Architects Write To New Delhi Municipal Council Against Razing Of Sunehri Bagh Roundabout Mosque in the Interest Of Protecting The Country’s Cultural Heritage
New Age Islam News Bureau
27 December 2023
NDMC had sought public response to the proposed removal of the mosque
-----
·
Architects Write To New Delhi Municipal Council
Against Razing Of Sunehri Bagh Roundabout Mosque in the Interest Of Protecting
The Country’s Cultural Heritage
·
Biden
State Department Shells Out Taxpayer Dollars To ‘Queer’ Muslim Writers In India
·
After 'Allah' Film Poster Gaffe, Malay Dy
Religious Affairs Minister Says Creative Industry Should Steer Clear Of
Sensitive Issues
·
Hamas Remains ‘Resilient’, Reconstituting
Capabilities Despite Israeli War: US Think
·
Abbottabad Mosque Hosts Christmas Ceremony For
Christian Kids
-----
India
·
PM Modi To
Inaugurate UAE’s 1st Traditional Hindu Temple In Feb
·
Suspecting
'Possible Terror Attack', Israel Issues Travel Warning For Its Citizens In India
·
Delhi
Police Analysing Dump Data In Israel Embassy Blast Call Case
·
Gaza Heats
Up Red Sea, Modi And Saudi Crown Prince MbS Speak: Need Peace, Security In
Region
-----
North America
·
US, Israel
discuss 'different phase' of war
·
UN names
outgoing Dutch minister humanitarian coordinator for Gaza
·
Biden,
Qatari emir discuss Gaza in phone call
·
Why US is
willing to relax its weapons ban on Saudi Arabia
·
US
military base in Iraq’s Al Anbar comes under rocket attack
----
Southeast Asia
·
Kampung
spirit: Malaysian couple gets ghosted by wedding caterer; family members and
mosque step up to save the day
·
Signifies
RI-UAE closeness, Widodo says on mosque bearing his name
·
PMI team
in Egypt prepares food, medicines for Gazans: Official
·
Participants
of pro-Palestinian picket advised not to set up camps near US Embassy: Police
------
Mideast
·
Tanks Biden Has Blood
Of Gaza Children On Hands; Netanyahu Only Succeeds In Massacre: Hamas
·
Interior
Minister expresses pride in Islamic Republic’s democratic system
·
'Moral
cowardice': UN special rapporteur slams Israel's visa threat to staffers
·
Hamas and
Islamic Jihad reject overhaul of Gaza government for permanent ceasefire
·
Over
21,000 killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza since October 7
·
Nine
Israeli soldiers wounded in Hezbollah strike: army
·
Six killed
in Israeli operation in occupied West Bank: Palestinian health ministry
·
US, Israel
facing ‘two-sided’ defeat in war on Gaza Strip: Iran security chief
----
Pakistan
·
Imran
moves SC against trial court’s verdict in Toshakhana case
·
Haq Do
Tehreek rally in Gwadar demands end to enforced disappearance, extra-judicial
killings
·
Imran
Khan’s aide Qureshi detained in Adiala Jail for 15 days
·
Pakistan
deported Afghans waiting for US resettlement: report
·
Qureshi
taken into custody by Rawalpindi police after bail in cipher case
-----
South Asia
·
Bangladesh Will Be Developed Only If Her Party
Remains In Power: PM
·
Bangladesh
warns of deepening Rohingya crisis as refugee aid nosedives
·
Pakistan
backs out of the deal with TTP, claims FM Muttaqi
·
Muttaqi:
Islamic Emirate Controls All Territory in Afghanistan
·
Kazakhstan
donates over $400 million to Afghanistan in 2023
·
WFP
announces aid reduction in Afghanistan due to budget shortfall
·
52 Afghan
citizens released from Iranian prisons
·
Islamic
Emirate: Efforts Underway to Build New Tunnel on Salang Highway
·
Public
Health Minister Meets Former PM of Malaysia to Discuss Health Sector
-----
Africa
·
Nigerian
Governor Vows Justice After Deadly Attacks Claim Over 100 Lives
·
Sudanese
refugees in Chad recount war horrors of western Darfur
·
Sudan: RSF
militiamen accused of widespread looting in Wad Madani
·
Intersociety
Condemns Massacre Of Nigerian Christians In Plateau Communities, Accuses
Military, Police, Others Of Colluding With Jihadists
·
Uganda
says Islamic State-allied rebels kill three in village attack
------
Arab World
·
Tent
Retreats, Cultural Attractions Draw Visitors To Camel Festival
·
Yemen
forces hit ship headed towards occupied territories, Israeli targets
·
Yemen
continues to support Gaza by launching new operations
·
Saudi
crown prince to deliver annual royal speech to Shoura Council on Wednesday
·
Domestic
and foreign funds’ buying support lifts QSE 12 points; Islamic equities
outperform
·
US ambassador
to Saudi Arabia attends King Abdulaziz Camel Festival
·
AlUla’s
Winter at Tantora returns with poetry, art, music
----
Europe
·
Russia FM
reasserts Moscow's respect for Iran's territorial integrity
·
EU to
bypass €20 billion Ukraine aid veto – FT
·
Sweden’s
NATO bid had been stalled amid opposition from Turkiye and Hungary
Compiled by
New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/architects-sunehri-mosque-cultural-heritage/d/131398
----
Architects
Write To New Delhi Municipal Council Against Razing Of Sunehri Bagh Roundabout Mosque
in the Interest Of Protecting The Country’s Cultural Heritage
NDMC had sought public response to the proposed removal of the mosque
-----
Dec 27,
2023
New
Delhi: Several architects have opposed the demolition of the mosque at the
Sunehri Bagh roundabout and made an urgent appeal to preserve it in the
interest of protecting the country’s cultural heritage.
On
Sunday, the department of architecture and environment of the New Delhi
Municipal Council (NDMC) had sought public response to the proposed removal of
the mosque for better traffic management.
In a
letter to the chief architect, NDMC, the architects stated, “The Sunehri Bagh
masjid is not merely a structure of bricks and mortar; it stands as a testament
to our historical legacy and architectural grandeur. Its demolition would
result in an irrevocable loss to the cultural fabric and collective identity of
our city. It would also deprive future generations of the opportunity to learn
from and appreciate the tangible history of our ancestors.”
The
letter said that while the need for developing sustainable mobility solutions
is understandable, such progress should not come at the expense of “our heritage”.
There are numerous examples globally where modern urban planning has
successfully integrated with historical preservation, ensuring development and
conservation go hand in hand, it added.
The
architects urged the government to consider alternative proposals that would
address traffic concerns without compromising heritage. They also proposed a
community consultation to explore potential solutions that could serve both the
city’s infrastructural needs and the preservation of its cultural sites.
“Please let us not be remembered as the generation that prioritised convenience
over conservation,” the letter stated.
Several
architects TOI spoke to said instead of demolishing an ancient and historical
structure, the government agency should come up with other solutions for
traffic management.
Vinit
Khanna, principal architect from Space Ace, said, “It’s difficult to build such
a structure with the kind of labour we have today. When we have such
masterpieces, why demolish them? “You cannot raze the past to build the
future.”
“Rather
than getting public opinion in this matter, they should take expert opinion to
solve the traffic problem. For instance, there could be a roundabout around the
mosque, a tunnel or an overhead flyover,” Khanna said, adding that the size of
the mosque is so small that it can be easily preserved along the traffic
routes.
Stressing
on the need to find alternative solutions, Pernika Narayan from Narayan Bansal
Mathur Associates said, “We should be proud of the city’s rich heritage and
diverse history. The best thing would be to conserve and to work around it.”
Pooja
Narayan, an architect, said many places in Delhi witness congestion due to the
presence of bus stops and random structures. “Every single day, entire roads
are choked twice a day because of schools, but that doesn’t mean that we shut
down these schools. So, they should figure out the issue rather than
demolishing heritage structures and protected monuments,” she said.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/architects-oppose-demolition-of-mosque-in-new-delhi/articleshow/106305940.cms
----
Biden
State Department Shells Out Taxpayer Dollars To ‘Queer’ Muslim Writers In India
Photo: Daily Caller.com
-----
December
26, 2023
ROBERT
SCHMAD
The
State Department is providing financial support to a “queer” Muslim
organization in India so it can provide “LGBTQI” people in the regions with a
platform to write, according to a grant listing.
The
grant was disbursed in September to Creating Resources for Empowerment and
Action, a Soros-funded feminist group that advances “the sexual rights of all
people,” and went on to fund the Queer Muslim Project, which is an “online
platform for queer, Muslim and allied voices” based in India. The grant, which
amounts to $15,000, purports to “support the achievement of U.S. foreign policy
goals and objectives, advance national interests, and enhance national
security.”
The work
produced by the program will be presented at a “leading Mumbai literature
festival.”
President
Joe Biden made it the policy of the United States to advance “LGBTQI+” rights
around the world after he took office in 2021.
Moreover,
this isn’t the first time the State Department has partnered with the Queer Muslim
Project.
The U.S.
Consulate General Mumbai partnered with the Queer Muslim Project beginning in
March to hold a 10-week “creative incubator” for young LGBTQIA+ writers called
the “Queer Writer’s Room.” The consulate called the initiative a “narrative change
program.”
The
program ended in June when its LGBTQIA+ participants published a magazine,
according to the organization’s Facebook page. One article in the magazine was
titled “The Beauty and Complexity of Being Queer and Muslim” and contained the
author’s complaints about gendered bathrooms.
The
program posted a request for applications in June 2022, offering young queer
writers in South Asia a platform “to claim agency and authorship over their
stories.”
It is
unclear what the group’s most recent round of support from the State Department
will go toward.
The
organization publishes short pieces of writing from LGBTQIA+ Muslims on its
Facebook page.
One such
post discussed “a pre-1948 Palestine where queerness and transness were
perceived differently” while in another the author discussed being “bombarded
with white gay culture” in Norway after leaving Iraq. Another post features a
“non-binary Palestinian-Chicana Muslim.”
The
Queer Muslim Project, in addition to platforming LGBTQIA+ Muslims, attempts to
reconcile queerness and Islam.
Posts
from the group argue that Djinns, a type of spirit Muslims believe in, can be
genderfluid and that transgenderism has a basis in historical Islam. The group
also published a series of poetry on “queer Muslim love” on its Facebook page.
In
addition to the State Department, the Queer Muslim Project says it has
partnered with Meta, Netflix and the British government.
Creating
Resources for Empowerment and Action, the Queer Muslim Project and the State
Department did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s
requests for comment.
Source: dailycaller.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://dailycaller.com/2023/12/26/state-department-queer-muslim-biden/
------
After
'Allah' Film Poster Gaffe, Malay Dy Religious Affairs Minister Says Creative
Industry Should Steer Clear Of Sensitive Issues
The official poster for an Indonesian horror film has been replaced
after it was deemed to touch on the sensitivity of the Muslim community in
Malaysia. — Picture via Instagram RapiFilm
-----
NILAI,
Dec 26 — Creative industry practitioners in the country are reminded to always
check the guidelines set by the relevant authorities prior to creating any work
to steer clear of sensitive issues, particularly those related to religion.
Deputy
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Dr. Zulkifli
Hasan said this measure aims to avoid confusion and discord among the public
when a piece of work is presented.
“At the
ministry level, we oversee and facilitate awareness. We also have several
guidelines that serve as a reference for everyone, ensuring that any material
from external sources is approved and does not touch on sensitivities.
“We will
also continue to monitor and take proactive action to ensure that what is
presented to the public is constructive and adheres to regulations,” he said
after the launch of the Cultural Arts Performance Guideline Book at
UniversitiSains Islam Malaysia (USIM) here today.
He said
this in light of an incident where a cinema released an official poster for a
horror film displaying the Arabic word ‘Allah’ on a black cloth wrapped around
a woman perceived to be possessed.
The
National Film Development Corporation (Finas) reportedly instructed the said
cinema, serving as the film distributor for the Indonesian production, to
withdraw and modify the poster.
Earlier,
Zulkifli expressed confidence that the guidelines within the book will not
curtail freedom, particularly for students in the field of arts, as it is aimed
to foster good character and empower individuals. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2023/12/26/after-allah-film-poster-gaffe-deputy-religious-affairs-minister-says-creative-industry-should-steer-clear-of-sensitive-issues/109321
----
Hamas
Remains ‘Resilient’, Reconstituting Capabilities Despite Israeli War: US Think
Tanks
Members of al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Palestinian
Hamas resistance group, parade in Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip on May
27, 2021. (Photo by AFP)
------
27 December 2023
The
Palestinian Hamas resistance movement has proved to be “resilient” on the
battlefield despite suffering losses in the devastating Israeli aggression
against the Gaza Strip, war monitors say.
In a
report published on Tuesday, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) and the
Critical Threats Project (CTP) highlighted Hamas’s ability to reconstitute amid
the occupying regime’s failure to eliminate it.
“Hamas
remains resilient and able to reconstitute its military capabilities, despite
its military losses in the war thus far,” the report said.
It noted
that any deal that keeps Hamas in Gaza would be “tantamount to Israel’s defeat”
because it would preserve the group as a governing body and military force in
the besieged Palestinian territory and enable it to threaten the usurping
regime.
Israel
waged the genocidal war on Gaza on October 7 after Hamas carried out a historic
operation against the occupying entity in retaliation for its intensified
atrocities against the Palestinian people.
However,
82 days into the offensive, Tel Aviv has failed to achieve its objectives of
destroying Hamas and finding Israeli captives in Gaza.
On
Tuesday, Israel’s minister of military affairs Yoav Gallant said the regime is
in a “multi-arena war,” warning of a long fight ahead.
Gallant’s
comments followed Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s remarks Monday
that the Gaza war is far from over.
The
Tuesday report by the US war monitors stressed that Israeli officials have
underlined the need for a “prolonged” war to achieve their declared objectives
in Gaza.
Halutz
also suggested that Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu should be thrown out of
power.
It added
that Hamas continues to engage in battles in the northern Gaza cities of Beit Hanoun
and Jabalia.
Hamas
and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad resistance movement “conducted a combined
complex ambush using standard and thermobaric rockets against Israeli forces
sheltering in a home in Jabalia city,” the report said.
Palestinian
fighters are also engaged in “heavy fighting” against Israeli troops in
southern Gaza using mortars and rockets.
The US
report further referred to clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinian
fighters across the occupied West Bank and attacks by the Lebanese Hezbollah
resistance movement on the occupied territories.
Since
the start of the Israeli aggression, the regime has killed at least 20,915
Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured 54,918 others.
Thousands
more are also missing and presumed dead under the rubble in the Gaza Strip,
which is under “complete siege” by Israel.
Source: presstv.ir
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/12/27/717104/Hamas-remains-resilient-despite-losses-Israeli-war-Gaza
------
Abbottabad
Mosque Hosts Christmas Ceremony For Christian Kids
A girl is decorating a Christmas tree in a Church with colorful light
ahead of the Christmas ceremony on
December 25, 2023. — Online
-----
December
27, 2023
Imam of
the mosque and well-known religious scholar Maulana Syed Akbar Ali Shah,
Christian leader Zakir Paul Advocate, Director General of Rahmat Lal Alamin
Authority Zafar Mahmood Malik, Pastor Peter Gill, Pastor Paul Masih, Pastor
Cristofer, Pastor Aslam Masih, Pastor Nasir William and the organizer of the
ceremony Sabookh Syed and other speakers also addressed.
The
speakers said that people of other religions, including Christians, have
rendered services and sacrifices from the establishment of Pakistan to the
stability of Pakistan, which should be included in the curriculum.
The
Christian leaders said that for the first time in Pakistan, this ceremony is
being held in the confines of a mosque for the second time, from which they
have been encouraged and happy.
In the
ceremony, Muslim and Christian children recited the Holy Quran and the Bible
and celebrated the birth ceremony of Hazrat Eisa (AS). The children delivered
speeches for the promotion of Muslim-Christian ties. In the end, the Muslim
children served food to the Christian children and presented them with school
bags and Christmas gifts.
Source: thenews.com.pk
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1142136-abbottabad-mosque-hosts-christmas-ceremony-for-christian-kids
-----
India
PM Modi
to inaugurate UAE’s 1st traditional Hindu temple in Feb
26th
December 2023
Sakina
Fatima
Indian Prime
Minister Narendra Modi is all set to inaugurate the United Arab Emirates (UAE)
first traditional stone temple in February 2024.
The
construction work of the BochasanwasiAkshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha
temple or popularly known as the BAPS Hindu Mandir, began in 2019 after the UAE
government allotted land to build a temple in Abu Dhabi’s Abu Mureikha area, in
August 2015.
Modi is
scheduled to attend an evening dedication ceremony on February 14, following
the consecration and blessing of seven deities in morning prayers.
The BAPS
Hindu Mandir is set to open to the public on February 18, 2024, The National
News reported.
Architectural
firm RSP, the lead consultant, designed a project that won an international
design competition.
The
temple complex features a visitor center, prayer halls, exhibitions, learning
and sporting areas, ample parking, thematic gardens, a food court, bookstore,
and gift shops.
Thousands
of hand-carved stone blocks were prepared in Rajasthan and Gujarat, India,
numbered, and shipped for on-site assembly after foundation work.
The
temple is expected to accommodate between 8,000 and 10,000 individuals of all
faiths. The pink sandstone structure of a spectacular temple is expected to
last over 1000 years.
Visitors
are greeted by two water streams, symbolizing the Ganga and Yamuna rivers in
India.
Source: siasat.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.siasat.com/pm-modi-to-inaugurate-uaes-1st-traditional-hindu-temple-in-feb-2942009/
-----
Suspecting
'possible terror attack', Israel issues travel warning for its citizens in
India
27.12.23
The
Israeli National Security Council has issued a travel advisory for its citizens
in India, suspecting that an explosion near the Israeli embassy in New Delhi on
Tuesday was "a possible terror attack".
No one
was injured in the blast that occurred near the Israel embassy in the
Chanakyapuri diplomatic enclave in New Delhi on Tuesday evening.
When
contacted, Israeli embassy spokesperson Guy Nir said, "We can confirm that
around 5:48 pm, there was a blast in close proximity to the embassy. Delhi
Police and the security team are still investigating the situation." The
recommendations of the Israeli National Security Council (NSC) on Tuesday, which
come amid concerns of a "recurrence of events", apply especially to
New Delhi. Israeli nationals have been warned to try to avoid going to crowded
places (malls and markets) and places identified as serving Westerners/Jews and
Israelis. They have also been urged to be on heightened alert in public places
(including restaurants, hotels, pubs, etc).
The
recommendations also suggest avoiding openly displaying Israeli symbols,
refraining from attending unsecured large-scale events, and avoiding
publicising itineraries on social media as well as photographs and details of
visits in real-time.
The
Israeli Foreign Ministry, in a press statement earlier on Tuesday, said that
there were no casualties in the explosion.
"The
incident is under investigation by the local authorities in full cooperation
with the Israeli security forces", the ministry said.
Soon
after the explosion, which took place in a green belt area outside the Central
Hindi Training Institute located near the embassy, teams of Delhi Police's
Special Cell, bomb disposal squad and fire department rushed to the spot. An
almost three-hour-long search operation was carried out in the area.
A
National Investigation Agency (NIA) team also examined the site, a senior
police officer in New Delhi said.
After the
incident, security was further beefed up around the embassy and other Israeli
establishments, according to officials.
Earlier
this month, the NSC warned Israelis to reconsider all their travel abroad and
called on those who do need to travel overseas to avoid outward displays of
their Jewish and Israeli identities amid rising antisemitism around the world
amidst the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas militant group in Gaza. In the
past, too, the Israeli embassy and its staff have come under attack in New
Delhi.
There
was an explosion outside the Israeli embassy in 2021 in which cars were
damaged, but no casualties were reported.
In
February 2012, the wife of an Israeli security staff at the embassy was injured
in an attack on her car in New Delhi.
Security
has been high around the Israel embassy in New Delhi since the war between
Israel and Hamas began earlier this year, security officials said.
Except
for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Telegraph Online staff
and has been published from a syndicated feed.
Source: telegraphindia.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.telegraphindia.com/world/suspecting-possible-terror-attack-israel-issues-travel-warning-for-india/cid/1989553
-----
Delhi
Police analysing dump data in Israel Embassy blast call case
27th
December 2023
Sameer
Khan
New
Delhi: Delhi Police is examining footage from over 100 CCTV cameras to nab the
suspects in the Israel Embassy blast case. As per sources, the police are
examining the footage for the route mapping of the suspects, who were seen
walking on the road close to the spot shortly before the explosion.
The
police have also started analysing dump data of the said spot, to identify
phone numbers active in the area, sources said, adding that around five
thousand phone numbers were active during the period.
Delhi
Police on Tuesday received a call that a ‘blast’ was heard near the Israel
Embassy in the Chanakyapuri diplomatic enclave, but officials said that nothing
as such was found at the spot of the incident.
Earlier,
Delhi police found a letter addressed to the Israeli ambassador near the Israel
Embassy on Tuesday evening in connection with the ‘blast’ call.
“A
letter has been written in English to the Israeli Embassy in which threatening
words are used. The group whose name is written on the letter is Sir Allah
Resistance,” said sources.
Police
are currently examining the letter and are yet to reveal details.
The call
was received by the Delhi Fire Services at around 6 pm.
Soon,
the Delhi police crime unit along with fire services and bomb disposal squad
reached the spot. Experts from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team also
reached the spot.
“The
sound of a blast was heard by a security guard standing there,” FSL sources had
said.
A
security guard standing near the embassy said, “I heard a loud noise at around
5 pm. The noise was similar to a tyre burst. I also saw smoke going up near a
tree.”
In this
regard, sources in the special cell have said that no such blast occurred here.
Meanwhile,
security in the area has been increased and police are monitoring through CCTV
cameras.
Source: siasat.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.siasat.com/delhi-police-analysing-dump-data-in-israel-embassy-blast-call-case-2942529/
------
Gaza
heats up Red Sea, Modi and Saudi crown prince MbS speak: Need peace, security
in region
Shubhajit
Roy
December
27, 2023
As the
war in Gaza rages and drone and missile strikes disrupt maritime traffic in the
Red Sea, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi
Arabia’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and the two leaders “agreed to work
together for peace, security and stability” in the West Asia region.
Following
their phone conversation Tuesday, Modi, in a post on X, said, “Held a good
conversation with my Brother HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al
Saud on the future of Strategic Partnership between India and Saudi Arabia. We
exchanged views on the West Asia situation and shared concerns regarding
terrorism, violence and the loss of civilian lives. Agreed to work together for
peace, security and stability in the region.”
A
statement by the Prime Minister’s Office added: “Prime Minister reiterated
India’s long-standing and principled position on the Israel-Palestine issue and
called for continued humanitarian aid for the affected population.”
“The two
leaders agreed to work together for peace, security and stability in the
region. They also emphasised the need for maintaining maritime security and the
freedom of navigation,” it said.
Held a
good conversation with my Brother HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz
Al Saud on the future of Strategic Partnership between India and Saudi Arabia.
We exchanged views on the West Asia situation and shared concerns regarding
terrorism, violence and the loss of…
According
to the PMO, the leaders reviewed progress in bilateral Strategic Partnership in
follow-up to the State visit of the Crown Prince to India in September 2023,
and they also discussed the forward-looking bilateral partnership agenda for
the future.
MbS, as
the Crown Prince is popularly known, was in India for the G20 Leaders’ Summit
and was hosted for a day-long State visit after the Summit.
During
the phone conversation Tuesday, the Prime Minister, according to the statement,
conveyed greetings to Saudi Arabia on being selected as host for Expo 2030 and
FIFA Football World Cup 2034. “The two leaders agreed to remain in touch,” it
said.
Last
week, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called up Prime Minister Modi
and briefed him on the recent developments in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.
The
merchant vessel MV Chem Pluto, with 21 Indian crew members, was struck by a
drone about 217 nautical miles from Porbandar last Saturday following which the
Indian Navy and the Coast Guard deployed a number of assets to provide
assistance to the ship.
A
Gabon-flagged commercial crude oil tanker with 25 Indian crew members also came
under attack in the southern Red Sea.
According
to Navy officers, four destroyers have been deployed to counter piracy and
drone attacks on merchant ships. P-8I aircraft, Dorniers, Sea Guardians,
helicopters and Coast Guard ships have been deployed jointly to counter the
threats of piracy and drone attacks.
As
Iranian-backed Houthi militants in Yemen stepped up attacks on vessels in the
Red Sea, India last week said it has been “supportive of the free movement of
commercial shipping”.
The
Houthi militants, who control vast amounts of territory in Yemen after years of
war, have been using drones and missiles to target international vessels
sailing through the Red Sea, calling it a response to Israel’s assault on the
Gaza Strip.
The
attacks, targeting a route that allows East-West trade, especially of oil, have
forced some shipping companies to reroute vessels
Source: indianexpress.com
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the full text of the original
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/gaza-heats-up-red-sea-modi-mbs-speak-need-peace-security-in-region-9084019/
------
North America
US,
Israel discuss 'different phase' of war
Dec 27, 2023
WASHINGTON:
US national security advisor Jake Sullivan met Tuesday to discuss shifting
"to a different phase" of the Israel-Hamas war with Israeli minister
of strategic affairs Ron Dermer, a White House official said.
The
meeting provided an opportunity to talk about steps to improve the humanitarian
situation in war-torn Gaza and minimize harm to civilians, according to the
official, who did not wish to be named.
It was
also meant as a chance to speak on "the transition to a different phase of
the war to maximize focus on high-value Hamas targets," the official said,
referring to the Palestinian militant group.
The
discussion comes after the UN security council agreed last week to a
watered-down resolution calling for aid to be delivered to the Gaza Strip
"at scale."
Gaza's
2.4 million people are suffering dire shortages of water, food, fuel and
medicine, with only limited aid entering.
The
bloodiest-ever Gaza war erupted when Hamas attacked southern Israel on October
7 and killed about 1,140 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally
based on Israeli figures.
They
took 250 hostages of whom 129 remain inside Gaza. The effort to bring these
home was also among the topics on the table at the Sullivan-Dermer meeting.
After
the Hamas attack, Israel launched an extensive aerial bombardment and a siege
followed by a ground invasion. The campaign has killed 20,915 people, according
to Hamas-run Gaza's health ministry.
The
Tuesday meeting additionally provided a chance for Israel and the United States
to talk about the eventual "governance and security in Gaza, a political
horizon for the Palestinian people, and continued work on normalization and
integration," the White House official said.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/us-israel-discuss-different-phase-of-war/articleshowprint/106308769.cms
-----
UN names
outgoing Dutch minister humanitarian coordinator for Gaza
27 Dec
2023
NEW YORK,
Dec 27 — The United Nations named an outgoing Dutch minister its humanitarian
coordinator for Gaza on Tuesday following last week’s watered-down Security
Council resolution which called for aid to be delivered to the strip “at
scale.”
Sigrid
Kaag’s appointment comes as the people of Gaza face a dire humanitarian
emergency, with aid slowed to a trickle by Israel’s continued bombardment of
the densely populated coastal strip.
She will
start work on January 8, the UN said in a statement.
Last
week’s UN Security Council resolution called for the “safe and unhindered
delivery of humanitarian assistance at scale” — but did not call for an
immediate end to fighting.
The
bloodiest ever Gaza war erupted when Palestinian militant group Hamas attacked
southern Israel on October 7 and killed about 1,140 people, mostly civilians,
according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures.
They
took 250 hostages of whom 129 remain inside Gaza.
Israel
launched an extensive aerial bombardment and a siege followed by a ground invasion.
The campaign has killed 20,915 people, according to Hamas-run Gaza’s health
ministry.
“United
Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres today announced the appointment of
Ms Sigrid Kaag of the Netherlands as Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator
for Gaza,” the UN said in a statement.
The
United States welcomed the appointment and said it looks forward to
coordination “on efforts to accelerate and streamline the delivery of
life-saving humanitarian relief to Palestinian civilians in Gaza,” State
Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.
The
Security Council adopted the resolution on Gaza on Friday after days of delays
and diplomatic wrangling.
A draft
version of the resolution had said that the aid mechanism to accelerate the
delivery of relief would be “exclusively” under UN control.
But the
final version, passed after Washington abstained, now states it would be
managed in consultation with “all relevant parties” — meaning Israel would
retain operational oversight of aid deliveries.
Kaag has
been the Netherlands’ deputy prime minister and finance minister since January
2022. She has previously held a number of senior UN jobs including its special
coordinator for Lebanon and the Joint Organization for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons
and the United Nations Mission in Syria. — AFP
Source: malaymail.com
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/world/2023/12/27/un-names-outgoing-dutch-minister-humanitarian-coordinator-for-gaza/109359
------
Biden,
Qatari emir discuss Gaza in phone call
DiyarGuldogan
27.12.2023
US
President Joe Biden spoke by phone Tuesday with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin
Hamad al-Thani on the latest situation in the Gaza Strip, said the White House.
"The
two leaders discussed the urgent effort to secure the release of all remaining
hostages held by Hamas, including American citizens," it said in a
statement.
They
also exchanged views on “the ongoing efforts to facilitate increased and
sustained flows of life-saving access to humanitarian aid into Gaza,” it added.
Israel
has launched a massive military campaign on the Gaza Strip since a cross-border
attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7, killing at least 20,915
Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injuring 54,918 others, according
to local health authorities.
The
onslaught has left Gaza in ruins, with 60% of the enclave's infrastructure
damaged or destroyed and nearly 2 million people displaced amid acute shortages
of food, clean water and medicines.
Around
1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed in the Hamas attack.
Tel Aviv
has vowed to destroy Hamas and ensure the release of all hostages taken during
the October attack. Some of the hostages were returned after a temporary truce
in November in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
Source: aa.com.tr
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https://www.aa.com.tr/en/americas/biden-qatari-emir-discuss-gaza-in-phone-call/3093294
-----
Why US
is willing to relax its weapons ban on Saudi Arabia
Mira
Patel
December 27, 2023
US
Officials announced that the Biden administration is prepared to ease some
restrictions on weapons sales to Saudi Arabia, in light of advancing peace
talks between Riyadh and the Houthi militia in Yemen.
President
Joe Biden had imposed the ban two years ago amidst concerns that US weapons
were being used against civilians in Yemen, which is currently in the midst of
a catastrophic war.
We take
a look at the war in Yemen, Saudi involvement in it, and the United States’
weapons ban against the Saudis.
A bloody
civil war in Yemen
Founded
in 1990, the modern Yemini state has been plagued by religious and cultural
differences between its northern and southern halves. Ali Abdullah Saleh, a
military officer who had ruled North Yemen since 1978 initially assumed control
over the country but was ousted in 2012 against escalating domestic and
international pressure. His vice president, Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi, assumed
office as interim president, lasting two years before he was forced to resign
as well.
Hadi’s
resignation coincided with the start of Yemen’s civil war in 2014, when Houthi
insurgents took control of Yemen’s capital and largest city, Sana’a, demanding
a new government. The Houthis, a group of Shiite rebels with links to Iran had
been present in Yemen since the 1990s but only assumed power in 2015 after
seizing the presidential palace and forcing Hadi and his government to resign.
In early
2015, after escaping from Sana’a, Hadi rescinded his resignation, and began to
lead a government in exile based out of Saudi Arabia. Although the international
community largely recognises the government in exile, most Yeminis live in
areas under Houthi control. Along with Sana’a and the north of Yemen, the
Houthis also control the Red Sea coastline.
Saudi
involvement
According
to analysts, the conflict, which has lasted for seven years, has evolved into a
proxy war between a multinational coalition headed by Saudi Arabia, and the
Houthi rebels backed by Iran.
In 2015,
at Hadi’s request, Saudi Arabia assembled a coalition of Sunni majority Arab
countries including Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Qatar, Sudan, and
the United Arab Emirates (UAE). In 2018, Pakistani and Eritrean military were
added to the coalition. To restore Hadi’s administration, they carried out air
assaults against the Houthis.
For
Saudi Arabia, the conflict in Yemen poses a security risk at the country’s
southern border, a situation complicated by the involvement of Iran. Iran is
alleged to be the biggest state supporter of the Houthi rebels and Saudi Arabia
has long maintained that the Houthi’s are an Iranian proxy movement rather than
a legitimate indigenous group.
Human
rights violations and a weapons ban
While
groups like Amnesty International have accused both sides of grave human rights
abuses, Saudi Arabia in particular has been criticised for its involvement in
the conflict. According to a report submitted to the United Nations in July,
“Saudi Arabia has not only failed to deliver accountability through either its
national courts or the military coalition it launched, but it has actively
worked to thwart international efforts to pursue accountability for abuses in
Yemen.”
The
report, authored by Columbia University researchers, details a series of war
crimes conducted by Saudi Arabia, including assaults on migrants, widespread
prisoner abuse, denial of humanitarian supplies, the use of famine as a weapon
and bombings that killed civilians without any discernible military target
nearby.
Former
US President Barack Obama initially banned the sale of US precision guided
military technology to Saudi Arabia in 2016, following an airstrike on a
funeral hall in Yemen that killed 155 people. However, the ban was overturned
by the Trump administration in 2017.
In the
early days of his administration, Biden, who once referred to Saudi Arabia as a
pariah, reimposed many of the Obama era-restrictions.
Reasons
for a reversal: Progress in peace process, Red Sea tensions
According
to UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, the opposing sides have
committed steps towards a ceasefire and a UN led peace process.
In a
statement, Grundberg’s office stated that he “welcomes the parties’ commitment
to a set of measures to implement a nationwide ceasefire, improve living
conditions in Yemen, and engage in preparations for the resumption of an
inclusive political process.”
According
to CNN, the Biden administration believes that the Saudis have abided by a US
and UN brokered agreement signed two years ago to limit casualties in Yemen.
Also, since visiting Riyadh in 2022, Biden has significantly softened his
initial hard-line stance against the Saudis.
More
recently, in context of Israel’s relentless assault on Gaza, the Houthis have
carried out a spate of drone and missile attacks on Israel-linked merchant
ships in the Red Sea, while also directly targeting Israel. On December 9, a
Houthi spokesperson warned that the group would continue to attack all ships
bound for Israeli ports, regardless of nationality, if Gaza does not receive
humanitarian assistance.
In this
context, Saudi Arabia remains an important player in the Middle East,
especially to combat Houthi actions against Israel, one of the United
States’closest allies.
Source: indianexpress.com
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https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-global/us-to-relax-weapons-ban-saudi-arabia-9084618/
------
US
military base in Iraq’s Al Anbar comes under rocket attack
Dec 27,
2023
TEHRAN,
Dec. 27 (MNA) – A rocket attack has been delivered on a US military base in
Iraq’s Al Anbar province, media outlets reported on Wednesday.
According
to the report, three powerful blasts were heard at the US military facility.
The
consequences of the attack are unknown at this point, TASS reported.
On
Tuesday, the US fighter jets attacked several headquarters of Iraqi Resistance
forces known as Hash A-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Units-PMU) and martyred one
PMU member plus injured 18 Iraqi forces.
In a
statement today on Tuesday, the media office of Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammad
Shia al-Sudani described the early morning attack by American fighter jets on
several headquarters of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Units and security forces
as "a clear hostile" and "counterproductive" act.
Iraqi
resistance groups have conducted similar attacks against US positions in Iraq
and neighboring Syria ever since the Israeli regime began its war against
Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
The
groups say their attacks are in retaliation for America’s support of the
Israeli regime’s crimes against people in Gaza.
After
the martyrdom of Resistance commanders who led the anti-terrorism fight in Iraq
and Syria, the Iraqi parliament approved a piece of legislation to call for the
withdrawal of American troops from the country, a demand that the US troops
have yet to meet.
Source: mehrnews.com
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https://en.mehrnews.com/news/210004/US-military-base-in-Iraq-s-Al-Anbar-comes-under-rocket-attack
----
Southeast Asia
Kampung
spirit: Malaysian couple gets ghosted by wedding caterer; family members and
mosque step up to save the day
DECEMBER
27, 2023
The date
had been set and the hall in Negeri Sembilan had been booked for the wedding.
But what
the family of the bride did not foresee was the caterer ghosting them.
The
bride's brother Burhanuddin Rabbani Abdul Shukor, 31, was in tears as he
lamented on TikTok that the caterer responsible for the food and furniture
could not be reached.
More
than just the thought of losing the RM13,000 (S$3,700) the family had paid for
the services, he described how the panic set in.
The
family had invited 1,000 guests and because of the caterer, there was no food,
no furniture, no dais, no costumes.
But the
family was saved by the kampung spirit (standing in solidarity and chipping in
towards a common cause).
Family
members stepped up and scrambled to prepare food for the guests. The mosque
lent tables and chairs for the wedding reception.
"We
have been scammed by the caterer my sister booked. We tried contacting them
many times but to no avail. We booked the services for 1,000 guests," Mr
Burhanuddin told Harian Metro.
"We
were stumped. We kept trying to contact the caterer since after the
solemnisation ceremony. In the end, we decided to prepare the food ourselves.
"We
split up into groups. One group sourced for tables and chairs, another looked
for cooking appliances and utensils, another looked for big pots."
The
family managed to ready the food as well as the tables and chairs by 11am.
"We
did everything ourselves. We overcame everything with determination and the
confidence that we could do it," said Mr Burhanuddin, adding that guests
who got wind of the situation came bearing food to be shared.
"We
felt the love."
The
family has filed a police report against the caterer.
Source: asiaone.com
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-------
Signifies
RI-UAE closeness, Widodo says on mosque bearing his name
26.12.2023
Jakarta
(ANTARA) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has said that the street and mosque
named after him in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), signify the close
relationship between Indonesia and the UAE.
"In
Abu Dhabi, there is Jokowi Street, while in Indonesia, we have the Sheikh
Mohammed bin Zayed Skyway. In Surakarta city (Indonesia), we have the Sheikh
Zayed Grand Mosque, and in Abu Dhabi, the Jokowi Mosque stands," he said
in an Instagram post on Tuesday.
According
to him, the relations between Indonesia and the UAE have become closer in all
fields.
"Indonesia
and the United Arab Emirates have officially established diplomatic relations
since 1976. The two countries are getting closer in all fields: from the
economy, education, to the interpersonal relations of leaders," he noted.
"The
latest one, Jokowi Mosque, was built starting from 2021, and (the construction
was) completed in October 2023, and now, it is open to the public," he
said.
Earlier,
the Indonesian Ambassador to the UAE, HusinBagis, said that the President Joko
Widodo Mosque in Abu Dhabi is a symbol of strong brotherhood between Indonesia
and the UAE.
The
mosque was officially opened to public on December 14, 2023.
The
mosque's opening ceremony was attended by several UAE officials, including
Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, Suhail Mohamed Al Mazrouei, and chair of
the General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowments, Omar Habtoor Al-Direi.
The
mosque is located in the diplomatic area of Abu Dhabi and is crossed by the
President Joko Widodo Road. It stands on land measuring 3,766 square meters and
can accommodate 2,500 people.
Source: antaranews.com
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------
PMI team
in Egypt prepares food, medicines for Gazans: Official
DECEMBER
27, 2023
Sukabumi,
West Java (ANTARA) - The Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) team in Cairo, Egypt, is
preparing aid supplies, such as food, blankets, medicines, and health
equipment, as the second batch of humanitarian aid for the residents in Gaza,
Palestine.
"This
is the result of PMI's meeting with authorities of the Egyptian Red Crescent,
the Palestinian Crescent, the Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population, and
the Palestinian Hospital on December 24 at the Egyptian Red Crescent
Headquarters in Cairo," team leader of the PMI Mission in Gaza, Arifin M.
Hadi, stated when contacted via phone call on Tuesday (December 26).
Based on
assessments and data provided at the meeting, the need for food, clothing in
the form of blankets, medicines, and health equipment is a priority need for
Gazans.
On a
separate occasion, PMI Secretary General A. M. Fachir stated in Jakarta that
the food and health assistance are expected to fulfill basic needs of the
people of Gaza.
"This
is our second batch of assistance following the first batch of assistance that
had been distributed and consisted of family kits, hygiene kits, baby kits,
masks, and health equipment through the Indonesian government that was coordinated
by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs," Fachir explained.
The
ongoing conflict in Gaza has caused several hospitals to lack supplies of
medical equipment, medicines, and significant shortages of food and drinking
water for displaced residents, medical staff, patients, and victims.
In
addition, more than 14 thousand refugees have been living in the hospital
vicinity for more than three weeks.
Moreover,
there has been a significant increase in the number of missing people due to
difficulties in rescuing victims from collapsed buildings.
In
Cairo, the PMI team coordinated intensively with the Egyptian Red Crescent as
the official authority appointed by the Egyptian Government to distribute aid
to Gaza and the Indonesian Embassy in Cairo.
Source: antaranews.com
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------
Participants
of pro-Palestinian picket advised not to set up camps near US Embassy: Police
27-12-
2023
KUALA
LUMPUR: The police have advised the participants of the picket in solidarity
with Palestine not to set up any structures or tents near the United States
(US) Embassy on JalanTunRazak here during the six-day gathering starting from
Tuesday (Dec 26).
Kuala
Lumpur Police chief Datuk Allaudeen Abdul Majid said the picket themed ‘Kepung
Demi Palestin’ (Seige for Palestine) was subject to the Peaceful Assembly Act
2012 and it was the responsibility of the police to ensure the safety of the
gathering.
“If
there are participants who set up tents, we will see what action is to be
taken,“ he said, confirming that the participants of the gathering would not be
ordered to disperse if they followed the guidelines set by the authorities.
Allaudeen
said the police sympathised and supported the Palestinian cause, but they were
responsible for ensuring public order and the safety of foreign representatives
in the country.
“If we
see, there is the US embassy, the Singapore High Commission, the Japanese
embassy and also some other foreign missions nearby, and it is the
responsibility of the police (to ensure safety and security),“ he told
reporters at a press conference held at the location of the picket, here.
Allaudeen
said police personnel had been stationed to control the situation at the
location, and the number was sufficient so far.
The
picket is an initiative by Malaysians concerned about the war in Gaza, where
more than 20,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in the past three
months.
According
to the Palestine Solidarity Secretariat, the picket in front of the US embassy
in JalanTunRazak is symbolic of the siege on Gaza, but they are also demanding
a halt to the killing of Palestinians and for an immediate ceasefire.
The gathering
involves a total of 48 NGOs comprising community, youth, and student
organisations, as well as various political groups.
NGOs
participating include the Malaysian Islamic Consultative Council, Viva
Palestina Malaysia, Yayasan Al Quds Malaysia, Suara Rakyat Malaysia, and
Malaysian Women’s Coalition for Al-Quds and Palestine. – Bernama
Source: thesun.my
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https://thesun.my/local_news/participants-of-pro-palestinian-picket-advised-not-to-set-up-camps-near-us-embassy-police-EI11911566
------
Mideast
Biden
has blood of Gaza children on hands; Netanyahu only succeeds in massacre: Hamas
27 December 2023
US
President Joe Biden’s hands are soaked in the blood of Palestinian children in Gaza,
says a senior official of the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas.
Speaking
at a press conference in Beirut on Tuesday, Hamas’s representative in Lebanon
Osama Hamdan said Washington was “orchestrating the aggression” against the
besieged Palestinian territory.
“The
hands of US President Joe Biden are stained with the blood of Gaza’s children,”
he said.
He
reaffirmed the resistance movement’s position on the “necessity of stopping the
aggression against our people” by the Israeli occupation forces in Gaza.
“Our
people are not awaiting temporary pauses that the occupation would violate with
additional atrocities against civilians; rather, they are after a comprehensive
halt to the aggression,” the Hamas official said.
He
stressed that Israeli prime minister Netanyahu moves from failure to failure
and "only succeeds in killing civilians."
Hamdan
further added that Netanyahu his cabinet
and his occupation army are “aimless and have no specific goals and
approach” in Gaza.
“Netanyahu
has only one option and that is to admit defeat and face his own fate
accordingly,” he said.
Backed
by the United States, Israel waged the war on Gaza on October 7 after Hamas-led
Palestinian resistance groups carried out Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the
occupying entity in response to the Israeli regime’s decades-long campaign of
death and destruction in Palestine.
The
Israeli aggression has so far killed nearly 21,000 Palestinians, most of them
women and children. Nearly 55,000 people have also been wounded while many bodies
remain trapped under rubble.
Palestinian
Foreign Ministry has called on the United Nations to officially declare famine
in the Israeli-bombarded Gaza Strip
US
escalation in Red Sea for ‘expanding circle of fire’
The
senior Hamas official also praised the position of Yemen’s Ansarullah
resistance movement “in their support for their brothers in Gaza, and the
continuation of a global mass movement in solidarity with Gaza.”
Hamdan
described the US escalation in the Red Sea as an “overt effort from Washington
to shield the occupation and allow it to persist in its genocide war,” and said
the US escalation was a “comprehensive plan” aimed at “expanding the circle of
fire.”
Moreover,
Hamdan called on the international community to continue their solidarity with
Palestinians in Gaza.
The
Hamas official appreciated the support of certain European nations in
condemnation of the actions of the Israeli occupation, calling on them to take
a unified stance under the European Union to stop the aggression.
Hamdan
also warned European countries against complying with Israeli prime minister
Benjamin Netanyahu’s plot of “voluntary migration” of Palestinian people in
Gaza.
Source: presstv.ir
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https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/12/27/717106/Biden-hands-soaked-blood-Gaza-children-Hamas
------
Interior
Minister expresses pride in Islamic Republic’s democratic system
December
26, 2023
TEHRAN-
Iranian Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi expressed pride in the Islamic
Republic's democratic system, which is based on religious, moral, human, and
divine values.
Speaking
at a meeting on Tuesday, Vahidi condemned the Zionist regime's historical crime
in Gaza, which was committed with the support of the United States.
Vahidi
reiterated that the Zionist regime's history is marred by terrorism, and it
continues to rely on violence. He referenced the massacre of nearly 20,000
innocent Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, saying that the United States falsely
portrays itself as a humanitarian nation. Still, it commits crimes against
humanity in Gaza.
The
minister also addressed the Palestinian people, saying that they have voted for
Hamas in elections, but some Westerners claim that Hamas is a terrorist group.
He argued that Hamas has demonstrated its humanitarian nature by freeing
prisoners from the Zionist regime.
Vahidi
directed a stern message to the West, wondering about what they have done to
protect human rights. He pointed out that they have killed many children and
innocent people. He criticized the United States for vetoing ceasefire
resolutions in Gaza, allowing it to continue committing crimes against
defenseless people.
Addressing
the American officials, the Iranian Minister said, “You are trying to veto the
ceasefire in Gaza so that you continue to commit crimes and kill defenseless
people.”
To show
Washington’s limitless backing for Tel Aviv, the United States, on December 8,
vetoed a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in
Israel’s carnage in the Gaza Strip.
Earlier
on October 18, a day after the bombardment of Al-Ahli hospital in northern Gaza
by the Israeli Army, the U.S. alone also blocked a similar resolution calling
for a ceasefire presented by Brazil and argued that the text did not mention
“Israel’s right to self-defense.”
The
minister emphasized that Iran's elections are among the strongest and
healthiest in the world, as they are founded on religious, moral, human, and
divine democracy. He called on those who value the Islamic Revolution and
desire a strong Iran to actively participate in the upcoming elections.
Vahidi
concluded by stating that the main pillar of the Islamic Republic's power is
its elections, which must be held with the highest level of security and
safety.
Source: tehrantimes.com
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-----
'Moral
cowardice': UN special rapporteur slams Israel's visa threat to staffers
SedaSevencan
26.12.2023
The UN
special rapporteur on Palestine slammed Tuesday Israel's decision to deny visa
to UN staff, saying "baseless attacks" on the organization proves
"moral cowardice."
"Baseless
attacks agst the UN only proves moral cowardice. The UN has been weakened by
decades of ISR impunity for breaches of Intl Law, inclcolonisation of
occup.territory& Pal. forced displacement. The UN must hold ISR to account
if it is to salvage its reputation/purpose," Francesca Albanese said on X
in response to Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen's post on visa refusal over
"UN's hypocrisy."
"Without
freedom for all, there will be freedom for none," she added, and called
for a cease-fire in Gaza, release of Israeli hostages and arbitrarily detained
Palestinians, reconstruction and end of occupation of Palestinian territories.
Cohen
had said that "We will no longer remain silent in the face of the UN's
hypocrisy!" and that he instructed the Foreign Ministry "not to
extend the visa of one of the organization's employees in Israel, and to deny
the visa request of another employee."
The
conduct of the UN since Oct. 7, he said, is a "disgrace to the
organization and the international community" and that "We will stop
working with those who cooperate with the Hamas terrorist organization's
propaganda."
Cohen
accused UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who has criticized Hamas but
said the October attack did not happen in a vacuum, for legitimizing "war
crimes and crimes against humanity."
He said
the UN human rights commissioner "publishes unsubstantiated blood
libels," and called UN Women "an organization that for two months
ignored the acts of rape committed against Israeli women."
Israel
has pounded the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group
Hamas on Oct. 7, killing more than 20,700 people, including UN staffers. It has
attacked hospitals, UN schools as well as refugee camps and has justified its
actions saying they were used by Hamas.
Around
1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed in the Hamas attack.
Human
rights organizations have slammed Israel for its war tactics, calling it
“collective punishment” of Gaza’s 2.3 million people.
Source: aa.com.tr
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-----
Hamas
and Islamic Jihad reject overhaul of Gaza government for permanent ceasefire
27.12.23
Hamas
and the allied Islamic Jihad have rejected an Egyptian proposal that they
relinquish power in the Gaza Strip in return for a permanent ceasefire, two
Egyptian security sources told Reuters on Monday.
Izzat
al-Rishq, a member of Hamas’ political bureau, later denied in a statement what
the sources said about the talks, adding: “There can be no negotiations without
a complete stop to the aggression.”
“The
Hamas leadership is aiming with all its might for a complete, not temporary,
end to the aggression and massacres of our people,” he said, referring to the
more than 20,000 Palestinians killed during the 11-week war with Israel.
The
Egyptian sources said that both Hamas and Islamic Jihad, which have been
holding separate talks with Egyptian mediators in Cairo, had rejected offering
any concessions beyond the possible release of more hostages seized on October
7 when militants broke into southern Israel, killing 1,200 people.
Egypt
proposed a “vision” rather than a concrete plan, also backed by Qatari mediators,
that would involve a ceasefire in exchange for the release of more hostages,
and lead to a broader agreement involving a permanent ceasefire along with an
overhaul of leadership in Gaza, which is currently led by Hamas.
Egypt
proposed elections while offering assurances to Hamas that its members would
not be chased or prosecuted, but the Islamist group rejected any concessions
other than hostage releases, the sources said.
More
than 100 hostages are still believed to be held in Gaza.
A Hamas
official who recently visited Cairo had earlier declined to comment directly on
specific offers of more temporary humanitarian truces and indicated the group’s
rejection by repeating its official stance.
“We also
said (to Egyptian officials) that the aid for our people must keep going and
must increase and it must reach all the population in the north and the south,”
the official said.
“After
the aggression is stopped and the aid increased we are ready to discuss
prisoner swaps,” the official added.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/world/hamas-and-islamic-jihad-reject-overhaul-of-gaza-government-for-permanent-ceasefire/cid/1989595
----
Over
21,000 killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza since October 7
Dec 26,
2023
Israel-Hamas
War: The ministry added that 241 Palestinians were killed in the past 24 hours
and 382 were injured.
20,915
people have been killed and 54,918 injured in Israeli strikes on Gaza since
Oct. 7, the Gaza health ministry said on Tuesday.
The
ministry added that 241 Palestinians were killed in the past 24 hours and 382
were injured.
Israeli
forces killed two Palestinians on Tuesday in a raid on a refugee camp near the
occupied West Bank city of Hebron, the Palestinian health ministry said.
The two
-- aged 17 and 31 -- were shot dead in the Fawwar refugee camp, south of
Hebron, the ministry said.
The army
said it carried out a "counter-terrorism" operation in the town of
Fawwar.
It said
during the operation "assailants hurled rocks, Molotov cocktails and
fireworks at Israeli security forces".
The
forces "responded with riot dispersal means and live fire. Hits were
identified," the army added in a statement.
A
resident from the camp told AFP that troops stormed the camp from its southern
and northern entrances.
"The
two men were killed just outside their homes," he said, asking to remain
anonymous over security concerns.
He said
after the death of the first man there were clashes in which five others were
wounded and one of them later died.
Violence
across the West Bank has flared since the war between Israel and Hamas
militants erupted in the Gaza Strip following an attack on Israel by the
Islamist group on October 7.
That
attack left around 1,140 people, mostly civilians, dead in Israel, according to
an AFP tally based on the latest official Israeli figures.
In
Israel's retaliatory offensive in Gaza, 20,915 people have been killed, most of
them women and children, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry.
More
than 300 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank have been killed by Israeli
forces and settlers since the Gaza war erupted, according to the Palestinian
health ministry in Ramallah.
Source: hindustantimes.com
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-----
Nine
Israeli soldiers wounded in Hezbollah strike: army
December
27, 2023
JERUSALEM:
Israel’s military said Tuesday an anti-tank missile fired by Lebanon’s
Hezbollah group wounded nine soldiers as they rescued a civilian who was
injured in another cross-border strike.
One of
the soldiers was in a “serious condition,” the army said, after the group was
hit when rescuing the civilian injured by an anti-tank missile fired from
Lebanon amid the Gaza war.
That
missile had hit a Greek Orthodox church in Iqrit, the army said in an earlier
statement, referring to an abandoned Palestinian Christian village whose
inhabitants were forced to leave during the 1948 war and creation of Israel.
The army
accused the Iran-backed Hezbollah group of constant firing at Israeli “civilian
and religious sites.”
Israeli
military spokesman Daniel Hagari said Hezbollah was “committing war crimes by
indiscriminately attacking places of worship.”
On
November 20, Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported that
“Israeli artillery shelling” had targeted the Saint George Church in the border
village of Yarun, causing “major damage.”
The
frontier between Lebanon and Israel has seen escalating exchanges of fire,
mainly between the Israeli army and Hezbollah, since the Israel-Hamas war began
on October 7, raising fears of a broader conflict.
Hezbollah,
which on Tuesday announced the death of two of its fighters, says it is acting
in support of Hamas.
Since
hostilities began, more than 150 people have been killed on the Lebanese side,
most of them Hezbollah combatants but also more than a dozen civilians, three
of them journalists, according to an AFP tally.
On
Tuesday, Israeli bombardment wounded two people in the town of Tulin, around 10
kilometers (six miles) from the border, according to the NNA, which also
reported Israeli strikes in other areas near the frontier.
Hezbollah
claimed a series of attacks against Israeli troops and positions. In one
attack, the group said it fired missiles at an Israeli barracks.
“Hezbollah
is risking the stability of the region for the sake of Hamas,” the Israeli
military’s Hagari said.
On the
Israeli side, at least four civilians and nine soldiers have been killed since
October 7, according to figures given by the army.
The
ninth soldier died from wounds suffered earlier, the military said Tuesday.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2432436/middle-east
-----
Six
killed in Israeli operation in occupied West Bank: Palestinian health ministry
Dec 27,
2023
RAMALLAH:
An Israeli operation in a Palestinian refugee camp in the north of the occupied
West Bank left six people dead and several others wounded early Wednesday,
according to the Palestinian ministry of health.
"Six
martyrs killed by the occupation (Israel) and some who were seriously wounded
were transported to the ThabetThabet government hospital in Tulkarem," the
ministry said in a short statement.
According
to the official Palestinian news agency Wafa, the six people were killed by
Israeli air strikes on the Nur Shams refugee camp near the town of Tulkarem,
where Israeli soldiers were also deployed.
The army
did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the operation.
Violence
across the occupied West Bank has flared since the war between Israel and Hamas
erupted in the Gaza Strip following the militant group's attack on Israel on
October 7.
More
than 300 Palestinians in the West Bank have been killed by Israeli forces and
settlers since the Gaza war erupted, according to the Ramallah-based
Palestinian health ministry.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/six-killed-in-israeli-operation-in-occupied-west-bank-palestinian-health-ministry/articleshow/106308557.cms
-----
US,
Israel facing ‘two-sided’ defeat in war on Gaza Strip: Iran security chief
26 December 2023
Iran’s
top security official says the United States and Israel are both suffering a
“two-sided" defeat in the ongoing war on Palestinians in the Gaza Strip as
they can neither stop the aggression nor continue it in the besieged territory.
Ali
Akbar Ahmadian, who serves as Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security
Council (SNSC), made the remark in a meeting with former Iraqi Prime Minister
Adel Abdul-Mahdi in Tehran on Tuesday.
Stressing
that the US and Israel are both in a state of defeat from two aspects, Ahmadian
said, “This regime loses if it continues the war, and will lose again if it is
forced to stop it. Whether the US leaves the region or not and whether it will
expand the war or not, it is a loser in both cases.”
The SNSC
chief also underlined the need for the resistance front to bolster itself as a
“superior” power in the region, saying the resistance front’s enemies are doing
their utmost to prevent such a goal.
“If the
resistance front can become integrated in the economic field as well as in the
political and military sectors and bring about achievements, it will attain the
position of a superior power in the [regional and international] equations,”
Ahmadian said.
“For
this reason, our enemies are making every effort to prevent the realization of
these goals,” he added.
Abdul-Mahdi,
for his part, pointed to Ahmadian’s remarks and described them as “completely
correct.”
The two
sides also exchanged their views on various issues of mutual interest and
bilateral cooperation between Tehran and Baghdad.
The
leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip says the Palestinian resistance movement will
not give in to the Israeli regime’s conditions.
Israel
waged the US-backed war on Gaza on October 7 after Hamas-led Palestinian
resistance groups carried out Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the occupying
entity in response to the Israeli regime’s decades-long campaign of death and
destruction in Palestine.
The
Israeli aggression has so far killed nearly 21,000 Palestinians, most of them
women and children. Over 56,000 individuals have been wounded while many bodies
remain trapped under rubble.
Around
80 percent of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents have been displaced to southern Gaza,
with tens of thousands crammed in UN schools or taking refuge in makeshift
tents.
The
Israeli regime has imposed a “complete siege” on the territory, cutting off
fuel, electricity, food and water to the more than two million Palestinians
living there.
Source: presstv.ir
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https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/12/26/717074/Iran-Ali-Akbar-Ahmadian-Gaza-Strip-Israel-US
------
Pakistan
Imran
moves SC against trial court’s verdict in Toshakhana case
December
27, 2023
Maryam
Nawaz
ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan has approached the Supreme
Court (SC) seeking nullification of his conviction in the Toshakhana case and
the trial court’s verdict.
Lawyers
of the PTI top leader submitted the appeal against his Toshakhana conviction
after rectifying the objections raised by the Supreme Court Registrar’s Office
earlier.
The SC
Registrar’s Office had returned Khan’s appeal on December 23, saying the
documents attached to the appeal were incomplete and directed the petitioner to
refile it with all the relevant papers on January 6.
The
appeal was filed by Sardar Latif Khosa under Article 185 of the Constitution.
The
former prime minister was sentenced to three years in prison and a fine of
Rs100,000 was imposed on him by Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADSJ)
Humayun Dilawar on August 5, 2023, after the judge found Khan guilty of graft
in the case.
Khan’s
conviction in the case resulted in his disqualification from holding any public
office for five years.
On
Saturday, the ousted premier had petitioned the apex court against the
Islamabad High Court’s order in the Toshakhana case as part of his efforts to
overturn the conviction in the case to contest the general elections scheduled
for February 8, 2024.
Source: thenews.com.pk
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https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1142163-imran-moves-sc-against-trial-court-s-verdict-in-toshakhana-case
-----
Haq Do
Tehreek rally in Gwadar demands end to enforced disappearance, extra-judicial
killings
December
27, 2023
GWADAR:
A large motorcycle rally took place in Gwadar on Tuesday to mark the first
anniversary of the government crackdown against workers and leaders of Haq Do
Tehreek (HDT).
Led by
HDT chairman Maulana Hidayatur Rehman Baloch and other leaders, hundreds of
motorcyclists and participants from various areas of Makran division reached
Gwadar town and joined the rally. The event began at Javed Complex and concluded
at Lala Shaheed Chowk.
Rally
participants displayed placards and banners inscribed with slogans demanding an
end to extra-judicial killings, an end to enforced disappearances of political
activists, students, and human rights defenders.
They
also raised slogans against the federal government’s crackdown on participants
of the Turbat long march, including women and children.
Maulana
Rehman and other HDT leaders addressed the participants, strongly condemning
the Islamabad police crackdown and the arrest of Turbat long march
participants. They demanded the unconditional release of all political workers,
students, and others.
Source: dawn.com
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https://www.dawn.com/news/1801020/haq-do-tehreek-rally-in-gwadar-demands-end-to-enforced-disappearance-extra-judicial-killings
------
Imran
Khan’s aide Qureshi detained in Adiala Jail for 15 days
26th December 2023
Marziya
Sharif
Islamabad:
Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Pakistan’s former foreign minister and a close aide of
former prime minister Imran Khan, was on Tuesday detained at the Adiala Jail at
Rawalpindi for 15 days, a day after the Supreme Court granted bail to him in
the cipher case.
While
issuing the directives, the Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner said the release of
Qureshi, who is the vice chairman of Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf
(PTI) party, would pose a threat to peace and security, The Express Tribune
newspaper reported.
The
directives mentioned that the CPO had proposed a 45-day detention period on the
recommendation of the relevant Station House Officer even as the district
intelligence committee too concurred with the assessments of the police and
security authorities.
The
cipher case pertains to a piece of paper, purported to be a diplomatic cable —
the cipher — that Khan had waved at a public rally on March 27, 2022, and
naming the US claimed that it was evidence’ of an “international conspiracy” to
topple his government.
While
granting Qureshi the right to appeal, the order detained Qureshi in the Adiala
Jail for 15 days. The development comes days after the Supreme Court granted
bail to former prime minister Imran Khan and Qureshi in the cipher case.
However,
both leaders were not released immediately due to their involvement in other
ongoing cases, the Express Tribune said.
Qureshi,
67, was serving as a foreign minister at the time when he was indicted in the
case on October 23.
Incarcerated
Khan and Qureshi are facing multiple cases and have been fighting cases in
various courts ahead of the February 8 general elections.
Source: siasat.com
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https://www.siasat.com/imran-khans-aide-qureshi-detained-in-adiala-jail-for-15-days-2942312/
------
Pakistan
deported Afghans waiting for US resettlement: report
December 26, 2023
The
caretaker government’s huge deportation drive has forcibly repatriated scores
of Afghans awaiting resettlement in the United States, an advocacy group and
Afghan applicants say, alleging that authorities often ignored US embassy
letters of protection.
That
complicates the efforts of such Afghans, as the US has shuttered its embassy in
Kabul and they must also grapple with human rights restrictions and stubborn
financial and humanitarian crises in their homeland.
Pakistan
began expelling more than a million undocumented foreigners, mostly Afghans, on
November 1, amid a row over accusations that Kabul harbours the banned
Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan and other militants, a charge the ruling Taliban
deny.
More
than 450,000 Afghans have returned home, the United Nations says, many now
living in difficult winter conditions near the border.
At least
130 Afghans being processed for US special immigration visas or refugee
resettlement in the United States have been deported, said Shawn VanDiver,
president of Afghan Evac, the main coalition of groups helping such efforts.
He cited
data from coalition members and details provided to the US government by its
Islamabad embassy, which he has seen.
The
police have arrested more than 230 such Afghans, although about 80 have since
been released, he added.
Speaking
on condition of anonymity, a senior US State Department official said the
United States had “no formal way to track these kinds of cases”, adding that
the number of Afghans deported while awaiting US resettlement was “very small”.
Dawn.com
has reached out to the foreign and interior ministries for comment on the
matter.
As the
clock ticked down to Nov 1, the US embassy e-mailed protection letters to some
25,000 Afghans to prove to authorities they were being processed for
resettlement in the United States, after its last troops left Kabul in 2021.
A US
State Department spokesperson said Washington had also supplied Pakistan with a
list of Afghans “in the US resettlement pipelines” after it unveiled the
deportation plan in October.
VanDiver
and two Western diplomatic sources, who requested anonymity to discuss the
issue, said local authorities had ignored the letters in many instances.
“The
letters matter in some cases and not in others,” said VanDiver. “Not all local
officers are abiding by it.”
The
senior State Department official said the United States has examples of police
respecting the letters but gave no details.
Reuters
spoke with two Afghan families whose members were deported after showing police
the letter and an Afghan who was detained despite the letter.
The
latter said he was released with a warning that he would be arrested again
without a visa extension.
Refugee
advocates and Afghans say the deportations and arrests underscore the
precarious nature of the long wait facing Afghans whom Washington has vowed to
protect and resettle, many of them told to travel to a third country for
processing.
Undocumented
Many
Afghans entered Pakistan with visas that expired as the processing of their SIV
or refugee resettlement applications languished, facing long renewal times and
high fees.
One
applicant for refugee status, whom Reuters is not naming for security reasons,
said he sold almost all he owned in October 2022 to move his family to Pakistan
from the Afghan capital for processing.
All
seven had passports and visas, he said.
But
mounting costs ate into his savings, and though he turned to selling street
food to earn money, he could barely meet rent and utilities, putting out of
reach the hundreds of dollars in fees needed to renew the one-year visas that
expired.
“We had
no money for food, how could we apply for visas?” he said.
Last
month, police knocked on his door, but would not accept the embassy letter,
seen by Reuters, that carried his refugee application number.
“They
gave us two hours’ time to pack our belongings,” said the former employee of a
US-funded women’s advocacy organisation.
He tried
calling the US embassy, but could not get through. Now, he is lying low with
his family in Kabul.
“I have
five children, have no house, I’m currently living in the home of one of my
relatives,” he said. “I can’t apply for a job here. I don’t know what to do.”
US
officials say they are trying to keep in touch with the thousands of Afghans in
Pakistan through an emergency hotline based on the WhatsApp communications app
in the languages of Dari, Pashto and English.
The
state department has successfully averted deportations in several cases flagged
up on the hotline, the senior State official said.
Ahmadullah,
a former US government worker who resettled to the United States in 2021, said
his stepmother and two sisters were waiting in Pakistan for the processing of
applications for P1 visas, meant for those at risk of persecution, but were
deported and living in fear in Kabul.
Police
came to his uncle’s home in Peshawar on a mid-November night, saw the expired
visas in the women’s passports, ignored their embassy letters, drove them to
the border and ordered them to leave, Ahmadullah said.
“They
didn’t even let them pack,” said Ahmadullah, who was evacuated with his family
from Kabul as the last US troops left in August 2021.
Ahmadullah,
who wanted his last name withheld to protect his family, said the women had
sought an extension of their Pakistani visas.
Now,
they feel at risk because of his work and the Taliban’s curbs on women
appearing in public unaccompanied by a close male relative. They switch between
their Kabul house and relatives’ homes to avoid attention, he added.
The
Taliban, who oppose the mass deportation, say they have a general amnesty for
former foes of their 20-year insurgency and will support those returning.
Few
Afghans accept those assurances and live in fear of the Taliban’s curbs on
women and a humanitarian crisis fuelled by foreign aid cuts and the severance
of ties to global banking.
The
caretaker government says it is battling economic and security crises and
cannot host the 600,000 Afghans who have arrived since the Taliban takeover,
swelling the burden of hosting millions who fled during decades of war.
This
month, the caretaker government said it would extend to February a December 31
deadline for Afghans seeking resettlement in third countries to renew
paperwork, while halving an overstay fee for those leaving with expired visas.
Three
senior US officials, including Afghanistan Special Representative Thomas West,
recently visited Islamabad for talks on the issue, but the outcome is not
clear.
Source: dawn.com
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------
Qureshi
taken into custody by Rawalpindi police after bail in cipher case
December
27, 2023
Shabbir
Dar
Rawalpindi
police on Wednesday arrested Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Vice Chairman Shah
Mahmood Qureshi from Adiala jail in connection with cases related to violent
May 9 protests, Geo News reported.
A day
earlier, Qureshi was detained under the maintenance of public order (3-MPO)
after his bail was approved in the cipher case last week.
Speaking
to the media outside the prison, Qureshi said he was being arrested in a bogus
case. “I am innocent and being politically victimised,” he added.
“Oppression,
injustice. This is a mockery of the Supreme Court’s order. I am being subjected
to political victimisation without any reason,” he added
Qureshi
was implicated in cases related to May 9 riots that broke out following the
arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan in a corruption case from the premises of
Islamabad High Court (IHC) earlier this year.
According
to sources, Qureshi was arrested in a GHQ attack case and will be produced in
an anti-terrorism court (ATC).
They
said Qureshi was arrested by Rawalpindi police in the case after deputy
commissioner Rawalpindi revoked the 3-MPO detention order issued a day earlier.
The PTI
leader was shifted to a police station in Rawalpindi in an armoured vehicle by
RA Bazar and Saddar police station officials.
Deputy
Commissioner Rawalpindi Hasan Waqar Cheema issued Qureshi’s detention order a
day earlier over his alleged involvement in the May 9 violent protests.
The detention
was issued shortly before the issuance of his release orders by the Special
Court Judge AbualHasnatZulqarnain in the cipher case as the Supreme Court
approved his bail in the state secrets case last week.
In a
statement, the Rawalpindi police said they were asked to interrogate Qureshi in
connection with May 9 cases, adding that the PTI leader was booked in cases
related to the violent protests.
The
police said Qureshi was granted bail in the cipher case but his 15-day
detention order had been issued.
The
detention order said the city police officer (CPO) had intimated via a letter
that Qureshi was a member of a political party involved in anti-state
activities and causing damage to public and private property.
The
letter said it was “probable that after his release from jail, he will again
continue his above activities which may lead to law and order situation,
harmful to life and property of general public.”
The
letter said the Rawalpindi CPO recommended that Qureshi be detained for 45 days
to prevent him from his unlawful activities.
The
letter added that the Rawalpindi District Intelligence Committee had also
endorsed the police department’s stance and agreed to Qureshi’s detention.
Qureshi
has been arrested several times since the alleged PTI protesters and supporters
ransacked state properties including military installations in many parts of
the country earlier this year in May.
Qureshi,
who served as foreign minister of the country during the previous PTI-led
government, was in August this year booked in cipher case under Official
Secrets Act wherein he along with ex-PM Imran Khan accused of leaking the
contents of diplomatic cipher during a public gathering.
Source: thenews.com.pk
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https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1142201-qureshi-taken-into-custody-by-rawalpindi-police-after-bail-in-cipher-case
------
South Asia
Bangladesh
Will Be Developed Only If Her Party Remains In Power: PM
Dec 26, 2023
Awami
League President Sheikh Hasina today requested all voters to go to the polling
centers early in the morning and cast their ballots for "boat" to let
her party serve them again.
"The
election will be held on January 7. Please go to the polling centers early
morning with other voters and cast your votes for boat [the electoral symbol of
Awami League]," she said.
The
prime minister said this while addressing a public rally at Taraganj Degree
College.
Her
younger sister Sheikh Rehana was present on the dais.
She said
that boat is the symbol of the boat of Prophet Nuh that saved the human race
during the Great Flood.
"This
boat gave your independence and developed your living standard.
"Will
you cast your votes for the boat? Promise me, please raise your hands,"
she asked while the audience raised their hands and chanted slogans about the
AL electoral symbol.
She also
introduced Awami League nominated candidate for Rangpur-2 constituency Abul
Kalam Mohammad AhasanulHuq Chowdhury (Duke) at the rally and requested all to
vote for him.
Referring
to numerous implemented development programmes of the government in the last 15
years, Hasina said it was possible for the government as the people voted for
her party in the last three elections.
She also
said there are some development programmes left unfinished to materialise the
dream of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
These
are to make the country free from homeless and landless people and eradicate
poverty completely, she said.
"All
people will get beautiful lives, we are working towards that target," she
said.
She said
that no one will be neglected in the country of Bangabandhu.
"We
want to take the country forward. Currently we have got the status of a
developing country. Keeping that in mind, we want to make Bangladesh a
developed country. This country will be developed only if the symbol of boat
remains in power," she said.
Hasina
said she has no parents and brothers.
"I
have nothing to lose and nothing to gain. But you have to stay well, your life
will be beautiful, my goal is that your children will get a beautiful life from
generation to generation," she said.
Taraganjupazila
Awami League President AlhajAtia Rahman presided over the rally where Awami
League nominated candidate for Rangpur-2 constituency AhasanulHuq Chowdhury
also spoke at the programme.
Source: thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/national-election-2024/news/bangladesh-will-be-developed-only-if-boat-remains-power-pm-3503466
------
Bangladesh
warns of deepening Rohingya crisis as refugee aid nosedives
December
26, 2023
Dhaka:
Bangladesh warned on Tuesday of the deteriorating humanitarian crisis at its
refugee camps hosting some 1 million Rohingya, as global aid for the oppressed
stateless minority has sharply declined this year.
The
Joint Response Plan, the annual UN fundraising plan by international agencies,
was among the best funded humanitarian responses when it was set up in 2017,
after a military crackdown forced hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims to
flee persecution in Myanmar.
Data
released by the UN Refugee Agency last week showed that in 2023 the plan
received only 50 percent of the $876 million needed to provide essential
assistance to those sheltering in Bangladesh.
“It’s a
very sharp decrease in the Joint Response Plan. This is the first time that we
witnessed such a low response. In the previous years it was around 70 percent,
sometimes more,” Bangladeshi Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner
Mizanur Rahman told Arab News.
“It has
been impacting the Rohingya. The fund crisis affects their food, medical
facilities, education and overall living conditions.”
The drop
comes at a time when the World Food Programme earlier this year reduced food
assistance to the Rohingya by 33 percent, to $8 a month per person, despite
malnutrition being already widespread in the Cox’s Bazar camps.
Rahman
said the deteriorating conditions will also affect security and increase the
likelihood of human trafficking as people try to flee hunger and hopelessness
in refugee settlements.
“The law
and order situation inside the camps will deteriorate. It will increase the
threat of more and more human trafficking ... it will trigger desperate
attempts to leave the camps,” he said.
This
year, the UN recorded at least 3,722 Rohingya refugees, mostly women and
children, making desperate attempts to flee Bangladeshi camps by boat across
the Andaman Sea — an increase from 3,705 last year.
Although
Bangladesh is not a signatory to the 1951 UN Refugee Convention, its government
says it spends an estimated $1.2 billion annually to support the Rohingya and
provides not only land, but also water, electricity, a huge law enforcement
presence, as well as medical and administrative officials.
“We want
the donor communities, especially the US, EU and other rich countries who have
been assisting the Rohingya in previous years to continue their support,”
Rahman said.
“I also
request Gulf countries to stand beside this stateless Muslim population.”
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2432131/world
------
Pakistan
backs out of the deal with TTP, claims FM Muttaqi
Fidel
Rahmati
December
26, 2023
Taliban
acting Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, has claimed that Pakistan and the
Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) were
close to a deal, which fell through when Islamabad withdrew.
Muttaqi
discussed these matters with Pakistani Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed in Tehran,
at a conference on Palestine.
During a
detailed conversation in Tehran, Mushahid emphasized that he was not
representing the government in his talks with Muttaqi.
The
discussions focused on the relationship between Pakistan and Taliban-ruled
Afghanistan concerning the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.
Muttaqi
expressed to Mushahid a desire to resolve all issues with Islamabad through
dialogue, as reported by The Express Tribune.
Mushahid
meanwhile said that “Mutaqqi made it clear that Afghanistan instinctively
reacts negatively to pressure and rejects any intimidation or threats from
anyone.”
He
added: “Based on my conversation with Foreign Minister Mutaqqi, an important
but disturbing takeaway is that there seems to be an absence of any high-level
channel of communication between the top leadership in Islamabad & Kabul,
hence serious issues get embroiled in recriminations, blame game & finger
pointing, which is a major failure for relations amongst two close neighbours
with shared interests.”
“In
other words, our most important foreign policy relationship is now reduced to
having a ‘dialogue of the deaf’! As MrMutaqqi told me: ‘please don’t overreact
on incidents or accidents, as these do not emanate from any policy from our
side, and suddenly these accidents become a pretext for closure of the border,
as cross-border trade & commerce and human movement should be delinked from
incidents or accidents.”
In a
post on X, Mushahid recounted a positive dinner meeting with Muttaqi,
emphasizing Afghanistan’s desire for respect and dialogue, and its aversion to
being pressured or threatened.
Mushahid
meanwhile wrote in a post on his social media platform X: “Great meeting over
dinner with acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, he’s warm & positive
towards Pakistan & keen to settle contentious issues through dialogue;
however, in his soft, low-key style, he made it clear: ‘Afghan people may be
poor but they have pride & they don’t like being pressured or threatened by
anyone, as the USSR & USA discovered to their lasting regret’!”
Source: khaama.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.khaama.com/pakistan-backs-out-of-the-deal-with-ttp-claims-fm-muttaqi/
-----
Muttaqi:
Islamic Emirate Controls All Territory in Afghanistan
MitraMajeedy
December
26, 2023
Acting
Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said that all lands of Afghanistan are under
the rule of the Islamic Emirate and that there is no political detainee
currently in Afghanistan.
In his
meeting with some of the Afghan refugees in Iran, Muttaqi said that security is
provided all over Afghanistan.
“The
opposition does not have control even over one meter of land. All feudal power
has been eliminated. No one can say 'we are powerful, and you are weak,'"
he said.
The
acting Foreign Minister meanwhile said that Kabul and Tehran are seeking to
improve ties and that the Iranian officials promised him to address the
challenges of the Afghan refugees.
This
comes as the Iranian Foreign Ministry’s spokesman, Nasir Kanani, said that the
interests of Iran and Afghanistan are linked and that any situation in
Afghanistan will impact the security of Iran’s borders with the country.
“We have
mentioned the problems which the Afghans are facing. They have promised in some
areas that they will solve the problems. Our consulates and embassies are
active in the political field,” said Nasir Kanani, Iranian foreign ministry’s
spokesman.
The
acting Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, during his visit to Iran arrived in
Mashhad on Monday and met with Sardar Mohammad Yaqoob Ali Nazari, governor of
Khorasan Razavi, the deputy spokesman for the Foreign Ministry, Hafiz Zia Ahmad
Takal, said on X, adding that issues related to bilateral trade, transit,
railway and agriculture were discussed during the meeting.
Muttaqi
expressed hope that the Afghan refugees and traders based in Mashhad will be
treated with “further good behavior" and provided with cooperation.
Source: tolonews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-186670
------
Kazakhstan
donates over $400 million to Afghanistan in 2023
Fidel
Rahmati
December
26, 2023
Kazakhstan’s
media have reported that since the beginning of this year, the country has
provided $472 million in humanitarian aid to Afghanistan.
On
Monday, the Kazinform news agency of Kazakhstan published a report saying that
these humanitarian aids include both food and non-food assistance.
According
to the report, Kazakhstan has aided countries like Tajikistan and Afghanistan
this year, with the majority of it going to Afghanistan.
It is
worth mentioning that Kazakhstan had previously provided emergency aid to the
earthquake victims in Herat, consisting of various food and non-food items.
Kazakhstan
announced this news while international aid agencies and organizations have
once again expressed concern over the threatening situation of hunger and
poverty in Afghanistan after the end of 2023.
This is
while poverty and hunger continue to spread among the needy in the country,
following international humanitarian aid to Afghanistan.
The
forceful deportation of Afghan migrants from Pakistan during a harsh winter has
intensified the already critical humanitarian situation in Afghanistan. The
country faces increased hardships as these returnees add to the existing
challenges of those in need.
Simultaneously,
the World Food Programme (WFP) recently reported a significant reduction in
aid, dropping support for over 10 million needy individuals due to funding
shortages. This cutback further strains the resources and capacity to address
the widespread needs across Afghanistan.
Source: khaama.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.khaama.com/kazakhstan-donates-over-400-million-to-afghanistan-in-2023/
------
WFP
announces aid reduction in Afghanistan due to budget shortfall
Fidel
Rahmati
December
26, 2023
The
World Food Program recently announced that due to a budget shortage, it will
reduce its aid in Afghanistan to 10 million people.
The
organization said in a video published on Monday, that while winter is harsh in
Afghanistan, it has been forced to reduce food aid to around 10 million people
due to a lack of funds.
The
World Food Program (WFP) has also called on international bodies to help the
people of Afghanistan during the current winter.
The
organization emphasized that Afghans need help more than ever before.
The
World Food Program added that Afghanistan is among the eight countries in the
world with the worst food insecurity situation.
According
to the World Food Program, the people of Afghanistan are currently severely
affected by the onset of the cold season.
Meanwhile,
the WFP had previously announced that the European Union had donated 25 million
euros to support the needy in Afghanistan.
The
regime change, the crisis of deporting migrants, recent earthquakes in the
country, water scarcity, climate changes, and recent droughts in the country
have led to the spread of poverty and negative impacts especially on women and
children, causing an increase in the level of need among Afghans.
Source: khaama.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.khaama.com/wfp-announces-aid-reduction-in-afghanistan-due-to-budget-shortfall/
----
52
Afghan citizens released from Iranian prisons
Fidel
Rahmati
December
26, 2023
Local
officials of Nimroz province have announced that Iran has released 52 Afghan
citizens from Al-Ghadir prison in the city of Zahedan.
Media
outlets reported on Monday that Yar Mohammad Haqyar, a representative of the
Taliban’s foreign relations in Nimroz, has announced the release of prisoners.
He
emphasized that these prisoners were released as a result of the efforts of
officials from the Taliban embassy in Tehran and the Afghan consulate in
Zahedan.
According
to reports, these individuals had been arrested by Iranian police for “not
having legal documents.”
The head
of the foreign ministry representation office in Nimroz added that 200
prisoners have been released in the tenth round of prisoner releases last week
from prisons in Iran.
It is
worth mentioning that in the past months, 680 prisoners have been released in
10 phases and handed over to the authorities of the Taliban in Nimroz.
Previously,
nearly 200 Afghan citizens had been freed from Al-Ghadir prison in Zahedan,
Iran.
This is
while in recent months, the trend of arresting and deporting illegal Afghan
migrants in the countries of Iran and Pakistan has increased.
Yesterday,
the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation of the Taliban also reported the
release of 15 Afghan citizens from prisons in Pakistan.
Source: khaama.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.khaama.com/52-afghan-citizens-released-from-iranian-prisons/
------
Islamic
Emirate: Efforts Underway to Build New Tunnel on Salang Highway
December
26, 2023
The
Islamic Emirate officials said that efforts are underway to build a new tunnel
on the Salang highway.
The
spokesman for the Islamic Emirate, Zabihullah Mujahid, said that the Salang
tunnel is insufficient for the movement of both passenger and commercial
vehicles.
He also
mentioned that the difficulties on this route will arise amid the winter
season.
"The
secondary roads of Salang should be created because the current tunnel is not
enough for the volume that is needed and the amount of traffic that passes
through this route, especially in the winter when it is early there and people
face problems. The second tunnel can separate passenger commuters, from transit
and commercial transport,” Mujahid told TOLOnews.
In a
meeting with the deputy governor of Parwan, some Chinese engineers working on
building and renovating the Salang tunnels said that they are surveying the
second Salang tunnel project.
"A
delegation from the Ministry of Public Works visited and they went to visit the
areas near Salang for the survey of the second Salang tunnel,” said Sayed
Hekmatullah Shamim, spokesman of Parwan's governor.
According
to some economists, the construction of the new tunnel on the Salang highway
would bring about a number of facilities for the expansion and growth of
transit and trade.
"If
the new tunnel in this area is completed and the Islamic Emirate is able to complete
it, it can be very important from an economic point of view,” Qutbuddin
Yaqoobi, an economist said.
Earlier,
the deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar,
also said that the work of the second Salang tunnel will also begin as
facilities have been provided.
The
Salang highway is a heavily used route in the nation. In addition to serving as
a link between the capital and the northern and northeastern provinces, it is
also a major hub for the transportation of goods from Central Asian nations to
South Asia.
Source: tolonews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://tolonews.com/index.php/afghanistan-186679
------
Public
Health Minister Meets Former PM of Malaysia to Discuss Health Sector
2023-12-26
KABUL
(BNA): Dr. Qalandar Ebad, the Acting Minister of Public Health of Afghanistan,
held a meeting with Malaysia’s former Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad.
In
discussions focused on the exchange of experiences in the health sector, Dr. Qalandar
Ebad highlighted the importance of collaboration in this field.
The
meeting, which took place in Malaysia, also had the participation of
Naghibullah Ahmadi, the charge de affairs of the Afghan Embassy in Malaysia.
The
discussions delved into the mutual interests of both countries and explored
opportunities to strengthen bilateral relations, particularly in the areas of
trade, travel, and tourism with a specific emphasis on Afghanistan. The aim is
to enhance cooperation and pave the way for further progress.
Dr.
Qalandar Ebad’s visit to Malaysia aimed at engaging with Malaysian officials,
representatives from health institutions, and other countries to seek
international cooperation in the health sector. The discussions centered on
important aspects such as combating infectious diseases, standardizing health
services, and improving medical care in Afghanistan.
Before
this meeting, Dr. Qalandar Ebad also had a productive discussion with Dato HJ
Ahmad Azam Ab Rahman, Malaysia’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan, highlighting
the significance of Malaysia’s role in supporting Afghanistan’s public health
initiatives.
Source: bakhtarnews.af
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.bakhtarnews.af/en/public-health-minister-meets-former-pm-of-malaysia-to-discuss-health-sector/
------
Africa
Nigerian
Governor Vows Justice After Deadly Attacks Claim Over 100 Lives
26 Dec
2023
In
Nigeria, a day after a series of attacks on villages claimed over 100 lives,
Plateau state Governor Caleb Mutfwang affirmed that the perpetrators will be
brought to justice.
He
expressed dismay that the season meant for peace, laughter, and joy in the communities
of the state is marred by the actions of evildoers.
"It
is sad that within the last two days, we have lost innocent people as a result
of incessant attacks in parts of the Mangu and Bokkos local government areas.
As a matter of fact, my own intelligence is putting it at not less than 50
people. Let me say enough is enough. We cannot continue these senseless,
stupid, unprovoked attacks. It is totally uncalled-for," said the state
Governor.
The
attacks, which started in the Bokkos area, spilled into the neighboring
BarkinLadi, where 30 people were found dead, according to local chairman
DanjumaDakil.
For
years, bitter competition has raged between transhumant herders and sedentary
farmers over natural resources in central and north-western Nigeria, with the
latter accusing the former of plundering their land with their livestock.
Aggravated
by climate change and the demographic explosion in this country of 215 million
inhabitants, the sporadic violence has led to a serious security crisis, with
attacks by heavily armed bandits and endless reprisals between communities, as
well as a humanitarian crisis.
The
governor criticized security agencies for their reactionary strategy instead of
proactive measures.
"We
will not rest until we bring those culpable of these dastardly acts to book.
Clearance operations, in conjunction with other security agencies, would
commence immediately," added AbdullsalamAbubakar, Nigerian Army commander.
The
governor highlighted the lack of arrests and prosecutions as a contributing
factor to the ongoing crisis, noting that some citizens of the states feel
their attackers are being protected.
Nigeria's
new president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who took office last May, has made the fight
against insecurity one of the priorities of his mandate.
Source: africanews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.africanews.com/2023/12/26/nigerian-governor-vows-justice-after-deadly-attacks-claim-over-100-lives/
------
Sudanese
refugees in Chad recount war horrors of western Darfur
26 Dec
2023
Sitting
outside her makeshift shelter in eastern Chad, Sudanese refugee Mariam Adam
Yaya warmed up tea on some firewood in a bid to quell the pangs of hunger.
The
34-year-old from the Masalit ethnic group crossed the border on foot after a
four-day trek with no provisions and her eight-year-old son clinging to her
back.
She said
"heavily armed" men attacked her village, forcing her to flee and
leave seven of her children behind amid brutal violence that has sparked fears
of ethnic cleansing.
Sudan
has since April 15 been plunged into a civil war pitting army chief General
Abdel Fattah al-Burhan against Mohamed HamdanDaglo, his former deputy and
commander of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Thousands
have fled for neighbouring Chad and found refuge in overcrowded camps such as
Adre where Yaya has settled.
In the
western Darfur region, paramilitary operations have left civilian victims
belonging to the non-Arab Masalit group in what the United Nations and NGOs say
is a suspected genocide.
In the
West Darfur town of Ardamata alone, armed groups killed more than 1,000 people
in November, according to the European Union.
"What
we went through in Ardamata is horrifying. The Rapid Support Forces killed
elderly people and children indiscriminately," Yaya told AFP.
- Trauma
-
Chad, a
country in central Africa that is the world's second least developed according
to the United Nations, has hosted the highest number of Sudanese refugees.
The UN
says 484,626 people have sheltered there since the fighting broke out, with
armed groups forcing more than 8,000 people to flee to Chad in one week.
Formal
camps managed by NGOs and informal settlements erected spontaneously have
sprouted throughout the border region of Ouaddai.
A
traumatised Amira Khamis, 46, said she was targeted due to her Masalit
ethnicity and has lost five of her children.
Recovering
in an emergency medical structure run by the NGO Doctors Without Borders (MSF)
near the Adre camp after shrapnel fractured her feet, she told AFP women and
young girls were raped.
"They
systematically kill all the people of dark black colour," she said.
MahamatNouredine,
a 19-year-old who is nursing a fractured arm and has lost four relatives in the
violence, said the RSF mercilessly hounded the Masalit community before he
escaped to Chad.
"A
group of RSF followed us to a hospital and tried to kill everyone... they laid
us on the ground in groups of 20 and fired at us," he said.
"Their
unspoken goal is to kill people due to their skin colour."
-
'Critical conditions' -
The
United States and other Western nations have accused the RSF and its allies of
committing crimes against humanity and acts of ethnic cleansing.
An
estimate by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project puts the war's
death toll at 12,000. Almost seven million people have fled their homes,
according to the UN.
After
surviving atrocities in their homeland and the perilous journey abroad, the
refugees are now confronting the looming threat of famine.
Yaya
said she and her child have "barely" eaten since their arrival in
Chad.
The
scarcity of water in the camps has generated tensions that humanitarian
organisations have struggled to calm.
Gerard
Uparpiu, MSF's project coordinator in Adre, said the influx of Sudanese
refugees was creating a "worrying" situation.
"We
receive them in critical conditions. They are shaken physically and
psychologically," he added.
MSF's
hospital is surrounded by fencing and constantly monitored by a guard, measures
necessitated by the brutality of a conflict that has not spared the wounded.
"They
also attacked us when I was being taken to Chad to receive treatment,"
said Amir Adam Haroun, a Masalit refugee whose leg was broken by an explosive.
Source: africanews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.africanews.com/2023/12/26/sudaneese-refugees-in-chad-recount-war-horrors-in-western-darfur/
------
Sudan:
RSF militiamen accused of widespread looting in Wad Madani
26 Dec
2023
The
Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have looted everything: cars, lorries and
tractors", laments a resident of a village in al-Jazira state, speaking on
condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals from the paramilitaries as they
push southwards into war-torn Sudan.
The
villagers of Al-Jazira hold their breath every time they hear the roar of a car
or motorcycle engine, so fearful are they of the dreaded RSF paramilitaries
nestling aboard.
"On
Saturday, seven individuals armed with machine guns and wearing RSF uniforms
knocked on my door", Abdine tells AFP, declining to reveal his surname for
security reasons.
They
asked him about the car parked in his garage before "seizing it with their
weapons pointed at us", laments this resident of Hasaheisa, a town located
50 kilometers north of the capital of Al-Jazira, Wad Madani.
The
bloody war that has pitted the Sudanese army against the paramilitary RSF in
Khartoum for the past eight months has driven half a million people to seek
refuge further south, in this agricultural state that until recently had been
spared the violence.
But
recently, the paramilitaries, who control most of the capital, have been
advancing along the highway linking the capital to Wad Madani, taking village
after village and terrorizing its inhabitants.
On
December 15, they attacked Wad Madani, forcing more than 300,000 people to flee
again, within the state of Al-Jazira but also to the neighboring states of
Sennar and Gedaref, according to the UN.
Since
then, the paramilitaries have continued their relentless descent southwards.
On
Saturday, they were spotted "15 kilometers north of Sennar", 140
kilometers south of Wad Madani, witnesses told AFP.
Looted
markets and indiscriminate shooting
"Army
planes bombed Rapid Support Forces gatherings to the north of the city, causing
panic among residents", other witnesses reported.
Since
the surprise start of the conflict on April 15, the army led by General Abdel
Fattah al-Burhane has mainly played its air trump card: it is the only one to
have combat aircraft.
General
Mohamed HamdanDaglo's FSR, on the other hand, favours mobile troops perched on
pick-up trucks.
Everywhere
they go, women and girls fear "sexual violence, a recurring threat"
in Sudan, says the NGO Save the Children.
On the
Hasaheisa market, the doors of the stalls are open and the goods that did not
interest the looters are spread out on the ground, an AFP journalist observed.
"Have
the RSF come to fight us, the citizens, or to fight the army?" 42-year-old
Omar Hussein asked AFP, as stores and vehicles belonging to his family were
looted or destroyed.
At
another market, Tamboul, halfway between Khartoum and Wad Madani,
paramilitaries charged into the market firing indiscriminately, witnesses
reported.
''Every
room searched"
According
to the UN, the conflict has claimed 12,000 lives, a figure that is surely
greatly underestimated given the extent to which whole swathes of the country
have been cut off from the rest of the world.
It has
also displaced 7.1 million people, including 1.5 million in neighboring
countries, said StéphaneDujarric, spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, on
Thursday, describing "the largest displacement crisis in the world".
On
Friday, the UN Security Council expressed "concern" at the
intensification of violence in Sudan, while "strongly condemning"
attacks against civilians and the extension of the conflict "to areas
hosting large populations of displaced persons".
Since
the beginning of the war, the two rival camps have accused each other of
attacking civilians.
So, says
Rabab, who has also hidden her surname, when the paramilitaries "fired
bullets in front of the house before entering, we all panicked".
"They
only left after searching every room," she told AFP.
Al-Tayeb,
a resident of a village near Hasaheisa, was surprised when the paramilitaries
asked him "a strange question: they wanted to know how I got the money to
build my house, inherited from my father and built 35 years ago".
An
answer that, in any case, will matter little to the fighters.
On
Saturday, eight people were shot dead by the RSF in the village of Artadhwa
because they opposed looting, witnesses told AFP.
Source: africanews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.africanews.com/2023/12/26/sudan-rsf-militiamen-accused-of-widespread-looting-in-wad-madani/
------
Intersociety
Condemns Massacre Of Nigerian Christians In Plateau Communities, Accuses
Military, Police, Others Of Colluding With Jihadists
December
26, 2023
It
described the massacre of residents of Plateau communities including children
and women as unacceptable and warned security agencies that the continued
massacre of defenceless citizens and Christian communities will continue to
deepen hate and eventual collapse of the country.
A human
rights group, the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law
(Intersociety) has expressed dismay over the ‘renewed killing of Christians
across the country by Fulani jihadists while security agencies watch without
action’.
It
described the massacre of residents of Plateau communities including children
and women as unacceptable and warned security agencies that the continued
massacre of defenceless citizens and Christian communities will continue to
deepen hate and eventual collapse of the country.
SaharaReporters
reported earlier that the Plateau State Command of the Nigeria Police Force said
that no fewer than 86 persons had been killed with 221 houses completely burnt
down during the Christmas Eve attacks by gunmen in the state.
A
statement by the Command's spokesperson, Alfred Alabo, said the attacks were
carried out by the assailants in 15 communities of Bokkos and BarkinLadi local
government areas of the state.
Alabo,
in the statement issued on Tuesday on behalf of the state police commissioner,
OkoroAlawari, also disclosed that the criminals burnt eight vehicles during the
attacks.
But
reacting in a statement signed by the board of principal officers -
EmekaUmeagbalasi and ChidinmaUdegbunam, Intersociety called on the Nigerian
government and its security forces to ensure “the security and safety of the
people by the people and for the people” in line with their sworn duties.
Intersociety,
which identified the killings, abductions, and disappearances going on as
politically sanctioned by the federal and sub-national (state) governments in
places where they have taken place, however, appealed to the security agencies
to shun divisive and discriminatory tendencies and partisanship, class
criminalisation, ethnic profiling and false-labelling in other to save the
country which it said was already on the road to destruction.
Intersociety
reiterated its earlier calls for the scrapping of the Christian Association of
Nigeria and the founding of a new stronger central Christian association
capable of rising to the occasion in the defence of Christian faith and
protection of the Christian faithful, worship centres, and their properties
across the country.
It
condemned the Christmas Eve massacre of scores of people in Christian
communities in Plateau including Ndun, Ngyong, Murfet, Makundary, Tamiso,
Chiang, Tahore, Gawarbe, Dares, Darwat by Fulani jihadists.
Intersociety
said in the Bokkos Local Government Area alone, over 90 defenceless Christians
were slaughtered. It said in Gashishi and Ropp Districts of Barkin-Ladi council
and others in Mangu LGA, no fewer than 70 others were hacked to death.
It noted
that according to local authorities and the Voice of America, “the death toll
has now risen to at least 160” with over 300 injured, no fewer than 20
communities attacked and 221 houses burned down or wantonly destroyed in Bokkos
alone.
"Intersociety
also sees the latest butcheries as a clear handiwork of Fulani Jihadists
(Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen and Jihadist Fulani Bandits) and conspiratorial
security chiefs and operatives particularly the operatives of the Nigerian
Army, the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services
(DSS)," the statement partly read.
The
statement added, "It is further shocking and unbelievable that despite Jos
and environs being the second most fortified city (after Kaduna) in Northern
Nigeria in particular and Nigeria in general, in terms of military,
intelligence and police facilities and their handlers or commanders, the City
of Jos and environs have become most vulnerable and unprotected for Christians
and other non-Muslims and their sacred places of worship, lands, and dwelling
houses.
"As
a matter of fact, Kaduna, Plateau, and Benue States have become dangerously
unsafe for Christians and non-Muslims to the extent that Fulani Jihadists
recklessly and rapaciously invade their Christian communities at will and slaughter
them at will and unchallenged. Even when the deployed security forces receive
early warning signals from the victims, the Fulani Jihadists still have their
way and slaughter as many defenseless Christian citizens and burn down their
properties as they wish and without resistance from any security
quarters."
Source: saharareporters.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://saharareporters.com/2023/12/26/intersociety-condemns-massacre-nigerian-christians-plateau-communities-accuses-military
----
Uganda
says Islamic State-allied rebels kill three in village attack
DECEMBER
26, 2023
Militants
from an Islamic State-allied rebel group killed three people in an attack on a
village in western Uganda, a military spokesman said on Tuesday.
The
assailants from the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) attacked the village in
Kamwenge district late on Monday, killing a 75-year-old woman and her two
grandchildren before burning the bodies, Felix Kulayigye, the military spokesman
said in an audio statement sent to journalists.
The ADF
was originally an anti-Kampala rebel group that fought the government of
President Yoweri Museveni from its bases in the Rwenzori mountains.
After it
was routed by the military in the late 1990s, the remnants fled across the
border into the jungles of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo where they
established new bases.
From
there they have continued to carry out attacks both in Uganda and Congo against
military and civilian targets, including one in June that left dozens of
students dead and another that killed a tourist couple and their guide in
October.
Fears
attacks could scare away tourists
Kulayigye
said the Ugandan military would hunt down those responsible for the latest
killings.
In 2019,
the ADF pledged allegiance to Islamic State, which has since claimed
responsibility for some of the ADF's attacks.
The area
in Uganda where the ADF has recently killed people has two large national
parks, and there are fears their assaults could scare away tourists, harming a
key economic sector.
Source: jpost.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.jpost.com/international/article-779633
-----
Arab World
Tent
retreats, cultural attractions draw visitors to camel festival
December
26, 2023
RIYADH:
The eighth King Abdulaziz Camel Festival, organized by the Saudi Camel Club, is
being held in Al-Sayahid, 120 km northeast of Riyadh. It aims to promote the
Kingdom’s rich camel heritage while offering a wide array of activities to
visitors and tourists, such as markets and tent retreats.
A group
of investors said that Dahna Street, a local tent retreat for visitors,
comprises more than 15 rental sites, with economy-class prices ranging from
SR100 ($27) to SR170 a day and services such as lighting, water, restrooms and
bedding for six people. People can rent VIP tents accommodating around 20
people for about SR1,500 daily, depending on the furniture, lighting, restrooms
and privacy.
The tent
owners where the celebrations are taking place are charged between SR90,000 to
SR200,000, depending on the desired facilities. These tents include a courtyard
and a large square covered with lighting and sleeping camps suitable for a
large number of people. They also provide services such as supplies,
restaurants and camping necessities such as firewood and charcoal, giving visitors a chance to experience the local
wilderness.
Investor
Motaab Al-Otaibi said that the festival grounds are undergoing constant
development every year. The club and authorities are also providing special
support to productive families, offering them free spaces to display and sell
their products to visitors, ensuring they have a source of income and decent
livelihoods.
The
festival highlights the importance of camels for Saudi citizens and inhabitants
of the Arabian Peninsula, and the wider Arab region. Visitor Salman Al-Anzi
said that the diverse pavilions aim to develop this heritage to visitors and
introduce it to children. The festival’s Mataya Exhibition features photos
depicting various camel breeds, Qur’anic verses and Prophet Muhammad’s sayings
related to camels.
Salem
Al-Rouqi, another visitor, praised the festival and its unique events, which he
said are suitable for all family members, especially children. The festival
“recalls the past as well as raises awareness on the camel’s national
importance,” he added.
Held
under the slogan “Glory to its People,” the festival supports camel owners and
introduces new generations to their sporting heritage, strengthening their
connection and making the festival a distinctive symbol for the people of the
Kingdom.
The
festival also aims to stimulate tourism, the economy and entertainment in the
region.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2432336/saudi-arabia
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Yemen
forces hit ship headed towards occupied territories, Israeli targets
26
December 2023
Yemen's
Armed Forces have announced striking a ship headed towards the occupied
territories as well as targets lying within those territories in support of
Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, who are subject to an unrelenting genocidal
Israeli war.
The
Yemeni Navy conducted a missile strike against the vessel, which it identified
as "commercial ship MSC United," the forces said in a statement on
Tuesday.
"The
targeting of the ship came after the crew, for the third time, ignored calls
from the naval forces, as well as repeated fiery warning messages," the
statement added.
The
Armed Forces also reported striking the port of Eilat in the southernmost part
of the occupied territories as well as "other areas in occupied
Palestine."
The
attacks, the statement said, were carried out "in solidarity with the
oppressed Palestinian people who continue to face killing, destruction, siege,
and starvation."
Thousands
of Yemenis have taken to the streets across the country to express solidarity
with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, vow to answer back any US strike.
The
Yemeni forces and the country's Ansarullah resistance movement say they would
stop targeting the vessels only if the Israeli regime ended its ongoing war on
Gaza and siege of the Palestinian coastal sliver.
Nearly
21,000 people, most of them women and children, have been killed since the
onset of the military campaign that the regime started to wage following an
operation staged by Gaza's resistance movements.
The
Yemeni attacks have reportedly inflicted three billion dollars in damage on the
Israeli economy by increasing the price of the goods that are imported to the
occupied territories three times.
Several
international shipping giants have cancelled sending their ships through the
Bab al-Mandab Strait in the Red Sea since Ansarullah and Yemen's Armed Forces
vowed to target the ships that could use the strait to reach the occupied
territories.
Source: presstv.ir
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https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/12/26/717094/Yemen-attacks-ship-drones-Eilat-Palestine-Israel-war-Gaza
----
Yemen
continues to support Gaza by launching new operations
Dec 27,
2023
TEHRAN,
Dec. 27 (MNA) – The spokesman for the Yemeni armed forces said that the
operation against the ships bound for occupied Palestine and the drone attack
on the Eilat region will continue in supporting the people of Gaza.
The
spokesman for the Yemeni armed forces Yahya Saree emphasized the continuation
of shipping to all destinations except those for the Israeli regime.
According
to Saree, the enemy's military positions in the area of Umm al-Rashrash or
Eilat and other areas of occupied Palestine were targeted by drones.
In this
statement, he emphasized the continued support of the Yemeni armed forces to
the Palestinian people within the framework of religious, moral and humanitarian
duty.
Pointing
out that these operations are in support of the Palestinian nation, the
spokesman of the Yemeni armed forces emphasized, "Our operations against
Israeli ships or ships bound for the occupied Palestinian ports will continue
until medicine and food enter the Gaza Strip."
According
to Gaza’s Health Ministry, 241 people were killed in the past 24 hours and 382
injured, thus, at least 20,915 people have been killed and 54,918 wounded in
Israeli attacks since October 7.
Source: mehrnews.com
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https://en.mehrnews.com/news/209994/Yemen-continues-to-support-Gaza-by-launching-new-operations
-----
Saudi
crown prince to deliver annual royal speech to Shoura Council on Wednesday
December
26, 2023
RIYADH:
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will on Wednesday deliver the
annual royal speech to inaugurate the work of the fourth year of the eighth
session of the Shoura Council.
The
crown prince will deliver the speech on behalf of King Salman, Saudi Press
Agency reported.
The
speaker of the council, Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Ibrahim Al Al-Sheikh,
said that the annual speech acted as a roadmap outlining the Kingdom’s
forthcoming plans, encompassing domestic, regional and international affairs.
Al-Sheikh
emphasized the substantial support and guidance provided to the Shoura Council
by the king and crown prince in fulfilling its supervisory and legislative
roles.
He also
highlighted the council’s collaboration with various government bodies in areas
of development, construction and growth. This involves thorough studies and
discussions of annual reports on the performance of government agencies and
system projects.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2432201/saudi-arabia
------
Domestic
and foreign funds’ buying support lifts QSE 12 points; Islamic equities
outperform
DECEMBER
26, 2023
SANTHOSH
V. PERUMAL
Stronger
buying support from domestic and foreign institutions on Tuesday lifted the
Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) by 12 points, even as its capitalisation was on the
decline.
The
insurance and telecom counters saw higher than average demand as the 20-stock Qatar
Index rose 0.11% to 10,463.87 points.
The
foreign retail investors were seen net buyers in the main market, whose
year-to-date losses truncated further to 2.03%.
The Gulf
funds however turned net profit takers in the main bourse, whose capitalisation
shed QR0.82bn or 0.14% to QR602.98bn with microcap cap segments losing the
most.
The
local retail investors were increasingly net sellers in the main market, which
regained from an intraday low of 10,391 points.
The Arab
individuals were seen net sellers in the main bourse, which saw as many as
0.06mn exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank)
valued at QR0.13mn trade across 16 deals.
The Gulf
retail investors were seen bullish in the main market, which saw no trading of
sovereign bonds.
The
Islamic index outperformed the other indices in the main bourse, which
witnessed no trading of treasury bills.
The
Total Return Index was up 0.11%, the All Islamic Index by 0.22% and the All
Share Index by 0.02% in the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were
on the decline.
The
insurance sector index tanked 1.11%, telecom (0.2%), consumer goods and
services (0.11%) and industrials (0.06%); while transport declined 0.43%, real
estate (0.38%) and banks and financial services (0.02%).
Major
gainers in the main market included Qatar General Insurance and Reinsurance,
Beema, Doha Bank, Mekdam Holding, Qatar Islamic Bank, Meeza and Qatar
Electricity and Water.
In the
venture market, Al Faleh Educational Holding saw its shares appreciate in value.
Nevertheless,
Gulf Warehousing, Qamco, QNB, Qatar Islamic Insurance, Ezdan, Qatari German
Medical Devices and Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding were among the shakers in
the main market.
In the
junior bourse, Mahhar Holding saw its shares depreciate in value.
The
domestic institutions’ net buying increased substantially to QR81.69mn compared
to QR65.38mn on December 25.
The
foreign institutions’ net buying increased significantly to QR59.29mn against
QR34.42mn the previous day.
The
foreign individuals turned net buyers to the tune of QR2.88mn compared with net
sellers of QR0.83mn on Monday.
However,
the Gulf institutions’ net selling strengthened drastically to QR104.52mn
against QR73.66mn on December 25.
The
local retail investors’ net profit booking grew markedly to QR33.88mn compared
to QR27.22mn the previous day.
The Arab
retail investors were net sellers to the extent of QR3.24mn against net buyers
of QR1.25mn on Monday.
The Gulf
individuals turned net profit takers to the tune of QR2.21mn compared with net
buyers of QR0.95mn on December 25.
The Arab
institutions had no major net exposure against net profit takers to the tune of
QR0.31mn the previous day.
Trade
volumes in the main market shed 32% to 128.47mn shares, value by 20% to
QR502.87mn and deals by 10% to 15,033.
The
venture market saw a 40% plunge in trade volumes to 0.29mn equities, 38% in
value to QR0.32mn and 39% in transactions to 33.
Source: gulf-times.com
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https://www.gulf-times.com/article/674307/business/domestic-and-foreign-funds-buying-support-lifts-qse-12-points-islamic-equities-outperform
-----
US
ambassador to Saudi Arabia attends King Abdulaziz Camel Festival
December
27, 2023
RIYADH:
US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Michael Ratney attended the annual King Abdulaziz
Camel Festival, held in Al-Sayahid, Riyadh, under the theme “Glory to its
people,” the state-run SPA news agency reported on Tuesday.
The
ambassador said: “This is my first visit to the festivasaul, and I was amazed
by the celebration and organization level of the Saudi heritage and the many
new things in the Kingdom.”
He
added: “Saudis and Americans share the love of nature and being around it, but
I think that many Americans do not know much about camels, and I recommend that
they visit the festival and learn about the events and activities that
accompany it.”
Ratney
was briefed on the vision, mission, comprehensiveness and events of this eighth
festival.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2432416/saudi-arabia
------
AlUla’s
Winter at Tantora returns with poetry, art, music
December
26, 2023
RIYADH:
Winter at Tantora, the region’s premier culture, art and music festival, is
running until Jan. 27 with a jam-packed calendar of world-class activities and
attractions.
The
festival begins with the Tantora Celebration — running till Dec. 31 — which
will transform AlUla Old Town into a space for performances, projection shows,
cultural displays, and heritage experiences across 10 nights.
Musical
experiences
Commemorating
the richness of the Arabic language, the World of AlUla event, running until
Jan. 21, will host workshops, exhibitions, talks and live performances. The
event will explore the diverse facets of Arabic and its influence on art,
literature, music and society.
The Word
of AlUla’s workshops will be held across two locations — the scenic Daimumah
Oasis and the buzzing Al-Jadidah Arts District.
Top
musicians from Rouh Al-Sharq, an Egyptian choir group, will perform at the
Shorfat Al-Jadidah event from Dec. 27 to 28. For this event, balconies along
the Incense Road will be transformed into stages from where the singers will
entertain the audience below.
Iconic
Lebanese singer, Majida El-Roumi, will perform at Maraya on Dec. 29. With a
discography spanning classic Arab hits, Lebanese folk songs, religious hymns,
and patriotic anthems, El-Roumi has been a prominent figure in music since the
1970s.
Lovers
of poetry should not miss the Poet’s Night on Jan. 5, featuring a diverse
lineup of scribes and singers.
Poet’s
Night on Jan. 5 will a diverse lineup of poets and singers under the starry
sky.
AlUla
Moments will host Abadi Al-Johar at Maraya Concert Hall on Jan. 12. The Saudi
Arabia artist is one of the most renowned Khaleeji singers in the Gulf and has
composed around 50 albums since the beginning of his musical career in 1968.
There
will be a candlelight concert at the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Hegra, on Jan.
18, combining the elegance of classical music with creative set design. The
Hegra Candlelit Classic will feature pianist and composer Ludovico Einaudi
alongside several Saudi musicians.
The
Swiss Orchestra will perform live at Mayara on Jan. 19. The Swiss Orchestra has
dazzled global audiences since its 2018 debut with renditions of famous
composers including Beethoven and Mozart.
Citrus
festival
The
long-awaited AlUla Citrus Festival will take place on Jan. 5 and 6 and Jan. 12
and 13, during the peak of the harvest season. Visitors can buy directly from
farmers and find local family-owned businesses selling citrus-based products
including soaps and jams.
AlUla
produces an estimated 15,000 tons of citrus fruits annually, which represents
30 percent of the Kingdom’s total production. The governorate has 4,700 farms
with more than 200,000 trees spread over 800 hectares.
Shopping
For
those looking to shop for traditional items, the Tafoni Store located in
Al-Jadidah Arts District will run from Jan. 9 to Feb. 25 and will showcase a
selection from local and regional designers selling beauty, fashion, home and
lifestyle pieces.
Sports
For the
second year in a row, athletes of all abilities will get the chance to test
their strength at the AlUla Trail Race on Jan. 11 and 12.
Runners
will get to see the ancient city’s landscapes in various events including the
100 km Sharaan Trail, 50 km Hegra Trail, half-marathon Elephant Rock Trail, 10
km Oasis Trail and 1.4 km kids’ run.
AlUla
will host the Richard Mille Desert Polo event at the Equestrian Village from
Jan. 17 to 20. Eight teams will face off in a series of matches over four days.
For more
information and to book tickets, check experiencealula.com.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
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-------
Europe
Russia
FM reasserts Moscow's respect for Iran's territorial integrity
26 December 2023
Russian
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reasserts Moscow's respect for Iran's
territorial integrity following the Islamic Republic's criticism of an
Arab-Russian statement backing the United Arab Emirates' unfounded claim about
three Iranian islands in the Persian Gulf.
"Russia
cordially, honestly, and unconditionally respects Iran's territorial
integrity," the Russian top diplomat said in a phone call with his Iranian
counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on Tuesday.
"And
this is Moscow's unchangeable position," Lavrov added.
This is
not the first time Russia vows respect for Iran's territorial integrity since
December 20, when the final statement of the 6th Arab-Russian Cooperation
Forum, which was held in Morocco, reiterated the UAE's baseless claims about
the three Iranian islands of Abu Musa, the Greater Tunb, and the Lesser Tunb.
Russia
says respect for Iran’s territorial integrity is a fundamental part its foreign
policy doctrine.
On
Saturday, Iran's Foreign Ministry summoned the Russian chargé d'affaires to
Tehran in protest at the statement, conveying the Islamic Republic's
"strong protest" in writing to the Russian envoy over Moscow's
repeated support for the "groundless claims" that were included in
the statement.
The
three Persian Gulf islands have historically been part of Iran, the proof of
which can be found in and corroborated by countless historical, legal, and
geographical documents in Iran and other parts of the world. The UAE, however,
has repeatedly laid claim to the islands.
The
islands fell under British control in 1921, but on November 30, 1971, a day
after British forces left the region and just two days before the UAE was to
become an official federation, Iran’s sovereignty over the islands was
restored.
Source: presstv.ir
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https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/12/26/717095/Iran-Russia-Lavrov-islands-UAE
-----
EU to
bypass €20 billion Ukraine aid veto – FT
27 Dec,
2023
The
European Union is reportedly exploring a solution to continue funding Ukraine
despite Hungary’s opposition, the Financial Times has claimed. The proposed
workaround involves individual EU member states providing guarantees to the EU
budget, allowing the European Commission to borrow up to €20 billion ($22
billion) for Ukraine in the coming year.
Earlier this
month, Hungary vetoed a €50-billion four-year aid package for Ukraine,
prompting Brussels to seek alternative strategies ahead of an upcoming summit
in February 2024.
In its
report on Tuesday, citing unnamed EU staffers, the Financial Times reported that
this debt model is considered the most practical option among several being
considered. The EU previously utilized a similar structure in 2020 to secure
additional funding for member states during the Covid-19 pandemic.
While
specific terms are yet to be finalized, the plan would not require financial
guarantees from all member states but only those with top credit ratings, thus
bypassing the need for unanimous support.
The FT
quoted one official as noting, however, that while there is no “technical problem”
in the scheme’s way, it may prove to be “more complicated” politically.
Another
option being discussed involves extending the existing funding structure used
in the current year for up to an additional year. Despite these considerations,
according to the FT, the European Commission reportedly maintains hope for the
original €50-billion package to be approved, aiming to provide funding to Kiev
by March at the latest.
Last
week, the Financial Times suggested that Hungary's opposition to Ukraine's aid
had led some EU members to contemplate invoking Article 7 of the Treaty on
European Union against Hungary. This provision allows the suspension of a
member state’s voting rights if it consistently violates core EU principles.
The
report, however, stressed that this idea was met with limited enthusiasm, with
many preferring to encourage Hungary to align with EU policies by outlining the
potential “full costs” of its isolation.
Source: rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/news/589743-ft-eu-ukraine-funding-workaround-hungary/
-----
Sweden’s
NATO bid had been stalled amid opposition from Turkiye and Hungary
December
27, 2023
A key
committee in the Turkish Parliament on December 26 approved Sweden’s bid to
join NATO after months of delays, clearing another hurdle in the Nordic
country’s accession process in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last
year.
Sweden’s
NATO bid had been stalled amid opposition from Turkiye and Hungary.
On
December 26, the Turkish parliament’s foreign affairs committee approved the
measure.
The move
paves the way for a vote by the full parliament, where President Recep Tayyip
Erdogan’s alliance holds the majority. It was not immediately clear when the
full Parliament would hold its vote.
The
delays have frustrated other NATO allies who were swift to accept Sweden and
Finland into the alliance.
Source: thehindu.com
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-----
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/architects-sunehri-mosque-cultural-heritage/d/131398