30 Sep 2010, NewAgeIslam.Com
HC partitions disputed Ayodhya site; 2 parts to Hindus, 1 part to Muslims
Both sides to appeal in Supreme Court
Verdict has paved way for grand Ram temple: Bhagwat
Lord Ram owes his fame to Wahid in Sangam city
Aamir dons role of ambassador
Ahmadinejad aide calls for more women’s rights
Forget Kashmir, worry about your own survival: Krishna to Pak
Ayodhya verdict: call to maintain calm
Students flock to schools in Kashmir
125 years after first Babri verdict, it's judgment time again
'Kashmir doesn't belong to India or Pak'
Dubai to open the world's highest restaurant in January
Adequate security in place, says Chidambaram
Israel deports Jewish boat activists
Indonesian lawmaker proposes virginity tests
Two powerful earthquakes hit Indonesia
Pak: Qureshi Was Close To Replacing PM Gilani
Jamiat defers Kashmir conference
Omar not in Balochistan, says Raisani
Saudis announce free Hajj for Pak family
Japan to withdraw from Iran oil project
Kuwait Finance House: Islamic banking accounts 17 % of GCC banking assets
3 top al-Qaida commanders killed in US drone attacks
Chinese firm bags deal to link Pak, Afghanistan and Uzbekistan by rail
CIA chief in Pakistan, to hold talks with top leadership
Stop your state-sponsored terrorism, Krishna tells Pakistan
India concerned at U.S. military aid to Pakistan
J-K To Release 52 Stone-Pelters
Generals In Pak Push For Shake-Up Of Government
High court rejects Kasab plea to meet lawyers in isolation
Pakistan seeks UN intervention to resolve Kashmir issue
War of words but no talks with Pak at UN
Zardari calls for flood tax
Four killed in Quetta and Wadh
US sanctions eight Iranian officials over HR abuses
Taliban vow to expand fight
Iran assures financial support for flood victims
Learn from fight with intruders, Prince Khaled tells troops
Yemen escalating crackdown on press, says rights group
Turkey seizes Ataturk yacht in wake of sex scandal
Iran delays Bushehr plant launch to 2011
Geneva celebrates UAE’s selection to Media Day (Wam)
Times Square bomber plotted 2nd attack: Govt
Pakistan flood victims struggle to rebuild alone
Oman hits out at Israel for blatant violation of rights
Bangladesh: 6 killed, 20 injured in Savar road accident
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
Photo: Disputed land of Ayodhya
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HC partitions disputed Ayodhya site; 2 parts to Hindus, 1 part to Muslims
Manoj Mitta
Oct 1, 2010
Security personnel outside the Lucknow Bench of Allahabad High Court during the pronouncement of the Ayodhya verdict, in Lucknow on Thursday. (PTI Photo)
Sixty years after Ram's idols were forcibly installed under the central dome of the Babri Masjid, the Allahabad high court, in a judgement running into about 12,000 pages, paved the way on Thursday for the construction of a temple at that very spot which is believed by many Hindus to be his birthplace.
While disposing of four title suits, the majority of the three-judge bench directed that the disputed site of 2.77 acres in Ayodhya be partitioned equally among three parties: Muslims, Hindus and Nirmohi Akhara (a Hindu group). (Read judgement)
In deference to the widely-held belief about Ram's birthplace, the court stipulated that the crucial area under the central dome of the mosque demolished by kar sevaks in 1992 be allotted to Hindus. This means the idols will remain where they are.
In the course of the partition due to take place after three months, the court directed that Nirmohi Akhara be allotted parts of the outer courtyard covered earlier by Ram Chabutra, Sita Rasoi and Bhandar, which had long been used for worship by Hindus despite their proximity to the mosque.
Thus, the separate judgments delivered by Justice S U Khan and Justice Sudhir Agarwal, constituting the majority opinion of the bench, have in effect allotted two-thirds of the disputed site to Hindus even as they opened up the possibility of the mosque being rebuilt on the remaining part.
The dissenting verdict given by Justice D V Sharma, however, rejected the claims of Muslims on the ground that Babri Masjid had been built against the tenets of Islam and therefore could not be treated as a mosque.
Declaring that the entire premises belonged to Hindus, Sharma's dissent held that the mosque had been built by Mughal emperor Babar after demolishing what was found by the Archaeological Survey of India to be a "massive Hindu religious structure".
Given the difficulty involved in carving out a one-third share for Muslims from the remaining parts of the disputed site, the majority verdict of Khan and Agarwal clarified that a part of the outer courtyard which was in the possession of Hindus could be given to Muslims.
If that did not make up for the shortfall in the one-third share allotted to Muslims in the disputed site of 2.77 acres, the court envisaged the possibility of their being compensated with a portion of the adjoining 67.7 acres of land which had been acquired by the Centre in 1993 with the intention of providing access and facilities for both communities.
The court gave liberty to all the parties concerned to file suggestions within three months on the actual partition of the disputed site and directed that status quo be maintained during that period.
Though the operative parts of their judgments are similar, Khan and Agarwal differed in the manner in which they arrived at their conclusions. While Khan declared that both Muslims and Hindus were "joint title holders in possession of the entire premises in dispute", Agarwal held that only "the area within the inner courtyard" belonged to both communities as it had been used by them for centuries.
Khan and Agarwal also differed over whether a temple had been demolished to build the mosque. In Khan's opinion, the mosque was built on the ruins of temples which had been lying in that condition for a long time. Agarwal, on the other hand, agreed with Sharma that a temple had been demolished to build the mosque.
Khan held that it was only after the mosque had come into existence did Hindus start identifying the disputed structure as the exact birthplace of Lord Ram. Before that, their belief about the birthplace "did not relate to any specified small area" in or around the disputed premises.
Since Ram Chabutra and Sita Rasoi came into existence long before the first legal dispute arose in 1855, Khan said Ayodhya for long displayed a "very, very unique and absolutely unprecedented situation" in which Hindu religious places were being worshipped inside the compound of a mosque.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/HC-partitions-disputed-Ayodhya-site-2-parts-to-Hindus-1-part-to-Muslims/articleshow/6661333.cms#ixzz114o9FMpI
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Both sides to appeal in Supreme Court
Oct 1, 2010
NEW DELHI: Though the Hindu side claimed to have won, it declared its intention to go in appeal to the Supreme Court, arguing that since Ram Janmasthan had been accepted, the entire disputed site at Ayodhya should be handed over for the construction of a temple.
The Muslim side, whose title suits were set aside, is appealing the verdict even as its leading light, Zafaryab Jilani, said he accepted the ruling of the court while exercising the right to seek a revision. He said the Muslim side would abide by what the Supreme Court rules.
Despite suggestions that the Lucknow Bench of Allahabad High Court had opened the doors to a compromise by proposing a three-way division of the disputed land, both parties are keen to secure their legal rights. Only after doing so will either give any thought to other options.
The litigants have contested the case for too long to settle for a negotiated resolution before knocking the doors of the SC. Now, leaders on both sides are saying that it will be for the SC to take a speedy view of the verdict announced by the HC. The Muslim argument is that Islamic law does not permit "surrendering" a mosque.
With some estimates suggesting that SC could deal with the case within 15-16 months if it wants to, the Hindu side represented by the petitioners representing Ram Lalla and Hindu Mahasabha are sure to look for a confirmation of the HC verdict even as they articulate a maximalist point of view. There is a sense that more than half the battle has been won.
The Sunni Waqf Boards of UP have taken the view that the ulema have ruled that an SC verdict will be viewed as final in the matter even as its leaders skirt the issue of whether this means abandoning the argument that a mosque cannot be given up. The Muslim side continues to challenge the conclusion of the HC that the Babri masjid came up after the destruction of a temple.
Muslim leaders make it clear that they do not see "bartering of land" as a means to resolving the mandir-masjid tangle. The Hindu litigants have said they would want to claim the entire 2.77 acres that houses the idols of Ram Lalla under a makeshift temple. The immediate aftermath of a long fought battle is not the best time for a compromise.
The battle in the SC will, however, provide some time for efforts for an out of court settlement once implications of the HC judgment sinks in. Sharing land for a mosque and temple has been considered earlier in back channel negotiations. In 2002, before the Gujarat riots torpedoed the Kanchi Shankaracharya's initiative, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board and VHP were close to agreeing on a formula for negotiations. Whether India can really move on will now be seen.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Both-sides-to-appeal-in-Supreme-Court/articleshow/6661404.cms#ixzz114pZzJ4G
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Verdict has paved way for grand Ram temple: Bhagwat
Sep 30, 2010
NEW DELHI: Welcoming the Allaghabad High Court verdict, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh ( RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat Thursday said it has almost cleared the way for building a grand Ram temple at Ayodhya and asked both Hindus and Muslims to come forward to help in constructing it.
Bhagwat, thanking the judges of the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court for the verdict, said the verdict was a "victory of rashtriya pehchan (national identity)".
Bhagwat also said the verdict should not be viewed as a victory or defeat. "We should not take it as a victory or defeat," he said, and asked Hindus to be reserved in portraying their happiness over it so as not to upset the other side.
"This has almost cleared the way for a building a grand Ram temple," he said.
He also asked people to "forget the bitterness of the past years" and urged both Hindus and Muslims to come forward for constructing a Ram temple.
The Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court Thursday ruled that the mosque in Ayodhya was built on the site of a temple after demolishing it.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Verdict-has-paved-way-for-grand-Ram-temple-Bhagwat/articleshow/6659224.cms#ixzz111D85WjS
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Lord Ram owes his fame to Wahid in Sangam city
Rajiv Mani
Sep 30, 2010
ALLAHABAD: Even as the country anxiously awaits the verdict on the Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute, Abdul Wahid stands out as a symbol of communal harmony in the Sangam city. This humble `dresswala' sends across a strong message that religion is meant for bonding people, not dividing them.
While the security agencies were busy making preparations to thwart any communal tension in wake of the Ayodhya verdict, to be pronounced on Thursday, Abdul Wahid alias Anwar alias Ram Singh, remained focus on his annual activity -- making dresses for the characters of Ram Leela, which will be staged in the city during Dussehra.
Be it Lord Rama, Laxman, Sita, Ravana, or Hanuman, all these characters wear the dresses made by Wahid and his family. Such is the popularity of Wahid among the aristes that they have given him a new name -- Ram Singh. Today, he is more famous as Ram Singh dresswala. Carrying the family profession in the fourth generation, the old man is now supported by his sons Saud, Abdulla, Saeed and other family members in the business.
"Mandir aur masjid ki baten karna sirf faltu logo ka kaam hai, jab unke pas koi aur kaam nahi hai karne ko to kya karen, (the issues of temple and mosque are being talked by people who do not have any other work to do)," said Wahid's younger son Abdulla. "For me, Ram and his life is as important as that of Allah. And why only me, I believe youngsters, be they of any any religion, have grown watching the epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata on TV," he added.
"Why only Ram Leela, even Muslim youths play various characters of the Ramayana in the tableaux displayed during Dussehra," said Abbas, a Muslim youth sitting next to Abdulla.
Abdul Wahid and his family were more interested in the Ram Leela rehearsals underway on at the grounds of Pattharchati, than the Ayodhya verdict.
"Ours is the fourth generation in this business even though the earnings have dwindled over the years," said Saeed. Red coloured jackets with dominant golden embroidery, pearl necklaces, silken dhoti, thick black menacing moustaches and beard, the deft hands of Wahid and his family members infuse life in the Ram Leela characters.
Throughout the year we collect materials like human hair, artificial jewellery, latest costumes and eye-catching embroidery as these things make our business successful," said Wahid's son Saud, who joined the family business from an early age.
We feel the hurt when innocents get killed in the cowardly acts by terrorists," said Abdulla. And we feel proud when the audience cheers and seeks blessings from Lord Ram, for it also means appreciation for our hard work, he added.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/allahabad/Lord-Ram-owes-his-fame-to-Wahid-in-Sangam-city/articleshow/6654728.cms
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Aamir dons role of ambassador
Sep 30, 2010
CHANDIGARH: Bollywood star Aamir Khan has become the global ambassador of 'Live to Love' foundation that is running Druk Padma School, popularly known as Rancho's school in Leh, which was destroyed in the recent cloudburst. Aamir has pledged his support for the Live to Love initiative of the Drukpa lineage by becoming the official ambassador.
Expressing his views on his new role, the actor stated, "I am delighted to accept this role to help support such a major global project. Live to Love has already made a huge impact and helped hundreds of people around the world. I am looking forward to making a difference." Aamir's new role was announced recently at the Royal Society, London.
The Drukpa lineage has been working at imparting education in the most challenging situations like at Druk Padma School, which is located in the remote Himalayan region between Pakistan and China in northern India.
Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Aamir-dons-role-of-ambassador/articleshow/6655644.cms#ixzz10ypE5kZf
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Ahmadinejad aide calls for more women’s rights
29 September 2010
TEHRAN - President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s closest aide has called for more rights for Iran’s “oppressed” women, the latest controversial comments from a man who has become the lightning rod for divisions in the ruling elite.
“Women have been oppressed and treated unjustly in our society in the past and this oppression still exists,” Esfandiar Rahim-Mashaie, the president’s chief of staff, was quoted as saying by Iranian newspapers on Wednesday.
Iranian women’s rights have long been lamented by activists abroad, most recently over the case of a woman sentenced to be stoned for adultery, an incident Ahmadinejad told Western reporters had never happened and had been hyped by the media.
But Mashaie’s comments are likely to have more impact within Iran where he has often been the focus of ideological and personal rifts among the hardliners who rule the Islamic Republic and dislike what they see as his liberal leanings.
Full report at: http://www.khaleejtimes.com/displayarticle.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2010/September/middleeast_September564.xml§ion=middleeast&col=
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Forget Kashmir, worry about your own survival: Krishna to Pak
Chidanand Rajghatta,
Sep 29, 2010
WASHINGTON: Forget Kashmir, worry about your own survival. This was the blunt message India's external affairs minister SM Krishna gave Pakistan after Islamabad's familiar rhetoric on Kashmir at the United Nations through its foreign minister SM Qureshi scuttled an expected meeting between the two.
In some of the sharpest language emanating from India, the normally affable Krishna taunted Pakistan and its representative for using the Kashmir issue as a "ploy" to deflect attention from its parlous internal situation arising from governance issues related to home-grown terrorism and the recent floods.
Pakistan, Krishna suggested, ratcheted up the Kashmir issue whenever things were going well for India or going badly for Pakistan in a "pattern" that had been going on for sixty-plus years.
Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Forget-Kashmir-worry-about-your-own-survival-Krishna-to-Pak/articleshow/6652822.cms#ixzz10yoo6fNy
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Ayodhya verdict: call to maintain calm
Unlawful assembly of more than three persons, public display of emotions etc. banned
Community leaders promise cooperation to the district administration
Instilling confidence:A girl watches the police stage a flag march at Lalapet in Guntur on the eve of Ayodhya verdict on Wednesday.
Guntur: A day before the verdict on title suits on the disputed structure at Ayodhya is set to be delivered by the Lucknow Bench of Allahabad High Court, the district administration has appealed to people to maintain calm.
District Collector B Ramanjaneyulu along with Superintendents of Police, D.S. Chauhan (Urban) and A Ravichandra (Rural), announced at a media conference held on Wednesday that prohibitory orders under Section 144 Cr.P.C would be in force throughout the district for a week starting from the midnight of Wednesday.
Emergency numbers
Full report at: http://www.hindu.com/2010/09/30/stories/2010093063230800.htm
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Students flock to schools in Kashmir
Sep 29, 2010,
SRINAGAR: Attendance in schools in Kashmir, which reopened on Monday after 100 days of unrest, rose on a day when separatists suspended their stir even as the education department said it is mulling action against institutions which follow the strike calendar.
Anantnag district of south Kashmir recorded the highest 90 per cent turnout of students on Wednesday, while the lowest 50 per cent was registered in nearby Kulgam district, official sources said, adding that there was 26 per cent higher attendance in schools in the Valley.
On Tuesday, the figure was 63 per cent and 40 per cent in Anantnag and Kulgam districts respectively.
Srinagar, the summer capital of Srinagar which witnessed a dismal 16 per cent of turnout of the students on Tuesday, registered manifold increase as the turnout jumped to 62 per cent.
Pulwama, also in South Kashmir, recorded healthy student attendance of 85 per cent followed by Shopian (80 per cent), Bandipora (66 per cent), Kupwara (65 per cent), Budgam (60 per cent) and Ganderbal (55 per cent), the sources said.
They said the highway town of Awantipora, 32 kms from here in Pulwama district, registered 100 per cent attendance of the students as well as the teaching staff. Only 11 per cent students attended schools on Tuesday in this district.
The student attendance showed remarkable improvement as almost all the private educational institutions across the Valley reopened this morning, the sources said.
Life returned to normal in Srinagar and other major towns of the Valley as the hardline Hurriyat faction headed by Syed Ali Shah Geelani, which had asked the people not to send their children to schools, had exempted the day from its protest calendar.
Expressing happiness over the functioning of the educational institutions which remained shut for almost over three months, education minister Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed on Wednesday said "there is a need to keep the education above politics to save the future of the children.
"The strike call or the curfew should not affect the functioning of the schools or colleges," he said adding "we have requested the private schools to resume functioning, irrespective of curfew or strike call.
"If they (the private schools) keep schools open only according to the strike calendar of separatists in future, we can take action against them as per the rules," the minister warned.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/6652458.cms#ixzz10youZ2ha
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125 years after first Babri verdict, it's judgment time again
J. Venkatesan
The court will perhaps answer several questions framed by itself in the course of the suit
Final hearing on suits began on July 23, 1996; verdict reserved on July 26 this year
The present legal battle over title has gone on for nearly six decades
New Delhi: A special Full Bench of Justices S.U. Khan, Sudhir Agarwal and D.V. Sharma of the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court will pronounce its verdict on the Ayodhya title suits on Thursday. The final hearing began on July 23, 1996, and verdict was reserved on July 26 this year.
On one side are a number of Hindu plaintiffs, who claim that the disputed site belongs to them and is the spot where a Ram temple once existed. On the other is the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Wakf Board, which maintains that the site, where the Babri Masjid stood for five centuries before being demolished by mobs on December 6, 1992, is a Muslim place of worship.
Full report at: http://www.hindu.com/2010/09/30/stories/2010093064191600.htm
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'Kashmir doesn't belong to India or Pak'
ARATI R JERATH
Sep 30, 2010
SRINAGAR: The stone-pelters movement, or the Sangbaaz Tehreek as it is popularly called, is altering equations in Kashmir and forcing separatist leaders to abandon their pro- Pakistan tilt. In a decisive rejection of the UN resolution that offered Kashmiris only two options — to stay with India or go with Pakistan — present-day protesters have made it clear to the separatists that nothing less than "azadi", or an independent state of Kashmir, will do.
"We don't want accession to Pakistan,'' declared Tehreek supporter Syed Ali Aga (name changed on request). "Let me tell you, the Pakistan element is out. And we don't want to remain with India either."
The message went out in a barrage of protests against hardliner Syed Ali Shah Geelani's call last month to "celebrate Pakistan's independence day" on August 14. Geelani, who has consistently fought to make Kashmir part of Pakistan, was forced to withdraw his call after protesters visited his house and flooded stone-pelter sites on Facebook with posts warning him not to go down a road that has no relevance in Kashmir circa 2010.
Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Kashmir-doesnt-belong-to-India-or-Pak/articleshow/6655263.cms#ixzz10ypXcviY
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Dubai to open the world's highest restaurant in January
Sep 29, 2010
DUBAI: After the world's tallest Burj Khalifa, Dubai is now set to open the highest restaurant in the world at the same tower in January next year, the project's developer has said.
The restaurant will be called Atmosphere and will be located on the 122nd floor of Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world and also home to the first ever Armani Hotel, an Emaar Hospitality Group (EHG) official told local media.
EHG chief executive officer Marc Dardenne told Dubai-based website HotelierMiddleEast.com that the outlet had the "bragging rights of being the highest restaurant in the world".
Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Dubai-to-open-the-worlds-highest-restaurant-in-January/articleshow/6653090.cms#ixzz10yqql2ei
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Adequate security in place, says Chidambaram
Vinay Kumar
NEW DELHI: On the eve of the Allahabad High Court verdict in the 60-year-old Ayodhya dispute, the Centre said it had deployed adequate security forces all over the country to maintain law, order and peace.
In Uttar Pradesh, about 1.9 lakh Central paramilitary forces had been deployed to deal with any situation that might develop after the pronouncement of the verdict by the Special Bench, Home Minister P. Chidambaram told journalists here on Wednesday.
“Unintended benefit”
In his view, the judgment delay of six days has had an “unintended benefit,” giving a number of parties, groups and individuals an opportunity to reiterate that they would respect the verdict.
Full report at: http://www.hindu.com/2010/09/30/stories/2010093061120100.htm
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Israel deports Jewish boat activists
30 Sep. 10
ASHDOD (Israel): Three Jewish activists who tried to bust Israel's blockade on Gaza were on their way out of Israel on Tuesday night and a fourth was awaiting deportation, said their lawyer.
Israeli warships on Tuesday intercepted the boat named “Irene” 20 nautical miles off the coast of the Gaza Strip, and took it to the port of Ashdod in southern Israel.
Attorney Smadar Ben-Natan said “two English and an American” were at Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion airport awaiting flights and the other, a woman, was being kept in custody overnight.
She said five Israeli nationals who sailed with the four foreigners on the Irene had been released without being charged pending further inquiries.
Organisers Jews for Justice for Palestinians listed on their website Briton Glyn Secker as the vessel's captain and a member of its executive committee and named U.S. peace activist Lillian Rosengarten as one of the passengers.
Full report at: http://www.hindu.com/2010/09/30/stories/2010093054220900.htm
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Indonesian lawmaker proposes virginity tests
Sep 29, 2010
JAKARTA, Indonesia: An Indonesian legislator wants girls in his province to pass virginity tests before being admitted into state-funded high schools, a widely ridiculed proposal with little chance of passing.
Bambang Bayu Suseno, a lawmaker in Jambi's provincial parliament, cited concerns about a rise in premarital sex among teens in pushing for the proposal.
But critics argued Wednesday that mandatory testing would be discriminatory and a violation of human rights.
"The way to address this problem is through sex education," said Seto Mulyadi, who heads the National Commission for Child Protection, adding that not all girls engaging in sex do so willingly.
Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/Indonesian-lawmaker-proposes-virginity-tests/articleshow/6650864.cms#ixzz10yqwEHvN
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Two powerful earthquakes hit Indonesia
30 September 2010
Two powerful earthquakes hit waters off eastern Indonesia in rapid succession on Thursday, prompting officials to briefly trigger a tsunami warning.
The US Geological Survey said a 7.2 magnitude quake off Papua province, centered just 7 miles (12 kilometers) beneath the ocean floor, struck less than a minute after a 6.6 temblor in the same location.
Several strong aftershocks followed.
The quakes rocked the nearby islands of Tual and Dodo at around 2 a.m. local time as people were sleeping, police said, adding there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.
The region on Indonesia’s easternmost edge is remote and sparsely populated.
Located 1,800 miles (2,900 kilometers) from the capital, Jakarta, the epicenter was closer to the northern Australian city of Darwin, which sits some 560 miles (900 kilometers) to the south.
Full report at: http://www.khaleejtimes.com/displayarticle.asp?xfile=data/international/2010/September/international_September1332.xml§ion=international&col=
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Pak: Qureshi Was Close To Replacing PM Gilani
Sep 30th, 2010
Shafqat Ali
Pakistan’s foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi was inches away from replacing incumbent Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani in the heat of the recent judiciary-executive standoff that shook the fragile coalition here.
“Prime Minister Gilani acted like a tactician to avert being sent home. He was just down and out before he rebounded”, a close aide of President Asif Ai Zardari, co-chairman of the ruling Pakistan People’s Party, told this newspaper. This is not the first time that Mr Qureshi came close to clinching the top executive post: he was runner-up when the PPP nominated Mr Gilani for the job after the 2008 election.
The source said President Zardari had virtually agreed to the change, which would have made Mr Qureshi “the new face” of the Pakistan government.
Full report at: http://www.asianage.com/international/pak-qureshi-was-close-replacing-pm-gilani-195
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Jamiat defers Kashmir conference
September 30, 2010
In view of the Allahabad High Court verdict on Ayodhya title suits to be delivered on Thursday, the Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind has deferred its first Kashmir Conference from October 4 to October 10. Meanwhile, the Jamiat has also decided to broad-base the list of the invitees and will include leaders from non-Muslim communities to bring out a common resolution to the crisis in the Valley. The outfit also appealed to the Government to maintain law and order after the verdict on Ayodhya is delivered.
“Due to the changed scenario arising out of the Supreme Court rejection of the deferment plea and the Allahabad High Court all set to give its verdict on the Ayodhya title suits, the Jamiat has decided to reschedule the Kashmir Conference,” said Rajya Sabha MP and Jamiat leader Maulana Mahmood Madani.
Full report at: http://www.dailypioneer.com/286564/Jamiat-defers-Kashmir-conference.html
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Omar not in Balochistan, says Raisani
Thursday, 30 Sep, 2010
QUETTA, Sept 29: Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani has said that Mullah Omar and other top Taliban figures are not in Balochistan.
At a meeting on Wednesday with Masaharu Sato, the Karachi-based Consul-General of Japan, he said the Taliban leadership was very much in Afghanistan.
Mr Raisani, however, acknowledged that there were some Taliban in Balochistan but said “these Taliban are quite different from the Afghan Taliban”.
“The Taliban in Balochistan are quit different from the Afghan Taliban. They never carry weapons. They are peaceful students obtaining religious and modern education in seminaries,” Mr Raisani said.
The chief minister said the Taliban fighting Pakistani security forces were extremists who were getting support from international powers playing “the big game” in Balochistan.
He termed the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan “a war of interests”. “This is not an ideological war,” he said.
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/front-page/omar-not-in-balochistan,-says-raisani-090
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Saudis announce free Hajj for Pak family
30 Sep. 10
ISLAMABAD—The Saudi government had announced to bear Hajj expanses of ten family members of Farman Ali, 32, a Pakistani national hailing from Swat valley, who died while saving lives of Saudi’s during flood in Jeddah last year.
Farman Ali saved lives of 14 Saudi’s during massive flood in Jeddah last year but died himself while attempting to save another 15 marooned in floodwater.
Saudi government admitting the services of Farman Ali directed the Saudi Embassy in Islamabad to make arrangements for 10 family members of the deceased to perform Hajj this year, said a statement issued here on Wednesday.
Muhammad Aziz, elder brother of the deceased told newsmen that Saudi Embassy has invited him and informed about the Saudi government’s decision.
“We have submitted passports of 10 family members in the embassy.
Those who have finalized for performing Hajj on Saudi government expanses include parents of Farman Ali, his widow, three daughters, two brothers and two sisters.
It should be mentioned that these ten persons would be given protocol as royal family guests during their stay in Saudi Arabia.—INP
http://dailymailnews.com/0910/30/Islamabad/index.php?id=3
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Japan to withdraw from Iran oil project
30 September 2010
TOKYO — The Japanese government and oil developer Inpex Corp. plan to completely withdraw from Iran’s largest onshore oil field project to avoid possible US sanctions, reports said on Thursday.
The move, which may be announced this week, is to prevent government-backed Inpex being included in a list of companies subject to US sanctions against Iran, the Yomiuri Shimbun and the Nikkei reported, citing government sources.
Iran’s Azadegan oilfield, which has some 42 billion barrels of oil, was initially to have been developed with Inpex.
The Japanese company in 2006 significantly lowered its stake from 75 percent to 10 percent over fears of possible sanctions on Tehran over its nuclear programme.
“There are various risks, as we were asked by Iran to invest more in the project,” an anonymous government official told the Yomiuri.
Full report at: http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle08.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2010/September/middleeast_September573.xml§ion=middleeast
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Kuwait Finance House: Islamic banking accounts 17 % of GCC banking assets
- Asif Khalifa
Kuwiat - The Islamic banking sector in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states grows by 20 percent a year representing 17 % of the total assets of the banking industry in the region, reports Global Arab Network according KFH Research Ltd - the Islamic investment research arm of Kuwait Finance House (KFH).
Kuwait ranked first among the GCC countries in terms of total assets while Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have risen among the countries that promote Islamic finance products and services, according to the report issued by KFH.
The Islamic banking industry accounted for 35 percent of the total banking assets of Kuwait and about 17 percent of the GCC banking system total assets as a whole. It is expected that this industry will to continue to grow at an annual average rate of 15 - 20 percent, should four main factors, including the regulatory framework, increase in the GDP and government development plans, continue to drive growth rates forward and add momentum represented in increased demand and further expansion of related areas of business.
The report pointed out that there are many opportunities still available for Islamic finance solutions in the region where real estate finance tops other areas of interest prevalent in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
Full report at: http://www.english.globalarabnetwork.com/201009267403/Finance/kuwait-finance-house-islamic-banking-accounts-17-of-gcc-banking-assets.html
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3 top al-Qaida commanders killed in US drone attacks
Sep 29, 2010
PESHAWAR: Al-Qaida suffered severe reverses losing three key commanders in Afghanistan and tribal havens in northwestern Pakistan as US and NATO forces carried out a record number of air strikes and drone attacks.
Those felled by missile strikes included al-Qaida's new number 3. Sheikh Fateh al-Misri, who had replaced Mustafa Abu al-Yazid who was killed in a drone attack in Pakistan in May.
Al-Misri was believed to be in a vehicle in Pakistan's north Waziristan tribal region when a US drone fired Hellfire missile struck him. The al-Qaida commander was on his way to Afghanistan.
Sources said that Pakistan intelligence and military authorities were investigating reports of his death.
Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/3-top-al-Qaida-commanders-killed-in-US-drone-attacks/articleshow/6652101.cms#ixzz10yqWQCgn
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Chinese firm bags deal to link Pak, Afghanistan and Uzbekistan by rail
Saibal Dasgupta,
Sep 29, 2010
BEIJING: China is brokering a massive political and business deal that will result in rail links between Afghanistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan in Central Asia. A Chinese company has bagged a contract from the Afghan government to carry out feasibility studies for the proposal line.
The proposed 700 kilometers line will run right through the hotly contested Taliban areas while connecting the Aynak copper mines in northern Afghanistan with Kabul and the two neighboring countries.
India has been eager to help Afghanistan build its railway system as part of the reconstruction efforts. But it has apparently been checkmated by China because of its influence as an investor in the local copper mines and Pakistan's aggressive support for the Chinese firm, sources said.
Full report at:timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/china/Chinese-firm-bags-deal-to-link-Pak-Afghanistan-and-Uzbekistan-by-rail/articleshow/6652927.cms#ixzz10yoiEcSr
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CIA chief in Pakistan, to hold talks with top leadership
Sep 29, 2010
ISLAMABAD: Amid a dramatic increase in drone attacks on militants in the Waziristan tribal region, CIA chief Leon Panetta arrived here on Wednesday for talks with Pakistan's civil and military leadership.
Panetta's visit to Islamabad also coincides with reports in the media that Western intelligence agencies had uncovered a plot by Pakistani militants to carry out an attack in London and key cities in France and Germany. However, Pakistani officials have dismissed the reports.
Panetta is scheduled to meet Inter-Services Intelligence agency chief Lt Gen Ahmed Shuja Pasha, army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and President Asif Ali Zardari, officials were quoted as saying by TV news channels.
Panetta's talks with the Pakistani leadership will focus on counter-terrorism cooperation, the situation in Afghanistan and other regional issues.
Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/CIA-chief-in-Pakistan-to-hold-talks-with-top-leadership/articleshow/6654071.cms#ixzz10yqRRnOa
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Stop your state-sponsored terrorism, Krishna tells Pakistan
United Nations: India on Wednesday slammed Pakistan for sponsoring militancy and terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, and said Islamabad should not impart lessons to New Delhi on democracy and human rights.
Hitting back at Pakistan a day after its Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi harped on giving the Kashmiri people the right to “self-determination through a plebiscite,” External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna said Islamabad must stop its state-sponsored militancy and terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.
“Jammu and Kashmir, which is an integral part of India, is the target of Pakistan-sponsored militancy and terrorism. Pakistan must fulfil its solemn commitment of not allowing territory under its control to be used for terrorism directed against India,” Mr. Krishna said in his firmly worded speech at the 65th U.N. General Assembly session here.
“Credible and firm action by Pakistan against terrorist groups operating from its soil is in the interest of the region as it is in Pakistan's own interest.”
Full report at: http://www.hindu.com/2010/09/30/stories/2010093064131600.htm
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India concerned at U.S. military aid to Pakistan
WASHINGTON: Voicing its concern over supply of U.S. arms to Pakistan, India on Wednesday said some American weapons given to Islamabad to fight the war against terror along the Afghanistan border was being diverted against it.
Raising the issue with U.S. Defence Secretary Robert Gates during an official meeting here, Defence Minister A.K. Antony said: “While the U.S. is giving these arms to fight terrorists, Pakistan is diverting some portions to use against India.”
Mr. Antony, who is in the U.S. on a two-day visit on the invitation of Mr. Gates, was formally welcomed by Gates outside the River Entrance at the Pentagon. Mr. Gates expressed satisfaction at the increasing range and depth of defence cooperation and conveyed India's commitment to add even greater substance to the defence partnership in the years ahead,” the statement said.
Full report at: http://www.hindu.com/2010/09/30/stories/2010093056241500.htm
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J-K To Release 52 Stone-Pelters
Sep 30th, 2010
In the first major reconciliatory steps, the J&K government on Wednesday decided to immediately release 52 youth, including 31 students, who were arrested on charges of stone-pelting during the ongoing unrest, and formed two provincial committees to review areas declared as disturbed under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act.
These were among the decisions announced by state home commissioner B.R. Sharma after the meeting of Unified Headquarters (UHQ), which was chaired by CM Omar Abdullah.
“The state government will immediately release youth who have been arrested for stone-pelting. They will be handed over to their parents on the assurance of good conduct in future,” Mr Sharma said.
Full report at: http://www.asianage.com/india/j-k-release-52-stone-pelters-193
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Generals In Pak Push For Shake-Up Of Government
Sep 29th, 2010
Sept. 29: The Pakistani military, angered by the inept handling of the country’s devastating floods and alarmed by a collapse of the economy, is pushing for a shake-up of the elected government, and in the longer term, even the removal of President Asif Ali Zardari and his top lieutenants. The military, preoccupied by a war against militants and reluctant to assume direct responsibility for the economic crisis, has made clear it is not eager to take over the government, as it has many times before, military officials and politicians said.
But the government’s performance since the floods, which have left 20 million people homeless and the nation dependent on handouts from sceptical foreign donors, has laid bare the deep underlying tensions between military and civilian leaders. American officials, too, say it has left them increasingly disillusioned with Mr Zardari, a deeply unpopular President who was elected two-and-a-half years ago on a wave of sympathy after the assassination of his wife, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.
Full report at: http://www.asianage.com/international/generals-pak-push-shake-government-164
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High court rejects Kasab plea to meet lawyers in isolation
September 30, 2010
The Bombay High Court Wednesday rejected a plea of Pakistani terrorist Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab for permission to consult his lawyers in isolation in the Arthur Road Central Jail premises.
A division bench of the court comprising Justice Ranjana Desai and Justice V.K. Tahilramani cited grounds of security and safety of the lawyers and security personnel while declining permission, Kasab's lawyer Farhana Shah said.
"We have all options open before us. We plan to challenge this ruling in the Supreme Court soon," Shah told IANS emerging from the courtroom Wednesday afternoon.
Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam, opposing the application, Tuesday submitted to the high court a CD of an attack on a jail security personnel by Kasab in the high-security prison Sep 1.
Full report at: http://www.dailypioneer.com/286512/High-court-rejects-Kasab-plea-to-meet-lawyers-in-isolation.html
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Pakistan seeks UN intervention to resolve Kashmir issue
September 30, 2010
Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has told the UN General Assembly that the Kashmir issue could be resolved through UN resolutions and stressed that it was necessary for "durable peace and stability" in the South Asian region, it was reported here on Wednesday.
"A peaceful resolution of Kashmir dispute in accordance with the UN resolutions taking into account the aspirations of the Kashmiri people would create conducive atmosphere for durable peace and stability in the South Asian region," Qureshi told the 192-member UN General Assembly Tuesday during the general debate.
Dawn News quoted Qureshi as saying: "The Jammu and Kashmir dispute is about the exercise of the right to self-determination by the Kashmiri people through a free, fair and impartial plebiscite under the UN auspices."
Full report at: http://www.dailypioneer.com/286507/Pakistan-seeks-UN-intervention-to-resolve-Kashmir-issue.html
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War of words but no talks with Pak at UN
By Dipanjan Roy Chaudhury in New Delhi
A DAY after Pakistan’s foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi raised the pitch on Kashmir at the UN, India hit back at Islamabad for sponsoring militancy and terrorism in the restive state.
Addressing the 65th session of the UN General Assembly ( UNGA) in New York on Wednesday, external affairs minister S. M. Krishna said: “ Jammu and Kashmir, which is an integral part of India, is the target of Pakistan- sponsored militancy and terrorism.” Upset over Qureshi’s remarks on the human rights situation in Kashmir, he advised Pakistan not to “ impart lessons to us on democracy and human rights”. The sharp exchanges over Kashmir have derailed the possibility of the Krishna- Qureshi talks on the sidelines of UNGA. Reiterating that Islamabad must fulfil its obligation to act against terror groups operating against India, Krishna said: “ Credible and firm action by Pakistan against terrorist groups operating from its soil is in the interest of the region as it is in Pakistan’s own interest.” He, however, stressed that India was interested in continuing the dialogue with Pakistan: “ If Pakistan were to live up to its commitment not to allow the use of its soil by terrorists acting against India, this would significantly help reduce the trust deficit that impedes the development of better bilateral relations between our two countries.” Despite the war of words in New York, both foreign ministers expressed optimism about Qureshi’s visit to New Delhi in November- December for the next round of bilateral talks.
Full report at: Mail Today
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Zardari calls for flood tax
By Syed Irfan Raza
Thursday, 30 Sep, 2010
ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari asked the government on Wednesday to levy a one-time flood tax on wealthy people.
“A one-time flood tax will have to be imposed on the well-off and people of means to help shore up relief and rehabilitation efforts,” he said at a meeting of women ministers, parliamentarians and representatives of non-governmental organisations.
“Unless we are prepared to share bread with our grief- and disaster-stricken brethren, we should not expect others to help us.
“I have already advised the government to tap into indigenous resources wherever there is room,” he said.
The president said that funds would be disbursed transparently and every citizen would have access to information relating to the aid received and distributed.
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/front-page/president-calls-for-flood-tax-090
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Four killed in Quetta and Wadh
30 Sep, 2010
QUETTA, Sept 29: Two bullet-riddled bodies were found in or near the provincial capital and two men were gunned down in Wadh area of Khuzdar district on Wednesday.
Sources said that Malik Atta Mohammad was kidnapped by armed men from Qambrani road area of Quetta in the morning. His body was found from the Sariab area in the evening.
Police also found the bullet-riddled body of Ghulam Nabi Hazara in a locality on the outskirts of Quetta.
Two men identified as Madad Ali and Haider Ali, who were in a car, were shot dead near Wadh area of Khuzdar district. The motive for the double murder could not be determined.
Meanwhile, according to sources, four persons were kidnapped on gunpoint from Khuzdar and Hub towns. They were identified as Khair Jan, Shakir Baloch, Sobat Khan Marri and Uraz Khan Marri.
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/national/four-killed-in-quetta-and-wadh-090
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US sanctions eight Iranian officials over HR abuses
Thursday, 30 Sep, 2010
WASHINGTON, Sept 29: The United States on Wednesday named eight senior Iranian officials — including the commander of the Revolutionary Guards and several ministers — as participants in human rights abuses, including killings after disputed presidential elections in June last year.
“On these officials’ watch, or under their command, Iranian citizens have been arbitrarily arrested, beaten, tortured, raped, blackmailed and killed,” Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said at a news conference.
“Yet the Iranian government has ignored repeated calls from the international community to end these abuses.”
Full report at: http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/international/us-sanctions-eight-iranian-officials-over-hr-abuses-090
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Taliban vow to expand fight
ISLAMABAD: A top Pakistan Taliban commander has reaffirmed his group’s ties to al Qaeda, vowing to fight for imposition of Islamic law across the world, according to a video interview.
The purported remarks by Waliur Rehman, the commander of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in South Waziristan, underlined the persistent efforts of the group to raise its profile beyond Pakistan. “Al Qaeda is a global organisation with branches spread all over the world, whether it is Arab countries, Europe, America or the subcontinent,” Rehman said, sitting on the floor flanked by two bodyguards. A Kalashnikov lay at his feet.
Full report at: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\09\30\story_30-9-2010_pg1_6
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Iran assures financial support for flood victims
By Nadeem Ahmed Siddiqui
ISLAMABAD—Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran Mashallah Shakeri has said that Iran will continue to dispatch relief aid to flood-ravaged Pakistan. Another 200 truckloads of aid to arrive in Pakistan within a couple of days. He said that the government and people of Iran respond overwhelmingly after the devastating floods in Pakistan.
While addressing a press conference at National Press Club on Wednesday he said that Iran immediately declared its preparedness for giving assistance to the flood-stricken people of Pakistan, 30 aircrafts landed in Pakistan with 1500 tons of commodities including other relief assistance, he added.
President Imam Khamenei Relief Committee Hussain Anvari along with the delegation said that following leader of the Islamic revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei’s call for redoubling efforts to reach out to Pakistani flood victims and all the efforts were being made to facilitate relief efforts in Pakistan.
Full report at: http://dailymailnews.com/0910/30/Islamabad/index.php?id=4
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Learn from fight with intruders, Prince Khaled tells troops
Sep 30, 2010
JEDDAH: Prince Khaled bin Sultan, assistant minister of defense and aviation for military affairs, urged Saudi armed forces Wednesday to learn lessons from last year’s military encounter with Yemeni intruders in order to avoid mistakes in the future.
Addressing senior military officers and commanders, the minister also emphasized the importance of training to improve the combating capabilities of Saudi forces as well as their physical fitness.
He reassured the officers that Crown Prince Sultan, deputy premier and minister of defense and aviation, is in good health and is spending his vacation outside the Kingdom. He emphasized the Saudi leadership’s desire to strengthen armed forces by acquiring advanced weapons.
Full report at: http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article150031.ece
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Yemen escalating crackdown on press, says rights group
Sep 30, 2010
DUBAI: Yemen has stepped up a crackdown on the media that has created the worst climate for press freedom in decades, a rights group said on Wednesday.
The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) pointed to a series of steps by the government of President Ali Abdullah Saleh to rein in the media, including the creation of a special court last year to prosecute press offences.
"Taken together, the government's long-standing practice of violent repression and its new legalistic tactics are creating the worst climate for press freedom since the country's unification in 1990," CPJ said in a report.
Full report at: http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article150027.ece
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Turkey seizes Ataturk yacht in wake of sex scandal
Sep 30, 2010
ANKARA: Turkey's government has seized the one-time state yacht of Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey, following media reports that a vice ring had used the vessel to throw sex parties with prostitutes.
Eight women and two underage girls, all of whom were believed to be prostitutes, were taken for health checks after authorities in the Mediterranean city of Antalya confiscated the 136-meter Savarona, state-run Anatolian news agency reported.
Eight people, including two women, remain in custody, it said.
The Savarona had been leased to a businessman by the Finance Ministry.
"I gave the necessary instructions for the cancellation of the ship's lease," Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek told Anatolian, adding the Culture Ministry should now take ownership of the vessel.
Full report at: http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article150026.ece
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Iran delays Bushehr plant launch to 2011
Sep 30, 2010
TEHRAN: Iran's first nuclear power plant will begin supplying energy in early 2011, a senior official said, signaling a delay of several months after the spread of a global computer virus believed to have affected mainly Iran.
Iranian officials said on Sunday the Stuxnet virus had hit staff computers at the Bushehr plant, a symbol of Iran's growing geopolitical sway and rejection of international efforts to curb its nuclear activity, but not affected major systems there.
When Iran began loading fuel into Bushehr in August, officials said it would take two to three months for the plant to start producing electricity and that it would generate 1,000 megawatts, about 2.5 percent of the country's power usage.
Full report at: http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article149988.ece
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Geneva celebrates UAE’s selection to Media Day (Wam)
30 September 2010
GENEVA — The city of Geneva, Switzerland, and the United Nations (UN) celebrated the selection of the UAE as ‘Guest of Honour’ at this year’s Media Day at the Swiss Press Club, on ?Tuesday.
The function was graced by the UAE Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Ambassador Obaid Salem Al Za’abi; Executive Director of the Swiss Press Club Guy Mettan; Director-General of the UN Office in Geneva, Sergey Ordzhonikidze; Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the UN in Geneva, Dante Martinelli, Mayor of Geneva City Sandrine Salerno; top Swiss government officials and a number representatives of regional and international human rights bodies, the media and civil society organisations.GCC and Arab ambassadors in Geneva and the Arab League representative were also present. The UAE Minister of Labour and Chairman of the UAE National Media Council, Saqr Gobash, expressed his gratitude for this selection by saying during his speech that this honouring of the UAE reflects the important advances that the UAE has made on several fronts, including in the fields of media and communication.
Full report at: http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle08.asp?xfile=data/theuae/2010/September/theuae_September661.xml§ion=theuae
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Times Square bomber plotted 2nd attack: Govt (AP)
30 September 2010
NEW YORK — The Pakistani man who planted a car bomb in Times Square boasted that he thought it would kill at least 40 people and that he planned to detonate a second bomb two weeks after the first, prosecutors said on Wednesday, quoting the former financial analyst in a video where he said he’d hoped “to join my brothers in jihad” ever since the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.
Faisal Shahzad should get life in prison when he is sentenced Oct. 5, prosecutors said in a filing, arguing that he “had every intention of delivering a powerful and terrorizing strike to the heart of New York City.”
The government noted that Shahzad showed no remorse when he pleaded guilty on June 21 after confessing to investigators.
In fact, prosecutors wrote, “he spoke with pride about what he and his co-conspirators had done.”
Full report at: http://www.khaleejtimes.com/displayarticle.asp?xfile=data/international/2010/September/international_September1341.xml§ion=international&col=
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Pakistan flood victims struggle to rebuild alone
30 September 2010
HASSAN ABAD — As a donkeycart owner who lost everything in Pakistan’s devastating floods, Jan Pervez is broke but says he has borrowed heavily to rebuild his home.
Fed up waiting for government cash, the 44-year-old is sourcing bricks and cement to knock up a one-room shelter to protect the seven members of his family from the onset of winter and diseased refugee camps.
Barefoot and in rags, the family last saw their home on July 29, when they fled heavy monsoon rain and rising floodwaters with only the clothes on their backs, swapping their independence for a life of misery.
When they returned a month later, practically nothing was left in the village of Hassan Abad. On the outskirts of the northwestern city of Nowshehra, the area is one of the worst affected in Pakistan’s worst natural disaster.
The United Nations has issued a record two-billion-dollar appeal for funds to deal with the aftermath of the disaster, which UN agencies say affected 21 million people and left 12 million in need of emergency food aid.
Full report at: http://www.khaleejtimes.com/displayarticle.asp?xfile=data/international/2010/September/international_September1335.xml§ion=international&col=
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Oman hits out at Israel for blatant violation of rights (Our Correspondent)
30 September 2010
MUSCAT — Oman has lamented the lack of real progress in human rights conditions in the Palestinian and occupied Arab territories.
“While these conditions were discussed in all the Human Rights Council sessions and many resolutions passed on this, no tangible progress has been made,” Yahya bin Salim Al Wuhaibi, the sultanate’s permanent representative to the UN, said addressing the 15th session of the council in Geneva on Tuesday. “On the contrary, these regions are witnessing noticeable growth in the frequent and organised aggressions by occupation authorities,” he added.
Full report at:
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/displayarticle.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2010/September/middleeast_September567.xml§ion=middleeast&col=
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Bangladesh: 6 killed, 20 injured in Savar road accident
Six persons were killed and 20 others injured in a road accident at Salehpur at Hemayetput under Savar upazila in Dhaka Wednesday morning.
The deceased were identified as Eden Girls’ College management department student Shahina Sheikh, 25, Nurul Islam, 25, son of Ishaque Ali of village Kamarchala at Ashulia, Kauser Ahamed, 42, son of Selim Chowdhury of Nimertek at Ashulia, Md Shahin, 24, son of Soleman Hossen of village Balarhat at Mithapukur in Rangpur and Jasim Uddin.
One of the deceased could not be identified immediately.
Full report at: New Age Daily Bangladesh
URL: http://www.newageislam.com/NewAgeIslamIslamicWorldNews_1.aspx?ArticleID=3482
11:40 PM
Moderate Islamist here
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