British Muslim Gangs Tell Inmates 'Convert Or Get Hurt' And Offer 'Protection' To New Prisoners If They Take Up Islam
New Age Islam News Bureau
26 April 2023
Photo:
Express.co.uk: Mr Bloom's report also suggests religious schools such as
yeshivas should be regulated (Image: Getty)
-----
Europe
• UK Politicians Stigmatising Muslims Over Islamist
Terrorism, a Think-Tank Report Finds
• Dutch Muslim Groups File UN Complaint Against ‘Witch
Hunt’ Parliamentary Committee
• Blackburn Mosque set for major extension and facelift
• Sikhs confused for Muslims and wrongful arrests due to
failures to understand religion, landmark review finds
• UK media regulator fines Muslim TV network for
anti-Semitic hate speech
--------
Mideast
• Christie's King Street To Auction 240 Rare Artefacts
From India And The Islamic World
• Emirates Islamic net profit rises 76% to a record
Dh601 million for Q1-2023
• UAE launches domestic dirhams Islamic T-Sukuk with
size of Dhs1.1b
• Resistance Groups Warn Israel Against ‘Playing with
Fire’ After Al-Aqsa Mosque Incursion
• Jewish settlers raid on Al-Aqsa Mosque on 'Yom
Haatzmaut' Independence Day
• One-Fifth of Iran’s TV, Radio Programs Dedicated to
Islamic Teachings
--------
Southeast
Asia
• Young Voters Won't Be Swayed By Vote-Buying As Long As
They Put Race And Religion First, Says Hadi Awang
• Indonesia to Order 18 More French Rafale Fighters for
$2.3 Billion
• US lifts import ban on Malaysia's Smart Glove
• Thirty M'sians evacuated from Sudan now in Jeddah, to
fly home on April 28, says Zambry
--------
North
America
• Economist Challenges Existence of Islamic Economy on
Iranian TV
• Sumayya Vally on the First Islamic Arts Biennale:
"Claim, Reclaim, Configure, and Reconfigure"
• India, US are indispensable partners, American Ambassador-Designate
Eric Garcetti quotes President Joe Biden
--------
India
• With eye on 2024 election, BJP fields around 350
Muslim candidates in UP civic polls
• 'Patriot Muslims Vote For BJP, Pak Supporters Vote For
Cong, JDS: BJP's National GS
---------
Pakistan
• Pakistani-American Political Action Committee Lobbies
US Lawmakers To ‘Protect Democracy In Pakistan’
• Oil tanker hit flattens mosque
• Is US opposing Pakistan-Russia energy deal?
• China to ‘deepen and expand’ military ties with
Pakistan
--------
South Asia
• Facebook Advertising Activity Made Limited In
Bangladesh
• PM Hasina: Bangladesh is going to be regional hub for
investment
• Dhaka, Tokyo welcome negotiations on transferring
defence equipment and tech
• Islamic Emirate Reacts to Vienna Meeting
• UN agency: Afghanistan needs $4.62 billion in aid for
2023
• Japan Donates $18 Million for Life-Saving Vaccines in
Afghanistan
--------
Arab World
• Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Issues Royal Order
Promoting 40 Judges at Board of Grievances
• UK envoy lauds Saudi Arabia for Sudan evacuation
• Another 200 people arrive in Jeddah from Sudan on
Wednesday in latest Saudi evacuation operation
• France thanks Saudi Arabia after Sudan evacuation
• Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance
hold meeting in Riyadh
--------
Africa
• War Crimes Suspect Free From Prison In Chaos Of Sudan
Conflict
• Americans rush to escape before Sudan plunges into
civil war
• Reopened Imam Haron inquest provides dignified but
inadequate version of delayed apartheid justice
--------
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/british-muslim-gangs-britain-inmates-convert/d/129654
--------
British Muslim
Gangs Tell Inmates 'Convert Or Get Hurt' And Offer 'Protection' To New
Prisoners If They Take Up Islam
Photo:
Express.co.uk: Mr Bloom's report also suggests religious schools such as
yeshivas should be regulated (Image: Getty)
-----
26 April 2023
Prisoners are
missing out on "protection" when they end up behind bars if they do
not identify as Muslims, it said.
The report into
religion in modern Britain found prisoners were coming across Qurans left on
their beds and were being told to "convert or get hurt".
Colin Bloom,
the report's author, said: "Failure to identify as a Muslim meant that at
best the new prisoner would be denied 'protection' from the dominant Muslim
gang on that wing, or at worst the new prisoner would be subjected to violence
and intimidation from that same gang."
But he also
said the Government needed to "redouble" its efforts to
"reinforce the distinctions between extremist Islamism and Islam and
between Islamist extremists and Muslims".
Mr Bloom, the
Government's faith engagement adviser, also warned ministers that attempts to
tackle violence against women and girls will be viewed as meaningless unless
forced marriage is confronted.
He said in his
159-page report there has been "insufficient action" taken and added:
"There is one burning injustice that this Government should not shrink from,
which is the issue of forced and coercive marriages.
"Successive
governments have rightly spent a lot of time discussing violence against women
and girls. Indeed, in recent years the tackling violence against women and
girls strategy has been given greater prominence as a priority for government
and its agencies to address.
"However,
unless government is prepared to really tackle forced and coercive marriage,
then its fine words around the tackling violence against women and girls
strategy will be seen by many as meaningless.
"If only
one thing is achieved from this report, confronting the pernicious and unlawful
practice of forced and coercive marriage once and for all should be the
goal."
He said that
although forced marriage is a crime, people who could intervene and stop it are
reluctant because they are either untrained or possibly afraid of causing
offence.
Recently, the
Government was considering changing the law so people including teachers who
fail to report signs of grooming could face jail, in a bid to push back against
those who stay silent for fears of being viewed as racist.
Source: lbc.co.uk
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/muslim-gangs-convert-inmates/
--------
Israel Plans To
Turn Bab Al-Rahma Mosque Into A Synagogue, Islamic-Christian Committee Warns
The Golden
Gate, also known as Bab al-Rahma or the Gate of Mercy, is located on the
eastern wall of al-Aqsa Mosque. (Photo: Via The Nobel Sancturay Website)
-----
April 26, 2023
The
Islamic-Christian Committee in Support of Jerusalem and its Sanctuaries
yesterday warned that the Israeli occupation is planning to turn the Bab
Al-Rahma Prayer Hall into a Jewish synagogue, Quds Press reported.
Bab Al-Rahma is
part of the Al-Aqsa Mosque Compound. It has been subject to repeated Israeli
attacks since the end of the holy month of Ramadan.
In a statement,
the committee warned of a pre-planned Israeli manoeuvre to Judaise Al-Aqsa
Mosque, pointing out that "separating Bab Al-Rahma Mosque from the whole
area of Al-Aqsa Mosque and turning it into a Jewish synagogue is part of the
plan."
The committee
called on all Palestinians to "face off the Israeli attempt to close Bab
Al-Rahma Mosque, repair it and resume prayers inside it."
In the
statement, the committee stressed that "any attempt to change the status
quo will have dangerous consequences that the Israeli occupation will be blamed
for."
On Monday,
Israeli occupation forces raided Bab Al-Rahma Mosque and cut electricity
supplies for the second time in five days.
They detained
two Palestinian men and a Turkish woman who were praying inside, Wafa news
agency said, and asked the guards of Al-Aqsa Mosque not to repair the
electricity grid. The Turkish lady was released a day later.
Source: middleeastmonitor.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230426-israel-plans-to-turn-bab-al-rahma-mosque-into-a-synagogue-rights-group-warns/
--------
Sisters In
Islam Forum Goes To Federal Court In Bid To Quash Selangor Fatwa Labelling SIS
As Deviants
Sisters in
Islam
------
Thursday, 27
Apr 2023
PUTRAJAYA,
April 27 — Woman’s rights group SIS Forum (Malaysia) has gone to the Federal
Court in a final bid to quash a fatwa issued by the Selangor religious
authorities labelling the group as deviants.
The
organisation and one of its co-founders Zainah Mahfoozah Anwar had filed an
application on April 14 this year, seeking to get leave from the Federal Court
to appeal against the Court of Appeal’s dismissal of its challenge against the
fatwa.
In civil cases,
litigants must obtain leave before they can proceed with appeals to the Federal
Court.
On March 14,
this year, the appellate court, in a 2-1 majority decision, dismissed SIS
Forum’s appeal to quash the fatwa.
They had
pursued an appeal to the Court of Appeal after their judicial review was
dismissed by the High Court on August 27, 2019.
The fatwa,
gazetted by the Selangor State government on July 31, 2014, had declared that
SIS Forum, any individual, as well as groups that adopted the deviant
ideologies of liberalism and pluralism, were deviating from the teachings of
Islam.
The fatwa also
directed that any publications containing liberal and plural views of Islam
should be banned and confiscated and further directs the Malaysian
Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to censor social websites which
goes against Islamic teaching and syariah laws.
The Federal
Court has fixed May 15 for case management for the leave application appeal.
In the notice
of motion requesting for leave, the group has proposed 10 questions of law for
the Federal Court to decide.
Among them,
whether a fatwa, once published in the Gazette under sections 48(6),
Administration of the Religion of Islam (State of Selangor) Enactment 2003, is
a form of subsidiary law and/or delegated legislation.
Another
question is whether the civil court have jurisdiction to judicially review the
making of a fatwa, or its publication in the Gazette under section 48(6) of the
Enactment, once it is so gazetted on the grounds generally available for the
review of subsidiary or delegated legislation. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2023/04/27/sis-forum-goes-to-federal-court-in-bid-to-quash-selangor-fatwa/66635
--------
Lawmakers Speak
Out After Back-To-Back Minneapolis Mosque Fires: "All Of Us Belong In Minnesota"
Mall 24
mosque fire suspect
Minneapolis
Police
-----
APRIL 26, 2023
ST. PAUL, Minn.
– State lawmakers say hate has no place in Minnesota following two separate
attacks on local mosques.
Mall 24's
mosque was targeted Sunday evening, followed by Masjid Al Rahma on Monday.
Minneapolis
Police Chief Brian O'Hara says they're investigating both as arson until they
find out otherwise.
Security
cameras captured a man at Mall 24's mosque who CAIR-Minnesota says was carrying
gasoline and started a fire in a bathroom. Investigators are still trying to
figure out if he also set the other fire.
At the State
Capitol Wednesday, a large group of DFL lawmakers and Muslim leaders stood
together in solidarity to condemn the attacks.
"We will
show that we will stand shoulder to shoulder to defeat those who among us are
creating violence in a place of worship," said Rep. Mohamud Noor.
Rep. Hodan
Hassan represents the district where two mosques are located. She called on
Minneapolis police to find and hold the culprits accountable.
"All of us
belong in Minnesota. All of us are Minnesotans, and hate and bigotry has no
place in Minnesota," Hassan said.
Anyone with
information on the suspect is asked to call Minneapolis police. CAIR-Minnesota
is offering a $5,000 reward to find him.
Source: cbsnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/minnesota-lawmakers-speak-out-after-back-to-back-minneapolis-mosque-fires-all-of-us-belong-in-minnesota/
--------
No Quota For Muslims
As Country Was Divided On Religious Lines, Says Adityanath In Karnataka
Uttar Pradesh
Chief Minister Adityanath addresses an election campaign meeting in Mandya
district on Wednesday, ahead of Karnataka Assembly polls | PTI
-----
27-04-23
Uttar Pradesh
Chief Minister Adityanath on Wednesday said that reservations based on faith
were against the idea of the Constitution, arguing that Muslims cannot get
quotas in Karnataka as the country was partitioned in 1947 on religious lines,
reported The Indian Express.
Last month, the
Bharatiya Janata Party government in Karnataka had removed the 4% reservation
for Muslims from the Other Backward Classes quota. The decision was taken at
the government’s last Cabinet meeting before the Assembly elections on May 10.
The Basavaraj
Bommai government stated that the reservation is not constitutionally tenable
and divided the 4% quota equally among the two dominant communities of the
state – Vokkaligas and Veerashaiva-Lingayats.
The Supreme
Court is hearing a plea against the government order and has put a stay on it
till May 9.
At a election
rally in Mandya district on Wednesday, Adityanath said the Congress gives
reservation based on religion.
“We have given
reservations on the basis of castes but there has been a division of the
country on the basis of religion in 1947 and, as a result, reservation cannot
be provided based on religion,” Adityanath claimed. “We are not ready for an
internal division. Only the vision of ‘One India and Excellent India’ will take
the country forward.”
He also accused
the Congress of dividing the country geographically by creating Pakistan in
1947, reported The Times of India. “In its 60 years of rule, Congress has
worked towards breeding hatred among castes for political gains,” Adityanath
added.
The chief
minister also claimed that there has been no rioting or curfew in Uttar Pradesh
due to the “double-engine government” that banned outfits like the Popular
Front of India.
“Please think
about it, the double-engine government bans the PFI and on the other side, the
Congress promotes the PFI,” he added. “The Congress gives reservation based on
religion. Reservation based on religion is against the constitution of India.”
Notwithstanding
Adityanath’s claims that there has been no rioting in Uttar Pradesh since the
BJP came to power, data from the National Crime Records Bureau shows that the
state recorded 35,040 cases of rioting from 2017 to 2021. However, the number
of riots reduced by 41% from 2017 to 2021.
Adityanath took
oath as the Uttar Pradesh chief minister for the first time on March 19, 2017.
Source: scroll.in
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://scroll.in/latest/1048096/no-quota-for-muslims-as-country-was-divided-on-religious-lines-says-adityanath-in-karnataka
-------
Europe
UK Politicians
Stigmatising Muslims Over Islamist Terrorism, a Think-Tank Report Finds
Wed 26 Apr 2023
Senior
politicians must stop stigmatising Muslims by making them feel responsible for
Islamist terrorism, according to a report that aims to reset the government’s
approach to dealing with religious groups.
Muslims are
being marginalised in a number of areas of British life, according to the
report by the government’s faith adviser, Colin Bloom, including by being made
to feel they frequently have to renounce terrorist acts. Bloom also urged
ministers to develop sharia-compliant student loans to help more Muslims into
university, and to conduct an outreach programme to increase their
representation in the armed forces.
The comments
are part of a sweeping review of the government’s interactions with faith
groups at every level of society. The Guardian has previously revealed several
of the report’s other main recommendations, including government crackdowns on
forced marriage and unregistered religious schools.
A view of East
London mosque.
Bloom’s
comments on Islam provide some of the most eye-catching parts of the report,
however, providing a marked contrast with the tone of much of the government’s
recent messaging on Islamist terrorism.
Bloom warns in
the report: “Islamist extremism, Islamist-inspired terrorism, and the support
of terrorist and extremist organisations … are as repulsive to mainstream
British Muslims as the acts of Anders Breivik are to mainstream British
Christians. If no effort is undertaken to relieve this situation, sadly many
British Muslims will struggle to feel fully accepted and integrated within
society.”
He adds:
“During this review’s stakeholder engagement, many Muslims described, often
poignantly, how society has made them feel stigmatised and somehow responsible
for or secretly supportive of acts of Islamist terrorism.
“This reviewer
has reason to believe that this happens at all levels of society, including at
the very top. Those in the political sphere are not immune from such
stigmatisation, with baseless allegations of Islamist extremist sympathy and
concerning anti-Muslim language not unheard of.”
The language
differs in tone from that of the recent review by William Shawcross of the
government’s Prevent strategy, which warned: “The facts clearly demonstrate
that the most lethal threat in the last 20 years has come from Islamism, and
this threat continues.”
Bloom’s report
contains 22 recommendations for ministers, including:
Lady Jane
Scott, the faith minister, said in a statement: “I welcome this review and
thank Colin for his work. We will carefully consider the recommendations and
I’ll make it my mission to continue to work closely with those of all faiths.”
Some religious
campaigners also welcomed its findings. Yehudis Fletcher, who founded a
Think-Tank to campaign against Jewish extremism, said: “We strongly support the
Bloom review recommendations in relation to schools, coercion within marriage,
and faith-based extremism and exploitation.”
Humanists UK
welcomed Bloom’s “positive and thoughtful engagement”. But its chief executive,
Andrew Copson, added: “The report puts religion and religious groups on a
pedestal, set up for exclusive funding, consultation, and partnerships with
government all overseen by a ‘Faith Champion’. These proposals aren’t merited,
the public don’t want them, and they are based on a flawed analysis of our
country.”
The report was
published on Wednesday, four years after it was first commissioned by the then
prime minister, Boris Johnson. It runs to about 160 pages and 65,000 words,
dealing with everything from the role of chaplains in prisons to the growing
threat posed by Sikh and Hindu nationalists.
On several
occasions, Bloom highlights how Muslims are being marginalised by government
policy, whether deliberately or not. He warns, for example, that 12,000 Muslims
are being put off university every year because Islamic teaching says paying or
receiving interest is a sin.
The report
says: “Given the strength of evidence, it is regrettable that little has been
done recently to progress proposals for alternative student finance.”
Bloom also says
the armed forces are failing to recruit enough people from Islamic backgrounds,
pointing to data showing that Muslims make up 0.5% of British forces, as
compared with 6.5% of the general population.
The report
highlights several other areas where Bloom argued that public servants have a
poor understanding of religious communities. Police officers and NHS staff, for
example, often mistake Sikhs for Muslims or serve halal meals to Hindus.
But it also
urges ministers to be bolder in tackling abusive practices within religious
communities, whether stopping coercive marriages or regulating faith schools,
which often slip under Ofsted’s radar.
Source: theguardian.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/apr/26/uk-politicians-stigmatising-muslims-over-islamist-terrorism-report-finds
--------
Dutch Muslim
groups file UN complaint against ‘witch hunt’ parliamentary committee
26 April, 2023
A coalition of
Muslim groups in the Netherlands have filed a complaint to the UN Human Rights
Committee against a Dutch parliamentary committee over allegations they
deliberately targeted Muslims and Muslim organisations.
The Ummah
Project, a team of lawyers, filed the 82-page complaint on behalf of
"Muslim dignitaries" Hamid Tahiri, Jacob van der Blom, and Nasr
El-Damanhoury who were "interrogated as criminals" by the committee
for hours, according to a press release from the Ummah Project.
The Dutch
Parliamentary Committee on Unwanted Foreign Influence was tasked in 2020 on
behalf of the Dutch government with investigating social and religious
institutions, such as mosques, for foreign influence.
"The
investigation by POCOB gave itself an objective and non-discriminatory cover,
in reality, the focus was exclusively on Muslims and Muslim
organisations," the Ummah Project press release said.
"This
exclusive focus on Islam and Muslims is in violation of fundamental human
rights, and in particular the non-discrimination principle according to [UN
convention]," the organisation said.
"This
resulted in a classic witch hunt against Muslims and Islamic
organisations."
The Ummah
Project claimed the Dutch government labelled funding flows from Morocco,
Turkey, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia as problematic.
The three men
represented in the complaint were summoned by the committee as witnesses, and
were threatened with imprisonment if they failed to show up.
Clips from the
hearing show Muslim witnesses being subjected to intense interrogation.
Jacob van der
Blom, the chairman of the BlauweMoskee (Blue Mosque) in Amsterdam, said in a statement:
"In the constitution here in the Netherlands, we agreed to not treat each
other differently based on religion or colour - this is clearly what happened
here though."
"They had
already decided upon the outcome and all the questions, the speakers and the
order of the meetings," he said of his committee appearances.
According to
the Hamburg-based data website Statista, around 5% of the Netherlands'
population are Muslims.
Muslims in the
Netherlands often face discrimination widely believed to be fuelled by the
normalisation of Islamophobia and the increasing influence of the far right in
politics.
Source: newarab.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.newarab.com/news/dutch-muslim-groups-file-un-complaint-witch-hunt-body
--------
Blackburn
Mosque set for major extension and facelift
By Bill Jacobs
27-04-23
A BLACKBURN
mosque and madrassah is in line for a major makeover.
The Jamia Syeda
Fatima Al-zahra in Bank Lane, Intack, is seeking planning permission for an
extension.
The expansion
would enlarge the prayer hall, create new assembly room and facelift the
building's facade.
Pirzada Sajjad
Hussain Syed from the mosque has applied to Blackburn with Darwen Council for
approval for a proposed single-storey extension to the side and double-storey
extension to the front, rear and side of the property with elevational and
internal alterations.
A design and
access statement submitted with the application says: "The application
site comprises two-storey building uses as Place of Worship and
educational/community centre.
"The
building comprise of lower ground floor to prayer hall and single storey with
toilet facilities to rear.
"The first
floor has a library, computer, office and resting room.
"The
building is sited at the junction of Bank Lane and Shadsworth Road, with its
own car parking facility to the side.
"The
surrounding area is prominently residential, including a small block of
terraced houses directly opposite the application site, which also includes a hair
and beauty salon.
"The
proposal is for a two-storey side extension to increase of prayer hall at lower
ground floor and Assembly Hall to first floor.
"The
proposal also includes a single-storey extension to rear for a mortuary room,
ablution and male, female and disabled toilets.
"The
proposed extension has been designed as to reflect the similar design of the
existing building with a dual pitched roof, and finished in a smooth render
finish.
"All
windows and doors will be installed in upvc dark grey finish, with all windows
at ground floor level to be obscured glazed.
"The new
entrance of building will be from existing car park.
"The
existing door to Bank Lane will be retained.
"It is
proposed that the centre will be operated by my client Mr Sajjad Hussain who is
an Islamic teacher and scholar.
"The site
is accessed via the existing door off Bank Lane.
"The
current site has the provision for 15 car parking spaces, and in order to
provide adequate parking and manoeuvrability the proposal is to reduce this to
12 inclusive of two disabled parking bays.
"Please
note that two car parking spaces will be designated for staff, and the rest for
visitors and users of the building.
"Parents
will be requested to drop their children off within the car park.
"Children
using the Madrassah live locally with a walking distance of a maximum five to
eight minutes."
Source: lancashiretelegraph.co.uk
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/23483089.blackburn-mosque-set-major-extension-facelift/
--------
Sikhs confused
for Muslims and wrongful arrests due to failures to understand religion,
landmark review finds
Holly Bancroft
27-04-23
Hindus were served
Halal meals, Sikhs confused for Muslims, and Christians were wrongfully
arrested because public sector workers don’t understand religious beliefs, a
landmark review has found.
The 165-page
report by the government’s faith adviser Colin Bloom is the most sweeping
review of the government’s relationship with religion in a generation. The
study, published on Wednesday after years of delays, found that civil servants
lacked an understanding of religion and recommended that all public sector
workers be given training.
Examples of
religious ignorance noted in the report included police officers who confused
Sikhs with Muslims or had raised concerns over the kirpan, a ceremonial sword
Sikhs are obliged to carry as part of their religious observance.
In the NHS,
patients were pressured to pursue treatment, such as abortion or chromosomal
tests during pregnancy, that conflicted with their religious beliefs.
Some patients
had also been served the wrong food, with Hindus served Halal meals while
others were denied requests for medication that didn’t contain animal products.
Police officers
had also asked Sikhs to remove their ‘five Ks’ – five articles of faith that
they are commanded to wear at all times.
Mr Bloom called
for the government to spearhead a “renaissance of public faith literacy”. He
also cited the “enduring lack of diversity among senior civil servants” as a
potential reason for the lack of understanding about people’s faith.
The review also
noted concerns about police arrests of street preachers and raised the case of
a Christian who received a £2,500 payout for wrongful arrest after he was
accused of Islamophobia.
“The amounts of
taxpayer money and public resources that have been wasted on wrongful arrests,
judicial proceedings, and compensation highlights the need for improved faith
literacy among policing authorities,” Mr Bloom wrote.
Health workers
also failed to understand the importance of a Sikh’s turban in palliative
situations and during post-mortem examinations. One respondent said about NHS workers:
“They were asking Sikh men with beards to trim their beards at the start of the
pandemic so that PPE would be able to fit them, and I was asked by some leading
figures within the regulatory bodies as to why Sikh men couldn’t simply just
have a trim rather than having to spend money on specialist equipment for
them.”
Some NHS staff
also said that they were unable to express their religious identity at work and
their faith was made to feel “irrelevant”.
Mr Bloom
recommended that the government “take steps to ensure that everyone on the
public payroll, including civil servants in Whitehall and local councils, NHS
and public health staff, teachers in schools, colleges and universities, and
police, prison and probation officers, are provided with consistent, quality
faith literacy training.”
The review also
found that Christians were feeling increasingly marginalised for their faith.
Some 53 per cent of respondents of the review thought that freedom of religion
or belief was under threat. However, this was notably higher among Christians
at 68 per cent.
“Many Christian
respondents said they no longer feel able to be who they are in public or at
work, after experiencing the dismissal of traditional religious beliefs and
practices,” Mr Bloom wrote. He added that Christian respondents consistently
raised fears about being “no-platformed” for their beliefs.
The review also
called on government to do more to crack down on forced marriages. “We need
root-and-branch reform of how forced and coercive marriage is tackled by the
government”, Mr Bloom wrote.
It also said
Jewish yeshivas, Muslim madrassas, and other institutions that operate “like a
school” must be registered and inspected.
Chief executive
of Humanists UK, Andrew Copson, said the report “simply hasn’t recognised the
UK for what it is: a largely non-religious nation whose non-religious
population contribute just as much to society as the religious.”
Rev Malcom
Brown, from the Church of England, said: “We welcome the recognition in the
report of the need for religious literacy and a greater public understanding of
the major world faiths.
“It is a fact
that the majority of people in England Wales identify with a religion, so faith
is not a minority pursuit.”
Source: independent.co.uk
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/religion-bloom-review-nhs-police-faith-b2327424.html
--------
UK media
regulator fines Muslim TV network for antisemitic hate speech
Apr 26, 2023
UK media
regulator Ofcom has fined a Manchester Shia Muslim TV network $12,500 for
airing “antisemitic hate speech” that violated its broadcasting regulations.
The Ahlebait TV
Networks’ current affairs program 20th Hour in a segment titled “Money Power,
Islam and a Just Order” broadcast content that “amounted to antisemitic hate
speech, and derogatory and abusive treatment of Jewish people,” Ofcom found,
according to Broadband TV News.
Besides the
fine, Ahlebait TV was told not to show the episode again and to air a statement
of Ofcom’s findings in a format to be determined by the regulatory agency.
The segment in
question, which was broadcast on March 21, was determined by Ofcom to have the
potential to cause offense and did not meet the requirements for having
sufficient context to be shown, which violated Ofcom Broadcasting Code Rule 3.2
stating that material involving hate speech cannot be broadcast on TV unless it
is justified by the context, according to Digital TV Europe.
“Given the
seriousness of these breaches, we have imposed a financial penalty of £10,000
[$12,500 USD] on Ahlebait TV Networks, payable to HM Treasury," Ofcom said
in a statement. "We have also directed Ahlebait not to repeat the program
and to broadcast a statement of our findings against it on a date and in a form
to be determined by Ofcom.”
Source: israelnationalnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/370575
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Mideast
Christie's King
Street to auction 240 rare artefacts from India and the Islamic world
RazmigBedirian
Apr 27, 2023
An auction at
Christie's in London will bring together 240 pieces from the Indian and Islamic
worlds, each of them a memento from a fascinating time in regional history.
The range of art
includes manuscripts, paintings, ceramics, metalwork and carpets dating from
the 9th to the 19th centuries. The auction will be held on Thursday at
Christie's on King Street.
Among the most
expensive items in the collection is also one of the most mysterious — a finial
from the fabled gold throne of Tipu Sultan that has an estimated price of
between £300,000 and £500,000 ($374,413 and $624,022).
Although the
throne of the 18th-century Indian Muslim ruler no longer exists, there are
illustrations suggesting what it may have looked like. One is a portrait of
Tipu Sultan dating to 1800 by Italian painter Anna Tonelli. It shows the ruler
sitting cross-legged in the shade of an umbrella on the flat, octagonal throne
— a platform raised above the ground by a 12-legged tiger, the roaring head of
which is carved at the fore. The tiger’s menacing posture protects the sultan.
“Tiger stripes
were [Tipu’s] royal insignia,” Sara Plumbly, director and head of the Islamic
and Indian Art department at Christie’s King Street, says. “They would decorate
all the courtly objects and weapons. You’d find tigers and their patterns
employed in the architecture of palaces and mosques.
The throne is
also decorated with a series of tiger-headed finials.
“We don’t
actually have a precise idea of what the throne looked like, but eight of these
finials decorated the top,” Plumbly says. “They were all taken after Tipu
Sultan was defeated by the British and sadly the throne was taken apart.”
A few pieces
survive today, including the finial which is lot 84 of the auction — they are
the last remnants of the throne. It is difficult to appreciate the
craftsmanship and lustre of the throne through Tonelli’s portrait. The crisp
photographs of the finial in Christie’s catalogue depicts the decorative piece
in due splendor, suggesting the lavishness that had made Tipu’s throne the
stuff of legend.
The finial is
meticulously crafted — it is covered with inlaid gold and set with rubies,
emeralds and diamonds. It now stands on a marble stand with gilt metal
fittings.
The first two
lots of the sale are also striking. They are pages from an album of compilated
calligraphy works. While the pages share borders and illuminations, they
present unique artworks, with each piece signed by its respective artist. The
works date back to the late 15th and early 16th centuries, with each estimated
between £30,000 and £40,000.
“They’re both
the opening pages of what would have been a royal album,” Plumbly says. “Albums
were the way that the Fatimid, Mughal and Ottoman courts preserved their
collection. They would gather the works that they were their favourite in a
book. The works didn’t have to speak to each other, but would come together by
the borders. “
The works in
the lot are examples by two of the most important Safavid artists, Sultan Ali
Mashhadi and Shah Mahmud Nishapuri. The calligraphy presents Quranic verses,
specifically Surat Al Fatiha. However, they wildly vary in style and employ
calligraphy not traditionally used while transcribing the Quran.
Lot 25, meanwhile,
depicts the story of King Solomon and Bilqis, the Queen of Sheba. Historians
correlate Sheba with present-day Yemen and Ethiopia, where the kingdom of Saba
reigned.
In Abrahamic
accounts, the South Arabian queen visited Solomon’s court with gold, jewels and
spices. She had heard of Solomon’s wisdom and wanted to test it herself. There
are several accounts of how that meeting transpired. In the Quran, the
encounter between the two royals ends with the heliolater queen coming to
believe in God.
The 15th-century
Timurid folio, estimated between £150,000 and £200,000, illustrates the
meeting. The court is gathered on either side, whereas the Solomon and Bilqis
are seated in the plush centre. The sky above them is made brilliant with gold
leaf. Storks, songbirds, peacocks and flora decorate the background.
“This is one of
the highlights of the sale,” Plumbly says. “It’s a Timurid painting. You don’t
see a lot of full page Timurid paintings. You do see smaller examples,
illustrative manuscripts, but to have a full page that is as colourful and well
preserved as this is extremely rare.
“On top of that
the subject is incredible,” she adds. “We see Solomon and the Queen of Sheba.
It was a popular subject, retold by many cultures across the centuries. In
Islamic culture, he is a king and a prophet. He is said to have converted the
Queen of Sheba. The intensity of the palette is wonderful. The lines are so
painterly and minute.”
While several
artworks in the lot are estimated in the six figures, there are also plenty of
less expensive options. These include illustrations that date back to Safavid
Iran in the 15th century. Lot 28, estimated between £10,000 and £15,000,
features three illustrations from Shahnameh, the epic poem written by Ferdowsi.
Lot 29, on the other hand, features illustrations from Nizami’sKhamsa.
“These are
Safavid paintings that one could acquire at a reasonable figure,” Plumbly says.
“They’re both very vibrantly coloured, beautifully painted. Both of these lots,
they are illustrations from books. Those books over time were split, very badly
at times. The paintings ended up in different collections.”
Of the 240
lots, 100 feature carpets and rugs with origins ranging from India and the
Caucasus to Persia and Anatolia.
The auction
also features a strong selection of arms and armour, including bejeweled
daggers and khanjars with Mughal designs, and meticulously enameled hilts from
19th-century India.
“There are so
many aspects to the sale,” Plumbly says. “We have medieval objects. We have
Indian paintings, Iznik pottery. We have a section of Ottoman works, from lot
120 to around 156. There are many group examples of pottery, textiles.
“We also have
lots 155 and 166, which are associated with holy shrines. Lot 155 is a group of
textiles that were woven to cover some of the most important places in Medina.
Lot 166 is a fragment of a kiswah from Mecca.”
To view the
entire collection of the Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds auction, visit www.christies.com
Source: thenationalnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/art-design/2023/04/27/christies-king-street-to-auction-240-rare-artefacts-from-india-and-the-islamic-world/
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Emirates
Islamic net profit rises 76% to a record Dh601 million for Q1-2023
April 27, 2023
Dubai: Emirates
Islamic delivered a record net profit of Dh601 million for the first three
months of 2023 as total income grew 74 per cent, the lender said on Thursday.
Total income
for the period stood at Dh1.13 billion, up 74 per cent year-on-year driven by
rising core revenues.
“The Bank
announced the successful pricing of its inaugural Dh1 billion
dirham-denominated sukuk, the first such sukuk by a UAE bank,” said Hesham
Abdulla Al Qassim, Chairman, Emirates Islamic. “The three-year issue attracted
a strong orderbook and was 2.5 times oversubscribed which allowed the Bank to
tighten the profit rate to 5.05 per cent, at a spread of 67 basis points over UAE
Government Treasuries.”
Total assets
during the period increased by 4 per cent from the end of 2022 to Dh77.9
billion. Customer financing was up 3 per cent to Dh49.6 billion, while customer
deposits increased by 2 per cent to Dh57.3 billion with current account and
savings account balances at 75 per cent of total deposits.
“As Emirates
Islamic continues to drive innovation in the Islamic banking sector, the Bank
launched a global FinTech accelerator campaign in collaboration with the
world’s leading innovation platform, Plug and Play Abu Dhabi,” said Salah
Mohammed Amin, CEO, Emirates Islamic. “The campaign is a call to action for
leading Islamic FinTechs and financial startups with propositions that can
enhance customer journeys across SME financing, trade finance and financial
wellbeing.”
Source: gulfnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://gulfnews.com/business/banking/emirates-islamic-net-profit-rises-76-to-a-record-dh601-million-for-q1-2023-1.1682577614189
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UAE launches
domestic dirhams Islamic T-Sukuk with size of Dhs1.1b
27-04-23
The UAE,
represented by the Ministry of Finance (MoF) as the issuer and in collaboration
with the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) as the issuing and paying agent, has
announced launching a dirham-denominated Islamic Treasury Sukuk (T-Sukuk), with
a benchmark auction size of Dhs1.1 billion.
Mohamed Bin
Hadi Al Hussaini, Minister of State for Financial Affairs, reaffirmed the UAE’s
keenness to strengthen the Islamic economy and build a pioneering investment
infrastructure to boost the Islamic economy as one of the key pillars of the
national economy.
Al Hussaini
said, “The Ministry of Finance cooperates with all its partners, foremostly the
Central Bank of the UAE, to attract investments and deploy them in Islamic
economy channels. The T-Sukuk are Sharia-compliant financial certificates, and
they will be traded to reflect the local return on investment, support economic
diversification and financial inclusion, and contribute to achieving
comprehensive and sustainable economic and social development goals.”
Additionally,
he emphasised that issuing the T-Sukuk in local currency will contribute to
building a local currency bond market, diversifying financing resources,
boosting the local financial and banking sector, and providing safe investment
alternatives for local and foreign investors.
He also noted
that this issuance will help build the UAE Dirham-denominated yield curve,
thereby strengthening the local financial market and developing the investment
environment.
Khaled Mohamed
Balama, Governor of CBUAE, emphasised the importance of issuing Islamic
treasury sukuk in developing local sukuk markets, diversifying financing
resources, and strengthening the infrastructure to support investment options
and alternatives that are compatible with the provisions of Islamic Sharia, to
develop the Islamic financial sector, improve the investment environment, and
solidify the UAE’s position as a leading global hub in the Islamic finance sector.
He added, “The
issuance of Islamic treasury sukuk comes within the UAE’s commitment to
developing capital market activities and consolidating its position as a global
financial hub. This issuance reaffirms the strength and stability of the
financial system and the confidence of local and international investors in the
UAE’s ability to develop the financial sector following monetary policies and
strategic plans.”
Balama noted,
“With the development of an effective infrastructure for the financial markets,
we are confident that this issuance will contribute to supporting the market
for bonds denominated in the local currency and issued by the public sector in
the country. It will also enhance the competitiveness of the local financial
markets and enable market participants in the UAE to maintain a single,
transparent, diversified and sustainable liquidity pool in Dirhams.
Source: gulftoday.ae
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.gulftoday.ae/business/2023/04/26/uae-launches-domestic-dirhams-islamic-t-sukuk-with-size-of-dhs-1-1b
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Resistance
Groups Warn Israel Against ‘Playing with Fire’ After Al-Aqsa Mosque Incursion
2023-April-26
TEHRAN (FNA)-
Palestinian resistance factions warned the occupying Tel Aviv regime against
“playing with fire” after Israeli forces broke into a prayer area in the
Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, saying such moves represent a failed attempt to change
the Islamic identity of the holy city of Al-Quds.
The groups
announced in a joint statement on Tuesday that Israel is playing with fire with
such actions, emphasizing that their members and advocates will increase their
presence on the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque in order to thwart fiendish plots
aimed at imposing the Israeli regime’s control over the sacred site, and
subsequently creating temporal and spatial divisions there, presstv reported.
According to
Palestinian news outlets, Israeli forces stormed the Bab Al-Rahma prayer area
on Saturday and inflicted great damage inside, as Muslim worshipers were
celebrating the Eid Al-Fitr holiday.
The Israeli
troops also assaulted Palestinian youths, who were on their way to perform the
Eid prayers, beating them with sticks near the Lions’ Gate in occupied Al-Quds.
Hamas and the
Islamic Jihad resistance groups have condemned the Israeli acts of violence and
vowed to defend their sanctities in the face of the regime’s assaults.
Elsewhere in
their Tuesday statement, the Palestinian resistance groups strongly condemned
Israeli officials for exercising the policy of deliberate medical negligence
against Sheikh Khader Adnan, a high-profile official with the Gaza-based
Islamic Jihad resistance movement who has been on hunger strike for more than
80 days in protest at his detention, and Walid Daqqa, who has been in Israeli
prisons for 38 years.
They also
argued that hoisting the Israeli flag over Ibrahimi Mosque in the Southern West
Bank city of Al-Khalil constitutes a flagrant act of aggression and is part of
Israel’s Judaization schemes.
Such moves,
they said, will never manage to alter the Islamic and historical realities of
sacred places in the occupied territories.
The resistance
factions went on to commend the recent “heroic” car-ramming operation in
Al-Quds, saying that the retaliatory measure exposed the frailty of the Zionist
entity in the face of the steadfast Palestinian nation, and proved the great
ability of Palestinians to foil the regime’s conspiracies.
They also hit
back at the reported activation of the Israeli regime’s assassination policy
against Palestinian officials, saying such threats would not succeed to burnish
its image which has been shattered by resistance fighters.
They emphasized
that “the resistance’s response to any foolish act is greater and broader than
what it expects”.
Source: farsnews.ir
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.farsnews.ir/en/news/14020206000904/Resisance-Grps-Warn-Israel-Agains-%E2%80%98Playing-wih-Fire%E2%80%99-Afer-Al-Asa-Mse
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Jewish settlers
raid on Al-Aqsa Mosque on 'Yom Haatzmaut' Independence Day
26/04/2023
A few dozens of
far-right Jewish settlers have entered Al-Aqsa Mosque complex on Wednesday,
April 26, which marks the Israeli Independence Day 'Yom Haatzmaut'. Across
Israel, events and celebrations take place every year on the day, when Israel
declared its independence in 1948. This day is called by the Palestinians as
“Nakba”, or Catastrophe.
Source: yenisafak.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.yenisafak.com/en/video-gallery/world/jewish-settlers-raid-on-al-aqsa-mosque-on-yom-haatzmaut-independence-day-3663795
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One-Fifth of
Iran’s TV, Radio Programs Dedicated to Islamic Teachings
APRIL 27, 2023
More than a
quarter of all radio and television programs produced in Iran are dedicated to
Islamic and religious topics, new research shows.
Out of a total
of 345,000 hours of programs produced in the country in 2021, more than 70,000
hours were dedicated to Islamic teachings, the collaborative initiative Iran
Open Data said in an article published on April 26.
It said the
volume of programs related to Islamic teachings is six times that of scientific
topics and three times that of political and economic topics.
Assuming that
the production cost is equally distributed among different types of
productions, Iran Open Data estimated the cost of producing programs dedicated
to Islamic teachings at around $56.2 million annually.
A large portion
of the budget of the public service broadcaster, Iranian Broadcasting
Corporation’s (IRIB), is appropriated from the general budget.
Founded in
2016, Iran Open Data (IOD) strives to make Iran’s official data accessible,
available and re-usable. Not only does IOD collect and process raw datasets for
researchers and experts, it also publishes exclusive data-driven articles and
digital stories for the general public. Additionally, IOD conducts public data
calls and surveys on often neglected or taboo issues that are rarely addressed
by the government. Follow IOD for all the data-stories concerning Iran.
Source: iranwire.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://iranwire.com/en/news/115976-one-fifth-of-irans-tv-radio-programs-dedicated-to-islamic-teachings/
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Southeast
Asia
Young voters
won't be swayed by vote-buying as long as they put race and religion first,
says Hadi Awang
By Muhammad
Yusry
Thursday, 27
Apr 2023
KUALA LUMPUR,
April 27 — In a salvo to political opponents ahead of the state elections, Tan
Sri Abdul Hadi Awang has today said young voters who put their religion, race
and country first will not be easily bought and deceived.
Accusing the
current administration of links to those who are allegedly corrupt and
practising money politics, the PAS president pointed to how the Islamist party
had in the past told its supporters not to let taking any financial aid
influence their votes.
“State
elections will be held soon, which will be a test of awareness as observed in
the last 15th general election,” he said in an opinion piece.
“Although
youths can be considered green and less educated, if they put their minds to
upholding the dignity, race and country — in accordance with Allah and by putting
their self-value guided by their minds and intelligence — then they cannot
easily be bought and deceived.”
In the lengthy
piece that used metaphors of fishing and the rasbora fish that would eat the
bait but not the hook, Hadi lamented how materialism has invited ruin towards
the country’s leaders and its people.
“Corruption has
spread starting from the aspect of governance to the political party governing
the country that is influenced by money politics. Until this country is
governed through corruption, by choosing leaders who can be bought, and those
rich contributors towards corruption buying the support of the people also
through corruption.
“This includes
the current PakatanHarapan government formed by those who give bribes, together
in unity with those afflicted by corruption,” he said.
Hadi had in the
past called those who give bribes as a dog-whistle reference to non-Muslim
elites.
Prior to the
15th general election, he had accused non-Muslims and non-Bumiputera of making
up the bulk of what he called as “roots of corruption” — as those who chase
illicit gains to the detriment of the country’s economy and politics.
In return, Hadi
told supporters of PAS to remember how its late spiritual leader Datuk Nik
Abdul Aziz Nik Mat had told Kelantan voters to keep voting PAS despite
receiving financial aid from the then BarisanNasional federal government.
He said this
included those who return to vote in their respective states using transport
and tickets contributed by PAS’ political rivals, but would still vote the
Islamist party.
“Through this
slogan, PAS managed to conquer Kelantan and defend its position there until we
then conquered Terengganu and Kedah, and finally Perlis.
“We could erect
clean state governments free from the scourge of corruption. Even with limited
funds, we could still stay in power,” he said.
In January,
Hadi had defended the use of cash handouts in the wake of accusations that the
practice had mired the results of the Kuala Terengganu, Marang and Kemaman
constituencies in the 15th general election — justifying them as donations
given during a campaign trail and not a form of bribery.
Source: malaymail.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2023/04/27/young-voters-wont-be-swayed-by-vote-buying-as-long-as-they-put-race-and-religion-first-says-hadi-awang/66603
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Indonesia to
Order 18 More French Rafale Fighters for $2.3 Billion
JOE SABALLA
APRIL 26, 2023
Indonesia will
order 18 additional Rafale fighter jets from France as part of a $2.3-billion
deal, according to a report by La Tribune, citing procurement sources.
The order is
part of 42 aircraft Jakarta plans to purchase to modernize its air force.
According to
the report, the Southeast Asian nation has already secured funding for the
additional Rafales and to arm them with air-to-air missiles.
The deal could
be formalized during a forthcoming visit to Paris by Indonesian defense
minister PrabowoSubianto.
The order for
the last tranche of 18 Rafale fighter jets is also expected to be announced in
the coming months.
Prabowo signed
a contract in September 2022 for the delivery of six Rafales worth $1.1
billion.
The Rafale
Aircraft
Developed by
Dassault Aviation, the Rafale is a twin-jet combat aircraft designed to support
the French Navy and French Air Force.
Its
state-of-the-art cockpit is equipped with a wide-angle holographic display that
provides pilots with aircraft control data, mission data, and firing cues.
It also has an
RBE2 passive electronically scanned radar from Thales to track up to eight
targets simultaneously.
Additionally,
the Rafale features a high-performance laser warning receiver, missile warning
system, detection systems, and jammers.
It can carry
AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles, ASRAAM and AMRAAM air-to-air missiles, Apache
missiles, and Harpoon anti-ship missiles.
The Rafales
will replace Indonesia’s aging F-5 supersonic light fighter aircraft from
Northrop Grumman.
Source: thedefensepost.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.thedefensepost.com/2023/04/26/indonesia-french-rafale-fighters/
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US lifts import
ban on Malaysia's Smart Glove
April 26, 2023
KUALA LUMPUR
(Reuters) - The United States lifted a 17-month import ban on products from
Malaysian rubber glove maker Smart Glove, saying the company has addressed
exploitative labour practices.
U.S. Customs
and Border Protection (CBP) in November 2021 sanctioned imports from Smart
Glove and its group of companies over the alleged use of forced labour at its
production facilities.
Smart Glove,
which makes gloves used in the medical and food industries, had then said it
was opposed to forced labour and committed to the well-being of its workers.
In a statement
on Wednesday, the CBP said Smart Glove has taken various remediation measures,
including repaying recruitment fees borne by migrant workers. Activists say the
onerous fees result in debt bondage.
Smart Glove
also improved workers' living conditions, and implemented new worker-centered
policies and procedures, the CBP said.
The company did
not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Malaysian
companies, including some of the world's major suppliers of palm oil and
medical gloves, have come under increased scrutiny over suspected abuse of
foreign workers, a significant part of the country's manufacturing workforce.
(Reporting by
A. Ananthalakshmi; Editing by Kanupriya Kapoor)
Source: marketscreener.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.marketscreener.com/news/latest/US-lifts-import-ban-on-Malaysia-s-Smart-Glove--43653166/
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Thirty M'sians
evacuated from Sudan now in Jeddah, to fly home on April 28, says Zambry
Thursday, 27
Apr 2023
PETALING JAYA:
The 30 Malaysians evacuated from Sudan arrived at the King Faisal Naval Base in
Jeddah on Thursday (April 27), says Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir.
The Foreign
Minister said they had arrived in Jeddah after travelling almost nine hours
from Sudan Port.
He also said
that the 30 evacuees would be flown home to Malaysia on Friday (April 28).
"The
operations of the Malaysian embassy in Sudan are also temporarily
suspended," Zambry said.
Earlier, the
Foreign Minister was reported to have said that another two Malaysians, who
were employees of the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) in Abyei were not
part of the group and their evacuation would be handled by the UN. – Bernama
Source: thestar.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2023/04/27/thirty-m039sians-evacuated-from-sudan-now-in-jeddah-to-fly-home-on-april-28-says-zambry
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North
America
Economist
Challenges Existence of Islamic Economy on Iranian TV
APRIL 26, 2023
ARASH HASAN-NIA
The concept of
an "Islamic economy" has been a topic of discussion for at least 45
years.
In a recent
televised debate, Musa Ghaninejad, a proponent of competitive capitalism, asked
Masoud Derakhshan, a professor of economics at Imam Sadiq University and
advocate for Islamic economics, to define what the Islamic economy is,
highlighting the frustration felt by economists who have been grappling with
this issue for decades.
Despite its
elusive nature, the notion of an Islamic economy continues to cast a heavy
shadow over Iran's economy, leading experts to question whether such a model
truly exists and, if so, what its characteristics are.
It is
noteworthy that Derakhshan, who was a student at Tehran’s Imam Sadiq
University, is an educated statesman who promotes his ideas for an Islamic
economy through his work in the university’s Faculty of Islamic Studies and
Economics.
His ideas have
provided a practical framework to transform Iran's economy.
Ehsan Khandozi,
the minister of economic affairs and finance, Dawood Manzoor, head of the
Program and Budget Organization, Hojjat Abdul Maliki, former minister of
cooperation, labor, and social welfare and secretary of the Supreme Council of
Free Commercial-Industrial and Special Economic Zones, Mohammad Rezwanifar,
deputy economy minister and chairman of the Iranian customs services, Hossein
Ghurbanzadeh, head of the Privatization Organization, Mohammad Hadi Zahediwafa,
head of the Higher Institute of Education and Research, Management, and
Planning, MeysamPilehforosh, deputy head of the Privatization Organization, are
among graduates from the Faculty of Islamic Studies and Economics at Imam Sadiq
University who now hold positions in the government.
Despite the
Islamization of all facets of Iranian society over the past 40 years, questions
regarding the Islamic economy and its derivatives, such as Islamic banking,
have remained unanswered.
In his recent
televised debate with Derakhshan, Ghaninejad, one of the founders of the
Faculty of Islamic Studies and Economics at Imam Sadiq University, received
disappointing answers when he raised this matter.
Whatever the
Leader Said
During the
debate, Ghaninejad tried to define an Islamic economy by referencing the
opinions of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founding father of the Islamic
Republic. The professor of economics said an Islamic economy is what Khomeini
had said about it.
As Ghaninejad
pressed for a more comprehensive answer, Derakhshan said that he supported
regulating economic affairs of Muslim societies based on Islam, meaning that
both the Program and Budget Organization and the central bank must act in
accordance with Islamic principles.
But what does
this truly mean? Is it sufficient to formulate a comprehensive economic system
labeled as an Islamic economy? Derakhshan further explained that "Islamic
economics entails discovering economics in its true sense."
"Although
there are various definitions of an Islamic economy, it cannot simply be a
collection of jurisprudential rulings, fatwas, narrations, and economic
hadiths," he said.
Derakhshan
asserts that "a set of jurisprudential rulings or the introduction of
economic cooperation contracts, such as the sanctity of usury, respect for
ownership, rulings on options and fraud in transactions, or the explanation of
mudarabah (partnership in which one party provides the capital while the other
provides labor) contracts, etc.,cannot solve the problems of today's complex
economies."
Instead, a
school of thought or a codified and coherent philosophical system is needed for
a more comprehensive Islamic economic model, according to Derakhshan.
No News about
the Islamic Economy
Although
Derakhshan cited Khomeini’s words and writings to explain what an Islamic
economy is, these quotes offer little guidance on how to build a comprehensive
economic system.
Instead, they
focus on moral recommendations and jurisprudence, which cannot provide a
coherent economic framework.
Khomeini's
comments on the economy emphasized the importance of independence and
self-sufficiency, but provided little guidance on the specifics of a
"correct" and "healthy" economic system.
He frequently
stressed the need for all aspects of life in the Islamic Republic to be
Islamic, including the economy.
However,
Khomeini's intellectual dependence on non-Islamic schools of thought has been
criticized. In a meeting with Ministry of Health and Welfare employees in 1980,
he lamented the "people’s tendency to abandon their own school of thought
and to adopt the ideas of others, including Marxist economics, without fully
understanding their own Islamic economic principles."
How can
Khomeini's description of an Islamic economy and its characteristics be
improved?
In a
conversation with a reporter from the newspaper Indonesian Tempo in January
1979, while he was still living in France, he was asked about the economic
foundations of an Islamic regime, particularly in the banking sector, land
reforms, and property rights.
Khomeini
responded that ownership is accepted in Islam but that it comes with certain
conditions and limits prescribed by Islamic laws and regulations.
"This
separates the economic system of Islam from the capitalist economic system of
the world, and if these limits and conditions are followed, the Islamic society
will not experience the same problems and inequalities found in today's
capitalist world."
Ayatollah
Khomeini emphasized that the economic system of Islam should be viewed as a
part of Islamic laws and regulations covering all aspects of personal and
social affairs.
He believed
that the problems and complications in human life cannot be solved only
"by regulating economic relations in a particular way.” “Instead, they
should be solved within an Islamic system that takes into account
spirituality,” which he considered “the key to pain.”
Ayatollah
Khomeini concluded that only Islam can guide society, and if the world wants to
overcome its problems, it should convert to Islam.
Khomeini's
explanations about the economic foundations of the Islamic regime merely
reiterate a few jurisprudence rulings on borrowing interests and property. They
do not adequately establish an intellectual framework that distinguishes
Islamic economics from capitalist or communist models.
To fully
clarify the concept of Islamic economics, it is essential to highlight its
distinct features, which include an emphasis on social justice, eradication of
poverty and discrimination, support for the oppressed, rejection of foreign
dependence and respect for usury.
These
principles have been repeatedly emphasized in the context of Islamic economics,
but they do not constitute a fully comprehensive intellectual system on their
own.
To establish a
distinct Islamic economic system, it is necessary to further develop and refine
these ideas to create a robust framework that differs significantly from
capitalist and communist models.
In a meeting in
Tehran in January 1980, Ayatollah Khomeini stated that the ultimate goal of the
Islamic Republic is to make "everything" Islamic.
He described
what constitutes an Islamic market, saying that it must not engage in practices
that harm the economy or exploit the poor.
“For instance,
a market that purchases goods for one toman and sells them for 30 to the rich
while ignoring the needs of the poor is not Islamic,” he said.
Khomeini
stressed the importance of "self-Islamization" and urged the market
to become "Islamic." He criticized the construction of palaces while
the plight of slum dwellers was ignored.
Khomeini argued
that “being an Islamic country is more than just a facade or an outward appearance;
it is about having substance and actively working toward the betterment of
society as a whole.”
Leaning on the
Wind
There are many
economists who fundamentally reject the idea of an Islamic economy. For
example, Ghaninejad clearly stated that the Islamic economy does not exist.
This opinion is
shared by some high-ranked Muslim scholars such as Ayatollah Mohammad
JavadAlaviTabatabaiBoroujerdi, who referred to the Islamic economy as a joke in
an interview with Echo Iran in 2019, just like socialist or capitalist
economies.
However,
supporters of an Islamic economy claim this concept suffered from
misunderstandings.
The insistence
on Islamizing all aspects of society, as Ayatollah Khomeini advocated, and on
trying to solve economic crises by removing economic principles from Islam is
the root of Iran's current economic situation.
Ghaninejad's
criticism of Khamenei's and Khomeini's economic views in the debate with
Derakhshan has become a lasting critique. He asked: Why should we accept the
views of Khamenei and Khomeini, who are not experts in economics, regarding
economic issues that require scientific expertise rather than jurisprudence?
Source: iranwire.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://iranwire.com/en/politics/115965-economist-challenges-existence-of-islamic-economy-on-iranian-tv/
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Sumayya Vally
on the First Islamic Arts Biennale: "Claim, Reclaim, Configure, and
Reconfigure"
Written by
ChristeleHarrouk
April 26, 2023
The First
Islamic Arts Biennale, artistically directed by Sumayya Vally, opened on
January 2023 and is still ongoing until May 23, 2023, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
The inaugural event was commissioned and produced by the Diriyah Biennale
Foundation and was curated by Vally alongside Dr. Julian Raby, Dr. Omniya Abdel
Barr, and Dr. Saad Al-Rashid. The biennale re-imagines the Western Hajj
Terminal at King Abdulaziz Airport, designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
and winner of the 1983 Aga Khan Award, as a cultural space to redefine Islamic
Arts from "within, in a way, that connects some of these art forms and
forms of artistic expression to the experience and rituals" of those that
live it.
Sumayya Vally
is a South African architect, founder, and director of the Johannesburg-based
collaborative architectural studio Counterspace. Designer of the Serpentine
Pavilion in 2020/2021, she was the youngest architect to get this commission.
Part of Time’s 100 emerging leaders who are shaping the future, in 2021, the
only architect to make the list at that time, Sumayya started her career as a
curator and teacher, and recently she was appointed as artistic director of the
first Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah. ArchDaily had the chance to talk with
Vally about her contribution to this biennale, her vision of the exhibition,
the venue, the scenography, and the participating architects. Sumayya also
shared some exclusive info about her entry for the 2023 Venice Architecture
Biennale, starting on May 20th, in Venice, Italy.
Source: archdaily.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.archdaily.com/998549/sumayya-vally-on-the-islamic-arts-biennale-claim-reclaim-configure-and-reconfigure
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India, US are
indispensable partners, American Ambassador-Designate Eric Garcetti quotes
President Joe Biden
27-04-23
The newly
sworn-in US Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti, has emphasised the importance
of the US-India relationship, stating that it is critical to the future of both
nations. Garcetti, who is also US President Joe Biden's close aide, highlighted
the fact that the two countries have never before worked so closely on such a
range of issues.
He made these
comments while addressing a gathering of prominent Indian Americans at the
US-India Summit, organised by Congressional India Caucus’s Co-chairs Ro Khanna
and Michael Waltz.
Garcetti's
appointment had been pending before the US Congress since July 2021, but he was
finally confirmed in March 2022 after concerns were raised about how he had
handled allegations of sexual assault and harassment against a former senior
adviser.
Before coming
to India, he spoke with President Biden about his vision for the US-India
partnership, emphasising the pivotal nature of this moment for both countries
and the entire planet.
“There are few
relationships in the world that are more vital to the US and India. Our
relationship in the world is critical to its future. As President Biden has
said, India and the US are indispensable partners," Garcetti said.
According to
Garcetti, the US-India relationship is vital for both nations, and President
Biden has stressed that the two countries are indispensable partners. The US
and India are both leading democracies and two of the world's largest
economies, with a shared commitment to innovation and progress. Together, they
can shape the 21st century by working closely on various issues.
“We are
connected through and empowered by the innovative spirit of our incredible
people. And together, through the actions we take, we will together shape the
21st century, in this G-20 year and beyond, working alongside my incredibly
dedicated colleagues at the US Mission to India," he added.
The US Embassy
in India has been without an ambassador since January 2021, the longest stretch
in the history of US-India relations where the post has sat vacant. The last US
envoy in New Delhi, Kenneth Juster, stepped down after the change of government
in America. Garcetti's appointment is, therefore, a significant development for
US-India relations.
(With agency
inputs)
Source: livemint.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.livemint.com/
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India
With eye on
2024 election, BJP fields around 350 Muslim candidates in UP civic polls
Abhishek Mishra
Apr 26, 2023
By Abhishek
Mishra: In Uttar Pradesh, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been
experimenting with new strategies in local elections after winning the previous
elections. Even this time, the saffron party has adopted a new strategy for
local body elections.
For the first
time, the BJP has given tickets to such a large number of Muslim candidates,
around 350, for the upcoming UP civic body polls. Muslims are contesting as
councilor candidates in the Nagar Nigam and presidential candidates in the
Nagar Palika among others, under the party's symbol.
In reality, the
focus of the ruling party is now on the marginalised Muslim community, as the
BJP has set a target of Mission 80 for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Uttar
Pradesh and the support of the community is necessary to achieve it.
Therefore, in
the local body elections this time, the BJP gave tickets to a large number of
candidates from the minority community.
The BJP has
been trying to connect with the marginalised Muslim community for the past
several months. The BJP's efforts to connect with the community is on, with
initiatives such as the Pasmanda Dialogue Conference, an Urdu version of PM
Modi's Mann Ki Baat, an Iftar party during Eid, and dialogues with
beneficiaries of government schemes in Muslim-majority areas.
However, this
time around, the party is trying to remove the tag of being indifferent to
Muslims by fielding around 350 Muslim candidates in the upcoming municipal
elections and challenging the Opposition.
According to
sources, the saffron party has given tickets to Muslim candidates from
Prayagraj, Varanasi, Gorakhpur, Lucknow, Jhansi, Agra, Firozabad, and Mathura
Municipal Corporations.
Even in
Varanasi, which is the parliamentary constituency of Prime Minister Narendra
Modi, the BJP has given tickets to Muslim candidates in four wards of the
nagarnigam. Similarly, in Gorakhpur, the constituency of Chief Minister Yogi
Adityanath, tickets have been given to Muslim candidates for the post of
councillors. Candidates from the minority community have also been fielded for
the post of councillors in Jhansi, Agra, Firozabad, and Mathura Nagar Nigams.
Commenting on
the BJP's move to give tickets to Muslim candidates, UP Minority Welfare
Minister Danish Azad Ansari told AajTak that the party had given tickets to
nearly 300 Muslims, including marginalised ones, for the first time, fielding
them as candidates for councillors and municipal committee seats. "The
party believes that to bring Muslims into the mainstream, political
representation must be given, and this decision was made beforehand," he
added.
Ansari also
said that the Samajwadi Party only used Muslims for votes and their politics
revolved around a single face, but the BJP has given them a chance not only to
be beneficiaries but also to have a share in power, something that has never
happened before.
In this
municipal election, BSP has fielded 11 Muslim mayoral candidates in 17
municipal corporations. In response, the BJP has also announced around 250
Muslim candidates in the first round of this election. The Samajwadi Party also
has its eyes on the Muslim vote bank, and therefore, it is also continuously
fielding Muslim candidates.
However, the
BJP believes that it has worked to bring the marginalised community forward,
which was evident in the results of the party's previous elections in the
state.
Even if we talk
about municipal corporations and municipal councils, the BJP has fielded Muslim
candidates for the post of the chairman of Firozabad municipal council, Amethi
municipal council, Rampur in Moradabad division, Amroha and several other
places. Through this, they aim to break the SP's and the BSP's grip on the
Muslim vote bank.
Akhilesh
Yadav's party has called the BJP's experiment a "political gimmick".
SP spokesperson AmeeqJamei said the ruling party can do anything for votes.
"The
entire country knows that at this time, minorities are the most scared. It is
the BJP's job to harass Muslims, kill them in riots, plant riots, and disrupt
unity during Ram Navami. Giving tickets to Muslims in UP civic polls is just a
ploy, the BJP wants to promote their politics," AmeeqJamei said.
The BJP's
tickets to Muslim candidates is being seen as the party's political experiment
before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Prior to this, the party had not given
tickets to any Muslim candidate in recent Assembly or Lok Sabha elections.
If the party
wins in most constituencies with these 350 candidates, then the possibility
increases of it fielding Muslim faces in Uttar Pradesh for the first time in
the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Source: indiatoday.in
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/up-municipal-election-bjp-fields-muslim-candidates-on-350-crucial-seats-2364974-2023-04-26
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'Patriot
Muslims Vote For BJP, Pak Supporters Vote For Cong, JDS: BJP's National GS
April 26, 2023
BJP's National
General Secretary CT Ravi said that many patriots in "Muslims" vote
for the BJP, but some of them who support Pakistan will vote for Congress and
JDS. He also stated that the BJP does not want votes who have a "Pakistani
mindset." "There are many patriots among Muslims who vote for BJP.
But some of them who support Pakistan and have divisive ideology vote for
Congress and Janata Dal. We don't want the votes of those who have a Pakistani
mindset," ANI quoted CT Ravi as saying.
The
Chikkamagaluru MLA said that the BJP comes out with schemes keeping
'sabkasaath, sabkavikas' in mind. "People who are like Abdul Kalam and
ShishunalaSharifa vote for BJP. We bring government schemes keeping
'sabkasaath, sabkavikas' in mind and not on the basis of caste-like former CM
Siddaramaiah did earlier. He brought many of the government schemes for Muslims
only," he said while giving clarification on former Karnataka minister KS
Eshwarappa's statement that the BJP does not need a single vote from the Muslim
community.
Talking about
Rahul Gandhi's campaigning in Karnataka, CT Ravi stated that Congress will lose
wherever Gandhi campaigns. "Rahul Gandhi campaigned in UP and Congress
lost there. But wherever PM Modi campaigns, BJP wins and it will continue to
win," he said. CT Ravi is in old Mysore on Wednesday to campaign for the
BJP candidate R Ashok.
On Tuesday, CT
Ravi was in the news after KS Eshwarappa, who has stepped away from electoral
politics, hailed him as a good leader and urged voters in Nidughatta near Chikkamagaluru
to elect him with a big margin to make him the next CM of the state. Later, he
clarified that a decision on picking the CM face is not within his domain.
"I do not have the authority to make such a decision and decide on who the
party's CM face would be," he said. KS Eshwarappa also said that the
Chikkamagaluru MLA has the qualities to become the Chief Minister of the state.
"CT Ravi is a good leader. He is doing very good work in Chikkamagaluru. I
did not say anything about him being the next chief minister. I have no
authority to make such a statement," KS Eshwarappa told ANI.
Source: oneindia.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.oneindia.com/india/patriot-muslims-vote-for-bjp-pak-supporters-vote-for-cong-jds-ct-ravi-3552585.html
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Pakistan
Pakistani-American
Political Action Committee Lobbies US Lawmakers To ‘Protect Democracy In
Pakistan’
April 27, 2023
Anwar Iqbal
WASHINGTON:
More than 90 US lawmakers have signed a letter urging US Secretary of State
Antony Blinken to use all diplomatic channels to promote democracy in Pakistan.
The
Pakistani-American Political Action Committee, better known as Pak PAC USA, says
that it’s reaching out to more than 100 lawmakers to sign the letter.
In the US, the
term PAC refers to an organisation that pools campaign contributions from
members and donates those funds to campaigns for or against candidates, ballot
initiatives, or legislation.
The committee,
which promotes Pakistan’s interests in the US Congress, says that it’s only
trying to strengthen democracy in Pakistan and does not support or oppose any
political party or group.
But a PTI
leader, Shahbaz Gill, did address PAC’s annual dinner on Tuesday night,
soliciting support for those striving to maintain constitutional democracy in
Pakistan.
Mr Gill also
visited some US lawmakers with the PAC team and explained to them the current
political situation in Pakistan. Some PAC members, including a past president,
however, objected to his inclusion in the team.
The letter,
which will be sent to Secretary Blinken on April 28, was jointly initiated by a
Democrat and a Republican, Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, Congressman
Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, respectively.
They said they
were writing to express concerns about the current situation in Pakistan and to
urge Secretary Blinken to “use all diplomatic tools at your disposal to
pressure the government of Pakistan towards a greater commitment to democracy,
human rights, and the rule of law.”
They also
demanded a “commitment to investigate any infringement upon freedom of speech
and freedom of assembly” in Pakistan.
The lawmakers
said that over the past several months, they had become increasingly concerned
by the blanket bans on demonstrations, and deaths of several prominent critics
of the government.
“We ask for
your help in pressuring the government of Pakistan to ensure protestors can
assert their demands in a peaceful and non-violent way, free from harassment,
intimidation, and arbitrary detention,” they wrote.
As both
Democrats and Republicans who care about the bilateral relationship, “we are
concerned that violence and increased political tension could spiral into a
deteriorating security situation in Pakistan,” they warned.
As supporters
of a strong bilateral US -Pakistan relationship, “we urge you to use all
diplomatic tools — including calls, visits, and public statements — to
demonstrate US interest and prevent the erosion of democratic institutions in
Pakistan,” they wrote.
“Supporting
democracy in Pakistan is in the national interest of the United States,” they
added.
The lawmakers
reminded Mr. Blinken that “in this critical moment, US diplomatic leadership is
necessary to prevent further erosion of democratic protections.”
At a separate
gathering of PTI supporters, Mr. Gill urged politicians in Pakistan to rise
above party loyalties to ensure that basic rights of all political workers are
respected.
“In Pakistan,
every group has its own victim. Victims of other groups are not even
recognized,” he said at a PTI reception in Virginia on Monday night. “This is
wrong. A victim is a victim. We should rise above party loyalties to support
him or her.”
Mr. Gill was
arrested last year on charges of sedition for allegedly inciting mutiny, a
charge he vehemently denies. PTI claimed that he was sexually assaulted in
custody, although he later told a court that he was not. Mr. Gill, however,
insists that he was subjected to torture by investigators.
Later at a news
briefing, Mr. Gill said that the diplomatic cipher controversy does not define
PTI’s policies towards the United States.
“We are not
against America or any other country,” he said. “If we return to power, we will
seek close friendly relations with all allies, including the United States.”
Source: dawn.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.dawn.com/news/1749523/pak-pac-lobbies-us-lawmakers-to-protect-democracy-in-pakistan
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Oil tanker hit
flattens mosque
April 27, 2023
A mosque in
Jund tehsil of Attock District was completely destroyed after an oil tanker hit
its wall on Wednesday.
According to
the police, the unfortunate accident occurred at Pindi Gheb Road DhokChishtian
in Jund tehsil where the out-of-control oil tanker sparked a massive fire after
slammed the mosque’s wall.
As a result,
the fire caused the massive structural damage to the Jamia Masjid which came
down later. Police personnel and rescue teams rushed to the site following the
incident and started rescue operation.—INP
Source: pakobserver.net
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://pakobserver.net/oil-tanker-hit-flattens-mosque/
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Is US opposing
Pakistan-Russia energy deal?
April 27, 2023
Washington: The
United States has made it clear that it never tried to keep Russian energy off
the market, adding that countries will make their own sovereign decisions.
On Tuesday, a
US State Department spokesperson, Vedant Patel, was asked to convey
Washington’s reaction to the energy deal reached between Pakistan and Russia.
Answering the
question, the spokesperson said that Washinton had left the door open for such
purchases when it placed restrictions on Russian oil after Moscow invaded
Ukraine last year.
“One of the
reasons that the United States, through the G7, has been a big proponent of the
price cap is to ensure that steps are not being taken to keep Russian energy
off the market because we understand that there is a demand for supply,” he
said.
He, however,
added that the US needed to take steps to ensure that the Russian energy
markets were not turning out to be a “windfall for Putin’s war machine”.
The statement
from the US Department of State came days after Pakistan placed its first order
for discounted Russian oil.
Under the deal,
Pakistan will buy only crude, not refined fuels. Imports are expected to reach
100,000 barrels per day (bpd) if the first transaction goes through smoothly.
Pakistan’s
purchase gives Russia a new outlet, adding to Moscow’s growing sales to India
and China, as it redirects oil from Western markets because of the
restrictions.
Source: pakobserver.net
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://pakobserver.net/is-us-opposing-pakistan-russia-energy-deal/
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China to
‘deepen and expand’ military ties with Pakistan
By Abid Hussain
Published On 27
Apr 2023
27 Apr 2023
Islamabad,
Pakistan – China says it will work with Pakistan’s military to “further deepen
and expand” the two nations’ mutual interests and jointly protect regional
peace and stability.
A statement by
the Chinese defence ministry on Wednesday said Zhang Youxia, the vice chairman
of China’s Central Military Commission, made the comments during his meeting
with Pakistan’s army chief, General Syed Asim Munir, who is on his maiden visit
to Beijing.
“Noting that
China and Pakistan are all-weather strategic cooperative partners and close
friends, Zhang said that no matter how the international situation changes,
China always gives Pakistan priority in its neighbourhood diplomacy,” said the
statement.
Another
statement released by the Pakistan army’s media wing, the Inter-Services Public
Relations (ISPR), said Munir was given a warm welcome and presented with a
guard of honour upon his arrival at the People’s Liberation Army headquarters
in Beijing on Wednesday.
“Matters of
mutual security interests and military cooperation were discussed. Both
military commanders reiterated the need for maintaining peace and stability in
the region and enhancing military to military cooperation,” the Pakistani
statement said.
The ISPR said
Munir will hold further meetings with military officials in China to enhance
the “longstanding relations between the two militaries” during his four-day
visit.
Muhammad
Faisal, an Islamabad-based foreign policy analyst and close observer of
Pakistan-China ties, told Al Jazeera Munir’s visit is crucial as it comes amid
political, economic and security crises in Pakistan.
“Of late,
Pakistan’s dependency on China for economic stability and regional security
coordination has grown in the face of financial challenges, renewed threat of
terrorism and India-centric challenges,” he said.
Pakistan and
China have ongoing border disputes with India, threatening regional security.
Munir’s
predecessor General Qamar Javed Bajwa visited China two months before his
retirement in November last year. That month also saw Prime Minister Shehbaz
Sharif making a trip to Beijing and meeting President Xi Jinping.
China has
invested $60bn in the ambitious China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project
and is Pakistan’s key economic and defence partner.
The South Asian
country owes nearly $30bn – 23 percent of its total debt – to China.
As Islamabad struggles
to resume a much-needed $1.1bn loan programme with the International Monetary
Fund (IMF), it has sought help from its allies, mainly China, to roll over some
of its existing loans.
Analyst Faisal
said while the Pakistani military remains engaged with China on regional
security, economy has also taken over as a central agenda in the meetings
between the military commanders of the two nations.
“This is a new
development and indicates that Chinese military is closely following Pakistan’s
economic challenges,” he told Al Jazeera.
As China
continues to help Pakistan economically, the last few years saw multiple
attacks on Chinese nationals and facilities carried out by the armed groups in
Pakistan.
Earlier this
month, a Chinese national working at a hydropower plant being constructed by a
Chinese company in northern Pakistan was accused of blasphemy – a sensitive
issue in Muslim-majority Pakistan.
The Chinese man
is currently in a two-week judicial custody which ends on May 2.
Two years ago,
13 people, including nine Chinese nationals working at the same hydropower
project, were killed in an attack claimed by the Pakistan Taliban, known by the
acronym TTP.
In April last
year, three Chinese teachers and their Pakistani driver were killed in a
suicide attack at a university in Pakistan’s largest city of Karachi. The
attack was claimed by a Baloch rebel group fighting for a separate Balochistan
in the southwest.
Chinese
authorities have repeatedly demanded protection of their nationals amid
escalating violence in the country.
“For Beijing,
safety and security of its citizens remains the top concern amid resurgence of
violence in Pakistan. On this, assurances of army chief will be taken with
seriousness,” said Faisal.
Source: aljazeera.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/4/27/china-to-deepen-and-expand-military-ties-with-pakistan
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South Asia
Facebook
advertising activity made limited in Bangladesh
April 27, 2023
The official advertisement
services of Meta platforms including Facebook, Instagram and Whatsapp has been
limited in Bangladesh until further notice due to the dollar crisis.
Httpool, Meta's
sales partner in Bangladesh, made the announcement in a letter.
The letter from
the organization stated that the decision was made due to the dollar crisis and
remittance complications.
Due to this
decision, the payment of advertising campaigns on different platforms including
Facebook and Meta from Bangladesh through Httpool will be limited or not be
possible.
Httpool is the
Bangladeshi sales representative of Facebook and Meta.
Any ads placed
on Facebook can be paid through Httpool in the local currency, not dollars.
Domestic
organizations and especially those who want to stay in compliance, will be in
trouble with this announcement by Httpool.
Businesses
known as f-commerce (Facebook-based companies) will also face temporary
problems.
It was not
possible to reach the officials of Bangladesh office of Httpool over phone even
after several attempts.
They did not
respond to the message and did not receive a phone call.
The letter
signed by Sunny Nagpal, director of Httpool Bangladesh Limited, said that they
have no control over this recent situation. They are working sincerely through
digital means to solve the problem quickly.
The letter
informed that they will inform everyone once the service is resumed.
Fahim Mashroor,
CEO of Bdjobs.com, one of the companies receiving facebook services through
Httpool said: “We have received a letter from Httpool. This will cause various
problems for entrepreneurs.”
He thinks that
what is done through Httpool is legal. Many people get paid to advertise on
facebook or other media in various ways through freelancers. Those paths are
illegal. Due to the complexity of the Httpool, entrepreneurs have to choose
that illegal way.
He said that
companies like Uber, Daraz, Foodpanda etc. will not have any problem. They pay
the facebook advertising bill from their parent company. As a result, local
companies will face more problems.
It is known
that there is a co-branded credit card for the members of Basis, the
organization of software and service manufacturers of the country. Usually
hosting, software license bills can be paid through that card. But nowhere is
it said that facebook or other media bills cannot be paid through this card.
Basis members
can continue to work using that card during this time. Besides, there is Islami
Bank co-branded prepaid card for the members of e-Commerce Association of
Bangladesh (e-CAB). Using this card, e-CAB members can promote their ads on
Facebook.
Nasima Akhter
Nisha, president of Women and E-Commerce Trust (WE), a platform for women
entrepreneurs based on facebook, said: "We have been able to communicate
with Httpool. They told us small entrepreneurs will have no problem. They can
boost content on Facebook and promote pages as before. That bill can be paid
through Httpool. There may be some problems with big agencies or institutions.
Matters have been made difficult for them. But this problem is temporary.”
Nasima Akhter
Nisha said that she has been assured that the problem will be resolved soon.
There are
rumors in the IT sector that facebook owes a nine-month bill from Httpool
Bangladesh. It is the opinion of those concerned that facebook may have taken
this decision to 'limit advertising' mainly because of the outstanding bills,
although there is no official statement in this matter.
Source: dhakatribune.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.dhakatribune.com/education/2023/02/23/leaked-audio-clips-iu-vcs-personal-secretary-relieved
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PM Hasina:
Bangladesh is going to be regional hub for investment
April 27, 2023
Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said Bangladesh is going to be a regional hub for
investment, industrialization and export due to the government's pragmatic
policies, calling for more Japanese investment in larger volumes.
"With our
pragmatic policies and Vision, Bangladesh is guaranteed to emerge as a regional
hub for investment, industrialization and exports to diverse destinations in
the region and beyond," she said while opening Bangladesh Investment
Summit at the Galaxy Ball Room, The Westin, Tokyo.
Bangladesh
Securities and Exchange Commission(BSEC) and Bangladesh Investment Development
Authority(Bida)jointly organized the summit titled "Trade and Investment
Opportunities between Bangladesh and Japan.
Eleven
Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) between private companies from Bangladesh
and Japan that include JCCI and FBCCI were exchanged in presence of Bangladesh
Prime minister.
Chairman
(senior Secretary) of BSEC Professor Shibli Rubayat-Ul-Islam made a
presentation.
Mentioning that
returns on investment in Bangladesh have been consistently high, she said that
in addition,Bangladesh's business friendly fiscal and non-fiscal policies and
incentives, stable democracy, prudent governance and leadership guarantees
foreign investment will return good value.
"We can
confidently assure you that Bangladesh ensures a solid future for global
investors. We thus welcome all investors from world over, and Japanese
investors in particular to see the opportunities for investment in
Bangladesh," she said.
"However,
real investment is still low. We seek more investment from Japan.--- I invite
you all to come to Bangladesh and explore the potentials of business and
investment opportunities," she said.
The premier
said that Bangladeshis a country of 170 million people which is itself a
growing market while its location in the heart of a bigger market of nearly
three billion consumers, provides a huge attraction for business expansion.
She said that
the HSBC Global Research Projection report indicates that Bangladesh is
expected to become the 9th largest consumer market globally by 2030 overtaking
the UK and Germany.
The premier
reminded the local and Japanese investors that as they are aware that Covid-19
pandemic have caused havoc worldwide, and severely impacted trade and
investment.
"However,
we could tackle the crisis through effective measures and interventions. Our
economy has shown strong resilience, maintained growth and is still sustaining
the pressure from the volatile world financial situation and supply side
constraints. Bangladesh has maintained her economic growth and achieved 7.1%
GDP growth rate in Fiscal year 2021-2022. Despite the Ukraine War, we are
projecting 6.5% growth rate during the current fiscal year," she said.
Referring to
Bangladesh's ever-expanding economy, Sheikh Hasina said that opportunities have
increased considerably in different sectors such as ICT, electronics,
infrastructure, leather, textile, hospitality and tourism, heavy industry,
chemical and fertilizer, and in SMEs.
"Our
government is doing everything it can to facilitate smooth, easy and efficient
ways of doing business," she said.
The prime
minister said they are building 100 Economic Zones, Hi-tech and Software Parks
to offer them for foreign investment.
"I want to
assure Japanese investors that Bangladesh is ready for you, and that you will
have great experience once there. All required agencies and framework to
facilitate your business have been set up for convenience," she said.
Sheikh Hasina
said they have a high-level joint platform like Public Private Joint Economic
Dialogue (PPED) specially for facilitating Japanese investors in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh
welcomes the outcome of the 5th PPED meeting held recently on 11 April 2023,
she said.
"Since,
Bangladesh is going to graduate from LDC status by 2026, we are working with
Japan to make possible an Economic Partnership Agreement to expand bilateral
trade and investment," she said.
The premier
expressed happiness over seeing collaboration between Bangladeshi and Japanese
companies.
"I wish successful partnership to those
companies that have made a commitment today for investment in Bangladesh. We
expect more investments from Japanese investors especially in the Japanese
Economic Zone in Araihazar," she continued.
Noting that the
number of Non-resident Bangladeshis (NRBs) and people of Bangladeshi origin
living in Japan are gradually increasing, she said they provide significant
support to Bangladesh's economic activities through their remittances.
"I also
urge them to develop more entrepreneurship, engage in business initiatives and
joint ventures with their Japanese friends," she said.
The premier
said Bangladesh is moving forward to a prosperous future.
"We want
you all to be partners in our development and achievements. Do invest in
Bangladesh. We are confident that your investment will bring you huge
success", she said.
"We seek
more investment from Japan," Sheikh Hasina said.
Sheikh Hasina
said during her successive terms in the government they have been uplifting the
socio-economic condition of my people as per the Awami League government's
Vision 2021 and Vision 2041.
"Bangladesh,
as a country, is now cited as a "Role model for development" and sets
examples in many fields ranging from poverty reduction, empowerment of women,
digitalization, food production, and in addressing climate change
challenges," she said.
The premier
continued that Bangladesh's resilient people are now looking ahead with hope
and optimism to emerge from the LDC category to a developing country by 2026.
"We are
determined in our journey towards a modern, developed and knowledge-based
"Smart Bangladesh" by 2041," she said.
Last year,
Bangladesh celebrated the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations with Japan.
She said
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was an ardent admirer of Japan and its
amazing development model rising from the ashes of devastation of World War II.
"We have a
similar story. Our Father of the Nation started to build the war ravaged
country in 1971. Unfortunately, he could not realize his dreams as he along
with almost all members of his family were brutally assassinated in August
1975. Me and my sister, Sheikh Rehana, were abroad and thus survived the
massacre," she said.
Since coming to
power in 1996, the prime minister said "I have been relentless in
realizing the dream of my Father and our Father of the Nation Bangabandhu
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, to build a modern and developed country."
At the outset,
she said she recalls with deep reverence the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who led and gave us in 1971 a homeland of our own,
Bangladesh.
"Soon on
10 February 1972, Japan gave recognition to our new country. Thereafter,
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman visited Japan in October 1973 and laid the
foundation of the two countries' lasting friendship," she said.
Foreign
Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen, PM's Private Industry and Investment Affairs
Adviser Salman Fazlur Rahman, State Minister for Foreign Minister MdShahriar
Alam, State Minister Information Communication and Technology Zunaid Ahmed
Palak and Bida Executive Chairman (Senior Secretary) Lokman Hossain Miah, among
others, were present.
Minister of
Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan, Nishimura Yasutoshi, Chairman of Japan
External Trade Organization (JETRO), Ishiguro Norihiko, Chairman, Japan Chamber
of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) Ken Kobayashi alongside CEOs and top business
leaders from Japan and Bangladesh were present.
Source: dhakatribune.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2023/04/27/pm-hasina-visits-japanese-national-museum-of-science
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Dhaka, Tokyo
welcome negotiations on transferring defense equipment and tech
April 27, 2023
Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina and her Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida have welcomed the initiation
of negotiations on agreement concerning the transfer of defense equipment and
technology, recognizing the future potential.
They decided to
“elevate” the bilateral relationship to a “strategic partnership” as a guiding
principle to lead the two countries' journey into the next 50 years and beyond.
Both leaders
shared the determination to enhance cooperation, specifically in three major
areas — cooperation for peace and stability in the region and beyond, deepening
economic cooperation for mutual benefits and regional prosperity, and expansion
of cultural cooperation and people to people exchanges.
At the
invitation of the Japanese prime minister, Sheikh Hasina is currently on an
official visit and had a summit meeting on April 26.
Defense
Cooperation
The two prime
ministers welcomed recent frequent port calls in Chittagong by vessels of the
Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) and the high-level mutual visits of
the Japan Self-Defense Forces and Bangladesh Armed Forces.
In light of the
memorandum of cooperation and exchanges formulated between the defense
authorities from the two sides, they concurred to continue to promote security
cooperation such as mutual visits by vessels and aircraft, unit-to-unit
exchange, training programs and goodwill exercises.
In addition,
both PMs have decided to consider opening a defense wing in Tokyo and a
national security wing in Dhaka in their respective embassies in the near
future.
Furthermore,
they agreed to enhance dialogue among the respective diplomatic and defense
authorities in order to identify possible ways to strengthen the security
cooperation.
Prime Minister
Kishida explained Japan's efforts for fundamentally reinforcing its defense
capabilities and strengthening diplomatic efforts, as illustrated in the new
National Security Strategy, National Defense Strategy, and DefenseBuildup
Program.
Prime Minister
Hasina shared Bangladesh's plan and initiative for further modernizing its
armed forces under the Forces Goal 2030.
Both prime
ministers acknowledged the efforts by both countries to contribute to their
respective regional security.
Prime Minister
Hasina acknowledged the establishment of the Official Security Assistance by
Japan, a new cooperation framework for the benefit of armed forces and other related
organizations of like-minded countries for the purpose of deepening security
cooperation, and looked forward to future cooperation under this framework.
The two prime
ministers confirmed that, guided by the traditional and time-tested friendship
since the independence of Bangladesh, the two countries have achieved
significant progress in bilateral relations based on the “Comprehensive
Partnership” established in 2014.
They noted that
the two countries celebrated the 50th anniversary of the establishment of
diplomatic relations in 2022, as a manifestation of commitment and
determination to contribute to enhancing the bilateral relationship based on
common values and mutual interests.
Free and Open
Indo-Pacific
Guided by the
fundamental values and principles shared by the two countries, the two PMs
reaffirmed their commitment to realizing a free and open Indo-Pacific based on
the rule of law, where the rights, freedoms and sovereignty of all countries,
regardless of size or power, are protected by international law, rules and
norms.
In particular,
they affirmed that maritime order based on common values such as freedom of
navigation is a cornerstone for stability and prosperity of the international
community and that the use of the sea as global commons will contribute to the
development of the blue economy.
Prime Minister
Kishida explained that Japan, as the G7 Presidency, would like to demonstrate
the G7's determination to uphold the free and open international order based on
the rule of law and to enhance relations with partners in the international
community beyond the G7.
Prime Minister
Hasina felicitated Japan on its G7 presidency.
Prime Minister
Kishida also outlined a newly released plan for a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific
(FOIP)”, which will strengthen Japan's efforts to further promote the FOIP
vision, with the four pillars of cooperation: "Principles for Peace and
Rules for Prosperity," "Addressing Challenges in an Indo-Pacific
Way," "Multi-layered Connectivity," and "Extending Efforts
for Security and Safe Use of the Sea to the Air”.
Prime Minister
Hasina appreciated Japan's sustained efforts to contribute to securing regional
and international peace, stability, and prosperity.
She reiterated
Bangladesh's principled position on a free, open, inclusive, peaceful and
secure Indo-Pacific based on international law and shared prosperity for all.
Regional
Connectivity
Recognizing the
importance of Bangladesh, which holds great economic potential and can be a
bridge between huge markets, namely South Asia and Southeast Asia, the two
prime ministers recognised that developing quality infrastructure will enhance
regional connectivity and contribute to the development of Bangladesh and the
region.
In this
context, they stressed the importance of transparent and fair development
finance to achieve sustainable development and highlighted the importance of
adhering to international rules and standards, such as debt sustainability and
transparency.
They also
recognized the importance of economic security including strengthening the
resilience of the supply chain, and the rules-based international economic
order to counter challenges such as economic coercion.
Source: dhakatribune.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.dhakatribune.com/op-ed/2023/04/11/children-of-the-sun
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Islamic Emirate
Reacts to Vienna Meeting
26-04-23
A three-day
meeting among some Afghan politicians and former government’s officials was
held in Vienna.
“It will not
plunge into war and chaos again and fragment. Those who are gathered in Vienna,
those are the people who have been tested once in Afghanistan and their actions
are also clear for the people,” said Zabiullah Mujahid, the slamic Emirate’s
spokesman.
At least 30
people including political, media and civil society figures as well as former
government officials participated in the meeting.
The meeting was
hosted by the Austrian Institute for International Affairs about the situation
of Afghanistan.
“Some people
considered this meeting unique and inclusive due to the presence of some
influential figures,” said NoorullahRaghi, a former diplomat.
Ahmad Massoud;
RanginDadfarSpanta, the former minister of foreign affairs;
Salahuddin
Rabbani, former foreign minister; Muhammad Mohaqiq, head of the People's
Islamic Unity Party of Afghanistan; former member of the parliament Fawzia
Koofi and former Minister of Justice, Fazal Ahmad Manavi were invited to the
meeting.
Source: tolonews.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-183123
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UN agency:
Afghanistan needs $4.62 billion in aid for 2023
RAHIM FAIEZ
Wed, April 26,
2023
ISLAMABAD (AP)
— Afghanistan needs $4.62 billion in humanitarian aid from the international community
this year for nearly 24 million people in need, the U.N.'s humanitarian affairs
agency said.
Afghanistan is
facing its third consecutive year of drought, its second year of severe
economic hardship and the continued consequences of decades of war and natural
disasters, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said
Tuesday on Twitter.
“With
Afghanistan, humanitarian aid remains the last lifeline for much of the
population," the agency said.
Mohammad
Shukran, 32, a Kabul resident and government employee, said life in Afghanistan
is difficult: “Everyone is just trying to survive,” he said.
The U.N. food
agency said earlier this month it urgently needs $800 million for the next six
months to help Afghanistan, which is at the highest risk of famine in a quarter
of a century.
Aid agencies
have been providing food, education and health care support to Afghans in the
wake of the Taliban takeover of August 2021 and the economic collapse that
followed it. But distribution has been severely impacted by a Taliban edict
last December banning women from working at national and international
nongovernmental groups.
The U.N. was
not part of this ban but earlier this month it said the Taliban-led government
has stopped Afghan women from working at its agencies in the country.
Authorities have yet to comment on the restriction.
Unemployment
has increased like never before, said Shah Mir, 45, a father of four children.
He works at a non-governmental organization in the health sector in eastern
Nangarhar province.
“We don’t know
when our office will be closed by the Taliban and we will also lose our jobs,”
he said.
Despite initial
promises of a more moderate rule than during their previous stint in power in
the 1990s, the Taliban have imposed harsh measures since taking over as U.S.
and NATO forces pulled out of Afghanistan after two decades of war.
Source: news.yahoo.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://news.yahoo.com/un-agency-afghanistan-needs-4-105133000.html
---------
Japan Donates
$18 Million for Life-Saving Vaccines in Afghanistan
By
Fidel Rahmati
April 27, 2023
According to a
tweet from the embassy on Wednesday, April 26th, the donations were made
through UNICEF in February of this year. This generous donation aims to improve
the health and well-being of vulnerable women and children in Afghanistan.
In March, the
Japanese government donated $21 million for life-saving vaccines for mothers
and children and water and sanitation in schools.
The funding would
help UNICEF to provide clean water for 30,000 people in four provinces and
vaccines for 18.3 million mothers and children across the country.
Japan’s
donation came amid the devastating humanitarian crisis in the country.
Since the
Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, the Japanese government has
generously contributed to enhancing the living conditions of women and
children, historically disadvantaged in society.
As a friendly
partner, Japan has always stood with the people of Afghanistan and has
sponsored programs in education, nutrition, and health over the past two
decades.
Source: khaama.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.khaama.com/japan-donates-18-million-for-life-saving-vaccines-in-afghanistan/
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Arab World
Custodian of
the Two Holy Mosques Issues Royal Order Promoting 40 Judges at Board of
Grievances
26 Apr, 2023
Custodian of
the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has issued a Royal Order
promoting 40 judges at the Board of Grievances, according to the President of
the Board of Grievances and President of the Administrative Judiciary Council
Dr Khalid bin Mohammed Al-Yousef.
Al-Yousef said
that this Royal Order stresses the keenness of the wise leadership to provide the
administrative and judicial sector with the judicial competencies necessary to
develop its performance and work progress to achieve the excellence envisioned
by the wise leadership.
Source: alriyadhdaily.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
http://alriyadhdaily.com/article/a21535dbab66417d8e85ee5ca311da1c
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UK envoy lauds
Saudi Arabia for Sudan evacuation
LAMA ALHAMAWI
April 27, 2023
RIYADH:
Britain’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday commended the Kingdom on its
swift action to not only evacuate Saudi nationals but also foreign citizens
from Sudan.
“We commend the
Saudis for the speed with which they evacuated many of their own citizens, but
also generously made provision for some foreign nationals and helping them get
from Port Sudan to Jeddah,” Neil Crompton told Arab News.
“Saudis are
very hospitable to people who come to their country, and we thank them from the
bottom of our hearts.”
On Sunday, the
UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Ministry of Defence
announced a military operation to evacuate British Embassy staff from Khartoum
due to escalating violence and threats against foreign diplomats and embassy
properties.
Saudi Arabia on
Saturday announced the start of arrangements for the evacuation of its citizens
and nationals from friendly countries, including the UK, from Sudan.
“Our official
evacuation operation started from WadiSeidna and as of today … four flights
left with over 300 British citizens. Some of those flights are continuing, and
the number is going up all the time,” Crompton said, adding that many more
British citizens are expected to be evacuated in the coming days.
“We’re also
aware of a number of British citizens who’ve left overland through different
routes, including through the Saudi convoy last week, for which we’re really
grateful.”
Crompton said
the British Embassy is “working very closely” on the ground with Saudi
authorities in assisting evacuees upon their arrival in Jeddah Islamic Port.
The British Embassy
is working on processing civilians upon their arrival at the port and providing
them with accommodation.
“And then we’re
working with the British nationals themselves, particularly those who need
documentation to ensure that they can travel on as quickly as possible,”
Crompton said, adding that evacuees will remain in the city of Jeddah until
their paperwork and flights are arranged.
Once they have
the proper documentation, they will be able to travel and join their families
in the UK as soon as possible, he said, adding that he is unaware of any cases
of serious illness among the evacuees.
“I think
they’ve all been through a very difficult time,” Crompton said. “Many of them
have been through a stressful journey … We know that the Saudi authorities have
offered access to medical treatment if required.”
The Saudi
Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement on Wednesday evening that the
number of evacuees has reached 2,351, comprising 119 Saudis and 2,232
individuals from 67 nationalities.
“We’d like to
thank the Saudis for all they’ve done,” Crompton said. “Saudi has a very
important relationship with Sudan and a friendly relationship, and obviously
has lots of contacts and influence. We worked closely with Saudi Arabia over
many years on Sudan policy.”
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2293526/saudi-arabia
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Another 200
people arrive in Jeddah from Sudan on Wednesday in latest Saudi evacuation operation
April 26, 2023
JEDDAH: Another
200-plus people, including five Saudi citizens, have arrived in Jeddah after
being evacuated from Sudan on the ship HMS Abha, the Kingdom’s Foreign Ministry
said on Wednesday.
It came as the
Saudi government continued its relentless efforts to get its own citizens, as
well as those of other countries, clear of the violent conflict in Sudan.
In addition to
the five Saudis, 198 people from other countries, including Russia, the UK,
China, the US, Uzbekistan, Yemen, Singapore, Cambodia, Malaysia and Pakistan,
were on board the ship that docked at King Faisal Naval Base.
The total
number of people evacuated from Sudan by Saudi Arabia now stands at 2,351: 119
Saudi citizens and 2,232 from 67 other countries.
They were among
several groups of evacuees that have arrived in Saudi Arabia by air and sea in
the past few days, beginning on Saturday with 150 people, including foreign
diplomats and other officials, on boats that docked in Jeddah.
At about 11:30
p.m. on Monday, another Saudi ship arrived at the city’s port from Sudan with
10 Saudi nationals and 189 foreigners on board. It was followed at midnight on
the same night by a vessel carrying 104 Libyans, 45 Lebanese, 15 Syrians, four
Sudanese, three Iraqis, two Turks and a Swedish national. Other evacuees
included 10 Saudi citizens, five Brits, two citizens of each of Qatar, the US
and Italy, three from the Netherlands and one from Tanzania.
Early on
Wednesday, the Saudi-flagged ship Amana arrived at King Faisal Naval Base from
Port Sudan carrying 1,687 people, representing 58 nationalities. They included
46 Americans, 40 Britons, 11 Germans, four French, 13 Saudis, 560 Indonesians,
239 Yemenis, 198 Sudanese and 26 Turkish citizens. As they disembarked they
were welcomed by base officials and diplomats from various countries.
Meanwhile, the
French frigate Lorraine also arrived at Jeddah Islamic Port on Wednesday
carrying French citizens, UN staff and employees of nongovernmental
organizations, and their families.
The French
consul general in Jeddah, Catherine Corm-Kammoun, confirmed the arrival of the
French Navy ship and said the passengers had disembarked in full cooperation
and coordination with Saudi authorities.
The General
Directorate of Passports announced it had completed official procedures for the
arrival of all the Saudi citizens and foreign nationals evacuated from Sudan so
far. The procedures for those who had arrived with no entry visas or even, in
some cases, passports were completed in cooperation with the embassies of their
respective countries, it added.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2293411/saudi-arabia
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France thanks
Saudi Arabia after Sudan evacuation
April 26, 2023
RIYADH: France
thanked Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after French Navy frigate Lorraine evacuated
UN staff from Sudan to the Kingdom.
French
Ambassador to the Kingdom LudovicPouille hailed the operation as “a stunning
success, highlighting the excellent cooperation between France, Saudi Arabia
and the UN in this evacuation.”
He expressed
his gratitude to the Kingdom for its crucial role in the operation and hosting
the evacuees with “such generosity in the tradition of the Kingdom.” He also
thanked Lorraine crew members.
The UN had
requested assistance from the French government as escalating security concerns
in Sudan put the safety of the organization’s personnel at risk.
The
organization expressed its appreciation for the swift and effective response of
the French government in organizing the evacuation and ensuring the safety of
its staff.
Lorraine
departed from Port Sudan on Tuesday carrying UN staff and humanitarian workers.
Some 398 passengers from 64 countries including six French nationals were on
board. The ship sailed from Port Sudan across the Red Sea.
It arrived in
Jeddah Islamic Port on Wednesday at 11:00 a.m.
The evacuees
disembarked and were provided with the necessary assistance and support from
Saudi authorities. They were warmly greeted and offered medical assistance,
food and shelter on arrival.
French Consul
General in Jeddah Catherine Corm-Kammoun and a consular and embassy team
assisted French nationals and coordinated the vessel’s arrival.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2293371/saudi-arabia
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Saudi Ministry
of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance hold meeting in Riyadh
April 26, 2023
The Ministry of
Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance held a meeting at the ministry’s
headquarters in Riyadh on Wednesday.
It was attended
by Minister Sheikh Abdullatif bin Abdulaziz Al-Asheikh, the ministry’s
undersecretaries, directors of administrations, department chiefs and
employees.
They exchanged
Eid Al-Fitr greetings and prayed for the Kingdom’s development and progress
under the nation’s leadership.
Last week, the
ministry tweeted about the extent and successes of its Ramadan programs that
benefited more than 35 million people across the world. Some of the programs
provided iftar to people in 40 countries, distributed dates in 60 countries,
sent 40 imams to 14 countries, and provided 1 million Qur’ans in 22 countries.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2293486/saudi-arabia
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Africa
War crimes
suspect free from prison in chaos of Sudan conflict
April 26, 2023
By Chantal Da
Silva
A former
high-ranking Sudanese official wanted on war crimes charges says he has been
freed from prison as the conflict between warring generals fuels chaos and
uncertainty over the whereabouts of the country's deposed dictator.
Ahmed Haroun
and other members of ex-strongman Omar al-Bashir's government were being held
at Kober prison in the country's capital, Khartoum. He is wanted by the
International Criminal Court on charges of war crimes and crimes against
humanity.
Haroun, who was
head of the ruling National Congress Party, said that he and other former
officials under al-Bashir had left the facility and would take responsibility
for their own protection, in a statement aired on Sudan’s Tayba TV on Tuesday,
according to Reuters. Haroun said they would be willing to appear in front of
the judiciary whenever it is functioning.
A cease-fire
between the two armed groups battling for control of Africa's third-largest
country appeared to be largely holding Wednesday. The fighting has seen
millions of people caught in the crossfire and sent many, including Americans,
racing to flee as it threatens to spiral into a civil war.
The Sudanese
military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces together removed al-Bashir
from power during mass protests in 2019, only to later stage a coup that
derailed the country's transition to democracy.
As speculation
swirled that the country's former leader may have been among those free from
the prison, the armed forces said they had him in custody.
The military
said in a statement Wednesday morning that al-Bashir and other former officials
had been detained at a military-run medical facility due to their health
conditions "before the rebellion broke out" at Kober prison.
Haroun was not
among those named as being in custody.
The army said
it was sharing the whereabouts of al-Bashir and other former officials "as
a deterrent to the massive disinformation that some rebel media microphones
have been promoting to distract people."
Citing two
sources at the hospital, Reuters reported that al-Bashir had been moved from
Kober prison to a military hospital before heavy fighting broke out there on
April 15.
The army, led
by Gen. Abdel Fattah Burhan, had accused the RSF of donning military uniforms
and attacking the prison, according to The Associated Press, saying they
released inmates and looted the facility. The RSF, led by Gen. Mohammed
HamdanDagalo, denied the allegations and claimed that the military “forcibly
evacuated” the facility as part of a plan to restore al-Bashir to power, the
news agency reported.
NBC News has
not verified the claims of either side.
Haroun was one
of dozens of Sudanese officials arrested in 2019 after al-Bashir, who ruled
Sudan for three decades, was ousted in a military coup amid a popular uprising.
The
resource-rich yet impoverished nation then saw Burhan, the country’s top
commander and de facto ruler, and his former deputy, Dagalo, team up to
orchestrate the coup that overthrew the government in October 2021.
Their alliance
has since fallen apart over how to make the transition to civilian rule, with
the tensions erupting into armed conflict earlier this month.
More than 450
people have been killed in the fighting since, according to the World Health
Organization, including at least two Americans.
The United
States military evacuated embassy personnel over the weekend, while Secretary
of State Antony Blinken said Monday that the U.S. was weighing whether to
resume diplomatic presence in Sudan to assist American nationals racing to
escape the fighting. He said the State Department was in touch with private
U.S. citizens to provide assistance.
The U.S. and a
stream of foreign powers have launched dramatic rescue efforts involving
military special forces, airlifts and convoys driving past fighters from both
sides of the clash — which many fear will escalate into a civil war once the
partial lull in combat is over.
Source: nbcnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/sudan-ahmed-haroun-war-crimes-free-prison-conflict-al-bashir-rcna81289
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Americans rush
to escape before Sudan plunges into civil war
April 25, 2023
A travel writer
from Massachusetts is one of the thousands of Americans trapped in the fighting
in Sudan as the conflict between two rival generals threatens to explode into
all-out civil war.
“There were
power cuts, no running water, no access to cash. So I left with only $20,”
Lakshmi Parthasarathy, 32, told NBC News on Tuesday after hitchhiking south.
With roughly
16,000 American citizens in the country before the violence broke out almost
two weeks ago, the race to evacuate diplomats in recent days has left behind
many to fend for themselves in the vast resource-rich African country.
Civilians
described frenzied efforts to escape sporadic fighting in the capital,
Khartoum, despite a new three-day truce.
“The city was
complete mayhem when I left,” Parthasarathy, who is from New Bedford, said via
video message from a school that’s been turned into a little refugee camp near
Khartoum. Rides to the evacuation ports are going for thousands of dollars, she
said.
She described
seeing tanks as vehicles carrying civilians, including Sudanese desperately
seeking to flee to neighboring countries via land or sea, attempted the
dangerous journey out of the capital.
“There were
women, children, families who were escaping villages along the way. I thought
at the time that only Khartoum had seen the most destruction, but we saw
villages that had clearly been devastated by the war,” Parthasarathy said.
As civilians
sought ways to escape, fearing that the rival camps will escalate their
struggle for power once evacuations are complete, the World Health Organization
issued a sobering warning.
There was a
“high risk of biological hazard” after one side in the fighting seized a
laboratory, the agency's representative in Sudan said Tuesday, according to
Reuters.
The two armed
groups have been locked in a battle for control of Sudan, using artillery,
airstrikes and bullets in a conflict that has left millions of people caught in
the crossfire.
Over 420 people
have been killed in the violence, including at least two Americans, since the
fighting erupted this month, according to the World Health Organization.
Dr. Bushra
IbnaufSulieman was killed in front of his home Tuesday, according to the
Sudanese American Medical Association. Sulieman was one of the association's
founders and taught internal medicine at the University of Khartoum.
The U.S. State
Department said in a statement that it was in touch with the family but would
not comment further. It has not identified the American who died in Sudan on
April 19.
A stream of
foreign powers continued with rescues, often involving military special forces,
airlifts and convoys driving past fighters from both sides.
“We must all do
everything within our power to pull Sudan back from the edge of the abyss,”
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Monday.
The U.S.
military evacuated embassy personnel over the weekend, and Secretary of State
Antony Blinken said Monday that the U.S. was considering resuming a diplomatic
presence in the country to assist American citizens, many of whom are dual
nationals. He said the State Department was in touch with private U.S. citizens
to help them find routes to safety.
The U.S. was
also assisting its citizens out of Port Sudan, the embassy in Khartoum said
Tuesday on Twitter, adding that “border crossings into neighboring countries
are possible but routes can be unpredictable or dangerous.”
Blinken said
some convoys had been robbed and looted.
The Sudanese
military, commanded by Gen. Abdel Fattah Burhan, and the rival Rapid Support
Forces, a paramilitary group led by Gen. Mohammed HamdanDagalo, said Tuesday
they would observe a cease-fire brokered by the U.S. and Saudi Arabia.
But with
reports and accusations that the truce was at best being partially observed,
those able to flee were scrambling to get to safety.
Thamir Saad
Mohamed said he had been sending constant emails to the U.S. Embassy requesting
help evacuating his nephews Sajid and Ahmed, aged 2 and 5, who are U.S.
citizens.
“I don’t know
what will happen in Sudan,” said Mohamed, who’s a Saudi national, adding that
he was afraid of losing his family. His sister, Aya Mohamed, a U.S. citizen,
had left the two children with her sister the day before the clashes erupted,
he said.
So far, the
family has received only an automated response, he said.
When approached
for comment on their case, the State Department said, “The U.S. Department of
State and our embassies and consulates abroad have no higher priority than the
safety and security of U.S. citizens abroad,” advising American citizens to
provide their contact information in a form on the embassy website.
Denise Bowers,
a school teacher and U.S. citizen who lives in Sudan’s capital, said she had
been waking up to rattling windows from nearby blasts for days. Faced with
shortages of water, food and power, she was now attempting to the cross the
border and reach an airport with her husband.
"This has
been so surreal. We are out of Khartoum, a 23-hour journey on an overcrowded
bus through horrible and some scary situations," Bowers said in messages
sent via spotty internet.
Sudan's main
international airport has been heavily damaged and is closed for commercial
operations, forcing many to seek alternative routes out.
While the
journey to these airfields and land borders was possible, the roads pass
through some of the most hotly contested parts of the country. Khartoum lies
about 520 miles from Port Sudan on the Red Sea.
“There is no
way to go outside of Khartoum," said Musa Osman El Sayeed, describing his
trepidation about making the perilous journey with his four children and wife.
"You can be shot, everything can happen to you in the street," he
said.
“All the
streets are captured by the militias,” he said, adding he was happy foreigners
could leave Sudan safely to be with their families.
El Sayeed, 55,
said neighbors had described seeing bodies lying in the streets for days. An
auditor in the capital before the fighting shut down daily life, he said he
would try to make it out as soon as he felt it was safe.
"If this
war continues for two or three months more, most of the Sudanese people are
going to die from poverty because the situation is very, very difficult,"
he added.
Source: nbcnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/americans-evacuate-sudan-fighting-cease-fire-rcna81073
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Reopened Imam
Haron inquest provides dignified but inadequate version of delayed apartheid
justice
Professor Muhammad Haron takes a moment during
court proceedings on 24 April 2023. Advocate Howard Varney recounted the
professor's testimony on his memories of life before his father Imam Abdullah
Haron was killed. (Photo: Shelley Christians)
By Rebecca
Davis
27 Apr 2023
Justice delayed
may not have to mean justice entirely denied – as has been made evident by the
meaningful proceedings of the inquest into Imam Abdullah Haron’s death in
apartheid detention more than 50 years ago.
There has been
no accused person in the dock. At one point, a candle was lit in the courtroom
to commemorate a recently deceased witness in the matter. During closing
arguments given by advocate Howard Varney, concluding with the reading of a
poem, the lawyer’s voice audibly cracked with emotion.
The usual
categories of “defence” and “prosecution” have had no real meaning here.
Standing to make submissions on behalf of the State, advocate LifaMatyobeni
told the judge: “We sing from the same hymn book.”
These were not
adversarial legal proceedings. Indeed, at times they had the feel more of a
lengthy memorial. This was the final act of the judicial inquest into the death
of cleric and activist Imam Abdullah Haron, more than 53 years after his murder
by apartheid police.
Read more in
Daily Maverick: This week – inquest into death of anti-apartheid activist Imam
Haron, Freedom Day and protest outside UAE Embassy
Haron’s
inquest, together with those looking into other apartheid-era murders in recent
years, raises the question: What form could justice possibly take, when it
arrives half a century late?
Post-apartheid
state in odd position
These inquests,
aimed at finally delivering truth and closure, place the post-apartheid state
in a strange position. At the Imam Haron proceedings, that was exemplified by
the person of Matyobeni: a young, black prosecutor expected to play the role of
representing the South African state.
But which
state? The state for which Matyobeni works as a National Prosecuting Authority
(NPA) advocate is a world apart from the state which played host to the original
inquest into Haron’s death in detention in 1970.
At the
re-opened inquest, which began its hearings in November 2022, observers were
reminded of the nature of that apartheid state – under which magistrates did
not require a law degree, and under which magistrates, pathologists, doctors
and policemen were often acting in concert under the diktat of apartheid’s
feared Security Branch.
In those
circumstances, the 1970 inquest into Haron’s murder would never be anything
other than a grotesque sham.
By re-opening
these cases, the NPA is attempting to remedy a decades-old injustice – but an
injustice the current dispensation had no responsibility for.
Advocate Howard
Varney during the Imam Haron death inquest on 24 April 2023. (Photo: Shelley
Christians)
Finally back
for re-evaluation
This has
produced some interesting issues. It has taken the post-apartheid state so long
to bring these matters back to the courtroom for re-evaluation that many of the
apartheid operatives directly responsible for these murders are long dead. In
the case of Haron, the cleric’s chief torturer, notorious Spyker van Wyk, died
in 1990.
But in other
cases, some are alive – and have protested that they cannot afford legal
representation. By law they must then be given access to Legal Aid assistance,
however much it may stick in the craw that alleged apartheid murderers should
receive support financed by the democratic state these men devoted their
professional lives to trying to thwart.
There is even
an argument that perhaps they should be entitled to legal representation funded
by the South African Police Service, given that these men consistently plead
that their actions took place in the line of duty, representing an earlier
incarnation of the national police force.
Read more in
Daily Maverick: A man of principle: The life and death of Imam Haron
Siblings
FatiemaHaron-Masoet and Professor Muhammad Haron before the start of the
inquest about their father Imam Abdullah Haron’s death at Cape Town High Court.
(Photo: Shelley Christians)
Profound
punishment and forgiveness questions
In the case of
the murder of Imam Haron, one of the policemen responsible for the imam’s
guarding in detention is still alive: one Johannes Burger, now aged 78.
One can imagine
that it must have been a shock to the system for Burger to be called out of
retirement to account for his actions around Haron’s murder 53 years later.
In other
post-conflict settings, the question of what purpose is served by convicting
and incarcerating elderly people responsible for decades-old state-sanctioned
atrocities has been seriously grappled with.
In what will
probably end up being the final Nazi war crimes trial, concluding in December
2022, 97-year old IrmgardFurchner was convicted of being an accessory to 10,505
murders in her capacity as a secretary to a Polish SS commander during the
Holocaust.
Furchner was
spared jail, receiving a two-year suspended sentence. But six months earlier, a
101-year old man identified only as Josef S was sentenced to five years in
prison by a court in north-eastern Germany after being convicted for serving as
a guard at a Nazi concentration camp during World War 2.
South Africa’s
apartheid hitmen, assassins, torturers and brutes have largely escaped justice
altogether. But even in cases where the opportunity has arisen to bring
charges, the current NPA has not exhibited much appetite.
Advocate Varney
pointed this out in his closing arguments this week, saying: “In relation to
the other reopened inquests dealing with apartheid-era cases, the NPA has not
pursued criminal charges against individuals considerably more culpable than
Burger. These involved actual Security Branch interrogators who lied under oath
about their own involvement in torture.”
It was hard to
summon up much pity for Burger, who claimed under oath in November last year
that not only was he unaware of Imam Haron being tortured in detention under
his watch, but that he also had no clue as to the feared reputation of the
Apartheid Security Branch. And no inkling that abuse or torture of political
prisoners ever happened under apartheid.
Clearly, this
stretches credulity – raising the very real possibility that Burger, even at
his relatively advanced age, could be prosecuted for perjury.
But Varney told
Judge Thulare that the family of Imam Haron did not wish to see Burger
prosecuted.
Burger was one
of the youngest and lowest-ranking officers at Maitland police station in 1969
at the time of the imam’s death. Varney said: “There is a certain unfairness in
holding a person of such stature as the only person criminally liable in such
circumstances.”
Moreover, the
family of Haron felt that prosecuting Burger would not bring them any peace;
that during the just-passed month of Ramadan, forgiveness should be preached
and practised; and that Burger “has his own conscience to live with in his
advanced age”.
Odette
Geldenhuys from Webber Wentzel carries life-size cardboard models on which Imam
Haron’s injuries were represented in court. (Photo: Shelley Christians)
Posthumous
shaming still sought
The major
remedy available to the family of Haron all these years later, then, is a kind
of posthumous shaming for those complicit in the cleric’s death and its
cover-up.
This includes
two district surgeons, Doctors Viviers and Gosling, and the chief state pathologist
of Cape Town, Dr Schwar. The suggestion from the family’s legal team is that
these men be posthumously struck from the roll of medical professionals.
In the case of
the magistrate who presided over the inadequate 1970 inquest, Magistrate Kuhn,
and the state prosecutor JS van Graan, the family has asked that they too be
posthumously removed from the roll of legal practitioners.
They have also
asked that the names of the Security Branch officers and policemen responsible
for the “acts and omissions leading directly to the death of Imam Haron” be
inscribed in the historical record as (in some cases first names unknown):
There were few
dry eyes in the courtroom this week, when advocate Varney gave his concluding
statements, which are worth reproducing here:
Haron withstood
the inhumanity visited upon him by the thugs in the Security Branch with
civility and dignity. From what we have learned of his character, he probably
did so with a twinkle in his eye. This would have enraged the insecure brutes
interrogating him.
Haron never
broke under interrogation. He betrayed no comrade. He was utterly dependable.
He endured his final journey, not for himself, but for his comrades, and for
us.
The Security
Branch did crush Haron, the physical man. But they never crushed his spirit. In
his last days he was a shadow of his physical self that his loved ones
remembered so well. However, his enduring dignity and humanity remained intact
till the very end. DM
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Source: dailymaverick.co.za
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2023-04-27-reopened-imam-haron-inquest-provides-dignified-but-inadequate-version-of-delayed-apartheid-justice/
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/british-muslim-gangs-britain-inmates-convert/d/129654