| Islamic World News | |
| 12 Jul 2010, NewAgeIslam.Com |
Twin blasts kill at least 64 in Uganda 22 Taliban killed in Upper Orakzai
Iran halts woman’s stoning ‘for now’
Hindu boy, Muslim girl forced to marry thrice in 6 months
Afzal should be punished: Muslim leader
26/11: FBI officer highlights sloppy response
Mehbooba turns down PM's offer on all-party meet
The world is eager to see the true picture of Islam: Libyan scholar
‘Association with Nadwa Movement a matter of pride’
Muslims should keep away from emotional sloganeering: Mufti Taqi Usmani
Pak police launch crackdown on outlawed groups in Punjab
Bangladesh: Pvt University Bill passed
Hezbollah says it has list of targets in Israel
Muslims demand Facebook adhere to Islamic/sharia law
Forcing workers to toil in heat is anti-Islamic: Saudi scholar
US should better define, counter Islamic extremism
Exclusive: NASA -“Reach out to the Muslim world”
34-strong gang held for thefts
Senior Palestinian calls Jerusalem a 'time bomb'
7,438 pesticide-related poisoning deaths recorded from 2008
Malaysia: Hub for Islamic fund firms
UAE among world’s most commercially open nations
Pakistan expects India’s mature attitude: Zardari
Al-Qaeda owns up to June 19 attack on Yemen security HQ
Qaida fatwa to its men: Marry widows of jihadis
Sixty percent of Saudis don’t have own houses
Qaeda threatens to kill French hostage in 15 days
Kashmir unrest: All eyes on PM Manmohan Singh
Top LeT militant killed
Curfew lifted in Kashmir, NC-Cong MLAs rally behind Omar
Pakistan must take on Haqqani network: US senator
Pakistan did not oppose US-India N-deal: Zardari
Pak claims Chinese support for PoK project
Bill Clinton to mediate prisoner swap deal between Israel and Hamas
Libyan Aid ship heads for Gaza
Pak resorts to LoC firing
Israel PM to discuss peace moves with Mubarak
Pakistan must take on Haqqani network: US senator
Militants kill 14 Afghan policemen
Israel warns as Libyan aid boat heads towards Gaza
Soldiers take over where Afghan gov't fears to go
Yemeni journalist kidnapped by gunmen
Waterloo in Afghanistan: Eric S. Margolis
Authorities asked to produce all 735 ‘mutineers’ in court today
Anwar’s newspaper defies Malaysia’s publication ban order
Compiled by New Age Islam News bureau
Photo: Farah Pandith, US Government's special representative to Muslim communities
------ Indian Muslims are not terrorists: Farah Pandith Jul 11, 2010 WASHINGTON: India's 160 million Muslims are not terrorists and are tired of their community being defined as terrorists, assert a top Indian-American official of the Obama Administration charged with reaching out to the community. "I talk about the bloggers that I meet in India who are tired of Muslims being defined as terrorists," Farah Pandith, US Special Representative to the Muslim Community, said in a web chat Friday. "They're getting out there and talking about what's happening in India, with 160 million Muslims in India - all of whom, by the way, are not terrorists, excuse me," asserted the Indian-American State Department official. Articulating US attempts at fostering a positive dialogue with the world's 1.4 billion Muslims, Pandith made clear that she tries not to speak of a single monolithic "Muslim world". "The narrative has to change by the conversations that we are having, and not to put everything in one big bucket, just because, obviously, somebody maybe of one faith that does something bad does not mean that everybody of that faith is in that same bucket," she said in response to a question. "We have to listen. We have to hear what it is they are experiencing. Their expertise is better than somebody in Washington saying what must be," said the official who has travelled to 25 countries in the last nine months talking to Muslims. Muslims are trying very hard to push away any kind of narrative that would give that impression, Pandith said. "We as Muslims do not support the use of violence in any way, shape or form. "It's talking about diversity, and it's talking about things that this country stands for. When we talk about the West, Muslims are part of the West. There are 30 million Muslims in Western Europe. There are millions of Muslims in America," she said. "It's not us versus them," said Pandith. "It's not the West versus the East. It's not America versus Islam. The president has talked very clearly about the fact that Islam is part of America." http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/indians-abroad/Indian-Muslims-are-not-terrorists-Farah-Pandith-/articleshow/6152102.cms ------ Twin blasts kill at least 64 in Uganda 12 July 2010 Explosions ripped through two restaurants in the Ugandan capital , killing at least 64 people, as crowds watched the World Cup final, terming the blasts terrorist attacks. The Inspector General of Ugandan police Kale Kayihura linked the explosions to recent threats by Somalia’s Al-Qaeda-inspired Shebab militia against countries that have sent troops to the African Union (AU) peace force there. Shebab leader Mohamed Abdi Godane on July 5 accused the AU peacekeepers — comprising Ugandan and Burundian troops — of killing civilians in Mogadishu and called on Somalis to join the war against “the enemy of Allah”. “You know there have been declarations from Shebab and Al-Qaida. Terrorism is a modern-day threat. You know the region we are in and our commitment in Somalia,” Kayihura said. “Obviously this is terrorisn. That one is clear,” he added. “At this stage we can’t rule out anything.” The explosions hit an Ethiopian restaurant in Kabalagala, a crowded suburb in the south of Kampala littered with several pubs popular with football fans, and a rugby sports club in the eastern region of the capital city. “Here there are 13 dead,” said the police chief in reference to the Ethiopian restaurant, adding that “I can talk of deaths in the tens,” when asked about the toll at the sports club. “These bombs were definitely targeting World Cup crowds,” Kayihura said. One American national was among those killed in the attacks, a US embassy spokeswoman said. “At this time we can confirm that one American has been killed,” said Joann Lockard. “I have no further information about American citizens.” An AFP correspondent saw three wounded US citizens at Kampala’s main Mulago hospital where dozens other injured people had been taken for treatment. “We just wanted to watch the World Cup, unfortunately we went to the Ethiopian village,” said 18-year-old Chris Sledge who suffered serious injuries to his legs and a bruised eye. “I feel OK. Am gonna need surgery.” US President Barack Obama called the deadly explosions “deplorable and cowardly”, National Security Council spokesman Mike Hammer said in a statement. “The United States is ready to provide any assistance requested by the Ugandan government,” he added. A senior administration official said the United States was in contact with its embassy in Kampala and was in touch with the Federal Bureau of Investigation regarding requests for assistance from Uganda’s government. It was not immediately clear who was behind the explosions or what anybody’s motivation could have been, but Kampala city police spokesman Idi Ssenkunzi said they suspected that the perpetrators detonated bombs. Uganda became the first country to send troops to Somalia in early 2007 to prop up the war-torn country’s transitional government, which were later joined by Burundian forces. The hardline militia have repeatedly attacked the AU peackeepers, killing scores and confining the fragile government’s control of Mogadishu to just a few blocks. Last week, a regional bloc pledged to send additional 2,000 soldiers to Somalia to boost the AU peacekeepers’ strength to the required 8,100 troops, sparking belligerent reaction from the radical Islamist groups. On Saturday, the leaders of Somalia’s two Islamist movements met for talks aimed at joining forces against the Western-backed government of President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed they are fighting to overthrow, In Kampala, Uganda’s police chief urged residents to avoid huge gatherings. “As we grapple to find out what could have caused this, I would appeal to members of the public to avoid big gatherings,” Kayihura said. Several security officers went to the scenes of the blasts, blocked roads and cordoned off the buldings, an AFP correspondent reported. http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle09.asp?xfile=data/international/2010/July/international_July436.xml§ion=international ------ 22 Taliban killed in Upper Orakzai 12 July 2010 HANGU: Fighter jets and helicopter gunships bombed various areas of Upper Orakzai Agency on Sunday, killing 22 Taliban and injuring 10. Sources said fighter jets shelled Taliban hideouts at 9am in Qaum Sok, Balyana and Tor Smit, killing 10 Taliban and injuring another four. Again at 11am, helicopter gunships bombed Taliban hideouts in Mazeed Garhi, Tor Kantri and Sra Mela areas in Upper Orakzai killing 12 Taliban and injuring six. http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\07\12\story_12-7-2010_pg7_5 ------ Iran halts woman’s stoning ‘for now’ 12 July 2010 TEHRAN: Iran’s judiciary chief has temporarily halted the execution by stoning of a woman accused of adultery, state news agency IRNA reported on Sunday, quoting a judiciary official. “Although the verdict is definitive and applicable, the verdict has been halted due to humanitarian reservations and upon the order of the honourable judiciary chief and it will not be carried out for the moment,” Malek Ajdar Sharifi, head of the judiciary in East Azerbaijan province, told IRNA. The woman, Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, a 43-year-old mother of two, had been sentenced to death by stoning after she was found guilty of adultery by an Iranian court, a ruling that has sparked outcry in Western countries. But Sharifi said the move was temporary and her death sentence could be carried out as decided by the judiciary chief, Sadeq Larijani. “Whenever the judiciary chief deems it expedient, the verdict will be carried out regardless of Western media propaganda,” Sharifi said. Ashtiani was convicted on May 15, 2006 of having an “illicit relationship” with two men, according to her lawyer and London-based rights watchdog Amnesty International. Amnesty said she received 99 lashes as per her sentence but was subsequently accused of “adultery while being married” in September 2006. afp http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\07\12\story_12-7-2010_pg7_4 ------ Hindu boy, Muslim girl forced to marry thrice in 6 months 12 Jul. 10 A boy sees a girl at a social gathering and instantly decides that he should get married to her. After several days of courting, he succeeds in wooing her and proposes to her. The girl is reluctant and hesitant as she is from a different community. Finally, the boy manages to convince her to marry him. This real-life incident being enacted in West Bengal has some trappings of Maniratnam-directed ‘Bombay’ made in 1995. But the comparisons stop at the marriage. But Tarun Modak, an employee of a private shipping company, and Jahanara Khatoon (names changed), have already married three times in six months and now a sword of Damocles hangs over them in the form of a fatwa. The events have taken a bizarre turn and the couple had to marry thrice-- twice only to please the society, relatives and the families. The two went through torrid time, which they would not have bargained for at the time of deciding to get married. They had to willy-nilly kowtow to an adverse fatwa from the community leaders. The young couple had little alternative but to please. Tarun was aware of the sensational wedding between computer graphic designer Rizwanur Rehaman and Priyanka Todi, daughter of a business tycoon, in Kolkata and the media attention it had attracted. He knew the fate Rizwanur met. But, Tarun threw caution to winds as he thought that he was not marrying any prominent person’s daughter. He was shocked beyond his senses by the events that followed his marriage. Khatoon, a primary school teacher from Metiabruz near Watgunge in the southern fringe of Kolkata, first married Tarun in February 2009 under the Special Marriage Act. For a couple of months, the newly wed had a nice time and things were hunky-dory as they lived separately without depending on others. Full report at: http://www.deccanherald.com/content/80605/hindu-boy-muslim-girl-forced.html ------ Afzal should be punished: Muslim leader Jul 11, 2010 NEW DELHI: Parliament attack case convict Afzal Guru, who is on death row, should be punished as decided by the judicial system of the country, a top leader of a prominent Muslim organisation said. General Secretary of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind Maulana Mahmood Madani said those apprehending strong protest from the Muslims if the punishment against Guru was carried out actually want to gain "political mileage" out of the issue. "I do not think the community will oppose it. Some crazy people may oppose it but it will not be the community," he told a hindi news channel, replying to a question. "There is a judicial system in the country and people have full faith and confidence in it. After the judicial process, it has been proved that the man is guilty." Without naming Guru, Madani said if somebody has committed a crime then he must be punished. Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Afzal-should-be-punished-Muslim-leader/articleshow/6156132.cms ------ 26/11: FBI officer highlights sloppy response Vishwa Mohan Jul 12, 2010 NEW DELHI: The security establishment's glaring shortcomings were all too obvious in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks but the FBI officer who coordinated the US probe from Washington has now given a damning indiction of the sloppy response. Anthony Tindall, who was in the thick of the action at the time, described howi ll-equipped and ill-trained policemen virtually allowed the 10 terrorists to wreak havoc in the metropolis and how it was the US agency which helped them not only in tracing Lashkar's footprints but also getting planners and conspirators arrested in Pakistan. Sharing lessons from the 26/11 attacks with South Florida law enforcement officers in the US on Wednesday, Tindall said the Mumbai attacks illustrated how terrorists "with little funding and basic weapons" could wreak havoc in a large metropolitan area. As reported by Miami Herald and Sun Sentinel newspapers in the US, Tindall said many Indian officers (Mumbai cops) who responded were unarmed or lacked the anti-terrorism training that officers in the US have. Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/26/11-FBI-officer-highlights-sloppy-response/articleshow/6156146.cms ------ Mehbooba turns down PM's offer on all-party meet Josy Joseph & M Saleem Pandit Jul 12, 2010 SRINAGAR: Adding to the uncertainties of a tense Kashmir Valley, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday rejected Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's personal appeal to her to join Monday's all-party meet to find a solution to the present crisis. "Very kind of the prime minister to call me. I told the PM that I won't be able to attend the all-party meet," Mehbooba said. "But it was painful to convey my inability to attend the meeting," she added. Singh's phone call to Mehbooba came on Saturday evening, as the Valley completed yet another week of violent protests, curfews and political uncertainty. Home minister P Chidambaram too called up the Opposition leader, who has taken a strident line against the Omar Abdullah government. Sources in New Delhi said the meeting would have to go ahead without Mehbooba and Congress saw few options apart from backing CM Omar Abdullah much as it wanted PDP to be part of efforts to restore calm to the Valley. They said the separatists were working on a well-planned strategy and it would take patience and perseverance to quell efforts to foment trouble. Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Mehbooba-turns-down-PMs-offer-on-all-party-meet/articleshow/6156815.cms ------ The world is eager to see the true picture of Islam: Libyan scholar July 12, 2010 New Age Islam News Bureau Mumbai: Addressing a seminar on ‘Jihad against Terrorism’ the Islamic scholars from various countries condemned terrorism in harshest terms and emphasised the need to wage ‘jihad’ against terrorism. Speaking in the seminar jointly organised by Fatmi International Organisation and Sahyog Cultural Society on the birth anniversary of Hadhrat Fatima (R.A), head of Fatmi International Union, Libya Dr. Muhammad Ash Shahuli that it was unfortunate that the world today wants to see the picture of Islam in Muslim culture but the fact was that the true picture of Islam can be seen either in the Quran or in the ahl-e-bait where you would not find the concept of terrorism. He said that during jihad, even the trees were not allowed to be felled. Not only that, clear instructions were given that those leaving the battlefield should not be chased and the old, children and women should not be targeted. Dr Shahuli said that in 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, innocent people were killed. Those terrorists were not Muslims; they were not the followers of the Quran; they were not human beings. The President of the Kufa Academy, Netherlands, Dr Mohammad Sayeed Al Tawahiri said terrorism and jihad were diametrically opposite to each other. Shia religious scholar Syed Ahmad Abdi said the killing of innocent and non-combatant people was a crime, not jihad. Maulana Abdul Jabbar Qadri said that those linking terrorism to jihad were the real perpetrators of terrorism. The President of Sahyog Cultural Society, Abdus Sami Bubere said that Islam which preached love with the motherland could never preach terrorism. Christian scholar Mr Pinto, Hindu Pandit Chaturvedi and Zoroastrian scholar Yezdi also addressed the seminar. The kin of some police officers were also felicitated on the occasion. ------ ‘Association with Nadwa Movement a matter of pride’ July 12, 2010 New Age Islam News Bureau Khatoli: A two-day seminar on “ Nadwa Movement: Past and Present” was held in five phases at the Jamiatul Imam Waliullah located at the native village of the great Islamic scholar Shah Waliullah Mohaddis Dehlvi, Phalat Sharif. In the seminar 21 critiques were presented on Nadwa Movement, Allama Shibli Library, Nadwa and the syllabus of Arabic language and literature, the role of Nadwa in the establishment of Almi Rabtae Adab Islami, Islamic jurisprudence and Nadwa and the life and services of Maulana Ali Mian. Maulana Shamshad Ali Qasmi said that Darul Uloom Deoband and Aligarh Muslim Univesity were two different movements and Nadwa was established to create a balance between these two. The speakers said that the purpose of the seminar was to make people aware of the Nadwa Movement. ------ Muslims should keep away from emotional sloganeering: Mufti Taqi Usmani July 12, 2010 New Age Islam News Bureau Deoband: The renowned Islamic scholar and the former Chief Justice of the Federal Shariah Court of Pakistan,Maulana Taqi Usmani, who is on his visit to India addressed an assembly of teachers, students and general public at Deoband’s Masjid Rasheed said that Deen (faith) was synonymous with moderateness and once moderateness goes away, faith also goes away. He said that Muslims today had shunned the Islamic way of life adding that Deobandism and Islamic culture were identical. He hoped that Islam’s future was bright and urged Muslims to take take recourse to rationalism istead of violence. He also urged Muslims to keep away from emotional sloganeering. ------ Pak police launch crackdown on outlawed groups in Punjab 12 Jul. 10 ISLAMABAD: Pakistani police have launched a crackdown on outlawed groups in the southern part of Punjab province, which is considered a base for the Punjabi Taliban, and arrested about 170 activists. The "unannounced police operation" against proscribed organisations began last night, The News daily reported. Police conducted raids in Rahimyar Khan, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar and Layyah districts and arrested some 170 activists of Sunni sectarian groups like the Sipah-e-Sahaba and Jaish-e-Mohammed. During the operation, 22 offices of the banned Sipah-e-Sahaba, a notorious anti-Shia group, were sealed. The Sipah-e-Sahaba is allegedly operating under the new name of Ahl-e-Sunnat Wal Jamaat. The operation also targeted facilities and members of the banned groups in Lahore, Multan, Sahiwal, Khanewal, Jhang, Bhakkar, Gujrat, Vehari, Rawalpindi and other cities. The arrested activists were taken to unknown locations. Allama Ahmad Ludhianvi, chief of the Ahl-e-Sunnat Wal Jamaat, condemned the arrests. In a statement, he said, "preparations were afoot to play a heinous game across the country at the behest of foreign forces". He said the unjustified arrest of his party's workers had created an environment of tension and the government's steps had provoked activists. "I have asked the government to identify terrorists in my party and they would be handed over to the authorities," he said. Ludhianvi urged activists of his party to exercise restraint. During the raids in Bahawalpur district, six activists of the Sipah-e-Sahaba, Millat-e-Islami and Jaish-e-Muhammad were arrested. Seven and five activists were arrested in Rahimyar Khan and Bahawalnagar respectively. Talking to The News, Bahawalnagar district police chief Mehboob Rashid confirmed the arrest of five activists. More arrests are expected, he said. Pakistan's military and intelligence set-up had recently sent a strong message to the PML-N-led government in Punjab to crack down on banned sectarian and extremist groups like the Sipah-e-Sahaba and Jaish-e-Mohammed. Pressure has mounted on the Punjab government to act against the banned groups in the wake of a recent suicide attack on Data Darbar, the shrine of Sufi saint Hazrat Ali Hajweri in Lahore. Forty-five people died and over 200 were injured when two suicide bombers blew themselves up within the revered shrine. Influential Sunni groups have asked Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to sack provincial Law Minister Rana Sanaullah, who openly campaigned with Sipah-e-Sahaba chief Ludhianvi during a by-election in Jhang district in February. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Pak-police-launch-crackdown-on-outlawed-groups-in-Punjab/articleshow/6158502.cms ------ Bangladesh: Pvt University Bill passed Jul 12, 2010 Parliament on Sunday passed a bill to streamline the private-run universities. The House approved the bill on voice vote as the opposition BNP-led alliance lawmakers continued to abstain saying they were not allowed to speak. They said that they would return to parliament if proper atmosphere was restored and their microphones were not switched off. The bill, when it becomes law, would make it mandatory for the private run universities to have campuses on their known land as well as sufficient reserved funds. With certain amendments, parliamentary standing committee on education recommended the passage of the Private University Bill 2010, tabled by the education minister, Nurul Islam Nahid, in early March. The bill, once it becomes law, will repeal the Private Universities Act enacted in 1998. The new law would require a private university to have its own campuses on at least an acre of land in Dhaka and other cities and on a two-acre plot in the outlying districts. Full report at: www.newagebd.com ------ Hezbollah says it has list of targets in Israel By BASSEM MROUE Jul 11, 2010 BEIRUT: A senior official with the militant Hezbollah group said Sunday they have a list of military targets inside Israel to strike in any future war. Hezbollah commander in south Lebanon, Sheik Nabil Kaouk, made his comments in response to Wednesday's release by Israel's military of maps and aerial photographs of what it described as a network of Hezbollah weapons depots and command centers in south Lebanon. The Israeli material included detailed maps and 3-D simulations showing individual buildings that the military said were rocket storehouses. Some were said to be located close to schools and hospitals. The Hezbollah official told the state news agency that the Israeli leaders were trying to restore their confidence by presenting a list of targets in southern Lebanon "after the Israeli public opinion lost faith in the army." Kaouk noted that Israel's announcement comes on the anniversary of their "defeat" in the 2006 war in which Hezbollah battled Israel to a stalemate and some 1,200 Lebanese and 160 Israelis died. Full report at: http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article82633.ece ------ Muslims demand Facebook adhere to Islamic/sharia law July 12 2010 A comment is being circulated on Facebook complaining that the site has not only allowed Islam-critical pages like "Everybody Draw Muhammad Day" to thrive but has also removed four major Muslim Facebook pages with a total of about 2.5 million members. This "chain email" is thus claiming that Facebook has taken a dramatic anti-Islam stance, and the comment is further demanding that the site restore the Islamic pages, make it illegal to criticize Islam, and remove all FB pages that are critical of Islam. In other words, it is demanding that Facebook follow Islamic or sharia law. While the comment claims that these Islamic pages were not anti-infidel in sentiment, its demands certainly are, and they belie any possibly "peaceful" notion of why these pages should be allowed back on Facebook. Supporters of free speech are calling for this Islamist comment be searched out on FB and flagged in a show of support for Facebook's creators not to kowtow to censorship and to demonstrate that the non-Muslim world will not be subjugated under Islamic or sharia law. Here is the comment: Facebook Admins, Moderators, Mark Zuckerberg, Dustin Moskovitz, Sheryl Sandberg, and Matt Cohler; Full report at: http://www.examiner.com/x-17009-Freethought-Examiner~y2010m7d11-Muslims-demand-Facebook-adhere-to-Islamicsharia-law ------ Forcing workers to toil in heat is anti-Islamic: Saudi scholar July 12, 2010 Dubai: A top Saudi cleric has said that forcing labourers to work in the hot summer sun is forbidden in Islam and contradicts the basic objectives of the Sharia law. Ali bin Abbas Al Hakami, member of the Board of Senior Ulema and member of the Supreme Judicial Council in Saudi Arabia, denounced those who give scant respect to this basic philosophy of Islamic Sharia and force labourers to toil in oppressive heat. Thousands of foreign workers, including a large number of Indians, work in Saudi Arabia and neighbouring countries and have been the key component of the construction boom in the region. Al Hakami said Islam orders everyone to be kind and considerate to labourers who are in the lowest strata of society. "If a worker is not strong enough to carry out a given task, he should be provided with another worker to help him rather than forcing him to do the work alone," he said in a statement. Full report at: http://www.ndtv.com/article/world/forcing-workers-to-toil-in-heat-is-anti-islamic-saudi-scholar-37042?cp ------ US should better define, counter Islamic extremism By LOLITA C. BALDOR WASHINGTON — The Obama administration's recent move to drop references to Islamic radicalism is drawing fire in a new report warning the decision ignores the role religion can play in motivating terrorists. Several prominent counterterror experts are challenging the administration's shift in its recently unveiled National Security Strategy, saying the terror threat should be defined in order to fight it. The question of how to frame the conflict against al-Qaida and other terrorists poses a knotty problem. The U.S. is trying to mend fences with Muslim communities while toughening its strikes against militant groups. In the report, scheduled to be released this week, counterterrorism experts from the Washington Institute for Near East Policy argue that the U.S. could clearly articulate the threat from radical Islamic extremists "without denigrating the Islamic religion in any way." President Barack Obama has argued that words matter, and administration officials have said that the use of inflammatory descriptions linking Islam to the terror threat feed the enemy's propaganda and may alienate moderate Muslims in the U.S. Full report at: Copyright © 2010 The Associated Press ------ Exclusive: NASA -“Reach out to the Muslim world” Gadi Adelman “Space, the final frontier. These are the voyages of the Obama Administration Enterprise. Its four-year mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before.” Okay, not the way you exactly remember it, but you get the point. Al Arabiya Network has the honor of being the first network to have the first formal interview with President Obama after his inauguration. Charles Bolden, NASA Administrator was in the Middle East last month marking the one year anniversary of Obamas speech to the Muslim world and was interviewed by Al Jazeera Network on June 30th. When asked by the interviewer “Why are you here?” he stated the following: “I am here in the region; it’s sort of the first anniversary of President Barak Obama’s visit to Cairo and his speech there when he gave what has now become known as Obama’s Cairo initiative, where he announced that he wanted this to be the new beginning of the relationship between the United States and the Muslim world. When I became the NASA administrator -- or before I became the NASA administrator -- he charged me with three things. Full report at: http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/publications/id.6706/pub_detail.asp ------ 34-strong gang held for thefts Jul 12, 2010 RIYADH: Police in Riyadh have arrested a 34-member gang of thieves with different nationalities and aged between 20 and 30 after receiving information that they had committed a number of thefts in different parts of the country. Officers of the Criminal Investigation Department arrested the gang after conducting a study on recent incidents of theft. They found that most of them were conducted in the same pattern. “It proved that a single gang committed them,” a police officer said. Full report at: http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article82773.ece ------ Senior Palestinian calls Jerusalem a 'time bomb' By ALLYN FISHER-ILAN Jul 12, 2010 JERUSALEM: A senior Palestinian figure said on Sunday that rising tension with Israel over settlement building in the Jerusalem area was a "time bomb" that was eroding trust between the two sides. Ahmed Qurei, a former prime minister and negotiator, joined Tsipi Livni, a former Israeli foreign minister and now opposition leader in parliament, in calling on both sides to work harder to achieve a two-state solution. "The Jerusalem situation, I think, is a time bomb if it continues in this way," Qurei told a forum of mostly Israeli academics in Jerusalem, referring to the expansion of Jewish settlements in East Jerusalem and plans to demolish Palestinian homes to make way for more construction. "It has an impact on the Palestinian people ... and on trust on both sides," Qurei added. Jerusalem is a core issue in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel has annexed East Jerusalem as part of its capital in a move not recognized internationally, and Palestinians want the area as capital of a future state in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. The conflict has erupted lately into weekly protests by Israelis and Palestinians, mostly in the predominantly Palestinian areas of Silwan and Sheikh Jarrah, where Jewish settlers have been moving in. Full report at: http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article82762.ece ------ 7,438 pesticide-related poisoning deaths recorded from 2008 Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha . Dhaka Using chemicals on crops without taking proper protective measures has led to thousands of poisonous deaths in Bangladesh. Scientists report that many farmers do not dispose the empty pesticide containers, instead routinely recycle them. An annual government survey on Bangladesh’s health situation has found that pesticide-related poisoning is a leading cause of death, clearly reflecting a major health concern. According to a report on the National Institute of Preventive and Social Medicine, which compiles health statistics from 2008, recorded 7,438 pesticide-related poisoning deaths at more than 400 hospitals nationwide amongst men and women aged 15-49. Of the deaths, direct pesticide poisoning accounted for 8 per cent of the fatalities, preceded only by respiratory failure at 11 per cent, it said. Full report at: www.newagebd.com ------ Malaysia: Hub for Islamic fund firms By MUSHTAK PARKER 2 Jul 12, 2010 Malaysia is fast establishing itself as the global hub for dedicated Islamic fund management companies. The Securities Commission Malaysia (SC), the securities regulator chaired by Zarinah Anwar, granted at the end of June 2010 the latest Islamic fund management license to Saturna Capital Corp., an American fund manager with a good track record in managing Shariah-compliant funds. This brings the number of dedicated Islamic fund management companies licensed in Malaysia to twelve. Malaysia and Saudi Arabia are the two largest Islamic funds markets in the world. According to the latest data from the Capital Market Authority (CMA) in Saudi Arabia, there are 147 Islamic mutual funds in the Kingdom - with a total volume of just under $30 billion. NCB Capital is the largest with 24 funds under the Al-Ahli label. Similarly, according to the latest SC data, the number of Islamic unit trusts and mutual funds in Malaysia totaled 155 at the end of June 2010 with a total volume of about RM22.69 billion. Full report at: http://arabnews.com/economy/islamicfinance/article82771.ece ------ UAE among world’s most commercially open nations 12 July 2010 ABU DHABI — The UAE is considered one of the world’s most commercially open countries, where the percentage of non-oil foreign trade in relation to GDP reached 73 per cent in 2009, a study by the Ministry of Foreign Trade, or MoFT, revealed. This indicates the degree by which the UAE’s economy is interlinked with the world’s economies through its numerous commercial ties, and affirms the important role the UAE can play in the commercial and economic world order. The MoFT has issued an analytical study of the UAE’s Foreign Trade Structure in terms of geographic concentration between 2005-2009, in addition to the first quarter of the current year. Full report at: ttp://www.khaleejtimes.com/biz/inside.asp?xfile=/data/business/2010/July/business_July215.xml§ion=busin ------ Pakistan expects India’s mature attitude: Zardari 12 Jul, 2010 ISLAMABAD, July 11: President Asif Ali Zardari has said he has always sought good relations with India and will continue to do so. In an interview with a Chinese television channel on Saturday, the president expressed the hope that India would adopt a mature approach while tackling issues with its neighbours. “Pakistan wants good relations with India and hopes that talks resumed between the two countries will be positive and result-oriented,” Mr Zardari, who returned home after a five-day visit to China on Sunday, said. However, he said that suspects being tried in Pakistan for their alleged involvement in the Mumbai attacks would not be handed over to India. Security agencies have arrested seven suspects in Pakistan, including Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi of Lashkar-e-Taiba. Full report at: http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/national/pakistan-expects-indias-mature-attitude-zardari-270 ------ Al-Qaeda owns up to June 19 attack on Yemen security HQ Jul 12, 2010 SANAA: Al-Qaeda claimed responsibility on Sunday for a gun and mortar attack on the southern headquarters of a Yemeni intelligence agency, saying it was revenge for a government assault on an Al-Qaeda stronghold. Firing automatic weapons and mortars, gunmen attacked the security building in Aden on June 19, killing at least 11 people. The attack was the bloodiest in Yemen since the bombing of the USS Cole in 2000 that killed 17 US sailors. "This attack comes as a response to the tyrannical aggression that reached our people in Maarib province and deliberately humiliates the tribes with the pretext of fighting terrorism," a statement from Al-Qaeda's Yemen-based regional wing said in a statement posted on an Islamist website. Full report at: http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article82694.ece ------ Qaida fatwa to its men: Marry widows of jihadis Jul 12, 2010 BAQUBA (IRAQ): A snippet of news from a shadowy corner of Iraq: al-Qaida in Mesopotamia recently issued a fatwa telling its fighters to marry the widows of those who have fallen. This may seem odd but it is one of the rare grains of news to emerge publicly about the inner workings of the Iraqi offshoot of al-Qaida. In Diyala province east of Baghdad, the fatwa has produced about 70 marriages in three weeks, say members of al-Qaida in Mesopotamia, and their relatives and associates. While Diyala is one of the group's last remaining strongholds, the mere fact that so many people would rush headlong into marriages to strangers seemed to reflect how far the American military and the Iraqi government remain from their goal of eliminating the organization. Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Qaida-fatwa-to-its-men-Marry-widows-of-jihadis/articleshow/6156480.cms ------ Sixty percent of Saudis don’t have own houses By LAURA BASHRAHEEL Jul 11, 2010 JEDDAH: With growing inflation, stock market crashes and not enough housing, the dreams of middle class Saudis to own their own homes remain just that with many despondent that they will never materialize. According to recent statistics, about 60 percent of Saudis do not have their own homes. Cities like Jeddah have also experienced a shortage in affordable housing and in spite of bodies like the Real Estate Development Fund (REDF) providing interest-free credit, many middle class Saudis are unlikely to own their own homes. Adel Al-Sharaf, a 40-year-old father of four, said real estate prices are too high to allow him to afford his own home. “I have been waiting a long time to secure a REDF loan, which I finally got after years of waiting but now I have to worry about the price of construction and material costs,” he said. Full report at: http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article82782.ece ------ Qaeda threatens to kill French hostage in 15 days 12 July 2010 LONDON - Al Qaeda’s North African wing said on Sunday it would kill a French hostage in 15 days if the French government failed to meet its demands, the U.S.-based SITE Intelligence Group said. Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) said in May it was holding 78-year-old Michel Germaneau, who was seized in northern Niger in April. It demanded a prisoner exchange and said French President Nicolas Sarkozy would be responsible for Germaneau’s life. On Sunday it gave France 15 days starting from July 12 to respond to its demands, according to an Internet statement monitored by SITE. “The mujahideen decided to grant a final extension to France that will not be repeated and will not exceed 15 days, starting on Monday, 12/07/2010,” the statement read, according to SITE’s translation. Full report at: http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle08.asp?xfile=data/international/2010/July/international_July438.xml§ion=international ------ Kashmir unrest: All eyes on PM Manmohan Singh Josy Joseph & M Saleem Pandit Jul 12, 2010 Deserted Dal lake in Srinagar. Tourism has been hit hard in J&K following the recent violence and curfew. SRINAGAR: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has repeatedly called for "out of the box" solutions to the Kashmir dispute. It seems now is the time for him to act. All eyes in Kashmir are set on Singh, hoping he will make a decisive intervention to improve the situation and bring dialogue back on track to find a lasting solution to the festering row. The need for his personal attention is all the more urgent as moderate separatists inch closer to hardliners, and mainstream political parties add further to the strife with their cacophony. Though their motives are different, mainstream political parties and moderate separatists both believe that Singh must urgently intervene to salvage the situation, as Kashmir limps back to normalcy after weeks of violence that has added further to anti-India sentiments here. The calm could be temporary, as a host of protest marches by various separatist groups are on the cards in the coming days. Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Kashmir-unrest-All-eyes-on-PM-Manmohan-Singh/articleshow/6156821.cms ------ Top LeT militant killed Jul 11, 2010 JAMMU: Two militants, one of them a self-styled Lashker-e-Toiba commander, were killed in separate gunbattles with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday. The LeT militant was killed in Kishtwar and the other ultra in Rajouri during search operations launched by security forces in Jammu region, police said. Acting on a tip-off that some LeT ultras were hiding in Sarwan forest belt in Kishtwar district, troops conducted searches to flush them out. In the ensuing gunfight, a LeT ultra identified as Abdul Hafeez alias Nomaan, a self-styled commander, was killed while others escaped. Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Top-LeT-militant-killed/articleshow/6155730.cms ------ Curfew lifted in Kashmir, NC-Cong MLAs rally behind Omar Jul 11, 2010 SRINAGAR: Curfew was lifted in the entire Kashmir Valley today after six days with improvement in the situation even as the ruling coalition-National Conference and the Congress rallied behind beleaguered chief minister Omar Abdullah by expressing "full faith and confidence" in him. The decision to end the curfew, clamped on July six after incidents of violence, came after the situation remained generally peaceful. However, as a preventive step, prohibitory orders were imposed in Baramulla, Anantnag and Pulwama districts besides some parts of Srinagar. In his first political initiative since trouble erupted in the Valley nearly a month ago, 40-year-old Omar called a meeting of legislators of the ruling coalition during which the present situation in the Valley was discussed threadbare. Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Curfew-lifted-in-Kashmir-NC-Cong-MLAs-rally-behind-Omar-/articleshow/6155695.cms ------ Pakistan must take on Haqqani network: US senator Jul 11, 2010 KABUL: The chairman of the US Senate Arms Services Committee is urging Pakistan to crack down on the al-Qaida-linked Haqqani militant network, which operates on both sides of the country's border with Afghanistan. Sen Carl Levin, who was visiting Afghanistan, said on Sunday that he does not think the Haqqani network will ever make peace and he vowed to push to include the group on the US terrorist blacklist. Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Pakistan-must-take-on-Haqqani-network-US-senator/articleshow/6156443.cms ------ Pakistan did not oppose US-India N-deal: Zardari Jul 11, 2010 ISLAMABAD: Pakistan did not oppose the India-US civil nuclear deal and it expects similar pacts from other countries, President Asif Ali Zardari has said. "When India was going with the civil nuclear deal with the US, we did not oppose it, so we did not mind that our friends have influence on other friends and we expect the same from others," Zardari, who concluded his visit to China Saturday, said in an interview to China Centre Television. After the suspension of India-Pakistan peace talks due to the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, he said the dialogue process between the two countries has come back on track and hopefully will go forward. Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Pakistan-did-not-oppose-US-India-N-deal-Zardari/articleshow/6155603.cms ------ Pak claims Chinese support for PoK project Saibal Dasgupta Jul 11, 2010 BEIJING: Pakistan claimed on Sunday that Chinese authorities have agreed to invest in the Neelum Jhelum river project in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, which India has been opposing. But there was no confirmation in this respect from the Chinese government. In fact, there were signs that Pakistani president Asif Ali Zardari’s efforts to persuade China to invest in infrastructure project were hampered by rocket attacks on a hotel that endangered the lives of several Chinese engineers in Pakistan. The attacks took place at about the same time he was meeting Chinese leaders in Beijing on July 7. The Pakistani media on Sunday quoted Zardari’s press secretary Farhatullah Babar as saying that Chinese president had promised “steady progress in cooperation with Pakistan in energy, telecom sectors, Neelum Jhelum project and Pakistan telecommunication satellite project”. But there was no mention of the Neelum project in the official Chinese media. Babar also indicated that China had postponed plans to invest in upgrading the Karakoram highway and did not agree to laying a rail link at this juncture. He said “special committees” will be set up by the two countries in 2011 to deal with the issue of Karakorum highway upgradation and the establishing the National Trade Corridor. Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/china/Pak-claims-Chinese-support-for-PoK-project/articleshow/6155769.cms ------ Bill Clinton to mediate prisoner swap deal between Israel and Hamas Jul 12, 2010 JERUSALEM: Israel is trying to engage former US President Bill Clinton to help mediate a prisoner exchange deal with Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip and is in possession of captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, a media report said. Israel's hawkish Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Clinton during his US visit early this week and proposed that he visit Gaza to negotiate a prisoner exchange deal with top Hamas officials that would lead to the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners incarcerating in Israeli jails in exchange for Shalit, Palestinian news agency Ma'am, reported. Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Bill-Clinton-to-mediate-prisoner-swap-deal-between-Israel-and-Hamas/articleshow/6156459.cms ------ Libyan Aid ship heads for Gaza Jul 12, 2010 Tripoli: A Libyan aid ship stayed on course for the besieged Gaza Strip on Sunday despite Israeli warnings that it would be intercepted at sea, said an organiser on board the boat. “We are heading for Gaza. We will not change direction,” Mashallah Zwei, a representative of the Kadhafi Foundation, a Libyan charity, told AFP by satellite phone. Mr. Zwei insisted the foundation was not seeking “a confrontation or a provocation,” when asked about the risks of a repeat of an Israeli naval raid on an aid flotilla on May 31 that killed nine Turks. “For the time being our only thought is delivering the aid to Gaza,” he said. “We are supported by the international community, who, we hope, will help us reach our goal.” He said the boat was “close to Crete” and would likely reach Gaza in about two days. Full report at: http://www.hindu.com/2010/07/12/stories/2010071255671300.htm ------ Pak resorts to LoC firing Rahul Datta/Mohit Kandhari Desperate to sustain the momentum of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan has stepped up its efforts to push in more militants into the State by providing them covering fire while resorting to unprovoked firing on Indian outposts along the Line of Control (LoC) and international border. In fact, Pakistan has repeatedly violated the ceasefire in the past few months with at least three incidents in the last week itself. While the Indian security forces retaliated, operational commanders fear that some militants may have managed to sneak in while the firefight was on. Security forces have redrawn their strategy to tackle the new modus operandi adopted by Pakistan and have brought the violations to the notice of the senior commanders of Pakistan through proper channels. Full report at: http://www.dailypioneer.com/268547/Pak-resorts-to-LoC-firing.html ------ Israel PM to discuss peace moves with Mubarak 12 Jul. 10 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday he will head for Egypt this week to update Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on latest developments in talks with the Palestinians. "On Tuesday, I will travel to Cairo for a meeting with Mubarak, the fifth such meeting in a year," Netanyahu said at the weekly cabinet meeting. "We will discuss our intention to move to direct negotiations with the Palestinians," he said. For the past two months, Israel and the Palestinians have been engaged in a series of US-backed "proximity talks" which has seen US envoy George Mitchell shuttling between the two sides. But Israel wants to shift to direct negotiations -- in a move which was publicly backed by US President Barack Obama when he met with Netanyahu in Washington last week. The two leaders also discussed a series of confidence building measures aimed at bolstering trust between Israel and the Palestinians — a subject likely to come up in Tuesday's talks. Netanyahu and Mubarak last met on May 3 in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, a few days before the start of the indirect peace talks. Direct negotiations between the two parties broke down in December 2008 when Israel launched a massive 22-day war on Gaza. http://www.dailypioneer.com/268492/Israel-PM-to-discuss-peace-moves-with-Mubarak.html ------ Pakistan must take on Haqqani network: US senator 12 Jul, 2010 KABUL, July 11: A US senator urged Pakistan on Sunday to crack down on the Al Qaeda-linked Haqqani network, which operates on both sides of the country’s border with Afghanistan. Senator Carl Levin, chairman of the Armed Services Committee, said he does not think the Haqqani network will ever make peace and he vowed to push to include the group on the US terrorist list. The senator praised Pakistan for its help in fighting terrorism and for taking on other militants such as the Pakistan Taliban, but he said the country’s reluctance to push into the North Waziristan area run by the Haqqanis is hurting the war effort in Afghanistan. “They are not following through and have not followed through by going after one of the truly great threats that face us here in Afghanistan, which is the coming into Afghanistan from Pakistan of Haqqani fighters,” the Democrat from Michigan told journalists in Kabul at the end of his two-day visit. Full report at: http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/front-page/pakistan-must-take-on-haqqani-network-us-senator-270 ------ Israel warns as Libyan aid boat heads towards Gaza Monday, 12 Jul, 2010 JERUSALEM, July 11: Israel on Sunday vowed to prevent a Libyan aid ship from running the Gaza blockade after it appeared to be heading for the besieged enclave despite a flurry of diplomatic efforts to divert it to Egypt. “Israel will not let the boat reach Gaza,” minister without portfolio Yossi Peled told Israel’s public radio a day after the 302-foot freighter Amalthea set sail from the Greek port of Lavrio, south of Athens. Allowing vessels to reach the Hamas-run Gaza Strip without being checked would have “very serious consequences” for Israel’s security, he said. There was confusion over the ship’s destination on Sunday ------ with organisers saying it was staying the course for Gaza, despite diplomatic reassurances from Greece that it was headed for the Egyptian port of El-Arish. Full report at: http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/front-page/israel-warns-as-libyan-aid-boat-heads-towards-gaza-270 ------ Soldiers take over where Afghan gov't fears to go Jul 12, 2010 CHARBAGH, Afghanistan: The American soldiers climb over walls, jump ditches and scan the dirt for trip wires in an hourlong hike, all to meet with one man: the new head of a mosque in a tiny village in a southern Afghan river valley. They hope to persuade him to support the Afghan government. They have a tough sell. The mullah, Bas Mohammad, says residents in Charbagh never see government representatives — not doctors, teachers or agriculture workers — even though the village sits on the edge of the south's largest city, Kandahar. In areas like these, where government authorities rarely venture, patrolling NATO troops are not just a security force: They are also envoys of the Afghan government. The Taleban clearly have a presence in Charbagh. The road between the village and an American outpost is so littered with homemade bombs that soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment avoid it altogether, making what should be a 300-yard (-meter) walk last an hour. Mohammad's predecessor was run off by the militants, and the new mullah, a month into his job, has already been warned to leave. The violence isolates Charbagh, and many other areas around Kandahar, and often soldiers are the only ones willing to risk the journey. Full report at: http://arabnews.com/world/article82779.ece ------ Yemeni journalist kidnapped by gunmen 12 July 2010 SANAA - Three unidentified gunmen kidnapped a Yemeni freelance journalist specialising in reporting on Al Qaeda on a street in the capital late on Sunday, an eyewitness said. Abdulelah Shai was outside a Chinese restaurant in Sanaa when three armed men jumped out of a car and forced him to get into the vehicle which then sped off, Yemeni journalist Kamal Sharaf, who was with Shai at the time, told Reuters. Police opened an investigation into the abduction but did not say who they thought was responsible. Yemen’s Journalist Syndicate said the kidnappers might be tribesmen angered by Shai’s reporting on the relationship of some tribes with the Yemeni wing of the militant group al Qaeda. Analysts say al Qaeda members, many of whom are holed up in Yemen’s most impenetrable mountains and deserts, often receive protection from local tribes. Full report at: http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle08.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2010/July/middleeast_July188.xml§ion=middleeast ------ Waterloo in Afghanistan Eric S. Margolis 12 July 2010 The fire-breathing US General, Stanley McChrystal, and his Special Forces “mafia,” were supposed to crush Afghan resistance to Western occupation. But McChrystal was fired after rude remarks he and his staff made about the White House were printed in the American magazine, “Rolling Stone.” A more cerebral and political general, David Petraeus, quickly replaced McChrystal. McChrystal was the second US commander in Afghanistan to be fired, an ominous sign that the war was going badly. Gen. Petraeus managed to temporarily suppress resistance in Iraq. Washington hopes he will do the same in Afghanistan, though the two countries are very different. Last week, the usually cautious Petraeus vowed from Kabul to “win” the Afghan War, which has cost the US nearly $300 billion to date and 1,000 dead. The problem: no one can define what winning really means. Each time the US reinforces, Afghan resistance grows stronger. The Soviets ran into the same problem in the 1980’s. Afghanistan has become America’s longest-running conflict. The escalating war now costs US taxpayers $17 billion monthly. President Obama’s Afghan “surge” of 30,000 more troops will cost another $30 billion. Full report at: http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=/data/opinion/2010/July/opinion_July75.xml§ion=opinion ------ Authorities asked to produce all 735 ‘mutineers’ in court today 12 July 2010 A special BDR court in Dhaka BDR headquarters has ordered authorities to produce all 735 suspected mutineers of Sadar Rifles Battalion in court today. New BDR director general Major General Rafiqul Islam, who is heading the judges’ panel at the special court-6 set up at the Darbar Hall of BDR headquarters made the order on Sunday. The court began at 10:30am and ended at around 1:00pm. Islam adjourned the court until 10:00am today. Of the accused, 298 are currently behind bars and the rest 437 are posted in different units. The head of judges also ordered authorities to show the 437 accused arrested in the case and produce them in the court. Earlier, the case complainant subeder major Munshi Jahangir Alam read out charges against the accused. Full report at: www.newagebd.com ------ Anwar’s newspaper defies Malaysia’s publication ban order 12 July 2010 A Malaysian newspaper run by opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim’s Keadilan party Sunday pressed ahead with publication despite being suspended by the government. Critics have labelled the crackdown on the Suara Keadilan as an attempt to silence free speech and muzzle the opposition in its attempt to reach out to voters amid speculation of a snap election. ‘Yes, the latest issue has hit the streets. We feel the government has not banned the newspaper. It only has not renewed the printing permit,’ Keadilan lawmaker Tian Chua said. We have the right to circulate information. We are a political party and it is our role to provide different perspectives,’ he added. Suara Keadilan ran into trouble after the authorities said it violated publishing laws with a report this month which claimed a government agency is bankrupt. The home ministry, which oversees Malaysia’s newspapers, said it would not renew Suara Keadilan’s permit — which expired last Wednesday — as it was not satisfied with the paper’s explanation for the allegedly inaccurate report. www.newagebd.com | |
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