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Evening NEWS DIGEST
10 June 2017: 14 Ramazan 1438: Vol: 8, No:213
INDIA
150 Hindu outfits to meet in Goa to discuss possibility of ‘Hindu Rashtra’ by 2023
http://www.hindustantimes.com/mumbai-news/150-hindu-outfits-to-meet-in-goa-to-discuss-possibility-of-hindu-rashtra-by-2023/story-R8HWIzIvoUdHytWeZZguRI.html
MUMBAI: Approximately 150 Hindu outfits will meet in Goa from June 14 to17 for a convention to chalk out a programme for establishing a ‘Hindu Rashtra’ in India by 2023.The conclave is being organised by the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS), the sister outfit of Sanatan Sanstha which was caught up in controversy after the murder of rationalist Dr Narendra Dabholkar.According to Uday Dhuri, spokesperson, HJS, the people of India are amenable to the idea of Hindu Rashtra. “The recent election of Yogi Adityanath, who is a strong proponent of Hindu Rashtra with a brute majority shows that people want a Hindu Rashtra in India.” “Our conclave will provide direction on how to proceed in this mission,” said Dhuri.He said that the Hindu Rashtra will come into being in the year 2023 and the HJS wants to unite all Hindu outfits to work together in this mission.The various topics to be discussed at the conclave include love jihad, religious conversions, protection of Hindu religious places, defamation of Hindu saints and change in the demography of population where local Hindus are being shunted out. “We will devise ways to stop atrocities on the Hindu population. Our Hindu nation will be based along the lines of Chhatrapati Shivaji’s rule, where all religions were respected and none were appeased,” said Dhuri.Although HJS described PM Narendra Modi as their ‘own man’, they expressed reservations that the BJP led Govt was not able to do much for the Hindus. “There are so many pending issues like uniform civil code, abolition of Article 370 which gives special status to J&K , as well as construction of Ram Mandir in Ahyodya which has not been tackled so far,” rued Dhuri.HJS was established by psychiatrist Dr Jayant Balaji Athavale, who was also the founder of Sanatan Sanstha on Oct.7, 2002 and its aim is to establish a Hindu nation and protect the Hindu culture.The Congress said the entire Hindutva programme of HJS has the blessings of the BJP.“These outfits carry out subversive activities with impunity, thanks to the support from the BJP-led Govt . The Govt has enough material and proof to ban the Sanatan Sansthan and its sister outfits like HJS, but it turns a blind eye towards them and allows them to take law into their own hands,” said Maharashtra Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant.HT
‘India can become superpower as Hindu Rashtra’
http://www.hindustantimes.com/mumbai-news/india-can-become-superpower-as-hindu-rashtra/story-l4yetCGKwklrq4Y6G9kWwI.html
Farmers’ burn copy of centre’s notification to ban sale of cattle for slaughter, demand its withdrawal
http://www.timesnow.tv/india/article/farmers-outfit-protest-against-new-delhi-centre-ban-on-sale-of-cattle-for-slaughter-notification/62843
New Delhi: A farmer outfit, Bhoomi Adhikar Andolan, on Friday burned the copies of Centre’s notification to ban the sale of cattle for slaughter in protest and demanded its withdrawal. All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), which is backed by CPI(M), too participated in the protest against the notification, claiming it anti-farmer in a statement.In Delhi, the protest was held at Jantar Mantar with AIKS general secretary Hannah Mollah, its joint secretary Vijoo Krishnan, National Federation for Indian Women (NFIW) general secretary Annie Raja, All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA) general secretary Mariam Dhawale and others taking part in it."The massive participation and fury denote the deep contempt of the peasantry against the anti-farmer Govt order that makes the cattle worthless."Even farmers belonging to RSS-BJP families participated in the protest action," the AIKS claimed. The Andolan now mulls organising protests in more parts of the country to mount pressure on the Govt to rollback the notification, the statement said. timesnow
Farmers burn copy of cattle trade notification, demand its withdrawal
http://www.indiatomorrow.net/eng/farmers-burn-copy-of-cattle-trade-notification-demand-its-withdrawal
All India Kisan Sabha plans ‘rail roko’ against cattle rule
http://www.navhindtimes.in/aiks-plans-rail-roko-against-cattle-trade-notification/
Meat exports: Differences emerge in NDA Govt over plan to ban sale of cattle
http://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/meat-exports-differences-emerge-in-nda-Govt -over-plan-to-ban-sale-of-cattle/710984/
New Delhi : Differences have surfaced even within the NDA Govt over the plan to ban the sale of cattle in animal markets for slaughter. Agricultural and Processed Food Products and Export Development Authority (Apeda), a body attached to the commerce ministry, has just sent a missive to the environment ministry, saying India’s buffalo meat exports — worth $4 billion annually — could be hit hard if the new rules are implemented.Apeda stated in the letter that all 75 integrated slaughterhouses and several standalone ones for buffalo meat exports had been registered and approved by it. These plants, it said, follow all sanitary and phyto-sanitary requirements of the World Organisation for Animal Health.India has built a reputation as reliable supplier of buffalo meat over the last five years or so through a series of steps taken for ensuring animal health and hygiene. Sources said concerted efforts to eliminate diseases such as rinderpest and foot-and-mouth among the buffalo population have borne fruit, resulting in a sharp increase in exports of meat products from India in the last many years. India accounts for more than a fifth of global buffalo meat trade at present. Thanks to the UP Govt ’s crackdown on illegal abattoirs in the state in March, the country’s buffalo meat shipments declined 10% in April.Trade sources said that it would be difficult to comply with the environment ministry’s notification as a chunk of animals for slaughter are traded in animal markets. However, the environment ministry had argued, “The livestock markets are intended to become hubs for animal trade (for agriculture)… Through this process, animal for slaughter will have to be bought from the farmers at the farms.”financial express
UP to be hit by ban on cattle sale, it also hit farmers
http://news.webindia123.com/news/Articles/India/20170609/3121418.html
Lucknow:Even as the cattle and meat trade are struggling to recover from the crackdown against the illegal slaughter houses and illegal transportation of animals launched by the Yogi Adityanath Govt in UP in March last, the ban on cattle sale for slaughter from cattle markets by the Center has given a big jolt the industry and had turned the cattle market upside down. The new rule has brought the normal activity in cattle markets across the state almost on the stand still. Rules notified by the Union Ministry have also hit the farmers as the law also covers the buffalo which cannot be sold in the cattle market for the purpose of slaughter.The licensed slaughter houses in West UP are also facing the heat of the new rules as they are unable to sources the cattle from the nearby cattle market.Cattle sellers mostly the farmers are least interested in what the buyers do with the animal so long as they get a price discovered through bidding or negotiation. ''In all 75 districts of UP around 900 cattle markets are organized on weekly and fortnightly basis round the year. The markets are licensed by the district panchayats and urban local bodies and the animal husbandry department is responsible for enforcement of the `Prevention of cruelty towards animals and certification of the animals as healthy brought in the market'', said Dr C S Yadav, director of the animal husbandry dept here today. He added ''it's for the state Govt to decide as to when the rules notified by Union environment ministry will be enforced in UP''. UNI
Modern science being applied to prove value of cow urine, says Union minister Harsh Vardhan
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/modern-science-being-applied-to-prove-value-of-cow-urine-says-union-minister-harsh-vardhan/articleshow/59076271.cms
Beijing: Indian Govt has ordered scientific investigations into the value of cow milk and urine in order to settle all controversies surrounding them, Environment and Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan said in Beijing. The Govt will carry out verifiable scientific research on the benefits that can be derived from 'panchgavya' or five elements of the cow.The purpose is to "settle controversies" about the benefits of cow's milk and urine. Govt scientists have been directed to come up with verifiable findings, whether positive or negative, he told Indian journalists in Beijing. He was here to attend a ministerial summit on clean energy.
Cow substitute to Mother, God: Hyderabad HC judge
http://www.thestatesman.com/cities/cow-substitute-to-mother-god-hyderabad-hc-judge-1497091984.html
Days after a Rajasthan High Court judge said cow should be declared the national animal, a Hyderabad High Court judge, B Siva Sankara Rao, on Friday called the cow a “sacred national wealth” which is a “substitute to Mother and God”.Justice Rao observed that “in this country, for those in belief who represent a majority of population, cow is a substitute to mother, who is a substitute to God. The cow in particular acquires a special sanctity and was called ‘Aghnya’ (not to be slain)”.He also observed that cow milk is the most compatible with human mother’s milk than any other species in existence. This is because the DNA of the cow was specifically constructed to be harmonious with mammalian human DNA.However his observation did not go well with Twitter users who later took to the micro-blogging site to make fun of the judge.“As we are blessed with such devout judges, this nation's judicial system is in safe hands,” Twitter user James Wilson said.thestatesman
HC asks Telangana, AP to make killing cows non-bailable offence
https://www.thequint.com/india/2017/06/10/killing-cows-non-bailable-offence
Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah writes to PM, says ban on cattle sale ‘unconstitutional’
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/karnataka-cm-siddaramaiah-writes-to-pm-says-ban-on-cattle-sale-unconstitutional/story-rLC7eGu64zvQ1VIqpAQkKO.html
Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Friday wrote to PM Narendra Modi claiming that the Centre’s ban on sale and purchase of cattle at animal markets for slaughter was “unconstitutional” and that it would have a “far-reaching negative impact” on the society and economy.In his letter to the PM , the Congress leader urged him to reconsider the matter afresh by repealing the rules in the “larger interest of the farmers and society”.PTI
BJP leaders who quit last week over cattle trade ban to hold beef fest in Meghalaya
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/ban-on-cattle-trade-for-slaughter-former-bjp-leaders-in-meghalaya-to-hold-beef-fest-today/story-o0Ieg4Unj2SXXS2AbeNgGK.html
Guwahati: Several ex-BJP members were set to organise a beef festival in Meghalaya’s Tura on Saturday evening, protesting a decision by the Union Govt controlled by their former party to ban trade of cattle for slaughter.The event, expected to be attended by 2,000 people, will include servings of beef dishes and alcohol, the consumption of which is opposed by people following the Hindutva ideology that is shared by BJP members. Hindus regard cow as a sacred animal. “I quit the BJP as the party was trying to impose Hindutva ideology on us. We feel out of place in the party. Eating beef is part of our tradition and fest is our way of showing how intrinsic cow meat is to our culture,” said Bernard N Marak, who was the BJP’s district president in West Garo hills before he resigned last week. hindustantimes
Mandsaur farmers’ agitation: Death toll climbs to 6 as unrest spreads
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/mandsaur-farmers-agitation-death-toll-climbs-to-6-as-unrest-spreads-cm-chouhan-to-begin-indefinite-fast/story-KnynOjmNn07d6fmT6eFLwJ.html
Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan will begin an indefinite fast from Saturday for peace and possible talks with farmers as a violent agitation demanding loan waivers and better prices for their produce raged across the state.Two debt-ridden men allegedly committed suicide at different places of the state in the past 24 hours, underlining growing woes of farmers in the country’s heartland where a bumper harvest has sent prices crashing.Farmers in Maharashtra, another BJP-ruled state, are also agitating over similar demands, mounting pressure on PM Narendra Modi, who has promised to double their income by 2022.
5 protesters killed in Mandsaur firing: None had land to his name or a regular job
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/madhya-pradesh-mandsaur-farmer-protest-police-firing-the-5-killed-none-had-land-to-his-name-or-a-regular-job-4695633/
Mandsaur: The story of the 5 killed in police firing at Pipliya Mandi in Mandsaur Tuesday is one of despair before death. None of the 5 was a land-owning farmer. One was a 19-year-old in Class XI who liked biology, the second an unemployed 23-year-old who had married two months ago and wanted to join the Army, the third a 30-year-old who worked as a daily wager, and the remaining two — a 22-year-old and a 44-year-old — who worked on family farm lands they didn’t own.Their families live in villages within a radius of 25 km from Mandsaur town. Away from the spotlight, families are still trying to come to terms with the deep sense of loss, grief often giving way to anger.Each has one query:Why was he shot?indian express
Unrest may spread; Modi, Chouhan govts failed to understand farmers:RSS-backed farmers’ body leader
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/unrest-may-spread-modi-chouhan-govts-failed-to-understand-farmers-says-rss-backed-farmers-body-leader-4696961/
New Delhi : A leader of an RSS-affiliated farmers’ union has said that both the Centre and state Govt s have failed to provide relief to farmers who have been suffering because of low prices of their produce.“Farmers have been angry for a long time. The situation was about to explode anytime. The Govt could not understand it. Now the issue is completely politicised,” Prabhakar Kelkar, national vice-president of RSS-affiliated Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS), said. Indian Express.
CBI gives copies of witness statements to defence lawyers in Babri Masjid case
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/cbi-gives-copies-of-witness-statements-to-defence-lawyers-in-babri-masjid-case-4696743/
Lucknow: CBI on Friday provided copies of statements of 196 of its prosecution witnesses to the counsel for 12 BJP, RSS and VHP stalwarts including LK Advani, MM Joshi and Uma Bharti in Babri Masjid demolition case. The agency had produced the witnesses during the trial in Lucknow’s special court. When the witnesses were being examined, Advani and 11 others were not accused before the Lucknow court and hence, at that time, the copies of the statements were not given to their lawyers to enable them to cross-examine the witnesses. Special judge SK Yadav, trying the case, fixed June 18 for the next hearing.After the SC’s directives on April 19, the trial in Raebareli has been clubbed with the Lucknow case. PTI
India, Pakistan become full members of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-pakistan-become-full-members-of-sco-shanghai-cooperation-organisation-summit-astana-4696286/
New Delhi:India and Pakistan on Friday became full members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit at Astana. India’s membership was strongly pushed by Russia while Pakistan’s entry into the grouping was backed by China. “India and Pakistan are now members of the SCO. It is a very important moment for us,” Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev, who is the current chair of the SCO, said, making the announcement at the Summit of the grouping in Astana.Expressing his gratitude to SCO for accepting India’s membership, PM Narendra Modi said, “Though we have become a member of the SCO only today, our relations with the region have been historic.” He said energy, education, transport, agriculture, security, development and trade would be the top drivers in India’s ties with the SCO. According to Modi, the SCO will also be a powerful partner in the international fight against terrorism.Speaking after Modi, Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif congratulated India on getting membership in the inter-Govt al organisation. indianexpress
J&K's youth 'being instigated by a misinformation campaign on social media':Army chief
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/we-need-women-in-combat-roles-in-rank-and-file-positions-too-says-army-chief-bipin-rawat/articleshow/59081078.cms
New Delhi: J&K's youth "are being instigated by a misinformation campaign on social media" said Army Chief General Bipin Rawat on Saturday, agencies reported."Security forces have to devise ways to counter this", he said while addressing cadets at the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun, on the occasion of the 'passing out parade', reported PTI."If we have modern technology it should be used properly, that way the public won't face so many hardships and we can become more capable too," the Army chief said, according to ANI.TOI
Army’s future women soldiers to tackle female protesters, hints General Bipin Rawat
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/army-s-future-women-soldiers-to-tackle-female-protesters-hints-general-bipin-rawat/story-G7HYIZqQK7jrTf1zR4rbuJ.html
Dehradun:Indian army chief General Bipin Rawat suggested on Saturday that the force could deploy its first women combatants for operations in regions like Kashmir where soldiers have increasingly faced pushback from female protesters recently.The General had last week said the army will open combat roles to women, and the process will begin with them initially recruited in the military police. “Sometimes we have to face women in the front during counter insurgencies. They could be tackled easily if we have enough strength of women officers and sizable other rank and file cadre”, General Rawat said on Saturday. hindustantimes
Pakistan army to keep propping Kashmiri 'self determination' but only across LoC, says its army chief
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/pakistan-army-to-keep-propping-kashmiri-self-determination-but-only-across-loc-says-its-army-chief/articleshow/59084023.cms
New Delhi: Pakistan's army said it will continue its support for the right to self determination for "our Kashmiri brothers", but it specified it would do so only across the Line of Control (LoC) and not in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir, Pakistani media reported citing a Saturday statement from the country's armed forces' media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations.Pakistan's army chief Qamar Bajwa made a comment to this effect on a visit Saturday to Pakistani positions along the LOC in the Muzaffarabad Sector, Dawn said.Bajwa was also reportedly told by his troops that "no Indian misadventure shall go without a befitting response"."We are aware of the defence and security challenges being faced by the country and we are capable of defeating all threats, irrespective of the 'front' ", Bajwa reportedly said, according to The Express Tribune.
Kashmir: First time in 7 yrs, Friday lockdown during Ramazan at Jamia: kashmi rreader
http://kashmirreader.com/2017/06/10/first-time-7-years-friday-lockdown-ramazan-jamia/
Srinagar: For the first time since 2010, Friday prayers were not allowed at Jamia Masjid Srinagar in the holy month of Ramazan. Pro-freedom leadership had called for protests after Friday congregational prayers against the killing of a youth in Shopian by Govt troops on Tuesday. From early morning, Govt forces began laying barricades on all roads leading to the mosque. All the entry gates of the mosque were locked down. Vehicles of Govt troops stood guard outside the main gate of the mosque. kashmirreader
NIA questions Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s son-in-law
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/nia-questions-syed-ali-shah-geelanis-son-in-law-4696847/
New Delhi:NIA on Friday questioned separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s son-in-law in connection with its probe into funding of the Hurriyat by terror groups in Pakistan.Altaf Ahmed Shah arrived at the NIA headquarters on Jain Singh Road on Friday morning and was allowed to leave in the evening.NIA had earlier raided his Srinagar residence and that of Shahid-ul-Islam, a close aide of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who heads the moderate faction of the Hurriyat Conference, and businessman Zahoor Watali. indianexpress
Parliament attackers have no links with Islam, Sunnis: Iranian consulate general
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/parliament-attackers-have-no-links-with-islam-sunnis-iran/articleshow/59078864.cms
New Delhi: The consulate general of Iran expressed his dissatisfaction regarding a headline, 'Shia Vs Sunni: IS attacks Iran Parliament, Khomeini's mausoleum' (TOI, June 8), on Friday, stating that, "The Govt and the people of the Islamic Republic of Iran have always considered Sunnis to be their religious brothers and believe that the terrorists who attacked the Iranian Parliament and the Mausoleum of Imam Khomeini have no connections with Islam and with our Sunni brothers."The consulate general's statement further said, "Shias and Sunnis are living in complete peaceful co-existence in Iran and all religions have condemned the terrorist and extremist groups and consider them to be the alien agents tarnishing the image of Islam."...At present there are 1,524 Mosques of Ahle Sunnat in Iran. Sunnis also have 20 representatives in Parliament, and five of the representatives in The Assembly of Experts are Sunni brothers. More than 2,400 Sunni judges are present at the judicial benches in Sunni cities in Iran and all of them alongside their Shiite brothers are working for the glory of Iran and Islam." timesofindia
Mahatma Gandhi was ‘chatur baniya’, Congress mere “special purpose vehicle” for freedom: Amit Shah
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/mahatma-gandhi-was-chatur-baniya-congress-mere-special-purpose-vehicle-for-freedom-amit-shah-4697469/
Raipur: BJP chief Amit Shah has said Mahatma Gandhi was a “chatur baniya”, a reference to the mercantile caste to which he was born, who had rightly advised dissolution of the Congress after Independence. Addressing a select audience of “prominent citizens” at Raipur on Friday evening, Shah also said the Congress was not rooted in any ideology or principles and was sort of a “special purpose vehicle” to secure freedom. In remarks that raised the hackles of the Congress, which demanded an apology from Shah as well as PM Narendra Modi, the BJP president went on term Mahatma Gandhi a “bahut chatur baniya”, a very shrewd baniya.“The Congress party… was constituted as a club by a British man. It was later converted into an organisation engaged in freedom struggle,” Shah said.It had in its fold both right and left-leaning people like Maulana Azad, Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya and many others, he said.“People of various ideologies and thinking associated themselves with Congress to gain independence. Congress didn’t have any ideology or set of principles and it was only used as a special purpose vehicle to secure freedom.“And therefore, Mahatma Gandhi, with a lot of foresight — he was a very shrewd baniya — he knew what was going to happen in future. He had said immediately after the Independence that Congress should be dissolved.”PTI
Amit Shah calls Gandhi a ‘chatur Baniya’, Cong attacks BJP chief for insulting Mahatma
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/amit-shah-calls-gandhi-a-chatur-baniya-cong-attacks-bjp-chief-for-insulting-mahatma/story-1YmxfTgajpPxl0MO336dLJ.html
Journalists protest CBI raids on NDTV, claim govt undermining free speech
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/noted-constitutional-expert-fali-nariman-slams-cbi-for-ndtv-raids/story-TJDp0n1INq6No5oKBcVucN.html
New Delhi: Hundreds of journalists came together on Friday to protest against recent CBI raids on the homes and offices of NDTV promoter Prannoy Roy, saying the investigation against him in an alleged bank fraud was reminiscent of the attack on press freedom during the Emergency.Veteran editors Kuldeep Nayar and HK Dua, senior jurist Fali Nariman and former BJP minister Arun Shourie were among the speakers who defended Roy and his TV channel at the two-hour event at the Press Club of India. hindustantimes
CBI raids on NDTV promoters: Journalists claim ‘Emergency-like situation’
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/cbi-raids-on-ndtv-promoters-journalists-claim-emergency-like-situation-4696674/
Facts concocted, CBI raids a signal to free press: NDTV’s Prannoy Roy
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/facts-concocted-cbi-raids-a-signal-to-free-press-ndtvs-prannoy-roy-4696955/
NDTV co-founder Prannoy Roy on Friday said the CBI’s allegations of bank fraud were a “ridiculous, concocted set of facts” and that the move was a “signal to the entire free press of India”. Addressing a gathering of mediapersons at Press Club of India on Friday, four days after raids were conducted on properties of NDTV founders Radhika and Prannoy Roy, he said, “This is not about NDTV. This is a signal to all of us and the fact that there is no case — there is a ridiculous, concocted set of facts — makes it an even bigger signal. They are trying to tell us — we can suppress you even if you have done nothing wrong.”Roy was joined by senior journalists such as Kuldip Nayar, Om Thanvi, Raj Chengappa, Shekhar Gupta, Rajdeep Sardesai, former minister, author and journalist Arun Shourie, journalist and former Rajya Sabha member H K Dua and jurist Fali Nariman. indianexpress
In Assam’s communally sensitive Silchar, allegations of ‘love jihad’ spark violent clashes
https://scroll.in/article/840049/in-assams-communally-sensitive-silchar-allegations-of-love-jihad-spark-violent-clashes
On Tuesday, Joydeep Biswas, a resident of Silchar, the headquarters and largest town of Cachar district in Assam’s Barak valley, accompanied his son and niece to the movies to watch the recently released biopic of cricketer Sachin Tendulkar. But soon after, Biswas started getting calls from anxious relatives and friends asking him to rush home. Hindu-Muslim clashes had broken out in town, they told him.Biswas called up a trusted autorickshaw driver to come and pick them up. On their way home, a group of agitated young men stopped the autorickshaw and asked Biswas and the others to alight. “Luckily, the auto driver was an old hand and managed to [help us] escape,” Biswas recalled. “Around us, we saw burnt vehicles and other signs of vandalism.”The vandalism and communal clashes were the result of “love jihad” allegations brought against a Muslim man by right-wing groups in the town. Love jihad, Hindu groups have frequently claimed in the past, is an institutional practice among Muslims where men of the community are trained to woo Hindu women and convert them to Islam. In recent years, it has been used to break up numerous inter-religious unions and to harass and even kill those involved in such marriages.Silchar police chief Rakesh Raushan said around 500 to 600 people were involved in the clashes in which 11 civilians and eight policemen were injured and three vehicles set on fire. Prohibitory orders under Section 144 had to be imposed in the town.The Muslim man had married a Hindu woman in a court ceremony on August 22 last year, Raushan said. The couple, both adults, had met while working at the Silchar district coordinator’s office of the National Register of Citizenship. However, they had continued to live with their respective families till May 22,when woman left her parents’ house to move in with her husband. scroll
NIA moves to revoke Zakir Naik’s passport, probe his money trail
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/nia-moves-to-revoke-zakir-naiks-passport-probe-his-money-trail-4695667/
New Delhi: NIA is set to move to revoke the Indian passport issued to IRF president Dr Zakir Naik wanted in a criminal case registered last year. After interrogating Naik’s sister and aide, the agency says it is also tracking his web of financial transactions that include at least 10 companies and 19 properties in Mumbai and Pune in which Naik has invested an estimated Rs 104 crore. Highly placed sources told The Indian Express that Naik is, most probably, in Malaysia and seeking Malaysian citizenship. NIA has also initiated proceedings to get a Red Corner Notice against Naik and has sent the requisite documents to National Central Bureau (Interpol) NCB, India on May 11, 2017.Indian Express
Court denies bail to students who showed black flags to Yogi Adityanath
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/court-denies-bail-to-students-who-showed-black-flags-to-yogi-adityanath/articleshow/59074057.cms
Lucknow: Additional chief judicial magistrate (ACJM) Sunil Kumar on Friday rejected bail pleas of 11 students including two girls who had showed black flags to CM Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday during his visit to Lucknow University to attend a function.The court had on Thursday sent them to 14-day judicial custody. The court had summoned the entire case diary from Hasanganj police station for considering the bail pleas and after going through records stated that the offences were of serious nature and hence the applicants did not deserve bail.Affiliated to Samajwadi Party Chhatra Sabha and All India Students' Association, these students were arrested when they blocked the convoy of Yogi and showed him black flags to protest increase in violence against minorities, women and dalits in the state. They were also protesting against "saffronisation" of the academic institutions. timesofindia
Saharanpur clashes: Chandrashekhar sent to 14-day judicial custody
http://www.hindustantimes.com/lucknow/saharanpur-clashes-main-accused-chandrashekhar-sent-to-14-day-judicial-custody/story-7tHRZVQaNUspoZR5Pvla4M.html
Meerut: Bheem Army founder Chandrashekhar, the main accused in the Saharanpur caste violence case, was remanded in judicial custody for 14 days .The police produced Chandrashekhar before the additional chief judicial magistrate’s court at 10.30 pm that night, said Dinesh, PRO at the senior superintendent of police’s office in Saharanpur. Though police had planned to bring him before the court on Friday, they later changed their mind to minimise the possibility of further agitations. hindustantimes
Minorities panel seeks report on UP's Jewar rape case
http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/minorities-panel-seeks-report-on-jewar-case/article18952404.ece
New Delhi: National Commission for Minorities (NCM) has sought reports relating to the Jewar robbery and alleged gang rape case from the Gautam Budh Nagar district administration and the local police.Eight people travelling to Bulandshahr in UP were looted off Yamuna Expressway in Jewar on May 25. Four womenwho were part of the group were allegedly gang-raped while a man was shot dead.In its first meeting held on Thursday, the newly-formed panel expressed concern that the culprits were yet to be nabbed. The commission demanded a fortnightly report regarding the progress made in the case.PTI
UP: ‘Exorcist’ sacrifices girl, rapes body in Kannauj after promising parents gold
http://www.hindustantimes.com/lucknow/exorcist-sacrifices-girl-rapes-body-in-kannauj-after-promising-parents-gold/story-5cVqUBg9mtLsMqmJuwkahI.html
Kanpur: A couple facing financial hardship allowed an exorcist to sacrifice their 15-year-old daughter and rape her body in Kannauj Tuesday night after being promised that they would get five kilos of gold.They never found the gold. Victim’s father, Mahaveer Prasad (55), who is a jeweller, then complained to the police against exorcist Krishna Sharma for kidnapping his daughter, Kavita.The police found body on Thursday. Sharma, who occasionally worked as Mahaveer’s driver, was arrested on Wednesday from his village in Thatiya. Police said he told them that he advised Mahaveer and his wife Pushpa (50) that if they sacrificed their daughter they would get five kilos of buried gold within hours of the ritual. Sharma also told the police that Mahaveer had been under monetary constraint.HT
21-year-old Junaid held for plotting Pak based writer Tarek Fatah’s murder
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/21-year-old-held-for-plotting-writer-tarek-fatahs-murder-chhota-shakeel-4696902/
New Delhi: Delhi Police Special Cell has arrested an alleged sharpshooter who works for gangster Chhota Shakeel and was planning to kill Canadian writer Tarek Fatah. Accused, Junaid Chaudhary (21), was arrested from near Gagan Cinema in northeast Delhi on Wednesday night. A country-made pistol and four live cartridges were recovered from his possession, DCP (special cell) PS Kushwaha said.A police officer told The Indian Express that Chaudhary had received Rs 1.5 lakh through hawala operators and was conducting a recce to kill Fatah when he came to Delhi-NCR next. He also tried to find out where Farah stays in Delhi and the timing of his last visits to TV stations and other places, police said. During probe, he is learnt to have told police that Chhota Shakeel had promised him more money once the job was done.Police sources said Chaudhary was earlier arrested along with 3 of his associates in June 2016, but was let out on bail in Oct. Indian Express
Aadhaar mandatory for filing IT returns from July 1:CBDT
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/policy/aadhaar-mandatory-for-filing-it-returns-from-july-1-says-cbdt/articleshow/59084892.cms
CBDT today made it clear that Aadhaar will be a "must" for filing of Income Tax Returns or for obtaining a new PAN from July 1. The policy-making body of the Income Tax Department issued a statement stating that the Supreme Court yesterday had only given a "partial relief" to those who do not have an Aadhaar or an Aadhaar enrolment ID, and the taxman, hence, will not "cancel" their Permanent Account Number (PAN). ET
SC upholds linking Aadhaar with PAN, but exempts those without it for now
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/sc-upholds-linking-aadhaar-with-pan-but-exempts-those-without-it-for-now-4696631/
New Delhi: Centre’s amendment to the Income Tax (IT) Act making it compulsory for assessees to link their PAN and Aadhaar numbers passed judicial scrutiny on Friday with the Supreme Court upholding it. The apex court rejected the contention that the changes had the effect of making Aadhaar which was “voluntary” under the Aadhaar Act into a “mandatory” requirement. The order came from a bench of Justices A K Sikri and Ashok Bhushan which heard a clutch of petitions challenging the constitutional validity of Section 139AA of the IT Act, introduced by way of the Finance Act of 2017 in March this year.Sub-section 1 of Section 139AA required assessees to furnish their Aadhaar number while applying for PAN card and while filing their income tax return. Sub-section 2 said that the PAN cards of all those who already had their Aadhaar cards made or were eligible for it will be deemed invalid if they did not submit their Aadhaar numbers to the designated authority (for linking PAN and Aadhaar).indianexpress
Calicut not to be an embarkation point for Haj pilgrims from Kerala
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/calicut-not-to-be-an-embarkation-point-for-haj-pilgrims-from-kerala-4696385/
Kochi:Calicut International airport at Karipur will not be an embarkation point for Haj pilgrims from Kerala and Lakshadweep this time also as the airport is not suitable to operate wide-bodied aircraft. Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha said this in a letter to Congress MP Mullappally Ramachandran.Sinha said the Airport Authority of India has projected additional land requirement of 248.3 acres to the state Govt for runway extension, construction of parallel taxi track and other upgradation work at Calicut Airport so as to make it suitable for operations of wide-bodied aircraft. PTI
Jharkhand mob lynching: CM suspends deputy commissioner, SP
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/jharkhand-mob-lynching-cm-suspends-deputy-commissioner-sp/story-6tlBUT2nGrXeBhhLvqpKoN.html
CM Raghubar Das suspended Seraikela-Kharsawan deputy commissioner Ramesh Gholap and police superintendent Rakesh Bansal on charges of dereliction of duties. A team appointed by the Govt comprising commissioner and DIG, Kolhan to probe the lynching of four men on suspicion of child lifting at Rajnagar on May 18 have found that the two administrative officials reached the place of incident five hours after an alert was sounded to them about a frenzy mob having taken four men hostage even though their offices and residences are around 25 km away from the spot.HT
Holy month of Ramzan makes the Hindu-Muslim bond stronger in Old Delhi
http://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi-news/holy-month-of-ramzan-makes-the-hindu-muslim-bond-stronger-in-old-delhi/story-3NSqf1i9Alwmpj2j3N7B9K.html
For members of the Muslim community, the holy month of Ramzan involves fasting, devotion and charity. In Old Delhi, the month holds significance for its Hindu brethren, too. In a show of solidarity, many are choosing to not eat anything for the whole day.Mohd. Shaan, owner of Kallan Sweet Shop in Old Delhi, tells us, “Kaushal Singh, who has been working with us for the last sixteen years, doesn’t eat anything for the whole day. Like him, we have several Hindu workers who stand in front of the ‘bhatti’ all through the day but to support us, they also skip their meals and water. And, if they want to have food or drink water, they go in the backyard.”For Kaushal, it’s not about religion, but humanity. “How can I eat or drink anything when a colleague abstains from it. I’m not a sadist. I respect all religions and value them,” he says proudly. hindustantimes
Hyderabad's Borabanda Ramzan all about communal harmony as Muslims and Hindus come together for Sahr
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/borabanda-ramzan-all-about-communal-harmony-as-muslims-and-hindus-come-together-for-sahr/articleshow/59079531.cms
Hyderabad: It's just about midnight. Most of the main road leading to a nondescript side street in Borabanda is devoid of traffic as the city settles deep into sleep. Far away in the distance, a police patrol van is parked, it's blue and red lights flashing, letting those on the street know that the law does not sleep. And from the slightly puffed surma-lined eyes, it appears that even Ashraf has been awake for a while. "I am here around midnight setting up the kitchen to begin cooking for the Sahr," he says.On an average, each morning, there are about 200 mouths to feed at the Sahr. And on some days, the number touches nearly three hundred. Those helping in the kitchen are already going about their tasks, which includes washing about 50 kg of rice, preparing the nearly 10 kg of chicken along with vegetables and dal for the upcoming meal. Soon, other volunteers begin arriving. Among them are three women -- two Hindus and one Christian. timesofindia
Madras HC censures Jamath for terming its judges ‘Kafirs’
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/hc-censures-jamath-for-terming-its-judges-kafirs-theni/article18951098.ece
Madras High Court Bench here on Friday censured a Jamath (congregation of Muslims) that had issued a Fatwa (ruling) against a woman’s father in September last for having approached the High Court to obtain an interim stay from “Kafir (non-believers in Islam) judges of the court” on triple Talaq (divorce) pronounced by her estranged husband.“This court places on record its strong disapproval of the Fatwa issued by the Jamath in Theni district denigrating the judiciary and chastising Naseema’s father for having approached the secular courts established by law for getting their grievances redressed...,” Justice P.N. Prakash observed in his order.He went on to state: “Albeit boycott of courts by lawyers, the present court system only gives identity and respect to the advocates in our society. Judges are only passing features as they have to move out of the portals of the court on superannuation. If Jamaths are going to replace existing courts, the first casualty will be the Bar.”The observations were made while disposing of a petition filed by the woman’s husband to quash a cheating case registered against him and his family at her insistence. thehindu
arab diplomatic crisis
Israel, Saudi, UAE team up in anti-Qatar lobbying move
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/06/israel-saudi-uae-team-anti-qatar-lobbying-move-170610023635122.html
Washington, DC:US legislation threatening to sanction Qatar for its support of "Palestinian terror" was sponsored by 10 lawmakers who received more than $1m over the last 18 months from lobbyists and groups linked to Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. The bill was introduced to the US House of Representatives on May 25, but the text wasn't available until Friday morning, hours after Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Egypt put 59 people and 12 institutions linked to Qatar on a "terror list". The nations abruptly ended diplomatic relations with Qatar on Monday, accusing Doha of supporting "extremism" and siding with their regional rival Iran."Hamas has received significant financial and military support from Qatar," the Palestinian International Terrorism Support Prevention Act of 2017, also known as HR 2712, said. It went on to list sanctions including an end of exports of defence technologies, arms, and loans or financing totalling more than $10m.For Trita Parsi, author and founder of the National Iranian American Council (NIAC), a nonprofit that aims to strengthen the voice of US citizens of Iranian descent, the similarities between the US-allied Arab nations' "terror list" and HR 2712 show growing cooperation between Gulf Arab states and Israel. "The coordination between hawkish pro-Israel groups and UAE and Saudi Arabia has been going on for quite some time," Parsi told Al Jazeera. What is new, he continued, is pro-Israel groups such as the Foundation for Defense of Democracies "coming out with pro-Saudi [articles] and lobbying for them on Capitol Hill".Israel, Egypt and Saudi Arabia all view the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist political group, as a threat. The Brotherhood was the ideological base for Hamas, the Islamist rulers of the besieged Gaza Strip that have fought three wars with the Israelis. The Saudis demand that Qatar stop supporting the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas in a move that aligns with Egyptian and Israeli policy.Israel's influence on US policymakers is clear. HR 2712's sponsors received donations totaling $1,009,796 from pro-Israel individuals and groups for 2016 election cycle alone, according data collected by the Center for Responsive Politics, an independent research group tracking money in US politics and its effect on elections and public policy, and then compiled by Al Jazeera. "They're not traditional pro-Saudi lawmakers. They're in the pro-Likud camp," Parsi said, referring to the party of Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu.The bill has bipartisan sponsorship. 5 of the lawmakers come from the House Committee on Foreign Relations (HCFR), including sponsor Brian Mast, a first-term Republican congressman from Florida, and Ed Royce and Eliot Engel, the ranking Republican and Democrat of the HCFR, respectively. Royce received $242,143 from pro-Israel sources for the 2016 election cycle, $190,150 went to Engel. Mast, who volunteered with the Israeli military after he finished serving in the US Army, received $90,178. Al Jazeera
Muslim World League suspends Al-Qaradawi’s membership
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20170609-muslim-world-league-suspends-al-qaradawis-membership/
Muslim World League has announced the suspension of Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi’s membership in its Islamic Fiqh Academy.This came in a statement issued by the league following the joint statement issued by Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, UAE and Egypt, which included a number of names on a list of alleged support of terrorism, including Al-Qaradawi.According to the kingdom and its allies’ list of terrorism list, the Muslim World League ended the membership of Yusuf Al-Qaradawi in the Islamic Fiqh Academy.The association also expressed “support for the terrorism lists which was issued by Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE and Bahrain.” middleeastmonitor
Qatar rejects Saudi-led bloc's 'terror' list
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/06/qatar-rejects-saudi-led-bloc-terror-list-170609053901190.html
Qatar on Friday rejected allegations of supporting individuals and groups blacklisted as "terrorists" by four Arab countries which cut ties with it this week amid a major diplomatic fallout.Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain and Egypt published a list of 59 people and 12 groups with links to Qatar late on Thursday, alleging that they have ties to "terrorism".'"The recent joint statement issued by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and the UAE regarding a 'terror finance watch list' once again reinforces baseless allegations that hold no foundation in fact," the Qatari Govt said in response. aljazeera
Saudi, UAE, Egypt, Bahrain designate prominent Muslim scholar Qaradawi as a 'terrorist'
https://www.dailysabah.com/mideast/2017/06/09/saudi-arabia-uae-egypt-and-bahrain-designate-prominent-muslim-scholar-qaradawi-as-a-terrorist
59 people, 12 groups with Qatar links on 'terror list'
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/06/saudi-led-bloc-issues-terror-list-170608221049889.html
UN defends 'terror' blacklisted Qatar charities
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/06/bound-saudi-arabia-terror-list-170609184543168.html
UN says it is not bound by Saudi Arabia's "terror list" after the kingdom named several high-profile Qatari charities that carry out life-saving work in war-torn and impoverished countries on it. Stephane Dujarric, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterras' spokesman, said on Friday he had seen media reports that four Arab countries accused three Qatar-based charities of being involved in "terrorism".Qatar Charity, Qatar's largest NGO, has worked extensively with the UNHCR, UNICEF, the World Food Programme, Oxfam, CARE, and USAID.Sheikh Eid Al-Thani Charity Foundation and the Sheikh Thani Bin Abdullah Foundation for humanitarian services were also blacklisted by Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, and Bahrain."UN is bound only by the sanctions lists put together by UN organs such as the Security Council. We're not bound by any other lists," Dujarric said."Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has over the years built strong partnerships with these organisations based on shared humanitarian principles, which are strictly non-political," he added. aljazeera
Trump rebukes Qatar as Tillerson attempts to ease crisis
https://thewire.in/145913/trump-rebukes-qatar-as-tillerson-attempts-to-ease-crisis/
Washington: US President Donald Trump on Friday accused Qatar of being a “high level” sponsor of terrorism, potentially hindering the US Dept of State’s efforts to ease heightening tensions and a blockade of the Gulf nation by Arab states and others.“The nation of Qatar unfortunately has historically been a funder of terrorism at a very high level,” Trump told reporters at the White House.“So we had a decision to make, do we take the easy road or do we finally take a hard but necessary action. We have to stop the funding of terrorism. I decided … time had come to call on Qatar to end its funding,” Trump said, adding that he helped plan the Qatar action with Arab leaders after a recent summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.A senior administration official told Reuters earlier this week that the US had no indication from the Saudis or Emiratis in Riyadh during Trump’s visit last month that they would sever ties with Qatar. Trump administration has given mixed signals on whether to isolate Qatar or bring it into talks with other Gulf nations. Pentagon said the blockade was hindering US ability to plan for long-term operations in the region. Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar is home to more than 11,000 US and coalition forces and an important base for the fight against ISIS. It is the US air force’s largest base in the region.US secretary of state Rex Tillerson said he expected all parties to find a resolution.Reuters
Erdogan vows to stand by 'Qatari brothers' amid crisis
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/06/erdogan-vows-stand-qatari-brothers-crisis-170609204946107.html
Tayyip Erdogan has requested the full removal of a Saudi-led blockade of Qatar after approving the deployment of Turkish troops there, saying Riyadh needed to put brotherhood ahead of animosity.Erdogan said isolating Qatar would not resolve any regional problems and vowed to do everything in his power to help end the regional crisis."We will not abandon our Qatari brothers," Erdogan told members of his ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party at a fast-breaking meal on Friday in Istanbul during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. aljazeera
Saudi Arabia bans Al Jazeera channels in hotels
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/06/saudi-arabia-bans-al-jazeera-channels-hotels-170609141041079.html
Saudi Arabia has banned hotels and tourist facilities from airing Al Jazeera news channels and threatened to punish violators with the closure of their facility and a fine of up to $26,000. In a statement released on Friday, Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage ordered that "all channels from the Al Jazeera Media Network must be removed" and replaced with channels compatible with "official Saudi television ones"."The Commission hereby reiterates that all of Al Jazeera Network's channels must be removed from all hotel rooms and touristic facilities and furnished residential units, totally and entirely, including the TV lists kept within," the circular said. Aljazeera
WORLD
More than 40,000 children at risk in Syria’s Raqqa:UNICEF
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/more-than-40000-children-at-risk-in-syrias-raqqa-says-unicef-4696648/
Beirut:UN’s children agency warned Friday that the fight for the Islamic State group’s stronghold of Raqqa in northern Syria is threatening the lives of more than 40,000 children, as overnight airstrikes on the city claimed the lives of more than a dozen people. UNICEF said in a statement that the violence has resulted in massive displacement in and around the city, with some 80,000 children now internally displaced and living in temporary shelters and camps.AP
US-led coalition airstrikes, PYD/PKK kill 45 civilians in Syria’s Raqqah
http://aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/coalition-airstrikes-pyd-pkk-kill-45-in-syria-s-raqqah/838337
Raqqah:At least 45 civilians have been killed in airstrikes carried out by a US-led coalition and attacks by the PYD/PKK terrorist group in Syria’s northern city of Raqqah, according to local residents.Raqqah locals sid that the city's western Mashlab district had been hit Thursday by more than 20 coalition airstrikes in which white phosphorus was used. Meanwhile, PYD/PKK terrorist group, fighting under the banner of the so-called “SDF, has been shelling Raqqah’s city center -- with coalition air support -- for the last 2 days. Anadolu
US-led forces appear to be using white phosphorus in populated areas in Iraq and Syria
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2017/06/09/u-s-led-forces-appear-to-be-using-white-phosphorous-in-populated-areas-in-iraq-and-syria/
US-led coalition in Iraq and Syria appears to have used white phosphorus-loaded munitions on at least two occasions in densely populated areas of Mosul and in the Islamic State’s de facto capital of Raqqa, according to videos posted online and human rights groups.The often-controversial munitions are common in western militaries and are used primarily to create smoke screens, though they can also be dropped as an incendiary weapon. When a white phosphorus shell explodes, the chemical inside reacts with the air, creating a thick white cloud. When it comes in contact with flesh, it can maim and kill by burning to the bone.While international humanitarian law stipulates that civilians must be protected from all military operations, it also says that countries must take even more care when using white phosphorus. Additionally, because of the weapon’s ability to cause grievous and inhumane injuries, rights groups caution against using white phosphorus to kill enemy troops if other weapons are available. washingtonpost
Syrian soldiers push through ISIL, reach Iraqi border
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/06/syrian-soldiers-push-isil-reach-iraqi-border-170610070401646.html
Syrian troops and allied forces fighting ISIL have reached the Iraqi border for the first time since 2015, advancing close to a strategic area that has been at the centre of tensions between Damascus and Washington. State news agency SANA, citing a military source, said that "army units in cooperation with allies managed to arrive at the border ... with Iraq" on Friday, and "set up positions in an area northeast of At-Tanf".Forces from a US-led coalition fighting ISIL in Syria and Iraq are using a garrison in Al-Tanf to stage attacks against the armed group and train Syrian rebels to fight them. aljazeera
Theresa May to form minority UK govt
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/06/theresa-form-minority-uk-Govt -170609142134586.html
Theresa May has pledged to form a new Govt to lead Britain out of the European Union despite losing her majority in a snap general election and facing calls to resign.Seeking to capitalise on high popularity ratings, the Conservative Party leader and PM called for a snap election despite her initial pledges not to, urging voters to give her a stronger mandate to lead the UK’s Brexit ngotiations."What the country needs more than ever is certainty," May said on Friday after the outcome of Thursday's vote.She had called the election in an effort to extend her majority and strengthen her hand in the looming Brexit negotiations, but her gamble backfired spectacularly. May’s Conservative Party won 319 seats in the House of Commons, the UK’s lower chamber of parliament, landing seven seats short of a majority.In 2015 general election, the Conservatives had won 331 seats.None of the other parties that stood for election managed to surpass the majority threshold, resulting in a British hung parliament. Labour Party landed 261 seats, up 29 seats since the last election, a major gain for Jeremy Corbyn, who no one expected to deliver such a stellar performance. aljazeera
Scottish National Party suffers losses in the UK election
http://www.aljazeera.com/video/news/2017/06/scottish-national-party-suffers-losses-uk-election-170610110649323.html
Britain elects its very first MP of Palestinian heritage
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20170609-britain-elects-its-very-first-mp-of-palestinian-heritage/
Britain elected its first MP of Palestinian heritage in yesterday’s general election. Layla Moran overturned a Conservative majority of almost 10,000 votes to win the Oxford West and Abingdon. Moran won the closely contested election by only 816, gaining 26,252 votes. Moran was the only MP to overturn a seat in her county; the county’s other 5 seats remained as they were.Before poll, Moran spoke about her Palestinian origin saying:Moran is born to a British father and a Palestinian mother from Jerusalem,a fact which fills her with pride.“De facto, I will be a representative of our community in parliament,” she said. middleeastmonitor
Saudi coalition strike 'kills family of 4' in Sanaa: aljazeera
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/06/saudi-air-strike-kills-family-sanaa-170609142346567.html
At least four civilians, including three children, have been killed after a Saudi-led coalition air strike tore through a residential area in Yemeni capital Sanaa.Hussain Albukhaiti, an activist based in Sanaa, said on Friday that 3 people were still missing from the late-night raid that struck the south of the city. "4 members of al-Mahdi family, including an elderly woman and her three young grandchildren, were killed after their house was struck with an air strike shortly after midnight," he said.
Hundreds of thousands visit Al-Aqsa Mosque at Ramadan
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/06/hundreds-thousands-visit-al-aqsa-mosque-ramadan-170610015136846.html
An estimated 250,000 Palestinians from the occupied West Bank, the blockaded Gaza Strip, and Arab communities inside Israel converged on East Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque complex to perform Friday prayers during the Ramadan fasting month.Over 40, children under 12, and women of all ages were allowed by Israeli authorities to enter East Jerusalem for the occasion without permits. aljazeera
Morsi not receiving medical treatment in prison: lawyer
http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/morsi-not-receiving-medical-treatment-prison-supporters-say-665605577
The life of imprisoned former Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi is in danger because of his deteriorating health and lack of treatment, his lawyer said."We have filed a complaint today with the public prosecutor asking for an investigation into the medical negligence [Morsi] is facing," said lawyer Abdel Moneim Abdel Maqsoud. Morsi's lawyer and family say he told them he experienced two diabetic comas this month and did not receive proper treatment in prison. He is demanding to be moved to a private hospital at his own expense. middleeasteye
Israeli Defence Minister calls for expulsion of Hamas officials from Lebanon
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20170610-lieberman-calls-for-expulsion-of-hamas-officials-from-lebanon/
Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Liebermann has called on the US to put pressure on Lebanon to expel Hamas officials, Ynet News reported on Friday.Israeli website revealed details of a meeting in Jerusalem between Lieberman and US Envoy to UN Nikki Haley during which they discussed the issue. According to Ynet News, Lieberman is claiming that the Hamas team “acts against Israel”. More specifically, he said that Saleh Al-Arouri, who left Qatar recently, is now in Lebanon and is planning to attack Israel from there. Middleeastmonitor
Malaysia does not object to visit of Hamas leaders
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20170610-malaysia-does-not-object-to-visit-of-hamas-leaders/
Inspector General of Police in Malaysia, Khaled Abu Bakr, has said that there is no problem with leaders of the Hamas visiting the country as long as such visits take place within a peaceful context, Safa news agency reported on Friday. He denied Israeli reports that Hamas official Saleh Al-Arouri had arrived in Kuala Lumpur. middleeastmonitor
700,000 Jewish settlers now live in occupied Palestinian territories
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20170610-700000-jewish-settlers-now-live-in-occupied-palestinian-territories/
Israel approves 1,000 new settlement units
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20170609-israel-approves-1000-new-settlement-units/
Report: Rise in number of Russian Jews leaving Israel
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20170609-report-rise-in-number-of-russian-jews-leaving-israel/
A new report revealed an increase in the number of Russian Jews who migrate from Israel to other countries or to their original home in Russia and the ex-Soviet Union.The report, released by the Knesset Committee for Immigration, Absorption and Diaspora Affairs, revealed that 38 % of the total 290,300 immigrants who left Israel without return within the past 14 years are Russian immigrants. middleeastmonitor
UAE document reveals plan to control Tunisia
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20170610-uae-document-reveals-plan-to-control-tunisia/
A document from by the Emirates Policy Centre has revealed how the UAE is planning to control Tunisia and undermine the coalition Govt , thenewkhalij.news reported.The plan includes a crackdown on the Islamist Ennahda Movement in the North African country.Prepared by the Maghreb Study Unit of the centre based in Abu-Dhabi, the document shows the details of the UAE’s interference in the internal affairs of Tunisia. Former Police Chief Dahi Khalfan Tamim, who is well-known for his anti-Islamist position and is one of the most prominent supporters of the military coup in Egypt, is the head of the research centre.The plan proposes giving support to certain politicians who are against the coalition agreements in Tunisia as well as against Ennahda. middleeastmonitor
US forces back Philippine troops in Islamist held city
http://www.india.com/news/agencies/us-forces-back-philippine-troops-in-islamist-held-city-2221913/
Marawi: US special forces are providing support to Philippine military battling to dislodge Islamist militants in a southern city, the US embassy said today, as 13 Filipino marines were killed in fresh fighting.Philippine troops are struggling to defeat hundreds of fighters, who rampaged through Marawi on May 23 flying black flags of the Islamic State group, and have used civilians as human shields, bomb-proof tunnels and anti-tank weapons to fortify their positions.AFP
13 Philippine marines killed as US joins Marawi battle
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/06/13-marines-killed-fighting-rages-marawi-city-170610072818527.html
US air raid kills Afghan forces in Helmand
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/06/air-raid-kills-afghan-forces-helmand-170610095748162.html
Several members of Afghan security forces were killed on Friday when a US military aircraft opened fire during an overnight operation in Helmand province, according to officials.
Compiled and edited by Anwarulhaq (Released at: 7:49 PM)
