Communal Unity: Muslim League Conducts Wedding Of Hindu Couple-- Vishnu and Geetha -- In Kerala Temple
New Age
Islam News Bureau
10 July 20123
The Muslim
league state president, Syed Sadiq Ali Thangal, along with senior leader and
MLA PK Kunhalikutty, attended the wedding and blessed the couple.
------
India
• Release 37 Muslim Prisoners, Jailed
For More Than 20 Years, In A Month Or Face Protest At The Secretariat, Says TMMK
• Indian Union Muslim League sees no
point in UCC meet without Congress
• Two held for beating up Muslim men,
moral policing in Karnataka
• VHP holds camp to train J&K girls
in arts of self-defence, combating love jihad
• 'We oppose it on policy level', says
Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin after survey found majority Muslim women support UCC
• Delhi riots: Court frames charges
against six for murdering man as ‘revenge against Muslims’
--------
Arab World
• Saudi Arabia Leads Global
Cybersecurity With New Platform
• Saudi Arabia reviews investment
opportunities in German waste, water management sector
• Saudi authorities in drug raids
arrests
• 1,350 km of water pipes to irrigate
7.5m trees in Riyadh
• Enrichment exhibition unveils Two Holy
Mosques’ history
--------
Mideast
• Ramallah sends ministers to Jenin,
cracks down on Islamic Jihad after IDF operation
• Kurdistan's Islamic 'Justice Group'
Bloc Asserts Political Instability as Major Roadblock to Effective Governance
--------
South Asia
• Pakistan Welcomes Relocating TTP
Members to Northern Afghanistan
• Islamic Emirate Urges Intl Community
to Remove Sanctions
• Afghan Taliban initiate steps to
address Pakistan’s security concerns: envoy
• Professional Training Centres Opened
for Drug Addicts in Kabul
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Europe
• 15 Yr Old Muslim Convert Stabbed To
Death In North London
• Biden pressures Türkiye to allow new
NATO expansion
• Moscow blasts France’s pledge to ramp
up aid to Ukraine
--------
North America
• Islamic Faith Leaders, Parents Meet In
Minneapolis To Discuss Solutions To Rising Teen Issues
• Dad Randomly Shot Dead By Gunman On
Scooter As He Headed To Mosque To PrayIn Queens, New York City
• U.N. rights body set to clash over Quran
burning motion
• Protest was held in Stockholm against Quran
burning
• Belgium summons UAE ambassador over
'Muslim Brotherhood smear campaign'
• Yemen’s Houthis ban Swedish imports
after Quran burning
--------
Africa
• Tinubu’s Surprising Performance
Vindicates Supporters Of Muslim-Muslim Ticket: El-Rufai
• For The First Time, Mahamudu Bawumia,
A Muslim Will Run As Top Presidential Candidate For Ghana’s Traditionally
Non-Muslim-Led NPP
• NSCIA urges Swedish authorities to
stop burning of Qur’an
--------
Pakistan
• PM Denounces Imran Khan's Media
Campaign Against Army Chief
• Lahore special court acquits Suleman
Shehbaz in money laundering case
• Daily Jang reporter returns home a day
after ‘going missing’ in Karachi
• Fazl upset with ‘N’ over PPP huddle in
Dubai
• Film finance council, fund to be set
up under new policy: Marriyum
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Southeast Asia
• Malaysia’s PAS Takes To Tiktok As It
Seeks A Repeat Of General Election Success In State Polls
• Jokowi visits Muslim intellectual
Nadjib in Yogyakarta hospital
• PM Anwar gets flak in Malaysia’s
Muslim belt over poor economy, subsidy cuts
• Muhyiddin withdraws application to
transfer seven bribery charges to High Court
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL:
https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/communal-unity-iuml-hindu-wedding/d/130182
----
Communal Unity: Muslim League Conducts
Wedding Of Hindu Couple-- Vishnu and Geetha --
In Kerala Temple
The Muslim
league state president, Syed Sadiq Ali Thangal, along with senior leader and
MLA PK Kunhalikutty, attended the wedding and blessed the couple.
------
Jul 10, 2023
By Shibimol KG:
In a display of communal harmony, the youth
wing of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) conducted a Hindu wedding ceremony
at a Malappuram temple on Sunday. The marriage of the couple -- Vishnu and
Geetha -- was solemnised at the Vengara Sri AmmancheriBhagavathi temple.
Muslim League state president Syed
SadiqaliShihabThangal, along with senior leader and MLA PK Kunhalikutty,
attended the function and blessed the couple. Several other leaders of the
Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Congress were also present at the
ceremony.
Geetha, a native of Palakkad, was a
resident of Rose Manor Short Stay Home in Manattiparambu, Vengara. The Muslim
League workers of VengaraManattiparambu organised Geetha's wedding. While the
superintendent of the Stay Home arranged the alliance and fixed the marriage of
Geetha with Vishnu, the youth wing of IUML provided financial assistance. The
'mandap' was set up in the courtyard of Ammancheri Bhagavathi Temple.
Taking to Facebook, PK Kunhalikutty
wrote, "Today, the temple courtyard was witness to beautiful pictures
testifying the unity and friendship of my land. This is a great message to
emulate. Best wishes to Vishnu and Geetha as they take their first step into
married life."
Source: indiatoday.in
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/exhibiting-communal-harmony-muslim-league-conducts-hindu-wedding-kerala-temple-2404279-2023-07-10
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Shia Leader, Others Arrested From
Srinagar Hotel; Police Say 'Attempt To Revive Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front &
Hurriyat'
Image used
for representational purpose only. (File Photo)
-----
10th July 2023
By Fayaz Wani
SRINAGAR: An influential Shia leader and
Hurriyat leader Maulana Masroor Abbas Ansari, whose father was a Hurriyat
Conference chairman, along with many others were detained by police from a
Srinagar hotel on Sunday. Police said prima facie that they were planning to
revive the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) and Jammu Kashmir Liberation
Front (JKLF).
A spokesman of Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen in a
statement said party chairman Maulana Masroor Ansari was detained along with
some others during the Eid Milan (Eid gathering) in Srinagar today.
The Eid Milan was organized at a
Srinagar hotel today.
Sources said about 40 people were
present in the hotel room when it was raided by police.
Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen was one of the
constituent party of the moderate Hurriyat Conference led by cleric Mirwaiz
Umar Farooq.
'Deeply Worrisome'
Shia leader and councillor SMC Aga Syed
Muhammad Hussainitermed the detention of Molvi Masroor Abbas as deeply
worrisome.
“I implore the administration to
promptly address this matter and ensure his immediate release, alleviating the
concerns of his family, relatives and supporters,” Hussaini tweeted.
Police in the late evening issued a
brief statement about the incident.
“A search was conducted on the basis of
credible information about the meeting of some ex-trts of JKLF & erstwhile
separatists in a hotel in Srinagar (sic),” tweeted Srinagar police.
“They were brought to Kothibagh PS for
verification. An inquiry has started, prima facie it came out that they were
planning to revive JKLF & Hurriyat,” it further stated.
Masroor Ansari’s father Maulana Abbas
Ansari was the former Hurriyat Conference chairman. He died in October last
year after a brief spell of illness.
During Abbas Ansari’s tenure as Hurriyat
chairman, the Hurriyat leaders had entered into talks with the then National
Democratic Alliance (NDA) government headed by Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Source: newindianexpress.com
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https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2023/jul/10/shia-leader-others-arrested-from-srinagar-hotel-police-sayattempt-to-revive-jklf--hurriyat-2593100.html
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Theatre And Performing Arts Commission Launches
Acting Program In Three Saudi Cities
The Theatre
and Performing Arts Commission is gearing up to introduce the Actor Training
and Improvisation Program in three cities. (@MOCPerformArt)
-----
July 09, 2023
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Theatre and
Performing Arts Commission is gearing up to introduce the Actor Training and
Improvisation Program in three cities.
The program’s sessions are scheduled to
take place in Al-Ahsa from July 16 to 27, in Tabuk from Aug. 13 to 24, and in
Hail from Sept. 25 to Oct. 5.
Experienced and specialized trainers
will be involved in this initiative, as part of the commission’s strategic
Skills Development Program.
It will be comprised of two training
workshops spanning over a 10-day period, with each workshop allocated three
hours per day.
The first workshop concentrates on
acting, while the second workshop emphasizes improvisation. The goal is to
train 40 students in each workshop, resulting in a total of 80 trainees per
city and 240 trainees overall.
The training program is designed to
achieve various objectives, including enhancing awareness of theatrical
performance and providing trainees with a diverse set of skills. These skills
encompass gaining a comprehensive grasp of theater-related language,
vocabulary, acting techniques, improvisation, and a broader cultural
understanding of these disciplines.
The curriculum covers theater work
mechanisms, including preparation, planning, invoking intention, and
significant roles. Additionally, it focuses on the cognitive application of
acting and improvisation fundamentals, such as text analysis, actor training,
and the harmonization of different elements.
The acting program begins with the
exploration of the body, voice, and subtext on the first day, and progresses to
include areas such as concentration and pressure, character development, group
work dynamics, feedback techniques, costume rehearsals, and the practical
application of theories. The curriculum concludes with a final performance.
The improvisation curriculum begins with
the skills of failure and the joy of taking risks, followed by accepting ideas
and building upon them, spontaneity, speed, cooperation, environmental
elements, tangible objects, body movement, scene formation, and the basics of
storytelling. It also covers the components of creating a character naturally,
escalating and changing emotions during a scene. The curriculum concludes on
the 10th day with acting and showmanship (improvisation) skills.
Through the program, the commission aims
to stimulate continuous self-learning among trainees and promote the concept of
collective theatrical performance. It also seeks to raise awareness about
theater, solidify the value of new art while preserving cultural heritage,
establish a database of performers, and contribute to their development.
These efforts align with the
commission’s ongoing initiatives to empower theater practitioners in the
Kingdom.
Source: arabnews.com
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2334741/saudi-arabia
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US Drone Strike in Syria Kills Islamic
State Leader Osama al-Muhajer
Passersby
and gunmen gather around a body at the site of a reported drone strike in Bzaah
town near al-Bab in Syria's Aleppo governorate on July 7, 2023. (AFP)
-----
JULY 10, 2023
AUS drone strike has killed an Islamic
State group leader in Syria after Russian warplanes harassed MQ-9 drones over
the war-torn country, the US Central Command said Sunday.
The strike on Friday resulted in the
death of Osama al-Muhajer, IS leader in eastern Syria, Centcom said in a
statement.
“We have made it clear that we remain
committed to the defeat of ISIS throughout the region," Centcom chief
General Michael Kurilla was quoted as saying, using another acronym for the IS
jihadist group.
“ISIS remains a threat, not only to the
region but well beyond," he added.
According to Centcom, no civilians were
killed in the operation but coalition forces are “assessing reports of a
civilian injury".
Friday’s strike, Centcom said, “was
conducted by the same MQ-9s (drones) that had… been harassed by Russian
aircraft in an encounter that had lasted almost two hours".
US drones taking part in operations
against IS in Syria were harassed on Thursday, for the second time in 24 hours,
by Russian military aircraft, a US commander said at the time.
Air Force Lieutenant General Alexus
Grynkewich said the planes “dropped flares in front of the drones and flew
dangerously close, endangering the safety of all aircraft involved".
In another incident on Wednesday, three
Russian jets dropped parachute flares in front of US drones, forcing them to
take evasive action, Grynkewich has said, calling on Moscow to “cease this
reckless behaviour".
Russia is a key ally of the Syrian
regime of President Bashar al-Assad.
With the support of Moscow as well as
Iran, Assad has clawed back much of the ground lost in the early stages of the
Syrian conflict that erupted in 2011 when the government brutally repressed
pro-democracy protests.
The last pockets of armed opposition to
the regime include large swathes of the northern rebel-held Idlib province.
The United States has about 1,000 troops
deployed in Syria as part of international efforts to combat IS jihadists, who
were defeated in Syria in 2019 but still maintain hideouts in remote desert
areas and conduct frequent attacks.
Source: news18.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.news18.com/world/us-drone-strike-in-syria-kills-islamic-state-leader-osama-al-muhajer-8293801.html
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Forceful Displacement Leads to Human
Trafficking in Afghanistan, Says Afghan Envoy
Mohibullah
Taib, Counsellor of Human Rights at the Permanent Mission of Afghanistan in
Geneva has said that the Taliban continue to forcefully displace ordinary
people in different parts of Afghanistan.
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July 10, 2023
The envoy of the Afghan Mission in
Geneva warned that forceful displacement by the de facto authorities of
Afghanistan can lead to human trafficking in the country.
While speaking at the United Nations
Human Rights Council, MohibullahTaib, the permanent representative of
Afghanistan in Geneva said forceful and systematic displacements in north and
west of Afghanistan have left ordinary people with no option but to flee their
home country.
Mohibullah Taib has warned that the
victims of the forceful displacements will remain without any help or
protection of any kind.
Since Taliban officials have closed
shelters and protection services for victims of human trafficking, Mr. Taib
stated that extra measures should be taken to protect the displaced people in
different parts of the country.
Over the past two years, several reports
emerged that the Taliban have forcefully displaced people in Daikundi, Takhar,
Baghlan, Faryab, Panjshir and Sar-e Pul provinces of Afghanistan.
Worst of all, the Taliban have reached a
settlement with the Pakistani government to relocate Tehreek-e-Taliban
Pakistani (TTP) members to northern parts of the country. The move has already
prompted widespread condemnations by the people of Afghanistan and former
government politicians.
Some anti-Taliban groups and movements
describe relocating TTP members to northern parts of Afghanistan as extremely
dangerous, which may even lead to a civil war and partition of the country.
Source: khaama.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.khaama.com/forceful-displacement-leads-to-human-trafficking-in-afghanistan-says-afghan-envoy/
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India
Release 37 Muslim Prisoners, Jailed For
More Than 20 Years, In A Month Or Face Protest At The Secretariat, Says TMMK
July 09, 2023
Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam
(TMMK) president and Papanasam MLA M.H. Jawahirullah on Sunday urged the Tamil
Nadu government to release within a month 37 Muslims jailed for more than 20
years in the State.
If they were not released, the Muslim
community would be forced to stage a protest in front of the Secretariat, he
said.
Addressing a huge gathering of Muslims,
including a large number of women, at a protest held near the Central Jail,
Prof. Jawahirullah expressed disgust over what he described as the “raw deal”
to the Muslim prisoners vis-a-vis other life convicts in deciding on premature
release. The release of the Muslim life convicts was a poll promise of the DMK
because of which the entire community supported the party, he said.
While 17 of these prisoners were
convicted in the 1998 Coimbatore serial blast case, the others were convicted
in murder cases of communal nature from 1987 to 1995.
“Muslims in Tamil Nadu will continue to
support the government if it releases the Justice Authinathan Committee report
on the premature release of life convicts and acts on its recommendations,”
Prof. Jawahirullah said.
According to him, unlike some other
parties, the TMMK had stood by the DMK, even after it was denied a chance to
contest in the 2019 Lok Sabha election, in the larger interests of the country
and the State and paved the way for its thumping victory. “We are not asking
for mercy or favour, but for human rights,” the TMMK leader said.
It was after persistent demands made in
the Assembly by himself and the general secretary of ManithaneyaMakkalKatchi
and Manapparai MLA P. Abdul Samad that the DMK government agreed to consider
the case of the 37 prisoners and formed the Justice Audhinathan Committee.
Lok Sabha Members of Coimbatore and
Tiruppur P.R. Natarajan of CPI(M) and K. Subbarayan of the CPI, and K.
Ramakrishnan, leader of the ThandhaiPeriyarDravidarKazhagam, also spoke.
Mr. Abdul Samad said Muslims were not
demanding any exclusive right but only what was enshrined in the Constitution
for all citizens. “The 37 prisoners and their families have faced grave
injustice and have to be released,” he said.
Source: thehindu.com
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https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Coimbatore/release-37-muslim-prisoners-in-a-month-or-face-protest-at-the-secretariat-says-tmmk/article67061040.ece
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Indian Union Muslim League sees no point
in UCC meet without Congress
10.07.23K.M. Rakesh
The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) on
Sunday turned down an invitation from the CPM to participate in an upcoming
seminar against the uniform civil code, saying any initiative without
participation from the Congress would portray a divided house and benefit the
BJP.
The IUML’s decision ends days of
speculation on whether the principal ally of the Congress in Kerala would share
the stage with the ruling CPM against the contentious legislation that all
three have opposed.
The CPM had not invited the Congress to
the event. The CPM and the Congress are sworn enemies in Kerala although both
are part of alliances and understandings in states like Bengal, Tamil Nadu and
Bihar.
The IUML leadership that met on Sunday
morning did not take too long to decide its course of action in view of the
invitation from the CPM to attend the seminar on July 15 in Kozhikode in north
Kerala.
Sadiq Ali ShihabThangal, a member of the
spiritual leadership of the IUML and the party’s state president, told a media
conference in Malappuram that the party had decided not to take part in the
CPM’s programme in which the Congress is not a part of.
“We cannot participate in a seminar
without the Congress. The IUML is an ally of the Congress. Only the IUML has
been invited to the seminar, leaving out the other members of the UDF (the
Congress-led United Democratic Front),” Thangal said.
However, he added that “other Muslim
organisations can take their own decisions if they want to participate in the
seminar”. The clarification was issued apparently in view of the decision by
the influential Sunni organisation, the Samastha Kerala Jam-Iyyathul Ulama, to
accept the seminar invitation.
IUML national general secretary P.K.
Kunhalikutty told the media conference that the party would organise its own
seminar by inviting representatives of all communities to discuss the UCC. “The
Congress should be part of any seminar (against the UCC). Otherwise, a divided
house would only help the BJP,” he cautioned.
CPM state secretary M.V. Govindan said
that the IUML’s decision cannot be seen as a setback to the seminar. “No
setback. What setback? How can it be a setback because one party has decided
not to join a seminar we are organising?”
He said the CPM was only trying to bring
all like-minded parties and groups on one platform to oppose the UCC. “The CPM
only wanted to bring all parties together since the Congress is unable to make
its position clear on this issue,” he told reporters, following the IUML’s
rejection of its invitation.
He cautioned that the implementation of
the UCC would be the third and final scheme before the RSS and the BJP
converted India into a Hindu Rashtra.
State Congress president K. Sudhakaran
said the party was very happy with the IUML decision. “We are organising a
protest meeting and work is on to decide about the participants. We will
announce the date tomorrow (Monday),” he said, alluding to a parallel anti-UCC
event the party plans to organise.
Church on UCC
The Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council
(KCBC), while refraining from expressing its opinion on the proposed UCC
because of the absence of a draft bill, has cautioned about trampling the constitutional
rights of the minorities and tribal communities.”
“The law ministry has not yet prepared
any draft of the UCC. Without circulating a draft of the proposed law, the
nature of UCC is unknown…. We cannot say whether we are in favour or against it
because we are unaware of the content and how it would affect the religious
freedom granted to us by the Constitution of India,” the council said in a
media release on Sunday.
“Any endeavour to make a UCC should
consider particular religious and cultural sentiments, including those of the
tribal people, who comprise about 8.9 per cent of the Indian population,
including the Christian community. To be precise, a UCC shall not hinder or
destroy the religious freedom given by the Indian Constitution and the
diversity in cultures that is part of India’s rich patrimony,” it pointed out.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/indian-union-muslim-league-sees-no-point-in-ucc-meet-without-congress/cid/1950957
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Two held for beating up Muslim men,
moral policing in Karnataka
Jul 09, 2023
The Davanagere Police arrested two
people for allegedly assaulting two men from the Muslim community and engaging
in moral policing in the city on Sunday, officials familiar with the
developments said.
According to the police, the accused
have been identified as Doddesh (28) and Lingaraju (25), natives of Davanagere.
Police said Doddesh is a former
president of an association of fans of a Kannada actor, and Lingaraju is a
pro-Kannada worker.
“They assaulted Mohammed Subani (22) and
Ibrahim (21) for accompanying a Hindu girl in a cinema theatre in Davanagere on
Thursday. The accused also made a video of the assault and shared it on social
media. After the video clip went viral, the girl filed a police complaint on
Friday,” a police officer said.
In the complaint, the girl, Soundarya,
21, said that she is studying in the final year of her degree education in
Davanagere and had gone to watch a film with her two Muslim classmates on
Thursday. However, The accused waylaid them, abused her in the name of caste,
and thrashed her.
Based on the complaint, the KTJ Nagara
police have registered a case under sections 341 (wrongful restraint), 323 (causing
hurt), 504 (intentional insult), 505(2) (publishing news and stories concerning
a conflict between police personnel from various departments), and 354
(criminal force on a woman to outrage modesty) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC),
and the SC/ST Atrocity Prevention Act 1989 and are further investigating the
case.
“Soon after receiving the complaint from
the victim, we have arrested the two accused. In the circulated video, which is
proof of the crime, the accused thrashed the men and indulged in moral
policing,” said Davanagere SP Dr Arun.
The incident occurred at Geethanjali
Theatre in Davanagere City, and police are verifying whether the accused were
involved in any other moral policing incidents earlier.
The police are also verifying the
involvement of any other organisations or individuals in the incident.
He said the department is committed to
preventing moral policing incidents by taking stringent legal action against
the accused.
On June 5, chief minister Siddaramaiah
chaired a meeting with police officers in Davanagere and directed them to
prevent moral policing incidents.
The state has also formed an
anti-communal wing, and the unit is operational in Dakshina Kannada district,
where moral policing incidents are high.
Source: hindustantimes.com
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https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/bengaluru-news/two-arrested-for-assaulting-muslim-men-in-davanagere-city-engaged-in-moral-policing-shared-video-on-social-media-101688926472010.html
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VHP holds camp to train J&K girls in
arts of self-defence, combating love jihad
JUL 09 2023
VHP-affiliated 'Durga Vahini' held a
training camp for girls in Jammu and Kashmir to teach them the arts of
self-defence and even how to keep their own during terror attacks, the
right-wing outfit said here on Sunday.
Girls, all aged about 18, from 12
districts of the Union Territory participated in the week-long camp that
started on July 3.
Besides teaching them defence skills,
the camp was also aimed at making girls aware of 'love jihad,' said a VHP
member.
"We organised a seven-day training
camp from July 3, focusing on self-defence and personality development,"
Shabnam Khajuria, the head of Durga Vahini, told PTI.
The primary objective of this initiative
was to enhance girls' self-confidence and prepare them to combat all types of
threats — from terrorism to disasters in the region, she said.
"In addition to yoga and non-weapon
techniques, the participants were trained in handling rifles and swords, enabling
them to handle any situation effectively," Shabnam said.
Head Instructor Anjali Khajuria said
once the girls are trained, they will further pass on their newly acquired
skills to other women back home.
In all, 82 girls, all aged 18 and above,
hailing from 12 districts of Jammu and Kashmir, particularly the border areas,
participated in the camp.
Aditi Gupta, one of the trainees shared
her experience saying, "The training in martial arts and weapon handling
has made us physically and mentally strong. It has given us the self-confidence
to face any situation. This is a lifelong learning proces...
Another trainee Asmita Gupta said that
the girl will go back to their native places and teach others about such
practices.
'Durga Vahini' is affiliated with the
Vishva Hindu Parishad, a right-wing group.
"It serves as the female
counterpart of the Bajrang Dal, a subsidiary of the Hindu nationalist
organisation VHP, established in 1991. Women aged 18 to 35 are eligible to join
and receive training in the camp," Shakti Dhar Sharma, vice president,
J&K ...
He said they are educating women on the
issues of love jihad and the challenges being faced by Hindus.
'Love jihad' is a term used by
right-wing activists to refer to an alleged conspiracy to convert Hindu girls
to Islam by marrying them.
The camp operated from 4 am to 10.30 pm,
dedicating four hours to the women's mental and physical development, Sharma
said.
Source: deccanherald.com
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https://www.deccanherald.com/national/north-and-central/vhp-holds-camp-to-train-jk-girls-in-arts-of-self-defence-combating-love-jihad-1235472.html
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'We oppose it on policy level', says
Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin after survey found majority Muslim women support UCC
July 10, 2023
After a mega survey on Uniform Civil
Code (UCC) by News18 revealed that an overwhelming majority of Muslim women
favour the common laws in India, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin reiterated
that his party opposes the laws “on the policy level.”
“Our stand on UCC is clear, we are
opposing it on the policy level,” Stalin said.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister
Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis have hailed Prime
Minister Narendra Modi’s push to apply common personal laws to all Indian
citizens irrespective of their religion.
The survey found that at least 67.2 per
cent of Muslim women support the common law for all Indians for matters such as
marriage, divorce and adoption.
Over 8,035 Muslim women participated in the
survey from 25 states and Union Territories.
The participants were 18 to 65 plus,
hailing from different communities, regions, educational and marital statuses.
The key questions asked in this survey
did not make any mention of the UCC and were strictly limited to the themes the
UCC is likely to cover.
1. 67.2 per cent of Indian Muslim women
said yes when asked if they support a common law for marriage, divorce,
adoption and inheritance.
2. 6,320 of the 8,035 Muslim women
surveyed said 21 years should be the legal age for marriage both men and women.
3. 5,403 of the 8,035 Muslim women
surveyed support a common law for marriage, divorce, adoption and inheritance.
4. 82.04 per cent of the graduate plus
respondents agreed that the legal age of the marriage should be 21 years. More
than 80 per cent of the people belonging to age group 18-44 agreed with the
same. 73.06 per cent of people who are above 44 years of age agreed for the
same.
Source: firstpost.com
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https://www.firstpost.com/india/we-oppose-it-on-policy-level-says-tamil-nadu-cm-mk-stalin-after-survey-found-majority-muslim-women-support-ucc-12848312.html
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Delhi riots: Court frames charges
against six for murdering man as ‘revenge against Muslims’
A Delhi court has framed charges against
six persons for allegedly burning a Muslim man alive during the February 2020
violence in the city, PTI reported on Sunday.
Communal violence had broken out in
North East Delhi between February 23 and February 26, 2020, as supporters of
the Citizenship Amendment Act and those opposing the law clashed. The violence
claimed 53 lives and hundreds were injured. The majority of those killed were
Muslims.
In one of the incidents, a mob had
burned alive a Muslim man named Shahbaz on February 25, 2020 on the Main
KhajuriPusta Road in the city.
On July 8, Additional Sessions Judge
PulastyaPramachala framed charges against Aman, Vikram, Rahul Sharma, Ravi
Sharma, Dinesh Sharma and Ranjeet Rana for allegedly being part of the mob that
killed Shahbaz.
The court said that the accused persons
allegedly committed the act in a planned manner and in conspiracy with each
other, The Hindu reported. The mob’s sole aim was “taking revenge from Muslim
community”, the judge observed.
The court said that a witness statement
showed that the accused persons were part of a mob that had gathered on
February 24, 2020 – a day prior to the killing – and had planned to engage in
riots on the next day.
“Accused persons joined this mob being
aware of the planning,” Judge Pramachala said. “They had also done so by being
an active member of an unlawful assembly having its common object of causing
harm and damage to the person and property of Muslim community, violating the
provisions of Section 144 CrPC, promoting enmity...causing the killing of the
present victim, i.e., deceased Shahbaz.”
The court charged the accused men under
Section 120B (criminal conspiracy) read with Sections 147 (rioting), 148
(rioting, armed with a deadly weapon), 302 (murder), 341 (wrongful restraint),
and 395 (dacoity) of the Indian Penal Code.
One of the accused persons, Aman, has
also been charged under Section 412 of the Indian Penal Code that deals with
dishonestly receiving property stolen in the commission of a dacoity. He
allegedly kept Shahbaz’s wristwatch with him after his death, according to The
Hindu.
Shahbaz’s family had told the police
that he had gone out to buy medicines for his eyes when he got stuck in the
riots. After his relatives began searching for him, a person named Ankit told
them that Shahbaz had been burnt alive.
The police could only find a piece of
Shahbaz’s skull and some pelvic bones. His identity was ascertained after his
DNA was matched with that of his father.
Source: scroll.in
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Arab World
Saudi Arabia leads global cybersecurity with
new platform
July 09, 2023
RIYADH: The Global Cybersecurity Forum
Institute, established in Riyadh after a royal decree issued by King Salman in
June, is a response to the rapid development and evolution of cyberspace, as
well as its potential to benefit and transform society.
What is cybersecurity? In simple terms,
it is the practice of defending computers, mobile devices, electronic systems,
networks, servers and data from malicious attacks.
In recent years, the Kingdom, the
largest information and communication hub in the Middle East, has faced
increasing numbers of cyberattacks, especially due to the rise in digital
devices such as smartphones, tablets and computers.
Source: arabnews.com
Please
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2334861/saudi-arabia
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Saudi Arabia reviews investment
opportunities in German waste, water management sector
July 09, 2023
RIYADH: Invest Saudi, the Kingdom’s
national investment platform, will thoroughly review investment opportunities
in Germany’s waste and water management sector, the Saudi Press Agency
reported.
This review will take place from July
10-15 across Berlin, Hamburg, and Dusseldorf. The event aims to showcase the
experiences and plans of Saudi companies and entities in the water sector, as
well as their efforts towards transforming waste management in the Kingdom.
Several workshops and bilateral meetings
will be held throughout the event to encourage discussions and networking
opportunities between private sector representatives from both countries.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2334781/saudi-arabia
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Saudi authorities in drug raids arrests
July 09, 2023
RIYADH: Saudi authorities have arrested
several people during recent drug raids throughout the country.
Land patrols of the Border Guard in the
Jazan region thwarted two attempts to smuggle 175 kilograms of qat, and in a
separate incident, security officers in the province detained two Ethiopians
for trying to sneak the same drug.
In the Hail region, police officers
arrested a man for trying to sell methamphetamine, hashish, and other narcotics
and being in possession of firearms, live ammunition, and a sum of money.
Meanwhile, the General Directorate of
Narcotics Control in Riyadh apprehended two Yemeni nationals and two citizens
over their alleged involvement in a bid to smuggle 110 kg of qat found hidden
inside a truck.
All the seized drugs have since been
handed over to the relevant authorities and those arrested referred to the
Public Prosecution.
Anyone wishing to report suspected
smuggling or other violations can do so in strict confidence via email at
1910@zatca.gov.sa, or by calling 1910 from within the country, or +966114208417
from overseas. Financial rewards are being offered for information leading to
the discovery of a crime.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2334756/saudi-arabia
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1,350 km of water pipes to irrigate 7.5m
trees in Riyadh
July 09, 2023
RIYADH: As part of the Green Riyadh
program, 1,350 kilometers of water pipes are being laid to carry 1.7 million
cubic meters of treated water daily to irrigate 7.5 million trees in the city.
The aim is to achieve sustainable green
spaces for Green Riyadh and other development projects in the capital.
Construction has begun using the latest
technologies and practices to speed up work without disrupting traffic.
A technical team of experts from
government entities and the private sector has been set up to coordinate the
work and liaise with relevant bodies.
Director of the Green Riyadh program,
Abdulaziz Al-Moqbel, said: “Part of the sustainability of the planted trees
lies in the use of recycled water, which is recycled here in the city.
“Today we are in the hot spot of one of
the networks under construction. We are using big pipes with a diameter of
almost 2.4 meters, and this main network will distribute water to every
neighborhood in Riyadh.”
The water networks will serve projects
including the Public Investment Fund, Diriyah Gate Development Authority, King
Salman Park, Sports Boulevard, and the King Abdulaziz Public Transport scheme.
“The project started almost two years
ago, and now we are in the construction phase, with construction taking place
everywhere in the city right now.
“Here in Riyadh there is recycled water
but very limited, the users are limited in their use of recycled water, but
through this network, recycled water will be much in use in several
neighborhoods, and in several of the city’s megaprojects,” Al-Moqbel added.
The Green Riyadh program is one of the
city’s four megaprojects launched by King Salman as an initiative of Crown
Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Its goal is to plant more than 7.5 million trees in
Riyadh city, increasing the green coverage to 9.1 percent.
It also aims to improve the urban
environment through the greening of residential neighborhoods, helping to
achieve the targets of Vision 2030 and the Saudi Green Initiative of planting
10 billion trees nationwide.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2334726/saudi-arabia
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Enrichment exhibition unveils Two Holy
Mosques’ history
July 09, 2023
MAKKAH: The enrichment exhibition,
located in the lobby of the library of the Grand Mosque in Makkah, provides a
unique cultural experience for pilgrims, visitors and anyone interested in
exploring.
Since its opening, the exhibition has
attracted thousands of visitors who are eager to explore the diverse exhibits
showcasing the historical heritage of the Two Holy Mosques. It has become a
popular destination for those seeking to learn more about these holy sites.
The exhibition showcases a wide array of
treasures from the Two Holy Mosques, including the Kiswa, rare manuscripts, and
documentaries about the Zamzam water. These exhibits offer insights into Saudi
Arabia’s rich cultural heritage and dedication to serving the Two Holy Mosques.
The General Administration of Digital
Exhibitions at the General Presidency for the Affairs of Two Holy Mosques has
introduced virtual reality technology, enhancing the visitor experience in
exploring virtual exhibitions of the Two Holy Mosques. This innovative addition
enriches knowledge and understanding of the landmarks, treasures, and history
associated with these holy sites.
Rayan Al-Masoudi, director of the
General Administration of Digital Exhibitions, describes the experience as a
revolutionary way of presenting religious and historical information.
By integrating modern technologies and
scientific advancements, the exhibition provides visitors with a unique and
enriching opportunity, further enhancing the services offered by the Grand
Mosque.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2334706/saudi-arabia
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Mideast
Ramallah sends ministers to Jenin,
cracks down on Islamic Jihad after IDF operation
By GIANLUCA PACCHIANI
9 July 2023
A delegation of three ministers from the
Fatah-led Palestinian Authority visited the city of Jenin on Sunday and met
with local officials, apparently as part of an effort to reassert the PA’s
presence and clout in the city following the IDF operation against armed groups
there last week.
The army operation revealed the level of
armament and organization of terror groups in the city, most importantly the
Jenin Battalion, a local wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group,
which has been operating outside the control of the Ramallah-based PA.
The PA is increasingly seen by some
Palestinians as collaborating with Israel rather than fighting for their
rights.
At a mass funeral held last Wednesday
for some of the gunmen killed in the IDF operation, senior Fatah leaders were
met with heckling and shouting from the angry crowd.
Mahmoud al-Aloul, deputy to Palestinian
Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Azzam al-Ahmad, head of Fatah’s Central
Committee, and other senior Fatah leaders were driven out of the event with
participants shouting, “Get out!” as they raged against Fatah’s alleged neglect
of the “resistance.”
To remedy the setback, deputy al-Aloul
returned to the city three days later on July 8, for what appeared to be a
friendly conciliatory meeting with the Jenin Battalion.
On Sunday, three PA ministers came from
Ramallah to visit the city and meet officials. Interior Minister ZiyadHab
Al-Reeh, Health Minister Mai Al-Kaila and Local Government Minister Majdi
Al-Saleh inspected the areas that were subject to Israeli incursion in the
refugee camp and met with the Jenin Governor Akram Rajoub and Mayor Nidal
al-Obeidi.
According to the PA’s official media
outlet Al-Hayat al-Jadida, the three ministers conveyed Mahmoud Abbas’s
instructions for a reconstruction plan for the city and refugee camp. The
health minister also met with the director of a Jenin hospital treating the
wounded from the operation.
The Jordan-based Palestinian opposition
website Amad, commenting on the visit, ran an editorial noting that the Fatah
presence seen in Jenin in the past 48 hours had not been seen in years, as the
movement was too absorbed in its internal organizational questions and in
“awaiting the post-Mahmoud Abbas era.”
The outlet claimed that Fatah is better
at managing Israel’s security than the Palestinians’ own, and its leadership
“only reacts, it does not act with a vision.”
Commenting on the meeting between Fatah
officials and the Jenin Battalion, it said that Fatah put up a performance
“only for self-publicity” that conferred it neither honor nor power. The
leadership has not yet realized the extent of the “conspiracy” that is building
up against it, the editorial concludes.
In parallel with the visits by
ministers, the Palestinian Authority has adopted harsher methods to reestablish
its control over Jenin. According to the Hamas-linked news site Palinfo, the PA
has launched a crackdown on the Islamic Jihad in the Jenin area in recent days.
PA forces reportedly detained two men at
a flying checkpoint set up during the IDF action as they were on their way to
fight in Jenin. The two men, Murad Walid Malayshe (34) and Muhammad Walid
Barahme (37), spent over 10 years in Israeli prisons for terror-related
activities and are among “the most wanted by Israel,” according to Palinfo.
On Thursday, journalist Ahmed al-Betawi
was reportedly arrested, as well as an “activist” from near Hebron named
LouayQabaja, who was allegedly detained for a Facebook post and has been on hunger
strike ever since.
The crackdown against Islamic Jihad
members in Jenin continued on the night between Saturday and Sunday, with the
arrest of two other PIJ members including Ahmad Salatneh, director of a Jenin
charity group affiliated with the Islamic Jihad.
Source: timesofisrael.com
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https://www.timesofisrael.com/ramallah-sends-ministers-to-jenin-cracks-down-on-islamic-jihad-after-idf-operation/
--------
Kurdistan's Islamic 'Justice Group' Bloc
Asserts Political Instability as Major Roadblock to Effective Governance
2023-07-09
Shafaq News/ Islamic "Justice
Group" bloc, which has tendered its resignation from the Kurdistan
Regional Parliament, on Sunday said that the prevailing political instability
has profoundly hamstrung the efficient functioning of legislative and executive
bodies, impeding their capacities to fulfill their institutional obligations.
In a press conference earlier today,
Abdul Sattar Majid, the spokesperson of the bloc, said that the incumbent
parliamentary lineup has been substantially unsuccessful in accomplishing its
constitutionally mandated responsibilities.
"This insufficiency is glaringly
evident," he said, "through the Parliament's failure to pass
citizen-centric laws, ratify financial budgets, or address and alleviate the
manifold issues faced by the region's citizens. The legislative body has also
been unable to effectively actualize its supervisory function—an expectation of
its role held by the citizenry."
"Political instability has
significantly obstructed the highest legislative institution in the region from
performing its mandated duties optimally." He added, "Such
instability has even inhibited the regional government's capacity to fulfill
its responsibilities in a manner befitting the people's aspirations."
Abdul Majid highlighted the proactive
role the "Justice Group" bloc has maintained amidst the political
quagmire.
"During the fifth session of the
Parliament, the bloc managed to orchestrate 41 proposed project initiatives,
submitted over 570 inquiries to various governmental bodies, and put forth 83
requests to the government in direct response to citizens' needs and
demands."
Source: shafaq.com
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https://shafaq.com/en/Kurdistan/Kurdistan-s-Islamic-Justice-Group-Bloc-Asserts-Political-Instability-as-Major-Roadblock-to-Effective-Governance
--------
South Asia
Pakistan Welcomes Relocating TTP Members
to Northern Afghanistan
July 9, 2023
In an interview with the Voice of
America, Mr. Durani said that it is still too early to draw conclusions on the
implementation of the plan to relocate the Pakistani Taliban to remote parts of
Afghanistan.
Mr. Durani backed the process of
transferring TTP members by Afghanistan’s de facto authorities, as the plan
prompted serious concerns and widespread criticism among the Afghan people and
the politicians of the former government.
Pakistan’s special envoy for Afghanistan
affairs further added if relocating TTP members truly takes place and results
in peace and stability along the Durand Line, Islamabad will consider it a
significant development.
Meanwhile, Afghan Taliban decided to
reassure Islamabad that TTP is not engaging in operations against the Pakistani
government. The TTP militants now stationed alongside the Durand will be
redeployed to Northern Afghanistan.
Experts, politicians and journalists
have discussed different aspects of the latest move by Afghan Taliban
authorities, and termed it the “Waziristanization of northern Afghanistan”.
Some anti-Taliban groups have described
the movement of TTP members to northern parts of Afghanistan as extremely
dangerous, which can possibly lead to a civil war and even partition of the
country.
Source: khaama.com
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Islamic Emirate Urges Intl Community to
Remove Sanctions
09-07-23
With the Islamic Emirate taking over
Afghanistan on August 15th, 2021, the Afghan assets in foreign reserves were
frozen.
In August 2022, the UN Security Council
failed to reach an agreement on whether to extend travel exemptions for 13
Taliban officials.
According to TOLOnews findings:
- More than $9 billion in assets were
frozen by the US and European countries.
- Restrictions were placed on the
banking system and transfering money abroad.
- Travel bans were placed on 15 Islamic
Emirate officials.
Islamic Emirate’s spokesman Zabiullah
Mujahid said that restrictions on traveling by Islamic Emirate’s leaders does
not benefit any side.
“About 14 to 15 officials have issues
with traveling. It (travel ban) existed previously but it has been extended.
This doesn’t benefit any side as the travels of the leaders are necessary for
engagement with the world and development of Afghanistan,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Economy (MoE)
said that the imposed sanctions by the international community are affecting
the life of the people of Afghanistan.
“The imposition of pressure policy and
sanctions by some of the countries has affected our countrymen,” said Abdul
Latif Nazari, deputy Minister of Economy.
But political analysts gave various
opinions about the sanctions on the Islamic Emirate’s leaders.
“If the Taliban wants, they can bring
reform as an independent government and accept the conditions to get out of the
blacklist and travel bans,” said Aziz Maarij, a political analyst.
“The Afghan currency is in a good
position due to the strategic deposits of Afghanistan’s assets which guarantees
the international value of the Afghan currency, although it is frozen,” said
AzerakshHafizi, an economist.
Source: tolonews.com
Please
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https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-184117
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Afghan Taliban initiate steps to address
Pakistan’s security concerns: envoy
July 09, 2023
Islamabad has said that the Afghan
interim government, led by Taliban, has initiated steps to address Pakistan and
other neighbouring countries including China’s concerns regarding cross-border
terrorism.
In an interview with Voice of America,
Pakistan's Special Representative on Afghanistan Asif Durrani termed the
relocation of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants from Afghan border
areas a significant development.
“But it is premature to speculate on the
outcome,” he cautioned.
Pakistan has witnessed a surge in
terrorist attacks following Afghan Taliban’s return to power in August 2021 and
called upon the interim rulers to take decisive actions against terrorists
including the TTP responsible for cross-border attacks.
"It's a serious issue. But steps
are being taken to neutralise the TTP. We should also understand that it will
take a while, but the process has been initiated," Durrani said in
response to a recent Taliban announcement that TTP militants were being moved
away from Afghan areas bordering Pakistan.
"That is a step the Afghan
government is taking, so we have to wait and see the results. It is now in the
initial stages, so it would be too early to comment," said the envoy.
"But if this relocation of the TTP can actually happen and lead to peace
along our borders, it would be a significant development and we would welcome
it."
Durrani added that Pakistani military
operations had deprived the TTP of any territorial control and their relocation
from border areas suggests they have now also become a "liability"
for the Afghan Taliban.
"Comparatively, Afghanistan is now very
peaceful but there are pockets of TTP, ETIM, and other groups that are a source
of concern. Both Pakistan and China hope that the Afghan government will take
practical measures," Durrani said.
"As President Biden has also
alluded to the cooperation, which Afghan Taliban and American authorities have
had in taking counterterrorism measures, the same expectation we have, and the
process has started. Hopefully, we will have some positive results in the near
future," Durrani told VOA.
Source: thenews.com.pk
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https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1088818-afghan-taliban-initiate-steps-to-address-pakistans-security-concerns-envoy
--------
Professional Training Centers Opened for
Drug Addicts in Kabul
An official of the MoMP, Abdul Wahid
Faiz, said that the training will include tailoring, electric engineering, and
home construction, and will last for a period of three months.
“We have provided training for 530 drug
addicts in tailoring, electricity, shoemaking and repair of home appliances,”
he said.
This comes as the deputy minister of
Counter-Narcotics of the Ministry of Interior said that two million drug
addicts need rehabilitation treatment, and called on the international
community to aid in this regard.
A senior official of the deputy Minister
of Counter-Narcotics of the Ministry of Interior, Abdul Rahman Qassimi, said
that 20,000 drug addicts are currently under treatment in 11 rehabilitation
centers.
“The drug addicts should be provided with
technical and professional training and then they should be provided with a job
so they do not become addicted to drugs again,” Qassimi said.
Meanwhile, some of the trainees urged
the interim government to provide them with job opportunities after their graduation.
“The Islamic Emirate should also try to
provide jobs for the rehabilitated drug addicts who graduated from this
center,” said Suheel, a trainee.
“The electricity work in construction is
the best career, thus I am learning technical and professional training in this
field here and to prevent myself from being addicted to drugs,” said Mohammad
Nasir, a trainee.
Based on the statistics of the MoMP,
there are a total of 52 centers of craft training centers across the country.
The ministry said women trainees contribute 20,000 participants at these
centers.
Source: tolonews.com
Please
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https://tolonews.com/index.php/afghanistan-184118
--------
Europe
15 yr old Muslim convert stabbed to death
in north London
9th July 2023
A 15 year old boy who recently converted
to Islam was one of two victims who were stabbed to death in Hackney, north
London, at the end of June.
Leonardo Reid took his shahada at
Finsbury Park Mosque but was killed on June 29 in a double murder.
An investigation was launched after
police were called at 11.33pm to reports of a stabbing. Officers responded with
paramedics from the London Ambulance Service.
Leonardo Reid from Islington was found
with stab wounds. Despite the efforts of medical staff he was sadly pronounced
dead at the scene, just after midnight.
It was established that another victim,
a 23-year-old man, KleviShekaj, had also suffered stab injuries. He had been
taken to a west London hospital where he too was pronounced dead.
Special post-mortem examinations for
both victims have given a provisional cause of death as a stab wound to the
chest.
A third victim, believed aged 28, was
also located at an address in N19. He had suffered a stab wound. He was taken
to a north London hospital where he remains. His condition is not thought to be
life threatening.
Abel Chunda, 27, of Highgate Hill, was
charged with two counts of murder, one count of attempted murder and possession
of an offensive weapon.
And Jason Furtardo, 26, from Islington,
was charged with two counts of murder. He was also charged with attempted
murder and possessing an offensive weapon and appeared in custody at Willesden
Magistrates’ Court on Friday.
After Leonardo’s tragic passing friends
issued the following statement on behalf of the family:
“On Thursday 29th June 2023, their lives
were changed forever. Leo, was just yards away from his family home, having
been outside to chat with a group of friends. The group were ambushed by
strangers and set upon. Leonardo – the youngest of the group – was brutally
stabbed, and having received two fatal blows, never stood a chance.
“Leo is remembered by those who loved
him as a bright, loving Son, Brother & Friend. He loved football, music
& his family.
“You may have been made aware of Leo’s
passing through the widespread news coverage the story received, for the family
this news is very real. For his Mother Valentina acceptance is
incomprehensible. No mother should have to lose a child to needless violence.
“And so, as Valentina fights for justice
for her son, we ask for your kindness and support. We are raising funds to
assist with Funeral costs, as well as any other expenses to ease her mind of
the financial burden.
“His mother has given years of her life
supporting & mentoring children & families facing such difficulties. As
a teacher in the local comprehensive, she is well respected for her tireless
work within the community. This will be a long road, one of which we hope to
never understand. Leo was just 4 months shy of his 16th Birthday, a cause for
celebration for his family and his many achievements. His Family wish to honour
him on this day and beyond. Your kindness is greatly appreciated.”
And Chief Superintendent Andy Carter
said: “My thoughts are with the families of the two victims who have suffered
such an unimaginable loss in this shocking and unacceptable incident.
“We will support our colleagues as they
investigate and members of the public will see an increased policing presence
in the area.
“I urge anyone who has information that
can help us establish exactly what has happened to approach those officers or
contact us immediately. A man and boy have lost their lives and we must now
work together to identify those responsible and remove them from our streets.”
Detectives continue to investigate the
circumstances of Deshaun’s murder and urge anyone with information that could
assist the investigation to contact police on 020 8345 3865, call 101 or Tweet
@MetCC quoting 7948/04AUG.
You can also provide information
anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Source: 5pillarsuk.com
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https://5pillarsuk.com/2023/07/09/15-yr-old-muslim-convert-stabbed-to-death-in-north-london/
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Biden pressures Türkiye to allow new
NATO expansion
9 Jul, 2023
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
has warned his US counterpart, Joe Biden, that he has not yet seen enough
progress from Sweden on anti-terrorism measures to approve the country’s
application for NATO membership.
In a telephone call with Erdogan on
Sunday, President Biden “conveyed his desire to welcome Sweden into NATO as
soon as possible,” according to a brief readout released by the White House.
Erdogan, however, noted that while
Stockholm had taken some positive steps by revising its anti-terrorism
legislation, it still allowed pro-Kurdish “terrorist organizations” to hold
public demonstrations.
“This nullifies the steps taken,”
Türkiye’s communications directorate quoted Erdogan as saying in a statement on
the phone call, held ahead of this week’s NATO summit in Vilnius.
Sweden and neighboring Finland applied
for NATO membership last year, breaking with their long traditions of military
neutrality on security concerns raised by the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Finland
was officially admitted to the Western bloc in April, but Türkiye essentially
blocked Sweden’s bid after accusing the country of sheltering Kurdish
terrorists. The alliance’s bylaws require unanimous approval before new members
can be admitted.
Biden had previously pressured Erdogan
to approve Sweden’s NATO application by linking the decision to US approval for
the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Ankara. Sunday’s Turkish statement suggested
that Biden may have agreed to decouple the issues.
According to Ankara, Erdogan said it was
not appropriate to tie Türkiye’s F-16 request to Sweden’s bid, and he thanked
Biden for supporting the fighter jet deal, though the White House only said
that the leaders “reviewed efforts to strengthen our bilateral ties.” The two
leaders also agreed to meet on the sidelines of the Vilnius summit to further
discuss bilateral issues.
Source: rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/news/579450-biden-erdogan-sweden-nato/
---------
Moscow blasts France’s pledge to ramp up
aid to Ukraine
9 Jul, 2023
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman
Maria Zakharova has condemned France’s promise to ramp up military aid to Kiev,
saying that late French leader Charles de Gaulle is “spinning in his grave”
over Paris “sponsoring” Ukrainian Nazis.
The pledge was made by France’s top
diplomat, Catherine Colonna, who said the aid will “continue and intensify” to
meet Kiev’s “most urgent” needs.
“De Gaulle is spinning in his grave: his
country is sponsoring Nazis,” Zakharova wrote on Telegram on Sunday.
The remark comes in response to
statements made by Colonna in an interview with French public broadcaster
RFI.“The support we are providing is aimed at meeting the needs expressed by
the Ukrainian authorities in cooperation with our allies and partners,” the
foreign minister said.
“This support will continue and
intensify. New military assistance deliveries are being prepared to constantly
address the most urgent needs expressed by Ukraine,” she added.
Colonna also touched upon the upcoming
NATO summit set to take place in Vilnius, Lithuania on July 11 and 12,
expressing hope that the event will “provide an opportunity to consolidate the
alliance’s support for Ukraine on a long-term basis.” She added that Paris
hopes the summit will “give concrete content to its prospects for joining
NATO.”
However, member states of the US-led bloc
appear to be split on the matter of inviting Kiev into the alliance at the
upcoming summit. NATO membership has been one of the main talking points for
pro-Western Ukrainian politicians for decades. The topic picked up steam
following the launch of Russia’s military operation in Ukraine, which was in
part triggered by Ukraine’s NATO aspirations.
Germany is reportedly opposed to
offering Kiev a clear roadmap or concrete prospects of joining, seeking to
offer security guarantees instead. France had previously signaled a similar
stance, with President Emmanuel Macron stating in June that “we have to build
something between the security provided to Israel and full-fledged membership.”
The US appears to be wary of inviting Kiev into the bloc as well, with President
Joe Biden voicing similar concerns in a recent interview and warning that the
move means “war with Russia.”
Source: rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/russia/579436-france-nazi-ukraine-aid/
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North America
Islamic faith leaders, parents meet in
Minneapolis to discuss solutions to rising teen issues
JULY 9, 2023
MINNEAPOLIS -- The community came
together to brainstorm solutions after a rise in incidents of teen violence and
rowdiness in neighborhoods across Minneapolis these past few months.
"It's become an issue of
everybody," Abubakar As-Saddique Islamic Center Executive Director
Abdullahi Farah said.
Inside AIM Academy, next to Abubakar
As-Saddique Islamic Center, faith leaders, parents and community members
discussed ways they can help teenagers in the community and prevent behaviors
like ones seen on the Fourth of July from happening again. Farah says the
couple hundred teenagers involved are not representative of the Somali-American
community as a whole.
"All our kids are not bad. But we
feel the system is failing them, they are not getting the right opportunities
and resources they are supposed to get," Farah said.
Farah says youth in the community face
economic disparities, issues with drugs and overall lack of activities during
the critical summer break. Social media also plays a role, he says.
"I think the main problem is
imitation. Some of them wouldn't even think it's a big deal, they think it's a
cool thing, they want to record themselves, but they don't understand the
consequences of those actions," Abubakar As-Saddique Islamic Center Imam
Mowlid Ali said.
The Islamic Center says it's working to
get parents more involved through messages online and during sermons.
"A lot of parents might not be
aware of what's happening, they might not be aware of the whereabouts of their
own children, but raising awareness I think will help make parents to be more
vigilant," Ali said.
Over the past few weekends, Imams and
other faith leaders have been on the streets of Dinkytown late at night trying
to engage with teens and deter bad behavior. They plan to visit other parts of
town in the weeks ahead to do the same.
"They are very respectful. When we
go there they actually listen to us," Ali said.
Even so, Ali says it will take a
village.
"I want to invite every single
person who has an idea, an initiative, whatever it may be, a program to help
young people. Please come forward, come to us. Don't be part of the blame. Be
part of the solution," Ali said.
Minneapolis police reported no major
issues involving teenagers this weekend in Dinkytown.
Source: cbsnews.com
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https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/islamic-faith-leaders-parents-meet-to-discuss-solutions-to-teen-issues-in-minneapolis/
--------
Dad Randomly Shot Dead By Gunman On
Scooter As He Headed To Mosque To PrayIn Queens, New York City
10 Jul 2023
A dad-of-six was randomly shot dead by
gunman on scooter as he headed to mosque to pray, it has emerged.
An 86-year-old man was tragically killed
when a man on a scooter shot him in the back while he was on his way to pray at
a mosque in Queens, New York City. The victim, Homod Ali Saeidi, was a beloved
father and a respected member of his community, his son, Ahmed Alsaedi, said.
The alleged shooter, Thomas Abreu, was
arrested and charged with murder, attempted murder, and gun charges for his
violent rampage that targeted four people, while the motive of the 25-year-old
alleged gunman was unknown, police said.
Mr Saeidi, who was the only fatality,
reportedly had a daily routine of running and visiting the park before going to
the mosque. The son of the deceased expressed his heartbreak and devastation
over the tragic incident.
He told the New York Post, "My
heart is broken, my family is all devastated. We can't believe something like
that would happen to an 86-year-old man. It's terrible."
Mr Saeidi had immigrated to the United
States from Yemen in 1962, seeking a better life and opportunities. He worked
as a farmer, owned grocery stores, and had interests in real estate before
retiring. Family was paramount to him, and he was known for his cheerful nature
and generosity, according to his son.
The grieving son expressed frustration
that the police were unable to prevent the senseless killing and called for
stronger measures to combat rising crime rates in New York City. The family
plans to lay Mr Saeidi to rest in Spring Valley, New Jersey.
Police arrested Abreu without incident
Saturday. The New York Police Department pulled an image of the gunman from
video and sent it to officers, who spotted him a couple of hours after the
first shooting, police said.
Police confiscated a scooter and a 9 mm
handgun with an extended magazine. The shootings began around 11:10 am when the
gunman shot a 21-year-old man in the shoulder in Brooklyn. The man was brought
to a hospital and was expected to survive, police said.
Soon after, Abreu allegedly shot Mr
Saeidi, and shortly afterwards in Queens, witnesses reported a man on a scooter
firing randomly into a group of people, although nobody was hurt.
Eight minutes later, a 44-year-old man
was shot in the face. He was in critical condition at Jamaica Hospital Medical
Center.
About one minute later, a 63-year-old
man was shot in the torso. He was in stable condition at a hospital. On Sunday,
police reported a sixth related shooting at an intersection in Queens. A
40-year-old man fired upon was unhurt.
Mr Alsaedi also criticised the current
state of crime in New York City and called for a reevaluation of the system,
hoping that the mayor, commissioner, or governor would take action and empower
the police to address the increasing crime rates.
He emphasised the need for stronger
measures, saying, "Because right now crime is going up, up, up."
Killings in the nation’s most populous city have risen in recent years to about
where they were a decade ago but still well below an early-1990s peak.
Gunfire injuries surged in New York City
during the pandemic and remain stubbornly high. The city has confronted a
series of high-profile crimes. Mayor Eric Adams, a former New York City police
captain, has called for getting more guns off the streets.
Source: mirror.co.uk
Please
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https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/us-news/dad-randomly-shot-dead-gunman-30427823
--------
U.N. rights body set to clash over Quran
burning motion
By Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber and Emma
Farge
July 10, 2023
GENEVA, July 10 (Reuters) - The Human
Rights Council is set to debate a contentious draft proposal on religious
hatred in the wake of a Quran burning in Sweden, an initiative that has
highlighted rifts in the U.N. body and challenged practices in human rights
protection.
In a draft resolution presented by
Pakistan on behalf of the 57-nation Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC),
the group described the burning of the Quran in Stockholm last month as
"offensive, disrespectful and a clear act of provocation" that
incites hatred and constitutes a human rights violation.
The draft - which condemned
"recurring acts of public burning of the Holy Quran in some European and
other countries" - has stoked opposition from Western diplomats who argue
it aims to safeguard religious symbols rather than human rights.
"We don't like the text," one
Western diplomat said of the draft, which will be presented to the Human Rights
Council in Geneva on Tuesday. "Human rights are supposed to be attached to
individuals, not to religions."
The OIC initiative also stokes tensions
between Western states and the Islamic organisation at a time when the group
has unprecedented clout in the council, the only body made up of governments to
protect human rights worldwide.
Nineteen OIC countries are voting
members of the 47-member council, and other states such as China have aligned
with their draft resolution.
It remains to be seen whether Pakistan
will succeed in rallying all OIC countries behind it. A Saudi-led effort to end
a Yemen war crimes probe prevailed in 2021.
"If the resolution passes, as seems
likely, it will strengthen the impression the council is flipping and the West
is losing ground on key debates such as the boundary between free speech and
hate speech, and whether religions have rights," said Marc Limon, director
of the Geneva-based Universal Rights Group.
"This could make the council
explode in acrimony."
The European Union has urged parties to
reach a consensus on the issue.
"Defamation of religions has been a
difficult topic for decades within the U.N.," an EU diplomat said in
negotiations last week.
"The question where to draw the
line between freedom of expression and incitement to hatred is indeed a very
complicated one."
Source: reuters.com
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https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/un-rights-body-set-clash-over-Quran-burning-motion-2023-07-10/?rpc=401&
--------
Protest was held in Stockholm against
Quran burning
STOCKHOLM, July 9 (Xinhua) — Thousands
of demonstrators gathered in central Stockholm on Sunday to protest the burning
of the Quran in Sweden.
The gathering took place in a square
near a mosque where a person set fire to a copy of the Quran on June 28.
According to the police, Sunday’s
protest gathered around 3,000 participants, DagensNyheter (DN) reported.
Mustafa Issa, chairman of the United
Islamic Associations of Sweden that organized the protest, told DN that the
burning of the Quran is hate speech that should not be allowed.
Source: nord.news
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https://nord.news/2023/07/09/protest-was-held-in-stockholm-against-Quran-burning/
--------
Belgium summons UAE ambassador over
'Muslim Brotherhood smear campaign'
9 July 2023
Between 2017 and 2020, Alp Services, a
Swiss private intelligence company, created files on people from 18 European
countries and 400 organisations on behalf of Emirati intelligence services.
The report was based on 78,000
confidential documents obtained by French online newspaper Mediapart and shared
with European Investigative Collaborations (EIC).
Among the documents was an infographic
with hundreds of names and various arrows, in a purported attempt to link
individuals with extremism.
Eighty organisations and 160 individuals
listed were from Belgium. Among them was Zakia Khattabi, the country's federal
minister for environment and sustainability.
Her party, Ecolo, which was also listed,
strongly condemned the UAE over its alleged involvement.
"The approach of the United Arab
Emirates, through the intermediary of this Swiss company, is scandalous. It is
emblematic of the antidemocratic practices of this regime," it said.
"The results are obviously so
absurd and ridiculous that they deserve neither comment nor attention."
Another Belgian on the list, political
scientist Fouad Gandoul, said he had no connection to the Muslim Brotherhood.
According to Le Soir, he was added to the list because of his membership of a
now defunct organisation supporting progressive Muslim voices.
"It's as if I had landed in a James
Bond film," Gandoul said. "Swiss spies and the Emirates, what a
story."
On Friday, the UAE ambassador in
Brussels was summoned by the foreign affairs ministry for "full
explanations and clarifications", according to Belgian broadcaster RTBF.
UAE paid 5.7m euros
Emirati authorities placed orders in
exchange for sums of between 20,000 and 50,000 euros ($22,000 to $55,000) per
individual target, according to Le Soir. The UAE paid at least 5.7m euros to
Alp and its boss, Mario Brero, it added.
Alp launched media campaigns, modified
Wikipedia pages and attempted to induce banks to close down certain accounts.
More than 200 people and 120
organisations from France had files created by Alp, according to Mediapart.
Among them was former leftist presidential candidate Benoit Hamon.
"Since my presidential candidacy, I
cannot publish a single message on my social networks without being attacked
for absurd fantasies and accusations of connivance with Islamism," he told
Mediapart.
UAE officials did not respond to
requests for comment by the EIC.
Alp Services said the information was
based on "stolen data", and claimed the line of questioning from the
network suggested the documents were "partly falsified".
In March, the New Yorker reported that
the UAE financed a campaign by Alp to smear the UK-based charity Islamic Relief
Worldwide (IRW), and sought to link officials with the organisation to the
Muslim Brotherhood and violent extremists.
According to the report, Alp attempted
to link Heshmat Khalifa, a former member of the charity’s board of trustees, to
terrorism, following his work with an Egyptian humanitarian organisation in
Bosnia during the 1990s.
In 2014, the UAE placed IRW on a list of
86 outlawed "terror" groups, alongside several prominent Muslim
organisations, including the Council on American-Islamic Relations. It accused
the IRW of being a branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, a charge it denies.
Source: middleeasteye.net
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https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/belgium-summons-uae-ambassador-muslim-brotherhood-smear-campaign
--------
Yemen’s Houthis ban Swedish imports
after Quran burning
SANAA, July 9 (Xinhua) — The Houthi
group in Yemen has banned the entry of Swedish imports into the country’s
north, which is under its control, in protest against the burning of a Quran
during a protest in Sweden.
Houthi Trade Minister Mohammed
al-Mutahar said the ban was a “notice of protest” against the incident, which
he described as “an act of blasphemy”.
He said the effect of the ban on the
Houthi-controlled region was “limited” because Swedish imports to Yemen are not
that large.
The burning of the Quran by an Iraqi
refugee in a demonstration in Stockholm last month was condemned by several
Islamic countries. Although the Stockholm police had initially given permission
to burn the Quran, the Swedish government condemned the incident, calling it an
“Islamophobic” act.
Yemen’s Houthi rebels seized control of
several northern provinces in late 2014, sparking a civil war and forcing the
Yemeni government to leave the capital Sanaa. The government has since moved to
the southern port city of Aden.
Source: nord.news
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https://nord.news/2023/07/09/yemens-houthis-ban-swedish-imports-after-Quran-burning/
--------
Africa
Tinubu’s surprising performance
vindicates supporters of Muslim-Muslim ticket: El-Rufai
JULY 9, 2023
Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir
El-Rufai says the sound footing with which President Bola Tinubu’s leadership
is going has deflected the ranks of those that did not see any good in the
Muslim-Muslim ticket that propelled them to power.
Mr El-Rufai spoke at the launch of an
autobiography and retirement programme of Ishaq Akintola on Sunday in Lagos.
Mr Akintola is the Muslim Rights
Concerns (MURIC) founder and a Lagos State University (LASU) lecturer. He bows
out of the university service on Monday on attainment of the statutory
retirement age of 70.
Mr El-rufai, who was the keynote
speaker, said with the present political advancement of the country, any
political mobilisation based on ethnic or religious leaning was bound to fail.
“The way with which the present
administration at the centre is changing things for the common good of the
Nigerian people within a short period shows that leadership should be hinged on
merit and not entitlement basis,” said the former governor.
Mr El-Rufai said the enthronement of
Tinubu-Shettima was a repeat of the Abiola-Kingibe feat.
He said the culture of citizens-centred
governance should be encouraged in the country to drive even development.
“We must de-emphasise religion and
ethnic colouration for us to build a society where no one should be
discriminated against on the basis of ethnic nationality, religion or political
leaning.
“As members of the two major religious
groups in the country, if we find ourselves in public positions, we should
ensure we practice the basic principles of leadership as encapsulated in both
Christian and Islamic religions.
“Both religions espoused the culture of
good leadership, but some individual persons tend to do that which is at
variance with the scriptures,” he said.
He regretted that leadership choices
based on entitlement in Kaduna plunged the state into a protracted crisis in
the bygone years.
The former governor, however, said a
recent change in the old tradition of leadership choice had changed things for
the better.
He described the South-Western part of
the country as a tolerant society and encouraged them to continue with such
spirit for its development.
The former Kaduna governor was awarded
the symbol “Icon of AriwaIntigrity” for his service to humanity.
In a viral video last month, Mr El-Rufai
justified the Muslim-Muslim ticket and asserted that the same would be
sustained for 20 years.
Source: gazettengr.com
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https://gazettengr.com/tinubus-surprising-performance-vindicates-supporters-of-muslim-muslim-ticket-el-rufai/
--------
For The First Time, MahamuduBawumia, A
Muslim Will Run As Top Presidential Candidate For Ghana’s Traditionally
Non-Muslim-Led NPP
July 9, 2023
On June 16, MahamuduBawumia, Ghana’s
Vice President, announced his candidacy for the presidential nomination of the
ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the upcoming general elections.
Bawumia, a charismatic figure, filled
out the necessary forms for his nomination and made the announcement in front
of a large crowd of NPP supporters.
Bawumia, a 59-year-old economist, aims
to make history by becoming the first Vice President to serve two full terms
with a President and then transition immediately to become the country’s
leader.
Non-Muslims have traditionally led the
NPP from the Akan-speaking regions, particularly the Ashanti region.
However, Bawumia, a Muslim, has gained
significant popularity and is the first non-Akan candidate for the NPP’s
presidential nomination.
Bawumia faces competition from nine
other candidates, all of whom hail from Akan-speaking regions.
Some of his main contenders include Alan
Kyerematen, a former Minister of Trade and Industry from the Ashanti region,
and Kennedy Agyapong, a vocal Member of Parliament from Assin Central.
Despite the challenging competition,
Bawumia is considered the frontrunner for the presidential nomination.
Analysts believe his experience as a
Vice President, his dedication to the party, and his ability to garner support
from both Muslim and Christian communities give him an advantage.
If successful in the NPP primaries and
subsequently in the general elections, Bawumia aims to lead Ghana towards
continued transformation and policies initiated during his tenure as Vice
President.
Bawumia has received endorsements from
influential party members, including Bernard AntwiBoasiako, the regional
chairman of the NPP in Ashanti, and OseiKyei-Mensah-Bonsu, the Majority Leader.
His strong support base in the northern
regions, where he hails from, further bolsters his candidacy.
While Bawumia’s religious background and
geographical origin may contribute to his appeal, many supporters are drawn to
his transcendent personality and track record of accomplishments.
As the race unfolds, it is evident that
Bawumia holds a significant advantage over his competitors.
Source: riotimesonline.com
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https://www.riotimesonline.com/brazil-news/new-multipolar-world-order/muslim-mahamudu-bawumia-to-be-frontrunner-for-ghanas-traditionally-non-muslim-led-npp-as-presidential-candidate/
--------
NSCIA urges Swedish authorities to stop
burning of Qur’an
July 9, 2023
The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic
Affairs (NSCIA) has called on the Swedish Authorities to take necessary action
to stop further desecration of the Qur’an in that country.
The NSCIA was reacting to the recent
burning of the Holy Qur’an in front of the main Mosque in Stockholm by some
Islamophobes in that country.
The council in a statement by its Deputy
Secretary-General, Prof. SalisuShehu, said no Holy Book should be desecrated
and disrespected in such manner as recurring in Sweden.
It believed that Sweden would never have
allowed its National flag or the Bible to be burnt in such ignoble manner.
“The Council calls on the Swedish
Authorities to as a matter of urgency investigate the matter, make the report
public, and ensure that justice is not only done but seen to be done.”
The NSCIA said it joins Muslims and
well-meaning leaders
and individuals across the world to
condemn, in the strongest terms, the provocative and blasphemous act of burning
the Glorious Qur’an.
“This abominable and heinous act is a
clear affirmation of the growing high level of Islamophobia while evidencing
the impunity of Islamophobes whose hatred for Islam and
Muslims knows no bound.
“Actions and utterances credited to
these Islamophobes smack of gross insensitivity, and disrespect for the
feelings and sensibilities of nearly two billion Muslims in the World.”
The NSCIA, however, enjoined the Muslim
Ummah across the world to remain calm and continue to be peaceful and
law-abiding in the face of the provocation.
The Swedish government had in a
statement by the foreign office condemned the act.
“We strongly condemn these acts, which in
no way reflect the views of the Swedish government,” it said. (NAN)
Source: newsdiaryonline.com
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https://newsdiaryonline.com/nscia-urges-swedish-authorities-to-stop-burning-of-quran/
--------
Pakistan
PM denounces Imran Khan's media campaign
against army chief
July 09, 2023
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Sunday
strongly condemned a social media campaign launched by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf
Chairman Imran Khan against Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir and
ordered the authorities to take legal action against those involved in such
malicious plots.
In a statement, issued by PM Office
Media, the prime minister noted that similar minds were involved in the
conspiracy of May 9.
“It is a clear message to 9th May
planners, facilitators and handlers that conspiracy against Pakistan and its
institutions will be crushed,” the statement added.
PM Shehbaz further termed the mean, evil
and violent media campaigns a result of the planning of miscreants, adding the
conspirators had again become active against the political and economic
stability in the country.
The new media campaign was a part and
parcel of that abhorrent campaign, which was launched against Shuhada, he
maintained.
The prime minister observed that the
media drive against armed forces and its chief did not fall within the domain
of freedom of expression, but it was only a conspiracy, and it was a legal
responsibility to eradicate such tendency with full strength.
He said the nation would foil such
attempts in such a manner as it had frustrated the attempt on May 9 to stir
violence and vandalism in the country.
He also expressed the nation's resolve
not to allow the disappointed and panicked elements to create new crises in the
country.
'Tricks to threaten army chief exposed'
In an elaborate statement on Twitter, PM
Shehbaz separately said that the PTI chief's "vile, sinister and
malicious" campaign had been badly exposed.
"Imran Khan continues to engage in
a vile, sinister and malicious campaign against COAS General Syed Asim Munir.
His trick of using proxies to threaten the Army Chief of an assassination
attempt has been badly exposed," he wrote on the microblogging site.
PM Shehbaz Sharif said that the former
prime minister was desperately working to coerce his way back into power after
failure in a methodically planned attack on the state symbols.
He said that the PTI chief fails to
realise that "the time of his politics of intimidation, violence and
hatred is over".
"Through such highly condemnable
antics, he is only exposing himself, the core of which is defined by putting
his personal interest (power grab) over everything else," the PM said.
He reiterated that the people of
Pakistan and the political parties strongly stood behind Gen Munir and the
armed forces, and will thwart any attempt and conspiracy at undermining
Pakistan Army's prestige, honour, and integrity.
Source: thenews.com.pk
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https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1088724-pm-denounces-imran-khans-media-campaign-against-army-chief
--------
Lahore special court acquits Suleman
Shehbaz in money laundering case
July 10, 2023
Lahore’s Special Court (Central) on
Monday acquitted Suleman Shehbaz, son of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in a
Rs16 billion money laundering case registered with the Federal Investigation
Agency (FIA).
Suleman, who returned to Pakistan in
December 2022 after four years of self-exile in London, was accused in the
money laundering case registered with the FIA while the National Accountability
Bureau (NAB) had nominated him in an assets-beyond-means reference.
He was declared a proclaimed offender in
both cases. But prior to his return, the Islamabad High Court had restrained
both the authorities from arresting him.
During today’s hearing, Suleman appeared
in court accompanied by his counsel, Advocate Amjad Parvez, while the FIA
submitted its response to 27 questions asked by the court.
In October last year, a special court
had also acquitted the prime minister and his elder son, Hamza Shehbaz, in the
same case.
The hearing
At the outset of the hearing, Judge
Bakht FakharBahzad asked who had inquired about the money laundering, to which
the FIA’s counsel, Farooq Bajwa, answered that a joint investigation team
presided by Dr Rizwan — former FIA director general — had initiated the
inquiry.
“Has the FIA recorded a single witness
statement during the entire investigation?” the judge inquired, at which FIA
Investigation Officer (IO) Ali Mardan remained silent.
“What action was taken against those who
kept changing their narrative during the inquiry and the investigation?” Judge
Bahzad further asked. Bajwa responded that no action was taken.
The judge then proceeded to remark, “Is
there any evidence in the FIA’s seven volumes? Tell me simply — do not insert
any stories. I have read everything.”
He warned the FIA that he could send all
the agency’s officials to jail right away and asserted that he wanted the
answer as to what the evidence was for the alleged crime along with the
challan.
At one point during the hearing,
Suleman’s lawyer said that ex-FIA director general Bashir Memon also used to
state that he was pressurised to file the case.
Meanwhile, the FIA counsel said there
was no “direct evidence” against Suleman pertaining to money laundering.
Judge Bahzad asked the IO to tell the
court if there was any “indirect” evidence. Bajwa replied, “The action was
initiated in light of the sugar inquiry commission’s report.”
At that, the judge inquired about action
taken against “other sugar mills” to which the IO responded that he had no
knowledge of it as he was not tasked with probing the matter. He said that he
was assigned to probe the money laundering case.
Here, Judge Bahzad observed that the FIA
had obtained Suleman’s account details during the course of the investigation,
to which the IO confirmed that the details were taken but the “account was not
used”.
“Why did you make the case against him
when his account was not used,” the judge asked. The IO replied, “Money used to
be deposited into Suleman Shehbaz’s accounts and was taken out in cash.”
“Depositing money and taking it out —
what kind of a crime is this?” the judge asked. “This is why I had called the
FIA that they come and tell what drama has been going on for years.”
Judge Bahzad also inquired about who
used to give the records to Mirza Shahzad Akbar, the former accountability
czar, which allowed him to hold press conferences.
At that, the FIA IO said, “I remember
that once, Shahzad Akbar came to the Lahore office.”
Subsequently, Judge Bahzad acquitted all
suspects in the case, including Suleman.
The cases
The FIA had booked Shehbaz and his sons
Hamza and Suleman in November 2020 under sections 419, 420, 468, 471, 34 and
109 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, read with Sections 3/4 of the Anti
Money Laundering Act.
Arrest warrants had been issued for
Suleman. However, in its report submitted to the court, the FIA had stated that
the warrants could not be executed since Suleman was not present at his address
and had gone abroad.
A trial court had also declared him a
proclaimed offender, along with another suspect in the Rs16bn money laundering
case, in July 2022.
According to the FIA report, the
investigation team “detected 28 benami accounts of the Shehbaz family through
which money laundering of Rs16.3bn was committed from 2008-18. The FIA examined
a money trail of 17,000 credit transactions.”
The report added that the amount was
kept in “hidden accounts” and “given to Shehbaz in a personal capacity”.
In October 2019, the NAB seized
Suleman’s shares amounting to Rs2bn in 16 companies along with cash worth Rs4.1
million held in three bank accounts as well as 10 marlas agricultural land and
pieces of land spreading over 209 kanals.
The NAB had also alleged that assets
worth Rs3.3bn had been identified back then as illegally accumulated by
Suleman, Hamza and Shehbaz.
This was after an accountability court
in Lahore declared him a proclaimed offender in October 2019 after a NAB
prosecutor said the bureau had issued at least six call-up notices to the
suspect, but he did not respond and fled the country to avoid investigation.
Source: dawn.com
Please
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https://www.dawn.com/news/1763962/lahore-special-court-acquits-suleman-shehbaz-in-money-laundering-case
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Daily Jang reporter returns home a day
after ‘going missing’ in Karachi
July 10, 2023
Syed Mohammed Askari, a senior reporter
for Daily Jang, has returned home a day after he went missing in Karachi, his
colleague said on Monday.
Askari had gone missing late on Saturday
night after attending a wedding. His colleagues and media organisations had
alleged that he was “abducted by policemen and plain-clothes men” for
unspecified reasons.
Fellow Daily Jang reporter, Saqib
Sagheer, confirmed to Dawn.com on Monday, that Askari had “returned”. Sagheer
said Askari had phoned him at 3am and said that he had reached home safely.
He said that Askari was dropped off near
Sohrab Goth and his mobile phone and wallet were not given back to him.
Arab News Journalist Naimat Khan,
meanwhile, also quoted Askari’s family as saying that the reporter had reached
home.
Askari goes missing
Daily Jang News Editor Ali Kamran told
Dawn.com that Askari was returning home along with another person after
attending a marriage ceremony in the Mehmoodabad area, when his car was
intercepted by a police van and another white vehicle near Baloch Colony at around
12:15am.
Kamran said that the teenager
accompanying Askari was not taken away but his mobile phone was. The teenager
then narrated the entire incident to Kamran, who then contacted top police
officials, the editor said.
Kamran added that Askari had introduced
himself to the unidentified men but the “policemen allegedly misbehaved with
him, pushed him to the ground and then forcibly took him away”.
Stating that the police visited the
spot, Kamran said he was with the reporter’s family at their home, who were
unaware of why Askari had been taken away by the police.
Questioned about the matter during a
press conference in Karachi, Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon said he
had discussed the incident with the additional inspector general of police and
Jang’s administration.
“[We] are searching and as soon as a
clue is found, it will be informed where [the journalist] is and who picked him
up.”
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan
also condemned the “abduction” and demanded his immediate release.
“That journalists continue to be
abducted in this manner, without charge, calls into question not only the
state’s commitment to democracy but also its capacity to brook criticism and
opposition,” it said.
Source: dawn.com
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https://www.dawn.com/news/1763953/daily-jang-reporter-returns-home-a-day-after-going-missing-in-karachi
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Fazl upset with ‘N’ over PPP huddle in
Dubai
July 10, 2023
PESHAWAR: PDM chief Maulana Fazlur
Rehman on Sunday expressed displeasure over recent meetings held between the
top leadership of PML-N and PPP in Dubai.
Speaking to reporters, he said questions
were being raised within the alliance regarding the ‘scheduled’ meeting between
the two major government allies.
“PML-N is a part of PDM. How is it
possible if it was not a scheduled huddle,” he wondered, asking why the PDM was
not taken into confidence regarding the huddle with the PPP, which was not part
of the alliance.
Speaking about the no-confidence motion
against former prime minister Imran Khan in April last year, the JUI-F chief
revealed that his party was against the no-trust vote as it favoured street
protests to compel the then-PTI government to step down. However, the PPP,
PML-N and other opposition parties said the no-confidence resolution against
Imran Khan was ready to be tabled, he added.
Maulana Fazl also claimed that former
spy chief retired Lieutenant General Faiz Hameed, in a meeting with him,
offered him the membership and chairmanship of the Senate, but he refused the
offer since the former general “wanted a change within the system”.
When asked about the trial of civilians
in military courts, Mr Fazl said the military itself was a complainant in that
case. “The military is a complainant in the cases against those involved in
attacks on installations on May 9, 10 and it wants a trial of suspects in their
[military] courts,” Mr Fazl replied.
According to the PDM chief, the hurdles
in reaching an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) were
removed and the foreign reserves had also increased. He said there were issues
with price hike, but after these developments in the financial situation, the
prices of daily commodities would also drop.
The JUI-F chief questioned the
“international support” for PTI chief Imran Khan. “Those who desecrate our
religion [Islam], those who burn [copies of the] Holy Quran are raising voices
for Imran Khan. We put up a serious fight against him [Imran Khan] and we
[also] fought against the recognition of Israel,” the JUI-F chief claimed.
Maulana Fazl said that the tenure of the
National Assembly would end within a month and an interim set-up would be
appointed ahead of polls. In an apparent reference to the PTI’s vote bank,
Maulana Fazl hoped that the “nation would not push the country towards
destruction”.
The term of the National Assembly, along
with the provincial assemblies of Sindh and Balochistan, is set to expire on
August 12 and elections are required to be held in October this year.
He, however, said that it was only the
parliament which could extend the NA’s term.
“[The] PDM is not a political alliance
and it has made it clear that it will leave the government after the assembly’s
term. We will have to go for polls,” the JUI-F chief said.
Attacks on JUI-F leaders
While talking about attacks against the
JUI-F leadership in Bajaur and other tribal districts, the party chief said 18
religious scholars were targeted in attacks over the past 18 months in Bajaur
and some five active members, including public representatives, were targeted
in North Waziristan.
“Why Al Qaeda and Daesh [the militant
Islamic State group] could not be eliminated,” he questioned. The JUI-F said
that security issues were the domain of the military and the army discussed
such issues only with the prime minister.
He also stated that the country remained
in the western group for 75 years and it was not allowed to utilise its
resources.
He said there was a “possibility” that
Asia would lead the global economic system in the future as he favoured a shift
from the west towards Asia.
Source: dawn.com
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https://www.dawn.com/news/1763913/fazl-upset-with-n-over-ppp-huddle-in-dubai
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Film finance council, fund to be set up
under new policy: Marriyum
July 10, 2023
LAHORE: Federal Minister for Information
Marriyum Aurangzeb has said the government is formulating the new film policy
under which a film finance council and a fund will be established, while the
Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) will also give relief to the cinema industry.
She was addressing a press conference at
the Radio Pakistan Lahore Station, where she laid the foundation of a cinema
house, and inaugurated a classical music research cell, digital broadcast lab
and a podcast studio.
The federal minister said the ‘Film
Finance Council and Fund’ will be established to provide opportunities to young
producers to produce films to show a positive and better image of the country.
She said the government is formulating a
film policy to promote a soft image of Pakistan through films.
Opens classical music research cell at
Radio Pakistan Lahore Station
She deplored that due to a considerable
decline in film-making in the country, many cinema houses had been turned into
CNG stations and marriage halls, adding that the government will be
establishing cinemas in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi under the new film
policy.
Ms Aurangzeb said the FBR would also
give relief to the film industry.
She said infotainment was indispensable
for the youth of Pakistan to overcome intolerance and the ‘culture of abuse’
prevalent in the country, adding that it’s high time that youth should be
directed to positive activities.
She said the Radio Pakistan had a long
history as Madam Noor Jahan sang patriotic songs on radio during the 1965 war
to encourage the army and people of Pakistan.
Ms Aurangzeb said a digital portal based
on the history of Pakistani music will be established, while he National
Digital Archive will be inaugurated next week.
She regretted that even today a campaign
is on against Pakistan through social media.
She said a talent hunt programme related
to music will be launched on July 15th.
Ms Aurangzeb said the government would
give national identification to regional classical music and under the
international laws Radio Pakistan Podcast would be launched.
She said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif
has distributed Laptops among the youth so that they should not have petrol
bombs in their hands.
The minister said the government was
also introducing a ‘music policy’ to check piracy.
She said flop films are produced in the
neighboring country but cinemas didn’t close down there, adding that in
Pakistan as well films should be produced and cinema should not be closed.
Despite all odds brilliant films are
being produced in Pakistan.
She said the government has allocated
Rs2 billion for the health insurance of journalists and artistes.
Source: dawn.com
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https://www.dawn.com/news/1763839/film-finance-council-fund-to-be-set-up-under-new-policy-marriyum
--------
Southeast Asia
Malaysia’s PAS takes to TikTok as it
seeks a repeat of general election success in state polls
10 Jul, 2023
Founded seven decades ago by Islamic
clerics, Malaysia’s Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) finally emerged as the
single largest party in parliament in November’s polls, partly thanks to its
deft use of TikTok to lure a new generation of voters to its conservative brand
of Malay-Muslim identity politics.
Voters in the heartland states of
Terengganu and Kelantan turned to PAS en masse, with the party winning all the
parliamentary seats contested in both states.
Overall it took 49 out of the 222 seats
available – up from 18 in 2018 – following a collapse of support for the
disgraced ex-ruling party Umno, its figurehead Najib Razak sinking it into
corruption scandals and court cases.
Now as six key state elections loom next
month, PAS is seeking to give a bloody nose to the administration of Prime
Minister Anwar Ibrahim and his multi-ethnic coalition – which includes Umno.
For 22-year-old student Muhaimin, the
appeal is a simple question of belonging.
“You are from Terengganu, you support
PAS,” he said, asking to be identified only by his first name. “We are Malay,
Muslim, and so we must support PAS. It is something that is part of our
identity … it’s natural.”
Founded in 1951, PAS was long seen as a
provincial party with its power base concentrated in the north of the
peninsula.
Yet in the last election it rode a
“green wave” – reflecting the party’s colours – and together with its coalition
partner Bersatu, forms a monoethnic Malay nationalist bloc in parliament,
against the multicultural alliance that formed the government.
Partly benefiting from protest votes
after Malays dumped Umno, PAS’ success was also its reward for an effective
social media strategy – particularly on TikTok – to win over young, first-time
voters following a move to lower the voting age from 21 to 18.
However, instead of campaigning against
corruption, critics accused the Islamist party of cynically ramping up anger on
sensitive issues relating to race and religion in their bite-sized videos.
The rhetoric on values and identity was
deftly promoted on TikTok, said Syaza Farhana Mohamad Shukri, an associate
professor of political science at the International Islamic University
Malaysia.
“There is growing conservatism among the
Malays,” Syaza said. “More in terms of identity rather than actual practice.
That is why even non-practising Malays are comfortable voting for PAS.”
TikTok takeover
The TikTok account of PAS’ youth wing
has more than 117,000 followers and almost a million likes, but the party’s
main traction comes from affiliated and endorsed accounts that have been
churning out daily videos on national politics and identity.
One such account, Benda Betul (True
Things) has attracted over 134,000 followers since it began in October, ahead
of the general election, and is operated by a firm funded by the party. It has
started uploading new videos as the country inches closer to August’s state
elections.
However, individually run accounts that
are pro-PAS appear to be gaining the most traction.
One, run for Kedah state’s chief
minister Muhammad SanusiMd Nor by a man called MuhdTarmizi, has more than 4.5
million likes from regular uploads of several daily videos. Another similar
account has over 3 million likes.
PAS’ International Affairs and External
Relations Council Chairman Muhammad Khalil Abdul Hadi said in December, after
the national polls, that TikTok was a key reason behind the party’s stellar
performance.
“The wave of young voters and Malay
voters getting their first-hand information from social media platforms such as
TikTok was one of the main factors in PAS’ 49-seat victory,” Muhammad Khalil
said, without citing a source, in an op-ed run by pro-PAS newspaper Harakah
Daily in December.
There was also a deluge of content
targeting Malays alluding to the deadly May 1969 race riots, which the paper
attributed to economic disparities between poorer Malays and the more affluent
ethnic Chinese.
PAS did not immediately respond to
requests for comment.
Looming election test
Attention has now turned to next month’s
six state elections to see if PAS can repeat November’s trick.
Votes in Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah,
Penang, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan will test the prime minister’s popularity,
particularly among Malays who make up nearly two-thirds of Malaysia’s
population.
The PerikatanNasional (PN) coalition,
which includes PAS, is expected to retain Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah, with
Anwar’s unity government keeping the remaining three states.
But it may not be a cakewalk for Anwar.
In the November polls, PN, powered by
PAS’ extensive machinery and membership, made some headway winning seats in
Penang and Selangor, two of the country’s richest and most industrialised
states. Anwar’s PakatanHarapan coalition has held them since 2008, and Negeri
Sembilan since 2018.
PAS is the country’s second-oldest and
second-largest political party, formed by clerics who did not align with the
more secular direction and leadership of Malaysia’s first prime minister, Tunku
Abdul Rahman.
The party had its first taste of federal
power in 1973 when it entered an alliance with Perikatan – the precursor to the
long-ruling BarisanNasional led by Umno – before it was ejected in 1977
following a political crisis in Kelantan.
PAS attempted several other alliances
over the decades, but shot to national prominence in 2008 as part of the
Pakatan Rakyat opposition coalition led by Anwar.
But PAS had to wait another 12 years for
its next turn at the top, when it joined hands with Umno-offshoot Bersatu, led
by Muhyiddin Yassin, to form a new administration after a 2020 political coup.
PAS and Bersatu eventually formed PN,
which currently holds 74 Malay-majority seats in parliament.
Anwar’s identity crisis?
Prime Minister Anwar has been in near
constant campaign mode since taking office in November, as he tries to appeal
to both his traditional supporters among Malaysia’s minority groups and the
significantly larger Malay base.
But a key sticking point in his efforts
is the inclusion of Umno in his administration – which was a prerequisite set
by the king when offering Anwar the job of prime minister.
Since 2008, Malays have progressively
shifted support away from Umno amid allegations of corruption among its top
leaders.
“Malay voters are in search of
value-based politics. They prize perceptions of clean leadership and integrity
in terms of leaders’ fulfilling their promises,” said Amir Fareed Abdul Rahim,
a director of strategy at public affairs and political risk consultancy KRA
Group.
“So it is not just about religious
conservatism. Bersatu is a nationalist Malay party, and they provide the
moderating force to PAS’ brand of Islamist politics – the combination appeals
to a wider group of Malay-Muslim voters.”
PAS’ appeal – as well as its religiosity
– could also be overstated.
While the “green wave” remains a
concern, some in Anwar’s camp think that people will come around once his unity
government makes good on its economic promises to build better jobs and lure
investments.
“We still have four years to go,” Sim
TzeTzin, an MP from Anwar’s People’s Justice Party said of the current
parliamentary term.
“Give it to Anwar. He has a vision, has
a global perspective … he will be able to bring Malaysia to the next level.”
Source: scmp.com
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https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3226948/malaysias-pas-takes-tiktok-repeat-its-general-election-success-state-polls
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Jokowi visits Muslim intellectual Nadjib
in Yogyakarta hospital
Yogyakarta (ANTARA) - President Joko
Widodo (Jokowi) on Sunday visited prominent Muslim intellectual and poet
EmhaAinunNadjib, who is undergoing medical treatment at Dr Sardjito General
Hospital in Yogyakarta.
"I confirm that today, Mr Jokowi
visited Dr Sardjito General Hospital to visit Mr EmhaAinunNadjib," said
Banu Hermawan, the head of the hospital's Legal and Public Relations Division.
Accompanied by the Minister of State
Secretariat, Pratikno, Jokowi arrived at the hospital at 10 a.m. He met
Nadjib's spouse, NoviaKolopaking, and son SabrangMowoDamarPanuluh. He spent 15
minutes to see Cak Nun and then left the hospital.
Nadjib, popularly known as Cak Nun, has
been receiving intensive care at the hospital's ICU facility since Thursday
(July 6) after falling unconscious earlier. He was reportedly suffering from a
cerebral hemorrhage.
His personal physician, Eddy Supriyadi,
confirmed that Nadjib's health condition has improved. However, he still needs
to receive medical care at hospitals.
Nadjib's former personal secretary, Noor
Janis LanggaBarana, said that although his health condition has become more
stable, the hospital still does not allow him to be visited by other parties.
"Cak Nun's recovery process is
progressing well. His condition is stable, as well as his consciousness,"
he said.
Nadjib was still participating in a
performance with the "KiaiKanjeng" traditional art troupe in
Yogyakarta as of late Sunday (July 2), he noted.
"Perhaps he was fatigued. His
physical condition should be maintained because Cak Nun is now 70. The fatigue
might be the cause of the bleeding in his brain, which requires him to be taken
to the hospital," he said.
Source: en.antaranews.com
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PM Anwar gets flak in Malaysia’s Muslim
belt over poor economy, subsidy cuts
JUL 9, 2023
KOTA BHARU - In the rural Malay-Muslim
belt of Terengganu and Kelantan, unhappy residents are blaming Prime Minister
Anwar Ibrahim – eight months into his premiership – for Malaysia’s declining
economy, rising cost of living and inflation.
Among other grievances are the subsidy
rollbacks for both electricity and the haj announced in May, despite assurances
from Datuk Seri Anwar, who is also Finance Minister. Some fear that electricity
bills and haj pilgrimages would cost more after the subsidy cuts, but Mr Anwar
had said the cuts would affect only the high-income group.
Source: straitstimes.com
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Muhyiddin withdraws application to
transfer seven bribery charges to High Court
Monday, 10 Jul 2023
KUALA LUMPUR, July 10 — Former Prime
Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has withdrawn the application to transfer the
seven charges made against him for using his position to obtain bribes and
receiving money from unlawful activities from the Sessions Court to the High
Court here.
His lawyer Datuk HisyamTehPohTeik today
told High Court Judge K. Muniandy that his client had sent the letter to
withdraw the application for the transfer to the prosecution last July 5.
“Therefore, we request that the
application to transfer this case be revoked,” he said during the case
management today.
Deputy public prosecutor Datuk Wan
Shaharuddin Wan Ladin confirmed the matter and did not object to the
withdrawal.
In the letter seeking to withdraw the
application for transfer of the case, Muhyiddin said he was withdrawing the
application to transfer the case from the Sessions Court to the High Court
pending the disposal of his application to quash the charges against him.
“We (defence) have recommended to the
Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) that the transfer application be
postponed until after a decision on our application to quash the charges has
been made, but the MACC wants the transfer application to be heard first.
“However, in order to save the court’s
time and costs, since we think the transfer application will be academic if the
cancellation application is granted, we hereby withdraw this (transfer
application),” stated the letter.
On March 10, Muhyiddin, 76, was charged
with four charges of using his position to obtain bribes amounting to RM232.5
million and two charges of receiving money from unlawful activities amounting
to RM195 million.
The Pagoh Member of Parliament allegedly
committed all the offences at the Prime Minister’s Office, Main Block, Perdana
Putra Building, Federal Government Administration Centre in Putrajaya and CIMB
Bank Menara KL Branch, JalanStesenSentral, here, between February 25 and July
16, 2021; March 1, 2020 and August 20, 2021 as well as February 8, 2022, and
July 8, 2022.
On March 13, Muhyiddin was charged in
the Shah Alam Sessions Court with receiving money from unlawful activities
amounting to RM5 million at the AmBank branch of Amcorp Mall, Petaling Jaya
near here, on January 7, 2022.
Muhyiddin then filed an application to
strike out the four charges involving the misuse of his position to receive
bribes amounting to RM232.5 million for PartiPribumiBersatu Malaysia (Bersatu)
on April 18.
On April 27, he filed to transfer all
the cases to the High Court on grounds that they involved complex legal issues
on the Federal Constitution. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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URL:
https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/communal-unity-iuml-hindu-wedding/d/130182