| Islamic World News | |
| 05 Jul 2011, NewAgeIslam.Com |
| IRAN – Pastor loses appeal against death sentence for apostasy | ||
 ‘6-year-old stripped, locked inside Islamic school toilet for bad handwriting’
Taliban videos having Images of Shocking Violence push out Bollywood
Iraq double bombing kills at least 27
Pak: Two soldiers killed in Miranshah bomb attack
Two Turkish soldiers shot dead in Kurdish town
Ten killed, 28 wounded in Iraq attacks
Taliban militants infiltrate Pakistan, kill soldier
'Pak has 14,000 Kashmiris in reserve for war against India'
LeT never thought of killing Bal Thackeray, says Headley
US believes ISI 'barbarically' killed Pak scribe Shahzad: report
Gaddafi govt talks peace, but rebels firm on ouster
Russia, Nato clash over Libya campaign
Qaddafi govt, opposition stick to their guns
Turkish FM delights Libyans in Benghazi’s Tahrir Square
5,200 year-old Ancient Egyptian drawing unearthed
Pak right-wingers slam US for gay event at mission
Ex-militant bares Pak army lies, game plan
Gulf reform crucial for rulers: Kuwait premier
British soldier missing in Afghanistan found dead
David Cameron appeals to Taliban to cease fighting in Afghanistan
Israel to return remains of 84 Palestinian 'martyrs'
Terror accused of Riyadh allege they're tried again after serving time
Riyadh Terror suspects accuse media of defaming them
ISI asks CIA to sign formal accord ruling out future attacks inside Pak
Manmohan Singh tries to appease Hasina after faux pas
Pak launches operation against Taliban in Kurram region
Pakistan shelling angers Afghanistan
Hundreds of Afghanistan militants enter Pak, attack checkpost
Pak foreign minister to visit India on July 26
China gets its Pakistan reactors through NSG
Pak takes land, air route to hunt Taliban on terror turf
Now, US troops can track down Taliban fighters with their smart phones
Syrian forces sweep into city of Hama, injure 21
British PM on Afghanistan visit
Australian PM in Afghan pledge after troop death
Terrorists’ activities on Pak-Afghan border
Afghan war shifting to east: Petraeus
Egypt clashes after police released on bail
Saudi King wants all graduates given jobs
Ben Ali gets 15-year jail term for drugs
Iran to try 26 US officials for rights abuses
Syrian artists on 'honor list' for supporting Assad regime
Tens of thousands of Yemenis flee violence in south
North and south Sudan delay talks until after split
Khalifa reiterates Egypt support
Khalifa orders allocation of $3b aid for Egypt
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
Photo: IRAN – Pastor loses appeal against death sentence for apostasy
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| IRAN – Pastor loses appeal against death sentence for apostasy | |
‘6-year-old stripped, locked inside Islamic school toilet for bad handwriting’
Taliban videos having Images of Shocking Violence push out Bollywood
Iraq double bombing kills at least 27
Pak: Two soldiers killed in Miranshah bomb attack
Two Turkish soldiers shot dead in Kurdish town
Ten killed, 28 wounded in Iraq attacks
Taliban militants infiltrate Pakistan, kill soldier
'Pak has 14,000 Kashmiris in reserve for war against India'
LeT never thought of killing Bal Thackeray, says Headley
US believes ISI 'barbarically' killed Pak scribe Shahzad: report
Gaddafi govt talks peace, but rebels firm on ouster
Russia, Nato clash over Libya campaign
Qaddafi govt, opposition stick to their guns
Turkish FM delights Libyans in Benghazi’s Tahrir Square
5,200 year-old Ancient Egyptian drawing unearthed
Pak right-wingers slam US for gay event at mission
Ex-militant bares Pak army lies, game plan
Gulf reform crucial for rulers: Kuwait premier
British soldier missing in Afghanistan found dead
David Cameron appeals to Taliban to cease fighting in Afghanistan
Israel to return remains of 84 Palestinian 'martyrs'
Terror accused of Riyadh allege they're tried again after serving time
Riyadh Terror suspects accuse media of defaming them
ISI asks CIA to sign formal accord ruling out future attacks inside Pak
Manmohan Singh tries to appease Hasina after faux pas
Pak launches operation against Taliban in Kurram region
Pakistan shelling angers Afghanistan
Hundreds of Afghanistan militants enter Pak, attack checkpost
Pak foreign minister to visit India on July 26
China gets its Pakistan reactors through NSG
Pak takes land, air route to hunt Taliban on terror turf
Now, US troops can track down Taliban fighters with their smart phones
Syrian forces sweep into city of Hama, injure 21
British PM on Afghanistan visit
Australian PM in Afghan pledge after troop death
Terrorists’ activities on Pak-Afghan border
Afghan war shifting to east: Petraeus
Egypt clashes after police released on bail
Saudi King wants all graduates given jobs
Ben Ali gets 15-year jail term for drugs
Iran to try 26 US officials for rights abuses
Syrian artists on 'honor list' for supporting Assad regime
Tens of thousands of Yemenis flee violence in south
North and south Sudan delay talks until after split
Khalifa reiterates Egypt support
Khalifa orders allocation of $3b aid for Egypt
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
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IRAN – Pastor loses appeal against death sentence for apostasy
3 July 2011
An Iranian pastor faces being executed for apostasy after he lost his appeal against the death sentence.
The Supreme Court in Qom city is widely reported to have upheld the death sentence against Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani in a ruling last Wednesday. His lawyers have yet to receive written confirmation of this decision but they understand that Pastor Yousef could be executed at any time – unless he recants his faith.
Pastor Yousef was officially sentenced to death in November 2010 and his defence team lodged an appeal the following month.
He was first arrested in October 2009 – after protesting against the compulsory teaching of the Koran in Iranian schools. He was initially charged with protesting but charges were later changed to apostasy (leaving Islam) and for evangelising Muslims, according to religious rights charity Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW).
CSW reports that Pastor Yousef had been detained previously in December 2006, also on charges of apostasy and evangelism, but was released two weeks later.
The pastor, who has two young sons with his wife Fatemeh, leads a church in the northern city of Rasht in Gilan province. Fatemeh too was detained for four months in 2010 and several other members of their church have been detained.
Middle East Concern reports that the last known judicial execution of an Iranian church leader was in December 1990 when Rev Hossein Soodman was hanged.
(Sources: Christian Solidarity Worldwide, Middle East Concern, Mohabat News)
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‘6-year-old stripped, locked inside Islamic school toilet for bad handwriting’
Jul 05 2011
Ahmedabad : A six-year-old girl was reportedly stripped naked and locked up by her teacher in the school toilet for hours because her handwriting was bad. The girl, a student of the Islamic school in Shahpur area, was also reportedly threatened that she would be paraded naked in the school compound if she complained about the incident.
According to the girl’s father, Sarvar Hussain, who works in a photocopying centre, the incident occurred on Thursday morning.
“She suddenly stopped talking and even refused to eat her meals on Thursday. The next day, she refused to go to school. She told her mother that she didn’t want to study anymore,” he said.
Hussain said the girl only told her mother about the incident on Saturday. “When her mother was giving her a bath, she noticed a bruise on her waist. She then told her about how her teacher had stripped her naked, pinched her and then locked her up in the toilet. She remained in the toilet till afternoon, without even a drop of water or food,” he said.
Hussain went to the police, but was reportedly told that a case would only be registered on Monday as everyone was busy with the rath yatra preparations. The angry parents today protested outside the school as well as the Shahpur police station.
Hussain said the teacher, Zarina alias Zeba Banu, had earlier hauled up his daughter for dirtying the classroom. “She had even asked her to remove her uniform and use it as a mop to clean the floor,” he claimed.
Zarina, who was taken to the police station for questioning, claimed that “the parents are blowing up the matter out of proportion”.
“We have booked a case against the teacher for wrongful confinement and causing hurt under Section 343 and Section 323 of the IPC,’’ said Shahpur Police Inspector S B Gohil.
The school’s trustee and principal are Iqbal Patel and his wife Rehana Banu. Iqbal, who took refuge in the police station today fearing that the residents may attack him, refused to comment on the issue.
According to some parents, the school, which had over 900 students earlier, now has only about 400. Some parents alleged that Iqbal wants to sell the school to a local group and settle abroad. “The people in the community claim that there is a property issue. The principal wants to shut down the school and the trust wants to run it,” said Gohil.
The school trust president, Hussain Goblejwala, said: “We tried to sort out the issue with Iqbal Patel but we have now given up. He just wants to sell the school and is negligent about how it runs.” He added that they would “rusticate the school teacher and Iqbal’s wife Rehana”.
Other charges
A parent, Mohammed Imran Sheikh, alleged that his eight-year-old daughter was made to clean the toilet and mop the classroom in March this year. Sheikh had lodged a police complaint against the same teacher, Zarina.
“The Shahpur police inspector told me that making children clean toilets was not an offence. So I wrote to the Education Department and the National Child Labour Project,” said Sheikh.
A Class VI student claimed that if they made mistakes in homework, they were sent to junior classrooms and made to do sit-ups. “If anyone refuses to do it, the teachers would threaten to strip us,” said the student.
http://www.indianexpress.com/story-print/812692/
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Taliban videos having images of Shocking Violence push out Bollywood
Pamela Constable
July 04, 2011
On a street of pulsing electronic shops, young men with spiked hair and tight jeans browse through DVD stalls and huddle over sidewalk computer stands, downloading the latest hot song or video clip and passing them instantly via bluetooth technology from cellphone to cellphone. Often the content is sexually alluring and semi-forbidden in Afghan society: shimmying female singers from Iran or starlets from India.
But in recent months, another craze has gripped the capital circuit, holding a more disturbing appeal for a generation of Muslim youths yearning for excitement.
The images are of real war and shocking violence: US military vehicles exploding; Western troops tossed high in the air; terrified foreigners being dragged and mutilated.
The soundtracks are a mix of gunfire and chants in male voices praising fallen heroes and calling for sacrifice in the name of Islam.
"O Talib, come to my dreams," begins one.
"The brave infidel slayers are everywhere. We will burn their tanks and set them on fire. The brave infidel slayers are turned to ashes, but they still live. .?.?. O Talib, come to my grave. The infidel dragons have killed me; follow my footsteps when I am gone."
These are Taliban videos, made with sophisticated production techniques and vague credits such as "Quetta Jihadi Studios" and "Wardak Martyrdom Studios."
Some have been available in Afghanistan for several years, but many more have appeared in circulation here in recent months.
It is not clear where the incidents featured have occurred, but the videos appear to be genuine.
They are also illegal. Many sidewalk vendors charge about 20 cents to download the videos, the same price as clips of pop singers or novelty ring tones, but they can be arrested and jailed if caught selling the insurgent material.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/Taliban-videos-push-out-Bollywood/H1-Article1-717307.aspx
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Iraq double bombing kills at least 27
July 05, 2011
Two explosions at a civic building in the Iraqi town of Taji has killed at least 27 people and wounded a further 50 others, officials said.
A car bomb and another explosive detonated in a crowded car park of the building in Taji, about 12 miles north of Baghdad, according to a security source.
"It was a double explosion. The first was caused by a car bomb. We have no idea what the second was, whether a suicide bomber or a roadside bomb," said Raad al-Tamimi, the head of the Taji municipality. "The place was crowded with people who were going to process official papers and with police and employees.
The deputy health minister, Khamis al-Saad, said the blasts killed 27 people and wounded 50. An interior ministry source put the initial toll at 35 dead and 28 wounded.
The bombings followed a series of attacks that targeted Iraqi security forces over the past two days, killing at least 10 police and soldiers and wounding 22 others.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jul/05/iraq-bombings-taji-kill-27
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Pak: Two soldiers killed in Miranshah bomb attack
July 05, 2011
MIRANSHAH: Militants set off a roadside bomb targeting a military vehicle in the Pashtun tribal region of North Waziristan on the Afghan border, killing two soldiers and wounding 15, intelligence officials said.
http://www.dawn.com/2011/07/05/two-soldiers-killed-in-miranshah-bomb-attack.html
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Two Turkish soldiers shot dead in Kurdish town
5 July 2011
DIYARBAKIR — Two soldiers were shot dead Tuesday in Turkey’s mainly Kurdish southeast in an attack believed to be the work of Kurdish rebels, security sources said.
The soldiers, wearing civilian clothes, came under fire while walking on the main street of Yuksekova town, a hotbed of Kurdish militancy in the province of Hakkari, which borders Iran and Iraq, the sources said.
The outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), fighting for Kurdish self-rule in the southeast, was believed to be behind the attack.
Two off-duty sergeants were shot dead in a similar fashion in Yuksekova in April.
In a separate development Tuesday, an explosion hit a military vehicle on a road in the outskirts of the capital Ankara, but there were no casualties, Anatolia news agency reported.
Full report at: http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle08.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2011/July/middleeast_July101.xml§ion=middleeast
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Ten killed, 28 wounded in Iraq attacks
July 05, 2011
Bomb and gun attacks across Iraq on Monday killed at least 10 people and wounded 28, many of them policemen and soldiers, security officials said.
In Baghdad’s Mansur neighbourhood, three policemen were killed and one wounded by an improvised bomb that also hurt three civilians, an interior ministry official said.
Another suicide bomber in the Baab al-Muadham neighbourhood of central Baghdad wounded five security personnel guarding a bus station, the official said.
In south Baghdad an improvised bomb killed one person and wounded three others.
Meanwhile, in the city of Fallujah, 69 kilometers west of Baghdad, a car bomb exploded outside a hospital killing a policeman and a civilian, said police official Major Nuri al- Full report at: http://www.dailypioneer.com/350640/Ten-killed-28-wounded-in-Iraq-attacks.html
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Taliban militants infiltrate Pakistan, kill soldier
July 05, 2011
Taliban militants from Afghanistan launched yet another cross-border raid into Pakistan, attacking a check post and killing a Pakistani soldier, while four children were injured by rockets that tribesmen said were fired from Afghan territory.
Reports said that over 100 Afghan Taliban attacked a paramilitary check post in Kitkot area of Bajaur tribal region early this morning, killing a soldier and injuring another.
Several attackers were killed when troops at the post retaliated.
Chief military spokesman Maj Gen Athar Abbas confirmed the attack on the post located almost three kilometres from the border with Afghanistan.
Since Bajaur Agency had been cleared of militants by the army, the attack was launched “from the other side”, he told the media.
Full report at: http://www.dailypioneer.com/350631/Taliban-militants-infiltrate-Pakistan-kill-soldier.html
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'Pak has 14,000 Kashmiris in reserve for war against India'
Chidanand Rajghatta
Jul 5, 2011
A former militant commander has revealed that Pak has 12,000 to 14,000 fully trained Kashmiri fighters, scattered throughout various camps in Pakistan, and is holding them in reserve to use if needed in a war against India.
WASHINGTON: Pakistan is staying the course of using terrorist groups to protect its interests, a former militant commander has divulged, contradicting Islamabad's avowals to the contrary and hopeful testimonials from Washington and New Delhi about Pakistan changing its policy and behavior.
The unnamed militant said Pakistani generals have not given up the policy of nurturing terrorists. "That system was still functioning," he told the New York Times referring to the Pakistan military's training and protection of terrorists in an interview published on Monday.
Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Pak-has-14000-Kashmiris-in-reserve-for-war-against-India/articleshow/9105390.cms
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LeT never thought of killing Bal Thackeray, says Headley
July 04, 2011
Lalit K Jha | Washington
Pakistan-based LeT wanted to invite Bal Thackeray for a fund raiser in the US, hoping he would make inflammatory comments to the benefit of the ISI, but they never planned to kill the Shiv Sena supremo, David Headley, the Pakistani-American terrorist has said.
Describing Shiv Sena as very influential in India, Headley said killing Thackeray would have been operationally a stupid thing to do and tantamount to killing the goose that lays the golden egg.
However, during his discussions with other Lashkar operatives, the 26/11 terror accused did joke about killing the Shiv Sena supremo.
“Does LeT joke about killing people?” Headley was asked by the defense attorney during the Chicago trial of Tahawwur Hussain Rana.
Full report at: http://www.dailypioneer.com/350645/LeT-never-thought-of-killing-Bal-Thackeray-says-Headley.html
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US believes ISI 'barbarically' killed Pak scribe Shahzad: report
Tue Jul 05 2011
Islamabad: Obama administration officials believe that Pakistan’s premier spy agency, the Directorate for Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), ordered the killing of a Pakistani journalist over his scathing reports about militant infiltration in the country’s military, according to US officials.
New classified intelligence obtained before the May 29 disappearance of Syed Saleem Shahzad from Islamabad, and after the discovery of his mortally wounded body, showed that senior ISI officials directed the attack on him in an effort to silence criticism, The New York Times quoted two senior administration officials, as saying.
The intelligence, which several administration officials said they believed was reliable and conclusive, showed that the actions of the ISI, as it is known, were “barbaric and unacceptable,” one of the officials said.
Full report at: http://www.indianexpress.com/story-print/812931/
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Gaddafi govt talks peace, but rebels firm on ouster
Jul 5, 2011
TRIPOLI: The Libyan government said on Monday it was in talks with opposition figures but there seemed little chance of a swift end to the conflict as both sides stuck to entrenched positions on the fate of Muammar Gaddafi.
The leader's son Saif al-Islam, in combative form, told a French newspaper there was no question of negotiating an end to his father's 42-year rule, while the rebels, stepping back from a hint of a concession, renewed their demand that he go now.
Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Gaddafi-govt-talks-peace-but-rebels-firm-on-ouster/articleshow/9106690.cms
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Russia, Nato clash over Libya campaign
July 05, 2011
SOCHI, Russia: Russia and Nato on Monday failed to narrow their differences over the Western air campaign in Libya, as alliance warplanes stepped up their bombing of regime targets.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused Nato of interpreting a UN resolution any way it wished, after talks with Nato chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen that showed up differences rather than secure any agreement on a solution.
The scheduled Nato-Russia Council meeting in the Black Sea city of Sochi was joined at the last minute by South African President Jacob Zuma, fresh from an African Union summit that tried to forge a regional peace plan to end the conflict.
“So far, there is no common understanding over how the resolution is being implemented,” Lavrov said, referring to the UN Security Council resolution that paved the way for the air campaign.
Full report at: http://www.dawn.com/2011/07/05/russia-nato-clash-over-libya-campaign-2.html
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Qaddafi govt, opposition stick to their guns
Jul 5, 2011
TRIPOLI: The Libyan government said on Monday it was in talks with opposition figures but there seemed little chance of a swift end to the conflict as both sides stuck to entrenched positions on the fate of Muammar Qaddafi.
The leader's son Saif Al-Islam, in combative form, told a French newspaper there was no question of negotiating an end to his father's 42-year rule, while the fighters, stepping back from a hint of a concession, renewed their demand that he go now.
A spokesman for Qaddafi's administration said high-ranking government officials had been in foreign-mediated talks in Italy, Egypt and Norway with opposition figures to try to find a peace deal, and that talks were still going on.
The government spokesman named one of the opposition figures in the talks as Abdel Fattah Younes Al-Abidi, Qaddafi's former security minister, who defected in February. It was not clear whether the talks took place with the knowledge or endorsement of the leadership of the National Transitional Council.
Full report at: http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article466711.ece
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Turkish FM delights Libyans in Benghazi’s Tahrir Square
July 5, 2011
FULYA ÖZERKAN
Turkish Foreign Minister Davutoglu takes an unplanned detour during his trip to Libya, joining the masses gathered in protest of Gadhafi’s rule
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu makes a bold and surprise appearance at Benghazi’s Tahrir Square. AA photo
En route to Benghazi’s airport on Sunday after a successful trip to northeastern Libya, Turkey’s foreign policy architect, Ahmet Davutoglu, made a sudden change of plans, catching his entourage off guard. The minister got out of his official car and waded into Tahrir Square – “Liberation” Square, like its more famous namesake in Cairo – to demonstrate his support for a group of local citizens shouting for more freedom and democracy.
Full report at: http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=davutoglu-delights-libyans-in-benghazi8217s-tahrir-square-2011-07-04
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5,200 year-old Ancient Egyptian drawing unearthed
Jul 5, 2011
CAIRO: Egypt’s Antiquities Authority says archaeologists have unearthed a 5,200-year-old rock drawing depicting a royal festival during Ancient Egypt’s earliest dynasty.
The ministry says the scenes were part of a series of rock drawings featuring hunting, fighting and celebrations along the banks of the Nile River.
Antiquities chief Zahi Hawass said in a statement Monday the scenes represent the first unearthing of a complete drawing of a royal festival during Dynasty Zero, when the earliest foundations of Ancient Egyptian culture are believed to have been formed.
A joint US-Italian expedition team discovered the unique drawings in the southern city of Aswan, a hub of archaeological treasures.
http://arabnews.com/lifestyle/offbeat/article466818.ece
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Pak right-wingers slam US for gay event at mission
Omer Farooq Khan
Jul 5, 2011
ISLAMABAD: A leading Pakistani right-wing party on Monday condemned a recent function held in support of gay rights at Islamabad's US embassy and described it as "cultural terrorism" . Deputy ambassador Richard Hoagland had hosted the event on June 26, but a statement on it was posted on the embassy website on Sunday. The statement said the event was its first gay and lesbian pride celebration . Over 75 people including Pakistani gay community leaders attended the meeting.
"Such people are a curse for the society and social garbage,'' said Jamaat-e-Islami in a statement . It described the event as the second most dangerous US attack after drone and missile strikes. "The participants don't deserve to be Muslims or Pakistani and the support and protection announced by the US administration for them is the worst social and cultural terrorism against Pakistan.''
Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Pak-rightwingers-slam-US-for-gay-event-at-mission/articleshow/9106831.cms
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Ex-militant bares Pak army lies, game plan
Tue Jul 05 2011
Islamabad: Pakistan’s military continues to nurture a broad range of militant groups as part of a three-decade strategy of using proxies against its neighbours and US forces in Afghanistan, a prominent former militant commander said.
The former commander, who is well known in militant circles, said he was supported by the Pakistani army for 15 years as a fighter, leader and trainer of insurgents until he quit a few years ago.
Militant groups like the Lashkar-e-Toiba, Harkat-ul-Mujahideen and Hizbul Mujahideen, run by religious leaders, are still being providing with training, strategic planning and protection by the Pakistani army, he said. The army and ISI are using them as tools in the dispute with India over Kashmir, and in Afghanistan to drive out US and NATO forces, he added.
The US has given Pakistan over $ 20 billion over the past decade for its war against terror.
Full report at: http://www.indianexpress.com/story-print/812713/
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Gulf reform crucial for rulers: Kuwait premier
Jul 5, 2011
DUBAI: Gulf Arab rulers should enact economic and political reforms or risk raising the ire of their citizens, Kuwait's prime minister was quoted as saying in the pan-Arab newspaper Al-Hayat on Monday.
Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah’s remarks came two weeks after the country's emir warned there would be "zero tolerance" for anyone threatening Kuwait's security. The world's fourth largest oil exporter has seen limited demonstrations but, thanks to a generous welfare system, avoided the mass protests that toppled rulers in Egypt and Tunisia.
Full report at: http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article466705.ece
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British soldier missing in Afghanistan found dead
July 05, 2011
LONDON: A British soldier reported missing in Afghanistan on Monday has been found dead with gunshot wounds, the defence ministry in London said. The soldier’s body was found following an extensive search of the Nahr-e-Saraj district in Afghanistan’s troubled southern Helmand Province after he was reported missing from an International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) checkpoint. The incident comes as Prime Minister David Cameron made an unannounced visit to British troops in Helmand. He was forced to scrap a trip to an Afghan town he had previously held up as an example of improved security. Separately, Taliban have claimed that the British soldier was captured by their fighters, but died in the crossfire during a battle with NATO troops. The Taliban claim could not be independently confirmed. Taliban spokesman Qari Yousaf Ahmadi said that the soldier was captured on Monday, but died shortly afterward in the crossfire. NATO says the coalition has no report of a gun-battle in Babaji on Monday and that its soldiers were still searching for the missing British service member.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2011\07\05\story_5-7-2011_pg7_9
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David Cameron appeals to Taliban to cease fighting in Afghanistan
July 05, 2011
The apparent capture and killing of a British soldier in Afghanistan showed the "high price" being paid to stabilise the country, David Cameron said on Tuesday, as he appealed to the Taliban to stop fighting.
Speaking at a press conference in Kabul alongside the Afghan president, Hamid Karzai, Cameron said: "This was very sad news and I want the thoughts and condolences of everyone on my team here to be with the family of that soldier who received this very sad news."
Karzai said: "I express my condolences on the very recent loss of a British soldier."
The prime minister insisted the campaign against the Taliban in Helmand province was having some "success" and transition to Afghan security control was "on track".
Cameron delivered his most direct appeal yet to Taliban elements to join the political process in Afghanistan. "It is very difficult to reconcile with people who have been killing your own soldiers or your own countrymen," he said. "To the Taliban, the message is very clear: Stop killing, stop bombing, stop fighting, put down your weapons, join the political process and you can be part of the future of this country.
Full report at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jul/05/david-cameron-appeal-to-taliban-afghanistan
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Israel to return remains of 84 Palestinian 'martyrs'
By MOHAMMED MAR’I
Jul 5, 2011
RAMALLAH: A senior Palestinian official on Monday said that Israel would hand over the remains of 84 fighters to the Palestinian Authority (PA) within days.
Hussein Al-Sheikh, head of Palestinian Civil Affairs Commission, told the Voice of Palestine Radio that Israel agreed after extensive talks late on Sunday to hand over the remains it holds in secret cemeteries known as the Cemeteries of Numbers.
Israeli security sources confirmed that talks on the matter have been held but that no agreement had been reached.
Full report at: http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article466758.ece
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Terror accused of Riyadh allege they're tried again after serving time
By MUHAMMAD AL-SULAMI
Jul 5, 2011
RIYADH: A number of defendants on trial for a series of terror attacks in Riyadh in 2003 alleged Monday that they are being tried on the same charges for a second time.
The defendants made the charge when the special court trying them was in session on the fourth day.
They said the Riyadh High Court handed them up to two years jail time nine years ago and they were not released after the completion of their respective terms even after the Court of Grievances ordered their release.
Full report at: http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article466776.ece
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Riyadh Terror suspects accuse media of defaming them
By MUHAMMAD AL-SULAMI
Jul 5, 2011
RIYADH: The third court hearing into allegations that Turki Al-Dandani’s terror cell was responsible for bombing three residential compounds in 2003 east of Riyadh heard a number of defendants claim that they were being tried for old charges they had already been convicted of.
They also accused the media of defaming them and picturing them as a menace to society.
The defendants claimed they have a copy of the verdicts, which sentenced them to jail for two years. They said that they were not released after they served the sentence.
• The court session started at 10 a.m. and lasted for two hours.
Full report at: http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article466698.ece
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ISI asks CIA to sign formal accord ruling out future attacks inside Pak
Jul 05 2011
Islamabad: Pakistan’s premier spy agency, the Directorate for Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), has asked the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to sign a written contract ruling out future attacks inside Pakistani territory.
Relations between the United States and Pakistan have deteriorated significantly since the US’ unilateral military raid that killed Osama bin Laden in his Abbottabad hideout on May 2.
A senior security official said that the ISI wanted a formal agreement on paper - ruling out future attacks on Pakistani soil, for example - in order to restart the relationship, The Scotsman reports.
Full report at: http://www.indianexpress.com/story-print/812945/
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Manmohan Singh tries to appease Hasina after faux pas
Jul 5, 2011
NEW DELHI: Clearly stung by the fallout over his recent remarks on Bangladesh, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh spoke to his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina late on Monday saying how much he looked forward to meeting her in September. This was soon after the government announced that Singh will pay an official visit to Bangladesh on September 6-7 this year.
While it was always known that Singh would visit the neighbouring country this year, the timing of the announcement suggests that the government is still in damage-control mode over Singh's recent remark that 25% of the Bangladeshi population is anti-India because of its affiliation to the Jamaat-e-Islami political party.
In his conversation with Hasina, Singh conveyed how much he was looking forward to the visit and to renewing contact with his old friends there. ''He said India attached the highest importance to relations with Bangladesh and a strong and productive partnership between the two countries was in the interest of the two peoples and the people of South Asia as a whole,'' said a PMO release.
Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Manmohan-Singh-tries-to-appease-Hasina-after-faux-pas/articleshow/9105694.cms
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Pak launches operation against Taliban in Kurram region
July 05, 2011
Rezaul H Laskar | Islamabad
Thousands of Pakistani troops, backed by Air Force, artillery and tanks, have launched a fresh offensive against Taliban fighters in the Kurram tribal region, close to Waziristan, triggering an exodus of hundreds of families.
A “full-fledged operation” had been launched in the central part of Kurram Agency, a senior unnamed official in the northwestern city of Peshawar was quoted as saying by Dawn newspaper.
The Government had notified 80 sq km in the region as a conflict zone a fortnight ago.
“I have no specific details but the operation has started in the mountainous area,” the official said.
Full report at: http://www.dailypioneer.com/350634/Pak-launches-operation-against-Taliban-in-Kurram-region.html
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Pakistan shelling angers Afghanistan
ANITA JOSHUA
Kabul not happy with the traffic of terrorists
Cross-border firing along the Durand Line has introduced a new strain in relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan, at a time when bilateral relations were on the mend. To ensure this does not have a lasting impact on ties, both countries on Monday agreed to redouble efforts to check cross-border infiltration even as Pakistan announced the launch of an operation against terrorist havens in central Kurram tribal agency.
The offensive in central Kurram — adjacent to Tora Bora in Afghanistan from where al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden escaped a U.S. attack in 2001 — was launched on Sunday against terrorist sanctuaries set up there after they were pushed out of different tribal agencies along the Af-Pak border. Kurram lies north of North Waziristan, which has taken the brunt of U.S. drone attacks in recent months.
Full report at: http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Chennai/article2158665.ece?homepage=true
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Hundreds of Afghanistan militants enter Pak, attack checkpost
Jul 5, 2011
KHAR, PAKISTAN: At least 300 militants crossed into Pakistan from Afghanistan and attacked a Pakistani checkpost, government and intelligence officials said on Monday, the sixth cross-border attack in a month that has raised tensions between the neighbours.
One Pakistani soldier was killed and another wounded in the late Sunday attack in the Pakistani tribal region of Bajaur, intelligence officials said. At least four militants were also killed in the fighting, they said.
Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Hundreds-of-Afghanistan-militants-enter-Pak-attack-checkpost/articleshow/9106817.cms
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Pak foreign minister to visit India on July 26
Jul 5, 2011
NEW DELHI: Pakistan's foreign minister will visit India on July 26 for further dialogue as the two sides continue to keep the re-engagement process on track. Sources said Pakistan's minister of state for foreign affairs Hina Rabbani Khar will be elevated to the position of foreign minister before the visit to facilitate talks with S M Krishna.
A per the agreed outcome at the foreign secretaries' meeting in Thimphu in February, the two sides had agreed that the Pakistani foreign minister would visit India by July after the two countries hold discussions on all outstanding issues including J&K.
Sources also confirmed that ahead of the meeting between the foreign ministers, foreign secretary Nirupama Rao will hold another round of discussions with her counterpart Salman Bashir. The meeting, their third this year, will take place on July 25, a day ahead of Khar's visit. They are expected to thrash out the agenda for the talks between the two ministers.
Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Pak-foreign-minister-to-visit-India-on-July-26/articleshow/9105956.cms
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China gets its Pakistan reactors through NSG
Indrani Bagchi
Jul 5, 2011
NEW DELHI: The Chinese has got away with two new nuclear reactors for Pakistan by the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).
At the June 23-24 plenary meeting of the 46-nation nuclear cartel in Noordwik, Netherlands, China was questioned about the two new reactors, Chashma 3 and 4, that it announced it would build in Pakistan. But China insisted the deal was "grandfathered", that is, they said it had been reached before it joined the NSG in 2004.
Indian officials monitoring events said, the brief Chinese statement was enough for the rest of the NSG -- even the US -- to accept China at its word. "There was no pushback by NSG members," the officials said.
Full report at: Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/China-gets-its-Pakistan-reactors-through-NSG/articleshow/9105756.cms
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Pak takes land, air route to hunt Taliban on terror turf
Jul 5, 2011
ISLAMABAD: Thousands of Pakistani troops, backed by helicopter gunships and fighter jets, advanced on Taliban strongholds in Kurram tribal region and consolidated their positions even as hundreds of families fled the conflict zone.
Pakistani soldiers and paramilitary troops were attacking militant hideouts in Kurram Agency to eliminate and expel the rebels, the local media quoted military sources as saying.
"Taliban militants did not show any resistance," an unnamed military officer said.
The security forces advanced in mountainous areas, including Mushat, Masozai and Ali Sherzaoi, all former strongholds of the Pakistani Taliban. The troops consolidated their positions and established check posts atop mountains overlooking key roads to monitor the movement of militants.
Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Pak-takes-land-air-route-to-hunt-Taliban-on-terror-turf/articleshow/9106664.cms
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Now, US troops can track down Taliban fighters with their smart phones
Jul 05 2011
London: A US Army captain has created a new application, which can track down the enemies.
Captain Jonathan Springer developed Tactical Nav after two of his comrades were killed in a rocket attack.
It can be downloaded to a smartphone to figure out where an enemy is firing from, and to call in an air strike or covering fire.
Springer says it is as accurate as any technology currently in use for the same purpose, and far cheaper too.
Full report at: http://www.indianexpress.com/story-print/812946/
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Syrian forces sweep into city of Hama, injure 21
Jul 5, 2011
BEIRUT: Syrian security forces opened fire Monday in a restive central city, injuring an Olympic boxing champion and at least 20 others as President Bashar Assad's regime swept through several cities and towns to crush a pro-democracy uprising, activists said.
Nasser al-Shami, who won a bronze medal in the 2004 Olympics in Athens, was in stable condition after being hit by shotgun pellets in the city of Hama, said Rami Abdul-Rahman, the London-based director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Abdul-Rahman said he spoke to the doctor who treated the athlete.
Monday's shooting happened as Syrian troops and tanks sealed off Hama and blocked the roads leading in, an apparent attempt to crush growing dissent there and retake the city one month after security forces withdrew. About 300,000 protesters held huge protests against the regime in Hama last week, a sign the city was spiraling out of government control.
Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Syrian-forces-sweep-into-city-of-Hama-injure-21/articleshow/9106801.cms
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British PM on Afghanistan visit
July 05, 2011
British Prime Minister David Cameron has arrived in Afghanistan for an official visit, a government official said. Cameron arrived in the country on Monday, the official told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. He and Afghan President Hamid Karzai would hold a joint press conference
On Tuesday.
Britain has over 9,500 troops in Afghanistan serving within the framework of the NATO-International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) to help stabilize the war-battered nation.
Foreign officials often pay unannounced visits to Afghanistan and leave the country secretly due to security reasons.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/afghanistan/British-PM-on-Afghanistan-visit/Article1-717429.aspx
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Australian PM in Afghan pledge after troop death
July 05, 2011
SYDNEY: Prime Minister Julia Gillard insisted Tuesday that progress was being made in Afghanistan despite the death of another Australian soldier during an encounter with insurgents.
Sergeant Todd Langley, 35, was serving with a special operations task group when he was shot in the head on Monday during a mission with troops from the Afghan National Army to clear a weapons cache.
“He died on the battlefield from his wounds,” said General David Hurley, who only assumed his role as chief of the defence force on Monday following the retirement of Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston.
Full report at: http://www.dawn.com/2011/07/05/australian-pm-in-afghan-pledge-after-troop-death.html
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Terrorists’ activities on Pak-Afghan border
July 05, 2011
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Afghanistan, on Monday, while condemning the loss of life and destruction of property by militants on either side stressed effective measures to curb their activities.
An “in-depth meeting” between Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir and Afghan Ambassador Mohammad Umer Daudzai reviewed the situation following the attacks in Dir, Bajaur, Mohmand and Kunar regions. Both the sides expressed their concern over the activities of the militants. “Pakistan condemns the loss of lives and destruction of property on both sides by the militants.
Full report at: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2011\07\05\story_5-7-2011_pg1_4
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Afghan war shifting to east: Petraeus
From John Nelson
July 05, 2011
KABUL – The outgoing commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan says the focus of the war will shift in upcoming months from Taliban strongholds in the south to the nation's porous eastern border with Pakistan.
On his last Fourth of July in uniform before becoming CIA director, Gen. David Petraeus says that more special forces, intelligence and air power will be further concentrated on disrupting insurgents in the east.
Petraeus spoke to The Associated Press and three other news outlets Monday after attending re-enlistment ceremonies in Kandahar and at Bagram Air Field, north of Kabul.
Separately, British military officials say a British soldier went missing and search operations are under way in the south. A British soldier who is part of the NATO-led international force fighting in southern Afghanistan went missing Monday in the country's restive south and an extensive operation is under way to find him, Britain's Ministry of Defense said.
Full report at: http://dailymailnews.com/0711/05/FrontPage/index.php?id=4
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Egypt clashes after police released on bail
July 05, 2011
Hundreds of Egyptians scuffled with security guards in a court in Cairo and blocked a major road for hours after a judge ordered the release of 10 police officers charged with killing protesters during the country's uprising.
Monday's unrest added to tensions already running high in Egypt over the ruling military council's failure to hold accountable security forces involved in killing protesters during the demonstrations that toppled the former president, Hosni Mubarak.
Nearly five months later, only one police officer has been convicted in the deaths of more than 846 people killed in a government crackdown on protesters. He was tried in absentia.
Full report at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jul/05/egypt-clashes-police-released
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Saudi King wants all graduates given jobs
Jul 5, 2011
JEDDAH: Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah instructed the private and public sectors in the Kingdom to provide more employment opportunities to all graduates and other employment seekers.
The king also congratulated graduates of all levels of education in the country in the weekly meeting of the Council of Ministers at Al-Salam Palace in Jeddah on Monday.
In the meeting, the king called on the Arab countries that are currently passing through political disturbances to give priority to national security and stability and avoid bloodshed.
Full report at: http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article466757.ece
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Ben Ali gets 15-year jail term for drugs
Jul 5, 2011
TUNIS: A Tunisian court on Monday sentenced former President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in absentia to more than 15 years in prison after finding him guilty of illegal possession of drugs and weapons.
Lawyers for Ben Ali, ousted in January and now in Saudi Arabia, boycotted the trial, calling it a sham. It is the second major sentence passed on Ben Ali, who was handed a 35-year jail term for other crimes last month.
Ben Ali's overthrow in January after weeks of protests inspired the wave of "Arab Spring" uprisings across the Middle East and North Africa.
Following the one-day trial, the judge sentenced Ben Ali to 15 years and six months, adding that the six months had been tacked on for illegal possession of archaeological artifacts.
Full report at: http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article466781.ece
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Iran to try 26 US officials for rights abuses
Jul 5, 2011
TEHRAN: Iran plans to try in absentia 26 US officials is believes violated human rights, the latest attempt to turn the tables on Western accusations about Tehran's rights record.
Lawmaker Esmail Kosari told Monday's newspapers the Americans would be tried in absentia and their files passed on to international tribunals.
He did not identify the officials but it is likely they are the same people listed on a parliamentary bill to be subjected to Iranian sanctions. They include former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, his deputy Paul Wolfowitz, and military commanders at US detention centers Abu Ghraib in Iraq and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. There was no immediate comment on the Iranian move by the US authorities.
Full report at: http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article466734.ece
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Syrian artists on 'honor list' for supporting Assad regime
By DIANA A-JASSEM
Jul 5, 2011
JEDDAH: Several Syrian actors and artists have appeared on television in recent days to express their full support for the current government and have also held several meetings to discuss ways to maintain unity and implement reforms under the current leadership.
Syrians recently issued a so-called “honor list,” which included the names of stars who have supported the president. This in contrast to Egypt, where several artists and actors were blacklisted for opposing the recent protests.
Syria’s list included many actors such as Abbas Al-Nouri, Sulaf Fawakherji, Suzan Najm El-Din, Fadia Khattab, Amal Arafa, Basem Yakhour, Wael Ramadan, Rashid Assaf, Durid Laham, George Wassouf, Nidal Sergio, Ayman Zaidan and Samo Zein.
The Syrian artists voiced support for reforms in order to secure their country’s future, security and prosperity.
Full report at: http://arabnews.com/lifestyle/article466654.ece
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Tens of thousands of Yemenis flee violence in south
Jul 5, 2011
ADEN: Some 54,000 Yemenis have fled the flash point southern province of Abyan since militants took over its capital last month, a government official said on Sunday, as fighting intensified in the area.
Mass protests demanding an end to President Ali Abdullah Saleh's three-decade rule and a political impasse continue to paralyze Yemen, as he recovers in Riyadh from an assassination attempt.
His government risks risks losing control of swathes of the country and giving Al-Qaeda's local wing a foothold next to key shipping routes.
The flight of thousands of people from the southern violence, as well as severe food and water shortages, raise the specter of a humanitarian crisis in a country already on the verge of collapse.
Full report at: http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article466722.ece
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North and south Sudan delay talks until after split
Jul 5, 2011
ADDIS ABABA: Leaders of north and south Sudan agreed on Monday to continue talks on a series of disputes after the south's impending secession, officials said — a move that will disappoint Western countries hoping for a quick deal.
Sudan's oil-producing south is due to declare independence on Saturday — a split that was voted for in a referendum promised in a 2005 north-south peace deal.
The north and south, which fought a civil war for decades, have yet to agree on the position of their shared border and how they will manage oil revenues.
The north's army and fighters with links to the south have also been clashing in Southern Kordofan, the north's main oil state, in recent days, according to the United Nations.
Full report at: http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article466755.ece
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Khalifa reiterates Egypt support
5 July 2011
AL AIN — The UAE is keen to support Egypt at this important cross road in its march to safeguard country’s gains and achievements and to protect its aspirations for a better tomorrow, said the President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, during a meeting with Egyptian Prime Minister Dr Essam Sharaf at the Al Rawda Palace in Al Ain City on Monday.
Also present on the occasion was Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.
The president said as the UAE and Egypt constituted a model for the distinguished fraternal relations in various circumstances and in different situations in the regional and international political relations, the future of these relations will be built on the historical bonds of brotherhood between the peoples of the two countries.
He added that the changes taking place in the political arena in Egypt strengthened the confidence and optimism about Egypt’s people that they would work to perpetuate its leading and pivotal role both on regional and international levels, and will embody at the same time, the strategic depth between the fraternal countries in the Arab world.
Shaikh Khalifa expressed his wish that Egypt will cross this important stage in its political history with determination and confidence to return to its natural status and position among other countries in the region and the world.
He stressed that the UAE leadership, the government and the people would continue to support the Egyptian leadership and people with the full belief in Egypt’s weight and its strategic location, as well as its important role in the creation of a regional and international balance in the region.
Full report at: http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle09.asp?xfile=data/theuae/2011/July/theuaeJuly118.xml§ion=theuae
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Khalifa orders allocation of $3b aid for Egypt
5 July 2011
Abu Dhabi - President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan has issued directives to allocate an aid package of US$ 3 billion for Egypt.
This came during a meeting held here today between Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of Presidential Affairs His Highness Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Egyptian Prime Minister Dr Essam Sharaf.
The meeting was held in presence of the Chief of Abu Dhabi Crown Prince’s Court His Highness Shaikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Full report at: http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle09.asp?xfile=data/theuae/2011/July/theuae_July117.xml§ion=theuae
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9:30 PM
Moderate Islamist here
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