| Islamic World News | |
| 11 Jul 2011, NewAgeIslam.Com |
| Libyan rebels must talk to Gaddafi's govt: France | ||
 HuJI: Will bomb embassy, govt office if Pak gives info to India
Kashmir’s historic town soon to be history because of rising Chenab river
Medina named Islamic world new capital
Iran: Former Prime Minister Khatami Accused of Sedition
Go after Zawahiri in FATA: US to Pakistan
11 sect members killed in shootout, says Nigerian military
Suicide Bomber in Batagram, Pakistan kills six
Six killed in blast at political rally in northwest Pakistan
Eleven terrorist killed in army action in Pak
Three killed by rocket attack on oil tankers in Baluchistan
Quetta violence: Gunman kills three in sectarian attack
Judge tosses suit against N.Y.C. Islamic centre
Egyptian PM orders sacking of cops accused of murder
Obama admin taking a 'clear-eyed' approach on Pak
Arab Press: Congratulations! Your maid is pregnant
American arrested on suspicion of killing Sri Lankan wife
Two teens killed in Pulwama in South Kashmir explosion
Bangladesh: at least 26 school children die in crash
Syrian troops raid Homs, Hama, Assad starts dialogue
Bangladesh: Over 70 Injured, 1,200 Arrested During Strike
BJP to focus on Pak-sponsored terror at London meet
Iran weapons used to attack Americans in Iraq: Panetta
Turkey jails former head of state media regulator
Israel-Lebanon sea border dispute looms over gas fields
US looks east to Pakistan border for Afghan endgame
Syrian opposition boycotts talks with government
Israel-Lebanon sea border dispute looms over gas fields
Blasts hit Pak Army arms depot near Islamabad
Egypt gas pipeline to Israel to be ready by week end
Pakistan urges US to share intelligence on Zawahri
Interpol issues warrants for Hariri killing suspects
Dust storm across UAE, rain in Al Ain
Jeddah one of world’s cheapest cities
Photo: (Col. Muammar Gaddafi)
| ||
| Libyan rebels must talk to Gaddafi's govt: France | |
HuJI: Will bomb embassy, govt office if Pak gives info to India
Kashmir’s historic town soon to be history because of rising Chenab river
Medina named Islamic world new capital
Iran: Former Prime Minister Khatami Accused of Sedition
Go after Zawahiri in FATA: US to Pakistan
11 sect members killed in shootout, says Nigerian military
Suicide Bomber in Batagram, Pakistan kills six
Six killed in blast at political rally in northwest Pakistan
Eleven terrorist killed in army action in Pak
Three killed by rocket attack on oil tankers in Baluchistan
Quetta violence: Gunman kills three in sectarian attack
Judge tosses suit against N.Y.C. Islamic centre
Egyptian PM orders sacking of cops accused of murder
Obama admin taking a 'clear-eyed' approach on Pak
Arab Press: Congratulations! Your maid is pregnant
American arrested on suspicion of killing Sri Lankan wife
Two teens killed in Pulwama in South Kashmir explosion
Bangladesh: at least 26 school children die in crash
Syrian troops raid Homs, Hama, Assad starts dialogue
Bangladesh: Over 70 Injured, 1,200 Arrested During Strike
BJP to focus on Pak-sponsored terror at London meet
Iran weapons used to attack Americans in Iraq: Panetta
Turkey jails former head of state media regulator
Israel-Lebanon sea border dispute looms over gas fields
US looks east to Pakistan border for Afghan endgame
Syrian opposition boycotts talks with government
Israel-Lebanon sea border dispute looms over gas fields
Blasts hit Pak Army arms depot near Islamabad
Egypt gas pipeline to Israel to be ready by week end
Pakistan urges US to share intelligence on Zawahri
Interpol issues warrants for Hariri killing suspects
Dust storm across UAE, rain in Al Ain
Jeddah one of world’s cheapest cities
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Libyan rebels must talk to Gaddafi's govt: France
Mon Jul 11 2011
France's defence minister said it was time for Libya's rebels to negotiate with Muammar Gaddafi's government, signalling growing impatience with progress in the conflict.
Gaddafi's son, in an interview with an Algerian newspaper on Monday, said his father's government was in talks with the French government. There was no immediate comment from Paris.
French Defence Minister Gerard Longuet said on Sunday the rebels should not wait for Gaddafi's defeat, while signalling that Paris' objective was that the Libyan leader must leave power eventually.
Washington said it stood firm in its belief Gaddafi must go.
The messages from two leading members of the Western coalition opposing Gaddafi hinted at the strain the alliance is under after more than three months of air strikes that have cost billions of dollars and failed to produce the swift outcome its backers had expected.
The rebels have refused to hold talks as long as Gaddafi remains in power, a stance which before now none of NATO's major powers has publicly challenged.
“We have asked them to speak to each other”, Longuet, whose government has until now been among the most hawkish on Libya, said on French television station BFM TV.
“The position of the TNC (rebel Transitional National Council) is very far from other positions. Now, there will be a need to sit around a table”, he said. Asked if it was possible to hold talks if Gaddafi had not stepped down, Longuet said, “He will be in another room in his palace with another title.”
Soon after, the State Department in Washington issued a message that gave no hint of compromise. “The Libyan people will be the ones to decide how this transition takes place, but we stand firm in our belief that Gaddafi cannot remain in power”, it said in a written reply to a query.
It also said the United States would continue efforts, as part of the NATO coalition, to protect civilians from attack and said it believed the alliance was helping to up the pressure on Gaddafi.
In an interview published on Monday by the Algerian El Khabar newspaper, Saif al-Islam, a son of the Libyan leader, said his father's administration was in talks with the French government. Speaking from Tripoli, the newspaper quoted him as saying, “The truth is that we are negotiating with France and not with the rebels. Our envoy to (Nicolas) Sarkozy said that the French president was very clear and told him 'We created the (rebel)council, and without our support, and money, and our weapons, the council would have never existed.' France said, 'When we reach an agreement with you (Tripoli), we will force the council to cease fire.' “
Gaddafi has been holding on to power in the face of rebel attacks trying to break his 41-year rule, NATO air strikes, economic sanctions and the defections of prominent members of his government.
With no imminent end to the conflict in sight, cracks are emerging inside the NATO alliance. Some member states are balking at the burden on their recession-hit finances, and many are frustrated that there has been no decisive breakthrough.
But even countries which support a political solution have not answered the question of how a deal can be hammered out when the rebels and their Western backers say Gaddafi must go while the Libyan leader himself says that is not up for negotiation.
Strains over how to proceed in Libya are likely to surface on Friday when the contact group, which brings together the countries allied against Gaddafi, gathers in Istanbul for its next scheduled meeting.
There was no immediate reaction to the French minister's comments from the rebel leadership at its headquarters in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi.
LONG MARCH
On the ground, rebel forces trying to march on Tripoli have made modest gains in the past week, but the fighting on Sunday underlined it would be a long slog.
Gaddafi's forces launched a heavy artillery bombardment to try to push back rebel fighters who last week seized the village of Al-Qawalish, 100 km (60 miles) south of Tripoli. Al-Qawalish is a strategic battleground because if the rebels manage to advance beyond it they will reach the main highway leading north into the capital Tripoli.
A rebel fighter in the village, Amignas Shagruni, said shells had been landing repeatedly over the past 24 hours from pro-Gaddafi forces positioned a few kilometres to the east. But he said, “No one was hurt, thank God.”
During a 20-minute period when Reuters visited the frontline east of Al-Qawalish, at least five shells landed. However, they did not appear to be well targeted.
Libyan state television reported on Sunday that NATO forces had struck an educational institution in Tripoli. Jamahiriyah Television quoted a military spokesman as saying there were human and material casualties in the air strike in the district of Tajoura, but gave no specific details.
Libya has been convulsed by a civil war since February when thousands of people, inspired by revolutions in neighbouring Egypt and Tunisia, rose up against Gaddafi's rule.
Hundreds of kilometres to the northeast of Al-Qawalish, another force of rebels is trying to push towards Tripoli, though they too are facing tough resistance. Fighters from the rebel-held city of Misrata, about 200 km(130 miles) east of Tripoli, have fought their way west to the outskirts of Zlitan, the first in a chain of coastal towns blocking their progress towards the capital.
NATO launched its bombing campaign in March after the U.N. Security Council authorised the use of all necessary means to protect civilians who rose up against Gaddafi.
Gaddafi says the rebels are armed criminals and al Qaeda militants. He has called the NATO operation an act of colonial aggression aimed at stealing Libyan oil.
http://www.indianexpress.com/story-print/815826/
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HuJI: Will bomb embassy, govt office if Pak gives info to India
Jul 11, 2011
ISLAMABAD: The al-Qaida-linked terror group HuJI has threatened to attack Pakistan's foreign office, its high commission in India and top diplomats if Islamabad does not stop sharing information about it with New Delhi, the Dawn newspaper quoted police sources as saying on Sunday.
The warning was given through a handwritten letter addressed to foreign secretary Salman Bashir, it said. The letter in Urdu was sent by mail to Bashir's residence in Sector F-6 of Islamabad a few days ago.
Senior police officers met Bashir to inquire about the letter. They analysed the letter and confirmed that it had been sent by HuJI, the daily quoted its sources as saying. It was also found out the letter was mailed from within Islamabad.
A team of police commandos has been deployed at Bashir's residence and he has been provided police protection. A strict vigil was also mounted around the Foreign Office and roads leading to the two places.
Ilyas Kashmiri, the commander of HuJI who is believed to have masterminded the Mumbai attacks was reportedly killed in a US drone attack in South Waziristan tribal region last month.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/HuJI-Will-bomb-embassy-govt-office-if-Pak-gives-info-to-India/articleshow/9179553.cms
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Kashmir’s historic town soon to be history because of rising Chenab river
11 July 2011
Pul Doda, the highway town that has connected tourist hubs in Jammu and Kashmir for many years, will soon disappear from the state’s map as the rising Chenab river waters wash it away.
Pul Doda is the last point of the 50 sq km lake made of Chenab river water that feeds the Baglihar hydro-electric project downstream.
And as the Chenab water rises—thanks to rapid melting of snow in the mountains and heavy rains in the catchment areas—the historic town has began submerging in water.
And once the Chenab waters throw a water blanket on the town, Pul Doda, also known for its historic temples, would be lost forever.
“The waters have risen by four meters and are to rise further,” Doda Deputy Commissioner Farooq Khan said.
He said the state government had paid the land compensation to those living in the area while the power project was being constructed.
While the majority of the population has shifted, about 180 families have resisted eviction, demanding rehabilitation.
“We were promised compensation for the loss of our houses and land and also rehabilitated somewhere else, but the government is shying away from fulfilling the second part of the promise,” said Abdul Karim, a resident of the town.
The houses, mosques, temples—everything is in deep water and the administration is threatening to take action against those refusing to leave.
“The administration will not allow these people to stay on and risk their lives, we will evict them if need be,” Farooq Khan said.
Pul Doda, on Batote-Kishtwar highway, is some 170 km from here, six km from district headquarters of Doda, 30 km from Bhaerwah—a tourist hub, and 60 km short of Kishtwar—the hub of hydro-electric projects.
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle08.asp?xfile=data/environment/2011/July/environment_July14.xml§ion=environment
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Medina named Islamic world new capital
Jul 11, 2011
The Islamic Organization for Education and Sciences (ISESCO) has selected the holy city of Medina in Saudi Arabia as the cultural capital for Islamic world in 2013.
Abdul Aziz Bin Majed, Emir of Medina, said during a ceremony on Monday that ISESCO named the holy city as the cultural capital for Islamic world in 2013, Ahlul Bayt News Agency reported.
Worldwide renowned for the burial shrine of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), Medina is historically significant for being the Prophet's home after the Hijrah, the migration of the Prophet and his followers from Mecca to Medina.
Medina, the second holiest city in Islam, is located in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia and is known as the capital city of the Al Medina Province.
Tlemcen, a town in Northwestern Algeria, was announced by ISESCO as the 2011 cultural capital of the Islamic World.
Niamey in Nigeria, Najaf in Iraq and Dhaka in Bangladesh have been named as the cultural centers of the Islamic World for 2012.
http://www.presstv.com/detail/188590.html
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Iran: Former Prime Minister Khatami Accused Of Sedition
Radio Zamaneh
July 11, 2011
Senior Revolutionary Guards officer Yadollah Javani has accused former prime minister Mohammad Khatami of taking part in a “seditious movement” related to the 2009 presidential election.
The Islamic Republic establishment contends that those who challenged the re-election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad were engaged in a seditious movement aimed at regime change.
Javani told the Neday-e Enghelab website that Khatami is one of the “leaders of the 2009 sedition” who has been working against the regime alongside MirHosein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi.
Mousavi and Karroubi, who ran against Ahmadinejad in the 2009 presidential election, have been under house arrest since February and completely cut off from the outside world, along with their wives.
Full report at:
http://www.eurasiareview.com/iran-former-prime-minister-khatami-accused-of-sedition-11072011/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+eurasiareview%2FVsnE+%28Eurasia+Review%29
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Go after Zawahiri in FATA: US to Pakistan
Jul 11, 2011
WASHINGTON: America's new defence secretary Leon Panetta has asked Pakistan to target al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahiri who is now believed to be living in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).
In his interaction with reporters travelling with him to Afghanistan, his first overseas trip as the defence secretary, Panetta said Pakistan has been told in clear terms to act against the top al-Qaida leaders.
"One of the last things I did as director of the CIA was to sit down with my counterparts in Pakistan and make clear to them that there are a set of targets that we have, and more that they can help us go after those targets, more we will have the ability to achieve our goals in Pakistan in defeating Qaida," he said.
Zawahiri was last month appointed the new chief of al-Qaida . "We think that Zawahiri is one of those that still resides in FATA and he's one of those that we would like to see Pakistanis target," he said.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/Go-after-Zawahiri-in-FATA-US-to-Pakistan/articleshow/9180368.cms
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11 sect members killed in shootout, says Nigerian military
Jul 11 2011
Abuja: “Eleven members of a radical Islamist sect have been killed in a shootout with security forces in the northeastern city of Maiduguri,” Nigeria's military said.
The shootout on Saturday night followed an attack on soldiers by suspected members of the Boko Haram sect.
“Three soldiers were injured when suspected members of the sect threw an improvised bomb and shot at a patrol team,” said Colonel Victor Ebhaleme, spokesman of the Joint Military Task Force (JTF).
“The JTF is aware that some members of the general public have prior information on attacks on security agencies and willingly allow their premises to be used for such acts without reporting to the security agencies,” said Ebhaleme said in a statement.
“The attack was successfully repelled...and 11 members of the sect were killed,” he added.
On Sunday, at least three people were killed and several others injured in a bomb blast at a church in Suleja near Nigeria's capital Abuja.
http://www.indianexpress.com/story-print/815825/
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Suicide Bomber in Batagram, Pakistan kills six
By Sabur Ali Sayyid
July 11, 2011
HAZARA: Six people including three security personnel, two women and a child were killed and 15 others were severely injured in an explosion that took place in the Batagram area of Hazara district in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa on Monday.
The explosion took place at the site where Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) was to hold a gathering, addressed by PML-Q leader Amir Muqam, later today.
President Asif Ali Zardari also confirmed the attack, reported Express 24/7.
Sources and eyewitnesses said that a suicide bomber blew himself up when he was stopped by the security personnel; however, the officials have not released any official statement as yet.
The injured have been shifted to the local hospital, and police and law enforcement agencies have cordoned off the area. Forensics evidence is also being collected from the site.
The preparations of the gathering were underway when the blast took place; but PML-Q said it would continue with the procession.
Muqam has previously been attacked several times.
http://tribune.com.pk/story/207240/explosion-in-batagram-area-of-hazara-district/
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Six killed in blast at political rally in northwest Pakistan
Jul 11, 2011
ISLAMABAD: A suicide bomber on Monday blew himself up near the venue of a political rally at Battagram in northwest Pakistan, killing at least six persons and injuring 19 others.
The bomber struck as workers of the PML-Q party, which is part of the ruling coalition at the centre, were preparing for a rally to be addressed by senior party leader and former federal minister Amir Muqam.
Witnesses said the bomber blew himself up near a group of policemen deployed to guard the rally.
The blast hit an office of the water and power utility located near the venue of the rally, witnesses told the media.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Six-killed-in-blast-at-political-rally-in-northwest-Pakistan/articleshow/9182826.cms
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Eleven terrorist killed in army action in Pak.
July 11, 2011
KOHAT: At least 11 more extremists were killed in action on Sunday against terrorists by Pakistan Army near Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Upper Dir. According to Sana news agency, a total of 30 extremists have been killed over the past two days.
According to a correspondent of The Express Tribune, security forces have established complete control over Soni Darra, Nusrat Darra and Kafira Chinna areas in Upper Dir.
Meanwhile, people living near the border areas continued shifting to safer areas.
DCO Upper Dir Ghulam Muhammad has said that the situation in Upper Dir is under control and people are not immigrating.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/207150/control-established-eleven-killed-in-upper-dir-army-action/
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Three killed by rocket attack on oil tankers in Baluchistan
July 11, 2011
Three people were killed by a rocket attack on oil tankers in the Rakhni area of the Barkhan district of Balochistan on Sunday, Express 24/7 reported.
Unidentified men from nearby mountains launched the attacked, aiming at the Arkani area of Rakhni.
The Balochistan Levies and local tribesmen engaged in a gunfire with the attackers, and the security forces cordoned off the area.
Meanwhile, Balochistan Truck Owners Association observed a wheel-jam strike against inadequate security measures and surging robbery incidents on the main highways.
The truck owners blocked roads in Dukki, Qilla Saifullah, Qillah Abdullah, Sanjawi and Loralai, and demanded that the government provide protection to them.
http://tribune.com.pk/story/206617/three-killed-by-rocket-attack-on-oil-tankers/
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Quetta violence: Gunman kills three in sectarian attack
By AFP
Published: July 10, 2011
Pakistani volunteers wheel a man killed by unknown gunmen at a hospital in Quetta on July 10, 2011. Police officials said that unknown gunmen opened indiscriminate fire at a group of people standing along the road, killing three persons on the spot. PHOTO: AFP
QUETTA: At least two Shia Muslims and one other man were killed when a gunman opened fire in an apparent sectarian attack in southwest Pakistan on Sunday, police said.
The shooting took place on the outskirts of Quetta, the capital of oil and gas-rich Balochistan province, which borders Afghanistan and Iran.
“A gunman opened fire on two Shia Muslims and one of their companions, who were riding two motorbikes. All the three men died of their wounds on reaching hospital,” local police official Ameer Dashti told AFP.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/206924/quetta-violence-gunman-kills-three-in-sectarian-attack/
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Judge tosses suit against N.Y.C. Islamic center
Jul 11, 2011
A judge in New York has dismissed a lawsuit that tried to block an Islamic community center from opening near the World Trade Center site.
The New York Times reports that a lawsuit brought by a former fire-fighter seeking to block construction of the center was tossed out.
Timothy Brown had sought to reverse a decision by the city's Landmarks Preservation Commission denying landmark status to a 150-year-old building that developers want to demolish to make room for the Park 51 community center, which will include a mosque.
In Friday's decision, State Supreme Court Justice Paul G. Feinman wrote that Brown lacked any special legal standing on the fate of the building.
Adam Leitman Bailey, a lawyer for the center's developer, told the Times the judge's decision was "a victory for America."
"Despite the tempest of religious hatred, the judge flexed our Constitution's muscles enforcing the very bedrock of our democracy," Bailey told the Times.
Battles over real estate and development deals are nothing new in New York City. But this particular battle has at its core the very deep-seated emotions tied to the attacks here almost 10 years ago, on September 11, 2001.
Full report at:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/07/11/earlyshow/main20078355.shtml
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Egyptian PM orders sacking of cops accused of murder
July 11, 2011
As part of efforts aimed at appeasing people protesting against the slow pace of change, Egyptian Prime Minister Essam Sharaf has ordered sacking of all police officers accused of killing demonstrators during the mass uprising that led to the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak.
In a televised speech, Sharaf announced a number of decisions "in response to the people's desires".
He said he had given instructions to the Ministry of the Interior to dismiss all police officers accused of involvement in the killing of protesters during the 18-day uprising that began on January 25 and toppled the regime of Mubarak.
His remarks yesterday came as thousands of protesters maintained their stronghold in Tahrir Square, the focal point of the revolution, to continue their "second wave of the revolution" demanding political change, a day after massive nationwide rallies jolted the country.
Full report at:
http://www.dailypioneer.com/352236/Egyptian-PM-orders-sacking-of-cops-accused-of-murder.html
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Obama admin taking a 'clear-eyed' approach on Pak
Jul 11 2011
Washington : The US, which has suspended nearly USD 800 million in military aid to Pakistan following its reluctance to go full throttle in the war on terror, said it had adopted a very "clear-eyed approach" towards Islamabad.
Senior Obama administration officials insisted that Washington was weighing both the importance of a continued long-term relationship with Pakistan and the importance of near-term action on key issues.
"We are taking a very clear-eyed approach – weighing both the importance of a continued long-term relationship with Pakistan and the importance of near-term action on key issues – to our relationship with Pakistan and will continue to work with their leaders to affirm the importance of cooperating towards our shared national security objectives," a senior administration official said.
White House Chief of Staff William Daley in an interview to the ABC news channel yesterday confirmed that the US has suspended some USD 800 million in military aid to Pakistan as it wants Islamabad to adhere to and commit certain actions which it wants in the war against terrorism.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/story-print/815866/
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Arab Press: Congratulations! Your maid is pregnant
By LOLO AL-HIBAISHI
Jul 11, 2011
The discussion about recruitment offices and the rights of the citizen is just idle talk, which is both a waste of time and of newsprint. Recruitment offices take their full rights and receive their fees in advance, regardless of whether the housemaid fulfills the conditions of her employment or not. The citizen is obliged to pay all the fees and wait for at least six months before the arrival of the maid.
When the maid arrives, she may work for the first couple of months of her two-year contract, but she will then demand higher wages or escape. Despite the security and economic hazards that might result from runaway maids and their employment through the black market, recruitment offices don’t do anything in this regard. The offices do not take any precautionary measures to prevent the escape of maids. They are only concerned about getting their money. They do not sign any agreements with the offices that provide the maids in their home countries to make sure the maids will honor their employment contracts.
Full report at:
http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article469666.ece
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American arrested on suspicion of killing Sri Lankan wife
By MD AL-SULAMI
Jul 11, 2011
JEDDAH: The body of a woman believed to be a Sri Lankan worker who went missing three months ago has been found in a desert in Al-Kharj.
Her American husband has been arrested in connection with her murder. The company where the victim was working had filed a missing persons report to police. Three months later, officers were contacted by workers who had seen the body inside a box while working in a desert near Al-Kharj, 70 km east of Riyadh.
The workers were digging the ground searching for metal when they came across the iron box. Police arrived at the location with forensic teams. Police are suspecting her American husband, working in an airbase, of murdering his wife. Police believe he lured the victim to a farm site, killed her and hid her body in the box.
Police arrested the husband and transferred him to Al-Malaz prison in Riyadh. Official spokesman for Riyadh police, Col. Naser Al-Qahtani, said the case was referred to the General Prosecution and Investigation Commission.
http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article469787.ece
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Two teens killed in Pulwama in South Kashmir explosion
July 11, 2011
Khursheed Wani
Two teenagers were killed and a man was critically wounded when an explosive left over at an encounter site exploded in Tral pocket of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Sunday evening. A pall of gloom descended on the entire area when the bodies of teenagers were brought after post-mortem. Police are investigating the cause of explosion and the origin of the explosive material.
Local residents said that Adil Yousuf Teli (14) and Aduil Yousuf Lone (18) were found in a pool of blood after an explosion took place in Rathsuna village of Tral pocket, 40 km south from here. The explosion took place closer to the debris of a house where an encounter had taken place on June 26 in which two Hizbul Mujahideen militants died and two army personnel got injured.
Full report at:
http://www.dailypioneer.com/352327/Two-teens-killed-in-Pulwama-explosion.html
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Bangladesh: at least 26 school children die in crash
Jul 11, 2011
At least 26 school children died after their vehicle crashed into a canal in south-east Bangladesh, police say.
A group of about 80 children was returning from a soccer tournament in an open truck when it skidded and fell into a canal, they say.
The accident took place in Chittagong district, 216km (136 miles) from the capital, Dhaka.
Officials said the toll is likely to rise as more bodies are feared to be trapped inside the sunken vehicle.
Full report at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-14106051
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Syrian troops raid Homs, Hama, Assad starts dialogue
11 July 2011
Syrian forces killed at least one civilian and injured 20 in Homs on Monday during the heaviest raids on the city since troops deployed there two months ago to crush dissent against President Bashar Al Assad, residents said.
The armour and tank-backed assaults on Homs, Syria’s third largest city and hometown of Assad’s wife Asma, came a day after the authorities held a “national dialogue” meeting boycotted by the opposition, who described it as lacking credibility.
“Military raids and house to house arrests have become routine after protests, but this time they did not stop shooting all night in the main neighbourhoods,” said a resident of the Bab Sbaa district, a lecturer who gave his name as Iyad.
Among hundreds of people arrested in Homs last week was Jalal al-Najjar, a prominent neurosurgeon, he added.
Full report at:
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle08.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2011/July/middleeast_July237.xml§ion=middleeast
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Bangladesh: Over 70 Injured, 1,200 Arrested During Strike – OpEd
July 11, 2011
By Syed Tashfin Chowdhury
A coalition of a dozen religion-based political parties led by Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish (BKM), enforced their countrywide 30-hour strike starting from 6am on July 10. With support from the main opposition party Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the alliance also threatened to enforce shutdowns even during the month of Ramadan “if the government creates any obstacle” during their strike today.
As the government “acted sternly” during strike hours on July 10, the IAB has already announced further countrywide agitation programme from July 12 till 15. The 12-party called the shutdown in protest against what it was said dropping of the words “absolute faith in Allah” from the constitution.
Full report at:
http://www.eurasiareview.com/bangladesh-over-70-injured-1200-arrested-during-strike-oped-11072011/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+eurasiareview%2FVsnE+%28Eurasia+Review%29
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BJP to focus on Pak-sponsored terror at London meet
July 11, 2011
Ashok Tandon
The UK Unit of the Overseas Friends of BJP (OFBJP) has invited BJP President Nitin Gadkari to address a political convention of the OFBJP here next week.
Gadkari will outline the BJP’s philosophy and focus on the fast deteriorating security scenario in South Asia with special emphasis on Pakistan-sponsored terrorism against India at the first ever convention of the OFBJP on July 16. The convention has assumed significance here in view of the presence of a sizeable
Non-Resident Indian (NRI) community and people of Indian origin in the UK.
Gadkari will be talking about Indo-British economic cooperation in various fields during his meeting with business leaders, and interact with members of the Indo-European Business Forum and attend a luncheon by the London Chambers of Commerce.
Full report at:
http://www.dailypioneer.com/352301/Gadkari-to-focus-on-Pak-sponsored-terror-at-London-meet.html
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Iran weapons used to attack Americans in Iraq: Panetta
Jul 11 2011
Baghdad : United States Defense Secretary Leon E Panetta has claimed that Iran has been sending weapons to militia outfits in neighbouring Iraq to attack American troops and civilians based in that country.
Making an unannounced visit to Baghdad, Panetta said that the United States might be pushing Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki to allow some troops remain after the withdrawal deadline.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Panetta said Sunday that weapons supplied by Iran are behind a rash of attacks against American forces in Iraq, part of an escalating campaign of violence ahead of the planned US troop withdrawal by the end of the year.
"We're seeing more of those weapons going in from Iran, and they've really hurt us," said Panetta.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/story-print/815845/
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Turkey jails former head of state media regulator
Jul 11 2011
Istanbul: A Turkish court has jailed the former head of the state media regulator and three others pending trial in an investigation into embezzlement at an Islamic charity, state-run Anatolian news agency said on Monday.
Police had detained Zahid Akman, former head of the RTUK state media regulator, and three senior executives of the Kanal 7 television channel on Wednesday.
The investigation is linked to a 2008 court case in Germany, in which three senior members of the charity, Deniz Feneri, were found guilty of embezzlement and sentenced to jail.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/story-print/815855/
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US looks east to Pakistan border for Afghan endgame
July 11, 2011
KHOST: The US-led military campaign in Afghanistan is shifting its focus from Taliban strongholds in the south to the Pakistani border, where troops will likely fight until 2014.
With NATO forces on deadline to end their combat mission within three years, coalition leaders believe major offensives against Taliban in the southern provinces of Kandahar and Helmand have turned the tide in the war. The east is now the new priority, as strategists work out how to contain militant groups such as the Taliban, Al Qaeda and Haqqani network, embedded in the border areas with Pakistan.
The United States may be withdrawing 33,000 soldiers by the end of next summer, but it is boosting troops in the eastern province of Khost, where officers talk of taking the fight to the enemy and winning the decade-long war.
“Most nights of the week, US special forces are in action here taking out enemy operatives,” said Aaron Tapalman, the 28-year-old army captain in charge at Combat Outpost Sabari.
Full report at:
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2011\07\11\story_11-7-2011_pg1_7
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Syrian opposition boycotts talks with government
July 11, 2011
BEIRUT: Syria's main opposition groups boycotted talks with the government on Sunday and said they will not negotiate till President Bashar al-Assad stops the violent suppression of protests and frees thousands of political prisoners.
Even many of the moderate intellectuals, independent parliamentarians and minor opposition figures who did attend the conference aimed at setting the framework for national dialogue were scathing in their criticism of the government crackdown.
Rights groups say more than 1,300 civilians have been killed and 12,000 people have been arrested since the start of demonstrations demanding more freedom began in March.
"How can I go to the conference when friends of mine are still in prison? People who should be with us in the conference are in prison," said prominent opposition figure Fayez Sara.
Full report at:
http://www.thenews.com.pk/NewsDetail.aspx?ID=18477
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Israel-Lebanon sea border dispute looms over gas fields
By Yolande Knell
A maritime border dispute is looming between Israel and Lebanon that could set off a new conflict over lucrative energy reserves.
The neighbouring countries have declared overlapping boundaries in the Mediterranean Sea.
As the two states remain formally in a state of war, the United Nations has been asked to mediate.
Israel recently discovered two gas fields off its coast which experts say could turn it into an energy exporter.
It will send its proposal for a demarcation line to the UN within the next few days after the cabinet approved it on Sunday.
"This boundary will delineate the area in which the state enjoys exclusive economic rights, including the right to exploit the sea's natural resources," the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu said.
"Our goal is to determine Israel's position regarding its maritime border, in keeping with the principles of international maritime law."
The Israeli line gives it more territory than the one that Lebanon drew and submitted to the UN several months ago.
Full report at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-14104695
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Blasts hit Pak Army arms depot near Islamabad
Jul 11 2011
At least three blasts ripped through an Army arms depot on the outskirts of the federal capital on Monday, injuring two persons, police officials said.
The blasts at the arms depot in Sihala area, located about 20 km from the garrison city of Rawalpindi, were believed to be accidental in nature, TV news channels reported.
The blasts damaged a building and triggered a fire.
Army troops and policemen cordoned off the area and prevented people and media from approaching the arms depot.
Witnesses said they had seen several ambulances leaving the arms depot and going to a nearby military hospital.
Police officials told the media that at least two persons were injured.
No further details were immediately available.
Several government buildings, including a police training centre and facilities linked to Pakistan’s nuclear programme, are located in the Sihala area which is heavily guarded.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/article2218187.ece
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Egypt gas pipeline to Israel to be ready by week end
Jul 11, 2011
CAIRO: Repairs on an Egyptian pipeline supplying gas to Israel and Jordan are expected to be completed by the end of the week, the state’s MENA news agency reported on Sunday.
The pipeline was blown up on July 4 in the third attack of its kind this year. Security sources said the explosion happened at Bir Abd station, located some 60 km (40 miles) east of the Suez Canal in the northern Sinai Peninsula.
The agency quoted an Oil Ministry official as saying that Gasco, Egypt’s gas transport company which is a subsidiary of the national gas company EGAS, was repairing the pipeline at a section which intersects with rail tracks.
“Repair works will be completed during the end of this week,” MENA quoted the official as saying.
A security source said after the blast that men in a small truck who were armed with machineguns forced guards at the station to flee, then planted explosive charges.
Gasco closed it down after the explosion, the source said.
Previous attacks on the pipeline on April 27 and on Feb. 5 closed the pipeline for weeks.
http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article469648.ece
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Pakistan urges US to share intelligence on Zawahri
Jul 11, 2011
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani called on the United States on Sunday to share information about new Al-Qaeda leader Ayman Al-Zawahri after US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said he believed that Osama Bin Laden’s successor was in Pakistan.
During his first trip to Kabul on Saturday as Pentagon chief, Panetta said he believed that the new Al-Qaeda leader was living in Pakistan’s lawless tribal belt on the Afghan border.
The Pakistani military said its troops were already carrying out “intense operations” against Al-Qaeda and its affiliates as well as “terrorists leadership” and high value targets (HVTs) who pose a threat to Pakistan’s security.
“We expect US intelligence establishment to share available information and actionable intelligence regarding Al Zawahri and other HVTs with us, enabling Pakistan Army to carry out targeted operations,” a military spokesman said in a statement.
The former CIA chief said the strategic defeat of Al-Qaeda was within reach if the United States could kill or capture up to 20 remaining leaders of the core group and its affiliates.
Full report at:
http://arabnews.com/world/article469607.ece
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Interpol issues warrants for Hariri killing suspects
Jul 11, 2011
BEIRUT: Interpol has circulated arrest warrants for four suspects in the 2005 assassination of Lebanese statesman Rafik Al-Hariri, the UN-backed tribunal said on Sunday.
“The tribunal has requested Interpol to notify all states of the arrest warrants, this comes as a request from STL (Special Tribunal for Lebanon) Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare,” STL spokesman Marten Youssed said.
“He has provided Interpol with the necessary information to issue red notices against each of the accused who remain anonymous because the contents of the indictments remains confidential,” he said.
Full report at:
http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article469757.ece
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Dust storm across UAE, rain in Al Ain
11 July 2011
Strong winds kicked a dust storm across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, among other parts of the UAE as the NCMS recorded unstable weather conditions from Sunday.
Cloudy conditions are expected to prevail today afternoon also. A meteorologist cited the eastern flow of winds as the cause of the sandstorm.
“The eastern and southern regions will experience partly cloudy weather today afternoon also,” said the NCMS meteorologist.
The sandstorm that developed during the afternoon caused low horizontal visibility. The Eastern Region experienced hailstorm and showers.
Full report at:
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle08.asp?xfile=data/theuae/2011/July/theuae_July272.xml§ion=theuae
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Jeddah one of world’s cheapest cities
By KHALIL HANWARE
Jul 11, 2011
JEDDAH: Jeddah has been ranked as one of the top 10 cheapest cities in the world, according to the Worldwide Cost of Living (2011) survey conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). Karachi was the cheapest, while Tokyo was the most expensive. Jeddah came 128th.
Cities in the Middle East and North Africa make up the bulk of the cheapest locations, said the report.
According to the survey, Jeddah is, however, comparatively expensive to cities such as Tehran (130), Tunis (132), New Delhi (129) and Mumbai (131). The Sri Lankan capital Colombo, ranked 114, is among the top 20 cheapest locations.
Commenting on the survey results, Jarmo T. Kotilaine, chief economist at the National Commercial Bank, said: "The EIU's findings about Jeddah highlight the relative cost competitiveness of the Middle East in general as compared to more established business hubs in the West and in Asia. The low cost constitutes as important potential comparative advantages for the region as it seeks to attract more foreign direct investment. Jeddah's competitiveness is further boosted by its strategic location and access to a number of foreign markets through its international port and airport."
He said it must be remembered, however, that cheap does not automatically mean competitive. As the compilers of the index point out, low costs are typically associated with weakened currencies, low levels of development and, in some cases, price controls and subsidies on staple goods.
Full report at: http://arabnews.com/economy/article469780.ece
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9:25 PM
Moderate Islamist here
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