[21 Oct 2013] Lebanese kidnapped in Syria describe captors as inhuman -...
Lebanese nationals who were held captive by insurgents in Syria now talk about their ordeal. One of them has described the captors as inhuman....
Lebanese nationals who were held captive by insurgents in Syria now talk about their ordeal. One of them has described the captors as inhuman.
Abbas and ten other Lebanese nationals were snatched by militants in Syria as they were returning from a visit to religious sites in Iran in 2012. He says the kidnappers constantly tormented them during the 17-month detention. The man says the psychological abuse they suffered at the hands of the hostage takers was even worse than the physical torture. Another ex-hostage says the captors kept telling lies to them about their fate to mentally torture them. The hostages arrived in Beirut on Saturday and were greeted by cheerful crowds.
5m:15s
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[23 Oct 2013] Explosion targets gas pipline feeding electricity stations...
Large parts of Syria have plunged into darkness after a huge blast targeted the main gas pipeline feeding electricity stations south of the...
Large parts of Syria have plunged into darkness after a huge blast targeted the main gas pipeline feeding electricity stations south of the country.
The explosion caused massive but partial power outages in all Syrian governorates. The Electricity Ministry says technicians and workers are trying to fix the problem. Meanwhile, in the capital Damascus, mortar shells fired by foreign-backed insurgents killed at least two civilians. In another attack, a booby-trapped car went off near an army checkpoint at the entrance of the Dummar residential area in Damascus. The sound of an explosion was also heard near the main church in the area.
3m:12s
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[24 Oct 2013] Protest comes after funeral of 7 policemen killed on...
In Tunisia, at least five people have been injured after protesters attacked the office of the ruling Ennahda party in the town of Beja.
Earlier...
In Tunisia, at least five people have been injured after protesters attacked the office of the ruling Ennahda party in the town of Beja.
Earlier in the day, clashes also erupted with police in the northern city of Kef after another office of the ruling party came under attack by demonstrators. This, after the funeral of seven police officers who were killed by militants on Wednesday. Now the government is delaying a national dialog with the opposition. The talks were aimed at ending months of political deadlock, with the opposition demanding the resignation of the government. They accuse the Ennahda-led government of being too lenient on hard-line groups.
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[25 Oct 2013] Islam and Life - Muslims influence on British politics -...
Parliament has returned from its summer recess and British politics is back on the agenda. The ability to influence another individual is a much...
Parliament has returned from its summer recess and British politics is back on the agenda. The ability to influence another individual is a much sought-after skill. But the ability to influence an entire nation\'s politics can only be imagined.
Maybe we Muslims set our aims too high. Even small changes can greatly benefit the lives of Muslims living in the West.
But how can we Islamically engage in western politics when it takes away people\'s rights, takes their money and harms people in other countries? How can we influence non-Islamic governments?
Well, maybe we can learn from Prophet Yusuf (PBUH) and his influence in Egyptian politics. After all, we Muslims are supposed to imitate the examples in the Qur\'an. Allah in the Qur\'an, when beginning the story of Prophet Yusuf (PBUH) in Surah Yusuf, says: \"We relate to you the best of stories...\"
This week\'s Islam and Life asks: Can Muslims ever influence British politics?
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[27 Oct 2013] Militants capture southern Tafas town in Syria - English
Reports coming out of Syria suggest that insurgents battling government troops have seized a town in the southern Daraa province.
Militants took...
Reports coming out of Syria suggest that insurgents battling government troops have seized a town in the southern Daraa province.
Militants took control of Tafas following weeks of heavy clashes with army forces. The fighting has left dozens dead on both sides. The town of Tafas links the eastern and western parts of Daraa along the Jordanian border. In another battlefield in the central province of Homs, insurgents and government troops are fighting for control of a highly-strategic arsenal in Mahin. Militants say they have killed at least a hundred Syrian army forces, and lost scores of their own men.
0m:35s
6044
[30 Oct 2013] Bahraini court sentenced 10 anti-regime protesters to jail...
A Bahraini court has sentenced 10 anti-regime protesters to jail as part of Manama\'s continued crackdown on dissent.
Nine protesters were...
A Bahraini court has sentenced 10 anti-regime protesters to jail as part of Manama\'s continued crackdown on dissent.
Nine protesters were sentenced to terms of three-months to one-year in prison for taking part in protests against the al-Khalifah regime. Another protester was also given a six-month jail term for an alleged attack on a police station. The court had charged him with aggression against police, possession of petrol bombs and taking part in an unauthorized protest aiming at undermining public security. Meanwhile, tensions in the small Persian Gulf island nation continue to flare as police raid the headquarters of the main opposition bloc, called al-Wefaq. No word yet on the fate of those inside the H-Q, as regime forces refuse to allow anyone in or out of the building. Al-Wefaq\'s lawyer and the group\'s senior members have also been prevented from entering the building. The complex houses a museum that documents the Bahraini regime\'s human rights violations.
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[04 Nov 2013] UN humanitarian chief calls for greater access for...
The UN humanitarian chief urges the UN Security Council to impose more pressure on all sides involved in the Syrian conflict to allow greater...
The UN humanitarian chief urges the UN Security Council to impose more pressure on all sides involved in the Syrian conflict to allow greater access for the provision of assistance.
Valerie Amos said the Security Council should put its full political weight on both the government and opposition parties to ensure that previous calls for access are realized. The UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator added that 9 point 3 million people currently need assistance to survive. The figure stood at 6 point 8 million in September. Amos also said that 6 point 5 million people are now internally displaced. On October 7, the United Nations estimated that over four million more people would be forced out of their homes in 2014 due to the escalation of the conflict. The UN said two million Syrians are expected to seek refuge outside the country, while another 2.25 million will be internally displaced next year.
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[04 Nov 2013] Amos calls for greater access for provision of assistance...
The UN humanitarian chief urges the UN Security Council to impose more pressure on all sides involved in the Syrian conflict to allow greater...
The UN humanitarian chief urges the UN Security Council to impose more pressure on all sides involved in the Syrian conflict to allow greater access for the provision of assistance. Valerie Amos said the Security Council should put its full political weight on both the government and opposition parties to ensure that previous calls for access are realized. The U-N Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator added that 9 point 3 million people currently need assistance to survive. The figure stood at 6 point 8 million in September. Amos also said that 6 point 5 million people are now internally displaced. On October 7, the United Nations estimated that over four million more people would be forced out of their homes in 2014 due to the escalation of the conflict. The UN said two million Syrians are expected to seek refuge outside the country, while another 2-point-25 million will be internally displaced next year.
2m:20s
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[08 Nov 2013] Anger raging across Pakistan over US drones attacks - English
Anger is raging in Pakistan as the U-S goes ahead with its deadly drone campaign in the country. Supporters of political and religious parties have...
Anger is raging in Pakistan as the U-S goes ahead with its deadly drone campaign in the country. Supporters of political and religious parties have held another anti-US rally throughout the country. The protesters blame Washington for much of the violence in the country since the U-S began its so-called war on terror.
2m:8s
4732
[18 Nov 2013] Troops deployed in Tripoli after militias ordered to leave...
Troops have been deployed in Libya\'s violence-hit capital following deadly weekend clashes sparked by militias.
The deployment comes after...
Troops have been deployed in Libya\'s violence-hit capital following deadly weekend clashes sparked by militias.
The deployment comes after community leaders and officials urged the withdrawal of all militias from the capital within 72 hours. On Friday, gunmen fired at demonstrators protesting against militias, triggering clashes between rival militants. At least 43 people were killed and hundreds of others wounded in the violence. Meanwhile in another development, the Libyan deputy intelligence chief has been freed by his abductors a day after he was seized near Tripoli airport. Libya has been gripped by lawlessness following the 2011 uprising against the rule of Muammar Ghaddafi. Ever since, myriad militia groups have been carving out their own territories across the vast mostly-desert country.
0m:47s
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[20 Nov 2013] UN panel has urged Myanmar to stop Buddhist violence...
A UN panel has urged Myanmar to stop Buddhist violence against Rohingya Muslims but the resolution has seen opposition from an unlikely source: The...
A UN panel has urged Myanmar to stop Buddhist violence against Rohingya Muslims but the resolution has seen opposition from an unlikely source: The party of Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Chee.
In its resolution, the UN General Assembly\'s human rights committee has called on Myanmar to give the Rohingya minority equal access to citizenship. But the demand apparently didn\'t sit well with the West\'s democracy icon Suu Chee, whose party accused the UN of interfering in Myanmar\'s internal affairs. Buddhist violence against Rohingya which is said to have the state backing has become routine in Myanmar. It\'s left hundreds dead and sent another 240-thousand fleeing their homes. But Suu Chee has had little to say about Rohingya rights. And she even declined to meet with the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation delegation visiting Myanmar this week to look into the plight of Muslims.
3m:3s
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DEATH TO USA system that kills innocents (Marg Bar America) -...
\\\"Down with America\\\"
Down with the scourge, the Relentless scourge!
The pollen of innocent slaves,
The sudden death of hundreds...
\\\"Down with America\\\"
Down with the scourge, the Relentless scourge!
The pollen of innocent slaves,
The sudden death of hundreds and thousands of lives,
In a couple of seconds, With the fall of the sky,
Down with killing the buds of youth!
(killing of the young)
Down with the release of toxins in the limpid streams,
(The bombing of Hiroshima, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan and other places hit by western bombs)
death comes with the fluency of lies! Down with censorship!
Down with barbed wire and mine fields of war,
The mass graves and slaughtering of man kind!
Down with self-mutilation, Down with their cages!
Death and Glory of thorny brushwood, Down with Desire!
Down with the abuse of \\\"Human Rights\\\" , the death Axe.
Down with the flare of evil, the Embassy of death that
comes with a \\\"coup\\\" of smoke! ( Western Embassy )
Live the life of relapse! Live the life of me, of you, of us!
In a few words, Down with America!
Down with self-mutilation, Down with their cages!
Death and Glory of thorny brushwood, Down with Desire!
Down with the abuse of \\\"Human Rights\\\" the death Axe!
(The west lying on human rights as well as using them to invade other nations)
Down with the flare of evil! Down with America!
Down with Abu Lahab, Down with Yazid, Shimer and Ibn Sa\\\'d,
Down with the sons of Ziad
Another one.
Down with resolutions cutting off the Euphrates,
That brought the arrow to the infants throat
Death laughs at the enemies of Ali Reza
Down every shot gun in memory of Armita,
Down with America
5m:7s
19801
[21 Nov 2013] Myanmar rejects UN call to grant citizenship to minority...
Myanmar rejects a UN resolution that urges it to give the Rohingya Muslims equal access to citizenship. Myanmar also accused the UN of violating...
Myanmar rejects a UN resolution that urges it to give the Rohingya Muslims equal access to citizenship. Myanmar also accused the UN of violating its sovereignty. On Tuesday, the UN General Assembly\'s human rights committee called on Myanmar to stop Buddhist violence against the Muslim minority. But the demand drew strong opposition from the West\'s democracy icon Aung San Suu Chee \'s party. Buddhist violence against Rohingya Muslims, which is said to have the state backing, has become routine in Myanmar. It\'s left hundreds dead and sent another 2-hundred 40-thousand fleeing their homes.
2m:27s
5962
[21 Nov 2013] The Debate - Iran Nuclear Negotiations - English
Iran and the five veto-wielding powers of the UN Security Council plus Germany: Geneva 3: Day 2. Details of the meetings are still kept behind...
Iran and the five veto-wielding powers of the UN Security Council plus Germany: Geneva 3: Day 2. Details of the meetings are still kept behind closed doors. Some headlines read: Iran says \'serious issues\' remain in nuclear talks. France, Iran trade barbs but ministers may come for nuclear deal. Iran\'s FM Mohammad Javad Zarif said \"details and wording\" of the document were being discussed, with Iran\'s red line, uranium enrichment, under further discussions. And while the spokesman for EU\'s foreign policy chief says negotiations were \"meaningful, detailed and substantial\" Iran\'s deputy foreign minister says \"some major differences still\" remain. Stay tuned for another edition of the Debate, which we ask: Is a deal closer, or will talks end without an agreement?
24m:42s
7040
[22 Nov 2013] A top UN official urges Israel to end the crippling...
UN officials are calling on Israel to end the blockade of the Gaza Strip. They\'re warning that the situation in the Palestinian territory may get...
UN officials are calling on Israel to end the blockade of the Gaza Strip. They\'re warning that the situation in the Palestinian territory may get even worse.
The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees says the Israeli blockade has paralyzed Gaza\'s construction industry. Robert Turner also said that the demolition of tunnels used by Gazans to transfer goods and construction materials to the enclave has put U-N projects on hold. This, after Egyptian authorities also stepped up the destruction of the tunnels in recent months. Meanwhile, another U-N official, James Rawley has also waned about the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian territory over a lack of fuel there. Gaza\'s fuel crisis has led to the closure of its main power plant in recent months. Israel imposed its all-out land, aerial, and naval blockade on Gaza in June 2007 after the victory of Hamas in elections there.
4m:41s
6302
[24 Nov 2013] Morsi supporters rally as Egypt interim president signs...
Thousands of supporters of Egypt\'s ousted president Mohamed Morsi take to the streets across the country. They have marked 100 days since the...
Thousands of supporters of Egypt\'s ousted president Mohamed Morsi take to the streets across the country. They have marked 100 days since the violent crackdown on pro-Morsi sit-ins in the capital Cairo. On another front, interim president Adly Mansour has signed into law an anti-protest bill.
2m:28s
5630
[26 Nov 2013] Under the Geneva deal the western countries have agreed to...
Under the Geneva deal between Iran and five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany, the western countries have...
Under the Geneva deal between Iran and five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany, the western countries have agreed to ease sanctions on Iran in response to Tehran\'s confidence-building move to continue its nuclear energy program at a lower level. But, there are different accounts of the exact timing of the partial sanctions removal.
The U-S says Iran will see up to seven-billion-dollars worth of its frozen assets un-blocked. Out of this amount, Washington is expected to un-freeze some four-point-two billion dollars in oil revenue frozen in foreign banks. But, some remaining 40 billion dollars of Iran\'s oil export money will remain frozen. This is the amount Iran obtained through selling its oil under U-S and E-U sanctions imposed in early 20-12. Iran could also access another four-hundred-million dollars for educational purposes, such as the transfer of university tuition fees. France\'s Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius says this could happen in December. But British Foreign Secretary William Hague, as well as the spokesman for E-U\'s foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, say they expect the sanctions easing to be completed in January.
3m:25s
7616
[28 Nov 2013] Small child killed, 2 women injured in US drone attack in...
Furious Afghan president says US drones have struck a home in Helmand, killing a small child and wounding two women.
President Hamid Karzai has...
Furious Afghan president says US drones have struck a home in Helmand, killing a small child and wounding two women.
President Hamid Karzai has condemned the drone strike as yet another example of US disregard for civilian life. The strike comes in the midst of a standoff between the Afghan government and the US over a security deal. Washington is pushing for a military presence in Afghanistan after 2014 along with legal immunity for American troops. The US killing of civilians is a controversial issue in Afghanistan. The Afghan government wants the Americans to stop using airstrikes in populated areas, but those demands have so far fallen on deaf ears.
4m:17s
5945
[04 Dec 2013] FSA forces ready to join the Syrian army and drive out al...
The head of the so-called Free Syrian Army says his forces are ready to join the Syrian army and drive out al-Qaeda-linked terrorists who have...
The head of the so-called Free Syrian Army says his forces are ready to join the Syrian army and drive out al-Qaeda-linked terrorists who have taken over militant-held areas.
General Salim Idris has described as very dangerous the militant group calling itself as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, or the I-S-I-S. Thousands of foreign militants have in recent months joined its ranks. General Idris also claimed that besides fighting with Syrian forces, the F-S-A forces have fought another war with al-Qaeda at dozens of different locations over the past six months. The so-called Free Syrian Army also says that it has dropped the precondition for President Bashar al-Assad to leave power before the upcoming Geneva peace conference.
0m:46s
7494
[05 Dec 2013] The Debate - Nuclear War Heads - English
What does Senator John McCain, Hilary Clinton, Sheldon Adleson, the biggest donor to Republican Party political groups, and Congressman Duncan...
What does Senator John McCain, Hilary Clinton, Sheldon Adleson, the biggest donor to Republican Party political groups, and Congressman Duncan Hunter, who is a senior Republican member of the House Armed Services Committee, have in common? They have all called for attacking Iran, with Duncan Hunter calling for bombing Iran with nuclear weapons. In this debate, we\'ll discuss why these types of statements from US officials are not uncommon, and explore whether the US actually has on its drawing board plans for using nuclear bombs were it to attack another country.
26m:45s
5144
[06 Dec 2013] Reporter File - Syrian crisis hurting Lebanese farmers -...
The crisis in Syria has had a severe impact on the livelihood of farmers in neighboring Lebanon. Lamees Karout reports from Beirut.
Brazil\'s...
The crisis in Syria has had a severe impact on the livelihood of farmers in neighboring Lebanon. Lamees Karout reports from Beirut.
Brazil\'s government has recently announced plans to build another seven nuclear plants in the next 15 years. Rony Curvelo reports from Brasilia.
Cervical cancer is being referred to as the silent killer of Uganda with the majority of cases reported among women according to the latest WHO report. Daniel Arapmoi reports from Kampala.
The government of Afghanistan estimates that air pollution is responsible for 3000 deaths in Kabul each year. Amin Alemi reports from Kabul.
21m:44s
5297
[06 Dec 2013] North Korea deports 85-year-old American war veteran -...
North Korea has deported an American veteran who\'d been held since October for alleged hostile acts against Pyongyang.
North Korean officials...
North Korea has deported an American veteran who\'d been held since October for alleged hostile acts against Pyongyang.
North Korean officials say they\'ve released 85-year-old Merrill Newman after he apologized for his alleged crimes during the Korean War, and also because of his age and health condition. The war veteran was pulled from a plane on October 26th while preparing to leave the country after a 10-day tour. He\'s now landed in Beijing, expressing happiness to be on his way home. Meanwhile, U-S Vice President Joe Biden has hailed North Korea for releasing the man, saying it was wrong to detain him in the first place. Biden has also called for another detained American to be swiftly released.
0m:40s
6907
[08 Dec 2013] Egypt security forces storm al-Azhar, Mansoura university...
In Egypt, three prominent activists have gone on trial for defying a controversial protest law.
Ahmed Maher, Ahmed Douma, and Mohamed Adel are...
In Egypt, three prominent activists have gone on trial for defying a controversial protest law.
Ahmed Maher, Ahmed Douma, and Mohamed Adel are accused of organizing an illegal protest on November 30. Maher and Douma are also charged with allegedly assaulting police officers at another rally last month. The charges stem from a new law imposed by the military-backed government following the ouster of president Mohamed Morsi in early July. Maher and Douma supported Morsi\'s removal, but oppose what they see as the army\'s attempts to crack down on freedom of expression. Reports say the trial of the three leading figures-- who had a major role in the 2011 downfall of former regime-- has been adjourned now. Cairo has drawn international fire for the protest law, which has sparked violent protests nationwide. The law bans any protest assembly without prior permission from the police.
4m:51s
5473
[09 Dec 2013] US judges question necessity of genital searches of...
In the US prison at Guantanamo, despite various calls for a halt to humiliating and degrading treatment of inmates, such acts continue. In the...
In the US prison at Guantanamo, despite various calls for a halt to humiliating and degrading treatment of inmates, such acts continue. In the latest development, US appeals court judges are questioning the need for genital searches of prisoners before meeting their lawyers. At a hearing of a three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, Judge Thomas Griffith said that checking the prisoners\' private parts was both provocative and offensive. Griffith then cited the detainees\' right to have easy access to their lawyers as a legal obligation of the court. Some of the prisoners have decided not to meet their lawyers because genital searches were required beforehand. Meanwhile, another US appeals court is reviewing whether it is necessary to force-feed hunger-striking prisoners, an act which some people describe as torture.
3m:37s
4860
[10 Dec 2013] The Debate - Syrian Army Advances - English
As Syrian troops cut supply lines for foreign-backed insurgents and retake all but one town in the western region bordering Lebanon, militants look...
As Syrian troops cut supply lines for foreign-backed insurgents and retake all but one town in the western region bordering Lebanon, militants look set to meet another setback ahead of a peace conference in Geneva. The rise in the number of extremist groups and the recent bloody infighting has led to differences among foreign states supporting the insurgency, among them Saudi Arabia is seen as the strongest supporter, prepared to go to the extremes to guarantee victory. With US President Barack Obama being blamed for manipulating intelligence against the Syrian government over a chemical attack in August, it looks like the equations of the Syrian war are rapidly changing
22m:29s
6933
[12 Dec 2013] Biased British media and Islamophobia - English
The shocking killing of Lee Rigby earlier this year by people believing themselves to be Muslims was predictably followed by weeks of media...
The shocking killing of Lee Rigby earlier this year by people believing themselves to be Muslims was predictably followed by weeks of media coverage.
Although such extremism is contradictory to Islam, Muslims felt it necessary to again denounce this extremism.
However, there was another victim of extremism shortly after, 82-year old Mohammed Saleem. He was stabbed three times until he died on his way home from prayers.
The extremist was Ukrainian student Pavlo Lapshyn, a man who also bombed several mosques in Britain.
British media has been comparably quiet. Was it because his beliefs were not expressed as Islamic?
This week\'s Islam and Life asks: Which victim of extremism will Britain remember: Lee Rigby or Mohammed Saleem?
23m:40s
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