Tunisia Condemns 'Outrageous' Attacks on Sufi Shrines by Hardliner Islamists
New Age Islam News Bureau
26 Jan 2013
Arab World
• Egypt deploys troops in Suez after 9 killed on anniversary of uprising
• Egypt protesters torch Muslim Brotherhood party HQ: Report
• Iraq Sunnis threaten army attacks after protest deaths
• Hundreds of Iraqis gather to mourn protesters killed by soldiers
• Door closing on two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Jordan’s king
• Indian-Filipino couple jailed for kissing on Dubai beach
• Egypt’s Muslim brothers watch as divisions rend their Salafist challengers
• Syrian lovebirds meet online, wed under fire
• Clashes erupt after Egypt court sentences 21 to death over football riot
• Syrian fighters need ‘high-level’ weapons
• Bahrain: Tear gas and stun grenades fired as protests erupt
• Two years since Mubarak, Egyptians are still protesting
• Number of Saudi students in America up 6 percent
Mideast Asia
• Baha'i faithful in area hope Iranian persecution ends
• Turkey approves court reform, Kurds remain critical
• Abbas asks Israel to let in Palestinians fleeing Syria
• Israel’s emerging political superstar faces a minefield
• Attack on Syria would be seen as attack on Iran: Khamenei’s aide
India
• Indo-Saudi ties enter era of promise, hope
• Dhule video unmasks rioters in uniform
• Muslim League ‘getting stronger’ in Kerala
• Imams not keen to take Bengal CM’s largesse
• Manmohan Singh pays homage to the Unknown Soldier
• 5 Indian Sailors Held Hostage in Nigeria Are Freed
• Don't take for granted India's hand of friendship, President tells Pakistan
• Religious spat takes centre stage at Jaipur Literary Festival
• India unlikely to get 26/ 11 culprit
• Republic Day: Mobiles, wireless services in Kashmir Valley jammed
• Now, NIA aiming to secure access to Rana
• Asaduddin Owaisi plays Dalit card, says Ambedkar greater than Gandhi
• ‘Pak terror group sold animal skin to fund anti-India ops’
• Curfew in Rajasthan towns following communal clashes
• Jaipur Literature Fest: Jeet Thayil wins 2013 DSC Prize, Muslim groups upset
• We have enough evidence to nail David Headley over here: Mumbai cops
• Headley wouldn't have got a plea bargain in India: Experts
• Helpless India says will keep seeking David Headley's extradition
Pakistan
• Zardari, Ashraf send Pranab, PM R-day greetings
• Long term peace requires talks with Taliban: K P Minister
• Pro-govt militia attacked in Dera Bugti; one killed, five kidnapped
• Militant groups clash in NW Pakistan, 24 killed
• Introducing children to sexual, reproductive rights, after talking to Religious scholars
• Murder case lodged over PM Corruption case investigator's 'mysterious' death
• Pakistan seeks friendship with India, PM Raja Pervez Ashraf says
• Imran Khan takes anti-Pakistan govt stance on India?
• Violence claims five lives in Karachi
• PPPP elects Amin Faheem as party president
• Bin Laden hunt movie not to be shown in Pakistan: Report
Europe
• Russia Chechnya: Two Islamist commanders 'killed'
• Five held in London over ‘Muslim vigilante’ videos
• French, Malian troops seize northern Islamist towns
• Birmingham terror suspects 'planned to kill British soldiers'
• Syria conflict: Britain to provide extra £21m in humanitarian aid
• UK terror suspects travelled to Pak: Report
South Asia
• Jharna Chowdhury of Bangladesh selected for Indian Padma Shri Award
• US blacklists Afghan airline accused of smuggling opium
North America
• In a Chicago courtroom, justice tinged with betrayal
• New Jersey Muslims say suit against NYC should proceed
• U.S. Weighing How Much Help to Give France’s Military Operation in Mali
• US May Give $32M to Train African Troops in Mali
• Western Media Ratcheting Up Anti-Iran Propaganda
• Ex-CIA officer sentenced to 30 months in prison for leaking agent's name
• U.S. sanctions cause shortage of drugs in Iran
• US rules out Headley's extradition
• US defends decision not to seek death penalty for Headley
• US documentary seeks to show ‘real’ Bin Laden raid
Southeast Asia
• Militant Threat Quelled in SE Asia: Malaysia PM
• DPM calls for calm over Bible-burning threat
• Indonesian Police Say Hundreds of OPM Members Surrender, but Doubts Linger
Africa
• Tunisia Condemns "Outrageous" Attacks on Sufi Shrines by Hardliner Islamists
• Child Soldier's Tale Illustrates Mali's Dirty War
• African Union seeks additional troops for Mali mission
• Leading the Tunisian Agency That Once Jailed Him
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
Photo: Baha'i faithful in area hope Iranian persecution ends
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Tunisia Condemns 'Outrageous' Attacks on Sufi Shrines by Hardliner Islamists
January 26, 2013
THE Tunisian government has condemned a wave of "outrageous" attacks on Sufi shrines by suspected hardliner Islamists and vowed to identify the culprits.
"Outrageous attacks on mausoleums in several regions and cities of Tunisia have increased recently," the Islamist government, dominated by the Ennahda party, said in a statement.
Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali vowed to work to "find out who committed or ordered these acts."
Two Sufi mausoleums were torched on Thursday, police and media reported, in the latest violence that the mystical Muslim sect claims is being carried out by ultra-conservative Salafist Muslims.
On Wednesday, Sufi officials said another one of their shrines in Tunisia had been torched the day before, also blaming Salafists and saying this brought the number of such attacks in the past few months to almost 40.
"The people behind all the attacks are Wahhabis," a Salafist branch of Sunni Islam rooted in Saudi Arabia, said Mazen Sherif, the deputy head of a Sufi union set up to counter the attacks.
"This is just the beginning. They will go on to destroy the (Roman) sites in Carthage, El Jem and Duga. Then they will force men to grow beards and women to wear the full veil," he said.
According to the union, which urged Tunisia's Islamist-led government to take effective action, such attacks are financed from abroad.
Since the early centuries of Islam, Sufi orders have always aroused suspicion among orthodox Muslims.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/breaking-news/tunisia-condemns-sacking-of-sufi-shrines/story-fn3dxix6-1226562300660
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Arab World
Egypt deploys troops in Suez after 9 killed on anniversary of uprising
Jan 26, 2013
CAIRO/ISMAILIA: Egypt's armed forces deployed troops in the city of Suez early on Saturday after nine people were shot dead during nationwide protests against President Mohamed Morsi, underlining the country's deep divisions as it marked the second anniversary of the uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak.
Eight of the dead, including a policeman, were shot dead in Suez, and another was shot and killed in the city of Ismailia, medics said. Another 456 people were injured across Egypt, officials said, in unrest on Friday fuelled by anger at Morsi and his Islamist allies over what the protesters see as their betrayal of the revolution.
Morsi said the state would not hesitate in "pursuing the criminals and delivering them to justice". In a statement, he also called on Egyptians to respect the principles of the revolution by expressing their views peacefully.
The troops were deployed in Suez after the head of the state security police in the city asked for reinforcements. The army distributed pamphlets to residents assuring them the deployment was temporary and meant to secure the city.
"We have asked the armed forces to send reinforcements on the ground until we pass this difficult period," Adel Refaat, head of state security in Suez, told state television.
Friday's anniversary laid bare the divide between the Islamists and their secular rivals.
The schism is hindering the efforts of Morsi, elected in June, to revive an economy in crisis and reverse a plunge in Egypt's currency by enticing back investors and tourists.
Inspired by the popular uprising in Tunisia, Egypt's revolution spurred further revolts across the Arab world. But the sense of common purpose that united Egyptians two years ago has given way to internal strife that already triggered bloody street battles last month.
Thousands of opponents of Morsi massed on Friday in Cairo's Tahrir Square - the cradle of the revolt against Mubarak - to rekindle the demands of a revolution they say has been hijacked by the Muslim Brotherhood, the group from which Morsi emerged.
In Suez, the military deployed armoured vehicles to guard state buildings, witnesses and security sources said, as symbols of government were targeted across the country.
Street battles erupted in cities including Cairo, Alexandria, Suez and Port Said. Arsonists attacked at least two state-owned buildings. An office used by the Muslim Brotherhood's political party was also torched.
"Our revolution is continuing. We reject the domination of any party over this state. We say no to the Brotherhood state," Hamdeen Sabahy, a popular leftist leader, told Reuters.
The Brotherhood decided against mobilizing for the anniversary, wary of the scope for more conflict after December's violence, stoked by Morsi's decision to fast-track an Islamist-tinged constitution rejected by his opponents.
The Brotherhood denies accusations that it is seeking to dominate Egypt, labelling them a smear campaign by its rivals.
There were conflicting accounts of the lethal shooting in Suez. Some witnesses said security forces had opened fire in response to gunfire from masked men.
News of the deaths capped a day of violence that started in the early hours of Friday. Before dawn in Cairo, police battled protesters who threw petrol bombs and firecrackers as they approached a wall blocking access to government buildings near Tahrir Square.
Clouds of teargas filled the air. At one point, riot police used one of the incendiaries thrown at them to set ablaze at least two tents erected by youths, a Reuters witness said.
Skirmishes between stone-throwing youths and the police continued in streets around the square into the day. Ambulances ferried away a steady stream of casualties.
Protesters echoed the chants of 2011's historic 18-day uprising. "The people want to bring down the regime," they chanted. "Leave! Leave! Leave!" chanted others as they marched towards the square.
"We are not here to celebrate but to force those in power to submit to the will of the people. Egypt now must never be like Egypt during Mubarak's rule," said Mohamed Fahmy, an activist.
There were similar scenes in Suez and Alexandria, where protesters and riot police clashed near local government offices. Black smoke billowed from tyres set ablaze by youths.
In Cairo, police fired teargas to disperse a few dozen protesters trying to remove barbed-wire barriers protecting the presidential palace, witnesses said. A few masked men got as far as the gates before they were beaten back.
Teargas was also fired at protesters who tried to remove metal barriers outside the state television building.
Outside Cairo, protesters broke into the offices of provincial governors in Ismailia and Kafr el-Sheikh in the Nile Delta. A local government building was torched in the Nile Delta city of al-Mahalla al-Kubra.
With an eye on parliamentary elections likely to begin in April, the Brotherhood marked the anniversary with a charity drive across the nation. It plans to deliver medical aid to one million people and distribute affordable basic foodstuffs.
Writing in Al-Ahram, Egypt's flagship state-run daily, Brotherhood leader Mohamed Badie said the country was in need of "practical, serious competition" to reform the corrupt state left by the Mubarak era.
"The differences of opinion and vision that Egypt is passing through is a characteristic at the core of transitions from dictatorship to democracy, and clearly expresses the variety of Egyptian culture," he wrote.
Morsi's opponents say he and his group are seeking to dominate the post-Mubarak order. They accuse him of showing some of the autocratic impulses of the deposed leader by, for example, driving through the new constitution last month.
"I am taking part in today's marches to reject the warped constitution, the 'Brotherhoodisation' of the state, the attack on the rule of law, and the disregard of the president and his government for the demands for social justice," Amr Hamzawy, a prominent liberal politician, wrote on his Twitter feed.
The Brotherhood says its rivals are failing to respect the rules of the new democracy that put the Islamists in the driving seat via free elections.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Egypt-deploys-troops-in-Suez-after-9-killed-on-anniversary-of-uprising/articleshow/18190458.cms
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Egypt protesters torch Muslim Brotherhood party HQ: Report
Jan 25, 2013
ISMAILIYA (EGYPT): Egyptian protesters on Friday set fire to the Muslim Brotherhood party headquarters in the canal city of Ismailiya, an AFP reporter said.
Black smoke could be seen coming out of the windows of the apartment housing the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) offices, as Egyptians staged nationwide rallies against President Mohamed Morsi on the second anniversary of the revolution that toppled Hosni Mubarak and brought Islamists to power.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Egypt-protesters-torch-Muslim-Brotherhood-party-HQ-Report/articleshow/18186964.cms
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Iraq Sunnis threaten army attacks after protest deaths
By Ahmed Maher
26 January 2013
Sunni leaders in Anbar have threatened to launch attacks against the army in the western Iraqi province after five protesters were shot dead in Fallujah.
The anti-government demonstrators were killed and 60 others injured in clashes with soldiers after Friday prayers.
Tribal leaders say they have given the government one week to arrest those soldiers responsible for opening fire on the crowd.
They say they will then attack army units and posts across the province.
Friday's protest was the first such confrontation with the army since mass protests against the Shia-led government began five weeks ago in Baghdad and western Iraq.
The protesters accuse the government of discrimination against Sunni Arabs, saying they are treated as second-class citizens, and demand the resignation of Prime Minister Nouri Maliki, a Shia Arab.
Full report at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-21206163
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Hundreds of Iraqis gather to mourn protesters killed by soldiers
Jan 26, 2013
FALLUJAH: Hundreds of Iraqi protesters have gathered in a western city for the funeral of protesters killed during a shooting by army troops on Friday.
Mourners hoisted caskets and waved Iraqi flags while shouting "Allahu Akbar!" or God is great. The Saturday funeral procession took place in central Fallujah, not far away the city's cemetery.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Hundreds-of-Iraqis-gather-to-mourn-protesters-killed-by-soldiers/articleshow/18196799.cms
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Door closing on two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Jordan’s king
26 January 2013
DAVOS: The door is closing on the chances of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and will be firmly shut by the end of US President Barack Obama’s second term, Jordan’s King Abdullah II warned Friday.
“If we’re not too late, the two-state solution will only survive as long as President Obama’s term. If we don’t fix it in the next four years, I don’t believe it will ever happen,” Abdullah told political and business leaders gathered at the Swiss ski resort of Davos.
Full report at:
http://dawn.com/2013/01/25/door-closing-on-two-state-solution-jordans-king/
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Indian-Filipino couple jailed for kissing on Dubai beach
Jan 25 2013
London: A couple, a 28-year-old Indian man and a 25-year-old Filipino woman, has been jailed for a year for kissing in public on a Dubai beach.
The couple was spotted ‘wrestling’ by an Emirati child told his mother and who thereby called the police.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/indianfilipino-couple-jailed-for-kissing-on-dubai-beach/1064849/
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Egypt’s Muslim brothers watch as divisions rend their Salafist challengers
Andrew McGregor
January 25, 2013
As the February 25 parliamentary elections grow near, the political wings of Egypt’s Salafist movement continue to fragment, raising questions about the movement’s ability to replicate its relative success in last year’s elections, in which the movement took nearly a quarter of the available seats despite being political neophytes.
Egypt’s Salafist movement was shaken on December 26, 2012, when Nur Party leader Abd al-Ghafour and two former Nur Party spokesmen, Yousri Hammad and Muhammad Nur, joined roughly 150 other party members in a mass resignation followed by the creation of the new Watan (Homeland) Party (Daily News Egypt, December 29, 2012). The Nur Party was the lead element in a largely Salafist coalition that placed second in parliamentary elections last year before that parliament was dissolved as unconstitutional by a June decision of the Supreme Constitutional Court of Egypt.
Full report at:
http://www.jamestown.org/single/?no_cache=1&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=40364&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=7&cHash=ad79a70d57bbdced0857589d78224f43
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Syrian lovebirds meet online, wed under fire
Antonio Pampliega
January 25, 2013
Yusef and Ghada met through Facebook, and with all of the courts in Syria's war-ravaged second city of Aleppo closed, they had no choice but to exchange vows before a jihadist commander.
"It was a very quick ceremony. We signed a paper, exchanged rings, and we were married. The commander (also a Muslim sheikh) was too busy to waste time on us reading verses from the Koran," Yusef, 26, says with a laugh.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/restofasia/Syrian-lovebirds-meet-online-wed-under-fire/Article1-1001623.aspx
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Clashes erupt after Egypt court sentences 21 to death over football riot
Jan 26, 2013
PORT SAID: Twenty-one Egyptian football fans and club members were sentenced to death on Saturday after a deadly post-match riot in Port Said last year, sparking new violence in the canal city that killed eight.
The clashes erupted after a Cairo court handed down the death sentences over the football riot last February in which 74 people were killed, and came a day after violence swept Egypt on the second anniversary of its uprising.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Clashes-erupt-after-Egypt-court-sentences-21-to-death-over-football-riot/articleshow/18196569.cms
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Syrian fighters need ‘high-level’ weapons
26 January 2013
Prince Turki Al-Faisal has called for Syrian fighters to be given anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons to "level the playing field" in their battle against President Bashar Assad.
"What is needed are sophisticated, high-level weapons that can bring down planes, can take out tanks at a distance. This is not getting through," he said, according to Reuters.
"I'm not in government so I don't have to be diplomatic. I assume we're sending weapons and if we were not sending weapons it would be terrible mistake on our part," the prince was quoted as saying at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
Full report at:
http://www.arabnews.com/syrian-fighters-need-%E2%80%98high-level%E2%80%99-weapons
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Bahrain: Tear gas and stun grenades fired as protests erupt
26 January 2013
Police have blocked major roads and are using tear gas and stun grenades against anti-government protesters in the Bahraini capital, Manama.
Protesters had responded to a call by opposition parties to march in the city.
Hundreds of youths had taken to the streets of the old market district of Manama, chanting "no dialogue with killers", an opposition source said.
Full report at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-21200984
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Two years since Mubarak, Egyptians are still protesting
January 26, 2013
Egyptians returned to the Tahrir Square Friday to mark two years since Hosni Mubarak’s ouster, but the revolution seemed far from over as thousands protested against the newly-installed Islamist regime and clashed with security forces.
Rallies by the mainly secular opposition brought thousands of people on streets, and violence was reported from several cities including Alexandria and Suez.
In the canal city of Ismailia, protesters set fire to the headquarters of the Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party (FJP).
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/africa/Two-years-since-Mubarak-Egyptians-are-still-protesting/Article1-1001876.aspx
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Number of Saudi students in America up 6 percent
26 January 2013
China and Saudi Arabia pushed the number of international students in the United States to 764,495 in the 2011-2012 academic year. The number of international students enrolled in US colleges increased 6 percent, propelled primarily by a continuing rise in students from China and a recent surge from Saudi Arabia, showed a Nov. 2012 report of the nonprofit Institute of International Education. Currently more than 71,000 Saudis are studying in the United States. The number increased by 98 percent between 2005-2012.
Full report at:
http://www.arabnews.com/number-saudi-students-america-6-percent
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Mideast Asia
Baha'i faithful in area hope Iranian persecution ends
By Teresa Rochester
January 25, 2013
DAVID YAMAMOTO/SPECIAL TO THE STAR Afsaneh Nikakhtar (left) sits with her daughter Hoda Kashani Sapir at her Thousand Oaks home behind a picture of her husband, Jamal Kashani, who was charged with apostasy, taken prisoner by Iranian authorities and later executed because of his Baha'i faith in 1984.
On a recent Saturday morning, more than a dozen members of the Baha'i faith met in Afsaneh Nikakhtar's Thousand Oaks home for a devotional gathering.
Full report at:
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2013/jan/25/bahai-faithful-in-area-hope-iranian-persecution/#ixzz2J4IeQTFi
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Turkey approves court reform, Kurds remain critical
26 January 2013
ISTANBUL: Turkey’s Parliament has passed a law allowing defendants to use Kurdish in court, but Kurdish politicians said it fell short of their demands as the EU candidate country seeks to advance peace talks with the jailed leader of a 28-year-old insurgency.
Kurdish and nationalist deputies clashed verbally and nearly came to blows during a tense debate over the bill late on Thursday seen aimed at breaking a deadlock in trials of hundreds accused of links to Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants.
Full report at:
http://www.arabnews.com/turkey-approves-court-reform-kurds-remain-critical
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Abbas asks Israel to let in Palestinians fleeing Syria
January 26, 2013
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas tried to get Israel to let 1, 50,000 Palestinians fleeing war in Syria resettle in the West Bank, but dropped the request after the Jewish state demanded they first give up their right of return, he said.
Syria is home to around 500,000 Palestinian refugees, some of whom have been fleeing the country because of civil war between forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad and fighters seeking to topple his government.
Israel has said it has no plans to allow them to enter the West Bank, which it has occupied since 1967.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/restofasia/Abbas-asks-Israel-to-let-in-Palestinians-fleeing-Syria/Article1-1001978.aspx
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Israel’s emerging political superstar faces a minefield
ATUL ANEJA
26 January 2013
As coalition talks begin in earnest
The aspirations for a fairer deal of Israel’s middle class youth are on line after the centrist leader that they have catapulted to a position of political advantage begins his confrontation with those who want him to abandon some of his core campaign promises.
Veterans in the art of stealth and political deception, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his co-partner Avigdor Lieberman of the Yisrael Beiteinu party are already hard at work to pull away Yair Lapid — the rising star on Israel’s political horizon after his party, Yesh Atid logged 19 seats in Wednesday’s parliamentary elections — from his of campaign goals of economic justice and shared responsibility.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/israels-emerging-political-superstar-faces-a-minefield/article4345311.ece
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Attack on Syria would be seen as attack on Iran: Khamenei’s aide
26 January 2013
DUBAI: Iran would consider any attack on Syria an attack on itself, a senior government official was quoted as saying on Saturday, in one of Tehran’s most assertive defences of its ally yet.
Iran is a key supporter of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad who is fighting a near two-year-long revolt. Tehran has already repeatedly warned the West against intervening in the conflict against Assad.
Full report at:
http://dawn.com/2013/01/26/attack-on-syria-would-be-seen-as-attack-on-iran-khameneis-aide/
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India
Indo-Saudi ties enter era of promise, hope
26 January 2013
On the occasion of 64th Republic Day of India, I extend my good wishes and felicitations to all my fellow citizens residing in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The historical ties between India and the Arabian Peninsula in the realms of commerce, trade and culture impart it a distinct character that transcends conventional boundaries of human engagement.
In the present times, the level of bilateral engagement between India and Saudi Arabia has touched a new high. The landmark visits of Custodian of the two Holy Mosques His Majesty King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz to India in January 2006 and the visit of Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2010 gave a renewed impetus to the bilateral engagement. The Delhi and Riyadh Declarations have provided the framework and the roadmap to elevate bilateral relations and heralded a new era of strategic partnership between the two countries.
Full report at:
http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/indo-saudi-ties-enter-era-promise-hope
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Dhule video unmasks rioters in uniform
Jan 26 2013
Police in the northern Maharashtra town of Dhule destroyed private property and looted shops earlier this month after violence broke out following a tiff over payment of a hotel bill.
About a dozen video clips available with The Indian Express, each running into a few minutes, show the police breaking open a stall, pulling down a Pandal meant for hawkers, smashing water drums and pounding two-wheelers parked along the street on January 6.
Reached for his comment, Director General of Police Sanjeev Dayal said the police had received the same video footage and had initiated action. “Police constable Sumit Namdeo Thakur and police constable Pramod Shivaji Ishi, both posted at Dhule city police station, have been placed under suspension from January 18,” he said.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/dhule-video-unmasks-rioters-in-uniform/1065064/
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Muslim League ‘getting stronger’ in Kerala
26 January 2013
The Muslim League, a member of the ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) coalition in the south Indian state of Kerala, is gaining power, says Syed Sadikali Shihab Thangal, president of the organization in the Malappuram District, largely because of the strong support of young members including non-Muslims.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the ITL office inauguration here, he said the new generation does not like old-style politics. “This is the main reason for the failure of the Marxist Party’s recent strikes in Kerala, including for the contributory pension scheme.”
Full report at:
http://www.arabnews.com/muslim-league-%E2%80%98getting-stronger%E2%80%99-kerala
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Imams not keen to take Bengal CM’s largesse
Jan 24 2013
Kolkata: Religious angle Many feel imams and muezzins consider accepting government against Islam.
Last year, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee made a controversial announcement of giving a monthly financial aid to imams and muezzins. The Trinamool Congress government had hoped to receive a windfall of applications from the imams and muezzins across the state. However, almost nine months after the scheme was announced, the government has received only a trickle of applications from the community leaders.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/imams-not-keen-to-take-mamata-banerjees-largesse/1064114/
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Manmohan Singh pays homage to the unknown soldier
Jan 26, 2013
NEW DELHI: India's 64th Republic Day celebrations began on Saturday with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh paying homage to the unknown soldier at the India Gate war memorial in the heart of the capital.
With the three service chiefs in attendance, Manmohan Singh was greeted on arrival at the World War I monument by defence minister AK Antony.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Manmohan-Singh-pays-homage-to-the-unknown-soldier/articleshow/18193571.cms
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5 Indian Sailors Held Hostage in Nigeria Are Freed
2013/01/26
LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — A spokesman says five Indian sailors kidnapped last month off of Nigeria's oil-rich southern delta have been released.
The men had been held since their ship, the SP Brussels, was attacked on Dec. 17 near the Niger Delta.
Full report at:
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2013/01/26/world/africa/ap-af-nigeria-hostages-
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Don't take for granted India's hand of friendship, President tells Pakistan
January 25, 2013
Sponsorship of terrorism through non-state actors is a matter of deep concern, President Pranab Mukherjee said on Friday making it clear to Pakistan that India is ready to offer a hand of friendship but that should not be taken for granted.
In his address to the nation on the eve of 64th Republic Day, he said in the recent past, serious atrocities on the Line of Control (LoC) on Indian troops have been seen, an apparent reference to the beheading of an Indian soldier by Pakistan Army.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/newdelhi/Don-t-take-for-granted-India-s-hand-of-friendship-President-tells-Pakistan/Article1-1001794.aspx
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Religious spat takes centre stage at Jaipur Literary Festival
By Suhas Munshi in Jaipur
26 January 2013
THE literature fest is no stranger to religious controversy — but it isn’t usually the result of two famous visitors snapping at each other. Day 2, however, started off with a row between Dalit activist and writer Kancha Illaiah and Bollywood lyricist and scriptwriter Javed Akhtar right on the venue’s front lawn.
Illaiah, who was expounding on the equality of the two sexes that Buddhism provided to its followers, was confronted by Akhtar who, speaking as an atheist, said that no religion gave equality to women and weaker sections and choosing one’s religion was in fact a bit like choosing which cave one wanted to live in.” “Discussing religion was like discussing which cave will be better to live. If you want to follow a religion, follow any religion.
Full report at: Mail Today
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India unlikely to get 26/ 11 culprit
By Saurabh Shukla in New Delhi
26 January 2013
WHILE India has renewed its pressure on the US to extradite 26/ 11 accused David Coleman Headley to the country, the extradition is highly unlikely to happen.
Since a US court sentenced the terrorist to 35 years in jail, India cannot overturn the verdict.
The Indian government has sought death for Headley.
“ We want death sentence for Headley and those who were involved in 26/ 11,” Union home secretary R. K. Singh said.
Full report at: Mail Today
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Republic Day: Mobiles, wireless services in Kashmir Valley jammed
Jan 26 2013
Srinagar : Cell phones and wireless Internet connections across Kashmir Valley fell silent today as official functions to celebrate the Republic Day started this morning.
All mobile phone and wireless Internet services were jammed by authorities this morning as a precautionary measure, official sources said.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/republic-day-mobiles-wireless-services-in-kashmi.../1065198/
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Now, NIA aiming to secure access to Tahawwur Hussain Rana
By Bharti Jain
Jan 26, 2013
NEW DELHI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA), satisfied with the 35-year sentence handed out to LeT operative David Coleman Headley as it leaves a slim chance of his coming out of the prison alive, will now step up efforts to gain access to his accomplice Tahawwur Hussain Rana to probe the case relating to the LeT's plot to target various Indian cities, including the national Capital.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Now-NIA-aiming-to-secure-access-to-Tahawwur-Hussain-Rana/articleshow/18190224.cms
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Asaduddin Owaisi plays Dalit card, says Ambedkar greater than Gandhi
Jan 26, 2013
HYDERABAD: Babasaheb Ambedkar, the iconic figure for dalits is a bigger leader than Mahatma Gandhi, MIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi said while calling for unity of dalits and Muslims, which experts said was his way forward to woo voters ahead of the 2014 elections.
In his first public appearance after being granted bail in connection with a 2005 police case, the Hyderabad MP said late Thursday night that he wanted dalits and Muslims "to be one". "I personally think Babasaheb Ambedkar was a bigger leader than the Mahatma. I believe Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was a bigger leader and so was Bhagat Singh," Owaisi said, while defending his colleague and MLA Ahmed Pasha Quadri, who was recently slammed for questioning the installation of a Gandhi statue on the Assembly premises.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Asaduddin-Owaisi-plays-dalit-card-says-Ambedkar-greater-than-Gandhi/articleshow/18189844.cms
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‘Pak terror group sold animal skin to fund anti-India ops’
Debasish Panigrahi, Hindustan Times
January 26, 2013
The interrogation of alleged Hizbul Mujahideen spy Faroquee Ahmed Gulam Hasan Naiku, 37, has brought to the light the fund raising methods adopted by the Pakistan-based terror group for its anti-India operations.
Naiku claimed that a substantial portion of Hizbul’s fund is generated from the sale of skin of livestock, collected by volunteers at village fairs.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/mumbai/Pak-terror-group-sold-animal-skin-to-fund-anti-India-ops/Article1-1001958.aspx
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Curfew in Rajasthan towns following communal clashes
26 January 2013
Curfew was imposed in two Rajasthan towns of Bhilwara district, about 250 km from here, after a group of activists of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) and the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) allegedly burnt down several shops owned by Muslims on Friday.
Bhilwara Collector Onkar Singh confirmed to The Hindu that activists of the RSS and the VHP had attacked some properties owned by Muslims in Bhilwara’s Aasind and Gulabpura towns.
Muslim residents of Aasind were to take out a procession on the occasion of Milad-un-Nabi, being observed on Friday.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/other-states/curfew-in-rajasthan-towns-following-communal-clashes/article4345538.ece
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Jaipur Literature Fest: Jeet Thayil wins 2013 DSC Prize, Muslim groups upset
Jan 25, 2013
JAIPUR: Kerala-born writer Jeet Thayil was named the winner of the prestigious DSC Prize for South Asian Literature for his debut novel "Narcopolis" on Friday, but Muslim groups slammed his selection saying it was done to "provoke" their sentiments.
Thayil, who was at the centre of a controversy last year for reading excerpts from "The Satanic Verses" after Salman Rushdie's visit to the Jaipur Literature Festival was cancelled, is the first Indian to win the prize.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Jaipur-Literature-Fest-Jeet-Thayil-wins-2013-DSC-Prize-Muslim-groups-upset/articleshow/18187020.cms
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We have enough evidence to nail David Headley over here: Mumbai cops
Jan 26, 2013
MUMBAI: City police officers who investigated Pakistani-American David Headley's involvement in the 26/11 attacks say they have enough evidence to nail him in court here. While police officers say they are glad a US court sentenced Headley, many investigators are upset about not getting Headley's custody. "He has been punished for the conspiracy that he hatched. What about the punishment for the crimes he committed in India?" asked an officer.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/We-have-enough-evidence-to-nail-David-Headley-over-here-Mumbai-cops/articleshow/18189668.cms?
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Headley wouldn't have got a plea bargain in India: Experts
Jan 26, 2013
MUMBAI: Had Pakistani-American terror plotter David Coleman Headley been tried in India, he would not have been able to enter into a plea bargain, say legal experts. Plea bargaining is not allowed in India for serious offences that attract the death penalty.
Headley plea bargained in the US in exchange for not getting the death sentence and escaping extradition to India in connection with the 26/11 attacks. On Thursday, he was sentenced to 35 years for conspiracy in the Mumbai attacks in addition to other charges. Upto 166 people died and 304 were injured in the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Headley-wouldnt-have-got-a-plea-bargain-in-India-Experts/articleshow/18189325.cms
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Helpless India says will keep seeking David Headley's extradition
Jan 26, 2013
NEW DELHI: India seethed with impotent rage on Friday after Pakistani-American Dawood Gilani or David Coleman Headley was sentenced to 35 years of jail term for his role in planning of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.
Foreign minister Salman Khurshid gave voice to the feeling that the punishment for the Pakistan-born American jehadi was not proportional to the enormity of his crime in mapping the target for 26/11 killers, saying that Headley would have got a tougher sentence if the trial had taken place in India. Reacting to Headley's sentencing by a US court, Khurshid said that India will continue to press for his extradition. "We would have wanted him to be produced in court here and face trial because we suffered the maximum damage from him. Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Helpless-India-says-will-keep-seeking-David-Headleys-extradition/articleshow/18189537.cms
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Pakistan
Zardari, Ashraf send Pranab, PM R-day greetings
Jan 26 2013
New Delhi : Notwithstanding the chill in bilateral ties, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf on Friday extended Republic Day greetings to their Indian counterparts, saying they looked forward to developing friendly and cooperative relations.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/zardari-ashraf-send-pranab-pm-rday-greetings/1064992/
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Long term peace requires talks with Taliban: K P Minister
26 January 2013
PESHAWAR: Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain has said that to secure lasting peace, talks with the Taliban are necessary, DawnNews reported.
While addressing a function in Mardan, Mian Iftikhar Hussain said that invitation for talks with the Tehrik-i-Taliban has been given with open arms.
Full report at:
http://dawn.com/2013/01/25/long-term-peace-requires-talks-with-taliban-iftikhar/
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Pro-govt militia attacked in Dera Bugti; one killed, five kidnapped
26 January 2013
QUETTA: Dozens of armed men raided a pro-government tribal militia post in Balochistan on Saturday, killing one man and abducting five, officials said.
The early morning raid took place in Dera Bugti district, about 400 kilometres southeast of provincial capital Quetta, they said.
Full report at:
http://dawn.com/2013/01/26/pro-govt-militia-attacked-in-dera-bugti-one-killed-five-kidnapped/
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Militant groups clash in NW Pakistan, 24 killed
Jan 26, 2013
PESHAWAR: A Pakistani official says clashes between two Islamic militant groups over control of a prized valley near the Afghan border have killed 24 people.
Arshad Khan of the Khyber tribal region said Saturday that the clashes started Friday when the main militant group Tehrik-e-Taliban captured a base of another militant group, Ansarul Islam, in the Tirah valley. Ansarul Islam then tried to retake the base, with fighting continuing into the next day.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Militant-groups-clash-in-NW-Pakistan-24-killed/articleshow/18194929.cms
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Introducing children to sexual, reproductive rights, after talking to Religious scholars
January 25, 2013
KARACHI: An estimated 103 million Pakistanis, which is around 63 per cent of the total population of the country, fall under the age of 25 years. As a result of poverty and education, however, the majority of youth are not aware of their Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR).
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/498778/awareness-campaign-introducing-children-to-sexual-reproductive-rights/
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Murder case lodged over Pak PM corruption case investigator's 'mysterious' death
26 Jan 2013
Islamabad, Jan 26 (ANI): A case into the mysterious death of Kamran Faisal, the deceased National Accountability Bureau (NAB) investigation officer, has been lodged with the Secretariat Police Station Islamabad.
According to Geo News, sources revealed that the case lodged over an application filed by a NAB Assistant Director Noman Aslam also includes a section of premeditated murder.
Full report at:
http://www.newstrackindia.com/newsdetails/2013/01/26/42-Murder-case-lodged-over-Pak-PM-corruption-case-investigator-s-mysterious-death-.html
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Pakistan seeks friendship with India, PM Raja Pervez Ashraf says
Jan 26, 2013
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan wants friendly ties with India and seeks to resolve all issues through dialogue, Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf said on Saturday.
In a message to his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh, Ashraf conveyed his heartiest felicitation on behalf of the government and people of Pakistan on the occasion of India's Republic Day.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Pakistan-seeks-friendship-with-India-PM-Raja-Pervez-Ashraf-says/articleshow/18194645.cms
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Imran Khan takes anti-Pakistan govt stance on India?
Jan 25 2013
Davos : Asserting that recent ceasefire violations at the Line of Control have "pushed back" the peace process, Pakistan's cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan today said armies are not equipped to find solutions to bilateral problems.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief also stressed on the need for dialogue and underlined that Pakistan and India should sort out the issues on their own.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/imran-khan-takes-antipakistan-govt-stance-on-india-/1064900/
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Violence claims five lives in Karachi
26 January 2013
KARACHI: At least five people were reported killed in incidents of violence in Karachi, DawnNews reported early on Saturday.
Those killed included two policemen who were performing duties at an election camp in Karachi’s Korangi area and three others who were targeted in other parts of the city.
A senior police official stationed in Korangi said the policemen had been chasing the attackers before being killed.
Full report at:
http://dawn.com/2013/01/26/violence-claims-five-lives-in-karachi/
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PPPP elects Amin Faheem as party president
January 26, 2013
Makhdoom Amin Faheem was elected as President while Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf was elected as General Secretary during Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarian (PPPP) elections, Express News reported on Saturday.
The election was conducted by the party’s election commission headed by Law Minister Farooq H Naek.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/499022/ppp-elects-amin-faheem-as-party-president/
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Bin Laden hunt movie not to be shown in Pakistan: Report
January 26, 2013
ISLAMABAD: Zero Dark Thirty – film depicting the hunt for Osama bin Laden will not be screened in Pakistan, The Telegraph reported.
The movie – which has been nominated for five Oscars – portrays the hunt for bin Laden through the eyes of a young CIA officer, played by Jessica Chastain, and is described by the filmmakers as based on first-hand accounts.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/499020/bin-laden-hunt-movie-not-to-be-shown-in-pakistan-report/
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Europe
Russia Chechnya: Two Islamist commanders 'killed'
26 January 2013
Russian security forces have killed two Islamist commanders and at least nine other militants in an operation in Chechnya, security sources say.
The two commanders were named as brothers Khusein and Muslim Gakayev, who were among the region's "most wanted" men.
Among other attacks, they were accused of trying to kill Chechnya's Moscow-backed leader, Ramzan Kadyrov.
Full report at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-21198336
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Five held in London over ‘Muslim vigilante’ videos
25 January 2013
LONDON: Five people have been arrested in London after videos emerged online of a group of men abusing passers-by for being gay, drinking alcohol or wearing mini-skirts in what they said was a “Muslim area,” police said Friday.
The arrests were made over what Scotland Yard described as “filmed harassments” in east London, an area with a high concentration of Muslims, earlier this month.
Detectives voiced particular concern about a YouTube video entitled “Muslim vigilantes in London harass and taunt gay male,” in which a group of men verbally abuse a man in the street for being homosexual.
Full report at:
http://www.arabnews.com/five-held-london-over-%E2%80%98muslim-vigilante%E2%80%99-videos
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French, Malian troops seize northern Islamist towns
Jan 25, 2013
BAMAKO: French and Malian troops advanced on the key Islamist stronghold of Gao on Friday after recapturing the northern town of Hombori, as the extremists struck back by bombing a strategic bridge.
The French-led assault against the radical Islamists controlling northern Mali entered its third week with a strong push into the vast semi-arid zone amid rising humanitarian concerns for people in the area facing a dire food crisis.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/French-Malian-troops-seize-northern-Islamist-towns/articleshow/18185439.cms
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Birmingham terror suspects 'planned to kill British soldiers'
26 January 2013
Three men discussed using suicide vests, rucksack bombs and guns to kill British soldiers, a court has heard.
Irfan Naseer, Irfan Khalid and Ashik Ali, all of Birmingham, deny conduct in preparation of terrorist acts.
Prosecutors told Woolwich Crown Court the three men had "glorified" the 9/11 attacks and that Mr Ali made the claim about the plan to attack soldiers during a police interview.
But Mr Ali later told the court he did not intend to carry out such an attack.
Full report at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-21197795
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Syria conflict: Britain to provide extra £21m in humanitarian aid
26 January 2013
The UK is to provide £21m in new humanitarian aid for people caught up in the crisis in Syria, the government has said.
International Development Secretary Justine Greening said the aid would "help deliver life-saving winter clothing, food and medicine".
Ms Greening is visiting Jordan where Syrian refugees are arriving in unprecedented numbers.
The extra funding means the UK has now provided £89.5m in aid for Syria.
On Friday, a UN official told the BBC there had been a huge leap in the numbers of Syrian refugees entering the country, which was putting a considerable strain on resources.
Full report at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-21208956
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UK terror suspects travelled to Pak : Report
26 January 2013
London, Jan 26 (PTI) Two terror suspects, who allegedly plotted suicide bombings in Britain, have been accused of travelling to Pakistan for terrorist training, making suicide videos and buying chemicals to make home-made bombs.
Al-Qaeda suspects Irfan Naseer and Irfan Khalid from Birmingham were under surveillance by MI5 for weeks before their arrest in September 2011 and were heard discussing their plans in bugged conversations, a jury was told during their ongoing trial at Woolwich Crown Court on Friday.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/3332007_UK-terror-suspects-travelled-to-Pak--Report-
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South Asia
Jharna Chowdhury of Bangladesh selected for Indian Padma Shri Award
26 January 2013
Noted Bangladeshi social worker Jharna Dhara Chowdhury was selected for one of India's prestigious civilian awards ‘Padma Shri’ on Friday night.
Jharna was chosen for the honour in the category of foreigners for her social work on the eve of the Republic Day, reports our New Delhi correspondent Pallab Bhattacharya quoting an official announcement.
Full report at:
http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/latest_news.php?nid=44295
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US blacklists Afghan airline accused of smuggling opium
26 January 2013
Afghanistan's largest private airline, Kam Air, has been barred from receiving US military contracts amid allegations of drug smuggling, officials say.
The US military says it conducted an investigation which showed Kam Air transported large quantities of opium on civilian flights to neighbouring Tajikistan.
Full report at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-21195999
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North America
In a Chicago courtroom, justice tinged with betrayal
NARAYAN LAKSHMAN
26 January 2013
It happened the instant I took my seat in the large, well-lit courtroom of District Judge Harry Leinenweber. Until that point I had been too busy with logistics, dealing with Chicago’s icy flurries and simply focused on ensuring that I got a chance to witness the remarkable proceedings that were about to unfold before me.
But the moment I finally sat down in that room and a tall, well-built man in grey track pants and sweatshirt walked in, I was left with little doubt about how momentous the next 90 minutes were going to be. Standing ramrod straight with legs slightly apart and hands behind his back, military-style, was none other than Daood Gilani, aka David Coleman Headley.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/in-a-chicago-courtroom-justice-tinged-with-betrayal/article4345176.ece
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New Jersey Muslims say suit against NYC should proceed
26 January 2013
NEWARK, New Jersey: New Jersey Muslims who have sued New York City over its police-run surveillance of Muslims say the city’s request that the lawsuit be dismissed is without merit.
In a filing Friday, they say the intelligence-gathering program targeted Muslims based solely on their religion and without any suspicion of wrongdoing.
Full report at:
http://dawn.com/2013/01/26/new-jersey-muslims-say-suit-against-nyc-should-proceed/
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U.S. Weighing How Much Help to Give France’s Military Operation in Mali
By DAVID E. SANGER and ERIC SCHMITT
2013/01/26
WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is debating how much more aid it can give the French military forces who are battling Islamic militants in Mali, weighing the benefit of striking a major blow to Qaeda-linked fighters in Africa against concern about being drawn into a lengthy conflict there.
The immediate issue is whether and how to supply American aerial refueling planes that would allow French jets to provide close-air support to ground forces moving north into territory held by the extremists. French and American officials have been in discussions for days, according to American and European officials, and administration officials say they expect a decision soon.
Full report at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/26/world/africa/us-weighing-how-much-help-to-give- ------------
US May Give $32M to Train African Troops in Mali
2013/01/26
SEVARE, Mali (AP) — The Obama administration is seeking an additional $32 million to train African troops to fight Islamic extremists in Mali.
State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told reporters Friday the request had been made to Congress.
Full report at:
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2013/01/25/world/africa/ap-af-mali-
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Western Media Ratcheting Up Anti-Iran Propaganda
By Soraya Sepahpour-Ulrich
25 January, 2013
On November 22, 2012, the Los Angeles Times published an alarming piece of news entitled “ Cyber Corps program trains spies for the digital age ”. The “cyber-warriors” who are headed for organizations such as the CIA, NSC, FBI, the Pentagon and so on, are trained to stalk, “ rifle through trash, sneak a tracking device on cars and plant false information on Facebook [emphasis added]. They also are taught to write computer viruses, hack digital networks, crack passwords, plant listening devices and mine data from broken cellphones and flash drives.”
Full report at:
http://www.countercurrents.org/ulrich250113.htm
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Ex-CIA officer sentenced to 30 months in prison for leaking agent's name
Jan 26, 2013
ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA: Former CIA officer John Kiriakou was sentenced on Friday to two and a half years in prison for leaking the name of a secret agent implicated in harsh interrogations of al-Qaida suspects.
Kiriakou, 48, pleaded guilty before a federal court in October to having knowingly disclosed the name of an undercover CIA agent to a freelance reporter, as part of a plea bargain to avoid trial.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/Ex-CIA-officer-sentenced-to-30-months-in-prison-for-leaking-agents-name/articleshow/18190299.cms
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U.S. sanctions cause shortage of drugs in Iran
26 January 2013
“Scarcity apparently across spectrum of prevalent diseases, particularly life-threatening ones”
The United States-led economic sanctions on Iran, imposed over the latter’s alleged weapons’ related uranium enrichment programme, have resulted in a severe shortage of essential and life-saving medicines in the country, writes Dara Mohammadi, a senior assistant editor of Lancet in the medical journal’s latest on-line issue.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/us-sanctions-cause-shortage-of-drugs-in-iran/article4345296.ece
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US rules out Headley's extradition
Jan 26, 2013
WASHINGTON: Despite India's efforts to extradite Pakistani American David Headley over the Mumbai terror attack, the US has virtually ruled out the possibility saying that the Lashkar-e-Taiba ( LeT) operative "will serve in the United States".
Asked to comment on a report that India wanted to keep up the effort to extradite Headley, state department spokesperson Victoria Nuland Friday noted: "He's been tried, convicted, and will serve in the United States."
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/US-rules-out-Headleys-extradition/articleshow/18194580.cms
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US defends decision not to seek death penalty for Headley
Jan 25, 2013
NEW DELHI: In a statement, the US embassy here defended its decision not to seek death penalty for Headley, saying it was done in view of his willingness to cooperate with law enforcement authorities to help bring the perpetrators to justice and help prevent other terror strikes.
"The 35-year sentence without parole imposed on David Coleman Headley marks another step in US efforts to bring to justice those responsible for the 26/11 Mumbai terrorist attacks. This sentence reflects both severe punishment for Headley's role in the heinous 26/11 crimes and a decision by the US department of justice not to seek the death penalty," it said.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/US-defends-decision-not-to-seek-death-penalty-for-Headley/articleshow/18185566.cms
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US documentary seeks to show ‘real’ Bin Laden raid
26 January 2013
PARK CITY, Utah: While Hollywood-style Osama bin Laden manhunt movie “Zero Dark Thirty” has garnered controversy and awards,
The film, produced by American television channel HBO, is one of the most highly-anticipated at America’s biggest independent movie festival in the snowy mountains of Utah. -File photo
of finding the Al Qaeda chief.
“Manhunt,” a documentary by US director Greg Barker, was presented at the Sundance Film Festival this week, days after Oscar-winner Kathryn Bigelow’s dramatization won best actress Golden Globe for Jessica Chastain.
Full report at:
http://dawn.com/2013/01/26/us-documentary-seeks-to-show-real-bin-laden-raid/
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Southeast Asia
Militant Threat Quelled in SE Asia: Malaysia PM
January 26, 2013
Davos. The threat posed by Islamist militants in Southeast Asia has largely been suppressed thanks to the efforts of nations in the region, Malaysia's prime minister said on Friday.
Speaking at the Global Economic Forum in Davos, Najib Razak said that cooperation between his country and others including Indonesia and the Philippines had helped to tackle Al-Qaeda-linked groups.
"The whole threat of militant Islam, I think it has receded quite substantially in Southeast Asia," Najib told global politicians and business leaders gathered in the Swiss ski resort.
"I think most of it is behind us. I think we've dealt with radical Islam."
Full report at:
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/home/militant-threat-quelled-in-se-asia-malaysia-pm/567762
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DPM calls for calm over Bible-burning threat
January 26, 2013
SUNGAI BESAR, Jan 26 – Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin urged today for calm even as non-Muslims nationwide fume over Malay rights group Perkasa’s recent threat to burn Malay-language Bible over its use of the word “Allah”.
A Sabah church group said yesterday that the religious freedom of Christian Bumiputeras was under attack, pointing out that most Christians in Malaysia come from East Malaysia and use the Malay language.
Full report at:
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/dpm-calls-for-calm-over-bible-burning-threat/
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Indonesian Police Say Hundreds of OPM Members Surrender, but Doubts Linger
Banjir Ambarita & Camelia Pasandaran | January 26, 2013
Jayapura/Jakarta. Indonesian authorities have announced the surrender of more than 200 members of the Free Papua Organization (OPM), but human rights activists aired doubts about the claim.
The guerrillas, totalling 212, were said to have been fighting in Wutung, the border between Indonesia and Papua New Guinea under the command of Daniel Kogoya, who has reportedly claimed responsibility for several spouts of violence and shooting incidents in the restive region.
Full report at:
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/home/police-say-hundreds-of-opm-members-surrender-but-doubts-linger/567771
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Africa
Child Soldier's Tale Illustrates Mali's Dirty War
2013/01/26
SEVARE, Mali (AP) — The boy sits with his knees tucked under his chest on the concrete floor of the police station here, his adolescent face a tableau of fear. He's still garbed in the knee-length tunic he was ordered to wear by the Islamic extremist who recruited him.
It's these same clothes, styled after those worn by the Prophet Muhammad in the 7th century, which gave him away when he tried to flee earlier this week. They have now become his prison garb.
Full report at:
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2013/01/26/world/africa/ap-af-mali-child-
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African Union seeks additional troops for Mali mission
January 26, 2013
The African Union is seeking to bolster the strength of the African-led force in Mali, or AFISMA, and has given member states one week to commit troops to the mission, officials said on Friday.
"We definitely know, based on the first assumptions... that the force size will have to be significantly augmented," AU peace and security commissioner Ramtane Lamamra told reporters.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/africa/African-Union-seeks-additional-troops-for-Mali-mission/Article1-1001976.aspx
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Leading the Tunisian Agency That Once Jailed Him
By NEIL MacFARQUHAR
26 JANUARY 2013
TUNIS IT was the first time Ali Laarayedh had inspected a prison cell, but even then, as the interior minister, his old instincts kicked in.
“I turned around to see who would shut the cell door on me,” he said in his quiet manner.
But no one bolted the door. For Mr. Laarayedh had experienced a profound reversal of fortune, mirroring that of the Islamist political party that he helped found. Jailed numerous times in the Interior Ministry as a political prisoner, he now runs the very security agency that once sent him to death row.
Full report at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/26/world/africa/ali-laarayedh-leads-the-tunisian-agency-that-once-jailed-him.html
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/tunisia-condemns-outrageous-attacks-sufi/d/10160