[06 Dec 2013] Islam and Life - Muslims & the institution of marriage...
Marriage is one of the oldest practices known to mankind. It has been practiced by prophets since Adam and has been taught to the rest of mankind...
Marriage is one of the oldest practices known to mankind. It has been practiced by prophets since Adam and has been taught to the rest of mankind as a Godly tradition.
Islam considers that the best of people are those who get married, while the worst are those who avoid marriage and pass their lives by remaining single.
Secular societies have gradually eroded the importance of marriage and this has been the subject of much controversy in recent times.
This week\'s Islam & Life asks: How can Muslims defend the institution of marriage in secular societies?
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[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.
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[06 Dec 2013] UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on nuclear...
The UN General Assembly has unanimously adopted a resolution on nuclear disarmament which includes proposals by the Iranian president.
The UN...
The UN General Assembly has unanimously adopted a resolution on nuclear disarmament which includes proposals by the Iranian president.
The UN called on nuclear-armed states to make more efforts to reduce and ultimately eliminate all types of atomic weapons. Last month, the world body\'s Disarmament Commission voted on a draft resolution proposed by the Non-Aligned Movement, which included President Hassan Rouhani\'s suggestions. During the last UN General Assembly meetings, the Iranian president laid down his proposals on nuclear disarmament, which were welcomed by many countries. An urgent formation of a convention on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons; holding a high-level international conference on nuclear disarmament no later than 20-18; and declaring September 26 as the International Day for the total elimination of nukes were among Rouhani\'s suggestions in that draft.
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[06 Dec 2013] Somali MP killed in Mogadishu car blast - English
Somalia is witnessing yet another day of deadly violence. A car blast in the capital has left at least two people dead.
A lawmaker identified as...
Somalia is witnessing yet another day of deadly violence. A car blast in the capital has left at least two people dead.
A lawmaker identified as Warsame Faysal and a driver were killed in the blast that rocked the entrance of the presidential palace in Mogadishu. Witnesses say the explosives were planted under the car and went off when the driver got into it. Violence in Somalia has been on the rise ahead of the elections in January. On Thursday, a vehicle packed with explosives rammed into two pick-up trucks carrying Marine Forces in a busy market area in the northern Puntland region, leaving nine people dead and nearly 40 others injured.
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[06 Dec 2013] British foreign secretary warns of growing extremism in...
British Foreign Secretary William Hague says the extremists fighting against the Syrian government pose a threat to Europe. The warning comes as a...
British Foreign Secretary William Hague says the extremists fighting against the Syrian government pose a threat to Europe. The warning comes as a fierce battle is underway between the Syrian army and al-Qaeda affiliated groups, whose ranks have been swollen by an influx of thousands of foreign militants in recent months.
Hague made the remarks at the opening of the Manama Dialog on security, weeks ahead of an international peace conference on Syria. Foreign nationals operating alongside al-Qaeda militants in Syria have stated that the United States and Britain will be their next targets. Ironically, the insurgents have enjoyed logistic and financial support from some Western and regional countries.
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[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.
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[08 Dec 2013] Gazan children blame Palestinian Authority for power...
Schoolchildren in Gaza protest long hours of electricity cuts in the Palestinian enclave. The students gathered in front of the house of Acting...
Schoolchildren in Gaza protest long hours of electricity cuts in the Palestinian enclave. The students gathered in front of the house of Acting Palestinian Authority Chief Mahmud Abbas as they blamed him for the power shortage.
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[09 Dec 2013] The Debate - US-Afghan Security Pact - English
The US and Afghanistan are at loggerheads over a stalled security agreement that President Hamid Karzai has refused to sign despite increasing US...
The US and Afghanistan are at loggerheads over a stalled security agreement that President Hamid Karzai has refused to sign despite increasing US pressure. The deal would allow between 12,000 to 14,000 troops, mostly American, to stay in Afghanistan beyond 2014. Under the pact, American forces would be able to enter Afghan homes as part of their operations and enjoy legal immunity, two of the most important sticking points. President Karzai suggests he\'s being bullied into signing an unfair pact.
Is Afghanistan best with or without this deal?
What would a permanent US stay in the country mean?
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[09 Dec 2013] Iran Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Weekly Press Conf....
Iran\'s Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman says any final agreement with the group of six countries over Tehran\'s nuclear program will ensure its...
Iran\'s Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman says any final agreement with the group of six countries over Tehran\'s nuclear program will ensure its inalienable rights. Afkham also called on Western countries to use the window of opportunity offered by Iran\'s new diplomatic approach. She described the US-led unilateral sanctions against Iran as QUOTE oppressive, noting that even American officials have acknowledged that such sanctions have been ineffective in preventing Iran\'s nuclear advancement.
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[09 Dec 2013] Iran Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Weekly Press Conf....
Iran\'s Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman says any final agreement with the group of six countries over Tehran\'s nuclear program will ensure its...
Iran\'s Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman says any final agreement with the group of six countries over Tehran\'s nuclear program will ensure its inalienable rights. Afkham also called on Western countries to use the window of opportunity offered by Iran\'s new diplomatic approach. She described the US-led unilateral sanctions against Iran as QUOTE oppressive, noting that even American officials have acknowledged that such sanctions have been ineffective in preventing Iran\'s nuclear advancement.
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[09 Dec 2013] Iran Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Weekly Press Conf....
Iran\'s Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman says any final agreement with the group of six countries over Tehran\'s nuclear program will ensure its...
Iran\'s Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman says any final agreement with the group of six countries over Tehran\'s nuclear program will ensure its inalienable rights. Afkham also called on Western countries to use the window of opportunity offered by Iran\'s new diplomatic approach. She described the US-led unilateral sanctions against Iran as QUOTE oppressive, noting that even American officials have acknowledged that such sanctions have been ineffective in preventing Iran\'s nuclear advancement.
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[10 Dec 2013] israel approves the detention without charge of African...
The Israeli parliament has approved a law that allows new illegal migrants to be held without charge.
Under the new law, illegal migrants face...
The Israeli parliament has approved a law that allows new illegal migrants to be held without charge.
Under the new law, illegal migrants face up to a year in detention. The law also gives Israeli authorities the right to send illegal immigrants living in Israeli cities to complexes called open facilities-- until they are deported or voluntarily go back to their homeland. The first such facilities is due to start operating this week in the Negev Desert in southern Israel. Migrants kept there will have no right to work. Critics of the new law have described such open facilities as prisons. They predict the new law- like the previous one- will be challenged in the Supreme Court. More than 50-thousand African immigrants currently work in low-paying jobs in Israel.
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[10 Dec 2013] US scientist warns against US-Russia nuclear war - English
Ira Helfand, the co-president of the group International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, says there are more than 17 000 nuclear...
Ira Helfand, the co-president of the group International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, says there are more than 17 000 nuclear warheads which have been ignored since the Cold War ended in 19 91. He says modern nuclear weapons are far more powerful than the US bombs used against Japan in 19 45. Nine countries are believed to possess nuclear weapons with Russia and the US holding the vast majority of them. Israel is the Middle East\'s sole possessor of nuclear weapons. The US pledged in 2009 to work toward the abolition of its nuclear weapons but said it would keep them so long as others keep theirs.
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[10 Dec 2013] On Human Rights Day Palestinian suffering continues - English
It\'s human rights day. But not for Palestinians. Back in 1950 the UN General Assembly proclaimed the tenth of December as Human Rights Day, but...
It\'s human rights day. But not for Palestinians. Back in 1950 the UN General Assembly proclaimed the tenth of December as Human Rights Day, but decades later Palestinians in the blockaded Gaza Strip still continue to suffer under Israeli human rights violations.
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[11 Dec 2013] Foreign backed militants continue their attacks on...
Foreign-backed militants continue their attacks on residential areas in Syria.
The insurgent shelling of the Meridian district of the northern...
Foreign-backed militants continue their attacks on residential areas in Syria.
The insurgent shelling of the Meridian district of the northern city of Aleppo killed several civilians on Wednesday. They also captured the area of Adra, northeast of the capital Damascus. More than 20 civilians, mostly Alawites, are said to have been killed in the militant attack there. This is while, Kurdish People\'s Protection Units have recaptured the north-eastern village of Tweineh, near al-Hasakah city, following clashes with militants of the al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front. In recent days, some regional and international leaders have warned of growing extremism in Syria. This, as insurgents fighting the Syrian government enjoy the logistical and financial supports of Western and some regional Arab countries.
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[11 Dec 2013] Iran met its first obligation under the IAEA agreement...
Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency have wrapped up what\'s been desrcibed as a productive meeting on Tehran\'s nuclear energy program...
Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency have wrapped up what\'s been desrcibed as a productive meeting on Tehran\'s nuclear energy program in the Austrian capital. The two sides will hold a fresh round of talks in Tehran on January 21.
The latest talks follow a recent nuclear deal between Iran and the permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany. Tehran also earlier agreed to provide the I-A-E-A access to formerly off-limit sites. Iran met its first obligation under the I-A-E-A agreement at the weekend, by allowing the UN nuclear agency inspectors to visit Arak\'s heavy-water facility.
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[11 Dec 2013] US senators to introduce bill to impose new measure...
A group of defiant US lawmakers will introduce a bill to impose more sanctions on Iran despite Washington\'s efforts to hold off new measures....
A group of defiant US lawmakers will introduce a bill to impose more sanctions on Iran despite Washington\'s efforts to hold off new measures.
Senate aides say a vote on the bipartisan plan is expected in January. The bill aims to target Iran\'s remaining oil exports and foreign exchange. The administration of President Barack Obama has been calling on lawmakers to delay any more sanctions as a diplomatic path with Tehran is pursued. Iran and the P5+1 group reached a nuclear deal in Geneva last month. Tehran agreed to limit its nuclear energy program in exchange for some sanctions relief. The sides have agreed to work to reach a comprehensive deal in six months. Tehran has warned that new US sanctions will kill the Geneva deal.
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[12 Dec 2013] Senior Russian MP: US compensating Syria failure in...
A senior Russian lawmaker says US attempts to influence the situation in Ukraine are a desire to take revenge for Washington\'s defeat in Syria....
A senior Russian lawmaker says US attempts to influence the situation in Ukraine are a desire to take revenge for Washington\'s defeat in Syria. Alexei Pushkov says US interference in Ukraine is to show that the West is still the force that determines the course of events in global affairs. He emphasized that the West\'s meddling in the events in Ukraine suggests that the country is treated as a semi-colony. Pushkov also says the direct involvement of the EU and the US in Ukraine is a new form of political aggression. Ukraine has been hit with a wave of political unrest since late November when President Viktor Yanukovych refused to sign a trade pact with the European Union.
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[12 Dec 2013] A Simple Question - British terrorists in Syria - English
At least four British men were killed while fighting alongside al-Qaeda-linked militants in Syria.
British newspaper, The Times, reported that...
At least four British men were killed while fighting alongside al-Qaeda-linked militants in Syria.
British newspaper, The Times, reported that three of the British nationals were killed in August as their group attacked the Syrian government forces near the northern city of Aleppo.
The men are believed to be from London. The fourth individual was killed two weeks later while trying to ambush a Syrian army position.
British intelligence agency MI5 says that between 200 and 300 young British men have moved to Syria to fight against the government of President Bashar al-Assad.
The intelligence agency also raised concerns that the British militants would recruit new converts to their cause or even launch attacks in the UK.
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[12 Dec 2013] Washington pressing Congress to hold off imposing new...
The White House is trying to press Congress to hold off imposing more sanctions on Iran.
Sherman was testifying at a Senate Banking Committee....
The White House is trying to press Congress to hold off imposing more sanctions on Iran.
Sherman was testifying at a Senate Banking Committee. Her appeal comes as some hard-line US lawmakers push to impose more sanctions on Tehran. But the Obama administration has so far persuaded them to hold off, saying more action could harm ongoing talks with Iran over its nuclear energy program. Tehran has warned that any new US sanctions will kill a deal between Iran and the five permanganate members of the UN Security Council plus Germany in Geneva.
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[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?
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[12 Dec 2013] Ukraine political crisis - English
Ukraine has been hit with a wave of political unrest since late November when President Viktor Yanukovych refused to sign a trade pact with the...
Ukraine has been hit with a wave of political unrest since late November when President Viktor Yanukovych refused to sign a trade pact with the European Union.
The refusal to sign the deal triggered major street protests by the opposition supporters, who want Ukraine to become closer to the EU and distance itself from Russia.
Clashes erupted several times between the anti-government protesters and police forces during the demonstrations. Several arrests were made in the course of the protests as well.
In an effort to calm the political unrest, Yanukovych on Wednesday invited all parties, including the opposition, to engage in dialog to resolve the crisis facing the country.
Ukrainian opposition leaders rejected Yanukovych\'s offer of negotiations, calling for dismissal of his government and release of detained protesters.
Russia has criticized Western nations for interfering in Ukraine, saying protests against Kiev\'s decision to back away from the EU deal were destabilizing the former Soviet state.
The Russian parliament, the State Duma, in a non-binding statement on Tuesday urged the West to \"stop mounting external pressure on the politics of a country that is brotherly to us.\"
The lower house of parliament also called on Ukrainian opposition forces to \"stop illegal actions\" over the political crisis.
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[15 Dec 2013] Former South African president laid to rest - English
South Africa\\\'s anti-apartheid leader, Nelson Mandela, has been laid to rest in his ancestral home in Eastern Cape.
His burial in the village...
South Africa\\\'s anti-apartheid leader, Nelson Mandela, has been laid to rest in his ancestral home in Eastern Cape.
His burial in the village of Qunu ended ten days of memorial ceremonies that also received over a hundred world leaders. Around 4500 invited guests including foreign dignitaries attended Mandela\\\'s state funeral. But the public was shut out of the interment itself, with his family insisting it be a private affair. The former South African president died on December the 5th, at the age of 95. Although Mandela had been critically ill for months, the announcement of his death came as a shock to South Africans and the rest of the world.
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[15 Dec 2013] Afghanistan street children struggle to feed families -...
Afghanistan is grappling with serious economic and social woes over a decade after a US led invasion of the country. The government has also been...
Afghanistan is grappling with serious economic and social woes over a decade after a US led invasion of the country. The government has also been criticized for failing to deal with these problems. The economic plight has forced a large number of Afghan children to work on the streets to try to feed their families.
Kabul has a population of around six million people. Among them are around 600,000 street children who live in tough conditions. Most of them belong to fatherless families. These families depend on their children to try to find a way to survive. Umar is one of those children who have to work. A US night time air raid on their village in Kapisa province left Umar\\\'s father dead. Soon after the family lost its breadwinner, Umar left his village for Kabul. Now he lives with his uncle\\\'s family. But as his uncle is a simple shoe maker, Umer has to work too. For Umar it\\\'s a constant struggle to feed himself and send some money back to his family in Kapisa every month. Afghan president Hamid Karzai expressed his concern about the living conditions of street children in a recent address on the Afghan National Radio. Karzai asked International organizations including UNICEF to pay more attention to the issue. But some experts are pointing the finger at the afghan government and western countries for failing to do much. Today\\\'s children are the men of Afghanistan\\\'s future. But what many afghans are asking is how these poor street children who are not receiving any education will play a positive role in Afghanistan\\\'s future.
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[15 Dec 2013] UK housing crisis grows - English
Keeping a roof over your head in the UK is becoming increasingly more expensive and problematic. A new \\\'state of the nation\\\' report by...
Keeping a roof over your head in the UK is becoming increasingly more expensive and problematic. A new \\\'state of the nation\\\' report by homeless charity Crisis and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation paint an alarming picture of the country\\\'s growing housing crisis.
There\\\'s been a 10% rise in those housed in temporary accommodation and a 6% spike in those forced to sleep rough.Dawn Butler is a Labour politician working in Dawn Butler, west London. As the debate continues about how to alleviate the effects of the growing housing crisis, thousands of families in the capital and throughout the UK will be facing an uncertain future. Spiraling house prices, limited affordable accommodation options and benefits caps have all converged to heap more misery on already over stretched British budgets. The government disputes this stating £190m extra has been allocated to local councils.With a shortfall in available housing and a squeezing of existing budgets, many more families will find themselves without a roof over their heads before the crisis is addressed.
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[16 Dec 2013] Russia: Foreign-backed militants in Syria staged chemical...
Russia has repeated its allegations that foreign-backed insurgents in Syria were behind the chemical weapons attacks in the country. Russia\'s UN...
Russia has repeated its allegations that foreign-backed insurgents in Syria were behind the chemical weapons attacks in the country. Russia\'s UN ambassador says the US has provided no proof that the Syrian government was involved in the attacks.
Vitaly Churkin said that the claims that the Syrian government carried out the chemical weapons attacks are not persuasive. He added that Moscow views last August\'s deadly sarin gas attack outside Damascus as a provocation by the militants. The remarks came after a closed-door meeting on a UN investigation into the chemical weapons attacks in Syria. At the meeting, Russia and Western nations remained at loggerheads over who is to blame for the attacks. But UN experts recently said they have credible information that chemical weapons were used against the Syrian army and civilians. However, the U-N report has not determined whether the Syrian government or foreign-backed insurgents were responsible for the attacks.
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[16 Dec 2013] Egyptian students clash with security forces outside Ain...
Egyptian security forces have fired tear gas at dozens of university students outside their Cairo campus. The violence broke out when the students...
Egyptian security forces have fired tear gas at dozens of university students outside their Cairo campus. The violence broke out when the students tried to reach the nearby Defense Ministry building.
Dozens of students pelted security forces with rocks, while some picked up tear gas canisters and threw them back. The students were demonstrating outside Ain Shams University in eastern Cairo as part of a widening protest movement at universities against the military-backed government. With these actions, supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi have been keeping up the pressure on the authorities. Demonstrations have been held at Al-Azhar University and the University of Cairo in recent months.
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