“Your Allah Is Weak” Tweet Gets Former Democratic Party Politician, Ferdinand Hutahaean, Five Months in Prison by Jakarta Court
New Age Islam News Bureau
20 April 2022
Ferdinand Hutahaean
-----
• Girls’ Schools not Aligned with Sharia Law: Islamic
Emirate of Afghanistan Reasoned behind Schools Closure
• Sweden Morphing Into Prison For Muslims: Human
Rights Chief
• Over 600 Temples, 265 Mosques of Gautama Buddha
Nagar Get Police Notice For Loud Music
• Lynching Of Sri Lankan Manager By Pakistani Mob Was
Anti-Islam: Court
Southeast Asia
• Hundreds of Rohingya escape Malaysia detention, six
dead
• Malaysian artists join Ramadan aid events in
northern Syria
--------
South Asia
• Fault lines within Taliban come to fore after Pak
airstrikes in Afghanistan
• Pakistan using Durand line dispute with Taliban as a
pretext to target Pashtuns
• Taliban denies presence of TTP fighters in
Afghanistan
• Qatar, Turkey Condemn Kabul Blasts on School
• Extreme Poverty, Trolley Man Burns Himself to Death
in Kabul
--------
Europe
• Community Iftar Held At Europe’s First Eco-Friendly
Cambridge Central Mosque Over The Easter Weekend To “Celebrate Diversity”
• ‘Rock singer’ ex-Imam takes his case to European
court
• Top Islamic bloc condemns Quran burning in Sweden
• European countries call for end to Jerusalem unrest
at UN Security Council
--------
India
•
Kerala HC Declines To Interfere With Interfaith Relationship Of Christian
Woman, Muslim DYFI Leader
• MP BJP Chief’s Wife, Stuti Mishra, Deletes Tweet On
Hindu-Muslim Unity After Trolling
• MP: After Khargone Violence, Swami Krishna Shashtri
Provokes Hindus To Bulldoze Muslim Homes
• Right-Wing Groups Threaten To Drive Muslims Out Of
Roorkee, Uttarakhand
• Several cases of Pak agents honey trapping defence
personnel online
• Nobody Stopped Coming To My Class After Riots:
Muslim Teacher In Jahangirpuri
--------
Pakistan
• Pakistan Army chief Gen Bajwa calls on newly-elected
PM Shehbaz Sharif
• Pakistan: PML-N claims Imran Khan's 'theft' exposed,
'concealed PKR 310 mln foreign funding'
• Pakistan’s new Cabinet under PM Shehbaz Sharif takes
oath; Bilawal Bhutto not inducted
• British envoy meets PM Shehbaz, expresses desire to
work 'closely' with Pakistan
• IMF sees Pakistan's current account deficit,
inflation at higher levels
• Youth must be skilled in artificial intelligence:
Ahsan Iqbal
• Terrorist killed in North Waziristan encounter: ISPR
--------
Mideast
• Storming Of Al-Aqsa Shows Israeli Aggression Against
Islam: Houthi
• Iranian Reformist faces backlash from hard-liners
for criticizing IRGC
• Turkish, Israeli leaders speak on Al-Aqsa Mosque
tensions
• IRGC’s New Drone ‘Gaza’ Passes Operational Tests
• Iran’s Human Rights Official: Muslims in Sweden
Feeling Like Prison
• Erdogan tells Herzog he is ‘very upset’ by injured
or killed Palestinians
• Turkey says Erdogan, Israel’s Herzog to speak after
Jerusalem violence
--------
North America
• Muslim Inmate Sues US Jail For Denying Halal, Timely
Meals During Ramadan
• Blinken urges Israel, Palestinians to 'end the cycle
of violence'
• Top Democrat warns Biden administration against
lifting IRGC terror designation
• US, UN condemn attacks on Afghan schools that left 6
dead
--------
Arab World
• OIC Urges UN Human Rights Chief To Condemn Israeli
Assault On Al-Aqsa
• Saudi Cabinet approves agreement on investments by
PIF in Egypt: SPA
• Iraq summons Turkey envoy in protest at Kurdistan
offensive
• UAE summons Israel’s envoy in protest of incidents
at al-Aqsa
• UAE summons Sweden’s envoy in protest of Quran
burnings
• Yemen’s new leadership council takes office as hope
glimmers for war-torn country
• MBC’s Shahid VOD partners with Saudi Arabia’s Radio
and Television Corporation
--------
Africa
• Ramadan: Pray For Peace In Nigeria – Aisha Buhari Tells
Muslims
• Shutdown of Libya oil sites spreads to second
terminal
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL:
--------
“Your Allah Is Weak” Tweet Gets Former Democratic
Party Politician, Ferdinand Hutahaean, Five Months in Prison by Jakarta Court
Ferdinand Hutahaean
-----
By: Muhammad Aulia
APRIL 19, 2022
Jakarta. Former Democratic Party executive Ferdinand
Hutahaean was found guilty on Tuesday of spreading false information related to
his series of tweets including the one that reads “your Allah is weak”.
The panel of judges of the Central Jakarta District
Court sentenced him to five months in prison and ordered that he remain in
custody pending a possible appeal.
Presiding Judge Suparman Nyompa said that Ferdinand
was guilty of “spreading false information that triggers civil disturbance”.
The crime is punishable by up to six years in prison.
"The defendant as a public figure has failed to
set an example in the community," the judge said.
Ferdinand, who headed the Democratic Party legal
division until 2020, said he would take his time to consider an appeal.
He was reported to police earlier this year after
posting a series of tweets confronting self-proclaimed Muslim cleric Bahar bin
Smith, who is very critical of the police following the killing of six Islamic
Defenders Front (FPI) members.
In a number of tweets, he suggested that Bahar be
named a criminal suspect and arrested for spreading hate speech against the
police.
But according to prosecutors his particular tweet that
could potentially incite unrest is the one that reads: “It’s a shame that your
Allah is weak and must be defended. As for me, my Allah is the greatest, He
always protects me and my Allah doesn’t need to be protected.”
“The defendant’s words clearly weren’t directed at
Bahar bin Smith alone and his supporters. His words hurt the feeling of all
Muslims across Indonesia and maybe around the world,” prosecutors said when
reading out the indictment on February 15.
Ferdinand has since denied insulting Muslims, saying
he himself had converted to Islam in 2017. But prosecutors didn’t buy his
claims on the grounds that his valid ID card describes him as a Christian and
recommended seven-month imprisonment.
Bahar, for his part, is currently being tried by a
district court in Bandung, West Java, for allegedly spreading false information
surrounding the death of six FPI members, who he said were tortured before
being killed by police.
He was earlier jailed for three years after a video
emerged showing him beating a student of his Islamic boarding school.
The Killing of FPI Members
Police fatally shot six FPI members on Dec. 7, 2020,
following a highway pursuit of a vehicle convoy carrying FPI leader Muhammad
Rizieq Syihab.
Two FPI members were killed on the spot while four
others died later in what police described as defense action as they allegedly
resisted arrest and tried to grab police guns while in the car.
The National Commission for Human Rights has launched
an investigation and recommended a criminal trial against the officers
involved.
Three policemen were named suspects for the killing --
one died in a traffic accident prior to the trial and the remaining two were
recently acquitted by the court.
Source: Jakarta Globe
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
--------
Girls’ Schools not Aligned with Sharia Law: Islamic
Emirate of Afghanistan Reasoned behind Schools Closure
Photo: Khama Press
----
20 Apr 2022
Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan disclosed the core
reason behind girls’ schools’ closure adding that the secondary schools’ girls
were not aligned with the Sharia law.
Deputy chief of the General Directorate of
Intelligence (GDI) of the IEA Moulayee Rahmatullah Najib said that girls’
schools in Afghanistan have problems with Sharia law, the curriculum is in
opposition to Sharia law and jurisprudence, and that the way Afghan girls would
go to schools was in opposition with Sharia and Afghan culture/tradition.
He did not go into detail about how the girls’ schools
opposed the Sharia law of Islam.
Rahmatullah Najib made the statements in a meeting
with representatives and patriarchs of several Police Districts of Kabul on
Tuesday while acknowledging that the IEA is working hard to resolve the issues
and reopen schools as soon as possible.
Najib attacked the International Community for not
recognizing their interim government and added that Afghanistan’s ongoing
economic situation is not because of the Taliban takeover.
This comes as the Ministry of Education of the IEA has
repeatedly said that girls’ schools with the previous method have no religious
problems and they are ready to reopen schools once the leadership decides to.
Source: Khaama Press
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
--------
Sweden Morphing Into Prison For Muslims: Human Rights
Chief
Vice-President of the
Judiciary for International Affairs and Secretary General of Iran's High
Council for Human Rights,
-----
April 19, 2022
The official, Kazem Gharibabadi, who is Vice-President
of the Judiciary for International Affairs and Secretary General of Iran's High
Council for Human Rights, said religious intolerance is spreading across
Europe.
“Sacrilege to religious sanctities is under no
circumstances whatsoever acceptable. Religious intolerance is raging across
Europe; and now, Sweden is morphing into a prison for Muslims with the support
of the government,” Gharibabadi said on Twitter.
The tweet came after a Danish-Swedish extremist burned
the Holy Quran which enraged Muslims all over the world.
“Seems they’ve missed Medieval Inquisition!”
Gharibabadi quipped.
On Wednesday afternoon, a number of Iranian university
students gathered in front of the Swedish embassy in Tehran to protest against
the violation of the sanctity of the Quran.
The student assembly began with the recitation of
verses from the holy Quran, and the assembled students called for the
prosecution of those involved in burning the holy book in Sweden.
University students participating in the gathering
carried several placards denouncing the sacrilege, some of which read: “The
Prophet and the Quran are red lines.”
Also, the Cultural Committee of the Iranian parliament
condemned, in a statement issued Monday, the insult to the Quran in Sweden.
“In today's seemingly civilized world, there are now
and then indications of the stinking and unclean interior of the wicked. And
this is not the first time that the scene of burning the Holy Quran in the
heart of Europe and the repetition of the previous insults to Prophet Muhammad
al-Mustafa (may God bless him and his family) appeared under the pretext of
freedom of expression,” the statement said.
It added, “The recent insane, deliberate and
disgusting insult to the Holy Quran in Sweden, which can only be considered an
ignorant move by a few worthless extremist elements, will not be the end point
of the enemies of Islam's enmity towards the sacred Sharia and the eternal
human miracle.”
Abdulsalam Karimi, adviser to the President on Ethnic
and Religious Minorities, issued a statement on Tuesday condemning the burning
of the Quran in Sweden.
“Unfortunately, the burning of the Holy Quran and the
desecration of the Muslim holy book was repeated by an extremist group in
Sweden. This disgraceful and insulting act is immoral and condemned,” the
advisor said, adding, “Today, the human world needs peace, tolerance,
rationality and solidarity. Such abominable and degrading acts lead to
incitement to war, violence and extremism, irrationality and hatred.”
Karimi called on thinkers and writers to condemn the
sacrilegious act. “For this reason, the leaders of monotheistic religions,
thinkers, writers and believers in the dialogue of cultures and religions are
supposed to confront violence against religion along with religious violence,”
he said.
Karimi pointed to a Hadith from Imam Ali (AS) which
says: “People are the enemy of what they are ignorant of.”
Karimi noted, “Just as insulting and humiliating
individuals is contrary to the principle of human dignity, so is insulting the
sanctities of religions contrary to human rights, tolerance, and freedom of
expression and thought.”
He added, “According to Rumi, this great Iranian
mystic, ‘until there is peace inside man, there will be no peace in the outside
world’.”
Earlier, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed
Khatibzadeh had made comments in reaction to the sacrilege of the Quran in one
of Sweden’s cities.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran strongly condemns
setting the Holy Quran on fire in the Swedish city of Linkoping by a Danish
racist and extremist element, which took place under the pretext of freedom of
expression with the support of Sweden’s police,” Khatibzadeh said.
The Foreign Ministry spokesman said the intentional
repetition of this insulting move in the holy month of Ramadan hurts the
feelings of Muslims in Sweden and across the world.
“This act of disrespect is a clear instance of
hatemongering and is in violation of freedom of speech and must be condemned by
all those who believe in coexistence and dialogue among religions,” he added.
“While we hold the Swedish government accountable, we
are waiting for the immediate, strong and clear reaction of this country
against the perpetrators of this insulting act and transparent and practical
steps to prevent such moves from being repeated,” he said.
Following the recent events in Sweden that included
the burning of Quran by Rasmus Paludan, the leader of a far-right group in the
city of Linkoping, the Swedish chargé d'affaires was summoned, in the absence
of the country’s ambassador, by the director of the Iranian Foreign Ministry’s
Western Europe Division III.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry official conveyed the
Islamic Republic’s strong protest to the Swedish diplomat against the
sacrilegious move by the foregoing person that was done under the pretext of
freedom of speech and with the support of the Swedish police.
The director of Western Europe Division III of the
Iranian Foreign Ministry condemned this blasphemous move during the holy month
of Ramadan and reminded the Swedish government of its responsibility. The
Iranian diplomat also called for immediate and decisive action by the Swedish
government to end any desecration of the Holy Quran and give assurances that
similar events will not take place in the future.
He described the defiling of the sanctities of more
than two billion Muslims of the world and hurting their feelings as the worst
form of abusing freedom of speech, saying this regrettable event that happened
under the protection of the Swedish police, tarnished Sweden’s image among the
world Muslims.
Source: Tehran Times
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/471884/Sweden-morphing-into-prison-for-Muslims-human-rights-chief
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Over 600 Temples, 265 Mosques of Gautama Buddha Nagar
Get Police Notice For Loud Music
Police officials went around
temples, mosques, among other places of worship, besides marriage banquet halls
and DJ operators regarding use of loudspeakers on directions by Police
Commissioner Alok Singh.(PTI FILE/ Representative Image)
----
19.04.22
In compliance with the instructions on checking loud
music by the Uttar Pradesh government, police in Gautama Buddha Nagar on
Tuesday served notices to around 900 religious places, including temples and
mosques, officials said.
Police officials went around temples, mosques, among
other places of worship, besides marriage banquet halls and DJ operators
regarding use of loudspeakers on directions by Police Commissioner Alok Singh,
they said.
These places were asked to comply with the
instructions given by the High Court regarding sound amplification devices, a
police spokesperson said. “The officers of the commissionerate gave notices to
602 temples out of 621 temples, 265 mosques out of 268 mosques, 16 other
religious places as well as 217 wedding places, 175 DJ operators,” the police
spokesperson said.
“If any religious place / DJ operator does not follow
the instructions given by the Honourable High Court regarding sound limit, then
strict action will be taken against the concerned,” the official said.
Amid incidents of violence during festivals in some
states, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed that no religious
procession should be taken out without permission and that the use of loudspeakers
should not inconvenience others.
With Eid festival and Akshaya Tritiya likely to fall
on the same day next month and many other festivals lined up in the coming
days, Adityanath said the police needs to be extra cautious.
During the course of a review meeting on law and order
with senior officials in Lucknow on Monday, he had said everyone has the
freedom to follow their method of worship according to their religious
ideology.
Source: Telegraph India
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
--------
Lynching of Sri Lankan manager by Pakistani mob was
anti-Islam: Court
A man carries a poster
condemning the lynching of the Sri Lankan manager of a garment factory, during
a protest in Lahore (REUTERS, file)
-----
April 19, 2022
A Pakistani mob lynching of a Sri Lankan manager of a
garment factory who was accused of blasphemy was an act against the Islamic
religion, a court said in a detailed ruling on Tuesday.
The anti-terrorism court had on Monday sentenced six
men to death, nine to life in prison, one to five years’ jail and another 72 to
two years each in a mass trial over the crime. Eight of those sentenced were
juveniles.
Scores of enraged workers in the city of Sialkot
tortured and burned DDN Priyantha Kumara in December over accusations of
blasphemy which a police official at the time linked to the removal of a poster
with Islamic holy verses.
“The disgracing of a dead body and setting it on fire
are strictly forbidden in Islam,” the court ruled. “The Holy Prophet…forbade
Muslims to disgrace the dead body of even a non-Muslim.”
The accused had disobeyed the Prophet Mohammed, added
the court, which was set up inside a high-security prison.
Lynchings over accusations of blasphemy, both crimes
that can carry the death sentence in Pakistan, have been frequent in the
Muslim-majority country. The factory incident took place in the heart of
Pakistan’s most heavily industrialised region.
Pakistani judges and courts have often delayed
decisions in lynching cases out of fear of retribution, and a clear court
declaration that lynching is un-Islamic is rare.
The court said Kumara begged forgiveness before being
brutally killed, saying he did not know what was written on the poster because
he could not speak the local Urdu language.
It said the mob chased him onto a roof and then
“started hitting him again and again with scissors on his face, head and
different parts of his body”. The attackers also inflicted “blows with a brick,
kicks and fists to his head”.
Kumara died on the spot before his body was desecrated
and dragged through his factory and out onto a highway where it was set on
fire, the court said.
“In our society, such incidents are increasing where a
person is done to death by a mob on an allegation of blasphemy,” it said.
“These cases should be dealt with by iron hands.”
Source: Indian Express
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
--------
Southeast Asia
Hundreds of Rohingya escape Malaysia detention, six
dead
April 20, 2022
KUALA LUMPUR: Hundreds of Rohingya migrants from
Myanmar escaped a detention center in Malaysia on Wednesday after a riot broke
out, with six killed on a highway as they fled, authorities said.
Many Rohingya arrive in Malaysia by boat after
enduring harrowing, months-long sea journeys. Those who are caught are often
sent to detention centers, which rights groups say are typically overcrowded
and filthy.
A total of 528 people from the Muslim minority group
fled a center in northern Kedah state at 4:30 am (2030 GMT Tuesday), said
Khairul Dzaimee Daud, the country’s immigration chief.
Many were recaptured quickly, but 176 were still at
large as of Wednesday afternoon, according to police.
After the riot erupted, the migrants broke through a
door and barriers at the center, with the 23 guards on duty unable to bring the
situation under control.
Six of the detainees — two adult men, two adult women,
one girl and one boy — were killed as they attempted to cross a highway after
escaping, police said.
The cause of the riot and break-out are under
investigation, police said.
Police, officers from other agencies and members of
the public are hunting for the missing detainees.
Relatively affluent, Muslim-majority Malaysia is a key
destination for Rohingya fleeing persecution in their predominantly Buddhist
homeland or refugee camps in Bangladesh.
Source: Arab News
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2066856/world
--------
Malaysian artists join Ramadan aid events in northern
Syria
Omer Koparan and Ethem Emre Ozcan
20.04.2022
AL-BAB, Syria
Malaysian artists on Tuesday distributed hot meals to
orphans in northern Syria as part of a charity campaign during the Muslim holy
month of Ramadan.
As part of the campaign, launched by charity groups
from the Southeast Asian nation, aid was distributed in the regions along the
border between Turkiye and Syria.
Famous Malaysian singer-songwriter and musician Noh
Salleh, singer-songwriter Faizal Tahir, actor and singer Altimet, and social
media star Farah Lee also participated in the charity efforts.
The charity groups Cinta Syria Malaysia and Bonyan for
Youth and Development held an iftar, or fast-breaking dinner, for around 5,000
people in the Tal Abyad, Afrin, and Al-Bab regions
Also, a total of 2,000 parcels of food, clothes,
stationery, and kitchenware were delivered to the locals in need.
"We came to Syria with famous Malaysian artists
to participate in aid events. Today, we're having iftar with orphan children
and their mothers," Cinta Syria Malaysia Project Manager Puteri Afiah told
Anadolu Agency.
Source: Anadolu Agency
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
South Asia
Fault lines within Taliban come to fore after Pak
airstrikes in Afghanistan
20 April, 2022
Kabul [Afghanistan], April 20 (ANI): Fault lines
within the Taliban came to the fore at a meeting convened to discuss the
response to airstrikes conducted by Pakistan on Afghan soil that left more than
40 dead.
Pakistan struck the Afghan provinces of Khost and
Kunar on Saturday, leaving more than 40 dead.
Pakistani airstrikes prompted a series of protests
across the country. Protestors and authorities in Afghanistan said these
strikes violated the country’s sovereignty.
While the Taliban Deputy Prime Minster Mullah Abdul
Ghani Baradar questioned Islamabad’s decision to carry out airstrikes inside
the Afghan territory, Defence Minister Mullah Yaqoub, Deputy Defence Minister
Mullah Fazl and the Chief of Army Staff Maulvi Fasihuddin Fitrat insisted on a
stern response to Pakistan.
However, Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani and
Higher Education Minister Abdul Baqi Haqqani maintained that Kabul should
engage in a dialogue with Islamabad to resolve the issue.
Meanwhile, Pakistan, claiming that seven Pakistan Army
soldiers were killed in North Waziristan in an attack on April 14 carried out
by terrorists operating from Afghanistan, asked the Taliban to secure the
Pak-Afghanistan border region on their side and take action against those
involved in terrorist activities against Pakistan.
Border skirmishes, airspace violations and artillery
firing across the Durand Line have been on the rise in recent months.
Source: The Print
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Pakistan
using Durand line dispute with Taliban as a pretext to target Pashtuns
20
April, 2022
Islamabad
[Pakistan], April 20 (ANI): The recent attacks by Pakistani forces on areas
along the Pak-Afghan border indicate Islamabad’s deep hatred for the tribal
communities including Pashtuns, according to media reports.
More
than 40 people died when rockets were fired from Pakistan Air Force (PAF)
helicopters in Kunar, Khost, Paktika and other bordering provinces last week on
April 16, while the neighboring country acknowledged only six deaths, and that
too, after local witnesses in Kunar province made claims of PAF helicopters
firing rockets, Islam Khabar reported on Tuesday.
The
tribals, especially Pashtuns living in hilly areas on both sides of the border
have been the constant target of the Pakistan army.
However,
what Islamabad refuses to acknowledge is the agony of the tribal people caught
in hostilities between the two countries because of the dispute over the Durand
line.
Notably,
the Taliban regime in Afghanistan does not recognise the British-era Durand
Line as the boundary between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Violations along the
Durand Line continue to remain a bone of contention between the two countries.
The
Durand Line divides the traditional Pashtun areas in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
According
to Islam Khabar, the Pak Army’s plans for early completion of fencing work
received a setback in December 2021 with the Taliban not only stopping its
construction in Nangarhar province but also dismantling it.
The
illusion of the incident being a ‘local event’ was dispelled in January 2022
when Taliban Spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid claimed that the fencing by
Pakistan was tantamount to “dividing a nation” and was “illegal” in the eyes of
the Taliban.
The
identification of Durand Line as a ‘national issue’ by the Taliban implies that
Islamabad’s attempts to fence it would be resisted in future as well.
In
February 2022, nine incidents of cross border firing/artillery shelling were
reported in Kunar, Nangarhar, Nuristan, Kandahar and Khost provinces. Clashes
broke out in February in Kandahar’s Spin Boldak district, in which, six Afghans
were killed and around 20 injured.
Similarly
in March 2022, four incidents of firing/artillery shelling were reported in
Kunar, Helmand and Nuristan provinces.
The
Pak Army officials also issued a warning to the Afghan residents in Jaji Maidan
District in Khost and Palosi area of Lalpur district in Nangarhar to leave the
area to facilitate border fencing or face serious consequences. The frequent
attacks made Taliban Foreign Ministry issue a demarche to Islamabad,
highlighting incidents of cross-border shelling.
By
supporting the Taliban and helping it seize control of Afghanistan, Pakistan
had hoped to establish strategic depth in the country while persuading the
Taliban Government into legitimizing the Durand Line.
However,
when things did not pan out as per its expectations, Pakistan resorted to
employing extreme measures such as imposing a blockade at the Chaman post in
early October 2021 in addition to existing disruptions at the Torkham Post.
Source: The Print
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Taliban
denies presence of TTP fighters in Afghanistan
Apr
19 2022
Kabul,
Apr 19 (IANS): The Taliban government has spurned reports regarding the
presence of Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants in Afghanistan.
However,
the government's spokesman acknowledged on Monday there could be an issue in
mountainous and far-flung areas of the country, Pajhwok News reported.
Zabihullah
Mujahid said Afghan forces were capable of defending their homeland. He hoped
tensions with Pakistan would be defused via diplomatic channels.
"We
deny the existence of TTP and will not allow anyone to use Afghan territory
against any country …" the spokesman remarked.
"Even
if there are issues in the mountainous terrain, they should be resolved
jointly, not through airstrikes," Mujahid said.
Also
on Monday, a senior Ministry of Defence official met families of victims of
alleged Pakistani raids in southeastern Khost province.
Ministry
of Defence Deputy Chief of Staff Mali Khan said Afghanistan's borders had been
beefed up with more forces and weapons, Pajhwok News reported.
The
official asked victims' relatives to exercise patience and restraint. No
military instructions had been issued for responding to the airstrikes, he
explained.
Source: Daiji World
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.daijiworld.com/news/newsDisplay?newsID=949581
--------
Qatar,
Turkey Condemn Kabul Blasts on School
20
Apr 2022
Foreign
Ministries of Qatar and Turkey in their respective press release condemned the
terrorist attack on a secondary school in the west of Kabul adding the attack
will have a negative impact on human rights in the country.
“We
condemn these inhuman terrorist attacks in the strongest possible terms,” said
the Turkish Foreign Ministry in the press release.
Further,
the statement wished mercy of Allah upon those who lost their lives and wished
speedy recovery to those wounded while expressing deep condolences to the
families of the victims of the blasts.
Meanwhile,
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry’s statement rejected violation against civilians in
all forms especially when it targets educational places, students, and
teachers.
It
further reads that the continuation of such attacks will further impact the
human rights situation, development, and the economy of Afghanistan.
The
state of Qatar expressed condolences to the families of the victims, the
interim government of Afghanistan, and the entire people of the country.
Source:
Khaama Press
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.khaama.com/qatar-turkey-condemn-kabul-blasts-on-school-86567576/
--------
Extreme
Poverty, Trolley Man Burns Himself to Death in Kabul
20
Apr 2022
Spin
Gul purportedly in his late 20s succumbed to his wounds in hospital after he
burnt himself in Kabul on Monday, April 18, 2022.
Spin
Gul left behind his four children, his wife, and his elderly grandmother.
The
grandmother said his grandson committed suicide after being extremely
impoverished following the transformation of the regime in the country.
Brother
of the slain Spin Gul said, his brother was working with his cart and was the
only breadwinner of his family for the last several years but had lost his
mental order recently.
Zazai
added that his brother was a 12-grade graduate pleading with his fellow
countrymen to give them hand.
Interior
Ministry of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan denied Spin Gul committed
suicide due to a bad economic situation adding that he had mental disorders.
Source:
Khaama Press
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.khaama.com/extreme-poverty-trolley-man-burns-himself-to-death-in-kabul-4876567/
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Europe
Community
Iftar Held At Europe’s First Eco-Friendly Cambridge Central Mosque Over The
Easter Weekend To “Celebrate Diversity”
April
20, 2022
Cambridge
Central Mosque held a community Iftar over the Easter weekend featuring
Christian and Jewish speakers to “celebrate our diversity.”
“In
this special month, on this blessed night, I’m really honored to welcome so
many people to tell them that fasting is all about abstaining and
self-discipline,” said Sejad Mekic, the head imam of Cambridge Central Mosque,
Europe’s first eco-friendly mosque.
“And
I congratulate all different members of our communities who have come together
here to celebrate our diversity.”
This
year, Easter coincides with the Jewish holiday of Passover and the Muslim holy
month of Ramadan for the first time in more than three decades.
The
mosque partnered with Open Iftar to host the event, during which key community
figures, including the Rev. Devin Mclachlan of Great St Mary’s, the church of
the University of Cambridge, and Dr. Rachel Berkson, a member of the Beth
Shalom Reform Synagogue, addressed the participants.
Open
Iftar is an initiative that invites people from all walks of life and faiths to
come together during the holy month of Ramadan to break bread and create spaces
of mutual dialogue, engagement and exchange.
“We
can stand together and we are united. Human solidarity is something that we all
cherish and we want to prevail,” Mekic said.
Mclachlan
said it was an honor “to speak and learn about fasting in Judaism, Christianity
and Islam,” and that the event was a “very apt way to spend Holy Saturday.”
Source:
ABNA24
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
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‘Rock
singer’ ex-Imam takes his case to European court
April
20 2022
Ahmet
Muhsin Tüzer, who once made headlines in local media as “rock singer” imam, has
applied to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) to get his job back.
While
serving as an imam in the Mediterranean province of Antalya’s Kaş district,
Tüzer formed a band named “FiRock” with famous rock guitarist Doğan Sakin and
released a single in 2013.
Tüzer
became famous for touring across the country. He even performed in New York,
the United States, in 2014.
However,
he was appointed to the western province of Balıkesir as a civil servant. Tüzer
challenged the decision in a court and won the case, which pave the way for him
to return to his old job.
Tüzer’s
series of legal battles began when in 2018, Turkey’s Religious Affairs
Directorate (Diyanet) dismissed him as imam. The former imam filed a lawsuit in
a court in Antalya against the Diyanet’s decision, but he lost the case.
Another
court in the province of Konya and at the Council of State turned down Tüzer’s
appeals. He then applied to the Constitutional Court, claiming that his right
to a fair trial and freedom of expression was violated.
But
the country’s top court also rejected his application. As he exhausted all
legal channels possible in Turkey, Tüzer decided to take his case to the ECHR
and filed an application with the European court.
Source:
Hurriyet Daily News
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/rock-singer-ex-imam-takes-his-case-to-european-court-173114
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Top
Islamic bloc condemns Quran burning in Sweden
19.04.2022
The
Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Tuesday strongly condemned the
burning of copies of the Muslim holy book Quran in Sweden.
In
a statement, OIC Secretary-General Hissein Brahim Taha denounced "the
provocative actions of burning copies of the Holy Quran during anti-Muslim
demonstrations, which have been taking place in Linkoping, Norrkoping, and
other cities in Sweden."
The
pan-Muslim grouping said the burning has raised Muslim concerns of “the
alarming trend of Islamophobia perpetuated by extreme right supporters."
The
OIC chief, however, said the burning of Quran "does not reflect the views
of the majority of Swedish and European citizens."
Last
week, Rasmus Paludan, the leader of the far-right Stram Kurs (Hard Line) group,
burned a copy of the Muslim holy book in Sweden's southern Linkoping city. He
also threatened to burn copies of the Quran during further rallies.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/world/top-islamic-bloc-condemns-quran-burning-in-sweden/2567661
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European
countries call for end to Jerusalem unrest at UN Security Council
20
April ,2022
Five
European countries called Tuesday for an end to clashes in Jerusalem following
a weekend of violence surrounding a holy site, in a joint statement issued
after an emergency closed-door UN Security Council session.
“Violence
needs to stop immediately. Further civilian casualties must be prevented as a
priority,” the statement by Ireland, France, Estonia, Norway and Albania said.
“The status quo of the holy sites must be fully respected.”
The
meeting comes after days of violence in and around Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque
compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, where 170 people were left wounded
at the weekend.
For
the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
The
five European countries condemned “all acts of terrorism” and rocket fire
Monday from the Gaza Strip into southern Israel.
The
Israeli Air Force responded on Tuesday with strikes in the Palestinian enclave,
the first in three months.
“The
deteriorating security situation highlights the need to restore a political
horizon for a credible peace process,” the countries' statement said.
The
UN Middle East peace envoy Tor Wennesland reiterated in a statement his calls
to avoid any provocation that would heighten Israeli-Palestinian tensions.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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India
Kerala
HC Declines To Interfere With Interfaith Relationship Of Christian Woman,
Muslim DYFI Leader
April
19, 2022
The
Kerala High Court on Tuesday declined to interfere with the decision of a
Christian woman to marry a Muslim DYFI leader, a decision which stirred up a
political storm in the state after her relatives alleged “love jihad”, as she
categorically told the court that she has not been illegally detained and she
was not interested in speaking to her family at present.
A
bench of Justices V G Arun and C S Sudha after interacting with the woman,
Jyotsna Mary Joseph, said, “She has categorically stated she has decided to
marry Shejin (DYFI leader) out of her own free will and not under any
compulsion.
“She
has also stated that as of now she was not interested in interacting with her
parents or family and will do so at a later stage,” the court noted in its
order.
It
also told the woman’s family that she has said she intended to visit them after
her marriage, for which an application under the Special Marriage Act has been
moved and is pending consideration, and not before that.
The
bench told the family that while it understands their concerns, their daughter
was a 26-year-old woman, who was a nurse in Saudi Arabia, and capable of making
her own decisions.
“She
has taken a decision and she is not deviating from it. It is her will and
pleasure. She is not willing to speak to her parents now, so how can we compel
her to do so,” it said.
The
woman’s father, Joseph, had moved a habeas corpus plea alleging that his
daughter had been illegally detained and seeking directions to the police to
produce her before him.
He
had also told news channels that since the day his daughter left her home, she
has not spoken to any of them and therefore, he believed that she was being
restrained against her will by the DYFI leader.
Joseph
had also said that he lacked faith in the Kerala Police to look into the matter
and wanted an agency from outside the state, like the CBI or NIA, to
investigate what had happened.
The
interfaith relationship stirred up a political storm after the woman’s
relatives alleged “love jihad”, with a senior Left party leader supporting the
charge, only to retract his statement later.
The
CPI(M), thereafter, made it clear that there was nothing unnatural in
interfaith marriages and the campaign of ‘love jihad’ was a creation of RSS and
Sangh Parivar.
Source:
Indian Express
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
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MP
BJP Chief’s Wife, Stuti Mishra, Deletes Tweet On Hindu-Muslim Unity After
Trolling
by
Iram Siddique
April
20, 2022
WITHIN
HOURS of tweeting a personal anecdote emphasising on Hindu-Muslim unity, Madhya
Pradesh BJP president V D Sharma’s wife Stuti Mishra deleted here post after
getting heavily trolled on social media.
An
assistant professor at Jawaharlal Nehru Agricultural University in Jabalpur,
Mishra on Sunday tweeted, “I need(ed) a medicine yesterday night, all shops
were closed only a Muslim medicine shop was open at 11.30 pm. Driver n me went
to the shop bought the medicine and he said ‘Didi Ye Wali Medicine Se Neend
Aati Hai Kam Drop Dijiyega’. How caring and he was a Muslim.” She added the
hashtag HinduMuslimUnity to the post, which came days after communal tension in
Khargone during a Ram Navmi procession.
Mishra,
however, deleted her post hours later after being trolled. She also clarified:
“Deleted the last tweet as it was creating unnecessary chaos. It’s difficult to
share thoughts on a topic of religious fight. Was not aim to hurt anyone’s
opinion. Let karma do the rest.”
But
her tweet and subsequent action of deleting it became fodder for state
politics. State Congress spokesperson Narendra Saluja said, “Today efforts are
being made to divide the country in the name of caste and religion, but
humanity is still alive. Bhabhiji, you spoke your heart, but due to ideological
differences, you had to delete it. It would have been better had you stuck by
the truth, been vocal about it but it would have caused problems somewhere
else.”
Another
Congress spokesperson, Yogendra Singh Parihar, said that even BJP state
president’s wife gets trolled by the BJP supporters. The troll army of the BJP
does not differentiate between insiders and outsiders, he added.
When
asked about his wife’s tweet, BJP state president Sharma told reporters, “She
is an independent individual and if she had tweeted something like this… it
should not be made a big (issue)… It was not her intention… We all work in
society with the same sentiment, we are not each others enemies.”
When
contacted, other BJP leaders refused to comment on the issue, calling it a
personal matter.
A
day after the tweet took a political turn, tweets from Mishra’s account were
not visible on Twitter following which, Saluja said, “Until now only Bhabhiji’s
tweet had vanished, but now her entire account is not visible”.
Source:
Indian Express
Please click the following URL to read the full text
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MP: After Khargone Violence, Swami Krishna Shashtri Provokes Hindus To Bulldoze
Muslim Homes
19th
April 2022
A
video from Chhatarpur city of Madhya Pradesh has gone viral on Twitter that
shows a narrator named Pandit Dhirendra Krishna Shashtri spewing hate against
the Muslim community.
Amongst
a huge gathering, with mostly women and children, a hyped Krishna Shashtri
tells the gathering that all Hindus should wake up and unite against “those who
throw stones.” Shashtri was referring to the recent stone-pelting incident in
the state’s Khargone district in which Muslims were accused.
“It
is my humble request that we unite against those who throw stones and as a form
of retaliation, we should raze bulldozers into their houses and demolish them,”
he said followed by loud cheers and claps from the audience.
He
further said, “We are also going to get a bulldozer. It is just that we do not
have the money for it right now.”
Calling
select Hindu cowards, who did nothing when stone-pelting incidents were being
reported in different states of India, Krishna Shashtri said that it is time to
lift weapons and use them against those who caused a commotion during the Ram
Navami Shobayatra procession.
You
can view the video here
Soon
after his video went viral, a visibly happy Krishna Shashtri told his audience
that he will continue to unite all Hindus. He also said, “A lot of people are
not happy that I said the word ‘bulldozer’. Some people have demanded to pull
down my videos. But these people do not know that I am not a baba but a daaba
(problem).”
You
can watch his video here.
Don’t
believe in the government: Swami Prabodanand
In
another news, a priest named Prabodanand, while addressing a religious
gathering issued an open threat to the police saying if the houses of Muslims
are not mowed down, then there would be consequences.
Source:
Siasat Daily
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of the original story:
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Right-Wing
Groups Threaten To Drive Muslims Out Of Roorkee, Uttarakhand
19th
April 2022
Following
the violent attacks on Muslims across the country, several right-wing groups in
Roorkee, Uttarakhand have now threatened to drive out the minority community
from Dada Jalalpur village.
On
April 16, violence broke out in Roorkee during a Shobha Yatra. The Dada
Jalalpur area consists of both Hindus and Muslims, with Jainis, a backward
class group being the dominant one.
Heavy
police cover prevailed in the area and shops remain closed amid tensions.
Threats
and background of the Roorkee violence:
The
leaders also threatened to bulldoze the houses of the “conspirators” (hinting
at Muslims), and organise a Dharam Sansad, previous editions of which have
given calls for Muslim genocide. Major protests have been planned for April 20
if Hindutva leaders’ demand of arresting Muslims isn’t complied with.
On
the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti, there were processions organised in three
villages of the Bhagwanpur region, namely Dada Patti, Dada Hasanpur, and Dada
Jalalpur. Certain videos shared on social media showed youth carrying sticks
and playing DJ music on tractors during the procession, reported The Wire.
There was right-wing sloganeering as the procession went past a mosque.
In
the larger scheme of things, all of the violence during the Hanuman Jayanti
processions seems to be the right wing’s aim to create the Hindu Rashtra.
“When
we wave the saffron flag across the country, with Hanuman Chalisa playing in
each home and Yogi Adityanath will be our leader, that will be our Hindu
Rashtra, ” Naveen, a resident of Dada Jalalpur was quoted by The Wire as
saying.
It
is to be noted that the violence in Rookee comes at a time when several other
parts of the country have been reeling with anti-Muslim violence following the
Ram Navami processions two weeks ago.
Hanuman
Jayanti and the Khargone violence:
In
wake of the violence during Ram Navami processions in Madhya Pradesh’s Khargone
city in the wee hours of April 10, homes of Muslim individuals accused of
rioting and stone-pelting were demolished in the city on April 11.
Source:
Siasat Daily
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.siasat.com/uttarakhand-goons-threaten-to-drive-muslims-out-of-roorkee-2311740/
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Several
cases of Pak agents honey trapping defence personnel online
Apr
20, 2022
NEW
DELHI: An inquiry is being conducted into a cybersecurity breach linked to an
espionage attempt by Pakistan and to find out whether any classified
information was leaked through certain WhatsApp groups that also had serving
officers, some veterans and civilians as members.
With
Chinese and Pakistani online espionage agents constantly on the hunt to
surreptitiously obtain classified information and data, the Army has over the
last few years repeatedly directed all its personnel to strictly avoid the use
of WhatsApp for official work as well as delete their Facebook and Instagram
accounts if they are handling “sensitive work”.
“There
has been an exponential increase in the number of military personnel being
targeted online by intelligence agencies of Pakistan and China,” an official
said.
There
have been many cases over the last few years, for instance, where Pakistani
agents posing as women have “virtually” honey-trapped Indian military personnel
into divulging classified information, with even a Group Captain posted at the
IAF headquarters in New Delhi falling prey to it in 2018.
Source:
Times Of India
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
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Nobody
stopped coming to my class after riots: Muslim teacher in Jahangirpuri
Apr
20, 2022
For
residents of violence-hit Jahangirpuri, street number 500 in G block is a
symbol of hope as children of the Hindu-dominated neighbourhood flock to the
only Muslim house here for tuition classes.
Zeenat
Khan, the 33-year-old tuition teacher who takes classes at her mother’s home,
says none of her students stopped coming to her despite clashes between the two
communities on Saturday evening.
“I
am happy that students didn’t stop coming after the violence. I didn’t even get
calls from parents regarding any misgivings. They just continued to send their
children,” says “Zeenat madam” as she is known in the neighbourhood, while
teaching 10-year-old Class 4 student Sejal who had come with her 4-year-old
brother on Tuesday.
Zeenat
resides with her husband and son in E block, a Muslim neighbourhood. “I come
here to give tuition classes every day because I taught here before I got
married.”
Zeenat
teaches about 12 children, both girls and boys aged between 4 and 15, all residents
of G and H blocks, both Hindu neighbourhoods. A college drop-out, she says she
taught children till 2016 and took a break from teaching when she got married.
She resumed the tuition classes six months ago. She teaches children who don’t
go to school as well as those in classes 8 and 9, she says, correcting an
assignment Sejal has just completed.
Sejal’s
mother Suman, the resident of a neighbouring street, says she has no qualms
about sending both her children to Zeenat. “I trust her and she is a good teacher,”
she says.
It
didn’t cross Zeenat’s mind for a second to not teach the children either. “I
have been teaching these children for months. I charge a minimal fee so their
parents can afford these classes. This clash won’t change that,” she says.
The
Khan family, comprising the siblings--two brothers and five sisters--and their
mother has been living in this double-storey house on this street for over 50
years, they say, adding that their father passed away a few years ago.
On
the day of the clashes, Zeenat’s brother Irshad (30) says that the family was
inside the house when they heard the commotion. “I saw several people running
helter-skelter on the street. We worried about our welfare, but our neighbours
stood with us and assured us that they were there for us. We remained indoors,”
he says.
Zeenat
concedes that the relationship between the two communities has changed for the
worse over the past few years. “We used to celebrate raksha bandhan and tie
rakhis on my brother’s wrist. Our Hindu neighbours would come to our house for
Eid. It still happens but not with the kind of ease it did earlier,” she said.
Irshad
says that he has many Hindu friends because he was born and brought up on this
street. “It hurts to see what’s happening,” he said.
Source:
Hindustan Times
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
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Pakistan
Pakistan
Army chief Gen Bajwa calls on newly-elected PM Shehbaz Sharif
Apr
19, 2022
ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan's Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Tuesday called on
newly-elected Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for the first time since he took
over after Imran Khan's ouster, ending speculation about his failure to greet
the new premier.
The
Prime Minister's Office tweeted a short video clip of the meeting along with a
brief statement.
"Professional
matters pertaining to national security were discussed during the
meeting," according to the statement.
The
meeting was much-awaited because General Bajwa was not present at the
oath-taking ceremony of the prime minister, setting rumour mills to work
overtime about the absence.
However,
military spokesman Major General Babar Iftikhar clarified later on that General
Bajwa could not attend the oath-taking ceremony of the premier on April 11 as
he was sick.
Unlike
his brother Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz enjoys cordial relations with the powerful
Army, according to experts.
The
military has a history of dabbling in Pakistani politics and so far at least
four military rulers have collectively ruled for about half of the history of
the country.
However,
Major General Babar Iftikhar, in his latest press conference, announced that
the Army had taken a decision to stay away from politics.
Khan
was ousted after he lost a no-confidence vote in the National Assembly earlier
this month, becoming the first prime minister in Pakistan to be removed
unceremoniously from power.
The
powerful Army, which has ruled the coup-prone country for more than half of its
73 plus years of existence, has hitherto wielded considerable power in the
matters of security and foreign policy.
Source:
Times Of India
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
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Pakistan:
PML-N claims Imran Khan's 'theft' exposed, 'concealed PKR 310 mln foreign
funding'
Apr
19, 2022
ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Monday slammed former Prime Minister
Imran Khan over irregularities in PTI's funding from Pakistan and abroad to the
extent of Rs 310 million between 2008 and 2013 and said that the truth behind
his "theft" has now been exposed and he is soon to be convicted.
PML-N
also lambasted Imran for his intentions to send a reference against the Chief
Election Commissioner, saying that it is only a move to evade the verdict of
the Election Commission of Pakistan on the foreign funding case.
This
comes in the light of last week's order by Islamabad High Court wherein the
court directed the Election Commission of Pakistan to decide the PTI foreign
funding case within a month.
On
January 4 this year, an ECP scrutiny committee report had unearthed that the
party had concealed several accounts and around Rs 310 million between 2008 and
2013 from the electoral body, reported The Express Tribune.
PML-N
spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb said, "Imran Khan wants a reference
against the CEC so that the foreign funding case doesn't get decided within a
month," adding, "But they can't do anything now as the cases are set
to be decided within the next 30 days."
While
addressing a press conference, she also asserted that Imran Khan was about to
face a sentence in the foreign funding case. The spokesperson rebuked Imran for
"hiding 16 accounts" and said that now the truth behind Imran's
"theft" stands exposed.
The
PML-N leader accused Imran of lying to the nation for the past four years. She
said that the man sitting on the Prime Minister's chair was lying so no one
could question his performance.
She
also accused Imran Khan-led PTI of carrying out fraudulent activities and
alleged that funding for the cancer hospital went to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's
accounts.
"An
amount of USD 7 million pertaining to the foreign funding wasn't
declared." She noted that PTI leader Asad Umar had filed a petition
against the documents to be made public.
She
termed the documented evidence as Imran Khan's 'crimes'. She called on the
ex-PM to stop his campaign against state institutions. "An amount of over
Rs 20 million was transferred to personal accounts," she added.
Source:
Times Of India
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
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Pakistan’s
new Cabinet under PM Shehbaz Sharif takes oath; Bilawal Bhutto not inducted
APRIL
19, 2022
The
portfolios for these ministers are yet to be announced
Pakistan
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's 34-member Cabinet was sworn in on Tuesday after
several days of delay, with Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani administering the
oath to new ministers as President Arif Alvi did not attend the ceremony.
The
ceremony was scheduled to be held on Monday, but President Alvi had refused to
administer the oath to the lawmakers, compelling the government to postpone it.
Pakistan
Peoples Party's (PPP's) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari was not among the
ministers. Earlier, there was speculation that he would be the country's next
foreign minister.
Initially,
31 federal ministers and three ministers of state took the oath to join Prime
Minister Sharif.
Last
week, Mr Sanjrani administered the oath of office to Prime Minister Sharif after
President Alvi, a member of ousted premier Imran Khan's Pakistan
Tehreek-e-Insaf party, went on 'sick' leave ahead of the Pakistan Muslim
League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader's inauguration.
Mr
Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) got 13 ministries and nine
ministries have been given to Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).
Four
ministries were handed over to Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and Muttahida
Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) got two ministries.
Other
coalition partners including Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), Pakistan Muslim
League-Quaid (PML-Q) and Jamhori Watan Party (JWP) got one ministry each in the
new set up.
Two
state ministers from PML-N and one state minister from PPP were also appointed.
One member of the PPP and two members of PML-N have been appointed advisors to
the Prime Minister.
Lawmakers
from the PML-N who took oath are Khwaja Asif, Ahsan Iqbal, Rana Sanaullah, Ayaz
Sadiq, Rana Tanveer, Khurram Dastgir, Saad Rafique, Mian Javed Latif, Mian Riaz
Pirzada, Murtaza Javed Abbasi, Azam Nazir, Marriyum Aurangzeb and Miftah
Ismail.
Khurshid
Shah, Naveed Qamar, Sherry Rehman, Abdul Qadir Patel, Shazia Marri, Murtaza
Mahmood, Sajid Hussain Tori, Ehsan-ur-Rehman and Abid Hussain from the PPP have
also joined the Cabinet.
Asad
Mahmood, Abdul Wasay, Mufti Abdul Shakur and Senator Talha Mahmood from the
JUI-F and Syed Aminul Haq and Faisal Sabzwari MQM-P are also in the Cabinet.
Israr
Tarin of BAP, Shahzain Bugti of JWP and Tariq Bashir Cheema of PML-Q are also
included in the cabinet. Amir Muqam of PML-N, Qamar Zaman Kaira of PPP and Aun
Chaudhry of Jahangir Tareen group are advisers to the Prime Minister.
Source:
The Hindu
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of the original story:
--------
British
envoy meets PM Shehbaz, expresses desire to work 'closely' with Pakistan
April
20, 2022
British
High Commissioner Christian Turner on Wednesday called on newly elected Prime
Minister Shehbaz Sharif and expressed the United Kingdom's desire to "work
closely with Pakistan on deepening and broadening bilateral cooperation",
a statement from the PM House said.
Shehbaz
was elected the 23rd prime minister of Pakistan on April 11 after his
predecessor, Imran Khan, was removed from office through a no-confidence vote
on April 9.
In
his first meeting with the new head of the government today, the British high
commissioner "felicitated him on assuming office and conveyed the best
wishes of the British government" to the prime minister.
According
to the PM's Office, Shehbaz appreciated the work undertaken by the UK in
promoting education, health, and other social sectors in Pakistan.
Turner
thanked the premier and expressed the "desire to work closely with
Pakistan on deepening and broadening bilateral cooperation".
On
Tuesday, United Arab Emirates Ambassador Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Salem Al-Zaabi,
called on the premier to congratulate the prime minister on assuming office and
reaffirmed the Gulf country's desire to further strengthen bilateral relations
with Pakistan.
US
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken had last week congratulated Shehbaz on his
election as the PM and vowed to continue its long-standing cooperation with
Pakistan's government.
Source:
Dawn
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of the original story:
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IMF
sees Pakistan's current account deficit, inflation at higher levels
Khaleeq
Kiani
April
20, 2022
ISLAMABAD:
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Tuesday forecast Pakistan’s economic
growth rate at four per cent, and higher than estimated inflation and current
account deficit during the ongoing fiscal year.
The
growth forecast is generally in line with similar estimates by other
development lenders — such as the World Bank’s 4.3pc and Asian Development
Bank’s 4pc — and credit rating agencies — Moody’s 3-4pc — but significantly
lower than a 4.8pc target set in the budget 2021-22.
In
its World Economic Outlook (WEO) 2022, the IMF projected an 11.2pc average rate
of inflation for the current year against 8.9pc last year. The Washington-based
lending agency also worked out Pakistan’s current account deficit at 5.3pc of
GDP (up from just 0.6pc last fiscal year) and 7pc unemployment rate, slightly
lower than 7.4pc of last year.
This
is in sharp contrast to the targets set by the government for the current year
at 4.8pc for GDP growth rate, 8pc rate of inflation and current account deficit
at just 0.7pc of GDP.
Forecasts
GDP growth at 4pc, largely in line with similar estimates by other development
lenders
Going
forward, the IMF projected the economic growth rate to recover to 4.2pc of GDP
during the next fiscal year (FY23). It said the rate of inflation would come
down from 11.2pc this year to 10.5pc next year. The Fund also estimated the
current account deficit to fall to 4.1pc of GDP in FY23.
The
WEO said the rate of unemployment in Pakistan was estimated to come in at 7pc
this year against 7.4pc last year and go further down to 6.7pc next year.
It
projected global growth to slow down from an estimated 6.1pc in 2021 to 3.6pc
in 2022 and 2023. This is 0.8 and 0.2 percentage points lower for 2022 and 2023
than its January estimates. Beyond 2023, global growth is forecast to decline
to about 3.3pc over the medium term.
The
forecast is based on the assumption that the conflict remains confined to
Ukraine, further sanctions on Russia exempt the energy sector (although the
impact of European countries’ decisions to wean themselves off Russian energy
and embargoes announced through March 31, 2022, are factored into the
baseline), and the pandemic’s health and economic impacts abate over the course
of 2022.
The
IMF estimated a subdued 3.3pc growth during 2022 for advanced economies
(against 5.2pc last year), including 2.8pc for the eurozone (against 5.3pc last
year), 2.4pc in Japan (against 1.6pc of last year) and 3.7pc for the UK
(against 7.4pc last year). The growth prospects for emerging market and
developing economies were put at 3.8pc, led by 8.2pc in India and 4.4pc in
China.
With
a few exceptions, employment and output will typically remain below
pre-pandemic trends through 2026. Scarring effects are expected to be much
larger in emerging markets and developing economies than in advanced economies.
Unusually
high uncertainty surrounds this forecast, and downside risks to the global
outlook dominate — including from a possible worsening of the war, escalation
of sanctions on Russia, a sharper-than-anticipated deceleration in China as a
strict zero-Covid strategy is tested by Omicron, and a renewed flare-up of the
pandemic should a new, more virulent virus strain emerge.
Moreover,
the war in Ukraine has increased the probability of wider social tensions
because of higher food and energy prices, which would further weigh on the
outlook.
Global
inflation is expected to remain elevated for longer than in the previous
forecast, driven by war-induced commodity price increases and broadening price
pressures.
For
2022, inflation is projected at 5.7pc in advanced economies and 8.7pc in
emerging market and developing economies — 1.8 and 2.8 percentage points higher
than projected in January.
Although
a gradual resolution of supply-demand imbalances and a modest pickup in labour
supply are expected in the baseline, easing price inflation eventually,
uncertainty again surrounds the forecast.
Source:
Dawn
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Youth
must be skilled in artificial intelligence: Ahsan Iqbal
April
20, 2022
ISLAMABAD:
Through artificial intelligence, several sectors of the country including
health, policing, judicial and overall governance can be improved. The youth of
Pakistan must learn skills in this field.
This
was pointed out by newly-appointed Minister of Planning Prof Ahsan Iqbal on
Tuesday during his visit to the National Centre of Artificial Intelligence
(NCAI) of National University of Science and Technology (Nust). He was there to
review progress made by the centre.
The
minister was received by Nust Rector Engr Javed Mahmood Bukhari, Pro-Rector
Research, Innovation and Commercialisation Retired Air Vice Marshal Dr Rizwan
Riaz and Higher Education Commission (HEC) Chairman Dr Tariq Javed Banuri. NCAI
Director Prof Dr Yasar Ayaz gave a detailed briefing to the minister about
initiatives taken by the centre.
NCAI
is providing technical training to students in different areas like artificial
intelligence (AI), robotics, cyber security, cloud computing, digital marketing
and search engine optimisation (SEO).
“I
am happy to visit the centre of the country’s leading university soon after
taking charge of the ministry as I inaugurated the centre in 2018,” said the
minister while talking to journalists.
AI
will play a critical role in the future, he said while highlighting the
importance of AI for modern knowledge-based economies. He also stressed on the
need to carry out research in the field of economic development, adding that
there is a need to reform the curriculum to meet the requirements of the
industry.
Through
AI, Mr Iqbal said, several areas like policing, judiciary, health and
governance systems of the country could be improved. He also directed the HEC
to hold workshops and invite industry leaders so reform in the curriculum could
be discussed. Later, the minister visited various laboratories of the centre.
He said the youth of Pakistan deserves top learning opportunities and the
government will play its role towards making that happen.
Source:
Dawn
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1685839/youth-must-be-skilled-in-artificial-intelligence-ahsan-iqbal
--------
Terrorist
killed in North Waziristan encounter: ISPR
April
20, 2022
PESHAWAR:
Security forces killed a suspected terrorist during an encounter in the
Datakhel area of North Waziristan tribal district on Tuesday.
The
Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement that the encounter
between security personnel and terrorists took place in Datakhel, adjacent to
the Afghan border, where seven soldiers were martyred last week.
The
ISPR said the terrorist killed in the encounter had been identified as Fareed
Ahmed. Weapons and ammunition were also recovered from his possession. He was
involved in terrorist activities against security forces.
In
a separate incident, unidentified attackers shot dead two new recruits of
Frontier Corps in Mirali town of North Waziristan tribal district on Monday
night, police said. The deceased were identified as Adnan Mahmood and
Shafiullah, who hailed from the Lachi area of Kohat district.
Source:
Dawn
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1685902/terrorist-killed-in-north-waziristan-encounter-ispr
--------
Mideast
Storming
of Al-Aqsa shows Israeli aggression against Islam: Houthi
April
20, 2022
Leader
of Ansarullah, Abdul-Malik Al-Houthi said that storming Al-Aqsa Mosque and
attacking worshipers showed the aggression of the Israeli enemy against Islam
and its sanctities.
Sayyed
al-Houthi said, during his Ramadan lecture on Tuesday, that the two Saudi and
Emirati regimes were normalized with “Israeli entity” under the title of peace
and stability of the region.
Sayyed
al-Houthi affirmed that the normalization’s regimes appeared to be bad and
aggressive against the resistance in Palestine and described them as terrorism.
Source:
ABNA24
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Iranian
Reformist faces backlash from hard-liners for criticizing IRGC
April
19, 2022
"She
has practically acted as America's infantry inside Iran," wrote Fars News
Agency, which is affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
The chain of cutthroat pieces targeted Faezeh Hashemi — a senior Reformist
activist, former parliamentarian and daughter of late moderate ex-President
Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani — over her unprecedented diatribes against the
powerful military organization.
Addressing
a meeting on the social media platform Club House on April 17, Hashemi stressed
the need for the IRGC to "retreat to its bases" because it "has
been expanding its scope of activities on a daily basis."
In
Hashemi's view, the only way for such a return is for the force to remain on
the US list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO). "I don’t believe the
removal of the IRGC from the list serves the Iranian nation any good," she
declared.
Founded
only a few months into Iran's 1979 Revolution, the IRGC was by essence a
military organization but enjoyed the blessing of the ruling clerical
establishment in its growing rivalry with the regular army. The force's mission
has over four decades transcended beyond its military mission, building an
empire of wealthy conglomerates before rising as the country's most powerful
entity, which has faced accusations of prevalent corruption with limitless
impunity.
The
IRGC's missile program and its overseas activities across the Middle East and
even beyond have particularly worried Western powers. The force has faced a
host of economic sanctions since its establishment. But most notably, in 2019
it became the first government organization to fall under the US FTO list
following an order by former President Donald Trump.
A
possible IRGC removal from the list has been a sticking point in the course of
the now-stalled negotiations between Iran and major powers in their diplomatic
push to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. The Iranian negotiators have
reportedly rejected with adamance US conditions in exchange for a potential
delisting of the Guards.
In
light of the impasse in the talks, Fars News underscored the timing of
Hashemi's comments that coincided with a moment when "America is throwing
wrenches in the works," and suggested that she was fulfilling the US
agenda from inside her own country.
The
female activist has over the past two decades repeatedly struck nerves among
hard-liners, from her stiff opposition to mandatory hijab to her 2016 meeting
with leaders of the outlawed Baha'i faith. In comments provocative enough to
hard-liners, Hashemi approved of Trump's "maximum pressure" policy
against the Islamic Republic in the wake of the 2020 US presidential elections.
"If I was an American, I wouldn’t vote for Mr. Trump. But as far as Iran
is concerned, I wish he had won because his pressure could have triggered some
political change in Iran," she said.
Source:
Al Monitor
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Turkish,
Israeli leaders speak on Al-Aqsa Mosque tensions
Nazlan
Ertan
April
19, 2022
In
a phone call with Israeli President Isaac Herzog late Tuesday, Turkish
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed his concern over Israeli actions against
Palestinian worshippers at Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque last week.
The
two leaders discussed regional issues and bilateral relations, “particularly
the events caused by some Israeli radical groups and security forces in recent
days,” Erdogan said in a series of tweets.
Erdogan
reportedly told Herzog that since the beginning of Ramadan, more than 400
Palestinians have been injured and 18 people, including children, lost their
lives in the events that took place in the West Bank and at Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Erdogan added that he was concerned that the events will spread to the Gaza
Strip.
Blaming
“radicals” for the attacks, the Turkish president said that measures must be
taken to protect the sanctity and security of the mosque. “The violent events
that happen every year cause rightful reactions in the Islamic world,” he
added.
Herzog
was quoted as telling Erdogan that Israel is protecting freedom of worship and
the efforts by Israel's security forces are ensuring that freedom. Herzog told
Erdogan that incitement and propaganda should be ignored, while violence —
especially toward Jews walking to prayer — should be condemned.
Israel
carried out its first airstrike on the Gaza Strip in months early Tuesday in
response to a rocket fired from the Palestinian enclave after a weekend of
violence around a Jerusalem holy site. On Friday, at least 152 Palestinians
were wounded in clashes with Israeli riot police inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque
compound, the latest outbreak in an upsurge of violence that has raised fears
of a slide into wider conflict.
The
phone call took place amid an air of rapprochement between Tel Aviv and Ankara.
Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that he would visit Israel and Palestine
one after the other — a traditional practice in Turkish diplomacy — in the third week of May.
In
a live interview with NTV April 14, Cavusoglu refuted earlier claims that he
would visit Israel with Defense Minister Hulusi Akar. “The president, while
receiving Herzog, said that we
would go to Israel with Energy Minister Fatih Donmez. So I do not see why there
is further speculation,” he said.
Possible
clashes in Haram al-Sharif, the third holiest site in Islam, came up during
Herzog’s visit to Ankara last month. Erdogan
had also told his Israeli counterpart that Ankara expects Israeli authorities
to be sensitive during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and stressed the
importance of allowing Palestinians to enter Israel. April marks the three
significant festivals Abrahamic faiths observe: Jewish Passover, Christian
Easter and the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. “Good as it sounds, this always
spells trouble,” said one Turkish diplomat, explaining that how Ankara and
particularly Erdogan react could become a litmus test in the budding
Turkish-Israeli relations.
Erdogan’s
initial remarks on the clashes were more moderate than those in previous years.
On Sunday, Erdogan called his Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud Abbas to tell him that he strongly
condemned Israeli "intervention on worshippers.”
His
use of the word “intervention” marked a sharp contrast to the Turkish
president’s earlier strong condemnation of Israel's “heinous
attacks” in English, Arabic, Turkish and Hebrew.
Erdogan
said that he thanked Abbas for his “restraint and prudent leadership” and
assured him that Turkey was always on the side of Palestine. “The events remind
us of the necessity for all Palestinian groups to work toward unity and
reconciliation,” Erdogan tweeted.
The
Turkish president’s telephone diplomacy continued Monday with Jordan’s King
Abdullah II. Erdogan expressed concern about the incidents unfolding in
Palestine over Israel's “interventions and provocations” and urged close
cooperation between Turkey and Jordan on steps for regional peace.
The
Hashemite monarchy has held the custodianship of Al-Aqsa and the Dome of the
Rock in Jerusalem for nearly a century. In 1924, the Supreme Muslim Council
recognized Hussein bin Ali Al-Hashimi, great-great-grandfather of Abdullah II,
as custodian of Jerusalem’s Christian and Moslem holy sites.
As
the deal predates Israel and the Palestinian Authority, both signed agreements
in the last quarter-century recognizing Jordan’s custody. The Hashemite dynasty
also pays for the upkeep of the sites. In 2016, Abdullah partly funded the
renovation of Christ's tomb in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. In 2017, he
donated $1.4 million to the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf, the Jordanian authority
responsible for administering Al-Aqsa.
Both
Abdullah and Erdogan spoke to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Al-Aqsa.
Erdogan
reportedly told Gutteres that Turkey condemned Israel's actions, while Abdullah
accused Israel of provocative acts in the mosque compound that violated
"the legal and historic status quo" of the Muslim holy shrines. The
UN head reportedly "reaffirmed his position that the status quo at the
holy sites in Jerusalem must be upheld and respected" and "any
provocation" "must be avoided at all costs." The UN Security
Council has convened an emergency session today to discuss the latest outbreak
of violence.
Speaking
to Ankara-based ambassadors, Erdogan adopted a stronger tone on Israel,
underscoring the importance Turkey attached to Al-Aqsa Mosque and Jerusalem.
Erdogan
also tied the unfolding of events in Jerusalem to various attacks against
Muslim places of worship in Europe. “Anti-Muslim and xenophobic groups should
not be allowed to use their freedom of expression and assembly to insult and
attack Muslims' beliefs, sanctities and places of worship,” he said.
Erdogan’s
words come after three days of clashes in Sweden over a far-right and
anti-Muslim politician urging his supporters to burn a copy of the Quran. Many
countries in the Middle East condemned his plans. Iraq summoned the top Swedish
diplomat in Baghdad to protest the issue and the governments of Jordan and
Qatar denounced the plans.
The
Turkish Foreign Ministry also joined in. "We condemn, in the strongest way
possible, attacks and provocations against Muslims, Islam, the Quran and places
of worship in different parts of the world during the holy month of
Ramadan," read its statement.
Cavusoglu
said the Al-Aqsa outburst and the Quran burning in Sweden were two faces of
anti-Muslim attacks as part of a series of events that target Muslims in the
holy month of Ramadan. Speaking alongside his Hungarian counterpart Peter
Szijjarto on April 19, Cavusoglu claimed
that sacred Muslim places or beliefs had been attacked almost every day since
Ramadan began.
Source:
Al Monitor
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2022/04/turkish-israeli-leaders-speak-al-aqsa-mosque-tensions
--------
IRGC’s New Drone ‘Gaza’ Passes Operational Tests
2022-April-19
The
combat drone which has a 21-meter wingspan and a 3,100-kilogram takeoff mass,
and is capable of carrying a payload of 500 kg was unveiled in May last year.
The
flight duration of the Gaza drone is 35 hours. It can soar to an altitude of
about 10,668 meters, equivalent to 35,000 feet, and has a flight speed of 350
km per hour.
Operational
tests of the drone have been conducted, it is fully operational, and can be
used in a variety of reconnaissance and combat missions.
In
addition to military and defense applications, the Gaza drone can also carry
out missions in monitoring forests, rescue operations and providing assistance
in natural disasters such as floods and earthquakes.
Iranian
military experts and technicians have in recent years made great progress in
indigenously developing and manufacturing a broad range of equipment, making
the armed forces self-sufficient in this regard.
Iranian
officials have repeatedly underscored that the Islamic Republic will not
hesitate to build up its defense capabilities, emphasizing such abilities are
entirely meant for the purpose of defense and will be never subject to
negotiations.
Last
month, the IRGC unveiled one of its new kamikaze drones, dubbed Me’raj 504,
which is specialized in attacking enemy’s defense systems.
Source:
Fars News Agency
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Iran’s
Human Rights Official: Muslims in Sweden Feeling Like Prison
2022-April-19
“Sacrilege
to religious sanctities is under no circumstances whatsoever acceptable,”
Qaribabadi wrote on his twitter page on Monday.
He
added that as religious intolerance rages across Europe “Sweden is morphing
into a prison for Muslims with the support of the government”.
“Seems
they’ve missed Medieval Inquisition!” Qaribabadi said.
Rasmus
Paludan, the Danish leader of Sweden’s far-right Stram Kurs (Hard Line) party
tried to burn a copy of the Qur’an in a heavily-populated Muslim area on
Saturday.
Paludan,
accompanied by police, went to an open public space in the southern Swedish
city of Linkoping and reportedly placed the Muslim holy book down and tried to
set it on fire while ignoring protests from onlookers.
On
Sunday, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh denounced the
desecration of the Holy Qur’an by the Swedish far-right group, saying the
blasphemous act is a clear example of hatemongering and in contravention of
speech freedom.
Khatibzadeh
said Iran “strongly condemns the burning of the Holy Qur’an by an extremist
racist Danish element in the Swedish city of Linkoping, which took place under
the pretext of freedom of expression and under the auspices of the Swedish
police”.
Also,
the chargé d'affaires of Sweden to Tehran was summoned to the Iranian foreign
ministry on Sunday to convey Iran’s protest at the desecration of the Holy
Quran by a Swedish far-right group to his government.
Head
of the Iranian Foreign Ministry’s Third Western Europe Bureau summoned the
Swedish envoy.
The
Iranian official expressed Iran’s strong protest at the sacrilege of Islam’s
holy book by the leader of a far-right group under the protection of Sweden’s
police and on the pretext of the freedom of expression.
The
Iranian foreign ministry official strongly condemned the sacrilege of the
Qur'an, reminding the Sweden’s government of its responsibility in this regard.
He
also called on Sweden to take an immediate and categorical step to end
desecration of the Holy Qur'an and guarantee that such acts will not be
repeated in the future.
The
Iranian foreign ministry official added that insulting the sanctities of more
than two billion Muslims of the world and hurting their feelings is the worst
possible abuse of freedom of speech.
“This
regrettable incident, which was carried out under protection of the Swedish
police has marred the image of Sweden among Muslims of the world,” he said.
Source:
Fars News Agency
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Erdogan
tells Herzog he is ‘very upset’ by injured or killed Palestinians
19
April ,2022
Turkish
President Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday he told his Israeli counterpart Isaac
Herzog that he was “very upset” by Palestinians injured or killed in the West
Bank and Al-Aqsa Mosque during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
Since
Friday, Al Aqsa - also revered by Jews as a vestige of two ancient temples -
has seen confrontations between Palestinian stone-throwers and Israeli riot
police, recalling violence that helped fan a Gaza war one year ago.
On
Friday, at least 152 Palestinians were wounded in clashes with Israeli riot
police inside the mosque's compound, the latest outbreak in an upsurge of
violence that has raised fears of a slide back to wider conflict.
In
a tweet, Erdogan said the two leaders had discussed the recent events caused by
“some radical Israeli groups and security forces” in a phone call that comes
amid efforts to normalise ties between the two countries.
For
the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
The
“raids by fanatic groups” at Al-Aqsa in recent days and the violence spreading
to Gaza were also upsetting, Erdogan told Herzog.
Erdogan
said he also “emphasised the necessity of not allowing provocations and threats
against the status and spirituality of the Al-Aqsa Mosque during this sensitive
time.”
Regional
rivals Turkey and Israel expelled ambassadors in 2018 and have often traded
barbs over the Palestinian conflict, Turkish support of the Hamas militant
group, which runs Gaza, and other issues.
Turkey,
which supports a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, has
said it believes a rapprochement with Israel will also help find a solution to
the issue, but that it would not abandon commitments to Palestinians for better
ties with Israel.
Palestinians
accuse Israel of encroaching at Al Aqsa during the Muslim holy month of
Ramadan. Israel says Palestinian protesters seek to disrupt Muslim prayer for
political ends and to prevent visits by Jews, who are now celebrating Passover.
While
it has criticized the clashes in Jerusalem, Turkey's reaction to the violence
has been much calmer than in the past, when it had launched various initiatives
at the United Nations and other platforms to condemn Israel and support
Palestinians.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please click the following URL to read the full text of
the original story:
--------
Turkey
says Erdogan, Israel’s Herzog to speak after Jerusalem violence
19
April ,2022
Turkish
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will hold a call with Israel’s President Isaac
Herzog on Tuesday, after Israeli interventions on Palestinian worshippers at
Jerusalem’s al-Aqsa mosque last week, Turkey’s foreign minister said.
On
Friday, at least 152 Palestinians were wounded in clashes with Israeli riot
police inside the al-Aqsa mosque compound, the latest outbreak in an upsurge of
violence that has raised fears of a slide back to wider conflict.
For
the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
“We
have already made our statements and we are continuing our contacts in response
to the unacceptable attacks by Israeli security forces in the West Bank and
al-Aqsa,” Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told a news conference in Ankara.
“Our
President will have a phone call with Israeli President Isaac Herzog as well,”
he added.
The
call comes after Erdogan on Sunday told his Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud
Abbas that he condemned Israeli “intervention on worshippers” at Jerusalem’s
al-Aqsa mosque and threats to its “status or spirit.”
It
also comes amid recent efforts by Turkey and Israel to repair their
long-strained ties.
Regional
rivals Turkey and Israel expelled ambassadors in 2018 and have often traded
barbs over the Palestinian conflict, Turkish support of the Hamas militant
group, which runs Gaza, and other issues.
Turkey,
which supports a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, has
said it believes a rapprochement with Israel will also help find a solution to
the issue, but that it would not abandon commitments to Palestinians for better
ties with Israel.
Earlier
this month, Erdogan had told his Israeli counterpart Isaac Herzog, whom he also
met in Ankara last month, that Ankara expected Israeli authorities to be
sensitive over al-Aqsa during Ramadan and stressed the importance of allowing
Palestinians to enter Israel.
While
it has criticized the clashes in Jerusalem, Turkey’s reaction to the violence
has been much calmer than in the past, when it had launched various initiatives
at the UN and other platforms to condemn Israel and support Palestinians.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
North America
Muslim
inmate sues US jail for denying halal, timely meals during Ramadan
By
Umar A Farooq
19
April 2022
A
Muslim prisoner in the US state of Georgia has filed a lawsuit challenging his
detention facility's refusal to provide him halal meals during the Muslim holy
month of Ramadan.
The
lawsuit, filed by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (Cair) on behalf of
Norman Simmonds, accuses the DeKalb County Jail of effectively starving
Simmonds and other Muslim detainees by denying them halal meals.
"At
this point, DeKalb County Jail is basically starving Muslims detained at the
facility and asking them to choose between their religion and sustenance,"
Javeria Jamil, Cair-Georgia's legal director, said during a press conference on
Tuesday.
Simmonds
is currently in pre-trial detention at the DeKalb County Jail just outside of
Atlanta, Georgia.
Since
the beginning of Ramadan, he has petitioned to receive halal meals but was
denied because the prison's chaplaincy needed to "confirm the devoutness
of his beliefs before they could approve a halal diet for him".
During
Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn till dusk, abstaining from eating, drinking,
smoking and sexual relations to achieve greater consciousness of God.
According
to the lawsuit, the jail has consistently failed to provide Simmonds, and other
Muslims in his cell block, with meals at a time that would allow them to eat
outside of their daily fasts - from after sunset to before dawn.
For
three days during Ramadan, he received no food at all. According to the
lawsuit, he has lost 15 pounds since the being incarcerated and it is dangerous
because of Simmonds' pre-existing conditions including asthma, hypertension,
and degenerative joint disease.
"As
a result, Simmonds is left insecure as to whether he will eat each day, how
much he will eat, whether he will sleep hungry that night, whether he will miss
consecutive meals, and what the effects of starvation will be on his physical,
mental, psychological, physiological, and emotional health and
well-being," the lawsuit says.
Murtaza
Khwaja, Cair-Georgia's executive director, said that a lack of clocks within
the prisoners' cells denies them the ability to know when they can start and
end their fasts.
"These
incarcerated Muslims do not know when they're going to be eating. They don't
get their meals on time in the morning. They don't get their meals on time in
the evening, if they get them at all," Khwaja said during the press
conference.
Muslim
struggles in US prisons
For
years, more than 80,000 Muslim inmates across the US have been struggling for
access to religious accommodations while incarcerated, despite federal laws
that mandate all prisoners have equal access to religious resources.
Incarcerated
Muslims have been regularly served pork during meals, while others have been
altogether denied from fasting during Ramadan because of management at
detention facilities having to deal with "too many" requests.
Last
year, a Muslim inmate on death row in Alabama was denied access to an imam
prior to his execution.
Multiple
lawsuits in several states have been filed against prisons to address this
issue, arguing that the discrimination in many ways is unique to the prisoners
who adhere to the Muslim faith.
Still,
Khwaja noted that in the past several years, there has been an uptick in these
incidents.
"Our
chapter and chapters across the country have seen increased numbers of
anti-Muslim incidents across the societal spectrum, but particularly in
jail," he said.
Source:
Middle East Eye
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/muslim-inmate-sues-jail-denying-halal-timely-meals-during-ramadan
--------
Blinken
urges Israel, Palestinians to 'end the cycle of violence'
April
20, 2022
US
Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Israeli and Palestinian leaders on
Tuesday to “end the cycle of violence” after a sharp escalation in tensions in
recent days.
In
separate calls with Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas and Israeli Foreign
Minister Yair Lapid, Blinken stressed “the importance of Israelis and
Palestinians working to end the cycle of violence in Israel, the West Bank, and
Gaza by exercising restraint and refraining from actions that escalate
tensions,” the State Department said.
He
also urged both sides to exercise “restraint” and refrain “from actions that
escalate tensions” including at the Al Aqsa mosque compound, Islam's
third-holiest site, but known to Jews as the Temple Mount — Judaism's holiest
place — in Jerusalem's Israeli-annexed Old City.
In
his call with Lapid, Blinken reiterated the US government's “steadfast
commitment” to Israel's security and condemned recent rocket attacks allegedly
from Gaza.
In
his call with Abbas, Blinken affirmed the US commitment to improving
Palestinians' quality of life.
But
with both leaders, Blinken urged for a two-state solution.
The
State Department announced on Tuesday evening that Yael Lempert, assistant
secretary for near eastern affairs, would travel to Jordan, Israel, the
occupied West Bank and Egypt for talks aimed at “reducing tensions” in the
region.
Her
trip will last from Tuesday until April 26.
Israel
carried out its first airstrike on the Gaza Strip in months early on Tuesday,
in response to a rocket allegedly fired from the Palestinian enclave after a
weekend of violence around the Jerusalem holy site.
The
strikes come after weeks of mounting violence, with a total of 23 Palestinians
and Arab-Israelis killed, including alleged assailants who are said to have
targeted Israelis in four deadly attacks.
Source:
Dawn
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1685933/blinken-urges-israel-palestinians-to-end-the-cycle-of-violence
--------
Top
Democrat warns Biden administration against lifting IRGC terror designation
20
April ,2022
A
top Democratic senator who has opposed multiple decisions by the Biden
administration again pushed back on Tuesday, warning against any efforts to
de-list the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) from the State
Department’s Foreign Terrorist Organization list.
Senator
Joe Manchin wrote a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken demanding a
detailed briefing on the status of the indirect talks between the US and Iran
regarding a nuclear deal.
“While
I support President Biden’s commitment to reengaging the Government of Iran in
diplomacy, we should not reward Iran with sanctions relief before they
demonstrate verifiable efforts towards curbing their malign influence
holistically,” Manchin said in his letter to Blinken.
The
Biden administration reportedly considered removing the IRGC from the US terror
blacklist. After public criticism and pushback from Biden’s own Democratic
party, which has traditionally supported a deal with Iran, reports suggested
that the administration was looking to de-list the IRGC-Quds Force.
But
on Monday, the State Department appeared to shoot down the Iranian demand.
State Department Spokesman Ned Price said that if Tehran wanted to discuss
sanctions outside of the original 2015 nuclear deal, it would need to address
US concerns beyond the JCPOA.
Price
was referring to Iran’s support for terrorist groups and its ballistic missile
program, neither of which are addressed by the nuclear deal.
On
Tuesday, Manchin said the idea of lifting the designation of the IRGC was being
proposed to assist with the US energy crisis. “Let me be clear, the IRGC is a
terrorist organization. We must not be shortsighted in the use of sanctions
relief to mitigate our present energy challenges, Manchin said.
“Sanctions
are our primary leverage to facilitate agreements on halting malign Iranian
actions and should not be used to achieve non-strategic objectives,” he added.
The
West Virginia senator said the Biden administration should continue investing
in an “all-of-the-above domestic energy policy” to bolster US national security
and help its allies and partners abroad. “We cannot and should not look to Iran
to solve our energy problems.”
Manchin
also slammed Iran’s leadership for funding terrorism in the Middle East and
Africa for decades, “including the deaths of US service members.”
He
said that he agreed with the Biden administration on the need to halt the
progress of Iran’s nuclear weapons program. “However, we must continue to
negotiate a halt to Iran’s use of state-sponsored terrorism, advancement of its
missile program, and the continued proliferation of dual-use technologies,”
Manchin said.
Much
criticism was pointed at the Obama administration, which brokered the 2015
deal, for the weakness of the agreement and its failure to address Iran’s
destabilizing behavior.
“I
was disappointed in the outcome of the negotiations in 2015, and I will do
everything in my power to ensure we do not repeat the mistakes of the past,”
Manchin.
Other
high-profile Democratic senators have voiced their objection to the current
concessions being offered by the Biden administration’s negotiating team, which
Rob Malley leads.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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US,
UN condemn attacks on Afghan schools that left 6 dead
Michael
Gabriel Hernandez
20.04.2022
WASHINGTON
The
US and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned attacks Tuesday on a
pair of Afghan educational institutions that left six dead and at least 11
injured.
The
State Department expressed "outrage in response to today’s heinous
attacks" on Kabul's Mumtaz Education Center and the Abdul Rahim Shahid
High School.
"We
offer sincere condolences to the families and other loved ones of those killed
in these cowardly acts. The perpetrators must be brought to justice,"
spokesman Ned Price said in a statement. "All Afghan children deserve to
pursue their studies safely and without fear of violence."
Explosions
were reported at the high school, which is located in district 18, said Khalid
Zadran, a Kabul police spokesman. The blasts occurred as students were coming
out of morning classes.
Other
explosions were reported at the education center, a couple of kilometers away,
according to The Associated Press. Both facilities are in the Shiite
neighborhood of Dasht-e-Barch.
Guterres
condemned the "ghastly attacks," and extended "his deepest
condolences to the families of the victims and wishes a swift recovery to those
injured."
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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https://www.aa.com.tr/en/americas/us-un-condemn-attacks-on-afghan-schools-that-left-6-dead/2567881
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Arab World
OIC
urges UN human rights chief to condemn Israeli assault on Al-Aqsa
Ahmed
Asmar
20.04.2022
The
Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has called on the Office of the
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to condemn the
Israeli onslaught on worshippers at Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem.
In
a letter submitted to High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet
through the Pakistani mission in Geneva, the OIC urged the international
community "to call on Israel to immediately halt its crimes against the
Palestinian people, fully respect the historic and legal status quo" of
Al-Aqsa Mosque.
The
pan-Muslim grouping also called on the OHCHR to "condemn Israel’s grave
human rights abuses in & around occupied East Jerusalem & call for
accountability of Israeli oppression."
Tension
has mounted across the Palestinian territories since last week when Israeli
forces raided the Al-Aqsa Mosque courtyard and attacked worshippers, injuring
hundreds.
Daily
settler incursions into the flashpoint site to celebrate the week-long Jewish
Passover holiday have further inflamed the situation.
Al-Aqsa
Mosque is the world's third-holiest site for Muslims. Jews call the area the
Temple Mount, claiming it was the site of two Jewish temples in ancient times.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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Saudi
Cabinet approves agreement on investments by PIF in Egypt: SPA
20
April ,2022
Saudi
Arabia’s Cabinet approved an agreement signed with the Egyptian government on
investments by the Kingdom’s Public Investments Fund (PIF) in Egypt, state news
agency SPA reported early Wednesday.
The
Egyptian Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly had witnessed on March 30 the signing
ceremony between Egypt’s government and the Saudi government on PIF’s
investments in Egypt.
The
Egyptian Cabinet said that Egypt aims to invest $10 billion in cooperation
between Egypt's Sovereign Fund and the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF).
This
agreement came as a culmination of the meetings held between the two countries
to expedite the termination of procedures related to investment in Egypt
through the Saudi Public Investment Fund, “in the context of the two countries’
desire to strengthen economic ties and relations between them, based on the
directives of the two countries’ leaderships, in order to create conditions for
greater opportunities for more investments in Egypt.”
The
signed agreement aims to encourage and support the Saudi Public Investment Fund
to invest in Egypt, and its contribution to achieving Egyptian goals in
attracting investments in foreign currencies, supporting the use of national
labour, localizing modern technologies in the Egyptian economy, and
transferring expertise related to the Fund’s investments in Egypt, in a way
that enhances the trade exchange between Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Iraq
summons Turkey envoy in protest at Kurdistan offensive
19
April ,2022
Iraq
on Tuesday summoned Turkey’s ambassador to Baghdad in protest at a new Turkish
offensive targeting rebels in the north’s autonomous Kurdistan region.
Turkey
on Monday said it has launched an air and ground offensive against militants of
the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in northern Iraq.
Iraq
handed Turkish ambassador Ali Riza Guney a “firmly-worded note of protest”
urging its northern neighbor to “put an end to acts of provocation and
unacceptable violations,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.
For
the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
Designated
as a terrorist group by Ankara and its Western allies, the PKK has been waging
an insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984 that has claimed tens of
thousands of lives.
Turkey
routinely carries out attacks in northern Iraq, where the PKK has bases and
training camps in the Sinjar region and on the mountainous border with Turkey.
“The
Iraqi government renews its call for the withdrawal of all Turkish forces from
Iraqi territories in a manner that reflects binding respect for national
sovereignty,” the Iraqi statement said.
Iraqi
President Barham Saleh, himself a Kurd, on Tuesday condemned the Turkish
offensive as a “violation of Iraqi sovereignty and a threat to national
security.”
The
repeated Turkish operations have tested relations between Baghdad and Ankara,
key trade partners.
They
also complicate ties with the regional government in Iraqi Kurdistan, which has
an uneasy relationship with the PKK.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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UAE
summons Israel’s envoy in protest of incidents at al-Aqsa
19
April ,2022
UAE
Minister of State for International Cooperation Reem al-Hashimy summoned
Israel’s Ambassador to the UAE Amir Hayek to denounce the recent incidents at
al-Aqsa Mosque and in Jerusalem, state news agency (WAM) reported on Tuesday.
Hashimy
informed Hayek of the UAE’s “strong condemnation” of attacks on civilians and
storming of sacred places which resulted in injuring several civilians.
“[Hashimy]
voiced the importance of immediately ending these practices and providing full
protection to worshippers,” the report said.
For
the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
She
added that it’s important that “Israeli authorities respect the Palestinians’
right to practice their religious rituals and stop any [actions] that violate
the sanctity of al-Aqsa mosque,” warning that escalation of tensions threaten
the region’s stability and security.
Hashimy
also called for respecting Jordan’s role as custodian of holy places in east
Jerusalem.
“It’s
important to create an appropriate environment that paves the way to resuming
serious dialogue toward establishing an independent Palestinian state along the
1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with the
international resolutions and the Arab [peace] initiative,” she added.
At
least 152 Palestinians were wounded in clashes with Israeli riot police on
Friday inside the al-Aqsa mosque compound.
The
violent clashes come at a sensitive time when the Muslim holy month of Ramadan
coincides with the Jewish Passover festival.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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UAE
summons Sweden’s envoy in protest of Quran burnings
19
April ,2022
UAE
Minister of State for International Cooperation Reem al-Hashimy summoned
Sweden’s Ambassador to the UAE Liselott Andersson to denounce the burning of
Quran copies in Sweden, state news agency (WAM) reported on Tuesday.
Al-Hashimy
reaffirmed the UAE’s rejection of all practices that insult religion and
emphasized the importance of respecting religious symbols and sanctities and
rejecting incitement and polarization.
“Such
practices only lead to more tension and confrontation at a time when the world
needs [people] to work together to spread the values of tolerance and
co-existence and reject hatred and extremism,” the report cited al-Hashimy as
saying.
Last
week, protestors in Sweden burnt copies of the Quran during a demonstration
organized by Rasmus Paludan, leader of Danish far-right political party Hard
Line.
The
move sparked riots across several Swedish towns over the Easter weekend.
Three
people were injured and needed medical attention in Sweden city of Norrkoping
after being hit by police bullets during clashes between police and protestors
demonstrating against the Quran burnings.
Several
countries, whom the majority of their population are Muslim, condemned the
burning of the Quran.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Yemen’s
new leadership council takes office as hope glimmers for war-torn country
19
April ,2022
Yemen’s
new leaders took a ceremonial oath of office under tight security on Tuesday,
completing a major shake-up aimed at ending seven years of war with the
Iran-backed Houthis.
The
newly formed, eight-man leadership council performed a largely symbolic
swearing-in in Aden in front of members of a parliament elected in 2003, as
hundreds of soldiers patrolled the southern city, a government official told
AFP.
Yemen’s
President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi handed over his “full powers” to the new
council in a televised address on April 7.
For
the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
The
ceremony was not announced in advance and was held at an undisclosed location
for security reasons. In December 2020, about 20 people died in an attack on
Aden airport as government officials arrived.
A
fragile, UN-brokered truce has been holding since April 2, the start of the
Muslim holy month of Ramadan, providing a rare respite from fighting.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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MBC’s
Shahid VOD partners with Saudi Arabia’s Radio and Television Corporation
19
April ,2022
Saudi
Arabia’s Radio and Television Corporation signed a strategic partnership with
MBC Group on Monday to display its content on the media giant’s streaming platform
Shahid.
The
partnership will ensure that the corporation’s films, programs, documentaries,
and TV series will be displayed on Shahid.
The
signing ceremony on Monday was attended by MBC Chairman Sheikh Waleed Al
Ibrahim, CEO of Saudi’s Radio and Television Corporation Mohammed Fahad
al-Harthi, and the Kingdom’s Minister of Information Dr. Majid al-Qasabi.
“We
are certain that the authority’s qualitative content contributes to enriching
the unique media experience that our leading platform provides to the audience
of millions of followers, subscribers, and those interested in the Kingdom and
abroad,” Sheikh Waleed said in a statement.
The
partnership “comes within the framework of conveying the Kingdom’s message,
voice and image to the region and the world,” according to a tweet by the Saudi
Broadcasting Authority’s (SBA).
Based
in Riyadh, the SBA comprises of several Islamic and official TV channels such
as the Saudi Channel, SBC, Saudi Sports, and Memories.
MBC
Group’s Shahid recorded a 43 percent increase in year-on-year subscriptions to
the platform with over two million users by the end of Ramadan in 2021.
Shahid
offers exclusive and original Arabic TV shows and movies and is operated by MBC
Group, the Middle East and North Africa’s largest media company. The platform
was relaunched in January 2020, with activity surging throughout the year as
coronavirus restrictions on movement aimed at slowing the spread of the virus
prompted customers to turn online for entertainment.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Africa
Ramadan:
Pray for peace in Nigeria – Aisha Buhari tells Muslims
April
20, 2022
By
Nsikak Nseyen
The
first lady, Aisha Buhari, has called on the Muslim faithful to use the Ramadan
period to intensify prayers for lasting peace and security in Nigeria.
Buhari
made the call on Tuesday night when she hosted wives of service chiefs and
other top government functionaries to a Ramadan breakfast at the State House,
Abuja, NAN reports
She
said the Almighty God had provided Nigerians with another opportunity to
re-dedicate themselves in fasting and prayers to ensure peace and development
of the country.
The
first lady also urged Nigerians to extend good virtues of sharing, love,
support, forgiveness and sacrifice for the betterment of mankind and Nigeria.
Buhari,
while expressing her gratitude to Almighty Allah for the opportunity to witness
the 2022 Ramadan, expressed optimism that the period would provide the country
with abundance of peace and tranquility.
Source:
Daily Post Nigeria
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https://dailypost.ng/2022/04/20/ramadan-pray-for-peace-in-nigeria-aisha-buhari-tells-muslims/
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Shutdown
of Libya oil sites spreads to second terminal
19
April ,2022
Libya’s
National Oil Corporation announced Tuesday the closure of a second export terminal,
paralyzing the vital energy sector in a North African country gripped by
political crisis.
The
suspension of operations at Brega terminal, which has an export capacity of
60,000 barrels per day (bpd), follows a force majeure and closure on Monday of
Zueitina port and several other major sites in the “Oil Crescent” region of
eastern Libya.
The
NOC, in a statement, said it “declares a state of force majeure on the oil port
of Brega because it is impossible to implement its commitments toward the oil
market.”
Force
majeure, a legal move, allows parties to free themselves from contractual
obligations when factors such as fighting or natural disasters make meeting
them impossible.
The
NOC made a similar declaration on Monday at another major oil field, al-Sharara.
“A
group of individuals put pressure on workers in the al-Sharara oil field, which
forced them to gradually shut down production,” it said.
Oil
installations have often been attacked or blockaded by armed groups who hold
sway in Libya.
Libya
has had two rival executives since the eastern-based parliament in February
appointed a new prime minister in a direct challenge to the UN-brokered
government in the capital Tripoli.
The
latest standoff pits Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah’s interim government
against that of former interior minister Fathi Bashagha, who was chosen by the
parliament.
The
groups blocking the oil facilities are demanding “a fair distribution” of
income and the transfer of power to Bashagha.
They
have led to combined losses in production estimated at 600,000 bpd, about half
of Libya’s daily output.
The
NOC warned that Libya would pay a high price.
“At
a time when oil prices are recovering significantly due to increased global
demand... Libyan crude is being subjected to a wave of illegal closures, which
will have serious damage to wells, reservoirs and surface equipment... as well
as the loss of state treasury opportunities at prices that may not be repeated
for decades to come,” it said.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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URL: