Let Muslims Shift Mathura’s Shahi Eidgah And Varanasi’s Gyanvapi Mosque, Things Will Change: Assam CM
New Age Islam News Bureau
30 May 2024
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma
-----
·
Let Muslims Shift Mathura’s Shahi Eidgah And
Varanasi’s Gyanvapi Mosque, Things Will Change: Assam CM
·
‘Pakistan Doesn’t Have No First Use Policy’ Regarding
Nuclear Weapons: Adviser To NCA
·
Dead Pig Dumped Outside Mosque In Southern
Sweden, Probe Launched
·
Iraqi Government Calls For Arab, Islamic
Movement To Prevent Genocide In Gaza
·
Happy With Occupation End, People Support
Islamic Emirate, Logar Ulama
India
·
Congress, SP Laying Ground For India'sAnother
Division By Advocating Muslim Quota: UP CM
·
Demography In Bengal's Border Areas Changing
Due To Infiltration, Political Earthquake Coming: Modi
·
Case filed after Muslims offer Friday prayers
on road in Karnataka’s Mangaluru: police
·
RSS, Christians must join hands to ‘save
tribals from love, land jihad’: BJP leader Nishikant Dubey
·
Only PDM Can Guide Backward Dalits And Muslims:
Owaisi
-----
Pakistan
·
Interior Minister, London Mayor Discuss Matters
Of Mutual Interest
·
Defence Minister Vows To Create World Free Of
Terrorism, Extremism
·
SC Reserves Verdict On Punjab’s Plea In
Religious Freedoms Case
·
Court acquits Imran in two May 9 cases
·
Four killed in firing from across Iranian
border
·
Three killed in tribal clash in Balochistan’s
Nasirabad
·
Pakistan focusing on competitiveness to
increase share in int'l market: Masood
·
Supreme Court strongly reacts to British envoy
Marriot's remarks on Pakistan's elections
·
Khawar Maneka assaulted by PTI lawyers after
hearing of Iddat case
----
Europe
·
Green Election Candidate Claims Islamic State
Is Run by Mossad
·
LGBT people ‘don’t feel safe’ in Muslim-led US
city that BANNED Pride flags, says ex-mayor
·
Corbyn election leaflet features endorsement
from Muslim leader who praised Hamas founder
·
French PM Macron urges Abbas to ‘reform’
Palestinian Authority with ‘prospect of recognition’
·
Spanish PM Meets Joint Arab-Islamic Ministerial
Committee On Gaza In Madrid
-----
Mideast
·
Israeli Settlers Storm Al Aqsa Mosque Compound
To Perform 'Talmudic Rituals'
·
Egypt Unveils Renovation Of 14th-Century
Maridani Mosque
·
Dozens of Zionist settlers storm again Aqsa
Mosque courtyards
·
Egypt’s El-Sisi calls to ensure Gazans not ‘forcibly
displaced’
·
Yemen’s Houthis say they downed US MQ-9 drone
in Yemen’s Maareb
----
South Asia
·
IEA Wants Positive Interaction With World
Within Islamic, National Values
·
Turkey suspends diplomatic visa exemption
agreement with Afghanistan
·
IEA Chargé d’Affaires and Al-Bukhari University
President Discuss Enhanced Support for Afghan Students in Malaysia
·
Russian Foreign Ministry calls on Taliban to
form inclusive Govt
·
Probe into alleged British war crimes in
Afghanistan delayed post-UK elections
-----
Africa
·
Don’t Exclude Muslims From Bank of Industry’s
RAPID Initiative – NASFAT
·
Emirate saga: NSCIA cautions Kano Muslim
clerics
·
Terrorism Charges: Miyetti Allah Renews Pledge
to Peace, Unity in Nigeria
·
Islamic council speaks on Kano Emirship tussle,
sends warning to clerics
·
Tinubu govt withdraws terrorism case against
Miyetti Allah president Bodejo
---
North America
·
Muslim College Students Face Heavy Emotional
Toll, Discrimination As War In Gaza Drags On
·
CAIR-TX to Join N. Texas Imams, Dallas Black
Clergy to Condemn Biden Admin’s ‘Complicity’ After 2nd Israel-U.S. Massacre in
Rafah ‘Safe Zone’
·
CAIR Calls on Louisiana Schools to Drop Prager U
‘Anti-Muslim Propaganda’ Group As Classroom Content Provider
·
Swingers mecca embroiled in scandal involving
mayor and fortune teller
·
Palestinian Islamic Jihad posts video of Amazon
employee held captive in Gaza since Oct 7
--------
Arab World
·
Saudi Railways announces increased seating
capacity of Haramain High-Speed Train for Hajj season
·
Islamic Ministry unites volunteers to serve
pilgrims
·
Al-Jubeir meets US, Costa Rica officials in
Riyadh
·
Global artists contemplate the future at Riyadh
exhibition
·
Saudi envoy presents credentials as
non-resident ambassador to Bolivia
--------
Southeast Asia
·
Fahmi: Google's RM9.4b Investment Reflects
Investors' Confidence In Madani Government
·
Malaysia strategically positioned to capitalise
on AI boom - Gobind
·
Saudi King Salman orders hosting of 1,000
Palestinian pilgrims for hajj
·
Meeting with Meta to discuss commitment to
combat fake news, disinformation - Fahmi
·
Haj pilgrims reminded to practice cleanliness,
maintain nation’s good image
·
Malaysia, Kyrgyz republic to enhance
collaboration in TVET, Stem Education - PM Anwar
Compiled by
New Age Islam News Bureau
URL:
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Let
Muslims Shift Mathura’s Shahi Eidgah And Varanasi’s Gyanvapi Mosque, Things
Will Change: Assam CM
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma
-----
Written
by Liz Mathew
May 30,
2024
Assam
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma
BJP
leader and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said Wednesday that
Islamophobia is “real” for many Hindus in the country and the “so-called
secular intellectuals” will not be able to counter it.
He said
it can only be contained if the Muslims agree to shift Mathura’s Shahi Eidgah
and Varanasi’s Gyanvapi mosque to other places through “mutual consultations”
and “constructive deliberations between the two communities”.
In an
interview with The Indian Express, Sarma said, “If you continue to have Shahi
Eidgah there in Mathura, the Hindus who visit there will naturally get angry…
let them shift Shahi Eidgah to a different location. When it happens, next time
when a Hindu visits Mathura, he will come back with gratitude to the Muslim
community.”
He said the
relocation cannot happen “by force” but only through consultations between
Hindus and Muslims.
‘I’ve
transformed a large section of Muslims from Hindu haters to those who can
co-exist with Hindus… Assam can be a model’: Himanta Biswa Sarma
“Now
with (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi Ji constructing the Kashi corridor,
everyone goes there. Whoever goes to Kashi sees Gyanvapi mosque. They ask
questions and they come back angry. If the masjid can be relocated, not by
force but with mutual consultations, the situation will be different. So the
so-called secular intellectuals, by criticising Hindus, cannot contain
Islamophobia in India.”
A star
campaigner for his party – he has addressed 62 BJP election rallies outside
Assam and 117 in the state that completed polling on May 7 – Sarma cited Assam
as an example of the “transformation of the Muslim community from being Hindu
haters to those who can coexist with Hindus”.
“Islamophobia
is real for many of us. Because there are sections of Muslims in our country
who hate the majority community. If you see my election speeches in Assam, I
have not mentioned the Muslim word at all and I have campaigned intensely in
Muslim-dominated areas. I have transformed a large section of Muslim community
from being Hindu haters to those who can coexist with Hindus. Transformation
has happened in many places in Assam, so the incidents of love jihad have come
down, incidents of land grabbing have come down,” he said.
Pointing
out that the communal harmony between Hindus and Muslim is at an all-time high
in Assam, he said he did not make any anti-Muslim remark during his campaign in
the state “because they (Muslims) have very genuinely accepted the delimitation
process.”
“Once a
model like Assam is established outside the state, let the Muslims accept the
Uniform Civil Code, accept Krishna Janambhoomi in Mathura, accept the Gyanvapi
Mandir, things will change. That will bring down Islamophobia among Hindus.
Today, Kashmir has witnessed higher voter turnout, people have accepted the
abrogation of Article 370. It has changed the landscape,” he said.
He was
at the centre of a controversy recently when, during a campaign stopover in
Jharkhand, he said “infiltrators from Bangladesh” make up 1.25 crore of Assam’s
population and account for 40 of its 126 MLAs.
One of
the most vocal critics of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Sarma denied that his
attacks were personal. He said his public utterances against Gandhi during his
Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Assam was because “of the timing he had chosen” to tour
the state.
“He took
the wrong timing for his Yatra in Assam… It was at the peak of the Ram temple
pran pratishtha celebrations. He could have waited until the pran pratishtha
was over. His visit was as if he wanted to challenge the pran pratishtha and
the Ram Bhakts from the land of Assam. That’s why,” he said.
Source: indianexpress.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/let-muslims-shift-kashi-mathura-mosques-things-will-change-himanta-biswa-sarma-9360325/
--------
‘Pakistan
Doesn’t Have No First Use Policy’Regarding Nuclear Weapons: Adviser To NCA
Military spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor
------
May 30,
2024
ISLAMABAD:
Adviser to the National Command Authority Lt Gen (retd) Khalid Ahmed Kidwai has
underscored Pakistan’s stance on not committing to the No First Use (NFU)
policy regarding nuclear weapons.
Speaking
at a seminar held at the Centre for International Strategic Studies (CISS) to
commemorate Youm-i-Takbeer, the anniversary of the 1998 nuclear tests, Gen
Kidwai, who has served as the director general of Strategic Plans Division
(SPD), said: “Pakistan does not have a No First Use policy, and I’ll repeat
that for emphasis. Pakistan does not have a No First Use policy.”
The NFU
refers to a country’s stance and is regarded as an assurance that its nuclear
arsenal is meant for deterrence, not fighting a nuclear war.
Islamabad
has traditionally maintained ambiguity regarding the NFU policy due to New
Delhi’s declared stance on the same, though Pakistani strategists were always
sceptical, viewing India’s policy as more rhetorical than genuine.
The
scepticism towards Indian intentions stems from ambiguities in India’s NFU
doctrine. This policy includes provisions that permitted nuclear strikes
against nuclear-armed states or their allies under perceived threats. Such
exceptions implied a willingness to pre-emptively use nuclear weapons in
specific scenarios, undermining the fundamental principle of NFU.
Recently,
there has been a noticeable shift in India’s nuclear policy from a traditional
NFU stance towards a more assertive nuclear posture. This internal debate in
India regarding the revision of its NFU policy has compelled Pakistan’s
military leadership to implement countermeasures, aiming to diminish any
‘perceived incentive’ India might have to execute a pre-emptive first strike
against Pakistan.
“The
Indian gung-ho leadership may like to think about it there should never ever be
a doubt in anyone’s mind, friend or foe, that Pakistan’s operationally ready
nuclear capability enables every Pakistani leader the liberty, the dignity and
the courage to look straight into the Indian eye and never blink,” Gen Kidwai
further said.
His
statement has come against the backdrop of contentious discussions about
Pakistan’s nuclear programme during the ongoing Indian elections. Indian PM
Narendra Modi leveraged this topic to criticise the opposition INDIA bloc and
its leaders, portraying them as fearful and intimidated by Pakistan’s nuclear capabilities.
The
debate was sparked by comments from Farooq Abdullah of the National Conference
regarding Pakistan’s nuclear defence capabilities. His remarks were made in
response to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s assertion about Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
Additionally,
PM Modi while responding to Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar, who had
suggested that India should respect Pakistan’s nuclear capabilities, said he
had personally assessed Pakistan’s capabilities during a visit to Lahore in
December 2015.
Gen
Kidwai, while speaking at the seminar on Wednesday, also hinted at using
emerging technologies to strengthen country’s nuclear programme. “Advancements
in technology including what are referred to as emerging technologies will
continue to make their way appropriately in Pakistan’s National Security
calculus, and the nuclear programme will be stronger by benefiting from these,”
he said.
He noted
that Pakistan’s Full Spectrum Deterrence (FSD) capability, while generally
remaining within the larger philosophy of Credible Minimum Deterrence (CMD),
comprises horizontally of a robust tri-services inventory of a variety of
nuclear weapons.
He
explained that the nuclear weapons were held on land with the Army Strategic
Force Command (ASFC), at sea with Naval Strategic Force Command (NSFC), and in
the air with Air Force Strategic Force Command (AFSC). Vertically, the nuclear
spectrum encapsulates progressively increasing destructive weapon yields, and
range coverage at three: strategic, operational, and tactical all the way to
2,750km to cover India’s vast Eastern and Southern geographical dimensions,
including its outlying territories.
Gen
Kidwai further stated that India’s Dynamic Response Strategy (DRS) is a clear
reflection of the limits and constraints imposed by Pakistan’s robust nuclear
capability on the India’s strategic and operational options, and therefore,
Pakistan’s strategic weapons, especially the Tactical Nuclear Weapons (TNWs),
are “weapons of peace”.
Director
General of the Arms Control and Disarmament Affairs (ACDA) branch of the SPD,
retired Brig Zahir Kazmi, highlighted some of the emerging threats and enduring
threats to Pakistan’s nuclear programme. The former included emerging
technologies, geopolitical environment and hybridity of warfare, while the
latter included India’s risky behaviour, sanctions on Pakistan and information
warfare.
Source: dawn.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://www.dawn.com/news/1836578
--------
Dead Pig
Dumped Outside Mosque In Southern Sweden, Probe Launched
File
image for representation. | Photo Credit: REUTERS
-----
Swedish
police have said they were investigating a hate crime after an unidentified
person dumped a dead boar outside a mosque in southern Sweden overnight.
Police
wrote on their website on Wednesday that the mosque "had a pig thrown at
its facade".
"The
complaint is being classified as agitation against an ethnic group, but other
suspicions may arise later," police said.
The head
of the foundation that runs the mosque in Skovde, Smajo Sahat, said that it was
later established that the dead animal was a wild boar.
"I
came this morning and saw it, it was dead," he said.
"A
person came in a car and threw it at the mosque. We don't know who it was but
it was caught on surveillance cameras," he added.
Sahat
said there had been no recent threats against the mosque, which opened a year
ago.
"When
it comes to why someone would do this, we can only speculate," he said.
The
mosque has about 1,000 members, according to Sahat.
Source: trtworld.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://www.trtworld.com/discrimination/dead-pig-dumped-outside-mosque-in-southern-sweden-probe-launched-18167546
------
Iraqi Government
Calls For Arab, Islamic Movement To Prevent Genocide In Gaza
Photo:
- SabaNet
----
[29/May/2024]
BAGHDAD
May 29. 2024 (Saba) - The Iraqi government on Wednesday called for a
responsible Arab, Islamic and regional movement at the popular and official
levels, in order to prevent genocide committed by the Zionist enemy in the Gaza
Strip.
Iraqi
government spokesman Bassem al-Awadi said in a statement that the movement aims
to "put an end to the disregard for international and humanitarian norms,
and prevent the spread of conflict in the region."
The
movement also aims, according to Awadi, to put an end to pushing the region
"irresponsibly towards an endless cycle of violence".
It also
appreciated the recognition of the State of Palestine by a number of countries,
in response to international powers that supported or kept silent about the
aggression and persisted in justifying the crime.
After
the International Court of Justice issued an order to the Zionist enemy to stop
the military offensive on Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, Iraqi Prime
Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani welcomed the decision. He stressed that he
expresses the "living conscience of the world."
As for
the representative of Iraq before the International Court of Justice, Haidar
Shia Al-Barrak, he stressed that the Zionist entity commits many violations of
the principles of international law, and must be held accountable. He stressed
"trying to support the Palestinian people before the court."
This
announcement comes at a time when the Zionist enemy continues its aggression on
the Gaza Strip for the 236th day.
Source: saba.ye
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://www.saba.ye/en/news3335115.htm
----
Happy With
Occupation End, People Support Islamic Emirate, Logar Ulama
Photo:
Kabul Times
-----
May 30,
2024
KABUL: A
number of scholars and tribal elders of the Charkh district of the country’s
central province of Logar, in a meeting with Mawlavi Kabir, the Deputy Prime
Minister for Political Affairs of the Islamic Emirate, said that people are
happy with the occupation end and are ready to cooperate with the current system
in various fields, according to a statement from Arg the other day. Speaking on
behalf of others, Shaikh Mohammad Qasem Rashid said that the people of Charkh
district have made lots of efforts and sacrifices during 20 years of Jihad and
asked the Islamic Emirate to pay necessary attention to the implementation of
development projects in the fields of education, health and transportation in
Logar province, particularly in Charkh district, according to the statement.
Appreciating the efforts and sacrifices of residents of Charkh district during
the 20 years of Jihad, Mawlavi Kabir assured the challenges facing the people
in Logar, particularly in Charkh district would be addressed with the available
resources. The Kabul Times
Source: thekabultimes.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://thekabultimes.com/happy-with-occupation-end-people-support-islamic-emirate-logar-ulama/
--------
India
Congress,
SP Laying Ground For India'sAnother Division By Advocating Muslim Quota: UP CM
May 30,
2024
Uttar
Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Wednesday that the Congress and
the Samajwadi Party are laying ground for another division of the country by
advocating Muslim reservation. Addressing an election rally here, the UP chief
minister said the Congress manifesto claims that they will give freedom to eat
to the minorities if they come to power. Muslims may wish to eat beef by
slaughtering the cows, but Hindus will not tolerate this, he said.
"The
Congress and the SP, by advocating Muslim reservations, are laying the
groundwork for the country's division. They want to enforce personal laws but
the BJP will not allow Taliban-like governance in India. Our country will be
governed by the Constitution, not by the Sharia law," Adityanath said.
He said
while the BJP is dedicated to development, the Congress-SP alliance continues
to cling on its divide and rule policy. They were responsible for the country's
partition and now they are trying to divide the country along caste, regional
and linguistic lines.
Adityanath,
however, emphasised that B R Ambedkar was totally against granting reservation
in the name of religion. These people will distribute reservations for the
backward classes, SCs and STs among Muslims. Ambedkar had said religion can
never be the basis for reservation, he added.
He said
the district has witnessed the BJP's enduring slogan 'Ram Lalla hum aayenge,
mandir waheen banaenge' from 1985 to 2019.
Despite
the obstacles posed by the SP, BSP and the Congress to the Ram temple,
everything changed once the people voted for the 'lotus' (BJP election symbol),
he added.
"We
can now proudly tell the future generations that we witnessed the construction
of the Ram temple," he said.
Adityanath
said while the prime minister deserves credit for the Ram temple, the true
strength behind both Modi and him is the people. When the people elect MPs and
MLAs, they become a strength which helps in bringing about development, he
said.
"The
resonating chant of the slogan 'Fir ek baar Modi sarkar, abki baar 400 paar'
across the country is causing frustration to the SP which is contesting only 60
seats, of which five belong to the members of the Saifai family," he said.
The UP
chief minster said no riots have taken place anywhere in the state.
He said
today no one can dare to harm the cows, daughters or businessmen. Those
contemplating such actions will have to pay a heavy price for this, he said.
Adityanath
said the cost of disturbing the safety of daughters and traders is not
imprisonment anymore. It is akin to hell, he remarked.
"Now,
no one will be able to jeopardise security. Festivals are now being celebrated
with ease," he added.
Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/elections/lok-sabha/uttar-pradesh/congress-sp-laying-ground-for-indias-division-by-advocating-muslim-quota-yogi-adityanath/articleshow/110537829.cms
--------
Demography
in Bengal's border areas changing due to infiltration, political earthquake
coming: Modi
29 May
2024
Kakdwip
(WB): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday alleged that demography in the
border areas of West Bengal is changing because of infiltration and accused the
Trinamool Congress (TMC) of indulging in the politics of appeasement so that
illega...
Modi
also said that a major "political earthquake" is expected within the
next six months after June 4, the day when the results of the Lok Sabha
election would be out.
He
claimed that the Trinamool Congress government in the state was giving away the
rights of "original" OBCs to Muslims by issuing false caste
certificates.
He said,
"The demography in the bordering areas of Bengal is being changed. The TMC
is against giving citizenship to religiously persecuted minorities. Why are
they opposing the CAA so much? Why are these people (TMC leaders) lying about
the CAA?"
He
asserted that the Matua community members would get Indian citizenship with all
the respect that's due to them.
The TMC
does not want the Hindus and Matuas to stay in Bengal, Modi alleged while
addressing his last election rally in the state in this election at Kakdwip.
"To
appease a section of the society, the TMC government is openly attacking the
Constitution, which has given reservations to Dalits and backward castes.
Reservations were looted in West Bengal and false OBC certificates were issued
to Muslims," Mod...
He
referred to the May 22 Calcutta High Court order that struck down the Other
Backward Classes (OBC) status of several classes in West Bengal granted since
2010, finding such reservations to vacancies in services and posts in the state
are illegal. ...
"But
the TMC cannot accept this verdict. They are misguiding Muslims by spreading
wrong information regarding the court's verdict. Just imagine to what end they
can go for appeasement," Modi added.
"Today,
infiltrators are snatching away the opportunities provided for the youths. They
are encroaching on your properties and land and the entire country is worried
about that," he said.
After
counting of votes, these TMC people will run out of steam, the prime minister
claimed.
"Your
one vote will help to change the political direction of the nation. In the next
six months after June 4, a major political earthquake will take place in the
country. Political parties which thrive on dynastic politics will disintegrate
on their...
"Even
their party functionaries have become tired. They are all seeing in which
direction the country is moving and the direction in which their parties are
heading,” the PM said.
Modi
attacked the TMC, accusing it of preventing the implementation of central
schemes for fishermen, and other programmes such as Ujjwala Yojana and Ayushman
Bharat.
He also
accused the TMC government of compromising national security by allowing
unchecked infiltration in West Bengal from across its borders.
"Modi
claimed that the TMC and the "INDI Jamaat" alliance are taking West
Bengal in a different direction away from ‘Viksit Bharat’," he alleged.
He
charged "TMC goons" of attacking Bharat Sevashram Sangha and
Ramakrishna Mission establishments in the state.
Modi
also lashed out at the ruling TMC for demanding "cut money" from
everyone in the state to provide them government grants – from every scheme.
“TMC
only cares about extortion and cut money. They have only one agenda. They want
cut money on everything - ration distribution system, Awas Yojana and the
mid-day meal scheme," he said.
He
thanked the people of Bengal for supporting the BJP in the election and for
turning up in huge numbers in rallies and meetings.
Source: deccanherald.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://www.deccanherald.com/elections/india/lok-sabha-elections-2024-demography-in-bengals-border-areas-changing-due-to-infiltration-political-earthquake-coming-modi-3042973
---------
Case filed
after Muslims offer Friday prayers on road in Karnataka’s Mangaluru: police
After a
video of the namaz went viral online, former BJP minister K S Eshwarappa said
any police inaction could lead to riots in communally sensitive Mangaluru.
May 29,
2024
Mangaluru
Namaz prayers on roadThe prayers, offered on May 24 at Kankanady, caused
traffic disruption for some time and many vehicles were forced to take
alternative routes. (File photo/ Representational)
Days
after a video went viral online showing a group of men offering namaz on a
public road in Karnataka’s communally sensitive Mangaluru town, the police have
registered a suo motu case.
The
prayers, offered on May 24 at Kankanady, caused traffic disruption for some
time and many vehicles were forced to take alternative routes.
A police
officer said the namaz was offered on a public road in front of a mosque. “We
have informed the mosque authorities as well,” said the police officer.
The
police have booked a case against unknown people under sections 341 (wrongful
restraint), 283 (danger or obstruction in public way or line of navigation),
143 (unlawful assembly) and 149 (common object of members of an unlawful
assembly) of the Indian Penal Code.
After
the video went viral, right-wing organisations threatened to hold Hanuman
Chalisa recitations on public roads. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad condemned the
act of offering namaz in a public place. Its leader Sharan Pumpwell warned that
the outfit would conduct mass Hanuman Chalisa recitations at the same place. A
memorandum seeking action was also submitted to the police.
Former
BJP minister K S Eshwarappa said that Hindu society would not tolerate such
activities and that any inaction by the police could lead to riots.
Source: indianexpress.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/bangalore/karnataka-case-filed-after-muslims-offer-friday-prayers-on-road-9359495/
--------
RSS,
Christians must join hands to ‘save tribals from love, land jihad’: BJP leader
Nishikant Dubey
Bharatiya
Janata Party leader MP Nishikant Dubey has said that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak
Sangh and Christian missionaries should work in tandem to “save tribals from
love and land jihad from Bangladeshi infiltrators” in Jharkhand, reported The
Indian Express on Tuesday.
The
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is the ideological parent of the ruling BJP.
“Love
jihad” is a Hindutva conspiracy theory that Muslim men lure Hindu women into
romantic relationships in order to convert them to Islam. “Land jihad” is also
an anti-Muslim conspiracy theory peddled by Hindutva groups.
In an
interview with The Indian Express, Dubey, whom the BJP has retained as its
candidate from Jharkhand’s Godda Lok Sabha constituency, said: “Like the prime
minister, I am also of the view that the demography of the area has changed.”
Polling
for the Godda seat will take place in the seventh and final phase of the Lok
Sabha elections on Saturday.
“The
Adivasi population has decreased by 11% across the state – the most in Santhal
Parganas – while the Bangladeshi Muslim population has seen a rise as the
family of Alamgir Alam [Jharkhand rural development minister who was recently
arrested by the Enforcement Directorate] is giving them citizenship,” said
Dubey.
The Modi
government has repeatedly said in Parliament that it has no data on the number
of undocumented immigrants in the country. In December, the government told the
Supreme Court that it was not possible to collect data on undocumented
immigrants living in various parts of the country.
Dubey
was repeating a claim made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier in the day
at an election rally in Dumka Lok Sabha constituency, which also heads to the
polls on Saturday.
Modi
claimed: “A big crisis looms over Jharkhand and that is infiltration. The
Santhal Parganas is facing the challenge of infiltration. In many areas, the
population of tribals is declining fast and the number of infiltrators is on
the rise. The infiltrators are grabbing tribal lands. Tribal daughters are the
target of infiltrators. Their security and safety are at risk. Their lives are
also at risk.”
This is
not the first time that the BJP made such claims about undocumented Bangladeshi
immigrants.
In
December, Dubey had claimed in Parliament that the demography of several parts
of Jharkhand, Bihar and West Bengal was changing due to a rise in the number of
“Bangladeshi infiltrators”, reported The Times of India.
The
Jharkhand High Court in April had sought a detailed response from the Centre
and state governments regarding the alleged forced religious conversion of
Adivasis in the state.
Source: scroll.in
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://scroll.in/latest/1068518/rss-christians-must-join-hands-to-save-tribals-from-love-land-jihad-bjp-leader-nishikant-dubey
--------
Only PDM
Can Guide Backward Dalits And Muslims: Owaisi
May 29,
2024
Alleging
that the condition of Muslims after 2014 is the same as that of Jews during
Hitler’s time, AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi asserted that only the PDM
(Pichhda, Dalit, and Muslim) can guide backward Dalits and Muslims.
Owaisi,
along with Apna Dal (Kamerawadi) Pallavi Patel, was addressing a public meeting
at Azhari Maidan located in Rebri Pond here, on Tuesday night.
The
AIMIM chief said the leader should come from among us. We are just casting
votes and doing nothing. “The BJP is winning because the BSP, SP, and Congress
are weak. Now, you have a choice as a PDM candidate,” he added.
He said
whenever there is oppression and atrocities on this deprived community, big
political parties maintain silence. Therefore, only those who raise their voice
on the issue can remove the BJP from power and give them their rights.
Speaking
on the occasion, Apna Dal (Kamerawadi) leader Pallavi Patel said the BJP, which
came to power in the name of development, has not done any good to the people
in the last 10 years. The time has come to hand over power to those who fought
for the backward people, Dalits, tribals, and Muslims. Therefore, PDM has given
an option to the public.
She said
if the PDA (Samajwadi) or the NDA becomes weak, they would push each other
forward. Both are two sides of the same coin. Both want 100 per cent votes of
Muslims, but show you thumb in the name of share.
Taking a
jibe at the food grains distributed among 80 crore people by the Centre,
Pallavi Patel said hardworking farmers and labourers were turned into beggars
in the BJP regime. “The struggle will be taken forward by going among the
public on the issues of employment, education and medicine. The system will be
changed only by capturing the power.”
PDM
candidate Gagan Prakash Yadav said there is a wrestling match going on between
the BJP and Congress candidates in the Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency.
AIMIM
state president Shaukat Ali and Apna Dal (Kamerawadi) state president CL Patel
were present.
Source: thestatesman.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://www.thestatesman.com/india/only-pdm-can-guide-backward-dalits-and-muslims-owaisi-1503304957.html#google_vignette
--------
Pakistan
Interior
Minister, London Mayor discuss matters of mutual interest
May 30,
2024
Interior
Minister Mohsin Naqvi and London Mayor Sadiq Khan at a meeting in London
discussed matters of mutual interest and political situation.
They
also discussed matters pertaining to cricket.
Mohsin
Naqvi invited London Mayor to visit Pakistan.
Source: radio.gov.pk
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://www.radio.gov.pk/30-05-2024/interior-minister-london-mayor-discuss-matters-of-mutual-interest
--------
Defence
Minister Vows To Create World Free Of Terrorism, Extremism
May 30,
2024
Defence
Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has expressed Pakistan's commitment to creating
a world free of terrorism and extremism.
Addressing
a seminar in Islamabad today, he said that kinetic and non-kinetic measures are
being taken to eliminate terrorism from its roots.
The
Minister said that country suffered immensely from extremist tendencies, posing
serious threat to social cohesion, peace and harmony in the country.
Khawaja
Asif said that Pakistan is taking the lead in fighting terrorism despite bearing
unprecedented human and economic sacrifices.
He
emphasized the need of exterminating the extremist propaganda and its
recruitment centers for a peaceful society.
The
Minister said the mobilization of social forces and societal consensus against
extremism are the key requirements for sustainable peace.
Commending
the role of relevant organizations of country to eradicate extremism, he said
National Action Plan, National Internal Security Policy and National counter
extremism policy guidelines have significantly curtailed the space for
terrorist organizations.
He said
confronting the extremist ideology is the only way to cultivate a culture that
promotes mutual care, well-being and appreciation of diversity.
Terming
the cultural and linguistic diversity and religious harmony as a vital tool for
the promotion of peace in the country, the Minister said it will also project
an enlighten image of country and it must be highlighted.
Source: radio.gov.pk
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://www.radio.gov.pk/30-05-2024/defence-minister-vows-to-creating-world-free-of-terrorism-extremism
--------
SC
reserves verdict on Punjab’s plea in religious freedoms case
May 30,
2024
ISLAMABAD:
A Supreme Court bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa,
on Wednesday reserved its decision on a Punjab government petition seeking
review of its Feb 6 judgement that overturned appellant Mubarak Ahmad Sani’s
conviction on charges of distributing ‘proscribed literature’.
At the
last hearing of the government’s review petition, the SC had sought assistance
of the Council of Islamic Ideology, religious scholars and institutions on the
matter after the decision of overturning the Lahore High Court verdict in the
case stirred a controversy and malicious campaign against CJP Isa.
A heavy
contingent of anti-riot police was deputed outside the apex court building,
where a number of clerics and their supporters gathered and chanted religious
slogans after their appearance before the court.
The
court had earlier issued notices to CII, Jamia Darululoom, Karachi; Jamia
Imdadia, Faisalabad; Jamia Naeemia, Karachi; Jamia Muhammadia Ghousia, Bhera;
Jamia Salafia, Faisalabad; Jamia Tul Muntazir, Lahore, Jamia Urwat-ul-Wusqa,
Lahore; Quran Academy, Lahore; and Al-Mawrid, Lahore, with direction to furnish
concise statements on the SC verdict in the Mubarak Ahmad Sani case.
Religious
scholars tell apex court no one would ever approve of destroying a girls’
school
Objections
to individuals’ audience
Inside
the courtroom, the three-member bench asked representatives of different
institutions to present their points of view one by one.
However,
several religious scholars objected to the appearance of Dr Ammar Khan Nasir
from Al-Mawrid, Lahore, on the grounds that he was appearing on his own without
any authorisation from the institution. After seeking consensus among
themselves, the court decided that the right of audience would not be granted
to individuals, except those representing and having authorisation of their
institutions.
Interestingly,
Justice Irfan Saadat Khan, one of the three bench members, at one point during
the hearing recited Kalma and observed that all three judges sitting on the
bench were Muslims and believe in the oneness of Allah Almighty and the
finality of the prophethood of the Holy Prophet (PBUH).
The CJP
also mentioned the arson attack on a girls’ middle school in the Shakhimar
village, Razmak tehsil of North Waziristan, on Tuesday.
At this,
a Jamia Naeemia representative clarified that no religious scholar would ever
approve of setting fire to girls’ school, rather seminaries inculcate religious
education among girls.
Mr Sani,
the appellant, faced charges of distributing literature that could “hurt
religious sentiments”.
He was
named as an accused in an FIR registered under Sections 295-B (Defiling, etc.,
of Holy Quran) and 298-C (Person of Quadiani group, etc., calling himself a
Muslim or preaching or propagating his faith) of the Pakistan Penal Code, as
well as Section 9(1A) of the Punjab Holy Quran (Printing and Recording) Act,
2011, in Chiniot on Dec 6, 2022.
On June
24, 2023, the trial court framed charges against him. He filed an application
for deletion of the charge before the trial court, but it was dismissed on Sept
25. He then challenged the order before the Lahore High Court, but the LHC also
dismissed his plea on Oct 16. Later, he challenged the high court’s order
through a criminal petition before the Supreme Court, which was allowed on Feb
6.
However,
the SC order stirred a controversy as not only it drew a strong reaction from
religious circles, but also resulted in the filing of a review petition by the
Punjab government that sought certain modifications in the judgement.
The
provincial government in its review petition, moved through Additional
Prosecutor General Ahmad Raza Gilani, argued that it was aggrieved by the SC
judgement since the conclusions were based on an “erroneous assumption of the
material facts”. While closing the daylong proceedings on Wednesday, the CJP
observed: “We will decide the case after deliberations and if need be, we may
assemble again to seek further explanation and assistance.”
Source: dawn.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://www.dawn.com/news/1836556/sc-reserves-verdict-on-punjabs-plea-in-religious-freedoms-case
--------
Court
acquits Imran in two May 9 cases
May 30,
2024
KARACHI:
A
district and sessions court in Islamabad acquitted PTI founder Imran Khan on
Thursday in two more May 9 cases.
Judicial
Magistrate Umar Shabbir announced the reserved verdict citing the acquittal of
the former premier on grounds of insufficient evidence.
Two
cases were lodged against Imran in the Shahzad Town police station, following
his arrest on May 9 from the Islamabad High Court (IHC) premises that sparked
nation-wide protests including attacks on military installations.
PTI
lawyers Mirza Asim Baig and Naeem Panjotha were representing Imran in these
cases.
Baig
stated that an unauthorized person registered an FIR against the PTI founder
adding that Imran was accused of section 109 but no evidence could be provided
in the cases.
On May
20, Imran was acquitted in another May 9 case registered at Khanna Police
Station.
The
judicial magistrate's verdict stated that, according to the FIR, the PTI
founder incited others and was accused of playing a role in incitement.
However,
the evidence on record was not sufficient to prove the allegations against him.
The
court cannot proceed with the case against the PTI founder based on such
evidence, it added. The verdict further stated that an accused cannot be
deprived of their legal rights without a cause.
Considering
the facts, the prosecution's story has become highly questionable. Proceeding
with the case based on the current evidence would waste the court's valuable
time, it added.
Almost
the entire PTI leadership was booked under various charges after the violent
protests that erupted on May 9, 2023, following the arrest of former prime
minister Imran Khan from the premises of the IHC in a corruption case.
Source: tribune.com.pk
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2468960/court-acquits-imran-in-two-may-9-cases
--------
Four
killed in firing from across Iranian border
May 30,
2024
QUETTA:
Four Pakistani nationals were killed and two others injured in firing by
Iranian forces along the border in Washuk district of Balochistan.
According
to officials, the firing occurred in the Judar-Bacharai border area late
Tuesday night.
“Iranian
forces opened fire inside Pakistani border,” a senior official of the Mashkel
administration said, adding that the victims were sitting in the Pakistani
border area when the Iranian forces opened fire.
“We have
received four bodies and two injured,” Dr Ashraf at Mashkel Rural Health Centre
said. “The Pakistani nationals killed and injured were involved in the supply
of Iranian smuggled oil,” an official posted at the border said.
However,
one of the injured, identified as Akhtar, claimed that they were waiting for an
oil consignment when the Iranian forces opened fire, resulting in the deaths of
eight people, including four Iranians who were taken away by Iranian forces.
Source: dawn.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://www.dawn.com/news/1836559/four-killed-in-firing-from-across-iranian-border
--------
Three
killed in tribal clash in Balochistan’s Nasirabad
May 30,
2024
DERA
MURAD JAMALI: Three members of the Umrani tribe were killed and two others
injured in an armed clash in Nasirabad district on Wednesday.
According
to officials, two armed groups of the Umrani tribe clashed in the Khan Kot area
of Nasirabad in the morning.
The
groups exchanged fire for two hours, resulting in the deaths of three
individuals and injuring two others.
Police
rushed to the area after receiving information about the clash and shifted the
bodies and the injured to district hospital in Dera Murad Jamali. Police
attributed the violence to an ongoing feud.
The
deceased were identified as Ali Shahar, Imam Bakhsh and Bhutto Khan.
In order
to prevent further clashes between the two groups, the local administration has
deployed a large police contingent in the area.
A case
has been registered against both armed groups, and further investigation is
underway.
Source: dawn.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://www.dawn.com/news/1836553/three-killed-in-tribal-clash-in-balochistans-nasirabad
--------
Pakistan
focusing on competitiveness to increase share in int'l market: Masood
May 30,
2024
Pakistan's
Amassador to the US Masood Khan has said his country is focussing on enhancing
product competitiveness to secure greater share in the international market.
Talking
to Executive Director DC Soccer Club Grey Andrulis in Washington DC, he
expressed pride in the quality of Pakistani exports. He said our sports goods
connect people. Our signature products are promoting human wellbeing, healthy
minds and healthy societies.
Ambassador
Masood Khan highlighted that Pakistan is producing seventy percent of the world
soccer balls.
Executive
Director DC Soccer Club Grey Andrulis was highly appreciative of the quality of
Pakistan's soccer balls.In addition to just the quality of the ball, the
branding that is put on it is identifiable.
He said
we get great prices and great quality balls, even delivery is always on time.
Andrulis
noted that even the four to five years used balls “have scuffs and stuff, but
they are still good balls because they are so strong. He said that we have
returns on uniforms but nobody ever brings back a Pak-made soccer balls.
Speaking
on the occasion, Chairperson, Board of Directors, DC Soccer Club Zainab
Schwartz said that she is very proud that her country, Pakistan is represented
in kids’ life on a daily basis.
DC
Soccer Club is the largest soccer club tri-state DMV area comprising the
capital city of Washington and the surrounding portions of Maryland and
Virginia. Founded in 1977 as DC Stoddert Soccer, the club has a membership of
over 7500 kids. The Club gets around 2500 made-in-Pakistan soccer balls on
annual basis.
Ambassador
Masood Khan also welcomed suggestion made by Chairperson DC Soccer Club to hold
Embassy Cup in 2025 as precursor to 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Source: radio.gov.pk
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://www.radio.gov.pk/30-05-2024/pakistan-producing-worlds-70-soccer-balls-masood-khan
--------
Supreme
Court strongly reacts to British envoy Marriot's remarks on Pakistan's
elections
May 29,
2024
ISLAMABAD:
The Supreme Court has strongly reacted to British High Commissioner to Pakistan
Jane Marriot's sharp criticism of the country’s nationwide elections in 2024 in
her speech last month.
In a speech
during the Asma Jahangir conference last month, Marriot while quoting British
Foreign Secretary David Cameron raised concerns about Pakistan's February 8
elections.
"...not
all parties were formally permitted to contest the elections and that legal processes
were used to prevent some political leaders from participation, and to prevent
the use of recognisable party symbols," Britain's top diplomat had said.
She then
noted that Pakistan's government, civil society, and global players should work
to nurture an "open society" and "vibrant democracy" as
open societies are transparent.
The top
court's registrar, in a letter to the envoy, said that her criticism of a
certain political party being sidelined by stripping it of its symbol was
unfounded as it did not follow the law.
The
letter, drawing attention to the court's role, said elections were required to
be held within 90 days of the completion of the tenure of the national and
provincial assemblies.
However,
they did not take place because then-president Arif Alvi and the Election
Commission of Pakistan (ECP) were at odds regarding who was empowered to
announce the election date.
"The
matter was resolved in just 12 days by the Supreme Court, and general elections
were held throughout Pakistan on 8 February 2024," the registrar said.
Previously,
it mentioned, that many wanting to contest elections in Pakistan faced a
lifetime ban because they were not considered honest and trustworthy (Sadiq and
Ameen) by the Supreme Court.
However,
a larger seven-member bench overruled the earlier decision, it said, holding
that it did not conform to the Constitution and the law.
The
registrar said that the law enacted by Parliament (Elections Act, 2017)
requires democracy within political parties via the holding of periodical
intra-party elections; to forestall autocracy or even dictatorship within them.
To
ensure compliance with this democratic principle the law stipulates, it said,
that if a political party does not hold intra-party elections, then it would
not be eligible for an election symbol.
"A
political party (which had itself voted in this law) did not hold the mandated
intra-party elections. The Supreme Court reiterated what the law
stipulated," the letter said.
Therefore,
the registrar said: "...your Excellency’s criticism with regard to this
decision, with utmost respect, was unjustified".
It is
worthy to mention that it was upon the current chief justice's assumption of
office that cases of public importance began to be broadcast live for the first
time in Pakistan’s history. This allowed the public at large to view Supreme
Court proceedings in their entirety, with transparency in regard to how
decisions came to be made. The decision regarding intra-party elections and
party symbols was one of many to be broadcast live as such.
Updating
Britain regarding a recent ruling, it stated: “It was gratifying that your
Excellency had repeatedly stressed the importance of open societies' which you
stated are necessary for vibrant democracies. You will be pleased to learn that
the Supreme Court has recognised the right to information and vigorously
applied it to itself; a copy of its decision is attached as 'D'”.
“Persisting
in the violent undemocratic mistakes of the past condemns present and future
generations, and perpetuates cycles of violence. Let us embrace truth, which
sets us free,” it added.
Raising
some questions, the top court’s letter read: “Should the overthrow of the
elected democratic government of Mohammad Mossadegh in 1953, to capture Iranian
oil, not be revealed after over seven decades of cover-up? Will this not prove
therapeutic for the perpetrator and the victim? Will it not engender trust,
possibly friendship, and peace?”
“Ceding
to what it described as 'Jewish Zionist aspirations', the British government
wrote to an individual, its own citizen, on 2 November 1917 conveying its
decision to establish a settler-colonial state. This decision was not voted
upon by the people of the area who were impacted by it, nor even by your own.
The British government, and not Parliament, unilaterally decided it. The
Balfour Declaration became the foundation on which an ethnic state was
established. Those who had always lived there were excluded from this ethnic
state; contained in ghettos, humiliated, deprived, brutalised, maimed and
killed.”
Let us
step back from the precipice of settler-ethnic superiority. Deaths of thousands
of children and many thousands more innocents may unjustifiably come to define
a people, which would be an abomination. Let us all stand up and be counted for
equality, peace and humanity, the apex court stressed.
“Let us
be honest and acknowledge past mistakes in the spirit of openness, advocated by
your Excellency. And, jettison the unholy concept of ethnic superiority, and
its concomitant humanity — an inferior humanity.”
“The
Supreme Court of Pakistan has acknowledged the mistakes made in its past,
addressed them in detail, and taken steps to ensure that they are not repeated.
Since the Government of His Majesty King Charles III has stressed the need for
open societies and democracy, and offered criticism on the decisions of the
Supreme Court of Pakistan, reciprocity would presumably be acceptable.”
“This
letter is written on instructions of the Chief Justice of Pakistan, who extends
to you and the people of your country his yearning for openness and democracy,
and his best regards,” it concluded.
Source: thenews.com.pk
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1194650-supreme-court-strongly-reacts-to-british-envoy-marriots-remarks-on-pakistans-elections
--------
Khawar
Maneka assaulted by PTI lawyers after hearing of Iddat case
May 29,
2024
ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawyers Wednesday assaulted former first lady
Bushra Bibi's ex-husband Khawar Maneka within the court premises after the
hearing of the iddat case in a district and sessions court in Islamabad.
Judge
Arujmand was supposed to announce the reserved verdict on Bushra her husband
and PTI founder Imran Khan's appeals against conviction in the iddat case.
However, during the hearing today the judge went into his chamber without
announcing the verdict.
The PTI
lawyers then hurled bottles in the courtroom resulting in Maneka's lawyers
deciding to escort him out. However, while being escorted out, a PTI lawyer
then attacked Maneka within the court premises after which he fell to the
ground.
The
court, on May 23, reserved the verdict on the appeals which was to be announced
today.
Maneka,
in January, had moved the court challenging Khan and Bushra Bibi's marriage and
terming their nikah as fraudulent, stressing that the marriage was solemnised
during her iddat (the time a woman goes into isolation after a divorce or her
husband's death).
The
trial court then handed down a seven-year sentence to the couple in February
and imposed a fine of Rs500,000 each on the duo.
In its
51-page detailed verdict, the court maintained that the record proves that both
of the accused, Khan and Bushra, were in relation before the 2018
"fraudulent" nikah.
Today's
hearing
During
the hearing today, Judge Arujmand said: "Consult Rizwan Abbasi [Maneka's
lawyer] and tell what you want."
To this,
the assistant of Maneka's counsel requested the judge to transfer their case to
another court.
"I
don't want you deciding this case," Maneka himself said when asked about
what he wants.
"What
is the reason for this?" the judge asked while lamenting repeated
expressions of no-confidence.
"Tell
me if there's any concrete reason for this [...] some judge will decide the
case eventually," Judge Arujmand said while highlighting that the court
has already dismissed a no-confidence motion filed by Maneka wherein he had
expressed no confidence in the judge and requested that the case be transferred
to another court.
Furthermore,
Judge Arujmand has written to Islamabad High Court registrar apprising the
court of the situation and maintaining that it will not be appropriate for him
to announce the verdict owing Maneka's repeated expression of no-confidence.
The
judge, in his letter, also complained of repeated disruptions by Maneka and his
lawyers during the hearing.
The
judge also requested the registrar to transfer Bushra and Khan's appeals
against conviction to another court.
Inappropriate,
obscene words
Speaking
to the media persons outside the court, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan said
that Maneka used inappropriate words in the courtroom and claimed that the
judge was pressurised against hearing the iddat case and was even told to hear
the said case.
Meanwhile,
National Assembly Opposition Leader Omar Ayub noted that they showed restraint
despite the provocative language used by Maneka.
Stressing
that Maneka spoke obscenities in the court, PTI leader Shibli Faraz said that
delay tactics were being used in such politically framed cases.
Calling
on the judges to ensure justice, Faraz expressed hope that they would get
justice from the courts.
Source: thenews.com.pk
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1194528-khawar-maneka-assaulted-by-pti-lawyers-after-hearing-of-iddat-case
--------
Europe
Green
Election Candidate Claims Islamic State Is Run by Mossad
29 MAY
2024
A Green
Party election candidate is caught up in an antisemitism storm over social
media posts slamming “Jew lovers” and alleging that the Israeli intelligence
agency Mossad is behind the Islamic State. The Mail has the story.
Joe
Belcher, who is standing in the Aldridge-Brownhills seat in the West Midlands,
also denied a controversial mural showing “hooked-nosed Jewish bankers” playing
monopoly off the backs of the poor was “anti-Semitic”.
Mr.
Belcher, the treasurer of the local party branch in Walsall, shared a link to
an article by “the real Syrian Free Press” –
a pro-Assad website – suggesting ISIS was run by “Simon Elliott, a
Mossad agent”.
He also
posted other links to pages about “Rothschild bankers” and shared a link to a
video by controversialist David Icke, suggesting Jeremy Corbyn might be a
“savior [who is] going to turn the country around to a more fair and just
society” before he became leader of the Labour Party.
The
Green Party told MailOnline that “allegations of antisemitism will always be
carefully considered using our robust internal disciplinary procedures”.
But a
spokesman declined to say whether Mr. Belcher was facing disciplinary
proceedings after we presented him with our dossier. …
He is
the latest party candidate to express extreme views. …
Last
week, a controversial Green Party councillor who shouted “Allahu Akbar” after
being elected to a city council repeated the declaration of faith, boasting it
had made him “infamous”.
Mothin
Ali, who has previously claimed Hamas “had a right to fight back” against
Israel, claimed he was being made a “scapegoat” to distract from “war crimes”
being committed in Gaza. …
Amid
fears of a rise in sectarian politics fuelled by the crisis in the Middle East,
former Labour Cabinet minister Lord Mandelson accused the Greens of becoming a
“dustbin” for “disgruntled hard-leftists”.
Source: dailysceptic.org
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://dailysceptic.org/2024/05/29/green-election-candidate-claims-islamic-state-is-run-by-mossad/
--------
LGBT
people ‘don’t feel safe’ in Muslim-led US city that BANNED Pride flags, says
ex-mayor
29/05/2024
A former
US mayor is fearful that people from the LGBT+ community no longer feel safe in
her city after a seismic shift in demographics.
Hamtramck,
Michigan became the first city in the United States to elect a Muslim-majority
council in 2015.
But last
year, the city council sparked furore by unanimously voting to pass legislation
banning Pride flags from being flown on city property.
Speaking
to Steven Edginton in GBN America’s documentary, America’s Muslim City, the
town’s former mayor, Karen Majewski, admitted she is concerned about the
treatment afforded to the LGBT+ community in her area.
LGBT
protests in Hamtramck and the town's former mayor, Karen Majewski
Karen
Majewski says LGBT people 'don't feel safe' in America's first Muslim-led city
GETTY / GBN AMERICA
“I have
been told by many that they (LGBT+ people) don’t feel safe here anymore”, she
said.
“I have
been told by people who used to shop here, go to businesses here, that they no
longer feel safe coming here.”
Asked by
Steven whether this has shifted her stance on migrants travelling to the US
from Middle East countries that tend to have strict LGBT+ laws, Majewski
admitted she remains “not that concerned”.
“Any
immigrant community evolves and changes as it experiences life here”, she said.
“I
noticed yesterday a young Muslim couple, probably in their early 20s walking
down the street.”
One of
the businesses in Hamtramck affected by the toughened stance on LGBT+ flags was
the Piast Institute, a national research and policy centre for Polish and
Polish-American affairs.
Karen
Majewski joined Steven Edginton on GBN AMERICA GBN AMERICA
CEO and
co-founder Virginia L. Skrzyniarz told Steven on GBN America that a flag flying
her institute’s headquarters had been put in the bin.
“Every
year for years we put up a flag during Pride Months”, she said.
“The
mayor (Majewski) came by in the morning and found our flag in the garbage.
“It was
four, young boys, possibly Muslim. We did not put it back up because we don’t
want to aggravate anyone.
“I
cannot tell you how many people were upset with me because they did not put him
in jail.”
Despite
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump using language about Muslims that
has been deemed divisive, polls suggest many are set to back the former
president at the upcoming election.
Supporters
cite Joe Biden’s stance on the Israel-Gaza conflict for their voting stance.
The incumbent president has been accused of being too close to Israel, sparking
dismay amongst youngsters and Muslims across America.
Asked
about many potentially turning their back on the Democrats and voting for Trump
as a result, Majewski branded people who fit into that category as “crazy”.
“They
will shoot themselves in their own foot”, she said.
“Have
they forgotten about the Muslim ban? Have they forgotten about everything?”
Mayor
Amer Ghalib told The Guardian in 2021 that LGBT+ supporters had stoked tension
by “forcing their agendas on others”.
“There
is an overreaction to the situation, and some people are not willing to accept
the fact that they lost”, he said.
Source: gbnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://www.gbnews.com/news/us/lgbt-safety-muslim-led-city-pride-flags-mayor
--------
Corbyn
election leaflet features endorsement from Muslim leader who praised Hamas
founder
Jeremy
Corbyn’s bid to regain the parliamentary seat of Islington North as an
independent MP in the general election has been endorsed by a Muslim leader who
has publicly expressed praise for the founder of Hamas, Sheikh Yassin.
Mohammed
Kozbar, the chairman of Finsbury Park Mosque, is also deputy general secretary
of the Muslim Council of Britain. His is the first name on a leaflet of Corbyn
supporters urging people to vote for the former Labour Party leader. Corbyn,
who has held his seat since 1983, was suspended from the Labour Party in 2020
after he declared that antisemitism in the party had been overstated.
When he
formally announced that he was ready to run in the July 4 2024 general election
as an independent, Labour expelled him. Corbyn has now issued a leaflet of
people endorsing him — and Kozbar’s name leads the list.
Kozbar
wrote: “Jeremy is full of humanity and compassion. He is a fantastic MP who
cares about everyone in his community”. Previously, his description of Hamas
founder Sheikh Yassin as “the master of the martyrs of the resistance” caused
concern.
After
his election as deputy general secretary of the Muslim Council of Britain in
February 2023, the Muslim activist said: “I have demonstrated interfaith action
at a local level, and it is much needed at a national level. I look forward to
particularly building this with our Jewish friends, with whom we have so much
in common. Antisemitism and Islamophobia must both be tackled vigorously. I
have worked with many Jewish colleagues, who have looked past the Islamophobic
smears that have been levelled at me in the past…”
But in
February 2024, the Metropolitan Police decided to cut ties with Kozbar, who had
been a member of its London Muslim Communities Forum. The police said they had
decided to “cease engagement” with Kozbar “after a social media post from late
January 2024 was brought to our attention and reviewed”.
It is
understood that this may have referred to Kozbar’s “like” for a video post on
Twitter/X by the profoundly anti-Israel rapper, Lowkey, which claimed that
“Israeli intelligence companies” were “taking control of key functions of our
intelligence and police services”.
Kozbar
had also “liked” a post by the former head of Hizb ut-Tahrir in Britain, Dr
Wahid Shaida. On January 19 2024, Dr Shaida said he would “continue to speak
about things I believe in”, despite Hizb ut-Tahrir being proscribed as a terror
group by the British government.
In
February, a Met Police spokesman told the Daily Telegraph: “Mr Kozbar is no
longer an adviser to the Met. The decision was taken to cease engagement with
Mr Kozbar as an adviser after a social media post from late January 2024 was
brought to our attention and reviewed.
“The Met
works with a range of faith and community adviser groups, locally and
centrally. This vital work helps us improve our response to the crime and
anti-social behaviour issues faced by all communities across London.
“We are
currently reviewing how we work with our network of advisory groups to ensure
that, like the Met, they are committed to building a better London that
promotes mutual respect and inclusivity.”
Much of
Kozbar’s Twitter/X content consists of repostings of opinions with which he
allegedly agrees, rather than declarations of his own.
Previously,
speaking in relation to his comments about Sheikh Yassin, the founder of Hamas,
Kozbar said: “I spoke on the extra-judicial assassination of a paraplegic man
who was wheelchair-bound… my comments were made well before this organisation
[Hamas] was proscribed.”
Source: jewishnews.co.uk
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/corbyn-election-leaflet-features-endorsement-from-muslim-leader-who-praised-hamas-founder/
--------
French
PM Macron urges Abbas to ‘reform’ Palestinian Authority with ‘prospect of
recognition’
May 30,
2024
PARIS:
French President Emmanuel Macron urged Palestinian Authority chief Mahmud Abbas
to “implement necessary reforms,” offering the “prospect of recognition of the
state of Palestine” during a phone call Wednesday, his office said.
Macron
“highlighted France’s commitment to building a common vision of peace with
European and Arab partners, offering security guarantees for Palestinians and
Israelis,” as well as “making the prospect of recognition of a state of
Palestine part of a useful process,” Macron’s Elysee Palace said.
The
readout of the call with the chief of the Palestinian Authority (PA) in the
West Bank follows Tuesday’s official recognition for a Palestinian state by
fellow European nations Spain, Ireland and Norway, which drew ire from Israel.
Macron’s
Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne earlier Wednesday accused France’s neighbors
of “political positioning” ahead of June 9 European elections, rather than seeking
a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Macron
had said Tuesday that he would be prepared to recognize a Palestinian state,
but such a move should “come at a useful moment” and not be based on “emotion.”
France
supports “a reformed and strengthened Palestinian Authority, able to carry out
its responsibilities throughout the Palestinian territories, including in the
Gaza Strip, for the benefit of the Palestinian people,” Macron told Abbas on
Wednesday, according to the Elysee Palace readout.
Abbas’s
office said in a statement that he expressed the Palestinian government’s
commitment to “reform” during the talks with Macron.
He
called on “European countries that have not recognized the state of Palestine
to do so.”
Current
fighting in Gaza, controlled by the PA’s rival Hamas, was sparked by the
militant group’s unprecedented October 7 attack on southern Israel.
That
attack resulted in the deaths of 1,189 people, mostly civilians, according to
an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures.
Militants
also took 252 hostages, 121 of whom remain in Gaza, including 37 the Israeli
army says are dead.
Israel’s
retaliatory offensive has killed at least 36,171 people in Gaza, mostly
civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry.
Macron
called civilian casualties “intolerable” and offered his “sincere condolences
to the Palestinian people” for the bombing of a displaced people’s camp in
Rafah in southern Gaza.
He told
Abbas that Paris was “determined to work with Algeria and its partners on the
UN Security Council” so the body “makes a strong statement on Rafah.”
Algeria’s
draft resolution calls on Israel to immediately halt military action in Rafah.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2519691/middle-east
--------
Spanish
PM meets Joint Arab-Islamic Ministerial Committee on Gaza in Madrid
May 29,
2024
RIYADH:
Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Wednesday held talks in Madrid with the
members of the Joint Arab-Islamic Ministerial Committee on Gaza, headed by
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, the Saudi Press Agency
reported.
The
meeting, to discuss developments in the besieged Gaza Strip, was attended by
the foreign ministers of Qatar, Palestine, Jordan and Turkiye and the
secretary-general of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
The
committee members hailed Spain’s move to recognize the State of Palestine and
vowed to keep pushing to secure Palestinians’ rights and promote peace in the
region and the world at a time of extremism, violence and violations of
international law, the report said.
More
than 140 countries now recognize a Palestinian state, after Spain, Norway and
Ireland made the diplomatic move on Tuesday.
The
meeting discussed efforts to stop Israeli aggression in the Gaza Strip and the
city of Rafah, the importance of an immediate ceasefire and the introduction of
sustainable humanitarian aid.
It also
called for an end to illegitimate Israeli actions in the West Bank, including
East Jerusalem, in order to achieve a comprehensive peace, protect Palestinian
rights and ensure regional security.
The
meeting reviewed the committee’s efforts to support Palestinian statehood and
take the necessary steps to implement the two-state solution in line with the
Arab Peace Initiative and other international proposals.
The
committee stressed the importance of the international community taking urgent
steps to recognize Palestine to preserve the rights of its people and achieve
security in the region.
Prince
Faisal thanked Spain and said its move gave “hope in a very dark time.”
“We are
here to say thank you to Spain, Norway, Ireland and Slovenia for taking the
right decision at the right time, for being on the right side of history, for
being on the right side of justice with all the dark we are seeing as a result
of the continuing human catastrophe in Gaza,” he said.
“This is
the right moment to give a beacon of hope to the two-state solution, to peace,
to coexistence and for that we thank you and we hope that others will follow
suit because the only way forward is the path to peace and the path to peace
goes through a two-state solution, through a state of Palestine that lives in
peace and harmony with all its neighbors including Israel.”
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2519546/saudi-arabia
--------
Mideast
Israeli
settlers storm Al Aqsa Mosque compound to perform 'Talmudic rituals'
May 29,
2024
Israeli
settlers stormed the flashpoint Al Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East
Jerusalem on Wednesday, the Palestinian Wafa news agency reported.
The
settlers entered the mosque through the Moroccan Gate, also known as the
Mughrabi Gate, and performed “provocative Talmudic rituals” in the mosque's
courtyard, eyewitnesses told Wafa.
The
incident took place under the protection of Israeli police. Security in the Old
City and around the mosque was tightened.
Al Aqsa
Mosque compound is a site considered holy by Muslims, Jews and Christians and
is often a focal point of Israeli-Palestinian tensions.
Meanwhile,
in the occupied West Bank, Israeli forces clashed with Palestinians.
The
forces carried out arrests and raids in occupied East Jerusalem and the West
Bank amid intensifying air strikes on the Gaza Strip.
Two
people were arrested in Shuafat refugee camp, north of Jerusalem, on Tuesday
night.
Elsewhere
in the West Bank, Israeli forces arrested 15 citizens from the towns of Sa’ir
and Yatta, north and south of Hebron.
The
men's homes were “raided, searched and their contents tampered with,” Wafa
reported.
In
Nablus, locals reportedly suffocated from “poisonous gas” from smoke bombs,
during confrontations with the Israeli army in the village of Madama.
A
36-year-old woman from Jenin was also arrested in Nablus. Director of the
Prisoner's Club in Jenin, Montaser Sammour, told Wafa that Hala Suleiman Sirisi
was detained while on her way to work in Nablus as a civil engineer.
Roads
closed
In
addition to the raids, vital roads that farmers use to reach their land in
Bethlehem were also closed off by Israeli authorities.
“Settlers
and occupation forces escalated their violations and attacks against landowners
in the town, by stealing grape leaves, preventing citizens from accessing and
seizing their lands, and demolishing agricultural rooms,” Wafa said.
The
recent flare-up of tension in the West Bank and East Jerusalem comes amid
Israeli air strikes on refugee camps in Gaza that have killed scores of
Palestinian civilians, sparking widespread international outcry.
At least
12 Palestinians were killed in a two-day Israeli raid on the Jenin refugee camp
in the West Bank last week.
Source: thenationalnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2024/05/29/israeli-settlers-storm-al-aqsa-mosque-compound-to-perform-talmudic-rituals/
--------
Egypt
unveils renovation of 14th-century Maridani mosque
MAY 29,
2024
Egypt's
Supreme Council of Antiquities held a ceremony on Tuesday to mark the
completion of multi-year renovations to the grand 14th-century mosque of
Altunbugha al-Maridani in Historic Cairo.
Al-Maridani,
chief of police and married to a daughter of the powerful Mamluk sultan
al-Nasir Mohamed, built the mosque in 1338-40 AD on al-Darb al-Ahmar street, a
thoroughfare connecting Cairo's Citadel to the walled city's southern gate.
The
mosque's main entrance is decorated with ornate inscriptions and fine marble.
Its columns were salvaged from older buildings during construction.
Historic
mosque restoration completed
The
mosque's exterior and minaret were renovated in the first phase, which began in
2018 and was completed in 2021. The second phase, which lasted 18 months,
focused on the interior. The European Union and the Aga Khan Foundation helped
fund the project.
The
mosque had been heavily renovated between 1895 and 1903.
Egyptian,
EU, and foundation officials, including the foundation's director and the
deputy governor of Cairo, attended Tuesday's event.
It was
the first such event since Mohamed Ismail Khaled, the new director of the
Supreme Council of Antiquities, was appointed in March.
Source: jpost.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/article-804237
---------
Dozens
of Zionist settlers storm again Aqsa Mosque courtyards
[29/May/2024]
OCCUPIED
QUDS May 29. 2024 (Saba) - Dozens of Israeli settlers on Wednesday stormed into
the courtyards of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque in the occupied city of Quds,
under the protection of Zionist forces.
Groups
of Zionist settlers stormed Al-Aqsa through, from the direction of the
Maghariba Gate, carried out provocative tours, and performed Talmudic rituals
in its courtyards, the Palestinian news agency WAFA said.
The
Zionist enemy forces also intensified their military measures at the gates of
the Old City and the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Source: saba.ye
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://www.saba.ye/en/news3335037.htm
--------
Egypt’s
El-Sisi calls to ensure Gazans not ‘forcibly displaced’
May 30,
2024
Beijing:
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on Thursday urged the international
community to ensure Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are not displaced from their
war-ravaged territory.
“I...
call on the international community to immediately provide for long-term
humanitarian assistance to the Gaza Strip and to end the Israeli siege,”
El-Sisi told a forum of Arab leaders and Chinese officials in Beijing.
He also
urged the international community to “stop any attempt at forcing Palestinians
to forcibly flee their land.”
China is
this week hosting El-Sisi and several other Arab leaders for a forum at which
discussions on the war in Gaza were expected.
El-Sisi’s
comments come after the Israeli army said Wednesday it had gained “operational
control” over the strategic Philadelphi corridor along the border between the
Gaza Strip and Egypt.
The
corridor had served as a buffer zone between Gaza and Egypt, and Israeli troops
patrolled it until 2005, when they were withdrawn as part of a broader
disengagement from the Gaza Strip.
Its
seizure comes weeks after Israeli forces took control of the Rafah border
crossing with Egypt on May 7 as their ground assault on the far-southern Gaza
city began.
El-Sisi
on Thursday said there was “no pathway to peace and stability in the region”
without a “comprehensive approach to the Palestinian cause.”
He
called for a “serious and immediate commitment to the two-state solution and a
recognition of the Palestinians’ legitimate right to an independent state.”
The Gaza
war was sparked by Hamas’s October 7 attack on southern Israel, which resulted
in the deaths of 1,189 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally
based on Israeli official figures.
Militants
also took 252 hostages, 121 of whom remain in Gaza, including 37 the army says
are dead.
Israel’s
retaliatory offensive has killed at least 36,171 people in Gaza, mostly
civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2519751/middle-east
--------
Yemen’s
Houthis say they downed US MQ-9 drone in Yemen’s Maareb
May 29,
2024
CAIRO:
Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis said they downed a US MQ-9 drone in Yemen’s
southeastern province of Maareb, the group’s military spokesman said in a
televised speech on Wednesday.
Houthis’s
spokesman Yahya Sarea said that this drone “is the sixth UAV that has been shot
down so far.”
On May
21, Houthis shot down another drone over Al-Bayda province in Southern Yemen.
The
group, which controls Yemen’s capital and most populous areas of the Arabian
Peninsula state, has attacked international shipping in the Red Sea since
November in solidarity with the Palestinians in the war between Israel and
Hamas militants, drawing US and British retaliatory strikes since February.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2519551/middle-east
--------
South Asia
IEA
wants positive interaction with world within Islamic, national values
KABUL: A
scientific discussion has been held by the Strategic Studies Center of the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate to discuss the ways of the
interaction of the IEA with the international community, the ministry said in a
statement Wednesday. Addressing the event, Dr. Mohammad Zakir Jalali, the head
of the ministry’s Strategic Studies Center, said that the Islamic Emirate has
been seeking positive and productive interaction with the international
community, but not at the cost of political independence and Islamic and
national values, according to the statement. Expressing hope about the positive
outcomes of the 3rd upcoming Doha meeting on Afghanistan, Zakir Jalali said
that the upcoming meeting compared to the past two meetings will have a
positive change in the interaction between the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan
and the world because a positive change can be seen among the organizers and
the hosts of the meeting. The upcoming Doha meeting will be held from June 30
to July 1. The Kabul Times
Source: thekabultimes.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://thekabultimes.com/iea-wants-positive-interaction-with-world-within-islamic-national-values/
---------
Turkey
suspends diplomatic visa exemption agreement with Afghanistan
May 29,
2024
The
Turkish presidency announced in a statement that the diplomatic visa exemption
agreement between Turkey and Afghanistan has been revoked.
According
to the statement from the Turkish Presidency, published on Wednesday, May 28th,
this decision, signed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, will be
implemented starting from June 1.
The
decree signed by the Turkish president states: “The agreement between the
Republic of Turkey and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan on the mutual
exemption from visa obligations for holders of diplomatic passports, signed on
September 29, 2007, and implemented by the Council of Ministers’ decision on
January 8, 2008, will be terminated as of June 1.”
With the
revocation of this agreement, Turkish and Taliban officials will now have to
undergo the visa application process for mutual entry into Afghanistan and
Turkey.
Turkey
made this decision based on Article 3 of Presidential Decree No. 9, which
outlines the President’s authority regarding the approval of international
agreements.
Turkey
has not yet recognized the Taliban officially, but several Taliban officials
have visited Turkey at the government’s official invitation, and Turkey has
accepted several Taliban diplomats.
Since
the Taliban took over, their government remains unrecognized by the
international community. However, several regional countries maintain
unofficial ties with the Taliban administration.
Countries
including Iran, Pakistan, Turkey, China, and Russia have unofficial connections
with the Taliban, despite the lack of formal recognition.
Source: khaama.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://www.khaama.com/turkey-suspends-diplomatic-visa-exemption-agreement-with-afghanistan/
---------
IEA
Chargé d’Affaires and Al-Bukhari University President Discuss Enhanced Support
for Afghan Students in Malaysia
2024-05-29
KABUL(BNA):
The Embassy of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia,
reported a meeting between the Chargé d’Affaires and the President of
Al-Bukhari International University. The discussion focused on the issues faced
by Afghan students and other relevant matters.
During
the meeting, Naqibullah Ahmadi, expressed gratitude for scholarships granted to
Afghan students and the provision of suitable academic environments by the
mentioned university president. He expressed hope that Malaysia would expand
its cooperation with Afghanistan by providing scholarships and educational
opportunities.
He
assured that they maintain regular communication with Afghan students,
attentive to their concerns, and are actively working to address and resolve
their issues.
Professor
Datuk Dr. Abdul Aziz, the President of Al-Bukhari International University,
also affirmed that he is well aware of the situation of Afghan students in the
country.
Dr.
Abdul Aziz, further pledged to expand educational opportunities for Afghan
students.
Both
sides reiterated their dedication to enhancing mutual cooperation and
coordination, aiming to improve the educational experience and support for
Afghan students in Malaysia.
Source: bakhtarnews.af
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://www.bakhtarnews.af/en/islamic-emirate-charge-daffaires-and-al-bukhari-university-president-discuss-enhanced-support-for-afghan-students-in-malaysia/
--------
Russian
Foreign Ministry calls on Taliban to form inclusive Govt
May 30,
2024
Russian
Deputy Foreign Minister announced that Moscow expects the Taliban to fulfill
its promises to the international community, including forming an inclusive
government.
According
to RIA Novosti, Russia’s state news agency, Andrei Rudenko stated, “Our entire
policy towards Afghanistan remains unchanged.”
He
further stated, “We don’t link anything. We expect the Taliban movement to
fulfill all the promises that it has previously publicly made to the
international community. But we do not condition it and do not link it to their
activities.”
Mr.
Rudenko also said, “The Taliban movement is a reality on the ground, and we
must take it into account.”
Meanwhile,
Russian President Vladimir Putin also told reporters on Tuesday in Tashkent,
“Establishing relations with the Taliban is necessary.”
Mr.
Putin added, “How to establish relations with the Taliban is another question,
but we must have some kind of relationship with them.”
He
referred to negotiations with regional partners, including those in Central
Asia, regarding relations with the Taliban and said, “We consider the opinions
of each of our partners and friends and formulate our position together.”
The
international community has urged the Taliban to establish an inclusive
government in Afghanistan while emphasizing the importance of upholding human
rights, women’s rights, and the country’s diversity.
The
formation of an inclusive government in Afghanistan is a crucial demand from
the international community, echoed by Russia and its allies. This underscores
the necessity of representing diverse interests and ensuring equitable
governance.
Source: khaama.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://www.khaama.com/russian-foreign-ministry-calls-on-taliban-to-form-inclusive-govt/
--------
Probe
into alleged British war crimes in Afghanistan delayed post-UK elections
May 30,
2024
British
media have reported that the investigation into potential war crimes by UK
forces in Afghanistan, including the examination of evidence presented by the
former British Defense Secretary, has been delayed until after the country’s
general elections.
The UK’s
Standard newspaper published a report on Wednesday, May 28, citing a
spokesperson for this investigative case as writing that Sir Charles
Haddon-Cave, the head of the investigation, has concluded that his decision
should be postponed until the pre-election period.
He also
decided to postpone the review of documents by Ben Wallace, the former British
Defense Secretary, which was scheduled to be examined by the inquiry’s lawyer
on Monday.
This
investigative case at the UK Ministry of Defense was progressing on several
fronts, including hearings with officials involved in Afghanistan affairs and
efforts to identify those who had previously confirmed war crimes in
Afghanistan.
According
to reports, investigations on both sides have been halted. The Standard
reported that the decision on whether Johnny Mercer (a former soldier who had
confirmed war crimes in Afghanistan based on testimonies from British soldiers)
can continue to keep secret the names of those who spoke to him about alleged
killings by British special forces in Afghanistan has been postponed until
after the general elections.
It is
worth mentioning that earlier, British media reported that the process of
addressing potential war crimes committed by British soldiers in Afghanistan
may be delayed until 2025, while a former top military official in the British
government during a Ministry of Defense hearing confirmed war crimes by British
soldiers in Afghanistan.
The
Guardian newspaper, in a report published last month, had mentioned the possibility
of delaying the investigation into the commission of war crimes by British
soldiers in Afghanistan and highlighted the difficulties encountered in the
Ministry of Defense’s hearings, which were responsible for investigating this
case.
Investigations
by a British legal organization called “Leigh Day” indicate that British
special forces (SAS) may have killed at least 80 Afghan civilians between 2010
and 2014. A letter from “Phil Shiner,” a public inquiry lawyer about these
killings, which The Guardian has seen, indicates that these killings were
carried out with “cold-bloodedness.”
The
Guardian reported based on this letter that even if the British Ministry of
Defense hires additional legal staff and purchases specialized software during
the investigation, document submission may not be possible until October or
November of this year; Therefore, Ministry hearings may be delayed until March
2025.
This is
while Johnny Mercer, a former top military official in the British government,
confirmed war crimes by British soldiers in Afghanistan in late March of this
year and received an order from the Ministry of Defense to provide documents to
prove this claim.
The
issue of the “killing of Afghan civilians by British special forces in
Afghanistan” has been a hot topic in the media of both countries for the past
two years. Since then, separate investigations have been conducted to prove or
refute this claim, but the British government has not officially confirmed it.
Source: khaama.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://www.khaama.com/probe-into-alleged-british-war-crimes-in-afghanistan-delayed-post-uk-elections/
--------
Africa
Don’t
Exclude Muslims From Bank of Industry’s RAPID Initiative – NASFAT
The
Chief Missioner of Nasrul-Lahi-l-,Fatih Society, (NASFAT), Imam Abdul-Azeez
Onike has appealed to the federal government of Nigeria to prevail on the board
and management of the nation’s Bank of Industry not to inadvertently exclude
Muslims from its ongoing laudable programme, aimed at financially empowering
Nigeria’s rural dwellers.
Onike
said Muslims, who, according to the dictates of their religion, must not be
involved in any interest-based transactions, are being unknowingly edged out of
one of the best initiatives of our populist and downtrodden lover, President
Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The
Rural Area Programme on Investment for Development (RAPID) initiative which
attracts an interest rate of five per cent.
Allah
(swt) says, “Believers! Have fear of Allah and give up all outstanding interest
if you do truly believe. (2:279) But if you fail to do so, then be warned of
war from Allah and His Messenger. If you repent even now, you have the right of
the return of your capital; neither will you do wrong nor will you be wronged.
(Q2:278-279)
The
initiative, whose objective is to assist communities in rural and economically
disadvantaged areas to tap into available resources for the development of
enterprises that can provide employment, improve standard of living, contribute
to national growth and tame insecurity arising from youth restiveness”, looks
promising to provide economic inclusion, and the Muslims should not be
shortchanged.
He
appreciates the extension of the period of expression of interest by
prospective subscribers to June 12, 2024, which gives ample time to right the
wrongs done to the teeming population of Nigerian Muslims.
Onike
adds that, one of the hallmarks of leadership is being fair to all and having
listening ears.
These
attributes, which have been consistently demonstrated by the current President,
have been reflected in his recent order for the review of the list of Nigeria’s
higher institutions’ governing council, on the premise that the list is not
inclusive and did not reflect the federal character law governing appointments
in Nigeria. Hence, the RAPID initiative and other such similar initiatives of
the federal government, and other State and Local Governments, including the
National Consumer Credit Scheme must be designed to be inclusive and not be designed
to exclude Muslims.
Onike,
who himself is a registered Shariah adviser by the Security Commission in
Malaysia, concludes by saying that, fortunately, Islamic finance is so robust
that it has alternatives to all forms of conventional finance instruments.
He prays
that the Almighty Allah should continue to guide the President and the
management of the Bank of Industry to adjust the RAPID Initiative to be more
inclusive and not disenfranchise Muslims who choose to obey the commandments of
their creator.
Source: leadership.ng
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://leadership.ng/dont-exclude-muslims-from-bois-rapid-initiative-nasfat/
--------
Emirate
saga: NSCIA cautions Kano Muslim clerics
May 29,
2024
The
Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) on Wednesday, May 29,
urged Muslim clerics in Kano not to interfere in the ongoing crisis in the
state arising from the deposition of five emirs.
NSCIA,
in a statement issued by its Secretary-General, Salisu Shehu, said it noticed
with concern contradictory statements from the state’s Council of Ulamas,
stressing that the statements can only heighten tension instead of providing
solutions to the problems.
Reports
have it that the emirate crisis could trigger a breakdown of law and order in
the state.
According
to the statement signed by its chairperson, Ibrahim Khalil, the council urged
President Bola Tinubu to employ non-partisan measures to address the crisis.
However,
another group later issued another statement calling on Governor Abba Yusuf to
obey the court order against the deposition of the emirs.
In its
intervention, the NSCIA asked the clerics, as “custodians of Islamic learning,
values and guidance, to exercise caution and refrain from making statements that
can further exacerbate tension and polarize the Ummah.”
Source: thenationonlineng.net
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://thenationonlineng.net/emirate-saga-nscia-cautions-kano-muslim-clerics/#google_vignette
--------
Terrorism
Charges: Miyetti Allah Renews Pledge to Peace, Unity in Nigeria
MAY 29,
2024
…Hails
Statesmen, Security Agencies for Successful Mediation
Engr.
Saleh Alhassan, National Secretary of the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore Fulani
Socio-Cultural Association, has reaffirmed the association’s dedication to
promoting peace, unity, and development in Nigeria.
Following
the federal government’s decision to drop terrorism charges against the
association’s chairman, Engr. Alhassan emphasized that this moment marks a new
chapter in the association’s pursuit of a secure, harmonious, and progressive
Nigeria.
The
National Secretary extended heartfelt appreciation to all who stood by the
association during this challenging period, acknowledging that their support
was invaluable and deeply appreciated.
Alhassan
urged Nigerians to continue working together to overcome challenges and build a
brighter future for all, emphasizing that collective efforts can achieve
justice and peace.
The
Fulani Socio-Cultural Association has expressed its heartfelt gratitude to
traditional and religious leaders, statesmen, and security agencies who played
a crucial role in the federal government’s decision to drop terrorism charges
against its chairman.
The
association singled out His Royal Highness, the Emir of Bida, HRH Alh. Yahaya
Abubakar, for his wise counsel and steadfast support. They also thanked the
Executive Governors of Bauchi and Nasarawa States, H.E Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed
(Kauran Bauchi) and Engr. A.A. Sule, respectively, as well as the National
Security Adviser (NSA), the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Defence
Intelligence Agency (DIA) for their tireless efforts and commitment to peace
and stability.
The
association acknowledged that the landmark achievement was a result of a
collective effort, emphasizing that the unity and dedication of these key
stakeholders were instrumental in achieving this just outcome.
In a
landmark decision, the federal government has dropped all terrorism charges
against the chairman of the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore Fulani Socio-Cultural
Association, marking a significant turning point in the country’s quest for
justice and peace.
The move
follows rigorous scrutiny of the allegations and prolonged negotiations between
the government and the association, demonstrating the power of dialogue and
bridge-building between diverse communities.
The
Attorney General’s decision, guided by integrity and a commitment to justice,
has exonerated the chairman and reinforced the principles of justice and
transparency.
This
development brings closure to a challenging period for the association and its
leadership, paving the way for continued promotion of peace and understanding
among Nigerians.
Source: authorityngr.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://authorityngr.com/2024/05/29/terrorism-charges-miyetti-allah-renews-pledge-to-peace-unity-in-nigeria/
--------
Islamic
council speaks on Kano emirship tussle, sends warning to clerics
May 29,
2024
The
Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has reacted to the ongoing
emirship tussle in Kano State.
A
statement signed on behalf of the council’s secretary-general, Prof. Salisu
Shehu, the group cautioned Kano State Ulamas (clerics) to refrain from
unguarded statements on controversy surrounding the Kano Emirate tussle that
could aggravate tension and further polarize people of the state.
It
expressed displeasure over the contradictory statements emanating from some
quarters of the Ulama in the state concerning the controversy.
He urged
the ulamas to allow the Kano political, judicial and customary authorities to
resolve the issue.
“The
Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has noticed the
contradictory statements emanating from some quarters of the Ulama in Kano
concerning the current traditional leadership crisis in the state,” the
statement read.
“At this
trying period for the Ummah, the Council calls on Islamic scholars, who are
custodians of Islamic learning, values and guidance, to exercise caution and
refrain from making statements that can further exacerbate tension and polarise
the Ummah.
“Ulama
within and outside the state should prayerfully allow the current traditional
leadership conflict in Kano, to be handled and resolved by the political,
judicial and customary authorities.
“Meanwhile,
the Council calls on Kano’s political, traditional and judicial authorities to
resolve the current issue with the fear of Allah, fairness and justice.
“The
Council calls on the people of Kano to sincerely call on Allah, remain calm and
avoid taking laws into their hands. May Allah grant us sustainable peace in our
dear Country, Nigeria.”
Source: politicsnigeria.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://politicsnigeria.com/islamic-council-speaks-on-kano-emirship-tussle-sends-warning-to-clerics/
--------
Tinubu
govt withdraws terrorism case against Miyetti Allah president Bodejo
MAY 29,
2024
The
Abuja Division of the Federal High Court discharged Bello Bodejo, the president
of Miyetti Allah Kautal Kore, of a terrorism charge filed against him by the
Nigerian government on Wednesday.
Justice
Inyang Ekwo, in a short ruling, discharged Mr Bodejo after counsel for the
government, Aderonke Imana, moved an oral application for the withdrawal of the
three-count charge.
Upon
resuming the hearing, Ms Imana informed the court that she had an oral
application.
The
lawyer said the application was pursuant to Section 108 of the Administration
of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015. She said the request was further
predicated on the power of the attorney general of the federation under section
174 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
“Consequently,
the honourable attorney general of the federation has instructed me to withdraw
this charge against the defendant in the interest of justice. That is our
humble application, my lord,” she said.
Mr
Bodejo’s lawyers, including Johnson Usman, led by Ahmed Raji, did not oppose
the application. The senior lawyer thanked the AGF Lateef Fagbemi for his
“magnanimous gesture.”
“We urge
your lordship to discharge the accused person under the sections referred to by
the prosecutor,” Mr Raji said.
In his
ruling, the judge said that though the matter was slated for commencement of
trial, the prosecution applied to withdraw the charge, citing relevant sections
of the law.
“The
court is hereby moved to consider the application for the discharge of the
defendant. Consequently, an order is hereby made discharging the defendant.
That is the order of this court,” the judge declared.
Mr
Bodejo was arrested for the alleged raising of an armed militia.
The
Miyetti Allah leader, who was arrested on January 23 in Malia, Nasarawa and
kept in the custody of the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), was arraigned on
March 22 in a charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/141/2024.
Although
he was arraigned on a three-count charge bordering on terrorism, he pleaded not
guilty, and the court ordered his remand in the Defence Intelligence Agency
(DIA) facility pending the hearing and determination of the case.
On April
3, Mr Bodejo applied for bail through his lawyer. The detained leader of
Miyetti Allah told the court that he had no criminal record.
Given
nine grounds for granting bail, Mr Bodejo said the offences he was charged with
were bailable. According to him, his reputation attests not only to his
reliability and credibility but also to the fact that he will not jump bail if
this application is granted.
He
argued that by section 36 (5) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), he is
presumed innocent until proven guilty.
While
moving the bail application on April 30, Raji argued that the counter affidavit
filed by the federal government did not discharge the burden placed on it. He
said this was because the counter had not disclosed “any reason why the
applicant should not be admitted to bail.”
Besides,
he said the prosecution, in their response, did not say Mr Bodejo committed an
act of terrorism. Rather, he was said to have formed a group.
He said
the group’s name, formed by the defendant, was interpreted in English as
“association for peaceful co-existence.”
According
to the lawyer, everything Mr Bodejo did was public, and a police commissioner
and the Nasarawa governor’s representative attended the group’s launch.
Mr Raji
said the aim of establishing the vigilante company was to render security
services to the members of the society and promote peace but not to commit any
act of terrorism.
Responding,
Ms Imana disagreed with Mr Raji.
The
government lawyer prayed the court to refuse the bail plea in its entirety
because it had no merit.
In the
counter affidavit, the lawyer said Bodejo was standing trial for
terrorism-related offences bothering the establishment of an ethnic militia in
Nasarawa, management and participation in activities connected with acts
prejudicial to national security and public safety.
Source: gazettengr.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://gazettengr.com/tinubu-govt-withdraws-terrorism-case-against-miyetti-allah-president-bodejo/
--------
North America
Muslim
college students face heavy emotional toll, discrimination as war in Gaza drags
on
May 29,
2024
This
story is the first in a three-part series about the war in Gaza and its impact
on people in Indiana. We'll link the other two parts when they're published
later this week.
Yaqoub
Saadeh graduated this month from Indiana University Indianapolis with a degree
in psychology and a certificate in social work. But instead of celebrating the
accomplishment with family and friends, he spent the last weeks of his
undergrad in an encampment setup on a concrete corner of the campus.
“I just
feel like, how can I function normally and do everything normally when my home
country is undergoing these atrocities?” Saadeh said.
Tents
went up in late April as part of the national anti-war movement on college campuses
in solidarity with Palestine. The encampments come seven months after the war
in Gaza began. Now, students and community members are asking their
universities to divest from companies that partner with or support Israel.
While
the Indianapolis demonstration remains quiet, large-scale arrests and violence
at other campuses pushed the movement into a volatile national debate. But for
Saadeh, the decision to protest is far more personal.
He was
born and raised in Fishers, Indiana, but his family is from Palestine. Saadeh
grew up advocating for Palestinian freedom, because both his grandmother and
father were displaced from the conflict in Gaza during the 1967 Middle East
war.
“They
did not come to America with the American dream in mind,” Saadeh said. “It was
displacement. They couldn't live in their country. They had to come here to
survive, and I was born into that.”
Saadeh
grew up with his family's stance that Israel's occupation of Gaza causes human
rights abuses of Palestinans. Saadeh always felt concern for his parent’s home
country but it became overwhelming in the past months as he’s seen what he
calls “the most widely broadcast genocide in history.”
He says
the suffering of Palestinians is not new. When he visited the West Bank last
summer, he said he met a family who had no clean water because their water tank
was shot with bullets.
“They're
not living life,” he said “So why should I be?”
In
October of last year, Hamas militants launched a deadly attack on Israel. A day
later Israel declared war on Hamas. The government said “no electricity, no
food, no fuel” would be allowed to enter Gaza.
More
than 10,000 women and children have since been killed in the Gaza Strip,
according to a revised death toll released from the United Nations.
“I can't
focus on school, I can't focus on work, I can't focus on my day to day
activities, it's hard to focus on yourself mentally, physically, you start, you
know, just dropping the ball,” Saadeh said.
Saadeh
knows he should also be developing his professional goals and career “but it
just almost feels dystopian to see things just go on normally.”
Last
year, Saadeh started a Middle Eastern Student Association because he wanted to
promote diversity on campus. This year, the focus has shifted to advocating for
and raising money for Palestine.
In the
past, he’d experienced racism from students and faculty, and it’s only become
more overt in recent months, he said
Federal
politicians, cable news pundits and others have broadly characterized those
involved in the campus protests as supporting terrorist groups.
“I've
been called a terrorist before,” Saadeh said. “People have said, I'm a
terrorist sympathizer. People say that I don't stand for what's right, because
I'm a Palestinian. It's all just these little, some people consider
microaggressions. I just think it's blatant racism and discrimination.”
Saadeh
says although the hateful comments make him angry, they are in part why he
remains in public and tables with the student association on campus. Earlier
this month he and a friend visited a handful of college campuses on the East
Coast to support students at other encampments.
They
visited City University of New York, Columbia, MIT, Harvard and University of
Michigan.
He said
as someone who was a college student at the time, he wants to be able to look
back and say that he was engaged in this piece of history.
“I was
fighting for what I believed was right,” he said. “Regardless of the
repercussions that I was facing, regardless of police brutality, regardless of
the censorship, regardless of the racism, discrimination. At the end of the
day, I had something that I believed in, I didn't have much to lose and I
wanted to see it for myself.”
The
emotional toll
Imam
Anisse Adnani understands how Saadeh and many other students feel about the
war. He also knows these students face intense criticism and accusations by the
media and some on their own campus for supporting Palestine. Adni works with
students at Butler University as a Muslim Life Advisor.
“With
the drastic increase in Islamophobia in our society, I feel a moral obligation,
a sense of responsibility to be there for these youth the way that elders were
there for, for me, to help me explore what is Islam,” he said.
During
Ramadan this year, Adni said Muslim students struggled, as they observed it
with a fast from sun-up to sundown. He did too during those four weeks.
“I think
the social spiritual, emotional toll of the genocide in Gaza has been
overwhelming for many,” he said. “We're fasting. We're praying. We're breaking
fast with one another. But our hearts, our minds, our spirits are tied to the
plight of the Palestinians. We can't divorce ourselves from that.”
As the
war continues, Adni says Palestine is at the heart of everything for him and
others. As Muslim students speak out through protests and encampments in
Indiana and beyond, they’ve found students of other faiths and no faith have
joined them.
“I think
it's hard on everyone, individually, on their own,” he said. “But knowing that
we're not alone is helping everyone get through the day, the week, the month,
the year. Whatever hardships we are facing and undergoing pales in comparison
to the occupation and the genocide in Palestine.”
Adni
says that despite the spike in discrimination, it hasn’t gotten in the way of
him practicing his faith.
“The one
thing I wish everybody understood is that this is not a religious issue. It's
an issue of liberation,” he said. “ It's an issue of liberty. Freedom. No one
deserves to be under occupation.”
Now that
Saadeh is a college graduate, he’s back home in Fishers with his family and
applying to social work jobs focused in child abuse and neglect. Eventually, he
wants to go back to school and get his Masters degree to work with young
adolescents who have war-related PTSD.
He said
as the conflict in Gaza continues to unfold, he wants people to stay aware of the
conflict and continue to advocate for Palestinians.
“And I
hope that people still keep their focus on Gaza because the people of Gaza are
literally dying every day,” he said. “It's a race against time.”
Source: indianapublicmedia.org
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://indianapublicmedia.org/news/muslim-college-students-face-heavy-emotional-toll-discrimination-as-war-in-gaza-drags-on.php
--------
CAIR-TX
to Join N. Texas Imams, Dallas Black Clergy to Condemn Biden Admin’s
‘Complicity’ After 2nd Israel-U.S. Massacre in Rafah ‘Safe Zone’
May 29,
2024
On
Thursday, May 30, the Texas chapter of the Council on American-Islamic
Relations (CAIR-TX), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy
organization, plans to join with North Texas Imams (Islamic religious leaders)
and Dallas Black Clergy to condemn the Biden administration’s complicity in yet
another Israel-U.S. massacre of Palestinian civilians in a so-called “safe
zone” in Gaza, which further exposes the Israeli government’s “genocidal
brutality.”
WHEN:
Thursday, May 30, 2024, at 10 a.m.
WHERE:
HEXA Co-Working conference room #110, 2100 N. Greenville Ave. Richardson, TX
75080
CONTACT:
CAIR-TX Executive Director Mustafaa Carroll, (832)549-1042, mcarroll@cair.com;
CAIR-TX Director William White, (713) 254-2016, wwhite@cair.com, CAIR-TX Board Chair Sarwat Husain, (210)
378-9528, shusain@cair.com
[NOTE:
CAIR is now using the term “Israel-U.S.” to describe war crimes in Gaza because
the Biden administration’s ongoing provision of money and weapons to the
Israeli government despite President Biden’s violated red lines makes the U.S.
intentionally complicit in the ongoing slaughter of Palestinians.]
BACKGROUNDER:
On
Monday, May 27, 2024, 21 Palestinians were killed, at least 12 of them women,
in strikes on tents housing displaced people in the designated humanitarian
area in Mawasi in western Rafah. Israel has slaughtered more than 36,000
Palestinians in Gaza, mostly women and children. Some two million Palestinians
have been forcibly displaced.
In a
statement, CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad said:
“Day
after day, massacre after massacre, and the Biden administration continues to
ship the bombs to the far-right, openly genocidal Israeli government that it
uses to slaughter Palestinian children, women, medical personnel, journalists,
international aid workers, and the sick and elderly, and continues to shield
Israel from international accountability. This genocidal brutality, which is
being exposed daily by piles of charred and dismembered Palestinian civilians,
must stop.
“Sadly,
because of President Biden’s insistence on sending more bombs to enable
Netanyahu’s war crimes in Rafah, this is now as much an American genocide as it
is an Israeli genocide.”
CAIR’s
mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote
justice, and empower American Muslims.
La
misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del
Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados
Unidos.
Source: cair.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-tx-to-join-n-texas-imams-dallas-black-clergy-to-condemn-biden-admins-complicity-after-2nd-israel-u-s-massacre-in-rafah-safe-zone/
--------
CAIR
Calls on Louisiana Schools to Drop PragerU ‘Anti-Muslim Propaganda’ Group As
Classroom Content Provider
May 29,
2024
The
Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil
rights and advocacy organization, today called on the Louisiana Department of
Education (DOE) to reject partnership between public schools and the
notoriously anti-Muslim propaganda group known as PragerU.
Media
Matters research file: We watched every PragerU Kids video. Here are the
lowlights.
In a
recent statement, PragerU revealed that Louisiana’s Superintendent announced a
partnership with the organization at a teacher leader summit.
“PragerU,
which has a history of spreading ahistorical propaganda and Islamophobia, is
not a reputable source of information about anything and has no place in public
school curriculums,” said CAIR Research and Advocacy Director Corey Saylor.
“Including PragerU content would create a dangerous and disruptive environment,
especially for Black and Muslim students. We urge the Louisiana Department of
Education to reject this partnership.”
BACKGROUNDER
ON PRAGERU:
Georgetown
University’s Bridge Initiative describes Prager University this way: “Although
it is not an academic institution, by using the word ‘university’ in its title
PragerU implies that the right-wing messaging they spread is factually correct
and expert-driven. A number of PragerU’s videos spread anti-Muslim rhetoric and
conspiracy theories.”
The
Bridge Initiative’s factsheet on PragerU lists a number of videos that promote
Islamophobic tropes. One video features Ayann Hirsi Ali. In 2014, Brandeis
University withdrew an award from Hirsi Ali after learning she stated “we are
at war with Islam,” called for the closing of “all Muslim schools” in America,
urged that Islam be “defeated,” claimed “there is no moderate Islam.” Ali suggested
that the U.S. Constitution be amended to allow for discrimination against
Muslims.
In a
2018 investigation of PragerU’s funding Sludge reporters wrote, “The right-wing
educational website PragerU has published videos that discriminate against
immigrants and Muslims.”
In 2006,
Prager wrote that Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress, should
be prevented from taking his ceremonial oath of office using the Quran, Islam’s
revealed text.
Prager
also wrote that swearing an oath on the Quran “undermines American
civilization.” The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council, on which Prager served at
the time, issued a statement saying his remarks were, “antithetical to the
mission of the Museum as an institution promoting tolerance and respect for all
peoples regardless of their race, religion or ethnicity.”
In its
review of Prager’s appearance in Hungary, the Southern Poverty Law Center
(SPLC) notes, “PragerU is not a university. It hosts five-minute videos where
hosts provide a right-wing explanation of controversial topics.” SPLC notes
that Prager and others were paid to, “give speeches praising Hungary’s
far-right, Christian nationalist model as the savior of Western culture.”
The head
of this model is Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán who has made racist and
anti-Muslim remarks. Addressing supporters in Romania, Orbán said he did not
want Hungary to become a “mixed-race” country. “We are willing to mix with one
another,” Orbán said, referring to Europeans, “but we do not want to become
peoples of mixed race.” He warned that
“Islamic civilization” is “constantly moving toward Europe.”
Prager
University has also promoted Lost Cause mythology. The Lost Cause myth arose in
the aftermath of the American Civil War as confederates sought to justify their
defeat. Among its tropes are the notion that slavery was not a central cause of
the civil war, an assertion that ignores pre-war confederate secession
documents.
In 2020,
Right Wing Watch published text of a Prager University video lamenting the
removal of a statue of Confederate General Robert Lee from the U.S. Capitol. In
that video Prager U. cites a letter Lee wrote to his wife decrying the evils of
slavery but they omit the full quote and context.
Of the
same letter the U.S. National Park Service says: “In 1856 Lee wrote his views
on the institution of slavery to wife. He described it as ‘is a moral &
political evil.’ He however notes that it is ‘a greater evil to the white man
than to the black race’ and that ‘the painful discipline they are undergoing,
is necessary for their instruction as a race, & I hope will prepare &
lead them to better things.’”
CAIR’s
mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote
justice, and empower American Muslims.
La
misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del
Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados
Unidos.
Source: cair.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-calls-on-louisiana-schools-to-drop-prageru-anti-muslim-propaganda-group-as-classroom-content-provider/
--------
Swingers
mecca embroiled in scandal involving mayor and fortune teller
May 29,
2024
Europe’s
top hot spot for swinging couples is now the focus of a simmering scandal.
Every
year, tens of thousands of partners who swap land on the sandy, sun-kissed
beaches of Agde in the south of France on the Mediterranean.
Now, a
scandal has struck the libertine locale, and is amusing the rest of the
country.
According
to the BBC, the town’s mayor, former cop and secret service agent Gilles
d’Ettore, has become embroiled in a brouhaha involving his fortune teller,
Sophia Martinez.
Both are
in jail, with the sexy soothsayer charged with embezzlement and hizzoner
hammered with corruption charges for allegedly spending oodles of public cash
on Martinez.
According
to the mayor’s lawyer, Martinez has a reputation for being able to speak to the
dead. D’Ettore reportedly asked the oracle to put him in touch with his
deceased father and, apparently, she accomplished the task.
Source: canoe.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://canoe.com/news/world/swingers-mecca-embroiled-in-shock-sex-scandal-involving-mayor-and-psychic/wcm/add4ce70-83ef-4aa0-96f7-1b2e13ac6db9
--------
Palestinian
Islamic Jihad posts video of Amazon employee held captive in Gaza since Oct 7
05/29/2024
On
Monday, following the worldwide attention to the captivity of Alexander 'Sasha'
Troufanov, an Amazon employee who has been held as a hostage in Gaza since Oct
7, Palestinian Islamic Jihad released a "proof of life" video showing
the 28-year-old. However, there was no date in the video and no way to verify
when it was taken.
Days
before the video, it was reported that the tech giant had banned workers from
posting signs marking the number of days one of the tech giant’s employees has
been held hostage by terrorists. Troufanov, a computer engineer with Tel
Aviv-based Amazon subsidiary Annapurna Labs, was among the 250 people kidnapped
by Palestinian terrorists during their attack on Israel on October 7 and
remains in captivity.
Jewish
employees at Amazon's locations in Israel and around the world wanted to hang
signs in company offices tracking the days Hamas was holding Troufanov, but
Amazon executives in the company’s human resources department reportedly shut
down the idea and then refused to put the directive in writing, per Hebrew
business newspaper Globes.
"Someone
had the idea to hang signs that noted the amount of time that Sasha was working
at Amazon juxtaposed with the number of days that he has been held captive, but
the directive was not to hang them," one employee said. However, some
Amazon employees in Israel began hanging the posters anyway and also posted
events such as “Coffee For Sasha.” Some made shirts with Amazon Prime’s logo demanding
Troufanov’s release while others posted about him on their social media.
According
to the report, Amazon’s management has allowed these activities to take place
at the Israeli subsidiary without intervening or cracking down. Another Amazon
worker told the Globes that workers in other locations around the world were
fearful of repercussions from HR, adding that employees have been disappointed
and upset by the silence from CEO Andy Jassy and other executives. Friends of
Troufanov flew to Las Vegas, where the CEO of Amazon Web Services spoke at a
conference weeks after the attacks and hired a truck showing his name and face
to drive near the conference.
Neta
Yesood Alon, a friend of Sasha’s, told Globes that Amazon’s silence was
hypocritical given how in the past the tech giant had supported movements such
as Black Lives Matter, “but when it comes to a kidnapped employee held hostage
in Gaza, it sees it as a political issue.” She claimed an Amazon employee told
her, “Public statements on his case will put him in danger... They told
activists and the family that any official public statement from Amazon could
endanger Troufanov and they don’t want to turn Sasha into the poster boy of the
kidnapped Israelis because that would drive up [the price that the Israeli
government would have to pay] to release him.”
Alon
added that she asked the former head of Mossad, Yossi Cohen, if this was true,
and his answer was “unequivocally no.”
A
spokesperson for the tech giant told Globes, “We continue to focus all of our efforts
to bring Sasha home safe and to extend support to his family during these
difficult times. Our thoughts are with them and with all of those who continue
to be impacted by the war.”
Hamas
terrorists stormed Troufanov’s home in Kibbutz Nir Oz and kidnapped him, his
girlfriend, Sapir Cohen; his mother, Yelena Troufanov, and his grandmother,
Irena Tati. They also killed Troufanov’s father, Vitali, and over 1,000 other
Israelis. Troufanov’s girlfriend, mother, and grandmother and girlfriend were
released as part of a hostages-for-Hamas swap in November.
Troufanov
remains in Hamas captivity more than seven months after the attack. His
girlfriend Sapir Cohen told The Jerusalem Post that on the day of the attacks
she had seen him “beaten bloody and thrown face-first into the ground.”
Source: humanevents.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://humanevents.com/2024/05/29/palestinian-islamic-jihad-posts-video-of-amazon-employee-held-captive-in-gaza-since-oct-7#google_vignette
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Arab World
Saudi
Railways announces increased seating capacity of Haramain High-Speed Train for
Hajj season
May 29,
2024
RIYADH:
Saudi Arabia Railways on Wednesday announced the readiness of the Haramain
High-Speed Railway to receive pilgrims for this year’s Hajj season and said it
has increased the number of available seats by about 100,000.
SAR
revealed its operational plan for the season at its five stations linking
Makkah to Madinah, bringing the total number of seats to 1.6 million, up from
more than a 1.3 million seating capacity last year, the Saudi Press Agency
reported.
The
453-kilometer railway passes through the main Jeddah station in the
Sulaymaniyah district, King Abdulaziz Airport station in Jeddah, and King
Abdullah Economic City.
“This
expansion also considers the addition of more than 430 new trips to last year’s
trips, raising the number of trips scheduled in the operational plan for this
year to more than 3,800” from May 9 to June 25, while the numbers of trips on
peak days will be 126, SPA said.
The
Haramain High-Speed Railway train ranks among the 10 fastest electric trains
globally. It reaches 300 km per hour, and operates a fleet of 35 trains, with a
capacity of 417 seats per train. It functions based on an environment-friendly
system and zero carbon emissions, and plays an important role in preserving
roads’ infrastructure by reducing road traffic.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2519741/saudi-arabia
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Islamic
Ministry unites volunteers to serve pilgrims
May 29,
2024
MAKKAH:
Almost 5,000 people are set to volunteer for programs launched by the Makkah
arm of the Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance, the Saudi
Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
The
branch has launched 247 opportunities via its volunteering platform to coincide
with the start of the Hajj season. These include distributing more than 235,000
water bottles at 3,850 mosques, providing umbrellas to pilgrims for protection
against the sun, distributing booklets and providing meals.
The
initiative is part of the ministry’s ongoing efforts to promote a culture of
volunteering within communities.
Earlier,
the Presidency of Religious Affairs at the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s
Mosque launched its operational plan for Hajj, promoting voluntary and
humanitarian work.
It
recognizes the Two Holy Mosques as attractive environments for such efforts,
based on religious and Saudi values that highlight the importance of generosity
and hospitality.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2519621/saudi-arabia
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Al-Jubeir
meets US, Costa Rica officials in Riyadh
May 29,
2024
Saudi
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and climate envoy Adel Al-Jubeir met
Robert Karem, national security adviser to US Senator Mitch McConnell, on
Wednesday in Riyadh.
In a
separate meeting, Al-Jubeir met Costa Rica’s non-resident ambassador to the
Kingdom, Francisco Chacon Hernandez.
The
talks in both meetings centered on bilateral relations as well as regional and
international issues of mutual interest.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2519611/saudi-arabia
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Global
artists contemplate the future at Riyadh exhibition
May 29,
2024
RIYADH:
Fenaa Alawwal kicked off its most recent exhibition, “Unfolding the Embassy,”
bringing together global artists to speculate on the looming future.
With
scenography presented by Studio GGSV, the exhibition was curated by Sara
Al-Mutlaq, whose initial instinct was to respond to the exhibition’s context.
Al-Mutlaq
told Arab News: “The context is the Diplomatic Quarter and embassies … We ask:
What is the future of the embassy?
“The
moment that we’re living in today is witnessing a lot of changes. We feel it in
technology, ChatGPT, the Ukraine war — there are a lot of things that are
changing.”
As visitors
enter the space, they are teleported to the year 2040. A SpaceX satellite
orbiting the globe is the new reality, complete with a reception area, books,
and brochures. Visitors soon realize that the decorative pieces around them are
the artworks themselves.
As the
story unfolds, they are left to wonder: What has happened to Earth?
The
global experience was important for the curator; only artists of diverse
backgrounds and practices could do justice to this collective narrative.
Artists from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Egypt, Palestine, Bosnia, Zambia, and
Belgium are taking part in the exhibition, presenting their vision and
interpretation of the future through works that address important contemporary
issues, such as climate change, artificial intelligence, migration, and
identity.
“I
really wanted to engage with Saudi creatives and artists, but also Arab artists
… and to always include the rest of the world and look at the nuances of
conversation that they’re also creating,” Al-Mutlaq explained.
Saudi
artist Ahaad Al-Amoudi’s “Frying Pan” video installation looks at the past to
study the future, creating a place where memory is lost, readapted, and
reinterpreted.
In an
ever-changing world, the video questions the role of memory, the tools of
navigation, and whether humans will be able to envision a future when the
present is a disintegrating past.
Egyptian
graphic designer and artist Ahmad Hammoud presents two complementary works:
“Flag of the Stateless” and “Passport of the Stateless.” Using the common
housefly as an emblem for the 10 million stateless individuals worldwide, the
works contrast two “unwanted” elements, creating a sense of ownership and
symbolizing strength and resistance to Western colonial views.
The
exhibition also showcases a photography anthology created using images by Dia
Murad, Naif Al-Quba, Federico Acciardi, and Peter Bogaczewicz.
The
digital works by Bogaczewicz, a photographer with a background in architecture,
are part of his larger series titled “Surface Tensions,” which focuses on how
the natural and built environments come together in Saudi Arabia.
His
selection includes captures of a car buried in sand dunes and an abandoned
Ferris wheel amid construction, subtly reflecting the influence of his
architectural background.
He told
Arab News: “I think there’s an idea of Anthropocene being a theme of the
exhibit. I think the way these photos fall into it is because they address a
state of the man-made or man-altered environment. That is something completely
unnatural and unique of our time. It’s probably something that can’t be
reversed so purely … Natural environments are harder and harder to come by and
that’s just a present fact of being on our planet.”
Visitors
can also explore the fate of humanity in the context of climate change,
shifting political structures, economic challenges, and AI’s subversive
interventions in human life.
Adopting
a forward-looking approach, the exhibition raises a challenging question: Do
humans need the distance of light years to better see what is near?
Al-Mutlaq
said: “At its essence, the exhibition is a fictional time-space that highlights
the fictional attributes of our economic, collective and technological worlds.
In exploring the role of fiction, the exhibition and its artists ask: At the
depth of truth, do we find the landscape of the arbitrary?”
The
exhibition, running until Sept. 1, also features works from Dima Srouji, Abbas
Zahedi, Aseel Al-Yaqoub, Nolan Oswald Dennis, Jerry Galle, PHI Studio, and Lana
Cmajcanin.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2519591/saudi-arabia
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Saudi
envoy presents credentials as non-resident ambassador to Bolivia
May 29,
2024
RIYADH:
Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Brazil Faisal bin Ibrahim Ghulam presented his
credentials as non-resident ambassador to Bolivia, Saudi Press Agency reported
on Wednesday.
The
credentials were presented to Bolivia’s President Luis Arce.
Ghulam
conveyed the greetings of the Saudi leadership and its wishes for the continued
progress and prosperity of Bolivia.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2519566/saudi-arabia
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Southeast Asia
Fahmi:
Google's RM9.4b investment reflects investors' confidence in Madani government
30 May
2024
PUTRAJAYA,
May 30 ― Google's investment of US$2 billion (RM9.4 billion) in Malaysia is a
positive indicator that investors have strong confidence in the administration
of the Madani government, said Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil.
Hence,
he said this should also serve as a motivation for Malaysia to increase work
productivity while also moving smarter to lure more investments into the
country.
“I was
informed that several destination countries were also under their (Google's)
consideration.
“I
believe that after several meetings (with Google), including with me, what we
conveyed and our performance were evaluated positively, leading to the
announcement of this investment from Google,” he told reporters after attending
the Ministry of Communications' monthly assembly here today.
Fahmi,
who is also the unity government spokesman, said the rapid realisation of this
investment also demonstrates the Madani government's commitment to having a
clear direction as desired by investors.
Google
announced today an investment commitment of RM9.4 billion in Malaysia,
including the development of Google's first data centre in Malaysia and the
Google Cloud Region to meet the growing demand for cloud services, both locally
and globally, as well as an artificial intelligence (AI) literacy programme for
students and educators in this country. ― Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/05/30/fahmi-googles-rm94b-investment-reflects-investors-confidence-in-madani-government/137210
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Malaysia
strategically positioned to capitalise on AI boom - Gobind
30-05-
2024
KUALA
LUMPUR: Malaysia is strategically positioned to capitalise on the artificial
intelligence (AI) boom and emerge as the premier data centre hub in Asean, said
Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo.
In a
statement today, Gobind said the AI boom has initiated a global race for
computing, accelerating demand for land, energy, and water resources to power
next-generation AI data centres.
He said
Malaysia can capitalise on this trend with its abundance of resources and safe
geographical location for investors seeking diversification.
Additionally,
he said Malaysia has demonstrated the right policy mix over the years, coupled
with strong execution, to emerge as a global leader in the digital
infrastructure space.
As such,
in terms of connectivity, Malaysia boasts an award-winning 5G network helmed by
Digital Nasional Bhd (DNB), an agency under the Ministry of Digital.
“Malaysia’s
5G coverage has reached over 80 per cent of populated areas and recorded 11.9
million 5G service subscriptions, representing an adoption rate of 35.4 per
cent, in just under three years since its formation,” he said.
Gobind
said this at the Leaders TalkX: Digital Advancing Sustainable Development: A
Trusted Connected World in conjunction with the World Summit on the Information
Society (WSIS)+ 20 Forum High-Level Event in Geneva, Switzerland on May 28.
On the
regulation area, the minister said Malaysia is actively involved in shaping the
digital economy cooperation at the Asean level on the highly anticipated
Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA).
DEFA is
forecast to unlock up to US$2 trillion (US$1=RM4.70) in value for the Asean
digital economy by 2030 through harmonised trade rules, interoperability
standards and enhanced collaboration with member nations.
Apart
from the new Cyber Security Bill 2024 tabled last March, Gobind said the
Department of Personal Data Protection is in the final stages of drafting a
bill to amend the Personal Data Protection Act 2010 [Act 709].
Concurrently,
a national data-sharing bill is being drafted by the National Digital
Department (JDN), another agency under the Digital Ministry, he noted.
“Collectively,
these efforts are integral components of the ministry’s overarching goals to
foster a holistic regulatory environment that meets the needs of citizens,
businesses, and investors in the digital sphere,” he added.
To fully
realise the potential of the digital economy, he said the Digital Ministry
believes that investments in digital infrastructure and a robust regulatory
framework must be matched by a strong supply of digitally savvy, future-proof
talent.
The
Ministry of Digital has acknowledged the fine balance required to leverage
emerging technologies while mitigating potential risks.
“Through
a targeted policy and regulatory approach centred on digital infrastructure,
regulation, and talent development, the ministry is committed to laying a
strong foundation to propel Malaysia as a digital leader in Asean and beyond,”
he concluded.
Source: thesun.my
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://thesun.my/local_news/malaysia-strategically-positioned-to-capitalise-on-ai-boom-gobind-CH12512671
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Saudi
King Salman orders hosting of 1,000 Palestinian pilgrims for hajj
30-05-
2024
KUALA
LUMPUR: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has ordered the
hosting of 1,000 pilgrims from families of martyrs, prisoners and wounded
Palestinians to perform hajj this year, according to a Saudi Press Agency (SPA)
report.
The
report stated that King Salman, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, has also
ordered the hosting of 1,300 pilgrims from over 88 countries and 22 pilgrims
from families of conjoined twins who were separated in the Kingdom, to perform
hajj this year.
The
initiative is part of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Guests Programme
for Haj, Umrah, and Visit, which is supervised and implemented annually by the
Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance.
Minister
of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance, and General Supervisor of the Custodian
of the Two Holy Mosques Haj Guests Programme, Sheikh Dr Abdullatif bin
Abdulaziz Al Al-Sheikh, said since the issuance of the royal order, the
ministry has been preparing to host these pilgrims.
“The
plan starts upon the pilgrims’ departure from their home countries and it
ensures that they receive all facilitations to perform umrah and haj with ease,
and visit Madinah and perform prayer at the Prophet’s Mosque,” he said, as
quoted in the report.
Al
Al-Sheikh expressed his gratitude and appreciation to King Salman, Crown Prince
and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud for the noble
royal gesture.
“This
reflects their constant care for Muslims around the world and their efforts to
strengthen unity and brotherhood among Muslims by bringing them together for
hajj at the expense of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques,” he said.
According
to the minister, since its inception 26 years ago, more than 60,000 pilgrims
have been hosted under this programme.
Source: thesun.my
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://thesun.my/local_news/saudi-king-salman-orders-hosting-of-1000-palestinian-pilgrims-for-hajj-OH12512268
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Meeting
with Meta to discuss commitment to combat fake news, disinformation - Fahmi
30-05-
2024
PUTRAJAYA:
The Communications Ministry’s meeting with Meta Platforms Inc (Meta) and
representatives of other social media platforms scheduled to be held in
Singapore next month will discuss, among others, the MADANI Government’s
commitment to combat fake news and disinformation.
Minister
Fahmi Fadzil said the meeting would take place during his official visit to the
republic in mid-June.
“...I
hope they will join the government in our effort to ensure online safety for
children and families.
“What we
want is online safety to make the Internet safe for children and families, and
I believe that whether it’s Meta, Facebook, Instagram, or WhatsApp, they are
with us on this matter,” he told reporters after attending the Ministry of
Communications’ monthly assembly here today.
In his
speech earlier, Fahmi also called on the ministry’s staff to fully utilise
artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance work productivity.
He said
that the adoption of AI would not only improve individual performance but also
facilitate service delivery as expected by the public.
Addressing
inter-ministerial collaboration, Fahmi, who is the Unity Government spokesman,
also urged the Information Department (Japen), the Department of Broadcasting
Malaysia, and the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) to focus on efforts
to combat leakage and diesel smuggling activities in collaboration with the
Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) through the production of
news content that benefits the public.
“I see
that KPDN is very effective in combating leakage, stockpiling (diesel), and so
on. I urge Japen and the MADANI community to help the public understand the
mechanisms for filing complaints (in case of leakage or price hikes).
“We also
need to help share the videos uploaded by KPDN on TikTok and other platforms,”
he added.
Source: thesun.my
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://thesun.my/local_news/meeting-with-meta-to-discuss-commitment-to-combat-fake-news-disinformation-fahmi-EH12512240
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Haj
pilgrims reminded to practice cleanliness, maintain nation’s good image
30-05-
2024
MAKKAH:
Malaysian haj delegation head Datuk Seri Syed Saleh Syed Abdul Rahman has urged
all pilgrims to practice cleanliness wherever they are, particularly during
their stay in Masyair, to maintain the nation’s good image.
Syed Saleh
emphasised that the cleanliness of the pilgrims’ accommodations also reflects
the spiritual success of their pilgrimage, adding that cleanliness is
considered part of iman (faith).
“To
achieve a mabrur haj, one of the essential aspects to maintain is cleanliness,
as it is part of faith. Some people aim for a mabrur haj by performing multiple
voluntary umrah pilgrimages but neglect cleanliness, especially in Masyair.
“Before
Tabung Haji implemented the cleanliness campaign, the area was less taken care
of by the pilgrims, and some left their tents in an unpleasant state. However,
I am proud of the pilgrims’ positive attitude since we launched the campaign in
2017.”
He said
this to the media after launching the Accommodation Cleanliness Programme at
Maktab 84, Hotel Diary Al Saad here.
Also
present were deputy head of the Malaysian haj delegation (welfare) Mohamed
Hiekal Mohamed Yusuff and deputy head of the Malaysian haj delegation (medical)
Dr Abdul Marsudi Manah.
Syed
Saleh noted that since the cleanliness campaign was extended to the maktabs and
pilgrims’ rooms in 2018, the level of cleanliness demonstrated by the pilgrims
has improved significantly, earning praise from the Saudi Arabian government.
Malaysia
remains the only country that has implemented such a campaign.
At the
event, he also launched the Room Cleanliness Competition, which involves
categories for male and female pilgrims in each maktab, aiming to instil not
only the practice of cleanliness but also the spirit of teamwork and unity.
“Each room
accommodates five to six pilgrims from various backgrounds and socio-economic
statuses. Therefore, we hope to foster closer bonds and encourage cooperation
among the pilgrims through this programme,” he said.
During
the event, attendees were also graced with the recitation of Quranic verses by
last year’s International Al-Quran Recitation Competition champion, Muhammad
Qayyim Nizar Sarimi, who is visually impaired.
Source: thesun.my
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://thesun.my/local_news/haj-pilgrims-reminded-to-practice-cleanliness-maintain-nation-s-good-image-BH12511426
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Malaysia,
Kyrgyz republic to enhance collaboration in TVET, Stem Education - PM Anwar
30-05-
2024
KUALA
LUMPUR: Malaysia and the Kyrgyz Republic have agreed to enhance collaboration
in education, particularly in Technical and Vocational Education and Training
(TVET) and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
Prime
Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, in a Facebook post, said the topic was
discussed during his meeting with Muratbek Azymbakiev, the Foreign Policy
advisor to the President of the Kyrgyz Republic at Perdana Putra, Putrajaya
today.
“In
relation to the Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme (MTCP), Malaysia has
agreed to provide additional training to participants from the Kyrgyz Republic
in diverse fields,“ he said.
The
Prime Minister also said that the meeting addressed the appointment of a
special advisor from Malaysia to assist in the economic development of the
Central Asian country.
He
informed that Malaysia has identified several potential candidates and is
currently in the process of shortlisting them for the role.
Anwar
added that Muratbek also brought a letter and gifts from the Kyrgyz Republic’s
President and Cabinet Ministers Chairman.
“I
express hope for the continued strengthening of bilateral relations in the
future,“ he said.
During
the Prime Minister’s recent visit to the country, his counterpart, Akylbek
Zhaparov, the Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, expressed interest in
Malaysia appointing an advisor to their government.
Source: thesun.my
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original Story
https://thesun.my/local_news/malaysia-kyrgyz-republic-to-enhance-collaboration-in-tvet-stem-education-pm-anwar-CH12510839
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