The Words Describing ‘Rape’: Blaming the Victim, Shielding the Rapist in Pakistan
New Age Islam News Bureau
4 Jul 2013
An Egyptian family on motorcycle celebrates in Cairo on July 3 after a broadcast by the head of Egypt's army suspended the constitution (Khaled Desouki / AFP)
Pakistan
• The words describing ‘rape’: Blaming the victim, shielding the rapist in Pakstan
• Sindh High Court allows Hindus to offer worship in 120 year old temple
• Suicide blast kills four security personnel in North Waziristan
• Key Taliban 'commanders' killed in Peshawar operation: security officials
• China trip not to seek charity, says Shahbaz Sharif
• Pak warns US drone strikes could lead to 'stand-off'
• Islamabad, Kabul trade insults over Taliban war
• Pakistan ends moratorium on executions: official
• Altaf Hussain interrogation carried out as per UK law, govt kept informed: Nisar
• Governor’s rule won’t be clamped on Sindh: PML-N
• Don't execute prisoners, Amnesty tells Pakistan
India
• Gujarat Police and IB Killed Ishrat, Three Others in 'Cold Blood', CBI Says
• Probing role of Modi, Amit Shah in Sadiq encounter: CBI reiterates
• India pitches for conciliatory dialogue in Egypt
• Guilty should be punished, facts are facts: Shinde on Ishrat Jahan case
• Ishrat Jahan encounter case: State gone rogue, Manish Tewari says
• Ishrat Jahan case: Hanging sword deflates IB morale
• Kashmir: no unregistered pilgrim will be allowed, says Omar
• Kashmir teen develops formula for cracking magic squares
• India to launch pension scheme for Gulf workers
Europe
• World reacts to Mursi’s ouster in calls for quick return to democracy
• Morsi ouster shows 'democracy doesn't work' in Arab states: Russian MP
• Egypt needs inclusive dialogue for democracy: EU official
• UN's Ban urges speedy resumption of Egypt civilian rule
• Britain will work with new Egypt leaders: Hague
• Anti-Muslim acts rising in France, anti-Islamophobia group says
• German finance minister says Turkey is not part of Europe
South Asia
• China supports people's 'choice', dialogue in Egypt
• Muslim leaders say gender-based violence behind ‘honour killings’
• Maldivian youth need access to sexual reproductive health education, services
• President expresses “sadness”, over Supreme Court judge sex tape
• Bangladesh becomes Egmont Group member
• Don’t elect President who will “run after you with batons”, Maldives Defence Minister
North America
• Qaeda man posed as Indian techie to meet prostitutes: FBI
• For Obama, tricky diplomatic geometry in democratic Egypt
• When is a coup not a coup? Obama faces tricky call in Egypt
• US orders staff to evacuate Cairo embassy
• Taliban ignoring talks overtures: US official
• Obama discusses surveillance activities with Merkel
• North Carolina Tries to Ban Abortion and Islamic Law in One Bill
Africa
• Libya starts facing up to Gaddafi regime's sex crime
• Nigeria: Borno Border Towns Accuse STF of Killing 129 Residents
• Ethiopia: FM Tedros Holds Talks with Religious Leaders in Saudi
• JTF Kills 3 Boko Haram Suspects Disguised As Women in Maiduguri
• Tunisia president's party condemns ousting of Egypt's Morsi
Southeast Asia
• Pressure on non-Muslim BN leaders to move on conversion bill
• SBY urges Indonesians to stay away from Egypt's political turmoil
• Eight communist rebels killed in east Philippines
• Standard Chartered to launch Islamic banking in Kenya, Indonesia
• Nik Aziz backs deposed Morsi, says people power will bring him back
Mideast
• Hamas denies Fatah accusations of interfering in Egypt
• Former IDF chief: Morsi's fall doesn't pose immediate danger to Israel'
• Turkey calls for immediate release of Egyptian leaders
• Israel silent after overthrow of Egypt's Morsi
• Iran says Egypt must guard against 'enemy opportunism'
• Turkey: Morsi ouster is undemocratic
• PM: Palestinian leaders think its possible to destroy Israel
Arab World
• Syria opposition meets to find leader, show it is ready for arms
• FIFA again bans Iraq from hosting friendlies
• Syria's Assad says only foreign invasion can threaten him
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL:
------------
Pakistan
The words describing ‘rape’: Blaming the victim, shielding the rapist in Pakistan
July 4, 2013
WASHINGTON DC: Pakistani society is still a bit confused about who ought to be punished for a crime of rape. Although everyone agrees that the culprit should be punished, in reality quite the contrary happens. Unknowingly, our society punishes the victim and not the rapist.
Like murder, theft and mugging, rape is a crime done by a criminal, but society is quick to stamp the victim as having lost her and her family’s honour. Why does the rapist not lose his honour for committing such a crime?
What do you call a rapist in Urdu?
While we do have names for other perpetrators of crimes like qaatil, chor or daku; we don’t have a definite word in Urdu for a rapist. We do not even have a proper word for the act of rape. We use words like izzat lut gai (lost her honour) and Daaghi ho gai (stained) or more lyrical phrases like kati patang (torn kite) and sheeshe me baal aa gaya (a stained glass). All these phrases refer to the woman who was raped, showing how we are conditioned to reinforce the patriarchal cruelty of blaming the victim whilst shielding the rapist from any responsibility for the crime. More recent terms like zina bil jabar (adultery by force) do not aptly describe the crime.
By using such language we become a party to this crime. Without thinking, we place a heavy stigma on the victim so that no respectable man will want this damaged merchandise. Our society has to understand that it is the social stigma that keeps the victim from speaking out and, thus, responsible for most rapists going scot-free. In most of the reported rape cases, the victim and her family have been harassed and intimidated to the extent that they have had to leave their neighbourhood or village. In many of these cases where a rape becomes public knowledge, children are told not to play with the children of that family, resulting in a social boycott of the victim.
She must’ve done something…
The belief that the woman must have provoked the crime is deeply ingrained in our culture. We immediately ask: Why did she wear fashionable clothes? Why was she out at that time? Why was she alone? Why did she not scream loud enough? We can quickly conjure up twenty reasons how SHE could have prevented the crime if she really wanted to.
We stereotype the woman who gets raped as young and provocative and the venue of the crime as dark alleys where no sensible women would venture alone, the reality is that victims range from the age of 2 to 70 years old and the venues of the crime range from universities, offices, markets and, most tragic of all, their own homes.
Rape on the silver screen
Just looking at our films and plays, it is clear that our script writers do not know how to handle this ‘dishonoured’ woman. They either have her jump out of a window or become an accidental victim of a stray bullet just to get her quickly out of the story because no other character can possibly interact with her normally. But if they have to take her character forward, perhaps because she is a star, they make sure it was only an attempted rape and the hero saved her in the nick of time. Thus, it is rare to see any female character continuing in a play or movie after she has been raped.
Life after rape
The news for the conscious mind of our society is that there IS life after rape. Almost 30% of women in Pakistan go through a rape or attempted rape at least once in their lives. They do survive. The pain stays, but they go on with their lives. Social boycott of a rapist might not be a bad idea for a change. Let there be a clear statement that it is time for us to say ‘enough’!
http://tribune.com.pk/story/572286/the-words-describing-rape-blaming-the-victim-shielding-the-rapist/
-------------
Sindh High Court allows Hindus to offer worship in 120 year old temple
New Age Islam News Bureau, July 4, 2013
Karachi: A Two member bench of Sindh High Court in Pakistan led by Justic Irfan Sa’adat Khan has permitted the Hindus to freely offer worships in the 120 year old temple in Tundu Adam and issued notices to the chief secretary Sindh and secretary of culture, SIndh for negligence in the maintenance and repair of the old historical temple. The petitioner on behalf of the Hindus, Rijumal through his lawyer Shahab Sarki had made the chief secretary and secretary, Culture, Sindh a respondent in the case and said that in 1950, with a view to the law and order situation in the Tundu Adam Town of Sanghad, the land was divided in two parts and 7 acres of land was granted for the construction of Dr Ziauddin Primary School while on the other part, the temple with the name Swami Tewan Ram Maharaj stood which is included in the list of the world’s 125 temples due to its 120 year old history. The petitioner told the court that under the Sindh Cultural Heritage Act 1994, the historical temple is a cultural heritage but the Sindh government was ignoring its maintenance and repair for a long time. As a result it has become very dilapidated. Worse, the school administration has prevented the Hindus from entering the mosque since October 2012 which is a violation of the Article 36 of the constitution. He warned that if appropriate steps were not taken in this regard, communal riots may break out in future.
----------
Suicide blast kills four security personnel in North Waziristan
July 4, 2013
PESHAWAR: Four security personnel were killed in a bombing at a checkpost in the North Waziristan tribal region on Thursday, DawnNews quoted government sources as saying.
Sources said the blast, said to have been a suicide bombing, took place after security personnel directed a suspicious looking vehicle to stop at the Boya checkpost in the tribal region’s Dattakhel tehsil.
Upon the vehicle’s failure to stop, security personnel fired shots at the car, following which the bomber inside the explosives-laden vehicle blew himself up.
Following the blast, the checkpost caught fire. Moreover, security personnel cordoned off the area and started an investigation.
North Waziristan is one of seven regions in Pakistan’s Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) governed by tribal laws. An extremist insurgency led by the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) plagues the region and the area is known to be infested with militants, including those from Al Qaeda and other armed extremist organisations.
The region also comes under attacks from US drones frequently which target militant hideouts in the area.
The region is chiefly off-limits to reporters because of security worries and government restrictions due to which reliable casualty figures are difficult to acquire from there.
http://dawn.com/news/1022786/suicide-blast-kills-four-security-personnel-in-north-waziristan
------------
Key Taliban 'commanders' killed in Peshawar operation: security officials
July 4, 2013
PESHAWAR: Two key militant commanders of the Pakistani Taliban were killed in a successful operation by security forces in Peshawar on Thursday, security officials said.
Security officials told Dawn.Com that security forces were conducting a search operation in the Frontier Region of Peshawar near Mattani when they clashed with the militants, leaving one security personnel and two militants dead in the exchange of gunfire.
Officials identified the two key militant commanders as Rooh ul Amin and Adnan alias Hurera, both belonging to the outlawed Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
Full report at:
http://dawn.com/news/1022789/key-taliban-commanders-killed-in-peshawar-operation-security-officials
------------
China trip not to seek charity, says Shahbaz Sharif
July 4, 2013
BEIJING: Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif categorically said on Wednesday that Pakistan was seeking self-reliance and self-sufficiency and, therefore, it does not want any foreign aid.
Speaking to The Express News from Beijing, where he is accompanying Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Shahbaz said PM Nawaz’s visit to China had great significance that will help promote ties between the Pakistanis and Chinese.
Shahbaz said Pakistan was no longer a country begging for foreign aid and Premier Nawaz’s visit was not to seek any charity from its ally because the government wanted to achieve the goal of self-sufficiency. He said agreements about coal, hydro-electricity and bio-gas will be signed with China during the trip.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/572275/aiming-self-reliance-china-trip-not-to-seek-charity-shahbaz-sharif/
------------
Pak warns US drone strikes could lead to 'stand-off'
July 04, 2013
A day after a US drone strike killed 18 suspected militants, Pakistan on Thursday warned America that continuation of the attacks by the CIA-operated spy planes in the country's restive tribal areas could lead to a direct stand-off between the two nations.
Talking to reporters in Islamabad, interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said Pakistan has conveyed to the US that this stand-off could have serious implications on its forces' withdrawal from Afghanistan and the post-withdrawal situation.
"The US drone attacks are not only violation of Pakistan's sovereignty but are resulting in collateral damage, which are not acceptable at any cost," Khan said.
On Wednesday's attack in North Waziristan shows the US is in no mood to halt the strikes despite Pakistan's public condemnation of the attacks.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/Pakistan/Pak-warns-US-drone-strikes-could-lead-to-stand-off/Article1-1087070.aspx
----------
Islamabad, Kabul trade insults over taliban war
AFP
Islamabad, July 04, 2013
Kabul and Islamabad traded insults over the war with the Taliban on Wednesday, plunging their frosty relations to a new low at a key juncture in efforts to search for peace before NATO withdraws.
It was the most explosive in a series of rows that have marred Western efforts to
build trust between the two governments, considered integral to forging any lasting peace with the Taliban who have been fighting in Afghanistan for nearly 12 years.
It came as a US drone strike targeting the al Qaeda-linked Haqqani network, blamed by Washington for some of the deadliest attacks in Afghanistan, killed 17 militants in Pakistan, officials said.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/pakistan/Islamabad-Kabul-trade-insults-over-taliban-war/Article1-1086771.aspx
------------
Pakistan ends moratorium on executions: official
July 4, 2013
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's new government has ended a moratorium on executions, an official said Thursday as Amnesty International raised concerns about a “shocking and retrograde step”.
Under the previous government led by the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), no one except a soldier convicted by court martial was put to death since 2008.
But the PPP suffered a crushing defeat in historic elections on May 11, which swept to power the centre-right Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) under Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
A presidential order imposing a moratorium on the death penalty, issued in 2008, expired on 30 June.
Full report at:
http://dawn.com/news/1022770/pakistan-ends-moratorium-on-executions-official
------------
Altaf Hussain interrogation carried out as per UK law, govt kept informed: Nisar
July 4, 2013
Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said in a statement, on Thursday, that Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Chief Altaf Hussain’s interrogation in reference to the Imran Farooq murder case is being carried out according to UK laws, Express News reported.
Recently, on June 20, as part of their investigation on the Imran Farooq murder case, Scotland Yard had raided Hussain’s London house and some material was seized in relation to the murder case.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/572445/altaf-hussain-interrogation-carried-out-as-per-uk-law-govt-kept-informed-nisar/
------------
Governor’s rule won’t be clamped on Sindh: PML-N
July 4, 2013
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has ruled out the imposition of governor’s rule in Sindh, being governed by its political rival the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP). “The PML-N government is neither thinking about such a move, nor considers it a solution to the problems in the province,” PML-N Central Information Secretary Mushahidullah Khan said on Wednesday. The announcement of the party came in the face of apprehensions of senior leaders of the PPP after the interior minister’s reported ultimatum to the Sindh government for controlling the law and order, which he later denied on the floor of the National Assembly.
Full report at:
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2013\07\04\story_4-7-2013_pg7_10
-----------
Don't execute prisoners, Amnesty tells Pakistan
IANS | Jul 4, 2013
ISLAMABAD: The new Pakistani government must not resume executions and instead impose an immediate moratorium on the use of death penalty as a first step towards abolition, Amnesty International said.
Media reports in Pakistan over the past few days have suggested that the new government, led by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, may be moving rapidly to resume state killings in response to the law and order situation.
"Any government green light to resume executions in Pakistan would be a shocking and retrograde step, putting thousands of people's lives at risk," said Polly Truscott, Amnesty's deputy Asia Pacific director.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Dont-execute-prisoners-Amnesty-tells-Pakistan/articleshow/20912587.cms
---------
India
Gujarat police and IB killed Ishrat, three others in 'cold blood', CBI says
TNN & Agencies | Jul 4, 2013,
AHMEDABAD: The CBI has charged the Narendra Modi government and the Intelligence Bureau with the fake encounter of 19-year-old Mumbra college student Ishrat Jahan and three others in June 2004. In its chargesheet filed on Wednesday, the CBI said Ishrat Jahan was branded a terrorist out to kill Modi and shot the four in "cold blood".
The CBI chargesheet turns the heat on the Modi government as well as the IB. Although no IB officer has been named, it has accused the agency of providing the weapons to place them on the bodies of the encounter victims. The CBI will file a second chargesheet on July 26, and there are expectations that some IB officers may be named then. Modi and his close aide Amit Shah have not been named in the chargesheet.
"The four were taken to a place near Kotarpur waterworks, the encounter spot, on the outskirts of the city on June 15, 2004 and were killed in cold blood," says 1,500-page chargesheet which was filed in the court of additional chief judicial magistrate H S Khutwad.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Gujarat-police-and-IB-killed-Ishrat-three-others-in-cold-blood-CBI-says/articleshow/20902799.cms
------------
Probing role of Modi, Amit Shah in Sadiq encounter: CBI reiterates
TNN | Jul 4, 2013
AHMEDABAD: The CBI on Wednesday submitted before the court again that it is looking into all the aspects that the complainant Shabbir Jamal Mehtar has raised for further probe in the Sadiq Jamal encounter case.
Shabbir has sought specific probe in the role played by chief minister Narendra Modi, then junior home minister Amit Shah and Central IB's special director Rajinder Kumar. A reply from the CBI had claimed earlier that the probe in this regard was underway, but CBI's counsel I H Syed reiterated the point before the court on Wednesday.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Probing-role-of-Modi-Amit-Shah-in-Sadiq-encounter-CBI-reiterates/articleshow/20901966.cms
------------
India pitches for conciliatory dialogue in Egypt
Jul 4, 2013
Asking all political forces to abjure violence and exercise restraint, India on Thursday strongly pitched for a conciliatory dialogue to address the present situation in Egypt, which on Wednesday witnessed the ouster of President Mohamed Morsy by that country’s Army.
An External Affairs Ministry spokesperson also said Indian mission in Cairo was in active and regular contact with all sections of the Indian community with the objective of ensuring their welfare. There are 3,000 Indian nationals and about 50 Indian companies in Egypt.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/india-pitches-for-conciliatory-dialogue-in-egypt/article4880965.ece
--------
Guilty should be punished, facts are facts: Shinde on Ishrat Jahan case
PTI | Jul 4, 2013
NEW DELHI: A day after CBI told a court in Ahmedabad that it is probing the role of IB officers in Ishrat Jahan case, Union home minister Sushilkumar Shinde on Thursday said those guilty of carrying out the alleged fake encounter should be punished.
"Facts are facts. Guilty should be punished," Shinde told when asked to comment on CBI's submission to the court.
Shinde's statement bears significance as home ministry officials have been maintaining that there was not enough evidence against Intelligence Bureau special director Rajendra Kumar and three others in the alleged fake encounter case.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Guilty-should-be-punished-facts-are-facts-Shinde-on-Ishrat-Jahan-case/articleshow/20910276.cms
--------
Ishrat Jahan encounter case: State gone rogue, Manish Tewari says
TNN | Jul 4, 2013
NEW DELHI: Congress believes a conclusion that the Ishrat Jahan encounter as "fake" will inevitably lead to the question about the "political authority" who ordered it, a query that can put Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi's prime ministerial aspirations under a cloud.
The CBI chargesheet on the controversial encounter is seen as the first installment of its investigations, with the possibility of forthcoming parts pointing to a political motive behind the police killing of four alleged terrorists.
The ruling coalition believes the expose has the potential to check the "Muslim outreach" that Modi has embarked upon to gain wider acceptability ahead of the 2014 election and remind voters, particularly minorities, of the Gujarat government's defence of its police officials accused in the case.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Ishrat-Jahan-encounter-case-State-gone-rogue-Manish-Tewari-says/articleshow/20904201.cms
------------
Ishrat Jahan case: Hanging sword deflates IB morale
Bharti Jain, TNN | Jul 4, 2013
NEW DELHI: With CBI set to name four Intelligence Bureau (IB) personnel, including special director Rajinder Kumar, in a supplementary chargesheet in the Ishrat Jahan encounter case, agency insiders feel that the organization is becoming a collateral victim of a political fight.
The mood in the agency is one of disapproval. Senior IB officials are not only shocked at CBI's move to nail Kumar on the basis of "flimsy" evidence like call data records (CDRs) and statement of an accused, but are also equally apprehensive of the fallout on operational matters and morale of intelligence officers.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Ishrat-Jahan-case-Hanging-sword-deflates-IB-morale/articleshow/20904177.cms
------------
Kashmir: no unregistered pilgrim will be allowed, says Omar
PTI Srinagar, July 03, 2013
In view of the Uttarakhand tragedy, Jammu and Kashmir government said on Wednesday it will not allow any unregistered pilgrim visit Amarnath and Vaishnodevi shrines.
"Whether it is Amarnathji or Vaishnodeviji, we are not going to give uncontrolled access. So what happened in Uttarakhand cannot happen here. Still, we are taking all necessary precautions," chief minister Omar Abdullah told reporters on the sidelines of a function in Srinagar.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/srinagar/Kashmir-no-unregistered-pilgrim-will-be-allowed-says-Omar/Article1-1086436.aspx
------------
Kashmir teen develops formula for cracking magic squares
PTI Srinagar, July 03, 2013
Thirteen-year-old Faizan Ali Mir's inability to solve a mathematics problem last year pushed him to invent a formula for cracking the magic squares.
"After failing to answer a question related to magic squares in Class VII, I was disappointed. Some senior students helped me solve the question but later when I tried again and again, I noticed a pattern and came up with this formula," Mir, a Class VIII student, said at the release of a booklet on the "Faizan formula" here.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/srinagar/Kashmir-teen-develops-formula-for-cracking-magic-squares/Article1-1086301.aspx
------------
India to launch pension scheme for Gulf workers
4 July 2013
A pension scheme for thousands of blue-collar Indian workers would be launched in the Gulf next month to help workers save for their retirement, a top Indian official said here yesterday.
Rajiv Mehrishi, secretary at the Ministry for Overseas Indian Affairs, who is on a fact-finding visit to the Kingdom as a follow-up to the earlier visit of Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi, told reporters at the Indian Embassy that two Indian banks are involved in the scheme.
Full report at:
http://www.arabnews.com/news/456998
---------
Europe
World reacts to Mursi’s ouster in calls for quick return to democracy
4 July 2013
After Egypt’s armed forces overthrew Islamist President Mohammed Mursi, officials from around the world on Thursday reacted to the news, mostly calling for a quick return to democracy.
As the streets of Egypt – where millions had been joined anti-Mursi protests this week – rejoiced in celebration, The European Union called on the country to hold free and presidential and parliamentary elections.
"I urge all sides to rapidly return to the democratic process, including the holding of free and fair presidential and parliamentary elections and the approval of a constitution, to be done in a fully inclusive manner, so as to permit the country to resume and complete its democratic transition," EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said in a statement, according to AFP.
She also voiced hopes that Egypt's new administration would be fully inclusive, stressing the importance of ensuring full respect for fundamental rights and the rule of law and said she would hold the authorities to account for this.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2013/07/04/World-reacts-to-Mursi-s-ouster-in-calls-for-quick-return-to-democracy.html
----------
Morsi ouster shows 'democracy doesn't work' in Arab states: Russian MP
4 July 2013
The ouster of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi proves that democracy does not work in non-Western states, a top lawmaker close to President Vladimir Putin said Thursday.
"The events in Egypt show that there is no quick and peaceful transition from authoritarian regimes to democratic politics," said Alexei Puskov, chairman of parliament's foreign affairs committee.
"This means that democracy does not work as a panacea, especially in countries that are not part of the Western world," he told the Interfax news agency.
Puskov does not voice Russia's official position on foreign affairs, but his thinking often reflects that of senior government officials.
The foreign ministry was expected to issue its own statement later on Thursday.
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/morsi-ouster-shows-democracy-doesnt-work-in-arab-states-russian-mp.aspx?pageID=238&nID=50003&NewsCatID=353
----------
Egypt needs inclusive dialogue for democracy: EU official
4 Jul 2013
An inclusive dialogue between political forces is required in paving the way for a democratic political system in Egypt, Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Marietje Schaake told Ahram Online.
Shaake said that signs of democracy, such as free and fair elections, constitutional reforms and a "civilian-led process," will be essential for economic recovery and reforms.
"Egyptians need perspectives on a better life and self-determination. However, checks and balances cannot continue to come from the streets, but must be guaranteed through laws, procedures and institutions," she said.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/75667/World/Region/Egypt-needs-inclusive-dialogue-for-democracy-EU-of.aspx
----------
UN's Ban urges speedy resumption of Egypt civilian rule
4 Jul 2013
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday said civilian rule in Egypt "should be resumed as soon as possible", and that the country's future leadership should reflect the Egyptian people's will.
"It is a volatile situation (and) it is not clear where we are heading," Ban told journalists in Copenhagen, adding that "inclusivity" was key to any solution of the country's woes.
Cautioning that "army interference is not consistent with democratic principles", the secretary general said Egyptians needed to find "common ground to move forward... to find a truly democratic and prosperous way."
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/75701/World/Region/UNs-Ban-urges-speedy-resumption-of-Egypt-civilian-.aspx
---------
Britain will work with new Egypt leaders: Hague
4 Jul 2013
Britain will work with Egypt's interim authorities despite not supporting the military intervention that toppled Islamist president Mohamed Morsi, Foreign Secretary William Hague said on Thursday.
Hague insisted that Britain had to be "practical" in dealing with the situation after the Egyptian army forced Morsi out of office and held him in detention after days of deadly protests against his rule.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/75670/World/Region/Britain-will-work-with-new-Egypt-leaders-Hague.aspx
------------
Anti-Muslim acts rising in France, anti-Islamophobia group says
By Tom Heneghan
Jul 3, 2013
(Reuters) - Anti-Muslim attacks and insults have risen steadily in France in recent years as some politicians and media increasingly present Islam as a problem for French society, a Muslim rights group said on Wednesday.
Hostility rises when Islam is in the news, for example last year when an Islamist killed seven people or when a politician accused Muslim children of stealing classmates' snacks, the Committee against Islamophobia in France (CCIF) said.
The CCIF welcomed a European Parliament decision on Tuesday to lift the legal immunity of far-right leader Marine Le Pen so she can be tried on racism charges for comparing Muslims praying in the streets here to the wartime Nazi occupation of France.
Full report at:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/07/03/us-france-islam-idUSBRE9620Z420130703
------------
German finance minister says Turkey is not part of Europe
4 July 2013
German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said July 3 that Turkey should not join the European Union as it was not part of Europe, bluntly underlining Berlin's opposition to the long-running membership bid.
Germany pressed the 28-member bloc to delay a new round of membership talks last week, in response to Ankara's crackdown on anti-government protesters.
"We should not accept Turkey as a full member ... Turkey is not part of Europe," Schaeuble said at an election rally by his and Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrat (CDU) party in the western German city of Düsseldorf.
Full report at:
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/german-finance-minister-says-turkey-is-not-part-of-europe.aspx?pageID=238&nID=49994&NewsCatID=351
----------
South Asia
China supports people's 'choice', dialogue in Egypt
4 Jul 2013
China said Thursday it supported the "choice of the Egyptian people" and called for dialogue after the army toppled democratically-elected Islamist president Mohamed Morsi, detaining him and his top aides.
But foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying sidestepped questions on whether her comments offered "hope" to the Egyptian leader overthrown after only a year in office.
Western powers had earlier called for a swift return to democracy.
"China respects the choice of the Egyptian people," Hua told reporters at a regular press briefing in Beijing.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/75696/World/Region/China-supports-peoples-choice,-dialogue-in-Egypt.aspx
----------
Muslim leaders in Sri Lanka say gender-based violence behind ‘honour killings’
July 04, 2013
KATHMANDU, JUL 04 - When 19-year-old Shiva Hashmi of Bardiya was burned alive on December 7 last year by her family members over a love affair with a man her family rejected, the incident received much media attention. Muslim community leaders, however, do not call it an honour killing, although they warn that such incidents might recur if the underlying socio-economic causes are not addressed on time.
“I’m hesitant to call the murder an honour killing because it wasn’t committed to salvage family dignity. It seemed to have been about money. Hashmi’s family is rich but the man she was in love with isn’t,” said Mohana Ansari, spokesperson for the National Women Commission.
Full report at:
http://ekantipur.com/2013/07/04/top-story/muslim-leaders-say-gender-based-violence-behind-honour-killings/374275.html
-------------
Maldivian youth need access to sexual reproductive health education, services
By Leah Malone | July 3rd, 2013
Maldivian youth need sex education and access to reproductive health services, given high numbers of unsafe abortions, rising infanticide, as well as increasing risk factors that contribute to the spread of sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS, a Department of National Planning study has found.
The study examined how much human development progress has been achieved in the Maldives in terms of population and development, reproductive health and rights, gender equity, equality and empowerment of women as well as education during the period 1994 – 2012.
Full report at:
http://minivannews.com/society/maldivian-youth-need-access-to-sexual-reproductive-health-education-services-department-of-national-planning-60723
------------
President expresses “sadness”, over Supreme Court judge sex tape
By Mohamed Naahee | July 4th, 2013
Police have formally notified the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), the Prosecutor General and President Mohamed Waheed Hassan regarding its investigation into the leaked sex-tape of Supreme Court Justice Ali Hameed.
Still images from the sex tape, allegedly showing the judge committing adultery with an unidentified foreign woman, were circulating on social media networks in Male today.
According to Maldivian law, the crime of fornication is subject to 100 lashes and banishment or house arrest for a period of eight months. However in the absences of witnesses or a confession, video footage is only considered supporting evidence.
Full report at:
http://minivannews.com/politics/president-expresses-sadness-jsc-takes-no-action-over-supreme-court-judge-sex-tape-60735
------------
Bangladesh becomes Egmont Group member
July 4, 2013
Bangladesh has got the membership of prestigious Egmont Group, formed with Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs) of various countries, Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Atiur Rahman said on Thursday.
“It’ll help stop money-laundering and terror financing,” the central bank governor told a press conference at the bank’s conference room in the capital.
The Egmont Group provides a forum for the FIUs around the world to improve cooperation in the fight against money laundering and financing of terrorism and to foster the implementation of domestic programs in this field.
Full report at:
http://www.thedailystar.net/beta2/news/bangladesh-becomes-egmont-group-member/
------------
Don’t elect President who will “run after you with batons”, Maldives Defence Minister
By Mohamed Naahee | July 4th, 2013
Defense Minister Mohamed Nazim has strongly advised officers of the Maldives National Defence Force as to how they should vote, suggesting they should not elect a candidate who would “run after them with batons”.
Nazim made the remarks while addressing military officers during the ceremony held to mark the 121st anniversary of the Maldivian army on Wednesday.
Nazim – who was a central figure behind the ousting of former President Mohamed Nasheed on February 2012, which the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) maintains to be a coup d’etat – stressed that though the military were not allowed to partake in political activities, the right to cast their ballot in the presidential elections like any other citizen, “must be exercised with due care”.
Full report at:
http://minivannews.com/politics/dont-elect-president-who-will-run-after-you-with-batons-defence-minister-advises-mndf-officers-60741
------------
North America
Qaeda man posed as Indian techie to meet prostitutes: FBI
Yashwant Raj, Hindustan Times
Washington, July 03, 2013
Anwar al-Awlaki, the Islamic cleric killed in a drone strike in Yemen, used to frequent prostitutes in DC posing as a computer engineer from India before he fled the US in 2002.
He was neither. Awlaki was born in New Mexico, US to parents of Yemeni descent, and he studied civil engineering. And he is not known to have visited India ever.
The cleric, who used to preach at a mosque in the adjoining state of Virginia, had several sexual encounters with prostitutes in DC hotels, according to the FBI.
Seven of them took place between November 2001, just weeks after the 9/11 attacks, and February, 2002, according to FBI documents released to Judicial Watch, a bipartisan watchdog.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/northamerica/Qaeda-man-posed-as-Indian-techie-to-meet-prostitutes-FBI/Article1-1086617.aspx
------------
For Obama, tricky diplomatic geometry in democratic Egypt
Reuters
July 04, 2013
With Egypt and its democratic experiment at a tipping point, US President Barack Obama finds himself trying to nudge the most populous Arab country's bitterly divided antagonists toward compromise but finds his influence limited.
Where Obama and his predecessors once dealt with a single all-powerful figure - ousted strongman President Hosni Mubarak - the White House is now gingerly trying to persuade unpopular, but democratically elected, President Mohamed Morsi and Egypt's military to strike a political deal, all without alienating millions of Egyptians protesting in the streets.
Egypt's size and leading position in the Arab world mean its political course will be felt throughout the region, where the United States is already struggling to stem Islamist militants and sectarian strife.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/africa/For-Obama-tricky-diplomatic-geometry-in-democratic-Egypt/Article1-1086734.aspx
------------
When is a coup not a coup? Obama faces tricky call in Egypt
Reuters | Jul 4, 2013
WASHINGTON: The Egyptian military's overthrow of elected President Mohamed Morsi left President Barack Obama grappling with a difficult question of diplomacy and language in dealing with the Arab world's most populous nation: was it a coup?
At stake as Obama and his aides wrestle with that question in the coming days is the $1.5 billion in aid the United States sends to Cairo each year - almost all of it for the military - as well as the president's views on how best to promote Arab democracy.
If the United States formally declares Morsi's ouster a coup, US law mandates that most aid for its longtime ally must stop. And that could weaken the Egyptian military, one of the country's most stable institutions with long-standing ties to US authorities.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/When-is-a-coup-not-a-coup-Obama-faces-tricky-call-in-Egypt/articleshow/20907376.cms
------------
US orders staff to evacuate Cairo embassy
AFP | Jul 4, 2013
WASHINGTON: The United States on Wednesday ordered most of its personnel to evacuate its embassy in Cairo leaving just a skeleton staff behind, only hours after the Egyptian military ousted president Mohamed Morsi.
Amid fast-moving events in Egypt, a travel advisory confirmed that "the department of state ordered the departure of non-emergency US government personnel and family members from Egypt due to the ongoing political and social unrest."
The embassy in Egypt has occasionally been targeted by demonstrators and as protests swelled in Cairo it had already been closed on Tuesday and Wednesday as a precaution.
Due to the July 4 Independence Day holiday and the Arab world weekend, it was not due to reopen until Sunday at the earliest.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/US-orders-staff-to-evacuate-Cairo-embassy/articleshow/20903302.cms
----------
Taliban ignoring talks overtures: US official
AP | Jul 4, 2013
WASHINGTON: A senior US official says the Taliban won't join talks with the United States because of a dispute over the name of its office in Qatar.
The official said on Wednesday the Taliban never replied to an offer to meet US diplomats in Doha on June 23. He said that's because the Taliban insist their facility be called the "Political Office of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan" and be identified as such on an exterior sign.
The United States and Afghanistan objected to the name and the sign when the office first opened. Qatari mediators got the Taliban to remove them but the official said the group now insists they be replaced. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak by name about the matter.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/Taliban-ignoring-talks-overtures-US-official/articleshow/20903039.cms
------------
Obama discusses surveillance activities with Merkel
Jul 04 2013
The U.S. President Barack Obama has called up the German Chancellor Angela Merkel, to discuss with the latter’s concerns over the alleged surveillance activities of National Security Agency of the United States.
“The President and the Chancellor discussed the recent reports of surveillance activities allegedly conducted by the U.S. National Security Agency. The President assured the Chancellor that the United States takes seriously the concerns of our European allies and partners,” the White House said in a readout of the telephonic conversation between the two leaders on Wednesday.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/world/obama-discusses-surveillance-activities-with-merkel/article4880211.ece
------------
North Carolina Tries to Ban Abortion and Islamic Law in One Bill
Kristen Ellingboei
July 04, 2013
Republican Senators in North Carolina on Tuesday added a set of abortion restrictions to a bill prohibiting the application of foreign law, including Sharia, in the state’s family courts.
After a failed attempt earlier this spring to pass a bill that would open doors for an official state religion, the ban on Sharia — the moral and religious code of Islam — is considered by many the next best option.
There has been no evidence to suggest that Sharia — or any foreign laws — have been or would be often used in the state courts, which begs the question: why was this bill actually passed? Tacking the suite of abortion restrictions on to the ban of foreign law gives those in favor of the bill the ability to paint the opposition as rabid pro-choicers who want Sharia law, an extreme depiction that could help the bill's Republican support base.
Full report at:
http://www.policymic.com/articles/52779/nc-abortion-bill-outdoing-texas-north-carolina-bans-abortion-and-islamic-law-in-one-bill
-------------
Africa
Libya starts facing up to Gaddafi regime's sex crimes
Reuters | Jul 4, 2013
TRIPOLI: The young woman introduced as "The Revolutionary" was breaking a taboo in Libya by speaking out about how she and other women had been raped by Muammar Gaddafi's men in the early months of the country's uprising.
"They arrested me publicly at Nasser University," she said, recalling how guards in Tripoli came for her and two other young women who expressed support for the revolution that led to Gaddafi's overthrow.
"They told me, 'We are only going to take you away for questioning, and then we will bring you back'."
Instead, the young woman said, a local official told the men: "Take these girls to Mutassim and enjoy them tonight." Mutassim was one of Gaddafi's sons and a military commander in the capital; he was later captured and killed.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Libya-starts-facing-up-to-Gaddafi-regimes-sex-crimes/articleshow/20914385.cms
---------
Nigeria: Borno Border Towns Accuse STF of Killing 129 Residents
BY SADIQ ABUBAKAR, 4 JULY 2013
Sequel to the raid on Sambisa Forest of Gwoza in Borno State by the Special Task Force (STF) deployed to towns and villages within the Sambisa Game Reserve, residents of border communities like Ngoshe, Ashigashiya, Barawa, Jibirilli, Chikide and others have told the state's deputy governor Alhaji Zanna Umar Mustapha how the STF invaded their towns and villages and killed about 129 innocent residents.
They narrated their plight to the deputy governor who was on a special mission of reconciliation over the grievances of Nigerian citizens that fled to the Cameroon for safety.
Alhaji Mustapha represented the state governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima who is in China Republic for a business meeting.
Full report at:
http://allafrica.com/stories/201307040467.html
------------
Ethiopia: FM Tedros Holds Talks With Religious Leaders in Saudi
3 JULY 2013
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Tedros Adhanom who is on working visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia held talks with Muslim religious leaders from Jeddah and Mekkah.
The discussions focused on illegal human trafficking and current religious developments in Ethiopia.
According to the religious leaders, illegal human trafficking costs thousands of lives, causes socio-economic crises, and was giving the country a bad image. They requested the Ethiopian government to take serious measures to prevent it.
Full report at:
http://allafrica.com/stories/201307031348.html
----------
JTF Kills 3 Boko Haram Suspects Disguised As Women in Maiduguri
BY HAMZA IDRIS, 4 JULY 2013
Maiduguri — Operatives of the Joint Task Force (JTF) yesterday gunned down three suspected Boko Haram members who disguised as women while 20 others who also dressed like women were arrested while attempting to attack the Ibrahim Taiwo Police Station along Baga road.
Witnesses said over 20 men, clad in Hijab (flowing cloth and veil, popular among Muslim women) and Abaya (a long rob also popular among women in Borno) were arrested around the Police station.
A security source said the incident happened around 2pm, adding that all the suspects had AK47 Rifles and Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPGs) concealed in beneath their cloth.
The source said the attempted attack was repelled because a combine team of soldiers, policemen and SSS were keeping watch at the station which is directly facing the Baga Market.
Full report at:
http://allafrica.com/stories/201307040647.html?aa_source=slideout
------------
Tunisia president's party condemns ousting of Egypt's Morsi
4 Jul 2013
The party of Tunisia's president condemned on Thursday the Egyptian military's overthrow of President Mohamed Morsi as a blow to democracy, in the first public reaction to events in Cairo from the cradle of the 'Arab Spring' movement.
The head of Egypt's Constitutional Court, Adli Mansour, was sworn in as interim head of state of the Arab world's most populous nation earlier on Thursday, a day after the Islamist president's dramatic removal from power.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/75699/World/Region/Tunisia-presidents-party-condemns-ousting-of-Egypt.aspx
---------
Southeast Asia
Pressure on non-Muslim BN leaders to move on conversion bill
BY JENNIFER GOMEZ
JULY 04, 2013
Non-Muslim Barisan Nasional leaders – already weak from their pummelling in the recent general election as Umno saved the day for the ruling coalition – now face their biggest test since the polls.
At least two such ministers and one MCA leader have been receiving demands from religion-based groups that they must take a strong stand against a Bill tabled by the government last week to allow one parent alone to convert the religion of a minor, even against the wishes of the other parent.
This Bill is seen by many non-Muslims as the second stinging betrayal by the government after leaders reversed their position that non-Muslims could use the Arabic word, Allah, to describe their god.
Full report at:
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/religion-based-groups-press-non-muslim-leaders-to-move-on-conversion-bill/
------------
SBY urges Indonesians to stay away from Egypt's political turmoil
July 04 2013
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has asked Indonesian citizens in Egypt to stay away from dangerous places and not get involved in Egyptian domestic affairs.
The President sent the messages via his Twitter account, @SBYudhoyono, on Thursday after the toppling of Mohammed Morsi by the Egyptian armed forces.
“At 2:15 a.m. on Thursday, our ambassador, Nurfaizi, reported a dramatic affair in Egypt: the toppling of President Morsi. I instructed Ambassador Nurfaizi to maintain the safety of the Indonesian Embassy (KBRI) and all Indonesian citizens, including our students, if the social, political and security situation gets worse,” said Yudhoyono.
Full report at:
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2013/07/04/sby-urges-indonesians-stay-away-egypt-political-turmoil.html
------------
Eight communist rebels killed in east Philippines
AFP | Jul 4, 2013
MANILA: Philippine troops on today killed eight communist rebels, two of them women, in the latest flare-up of violence since talks to end one of Asia's longest running insurgencies broke down.
Soldiers were deployed to a poor, remote farming village in the eastern province of Sorsogon after residents complained of "prolonged extortion, abuses and threats" by New People's Army (NPA) rebels, armed forces spokesman Major Ramon Zagala said.
"Heavy casualties were inflicted on the NPA, while no casualty or damage was incurred by the government security forces," Zagala told AFP, adding the clashes went for about 35 minutes.
He said the bodies of eight NPA guerrillas were recovered, including two women, along with their rifles, grenade launchers and improvised bombs.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/Eight-communist-rebels-killed-in-east-Philippines/articleshow/20909543.cms
------------
Standard Chartered to launch Islamic banking in Kenya, Indonesia
July 4, 2013
(Reuters) - Standard Chartered Plc (STAN.L) will start offering Islamic banking in Kenya as a springboard into the rest of Africa and it may expand services in Indonesia, its global head of Islamic consumer banking said on Wednesday.
Shariah-compliant banking makes up two percent of Kenya's banking industry, split between two Islamic lenders and conventional banks with Shariah-compliant products, like Barclays Kenya (BBK.NR).
Full report at:
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/07/03/uk-stanchart-islamic-idUKBRE9620VG20130703
------------
Nik Aziz backs deposed Morsi, says people power will bring him back
BY LEE SHI-IAN
JULY 04, 2013
Despite being toppled from power, Egyptian president Mohammed Morsi will have his opportunity to bounce back, said PAS spiritual leader Datuk Seri Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat.
In a statement, he expressed sadness and sympathy for the ongoing chaotic scenes in Egypt and described it as the country's darkest moments repeating itself.
"I am confident that the Egyptian people will not keep quiet over the developments. Morsi was elected as president in a legal election, not because of electoral fraud."
Nik Abdul Aziz likened Morsi's situation to that of Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez, who was overthrown on April 11, 2002, but later returned to power three days later after the people protested.
Full report at:
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/nik-aziz-backs-deposed-morsi-says-people-power-will-bring-him-back/
---------
Mideast
Hamas denies Fatah accusations of interfering in Egypt
3 Jul 2013
The Palestinian Hamas movement denied accusations made by rival Palestinian group Fatah that it was intervening in the affairs of neighbouring Arab countries, including Egypt.
A press statement issued by Hamas denounced "the renewal of false accusations" against the movement, stressing that there had been no reported incidents of its intervention in any Islamic or Arab country historically.
Fatah had on Tuesday accused Hamas, ideologically affiliated with Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood, of being involved in Egypt for the past year, and of forming militias to defend the embattled group, UK-based paper Al-Arab Online reported.
Hamas called the accusations "fabricated illusions."
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/75616/World/Region/Hamas-denies-Fatah-accusations-of-interfering-in-E.aspx
------------
Former IDF chief: Morsi's fall doesn't pose immediate danger to Israel'
REUTERS 07/04/2013
Ashkenazi says Egyptian army is too busy with domestic concerns to pose any threat to Israel, but warns situation in Egypt is still volatile; Hanegbi hopeful Morsi's ouster could strengthen future diplomatic ties with Cairo.
Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi's overthrow, and the Egyptian army's takeover of the country, does not pose any immediate danger to Israel, former chief of staff Gabi Ashkenazi said on Thursday.
"I think the Egyptian army is too busy [with domestic issues] to deal with anything that is outside of Egypt, so I don't think there's any danger at the moment," Ashkenazi said.
Full report at:
http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Former-IDF-chief-Morsis-fall-doesnt-pose-immediate-danger-to-Israel-318738
----------
Turkey calls for immediate release of Egyptian leaders
4 July 2013
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu said Turkey does not accept arbitrary detentions of elected leaders of Egypt, adding that he hoped that the military’s move would not overshadow the January 25 Revolution.
“All democratic mechanisms should be operated [...] After yesterday’s intervention, the arbitrary arrests or house arrests of politicians, including President Mohamed Morsi and Prime Minister Hisham Qandil, are unacceptable. Freeing the detained politicians has special importance for national reconciliation,” Davutoğlu said at a press conference today in Istanbul.
Full report at:
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-calls-for-immediate-release-of-egyptian-leaders.aspx?pageID=238&nID=50011&NewsCatID=352
----------
Israel silent after overthrow of Egypt's Morsi
4 Jul 2013
Israel maintained a worried silence on Thursday following the overthrow of Egypt's first democratically-elected president, Mohammed Morsi by the Egyptian army.
Government officials, who are normally quick to comment on regional developments, maintained an unusual silence after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered his cabinet to hold their silence on the crisis, press reports said.
One official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Israel was watching carefully to see how the situation would develop.
"The government is closely monitoring the situation in Egypt but is not making any predictions because things are still developing," he told AFP.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/75669/World/Region/Israel-silent-after-overthrow-of-Egypts-Morsi.aspx
--------
Iran says Egypt must guard against 'enemy opportunism'
4 Jul 2013
Iran on Thursday gave a guarded response to the army's removal of Egypt's Islamist president, Mohamed Morsi, calling for the people's "legitimate demands" to be fulfilled and warning of "foreign and enemy opportunism".
Iran welcomed the popular overthrow of Hosni Mubarak in 2011 as part of an "Islamic awakening" and has sought to repair its strained ties with Egypt since Morsi's election victory last year.
Morsi visited Tehran on one of his first official trips abroad, but the two countries have found themselves supporting opposite sides of a civil war in Syria that has taken on increasingly sectarian overtones.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/75700/World/Region/Iran-says-Egypt-must-guard-against-enemy-opportuni.aspx
----------
Turkey: Morsi ouster is undemocratic
July 04, 2013
Turkey on Thursday said the military intervention that ousted Egypt's Islamist president Mohamed Morsi did not reflect the people's will and urged the country to "return to democracy".
Turkey's Islamic-rooted Justice and Development Party (AKP) government, which grappled with its
own mass anti-government demonstrations last month, had reportedly established friendly ties with Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood movement.
"The power change in Egypt was not a result of the will of the people. The change was not in compliance with democracy and law," deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag said in Ankara on Thursday.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/europe/Turkey-Morsi-ouster-is-undemocratic/Article1-1087047.aspx
---------
PM: Palestinian leaders think its possible to destroy Israel
By LAHAV HARKOV
07/04/2013
The legacy of Likud ideological forebear Ze’ev Jabotinsky will help bring stable peace to Israel, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu told the Knesset Wednesday.
Speaking at a memorial session marking the 73rd anniversary of Jabotinsky’s death, Netanyahu said the Irgun and Betar founder’s realism should be kept in mind today.
“The obstacle to peace between us and the Palestinians is not just fundamentalist terrorist organizations, but the belief that it is possible to destroy the State of Israel,” the prime minister explained.
“These organizations, states and leaders plant hopes in their nations that we can be beaten by sword, gun and bomb. We cannot be defeated by any those means or any others.”
It is immoral, Netanyahu said, to be weak and stretch out our necks to be attacked in a choppy and volatile arena, and Israel’s job is to strike down those who seek to destroy it in order to defend itself and to show that there is no point in continuing an armed battle against Israel.
Full report at:
http://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/PM-Palestinian-leaders-think-its-possible-to-destroy-Israel-318584
---------
Arab World
Syria opposition meets to find leader, show it is ready for arms
4 Jul 2013
Syria's fractious opposition coalition meets on Thursday under pressure to name a new leader and prove to its Western and Arab backers it can be trusted with advanced weapons to beat back a concerted offensive by President Bashar al-Assad.
The opposition's inability to unite has made Western countries reluctant to send weapons, even as Assad's forces have seized initiative in recent months and Washington and its European allies have vowed to aid his enemies.
Rebels are under siege in the strategic city of Homs and trying to hold on to swathes of territory across the country, while the opposition in exile has been unable to exert authority on the ground and halt strides toward radical Islamism.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/75659/World/Region/Syria-opposition-meets-to-find-leader,-show-it-is-.aspx
------------
FIFA again bans Iraq from hosting friendlies
July 4, 2013
BAGHDAD: FIFA on Wednesday barred Iraq from hosting international football friendlies due to a massive surge in nationwide violence, barely three months after world football's governing body gave Baghdad the go-ahead.
The Iraqi Football Association (IFA) was informed of the ban in a notification from FIFA, which cited a spike in unrest that has left more than 2,500 dead from April through June and at least 123 killed in the first three days of July alone.
“Today, we received a notification from FIFA to stop hosting any friendly matches in stadiums in Iraq at the current time, and until further notice, due to the wave of violence,” said Naim Saddam, an IFA official.
Full report at:
http://beta.dawn.com/news/1022565/fifa-again-bans-iraq-from-hosting-friendlies
-----------
Syria's Assad says only foreign invasion can threaten him
07/04/2013
BEIRUT - Syrian President Bashar Assad said he and his government would survive the civil war having endured everything his opponents could do to topple him and only the distant prospect of direct foreign military intervention could change that.
After steady rebel gains in the first two years of civil war, Syria became stuck in a bloody stalemate lasting months until a June government offensive that led to the capture of a strategic border town. Momentum now looks to be behind Assad.
"This was their goal in hitting our infrastructure, hitting our economy, and creating complete chaos in society so that we would become a failed state," Assad said in an interview with Syria's official Thawra newspaper published on Thursday.
Full report at:
http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Syrias-Assad-says-only-foreign-invasion-can-threaten-him-318723
------------
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/the-words-describing-‘rape’-blaming/d/12439