The companies say demand for beauty products that are halal, or target specific issues like veiled hair, will grow as the Muslim middle class grows. Photo: AFP
Terrorists Getting Ready to Surrender Key Town to Gov't Forces in Western Damascus
Iran, Afghanistan Joining Forces to Fight Creation of 'Islamic Caliphate'
Indian Govt Suspends 4 Home Ministry Officials over Renewal of Licence of Zakir’s NGO
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Arab World
Saudi Arabia's Wahhabism Ideology to Blame for Terrorist Acts in Middle East
Terrorists Getting Ready to Surrender Key Town to Gov't Forces in Western Damascus
Syrian Soldiers Smash Terrorists in Northern Hama
Syrian Army, Hezbollah Carry out Joint Offensive in Southern Aleppo
Army Destroys Terrorists' Command Centre in Dara'a Province
Syrian Army Wins Key Terrorist Position in Southern Province of Dara'a
Terrorists Pinned Down behind Positions in Northern Hama under Heavy Airstrikes
Senior Commander of FSA-Linked Terrorist Group Killed in Clashes with ISIL
Hamas Resolved to Maintain Ties with Iran
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South Asia
Iran, Afghanistan Joining Forces to Fight Creation of 'Islamic Caliphate'
Jamaat-E-Islami Leader Mir Quasem Ali Will Not Seek Presidential Clemency
Taliban Aims To Prevent Anas Haqqani Death Sentence with Hostage Video
Funding Squeeze Hits U.N. Food Programme In Afghanistan
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India
Indian Govt Suspends 4 Home Ministry Officials over Renewal of Licence of Zakir’s NGO
Dalit-Muslim Unity Historically Unsustainable, Says Senior BJP Leader
CBI Sends Judicial Request to Pak, Seeks Information on Dawood Gutkha Business
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Pakistan
At Least 13 Killed In Suicide Blast At Mardan Courthouse
Attack on Peshawar's Christian Colony: Civilian Killed, All Terrorists Dead
IS footprints eliminated from Pakistan: army
Pakistan, Turkey to remove duty on 85pc tariff lines
US, India urge Pakistan to bring Mumbai, Pathankot attackers to justice
Army chief General Sharif tells India, Pakistan’s boundaries completely safe
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Africa
Militias Corner Islamic State in Libyan City
Black Africa as the World Centre of Islam
Kenyan Muslims between rock and hard place
Congo bishops help facilitate talks between government, opposition
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Southeast Asia
Consumer Giants Woo Muslims with Halal Face Creams, Shampoos for Indonesia
Malaysian police say they stopped an Independence Day terror attack by Islamic State
Indonesia turns to India buffalo as beef alternative
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Europe
Europe Is Currently Seeing A Muslim Conquest, Hungarian Charismatic Church Leader Claims
The Islamist war against Sikhs is arriving in Europe
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North America
Islam has become America’s favourite metaphor for “really bad”
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
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Saudi Arabia's Wahhabism Ideology to Blame for Terrorist Acts in Middle East
2nd September 2016
TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi blasted Saudi Arabia for spreading the Wahhabism ideology in a bid to increase the terrorist and extremist activities in the Middle East.
"The world has come to learn that Saudi Arabia and Wahhabism, the radical ideology freely preached in the Arab country, are to blame for the violent acts of extremism in the Middle East region and elsewhere," Qassemi said on Thursday night.
The Iranian foreign ministry spokesman reiterated that Saudi Arabia’s attempts to cover up its role in the spread of terrorism and extremism in the region have failed.
"Despite Saudi Arabia’s constant attempts to hide such realities as its involvement in the world’s most horrific terrorist operation and child-killing in Yemen by using petrodollars, today, the world has well learned that the source of these scourges is the Saudi regime and the fake ideology of Wahhabism, which is the basis for the country’s political livelihood,” Qassemi added.
The Iranian foreign ministry spokesman’s remarks came in reaction to Wednesday comments by Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir in the Chinese capital, where he accused Iran of backing the popular forces fighting against Saudi Arabia in Yemen.
Iranian and Yemeni officials have repeatedly rejected the accusation as baseless.
Saudi Arabia has been waging war on Yemen since March 2015 in an attempt to bring back to power former fugitive President Mansour Hadi, a Saudi ally who has resigned as Yemen’s president.
Jubeir had also accused Iran of attempting to “smuggle explosives to Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.”
Source: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950612000307
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Terrorists Getting Ready to Surrender Key Town to Gov't Forces in Western Damascus
September 2, 2016
TEHRAN (FNA)- Terrorists in Mo'adhamiyeh in Western Ghouta are in the final stages of negotiation to completely surrender the key town to the Syrian government forces, sources said Friday.
"A government delegation arrived in Mo'adhamiyeh on Friday morning after both parties failed to reach a settlement regarding the fate of the town yesterday," sources said adding, "Militants are refusing to turn in their heavy weaponry before surrendering the entire town to the Syrian army."
"An agreement is expected to be reached in the coming hours that would allow the government to take full control of Mo'adhamiyeh in exchange for transporting the Islamist rebels to Idlib province," they added.
Mo'adhamiyeh was originally under a ceasefire agreement prior to this week’s intense negotiation process between the government and opposition delegations.
Mo'adhamiyeh is hosting 35,000 people who will remain in the region and merely 100 militants who don’t intend to surrender their weapons are due to leave the region towards Idlib.
The Syrian army and militants in the city of Mo'adhamiyeh held peace talks in the presence of Russian officers after a 72-hour ceasefire took effect in the region earlier this week.
During the talks, the Syrian army stated their conditions for truce and exit of the terrorists through safe corridor from Mo'adhamiyeh.
"Laying down arms and surrendering all weapons of the terrorists, reviewing the conditions of all militants, including those who defected the Syrian army and the culprits, the return and reactivation of all the bodies and organizations under the auspices of the Syrian government to Mo'adhamiyeh, announcing the names and the number of the terrorists who are not willing to surrender and transferring them to the North (Idlib province), setting up and organizing the police force and internal security in Mo'adhamiyeh with the participation of the local people and the Syrian army forces" have been mentioned by the Syrian army as its conditions for peace in the town.
Source: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950612000203
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Iran, Afghanistan Joining Forces to Fight Creation of 'Islamic Caliphate'
02.09.2016
Afghan Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani has paid an official visit to Iran to discuss a raft of hot-button issues, including closer security cooperation and a joint fight against terrorism. © SPUTNIK/ KISELEV Russia, Iran Concerned Over Deterioration of Situation in Afghanistan, Daesh Threat During his talks in Tehran with his Iranian colleague Mohammad Javad Zarif, the Afghan foreign minister said that a stable and secure Afghanistan was a strategically important factor in bilateral relations, and prioritized regular consultations and information exchanges between the two countries. Meanwhile, the security situation in Afghanistan keeps worsening with the eastern districts of Paktia province being besieged by Taliban and Daesh terrorists, and the strategic Khanabad district in the country’s northwestern Kunduz province changing hands in continuous firefights between government forces and jihadist terrorists. Full report at:sputniknews.com/middleeast/20160902/1044882195/iran-afghanistan-security.html
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Indian Govt suspends 4 Home Ministry officials over renewal of licence of Zakir’s NGO
September 2, 2016
New Delhi :Government suspended four Home Ministry officials including a Joint Secretary for allegedly facilitating the renewal of FCRA licence of an NGO promoted by Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, against whom several probes are going on.
Those suspended are Joint Secretary G K Dwivedi, an IAS officer, two deputy secretaries and one section officer, official sources said.
The action was taken after the Home Ministry found that Naik’s NGO Islamic Research Foundation’s FCRA licence was renewed recently despite several ongoing probes, including one by it.
“The action against two Under Secretaries and one Section Officer was due to their negligence in clearing the renewal while a case is still pending,” Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju tweeted.
Full report at:siasat.com/news/govt-suspends-4-home-ministry-officials-renewal-licence-zakirs-ngo-1011746/
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Arab World
Saudi Arabia's Wahhabism Ideology to Blame for Terrorist Acts in Middle East
2nd September 2016
TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi blasted Saudi Arabia for spreading the Wahhabism ideology in a bid to increase the terrorist and extremist activities in the Middle East.
"The world has come to learn that Saudi Arabia and Wahhabism, the radical ideology freely preached in the Arab country, are to blame for the violent acts of extremism in the Middle East region and elsewhere," Qassemi said on Thursday night.
The Iranian foreign ministry spokesman reiterated that Saudi Arabia’s attempts to cover up its role in the spread of terrorism and extremism in the region have failed.
"Despite Saudi Arabia’s constant attempts to hide such realities as its involvement in the world’s most horrific terrorist operation and child-killing in Yemen by using petrodollars, today, the world has well learned that the source of these scourges is the Saudi regime and the fake ideology of Wahhabism, which is the basis for the country’s political livelihood,” Qassemi added.
Full report at: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950612000307
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Terrorists Getting Ready to Surrender Key Town to Gov't Forces in Western Damascus
September 2, 2016
TEHRAN (FNA)- Terrorists in Mo'adhamiyeh in Western Ghouta are in the final stages of negotiation to completely surrender the key town to the Syrian government forces, sources said Friday.
"A government delegation arrived in Mo'adhamiyeh on Friday morning after both parties failed to reach a settlement regarding the fate of the town yesterday," sources said adding, "Militants are refusing to turn in their heavy weaponry before surrendering the entire town to the Syrian army."
"An agreement is expected to be reached in the coming hours that would allow the government to take full control of Mo'adhamiyeh in exchange for transporting the Islamist rebels to Idlib province," they added.
Mo'adhamiyeh was originally under a ceasefire agreement prior to this week’s intense negotiation process between the government and opposition delegations.
Mo'adhamiyeh is hosting 35,000 people who will remain in the region and merely 100 militants who don’t intend to surrender their weapons are due to leave the region towards Idlib.
The Syrian army and militants in the city of Mo'adhamiyeh held peace talks in the presence of Russian officers after a 72-hour ceasefire took effect in the region earlier this week.
During the talks, the Syrian army stated their conditions for truce and exit of the terrorists through safe corridor from Mo'adhamiyeh.
"Laying down arms and surrendering all weapons of the terrorists, reviewing the conditions of all militants, including those who defected the Syrian army and the culprits, the return and reactivation of all the bodies and organizations under the auspices of the Syrian government to Mo'adhamiyeh, announcing the names and the number of the terrorists who are not willing to surrender and transferring them to the North (Idlib province), setting up and organizing the police force and internal security in Mo'adhamiyeh with the participation of the local people and the Syrian army forces" have been mentioned by the Syrian army as its conditions for peace in the town.
Source: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950612000203
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Syrian Soldiers Smash Terrorists in Northern Hama
September 2, 2016
TEHRAN (FNA)- Syrian Armed Forces launched a fresh round of offensives on terrorist groups' concentration centers near a militant-held town in Northern Hama, leaving tens of the terrorists dead or wounded, military sources announced minutes ago.
"The Syrian army stormed the key town of Taybat al-Imam from two axes, resulting in fierce clashes with Jund al-Aqsa and Faylaq al-Sham terrorist groups that are still ongoing at the moment," the sources said.
"The terrorist groups have thus far suffered a heavy death toll in the attacks," sources added.
Meantime on Thursday, the Syrian air force pounded the terrorist groups' military positions near the strategic town of Morek in the Northern parts of Hama province, killing dozens of militants.
The Syrian warplanes targeted the gatherings of terrorists in Morek, Tibet al-Imam and the surrounding areas of al-Buwaida and Souran in Hama province, killing a large number of the militants and destroying scores of their vehicles, some equipped with machine guns.
The Syrian air force also launched airstrikes on the positions of Jeish al-Nasr and Jund al-Aqsa terrorist groups near Souran village in the Northern parts of Hama.
The attack killed over 10 terrorists and smashed their PMP vehicle.
Source: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950612000257
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Syrian Army, Hezbollah Carry out Joint Offensive in Southern Aleppo
September 2, 2016
TEHRAN (FNA)- Syrian military forces and Lebanese Hezbollah fighters struck Jeish al-Fatah's positions in military academy buildings, inflicting major losses on the terrorists, sources said on Friday.
"The Syrian Armed Forces and Hezbollah hit hard Jeish al-Fatah’s first-line of defense at Taslih collage in the Southern flank of aviation technical collage, ending in the killing and wounding several militants," the sources said.
"If Taslih collage is captured, the Syrian Armed Forces will have successfully closed off the road to Eastern districts of Aleppo," they added.
Also on Thursday, the terrorists' arms depot in the Northern parts of Khan Touman and Western al-Amareh became an easy target for the Syrian army and resistance forces after the militants withdrew from the region.
After the terrorists' withdrawal from the Northern parts of Khan Touman and Western al-Amareh, the danger of their occupation of the strategic al-Wazihi town decreased.
The Syrian and resistance forces are reportedly trying to retake the arms depot of Northern Khan Touman from the terrorists and cut their supply route in the Southern and Southwestern parts of Aleppo.
Source: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950612000235
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Army Destroys Terrorists' Command Center in Dara'a Province
September 2, 2016
TEHRAN (FNA)- The Syrian army destroyed the central command center of the terrorists in Dara'a province, killing tens of them.
The Syrian army's artillery unit pounded the terrorists' main command center in the city of Dara'a.
The Syrian army also conducted major military operations in different parts of the country over last 24 hours.
Dara'a
The Syrian army units destroyed a command center, a fortified position and a monitoring center of the terrorist groups in Dara'a al-Balad area in Dara'a city.
The concentrated attack killed and injured dozens of militants and blew up their military equipment and weapons.
Also, another army unit smashed the terrorists' mortar-launching position in al-Nueimeh town in the Eastern parts of Dara'a, killing all the terrorists in there.
Deir Ezzur
The ISIL launched a major offensive inside Deir Ezzur City, targeting the government-controlled districts of Al-Arfi and Mouzafeen.
Full report at: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950612000224
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Syrian Army Wins Key Terrorist Position in Southern Province of Dara'a
2nd September 2016
TEHRAN (FNA)- Syrian military forces engaged in fierce clashes with terrorist groups in Northern Dara'a, taking full control of their positions near a key town.
The Syrian soldiers struck terrorists' strongholds in the Eastern side of the town of Ibtta, inflicted major casualties on the terrorists and captured their position.
Terrorists suffered a heavy death toll and pulled the remaining pockets of their forces back from the battlefield.
In relevant developments on Thursday, the Syrian army units destroyed a command center, a fortified position and a monitoring center of the terrorist groups in Dara'a al-Balad area in Dara'a city.
The concentrated attack killed and injured dozens of militants and blew up their military equipment and weapons.
Also, another army unit smashed the terrorists' mortar-launching position in al-Na'eimeh town in the Eastern parts of Dara'a, killing all the terrorists in there.
Source: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950612000288
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Terrorists Pinned Down behind Positions in Northern Hama under Heavy Airstrikes
2nd September 2016
TEHRAN (FNA)- The Syrian Air Force carried out several combat flights over the terrorist groups' concentration centers in nine different regions in Northern Hama, inflicting heavy losses and casualties on the militants.
Three tanks, a rocket launcher and scores of vehicles of terrorists groups were damaged and a large number of their members were killed in the Syrian fighter jets' attacks on their centers in Ma'ardes, Souran, al-Zalaqiyat, al-Tamaniaa, Atshan, Kafr Zita, al-Za'atar hill, al-Latamina and on Kawlab-Souran road.
Reports said earlier today that Syrian Armed Forces launched a fresh round of offensives on terrorist groups' concentration centers near a militant-held town in Northern Hama, leaving tens of the terrorists dead or wounded.
"The Syrian army stormed the key town of Taybat al-Imam from two axes, resulting in fierce clashes with Jund al-Aqsa and Faylaq al-Sham terrorist groups that are still ongoing at the moment," the sources said.
"The terrorist groups have thus far suffered a heavy death toll in the attacks," sources added.
Source: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950612000527
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Senior Commander of FSA-Linked Terrorist Group Killed in Clashes with ISIL
2nd September 2016
TEHRAN (FNA)- A notorious commander of Liwa al-Mo'atasem affiliated to the Free Syrian Army (FSA) was killed in clashes with the terrorists of ISIL.
Mahmoud Isa al-Abbas, an experienced field commander of terrorist group of Liwa al-Mo'atasem, was killed in infighting with ISIL.
Scores of militants, including commanders, have been killed in infighting of terrorist groups across Syria, testifying their disunity in their war against the Syrian government and Army.
Source: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950612000500
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Hamas Resolved to Maintain Ties with Iran
2nd September 2016
TEHRAN (FNA)- Hamas Representative in Lebanon Ali Baraka underlined that the Palestinian resistance movement is determined to continue its good relations with Iran.
"Following a decade of Gaza blockade, the continuation of Zionist aggressions against the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the mushrooming Zionist settlements in the West Bank make it inevitable that the Palestinians, including Hamas should strengthen and promote ties with Iran," Baraka said in a meeting with the Iranian Embassy's First Attaché to Lebanon Mohammad Majedi in Beirut on Friday.
Majedi, for his part, underlined that Iran will continue to support the Palestinian nation, the resistance movements and Palestine's Intifada against Israel's occupation.
The two sides emphasized the need for unifying the Islamic Ummah to stand against the Zionist enemy across the region and in Palestine.
They also called for confronting the conspiracies plotted to abort the issue of Palestine.
In a relevant development in early July, the public relations office of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps in a statement underlined that Hamas is pioneering fight against Israel.
"There is no doubt that the Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, which has inflicted a humiliating defeat and hit a deadly blow at the Zionist regime during the 22-day, 51-day and 8-day wars, is at the forefront of the Palestinian nation's anti-Zionism resistance and fight," the IRGC statement said.
The statement underlined that the Palestinian nation has entered a new stage by starting the third Intifada against the Zionist regime which has raised growing fears among the Zionists and their regional and trans-regional supporters.
The statement also reiterated that the Iranian nation's support for the Palestinian nation's cause is one of the inviolable strategies of the Islamic Revolution and the IRGC.
Source: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950612000519
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South Asia
Iran, Afghanistan Joining Forces to Fight Creation of 'Islamic Caliphate'
02.09.2016
Afghan Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani has paid an official visit to Iran to discuss a raft of hot-button issues, including closer security cooperation and a joint fight against terrorism. © SPUTNIK/ KISELEV Russia, Iran Concerned Over Deterioration of Situation in Afghanistan, Daesh Threat During his talks in Tehran with his Iranian colleague Mohammad Javad Zarif, the Afghan foreign minister said that a stable and secure Afghanistan was a strategically important factor in bilateral relations, and prioritized regular consultations and information exchanges between the two countries. Meanwhile, the security situation in Afghanistan keeps worsening with the eastern districts of Paktia province being besieged by Taliban and Daesh terrorists, and the strategic Khanabad district in the country’s northwestern Kunduz province changing hands in continuous firefights between government forces and jihadist terrorists. The situation in western Afghanistan is equally worrisome with anti-Iranian Daesh forces posing a serious threat to Tehran, which is now recruiting local Afghan refugees to fight the terrorist organization. In an interview with Sputnik, Iranian political analyst Pirmohammad Mollazehi underscored the all-importance of closer security exchanges between Iran and Afghanistan. “A stable Afghanistan holds the key to stability and peace in this whole region. The country is being threatened by the Taliban, which is trying to put entire regions under their control, and by Daesh which, faced with a potential defeat in Syria and Iraq, could set its sights on Afghanistan, thus posing a serious threat also to Iran, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan,” Pirmohammad Mollazehi said. He also said that the Daesh terrorists’ main goal is to establish an “Islamic Caliphate” that would spread from Russia’s North Caucasus all the way to India.
Full report at: sputniknews.com/middleeast/20160902/1044882195/iran-afghanistan-security.html
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Jamaat-E-Islami Leader Mir Quasem Ali Will Not Seek Presidential Clemency
September 02, 2016
With this development, no legal procedure is left out before execution of Quasem whom the International Crimes Tribunal, Bangladesh awarded death penalty for crimes against humanity during the 1971 liberation war.
“Mir Quasem Ali has told us that he will not seek the presidential clemency,” the jail super told the Prothom Alo on Friday.
He said Mir Quasem informed the jail super about his decision when the official approached him to know about it.
Earlier, the family members of Mir Quasem Ali after meeting him at Kashimpur told the media that Quasem will not take a decision on whether to seek clemency until he gets back his missing son.
Talking to the Prothom Alo on Friday, Quasem’s daughter Sumaiya Rabeya said his father had said he would not take a decision without his missing son. “Now we have come to know that he has decided to not seek the clemency.”
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on 30 August rejected Quasem’s review petition, upholding the death penalty for him for the 1971 crimes against humanity.
On 8 March, the Appellate Division upheld the death penalty for Mir Quasem Ali for the war-time crimes.
The court 2 of The International Crimes Tribunal, Bangladesh (ICT,B) sentenced Mir Quasem Ali to death on 2 November 2014.
On 30 November 2014, he filed an appeal before the Supreme Court challenging the death penalty.
Source: en.prothom-alo.com/bangladesh/news/119265/Mir-Quasem-won%E2%80%99t-seek-presidential-clemency
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Taliban aims to prevent Anas Haqqani death sentence with hostage video
Thu Sep 01 2016
The Taliban militants group in Afghanistan has released the latest video of the American and Canadian hostages in a bid to force the Afghan government prevent imposing death sentence on Anas Haqqani.
A Taliban source told Reuters Wednesday that the timing of the release was aimed at pressuring the Afghan government not to execute Anas Haqqani, son of Jalaluddin Haqqani, founder of the feared Haqqani network.
The Canadian man Joshua Boyle and his American wife Caitlan Coleman are shown in the video warning that their Afghan captors will kill them and their children unless the Kabul government ends its executions of Taliban prisoners.
The couple was kidnapped by the militants as soon as they visited Afghanistan late in 2012.
Earlier the couple appeared in two videos in 2013 asking the U.S. government to free them from the Taliban. The Colemans received a letter last November in which their daughter said she had given birth to a second child in captivity.
The release of the video comes as the reports emerged earlier this week suggesting Anas Haqqani has been sentenced to death by a primary court in Afghanistan.
The Afghan officials have not commented regarding the trial of Anas Haqqani so far but reports regarding his trial came as the Afghan people have been urging the government to immediately hang him.
The Haqqani terrorist network is accused of several deadly attacks in Afghanistan including a major attack on VIP protection unity in Kabul which left at least 74 dead and round 347 others wounded.
Source: khaama.com/taliban-aims-to-prevent-anas-haqqani-death-sentence-with-hostage-video-01820
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Funding Squeeze Hits U.N. Food Programme In Afghanistan
Sep 2, 2016
A squeeze on funding caused by the spread of crises across the Middle East and Africa has left the World Food Programme (WFP) unsure about whether it can continue its planned operations in Afghanistan, the U.N. food organisation said on Friday.
"We met donors and implored them to continue their support to this country to ensure we don't lose momentum," Ertharin Cousin, executive director of the WFP, told reporters during a four-day visit to Kabul.
She said the organisation, which has been active in Afghanistan since 1963, faced a $50 million funding shortfall to support its programmes this year and ensure they were not interrupted during the coming winter.
A surge in the number of refugees returning from Pakistan had added to the strains, she said.
Angeline Rudakubana, the WFP's deputy country director for Afghanistan, said the organisation had been forced to reduce rations in its school meals programme and cut other support.
Chronic insecurity in many parts of the country had occasionally forced the WFP to suspend some activities, but the main problem remained funding.
The comments underline the extent to which aid to Afghanistan, where the WFP estimates that 40 percent of people face "food insecurity", is under strain 15 years after the hardline Taliban regime was toppled.
"It is not donor fatigue. Globally, the donors have never been more generous," Cousin said.
"But we are seeing increased demands for donor support, whether it's Syria, Iraq, Yemen, South Sudan, now northeast Nigeria."
(Reporting by James Mackenzie; Editing by Robert Birsel)
source: in.reuters.com/article/afghanistan-un-food-programme-idINKCN1181JP
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India
Indian Govt suspends 4 Home Ministry officials over renewal of licence of Zakir’s NGO
September 2, 2016
New Delhi :Government suspended four Home Ministry officials including a Joint Secretary for allegedly facilitating the renewal of FCRA licence of an NGO promoted by Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, against whom several probes are going on.
Those suspended are Joint Secretary G K Dwivedi, an IAS officer, two deputy secretaries and one section officer, official sources said.
The action was taken after the Home Ministry found that Naik’s NGO Islamic Research Foundation’s FCRA licence was renewed recently despite several ongoing probes, including one by it.
“The action against two Under Secretaries and one Section Officer was due to their negligence in clearing the renewal while a case is still pending,” Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju tweeted.
In another tweet, Rijiju said the Home Ministry was very clear that there should be smooth process of registration or renewal of FCRA licence but not when there is a case pending. “We had made the process of FCRA renewal online,” he tweeted.
Mumbai Police is also probing allegations against Naik.
Naik is accused of radicalisation of youths into terrorand receiving foreign funds and spending such funds in luring youths into radical views.
He came under the scanner of the security agencies after Bangladeshi newspaper ‘Daily Star’ reported that one of the attackers of the July 1 terror strike in Dhaka, Rohan Imtiaz, ran a propaganda on Facebook last year quoting Naik.
Naik in a lecture, aired on Peace TV, an international Islamic channel, had reportedly “urged all Muslims to be terrorists”.
The popular but controversial Islamic orator is banned in the UK and Canada for his hate speech aimed against other religions. He is among 16 banned Islamic scholars in Malaysia.
He is popular in Bangladesh through his Peace TV, although his preachings often demean other religions and even other Muslim sects.
Source: siasat.com/news/govt-suspends-4-home-ministry-officials-renewal-licence-zakirs-ngo-1011746/
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Dalit-Muslim unity historically unsustainable, says Senior BJP leader
02 Sep 2016
With the oppsoition calling for Dalit-Muslim unity to counter rise of BJP ahead of crucial UP assembly election, a senior party leader has warned the Dalit community that such an allaiance is not sustainable and that it has been “historically proven”.
BJP general secretary P Muralidhar Rao said whenever Dalits came together with Muslims, Dalits suffered adversely with their “entity” wiped out.
He said whenever such an experiment was carried out, Dalits were at the receiving end and cited condition of people from the community in Pakistan.
He said, "In the name of this unity, Dalits were converted to Islam. Where are Dalits in Pakistan? What has happened in the name of this unity in Pakistan. Now there is no Dalit entity in Pakistan."
The comments assume significance as there were reports that Dalit families in some part of Tamil Nadu have decided to convert to Islam allegedly due to refusal by upper caste people to give them right to worship in temples.
Talking about social experiments by some political parties for Dalit-Muslim unity, Rao said, "Some people say Muslims and Dalits are united. Historically it has been proved that it is unsustainable. It has never happened and it will never happen....whenever this experiment was tried Dalits were beaten up."
The BJP has been facing heat from Dalits in Gujarat after four people from the community were brutally assaulted by cow vigilantes last month when they were found skinning a dead cow. The incident had sparked widespread outrage.
Full report at: indiatvnews.com/politics/national-dalit-muslim-unity-historically-unsustainable-says-senior-bjp-leader-346349
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CBI Sends Judicial Request To Pak, Seeks Information On Dawood Gutkha Business
September 2, 2016
NEW DELHI: CBI has sent a judicial request to Pakistan seeking information about underworld don Dawood Ibrahim’s alleged gutkha business set up there with help from Indian businessmen after filing a charge sheet against the most wanted terrorist.
CBI sources said, Letter Rogatory, a judicial request to get information, have been dispatched to Pakistan, the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates seeking details of Dawood’s gutkha business which is purportedly run by his brother Anees Ibrahim.
Recently, CBI has filed a supplementary charge sheet against Dawood Ibrahim, his brother-in-law AH Antule, henchman Saleem Mohammed Ghaus besides two prominent gutkha businessmen JM Joshi of Goa Gutkha and RL Dhariwal for allegedly helping Anees Ibrahim set up a gutkha plant at Hyderabad in Sindh province of Pakistan.
Source: siasat.com/news/cbi-sends-judicial-request-pak-seeks-information-dawood-gutkha-business-1011739/
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Pakistan
At least 13 killed in suicide blast at Mardan courthouse
02 Sep 2016
PESHAWAR: At least 13 people were killed and 41 others injured when a suicide bomber blew himself up near the entrance of Mardan's district and sessions court on Friday, police said.
The Jamaatul Ahrar (JA) claimed responsibility for the attack.
The suicide blast comes just hours after gunmen attacked Peshawar's Christian Colony, an attack also claimed by JA.
District Police Officer (DPO) Mardan Faisal Shahzad said the attacker detonated a hand grenade before exploding his suicide vest. The bomb contained 8 kilograms of explosive material, the DPO said, adding that security arrangements at the site of the attack helped mitigate the damage.
The DPO said four lawyers and three policemen were among the dead. He lauded the bravery of the policemen who tried to stop the suicide bomber from making his way inside the courthouse.
"Police fired at the attacker, then the second explosion took place," the DIG said. "The attacker was deterred by the firing. His plan was to get inside," he said.
An emergency has been imposed at hospitals in the area.
People from the legal community have been targeted several times in the last few months.
Last month, 73 people, most of them lawyers, were killed after a suicide bomber struck the emergency ward of Quetta's Civil Hospital. The lawyers had gathered to mourn the death of Balochistan Bar Association (BBA) president Bilal Anwar Kasi in a gun attack earlier in the day.
The Quetta attack was claimed by Jamaatul Ahrar and the militant Islamic State group, but Balochistan Chief Minster Sanaullah Zehri hinted at the involvement of Indian spy agency RAW.
Explore: 54 voices: What we lost in the Quetta carnage
The attacks in Peshawar and Mardan come a day after Director-General (DG) Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Asim Bajwa gave an exhaustive rundown of progress made against militants in the country's northwestern region in Operation Zarb-i-Azb which was launched in June 2014.
He highlighted that Pakistan had suffered a cumulative loss of $106.98 billion in the war on terror between 2001 and 2015. “We are not doing it for anyone but ourselves,” he stressed.
He said 3,500 terrorists had been eliminated during the course of Operation Zarb-i-Azb, while 2,272 soldiers were and 537 personnel had embraced martyrdom, including 18 officers, 35 junior commissioned officers and 484 soldiers.
Source: dawn.com/news/1281561/at-least-13-killed-in-suicide-blast-at-mardan-courthouse
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Attack on Peshawar's Christian Colony: Civilian killed, all terrorists dead
02 Sep 2016
PESHAWAR: Four terrorists trying to attack a Christian colony on Peshawar's outskirts were killed during a stand-off with security forces Friday morning.
A civilian was also killed in the attack, security sources told DawnNews.
The Jamaatul Ahrar militant group claimed responsibility for the attack.
Soldiers backed by Army helicopters exchanged gunfire with militants in suicide vests who entered the colony around 6am after hitting a security guard, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.
All four attackers detonated their suicide jackets, Additional Inspector General Bomb Disposal Squad Shafqat Malik said, adding that rifles and five hand grenades were recovered from the attackers.
Two Frontier Corps soldiers, a police constable and two civilian guards were injured during an exchange of fire with terrorists, ISPR said.
Two of the terrorists took cover in under construction houses, one hid inside a house, and one was found outside in the colony, the AIG said.
The AIG termed the colony clear after a house-to-house search operation was carried out.
Peshawar has suffered numerous terrorist attacks but it was not immediately clear who was behind today’s assault. The city suffered its worst terror attack in December 2014 when Taliban gunmen massacred more than 150 people, most of them children, at an army-run school.
Full report at: dawn.com/news/1281557/attack-on-peshawars-christian-colony-civilian-killed-all-terrorists-dead
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IS footprints eliminated from Pakistan: army
02 Sep 2016
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Army said on Thursday that the footprints of the militant Islamic State (IS) group had been eliminated from Pakistan.
“They tried to [sneak] into Pakistan but failed and [were] apprehended,” Inter-Services Public Relations Director General (ISPR) Lt Gen Asim Saleem Bajwa told reporters during a briefing.
In all, 309 people had been apprehended thus far, including 25 Afghans and other foreign nationals and 157 “freelancers” and fighters from smaller groups.
He said that major terrorist attacks planned by IS acolytes on targets including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, foreign embassies, consulates and their staff, Islamabad airport, prominent public figures, mediapersons and law enforcement personnel, had been averted.
“A proactive approach and the efforts of law enforcement agencies have forestalled the threat of Daesh for the time being and the network has been busted. But the threat is not over yet, as their presence in neighbouring Afghanistan is still [something] we are worried about,” he remarked, referring to the IS by its more popular Arabic acronym.
Full report at: dawn.com/news/1281515/is-footprints-eliminated-from-pakistan-army
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Pakistan, Turkey to remove duty on 85pc tariff lines
02 Sep 2016
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Turkey have agreed to eliminate duty on 85 per cent of tariff lines on both sides.
The understanding was reached at the conclusion of 4th Round of Pakistan-Turkey FTA negotiations held in Islamabad from Aug 29-31.
The Pakistani delegation was led by Additional Secretary, Robina Ather while Deputy Under Secretary Husnu Dilemre led the Turkish delegation.
A senior official told Dawn on Thursday that changes in duty structure will be made in Pakistan’s 7,000 tariff lines while in the case of Turkey 12,000 lines will be changed.
Both sides agreed to reduce duty on 40 per cent tariff to zero per cent immediately at the time of implementation of the FTA while 15pc tariff will be placed in the ‘no concession list’ on which duty will remain unchanged to protect domestic industries in both countries.
As part of the remaining 45pc tariff, two to three different categories will be discussed.
Full report at: dawn.com/news/1281440/pakistan-turkey-to-remove-duty-on-85pc-tariff-lines
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US, India urge Pakistan to bring Mumbai, Pathankot attackers to justice
02 Sep 2016
WASHINGTON: The United States and India have urged Pakistan to bring the perpetrators of the 2008 Mumbai and 2016 Pathankot terrorist attacks to justice, says a joint statement issued simultaneously in New Delhi and the US capital.
The statement, issued after the Second US-India Strategic and Commercial Dialogue, named several Pakistan-based militant groups as “terrorist and criminal networks” and demanded immediate action against them.
The dialogue was held in New Delhi on Aug 31 and Secretary of State John Kerry led the US delegation at the talks.
Full report at: dawn.com/news/1281500/us-india-urge-pakistan-to-bring-mumbai-pathankot-attackers-to-justice
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Army chief General Sharif tells India, Pakistan’s boundaries completely safe
September 2, 2016
Gilgit [Pakistan]: Asserting that Pakistan understands conspiracies hatched against it, Army Chief General Raheel Sharif has said that be it Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi or its spy agency RAW, they must know that Islamabad�s boundaries were completely safe.
Sharif made the remarks while addressing a seminar relating to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in Gilgit on Thursday.
�We have well understood the conspiracies [being hatched against Pakistan].. We are aware of our enemies, know their tactics and to spoil their designs we would go beyond even the last limit,� the Express Tribune quoted General Raheel as saying.
He pressed that Pakistan�s army was second to none and a battle hardened force.
Stating that Operation Zarb-e-Azb was heading in the right direction, he said the evil nexus of corruption and terrorism would be broken at all costs and at every level.
Source: siasat.com/news/army-chief-general-sharif-tells-india-pakistans-boundaries-completely-safe-1011811/
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Africa
Militias Corner Islamic State in Libyan City
Sep. 1, 2016
SIRTE, Libya—When Islamic State captured this Mediterranean port last year, fighters tagged walls and buildings with the group’s name.
The battle for Sirte is as much about shoring up support for a Western-backed unity government in the capital, Tripoli, as defeating Islamic State. But the boastful graffiti show that victory won’t easily bring together the fragmented country.
And even if Islamic State loses in Sirte, militants are already shifting to other cities where Western and Libyan officials fear they could try to capitalize on antigovernment sentiment to maintain a foothold in Libya.
Commanders of Misrata militias say that once the battle is over, they will head for the capital, Tripoli. Their aim is to gain greater political power within the unity government, which was installed in March with backing from the United Nations. Prime Minister Faiez Serraj traveled to Sirte this week, a symbolic visit to reassure ground forces of Tripoli’s support.
Full report at: wsj.com/articles/militias-corner-islamic-state-in-libyan-city-1472757103
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Black Africa As The World Centre Of Islam
Sep 2, 2016
I have spent the last section of this series discussing the fact that all the ancient religions, and modern world religions, of the world actually originated from Black Negro Africa. Religion originated from Black Negro Africa as a Black African Negro affair in the beginning was the message of that first section.
Today I begin this new section of this series which will take a closer look at how all the world religions – including Islam, Christianity and Judaism – actually flourished right here in Black Negro Africa in medieval times. This is a phase in the history of world religions that is largely unknown to modern scholarship because Western scholarship is generally ignorant of it.
Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, and others all originated here in Black Negro Africa. I have discussed that in some exhaustive details in the previous section of this series. What we need to know is that these same world religions actually flourished for long here in the heart of Black Negro Africa before they spread to all other parts of the world.
This week I shall start with how Islam actually flourished and was practically a Black African Negro religion during the Middle Ages here in Black Negro Africa.
Modern Western scholarship is not interested in dwelling on the fact that an important chapter in the history of International Islam is being overlooked when modern scholars refuse to write theses on the flourishing of in Black Negro Africa as a world spiritual headquarters of Islam in the medieval era.
Full report at: leadership.ng/religion/548876/black-africa-as-the-world-centre-of-islam
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Kenyan Muslims between rock and hard place
Sep 2, 2016
NAIROBI, (CAJ News) – MUSLIM communities in Kenya are caught between the threat of the armed Islamist group, Al-Shabab, and security forces that carry out abusive counterterrorism operations.
These members of the community are living under fear in the wake of forced disappearances blamed on the two sides. The Islamic terror group has carried out deadly attacks while the uniformed forces have targeted Muslims in anti-terror operations.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) reports that while Kenyan government officials often condemn Al-Shabab’s violence, they remain silent about security forces’ role in enforced disappearances.
Otsieno Namwaya, who has conducted research on behalf of the organisation, said families who report their loved ones as missing to police, providing witness accounts of arrest, often received no response or were told the police had no information.
In some cases, government officials had suggested without evidence Al-Shabab might have killed the missing people.
To exacerbate matters, families are told people reported as disappeared might have crossed the Somali border to join Al-Shabab.
This may be true in some cases, but without credible investigations into the disappearances, and considering Kenya’s counterterrorism response, these assertions should comfort no one,” said Namwaya.
The concern by the HRW coincided with the just-concluded International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances.
Celebrated at the end of August annually, it is created to draw attention to the fate of individuals imprisoned at places and under poor conditions unknown to their relatives and/or legal representatives.
Source: cajnewsafrica.com/2016/09/02/kenyan-muslims-between-rock-and-hard-place/
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Congo bishops help facilitate talks between government, opposition
Sep. 1, 2016
When government and opposition representatives in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Africa's most Catholic country, sat down for talks in late August, they could thank church leaders for helping bring them together.
With tensions running high and some key politicians still holding back, it's uncertain whether the initiative will succeed in restarting a political process between supporters and opponents of President Joseph Kabila. The Catholic church's involvement has been welcomed by Western governments. Most agree it offers the best chance of peace for a generation in the long-troubled Congo.
"We've presented our peace initiative to the United States and European Union, as well as to United Nations officials, and they're all supporting our church's efforts to stop a descent into disorder," Msgr. Leonard Santedi Kinkupu, secretary-general of the Congo's bishops conference, told NCR. "All sides have welcomed our efforts and seem absolutely ready to hear the Catholic church's voice. Though these are still small steps, with many obstacles ahead, we have to be optimistic."
Full report at: ncronline.org/news/world/congo-bishops-help-facilitate-talks-between-government-opposition
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Southeast Asia
Consumer giants woo Muslims with halal face creams, shampoos
September 2, 2016
Some of the world's biggest consumer groups are making halal face creams and shampoos for Indonesia ahead of a new labeling law, part of a broader push to cater to growing Muslim populations as sales in many Western markets slow.
Unilever, Beiersdorf and L'Oreal are among the multinationals converting their supply chains for the world's biggest Muslim-majority nation.
The law, the first of its kind, requires food to be labeled halal or not in 2017, followed by toiletries in 2018 and medicines in 2019.
The companies say demand for beauty products that are halal, or target specific issues like veiled hair, will grow as the Muslim middle class grows. They note that Indonesia could influence other countries such as Malaysia where halal products made locally or by small, niche companies are also popular.
Full report at: indiatoday.intoday.in/story/consumer-giants-muslims-halal-face-creams-shampoos/1/754974.html
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Malaysian police say they stopped an Independence Day terror attack by Islamic State
09.01.2016
Malaysian police said Wednesday they had foiled possible attacks on the eve of the country’s Independence Day with the detention of three suspected Islamic State members.
National police chief Khalid Abu Bakar said the three men had planned to attack entertainment centers in Kuala Lumpur, a Hindu temple that is also a popular tourist destination and police stations with grenades or firearms on Tuesday.
Malaysia marked its 59th National Day on Wednesday with a grand parade in the city.
Khalid said the men, detained in a three-day operation from Saturday, had received orders to launch attacks from Muhammad Wanndy Muhammad Jedi, a Malaysian fighting with the Islamic State group in Syria. Police also seized a grenade and a handgun with 24 bullets from one of the suspects.
Source: sofrep.com/62927/malaysian-police-say-stopped-independence-day-terror-attack-islamic-state/
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Indonesia turns to India buffalo as beef alternative
2nd September 2016
Indonesia's procurement agency has reached an initial agreement to import an extra 70,000 tonnes of buffalo meat from India this year, as it seeks to balance the effects of food import controls aimed at improving self sufficiency.
"In principle they both agree. We'll discuss the details today," Bulog procurement director Wahyu said on Friday, referring to discussions with the trade and agriculture ministers.
Wahyu, who like many Indonesians goes by one name only, said the deal would bring Indonesia's total buffalo meat imports to 80,000 tonnes in 2016.
The buffalo meat imports are intended to help stabilize meat prices that have climbed as a result of beef and cattle import restrictions.
"Buffalo meat imports provide a meat alternative to the community that's cheaper, healthy and Halal," Bulog CEO Djarot Kusumayakti told reporters.
According to trade ministry data, beef currently costs around 115,000 rupiah ($8.68) per kg. Bulog is selling buffalo meat for 65,000 per kg at a consumer level.
President Joko Widodo said earlier this year he wants fresh beef to cost around 80,000 rupiah per kg.
Indonesia, which has the world's biggest Muslim population, imports virtually all of its cattle from Australia - a trade that was worth nearly $600 million in the last financial year.
Indonesia is pushing importers to start breeding their own cattle as part of efforts to reduce its dependence on imports.
Last year, Indonesia had to cull millions of chickens to ease supply swings and issued more import permits for cattle to cool beef prices.
Bulog will also import 260,000 tonnes of raw sugar this year, "most of it from Brazil," Bulog CEO Djarot Kusumayakti told reporters.
In June, Southeast Asia's largest economy said it would control wheat imports that had jumped after corn imports were capped this year.
Source: in.reuters.com/article/indonesia-buffalo-beef-imports-india-idINKCN1181AF
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Europe
EUROPE IS CURRENTLY SEEING A MUSLIM CONQUEST, HUNGARIAN CHARISMATIC CHURCH LEADER CLAIMS
2 September 2016
The “alliance” between “left-liberal” globalists and expansionist Islamic radicalism is dangerous to Europe and Christian culture because both share the common goal of bringing down state borders, and eliminating national identity and sovereignty, the leader of Hungary’s largest charismatic church has claimed in an interview.
Speaking to the news website Mandiner.hu, Sándor Németh, founder and head of the Faith Church, the country’s fourth-largest religious organisation, argues that only “superficial people” believe that Judeo-Christian and Islamic religious systems can be integrated because of the “vast contrast” between the two cultures. “The Bible defines the fundamental problem of the universe completely differently – in sin, the solution of which is sacrifice. In the Old Testament, this is included in Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, and in the New Testament, it is embodied in the work of Jesus Christ as Saviour”, he said.
He said in the interview that while being aware that the overwhelming majority of refugees are victims, “we are currently talking about the conquest of Europe” and the “islands of the modern-day caliphate”, referred to as no-go zones in the West, have already come into existence in Western Europe.
Full report at: hungarytoday.hu/news/europe-currently-seeing-muslim-conquest-hungarian-charismatic-church-leader-claims-53558
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The Islamist war against Sikhs is arriving in Europe
2 September 2016
Terror attacks in Germany are becoming remarkably unremarkable. So when a bomb went off in the German city of Essen, near Düsseldorf – and killed nobody – it barely registered. The three teenagers who detonated the device were all members of a Whatsapp group called ‘Supporters of the Islamic Caliphate’, so their intentions seemed pretty clear: they wanted to wage war against the infidels of the West.
But their target – a Sikh temple – was striking. While initial reports suggested there was ‘no indication’ of a terrorist incident, any Sikh reading the news would have understood the motive, just as any Jew or Christian would have understood precisely why Islamic extremists target synagogues or churches. It was a religiously motivated attack, designed to remind Germany’s Sikh community that they should also be fearful.
It’s a common claim that Christian persecution at the hands of Islamic fundamentalists is overlooked. But after the murder of the French priest Father Jacques Hamel in Rouen earlier this month, it’s hard to brush aside the fact that Europe is becoming a religious battleground. The persecution meted out by Islamic State to many minorities in Syria and Iraq is arriving on our shores – and it is a gruesome spectacle. Jews and Christians have felt the brunt, but the Essen bomb was a reminder that Sikhs are also facing up to the menace of Islamic extremism.
Sikhs and Muslims have a long, tumultuous history. The founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak was a peaceful man who engaged in interfaith dialogue. He campaigned for women’s rights, opposed caste discrimination, and spoke up against atrocities committed by the Mughals, India’s Muslim invaders. Nanak’s followers came from both Muslim and Hindu backgrounds. Full report at: blogs.spectator.co.uk/2016/09/islamist-war-sikhs-arriving-europe/
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North America
Islam has become America’s favorite metaphor for “really bad”
September 01, 2016
Sunni and Shi’a Muslims are two incredibly diverse, complicated, contested, even frequently overlapping religious identities, numbering in the hundreds of millions across dozens of countries and over a millennium of history. Republicans and Democrats are members of the two dominant American political parties. How are these two categories comparable? The short answer is: They’re not.
And yet Thomas Friedman seems to disagree. In his latest New York Times op-ed, “Win, Lose, But No Compromise,” the paper’s longtime columnist casually conflates the two. In response to the Republicans and Democrats who put party loyalties ahead of their country’s welfare, as he sees it, he asks, “Are we all just Sunnis and Shiites now?”
The shorter answer is: No.
Full report at: qz.com/772129/islam-has-become-americas-favorite-metaphor-for-really-bad/
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12:02 AM
Moderate Islamist here
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