Tunisia's Ruling Islamists Accept Plan to Step Down
New Age Islam News Bureau
28 Sept 2013
Anti-government protesters wave Tunisian flags as they rally for the dissolution of the Islamist-led government in Sfax, Credit: Reuters/Anis Mili
Africa
• Tunisia's ruling Islamists accept plan to step down
• Millions in advanced US weaponry stolen by Libyan Jihadis
• Algeria cracks down on Syria-bound jihadists
• Al-Qaeda African branch replaces slain commanders in Mali
• More than 3,000 protesters on Khartoum streets demand Bashir quit
• Sudan shuts down Sky news Arabia, Al-Arabia TV offices
• Gunmen kill 4 in Sudan protests: Police
• Kenyan govt had been ‘warned’ of Nairobi attack
Arab World
• Nour Party 'strongly against' banning religious parties in constitution
• 2 Hezbollah militants killed in Lebanon Shiite-Sunni clash
• Syria’s other toll: Cultural gems stolen or looted
• Violence across Iraq kills 11 people
• Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood to Coptic Christians: Convert to Islam, or pay ‘jizya’ tax
• Driving Affects Ovary And Pelvis, Saudi Sheikh Warns Women
• Chemical inspections in Syria to start by Tuesday
North America
• It takes a phone call to mend US, Iran rift
• US seeking to fight terrorism at grassroots
• Syria chemical resolution 'huge victory' for world: Obama
• Obama mentions Miss America as he praises Indian Americans
• Obama promises Manmohan Singh he will take up terror issue with Sharif
• U.S. says deal needed ‘soon’ on post-2014 force in Afghanistan
• Nigeria Islamists release video of French hostage: SITE
Mideast
• Mideast quartet seeks Israeli, Palestinian action on peace talks
• Shoe thrown in mixed reception for Rowhani after Obama call
• Turkey, US set up global fund against extremism at GC Forum meeting
• Obama has struck positive note on Iran: Rouhani
• Iran and IAEA to meet again after 'constructive' talks
India
• India, US pledge to eliminate terrorist safe havens
• Glad U.S. trying diplomacyin Syria, Iran: Manmohan
• Shiv Sainiks force Delhi-Lahore bus to drive over Pakistan's flag
• Terrorists entered India by crossing unfenced rivulet: Govt
• Militants travelled 38 km in India, used GPS device, mobile phone
• Manmohan Singh to hold first meeting with Sharif on Sunday
• Omar Abdullah salutes PM for sticking to plan to meet Pakistani PM Nawaz Sharif
• J&K: Militant hideout busted in Bandipora, arms recovered
• Indo-Pak meet: Singh likely to ask Sharif to rein in Pak's terror elements
• Militants open fire at Army vehicles, policemen in Srinagar; area cordoned off
Pakistan
• Pakistan looking for a ‘new beginning’ with India: Sharif
• At least 19 govt employees killed in Peshawar explosion
• Nine, including three security men, killed in Panjgur
• Turf war: TTP commander killed in Karachi
• Doomed’ dialogue: TTP faction demands rewriting of Constitution
• Taliban office proposal dangerous, says Altaf
• The ticking time bomb beneath Quetta
• Pak, India must stop N-arms race: Sharif
• Nawaz Sharif rakes up Kashmir issue at the UN
Europe
• UN resolution orders Syria chemical arms destroyed
• Britain to host 2014 NATO summit with focus on Afghanistan
• Experts urge Syria war crimes court
South Asia
• Afghan leader Karzai calls China 'anchor of stability'
• Postponement of second round of Maldives polls distresses India
• Roadside bombs kill five in Afghanistan
• Bangladesh Home Ministe blames Jamaat-e-Islami for RMG unrest
• Should be possible to prosecute Nasheed, like any other citizen: Dr Jameel
• UNGA: Hasina seeks support for war crimes trial
• KSA to ease grip on recruitment from Bangladesh
• 79 Bangladeshis held in Iraq without trial
Southeast Asia
• Shiites in Madura Island, East Java, still cannot go home
• Najib showcases “moderate Muslim” image as Malaysia vies for a seat on UNSC
• Filipino labour officials to be ‘more gender sensitive’
• Malaysia still needs harsh laws as people “not that developed or educated”
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL:
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Africa
Tunisia's ruling Islamists accept plan to step down
28 September 2013
Tunisia's Islamist government has agreed to resign after negotiations that start next week with secular opponents to form a caretaker administration and prepare for elections, a senior ruling party official said on Saturday.
The negotiations aim to end weeks of crisis involving the Islamist-led coalition government and secular opposition parties that has threatened to scuttle the transition to democracy in the North African country where the Arab Spring uprisings began in 2011.
Tunisia's powerful UGTT labour union, mediating between the two sides, proposed the ruling Islamist Ennahda party agree to three weeks of negotiations, after which it would step down and make way for an independent transitional administration and set a date for elections.
"The dialogue will start on Monday or Tuesday," Lotfi Zitoun, an Ennahda party official, said. "Ennahda has accepted the plan without conditions to get the country out of the political crisis."
Another source close to the talks confirmed Ennahda had agreed to the proposal.
Since autocrat Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali was ousted in 2011 after street protests against his rule, Tunisia has struggled with divisions over the political role of Islam. The opposition accuses Ennahda of imposing an Islamist agenda on one of the Muslim world's most secular nations.
Tunisia's path to transition, however, has been mostly peaceful compared to Egypt where the army toppled an elected Islamist president and Libya, where the central government struggles to curb rival militia influence.
Tunisia's political crisis erupted in July after the killing of an opposition leader by suspected Islamist militants, bringing the opposition on to the streets to demand Ennahda step down.
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/82690/World/Region/Tunisias-ruling-Islamists-accept-plan-to-step-down.aspx
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Millions in advanced US weaponry stolen by Libyan jihadis
September 28, 2013
Libyan militants allied with terrorist groups stole millions of dollars in high-grade American military equipment, including armoured Humvees and advanced night-vision goggles, during raids on a U.S. special forces base outside of Tripoli last summer.
Fox News reports that anonymous sources in the State Department and military confirmed the theft, which is far worse than the few guns first assumed stolen earlier this month. In addition to hundreds of M4 automatic rifles and Glock pistols, nearly every set of available night-vision goggles and laser-targeting devices were snatched during two night-time raids on the compound in July and August.
Even more ominously, 23 Ground Mobility Vehicles, heavily armored Humvees with GPS navigation systems and weapons mounts for grenade launchers, are also missing.
“It’s not just equipment… It’s the capability,” one source told Fox. “You are giving these dangerous groups the capability that only a few nations are capable of… All these militias are tied to terrorist organizations and are tied to [jihadist movements].”
The military hardware was stored at a U.S. special forces camp set up outside the Libyan capital in the months after the Benghazi attack. The 12-man American team running the camp had two missions: to hunt down those responsible for the September 11, 2012 attack that killed Libyan Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans, and to train Libyan government forces in military tactics and weapons use.
But U.S. special forces were not there to defend the camp during either of the raids, instead sleeping at a nearby villa doubling as a safehouse. And Libyan government forces tasked with securing the camp proved no match for the militants.
After the second raid in August, the State Department pulled its support and American operators were sent home. “The loss of this military equipment is what pulled the plug on the U.S. operation,” one source said.
“No one at the State Department wanted to deal with the situation if any more went wrong,” the source continued, “so State pulled its support for the training program and then began to try and get the team moved out of the country.”
On top of that, U.S. forces failed to destroy the American-built training camp before their departure last month, and the compound is now home to a Libyan anti-government militia busy stockpiling weapons.
Some diplomats told Fox that all of Libya now appears as unstable as Benghazi in the days before the attack on the American consulate, and military sources said that foreign fighters continue to stream through Libya’s porous borders.
“The theft of these weapon and the open borders are feeding al-Qaida and the Muslim Brotherhood and threatens Libya’s neighbors as well,” a special operator told Fox. “It’s already bad — and now it’s really bad.”
“Already assassinations are picking up in Tripoli and there are major worries that the militias are using this stolen equipment to their advantage,” another source said. “The European ambassador was attacked and we are now commonly seeing robbing and attacking of people in broad daylight… This isn’t perception. This is actually happening.”
The news comes one week after President Obama waived federal law prohibiting the transfer of U.S. weapons to terrorist groups in order to arm Syria’s rebels.
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http://dailycaller.com/2013/09/27/millions-in-advanced-u-s-weaponry-stolen-by-libyan-jihadis/#ixzz2gBb8WVU0
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Algeria cracks down on Syria-bound jihadists
By Walid Ramzi
September 28, 2013
The number of Algerian jihadists fighting in Syria for al-Qaeda affiliate Jabhat al-Nusra and other groups fell to fewer than 30, according to Algerian security services.
The number of Algerian combatants is one of the lowest in the Maghreb and the Arab world.
Security services had anticipated an increase in the number of Algerians joining the armed opposition in Syria, especially after calls by some clerics for jihad. The opposite took place.
The main factor in the big drop in Syria-bound fighters was the success in infiltrating and dismantling recruitment cells, an Algerian intelligence source told El Watan on September 20th.
Another factor was the refusal by al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) to support jihad in Syria. The latter considered any fight by North African jihadists in Syria as "illegitimate", in view of the fronts already open in Algeria and northern Mali.
And then there is the discrimination issue. Non-Syrian Arab jihadists are suspect to the point that field leaders refuse to give them responsibilities.
More than the recruiting tally has fallen. The number of Algerians slain in Syria is also low, compared to the death tolls for other Maghreb nationals, especially those from Tunisia and Libya.
In addition to the security campaign to hunt down recruiting networks, preachers and theologians have made calls urging young people not to be deceived by fatwas calling for jihad in Syria.
"The so-called jihad in Syria is in fact a seditious fight," Cheikh Chemseddine said in an appeal on a private TV channel.
He also criticised the so-called "Jihad annikah", whereby women and girls from Tunisia and other countries have gone to Syria as temporary wives to insurgents.
Cheikh Chemseddine said that religion did not permit the "jihad marriage", adding that he considered it "plain adultery".
He called on Tunisian religious leaders from the Zaitouna Mosque to condemn the practice, speak the truth and spare Tunisian girls from falling into sin through suspicious fatwas.
Rabeh Hadef, an author specialising in Islamic movements, attributed the decline in Syria-bound jihadists to "the lack of conviction about the legitimacy of jihad there".
"Everyone is following what happened in Tunisia and Libya and people have heard the stories of the burning of non-Syrian jihadist corpses," he told Magharebia.
"A lot of enthusiasts for jihad in Syria now think twice before embarking on this journey," Hadef added.
For his part, military expert Taher Ben Thamer credited the drop off in Syria-bound youth to the success of security services in dismantling jihadist recruitment cells.
"The monitoring carried out by security services and the control on the eastern border contributed significantly to the decline in the number of young people going to Syria via Libya or Tunisia, and then to Turkey," Ben Thamer said.
http://magharebia.com/en_GB/articles/awi/features/2013/09/27/feature-02
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Al-Qaeda African branch replaces slain commanders in Mali
27 September 2013
AFP, Nouakchott
Al-Qaeda has named a replacement for Abdelhamid Abou Zeid, a key commander of its north African branch who was killed in fighting with French-led forces in northern Mali, Mauritanian media reported Friday.
Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) has appointed Algerian Said Abou Moughatil to take over the “Tarek Ibn Ziyad” batallion in northern Mali, the ANI news agency said.
His predecessor Abou Zeid, 46, was credited with having significantly expanded the jihadist group’s field of operations to Tunisia and Niger, and for kidnapping activities across the region.
France confirmed in March that Abou Zeid had been killed “during fighting led by the French army in the Ifoghas mountains in northern Mali in late February.”
“The elimination of one of the main leaders of AQIM marks an important stage in the fight against terrorism in the Sahel,” the office of French President Francois Hollande said.
ANI said AQIM had also picked a Libyan-born Mauritanian named only as Abderrahmane to command its “Al Fourghane” batallion, replacing Mohamed Lemine Ould el-Hassan, who was killed in a French helicopter raid in northern Mali earlier this year.
ANI said Abou Moughatil joined AQIM in northern Mali in the early 2000s, while Abderrahmane joined in 2006 and was involved in the capture of the Malian desert town of Timbuktu by Islamists last year.
France sent troops into its former colony Mali in January to repel a sweeping Islamist occupation by groups linked to Al-Qaeda, including AQIM which was threatening an assault on the capital Bamako.
AQIM grew out of a movement launched in the late 1990s by radical Algerian Islamists who sought the overthrow of the Algerian government to be replaced with Islamic rule.
The organization linked up to al-Qaeda in 2006 and has spun a tight network across tribes, clans, family and business lines that stretches across the vast Sahel region abutting the southern Sahara desert.
AQIM is currently thought to be holding eight Europeans hostage, including five French nationals, and earlier this month released a video deemed credible by France showing seven of them.
During the nearly year-long 2012 occupation of northern Mali - which borders Mauritania - AQIM and its allies Ansar Dine (Defenders of Faith) and the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO) used ANI as a conduit for information.
Threats to retaliate against the French-led military intervention that ousted the Islamists have also filtered through ANI and other sites boasting a vast network of informants and correspondents in the Sahel region.
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/africa/2013/09/27/Al-Qaeda-African-branch-replaces-slain-commanders-in-Mali.html
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More than 3,000 protesters on Khartoum streets demand Bashir quit
28 September 2013
More than 3,000 protesters took to the streets of the Sudanese capital Khartoum on Saturday to demand President Omar Hassan al-Bashir quit, witnesses said, after days of unrest in which dozens of people have been killed.
Daily demonstrations this week followed the government cutting fuel and cooking gas subsidies on Monday when pump prices doubled overnight.
Four protesters were shot dead by unidentified gunmen on Friday, police said, bringing the official death toll to 33.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/82678/World/Region/More-than-,-protesters-on-Khartoum-streets-demand-.aspx
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Sudan shuts down Sky news Arabia, Al-Arabia TV offices
28 September 2013
Sudan shut down the Khartoum offices of pan-Arab satellite channels Al-Arabiya and Sky News Arabia on Friday, the fifth day of mass protests against fuel price hikes, the networks said.
Al-Arabiya said on its website that the closure -- the first such move against a foreign media outlet since the protests began -- came hours after its Khartoum correspondent was summoned for a meeting.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/82666/World/Region/Sudan-shuts-down-Sky-news-Arabia,-AlArabia-TV-offi.aspx
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Gunmen kill 4 in Sudan protests: Police
28 September 2013
Gunmen have killed four Sudanese during mostly peaceful protests, the police said on Saturday, as thousands prepared to bury one victim and more demonstrations were expected.
"Unknown shooters fired on demonstrations in Khartoum Bahri, Khartoum, and Omdurman" during protests on Friday, the police said in a statement carried by the official SUNA news agency.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/82660/World/Region/Gunmen-kill--in-Sudan-protests-Police.aspx
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Kenyan govt had been ‘warned’ of Nairobi attack
AFP, Nairobi
Kenya's government had been warned, including by Israel, of the high risk of an attack before the deadly assault on a Nairobi mall by Islamist gunmen, security sources said Saturday.
Cabinet ministers and Kenya's army chief had received information warning of a plan to carry out a major attack, officials told AFP, confirming an intelligence report leaked in Kenyan newspapers.
"Israel had warned of attacks on their business interests but apart from just being tossed from one office to another, nothing was taken out of the intelligence reports," said one official speaking on condition of anonymity.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/africa/2013/09/28/Kenyan-govt-had-been-warned-of-Nairobi-attack.html
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Arab World
Nour Party 'strongly against' banning religious parties in constitution
28 September 2013
Head of Egypt's Salafist Nour Party Younis Makhioun said on Friday that his group "strongly objects" to a proposed constitutional amendment banning the formation of political parties on a religious basis.
Makhioun, whose Islamist party has been fighting a battle with the 50-member constitutional committee on several fronts, said that the draft article would "ban Islamists from political practice." He added that the article was also present in the 2007 constitutional amendments made under ousted president Hosni Mubarak, known for his crackdown on Islamists.
Egypt's temporarily-suspended 2012 constitution, which is currently undergoing amendment, does not contain an article prohibiting the founding of parties on a religious basis.
However, Article Six of the 2012 constitution states that "No political party shall be formed that discriminates on the basis of gender, origin or religion." Makhioun has demanded that this phrasing stay as is, without additional changes.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/82653/Egypt/Politics-/Nour-Party-strongly-against-banning-religious-part.aspx
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2 Hezbollah militants killed in Lebanon Shiite-Sunni clash
28 September 2013
Two militants of the powerful Shiite Hezbollah movement were killed on Saturday in a firefight with members of a Sunni clan in eastern Lebanon, a security official told AFP.
"Members of the Shiah (Sunni Muslim) family opened fire at a Hezbollah checkpoint in the centre of Baalbek, provoking militants to return fire," the official said.
"The incident let to clashes that killed two Hezbollah members and wounded five people," the official added.
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/82686/World/Region/-Hezbollah-militants-killed-in-Lebanon-ShiiteSunni.aspx
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Syria’s other toll: Cultural gems stolen or looted
28 September 2013
NEW YORK CITY — Besides killing more than 100,000 people, Syria’s civil war is exacting another irreparable toll as historic sites and artworks are looted or destroyed in the fighting.
An emergency list of endangered artworks was released this week at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The initiative stems from the International Council of Museums, in collaboration with UNESCO and the US State Department.
“Major Syrian sites have been destroyed or damaged in two years. In Apamea, a Roman city in the south, heavy looting on the archeological site, around April 2011, and the minaret in Aleppo, burned a few months ago,” said Bonnie Burnham, president and CEO, World Monuments Fund.
Full report at:
http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20130928181902
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Violence across Iraq kills 11 people
28 September 2013
Violence in Iraq, which included attacks on security forces and their families, killed 11 people on Saturday, officials said.
In Tarmiyah, north of Baghdad, militants blew up four houses belonging to police and soldiers while people slept inside. Four people were killed, among them a soldier, and 15 were wounded.
Southeast of the capital, a roadside bomb in a market killed one person and wounded eight, while a magnetic “sticky bomb” on a car killed an electricity ministry employee in Baghdad itself.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2013/09/28/Violence-in-Iraq-kills-11.html
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Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood to Coptic Christians: Convert to Islam, or pay ‘jizya’ tax
September 28, 2013
The Muslim Brotherhood and its supporters have began forcing the roughly 15,000 Christian Copts of Dalga village in Egypt to pay a jizya tax as indicated in Quran 9:29, author and translator Raymond Ibrahim reported on Sunday.
Jizya is the money, or tribute, “that conquered non-Muslims historically had to pay to their Islamic overlords ‘with willing submission and while feeling themselves subdued’ to safeguard their existence,” Mr. Ibrahim explained.
Full report at:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/sep/10/egypts-muslim-brotherhood-convert-islam-or-pay-jiz/
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Driving Affects Ovary And Pelvis, Saudi Sheikh Warns Women
28 September 2013
Saudi women seeking to challenge a de facto ban on driving should realize that this could affect their ovaries and pelvises, Sheikh Salah al-Luhaydan, also a psychologist, told Saudi news website sabq.org.
Driving “could have a reverse physiological impact. Physiological science and functional medicine studied this side [and found] that it automatically affects ovaries and rolls up the pelvis. This is why we find for women who continuously drive cars their children are born with clinical disorders of varying degrees,” Sheikh al-Luhaydan said.
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/variety/2013/09/28/Driving-affects-ovary-and-pelvis-Saudi-sheikh-warns-women.html
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Chemical inspections in Syria to start by Tuesday
September 28, 2013
Inspection of Syrian chemical weapons sites with a view to their destruction must start by Tuesday, says a draft decision to be discussed by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons on Friday.
Besides weapons locations declared by Damascus as part of a deal to head
off threatened military strikes, inspectors will also be able to visit "any other site identified by a State Party as having been involved in the Syrian chemical weapons programme," says the draft document seen by AFP.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/europe/Chemical-inspections-in-Syria-to-start-by-Tuesday/Article1-1128120.aspx
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North America
It takes a phone call to mend US, Iran rift
September 28, 2013
Iranian president Hassan Rouhani and his U.S. counterpart speak over the phone, a first in 34 years.
The Iranian president, his car making its way to the airport through New York’s dense traffic, gets in touch with the White House Situation Room. President Barack Obama, at his desk in the Oval Office, gets on the phone. Fifteen minutes later, the two say goodbye in each other’s language.
And with that, a generation-long rift between the U.S. and Iran is that much closer to being bridged.
Iranians awoke on Saturday to learn that their president, Hassan Rouhani, had spoken directly to President Barack Obama, breaking through a barrier that had left American and Iranian presidents divorced from such contact for 34 years. The two presidents pledged to resolve concerns about Iran’s nuclear ambitions, which have isolated Iranians from the global community and led to crippling economic sanctions.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/world/it-takes-a-phone-call-to-mend-us-iran-rift/article5178588.ece
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US seeking to fight terrorism at grassroots
28 September 2013
NEW YORK CITY — US Secretary of State John Kerry on Friday unveiled a new drive to tackle the root causes of violent extremism, as he condemned a series of “heinous” attacks, including the Kenya mall siege.
“It is fair to say that unspeakable evil still exists in our world. We have to find a way to prevent, to preempt, to act ahead of these kinds of obscenities,” Kerry told a global forum in New York.
He denounced recent attacks including the massacre in a Nairobi mall by Somali militants and Sunday’s devastating double suicide attack on a church in northwest Pakistan which left 82 dead.
Full report at:
http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20130928181867
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Syria chemical resolution 'huge victory' for world: Obama
September 27, 2013
US President Barack Obama on Friday hailed a UN resolution that provides for the destruction of Syria's chemical weapons arsenal as "a huge victory" for the world.
But Obama acknowledged legitimate concerns over the dismantling of Syria's chemical weapons arsenal and whether the
Assad regime would live up to its commitments.
The UN Security Council was to meet at 8:00 pm (0000 GMT) on Friday to vote on the resolution, which will follow a Russia-US plan on the disarmament of Syria's chemical weapons.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/americas/Syria-chemical-resolution-huge-victory-for-world-Obama/Article1-1128098.aspx
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Obama mentions Miss America as he praises Indian Americans
September 28, 2013
US President Barack Obama on Friday made a reference to the new Miss America's Indian heritage as he acknowledged the role of the community in pushing for stronger relationship between the world's two largest democracies.
"The strong people-to-people relationship makes it more important for the two government for a closer ties," Obama told reporters in a joint news conference with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the Oval Office of the White House.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/americas/Obama-mentions-Miss-America-as-he-praises-Indian-Americans/Article1-1128108.aspx
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Obama promises Manmohan Singh he will take up terror issue with Sharif
PTI | Sep 28, 2013
WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama has promised to take up with Nawaz Sharif in a "frank" manner the issue of continued Pakistan-based terror directed against India as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told him that progress in dialogue will depend on action on this front.
The promise was conveyed to Singh during their summit meeting on Friday when the Prime Minister referred to the attacks in Jammu two days back and highlighted how terror emanating from Pakistan impacts India "every waking hour" day in and day out, according to sources.
The US side shared India's deep concern over the threat posed by Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) to India as well as the region and the world after Singh told him that the terror outfit along with Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) gets "handsome financial support" from the government of Punjab in Pakistan, the sources said.
Singh and Obama, who held discussions for about three hours, talked about terrorism in the context of the situation in Afghanistan, with the US President saying that the "major wild card" in this regard is Pakistan.
Both the leaders felt the need for enhancing cooperation against terrorism.
The US side wanted to know in what aspects the cooperation between India and the US could be further strengthened, the sources said.
Obama expressed deepest sympathies for the loss of life in the twin attacks in Jammu on Thursday by terrorists on an army camp and a police station in Samba. Ten people, including a lieutenant colonel, were killed in the attacks.
Obama said he will have "frank" conversation in this regard with the Pakistan Prime Minister when they meet in the US on October 23.
The US President appreciated Singh's wisdom in the context of taking forward the dialogue process with Pakistan, the sources said.
Singh said India faces difficult challenges and that the safe havens and terror sanctuaries in Pakistan needed to be dealt with effectively not only for security but also for the prospect of progress of the dialogue.
The Prime Minister said day in and day out, terror movements based in Pakistan continuously threaten India, the sources said.
There is no diminution of terror campaign as also the hate campaign against India, the Prime Minister said.
The Prime Minister said Pakistan-based terrorism also affects Afghanistan and that the region stands to gain if these issues are satisfactorily addressed.
Obama said that he wondered whether institutions like Army in Pakistan have undertaken "strategic re-assessment".
He said Pakistan stands to gain by cooperation with India.
Obama said that Pakistan needs to focus on issues like energy and trade etc instead of India, the sources said.
India is of the view that it will have to "wrestle" with terrorism while continuing talks with Pakistan.
Obama is believed to have said the problem of terrorism is inherent in the neighbourhood in which India is situated. The mention came while the leaders were discussing Afghanistan post-2014.
Obama referred to India's work and assistance programme in Afghanistan and applauded it.
The US side said it was keen on expediting the bilateral security agreement with Afghanistan, observing that it would be a template for the future of the country after US-led forces leave. Underlining that time is of essence, the US side said systems and arrangements needed to be put in place.
Obama was in agreement with Singh that the stability of Afghanistan is of strategic importance. He hoped that India could convince President Karzai in this regard.
The US had tried for reconciliation between Karzai government and Taliban but the efforts could not fructify. They will continue to see how to facilitate this, the sources said.
Obama said the US' goals are "pretty modest". The Prime Minister underlined the need for preserving and protecting the gains of the last few years, particularly in the context of upholding the rights of women.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/Obama-promises-Manmohan-Singh-he-will-take-up-terror-issue-with-Sharif/articleshow/23198452.cms?
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U.S. says deal needed ‘soon’ on post-2014 force in Afghanistan
28 September 2013
A top Pentagon official said Friday it would be a “tragedy” if Afghan and U.S. negotiators failed to clinch a deal allowing U.S. troops to stay in the country after 2014.
Deputy Defense Secretary Ash Carter said he told leaders in Kabul during a visit earlier this month that President Barack Obama wanted to see a bilateral security agreement wrapped up as soon as possible to provide “certainty” to commanders.
“We need that soon because we need to be able to plan. And we need it soon because our allies and partners need to be able to plan,” Carter told AFP and other newswire services in an interview.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2013/09/28/U-S-says-deal-needed-soon-on-post-2014-force-in-Afghanistan.html
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Nigeria Islamists release video of French hostage: SITE
28 September 2013
LAGOS: Nigerian Islamist group Ansaru on Friday released a video of a French national kidnapped in December, issuing threats to the governments of Nigeria and France, the SITE jihadi tracking website said.
In the video posted online, 63-year-old Francis Collomp, who was kidnapped in northern Nigeria on December 19, reads a statement with an unidentified person holding a weapon in the background.
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/International/2013/Sep-27/232834-nigeria-islamists-release-video-of-french-hostage-site.ashx#ixzz2gCCRRm1o
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Mideast
Mideast quartet seeks Israeli, Palestinian action on peace talks
28 September 2013
The Associated Press, United Nations
The quartet of Middle East peacemakers is calling on the Israelis and Palestinians to demonstrate their seriousness in reaching a settlement in the next year.
Meeting on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly on Friday, top diplomats from the United Nations, United States, Russia and the European Union said in a statement that both sides should take “every possible step” to make ongoing U.S.-mediated negotiations a success. The quartet also called on the parties to refrain from any action that would undermine trust or prejudge the outcome of the talks.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2013/09/28/Mideast-quartet-seeks-Israeli-Palestinian-action.html
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Shoe thrown in mixed reception for Rowhani after Obama call
September 28, 2013
TEHRAN: A shoe was thrown towards Iranian President Hassan Rowhani’s car Saturday as he arrived home to a mixed reception for his historic call with Barack Obama, an AFP correspondent reported.
Some 60 extremists chanted “Death to America” and “Death to Israel” as Rowhani’s motorcade drew out of Tehran’s Mehrabad Airport.
But they were outnumbered by 200 to 300 supporters of the president who shouted: “Thank you Rowhani.”
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/610738/shoe-thrown-in-mixed-reception-for-rowhani-after-obama-call/
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Turkey, US set up global fund against extremism at GC Forum meeting
September 28, 2013
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu and his U.S. counterpart, John Kerry, have announced the establishment of a global fund to fight extremism, following a meeting of the Global Counterterrorism Forum in New York on Sept. 27.
The forum, created in 2011, is presided over by Turkey and the United States, and has 30 founding members, including the European Union.
Kerry said the fund aimed to create resources for local projects that would assist the fight against violent extremism across the world.
Full report at:
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-us-set-up-global-fund-against-extremism-at-global-counterterrorism-forum-meeting.aspx?pageID=238&nID=55306&NewsCatID=359
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Obama has struck positive note on Iran: Rouhani
Sep 28 2013
United Nations : Iran's new president Friday said President Barack Obama struck a new tone in his UN speech this week that left him optimistic about easing tensions between the two countries.
Hassan Rouhani also said the recent elections that propelled him to the Iranian presidency created a “new environment” which could pave the way for better relations with the West.
Rouhani at a news conference in New York said Iran would put forth a proposal at talks next month in Geneva on resolving the standoff over his country’s nuclear programme and easing international sanctions, and that he was encouraged by what he has heard recently from Western officials.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/obama-has-struck-positive-note-on-iran-rouhani/1175354/
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Iran and IAEA to meet again after 'constructive' talks
September 28, 2013
Iran and the UN nuclear agency held "constructive" talks on Friday and made plans to meet again in one month, adding to momentum for a negotiated end to a standoff that could otherwise potentially flare into war.
The discussions in Vienna, home of the International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA), took place as new President Hassan Rouhani was telling world powers in New York he wanted a deal within months to end the long-running dispute.
The IAEA talks are distinct from Iran's meetings with world powers, but both diplomatic tracks centre on suspicions that Iran may be seeking the capability to assemble nuclear bombs behind the facade of a civilian atomic energy programme.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/europe/Iran-and-IAEA-to-meet-again-after-constructive-talks/Article1-1128122.aspx
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India
India, US pledge to eliminate terrorist safe havens
PTI | Sep 28, 2013
WASHINGTON: The US has joined India in condemning the terror strike in Jammu, as the two countries vowed to disrupt terrorist networks like the al-Qaida and LeT while calling on Pakistan to bring to justice the perpetrators of the 2008 Mumbai attack.
"They reiterated their condemnation of terrorism in all its forms, and reaffirmed their commitment to eliminating terrorist safe havens and infrastructure, and disrupting terrorist networks including Al-Qaida and the Lashkar-e- Taiba," said a joint India-US statement issued after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh met US President Barack Obama at the Oval Office.
Obama and Singh "strongly condemned" the September 26 terrorist attack in Samba in Jammu and Kashmir, the joint statement said, indicating that terrorism in the region figured prominently in the talks between the two leaders at the White House which lasted for over an hour.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/India-US-pledge-to-eliminate-terrorist-safe-havens/articleshow/23196625.cms
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Glad U.S. trying diplomacy in Syria, Iran: Manmohan
NARAYAN LAKSHMAN
September 28, 2013
Cautions that “expectations have to be toned down” on his meeting with Sharif
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and U.S. President Barack Obama appeared to finally be converging on their countries’ views on Syria and Iran when Dr. Singh said that he had “complimented” Mr. Obama for “giving diplomacy a chance,” especially considering that six million Indians lived in West Asia.
Dr. Singh spoke softly during a joint press briefing following delegation-level talks and along with the U.S. President touched upon a range of areas of cooperation including defence, clean energy, the civilian nuclear agreement, counter-terrorism and the Af-Pak region.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/glad-us-trying-diplomacyin-syria-iran-manmohan/article5176711.ece
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Shiv Sainiks force Delhi-Lahore bus to drive over Pakistan's flag
I P Singh, TNN | Sep 28, 2013
PHAGWARA: In a provocative act, Shiv Sena (Hindustan) activists stopped the Delhi-Lahore bus here on Friday afternoon and forced it to drive over the Pakistan flag despite police presence. They were protesting the killing of 10 civilians and Army personnel in Jammu on Thursday by three terrorists who had crossed over from Pakistan.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Shiv-Sainiks-force-Delhi-Lahore-bus-to-drive-over-Pakistans-flag/articleshow/23183758.cms
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Terrorists entered India by crossing unfenced rivulet: Govt
September 28, 2013
NEW DELHI: The three terrorists, who carried out Thursday's audacious attacks in Jammu killing ten people, including Army men, had entered India by crossing over a rivulet which is unfenced.
According to a preliminary report, heavily armed Pakistani terrorists, suspected to be belonging to Lashkar-e-Taiba, crossed the Chhappri rivulet and reached a graveyard in Jhandi village, close to international border (IB), before unleashing their terror acts on Thursday.
The IB in the area is completely fenced and after inspection the security forces found no breach in the barbed wire fencing, home ministry officials said. Besides, it is impossible for anyone to cross over the fence and hence the only path the terrorists could have taken to come to India was by crossing Chhappri rivulet, they said.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Terrorists-entered-India-by-crossing-unfenced-rivulet-Govt/articleshow/23168538.cms
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Militants travelled 38 km in India, used GPS device, mobile phone
Sep 28 2013
jammu : The terrorists who killed 10 people including a lieutenant colonel of the Army in Jammu on Thursday crossed into India through a nullah near Hariya chak village and travelled at least 38 kilometres before they were gunned down. According to the auto-rickshaw driver who brought them to Hiranagar, the terrorists used GPS devices and mobile phones to navigate.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/militants-travelled-38-km-in-india-used-gps-device-mobile-phone/1175314/
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Manmohan Singh to hold first meeting with Sharif on Sunday
PTI | Sep 28, 2013
NEW YORK: After receiving US backing on the issue of terrorism emanating from Pakistan, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will meet Nawaz Sharif in New York on Sunday when he is likely to ask him to rein in terror elements operating from their soil and unleashing violence in India.
Expectations from the high-profile meeting, coming against the grim backdrop of terror attacks near Jammu on Thursday, however, will be toned down, as the Prime Minister himself put it in the media briefing after his talks with President Barack Obama, "given the terror arm which is still active in our sub continent".
Prime Minister Singh has made it clear that any progress in the bilateral dialogue will depend on action by Pakistan against terror groups operating from its soil.
Singh, who arrived in New York last night from Washington to attend the UN general assembly, will hold his first one-on-one meeting with Sharif since the latter assumed office in June.
The two leaders are expected to discuss bilateral ties and ways to remove difficulties in normalising relations.
Sharif, who is committed to improving bilateral ties with India, yesterday said he was looking forward to the meeting with Singh to make a "new beginning" and to re-engage with India in a "substantive and purposeful dialogue."
The India-Pakistan dialogue process was put on hold after an Indian soldier was beheaded on the line of control (LoC) in January. Ties hit a new low when five more soldiers were killed by Pakistani troops along the LoC last month.
The terror attacks near Jammu, which left 10 people dead, mostly security personnel, virtually threatened to derail the New York meeting with main opposition BJP demanding the Prime Minister that his meeting with Sharif be called off.
But Singh decided to go ahead with the meeting, saying such attacks will not succeed in derailing the dialogue process.
Islamabad has been pushing for the meeting in New York and has repeatedly asked Singh to visit Pakistan, where he was born. On its part, India has insisted that Pakistan must take steps to stop terrorism emanating from its soil and to prosecute those responsible for the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
Singh on Friday asserted that Pakistan remains the "epicentre of terror" and said expectations over his meeting with Sharif have to be "toned down".
Obama expressed deepest sympathies for the loss of life in the twin attacks in Jammu and assured Singh that he will have a " frank" conversation in this regard with Sharif when they meet here on October 23, the sources said.
Singh said India faces difficult challenges and the terror sanctuaries in Pakistan needed to be dealt with effectively not only for security but also for the prospect of progress of the dialogue, they said.
The US side shared India's deep concern over the threat posed by Lashkar-e-Taiba to India as well as the region and the world after Singh told him that the terror group along with Jamaat-ud-Dawa, headed by Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed, gets "handsome financial support" from the government of Punjab in Pakistan, the sources said.
At Sunday's meeting, the Indian side will see what the new Pakistan Prime Minister, who has made "some nice statements" about the relationship, has to offer to address its concerns over ceasefire violations on the line of control and international border, continued terrorism and inaction against the perpetrators of the 2008 Mumbai attack.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Manmohan-Singh-to-hold-first-meeting-with-Sharif-on-Sunday/articleshow/23214385.cms
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Omar Abdullah salutes PM for sticking to plan to meet Pakistani PM Nawaz Sharif
Sep 28 2013
Srinagar : Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has hailed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for the decision to stick to the scheduled meeting with his Pakistan counterpart Nawaz Sharif despite another attempt by militants to derail the talks through a fresh attack.
"I want to salute Manmohan Singh as he did not let this conspiracy to succeed by leaving the talks table," he said.
Hitting out at those who were allegedly attempting to hamper the dialogue process between India and Pakistan, Omar on Saturday said talks were the only means of resolving the issues between the two nations.
"We have been saying that the gun is no solution to the issues. These are political issues and need to be resolved politically, you can't achieve the results through the barrel of the gun. There is no other option but talks," he said.
Referring to the proposed meeting between Singh and Sharif in New York tomorrow, Omar said, "Our eyes are set on a small hotel room, 10,000km away, where we hope friendship will flourish between the two neighbours... we hope we are not let down this time."
Omar was addressing the gathering after laying the foundation stone for a flyover which would connect Jehangir Chowk and Rambagh here.
Slamming the elements who were trying to jeopardise what would be the first meeting at the prime ministerial level between India and Pakistan after elections in the neighbouring country, Omar said, "Attempts were made to stop the talks, be it on the political front or by other means. What was the aim behind the unfortunate attacks on Thursday in Jammu in which 10 precious lives were lost?
"We have seen in the past that when such attacks took place, the process of talks stopped. Forces who do not want India and Pakistan to talk tried to use this attack to stop the process of talks even before it started," Omar said.
Terrorists stormed a police station and then an army camp in the Jammu region on Thursday, killing 10 people, including an army officer in twin 'fidayeen' attacks.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/omar-abdullah-salutes-pm-for-sticking-to-plan-to-meet-pakistani-pm-nawaz-sharif/1175613/
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J&K: Militant hideout busted in Bandipora, arms recovered
Sep 28 2013
Srinagar : Security forces on Saturday busted a militant hideout in Bandipora district of Kashmir valley and recovered a cache of arms and ammunition, police said.
Acting on a specific information, police and army's 14 Rashtriya Rifles busted the hideout in Kudara forest in Bandipora, a police spokesman said.
The forces recovered two AK 47 rifles, five AK magazines, 200 rounds of AK ammunition, one UBGL brocket, 46 UBGL grenades, two radio sets, one nine mm pistol and two hand grenades from the hideout, he said.
However, no arrest has been made, the spokesman said, adding a case has been registered.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/j-k-militant-hideout-busted-in-bandipora-arms-recovered/1175628/
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Indo-Pak meet: Singh likely to ask Sharif to rein in Pak's terror elements
Sep 28 2013
New York : After receiving US backing on the issue of terrorism emanating from Pakistan, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will meet Nawaz Sharif on Sunday when he is likely to ask him to rein in terror elements operating from their soil and unleashing violence in India.
Expectations from the high-profile meeting, coming against the grim backdrop of terror attacks near Jammu on Thursday, however, will be toned down, as the Prime Minister himself put it in the media briefing after his talks with President Barack Obama, "given the terror arm which is still active in our sub continent".
Prime Minister Singh has made it clear that any progress in the bilateral dialogue will depend on action by Pakistan against terror groups operating from its soil.
Singh, who arrived here last night from Washington to attend the UN General Assembly, will hold his first one-on-one meeting with Sharif since the latter assumed office in June.
The two leaders are expected to discuss bilateral ties and ways to remove difficulties in normalising relations. Sharif, who is committed to improving bilateral ties with India, on Friday said he was looking forward to the meeting with Singh to make a "new beginning" and to re-engage with India in a "substantive and purposeful dialogue."
The India-Pakistan dialogue process was put on hold after an Indian soldier was beheaded on the Line of Control (LoC) in January. Ties hit a new low when five more soldiers were killed by Pakistani troops along the LoC last month.
The terror attacks near Jammu, which left 10 people dead, mostly security personnel, virtually threatened to derail the New York meeting with main opposition BJP demanding the Prime Minister that his meeting with Sharif be called off. But Singh decided to go ahead with the meeting, saying such attacks will not succeed in derailing the dialogue process.
Islamabad has been pushing for the meeting in New York and has repeatedly asked Singh to visit Pakistan, where he was born. On its part, India has insisted that Pakistan must take steps to stop terrorism emanating from its soil and to prosecute those responsible for the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
Singh yesterday asserted that Pakistan remains the "epicentre of terror" and said expectations over his meeting with Sharif have to be "toned down".
Obama expressed deepest sympathies for the loss of life in the twin attacks in Jammu and assured Singh that he will have a "frank" conversation in this regard with Sharif when they meet here on October 23, the sources said. Singh said India faces difficult challenges and the terror sanctuaries in Pakistan needed to be dealt with effectively not only for security but also for the prospect of progress of the dialogue, they said.
The US side shared India's deep concern over the threat posed by Lashkar-e-Taiba to India as well as the region and the world after Singh told him that the terror group along with Jamaat-ud-Dawa, headed by Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz
Saeed, gets "handsome financial support" from the government of Punjab in Pakistan, the sources said.
At tomorrow's meeting, the Indian side will see what the new Pakistan Prime Minister, who has made "some nice statements" about the relationship, has to offer to address its concerns over ceasefire violations on the Line of Control and International Border, continued terrorism and inaction against the perpetrators of the 2008 Mumbai attack.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/indopak-meet-singh-likely-to-ask-sharif-to-rein-in-paks-terror-elements/1175627/
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Militants open fire at Army vehicles, policemen in Srinagar; area cordoned off
Sep 28 2013
Srinagar : In a shocking incident, some suspected terrorists on Saturday opened fire in the heart of Srinagar. According to reports, motor cycle-borne terrorists opened fire between the Sanat Nagar and Hyderpora bypass road of Srinagar.
Following the incident, the security forces cordoned off the area and search operation was initiated.
However, there were no report of any casualties. Reports said that one of the terrorists opened fire on some police personnel and also targeted Army vehicles.
The militants opened fire on vehicles of the security forces between Sanat Nagar and Hyderpora bypass road on Saturday afternoon, official sources said. They said a civilian was injured in the brief firing.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/militants-open-fire-at-army-vehicles-policemen-in-srinagar--area-cordoned-off/1175572/
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Pakistan
Pakistan looking for a ‘new beginning’ with India: Sharif
September 28, 2013
Ahead of his meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday, Pakistan Premier Nawaz Sharif on Friday said he was looking forward to it to make a “new beginning” and re-engage with India in a “substantive and purposeful dialogue”.
Addressing the U.N. General Assembly, Mr. Sharif also raked up the Kashmir issue, calling for a solution of the problem in accordance with the U.N. resolutions.
“I am looking forward to meeting Mr. Singh here in New York to make a new beginning. We have a solid basis to do that. Pakistan and India can prosper together; and the entire region would benefit from our cooperation,” Mr. Sharif said.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/south-asia/pakistan-looking-for-a-new-beginning-with-india-sharif/article5176713.ece
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At least 19 govt employees killed in Peshawar explosion
2013-09-28
PESHAWAR: At least 19 people were killed and 42 others injured when a bomb exploded on a bus carrying government employees on Peshawar’s Charsadda Road, DawnNews reported.
Peshawar SSP (operations) Najeeb-ur-Rehman said the bomb planted in the rear portion of the bus went off when it reached Gulbela area, about 15km northwest of Peshawar.
The blast damaged a number of nearby shops and doors and windows of several buildings. Some people working in nearby fields were hit by shrapnels.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa IG Nasir Durrani told reporters that the bus was taking employees of civil secretariat to their villages in Charsadda district and was targeted by a remotely-detonated bomb.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1045806/at-least-19-govt-employees-killed-in-peshawar-explosion
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Nine, including three security men, killed in Panjgur
2013-09-28
PANJGUR: At least three security forces’ personnel were killed and two others injured during a clash with miscreants in the Panjgur area of Balochistan on Saturday, DawnNews reported.
Khan Wasey, the FC Spokesman, said militants attacked a security forces' vehicle which was on routine patrol in the Paroom area of Panjgur district in Balochistan. Subsequently, three Frontier Corps (FC) personnel were killed and two others were left wounded. Moreover, six assailants were killed during retaliatory firing. "Both sides used heavy weapons during the armed clash," Wasey added.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1046035/nine-including-three-security-men-killed-in-panjgur
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Turf war: TTP commander killed in Karachi
September 28, 2013
KARACHI: An alleged commander of the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) was killed on Friday in a clash with a rival group on the outskirts of Gulshan-e-Bunair area here.
The deceased, identified as Hatim Mehsud, was affiliated with the TTP’s Hakeemullah Mehsud group.
Talking to The Express Tribune, the SHO Idress Alam Bangash said Hatim Mehsud was killed during exchange of fire with the rival Waliur Rehman group. “The fighting erupted as part of a turf war,” he added.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/610600/turf-war-ttp-commander-killed-in-karachi/
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Doomed’ dialogue: TTP faction demands rewriting of Constitution
September 28, 2013
GHALLANAI: The outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) appears to be increasingly divided over the issue of dialogue with the government. While the group’s central leadership says it’s amenable to negotiations, its Mohmand Agency chapter says talks with the government are doomed.
“We demand rewriting of Pakistan’s Constitution, while the military says any talks with militants must be within the ambit of the Constitution,” the chief of TTP Mohmand Agency chapter, Umar Khalid Khurasani, said in a statement on Friday. “We will not budge an inch from our demand. We will withdraw support from any Taliban commander who compromises on this demand,” he added.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/610557/doomed-dialogue-ttp-faction-demands-rewriting-of-constitution/
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Taliban office proposal dangerous, says Altaf
2013-09-28
KARACHI: Terming Imran Khan’s suggestion to allow the Taliban to open an office for peace talks a ‘dangerous idea’, Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain has questioned the significance of talks with the outlawed outfit if the Taliban are not a unified group.
In a statement sent to Dawn on Friday, Mr Hussain, without naming anyone, said: “There are some politicians in the country who maintain that the issue can be resolved by holding dialogue and some even suggest that the militants should be allowed to open an office for this purpose, thereby recognising them as a legitimate stakeholder.”
He said every country had its own well-defined stakeholders, which played positive and constructive roles in the process of nation-building. However, those working for weakening the country by engaging in destructive activities, non-state actors or anti-state elements could not be referred to as ‘stakeholders’.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1046025/taliban-office-proposal-dangerous-says-altaf
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The ticking time bomb beneath Quetta
SUHAIL YUSUF
2013-09-28
The Awaran district in Balochistan is the worst affected area of the September 24, 2013 earthquake. Killing at least 359 people, the massive quake razed homes and destroyed the district's infrastructure; tremors also affected dozens of towns in six other districts of the province.
Days after the earthquake, owing to severe damages to communication means and militancy, the survivors are still awaiting relief and rehabilitation.
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the quake measured 7.7 on the Richter scale, with the epicenter laying 96 kilometres north of Awaran at a depth of 20 kilometres – and was the result of the very active Chaman fault.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1046037/the-ticking-time-bomb-beneath-quetta
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Pak, India must stop N-arms race: Sharif
Agencies | Sep 28, 2013
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and India have wasted "massive resources" on a nuclear arms race, Pakistan's prime minister Nawaz Sharif said on Friday ahead of a landmark meeting with his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh in New York on Sunday.
Sharif told the UN General Assembly: "Our two countries have wasted massive resources in an arms race", but at the same time, he said he was looking forward to meeting Singh and wanted strong relations with India. He said all issues, including "flashpoint" Kashmir, have to be settled through dialogue. On Kashmir, the Pakistan PM said the UN "must continue to remain attentive to the issue of J&K and the full realization of the right to self-determination of its people. The suffering of the people cannot be brushed under the carpet because of power politics". He said the UN has to "a critical role" to play in resolving "festering disputes". Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Pak-India-must-stop-N-arms-race-Sharif/articleshow/23188379.cms
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Nawaz Sharif rakes up Kashmir issue at the UN
September 28, 2013
UNITED NATIONS: Raking up the Kashmir issue, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday made a strong pitch for UN intervention to resolve "festering disputes".
Addressing the UN General Assembly, Sharif said the UN must remain "attentive" to the protracted issue as also the "full realisation" of the right to self determination of the Kashmiri people.
Sharif, who meets Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here on Sunday, said the UN "must continue to remain attentive to the issue of Jammu and Kashmir and the full realisation of the right to self-determination of its people. The suffering of the people cannot be brushed under the carpet, because of power politics."
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Nawaz-Sharif-rakes-up-Kashmir-issue-at-the-UN/articleshow/23174948.cms
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Europe
UN resolution orders Syria chemical arms destroyed
2013-09-28
UNITED NATIONS: The UN Security Council unanimously passed a landmark resolution Friday ordering the destruction of Syria's chemical weapons and condemning a murderous poison gas attack in Damascus.
The major powers overcame a prolonged deadlock to approve the first council resolution on the conflict, which is now 30 months old with more than 100,000 dead.
UN leader Ban Ki-moon, a critic of the council's paralysis, called the resolution “the first hopeful news on Syria in a long time”. Ban also said he hopes to convene a peace conference in mid-November.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1046030/un-resolution-orders-syria-chemical-arms-destroyed
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Britain to host 2014 NATO summit with focus on Afghanistan
28 September 2013
Britain announced Friday it will host next year’s NATO summit with the leaders of the military alliance expected to focus on Afghanistan as its troops withdraw from the conflict.
It is the first time the event has been held in Britain since 1990, as the Cold War came to an end.
“I’m delighted that the UK will host the 2014 NATO summit,” Prime Minister David Cameron said in a statement. The date and venue has yet to be announced.
Cameron indicated that Afghanistan would be central to discussions among the 28 NATO member states, as the 87,000 NATO-led troops fighting the Taliban insurgency prepare to leave by the end of 2014.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/world/2013/09/27/Britain-to-host-2014-NATO-summit-with-focus-on-Afghanistan.html
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Experts urge Syria war crimes court
28 September 2013
AMSTERDAM — A group of international war crimes experts is calling for the creation of a war crimes court in Damascus to try top-ranking Syrian politicians and soldiers when the country’s civil war ends.
Prof. Michael Scharf of Case Western Reserve University, acting as spokesman, told The Associated Press on Friday that draft statutes for such a court have been quietly under development for nearly two years.
“We believe it’s playing a role in closed-door discussions throughout the US government,” Scharf said.
Full report at:
http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20130928181908
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South Asia
Afghan leader Karzai calls China 'anchor of stability'
September 27, 2013
Afghan President Hamid Karzai hailed ties with China on Friday, describing it as a stabilising force in the region and world during talks with the country's leaders.
Karzai, who had attended an economic conference in the northern city of Xian, held talks in Beijing with China's President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang.
The meeting came as China has boosted its diplomacy with Afghanistan since last year ahead of a planned withdraw of US-led Nato troops in 2014.
"We consider China to be an anchor of stability for this region and the larger world," Karzai told Li during the hour-long talks.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/china/Afghan-leader-Karzai-calls-China-anchor-of-stability/Article1-1128049.aspx
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Postponement of second round of Maldives polls distresses India
TNN | Sep 28, 2013
NEW DELHI: As PM Manmohan Singh tries to mend fences with Pakistan in New York, Maldives in the Indian Ocean is again turning into the quagmire it was after former president Mohamed Nasheed was deposed in a coup last year.
With the second round of elections postponed indefinitely, foreign minister Salman Khurshid said India is ``deeply disappointed and distressed'' that this should have happened. He pleaded with all stakeholders in Maldives to ensure that democracy is preserved.
After an appeal filed by the Jumhooree Party alleging vote rigging by supporters of Nasheed, who emerged as the leading candidate in the first round with over 45% of votes, the Maldives Supreme Court shelved the second round scheduled for Saturday.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Postponement-of-second-round-of-Maldives-polls-distresses-India/articleshow/23184047.cms
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Roadside bombs kill five in Afghanistan
AP | Sep 28, 2013
KABUL: Provincial officials say two separate roadside bomb attacks have killed five Afghan civilians in the eastern and southern parts of the country.
Shafiqullah Nang, who is spokesman for the eastern province of Ghazni, said three civilians died on Saturday when their minivan was struck by a roadside bomb as they were driving from Dayak district to Ghazni city. He says that another eight people were wounded, including two women and two children.
In a second explosion, Fared Ayal, a spokesman for the police chief of southern Uruzgan province, said two men died when their car ran over a bomb on Saturday.
Roadside bombs are the number one cause of civilian deaths in Afghanistan, and casualties have risen as insurgents step up attacks as foreign troops withdraw.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/Roadside-bombs-kill-five-in-Afghanistan/articleshow/23204839.cms
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Bangladesh Home Ministe blames Jamaat-e-Islami for RMG unrest
September 28, 2013
Home Minister Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir yesterday alleged that Jamaat-e-Islami and some other reactionary groups were behind the recent unrest in the readymade garment (RMG) sector.
“Some hired people and activists of Jamaat and some other reactionary groups are trying to create chaos in the RMG sector,” he said while talking to reporters at Kachua Upazila Parishad Auditorium in Chandpur.
Full report at:
http://www.thedailystar.net/beta2/news/mka-blames-jamaat-for-rmg-unrest/
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Should be possible to prosecute Nasheed, like any other citizen: Dr Jameel
September 27, 2013
Vice presidential candidate of Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed has said that it should be possible to prosecute Nasheed and sentence him, just like any other Maldivian citizen.
Dr Jameel said this while speaking at a PPM rally in Gaafu Dhaalu Thinadhoo last night.
He said that the trial against Nasheed for arresting Chief Judge of Criminal Court Abdulla Mohamed should not have been suspended just because Nasheed is the leader of a political party, and called to resume this trial immediately.
Full report at:
http://www.sun.mv/english/16295
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UNGA: Hasina seeks support for war crimes trial
September 28, 2013
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday urged the international community to extend its all-out support to the ongoing trial process of war criminals in Bangladesh for the sake of justice, human rights and the rule of law.
The Prime Minister made the call while delivering her speech – in Bangla like her father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman – at the 68th Session of the United Nations General Assembly held at the UN Headquarters.
Full report at:
http://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2013/sep/28/hasina-seeks-global-support-complete-war-crimes-trial
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KSA to ease grip on recruitment from Bangladesh
September 28, 2013
The government of Saudi Arabia is likely to ease restriction on recruitment of Bangladeshi workers following an advice from a ministerial panel, reported the Arab News on Friday.
“We have not received any official letter in this regard but we hope the Saudi government would do so,” Bangladesh Labour Counsellor in Riyadh Md Emdadul Hoque told the Dhaka Tribune over phone on Friday.
Full report at:
http://www.dhakatribune.com/labour/2013/sep/28/ksa-ease-grip-recruitment-bangladesh
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79 Bangladeshis held in Iraq without trial
September 28, 2013
Seventy-nine Bangladeshis have been detained for months in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region for illegal entry.
RUDAW reports, they were held for months without any trial and will be deported to Iran instead of being sent back to Bangladesh.
Hiwa Sheikh Ali, head of the detention and deportation centre in Sulaimani said they were waiting for the court order to deport the detainees back to their country.
Many foreign workers including hundreds of Bangladeshis flocked to Kurdistan Region; mainly as garbage collectors, house cleaners and construction workers due to the booming economy and shortage of local laborers in the area.
Full report at:
http://www.dhakatribune.com/labour/2013/sep/28/79-bangladeshis-held-iraq-without-trial
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Southeast Asia
Shiites in Madura Island, East Java, still cannot go home
September 28 2013
The fate of displaced Shia Muslims is in the dark as government officials and ulema on Madura Island, East Java, question the validity of the peace treaty reached on Tuesday, and urge the Shiites to convert to Sunni teachings if they want to return to their home villages in Sampang.
Sampang Legislative Council member Aksan Jamal said that no islah (reconciliation) had been made between the Shiites and the local Sunni community regarding the long-term conflict between the two sides. A meeting between concerned parties, namely the local government, ulema and police, had confirmed this, he said.
Full report at:
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2013/09/28/shiites-madura-still-cannot-go-home.html
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Najib showcases “moderate Muslim” image as Malaysia vies for a seat on UN Security Council
September 28, 2013
In a United Nations General Assembly week spiked with breakthroughs in talks on Syria and Iran, Malaysia’s bid for a coveted UN Security Council seat was previewed and praised when Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak spoke at a Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) event in New York.
Western and Asean diplomats who attended the discussion about "moderate Muslims" and the Global Movement of Moderates, led by CNN host and foreign policy expert Fareed Zakaria, applauded Najib for his “rational arguments defending the voices of moderates” at a time of deepening religious divisions and conflict around the world.
Full report at:
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/najib-brings-moderate-muslim-image-to-new-york-as-malaysia-vies-for-a-seat
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Filipino labor officials to be ‘more gender sensitive’
September 28, 2013
New labor attaches and welfare workers in the Kingdom will undergo intense and thorough training to develop gender-sensitivity skills, announced the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in the Philippines yesterday.
“Gender-sensitivity training is now an important part of the requirement for DOLE officials and employees who will be stationed abroad. We have intensified their training to enable them to properly address gender needs and issues in the Philippine Overseas Labor Offices (POLOs),” Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said in a statement.
Full report at:
http://www.arabnews.com/news/465963
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Malaysia still needs harsh laws as people “not that developed or educated”
September 28, 2013
Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad (pic) said the country still needs preventive laws as the people are still "not that developed or educated".
"In this country, we still need that kind of harsh laws. The moment we remove the law, you see what happens," said Dr Mahathir when commenting on the proposed amendments to the Prevention of Crime Act.
He pointed out that the moment such laws are repealed, there is an increase in the number of violent crime cases, as the country witnessed recently.
Full report at:
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/malaysia-still-needs-harsh-laws-as-people-not-that-developed-or-educated-dr
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/tunisia-ruling-islamists-accept-plan/d/13737