran the headline in government-run daily Iran alongside a picture of the Rouhani-Ashton meeting.
According to the president's office, Ashton delivered "the goodwill message" of the 28-member European bloc to Rouhani.
Ashton is tasked with coordinating a diplomatic push by six world powers in talks with Iran over its controversial nuclear drive.
Full report at:
http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2014_03_10/Iran-press-hail-Ashton-visit-amid-some-criticism-6273/
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Europe
Spain on Islamist alert, decade after train bombings
Mar 10, 2014
Madrid (AFP) - A decade since the deadly Al-Qaeda-inspired train bombings in Madrid, Spain stands on alert against growing numbers of Islamist "lone wolves" willing to launch fresh attacks, officials say.
The ranks of young radical Islamists in Spain have swelled, recruited for jihad -- or holy war -- not in mosques but in Internet chat rooms and private houses, officials and experts say.
Spanish courts sentenced 18 people for the bombings that killed 191 people on commuter trains heading for Madrid's Atocha station on March 11, 2004.
The Spanish anti-terrorist service's level of alert has since remained at "a likely risk of attack", junior security minister Francisco Martinez told AFP.
"That has not changed... but the number of jihadists has grown," he added. "Especially in certain areas, radicalisation has increased."
A study by the Royal Elcano Institute, a Spanish research body, said 84 Islamists, all young men, were convicted for attack plots in Spain between 1996 and 2012, or died in relation to such attacks.
Full report at:
http://news.yahoo.com/spain-islamist-alert-decade-train-bombings-193456097.html
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UN investigators head to C. Africa amid genocide fears
Mar 10, 2014
A group of UN-mandated investigators launch a probe Monday of human right violations in the conflict-ravaged Central African Republic amid fears of genocide and ethnic cleansing.
The three international investigators will spend two weeks travelling the country, speaking with victims, witnesses, and actors in the conflict, and expect to draw up a list of suspected perpetrators.
"We have to put an end to the impunity," said Bernard Acho Muna, head of an international Commission of Inquiry appointed by UN leader Ban Ki-moon in January.
Speaking to reporters in Geneva before leaving for Bangui, the Cameroon Supreme Court lawyer and former deputy chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court for Rwanda said he hoped his mission could help ward off a feared genocide.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/9/96324/World/International/UN-investigators-head-to-CAfrica-amid-genocide-fea.aspx
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Orthodox patriarchs urge Ukraine peace in Istanbul
World Bulletin/News Desk
Mar 10, 2014
Patriarchs of the world's 250 million Orthodox Christians ended a rare summit in Istanbul on Sunday calling for a peaceful end to the crisis in Ukraine and denouncing violence driving Christians out of the Middle East.
Twelve heads of autonomous Orthodox churches, the second-largest family of Christian churches, also agreed to hold a summit of bishops, or ecumenical council, in 2016, which will be the first in over 1,200 years.
The Istanbul talks were called to decide on the council, which the Orthodox have been preparing on and off since the 1960s, but the Ukraine crisis overshadowed their talks at the office of spiritual leader Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.
Full report at:
http://www.worldbulletin.net/headlines/130623/orthodox-patriarchs-urge-ukraine-peace-in-istanbul
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Syria is starving Palestinian refugees in Damascus’s Yarmouk: report
Mar 10, 2014
Syrian forces are committing war crimes by using the starvation of civilians as a weapon of war, according to a new report by Amnesty International on crimes committed against Palestinian and Syrian civilians in the Damascus suburb of Yarmouk.
The report, “Squeezing the life out of Yarmouk: War crimes against besieged civilians,” comes ahead of the third anniversary of the civil war in Syria and highlights the deaths of nearly 200 Yarmouk residents since the siege around it was tightened in July 2013. Access to food, fuel, and medical supplies was cut off in Yarmouk as well as in other districts of the capital and other areas near major cities such as Homs and Aleppo.
Neil Sammonds, the lead researcher of the report, told The Jerusalem Post that in the last few weeks, since they finished the report, the situation has gotten worse.
Food deliveries by the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) stopped in March, said Sammonds.
Full report at:
http://www.jpost.com/Syria-Crisis/Syria-is-starving-Palestinian-refugees-in-Damascuss-Yarmouk-says-Amnesty-Intl-report-344822
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Big spending by Saudis in UK
Mar 10, 2014
Saudi tourists are one of the top five spenders in the United Kingdom, said prominent businessman Khaled Olayan during an event to honor Fiona Woolf, lord mayor of London and global ambassador for UK-based financial and business services, at the Alkhobar Movenpick on Tuesday.
The number of Saudis visiting London is set to go up by 22 percent annually, he said.
“Last year, Saudis spent some 2.5 billion pounds, 75 million pounds of which were on hotels alone. Many families spend up to three months or even longer during their visit,” said Olayan. “Saudis account for the largest proportion of GCC citizens who receive visas every year. In fact, more than 100,000 visas were issued last year.”
Full report at:
http://www.arabnews.com/news/537656
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North America
US threatens Libyan militias with sanctions for unauthorized oil sales
Mar 10, 2014
The United States has threatened Libyan militias with sanctions for attempts to illegally sell the oil that belongs to the Libyan National Oil Corporation and its partners, including US companies.
Department spokesperson Jen Psaki has warned that any transactions without prior authorization by the companies in question will entail civil penalty, fines and other likely sanctions. The North Korean-flagged Morning Glory oil tanker cast anchor off the oil loading terminal at Libya’s Es Sider port on Saturday.
The Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zeidan has threatened to bomb the tanker if the crew fails to comply with the government orders on leaving the port. The Libyan authorities see oil loading as an act of smuggling. But the armed militias warned from their side that they would take an attack on the Morning Glory tanker as a declaration of war.
Full report at:
http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2014_03_10/US-threatens-Libyan-militias-with-sanctions-for-unauthorized-oil-sales-2964/
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Kerry calls for return of Jewish-American missing in Iran for 7 years
Mar 10, 2014
US Secretary of State John Kerry marked the seventh year since the disappearance of an American Jewish man in Iran with a plea for his safe return.
Robert Levinson, 66, disappeared seven years ago from Kish Island, Iran. He is one of the longest-held American citizens in history, Kerry said in a statement on Sunday.
Kerry said Levinson was on a private business trip when he disappeared, though the Washington Post reported in December that he been working for the CIA in a rogue operation.
Levinson, the father of seven children, is a private detective and former FBI agent from Coral Springs, Florida.
Full report at:
http://www.jpost.com/International/Kerry-calls-for-return-of-Jewish-American-missing-in-Iran-for-7-years-344855
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Afghan support needed for success of military offensive: US experts
014-03-10
WASHINGTON: Pakistan seems ready to launch a military operation in Fata but a continued rivalry with Afghanistan may lead to failure, warn US experts.
In TV talks and think-tank debates this week, experts also emphasised the importance of greater coordination between the forces deployed on both sides of the Pak-Afghan border for this operation to succeed.
Underlining this point, Pakistan’s Ambassador to US, Jalil Abbas Jilani, said his country was seeking a “robust and forward-looking defence partnership” with the United States.
But a former US ambassador to Islamabad, Cameron Munter, said that a durable relationship between the two countries would require a greater engagement with the Pakistani people.
And chairman of the House Defence Appropriations Committee, Rodney Frelinghuysen, who recently visited Pakistan, said the country focused more on perceived threats from India and not enough on its “soft-underbelly, the Taliban”.
Full report at:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1092159/afghan-support-needed-for-success-of-military-offensive-us-experts
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US Drones: 'Psychological Torture' from Above and the Resistance from Below
Mar 10, 2014
As the United States steps up covert drone strikes on Yemen, with three suspected U.S. drone attacks killing at least four people in Yemen early this week, campaigners on the ground say the accumulated years spent living under constant threat of death from above are sowing tragedy, "psychological torture," and resistance across the country.
"Entire communities are being killed off and families are being torn apart," said Rooj Alwazir, an anti-drone organizer based in Yemen, in an interview with Common Dreams. "Many people are living in constant fear because they could be next, creating widespread and long-term psychological torture. Many young boys are afraid to gather and children stop going to school and families stop gathering."
Full report at:
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2014/03/05-5
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Ottawa students group wants to ban Israeli hummus from campus
Mar 10, 2014
Pro-Palestinian student groups at the University of Ottawa have launched a campaign to ban Sabra hummus from campus.
Sabra is partly owned by the Strauss Group, a foods manufacturer that the students allege financially supports the Golani Brigade of the Israeli Defense Forces, according to The New York Times. The students say the Golani Brigade has been accused of human rights violations by numerous organizations.
Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights and the Palestinian Student Association are among the student groups involved in the campaign, according to the university newspaper, The Fulcrum, along with the community group Young Jews for Social Justice.
Full report at:
http://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/No-Canada-Ottawa-students-group-wants-to-ban-Israeli-hummus-from-campus-344845
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/syria-grand-mufti-slams-arab/d/56070