MUSLIM WORLD
Thousands show support for Pakistani cleric
Thousands of protesters have gathered in Pakistan's capital city, Islamabad, in a show of support for a controversial cleric. Authorities there have reportedly fired tear gas to disperse the crowds.
Violence broke out near Pakistan's parliament early on Tuesday, after some of the estimated 30,000 demonstrators began throwing rocks at security forces sent in to control the crowds. In the lead-up to the eruption, supporters of cleric, Tahir ul Qadri, had descended upon the capital over a two-day period to protest against government corruption.
A protester told the AFP news agency said that the police fired on the crowd unprovoked.
"We were peaceful, we want to be peaceful, police fired tear gas and gun shots without any reason," protester Muzamal Ahmed Khan told AFP.
Violence broke out near Pakistan's parliament early on Tuesday, after some of the estimated 30,000 demonstrators began throwing rocks at security forces sent in to control the crowds. In the lead-up to the eruption, supporters of cleric, Tahir ul Qadri, had descended upon the capital over a two-day period to protest against government corruption.
A protester told the AFP news agency said that the police fired on the crowd unprovoked.
"We were peaceful, we want to be peaceful, police fired tear gas and gun shots without any reason," protester Muzamal Ahmed Khan told AFP.
Landmark EU judgment on wearing the cross and other religious freedoms due
European court of human rights ruling on four cases brought by Christians may force changes in legislation and work practices
The extent of religious freedom within the UK – including the right to wear a Christian cross at work – will be defined by a landmark judgment from Strasbourg on Tuesday.
The long-anticipated decision by the European court of human rights(ECHR) will resolve four controversial cases brought by Christians who claim they were discriminated against because of their faith and prevented from exercising their right to freedom of religion. If any of the appeals succeed, they may force a change in UK legislation and work practices.
The challenges have been brought by: Nadia Eweida, a British Airways worker from London; Lilian Ladele, a local authority registrar also from London; Shirley Chaplin, a nurse from Exeter; and Gary McFarlane, a marriage counsellor from Bristol. The latter two are being directly supported by the Christian Legal Centre (CLC).
Mali militants threaten to 'strike at the heart of France'
Extremist forces based in northern Mali have vowed to avenge France's fierce military offensive against them on French soil.
"France has attacked Islam. We will strike at the heart of France," said a leader of the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa – an offshoot of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb – on Monday.
Asked where they would strike, Abou Dardar responded to Agence France-Presse: "Everywhere. In Bamako, in Africa and in Europe."
Authorities in France were already on high alert over fears of a backlash on home soil by extremists.
The movement's official also referred to France's eight hostages held in the Sahel region.
"We will make a statement on the hostages today. From today all the mujahideen are together.
Venezuela cracks down on TV station questioning Chávez move
Venezuelan officials ordered opposition news channel Globovision to stop airing videos questioning the constitutionality of postponing Hugo Chávez's inauguration. This is the eighth complaint against the news station.
After National Assembly President Diosdado Cabello publicly complained about a series of 90 second television spots produced and aired by [opposition] news channel Globovisión, the government media controlling agency Consejo Nacional de Telecomunicaciones (CONATEL) ordered Globovisión to stop airing them. It also announced it was opening a new administrative procedure (the eighth opened by the agency against Globovision), that could result in a fine of up to 10 percent of the channel’s gross earnings during the past fiscal year.
According to CONATEL General Director Pedro Maldonado, the timing of the opening of administrative procedure and Cabello’s complaint was a mere coincidence, since CONATEL had already been monitoring the spots during the months of December and January. CONATEL had concluded that the channel was violating article 27 of the Social Responsibility Law which prohibits information that “incites or promotes intolerance for religious or political reasons, for gender differences, racism or xenophobia…generates anguish in the population…fails to recognize legitimately constituted authorities… or promotes the violation of the legal order.”
15 January 2013 Last updated at 02:49 GMT
African elephant poaching threatens wildlife future
Three elephant corpses lay piled on top of one another under the scorching Kenyan sun.
In their terror, the elephants must have sought safety in numbers - in vain: a thick trail of blackened blood traced their final moments.
In December, nine elephants were killed outside the Tsavo National Park, in south-eastern Kenya. This month, a family of 12 was gunned down in the same area.
In both cases, the elephants' faces had been hacked off to remove the tusks. The rest was left to the maggots and the flies.
"That is a big number for one single incident," said Samuel Takore of the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS). "We have not had such an incident in recent years, I think dating back to before I joined the service."
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