Pakistani Taliban Claim to Have Successfully Test-Fired Missile Called ‘Omar-1’
Afghan Taliban announce 'spring offensive' to start Friday PHOTO: REUTERS
Pakistan
Pakistani Taliban Claim to Have Successfully Test-Fired Missile Called ‘Omar-1’
22 Militants Killed In Datta Khel Air Strikes
Six Militants, Two Soldiers Killed In Clashes
New Report Reveals One-Tenth of All Children Enrolled In Madressahs
Pakistan Army announces special force for protecting Chinese citizens
Four death row convicts hanged in different jails
Film on Maulana Abdul Aziz well-received at film festival in New York
South Asia
Afghan Taliban Announce 'Spring Offensive' To Start Friday
Coordinated Attacks on Government Offices Foiled, Taliban Killed In Fighting
Two people killed, two injured in Nangarhar explosions
Angry mob attacked Khaleda for burning people
Mideast
Understanding ‘Operation Restoring Hope’ in Yemen
Two Air Strikes in Yemen Kill At Least 40
Replica Mecca, Quran-Shaped Cake Slammed By Turkey's Top Religious Body
Replacing Carpet at Jerusalem Shrine Reveals Religious Rift
Rouhani: Yemen Strikes Show Saudi ‘Mental Imbalance’
Turkey raises ‘democracy concerns’ over Mursi’s sentencing
Yemen rebels seize brigade HQ in third city Taez: Army
Yemen’s Hadi thanks Saudi-led military alliance
Houthis ‘copying Hezbollah leader’s speeches’
Arab World
Sunni Tribesmen Fight Their Own People after Breaking with Islamic State
Dozens of Non-Syrian Terrorists Killed in Damascus Countryside
Jordan's Salafists Switch Allegiance to IS
Scores of ISIL Terrorists Killed in Syrian Army's Attacks in Northeast
Dozens of ISIL Terrorists Killed in Anbar
Islamic State Leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi ‘Seriously Wounded In Air Strike’
2 policemen shot dead in Cairo reportedly after Mohammed Morsi incarceration
Saudi Arabia Executes Citizen for ‘Vicious’ Murder of Indonesian Worker
Saudi king orders National Guard to take part in Yemen campaign
Islamic State Are Now Preventing Women 'From Being Seen By Dentists'
Africa
Cameroon: At Least 23 Killed in Nigerian Communal Clashes
Sudan Seeks Answers After Medical Students Join Islamic State
IS “crucifies” family in Derna
Police Forcefully Disperse Protests Held By Ethiopians against Isis Killings
India
Church Attacks Not Illegal and Violates No Law: Hindu Mahasabha
Govt Working to Protect Minorities: Home Minister
‘Deals with Pakistan won’t hurt China’s Indian ties’
PM Sends 'Chadar' To Ajmer Sharif Dargah
North America
Arizona Students Spread Islam Awareness
US 'Concerned' By Sentencing of Egypt's Morsi, 14 More
White House avoids calling Armenian deaths ‘genocide’
Obama: We warned Iran not to send Yemen arms
US: No reason to believe ISIS chief wounded
White House welcomes end of ‘Operation Decisive Storm’
U.S. senators call for humanitarian safe zones in Syria
Boston bomber's attack 'essence of terror': Prosecutor
Southeast Asia
Legality of Churches Does Not Arise Under Constitution, Says Interfaith Council
Govt facing difficulties withdrawing informal workers from Middle East
Negri MB defends new law for converts, says it’s fair to non-Muslim spouse
Europe
UN Chief Wants Israelis and Palestinians Back To Table
French Official: Extremist Was Planning Attack on Church
Muslim convert denies 'leaflet' terror charges
Islamic State is 'Satan', says Roman exorcist
ISIS group besieges 228,000 in Syrian city: UN
Yemen violence kills 944, injures 3,487: WHO
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
--------
Pakistan
Pakistani Taliban claim to have successfully test-fired missile called ‘Omar-1’
Apr 22, 2015
ISLAMABAD: Just as Pakistan was celebrating the launch of Chinese investments worth $46 billion in the country, the militant organization Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) on Monday claimed to have successfully test fired its first indigenously developed missile named as "Omar-1".
To justify its claim, the TTP, which has presence across the country and currently resisting Pakistani troops in the volatile tribal regions on the border with Afghanistan, has issued a statement and posted a video demonstrating the launch of missile.
In the video, different parts of the missile were assembled before its launch. The TTP said that special feature of "Omar 1" is its design.
"It can easily be assembled and dissembled in accordance to the situation," said Muhammad Khurassani, the TTP spokesman. Khurassani said the effectiveness of the specially designed missile would certainly surprise the targeted enemy. "With the grace of God, you'll soon see our enemies on the run," he said.
The spokesman further said that engineering unit of the TTP has the capability to develop modern lethal weapons. "We are training our fighters to get maximum results from the use of technology, including suicide vests, suicide vehicles, hand grenades, anti-jammer devices and so on.
Pakistan claims to have killed around 2000 militants in the military offensive launched against them in the troubled North Waziristan and Khyber tribal regions last year. The operations, that still continue, had caused exodus of more than 1.5 million people.
Since engaging militants on ground, Pakistan's military failed to have arrested or killed any high profile militant leader.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Pakistani-Taliban-claim-to-have-successfully-test-fired-missile-called-Omar-1/articleshow/47001651.cms?
----------
22 militants killed in Datta Khel air strikes
Apr 22, 2015
At least 22 militants were killed in precise aerial strikes late last night in Datta Khel area of North Waziristan, according to Inter Services Public Relations.
Separately, seven security personnel were injured as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan militants attacked a security check posts in Push Ziarat mountains in Lahda area of South Waziristan.
A security official said the injured personnel were shifted to Razmak for treatment.
The official added militants used light and heavy weapons in the attack and fired about 45 rocket launchers.
Further, eight militants were killed in retaliatory firing, including the commander of attackers’ Malang Khan.
TTP South Waziristan spokesperson Azam Tariq claimed responsibility of the attack. He said they captured two bunkers and inflicted loses adding the fighting is going on for the last few days and will continue to attack.
Meanwhile, air strikes have been reported in Shawal area targeting militant hideouts.
http://tribune.com.pk/story/873973/7-security-personnel-injured-in-south-waziristan-gun-battle/
--------
Six militants, two soldiers killed in clashes
Apr 22, 2015
QUETTA/GWADAR: Six suspected militants and two soldiers were killed in three clashes between security forces and militants in different areas of Balochistan on Tuesday.
Three suspects were arrested and a huge quantity of arms and ammunition was seized by paramilitary troops.
Official sources said that a security convoy was going from Mashkay to Jahoo area of Awaran district when it came under fire. Security forces fired back and the gun battle, which lasted for several hours, left four militants dead.
In a clash in Zarin Bug area in Kech district, two security personnel and a suspected militant were killed.
A spokesman for the Frontier Corps said that troops chased the perpetrators of Monday’s rocket attack on an air traffic control station in the Pasni area of Gwadar and surrounded them in Zarin Bug, 80km from Gwadar.
In a heavy exchange of fire between FC troops and militants in the mountainous area, one militant and two soldiers were killed and two militants were arrested, the FC spokesman said,
Meanwhile, FC troops killed one militant and arrested another in an encounter in the mountainous area of Aghbarg in Ziarat district.
“The troops launched a search operation for militants belonging to a banned religious extremist organisation who were involved in attacking the vehicle of the district police officer of Sherani in Loralai area and killing three policemen in March,” the spokesman said.
When the militants saw troops approaching their hideout, they opened fire and in the ensuing clash one militant died and another was injured.
http://www.dawn.com/news/1177495/six-militants-two-soldiers-killed-in-clashes
------
New report reveals one-tenth of all children enrolled in Madressahs
Apr 22, 2015
ISLAMABAD: Around 1.8 million children, nearly a tenth of all enrolled students in Pakistan, study in religious seminaries, according to a report launched by the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training on Tuesday.
The Pakistan Education Statistics 2013-14 report also reveals that there has been no significant change in enrolment at the primary school-level and the number of students enrolled in primary schools is almost at the same level as it was in 2011-12.
According to the report, there are 145,491 primary schools (both private and public), where approximately 17 million students are enrolled. In contrast, nearly 1.84 million students are enrolled in the 14,405 registered madressahs, of which 97 per cent are privately managed and only 393 are run by the public sector.
Pakistan Education Statistics 2013-14 paints bleak picture of pupil-teacher ratios in Islamabad, KP
However, Maulana Hanif Jalandhri, who is the general secretary of the Ittehad-i-Tanzeemat-i-Madaris-i-Deenia – the umbrella organisation that looks after the affairs of seminaries – said that a vast majority of private madressahs were registered with the concerned government departments.
The statistics report was compiled by the Academy of Educational Planning and Management (AEPAM), National Education Management Information System (Nemis) and education campaigners Alif Ailaan.
While highlighting issues with school education in the country, the report says: “On the education development index, which combines all educational access measures, Pakistan lies at the bottom with Bangladesh in the region, and is considerably below Sri Lanka,” the report said.
Over the past four years, enrolment at primary schools did not see any significant improvement. There were 17,567,581 students in primary schools in 2011-12, which increased slightly to 17,574,849 in 2012-13. In 2013-14, there were 17,869,859 students in primary schools.
In the same period, the enrolment in high schools declined slightly, with 2,691,595 students enrolled in 2011-12; 2,835,326 in 2012-13 and 2,318,840 students in high schools in 2013-14.
Pupil-Teacher ratio
The Pupil-Teacher ratio is one of the most common indicators used in educational planning.
“A low number of pupils per teacher indicates pupils will have a better chance of contact with the teacher and hence a better-learning process.”
But the report shows that the ratio in primary schools of Punjab is 33 pupils/1 teacher, while it is 29/1 in Sindh, 43/1 in KPK, 32/1 in Balochistan and 28/1 in Islamabad. However, in middle and high school, Islamabad has the poorest pupil-teacher ratios with 40/1 and 39/1 respectively.
Dr Baela Raza Jamil, an educationist and academic, told Dawn that neither the provinces nor the federal capital had made any progress with regards to increasing enrolment at the primary level.
“Poor quality of education, missing facilities, a high pupil-teacher ratio are some the main reasons for low enrolment at the primary level,” she said, adding that even today, there were a large number of schools that were being run without electricity, potable water and toilets.
The report also highlighted that around 35 per cent schools in the country, which don’t have clean drinking facility, 31 schools don’t have toilets and 41 per cent schools don’t have electricity.
Earlier, speaking at the launch of the report, Education Minister Baleeghur Rehman assured the audience that: “We will soon be able to allocate four per cent of our GDP to education, provided that our tax-to-GDP ratio increases.”
http://www.dawn.com/news/1177473/new-report-reveals-one-tenth-of-all-children-enrolled-in-madressahs
--------
Pakistan Army announces special force for protecting Chinese citizens
Apr 22, 2015
The Pakistan Army has announced the formation of a new division sized force for protecting Chinese citizens working on the projects announced by Chinese President Xi Jinping during his recent visit to Pakistan. With many projects located in strife-torn province of Balochistan, and because of the deteriorating overall security situation in Pakistan, President Xi had raised the issue of security of Chinese workers during his meetings in Islamabad. In 2011, China’s largest private sector miner, Kingho group, pulled out of a $19 billion deal – the largest ever for Pakistan – citing security concerns after bombings in many Pakistani cities. Jayadeva Ranade, President of Centre for China Analysis and Strategy says, “Notwithstanding the strategic import of Chinese President’s visit and announcements, there are genuine security concerns about the execution of these projects”.
Full report at:
http://indianexpress.com/article/world/neighbours/pakistan-army-announces-10000-strong-special-force-for-protecting-chinese-citizens/99/#sthash.sSkDOtsJ.dpuf
--------
Four death row convicts hanged in different jails
Apr 22, 2015
LAHORE/SAHIWAL/BAHAWALPUR: Four condemned prisoners were sent to the gallows on Wednesday morning in various cities across Pakistan.
Two convicts — Rizwan and Moazzam Khan — were hanged in Lahore's Kot Lakhpat Jail.
Rizwan, who was a security guard for a manufacturer named Seth Abid, was convicted for the murder of six people in 2006 including Abid's son. Whereas, Moazzam Khan was convicted for killing a man named Nasir Iqbal in 1995.
The bodies have been handed over to their families.
Separately, a convict named Zahid Hussain Chohan was hanged in Sahiwal Central Jail on charges of committing murder.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1177522/four-death-row-convicts-hanged-in-different-jails
--------
Film on Maulana Abdul Aziz well-received at film festival in New York
Apr 22, 2015
KARACHI: Among the Believers, a documentary featuring the Red Mosque in Islamabad, has emerged as one of the biggest hits at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival.
In this documentary film, directors Hemal Trivedi and Mohammed Ali Naqvi take viewers through the recent history of the country’s ideological clash between moderate and fundamentalist forces.
The first scene shows a young boy delivering a sermon. He is one of many young boys who are being trained to devote their lives to the ‘holy war’.
Among the Believers gives viewers a firsthand insight into the life of Maulana Abdul Aziz, known to be the head of the chain of madrassas led by Islamabad’s Lal Masjid.
It further highlights the major issues at hand by providing up-close access to Aziz, his longtime opponent – education reformer Dr Pervez Hoodbhoy – and school-children Talha and Zarina.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/873463/film-on-maulana-abdul-aziz-top-hit-at-film-festival-in-new-york/
--------
South Asia
Afghan Taliban announce 'spring offensive' to start Friday
Apr 22, 2015
KABUL: The Afghan Taliban said their annual “spring offensive” will begin on Friday, vowing nationwide attacks in what is expected to be the bloodiest fighting season in a decade as NATO forces pull back from the frontlines.
This year’s offensive marks the first fighting season in which Afghan security forces will battle the insurgents without the full support of US-led foreign combat forces.
The militants have already stepped up attacks on government and foreign targets in recent weeks, taking a heavy toll on civilians and Afghan security forces.
“The Islamic Emirate is going to launch the spring operations under the inspirational name of ‘Azm’ (determination) at 5 am on 24th April 2015,” the Taliban said in a statement on Wednesday, using their official name.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/873963/afghan-taliban-announce-spring-offensive-to-start-friday/
-------
Coordinated attacks on government offices foiled, Taliban killed in fighting
Apr 22, 2015
Coordinated attacks on government offices foiled in Samangan province while two Taliban were killed during fighting with security forces last night.
Security officials in Samangan province say that a group of Taliban was planning to carry out coordinated attacks on government compounds in Aibak, the provincial capital last night.
According to police a raid was conducted on the compound where the militants were hiding in Aibak last night.
Mullah Bashir, a Taliban local commander was killed in the gun battle that erupted between insurgents and security forces during the raid.
One soldiers also embraced martyrdom in the exchange of fire with militants.
Also, an insurgent was killed and three others wounded during separate gun battles with security forces in Maidan Wardak province last night.
Full report at:
http://www.khaama.com/coordinated-attacks-on-government-offices-foiled-taliban-killed-in-fighting-3203
--------
Two people killed, two injured in Nangarhar explosions
Apr 22, 2015
Two people were killed and two others wounded in separate explosions in eastern Nangarhar province on Wednesday.
Ahmadzai Abdulzai, spokesman for governor house says that one explosion took place in Behsood District and the other in Kama District in about 30 minutes of difference.
Abdulzai added that deputy military prosecutor Ghulam Haidar and his driver were killed after their vehicle ran over a landmine in Mirak Beli area of Behsood District.
He further said that two persons including the logistic officer for the local police of Bati Kot District sustained injuries in a magnetic bomb explosion in Kama District.
Abdulzai said that the bomb was attached to the vehicle of Officer Khan Wali which exploded in Arbapan area of Kama District around 08:30 AM today.
No group has claimed responsibility for the explosions.
http://www.khaama.com/two-people-killed-two-injured-in-nangarhar-explosions-3205
--------
Angry mob attacked Khaleda for burning people
Apr 22, 2015
Prime Minister’s ICT Affairs Adviser Sajeeb Wazed Joy has alleged that an angry mob attacked the BNP chief’s motorcade on Monday.
“People of Dhaka are quite angry at Khaleda Zia for burning 160 people to death and injuring many others on buses and public transportation during the past three months,” Joy, also son of the premier, said in a Facebook post on Monday night
“I think those who attacked her motorcade with brick bats today [Monday] are probably expressing this anger. Khaleda Zia and her party BNP must be brought to the book for the arson attacks.”
He, however, said: “Throwing bricks at Khaleda’s motorcade was not the way to do this.”
On Monday evening, Khaleda’s motorcade came under attack at Karwan Bazar when she was campaigning for BNP-backed mayoral aspirant Tabith Awal. The BNP chief escaped unhurt but several members of her entourage were reportedly injured.
Following the attack, the BNP and the AL filed police complaints accusing each other.
The BNP also called a day-long general strike today protesting the incident.
http://www.dhakatribune.com/politics/2015/apr/22/joy-angry-mob-attacked-khaleda-burning-people#sthash.RCWYN7Sa.dpuf
--------
Mideast
Understanding ‘Operation Restoring Hope’ in Yemen
22 April 2015
The Saudi-led military coalition in Yemen declared the end of Operation Decisive Storm yesterday, to be replaced with Operation Restoring Hope effective midnight. Although coalition spokesperson General Ahmed Asiri suggested on Sunday that a “next phase” of activities was imminent, yesterday’s developments still caught commentators surprised and scrambling to explain what the multilateral forces would now be seeking to achieve.
Emphasizing how the news caught so many observers off-guard, Yemen’s press attaché in Washington Mohammed Albasha noted soon afterwards on his personal Twitter account: “I will be honest, I have no idea what’s going on.” The editor of the Middle East Journal, Michael Collins Dunn, gave voice to further puzzlement on his blog: “Wait, What? They won? ... Something just happened, but I’m not sure what.”
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/perspective/analysis/2015/04/22/Understanding-the-Saudi-led-Operation-Restore-Hope-in-Yemen.html
--------
Two air strikes in Yemen kill at least 40
Apr 22, 2015
Two air strikes in Yemen killed at least 40 people, most of them civilians and wounded dozens of others, medical sources said.
One strike hit a bridge in central Ibb province as cars carrying militia members were driving on it, residents said, killing at least 20 people, mostly civilians. Another, on a security building in the city of Haradh near Yemen's border with Saudi Arabia, killed 13 civilians and seven soldiers.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/two-air-strikes-in-yemen-kill-at-least-40/article7126732.ece
--------
Replica Mecca, Quran-Shaped Cake Slammed By Turkey's Top Religious Body
Apr 22, 2015
Turkey’s top religious body has registered its disdain at two recent efforts to celebrate Islam, describing a Quran-shaped cake as “wrong” and slamming the replicas of Islam’s holiest places and objects as “great sin.”
Two municipalities in Istanbul recently constructed replicas of the Kaaba in Mecca, as well as other sacred places.
It was also recently revealed that a Quran-shaped cake was made by a Quran class in the Black Sea province of Tokat in 2013.
“It is very wrong to use a Quran or Kaaba-shaped cake to inaugurate a company or for similar occasions,” Turkey’s top religious body, the Diyanet, said in a statement on April 21.
“A mockup [of the Kaaba] should only be used to practise how to act [during the Hajj]. Otherwise, it is a great sin to try to Tawaf this mockup while thinking of fulfilling a religious duty,” the statement said.
Tawaf is one of the Islamic rituals of pilgrimage, or the Hajj. It consists of circumambulating the Kaaba, which is the most sacred site in Islam, seven times, in a counterclockwise direction.
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/replica-mecca-quran-shaped-cake-slammed-by-turkeys-top-religious-body.aspx?pageID=238&nID=81396&NewsCatID=341
--------
Replacing carpet at Jerusalem shrine reveals religious rift
Apr 22, 2015
A routine remodelling turns into a full-blown crisis as Jewish authorities claim Biblical history could have been lost when a carpet was laid in Al-Aqsa Mosque
It began as a routine remodeling project -- Muslim authorities replacing an old carpet worn thin by masses of worshippers at the Dome of the Rock, the iconic, gold-topped shrine that overlooks the Old City of Jerusalem.
But there is no such thing as routine remodeling when it comes to the most contested piece of real estate in Jerusalem, where the presence of a mere screwdriver can threaten to ignite religious tensions.
The carpet has sparked a verbal holy war over the hilltop compound, which is revered by Jews and Muslims whose competing claims often spill over into violence.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/world/replacing-carpet-at-al-aqsa-reveals-religious-rift/article7126694.ece
--------
Rouhani: Yemen strikes show Saudi ‘mental imbalance’
Apr 22, 2015
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says a Saudi-led offensive in Yemen was prompted by the kingdom’s failures elsewhere, causing what he called a “mental imbalance”.
Speaking to reporters Tuesday before heading to Indonesia, Rouhani mocked Saudi Arabia by calling it a country with dashed dreams in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon.
“All the failures have accumulated and caused mental and emotional imbalance for that country,” Rouhani said.
Iran has long accused Saudi Arabia of supporting militants, including the self-styled Islamic State (IS) group in Syria and Iraq. Meanwhile, Saudis accuse Iran of supporting Yemen’s Shia Houthi rebels who overran the capital and later forced the country’s Western-backed president into exile. Tehran and the rebels deny any military links, though the Islamic Republic has provided political and humanitarian support to the group.
Full report at:
http://www.dhakatribune.com/world/2015/apr/22/rouhani-yemen-strikes-show-saudi-mental-imbalance#sthash.vqisarJH.dpuf
--------
Turkey raises ‘democracy concerns’ over Mursi’s sentencing
22 April 2015
Turkey’s foreign ministry said on Wednesday Egypt should free former Islamist President Mohammad Mursi from jail and lift death sentences against his supporters before Ankara could consider an improved relations with Cairo.
“The judicial ruling concerning former President Mursi ... increases the concerns regarding the future of democracy in Egypt,” the foreign ministry statement said.
Mursi was sentenced on Tuesday to 20 years in prison without parole on charges of stemming from killing protesters during demonstrations outside the presidential palace in 2012.
Nearly three years after Mursi became Egypt’s first freely elected president, he stood in a cage in court with 12 fellow Brotherhood members, who were all acquitted of murder charges, escaping the death sentence.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/2015/04/22/Turkey-raises-democracy-concerns-over-Mursi-s-sentencing-.html
--------
Yemen rebels seize brigade HQ in third city Taez: Army
Apr 22, 2015
Rebel forces seized a loyalist brigade headquarters in Yemen's third city Taez on Wednesday hours after a Saudi-led coalition halted a four-week air campaign against them, an army officer said.
The headquarters of the 35th Armoured Brigade on the city's northern outskirts fell after heavy fighting which left "dozens dead and wounded", the officer told AFP from inside the captured base.
The brigade had remained loyal to exiled President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi and its troops had resisted a nearly week-long siege by the Houthi Shia rebels and their allies with support from tribal militia and coalition air strikes.
But hours after the coalition halted the air campaign it launched on March 26 the rebels overran it.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/128351/World/Region/Yemen-rebels-seize-brigade-HQ-in-third-city-Taez-A.aspx
--------
Yemen’s Hadi thanks Saudi-led military alliance
22 April 2015
President Abdrabbu Mansour Hadi on Wednesday thanked Saudi Arabia and coalition forces for supporting legitimacy in Yemen, Al Arabiya News Channel reported.
"I extend on my behalf and on behalf of the Yemeni people sincere thanks and appreciation for the Arab and Muslim brothers and our partners in the coalition for supporting legitimacy," he said in a televised speech from exile in the Saudi capital Riyadh.
His praise came hours after the kingdom announced the end of its almost month-long campaign to bomb Hadi's rivals in the Iran-allied Houthi rebel group and their loyalists in the army.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2015/04/22/Hadi-conspirators-led-Yemen-to-its-collapse-.html
--------
Houthis ‘copying Hezbollah leader’s speeches’
Apr 22, 2015
The leader of the Houthis is copying almost verbatim the speeches of the head of Lebanon’s Hezbollah organization, according to two Gulf intellectuals.
Abdul Hamid Al-Ansari, professor of Islamic law at Qatar University, reportedly said the speech recently delivered by Abdul Malik Al-Houthi combined several speeches of Hassan Nasrallah.
Al-Ansari described Al-Houthi’s arguments as weak, full of mistakes and delusional. He said the Yemeni rebel leader has denied that there have been atrocities committed by him and his followers and blamed the coalition forces for the deaths of citizens.
Al-Ansari said it was clear that Al-Houthi was simply regurgitating the arguments of Nasrallah because he used the words Israel, the United States and Zionism tens of times during the speech.
Full report at:
http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/736051
--------
Arab World
Sunni tribesmen fight their own people after breaking with Islamic State
Apr 22, 2015
MAKHMOUR, Iraq — When Islamic State militants swept across northern Iraq last summer, the Sunni al-Lehib tribe welcomed them as revolutionaries fighting the Shiite-led government in Baghdad. But less than a year later, the tribe is bitterly split between those who joined the extremist group and those resisting its brutal rule.
The tribe hails from a village just south of Mosul, Iraq's second largest city, which was captured by the Islamic State group last year. Like many Sunnis in northern Iraq, they initially welcomed the Islamic State group as liberators.
"We were happy when Daesh came," tribal leader Nazhan Sakhar said, using an acronym for the extremist group. "We thought they were going to Baghdad to establish a government. But then they started killing our own people. It turned out they were the same as al-Qaida."
Now he leads a group of around 300 fighters who have reluctantly allied with Iraqi troops and Kurdish forces to fight the IS group — and fellow tribesmen who still support the extremists.
Iraq's Sunnis have complained of discrimination and abuse since the U.S.-led invasion toppled Saddam Hussein's Sunni-led dictatorship and replaced it with an elected government dominated by the country's Shiite majority. That discontent fueled the rise of the Sunni Islamic State group and paved the way for its takeover of much of northern and western Iraq last year.
Full report at:
http://www.stripes.com/news/middle-east/sunni-tribesmen-fight-their-own-people-after-breaking-with-islamic-state-1.341540
--------
Dozens of Non-Syrian Terrorists Killed in Damascus Countryside
Apr 22, 2015
A large number of antigovernment fighters, including international terrorists have been killed in the strategic province of Damascus, a military source announced.
The source said that the Syrian army stormed rebels' strongholds in nearby areas of Erbeen town in Damascus countryside, killing several fighters, including Fouzi al Usairi from the UAE, al-Hadi al-Derbazi form Libya, Jihad Qadamani, Aziz al-Sayed, Giath al Talli, Dyab al-Fawwal and Nu’man al-Mousa from other regional states.
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=13940202000805
--------
Jordan's Salafists switch allegiance to IS
Apr 22, 2015
AMMAN, Jordan — The rise of the Islamic State (IS) in Iraq and Syria and the latter’s civil war have resulted in massive repercussions on the Salafi jihadist scene in Jordan, recently marked by an evolution in the group’s internal dynamics.
There are about 2,000 Salafi jihadists currently fighting in Syria, according to experts. In an interview with Al-Monitor, researcher Hassan Abu Haniya said he believes the number to be slightly lower, with 1,200 currently deployed there and about 350 killed in the conflict.
“Another 400 have been arrested for trying to join radical organizations in Syria,” Marwan Shehadeh, an expert in radical organizations, told Al-Monitor.
Full report at:
http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2015/04/jordan-amman-is-nusra-militants-salafi-jihadists.html#ixzz3Y1nJC6ux
--------
Scores of ISIL Terrorists Killed in Syrian Army's Attacks in Northeast
Apr 22, 2015
The Syrian Army, in a series of operations, in the Northeastern province of Hasaka killed and wounded dozens of the ISIL terrorists.
The Syrian army men targeted a long convoy of the terrorists' vehicles near al-Badran village and al- Meilabieh 20km South of Hasaka city, killing a number of antigovernment fighters injuring others.
Also Rafraf village 10km West of Hasaka city, which once was the stronghold of the ISIL terrorists, was targeted by the Syrian soldiers, who not only killed and wounded a large number of the foreign-backed fighters, but also captured 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=13940202000680
--------
Dozens of ISIL Terrorists Killed in Anbar
Apr 22, 2015
About 58 terrorists of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group were killed during a security operation in Anbar province, Iraq's Defense Ministry said.
The security force managed to kill 58 terrorists, and destroyed equipment and a large number of vehicles belonging to the terrorists during the security operation of "Fajr al-Karmah" in Anbar province, Iraq's Defense Ministry said on Tuesday.
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13940202000408
--------
Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi ‘seriously wounded in air strike’
Apr 22, 2015
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi no longer in day-to-day control of terror group as he recovers from injuries sustained during attack in March, according to sources.
The leader of the Islamic State, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, has been seriously wounded in an air strike in western Iraq, sources have told the Guardian.
A source in Iraq with connections to the terror group revealed that Baghdadi suffered serious injuries during an attack by the U.S.-led coalition in March. The source said Baghdadi’s wounds were at first life-threatening, but he has since made a slow recovery. He has not, however, resumed day-to-day control of the organisation.
Baghdadi’s wounding led to urgent meetings of IS leaders, who initially believed he would die and made plans to name a new leader.
Two separate officials — a western diplomat and an Iraqi adviser — separately confirmed the strike took place on March 18, 2015 in the al-Baaj a district of Nineveh, close to the Syrian border. There had been two previous reports in November and December of Baghdadi being wounded, though neither was accurate.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/baghdadi-hit-in-air-strike/article7127257.ece
--------
2 policemen shot dead in Cairo reportedly after Mohammed Morsi incarceration
Apr 22, 2015
Two policemen were shot dead after unknown gunmen opened fire on them in Egypt’s Matarya district here. Wael Tahon, a high-rank police official, and his driver were shot dead yesterday when masked gunmen shot them in front of Tahon’s house, local media said. Tahon was the head of detectives department of Matarya police station. Matarya district has witnessed many clashes between police and Muslim Brotherhood supporters in the recent days. Security forces rushed to the spot for investigation.
http://indianexpress.com/article/world/middle-east-africa/2-policemen-shot-dead-in-cairo/#sthash.LQ5FAhtY.dpuf
--------
Saudi Arabia Executes Citizen for ‘Vicious’ Murder of Indonesian Worker
Apr 22, 2015
Jakarta. The government of Saudi Arabia executed a man on Tuesday for the 2010 murder of Indonesian domestic worker Kikim Komalasari, according to an official from Indonesia’s consulate in Jeddah.
Dicky Yunus, a senior consular official in Saudi Arabia, said in a statement on Wednesday that Syai Ali Al Qahtani was executed on Tuesday.
“Saudi Arabia’s King Salman did not grant clemency and allowed the execution because the murder was considered too vicious,” said Dicky.
In November 2010, Qahtani tortured and murdered his 23-year-old domestic worker, Kikim, who was from Cianjur in West Java. Kikim’s body was found in a dumpster with her throat cut and major injuries.
Dicky said the Indonesian consulate was pursuing compensation for Kikim’s three children, who are 22, 15 and 9 years old.
“The Indonesian consulate general is helping the process of receiving compensation for Kikim’s kin. If needed, we will also provide lawyers,” Dicky said.
http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/saudi-arabia-executes-citizen-vicious-murder-indonesian-worker/
--------
Saudi king orders National Guard to take part in Yemen campaign
Apr 22, 2015
Saudi Arabia's King Salman on Tuesday ordered the Saudi Arabian National Guard to take part in Riyadh's campaign against Iran-allied Houthi rebels in Yemen, Saudi state media reported.
Military operations in the campaign have so far been carried out by the Royal Saudi Air Force and the Royal Saudi Land Forces, which answer to the Defence Ministry.
The national guard, which is widely regarded as the kingdom's best equipped military ground force, is a separate military structure run by its own ministry.
A number of Arab countries have been contributing to the Saudi-led campaign against the Houthi rebels with air and naval strikes.
The National Guard Ministry is tasked with supporting the armed forces in the defence of national security and the protection of the royal family.
Prince Mutaib bin Abdullah is the current head of the ministry. He was appointed by late King Abdullah in 2013.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/128291/World/Region/Saudi-king-orders-National-Guard-to-take-part-in-Y.aspx
-------
Islamic State are now preventing women 'from being seen by DENTISTS'
Apr 22, 2015
TERROR group Islamic State are preventing women from being treated by DENTISTS in a city near their self-declared capital of Raqqa, it has emerged.
The evil organisation are said to be working to stop females receiving dental treatment in the city of Tabaqa, in Syria, on the grounds of preventing mixing between men and women, which is against the extremists' rules.
Dentists in the area were said to have been given a deadline by which to end all their treatment commitments with female patients.
An IS campaign was then launched to ensure the new rule is enforced - resulting so far in the whipping of two dentists by affiliates of the terror group.
A dentist in Syria explained that there are not enough female dentists to accommodate all the women in Tabaqa - meaning many were being left without dental treatment as they are forbidden from being seen by male dentists.
Full report at:
http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/571852/Islamic-State-preventing-women-dentists
--------
Africa
Cameroon: At Least 23 Killed in Nigerian Communal Clashes
Apr 22, 2015
Calm has returned to the Agatu local government area in Benue State, Nigeria where fighting between the Ologba and Egba communities last Friday, April 17 and Saturday, April 18, 2015 resulted in the death of at least 23 people, Mail Online reported, citing the State Police Spokesman, Austin Ezeani. He reportedly said the Police deployed to the area contained the violence and the place was already calm.
"The two neighbours were fighting over ownership of a fish pond. The violence broke out on Friday and continued until Saturday with many people also injured," Mail Online quoted Austin Ezeani as having said. On the details of the casualties, the State Police Spokesman is quoted as saying that, "Some 23 corpses have been recovered following the fighting between Ologba and Egba communities in Agatu local government area of the State." Local media reports say between 45 and 60 people were killed in the clashes.
Full report at:
http://allafrica.com/stories/201504220909.html
-----
Sudan Seeks Answers After Medical Students Join Islamic State
Apr 22, 2015
KHARTOUM, SUDAN - In March, a group of British-Sudanese medical students abandoned their studies in Khartoum and took off in secret to join the Islamic State militant group in Syria. The school is now re-examining what went wrong and what can be done to prevent radicalization on campus.
The group of four medical students and five companions started their journey to jihad at the University of Medical Sciences and Technology in Khartoum.
The prestigious institution, set on a breezy, tree-covered campus in the center of the city, hosts 4,000 students, many from abroad, and has no reputation for religious extremism.
For Ahmed Babaker, dean of students at the university, it remains a bit of a mystery how this group of current and former students was drawn to Islamic State.
"The kids are very, very smart kids; very polite, very young, most of them have British passports. And we, from our side, we learn from this lesson at the university. We'd like to know how these students were recruited, how they were influenced in the campus," said Babaker.
Full report at:
http://www.bignewsnetwork.com/index.php/sid/232155085
--------
IS “crucifies” family in Derna
Apr 22, 2015
Horrific details have emerged of the murder yesterday of a well-known local family by Islamist militants in Derna.
Eight members of the Harir Al-Mansouri family, including two women, were reported killed after IS accused one of the family of supporting the Libya National Army and demanded that he be surrendered. Another report says that the man was accused of killing a relative of an IS militant last year.
When the family refused to hand the man over, IS forces allegedly started bombarding the house, killing eight of the family in the process. The clashes lasted for 12 hours.
Four men, named as Munaem Al-Harir Al-Mansouri, Khalid Al-Harir Al-Mansouri, Ibrahim Al-Harir Al-Mansouri and Abdulhamid Al-Haj Al-Harir Al-Mansouri were then taken out and publicly “crucified” as a warning to others not to challenge IS’ authority in the town. Photos of three of the dead men have been circulating on the internet.
Full report at:
http://www.libyaherald.com/2015/04/21/is-crucifies-family-in-derna/#axzz3Y235bgxh
--------
Police Forcefully Disperse Protests Held By Ethiopians Against Isis Killings
Apr 22, 2015
The police have today forcibly dispersed thousands of protestors who came out to the streets to protest the killings by ISIS militants of 28 Christian Ethiopians in Libya. A video released by the Islamic State group on Sunday April 19th appears to show the killing of two different groups of captured Ethiopian Christians by the extremist group's Libyan affiliates.
The national parliament was summoned for an emergency meeting this morning and declared that three days of national mourning will be observed as of tomorrow, Wed. April 22, 2015. Ethiopian flags all over the country as well as international organizations and Ethiopian embassies abroad will fly at half mast during the three days mourning.
Full report at:
http://allafrica.com/stories/201504220353.html
--------
India
Church Attacks Not Illegal and Violates No Law: Hindu Mahasabha
MOHAMMAD ALI
Apr 22, 2015
Days after a church in Agra was targeted, the Hindu Mahasabha on Monday said attacking a church is not “illegal” and “violates no law.”
“The Narendra Modi-led NDA government should award and provide legal and administrative protection to Hindus who attack churches across the country. Churches are no longer places of worship but factories for conversion of Hindus into Christianity,” said Munna Kumar Shukla, general secretary of the Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha.
Mr. Shukla said the outfit would give awards and protection for Hindu youths who attack churches and marry Muslim girls.
He also said the Taj Mahal was a Shiva temple and not a mausoleum and would meet the same fate as the Babri Masjid.
Last month an Agra court admitted a petition by six lawyers, affiliated to the RSS, seeking to declare the Taj Mahal a Shiva temple.
The court issued notices to the Union Home Secretary, the Union Ministry of Culture and the Archaeological Survey of India, asking them to file a reply by May 6. The next date of hearing in the case is on May 13.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/church-attacks-not-illegal-hindu-outfit/article7127261.ece
--------
Govt working to protect minorities: Home Minister
IANS | Apr 22, 2015
NEW DELHI: Union home minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday said the government is working for the protection of the minorities.
The home minister, speaking in the Lok Sabha also offered to come out with a detailed statement on the number of communal incidents and attacks on places of worship under all regimes.
"I can come out with a full-fledged statement on communal incidents... so that the country knows under which government maximum attacks have taken place," the minister said.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Govt-working-to-protect-minorities-Rajnath-Singh/articleshow/47011847.cms
--------
‘Deals with Pakistan won’t hurt China’s Indian ties’
Saibal Dasgupta,TNN | Apr 22, 2015
BEIJING: Chinese investments in Pakistan for the China-Pakistan economic corridor would not harm strengthening relations with India, Chinese experts said on Tuesday ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Beijing in May.
"There is enough potential for development of trade and economic relations between China and India. New Delhi does not need to worry about China-Pakistan agreements," Zhang Guihong, an expert on China-India relations at Shanghai's Fudan University, told TOI.
"Our goal is not to weaken India's ability in that area," Zhang said referring to concerns over the proposed corridor that would pass through disputed Gilgit-Baltistan, which India claims as its own.
China has maintained it merely wants to develop infrastructure in the area without undermining India's position on the Kashmir dispute.
An expert, who preferred anonymity, said China had no alternative but to invest in the disputed areas. "They happen to be areas that have a strong presence of terrorists. China's goal is to develop those areas as a means to counter the culture of terrorism,'' he said.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Deals-with-Pakistan-wont-hurt-Chinas-Indian-ties/articleshow/47007396.cms
--------
PM Sends 'Chadar' To Ajmer Sharif Dargah
Apr 22, 2015
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday pitched for harmony among all religions, citing the "great message" of Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti as he sent a 'Chadar' to be offered at his Dargah in Ajmer.
Greeting people on the occasion of the annual 'Urs' of Khwaja Chishti, Modi said in a message that India has been a land of sages, saints and prophets for thousands of years.
He recalled Khwaja Chishti's message of amity to his followers and said it is relevant even today.
"Khwaja had given a great message to his followers from all religions to live in harmony, keeping with the tradition of Sufis and saints. That message is relevant even today," the Prime Minister said.
He handed over the 'Chadar' to be offered at the Dargah to Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, minister of state for minority affairs.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/PM-sends-chaadar-to-Ajmer-Sharif-dargah/articleshow/47004628.cms
--------
North America
Arizona Students Spread Islam Awareness
Apr 22, 2015
CAIRO – Aiming to breakdown negative stereotypes, Muslim students at the University of Arizona (UA) launched Islamic Awareness Week on Monday, April 20, to educate students on the faith.
“I am very passionate about my religion, and this event gives me the opportunity to show people who Muslims really are,” Asim Zehri, a physiology senior and president of the Muslim Student Association (MSA), told The Daily Woldcat
The annual event, which comes amid unprecedented levels of anti-Muslim sentiment in the west, will end on Friday, April 24.
According to the organizers, the awareness week aims to dispel misconceptions surrounding Muslims and promote the true-face Islam.
UA students will have an opportunity to learn about Islamic culture, wear traditional clothes and enjoy delicious food during the event.
Full report at:
http://www.onislam.net/english/news/americas/485139-arizona-students-spread-islam-awareness.html
--------
US 'concerned' by sentencing of Egypt's Morsi, 14 more
Apr 22, 2015
The United States expressed its concern on Tuesday after an Egyptian court sentenced Islamist former president Mohamed Morsi and 14 of his supporters to hefty jail terms.
State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said Washington would "review the basis" for the court's decision to imprison Morsi for 20 years and was "concerned by these sentences."
"All Egyptians are entitled to equal and fair treatment before the law," she added.
Morsi was convicted of ordering the arrest and torture of demonstrators involved in clashes in 2012 when he was still Egypt's elected president.
Fourteen others were convicted of the same charges, with most also sentenced by the Cairo court to 20 years in jail.
But the court acquitted the defendants of inciting murder during the December 5, 2012 clashes -- and thus removed the threat of the death penalty.
Egypt's first freely elected leader, Morsi came to power following the 2011 ouster of veteran strongman Hosni Mubarak in a popular uprising.
But, after just a year in power, Morsi was himself toppled by after mass street protests.
Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood has been banned and targeted in a government crackdown.
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/128311/Egypt/Politics-/US-concerned-by-sentencing-of-Egypts-Morsi,--more.aspx
--------
White House avoids calling Armenian deaths ‘genocide’
Apr 22, 2015
The White House avoided referring to the World War I killings of Armenians as genocide on April 21, as a diplomatic row raged ahead of the tragedy’s 100th anniversary.
White House chief of staff Denis McDonough and one of President Barack Obama’s top foreign policy advisors hosted Armenian American leaders at the White House to discuss the centennial.
McDonough and Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes “discussed the significance of this occasion for honoring the 1.5 million lives extinguished during that horrific period,” the National Security Council said in a statement, according to Agence France-Presse.
Sticking to the White House’s avoidance of the term, the statement said the United States would “use the occasion to urge a full, frank and just acknowledgement of the facts.”
Armenian leaders who met with the administration officials said they were told Obama would not use the term.
Full report at:
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/white-house-avoids-calling-armenian-deaths-genocide-.aspx?pageID=238&nID=81388&NewsCatID=359
--------
Obama: We warned Iran not to send Yemen arms
22 April 2015
President Barack Obama said on Tuesday the U.S. government had sent “very direct messages”to Iran warning it not to send weapons to Yemen that could be used to threaten shipping traffic in the region.
The Pentagon said on Tuesday the presence of a large convoy of Iranian cargo ships in the Arabian Sea was one factor in the U.S. decision to deploy additional warships in the waters off war-torn Yemen.
But Army Colonel Steve Warren, a Pentagon spokesman, dismissed reports the carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt and cruiser USS Normandy had been sent to the region to intercept Iranian ships carrying arms to Iranian-backed Houthi rebels fighting forces loyal to the U.S.-backed Yemeni president.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2015/04/22/Obama-U-S-has-warned-Iran-not-to-send-arms-to-Yemen.html
--------
US: No reason to believe ISIS chief wounded
Apr 22, 2015
U.S. forces have no reason to think ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was wounded in an air strike against an Iraqi target last month, the Pentagon said Tuesday.
British daily The Guardian had earlier reported that the militant, who styles himself caliph of the jihadists' territory in Iraq and Syria, had been "seriously wounded" in an allied raid.
But Pentagon spokesman Colonel Steve Warren told reporters the report appears to have been "recycled" from a March story and that Baghdadi had not been a target of the raid in question.
"We said that there was nothing to indicate that Baghdadi had been wounded or killed," Warren said. "There's nothing to indicate that there's been a change."
U.S. and allied Western and Arab forces are engaged in an air campaign against Baghdadi's ISIS, a jihadist group that has seized cities in Syria and northern Iraq.
U.S. and Iranian-backed Iraqi forces and Shiite militias have made some progress in recent weeks against the Sunni militants, but the group has itself launched an offensive in western Iraq.
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2015/04/22/US-No-reason-to-think-ISIS-leader-wounded-.html
--------
White House welcomes end of ‘Operation Decisive Storm’
22 April 2015
The White house said on Tuesday it welcomed Saudi Arabia's announcement that it would end air strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen and back political peace talks.
"The United States welcomes today's announcement by the government of Saudi Arabia and its coalition partners of the conclusion of Operation Decisive Storm in Yemen," said Alistair Baskey, a spokesman for the White House National Security Council.
"We continue to support the resumption of a U.N.-facilitated political process and the facilitation of humanitarian assistance," Baskey said in a statement.
The Saudi Ministry of Defense announced on Tuesday the end of Operation Decisive Storm, a military campaign led by the kingdom in Yemen to combat the Houthi advance in the embattled country, Al Arabiya reported.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2015/04/22/White-House-welcomes-end-of-Operation-Decisive-Storm-.html
--------
U.S. senators call for humanitarian safe zones in Syria
Apr 22, 2015
Republican and Democratic U.S. senators called on President Barack Obama on April 21 to create and enforce humanitarian safe zones in Syria, amid international concerns about the dire conditions faced by millions of people displaced by the war.
"The staggering human displacement, killing and destruction are an affront to the civilized world and must be stopped," Republican Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham and Democrats Richard Durbin and Tim Kaine wrote to Obama in a letter seen by Reuters.
The four-year-long war in Syria has killed more than 220,000 people and displaced millions of others.
The lawmakers urged Obama to establish one or more safe zones, with "necessary enforcement mechanisms" including air assets, and securing of the border area by Turkey.
They also asked the Obama administration to provide lawmakers with an update on efforts to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Syria, including efforts to create and enforce safe zones with U.S. allies.
The senators also said they were disappointed that the United States has not taken in more Syrian refugees during the conflict. The country has admitted fewer than 800.
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/us-senators-call-for-humanitarian-safe-zones-in-syria.aspx?pageID=238&nID=81397&NewsCatID=359
----------
Boston bomber's attack 'essence of terror': Prosecutor
Apr 22, 2015
The Boston Marathon bombing was the "essence of terror," a US prosecutor said on Tuesday as the government began making its case that convicted bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev should be sentenced to death for the 2013 attack and its aftermath.
Tsarnaev, a 21-year-old ethnic Chechen, was found guilty on April 8 of killing three people and injuring 264 at the marathon finish line and fatally shooting a police officer as he and his older brother, Tamerlan, prepared to flee three days later.
"Dzhokhar Tsarnaev murdered each one of them in a way that they had time to feel pain," said Nadine Pellegrini, an Assistant US Attorney, in the prosecution's opening statement of the sentencing phase. "They had time to feel scared and frightened. But they had no time to say goodbye. That is the very essence of terror."
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/9/128306/World/International/Boston-bombers-attack-essence-of-terror-Prosecutor.aspx
--------
Southeast Asia
Legality of churches does not arise under constitution, says interfaith council
Apr 22, 2015
A church does not have to be registered in order to exist and operate, the national interfaith council said today, citing Article 11 of the Federal Constitution on freedom of religion.
The Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST) said there was nothing in the constitution requiring a church to register its place of worship.
"Article 11(3) states that each religion has a right to acquire property and to regulate their own affairs without any approval," MCCBCHST president Jagir Singh told The Malaysian Insider.
"So the question of illegality does not, at all, arise here."
Jagir was responding to a statement by the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) which said the church in Taman Medan, Petaling Jaya that was forced to remove its cross after a protest against it on Sunday was illegal.
Full report at:
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/legality-of-churches-does-not-arise-under-constitution-says-interfaith-coun#sthash.A4yJeXNG.dpuf
--------
Govt facing difficulties withdrawing informal workers from Middle East
Apr 22, 2015
Amid a moratorium, the government has been facing difficulties pulling out informal workers from Middle Eastern countries, says a senior official.
The director general for overseas labor placement and protection at the Manpower Ministry, Reyna Usman, said that many Indonesian citizens continued to stay in the Middle East for cultural and employment reasons.
“Besides, many Indonesian workers have been employed by Indonesian construction companies winning turnkey projects in the Middle East. It is impossible to withdraw the construction workers because their employment has been already included in the turnkey projects,” she said, citing several construction companies that were still carrying out construction projects in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and other Middle Eastern countries.
Full report at:
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/04/22/govt-facing-difficulties-withdrawing-informal-workers-middle-east.html#sthash.PZZkkSki.dpuf
--------
Negri MB defends new law for converts, says it’s fair to non-Muslim spouse
Apr 22, 2015
Negri Sembilan Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan (pic) today defended the state government's move to compel Muslim converts to dissolve their civil marriages before converting.
Replying to a question from PKR's Sikamat assemblymen Aminuddin Harun in the state assembly, Mohamad said: “Is it fair when a man converts to Muslim, and he abandons his wife and children?
“He still has responsibilities to his wife and children. Their actions are not the true teaching of Islam (abandoning wife and children).”
Full report at:
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/negri-mb-defends-new-law-for-converts-says-its-fair-to-non-muslim-spouse#sthash.fagPSaYZ.dpuf
--------
Europe
UN chief wants Israelis and Palestinians back to table
Apr 22, 2015
UNITED NATION: The United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon issued a dire warning on Tuesday saying “the prospects of a two-state solution in the Middle East were getting dimmer with potentially explosive consequences for the entire region”.
In a statement he urged the international community to boost efforts at bringing ‘Israeli and Palestinian delegations back to the negotiating table”.
“Over the years, we have seen determined efforts to achieve a comprehensive, negotiated peace based on a two-state solution,” Mr Ban told a meeting chaired by Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh of Jordan, which holds the Security Council’s presidency for the month.
“Instead of peace, however, there have been decades of missed opportunities and failures that have come at an enormous cost.”
The council meeting comes on the heels of Israel’s most recent election and the impending formation of a new Israeli government but also a flare-up in tensions between the government in Tel Aviv and the Palestinian Authority.
http://www.dawn.com/news/1177512/un-chief-wants-israelis-and-palestinians-back-to-table
--------
French official: Extremist was planning attack on church
Apr 22, 2015
France’s top security official says police have arrested an Islamic extremist in Paris as he was planning an imminent attack on one or more churches. Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said the man is also accused of killing a young woman shortly before he was arrested on Sunday. -
The 24-year-old computer science student had lived in France for several years and had been flagged by security officials last year. A French security official says the suspect was arrested after he apparently had shot himself and called for an ambulance.
http://indianexpress.com/article/world/europe/french-official-extremist-was-planning-attack-on-church/#sthash.pNTrzMFb.dpuf
--------
Muslim convert denies 'leaflet' terror charges
Apr 22, 2015
Two men accused of inviting people to support Islamic State (IS) by handing out leaflets in London's West End have pleaded not guilty to terror offences.
Shah Jahah Khan, 62, and Muslim convert Ibrahim Anderson, 38, each deny one charge of inviting support for a banned organisation.
Westminster Magistrates' Court heard that the charge relates to an offence on August 9 last year, when the pair are alleged to have handed out leaflets about IS in Oxford Street.
Anderson also denied one charge of possessing information likely to be useful for the preparation of or carrying out an act of terrorism, when police searched his property in December last year.
Anderson and Khan remained standing throughout the hearing, "in accordance with their religious beliefs", defence counsel Tony Lodge said.
Senior district judge Howard Riddle granted the two men conditional bail and they will appear at the Old Bailey on May 15.
http://www.independent.ie/world-news/europe/muslim-convert-denies-leaflet-terror-charges-31159534.html
--------
Islamic State is 'Satan', says Roman exorcist
Apr 22, 2015
Popular Roman exorcist Father Gabriele Amorth has termed militant group Islamic State (IS) “Satan” in a recent Facebook post.
“ISIS is Satan. Things first happen in the spiritual realms, then they are made concrete on this earth,” he said on the social media website.
Amorth, aged 90, is known for fighting the devil through his exorcisms, and has performed over 70,000 exorcisms in the past 29 years. An exorcism can require multiple sessions and each time the rite is administered, it is counted as one instance.
According to Father Amorth, there are only two spiritual realms: The Holy Spirit and the demonic spirit.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/873517/roman-exorcist-says-isis-is-satan/
--------
ISIS group besieges 228,000 in Syrian city: UN
22 April 2015
A new United Nations report says ISIS has more than 225,000 Syrians under siege in a single city.
The latest monthly report by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says the last time the U.N. was able to reach the besieged western neighborhoods of Deir ez Zor was in May 2014. The report says the only U.N. aid that made it in last month, via the world body's humanitarian partners, was 140 sheep.
The report obtained by The Associated Press says access to food is a serious concern.
The U.N. has been unable to deliver food and water treatment supplies for months to areas ISIS’ control, including the provincial capital of Raqqa. The World Food Program again in March was unable to reach 700,000 affected people.
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2015/04/22/Report-ISIS-group-besieges-228-000-in-Syrian-city.html
--------
Yemen violence kills 944, injures 3,487: WHO
Apr 22, 2015
The violence raging in Yemen since late March has killed 944 people and injured 3,487 as of April 17, the World Health Organization said Tuesday.
The UN health agency said the numbers came from health facilities in Yemen, but the true figures are likely higher since many people are not making it to hospitals for treatment.
Last Friday, the WHO had put the toll at 767 deaths and 2,906 injured in the latest round of violence that began on March 19.
The WHO toll does not distinguish between civilians and fighters.
Yemen, strategically located near key shipping routes and bordering oil-rich Saudi Arabia, was plunged into chaos last year when Iran-backed Huthi Shiite rebels seized the capital Sanaa.
A coalition of Sunni Arab nations led by Saudi Arabia launched air strikes last month against the rebels, vowing to restore the authority of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi, who fled to Riyadh as the rebels advanced on his southern refuge of Aden.
On Tuesday, medics in Yemen reported that 38 civilians had been killed and 532 wounded when the coalition struck a missile depot in the Yemeni capital on Monday.
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/128298/World/Region/Yemen-violence-kills-,-injures-,-WHO.aspx
--------
8:44 PM
Moderate Islamist here
0 comments:
Post a Comment