Islamic World News 31 Jul 2011, NewAgeIslam.

Com 95 dead in Syrian army attack on Hama: Activist 13 dead in suicide blast at Afghan police HQ Fresh violence in Uighur area kills 14 US ambassador stopped at Islamabad airport; asked about NoC Chidambaram assures all help to Bangladesh in finding Mujib's killers Clerics support demand for inclusion of Dalit Muslims in SC list Mamata announces sops for Muslims India-Pakistan ties: More than good looks needed Forgiven Iran acid attacker will not be blinded A guy in my place will never get such attention ISI chief asked US to stop drone strikes No end to killings in Karachi Norway killer had palace on crosshairs Yes, Pak has more bombs than us! Extremists using networking sites to recruit Dismiss 26/11 case, ISI tells US court Gaddafi threatens to kill Berlusconi: Italian daily Ties with Pakistan essential to fight terror: US One killed, eight injured in Hub blast US commanders concerned about attacks in Ramazan More than 40 dead in south Yemen violence Turkey to appoint new military commander Suspected militants kill pro-government tribal elder Iranian tribal leader, four others shot dead CIAs Pakistan chief leaves country UAE Ruler orders release of 162 prisoners Tens of thousands protest cost of living in Israel Tribal sheikh among three killed in US-Iraq raid

Airstrikes kill 14 pro-govt Yemeni tribesmen Three journalists killed in NATO raid: Libya Afghans arrest Taleban leader, army turncoat Kingdom extends helping hand to Horn of Africa Indonesian Muslims demand Ahmahdiyah be outlawed Lawyer sees release of 2 Americans held in Iran Syrian forces killed at least 19 protesters: Activists ISI may try its best to rescue Fai: prosecutors Pak delayed raid that killed Osama fearing fallout

Malaysian youth dies after failing to change gender After Indo-Pak talks, Krishna advises wait-and-watch approach Number killed in Egyptian car crashes last year exceeds Revolution s martyrs Syria s exiled opposition senses historic moment Account of the Islamists overtake Friday demonstrations in Alexandria, Egypt World must not be indifferent

to famine: Pope Benedict XVI

Lebanon MP Qabbani demands territorial water demarcation Maternal Deaths Focus Harsh Light on Uganda Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau URL: http://www.newageislam.com/NewAgeIslamIslamicWorldNews_1.aspx?ArticleID=515 4

--------95 dead in Syrian army attack on Hama: Activist Jul 31, 2011 NICOSIA: At least 95 people were killed on Sunday when the military launched an attack on the flashpoint protest city of Hama in central Syria, a human rights a ctivist said. Ammar Qorabi, who heads the National Organisation for Human Rights, reported the toll and also said army attacks across the country killed at least 121 people a nd wounded dozens more. Earlier, Rami Abdel Rahman of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rig hts reported a death toll in Hama of 45, but said that number could rise because of the number of seriously wounded and a lack of medical supplies. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/95-dead-in-Syrian-army-atta

ck-on-Hama-Activist/articleshow/9432361.cms --------13 dead in suicide blast at Afghan police HQ 31 July 2011 KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - Twelve policemen and a child were killed Sunday when a suicide car bomber struck outside police headquarters in the southern Afghan cit y of Lashkar Gah, officials said. The attack came days after control of security in the city, the capital of Helma nd province, passed from British to Afghan forces as part of a process that will see all foreign combat troops leave Afghanistan by the end of 2014. Some experts question the ability of Afghan soldiers and police to protect their country against attacks from the Taliban, who claimed responsibility for the la test blast, and other insurgents. The interior ministry confirmed the death toll and vowed the attack would not pr event the police from battling the Taliban, leaders of a 10-year insurgency ragi ng across the country. Twelve Afghan National Police members and a child were martyred and 12 other Afgh an National Police members were wounded (along with) two civilians, it said in a statement. The Ministry of Interior strongly condemns the insurgents (behind) this un-Islami c and inhumane action and such attacks will never weaken the determination of Af ghan National Police. The blast happened at around 8:30 am (0400 GMT) in front of the heavily-secured police headquarters as Afghan police left to go on a patrol, a statement from th e governors office added. In a statement on their website, the Taliban claimed responsibility for the atta ck in Helmand, one of the most dangerous provinces in Afghanistan and a key focu s of the war for international troops. A large number of policemen were gathered and a hero of the Islamic Emirate of Af ghanistan struck and exploded his vehicle laden with explosives, the statement sa id. The attack came as an official said 10 Afghan security guards were killed in cen tral Afghanistan Saturday in an attack on a convoy carrying supplies to internat ional troops. The convoy was ambushed by insurgents in the restive province of Ghazni, trigger ing an hour-long battle, governors spokesman Maroof Ayubi said. The Taliban also claimed responsibility for that attack in a statement. Anti-gov ernment forces frequently target convoys supplying the foreign and Afghan milita ries. The Lashkar Gah blast comes amid ongoing concerns over the ability of the Afghan security forces, which are receiving huge sums of money from the international community in a bid to build them up. There are currently at least 126,000 police in Afghanistan and thousands more ar

e being trained up in programmes financed by countries in the NATO-led Internati onal Security Assistance Force (ISAF). However, they have faced allegations of corruption and also struggle with factor s including low literacy rates among recruits. The Afghan police and army are frequently targeted in attacks by the Taliban and other insurgents in a bid to undermine President Hamid Karzais government in Kab ul. There are currently roughly 140,000 foreign troops in Afghanistan, of which abou t 100,000 are from the United States. Some nations including the United States have already started withdrawing troops as part of a phased drawdown ahead of the 2014 deadline. The Helmand attack follows a spate of assassinations in southern Afghanistan in recent weeks, including that of the presidents powerful half-brother, Ahmed Wali Karzai, in neighbouring Kandahar province. Karzai was killed by his bodyguard earlier this month, while Kandahar mayor Ghul am Haidar Hameedi was assassinated last week by a suicide bomber who hid explosi ves in his turban. http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle08.asp?xfile=data/international/2011/J uly/international_July1578.xml&section=international --------Fresh violence in Uighur area kills 14 Aug 1, 2011 BEIJING: At least 14 people including a Chinese police officer were killed in a spate of violent incidents in China s volatile Xinjiang province. While seven people were killed in an attack by two rioters , who hijacked a bus and rammed into a crowd of people on Saturday night in Kashghar, located close to the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, seven more were killed on Sunday. Four suspects were shot and four others were caught by police on Sunday, while t hree people, including a police officer, were also killed. It quoted witnesses as saying that the victims were hacked to death by the riot ers . Police are hunting for four others following an eruption of violence, in w hich more than 10 pedestrians and police officers had been injured, the report s aid, providing very sketchy details. The incident took place after at least seven people were killed by rioters in th e same city. Last night two suspects reported to be Uighurs hijacked a truck a fter stabbing the driver to death and rammed it into pedestrians. The pair later jumped out of the truck and hacked bystanders, the report said. A t least six people were killed on the spot and 28 others were injured. "One of t he rioters died when fighting with local people, and the other was nabbed," it s aid. Before the incident two blasts were heard, the first at about 10 30 pm from a mi nivan, while the other at the same time from a food street, where the thugs hi jacked the truck.

In the aftermath of the incident today, streets were nearly deserted, and some r esidents remain shaken by what transpired. "I can t believe this happened," said tearful Yang Hongmei, "one of my colleague s died," she sobbed. According to Yang, many residents were gathered on the square outside her office when the suspects rushed into the throng and began attacking bystanders. "Our security guards tried to save the residents while our manager attempted to subdue an attacker by holding him, but the man had a knife and stabbed him in hi s abdomen," she told state-run Xinhua news agency. The seriously injured manager was taken to the hospital but died. "There were cries and blood everywhere," Yang added. "Terrified people flooded i nto our office to hide," she said Although Yang and her colleagues have cleaned the area, blood stains can still b e seen on the road. An unnamed driver complained angrily about the violence, "in August 2008 a riote r assaulted local police." "Now a similar incident has happened again. Why do they attack innocent people?" , he questioned. This is the second major incident of violence in the province in less than a for tnight. On July 18, Police shot down 14 rioters when they attacked a police station an d killed four people in Xinjiang s Hotan city. The attack left four people dead, including an armed police officer, a security guard, a woman and a teenage girl and at least four others were injured. Police concluded late that the riot was "a severely violent terrorism case," whi ch was organized and premeditated by terrorist groups. Tension brewed in Xinjiang, bordering Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, (POK) since 200 9 riots during which Uyghurs attacked the mainland Hun Chinese settlers in which nearly 200 people were killed and several hundreds injured. Since then the Chinese security forces have launched a crackdown on a separatist militant group called East Turkistan Movement, (ETM), which China accuses of fo menting trouble in the region besides Uyghur leader Rebiya Kadeer, who currently lives in US in exile. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/china/Fresh-violence-in-Uighur-area-kil ls-14/articleshow/9436629.cms --------US ambassador stopped at Islamabad airport; asked about NoC Jul 31, 2011 ISLAMABAD: The US lodged a strong protest with Pakistani authorities after ambas sador Cameron Munter was stopped at the airport here by officials enforcing a ru

le that requires all foreign diplomats to have a "no-objection certificate" for travelling outside Islamabad. Munter, who reportedly possessed the NoC, was stopped at Benazir Bhutto Internat ional Airport and asked about the document while he was travelling to Karachi la st week. The envoy "strongly protested" about the incident, which was subsequently taken up with President Asif Ali Zardari, the Dawn newspaper reported. The incident reflected the tensions that have characterised US-Pakistan relation s since al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was killed by American special forces in a covert raid in Abbottabad on May 2. Pakistan had threatened to impose "more formal restrictions" on travel by all US diplomats and to require prior notification but dropped the demand when the Ame rican administration threatened similar restrictions for Pakistani diplomats in the US, an unnamed US official was quoted as saying by ABC News. Pakistan s Inter-Services Intelligence began keeping a close watch on American d iplomats in the wake of the raid against bin Laden as it believed the CIA was ru nning a secret network of American and Pakistani operatives in the country. The foreign office sought to play down the incident involving Ambassador Munter, with spokesperson Tehmina Janjua saying "no US-specific" travel restrictions ha d been applied. "However, there are general guidelines regarding travel of Pakistan-based diplom ats, designed only to ensure their safety and security, which have existed for a long time," she said in a statement. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/US-ambassador-stopped-at-Islam abad-airport-asked-about-NoC/articleshow/9432421.cms --------Chidambaram assures all help to Bangladesh in finding Mujib s killers Jul 31, 2011 DHAKA: India has pledged to extend all help to Bangladesh in tracking down two c onvicted killers of the country s founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who could possi bly be hiding in India. Home minister P Chidambaram assured the Bangladeshi establishment that his count ry would spare no effort in looking for the two fugitives as he met top official s here during his visit. "It s possible that they could be in India," he told a joint press briefing with his counterpart Sahara Khatun at the end of their crucial talks, ahead of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh s Dhaka tour next month. He said New Delhi asked Bangladesh to provide some more information and intellig ence to help find former army captain Abdul Majed and former Risaldar Moslehuddi n who were on the run to evade death penalties. "I have assured my counterpart that no effort and resources will be spared to ap prehend and hand them over to Bangladesh," the home minister said. Chidambaram s comments came after Khatun in her opening statement at the briefin

g said: "we requested (New Delhi) to find out if the two were hiding anywhere in India". Chidambaram also pledged New Delhi s support to help Dhaka in tracking down the fugitives as he made a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her offi ce on Saturday, a spokesman said. Twelve former army officers were handed down death sentences for masterminding a nd carrying out the August 15, 1975 carnage under a protracted trial process tha t began in 1996, when the ruling Awami League returned to power. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/Chidambaram-assures-all-help -to-Bangladesh-in-finding-Mujibs-killers/articleshow/9423242.cms --------Clerics support demand for inclusion of Dalit Muslims in SC list Jul 31, 2011 Lucknow: Giving impetus to the movement for Scheduled Caste status to Dalit Musl ims, several Muslim clerics have supported the inclusion of Dalit Muslims in the SC list during a function organised by All India United Muslim Morcha (AIUMM) h ere on Saturday. The urged the entire community to get united on the issue. Imam-e-Juma, Maulana Kalbe Jawwad and Imam, Tile Wali Masjid, Maulana Fazlur Reh man Waizi and Maulana Hashim Miyan Kichauchvi appealed to the community to remai n united during the upcoming Assembly elections over the issue. "When the neo-Bu ddhist and Sikhs can be given the benefit of reservation under SC category, ther e is no reason to omit Muslims from the list. The social, economic and education al condition of Muslims is pathetic as compared to other communities," said Maul ana Jawwad. The cleric urged for unity among Muslims as various political partie s just exploit them for getting their votes while their condition has worsened o ver a period of time. Full report at: http://twocircles.net/2011jul30/clerics_support_demand_inclusion_dalit_muslims_s c_list. --------Mamata announces sops for Muslims Jul 31, 2011 Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, unveilinging scholarships a nd sops for the state s minorities, Saturday accused the previous Left governmen t of sowing confusion by announcing a "hurried and erroneous" quota in governmen t jobs for Muslims. Addressing a programme organised by the West Bengal Minorities Development and F inance Corporation, Banerjee declared that loans totalling Rs.82 crore will be g iven this year to the minorities, besides scholarships and stipends worth Rs.122 crore. "This year, 7.5 lakh minority students will get loans for studies. Next year, we will raise this figure to more than eight lakh students," Banerjee told the gat hering at the Netaji Indoor Stadium here.

She said 7,200 Anganwadi centres will be set up in areas which which have a larg e concentration of minorities. Full report at: http://twocircles.net/2011jul30/mamata_announces_sops_muslims.html?utm_source= India-Pakistan ties: More than good looks needed By Amulya Ganguli Jul 31, 2011 Every new initiative to improve India-Pakistan relations generates a faint stirr ing of hope. If anything, it underlines the deep desire for peace between the pe ople of the two countries. If the expectations are higher this time, the reason cannot but be what has been described as the glam quotient of the photogenic new Pakistani foreign minister, Hina Rabbani Khar. That the Indian media had been bowled over by her was evident from headlines lik e "young Hina bewitches India" or "Pakistan casts Hina spell on India". There wa s a similar reaction across the border. "HRK conquers India" gushed the newspape r The Nation. Khar s appointment itself was intended to present a "soft image" o f the country, as stated by President Asif Ali Zardari. The compulsion to change the image from that of a country in the grip of bearded , Kalashnikov-wielding, brainwashed killers to an alumnus of Massachusetts Unive rsity as its foreign minister is understandable. It is also in the fitness of th ings that her first major foreign trip should have been to India for, unless the re is an improvement in mutual ties, there will be no end to the depredations of the jehadis. Aware of the favourable impression she has created in India, Khar said, "I think I drew attention not because of my personal profile but because of the country I came from, Pakistan." Full report at: http://twocircles.net/2011jul30/indiapakistan_ties_more_good_looks_needed.html?u tm_ --------Forgiven Iran acid attacker will not be blinded 31 July 2011 TEHERAN An Iranian man convicted of throwing acid in the face of a female studen t who was to have been blinded himself on Sunday in retribution was pardoned by his victim, the state-run television website said. With the request of Ameneh Bahrami, the acid attack victim, Majid (Movahedi) who was sentenced for qesas (eye for an eye-style justice) was pardoned at the last minu te after she decided to forgo her right, it said. Movahedi was sentenced in February 2009 to be blinded in both eyes after being c onvicted of hurling acid in the face of university classmate Bahrami when she re peatedly spurned his offer of marriage. The court-ordered blinding of Movahedi was postponed at the 11th hour in mid-May

, with no official reason given. Full report at: http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle08.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2011/July /middleeast_July637.xml&section=middleeast --------A guy in my place will never get such attention Jul 31, 2011 MIFFED by the media spotlight on her fashion accessories during her recent trip to India, Pakistan s foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar wonders whether a man in her position would have attracted similar attention. The youngest and first woman foreign minister of Pakistan, who was closely follo wed in the Indian media, more for her pearl necklace, her Roberto Cavalli shades and Birkin bag than the bilateral talks, says focus should not be on the frivol ous. You don t want the attention to focus on the frivolous... A guy in my place woul d never get such attention; nobody would be talking about his suit, 34- year- old Khar told a leading daily during her flight to Islamabad from Lahore. I refuse to be apologetic about it; I will continue to be who I am, Khar said as she flicked through a stack of newspapers filled with her pictures. While the In dian media went gaga over her designer accessories, the newspaper said back in P akistan, opinion was divided amid arguments about sexism, dynastic politics and the propriety of carrying a pricey handbag. Full report at: Mail Today --------ISI chief asked US to stop drone strikes By Anwar Iqbal Jul 31, 2011 WASHINGTON: After years of pussyfooting, Pakistan has finally asked the United S tates to stop the CIA-run unmanned air strikes into its tribal areas, diplomatic sources told Dawn. Although the drone raids started in 2004, the official request for stopping the strikes was conveyed earlier this month when ISI chief Lt-Gen Shuja Pasha visite d Washington. According to diplomatic sources, Mr Pasha told acting CIA Director Michael J. Mo rell that the raids had become a major source of embarrassment for the Pakistani government as it was blamed for failing to stop a foreign power from killing it s own citizens. Before this, Pakistan had publicly protested the strikes but had never officiall y asked the United States to discontinue them, although Pakistani leaders often complained that drones were killing too many innocent civilians. Full report at:

http://www.dawn.com/2011/07/31/isi-chief-asked-us-to-stop-drone-strikes.html --------No end to killings in Karachi By Imran Ayub Jul 31, 2011 KARACHI: As ministers, political activists and members of civil society converge d in the southern district of the city on Saturday to denounce the recent wave o f terrorism, peace remained a distant dream for Karachiites as at least 10 more people, including two brothers, were gunned down in the metropolis, mainly in it s eastern and western parts. Though police said that one or two of the killings were result of personal enmit y, the investigators could not find such a link behind the incidents. Apart from armed attacks in different areas, parts of Landhi remained hotspots, where a deadly gunbattle and hand-grenade attacks left two political activists d ead and two minor boys wounded as daily life in the neighbourhood remained paral ysed. The two victims have been identified as Azeem alias Mota and Dilshad alias Khan S aab, Naeem Barokha, the DIG-East, told Dawn. The affected areas included Sherpao C olony and Landhi 89. Full report at: http://www.dawn.com/2011/07/31/violence-in-karachi-claims-eight-more-lives.html --------Norway killer had palace on crosshairs Jul 31, 2011 THE royal palace and the headquarters of the governing Labour Party in Norway we re on self- confessed Norwegian killer Anders Behring Breiviks list of targets, t he tabloid Verdens Gang ( VG ) reported Saturday. During his interrogation, he said that he had planned to attack other targets, b ut on July 22 it was only the seat of government in Oslo and Utoeya the island w here young Labour Party supporters were holding their summer camp prosecutor Paa l- Fredrick Hjort Kraby was quoted as telling the paper. According to VG , the royal palace was a target because of its symbolic value, w hile Labour headquarters was targeted because of the partys role in creating the multi- cultural society so loathed by Behring Breivik. They are obvious targets for a terrorist and the idea is to hit the government, H jort Kraby said. Full report at: Mail Today --------Yes, Pak has more bombs than us!

Shiv Visvanathan Jul 31, 2011 Even as Islamabad and Delhi continue to stockpile deadly missiles,India was caug ht unawares by a lethal weapon sent by the neighbour.Sunday Times goes deep into unfriendly territory to find out theres more where Hina Rabbani came from.We ar e just so cooked Beauty like foreign policy is often skin deep.But when a country wishes to evade issues,or has run out of ideas,it merely has to send someone presentable from i ts elite.Such a move is good tactics but bad strategy. The presence of Hina Rabbani Khar in Delhi this week created twitters of excitem ent.It was as if her presence had nothing to do with foreign policy.The exciteme nt was about her looks,her bag,her costume,and the contrast with the dourness of our Indian style is the subject of enormous gossip.In comparison,our foreign mi nister looks like a permanent sleepwalker.Yet the question one has to ask is,can style mean something significant Pakistan has a proud almost cocky roster of good looking women at the top.Kashma la Tariq of the National Assembly;Shazia Marri and Maroti Memon could create wav es anywhere. Full report at: Times of India --------Extremists using networking sites to recruit Jul 31, 2011 London: When the English Defense League sprang to life two years ago,it had fewe r than 50 members a roughand-tumble bunch of mostly white guys shouting from a s treet corner about what they viewed as uncontrolled Muslim immigration. Now,the far-right group mentioned by confessed Norway gunman Anders Behring Brei vik as an inspiration says its ranks have swollen to more than 10,000 people,a s pectacular rise its leaders attribute to the immense global power of Facebook an d other social networking sites. I knew that social networking sites were the way to go, said EDL leader Stephen Lennon.But to say that we inspired this lunatic to do what he did is wrong.Weve never once told our supporters its alright to go out and be violent. A Facebook page under Breiviks name was taken down shortly after the attacks las t week.A Twitter account under his name had only one Tweet,on July 17,loosely ci ting English philosopher John Stuart Mill,One person with a belief is equal to t he force of 100,000 who have only interests. Full report at: Times of India --------Dismiss 26/11 case,ISI tells US court Jul 31, 2011 NewYork:A case filed against Pakistans spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (I

SI) by relatives of a rabbi killed in the 26/11 Mumbai terrorist strike could be disastrous as the negative reaction against it would undermine US goals in the region,a lawyer representing the Pakistani intelligence agency has said. Kevin Walsh,the lawyer,asked for the case to be thrown out warning of its negati ve consequences and potential to fuel violence and extremism,the New York Post r eported. The consequences of this judicial inquiry have the potential to be disastrous, W alsh argued in a letter filed on Friday with a federal judge. The intrusion of these actions into the politics of Pakistan will fuel violence and extremism,directed against the government the US intends to support, the att orney argued. Walsh argued that US courts do not have jurisdiction over government agencies in Pakistan,the paper reported. Relatives of rabbi Gavriel Noah Holtzberg,who was gunned down along with his pre gnant wife,Rivka,during the Mumbai attacks,sued ISI and terrorist group Lashkare-Taiba last year in the Brooklyn federal court for wrongful death. The rabbi and his wife,who originally were from Brooklyn,were killed when the at tackers entered the Chabad Lubavitch centre in November 2008.While the unborn ch ild was killed,their two-year-old son was rescued by his Indian nanny. The lawsuit claimed that ISI worked closely with LeT and sought damages. The claim is largely based on the involvement of Pakistani American national Dav id Headley in conducting detailed surveillance of the attack targets for LeT.Hea dley has pleaded guilty to plotting the attacks. The alliance with Pakistan is an extremely sensitive,important and difficult rel ationship for the United States, Walsh said in the letter. Times of India --------Gaddafi threatens to kill Berlusconi: Italian daily Jul 31, 2011 ROME: Libyan leader Gaddafi has sworn to assassinate Italian Prime Minister Silv io Berlusconi, Italian daily Corriere della Sera reported. According to the newspaper, Berlusconi learned of the assassination plot through "reliable sources", though the prime minister did not elaborate. Berlusconi said Gaddafi was not referring to his "political death", but to his p hysical death, the paper said. "Because that s what he (Gaddafi) decided, he swore to this himself," Berlusconi was quoted as saying. Libya has been rocked by fighting between pro- and anti-Gaddafi forces since Feb ruary. An international military operation began in March following a UN resolut ion and has been extended till September. Italy has been playing an active role in the military operation.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Gaddafi-threatens-to-kill-B erlusconi-Italian-daily/articleshow/9429496.cms --------Ties with Pakistan essential to fight terror: US Jul 31, 2011 ISLAMABAD: The US has said its relationship with Pakistan was "essential" in the fight against terror. The ties were, however, complicated and difficult at time s. "Without addressing specific methods, I would say simply that we believe our rel ationship with Pakistan is essential to fighting terrorism and terrorists, fight ing al-Qaida," Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) quoted US President Barack Oba ma s spokesman Jay Carney as saying in Washington. Carney was asked by reporters about a call by former US intelligence chief Admir al (retd) Dennis Blair for an immediate halt to drone attacks on Pakistani soil. "We also make no apologies for the need to go after terrorists, members of al-Qa ida, wherever they are. And that is certainly true about the mission to eliminat e Osama bin Laden," Carney said. Osama was killed in a US special forces mission in Pakistan s Abbottabad city in May. The US did not inform Pakistan about the operation, saying it may have bee n sabotaged. Blair recently said Washington s unilateral actions were harming ties with Islam abad and that Pakistan should be given control over drone strikes. According to APP, the White House official s remarks indicated that the US under stands that tensions were arising from its unilateral anti-militant actions. But that Washington wants to maintain close ties with Islamabad and fight terrorist s simultaneously. "And I think that I understand that that creates tension. And we have... we enga ge with the Pakistanis to discuss these issues all the time. But the relationshi p is important and, obviously, fighting terrorism is important," the spokesman s aid. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Ties-with-Pakistan-essential-t o-fight-terror-US/articleshow/9430197.cms --------One killed, eight injured in Hub blast Jul 31, 2011 KARACHI: A teenager was killed and another eight persons sustained multiple inju ries in an explosion inside a hotel in Hub area, bordering Sindh and Balochistan , some 30km away from Karachi on Sunday. According to rescue and police sources, the blast occurred at around noon at Bri shna hotel.

The deceased has been identified as Mohammed Naeem, 18, while the injured includ e Abdul Wahid, Imran, Aman, Barkat, Tariq, Rahim, Baboo Ustad and Shakir. An official from the Edhi Foundation told APP that Imran, Tariq, Rahim and Baboo Ustad were shifted to Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK) due to their serious injurie s while others remained at the Civil Hospital in Hub area. http://www.dawn.com/2011/07/31/one-killed-eight-injured-in-hub-blast.html --------US commanders concerned about attacks in Ramazan Jul 31, 2011 KABUL: The top US commander in Afghanistan has until mid-October to submit a pla n for the initial withdrawal of American troops, decisions that may hinge in par t on whether the latest surge in attacks continues through the holy month of Ram azan. Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, says commanders are hea ring that Taliban leaders may leave their fighters in the country to try to rega in lost ground during the Islamic holy period which begins Monday. Speaking to reporters traveling with him in Afghanistan, Mullen said Marine Gen. John Allen, who has just taken over as top US commander here, needs time to eva luate the combat, training and other requirements before presenting a detailed w ithdrawal plan. Mullens comments for the first time laid out a deadline for Allen to structure th e planned withdrawal of 10,000 US troops by the end of the year, as announced by President Barack Obama. Full report at: http://www.dawn.com/2011/07/31/us-commanders-concerned-about-attacks-in-ramazan. html --------More than 40 dead in south Yemen violence Jul 31, 2011 ADEN - At least 42 people have died in violence near Yemens southern city of Zinj ibar, most of which has fallen under the control of suspected Al-Qaeda militants , military and local sources said on Saturday. Eleven people including top officers were killed in fierce clashes between the a rmy and militants in Dofas, a village 15 kilometres (nine miles) south of Abyans provincial capital of Zinjibar, they said. Al-Qaeda elements stationed in Dofas attacked army units there using machine-guns on Friday, killing two officers and four soldiers, and wounding nine others, a m ilitary official in the village told AFP. Medics at a military hospital in the southern port city of Aden confirmed the ca sualty toll. A local official in Dofas said five members of the Islamist network were also ki

lled and four wounded in the attack. Full report at: http://www.khaleejtimes.com/displayarticle.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2011/July/m iddleeast_July623.xml&section=middleeast&col= --------Turkey to appoint new military commander July 31, 2011 ANKARA, Turkey Gen. Necdet Ozel was expected to be formally appointed as Turkeys top military commander on Saturday, a day after the nations military chiefs of st aff all resigned. The unanticipated en masse resignations a first in Turkeys history came as a prot est against the arrest of dozens of generals as suspects in an alleged plot to o verthrow the countrys Islamic-rooted government. Many have questioned whether such a plot ever existed and see the arrests as par t of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogans long-standing campaign to establish civ ilian authority over Turkeys once powerful military. But the government has denie d that allegation, saying it is working to improve democracy in Turkey but that the judiciary is acting independently... After Fridays resignations, Erdogan quickly chose Ozel, Turkeys commander of the m ilitary police, as the new senior military commander. Turkish media said the president is likely to finalize that appointment on Satur day. The government wants the process completed before a key military meeting th at begins Monday. Full report at: http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle08.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2011/July /middleeast_July618.xml&section=middleeast --------Suspected militants kill pro-government tribal elder Jul 31, 2011 DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Police say suspected Taliban fighters have shot and killed a p ro-government tribal elder who was trying lure back tribesmen who had fled north west Pakistan because of fighting between militants and the army. Police officer Sana Ullah says gunmen on a motorcycle shot Malik Arsala Khan on Sunday in the main bazaar in Tank district. The Pakistani Taliban has warned tribesmen in the past not to return to areas wh ere they are fighting the army. But the government has urged them to go, partly in an attempt to signal that the military operations have been successful at tam ing the militants. http://www.dawn.com/2011/07/31/suspected-militants-kill-pro-government-tribal-el der.html

--------Iranian tribal leader, four others shot dead Jul 31, 2011 QUETTA: An Iranian tribal elder, his younger brother and three security guards w ere gunned down on Friday in Mand Bloo, a town on the border with Iran, in Turba t district. Levies sources said armed men on motorcycles opened fire at the vehicle of Abdul Razzaq Baloch. All the five people in the vehicle died on the spot. A senior officer of Levies told that the security guards of the Iranian tribal e lder were unable to retaliate. He said the motive behind the attack could not be known. However, according to o ther sources the tribal elder had enmity with his opponents in the Iranian provi nce of Baluchistan. Security forces took the bodies to a local hospital. Investigation is in progres s. BODIES FOUND: Two bullet-riddled bodies were found in the Uthal area of Lasbela district on Saturday. Sources said police took the bodies to the district hospital. The victims were i dentified as Sharbat Khan Marri and Zaman Marri, who had been missing since Apri l 30 this year. http://www.dawn.com/2011/07/31/iranian-tribal-leader-four-others-shot-dead.html --------CIAs Pakistan chief leaves country Jul 31, 2011 WASHINGTON: The CIAs Islamabad station chief, who oversaw the intelligence team t hat uncovered Osama bin Ladens hideout, has left Pakistan for medical reasons, a US official said. The CIA declined to comment on the matter. The chief of station is a respected, s enior officer who had the full faith and confidence of folks back in Washington, the US official told AFP on condition of anonymity. Most people will agree the officers role in one of the greatest intelligence victo ries of all time means this person was pretty darn effective, no matter what the Pakistanis may think. ABC News, citing US and Pakistani officials, said the officer who headed one of the Central Intelligence Agencys most sensitive positions worldwide was not expec ted to return. It was the second such departure in seven months from the post, after his predec essor was forced to leave when a Pakistani official admitted his name had been l eaked. Despite the quick turnover at the key office, US officials told ABC that it woul d not hamper US intelligence efforts in Pakistan.

US and Pakistani officials told ABC they hoped the station chiefs departure would pave the way for smoother ties between the CIA and Pakistans ISI intelligence ag ency, noting the departing officer had an extremely tenserelationship with his cou nterparts in the ISI. Pakistan has been harassing US personnel working in the country for months, a US o fficial told ABC. A Pakistani intelligence official, meanwhile, said there is no trust. http://www.dawn.com/2011/07/31/cias-pakistan-chief-leaves-country.html --------UAE Ruler orders release of 162 prisoners 31 July 2011 UMM AL QAIWAIN - UAE Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Umm Al Qaiwain His High ness Shaikh Saud bin Rashid Al Mualla has ordered the release 162 eligible priso ners, who had proven good behaviour while serving their terms in the punitive an d reformative institutions in the emirate. The prisoners are given amnesty from serving the remaining period in their priso n terms as a gesture of benevolence marking the advent of the holy month of Rama dan. The Ruler expressed hope that this will give them the opportunity to join their families soon and live the rest of their lives as good individuals. http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle08.asp?xfile=data/theuae/2011/July/the uae_July829.xml&section=theuae --------Tens of thousands protest cost of living in Israel Jul 31, 2011 JERUSALEM - Tens of thousands of Israelis took to the streets in 10 cities acros s the country on Saturday evening to protest against the high cost of living, AF P correspondents reported. More than 30,000 demonstrated in downtown Tel Aviv as thousands more marched in Jerusalem, in the northern city of Haifa and in Nazareth. Organisers of the protests said that five thousand were marching in Jerusalem to wards the home of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, carrying banners that read A whole generation wants a future. Demonstrations over the high cost of living spread in recent weeks throughout Is rael, with demonstrators setting up protest camps to demand affordable housing a nd denounce social inequalities. Full report at: http://www.khaleejtimes.com/displayarticle.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2011/July/m iddleeast_July631.xml&section=middleeast&col= ---------

Tribal sheikh among three killed in US-Iraq raid Jul 31, 2011 BALAD, IRAQ - A US-Iraqi raid north of Baghdad on Saturday killed a tribal sheik h and two of his family members, police said, as local leaders condemned what th ey branded a massacre of civilians. US forces said the operation aimed to nab a wanted insurgent but officials in th e village of Rufayat, 70 kilometres (45 miles) from the capital, said the raid t argeted a family with no ties to insurgent groups. A joint raid using helicopters took place in Rufayat at around 1:00 am (2200 GMT on Friday) against the house of Hamid Hassan, said police Lieutenant Colonel Moha mmed al-Baladawi. They killed three people, including the sheikh, and seven were wounded, he added, noting that four of the wounded were women. All of the casualties were members o f the same family. Full report at: http://www.khaleejtimes.com/displayarticle.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2011/July/m iddleeast_July627.xml&section=middleeast&col= --------Airstrikes kill 14 pro-govt Yemeni tribesmen Jul 31, 2011 Government airstrikes in southern Yemen targeting Al Qaeda-linked militants acci dentally killed 14 pro-government tribesmen, a Yemeni security official said on Saturday. The botched airstrikes reflect the deteriorating security situation that has spr ead across this impoverished, heavily armed country since the popular uprising a gainst longtime President Ali Abdullah Saleh began six months ago. Armed tribesmen are battling government forces in a number of areas around the c ountry, and Islamist militants, some linked to al-Qaida, have overrun entire tow ns in the countrys restive south. The U.S. and other nations worry that al-Qaida and other groups could exploit th e chaos in Yemen to step up operations. The ich and ies airstrikes hit just east of the town of Zinjibar, near Yemens south coast, wh Islamist militants overran earlier this year. Since then, government forces armed tribesmen have been battling to push them out, causing regular casualt on both sides.

Security official Abdullah al-Jadana said Saturday that men from the Fadl tribe advanced on Zinjibar, killing two militants and occupying a government communica tions building before at least three airstrikes hit the area late Friday, he sai d. Fourteen tribesmen were killed in the strike. Full report at: http://www.khaleejtimes.com/displayarticle.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2011/July/m

iddleeast_July619.xml&section=middleeast&col= --------Three journalists killed in NATO raid: Libya Jul 31, 2011 TRIPOLI - Libya said three journalists were killed in a NATO air strike on state television on Saturday and that the murder of the rebels army chief proved Al-Qa eda was instigating the countrys armed revolt. Three of our colleagues were murdered and 15 injured while performing their profe ssional duty as Libyan journalists, said Khaled Basilia, director of Al-Jamahiriy a televisions English-language service. He branded the strike an act of international terrorism and in violation of UN Se curity Council resolutions. Earlier, NATO said it struck three television transmitters to silence terror broa dcasts by Moamer Kadhafis regime. NATO conducted a precision air strike te TV satellite transmission dishes in adhafi s use of satellite television incite acts of violence against them, Full report at: http://www.khaleejtimes.com/displayarticle.asp?xfile=data/international/2011/Jul y/international_July1556.xml&section=international&col= --------Afghans arrest Taleban leader, army turncoat Jul 31, 2011 KABUL, Afghanistan - A senior Defense Ministry official who allegedly leaked sec rets that helped the Taliban stage suicide attacks in Kabul has been arrested by the Afghan Intelligence Service one of three high profile arrests announced Sat urday by the agency. A spokesman also said a senior Taleban official accused of leading an insurgent propaganda campaign in eastern Afghanistan, and an insurgent who allegedly helpe d organize an April 1 attack against the U.N. headquarters in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif that killed 11 people, including seven foreign U.N. employees. Infiltration has become a serious concern for Afghan forces and the U.S.-led mil itary alliance that is training them often on bases they share. The Taliban have said the practice has become one of their main strategies in their war against the U.S.-led coalition and President Hamid Karzais government. Full report at: http://www.khaleejtimes.com/displayarticle.asp?xfile=data/international/2011/Jul y/international_July1541.xml&section=international&col= --------that disabled three ground-based Libyan sta Tripoli... with the intent of degrading K as a means to intimidate the Libyan people and said NATO.

Kingdom extends helping hand to Horn of Africa Jul 31, 2011 RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has donated SR225 million in aid to Horn of Africa countrie s that have been hit by a massive drought affecting millions of people. Other Gulf states have also come forward with donations to help the African coun tries, where about 500,000 children are in need of urgent help including food an d medicine. The countries in the Horn of Africa hit by famine Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, Djibo uti and Eritrea have welcomed the Saudi support, said Mohammed Ali, charge daffair es at the Ethiopian Embassy in Riyadh, on Saturday. Ali said the situation was worsening in some countries on the Horn of Africa, an impoverished region inhabited by over 100 million people. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had personally thanked Custodian of the Two Hol y Mosques King Abdullah for the donation for food supplies through the UNs World Food Program. The UN has asked for more support from Gulf states to enable UN ag encies to rush adequate food supplies to the drought victims. Appeals for more help for the drought-hit African countries have already been se nt to the rulers of Gulf states including Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emir ates (UAE), said a UN official in Riyadh. Full report at: http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article480504.ece --------Indonesian Muslims demand Ahmahdiyah be outlawed Jul 31, 2011 JAKARTA, Indonesia: Hundreds of conservative Muslims have held a noisy but peace ful rally in Indonesias capital to demand the government outlaw an Islamic sect t hey consider heretical. Nearly 1,500 white-robed protesters gathered Saturday, days after a court senten ced 12 men to less than six months in jail for lynching three Ahmahdiyah sect me mbers. Some held placards Saturday that said Disband Ahmadiyah or Revolution. Indonesia, a predominantly Muslim and secular nation of 240 million, has a long history of religious tolerance. Critics said the light sentences given to 12 men caught on video taking part in Februarys frenzied mob attack on Ahmadiyah members sent a chilling message about gr owing religious intolerance. http://arabnews.com/world/article480292.ece --------Lawyer sees release of 2 Americans held in Iran

Jul 31, 2011 TEHRAN: Two Americans jailed in Iran on charges of espionage could be released a fter a court hearing slated for Sunday, their lawyer said. Masoud Shafiei said Saturday the fact that the session in the trial of Shane Bau er and Josh Fattal would coincide with the second anniversary of their arrest ma y indicate that they will be freed. The Muslim world also has a tradition of pardoning prisoners for the holy month of Ramadan, which starts early next week. The two men and Bauers fiancee, Sarah Shourd, were detained on July 31, 2009, and Iran accused them of illegally crossing the border to spy. Shourd was released last year on $500,000 bail and has said she wont return to Iran for trial. They deny the charges and claim they were only hiking in a scenic, mountainous a rea in the semiautonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq, near the Iranian bord er. The lawyer said Shourd has not been summoned for Sundays trial session, and he th inks thats another indication that the case is almost over and his clients will b e freed. Shafiei suggested the court could convict the two but then sentence them to time served. Theyve spent two years of their life in jail in Iran, which will serve as their se ntence. And tomorrow will coincide with the second anniversary of their arrest. My clients could be released should the court hearing be held tomorrow as planne d, he said. Shafiei insisted the authorities have no evidence to prove espionage, and he poi nted out the area where they were detained has a porous border. The espionage charge is irrelevant, and the charge of illegal entry is inconsiste nt with the facts. There was no clear border line and my clients are not guilty. Ive provided a sufficient defense, he said. The US government has appealed for the two men to be released, insisting that th ey have done nothing wrong. http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article480341.ece --------Syrian forces killed at least 19 protesters: Activists Jul 31, 2011 NICOSIA: Syrian security forces have killed at least 19 people and wounded 35 ot hers as hundreds of thousands of turned out for anti-regime protests, activists said. "Nineteen martyrs fell on Friday," the National Organisation for Human Rights sa id in Nicosia. "The Syrian authorities had decided to go ahead and kill protesters during the d ay marked by demonstrations dubbed Your silence is killing us ," it said in a s tatement today.

The toll included one person killed in Damascus and seven in the region around t he capital, including five in Kiswah and two in Douma, said Ammar Qorabi, who he ads the human rights group. Another three were killed in the flash point southern town of Daraa, three more died in the eastern city Deir Ezzor, two others in the nearby town of Bukamal, a nd one in the western coastal city of Latakia. One person was killed in a village in the central governorate of Homs and anothe r in the flashpoint city of Hama, also in central Syria. For its part, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported 12 civilians were killed and 35 were wounded yesterday. "A young man was killed at one of the security barricades in the Qadam neighbour hood of Damascus," said the Observatory, a British-based human rights group. Of these, one was killed in Latakia, one in Daraa, one in a village of Homs gove rnorate, and another in Deir Ezzor, while around Damascus, one was killed in Dou ma, one in Bukamal and four in Kiswah. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Syrian-forces-killed-at-lea st-19-protesters-Activists/articleshow/9422892.cms --------ISI may try its best to rescue Fai: prosecutors Jul 31 2011 Washington : Pakistan s ISI could try its best to rescue Ghulam Nabi Fai, accuse d of being on its payroll for 20 years and funnelling its cash into the US to in fluence lawmakers on Kashmir, feel federal prosecutors, who also claim that the Kashmiri separatist had lived "a life of lies". Assistant US Attorney Gordon Kromberg said ISI has a wide network of supporters and agents across the globe and would try its best to rescue 62-year-old Fai, he ad of the Kashmiri American Council who has been put under house arrest with ele ctronic surveillance and an unsecured bond of $100,000. "Based on the information in the complaint and to a large degree conceded by Mr Fai after his arrest, he has been an agent of the Pakistani intelligence service for more than 20 years," he said. "As such it is likely that the Pakistani intelligence service has an obligation to try to protect Mr Fai from getting prosecuted for being their agent. As a res ult, he likely has a network of support internationally from the secret service of a foreign government," Kromberg said. "There is no doubt at this point that he agrees that he has been an affiliate of the Pakistani Secret Services Intelligence Directorate Agency for, he says, 15 years, we say more than 20. Either way he has been in contact with his handlers hundreds and thousands of times," he said. Full report at: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/isi-may-try-its-best-to-rescue-fai-prosecutors /825068/

--------Pak delayed raid that killed Osama fearing fallout

Jul 31 2011 Islamabad : The US was "60 per cent sure" of Osama bin Laden s presence at a com pound in Abbottabad where he was killed on May 2 but chose to "delay its operati on knowing the implications it would have on its relationship with Pakistan", ac cording to security sources. The Inter-Services Intelligence agency translated a communication in Arabic by b in Laden s courier Abu Ahmed al-Kuwaiti for the CIA and this "ultimately led to the compound of the al Qaeda chief", a source said. The source criticised a statement from then CIA chief Leon Panetta after the May 2 operation as "rubbing salt into their wounds". Referring to Pakistan s failure to detect bin Laden s presence, Panetta, who is now US Secretary of Defense, had said Islamabad had either been complicit or inc ompetent. The source said there was never a "dispute on targeting Al Qaeda" and that the I SI "had somehow failed to follow" the communication by bin Laden s courier al-Ku waiti. "The US and Pakistan have realisation to cooperate against the common enemy (of terrorism). But undefined arrangements have resulted in (CIA contractor) Raymond Davis-like incidents that had brought embarrassment for us. We have to set parameters to avert such situations in future. We must work out ar rangements acceptable to both sides," the source said. After the May 2 raid against bin Laden, Pakistan s image was tarnished abroad, t he sources said. Full report at: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/pak-delayed-raid-that-killed-osama-fearing-fal lout/825075/ --------Malaysian youth dies after failing to change gender Jul 31, 2011 Kuala Lumpur : A Malaysian Muslim youth who failed in his bid to change his name and gender after undergoing a sex change operation died of heart disease today. Mohd Ashraf Hafiz Abdul Aziz (25) shot into limelight after the Kuala Terengganu High Court rejected his application to change his gender and name to Aleesha Fa rhana in the national identity card, Malaysian news agency Bernama reported. Aziz was admitted to a hospital at Kuala Terengganu, about 500 kilometers northe ast of Kuala Lumpur, yesterday after experiencing heart problems and low blood p ressure, it said. Doctors said that he was suffering from unstable chest pains associated with hea rt disease.

The youth had undergone a sex change operation in Thailand in 2009. Malaysian minister of Women, Family and Community Development Shahrizat Abdul Ja lil said she was deeply saddened that her ministry was not able to provide in ti me counselling to Hafiz. "We were concerned about his wellbeing. My ministry is welfare-oriented and we a re non-judgemental," the minister said. "We try to understand and counsel anyone who needs our help, especially people w ho feel desperate but for Aziz, it is too late now," she said. International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) law lecturer Assistant Professo r Shamrahayu Ab Aziz said Islamic jurisprudence was very clear on the issue of t ranssexuals. "Islam does not permit sex changes to avoid any confusion and problems that woul d crop up later," he said. However, Shamrahayu said Islam allowed sex changes for hermaphrodites. http://www.indianexpress.com/news/malaysian-youth-dies-after-failing-to-change-g ender/824732/ --------After Indo-Pak talks, Krishna advises wait-and-watch approach Jul 31 2011 New Delhi : External Affairs Minister SM Krishna will make a statement in both h ouses of Parliament this week on the outcome of the high-profile talks he had wi th his Pakistani counterpart Hina Rabbani Khar. "With reference to various issues that we discussed with Khar during the course of her interaction would be subject matter of a suo-moto statement that I am goi ng to make this week in both houses of Parliament," Krishna said. The talks held on July 27 yielded new Confidence Building Measures including inc reasing cross-LoC trading days and expanding travel to include tourism and relig ious aspects apart from relaxing permit conditions for travel by people of Jammu and Kashmir to the other side of LoC by having a system of six-month multiple e ntry. The two ministers had discussed Jammu and Kashmir, counter-terrorism measures, i ncluding progress in the Mumbai attacks trial in Pakistan, humanitarian issues, commercial and economic cooperation, Sir Creek, Siachen, peace and security incl uding CBMs and promotion of friendly exchanges. Asked whether he found any perceptible change in the approach of Pakistan in res olving outstanding issues as the young Khar asserted that bilateral ties should not be held hostage to history, Krishna said, "One has to wait and see on how th e relationship" evolves. http://www.indianexpress.com/news/after-indopak-talks-krishna-advises-wa.../8250 16/ ---------

Number killed in Egyptian car crashes last year exceeds Revolution s martyrs 31 Jul 2011 Aftermath of bus crash that killed 8 US tourists last December near Abu Simbel, Aswan (Photo: Reuters) New figures for transport fatalities show security crackdowns and street clashes are not the only dangers for Egyptians. Road and rail accidents claimed over 7,000 lives in Egypt in 2010, a 7.9 per cen t rise on the previous year, the Central Authority for Public Mobilization and S tatistics (CAPMAS) said on Thursday. 7,040 people were killed in road and rail accidents in Egypt in 2010, a disturbi ng climb on the 6,486 fatalities recorded for 2009. 2010 saw 66.8 road accidents per day, up from 62.4 in 2009. The annual total was 24,371, against 22,793 the previous year. An average of 19.3 people were killed on the roads in 2010, up from 17.8 in 2009 . Injuries also rose to 98.7 per day in 2010, up from 97.1 the previous year. Egypt s youth bore the brunt of casualties, with 48.4 per cent of those killed i n automobile accidents between the ages of 15 and 30, according to CAPMAS. Full report at: http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/3/12/17543/Business/Economy/Number-kille d-in-Egyptian-car-crashes-last-year-ex.aspx --------Syria s exiled opposition senses historic moment July 31, 2011 Syrian opposition demonstrators living in Turkey take part in a protest against Syria s President al-Assad outside the Syrian consulate in Istanbul (Reuters pho to) When former Syrian diplomat Bassam Bitar was stationed in Paris three decades ag o, a secret policeman from the embassy knocked at his apartment door to deliver a thinly veiled death threat if he did not stop criticising the ruling Assad fam ily. "The embassy s operative, known as Lieutenant Colonel Ghayath Anis, which was no t his real name, said he was advising me as a friend to shut up or face conseq uences," said Bitar, 55, recollecting the day when Anis visited his suburban hom e just after he was sacked from his embassy job in May 1987. Full report at: http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/17697/World/Region/Syrias-exiled-opp osition-senses-historic-moment.aspx --------Account of the Islamists overtake of Friday demonstrations in Alexandria, Egypt

Mostafa Ali 31 Jul 2011 During the afternoon hours of Friday 29 July the streets of Alexandria, Egypt s second largest city, home to millions and many vacationers, were relatively empt y. Many residents decided not to go to the beach or shop as they usually do on t he weekend. Many Alexandrians feared that thousands of Salafists, who were descending on the downtown district of the city to call for an Islamic state, might clash with hu ndreds of families of 25 January Revolution martyrs, who have been holding a sit -in at Saad Zaghloul Square since 8 July to demand justice. According to an agreement that revolutionary youth coalitions and Islamic groups reached earlier in the week, all political forces should have held a joint demo nstrations in different cities around the country on Friday to press the governm ent of Prime Minister Essam Sharaf and the ruling military council for five basi c demands centred on social justice and justice for the martyrs, whose killers, mostly police and security forces, have not yet been tried or have been released . Full report at: http://english.ahram.org.eg/~/NewsContent/1/64/17711/Egypt/Politics-/Account-ofthe-Islamists%E2%80%99-overtake-of-Friday-demon.aspx --------World must not be indifferent July 31, 2011 An internally displaced woman from southern Somalia gives water to her daughter at a distribution centre in Mogadishu, on July 30, 2011. Somalia is the Horn of Africa country worst affected by an extreme drought that has put millions in dan ger of starvation and spurred a global fund-raising campaign. CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy: Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday urged the world not to be "i ndifferent" to famine, as some 12 million people in the Horn of Africa face star vation amid the worst drought there in decades. "We must not be indifferent to the tragedy of the hungry and the thirsty," the p ope said in an address to hundreds of pilgrims following the weekly Angelus pray er at his summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, just outside Rome. Many brothers and sisters in the Horn of Africa are suffering these days from th e dramatic consequences of the famine, aggravated by war and the lack of stable institutions," he said, calling for "compassion" and "fraternal solidarity." Full report at: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/International/2011/Jul-31/World-must-not-be-ind ifferent-to-famine-pope.ashx#axzz1TgjSKLDj --------Lebanon MP Qabbani demands territorial water demarcation July 30, 2011

to famine: Pope Benedict XVI

BEIRUT: Future Movement MP Mohammad Qabbani demanded that a team of experts work to demarcate Lebanon s maritime borders during an interview on LBC Saturday, re ported Lebanons National News Agency. We need a team of experts to demarcate our maritime border, he said. He said there was a need for a specialized team of experts to demarcate Lebanese territorial waters, an activity that he said should be done in accordance with international oversees maritime law. Qabbani said Lebanon must abide by the international maritime treaty it has sign ed. He said the line separating Lebanon from Israel as agreed in the 1949 Armistice Agreement includes a virtual line running about 12 nautical miles. Qabbani added that according to international law, Lebanon is entitled to offshore natural re sources. He accused Israel of taking advantage of the situation in its treaty with Cyprus . He said he favored a negotiated settlement to Lebanon s loss of nearly 860 nautic al miles as a result of the Israeli-Cypriot high seas cooperation treaty. http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Local-News/2011/Jul-30/Qabbani-demands-territor ial-water-demarcation.ashx#axzz1TgjSKLDj --------Maternal Deaths Focus Harsh Light on Uganda By CELIA W. DUGGER July 31, 2011 ARUA, Uganda Jennifer Anguko was slowly bleeding to death right in the maternity ward of a major public hospital. Only a lone midwife was on duty, the hospital later admitted, and no doctor examined her for 12 hours. An obstetrician who inv estigated the case said Ms. Anguko, the mother of three young children, had arri ved in time to be saved. Her husband, Valente Inziku, a teacher, frantically changed her blood-soaked bed clothes as her life seeped away. Im going to leave you, she told him as he cradled her. He said she pleaded, Look after our children. Half of the 340,000 deaths of women from pregnancy-related causes each year occu r in Africa, almost all in anonymity. But Ms. Anguko was a popular elected offic ial seeking treatment in a 400-bed hospital, and a lawsuit over her death may be the first legal test of an African governments obligation to provide basic mater nal care. It also raises broader questions about the unintended impact of foreign aid on A fricas struggling public health systems. As the United States and other donors ha ve given African nations billions of dollars to fight AIDS and other infectious diseases, helping millions of people survive, most of the African governments ha ve reduced their own share of domestic spending devoted to health, shifting to o ther priorities. Full report at:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/30/world/africa/30uganda.html?ref=world&pagewante d=print URL: http://www.newageislam.com/NewAgeIslamIslamicWorldNews_1.aspx?ArticleID=515 4