Syria Says Will Not Give In 'Even If There Is WW III
New Age Islam News Bureau
5
Sept 2013
Photo: Saeed has invited the leaders of ruling PML-N, PPP, PTI, PML-Q, JUI-F, JUI-S, MQM and Jamaat-i-Islami to the rally
Arab World
• Syria Says Will Not Give In 'Even If There Is WW III
• Sinai jihadists praise 'Mujahideen, accuse Egyptian army of lying
• Syria dispute set to overshadow G20 talks on economy
• Jihadists’ mock army claims of Sinai victories
• Egypt's interior minister survives assassination attempt
• Syrian rebels fight army near Christian village
• The post-Morsi constitution according to Salafist Nour Party
• OIC warns against Islamophobia
• Egypt prison official sacked for help to detained Islamists
• Iraq launches peace initiative for Syrian crisis
Europe
• British Soldier Tells Inquiry of Colleagues' Abuse of Iraqis
• G20 meet: War overshadows economy as Obama heads into the lion's den in Russia
• Obama shames the world, says international community, not he, set the red line
• Russia's Putin calls John Kerry a liar on Syria
• Strike on Syria could mean nuke disaster: Russia
India
• Indian Jihadis are fighting in Syria, says Assad's envoy
• India, Pak envoys hold secret talks in Dubai
• Nawaz Sharif sent bouquet to Sonia Gandhi in Delhi hospital
• Honour deal on Zamzam allowance: Indian minister
• Three-tier border fencing along LoC turns a 'death trap' for infiltrators
North America
• US Senate panel votes to authorize use of force in Syria
• Meet America’s first all-Muslim Texas fraternity
• McCain defends Syria rebel’s use of ‘Allah Akbar’ to Fox News pundit
• Pentagon may take charge of arming Syrian rebels: US officials
• Room for improvement in Pakistan's nuke arsenal security: US
• Obama weighs Egypt aid suspension
• Arab nations offered to pay for Syria strike: Kerry
Southeast Asia
• At least they agreed on one thing: only in Malaysia is Allah an issue
• Govt Pledges to Uphold Rights of Ahmadiyah
• Malaysia bars U.S. band’s show over Muslim criticism
Pakistan
• Death toll rises: As govt chalks out plan, 12 more killed in Karachi
• Hafeez Saeed to launch anti-India drive from tomorrow
• Militants, police clash in Karachi’s Mauripur; three TTP Militants killed
• Execution moratorium cannot be linked to Taliban talks: Zardari
• Syrian conflict: US intervention may turn into a new cold war
• Pakistanis face uncertain future in Afghan prison
• Suspected militant killed in Bannu during clash with residents
• Talks with Taliban not to affect operations in tribal areas
• Karachi law and order: Rangers to launch operation in two days
• Nanga Parbat attack mastermind arrested: G-B CM
• Anti-terrorism strategy for KP on back burner
Mideast
• Turkish PM Erdoğan to push for Syria at G-20 summit
• PA official: Palestinian leadership will not accept temporary solutions
• Netanyahu: Jewish people are strong because 'we are united'
• Five Saudi 'Qaeda' members go on trial in Yemen
• Number of Syrian refugees in Turkey passes 500,000 mark: Foreign Ministry
South Asia
• Afghans say Pakistanis behind mosque attack
• Two gunmen killed in Kabul mosque shootout: officials
• In Bangladesh, multiple arrests a blow to Jihadis
• Maldives faces democracy test on Saturday
• Jamaat, Shibir again strike terror in Dhaka
Africa
• Stop chanting war slogans, senate president charges Nigerians
• Somalia: Explosions Heard in Mogadishu During Night Time
• Tunisian assembly speaker calls for reconciliation
• African Union calls on Egypt's political forces to support transition, Brotherhood inclusion
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
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Arab World
Syria Says Will Not Give In 'Even If There Is WW III
September 04, 2013
Syria's deputy foreign minister Faisal Muqdad said on Wednesday the regime would not give in to threats of a US-led military strike against the country, even if a third world war erupts.
In an exclusive interview with AFP, Faisal Muqdad said the government had taken "every easure" to counter a potential intervention aimed at punishing the regime of Bashar al-Assad over a suspected deadly poison gas strike and was mobilising its allies.
"The Syrian government will not change position even if there is World War III. No Syrian can sacrifice the independence of his country," he said.
"Syria has taken every measure to retaliate against... an aggression," he added, refusing to provide any clue as to what that might mean.
Muqdad said the regime was mobilising its allies ahead of a possible strike, as US President Barack Obama lobbies Congress to back intervention and the French parliament debates the issue.
Washington says the alleged chemical weapons attack on August 21 in suburbs of Damascus killed more than 1,400 people and blames it on the Assad regime – a claim it categorically denies.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/restofasia/Syria-says-will-not-give-in-even-if-there-is-WWIII/Article1-1117419.aspx
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Sinai jihadists praise 'Mujahideen, accuse Egyptian army of lying
By DAVID BARNETT
September 5, 2013
In a statement released to jihadist forums today, al Salafiyya al Jihadiyya (ASAJ) charged that the Egyptian army was lying about its recent operations in the Sinai Peninsula. ASAJ's statement, which was translated by the SITE Intelligence Group, began by saying claims that an Adel Mohammed Ibrahim (a.k.a. Adel Habara) was arrested and that he leads al Qaeda in the Sinai are false.
"There is no al-Qaeda in Sinai as an organization for it to have a leader to arrest," the group's statement said. The group even claimed that "there is no one named Adel Habara." A reporter with the Wall Street Journal similarly tweeted today that "Salafis in Sinai have already said they've never heard of the guy [Adel Habara] who was recently arrested."
ASAJ went on to argue that the reason the Egyptian army is lying about the arrest of Adel Habara and other operations in the Sinai is to cover their "acts of betrayal." The group's statement then laid out a number of crimes it said were recently committed by the army.
ASAJ first denounced the recent destruction of homes in Rafah along the border with the Gaza Strip, which it said would "serve the goals of the Jews and their security." On Sept. 1, Egyptian authorities destroyed a number of homes in the area "as a prelude to the possible creation of a buffer zone to reduce weapon smuggling and illegal militant crossings," the Associated Press reported. The home demolitions and talk of a buffer zone have angered Egyptians and Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip.
After denouncing the home demolitions, ASAJ condemned the army's recent strikes in the Sinai, which security sources claimed had killed at least eight Islamist militants. According to ASAJ, the army struck mosques and homes of slain jihadists.
One of the homes that was targeted belonged to the family of Ansar Jerusalem (Bayt al Maqdis) fighter Yusri Muhaareb al Saraarkah (Yusri Muhareb al-Sawarka), who was killed on Aug. 9. ASAJ said that targeting the home of a slain fighter is "the custom of the Jews against the Mujahideen in Palestine." In Egypt, ASAJ said, Israel does not need to do this as "their lackeys and agents in the Egyptian army fulfill this role."
According to ASAJ, the Egyptian army strikes in the Sinai on Sept. 3 led to much destruction at a mosque in Muqa'tah. Along with the statement, ASAJ released photos (reproduced below) showing some of the destruction at the mosque. ASAJ further said the army had struck homes that are generally occupied by women, children, and the elderly and were neither weapon caches nor training facilities.
The new communiqué concluded by stating that Egyptian army operations in the Sinai must be "repulsed and thwarted." [T]his is what the Mujahideen are doing every day with operations that harm them and destroy [the army's] powers," the statement said.
Hours after the release of the new statement from ASAJ, at least six security personnel were killed in yet another attack by gunmen in the Sinai, according to Al Ahram. A report in today's Israel Hayom said IDF data has noted at least 300 attacks "launched against Egyptian forces in Sinai over the past few weeks."
Today's statement from ASAJ is not the first time the group has accused the Egyptian army of lying about its operations in the Sinai. About three weeks ago, the group denounced a number of army claims as "outright lies."
On Aug. 22, ASAJ released a statement calling on Muslims to fight the "apostate" Egyptian army. The communiqué was particularly notable, as last fall the group had said that "the army and the police are not our targets and that our weapons are directed at the enemies and the enemies of our Ummah the Jews." And similarly, in mid-May, the jihadist group had said "the target of the Salafist Jihadist current in Sinai is the Zionist enemy and its operations are directed to them, and the Egyptian soldiers are not a target for us."
http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2013/09/sinai_jihadists_say.php#ixzz2e0N074pX
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Syria dispute set to overshadow G20 talks on economy
September 05, 2013
A potential showdown over Syria between US President Barack Obama and Russia's Vladimir Putin could overshadow a meeting of world leaders on Thursday on how to revive the global economy.
At a summit which Putin is hosting in a tsarist palace outside St. Petersburg, the Group of 20 developed and developing economies will try to forge a united front on growth, trade, banking transparency and fighting tax evasion.
The club that accounts for two-thirds of the world's population and 90% of its output is divided over issues such as emerging market turmoil and the Federal Reserve's decision to end its programme of stimulus for the US economy.
But no rift is wider than the one between Obama and Putin over possible military intervention in Syria, and both presidents turned up the volume on Wednesday.
Obama used a visit to Sweden to build his case for a military response to the "barbarism" of a chemical weapons attack on Aug. 21 which Washington blames on Syrian forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad.
Obama, who is seeking approval for military strikes from Congress, said: "My credibility is not on the line. The international community's credibility is on the line.
"And America and Congress' credibility is on the line, because (otherwise) we give lip service to the notion that these international norms are important."
Putin said Congressional approval without a UN Security Council resolution would be an act of aggression, and accused Secretary of State John Kerry of lying by playing down the role of the militant group al Qaeda with rebel forces.
"Our opponents' arguments are very weak. To be honest, they are non-existent," Putin said in Moscow.
Putin's comments dimmed prospects of a compromise which had been raised when he said in an interview he did not rule out supporting military action - if it was approved by the UN Security Council and there was proof Assad's forces had resorted to chemical warfare.
Foreign ministers from key states in the G20 - which includes all five permanent Security Council members - will discuss Syria on the sidelines of the meeting although it is not formally on the summit agenda.
The G20 lacks the powers of the Security Council, but Putin would like to see a consensus to avert military action in what would be a significant - but unlikely - diplomatic triumph for Russia, Syria's key arms supplier and international ally.
Lack Of Harmony
The G20 achieved unprecedented cooperation between developed and emerging nations to stave off economic collapse during the 2009 financial crisis, but the harmony has now gone.
There are likely to be some agreements - including on measures to fight tax evasion by multinational companies - at the summit in the spectacular seafront Peterhof palace complex built on the orders of Tsar Peter the Great.
An initiative will be presented to leaders on refining regulation of the $630 trillion global market for financial derivatives - such as futures, options and swaps - to prevent a possible markets blow-up.
Steps to give the so-called 'shadow banking' sector until 2015 to comply with new global rules will also be discussed. But consensus is proving hard to achieve among developed economies as the United States takes aggressive action to spur demand and Europe moves more slowly to let go of austerity.
Meanwhile, emerging economies in the Brics - Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa - are divided over the role of the US dollar in the world economy.
And there has been no sign of them rallying behind the fifth Brics member, India, after it called last Friday for joint currency intervention.
The International Monetary Fund will call at the meeting for strengthened global action to revitalise growth and better manage risks, an IMF document obtained by Reuters showed. Advanced economies led by the United States will increasingly drive global growth while emerging countries are at risk of slowing, due to tighter US monetary policy, it said.
"The greatest worry may well be a prolonged period of sluggish global growth," the IMF said.
But with the United States and other advanced economies picking up speed, the IMF said it still expected global growth to accelerate in 2014 from this year, helped by the highly accommodative monetary conditions in the rich world.
Former Russian finance minister Alexei Kudrin also urged caution, warning of the threat posed by debt and suggesting the main problems of the global financial crisis may not have been overcome yet.
"We aren't in a recovery - we have just won a breathing space," he said.
Further friction on the fringes of the summit could be caused by Obama's plans to meet human rights activists including members of a gay rights group which staged protests against a law Putin signed banning "gay propaganda" among minors.
The law has been widely criticised in the West and is one of the areas on which Russia and the United States have fallen out as relations deteriorated this year and Obama pulled out of a meeting with Putin that would have been held on Wednesday.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/restofasia/Syria-dispute-set-to-overshadow-G20-talks-on-economy/Article1-1117611.aspx
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Jihadist’s mock army claims of Sinai victories
September 05, 2013
CAIRO: A jihadist group Wednesday poured scorn on the Egyptian military’s claims of victories in the restive Sinai Peninsulawhere the army said it launched deadly airstrikes on militants.
The fiercely anti-Israeli group Al-Salafi al-Jihadiya, in a statement posted on Islamist forums, condemned “the state media and the army as liars” who “celebrate ... fake victories in the Sinai.”
On Tuesday, the military launched what security sources said was its “biggest” air assault in the Sinai where the army has been battling a semi-insurgency since Islamist president Mohammad Morsi’s ouster on July 3.
The strikes near the Rafah crossing into Gaza targeted militants using the area bordering the Palestinian territory as a hideout, the sources said.
They said eight militants were killed and 15 wounded in the bombing of several villages.
The jihadist group denied the claims.
“The operation has seen innocents being arrested and presented as fighters,” the group said. “They film the bombing of homes and present them as dens of fighters and openly lie about the deaths of large numbers of” militants, it added.
The security sources said the air assault also targeted weapons depots and explosives, apart from militants hiding in villages.
Egypt has deployed additional forces to fight radical groups in the mainly desert region.
On Aug. 19, militants killed 25 Egyptian police in an attack on two buses heading toward the town of Rafah.
Egyptian authorities regularly claim to kill “terrorists” in the area and publish near daily pictures of men said to be militants.
Many radical groups have set up rear bases in the northern Sinai, a region mostly populated by Bedouins, who are themselves often in conflict with the central authorities in Cairo.
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2013/Sep-05/230026-jihadists-mock-army-claims-of-sinai-victories.ashx#ixzz2e1Pv2TXl
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Egypt's interior minister survives assassination attempt
AP | Sep 5, 2013
CAIRO: A car bombing on Thursday targeted the convoy of Egypt's interior minister in Cairo's eastern Nasr City district, security officials said. The minister, Mohammed Ibrahim, survived the attack.
The officials said it was not clear whether the late morning explosion was caused by a suicide car bombing or an explosives-laden car detonated by remote control.
Egyptian state television only reported an explosion near the Nasr City residence of Ibrahim, who is in charge of the country's police force. It wasn't immediately clear if anyone was injured in the blast.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Egypts-interior-minister-survives-assassination-attempt/articleshow/22332504.cms
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Syrian rebels fight army near Christian village
September 05, 2013
BEIRUT: Syrian government troops battled al-Qaida-linked rebels over a regime-held Christian village in western Syria for the second day Thursday, as world leaders gathered in Russia for an economic summit expected to be overshadowed by the prospect of U.S.-led strikes against the Damascus regime.
Residents of Maaloula said the militants entered the village late Wednesday. Rami Abdul-Rahman, the director of the Britain-based Observatory for Human Rights, said the fighters included members of the of al-Qaida affiliated Jabhat al-Nusra group.
Full report at:
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2013/Sep-05/230092-syrian-rebels-fight-army-near-christian-village.ashx#ixzz2e1OUBigZ
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The post-Morsi constitution according to Salafist Nour Party
5 September 2013
Egypt’s hardline Salafist Nour Party recently decided to join the 50-member committee selected to propose amendments to the 2012 constitution, which was suspended after the removal Islamist president Mohamed Morsi on 3 July.
"We initially said we would not participate in the interim government or the drafting of the new constitution, given the current undemocratic conditions,” says Ashraf Thabet, Nour Party spokesperson and former MP.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/80678/Egypt/Politics-/-The-postMorsi-constitution-according-to-Salafist-.aspx
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OIC warns against Islamophobia
5 September 2013
Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, secretary-general of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), has warned against the rise of Islamophobia, which seeks to defame Islam and Muslims.
In a statement to the fifth International Conference on Islamic Civilization in Zanzibar, Tanzania, on Tuesday, he said, “I firmly believe that with a proper understanding of Islam and its values and the dissemination of a true image of Islam, the agenda of intolerance to cultural diversity and religious beliefs can be countered peacefully to safeguard our common values which we share with the whole of humanity.”
Full report at:
http://www.arabnews.com/news/463602
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Egypt prison official sacked for help to detained Islamists
5 September 2013
CAIRO: Egypt’s Interior Minister removed the head of the country’s prison authority Wednesday amid reports he facilitated meetings between detained Islamists, an official said.
The decision was part of a limited reshuffle in the ministry in charge of security. The minister also replaced the heads of the security and investigative bureaus in the southern governorate of Minya, where there have been attacks on government buildings and churches during weeks of unrest.
Full report at:
http://www.arabnews.com/news/463523
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Iraq launches peace initiative for Syrian crisis
IANS | Sep 4, 2013
BAGHDAD: Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on Wednesday launched a new peace initiative to end the Syrian crisis and called on the Arab countries and the world to back his plan.
Maliki said in his weekly statement that his nine-point initiative is a modified version of Iraq's former peace plan, which was rejected by the Syrian opposition last year, Xinhua reported.
The plan includes a series of proposals like stopping arming both sides of the conflict, withdrawal of all foreign fighters, supporting investigation into the use of chemical weapons and rejection of military intervention in Syria, as well as establishing a fund for the return of Syrian refugees.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Iraq-launches-peace-initiative-for-Syrian-crisis/articleshow/22298888.cms
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Europe
British Soldier Tells Inquiry of Colleagues' Abuse of Iraqis
Richard Norton-Taylor
5 September 2013
A British soldier engaged in a gun battle in Iraq described on Wednesday how his colleagues punched and kicked a prisoner and stamped on the head of a dead Iraqi, and how he saw his sergeant empty a full magazine into the "twitching" bodies of fatally wounded insurgents.
Duncan Aston, a soldier in the 2nd Battalion of Princess of Wales Royal Regiment, gave a graphic description of what came to be known as the Battle of Danny Boy – at a British checkpoint in south-east Iraq in May 2004 – and described the actions of his platoon sergeant as "a bit sick and degrading".
Full report at:
http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/sep/04/british-soldier-inquiry-abuse-iraqis
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G20 meet: War overshadows economy as Obama heads into the lion's den in Russia
AP | Sep 5, 2013
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia: US President Barack Obama is heading into the lion's den of Russia, confronting Syria's key patron as well as foreign leaders skeptical of his call for an international military strike against Bashar Assad's government.
Obama on Thursday begins a two-day visit to St. Petersburg for the Group of 20 economic summit, putting him in the same country as Edward Snowden for the first time since the American fugitive fled to Moscow earlier this year. Both Syria and Snowden have been sore points in an already strained US-Russian relationship, fueling the notion that Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin just can't get along.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/europe/G20-meet-War-overshadows-economy-as-Obama-heads-into-the-lions-den-in-Russia/articleshow/22327433.cms
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Nato general says Afghan forces effective
Sep 05 2013
The top British commander in Afghanistan says the country’s own military is proving to be an “effective force” despite rising casualties.
Lt Gen John Lorimer told the BBC that Afghan troops had demonstrated “resilience” in the face of Taliban attacks and were taking on insurgents.
Nato troops are handing over security responsibility to local forces before a withdrawal from Afghanistan next year.
Full report at:
http://www.thedailystar.net/beta2/news/nato-general-says-afghan-forces-effective/
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Obama shames the world, says international community, not he, set the red line
Chidanand Rajghatta, TNN | Sep 5, 2013
WASHINGTON: ''Shame on you, cowardly world!'' may well paraphrase Barack Obama's feelings.
Amid almost universal reservations about American military strikes against Syria for its alleged use of chemical weapons, the US President took his case to the global stage, telling an international audience while on a stop over in Sweden that the world's credibility is on the line if it did not respond to Syria's use of chemical weapons, and that it was not he personally, but the international community that set a red line on the matter.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/Obama-shames-the-world-says-international-community-not-he-set-the-red-line/articleshow/22311234.cms
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Russia's Putin calls John Kerry a liar on Syria
AP | Sep 5, 2013
MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday called US secretary of state John Kerry a liar, claiming he had denied that al-Qaida was fighting with the Syrian opposition in that country's civil war.
Speaking to his human rights council, Putin recalled watching a congressional debate where Kerry was asked about al-Qaida. Putin said he had denied that it was operating in Syria, even though he was aware of the al-Qaida-linked Jabhat al-Nusra group.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Russias-Putin-calls-John-Kerry-a-liar-on-Syria/articleshow/22304688.cms
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Strike on Syria could mean nuke disaster: Russia
Sep 05 2013
Vienna : Russia is warning that a US strike on Syria's atomic facilities might result in a nuclear catastrophe and is urging the U.N. to present a risk analysis of such a scenario.
The warning comes from Russia's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Alexander Lukashevich. He said in a statement Wednesday that a strike on a miniature reactor near Damascus or other nuclear installations could contaminate the region with radioactivity, adding: "The consequences could be catastrophic."
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/strike-on-syria-could-mean-nuke-disaster-russia/1165022/
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India
Indian jihadis are fighting in Syria, says Assad's envoy
Sep 05 2013
New Delhi : Syria’s ambassador to India has said that “Indian fighters” are waging “Islamic jihad” against President Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria alongside fighters from Afghanistan and Chechnya.
Ambassador Riad Kamel Abbas told The Indian Express Wednesday that some of these Indian nationals had been killed in the war, but some had been “caught alive”.
Abbas said he had shared this information with the Indian government, and the government had been “surprised”. However, Syria had not been able to pass on any evidence, because no Indian official had visited Syria in the last two years, he said.
“Indian fighters are waging Islamic jihad, along with fighters from Chechnya, Afghanistan and other countries,” the ambassador, who was handpicked by Assad for the India job two years ago, said.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/indian-jihadis-are-fighting-in-syria-says-assad-s-envoy/1164853/
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India, Pak envoys hold secret talks in Dubai
Sep 05 2013
In a significant development, special envoys to India and Pakistan Prime Ministers had a discreet back channel meeting in Dubai a few days back, in the first engagement between the two countries after the killing of five Indian soldiers on the line of control (LoC) on August 6.
Interlocutors SK Lamba and Shahriyar Khan discussed the proposed meeting between Manmohan Singh and Nawaz Sharif in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly meet later this month. Khan confirmed the Dubai meeting to Hindustan Times over the phone from Lahore, saying, “As of now the meeting in New York is on. The Indians have not said no.’’
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/newdelhi/India-Pak-envoys-hold-secret-talks-in-Dubai/Article1-1117073.aspx
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Nawaz Sharif sent bouquet to Sonia Gandhi in Delhi hospital
Sep 04 2013
Islamabad : Amidst simmering tensions between the two countries, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif sent a bouquet of flowers to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi when he learnt of her visit to hospital last week, a media report said today.
Gandhi was taken to the hospital in New Delhi on August 26 after she felt unwell during a debate in parliament. On Sharif's directive, Pakistan's Foreign Office asked its High Commission in New Delhi to have flowers delivered to Gandhi, The Nation reported.
The bouquet was sent with a "get well" message and warm wishes on behalf of Sharif, the report said. Tensions between the two countries escalated since five Indian soldiers were killed in an attack by Pakistani troops on the Line of Control on August 6.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/nawaz-sharif-sent-bouquet-to-sonia-gandhi-in-delhi-hospital/1164593/
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Honour deal on Zamzam allowance: Indian minister
5 September 2013
JEDDAH — India’s Minister of State for External Affairs E. Ahamed has asked Saudi civil aviation authorities to overturn their decision to reduce the quantity of Zamzam water allotted for each Haj pilgrim from 10 to five liters.
Addressing a press conference at the Indian Consulate on Wednesday, he said: “We have received an intimation to cut the Zamzam quantity from the Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA). “I have raised this matter seriously in today’s meeting with Saudi Minister of Haj Bandar Hajjar.”
Full report at:
http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20130905179363
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Three-tier border fencing along LoC turns a 'death trap' for infiltrators
Sep 05 2013
Hamirpur : The three-tier border fencing along the LoC has turned into a "death trap" for infiltrating militants, leading to desperation among militant ranks and has prompted repeated firings on Indian posts from across the border, the Army has said.
"It is impossible for infiltrating militants to cross over the three-tiered border fencing along LoC. There is desperation in militant leadership and Pakistani establishment due to failure to cross-over the fencing", Brig A Sengupta said.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/threetier-border-fencing-along-loc-turns-a--death-trap--for-infiltrators/1164971/
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North America
US Senate panel votes to authorize use of force in Syria
AP | Sep 5, 2013
WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama's request for speedy congressional backing of a military strike in Syria advanced in the Senate on Wednesday, hours after the president left open the possibility he would order retaliation for a deadly chemical weapons attack even if Congress withheld its approval.
A resolution cleared the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on a 10-7 vote after last-minute alterations to support "decisive changes to the present military balance of power'' in Syria's civil war. It would rule out US combat operations on the ground.
The measure is expected to reach the Senate floor next week, although the timetable for a vote is uncertain.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/US-Senate-panel-votes-to-authorize-use-of-force-in-Syria/articleshow/22304208.cms
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Meet America’s first all-Muslim Texas fraternity
September 05, 2013
It may seem like the punch line of a joke, but Alpha Lambda Mu–a one-of-a-kind, all-Muslim fraternity at the University of Texas–is serious about rehabbing the reputations of both fraternities and Islam.
Founded in February by student Ali Mahmoud, Alpha Lambda Mu — or Alif Laam Meem in Arabic — is a community of Islamic male students living together as brothers at UT-Austin. The goal of the organization is to provide a sense of community to Muslim students, many of whom struggled with reconciling their religious beliefs and campus lifestyles, said Ali.
Full report at:
http://dailycaller.com/2013/09/04/meet-americas-first-all-muslim-texas-fraternity/#ixzz2e1MBz6SC
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McCain defends Syria rebel’s use of ‘Allah Akbar’ to Fox News pundit
5 September 2013
Al Arabiya
American Senator John McCain Wednesday defended the use of Islam’s phrase “Allah Akbar” by Syrian rebels, in response to comments by Fox News TV host Brian Kilmeade.
McCain, seemingly annoyed by the host’s sarcastic tone, explained the meaning of the phrase, which translates to “God is Great.”
Reassuring Kilmeade that some of the Syrian groups who use the term are moderates, the senator said that he knows them and has been in contact with them.
“Would you have a problem with an American person saying ‘Thank God? Thank God?’” McCain said.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/media/2013/09/05/McCain-defends-Syria-rebel-s-use-of-Allah-Akbar-to-Fox-News-pundit.html
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Pentagon may take charge of arming Syrian rebels: US officials
5 September 2013
Washington is weighing expanding support for Syrian rebels by having the Pentagon take charge of arming the opposition instead of a clandestine effort by the CIA, officials said Wednesday.
"It's under consideration," said a US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
"If and how (it would be done) are both questions being discussed," the official told AFP.
The Wall Street Journal first reported the possible change on Wednesday.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/80831/World/Region/Pentagon-may-take-charge-of-arming-Syrian-rebels-U.aspx
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Room for improvement in Pakistan's nuke arsenal security: US
PTI | Sep 5, 2013
WASHINGTON: The US has said that there is room for improvement in Pakistan's nuclear weapons security apparatus but exuded confidence that Pakistani government is well aware of its responsibilities and has secured its nuke arsenal accordingly.
"While there is room for improvement in the security of any country's nuclear programmes, Pakistan has a professional and dedicated security force that fully understands the importance of nuclear security," the state department spokeswoman, Jen Psaki, said.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Room-for-improvement-in-Pakistans-nuke-arsenal-security-US/articleshow/22313522.cms
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Obama weighs Egypt aid suspension
2013-09-05
WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama's top national security aides have recommended that the US suspend hundreds of millions of dollars in military and economic assistance to Egypt in response to the Egyptian military's ouster of the country's first democratically elected leader, US officials said Wednesday.
Such a step would be a dramatic shift for an administration that has declined to label Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi's July 3 ouster a coup and has argued that it is in US national security interests to keep the aid flowing. It would also likely have profound implications for decades of close US-Egyptian ties that have served as a bulwark of security and stability in the Middle East.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1040724/obama-weighs-egypt-aid-suspension
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Arab nations offered to pay for Syria strike: Kerry
2013-09-04
WASHINGTON: Arab nations have offered to help pay for any US military intervention in Syria, Secretary of State John Kerry told lawmakers Wednesday as he sought support for missile strikes.
“With respect to Arab countries offering to bear the cost and to assist, the answer is profoundly yes, they have. That offer is on the table,” Kerry said as he appeared before a House of Representatives panel.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1040549/arab-nations-offered-to-pay-for-syria-strike-kerry
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Southeast Asia
At least they agreed on one thing: only in Malaysia is Allah an issue
BY JENNIFER GOMEZ
SEPTEMBER 05, 2013
In a heated online television discussion yesterday, three Muslim scholars were still agreed on one thing: that the use of the word “Allah” to describe gods of different religions – including the Christian god – is an issue only in Malaysia and nowhere else in the world.
But it still was an issue to two of the scholars as they argued there was an agenda behind Christians using Allah to refer to their god in Malay bibles.
"Christianity is said to be over 2,000 years old. They should have a big vocabulary bank to choose from to refer to God. The fact that they chose Allah was evidence that they have an agenda," argued Dr Khalif Muammar Harris, associate professor of the Center for Advanced Studies on Islam, Science and Civilization at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.
Full report at:
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/at-least-they-agreed-on-one-thing-only-in-malaysia-is-allah-an-issue
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Govt Pledges to Uphold Rights of Ahmadiyah
Sep 05 2013
The government has no plans to disband the Ahmadiyah congregation in Bekasi, despite a request from the municipality.
“The government’s position is to uphold the constitution, which guarantees religious freedom and freedom to one’s own beliefs,” Coordinating Minister of Security, Political and Legal Affairs Djoko Suyanto told the Jakarta Globe on Wednesday. “There must not be any coercion or violence by anyone to anyone else.”
Full report at:
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/govt-pledges-to-uphold-rights-of-ahmadiyah/
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Malaysia bars U.S. band’s show over Muslim criticism
5 September 2013
The Associated Press, Kuala Lumpur
Muslim-majority Malaysia has barred a performance by American metal band Lamb of God after Islamic officials accused the Grammy-nominated group’s work of being blasphemous.
The band expressed frustration because it believed authorities had not studied the content and meaning of its songs carefully enough.
Lamb of God had been scheduled to perform at a concert hall in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia’s largest city, on Sept. 28. But the Communications and Multimedia Ministry said late Wednesday it would not issue a permit because the performance could infringe on Malaysia’s religious sensitivities and cultural values.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/variety/2013/09/05/Malaysia-bars-U-S-band-s-show-over-Muslim-criticism.html
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Pakistan
Death toll rises: As govt chalks out plan, 12 more killed in Karachi
September 5, 2013
KARACHI: With the prime minister busy chalking out a strategy to fix Karachi’s law and order, the city witnessed another bloody day with over 12 people killed.
The first major loss came with the targeted killing of a Pakistan Navy captain, Muhammad Nadeem, who was shot dead near National Stadium. This was followed by the killing of a Rangers’ personnel during an alleged encounter in Lyari. The same attack also took the lives of three suspected gangsters.
The Rangers soldier, Sohail Akhtar, and suspected gangsters, Mullah Saleem, Aziz and Amanullah, were killed allegedly during a shoot-out in Lyari. Quoting Rangers’ officials, a policeman said that the Rangers team raided the house on a tip-off that Lyari’s notorious gangster, Jabbar Jhangu, was present at his hideout in Old Union Community Road in Lyari’s Shah Baig Lane. Jhangu is reportedly wanted by the police.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/599812/death-toll-rises-as-govt-chalks-out-plan-12-more-killed/
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Hafeez Saeed to launch anti-India drive from tomorrow
PTI | Sep 5, 2013,
LAHORE: Jammat-ud-Dawah (JuD), the parent body of banned terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba and headed by Mumbai attacks mastermind Hafeez Saeed, will launch an 'anti-India drive' across Pakistan from Friday.
In the backdrop of ongoing tension between Pakistan and India over exchange of fire and the killings at LoC, the JuD has given a call to workers and other political and religious parties to gather in Rawalpindi on Friday to put up an 'impressive' anti-India show by taking out the 'Defai (Defend) Pakistan Carvan' rally from there to Islamabad.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Jammat-ud-Dawah-to-launch-anti-India-drive-from-tomorrow/articleshow/22332144.cms
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Militants, police clash in Karachi’s Mauripur; three TTP Militants killed
2013-09-05
KARACHI: Three suspected militants were killed on Thursday during an exchange of fire with personnel from the Crime Investigation Department (CID) in Karachi’s Mauripur area, DawnNews reported.
According to SSP CID Chaudhry Aslam, police launched a search operation in the Mauripur graveyard upon receiving a tip-off on the suspects’ whereabouts, following which the suspected men opened fire.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1040725/militants-police-clash-in-karachis-mauripur-three-killed
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Execution moratorium cannot be linked to Taliban talks: Zardari
2013-09-04
ISLAMABAD: The outgoing president of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari Wednesday emphasised that maintaining moratorium on death penalties is the European Union’s condition for granting preferential market access to Pakistan and should not be linked to dealing with Taliban militants, DawnNews reported.
Speaking to a dinner hosted by Leader of Opposition in National Assembly Syed Khurshid Shah in his honour, he said Taliban were non-state elements, however, there was no harm in negotiating with them.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1040548/execution-moratorium-cannot-be-linked-to-taliban-talks-zardari/print
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Syrian conflict: US intervention may turn into a new cold war, says Mushahid
September 5, 2013
ISLAMABAD: Senate Defence Committee Chairman Mushahid Hussain Sayed has warned that the US invasion of Syria will further de-stabilise the Middle East and can spark a new cold war in South-West Asia.
“I urge the US and all countries to uphold the UN Charter and international law and defer the matter to the United Nations as the Middle East region cannot afford a new war,” Mushahid said.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/600052/syrian-conflict-us-intervention-may-turn-into-a-new-cold-war-says-mushahid/
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Pakistanis face uncertain future in Afghan prison
Sep 05 2013
ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani legal aid group Wednesday said dozens of Pakistani prisoners held by the US at an Afghan prison were at risk of falling into indefinite detention due to stalled negotiations between the US and Pakistan over their repatriation.
The Justice Project Pakistan represents Pakistani prisoners held in Afghanistan and their families.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1040543/pakistanis-face-uncertain-future-in-afghan-prison
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Suspected militant killed in Bannu during clash with residents
2013-09-05
BANNU: One suspected militant was killed whereas another was handed over to the police during an overnight clash with residents in Bannu, DawnNews reported.
According to the police, residents of Bannu’s Haji Anwar Khel area spotted six suspicious men on Wednesday night and asked them to stop. However, the suspected men opened fire on the area’s dwellers.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1040729/suspected-militant-killed-in-bannu-during-clash-with-residents
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Talks with Taliban not to affect operations in tribal areas
BAQIR SAJJAD SYED
2013-09-05
ISLAMABAD: Army’s counter-militancy operations in restive tribal areas would remain unaffected by the talk of government’s impending dialogue with the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan and its affiliated militant groups.
The military top brass met at the General Headquarters on Wednesday and discussed, among other issues, the government’s planned dialogue with militants, upcoming crackdown on criminal elements in Karachi, situation on the Line of Control and recent media disclosure that the US had intensified spying on the country’s nuclear programme.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1040641/talks-with-taliban-not-to-affect-operations-in-tribal-areas
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Karachi law and order: Rangers to launch operation in two days
September 5, 2013
KARACHI: The paramilitary Rangers is all set to launch a surgical operation in Karachi within the next couple of days to purge the violence-plagued megacity of target killers, extortionists and criminals and restore order.
“The Rangers will start a targeted operation in the next two to three days,” announced Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan following a special meeting of the federal cabinet at the Governor’s House on Wednesday.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/600064/karachi-law-and-order-rangers-to-launch-operation-in-two-days/
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Nanga Parbat attack mastermind arrested: G-B CM
September 5, 2013
GILGIT: The terrorist mastermind behind the attack on foreign trekkers in Nanga Parbat has been arrested, Express News reported Thursday.
According to Chief Minister Gilgit-Baltistan Younis Dagha, the terrorist Qaribullah alias ‘Hasan’ is the former Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) leader of the Chilas unit.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/600169/nanga-parbat-attack-mastermind-arrested/
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Mideast
Turkish PM Erdoğan to push for Syria at G-20 summit
Sep 05 2013
Stung by the world’s hesitance at rushing headlong into Syria, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will take the opportunity at a Russian G-20 meeting today and tomorrow to redouble his efforts at convincing the world to militarily respond to Damascus’ alleged use of chemical weapons.
Erdoğan is expected to hold short meetings with U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin, along with other leaders of the G-20 countries, like France, Germany and others. The foreign ministers of G-20 countries are also expected to come together on the sidelines of the meeting to discuss developments in the course of the use of chemical weapons in Syria, which was called a red line by many Western countries.
Full report at:
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkish-pm-erdogan-to-push-for-syria-at-g-20-summit.aspx?pageID=238&nID=53867&NewsCatID=338
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PA official: Palestinian leadership will not accept temporary solutions
By YASSER OKABI
09/05/2013
"The Palestinian leadership will not accept temporary solutions, as this is a recipe to the formation of new settlements in empty Palestinian areas [of the West Bank]," Nabil Sha'ath, member of the Fatah Central Committee, said on Thursday.
Sha'ath was speaking in response to an Associated Press report in which a Palestinian official speaking on condition of anonymity said that the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks are now focusing on setting "provisional borders" for the Palestinian state.
In an interview with Palestinian news agency Ma'an, Sha'ath said that the two sides spent the past month and a half of talks presenting the issues at, such as borders and security, and that "Israel has yet to put any offers on the table."
Full report at:
http://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/PA-official-Palestinian-leadership-will-not-accept-temporary-solutions-325320
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Netanyahu: Jewish people are strong because 'we are united'
Sep 05 2013
Prime minister urges Jewish communities all over the world to continue to stand with Israel.
As the Jewish New Year approaches, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has released his annual Rosh Hashana greeting, urging Jewish communities all over the world to continue to stand with Israel, and in return, promising support for the international Jewish community.
"There is no doubt that Jewish communites will continue to stand by Israel, just as Israel will continue to be there for Jewish people everywhere," Netanyahu said with a family photo barely visible in the background.
Full report at:
http://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/Netanyahu-Jewish-people-are-strong-because-we-are-united-325262
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Five Saudi 'Qaeda' members go on trial in Yemen
5 September 2013
Five Saudis accused of belonging to Al-Qaeda and of plotting attacks went on trial Wednesday in a Yemeni court set up for terrorism cases, the official Saba news agency reported.
The five men face charges of plotting "in association with an armed group belonging to Al-Qaeda to carry out criminal acts against members of the armed and security forces in Yemen," Saba said.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/80803/World/Region/Five-Saudi-Qaeda-members-go-on-trial-in-Yemen.aspx
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Number of Syrian refugees in Turkey passes 500,000 mark: Foreign Ministry
Sep 05 2013
The total number of Syrian refugees who have entered Turkey since the start of the conflict in Syria has climbed to over 500,000, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said.
“The number of Syrian refugees in Turkey has exceeded 500,000. Over 200,000 Syrians are currently being hosted in the 20 temporary sheltering centers located in 20 provinces,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry said, via its official Twitter account Sept. 4.
Full report at:
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/number-of-syrian-refugees-in-turkey-passes-500000-mark-foreign-ministry.aspx?pageID=238&nID=53868&NewsCatID=338
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South Asia
Afghans say Pakistanis behind mosque attack
September 05, 2013
KABUL: Afghanistan blamed a Pakistani militant group for an early morning shootout Thursday at a Shiite Muslim mosque in Kabul, while also criticizing alleged anti-Afghan elements in Pakistan's intelligence apparatus.
The statement from Afghanistan's intelligence service is hardly the first time authorities here have criticized Pakistan - which denies any role in fostering violence in its neighbor - but it could deepen animosity between the two countries as both grapple with the drawdown of U.S.-led foreign forces.
Full report at:
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/International/2013/Sep-05/230100-afghans-say-pakistanis-behind-mosque-attack.ashx#ixzz2e1Oq2ltJ
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Two gunmen killed in Kabul mosque shootout: officials
013-09-05
KABUL: Police killed two militants in an early morning shootout at a mosque in Kabul frequented by Shias, Afghan authorities said.
Details were sketchy in the immediate hours after the clash Thursday, but the national intelligence service released a video showing the bloodied bodies of the alleged militants, who wore police uniforms.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1040723/two-gunmen-killed-in-kabul-mosque-shootout-officials
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In Bangladesh, multiple arrests a blow to jihadis
By Shahriar Sharif
5 September 2013
The arrest last month of dozens of radical Islamists in quick succession has dealt a serious blow to extremist groups bent on turning this moderate Muslim-majority nation into a theocratic state.
Acting on a tip, members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) on Aug 24th raided a location on the outskirts of Bogra, arresting three leaders of a hitherto unknown extremist group, the Bangladesh Islamic Movement (BIM).
Full report at:
http://khabarsouthasia.com/en_GB/articles/apwi/articles/features/2013/09/04/feature-01
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Maldives faces democracy test on Saturday
September 05, 2013
The Indian Ocean archipelago of the Maldives goes to the polls on Saturday for a presidential election that will test its young democracy 18 months after a violent change in leadership. The outcome and conduct of the election also has regional repercussions, with the sea-faring nation becoming a new area of competition between India and China.
Recently, a high-level team of Indian observers left for Maldives to monitor the poll process and meet representatives of political parties.
The team, which includes former chief election commissioners JM Lyngdoh, BB Tandon and N Gopalaswami and former Indian High Commissioner to Maldives SM Gavai, will visit polling stations spread across different islands.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/RestOfAsia/Maldives-faces-democracy-test-on-Saturday/Article1-1117661.aspx
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Jamaat, Shibir again strike terror in capital
Sep 05 2013
Around 50 activists of Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing, Islami Chhatra Shibir, blasted some seven cocktails and hurled brick chips when police tried to disperse their procession in Elephant Road yesterday.
Meanwhile in Mohakhali, Shibir activist tried to bring out a procession from an alley near Arjotpara around 8:30am but were chased off by police.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner (Tejgaon Zone) Biplob Kumar Sarker said four people were detained. They were later found to be garment workers caught up in the confusion and released.
Full report at:
http://www.thedailystar.net/beta2/news/jamaat-shibir-blast-cocktails-in-capital/
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Africa
Stop chanting war slogans, senate president charges Nigerians
5 SEPTEMBER 2013
The Senate President, David Mark, has warned Nigerians who are beating the drums of war for whatever reason to stop.
Mark, who spoke at the council chambers of the Government House in Minna, the Niger State capital on Wednesday when he led members of the Alumni Association of Course 3 of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) to Minna on a courtesy visit to the state governor, Dr Muazu Babangida Aliyu, said “the strength of Nigeria is in our unity, not in our division so let us all work for the unity of the country.”
According to him “we urge Nigerians to ensure peace and not shout war slogans because when there is no peace there will be no development.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.ng/news2013/index.php/en/news/item/20817-stop-chanting-war-slogans,-senate-president-charges-nigerians.html
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Somalia: Explosions Heard in Mogadishu During Night Time
5 SEPTEMBER 2013
At least ten bomb explosions were heard in numerous districts of Mogadishu on Wednesday night as the police of the federal government of Somalia launched massive operation.
The explosions which seemed to be related were heard during evening hours on Wednesday night.
Two bomb explosions hit near the main Mogadishu airport and the busy KM4 junction where the Somali police commissioner and security forces were. No casualties were reported.
Several other hand grenades were targeted to Hodan, Yaaqshiid and Hamarweyne neighborhoods.
Full report at:
http://allafrica.com/stories/201309050805.html
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Tunisian assembly speaker calls for reconciliation
5 September 2013
The Associated Press, TUNIS
The speaker of Tunisia’s elected assembly called Wednesday for the country’s political parties to resolve their differences by the end of the week and finish the constitution.
Mustapha Ben Jaafar gave an impassioned plea on television to end the political deadlock gripping this North African nation that was the birthplace of the Arab Spring when it overthrew its dictator in 2011.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2013/09/05/Tunisian-assembly-speaker-calls-for-reconciliation.html
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African Union calls on Egypt's political forces to support transition, Brotherhood inclusion
5 September 2013
The African Union's (AU) high level panel on Egypt called on the country’s political forces to support the transitional roadmap as a way out of the current crisis.
“We hope that all parties meet together around the roadmap,” Alpha Oumar Konare, head of the panel and former Malian president, said on Wednesday.
In addition, Konare insisted Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood must be part of the transition, AFP reported, even though the group has refused to enter into dialogue with the new government, which it considers "illegitimate".
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/80782/Egypt/Politics-/African-Union-calls-on-Egypts-political-forces-to-.aspx
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/syria-says-give-even-if/d/13376