Wednesday, 3 May 2017

Evening NEWS DIGEST
03 May 2017: 06 Shaban 1438: Vol: 8, No:181
INDIA: Muslim Personal Law
Triple talaq, polygamy case: SC allows ex-Minister Khurshid to assist it as amicus curiae
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/triple-talaq-sc-allows-ex-minister-khurshid-to-assist-it/1/944674.html
New Delhi: Former union minister and senior advocate Salman Khurshid was today allowed by the Supreme Court to assist it in the hearing of a batch of pleas challenging the constitutional validity of triple talaq, nikah halala and polygamy practices among Muslims.A bench comprising Chief Justice JS Khehar and Justices DY Chandrachud and SK Kaul also permitted Khurshid, a senior Congress leader, to file written submissions in the case within two days."Of course, we will take it on record," the bench said when Khurshid said that the time for filing written submission in the matter has already expired and he intended to do it in a couple of days. Khurshid later said his role would be like that of an amicus curiae (friend of the court). A 5-judge constitution bench would commence hearing from May 11 to decide on the batch of petitions challenging the practices of triple talaq, nikah halala and polygamy.PTI
'Triple talaq': Khurshid to assist SC as amicus curiae in hearing pleas
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/triple-talaq-sc-allows-khurshid-to-assist-as-amicus-curiae/article18373616.ece?homepage=true
Law commission harsh on nikah halala, calls for ‘healthy debate’ on triple talaq
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/law-commission-calls-for-healthy-debate-on-triple-talaq/story-aTLZw68svYxMmCwZeGoRLN.html
Law commission chairman justice Balbir Singh Chauhan has invited Muslim women and other groups to discuss their concerns about triple talaq, that is facing a legal challenge. The debate should create an atmosphere where people themselves ask for a change, justice Chauahan said. “On triple talaq, there should be a healthy debate without any clapperclaws and slogans in which women should table their concerns, to create such an atmosphere that people themselves should come forward asking for change in the law,” he said.Chauhan was particularly harsh on nikaha halala, describing it as the worst kind of assault on the dignity of women.Nikah halala allows a woman to go back to her husband after she marries someone else, consummates the marriage and gets a divorce.“Much grievance can be held against the triple talaq but halala is the worst kind of violation of the dignity of every woman,” he said.The panel had last year sought public views on a uniform civil code, a political hot potato, by putting out a 16-point questionnaire, saying the focus would be on family laws of all religions to address social injustices.Justice Chauhan was addressing a gathering on Tuesday at the launch of a book on women rights, Istri Dasha and Disha, by Abha Singh and Nasim Ansari Kochar.HT
Law Commission invites Muslim women to discuss triple talaq, calls nikah halala assault on women
http://www.india.com/news/india/law-commission-invites-muslim-women-to-discuss-triple-talaq-calls-nikah-halala-assault-on-dignity-of-women-2093691/
Triple Talaq row: Kerala Jamaat’s women wing  lambaste Modi’s anti-Shariah tirade
http://saudigazette.com.sa/world/asia/muslim-women-lambaste-modis-anti-shariah-tirade/
Malappuram:Women’s wing of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) in Kerala has lambasted PM  Narendra Modi and the ruling BJP party for shedding crocodile tears for a few Muslim women suffered by Muthalaq (pronouncement of 3-time divorces in one go), saying it would not allow Modi and his party to exploit this minor issue to make political gains and defame Shariah. “Where were Modi and BJP when Muslim women were raped and their men and children were slaughtered during Gujarat riots? Where were they when hundreds of young Muslim men were arrested and put behind bars making false charges against them? Where were they when Sangh Parivars killed a number of Muslims and Dalits for allegedly eating beef?”asked A. Rahmathunnisa, head of the women’s wing, while addressing a mammoth seminar here. Thousands of women from all over the south Indian state attended the seminar, which was organized by JIH as part of a national campaign to safeguard Shariah and enlighten Muslims about the Islamic law. V.T. Abdullah Koya Thangal, assistant president of Jamaat in Kerala opened the event and urged Muslims across the country to uphold Shariah and practice its teachings in their daily life.Rahmathunnisa, who presided over the seminar, said the NDA Govt  wanted to defame Shariah and introduce a uniform civil code by urging Muslim women to stand against Muthalaq. “Everybody knows that Muthalaq is against the text and spirit of the Qur’an and Sunnah (the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him) and we are totally against Muthalaq,” she said, adding that only a few number of such divorce cases have occurred in the whole of India. “Shariah protects freedom, equality and gender justice and we the Muslim men and women of India demand the application of the Muslim Personal Law,” she added. The uniform code is not practical in a country like India, which has embraced people of different religious faiths and cultures.Saudi Gazette
Triple Talaq row : Jamaat’s women wing bashed Modi for ‘shedding crocodile tears’: TCN
http://twocircles.net/2017may02/408794.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Twocirclesnet-IndianMuslim+%28TwoCircles.net+-+Indian+Muslim+News%29
Muslim women lambaste Modi’s anti-Shariah tirade
http://www.milligazette.com/news/15590-muslim-women-lambaste-modis-anti-shariah-tirade
Islamic laws are divine and can’t be changed:Jamaat–e-Islami Hind secretary for women
http://www.thestatesman.com/india/islamic-laws-are-divine-and-can-t-be-changed-1493739209.html
New Delhi: “Islamic laws are divine and so can’t be changed by anyone. However, the Muslim community needs awareness and education about Muslim Personal Laws to check their misuse," said Jamaat–e-Islami Hind national secretary for women Atiya Siddiqa. She added that Triple Talaq is a non–issue that is being blown out of proportion by those with a political agenda.  The women's wing of JIH briefed the media about their ongoing nationwide, ‘Muslim Personal Law Awareness Campaign’, which includes setting up of counseling centers and Shariah Panchayats in different parts of the country to resolve family disputes. “During the campaign, the women's wing of the organisation is also actively participating in reaching out to people and educating them on issues like marriage, divorce, inheritance, etc," said Shaista Rafat, a member of the wing.  thestatesman
Debate on triple talaq blown out of proportion: Jamaat-e-Islami Hind
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/debate-on-triple-talaq-blown-out-of-proportion-islamic-forum-4637814/
New Delhi: The debate on triple talaq and polygamy has been “blown out of proportion” by people with vested interests and those who want to make it a political issue for polarising society, an Islamic organisation said. Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) also said it is conducting a pan-India campaign, ‘Muslim Personal Law Awareness Campaign’ from April 23 till May 7, on educating people about the Muslim personal law as “a large segment of Muslim society suffers from ignorance” about Islamic family laws.“The debate on triple talaq and polygamy has been blown out of proportion by people with vested interests and those who want to make it a political issue for polarising society. Their aim is to malign Islam and the Muslim community and portray Muslims as being oppressive of women and not ready to accept reform or change” JIH claimed in a statement.Indianexpress/PTI
Debate on triple talaq blown out of proportion, says Islamic forum: outlookindia
http://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/amnesty-international-accuses-bdesh-of-stifling-free-speech/1040933?scroll
‘Focus on Edu than triple Talaq system’ punemirror
http://punemirror.indiatimes.com/news/india/focus-on-edu-than-triple-talaq-system/articleshow/58497417.cms
Muslim Women term Triple Talaq a ‘non-issue’, Want better education, job: theindianawaaz
http://theindianawaaz.com/muslim-women-term-triple-talaq-a-non-issue-want-better-education-job/
Hyderabad: Jamaat-e-Islami Hind to set up Muslim counselling centres in twin cities
http://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/Telangana/2017-05-02/Jamaat-e-Islami-Hind-to-set-up-Muslim-counselling-centres-in-twin-cities/297360
Jamaat-e-Islami Hind will set up counselling centres across Hyderabad and Secunderabad to counsel women and impart them the knowledge of Triple Talaq, Divorce and Nikah infringement as part of Muslim Personal Law Awareness Campaign.Addressing a Press Conference in Gunfoundry, JIH incharge for Telangana State Ladies Wing Nasera Khannam said, “Jamaat already has 2 centres, one at Tolichowki and other at Secunderabad. 2 more centres will be set up at Charminar and Yakutpura areas where Muslim couples will be counselled on the rights and wrongs of burning Muslim issues in the light of Islamic teachings, and they will be counselled on issues including against marital separation” The move is a part of JIH’s state-wide campaign that kicked off from April 23 and will last through May 7.She also emphasised, “Muslim Personal Law and the Islamic teachings does not order men to marry four times instead it permits them subject to the just terms and conditions specified in the Islamic law.The issue has been wrongfully propagated by vested interests for their own gains”. Convenor JIH Ladies Wing Telangana Seema Lateefiwas was also present on the occasion. thehansindia
Awareness campaign on Muslim Law
https://telanganatoday.news/awareness-campaign-muslim-law
Cases of abandoned Muslim women their abuses and triple talaq: timesofindia
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/muslim-women-speak-out-on-putting-up-with-abuse-for-fear-of-triple-talaq/articleshow/58486909.cms
Mumbai:Shabnam Adil Khan was married in 2015 but within days she discovered that her husband was already married with two children. By then, he had already taken away all her jewellery and wedding finery. Then the torture began."He would drink and beat me. He even filmed me in our bedroom and threatened to circulate the clipping," she says. He tried to strangle her and even push her from a moving car. Finally, he abandoned her and went to Saudi Arabia, though he kept returning to Mumbai.After the husband divorces you, what is the future?" she asks. It was only in April 2016 that she filed a police case against her husband and in-laws. Like her, there are many who may not have been direct victims of an oral divorce decree, but have borne extreme domestic violence because their husbands threatened them with triple talaq card. Women like Shabnam are now coming out with their stories as the Supreme Court gears up hear petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the triple talaq on May 11. Shabnam is among those who spoke at a press conference organized by Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan (BMMA), which has filed an intervention plea in the Supreme Court.Sofiya Khan who was married 8 years ago and was abandoned 3 years ago wants to retain her marital home and be given maintenance."My husband used beat me, not give me money to run the house and constantly threaten to divorce me. I kept quiet because if he pronounced talaq, I would have no future," she said. Finally, he abandoned her without pronouncing a talaq.Nasreen Shaikh's husband married another woman after abandoning her. "He used to hit me and say don't tell anyone or I will divorce you," says Nasreen. When she was pregnant, she used to be locked outside the house the entire night. She was sent to her parent's home for her delivery but once she had a daughter, her husband never took her back. Later, she learnt he had remarried.Nasreen wants her husband to take her back or at least pay maintenance. timesofindia
Man stuns wife in Delhi court: Gave triple talaq 4 yrs ago
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/man-stuns-wife-in-delhi-court-gave-triple-talaq-four-years-ago-4638173/
New Delhi: Making his first appearance in court in three years to answer charges of domestic violence and marrying another woman without divorcing the first, a man stunned his wife — and a Delhi court room — when he announced he had divorced her through triple talaq almost four years ago. She had no idea he had given her talaq. Last Friday, in the mahila court of Metropolitan Magistrate Neha Paliwal in Tis Hazari, the 35-year-old man, a scrap dealer in Old Delhi who earns Rs 2 lakh a month, faced his wife, a 28-year-old, for the first time in three years. He then announced he had filed a document: “Respondent has given talaq to the applicant on 22 Sept., 2013. Talaqnama is enclosed herewith.” Advocate Shubra Mendiratta, counsel for the woman, said: “For three years, he did not appear at a single hearing. Now he says that he has given talaq. It is only in the court that the woman has been told that her husband has given talaq. We will challenge the authenticity of the document. More importantly, we will challenge the triple talaq.” Indianexpress
3 ex-wives get together to stop man’s 4th marriage in UP
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/three-wives-get-together-to-stop-man-s-fourth-marriage-in-uttar-pradesh/story-T9EOhqh53y4VWtD7fN6POI.html
A man’s plan to marry for the fourth time hit a hurdle after his previous 4 wives divorced through triple talaq approached police, accusing him of making their obscene MMS and raping a minor. The 3 women reached the office of the ASP, Dinesh Tripathi, 2 days ago and alleged that 30-year-old Danish had married for the first time in 2013 and made an alleged MMS of his wife, police said. After a dispute with her, he allegedly blackmailed the first wife and her family members by making the MMS viral to extort money.He later gave her triple talaq and married for the second time. The marriage continued for only a year and he left his second wife also, according to the FIR.On Oct.24, 2016 the accused went to his relative’s house where he allegedly raped his 15-year-old cousin and later married her.ASP Tripathi said an FIR has been registered against Danish under POCSO and other relevant sections of the IPC.A probe is on in the matter, he added. hindustantimes
Only Muslim Marriage Act can end triple talaq, halala: Shaista Amber
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/only-a-muslim-marriage-act-can-end-triple-talaq-halala-shaista-amber/articleshow/58482126.cms
Shaista Amber who runs All India Muslim Women Personal Law Board tells TOI that reforms are need of the hour to safeguard some human rights. She said, "only a Muslim marriage act can safeguard rights of woman. Weddings involve the society but triple talaq takes place abruptly and mostly there may or may not be any witnesses. But with a legal framework, divorce will have to pass through a process. It will serve as the basis for women to ask for their meher and maintenance to raise their children." timesofindia
Triple talaq ban will lead Muslims to desert their wives like Modi:Adv.Flavia Agnes
http://www.ummid.com/news/2017/May/02.05.2017/advocate-flavia-agnes-on-muslim-personal-law-board.html
Kolkata: Advocate Flavia Agnes, who has written extensively on women’s issues, while speaking at a one day national seminar organized at Aliah University, Kolkata said that a ban on triple talaq will prove ineffective as Muslim men may then start deserting their wives, like Narendra Modi abandoned his wife.Agnes also accused the media of ignorance over the subject and suggested that they were playing into the hands of vested political interests by only highlighting certain kind of reports related to Muslim women.“Among all personal laws, I regard Muslim personal laws as most progressive,” Flavia Agnes said.ummid.com
Talaq drive to expand base- BJP's Bihar unit plans outreach meetings for Muslims
https://www.telegraphindia.com/1170503/jsp/frontpage/story_149421.jsp#.WQnt1fmGO1s
Kishanganj: Taking a cue from PM  Narendra Modi, the Bihar BJP today decided to launch a campaign for justice to Muslim women grappling with the vexed issue of instant triple talaq. Former state BJP president Mangal Pandey said party workers would reach out to Muslims and urge them to find a solution to the issue, which it says is related to gender justice. "Our party workers would reach out to Muslims urging them to look into the triple talaq issue because it is related to gender justice and the problems being faced by Muslim women due to it. We would urge Muslims to come forward and provide a solution to this issue," Pandey said at an interaction with reporters on first day of the state working committee meeting in Kishanganj, Muslim majority district. BJP's central leadership is already planning a series of conventions that will campaign against the triple talaq system. The party hopes the campaign will fetch votes from Muslim women during this winter's Gujarat polls and the 2019 general polls. telegraphindia
OTHERS
Jamiat Ulema defends Assam Accord-1985 in SC as citizenship of 'one-third population of Assam' is in danger
http://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ani/jamiat-ulema-e-hind-defends-assam-accord-1985-in-sc-117050300046_1.html
New Delhi:Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind under the leadership of its national president Qari Syed Mohammed Usman Mansoorpuri, general secretary Maulana Syed Mahmood Asad Madani and Maulana Badruddin Ajmal (MP), president, Assam state Jamiat Ulema has taken a strong stand to defend the Assam Accord -1985 in the Supreme Court for which it has engaged a team of renowned senior lawyers. As per the instruction of the apex court, the Jamiat has filed written submissions and produced all relevant documents before it earlier on May 1. Addressing a press conference at the Jamait head Office at ITO, leaders of Jamiat and Assam Jamait said, "It is to be noted here that an agitation was started in the year 1978-79 mainly led by AASU and AAGSP, initially against the outsiders (Hindi speaking people). Then it became anti-foreigners and termed into anti-Bangladeshi then anti-Muslims, being guided by communal forces. Thousands of people were killed, houses were burnt, genocide at Nellie and Chaulkua took place. Lakhs of people were displaced and made homeless." They further said that ultimately, a consensus agreement was executed on Aug.15, 1985 between the agitating organizations and the Central Govt under the late PM Rajiv Gandhi and the Govt  of Assam, which is known as Assam Accord. "It was agreed that those who came and settled in Assam till March 25, 1971 will be treated as Indian citizens. Accordingly, Citizenship Act, 1955 was amended by the Parliament and section 6-A was inserted in to the Act," they added. They also said that some vested interested groups had filed cases in the SC being WP(C) No. 274/2009 and WP(C) No. 562/2012 claiming that instead of that cutoff date i.e. 25/3/1971, the base year should be 1951, to decide the citizenship of people in Assam, and it also challenged the validity of Assam Accord-1985 claiming it as un-constitutional and claimed National Register of Citizens (NRC) to be updated with 1951 on the base year."As the issue was related to lakhs of people rather one-third population of Assam, the Assam unit of Jamiat headed by Maulana Badruddin Ajmal under the guidance of National president of Jamiat Maulana Syed Mohammed Usman Mansoorpuri and general secretary Maulana Syed Mahmood Madani filed the petition against these cases filed by vested interested organizations in SC to defend the Assam Accord and Section 6-A of the Citizenship Act-1955,' they added. They said meanwhile, All Assam Minority Students Union (AAMSU) and Citizens Rights Preservation Committee (CRPC) also filed the petition in Supreme Court to defend Assam Accord-1985. The cases were earlier before Division Bench of Supreme Court which raised 13 questions on Assam Accord and asked defending parties to file answers in the Court. Later, the cases were shifted to Constitution Bench of Supreme Court comprising of five judges. The Constitution Bench directed all the parties to submit written submission and connected documents on or before May 1. Jamiat has submitted answers of those 13 questions and produced all relevant documents before the SC on May 1.The final hearings of the connected cases have been fixed on and from May 8 before a Constitution Bench comprising of 5 judges.Assam has been facing turmoil during the last 38 years on the issue of wild allegations of large scale infiltration of Bangladeshi nationals, which is more a myth than a reality. ANI
Respect Assam accord and don’t divide people on religious lines: Jamiat-on issue of foreigners
http://twocircles.net/2017may02/408800.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Twocirclesnet-IndianMuslim+%28TwoCircles.net+-+Indian+Muslim+News%29
Jamiat vows to defend Assam Accord in SC
http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/detailsnew.asp?id=may0317/at052
Women being kept with criminals in detention camps in Assam: Ajmal
http://www.indiatomorrow.net/eng/women-being-kept-with-criminals-in-detention-camps-in-assam-ajmal
New Delhi: Lok Sabha MP and president of AIUDF Maulana Badruddin Ajmal on Tuesday accused the Assam BJP Govt  of harassing a large number of local people raising doubts over their citizenship.Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Ajmal, who represents Muslim-dominated Dhubri constituency of Assam in the Lok Sabha, alleged that Govt  officials come to houses in plain clothes in the night without any female officer and ask women to produce Identity Card. If they fail to do so, then they drag them to vehicles and put in detention camps set up in unknown locations, said Ajmal. He also alleged that in detention camps, women are kept with men who are facing serious criminal charges. "And no one from outside are allowed to meet these women in the detention camps," alleged perfume baron AIUDF chief adding that "Thousands of such cases are happening in the state."IndiaTomorrow
Top secys to head to Israel ahead of PM Modi's July visit
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/top-secys-to-head-to-israel-ahead-of-pm-modis-july-visit/articleshow/58486654.cms
New Delhi: 6 top secretaries of the Govt  of India will travel to Israel next week as part of an exercise to involve ministries concerned in agreements and MoUs that are expected to be signed when PM Narendra Modi visits Israel in July.Home secretary Rajiv Mehrishi, agriculture secretary S K Pattanayak, water secretaries Amarjeet Singh and Parameshwaran Iyer, secretary of department of industrial policy and promotion (DIPP) Ramesh Abhishek, secretary defence production A K Gupta and science & technology secretary Ashutosh Sharma will travel to Israel with Union minister of state MJ Akbar to engage with their Israeli counterparts on decisions that might emerge from the forthcoming visit.This will be a change from the MEA-PMO led foreign visits that are the norm. "We need the executing ministries to take ownership of the projects and MoUs that are signed," said sources. The team will travel next week. While defence and security have always been the bedrock of India-Israel relations, this time Modi's visit will be marked by a greater attention to water issues. Israel is already involved deeply in the agriculture sector and sources said more centres of excellence will be added. India and Israel signed a water agreement in Nov.2016that was to focus on desalination. But sources in Govt  say they plan to expand their canvas to include water conservation to using technology to generate and protect water sources.Modi will not visit Palestine during his trip to Israel. Timesofindia
No shift in Kashmir policy, says China but doubts remain after state media article
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/no-shift-in-kashmir-policy-says-china-but-doubts-remain-after-state-media-article/story-461txHhn4UCmL5dopzzmeO.html
Beijing: Chinese Govt  said China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) does not affect Beijing’s stance on the Kashmir issue and it was up to New Delhi and Islamabad to settle it through dialogue and negotiation.Beijing, however, was willing to make “constructive efforts” to improve relations between the two countries, the foreign ministry said in a statement. “China’s position on the issue of Kashmir is clear and consistent. It is an issue left over from history between India and Pakistan, and shall be properly addressed by India and Pakistan through consultation and negotiation,” it said.The statement comes in the wake of a state media article that indicated that China was getting ready to mediate on the Kashmir issue to protect its increasing financial investment in the CPEC, a cluster of energy and infrastructure projects and road networks connecting China’s Kashgar in northwest Xinjiang to Pakistan’s Gwadar port city. “Given the massive investment that China has made in countries along the One Belt, One Road, China now has a vested interest in helping resolve regional conflicts including the dispute over Kashmir between India and Pakistan,” article in Global Times said. hindustantimes
J&K: 4 attacks in 3-day 2 more banks looted in Pulwama
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/two-more-banks-looted-in-kashmir-s-pulwama-district/story-ahIFlK6oIC7T0t65jxDluM.html
Srinagar: For the second successive day today unidentified gunmen targeted banks in Kashmir – this time looting Rs 6.33 lakhs from 2 banks in Pulwama district in a span of a few hours.Police said that in the first incident, 3 suspected militants barged into a branch of Ellaquai Dehati Bank in Waibug early afternoon and took away approximately Rs 5 lakhs. The men did not harm anybody physically. The bank has no surveillance cameras. Hours later militants targeted a branch of J&K  Bank at Nehama and looted of Rs 1.33 lakh, the police control room in Pulwama said. Police have launched a hunt for the bank robbers.Wednesday’s bank robberies come a day after gunmen barged into a bank in Kulgam district on Tuesday and looted Rs 65,000 from another branch of the Ellaquai Dehati Bank.HT
Militants loot 2 banks within 2 hours in Kashmir, steals several lakh rupees
http://www.livemint.com/Politics/sfWdPtThyF64ppavUD3nEL/Militants-steal-Rs4-lakh-from-bank-in-south-Kashmir.html
Sonu Nigam row: HC says azaan an integral part of Islamic worship, not loudspeakers
http://www.hindustantimes.com/chandigarh/azaan-an-integral-part-of-islamic-worship-but-not-microphones-hc/story-6nd5XOB6pvRCPwGggeZ8UM.html
Chandigarh: Punjab and Haryana high court has said that while Azaan is undoubtedly an integral part of Islam, it does not necessarily have to be blared through loudspeakers.A single-judge bench comprising justice MMS Bedi made this observation in connection with a plea filed against singer Sonu Nigam over a series of comments posted on Twitter last month. Terming the petition as a “cheap” attempt to gain publicity, justice Bedi said:“A fair interpretation of the words used by respondent no 4 (Nigam) clearly indicates that the word ‘gundagardi’ in tweet no 4 is not addressed in the context of Azaan but the use of loudspeakers and amplifiers.”The petition filed by Aas Mohammad, a resident of Sonepat in Haryana, had sought launching of criminal proceedings against Nigam. He claimed that the singer’s tweets violated the Muslim community’s fundamental right to manage religious affairs as enshrined in the Constitution, and also hurt the religious sentiments of a section of the population.Referring to various judgments, justice Bedi said the matter of allowing loudspeakers for religious purposes had previously been taken up for consideration in the M Veerateswaran vs deputy collector case by the Madras high court. Bench, comprising justice K Sampath, had observed that no religion prescribes blaring prayers through sound amplifiers. hindustantimes
Over 12,000 farmer suicides per year, Centre tells SC
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/over-12000-farmer-suicides-per-year-centre-tells-supreme-court/articleshow/58486441.cms
New Delhi: Centre informed the Supreme Court that despite a multi-pronged approach to improve income and social security of farmers, over 12,000 suicides were reported in agricultural sector every year since 2013.A bench of Chief Justice JS Khehar and Justices DY Chandrachud and Sanjay Kishan Kaul heard the Govt 's steps taken to ameliorate the condition of those associated with farming and the counter view by petitioner NGO 'Citizen Resources and Action Initiative'.TOI
SC questions 6 states on 'Gau Rakshaks': Band of Muslim cow protectors respond
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/supreme-court-gau-rakhsaks-band-of-muslim-cow-protectors-respond/1/943964.html
New Delhi:A band of Muslim 'gau rakshaks' have come forward and submitted a counter petition asking the Supreme Court not to ban 'gau rakshaks' in response to a petition filed by Tehseen Poonawalla in the Supreme Court asking for a complete ban on 'gau rakshaks' across the country. The petitioners in the intervention petition are Faiz Khan from Raipur, Israr Ullah from Allahabad & Dr SN Pathan from Pune who have requested the Supreme Court that gau rakshaks should not be banned.Through this petition advocate Shiraz Quraishi and his team have requested the apex court that there are abundant people across religions who are working within the framework of the law for the protection of cows and progeny. Indiatoday
'Month after murder, Pehlu’s killers walk free'
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/month-after-murder-pehlus-killers-walk-free/articleshow/58500166.cms
Jaipur: Social activists and politicians gathered at Ambedkar Circle in Jaipur to seek justice for dairy farmer Pehlu Khan who lost his life a month ago on April 3. Khan was so brutally thrashed by goons calling themselves 'gau rakshaks' that he died after spending two days at hospital. The attack occurred at Behror in Alwar district on April 1. Khan was transporting legally acquired cows to his home in Haryana.On Wednesday, Sumitra Chopra of CPI-M said that all six named in the FIR still walk free, one month after the murder. The police have made arrests of over 10 people so far, but none of them was named by Khan. "A police contingent was here as we gathered just now, to inform us that Section 144 of CrPC is in force here. They told us we could not gather here. Police are out to hound those protesting, as murderers walk free."Dr Iqbal Siddiqui of Jamaat e Islami Hind said hope of justice was bleak - those in power are influencing courts too. "However, we can only continue to struggle for justice. The attack on Pehlu was part of a larger strategy of attack on farmers and those tending to livestock. The principle of democracy rests in numbers, and we must muster the numbers to overcome this discourse of hatred. Victory is not in our hands, but in the Almighty's. What is in our power is only to struggle." timesofindia
Mamata backs Kajol on beef eating, says intolerance over food habits dangerous:PTI
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/mamata-backs-kajol-on-beef-eating-says-intolerance-over-food-habits-dangerous/story-mPG5GBNXATI2W7sDLiPReJ.html
Apparently referring to actress Kajol who was trolled online for posting a video of a beef dish, West Bengal CM  Mamata Banerjee came out in her support on Wednesday, saying it was a dangerous trend that some people were becoming intolerant of food habits of others.“I won’t name the actress. She has worked in many films with Shah Rukh Khan. Recently she had posted a video online following which she was harassed and trolled online. She had to clarify that it was not beef but buffalo meat. It is an alarming situation,” said she. She said it was a dangerous trend that some people became so intolerant that “they are trying to dictate what others will eat”.
Bulandshahr: FIR against 6 Hindu Yuva Vahini members for beating Muslim man to death
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/fir-against-six-hindu-yuva-vahini-members-for-murdering-muslim-man-in-bulandshahr-4638700/
New Delhi:An FIR has been filed against six Hindu Yuva Vahini members for beating a Muslim man to death in Bulandshahr’s Pahasu area on Tuesday.Victim Ghulam Mohammad’s son has alleged that members of Hindu Yuva Vahini (HYV) along with one Gavendra Singh of the village were involved in his father’s death.“Ghulam’s son Yaseen has alleged that while he was walking towards their orchard to meet his father, he saw Gavendra Singh of their village  and 6 others leaving the orchard on motorcycles… He claimed when he entered the orchard, he found his father lying injured. He raised an alarm and locals rushed Ghulam to the hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead on arrival,” Vijay Prakash, Shikarpur police Circle Officer said. indianexpress
Mob lynches Muslim man in UP’s Bulandshahr, son blames Hindu Yuva Vahini:HT
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/suspected-hindutva-mob-lynches-muslim-man-in-up-s-bulandshahr/story-NOyIhqRS2G30p2sSCWUROP.html
Dowry death: Army major arrested after wife, RJ with local FM channel, commits suicide
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/dowry-death-army-major-arrested-after-wife-rj-with-local-fm-channel-commits-suicide/story-wKHo6G8JGdGt9ykGECyGxI.html
Hyderabad: The family members of the deceased alleged that her husband had been harassing her for dowry.An army major, who was booked on charges of dowry death after his wife -- a radio jockey (RJ) with a local FM channel -- allegedly committed suicide, was arrested on Wednesday, police said.“Vaibhav Vishal, who is currently working in 54th Infantry Division in Secunderabad, was arrested today,” Bollarum police station S Maheshwar told PTI.Vaibhav Vishal had found his 30-year-old wife Sandhya Singh hanging from the ceiling fan at their official quarters located under Bolarum police station limits in Hyderabad, last month.PTI
Seizure of EVMs: After Uttarakhand HC, now a Delhi court orders
http://www.indiatomorrow.net/eng/seizure-of-evms-after-uttarakhand-hc-now-a-delhi-court-orders?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=emailemail&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Indiatomorrownet+%28IndiaTomorrow.net%29
New Delhi: A Delhi district court on Monday asked the State Election Commission to seize all EVM machines used in the Chhattarpur ward of South Delhi Municipal Council during the recent civic polls. The court passed the order on a petition filed by AAP candidate who lost to BJP candidate with a margin of just 2 votes."EVM machines shall be kept intact and in sealed condition by the respondents no. 1 & 2 till further orders. The respondents no. 1 & 2 shall also preserve the register signed by the voters and the record of voting slips that may have been submitted by the voters before casting their votes till further orders so that there can be no temperance," said Asha Menon, District & Session Judge, Saket court.The judge gave the order on the petition of runner-up Pinky Tyagi of AAP who raised mismatch between the total number of valid votes polled and the polling station-wise record of the total votes polled.She got 8413 votes while BJP's Anita Tanwar declared winner with 8415 votes." Total number of valid votes including NOTA was 26455 while polling station-wise record of the number of votes maintained by the State Election Commission recorded a total of 26884 votes," she said in the petition.IndiaTomorrow
Mangaluru: Judicial probe demanded in Muslim youth's police atrocity case
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/609490/qureshi-caseamp8200muslim-leaders-judicial-probe.html
Mangaluru:Ex-MLC K S Mohammed Masood demanded judicial probe into reported police atrocity against Ahmed Qur-eshi, a suspect arrested in an attempt to murder case.He was addressing a gathering of Muslims converged under the banner of Mangaluru Chalo organised by United Muslim Organisation, DK district, to condemn “police atrocity against innocent Muslim youth in the name of policing.”Masood, also the former chairman of Karnataka State Minority Commission, described the ongoing CID probe into the case as a mere formality. “It is appropriate to order a judicial probe into the incident to ensure justice for victims,” he said. deccanherald
Kumar Vishwas to stay in AAP, made in-charge of Rajasthan, party suspends Amanatullah
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/aap-crisis-kumar-vishwas-manish-sisodia-amanatullah-khan-rajasthan-4638688/
New Delhi: The crisis within the Aam Aadmi Party came to an end on Wednesday with the party placating Kumar Vishwas and suspending MLA Amanatullah Khan. Vishwas was made in-charge for Rajasthan as the state heads to polls early next year. Vishwas emerged from the Political Affairs Committee meeting along with deputy CM  Manish Sisodia and thanked his supporters for standing by him. “In this difficult times I thank my supporters for standing by me,” Vishwas said. Arvind Kejriwal’s residence, Sisodia said the PAC decided to suspend Khan for his comments against Vishwas. A committee headed by Pankaj Gupta will give Khan a fair hearing and decided on his future in the party, Sisodia said. indianexpress
AAP 'pacifies' Kumar, suspends Amanatullah from party
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/aap-pacifies-kumar-vishwas-suspends-mla-amanatullah-from-party/articleshow/58493983.cms
World Press Freedom Day: The Hoot highlights ‘sense of shrinking liberty’ in India
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/world-press-freedom-day-the-hoot-highlights-sense-of-shrinking-liberty-in-india/
New Delhi: Is investigative reporting becoming increasingly dangerous in India? A report by media watchdog The Hoot, released on the eve of World Press Freedom Day, argues that that over the last 16 months, there has been an “overall sense of shrinking liberty not experienced in recent years.” The report states that at least 54 journalists have been victims to attacks and seven journalists have lost their lives – one of the seven deaths had journalism as the motive.The data is for the period January 2016 to April 2017. However, the cases of violence against journalists could actually be much higher, given that in the period 2014 – 2015, there were 142 attacks, according to data released by MoS Home Hansraj Ahir.Ironically, while the Govt  and those in power assert and reiterate that freedom of press is essential for a democracy to function, a look at the data compiled by The Hoot shows that lawmakers and law-enforcers were among the top when it came to perpertrators of violence against journalists. Of the 54 cases of attacks, nine were by police personnel, nine by mobs protesting coverage, and eight cases of attacks by political workers. When it came to threats against journalists, 6 of the 25 cases were by political party workers and five were from Twitter trolls. The data didn’t reveal if the Twitter trolls that threatened abuse were political party supporters or unidentified individuals.The Hoot’s ‘Indian Freedom Report’ report consequently argues that ‘attacks reveal a clear and persistent pattern’. indianexpress
UP: Village panchayat bans mobile phones for girls; threatens to impose Rs 2,100 fine on violators
http://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/village-panchayat-bans-mobile-phones-for-girls-threatens-to-impose-rs-2100-fine-on-violators/652483/
A village panchayat in Mathura’s Madora village has imposed a ban on girls using mobile phones outside their house. According to the Times of India, the former pradhan of the village, Mohd. Gaffar said that any girl who was found to be using mobile phones outside the house would be violating the diktat issued by them and would be liable to pay a fine of Rs 2,100. Speaking to reporters, he said that they were not stopping anyone from using their mobile phones, they could do so from within the boundaries of their homes, but not outside. Gaffar was of the opinion that that use of mobile phones by girls encouraged elopement. Madora, which happens to be Muslim-dominated village is also reported to have imposed a penalty of Rs 2.5 lakh on anyone found guilty of indulging in cow slaughter. This decision was announced by the village panchayat on Tuesday by Gaffar, who told reporters that the Muslim community of the village supported UP CM  Yogi Adityanath in the Govt ’s campaign against cow slaughter. Gaffar told ToI, that the Muslim community also respected the cow and would not allow its killing. He said that the people who would provide information about the slaughter of cows would be given a reward of Rs 51,000. financialexpress
Digvijay defends his charge against Telangana police, trapping Muslim youths through fake ISIS website
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/030517/digvijay-singh-defends-his-charge-against-telangana-police.html
Hyderabad:Digvijay Singh has defended his comments against the Telangana police regarding the trapping of Muslim youths through a fake ISIS website and asserted that he was ready to face any action.Home minister Nayani Narasimha Reddy dismissed Singh’s allegation and demanded an unconditional apology or face legal action.“I made the comments after a great deal of thought. What I feel is that the way in which Muslim youths are being trapped by the Telangana police is not correct. I stand by my comments,” Digvijay Singh said in New Delhi. He added, “It’s clear that in MP Shajapur train blast case and the subsequent encounter of Saifullah, Telangana police had information and had tipped off MP police. Telangana police admitted it. How did they get his photographs?”Singh continued, “I can only say that the Telangana police’s strategy of trapping radical Muslims is wrong. It will lead to radicalisation of Muslims. I am not the only one who is opposing this but ATS officials too. There was a meeting on counter terrorism in New Delhi. Everyone there opposed it.” Asked about Telangana govt’s threat to file a criminal case against him if he refuses to tender apology he quipped, “Let them file any case.”Deccan Chronicle.
Bombay HC doubts ATS’ Sadhvi bike story
http://www.asianage.com/metros/mumbai/030517/bombay-hc-doubts-ats-sadhvi-bike-story.html
Mumbai: Bombay high court, while granting bail recently to Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur (44), an accused in the Sept.2008 Malegaon blast case, questioned the authenticity of ATS’s allegation against her — the use of a motorcycle registered in her name by absconding accused Ramji Kalsangra for planting the explosive device.The HC pointed out that as per the report of Nashik’s Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) on Oct  2008, “it was not possible to find out the chassis number and even the engine number could not be determined with certainty.” “There is enough doubt about motorcycle of which the appellant is the registered owner, was found at the spot of incident,” the HC said it its order. HC further said that even if the said motorcycle was found at the place of the incident and the fact that Thakur is the registered owner of it by itself “cannot be sufficient in the light of material on record brought by the prosecution itself.”ASIAN AGE
Pathankot attack case: Hearing suspended after transfer of judge, NIA writes to HC to issue notification
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/pathankot-terror-attack-case-hearing-suspended-after-transfer-of-judge-nia-writes-to-hc-to-issue-notification-4638224/
Mohali: The prosecution witness in Pathankot airbase terror attack could not be deposed in the special NIA court due to transfer of the judge. The agency has now written to the Punjab and Haryana High Court to issue a notification for the appointment of new judge for further trial. The court has fixed the next hearing of the case on May 25. indianexpress
After sexual abuse cases, Punjab cop Salwinder Singh faces compulsory retirement
http://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/controversial-punjab-sp-salwinder-singh-faces-compulsory-retirement/story-QiVNGIJ4wKGm2UohDyAQeL.html
Chandigarh: Punjab Govt  is set to proceed with “compulsory retirement” of suspended superintendent of police (SP)-rank officer Salwinder Singh, 53, who recently got a clean chit from the NIA for his role in the Pathankot airbase terror attack last year.Punjab DGP office last week forwarded the case of Salwinder’s compulsory retirement to the state home department, citing his “controversial conduct throughout his service in Punjab Police, starting as an ASI”. DGP office, say sources in the home department, has cited series of episodes of “misconduct and indiscipline” to support its case against the controversial cop. hindustantimes
Airports on alert amid reports of return of ISIS suspects
https://www.thequint.com/india/2017/05/03/high-alert-as-nia-warns-of-return-of-islamic-state-suspects
A high security alert has been issued at airports across India to prevent those who left the nation to join the Islamic State from re-entering the country. There are reports that suspected Indian Islamic State militants may use forged documents to enter the country.NIA believes that if the ISIS suspects return to India, they might continue to work for the terror outfit in their homeland – a serious security threat.News Minute/ thequint
UP  ATS arrests a suspected ISI agent in Faizabad
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/uttar-pradesh-ats-arrests-a-suspected-isi-agent-in-faizabad/articleshow/58496878.cms
New Delhi: Bursting espionage racket in the state, UP ATS today arrested a suspected ISI agent in Faizabad. According to news reports, suspected spy was in constant touch with Pakistan High Commission and had gathered information several Army cantonment area and defence establishment in the state. According to reports, the suspected spy has been identified as Aftaab Ali and more arrests are likely in the case.
Rumours hit immunisation programme in Muslim-dominated Mewat
http://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/rumours-hit-immunisation-programme-in-muslimdominated-mewat/1041615
Mewat; Haryana's minority-dominated Mewat district has the lowest immunisation rate among the children under the age of 6 years, which is a matter of concern for the authorities who are now trying to rope in the Muslim clerics to address the situation.The immunisation rate here is 13 % , much lower than the state average of 62.2 % , according to the National Family Health Survey.Officials say the rate of immunisation in Mewat is low mainly because of rumours which started spreading more than 3 months back that the vaccines being administered under the Central Govt 's Indradhanush programme would have sterlising effect on the children. outlookindia
Haridwar priests force RSS's Muslim body to shift meet venue
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/dehradun/haridwar-priests-force-rsss-muslim-arm-to-shift-meet-venue/articleshow/58483013.cms
Haridwar:Objections raised by Brahman Sabha and Akhil Bharatiya Yuva Tirth Purohit Mahasabha, 2 organisations of priests in Haridwar, have led to the venue of a meeting convened by the Muslim Rashtriya Manch (MRM) to be shifted to Piran Kaliyar, about 20 km away from the city.MRM, an RSS-affliate body, had organised the meet on May 5 and 6 in order to "build consensus among Muslims on the Ram temple and triple talaq issues".According to sources, local priests pointed to MRM office-bearers a colonial-era provision in the Haridwar nagar palika bylaws (Haridwar until a few years ago was a municipality) which said that "no religious or social activities by non-Hindus would be permitted within the town’s municipal limits". Leaders of the two priest bodies also warned that MRM will have to face opposition if it went ahead with its meeting which was proposed to be held at the Nishkam Sewa Trust, which is a stone's throw away from the Har-ki-Pauri ghat. Ujjwal Pundit, the Purohit Mahasabha president, also wrote a letter to RSS prant pracharak Yuddhvir Singh alleging that the proposed meeting was "in violation of the nagar nigam bylaws and the holy city's religious tradition". timesofindia
WORLD
UNESCO passes Jerusalem resolution critical of Israel
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/05/unesco-passes-jerusalem-resolution-critical-israel-170502160841594.html
UNESCO's executive board has passed a resolution that criticises Israel's actions in occupied Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, with Palestinian leaders hailing the move as a "step forward" and a "victory for international law".The resolution, which describes Jerusalem as "occupied" and declares Israel's sovereignty over the city "null and void", was backed by 22 countries, a UNESCO spokesman said on Tuesday. The United States, Germany, Italy and 7 other board members voted against it. Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad Malki welcomed the result of the vote, saying that the world had chosen to "stand on the side of what is right in the face of [Israel's] injustice, occupation and its illegitimate policies."We will defend our heritage and culture, our past and our future," Malki said."We will face all the campaigns of distortion and destruction led by the Israeli occupation authority, armed with international law and the will of our Palestinian people who are capable of creating a future free from occupation."The resolution was submitted by Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Qatar and Sudan.It calls on Israel, as the "occupying power", to cease "persistent excavations, tunnelling, works and projects in East Jerusalem", which the Palestinians want as the capital of their future state.It reaffirms "the importance of the Old City of Jerusalem and its walls for the three monotheistic religions", while accusing Israel of taking actions that have "altered, or purport to alter the character and status of the Holy City".The resolution, which has softer wording than another UNESCO decision last year, also criticises Israel for its blockade on the Hamas-run Gaza Strip.The executive board decision now goes to the plenary, which will consider the issue on Friday, UNESCO spokesman Roni Amelan said. aljazeera
Mahmoud Abbas set to meet Donald Trump in US visit
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/05/mahmoud-abbas-set-meet-donald-trump-visit-170503060519710.html
US President Donald Trump will host Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas at the White House on Wednesday to discuss the path forward in the long-running Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Trump's meeting with the head of the Palestinian Authority will be another test of whether he is serious about pursuing what he has called the "ultimate deal" of Israeli-Palestinian peace that eluded his predecessors.Abbas told Palestinians at a meeting in Washington, DC, on the eve of the talks: "We hope this will be a new beginning."He blamed the lack of dialogue in recent years on the Israeli Govt , saying its leaders "have no political vision", and reiterated his demands for an independent Palestinian state along pre-1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital. aljazeera
Syrian opposition walks out of Astana talks
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/05/syrian-opposition-walks-astana-talks-170503104347398.html
Syrian rebels have suspended their participation in the latest round of talks in Kazakhstan in protest against ongoing air raids in the war-torn country. Syrian rebel and Govt  delegations were discussing a Russian plan for "de-escalation zones" on Wednesday when the opposition walked out, citing the bombardment of rebel-held areas."The opposition delegation, that is the military delegation, has announced they are 'suspending' their participation in these talks," Al Jazeera's Jamal Elshayyal, reporting from Astana, said."They aren't fully withdrawing participation, they've walked out of the meetings but they haven't left - at least not yet," he said. aljazeera
Trump, Putin 'seek Syria ceasefire' in 'first conversation'
http://www.aljazeera.com/video/news/2017/05/trump-putin-discuss-syrian-conflict-phone-170503043732209.html
Tensions between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump appeared to be easing as the two leaders expressed desire for a ceasefire in Syria.The two leaders discussed the ongoing crisis in Syria on Tuesday during a phone call, their first known conversation since Trump ordered missile strikes on a Syrian air base last month, a move that outraged Moscow.  Putin and Trump signaled improving prospects for cooperation in the war-torn country in what the White House called a "very good" phone discussion. aljazeera
Iran to send more ‘military advisers’ to prop up Syria regime
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20170503-iran-to-send-more-military-advisers-to-prop-up-syria-regime/
Iran will continue to provide military advisers to the Syrian regime of President Bashar Al-Assad for as long as necessary in support of Al-Assad’s forces, a senior commander in the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was quoted as saying yesterday.Iran has provided extensive military support to the Assad regime’s forces since the start of the Syrian uprising against Al-Assad’s Ba’athist regime, but initially did not comment publicly on its role. But as the military support increased and Iranian casualties also rose, officials began to speak more openly. middleeastmonitor
Syrian regime forces families of Palestinian detainees to sign false death certificates
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20170503-syrian-regime-forces-families-of-palestinian-detainees-to-sign-false-death-certificates/
A number of relatives of Palestinian torture victims who died in the Syrian regime’s prisons told the Action Group for the Palestinians in Syria that the Syrian security agencies have forced them to sign false death certificates issued by Tishreen Military Hospital, claiming that their relatives have died as a result of heart attack.The wife of one of the Palestinian victims told the Group that after long suffering and efforts to find out the fate of her husband who was imprisoned by the Syrian regime she received a false death certificate claiming her husband had died of a heart attack and was ordered not to ask about him again.Huda (not her real name) told the Group’s reporter that “after receiving the death certificate, she was informed by a former detainee that her husband was spotted alive”. middleeastmonitor
IS kills 7 Iraqi soldiers in attacks near Syrian border
http://in.reuters.com/article/mideast-crisis-iraq-syria-idINKBN17Y151
Islamic State stepped up attacks on Iraqi army positions near the border with Syria, killing 7 soldiers and wounding 12 in two attacks staged on Sunday and Tuesday, military sources said.Islamic State has been fighting since October a US-backed offensive in Mosul, the largest city that fell under its control in both Syria and Iraq.Four soldiers were killed and four wounded on Tuesday in an army position near Rutba, a town that controls the access to both the Syrian and Jordanian borders, the sources said.Three soldiers were killed and eight wounded on Sunday in Akkashat, north of Rutba, near the Syrian border, they said. Islamic State has already claimed the attack on Akkashat. reuters
Blast hits NATO convoy in central Kabul
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/05/blast-rocks-central-kabul-embassy-170503034511018.html
Kabul, Afghanistan - At least eight people were killed in a large explosion in Afghanistan's capital, Kabul, officials said, with reports saying the target was a NATO convoy.The attacker blew up his explosive-laden vehicle next to the convoy near a National Defence Security (NDS) checkpoint on Shash Darak road in the central Macroyan area early on Wednesday, military officials said. At least eight Afghan civilians were killed and 22 others wounded, including three US service members, officials said. aljazeera
4 Pakistan Taliban members' executed after military trials
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/05/taliban-members-executed-military-trials-170503070626560.html
Karachi, Pakistan - Pakistan has hanged 4 men convicted by military courts for being members of the Pakistan Taliban (known by the acronym TTP), the military said. The four civilians - Barkat Ali, Muhammad Adil, Ishaq Hai and Latif-ur-Rehman - were executed on Wednesday, according to a statement from the military's press wing.Pakistan introduced military courts for civilian "terrorism" suspects in the aftermath of the 2014 massacre of 152 people, mostly children, at an army-run school in the northwestern city of Peshawar.aljazeera
Yemen Govt  accuses Muslim Brotherhood causing tension between Saudi, UAE
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20170503-yemen-muslim-brotherhood-causing-tension-between-saudi-arabia-uae/
The Yemeni Govt  accused the Muslim Brotherhood of trying to cause tensions among the members of the Saudi-led Arab coalition which fights Shia Houthi militias in Yemen, Moheet reported yesterday. According to an Emirati news website cited by Moheet, Yemeni sources said that a “certain state” in the region “offered massive funds for Brotherhood mass media to cause tension between Saudi Arabia and the UAE in order to dissolve the coalition which is fighting Iran’s allies in Yemen.”Meanwhile, Yemeni Foreign Minister and Deputy PM  Abdelmalik Al-Mikhlafi accused the Muslim Brotherhood of seeking to cause tension among the member states of the Saudi-led coalition, stressing that “these efforts will not succeed.”“The Saudi-led Arab coalition will remain in Yemen until the achievement of its goals,” Al-Mikhlafi said. “The legitimate leadership of Yemen, Saudi Arabia and the UAE sacrificed too much for the sake of the country and Arab nation and attempts to cause tension among them will not succeed,” he added.According to Moheet, the Muslim Brotherhood slammed the Arab coalition, causing massive controversy in Yemen and among the internationally recognised Yemeni leadership. middleeastmonitor
Powerful clerics back Rouhani rival in Iran presidential elections
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20170503-powerful-clerics-back-rouhani-rival-in-iran-presidential-elections/
An influential Iranian clerical body threw its support behind presidential candidate Ebrahim Raisi yesterday, giving him a boost whilst dealing yet another blow by the conservative camp against incumbent Hassan Rouhani before the country’s election on 19 May.Raisi, a hardline cleric who served for years on Iran’s judiciary and was responsible for sentencing thousands of political prisoners to death in 1988, is considered the main rival to President Hassan Rouhani, a pragmatist who is running for re-election.Four other candidates have also entered the race, including Tehran Mayor Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and Vice President Ishaq Jahangiri. middleeastmonitor
Myanmar: Aung San Suu Kyi rejects UN’s decision to probe atrocities against Rohingya Muslims
https://scroll.in/latest/836446/myanmar-aung-san-suu-kyi-rejects-uns-decision-to-probe-atrocities-against-rohingya-muslims
Myanmar: Myanmar’s de-facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Tuesday rejected the United Nation’s human rights council’s decision to look into allegations of atrocities against members of the Rohingya Muslim community, reported AFP. In March, the UN body had decided to send a fact-finding team to investigate the allegations levelled against the country’s Army.“We do not agree with it,” Suu Kyi said. “We have disassociated ourselves from the resolution because we do not think that the resolution is in keeping with what is actually happening on the ground.” scroll.in
FLASH: NEWS & VIEWS
Press Freedom:There is an overall sense of shrinking liberty in India, says report on World Press Freedom Day
https://scroll.in/latest/836410/there-is-an-overall-sense-of-shrinking-liberty-in-india-says-report-on-world-press-freedom-day
Where are 10 Pakistani heads? BJP must realise chest-thumping doesn't square with astute diplomacy: NR Mohanty
http://www.firstpost.com/india/where-are-the-10-pakistani-heads-bjp-must-realise-chest-thumping-doesnt-square-with-astute-diplomacy-3420982.html

UGC, beware: JNU was explicitly created as a revolt against uniformity
https://scroll.in/article/836172/ugc-beware-jnu-was-explicitly-created-as-a-revolt-against-uniformity?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=May_02.JNU&utm_content=2017-05-02+1+%2810%216078630461282%21qwaya%210%29&utm_term=May_02.JNU
Did Aaj Tak, India Today, Zee News, ABP News, India TV, Dainik Jagran and Sambit Patra bluff about Indian Army retaliation?By Pratik Sinha -
https://www.altnews.in/aaj-tak-india-today-zee-news-abp-news-india-tv-dainik-jagran-sambit-patra-bluff-indian-army-retaliation/
Violence against Muslims spikes in India: Aijaz Zaka Syed, Saudi Gazette
http://saudigazette.com.sa/opinion/violence-muslims-spikes-india/
RSS idea of India is not just being spread in colleges but among the defence forces too; Apoorvanand
https://scroll.in/article/836472/the-rss-idea-of-india-is-not-just-being-spread-in-colleges-but-in-defence-forces-too
 Compiled and edited by Anwarulhaq (Released at: 8:23 PM)

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