7 semesters for terror trainees
Egypt's Islamic TV extends reach with new languages, pushes moderate
Islam
‘I wanna be world’s worst-known terrorist’
Patil wanted delay on Afzal, hints Sheila
Clash of the muftis in Malaysia
Army Cracks Whip On ‘Rogue’ Officers in J&
K
J&K terror outfits get hawala push
OIC calls for global action against Israel
‘US Secretly Deploys Special Forces Across
World’
25 killed in Taliban, Laskar-e-Islam clashes in
Pakistan
France, Britain urge international Gaza
inquiry
Clinton warns of likely Iranian 'stunt' ahead of UN sanctions
vote
Hang Kasab yourself
Asian meet to focus on terror, Afghanistan
NATO soldiers, cops killed in Afghanistan
Afghan interior minister, intelligence chief quit over Taliban
attack
‘Israel behaving like a rogue
State'
Israel rejects international inquiry into lethal
raid
Protests in Europe continue, anger on Israel raid
unabated
Fake killings loom over PM's J&K visit
`Narayanan killed Kashmir solution in '07'
‘Encounter Questions Terrorist Killings’
DD KashmirTo Counter Pak Propaganda
Activists Expelled, Israel Faces Inquiry
Pressure
‘Iran’s N-programme source of
concern’
Robert Gates defends spy chief nominee
Lack of water threatens Iraq’s long-term
stability
Women’s development allocation reduced
drastically
First commando raid in Orakzai leaves 13 militants
dead
Israel expels new group of Gaza aid activists
Russia urges Nato to fight drug trafficking in Afghanistan
44 terrorists killed in Orakzai
Six killed in Baghdad bomb blast
Karzai orders review of cases against Taliban
inmates
Queen of Jordan criticises flotilla raid
Biden, Mubarak hold talks in the wake of flotilla raid
Israeli patrol kills 4 militants in diving gear
Israel bans soldiers from visiting Turkey
Suicide bomber kills four cops in Baghdad
Iran stokes Gaza fire, ready to escort ships
Hamas win in 06 triggered tighter curbs on Gaza
41 Killed, 16 Injured in Renewed Tribal Clashes in
Darfur
Indo-Pak hyphen irrelevant, says Krishna; US
supports
Israel navy kills 4 Palestinian militants off
Gaza
A time for reflection and appreciation
Compiled by Asit kumar
--------
Holbrooke says, reformed Taliban acceptable
June 07, 2010
MADRID: Washington accepts
that the final political solution in Afghanistan can involve reformed Taliban in
the government if certain “red lines” are respected, US Special Envoy for
Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke said on Sunday.
Holbrooke said the peace jirga in Kabul, in which the Afghan
president was given a mandate to negotiate with the insurgents, was an important
step in efforts to “reach out” to the Taliban and the US supported that
effort.
End: Asked whether that support extended to even top leaders, such as
supreme leader Mullah Mohammad Omar, he said, “Let me be clear on one thing,
everybody understands that this war will not end in a clear-cut military
victory. It’s not going to end on the deck of a battleship like World War II, or
Dayton, Ohio, like the Bosnian war,” Holbrooke said.
“It’s going to have some different ending from that, some form of
political settlements are necessary ... you can’t have a settlement with al
Qaeda, you can’t talk to them, you can’t negotiate with them, it’s out of the
question. But it is possible to talk to the Taliban
leaders.”
In Madrid for an international conference to discuss non-military
ways to help end the Afghan conflict, Holbrooke said if a member of the Taliban
repudiated al Qaeda, laid down his arms and worked within the political system
to join the government, “there’s nothing wrong with that”.
“The door is open and this jirga was a benchmark event on the road to
the effort toward reconciliation,” he said, but did not specifically mention the
leadership. Washington has been wary of overtures to senior Taliban leaders who
sheltered al Qaeda before the September 11 attacks, as opposed to the
“reintegration” of the insurgency’s foot soldiers.
Holbrooke said the meeting on Monday of special representatives for
Afghanistan and Pakistan, which would continue the discussion started in the
jirga, was the biggest such gathering involving officials from more than 30
countries and organisations.
Involvement: He said the growing level of participation, particularly
from the Islamic world, in the group’s regular meetings was a stark contrast to
the “pretty messy situation” inherited by the administration of President Barack
Obama.
http://www.thenews.jang.com.pk/6-7-2010/66257.htm
--------
7 semesters for terror trainees
By: Anshuman G DuttaDate
2010-06-07
Recruitment camps in Pakistan prepare tougher courses for spreading
hate. Devise commando training manual to take on Indian security
forces
If the image of Ajmal Amir Qasab raining bullets at the CST station
with a smirk on his face shook you, then you should know Qasab is among the new
breed of terrorists being prepared by Pakistan to carry out attacks on
India.
Terrorists are chosen for specific mission based upon their
performance
in the academy.
Highly-placed sources in the intelligence agencies have told MiD DAY
that the terror masters are putting in a lot of thought in designing modules for
training new recruits much like the special forces of many countries. Apart from
the basic training, which is imparted to every member, a recruit is chosen for a
particular mission based upon his strengths and then sent for special
training.
In the aftermath of the 26/11 terror attacks on Mumbai, MiD DAY had
reported how those who carried out the attack learnt sea-tricks at a Pakistani
Navy facility in Badin where Islamabad trains its best marine commandos.
"The training programmes have become extensive and aim-specific. The
training was already divided into batches and semesters but now it has become
more mission and purpose oriented. It has become selective in nature with the
entire focus on preparing commandos who can bring an entire city on its knees
for a few days," said an Intelligence Bureau (IB) official, requesting
anonymity.
Past practices
Earlier, the terrorists were given two-tier training for using arms
and explosives, infiltration, avoiding detection and carrying out mass killings.
But under the new training regime only those youngsters who prove their mental
and physical fitness are allowed to go for advanced training.
The training begins with the basic foundation or Tasis course, which
is more into religious teachings and gives a very basic insight of further
training. While the stipulated time for this stage is one month, Lashkar-e-Toiba
(LeT) insists on completing it in three weeks (21 days). The first round is
followed by a three-month capsule course called Al-Raad that aims at making the
terror cadet physically fitter and mentally tougher. "An important aspect of
this stage is continuous brain washing of the cadre through propaganda. They are
shown video tapes and given material to read about their enemy to fuel their
imagination," the sources said.
The specialists
Almost all the terror cadres are made to go through these two stages,
but beyond this, cadets are divided into groups for specialised training keeping
in mind the requirement for specific missions. "For example, in case of Ajmal
Amir Qasab, the group was specially trained for marine operations which are
amongst the most difficult military operations. The third training programme
known as Guerrilla is meant only for those who have to perform actual operations
in sea, land, jungle or an urban scenario," said the officer.
After Guerrilla training, recruits are then initiated into another
advanced course. It teaches the terror cadres to operate all kinds of modern
weapons. "During this stage, the terrorists are given a brief of their coming
mission which could be based anywhere. Groups are divided for land and sea-based
operations and further training is carried out under extreme secrecy. The groups
are smaller in nature where every person is trained to maximise his skill. At
this stage every terrorist is an expert shooter besides having an individual
skill like assembling bombs or tackling security forces in a pre-decided
scenario," said an IB official.
Survival of the fittest
The terrorists are taught the art of surviving in worst case
scenarios to maximise the loss of life and property as it happened during the
Mumbai attack.
Further training takes place in the similar environment and
candidates are selected for lessons into bomb- making, mining and firing
shoulder-carried weapons like rocket launchers.
The sixth and seventh stages are considered extremely difficult and
have been rated as most dangerous by the Indian security agencies. In these, the
terrorists are taught the skills of negotiating with aerial targets. Sources
Weapons of terror
Lashkar-e-Toiba uses rifles of AK series, Kiran Kope, Kala Kope,
rocket projectile guns, grenades, improvised explosive devices and machine guns.
The most potent weapon is its fidayeen attack or suicide operations,
which are different from other suicide militancy attacks across the world. Since
Islam prohibits suicide, Lashkar's fidayeen do not go on missions where death is
certain, but select assaults where they do have a chance, however slim, of
returning alive.
hinted towards 9/11 attacks in USA where the terrorists brought down
the twin towers by hijacking civil aircraft. "Very few terrorists reach this
stage. While it needs extremely determined people, being accustomed with latest
technology and qualities like fluency in English are some of the prerequisites,"
said the officer.
The seventh and the last stage has not changed in all these years and
though it was adopted from the Talibans operating in Afghanistan, they are aimed
at creating top-ranking commanders in the terror groups.
"Unlike the earlier terrorists who were trained with arms, the new
breed is extremely determined and mission oriented. They are at par with the
commandos operating in most countries; the only difference is that they are
trained for a single mission and they are like killing machines," said an
officer attached to the Union Home Ministry.
Propaganda
Jamat-ud-Dawa runs an Urdu monthly journal, Al Dawa, which has a
circulation of 80,000, an Urdu weekly, Gazwa, a children's monthly, Nanhe
Mujahid, and an English monthly, Voice of Islam. Besides, there is also a
multi-lingual website.
Objectives of Jihad
In May 1999, Lashkar-e-Toiba published a booklet, Why we do Jihad,
written by Abdul Salam bin Mohammad. It listed eight objectives:
¢ Muslims should fight as long as a dispute persists
¢ It is obligatory for Muslims to fight till Allah's kingdom is
established in the world
¢ It is obligatory for Muslims to fight till they overthrow all
infidel governments
¢ Wherever there is oppression, Muslims are bound to fight it
¢ If any infidel kills a Muslim, it is to be avenged
¢ If any nation breaches a contract with Muslims, it is obligatory to
fight that nation
¢ Muslims should fight against aggression by any other nation
¢ If infidels encroach upon any part of a Muslim land, it is
obligatory to fight them and restore it
http://www.mid-day.com/news/2010/jun/070610-Recruitment-camps-Pakistan-terrorists-Commandos.htm
------
Egypt's Islamic TV extends reach with new languages, pushes moderate
Islam
06Jun 2010
By Dina Zayed
CAIRO, June 6 (Reuters) -
Egypt's al-Azhar's satellite channel that seeks to promote moderate Islam
launched four language services to extend its reach to millions of Muslims worldwide, its designers said on Sunday.
Al-Azhar, one of the oldest seats of Sunni Islamic learning, will
target viewers in English, French, Urdu, and Pashto besides its now running
Arabic programmes, in a renewed effort to further U.S. President Barak Obama's
call for greater religious tolerance.
The station was launched to coincide with Obama's visit to Cairo in
mid-2009 and his call for better ties between the Muslim world and the United
States.
Al-Azhar, whose head is appointed by the state, has traditionally
supported the Egyptian government in its campaign against Islamic militants,
such as a group that launched an insurgency in Egypt in the 1990s.
"There is a wide open market for religious moderation on the
airwaves," said Sheikh Khaled El Gendy, Azhar religious scholar and one of the
channel's content developers.
"We are competing with voices of intolerance for the attention and
loyalty of young people," Gendy, who hosts a live call-in programme for viewers
struggling with the interpretation of Islam to seek guidance, said.
The channel, called Azhari, aims to counter "confrontational and
aggressive" interpretations of Islam that have damaged the image of the Muslim
world, a statement from the channel said.
Since its June 2009 launch, Azhari has faced some threats from what
it calls "extremist elements", including a bomb threat to Azhari studios in
February and other warnings to staff.
Gendy said the channel's message would attract a wider audience than
those promoting militancy, adding: "We believe we have the better product. And
clearly our message is resonating."
Al-Azhar, which runs schools, universities and other
educational
institutions across Egypt and sends scholars to teach in countries
throughout the Muslim world, hopes this second channel will help reach people in
their living rooms.
Architects of the channel envisage reaching more than 325 million
households in Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
(Editing by Elizabeth Fullerton)
((dina.zayed@thomsonreuters.com, Cairo newsroom +20 2 2578
3290, Reuters Messaging: dina.zayed.reuters.com@reuters.net))
--------
‘I wanna be world’s worst-known terrorist’
Jun 07 2010
New York : Two New Jersey men bound for Somalia to join a militant
group and to kill American troops were arrested at Kennedy International Airport
late Saturday, authorities said.
The men, Mohamed Haoud Alessa, 20, and Carlos Eduardo Almonte, 24,
were to join Al Shabaab, which claims ideological kinship with
al-Qaeda.
The men were taken into custody as they prepared to take separate
flights to Egypt and then to Somalia to join Al Shabaab.
They were charged in a criminal complaint with conspiring to kill,
maim and kidnap people outside the US and were expected to be arraigned in
federal court in Newark on Monday.
The men have been under FBI scrutiny since 2006, after agents
received a tip. An undercover officer from the New York Police Department (NYPD)
recorded numerous meetings with them, during which they discussed their plans,
according to the complaint against them.
The arrests were first reported Sunday in The Star-Ledger. The two
men, both US citizens — Almonte lives in Elmwood Park, NJ, and Alessa in North
Bergen, NJ—physically conditioned themselves, engaged in paintball and tactical
training, saved thousands for their trip and acquired military
gear.
They talked about their obligation to wage violent jihad and
expressed a willingness to commit acts of violence in the US. On November 29,
2009, for example, the complaint said Alessa told Almonte and the undercover:
“They only fear you when you have a gun and when you — when you start killing
them, and when you — when you take their head, and you go like this, and you
behead it on camera . . . We’ll start doing killing here, if I can’t do it over
there.” “I wanna, like, be the world’s worst-known terrorist,” he allegedly
said.
On April 25, Almonte said that there would soon be US troops in
Somalia — which he called a good development because it would not be as
gratifying to kill only Africans.
The men also watched and played for the undercover officer numerous
video and audio recordings that promoted violent jihad, including lectures by
Anwar al-Awlaki, the Yemeni cleric who uses the Web to incite Muslims in the
West to violence.
Al Shabaab was designated as a terrorist organisation in 2008. Last
year, the group claimed responsibility for mortar barrages aimed at a US
congressman, Donald M Payne,who was visiting Somalia.
Raymond W Kelly, the New York police commissioner, said “Even when
individuals plan to support terrorist activity abroad, we remain concerned that
once they reach their foreign destinations they may be redirected against
targets back home,” he said. A official said Almonte, a naturalised US citizen,
was born in the Dominican Republic and Alessa was born here to Palestinian and
Jordanian parents.
Almonte and Alessa travelled to Jordan in 2007, and Almonte told the
undercover they had sought unsuccessfully to become mujahideen
fighters.
A short time after the FBI received the tip about the two men,
investigators interviewed Almonte in front of his home. Weeks later, one of his
family members said during the interview of Almonte, Alessa was hiding in the
house with a large knife and told family he would kill the interviewing
agents.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/i-wanna-be-worlds-worstknown-terrorist/630370/
--------
Patil wanted delay on Afzal, hints Sheila
Abantika Ghosh
Jun 7, 2010
NEW DELHI: The mystery over why it took four years for the Delhi
government to clear a file related to Afzal Guru’s mercy petition finally seems
to be unravelling. Chief minister Sheila Dikshit has all but admitted during an
interview to a television channel that Shivraj Patil, Union home minister at the
time, had asked her government to sit on the file.
‘‘May be what you are thinking is true,’’ Dikshit said when asked if
Patil had told her to keep the matter pending.
Sources privy to the exchanges between Dikshit and Patil told TOI
that soon after the file came to Delhi government in 2006, Patil had made it
very clear that there was no hurry. ‘‘He kept saying so throughout 2007 and
2008. Even when the delay in Afzal Guru’s hanging became an issue during the
2008 Assembly elections, there was no change in the position. Full report
at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Patil-wanted-delay-on-Afzal-hints-Sheila/articleshow/6018186.cms
--------
Clash of the muftis in Malaysia
Jun 7, 2010
KUALA LUMPUR - DRESSED in a modern grey suit teamed with a black
skull cap, Malaysian cleric Asri Zainul Abidin is the poster boy for liberal
Muslims who are tussling with hardliners in this multi-ethnic
nation.
Mr Asri, a boyish-looking 39-year-old, is considered one of
Malaysia's top Islamic theologians and has a growing following of young,
educated Muslims who are drawn by his moderate views.
But the thoroughly modern mufti now faces trial on charges that could
land him in jail for two years in what his supporters say is an attempt to
muzzle liberal voices in Muslim-majority Malaysia.
Full report at:
http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/SEAsia/Story/STIStory_536654.html
--------
Army Cracks Whip On‘ Rogue ’ Officers In J&
K
By Naseer Ganai
Jun 7, 2010
Tough steps against Col &Major for alleged role in fake
encounter
THE ARMY has removed a commanding officer from his post and suspended
a ‘rogue’ Major for allegedly committing the coldblooded murder of three
innocent Kashmiris in the Machil sector to pocket cash rewards and get a
possible promotion.
The army announced a probe into the reported fake encounter of April
30 — it had led to protests in the Valley — a day before Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh’s visit to Srinagar.
Cracking the whip on the officers, the army announced the suspension
of Major Upinder Singh of 4 Rajput Regiment. Colonel D. K. Pathania, the
commanding officer of the unit, has been removed from his post and attached to
the 15 Corps headquarters till completion of the inquiry.
Full report at: Male Today
--------
J&K terror outfits get hawala push
Rahul Datta/Mohit Kandhari
Jun 07, 2010
Spurt in funding worries security agencies
Hawala has emerged as a major way of transferring money to terrorist
tanzeems (organisations) like the Hizbul Mujahideen and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM)
that are spending big money to keep the militancy pot boiling. These two
organisations besides the likes of the Lashkar-e-Tayyeba (LeT) operating in
Kashmir need major funding to buy weapons, maintain logistics lines and pay up
their moles and sympathisers.
Well-placed sources in security agencies pointed out that the amount
of the ratio in which money flow through hawala route has had multiplied within
a year was a sign of concern. Giving examples, they said last year the Hizbul
managed to get just Rs 15 lakh through hawala but this year it had already
crossed Rs 75-lakh mark. Similarly, the Jaish managed to route about Rs 2 lakh
through the hawala channel last year but had already channelled more than Rs 30
lakh till now.
Full report at:
http://www.dailypioneer.com/261020/JK-terror-outfits-get-hawala-push.html
--------
OIC calls for global action against Israel
June 07, 2010
JEDDAH: The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) on Sunday
called for the setting up of a group of legal experts to bring to justice
Israeli officials who were responsible for the attack on the Gaza-bound aid
flotilla last Monday in which nine peace activists were killed and several
others wounded.
Following an extraordinary meeting of the OIC Executive Committee,
the organization's Secretary-General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu said Israel was given
a stern warning that its attack on the Freedom Flotilla was going to have
far-reaching consequences. The incident has isolated the Zionist state from the
international community, which has united in condemning Israeli aggression, he
said.
Full report at:
http://thenews.com.pk/updates.asp?id=106190
--------
‘US Secretly Deploys Special Forces Across
World’
Jun 07th, 2010
Behind his public rhetoric of global engagement and diplomacy, US
President Barack Obama has secretly sanctioned the deployment of US special
forces to 75 countries as part of a largely “secret war” against Al Qaeda and
other radical groups, a news report said on Sunday.
It has come to light that Mr Obama, who has been recognised for
giving greater role to multilateral diplomacy unlike the previous Bush
administration, has approved a huge increase in the number of US special forces
carrying out search-and-destroy missions against radical groups, particularly Al
Qaeda.
American troops are now operating in 75 countries compared with about
60 at the beginning of 2009, the Washington Post reported on
Sunday.
Full report at:
http://www.asianage.com/international/%E2%80%98us-secretly-deploys-special-forces-across-world%E2%80%99-595
--------
25 killed in Taliban, Laskar-e-Islam clashes in
Pakistan
Jun 7, 2010
Twenty-five people have died in fierce clashes between the Taliban
and Lashkar-e-Islam militant groups in the restive Khyber tribal region in
northwest Pakistan, sources said today.
The clashes erupted last night following a botched attempt by
Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan fighters to kidnap Lashkar-e-Islam leader Mani Gul in
Tabai Bazar area of Khyber Agency.
The Lashkar-e-Islam foiled the abduction and both sides exchanged
fire.
Eight persons were killed in the initial fighting while 17 more died
later, the sources said.
The dead includes members of both militant groups and local residents
who were caught in the cross firing.
The gun battle between the two sides continued till this afternoon,
source said.
This was the second time that the area has witnessed an armed clash
between the Taliban and the Lashkar-e-Islam.
Full report at:
http://beta.thehindu.com/news/international/article448066.ece?css=print
--------
France, Britain urge international Gaza inquiry
Jun 7, 2010
PARIS: The foreign ministers of France and Britain said an
"international" inquiry was necessary to resolve the dispute over Israel's
deadly raid on Gaza aid ships, after meeting late Sunday in the French capital.
"We think it is very important that there is a credible and
transparent investigation. We believe there should be an international presence
at minimum in that inquiry or investigation," said British Foreign Secretary
William Hague after talks with his French counterpart Bernard Kouchner.
Kouchner added that the international inquiry was needed "because
several countries are involved" in the incident.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/europe/France-Britain-urge-international-Gaza-inquiry-/articleshow/6018466.cms
--------
Clinton warns of likely Iranian 'stunt' ahead of UN sanctions
vote
Jun 7, 2010
WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Sunday she
expects Iran will "pull some stunt in the next couple of days" as a UN vote on
tough sanctions against Tehran over its nuclear program looms.
Asked what she expects in the runup to a UN Security Council vote on
sanctions on Tehran over its controversial nuclear program, Clinton said "I
expect Iran to pull some stunt in the next couple of days."
Iran has in the past taken steps to "avoid being held accountable,"
Clinton told reporters as she waited to depart on a Latin American trip.
"I think we'll see Iran say ...'wait a minute, wait a minute look at
what we're going to do' in a bid to thwart sanctions," Clinton added. "They've
consistently tried to avoid being held accountable."
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/Clinton-warns-of-likely-Iranian-stunt-ahead-of-UN-sanctions-vote-/articleshow/6018406.cms
--------
Hang Kasab yourself
Mahafreed Irani
Jun 7, 2010
Last year, a group of five men armed with cameras set out on a recce
of Mumbai. Their mission: to capture the architectural dimensions of famous city
landmarks for their secret project. But their task was thwarted midway when the
overzealous security guards at one such landmark tossed away their cameras and
damaged their equipment.
No, the men weren’t espionage agents. But perhaps even espionage
agents wouldn’t have braved the obstacles these youngsters did to complete the
Rs 5-crore project they had set their hearts on: a pioneering 3D videogame
called Streets Of Mumbai. Once completed, this game will allow gamers to zip
across virtual South Mumbai, Bandra, Lokhandwala, and Malad, in the course of
which they will have to skilfully manoeuver lifelike obstacles like pesky stray
dogs, perennially dug-up roads, crawling traffic and crater-sized potholes.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Hang-Kasab-yourself/articleshow/6018311.cms
--------
Asian meet to focus on terror, Afghanistan
Jun 7, 2010
NEW DELHI: As Turkey, infuriated over Israel’s recent attack on a
Gaza aid flotilla, plays host to the third Conference on Interaction and
Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) on Tuesday, India will seek to keep
the focus on trans-border terrorism and the need for a stable Afghanistan.
In fact, Israel’s widely criticized assault and Afghanistan are two
issues likely to dominate the day-long summit in Istanbul. India and Pakistan
are both members of CICA, a multinational forum for enhancing cooperation
towards promoting peace, security and stability in Asia.
While Pakistan will be represented by foreign minister Shah Mahmood
Qureshi, India is sending its commerce and industries minister Anand Sharma to
attend the summit. Just ahead of the summit, Qureshi is scheduled to have a
meeting with Afghan President Hamid Karzai. The meeting has been arranged by
Turkey in a bid to ease things between the two nations. Turkey is expected to
mount pressure on Israel during the summit to end the economic blockade against
the Palestinians. Israel has conveyed its decision to send only a diplomat from
its consulate to participate in the summit.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Asian-meet-to-focus-on-terror-Afghanistan/articleshow/6018235.cms
--------
NATO soldiers, cops killed in Afghanistan
Jun 6, 2010
KABUL: Five NATO soldiers were killed today in war-torn Afghanistan,
the alliance said in a statement, in a day of violence which left another six
dead and 26 wounded.
The soldiers, members of NATO's US-led International Security
Assistance Force (ISAF), were killed in two separate attacks and a crash,
according to a NATO statement.
"Three ISAF service members died today as a result of a vehicle
accident in southern Afghanistan," the statement said.
"In a separate operation, one ISAF service member died today
following an improvised explosive device attack in southern Afghanistan. Another
ISAF service member died today as a result of an insurgent attack in eastern
Afghanistan."
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/NATO-soldiers-cops-killed-in-Afghanistan/articleshow/6017631.cms
--------
Afghan interior minister, intelligence chief quit over Taliban
attack
Jun 6, 2010
KABUL: Afghanistan's interior minister and the head of intelligence
have resigned over an insurgent attack last week on a national peace conference
during its opening by president Hamid Karzai, his office said on a statement on
Sunday.
The statement said Karzai had accepted the resignations of Interior
Minister Hanif Atmar and intelligence chief Amrullah Saleh after an
investigation into Wednesday's attack.
The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack on the traditional
gathering of Afghan elders and other notables, which came despite a massive
security blanket thrown over the capital.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/Afghan-interior-minister-intelligence-chief-quit-over-Taliban-attack/articleshow/6017515.cms
--------
‘Israel behaving like a rogue
State'
Jun 07, 2010
NEW DELHI: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has regretted the
lack of condemnation by the Manmohan Singh-led government of the attack by
Israeli armed forces on a flotilla of ships carrying humanitarian aid for the
people of Gaza and demanded that the Government of India work for lifting the
blockade.
Expressing strong condemnation and outrage at the attack on
international waters, in which nine people were killed and many injured, the
party Polit Bureau said: “Israel behaves like a rogue State in enforcing the
blockade of Gaza.”
In a statement, the Polit Bureau said: “It is highly regrettable that
the UPA government has not even condemned Israel by name for this attack in a
statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs and confined itself to
regretting the loss of lives and the use of force.”
http://www.hindu.com/2010/06/07/stories/2010060756301400.htm
--------
Israel rejects international inquiry into lethal
raid
Jun 07 2010
Jerusalem : Israel rejected Sunday a proposal by UN Secretary-General
Ban ki-Moon for an international investigation into its deadly raid on a
Gaza-bound aid ship and said it had the right to launch its own
inquiry.
"We are rejecting an international commission. We are discussing with
the Obama administration a way in which our inquiry will take place," Michael
Oren, Israel's ambassador to Washington, said on the US TV program "Fox News
Sunday."
The UN chief had suggested establishing a panel that would be headed
by former New Zealand prime minister Geoffrey Palmer and include representatives
from Turkey, Israel and the United States, an Israeli official said earlier in
Jerusalem.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/israel-rejects-international-inquiry-into-lethal-raid/630454/
--------
Protests in Europe continue, anger on Israel raid
unabated
Jun 07, 2010
Paris : Thousands protested across Europe on Saturday against the
killing of nine activists during a botched raid on an aid fleet, as Israel
peacefully boarded another ship attempting to defy its blockade of
Gaza.
Angry protestors, chanting anti-Israeli slogans and waving
Palestinian and Turkish flags took to the streets of Istanbul, London, Dublin
and Paris as well as a string of other French cities, following Monday's deadly
assault.
Demonstrators branded Israel a "murderer", demanded that it lift its
blockade and vowed that the deaths of the nine activists would not be in
vain.
In Turkey, a crowd between 5,000 and 10,000 gathered at the Caglayan
square on the European side of the city straddling the Bosphorus
Strait.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/protests-in-europe-continue-anger-on-israel-raid-unabated/630123/
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Fake killings loom over PM's J&K visit
Jun 07, 2010
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's two-day visit to Kashmir that starts
on Monday has been overshadowed by the alleged fake encounter in Machil by the
Army in April.
The Army on Sunday sus- pended a major and removed a colonel from his
command, pending an inquiry, for their alleged involvement in the killing of
three youngsters, who were passed off as militants, for mon- etary benefits, in
Machil, 65 km north of Srinagar.
The case has led to wide- spread protests in the valley and brought
into focus other such encounters.
From letters in city newspa- pers to statements from both mainstream
and separatist lead- ers, it is apparent that the enthu- siasm around Singh's
visit -- his second after October in his sec- ond term as PM -- has some- what
dampened because of the alleged encounter. Full report at: Hindustan
Times
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`Narayanan killed Kashmir solution in '07'
Arun Joshi
Jun 07, 2010
The hard line taken by former National Security Advisor M.K.
Narayanan in 2007 killed the Kashmir solu- tion. So said All Parties Hurriyat
Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on the eve of Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh's visit to Kashmir on Monday.
Narayanan is now the gover- nor of West Bengal.
Mirwaiz, who interacted with leaders of both India and Pakistan from
2004 to 2007, told HT in an exclusive interview: “Narayanan's stance that (for-
mer Pakistani President Pervez) Musharraf could not be trust- ed, killed the
Kashmir solution that was about to be arrived at.“
How? “Well, we were part of the tripartite dialogue and the people
told us who was playing what role,“ he said. “Almost everyone could sniff an
agree- ment between India and Pakistan on Kashmir then, but something went wrong
at the last minute.“
Full report at: Hindustan Times
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‘Encounter Questions Terrorist Killings’
Jun 07th, 2010
The fake encounter killings sparked off widespread protests across
Kashmir. While separatists seized the exposé towards invigorating their
invective string, chief minister Omar Abdullah, also caught in the middle of
criticism by the Opposition and human rights groups, said that the April 30
incident had put a question mark before all the claims about killings of
terrorists and militants on the border by the security
forces.
Army said here on Sunday that Major Upinder has been suspended
pending inquiry whereas Colonel D.K. Pathania has also been removed from
command.
Full report at:
http://www.asianage.com/india/%E2%80%98encounter-questions-terrorist-killings%E2%80%99-571
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DD Kashmir To Counter Pak Propaganda
Jun 07th, 2010
In a bid to counter Pakistan-sponsored propaganda, the government has
decided to rejuvenate Kashir, Doordarshan’s dedicated channel for the Valley.
The Union information and broadcasting ministry has decided to improve the
quality of programming content by training producers working for the channel to
deal with sensitive
subjects. The new push for improvement in the channel comes with an
aim to expand the channel’s reach amongst the masses of terror-hit Jammu and
Kashmir region and making them aware of the country’s
perspective.
The channel, which was launched in 2000 in an effort to counter
Pakistan-sponsored propaganda being broadcast into the Valley from across the
border, has come under severe criticism as it has failed in its
objective.
Full report at:
http://www.asianage.com/india/dd-kashir-counter-pak-propaganda-561
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Activists Expelled, Israel Faces Inquiry
Pressure
Jun 07th, 2010
Israel moved swiftly on Sunday to expel the latest group of activists
trying to break its naval blockade on Gaza, as pressure grew for an
international inquiry into a raid that killed nine Turks. Israel’s powerful
inner forum of seven mi-nisters was to meet behind closed doors to seek ways to
calm the international outcry over its deadly storming of a first Gaza-bound aid
flotilla on May 31.
Global calls for an independent inquiry with foreign observers were
to be weighed against Israel’s reluctance to submit itself to any form of
international tribunal.
The Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas which rules Gaza, meanwhile,
hailed the latest bid to break Israel’s blockade.
Full report at:
http://www.asianage.com/international/activists-expelled-israel-faces-inquiry-pressure-598
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‘Iran’s N-programme source of concern’
June 07, 2010
RIYADH: French Defence Minister Herve Morin said on Sunday that
France and Saudi Arabia share the same “concerns” about Iran’s nuclear
programme, adding that he discussed the issue in Riyadh.
“Saudi Arabia shares the same concerns as us,” Morin told AFP at the
end of a two-day visit to the kingdom. “We share the same analysis for the risks
posed by such a programme to stability in the region.” Morin highlighted the potential risks of
proliferation, saying that if Iran acquired a nuclear weapon “other countries
might want to follow the same path.”
Iran is under intense international pressure to halt a nuclear
programme that it insists is peaceful, denying it is trying to make a bomb.
Full report at:
http://thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=243582
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Robert Gates defends spy chief nominee
June 07, 2010
ABOARD A US MILITARY AIRCRAFT: US Defence Secretary Robert Gates
rejected congressional criticism of President Barack Obama’s choice to lead the
intelligence community on Sunday and said the power of the position is likely to
remain more limited than some might hope.
Obama named retired General James Clapper, now undersecretary of
defence for intelligence, to serve as the director of national intelligence
after ousting Dennis Blair, an admiral who frequently clashed with the White
House and the CIA during his 16-month tenure in the job.
Blair was ousted last month after a failed car bomb attempt in New
York’s Times Square and a botched attempt to blow up a Detroit-bound US airliner
on Christmas Day.
Full report at:
http://thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=243581
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Lack of water threatens Iraq’s long-term
stability
June 07, 2010
RAMADI, Iraq: Abdullah Hasan blames chronic water shortages for
ruining his crops and has little faith a new government will be able to revive
Iraq’s agriculture sector, shattered by war and starved of investment. The
50-year-old father of five from Falluja in western Anbar province was forced to
abandon his 50 acres of land and take a job in construction after years of
drought killed off his wheat, barley, tomato, cucumber and watermelon harvests.
He has little hope of returning to farming — his primary source of
income for 35 years — and plans to sell some of his land as water levels in
rivers and reservoirs continue to drop, increasing the concentration of
pollutants in the water. “Day after day, the soil situation is deteriorating
because the level of salt is increasing and fertility is decreasing. It’s like a
cancer hitting the human body,” Hasan said.
Full report at:
http://thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=243578
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Women’s development allocation reduced
drastically
Myra Imran & Saadia Khalid
June 07, 2010
Contrary to government’s claims that women’s empowerment is high on
its agendas, the central body responsible for women’s development sees a
considerable decline in its budgetary allocation from Rs344 million in 2009-10
to Rs153 million for the fiscal year 2010-11.
The budget speech came out to be disappointment for women, as women’s
development did not have any notable mentioning in the budget speech.
Federal Minister for Finance Abdul Hafeez Shiekh did not bother to
give even a single liner to acknowledge the role of women. Many still remember
that last year speech when Minister of State for Finance and Economic Affairs
Hina Rabbani Khar started the speech by acknowledging that without women’s
empowerment, sustainable economic growth was not possible.
Full report at:
http://thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=243486
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First commando raid in Orakzai leaves 13 militants
dead
07 Jun, 2010
KALAYA, June 6: Military commandos stormed a suspected militant
compound in Sera Mela area of Orakzai Agency on Saturday night and killed 13
militants, including their three leaders, sources said.
It was the first commando action in the area where officials have
claimed to have killed more than 1,800 militants over the past four months.
Five militants were injured in the operation.
The sources said the commandos swooped on the compound when a meeting
of Taliban was in progress.
Seven vehicles were destroyed in the raid.
They said security forces had found weapons and explosives in the
compound.
Names and nationalities of the dead could not be
ascertained.
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/front-page/first-commando-raid-in-orakzai-leaves-13-militants-dead-760
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Israel expels new group of Gaza aid activists
07 Jun, 2010
OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, June 6: Israel moved swiftly on Sunday to expel
the latest group of world peace activists trying to break its illegal naval
blockade on Gaza, as it resisted pressure for an international probe of a raid
that killed nine unarmed Turk peace activists.
Israel’s powerful inner forum of seven ministers was meeting behind
closed doors to seek ways to calm the international outcry over its deadly
storming of a first Gaza-bound aid flotilla on May 31.
Global calls for an independent inquiry with foreign observers were
to be weighed against Israel’s reluctance to submit itself to any form of
international tribunal.
Israel’s ambassador to Washington said on US television that his
country rejects any international investigation. “We are rejecting the idea of
an international commission,” Michael Oren told “Fox News Sunday.” “Israel is a
democracy. Israel has the ability and the right to investigate itself, not to be
investigated by any international board,” he added.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/front-page/israel-expels-new-group-of-gaza-aid-activists-760
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Russia urges Nato to fight drug trafficking in
Afghanistan
07 Jun, 2010
SINGAPORE, June 6: Russia urged Nato forces in Afghanistan on Sunday
to crack down harder on drug production and smuggling, and offered to help put a
security ring around the country.
The international community should classify Afghan drugs as a threat
to peace and security because they have become an important source of funds for
the Taliban and other insurgent groups, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Sergei
Ivanov said in a speech.Insurgents and international mafia groups are earning
billions of dollars ‘’from smuggling the drugs — which we call ‘white death’ —
to Europe, Asia and America,’’ Ivanov told an Asia-Pacific security summit
hosted by the London-based International Institute of Strategic Studies think
tank.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/international/russia-urges-nato-to-fight-drug-trafficking-in-afghanistan-760
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44 terrorists killed in Orakzai
07 Jun, 2010
HANGU: Security forces killed 44 Taliban and injured another 11 in
various areas of Upper Orakzai on Sunday. The forces killed 15 Taliban and
injured another 11 in Zakhtan and Balkhtan areas of Upper Orakzai while gaining
complete control of the areas.
Also, the forces engaged the Taliban in Ghalju, headquarters of Upper
Orakzai, killing 20 terrorists. Troops also destroyed seven vehicles in use by
the Taliban, as they targeted terrorist hideouts in Kasha and Tuti Maila areas,
killing nine Taliban.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\06\07\story_7-6-2010_pg7_3
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Six killed in Baghdad bomb blast
07 Jun, 2010
BAGHDAD: A car bomb exploded outside a Baghdad police station on
Sunday in the deadliest of a pair of attacks that killed six people in the Iraqi
capital, security and hospital officials said.
A suicide attacker drove the bomb-rigged car up to a gate protecting
the police post in western Baghdad's al Amil neighbourhood during an early
morning shift change when officers were gathered outside its blast walls. The
blast killed four police officers and one civilian, and injured 15 people,
according to emergency security and hospital officials who spoke on condition of
anonymity because they were not authorised to talk to the media. Though violence
has declined dramatically from just a few years ago, when the country teetered
on the brink of civil war, attacks around the capital continue. The violence is
a serious challenge for Iraq's police and military forces as US troops prepare
to withdraw. Adding to the sense of instability, Iraq's political leaders are
still wrangling over who will control the next government three months after a
parliamentary election.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\06\07\story_7-6-2010_pg7_26
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Karzai orders review of cases against Taliban
inmates
07 Jun, 2010
KABUL—Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai has ordered concerned
authorities to review all cases of Taliban militants being held in prisons, a
spokesman to Presidential Palace Siamak Herawi said on Sunday. “The President
issued an order on Saturday to constitute a commission under the Minister for
Justice to review all the cases of Taliban suspects being held in prisons,”
Herawi told Xinhua.
He also added that the order was issued in line with the decision of
the National Consultative Peace Jirga and any Taliban militant proved innocent
would be released. The three-day National Consultative Peace Jirga or assembly
concluded on Friday called on Afghan government and NATO-led forces to set free
some Taliban militants as sign of good will gesture to accelerate the
reconciliation process with Taliban outfit and other opposition groups. In a
16-artile resolution the peace jirga also called on warring sides to halt
fighting and initiate dialogue in order to find an amicable solution to
Afghanistan’s problem and ensure durable peace there. The resolution also urged
the international community to support the national reconciliation process
initiated by Afghan government.
Full report at:
http://dailymailnews.com/0610/07/FrontPage/FrontPage5.php
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Queen of Jordan criticises flotilla raid
7 June 2010
LONDON- Queen Rania of Jordan
criticised Israel Monday over its deadly raid on an aid flotilla last week and
warned that its hardline policies towards the Palestinians were squeezing out
moderates in the region.
Writing in The Independent newspaper, she said Israel’s blockade of
Gaza had “reduced it to a barely functioning, open-air prison”, adding: “Every
day the blockade continues is another day our humanity remains under
siege.”
Israel’s attack on a convoy trying to break the blockade, which left
nine activists dead, was conducted with “blatant and absurd disregard for
anything resembling international law, human rights and diplomatic norms”, she
said.
Full report at:
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle09.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2010/June/middleeast_June257.xml§ion=middleeast
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Biden, Mubarak hold talks in the wake of flotilla
raid
7 June 2010
SHARM EL-SHEIKH - US Vice
President Joe Biden meets on Monday Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak amid
mounting regional tension over a deadly Israeli raid on a Gaza-bound aid
convoy.
Biden arrived on Sunday at the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh,
accompanied by senior White House staff and National Security officials, before
he heads to Kenya and South Africa.
The visit comes after a raid by US ally Israel on a ship carrying
humanitarian aid to Gaza last week which killed nine people and threatens to
stall US-brokered proximity talks between Israel and the
Palestinians.
The Turkish-owned boat was part of a six-ship flotilla trying to bust
a four-year blockade imposed by Israel on the impoverished and overcrowded Gaza
Strip. Another aid boat, the Irish-owned Rachel Corrie, was intercepted on
Saturday.
Full report at:
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle09.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2010/June/middleeast_June258.xml§ion=middleeast
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Israeli patrol kills 4 militants in diving gear
7 June 2010
GAZA - An Israeli naval
patrol killed at least four Palestinian militants in diving gear off the Gaza
coast on Monday, Hamas security officials and the Israeli army
said.
“An Israeli naval patrol spotted a boat with four men in diving suits
on their way to carry out a terror attack and fired at them identifying hitting
them,” an Israeli army spokesman said.
Hamas security sources confirmed finding four bodies and said a fifth
man was missing, presumed dead.
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle09.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2010/June/middleeast_June260.xml§ion=middleeast
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Israel bans soldiers from visiting Turkey
6 June 2010
JERUSALEM - Israel on Sunday
banned its soldiers from travelling to Turkey, amid tensions since a deadly
Israeli raid on a Turkish-owned ship, its anti-terrorism office
said.
The office, which answers to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said
the ban applied in particular to reservists planning holidays in Turkey, a
favourite destination for Israelis.
The Israeli raid on Gaza-bound aid ships on May 31, in which nine
Turks were killed on the Turkish vessel, has plunged the fragile ties between
the onetime strong allies into a deep crisis.
Authorities in the Jewish state last week urged Israelis to put off
travel plans to Turkey, where a series of anti-Israeli demonstrations have been
held since the raid.
According to Turkey’s culture and tourism minister, Ertugrul Gunay,
between 10,000 and 200,000 Israelis have since cancelled trips to his
country.
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle08.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2010/June/middleeast_June251.xml§ion=middleeast
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Suicide bomber kills four cops in Baghdad
7 June 2010
A suicide bomber drove a car packed with explosives into a crowd of
officers outside a police station in Baghdad on Sunday, killing four and
wounding 12, a source in Iraq’s interior ministry said.
The bomber struck as the officers were changing shifts in the mainly
Shia Amil district in the south-western area of the Iraqi capital, the source
said. Another six officers were wounded when a bomb attached to a parked car
exploded near their patrol in eastern Baghdad.
Tensions have been running high since a March 7 parliamentary
election that produced no clear winner, forcing potentially divisive
negotiations between Iraq’s Shia, Sunni and Kurdish political factions to agree
a new government.
Although overall violence has tumbled since the worst of Iraq’s
sectarian warfare in 2006-07 killed tens of thousands, civilian deaths have
climbed since the vote.
Iraqi authorities said 275 civilians were killed in bomb blasts and
other attacks in May and 274 in April, up from 216 in March and 211 in
February.
http://www.newagebd.com/2010/jun/07/inat.html
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Iran stokes Gaza fire, ready to escort ships
Jun 7, 2010
TEHRAN: Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards are ready to provide a
military escort to cargo ships trying to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza, a
representative of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Sunday.
“Iran’s Revolutionary Guards naval forces are fully prepared to
escort the peace and freedom convoys to Gaza with all their powers and
capabilities,” Ali Shirazi, Khamenei’s representative inside the Revolutionary
Guards, said.
Any intervention by the Iranian military would be considered highly
provocative by Israel which accuses Iran of supplying weapons to Hamas, the
Islamist movement which rules Gaza.
Iran does not recognise the Israeli state and President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad has often predicted its imminent demise. Last Monday Israeli troops
killed nine activists on board one ship in a convoy trying to deliver aid to
Gaza, sparking international outrage.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/Middle-East/Iran-stokes-Gaza-fire-ready-to-escort-ships-/articleshow/6018057.cms
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Hamas win in 06 triggered tighter curbs on Gaza
Jun 7, 2010
How is the Gaza strip blockaded
The Gaza strip has sea on one side and land borders with Egypt and
Israel,which keep their borders sealed,leaving the strips 1.5 million
inhabitants facing acute shortages.Israel also blocks off Gaza from the sea
maintaining a sea blockade from three nautical miles offshore.Israel allows in
only those goods that it considers humanitarian.Goods which it feels can be put
to dual use,such as steel pipes,which it says could be used to manufacture
weapons,are not allowed.Earlier,tunnels dug under the border with Egypt allowed
a trickle of essential goods to be smuggled into Gaza.But now,Egypt is
constructing underground steel barriers to prevent tunneling that provided a
vital lifeline to Gazas blockaded economy.Israel claims the blockade is
necessary to limit Palestinian rocket attacks on its
cities.
Full report at: Times of India
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41 Killed, 16 Injured in Renewed Tribal Clashes in
Darfur
June 07, 2010
Forty-one people were killed and 16 others injured in renewed clashes
between Messiria and Rizeigat tribes in South Darfur State.
"The clashes started on Thursday and are still continuing. Until
Saturday evening, 41 persons were killed and 16 others were injured from both
sides," Izz-Eddin Mussa Mandil, a Messiria tribe leader told Xinhua Sunday.
"We do not have any information about the death toll of today's
clashes," he added.
"A group of Rizeigat tribe on Thursday attacked one of our villages
west of Kass town (South Darfur State) and then repeated their attack on Friday
and Saturday," the tribal leader said.
Full report at: Hindustan Times
--------
Indo-Pak hyphen irrelevant, says Krishna; US
supports
June 07, 2010
For those who suffer from hyphen-phobia or fear of the United States
continuing to hyphenate India and Pakistan, the inaugural India-US Strategic
Dialogue underscored how the equations have diverged in recent years. With
Pakistan, it’s about aid, aid and more aid. With India, it has become about
trade, trade and more trade.
This was also a point made by External Affairs Minister SM Krishna
when he was asked why there were no specific deals for India after the Strategic
Dialogue whereas during the US-Pakistan event, the latter got commitments of aid
and support for development projects in that country.
Right before he left Washington, Krishna said, “Why do you want to
equate Pakistan with India? India is in a different league. India is considered
one of the most dynamic growing economies of the world.”
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/Indo-Pak-hyphen-irrelevant-says-Krishna-US-supports/Article1-554075.aspx
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Israel navy kills 4 Palestinian militants off
Gaza
Jun 7, 2010
JERUSALEM: Israel's navy killed four Palestinian militants in diver
suits off the coast of Gaza early Monday in the first violence at sea since a
deadly raid against an international flotilla last week killed nine
pro-Palestinian activists and set off an international storm of criticism
against Israel.
In Istanbul, a 20-member Asian security group kicked off a summit
with Turkey seeking to condemn Israel for last Monday's raid.
Israel, along with Egypt, has been enforcing a blockade of Gaza since
2007, when the Islamic militant Hamas seized the territory. Israel hoped it
would weaken Hamas, prevent the entry of weapons and press for the release of an
Israeli soldier captured in 2006, but the objectives have not been achieved.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/Middle-East/Israel-navy-kills-4-Palestinian-militants-off-Gaza/articleshow/6019241.cms
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A time for reflection and appreciation
Kimoy Leon Sing
June 7th 2010
As the nation commemorated the 165th anniversary of Indian Arrival
Day last Sunday, Immediate Past President of the Islamic Ladies Social and
Cultural Association (ILSCA) Shaleeza Khan Ali gave the citizens of Trinidad and
Tobago some food for thought.
’We should think about the way we treat others and offer help to
those who are less fortunate than us. This is what Allah tells us,’ Ali said in
an interview at the Islamic Academy at #3 Rapsey Street St Clair Port of
Spain.
Keeping those thoughts uppermost in her mind Ali and her team
decorated the auditorium at the Academy to commemorate the 40th anniversary of
ILSCA as well as the 25th anniversary of the Islamic Academy which took place on
May 29. Founded by several women such as Zalayhar Hassanali (wife of the former
president Noor Hassanali), Dr Joan Homaida Kazim, Hazrah Hamid, Nazra Khan and
others in 1970, the aim of the small women’s group was to provide charitable
humanitarian services, encourage arts and crafts, sports and cultural
activities, publish literature and periodicals and have fund-raising events, all
within the framework of Islam.
Full report at:
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/Comments?id=161690371
9:43 PM
Sultan Shahin
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