Amnesty India Says Anti-Muslim ‘Vote Jihad’ Rhetoric Puts Muslims At Increased Risk Of Human Rights Violations
New
Age Islam News Bureau
12
May 2024
Indian Prime Minister
Narendra Modi, shows the indelible ink mark on his index finger after casting
his vote during the third phase of general elections, in Ahmedabad, Gujarat,
India, May 7, 2024.
------
• Amnesty India Says Anti-Muslim ‘Vote Jihad’ Rhetoric
Puts Muslims At Increased Risk Of Human Rights Violations
• No Reason For Muslims To Be Insecure In India Since
Their Population Growing, Says I and B Minister
• Tehreek Tahaffuz Aayeen-i-Pakistan, Coalition Of
Opposition Parties, Plans Fresh Campaign To ‘Protect’ Constitution
• Lebanese Islamic Authorities File ‘Blasphemy’
Charges AgainstLGBTQ Rights Activist Comedian Shaden Fakih For Prayers Skit
• Moses Lake Islamic Centre Mosque Moves Into
Renovated Church
India
• ‘Devout Muslim Versus Kafir’: Polls Over But
Communal Tensions Simmer In Kerala
• Srinagar: Ready To Bridge Sectarian Divide As Shia
National Conference Leader Visits Sufi Saint
• It’s about rights, not elections: Backward Classes
panel chief on questioning Muslim OBC quota
• Merger Wish Deepens Leh-Kargil Divide As Ladakh’s
Buddhist-Muslim Unity Comes Under Fresh Strain
-----
Pakistan
• Breach Of Guidelines To Curb Child Marriage: LHC
Orders Action Against Nikah Registrar
• Seven security personnel martyred in North
Waziristan
• Justice Babar Sattar denounces lawyers’ strike,
blocking litigants’ entry to courts
• Faizabad dharna report full of clichés: SC
-----
Mideast
• Urinals Removed from Tehran Shopping Malls for Being
‘Un-Islamic’
• Islamic Committee Declares Full Support For
Palestinian Resistance
• Iran’s Sunni Leader Urges Investigation of Baluchi
Singer's Murder
• Hamas, Islamic Jihad hold US responsible for Rafah
crimes
• Raisi's forgotten trip to Islamabad, and the
strategic implication for the US and Israel - opinion
-----
North
America
• US President urges Hamas to release hostages for
ceasefire by "tomorrow"
• Climate catastrophe in Brazil spawns conspiracy
theories
• Yawns and shock: Trump's odd mix of song recitals
and cannibal praise
-----
Europe
• Greece Called For UNESCO Intervention Due To Chora
Church Conversion Into Mosque
• Azerbaijan is making great efforts to strengthen
Islamic solidarity - President Ilham Aliyev
• King ‘offered Harry a place to stay for UK visit’ but
he ‘turned it down’
• Foreign Office investigates Hamas claim
British-Israeli hostage killed in Gaza
-----
South
Asia
• Two Periods Jihad’s Goal To Establish Islamic System
In Country, Mawlavi Kabir
• High Commission for Disaster Management of the Islamic
Emirate Announces Swift Aid for Flood-Affected Provinces
• 8 Bangladeshi Nationals En Route Pune Held At
Agartala Railway Station
• Reforms In Accounting System Needed To Meet Global
Standards: Bangladesh Finance Minister
• Explosive ordnance and unfortunate impacts in
Afghanistan
-----
Arab World
• Muslim Council Of Elders, Global Council For Tolerance
And Peace Welcome UN Vote Supporting Palestine Full Membership
• Scholarly delegation headed by Head of Mobilization
Committee visits summer session at Grand Mosque in Sana’a
• Saudi Arabia’s KFSH&RC chief hails hospital’s
transformation in speech at Harvard
• 107 Saudi students graduate from hospitality
management scholarship program
• Hira Cultural District: A diverse legacy of Makkah
• Saudi authorities arrest 19,710 illegals in one week
-----
Southeast
Asia
• Muslim World League Inaugurates First Southeast
Asian Scholars Council In Kuala Lumpur
• Umno Says Viral Statement Claiming Its President
Urged Malaysia To Emulate Singapore And Stop Championing Malay Agenda, Is Fake
• MB: Iskandar Malaysia and Pengerang likely site for
Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone
• KKB by-election win proof of unity government’s
stability, says DPM Fadillah
-----
Africa
• Bandits Wreak Havoc in Zamfara: 30 Farmers, Islamic
Cleric Killed in Brutal Attacks
• CAR: Some displaced people receiving assistance to
move out of camps
• The ANC has left South Africa a land of broken
dreams. Its time seems over
• Mali national dialogue recommends junta rule
extension
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/amnesty-india-anti-muslim-jihad-human-rihts/d/132305
-----
Amnesty India Says Anti-Muslim ‘Vote Jihad’ Rhetoric Puts
Muslims At Increased Risk Of Human Rights Violations
Indian Prime Minister
Narendra Modi, shows the indelible ink mark on his index finger after casting
his vote during the third phase of general elections, in Ahmedabad, Gujarat,
India, May 7, 2024.
------
May 12, 2024
By Shaikh Azizur Rahman
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been accused
of amplifying divisive rhetoric during the country’s election campaign by
calling Muslim votes “Vote Jihad” to encourage Hindus to vote for his Hindu
nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, which is seeking a historic third term.
Modi told a BJP rally last Tuesday in the central
Madhya Pradesh province that voters would have to carefully choose between
"Vote Jihad" and "Ram Rajya." The term, meaning "Ram’s
Governance," refers to an ideal society characterized by equality,
prosperity and justice. In recent years, some have come to believe this ideal
can only be achieved through the rise of the BJP.
"At this important turning point in history you
have to decide whether you will allow Vote Jihad to continue or, vote in
support of building a Ram Rajya,” Modi told the rally.
"Terrorists in Pakistan have launched jihad
against India. And here, the Congress party has announced a Vote Jihad against
the BJP, and is asking its followers of a particular religion [Muslims] to
unitedly vote against Modi."
Source: Voa News
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
-----
No Reason For Muslims To Be Insecure In India Since
Their Population Growing, Says I and B Minister
Senior BJP leader Anurag
Thakur said the minorities are clearly thriving and need not worry. (X/Anurag
Thakur)
------
May 11, 2024
Citing a new report on India's demographic transition,
Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur wondered how Muslims can
feel insecure in the country, especially when their population has reportedly
increased by 45 per cent and they have been equal recipients of government
welfare programmes. A working paper on population trends released recently by the
Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister said the population of majority
Hindus declined by 7.82 per cent between 1950 and 2015 while that of Muslims
increased by 43.15 per cent, suggesting that there is a conducive environment
to foster diversity. It, however, did not give absolute numbers.
He also rubbished the opposition's charge that the BJP
would change the Constitution. "On the contrary, the BJP will ensure that
reservation for SCs, STs and OBCs is not diluted or altered by anyone."
The four-time MP from Hamirpur in Himachal Pradesh,
who is defending his seat against Congress' Satpal Raizada, accused the party
of seeking to take away the reservation meant for SCs/STs/OBCs and provide it
to Muslims.
He also alleged that the Congress is aiming to grab
the wealth of people and provide the same to Muslims to further its appeasement
and vote bank politics.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also said that he
will never allow reservation based on religion by taking away quotas meant for
SCs, STs and OBCs, Thakur said.
Asked if there was a need for policy change on
population control or a legislation on the issue in the wake of changing
demography, Thakur said the new government will discuss the issue and then take
a call after discussion as population figures have just come out in public
domain.
"What do these figures indicate. On one side the
population of Hindus declined by 7.8 per cent and on the other hand the
population of Muslims increased by 45-47 per cent. One has to ponder over the
reasons behind this.
In Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, the
population of Hindus was 23 per cent in 1947, now they are only 2 per cent
left. And still, some people in India say Muslims are insecure. Their
population has increased by 45 per cent, still they say they are
insecure," he said.
"How are they insecure? We never said vote for us
out of compulsions, we have not indulged in any vote bank politics. We freed
Muslim women of the scourge of triple talaq, we have also provided Muslims
women with pukka houses, toilets and free (cooking gas) cylinders, besides free
medical treatment even if they have eight children. They have also benefited
from our schemes," the minister said.
He said the BJP has been in power for the last 10
years while wielding absolute majority in Parliament. Still, it has not made
any Constitutional amendment, Thakur said.
"It is the Congress which has amended the
Constitution all the time. Besides, the Congress insulted Babasaheb Ambedkar,
who gave us this Constitution, and even worked to send him out of politics. The
Congress also did not give him honour," he alleged.
Instead, he said, it was Narendra Modi who made
'paanchteerth' at Nagpur, Mhow, Mumbai, Delhi and England in honour of
Babasaheb Ambedkar and began marking Constitution Day on November 26, besides
declaring a holiday on Ambedkar Jayanti on April 14.
"I want to tell this country and the youth that
it was Indira Gandhi who murdered democracy and if anyone has tried to crush
the Constitution, it is Arvind Kejriwal," Thakur said.
"Even the creators of the Constitution would have
never thought that a chief minister and deputy chief minister would be in jail
for corruption and still are reluctant to resign from their posts," Thakur
added.
Thakur also reeled out government statistics to
support his view that the BJP government has consistently worked during the
last 10 years for the poor, especially the backward class and castes.
Thakur noted that four crore houses, 12 crore toilets,
13 crore water connections and 10 crore free cooking gas cylinders were
provided to people, as well as free medical treatment to 60 crore people and free
ration to 80 crore people.
"These people (opposition) are spreading fear,
misconceptions and rumours that SC/ST reservation will go, but the truth is
that wherever the Congress governments came, in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and
Telangana, they took away SC/ST quota and gave to Muslims and are creating fear
among SC/STs," Thakur said.
The senior BJP MP said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi
wants a survey that will lead to wealth redistribution. "This is
appeasement politics which the Congress started, not us," he said.
"We have done 'Sabka Vikas' and did not do
Hindu-Muslim, and we will carry on doing work like this in future. But when
these people say such things for votes that they will give to Muslims, then we
raise questions that they try to insult Hindus and talk of crushing Sanatan and
talk of giving resources to Muslims," Thakur said.
Source: Economic Times
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
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Tehreek Tahaffuz Aayeen-i-Pakistan, Coalition Of
Opposition Parties, Plans Fresh Campaign To ‘Protect’ Constitution
Ikram Junaidi
May 12, 2024
ISLAMABAD: The Tehreek Tahafuz Aayeen-i-Pakistan, a
multi-party coalition of opposition parties launched earlier this year, has
decided to launch another nationwide campaign for the “restoration” of the
Constitution, with power shows expected in Karachi and Faisalabad.
In April this year, the six-party alliance had decided
to kick-start a countrywide movement for the rule of law and chose Mahmood Khan
Achakzai as its president. It also aimed to protect the Constitution.
The decision taken during a meeting chaired by Mr
Achakzai seemed to add new vigour to the movement and was prompted by the press
conference of the ISPR chief in which the military spokesperson vowed no mercy
for the May 9 riots’ instigators.
The meeting was attended by PTI leaders Omar Ayub and
Asad Qaiser, and Sunni Ittehad Council chief Hamid Raza among others. The
participants said the recent presser of the ISPR director general was
“unconstitutional” and responded that those who had violated the Constitution
should apologise instead of asking the PTI to tender an apology.
The alliance spokesperson said that opposition parties
would launch a countrywide protest and added that it was unacceptable that the
“most popular” party in the country was forced to sit on the opposition
benches.
He said the opposition would not tolerate the “theft”
of their mandate. The alliance has also decided to approach courts for
permission to hold public gatherings in Karachi and Faisalabad.
Separately, PTI leaders Raoof Hasan and Shoaib Shaheen
at a press conference in Islamabad blamed ‘internal factors’ for the “state of
war” the country is in.
Mr Hasan said he had already given a detailed response
to the ISPR DG’s press conference but he felt the need to remind him about the
“darkest chapters and black days of the country’s history” instead of May 9, which
was marked as a ‘black day’.
Mr Hasan said even though the role of the military
establishment was not “glorious” the “reign of terror” unleashed on the PTI
over the past two years was unprecedented. He claimed that the Constitution was
trampled to crush the PTI, and establish a “one-man” rule in Pakistan to the
country “virtually non-functional”.
He also demanded that the Hamoodur Rahman Commission
report, Abbottabad Commission report, and the Army Public School Attack
Commission report be made public so that the “real characters and factors”
responsible for these tragedies could be unmasked.
The PTI leader also demanded a probe into the “killing
of three prime ministers of the country”, saying these matters should be fairly
investigated to punish the wrongdoers.
Speaking on the occasion, Shoaib Shaheen said that if
the decisions of the country were to be made by an individual, then it would be
the law of the jungle.
He said that interference in politics by the army was
a breach of the Constitution. He reminded the ISPR DG that PTI was leading the
electoral race with the “two-thirds majority but results were unlawfully and
unconstitutionally halted to fraudulently convert the PTI candidates’ victory
into defeat”.
In another development, former NA speaker Asad Qaiser
criticised the premature withdrawal of tax exemption from erstwhile Fata and
Pata.
Source: Dawn
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1832978/opposition-plans-fresh-campaign-to-protect-constitution
-----
Lebanese Islamic Authorities File ‘Blasphemy’ Charges
AgainstLGBTQ Rights Activist Comedian Shaden Fakih For Prayers Skit
Lebanese comedian Shaden
Fakih
------
11 May 2024
BEIRUT — Lebanon’s Islamic religious authorities on
Friday filed criminal complaints against a stand-up comedian and LGBTQ rights
activist after a sketch of hers about Muslim Friday prayers sparked controversy
online.
Openly gay Lebanese comedian Shaden Fakih has amassed
a large online following for her jabs at religious authorities and the
sectarian factions that have long dominated the country’s politics.
But her sometimes crude jokes have also angered many
Lebanese, despite the country’s reputation as one of the Arab world’s most
tolerant societies.
On Friday, the country’s Supreme Islamic Shiite
Council filed a criminal complaint against Fakih for “the crimes of blasphemy,
insulting religious rituals and stirring sectarian… strife,” Lebanon’s
state-run National News Agency reported.
Lebanese Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdel-Latif Derian had on
Thursday ordered Dar al-Fatwa — the country’s top Sunni religious authority —
to file a complaint against Fakih for “insult and blasphemy against the divine
glory and Prophet Muhammad.”
File: Lebanese Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdel-Latif Derian
receives Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh (R) at the Dar al-Fatwa, the country’s top
Sunni religious authority, in Beirut on June 22, 2022. (Anwar Amro/AFP)
A judicial source told AFP the judiciary had not yet
looked into the complaints against Fakih because the relevant judge was still
abroad.
“The idea that someone could be arrested… harassed and
subjected to death threats just for expressing views that may contradict
certain societal norms… is unacceptable,” said JadShahrour of Beirut’s
SkeyesCenter for Media and Cultural Freedom.
In August, days after he had been detained for poking
fun at Lebanon’s military, Lebanese comedian Nour Hajjar was briefly arrested
for a 2018 joke about his parents’ religious observance.
Fakih herself had in 2021 been summoned by a military
court on charges of “insulting” Lebanon’s Internal Security Forces and
“harming” their reputation.
Source: Times Of Israel
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original story:
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Moses Lake Islamic Centre Mosque Moves Into Renovated
Church
The Moses Lake Islamic Centre
has renovated a former church building for its mosque, removing the pews and
installing carpet, prayer mats and a lectern for Friday prayers, called
Jumu’ah. The congregants preferred not to be photographed for this article.
JOEL MARTIN/COLUMBIA BASIN
HERALD
----
By Joel Martin
May 11, 2024
MOSES LAKE — The former church building at Third
Avenue and Elm Street is once again a house of worship, as the Moses Lake
Islamic Centre.
“In Central Washington state there (were) only three
mosques, in Yakima, Tri-Cities and Spokane,” said AbdelnasirElmalik, one of the
regular congregants at the Islamic Centre. “But now we have two (more), in
Wenatchee and Moses Lake.”
The building was originally a Mennonite church in
Ritzville, said Gail Adair, who owns the building with her husband Steve. It
was moved around 1950 to its present location. It belonged at one time to the
Reorganized Church of Latter-day Saints, now known as the Community of Christ,
and served as a community theater for a few years. The Adairs bought it in
about 2017.
Originally she wanted to turn the building into an
antique store, but city regulations made that difficult, so the Adairs rented
it out when they could as a wedding and event venue.
“Then one day, it was 7:30 at night, and (a real
estate agent) called me and he said that he had this group that would like to
rent long-term, and I said ‘We’re not interested,’” she said.
She gave the agent a minimum figure that would have to
be met before she would even consider renting, she said, and to her surprise,
he came back and said that they were willing to meet it.
The congregation is mostly made up of Boeing employees
working at the Port of Moses Lake, Elmalik said. They have a meditation room at
work where they can say their daily prayers five times a day, but they wanted a
larger space to gather for Friday prayers, called Jum’ah. The daily prayers can
be done in a group or individually, he explained, but Jum’ah must be done in a
mosque.
Source: columbian
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story
https://columbian.com/news/2024/may/11/moses-lake-mosque-moves-into-renovated-church/
-----
India
‘Devout Muslim Versus Kafir’: Polls Over But Communal
Tensions Simmer In Kerala
by Shaju Philip
May 12, 2024
Though the Lok Sabha elections in Kerala was over a
fortnight ago, the Vadakara constituency is still simmering over the
allegations of fomenting communal sentiments during the electioneering.
The CPI(M)-led LDF and the Congress-led UDF are
trading allegations against each other over a communally loaded WhatsApp
message which referred Congress candidate Shafi Parambil as a “Muslim offering
prayers five times a day” and CPI(M) candidate K KShailaja as a “kafir woman
(non-Muslim)”.
A Left citadel which the Congress has been winning
since 2009, Vadakara LS constituency had witnessed a fierce electoral battle
this time with both the fronts targeting the rival candidates.
On April 24, a day before the polling, the WhatsApp
message purportedly attributed to a worker of the Indian Union Muslim League
(IUML) had been widely circulated in the constituency. Screenshot of the
message said, “Shafi is a Muslim, who offers prayers five times a day. The
other candidate is a ‘kafir’ woman. Whom should we vote for, think before
voting. Vote for one among us.’’
Source: Indian Express
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Srinagar: Ready to bridge sectarian divide as Shia
National Conference leader visits Sufi saint
Muzaffar Raina
12.05.24
The Shia-Sunni divide is centuries-old in Kashmir but
when Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, a Shia, got the National Conference mandate from
the Srinagar parliamentary constituency last month, among the first things he
did was to visit the shrine of 16th-century Sufi saint Sheikh Hamza Makhdoom.
The shrine is the foremost symbol of Sunni assertion
in the Valley, located on the slope of KohiMaran or Hari Parbat, a hill
overlooking Srinagar city.
Ruhullah had earlier visited the shrine of Mir
ShamsuddinAraqi, a Sufi from Iran and his own ancestor, a major symbol of Shia
assertion, in Zadibal locality of Srinagar’s old city.
Shia-Sunni violence is rare in Kashmir but equally
rare is for Shias or Sunnis to visit the religious places of each other, least
of all the shrines of Sheikh Hamza and Mir Araqi by the followers of rival
sects.
Although many of the earliest Sufi saints in Kashmir
enjoy a wide following here which cuts across the Shia-Sunni divide, Araqi and
Hamza remain sectarian figures in the public perception, disliked by their
rivals but deeply revered in their own circles.
Never before has NC, the grand old political party of
Kashmir, fielded a Shia from any of the three Valley Lok Sabha constituencies,
let alone the prestigious Srinagar seat, though several Shias bagged its
mandate and won in Assembly seats. Ruhullah himself has represented NC thrice
in the Assembly from Budgam.
It offers the backdrop to Ruhullah’s visit to the two
shrines, as he tried to send across a message of unity and appeal to the larger
Kashmiri Muslim identity, believed to be under threat in the wake of the
scrapping of special status under Article 370.
Source: Telegraph India
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It’s about rights, not elections: Backward Classes
panel chief on questioning Muslim OBC quota
by Nikhil Ghanekar
May 12, 2024
Being a constitutional body, the National Commission
for Backward Classes (NCBC) sought clarification from the Karnataka government
over Muslim Other Backward Classes (OBC) quota without any political or electoral
motivations, said its Chairperson Hansraj Ahir in an interview with The Indian
Express.
A former Union minister, Ahir said that the commission
is concerned only with the protection and fair implementation of OBC rights.
“Our correspondence with them (Karnataka) has been
going on for the past 7 to 8 months. We are only corresponding with the chief
secretary and not the political leadership,” Ahir said.
Responding to why the commission had flagged the issue
now as Muslim OBC quota in Karnataka existed for decades, Ahir said, “we do not
want to go into the past, we have sought present-day data.” He added that the
commission had sought to know how all Muslims were put in the bracket of
backward classes and had received incomplete information from the state.
“The commission is not on the issue of religion, but
caste… They (Karnataka) should clarify how an entire community has been
considered backward,” Ahir said.
Source: Indian Express
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
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Merger wish deepens Leh-Kargil divide as Ladakh’s
Buddhist-Muslim unity comes under fresh strain
Muzaffar Raina
12.05.24
Ladakh’s Buddhist-Muslim unity has come under fresh
strain after Kargil leader Sajjad Kargili favoured re-merger of the region with
Jammu and Kashmir if separate statehood for the cold desert was not possible.
Kargili wrote on X on Friday that they have been
fighting for a four-point agenda, including statehood and Sixth Schedule
status, for the last three years but regretted that the Congress has not
clarified its position on the statehood for Ladakh in its manifesto but
supports the Sixth Schedule status demand.
“It’s necessary for the government to decide: grant us
statehood or contemplate merging #Ladakh with J&K again when reinstating
statehood to #JammuAndKashmir. With this UT setup, people across Ladakh are not
happy,” he said on X.
The region’s top Buddhist leader, Sonam Wangchuk, who
recently led a weeks-long fast for statehood and the Sixth Schedule status for
Ladakh, on Saturday said he was disturbed by Kargili’s statement and asked the
Kargil-based leadership to condemn or distance themselves from the remarks.
Source: Telegraph India
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-----
Pakistan
Breach of guidelines to curb child marriage: LHC
orders action against nikah registrar
May 12, 2024
LAHORE: The Lahore High Court has taken notice of non-implementation
of its guidelines to curb child marriage by the nikah/marriage registrars.
Justice Anwarul Haq Pannun observed that apparently,
the marriage registrars, without relying upon any document, mention the age of
the bride as 18 years or above in clear violation of the law.
In a verdict issued on a habeas corpus petition by a
woman seeking recovery of her underage daughter from the custody of her
husband, the judge noted that directions issued by the LHC in a 2023 judgement
and the SOPs formed by the local government of Punjab are still not being
followed by the nikah registrars to eliminate violation of the Child Marriage
Restraint Act, 1929.
In the case in hand, the judge said the birth
registration certificate issued by the union council concerned regarding the
age of the alleged detainee produced before the court revealed 15-and-half-year
of age.
Source: Dawn
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of the original story:
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Seven security personnel martyred in North Waziristan
Pazir Gul
May 12, 2024
NORTH WAZIRISTAN: Seven security personnel were
martyred and two others sustained injuries in two militant attacks on security
forces at different locations in North Waziristan on Saturday, local sources
said.
They said the first attack took place in the Hassan
Khel area of Tehsil Datta Khel when an improvised explosive device went off
targeting a bomb disposal unit. Soon after the blast, they added, militants
opened fire on the forces.
Local sources said that in another incident, militants
stormed a security post in the Seeman area of Mir Ali. Two security personnel
embraced martyrdom in the attack, they added.
Source: Dawn
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1832977/seven-security-personnel-martyred-in-north-waziristan
-----
Justice Babar Sattar denounces lawyers’ strike,
blocking litigants’ entry to courts
Malik Asad
May 12, 2024
ISLAMABAD: Justice Babar Sattar of the Islamabad High
Court (IHC) has strongly reacted against the stopping of lawyers and litigants
from entering the courts due to a nationwide strike call issued by the top
lawyers’ bodies, terming it as “obstruction of justice”.
Sources privy to the development told Dawn that
Justice Sattar wrote a letter to the three-judge administrative committee,
drawing attention to the issue of preventing lawyers and litigants from
entering the courts due to the strike call.
The strike call was issued to show solidarity with the
legal fraternity after what they called disturbing events of Punjab police
“brutality against lawyers” who were peacefully protesting the “unlawful
divisions” of the civil courts in Lahore.
Source: Dawn
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Faizabad dharna report full of clichés: SC
Nasir Iqbal
May 12, 2024
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has criticised the report
of the special commission on the 20-day Faizabad dharna (sit-in) in 2017,
describing it as “replete with clichés, platitudes, and homilies, often as a
substitute for substance”.
A three-page order issued by the Supreme Court on
Saturday noted that the commission’s report did not address the Terms of Reference
(ToR) and incorrectly assumed that the right to travel to Islamabad and protest
was prohibited. The court observed that the report was biased and did not
consider other aspects of the judgment and orders subsequently passed by the
court.
The commission’s report was also criticised for
exonerating the perpetrators of violence and castigating those at the political
helm. The SC noted the report preferred the statement of one person over the
testimony of another without explanation, demonstrating bias and compromising
the commission’s impartiality.
Source: Dawn
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1832991/faizabad-dharna-report-full-of-cliches-sc
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Mideast
Urinals Removed from Tehran Shopping Malls for Being
‘Un-Islamic’
12-05-2024
Shopping malls in Tehran are removing urinals,
branding them as "un-Islamic" and indicative of
"Westoxification."
A fatwa by Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei says it
is Makrooh (disliked but not sinful) to urinate while standing or on a hard
surface, forcing men to use the pit latrines instead.
The move has sparked widespread discourse and critique
on social media. One user expressed frustration, remarking, "This is
ridiculous! If they'd spend more time worrying about the economy, the starving
people, the water shortage, they wouldn't have to worry about how men
urinate."
Another user sarcastically said, "I hope the level
of your demands always remains this profoundly high, and that your minds never
get bogged down with demands for trivial matters like city beautification,
increased security, or economic improvements. Demands should only be for issues
like hijab and the Islamic way of dressing, as these are what truly elevate
people's quality of life."
The removal of urinals is just one example of how the
Iranian regime continues to exert control over the minor details of the
population's personal lives, from dress codes and family planning to restroom
habits.
Source: Iranintl
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https://www.iranintl.com/en/202405110254
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Islamic committee declares full support for
Palestinian resistance
11/May/2024
GAZA May 11. 2024 (Saba) - National Islamic parties'
follow-up committee in Gaza Strip has reiterated its full support for the
Palestinian resistance in the face of Zionist plots to invade Rafah.
In a statement, the committee called on the resistance
to take every step needed to encounter enemy forces and protect the Palestinian
people.
The Zionist enemy, American administration and
supporters are fully responsible for the humanitarian catastrophe experienced
by 1.5 million Palestinians in Rafah, the statement said.
The committee called on Arab and Muslim countries and
international and UN organizations to reopen crossings and allow access to
relief and humanitarian assistance according to previous mechanisms.
Source: Saba.ye
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https://www.saba.ye/en/news3328780.htm
-----
Iran’s Sunni Leader Urges Investigation of Baluchi Singer's
Murder
12-05-2024
On Friday, prominent Sunni Muslim cleric
MowlaviAbdulhamid called on the Iranian government to investigate the murder of
Baluch singer Bilal Nasruyi, amid mutual distrust and tensions.
The 29-year-old from Zahedan was stabbed by unidentified
assailants close to the Intelligence Department on Tuesday and died from his
injuries, according to Haalvsh news, which covers the events in
Sistan-Baluchestan province.
Abdulhamid urged the authorities to “investigate and
clarify this matter as soon as possible since the murderers have not been
arrested, and this has further agitated the people.
“Whoever committed this crime and stabbed the heart of
Bilal Nasruyi should be arrested and punished,” said the top religious leader
of Iran’s predominantly Sunni Baluch minority population in his Friday prayer
sermons.
Source: Iranintl
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https://www.iranintl.com/en/202405116792
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Hamas, Islamic Jihad hold US responsible for Rafah
crimes
May 11, 2024
In a statement on Saturday, the Islamic Jihad Movement
held the US responsible for the perpetuated Israeli crimes in Gaza due to its
political, financial and military support for the regime.
The movement also condemned Arab countries for their
“suspicious” silence on the Israeli crimes, saying that some of those countries
are even cooperating with the regime as it has been revealed by Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Islamic Jihad said that the “Zionist enemy and its
supporters” have no goals but to kill more Palestinians. Therefore, it added,
resistance fighters will continue to fight the occupiers regardless of the
price they pay.
A similar statement was released by Hamas when the
resistance movement said in its statement also on Saturday that the Israeli
regime is pressing ahead with its genocidal war on Gaza, and the US is
responsible in this regard because of supporting the regime.
Source: En.Mehrnews
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https://en.mehrnews.com/news/215002/Hamas-Islamic-Jihad-hold-US-responsible-for-Rafah-crimes
-----
Raisi's forgotten trip to Islamabad, and the strategic
implication for the US and Israel - opinion
By IDO GADI RAZ
MAY 12, 2024
Over the past few weeks, with our focus on the war in
Gaza and northern Israel, Iran, located just a few thousand kilometers from
Israel, has taken a significant step that raises concerns for the national
security of both the United States and Israel. On April 22, Ebrahim Raisi,
president of the Islamic Republic of Iran, landed in the Pakistani capital for a
three-day visit, which included multiple high-level talks with Pakistani
policymakers. The two parties discussed their economic, security, and political
cooperation and agreed to strengthen their relations at the diplomatic and
people-to-people levels.
Notably, it was the first official Iranian visit to
Pakistan since the two Islamic powers exchanged threats and terrorist groups
directed attacks on each other’s territory. Furthermore, it was Raisi’s first
visit abroad since Israel and Iran exchanged attacks in the first three weeks
of April. Considering the timing and the profile of this visit, it gives us
essential insight into the dynamic changes in the extended Middle East in
recent months, creating new challenges for Washington and Jerusalem.
On a strategic level, this visit makes a strong
statement from Iran and Pakistan vis-à-vis American deterrence policy. About a
month ago, the US threatened Pakistan, warning them not to activate the
1,800-km. Iran-Pakistan pipeline project. US State Department spokesperson
Mathew Miller said, “We always advise everyone that doing business with Iran
runs the risk of touching upon and coming into contact with our sanctions, and
would advise everyone to consider that very carefully.”
This project, which was signed between the neighboring
countries in 2010 in a 25-year deal and stopped in 2014 because of potential
sanctions, attempted to ease the need for natural gas for Pakistan’s dying
economy and help the sanctioned Iranian economy. In contrast to the warning
from Washington, Islamabad ratified the project with Iran, along with other
agreements, “to increase bilateral trade volume to 10 billion dollars over the
next five years.” Pakistan’s ignorance of the American quest marked another
failure of American deterrence since the start of April.
Previously, as America expected Tehran to attack
Israel, US President Joe Biden put out a straightforward message to Iran,
repeating “don’t” in a press conference on April 13. However, Iran did attack
Israel on the same day with hundreds of suicide drones and ballistic missiles.
Source: Jpost
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North
America
US President urges Hamas to release hostages for
ceasefire by "tomorrow"
2024-05-12
Shafaq News/ US President Joe Biden stated on Saturday
that a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict could be achieved as early as
"tomorrow" if the militant group releases its hostages.
"There would be a ceasefire tomorrow if Hamas
would release the hostages," Biden said at a fundraiser at the home of a
former Microsoft executive.
"Israel said it's up to Hamas, if they wanted to
do it, we could end it tomorrow. And the ceasefire would begin tomorrow,"
he added.
The most recent round of discussions between Israel
and Hamas regarding a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages ended this
week without any apparent progress, with Israel insisting on invading Rafah.
Biden and many European officials cautionned against a
large-scale ground assault on Rafah following the Israeli military's extension
of evacuation orders for the city, which houses 1.4 million Palestinians.
Source: shafaq
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https://shafaq.com/en/World/US-President-urges-Hamas-to-release-hostages-for-ceasefire-by-tomorrow
-----
Climate catastrophe in Brazil spawns conspiracy
theories
May 12, 2024
The climate catastrophe that has struck southern
Brazil, killing more than a hundred people, has also spawned a spate of bizarre
and baseless conspiracy theories. Several of these have gone viral on social
media.
"What's happening in Rio Grande do Sul is
definitely not natural," one woman said on X. "Let's open our
eyes!" She blamed something called HAARP -- the High-frequency Active
Auroral Research Program -- a US project that studies the ionosphere using huge
antennas in Alaska.
Other people have posted images of airplanes
crisscrossing the skies over Brazil's hard-hit state of Rio Grande do Sul,
saying the trails of condensation left by jets contain toxic chemicals as part
of a secret and nefarious governmental programme, orchestrating "planned
tragedies" for murky motives.
Source: Times Of India
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Yawns and shock: Trump's odd mix of song recitals and
cannibal praise
May 12, 2024
NEW DELHI: Former US president Donald Trump surprised
his supporters at a rally in New Jersey on Saturday by reciting the entire 1963
soul song "The Snake" and referring to a fictional cannibal as
"great." During his speech, which lasted over 90 minutes, Trump used
the Oscar Brown song to draw a comparison with "illegal immigration and
how stupid it is what we're doing right now."
Trump expressed his concern about allowing people into
the country who he believes will only cause trouble. He recited the song, which
tells the story of a tenderhearted woman who helps a half-frozen snake, only to
be bitten by the snake instead of being thanked. Trump has used this song
multiple times to highlight his anti-migrant stance, despite reported objections
from Brown's family.
The crowd's reaction to the lengthy recitation was
subdued, with some looking puzzled and others leaving the rally. Trump
awkwardly remarked, "Did everybody enjoy it? Don't enjoy, you should be --
you should be scared!" speaking off-the-cuff after reading from a crib
sheet in his jacket pocket.
Trump's rhetoric surrounding the migrant crisis has
become increasingly violent, with him claiming just months ago that migrants
were "poisoning the blood" of the United States, sparking a fierce
backlash. Biden's campaign accused him of imitating Hitler's language, and
during his first presidential campaign in 2016, Trump shocked observers with
his language about "rapist" illegal migrants, reported AFP.
Trump also made a rambling reference to cannibalism,
saying, "The late, great Hannibal Lecter is a wonderful man,"
referencing the 1991 film "Silence of the Lambs." He then grinned and
rehashed a well-worn joke about the infamous cannibal character before
returning to the topic of migration, stating, "But Hannibal Lecter.
Congratulations, the late, great Hannibal Lecter. We have people that are being
released into our country that we don't want in our country."
Source: Times Of India
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-----
Europe
Greece called for UNESCO intervention due to Chora
Church conversion into mosque
May 11, 2024
Athens is stepping up its response to the Turkish
government’s decision to convert the Chora Church in Constantinople into a
mosque, as reported by protothema.gr, by reaching out to UNESCO.
The Permanent Representative of Greece
GiorgosKoumoutsakos met yesterday with Ernesto Ottone, Assistant
Director-General for Culture of UNESCO, as well as with executives of the
Cultural Heritage Center. The demarche took place today, the first day of
UNESCO’s operation after the holidays of the last days in France.
Koumoutsakos emphasized the conversion of the Chora
Church into a mosque, highlighting the violation of its UNESCO status as an
irreplaceable cultural treasure and a significant part of humanity’s heritage.
Source: Modern diplomacy
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Azerbaijan is making great efforts to strengthen
Islamic solidarity - President Ilham Aliyev
11 May 2024
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 11. We are actively working
towards Islamic solidarity. Azerbaijan is making great efforts to unite the
Islamic world and strengthen Islamic solidarity, said President Ilham Aliyev as
he addressed the 7th “Kharibulbul" International Music Festival in the
city of Shusha, Trend reports.
The head of state noted: “Shusha’s becoming the
cultural capital of the Islamic world will provide us with additional
opportunities to showcase our culture both to Muslim communities and the global
community.”
Source: En.Trend.az
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https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/3898169.html
-----
King ‘offered Harry a place to stay for UK visit’ but
he ‘turned it down’
Jen Mills
May 12, 2024
A friend of the King said ‘recollections may vary’
over claims he snubbed his younger son by not seeing him on a rare visit to the
UK.
But the prince, who had reportedly made the request to
stay initially, opted to stay in a hotel instead during his three-day visit
from California.
Sources told the Times today that ‘to the best of
their understanding’, Prince Harry had not requested a meeting nor invited him
to a service at St Paul’s Cathedral to mark the ten-year anniversary of the
Invictus Games.
Source: metro.co.uk
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https://metro.co.uk/2024/05/12/king-charles-offered-prince-harry-royal-residence-uk-trip-20822508/
-----
Foreign Office investigates Hamas claim
British-Israeli hostage killed in Gaza
12-05-2024
The Foreign Office is investigating a claim by Hamas
that a British-Israeli hostage has died in Gaza.
Hamas, proscribed as a terrorist group by the UK
government, claims NadavPopplewell died of wounds sustained in an Israeli
airstrike more than a month ago.
Mr Popplewell, 51, was seized with his mother
ChannahPeri on 7 October when fighters crossed the border fence and launched
deadly attacks in Israel.
In a brief statement via the Hostages and Missing
Families Forum, the family of Mr Popplewell asked media organisations not to
publish footage of him released by Hamas on Saturday, which shows him in
captivity with a black eye.
Source: metro.co.uk
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https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-68998654
-----
South
Asia
Two periods Jihad’s goal to establish Islamic system
in country, Mawlavi Kabir
May 11, 2024
KABUL: The Deputy Prime Minister for Political Affairs
of the Islamic Emirate Mawlavi Abdul Kabir, addressing a public meeting in the
country’s northeastern province of Panjshir, said that the goal of the two
periods of Jihad was to end the occupation and establish an Islamic system in
the country. The gathering was attended by a number of high-ranking government
officials and locals, scholars, Mujahidin and elders, Arg said in a statement
the other day. Mawlavi Kabir asked the residents to encourage their sons living
in neighboring countries to return home as the Islamic Emirate has no enmity
with anyone, according to the statement. “There is currently no space for
ethnic and linguistic discrimination as well as hypocrisy in Afghanistan and
everyone should work together for the country’s construction, development and
prosperity,” the statement quoted Mawlavi Kabir as saying. The deputy PM
according to the statement, went on as saying that the IEA’s political and
commercial relations with the world are secure and the government is committed
to the development and reconstruction of Afghanistan and is doing its best to
gain selfsufficiency soon. Meanwhile, the provincial scholars expressed
pleasure in good local governance and good services of the relevant officials
and announced their full support and cooperation with the current Islamic
system, the statement added. “The people were tired of the corrupted and failed
officials of the previous government and no one will support them. We do not
want the repetition of anarchy, violence, insecurity and corruption in the
country,” the statement quoted the scholars as saying. They asked the
leadership of the Islamic Emirate to pay enough attention to the implementation
of development projects and provide the people with job opportunities in the
province. The Kabul Times
Source: The Kabul Times
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High Commission for Disaster Management of the Islamic
Emirate Announces Swift Aid for Flood-Affected Provinces
2024-05-12
KABUL (BNA) An emergency session of the High
Commission for Disaster Management of the Islamic Emirate was held today at
Marmarin Palace, chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs.
The session focused on assessing the recent
flood-related losses suffered by citizens and outlining the necessary aid to be
provided.
Commencing the session, Chairman of the Commission,
Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund, expressed heartfelt condolences for the
losses sustained by fellow countrymen in Baghlan, Ghor, Badakhshan, Faryab, and
Takhar provinces due to the recent floods.
Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar
Akhund emphasized Afghanistan’s vulnerability to frequent natural calamities
and stressed the importance of responsive institutions maintaining readiness to
promptly assist citizens during such crises.
Source: Bakhtar News
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8 Bangladeshi Nationals En Route Pune Held At Agartala
Railway Station
May 12, 2024
Eight Bangladeshi nationals headed for Pune, including
seven women, were arrested on Saturday from the Agartala railway station for
illegally entering the country, the police said.
The Government Railway Police (GRP) and the Railway
Protection Force (RPF) in a joint operation arrested the eight Bangladeshi
nationals along with an Indian middleman who were about to board the Kolkata-bound
Kanchanjunga Express.
The detainees told the police that from Kolkata, they
planned to go to Pune in Maharashtra in search of jobs. Earlier this week, 11
Bangladeshi nationals, including two women and three children, were arrested
from a village in Tripura's Dhalai district while on their way back to Bagerhat
district in Bangladesh's Khulna Division. According to the police, they entered
West Bengal without any passport or valid documents three years ago and went to
Bengaluru from there in search of jobs.
Source: Freepress Journal
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Reforms In Accounting System Needed To Meet Global
Standards: Bangladesh Finance Minister
Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali
12-05-2024
Bangladesh Finance Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali on
Saturday said that reforms are needed in Bangladesh’s accounting system in
order to meet international standards and also to comply with the suggestions
of the development partners.
The finance minister said this while addressing as
chief guest a discussion meeting marking the 51st founding anniversary of the
Bangladesh Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) at its office in Dhaka.
Ali said in accordance with the ever changing global
order, to face economic challenges and to gain excellence in ICT, there is a
need to conduct performance audit, IT audit, environment and climate change
related audit reports alongside conducting international standard traditional
compliance and financial audits.
Source: Ddnews.gov
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Explosive ordnance and unfortunate impacts in
Afghanistan
May 11, 2024
Afghanistan is one of the countries that has the
highest level of contamination with land mines and explosive materials left
over from wars. The explosion of these materials and mines is the second main
cause of civilian casualties in the country. Indeed, the imposition of
continuous wars is considered as one of the biggest threats to the lives of
civilians in any region. Mines, a terrible tool in the hands of war, have been
secretly buried in the soil and deserts of Afghanistan. These deadly clashes
not only endanger people’s lives, but also challenge the country’s daily life
and economy. On the other hand, reports show that more than a quarter of mine
victims in Afghanistan are children. In a report on the occasion of World Mine
Awareness Day, which this year’s slogan is “Protecting people’s lives and
ensuring peace”, OCHA said that based on the latest from January 2022 to February
2024, the number of victims (injured and dead) due to the explosion of mines
and explosives was 1401 people, of which 86% were children. In the current
year, nine children in Ghazni and one child in Herat died as a result of the ex
plosion of mines and explosives, and several other children were injured. This
unwise label on the devastating achievements of the war in this country is the
most wounded narrative that can be extracted from the effects of landmines on
the Afghan society. Despite many efforts to clear mines, these hidden dangers
still persist. For many Afghans, the threat of landmines continues to stand in
their way as an unpleasant and cruel companion of war. They are considered in
the silent corners of the society. In the latest report presented by the United
Nations, an estimated 1.2 million square meters of land are contaminated with
mines and improvised explosive devices in Afghanistan. Also, António Guterres,
Secretary General of the United Nations, by referring to wars and armed crises
in different countries said that the lives of millions of people living in war
zones, especially women and children, are in danger at every step they take. It
can be seen that combating the effects of mines in Afghanistan is not a
national challenge alone, but an international task that requires active and
serious international cooperation. Only by working together can communities
suffering from landmines be given hope and find a way to rebuild and restore
their daily lives. The existence of mines and unexploded materials not only
threatens the physical and mental health of the people, but also limits the use
of land for farming. It also hinders economic development and growth in the
country and makes low-income families with low economy more at risk of perishing
from hunger and poverty. In remote areas of the country, where the land is more
polluted with mines, families separate metals from unexploded ordnance and sell
them to support their livelihood. This issue can be dangerous, difficult and
often fatal, most of these cases threaten people who depend on agriculturebased
livelihoods, such as: agriculture, shepherds, ranchers and immigr
Source: The kabul Times
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https://thekabultimes.com/explosive-ordnance-and-unfortunate-impacts-in-afghanistan/
-----
Arab
World
Muslim Council of Elders, Global Council for Tolerance
and Peace welcome UN vote supporting Palestine full membership
12-05-2024
The Muslim Council of Elders, under the chairmanship
of His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, has welcomed
the UN General Assembly's adoption of a draft resolution, presented by the UAE
on behalf of the Arab Group, that calls for granting the State of Palestine
full membership at the United Nations.
In a statement, the Muslim Council of Elders
emphasised that the adoption of this resolution with overwhelming support from
143 out of 193 countries, constitutes international recognition of Palestine's
rightful full membership at the United Nations, reiterating the necessity of
adopting such a move in support of the efforts aimed to achieve global peace.
The Global Council for Tolerance and Peace commended
the statements made by the UAE, in its capacity as Chair of the Arab Group for
the month of May, the Republic of Uganda, the Chair of the Non-Aligned
Movement, and the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, Chair of the Islamic Group at
the UN, regarding their support for granting Palestine full membership in the
United Nations.
In a statement on Saturday, Ahmed Bin Mohammed Al
Jarwan, President of the Global Council for Tolerance and Peace, expressed his
gratitude for the United Nations General Assembly's efforts. He highlighted
that these efforts demonstrate the democratic nature of international relations
and reflect a sincere commitment to implementing the will of the international
community. This commitment, he said, aims to uphold rights and justice in
support of the Palestinian people, who are advocating for their fundamental
rights, such as equality with other nations and recognition of their statehood
similar to other UN member states.
Source: Gulf Today
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Scholarly delegation headed by Head of Mobilization
Committee visits summer session at Grand Mosque in Sana’a
11/May/2024
SANA'A May 11. 2024 (Saba) - A delegation of scholars
headed by the Head of the Supreme Central Committee for Mobilization, Dr. Abdul
Rahim Al-Hamran, inspected today ,Saturday,the summer session at the Grand
Mosque in Sana’a.
Dr. Al-Hamran, accompanied by the Vice Chairman of the
Committee - Undersecretary of the Ministry of Endowments , Hajj and Umrah
Affairs, Saleh Al-Khawlani, and a group of Yemeni scholars and the circle of
scholars and learners, listened to the educational affairs officials at the
Grand Mosque explain the progress of the educational process and the summer
activities received by the students, who number more than a thousand students
at the Grand Mosque in Memorizing Holy Qur’an and the purified Sunnah of the
Prophet.
During the visit, the Chairman of the Supreme Central
Committee for Mobilization , Dr. Abdul Rahim Al-Hamran, stressed his keenness
to visit the summer session at the Grand Mosque to encourage students and
motivate them to acquire useful sciences in learning the Holy Qur’an and to
acquire Qur'anic culture.
Source: Saba.ye
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https://www.saba.ye/en/news3328841.htm
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Saudi Arabia’s KFSH&RC chief hails hospital’s
transformation in speech at Harvard
ARAB NEWS
May 11, 2024
RIYADH: King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research
Center is providing leading healthcare in the region after undergoing a
decades-long transformation plan, its CEO has said.
He highlighted the role of the hospital in providing
cutting-edge care in Riyadh, reducing the need for patients in the region to
make long journeys for treatment.
The conference at Harvard, organized by The Diwan, a
student-run organization at the university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is
being held from May 10-12.
At the conference, the KFSH&RC chief also took
part in a panel discussion on the future of the health sector and the
hospital’s transformation in patient care. Al-Fayyadh highlighted the impact of
hospital innovation in the Kingdom in supporting the objectives of the Health
Sector Transformation Program and Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.
Source: Arab News
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2508471/saudi-arabia
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107 Saudi students graduate from hospitality
management scholarship program
ARAB NEWS
May 11, 2024
RIYADH: Red Sea Global, the developer of “regenerative
tourism destinations” The Red Sea and AMAALA, celebrated the graduation of the
first batch of international hospitality management students from its
scholarship program in partnership with the University of Prince Mugrin in
Madinah, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.
The graduation ceremony took place at the King Salman
International Convention Center under the patronage of Prince Mugrin bin
Abdulaziz, honorary president of the university; Prince Salman bin Sultan,
governor of Madinah; and Prince Faisal bin Muqrin bin Abdulaziz, chairman of
the board of directors of Al-Bayan Charitable Society for Education, with
students and their families in attendance.
Ahmad Darwish, group chief administrative officer at
RSG, said: “We are delighted to celebrate the graduation of the first group of
students from the Red Sea Global scholarship program. This group consists of 80
male and 27 female students who have specialized in international hospitality
management, with accreditation from the prestigious Swiss EHL Business
Hospitality School. They will all contribute toward extending a warm welcome to
the world in Saudi Arabia.”
Darwish added: “The University of Prince Mugrin is
making tremendous efforts to provide world-class educational opportunities in
various disciplines through innovative academic and research programs in line
with the highest international standards. It is effectively contributing to the
economic development of the Kingdom by preparing its graduates to face the
dynamic changes in various fields of work.”
Source: Arab News
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2508481/saudi-arabia
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Hira Cultural District: A diverse legacy of Makkah
ARAB NEWS
May 11, 2024
RIYADH: Makkah’s Hira Cultural District, with its
pavilions and cultural history, is serving as a tourist hotspot and a hub for
knowledge.
Nestled near Jabal Al-Noor, the project spans 67,000
sq meters and includes a visitors’ center, offering insights into the history
and services of the district, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.
The district’s Revelation Exhibition outlines the
story of the revelation bestowed upon prophets up to the last Prophet. Within a
special pavilion, the story of the Prophet Muhammad’s revelation and his
biography are presented, along with aspects related to the story of the
revelation through Gabriel and the roles of Khadija. It is delivered through a
technical presentation, taking viewers on an enriching audio and visual journey.
Source: Arab News
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2508426/saudi-arabia
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Saudi authorities arrest 19,710 illegals in one week
ARAB NEWS
May 11, 2024
RIYADH: Saudi authorities arrested 19,710 people in
one week for breaching residency, work and border security regulations, the
Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.
According to an official report, a total of 12,961
people were arrested for violations of residency laws, while 4,177 were held
over illegal border crossing attempts, and a further 2,572 for labor-related
issues.
The report showed that among the 979 people arrested
for trying to enter the Kingdom illegally, 54 percent were Ethiopian, 43
percent Yemeni, and 3 percent were of other nationalities.
Source: Arab News
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2508421/saudi-arabia
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Southeast
Asia
Muslim World League inaugurates first Southeast Asian
scholars council in Kuala Lumpur
May 12, 2024
KUALA LUMPUR — Sheikh Dr. Muhammad Al-Issa,
Secretary-General of the Makkah-based Muslim World League (MWL) and Chairman of
the Association of Muslim Scholars, has inaugurated the "Council of
Southeast Asian Scholars" in Kuala Lumpur.
The ceremony was held under the patronage of Malaysian
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, with prominent scholars and muftis from ASEAN
countries in attendance.
This new council represents the first comprehensive
Islamic council in the Southeast Asian region, featuring senior muftis and
scholars.
Source: Saudigazette
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Umno says viral statement claiming its president urged
Malaysia to emulate Singapore and stop championing Malay agenda, is fake
12 May 2024
KUALA LUMPUR, May 12 — The viral statement claiming
that Umno has adopted a more open approach and is willing to lessen its
exclusive focus on Malay agendas is false.
This was confirmed by the Umno headquarters today
referring to a statement dated May 12, 2024, allegedly issued by its president
Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
The false statement, which used Umno’s official
letterhead, also mentioned that Malaysia should emulate Singapore, which has
shown rapid progress by no longer overly focusing on the interests of a
particular race.
Source: Malay Mail
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MB: Iskandar Malaysia and Pengerang likely site for
Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone
12 May 2024
ISKANDAR PUTERI, May 12 — The Johor-Singapore Special
Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) is likely to be developed in Iskandar Malaysia and
Pengerang, covering an area of 3,505 square kilometres, involving the local
authorities of Johor Baru, Iskandar Puteri, Kulai, PasirGudang and Kota Tinggi,
stated MenteriBesar Datuk Onn Hafiz.
A total of 16 economic sectors have been proposed,
including electrical and electronics; medical and pharmaceutical; aviation;
specialty chemicals; logistics; healthcare and education, he informed the Johor
state assembly sitting at the Sultan Ismail Building, Kota Iskandar, today.
“These matters are still under discussion and will
only be finalised once all feedback and views have been thoroughly considered,”
he said.
Source: Malay Mail
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KKB by-election win proof of unity government’s
stability, says DPM Fadillah
12 May 2024
KUALA LUMPUR, May 12 — Deputy Prime Minister Datuk
Seri FadillahYusof has described the victory of the PakatanHarapan (PH)
candidate in the Kuala KubuBaru (KKB) state by-election yesterday as proof of
the close cooperation among the component parties and the stability of the
Unity Government.
“The voters have already made their choice, so whoever
is elected must fulfil their responsibilities to the best of their ability so
that we can do the best for the people,” he told reporters after attending a
charity golf tournament organised by the Council of Datuk Dato’ Malaysia (MDDM)
in Bukit Kiara today.
The four-cornered contest saw PH candidate from DAP,
Pang Sock Tao, securing victory with a 3,869-vote majority over Khairul Azhari
Saut (PerikatanNasional), Hafizah Zainuddin (Parti Rakyat Malaysia) and Nyau Ke
Xin (Independent).
Source: Malay Mail
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Africa
Bandits Wreak Havoc in Zamfara: 30 Farmers, Islamic
Cleric Killed in Brutal Attacks
By Chimezie Godfrey
May 11, 2024
Tragedy struck in Zamfara State as bandits unleashed a
wave of violence on farming communities, claiming the lives of at least 30
innocent farmers, including a respected Islamic cleric. The attacks occurred in
Gidangoga village, Maradun Local Government Area (LGA), and Bilbis village,
Tsafe LGA.
Sources told PRNigeria that the bandits first struck
in Maradun LGA, attacking Gidangoga village, where farmers were preparing their
lands for the upcoming wet season. MallamMakwashiMaradun Mai Jan Baki, a
renowned Islamic cleric, was brutally killed while working on his farm. He was
known for reciting the Quran during Ramadan Tafsir at Maradun First Jumuat
Mosque. Tragically, his two children remain missing after the attack.
In the evening, the bandits targeted Bilbis village in
Tsafe LGA, leaving 20 innocent civilians dead. Local sources reported that the
farmers were attacked while clearing their fields, and the bandits showed no
mercy.
Source: Mewsdiaryonline
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CAR: Some displaced people receiving assistance to
move out of camps
12-05-2024
After decades of instability and conflict in Central
African Republic (CAR), one in five Central Africans is either internally
displaced or has found refuge abroad.
They fled their homes due to ongoing fighting between
the country’s numerous armed factions, which has seen thousands of people
killed.
Many have settled in the PK3 camps for internally
displaced people (IDP) near the town of Bria, capital of the eastern
Haute-Kotto prefecture.
Just three kilometres outside of town, it is the
largest in the country and almost everyone living there has lost everything in
the fighting.
Source: Mews Diary Online
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The ANC has left South Africa a land of broken dreams.
Its time seems over
Simon Tisdall
11 May 2024
Who will save South Africa from itself? Not the ruling
African National Congress (ANC), whose 30 unbroken years of under-achievement
have brought the country to its present sorry pass. Not “reformist” president
Cyril Ramaphosa, widely considered a disappointment. And not Russia or China,
either, to which Pretoria’s flailing regime, increasingly at odds with the
west, looks for succour.
Three decades after Nelson Mandela’s historic poll
victory formally vanquished apartheid, and less than three weeks before another
watershed election, it’s all going wrong for the Rainbow Nation. Africa’s most
developed country is now its most unequal, the World Bank says. Crime is
rampant, corruption endemic, growth is tanking. More than 60% live in poverty.
Unemployment among black people is 40%.
The same pivotal choice faces other would-be
21st-century powers – countries such as Nigeria, Brazil, Mexico, Iran, Saudi
Arabia, Turkey and Indonesia. As when Mandela completed his long walk to
freedom, the international community, and the western democracies especially,
are watching closely to see which way South Africa jumps. It has a chance to
lead again.
Source: The Guardian
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https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/article/2024/may/11/anc-south-africa-elections
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Mali national dialogue recommends junta rule extension
12-05-2024
A recent national dialogue in Mali concluded with
recommendations supporting the extension of military rule for several more
years.
Participants, mainly from the military, proposed that
Colonel AssimiGoita, the leader of the junta that seized power in 2020, should
be allowed to run for the presidency in future elections. However, the dialogue
was marked by significant opposition boycotts, with critics accusing the
military of using the process to prolong its hold on power.
Mali has experienced successive coups in 2020 and
2021, leading to military rule. Initially, promises were made to transition to
civilian governance through democratic elections, but these plans have been
indefinitely postponed due to security concerns stemming from jihadist attacks.
In April, the military authorities further tightened
their grip by suspending all political activities and clamping down on
opposition figures, journalists, and human rights activists.
Source: Africa News
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https://www.africanews.com/2024/05/11/mali-national-dialogue-recommends-junta-rule-extension/
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URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/amnesty-india-anti-muslim-jihad-human-rihts/d/132305