'Pro-Pakistan' Elements Trying to Divide Hindus and Muslims in Country: Bangladesh Information and Broadcasting Minister
New
Age Islam News Bureau
29
October 2021
Mahmud said during the country’s independence struggle, some people had opposed the move. (PTI/File)
-----
•
Muslims Have A Religious and Constitutional Duty to Protect the Rights and
Freedoms of All Communities in Malaysia
•
Setting Minimum Age for Marriage Not Against Islam: Pakistan Federal Shariat
Court
•
Make Al-Aqsa the Centre of Palestine Resistance Raise Awareness about Israeli
Attacks on the Mosque: Hamas Leader Khaled Mashal
•
Muslim Military Heroes Are "Often Left Out Of History Books, Says, Royal
Marines Cadet
•
Tripura State Jamiat Ulama (Hind) Claims Vandalism of 12 Mosques; 'Just One
Isolated Incident...’ Says Tripura Minister
South Asia
•
“The Voices of Afghanistan” Afghan And American Artists To Play Theatre To Get
Voices Of Afghans Heard
•
UN urgently needs cash in Afghanistan, but struggles for solution
•
Ashraf Ghani’s chief of staff apologizes for supporting him
--------
Southeast Asia
•
Philippines Postpones Self-Rule Vote in Muslim Region
•
Muslims must honour, respect fatwa
•
Deepavali SOP: Ministry says only fully vaccinated allowed at temples,
cemeteries
•
Society needs to think logically, Azalina says over Timah row
--------
Pakistan
•
Go back or things will be out of my hands, Sheikh Rashid tells TLP protesters
•
Twin cities cut off from most parts of country as TLP rally on way to Islamabad
--------
Mideast
•
From Tehran to Jerusalem, Uzbekistan Bridges Israeli-Muslim Divide
•
Iran Calls For UNSC's Pressure On Israel To End Occupation Of Golan Heights
•
Spokesman Slams UN Human Rights Rapporteur for Underreporting Impacts of
Economic Terrorism on Iran
--------
Europe
•
European countries urge Israel to halt building plans in West Bank
•
Senior Turkish official meets EU commissioner for enlargement
--------
India
•
Wankhede Family Followed Islam; Name of Sameer's Father Is Dawood: Dr Zaheed
Qureshi, NCB Officer's Ex-Father-In-Law
•
'Govt pretending to be blind, deaf': Rahul Gandhi hits out at BJP over violence
in Tripura
•
TN: Police thwart attempt of Hindu Munnani activists to enter University during
Periyar-Islam lecture
•
‘Hybrid’ terrorist on mission to target shopkeeper killed in Baramulla: Kashmir
IGP
•
What does Islam have to do with cricket matches? asks Asaduddin Owaisi
--------
Arab World
•
Child among 13 Killed By Houthi Missile In Yemen: Military
•
Lebanese President Aoun asks Russian envoy for satellite images dating to port
blast
•
US sanctions Hezbollah-backed MP, two Lebanese businessmen over corruption
•
Saudi air defences intercept, destroy five ballistic Houthi missiles targeting
Jazan
--------
Africa
•
Nigeria Kills Islamic State's New West Africa Chief in Military Operation: Army
•
IMF says it is ‘premature’ to comment on implications of Sudan coup
•
Ethiopia claims airstrike destroys rebel equipment, locals say civilians killed
•
1 killed in protests against military takeover in Sudan
•
Sudanese popular committees announce anti-coup measures
--------
North America
•
US Lawmakers Enter Resolution Condemning Israel's NGO Designations
•
Pakistan Continues To Give Air Access to US, Congress Told
•
US announces additional humanitarian assistance for Afghanistan
•
US secretary of state celebrates 98th anniversary of Turkish Republic
•
Four US intel outfits failed to foresee Kabul's hasty collapse: report
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/bangladesh-pakistan-muslim-hindus-divide/d/125670
--------
'Pro-Pakistan'
Elements Trying to Divide Hindus and Muslims in Country: Bangladesh Information
and Broadcasting Minister
OCTOBER
29, 2021
Mahmud said during the country’s independence
struggle, some people had opposed the move. (PTI/File)
-----
The
Bangladesh Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud has claimed
that some elements close to Pakistan — the descendants of 22 per cent people
who didn’t vote for the Awami League — are responsible for instigating communal
clashes in Bangladesh.
During
a media interaction at the Kolkata Press Club on Thursday, Mahmud said, “In
1970, Awami League got 298 seats in the provincial assembly and 164 seats in
the national assembly during the general election. Then, there were 22 per cent
people who didn’t vote for us and their descendants are still there in
Bangladesh and these are the people who are trying to divide Hindus and Muslims
in Bangladesh. They are the people who are creating hurdles before the
development of Bangladesh. They are dividing the society and we will not
tolerate this.”
Responding
to a question on ‘minorities attack’ in Bangladesh, he said, “No one in
Bangladesh is a minority. All are Bangladeshi and all are Bengalis. All are
equal here. We don’t consider anyone in Bangladesh as a minority. I belong to
the Bangladesh Awami League and I am the joint secretary of my party and I
would like to assure stern action against the attackers.”
Mahmud
said during the country’s independence struggle, some people had opposed the
move.
“They
opposed our independence struggle. Their descendants are cashing in on communalism.
I would like to name the BNP and I must reveal before you that BNP, Jamat and
some fundamentalist parties are behind such unrest in Bangladesh. From day one
(hinting at attack on Durga Puja pandal), we are stick to our stand that no
Hindu can disrespect Quran and no Muslim can disrespect ‘Gita’. We were right,
as one Muslim was caught for creating all this controversy. His name is Iqbal
and he must have acted on someone else’s instruction and we will soon hunt down
the actual conspirator,” he added.
“It
was a political ploy (on temple attack) by the parties and fundamentalist to
destabilise the country and to create anarchy in Bangladesh. Our government has
taken tough action against all the miscreants. So far till today, 129 cases
were filed and 1204 people have been arrested. All the houses which were
demolished specially in Rangpur have been built and our Prime Minister has
already assured that all the victims will be compensated adequately,” Mahmud
said.
On
action taken against the fundamentalist, he said, “It is true that we have
failed to uproot the fundamentalist completely but we managed to clip their
wings.”
Source:
News18
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
--------
Muslims
Have A Religious and Constitutional Duty to Protect the Rights And Freedoms Of
All Communities in Malaysia
Wong
Pek Mei
October
28, 2021
Shad Saleem Faruqi says the overall situation of
religious tolerance in Malaysia was exemplary until the late ’80s.
-----
PETALING
JAYA: Muslims have a religious and constitutional duty to protect and restore
the rights and freedoms of all communities in this country, a constitutional
law professor said today.
Shad
Saleem Faruqi said this was a must regardless of the atrocities against Muslims
happening in other countries.
He
added that on an individual level there is much harmony and friendship in
Malaysia but at the group level there is undoubted tension.
“Some
of these tensions are a reaction to geopolitical situations, such as massacres
and genocides of people of the Muslim faith in some countries, as well as the
rise of Islamophobia in the non-Muslim world,” he said.
He
also pointed to how blasphemous cartoons depicting Prophet Muhammad are
defended by many governments as part of free speech.
“But
the same governments see nothing wrong when Muslim girls in headscarves are
victimised, or when mosques with minarets are not allowed because it would
affect the skyline,” he said.
He
believed that the ability to live together in peace and harmony is one of the
marks of a great civilisation.
“Religious
tolerance is the finest test of a tolerant and democratic society.”
Looking
back at Malaysia’s recent history, Shad Saleem said when compared with many
other Asian societies the overall situation of religious tolerance in Malaysia
was exemplary until the late ’80s.
“However,
since then, the calm has been broken by a number of legal, political and moral
dilemmas that defy easy solutions,” he added.
Another
panellist, lawyer Rita Wong explained that in 1988, the Federal Constitution
was amended to include Article 121(1A) where the civil courts shall have no
jurisdiction over the shariah court, and explained the consequences of this
amendment.
“Civil
courts refused to act on conversion cases, custody of children was denied to
non-Muslim parents and the civil courts refused to act in ‘body snatching’
cases,” she said.
She
cited the case of Lina Joy as one of the sensational cases where the Federal
Court said only the shariah court has the power to allow her to remove her
religious designation of “Islam” from her identification card, following her
conversion to Christianity.
Source:
Free Malaysia Today
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
--------
Setting
Minimum Age for Marriage Not Against Islam: Pakistan Federal Shariat Court
October
29, 2021
Representational Image | Stock Photo
------
ISLAMABAD:
The Federal Shariat Court (FSC) held on Thursday that setting the minimum age
limit at 16 years for a girl’s marriage under the Child Marriage Restraint Act
(CMRA) 1929 would help girls get at least a basic education.
The
observation came while the FSC dismissed a petition and categorically declared
that setting any minimum age limit for girls’ marriage by an Islamic state was
not against Islam.
A
three-judge FSC bench, headed by Chief Justice Mohammad Noor Meskanzai, had
taken up the petition moved by Farooq Omar Bhoja challenging Sections 4, 5, 6
of the CMRA.
“After
examining the petition, we are of the considerate view that the petition is
misconceived, hence, it is dismissed in limine,” ruled the judgement authored
by Justice Dr Syed Mohammad Anwer.
In
the 10-page verdict, the FSC held that the sections in which the minimum age
limit was prescribed by the act for both girls and boys for marriage was not
un-Islamic.
The
section 4 of the CMRA prescribes punishment for marrying a child to a simple
imprisonment which may extend to six months and a fine of Rs50,000. Whereas
Section 5 and 6 explain the punishment for solemnising nikkah of a child and
permitting or promoting child marriage.
The
judgement explains that the importance of education is self-explanatory and the
need for education is equally important for everybody irrespective of gender.
That is why Islam has made the acquisition of education mandatory for every
Muslim as mentioned in a Hadith stating “Acquisition of knowledge is mandatory
upon every Muslim”, the verdict says.
“The
use of such language by the Holy Prophet (PBUH) accentuates the farziat of
education in a Muslim society and for every Muslim in all and any
circumstances. Hence education is one of the fundamental factors for
personality development of every And any human person,” the verdict explains.
For
a healthy marriage, it says, not only physical health and economic stability
etc are necessary factors but mental health and intellectual development are
also equally important, which are achievable through education.
Education
is fundamental for women empowerment as it is the key for development of an
individual and consequently for the future generation of any nation, it says.
One of the purposes of marriage in Islam is protection and promotion of
genealogy and generation of a person, the verdict observes, adding that this
concept comes under the topic of Hifz-un-Nasal, which is one of the goals of
Shariat according to the concept of Maqasid-us-Shariah as narrated by Ibrahim
Bin Musa Bin Mohammad Shatbi.
At
a personal level, the judgment explains, for a girl or for anybody irrespective
of gender, the factor of getting education comes under the concept of
Hifz-ul-Aql i.e. protection and promotion of intellect, also one of the basic
goals of Shariat.
According
to the teaching of Islam, giving best education to a girl child or a daughter
is one of the best deeds a person can do and it guarantees Jannat.
Due
to its importance, Imam Bukhari created an entire chapter of his famous Hadith
book, Jamia Al-Bukhari Sharif, on the importance of education of girls almost
in the beginning of his book, the judgment says.
There
are many Islamic countries where such type of law exists wherein minimum age
for marriage for male and female is fixed, like in Jordan, Malaysia, Egypt and
Tunisia, etc, the verdict points out.
However,
in those countries according to their laws if in a specific or special case
there is an unavoidable circumstance or situation to solemnise a marriage before
the age as set by the law then the family of that girl and boy must approach a
specific authority appointed by the government to allow or disallowing such
permission, it says.
Source:
Dawn
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
--------
Make
Al-Aqsa the Centre of Palestine Resistance Raise Awareness about Israeli
Attacks on the Mosque: Hamas Leader Khaled Mashal
By
Sakina Fatima
29th
October 2021
Jerusalem: Palestinians run from sound bombs
thrown by Israeli police in front of the Dome of the Rock shrine at al-Aqsa
mosque complex in Jerusalem, Friday, May 21, 2021, even as a cease-fire took
effect between Hamas and Israel after 11-day war. (AP Photo)
-----
Gaza:
Hamas leader Khaled Mashal on Wednesday called for the internationalisation of
the Al-Aqsa mosque issue in order to raise awareness among key decision-makers
about Israeli attacks on the mosque, local media reported.
Speaking
to the media during his participation in a political workshop, Mashal said,
that the resistance fronts should be opened in all their natural and supposed
locations, in order to distract the occupation from the blessed Al-Aqsa mosque,
and this is the greatest protection for Al-Aqsa mosque.
“We
can put the issue of Al-Aqsa mosque on top of the international agenda if we
place it at the forefront of the Palestinian resistance, the agenda of the
Palestinian people and the agenda of the governments of Muslim nations,” Middle
East Monitor quoted reporting Khaled Mashal.
He
added, “Israel does not feel shy about promoting a religious war. Why should we
feel shy about declaring that Al Aqsa mosque as the focus of our struggle with
the Israeli occupation?”
Mashal
believed that Israel is taking advantage of the weakness of the Palestinian
leadership’s position and the nation’s preoccupation with its wounds, to
control the blessed Al-Aqsa mosque.
Khaled
Mashal condemned the Zionists’ attack on the Palestinian public: living and
dead. It was a reference to Israel’s destruction of the Yusufiya cemetery next
to the Noble Sanctuary of Al Aqsa. He said, “They fear the death of the
Palestinians.” What about the living Palestinians?
Al-Aqsa
mosque
Al-Aqsa
is located on a plaza at Temple mount, which is known in Islam as the
Haram-e-Sharif. The mount is also considered the holiest site in Judaism. The
most imposing structure on the compound is the Dome of the Rock, with its
golden dome. The Western Wall, also known as the Wailing Wall to the Jews, is
one side of the retaining wall of the Al-Aqsa compound.
Al-Aqsa
is the focus of rival claims on Jerusalem. Both Israel and Palestine have
declared it their capital. In July 1980, the Israeli parliament approved the
Jerusalem law and declared it the capital of the state. The 1988 Palestinian
Declaration of Independence also declared Jerusalem the capital. The Palestinian
Authority is currently headquartered in Ramallah.
Shortly
after the end of the six-day war in 1967, Israel returned to Jordan the
administration and organization of the Al-Aqsa compound. While non-Muslims were
not allowed to worship at Al-Aqsa, Jewish individuals and groups made repeated
attempts to enter the Temple mount plaza.
Since
the late 1990s, around the time of the first Intifada, these attempts began to
occur regularly as Jewish settlers began to claim land in and around East
Jerusalem. And this led to frequent clashes and tensions in Al-Aqsa.
Source:
Siasat Daily
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
https://www.siasat.com/make-al-aqsa-the-center-of-palestine-resistance-hamas-leader-2216416/
--------
Muslim
Military Heroes Are "Often Left Out Of History Books, Says, Royal Marines
Cadet
28.10.2021
PA MEDIA
Image caption, Salahudeen Hussain said joining the
Royal Marines Cadets was the "best decision" he had made
-----
Muslim
military heroes are "often left out of history books," a Royal Marine
cadet has said ahead of this year's remembrance ceremonies.
Salahudeen
Hussain, 16, from Sheffield, said better knowledge of their stories would
inspire more Asians to join up.
"I
think it's important people know about them," he said.
He
joined the Royal Marines Cadets in 2018 and undertook the Special Forces
selection march in the Brecon Beacons, known as the Fan Dance, when he was 15.
Salahudeen,
known as Sal, is believed to be the youngest person to undertake the 15-mile
(24km) load-bearing march.
Now
he is preparing to be installed as the Lord Lieutenant's Cadet, a role which
will involve him accompanying the Queen's representative in South Yorkshire,
including during the ceremonies to mark Remembrance Day in his home city of
Sheffield.
The
teenager originally signed up to the cadets, with his father's encouragement,
after experiencing bullying.
"Honestly,
it was the best decision I ever made," he said.
After
joining he developed an interest in Muslims who had been awarded the Victoria
Cross (VC).
"My
dad and I went to the Imperial War Museum and, on the top floor, they have a
place dedicated to VCs and there are a number of cases that commemorate these
Muslim soldiers.
"But
it's something you don't see talked about. They're often left out of history
books and the school curriculum."
Sal
pointed to people like Fazal Din, of the British Indian Army, killed in action
in 1945 and awarded the VC.
The
soldier was stabbed through the chest with a sword by a Japanese officer while
clearing a bunker.
"He
proceeded to remove the sword, kill the officer and then lead a charge to
countless other bunkers before filing his report and, unfortunately, dropping
dead," said Sal.
"I
know a lot of young Muslim and Asian people in this country often feel a kind
of a disconnect to things like the military.
"If
everyone knew how involved their ancestors and people like them were, they
would want to join up and wouldn't feel like they couldn't."
Cadets
commander Sgt John Daley said Sal's work in highlighting the contribution of
Muslim soldiers was bringing it to the forefront and hoped it would encourage
recruitment.
"We
want to represent our city as best we can and that is from every
background," he said.
Source:
BBC News
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-59074256
--------
Tripura
State Jamiat Ulama (Hind) Claims Vandalism of 12 Mosques; 'Just One Isolated
Incident...’ Says Tripura Minister
28th
October 2021
The Jamiat leader said mosques and residential
areas dominated by minorities in six to seven areas across Tripura, especially
Gomati, North Tripura and West Tripura are being attacked. Miah also linked the
attacks to the riots in Bangladesh.
----
By
Prasanta Mazumdar Express News Service
GUWAHATI:
At least a dozen mosques were targeted in Tripura during the bout of violence
which started about a week ago, the Tripura State Jamiat Ulama (Hind) alleged
on Thursday.
Even
as there seems to be an atmosphere of fear with everyone, including a retired
judge who heads a rights organisation, refusing to comment on the incidents,
the Tripura State Jamiat Ulama said while one mosque was set on fire, 11-12
others were vandalised and damaged.
“A
portion of the Ichacherra mosque was damaged following arson. Elsewhere, the
mosques were vandalised or their signboards etc damaged,” Mufti Tayebur Rahman,
who is the president of Tripura State Jamiat Ulama, told The New Indian
Express.
Stating
that some of the attacks were carried out at night, he said the Hindus helped
repair one or two mosques. The last of the incidents occurred in Panisagar on
Tuesday during a procession taken out by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP).
The
state’s Minority Affairs Minister Ratanlal Nath played down the violence,
claiming that there was just one incident and it was “not an attack”.
“It
was an isolated incident which occurred at a particular place. Section 144 of
the CrPC has been already clamped (in Panisagar and Dharmanagar sub-divisions
of the North Tripura district). Other steps were also taken immediately,” Nath
told this newspaper on Thursday.
He
said political and administrative steps were taken side by side. He also said
that a team had visited the violence-hit area to thwart the escalation of the
problem.
“It
was not like the incidents taking place in Bangladesh and not an attack. Only
one person had hit (a mosque) during a procession. A shop was put on fire but
it was doused soon after by the firefighters,” the minister said.
He
was referring to the incident in Panisagar. Violence was also reported from
Dharmanagar.
The
BJP’s Panisagar MLA, Binay Bhushan Das said three shops were torched and three
to four houses damaged. He said a mosque was also “partially vandalised”. “The
attack was carried out during a VHP procession by elements participating in it
or by others. Since the Opposition parties have been for long looking for
opportunities to tarnish the BJP’s image, I don’t rule out their involvement,”
the MLA said.
He
said Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb had insisted on the maintenance of peace
and communal harmony and directed him to talk to the administration and ensure
that the culprits were punished early.
The
Tripura Police said, “Old videos are being circulated on social media regarding
the Panisagar Masjid” and fake IDs created on the social media to spread
rumours.
The
police said the situation was normal and meetings were being organised among
communities for the maintenance of harmony.
“The
situation is perfectly normal. We have deployed sufficient manpower. A peace
meeting was held yesterday (Wednesday) at Dharmanagar and another at Panisagar
today (Thursday),” a senior police officer said.
The
CPI-M and the Trinamool Congress accused the BJP of supporting the right-wing
organisations to gain political mileage in the civic polls next month and the
Assembly elections in 2023, a charge which the BJP trashed.
The
Congress staged a sit-in demonstration on Thursday in protest against the
“attacks on the houses of the Muslims and arson at the mosque by BJP goons”.
State
Congress president Birajit Sinha alleged the right-wing organisations were
attacking mosques and torching the houses and shops of Muslims during processions.
“We
are a secular country but the BJP doesn’t understand secularism. It tries to
secure votes by fanning communal passions but the people of Tripura are now
politically conscious. They are fed up with the BJP for looting the state and
failing on its commitments,” Sinha said.
Source:
New Indian Express
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
--------
South Asia
“The
Voices of Afghanistan” Afghan and American artists to play theatre to get
voices of Afghans heard
29
Oct 2021
Los
Angeles Writers’ Center is willing to play a verbatim theater piece to tell the
world about the dire situation of artists, journalists, women, and activists
and get their voices heard.
The
play has been named “the voices of Afghanistan”, compiled and co-written by
Che’Rae Adams and written by Che’Rae Adams, Jon Bastian, Jon Imparato, Brandon
Jones, Angeline Larimer, Caitlin Mayernik, Abdul-Khaliq Murtadha, Jaymes
Poling, and Amy Raasch, and will be played by the award-winning Afghan film,
TV, theater artist, and human rights activist Leena Alam and other non-Afghan
artists.
“The
Voice of Afghanistan” will be presented by LA writers and Howlround TV on
Friday, October 29.
Leena
Alam’s notable works are “Shereen” and “Killing of Farkhunda” and she believes
that art can be a great tool to educate and bring about change in societies
that are badly affected by lack of education and poverty in Afghanistan.
Source:
Khaama Press
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
UN
urgently needs cash in Afghanistan, but struggles for solution
Oct
28, 2021
WASHINGTON/NEW
YORK: The United Nations cannot get enough cash into Afghanistan to deliver
humanitarian aid to millions of people on the brink of starvation and is
struggling to develop options to help stabilize the collapsing economy, UN
officials said.
Ultimately
political solutions are needed, a senior UN official told Reuters on condition
of anonymity, an apparent reference to sanctions relief and for governments and
institutions to free up billions of dollars of Afghan assets held overseas.
In
the meantime UN agencies are scrambling to find ways to get large amounts of US
dollars into Afghanistan to combat a liquidity crisis that has taken hold since
the Taliban ousted the Western-backed government in August. The UN official
shared with Reuters some of the options being suggested.
The
delivery of US dollars to Afghanistan has stopped since the Islamist militants
seized power and if countries or international financial institutions don't
step up then the United Nations might have to fill the gap, said the official.
One
suggested option is using Afghanistan International Bank, which could bring in
and store money, but there are issues with insurance, the UN official said.
The
United Nations is also aware that no one option will work and several avenues
to get enough cash into Afghanistan are needed, the official said.
UN
secretary-general Antonio Guterres has called for the international monetary
fund to agree on waivers or mechanisms to get money into Afghanistan. The IMF
has blocked the Taliban from accessing some $440 million in new emergency
reserves.
Much
of the Afghan central bank's $10 billion in overseas assets have been frozen as
well, most of it in the United States. The US treasury has said there are no
plans to release the money.
"We
need to work together to make the economy breathe again and to help people
survive," Guterres said on Wednesday. "Injecting liquidity into the
Afghan economy can be done without violating international laws or compromising
principles."
Flying
in money not on table yet
The
United Nations has repeatedly warned that Afghanistan's economy is on the brink
of collapse and would likely further fuel a refugee crisis.
When
asked about UN efforts to get cash into Afghanistan, Mary-Ellen McGroarty, head
of the World Food Programme in Afghanistan, told reporters on Tuesday:
"The UN collective is looking at what potential solutions we could have,
but flying in money to the country is not on the table yet."
"What
we are using at the moment is the limited liquidity that is in the
country," she said. "But the longer this goes on, we're finding it's
becoming more and more difficult."
Some
8.7 million people are "one step away from starvation," said
McGroarty, adding: "There is a tsunami of destitution, incredible
suffering and hunger spiraling out of control."
The
Taliban is facing growing international pressure for an inclusive and
representative Afghan government and to uphold human rights, particularly those
of women and girls in return for international recognition and freeing up aid
and reserves.
Donors
and institutions are also seeking to avoid running afoul of UN and unilateral
sanctions on the Taliban.
Source:
Times of India
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Ashraf
Ghani’s chief of staff apologizes for supporting him
27
Oct 2021
Chief
of staff of Afghanistan’s former president Ashraf Ghani said that he made a big
mistake by supporting him and for that, he apologizes to the entire people of
the country.
Matin
Bek who has also fled Afghanistan after the collapse said, he was sorry for
campaigning for Ashraf Ghani and motivating people to vote for him.
He
said in the podcast that, it was very unfortunate for him to be using the
platform and the opportunity for apologizing to the nation.
“I
had lost my father, members of my family, and I dreamt a united and developed
country and was struggling for my dream Afghanistan. Today I realized that I
was deceived and betrayed.” Said Bek.
Matin
Bek accused the former Afghan president to have to be behind the collapse and
misery of Afghanistan and added that the real misery of the country began in
2014 when Ashraf Ghani was elected as president.
Source:
Khaama Press
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.khaama.com/ashraf-ghanis-chief-of-staff-apologizes-for-supporting-him-56856848/
--------
Southeast Asia
Philippines
postpones self-rule vote in Muslim region
29
October ,2021
The
Philippine government said Friday it will postpone elections key to ending
decades of sectarian bloodshed in a troubled Muslim region, with the pandemic
and a stalling peace process blamed for the delay.
The
vote was a key provision in a 2014 peace agreement aimed at ending a conflict
estimated to have claimed 150,000 lives and was due to take place next May in
the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
But
former rebels from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) group appointed to
lead a transitional government have said they needed more time before elections
to a local legislature can go ahead and the vote will instead be held in 2025.
“President
Rodrigo Roa Duterte signed... (the bill) yesterday resetting the elections in
the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao to 2025,” his spokesman
Harry Roque told reporters.
The
law grants Duterte the authority to appoint members of the 80-member transition
authority whose terms would end with the 2025 election, Roque said.
Former
MILF rebels have warned that the failure of the peace process would likely draw
disillusioned Muslim youths in the region towards the more hardline extremists
still waging an armed campaign in the southern Philippines.
But
restrictions imposed because of the pandemic and the transitional government’s
inability to draw up an election code had left them with little choice but to
delay the poll, Georgi Engelbrecht, senior analyst for the Brussels-based peace
monitor International Crisis Group, told AFP last month.
“The
extension is not the most perfect solution but nonetheless it’s a start,” he
said.
A
report by the monitor warned in April that the process of decommissioning the
MILF’s 40,000 fighters was “sputtering,” with fewer than a third having laid
down their weapons.
And
the Duterte government “has been slow to distribute to them the economic
packages meant to entice them to cooperate”, it added.
Violence
has also persisted despite the peace deal, with radical Islamic groups setting
up shop in what remains the poorest part of the country.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Muslims
must honour, respect fatwa
By
Datuk Ikbal Salam
October
28, 2021
The
majority of Muslims in our country do not possess comprehensive knowledge of syariah
law.
Therefore,
when dealing with matters pertaining to syariah law, they tend to look for the
opinion of religious teachers or asatizah who share their personal views on
social media.
It
must be understood that the act of searching for syariah rulings that solely
suit our lifestyle and personal desires instead of those that have been
carefully analysed by the proper authorities is forbidden.
The
Shariah Advisory Councils of Bank Negara Malaysia and the Securities Commission
have been empowered by the Central Bank of Malaysia Act 2009 and the Securities
Commission Act 1993, respectively, to regulate the issues on muamalat laws,
which rulings are now binding on the courts.
Similarly,
State Fatwa Councils have been empowered to make formal rulings or interpretations
on points of Islamic law. These are called fatwa, binding on every Muslim of
the respective states.
Therefore,
for the purpose of enforcement, the fatwa should also be binding on statutory
bodies, government agencies, institutions, organisations or bodies.
The
State Fatwa Council is given the authority to make fatwa within its
jurisdiction, particularly on how matters of Islamic law are governed, as
approved by the sultan as the head of Islam of the state.
The
council's guidance is crucial to protect the interests of the public and to
avoid misunderstandings or disputes on the understanding of the law.
The
safety and welfare of the public should be of utmost importance. Ergo, bringing
harmony to the public with the guidelines of fatwa should be a priority, as
opposed to the call for the rights of freedom from a small fragment of society.
Thus,
fatwa needs to be recognised as a vital source of law. Nowadays, issues in
syariah law often overlap with civil law, so much so that civil courts now also
review syariah law matters.
In
a recent case regarding the name "Bin Abdullah" for a Muslim
illegitimate child, the Federal Court was faced with the question of the
enforceability of the fatwa made by the National Fatwa Committee Council and
the Johor Fatwa Council prohibiting a Muslim illegitimate child from adopting
his father's name, in contrast with provisions under Section 13A of the Births
and Deaths Registration Act 1957 that give an illegitimate child the right to
do so.
The
Federal Court ultimately ruled that a gazetted fatwa is legally binding for a
government agency such as the National Registration Department in matters
pertaining to Muslim personal law.
Of
late, fatwa are seen with distaste as they are deemed "restrictive"
and "rigid", thus often challenged by some people who believe these
laws strip away their freedom, including those involving publications,
unauthorised movements or conveying of teachings, to name a few.
So,
it is highly pertinent for State Fatwa Councils to embrace the situation by
having council members well-versed in various disciplines ensure the process of
drafting fatwa is comprehensive, done with thorough research and debate and
take into consideration current affairs, development and needs of society.
In
an age where sharing content is effortless, fatwa are often vilified by the
public and those who consider themselves knowledgeable in Islamic affairs. This
results in the public criticising and degrading the fatwa.
Source:
New Straits Times
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.nst.com.my/opinion/columnists/2021/10/740663/muslims-must-honour-respect-fatwa
--------
Deepavali
SOP: Ministry says only fully vaccinated allowed at temples, cemeteries
28
Oct 2021
KUALA
LUMPUR, Oct 28 — Only fully vaccinated individuals are allowed to go to temples
and participate in religious activities in non-Muslim places of worship in conjunction
with the Deepavali celebration on November 4.
The
National Unity Ministry said the standard operating procedure (SOP) varies
depending on the phase of the National Recovery Plan (PPN).
For
the states in Phase Three and Four, religious activities and prayers at the
houses of worship are allowed for fully vaccinated individuals with attendance
capacity based on the size of the premises, taking into account physical
distancing of not less than one metre.
“Such
activities are allowed from 6am to 2pm and 4pm to 10pm. Only packed food is
allowed to be distributed and no dine-in activities are permitted at the
temples,” the ministry said in a statement today.
States
that are in Phase Three of the PPN are Perlis, Kedah, Penang, Perak, Kelantan,
Sabah and Sarawak. Meanwhile, Federal Territories of Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur,
Labuan, Selangor, Pahang, Negri Sembilan, Johor and Melaka are already in Phase
Four.
The
ministry also said that religious processions are also not allowed while
Deepavali bazaars are permitted but subject to approval from the local
authorities.
Source:
Malay Mail
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Society
needs to think logically, Azalina says over Timah row
Sean
Augustin
October
28, 2021
KUALA
LUMPUR: It is time for the government to educate society to think more
logically, Barisan Nasional’s Azalina Othman Said said, following the
controversy surrounding Timah, a Malaysian-made whisky.
The
Pengerang MP said that as a child, she had enjoyed eating A&W’s “Hot Dog”
which was subsequently rebranded as a “Coney”.
Azalina
said she should not be prevented from eating the fast food solely because of
its name. Some people had found the word “dog” in the name offensive.
“We
need to educate the public to think more logically and this is important,” she
said when debating amendments to the Trade Descriptions Act at the Dewan Rakyat
today.
Deputy
domestic trade and consumer affairs minister Rosol Wahid agreed with Azalina,
adding that he did not want this issue to become a precedent.
Rosol
said if this trend continues, “there would be no end to it”.
He
said as Muslims were prohibited from consuming alcohol, they would not buy such
beverages.
“So,
no matter what it is called, it is unimportant.”
Rosol
also agreed with Amanah’s Khalid Samad that the controversy had been
deliberately politicised and sensationalised by certain quarters.
Earlier
today, Pakatan Harapan’s Rusnah Aluai said the name “Timah” was a disservice to
women, adding that because it was associated with a Malay woman’s name,
drinking the whisky gave the impression that “we are drinking a Malay woman”.
Malaysian
distillery Winepak, which produces the whisky, is planning to change the
controversial brand name.
Source:
Free Malaysia Today
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Pakistan
Go
back or things will be out of my hands, Sheikh Rashid tells TLP protesters
October
29, 2021
Interior
Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed on Thursday called on the proscribed
Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) to stick to the promises it had made with the
government, warning that "things will be out of my hands" if the
group fails to do so.
The
minister made the comments while speaking on Geo News' programme 'Aaj Shahzeb
Khanzada Kay Saath' during which he spoke about the recent protests by the
group.
During
the show, the minister categorically stated that the government would stop the
group from entering Islamabad. He urged the protesters to turn back, otherwise
the state would be left with no choice but to "establish its writ".
The
minister said that while the government does not want violence, Prime Minister
Imran Khan would not allow the country to become "hostage".
Addressing
the TLP protesters, he said, "Your loss is our loss."
He
said that the group talked about the finality of Prophethood, something which
all Muslims believed in. "Why don't you believe us when we say that the
French envoy has left the country?"
He
stated that Pakistan was the centre of Islam and damaging the country would not
serve the religion in any way. "PM Imran is the first person to form the
Rehmatullil Alameen Authority and take the country towards making it a welfare
state like Madina."
The
minister said he had spoken to the TLP leadership — including the group's chief
Saad Hussain Rizvi — multiple times in recent days and would talk to them again
on Friday (tomorrow) and Saturday. "However, the talks would only be held
after [the TLP] returns."
He
said the Rangers had to be called in Punjab so that matters could be resolved,
adding that matters with the TLP remained unresolved till now. Ahmed said the
TLP had committed to unblocking roads and the group should fulfil its promise.
"Otherwise,
matters will go out of my hand," he warned.
He
said he had been trying to convince the TLP to keep its promises, "but if
you keep moving forward [towards Islamabad], you will have to be stopped at
some point".
"PM
Imran has shown as much flexibility [in the matter] as he could."
He
said while the government had accepted many of the TLP's demands, the latter
hadn't agreed to return to their headquarters.
"The
French ambassador is not in the country, a resolution [on the finality of
prophethood] has been moved in the National Assembly," he said, referring
to two of the TLP's demands. "Then what are you marching on Islamabad
for?"
Reiterating
that the prime minister had shown as much flexibility as was possible on the
matter, the minister said the government couldn't be forced to do something.
"Our
agreement with you still stands, but if you keep moving [towards Islamabad],
the government will have to establish its writ," he said while addressing
the protesters.
"The
government is being mocked across the world [for not establishing its
writ]," he said, adding that "matters should not reach a point of
no-return".
"This
time, PM Imran has decided that enough is enough."
The
government would try its best to establish its writ, he said, "I request
them (the TLP) to return ... But if they don't, whatever Allah wills will
happen."
He
said the premier had tried his best to resolve issues with the TLP, but the
government's writ had to be established, and the interior ministry was bound to
accept whatever order the premier would give.
Source:
Dawn
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Twin
cities cut off from most parts of country as TLP rally on way to Islamabad
Munawer
Azeem | Aamir Yasin | Mohammad Asghar
October
29, 2021
RAWALPINDI:
The twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad were virtually cut off from most
parts of the country after traffic on the Grand Trunk (GT) Road and railway
service to and from Lahore were suspended in the wake of the banned
Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP)’s protest rally from Lahore to Islamabad.
“As
the main bridge over Jhelum River was closed, all trains between Rawalpindi and
Lahore have stopped operations,” said a senior Pakistan Railways official.
The
GT Road was already closed at Jhelum to prevent the TLP rally from moving to
Islamabad.
Mohammad
Naseer, a passenger at the Rawalpindi railway station, said he reached the
railway station to go to Lahore as there were reports of a protest rally on the
GT Road.
Ahsan
Malik said he wanted to go to Gujranwala but no transport was available.
When
contacted, Usman Anwar, Pakistan Railways Divisional Commercial Officer, said
the train service to Lahore was suspended but the Rawalpindi-Peshawar track was
opened.
After
closure of G.T. Road, railway authorities suspend service between Rawalpindi and
Lahore
He
said as soon as the Jhelum bridge would be opened, the train service would
resume.
Murree
Road still sealed
The
closure of roads towards Islamabad from Rawalpindi city continued on Thursday.
Murree
Road and its sliproadswere blocked bycontainersand cordoned off by the police.
Civil Lines, Jhanda Chichi, Chaklala Scheme-III and Garibabad and other
localities have been affected due to the road closures.
Markets,
petrol pumps and CNG stations in the area also remainedclosed.
Educational
institutions on Murree Road remained closed for the second day and would not
open on Friday as well.
Some
women were seen stuck at Kutchery Chowk. “We had gone to Moti Bazaar for
shopping and when reached Marrir Chowk the road wasclosedand there was no
public transport,” said Salamat Bibi, a resident of Rehmatabad near Chaklala.
Meanwhile,
11 of the 142 TLP activists arrested from the twin cities were released from
Adiala Jail.
More
than 320 activists of the banned outfit had been listed for detention in order
to prevent them from joining the protest march to Islamabad.
Security
in the garrison city remained on high alert as police have been deployed at
various points.
The
district police officers of four districts of Punjab reported to Regional
Police Officer Rawalpindi Imran Ahmar along with extra force.
All
the six district police chiefs who had been directed to report to the RPO
Rawalpindi along with extra police force have been stationed in Jhelum to
prevent the TLP march to Islamabad.
Diplomats
briefed on security measures
Officers
of the capital police met diplomats of different countries to address their
security concerns.
Senior
officers of the capital administration told Dawn on condition of anonymity that
a number of embassies had raised concerns over the security of diplomats, staff
and the Diplomatic Enclave.
Over
the concerns, the police held a meeting with diplomats of over a dozen
countries, mostly from Europe, inside the Diplomatic Enclave.
The
meeting was attended by police officers and foreign police liaison officers of
the embassies.
During
the meeting, the police informed them about the security measures in and around
the enclave.
There
are six entry points to the enclave and two of them were already closed
permanently. After the announcement of the protest march, two more entry points
were sealed.
Source:
Dawn
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Mideast
From
Tehran to Jerusalem, Uzbekistan bridges Israeli-Muslim divide
By
TOVAH LAZAROFF
OCTOBER
28, 2021
TASHKENT
– In Uzbekistan’s capital, Tashkent, with its wide boulevards, mosques and
modern coffee shops, geopolitics almost seems irrelevant when it comes to
Israel.
Here
is a country, with ties to Iran, that is in conversation with the Taliban in
neighboring Afghanistan. A largely secular Muslim country, it has recognized
Palestine as a state since 1994, but the topic of Boycott, Divestment and
Sanctions doesn’t seem to be part of the conversation.
The
Central Asian nation of 35 million is due to celebrate its 30th anniversary of
formal diplomatic ties with Israel next year, and has a Jewish community that
some speculate has been in existence since the time of King David.
As
part of the government’s push toward Western-style democracy and with an eye to
its struggles with water scarcity, Uzbekistan wants to strengthen its ties with
the Jewish state.
It’s
a drive that been promoted by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, who earlier this
week secured a second term.
WHEN
IT comes to Israel there is “heart-to-heart” diplomacy, explained former Uzbek
foreign minister Sodiq Safoyev, who now is the first deputy chairman of the
Senate.
He
explained that he feels a strong personal and diplomatic connection to Israel,
a country he admires but has never visited.
“We
have one of the oldest Jewish communities that dates back more than 2,000
years,” and which made significant contributions “to the development of this
region,” Safoyev said.
“I
cannot imagine Uzbek culture without the contribution of the Jewish community
of Uzbekistan,” he explained.
It’s
believed that the Uzbekistan Jewish community dates back at least to the time
of the Babylonian exile, if not before.
Historically,
the Jews were centered in Bukhara and Samarkand, believed to be one of the
burial site for the bones of the biblical prophet Daniel.
A
former Soviet bloc country, Uzbekistan in modern times also hosted Ashkenazi
Jews from Eastern Europe who fled the Nazis during World War II.
Prior
to the fall of the Soviet Union, the Jewish community was estimated to be as large
as 250,000, but most of its members have since immigrated to Israel or the
United States, leaving only some 10,000 Jews in the country, mostly in
Tashkent.
Safoyev
said that those Jews have played an important role in helping cement ties
between Uzbekistan and Israel.
Its
openness to the Jewish state is part of the country’s branding of itself as the
global center of enlightened and liberal Islam, at a time when Islamic
fundamentalism elsewhere is rising.
“Uzbekistan
is the center of Islamic civilization. All the main achievements of Islamic
thought were created here,” Safoyev said.
To
cement the country’s historical place in Muslim history, the government is in
the process of building what will be the largest center for Islamic research.
When
the new Center for Islamic Civilization is completed, the complex will
encompass the historic Hast-Imam complex which includes a museum that houses
one of the oldest copies of the Koran, which is written on deerskin, and dates
back possibly to the 7th century.
When
Reuven Rivlin was president of Israel, he sent a Hebrew translation of the
Koran written by his father to Uzbekistan, which is on display in that museum
just one room away from the ancient Koran.
Safoyev
said that coexistence between Jews and Muslims is important to Uzbekistan.
“Islam
is inclined to peace and coexistence and respect for other religions,” he said.
In
Uzbekistan, a landlocked country where balancing competing geopolitical
interests is a diplomatic necessity, the ability of its diplomats to maintain
ties with a wide range of countries is part of its national ethos.
Long
before last year’s Abraham Accords allowed for the normalization of ties
between Israel and its Arab neighbors, a number of Muslim countries, such as
Uzbekistan, already had a history of formal diplomatic ties with Israel.
As
part of its commitment to the Jewish state, the government brought a group of
Israeli journalists to Uzbekistan last weekend at its own expense so they could
learn firsthand about the country.
HISTORY
IS not the only issue. The economy also plays a large role in Uzbekistan’s
interest in Israel.
“We
want to bring more Jewish and Israeli businesses to Uzbekistan, to enlarge the
number of investment opportunities, particularly drip irrigation,” Safoyev
said.
Ambassador
to Uzbekistan Zehavit Ben Hillel said that “Uzbekistan is a leading country in
Central Asia, so it is important to continue the good relations with this
country.”
Technology
has been a significant tool in that endeavor, she said.
Uzbekistan’s
main crop was cotton, and there was an interest in replacing the old method of
flooding the fields with drip irrigation, such as the kind that Israel excels
at.
Ikramov
Adkham Ilkhamovich, who chairs Uzbekistan’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry,
said that Israel’s water management was one of the best in the world, and its
water-saving technologies are of great interest to his country given its battle
with drought.
“In
2016 we knew little about drip irrigation. But in a five years’ time span we
have covered 300,000 hectares with drip irrigation,” he said, adding that the
move had increased productivity as well. This includes all crops, Ilkhamovich
added.
Next
year, he said, Uzbekistan plans to cover 1.2 million hectares with drip
irrigation.
Ilkhamovich
said Israel has increased its agriculture yield eightfold through drip
irruption, and that his country wants to follow suit.
“Now
we are at the beginning stage of learning how to export fresh and dried
fruits,” and “we are interested in Israel’s experience in this area,” he said.
Israel,
Ilkhamovich said, can benefit from his country’s silk, leather and copper
production. It also produces plastics and uranium.
Trade
between the two countries stands at about $40 million-$45m., but this could be
vastly expanded not just through hi-tech agriculture, but also through tourism,
education and medical initiatives.
“Israel,
for us, was always a very important country,” said Dilorom Fayzieva, who chairs
the Uzbek legislature’s International Affairs Committee. The Knesset and the
parliament are also looking to improve their ties, she said.
Earlier
this year, former Knesset speaker Yariv Levin (Likud) held the first formal
meeting of anyone in his position with the chairwoman of the Senate of
Uzbekistan, Tanzila Norbaeva, when the two spoke over Zoom.
TO
BEST understand the balancing act that Uzbekistan maintains in its foreign
relations, Safoyev said, one has to look at the fact that the country is
landlocked and must have good relations with all its neighbors, particularly
when it comes to transport.
“As
Napoleon said, ‘If you want to understand the foreign policy of any country,
you should study its geography,” Safoyev said.
Both
the Afghanistan corridor and the one that runs through Turkmenistan and Iran
offer it the best route to the sea.
Uzbekistan
maintains good relations with Tehran, he said.
‘Iran
is an important regional power” and through its run “our main trade routes to
Europe and Middle East,” he added.
In
that same way, he said, his country has been in conversation with the Taliban
since its takeover of Afghanistan during the summer, even though it has not
established formal ties with its government.
“The
whole world is watching closely what is going on in Afghanistan,” Safoyev said.
There
is no immediate plan to normalize ties, but sustained dialogue is important, he
added.
Safoyev
said he believes that “the whole world community appreciates the fact that
Uzbekistan is a channel of systematic dialogue with the current rulers of
Afghanistan,” he explained.
This
corridor of communication allows Uzbekistan to help prevent a humanitarian
crisis in that country, Safoyev said, adding that he opposed sanctions against
the Taliban that would harm the Afghani population.
“We
should not punish people. It would be them who would suffer from any kind of a
blockade or freezing of assets,” Safoyev said.
It’s
an important step to prevent a wave of refugees from Afghanistan and to keep
the country from becoming a haven for terrorists as it was in the past before
the US forces were in the country.
Source:
JP Post
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Iran
Calls for UNSC's Pressure on Israel to End Occupation of Golan Heights
2021-October-28
“Aggressions
and destabilizing measures of the Israeli regime constitute flagrant violations
of international law and continue to threaten regional and international peace
and security,” Takht Ravanchi said, addressing a UNSC meeting on Syria on
Wednesday.
He
hailed efforts by the UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen to hold a sixth
meeting of the country’s Constitutional Committee, saying its work must be
complemented by other efforts, including by putting an end to the foreign
occupation of Syria without any precondition or further delay.
“We
emphasize again that the Committee must continue its work without any external
interference or pressure. Setting any artificial deadline for its conclusion or
any other conditions of such nature will negatively impact the Committee’s work
and must therefore be avoided,” the top Iranian diplomat added.
It
must be ensured that this will be a truly Syrian-led political process that
belongs to Syria and is being facilitated by the United Nations, he noted.
Takht
Ravanchi slammed the assassination of former Syrian lawmaker Midhat Saleh
al-Saleh by Israeli snipers in the occupied Golan Heights earlier this month as
one of the regime’s latest “adventurist practices”.
“We
condemn, in the strongest terms, this criminal act as well as all violations of
the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria by the Israeli regime, and
reaffirm Syria’s inherent right to self-defense and to respond at a time and
place of its choosing,” the senior Iranian diplomat added.
Saleh,
who had been imprisoned in Israel for 12 years, was killed by gunfire while
returning home in the Syrian village of Ain al-Tinah opposite the
Israeli-occupied town of Majdal Shams in Golan on October 16.
Takht
Ravanchi also condemned the terrorist attack in the Syrian capital of Damascus
on October 20, saying such acts underscore the need to continue the fight
against all terrorist groups unabated.
Two
bombs attached to an army bus went off in Damascus, leaving at least 14 people
dead and several others injured.
The
official said Iran rejected any “separatist activities and illegitimate self-rule
initiatives” in Syria as well as any efforts to support them.
He
voiced concerns over the grim humanitarian situation in Syria, calling for more
efforts to alleviate the sufferings of the Syrian people in need, including
pursuing a non-political approach to the dispatch of humanitarian aid and
supporting the war-ravaged country’s reconstruction.
He
called for the lifting of “unlawful and inhumane” sanctions unilaterally
imposed against Syria, which are used to collectively punish a whole nation.
Takht
Ravanchi warned that sanctions would not only increase the suffering of the
Syrian people, but would adversely affect the activities of the UN and
international and national humanitarian organizations in the Arab country.
He
called for the allocation of more aid to Syria and for steps to be taken to
ensure that the aid does not fall into the hands of terrorist groups.
Takht
Ravanchi once again reiterated Iran’s principled stance that the Syrian crisis
should be solved through peaceful channels and in accordance with international
law, particularly respect for the countries’ sovereignty and territorial
integrity and non-interference in their internal and external affairs.
Source:
Fars News Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Spokesman
Slams UN Human Rights Rapporteur for Underreporting Impacts of Economic
Terrorism on Iran
2021-October-28
“The
special rapporteur should, to begin with, wake up from [his] deep sleep and
condemn the devastating effects of the economic terrorism on the Iranians’
access to [their] bare necessities, including medical and pharmaceutical items
during the coronavirus pandemic,” Khatibzadeh said on Wednesday.
He
was referring to the US sanctions that were impeding the access, and
Washington’s way of forcing third countries into abiding by the coercive
economic measures or risk coming under “secondary sanctions”.
Khatibzadeh
called the claims made in the report that had based some of its contents on
alleged information provided by foreign-based anti-Iran terrorist groups
“spiteful and worthless” as well as “confrontational”.
He
said the report had been devised based on a selective approach and denounced
the document for being issued in pursuance of political goals.
As
a democratic establishment, the spokesman asserted, the Islamic Republic has
invariably taken steps towards expansion and enhancement of the human rights on
the national, regional, and international levels on the basis of its religious
and legal commitments.
“The
report can, under no circumstances, provide a real and veritable evaluation of
the situation of human rights in Iran,” Khatibzadeh concluded.
On
Monday, Rehman read his report to the UN General Assembly’s committee on human
rights, in which he criticized Iran’s human rights situation and the country’s
justice system.
Head
of the Iranian Judiciary's High Council for Human Rights Kazzem Qaribabadi
rejected the report on Tuesday, warning against misapplication of the issue of
human rights as a “commodity and an instrument” for subjecting independent and
developing countries to pressure.
“At
a time when the world is suffering from the attitudes and policies of such
Western countries like the United States, issuance of such a report against the
Islamic Republic, which, itself, is a victim of these countries’ actions is a
completely political and diversionary measure,” he said.
Source:
Fars News Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Europe
European
countries urge Israel to halt building plans in West Bank
Alyssa
McMurtry
28.10.2021
Germany,
Belgium, Denmark, Spain, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Holland, Norway,
Poland and Sweden released a joint statement on Thursday insisting that Israel
halt its plans to expand settlements in occupied Palestinian territories.
“We
urge the Israeli Government to revoke its decision to advance the construction
plans for around 3,000 new homes in the West Bank settlements,” said the
statement, which was released by Spain’s Foreign Affairs Ministry.
The
12 European nations highlighted that Israel’s plans “violate international law
and undermine the efforts going into making a two-state solution a reality.”
They
called on all parties to respect the UN Security Council Resolution 2334, which
states that Israel’s settlement activity is a "flagrant violation" of
international law and has "no legal validity."
On
Wednesday, Israel’s Higher Planning Council approved a decision to build 3,144
settlement units in the West Bank.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Senior
Turkish official meets EU commissioner for enlargement
Beyza
Binnur Donmez
28.10.2021
ANKARA
Turkey’s
diplomat in charge of EU relations on Thursday met with the EU commissioner for
enlargement to discuss bilateral ties.
"We
discussed the necessity and basic elements of advancing Turkey-European Union
relations in line with the positive agenda," Deputy Foreign Minister Faruk
Kaymakci, in charge of EU affairs, tweeted of his meeting with Oliver Varhelyi
in Brussels, the bloc’s de facto capital.
Kaymakci
also attached images of the meeting.
Varhelyi
also tweeted that he welcomed Kaymakci at the EU Commission to "discuss
the outlook for EU-Turkey bilateral relations."
Turkey,
a candidate for EU membership since 1999, began its accession talks with the
bloc in 2005.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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India
Wankhede
Family Followed Islam; Name of Sameer's Father Is Dawood: Dr Zaheed Qureshi,
NCB Officer's Ex-Father-In-Law
29th
October 2021
MUMBAI:
The father of the first wife of NCB's Mumbai zonal director Sameer Wankhede on
Thursday claimed that he always knew the Wankhede family as followers of Islam
and that the name of the officer's father was Dawood.
Talking
to reporters, Dr Zaheed Qureshi said that when his daughter Shabana married
Sameer Wankhede, the latter practised Islam, and would occasionally visit
mosques.
He
also said that he came know about Wankhede being a Hindu after a recent
controversy over his birth certificate.
His
claim came against the backdrop of Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Nawab
Malik's allegations that Sameer Wankhede was born as a Muslim, but forged
documents, including a caste certificate, to show that he belonged to the Hindu
SC category to get a job under quota after clearing the UPSC examination.
After
Malik's allegation, the NCB officer had said that his father Dnyandev Kachruji
Wankhede was a Hindu and his late mother Zaheeda was a Muslim.
He
said his father retired as senior police inspector of the state Excise
department, Pune, in June 2007.
"We
always knew the Wankhede family as followers of Islam. In fact, I always knew
Dnyandev as Dawood Wankhede. We agreed to the marriage of my daughter Dr
Shabana with Sameer because we had cordial relations with his late mother
Zaheeda," Dr Qureshi said.
"It
was an arranged marriage between Dr Shabana and Sameer, which took place in
2006. However, after the divorce, as it was a painful thing for us and we never
discussed it and buried it in our minds. We even moved on with our lives,"
he said.
When
asked about how he came to know about Wankhede's claim of being a Hindu,
Qureshi said, "After the controversy broke out about Sameer Wankhede and
his birth certificate, my family came to know about it. In fact I knew late
Zaheeda's husband's name as Dawood. I knew Sameer used to go to mosque
occasionally."
Explaining
his decision to break his silence over the matter, he said, "When Sameer
claimed that he has been a Hindu since his birth, many people asked me how I
allowed my daughter to marry him (a Hindu). It became an issue of prestige for
me and my family. Hence I am making it clear that when the marriage between my
daughter Shabana and Sameer Wankhede took place, the groom was practising
Islam. His father's name was Dawood."
Two
years after Wankhede's marriage, he had secured a government job.
Responding
to a question related Wankhede seeking a job under quota, Qureshi said,
"When Sameer got the job, nobody inquired how he bagged it. You generally
don't go so deep into someone else's life. In those days, it was not even a
practice to find out whether the job is sought through some quota or not."
Responding
to the claim made by Sameer Wankhede's father that his name was Dyandev and not
Dawood, he said, "All the documents shown by Dnyandev Wankhede are before
his marriage with Zaheeda. He has not shown any document after his marriage. He
accepted Islam then married to Zaheeda and lived a life of a normal
Muslim."
"I
have no idea how our personal photos and information has come out in media. We
have done nothing or did not help anyone for it," he said.
Sameer
Wankhede had earlier said that he married Dr Shabana Qureshi in 2006 under the
Special Marriage Act.
Both
of them divorced mutually through a civil court in 2016.
Later,
in 2017, he married actor Kranti Redkar.
On
Monday, Malik had claimed that Wankhede is a Muslim by birth, and alleged that
by "hiding" his religion, he (Wankhede) obtained fake documents and
through this, the right of a backward class candidate was snatched.
However,
Wankhede had said that he belongs to a "composite, multi-religious and
secular family in true Indian tradition" and he is proud of his heritage.
On
Wednesday, the Qazi who had performed the first marriage of Sameer Wankhede,
claimed the officer belonged to a Muslim family otherwise the 'Nikah' would not
have been solemnised as per Islam.
An
NCB team led by Wankhede earlier this month allegedly seized drugs onboard a
cruise ship off the Mumbai coast following which Aryan Khan, son of Bollywood
superstar Shah Rukh Khan, was arrested on October 3.
Malik
has repeatedly termed the cruise drugs bust case as "fake".
Malik
on Thursday sought to know why no action was taken against organisers of the
cruise party.
He
also claimed that an organiser of the cruise party was a "friend" of
the Narcotics Control Bureau's (NCB) Mumbai zonal director Sameer Wankhede.
An
NCB team led by Wankhede had on October 2 raided the cruise ship off the Mumbai
coast and claimed to have seized drugs.
The
federal anti-drugs agency later arrested actor Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan Khan
and others in connection with the case.
Speaking
to reporters here, Malik said, "A person with a beard, who was present on
the cruise, is the head of Fashion TV, which had organised the alleged drugs
party on the Cordelia cruise. The NCB has already claimed that a rave party was
planned on the cruise."
"How
come such a big party was organised without any permission? Why no action has
been taken against Kashif Khan, who is the India head of Fashion TV and a
friend of Sameer Wankhede?" the NCP leader asked.
Source:
New Indian Express
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'Govt
pretending to be blind, deaf': Rahul Gandhi hits out at BJP over violence in
Tripura
October
29, 2021
Lashing
out at the government, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday alleged that
Muslims are being attacked in Tripura and asked how long the government will
pretend to be deaf and blind.
Those
indulging in violence under the guise of protecting Hinduism are not Hindus but
hypocrites, Rahul Gandhi said.
Rahul
Gandhi on Thursday tweeted in Hindi: "Our Muslim brothers are being
brutalised in Tripura. Those who perpetrate hatred and violence in the name of
Hindus are not Hindus but hypocrites."
Using
the hashtag "#TripuraRiots", Rahul Gandhi asked, "How long will
the government keep pretending to be blind and deaf?"
A
mosque, some shops and houses were allegedly vandalised during a VHP protest
rally in Tripura. The local administration has now imposed restrictions under
Section 144 to bring the situation under control. Three houses and a few shops,
reportedly owned by members of the minority community, were also ransacked in
nearby Rowa Bazar.
Source:
India Today
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
TN:
Police thwart attempt of Hindu Munnani activists to enter University during
Periyar-Islam lecture
by
Janardhan Koushik
October
29, 2021
Hindu
Munnani activists have alleged that they were prevented by police from entering
the Manonmaniam Sundaranar University (MSU) in Tirunelveli district of Tamil
Nadu on Wednesday. The state secretary of the outfit said that they went to the
university campus to attend a lecture on ‘Periyar and Islam’.
Notably,
the Centre for the Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy in
association with the Department of Sociology at the MSU had organised the
second lecture of the ‘Samooga Needhi and Arivoli (Social Justice and
Enlightenment)’ series on ‘Periyar and Islam’. Riyaz Ahmed, the joint editor of
‘Puthiya Vidiyal’, was the guest speaker.
Reports
said that just as the lecture was about to commence on Wednesday morning around
11 am, members of Hindu Munnani demanded that they be allowed to enter the
university. Police deployed outside the main gate prevented them from entering
the campus, leading to heated arguments.
Speaking
to indianexpress.com, Hindu Munnani State Secretary K Kutralanathan, who led
the protest on Wednesday, said they never asked the cops to cancel the lecture
but wanted to attend the event to check if the lecture had any objectionable
content.
“An
announcement was made by the university on behalf of the Sociology department
that a lecture on Periyar and Islam would be held with Riyaz Ahmed as the guest
speaker. He is the joint editor of Puthiya Vidiyal, a mouthpiece of an
organisation that was banned in Jharkhand. We asked the university how they can
invite such a person for a lecture, but there was no reply from the
authorities. We never demanded that the lecture be cancelled, we just said that
we needed to see what the lecture was about but the police did not allow us
inside. None of the members of the management came to sort out the issue. What
is the need for an educational institution to organize a lecture on issues
related to religion? Will they allow me if I organise something similar on
Hindu religion?” he said.
Kutralanathan
further said that even in the past, the MSU had been the “breeding ground for
many anti-national movements”.
“Districts
like Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Tenkasi share borders with Kerala. There have
been instances of ISIS men being arrested in the region. Therefore, to bring a
person from a banned organisation raises questions regarding the motive of such
lectures. We have sent an e-mail to the Governor of Tamil Nadu, we hope he will
take necessary action,” he added.
Dr
S Samuel Asir Raj, the director of the Centre for the Study of Social Exclusion
and Inclusive Policy at the MSU, said, “Normally, I conduct a series of
lectures on important issues. This time, the theme was ‘Social Justice and
Enlightenment’. My aim was to conduct a seven-part lecture on ‘Periyar and
Social Justice’. The inaugural lecture was conducted in October. Poet Arul
Nithi spoke on ‘Periyar and Women’ that day. The second lecture of the series
was on ‘Periyar and Islam’. We gave the invite only to departments inside the
university but somehow a picture of the invite was taken and it was shared with
outsiders as well. Hindu Munnani members are claiming that the speaker of the
event belongs to some banned organisation but as far as I know, that
organisation is not banned in Tamil Nadu. Basically, these members don’t want
colleges and universities to discuss Periyar,” he said.
Samuel
further said that he was asked by the management to drop the event fearing an
untoward incident.
He
said the vice-chancellor told him that he cannot provide a hall to conduct the
event as he had reports that Hindu Munnani members were planning to stop the
lecture.
“Last
Saturday, I received a call from the registrar stating that I should cancel my
event. I told them that we are looking at how Periyar viewed the Muslims in the
Tamil community. I also told him that we have the academic freedom to discuss
Ambedkar, Periyar here. But the registrar said the vice-chancellor had
instructed them to drop the event. I said I will not drop my event nor change
my guest or topic. Then I was told I won’t be given a hall to conduct the
event. I told them that the duty of a university is to protect its faculty and
we cannot bow down to such threats,” Samuel added.
Samuel
claimed that they were told to wrap up the event within an hour as other
members of the university found it difficult to enter and exit the university
with the deployment of police and protests taking place at the entrance. “I am
planning to go ahead with my next lecture in November, it will be on ‘Periyar
and Reservation’. I would have been happier if the members of Hindu Munnani
were allowed inside on Wednesday and we could have had a debate in a healthy
manner. I believe in freedom of expression.
Source:
Indian Express
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
Indianexpress.com
tried to contact MSU registrar but the calls went unanswered.
--------
‘Hybrid’
terrorist on mission to target shopkeeper killed in Baramulla: Kashmir IGP
M
Saleem Pandit
Oct
29, 2021
SRINAGAR:
A local "hybrid" terrorist from Kulgam was killed in retaliatory fire
after he shot at Army personnel in Cherdari area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla
district on Thursday morning, Kashmir IGP Vijay Kumar said.
The
newly coined term "hybrid terrorist" refers to a person not formally
part of a terror outfit but who assists terrorists in their activities.
Kumar
said the slain terrorist was identified as Javed Ahmad Wani of Kulgam who, he
claimed, was on a mission to target a shopkeeper in Baramulla.
"Incriminating materials, including arms and ammunition, were seized after
the encounter," he added.
Meanwhile,
the J&K police tweeted: "Terrorists fired on ADP of Army and police in
Cherdari, Baramulla. Alert parties retaliated and one terrorist was killed. One
pistol, one loaded magazine & one hand grenade was recovered from his
possession (sic)."
Source:
Times of India
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
What
does Islam have to do with cricket matches? asks Asaduddin Owaisi
October
28, 2021
All
India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday
condemned Pakistan Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed's statement on the
country's win against India in T20 World Cup Match and asked, "What does
Islam have to do with cricket matches?"
Earlier
on Monday, Pakistan Minister Sheikh Rasheed stated that Pakistan's win against
India at the T20 World Cup 2021 was a 'victory for Islam'.
"A
minister of our neighbouring country said that Pakistan's win against India in
the T 20 World Cup match was a victory for Islam...What does Islam have to do
with cricket matches?," said Owaisi while addressing a public gathering in
Muzaffarnagar yesterday.
"Thanks
to Allah that our elders did not go there (Pakistan), otherwise we would have
to see these madmen," he added.
Source:
India TV
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Arab World
Child
among 13 killed by Houthi missile in Yemen: Military
29
October ,2021
A
child was among 13 people killed when a missile fired by the Iran-backed Houthi
militia struck a tribal leader’s home south of the strategic city of Marib,
military and medical sources said Friday.
For
the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
“A
Houthi ballistic missile hit the house of Sheikh Abdul Latif al-Qibli in
Al-Jawba on Thursday evening during a meeting with tribal leaders fighting on
the government’s side,” a government military official said.
“Thirteen
people, including a child, were killed,” he said. The death toll was confirmed
by a medical source in the area.
Marib,
capital of the oil-rich province of the same name, is the internationally
recognized government’s last bastion in northern Yemen.
The
Iran-backed Houthis began a major push to seize the city in February and, after
a lull, they have renewed their offensive in recent weeks.
They
claimed this week to have reached the vicinity of Marib city and to have nearly
surrounded it.
As
well as the child, Thursday evening’s missile strike also killed four tribal
leaders, said the military official.
Yemen’s
Information Minister Moammar al-Eryani said on Twitter that at least 12 people
were killed, including two sons of Qibli, whose fate was unknown.
The
Houthi “militia continues to systematically and deliberately bombard villages
and homes... in order to inflict max casualties among civilians” forcing
hundreds of families and displaced to flee, he wrote.
The
Arab Coalition backing Yemen’s government has been conducting a fierce air
campaign since October 11 to prevent the Houthis from reaching Marib city.
Since
then, around 2,000 Houthi fighters have been killed in al-Jawba about 50
kilometers (30 miles) south of Marib and two other districts, according to the
coalition.
The
Houthis rarely comment on losses, and AFP could not independently verify the
toll.
Fierce
fighting has gripped al-Jawba district in recent days, according to the
military official.
Yemen’s
civil war began in 2014 when the Houthis seized the capital Sanaa, 120
kilometers west of Marib, prompting Arab forces to intervene to prop up the
government the following year.
Tens
of thousands of people have died and millions have been displaced in what the
United Nations calls the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.
Marib
city had between 20,000 and 30,000 inhabitants before the war but its
population ballooned to hundreds of thousands as Yemenis fled frontline cities
for its relative stability.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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Lebanese
President Aoun asks Russian envoy for satellite images dating to port blast
29
October ,2021
Lebanese
President Michel Aoun has officially asked the Russian envoy for satellite
images dating back to the August 2020 port blast in Beirut, according to a
tweet from the Lebanese presidency.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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US
sanctions Hezbollah-backed MP, two Lebanese businessmen over corruption
28
October ,2021
The
US sanctioned two Lebanese businessmen and one lawmaker on Thursday for
“contributing to the breakdown of the rule of law in Lebanon,” the Treasury
Department said.
And
for the first time, an individual widely believed to be backed by former Prime
Minister Saad Hariri was added to the list.
Jihad
al-Arab, a wealthy businessman in Lebanon, Dany Khoury, close to the
also-sanctioned Gebran Bassil, and MP Jamil al-Sayyed were designated in the
latest announcement.
“These
individuals, who are members of Lebanon’s business and political elite, are
being designated pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13441, which targets
persons contributing to the breakdown of the rule of law in Lebanon,” a statement
from the Treasury Department read.
Secretary
of State Antony Blinken said the US was sanctioning the three men in
“solidarity with the Lebanese people, who have long demanded accountability,
transparency, and an end to endemic corruption.”
Al-Arab
is a wealthy businessman and was sanctioned for being awarded contracts in
exchange for kickback payments to government officials, the Treasury Department
said. Arab announced he was closing his businesses and leaving Lebanon earlier
this year and is widely seen as one of the most corrupt men in Lebanon.
Treasury
accused al-Arab of being an intermediary in 2014 to broker a meeting between
top Lebanese officials ahead of the 2016 presidential election, “in exchange
for two government contracts valued at approximately $200 million.”
Thursday’s
announcement also cited two different contracts al-Arab received, one worth $18
million and another worth $288 million, due to his ties with powerful
politicians.
Washington
said Khoury is “a close business associate of US-designated Gebran Bassil,” and
because of his ties with Lebanon’s former top diplomat, he received “large
public contracts that have reaped him millions of dollars while failing to
meaningfully fulfill the terms of those contracts.”
Khoury
is notorious for being awarded a contract worth more than $100 million from the
government to operate a landfill along Lebanon’s coastline in the heavily
populated Burj Hammoud district. Khoury’s company has “been accused of dumping
toxic waste and refuse into the Mediterranean Sea, poisoning fisheries, and
polluting Lebanon’s beaches, all while failing to remedy the garbage crisis,”
Treasury said.
As
for al-Sayyed, one of the more disliked MPs in Lebanon, Treasury said he
“sought to skirt domestic banking policies and regulations and was aided by a
senior government official in transferring over $120 million to overseas
investments.”
He
is close to Hezbollah and Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad. He is also the
former head of Lebanon’s General Security and called on Lebanese security
officials to shoot and kill protesters during the 2019 uprising when people
demonstrated in front of his home.
The
MP tweeted that he would hold a press conference to respond to the sanctions
announcement on Friday.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Saudi
air defences intercept, destroy five ballistic Houthi missiles targeting Jazan
28
October ,2021
Saudi
Arabia’s air defenses have intercepted and destroyed five ballistic missiles
launched by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi militia toward Jazan, the Arab Coalition
said in a statement on Thursday.
The
defenses the “Houthi militia’s hostile attempts to target civilians and
civilian objects,” the Coalition said in a statement carried by the official
Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
“We
are taking the necessary measures to neutralize specific capabilities in
accordance with international humanitarian law.”
The
Houthis have continuously attempted to target regions of Saudi Arabia using
explosive-laden drones, missiles and booby-trapped boats.
Since
January, the Iran-backed militia ramped up their attacks on the Kingdom and
launched dozens of cross-border aerial attacks on Saudi Arabia.
The
Houthis have also targeted civilian areas and energy facilities in the Kingdom.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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Africa
Nigeria
kills Islamic State's new West Africa chief in military operation: army
28
October, 2021
Nigeria's
army said on Thursday it had killed the new leader of insurgent group Islamic
State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in a military operation this month, two
weeks after announcing the death of the group's former head Abu Musab
Al-Barnawi.
ISWAP
is an offshoot of the Boko Haram insurgent group that has been fighting against
the Nigerian armed forces for over a decade. The two militant groups later
turned on each other.
The
conflict, which has spilled into neighbouring Chad and Cameroon, has left about
300,000 dead and millions dependent on aid, the United Nations says.
Army
spokesman Brigadier Benard Onyuko said in a statement that Nigerian troops had
conducted several land and air raids on suspected insurgent locations, during
which ISWAP's new leader, Malam Bako, was killed.
"In
the course of the operations within the period, a total of 38 terrorist
elements were neutralized, including the ISWAP's new leader, Bako," Onyuko
said without elaborating.
Bako's
death could not be independently verified, and there was no immediate
confirmation from ISWAP.
Source:
The New Arab
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://english.alaraby.co.uk/news/nigeria-kills-islamic-states-new-west-africa-chief-army
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IMF
says it is ‘premature’ to comment on implications of Sudan coup
28
October ,2021
The
International Monetary Fund said on Thursday it is “premature” to comment on
implications of recent events in Sudan, where the army staged a coup earlier
this week.
“It
is premature to comment on the implications of recent events in Sudan, but we
are monitoring the developments carefully,” the Fund said in a statement.
At
least 11 people have died in confrontations between soldiers and anti-coup
protesters.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Ethiopia
claims airstrike destroys rebel equipment, locals say civilians killed
Andrew
Wasike and Addis Getachew
29.10.2021
Ethiopia
said on Thursday that its air force destroyed a military equipment maintenance
site run by rebels in Mekele, the regional capital of Tigray.
"Today
in Mekele an ENDF (Ethiopian National Defense Forces) airstrike destroyed the
second part of Mesfin industrial engineering. The facility was used by the TPLF
(Tigray People's Liberation Front) terrorist group for maintaining its military
equipment," the government communication service told Anadolu Agency.
Thursday,
which was the seventh day of aerial bombardment in less than two weeks by
government forces targeting the TPLF rebels, also saw reported cases of
civilian casualties by locals.
A
doctor who spoke to Anadolu Agency said emergency medical teams had reported
that "some households housing civilians have been completely
destroyed."
"I
don't have the right figures but they estimate that at least three people may
have been killed as this is a residential place where families live. The death
toll may be higher, rescue efforts are underway," added the doctor.
Ethiopia
claimed the aerial bombardments that began just a week ago were surgical and
away from civilian settlements, but the TPLF and locals have alleged that the
attacks are landing on civilian-populated areas, destroying infrastructure, and
claiming innocent lives, including at least three children.
Getachew
Reda, a TPLF spokesman, accused the government of targeting civilians in its
bid to wrest control of territory taken by the group.
"(Prime
Minister) Abiy Ahmed's airstrike today has targeted yet another residential
neighborhood in the Tabiya 05 (area) of the city of Mekelle. Members of two
entire families are among the killed and wounded," he said on Thursday.
Aid
access impacted
Last
year, the Ethiopian government said TPLF forces raided the northern command of
the ENDF, killing soldiers and looting sizable military hardware on Nov. 3.
The
following day, the government launched a sweeping law enforcement operation against
the group’s leaders.
Armed
hostilities have crippled humanitarian access for nearly half a million people
facing famine-like conditions in the Tigray region.
The
UN warned that the bombardments, armed ground conflicts, and shortage of fuel
are impacting the ability of aid partners to mobilize assistance to the
affected.
Movements
of aid supplies have practically stopped in areas where stocks of food aid and
other relief items have been depleted.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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1
killed in protests against military takeover in Sudan
28.10.2021
KHARTOUM,
Sudan
One
protestor was killed and two others injured in Sudan on Thursday amid clashes
with the country's army in the capital Khartoum, a local health committee
reported.
The
Central Committee of Sudan Doctors said on Twitter that the man killed in the
Bahri area of the city was identified as Yasin Omar, while one of the injured
had been struck on the head and was in critical condition.
On
Wednesday, the US embassy in Sudan said that since the military took over the
country on Monday, 12 people had been killed and over 100 injured in the
protests that broke out against the armed forces.
The
head of Sudan's ruling military council, Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, declared
a state of emergency on Monday and dissolved the transitional Sovereign Council
and government.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/1-killed-in-protests-against-military-takeover-in-sudan/2406103
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Sudanese
popular committees announce anti-coup measures
Yassine
Aydi
28.10.2021
KHARTOUM,
Sudan
Popular
committees in the Sudanese capital announced measures and rallies Thursday to
protest a military coup against civilian rule.
The
Sudanese Professional Association (SPA) published a statement by popular
committees of Bahri neighborhoods in northern Khartoum, which announced a
timetable that extends to Nov. 17 of peaceful activities such as rallies,
public speeches, blocking roads and general civil disobedience.
The
statement said the Sudanese people "won't allow any military or political
group whether internal or external to steal the souls that departed us and the
blood that spilled," in reference to mass protests that ousted long ruler
Omar al-Bashir in April 2019.
The
head of Sudan’s ruling military council, Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, declared
a state of emergency on Monday and dissolved the transitional Sovereign Council
and government.
The
move was slammed by the African Union, which suspended Sudan from activities
until it restores civilian rule. The World Bank suspended aid to the country
and the US followed suit, in addition to the wide condemnation worldwide.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/sudanese-popular-committees-announce-anti-coup-measures/2405894
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North America
US
lawmakers enter resolution condemning Israel's NGO designations
Michael
Hernandez
28.10.2021
WASHINGTON
US
Congresswoman Betty McCollum led a group of progressive lawmakers on Thursday
in introducing a resolution that seeks to condemn Israel for its designation of
six prominent Palestinian NGOs and civil society groups as terrorist
organizations.
The
resolution says Tel Aviv's decision is "a repressive act designed to
criminalize and persecute important Palestinian human rights
organizations," and says the House of Representatives should
"recognize the valuable work of Palestinian civil society
organizations." It specifically named the six organizations designated by
Israeli Prime Minister Benny Gantz.
“When
a government uses the label of terrorist as a weapon to silence the work of
human rights organizations and advocates who courageously represent vulnerable
people living under military occupation, it is a sign of incredible weakness
more aligned with an authoritarian regime than a healthy democracy,” McCollum
said in a statement.
"The
U.S. invests billions of our taxpayer dollars to support Israel’s security, not
Israel’s system of occupation and repression of Palestinians. It is incumbent
upon Democrats in the U.S. House and the Biden administration to condemn this
Israeli decision and draw a clear line that anti-democratic repression of
Palestinian civil society is not tolerated,” she added.
The
US provides Israel with roughly $3.8 billion in military funding each fiscal
year, and pressure has been mounting, particularly among progressive Democrats,
to ensure the funding is not provided carte blanche.
McCollum
is being joined by nine co-sponsors, including Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan Omar, Andre
Carson and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
The
six groups Israel designated as terrorist organizations are the Union of
Palestinian Women's Committees, Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights
Association, Bisan Center for Research and Development, Al-Haq, Defense for
Children International – Palestine, and Union of Agricultural Work Committees.
Israel
alleges the targeted groups are directly linked or affiliated with the Popular
Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), which it has designated as a
terror group.
Gantz's
decision to designate the groups has prompted widespread outcry, including from
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet who called the listings
an attack on human rights defenders, freedom of association, and the right to
public participation. She said the decision should be immediately revoked.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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Pakistan
continues to give air access to US, Congress told
Anwar
Iqbal
October
29, 2021
WASHINGTON:
A senior Pentagon official has informed Congress that Pakistan continues to
give the United States access to its airspace and the two sides are also
talking about keeping that access open.
US
Undersecretary of Defence for Policy Colin Kahl shared this information with
the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday during an open/closed hearing on
“Security in Afghanistan and in the regions of South and Central Asia”.
He
was replying to a question from the committee’s chairman Senator Jack Reed, who
asked him to update the panel on “our arrangement with Pakistan regarding their
cooperation with us in counterterrorism”. The senator referred to recent press
reports claiming that Pakistan was working with the Taliban to attack the
militant Islamic State group.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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US
announces additional humanitarian assistance for Afghanistan
Handan
Kazanci
29.10.2021
US
Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced nearly $144 million in additional
humanitarian assistance for the people of Afghanistan on Thursday.
“As
part of our enduring commitment to the people of Afghanistan, the United States
announced today nearly $144 million in humanitarian assistance to those
affected by the ongoing humanitarian crisis,” Blinken said in a statement.
“This
assistance brings the total U.S. humanitarian aid in Afghanistan and for Afghan
refugees in the region to nearly $474 million in 2021, the largest amount of
assistance from any nation,” he added.
Blinken
noted that the assistance is provided directly to independent humanitarian
organizations, including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
(UNHCR), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), International Organization
for Migration (IOM), the World Health Organization (WHO), and other
international and non-governmental organizations.
“This
funding provides support directly to some of the more than 18 million
vulnerable Afghans in need in the region, including Afghan refugees in
neighboring countries,” he said.
The
additional humanitarian assistance “will enable our partners to provide
lifesaving protection, food security support, essential health care,
winterization assistance, logistics, and emergency food aid in response to the
growing humanitarian needs exacerbated by healthcare shortages, COVID-19,
drought, malnutrition, and the impending winter,” he said.
Blinken
added that the funding will “benefit the people of Afghanistan and not the
Taliban, whom we will continue to hold accountable for the commitments they
have made.”
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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US
secretary of state celebrates 98th anniversary of Turkish Republic
Handan
Kazancı
29.10.2021
US
Secretary of State Antony Blinken congratulated Turkey on the 98th anniversary
of the declaration of the Turkish Republic.
On
behalf of the United States of America, I congratulate the people of Turkey as
you celebrate the 98th anniversary of the founding of the Republic of Turkey,”
Blinken said in a statement Friday.
“Turkey
is an important NATO Ally and partner of the United States,” he said. “For
decades, Turkey has stood together with the United States and the international
community to confront global challenges.”
“Our
longstanding relationship is built upon strong commercial, diplomatic and
security cooperation,” Blinken noted. “The incredibly deep, people-to-people
ties between Turkey and the United States have persisted for generations and
are critical to the strength of our relationship.”
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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Four
US intel outfits failed to foresee Kabul's hasty collapse: report
Michael
Hernandez
28.10.2021
WASHINGTON
While
four of the US' intelligence agencies produced analyses indicating the Taliban
would gain ground against the since-deposed government in Kabul, none predicted
its imminent collapse, according to a report published Thursday.
The
Wall Street Journal reviewed nearly two-dozen assessments from the CIA, Defense
Intelligence Agency (DIA), Office of the Director of National Intelligence
(ODNI) and the State Department's intelligence bureau, finding that while they
agreed the internationally-recognized government was unlikely to survive
without US aid, they differed on its longevity.
A
May 17 report from the CIA determined that the government would fall by the end
of the year. Less than a month later an assessment said the Taliban would take
full control within two years, the Journal reported.
On
June 4, the DIA said the Taliban would adopt a strategy to take and isolate
rural areas. Three days later, the DIA said in an executive memo that the
government would continue to hold Kabul.
"The
intelligence shortfalls underpinned some of the policy failures that resulted
in chaotic mass civilian evacuations in the deadly final weeks of the U.S.’s
20-year Afghan war," the Journal reported.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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