Last Journey Scripts Amity In Age Of Enmity: Muslim Villagers in Bengal Give A Send-Off To
New Age Islam
News Bureau
18 March 2024
Muslim
residents assemble at the home of Manjushree Mandal to prepare for her last
rites in Subhrajpurin Nadia./ Picture by Ashis Pramanik
-----
·
Last
Journey Scripts Amity In Age Of Enmity: Muslim Villagers Give A Send-Off To
Hindu Neighbour
·
Muslims,
Christians Left Out From Centre’s Minority Cultural Studies ProjectsAt Various
Universities Across India
·
Muslim
Prisoners in England and Wales Unfairly Targeted With Pepper Spray, Says Rights
Group
·
Hollywood
Icon Will Smith Shares His Profound Admiration For Holy Qur’an
·
Islamic
Emirate Spokesman Emphasizes Journalists as Link between Nation and System
-----
India
·
7 Lakh
Muslims Among The 19 Lakh Left Out Of Assam NRC, Says Assam CM
·
Saudi
Arabia Hosts Grand Iftar Banquet At India’s Largest Mosque, Jama Masjid, Delhi
·
Cultural
Fusion: ‘Only In Lucknow, Muslim Constructs A Temple And Hindu A Mosque’
·
Muslims
being duped by oppn parties, should join NDA: OP Rajbhar
----
Europe
·
French MP
Calls For Boycott Of Companies Supporting The Zionist Enemy State
·
German
Chancellor Scholz calls for Gaza deal with 'longer-lasting ceasefire'
·
Palestinians
'Need The Bombs To Stop,' Irish PM Says At White House
·
Amnesty
International appeals to Biden to demand an immediate ceasefire in Gaza
----
North
America
·
Rapper
Lil Jon converts to Islam at King Fahad Mosque in California
·
CAIR
Welcomes Maryland Governor Wes Moore’s Call for Immediate Gaza Ceasefire
·
Muslim
community leaders urge Illinois voters to protest Biden by writing in ‘Gaza’ on
primary ballot
·
How
Muslim Americans meet their charitable obligations: 3 findings from research
·
US
military support currently ‘very slow’: Israeli official
·
Who is
Basel BasselEbbadi? Iran-backed Hezbollah operative held in US, admits he
wanted ‘to make a bomb’ in NY
-----
South
Asia
·
Kabul
Denies Claims of TTP Presence in Afghanistan
·
Pakistan
air strikes target various locations inside Afghanistan
·
Journalists
Call for Pending Media Law to Be Implemented
·
Children
can't go astray if parents are friendly with them: PM
·
King
Salman Charity Donates 100 Tons of Dates to ARCS
·
IEA warns
Pakistan against repeating airstrikes which left 8 dead
----
Mideast
·
Palestinians
Not To Forget International Bodies Inaction Vs Zionists: Iranian President
·
Israeli Army
Launches Operation In Gaza's Al-Shifa Hospital
·
UNICEF
says over 13,000 children killed in Gaza in Israel offensive
·
Hamas: War
Not Confined To Gaza; Israel Facing 'Extensive Resistance Front'
·
Iraq's
Islamic Resistance strikes Israel’s air base in occupied Golan with drones
·
Gaza
facing famine, ceasefire agreement must be reached ASAP
·
IDF says
it destroyed part of one of longest Hamas tunnel networks in north Gaza
·
Lebanese
man caught at US border says he's part of Hezbollah - report
------
Pakistan
·
Pakistani
Airstrikes Target Suspected Pakistani Taliban Hideouts In Afghanistan: Officials
·
PML-N,
PTI Trade Barbs Over ‘Smear Campaign’ Against Martyrs
·
Operation
for deportation of Afghan citizen card holders from April 15
·
Corruption
on ‘peak’ in previous PTI-led KP govt: Imran Khan’s lawyer
·
Faisal
Mosque seeks applications for Aitekaf in last Ashra of Ramazan
-------
Southeast
Asia
·
Investigations
Into KK Mart Will Continue Over Sale Of 'Allah' Socks Despite Apology, Says
Deputy Home Minister
·
PM Anwar
urges Muslims to appreciate spirit of Ramadan, help the less fortunate
·
Anthony
Loke: Port handlers that allowed Israeli shipping company Zim's cargo to enter
Malaysia will be reprimanded
-------
Africa
·
UN Chief
Condemns Attack On Peacekeepers In DR Congo
·
Ramadan:
Foundation Gives Cash Palliative To Muslims In Kaduna
·
Again,
Gunmen Attack Kaduna Community, Abduct 14 Residents
·
Ramadan:
NASFAT to feed one million, Adamawa relaxes tricycle restriction
·
Notorious
bandit leader who got N130 million as ransom killed in Katsina
-------
Arab
World
·
Jeddah
Historic District Hosts Stargazing Event During Ramadan
·
No Permit
For Repeat Umrah During Ramadan
·
Keep Your
Smile Bright During Ramadan With The Magic Of Miswak
·
Saudi
Arabia’s King Salman allocates $800m to social security recipients during
Ramadan
·
Saudi
Arabia launches metaverse platform to explore cultural heritage
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL:
https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/amity-enmity-muslim-hindu-bengal/d/131949
------
Last Journey Scripts Amity In Age Of Enmity: Muslim
Villagers in Bengal Give A Send-Off To Hindu Neighbour
Muslim
residents assemble at the home of Manjushree Mandal to prepare for her last
rites in Subhrajpurin Nadia./ Picture by Ashis Pramanik
-----
18.03.24
Subhasish Chaudhuri
RehenaBewa of Subhrajpur village in Thanarpara, Nadia,
broke down on Friday morning when she heard that her “sister” Manjushree Mandal
had died at a hospital.
The 61-year-old Bewa rushed to the Mandal home — the
lone Hindu household in the village of 370 Muslim families — with her
neighbours Shahnara, Meherunnisa and Rajia.
Urged by the imam of the local Subhrajpur Jama Mosque,
the Muslims of the village consoled the bereaved husband, Sanat Mandal, and
helped arrange for the last rites.
Imam Abu Sufian said: “The Mandals were the only
exception in this Muslim-majority village. But we never made them feel
isolated. Our elders imparted this lesson to us, and we are still carrying on
with that legacy.”
A group of neighbours had taken Manjushree, 67, to the
Natidanga hospital on Thursday night after she suffered a cerebral attack and
waited there all night with Sanat.
The news of the death reached the village in the early
hours of Friday when the residents, observing the holy month of Ramzan, were
preparing for sehri.
The imam announced the news of Manjushree’s passing
during the early morning prayers. He advised residents to go and help Sanat
organise the last rites since the elderly Mandals had no relatives in the
village.
At the mosque, the faithful prayed for Manjushree’s
soul before rushing to the Mandal home to prepare for the cremation in
Behrampore, 35km away.
Sanat had settled in the village, in Karimpur I block,
in 1964 as a young boy with his family after coming over from Kushtia in
Bangladesh. Manjushree was a local girl.
She was a schoolteacher and he a farmer. They made
their Muslim neighbours a part of every family event. The couple’s two
daughters are married and live elsewhere.
“With their daughters getting married a few years ago,
we tried to support the couple in every way we could. We did so on Thursday
night, too, after she suffered a cerebral attack,” said Milton Sheikh, a
villager.
By the time the couple’s daughters and a few relatives
arrived on Friday, Muslim youths such as Milton, Rahaman and others had made
all the arrangements.
The mosque committee has urged the villagers to help
the family organise the shraddho, too.
“It’s our duty as neighbours to remain with the
elderly husband in his time of grief,” the imam said.
Sanat said: “I have been living here for six decades
and never felt friendless because of my religion. The feeling was renewed
yesterday amid the grief. These people have been protecting me.”
He added: “Such kindness is part of Bengal’s
tradition. It’s sad that this has now become a talking point, given all the
hatred across the nation.”
Source:
telegraphindia.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.telegraphindia.com/west-bengal/last-journey-scripts-amity-in-age-of-enmity-muslim-villagers-give-a-send-off-to-hindu-neighbour/cid/2007546
----
Muslims, Christians Left Out From Centre’s Minority
Cultural Studies ProjectsAt Various Universities Across India
17th March 2024
The Union ministry of minority affairs recently approved
multiple projects for minority religious and cultural studies at various
Universities across India. These include establishment of centres for
Gurumukhi, Buddhist, Jain Manuscriptology, and Himalayan cultural studies.
However, no funds were allotted for Muslim or Christian cultural studies as
part of this initiative.
An official release by the ministry said that the
projects were approved in the spirit of ‘Virasat se Vikas’ (progress through
heritage) and inspired by five pledges of Prime Minister Modi. The pledges
include moving forward with a bigger resolve of a developed country, and
erasing all “traces of servitude.”
For Centre of Gurumukhi, set up at Khalsa College,
University of Delhi, a fund of Rs 25 crore was approved. “The objective of this
centre would be to facilitate collaboration between the University and the
Ministry to enhance educational opportunities for minority communities in
India, particularly in the field of Gurumukhi Studies, through establishment
and strengthening of the required infrastructure for undertaking Undergraduate,
Postgraduate, Ph.D and research programs,” said an official press release
issued on March 14.
The ministry, under Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas
Karyakram, also approved the proposal from the University of Delhi for
establishment of ‘Centre for Advanced Buddhist studies’ at an estimated cost of
Rs 35 crore.
“Focusing on the increasing demand and need for
reviving the Buddhist Studies language not only as a subject for higher
education but also to preserve the heritage and culture of the minority
communities and recognizing the significance of promoting education and
research in the field of Buddhist Studies, the Ministry of Minority Affairs has
approved the proposal for establishment of the ‘Centre for Advanced studies in
Buddhist Studies’ at the University of Delhi,” said another press communique.
The ministry has also approved Rs 40 crore for
Infrastructural Development at the Centre. “The proposed centre aims at
connecting international scholars to share their research in social,
historical, linguistic, religious and other cultural matters,” the ministry
said.
Moreover, the ministry released Rs 40 crore for the
Centre of Jain Manuscriptology at Gujarat University. This Centre aims at
academic support for development of apabhramsha and Prakrit language of Jainism
in the University. Also, financial assistance of Rs 25 crores was approved for
the establishment of a Centre for Jain Studies in Devi AhilyaVishwavidyalaya’s
Indore Campus.
Even though Muslims form the largest minority
community in the country, no funds were allotted for Muslim cultural studies as
part of this initiative.
A senior policy analyst, requesting anonymity, said,
“Leaving out Muslim and Christian cultural studies is not surprising. This is
bound to happen in any regressive education system where the political
leadership sets the research and teaching agenda. In developed and progressive
systems, Universities decide the kind of work they do and take up interesting
and difficult areas to study. Then they approach the government and other
sources for funding. Unlike in India, where a politicised UGC and even an ICSSR
decide what should be studied and promoted.”
Source:
siasat.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.siasat.com/muslims-left-out-from-centres-minority-cultural-studies-projects-2993940/
-------
Muslim Prisoners in England and Wales Unfairly
Targeted With Pepper Spray, Says Rights Group
Over recent years, the use of the pepper spray against
Muslim prisoners has risen, the ministry data shows. (Shutterstock)
------
Sammy Gecsoyler
17 March 2024
Muslim prisoners in England and Wales are being
disproportionately targeted with the use of pepper spray according to
campaigners, with statistics showing the number of incidents has risen sharply
in recent years.
The Ministry of Justice data, obtained from a freedom
of information request submitted by the advocacy organisation Maslaha, shows
that in 2022, 34% of those targeted with Pava, a synthetic form of pepper
spray, were Muslim, despite only making up 18% of the prison population. Pava
was drawn and used against Muslim prisoners 188 times in 2022 and was drawn but
not used by prison officers 54 times.
Christians, who make up 46% of the population, were
targeted with Pava spray 43% of the time in 2022. The data also shows a sharp
increase in Pava being used against Muslims in prison in recent years, with the
figure almost doubling within three years. In 2019, Muslims made up 18% of
those targeted with Pava.
Pava causes injury to the eyes, respiratory tract and
skin. While in many cases these symptoms are short-lived, the chemical
irritants in Pava can cause severe injury, permanent disabilities and, in rare
cases, death. Pava was introduced into prisons in England and Wales in 2018,
and by July 2023 had been rolled out into 89 prisons.
Related: Pepper spray could be used at young offender
institutions in England and Wales
A study carried out by Maslaha found that Muslims in
prison felt they had to hide parts of their religious identity due to fears of
being seen as “extremist” and that simple acts of worship such as prayer or
reading the Qur’an were viewed by prison officers as signs of extremism.
Raheel Mohammed, the director of Maslaha, said: “The
figures we’ve uncovered show that Muslims in prison are being unfairly targeted
by the use of Pava spray, a harmful weapon which can cause severe injury,
disability and even death. Not only are Muslims more likely to be targeted, but
this disproportionality is rising.
“Whatever we believe in, however we practise our religion,
we all have the right to be treated with dignity and respect. But our work with
Muslims in prison makes it clear that harmful stereotypes about Muslims are
rife in prisons, and are putting Muslim prisoners at risk of unfair and harmful
treatment.
“These figures should provide a wake-up call to those
responsible for the rollout of Pava, who are also responsible for enforcing
equalities legislation. This is a dangerous tool, and it is being used to
target Muslims. Its use should be halted immediately.”
A Prison Service spokesperson said: “Pava is only used
as a last resort by specially trained prison officers and we monitor its use
carefully including for any disparities in the way it’s deployed.”
Source:
yahoo.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/muslim-prisoners-unfairly-targeted-pepper-140049019.html
----
Hollywood Icon Will Smith shares his profound
admiration for Holy Qur’an
Hollywood superstar Will
Smith expressed profound admiration for the Quran’s simplicity and recounted
how the narrative of Prophet Moses resonated deeply with him
------
March 18, 2024
RIYADH — Hollywood superstar Will Smith shared his
profound admiration for the Holy Qur’an, especially its simplicity and
narration of stories, with a special reference to Prophet Moses. In an
interview on the “Big Time Podcast” program, he said that he had completed
reading the entire Qur’an during the holy month of Ramadan.
Smith revealed his deep connection to spirituality and
inner contemplation during challenging periods. He pointed out that he had been
going through a difficult time over the past two years, which prompted him to
search for his inner self. During this period, he read all the holy books,
including the Holy Qur’an. “It was a period of my life when I wanted to expand
my heart as much as possible so that I could embrace the largest number of
people.”
Smith expressed profound admiration for the Quran’s
simplicity and recounted how the narrative of Prophet Moses resonated deeply
with him. He emphasized the seamless connection among divine scriptures,
reflecting on their profound message. “I was amazed to go through plenty of
references about Prophet Moses (may God be pleased with him) in the Holy
Qur’an,” he said while noting that this is an interesting matter.
He said that the story of Prophet Moses had an
electrifying impact on him. “I love the simplicity of the Qur’an as it is very
simple and things in it are very clear, and so it is very easy to finish
reading without any misunderstanding. I was surprised that everything seemed
like one story... from the Torah to the Bible to the Qur’an,” he said while
emphasizing that he did not have any comprehension about this seamless series
before.” “The connection between these narrations was not broken,” he said
while referring to the Abrahamic lineage, and how the Prophet Ibrahim is the
father, and from his descendants came the prophets Ismail and Ishaq. He said it
was nice to see the integrated concept of it.
In the interview, Smith said that he loves living in
Saudi Arabia. “This was my third visit to Saudi Arabia, and I visited the city
of Jeddah, and also went on a tour of the NEOM project, and visited Riyadh two
times. I feel a sense of belongingness and I love the life here.”
Smith, one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars with his
films grossing over $9.3 billion, also spoke about his wealth during the
interview. Smith said that he felt that the first half of his life was part of
accumulating wealth, and that the second half was spending it. “Money is not
the thing that people need most, and hence at this stage in my life I want to
give my knowledge and experience. “Love and friendship are the only way for us
to be here happily.”
Hosted by Amr Adib, Podcast ‘Big Time’ serves as a
platform for renowned personalities attending the recently concluded 4th Riyadh
Season. It was shown on the MBC network channels and the Shahid platform.
Renowned Arab singer Assala participates with Adib in
some of its episodes. Here, these celebrities engaged in warm conversations,
discussing their accomplishments, challenges, and life experiences in a
congenial atmosphere. The episodes are readily accessible on the Shahid
platform, providing audiences with enriching content and insights into the
lives of their favorite celebrities
Source:
saudigazette.com.sa
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/641311/SAUDI-ARABIA/Hollywood-icon-Will-Smith-shares-his-profound-admiration-for-Holy-Quran-nbsp
----
Islamic Emirate Spokesman Emphasizes Journalists as
Link between Nation and System
Mawlavi Zabihullah Mujahid,
the spokesman of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan
------
2024-03-17
KABUL (BNA) In a message released on the occasion of
National Journalists’ Day, Mawlavi Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesman of the
Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, highlighted the role of journalists as the
connecting bridge between the nation and the system.
Congratulating journalists across the country, Mawlavi
Zabihullah Mujahid expressed his well wishes via his official page on X
platform (formerly known as Twitter).
He urged journalists to continue serving the nation by
upholding Islamic values and protecting national interests.
Furthermore, he called upon them to remain motivated
and committed to media principles.
National Journalists’ Day is celebrated annually in
Afghanistan on the 27th solar date, recognizing the invaluable contributions of
journalists in the country.
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is focused on
fostering an environment where journalists can work freely and without fear,
ensuring that their role in shaping public opinion and providing objective news
is protected and valued.
Source:
bakhtarnews.af
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.bakhtarnews.af/en/islamic-emirate-spokesman-emphasizes-journalists-as-link-between-nation-and-system/
---
India
7 Lakh Muslims Among The 19 Lakh Left Out Of Assam
NRC, Says Assam CM
18.03.24
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday
said that seven lakh Muslims are among the 19 lakh persons left out of the
National Register of Citizens for the state, News Live reported.
Sarma, during an interview with the television
channel, also said that five lakh Bengali Hindus, two lakh Assamese Hindu
groups Koch-Rajbongshi, Das, Kalita and Sarma (Assamese), and 1.5 lakh Gorkhas
had been excluded from the register.
Assam published a National Register of Citizens on
August 31, 2019, with the aim to separate Indian citizens from undocumented
immigrants living in the state. Residents had to prove that they or their
ancestors had entered Assam before midnight on March 24, 1971 in order for them
to be included in the list.
Over 19 lakh persons, or 5.77% of the applicants, were
left out of the final list. The breakup provided by Sarma amounts to 15.5 lakh.
It was unclear who are the remaining 3.5 lakh persons.
Sarma had told The Indian Express at the time that
nearly five lakh to six lakh of those excluded had migrated from Bangladesh due
to religious persecution before 1971.
On Sunday, the chief minister said that three lakh to
six lakh of those excluded from the register could apply for citizenship under
the Citizenship Amendment Act, the rules for which were notified on March 11.
The Citizenship Amendment Act aims to fast-track
Indian citizenship for refugees from six minority religious communities, except
Muslims, from Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan, on the condition that they
have lived in India for six years and have entered the country by December 31,
2014.
On Friday, Sarma claimed that the Citizenship
Amendment Act would be a “fiasco” in Assam and that the state would see the
lowest number of applications under the Act.
The chief minister said that those who did not apply
for their names to be included in the National Register of Citizens were
unlikely to apply for the Citizenship Amendment Act either.
“There is a cut-off date in the Act,” he said. “The
Citizenship Amendment Act is very clear that one has to provide evidence of
having come to the country before the cut-off date. If one did not apply for
the National Register of Citizens, it means that he or she did not come to
India before 2014.”
The National Register of Citizens exercise has so far
only been implemented in Assam. In November 2019, Union Home Minister Amit Shah
had announced that the process to make a National Register of Citizens would be
carried out across India.
Source:
scroll.in
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://scroll.in/latest/1065331/7-lakh-muslims-5-lakh-bengali-hindus-left-out-of-assam-nrc-says-cm-himanta-biswa-sarma
----
Saudi Arabia Hosts Grand Iftar Banquet At India’s
Largest Mosque, Jama Masjid, Delhi
18th March 2024
New Delhi: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has
hosted a grand Iftar banquet at the Jama Masjid, located in New Delhi, which
holds the title of the largest mosque in India, during the current holy month
of Ramzan.
The event on Friday, March 15, was attended by over
900 men and women, hosted by the Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and
Guidance, represented by the religious attache in India.
The religious attache at the Saudi embassy in India
Sheikh Badr bin Nasser Al-Anazi, and the Imam of the Grand Mosque Ahmed
Al-Bukhari, were present at the gathering, along with officials and heads of
Islamic associations in India, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
This initiative is part of the Iftar project of Custodian
of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud for Muslims around
the world during Ramzan.
Attendees expressed their appreciation to the
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for this initiative, which highlights its
importance in supporting Muslim communities around the world.
Source:
siasat.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.siasat.com/saudi-arabia-hosts-grand-iftar-banquet-at-indias-largest-mosque-2993675/
---
Cultural Fusion: ‘Only In Lucknow, Muslim Constructs A
Temple And Hindu A Mosque’
Mar 18, 2024
Lucknow: Beyond the bustling streets and rich history
lies the true essence of Lucknow: a city where religious divides blur and
cultural harmony reigns. Here, a Muslim builds a temple, a Hindu a mosque, and
Urdu poets transcend labels with blended names like Pandit Dayashankar “Naseem
Lakhnawi” and Anand Narain Mulla. This unique spirit of “Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb”
(composite culture) took centre stage during the last day of the University of
Lucknow’s literature festival held at Malviya Hall on Sunday.
Experts from the field of literature shared stories
that exemplified Lucknow’s remarkable communal harmony. Renowned Urdu scholar
and former head of Lucknow University’s Urdu department, Prof Abbas Raza
Nayyar, highlighted the city’s beauty. He spoke of how GurumaPandain, a Hindu,
commissioned the construction of a mosque known as “Pandain Ki Masjid,” while
the Nawabs, Muslim rulers, built the Aliganj temple. This harmony extended even
to names and titles, Prof Nayyar pointed out. Urdu poets like Brij Narayan Dhar
(‘Chakbast’) and Ratan Nath Dhar (‘Sarshar’) were addressed with titles that
transcended religious boundaries.
Adding to the discussion, Padma Shri Vidya Vindu
Singh, known for her Awadhi, Hindi, and folk writings, expressed her deep love
for Lucknow. “Lucknow ne aisamohmai bandha haiki Lucknow kochhodhkarjaaneka koi
mannnahihotahai” (Lucknow has bound me in such love that I never want to leave
the city), she said. During the session, she spoke about her unconventional
writing style, which tackles issues like motherhood, and women’s rights, all
interwoven within her poems.
Prof AP Pandey, a renowned poet and dramatist,
captivated the audience with his readings of poems, Haiku, and other writings
that explored themes of life, love, and spirituality. Pankaj Prasoon, another
poet, injected a touch of humour into the session with his satirical poems and
witty one-liners. His creative reimagining of Lucknow’s landmarks, like
Tedhipulia as a “zigzag bridge” and Badnariya Bagh as the “garden of female
monkeys,” left the audience in stitches.
We also published the following articles recently
100 booked in Lucknow for rumour mongering, violence
during demolition drive in LucknowOver 100 individuals in Lucknow were booked
for rumour mongering, violence, and stone pelting during a demolition drive.
False rumours about locals being buried led to protests, resulting in a FIR
filed by Mahanagar police.108397097
Artists capture Lucknow heritage on canvasA diverse
group of artists gathered at Chaulakhi Gate in Kaiserbagh for a sketch meet
organized by SharmishthaSaraogi. The artists used an array of colours to
capture the beauty of the Western Gateway, engaging in lively discussions and
sharing knowledge.108395709
ED attaches property in scholarship scam in
LucknowDirectorate of Enforcement attached properties worth Rs 5.7 crore in a
scholarship scam involving fake students and embezzlement. Investigations
revealed fraudulent activities by college managers and trustees, leading to
arrests and property seizures.108472789
Source:
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/incredible-harmony-in-lucknow-muslim-constructs-temple-hindu-builds-mosque/articleshow/108571684.cms
----
Muslims being duped by oppn parties, should join NDA:
OP Rajbhar
17th March 2024
P N Sree Harsha
Lucknow: Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP)
president and UP minister OP Rajbhar on Sunday said the Congress and opposition
parties have been duping Muslims for years, and urged the community to support
the ruling National Democratic Alliance to benefit from welfare schemes.
Rajbhar went on to claim that at least 15 to 20 per
cent Muslims are going to vote for the BJP and that the National Democratic
Alliance (NDA) will win all 80 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh.
“Congress party is number one in duping Muslims,
followed by the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party is at the third
place,” Rajbhar told ‘PTI Video’.
“These people talk a lot about Muslims for votes. But
what have they done to improve their (Muslims) education?” Rajbhar asked.
Rajbhar, whose SBSP is part of the BJP-led NDA,
claimed that there were 38 per cent Muslims in government jobs at the time of
Independence but due to Congress’ over 50-year rule, now Muslims don’t have
even have one per cent of government jobs.
“Who is responsible for this. Is BJP responsible? They
have created a rift between the minorities and BJP. I will urge the Muslim
brothers to shun hate and fight for development. Leave these people (opposition
parties) and come to our side and enjoy the benefits of schemes,” he said.
The SBSP chief said that the upcoming Lok Sabha
elections in UP will be fought on the agenda of “development” and “the rule of
law.”
“The common public accepts this that in the previous
Samajwadi Party and Congress governments riots and curfews were imposed. Now,
they have found relief from that. People use to call the SP’s government as a
‘gundonkisarkar’ (government of goons),” he said.
Rajbhar had ditched the BJP before the assembly
elections in UP in 2022 and joined the Samajwadi Party. The relationship
however soured after the election and Rajbhar returned to the BJP. He was
recently made a minister in the state government.
When asked about the likelihood of the NDA winning
over 400 seats in the parliamentary elections, Rajbhar said, “The claim will
come true because BJP and all its allies are working hard on the ground… the
opposition on the other hand is only posting its views on (social media
platform) X.”
Source:
siasat.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.siasat.com/muslims-being-duped-by-oppn-parties-should-join-nda-op-rajbhar-2993914/
----
Europe
French MP calls for boycott of companies supporting
the Zionist enemy state
[17/March/2024]
PARIS March 17. 2024 (Saba) - A French deputy
confirmed on Sunday that the Zionist enemy state continues war crimes in the
Gaza Strip with European-American protection, and at the same time called for a
boycott of companies supporting the occupation.
According to the Palestinian Information Center,
French parliamentarian Thomas Portes, from the opposition France party, shared
on his account on the X platform, a video clip of a Palestinian child who rose
as a martyr as a result of Zionist shelling.
War criminals continue to commit genocide in Gaza with
the protection of the European Union and the United States.
In another post, Portz called for a boycott of
companies supporting the Zionist enemy.
Portes pointed to the increasing civilian casualties
in Gaza due to the ongoing Zionist attacks, adding that the humanitarian crisis
in Gaza has reached "catastrophic proportions.
The Zionist enemy forces have been waging a
devastating war on the Gaza Strip since the seventh of last October, leaving
dozens of victims, most of them children and women, in addition to an
unprecedented humanitarian disaster and a noticeable deterioration in
infrastructure and property.
Source:
saba.ye
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.saba.ye/en/news3313888.htm
---
German Chancellor Scholz calls for Gaza deal with
'longer-lasting ceasefire'
March 17, 2024
JERUSALEM: German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Sunday
called for a deal to free hostages held by Hamas militants in war-ravaged Gaza
accompanied by a "longer-lasting ceasefire".
Germany’s Scholz say Rafah assault would make regional
peace ‘very difficult’
"We need a hostage deal with a longer-lasting
ceasefire... We understand the hostage families who say after more than five
months, 'The time has come for a comprehensive hostage deal for saving those
who are still captive,'" Scholz said at a joint press appearance with
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem.
"We understand the hostage families who say after
more than five months, 'The time has come for a comprehensive hostage deal for
saving those who are still captive.'"
Scholz's visit came the same day Israeli officials
were set to meet to discuss the "mandate" of a negotiations team
expected to participate in a new round of talks in Qatar aimed at securing a
new truce between Israel and Hamas.
Netanyahu is under intense domestic political pressure
to free hostages seized during Hamas's unprecedented October 7 attack on
southern Israel, which started the Gaza war now in its sixth month.
Hamas took about 250 Israeli and foreign hostages on
October 7, and Israel believes about 130 of those remain in Gaza including 32
presumed dead.
The attack resulted in the deaths of about 1,160
people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli figures.
Israeli's retaliatory military campaign to eliminate
Hamas has killed at least 31,645 people, mostly women and children, according
to the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza.
In Jerusalem on Sunday, Scholz called for a
"negotiated two-state solution" to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,
saying "terror cannot be defeated with military means alone".
Earlier on Sunday, Netanyahu said Israeli troops would
pursue a planned ground offensive in southern Gaza's Rafah that has spurred
fears of mass civilian casualties, given that the majority of Gazans have
sought refuge there.
Scholz voiced concern about what the offensive would
mean for civilians.
"The military logic is one consideration, but
there is a humanitarian logic as well. How should more than 1.5 million people
be protected? Where should they go?"
Source:
thedailystar.net
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.brecorder.com/news/40294057/german-chancellor-scholz-calls-for-gaza-deal-with-longer-lasting-ceasefire
----
Palestinians 'need the bombs to stop,' Irish PM says
at White House
Mar 18, 2024
Palestinians "need the bombs to stop," Irish
Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said Sunday as he made an impassioned plea for a
ceasefire in Gaza, speaking during a St Patrick's Day reception at the White
House.
US President Joe Biden has been hosting Varadkar in
Washington for an annual visit celebrating the close ties between the United
States and Ireland, as 10 percent of Americans claim ancestral roots there.
"The people of Gaza desperately need food,
medicine and shelter, and most especially they need the bombs to stop,"
Varadkar said as Biden, who has come under pressure both internationally and at
home over his support for ally Israel, looked on.
"The aspirations of the Palestinian people to
have a homeland and a fully fledged state in the land of their forefathers is
equal to that of Israel's," he added.
Varadkar has been one of Europe's most critical
leaders over Israel's campaign in Gaza, which began when Palestinian militant
group Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on the southern part of the country.
The attack left about 1,160 dead in Israel, mostly
civilians, according to an AFP tally of official figures.
Since then nearly 32,000 people have been killed in
Gaza, most of them women and children, according to the health ministry in the
Hamas-run territory.
According to Varadkar, "the Irish people are
deeply troubled about the catastrophe that's unfolding before our eyes in
Gaza."
"We see our history in their eyes, a story of
displacement, of dispossession, and (in which) national identity questions are
denied. Forced emigration, discrimination, and now hunger," he said,
invoking his country's bitter memories of its own struggles against British
rule.
The prime minister, also known as the Taoiseach in
Irish, said he has "always believed America is a force for good in the
world" and praised US efforts "to secure a humanitarian ceasefire and
to create space for lasting peace."
Biden, who frequently refers to his own Irish
heritage, has grown more outwardly critical of Israel and its Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu in recent weeks.
"The Taoiseach and I agree about the urgent need
to increase humanitarian aid to Gaza and get the ceasefire deal... that brings
the (Israeli) hostages home and moves towards a two-state solution," he
said Sunday.
Netanyahu vowed again Sunday that Israeli troops will
enter the southernmost Gaza city of Rafah, where roughly 1.5 million
Palestinians are sheltering.
The United States has demanded a "clear and
implementable plan" to protect civilians there, while Varadkar on Sunday called
on Israel to abandon the planned incursion.
On Friday, the Irish leader had even more stridently
called out the United States' support for Israel.
"I think none of us like to see American weapons
being used in the way they are. The way they're being used at the moment is not
self-defense," Varadkar said after meeting with Biden in the Oval Office.
Source:
thedailystar.net
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.thedailystar.net/news/world/israels-attack-on-palestine/news/palestinians-need-the-bombs-stop-irish-pm-says-white-house-3569266
---
Amnesty International appeals to Biden to demand an
immediate ceasefire in Gaza
[17/March/2024]
LONDON March 17. 2024 (Saba) - Amnesty International
on Sunday appealed to US President Joe Biden to act and demand an immediate and
sustainable ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and an end to the transfer of US
weapons to the Zionist enemy.
According to Sama News Agency, this came in a
publication of the international organization, attached to a video clip in
which a call to the US president to work to stop the war on Gaza, on its
account via the X platform.
Amnesty International noted that "more than
30,000 people have been martyred so far in the Zionist attack on the Gaza
Strip, many of them with US-made munitions."
"Let us unite in demanding the removal of
restrictions on vital humanitarian supplies, and the restoration of services,
to ensure that the people of Gaza have access to the water, fuel, food and
essential medical support they desperately need," the appeal said.
Amnesty International (non-governmental) urged the
lifting of the Zionist blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip for 16 years.
Enemy forces have been waging a devastating war on the
Gaza Strip for six months, leaving tens of thousands of civilian casualties,
most of them children and women, as well as an unprecedented humanitarian
catastrophe and massive destruction of infrastructure, which led to Tel Aviv's
appearance before the International Court of Justice on charges of
"genocide", for the first time since its founding.
Source:
saba.ye
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.saba.ye/en/news3313883.htm
---
North
America
Rapper Lil Jon converts to Islam at King Fahad Mosque
in California
MAR 17, 2024
Lil Jon, the American rapper and producer, adopted
Islam at a mosque located in California.
Jon on Friday visited the King Fahad Mosque in Los
Angeles and publicly announced his conversion to Islam in front of a large
congregation.
A video shared on social media showed the American
rapper reciting the shahada in Arabic and then in English, under the guidance
of the mosque's imam.
Born in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1972, and known by his
real name Jonathan H. Smith, the rapper gained fame for his pioneering role in
promoting the hip-hop subgenre in the early 2000s.
With over 1 million followers on social media, Lil
Jon's recent meditation album has received significant attention.
Following American writer and activist Shaun King, Lil
Jon became the second known famous American to embrace Islam in the first week
of Ramadan.
Source:
dailysabah.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.dailysabah.com/arts/rapper-lil-jon-converts-to-islam-at-king-fahad-mosque-in-california/news
----
CAIR Welcomes Maryland Governor Wes Moore’s Call for
Immediate Gaza Ceasefire
Ibrahim Hooper
March 17, 2024
(BALTIMORE, MD, 3/17/2024) – The Maryland office of
the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim
civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed Governor Wes Moore’s
support for the Palestinian people alongside Israelis and his unequivocal call
for an immediate Gaza ceasefire on the ‘KojoNnamdi Show.’
Video: Governor Wes Moore Expresses Support for
Palestinians and Israelis, Says “Make No Mistake, We Need a Ceasefire Now”
“During this holy month of Ramadan, as Muslims in Gaza
pray amidst the rubble of their mosques and risk their lives to struggle to
find food for their children to break their fasts due to Israel’s forced
starvation supported by our tax dollars, no single issue weighs heavier on the
minds of Maryland Muslim communities than an immediate, permanent ceasefire and
the unrestricted flow of desperately needed aid to Gaza,” said CAIR’s Maryland
Director Zainab Chaudry. “This legislative session, Maryland state lawmakers
have the opportunity to heed Governor Moore’s call and align themselves with
the values of decency and compassion by passing the House Joint Resolution for
ceasefire without delay.”
CAIR is urging House Rules Committee Chair Anne Healey
to take swift action to bring HJ0002 House Joint Ceasefire Resolution for a
committee vote Monday following multiple reports that despite massive support
for the legislation, she has refused to bring it forward for consideration.
CAIR Denounces Committee Chair’s Refusal to Bring
Maryland Ceasefire Gaza Resolution for Vote Despite 80 Favorable Witness
Testimonies, 100K+ Community Demands for Action
Governor Moore joins at least 66 members of congress,
dozens of U.S. cities and counties and nearly 70 percent of Americans in
calling for an end to the injustices, violence and bloodshed.
CAIR recently applauded the Town of Cheverly in Prince
George’s County, and the City of Takoma Park in Montgomery County on passing
resolutions calling for an immediate, permanent ceasefire in Gaza.
CAIR Welcomes Takoma Park City Council Resolution
Supporting a Gaza Ceasefire
The Town of Cheverly and the City of Takoma Park join
Montgomery, Howard and Anne Arundel Counties; and U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen
(D-MD) and Representatives KweisiMfume, Jamie Raskin and David Trone from
Maryland’s congressional delegation, all who have expressed support for a
ceasefire in Gaza ceasefire in recent weeks.
Research from the Institute for Social Policy and
Understanding, a think tank with offices in Washington, D.C. and Dearborn, MI,
shows that the overwhelming majority of Muslims, and Jewish democrats favor a
ceasefire.
CAIR is America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and
advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam,
protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
Source:
cair.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-welcomes-maryland-governor-wes-moores-call-for-immediate-gaza-ceasefire/
---
Muslim community leaders urge Illinois voters to
protest Biden by writing in ‘Gaza’ on primary ballot
Mar 17, 2024
Palestinian and Muslim community organizers are urging
Democratic voters to protest President Joe Biden in Tuesday’s Illinois primary
election, sending a message of disapproval of his administration’s handling of
the Israel-Hamas war.
The push comes after similar efforts in Michigan and
Minnesota shook Biden’s reelection campaign, with more than 150,000 voters
choosing to vote “uncommitted” over the president in those states’ primaries.
“Uncommitted” isn’t a ballot option in Illinois, so
groups are instead calling voters to either leave the presidential ticket blank
or write in “Gaza.” The Chicago area is home to the largest Palestinian
population in the U.S.
“Our goal is to turn out 200,000 Muslim, Arab, and
ally voters in Illinois — the state with the largest per capita Muslim
population in the nation,” read a flyer from the Muslim Civic Coalition, a
Chicago-based advocacy group that is encouraging Muslim citizens to register to
vote and participate in elections.
“We need a new generation of leaders in our nation,”
the group wrote. “It felt like the President did not see many Americans [in his
State of the Union address] — and we want to make sure he knows he needs us.”
But it’s unclear how big of a dent the campaign will
make in Illinois — or if the result will even be discernible.
Illinois State Board of Elections spokesman Matt
Dietrich said the only votes that are counted are for candidates certified to
be on the ballot or candidates who filed by a notice of intent to be a write-in
candidate by Jan. 18.
"So there would be no record of things that are
written in, messages and those sorts of things," Dietrich said.
"I suppose if you're voting in a primary and you
leave a candidate's name blank, that could be interpreted as a protest vote
against that candidate," he said. "But really there's nothing that
indicates it — it just means you didn't cast a vote."
But the unrest could surface in a lower overall vote
total for Biden, according to Ahmed Rehab, executive director of the Chicago
chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a nonprofit that doesn’t
make political endorsements.
“It’s the differential that counts. For an incumbent,
that’s significant to be able to gauge opposition," Rehab said.
“General elections are not to be taken for granted,
there’s the popular vote and a mandate that a leader walks in with. There is
unrest in the base, and it goes well beyond the Muslim and Arab communities. It
goes to the African Americans, Latinos, white progressives, young people,"
Rehab said.
The Biden administration has appeared to recognize the
growing split among Democrats over the war, particularly in Palestinian, Arab
and Muslim communities angry with billions of dollars in U.S. military aid
going to Israel despite mounting destruction in Gaza.
The war began after Hamas' surprise attack Oct. 7 on
Israel. Nearly 1,200 people were killed in the attack, and another 250 taken
hostage. Since then, Israeli airstrikes has killed more than 31,000
Palestinians, the majority of whom are women and children, while Israeli
blockades have prevented sufficient food and aid from reaching a population
heading toward famine, humanitarian groups have said.
In an effort to bridge that divide, the White House
sent senior officials to the Chicago area last week to speak with Palestinian,
Arab and Muslim community leaders ahead of the Illinois primary.
But the majority of invitees rebuffed the
administration, writing in a letter “there is no point in more meetings” after
Palestinian Americans have made their views “abundantly clear.”
“With a genocide that has flattened Gaza, forcibly
displacing 85% of its residents, and claiming the lives of 31,000 people,
13,000 of whom are children, the White House has not only refused to call for a
cease-fire, but also enabled this blatant campaign of ethnic cleansing to take
place by providing financial and military means, as well as diplomatic support
at the United Nations.”
“A meeting of the minds is nowhere in sight,” the
letter stated. Israel has said its main aim is to destroy Hamas and secure the
return of the hostages Hamas still holds.
White House and Biden campaign officials were
similarly rejected by officials in Michigan last month, which is home to the
country’s largest Muslim population.
Source:
chicago.suntimes.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://chicago.suntimes.com/elections/2024/03/17/illinois-march-primary-joe-biden-gaza-write-in-muslim-protest
----
How Muslim Americans meet their charitable
obligations: 3 findings from research
17 March 2024
Zakat, one of the five pillars of Islam, is an
obligatory act of giving and among several distinct forms of Islamic charity.
The Quran and hadiths, the words and sayings of the Prophet Muhammad, prescribe
what kind of charitable causes are eligible to receive these funds.
Although Muslims are expected to give away 2.5% of
their wealth every year, there is no time of year officially designated for
Zakat. Yet, many Muslim Americans fulfill this mandatory charitable obligation
during Ramadan, a monthlong period of fasting and spiritual growth.
Muslim Americans gave US$1.8 billion in Zakat funds in
2021, we found in new research regarding how and where Muslim Americans give
Zakat. We – three scholars of philanthropy – surveyed a representative sample
of 1,005 Muslim Americans.
We estimate that Zakat accounts for around 40% of
total U.S. Muslim giving, based on the results of an earlier related study
completed in 2021. Here are three key findings from our latest research about
how Muslim Americans approach this charitable tradition today.
1. Zakat is both formal and informal
Muslims primarily support formal charities and
government entities, but they also give informally. This generally happens either
by dispatching money to loved ones in other countries, in payments known as
remittances, or giving money directly to people in need.
Some 25.3% of the money U.S. Muslims give as Zakat
goes to international organizations, 21.7% supports governments and 18.3% flows
to domestic-focused U.S. nonprofits. In addition, 14.7% of the money is given
informally to individual people, often relatives, while 12.7% is sent abroad as
remittances. The rest, about 7%, supports miscellaneous other kinds of causes.
Finding that more than 1 in 4 Zakat dollars are given
informally surprised us. That’s because prior research had suggested that after
9/11, Muslims faced legal pressure to only fund certified charitable
organizations.
The U.S. government claimed for years that some Muslim
charities and funding networks were financially supporting extremist
organizations. This presumption cultivated a climate of fear and suspicion and
stoked heightened U.S. surveillance, as well as waves of fear-mongering toward
Muslim charities. Yet, despite these pressures to formalize charitable giving,
we find that Zakat giving continues to operate significantly through informal
means.
2. Zakat reflects the ethnic and socioeconomic
diversity of US Muslims
The nearly 3.5 million Muslim Americans comprise only
1.1% of the nation’s population but are demographically diverse – including
African Americans, Latinos, Arabs, Asians and whites, with no one ethnic group
comprising a majority. Some 58% of U.S. Muslims were born in other countries.
Despite having the same level of education as the
general population, U.S. Muslims are nevertheless disproportionately poor.
We found that white Muslims gave the most to charity
as Zakat: a mean of $3,732. Asian Muslims were next, giving an average of
$1,089. Arabs averaged $569 in gifts, and African Americans gave an average of
$420. People of mixed ethnicity averaged $336.
U.S. Muslims in their 40s gave an average of $2,560 in
Zakat annually, followed by $2,298 for those between the ages of 18 and 29.
Muslim Americans who were in their 30s gave $1,799, those 65 and older $1,074.
Interestingly, we found that those who were 50-64 years old gave the least:
$474 on average.
3. Muslim philanthropy consists of a wide range of
acts
We also found that Muslims consider philanthropy to
consist of a wide range of acts that go beyond giving money.
In addition to volunteering or in-kind donations,
these other forms of philanthropy include actions such as smiling, doing
something for others out of good intentions, helping relatives, encouraging
proper behavior, furthering good causes, abstaining from harmful acts and
advocating on behalf of the oppressed. The Prophet Muhammad reportedly said
that “smiling in the face of your brother is an of act of charity.”
Many Muslims see this broad understanding of
philanthropy as essential to their social and civic participation. This model
comes from the Prophet Muhammad, who espoused giving to charity – known as
Sadaqa in Arabic.
The next phase of this research will analyze how race,
gender and Islamic theological traditions impact Muslim American giving
practices.
This article is republished from The Conversation, a
nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy
analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Shariq
Siddiqui, Indiana University; Micah A. Hughes, Indiana University, and
RafeelWasif, Portland State University
Shariq Siddiqui and his team have received funding
from Islamic Relief USA and the Mirza Family Foundation for this research.
Micah A. Hughes has received funding from Islamic
Relief USA and the Mirza Family Foundation for this research.
RafeelWasif has received funding from Islamic Relief
USA and the Mirza Family Foundation for this research.
Source:
yahoo.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/muslim-americans-meet-charitable-obligations-120917452.html
----
US military support currently ‘very slow’: Israeli
official
March 17, 2024
LONDON: A high-ranking Israeli official has told ABC
News that the pace of US military support has diminished.
Annually, Israel receives approximately $3.8 billion
in military aid from the US. The unnamed official said shipments of weapons and
ammunition came “very fast” following the Oct. 7 Hamas attack but are currently
“very slow,” raising concerns over dwindling stocks of 155 mm artillery shells
and tank ammunition.
A rift between US President Joe Biden and Israeli
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has surfaced publicly over Israel’s conduct
in Gaza.
Its invasion of the Palestinian enclave has killed
more than 31,000 people so far, the majority women and children.
“We are in a very precarious time now,” an Israeli
military source told the Sunday Telegraph. “The global perception of the war is
impacting heavily on us and the relationship with the US.
“The influence for the US to somehow slow down the
offensive is something we are very worried about. They’re our most important
ally.”
The source added: “Most importantly, this is a
personal conflict, with the calls against Bibi (Netanyahu) at home and abroad
impossible for Biden to ignore.”
Netanyahu’s stance against a two-state solution and
his approval of further settlements in the occupied West Bank have exacerbated
tensions with the US.
Despite intensified scrutiny of US backing for Israel,
the White House has denied that it is deliberately slowing its support.
John Kirby, the White House national security
communications adviser, said: “We continue to support Israel with their
self-defense needs. That’s not going to change, and we have been very, very
direct about that.”
Source:
arabnews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2478346/world
----
Who is Basel BasselEbbadi? Iran-backed Hezbollah
operative held in US, admits he wanted ‘to make a bomb’ in NY
Shweta Kukreti
Mar 17, 2024
In a shocking revelation, an illegal migrant from Lebanon
admitted that he's a member of Hezbollah and wanted to enter the United States
to manufacture a bomb.
In a shocking revelation, an illegal migrant from
Lebanon admitted that he is a member of Hezbollah and wanted to enter the
United States to manufacture a bomb.
A US border patrol team apprehended Basel
BasselEbbadi, 22, on March 9 in El Paso, Texas, according to an exclusive NY
POST report. During the interrogation, Ebbadi stated that his training centered
on "jihad" and killing "people who were not Muslim."
He claimed to have received seven years of training
from Lebanon-based terror group Hezbollah and to have worked as an active
member guarding weapons facilities for another four years, reported The Post,
citing internal ICE data.
On being asked what he was doing in the US, Ebbadi
said: “I’m going to try to make a bomb," as per the Border Patrol
document.
Hezbollah, a terror group backed by Iran, fired
missiles into northern Israel in response to Hamas' October 7 attack, claiming
lives of over 12 IDF soldiers and seven civilians.
According to ICE filings, Ebbadi, who reached the US
without documents, said his original plan was to visit New York and then travel
across the nation.
Claiming to have been robbed “with a knife” in Costa
Rica, he acknowledged using a fictitious birthday and name in Panama, Sweden
and Ecuador, where he said his father resides.
Following the interrogation, the authorities put him
into isolation and scheduled his interview with the Tactical Terrorism Response
Team (TTRT) for posing "terroristic threats to personnel."
According to internal documents, he was slated for
deportation, but it was unclear which nation he would be repatriated to.
Illegal immigration becomes top issue in 2024 US
elections
Addressing a rally in Dayton, Ohio on Saturday, former
US President Donald Trump slammed the Biden administration over the surge of
illegal migrants and migrant crimes, vowing to end every 'open border policy'
if elected.
"My administration will end every open border
policy of the Biden administration," Trump stated during the event. He
further declared that the migrants who are guilty of crimes are "not
people."
"I don't know if you call them people," he
said.
Amid the surge in illegal migrants, the US has made at
least 59 arrests so far in 2024, revealed federal data.
Stressing on the situation at the US-Mexico border,
Trump asserted, "We're going to fix it again."
Meanwhile, Trump and Biden have secured the Republican
and Democratic presidential nominations, respectively, setting up a rematch in
November.
Source:
hindustantimes.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/us-news/who-is-basel-bassel-ebbadi-iran-backed-hezbollah-operative-held-in-us-admits-he-wanted-to-make-a-bomb-in-ny-101710695098138.html
----
South
Asia
Kabul Denies Claims of TTP Presence in Afghanistan
March 17, 2024
The Islamic Emirate denied the claims made by
Pakistan's special representative to Afghanistan regarding the presence of
Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants in the country.
Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesperson for the Islamic
Emirate, said that the Afghan soil is not allowed to be used against other
countries, including Pakistan.
"We reject the presence of any ... foreign groups
in Afghanistan and they are not allowed to operate on Afghan soil. In this
regard, we have made our utmost effort and continue to do so; but one thing we
must accept is that Afghanistan shares a very long border area with Pakistan,
and there are places with rugged terrain including mountains and forests, and
places that might be out of our control," said Zabihullah Mujahid.
Recently, Asif Ali Durani, Pakistan's Special
Representative for Afghanistan, claimed that five to six thousand members of
the TTP are sheltered in Afghanistan.
According to Pakistani media reports, Durani, during
the "Peace and Reconciliation in Afghanistan: Pakistan's Interests and
Policy Options' seminar organized by the
Pakistan Institute of Peace Studies, accused India of supporting the TTP in
Afghan territory.
“Islamabad has evidence that the banned
Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is getting money from India through Afghan
proxies, estimating that 5,000 to 6,000 TTP militants have taken shelter in
Afghanistan, Pakistan, during talks, had told the interim government in Kabul
that the latter needed to make TTP surrender and disarm the group and detain
its leadership. TTP is the red line for Pakistan," Durani was quoted as
saying in the report.
Several experts believe that Pakistan should address
its concerns about the presence of TTP militants in Afghanistan through
dialogue and engagement with the Islamic Emirate.
"Pakistan's excuses that India is strengthening
them and coming through Afghanistan, so what is Pakistan afraid of? Come sit
down and solve your issue with India and with Afghanistan, come sit down and
solve your issues. What problems do you have with the Afghan people? Come and
solve them," said Yusuf Amin Zazai, a political analyst.
"The foreign minister of this country should be
invited by the Afghan foreign minister to resolve these issues through
discussion and understanding, instead of dragging Afghanistan's neighborhood
disputes to the international table," said Sayed Qaribullah Sadat, another
political analyst.
Previously, Pakistan's special representative to
Afghanistan, accusing the Islamic Emirate of harboring the TTP in Afghanistan,
stated that TTP attacks have increased by 65% at the Pakistan border -- claims
that the Islamic Emirate has denied.
Source:
tolonews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-187870
----
Pakistan air strikes target various locations inside
Afghanistan
Fidel Rahmati
March 18, 2024
Reports confirm Pakistan’s new government under
Shehbaz Sharif has carried out airstrikes inside Afghanistan using fighter
jets.
According to available reports, at least two Pakistani
fighter jets took flight in the early hours of Monday, March 18th, targeting
various areas in the Bermel district of Paktika province.
Pakistani media have reported that “presumably” in
these unexpected attacks, positions and hideouts of the Pakistani Taliban or
Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) have been targeted.
The Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, in a statement released
shortly after the attacks, confirmed the occurrence of Pakistani airstrikes
inside Afghan territory and described them as “merciless.”
This quasi-militant group stated in its statement that
in addition to three areas in the Bermel district of Paktika province, areas in
Khost province have also been bombed.
Meanwhile, according to the sources confirmed to
Khaama Press, Pakistan bombed various areas in Paktika and Khost provinces
around 3:00 AM on Monday.
Details regarding potential casualties and damages
from these attacks are still unclear, and the Taliban administration has not
officially responded to this action by the new Pakistani government.
Local sources in Paktika province confirm that shortly
after the Pakistani airstrikes, the Kharlachi border crossing was closed for
traffic.
A source informed Khaama Press that following the
Pakistani airstrikes, armed tensions erupted between border forces of the
Afghan government led by the Taliban and Pakistan at this crossing, which
continues to escalate.
Source:
khaama.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.khaama.com/pakistan-air-strikes-target-various-locations-inside-afghanistan/
---
Journalists Call for Pending Media Law to Be
Implemented
March 17, 2024
Sunday, March 17, is National Journalists' Day in the
country.
On this occasion, several media support organizations
and journalists criticized the lack of an implemented mass media law in the
country. They raised the issue during a meeting for National Journalists' Day.
These organizations and journalists said that the lack
of a mass media law is a significant void and that the mass media law should be
approved by the leader of the Islamic Emirate as soon as possible.
"The mass media law, which was sent to Kandahar
for approval, I hope will be approved and made available to journalists soon so
that the path and method of our colleagues are clarified," said
SamimForough Faizi, the spokesperson for the Afghanistan Media Institution.
"National Journalists' Day is celebrated while
most journalists face many economic problems and limitations in accessing
information," said Haider Mohammad Nazari, a journalist.
Maryam Mirzai is a journalist who has worked for
various media outlets for more than three years but is now unemployed and
expresses concerns about her poor economic situation.
"I myself worked as a journalist in various
visual and audio media areas, and now I have been unemployed for a while, and
there are other journalists like me who are unemployed," Maryam Mirzai
told TOLOnews.
The Afghan Journalists Center in its annual report on
the occasion of Journalists' Day stated that in the year 1402 it recorded
nearly 150 incidents of media rights violations against journalists, including
80 threats and 59 arrests of journalists.
Although the Islamic Emirate did not comment on this
matter, HamdullahFitrat, the deputy spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate, says
that journalists must operate within the framework of Islamic values and
national interests.
"I hope that journalists reflect realities within
the framework of Islamic values and consider national interests and fulfill
their responsibilities correctly," HamdullahFitrat added.
"The Ministry of Information and Culture is
committed to cooperating with journalists and media, and journalists must also
reflect the truth," said Hayatullah Mohajir Farahi, the deputy of the
Ministry of Information and Culture.
It has been more than a year and a half since the mass
media law was reviewed by the Ministry of Information and Culture and sent to
the leader of the Islamic Emirate in Kandahar for approval, however, this law
has not yet been ratified.
Source:
tolonews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-187875
----
Children can't go astray if parents are friendly with
them: PM
Mar 17, 2024
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today advised the
guardians to become friendly with their children to keep them away from menaces
like terrorism, militancy, drug and corruption.
"There should be a friendly relation with
parents. If so, they [children] can't go astray. They must be given the lesson
of honesty from their childhood to keep them away from terrorism, militancy,
drug and corruption," she said.
The PM was addressing a programme organised at
Tungipara in Gopalganj to celebrate the 104th birthday anniversary of Father of
the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the National Children
Day-2024.
She said children should be engaged in extracurricular
activities like sports, painting, music, and other cultural exercises and
religious education alongside their classes.
"I would like to request guardians and teachers
that you should pay attention so that the children are imbued with human values
on the one hand and on the other hand they get scope to flourish their latent
talents," she said.
Noting that education is very essential, Hasina asked
the guardians and teachers not to create any undue pressure on the children in
the name of education.
She said the children should learn their lessons
through sports that would create scope to develop their hidden talent.
"We want to go ahead making curriculum
accordingly."
She said in Digital Bangladesh children now can see
the world through digital devices.
"So, they can learn not only by reading textbooks
but also by watching with their eyes. And then they would be smart citizens in
Smart Bangladesh. We want that."
The Women and Children Affairs Ministry arranged the
programme under the management of Gopalganj district administration.
This year the theme of the day is
"Bangabandhu'rSwapnaDhore, AnboHasiSobarGhore (Smiles to be brought to every
house with implementation of the dream of Bangabandhu)".
State Minister for Women and Children Affairs Simeen
Hussain (Rimi), Women and Children Affairs Secretary NazmaMobarek, and
TayebaTasmeen, a child speaking on behalf of children, spoke at the function.
Another child, Piyasha Jamil, presided over the
function, jointly moderated by two children Abdur Rahman and Lamiatul Bari.
Dhaka Divisional Commissioner Sabirul Islam and
Gopalganj Deputy Commissioner KaziMahbubul Alam were also on the stage.
Cabinet members, members of parliament, political
leaders and senior officials were present in the programme.
A documentary titled "Bangabandhu and Children
Rights" was screened.
The prime minister distributed prizes among the
winners of quiz, painting, recitation, patriotic song and dance competition
organised by Gopalganj District Administration on the occasion of 104th birth
anniversary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the
National Children's Day-2024.
Besides, 104 students from insolvent families received
Tk 5,000 as a financial donation on the occasion of the Bangabandhu's Birthday
and Children's Day.
Source:
thedailystar.net
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/children-cant-go-astray-if-parents-are-friendly-them-pm-3568711
---
King Salman Charity Donates 100 Tons of Dates to ARCS
2024-03-17
KABUL (BNA): The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and
Relief Center has donated one hundred tons of dates to the Afghan Red Crescent
Society.
The Afghan Red Crescent Society announced today that
MawlaviMatiul Haq Khalis, the acting president of the organization, expressed
gratitude upon receiving the generous donation of dates from the charity.
He stated that the dates will be distributed among
those in need in Kabul and other provinces.
The distribution process of the donated dates began
today in Kabul, with each family set to receive 8 kilograms of dates. This
initiative aims to provide much-needed assistance to vulnerable families in the
region.
Source:
bakhtarnews.af
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.bakhtarnews.af/en/king-salman-charity-donates-100-tons-of-dates-to-arcs/
----
IEA warns Pakistan against repeating airstrikes which
left 8 dead
March 18, 2024
The Islamic Emirate said Monday that Pakistan had
carried out airstrikes in the early hours of the morning, which left eight
people dead in Paktika and Khost provinces.
According to a statement issued by the IEA, the
airstrikes took place at about 3am in the Barmal district in Khost province and
Sepira district in Paktika province.
Six people were killed in Paktika, including three
women and three children, and another two women were killed in Khost.
The IEA said it was targeting a man named Abdullah
Shah. However, Shah is in Pakistan at the moment, the IEA claimed adding that
there is a tribe living on both sides of the border and cross between the two
countries daily.
IEA spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the person
Pakistan is targeting is Commander Abdullah Shah. Mujahid also released a video
to the media.
“This commander exists in Waziristan, which Pakistani
forces do not see him there, but under the pretext attacking Afghanistan’s
territory,” Mujahid said.
The Islamic Emirate has strongly condemned the
airstrikes and said it is a “reckless violation” of Afghanistan’s territory.
The IEA also cautioned Pakistan against carrying out
such attacks saying they have a “long experience of freedom struggle against
the superpowers of the world.”
The IEA also called on the people of Pakistan and the
new civilian government to stop some army generals from engaging in action
against Afghanistan – as they have done for over 20 years – thereby souring
relations between the two nations.
According to the IEA, Pakistan should not blame
Afghanistan for the lack of control, incompetence and problems in its own
territory, because such incidents can have very bad consequences that cannot be
controlled by Pakistan.
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan does not allow
anyone to harm anyone’s security by using the territory of Afghanistan.
On Sunday, Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja
Muhammad Asif said that “terrorism” in the South Asian country was being
conducted mostly from Afghanistan.
The comment came a day after militants killed seven
Pakistan Army soldiers in Waziristan in the northwest of the country.
Pakistan has repeatedly accused the Islamic Emirate of
not cracking down on militant groups in Afghanistan.
However, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has
repeatedly denied these allegations and says they will not allow any militant
group to pose a threat to another country from Afghanistan.
On Saturday, seven Pakistan Army soldiers, including
two officers, were killed when militants rammed an explosives-laden truck into
a security forces’ checkpost in Mir Ali.
Source:
ariananews.af
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.ariananews.af/iea-warns-pakistan-against-repeating-airstrikes-which-left-8-dead/
----
Mideast
Palestinians Not To Forget International Bodies
Inaction Vs Zionists: Iranian President
Mar 18, 2024
TEHRAN, Mar. 17 (MNA) – The Palestinians will not
forget the inaction of international organizations in the face of the
unprecedented crimes committed by the Zionists against the oppressed people of
Gaza, according to Iranian president Sunday.
Speaking in a Sunday meeting of the cabinet, President
Ebrahim Raeisi expressed regret over the lack of action on the part of
international organizations in the face of the Israeli regime's genocidal war
in the Gaza Strip.
Expressing deep regret and concern over the current
situation of the Palestinians in Gaza, the Iranian president condemned the
inaction of international organizations towards the unprecedented crimes of the
Zionists against the oppressed, innocent, defenseless but powerful people of
Gaza, as well as the continued economic and political relations on the part of
some Islamic countries with the Zionist regime.
"Palestinians and other oppressed people in the
world will never forget this inaction," Raeisi asserted.
Elsewhere in the Sunday meeting, he defended his
administration's economic record and noted that not only inflation is under
control, but also it is witnessing a downward trend.
He called on his government officials to intensify
their efforts to lower the inflation rate even further.
Source:
mehrnews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://en.mehrnews.com/news/213141/Palestinians-not-to-forget-intl-bodies-inaction-vs-Zionists
---
Israeli army launches operation in Gaza's Al-Shifa
hospital
Mar 18, 2024
The Israeli army launched Monday an operation around
Gaza's largest hospital Al-Shifa, with witnesses reporting air strikes on the
devastated neighbourhood where it is located.
Israeli soldiers "are currently conducting a
precise operation in the area of the Shifa hospital", a statement from the
military said.
"The operation is based on intelligence
information indicating the use of the hospital by senior Hamas
terrorists".
Witnesses in Gaza City told AFP they saw tanks
surround the hospital site.
The Israeli army also carried out a November operation
in Al-Shifa, sparking an international outcry.
Tens of thousands of Palestinians displaced by the war
have sought shelter in the complex, according to the Hamas-run health ministry
in Gaza.
Israel has repeatedly accused Hamas of running military
operations from hospitals and other medical centres, claims the militant group
denies.
The Hamas government media office in Gaza condemned
the operation, saying that "the storming of the Al-Shifa medical complex
with tanks, drones, and weapons, and shooting inside it, is a war crime".
The Israeli army has carried out several operations on
medical facilities around the Gaza Strip since the start of the war.
The war began when Hamas launched an unprecedented
attack from Gaza on October 7 that resulted in about 1,160 deaths in Israel,
mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official figures.
Palestinian militants seized about 250 Israeli and
foreign hostages during the October 7 attack, but dozens were released during a
week-long truce in November.
Israel believes about 130 remain in Gaza including 33
-- eight soldiers and 25 civilians -- who are presumed dead.
Vowing to destroy Hamas, Israel has carried out a
relentless bombardment and ground offensive that the health ministry in the
Palestinian territory says has killed at least 31,645 people, most of them
women and children.
According to the Israeli military, troops "were
instructed on the importance of operating cautiously, as well as on the measures
to be taken to avoid harm to the patients, civilians, medical staff, and
medical equipment".
The statement also said Arabic speakers had been
deployed in order to "facilitate dialogue with the patients remaining in
the hospital".
It added: "There is no obligation for the
patients and medical staff to evacuate."
Following its November 15 operation on Al-Shifa, the
Israeli military said it had found weapons and other military equipment hidden
in the site -- claims Hamas has denied.
It also claimed it had found a 55-metre tunnel in the
basement and shared footage that it said proved hostages had been held there,
which Hamas also denied.
According to the UN, 155 health facilities in the Gaza
Strip have been damaged since the war began.
Source:
thedailystar.net
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.thedailystar.net/news/world/israels-attack-on-palestine/news/israeli-army-launches-operation-gazas-al-shifa-hospital-3569311
----
UNICEF says over 13,000 children killed in Gaza in
Israel offensive
March 18, 2024
WASHINGTON: The U.N. children's agency said on Sunday
over 13,000 children have been killed in Gaza in Israel's offensive, adding
many kids were suffering from severe malnutrition and did not "even have
the energy to cry."
"Thousands more have been injured or we can't
even determine where they are. They may be stuck under rubble ... We haven't
seen that rate of death among children in almost any other conflict in the
world," UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell told CBS News'
"Face the Nation" program on Sunday.
"I've been in wards of children who are suffering
from severe anemia malnutrition, the whole ward is absolutely quiet. Because
the children, the babies ... don't even have the energy to cry."
‘Bloody’ Ramazan Friday as Gaza strike kills 36
relatives
Russell said there were "very great bureaucratic
challenges" moving trucks into Gaza for aid and assistance.
International criticism has mounted on Israel due to
the death toll of the war, the starvation crisis in Gaza, and allegations of
blocking aid deliveries into the enclave.
A U.N. expert said earlier this month that Israel was
destroying Gaza's food system as part of a broader "starvation
campaign." Israel rejected the accusation.
Israel's military assault on Hamas-governed Gaza has
displaced nearly its entire 2.3 million-person population, caused a starvation
crisis, flattened most of the enclave, and killed over 31,000 people, according
to Gaza's health ministry. It has also led to accusations of genocide being
probed in the World Court.
Israel denies the genocide charges and says it is
acting in self defense after the Oct. 7 attack on Israel from Hamas that killed
some 1,200, according to Israeli tallies, and took scores of hostages.
One in three children under age 2 in northern Gaza is
now acutely malnourished and famine is looming, the main U.N. agency operating
in the Palestinian enclave said on Saturday.
Source:
brecorder.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.brecorder.com/news/40294059/unicef-says-over-13000-children-killed-in-gaza-in-israel-offensive
---
Hamas: War not confined to Gaza; Israel facing
'extensive resistance front'
18 March 2024
The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas says Israel
has come to face an “extensive front” far greater than the Gaza Strip.
“The field battle is not confined to Gaza,” Osama
Hamdan, who represents the group in Lebanon, told the country’s al-Manar
television network on Monday.
The enemy sees itself face to face with an extensive
resistance front, he asserted.
Israel launched the war against Gaza on October 7
after a retaliatory operation by the territory’s resistance groups, during
which hundreds were taken captive. Since the beginning of the war, the regime
has killed more than 31,600 Gazans, most of them women, children, and
adolescents.
In response, resistance movements from Lebanon, Iraq,
and Yemen have been carrying out military operations against the Tel Aviv
regime and its interests in the region.
‘Enemy baffled by resistance’s unwavering power’
Hamdan also noted that, despite its hugely deadly and
destructive campaign, the enemy has fallen short of realizing all of its
"objectives."
He was referring to the declared goals of releasing
the captives, bringing about forced displacement of Gaza’s population to
neighboring Egypt, and “eliminating” Hamas.
“After 163 days, the resistance is still capable in
the field battle,” Hamdan said.
The resistance is still fighting across locations,
where the Israeli army claims to have ended the war and eliminated the
resistance, he said, adding, “This issue has created crises for the occupying
army.”
‘Post-Netanyahu era’
The Hamas representative, meanwhile, pointed to rising
tensions across the occupied territories over Israeli prime minister Benjamin
Netanyahu’s failure to clinch the return of the Israeli captives.
“The tensions are deeper and greater that what comes
to the eye,” he said.
“All eyes are on the next elections in the occupied
territories,” he said, adding, “Planning underway for the post-Netanyahu era.”
Elsewhere in his remarks, Hamdan said Hamas faced a
“real chance” of ending the invasion and achieving a “permanent ceasefire.”
The resistance movement has agreed to the Israeli
military’s “partial withdrawal” from Gaza until the realization of an agreement
on complete cessation of the aggression, the Hamas official said.
In the first phase, the movement would identify the
ailing Palestinian prisoners for release by the regime, he said.
Hamdan pointed to talks in Doha aimed at enabling a
prisoner swap.
The Israeli cabinet would determine the sphere of
authority of its negotiators in upcoming meetings in the Qatari capital, Hamdan
said. “And we determine the likelihood of conclusion or defeat of an agreement
accordingly,” he added.
Source:
presstv.ir
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/03/18/722089/Palestine-Israel-Hamas-war-Gaza-Hamdan
----
Iraq's Islamic Resistance strikes Israel’s air base in
occupied Golan with drones
18 March 2024
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq says it has carried out
another anti-Israeli operation, targeting the regime’s air base in the occupied
Golan Heights with drones.
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, which is an umbrella
group of the country’s anti-terror movements, made the announcement in a
statement on its Telegram channel early Monday without naming the Israeli air
base.
“The fighters of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, at
dawn today, Monday, 3/18/2024, targeted with drones an air base for the Zionist
occupation’s drones in the occupied Golan,” the statement said.
It added that operations against the occupying entity
will continue and double during the holy month of Ramadan in order to destroy
more enemy strongholds.
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq asserted that the new
strike was part of the second phase of its operations against the Israeli
regime and in support of the Palestinian people in Gaza, amid the regime’s
ongoing genocide across the territory.
Israel’s military aggression against Gaza has so far
killed at least 31,645 Palestinians and injured 73,676 others.
The regime has also imposed a complete siege on the
territory, cutting off fuel, electricity, food, medicine and water to more than
two million Palestinians living there.
The new operation came almost a week after the Iraqi
resistance struck Israel’s main airport in support of Palestinians in the Gaza
Strip.
"The fighters of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq
... targeted Ben Gurion Airport deep within the usurping entity by drone,"
it said in a statement.
Earlier this month, the Iraqi resistance announced it
had targeted the Haifa Airport in the northern part of the occupied territories
in another pro-Palestinian operation.
The group has also staged numerous attacks against
bases housing American occupation forces in Iraq and neighboring Syria in
protest at the United States' unreserved political, military, and intelligence
support for the Israeli genocide in Gaza.
Source:
presstv.ir
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/03/18/722084/Iraq-islamic-resistance-Israel-air-base-occupied-Golan-
----
Gaza facing famine, ceasefire agreement must be
reached ASAP
Mar 18, 2024
TEHRAN, Mar. 18 (MNA) – The president of the European
Commission has warned about imminent famine in the besieged Gaza Strip,
stressing that an agreement for the establishment of a ceasefire across the
territory must be reached as soon as possible.
"Gaza is facing famine and we cannot accept
this," Ursula von der Leyen told reporters in Cairo on Sunday after
signing a strategic partnership agreement with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah
al-Sisi.
"It is critical to achieve an agreement on a
ceasefire rapidly now that … allows more humanitarian aid to reach Gaza,"
she said.
Her remarks came after the United Nations Agency for
Palestinian Refugees, UNRWA, warned that one-third of children under two years
old in northern Gaza are acutely malnourished as famine looms amid Israel’s
complete blockade of the coastal territory.
Adding that “children’s malnutrition is spreading fast
and reaching unprecedented levels in Gaza," the agency cautioned, “Famine
is looming. There is no time to waste.”
Elsewhere in her Sunday remarks, Von der Leyen said,
"We are all extremely concerned about the war in Gaza and the unfolding
catastrophic humanitarian situation …. and we’re also very concerned about the
risks (that) a full-scale offensive in Rafah would have for the vulnerable
civilian population. This needs to be avoided at all costs."
Despite increasing international calls to halt its
military aggression, Israel has approved plans to assault the city of Rafah in
Gaza’s south, where about 1.4 million Palestinian citizens have taken refuge after
the regime forced them from their homes in other parts of the territory.
Earlier on Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu reiterated that the regime would push on with its planned ground
offensive, vowing to send ground forces into Rafah.
Israel’s allies and critics have warned Netanyahu
against the invasion of Rafah, fearing mass civilian casualties.
Israel launched its war of genocide on Gaza on October
7, 2023, after the territory's Resistance movements waged Operation al-Aqsa
Storm against the occupying entity in response to the regime's decades-long
campaign of bloodletting and devastation against Palestinians.
Since the start of its aggression, the Tel Aviv regime
has killed at least 31,645 Palestinians and injured 73,676 others.
The regime has also imposed a complete siege on the
territory, cutting off fuel, electricity, food, medicine, and water to more
than two million Palestinians living there.
Source:
mehrnews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://en.mehrnews.com/news/213146/Gaza-facing-famine-ceasefire-agreement-must-be-reached-ASAP
----
IDF says it destroyed part of one of longest Hamas
tunnel networks in north Gaza
17 March 2024
EMANUEL FABIAN
The Israel Defense Forces said Sunday that it recently
destroyed what it says is part of one of the longest Hamas tunnel networks,
which connects Hamas battalions and brigades in northern and southern Gaza.
Combat engineers of the 162nd Division, along with the
elite Yahalom unit, demolished around 2.5 kilometers (a little more than 1.5
miles) of the tunnel network in northern Gaza, according to the IDF.
The IDF also said Sunday that troops of the Nahal
Brigade had killed some 18 Hamas operatives in the central Gaza Strip over the
past day.
The gunmen were killed with sniper fire and by the
troops calling in tank shelling and airstrikes.
In southern Gaza’s Khan Younis, the IDF said troops of
the Givati Brigade spotted two Hamas operatives loading a motorbike with
military gear and called in an airstrike. Another two gunmen approaching the
troops were also killed in an airstrike, the military said.
In Khan Younis, the 7th Armored Brigade killed several
more Hamas operatives and seized weapons, the IDF said.
In one incident, the IDF said the troops shelled a
building from which anti-tank missiles were fired. The missile attack caused no
injuries.
A soldier from the 601st Battalion was seriously
injured on Friday in fighting in the central Gaza Strip, the military stated.
The soldier was taken to the hospital for medical treatment, and his family was
informed.
The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza on Sunday said
that the bodies of 92 people killed in Israeli airstrikes were brought to
hospitals in Gaza in the past 24 hours. Hospitals also received 130 wounded, it
said. The numbers could not be independently verified.
At least 11 people from the Thabet family, including
five children and one woman, were killed in an airstrike in Deir el-Balah city
in central Gaza, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society and an
Associated Press journalist. The body of an infant lay among the dead.
A Palestinian girl, LeenThabit, retrieving a white
dress from under the rubble of a flattened house, cried as she told AFP that
her cousin had been killed in the strike.
“She’s dead. Only her dress is left,” Thabit said.
“What do they want from us?”
The ongoing war has driven most of Gaza’s 2.3 million
people from their homes. A quarter of Gaza’s population is starving, according
to the UN.
Humanitarian aid airdrops by the US and other nations
continue, while deliveries on a new sea route have begun, but aid groups say
more ground routes and fewer Israeli restrictions on them are needed to meet
humanitarian needs in any significant way.
Israel says there is no limit to the amount of aid
that can enter the Strip and has blamed aid groups for failing to properly
distribute supplies.
In the face of growing international criticism of the
military campaign, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday reiterated his
determination to attack Hamas in Rafah and said that his government approved
military plans for such an operation.
“We will operate in Rafah. This will take several
weeks, and it will happen,” he told the weekly cabinet meeting.
Netanyahu’s office said Friday that he had approved
military operational plans for an offensive in the southern Gaza city.
Israel has said Rafah, where four Hamas battalions are
deployed, remains Hamas’s last major stronghold in the Strip after the IDF
operated in the north and center of the Palestinian enclave. It has said an
offensive there is necessary to achieve the war’s goals and is not a question
of “if” but “when.”
The international community has expressed concerns
about the humanitarian costs of a planned assault on Rafah, where about 1.4
million displaced Palestinians are sheltering. Israel has promised to evacuate
the civilian population before the ground incursion, but has not publicized the
details of where they will be moved.
War erupted when Hamas-led terrorists rampaged through
southern communities on October 7, slaughtering some 1,200 people, mostly
civilians, and taking 253 captives to Gaza, where more than half remain. The
devastating onslaught and the resulting Israeli offensive — aimed at
eliminating Hamas and returning the hostages — have sparked fears of a regional
conflagration.
The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry says 31,645 people
in the Strip have been killed in the fighting so far, a figure that cannot be
independently verified, and includes those killed by the terror groups’ failed
rocket launches and some 13,000 Hamas terrorists Israel says it has killed in
battle. Israel also says it killed some 1,000 gunmen inside Israel on October
7.
Source:
timesofisrael.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-says-it-destroyed-part-of-one-of-longest-hamas-tunnel-networks-in-north-gaza/
----
Lebanese man caught at US border says he's part of
Hezbollah - report
MARCH 18, 2024
A Lebanese man who was caught sneaking over the
US-Mexico border said he was a member of Hezbollah and was planning a terrorist
attack, the New York Post reported on Sunday.
The report cited what the New York Post claimed was a
Border Patrol document that they had "exclusively obtained." US
Customs and Border Protection had not confirmed the report as of Sunday
evening.
According to the report, the man, identified as Basel
BasselEbbadi, was caught in early March near El Paso, Texas. When asked what he
was doing in the US, he told Border Patrol that he was "going to try to
make a bomb," according to the report.
Ebaddi told Border Patrol that he had trained with
Hezbollah for seven years and guarded weapons locations for the terrorist
movement for several years.
'Once you're in, you can never get out'
Later on, Ebbadi claimed that he was trying to flee
Lebanon because he "didn't want to kill people" and told officers
that "once you're in, you can never get out."
According to the report, Ebbadi wanted to go to New
York and then move around the country. He was placed in isolation and referred
to an interview with the Tactical Terrorism Response Team (TTRT) for making
"terroristic threats to personnel."
Source:
jpost.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-792436
---
Pakistan
Pakistani airstrikes target suspected Pakistani
Taliban hideouts in Afghanistan: Officials
March 18, 2024
“Pakistani airstrikes targeted multiple suspected
hideouts of Pakistani Taliban inside Afghanistan early Monday (March 18), two
days after insurgents killed seven soldiers in a suicide bombing and
coordinated attacks in the northwest,” two security officials said.
There was no immediate comment by Pakistan's military
and the Taliban government in Afghanistan denounced the strikes, which are
likely to further increase tension between the neighbouring countries.
Two Pakistani security and intelligence officials said
the airstrikes were carried out in Khost and Paktika provinces bordering
Pakistan. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were
not authorised to speak to media on the record.
The officials provided no further details, and it was
unclear whether jets went deep inside Afghanistan. The Pakistani Taliban also
confirmed Monday's strikes in a statement.
The inhumane
decision to expel Afghan refugees
Chief Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid
said in a statement that Pakistan's airstrikes in Barmaldistirct in Paktika
killed three women and three children while two other women were killed in the
strike in Khost province.
The airstrikes came two days after a suicide bomber
rammed his explosive-laden truck into a military post in northwest Pakistan,
killing seven soldiers.
Pakistani troops also came under attack on March 16
and they killed all six militants responsible in a shootout in North
Waziristan, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province that borders Afghanistan.
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari attended the
funerals of the soldiers and vowed to retaliate for their killings, saying “the
blood of our martyred soldiers will not go in vain." Saturday's attack on
the military post was claimed by a newly formed militant group,
Jaish-e-Fursan-e-Muhammad. However, Pakistani security officials believed the
group mainly is comprised of members of the outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan
or TTP, which often targets Pakistani soldiers and police.
Syed Muhammad Ali, an Islamabad based security expert,
said Monday's strikes were in retaliation for a series of TTP attacks,
especially the one on Saturday in Mir Ali in which an Army lieutenant colonel
and captain were among those killed.
He said the Pakistani strikes came within 24 hours of
Mr. Zardari's promise of strong retaliation. “It also indicates that Pakistan's
patience for the Afghan interim government's continued hospitality for
terrorists conducting frequent attacks on Pakistan from inside Afghanistan has
finally run out,” he said.
The Pakistani Taliban are a separate group but are
allies of the Afghanistan Taliban, who seized power in Afghanistan in 2021 as
the U.S. and NATO troops were in the final stages of their pullout. The Taliban
takeover in Afghanistan emboldened TTP, whose top leaders and fighters are
hiding in Afghanistan.
Though the Taliban government in Afghanistan often
says it will not allow TTP or any other militant group to attack Pakistan or
any other country from its soil, the Pakistani Taliban have stepped up attacks
inside Pakistan in recent years, straining relations with the Afghan Taliban
government.
Source:
thehindu.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/pakistani-airstrikes-target-suspected-pakistani-taliban-hideouts-in-afghanistan-officials/article67963828.ece
----
PML-N, PTI trade barbs over ‘smear campaign’ against
martyrs
March 18, 2024
LAHORE: The ruling PML-N on Sunday accused the PTI of
running a smear campaign against the country’s martyrs, an allegation swiftly
rejected by the opposition party.
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar warned the party
of action over its alleged campaign against martyrs of the Mir Ali checkpost
attack, while Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif regretted that the PTI’s
‘love of power’ had become so intense that “you make fun of those who sacrificed
their lives for Pakistan”.
In a rejoinder, senior PTI leader Asad Qaiser censured
both Mr Asif and Mr Tarar for criticising his party over its alleged
involvement in an “insulting campaign” against the martyrs of Pakistan Army and
security forces personnel, saying they were running “misleading propaganda”
against PTI.
Seven troops, including two officers, embraced
martyrdom when militants targeted a paramilitary camp in the Mir Ali area of
North Waziristan on Saturday. The security forces later killed six militants in
a clearance operation.
“The smear campaign against martyrs is not acceptable
as it has not only hurt the sentiments of families of martyrs but also the
entire nation,” Mr Tarar told a press conference in Lahore.
He said those behind the “vile campaign” were being
identified and stern action would be taken against them.
He said the social media accounts involved in the
malicious campaign had been reported to relevant platforms, but regretted that
no action was taken by the authorities concerned as the accounts were still
operational.
“The PTI is involved in disrespecting martyrs,” he
said, citing the examples of the Lasbela helicopter crash in 2022 and May 9,
when state institutions came under attack, martyrs’ memorials were vandalised.
Answering a question, he said many accounts involved
in the vile campaign were being operated from outside the country, but some
followers of these accounts were in the country. He said many accounts were
also being operated from Pakistan, adding that legal action would be taken
against them.
The minister said some political elements wanted to
harm the national economy for their vested interests through negative tactics
like writing letters to the IMF.
He said PTI should have openly condemned those who had
demonstrated outside IMF offices in the US and sent petitions to the European
Union to revoke Pakistan’s GSP+ status.
In Sialkot, Defence Minister Asif condemned the
nefarious campaign against martyrs on social media, APP reported. “Our martyrs
are our pride, but there is no doubt that those who gave wrong remarks against
them are in touch with terrorists,” he told a presser.
He added that the army personnel, who embraced
martyrdom while defending the motherland against the scourge of terrorism in
Mir Ali, were ridiculed by a political party on social media.
Targeting PTI, he said that loss of power and the love
of power had become so intense that “you are making fun of those who sacrificed
their lives for Pakistan. I think there can be no greater enmity with Pakistan”.
Mr Asif said dragging martyrs into differences over
elections is a very shameful act and the party which is doing this, has
actually lost its identity and today it is a nameless party. The minister said
no one knows who is running the PTI today.
He pointed out that these people through letters to
the IMF and US Congress members said that Pakistan should not be given loans.
He said writing a letter to IMF is equivalent to anti-nationalism.
PTI rejects accusation
However, PTI leader Qaiser hit back at the two
ministers, saying his party always acknowledged the sacrifices made by the
soldiers defending the country’s borders, Geo News reported.
“Those using soldiers’ martyrdom for their political
gains are not the well-wishers of the nation,” he said in a post on X, formerly
Twitter.
The former National Assembly speaker further said that
“nation is proud of each and every soldier protecting the country”.
PTI leader Barrister Saif also assailed the PML-N,
saying the ruling party was dragging the martyrs into politics for political
gains.
He said PTI is a patriotic party and denied its
involvement in any campaign maligning the martyrs.
Source:
dawn.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.dawn.com/news/1822205/pml-n-pti-trade-barbs-over-smear-campaign-against-martyrs
----
Operation for deportation of Afghan citizen card
holders from April 15
March 18, 2024
Asif Mehmood Butt
LAHORE: The federal interior ministry has issued
orders to the Punjab government to start phase two of an operation for the
deportation of Afghan citizen card holders from April 15.
Federal Interior Secretary Aftab Durrani presided over
a video link meeting along with Punjab Home Secretary Noorul Amin and other top
officials. Sources said the federal government will provide Punjab with lists
of Afghan Citizen Card Holders, which will be shared with the police and other
law enforcement agencies.
The card holders will be asked to return to
Afghanistan voluntarily first. Later, they will be arrested and deported.
Sources said that the data of Afghan citizen card holders is available with the
federal government due to which difficulties faced in the past in tracing
illegal foreigners will no longer occur.
Sources said that immediately after the completion of
phase two of deportation of foreigners, a briefing was also given about
starting phase three in which Afghan POR (Proof of Residence) card holders will
be deported. Sources said that more than 400,000 illegal foreign Afghans have
been deported so far.
Source:
thenews.com.pk
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1169412-operation-for-deportation-of-afghan-citizen-card-holders-from-april-15
---
Corruption on ‘peak’ in previous PTI-led KP govt:
Imran Khan’s lawyer
March 17, 2024
AbubakarSaddiq
Corruption was rampant in the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf
(PTI)-led former government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), admitted the Imran
Khan-founded party’ senior leader and lawmaker Sher Afzal Marwat on Sunday.
During a live session on X Spaces, Marwat, who is
known for his outspoken demeanour and controversial statements, alleged: “In
the previous government of the PTI, people became not billionaires but
trillionaires [via corruption].”
Responding to a question, the PTI leader said that the
narrative of keeping former prime minister Imran Khan at Adiala Jail instead of
his residence in Bani Gala was not floated by him.
“Former KP chief minister Mahmood Khan earns Rs2.5
million daily from one of his mines,” he added.
Marwat remains in the limelight due to his blunt and
controversial remarks.
Last week, he had said that his party was paying the
cost of two wrong decisions. Speaking on Geo News programme "Aaj Shahzeb
Khanzada Kay Sath", the MNA said that the first mistake was committed when
Imran directed for a political alliance with the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Sherani
group.
An electoral alliance between the JUI-Shirani and the
PTI could not be concluded after they failed to strike a seat adjustment
agreement for the February 8 general elections.
He further said that entering into an alliance with
the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) was their second major mistake, adding that
they former ruling party lost 80 seats due to the wrong decisions.
His remarks annoyed the PTI’s ally in the assemblies
as the SIC Chairman Sahibzada Hamid Raza Friday warned the PTI leaders against
washing their dirty laundry in public, saying he had a lot to reveal but
choosing not to share because of his commitment to the party's founder Imran
Khan’s cause.
The SIC chief took a strong exception to Marwat’s
comments and advised the PTI to put its house in order.
Taking to X, Raza said it is better that PTI friends
resolve their issues at home, emphasising that the decision to join the SIC was
taken by Khan.
Source:
thenews.com.pk
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1169253-corruption-on-peak-in-previous-pti-led-kp-govt-imran-khans-lawyer
----
Faisal Mosque seeks applications for Aitekaf in last
Ashra of Ramazan
March 18, 2024
ISLAMABAD
- Faisal Mosque is set to host
300 individuals for Aitekaf, a revered Islamic tradition of seclusion and
devotion, in a bid to deepen their spiritual connection during the holy month
of Ramazan.
The administration of Faisal Mosque has opened its
doors to those seeking this profound spiritual experience in the last Ashra (10
days) of the holy month. It has announced that applications for Aitekaf will be
accepted until the 10th of Ramazan, allowing eager devotees to secure their
spots in advance.
Applicants are advised that the process operates on a
first-come, first-served basis, emphasizing the importance of prompt
submission. Prospective participants are required to obtain an application
form from the Faisal Mosque Islamic Centre office. Alongside the application,
individuals must provide two passport-sized photographs and a copy of their
national identity card, ensuring all necessary documentation is in order. With
the responsibility of Suhoor and Iftar arrangements falling upon the
participants, individuals are urged to prepare accordingly for the duration
of their Aitekaf. It’s worth noting that the opportunity for Aitekaf is open to
individuals up to 60 years of age, fostering inclusivity within the spiritual
community. Moreover, participants are reminded of the necessity to arrive
before Iftar on the 20th of Ramazan, marking the commencement of their
seclusion.
In anticipation of this sacred undertaking, Faisal
Mosque has made special arrangements to accommodate the devotees embarking on
this spiritual journey. From provisions for prayer to facilities for rest and
reflection, the Faisal Mosque aims to provide a conducive environment for the
spiritual growth of its participants.
Meanwhile, President of International Islamic
University Islamabad (IIUI), Prof. Dr. HathalHomoud Al-Otaibi, has taken
cognizance of the Rs. 5,000 registration fee for Aitekaf at the Faisal Mosque.
According to IIUI spokesperson Nasir Farid, the President IIUI has instructed
the Dawah Academy to immediately revoke the fixed registration fee for Aitekaf.
Furthermore, the president has mandated that any matters concerning the Faisal
Mosque and the public must receive formal approval from the quarters
concerned, and the academy is not authorized to make independent decisions.
Moreover, the president has emphasized the provision
of all necessary facilities to worshippers at the Faisal Mosque during the
fasting month and the resolution of issues pertaining to Aitekaf.
Additionally, the president has directed to ensure optimal arrangements for
Aitekaf.
Source:
nation.com.pk
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.nation.com.pk/18-Mar-2024/faisal-mosque-seeks-applications-for-aitekaf-in-last-ashra-of-ramazan
---
Southeast
Asia
Investigations into KK Mart will continue over sale of
'Allah' socks despite apology, says Deputy Home Minister
18 Mar 2024
KUALA LUMPUR, March 18 — The Home Ministry will
continue its investigation into convenience store chain KK Mart, over the its
sale of socks with the word ‘Allah’ printed on it, despite the store’s apology
on the matter, Deputy Home Minister (KDN) Datuk Seri Shamsul AnuarNasarah said
today.
“KDN views this issue seriously and enforcement action
was taken by carrying out checks at all KK Mart premises nationwide and the
results of the inspection we made found that KK Mart had already recalled all
the socks in question from all of its branches nationwide.
“However, we conducted further investigations on the
management and vendors involved to ensure that these socks are no longer in the
market.
“Although an apology was issued by KK Mart and the
vendors involved, KDN will continue investigations to contain this issue that
caused public uproar and annoyance, and if found guilty, the relevant parties
may be punished with a fine of up to RM20,000 or imprisonment of up to three
years, or both,” he told Parliament today.
Shamsul was responding to a question by PayaBesar MP
Datuk MohdShahar Abdullah, who had asked about the ministry’s action on the
sale of the said socks.
Last week, Malaysiakini reported that the police are
not investigating the convenience store chain for selling the socks with the
word Allah printed on them.
The news portal reported Selangor police chief Datuk
Hussein Omar Khan saying that this was because no complaints were lodged over
the matter.
However, Shamsul told the Dewan Rakyat that 36 police
reports have already been lodged to date and one investigation paper has been
opened under Section 298A of the Penal Code and Section 233 of the
Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.
“The investigation paper is still under police
investigation, and we are constantly monitoring so that things like these do
not happen again,” he said.
National news agency Bernama yesterday reported that
the socks with the word ‘Allah’ printed were sold at KK Mart in Bandar Sunway
and the issue had gone viral on social media since March 13.
KK Mart Group founder and executive chairman Datuk
Seri Dr KK Chai has since apologised over the issue.
Source:
malaymail.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/03/18/investigations-into-kk-mart-will-continue-over-sale-of-allah-socks-despite-apology-says-deputy-home-minister/124093
-----
PM Anwar urges Muslims to appreciate spirit of
Ramadan, help the less fortunate
18 Mar 2024
PUTRAJAYA, March 18 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar
Ibrahim has urged Muslims in the country to appreciate the spirit of Ramadan by
strengthening self-discipline and helping the less fortunate.
Speaking at the Prime Minister’s Department monthly
assembly here today, he said that in addition to elevating worship, Ramadan
serves as a platform to reinforce and refine strengths, faith, morals and
discipline.
“That’s why some scholars say that Ramadan addresses a
wider ethical question and, of course, self-discipline, what (we) can eat, what
we can’t eat, what we should but do not do.
“It should also prompt us to talk about matters
related to Ramadan, encourage us to make increased efforts in charity and
extend assistance to the less fortunate,” he said.
Anwar, who has just returned from a six-day official
visit to Germany, said that embracing the Ramadan spirit in everyday life could
lead to better management of national issues and showcase Malaysia’s success on
the global stage.
“Our worship should have a broader meaning. How can we
make the best of Ramadan while indulging in excessive waste and ignoring the
plight of the poor. How do we still accept commissions and bribes during
Ramadan, which means that there is no appreciation,” he said.
Anwar also refuted claims by some quarters that he did
not prioritise acts of worship when discussing Ramadan-related issues such as
poverty, discipline, and governance.
“Discussing Islam involves established principles and
laws, including those pertaining to worship outlined in the religious text. I
believe that worship should encompass a broader meaning.
“I hope we can observe Ramadan this year in the spirit
encouraged by our religion, focusing on strengthening our understanding,
discipline, and commitment for self-betterment,” he added.
Meanwhile, Anwar conveyed the decree of His Majesty
Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, urging the people to avoid wasting food
during Ramadan.
“In my audience with Sultan Ibrahim yesterday, His
Majesty said that breaking the fast should begin with drinking a small amount
of water, eating a date, and performing the Maghrib prayer first.
“...this serves as a reminder for us to exercise
prudence so that the money can be used for the benefit of those in need,” said
the prime minister. — Bernama
Source:
malaymail.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/03/18/pm-anwar-urges-muslims-to-appreciate-spirit-of-ramadan-help-the-less-fortunate/124080
----
Anthony Loke: Port handlers that allowed Israeli
shipping company Zim's cargo to enter Malaysia will be reprimanded
18 Mar 2024
KUALA LUMPUR, March 18 — Transport Minister Anthony
Loke said his ministry plans to reprimand the logistics company that let an
Israeli shipping company’s container enter Malaysian roads.
Loke said he is aware that a container belonging to a
company called Zim Integrated Shipping Services Ltd was seen on the side of the
road recently.
He said the government had already told these
companies that they are not allowed to dock in Malaysia and must return to
their country of origin.
He said the port handlers may have made a mistake in
letting the container enter and therefore the ministry will investigate the
matter before taking action.
“We already said at the end of last year Zim cannot
enter, they are an international company, and even if they tried to enter they
can’t because all these shops are being monitored by international NGOs who
track their movements.
“Before this, Zim was operating in Malaysia and they
have many containers that are still here and it will gradually be removed. We
have given them instructions to remove everything. From what I have heard the
port handlers made a mistake allowing the container to enter the country so we
will reprimand the company,” he said when met by reporters today in Sepang.
Loke warned existing companies or anyone else who
plans to smuggle their wares in that they will be dealt with severely.
He said as of now he was made aware of four or five
containers left belonging to Zim which will be transported out of Malaysia’s
ports in due time.
A video was widely shared on social media showing a
cargo truck with a container with the words Zim driving along the road.
Zim and other Israeli-based companies were asked to
leave Malaysian waters once the war in Palestine broke out.
Source:
malaymail.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/03/18/anthony-loke-port-handlers-that-allowed-israeli-shipping-company-zims-cargo-to-enter-malaysia-will-be-reprimanded/124111
----
Africa
UN chief condemns attack on peacekeepers in DR Congo
March 17, 2024
NEW YORK — The UN chief on Saturday condemned an
attack which saw eight peacekeepers from the UN Mission in the Democratic
Republic of the Congo, or DRC, wounded during clashes between the powerful M23
rebel movement and government troops.
The incident occurred in the vicinity of Sake, just 20
kilometers from Goma, the provincial capital of North Kivu.
The wounded peacekeepers, who were part of Operation
Springbok initiated last November to safeguard civilians in the region,
sustained their injuries amidst the ongoing fighting, where UN troops have been
assisting government forces in order to protect vulnerable civilians.
In a strongly-worded statement issued by his
spokesperson, UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the attack,
emphasizing that it could amount to a war crime under international law.
Expressing his wishes for a swift recovery for the
injured peacekeepers, he reiterated calls for all armed groups, Congolese and
foreign fighters alike, to immediately cease hostilities and engage in the
disarmament process.
Furthermore, the UN chief emphasized the necessity for
M23 to withdraw entirely from territory it has occupied and conform to the
agreements outlined in the Luanda communiqué of November 2022, to uphold the
sovereignty and territorial integrity of the DRC.
Bintou Keita, the Special Representative of the UN
Secretary-General in the DRC and head of the UN mission MONUSCO, joined in the
condemnation, denouncing the attack.
She said that one of the wounded ‘blue helmets’ had
suffered severe injuries and all have been evacuated for appropriate medical
care.
The peacekeepers had been deployed for several weeks
as part of Operation Springbok in the restive North Kivu area, working jointly
with government troops in military operations. Keita reaffirmed MONUSCO's
commitment to support investigations in the hopes of bringing those responsible
to justice.
The Secretary-General and his Special Representative
reaffirmed MONUSCO’s resolve to further implement its protection of civilians’
mandate from the Security Council and work alongside Congolese defense and
security forces to reinforce joint and unilateral patrols to protect civilians.
— UN News
Source:
saudigazette.com.sa
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/641306/World/Africa/UN-chief-condemns-attack-on-peacekeepers-in-DR-Congo
----
Ramadan: Foundation gives cash palliative to Muslims
in Kaduna
March 17, 2024
In the spirit of Ramadan, the Rachael Averik
Foundation (RAF), has given cash palliative to destitute, Almajiri and other
vulnerable Muslims in Kaduna.
Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation,
Miss Rachael Averik, while doling out the cash assistance, said the gesture was
to reduce the impact of the economic downturn on the vulnerable groups during
the one month of compulsory fasting period.
Over a hundred Almajiris and other vulnerable
individuals around the Kano Road Mosque in Kaduna received ₦10,000 each to aid them during the
fasting period.
During the aid distribution, Miss Averik encouraged
the beneficiaries to pray for the nation’s welfare and economic development,
emphasizing the significance of compassion in times of rising living costs.
She advocated for the collaboration between
Non-Governmental Organizations and affluent individuals to complement
government efforts in supporting the destitute and vulnerable segments of
society.
She noted: “I understand the hardships of poverty
first-hand. That’s why we are here today to lighten some of their burdens. As
they receive this assistance, I urge them to pray for peace and guidance for
our leaders.”
The beneficiaries, comprising Almajiris, individuals
with disabilities, widows, and underprivileged women, conveyed heartfelt
appreciation for Rachael’s generosity and compassion, extending wishes for her
continued success beyond her endeavors.
One of the beneficiaries, expressed profound
gratitude, describing the assistance as a significant boost to their day.
She said: “I woke up with nothing to eat, but through
divine intervention, this woman came to our aid. We pray that God rewards her
abundantly.”
Also, the Foundation had earlier, in commemoration of
International Women’s Day (IWD) 2024, themed #InspireInclusion, extended
financial aid to widows and underprivileged women.
Source:
thenationonlineng.net
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://thenationonlineng.net/ramadan-foundation-gives-cash-palliative-to-muslims-in-kaduna/
---
Again, Gunmen Attack Kaduna Community, Abduct 14
Residents
Mar 18, 2024
Again, fourteen
people have been reportedly abducted in an attack on Dogon Noma community in
Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
One person was also said to be seriously injured
during the attack, said to have occurred on Saturday at about 5:45a.m.
Hon. Usman DanlamiStingo, a lawmaker representing Kajuru
at the Kaduna State House of Assembly, confirmed the incident in a telephone
interview on Sunday in Kaduna.
He said Dogon Noma is the village where he comes from,
lamenting that the community had been under constant attacks by bandits since
2019.
Stingo said, “The bandits invaded the community on
Saturday, at about 5:45a.m and kidnapped 14 people while one person was
seriously injured.
“The attacks on our community have been persistent
since 2019 and there seems to be no to end.”
The lawmaker lamented that the attacks have been
persistent because “the government seemed to have no political will to end
banditry.”
He said, “If the government has the political will to
end it, soldiers will clear the bandits from their hideouts in the bushes within
few days.”
According to him, “In 2019, the bandits killed 71
people in just one day. In 2022, they abducted 28 people in the community
after killing 32 people in one day. We had to pay ransom with difficulties.”
The attack on Dogon Noma occurred barely four days
after the bandits invaded Buda Hausa community, also in Kajuru LGA and
abducted 61 people who are still in captivity.
Source:
independent.ng
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://independent.ng/again-gunmen-attack-kaduna-community-abduct-14-residents/
----
Ramadan: NASFAT to feed one million, Adamawa relaxes
tricycle restriction
18th March 2024
Uthman Salami and MaiharajiAltine
The Nasrul-lahi-li Fathi Society of Nigeria has said
it would be feeding about one million Nigerians during and after the Ramadan fast.
The body also called on Nigerians not to despair in
the face of the current economic challenges facing the nation.
The President of the association, AyodejiAbdulRauf,
revealed NASFAT’s plans to journalists, on Saturday, during its annual Ramadan
lecture tagged “Despair not of the mercy of Allah” at its Islamic Centre in
Assese, Ogun State.
AbdulRauf said, “In Lagos alone, we target feeding
60,000 people; likewise, in all other locations across the country. We are
giving at all our locations a minimum of 500 and a maximum of 8,000 people. We
know some are doing up to 10,000.
I Pay My Fees, Send Money Home From Tricycle Driving -
Female University Student | Punch0.00 / 0.00
“I know Kaduna has started since the beginning of
Ramadan. They are feeding about 1,000 people per day. So, Kaduna today would
have fed close to about 6,000. And this includes the Sahur and Iftar. By the
time we finished Ramadan and the entire program, NASFAT alone would have fed
over a million people.
“The feeding programme we intend to continue even
after Ramadan. Everything depends on our members. It may not be daily. We may
decide to pick a particular quarter to do it. Everything depends on the kind of
funds we can raise. ”
A guest speaker, an associate professor of the
Department of Foreign Language, Lagos State University, Dr Saheed Timehin,
speaking on the theme of the lecture, urged Nigerians not to despair in the
face of current economic challenges.
He said, “We should be talking about Ramadan today.
But NASFAT, in its wisdom, decided to address an issue that is affecting
everybody, especially during this harsh economic situation where everyone is in
a state of hopelessness and helplessness. This is the reason why we want to
examine the concept of despair.”
Meanwhile, a former governor of Zamfara State and
Senator representing Zamfara West Senatorial District, YariAbubakar, has called
on his supporters to use the Ramadan period to pray for President Bola Tinubu
to stabilise the nation’s economy and security.
Yari said, “Praying for Tinubu and the nation would
guarantee the present and future of Nigerians.”
He made the plea while hosting over 2,500 All
Progressives Congress members from 147 political wards in the state to a
Ramadan breakfast which lasted for five days at his residence in Talata-Mafara
town.
Yari said it was instructive in Islam that followers
should always pray for the success of their leaders because they steer the
wheel of their lives adding that, “such prayers will see them through.”
During the event, the former governor gave each
participant the sum of N50,000 and a set of clothes.
Also, to enable Muslimes faithful to attend Tafsir,
Governor AhmaduFintiri of Adamawa State
has reviewed the restriction order on operations of commercial tricycles,
popularly known as KekeNapep, in Yola North, Yola South and Girei local
government areas.
According to a statement by the governor’s Chief Press
Secretary, Mr HumwashiWonosikou, the
restriction of movement on tricycle operators which, was formerly from 10 pm to
5 am, has been changed to 11 pm to 5 am daily.
According to Fintiri, the new directive, coinciding
with the Ramadan fasting period, takes immediate effect.
“The
development is to enable the Muslims to partake in ‘Tafsir’ sessions during the
period,” he said.
The state government had in February 2021 imposed a
restriction of movement on tricycle operators in the three local councils
through the Adamawa State Restriction of Movement of Tricycles/Motorcycles
Executive Order No.1 of 2021.
The governor said, “Security agencies have been
directed to beef up security across the state, especially in the affected
councils, by deploying more service personnel and ensuring the security of life
and property.
“Anyone found wanting will be made to face the wrath
of the law.”
Source:
punchng.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://punchng.com/ramadan-nasfat-to-feed-one-million-adamawa-relaxes-tricycle-restriction/
----
Notorious bandit leader who got N130 million as ransom
killed in Katsina
Goodness
Adaoyiche
March 17, 2024
Civilian JTF in Katsina State says its men killed a
notorious bandit leader, Kachalla Maude, on Friday night.
The Katsina State Ministry of Internal Security
disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.
According to the statement, the Civilian JTF under the
support of security agents ambushed a terrorist group led by Kachalla Maude at
GarinRinji, a village in the western part of Batsari Local Government.
The Katsina State Commissioner for Information and
Culture, Bala Zango, stated that during the ambush, the JTF rained heavy fire
on the terrorists, leading to the capture of the gang leader.
He said Maude and his group have been terrorizing the
western part of Batsari Local Government Area of the state.
The commissioner said Maude before being killed,
confessed to having led attacks on several communities along the
Batsari/Danmusa axis, that resulted in the death of hundreds of innocent
people.
Maude also confessed to having collected over N130
million as ransom from victims’ families.
Source:
politicsnigeria.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://politicsnigeria.com/notorious-bandit-leader-who-got-n130-million-as-ransom-killed-in-katsina/
---
Arab
World
Jeddah historic district hosts stargazing event during
Ramadan
March 17, 2024
JEDDAH — The Jeddah Historic District has become a
gathering place for stargazers this Ramadan.
Hosted in the Al-Balad district, "Al-Marqab"
special event has provided both visitors and tourists with the unique
opportunity to observe the moon and stars through state-of-the-art telescopes.
Guided by experts in astronomy, the event has been an
engaging and educational experience, allowing attendees to learn about and
witness the different phases of the moon throughout the holy month.
"Al-Marqab" has fostered discussions among
participants about the significance of Ramadan, the lunar cycles, and the broader
field of astronomy, enriching attendees' understanding of this sacred period.
This initiative is part of the Ministry of Culture's
ongoing efforts to rejuvenate heritage sites and encourage cultural and
historical exchanges.
Through such events, the Ministry aims to highlight
the cultural significance of the Jeddah Historic District, especially during
the holy month of Ramadan, enhancing the area's appeal as a center for both
cultural heritage and astronomical exploration.
Source:
saudigazette.com.sa
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/641295/SAUDI-ARABIA/Jeddah-historic-district-hosts-stargazing-event-during-Ramadan
----
No Permit For Repeat Umrah During Ramadan
March 18, 2024
The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah announced that pilgrims
are not allowed to repeat Umrah during the holy month of Ramadan.
The Ministry said this regulation is aimed at easing
overcrowding to perform the rituals during Ramadan, which marks the peak Umrah
season of the year.
“Permits to perform two or more Umrah pilgrimages will
not be issued during the holy month. This move is to ease congestion and
provide an opportunity for all other pilgrims to perform Umrah in ease and
comfort during the holy month,” the ministry said in a statement.
Under the Nusuk application system, if one pilgrim
wants to issue a permit for Umrah for the second time during Ramadan, a message
will appear stating, “Issuance of the permit failed”
The ministry cited that there are multitudes of benefits
to performing Umrah during Ramadan.
While stressing the necessity of getting a permit
issued from Nusuk application to perform Umrah by the pilgrims, the ministry
underlined the importance of their compliance with the allotted slot of time to
perform the rituals.
There is no option on the Nusuk app to change the
Umrah appointment time, but pilgrims can delete their appointment via the app
well before the appointment time, and then they can issue a new permit by the
availability, the ministry added.
Source:
thenationonlineng.net
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://thenationonlineng.net/no-permit-for-repeat-umrah-during-ramadan/
----
Keep your smile bright during Ramadan with the magic
of miswak
March 17, 2024
RIYADH: Muslims around the world observe the fast
during Ramadan, abstaining from all food and drink from dawn to dusk.
This means that we are more prone to bad breath, as we
produce less saliva during fasting to shield us from oral germs. Saliva plays an
essential role in protecting our mouths from bacteria, as well removing food
debris.
However, there is a solution — miswak. During Ramadan,
those fasting use miswak, which is a traditional chewing stick, several times a
day to keep their mouths fresh and maintain dental health.
Dr Abdulaziz Al-Saif, a dentist in Riyadh, said: “To
avoid bad breath, the magical miswak does wonders. Miswak is a natural
toothbrush that, among other benefits, also creates a fragrance in the mouth.”
Fellow dentist Dr Aisha Ali Ahmad added: “Miswak
eliminates bad odors and improves the sense of taste, sharpens memory,
(brightens teeth), strengthens eyesight, assists in digestion and clears the
voice.”
Various ahadith document the elevated status and
significance of miswak. Abu Hurairah once narrated that the Prophet Muhammad
said: “Were it not (for the fear) of overburdening my Ummah, I would have
ordered them to (brush their teeth with) Siwak at every Salat.” (Sahih Muslim)
Aisha narrated that the Prophet said, “The siwak is a
means of purifying the mouth and pleasing the Rabb.” (Nasai)
Abu Hurairah further narrated that the Prophet said
once on a Friday, “O Community of Muslims! Allah has made this day an Eid for
you, so take a bath and needfully brush your teeth with siwak.” (Tabarani,
Majma’uz-Zawaid)
In Saudi Arabia, miswak is typically sourced from the
Salvadorapersica L. trees, known as arak in Arabic. This variety is also found
in Sudan, Egypt and Chad. The bitter-tasting palm or olive trees are also used
for miswak, while the neem tree is a popular option in South Asia.
In several parts of the Arab world, these trees are
indigenous to arid regions and planting them reduces desertification in areas
where little else can grow. This also helps communities to develop a sustainable
income while preserving an important part of their cultural heritage.
Miswak has gained widespread recognition, with the
World Health Organization recommending the use of miswak for oral hygiene in
both 1986 and 2000.
An international report concluded further research was
needed to document the benefits of the miswak. There is now increasing
scientific evidence that it has medicinal properties, helping to fight plaque,
receding and bleeding gums, tooth decay and more.
A study conducted by a panel of dentists at King Saud
University said: “The repeated process of chewing sticks releases fresh sap and
silica (a hard glossy mineral), which acts as an abrasive material to remove
stains.”
The study also found the beneficial effects of miswak
for oral hygiene and dental health were equal to, if not greater than, those
related to the use of toothbrushes and paste. The research identified 19
natural substances found in miswak that benefit dental health.
Natural antiseptics kill harmful microorganisms in the
mouth, tannic acids protect gums from disease, and aromatic oils increase
salivation. The study added “the miswak’s bristles are parallel to the handle
rather than perpendicular, and can reach more easily between the teeth, where a
conventional toothbrush often fails to reach.”
To use a miswak, bite off around a centimeter of the
twig and chew until it softens and forms bristles. This process can be speeded
up by dipping the end in water to separate the fibers. Once bristles are
formed, the miswak can be used like a regular toothbrush, without paste.
Using miswak is an ancient practice in Saudi Arabia,
the Middle East and North Africa, and many Asian countries.
Muslims use it several times during Ramadan, before
sleeping, at sahoor, during wudu (ablution before prayers), at mealtimes during
the night, before reciting the Holy Qur’an, when undertaking a journey, and
after waking up in the morning.
Sales of miswak increase dramatically in Saudi Arabia
during the holy month. Abdullah Ahmed, a miswak seller in the capital, said: “I
am expecting sales to rise by almost 300 percent.”
Source:
arabnews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2478321/saudi-arabia
----
Saudi Arabia’s King Salman allocates $800m to social
security recipients during Ramadan
March 17, 2024
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman has ordered the
distribution of more than SR3 billion ($800 million) in Ramadan assistance to
social security recipients, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.
The assistance includes SR1,000 for heads of families
and SR500 for each dependent.
The funds will be deposited directly into
beneficiaries’ bank accounts, the SPA said.
Saudi Minister of Human Resources and Social
Development Ahmad bin Sulaiman Al-Rajhi praised the king for his generosity in
helping citizens with their needs during the holy month.
Source:
arabnews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2478266/saudi-arabia
----
Saudi Arabia launches metaverse platform to explore
cultural heritage
March 17, 2024
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture has
launched a new platform designed to immerse users in the rich tapestry of the
Kingdom’s cultural heritage.
Powered by metaverse technology, “Cultural Universe”
invites visitors to travel through the timeline of Saudi history from its
inception in 1727 to the present day, Saudi Press Agency reported.
It offers a comprehensive exploration of cultural
dimensions including the arts, architecture, design, heritage, theater, cinema,
cuisine, libraries, visual arts and literature.
Users can customize their experience according to
their individual preferences, selecting avatars and adjusting graphics and
language settings.
They can also learn about the Ministry of Culture and
its affiliated entities, learning about the dedication to conserving and
championing the Kingdom’s cultural heritage.
Source:
arabnews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2478256/saudi-arabia
----
URL:
https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/amity-enmity-muslim-hindu-bengal/d/131949