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Islamic World News ( 26 Jan 2024, NewAgeIslam.Com)

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ASI's Survey Report Says a Large Hindu Temple Existed Under 17th-century Gyanvapi Mosque Adjoining The Kashi Vishwanath Temple

New Age Islam News Bureau

26 January 2024

 

Gyanvapi mosque. Photo: Kabir Agarwal/The Wire

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• ASI's Survey Report Says a Large Hindu Temple Existed Under 17th-century Gyanvapi Mosque Adjoining The Kashi Vishwanath Temple

• Rapper Ty Dolla $ign Asks His Screaming Saudi Fans On A Stage Inside The Historical Centre Of Jeddah, “Where The Hot Girls At?”

• Senate Committee Wants Pakistanis Stopped From Begging In Saudi Arabia

• Niger: Army Repeals Boko Haram Attack, Kills Dozens Of Jihadist Fighters

• Brunei Imams Rally Faithful Towards Eco-Friendly Living

 

India

• Ladakh’s Muslims, Buddhists Up In Arms Over Naming Health Centres As Ayushman Arogya Mandir

• Explained: After 'Evidence' Of 'Temple' Found In Gyanvapi Mosque Complex, What Are The Legal Crossroads Ahead?

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Arab World

• Saudi Arabia: 25,000 Chip-Fitted Carpets Spread Across Prophet’s Mosque

• Reading terrorist joined Islamic extremists during Arab Spring, inquest told

• Saudi Fund for Development chief and envoy from Djibouti discuss ways to boost cooperation

• Saudi Human Rights Commission holds panel discussion on linking human rights to development goals

• Ministry acknowledges Hadiyah’s role in serving pilgrims

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Pakistan

• Shut ‘private jails’ in Sindh, Shehbaz tells Bilawal

• PTI founder seeks end to ‘political engineering’ by institutions

• Pakistan Asks UN To Protect Muslim Sites In India

• PTI Says Its Websites ‘Blocked’ In Pakistan Ahead Of Feb 8 Polls

• PPP chairman Bilawal urges PTI workers not to ‘waste’ vote on independents

• Large turnout expected in February 8 general elections: survey

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Africa

• “Six Mosques Burnt” – Muslim Rights Concern Reacts To Plateau Killings

• Attacks in Nigeria's Plateau state leave at least 30 dead

• Terrorists kill Imam, two others, abduct 32 in Katsina

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Southeast Asia

• At UPR review, Malaysia stands firm on its treatment of refugees

• Bersatu MP claims party members ‘demoralised’ after president Muhyiddin cycles back on stepping down

• Ten more Bersatu MPs expected to declare support for PM Anwar, claims Bukit Gantang MP

• Global Islamic finance market seen ‘hitting $4.9trn by 2025’

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Mideast

• Turkish Parliament Speaker Calls For Solidarity Among Islamic Countries For Palestine

• "Tell Houthis To Show Restraint": China Warns Iran As Ship Attacks Rise

• Report says US had warned Iran of attack before Islamic State twin bombings

• US warned Iran of 'terrorist threat' before Jan. 3 attack: official

• Iran’s Supreme Leader Calls for Muslim Nations to Cut Ties with Israel Amid Gaza Conflict

• Türkiye Is The Most Similar Country To Bosnia-Herzegovina: Grand Mufti

• Iran bars Hassan Rouhani from seeking re-election to key body

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South Asia

• Rahmatullah Nabil, Former Afghan Spy Calls Pakistan a “Historical Enemy” of Afghanistan

• Afghans Arrest IzatullahZawab, Poet, Magazine Editor, Family Members Say

• Bangladesh Rebels Training In Mizoram, Claims Former Armed Group

• Bangladesh sounds alarm over rise in Rohingya deaths at sea

• Af-Pak border tension hits India-Afghan trade

• UN to host follow-up meeting on Afghanistan in Doha on February 18-19

• NAI, Supporting Open Media, halts activities in Afghanistan

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Europe

• As A Muslim And An Anti-Racist, There’s A Clear Moral Path On Rochdale

• Argentina’s Milei Government Official ‘Repents’ Remarks Against Pope, Judaism, Islam

• Kyrgyzstan Delegation Meets with Islamic Emirate Officials

• Flooded Muslim graves in Bristol cemetery ‘still collapsing’ despite drainage works

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North America

• Students From Calgary Muslim School Stage Peace March In Prairie Winds ParkOver The Ongoing Israel-Hamas Conflict

• MPs Condemn Man Who Disrupted Quebec Church Mass and Performed Islamic Prayer

• US says it warned Iran before twin bombings by Islamic State

Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau

URL:    https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/asi-hindu-temple-gyanvapi-mosque-kashi-vishwanath/d/131589

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ASI's Survey Report Says a Large Hindu Temple Existed Under 17th-century Gyanvapi Mosque Adjoining The Kashi Vishwanath Temple

 

Gyanvapi mosque. Photo: Kabir Agarwal/The Wire

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Omar Rashid

26-01-2024

New Delhi: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in its survey report of the Gyanvapi Masjid in Varanasi has claimed that a “large Hindu temple” existed there prior to the construction of the existing structure (the mosque) and that parts of the temple were used in the construction of the Islamic place of worship.

The ASI carried out a court-approved scientific survey of the 17th-century mosque adjoining the Kashi Vishwanath Temple to determine if it was constructed over a pre-existing structure of a temple, as claimed by Hindu petitioners who have sought year-round access for darshan and pooja of Maa Shringar Gauri in the Gyanvapi Masjid compound. The Varanasi court had on January 24 allowed the findings of the ASI report to be made available to all parties.

While the full 839-page report is not yet accessible, some operative parts of the ASI report said it had concluded that “it can be said that there existed a large Hindu temple, prior to the construction of the existing structure”. The ASI said it drew the conclusion on the basis of scientific survey, study of architectural remains, exposed features and artefacts, inscriptions, art and sculptures.

The ASI based its findings on the observations and scientific study of the “central chamber and main entrance of the pre-existing structure in existing structure”. It claimed that there was “reuse of pillars and pilasters of pre-existing structure in existing structure” and that the “central chamber of the pre-existing structure forms the central hall of the existing structure”.

“This wall, made of stones and decorated with horizontal mouldings, is formed by remaining parts of western chamber, western projections of the central chamber and western walls of the two chambers on its north and south. Central chamber attached to the wall still exists unchanged whereas modifications have been made to both the side chambers,” the report said.

The ASI also claimed that the pillars and pilasters used in the existing mosque were “reused with little modifications” for the enlargement of the mosque and constructing the sahan (courtyard).

Minute study of the pillars and pilasters in the corridor of the mosque “suggest that they were originally part of the pre-existing Hindu temple”, the ASI said. “For their reuse in the existing structure, vyala figures carved on either side of lotus medallion were mutilated and after removing the stone mass from the corners that space was decorated with floral design. This observation is supported by two similar pilasters still existing on the northern and southern wall of the western chamber in their original place.”

The ASI during its survey recorded 34 inscriptions on the “existing and pre-existing structures” and 32 estampages were taken. “These are, in fact, inscriptions on the stones of the pre-existing Hindu temples, which have been re-used during the construction/ repair of the existing structure. They include inscriptions in Devanagari, Grantha, Telugu and Kannada scripts,” the ASI said.

Reuse of earlier inscriptions in the structure suggest that the earlier structures were destroyed and their parts were reused in construction or repair of the existing structure, the ASI said, adding that three names of deities such as Janardhana, Rudra and Umēśvara were found in these inscriptions.

The ASI report said that the “temple” had a big central chamber and at least one chamber to the north, south east and west respectively. Remains of three chambers to the north, south and west still exist but the remains of the chamber to the east and any further extension of it could not be ascertained physically, as the area is covered under a platform with stone flooring, the ASI noted. This structure with thick and strong walls, along with all architectural components and floral decorations, was utilised as the main hall of the mosque, it claimed, adding that animal figures carved at the lower ends of decorated arches of the pre-existing structure were mutilated, and the inner part of dome is decorated with geometric designs.

Saurabh Tiwari, lawyer for Rakhi Singh, one of the five Hindu plaintiffs in the Shringar Gauri suit, told The Wire that the ASI findings “established” their claim that a part of the temple existed prior to the existence of the mosque and that a part of the temple structure was used to build the mosque. Tiwari has already filed a petition in the Allahabad high court pleading that the wazukhana (place of ablution) of the mosque, which was sealed in 2022 on the directions of the Supreme Court, be also subjected to a similar scientific survey.

“Our next step is to get a survey of the wazukhana as well as the garb griha of the old temple which was concealed behind walls. Our main evidence is there,” he said.

All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen’s Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi reacted to the report on X (formerly Twitter) and said the conclusions of the ASI “wouldn’t stand academic scrutiny before any set of professional archaeologists or historians”. “The report is based on conjecture and makes a mockery of scientific study. As a great scholar once said, ‘ASI is the handmaiden of Hindutva,’” said Owaisi.

The Allahabad high court had in August 2023 paved the way for conducting a scientific survey of the Gyanvapi Masjid after it dismissed the Gyanvapi mosque committee’s petition challenging the Varanasi district judge’s July 21 order for a survey of the premises by the ASI. The district judge had in July directed the ASI director to undertake scientific investigation, survey or excavation at the site, excluding the areas (the ablution tank) sealed by the Supreme Court last year. The district court had also directed the ASI to conduct a detailed scientific investigation by using GPR Survey, excavation, dating method and other modern techniques of the present structure to find out whether it had been constructed over a pre-existing structure of a Hindu temple.

The ASI on December 18 submitted in a sealed cover its report of a scientific survey of the Gyanvapi Masjid premises in a Varanasi district court.

The ASI had earlier urged the district judge to not make its report public for another four weeks, citing the December 19 judgment by the Allahabad high court in which it had dismissed several pleas of the UP Sunni Central Waqf Board and the masjid committee challenging the maintainability of a 1991 suit seeking restoration of a temple at the site of the Gyanvapi Masjid.

“The dispute raised in the suit is of vital national importance. It is not a suit between the two individual parties. It affects two major communities of the country,” Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal said as he set a six-month deadline for the completion of proceedings in a Varanasi court in the 1991 suit.

The high court ruled that the original suit of 1991 was not barred by provisions of The Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991. The Act says that no person shall convert any place of worship of any religious denomination or any section thereof into a place of worship of a different section of the same religious denomination or of a different religious denomination or any section thereof. It declares that the religious character of a place of worship existing on August 15, 1947 shall continue.

The original suit of 1991 was filed by the Hindu plaintiffs seeking possession of the Gyanvapi Masjid premises. The recent suit filed by five Hindu women led by Rakhi Singh seeks year-round access for darshan and pooja of Maa Shringar Gauri in the Gyanvapi Masjid compound.

The high court on December 19, 2023 also directed the ASI to submit its scientific survey report in the 1991 suit currently heard in the court of civil judge senior division, fast track. In case it was found that “further survey is required, which have been left out in the survey conducted by ASI, the Court below shall issue necessary directions” to carry out further survey in view of order dated April 8, 2021, the high court said.

On January 3, the ASI, in an application submitted to the district court, argued that its report was of “vital importance”. If the report “is unsealed and disclosed in public” before the submission of a copy of the report in the suit of the ‘Ancient Idol of Swambhu Lord Vishweshwar vs Anjuman Intezamia Masajid in the civil judge, senior division, fast track, there would be “more chance” of spreading “rumour and misrepresentation in public,” which may affect the work of the ASI, the ASI said.

Source: Thewire.In

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original story:

https://thewire.in/law/asis-survey-report-says-a-large-hindu-temple-existed-under-the-gyanvapi-mosque

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Rapper Ty Dolla $ign Asks His Screaming Saudi Fans On A Stage Inside The Historical Centre Of Jeddah, “Where The Hot Girls At?”

 

People party late into the night at Balad Beast

STR

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26 Jan 2024

JEDDAH, Jan 26 — On a stage inside the historical centre of Jeddah, the main gateway for Muslim pilgrims heading to Mecca, rapper Ty Dolla $ign asked his screaming Saudi fans a few questions.

“Where the hot girls at?” the dreadlocked 41-year-old American (real name: Tyrone William Griffin Jr) bellowed into the microphone during his set at the Balad Beast music festival.

It was an eyebrow-raising scene in conservative Saudi Arabia, which first allowed large-scale mixed-gender festivals only about five years ago, and maintains a strict no-alcohol policy.

Yet Ty Dolla $ign’s performance in Jeddah’s oldest neighbourhood, known as Al-Balad, alongside artists like Wu-Tang Clan and Major Lazer underscored efforts to revamp the Unesco World Heritage site, expanding its allure for young Saudis and foreigners.

Under Vision 2030, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s ambitious plan to develop a post-oil economy in the world’s biggest crude exporter, authorities are targeting 3,000 new hotel rooms in Al-Balad as they try to attract millions more tourists.

Beyond events such as Balad Beast, the 2.5-square-kilometre (nearly one square mile) area is being transformed by an influx of cafes, museums, performance spaces and workshops for artists and craftspeople.

Jeddah residents acknowledge some anxiety about the changes in a neighbourhood strongly associated with the annual hajj pilgrimage and traditional Ramadan markets.

But that was hard to glean from the droves of ravers who crowded the four stages at Balad Beast, some with glittery face paint and glow sticks. Most of the women had their hair and faces uncovered.

Saudi Arabia’s founding ruler King Abdulaziz conquered Jeddah in the 1920s, and in 1947 fast growth prompted authorities to tear down the walls surrounding Al-Balad, the city’s heart.

Some of the gates still stand, however, as do Al-Balad’s distinctive coral stone buildings, many with balconies built from latticed teak wood.

Unesco granted Al-Balad World Heritage site status in 2014, and in 2018 “revitalisation” efforts overseen by the culture ministry began in earnest.

Today, green barricades erected by the ministry protect restoration work on centuries-old villas, mosques and markets, known as souks.

The ever-expanding calendar of festivals and art exhibitions has enlivened the neighbourhood, attracting people who might otherwise have little interest in it, said Ali AssiLoush, a Lebanese DJ who has lived in Jeddah for 20 years.

“If Balad didn’t have Balad Beast, or whatever events it has now, none of the new generation would come to Balad. They’d go to the beach,” he said.

For some elderly residents, though, the new additions can be jarring, he said, likening this wariness to that of a grandmother who refuses to part with a beloved, if battered, chair.

“She would never let you remove it, throw it away, even though it’s broken into pieces... No, it’s her chair. It’s the same thing,” Loush said.

AbirAbusulayman, a Saudi tour guide, said most people were enthusiastic about Al-Balad’s future, and that there was a clear solution for those who were not.

The debate about what’s happening in Al-Balad is partly fuelled by broader changes in Jeddah, where an ongoing US$20-billion redevelopment project stands to displace half a million people.

Authorities pitch the project as an upgrade that can replace “slums” with amenities like a stadium, an oceanarium and an opera house.

But some affected residents have complained they don’t know how to seek compensation, and seethe about official portrayals of their neighbourhoods as dens of drugs and crime.

Abusulayman, the tour guide, said she did not mourn the neighbourhoods that have been razed — most of them far from Al-Balad — predicting they would be replaced by something better.

“I’m very happy that they are gone. These were unplanned districts... no schools, no gardens, no clinics, and some people just built their houses without having the land,” she said.

Instead she preferred to focus on new features of life in Al-Balad, as did those who partied late into the night during Balad Beast.

“Personally I like to dress in a vintage style and this is the same thing, it’s the same vibe,” said AbdulrahmanAlhabshi, 20, as images of the performers were projected on nearby walls.

Source: Www.malaymail.Com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original story:

https://www.malaymail.com/news/life/2024/01/26/ravers-flock-to-dance-floor-in-saudis-gateway-to-mecca/114641

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Senate Committee Wants Pakistanis Stopped From Begging In Saudi Arabia

 

Representational Image via The Express Tribune

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January 26, 2024

ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary committee has expressed grave concern over the growing trend amongst Pakistanis resorting to begging in Saudi Arabia after going there for Umra and directed the government to take all possible measures to stop this ignominy.

The Sub-Committee of the Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development had been especially convened to discuss the problems confronting overseas Pakistani workers in different countries. Senator Eng. Rukhsana Zuberi chaired the meeting.

Officials from the Interior Ministry said that the ministry has offloaded 44,000 individuals in the past two and a half years. However, Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials suggested that checks and balances should be kept in place for passport issuance, and the ministry should increase the screening of individuals before issuance of passports.

Moreover, officials of the Overseas Pakistanis Ministry proposed that NADRA block the CNICs of individuals involved in begging, as it will help in breaking the rackets of begging.

Senator Engr. Rukhsana Zuberi directed the Interior Ministry to take necessary actions against the growing begging in Middle Eastern countries.

The chairperson of the committee remarked that Pakistan encompasses 60 per cent unemployed youth, and there is a dire need to provide employment opportunities to this youth. She stated that smart and short training programmes in medical, nursing, midwifery, and other potential sectors will serve as a guiding light in relinquishing the overgrowing unemployment rate.

Senator Zuberi also recommended that an online portal providing real-time details of job opportunities available in several countries with details of the skills required for the job and the necessary details of the institutions specialising in such training be established. However, the Overseas Ministry suggested that the Information Technology Ministry and Pakistan Information Technology Board should be taken on board for this purpose.

Source: Www.Dawn.Com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original story:

https://www.dawn.com/news/1808639/senate-committee-wants-pakistanis-stopped-from-begging-in-saudi-arabia

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Niger: Army Repeals Boko Haram Attack, Kills Dozens Of Jihadist Fighters

 

Photo: The North Africa Post

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January 25, 2024

Fierce fighting in southeastern Niger has left 10 soldiers wounded and several dozen jihadist fighters from the notorious Boko Haram group dead in the nation’s unstable region, Government officials have said.

The clash was provoked by a group of Boko Haram jihadists who attacked a special intervention battalion positioned at the airport in N’Guigmi, a garrison town in the Diffa region near the border with Nigeria, according to a statement by Niger’s defense ministry. Several dozen “terrorists” were subsequently routed towards the banks of Lake Chad where they were “neutralized” with air support through “surgical” air strikes, the statement added. Lake Chad, a vast expense of water and marshland that straddles the borders of Niger, Nigeria, Cameroon and Chad, has been the site of frequent attacks from Boko Haram as well as Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).

This latest clash is the worst reported between the army and jihadists after several months of a relative calm in the region, the scene of jihadist attacks since 2015. Niger, which has been led by junta leaders since a military coup last July, is one of the poorest nations in the world. It is also facing a deadly jihadist insurgency in the west near the borders with Mali and Burkina Faso. In a separate but related development, a to US official said on Wednesday (24 January) that the future of a US military drone base in Niger hinges on the ruling junta’s efforts to restore democracy and release ousted President Mohamed Bazoum. After the coup, the US was forced to cut development aid and suspend military operations at Air Base 201, its most strategic military asset in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Source: Northafricapost

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https://northafricapost.com/74761-niger-army-repeals-boko-haram-attack-kills-dozens-of-jihadist-fighters.html

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Brunei Imams Rally Faithful Towards Eco-Friendly Living

 

File photo of the Taman Mahkota Jubli Emas in capital, with the Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Mosque in the background. - BORNEO BULLETIN

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January 26, 2024

In the Friday sermon, Imams underscored the vital role individuals play in achieving sustainable development by adopting environmentally friendly practices.

The public is encouraged to embrace responsible consumption habits, including the use of eco-friendly products, imams emphasised.

Imams also highlighted the imperative to steer clear of single-use plastics, reduce water and electricity consumption based on necessity, and actively support local businesses that prioritise environmental friendliness.

The religious authorities stressed the entrusted responsibility of humans towards the Earth and urged them to utilise available resources responsibly.

The message is a call to action, urging people to be stewards of the environment, safeguarding it for present and future generations. This collective effort, they believe, is crucial for ensuring sustainable development.

Source: Borneobulletin.Com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original story:

https://borneobulletin.com.bn/imams-rally-faithful-towards-eco-friendly-living/

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India

Ladakh’s Muslims, Buddhists up in arms over naming health centres as Ayushman Arogya Mandir

January 26, 2024

Ladakh’s two main religious bodies, Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA) and Islamia School-Kargil, on January 25 objected to the move to rename public health centres in the Union Territory as Ayushman Arogya Mandir.

“The recent order of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare [about] renaming the health and wellness centres as Ayushman Arogya Mandir is unfortunate and tantamount to playing with the sentiments of the people of Ladakh,” CheringDorjey, acting president of the LBA, said.

Source: Www.Thehindu.Com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/ladakhs-muslims-buddhists-up-in-arms-over-naming-health-centres-as-ayushman-arogya-mandir/article67777342.ece

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Explained: After 'Evidence' Of 'Temple' Found In Gyanvapi Mosque Complex, What Are The Legal Crossroads Ahead?

26 JAN 2024

On January 26, 2024, the Varanasi district court ordered the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) report, submitted in a sealed cover on December 18, 2023, to be made public and shared with both involved parties. Notably, the ASI conducted a detailed scientific survey, including excavations, to determine the mosque's historical origins. Additionally, the cleaning of the Wazukhana, supervised by the district magistrate under Supreme Court orders, was recently completed.

The ASI survey, conducted and concluded on May 16, 2023, marked a significant milestone. According to the findings, a 'Shivling' was purportedly discovered within a reservoir on the mosque complex. However, this claim faced vehement opposition from the Muslim side, underscoring the contentious nature of the archaeological revelations.

Source: Www.outlookindia.com

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https://www.outlookindia.com/national/explained-after-evidence-of-temple-found-in-gyanvapi-mosque-complex-what-are-the-legal-crossroads-ahead--news-345610

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Arab World

Saudi Arabia: 25,000 chip-fitted carpets spread across Prophet’s Mosque

Ramadan Al Sherbini

January 26, 2024

Cairo: A revered destination for millions of Muslims from around the world, the Prophet’s Mosque, Islam’s second holiest site, is the focus of utmost care from Saudi authorities.

A state agency in charge of the place in the Saudi holy city of Medina takes interest in ensuring comfort for worshippers. Part of this attention is paid to more than 25,000 carpets stretched across the mosque and its courtyards.

The carpets are daily sterilised and scented with the finest perfumes. An electronic chip is attached to each carpet to track its place and learn about the history of its cleaning, sterilisation and scenting, according to the Saudi news agency SPA.

Source: Gulfnews.Com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:

https://gulfnews.com/world/gulf/saudi/saudi-arabia-25000-chip-fitted-carpets-spread-across-prophets-mosque-1.1706262244270

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Reading terrorist joined Islamic extremists during Arab Spring, inquest told

POL ALLINGHAM

26-01-2024

The Reading terror attacker joined a proscribed Islamist group during the uprising against Colonel Muammar Gaddafi in Libya almost a decade before murdering three men in a park, an inquest has heard.

Libyan refugee KhairiSaadallah shouted “Allahuakbar” as he fatally stabbed friends James Furlong, 36, David Wails, 49, and Joseph Ritchie-Bennett, 39, in the Berkshire town’s Forbury Gardens on June 20 2020.

Three other people – Stephen Young, Patrick Edwards and NishitNisudan – were injured before Saadallah threw away the 8in (20cm) knife and ran off, pursued by an off-duty police officer.

An inquest at the Old Bailey heard on Wednesday that Saadallah had joined a terrorist group in Libya, which is proscribed in the UK, during the 2011 Arab Spring uprising against Gaddafi’s dictatorship.

Source: Www.Standard.Co.Uk

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/khairi-saadallah-muammar-gaddafi-berkshire-reading-thames-valley-police-b1134599.html

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Saudi Fund for Development chief and envoy from Djibouti discuss ways to boost cooperation

ARAB NEWS

January 26, 2024

RIYADH: The CEO of the Saudi Fund for Development, Sultan Al-Marshad, and the Djiboutian presidential adviser for investment affairs, Fahmi Ahmed Al-Hajj, discussed ways to enhance development cooperation and other issues of mutual interest during a meeting in Riyadh on Thursday.

Al-Hajj’s visit to the fund’s headquarters also included a tour of an interactive exhibition showcasing some of the organization’s key projects in countries around the world, and the effects they are having on sustainable development, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The fund’s work in Djibouti began in 1982 with the signing of a bilateral agreement to finance the construction of a road serving the city of Tadjoura.

Source: Arab News.Com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2448356/saudi-arabia

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Saudi Human Rights Commission holds panel discussion on linking human rights to development goals

ARAB NEWS

January 25, 2024

RIYADH: The Saudi Human Rights Commission, in cooperation with the Kingdom’s Permanent Mission to the UN in Geneva, held a panel discussion on linking human rights to sustainable development goals (SDGs), Saudi Press Agency reported on Thursday.

The panel was part of the Kingdom’s participation in the work of the 45th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review.

Speakers discussed sustainable development goals, the recommendations of the UPR, and the great compatibility between them that necessitates finding effective mechanisms to link them at the implementation, follow-up, and reporting levels.

Source: Arab News.Com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2448276/saudi-arabia

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Ministry acknowledges Hadiyah’s role in serving pilgrims

SPA

January 25, 2024

MAKKAH: The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, represented by the ministry’s Public Administration of Social Responsibility and Voluntary Work, praised the efforts of the Hajj and Mutamer’s Gift Charitable Association, also known as Hadiyah, in highlighting the role of the non-profit sector in serving pilgrims throughout the year.

The ministry commended the association’s active participation in the Hajj and Umrah Services Conference and Exhibition, which included all governmental, charitable and private sectors operating in the Hajj and Umrah system.

Turki Al-Hetershi, Hadiyah’s executive director, said the association’s participation in the conference was reflected in highlighting the services and efforts of the non-profit sector to serve pilgrims and visitors, and expanding service points, which covered more than 200 points of contact with pilgrims.

Source: Arab News.Com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2448171/saudi-arabia

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Pakistan

Shut ‘private jails’ in Sindh, Shehbaz tells Bilawal

Waseem Ashraf Butt

January 26, 2024

PML-N president says there were no ‘political prisoners’ during Nawaz’s govt

Without naming the PPP leader, the PML-N president said: “I ask that kind man to eliminate personal jails by getting the oppressed persons free from these jails, which even a police officer and assistant commissioner have also failed to do.”

During the rally, Mr Shehbaz said the PML-N government would bring revolution into the lives of people living in rural areas by giving small loans to farmers and the youth to help them “establish small factories to produce agricultural products”.

Source: Www.Dawn.Com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:

https://www.dawn.com/news/1808676/shut-private-jails-in-sindh-shehbaz-tells-bilawal

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PTI founder seeks end to ‘political engineering’ by institutions

Malik Asad

January 26, 2024

ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Imran Khan on Thursday sought an end to “political engineering”, calling for giving people the freedom to vote and stressing that the alleged involvement of certain institutions in politics has led to a significant breakdown in the country’s governance.

Mr Khan’s remarks came after his appearance in court in Adiala Jail concerning the Toshakhana and £190 million corruption cases filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

The Supreme Court, in a previous ruling while granting bail to former minister Khawaja Saad Rafique, had observed that NAB was used for political engineering and pressuring politicians. Mr Rafique and his brother were arrested in December 2018, during Mr Khan’s tenure as prime minister.

Talking to media persons, Mr Khan acknowledged the limitations of politicians in the face of “establishment control” but said he was ready for dialogue with politicians to ensure free and fair elections.

Source: Www.Dawn.Com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:

https://www.dawn.com/news/1808678/pti-founder-seeks-end-to-political-engineering-by-institutions

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Pakistan asks UN to protect Muslim sites in India

Anwar Iqbal

January 26, 2024

UNITED NATIONS: Follo­wing religious clashes sparked by the opening this week of a controversial Hindu temple in India, Pakistan has urged the United Nations to take action for the protection of Islamic sites in the country.

Pakistan’s UN envoy Munir Akram shared the plea during an OIC ambassadorial meeting at the UN headquarters in New York on Wednesday, condemning the recent consecration of the Ram temple on the site of the demolished Babri Masjid.

“Pakistan condemns in the strongest terms the construction and consecration of the Ram Temple on the site of the demolished Babri Mosque in Ayodhya, India,” he wrote in a letter addressed to Miguel Angel Moratinos, a top official for the UN Alliance of Civilisations.

“This trend poses a significant threat to the social, economic, and political well-being of Indian Muslims, as well as to the harmony and peace in the region.”

The letter came on the heels of local authorities’ drive in Mumbai tearing down several Muslim-owned makeshift shopfronts. The action by municipal authorities follows religious clashes sparked by the inauguration of Ram temple.

Minor clashes broke out Sunday in parts of Mumbai, including one incident where Hindus chanting religious slogans passed through a Muslim neighbourhood on the megacity’s outskirts, AFP adds.

Source: Www.Dawn.Com

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https://www.dawn.com/news/1808679/pakistan-asks-un-to-protect-muslim-sites-in-india

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PTI says its websites ‘blocked’ in Pakistan ahead of Feb 8 polls

January 26, 2024

The PTI on Friday alleged that its websites were “blocked” in Pakistan and demanded an answer from the federal authorities.

The PTI, deprived of its iconic ‘bat’ symbol for the upcoming polls, has fielded its leaders as independent candidates with different electoral symbols.

To combat confusion among voters and to ease access to election-related information, the party launched an online portal on its website insaf.pk, as well as a “back-up site”, pticandidates.com.

It also introduced a feature whereby voters can message on Imran Khan’s official Facebook account to get information about PTI-backed candidates.

Source: Www.Dawn.Com

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https://www.dawn.com/news/1808757/pti-says-its-websites-blocked-in-pakistan-ahead-of-feb-8-polls

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PPP chairman Bilawal urges PTI workers not to ‘waste’ vote on independents

January 26, 2024

GUJRAT: PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has urged PTI workers not to “waste” their votes on independent candidates and instead opt for his party’s candidates on February 8, the day of general elections.

Addressing a public gathering in Mungowal town of Gujrat district on Thursday, the PPP chairman once again requested both PTI and PML-N supporters to vote for his party if they wanted to “uphold sanctity of the vote”.

He said if PTI supporters wished to stop Nawaz Sharif from becoming the prime minister for a fourth time, they could either waste their vote by opting for independent candidates, “which amounts to supporting the PML-N” or “strategically use their right to vote”.

Source: Www.Dawn.Com

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https://www.dawn.com/news/1808673/ppp-chairman-bilawal-urges-pti-workers-not-to-waste-vote-on-independents

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Large turnout expected in February 8 general elections: survey

Iftikhar A. Khan

January 26, 2024

ISLAMABAD: Despite the fact that general elections have already been made controversial, 87pc of working people were found keen to cast their vote on Feb 8 and wanted general elections to be held on the scheduled date, according to a Pattan-Coalition 38’s survey conducted in 41 districts across the country during Jan 4-22 finds.

In total, 1,149 individuals and 820 office-bearers of 345 unions and associations belonging to poor classes were interviewed face-to-face.

Moreover, most of them believed that the Election Commission of Pakistan and the caretaker governments were mainly responsible for making elections controversial due to deliberate denial of level playing field (LPF) to some parties/candidates.

In response to ‘which institutions were responsible for not providing LPF, 55pc blamed ECP and caretaker government, while 16pc named establishment and 20pc said all of them including judiciary.

Source: Www.Dawn.Com

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https://www.dawn.com/news/1808642/large-turnout-expected-in-february-8-general-elections-survey

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Africa

“Six Mosques Burnt” – Muslim Rights Concern Reacts To Plateau Killings

Goodness Adaoyiche

January 25, 2024

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has condemned the recent attack in Plateau State which has led to the death of at least eight persons.

“The death toll in the raging crisis in Mangu, Plateau State has reached eight. Six mosques and two churches have been burnt. The burnt mosques include a central mosque, the AnguwanDawoJumat Mosque,” Akintola said.

Source: Politicsnigeria.Com

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https://politicsnigeria.com/six-mosques-burnt-islamic-group-reacts-to-plateau-killings/

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Attacks in Nigeria's Plateau state leave at least 30 dead

Jan 25, 2024

MAIDUGURI: At least 30 people have been killed and several others injured in Nigeria's central Plateau state in a series of attacks around Mangu town, despite a curfew imposed by the state government, a community spokesperson said.

Farmer-herder attacks and communal conflicts are rife in central Nigeria, an ethnically and religiously diverse hinterland known as the 'Middle Belt' where a circle of violence has claimed hundreds of lives in recent years.

The latest violence on Tuesday and Wednesday came after a Christmas Day attack in the area which left at least 140 people dead. A dusk-to-dawn curfew was imposed on Jan 23. The attackers targeted several villages including Kwahaslalek, Kinat and Mairana, located on the borders of Mangu and BarkinLadi local government areas, said Joseph Gwankat, head of the community group Mwaghavul Development Association (MDA).

Source: Times Of India

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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/attacks-in-nigerias-plateau-state-leave-at-least-30-dead/articleshowprint/107148557.cms?val=3728

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Terrorists kill Imam, two others, abduct 32 in Katsina

By Danjuma Michael

26 January 2024

Suspected terrorists have killed three persons, including 65-year-old Imam, BashiruJibrin, at Yandaka village, Batsari Local Council of Katsina State.

Among the deceased was a 12-year-old boy simply identified as Haruna. Some of the injured were still receiving treatment in hospitals till press time, yesterday.

A source said the terrorists, armed with automatic weapons, stormed the community in their numbers, and moved from house to house dragging out hapless residents.

When contacted, spokesperson for the police command in the state, ASP AbubakarAliyu, promised to get across to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of the council to get information on the incident and revert.

Source: Guardian.ng

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https://guardian.ng/news/terrorists-kill-imam-two-others-abduct-32-in-katsina/

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Southeast Asia

At UPR review, Malaysia stands firm on its treatment of refugees

By ZafSeraj

26 Jan 2024

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 26 — Malaysia’s representative to the United Nations (UN) Universal Periodic Review (UPR) last night defended the country’s inhospitality to refugees, after over 15 states pressed it to do more to protect the vulnerable migrant group.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry deputy secretary-general (multilateral affairs) Datuk Bala Chandran Tharman also said the country was struggling to accept more refugees and asylum seekers as these groups were weighing on its resources and health infrastructure at a time Malaysia was dealing high national debt.

“Who is the deserving refugee? Who is a deserving asylum seeker? Who is an economic migrant? Who is to determine them as such?” he asked the recommending states at the UPR review conducted in Geneva, Switzerland, yesterday.

He said Malaysia already has the most refugees in Southeast Asia, and called for the UNHCR, International Organisation of Migration and member states to expedite the resettlement of such migrants to third countries.

Source: Www.malaymail.Com

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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/01/26/at-upr-review-malaysia-stands-firm-on-its-treatment-of-refugees/114634

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Bersatu MP claims party members ‘demoralised’ after president Muhyiddin cycles back on stepping down

By Hajar UmiraMdZaki

26 Jan 2024

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 26 — PartiPribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) members desiring change are now wondering if reform will come now that their president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has reversed an earlier decision to relinquish his post at their next party congress, according to Bukit Gantang MP Datuk Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abu Fasal.

Syed Abu, one of six Opposition party federal lawmakers to have switched his allegiance to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar since last year, claimed that Muhyiddin’s reversal just a day after making the promise to pass the leadership baton has demoralised Bersatu members, news portal Malaysiakini reported today.

“What's the reason for the U-turn? This is a big decision... the party’s purpose is to lead MPs to build the country’s future but the president easily made a U-turn,” Syed Abu was quoted as telling a news conference.

Source: Www.malaymail.Com

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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/01/26/bersatu-mp-claims-party-members-demoralised-after-president-muhyiddin-cycles-back-on-stepping-down/114739

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Ten more Bersatu MPs expected to declare support for PM Anwar, claims Bukit Gantang MP

26 Jan 2024

PUCHONG, Jan 26 — Bukit Gantang member of parliament Datuk Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal today claimed that 10 more opposition MPs will declare their support for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

He said the support, to be declared before the opening of the next Parliament session on February 26, would particularly involve PartiPribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) MPs from Kedah, Penang, Perak, Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Selangor and Melaka.

“In general, members of parliament from PerikatanNasional, especially from Bersatu, feel very disappointed and unappreciated and are not taken care of by the party, as until today Bersatu has no clear direction.

Source: Www.malaymail.Com

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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/01/26/ten-more-bersatu-mps-expected-to-declare-support-for-pm-anwar-claims-bukit-gantang-mp/114729

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Global Islamic finance market seen ‘hitting $4.9trn by 2025’

26-01-2024

The global Islamic finance market would reach $4.9 trillion by 2025, said YazrinSyakhairi, Malaysian Trade Commissioner, under the Trade Section of the Consulate General of Malaysia in Hong Kong (MATRADE).

Speaking on the sidelines of the Asian Financial Forum (AFF) in Hong Kong, Syakhairi told the Emirates News Agency (WAM) that the Islamic finance market is witnessing significant and rapid growth worldwide, surpassing $2.2 trillion in 2022.

It is expected that the Islamic finance sector will grow by around 10% globally in 2023 and 2024, according to earlier estimates by Standard Poors Global Ratings.

Source: Www.Tradearabia.Com

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http://www.tradearabia.com/news/BANK_418221.html

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Mideast

Turkish parliament speaker calls for solidarity among Islamic countries for Palestine

EsraTekin

25.01.2024

The Turkish parliament speaker stressed on Thursday the need to intensify efforts to foster unity among Islamic countries and strengthen the humanitarian front for Palestine.

NumanKurtulmus received Hayef al-Mutairi, chairman of the Kuwait-Türkiye Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group of the National Assembly, and the accompanying delegation in Ankara.

He stressed the need for urgent aid delivery Gaza, where Israeli attacks since the Oct. 7 Hamas incursion has killed nearly 26,000 people, and achieving a cease-fire.

Source: Www.Aa.Com.Tr

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https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/turkish-parliament-speaker-calls-for-solidarity-among-islamic-countries-for-palestine/3119086

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"Tell Houthis To Show Restraint": China Warns Iran As Ship Attacks Rise

January 26, 2024

Dubai: Chinese officials have asked their Iranian counterparts to help rein in attacks on ships in the Red Sea by the Iran-backed Houthis, or risk harming business relations with Beijing, four Iranian sources and a diplomat familiar with the matter said.

The discussions about the attacks and trade between China and Iran took place at several recent meetings in Beijing and Tehran, the Iranian sources said, declining to provide details about when they took place or who attended.

"Basically, China says: 'If our interests are harmed in any way, it will impact our business with Tehran. So tell the Houthis to show restraint'," said one Iranian official briefed on the talks, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity.

Source: Www.Ndtv.Com

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https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/exclusive-china-presses-iran-to-rein-in-houthi-attacks-in-red-sea-sources-say-4933607

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US warned Iran of 'terrorist threat' before Jan. 3 attack: official

Jan 26, 2024

While the official said the warning about the Jan. 3 attack was routine, analysts said it may imply a US effort to build trust with Iran.

The US government privately warned long-time antagonist Iran about a "terrorist threat" within its borders ahead of a deadly attack this month that was claimed by the Islamic State militant group, a US official said on Thursday.

While the official said the warning about the Jan. 3 attack - two suicide bombings in the southeastern city of Kerman that killed nearly 100 people and wounded scores - was routine, analysts said it may imply a US effort to build trust with Iran.

Source: Www.Hindustantimes.Com

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https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/us-warned-iran-of-terrorist-threat-before-jan-3-attack-official-101706220520590.html

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Iran’s Supreme Leader Calls for Muslim Nations to Cut Ties with Israel Amid Gaza Conflict

By Nigar Bayramli

January 25, 2024

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has urged for the political and economic isolation of Israel concerning the Gaza war.

“Sometimes the positions and statements of the officials of the Islamic countries are wrong because they talk about an issue such as the ceasefire in Gaza, which is beyond their control and is in the hands of the evil Zionist enemy. The officials of Islamic countries should focus on matters that are within their control,” Khamenei said while addressing a gathering of Tehran officials on January 23, according to his official website.

He emphasized that “what is in the hands of Islamic countries is the cutting off vital arteries” to Israel, adding that “Islamic countries should cut off their political and economic relations with the Zionist regime and they should also refrain from supporting this regime.”

Source: Caspiannews.Com

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https://caspiannews.com/news-detail/irans-supreme-leader-calls-for-muslim-nations-to-cut-ties-with-israel-amid-gaza-conflict-2024-1-25-0/

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Türkiye Is The Most Similar Country To Bosnia-Herzegovina: Grand Mufti

Mustafa Talha Öztürk

26.01.2024

Türkiye is the most similar country to Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a common Ottoman heritage, a local Muslim religious leader told Anadolu.

"Türkiye is the closest country to us. We are part of a common heritage, the Ottoman culture. We have excellent relations. We always receive support and understanding from the Religious Affairs Directorate," said Grand Mufti HuseinKavazovic.

Kavazovic highlighted the importance of being friends with a country like Türkiye and said that Türkiye's foreign policy has a balancing role in the Western Balkans

Source: Www.Aa.Com.Tr

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https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/turkiye-is-the-most-similar-country-to-bosnia-herzegovina-muslim-leader/3119112

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Iran bars Hassan Rouhani from seeking re-election to key body

Patrick Wintour

25 Jan 2024

The Iranian regime has taken its crackdown on any internal opposition into a new phase by disqualifying the reformist former president Hassan Rouhani from seeking re-election to the assembly of experts, the body that chooses the country’s supreme leader.

Reformists reacted angrily on Thursday to the regime-controlled guardian council’s announcement. The 88 assembly members serve an eight-year term, and since the incumbent supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, is 84, it is highly likely that the next assembly will choose his successor.

The regime has often used disqualification on spurious technical grounds as a means of preventing regime opponents from standing for elections. Other past presidents Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad have also found themselves barred but it is a sign of the regime’s audacity that it has chosen to exclude someone so experienced and prominent as Rouhani.

Source: Www.Theguardian.Com

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https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/jan/25/iran-bars-hassan-rouhani-from-seeking-re-election-to-key-body

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South Asia

Rahmatullah Nabil, Former Afghan Spy Calls Pakistan a “Historical Enemy” of Afghanistan

By Fidel Rahmati

January 26, 2024

The recent comments by Pakistan’s Army Chief, Asim Munir, have stirred criticism from Afghan political figures and people on social media. His statement, where he said “the life of a Pakistani is more important than the whole of Afghanistan,” was described as ignorant, and Afghanistan was referred to as Pakistan’s historical enemy. These reactions came after Munir’s remarks on Thursday.

Haneef Atmar criticized the statements of the Chief of the Pakistan Army, Asim Munir, who claimed that the life of a Pakistani is more important than the whole of Afghanistan, describing it as the “height of ignorance.”

Rahmatullah Nabil also called Pakistan as Afghanistan’s “historical enemy,” and he saw Asim Munir’s remarks as indicative of Islamabad’s long-term policy towards Afghanistan.

The Chief of the Pakistan Army, during an address to students from across Pakistan on Thursday, stated that “the life of a Pakistani is more important than the whole of Afghanistan.” Asim Munir’s statements have drawn criticism from various Afghan political figures and citizens on social media. However, the Taliban has not officially responded to these statements.

Source: Www.Khaama.Com

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https://www.khaama.com/reactions-to-pakistans-army-chief-atmar-criticizes-nabil-calls-pakistan-a-historical-enemy-of-afghanistan/

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Afghans Arrest IzatullahZawab, Poet, Magazine Editor, Family Members Say

January 26, 2024

Afghanistan’s Taliban government on Thursday detained an Afghan poet, IzatullahZawab, who serves as the head of Meena (Love) magazine in eastern Afghanistan, as part of an ongoing crackdown on freedom of expression and independent media in the country, family members posted on social media.

The family members said Zawab was apprehended by the Taliban while traveling from the capital, Kabul, to eastern Nangarhar province.

In a social media post, Zawab's sons, AttullahZawab and Nusrat Arman, said the Taliban authorities did not reveal why their father was detained but assured them of his well-being and imminent release.

Source: Www.Voanews.Com

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https://www.voanews.com/a/afghans-arrest-poet-magazine-editor-family-members-say-/7458118.html

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Bangladesh rebels training in Mizoram, claims former armed group

January 25, 2024

An association of former extremists in Mizoram has threatened to take action if the government fails to uproot the training camps of a Bangladeshi armed group in the State.

Source: Www.Thehindu.Com

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https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/bangladesh-rebels-training-in-mizoram-claims-former-armed-group/article67775986.ece

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Bangladesh sounds alarm over rise in Rohingya deaths at sea

SHEHAB SUMON

January 25, 2024

DHAKA: Bangladeshi authorities are raising the alarm over increasing numbers of Rohingya refugees going missing at sea as they take risky boat journeys to reach Southeast Asia through the Bay of Bengal.

Bangladesh hosts more than 1.2 million Rohingya Muslims, who, over decades, escaped death and persecution in neighboring Myanmar, especially during a military crackdown in 2017.

Most of them live in Cox’s Bazar district, a coastal region in eastern Bangladesh, which, with the arrival of the Rohingya, became the world’s largest refugee settlement.

Source: Www.Khaama.Com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2448081/world

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Af-Pak border tension hits India-Afghan trade

Jan 26, 2024

Amritsar: The closure of the Chaman and Torkham borders between Afghanistan and Pakistan for days together has had a detrimental impact on Afghanistan-India trade, with just one truck carrying mulethi reaching the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Attari on Tuesday, in stark contrast to the usual volume of 20 truckloads per day.

The closure has forced importers to resort to importing Afghan commodities via Dubai, resulting in elevated prices for these goods in the Indian market even as there are indications that discussions are underway on reopening at least one of the two closed borders, to facilitate trade operations.

The closure has forced importers to resort to importing Afghan commodities via Dubai, resulting in elevated prices for these goods in the Indian market even as there are indications that discussions are under way to potentially reopen at least one of the two closed borders, aiming to facilitate smoother trade operations.

Source: Times Of India

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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/af-pak-border-tension-hits-india-afghan-trade/articleshowprint/107159833.cms?val=3728

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UN to host follow-up meeting on Afghanistan in Doha on February 18-19

By Fidel Rahmati

January 26, 2024

The United Nations has announced that a follow-up meeting of special envoys from countries and regional organizations regarding Afghanistan will be hosted by Antonio Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, on February 18 and 19, 2024 in Doha.

Stephane Dujarric, the spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, stated on Wednesday, January 24th that the purpose of this meeting is to discuss how to increase international engagement on Afghanistan in a coherent, coordinated, and structured manner, taking into account the recommendations of an independent assessment of the country.

The independent assessment report was conducted by FeridounSinirloglu, the Special Coordinator of the United Nations for Afghanistan.

Source: Www.Khaama.Com

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https://www.khaama.com/un-to-host-follow-up-meeting-on-afghanistan-in-doha-on-february-18-19/

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NAI, Supporting Open Media, halts activities in Afghanistan

By Fidel Rahmati

January 26, 2024

Mujib Khilwatgar, the head of the ‘Nai’ Institute, a Supporting Open Media in Afghanistan, announced that the institution’s activities in Afghanistan have been temporarily halted. Mr. Khilwatgar stated that he would provide explanations regarding the reasons for this suspension in the future.

Nai began in 2005, and in a video message on Thursday, January 25th, Mujib Khilwatgar stated that the institution has been working sincerely for many years.

He expressed hope that Nai Institute can resume its activities in the future “with positive changes and political and social conditions in Afghanistan,” Mr Khilwatgar said in his message.

Source: Www.Khaama.Com

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https://www.khaama.com/nai-supporting-open-media-halts-activities-in-afghanistan/

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Europe

As a Muslim and an anti-racist, there’s a clear moral path on Rochdale

January 26, 2024

News impatiently rushes forwards. Producers and consumers get caught up in the currents of now and the near future. But sometimes, one needs to get out of the fast flowing waters, revisit a story, reflect on its impact and implications.

The sexual exploitation by grooming gangs in urban areas is one of those: it is widespread. It has been hidden for decades. It demonstrates that too often, children from impoverished and dysfunctional families are valued less than stray dogs and cats.

Last week, the findings from the official review into these crimes in Rochdale between 2004 and 2013 was released. It confirmed what we already knew: paedophile gangs – most of Pakistani and Afghan heritage – lured and raped young, mostly white girls, over many years. Their crimes were disregarded or excused by police and council bosses – the girls were seen as slags, prostitutes, not worth saving.

The inaction could also have been the result of wanting to avoid accusations of racism. Whistleblowers like health worker Sara Rowbotham and Greater Manchester Police detective Maggie Oliver were ostracised. The girls were left “at the mercy” of their abusers. Ninety-six perpetrators were identified; some are roaming free today, breaking young lives. Oliver, who left the force in 2012 and set up a foundation to support victims, warns: “I am telling you that the failures I saw in Rochdale back in 2011 and 2012 are still happening today.”

Source: Inews.Co.Uk

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https://inews.co.uk/opinion/as-a-muslim-and-an-anti-racist-theres-a-clear-moral-path-on-rochdale-2873420?ITO=newsnow

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Argentina’sMileiGovernment Official ‘Repents’ Remarks Against Pope, Judaism, Islam

26-01-2024

Argentina’s brand-new Cults Secretary Francisco Sánchez, recently appointed by President Javier Milei, is trying to turn the page.

The former Neuquén deputy wants to turn the page on controversial expressions he made about Pope Francis and other religious creeds.

In an interview, Sánchez remarks that he is open to dialogue with all sectors. He also praises his predecessor Guillermo Oliveri, affirming that he is willing to continue what was “done well” in the previous term.

Among other things, the former PRO lawmaker called for the “death penalty” for former president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, while also speaking against “international Zionism” and “Islamic hordes.”

Source: Tolonews.Com

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https://www.batimes.com.ar/news/argentina/milei-government-official-repents-remarks-against-pope-judaism-islam.phtml

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Kyrgyzstan Delegation Meets with Islamic Emirate Officials

By Bibi Amina Hakimi

26-01-2024

The delegation of Kyrgyzstan, led by DaniyarAmangeldiev, minister of economy and finance of Kyrgyzstan met with the acting Minister of Mines and Petroleum, Shahabuddin Delawar and acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.

According to the statement of the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum (MoMP), the two sides discussed cooperation in bilateral economic fields and investment in mines in Afghanistan.

Delawar was quoted in the statement as saying that the ministry has made calls for bids for gold, iron and gas mines for and that the Kyrgyz investors can present their proposals to the ministry.

Source: Tolonews.Com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:

https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-187133

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Flooded Muslim graves in Bristol cemetery ‘still collapsing’ despite drainage works

By Alex Seabrook

26 JAN 2024

Flooded Muslim graves in South Bristol Cemetery are 'still collapsing' despite drainage works carried out last year, according to councillors. Bristol City Council is planning to expand the cemetery but the cabinet was warned existing graves are in poor condition.

The cabinet signed off plans to expand the cemetery during a public meeting on Tuesday, January 23, providing more than 3,000 new burial plots. The expansion will take up fields currently used for grazing by the neighbouring Yew Tree Farm.

The Muslim plot at the cemetery lies at the bottom of a hill, leaving the area waterlogged and muddy. Last year the council carried out works to manage surface water, but subsiding graves are still proving a problem.

Source: Www.Bristolpost.Co.Uk

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https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/flooded-muslim-graves-bristol-cemetery-9058284

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North America

Students From Calgary Muslim School Stage Peace March In Prairie Winds ParkOver The Ongoing Israel-Hamas Conflict

Stephen Hunt

Jan. 26, 2024

Students took part in a peace march Thursday over the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.

About 165 students from the Ahmadiyya Muslim School took part.

Dozens of kids gathered at Prairie Winds Park to promote understanding and tolerance among diverse communities.

Source: calgary.ctvnews.ca

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https://calgary.ctvnews.ca/students-from-calgary-muslim-school-stage-peace-march-in-prairie-winds-park-1.6742944

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MPs Condemn Man Who Disrupted Quebec Church Mass and Performed Islamic Prayer

By William Crooks

1/26/2024

Two MPs have spoken out against a minor e-celebrity who disrupted a recent Catholic Mass in Quebec and performed an Islamic prayer.

“This disruption of a Catholic Mass is appalling. It’s also a criminal act,” wrote Conservative MP Michael Barrett on X (formerly Twitter) Jan. 25.

“Similarly, more needs to be acted on re: acts of arson against churches. The case for an Office of Religious Freedom with an international AND domestic mandate becomes ever stronger to protect all of faith.”

Source: Www.Theepochtimes.Com

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https://www.theepochtimes.com/world/mps-condemn-man-who-disrupted-quebec-church-mass-and-performed-islamic-prayer-5574305

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US says it warned Iran before twin bombings by Islamic State

26-01-2024

The United States said Thursday it had specifically alerted Iran to the threat of an attack before bombings claimed by the Islamic State group killed around 90 people in southeastern Kerman.

The two blasts on January 3 hit crowds at a memorial ceremony near the tomb of Qasem Soleimani, a top Revolutionary Guards general killed in a US drone strike in Iraq in 2020.

"Prior" to the Islamic State (IS) attack, the "US Government provided Iran with a private warning that there was a terrorist threat within Iranian borders," a US official said on condition of anonymity.

Source: Timesofmalta.Com

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https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/us-says-warned-iran-twin-bombings-by-islamic-state.1080141

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