Rethinking Islam with Sultan Shahin

Islamic World News

15 Jun 2010, NewAgeIslam.Com

At least 48 killed in Bangladesh landslides

Muslims don’t need quota: Shia cleric

King unveils first Saudi-made car

100,000 Uzbek refugees seek safety at border

Azamgarh girls in Modi ad ready to sue him

Only 500 militants active in Kashmir: J&K police chief

Facebook 'Halal' a rage in Pakistan

Rampur Raza Library to be digitalised

Can’t redraw border but can make it irrelevant: Rao

Iran bars 71 women from boarding planes

American on ‘hunt Osama mission’ held

6,000 Afghan kids smuggled to Europe: UN

5 Indian firms to bid for Afghan mines

Celeb sex tape kicks up storm in Indonesia

Hindutva terror probe wallows in official lethargy

Have Hyderabad cops framed Muslims in Mecca case?

Trio in net but Ajmer inquiry heads nowhere

All Indians safe in Kyrgyzstan, to return soon

JAMIA MILLIA ISLAMIA LAUNCHES ONLINE TRACKING SYSTEM

Pakistan server behind hacking

Modi ad sponsor Alam Khan is a man no one knows about

Obama equates oil spill with 9/11

Pirates Free Ship With 5 Indians

UN slams Kyrgyzstan violence

India draws contours of its approach in engaging Pakistan

7/11 blasts trial from June 22

Aligarh V-C defends ‘Special Centres'

Turkey denounces Israeli probe

Mufti flays Omar for ‘misgovernance’

Govt not to allow banned outfits to hold rallies: Rehman Malik

Somali kids on US payroll flaunt guns

Unique treasure-trove at Zakir Husain College

Kuwait to conduct professional tests for expat workers

Tere Bin Laden in trouble with Censor Board

Dawood, Memon planned arms factory in India to avenge Babri: CBI

Pakistan's resources wasted on Jihad

Barcelona to ban veil in public buildings

Israeli police officer killed in shooting attack

Dubai may seek extradition of Mossad ‘agent’

Many Palestinians in Israeli custody without charge

Couple burn to death in Makkah car crash

Kalema Society to hold book signing ceremony

Jeddah seeks to enforce Saudi-only Ramadan stalls

US State Dept wants US combat gear for Iraq security

134 Pakistanis rescued from violence-torn Kyrgyzstan

Targeted killing toll rises to 7; three injured

Activities of banned outfits to be curbed: Rehman

PAF plane sent to bring back Pakistanis stranded in Kyrgyzstan

12 militants killed in Orakzai, Malakand

Cameron sees ‘reduced threat’ from Al Qaeda

UN slams Kyrgyzstan violence, urges calm

UAE leads in global competitiveness

New Iraqi parliament holds brief symbolic session

Pakistan seeks more visas for people visiting Ajmer shrine

Compiled by Asit kumar

Photo: Shia cleric Maulana Kalbe Sadiq

URL: http://www.newageislam.com/NewAgeIslamIslamicWorldNews_1.aspx?ArticleID=2997                                                              ----------                                                          At least 48 killed in Bangladesh landslides Dhaka: At least 48 people were killed on Tuesday and several others were missing in rain-triggered landslides in Bangladesh, officials said. Heavy rains swept through Bangladesh's two southeastern districts -- Cox's Bazaar and Bandarban -- and triggered landslides, Xinhua reported. "Rescuers in my district have so far recovered 44 bodies," said a senior police official of Cox's Bazaar district, about 391 km away from here. At least 25-30 people including six army personnel of a military camp in the district remained missing, the report said. In Bandarban district, four members including two children of a family were killed in landslide, an official said. Landslides are frequent in Bangladesh's hilly areas during the heavy monsoon that usually runs from June to September. http://ibnlive.in.com/news/at-least-48-killed-in-bangladesh-landslides/124423-2.html ----- Muslims dont need quota: Cleric Manjari Mishra 15 June, 2010 Lucknow: Maulana Kalbe Sadiq,Shia cleric and vicepresident of All India Muslim Personal Law Board,created a flutter when he announced at a public forum that Muslims did not need reservation. At a majlis on Sunday in Bara Banki he said, Koi bhi qaum baisakhion ke sahare hamesha nahin chal sakti ... usme jaan paida karni hogi (No community can move forward on crutches ... we need to instil life into it). And,this can be done by introducing Muslims to modern education,he said. The Maulana has never been shy of courting controversies.His advice to Muslims on family planning and insistence on announcing Eid well in advance going by the lunar calendar instead of waiting for the actual moon-sighting has earned him many detractors. Speaking to TOI,he said, Muslim quota will not prove beneficial in the long run.The Muslim leadership is responsible for illiteracy and backwardness of the community. He added, Muslim leaders should now atone for their sins by promoting literacy,creating better avenues for jobs and improving their lot instead of harping on issues like reservation, he said. Times of India --------- King unveils first Saudi-made car By P.K. ABDUL GHAFOUR Jun 15, 2010 JEDDAH: Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah on Monday unveiled Saudi Arabia’s first car, which was manufactured by engineers at King Saud University (KSU) in Riyadh. The car is named Ghazal 1. King Abdullah watched pictures of the various phases of the car’s manufacturing before pressing an electronic button to mark its inauguration. He congratulated all those who worked to make the project a reality. The car is designed to match the climate of Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries. Higher Education Minister Khaled Al-Anqari thanked King Abdullah for his continuous support of the Kingdom’s higher education, adding that this has resulted in the manufacturing of the new car. “This is the fruit of your support,” Al-Anqari told the king, adding that students of the university’s Faculty of Engineering had been working on the project for the last two years. “What is achieved today is a clear proof of the ability of Saudi youth to make innovations and inventions … if they are provided with adequate facilities and given opportunities,” the minister said. KSU President Abdullah Al-Othman congratulated King Abdullah on the fifth anniversary of his assuming power and underscored the tremendous achievements the Kingdom has made during his reign. He described the making of Ghazal 1 as a turning point in the Kingdom. “It also shows that we have capable people who can transform ideas into products of high economic value,” he said. “This is a national strategic product and KSU holds its patent rights and intellectual property rights,” he added. Professor Said Darwish of KSU's industrial engineering department said the car model was based on tests of category development (wheelbase) in collaboration with several major companies such as Motorola, Mercedes and Magna Canada. The students were given full freedom to design. Ghazal 1 is 4.8 meters long with a width of about 1.9 meters. "This car is designed for use on all roads and terrain, even in difficult conditions, while the car interior is designed to provide comfort for passengers," Darwish said. He disclosed plans for the production of 20,000 cars annually. Ghazal is a desert deer, which is one of the fastest animals that can combine elegance with life in a harsh environment. http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article66337.ece --------- 100,000 Uzbek refugees seek safety at border Jun 15, 2010 OSH, Kyrgyzstan: Some 100,000 minority Uzbeks fleeing a purge by mobs of Kyrgyz massed at the border Monday, an Uzbek leader said, as the deadliest ethnic violence to hit this Central Asian nation in decades left a major city smoldering. With fires raging in the southern city of Osh for a fourth day Monday, the official death toll of 124 killed and nearly 1,500 injured from the clashes that began Thursday appeared way too low. An Uzbek community leader claimed at least 200 Uzbeks alone had already been buried, and the Red Cross said its delegates saw about 100 bodies being buried in just one cemetery. The United States, Russia and the United Nations worked on humanitarian aid airlifts while neighboring Uzbekistan hastily set up camps to handle the flood of hungry, frightened refugees. Most were women, children and the elderly, many of whom Uzbekistan said had gunshot wounds. The interim government, which took over after former President Kurmanbek Bakiyev was ousted by a mass revolt in April, has been unable to stop the violence and accused Bakiyev's family of instigating it to halt a June 27 vote. Uzbeks have backed the interim government, while many Kyrgyz in the south have supported the toppled president. The government said Monday it had arrested a “well-known person” suspected of stoking the violence, but gave no further details. Suspects from Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan were also detained and claimed to have been hired by supporters of Bakiyev, government spokesman Farid Niyazov said. The interim government had planned a referendum to approve a new constitution on June 27, but it now appears unlikely the vote will take place. New parliamentary elections are scheduled for October, but the violence appears aimed at undermining the interim government before then. From his self-imposed exile in Belarus, Bakiyev has denied any role in the violence. Jallahitdin Jalilatdinov, who heads the Uzbek National Center, told The Associated Press on Monday that at least 100,000 Uzbeks were awaiting entry into Uzbekistan, while another 80,000 had already crossed over the border. An AP reporter saw hundreds of Uzbek refugees stuck in no-man's-land at a border crossing near Jalal-Abad, while an AP photographer saw hundreds of refugees in a camp on the Uzbek side. Desperate refugee women grabbed loaves of flat bread handed out by aid workers amid the chaos. New fires raged Monday across Osh — the country's second-largest city — which is five kilometers from the border with Uzbekistan. Food and water were scarce as armed looters smashed stores, stealing everything from televisions to food. Cars stolen from ethnic Uzbeks raced around the city, most crowded with young Kyrgyz wielding sharpened sticks, axes and metal rods. In the mainly Uzbek district of Aravanskoe, an area formerly brimming with shops and restaurants, entire streets were burned to the ground. In one still-smoldering building, an AP photographer saw the charred bodies of three people. No police or troops were seen on the streets of the city of 250,000. Hundreds of residents gathered at Osh's central square Monday seeking to get on buses heading to the airport. Meanwhile, Kyrgyz security chief Kenishbek Duishebayev says the younger son of ousted President Kurmanbek Bakiyev has been arrested earlier in Britain when he flew into a Hampshire airport on a leased private plane. Prosecutors, who placed Maxim Bakiyev on an international wanted list in May, allege companies he owned avoided almost $80 million in taxes on aviation fuel sold to suppliers of the US air base. http://arabnews.com/world/article66329.ece --------- Azamgarh girls in Modi ad ready to sue him Piyush Srivastava 15 June, 2010 GIRLS of Azamgarh’s Shibli National College have backed the college management’s decision to take legal action against Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi. The Gujarat government had wrongly depicted the girls in a poster showcasing the progress of Muslim girls in that state. The students said TwoCircles. net , a web portal, had photographed them after taking their permission. However, the Modi government used the same it in its advertisement without their knowledge. Talking to newspersons on Monday, Salman Sultan, incharge of the computer science department of the college, said: “ It is not only a copyright violation but also an insult to the students of our college in particular and the people of Azamgarh in general. We believe Modi is an enemy of humanity.” Fareen Mahmood ( above) , one of the girls whose photograph was used in the ad, and a few other students were present at the press conference. “ The girls have agreed to move court against Modi. The college is taking legal opinion to make a foolproof case,” he said. Shahla Mumtaz and Fauzia Zarin, the two other students who were in the photograph, were not present at the press conference. Sultan said all the three girls, their parents and the other students were in touch with the management on the issue. “ The performance of girls in this college is better than boys. The people of Azamgarh are proud of it. But we cannot let a fanatic use our photograph to show the growth of education in his state,” Fareen said. Mail Today --------- Only 500 militants active in Kashmir: J&K police chief Jun 15, 2010 NEW DELHI: Only about 500 insurgents, about 40 percent of them foreign militants, are still active in Jammu and Kashmir and peace is not far from the troubled state with a steep drop in violence in the last three years, says state police chief Kuldeep Khoda. "There are about 500 militants presently active in Jammu and Kashmir and their number has come down from 700-800 last year and around 1,000 in 2008," Khoda said in Delhi where he had come for an official function. The police chief said 40 percent of these militants were foreigners, mostly from Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Only-500-militants-active-in-Kashmir-JK-police-chief/articleshow/6049472.cms --------- Facebook 'Halal' a rage in Pakistan Jun 14, 2010 ISLAMABAD: The "halal" version of Facebook -- launched by Pakistanis last month after a ban was imposed on the social networking website for featuring blasphemous caricatures -- is going strong with 333,000 users having signed up at the last count. Millatfacebook.com, or "MFB" for short, was launched by six tech-savvy Pakistanis following a furore over the caricatures of Prophet Mohammed on Facebook. The Urdu word "millat" is used by Muslims to refer to their nation. "Dear brother/sister, congratulations and salam to over 330,000 Muslims already united as one Millat/Ummah at MFB. Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tech/news/internet/Facebook-Halal-a-rage-in-Pakistan/articleshow/6046716.cms --------- Rampur Raza Library to be digitalised June 15, 2010 New Age Islam News Bureau Rampur (UP):In the closed door meeting of the Rampur Raza Library at Rang Mahal here, a resolution was approved for the digitalisation of the library. Shah Abdus Salam, an officer of the library said that the digitalisation of 11 lakh pages has already been completed while about 80 lakh pages were yet to be digitalised. The entire matter will be available online to enable researchers worldwide. However, the material will not be available for downloading. Prof Abdus Salam further said that the preservation of manuscripts and the development of the library were the main issues in the meeting.Another issue which was discussed in the meeting was the library’s budget which was over 3 crore. --------- Cant redraw border but can make it irrelevant: Rao 15 June, 2010 New Delhi: India is resurrecting PM Manmohan Singhs vision for a Kashmir solution no redrawing of boundaries but making them irrelevant by encouraging cross-LoC trade and movement of people.This was part of the peace process during the Musharraf years between 2004-2008,which stopped abruptly after the Mumbai attacks. For the first time,India put a stamp of approval on the complex negotiations and unsung efforts on a Kashmir solution that was the subject of deep discussions in the back channel for three years until Pervez Musharrafs troubles overwhelmed him in 2007.On Sunday,foreign secretary Nirupama Rao said,We have to reaffirm the progress made through complex negotiations and dialogue through patient and unsung effort whether in the composite dialogue or back-channel diplomacy,during this period.We must seek creative solutions. Full report at: Times of India --------- Iran bars 71 women from boarding planes June 15, 2010 TEHRAN: Seventy-one Iranian women “improperly” dressed were prevented from boarding flights in recent months, an airport official said on Monday, as a police crackdown on the behaviour of young people intensified.    Iranian airports security chief Nabiollah Heidari told ILNA news agency that “in the first 82 days of the current Iranian year (which began on March 21), 71 women were barred from boarding flights because they were improperly dressed.” “Their cases have been forwarded to the judiciary,” he added. Iranian women have to abide by an enforced Islamic dress code, and summer crackdowns on what the authorities perceive to be un-Islamic attire are common.       Full report at: http://thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=245125 --------- American on ‘hunt Osama mission’ held By Zahiruddin 15 Jun, 2010 CHITRAL, June 14: Gary Brooks Faulkner, a US national, has been arrested from the forests of Kalash valley while trying to cross into Nooristan province of Afghanistan through a mountain track. A senior official told Dawn on Monday that Mr Faulkner had entered Chitral as a tourist on June 2 and was staying in a hotel at Bumburate valley. He went missing on Sunday night after duping a police constable deployed for his security. Mohammad Jafar, DPO, said that a heavy contingent of police rushed to the valley from Chitral and spotted him in the forest of Shiekhandeh after a hectic search of about 10 hours. He was brought to Chitral city. Full report at: http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/front-page/american-on-hunt-osama-mission-held-560 --------- 6,000 Afghan kids smuggled to Europe: UN 15 Jun, 2010 BRUSSELS: The UN says more than 5,900 Afghan children were smuggled into Europe last year. The UN high commissioner for refugees said in a report released on Monday that more children are escaping from Afghanistan due to worsening living conditions in their homeland. The agency says children are being pushed by parents to leave with smugglers in order to earn money in Europe and send it back to their families in Afghanistan. The report says, “Afghan parents, families and communities have allowed and encouraged the departure of their children on hazardous journeys.” The agency also found that almost half of underage asylum claims in Europe last year were made by the Afghan youth. ap http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\06\15\story_15-6-2010_pg7_6 --------- 5 Indian firms to bid for Afghan mines 15 June, 2010 New Delhi: China has firstmover advantage but India stands to gain hugely in Afghanistan if its apparently huge mineral deposits are ready to be tapped.As reports spread about Afghanistans untold mineral wealth,five Indian companies are among seven that have been shortlisted by Kabul to bid for huge iron ore mines there. Afghanistans mineral riches are nothing new despite US media reports highlighting a $1 trillion mineral and rare metals finds in Afghanistan as unknown.These reports come at a time when Afghan war officially surpassed Vietnam as Americas longest war. China won the Aynak copper mines in an international bid in Afghanistan in 2008 for a whopping $4 billion.In 2009,the US Geological Survey told the Hamid Karzai government that Afghanistan,one of the poorest countries in the world fighting one of the deadliest wars,was sitting on huge deposits that could transform the country in a way currently unimaginable. Full report at: Times of India --------- Celeb sex tape kicks up storm in Indonesia Aubrey Belford 15 June, 2010 Jakarta: A series of jerky,pixelated video clips allegedly showing top Indonesian stars having sex has prompted debate over government efforts to punish and censor immorality in this Muslim-majority country. Since early June,videos allegedly showing pop singer Nazril Irham,known as Ariel,having sex with his actress girlfriend,Luna Maya,and a married TV anchor,Cut Tari,have spread rapidly across the country via internet,cellphones and pirated DVDs. Like celebrity sex scandals anywhere,the case has prompted plenty of head-shaking.But this being Indonesia,where laws old and new criminalize acts deemed immoral,those involved in the scandal could suffer more than just embarrassment.The police have so far questioned at least two celebrities about the videos,and news reports have said that investigators are on the trail of people suspected of distributing the clips online. Full report at: Times of India --------- Hindutva terror probe wallows in official lethargy By Krishna Kumar 15 June, 2010 HOW serious are the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Mumbai anti-terrorism squad (ATS) about cracking bomb blast cases with a Hindutva terror imprint? The Nanded blasts probe is a perfect indicator. It’s been four years since the terror strike, but the investigators have yet to trace the retired Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer who allegedly trained Bajrang Dal cadre and exhorted them to carry arms and ammunition. The role of this former IB officer was revealed by merchant navy captain Sadanand Bhate, who had given a statement to the Nanded police after the blast in 2006. Bhate was also invited to train the saffron outfit’s members in Nagpur for 10 days. Full report at: Mail Today --------- Have Hyderabad cops framed Muslims in Mecca case? By A. Srinivasa Rao 15 June, 2010 THE Andhra Pradesh Police are tightlipped over the Central Bureau of Investigation’s findings on the alleged involvement of a Hindutva terror group in the Mecca Masjid blasts in May 2007. Two activists of Abhinav Bharat — Devender Gupta and Lokesh Sharma — who were arrested by the Rajasthan anti- terrorism squad recently in connection with the October 2007 Ajmer blasts, were to be produced in a CBI court in Hyderabad on Monday. Inquiries, however, revealed that it would take another three to four days for the CBI to produce them in the court owing to the delay in bringing them from Rajasthan to Hyderabad by train. Full report at: Mail Today --------- Trio in net but Ajmer inquiry heads nowhere By Sudhanshu Mishra 15 June, 2010 MORE than 90 days after the Rajasthan anti- terrorism squad ( ATS) arrested three suspects, investigation into the October 2007 Ajmer dargah blast case has not made much headway. On Monday, Ajmer’s additional chief judicial magistrate J. K. Agrawal extended the judicial custody of the three accused till June 25. The three suspects — Devendra Gupta, Chandra Shekhar Barod and Lokesh Sharma — were produced in court and their remand extended. The ATS as well as the Central Bureau of Investigation ( CBI) — which is coordinating the probe into the interlinked blasts at Ajmer in Rajasthan, Malegaon in Maharashtra and Mecca Masjid in Andhra Pradesh’s capital Hyderabad — have failed to trace the alleged kingpin, Swami Asimanand, so far. He and RSS activist Sunil Joshi, who was eliminated within two months of the Ajmer blast, are believed to have created Hindutva terror modules. Full report at: Mail Today --------- All Indians safe in Kyrgyzstan, to return soon Jun 15, 2010 NEW DELHI: All the 116 Indian nationals, who were stranded in riot-hit southern Kyrgyzstan, have been safely evacuated and will return to India over the next few days, the government said here on Tuesday. The Indians stranded in the southern Kyrgyz towns of Osh and Jalalabad were safely evacuated on Monday night by air to Bishkek, the external affairs ministry said here. "They are expected to return to India over the next few days. Flights out of Bishkek are operating normally," the ministry said. The airlift of the Indian citizens was arranged by the Indian embassy in Bishkek with the active cooperation and support of the Kyrgyz authorities. Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/All-Indians-safe-in-Kyrgyzstan-to-return-soon/articleshow/6049590.cms --------- JAMIA MILLIA ISLAMIA LAUNCHES ONLINE TRACKING SYSTEM Jun 15, 2010 The Jamia Millia Islamia launched an online tracking system to help students get information about their status of application, test centres and interview dates on Monday. “Jamia Millia Islamia is the first uni- versity in India to have introduced a new facility for online tracking of informa- tion concerning admissions,“ said Simi Malhotra, university spokesperson. “This year, we received 29,000 appli- cations for the BTech course for 350 seats. Keeping this in mind, we devel- oped the system to manage the work- load effectively,“ she added. Applicants can log in and seek infor- mation through their name or roll number. Full report at: Hindustan times --------- Pakistan server behind hacking Jun 15, 2010 Indian security agencies have tracked a server in Pakistan that was used to hack the computer of an Indian Army major based in the Andamans who is being questioned by the National Investigation Agency.According to sources,the computer of the Army officer containing some sensitive information was being accessed from two proxy servers.The location of one the servers has been tracked to Pakistan while there is some confusion over the origin of the other server. Times of India --------- Modi ad sponsor Alam Khan is a man no one knows about Yagnesh Mehta 15 June, 2010 Surat: The mystery over who sponsored the advertisements published in a section of newspapers in Bihar praising chief minister Narendra Modi,highlighting the status of Muslims in Gujarat,is deepening. Apart from the controversy over a photograph of Muslim girls using computers and Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar objecting to being featured with Modi,the focus is now on unravelling the mystery of one of the sponsors mentioned in the Kumar-Modi advertisement. The question being asked by Bihar police and the states intelligence agencies is about Alam Khan,one of the sponsors,among 40 whose names have been carried in the advertisement.Most of the sponsors belong to Surat.Alam Khans name figures along with six others from the minority community from Surat. Full report at:Times of India --------- Obama equates oil spill with 9/11 15 June, 2010 Washington: President Barack Obama likened the disastrous oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico to the September 11 attacks in an interview published on the eve of his fourth visit on Monday to the stricken region. In the same way that our view of our vulnerabilities and our foreign policy was shaped profoundly by 9/11,I think this disaster is going to shape how we think about the environment and energy for many years to come, he told Politico.com. Obama said he would be making a fresh bid to get Congress to pass a major energy and climate bill.He vowed to move forward in a bold way in a direction that finally gives us the kind of futureoriented visionary energy policy that we so vitally need and has been absent for so long. Full report at:Times of India --------- Pirates Free Ship With 5 Indians Jun 15th, 2010 Five Indians kidnapped by Somali pirates from a cargo ship have been released unharmed after more than five months in captivity, an official of the Directorate General of Shipping said on Monday. On June 11, 2010, a ransom drop was made to the pirate group holding the merchant vessel at anchor in the vicinity of Garacad on the eastern coast of Somalia. The vessel with a deadweight of 13.363 metric tonnes, was hijacked late in the afternoon on the January 1, 2010 approximately 900 nautical miles north of Seychelles and 600 miles east of the Somali coast. Full report at: http://www.asianage.com/india/pirates-free-ship-5-indians-636 --------- UN slams Kyrgyzstan violence Jun 15, 2010 UNITED NATIONS: The UN Security Council has condemned the bloody violence in restive Kyrgyzstan and pressed for a return to law and order along with a peaceful resolution of differences. The council's 15 ambassadors "condemned continued acts of violence" there and urged "calm, a return of rule of law and order and a peaceful reslution of differences," according to Mexican Ambassador Claude Heller. After being briefed on the latest developments in the central Asian republic, council members also stressed the need "to support the delivery of humanitarian assistance in an urgent manner," he added. Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/UN-slams-Kyrgyzstan-violence/articleshow/6049040.cms --------- India draws contours of its approach in engaging Pakistan 15 June, 2010 NEW DELHI: A week ahead of the talks with Pakistan, India suggested “creative solutions'' on issues that were under discussion between the two countries either through composite dialogue or backchannel diplomacy. Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao, who is scheduled to travel to Islamabad next week, drew the contours of New Delhi's approach in engaging Pakistan. Addressing an India-Pakistan-Afghanistan trialogue organised by the Delhi Policy Group here on Sunday, she said that on Jammu and Kashmir progress was made based on the common understanding that boundaries could not be redrawn. However both sides could work towards making them irrelevant and allowing people on both sides of the Line of Control to move freely and trade with one another. Full report at: http://www.hindu.com/2010/06/15/stories/2010061565611200.htm --------- 7/11 blasts trial from June 22 15 June, 2010 Mumbai: The July 11, 2006 Mumbai serial train blasts trial is set to resume on June 22. All the 13 accused were produced before the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crimes Act (MCOCA) court here on Monday. “The court has said continuous hearings will be held on June 22, 23, 24 and then from June 28. All the accused have legal representation except one,” Public Prosecutor Raja Thakare told TheHindu. “The court allowed the accused to meet their families and announced the hearing date,” Wahab Khan, counsel for four of the accused, said. The Supreme Court had stayed the trial in February 2008 after one of the accused challenged the constitutional validity of a Section under the MCOCA. The stay was vacated in April this year. The case is handled by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad. http://www.hindu.com/2010/06/15/stories/2010061556111500.htm --------- Aligarh V-C defends ‘Special Centres' 15 June, 2010 Aligarh: The Aligarh Muslim University on Monday rejected allegations that the decision to establish ‘special centres' in different parts of the country was illegal and against the letter and spirit of the founding objectives of the institution. “Under Section 12(2) of the University Act 1981, the Visitor of the University was empowered to set up such Centres,” AMU Vice-Chancellor P.K. Abdul Azis said. The University's decision has been opposed by a number of members of different governing bodies of the University and also the AMU Old Boys' Association. Full report at: http://www.hindu.com/2010/06/15/stories/2010061560660900.htm --------- Turkey denounces Israeli probe Atul Aneja 15 June, 2010 DUBAI: Turkey has denounced the formation of a commission by Israel to investigate the attack on a Gaza bound aid flotilla and reinforced its demand for an international probe into the violent incident. “The crime was committed in international waters, not in Israeli territorial waters or on the Israeli border. A commission to investigate an attack in international waters should have an international character,” said Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Monday during a joint news conference with his Senegalese counterpart. Full report at: http://www.hindu.com/2010/06/15/stories/2010061556161600.htm --------- Mufti flays Omar for ‘misgovernance’ 15 June, 2010 Former J&K Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed has accused the Omar Abdullah-led coalition Government of being a “cosmetic dispensation” concerned only about managing the fallout of misgovernance and atrocities rather than working with any vision, agenda or a heart. “The more it (Government) looks up to galleries the more it gets cut off from the roots,” he said, adding that the situation is fuelling anger, alienation and instability amongst the people. Full report at: http://www.dailypioneer.com/262694/Mufti-flays-Omar-for-%E2%80%98misgovernance%E2%80%99.html --------- Govt not to allow banned outfits to hold rallies: Rehman Malik Jun 15, 2010 KARACHI: Pakistan's interior minister Rehman Malik has said the government would not allow banned outfits and parties to take out any rallies or advertise themselves. His warning came during a meeting held in Karachi to review the law and order situation in the Sindh province. The warning also came a day after Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, the leader of the Jamaat-ud-Dawah rubbed shoulders with leaders of some mainstream religious parties in Lahore during a rally taken out to condemn Israeli atrocities and express solidarity with Palestinians. Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Govt-not-to-allow-banned-outfits-to-hold-rallies-Rehman-Malik/articleshow/6049022.cms --------- Somali kids on US payroll flaunt guns Jun 15, 2010 MOGADISHU: Awil Salah Osman prowls the streets of this shattered city, looking like so many other boys, with ripped-up clothes, thin limbs and eyes eager for attention and affection. But Awil is different in two notable ways: he is shouldering a fully automatic, fully loaded Kalashnikov assault rifle; and he is working for a military that is substantially armed and financed by the United States. "You!" he shouts at a driver trying to sneak past his checkpoint. The driver halts immediately. In Somalia, lives are lost quickly, and few want to take their chances with a moody 12-year-old. It is well known that Somalia's radical Islamist insurgents are plucking children off soccer fields and turning them into fighters. But Awil is not a rebel. He is working for Somalia's Transitional Federal Government, a critical piece of the American counterterrorism strategy in the Horn of Africa. Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/Somali-kids-on-US-payroll-flaunt-guns/articleshow/6048899.cms --------- Unique treasure-trove at Zakir Husain College Mallica Joshi Jun 15, 2010 Some books kept at the Mirza Mehmood Beg Library at Zakir Husain College are older than colleges in the city. The oldest library in Delhi University (DU), it has more than 150,000 books, many of which are rare reading mate- rial in Persian, Arabic and Urdu. Its unique collection includes the old- est book, Tasveer-e-Mohabbat by Faqir Shamshuddin from the 18th century, and the Encyclopaedia Britannica, which is the latest addition. “Our library is the only one in Delhi University that starts lending books on the first day of college. It is a very impor- tant part of college life,“ said Dr. M. Aslam Parvaiz, principal, Zakir Husain College. The library, along with the college, came up in 1792 and also houses books in English, Hindi, Sanskrit and Bengali, among others. Full report at:Hindustan times --------- Kuwait to conduct professional tests for expat workers Jun 15, 2010 DUBAI: Prospective expatriate workers seeking employment opportunities in Kuwait will now be required to pass professional training tests at centres in their home countries, in a move by authorities to control the labour market. The workers will also be required to take other tests held in Kuwait before they can take up jobs in the country, according to a report in the Kuwait Times. The new move has been suggested by the Kuwait Professions Organisation which will undertake the activities required for the purpose in coordination with concerned state ministries as well as embassies of Kuwait located abroad through the Foreign Ministry. Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Kuwait-to-conduct-professional-tests-for-expat-workers/articleshow/6049697.cms --------- Tere Bin Laden in trouble with Censor Board Jun 15, 2010 Mumbai, June 14 -- First-time director Abhishek Sharma's Tere Bin Laden has run into trouble with the Censor Board over a rooster-scream competition sequence in the film. The board objected to the use of a word "pencho" in the a scene of the film, produced by Pooja Shetty's Walkwater Films, that sounds like a popular Hindi cussword. According to production sources, the board had asked for the sequence to be entirely eliminated from the film. "Abhishek has spoken to the board officials, but as of now, we don't know whether the scene will be kept or removed," adds our source from the production team. Full report at: http://in.news.yahoo.com/32/20100615/1070/ten-tere-bin-laden-in-trouble-with-censo.html --------- Dawood, Memon planned arms factory in India to avenge Babri: CBI Jun 15, 2010 Dawood Ibrahim and Tiger Memon, alleged masterminds of the 1993 serial blasts, had planned to set up an arms and ammunition factory in India and manufacture weapons to avenge the Babri Masjid demolition, the CBI said in court today. This has emerged during the interrogation of Tahir Merchant alias Tahir Taklya, the alleged Memon aide who was deported from the UAE recently and is in police custody till June 19, the CBI said in its remand application. The four-page application to the special CBI court said Merchant was one of the key conspirators in the 1993 blasts and a contact for absconding accused Memon and Ayub Memon. Full report at: http://in.news.yahoo.com/48/20100615/804/tnl-dawood-memon-planned-arms-factory-in.html --------- Pakistan's resources wasted on Jihad Jun 15, 2010 Pakistan,June 14:Jihadis in Pakistan continue tapping into zakat,the surplus wealth to charity,and other Koranic tax revenues to wage jihad.In Charsadda town in Pakistan,militants belonging to different jihadi organizations forcibly collect wheat from the locals in the name of zakat and ushr. It is used to buy arms and ammunition.And,it goes beyond the imposition of religious/protection taxes. Pakistan Taliban's finances come from a variety of sources ranging from timber trade,precious stone, mining and others.And this is happening under the nose of Pakistan's administration. Observers believe that finances at the disposal of Taliban will enable them to sustain jihadi activities in Pakistan and outside the country. http://in.news.yahoo.com/139/20100614/364/twl-pakistan-s-resources-wasted-on-jihad_1.html --------- Barcelona to ban veil in public buildings Jun 15, 2010 Barcelona on Monday became the first big city in predominantly Catholic Spain to forbid full face veils in public buildings such as markets and libraries. Full veils are banned in all public spaces in small towns Lerida and El Vendrell, which like Barcelona are in the northeastern region of Catalonia. "Barcelona will forbid the use of the burqa, niqab and any other item which hinders personal identification in any of the city's public installations," a statement from the Barcelona municipal government said. Full report at: http://in.news.yahoo.com/48/20100615/1247/twl-barcelona-to-ban-veil-in-public-buil_1.html --------- Israeli police officer killed in shooting attack Jun 15, 2010 JERUSALEM: Palestinian gunmen opened fire on a police vehicle in the West Bank on Monday, killing an Israeli police officer and wounding two others, police said, in a rare flare-up of violence after months of calm. Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said the incident occurred near Hebron, a volatile city in the southern West Bank where hard-line Jewish settlers live in fortified enclaves amid tens of thousands of Palestinians. There was no claim of responsibility. But Rosenfeld said police were treating the incident as an attack by Palestinian militants, and were searching the area for suspects. Full report at: http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article66320.ece --------- Dubai may seek extradition of Mossad ‘agent’ Jun 15, 2010 DUBAI: Dubai may seek the extradition of an alleged Mossad spy arrested in Poland on suspicion of involvement in the killing of a Hamas operative in the Emirates. Police Chief Lt. Gen. Dahi Khalfan Tamim says a request may come if a “direct link to the assassination on our soil” is established. His remarks were reported on Monday by The Gulf News. The detained man, using the name Uri Brodsky, is suspected of working for Mossad to issue a fake German passport to a member of a hit-squad that allegedly killed Hamas agent Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in Dubai in January. Dubai police have identified 32 suspects they say traveled to the Gulf city-state on forged European and Australian passports to kill Al-Mabhouh. Full report at: http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article66225.ece --------- Many Palestinians in Israeli custody without charge By MOHAMMED MAR’I Jun 14, 2010 RAMALLAH: The Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem said that 222 Palestinian are being held in Israeli jails without charge or trial. B’Tselem said in its annual report on human rights in East Jerusalem, West Bank and the Gaza Strip -- which was released on Monday morning — that the Israeli policy contradicts all rules of international law regarding the use of administrative detention, while seriously infringing on detainees’ rights. The organization said in its 44-page report that Israel is mocking the protection provided by the law, going against freedom and the right for a fair procedure. Administrative detention orders can be given for up to a 6-month period, and are renewable at the expiration of this time. Some prisoners were kept for years under administrative detention. Full report at: http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article66227.ece --------- Couple burn to death in Makkah car crash By BADEA ABU AL-NAJA Jun 15, 2010 MAKKAH: A man and wife died after their car caught fire having crashed into a concrete divider on Makkah’s Awali Road on Monday morning. The car is thought to have crashed into an electric pole. The bodies of the couple were left charred beyond recognition, said a police source. Meanwhile, a driver and a woman passenger were killed near the Maskhouta Tunnel on the Ring Road in Makkah. According to police, the car hit a wall at the entrance of the tunnel and overturned when the driver swerved to avoid a dog that had crossed on to the carriageway. The traffic authorities in the Kingdom have implemented an automatic-ticketing system known as Saher in order to cut down on road accidents which are mainly attributed to speeding. Officials say there has been a noticeable decline in the number of speeders after the system was introduced. http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article66289.ece --------- Kalema Society to hold book signing ceremony Jun 15, 2010 JEDDAH: Kalema Society will hold a book signing ceremony at Virgin Megastores in Roshana Mall on Tahlia Avenue on Tuesday evening, organizers said. ive books by the society’s members, including “Reforms in Saudi Arabia”  by Samar Fatany, a well-known columnist and radio journalist, and two novels will be launched at the ceremony. Other books which will be available are: “Al-Hubb Daiman” (Love Always), a novel by Dr. Amal Shatta; “Imraa Alal Haffa” (A Woman on the Brink), a novel by Suad Jaber; and Al-Amthal Al-Shaabiya in Hejaz” (Folk Parables in Hejaz) and “Taqasum Al-Tawajus” (Dispelling Apprehensions), an anthology of poems, both by Etidal Otaiwi. Full report at: http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article66286.ece --------- Jeddah seeks to enforce Saudi-only Ramadan stalls By SULTAN AL-TAMIMI Jun 15, 2010 JEDDAH: The municipality has announced that married women and men under the age of 30 — as well as all foreign workers — will be barred from applying for seasonal Ramadan food vendors’ permits. This year, only women who are widowed or divorced will be eligible for the permit. “A (male) applicant must be a Saudi citizen, at least 30 years of age and must be committed to work in the stall or shop the license was issued for,” said Wadea Abu Al-Hamayel, president of the municipality office in charge of downtown (Balad) affairs. Each year, Jeddah’s old city lights up with festively decorated food stalls serving different types of treats, from Syrian sweets to dishes of chopped liver and onions. Full report at: http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article66288.ece] --------- US State Dept wants US combat gear for Iraq security By RICHARD LARDNER Jun 14, 2010 WASHINGTON: The State Department says its diplomatic staff will not be safe after the American military leaves Iraq unless it has its own combat-ready protection force, a warning that underscores concerns about the Iraq army and police the US has spent billions of dollars training and equipping. Vehicles and aircraft used by the department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security to protect personnel in other parts of the world are "inadequate to the extreme security challenges in Iraq," according to documents the State Department sent to the Pentagon in April. The bureau will need to "duplicate the capabilities of the US military" by December 2011, the documents say, when all American forces are scheduled to leave Iraq. Full report at: http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article66304.ece --------- 134 Pakistanis rescued from violence-torn Kyrgyzstan June 15, 2010  CHAKLALA: First special flight of PAF-C130 has landed at Chaklala Airbase, bringing a total of 134 Pakistani nationals including students from violence-stricken Osh city of Kyrgyzstan in the wee hours of Monday, Geo news reported. Another special flight will bring the remaining Pakistani nationals along the dead body of Ali Raza, a Pakistani student killed in racial violence in Osh, sometime on Tuesday morning. Talking to Geo news, Pakistani envoy Tanvir Khaskheli said most among Pakistanis returned home are students and a little number of traders or laborers were also among them. Full report at: http://www.thenews.jang.com.pk/6-15-2010/66699.htm --------- Targeted killing toll rises to 7; three injured June 15, 2010  KARACHI: The toll in targeted killing incidents has risen to seven while another three are injured till Tuesday morning, Geo news reported. Fresh wave of fierce targeted killing in Karachi earlier claimed six lives including an Assistant Jailor on late Monday, Geo news reported. According to police sources, Assistant Jailor, Ishaq Mio, was shot injured by armed men who was rushed to a private hospital but succumbed to fatal injuries. Mohammed Ibrahim was gunned down in Gulistan-e-Johar. His dead body has been shifted to JPMC Hospital. Full report at: http://www.thenews.jang.com.pk/6-15-2010/66700.htm --------- Activities of banned outfits to be curbed: Rehman June 14, 2010  KARACHI: A delegation of Muttahida Qaumi Movement(MQM) met President Asif Ali Zardari at Bilawal House here Monday and discussed matters relating to sectarian killing, development in the province and implementations of decisions of Core Committee and KESC tariff. Sindh Governor Dr Ishrat ul Ibad Khan, Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah and Interior Minister Rehman Malik were present on the occasion. Federal Ministers Dr Farooq Sattar was leading the delegation which included Babar Khan Ghauri, provincial ministers, Dr Ahmed Saghir, Adil Siddiqui and Waseem Aftab. Talking to media after the meeting, Interior Minister Rehman Malik said that President Asif Ali Zardari has said that he wants peace in the city at all cost. The President said that everybody wants peace in Karachi which is the economic hub of Pakistan. Full report at: http://www.thenews.jang.com.pk/6-14-2010/66689.htm --------- PAF plane sent to bring back Pakistanis stranded in Kyrgyzstan June 15, 2010 ISLAMABAD: Pakistan became the first ‘non-immediate neighbour’ to start a relief and repatriation process for violence-hit Kyrgyzstan on Monday by flying in special air force plane to Osh city with relief goods. The plane would bring back stranded Pakistan students, including the body of a student, Ali Raza, who was hit by a stray bullet. Pakistanis are not the target of attacks in this violence. The aircraft, which left the Chaklala Airbase on Monday evening, is expected to return to the base in the wee hours of Tuesday after a three hours direct flight from the Osh airport with hopefully 30 students onboard. Full report at: http://thenews.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=29480 --------- 12 militants killed in Orakzai, Malakand June 15, 2010 KALAYA: Security forces killed 12 militants and injured six others in Orakzai and Malakand agencies on Monday.Ten militants were killed and six others sustained injuries in shelling by military gunship helicopters and jet fighters in different areas of the Upper Tehsil of Orakzai Agency on Monday, official sources said. The sources said security forces attacked the hideouts and compounds of the militants in Navaykot, Badama, Ghundai Mela and Shadla areas, killing 10 militants and injuring six others. Meanwhile, two militants were killed in a clash with security forces in Mura Banda area in Malakand Agency late on Sunday, official sources said.The sources said security forces were on their routine patrol at night in Mura Banda area when the militants opened fire at their convoy. The forces returned the fire, killing two militants on the spot. The slain militants were identified as Abdullah and Majeed, both residents of Bazdarra village in Palai area. http://thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=245138 --------- Cameron sees ‘reduced threat’ from Al Qaeda 15 Jun, 2010 LONDON, June 14: British Prime Minister David Cameron said on Monday the threat from Al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan had reduced, but progress could still be undone and a “political surge” was needed in Afghanistan. Reporting to parliament after his first trip to Afghanistan as prime minister last week, Cameron said the combined efforts of international and Afghan forces and of Pakistani forces on the other side of the border had led to significant progress. “Today I am advised that the threat from Al Qaeda from Afghanistan and Pakistan has reduced,” he said. Full report at: http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/international/cameron-sees-reduced-threat-from-al-qaeda-560 --------- UN slams Kyrgyzstan violence, urges calm 15 June 2010 The UN Security Council on Monday condemned the bloody violence in restive Kyrgyzstan and pressed for a return to law and order along with a peaceful resolution of differences. The council’s 15 ambassadors “condemned continued acts of violence” there and urged “calm, a return of rule of law and order and a peaceful reslution of differences,” according to Mexican Ambassador Claude Heller. After being briefed on the latest developments in the central Asian republic, council members also stressed the need “to support the delivery of humanitarian assistance in an urgent manner,” he added. Full report at: http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle08.asp?xfile=data/international/2010/June/international_June675.xml&section=international --------- UAE leads in global competitiveness 15 June 2010 The UAE is among the top nations in the Global Competitiveness Report for 2009-2010 published by the World Economic Forum. The yearly report evaluates competitiveness along nine parameters: institutions, infrastructure, macroeconomy, health and primary education, higher education and training, market efficiency, technological readiness, business sophistication and innovation. His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on Monday praised the progress made by the UAE internationally and said it should serve as an incentive for greater accomplishments in the future. Full report at: http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle09.asp?xfile=data/theuae/2010/June/theuae_June416.xml&section=theuae --------- New Iraqi parliament holds brief symbolic session 14 June 2010 BAGHDAD - Iraq’s new parliament convened for just under 20 minutes Monday in what was little more than a symbolic inaugural session because of unresolved differences over key government positions — a precarious political limbo three months after inconclusive elections. The sides are sharply divided over the formation of a new government, and analysts and some lawmakers have warned that a decision could still be months away. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is battling to keep his job after the rival Sunni-backed Iraqiya list narrowly won the most seats in the March 7 balloting. In parliament, al-Maliki watched as his chief rival, Ayad Allawi, who heads the Iraqiya bloc, and other lawmakers stood to take the oath of office in Arabic and Kurdish. The other half of the session was taken up by the singing of the national anthem and readings from the Quran. Full report at: http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle08.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2010/June/middleeast_June468.xml&section=middleeast --------- Pakistan seeks more visas for people visiting Ajmer shrine Jun 15, 2010 ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has sought an increase in the number visas issued for its people to attend the annual Urs at the shrine of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer, saying it will strengthen Indo-Pak peace process. Religious Affairs Minister Hamid Saeed Kazmi, who is on an official visit to India as the head of the Pakistani delegation taking part in the Urs celebrations during June 14-24, said only 500 Pakistanis are granted visas for the event in Ajmer. On the other hand, Pakistan grants visas to thousands of Indian Sikhs and Hindus to visit their holy places in Pakistan, he said. Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Pakistan-seeks-more-visas-for-people-visiting-Ajmer-shrine/articleshow/6050324.cms URL: http://www.newageislam.com/NewAgeIslamIslamicWorldNews_1.aspx?ArticleID=2997