Permission from Earlier Wives Not Required For New Marriage: Pak CII
Yemeni civilians and security forces search for survivors at the site of a Saudi air strike against Houthi rebels near Sanaa Airport on March 26, 2015, which killed at least 13 people. AFP PHOTO / MOHAMMED HUWAIS
Pakistan
Permission from Earlier Wives Not Required For New Marriage: Pak CII
Religious Leaders Resolve To Work For the Unity of Ummah
Jamaat ul Ahrar, a Taliban Splinter Group, Chief, Deputy Resign
Over 100 Christians arrested for lynching 2 in Pakistan
Saudi Arabia says Pakistan wants to join fight against Yemen rebels
Intense Khyber operation enters last phase
LHC gives Punjab home secretary five days to decide Lakhvi's detention
Operation Zarb-e-Azb has broken the back of terrorists: Air chief
Arab World
Saudi Arabia, Allies Launch Air Strikes Against Houthis in Yemen
Peshmerga Forces Kill ISIL Terrorists in Nineveh
Egypt backs Saudi operations to protect legitimate Yemen govt
Syrian Media: Saudi-Led Action in Yemen Is 'Blatant Aggression'
US launches Tikrit air strikes to support Iraqi forces
Syrian rebels seize army stronghold near Jordanian border
Saudi Ambassador: ‘Having Yemen fail cannot be an option’
South Asia
Afghan President Says Need to Find Way to Say 'Sorry' To Taliban
Kabul Suicide Attack: 8 Civilians Killed, 31 Wounded
Rockets hit civilian homes in Khost leaving 5 killed, 2 injured
PM Sheikh Hasina: Protect country from militants
4 saboteurs, 9 BNP-Jamaat men held
20 civilians kidnapped in Afghanistan
India
700-Year-Old Quran Stolen From Hindu Owner in Rajasthan
3,000 Madrasas Affiliated To Darul Uloom Shun Govt Financial Aid
India seeks Qatar’s help in rescuing hostages
Mideast
At Least 13 Civilians Killed In Sanaa during Yemen Offensive: Houthi Loyalists
Turkish FM calls on Baghdad to gain support of Sunnis and Kurds in fight against ISIL
PKK being ‘legitimized,’ Turkish army chief says
Yemen, a cultural and historical gem in turmoil
One dead, 3 wounded in blast at Turkish radical magazine: report
Yemen's President flees by sea amid rebel advance
Africa
IS Rocket Attack Kills 5 Militiamen in Sirte
Sudan confirms joining Saudi-led Yemen operation
Boko Haram killed 1,000 civilians this year: Rights group
Nigeria: FG, Military Debunks Reports On Kidnap of 500 Women, Children in Damasak
South Sudan: Innocent Victims of the Civil War
Libya: UN Report Documents Targeting of Human Rights Defenders
North America
FBI To Track Hate Crimes against Sikhs, Hindus, Arabs
US to give 'logistical, intelligence' support to Saudi-led coalition in Yemen
Slowing down of US pullout to affect peace efforts: Taliban
White House seeks specific commitments from Iran
Southeast Asia
Hudud for All, Or None, Analyst and Lawyers Say On Kelantan Criminal Code
4 rebel suspects killed, 22 arrested in Thai south clash
BNPT Calls for Revision of Free Speech, Mass Organization Laws to Fight IS
Listen first to what I have to say on Hudud, says Hadi
Europe
Sweden ‘Feminist’ Policy Sparks Major Saudi Spat
NATO’s Patriots fail to stop Syrian missile hitting Turkey
Italy arrests three suspected ISIS militants
Britain to train Syrian opposition forces in Turkey
UN says Palestinian death toll highest since 1967
Syria, Iraq conflicts send asylum-seeker numbers up 45 percent: UN
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
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Pakistan
Permission from Earlier Wives Not Required For New Marriage: Pak CII
Mar 26 2015
ISLAMABAD: After a gap of few months the chairman of Council of Islamic Ideology (CII), Maulana Mohammad Khan Sherani, has spoken again on his most talked-about topics — marriage, divorce and women.
Talking to reporters after a CCI meeting here on Wednesday, Maulana Sherani said men did not need to take permission from the first wife or previous wives for another marriage. He said that “some people are creating anarchy and discontent under the garb of women’s rights”.
As per Islamic principles, he added, men could have up to four wives at one time.
Criticising NGOs, he said some organisations working for human rights were spreading unrest in the society by trying to distort the facts.
The CII meeting was called to welcome its new members.
Maulana Sheerani, who is also an MNA of JUI-F, said the government had been suggested to amend the marriage laws as, according to him, Shariat has clearly defined the provisions of up to four marriages for men. He claimed that these provisions were easy to understand and follow.
The CII had held a meeting over the topic of marriage laws in the country in October last year in which Maulana Sherani said that women could not raise objection over the second or subsequent marriages of their husbands.
In another previous meeting of the CII, Maulana Sherani had said that the minimum age of a girl for marriage could be as young as 13 years provided she attains puberty.
He said the parliament was bound to follow the suggestions made by the CII regarding formulation of laws.
All bills presented in the parliament should be vetted by the CII as according to the Constitution all laws of the country should be formulated in accordance with the Holy Quran and Sunnah, he added.
http://www.dawn.com/news/1171757/permission-from-earlier-wives-not-required-for-new-marriage-sherani
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Religious Leaders Resolve To Work For the Unity of Ummah
Mar 26 2015
ISLAMABAD: Leaders of religious parties at a meeting on Wednesday expressed resolve to work for the unity of Ummah.
The meeting chalked out a 12-point charter, but failed to devise a strategy to combat sectarianism and religion-based terrorism in the country.
The issue of blasphemy and disrespect of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) in the West was the focus of Unity of Ummah Conference organised by the Milli Yekjehti Council (MYC).
Through a resolution, the meeting urged Pakistan and all other Muslim states to take up the matter of blasphemy with France and other European states.
“If they are not ready to take action against the culprits, Muslim countries should boycott products of European countries and suspend diplomatic, cultural and trade relations with them,” the resolution said.
But the leaders did not offer an alternative in the wake of suspension of trade ties with the Western countries.
The resolution decried sectarianism and religion-based violence and said that the conference condemned attacks on the Army Public School in Peshawar and places of worship, including mosques, shrines, Imambargahs, churches and temples.
“Terrorism has nothing to do with Islam,” it said.
The conference condemned conspiracies being hatched in various Muslim counties, including Pakistan, to fan sectarianism.
“Those trying to spread sectarian tension are the enemies of Islam and Ummah,” the resolution said. “We pledge to continue to work for the unity of Muslim Ummah and foil all international conspiracies to pitch Muslims against each other.”
Welcoming the Karachi operation, the resolution noted that statements by target killers apprehended during the operation showed that only one group was involved in the murder of both Shia and Sunni Ulema.
“These statements have shown that terrorism and sectarianism were not linked with religion,” the resolution said. “The government should end all ventures against mosques and Madaris.”
The resolution asked the government to impose restrictions on music and singing over loudspeakers.
Without naming names, the meeting said that those speaking against the ideology of Pakistan or propagating to make the country a secular state would fail.
The leaders asked the government to make the country a true Islamic state and take steps to establish an Islamic society – as enshrined in the Constitution.
http://www.dawn.com/news/1171918/religious-leaders-resolve-to-work-for-unity
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Jamaat ul Ahrar, a Taliban Splinter Group, Chief, Deputy Resign
Mar 26 2015
ISLAMABAD: The chief and deputy chief of a Taliban splinter group have resigned, the faction’s spokesman announced on Wednesday, as security forces intensified air and ground offensives against militants in Khyber Agency.
“Maulana Qasim Omar Khorasani, chief of TTP Jamaat ul Ahrar, and Omar Khalid Khorasani, the supreme commander of the group, have resigned voluntarily,” spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan said in a statement emailed to the media. “Jamaatul Ahrar’s Executive Council has accepted their resignations,” he added.
The change in Jamaat ul Ahrar’s leadership comes days after the splinter group announced its merger with Mullah Fazlullah’s TTP, along with the Lashkar-e-Islam (LI). On the subject of the merger, Ehsan said the three groups will maintain their independent identity but share a central council and central organisational body.
Commander Asad Afridi has been nominated as the acting Jamaat ul Ahrar chief, according to Ehsan. Afridi served earlier as the head of Jamaat ul Ahrar’s Khyber Agency chapter. He was also a member of TTP’s central council until Jamaat ul Ahrar parted ways with TTP. Ehsan added that the central council will soon elect its new leader and a new central council.
Given the rarity of top Taliban leaders resigning, the announcement triggered speculation about internal rifts in Jamaatul Ahrar ranks. But Ehsan denied there were any differences between members of the group and said the move was in line with their constitution.
http://tribune.com.pk/story/859130/mysterious-development-jamaatul-ahrar-chief-deputy-resign/
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Over 100 Christians arrested for lynching 2 in Pakistan
26 March 2015
Over 100 Christians have been arrested for allegedly being part of a mob that lynched two men after Taliban suicide attacks on two churches in Pakistan’s biggest Christian colony that killed 17 people.
Confirming the arrests, a senior investigation officer said that more than 100 Christian protesters were arrested. They are currently being investigated by the police to determine their role in the protests.
“We first established identity of the suspects through TV footages, still cameras and other relevant sources before laying hand on them,” he said. The usual Sunday mass was underway on March 15 at the Christ Church and Catholic Church of Youhanabad Christian Colony that houses over 100,000 Christians, when two suicide bombers reached there and tried to break in.
When the guards stopped them from entering the churches they blew themselves up at the gates.
After the blasts the police had taken two suspects into custody from the site and shifted them to a vehicle when a group of charged youngsters got hold of them. The enraged mob started thrashing the two suspects and after beating them severely, the mob tied them with a rope and set them on fire.
Their charred remains were later found at the site. Later, the suspects’ identity was established as both worked in different shops in Yauhanabad and had no criminal record.
Tahreek-i-Taliban Pakistan splinter group Jamat-ul-Ahrar has claimed responsibility for the attack.
The same group had claimed responsibility of a suicide attack in Wagah border in September last year in which 60 people were killed.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/over-100-christians-arrested-for-lynching-2-in-pakistan/article7032301.ece
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Saudi Arabia says Pakistan wants to join fight against Yemen rebels
Mar 26 2015
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia said Thursday that five Muslim countries including Egypt and Pakistan want to participate in the Gulf-led military coalition against Huthi rebels who have seized large swathes of Yemen.
Together with Jordan, Morocco and Sudan, they have “expressed desire to participate in the operation” against the rebels, which the kingdom dubbed “Firmness Storm”, Saudi SPA state news agency said.
Saudi Arabia and four other Gulf states, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, announced earlier a decision to “answer the call of President Hadi to protect Yemen and his people from the aggression of the Huthi militia.”
The kingdom’s ambassador to the United States announced from Washington that a coalition of 10 countries, including the five Gulf monarchies, had been set up to protect the Yemeni government.
Adel al-Jubeir did not name other members of the coalition.
The United States said it would provide “logistical and intelligence support” to the operation.
Saudi-owned al-Arabiya news channel said the UAE sent 30 jet fighters to Saudi Arabia to take part in the air strikes, while Jordan will be participating with six aircraft.
The channel also said that Egypt and Pakistan would dispatch jet fighters and warships to take part in the campaign.
Yemeni President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi had urged Arab countries to intervene militarily as anti-government forces closed in on the southern city of Aden, where he had taken refuge.
Yemen has been gripped by growing turmoil since the Huthi rebels overran the capital Sanaa in September.
Iran condemns Saudi strikes in Yemen as ‘dangerous step’
Iran condemned regional rival Saudi Arabia on Thursday for launching air strikes on Huthi rebels in Yemen, saying it was “a dangerous step” that violated “international responsibilities and national sovereignty.”
Foreign ministry spokesperson Marzieh Afkham said that the military action would “further complicate the situation, spread the crisis and remove opportunities for a peaceful resolution of Yemen’s internal differences.”
“This aggression will have no result except to spread terrorism and extremism, and increase insecurity throughout the region,” she said in a statement, calling for an immediate halt to the air strikes.
Her comments were echoed by Alaedin Boroujerdi, the head of the Iranian parliament’s national security and foreign policy committee, who accused Saudi Arabia of irresponsibility.
“The fact that Saudi Arabia has fanned the flames of a new war in the region shows its carelessness,” he said, in comments carried by the Fars news agency.
“The smoke of this fire will go into the eyes of Saudi Arabia as war is never limited to one place only. We hope this military operation will be halted immediately and the Yemen problem solved through political means.”
Boroujerdi accused the United States of backing the Saudi air strikes.
“America, which leads the fire mongering in the region, has supported this act and no doubt Saudi Arabia and some countries in the Arab cooperation council would not get involved without America’s permission,” he said.
“Having imposed long years of crisis in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan, America has in practice started another crisis and massacre on the Islamic world and this act is strongly condemned,” he added.
http://tribune.com.pk/story/859208/operation-firmness-storm-saudi-says-pakistan-wants-to-join-fight-against-yemen-rebels/
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Intense Khyber operation enters last phase
Mar 26 2015
PESHAWAR: Fighting for the control of what appears to be the last stronghold of Pakistani militants in Tirah Valley has been intense as the military claims to have cleared two-thirds of what could be the last leg of the large-scale operation across the seven tribal regions.
The valley with dense forests and dominating mountain features, stretching over roughly 1500 square kilometres, has been serving as the last redoubt to many of the Pakistani militant groups and their foreign allies pushed out from their previous sanctuaries in Pakistani tribal regions along the Afghan border.
“This is the last of the major battles we have fought against militants,” a senior security official said. “And this has been the most intense as well,” he said, requesting he not be named because he was not authorised to speak to the media.
In one battle that continued for three days for the control of a strategic ridge that overlooks the plains of Peshawar and Afghanistan’s eastern Nangarhar province, Pakistani troops suffered one of their heaviest casualties.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1171902/intense-khyber-operation-enters-last-phase
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LHC gives Punjab home secretary five days to decide Lakhvi's detention
Mar 26 2015
LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday gave the Punjab home secretary five days to make a decision regarding the detention of the alleged mastermind of 2008 Mumbai attacks Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi.
A single bench of the LHC issued the order on the Jamatud Dawa member’s petition challenging his detention. Lakhvi had filed this petition after the LHC directed him to avail remedy before the home secretary.
In his petition, Lakhvi stated he approached the home secretary but he is not deciding his representation.
Further, Lakhvi through his counsel pleaded that the detention order issued by the DCO was contempt of the verdict issued by the Islamabad High Court.
The IHC had set aside for the third time Lakhvi’s detention and ordered the authorities to release him immediately.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/859266/lhc-gives-punjab-home-secretary-five-days-to-decide-lakhvis-detention/
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Operation Zarb-e-Azb has broken the back of terrorists: Air chief
Mar 26 2015
RISALPUR: Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman said on Thursday that close synergy among the armed forces in Operation Zarb-e-Azb has broken the back of the terrorists.
Addressing a passing out parade at Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Academy Risalpur, the air chief said PAF in coordination with Pakistan Army and Navy has thwarted the nefarious designs of terrorists.
“We are determined to continue joint efforts till revival of complete peace in the country,” Aman said.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/859242/operation-zarb-e-azb-has-broken-the-back-of-terrorists-air-chief/
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Arab World
Saudi Arabia, allies launch air strikes against Houthis in Yemen
Mar 26 2015
WASHINGTON: Saudi Arabia said Thursday that five Muslim countries including Egypt and Pakistan want to participate in the Gulf-led military coalition against Shia Houthi rebels in Yemen.
Together with Jordan, Morocco and Sudan, they have “expressed desire to participate in the operation” against the rebels, which the kingdom dubbed “Firmness Storm”, Saudi SPA state news agency said.
Saudi Arabia and four other Gulf states, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, announced earlier a decision to “answer the call of President Hadi to protect Yemen and his people from the aggression of the (Shia) Houthi militia.“
The Kingdom and its allies launched air strikes in Yemen against Houthi fighters, who have tightened their grip in southern city of Aden where the country's president had taken refuge, the Saudi envoy to Washington said on Wednesday.
The kingdom's ambassador to the United States announced from Washington that a coalition of 10 countries, including the five Gulf monarchies, had been set up to protect the Yemeni government.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1171994/saudi-arabia-allies-launch-air-strikes-against-houthis-in-yemen
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Peshmerga Forces Kill ISIL Terrorists in Nineveh
Mar 26 2015
Peshmerga forces killed several terrorists of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group in Al-Nuran district in Nineveh province in Iraq on Wednesday.
"Peshmerga Forces repelled an ISIL attack on Bashiqa and Al-Nuran districts in Nineveh," an informed source said.
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13940105000420
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Egypt backs Saudi operations to protect legitimate Yemen govt
Mar 26 2015
Egypt has announced its political and military support for the step taken by Saudi Arabia and a coalition of more than 10 countries in support of the legitimate government in Yemen.
A statement by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry explained that the Egyptian government is currently coordinating with Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), on arrangements for participation’s by Egyptian air and naval force, and even a ground force, if necessary,
This is within the framework of the alliance, in order to defend the security and stability of Yemen, preserve its territorial integrity and the maintenance of security of Arab countries.
The statement also said that Egypt followed up with great concern over the last weeks the severe deterioration in the political and security situation in Yemen.
Egypt highlighted its historical responsibilities toward Arab national security and the security of the Gulf region.
http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/723466
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Syrian media: Saudi-led action in Yemen is 'blatant aggression'
Mar 26 2015
BEIRUT: The Syrian state news agency said a Saudi-led military operation launched in Yemen Thursday was an act of "blatant aggression."
"Gulf war planes led by the regime of the Saudi family launch a blatant aggression on Yemen," read a headline carried on the website of the state news agency SANA.
The Syrian government led by President Bashar Assad is an ally of Iran, which is in turn allied with the Yemeni Houthi rebels who are fighting to oust the country's U.S.-backed president. Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states have been important sponsors of the insurgency against Assad.
Full report at:
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2015/Mar-26/292193-syrian-media-saudi-led-action-in-yemen-is-blatant-aggression.ashx
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US launches Tikrit air strikes to support Iraqi forces
Mar 26 2015
US and coalition aircraft bombed Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) jihadists in Tikrit on March 25, lending air power to Iraqi forces who have struggled to recapture the town despite Iranian assistance.
With the offensive against ISIL in Tikrit bogged down, Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi made a belated request for US support after having relied solely on Iran's military advice and aid, officials said.
The United States, worried about Iran's high-profile association with the operation, seized a chance to exert its influence and US fighter jets and bombers were ordered in.
President Barack Obama approved the air raids on the condition that Iraqi government forces be given a larger role in the assault, instead of the Shiite militias trained and armed by Iran, a US official told AFP.
Full report at:
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/us-launches-tikrit-air-strikes-to-support-iraqi-forces-.aspx?pageID=238&nID=80203&NewsCatID=352
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Syrian rebels seize army stronghold near Jordanian border
26 March 2015
Syrian rebels seized a government stronghold and a key town near the border with Jordan, ousting Syrian soldiers and allied militiamen from the region after four days of intense battles, opposition activists and rebels said on Wednesday.
There was no immediate comment from the government on the reported fall of Busra Sham, a town in southern Syria known for its historical citadel and Roman amphitheatre declared by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
For the rebels, the town’s capture is a strategic gain both because of its geographical location and symbolism. Busra Sham had remained firmly in the hands of President Bashar Assad’s troops throughout the four-year-old conflict and was considered to be a stronghold of pro-government forces in the southern province of Daraa. It is a predominantly Sunni town with a population of some 30,000 but also has a sizable Shia community.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/syrian-rebels-seize-army-stronghold-near-jordanian-border/article7032391.ece
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Saudi Ambassador: ‘Having Yemen fail cannot be an option’
26 March 2015
Saudi Ambassador to Washington Adel al-Jubeir said on Thursday that the kingdom “will do anything necessary” to protect the people of Yemen and “the legitimate government of Yemen.”
“Having Yemen fail cannot be an option for us or our coalition partners,” Al-Jubeir told reporters in Washington shortly after Saudi king Salman bin Abdulaziz ordered a military operation against Yemen’s Houthi rebels.
Loud, house-shaking explosions could be heard in the Yemen capital of Sanaa and fire and smoke could be seen in the night sky, according to an Associated Press correspondent whose home is near the military airbase in the capital.
Ambassador al-Jubeir said his government had consulted closely with the U.S. and other allies, but said the U.S. military was not involved in the operations. Nine other countries have joined the military coalition, he said from a podium at the Saudi embassy, but he declined to name them.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2015/03/26/Ambassador-al-Jubeir-Having-Yemen-fail-cannot-be-an-option-.html
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South Asia
Afghan president says need to find way to say 'sorry' to Taliban
Mar 26 2015
WASHINGTON: Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said on Wednesday that some members of the Taliban had legitimate grievances given the torture and ill treatment they had suffered and it was necessary to find a way to apologise and heal national wounds.
Speaking during a visit to Washington, Ghani said South Africa and Rwanda, which set up truth and reconciliation commissions to come clean about past abuses but not necessarily to punish them, had been most effective in “devising collective forms of therapy” for traumatised nations.
Officials in Pakistan and Afghanistan said last month that the Afghan Taliban had signaled they were willing to open peace talks with Kabul.
Ghani said peace with the insurgents was “essential” and that some Taliban members had legitimate grievances.
“People were falsely imprisoned, people were tortured. They were tortured in private homes or private prisons,” he said. “How do you tell these people that you are sorry?”
Speaking at the US Institute of Peace think tank, Ghani praised a report by a US Senate committee chaired by Senator Dianne Feinstein that said the CIA acted more brutally and pervasively than it acknowledged in its torture of detainees after the Sept. 11 attacks, including in Afghanistan.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1172011/afghan-president-says-need-to-find-way-to-say-sorry-to-taliban
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Kabul suicide attack: 8 civilians killed, 31 wounded
Mar 26 2015
A suicide bomber riding in a corolla vehicle carried out explosion in Kabul city on Wednesday afternoon leaving heavy casualties behind.
Abdul Rahman Rahimi, Kabul police chief said the blast took place in Muradkhane area in Police District 2 of Kabul city which left eight people killed and 31 others wounded.
He added that 10 vehicles were also damaged in the explosion.
Sediq Sediqi, spokesman for the Ministry of Interior says that all of the victims of the explosion are civilians except one policeman who is among the ones wounded.
He said that a child and three women are among the ones killed.
Sediqi confirmed that the explosion was carried out through a corolla vehicle but did not know the possible target of the suicide attacker.
The explosion took place around 04:30 PM, a busy time in this part of the city where officials from different government agencies located in the area are going home.
Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Finance, Presidential Palace and other government agencies are located close to the blast site.
No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.
https://www.khaama.com/explosion-rocks-kabul-city-casualties-feared-9353
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Rockets hit civilian homes in Khost leaving 5 killed, 2 injured
Mar 26 2015
Over a dozen rockets landed on civilian houses in eastern Khost province leaving five persons killed and two others wounded.
Mobariz Zadran, spokesman for the governor of Khost province says that the rockets landed in Babrak Tana and Chargotai areas of Ali Shir district last night.
He said five persons were killed and two wounded in the incident.
He further said that eight rockets landed in Chargotai area and seven others in Babrak Tana area where few houses were also damaged.
Zadran said the rockets were fired from the other side of the Durand line (Pakistan). Khost province in the east of the country shares a long border with Pakistan.
This is not the first time rockets from the other side of the Durand line kill people in Afghanistan. In the past also dozens of people have lost lives to these rockets with most of them in eastern Kunar province.
http://www.khaama.com/rockets-hit-civilian-homes-in-khost-leaving-5-killed-2-injured-3064
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PM Sheikh Hasina: Protect country from militants
Mar 26 2015
Reiterating her government’s firm stance against militant activities, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday urged all, including the country’s conscious citizens, to come up to protect the country and its people from militants.
“We do not want destruction, but development; we do not want militant acts, but peace…We want Bangladesh to become a peaceful nation in the world and continue to move ahead as a peaceful country in South Asia and that is our goal,” she said.
Hasina further said: “It is never acceptable that Bangladesh is affected or its image is tarnished or the country is maligned due to a handful of people or a vested quarter or for a party. I seek support from all to free the country and the nation from such militant acts.”
The prime minister made the statement while addressing a function after distributing the Independence Awards 2015 among seven eminent personalities at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital yesterday morning.
Full report at:
http://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2015/mar/26/pm-protect-country-militants#sthash.MVX8i4Ch.dpuf
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4 saboteurs, 9 BNP-Jamaat men held
Mar 26 2015
Chandgaon police in overnight raids yesterday arrested four miscreants who hurled petrol and crude bombs during blockade and hartals in exchange for money.
The arrestees – aged between 20 and 25 – are Ivan Khan Imon, Mobarak, Sohel and Idris, said Chandgaon Police Station Officer-in-Charge Sairul Islam.
He said they nabbed the four after conducting drives at Faridarpara, Hamidchar, Chasha Colony, Talukdar Bari and Manjurpara areas under their jurisdiction in the city following a tip-off.
Day labourers by profession, the four were hired by BNP-Jamaat leaders. They confessed their involvement in different sabotage incidents in the area, added the OC.
Meanwhile, district police nabbed nine BNP, Jamaat and Shibir men from Sitakunda, Satkania and Lohagara upazilas after overnight drives.
Chittagong district Special Branch Additional Superintendent of Police Naimul Hasan said the nine were arrested in connection to separate violence cases lodged with the police stations of the district.
http://www.dhakatribune.com/crime/2015/mar/26/4-saboteurs-9-bnp-jamaat-men-held#sthash.23E1Pz1N.dpuf
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20 civilians kidnapped in Daikundi
Mar 26 2015
20 civilians have been kidnapped in central Daikundi province.
Zamin Poya, district governor of Kajran district says that the gunmen behind the abduction are Taliban but until the filing of this report, Taliban had not talked to media regarding the abduction.
Poya says that Taliban kidnapped these people on Sunday and took them to Charchino district in neighboring Oruzgan province.
All of the people kidnapped are reported to be Shia Muslims from Baloch minority of Afghanistan.
Poya also said that around 500 Taliban fighters who are equipped with light and heavy weapons have been fighting with security forces from the past ten days in Kajran district.
He feared the district could fall to hand of Taliban if additional forces do not arrive for support.
Full report at:
http://www.khaama.com/20-civilians-kidnapped-in-daikundi-3062
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India
700-Year-Old Quran Stolen From Hindu Owner in Rajasthan
Mar 26 2015
JAIPUR: A copy of the Quran that was 700-year-old was stolen from its Hindu owner in Rajasthan's Beawar town, 160 kms from the state capital of Jaipur. 55-year-old Jaidev Prasad Sharma said the Quran was gifted to him by a friend in 2011.
On Tuesday evening, a man who he occasionally did business with visited him at home with another man and asked to see the Quran. While Mr Sharma was briefly distracted by a phone call, the visitor allegedly pulled a gun on him. The two outsiders then stole the Quran and rode away on a motorcycle.
Heartbroken at having lost a valuable piece of heritage Jaidev said he never wanted to sell the book and despite being a Hindu he had venerated it, his dream was to pass it on to his daughter.
"The Quran had a speciality", Mr Sharma said, "It had calligraphy in gold and also used sapphire." He said he had hoped to pass on the heirloom to his daughter.
Registering a case the police said the book was probably stolen because of its antique value and precious stones.
http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/700-year-old-quran-stolen-from-hindu-owner-in-rajasthan-749529
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3,000 Madrasas affiliated to Darul Uloom shun govt financial aid
March 26, 2015
Nearly 3000 madrasas affiliated to country’s largest Islamic seminary, Darul Uloom, Deoband, have decided to shun any government aid for modernisation and to stay away from modern teaching. In its maiden budget, the Narendra Modi government had announced Rs 100 crore for modernisation of madrasas.
The decision was taken during a two-day ((March 23-24) conference of Rabta-e-Madaris-e-Islamia — an organisation of nearly 3,000 madrasas affiliated to Darul Uloom. The advice for the same came from Rector, Darul Uloom, Maulana Abul Qasim Nomani, who also heads the Rabta-e-Madaris-e-Islamia. Nearly 4000 clerics from across the country attended the conference held at Masjid Rashidia on Darul Uloom campus in Deoband.
“We are not in favour of mixing religious teachings with modern teachings. We are devoted fully to religious teachings. We are for ‘deen ka ilm’ and ‘deen ki hifazat’ (religious teachings and protection of religion). For other modern subjects, there are other institutions,” Nomani told The Indian Express on Wednesday.
Full report at:
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/3000-madrasas-affiliated-to-darul-uloom-shun-govt-financial-aid/
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India seeks Qatar’s help in rescuing hostages
March 26, 2015
India on Wednesday sought Qatar’s help in rescuing 39 Indians held hostage by Islamic militant outfit ISIS as the two countries discussed enhanced cooperation in key areas of defence, security and trade.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani held extensive talks covering entire gamut of bilateral relations as well as regional and international issues, after which the two sides signed six pacts.
Briefing reporters, spokesperson in the External Affairs Ministry Syed Akbaruddin said Thani told Modi that he trusts the Indian economy and his vision for development of the country.
Thani also conveyed that it was time for Qatar to look seriously to enhance investment in India and noted that a mechanism to identify potential projects in India will be set up soon, Akbaruddin said.
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/india-seeks-qatars-help-in-rescuing-hostages/
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Mideast
At least 13 civilians killed in Sanaa during Yemen offensive: Houthi loyalists
Mar 26 2015
At least 13 civilians were killed in Saudi air strikes against Houthi rebels in the Yemeni capital Sanaa, a civil defence source said Thursday.
"Thirteen civilians, including women and children, were killed in the Saudi raids overnight," the source told AFP. Witnesses said residents were helping civil defence officials to search for any more victims under the rubble of seven houses damaged in the raids.
The homes are located in an neighbourhood adjacent to the international airport and an air base targeted in the raids, said local residents.
Civil defence committees in Sanaa support Yemen's ousted President Ali Abdullah Saleh who has been allied with the Houthi militias.
Saudi Arabia launched a military operation overnight in Yemen by a regional coalition to defend the government of embattled President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi as the country teeters on the brink of civil war.
Military sources said the raids had hit rebel positions at various locations in Sanaa, including at al-Daylami airbase and the adjacent international airport in the north of the city, as well as the presidential complex seized by the rebels in January.
Yemen has been gripped by growing turmoil since the Shia Houthi rebels launched a power grab in February.
The offensive came after the Houthi rebels threatened Yemen's second city of Aden, where Hadi has taken refuge after fleeing Sanaa.
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/126127/World/Region/At-least--civilians-killed-in-Sanaa-during-Yemen-o.aspx
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Turkish FM calls on Baghdad to gain support of Sunnis and Kurds in fight against ISIL
Mar 26 2015
The Iraqi government should gain the support the country’s Sunnis to regain their confidence in the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu has said, stressing an armed struggle against the jihadist group would not be sufficient without the support of all Iraqi people, especially its Sunnis.
The fight against ISIL in Iraq “may lead to a sectarian clash” under its current construction, the minister said on March 25, in an indirect warning against Iran-backed Shia militants and their role in clashes with ISIL.
Speaking at a joint press conference with his Polish counterpart, Grzegorz Schetyna, the minister said, “Arbil and Baghdad should collaborate,” in the struggle against ISIL elements in Mosul.
Full report at:
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkish-fm-calls-on-baghdad-to-gain-support-of-sunnis-and-kurds-in-fight-against-isil.aspx?pageID=238&nID=80191&NewsCatID=510
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PKK being ‘legitimized,’ Turkish army chief says
Mar 26 2015
The outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and the Democratic Union Party (PYD), an offshoot of the PKK, are being legitimized thanks to their fight against jihadists in Syria, Turkish Chief of Staff Gen. Necdet Özel has said.
“The developments in the Middle East and North Africa make it hard to have optimistic predictions. The current situation in Iraq and Syria caused [the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant] ISIL to get stronger amid the flow of radical fighters into the region. It also caused the PKK and PYD to be seen as a legitimate force fighting against ISIL rather than focusing on their identity as a terror organization,” he said.
“The separatists terror organization [PKK] is attempting to increase its gains in Syria and Iraq, as well as to create a public perception that its extensions in the other countries are innocent groups,” Özel said in an interview with Defense and Aviation Magazine.
Özel also warned that the risk of a conventional war in the region had not yet disappeared, recalling the conflicts and polarizations based on economic interests and decreasing resources.
Full report at:
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/pkk-being-legitimized-turkish-army-chief-says.aspx?pageID=238&nID=80198&NewsCatID=338
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Yemen, a cultural and historical gem in turmoil
26 March 2015
A Saudi Arabia-led coalition is waging “Operation Decisive Storm” against the Houthi coup in Yemen, in a move seen as the breaking point after months of infighting in the country.
The longtime destabilized situation in Yemen has cut off a world of cultural heritage to tourists and archaeologists alike, with one site even previously being placed on the UNESCO List of World Heritage in Danger due to poor upkeep and conservation.
Sanaa’s rich heritage is reflected in 103 mosques, 14 Turkish baths and over 6,000 houses built before the 11th century and it is not the only gem in the country.
Here is a rundown of the beleaguered country’s most iconic cultural sites.
Old Walled City of Shibam
Ensconced by a fortified wall, the 16th-century city of Shibam is “one of the oldest and best examples of urban planning based on the principle of vertical construction,” according to UNESCO.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/life-style/art-and-culture/2015/03/26/Yemen-a-cultural-gem-in-turmoil.html
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One dead, 3 wounded in blast at Turkish radical magazine: report
26 March 2015
One person was killed and three people were wounded Wednesday when a blast ripped through the offices of a magazine linked to a Turkish radical Islamist group in Istanbul, the Dogan news agency reported.
The cause of the blast was not immediately clear but Dogan said that police suspected it was caused by a bomb after the possibility of a gas leak was ruled out.
The late evening blast happened on the third floor offices of the weekly “Adimlar” (Steps) which is closely linked to the Turkish Islamist group the Great Eastern Islamic Raiders' Front (IBDA-C), according to Turkish media.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2015/03/26/One-dead-3-wounded-in-blast-at-Turkish-radical-magazine-report-.html
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Yemen's President flees by sea amid rebel advance
26 March 2015
President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi fled Yemen by sea on Wednesday as Shia rebels and their allies moved on his last refuge in the south, captured its airport and put a bounty on his head, officials said. Hours later, Saudi Arabia announced it had begun airstrikes against the Houthi rebels.
The departure of the close U.S. ally and the imminent fall of the southern port of Aden pushed Yemen further toward a violent collapse. It also threatened to turn the impoverished but strategic country into another proxy battle between the Middle East’s Sunni powers and Shia-led Iran.
Saudi ambassador to the United States Adel al-Jubeir said his country had begun airstrikes against the rebels. He declined to say whether the Saudi campaign involved U.S. intelligence assistance.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/president-of-yemen-flees-by-sea-amid-rebel-advance/article7034675.ece
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Africa
IS rocket attack kills 5 militiamen in Sirte
Mar 26 2015
TRIPOLI: Militants with the Islamic State group killed five militia fighters in an attack on a checkpoint Wednesday in the Libyan coastal city of Sirte, a local official said.
The militia fighters are part of the so-called Brigade 166 tasked by the Tripoli government with securing Sirte. They have engaged in sporadic fighting with IS men around the city.
“Islamic State fighters attacked a checkpoint 15 km west of Sirte, killing five members of Brigade 166 belonging to the Libya Dawn group and tasked with protecting the city,” brigade spokesman Khaled Abou Jizya said.
“Fierce clashes erupted in the early morning and the Islamic State fighters were repelled,” Abou Jizya added.
In an audio message posted online IS meanwhile claimed responsibility for a double suicide car bombing that killed at least seven soldiers in Libya’s second city of Benghazi on Tuesday.
Libya has been plagued by chaos since the end of the 2011 revolt that toppled Qaddafi, with heavily armed militias battling for control of its cities and oil wealth and rival governments and parliaments vying for power.
The country has had two governments and parliaments since Tripoli was seized in August by Libya Dawn and the internationally recognized government fled to the country’s far east.
http://www.arabnews.com/middle-east/news/723346
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Sudan confirms joining Saudi-led Yemen operation
Mar 26 2015
Sudan confirmed on Thursday that it had joined a Saudi-led intervention in Yemen to push back Shiite rebels advancing on the Aden stronghold of embattled President Abd-Rabbu Mansur Hadi.
"Sudan is taking part in the military operation in Yemen," the Sudanese armed forces press service said in an SMS sent to journalists.
The military gave no further details of its role in the operation but said its spokesman would give a statement "shortly".
Saudi warplanes launched strikes on Houthi rebels in Yemen on Thursday, as the kingdom said it had assembled a coalition of more than 10 countries to check the rebels' advance and prevent the fall of Hadi.
The rebels and their allies within Yemen's armed forces had been closing in on main southern city Aden where Hadi has been holed up since fleeing the rebel-controlled capital Sanaa last month.
Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir visited Saudi Arabia on Wednesday and held talks with King Salman and his defence minister, Sudan's SUNA news agency reported.
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/126135/World/Region/Sudan-confirms-joining-Saudiled-Yemen-operation.aspx
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Boko Haram killed 1,000 civilians this year: Rights group
March 26, 2015
A leading human rights group says Nigeria-based Boko Haram has killed more than 1,000 civilians this year and forced hundreds of abducted girls and women to convert to Islam and marry fighters.
Human Rights Watch says people are desperate despite recent successes of a multinational offensive that has seized back dozens of towns from the Islamic extremists.
The New York-based group also charges Nigerian security forces torched a village and killed at least five civilians.
A report issued Thursday, based on accounts from witnesses and media, says Nigeria’s government is not doing enough to protect its civilians.
Nigeria is preparing for critical presidential elections on Saturday that Boko Haram is threatening to disrupt because it opposes democracy.
http://indianexpress.com/article/world/middle-east-africa/boko-haram-killed-1000-civilians-this-year-rights-group/
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Nigeria: FG, Military Debunks Reports On Kidnap of 500 Women, Children in Damasak
Mar 26 2015
The federal government and military sources have dismissed news reports on the abduction of over 500 women and children by Boko Haram insurgents from Damasak in Borno State, when the terror group was driven out of the town by Chad and Nigerien troops recently. A statement by PRNigeria, a media advisory for government security agencies, quoting a military source, said yesterday that troops from the two neighbouring countries are in charge of security and protection of the border town of Damasak in accordance with the dictates of the memorandum of understanding establishing the Multinational Joint Task Force (MJTF) against terrorism in the North-east.
Full report at:
http://allafrica.com/stories/201503260305.html
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South Sudan: Innocent Victims of the Civil War
Mar 26 2015
The conflict in South Sudan has taken a heavy toll on civilians since it began 15 months ago. In Leer, Unity state, the situation is relatively calm at present, but caches of unexploded ordnance left behind by armed groups are still claiming innocent victims. Fourteen-year-old Kume was visiting relatives when an ammunition container exploded without warning.
Kume Saadi Kuony was on a visit to relatives, and was seeking some shade from South Sudan's scorching sun, when disaster struck. Kume had no idea that the container sheltering him from the midday heat in the village of Gayiel, near Thar Jaat in Unity state, was full of unexploded ordnance left behind following heavy fighting in the area last year. Without warning, the container exploded, injuring Kume and killing the seven men with him. Seriously wounded, Kume was brought by local villagers to the MSF-managed hospital in Leer, 40 km away.
"Once again we are confronted with the tragedy of conflict, the senseless suffering of civilians", said Paul Critchley, MSF Head of Mission in South Sudan.
The exploding ammunition had thrown up dirt, soil and grass, which had buried themselves in the boy's body, leaving him with multiple lacerations. "Kume had wounds all over his body, from his shoulders down to his feet, but mostly on his legs," says Dr Fouad Dahir, MSF deputy medical coordinator. "When he arrived on 19 March we disinfected, dressed and bandaged the wounds and stabilised the boy."
Full report at:
http://allafrica.com/stories/201503251817.html
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Libya: UN Report Documents Targeting of Human Rights Defenders
Mar 26 2015
Armed groups across Libya have targeted human rights defenders seeking to shed light on abuses, according to a new United Nations report that outlines a litany of violent attacks and threats against defenders in the country, and in some cases even after they are forced to leave.
The joint report produced by the UN human rights office (OHCHR) and the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), documents attacks, including killings, abductions, torture and other ill-treatment, unlawful deprivation of liberty and death threats by phone and on social media since the escalation of fighting in May 2014.
Most recently, prominent civil society activist Entissar al-Hassaeri was shot dead last month in Tripoli, a news release on the report says. Her body and that of her aunt were found in the trunk of her car on 23 February.
Full report at:
http://allafrica.com/stories/201503252031.html
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North America
FBI to track hate crimes against Sikhs, Hindus, Arabs
26 March 2015
US lawmakers along with leading advocacy groups have welcomed the inclusion of Sikh, Hindu, and Arab American communities in the Department of Justice’s hate crimes tracking effort.
Six US lawmakers along with leading advocacy groups have welcomed the inclusion of Sikh, Hindu, and Arab American communities in the Department of Justice’s hate crimes tracking effort.
This is the final step in the long-fought effort to encourage the US federal government to finally begin tracking and quantifying hate crimes against these at-risk communities, the lawmakers said at an event on Capitol Hill Wednesday.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) recently updated its hate crimes database and FBI training manual in order to start tracking hate crimes committed against these groups — that system is now fully operational.
Ami Bera, the lone Indian-American member of the US House of Representatives, along with fellow House members Joe Crowley, Bill Pascrell, Mike Honda, Grace Meng and John Garamendi attended the event. These lawmakers led a Congressional effort to encourage the Department of Justice and FBI to document hate crimes against Sikh, Hindu, and Arab Americans.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/fbi-to-track-hate-crimes-against-sikhs-hindus-arabs/article7035566.ece
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US to give 'logistical, intelligence' support to Saudi-led coalition in Yemen
Mar 26 2015
The United States is coordinating closely with Saudi Arabia and regional allies in the military action against Houthi rebels in Yemen, including providing intelligence and logistical support, the White House said Wednesday.
"President Obama has authorized the provision of logistical and intelligence support to GCC-led military operations," National Security Council spokeswoman Bernadette Meehan said in a statement, referring to the Gulf Cooperation Council.
Saudi Arabia carried out air strikes against the Houthi rebels on Wednesday, launching an operation by a regional coalition to save the government of embattled President Abdrabu Mansour Hadi as the country teeters on the brink of civil war.
Condemning the Houthi rebels, a Shia militia that launched a power takeover in the Yemeni capital Sanaa in February, Meehan said Washington had also been in close contact with the embattled Hadi.
US forces were not taking direct military action in Yemen, she stressed, but were "establishing a Joint Planning Cell with Saudi Arabia to coordinate US military and intelligence support."
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/126126/World/Region/US-to-give-logistical,-intelligence-support-to-Sau.aspx
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Slowing down of US pullout to affect peace efforts: Taliban
Mar 26 2015
KANDAHAR: President Barack Obama’s decision to slow the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan would hamper peace efforts, the Taliban said on Wednesday, vowing to continue fighting.
Mr Obama on Tuesday reversed plans to withdraw around 5,000 US troops from Afghanistan this year, an overture to the country’s reform-minded leader, President Ashraf Ghani.
“Obama’s announcement to continue to keep troops in Afghanistan is a response to the peace efforts,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said.
“This damages all the prospects for peace. This means the war will go on until they are defeated,” he said.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1171910/slowing-down-of-us-pullout-to-affect-peace-efforts-taliban
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White House seeks specific commitments from Iran
Mar 26 2015
WASHINGTON: The United States is seeking concrete commitments from Iran in order to reach a nuclear deal that can be shown to the US Congress and public, the White House said on Wednesday.
“We certainly would want, and expect, that if a deal is completed, it will include tangible, specific commitments that have been made by the Iranians”, White House press secretary Josh Earnest said.
His comments followed a New York Times report that Iran is resisting a formal “framework” agreement and preferred a more general statement of “understanding” followed by a final accord in June.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1171879/white-house-seeks-specific-commitments-from-iran
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Southeast Asia
Hudud for all, or none, analyst and lawyers say on Kelantan criminal code
Mar 26 2015
A closer look at Kelantan's new hudud law reveals impracticalities that would make it unrealistic to implement, according to lawyers and an analyst who said such problems had little to do with faith but with governance.
Besides medieval punishments such as crucifixion and stoning, Malaysia would probably have to issue a travel warning for all non-Muslims going to Kelantan if the state enforces its Shariah Criminal Code, or hudud, observed political scientists Dr Wong Chin Huat.
Such a warning would likely require non-Muslims to be accompanied by a minimum of two Muslim males of adult age at all times while in the PAS-led state. This is because if non-Muslims were to be robbed in Kelantan, the code does not allow them to give testimony in court.
This is just one of the impracticalities of enforcing the Kelantan Shariah Criminal Code II 1993 (Amended 2015), which states that only male Muslims who are past puberty can be witnesses and testify in crimes such as robbery and murder involving Muslims in the state.
Such a provision in the code is among several others that make Kelantan PAS’s contentious new law problematic in itself, said Wong, of the think-tank Penang Institute, as well as other analysts and lawyers The Malaysian Insider spoke to.
Full report at:
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/hudud-for-all-or-none-analyst-and-lawyers-say-on-kelantan-criminal-code
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4 rebel suspects killed, 22 arrested in Thai south clash
Mar 26 2015
Four suspected insurgents were killed and 22 others arrested during a firefight with security forces in Thailand's deep south, police said Thursday, in the latest clashes to hit the restive region.
Thai military, police and rangers laid siege to To Kood village in Pattani province Wednesday evening after a tip-off about potential militants – who are fighting for greater autonomy for the Muslim-majority southernmost provinces.
"There were about 30 suspected militants when we surrounded the village but some managed to flee to nearby mountains," local commander Mana Dechawarit told AFP. "The clash lasted for one hour."
According to official police reports the dead suspects were all Muslim men aged between 23 and 32.
Full report at:
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/world/article/4-rebel-suspects-killed-22-arrested-in-thai-south-clash
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BNPT Calls for Revision of Free Speech, Mass Organization Laws to Fight IS
Mar 26 2015
Jakarta. Indonesia’s counterterrorism agency has urged the government to revise laws governing freedom of assembly and speech in a bid to tackle supporters of the extremist group Islamic State (IS).
Insp. Gen. Arief Dharmawan, deputy for law enforcement and skills building at the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT), said the government must revise the controversial 2013 Law on Mass Organization to prevent IS ideology spreading.
“We have stated that the mass organizations law must be revised and expanded because it only regulates the registered mass organizations,” Arief said on Thursday.
“What about those unregistered groups, how to we regulate how they should be disbanded? We need a clear legal basis,” he added.
Arief also said the government must consider a revision to the 1998 Law on Free Speech.
“Can you imagine if pro-IS people made a speech at a public event like the Car Free Day and then declared that the government were infidels and killing them should be justified?” Arief said.
Full report at:
http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/bnpt-urges-government-to-revise-law-to-fight-islamic-state-indonesia/
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Listen first to what I have to say on hudud, says Hadi
Mar 26 2015
PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang has asked everyone to listen first to what he has to say in Parliament on hudud before criticising him.
“We are knowledgeable, civilised and matured creatures. So listen to what we want to say first.
“Don't jump to conclusion and criticise vociferously without knowing the whole story,” he said in a posting on Facebook, titled “Surat Terbuka Kepada Umat Islam: Isu Hudud Yang Dikelirukan” (Open letter to Muslims: The hudud issue that is being confused) this morning.
He was commenting on reports of a notice sent to Parliament on the tabling of a private member's bill on the implementation of hudud in Kelantan.
He added that what was being proposed by PAS through the private member's bill was not a hudud bill, but amendments to the Shariah Court Act, which was only applicable to Muslims.
Hadi said the enactment recently passed in the Kelantan state assembly had gone through various debates in the form of seminars and dialogues.
He said it was later tabled at the Kelantan state assembly in 1993 as well as in Terengganu in 2000.
Full report at:
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/listen-first-to-what-i-have-to-say-on-hudud-says-hadi
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Europe
Sweden ‘Feminist’ Policy Sparks Major Saudi Spat
Mar 26 2015
STOCKHOLM: Sweden is seeking to quell an unprecedented diplomatic spat over human rights with Saudi Arabia which has seen ambassadors recalled and arms sales cancelled, drawing comparisons with Denmark’s blasphemous cartoons controversy.
Stockholm’s relations with Riyadh have nosedived since leftist Foreign Minister Margot Wallstroem told parliament in a February speech the oil-rich state was a “dictatorship” that violated women’s rights and whipped bloggers.
As Sweden faces growing criticism from the kingdom’s allies in the Middle East, Wallstroem’s detractors at home wonder whether the government thought through the consequences of denouncing the Gulf powerhouse.
“All this has been badly planned,” Paulina Neuding, editor of the right-leaning political magazine NEO, told AFP.
Sweden’s government announced a “feminist” foreign policy when it took power in September.
Rights groups accuse Saudi Arabia of meting out brutal punishments to dissidents and religious minorities, and excluding women from most areas of public life.
The crisis in relations between Stockholm and Riyadh was cemented earlier this month when Sweden ended an arms agreement with Riyadh, despite warnings from business leaders about the potential impact on exports to the Gulf state, worth about $1.3 billion (1.2 billion euros).
A storm of criticism ensued from the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.
Full report at:
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/region/26-Mar-2015/sweden-feminist-policy-sparks-major-saudi-spat
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NATO’s Patriots fail to stop Syrian missile hitting Turkey
Mar 26 2015
Questions are being raised after Patriot batteries placed in three Turkish provinces by NATO failed to prevent a Syrian missile from hitting Turkey.
The Turkish General Staff said in a March 25 statement that “a rocket or missile” fired by the Syrian army during its engagement with rebels crossed the border late on March 24 and exploded near the Cüdeyde neighborhood of the Reyhanlı district in the southern Turkish province of Hatay.
The projectile left a 15-meter-wide crater in a stream bed, broke the windows of the surrounding houses, caused the roof of a building in the nearby military unit to collapse, damaged two military vehicles and inflicted minor injuries on five Turkish civilians.
Two Turkish howitzers pounded a Syrian artillery unit near the border in retaliation on March 25.
[HH] ‘Scud launched from Tartus’
Sources told Hürriyet that what hit the Turkish territory was a missile launched from the Syrian city of Tartus, which hosts a Russian naval base, some 200 kilometers from the Turkish border.
“The missile fell in an area that was outside the radar range of Patriot batteries in Turkey,” a source added.
Full report at:
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/natos-patriots-fail-to-stop-syrian-missile-hitting-turkey.aspx?pageID=238&nID=80205&NewsCatID=341
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Italy arrests three suspected ISIS militants
25 March 2015
Italian police on Wednesday announced the arrest of three men suspected of involvement in recruiting jihadists to fight in Syria and the promotion of Islamic extremism.
One of the three, a 20-year-old Italian with Moroccan roots, is suspected of being the author of a 64-page Italian-language document which outlines the goals and principles of the Islamic State group and has been circulated on the Internet and social networks.
The other two men are both Albanian nationals. One of them was arrested in Italy, one in Albania.
The arrests follow a two-year operation by anti-terrorism police operating out of the northern city of Brescia and were accompanied by a series of raids on properties in Lombardy, Piedmont and Tuscany, police said in a statement.
Italy has stepped up monitoring of suspected Islamic extremists following recent attacks in France and Denmark and threats by supporters of IS based in Libya to use the north African state as a platform for attacks on Italian territory.
Anti-terrorism chief Mario Papa told parliament last week that 17 arrests and 33 expulsion orders had been made since the terror attacks on Paris in early January.
Security officials believe at least 65 Italian nationals or residents are currently fighting in Syria.
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/world/2015/03/25/Italy-arrests-three-suspected-ISIS-militants-.html
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Britain to train Syrian opposition forces in Turkey
Mar 26 2015
LONDON: Britain will send around 75 military personnel to join a U.S.-led program to train Syrian opposition forces, Defense Minister Michael Fallon said Thursday.
The program will train and equip thousands of screened members of the opposition over the next three years to help them defend Syrian communities against ISIS militants before eventually leading offensives.
"ISIS must be defeated in both Iraq and Syria ... defeating ISIS ultimately lies with local forces and we are helping to create effective ground forces in Syria, as well as in Iraq, so they can take the fight to ISIS," Fallon said in a statement.
Fallon said the training, expected to begin in the next few weeks, would see British troops provide instruction in the use of small arms, infantry tactics and medical skills. It will take place in Turkey and other countries in the region which are part of the international coalition fighting ISIS.
Britain will also be sending two Sentinel aircraft to the region to provide wider surveillance over Iraq.
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2015/Mar-26/292195-britain-to-train-syrian-opposition-forces-in-turkey.ashx
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UN says Palestinian death toll highest since 1967
Mar 26 2015
The long-running conflict with Israel claimed the lives of more Palestinian civilians in 2014 than any year since 1967, the United Nations said Thursday, in a damning report on the humanitarian situation.
Meanwhile, rights group Amnesty International criticised the "flagrant disregard" by Palestinian armed groups for the lives of Israeli civilians, fingering the Hamas rulers of the Gaza Strip as a culprit.
In 2014, Israel and Hamas fought a devastating war in Gaza that killed nearly 2,200 people, while intense violence in east Jerusalem and the West Bank killed dozens of Palestinians and several Israelis.
Full report at:
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/world/article/un-says-palestinian-death-toll-highest-since-1967
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Syria, Iraq conflicts send asylum-seeker numbers up 45 percent: UN
Mar 26 2015
The number of asylum-seekers in industrialised countries rose by nearly half last year, driven by the devastating conflicts in Syria and Iraq, with Germany the top destination, the UN refugee agency said March 26.
In 2014, some 866,000 people applied for asylum in such countries, marking a 45-percent jump from a year earlier and a 22-year high, the UN refugee agency said.
The surge is linked to the spiralling conflicts in Syria and Iraq, which have created "the worst humanitarian crisis of our era," spokeswoman Melissa Fleming told reporters.
As a sign of the crisis, the number of asylum applications last year was the second highest on record, coming very close to the all-time-high of the about 900,000 requests made in 1992, at the beginning of the conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina, UNHCR said.
Syria's conflict, now in its fifth year, has killed more than 215,000 people and forced 11.4 million people to flee their homes, including nearly four million who have left the country.
Last year, 150,000 Syrians applied for asylum in industrialised countries, marking a 166-percent hike from 2013 and accounting for a fifth of all asylum claims, the UNHCR report said.
Full report at:
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/syria-iraq-conflicts-send-asylum-seeker-numbers-up-45-percent-un-.aspx?pageID=238&nID=80204&NewsCatID=352
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