Qaeda Briefly Plants Flag In Iraq, 23 Troops Killed
Thirty years on, Mohd Rafi remains a favouriteUS church to burn Quran on September 11
`57 Pak students deported since 2003'
Five Taliban members dropped from UNSC sanctions list
Iran mother facing stoning pleads to see children
Obama envoy to visit India to engage with Muslims
‘India and Pakistan must use water as a tool to build trust'
Women lead stone-throwers, Stones supplied in carts, lorries
4 killed in firing, Srinagar under curfew
Situation in J&K not yet normal: Chidmabaram
Bangladesh Supreme Court paves way for secular politics
Post-Election Protester’s Death Sentence Upheld; Re-Trial Denied By Supreme Court
We’ll behead WikiLeaks informers: Taliban
Taliban say Petraeus killing more civilians
Malaysia gets its first Imam via ‘X-Factor’ inspired reality show
UN condemns forcible eviction of Palestinian families
‘Ready to talk to Kashmiri groups’
King Abdullah arrives in Jordan in last leg of Arab tour
Iran hangs rapist, three drug traffickers: Report
9/11 effect: India wants plane crash-proof N-power plants
US casualties in Afghanistan soar to record highs
UK former deputy PM doubted Iraq WMD intelligence
ISI chief Lt Gen Shuja Pasha calls off London visit
Kashmir still volatile, but ready to hold quiet talks with all parties: PC
Samjhauta blast: NIA to probe Hindu terror link
India, Pak & Afghanistan can help in stabilising the region: US
Army orders CoI against Major
CBI gets no info from jailed Shah
ISI nexus with Taliban “unacceptable”: US
Sohrab case could trap more politicos
Pak thinks India bigger threat than Taliban
9 cops charged in Tulsi case
AL QAEDA PLANNED 9/11 ON KABUL
US military chief attacks ISI terror link
SC okays CBI probe into Hari Masjid killing incident
Turkey Softens Terror Law That Jailed Young Kurds
US: No Plans To Send Combat Forces To Pak
Hamas slams Arab backing for talks with Israel
UN urges Israel to end Gaza blockade
US worried more secret documents may be released
US lawmakers urge resolution of Kashmir dispute
Mob torches US embassy vehicles in Kabul
Cameron now hails Pak progress in tackling terror
Exiled Yemen opposition leader killed on return
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
Photo: Legendary singer Mohd. Rafi
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Qaeda Briefly Plants Flag In Iraq, 23 Troops Killed
July 31, 2010
July 30: Al Qaeda briefly planted its flag in Baghdad on Friday as militants killed 23 members of Iraq’s security forces across the country in a combination of shootings and roadside bombs demonstrating the dangers the country still faces.
The worst attack came in Baghdad’s Sunni neighbourhood of Azamiyah when 16 Iraqi security forces were killed by what appeared to have been coordinated strikes by Al Qaeda militants, who then planted their flag close to the blood-soaked site.
The daylight attack on the northern district, once an insurgent stronghold, was the boldest move by militants since their commando-style assault on the Central Bank in June that left 26 people dead during morning rush hour.
Militants attacked an Azamiyah checkpoint and then set it on fire, burning several of the soldiers’ bodies, according to an Army officer who was on patrol in the neighbourhood.
Minutes later, attackers detonated three roadside bombs nearby, the officials said. A large pool of blood and what appear to be char marks could be seen on the ground near an Iraqi Army truck. Authorities immediately sealed off the area.
The Azamiyah attack came in what was already a deadly day for Iraq’s security forces, which are increasingly being targeted by insurgents as all but 50,000 US troops prepare to leave the country by the end of August.
http://www.asianage.com/international/qaeda-briefly-plants-flag-iraq-23-troops-killed-161
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Thirty years on, Mohd Rafi remains a favourite
July 31, 2010
NEW DELHI: Without him, Guru Dutt wouldn't have been the same serenading Waheeda Rehman in Chaudhvin Ka Chand. Without him, Dev Anand wouldn't have looked so heart-broken crooning Din dhal jaye hai in Guide. And without him, Shammi Kapoor's rebellious yell, Chahe koi mujhe junglee kahe, would have lost much of its manic energy.
Without Mohammed Rafi, who passed away on July 31, 1980, exactly 30 years ago, some of the most unforgettable moments in Hindi films wouldn't have been the same.
The Amritsar-born Rafi began his career as a playback singer in the early 1940s. A versatile singer, who could render classical, rock and roll, indeed any kind of song with ease, he was Hindi film's favourite male voice through the 1950s and 1960s.
"Whether he was singing in the lowest, middle or highest octave, there was no difference in his voice. His throw of words remains matchless. People try to copy him but nobody can recreate the same magic," says singer Jaspal Singh, who became well-known after delivering hits in films such as Geet Gaata Chal (1975) and Saawan Ko Aane Do (1979).
Singh has a lasting regret. He had recorded a duet with Rafi for music director duo Laxmikant-Pyarelal, Phoolon ke basanti gehne, dharti ke dulhan ne pehne in 1979 for Sarhad. "Unfortunately the film, being produced by the Nadiadwalas, was never completed," he says.
It wasn't just Rafi's singing. Everybody vouched for the man's simplicity and sincerity. Music director Rajesh Roshan, who composed Rafi chartbusters such as Logon ka dil agar jeetna tumko hai to (Manpasand, 1980) and Mujhe chhoo rahi hain (Swayamvar, 1980), remembers the singer as "a warm-hearted simple person with no ego".
Renowned radio personality Ameen Sayani recalls the singer "as a magnanimous person who hated to get into quarrels." The presenter of the cult radio show Binaca Geet Mala too has a lingering regret. "Rafi was shy of giving interviews. I used to prod him to give me one but he kept putting it off. Finally, one day he said, you construct the questions in such a way that I give you the answers in songs. But before that interview could take place, he passed away," reminisces Sayani.
Senior Bollywood lyricist Yogesh remembers Rafi crooning Mana mere haseen sanam tu rashq-e-mahtab hai, one of the first songs he wrote for an obscure C-grade 1965 flick, Adventures of Robinhood and Bandits.
"I remember going with music director G S Kohli to his home for the song's rehearsal. During practice, he seemed to be having problems getting the tune right. But the next day, he was perfect during the recording," says the writer of songs such as Kahin door jab din dhal jaaye (Anand, 1971).
In 1969, Kishore Kumar stormed Bollywood central with Aradhana. The singer formed a hit pair with actor Rajesh Khanna and became the hottest singer in Hindi films. For a few years, Rafi was pushed to the background before he made a resounding comeback with Laila Majnu (1976) and Hum Kissi Se Kam Nahin (1977).
Roshan recalls an interesting incident during the recording of Saj rahi gali mori amma (Kunwara Baap, 1974), his first song as composer. "The song had a chorus of hijras. When Rafi saab saw them at the studio, he got nervous. Mehmood bhai had to cajole him to do the recording," says Roshan.
Rafi's death, following a heart attack, was sudden. "The void he left behind may never be filled," says Singh. Millions of Rafi fans would agree.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Thirty-years-on-Mohd-Rafi-remains-a-favourite/articleshow/6238774.cms
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US church to burn Quran on September 11
Jul 31, 2010
NEW YORK: A church in Florida, US, is reportedly planning to host an "International Burn a Quran Day" on the anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terror attack, a move that has been condemned by many Christians and Muslims.
The Dove World Outreach Centre in Gainesville, Florida, would host the event to remember 9/11 victims and take a stand against Islam, which it calls a "deceptive religion" and "of the devil".
The church is promoting the event on its website and Facebook page and has invited Christians to burn the Muslim holy book at its premises from 6 pm to 9 pm.
"We believe that Islam is of the devil, that it's causing billions of people to go to hell, it is a deceptive religion, it is a violent religion and that is proven many, many times," church pastor Terry Jones was quoted as saying by the CNN.
The Facebook page has more than 1,600 fans. "Eternal fire is the only destination the Quran can lead people to, so we want to put the Quran in its place - the fire!" the page says.
The church also launched a YouTube video to disseminate the message.
"I mean ask yourself, have you ever really seen a really happy Muslim? As they're on the way to Mecca? As they gather together in the mosque on the floor? Does it look like a real religion of joy?" Jones says in the YouTube video. "No, to me it looks like a religion of the devil."
Jones also said he has written a book titled "Islam is of the Devil", and that the church sells coffee mugs and shirts featuring the phrase.
Muslim and Christian groups have, meanwhile, launched a protest against the event.
The National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) issued a statement urging the church to cancel the event, warning it could cause worldwide tension between the two religions.
"The NAE calls on its members to cultivate relationships of trust and respect with our neighbours of other faiths. God created human beings in his image, and therefore all should be treated with dignity and respect," it said.
Another Facebook group with more than 3,100 fans said it stands "against the disrespect and intolerance that these people have for the Muslim people".
An Islamic advocacy group - Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) - has said it would give out 100,000 copies of the Quran to local, state and national leaders, in a bid to educate the public during the month-long fast of Ramadan.
"American Muslims and other people of conscience should support positive educational efforts to prevent the spread of Islamophobia," CAIR spokesman Ibrahim Hooper said.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/US-church-to-burn-Quran-on-September-11/articleshow/6240704.cms
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`57 Pak students deported since 2003'
July 31, 2010
Pakistan Foreign Affairs Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said that 57 Pakistani students have been deported from various countries over alleged involvement in terrorism and other illegal activities in the last seven years. During a Senate question hour, Qureshi said that among the deported students, 27 were deported from China, 17 from Cuba, one from Switzerland, one from Serbia, one from Netherlands and 10 from United Kingdom.
Hindustan Times
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Five Taliban members dropped from UNSC sanctions list
Jul 31 2010
United Nations : The UN Security Council has dropped five prominent Taliban members from its sanctions blacklist, backing Afghan President Hamid Karzai's ambitious national reconciliation plan to bring peace and stability in his war-torn country.
The five were identified as Abdul Satar Paktin; Abdul Hakim Mujahid Muhammad Awrang, a former Afghan envoy to the UN; Abdul Salam Zaeef, Abdul Samad Khaksar and Muhammad Islam Mohammadi.
Khaksar and Mohammadi are now deceased, Austria's UN mission here announced.
In January, another five members were also taken off the list.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/five-taliban-members-dropped-from-unsc-sanctions-list/654230/
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Iran mother facing stoning pleads to see children
31 July 2010
LONDON — An Iranian woman sentenced to death by stoning for adultery in Iran pleaded to be allowed to hug her children, in a letter attributed to her released by human rights activists in London on Saturday.
Sakineh Mohammadi-Ashtiani, a 43-year-old mother of two, was given the sentence after being found guilty.
It sparked an outcry in Western countries, and was temporarily halted earlier this month by Iranian judiciary chief Sadeq Larijani.
“I’m Sakineh Mohammadi-Ashtiani. From Tabriz Prison I thank all those who are thinking of me,” said the letter, translated from Farsi into English and released by the International Committee against Stoning.
The message was relayed in a telephone conversation, a committee spokeswoman told AFP, without going into further details.
Full report at:
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle08.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2010/July/middleeast_July612.xml§ion=middleeast
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Obama envoy to visit India to engage with Muslims
Jul 31 2010
Rashad Hussain, son of an Indian migrant couple from Bihar who is US Special Envoy to the Organization of the Islamic Conference, will travel to India Aug 1-9 to discuss Obama Administration's initiatives on education, global health, entrepreneurship and countering violent extremism with Muslim leaders and academics.
Son of an Indian migrant couple from Bihar, Hussain will visit Aligarh, Mumbai, Hyderabad, New Delhi, and Patna, where he will meet with local university faculty and students, Muslim leaders, and government officials, the State Department announced Friday.
As special envoy Hussain, both a Quran scholar and an ardent North Carolina Tar Heels basketball fan, is charged with helping to bridge the cultural divide in US relations with Muslims inside and outside America's borders as part of President Barack Obama's new approach to engage the Islamic world. India has the world's second largest Muslim population after Indonesia.
Full report at:
http://sify.com/news/obama-envoy-to-visit-india-to-engage-with-muslims-news-international-kh5m4cahcah.html
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‘India and Pakistan must use water as a tool to build trust'
July 31, 2010
NEW DELHI: India and Pakistan need to adopt a joint, cooperative approach on the Indus river waters to counter the growing water crisis that threatens not only the lives and livelihoods of the people of the region, but also relations between India and Pakistan, according to experts participating in an India-Pakistan seminar here on ‘Water is Life.'
The seminar concluded that the bilateral Indus Water Treaty of 1960 was a viable pact that had stood the test of time and even war, but both sides needed to share data and information on the Indus river to counter misperceptions. The seminar was organised jointly by Aman Ki Asha and the Centre for Dialogue and Reconciliation
The delegates urged both the governments to share data, ensure transparency and make the information public. They suggested that there could be a joint-study of the factors responsible for the reported reduced flows in the western rivers (allotted to Pakistan under the treaty) and proposed joint monitoring of flows at strategic points.
Full report at:
http://www.hindu.com/2010/07/31/stories/2010073165890900.htm
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Women lead stone-throwers Stones supplied in carts, lorries
July 31, 2010
Three civilians were on Friday, bringing an end to the uneasy peace that had held for the past 10 days.
Friday's trouble was on account of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference's `Maisuma chalo' (march) call. Maisuma, a place in Srinagar, is the separatists' den. Angry protesters vented their ire on police vehicles and government offices throughout the Valley.
Acknowledging the situation was “not yet“ normal, Union home minister P. Chidambaram said the Centre was committed to “hold talks with our own people“. However, the separatists rejected the proposal.
In Sopore, 55 km north of Srinagar, as protesters gathered after Friday prayers, police sources said that the nearby CRPF camp resorted to firing, killing two persons and injuring seven. No policeman was willing to be quoted. Doctors at Shri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital said two youngsters were brought in dead.
Full report at: Hindustan Times
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4 killed in firing, Srinagar under curfew
Mir Ehsan
Jul 31 2010
Srinagar : Breaking more than a week-long lull, four persons were killed in firing by securitymen as protests erupted again in the Valley today after firing in the Natipora neighbourhood of Srinagar left two youths wounded. There were reports of clashes between security forces and protesters at more than 26 places.
Curfew was imposed in Srinagar but hundreds took to the streets late at night after calls for protests were made from loudspeakers in mosques.
Two persons were killed when CRPF and police opened fire at protesters in Amargarh near Sopore. At least 45 people were injured. Earlier, the CRPF opened fire in Chanpora in Srinagar, leaving five youths injured.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/4-killed-in-firing-srinagar-under-curfew/654202/
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Situation in J&K not yet normal: Chidmabaram
Jul 31, 2010m
NEW DELHI: Acknowledging that the situation in Jammu and Kashmir "is not yet normal" due to repeated calls for bandh, the Centre on Friday made it clear that it was committed to holding a `quiet' dialogue with all shades of opinion in the state.
Stating the government's stand, Union home minister P Chidambaram said: "From day one, I have favoured a quiet dialogue with all sections of opinion, all groups, all political parties."
Responding to a question whether the Centre was willing to hold talks with separatist groups including the Hurriyat Conference in the state, he said: "I continue to meet leaders of different groups and political parties." He, however, admitted that "there has been some interruption in the process...I do not deny that."
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Situation-in-JK-not-yet-normal-Chidmabaram/articleshow/6238182.cms
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Bangladesh Supreme Court paves way for secular politics
By Saleem Samad
July 31, 2010
THE Supreme Court of Bangladesh has imposed a ban on political parties that propagate Islamic ideology, reverting to the first Constitution 38 year ago.
The 184- page judgment was issued on Wednesday. The apex court got rid of bulk of the fifth constitutional amendment, 1979, including provisions that had allowed religious political parties to prosper, and legitimised military dictatorship.
The verdict dubbed such parties as extra- constitutional adventurers and suggested “ suitable punishment” to these perpetrators who installed military regimes and imposed martial laws.
It is a major blow to the Islamist parties as they advocate imposition of the Sharia and for the Quran and Sunna to overshadow the state constitution.
Full report at: Mail Today
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Post-Election Protester’s Death Sentence Upheld; Re-Trial Denied By Supreme Court
30th July 2010
"Jafar Kazemi's case has been forwarded to the Implementations Unit, and legally, there are no further steps possible for saving his life," said Kazemi's lawyer.
A post-election protester’s death sentence has been upheld in an appeals court in Tehran, according to his lawyer. Jafar Kazemi’s lawyer, Nasim Ghanavi told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that her client’s sentence has been upheld and that Branch 31 of the Supreme Court has also turned down a re-trial request. Branch 36 of the Tehran Province Appeals Courts, presided by Judge Zargar, issued the ruling.
Jafar Kazemi, 46, a lithographer of textbooks at Amir Kabir University Press, was arrested on September 18, 2009 in Tehran. He was transferred to a solitary cell inside Ward 209 of Evin prison where he remained for 74 days before being transferred to Ward 350 of Evin prison.
“Jafar Kazemi is accused of moharebeh, enmity with God, through his alleged support for the Mojahedin-E Khalgh Organization (MEK), even though he has not accepted these charges during any of his interrogation sessions,” said Ghanavi about her client’s charges.
Full report at: http://www.iranhumanrights.org/2010/07/post-election-protesters-death-sentence-upheld-re-trial-denied-by-supreme-court/
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We’ll behead WikiLeaks informers: Taliban
July 31, 2010
The Taliban in Afghanistan has threatened to behead informers who have been revealed following the explosive disclosure by WikiLeaks.
WikiLeaks has put out over 90,000 uncensored intelligence documents, causing a security scare. Countries which have their forces fighting in Afghanistan are pouring over the documents to see the extent of the damage.
The Taliban on Thursday responded for the first time since the WikiLeaks expose of the names and locations of anti-Taliban informers, the Daily Mail reported on Friday. The terror group said, “We know how to punish them”, a reference to beheading that is a punishment for those whom they consider as traitors.
Full report at:
http://www.dailypioneer.com/272758/We%E2%80%99ll-behead-WikiLeaks-informers-Taliban.html
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Taliban say Petraeus killing more civilians
July 31, 2010
WASHINGTON: The Taliban accused US General David Petraeus of killing more civilians and drawing more attacks on US and NATO troops since he took command in Afghanistan, the SITE monitoring group said on Thursday. Petraeus’ “only accomplishment” since he took over US and NATO troop command three weeks ago “is civilian casualties and mass murder, which has to be considered his new war strategy and tactics,” the Afghan Taliban said on their website, as quoted by SITE. The website claimed that “90 non-combatant, defenseless civilians have been martyred in the US invaders’ blind bombardments” across Afghanistan over the past two weeks, adding that such actions only “create growing resentment” by Afghans against foreign troops. US forces have increased attacks with unmanned drone aircraft in Afghanistan since US President Barack Obama came to office a year and a half ago. The Taliban also said attacks “of every type on US invading forces have reached record levels since Petraeus took charge”. Lack of morale among US troops left Petraeus with no other alternative “but to resort to carrying out his vicious and wicked war plans and tactics, which are only causing further civilian casualties and mass murder over and over again”. Full report at:
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\07\31\story_31-7-2010_pg7_24
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Malaysia gets its first Imam via ‘X-Factor’ inspired reality show
Jul 31 2010
Kuala Lumpur, July 31 : Muhammad Asyraf Mohd Ridzuan, 26, an imam from Penang has won Imam Muda- a new reality show, on the lines of ‘X Factor’, which has gained global attention.
Asyraf beat Hizbur Rahman Omar Zuhdi in the finale held at Pusat Islam to become show’s inaugural winner.
He won a scholarship to Al-Madinah International University to pursue post-graduate studies.
Other prizes for Asyraf, who has a degree in Usuluddin and Fiqh from Universiti Malaya, include a job as an imam in one of the mosques in the Federal Territory, a haj pilgrimage, a Proton Exora, RM20,000, a holiday, an iPhone, furniture worth RM10,000 and an Apple Macbook Pro.
Full report at:
http://www.indiatalkies.com/2010/07/malaysia-imam-xfactor-inspired-reality-show.html
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UN condemns forcible eviction of Palestinian families
July 31, 2010
United Nations : The United Nations has condemned the forcible eviction of nine families from a building in an Arab neighborhood of East Jerusalem.
"I deplore today's unacceptable action by armed Israeli settlers who forcibly took over a building, which is home to nine Palestinian families, in the Muslim Quarter of the Old City," said Robert H Serry, UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process.
"I call on the Israeli authorities to remove the settlers from the property and restore the status quo ante," he added.
The eviction comes in the midst of efforts by US to get Israelis and Palestinians to re-engage in talks. The international community has repeatedly called on Israel to stop building settlements in territories occupied by it during the 1967 War.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/un-condemns-forcible-eviction-of-palestinian-families/653829/
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‘Ready to talk to Kashmiri groups’
31 July 2010
NEW DELHI - The government is ready to talk to different Kashmiri groups on the prevailing situation in the valley as there is no harm “in meeting our own people”, Home Minister P. Chidambaram said on Friday.
“I have been meeting those from different shades of opinion. Prime Minister Minister Manmohan Singh has said the government is ready to talk to different groups. What is the harm in meeting our own people?” Chidambaram asked after releasing the monthly progress report of his ministry for July.
Asked whether the writ of separatists was running in the valley, Chidambaram said he did not agree. “May be in Srinagar or some other parts, they may be able to mobilise support and call bandhs.”
Full report at:
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/displayarticle.asp?xfile=data/international/2010/July/international_July1473.xml§ion=international&col=
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King Abdullah arrives in Jordan in last leg of Arab tour
By ABDUL JALIL MUSTAFA
Jul 31, 2010
AMMAN: Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah arrived in Amman Friday evening on the fourth and final stop of a regional tour.
He was accorded a red-carpet welcome that was led by King Abdallah II, Prime Minister Samir Rifai, members of the ruling family and senior Jordanian officials.
The two leaders discussed the latest Middle East developments at the Basman Palace. King Abdallah also hosted a dinner in honor of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques.
Arab foreign ministers, who met in Cairo on Thursday as a follow-up Arab committee on the Middle East peace process, recommended such a transition to direct negotiations, but left to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas the option to take such a decision at the appropriate time.
Full report at:
http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article93013.ece
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Iran hangs rapist, three drug traffickers: Report
Jul 31, 2010
TEHRAN: Iran has hanged a convicted rapist and three drug traffickers, the hardline Kayhan newspaper reported on Saturday.
Yousef Fardi was found guilty of rape and hanged on Thursday in the northern city of Qazvin, the newspaper said.
It said the others, identified only by their initials as A.A., S.Z. and S.M., were hanged in the city of Ahvaz in the southwestern province of Khuzestan.
They were hanged for drug trafficking, and Fars news agency reported their sentence was carried out on July 24.
The hangings bring the total number of executions in Iran to 97 so far this year, according to an AFP count based on media reports. Last year, at least 270 people were hanged.
Iran says the death penalty is essential to maintain public security and is applied only after exhaustive judicial proceedings.
Murder, rape, armed robbery, drug trafficking and adultery are all punishable by death in Iran.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Iran-hangs-rapist-three-drug-traffickers-Report/articleshow/6240672.cms
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9/11 effect: India wants plane crash-proof N-power plants
Anika Gupta
July 31, 2010
With 9/11 still fresh in its mind, the government has upgraded its safety requirements for nuclear power plants.
These plants, when built, will have to be able to withstand the impact of a jetliner crash.
This is part of the new safety rules being worked out by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB). There have been several intelligence alerts of Indian atomic installations being targets of terrorists. The requirements are similar to ones passed by US regulators in 2009, eight years after the 9/11 attacks. Intelligence reports have said the initial 9/11 plan was to hit nuclear plants.
Full report at: Hindustan Times
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US casualties in Afghanistan soar to record highs
31 July 2010
KABUL — In a summer of suffering, America’s military death toll in Afghanistan is rising, with back-to-back record months for U.S. losses in the grinding conflict. All signs point to more bloodshed in the months ahead, straining the already shaky international support for the war.
Six more Americans were reported killed in fighting in the south — three Thursday and three Friday — pushing the U.S. death toll for July to a record 66 and surpassing June as the deadliest month for U.S. forces in the nearly nine-year war.
U.S. officials confirmed the latest American deaths Friday but gave no further details. Five of the latest reported deaths were a result of hidden bombs — the insurgents’ weapon of choice — and the sixth to an armed attack, NATO said in statements.
Full report at:
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle08.asp?xfile=data/international/2010/July/international_July1482.xml§ion=international
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UK former deputy PM doubted Iraq WMD intelligence
By MICHAEL HOLDEN
Jul 30, 2010
LONDON: Britain's deputy prime minister at the time of the 2003 invasion of Iraq said on Friday he had doubts about intelligence that Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction, describing some of it as "tittle tattle."
John Prescott, who was deputy to Tony Blair during his entire tenure in power, said he thought the intelligence on WMD prior to the war was not "very substantial."
Prescott also told an inquiry in London into Britain's role in the conflict that the government's top lawyer had come under great pressure to say whether military action was legal and had not been "a happy bunny."
Prescott was the last person due to give public evidence to the inquiry which has already heard testimony from Blair, his successor Gordon Brown, and other senior ministers, civil servants and military officers.
Full report at:
http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article92863.ece
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ISI chief Lt Gen Shuja Pasha calls off London visit
By Baqir Sajjad Syed
31 Jul, 2010
ISLAMABAD: Revealing the division within its ranks, the government struggled all day on Friday to come up with a unified response to British Prime Minister David Cameron’s disparaging terror remarks.
For once the PPP leaders were not just at odds with the military leadership, but also the Foreign Office, led by their party man. The army conveyed its displeasure after the ISI chief cancelled his upcoming visit to UK. After hectic day-long consultations, sources said the final decision was on these lines – President Zardari will go ahead with his visit to UK; ISI chief to call off the trip; and the Foreign Office, which is torn between the political and military cross-currents, to summon a British High Commission official. British Prime Minister Cameron’s remarks in India earlier in the week accusing Pakistan of exporting terror created uproar here with demands for a strong response to the statement.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/front-page/19-isi-chief-calls-off-london-visit-170-hh-01
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Kashmir still volatile,but ready to hold quiet talks with all parties: PC
July 31, 2010
New Delhi: Acknowledging that the situation in J&K is not yet normal due to repeated calls for bandh,the Centre on Friday made it clear that it was committed to holding a quiet dialogue with all shades of opinion in the state.
Stating the governments stand,Union home minister P Chidambaram said: From day one,I have favoured a quiet dialogue with all sections of opinion,all groups,all political parties.
Responding to a question whether the Centre was willing to hold talks with separatist groups including the Hurriyat Conference in the state,he said: I continue to meet leaders of different groups and political parties. He,however,admitted that there has been some interruption in the process... I do not deny that.
Full report at: Times of India
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Samjhauta blast: NIA to probe Hindu terror link
July 31, 2010
New Delhi: The probe into the Samjhauta Express blast case by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) will look into the entire conspiracy behind the attack,including links with Hindu extremist elements who were allegedly involved in the blasts in Ajmer,Hyderabad and Malegaon.
Stating that the decision to hand over the probe to NIA was taken as the Haryana Police was not able to make any headway in its investigations,Union home minister P Chidambaram on Friday said: One of the aspects that NIA will probe is whether it has got any connection with those who were involved in Ajmer,Mecca Masjid and Malegaon blasts.That is an aspect that has to be probed.
The home ministers statement marks the confirmation of what was being suspected that the hardline Hindutva activists linked to Hyderabad blasts and the second attack on Malegaon mosque could be behind the attack on the Samjahuta Express as well.
Full report at: Times of India
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India, Pak & Afghanistan can help in stabilising the region: US
July 31, 2010
India, Pakistan and Afghanistan have an equally critical role in helping to bring stability in the region, US has said. "All three countries and others can play a role in helping to stabilise the situation," State Department spokesman PJ Crowley told reporters at his daily news
The US is investing in Pakistan and Afghanistan because, he said, it's in its national interest.
"We are working cooperatively across the region, including with India, because ultimately, these are countries that have to live together and find stable relationships that serve their own interest and a collective interest," Crowley said.
"That's what we're trying to do and we think we have the right strategy to do this," he said in response to a question.
"We've emphasized and taken a regional approach to this challenge, which is why we have a relationship with Afghanistan, we have a relationship with Pakistan, we have a relationship with India," Crowley said.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-Pak-amp-Afghanistan-can-help-in-stabilising-the-region-US/H1-Article1-580247.aspx
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Army orders CoI against Major
July 31, 2010
The Army has ordered a court of inquiry (CoI) against a Major for allegedly possessing sensitive military documents on his personal computer. The ISI had reportedly hacked the officer’s computer and the matter came to light three months back when the US intelligence agencies found some documents on the Pakistan’s intelligence agency network.
The Indian agencies were informed and the hacking was traced to Major Santanu Dey posted in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. A Bihar Regiment officer, Dey was subsequently questioned by the National Investigation Agency and Military Intelligence last month.
Stating that the officer will face a court of inquiry, sources said here on Friday the investigations, which would begin shortly, would focus on as to how the officer got access to 2,000 documents. Some of them pertained to deployment of troops and operational details and the officer is too junior to have access to them.
Full report at:
http://www.dailypioneer.com/272905/Army-orders-CoI-against-Major.html
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CBI gets no info from jailed Shah
July 31, 2010
The CBI team probing the fake encounter death of extortionist Sohrabuddin Sheikh failed to get any relevant information in the case from former Minister of State for
Home Amit Shah after three days of questioning inside Sabarmati Jail.
A new team of CBI officers quizzed Shah for about three hours on Friday, mainly concentrating on questions to which earlier two batches of investigators could not get any significant reply on Wednesday and Thursday.
The CBI has accused Shah of conspiracy and connivance in Sohrabuddin’s kidnapping and murder.
Relief also came to the former Minister in the Tulsiram Prajapati encounter death case. The chargesheet filed in Danta of Banaskantha district on Friday made no mention of Shah’s involvement, which was so loudly alleged by his detractors for some time.
Full report at:
http://www.dailypioneer.com/272817/CBI-gets-no-info-from-jailed-Shah.html
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ISI nexus with Taliban “unacceptable”: US
July 31, 2010
Following the WikiLeaks revelations of the continuing ISI-Taliban nexus, the United States has sought to make it clear to Islamabad that this relationship is “unacceptable”, stressing the Pakistani spy agency must “strategically shift its focus”.
US's Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mike Mullen, who has returned back from a recent visit to India and Pakistan, termed the ISI issue “a subject we frequently discuss” with Islamabad.
At a Pentagon news conference, Mullen suggested that it is only some elements in the ISI that have got relationships with extremist organisations, and not the spy agency in its entirety.
Full report at:
http://www.dailypioneer.com/272765/ISI-nexus-with-Taliban-%E2%80%9Cunacceptable%E2%80%9D-US.html
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Sohrab case could trap more politicos
July 31, 2010
THE CBI is stepping up pressure on top Gujarat IPS officers P. C. Pande, O. P. Mathur and Geeta Johri in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case.
In fact, the agency may arrest them as it suspects they tried to scuttle the probe at the behest of former Gujarat minister of state for home, Amit Shah.
After Gujarat, two Rajasthan BJP leaders are also facing the CBI heat.
The agency is planning to send summons to former Rajasthan home minister Gulabhchand Kataria and former state unit president Om Mathur.
A source on Friday said the focus of the CBI probe now would be to expose the Rajasthan chapter of the conspiracy and to ascertain how the Gujarat CID was influenced by the state’s political masters to sabotage the probe.
Full report at: Mail Today
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Pak thinks India bigger threat than Taliban
Anirudh Bhattacharyya
July 31, 2010
Torn apart by terror attacks within its borders, three in four Pakistanis still think India is their biggest threat, not the Taliban or Al Qaeda.
One in four sees the Lashkare-Tayyeba (LeT), the group behind 26/11, favourably. Terror itself appears to worry Pakistanis less than before. They are more positively inclined towards terror outfits than a year ago.
These are some of the findings of a survey by Washingtonbased Pew Research Centre.
Over half (53 per cent) consider India a “very serious threat“ and another 21 per cent consider it a “somewhat serious threat“. The numbers for Al Qaeda and Taliban are far lower: 21 and 38 per cent and 34 and 54 per cent, respectively.
Full report at: Hindustan Times
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9 cops charged in Tulsi case
July 31, 2010
Stating that the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter probe could go beyond former Gujarat minister Amit Shah, the CBI on Friday asked the Supreme Court to move the case out of that state as a fair trial wasn't possible in a hostile atmosphere.
In a status report filed on Friday, the CBI said it suspected a nexus between politicians and police officers of Gujarat and Rajasthan, sources said.
Without naming Gujarat CM Narendra Modi in the report, the CBI is understood to have said it may have to probe the political leaders of Gujarat and Rajasthan. Sources, however, said an “internal memo“ annexed to the report referred to Modi and then DGP P.C. Pandey. The CBI reportedly wants to include the murder of Tulsiram Prajapati, witness to Sohrabuddin's death, in its investigation.
Full report at: Hindustan Times
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AL QAEDA PLANNED 9/11 ON KABUL
Jon Boone
July 31, 2010
It may be one of the more audacious terrorist plots to be hatchedinAfghanistan,butitwas certainly not the most original.
The same Al Qaeda masterminds behind 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington planned to commit a similar attack in the capital of the country that once harboured them, according to a file among US military intelligence documents published this week by the WikiLeaks website.
Ayman al-Zawahiri, Al Qaeda's second in command, is said to have given the order for a team of 22 to board one or more planes at Kabul airport, hijack the aircraft and steer them toward a number of “important objectives“.
Full report at: Hindustan Times
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US military chief attacks ISI terror link
Anirudh Bhattacharyya
July 31, 2010
MULLEN SAID THERE WERE ELEMENTS WITHIN THE ISI THAT HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH TALIBAN
A senior American official has warned Pakistan that continuing relations between the Pakistan spy agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and terrorist groups was “not acceptable“ to the United States.
During a special briefing in Washington on the Wikileaks issue, Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen said there were “elements“ within the ISI that have “a relationship with extremist organisations“.
In that context, he said, “We consider that unacceptable.“ He also said that while the Pakistan military was “still focused on rebuilding this trust“, it was “not yet rebuilt.“
Full report at: Hindustan Times
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SC okays CBI probe into Hari Masjid killing incident
Jul 31, 2010
NEW DELHI: Terming the case relating to the firing by police in Mumbai's Hari Masjid during the riots in 1993 in the aftermath of Babri Masjid demolition as "extraordinary", the Supreme Court on Friday greenlighted CBI probe into it and asked the agency to submit status report in six months.
Upholding the Bombay HC order directing CBI probe and taking into account the narrations by complainant Farrok Mohammed Kasim Mapkar, a Bench comprising Justices P Sathasivam and A R Dave said, "We are of the view that it is an extraordinary case and the complainant was fully justified in approaching the HC seeking extraordinary jurisdiction for direction entrusting the investigation to independent and special agency like CBI."
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/SC-okays-CBI-probe-into-Hari-Masjid-killing-incident/articleshow/6238187.cms
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Turkey Softens Terror Law That Jailed Young Kurds
July 31, 2010
July 30: Berivan Sayaca, a vivacious 15-year-old Kurdish girl, dreamed of escaping her life as a seamstress and studying law. Instead, she was convicted of supporting terrorism by attending a protest rally and sentenced to nearly eight years behind bars.
This week, Berivan was released from prison about 10 months into her sentence. The move came after the Turkish Parliament, in an attempt to alleviate rising tensions with the Kurdish minority here in the southeast, passed a bill in July reducing the sentences of hundreds of youth, 18 and younger, who had been put on trial and nicknamed the “stone-throwing kids.”
Full report at:
http://www.asianage.com/international/turkey-softens-terror-law-jailed-young-kurds-158
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US: No Plans To Send Combat Forces To Pak
July 31, 2010
Dismissing Afghanistan’s demand to strike at terror sanctuaries across the border, the US has said that it has no plans to send combat troops to Pakistan.
At a news conference in Kabul, Afghan President Hamid Karzai had urged the international community, the US in particular, to strike safe havens inside Pakistan.
“The international community is here to fight the menace of terrorism, but there is danger elsewhere and they are not acting,” he said.
However, the Obama administration on Thursday expressed satisfaction over the aggressive stand taken by the Pakistan Army against terrorist outfits in the tribal regions of the country.
Full report at:
http://www.asianage.com/international/us-no-plans-send-combat-forces-pak-081
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Hamas slams Arab backing for talks with Israel
July 31, 2010
DOHA: Hamas supremo Khaled Meshaal slammed Arab leaders for endorsing the resumption of direct Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, in comments published by Al-Jazeera on Friday. Meshaal described the Arab Peace Initiative committee’s decision to support negotiations with Israel as an “attempt to mitigate the negativity of Arab political positions.” “It seems that the embarrassment Arab leaders are feeling at this time is greater” than before, the Doha-based satellite channel’s website quoted the exiled Hamas leader as saying.
“They do not want to show that they’re shying away from their decisions, so they came up with a vague result, saying neither ‘yes’ nor ‘no’ to an immediate resumption of direct negotiations” with Israel. Arab officials agreed in principle on Thursday to holding direct Middle East peace negotiations, but left it up to Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas to decide when the talks with Israel should start.
Full report at:
http://thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=253989
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UN urges Israel to end Gaza blockade
July 31, 2010
GENEVA: Israel must lift its military blockade of the Gaza Strip and invite an independent, fact-finding mission to investigate its raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla, a United Nations rights body said on Friday.
The UN Human Rights Committee also told Israel to ensure that Palestinians in the occupied territories can enjoy the fundamental civil and political freedoms that Israel had pledged to uphold in the main international human rights treaty.
Israel maintains that the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights does not apply to the occupied West Bank and Gaza, although it says that the treaty does apply to Jewish settlers there, committee member Christine Chanet said.
There are no Israeli settlers in Gaza itself.
Full report at:
http://thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=253988
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US worried more secret documents may be released
31 Jul, 2010
WASHINGTON: US officials are worried about what other secret US documents the whistle-blowing website WikiLeaks may possess and have tried to contact the group without success to avoid their release, the State Department said on Friday.
The shadowy group publicly released more than 90,000 US Afghan war records spanning a six-year period on Sunday. The group also is thought to be in possession of tens of thousands of US diplomatic cables passed to it by an Army intelligence analyst, media reports have said.
“Do we have concerns about what might be out there? Yes, we do,” State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley told a briefing, adding that US authorities have not specifically determined which documents may have been leaked to the organization.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/world/14-us-worried-more-secret-documents-may-be-released-zj-01
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US lawmakers urge resolution of Kashmir dispute
July 31, 2010
WASHINGTON: Voicing their deep concern over the ongoing human rights violations in Indian-held Kashmir, a number of US congressmen have urged the resolution of the decades-old conflict, as it would end the sufferings of the Kashmiri people and increase economic opportunities for South Asia.
Speaking at the 11th International Kashmir Conference on the Capitol Hill, several lawmakers said South Asia would have been different today if the issue had been given attention it deserved.
The lawmakers who spoke on the opening day of the moot, included Congressman Dan Burton, Congressman Alderholt, Congressman Danny Davis, Congressman Dannis Kuchinich, Congressman Yvette Clark and Congressman Joseph Pit. The members expressed their deep concern and dissatisfaction over the prevailing situation in the wake of this month’s killings of Kashmiri youth, when the Indian security forces fired upon them to stifle their protests.
Full report at:
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\07\31\story_31-7-2010_pg1_7
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Mob torches US embassy vehicles in Kabul
July 31, 2010
KABUL: Rioting erupted in Kabul on Friday when two US embassy vehicles were set ablaze after one collided with a civilian car, killing a number of occupants, officials and witnesses said. TV pictures showed the vehicles in flames and young Afghan men throwing stones at them and beating them with sticks and iron bars. NATO’s ISAF said it had dispatched a quick reaction force to the area, outside the American embassy and near US and Afghan army bases in the centre of the city. An ISAF official said the vehicles involved belonged to the US embassy. “We don’t know yet how many people were killed in the accident,” Afghan Interior Ministry spokesman Zemarai Bashery said. Witnesses said four passengers in the civilian car died when it was hit by one of two armoured vehicles moving in a convoy. The US embassy in Kabul released a statement saying that “four US contract personnel” had been in the vehicle involved in the accident. “We understand that the other car contained four Afghan passengers. We have also been informed that there were fatalities and serious injuries,” it said. Police fired shots in the air to quell the violence.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\07\31\story_31-7-2010_pg7_3
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Cameron now hails Pak progress in tackling terror
July 31, 2010
New Delhi—Visiting British Prime Minister David Cameron on Friday strongly defended his controversial remarks on Pakistan's record in tackling terrorism even as they threatened to affect London's ties with Islamabad ahead of Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari's visit to Britain next week.
Cameron, on a 'jobs mission' to India, told the BBC that it was important to speak frankly about the problems and that was what the people expected their government to do.
"To be fair to the Pakistan government, they have made progress in chasing down militants and terrorists that threaten their country and threaten others," he said.
"However, Britain wanted Pakistan to do more and was willing to work with Islamabad to do more ", said the British PM Pakistan's High Commissioner to the UK Wajid Shamsul Hasan, meanwhile, criticised the British PM for choosing to believe leaks, which, according to him, lacked both credibility and corroboration.
Full report at:
http://dailymailnews.com/0710/31/FrontPage/index.php?id=1
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Exiled Yemen opposition leader killed on return
31 July 2010
SANAA - An opposition leader shot in the head after returning to his native Yemen from 32 years in exile died of his wounds, his party announced on its website Friday.
Abd al-Raqib al-Qirshi, who died on Thursday, was killed at the start of a new national political dialogue announced in a May speech where Yemen’s president offered amnesty to political opponents, allowing Qirshi to return.
“Abd al-Raqib al-Qirshi died in a hospital in the Syrian capital Damascus,” his party’s statement said.
“He was moved there when he sustained wounds to the head from an assassination attempt last month. He had been in a coma since that time.”
Supporters believe Qirshi, who was still a major opposition figure while in exile and one of the first to return after the pardon, was killed by the government.
Full report at:
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/displayarticle.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2010/July/middleeast_July598.xml§ion=middleeast&col
4:50 AM
Sultan Shahin
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