Evening NEWS DIGEST
08 Sept. 2016: 05 Dzil Hajja 37: Vol:7, No:156
Bakr-i-Eid is cruel,
inhuman and barbarian, PIL in Supreme Court seeks ban on animal sacrifice
New Delhi: PIL, filed by 7
UP residents, has sought the court's direction to ensure that no animal is
killed during the festival, called the feast of sacrifice, which is to be
celebrated early next week. "Issue a writ, order or direction or
declaration to the effect that the practice of sacrifice of animals on
Bakr-i-Eid day is unconstitutional and same cannot be resorted to by any member
of the public," the petition said.The plea, filed through lawyer Vishnu
Shankar Jain, has challenged the constitutional validity of Section 28 of the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act which exempts the killings under religious
practices and reads: "Nothing contained in this Act shall render it an
offence to kill any animal in a manner required by the religion of any
community.""Issue a writ, order or direction striking down Section 28
of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 as unconditional, being ultra
vires to Article 14,21 and 25 of the Constitution," it said.PIL has made
Ministries of Home Affairs, Law and Justice and Environment and Forest and
Animal Welfare Board of India as parties."Tendency to sacrifice animals,
even on roads and public places, are developing fast every year on Bakr-Eid in
the most uncouth and inhuman manner and litres of blood is spread at public
places affecting the sentiments of public at large," plea said."It is
most respectfully submitted that animals sacrifice on Bakr-Eid day is cruel,
inhuman, barbarian, decency and morality and the same cannot be protected in
the name of religion as such practice is in violation of Article 14,21 and 25
of Constitution," it said. PTI
Plea in SC against
sacrificing animals on Bakr-Eid
Ahead of Bakra Eid, PIL
filed in Supreme Court seeking ban on public slaughter of animals
Mewat can’t stomach ‘beef
biryani’ order
Nuh (Mewat): The recent
decision of the Haryana Govt to collect meat samples in Mewat following
complaints of beef biryani being served in the area has angered the minority
community. They accused the BJP govt of targeting them and treating them like
“foreigners.”“We are being treated like foreigners in our own country. We abide
by the law of the land, but are still targeted and exploited. We have also
fought for the Independence of the country,” said Jameel Ahmed, a 41-year-old
farmer whose family has been staying here since ages. Ahmed said Mewat had come
under the govt’s scrutiny only because it was dominated by the minority
community.“There are probably more biryani vendors in Sohna just 20 km from
here. But they are not being checked because the area is dominated by the
majority community. They consume more meat than us, but they are not being
scrutinised. We have never felt so alienated,” he said Ahmed.Perhaps the worst
affected section is the street vendors for whom selling biryani is their only
source of livelihood.Shahrukh, a school dropout and biryani vendor, alleged
that they are often harassed by the police. “Just 6 months ago, a policeman
told a fellow vendor Sajid that he could not sell biryani here and threw his
pot containing biryani on the road. We called media, took pictures, lodged
complaints but nothing happened.”He said with the police now armed with the govt’s
directive, they will “make the life more difficult for us.”Mohammad Asif, a
fruit vendor, said the govt's new law on cow slaughter was being abused to
harass and extort money from genuine meat-sellers in the area.“Not so long ago,
my uncle was carrying mutton to Delhi when the Haryana Police stopped him and
took samples of the meat for examination. He was forced to dump the meat worth
Rs.2 lakh. The cost to transport meat has now increased with the police and gau
rakshaks targeting even genuine meat-sellers,” he said.As per an estimate, more
than one lakh people are dependent on the income earned from selling biryani in
Mewat. Ex-Nuh MLA Aftab Ahmed told The Hindu that it was an attempt by the BJP govt
to embarrass his community and disturb the communal harmony in the area. The
Hindu
Congress writes to MHA over
raids on biryani stalls
Complaint of beef in
biryani, Haryana police to send samples for testing
Cops' duty to check beef:
Haryana minister justifies biryani inspections
Mewat: Days ahead of Eid
festival, the police in Haryana's Mewat are going around town collecting
biryani, not for a taste but to check it for beef. The samples are being sent
to forensic labs.State Minister Anil Vij on Thursday justified the unusual
assignment for cops in a state that sees the second largest number of
complaints to the police."They (police) are in charge of implementing the
law. It is part of their duty to check that beef is not consumed, as it is
illegal in India," Vij said.Festivals like Bakr-Id mean big business for
around 10 thousand roadside biryani sellers and restaurant owners in Mewat,
state's only Muslim-dominated district, but the unprecedented checks have
unnerved them.Chief ofHaryana Cow Welfare Commission, Bhani Ram Mangla, visited
Mewat and instructed the police to make sure no beef biryani is sold.NDTV
Haryana Police to `smell
out` beef in biryani samples from Mewat
Human Rights violations by
security forces a matter of concern: SC
New Delhi:With the govt
stoutly defending the role of security forces in J&K and insurgency-hit Manipur, the Supreme Court has
said it was more concerned about human rights violations happening in the heart
of capital cities like Imphal. “It is not the LoC but the heart of the cities
like Imphal, is what we are concerned. Public order needs to be followed,” a
bench of Justices MB Lokur and UU Lalit said after Attorney General Mukul
Rohatgi submitted that security forces at LoC or during insurgent operations
have to act in a particular way. Referring to an earlier constitution bench judgement
in Naga People’s Movement of Human Rights case, the bench said law in this
regard has already been settled, as it has ruled that though an internal
disturbance is a cause for concern, it does not threaten the security of the
country.While NHRC counsel and senior advocate Gopal Subramaniam contended that
there was “no accountability” in case of human rights violations, Rohatgi said
the security personnel have to act “in a particular way” on the LoC or during
an insurgent operation. “Truth of human rights violations if any can be found
through criminal trials. It is a serious situation. Security personnel at a LOC
or during an insurgent operations has to act in a particular way. How else we
do it,” Rohatgi said.He said what happened in the 1980’s and retrospective
enquiry into those incidents will have serious effect on the Army, whether in
Manipur or in J&K. PTI
NHRC seeks more teeth,
clashes with Centre, bgets SC's support
SC concerned over rights
violations in tense areas
Funding to J&K
separatists: SC agrees to hear PIL, says it shares the feeling
New Delhi: Observing that
it shares the same feeling, the Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to hear a PIL
moved by a Delhi lawyer for immediately stopping the funds from the govt to separatist groups in J&K.“We also share
the same feeling,” remarked a bench led by Justice Anil R Dave when advocate ML
Sharma sought an immediate intervention of the apex court, citing various media
reports questioning grant of funds to separatists for travel, accommodation,
logistics and other purposes. The court has fixed Sept.14 to hear the matter in
detail. Sharma sought a declaration that the funding is “unconstitutional and
illegal” and must be stopped at once because the govt cannot be allowed to
provide money to those who are acting against the interest of the nation. Indianexpress
Human rights panel can’t
probe armed forces in militancy-hit areas: Govt
SC agrees to hear PIL for
stopping funding of separatists
Restrictions on assembly of
people lifted in Kashmir: PTI
Kashmir civil society urges
Prez to initiate dialogue:PTI
Kashmir: Autonomy,
plebiscite among demands made before All Party Delegation
New Delhi: Grant of
autonomy, holding plebiscite and initiating a dialogue with separatists as well
as Pakistan were some of the key demands placed before the All Party Delegation
(APD) which visited J&K on Sept.4-5. According to a note, which was
prepared by the Home Ministry, these were among the issues raised by various
political parties and organisations before the All Party Delegation.The
delegation was told that the autonomy resolution passed by J&K Assembly in
2000 should be implemented. Among other issues raised before the delegation
included carrying out plebiscite as per UN resolution and discussions held with
separatists as well as Pakistan, said the note circulated among the members of
the APD at a meeting in New Delhi on Wednesday. Various political parties and
organisations conveyed to the law makers that if the current agitation, which
started after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani on July 8,
continues, the mainstream society will become weaker.Other political points
made to the MPs are: Promises made by current state govt have not been
fulfilled; Agenda for alliance between PDP and BJP should be implemented;
elections of local bodies have not been held and delimitation of constituencies
by State Election Commission/ Election Commission of India to be expedited.Some
key issues flagged by some parties and groups are: radicalisation in madrasas
and mosques, funding for the unrest and newly built mosques needs to be
investigated, drug smuggling and infiltration from Pakistan should be stopped,
there should be no compromise on security, cross border terrorism should be
dealt forcefully and review of AFSPA and reduce the footprints of militancy and
paramilitary forces from civilian areas.According to the note, other political
points include establishment of a camp secretariat in Jammu for the whole year,
J&K should have SC/ST and Minority Commissions, Leh should be given Union
Territory status, West Pakistan Refugees should be allowed to participate in
Panchayat polls.3 other political points are: during 1990s, many Muslims as
well as Kashmiri Pandits were killed but a package was announced only for
Kashmiri Pandits, providing OBC status to Lawana Sikh community and leaders of
minority community should be nominated as MLCs by the Governor and MPs in Rajya
Sabha by the President.PTI
Plebiscite to UT status for
Leh: String of demands made to all-party team
Necessary to impose
President’s rule in Kashmir: JD(U)
Patna:JD (U) said it is now
imperative to impose President’s rule in Kashmir, adding that they would
support govt in taking any strict step further to stop the soaring unrest in
the Valley.“We hope that the govt will take some stern steps. It is necessary
to impose President’s rule there. We will support the govt in taking any strict
step.”spokesperson Ajay Alok said.
'They had rods and
hammers': Army raid on Kashmir village last month didn’t even spare its own
staff
Farooq Ahmed stood outside
his house in Shar Shali village, seething. “I knew the people,” he said. “Major
and his men cannot eat, they cannot get accommodation unless orders go out from
my desk.”Ahmed is the accounts clerk at the Army station headquarters in the
town of Khrew in South Kashmir's Pulwama district, and head clerk of the civil
wing. He has worked with the defence forces for decades and has a brother who
serves the Victor Force, Rashtriya Rifles counter-insurgency force that is in
charge of Anantnag, Pulwama and Budgam districts in the Valley. Yet here he
was, bruised and limping, a middle-aged man with a flowing beard and tired
eyes, beaten up by the very soldiers he works with. He said they did not spare
his aged parents either.“I showed them my ID card and said I have been working
so many years in defence,” said Ahmed. “But they just took me by the beard and
beat me. I have never done stone pelting, never even taken part in peaceful
protests.”On the night of Aug.17, soldiers of the Indian Army stormed into
Ahmed’s village of Shar-i-Shali, where they attacked homes, beat up residents
and killed one person. Village lies near the town of Khrew, whose tall cement
factories can be seen from miles away. Both town and village are located in the
Pampore area of Pulwama, a place known for its fields of saffron. FIR was filed
at Pampore police station the next day. Army said the raid was not sanctioned
and promised to conduct an investigation.20 days later, a police official in
Pampore said an investigation officer had visited the village and taken down
the statements of victims. Scroll.in
Mewat gang rape victims
narrate ordeal, seek CBI probe
New Delhi: Few seconds into
narrating her ordeal the 20-year-old girl, allegedly gangraped in Haryana's
Dinger Heri village, broke down. The girl was however not the only one to weep.
Moments before she spoke, even her counsellor, a woman from the same area,
overwhelmed by emotions had to stop her speech mid-way."They told me that
if I try to run, they will cut my child into pieces," said the
20-year-old-victim.2 weeks after they were allegedly gangraped and had their
relatives murdered in Haryana's Mewat region, victims of this sexual violence
had traveled all the way from their home in Dinger Heri village to the National
Capital requesting a CBI inquiry into the brutal incident, on
Wednesday.Accompanying the 2 girls, aged 16 and 20, were their relatives,
members of Nuh's Bar Council, activist Shabnam Hashmi and Rajhya Sabha MP from JD
(U) Anwar Ali, all of whom accused the arrested men of links with "right
wing organisations" for unleashing the horror on the family. The group had
brought with them print outs of facebook profiles of an individual (arrested in
the case) who claims to have been working for the RSS. The victim's family and
their associates now fear that the police might not "fight the case"
owing to the political clout some of the 4-5 accused persons have.MP Anwar Ali
while speaking to dna said, "Some police officials in Haryana would like
this case to be swept under the carpet due to the pressure they face from
political bosses at the Centre as well as the state. dnaindia
CBI probe demanded in Mewat
couple's murder, gang-rape of 2 sisters
http://www.indiatomorrow.net/eng/cbi-probe-demanded-in-mewat-couples-murder-gang-rape-of-two-sisters
Haryana double murder and
gang rape: One accused RSS man another Modi Bhakt
Mewat gangrape, dual
murder: victim describes what exactly happened, says death would’ve been better
Una Dalit flogging: CID
says cops turned skinning of dead cow into case of 'beef being found'
New Delhi:Gujarat CID
accused four policemen of dereliction of duty and fudging facts in the Una
Dalit flogging incident, in a chargesheet on Wednesday.Authorities
chargesheeted 34 people, including the four cops, 2 months after seven Dalit
youths were flogged by self-styled cow vigilantes in Una, Gujarat. A separate
chargesheet was also filed against three minors before Juvenile Justice Board
at Junagadh.4 policemen -- including Una inspector at the time of the flogging
-- were arrested for failing to stop the crime, conniving with the perpetrators
and forging FIR related documents to help the accused.CID alleged the arrested
policemen "misused" their position by not acting against the
perpetrators and by letting them leave after they abandoned the assaulted men outside
Una police station. It also accused them of turning the skinning of a dead cow
by Dalits into a case of "beef being found", according to an Indian
Express report." Local police didn't act (on information of some youths
being beaten up) for nearly 4 hours after registering the information in their
logbook. Later, they added a line that 'cow meat was found' and thus fudged the
information," IG of CID-Crime SS Trivedi told Express. CID noted that the
owner, in his statement, said his cow was killed by a lioness. But the accused
police personnel insisted that he report his cow missing.A forensic analysis
report confirming the presence of "hair of the Asiatic lion" on the
carcass, was submitted in addition to the chargesheet. A total of 43 people
have been arrested in case, but only 34 were chargesheeted.
'Gau rakshaks spread the
lie about dalits killing cows'
In Dalit flogging, Una
police fudged facts, looked other way: Chargesheet
In village of Una attack
accused, upper castes angry, Dalits afraid
Samter: Near Una town, Samter
village’s Dalits, who account for around 1,000 in a population of 3,500, have
lived in fear of a backlash since those arrests. And the families of the
arrested grumble that the assault was only one side of the story.The
chargesheet filed by CID, which blames the local police for fudging details
such as reporting the skinning of a cow as “beef being found”, annexes a
forensic report as evidence that the cow had been killed by a lion. Families of
the 11 accused youths, all in their twenties and belonging to various upper
castes, had a very different version when The Indian Express met them in Samter
on Aug.28.“You all know only one side of the story. Three cows were killed,
which is why they were beaten up,” said Pratapsinh Gohil, whose son Jaydev has
been arrested. “However,” he added, “the boys took the law into their hands
which they should not have.” indianexpress
Shahabuddin gets bail, set
to walk out next week
Patna: Patna High Court on
Wednesday granted bail to former RJD Siwan MP Mohammed Shahabuddin in the 2014
Rajiv Roshan murder case in which he is named as a conspirator. Shahabuddin,
who has been lodged in jail for 12 years, is likely to be released on bail in a
few days. Convicted in 5 cases, he is serving life sentence in a murder case. indianexpress
Malegaon blast: NIA seeks
court nod to reconstruct evidence
National Investigation
Agency has approached the special court in Mumbai seeking permission to lead
secondary evidence in the Malegaon blast case after certain documents
pertaining to the case were misplaced. In April, it had come to light that
certain statements of witnesses were not traceable.It has sought to reconstruct
the evidence through certified copies of the statements present with it,
special public prosecutor Avinash Rasal said. He said the court had asked the
accused to respond to NIA’s request which had been opposed by some accused. Court
will further hear the application today.The order on the bail plea of accused
Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Purohit will be decided on Sept.22. Indian express
Scholars slam move to stop
reprint of Bipan Chandra’s book
New Delhi:A host of scholars
from India and abroad have come out against the National Book Trust’s decision
not to reprint the Hindi version of Bipan Chandra’s book Communalism — A Primer.
They have demanded that the NBT continue publishing the book. “Professor Bipan
Chandra was not only one of India’s foremost historians but also one of the
most uncompromising defenders of the secular and democratic cause in this
country. As chairman of NBT,he breathed a new life into it,” a statement signed
by the scholars said.“We have been shocked to learn that very National Book
Trust over which he had presided has revoked the reprint order for Hindi
version of his book…” Signatories include Irfan Habib, Romila Thapar, DN Jha,
Prabhat Patnaik, KN Panikkar, Sabyasachi Bhattacharya, Ravi Ahuja, Mridula
Mukherjee, Ania Loomba and Nivedita Menon. “Such action by NBT is a gross
violation of freedom of views and amounts, in effect, to the assumption that
communalism is now the official doctrine of the country and no criticism of it
or its practitioners can be permitted,” statement said. thehindu
Academics against NBT’S
decision to stop reprinting Bipan Chandra’s book
NCRB data: India’s cyber
criminals are mostly business rivals, sometimes ‘religious persons’
Just who are the cyber
criminals? According to latest NCRB data, they include neighbours, friends,
relatives, disgruntled employees, hackers, sexual freaks, mentally deranged
people and even religious leaders.NCRB’s 2015 data shows a wide range of
profiles making up the cyber criminal, the most prolific among them being
business rivals followed by neighbours, friends or relatives. Of over 8,000
people arrested for cyber crime, 20% were business competitors while about 15% were
either neighbours, friends or relatives of the victim. Hackers and computer
geeks made up 13% while students, numbering over 800 or 10%, were the next
largest group. Indian express
Shias and Sunnis to offer
joint prayers in Delhi and Lucknow this Eid-ul-Adha
New Delhi: Once again,
Delhi and Lucknow will witness a show of solidarity and unity on eve of
Eid-ul-Adha when people from Sunni and Shia sects will jointly offer Eid
prayers. Eid prayers are being organised by "Shoulder to Shoulder Foundation”
a volunteer-driven organisation set up with the objective of bringing people of
different faiths together.The initiative was conceived by Haider Zaidi and
Mazin Khan last year in Jamia Nagar, against the backdrop of growing hostility
between the two sects in Middle east and elsewhere.TCN
Ministry of Minority
Affairs plans to develop idle wakf land for commercial use
New Delhi: Union Ministry of Minority Affairs will soon
be developing prime wakf land for commercial use and utilise their proceeds to
fund welfare projects for the Muslim community. Wakf land comes under the
concept of charity or inalienable religious endowment in Islamic belief.The
move may face opposition from various wakf boards acting as the 'guardian' of
these properties but the govt appears
firm in its intent. "They have the potential of generating an income of
over Rs 10,000 crore per year," Union Minister for Minority Affairs
Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told Mail Today. Indiatoday
Kerala govt to check RSS
outfits, ban arms training in temples
Kerala:Moving ahead with
its resolve to check the activities of the Sangh Parivar outfits at the temples
of the state, the CPI(M)-led LDF govt in Kerala is all set to come out with a
circular banning any type of arms-training drills at the shrine complexes. The
state Devaswom department has taken the initiative to issue the circular under
relevant sections of the Kerala Police Act in the wake of complaints that the
RSS was holding drills at the temple premises, office of the state Devaswom
Minister, Kadakampally Surendran, said. The circular, which has got the Law
department’s nod, has been sent to the Home department for its consideration,
sources said.An order, banning any type of arms-training drills at the shrine
complexes, would be issued after getting the consent of the Home department,
they added.PTI
UK’s charity commission
issues warning to Hindu Sangh after outburst against Muslims, Christians
Students continue to wear
saffron shawls to counter Hijab in Mangaluru
Mangaluru: The male
students of Govt College in Bellare, Sullia Taluk will continue to wear saffron
shawls over their shirts to counter Muslim female students wearing headscarf in
classrooms, as the meeting, convened for the second time, failed to find a
solution to the row. Timesofindia
Kanpur Muslim couple sells
baby to pay debt, files 'missing' FIR: PTI
Kanpur: A couple in Kanpur
sold their 5-month-old baby to pay their debts and later filed a “missing” FIR
in a bid to evade queries about the child’s sudden disappearance, police said
on Wednesday. Khalid and his wife Saeeda, who live in shanties of Babu Purva
colony, had complained to Kanpur SSP Shalabh Mathur that their baby, youngest
of their five children, was abducted while he was playing outside their house
on July 20, they said. During probe, it was revealed that they had sold toddler
to a businessman, named Haroon,in Jalaun district for Rs 1.5 lakh to pay their
debts, police inspector AK Singh said. Following which police have arrested couple
and Haroon, he said, adding that Rs 60,000 were also seized from Khalid’s
house.Saeeda told police that they were in urgent need of money to pay their
debts due to which they took such a step.
Survey Shows Lowest
Participation of Indian Muslims in Govt Poverty Alleviation Programs
Washington;Indian Muslim
community continues to be in economic distress and has shown lowest
participation, leading to achieving meager benefits from the govt’s major
flagship poverty alleviation programs. This came in a survey conducted by the US
India Policy Institute.The survey was conducted by the US India Policy
Institute along with its partner organization CRDDP, New Delhi during 2015. It
included a knowledge, attitude and utilization survey of Muslim households in 5
states across India to assess participation in govt programs. Preliminary
analysis suggests that Indian Muslims as a community remain in distress. Community
has shown lowest participation leading to meager benefits from the govt’s major
flagship poverty alleviation programs. One of the dominant reasons being lack
of adequate knowledge of the programs followed by lack of trust emerging from
disconnect with the public institutions. Muslim households have lower odds of
enrollment in the Public Distribution System (PDS) that distributes subsidized
food grains for low income families; almost no participation in mass employment
schemes and self-help group (SHG) programs. None of the elderly and widowed
women surveyed were found to be receiving the govt’s popular old-age and widow
pensions.
Students’ poser to US Consul
General: ‘If Trump wins, what will be future of Muslims in US?’
Ahmedabad: When US
Consul General in Mumbai Thomas Vajda visited a school in Ahmedabad on
Wednesday, he faced some tough questions from students — including one on the
fate of Muslims if Donald Trump becomes President. During his visit to
120-year-old Anjuman-e-Islam School in Astodia locality here, Vajda interacted
with students, who asked him a range of questions — from his opinion on the
Holy Quran to admission to US colleges.“If Trump wins, what will be the future
of the Muslims in the US, especially Indians who plan to go to the US for a
bright future?” asked a girl.US diplomat, however, did not take the question
and said:“This is not an excuse. This is the truth that because I am a public
servant I am not allowed to participate in or speak about politics.”After his
reply was translated into Hindi for the students, he continued: “There is a
wide diversity of views in US and these presidential candidates reflect their
own perspectives. Respecting religions of our citizens and residents of the US
is a fundamental priority value enshrined in our Constitution. And I believe
those values are widely shared in the US. This November, American voters will
have a choice on how they want to see the future of US and see who they want to
represent those values. We will see what the voters decide.” Indianexpress
Muzaffarnagar: 30000 still
living in 65 refugee colonies
Riot victims live in
ghetto-like conditions: Report
Muzaffarnagar:
mahapanchayat that changed fortunes of BJP leaders named in riots
For 21 AAP MLAs,Parliamentary
Secretary Posts Scrapped
WORLD
Turkey ready to join US in
capturing Syrian city Raqqa, de facto capital of IS: Erdogan
Istanbul:US President
Barack Obama floated the idea of joint action with Turkey to capture the Syrian
city of Raqqa from Islamic State, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said in
remarks published on Wednesday. Ankara would not object, Erdogan said. Turkey,
which is battling a Kurdish insurgency at home, launched an incursion into northern
Syria last month with the stated aims of clearing Islamic State from its border
and preventing Kurdish YPG militia expanding into new territory. Ankara now
wants international support for an operation to take control of a rectangle of
territory stretching about 40 km into Syria, creating a buffer between 2
Kurdish-held cantons to the east and west and against Islamic State to the
south.Speaking to reporters on his plane back from the G20 summit in China on
Monday, Erdogan said Turkey’s military was ready to join any offensive on
Raqqa, IS de facto capital.“Obama wants to do some things together concerning
Raqqa in particular,” Erdogan said, following meetings in China with Obama,
Russian President Vladimir Putin and other world leaders.“We stated that would
not be a problem from our perspective.We said, ‘Let our soldiers come together,
whatever is necessary will be done’,” Erdogan said. Reuters
Turkey ready to join US to
recapture Raqqa
10 new wars that could be
unleashed as a result of one against ISIS: Washington Post
Turkish intervention in
Syria wins US support, angers Moscow: middleeastmonitor
A State Department
spokesperson told reporters on Wednesday that the US supports Turkey’s direct
intervention in Syria, known as ‘Operation Euphrates Shield’.Turkey’s ground
campaign backs Free Syrian Army and other factions of the Syrian opposition, though
it targets Daesh and some pro-Kurdish militias, was launched in late
August.State Department spokesman, Mark Toner, said that the action served
Turkish national interests and therefore aligned with American military
goals.“Actions that we carry out against ISIL in Syria is, we believe, in the
national security interests of the US and our allies and our partners, I think
Turkey would also make the case, if I’m guessing, that it’s also in their
national security interest to protect and drive ISIL away from their border.”
Syrian opposition says Assad
should leave after transitional govt is formed: Middleeastmonitor
Chief negotiator of the
Syrian opposition Riyad Hijab said that Bashar Al-Assad must leave office after
6 months following the formation of proposed transitional govt, Moheet.com
reported. Hijab, who is the general coordinator of the High Negotiations
Committee, made the remarks in London as he presented a roadmap for peace in
his war-torn country. According to the website, Hijab’s plan starts with 6
months of negotiations to set up a transitional govt made up of the opposition,
Assad regime and civil society.This govt would run the country for 18 months,
then it would hold elections.“This transitional period will begin with the
departure of Bashar Al-Assad and his clique, and of course those who have
committed crimes against Syrian people,” Reuters reported Hijab saying. Meanwhile,
he also said his group would reject any American-Russian deal on Syria that is
very different from his group’s plan.
America opposes no-fly zone
over Syria
1,000 Shia Iraqi fighters
head to Syria to support Assad
Shia Iraqi militia of
Harakat Al-Nujaba has increased number of its fighters in Syria to 8,000, it
revealed yesterday.Reuters reported Harakat Al-Nujaba’s spokesman saying group
“sent more than 1,000 extra fighters to southern parts of Aleppo over the past
two days to reinforce its positions.”The militia had announced on its official
page on 7 August that it sent 2,000 fighters to Aleppo, raising the number of
its fighters in Syria to more than 7,000 at the time.Yesterday’s announcement
brings the total number of fighters in Syria to around 8,000. They are fighting
alongside the Syrian regime’s army. middleeastmonitor
Israel used military censor
to cover up first W. Bank settlements: middleeastmonitor
A previously classified
document shows how Israeli leaders used the military censor to conceal the
establishment of the first settlements in the occupied West Bank, according to
a report in Haaretz.The document in question was sent on 19 June 1969 by the
foreign minister’s deputy director general to the office of the then-Foreign
Minister Abba Eban, entitled “Gush Etzion – Publicity”.Topic was establishment
of civilian settlements in the area now known as Gush Etzion “bloc” near
Bethlehem, on land taken ostensibly for military purposes.
Dutch lawmaker refuses to
shake hands with Israeli PM
Hague:A Turkish-origin
Dutch lawmaker has refused to shake hands with Benjamin Netanyahu during Israeli
leader’s visit to Netherlands’ parliament.As Israeli PM shook hands with other
members of parliament Tunahan Kuzu -- wearing a Palestinian flag lapel pin --
held his hands behind his back. Anadolu
Families in anguish over
fate of missing Hamas fighters
Gaza: The past year has
been exhausting for Umm Abdeldaim Abu Lebdah, whose only son went missing in
Egypt's Sinai Peninsula in Aug. 2015, along with three other young men."I
see the world through my son's eyes; his abduction has turned my life into a
living hell," the 53-year-old mother told Al Jazeera. 4 men, members of a
Hamas naval commando unit, were abducted by masked gunmen just outside of the
Rafah crossing terminal in Egypt while en route to the Cairo airport. Her son,
25-year-old Abdeldaim, had been bound for Turkey to pursue postgraduate studies
in engineering. Families of the four missing men say that contact was lost on
August 19, 2015, after gunmen stopped the bus they had boarded outside of the
Rafah terminal.Where they were taken from there remains unclear."It is
really mysterious that the bus was ambushed while it was escorted by Egyptian
soldiers, and in an area that fully lies under Egyptian sovereignty,"
Mohammed Abu Libdah, Abdeldaim's uncle, told Al Jazeera. Al Jazeera.
2 men detained in Spain for
kicking pregnant woman wearing niqab
Madrid: Police in Barcelona
confirmed on Wednesday they have arrested two men for kicking a pregnant woman
who was wearing a niqab, a cloth worn by some Muslim women to cover their
face.The attack took place on Monday night in the Ciutat Vella, a district of
Barcelona, Xinhua news agency quoted the local police as saying.The two men
first insulted the pregnant woman for wearing the niqab, and when her husband,
who was with her, tried to protect her, they pushed him several times, before
kicking the woman in the stomach.IANS
Pregnant mother allegedly
assaulted in Barcelona by Far right extremists for wearing Niqab
France's secular laws can
accommodate Islam: Hollande
President Francois Hollande
insisted Thursday that France's strict laws separating church and state do not
prevent the country's large Muslim minority from practising their religion. In
a speech on terrorism and democracy coming in the midst of a debate on the
banning of the Islamic burkini swimsuit, Hollande said: "Nothing in the
idea of secularism opposes the practice of Islam in France, provided it
respects the law."Mayors in around 30 French towns last month cited the
country's century-old secular laws in banning head-to-toe swimwear on their
beaches, unleashing a furore.Hollande said secularism was not a "state
religion" to be used against other religions.AFP
World 'ignoring Bangladeshi
executions'
London: International community
-- with the notable exception of Turkey -- is standing silent as opposition
figures in Bangladesh are being abducted and killed, the son of one of the
country’s leading dissents has told Anadolu Agency. Salman al-Azami, a
Liverpool-based academic whose father Ghulam Azam led Jamaat-e-Islami party
before his death in Oct. 2014, said his elder brother Aman Azmi was arrested by
plainclothes police officers in Dhaka on Aug. 22 and has not been heard from
since.“He asked them ‘Do you have any arrest warrant?’ They said ‘No’,” Azami
said, describing his brother’s arrest. “He said ‘Okay, you are taking me, can I
take my clothes?’ And they said ‘No, you can’t.’ And since then he’s completely
missing.”Azami said raising awareness of his brother’s fate had proved hugely
difficult. Rights groups also raised concerns about these cases, with Amnesty
International criticizing the use of the death penalty and saying Mir Quasem
Ali’s trial had been unfair.Anadolu agency
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Anwarulhaq (Released at: 7:25 PM)
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