| Islamic World News | |
| 08 Nov 2010, NewAgeIslam.Com |
Obama told me he has heard about my films: Aamir Khan
15 Afghan insurgents killed in southern province
Two US drone strikes kill 14 militants in Northwest
Vienna-based center to promote king's interfaith initiative
JEDDAH: Abandoned by husband, homeless mother of five goes through ordeal
Turkish Gov't. Seeks to Islamize Education
'Ground Zero' mosque initiator lectures SBY
Gilgit Baltistan - Chinese construction company involved in smuggling
We need native British Muslim leaders
Drones the new paparazzi, can stalk & shoot
Mirwaiz urges Obama to help hold 3-way talks
Muslim leaders approve Obama's `jihad' remarks
Saudi has big role in establishing afghan peace: Afghan FM
Pakistani soil not to be used by terrorists, says Zardari
Obama says talk to Pak, PM says not until terror machine stops
US army mulls more charges over horrific Afghan killings
52 Pakistani fishermen set free
Ten militants killed in Orakzai air strikes
Timely marriage may help youths keep sins at bay
Bangladesh seeks retrial of 1975 killings of national leaders
Qaida to plant bombs in Xmas toys
Nouri Al Maliki 'To Stay On As Iraq PM'
Bahrain Shia Scholars Name Next Year “With the Quran”
Visit a surefire success, Pak or no Pak
‘Stable Pak’ remark a hit with peaceniks
FIKR 9 to be held in Beirut on Dec. 8-9
Netanyahu presses US for military threat on Iran
Pharaonic inscription found in Saudi Arabia
Sudan probes Darfur radio’s links with rebels
Taliban publicly execute three 'US spies'
US offers to remove Sudan early from state terror list
US drones hunt Yemen militants
Israel presses US on 'credible' military threat against Iran
No one-on-one during Monday deliberations
Girl poses tough Pak question, gets a ‘diplomatic answer’
Pak, China top agenda at PM-Omaba one-on-one
Obama Abandons Off-Pak Policy
Careful on Pak: India has biggest stake in its success
Hand us 26/11 boat, gunmen rucksacks: Pak now to India
Taliban wants “fact-finding” team from U.S.
Thousands protest in Seoul before G20 summit
Iran ready for nuclear talks in Turkey
US may boost training of Yemeni forces: Gates
Nawaz will never regain power, says Musharraf
‘Ishq Wishq’ causes ‘Eject Before Disconnecting’
Blame games to affect war against terror: Zardari
Islooites enjoy ‘Funny Money’ at PNCA
Dr Imran’s blood to bring revolution in country: Altaf
New bloc for Bahrain’s independent MPs opposed
First couples date with heritage
BJP damage-control : We weren’t anti-US even during Cold War
KP universities shut to press govt over VC’s release
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
Photo: Film Actor and Producer Amir Khan
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48 killed in Iraq car bombing
Nov 8, 2010
KARBALA: At least 48 people were killed and 16 injured in a car bombing on a crowded street near a mosque in the central Iraqi city of Karbala, police said.
The bomb exploded on Bab-Toueiraj street near the Imam Abbas mosque in Karbala, about 118 km south of Baghdad, police sources said.
Police imposed a curfew across the Shiite holy city.
Tightened security measures are taken throughout the year in the same area of Karbala to prevent attacks near the Imam Hussein shrine, one of the holiest sites in Shia Islam and a key pilgrimage site.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/48-killed-in-Iraq-car-bombing/articleshow/6887960.cms#ixzz14gI7MPDg
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Obama told me he has heard about my films: Aamir Khan
November 08, 2010
New Delhi: An invite to the prime minister`s private dinner for the US first couple was an honour enough, but when President Barack Obama praised his work, Aamir Khan was on cloud nine.
The star, who was invited to the dinner by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at his 7, Race Course Road residence, was cornered by the waiting media persons as soon as the do got over at around 10 p.m. Sunday.
"President Obama said he has heard a lot about my work and my films," said Aamir, who was clad in a cream coloured kurta pyjama.
"It (the dinner) was an opportunity to meet big personalities. I am a big fan of Manmohan-ji and I am happy that he called me up," he told the journalists.
Aamir, 45, also praised the dinner platter and revealed that First Lady Michelle Obama had told him she danced to his title number from "Rang De Basanti".
Bollywood lyricist Javed Akhtar and his actress-activist wife Shabana Azmi were also invited to the grand feast.
http://spicezee.zeenews.com/articles/story74991.htm
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15 Afghan insurgents killed in southern province
Nov 8, 2010
KABUL: Fifteen insurgents were killed and 13 others captured during a joint operation by Afghan and NATO forces in the southern Kandahar province, an Afghan official said today.
The operation targeted suspected insurgent strongholds in Arghistan and Maruf districts, according to provincial spokesman Zelmai Ayubi.
The operation began at 4 am yesterday and continued until 6 pm that night, he said.
NATO and Afghan forces have been trying to seize control of the Taliban heartland in southern Afghanistan since July.
They have established some pockets of security but the ultimate success of the operation will depend on the Afghan government's ability to secure the area with its own forces and provide services to the population.
Also in the south, a rocket attack in Lashkar Gah, capital of Helmand province, killed one civilian and wounded four, said Kamaluddin Khan, the provincial deputy police chief.
NATO meanwhile said a service member was killed by a bomb in eastern Afghanistan.The statement about today's death did not give the service member's nationality or other details.
Insurgents often cross over the border into mountainous eastern Afghanistan from bases in Pakistan.The latest death brings to 621 the number of NATO soldiers killed this year.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/15-Afghan-insurgents-killed-in-southern-province/articleshow/6889172.cms#ixzz14gxQ4ElX
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Two US drone strikes kill 14 militants in Northwest
Nov 8, 2010
PESHAWAR: A pair of American drone strikes killed 14 suspected militants in northwestern Pakistan on Sunday, local intelligence officials said, in the latest attacks against al-Qaida and Taliban militants seeking sanctuary in the region.
The missiles struck an hour apart in the North Waziristan – the area that has seen the overwhelming majority of drone strikes over the last two months. The rugged region is home to hundreds of Pakistani and foreign militants, many belonging to or allied with al-Qaeda and the Taliban.
In the first strike, one American missile slammed into a house and another hit a vehicle in the town of Ghulam Khan just north of Miran Shah, the main town in North Waziristan, the two officials said. Nine insurgents were killed.
An hour later, another pair of missiles struck a vehicle in the nearby town of Datta Khel, killing five suspected militants, the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to talk to the media. They said all five killed were foreigners.
Further details were not immediately available. The intelligence officials said agents on the ground were collecting more details.
North Waziristan, which is part of the Pakistan’s semiautonomous tribal belt, is home to the Haqqani network, a powerful insurgent group that US officials say is behind many of the attacks on US and Nato forces just across the border in Afghanistan. The group is believed to control the town hit by the first strike Sunday.
The region is too dangerous for outsiders to visit and independently confirm the attacks, and US officials do not acknowledge firing the missiles, much less discuss who they are targeting.
It is widely believed, however, that Pakistan’s army has given tacit approval to the strikes and the recent spike in attacks has not attracted a greater level of criticism.
Washington wants Islamabad to launch a military offensive in the region, but so far has had to rely on missile strikes to hamper militant operations. The pace of the attacks has picked up recently, with roughly 20 apiece in the past two months, double the preceding monthly tally.
Some locals allege that the suspected US drone strikes regularly kill innocents, while others say the missiles are accurate and most of the dead are militants or villagers knowingly harboring them.
The strikes are carried out by unmanned drones that fly over the region for hours and equipped with extremely high-powered video cameras.
http://public.dawn.com/2010/11/07/us-drone-attack-kills-five-militants.html
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Vienna-based center to promote king's interfaith initiative
By P.K. ABDUL GHAFOUR
Nov 8, 2010
JEDDAH: An international center will be established in Vienna to promote Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah’s interfaith dialogue initiative, said Abdullah Omar Naseef, vice president of the King Abdul Aziz National Dialogue Center.
“Such a center is essential to carry on the message of King Abdullah by conducting research and organizing seminars and conferences on the topic,” Naseef told Arab News, adding that the Saudi leader’s initiative has won wide international support. He said the King Abdullah Interfaith Dialogue center would cooperate with other centers and institutions that work to foster greater understanding between followers of various religions and cultures.
He emphasized the importance of dialogue, saying it would remove misunderstanding between people of different faiths, help them know one another, encourage them to work together for the welfare of humanity and fight social evils.
Full report at:
http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article181890.ece
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Abandoned by husband, homeless mother of five goes through ordeal
By RIMA AL-MUKHTAR
Nov 8, 2010
JEDDAH: A Saudi single mother together with her five children was left roaming the streets of Jeddah looking for a place to live in and food to eat for over seven months until she was helped by a group of philanthropists.
The woman, called Aysha, slept in the back of a parked pickup truck along with her children in Al-Sabeel district in the south of Jeddah.
“I was married to a Yemeni man for some time. One day I woke up and he wasn’t there anymore,” said the woman. “After that, my landlord kept asking me for rent but I couldn’t pay him anything; six months later I came back home to find my clothes and belongings on the street,” she added.
Full report at:
http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article182721.ece
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Turkish Gov't. Seeks to Islamize Education
Nov 8, 2010
A series of reforms proposed by Turkey's National Educational Council would impose Islamic ideology on the nation's youth, the Turkish daily Hürriyet reported on Thursday.
Various commissions within the council proposed a series of reforms that would return Turkey's primary school education to its former structure, which was abandoned in the late 90s.
Proposed reforms include splitting up the eight-year continuous primary education, separating boys and girls, and reopening Islamic vocational schools, called imam-hatip, for younger students.
"The eight-year primary education system aimed to close the imam-hatip middle schools," Zübeyde Kılıç, chairman of the Education and Science Personnel Union, told Hürriyet.
"Splitting it up is likely to be a step toward reopening these schools in line with the ideological mindset of the ruling government," he said.
Full report at:
http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/insideisrael/2010/November/Turkish-Govt-Seeks-to-Islamize-Education/
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'Ground Zero' mosque initiator lectures SBY
Nov 8, 2010
US President Barack Obama has not arrived yet, but Feisal Abdul Rauf, the Imam behind the planned 'Ground Zero' mosque in New York, is already in Jakarta and lectures Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on religious tolerance.
After meeting privately with Yudhoyono for about a half an hour on Friday morning at the Presidential Office in Jakarta, Rauf addressed a 'presidential lecture' on "Promoting Moderate Islam and Striving for Harmony Among Civilizations in the 21st Century" at the nearby State Palace, attended by a number of Indonesian Cabinet ministers and religious leaders.
He spoke about several issues, including the relationship between Islam and the US, the growing Islamophobia, the nature of moderation in Islam and how to promote it, and the recent development in the plan to build an Islamic center and mosque near the Ground Zero.
Full report at:
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/11/05/039ground-zero039-mosque-initiator-lectures-sby.html
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Gilgit Baltistan - Chinese construction company involved in smuggling
Nov 8, 2010
China’s Road and Building Corporation (CRBC) is involved in repair and expansion of the Karakoram Highway in Gilgit-Baltistan. On November 5, 2010, a truck belonging to CRBC, registration number GLT 386, was stopped at the Khunjerab check post by the anti-narcotics force of Pakistan. The force confiscated millions of rupees worth of liquor that was going to be smuggled into different parts of Gilgit-Baltistan and Pakistan from Xinjiang. One Chinese official working for CRBC and the driver were also arrested on the occasion. Liquor-smuggling from Xinjiang into Gilgit-Baltistan via the Karakoram Highway has been going on for several decades and is considered a highly profitable business. On occasions, media has accused Pakistani government and the Chinese construction companies of their direct involvement in such affairs.
Full report at:
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We need native British Muslim leaders
By Daniel Hannan
Nov 8, 2010
Ed Husain writes a compelling piece about the consequences of importing foreign imams to British mosques.
His case is unanswerable. Until most British Muslim leaders are native and English-speaking, there will always be a lingering sense that the “Muslim” part of a British Muslim’s identity is exotic. There is, incidentally, a corollary to this argument that some conservatives might find harder to applaud: if we want more British Muslim boys to follow their religious vocation, so as to form a pool of potential imams, we will need British madrassahs.
Think of the precedents. For centuries English Catholics were regarded as slightly foreign. With no seminaries allowed in England, they were forced to import priests trained in Rome, which served to hone the suspicion that they were potential fifth columnists. This suspicion was quite unfair. Most English Catholics had as little sympathy with Guy Fawkes – a jihadi radicalised in foreign wars – as most British Muslims have with Mohamed Atta.
Full report at:
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/danielhannan/8698188/We_need_native_British_Muslim_leaders/
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Drones the new paparazzi, can stalk & shoot
Nov 8, 2010
LONDON: Personal drones ferretting out deadly terrorists in Pakistan hills are likely to be put to a sinister new use — tracking anyone anywhere, which includes celebrities, lovers, housewives, even school kids.
These drones are smaller, private versions of the notorious Predator, which is relentlessly spying on terrorists and their hideouts in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Already Splash News, a paparazzi photo agency, is planning to use the drones to chase celebrities around the Hollywood Hills. "It would strike fear into the hearts of every celebrity having a birthday party," Splash chief executive Gary Morgan told the Wall Street Journal 'Call it C3paparazzo.'
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/uk/Drones-the-new-paparazzi-can-stalk-shoot/articleshow/6886490.cms#ixzz14f6WLYR1
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Mirwaiz urges Obama to help hold 3-way talks
M Saleem Pandit
Nov 8, 2010
SRINAGAR: Describing his faction of the Hurriyat as pro-resolution, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Sunday sought US president Barack Obama's help in facilitating a tripartite dialogue involving India, Pakistan and Kashmir.
''We don't want the US's direct involvement in Kashmir but want it to help the tripartite dialogue. Peace in South Asia is possible only if the Kashmir issue is resolved. Considering the trust deficit between India and Pakistan, the US alone can mediate,'' said the Mirwaiz to reporters at his home.
Referring to the various bilateral engagements between India and Pakistan and India and Kashmiri leaders, Mirwaiz said he wants a political resolution of a political issue. ''Bilateral treaties like Shimla or Agra, Indira-Abdullah or Rajiv-Farooq Accord, haven't done enough,'' he said.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Mirwaiz-urges-Obama-to-help-hold-3-way-talks/articleshow/6886061.cms#ixzz14f7kWCFW
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Muslim leaders approve Obama's `jihad' remarks
Bhaskar Roy
Nov 8, 2010
NEW DELHI: Muslim activists and opinion-makers on Sunday widely approved of President Barack Obama's remarks on jihad without hiding their reservations about the US policy towards the current turomil in the Islamic world.
They sought to draw a line between the real meaning of `jihad' and the current spell of violence targeting the innocent.
In their opinion Obama's comments on jihad at Mumbai's St Xavier's College earlier in the day was a clear attempt at separating the violent campaign from the basic concept of jihad.
"Jihad can in no way assume the form of violence against the innocent and those who are perpetrating such violent acts have done great disservice to Islam," said Kamal Farooqi, a prominent member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board. "To that extent President Obama is correct," he said.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Muslim-leaders-approve-Obamas-jihad-remarks-/articleshow/6885197.cms#ixzz14f8BZEmG
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Saudi has big role in establishing afghan peace: Afghan FM
Nov 8, 2010
CAIRO: Afghan Foreign Minister Zalmai Rassoul said Sunday that Saudi Arabia has a big role to play in establishing peace and stability in his country. "The Afghan government will continue to demand Saudi support for this purpose," he told reporters in Cairo.
He was commending on a recent statement by Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal that Riyadh has halted its mediation efforts in Afghanistan. "It is too early to make comment on our stand on reports of Saudi Arabia halting mediation between the Afghan government and the Taleban," he said.
Full report at:
http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article182786.ece
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Pakistani soil not to be used by terrorists, says Zardari
Nov 8, 2010
ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari Sunday reiterated that Pakistan will never allow a handful of terrorists and extremists to impose their extremist ideological agenda on the people through force and said that we will not let Pakistani soil to be used by the terrorists against any country.
He said that blame game will not serve the cause of the war against militancy and emphasized that the international community should also understand and appreciate our determination to fight militancy.
The President made these remarks while addressing the fourth national conference of SAFMA (South Asia Free Media Association) titled “Setting a National Agenda on Media, Democracy and Good Governance” here at the Aiwan-e-Sadr on Sunday night.
Full report at:
http://public.dawn.com/2010/11/08/pakistani-soil-not-to-be-used-by-terrorists-says-zardari.html
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Obama says talk to Pak, PM says not until terror machine stops
Nov 8, 2010
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh made it clear on Monday that a full-scale dialogue with Pakistan on the Kashmir issue would not be possible until Pakistan stopped the export of terror to India.
At a joint news conference with US President Barrack Obama, Singh said that India was commited to resolving Kashmir issue. "We are not afraid of the K-word. But Pakistan must first stop the terror machine."
Earlier, Obama said that the United States could not impose a solution on Kashmir or other issues in the volatile India-Pakistan relationship.
"I believe both Pakistan and India have an interest in reducing tensions between the two countries," Obama said when asked about the Kashmir dispute at a press conference after he met Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/6887370.cms#ixzz14gKB3VDD
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US army mulls more charges over horrific Afghan killings
Nov 08 2010
Seattle : Two more US soldiers face hearings this week over a rogue army unit that allegedly executed Afghan civilians, mutilated the corpses, then beat another soldier for blowing the whistle.
They include alleged ringleader Staff Sergeant Calvin R. Gibbs, who will face a military investigating officer three weeks after a first member of the unit was sent for a full court martial.
The hearings begin late on Monday and will decide if there is enough evidence to send the two to military trial on charges that they, and 10 other soldiers, murdered Afghans for sport or participated in a cover-up of the killings.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/us-army-mulls-more-charges-over-horrific-afghan-killings/708174/
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52 Pakistani fishermen set free
Nov 8, 2010
AHMEDABAD/JAMNAGAR: Fifty-two Pakistani fishermen, lodged in the Bhuj and Jamnagar district prisons, were released on Sunday.
The fishermen, apprehended by various agencies from the Arabian Sea, have been taken to the India-Pakistan border at Wagah, where they will be handed over to the Pakistani authorities, the police said.
“Twelve fishermen from the Bhuj prison were released and taken to the Wagah border today [Sunday],” Kutch SP Wabang Jamir said.
From the Jamnagar district prison, 40 Pakistani fishermen were released.
http://www.hindu.com/2010/11/08/stories/2010110859500100.htm
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Ten militants killed in Orakzai air strikes
Nov 8, 2010
KALAYA: Ten militants were killed and five others injured when helicopter gunships pounded their hideouts in various areas of Lower Orakzai tribal region on Saturday.
Official sources said that military helicopters targeted militant positions in Andar Mella, Malokhel and Saidkhel villages after nine people, security personnel among them, were kidnapped.
Sources said that those kidnapped were going from Bezotkhel to Kohat on Friday when militants stopped their vehicles in Saidkhel area and forcibly took them away.
Three hideous were destroyed in the shelling.
The political administration called a meeting of the elders of Bezotkhel, Perozkhel and Istrikhel tribes and asked them to take action against militants who were attacking security forces’ convoys and government installations in the area.
The elders were told to inform the security forces about the movement of militants in their areas.
http://public.dawn.com/2010/11/07/ten-militants-killed-in-orakzai-air-strikes.html
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Timely marriage may help youths keep sins at bay
By ARJUWAN LAKKDAWALA
Nov 8, 2010
JEDDAH: Sabeeha (not her real name) was 13 when she got married. “My family was extremely conservative. My father did not allow my fiancé to see me before the marriage, but instead told him that his mother and sisters could describe me to him,” Sabeeha, who is now 60, told Arab News.
“My in-laws were very kind. Even though my father stopped their son from even seeing me, they did not get upset.”
She said her mother sat with her and explained to her what was expected in a relationship between husband and wife. “On my wedding night I was unwilling to get intimate with my husband. I locked myself in the bathroom,” she said. “My husband told me from the other side of the door that he just wanted to talk to me, and that if I’m sleepy I should sleep on the bed where it is more comfortable.” She added that after about two hours she came out of the bathroom and he kept his word and did not touch her. “For weeks my husband got to know me and did not try to force me to get intimate with him,” she added. “I have led a happy married life with my husband. Right from the start of our marriage he never hurt me,” she said.
Full report at:
http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article182720.ece
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Bangladesh seeks retrial of 1975 killings of national leaders
Nov 8, 2010
DHAKA: The government has stepped up efforts to reopen the trial of the controversial jail killings of four Bangladeshi independence leaders in 1975, amid outrage over the verdict that had acquitted six former military personnel.
The Supreme Court today adjourned till November 9 the hearing on the leave-to-appeal petitions filed against the High Court's acquittal of six former military personnel in the killings of independence leaders in high-security Dhaka Central Jail on November 3, 1975.
On August 28, 2008, the High Court acquitted the six of the charge of killing Bangladeshi independence leaders Syed Nazrul Islam, Tajuddin Ahmad, AHM Qamaruzzaman, and Captain Mansur Ali.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/Bangladesh-seeks-retrial-of-1975-killings-of-national-leaders/articleshow/6884478.cms#ixzz14f6Q7Q60
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Qaida to plant bombs in Xmas toys
Nov 8, 2010
London: Al-Qaidas chief bomb maker Ibrahim Hassan al-Asiri is reportedly planting bombs in gift toys,which would be timed to explode once the toys are in stores in the UK for Christmas.
According to the Daily Express,intelligence chiefs believe al-Qaida warlords in Yemen plan to smuggle in their deadly cargo aboard freight ships after airport security was tightened following the failed ink cartridge bomb attacks 10 days back.
British surveillance experts in Afghanistan and their American colleagues reportedly uncovered the latest threat last week.
They intercepted conversations between terrorists from al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP),the group responsible for the parcel bombs,revealing they were planning a spectacular hit for the festive season.Its leader,American- born cleric Anwar al-Awlaki,and his right-hand man al-Asiri are aiming to use seaports because they believe security is more relaxed there.
Full report at: Times of India
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Nouri Al Maliki 'To Stay On As Iraq PM'
Nov 8, 2010
Iraq's political groups have reached a power-sharing agreement in which Nouri al Maliki will stay on as prime minister
(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Iraq's political groups have reached a power-sharing agreement in which Nouri al Maliki will stay on as prime minister, according to reports.
Iraqis turned out in large numbers for an election in March, hoping to strengthen their fledgling democracy after years of authoritarian rule, war and sectarian violence.
A Sunni-backed bloc led by former prime minister Ayad Allawi narrowly defeated Mr al Maliki at the polls.
But no single bloc won an outright majority, leaving the blocs scrambling to cobble together enough political support to forge a coalition government.
A government spokesman has now told reporters that a deal has been achieved, adding that Mr al Maliki will remain as the nation's leader.
Full report at:
http://abna.ir/data.asp?lang=3&Id=212166
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Bahrain Shia Scholars Name Next Year “With the Quran”
Nov 8, 2010
In response to the enemies’ desecration of the Noble Quran, Shia scholars in Bahrain have named the coming year on the Islamic calendar as “With the Quran”.
(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - In response to the enemies’ desecration of the Noble Quran, Shia scholars in Bahrain have named the coming year on the Islamic calendar as “With the Quran”.
According to the website of Bahrain’s Islamic Awareness Society, the decision has been made by the country’s Shia Scholars Council.
The council has issued a statement which said the enemies seek to extinguish the light of Islam’s holy book, but all their plots will be in vain.
However, it urged Muslims to do more to defend the holy Quran against the enemies.
The council said it has named the next lunar year of 1432 as ‘With the Quran’ so that “we will be with the Quran everywhere and foster the light of this holy book.”
http://abna.ir/data.asp?lang=3&Id=212239
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Visit a surefire success, Pak or no Pak
Rajeev Deshpande
Nov 8, 2010
NEW DELHI: With the politically substantive part of his India trip set to unroll on Monday, US President Barack Obama has time to further finetune his formulation on Pakistan even though he has already made it clear that it was up to India and Pakistan to settle their differences.
Obama's firm rejection of Pakistan's repeated pleas that US get embroiled in the resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute and his comments on the need for Islamabad to combat the "cancer" of terrorism might seem too nuanced for some of the political class but are as clear as he can get on a slippery turf.
But however he chooses to define Pakistan's role in south Asia at the joint presser with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh or his address to Parliament on Monday, Obama's visit seems slated to be a "success" going by assessments offered by senior ministers on how things have gone so far.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Visit-a-surefire-success-Pak-or-no-Pak/articleshow/6885312.cms#ixzz14f88eqU5
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‘Stable Pak’ remark a hit with peaceniks
Mohammed Wajihuddin
Nov 8, 2010
MUMBAI: Noted peace activists and scholars have appreciated President Obama's remarks about Pakistan. The US president on Sunday said that his country would continue to help Islamabad fight terrorism and that India has the biggest stake in Pakistan's stability. Obama was replying to a question on declaring Pakistan a terrorist at Mumbai's St Xavier's College.
"Obama is absolutely right when he says that India has the greatest stake in a stable Pakistan. Pakistan is our neighbour and we cannot deny that a destabilised Pakistan will endanger our security too,'' said Jatin Desai of Pakistan-India People's Forum for Peace and Democracy.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Stable-Pak-remark-a-hit-with-peaceniks/articleshow/6884642.cms#ixzz14f8HtACp
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FIKR 9 to be held in Beirut on Dec. 8-9
By WALAA HAWARI
Nov 8, 2010
RIYADH: The Arab Thought Foundation has announced that its annual forum called FIKR 9 will take place in Beirut on Dec. 8-9.
According to the organization's Assistant Secretary-General Hamad Al-Ammari, speakers at FIKR 9 will include experts in the fields of sociology, economics and geopolitics from various public and private sectors and nongovernment organizations.
“Choosing the speakers was done according to very high and strict standards determined by the forum's working team,” said Al-Ammari.
The forum will explore the Arab world's future in the face of increased globalization in the context of innovation and entrepreneurship. The opening ceremony speech will be given by Oman’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah.
Full report at:
http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article182750.ece
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Netanyahu presses US for military threat on Iran
8 November 2010,
NEW ORLEANS - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told US Vice President Joe Biden on Sunday that only a credible military threat can deter Iran from building a nuclear weapon, Israeli political sources said.
In comments signaling growing Israeli impatience with diplomacy, the sources said Netanyahu, beginning a five-day U.S. visit, argued that economic sanctions have failed to persuade Iran to stop its nuclear program.
However, Biden said after the talks that the sanctions “have a bite” and were having a “measurable impact,” though he expressed frustration that Tehran had brushed aside overtures by President Barack Obama’s administration.
Full report at:
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle08.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2010/November/middleeast_November130.xml§ion=middleeast
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Pharaonic inscription found in Saudi Arabia
Nov 8, 2010
RIYADH: The Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) announced Sunday that Saudi archaeologists have discovered an ancient hieroglyphic inscription mentioning an Egyptian pharaoh on a rock near the ancient oasis of Tayma, Tabuk province. The discovery, about 400 km north of Madinah and northeast of the ancient Nabatean site Madain Saleh, marks the first confirmed hieroglyphic inscription discovered in the Kingdom.
"The rock was bearing an inscription of King Ramses III, one of the kings who ruled ancient Egypt from 1192 B.C.to 1160 B.C.," said SCTA Vice President for Antiquities and Museums Ali Ibrahim Al-Ghabban at a news conference on Sunday at the Commission on National Museum.
Full report at:
http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article182756.ece
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Sudan probes Darfur radio’s links with rebels
Nov 8, 2010
KHARTOUM: A Sudan news agency says authorities are investigating the staff of a radio station in the embattled western region of Darfur for working with rebels and the International Criminal Court.
The semiofficial Sudanese Media Center reported Sunday that employees at the Netherlands-registered Radio Dabanga are accused of working to “cause embarrassment to the government” and “distort its public image.”
The United Nations estimates 300,000 people have died and 2.7 million have been forced from their homes since the rebellion began in 2003.
Calls to Radio Dabanga were not immediately returned.
http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article182585.ece
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Taliban publicly execute three 'US spies'
Nov 8, 2010
Peshawar, Pakistan: Taliban militants today publicly executed three men they had accused of spying for the US in the lawless North Waziristan tribal region of northwest Pakistan, officials said.
The tribesmen, who were blindfolded and had their hands tied behind their backs, were shot dead one by one by a militant wearing a black mask on a road near Miranshah, the main town of the restive North Waziristan Agency.
Before shooting the three men, militants asked local residents to "come and witness the fate of US spies," witnesses said.
Full report at:
http://www.ndtv.com/article/world/taliban-publicly-execute-three-us-spies-64906?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ndtv%2FTqgX+%28NDTV+News+-+World%29&cp
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US offers to remove Sudan early from state terror list
Nov 8, 2010
WASHINGTON: The United States has offered to remove Sudan from its list of state sponsors of terrorism early to keep a January referendum that may partition the country on track, officials have said.
President Barack Obama's offer, which would not affect US sanctions against Khartoum related to the war-torn western region of Darfur, was proposed on his behalf by Senator John Kerry during weekend meetings with Sudanese officials.
The administration had taken a decision "to move up our readiness to rescind the designation of Sudan as a state sponsor of terrorism as early as July 2011," senior officials told journalists during a conference call.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/US-offers-to-remove-Sudan-early-from-state-terror-list/articleshow/6886825.cms#ixzz14f6DIQCP
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US drones hunt Yemen militants
Nov 8, 2010
WASHINGTON: The US has deployed drones to hunt down al-Qaida militants in Yemen for the first time in years, US officials said.
The use of unmanned spy planes is part of a campaign against an al-Qaida branch that has claimed responsibility for several terror attempts on US targets, including the failed parcel bomb plot.
According to senior US officials , the Predator planes have been patrolling the skies over Yemen for several months in search of al-Qaida operatives, but they have not fired any missiles due to lack of solid intelligence.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/US-drones-hunt-Yemen-militants/articleshow/6886458.cms#ixzz14f6GgA2h
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Israel presses US on 'credible' military threat against Iran
Nov 8, 2010
NEW ORLEANS: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Vice President Joe Biden Sunday that only a "credible" threat of military action will ensure Iran does not obtain nuclear weapons, a senior Israeli official said.
Netanyahu met with Biden in New Orleans shortly after arriving there for a summit of Jewish organizations.
The senior official, who asked not to be named, quoted Netayahu as telling Biden: "The only way to ensure Iran does not obtain nuclear weapons is by creating a credible threat of military action against it if it does not halt its race to acquire a nuclear bomb."
President Barack Obama's administration, while not ruling out a military option against Iran, has so far stressed sanctions and diplomacy as its preferred course with dealing with Iran's nuclear program.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/-Israel-presses-US-on-credible-military-threat-against-Iran/articleshow/6886470.cms#ixzz14f7UcQHS
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No one-on-one during Monday deliberations
Nov 8, 2010
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and US President Barack Obama on Sunday spent an hour discussing the new idea in US-India cooperation for the future: Looking to keep seas free from territorial claims. It's part of Obama's "shaping agenda", and one where he will find a more ready Indian partner than ever before.
The two leaders also talked Pakistan and Afghanistan, though details of the conversation were not available.
For those searching for the new ideas in US-India relations, maritime security is only one of the many related ideas in play. If they can play together, space, cyber, naval and air cooperation will signal the next level. It's India's new arena to exercise its global power responsibilities and the US partnership, according to high-level sources, is a natural complement.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/No-one-on-one-during-Monday-deliberations/articleshow/6886057.cms#ixzz14f7nSi8r
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Girl poses tough Pak question, gets a ‘diplomatic answer’
Hemali Chhapia
Nov 8, 2010
MUMBAI: As Sunday drew to a close, Afsheen Irani said: "I never thought I would make it so big because of a question."
After US President Barack Obama walked out of the St Xavier's College campus, faculty members and the media were all queuing up to pat the 20-year-old for compelling the American President to break his silence on Pakistan.
"I had prepared to ask him another question, on Indians setting up chairs in American universities. But as Obama didn't speak on Pakistan on Day 1, I asked him about it," she said. Though Obama gave a long answer, Irani said she was not convinced. She said she was not even expecting a direct answer. "It was a diplomatic answer to a controversial question," she said.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Girl-poses-tough-Pak-question-gets-a-diplomatic-answer/articleshow/6885972.cms#ixzz14f7t5600
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Pak, China top agenda at PM-Omaba one-on-one
Nov 8, 2010
NEW DELHI: The real summit between PM Manmohan Singh and US President Barack Obama happened on Sunday evening.
They were supposed to meet for half an hour before the dinner, but Obama and Singh spent an entire hour closeted together in a one-on-one chat that may turn out to be the most important conversation between the two leaders through this visit.
The meeting focused on the big things that India has been wanting to talk about: maritime security, China, Pakistan, regional security and global geo-politics dominated the conversation. This could be the real breakthrough between India and Obama's US.
As India's foreign policy moves out of South Asia, maritime security, protection of sea lanes and piracy on the high seas is increasingly one of the areas where India and the US are finding easy convergence and finding it easier to work together.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Pak-China-top-agenda-at-PM-Obama-one-on-one/articleshow/6885881.cms#ixzz14f82aQr2
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Obama Abandons Off-Pak Policy
Hemali Chhapia
Nov 8, 2010
MUMBAI: US President Barack Obama on Sunday prodded India to appreciate Pakistan's efforts at fighting terrorism, saying that New Delhi, as a south Asian economic powerhouse, had as much at stake in a stable and peaceful Pakistan as Washington did.
"The country that has the biggest stake in Pakistan's success is India," Obama said, urging the two nations to restart peace talks but clearly keeping out Washington as a broker.
"If Pakistan is stable and prosperous, that's good because India is on the move and it is absolutely in your interest that when you are trying to succeed in incredible ways on the global economic stage, that you don't want the distraction of security and instability in your region," he said. "India is on the move."
Left to himself, Obama would perhaps have kept away from bringing up Pakistan publicly - an issue he knows will evoke sharp emotions in India and one that can complicate US war efforts in Afghanistan.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/-Obama-Abandons-Off-Pak-Policy-/articleshow/6885837.cms#ixzz14f85qnfD
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Careful on Pak: India has biggest stake in its success
Y P Rajesh
Nov 08 2010
Mumbai : Placing the onus squarely on the shoulders of what he called a rising India, US President Barack Obama made a fresh push for reconciliation and peace between New Delhi and Islamabad saying that, more than any other country, India had the biggest stake in the stability and success of Pakistan.
In a forceful articulation of this new nuance of Washington’s advocacy for détente in South Asia, Obama urged the neighbours to develop trust, begin talking about less controversial issues first and then move on to the tough negotiations that have bedeviled their ties for more than half a century.
While admitting he was aware that this effort would not bear fruit immediately, he was also quick to add that Washington would only be a “friend and partner” in this process and not impose anything on either country. It was for the two countries to “arrive at their own understandings in terms of how the relationship evolves”, he underlined.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/story-print/708010/
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Hand us 26/11 boat, gunmen rucksacks: Pak now to India
Pranab Dhal Samanta
Nov 08 2010
New Delhi : In its latest dossier on 26/11 attacks, Pakistan has asked India to provide 15-20 items of Pak-origin, including rucksacks, recovered from the terrorists and the boat used by them.
Islamabad also sought detailed post-mortem reports and the doctor’s inquest report without specifying the individuals whose reports are needed. It wants the judicial commission to be given access to the doctor who carried out the post-mortem but has not mentioned whose report is required. The assumption is that Pakistan is referring to the reports of the nine killed terrorists. The Home Ministry is examining this in detail and will decide whether a clarification is needed.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/hand-us-26-11-boat-gunmen-rucksacks-pak-now-to-india/708026/
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Taliban wants “fact-finding” team from U.S.
Nov 8, 2010
Kabul: The Taliban called on the U.S. Congress on Sunday to send a “fact-finding mission” to Afghanistan to investigate what they called the lies and propaganda spread by American military chiefs to prolong the war.
The Islamist militant group has been fighting for more than nine years to topple the Kabul government, which is backed by 150,000 U.S. and NATO troops.
In the past year, Taliban influence has spread across the country from their bastion in the south where the war is concentrated, and momentum has been widely seen to have turned in their favour.
Full report at:
http://www.hindu.com/2010/11/08/stories/2010110853420900.htm
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Thousands protest in Seoul before G20 summit
Nov 8, 2010
SEOUL: Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of Seoul on Sunday in a largely peaceful protest against this week’s G20 summit as the city went on heightened alert for the meeting of world leaders.
Authorities ramped up security at the weekend in preparation for the arrival of 10,000 participants, including 32 heads of government and leaders of international organizations, for the summit on Thursday and Friday.
South Korea is concerned about the risk of violent anti-capitalist protests — a common feature of summits involving the world’s leading economies — and anxious its rival North Korea may try to stage an incident to embarrass it.
Full report at:
http://arabnews.com/world/article182641.ece
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Iran ready for nuclear talks in Turkey
Nov 8, 2010
TEHRAN: Iran is ready to hold talks with the major powers concerned about its nuclear program “as soon as possible” and Turkey may be the best venue for negotiations, its foreign minister said on Sunday.
It was the strongest signal yet of Iranian interest in reviving talks that stalled a year ago, leading to tighter international sanctions against Iran over its refusal to curb its nuclear work and make it more accessible to UN inspections.
“We have told our Turkish friends that we are in agreement with regard to holding these talks in Turkey,” Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki told a news conference.
Many countries are concerned that Iran is developing a nuclear industry in order to be able to produce nuclear weapons, something the Islamic Republic denies, saying it only seeks nuclear energy and other peaceful applications.
Full report at:
http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article182574.ece
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US may boost training of Yemeni forces: Gates
Nov 8, 2010
MELBOURNE: The US military may boost training of Yemeni forces as a way to put more pressure on Al-Qaeda following last month's failed parcel bomb plot, US Defense Secretary Robert Gates said on Sunday.
Al-Qaeda's Yemen-based wing last week claimed responsibility for two US-bound parcel bombs, which were intercepted and neutralized in Dubai and Britain after a tip from Saudi Arabia.
Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) has previously taken credit for a failed attempt to blow up a US-bound airliner last Christmas.
Full report at:
http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article182578.ece
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Nawaz will never regain power, says Musharraf
Nov 8, 2010
NEW YORK: Former president Pervez Musharraf has severely criticised PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif and said he (Nawaz) will never be able to regain power and take him to court.
The retired general who had deposed Mr Sharif in October 1999 told a gathering of Pakistanis on Saturday night that “Nawaz knows that neither will he regain power nor will he be able to try me in a court of law. Therefore, he takes resort to blowing this trumpet time and again.”
Gen (retd) Musharraf said he did not regret the action taken against Baloch leader Nawab Akbar Bugti and against Lal Mosque and stressed he would not apologise for the actions, adding he would do it all over again if forced by the situation.
Full report at:
http://public.dawn.com/2010/11/08/nawaz-will-never-regain-power-says-musharraf.html
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‘Ishq Wishq’ causes ‘Eject Before Disconnecting’
Nov 8, 2010
KARACHI: Exhibition of Sausan Saulat’s works titled ‘Eject Before Disconnecting’ is being held at the ArtChowk gallery until next Monday (November 15).
The artist said the pieces for this show developed from the exhibition titled ‘Ishq Wishq’ held earlier this year.
“Having thoroughly enjoyed giving a quirky visual language to the complexities of relationships in a playful manner, I decided to further the explorations, developing them into an independent body of work,” she added.
She said although the works mostly talk of the individual, they are based largely on universal themes of identity, artistic tussles, relationships and the banalities of urban living.
Visually, the work has strong contemporary undertones but the pop-like elements often mask deeper sentiments of tedium and inertia, she added.
Full report at:
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\11\08\story_8-11-2010_pg7_1
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Blame games to affect war against terror: Zardari
Nov 8, 2010
ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday said that Pakistan would never allow a handful of terrorists and extremists to impose their extremist ideological agenda on the people through force and said the government would not let Pakistani soil be used by terrorists against any country.
He said that ‘blame games’ will not serve the cause of the war against militancy and emphasised that the international community should also understand and appreciate the country’s determination to fight militancy.
The president made these remarks while addressing the fourth national conference of the South Asian Free Media Association titled “Setting a National Agenda on Media, Democracy and Good Governance” at the Presidency.
Full report at:
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\11\08\story_8-11-2010_pg7_5
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Islooites enjoy ‘Funny Money’ at PNCA
Nov 8, 2010
ISLAMABAD: A team of talented young actors presented a play titled ‘Funny Money’ at Pakistan National Council of Arts (PNCA), Islamabad, on Sunday.
The play, a production of Six Sigma and Entertainment Extra Company, was produced by Javed Ahmed Saeed and directed by Atif Siddiqui. These are two upcoming talented professionals in Pakistan known for their skills.
A local band ‘chaotic’ gave the background music. Mohammad Asharaf and Flora Mehmood played the leading roles of Henry Perkins and Mrs Perkins.
Characters of Betty Johnson, Vic Johnson, Sergeant Davenport, Sergeant Slater, Biljeet Singh were played by Amy Saleh, Omer Rehman, Abdullah Khan, Usman Durrani, Hannan Tariq respectively.
Full report at:
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\11\08\story_8-11-2010_pg7_23
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Dr Imran’s blood to bring revolution in country: Altaf
Nov 8, 2010
KARACHI: The blood of the martyr of revolution, Dr Imran Farooq, and others will bring a revolution in the country for the poor and middle classes, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain said on Sunday.
In a telephonic address on Farooq’s soyem, which was simultaneously held in Karachi, Hyderabad and Mirpurkhas, Hussain said the revolution would establish a corruption-free system based on the principles of justice and equality.
A large number of people, including Farooq’s family, MQM activists and office-bearers, federal and provincial ministers, parliamentarians, representatives of various social organisations, religious scholars, journalists, and traders, attended the soyem.
Full report at:
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\11\08\story_8-11-2010_pg7_17
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New bloc for Bahrain’s independent MPs opposed
8 November 2010
MANAMA — The only female parliamentarian in Bahrain’s Lower House has opposed a proposal to form a separate political society for independent lawmakers.
Latifa Al Qoud, who returned unopposed, said in a statement that the society would influence the activities of its members and stop them from developing their own stance and thoughts on any particular issue. Independent MP, Adel Al Asomo, earlier proposed the idea after 17 independent candidates made it to the Lower House.
According to Al Qoud, election of independent candidates showed that people prefer those representatives who think like them and do not have to follow political agendas imposed on them by their political groups.
Full report at:
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/displayarticle.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2010/November/middleeast_November125.xml§ion=middleeast&col=
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First couples date with heritage
Richi Verma & Smriti Singh
Nov 8, 2010
New Delhi: President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle got an insight into Indias architectural marvels and vast history with a visit to the 17th-century World Heritage Site Humayuns Tomb on Sunday evening.Describing the mausoleum as spectacular,Obama said, If our guys have to build it in seven years,it would be pretty tough.
The President and First Lady Michelle entered Humayuns Tomb grounds at 4.45p.They were received at the VIP entrance by Salman Khurshid,ASI DG Dr Gautam Sengupta,ASI Delhi circle chief KK Mohammed and Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) project director Ratish Nanda.The visit lasted about 40 minutes.
Full report at: Times of India
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BJP damage-control : We werent anti-US even during Cold War
Mohua Chatterjee
Nov 8, 2010
New Delhi: One day after its spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy unauthorizedly tore into Barack Obama,BJP decided to convey to the visiting US president that it had consistently advocated closer ties with his country.
After a discussion in its core group here on Sunday,the party decided that the two Leaders of Opposition in Parliament,Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley,should apprise the visiting dignitary of Indias concerns about terrorism and regional security when they call on him on Monday.But the two leaders will stress that BJP did not subscribe to anti-Americanism even during the Cold War when the dominant political opinion favoured a pact with the now-defunct Soviet Union.Swaraj and Jaitley will also recall significant steps taken under the NDA government for deepening the strategic engagement with Washington.
Full report at: Times of India
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KP universities shut to press govt over VC’s release
Nov 08 2010
Faculty members and students of various universities boycotted classes and took to streets on Monday, wearing black bands and called for Khan’s recovery.
Earlier, on Sunday, the Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association (FAPUASA) announced an indefinite strike in universities across the province against the non-recovery of the Vice-Chancellor and his driver.
The decision was taken after an emergency meeting of the association was convened following the surfacing of a video footage of Khan, wherein he requested the teachers and students to influence the government for the acceptance of his captors’ demands.
Full report at: http://public.dawn.com/2010/11/08/kp-universities-shut-to-press-govt-to-secure-vc%E2%80%99s-release.html
URL: http://www.newageislam.com/NewAgeIslamIslamicWorldNews_1.aspx?ArticleID=3643
6:26 AM
Moderate Islamist here
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