Ansarullah: Halt of Saudi Aggression Done at US Order
Photo: Crowds Protest against Saudi Bombing of Yemen
Mideast
Ansarullah: Halt of Saudi Aggression Done at US Order
Crowds Protest against Saudi Bombing of Yemen
Erdogan: ISIS seeks to destroy Muslim world
New ‘Green Brigade’ of Isis claims Yemen attack
Turkish PM says deportation is crime against humanity
Saudi-led coalition launches airstrikes on Houthis
Arab World
At Least 42 Dead in Rebel-ISIS Clashes near Damascus: Monitor
Arab Top Brass to Set up Panel on Preparing Regional Force
Syrian Army Continues Hunting Takfiri Terrorists in Lattakia Province
10 Killed in Two Bomb Blasts in Iraq
US, Israel and Saudi Arabia Declare ‘Victory’
Syrian Army Pushes Back Al-Nusra Terrorists from Villages, Towns in Al-Quneitra
Rise of Jordan's Salafi Fighters Puts Country at Risk
Saudi envoy: Yemen strikes show Arab resolve to act alone
Pakistan
20 Militants Killed In Air Strikes in Northwest Pakistan
Pakistan Leaders in Saudi Arabia to Press Yemen Negotiations
Two prisoners hanged in Sahiwal, Sargodha
Nearly 100 death row convicts executed since December
Mechanism devised for early implementation of Chinese MoUs: FO
Education for all: For Pakistan, still a long road ahead
Security Advisor to PM Urges for Right to Self Determination for Kashmiris, Palestinians
South Asia
Three Soldiers Martyred, 19 Militants Killed In Military Operations
President Ghani to terrorists: If you have courage “Face our soldiers, not kids”
Roadside bomb kills eight civilians in Afghanistan
Verdict in Mahidur-Afsar’s war crimes case any day
India
'26/11 Accused Have Set Up Karachi-Style Control Room in Jail'
For Peace in Mid-East, India Urges Political Settlement, Action on Terror
Pakistani Hindus Can Apply For Long-Term Indian Visa Online
Tipu Sultan's Arms Collection Sold For Over 6 Million Pounds
India-Pakistan maritime boundary may be a major drug transit route
Beef ban: Bombay HC reserves its order in petitions challenging law
Hardline Separatist Masrat Alam Booked Under Public Safety Act
Europe
IS Group Is 'Russia's Greatest Enemy', Not US: Lavrov
India Must Intervene In Maldives: Amnesty
Taking Jihad to School – French Programs Emphasize Secularism
EU summit to consider military action over migrant crisis
Iran, world powers seek to finalise nuclear deal
PM says five terror attacks 'foiled' in France
Africa
South African President Calls for Efforts to Fight Xenophobia
Algeria Army Kills Three Armed Islamists
Libyan journalist shot dead in Benghazi
Nigerian forces invade last known stronghold of Boko Haram
North America
Play Positive Role, US Tells Iran
U.S. Teen ‘Seduced’ By ISIS Ideology, Convicted On Gun Charge
New Pentagon Strategy Warns of Cyber war Capabilities
Carter concerned Iran ships may carry arms for Yemen rebels
In Jail Memoir, Headley Recalls 26/11, LeT Training, Polygamy
Southeast Asia
Indonesia and Iran Call for Terror Cooperation
Asking government to change leader not seditious, says Dr M
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
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Mideast
Ansarullah: Halt of Saudi Aggression Done at US Order
April 23, 2015
A senior member of Yemen's popular Ansarullah movement blasted Saudi Arabia for its month-long airstrikes on his country, and said that the Al Saud dynasty stopped its aggression at the US order.
"This action has been taken at the US order and Ansarullah has not signed any agreement with the aggressors (in this regard)," Ahmad Hamed said on Wednesday.
He also explained that the US wanted the Saudi-led aggression on Yemen to come to a halt because the war could not materialize their political objectives.
Saudi-led coalition warplanes conducted fresh air strikes on the Yemeni city of Taiz on Wednesday, despite a last night declaration that the coalition would end its "Decisive Strom" military operation.
On Tuesday, Saudi Arabia declared that it would stop bombing Yemen's cities on Tuesday night after 27 days of airstrikes on Yemeni cities that have resulted in the death of around 2,900 people, mostly women and children.
The senior Saudi officials said they would stop their attacks, stating that they have obtained their goals, including elimination of threats through a destruction of Yemen's ballistic missiles, a claim already rejected by senior Ansarullah leader Habib Zuhair al-Muslim.
In his interview with FNA earlier Tuesday, Muslim denied the claims made by Ahmed al-Assiri, the spokesman of Saudi-led coalition's 'Decisive Storm' military operation, about the destruction of 80% of the arms and ammunition of the Ansarullah movement in the Saudi-led airstrikes.
Muslim told FNA that Ansarullah revolutionaries' arms, armoured vehicles and rockets are stored in secret and safe depots, and Saudi Arabia may not find their whereabouts.
Saudi Arabia launched its airstrikes on March 26 and kept them in place for 27 days in a move to restore power to fugitive president Mansour Hadi, a close ally of Riyadh. The Saudi-led aggression claimed the lives of around 2,900 Yemenis, including hundreds of women and children. The attacks have also left thousands of people injured.
Hadi stepped down in January and refused to reconsider the decision despite calls by Ansarullah revolutionaries of the Houthi movement.
Despite Riyadh's claims that it was bombing the positions of the Ansarullah fighters, Saudi warplanes were flattening residential areas and civilian infrastructures.
Five Persian Gulf States -- Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait -- and Egypt that are also assisted by Israel and backed by the US declared war on Yemen in a joint statement issued on March 26.
Riyadh officials said the Saudi-led coalition operations in Yemen are now entering a political phase, but the latest reports from different Yemeni cities say that the Saudi airstrikes are still underway.
The Saudi warplanes hit the central prison in Taiz city on Wednesday, while reports from Sana'a and Saada report heavy bombings by the Saudi-led coalition.
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13940202000547
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Crowds Protest against Saudi Bombing of Yemen
April 23, 2015
Hundreds of thousands of Yemeni people took to the streets of the capital Sana'a on Wednesday to protest against the Saudi-led airstrikes that have left thousands killed and injured.
The Yemeni protesters demonstrated against the Saudi-led coalition air raids on their country, chanting slogans against US, Israel and the Al Saud royal family.
The also said that Saudi Arabia is a tool and agent of US and Israel.
The revolutionary committee had earlier called on the people to take to the streets of the capital Sana'a and other governorates on Wednesday afternoon to condemn the crimes of the Saudi aggression and Faj Attan massacre.
Ansarullah revolutionaries urged Yemeni people to stage protests across Yemen in condemnation of the Saudi aggression that has claimed the lives of around 2900 civilians.
On Tuesday, Saudi Arabia declared that it stopped bombing Yemen after 27 days of airstrikes that have resulted in the death of around 2,900 people, mostly women and children.
Saudi Arabia launched its airstrikes on March 26 and kept them in place for 27 days in a move to restore power to fugitive president Mansour Hadi, a close ally of Riyadh. The Saudi-led aggression claimed the lives of around 2,900 Yemenis, including hundreds of women and children. The attacks have also left thousands of people injured.
Hadi stepped down in January and refused to reconsider the decision despite calls by Ansarullah revolutionaries of the Houthi movement.
Despite Riyadh's claims that it was bombing the positions of the Ansarullah fighters, Saudi warplanes were flattening residential areas and civilian infrastructures.
Riyadh officials said the Saudi-led coalition operations in Yemen are now entering a political phase, but the latest reports from different Yemeni cities said that the Saudi airstrikes are still underway.
The Saudi warplanes hit the central prison in Taiz city on Wednesday, while reports from Sana'a and Saada said heavy bombings by the Saudi-led coalition continued since this morning.
The Saudi warplanes also hit the Faj Attan district in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa Wednesday afternoon.
Meanwhile, the Saudi-led coalition conducted heavy air raids on Saada governorate, bombing al-Manarzaleh and al-Malahiz areas.
Also, witnesses said warships of the Saudi-coalition forces are firing rockets and missiles at several areas in the Yemeni city of Aden despite Riyadh's last night declaration that military operation against Yemen has stopped.
Eye-witnesses said they have seen American warships firing at Aden, but an army officer deployed in the city said the vessels are "Egyptian navy".
The Saudi fighter jets also hit many areas in al-Waht town Northwest of Aden.
Saudi air strikes were also reported in the Yemeni city of Lahij.
According to FNA dispatches, tens of people have been killed and many more wounded in the Saudis' continued airstrikes across the war-stricken country on Wednesday.
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13940202001429
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Erdogan: ISIS seeks to destroy Muslim world
April 23, 2015
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan launched one of his strongest attacks yet against Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militants, saying the group was a “virus” working to destroy the Muslim community.
Ankara has been repeatedly criticized in recent months for not doing enough to halt the advance of ISIS to its borders, but Erdogan said after meeting Iraqi President Fuad Masum that the group had to be confronted.
The ISIS group “is an important virus that is working to divide and destroy the ummah”, Erdogan told reporters in televised comments, using the term for the community of Muslims.
He said other groups had followed the same path but that ISIS had proved more adept and serious in using its resources.
“An international strategy is essential to drain this swamp. Even if Daesh is destroyed something will emerge under a different name,” said Erdogan, using a pejorative Arabic acronym to refer to ISIS.
“Where do its weapons and financing come from? We need to focus on this,” Erdogan said.
Turkey had itself been accused of aiding ISIS in the early stages of its existence as a useful ally in the fight against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who Erdogan wants to see ousted.
But Ankara has vehemently denied the charges.
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2015/04/22/IS-virus-seeks-to-destroy-Muslim-world-Erdogan.html
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New ‘Green Brigade’ of Isis claims Yemen attack
April 23, 2015
A newly announced division of the Isis group calling itself the "Green Brigade" on Thursday claimed a bombing in Yemen that it said had killed five Shiite rebels.
In a message on Twitter, the group said it had struck a vehicle of the Huthi rebels in Yarim in the central province of Ibb on Wednesday.
Al-Qaeda has traditionally been the dominant jihadist group in Yemen, where a Saudi-led military coalition has carried out a month of air strikes against the Huthis and their allies.
Isis claimed its first attack in Yemen on March 20 – multiple suicide bombings targeting Huthis at Shiite mosques in Sanaa that killed 142 people and wounded more than 350.
Al-Qaeda and Isis, both Sunni extremist groups, consider Shiites to be heretics.
The Yarim attack is the first claimed by IS militants in Ibb province, where residents on Thursday also reported fresh bombing by the Saudi-led coalition.
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/world/article/new-green-brigade-of-isis-claims-yemen-attack
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Turkish PM says deportation is crime against humanity
April 23, 2015
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu has said he has already highlighted that deportation is a crime against humanity, less than a day earlier his former interior minister, Efkan Ala, said that what the Ottoman Empire did to the Armenians a century ago was not “genocide” but deportation.
“I am not comparing the pain [of the people],” Davutoğlu said during a televised interview on TV 24 late on April 21.
“I have made open-hearted remarks on the issue. I said deportation is a crime against humanity, wherever it is,” he said, adding that he expressed his views to the president of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, before a vote at parliament, which decided to recognize the killing of Armenians 100 years ago in Anatolia as a “genocide.”
Schulz told Davutoğlu on April 17 that he “understands” Ankara’s reaction to the motion approved on April 15.
Full report at:
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkish-pm-says-deportation-is-crime-against-humanity.aspx?pageID=238&nID=81445&NewsCatID=510
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Saudi-led coalition launches airstrikes on Houthis
23 April 2015
The Saudi-led coalition launched on Thursday airstrikes against Yemeni rebels and militias belonging to former President Ali Abdulllah Saleh for the second day after it announced the stopping of a previous campaign on Tuesday.
The airstrikes targeted the militias in Ibb city, around 200 kilometers south of the capital Sanaa.
Warplanes from the coalition also struck Houthi targets in villages north of Yemen’s southern city of Aden early on Thursday, residents in the area said.
Targets included tanks of the Iranian-allied Houthi movement, the residents told Reuters.
The coalition ended Operation Decisive Storm and heralded the start of Operation Restoring Hope, signaling a fresh space for diplomatic and political efforts to solve the crisis between warring parties in Yemen.
However, the coalition said it would continue some airstrikes to enforce an air and sea blockade to prevent weapons shipments reaching the Iranian-backed Houthis and forces loyal to Saleh.
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2015/04/23/Saudi-led-coalition-launches-airstrikes-on-Houthis-.html
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Arab World
At least 42 dead in rebel-IS clashes near Damascus: Monitor
April 23, 2015
At least 42 fighters were killed in 24 hours of fierce fighting between Islamist rebels and the Islamic State group in Syria's Damascus province, a monitoring group said Wednesday.
"At least 30 Islamist rebels and 12 fighters from IS were killed in fighting since Tuesday" in the hilly region of Qalamun, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
Qalamun is divided into a western portion, which borders Lebanon and is mostly controlled by the regime and its ally, the Lebanese Shia movement Hezbollah.
The eastern sector has seen intense clashes between rebels and IS, and is strategic because it borders the "badiya," the Syrian steppe.
These plains are used by rebels to transport weapons from the Turkish border to the north and the Jordanian frontier in the south.
According to the Britain-based Observatory, IS has already cut off one of these routes and aims to take more to "suffocate" the rebels.
Meanwhile, at least 11 people were killed in regime bombardment of two towns in Damascus province.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/128395/World/Region/At-least--dead-in-rebelIS-clashes-near-Damascus-Mo.aspx
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Arab Top Brass to Set up Panel on Preparing Regional Force
April 23, 2015
Arab League military chiefs decided Wednesday to form a panel to examine all aspects of building a region-wide military force aimed at combating jihadists, including the Islamic State (IS) group.
The bloc agreed in March to set up the force, with members given four months to decide on its composition, precise rules of engagement and budget.
Top brass gathered at League headquarters in Cairo decided "to set up a high-ranking committee under the supervision of army chiefs to examine all aspects of this issue," said a statement at the end of their meeting.
"The panel will examine the mechanisms and budget needed to set up the joint Arab military force, and also the legal framework."
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/128402/World/Region/Arab-top-brass-to-set-up-panel-on-preparing-region.aspx
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Syrian Army Continues Hunting Takfiri Terrorists in Lattakia Province
April 23, 2015
A military source said that the Syrian Army's advances against the foreign-backed terrorists in the costal province of Lattakia have been eye-catching, and added that scores of antigovernment fighters have been killed in army's recent operations.
The source said that scores of al-Nusra Front's terrorists in al-Zaitouna, Rwaisa and Rwaiset al-Ballata in the Northern countryside of the province were killed, wounded and arrested in the Syrian army's operations.
The Terrorists' strongholds in the villages of Arafit, al-Rashwan and Kitf al-Ghanama were also targeted by the army men who pushed back the fighters and restored tranquility to the region.
Syria has been gripped by deadly violence since 2011. Western powers and their regional allies -- especially Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey -- are reportedly supporting the militants operating in Syria.
Full report at:
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13940202001268
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10 Killed in Two Bomb Blasts in Iraq
April 23, 2015
Baghdad: At least 10 people were killed and 35 wounded in two bomb blasts in central Iraq on Wednesday, a police source said.
A suicide bomber blew himself up near a bus stop in the city of Samarra, about 120 km north of Baghdad, leaving at least eight people killed and 17 others wounded, according to a Xinhua report.
The source said that the victims were pilgrims at the shrine of Imam Ali al-Hadi.
Earlier, a booby-trapped car detonated near a restaurant in the Talbiyah district in eastern Baghdad, leaving two people dead and 18 wounded, the source added.
Iraq has been witnessing some of the worst violence in many years. Terrorism-related violence has killed 5,576 civilians and injured 11,666 in Iraq this year, according to a UN report.
The Islamic State (IS) terrorist group had taken control of large territories in the country and in June last year, had declared a “caliphate” in the areas it controls in Iraq and the neighbouring Syria under its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
http://www.newindianexpress.com/world/10-Killed-in-Two-Bomb-Blasts-in-Iraq/2015/04/23/article2778976.ece
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US, Israel and Saudi Arabia Declare ‘Victory’
April 23, 2015
Saudi Arabia’s declaration of ‘victory’ in the 27-day war on Yemen is ridiculous yet hardly surprising.
Their military objectives of “Operation Decisive Storm” haven’t been achieved. Their desperate attempt to rebrand the unprovoked war is ridiculous too. They failed to defeat the resistance movement of Ansarullah and/or reinstall their former authoritarian president Hadi. They just killed and wounded thousands of defenseless civilians while destroying Yemen’s critical civilian infrastructure.
For those keeping track, what happened to Yemen is exactly what happened to Gaza during last year’s Israeli war, known as “Operation Protective Edge”. Clearly those who branded that conflict are also the ones that came up with almost an identical name for the Saudi-led aggression. Which means the axis of evil - Saudi Arabia, Israel and the United States – is one and the same. This unholy alliance is behind many other regional conflicts and ‘victories’ too, as the stated aims are all but the same: State demolition.
Full report at:
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13940202001598
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Syrian Army Pushes Back Al-Nusra Terrorists from Villages, Towns in Al-Quneitra
April 23, 2015
Scores of al-Nusra Front fighters were killed and the rest of them were pushed back by the Syrian Army in the rural areas in the Southwestern province of al-Quneitra.
The strongholds of al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group of al-Nusra Front were stormed by the Syrian forces near the village of Um Batena in the Western countryside of the province, which resulted in the killing and wounding of dozens of the antigovernment fighters.
The same story happened for the al-Nusra Front' members in Mas-hara town in the province, and apart from killing and wounding scores of terrorists, the army arrested some others.
Syria has been grappling with a deadly crisis since March 2011. The violence fuelled by Takfiri groups has so far claimed the lives of over 210,000 people, according to reports. New figures show that over 76,000 people, including thousands of children, lost their lives in Syria last year.
Over 3.8 million Syrians have left their country since the beginning of the crisis. According to reports, more than seven million Syrians have become internally displaced.
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13940202001122
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Rise of Jordan's Salafi Fighters Puts Country at Risk
April 23, 2015
Experts said that the Salafi movement is making considerable headway in Jordan, whose adherents are increasingly crossing the border with Syria to carry out jihad.
Rising numbers of Jordanian youth are joining Salafi movement are increasingly inclined to show support for the ISIL in Syria, with Jordanian authorities, like their European counterparts, worried about the threat posed by the Salafi fighters on their eventual return to Jordan, Sputnik reported.
At least 400 would-be Salafi fighters have been arrested by Jordanian authorities for trying to join radical organizations in Syria. Attempts by the Jordanian intelligence services to infiltrate radical groups have met with mixed success due to the ISIL's effective intelligence service, managed by Abu Ali al-Anbari, a former Iraqi Army Major General under Saddam Hussein.
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13940202000933
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Saudi envoy: Yemen strikes show Arab resolve to act alone
April 23, 2015
LONDON: Saudi Arabia’s military intervention in Yemen shows that the Kingdom will stand up to Iran and that Arab states can protect their interests without US leadership, the Saudi ambassador to Britain said.
Prince Mohammed bin Nawaf also said that the Saudi-led coalition that has waged four weeks of air strikes against Houthis in Yemen had met its goals and could be a model for future joint Arab action.
The coalition announced a halt to its aerial campaign on Tuesday, but said it would continue to act as needed against Houthi rebels who control the capital Sanaa and have been fighting to take over the southern port of Aden.
The Kingdom says it launched the air strikes because its regional rival Iran had been training, arming and financing the Houthis, extending Tehran’s influence in the Arab world to Saudi Arabia’s southern border.
Full report at:
http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/736251
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Pakistan
20 militants killed in air strikes in northwest Pakistan
April 23, 2015
At least 20 militants, including three suicide bombers, were killed on Thursday in a series of air strikes by Pakistani jets in the troubled Khyber Agency.
Army said that “20 terrorists including three suicide bombers were killed” in precise aerial strikes in Tirah valley of Khyber Agency.
The jets struck hideouts of terrorists and destroyed their ammunition and ration dumps. The strikes were conducted as part of the ongoing military operation in the tribal area.
The losses suffered by militants may increase as the details of attack are still coming.
The strikes came a day after army said that jet strikes killed 22 militants in North Waziristan district.
http://indianexpress.com/article/world/asia/20-militants-killed-in-air-strikes-in-northwest-pakistan/
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Pakistan leaders in Saudi Arabia to press Yemen negotiations
April 23, 2015
Pakistan’s top leaders are in Saudi Arabia to push for negotiations in the Yemen conflict.
In Islamabad, Foreign Office spokesman Tasnim Aslam says Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and army chief Gen. Raheel Sharif will meet King Salman on Thursday to discuss the crisis.
Pakistan welcomed the kingdom’s decision to halt the Saudi-led coalition airstrikes targeting Yemen’s Shiite rebels.
But hours after Saudi Arabia declared an end to its nearly monthlong air campaign in Yemen, new airstrikes hit the Iran-backed rebels and their allies on Wednesday - suggesting the U.S.-backed offensive will be scaled back but not halted completely.
Both predominantly Sunni majority countries, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are close allies.
Pakistan supported the Saudi-led coalition airstrikes but declined to send troops, warplanes and warships to join the coalition.
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/2015/04/22/Pakistan-s-Sharif-heads-to-Saudi-to-discuss-Yemen-war.html
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Two prisoners hanged in Sahiwal, Sargodha
April 23, 2015
SAHIWAL/SARGODHA: Two death row convicts were sent to the gallows in Sahiwal and Sargodha on Thursday morning.
Convict Muhammad Hanif, belonging to Okara District, was hanged in Sahiwal Central Jail for the murder of Assistant Sub-Inspector Ehsanullah during a police combat in 2006. Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) 4 sentenced Hanif to death in 2007. The convict's appeals in the Lahore High Court (LHC) and Supreme Court were dismissed in 2009. His appeal to the president of Pakistan this year was also dismissed and Hanif was hanged today.
In Sargodha District Jail, convict Gul Muhammad was sent to the gallows for murdering his brother-in-law Shahbaz in Khushab District in 1999 over personal disputes. the convict was sentenced to death in 2000 by Additional Sessions Judge Manzoor Hussain in Khushab.
Pakistan lifted its moratorium on the death penalty in all capital cases on March 10.
Initially executions were resumed for terrorism offences only in the wake of a Taliban massacre at an army-run school in Peshawar which had claimed the lives of more than 150 persons, mostly schoolchildren, on December 16, 2014.
The United Nations, the European Union, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have called on Pakistan to re-impose its moratorium on the death penalty.
http://www.dawn.com/news/1177733/two-prisoners-hanged-in-sahiwal-sargodha
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Nearly 100 death row convicts executed since December
April 23, 2015
LAHORE: Pakistan has hanged 19 prisoners in the past two days, officials said Wednesday, bringing the total number put to death since executions resumed in December to nearly 100.
A total of 15 went to the gallows on Tuesday, the most in a single day since executions restarted in the wake of a Taliban massacre at a school, and a further four on Thursday, officials said,
One execution took place in the southwestern province of Baluchistan and the rest in Punjab, Pakistan’s most populous province.
Punjab prisons chief Farooq Nazir said he did not have details of individual cases and charges, but most of the 18 executed in the province had been convicted of murder and had been on death row for between eight and 10 years.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/874021/nearly-100-death-row-convicts-executed-since-december/
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Mechanism devised for early implementation of Chinese MoUs: FO
April 23, 2015
ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office spokesperson Tasneem Aslam during a weekly briefing on Thursday, said that a mechanism has been devised for early implementation of memorandums of understanding (MoUs) and agreements signed by China and Pakistan during the Chinese president's visit to Pakistan.
"PM Nawaz chaired a meeting soon after the Chinese president's visit, and it was decided that there would be regular monitoring of these projects," she said.
In response to a question, Aslam said that other countries in the region should also realise that early completion of the Pak-China Economic Corridor (PCEC) would be in their interest as well.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1177736/mechanism-devised-for-early-implementation-of-chinese-mous-fo
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Education for all: For Pakistan, still a long road ahead
April 23, 2015
ISLAMABAD: A review of the six ‘Education For All’ goals from 2000 to 2015 has been disappointing on many ends and encouraging on a few notes, with Pakistan only being able to reduce the gender gap.
According to the EFA Development Index, Pakistan ranks 106 out of 113 countries only above Eritrea, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad. Similarly, despite Pakistan’s annual economic growth being 4.1 per cent, growth in expenditure on education is less than 2.5 per cent.
The staggering figures released on Wednesday in Islamabad in a Global Monitoring Report 2015 by Unesco suggested that Pakistan has moved slightly ahead particularly in the early years after the goals were set — there were 68 girls enrolled for 100 boys then but by 2007 the girls’ figure reached 83, and then 87 by 2012.
“There is a need to focus on what needs to be done urgently to make sure we reach the goals as fast as possible,” Unesco Country Head Vibeke Jensen said while shared the report findings.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/874440/education-for-all-for-pakistan-still-a-long-road-ahead/
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Security Advisor to PM Urges for Right to Self Determination for Kashmiris, Palestinians
April 23, 2015
ISLAMABAD – Adviser on National and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz has called for fulfilment of the right of self-determination of the people of Kashmir and Palestine.
Addressing the Asian-African Summit 2015 in Jakarta today, he said that it was tragic and unacceptable that people of Palestine and Kashmir were still awaiting the fulfilment of their inalienable right to self-determination. The adviser recalled that a major focus of the 1955 Bandung Conference was respect for fundamental human rights, including the right to self-determination.
The Asian-African Summit 2015 is being held in Jakarta in commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the Asian-African Conference held in Bandung in 1955. Pakistan was one of the co-sponsors of the 1955 conference. The Adviser emphasized the need for Asian and African countries to strengthen cooperation and collective efforts to overcome the continuing challenges of peace and development.
Full report at:
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/national/23-Apr-2015/sartaj-urges-for-right-to-self-determination-for-kashmiris-palestinians
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South Asia
Three soldiers martyred, 19 militants killed in military operations
April 23, 2015
Three soldiers embraced martyrdom and 19 militants were killed in separate military operations across the country in past 24 hours, General Zahir Azimi spokesman for the Ministry of Defense announced on Thursday morning.
General Zahir Azimi in a statement says that three soldiers embraced martyrdom due to a blast and enemy fire.
He has not written the exact location of the enemy actions in the statement issued.
General Azimi further says that 19 militants were killed during separate military operations in two provinces in past 24 hours.
According to General Azimi’s statement 16 Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) were also discovered and defused by the military in past 24 hours.
According to a UN report published recently IEDs are the second biggest cause of increase in civilian casualties in Afghanistan.
Seven civilians including four children lost their lives when their Rickshaw vehicle ran over a landmine in Khashroad District of southwestern Nimroz province yesterday.
http://www.khaama.com/three-soldiers-martyred-19-militants-killed-in-military-operations-3213
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President Ghani to terrorists: If you have courage “Face our soldiers, not kids”
April 23, 2015
President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani on Thursday morning arrived in Jalalabad to condole with the families of the victims of recent Jalalabad which left 37 people killed and more than 130 others wounded.
He said that the terrorist attacks cannot weaken our morals and we won’t bow down in front of terrorism.
President Ghani in his speech sent a direct message to terrorists to come and fight with Afghan soldiers on the ground than harming civilians in attacks.
He said “If you have courage, face our soldiers, not kids”.
Several kids were among the victims of the suicide attack in Jalalabad city on Saturday.
A mother even hasn’t yet found the body of her son who was selling yogurt at the explosion site.
Full report at:
http://www.khaama.com/president-ghani-to-terrorists-if-you-have-courage-face-our-soldiers-not-kids-3208
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Roadside bomb kills eight civilians in Afghanistan
April 23, 2015
A roadside bomb killed eight members of an Afghan family, including children, just hours after the Taliban claimed their upcoming spring offensive would "safeguard" civilian lives, officials said Thursday.
The blast ripped through the family's vehicle in Khash Rod district of southwestern Nimroz province late Wednesday as they were travelling home.
"The roadside bomb hit a vehicle carrying a family, killing two men, one woman and four children," Ahmad Arab, spokesman for the provincial authorities, told AFP.
"Another family member who was wounded and taken to the hospital died later."
Amir Mohammad Akhundzada, the governor of the province, blamed the Taliban for the incident.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/9/128430/World/International/Roadside-bomb-kills-eight-civilians-in-Afghanistan.aspx
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Verdict in Mahidur-Afsar’s war crimes case any day
April 23, 2015
The International Crimes Tribunal 1 yesterday concluded arguments in the case against Muslim League leaders Mahidur Rahman and Afsar Hossain alias Chhutu of Chapainawabganj.
The tribunal led by its Chairman Justice Obaidul Hassan kept the case for verdict, after recording the closing arguments placed by both the prosecution and the defence lawyers.
The prosecution claimed that they had been able to prove two out of the three charges pressed against the duo, while the defence denied that claim.
The accused, who were arrested on September 16 last year in a criminal case, were later shown in the war crimes case. The charges brought against the duo include mass killing, arson, looting, abduction, torture, confinement, and murder committed in the district in 1971.
http://www.dhakatribune.com/law-rights/2015/apr/23/verdict-mahidur-afsars-war-crimes-case-any-day#sthash.g4MmRa17.dpuf
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India
'26/11 Accused Have Set Up Karachi-Style Control Room in Jail'
PTI | Apr 23, 2015
NEW YORK: Pakistan-based terror group LeT's technology chief Zarrar Shah and his fellow militants continue to direct terrorist activity from behind bars under ISI's watch, setting up in jail a control room like the one in Karachi to oversee the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, a report said.
A report in Frontline titled 'The Hidden Intelligence Breakdowns behind the Mumbai Attacks' says six years after the 26/11 attacks that brought Mumbai and India to a standstill, the masterminds are still "at large in Pakistan protected by the ISI, an intelligence service that is nominally a US ally."
"Even the defendants behind bars are still a threat. Shah, Lashkar's technology and communications chief, and his fellow militants continue to direct terrorist activity from the prison," the report quoted current and former Western and Indian counter terror officials as saying.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/26/11-accused-have-set-up-Karachi-style-control-room-in-jail/articleshow/47021818.cms
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For peace in Mid-East, India urges political settlement, action on terror
April 23, 2015
New York: To bring peace to the Middle East, India has called for political dialogue to find solutions to the hostilities wracking the region while urging strong action against extremist groups whose deadly violence "strikes at our common humanity."
In a Security Council debate Tuesday on the Middle East, Permanent Representative Asoke Kumar Mukerji touched on the Palestine, Yemeni and Syrian crises, saying: "India remains firmly convinced that dialogue remains the only viable option" to solve the problems.
During the current conflict in Yemen that has pitched the Houthi rebels against the government of exiled President Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi, Mukerji said India has evacuated till last week 1,947 people from 48 countries, besides 4,741 Indians. The rescue effort was guided by the spirit of "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakkam," meaning "World is one family," and helped citizens of four of the five permanent of the Security Council, he said.
Full report at:
http://zeenews.india.com/news/india/for-peace-in-mid-east-india-urges-political-settlement-action-on-terror_1582891.html
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Pakistani Hindus Can Apply For Long-Term Indian Visa Online
April 23, 2015
NEW DELHI: In yet another relief to Pakistani citizens belonging to the minority community, the government of India has enabled them to apply online for their long-term visa (LTV) and track the status of their application. The online system, which will also cover processing of the LTV visa application by various agencies, replaces the manual system of accepting such applications.
The online application system will help Pakistani nationals belonging to minority community, particularly Hindus and Sikhs, who seek refuge in India for fear of religious persecution back home. These minority nationals come to India with the intention to settle permanently. The government, sympathetic to their cause, has been taking steps to streamline the procedures to facilitate their stay in India.
While the manual system of submission of LTV application by eligible Pakistani citizens will continue along with the online system for a period of three months, with effect from August 1, 2015, all applications for LTV will be received and processed only in online mode.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Pakistani-Hindus-can-apply-for-long-term-Indian-visa-online/articleshow/47019017.cms
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Tipu Sultan's Arms Collection Sold For Over 6 Million Pounds in London
PTI | Apr 23, 2015
NEW DELHI: A collection of arms and armour once owned by Tipu Sultan was sold for a total of over 6 million pounds in a London auction by Bonhams.
The 30 items in the 'Bonhams Islamic and Indian Art Sale' held on April 21 come from a single collection.
The top lot was a rare gem-set sword with tiger's head pommel from Tipu Sultan's royal regalia went under the hammer for 2,154,500 pounds. It was estimated at to fetch between 60,000 pounds to 80,000 pounds.
Tipu Sultan, the last king of Mysore adorned both objects of art and instruments of war with images of the tiger and with the tiger-stripe design, earning the nickname of "Tiger of Mysore".
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Tipu-Sultans-arms-collection-sold-for-over-6-million-pounds/articleshow/47025424.cms
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India-Pakistan martime boundary may be a major drug transit route
TNN | Apr 23, 2015
NEW DELHI: Several similarities exist between the seizure of over Rs 600 crore worth of heroin from Pakistani smugglers on Monday and the controversial sinking of a suspected Pakistani terror boat in January. All of it point towards possibility of the 'disputed' maritime boundary between India and Pakistan being a major drug transit route, according to several evidences and some officials.
Sources said evidence surrounding the seizure of drugs from a boat operated by eight Pakistani crew members on Monday showed that the consignment was to be delivered on Arabian Sea. The Coast Guard has not apprehended the possible recipients, who could have thrown more light on the drug racket.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/India-Pakistan-martime-boundary-may-be-a-major-drug-transit-route/articleshow/47021901.cms
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Beef ban: Bombay HC reserves its order in petitions challenging law
Shibu Thomas,TNN | Apr 23, 2015
MUMBAI: The Bombay high court on Thursday reserved its orders on the plea for an interim stay on provisions of the beef ban law that make its possession and in turn consumption a crime. A division bench of Justice V M Kanade and Justice M S Sonak said that they would pass deliver the order on April 27 or 28, 2015.
The court was hearing a bunch of petitions challenging the legal validity of provisions of Maharashtra Animal Preservation (Amendment) Act that bans the slaughter of bulls and bullocks along with cows. Th petitioners that include a senior advocate Haresh Jagtiani, Jogeshwari resident Arif Kapadia and a Hindu-Muslim-Christian coalition of 29 Mumbaikars - have sought an interim stay on section 5 D of the MAPA Act. This provision makes it a criminal and cognisable offence to possess beef, even if the animal is slaughtered outside Maharashtra where it is legally permissible. Senior advocate Aspi Chinoy, advocates Mihir Desai, E P Bharucha and Pratap Nimbalkar, who represented the various petitioners argued that the law is a violation of the fundamental right to life and personal liberty, which includes the right to eat food of ones choice.
Maharashtra advocate general Sunil Manohar, defended the law and said that 5 D was essential to implement the law properly and prevent illegal slaughter of cow and its progeny. The state also contended that it was a reasonable restriction and the state could bring in a law to regulate a fundamental right.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Beef-ban-Bombay-HC-reserves-its-order-in-petitions-challenging-law/articleshow/47026294.cms
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Hardline Separatist Masrat Alam Booked Under Public Safety Act
April 23, 2015
SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir government on Thursday booked hardline separatist Masrat Alam under the Public safety Act (PSA) and shifted him to a jail outside the Valley.
"Yes, PSA warrants were issued against Masrat Alam yesterday (Wednesday) and the warrants were executed today (Thursday). He is being shifted for detention to a jail outside the Valley," a senior police officer told IANS in summer capital Srinagar.
Masrat Alam was released on March 7 by the PDP-BJP coalition government, triggering a huge controversy over the separatist's release who had been arrested during the 2010 summer unrest in the Valley.
The Mufti Muhammad Sayeed led coalition government had said that Alam's period of detention under the PSA had already expired and there had been no fresh grounds for his detention.
Full report at:
http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/Hardline-Separatist-Masrat-Alam-Booked-Under-Public-Safety-Act/2015/04/23/article2779088.ece
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Europe
IS group is 'Russia's greatest enemy', not US: Lavrov
April 23, 2015
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday that the Islamic State group was Moscow's greatest enemy, notwithstanding the strained relations with the United States over the Ukraine conflict.
"I believe IS is our greatest enemy right now," Lavrov said in an interview with Russian radio stations when asked whether he considers China, IS or NATO Russia's greatest threat.
Lavrov said "hundreds of Russian citizens, hundreds of Europeans, hundreds of Americans are fighting for IS, along with CIS (former Soviet) countries."
"They are already returning home. They come here to rest after fighting and can get up to dirty tricks at home," he said.
"As far as (relations with the) United States are concerned, these are state issues, these are issues of the world order, which have to be resolved through talks."
Russia's relations with the West, particularly with the United States, have plummeted to a post-Cold War low over the war in Ukraine and sanctions imposed over Moscow's role in supporting pro-Russian militants.
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/128368/World/Region/IS-group-is-Russias-greatest-enemy,-not-US-Lavrov.aspx
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India must intervene in Maldives: Amnesty
April 23, 2015
Amnesty claims human rights situation in the Maldives is deteriorating alarmingly.
Citing instances of human rights violations in Maldives and the clamp down on peaceful protests, Amnesty International wants India as a large, thriving democracy with a prominent role to play in the region to intervene.
Armed with the report of a fact finding mission that was carried out in the island nation between April 17 and 22 April, Amnesty claims human rights situation in the Maldives is deteriorating alarmingly and has accused the authorities of “muzzling peaceful protesters, silencing critical media and civil society, while abusing the judicial system to imprison opposition politicians”.
Amnesty said the civil society in Maldives too is looking at the world community, especially India to engage with the Maldivian authorities to improve and protect human rights.
Speaking to media here on Thursday, Abbas Faiz, Amnesty International’s Maldives researcher said while the principles of a fair trial were not followed in the case of former President Mohammed Nasheed, former defence minister Mohammed Nazim and MP Ahmed Nazim, as many as 140 “peaceful protesters” who were arrested since February, have been released on conditions that severely limited their rights to take part in further demonstrations.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/india-must-intervene-in-maldives-amnesty/article7134294.ece
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Taking Jihad to School – French Programs Emphasize Secularism
April 23, 2015
On a street in Paris’s popular 6th Arrondissement, men in camouflage wielding Famas assault rifles patiently stand guard throughout the day. It is an unexpected sight amidst the chic designer boutiques and crowded restaurants, but one a hotel attendant nearby explains with a knowing glance: the building they guard houses an organization for Jews.
This is life now in Paris after the terrorist attacks that took 17 lives in January – including four Jews, massacred at the kosher Hyper Cacher market in the hours before the Sabbath.
And it isn’t only here: in the Marais, long known for its Jewish population, a heavily-armed military presence has become commonplace, as France’s government struggles to protect its Jews – and the rest of its population – from the murderous violence of Islamic terrorism in its streets.
Full report at:
http://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2015/04/22/taking-jihad-to-school-french-programs-emphasize-secularism/
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EU summit to consider military action over migrant crisis
April 23, 2015
EU leaders gathering in Brussels on Thursday will consider launching a military operation against human traffickers in Libya, in a bold effort to halt the deadly flow of refugees trying to reach Europe by sea.
As survivors laid bare the full horror of last weekend's catastrophic shipwreck near Libya, a draft statement for the summit seen by AFP committed leaders to "undertake systematic efforts to identify, capture and destroy vessels before they are used by traffickers".
EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini "is invited to immediately begin preparations for a possible security and defence policy operation to this effect, in accordance with international law," the draft added.
A diplomatic source said EU members were preparing to approve the statement, reflecting the union's readiness to take more decisive action against smugglers, who pack rickety boats to overflowing with people fleeing conflict and misery in Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
European leaders have been accused of callous disregard for the lives of migrants after 800 were feared to have died in Sunday's boat sinking, the worst disaster of its kind in the Mediterranean.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/9/128429/World/International/EU-summit-to-consider-military-action-over-migrant.aspx
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Iran, world powers seek to finalise nuclear deal
April 23, 2015
Iran and major powers held a second day of talks April 23 seeking to finalise a historic deal that would make any attempt by Tehran to make a nuclear weapon extremely difficult and easily detectable
Meeting in Vienna, Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany want to turn a framework accord reached in Switzerland on April 2 into a full agreement by June 30.
Iran, which denies wanting the atomic bomb, is set to scale down its nuclear programme for 10 to 15 years or more, depending on the area of activity, and allow closer UN inspections.
The exact details of how this will work in practice, and in particular the scale and timeframe under which the powers will lift painful sanctions, still need to be nailed down, and experts warn it will be a difficult process.
Full report at:
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/iran-world-powers-seek-to-finalise-nuclear-deal-.aspx?pageID=238&nID=81452&NewsCatID=359
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PM says five terror attacks 'foiled' in France
April 23, 2015
French Prime Minister Manuel Valls revealed April 23 that five terror attacks had been "foiled" in France in recent months.
He told radio station France Inter that "numerous attacks had already been foiled -- five if you take into account the attack which happily did not take place at Villejuif" on the outskirts of Paris
A 24-year-old Franco-Algerian IT student is being held by police investigating an alleged plot to attack a church near the French capital.
His plans were exposed after he accidentally shot himself and police uncovered a stash of weapons and detailed plans to attack the church.
Full report at:
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/pm-says-five-terror-attacks-foiled-in-france-.aspx?pageID=238&nID=81453&NewsCatID=351
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Africa
South African President Calls for Efforts to Fight Xenophobia
April 23, 2015
Pretoria: South African President Jacob Zuma on Wednesday urged all sectors of the society, including business, religious and civic organisations, to work towards eradicating xenophobia in the country.
"So the issue we're dealing with today, was what is it that we are all going to do as a country, as citizens, as different sectors, to ensure that it will never happen again," Zuma said after a meeting here on how various sectors can work with the government to promote orderly migration and good relations between citizens and foreign nationals, according to a Xinhua report.
He added, "We have immigration laws that are unique in a sense because the way we handle refugees is not by creating camps, but by integrating them into society."
Zuma said that the government had in the past ruled out the possibility of setting up refugee camps.
Full report at:
http://www.newindianexpress.com/top_news/South-African-President-Calls-for-Efforts-to-Fight-Xenophobia/2015/04/23/article2778975.ece
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Algeria army kills three armed Islamists
April 23, 2015
Algerian troops killed three armed Islamists and recovered weapons and ammunition west of Algiers on Wednesday, the defence ministry said.
The three were killed at around 1:00 am (0200 GMT) in an ambush close to the town of Hamman Righa, around 100 kilometres (62 miles) from the capital, said a statement on the ministry website.
The operation seized three automatic rifles, ammunition and several hand grenades, as well as binoculars and mobile phones, it added.
Violence involving Islamists in Algeria has fallen considerably since the civil war of the 1990s, but groups linked to Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb still carry out some attacks, mostly on security forces.
The army says more than 100 armed Islamists were killed in 2014.
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/128385/World/Region/Algeria-army-kills-three-armed-Islamists.aspx
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Libyan journalist shot dead in Benghazi
23 April 2015
A Libyan television journalist involved in coverage of fighting between Islamist militias and pro-government forces in the second city of Benghazi has been assassinated, officials and witnesses said Thursday.
Muftah al-Qatrani, director of the private production company Al-Anwar, was killed by a gunshot to the head on Wednesday, an interior ministry official told AFP.
“Friends who visited his office found him dead on a chair, covered in blood,” the official said, adding that an inquiry had been launched into the killing.
A witness, who declined to be named, said the producer’s office was in the center of Benghazi.
“No neighbors or surrounding businesses had any idea what had happened and no weapon was found near the body,” the witness said.
Libya’s descent into chaos since its 2011 uprising has seen the formation of rival parliaments and governments, and allowed the Islamic State extremist group to gain a foothold in the oil-rich North African state.
Militias have battled forces in Benghazi loyal to Libyan army chief Khalifa Haftar, who launched an assault last May aimed at recapturing the eastern city from Islamists.
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/media/television-and-radio/2015/04/23/Libyan-journalist-shot-dead-in-Benghazi-.html
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Nigerian forces invade last known stronghold of Boko Haram
April 23, 2015
Nigerian forces backed by warplanes invaded Islamist group Boko Haram's last known stronghold, the Sambisa forest, on Wednesday, in an effort to finally defeat their six-year-old insurgency, two military sources said.
Armies from Nigeria and neighbors Chad, Niger and Cameroon have in the past two months launched a concerted push to try to crush the insurgents, who have killed thousands and kidnapped hundreds in their battle to establish an Islamic state.
The Sambisa forest in northeast Nigeria is about 100 km (60 miles) from the village of Chibok from where Boko Haram abducted more than 200 secondary school girls a year ago. Intelligence officials had believed that this was where they were being held, although U.S. reconnaissance drones failed to find them.
A spokesman for the military was not immediately available for comment.
An official in the Chadian army said allied Chadian and Cameroonian troops were ready to attack Sambisa, which lies on the Cameroon border, from the other side and would move in soon.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/africa/2015/04/22/Nigerian-forces-invade-last-known-stronghold-of-Boko-Haram.html
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North America
Play positive role, US tells Iran
April 23, 2015
WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama called on Iran to help find a political solution in Yemen, accusing the Islamic republic of contributing to the conflict there.
In an interview with MSNBC, Obama expressed hope “that we can settle down the situation in Yemen.”
“What we need to do is bring all the parties together and find a political arrangement. It is not solved by having another proxy war in Yemen,” he said. “We've indicated to the Iranians that they need to be part of the solution, and not part of the problem,” he said.
The US has sent an aircraft carrier to monitor the movements of Iranian ships. “Right now their ships are in international waters,” Obama said.
“There's a reason why we keep some of our ships in the Gulf region and that is to make sure we maintain freedom of navigation,” he said.
“And what we've said to them is if there are weapons delivered to factions within Yemen that could threaten navigation, that's a problem.”
Meanwhile, Houthi militias took over a military brigade in the central Yemeni city of Taiz early on Wednesday, triggering the Saudi-led coalition to carry out an airstrike shortly after the takeover. The headquarters of the 35th Armored Brigade on the Taiz’s northern outskirts fell after heavy fighting which left “dozens dead and wounded,” an officer said from inside the captured base.
The brigade had resisted a nearly weeklong siege by the Houthis and their allies.
http://www.arabnews.com/featured/news/736561
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U.S. teen ‘seduced’ by ISIS ideology, convicted on gun charge
23 April 2015
A 16-year-old American accused of planning to join the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has been found guilty of illegal possession of a firearm in South Carolina, a prosecutor said Wednesday.
The teenager, who has not been identified because he is a minor, conspired with another person to travel to the Middle East with the intention of joining ISIS and “perhaps cause trouble in the United States,” prosecutor Kevin Brackett alleged.
Because South Carolina does not have anti-terrorism laws, the youth was convicted on Tuesday of illegal possession of a handgun, an offense punishable by up to five years in prison, Brackett said.
“He was seduced by the ideology of ISIS,” the prosecutor told AFP.
“I don’t know specifically that ISIS reached out to him personally. But he was in contact with people in North Carolina who shared his views and he had embraced this sort of radical Islamic ideology and he wanted to travel to the Middle East to join ISIS and join that cause,” he said.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2015/04/23/US-TEEN-SEDUCED-BY-IS-IDEOLOGY-CONVICTED-ON-GUN-CHARGE-.html
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New Pentagon Strategy Warns of Cyberwar Capabilities
April 23, 2015
REDWOOD CITY, California: A new Pentagon cybersecurity strategy lays out for the first time publicly that the U.S. military plans to use cyberwarfare as an option in conflicts with enemies.
The 33-page strategy says the Defense Department "should be able to use cyber operations to disrupt an adversary's command and control networks, military-related critical infrastructure and weapons capabilities."
The cybersecurity strategy is the second done by the Pentagon and is slated for release Thursday, but it was obtained early by The Associated Press. The previous strategy, which was publicly released in 2011, made little reference to the Pentagon's offensive cyber capabilities, although U.S. officials have spoken quietly about the issue.
The new document takes a more open approach in part because officials said the Pentagon wants more transparency in its cyber mission — and because it could provide some deterrence to adversaries.
Full report at:
http://www.newindianexpress.com/world/New-Pentagon-Strategy-Warns-of-Cyberwar-Capabilities/2015/04/23/article2778966.ece
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Carter concerned Iran ships may carry arms for Yemen rebels
April 23, 2015
Defense Secretary Ash Carter said April 22he is concerned that Iranian ships heading toward Yemen may be carrying advanced weapons for the Houthi rebels, and moving a U.S. aircraft carrier to the region gives the president options.
Making his first public remarks on the Iranian cargo ships, Carter told reporters traveling with him that he is not prepared to say whether the U.S. would be willing to forcibly stop and board one of the Iranian ships if it tries to cross into Yemen.
"We have options," he said when asked about the boardings. "We're not at that point. We're at the point of trying to get the parties back to the table."
Still, he said the U.S. is making it clear to Iran that "obviously fanning the flames or contributing to it by any party is not welcome to us."
The aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt is moving into the waters off Yemen, joining eight other U.S. warships, including some carrying teams capable of boarding and searching other vessels. The move comes amid reports that nine Iranian ships are heading that way, possibly carrying arms for the Shiite Houthi rebels. Such shipments would be in violation of a U.N. Security Council resolution.
Full report at:
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/carter-concerned-iran-ships-may-carry-arms-for-yemen-rebels.aspx?pageID=238&nID=81455&NewsCatID=359
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In jail memoir, Headley recalls 26/11, LeT training, polygamy
April 23, 2015
Pakistani-American LeT terrorist David Headley, serving 35 years in jail for his role in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, has written a memoir in prison detailing how Lashkar’s “dedication” to the cause of “liberation of Kashmir” inspired him to join the terror group.
American public affairs TV programme Frontline was given access to a draft of the memoir Headley, 54, wrote in jail. Excerpts from the draft offer a window into Headley’s move towards extremism, his training with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and his preparations for the attack on the Danish daily Jyllands-Posten.
In one of the passages in the memoir, Headley writes about his first encounter with LeT militants. “On one of my trips, October 2000, I made my first contact with LeT, quite by accident. I attended their annual convention… I was very impressed with their dedication to the cause of the liberation of Kashmir from Indian occupation,” Headley writes.
Full report at:
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/in-jail-memoir-headley-recalls-2611-let-training-polygamy/99/
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Southeast Asia
Indonesia and Iran Call for Terror Cooperation
April 23, 2015
Jakarta. President Joko Widodo and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani issued a joint condemnation of terrorism at the Asian-African Conference in Jakarta on Thursday.
“Violent acts committed by terrorist groups in the name of religion must be eradicated through close cooperation between countries,” Cabinet Secretary Andi Widjajanto said on Thursday.
Joko and Rouhani said both countries should work toward eradicating radicalization.
Rouhani said the rule of law and non-discrimination should be at the front of the battle against terror, together with anti-radicalization programs and government intelligence efforts.
http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/indonesia-iran-call-terror-cooperation/
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Asking government to change leader not seditious, says Dr M
April 23, 2015
Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today said Putrajaya's use of the Sedition Act to maintain Barisan Nasional's hold on power was not a good move, following criticism over recent amendments to the colonial-era law that made it more draconian.
The former prime minister said the act should not be used against those who were critical of the government, and even those who called for a change of government.
"If the law is used for you to stay in power, then I think it's bad.
"But unfortunately, the Sedition Act is used for the wrong purpose. The Sedition Act is to prevent people from incidents of hatred such as civil war, and to overthrow the government.
"But if you say the government is not doing well and should change the leader, that is not seditious," Dr Mahathir during a question and answer session at the Malaysia Social Media Week event in Kuala Lumpur today.
Full report at:
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/asking-government-to-change-leader-not-seditious-says-dr-m#sthash.d4RIKaix.dpuf
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1:51 AM
Moderate Islamist here
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