Saudi Arabia silent on reports of Makkah Imam being detained

    Arafat Hasan: Saudi Arabia has yet to either confirm or deny reports of the detainment of Sheikh Dr Saleh bin Mohammed Al Talib, Imam and Preacher of the Grand Holy Mosque in Makkah. On Sunday, social media advocacy group ‘Prisoners of Conscience’, which monitors and documents arrests of Saudi preachers and religious scholars, had stated…

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      Imran, Pakistan, and South Asia

      Dr. A J M Shafiul Alam Bhuiyan, Professor and Founder Chair, Dept. of Television, Film and Photography, University of Dhaka The newly elected Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, a popular sports star turned politician, in his inaugural speech exhorted for peace in South Asia. Can he be a harbinger of peace? Peace and stability…

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        South Korean ex-president Park’s sentence extended

        Gulf News: A South Korean appeal court on Friday extended ex-president Park Geun-hye’s prison sentence for corruption and abuse of power by one year. The decision by the Seoul High Court means the former head of state, who was ousted after a sprawling cor ruption scandal triggered mass protests, faces 25 years in jail.Park was convicted…

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          New Australian PM pledges ‘generational change’ to heal ruling party

          HossenSohel: New Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison promised generational change in the warring Liberal party yester day, seeking to end an internecine battle that has scarred the conservative government ahead of an election due by May 2019, reports Reuters.Morrison, who was treasurer under outgoing Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, emerged the surprise winner in a three-way challenge…

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            Huge wildfire spreads southwest of Berlin

            AP: Three villages southwest of Berlin have been evacuated as a wildfire the size of 400 soccer fields spread Friday. More than 500 people had to leave their homes as a result of the fire in Treuenbrietzen, some 50 kilometers (31 miles) outside of Berlin. “Our main goal is to protect the evacuated villages from the…

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